My First Ever VGC Team

[Garchomp24]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you could give me my tips for my 2013 (and first) VGC team. I've been testing on Showdown! and out of 50 battles with my current variant I won 25 of them and I peaked at 1484.
I'll start with Pokemon I used to use. Please tell me if I should bring one of them back.

Emboar @ Fighting Gem
Brave Nature w/ Blaze
EV's: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Spe (0Spe IV)
- Flare Blitz
- Hammer Arm
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake

I replaced Emboar with the Arcanine on my current team. Emboar was incredibly useful for combating the loads of Trick Room teams in VGC, but outside of TR it was next to useless. Arcanine is more useful because of Intimidate and priority Extremespeed.

Flygon @ Yache Berry
Jolly Nature w/ Levitate
EV's: 252 Atk, 48 SpD, 208 Spe
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Rock Slide
- Tailwind

I replaced Flygon with Garchomp. Flygon was my Tailwind user. (BTW, I no longer use tailwind.) He was also my main Dragon type. The SpD EVs were to let it survive unSTABed Ice Beams(usually). It wasn't able to set up Tailwind enough, so I replaced it with the more reliable Garchomp.

Electivire @ Electric Gem
Naive Nature w/ Motor Drive
EVs: 144 Atk, 140 SpA, 224 Spe
- Discharge
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Wave
- Rock Slide

I replaced Electivire with Cresselia because he did not have enough bulk and took a lot of damage from most spread moves (including Earthquake). His purpose was to spread paralysis and to defeat or cripple Dragons with Ice Punch and T-Wave. Unfortunately, he did not have enough bulk to survive in VGC.

Garchomp @ Yache Berry
Adamant Nature w/ Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Rock Slide
- Protect

Even though, Garchomp replaced Flygon, he was eventually replaced by Gastrodon. Garchomp was doing solidly except against the extremely common Rain and Trick Room teams. Unfortunately, by replacing him I no longer have a Dragon type.

Feraligatr @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature w/ Torrent (I wish they would release Sheer Force on Gatr.

)
EVs: 128 HP, 252 Atk, 128 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Punch
- Crunch

Feraligatr was replaced with Latios. SD Aqua Jets are very powerful priority, and even without a Dance Jet 2HKOs Terrakion. Ice Punch and Crunch are for coverage and are very strong after an SD. Life Orb is for extra OOMPH. If Sheer Force is released before Spring Regionals, I will update this with my Sheer Force Dragon Dance set.

Now we will move on to the current team!!!!!!!!!!

Cincinno @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature w/ Skill Link
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe
- Bullet Seed
- Rock Blast
- Tail Slap
- U-Turn

Cincinno is on my team for the amazing coverage it offers and it has been on the team from the beginning. Its Bullet Seed grants 4x coverage on Water/Ground Types and even breaks through Rindo Berry. Rock Blast is like Bullet Seed, but for different types. Tail Slap is for stuff that is not hit super effectively by rock or grass. U-Turn is to allow me a quick escape and it also does 51% to Latios. Choice Band really helps achieve many more OHKOs.

Gengar @ Ghost Gem
Timid Nature w/ Levitate
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpA, 252 Spe
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Protect
- Thunderbolt

Gengar is the last guy I've had since the creation of this team. He is one of the best Special Attackers in the VGC metagame, especially because of his typing. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide unresisted coverage. Thunderbolt is good for defeating the numerous VGC water-types. Feedback on this would be great. Protect is for scouting. The Ghost Gem is to boost the relatively weak Shadow Ball.

Arcanine @ Fire Gem
Jolly Nature w/ Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- ExtremeSpeed
- Protect

Arcanine replaced my Emboar and has really made up for his predecessor's struggles. He is my main physical powerhouse as well as my Intimidator. He also has +2 priority in ExtremeSpeed. Protect is once again for scouting. The Fire Gem allows Arcanine to score some OHKO's it normally wouldn't achieve.

Cresselia @ Leftovers
Calm Nature w/ Levitate
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Def, 252 SpA
- Thunder Wave
- Psychic
- Icy Wind
- Signal Beam

Cresselia is my main wall as well as having T-Wave for Paralysis. Icy Wind allows for even more Speed reduction. is a Cress staple and Signal Beam is to defeat Dark and Psychic types. Leftovers allows me to get some healing.

Gastrodon @ Rindo Berry
Bold Nature w/ Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP, 120 Def, 36 SpA, 96 SpD
- Muddy Water
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover

Gastrodon is my main answer to Rain and/or Trick Room teams. Muddy Water and Earth Power provide excellent STABs, especially after a Storm Drain boost. Ice Beam is once again for coverage. Recover is for a source of healing off damage. The Rindo Berry allows it to survive most Grass attacks at full health.

Latios @ Dragon Gem
Timid Nature w/ Levitate
EVs: 4 HP, 4 Def, 248 SpA, 4 SpD, 248 Spe
- Dragon Pulse
- Psychic
- Hidden Power Fire
- Protect

Latios replaced my Feraligatr. I use D Pulse over Draco Meteor because I don't like the stat drops. Dragon Gem is to boost the weak D Pulse. Protect is for scouting and HP Fire is for coverage.

Threatlist: Green = No Threat, Blue = Minor Threat, Orange = Potential Threat, Red = Major Threat

Hide

Terrakion
Hydreigon
Latios
Metagross
Tyranitar
Kingdra
Garchomp
Zapdos
Froslass
Scizor
Eelektross
Espeon
Starmie
Chandelure
Ludicolo
Volcarona
Ferrothorn
Rotom-C
Heatran
Hitmontop
Absol
Tornadus-I
Gastrodon
Toxicxroak
Zoroark
Rotom-F
Abomasnow
Aerodactyl
Alakazam
Ambipom
Amoonguss
Arcanine
Azumarill
Blaziken
Breloom
Cloyster
Conkeldurr
Cresselia
Darmanitan
Dragonite
Dugtrio
Dusclops
Dusknoir
Empoleon
Excadrill
Escavalier
Flygon
Gallade
Gengar
Gigalith
Glaceon
Gliscor
Gyarados
Hariyama
Hippowdon
Infernape
Landorus-I
Landorus-T
Tornadus-T
Thundurus-I
Thundurus-T
Lanturn
Lapras
Lucario
Magnezone
Mamoswine
Marowak
Mienshao
Nidoking
Ninetales
Pikachu
Porygon2
Reuniclus
Rhyperior
Rotom-W
Sableye
Shuckle
Slowking
Snorlax
Staraptor
Vaporeon
Venusaur
Virizion
Weavile
Whimsicott

If you could help me with the orange, and more importantly red, threats, that would be great.

So please only give constructive criticism, and all suggestions are valid. Thanks!

 

[tlyee61]

it looks like latios (possibly with HP Fire) could benefit your team greatly. it takes out terrakion, hydreigon and other latios fine. with HP fire, you lose (or tie) with other latios, but it counters froslass and metagross (to an extent). i would replace feraligatr with latios because gastrodon and feraligatr don't have great synergy... on cress, go 252 HP / 252 SpAtk to give better overall defense. also, replace signal beam w/ HP Fire if you don't use it on latios (which might be a good idea so you can beat other latios)

 

[Garchomp24]

it looks like latios (possibly with HP Fire) could benefit your team greatly. it takes out terrakion, hydreigon and other latios fine. with HP fire, you lose (or tie) with other latios, but it counters froslass and metagross (to an extent). i would replace feraligatr with latios because gastrodon and feraligatr don't have great synergy... on cress, go 252 HP / 252 SpAtk to give better overall defense. also, replace signal beam w/ HP Fire if you don't use it on latios (which might be a good idea so you can beat other latios)

Thanks! I will test with Latios over Gatr, even though Gatr was my favorite poke on the team. Hopefully, it will be a big improvement!

 

[Enraikou]

When i saw your team I dont know why but ludicolo got in my mind. You said that ludicolo is a minor threat, but i dont think so. Why? Ludicolo speed in rain any pokemon you have and can giga drain your gastrondon/feraligatr. Even with rindo berry ludicolo will: 252+ SpA Life Orb Ludicolo Giga Drain vs. 252 HP / 96 SpD Rindo Berry Gastrodon: 289-343 (67.84 - 80.51%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, if your opponent make the absorb bulb I think it will OHKO.
But you might get some chance if any pokemon have Tw, I prefer putting Tw over Ice beam on cresselia, and make more Sp.def on it, while in gastrondon you could put more Def.

I thought something like that:
Cresselia @Leftovers
Calm Nature
-Signal beam(?)/Light Screen
-Psychic
-Thunder Wave
-Calm mind (?)/Icy wind
252HP/252Sp.def/4Sp.atk
Well as I can see this Cresselia is like Sp.atker, but for your team a Sp.defensive would be better. Leftovers is for bulk. Calm mind seem wierd cause you already using sword dance at feraligatr so you can lose some turns with it. Icy wind is a better move to slow down your opponents, like latios, terakion (major threats). You can even run Light Screen to boost your Sp.def , but that might require light clay on it.

Gastrondon @Rindo Berry/Sitrus Berry
Bold nature
-Muddy Water/Scald
-Earth power
-Ice beam
-Recover
252HP/216Def/ 36Sp.Atk
Don't see any problem using these investments, but 252 Def will max def. Since your team cant absorb water surf is unlike to use, so Scald or muddy water are best options. Scald for burn, muddy water for hitting both opponents without your partner.

Try putting thunderbolt instead of thunder on gengar, cause your not using rain dance. I dont like cinccino very much, but I have already seen Choice band instead of focus sash.You could run these set:
Cinccino @Choice band
Jolly nature
-Bullet seed
-Rock Blast
-Tail slap
-U-turn
252spe/252atk/4HP

Well don't know yet if this could be the final team, have to wait other ideas to come

 

[Garchomp24]

When i saw your team I dont know why but ludicolo got in my mind. You said that ludicolo is a minor threat, but i dont think so. Why? Ludicolo speed in rain any pokemon you have and can giga drain your gastrondon/feraligatr. Even with rindo berry ludicolo will: 252+ SpA Life Orb Ludicolo Giga Drain vs. 252 HP / 96 SpD Rindo Berry Gastrodon: 289-343 (67.84 - 80.51%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, if your opponent make the absorb bulb I think it will OHKO.
But you might get some chance if any pokemon have Tw, I prefer putting Tw over Ice beam on cresselia, and make more Sp.def on it, while in gastrondon you could put more Def.

I thought something like that:
Cresselia @Leftovers
Calm Nature
-Signal beam(?)/Light Screen
-Psychic
-Thunder Wave
-Calm mind (?)/Icy wind
252HP/252Sp.def/4Sp.atk
Well as I can see this Cresselia is like Sp.atker, but for your team a Sp.defensive would be better. Leftovers is for bulk. Calm mind seem wierd cause you already using sword dance at feraligatr so you can lose some turns with it. Icy wind is a better move to slow down your opponents, like latios, terakion (major threats). You can even run Light Screen to boost your Sp.def , but that might require light clay on it.

Gastrondon @Rindo Berry/Sitrus Berry
Bold nature
-Muddy Water/Scald
-Earth power
-Ice beam
-Recover
252HP/216Def/ 36Sp.Atk
Don't see any problem using these investments, but 252 Def will max def. Since your team cant absorb water surf is unlike to use, so Scald or muddy water are best options. Scald for burn, muddy water for hitting both opponents without your partner.

Try putting thunderbolt instead of thunder on gengar, cause your not using rain dance. I dont like cinccino very much, but I have already seen Choice band instead of focus sash.You could run these set:
Cinccino @Choice band
Jolly nature
-Bullet seed
-Rock Blast
-Tail slap
-U-turn
252spe/252atk/4HP

Well don't know yet if this could be the final team, have to wait other ideas to come

Thanks so much! I will try out all of your changes!

 

[Garchomp24]

@tylee61

Latios has been a great improvement. Out of 20 battles with it, I won 13.
I will definitely keep him.

@enraikou
Your sets have greatly improved my team! CB Cincinno achieves many more OHKOs than it did with Sash.

EDIT: I am going to update the first post with these changes.

 

[tlyee61]

@tylee61

Latios has been a great improvement. Out of 20 battles with it, I won 13.
I will definitely keep him.

@enraikou
Your sets have greatly improved my team! CB Cincinno achieves many more OHKOs than it did with Sash.

EDIT: I am going to update the first post with these changes.

Glad I could help! If you really want to troll, try King's Rock Cincinno. It adds flinch chance with every hit of TS, BS, RB etc. It has something like a 72% chance to flinch every turn xD You might want to update the threat list. Looks like Terrakion, Hydreigon, other Latios, Chomp (without Haban) and Kingdra out of Rain have been covered by Latios. Also, Gastro counters Meta, Zapdos (without HP Grass), Froslass and TTar. Arcanine basically hard-counters Scizor with Intimidate and fire moves.

 

[Enraikou]

Glad I could help! If you really want to troll, try King's Rock Cincinno. It adds flinch chance with every hit of TS, BS, RB etc. It has something like a 72% chance to flinch every turn xD

Oh thats right, I forgot about King's rock + Skill link. Well it seems more advantageous than CB.

 

[Garchomp24]

@tylee61 & enraikou
Thanks for the king's rock tip but I like the extra KOs Choice Band nets me. I will update my threatlist soon.