Hello, this is Ryan, aka The Knights of Wario Land. I'm a huge fan of the VGC format, with its many unique combinations and fast pace, joining this website for that very reason due to the large VGC community.
Being a Pokemon fan for the last two years, I entered the VGCs 2011 with a non-EV trained Pokemon team, before I even knew how to EV train properly, and ended up being 4-0'ed first round to an Archeops and Mienshao. However, this year, I decided to make a huge change: the second the VGC locations were announced in September, I immediately started to prepare.
I originally planned on running a Trick Room team based with Chandelure, Hitmontop, Eelektross, Snorlax, etc., but they were all completely useless when Trick Room would run out, getting the 6th slot was insanely hard to choose, and it just was really boring to use. So after looking and lurking around the interwebs and Smogon for a better strategy, I realized a goodstuff team would be more of my style.
Note I only have access to Gen V games, as my SoulSilver is absolutely incapable of IV breeding.
Team Building Process
THE TEAM
Apu (Tornadus) @ Flying Gem
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Acrobatics
-Tailwind
-Taunt
-Protect
Tornadus is one of my major support Pokemon, able to Taunt Trick Room and other Tailwind abusers, get Tailwind up itself to guarantee my other Pokes go first, and Protect, 'cause it's pretty frail. Realizing Tornadus gets fantastic STAB from Acrobatics, I decided to run the ol' Flight Gem-Acrobatics tactic with him for massive damage. Rock Slides, Blizzards, and Electric moves give it trouble, but that's all handled by the rest of the team.
Chomper V2 (Garchomp) @ Yache Berry
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Protect
The bread-and-butter Yache Garchomp. Able to handle a wide range of Pokes and with respectable bulk, what he does is pretty self-explanitory. Even with Hail up, Rock Slide strikes fear in all those Ice-types, and Sand Veil causes Sandstorm users to think twice. I will be at a bit of a conflict with other Garchomps because of the Speed tie, but Tornadus' Tailwind will completely ignore this fact.
Dorricott (Durant) @ Focus Sash
(Shoutout to Mr. Durant man himself Dozz)
Ability: Jolly
Nature: Hustle
EVs:4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Hone Claws
-Iron Head
-X-Scissor
-Rock Slide
Durant has been one of the most unexpected sweepers I've used in a long time. Durant is all about power, power, and more power, and this set emphasizes that perfectly. Hone Claws gets rid of the accuracy loss of Hustle AND raising its power, making it a deadly-fast and deadly-powerful attacker easily able to counter such common foes as Terrakion, Zapdos, and more. Not running Protect is risky, but I've found more success without it than with it, and its Sash will allow it to take a hit.
Swirlicus (Milotic) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Bold
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp. Attk / 252 Sp. Def
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Recover
-Protect
The bulkiest one of the team, this Milotic will take people by surprise to find that it's pretty specially offensive too. It can take a pretty good hit with a Sitrus Berry, and get back up again with Recover, while Burn haxing the foe with Scald, making it a valuable supporter to the team. It does have issues with other Water-types, but the rest of the team will easily take care of them.
Rafiki (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 140 Attk / 116 Sp. A / 252 Spe
-Fake-Out
-Close Combat
-Overheat
-Protect
Infernape has the coverage over what the rest of my team lacks, as the set takes full advantage of its STABs. Fake-Out supports my other Pokemon, Close Combat is amazing, Overheat can't be overabused but is VERY powerful, and Protect is run to insure livability. I usually lead out with both Infernape and Tornadus, Porygon2, or Durant so they can set up whatever the hell they want. Infernape is very, VERY frail, but its pure power and great STABs make him invaluable to my team.
TROLLygon2 (Porygon2) @Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/ 252 Sp.A
-Thunder Wave
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
-Protect
Porygon2 is my bulky support 'mon with Eviolite, and still a good knack for Special Attack. Paralyzing the foes will ignore its low Speed stat, and said low speed stat can deal well with Trick Room teams too. It has the Electric coverage the rest of my teams lacks, hitting the common Flying-types really well with both Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. I considered running Recover, but I found it to be a bit too slow for it, and thus ran Protect instead.
Being a Pokemon fan for the last two years, I entered the VGCs 2011 with a non-EV trained Pokemon team, before I even knew how to EV train properly, and ended up being 4-0'ed first round to an Archeops and Mienshao. However, this year, I decided to make a huge change: the second the VGC locations were announced in September, I immediately started to prepare.
I originally planned on running a Trick Room team based with Chandelure, Hitmontop, Eelektross, Snorlax, etc., but they were all completely useless when Trick Room would run out, getting the 6th slot was insanely hard to choose, and it just was really boring to use. So after looking and lurking around the interwebs and Smogon for a better strategy, I realized a goodstuff team would be more of my style.
Note I only have access to Gen V games, as my SoulSilver is absolutely incapable of IV breeding.
Team Building Process
I originally wanted to run a Double-genie set, with Tornadus and Landorus, to get advantage with great STABS.
However, after later inspections, I realized that I wouldn't be packing an Telepathy or Ghost-types to resist Landorus' Explosion, I was already planning on carrying a Normal Gem on another member, and that Garchomp outclasses Landorus in pretty much every way, plus I needed the Dragon-type coverage.
I'm always the type of guy to abuse Fake-Out, so I looked for a good user. I considered Weavile, but then realized that Ambipom gets STAB and Technician with it, and has less crippling weaknesses.
After witnessing its power with an old Sand team and at a time, with my VGC 2011 team before a Galvantula took over it, I realized my dream of Durant's time to shine could finally be shown on a bigger scale. Plus it's ridiculously fun to use.
Looking at my team already, I realized I needed a good and bulky Special Attacker. I considered Gastrodon, but it had crippling speed even with Tailwind and just wasn't as powerful as I wanted. After researching a bit more, I finally ended up with Milotic, whose bulk and power will annoy a lot of teams.
Seeing my Life Orb left unoccupied, I thought over a final member of my team, and what coverage I didn't have. For a bit I seriously considered Kindgra, but I realized two similar Water-types would be redundant and wouldn't cover much. I thought of Lucario, but he already shares the same weakness as Ambipom and Durant. Finally, the flaming monkey Infernape shone to me, as its' very mixed and has perfect coverage over what I didn't have before, Fire and Fighting-type moves.
However, looking into it a bit, I realized that Infernape outclasses Ambipom in every other way, so I've gotten rid of him. I then decided to replace its spot with the ever-useful and bulky Porygon2.
However, after later inspections, I realized that I wouldn't be packing an Telepathy or Ghost-types to resist Landorus' Explosion, I was already planning on carrying a Normal Gem on another member, and that Garchomp outclasses Landorus in pretty much every way, plus I needed the Dragon-type coverage.
I'm always the type of guy to abuse Fake-Out, so I looked for a good user. I considered Weavile, but then realized that Ambipom gets STAB and Technician with it, and has less crippling weaknesses.
After witnessing its power with an old Sand team and at a time, with my VGC 2011 team before a Galvantula took over it, I realized my dream of Durant's time to shine could finally be shown on a bigger scale. Plus it's ridiculously fun to use.
Looking at my team already, I realized I needed a good and bulky Special Attacker. I considered Gastrodon, but it had crippling speed even with Tailwind and just wasn't as powerful as I wanted. After researching a bit more, I finally ended up with Milotic, whose bulk and power will annoy a lot of teams.
Seeing my Life Orb left unoccupied, I thought over a final member of my team, and what coverage I didn't have. For a bit I seriously considered Kindgra, but I realized two similar Water-types would be redundant and wouldn't cover much. I thought of Lucario, but he already shares the same weakness as Ambipom and Durant. Finally, the flaming monkey Infernape shone to me, as its' very mixed and has perfect coverage over what I didn't have before, Fire and Fighting-type moves.
However, looking into it a bit, I realized that Infernape outclasses Ambipom in every other way, so I've gotten rid of him. I then decided to replace its spot with the ever-useful and bulky Porygon2.
THE TEAM
Apu (Tornadus) @ Flying Gem
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Acrobatics
-Tailwind
-Taunt
-Protect
Tornadus is one of my major support Pokemon, able to Taunt Trick Room and other Tailwind abusers, get Tailwind up itself to guarantee my other Pokes go first, and Protect, 'cause it's pretty frail. Realizing Tornadus gets fantastic STAB from Acrobatics, I decided to run the ol' Flight Gem-Acrobatics tactic with him for massive damage. Rock Slides, Blizzards, and Electric moves give it trouble, but that's all handled by the rest of the team.
Chomper V2 (Garchomp) @ Yache Berry
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Protect
The bread-and-butter Yache Garchomp. Able to handle a wide range of Pokes and with respectable bulk, what he does is pretty self-explanitory. Even with Hail up, Rock Slide strikes fear in all those Ice-types, and Sand Veil causes Sandstorm users to think twice. I will be at a bit of a conflict with other Garchomps because of the Speed tie, but Tornadus' Tailwind will completely ignore this fact.
Dorricott (Durant) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Jolly
Nature: Hustle
EVs:4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Hone Claws
-Iron Head
-X-Scissor
-Rock Slide
Durant has been one of the most unexpected sweepers I've used in a long time. Durant is all about power, power, and more power, and this set emphasizes that perfectly. Hone Claws gets rid of the accuracy loss of Hustle AND raising its power, making it a deadly-fast and deadly-powerful attacker easily able to counter such common foes as Terrakion, Zapdos, and more. Not running Protect is risky, but I've found more success without it than with it, and its Sash will allow it to take a hit.
Swirlicus (Milotic) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Bold
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp. Attk / 252 Sp. Def
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Recover
-Protect
The bulkiest one of the team, this Milotic will take people by surprise to find that it's pretty specially offensive too. It can take a pretty good hit with a Sitrus Berry, and get back up again with Recover, while Burn haxing the foe with Scald, making it a valuable supporter to the team. It does have issues with other Water-types, but the rest of the team will easily take care of them.
Rafiki (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 140 Attk / 116 Sp. A / 252 Spe
-Fake-Out
-Close Combat
-Overheat
-Protect
Infernape has the coverage over what the rest of my team lacks, as the set takes full advantage of its STABs. Fake-Out supports my other Pokemon, Close Combat is amazing, Overheat can't be overabused but is VERY powerful, and Protect is run to insure livability. I usually lead out with both Infernape and Tornadus, Porygon2, or Durant so they can set up whatever the hell they want. Infernape is very, VERY frail, but its pure power and great STABs make him invaluable to my team.
TROLLygon2 (Porygon2) @Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/ 252 Sp.A
-Thunder Wave
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
-Protect
Porygon2 is my bulky support 'mon with Eviolite, and still a good knack for Special Attack. Paralyzing the foes will ignore its low Speed stat, and said low speed stat can deal well with Trick Room teams too. It has the Electric coverage the rest of my teams lacks, hitting the common Flying-types really well with both Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. I considered running Recover, but I found it to be a bit too slow for it, and thus ran Protect instead.