Leads are a very important part of Pokemon Teams, but sometimes, it's hard to choose the right lead for your style of battling or a too many choices to use or maybe, your just not sure at all. Well this guide might shed a lot of light on it.
Leads are the Pokemon that you use to start a battle with.
Mainly it depends on the team that you are using. If you have a Weather Team, you would have a Pokemon that can bring in your Weather effect. For a team that uses Switching as main power, you would use a Pokemon that can use Stealth Rock, Spikes or Toxic Spikes. Mainly it depends on the team and the style of play that you use.
Common Leads
Weavile is a very common lead with some teams. Being fast and powerful it can hit hard. Aerodactyl was used to counter Weavile being faster. Ninjask for BP Teams. Tyranitar/Abomasnow/Hippowdon are common leads for Weather Teams because of their abilities. Some Focus Sash Pokemon are good. Like Dragon Dancers, Sword Dancers and Agility users holding Focus Sash make good leads to up their stats then attack like crazy. Also Pokemon that abuse Choice Scarf are also common leads.
Also sometimes you might see a Pokemon that can lay Spikes/Stealth Rock in the lead to lay them out then Phaze or something. Gyarados is a good lead with Intimidate and that Electric Weakness helped out Electivire a lot.
Fast Pokemon make great leads but some Fast Pokemon like Dugtrio shouldn't lead because of it's ability (Arena Trap).
Countering Leads
Mainly it depends on luck. If you know your opponent you might have a better chance at beating them Lead wise and out predict them right from the start. If you don't know them at all. Just go with your style of battling and bring in an appropriate counter.
Leads and Prediction
Leads can be scary if you have a bad lead. So you switch in a counter, but they predicted you would do that and switch for a counter for the the Pokemon you switched in to counter their lead. Understand? Yes? Good!
Leads and prediction could lead to you losing a Pokemon fast, or your opponent losing a Pokemon fast. Example:
Smee sent out Alakazam (level100)
Moody sent out Weavile (level100
Note here that both Pokemon are at the same speed but Weavile can counter Alakazam
Alakazam used Focus Blast!
Super Effective!
Weavile lost 100% of health!
Moody's Weavile fainted!
That was common prediction for Moody to use Pursuit to KO Alakazam when Alakazam switched because most Alakazams would switched out from a Weavile so Moody did the usual but Smee predicted that and used Focus Blast to KO the Weavile. That was basic prediction.
Sometimes it doesn't always go that lucky for someone.
Smee sent out Metagross! (level 100)
Moody sent out Weavile! (level 100)
Smee withdrew Metagross!
Smee sent out Skarmory! (level 100)
Weavile used Night Slash!
It's not very effective!
Skarmory lost 10% of HP!
Skarmory's leftovers recovered health!
Skarmory recovered 6% of HP!
Common prediction.
Smee withdrew Skarmory!
Smee sent out Dugtrio! (level 100)
Moody can't withdrew Weavile dew to Arena Trap!
Smee got to switch 1st. Not good for Moody!
Smee withdrew Dugtrio!
Smee sent out Skarmory!
Moody withdrew Weavile!
Moody sent out Magnazone! (level 100)
Skarmory's Leftovers recovered health!
Skarmory recovered 4% HP!
Now Moody knew Dugtrio wasn't fast enough to KO Weavile so he predicted that Skarmory was coming back in so he sent out Magnazone to trap and now KO Skarmory. Basic prediction from the lead lost Smee his Physical Wall.
Well that is most of what i can cover about leads. If you have a question or if I missed something, please e-mail me!
