Recently I had the first VGC Premier Challenge of my life. Knowing that I would be playing players of a variety of skill levels, I wanted to build a versatile team with some strategies that could take advantage of lower skill levels of newer players. Because I was very afraid of opposing gimmick strategies that could unexpectedly gain a win, I decided one of my best bets would be to build around a difficult to counter strategy like Perish Trap or a difficult to counter mon like Smeargle. I chose the latter. The meta-goal, if you will, of this team was to force my opponent to react to me rather than the other way around. Smeargle is a very potent support Pokemon that forces this reaction mentality. This team is theme named after famous mountains.
When you see Smeargle in Team Preview, you have one main thought - "Dark Void". Darkrai's signature move, Dark Void is an 80% accuracy sleep move that affects both opponents and Smeargle, knowing Sketch, is the only VGC legal Pokemon that can learn it. This gives the Smeargle user, barring flinches, a whopping 96% chance that at least one of the opponent's Pokemon will fall asleep by the end of the turn and a 64% chance that both will (and an 80% chance that a given slot will fall asleep).
The incredible supportive potential of Dark Void gives the Smeargle user a huge advantage in battle, getting free turns either by spamming dark void, baiting attacks into it thanks to the threat of dark void or forcing a double protect.
Smeargle therefore enjoys partners that can use those free turns. It is no surpise then that one of the best partners for Smeargle is the best Mega in the metagame, Kangaskhan. Kangaskhan can Fake Out, allowing Smeargle to Dark Void or set up a Tailwind or just go straight for the attack. It also has the potential to get to +2 Attack with Power-Up Punch which combines nicely with Smeargle’s Transform. Not many teams can deal with two Mega Kangaskhan.
Another Pokemon which I thought would complement Smeargle well is Substitute Heatran - as seen in the world Championships it can get chip damage with Heat Waves and is incredibly difficult to beat behind a sub. Combined with Protect and the disruptive power of Dark Void, I thought these two Pokemon could use free turns to dish out lots of damage and force my opponent to play on the back foot.
Smeargle's best hard counter is definitely Thundurus-Incarnate. In addition, I didn't have a very good way of dealing with Kangaskhan or Landorus-T. Landorus-T accomplishes both those goals and more with Intimidate and Rock Slide. The flying type also helps remedy the fighting weakness the other three members of my team share.
My next mon was Milotic - given Landorus and Kangaskhan on this team, I wanted something to discourage Intimidate and give more trouble to opposing Landorus-T, which is only soft-checked by my own Landorus. Milotic is that mon, thanks to its solid bulk and Competitive ability. It also gives me some much needed speed control with Icy Wind.
At this point my team looked fairly solid but still had a bit of a fighting weakness, no way to deal with bulky waters and a bad Aegislash matchup (with Heatran and Milotic my best ways of dealing with it). My speed control was also fairly shaky and I like forcing my opponent to react so I chose Thundurus to round off the team - with a fairly offensive spread it could threaten bulky waters and also turn the tide unexpectedly with Thunder Wave which also gives me another method of speed control as well as some extra bulk on the team and another fighting resist.
K2 (Kangaskhan) @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Power-Up Punch
- Return
- Sucker Punch
Kangaskhan is the best Mega in the game and this is a fairly standard set. I chose to run an Adamant nature because there's not much that I care about outspeeding that I can't outspeed as Adamant Kangaskhan that I can outspeed as Jolly and the power difference is huge. I'm running Return over Double-Edge because the extra power of Double-Edge isn't as neccessary with an Adamant nature. Also, Kangaskhan already gets worn down through the game and Double-Edge exacerbates the problem. Fake Out gives me first turn momentum and again forces my opponent to react, often with a double Protect. Power-Up Punch is chosen over Low Kick because while Low Kick gets quick KOs, Power-Up Punch allows Kang to become a monster, get KOs with Sucker Punch. It combines nicely with Smeargle's Transform as having two +2 Mega-Kangaskhan often means that my opponent has completely lost. Power-Up Punch also allows me to take advantage of double protects by Power-Up Punching my own mon for the free +2 (usually Landorus-T). EVs are simple - max speed, max power and 4 Def to give slightly better ability to withstand priority attacks which are almost always physical. Don't feel the need to always go for a Fake Out the first turn, going straight for a KO is fine.
About the name - Kangaskhan starts with a K and it hits 2 times, hence K2.
Fuji (Heatran) @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 44 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
- Substitute
- Heat Wave
- Earth Power
- Protect
Substitute Heatran is a huge defensive and offensive threat and can act as pseudo-redirection in a sense by pulling double targets towards it to KO behind the sub. Moves are standard. Shuca Berry allows more bulk and allows survival of Landorus-Therian's Earthquake. EVs hit 123 speed which outspeeds Adamant Bisharp by a point, but honestly is largely irrelevant. If I were to change the spread I would remove more speed, add more bulk. Maximum Special Attack because Heatran is a strong special attacker and this lets Heat Wave accumulate a LOT of damage. The rest of the EVs are invested to survive max Attack Adamant Landorus-T's Earthquake when spread and then to maximize special bulk. Furthermore, Modest Heatran does a max of 74.4% given Shuca with its Earth Power, allowing me to get up a sub after Modest Heatran hits me with Earth Power (barring crits or boosting items). I almost always go for a substitute on predicted free turns to put the pressure on my opponent to respond or get consistent chip damage if they don't.
The name is from Mount Fuji, which much like K2 is a famous mountain and is volcanic, much like Heatran.
Matterhorn (Smeargle) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Spiky Shield
- Dark Void
- Tailwind
- Transform
First of all, I don't think Scarf Smeargle is all that good - what you gain in speed, you lose in versatility. Dark Void is Smeargle's primary move and is obvious. Spiky Shield blocks Taunt and gets chip damage on those who try to Fake Out Smeargle as well as giving it a protect variant to give its partner free turns on predicted double targets. Smeargle often forces double protects or switches and Tailwind can grab momentum at that point, especially on the first turn. Transform gives Smeargle some much needed means of offense and is usually used on my own Kangaskhan or Milotic but can also disrupt opponents, especially Mega-Gengar Perish Trap. Sash allows Smeargle to survive a hit from mons not named Kangaskhan and attracts double targets which can be protected on. EVs are self explanatory and maximize mixed bulk, hp and speed. HP is the only important stat after using transform and speed is the only important stat for hitting Dark Voids. A word of advice on Smeargle - leading with it is usually a bad idea as opponents tend to lead with Smeargle counters (especially Thundurus and Kangaskhan). It's better to eliminate Smeargle counters and bring it in after in games where you bring Smeargle. Also Smeargle is this team's Trick Room check and Cresselia counter. Dark Void is usually necessary to reliably beat Cresselia which often involves getting Kang to +2 on a sleeping cress and hammering it with +2 Return.
The Matterhorn is an iconic Swiss mountain. I associate Switzerland with artistry and so it fits Smeargle who is an iconic artistic Pokemon and iconic of my team.
Kilimanjaro (Milotic) @ Leftovers
Ability: Competitive
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 108 Def / 132 SpA / 28 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Recover
- Scald
- Icy Wind
The EVs survive Double-Edge from max attack adamant Salamence and pick up the knockout on 4 HP/0 SpD Salamence with Icy Wind. The moveset is fairly standard for Milotic and really needs little explanation. The item is leftovers as Thundurus has Sitrus, but it is incredibly good on Milotic. For example, Milotic can switch in on Icy Winds, get the competitive boost and leftovers brings it back to full HP. It combines well with Protect and Recover and turns many 2hkos into 3hkos without needing to use up Sitrus. Competitive also brings immense psychological pressure without even needing to bring Milotic - my opponents are already discouraged from bringing intimidating mons.
Mt. Kilamanjaro is cold, there's a famous Hemmingway short story called "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and Milotic uses Icy Wind so that is where the name came from.
Denali (Landorus-Therian) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 244 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Superpower
I don't remember what the EV spread is meant to survive but it survives some ice move slightly better than normal Landorus-Therian without too much loss in power. This Landorus is meant to take on Thundurus-I and so AV is necessary to keep it from being HP Ice'd. AV also gives Landorus a lot of versatility which I like having. Rock Slide, the best move in the game, gets solid damage and a flinch chance on Thundurus, Zapdos and anything slower than Landorus really (why I'm max speed Adamant). Adamant Earthquake is very powerful and takes lives. U-turn is a nice tech move on predicted switches (common with this team as opponents often lead to counter Smeargle) and can help against Perish Trap. Superpower OHKOs frailer Kang after a little bit of prior damage (i.e. from Spiky Shield, Heat Wave, etc.).
Although I can't rename Landorus in-game (I got it via trade), it is Denali in my heart after the recently renamed mountain.
Everest (Thundurus) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 36 Def / 44 SpA / 156 SpD / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 14 Atk / 29 SpA / 29 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt
- Protect -> Swagger
This is effectively Scar's spread from his world's team except redone to accommodate the Thundurus-I that I actually caught in-game (didn't have a lot of time to soft-reset). Thunderbolt is powerful with a Modest nature and gets the OHKO on bulky Shuca Heatran when combined with Heatran's Earth Power. The rest of the EVs more or less make Thundurus bulky and I don't really know what they do (largely just copied the spread). Thunderbolt is obligatory STAB. Thunder Wave gives me speed control as well as a way to disable opponents 1/4 of the turns. Taunt is chosen over Swagger because of consistency in shutting down defensive mons and good synergy with Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch. It can also prevent protects which is nice for Kang and Heatran to demolish my opponent's team. Protect is a really useful tech move to prevent losing HP unnecessarily due to fake out but given how little I used it, I later decided to give it Swagger instead of Protect to give it another way to deal damage. I found myself not using Protect very often and getting walled by opposing Landorus. At least with Swagger I had something I could do. The way I use Swagger is largely as a last-ditch effort when Thundurus really can't do anything more productive and it's hard to switch out. I also mostly stick to Swaggering special attackers. It's not a move to spam because of its unreliability.
The name is Everest as Thundurus is as foreboding as Everest and similarly important to the VGC metagame.
Most of these are from Sunday's Premier Challenge and are arranged in chronological order with a short description. These are all 3DS video codes.
Battle Spot Replay: 3EUG-WWWW-WW2Q-BEQV
Although I made bad predictions at the beginning, Milotic was able to take advantage of its immense bulk to pull out a win, especially with the competitive boost at the end. One of the few replays that I had that really showed Milotic in action. (Probably my least brought Pokemon)
Battle Spot Replay: BEVG-WWWW-WW2Q-BFR8
A good demonstration of Heatran's ability to pressure its opponents from behind a sub especially with Kangaskhan's support. A good demonstration of Thundurus's power as well.
Round 1 Swiss vs. Cybertron: D9PW-WWWW-WW2Q-8HK8
One of my longer games, I played somewhat riskily as I noted my opponent was playing fairly conservatively. I won the lead matchup as I predicted Thundurus, pulled a good U-turn and got a sub up with my Heatran. His Thundurus was stronger than I expected which caught me off guard but I was able to get the KO on his Landorus by using Return where Fake Out was likely expected. An unfortunate paralysis stopped my sucker punch and kept his Gardevoir at a healthier HP than I would have liked. I then paralyzed Gardevoir in order to get hopeful parahax but my opponent used Trick Room to turn this into an advantage.
In the end, I had a 62.5% chance of winning (either getting the full para on the turn I got it or double protecting with Thundurus until trick room ended - had I failed the double protect but gotten a full para on the second protect turn I also would have been fine). I ended up getting the win.
Round 3 Swiss vs. some player: GJDG-WWWW-WW2Q-BGYP
One of the few games I lead with Smeargle. I forgot Gallade had Inner Focus at the beginning and lost my Smeargle early but I was mostly able to recover taking advantage of Gallade's terrible bulk. In the end I Taunted his Aegislash through King's Shield and used Protect on my Thundurus to switch it to Blade form where I KO'd it with Thunderbolt.
Round 4 Swiss vs. another player: GBQG-WWWW-WW2Q-BGKF
I picked up an advantage early by getting my Heatran behind a sub and was able to ride that advantage to the end of the game, keeping my opponent on the back foot (especially because his Heatran was faster than mine on a trick room team). My only 4-0 victory and a time where my opponent's Swagger worked against him.
Round 6 Swiss vs. kingofmars: ZE4G-WWWW-WW2Q-8HJ7
This replay shows the strength of Power-Up Punch Kang - even just at +1 it is able to rip holes in teams. My opponent played around it very well but in the end Smeargle was able to come in after its counters were weakened and clean up with Dark Void and Transform.
Battle Spot Replay: 3EUG-WWWW-WW2Q-BEQV
Although I made bad predictions at the beginning, Milotic was able to take advantage of its immense bulk to pull out a win, especially with the competitive boost at the end. One of the few replays that I had that really showed Milotic in action. (Probably my least brought Pokemon)
Battle Spot Replay: BEVG-WWWW-WW2Q-BFR8
A good demonstration of Heatran's ability to pressure its opponents from behind a sub especially with Kangaskhan's support. A good demonstration of Thundurus's power as well.
Round 1 Swiss vs. Cybertron: D9PW-WWWW-WW2Q-8HK8
One of my longer games, I played somewhat riskily as I noted my opponent was playing fairly conservatively. I won the lead matchup as I predicted Thundurus, pulled a good U-turn and got a sub up with my Heatran. His Thundurus was stronger than I expected which caught me off guard but I was able to get the KO on his Landorus by using Return where Fake Out was likely expected. An unfortunate paralysis stopped my sucker punch and kept his Gardevoir at a healthier HP than I would have liked. I then paralyzed Gardevoir in order to get hopeful parahax but my opponent used Trick Room to turn this into an advantage.
In the end, I had a 62.5% chance of winning (either getting the full para on the turn I got it or double protecting with Thundurus until trick room ended - had I failed the double protect but gotten a full para on the second protect turn I also would have been fine). I ended up getting the win.
Round 3 Swiss vs. some player: GJDG-WWWW-WW2Q-BGYP
One of the few games I lead with Smeargle. I forgot Gallade had Inner Focus at the beginning and lost my Smeargle early but I was mostly able to recover taking advantage of Gallade's terrible bulk. In the end I Taunted his Aegislash through King's Shield and used Protect on my Thundurus to switch it to Blade form where I KO'd it with Thunderbolt.
Round 4 Swiss vs. another player: GBQG-WWWW-WW2Q-BGKF
I picked up an advantage early by getting my Heatran behind a sub and was able to ride that advantage to the end of the game, keeping my opponent on the back foot (especially because his Heatran was faster than mine on a trick room team). My only 4-0 victory and a time where my opponent's Swagger worked against him.
Round 6 Swiss vs. kingofmars: ZE4G-WWWW-WW2Q-8HJ7
This replay shows the strength of Power-Up Punch Kang - even just at +1 it is able to rip holes in teams. My opponent played around it very well but in the end Smeargle was able to come in after its counters were weakened and clean up with Dark Void and Transform.
Gastrodon isn't something I can really hit except with Kangaskhan. Its special bulkiness, access to recover and storm drain ability don't really let me do consistent damage. I usually try to put it to sleep with Smeargle and use Power-Up Punch Kang to power through. Landorus-T can also deal decent damage with Earthquake
Although it's less bulky than Gastrodon and can actually be hit by Water-type moves (and is neutral to rock slide), Wash Rotom counters Heatran and Landorus-T fairly well barring flinches, can be speedier than Smeargle and has a lot of annoying support moves. I usually try to use Kangaskhan and Thundurus to beat it.
Conkeldurr is just bulky enough to be annoying and checks Kangaskhan and Heatran fairly well. It isn't that big of a threat since I can power through it with consistent attacks but can be very annoying and is definitely a mon to watch out for.
The Poli-Ludi lead matchup is bad for me, I don't really have much recourse except thunder-waving and Swaggering all I can with Thundurus and hoping to get lucky.
All feedback is appreciated! Thank you in advance!
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