VGC First RMT for VGC. Here goes nothing.

[Silverangel]

So yeah I decided to make a VGC team using pokemon I like to somewhat like. It still needs work, so I'm looking for advice on it.

Flare (Talonflame) @ Sky Plate
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Quick Guard
- Protect

Typical Smogonbird for VGC set here. I'm running max speed to outspeed other Smogonbirds but I really should be having more balk here, shouldn't I? Besides, Quick Guard would allow me to block opposing Gale Wings Brave Birds and thus allow my teammates to kill opposing Talonflame, right? Brave Bird + Flare Blitz for obligatory STABs, and Protect is because if you're in Doubles and not running Protect or Protect clone, then you're doing it wrong (unless you're Choiced). I'm not gonna mention Protect after this since it'll be redundant.

Copain (Garchomp) (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Dragon Claw
- Protect

This is also your average Garchomp for double battles here. Earthquake and Rock Slide provide good coverage and Dragon Claw for a STAB move that can target a single target. The biggest problem I have with Garchomp is: Too many items I can run. Haban Berry? Rocky Helmet to punish Mega Kangaskhan? Roseli Berry? Yache Berry to survive an Ice Shard? Other than that, basic doubles Garchomp set.

Bai (Pachirisu) (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Follow Me
- Super Fang
- Protect
- Nuzzle

This is basically the same Pachirisu set that Se Jun Park ran when he won VGC 2014. The core of this set is Follow Me, which draws in attacks from opponents to give my own pokemon breatI could be running other Follow Me users, but they have many weaknesses for a pokemon meant to draw in attacks bar Clefable. Out of all the Follow Me users that I can easily get, Pachirisu has the least amount of weaknesses for the most bulk (don't talk about Furret, it doesn't have the defenses). Bai also has a useful electric immunity that lets her heal when hit by an electric move. Super Fang allows her to cut down any bulky pokemon down to size (*cough*Cresselia*cough*) and is what she does when she doesn't need to use Follow Me. Nuzzle allows Bai to slow down fast attackers, and can even knock off that last HP from that Infernape with Focus Sash.

Poet (Murkrow) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Quash
- Feather Dance
- Protect
- Foul Play

Yeah, uh, I chose Murkrow because I felt like it. Quash has priority with Prankster, and it allows me to force an opposing pokemon to go last. This way, I can KO it with a slower pokemon before it KOs me. This even works in Trick Room, so that Conkeldurr still has to wait in line. Feather Dance can be used to weaken physical attackers, but it won't work on Defiant users (I don't want to hit Serperior, Spinda, or Malamar either). Foul Play let's me hit strong physical attackers and Aegislash in it's shield form.

Raffle (Venusaur) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 244 SpA / 12 Spe
Quiet Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Earthquake
- Protect

Mega Venusaur is really bulky. In terms of stats, he's probably the second bulkiest next to Cresselia. Thick Fat helps too, turning Ice and Fire attacks into neutral hits instead of super effective ones. Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb are special STAB attacks that can be quite useful. Earthquake hits Heatran, which is a good thing because even if Heatran only hits Raffle neutrally, a Heat Wave is still gonna be nasty. Mega Venusaur is also a good counter to rain teams, as Raffle can tank Ice Punches and Ice Beams from Mega Swampert and Politoed rather easily and OHKO or 2HKO back with Giga Drain. Hurricane users will be a problem, but that's what I have Bai for. I'm running 12 speed EVs on a Quiet Nature to make sure I can outspeed 0 EV Politoed and to prevent any of the stats I would rather need from decreasing.

Aurora (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Tailwind
- Protect

Suicune is also pretty darn tanky. Scald is a STAB move that allows me to burn opponents as well, and burn damage can also rack up on some pokemon as well. Ice Beam hits all those dragons not named Kingdra. Tailwind allows my slow pokemon to outspeed faster pokemon, although there won't be a point for that if my opponent also uses a Tailwind user.

Importable:
Flare (Talonflame) @ Sky Plate
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Quick Guard
- Protect

Copain (Garchomp) (F) @ Haban Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Dragon Claw
- Protect

Bai (Pachirisu) (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Follow Me
- Super Fang
- Protect
- Nuzzle

Poet (Murkrow) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Quash
- Feather Dance
- Protect
- Foul Play

Raffle (Venusaur) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 244 SpA / 12 Spe
Quiet Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Earthquake
- Protect

Aurora (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Tailwind
- Protect

Extra note: I would like to put a Chandelure, Froslass, or Mismagius somewhere on this team but I don't know where. Any tips?

 

[DaAwesomeDude1]

Alright nice looking team bro, i'll go through each pokemon and give you my thoughts on it :)
Talonflame: Sky Plate is cool and all but you're much better off with Life Orb. I know that with LO, it pretty much is a timer on talonflame but it'll be more beneficial over Sky Plate since it'll boost Flare Blitz and it offers a bigger boost to Brave Bird too
Garchomp: Nothing I would change really
Pachirisu: OML why is this hype train still going TBH, this doesn't really fit with your team. Pachirisu is a very niche redirection/support mon and it's not really something that you can slap on a team randomly like that just cause Sejun Park made it work. If anything I would recommend something like Volcarona who can offer rage powder/tailwind support and it can check Pokemon like Cresselia/Ferrothorn (ferro gives your team quite a problem tbh)
Murkrow: Murkrow is alright on your team i guess but i'm a bit iffy on it for now, if anything i would change protect for roost to give it more longevity
Venusaur: EQ is useless on your Venusaur considering you have Garchomp and Suicune for Heatran. I suggest sleep powder/leech seed over that slot. Also I would change the EV spread to 220 HP / 4 Def / 172 SAtk / 4 SDef / 108 Spd with a modest nature. The Sp Atk investment allows it to 2HKO standard rotom wash even with a sitrus berry and takes a heat wave from char y in sun. The speed allows you to outrun max speed modest T-Tar as well but you can take the speed out and add it to your bulk if needed. 252 HP and 244 sp atk just isn't beneficial and it wastes a ton of EVs too
Suicune: Personally I would change this out for milotic since it has more offensive presence and it helps you check intimidate spam since if you add in Volcarona, it'll have tailwind support for you

Other than that, your team looks great bro, good luck with it :)

 

[Steven Stone]

Pachirisu: OML why is this hype train still going

'cause the hype train never stops!!!!

 

[DaAwesomeDude1]

'cause the hype train never stops!!!!

P-pls no

 

[Silverangel]

P-pls no

Lol yes the hype train will still go.

But about Pachi, I actually find that it does pretty well. Super Fang pretty much nails everything that's bulky right off the bat, allowing for my teammate to finish them off. And the Follow Me along with an electric typing really helps for flying types that murder Mega Venusaur, which is probably why I'm using Pachi in the first place. However, I did notice that Ferrothorn would be a pain for this team (especially Rocky Helmet variants since LO Talonflame pretty much kills itself against that and Pachi takes large amounts of damage from using Super Fang). I do like Volcarona (it and it's pre-evolution are just so cute), but adding it makes half my team weak to Rock and it doesn't help that it gets murdered by Talonflame alongside Mega Venusaur. I will test it, however.

I just didn't like Life Orb Talonflame because of how easily it murders itself. I know that I'm missing out on serious power.

I will be changing Mega Venusaur's EVs. I think your spread is a lot better, specially when I can get a speed jump on certain pokemon. However, I may change it back if I think it needs more balk.

And finally, I suppose Milotic is a good idea over Suicune, trading physical bulk for more special bulk and more power (which is boosted via Competitive). I will be testing that as well.

The sets I will be using for Volcarona and Milotic are these:

Vesta (Volcarona) (F) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Bug Buzz
- Rage Powder
- Protect

Milotic @ Life Orb
Ability: Competitive
EVs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Recover