Before I go into details, I'd like to explain what the "Battle Stage" is... It's an area of Platinum's Battle Frontier where you only bring in one Pokemon (or two for doubles) to Battle 'til you drop... Here is my Pokemon and moveset of choice:

Zangoose w/  Swords, Claws, and Thunderpunch Moveset:

• Swords Dance
• Crush Claw
• Shadow Claw
• Thunderpunch

Ability: Immunity

Held Item: Shell Bell or Leftovers

So what do you guys think? Will this moveset at least get me to Rank 7 in at least one type? Or do you think it flat out sucks? Have a better moveset/PKMN in mind? Discuss it right here, right now, preferably in a manner that doesn't piss people off.

If you need help on making your evaluations, remember these three things:
1) Read my entire initial post,
2) The 4th generation's rules concerning the separation of Physical and Special Attacks do indeed apply, and
3) Remember notes 1 & 2.

Personally, I feel confident enough with this to have put out a bet to Kirby007 a la Mr. Lowe (I know he hates it when he's called that, but zexen_lowe seems to me to be a boring name anyway) that I could achieve a Silver Symbol on the Battle Stage with my hypothetical Zangoose (hypothetical only because I cannot locate my copy of Ruby) by my next birthday... Does anyone here think I'm nuts for making such a wager? You can discuss that, too...

What are they useful for? I know Thunderpunch is strong against water and steel only.

Shadow Claw against Light?

Are you referring to the TCG? If not, then you are making very little sense... If so, you did not read my entire post, and thus you lost me...

Oh, and it's the video game I'm talking about, not the lame-ass TCG that threatens the continued existence of the video games with its copious amounts of suckage...

Umm, TCG or VG, they all have strengths and weaknesses.

The more weaknesses you can exploit with your combination of moves, the more chance you'd win...

your pokemon+moveset can barely hit steel and fighting pokemon

Erm, you're not very well off vs Steel..

and to be honest, Zangoose is a pretty bad choice. A Machamp, Medicham, Hariyama etc. could all OHKO you with ease. Why not pick a more reliable sweeper like Garchomp, Tyranitar, Snorlax, Infernape etc?

My two personal favourite Pokemon killers.

Weavile w/ Focus sash
-Ice Punch
-Night Slash
-Brick Break
-Aerial Ace

Gengar w/ Scope lens
-Hypnosis
-Shadow Ball
-Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast

Both of these Pokemon will most likely get the first strike in and they can take out most Pokemon with at least one or two hits. With Focus sash you can almost guarantee Weavile gets two hits in and Gengars Scope lens guarantees a better success rate to get a Hypnosis in before your opponent can react.