VGC 2015: Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer

[Laurel]

I have a rain team with politoed/Swampert/Kingdra/Bisharp/Talonflame and I'm looking for a sixth pokemon. I currently am using Aegislash, but it hasn't been useful so far. Any suggestions?

Id drop kingdra for ludicolo for assault vest to help with rotom-w and other special attackers then id try a Togekiss for another dragon check + overall support.

 

[Laurel]

One more thing: What if you have only two friends on your 3DS? Shouldn't this thread have a Friend Safari compilation or something what's the easiest way to get good Friend Safaries, really fast?

Smogon posts some cool ones on Facebook. Also join #smogonwifi on IRC.

 

[Nelson Tangela]

I want to build a HO Tailwind team, for 4vs4 double battles, around this core as soon as I manage to soft reset the Suicune in my OR. Any ideas what I could/should add? A fairy would probably be a nice addition for the Steel/Dragon/Fairy core. I also need fire coverage, if I decide to run Tailwind Hydreigon (not sure yet). Trick Room teams might be a problem too...

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm
- Protect

>> 252+ Atk to hit as hard as possible; 180 Spd to outspeed 252 base 100 Pokémon like Zapdos, Charizard or Kangaskhan; STAB Meteor Mash to kill Fairy- and Ice-types for Hydreigon and for the awesome 20% Atk boost;
STAB Zen Headbutt to hit Electric-types hard, kill Amoonguss and Venusaur for Suicune and Fighting-types for Hydreigon; Hammer Arm for coverage (Steel-types, Dark-types, Mega Kangaskhan) <<

Suicune @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Def / 116 SAtk / 4 SDef / 28 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Tailwind
- Protect

>> 116+ SAtk to OHKO Mega Salamence; 28 Spd to outspeed 252 Scarf Landorus-T and Mega Sceptile with Tailwind; remaining EVs maximize physical bulk;
Hydro Pump kills Fire- and Ground-types for Metagross; Ice Beam for coverage and to hit opposing Dragon-types that threaten Hydreigon; Tailwind for important speed control <<

Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 84 HP / 252 SAtk / 172 Spd
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast / Tailwind
- Protect

>> 172+ Spd to outspeed 252 base 100 Pokémon like Zapdos, Charizard or Kangaskhan; 252 SAtk to hit as hard as possible; 84 HP let me survive a 252+ CB Talonflame Brave Bird plus one turn of LO recoil at full health;
covers every single weakness of the other two defensively; STAB Dark Pulse to hit Ghost-types and opposing Metagross for my own Metagross and to also hit all the typical Trick Room Pokémon that are weak to Dark;
STAB Draco Meteor to nuke stuff and other Dragon-types; Fire Blast for needed Fire-type coverage against opposing Steel-, Ice- and Grass-types OR Tailwind for even more speed control, if I find a Fire-type to add <<

Hide

Sylveon (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 SAtk
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Hyper Beam

>> Not sure yet, but this thing might be a really nice addition. Specs Pixilate Hyper Voice with Tailwind support is sexy. The shiny version is blue too... LOL <<

 

[tofucocoa]

I'd recommend a fire-type like volcarona or rotom-h, just looking at your reletive bisharp weakness, before considering a fairy-type. also i doubt a simple question thread is appropriate for this, especially since you asked a rather complex question. you can try the RMT subforum for this, but you already have a pretty good start on the team. i think you could fill it out on your own if you wanted to.

 

[Croven]

So I'm kinda new to VGC in general, and I never was the greatest builder in singles, so moving to doubles won't help that. I was thinking of building a team with Togekiss, as it has pretty solid typing and a great movepool with Tailwind, Follow Me, and 60% flinch Air Slash can be used in extreme cases I guess. What would be the best partner for it? It takes Fighting attacks for days on end, so I was thinking of mons such as Bisharp, TTar, or Excadrill. Exca does take care of the Elec weakness quite well, though Rotom-W can be a pain. TTar is kinda shredded by Steel attacks, which kill Toge too. Bisharp is good, but doesn't take on Elecs as well as Exca. I was leaning towards Sharp, however, as the amount of Intimidate going around is insane. Which should I use, and how should I go about building from there? Or is there any mon that I've overlooked, that'd be useful? Thank you for your advice!

 

[idiotfrommars]

You want to pair something with it that can set up and wreck havoc. A few examples would be something like Mega-Salamence or Mega-Kangaskhan. They both take full advantage of the free turns provided by Follow Me to get stat boosts up, and then you can abuse tailwind and air slash to get more free turns plus damage once your Mega is set up.

 

[Croven]

You want to pair something with it that can set up and wreck havoc. A few examples would be something like Mega-Salamence or Mega-Kangaskhan. They both take full advantage of the free turns provided by Follow Me to get stat boosts up, and then you can abuse tailwind and air slash to get more free turns plus damage once your Mega is set up.

Ok, I was just a bit curious as to what had the best overall synergy with it, since I thought it'd be best for them to not share weaknesses, so I automatically crossed out Mence. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Aqua-Niki]

Hey guys, after around 10 hours of SR, I've got a 31/5/31/20/31/31 Calm Latias, is it good enough for competitive ? It would be a bulky supportive one with something like Helping Hand/Tailwind/Protect/DPulse, so I thought that getting perfect defenses was better than perfect SpA.

 

[Vinc2612]

And exactly how many good competent vgc players do you expect to run what looks like 252 attack/sp attack 4 def 252 speed? Please actually use a realistic EV spread before doing calculations, I mean come on other than a completely new player who runs 252/4/252 ev spreads in doubles?.

I've read this today so I was wondering, is there a special way to EV in VGC? Why is there a so big difference with single where 252/252+ is often the best?

 

[nightwolf]

I've read this today so I was wondering, is there a special way to EV in VGC? Why is there a so big difference with single where 252/252+ is often the best?

From my experience going 252 attack/sp attack and 252 speed it leaves you too frail for doubles unless you're running 6 glass cannons that even with defensive investments they get OHKO'd

 

[Taliheim]

Due to the nature of doubles, being able to stomach hits becomes much more useful, as even if you outspeed and OHKO an opposing mon, he still has another on the field to take it down. Thus, spreads in Doubles (and VGC) are often complicated; for example, a Rotom-W EV spread in VGC '14 would look something like 252 HP / 116 Def / 4 SpA / 132 SpD / 4 Spe.

 

[Professor Birch]

I've read this today so I was wondering, is there a special way to EV in VGC? Why is there a so big difference with single where 252/252+ is often the best?

Start 252/252/4 and as you play, change EVs to be suited to you

 

[Xado]

Im new to VGC and i caugth this cresselia:

Cresselia [Bold]
IVs: 31 / 20, 21 / 31 / 31 / 31 / 16, 17.

Can i use cress with this speed?

 

[Professor Birch]

Im new to VGC and i caugth this cresselia:

Cresselia [Bold]
IVs: 31 / 20, 21 / 31 / 31 / 31 / 16, 17.

Can i use cress with this speed?

Well it will be outsped by non TR variants and will be outsped by TR variants. I think it could be used but just know that this is the position it will be in.

 

[Xado]

Well it will be outsped by non TR variants and will be outsped by TR variants. I think it could be used but just know that this is the position it will be in.

Then i thin i will Toss and try to catch a cress with 25 + at speed.

I have another question , what are the bigest threats gainst cresselia?And is cresselia good for a trick room team( i probalby wont use , but i just want to know)

 

[Professor Birch]

Then i thin i will Toss and try to catch a cress with 25 + at speed.

I have another question , what are the bigest threats gainst cresselia?And is cresselia good for a trick room team( i probalby wont use , but i just want to know)

Knock Off is quite predominant now, so I'd consider that definitely something to look out for. Also, Cresselia is probably the best TR user there is, but I don't use it for TR either, so it does not HAVE to be used for it. I'd recommend watching this for anything Cresselia related this season:

 

[Xado]

Knock Off is quite predominant now, so I'd consider that definitely something to look out for. Also, Cresselia is probably the best TR user there is, but I don't use it for TR either, so it does not HAVE to be used for it. I'd recommend watching this for anything Cresselia related this season:

The video help me, now i know what to do . Thanks :D

 

[aVocado]

is VGC pokemon specific? I know it stands for videogame championships, but googling it only results in pokemon. why is it called that and not pokemon championships instead lol

 

[Kiyo]

mainly because that doesnt distinguish it from the tcg and i assume nintendo wants to avoid confusion

 

[Pheano Black]

on the turn that thunder wave is used would the affected pokemon's speed be adjusted or not until next turn?

 

[Kiyo]

on the turn that thunder wave is used would the affected pokemon's speed be adjusted or not until next turn?

not until the next turn. moves that affect turn order based on speed stat don't take effect until the next turn, this includes: thunder wave, trick room, swift swim, etc.

 

[Professor Birch]

on the turn that thunder wave is used would the affected pokemon's speed be adjusted or not until next turn?

What the person above said. Speed is calculated at the beginning of each turn. They can, however, suffer from paralysis the same turn.

 

[Xado]

I have a greninja with 252 speed and sp atk, can i use him at VGC with this evs or should i breed a new froakie and give him others evs ?

 

[Mymble]

I have a greninja with 252 speed and sp atk, can i use him at VGC with this evs or should i breed a new froakie and give him others evs ?

Those EVs are fine, a complex spread doesn't help Greninja at all.

 

[Laurel]

I have a greninja with 252 speed and sp atk, can i use him at VGC with this evs or should i breed a new froakie and give him others evs ?

If its got 31 IVs in every spot or your satisfied w your given IVs/nature its fine!