How To Build A Strong Team - Team Building Tips | Pokemon Sword Shield

Last Updated: August 21, 2022 10:59 PM

Read this article to find out how to put together a strong, balanced team in Pokemon Sword and Shield (SWSH). Find out what to pay attention to and what Pokemon you should select!!!

Table of Contents

Analyze The Meta
Cover All Pokemon Types and Roles
Prioritize Pokemon's Speed
Have Several Moves Per Pokemon

Check Out Beginner's Guide & Tips!

Analyze The Meta

Be Aware Of Trends

It's important to always keep an eye on the state of the current online ranked meta. By doing so, you can choose Pokemon which can counter frequently used Pokemon. For example, in a meta where Dynamaxing & boosting stats is common, Ditto has emerged as a popular choice.

Check Out Which Pokemon Are Popular Now!

Cover All Pokemon Types

Catch & Raise Pokemon Of Different Types

It's important to catch and raise Pokemon of different types in the game. This will ensure that you'll have a Pokemon that can counter an enemy Pokemon's type advantage.

Check Out Type Effectiveness Chart Here!

Avoid Having Many Pokemon Of Same Type

When raising your Pokemon and building a team, it's important to avoid catching and raising too many of the same type, as doing so will put you at a massive disadvantage against certain types of Pokemon. To do so, pick the Pokemon with the highest base stats!

Check Out The Pokemon With The Highest Base Stats Here!

Have Good Role Coverage!

Generally speaking (although there are exceptions, especially in Doubles), Pokemon can be divided into 2 main roles, Attackers and Tanks, with 2 additional sub-roles each. It's important to have Pokemon which can fill all roles in order to ensure good overall team balance.

Example

Attackers	Physical Attacker	Special Attacker
Tanks	Physical Tank	Special Tank

Prioritize Pokemon's Speed

Faster Pokemon Will Attack First

Pokemon with a higher speed stat will always attack first. This is important if you're faced with an enemy Pokemon that is counter to your Pokemon's type.

Comparison Of Pokemon Speed Stat

Pokemon	Attack or Sp. Atk	Speed
Charizard	109	100
Dugtrio	100	120

In the above example, although Charizard has a higher Sp. Atk stat than Dugtrio does Attack, Dugtrio's speed allows him to go first. If he lands a Rock Slide, it will be enough to take out Charizard in one hit. A difference of 1 Speed can win or lose you the battle.

Make Slow Pokemon Your Tanks

If you would like to add a slower Pokemon to your party, it's best to choose those with a high HP stat and with close to no weaknesses. Normal types and Dragon types can be great to use as openers for battle.

Have Several Moves Per Pokemon

Cover Weaknesses With Move Types

Although you are limited to 6 Pokemon, and therefore a possible maximum of 12 different types, you can make up for your weaknesses by having your Pokemon learn different types of moves!

Check Out All New Moves Here!

Example Of Pokemon With Diff. Move Types

Pokemon	Moves
Noivern	Air Slash Dragon Pulse Roost Focus Blast

Noivern is Dragon/Flying, meaning he's 4x weak to Ice. However, Focus Blast allows him to deal with Ice Types if necessary. Note that speed is still a factor, so make sure your Pokemon have high speed stats.

Only Have One Move Of Same Type

It's best to choose one move of a certain type for your Pokemon to learn. This will give you room to have more move types in you Pokemon's move list.

Example Of Double Same Type Move

Pokemon	Moves
Charizard	Flamethrower Fire Blast Air Slash Roost

There's no need to have both Flamethrower and Fire Blast on a Charizard like this. Dragon Claw or Brick Break would be better choices to cover other types.

Collect As Many Technical Records As Possible

Collecting Technical Records (TRs) will allow you to customize your Pokemon's move list dramatically. This allows you to use one Pokemon for several enemies in any battle.