Here is my first VGC team that I've created. It's peaked at about 1700 on the Showdown ladder and it's served me well against many common threats. There's only so far you can go without any input with a team though, so I've decided to post here some some advice.
Shulk (Latios) (M) @ Dragon Gem
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 Spd / 248 SAtk / 12 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic
- Protect
My main 'mon Latios is incredibly powerful with his Dragon Gem Draco Meteor, easily OHKO'ing many prominent (and even bulky) threats. Being the fastest out of the most commonly used Draco Meteor uses, he usually gets to strike before a retaliation. Psychic is there for more STAB coverage and is a valid response when finishing off weaker Pokemon mid-late game. Hidden Power Fire is the main answer to Steel Types, and can catch the mighty Scizor off guard
Reyn (Scrafty) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Crunch
- Drain Punch
- Protect
My intimidate support and annoying switch-in, I found Scrafty more useful than Hitmontop due to his secondary Dark typing, making him a fighting type who is also a reliable check to Psychic types. His two moves also bost near-perfect coverage. Drain Punch helps make Life Orb recoil much less of a problem. Fake Out is very useful too, combining with other Pokemon to cause checks and KO's, as well as being a useful tool for scouting. Scrafty also couldn't care less about Trick Room either.
Riki (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Discharge
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
My newest addition to the team (replacing the frail Thundurus whom I found useful but much too weak) Riki the Rotom brings some serious bulky presence. Discharge, whilst occasionally awkward to utilise, has a 30% paralysis rate and a wide spread, helping the speed war that can become a crucial part of the metagame, especially with many Rain teams lurking about. Hydro Pump and Hidden Power Ice are useful for standard coverage, Hidden Power Ice bringing many KO's to the table when Hydro Pump is too risky to use.
Melia (Cresselia) (F) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SDef
Calm Nature
- Swagger
- Icy Wind
- Light Screen
- Sunny Day
Cresselia is a beastly utility Pokemon, with so many different weapons up her non-existent sleeves. Light Screen goes exceptionally well with Intimidate to help weaken opponents attacks in a fast paced metagame. Sunny Day reduces the effectiveness of Rain Teams. Swagger is used to combine with Metagross for a 2x Attack Boost, and for hindering opponents with a 50% chance of not attacking. Icy Wind is there to help prevent speed ties taking place.
Alvis (Metagross) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- Rock Slide
- Protect
I'm starting to question Metagross' worth on my team at late, but with it's handy resistances and wide-spread moves, it makes it a useful mid-game switch in. Meteor Mash is the STAB Move of choice and it can 2HKO most 'mons that do not resist it. The other moves are very useful in widespread coverage, with Earthquake seeing a lot of use. However, as they are widespread moves, the 75% damage reduction is noticeable on each opponent it attacks.
Dunban (Blaziken) (M) @ Fire Gem
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Sky Uppercut
- Substitute
- Protect
A risky choice with the amount of Trick Teams in the metagame, but still a vital Pokemon in my team, bringing forward an exceptionally powerful STAB Fire Gem Flare Blitz. Sky Uppercut is a STAB move of choice, as many of his other attacks prove too risky to use in a VGC environment. Substitute can catch attempts of Thunder Wave off guard as well, making it a useful first turn move for him.
Team Strengths-
Very adaptable. It can combat a variety of weather effects with Cresselia's Sunny Day, usually resulting in rain teams having to switch out Politoed to re-activate rain, and racking up some damage whilst that is taking place. Tailwind teams will be matched with Blaziken's Speed Boost after two turns of stalling (and setting up a Sub whilst the opponents places the effect). Again, Cresselia can be deployed to reduce the speed of the opponent, meaning they cannot rely on speed to win the battle. Against Trick Room, Scrafty is thankfully slower than base 70's with 0 speed IV's, making him stand up to threat that usually appear slower. If this fails, Protecting and switching is usually employed to out-stall this, although it is a somewhat unreliable method. Lum Berry Swagger setup (and Swagger itself being used on an opponent) can put an end to opponents stalling. This is just a small example of my team's versatility.
Powerful and bulky. Metagross, Scrafty w/ Life Orb and Rotom-W in particular have exceptional bulk, and are able to dish out big hits on opposing forces. Scrafty in particular can recover its lost HP when using Drain Punch, with its boosted Crunch
Specific Threats-
Tornadus. And Defiant users in general. My team usually takes pride in reducing opponents stats, but Tornadus especially puts a dent in that plan. Getting a +2 Attack boost for each stat loss, then using a Flying Gem Acrobatics on any of my Pokemon bar Metagross results in a world of pain. Heat Wave can be used against Metagross too. Clever switch outs and brute force can get rid of Tornadus, but if the opponent is intelligent enough and predicts my moves, it can sometimes be game.
Metagross. And Clear Body users in general, to a lesser extent. Other than Blaziken, Metagross is exceptionally good at putting dents in my team. Latios' Hidden Power Fire doesn't even 2HKO the beast, and my own Metagross has as good an odds as the opposing Metagross to win the standoff. Bypassing Intimidate and lacking a method of burning also makes dispatching Metagross difficult without fire.
Gastrodon can come onto the field and wall a lot of my team members. Draco Meteor is just short of KO'ing specially defensive Gastrodon, even with Fake Out being used. As I don't have room for a grass type move just to take on Gastrodon, I usually focus heavily on attacking with physical moves to take advantage of its weaker (but in no way shabby with it's HP) defense stat with Pokemon such as Scrafty and Metagross (Metagross being risky in itself with the threat of Earth Power 2HKO'ing it). All in all, a real pain to take on.
Goodstuff teams in general are also difficult to face of against, especially when they deploy similar tools to my own team. This usually results in a battle of wits, which I can lose out on with my inexperience with the Pokemon metagame thus far.
REPLAYS WITH MY TEAM:
A 2-0 victory, very close match - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-17162024
A 1-0 loss against a Trick Room team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/battle-doublesvgc2013-16997797
A 3-0 victory against a goodstuffs team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-16998586
A 4-0 win against a Trick Room team; mainly due to preventing the opponent from setting up - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-16999413
1-0 loss against a very well-constructed goodstuffs team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-17979648
Shulk (Latios) (M) @ Dragon Gem
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 Spd / 248 SAtk / 12 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic
- Protect
My main 'mon Latios is incredibly powerful with his Dragon Gem Draco Meteor, easily OHKO'ing many prominent (and even bulky) threats. Being the fastest out of the most commonly used Draco Meteor uses, he usually gets to strike before a retaliation. Psychic is there for more STAB coverage and is a valid response when finishing off weaker Pokemon mid-late game. Hidden Power Fire is the main answer to Steel Types, and can catch the mighty Scizor off guard
Reyn (Scrafty) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Crunch
- Drain Punch
- Protect
My intimidate support and annoying switch-in, I found Scrafty more useful than Hitmontop due to his secondary Dark typing, making him a fighting type who is also a reliable check to Psychic types. His two moves also bost near-perfect coverage. Drain Punch helps make Life Orb recoil much less of a problem. Fake Out is very useful too, combining with other Pokemon to cause checks and KO's, as well as being a useful tool for scouting. Scrafty also couldn't care less about Trick Room either.
Riki (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Discharge
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
My newest addition to the team (replacing the frail Thundurus whom I found useful but much too weak) Riki the Rotom brings some serious bulky presence. Discharge, whilst occasionally awkward to utilise, has a 30% paralysis rate and a wide spread, helping the speed war that can become a crucial part of the metagame, especially with many Rain teams lurking about. Hydro Pump and Hidden Power Ice are useful for standard coverage, Hidden Power Ice bringing many KO's to the table when Hydro Pump is too risky to use.
Melia (Cresselia) (F) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SDef
Calm Nature
- Swagger
- Icy Wind
- Light Screen
- Sunny Day
Cresselia is a beastly utility Pokemon, with so many different weapons up her non-existent sleeves. Light Screen goes exceptionally well with Intimidate to help weaken opponents attacks in a fast paced metagame. Sunny Day reduces the effectiveness of Rain Teams. Swagger is used to combine with Metagross for a 2x Attack Boost, and for hindering opponents with a 50% chance of not attacking. Icy Wind is there to help prevent speed ties taking place.
Alvis (Metagross) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- Rock Slide
- Protect
I'm starting to question Metagross' worth on my team at late, but with it's handy resistances and wide-spread moves, it makes it a useful mid-game switch in. Meteor Mash is the STAB Move of choice and it can 2HKO most 'mons that do not resist it. The other moves are very useful in widespread coverage, with Earthquake seeing a lot of use. However, as they are widespread moves, the 75% damage reduction is noticeable on each opponent it attacks.
Dunban (Blaziken) (M) @ Fire Gem
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Sky Uppercut
- Substitute
- Protect
A risky choice with the amount of Trick Teams in the metagame, but still a vital Pokemon in my team, bringing forward an exceptionally powerful STAB Fire Gem Flare Blitz. Sky Uppercut is a STAB move of choice, as many of his other attacks prove too risky to use in a VGC environment. Substitute can catch attempts of Thunder Wave off guard as well, making it a useful first turn move for him.
Team Strengths-
Very adaptable. It can combat a variety of weather effects with Cresselia's Sunny Day, usually resulting in rain teams having to switch out Politoed to re-activate rain, and racking up some damage whilst that is taking place. Tailwind teams will be matched with Blaziken's Speed Boost after two turns of stalling (and setting up a Sub whilst the opponents places the effect). Again, Cresselia can be deployed to reduce the speed of the opponent, meaning they cannot rely on speed to win the battle. Against Trick Room, Scrafty is thankfully slower than base 70's with 0 speed IV's, making him stand up to threat that usually appear slower. If this fails, Protecting and switching is usually employed to out-stall this, although it is a somewhat unreliable method. Lum Berry Swagger setup (and Swagger itself being used on an opponent) can put an end to opponents stalling. This is just a small example of my team's versatility.
Powerful and bulky. Metagross, Scrafty w/ Life Orb and Rotom-W in particular have exceptional bulk, and are able to dish out big hits on opposing forces. Scrafty in particular can recover its lost HP when using Drain Punch, with its boosted Crunch
Specific Threats-
Tornadus. And Defiant users in general. My team usually takes pride in reducing opponents stats, but Tornadus especially puts a dent in that plan. Getting a +2 Attack boost for each stat loss, then using a Flying Gem Acrobatics on any of my Pokemon bar Metagross results in a world of pain. Heat Wave can be used against Metagross too. Clever switch outs and brute force can get rid of Tornadus, but if the opponent is intelligent enough and predicts my moves, it can sometimes be game.
Metagross. And Clear Body users in general, to a lesser extent. Other than Blaziken, Metagross is exceptionally good at putting dents in my team. Latios' Hidden Power Fire doesn't even 2HKO the beast, and my own Metagross has as good an odds as the opposing Metagross to win the standoff. Bypassing Intimidate and lacking a method of burning also makes dispatching Metagross difficult without fire.
Gastrodon can come onto the field and wall a lot of my team members. Draco Meteor is just short of KO'ing specially defensive Gastrodon, even with Fake Out being used. As I don't have room for a grass type move just to take on Gastrodon, I usually focus heavily on attacking with physical moves to take advantage of its weaker (but in no way shabby with it's HP) defense stat with Pokemon such as Scrafty and Metagross (Metagross being risky in itself with the threat of Earth Power 2HKO'ing it). All in all, a real pain to take on.
Goodstuff teams in general are also difficult to face of against, especially when they deploy similar tools to my own team. This usually results in a battle of wits, which I can lose out on with my inexperience with the Pokemon metagame thus far.
REPLAYS WITH MY TEAM:
A 2-0 victory, very close match - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-17162024
A 1-0 loss against a Trick Room team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/battle-doublesvgc2013-16997797
A 3-0 victory against a goodstuffs team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-16998586
A 4-0 win against a Trick Room team; mainly due to preventing the opponent from setting up - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-16999413
1-0 loss against a very well-constructed goodstuffs team - http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/doublesvgc2013-17979648
