VGC Meerschaum

[Loudo]

Introduction​

Hello everyone. This is the first time I post a RMT topic, so I hope I did everything right and that I can receive useful suggestions.
I first created this team because I wanted to use Tapu Fini, by far the least common Tapu in the format. While the other Tapus arguably outclass it, I was fascinated by Misty Surge because status condition can be really annoying.
After some tweaking around and a lot of battle on Showdown, I think my team is pretty decent, but I could use some pointers from more experienced players on how to improve its performance.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Nature: Modest
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Moves: Hydro Pump | Swagger | Moonblast | Protect​

Like I said, Tapu Fini was the Pokémon I wanted to build my team around. This Fini mixes nice levels of bulk and offense. Hydro Pump packs a nice punch, and despite the shaky accuracy I opted for it as Scald without the chance of burn isn't really all that attractive.
Something I immediately realized playing with this Pokémon is that it performs pretty well against other Water-types. Being immune to burn means that Scald is very ineffective against it, while Tapu Fini can deal nice damage back with STAB Moonblast.
Since I wanted to make use of Tapu Fini's misty terrain, I chose Swagger as its forth move. The idea behind it is that, with misty terrain preventing confusion, Tapu Fini can give a free Swords Dance to its companion (while also preventing it from being burned). Of course, it's not something I want to use in every single battle (it can be dangerous if the opponent has another Tapu in the back), but it is a nice ace to have up in my sleeve. If misty terrain disappears, Swagger is still extremely useful to deal with bulky special attackers like Milotic.

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Atk / 16 Def / 68 SpD
Moves: Bonemerang | Shadow Bone | Flare Blitz | Protect​

Alolan Marowak seemed like an obvious choice to be Tapu Fini's partner. Thanks to its Lightning Rod ability, it not only patches one of Tapu Fini's weaknesses, but it is also the ideal recipient of Tapu Fini's Swagger. When Tapu Fini is facing an Electric threat, I can switch its partner out and use Swagger on the incoming Marowak. And, of course, Marowak also helps to deal with opposing Grass- and Poison-type Pokémon that Tapu Fini struggles with.

Gyarados @ Waterium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Moves: Dragon Dance | Waterfall | Ice Fang | Protect​

Gyarados is another Pokémon that pairs very well with Alolan Marowak, as it benefits from its Lightning Rod ability. Gyarados serves three roles in the team: Intimidate user (which is very useful since many of my Pokémon are already on the bulkier side), immunity to Ground attacks, and set-up threat (which is very useful to punish the opponent's Protects, especially when I am using Trick Room).
Clearly, Gyarados doesn't benefit from misty terrain, so it's mainly intended as an alternative to Tapu Fini, unless my opponent's team is really weak to Water Pokémon.

Metagross @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Moves: Meteor Mash | Zen Headbutt | Bullet Punch | Protect​

Metagross is there to patch my team weakness to threats like Tapu Bulu, Tapu Lele, Nihilego, and Alolan Ninetales. It also provides nice safe switch-ins against Grass, Rock, and Poison attacks, and it greatly enjoys the immunity to burns and the potential benefit of a Swagger. Bullet Punch is only my only priority move, which is nice because I am not running a very fast team.
I opted for an Aguav Berry, instead of items like Choice Band or Assault Vest, because I simply cannot bear the thought of not having the option to Protect in VGC. Thanks to Metagross's decent bulk and plethora of resistances, it has a decent chance of surviving with 1/4 HPs and make use of it.

Oranguru @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Telepathy
Nature: Sassy
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Moves: Psychic | Energy Ball | Trick Room | Protect​

Oranguru is obviously my Trick Room setter. While my team doesn't heavily rely on Trick Room, it is an invaluable option for speed control. Since I run bulky medium speed Pokémon, having Trick Room up can win me the game against really offensive teams, just like negating Trick Room to TR teams is very important.
Originally I was running a Porygon2 for this role. However, I noticed my team simply could not handle Gastrodon at all. Switching to Energy Ball Oranguru solved that problem for me.
Telepathy is there so that I can use my Krookodile's EQ more easily.

Krookodile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moves: Earthquake | Rock Slide | Crunch | Protect​

Krookodile was the last Pokémon that made its appearance in this team, and it is amazing how many weaknesses it managed to help me with at once. Aside from the benefit of having another Intimidate user, Krookodile helped me with Sun teams (despite running a lot of Fire-resistant Pokémon, I still managed to struggle if the opponent managed to set up Trick Room), shut down opposing Orangurus before they can set up Trick Room, help with Electric Pokémon like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Raichu, (which Marowak not always manages to handle alone), Alolan Muks, etc.
Krookodile and Oranguru make for a very nice lead against slower and faster teams alike, with the option of using Trick Room if facing Pokémons faster than Krookodile.
Focus Sash is useful not only to recycle Intimidate, but also to ensure a victory against Pokémon that are weak to Krookodile's attacks but that would manage to OHKO it otherwise, like Tapus, Araquanid, Pelipper, etc.

Weaknesses​

While my team performed reasonably well in the lower ladder of VGC I am currently playing in (most of my losses I attribute more to mistakes on my part rather than team composition), I have also identified a few Pokémon that I have a hard time facing.

Kartana is a Pokémon I very much struggle with, especially since it resists most of my Pokémon's attacks and it threatens most of them back. I pretty much rely on my Oranguru's Trick Room and on Alolan Marowak to deal with it, but often I cannot eliminate it without taking some huge losses.

While my team can handle pretty well many Water Pokémon, such as the common Pelipper and Golduck lead, I often struggle with bulkier Water-types, as I have no strong Electric or Grass moves to deal with them (aside from Oranguru's weak Energy Ball). I often have to rely on taking away their health little by little, which is why Pokémon like Milotic (with Recover and Competitive), Lapras (with super-effective STAB Freeze-Dry), and Politoed (with Perish Song and likely Water-type boosted companions) can be tough to deal with.

While not as huge a problem as the aforementioned threats, Alolan Muk can still be a pain to deal with. It sports super-effective attacks against most of my team, and even Krookodile can have problems dealing with it if Muk has Shadow Sneak (which negates the value of Focus Sash).

Importable

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Swagger
- Moonblast
- Protect

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Atk / 16 Def / 68 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bonemerang
- Shadow Bone
- Flare Blitz
- Protect

Gyarados @ Waterium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Protect

Metagross @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Protect

Oranguru @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Telepathy
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psychic
- Energy Ball
- Trick Room
- Protect

Krookodile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Protect

 

[Loudo]

So, after writing this RMT post, I had a sort of revelation. I realized most of my team's weaknesses could be solved by using Magnezone in place of Metagross.
Magnezone can fill the same role as Metagross, but it also helps me against bulky Water types, Kartana (thanks to Magnet Pull + HP Fire), and it is not weak to Knock Off (unlike Metagross).

 

[Chras]

Heyo luodo, just wanted to tell you tapu fini with swagger is not the best idea, cause you can't confuse mons in misty terrain

 

[Loudo]

Err, that is the whole point. Didn't you read Tapu Fini's description?