I don't typically use most of those pokemon, but I can weigh in on Empoleon: I prefer a bulkier Empoleon with HP and Defense or Sp. Defense EVs, with Scald, Ice Beam, Stealth Rock and Roar. You're wanting Water and Steel on each pokemon though, right? So maybe replace Ice Beam with Flash Cannon to fit your theme, but definitely use Scald instead of Surf (high Burn chance and it still hits hard) and Stealth Rock + Roar makes for some hilarious shenanigans - every Gym Leader needs a gimmick, right?
If you go the defensive route rather than Special Sweeper, I'd give him Leftovers. Empoleon can be very difficult to bring down if you aren't prepared for him.
Good luck! I hope it goes well.
Thanks!
Man I love bulky pokes... I was trying to get out of my comfort zone, but your suggestion is very tempting. Hrm...
In any case: Scald, yes ok sold. I actually love that move. I felt like maybe I should pick the certainty of extra damage Surf gave over the slight gamble of getting a burn... but yeah ok, Scald it is.
I'd suggest Starmie over your Water/Flying type. Starmie resists Fighting type moves and can hit back against Grass with Ice Beam and Fighting with Psychic as it is relatively quick. If you prefer something on the defensive side try out Slowbro: It has good Defense and HP, can hit Grass types with Ice Beam and burn enemies with Scald, plus it has access to recovery with Slack Off. You can also try using a Water/Ground type to negate Electric attacks and then switch to a Steel type if you see a Grass attack coming.
On the Steel side try Earthquake over Explosion on Bronzong since half the team has a weakness to Electric so it can give you coverage against those. Klefki or Aegislash can help you against Fighting type moves. Escavalier and Scizor can also work since they can learn Aerial Ace against Fighting types and take normal damage from Ground and Fighting moves. Best of luck to your efforts!
Man so many interesting suggestions, hrmhrmm... Since Bronzong's already Psychic I felt a pull to diversify things with a Flying type poke over Starmie or Slowbro/king. I'd be inclined to pick Starmie over the Slow-s... It's true that even if it doesn't have a STAB move that works x4 against a Grass/Fighting, Psychic is STAB and Ice Beam is all-around nice (also in case of Dragons). I had a EV-trained Starmie in my Emerald game that would work for this, I could use it.
Good idea @Earthquake on Bronzong.
@Klefki, Aegislash & Escavalier: I hadn't even noticed Escavalier can learn Aerial Ace, dang!
Man I only very recently switched to 6th Gen and it shows (and I've been sticking to 4th/Soul Silver for so long). You caught me red-handed in sticking closer to the pokes I know, hahahah.
I'm open to getting to learn my way around these better though. Especially since it happens they are among my favorite 5th Gen pokes look-wise.
Gosh what to do... I do love Scizor too but dang ain't that pokemon really dang popular (won't say "overused" because like I said, I don't do lots of competitive and as far as I know it might not even be in the OU tier), so yeah I'll pass. Let my other friends have fun with it in their teams.
Hrm... so if I replace one of the waterfowls for Starmie, I'm left with... replacing Magnezone with one of these three. I guess I might not miss it too much... I guess I picked it because I thought that it would also be useful if my friends uses, like, a real bulky Water poke that would kind of throw my Steel/Water stuff into a stalemate and I don't know, screen the crap out of her team and be a nuisance while I struggle to kill it down...
Hm, Escavalier is 4x weak to Fire but if I keep rain on, it'll help... Klefki has ground weakness but it laughs at Dragons and has one more resistance and one more immunity.... Aegislash resists a ton of stuff but most of what isn't resisted hits it hard... Hm and Blade or Defense forme...
*strokes chin*
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