We're here in the final four of AGLT. We saw some great games,
some complete dogshit and some heartbreak. With regards to team-choices, there hasn't been too many surprises, Drampa withstanding. It should be noted that a few metagame staples, like Arc-Poison and ScarfRay, have largely failed to put up the expected large numbers throughout this tournament. One thing that's been clear however is that CM Arc has shown exactly why it's the best closer in the metagame. I fully expect to see more of it here.
Satanic Beast vs Zenithial - Edgar's Gastro hard-balance was able to withstand MDB's breaker Heatran last round. Who knew the best Heatran-counter in OU also worked in AG?
SM did lmao #DieByTheSlug #SlugForD. CM Rocks Arc-Steel also proved to be an unorthodox but major asset and was able to close out game three. The defensive pressure applied by the Rocks Arc-Steel + Toxic support is brutal to face without a positive matchup. Nearly every mon that could have beaten the core would have been shut down by StallTwo. Awesome preparation and teambuilding. Edgar has been absolutely dominant
OwO throughout this tournament, though he's now facing the biggest roadblock yet. Edgar is taking on the People's Champion, Zenithial. Zen
BATTERED RAVAGED DESECRATED defeated the
BASTARD dreaded para-spam last round. If Thunder Wave/Glare-spam is MRSA, then Zen is Vanc+cefepime
(Name a more iconic duo.. I'll wait.) Kudos to Zen for preparing strong teams with favorable matchups and making the safe and good plays versus DSMP. Zen has proven himself to be the hero AG deserves, but not the one it needs right now. I don't know what that means, but he beat the yellow-color and that's all that matters. Zen has been shown to favor bulky offense and mid-balances, but he can play virtually every single team archetype competently. He'll never make flashy plays just to gain positioning and prefers to make a safer mid-ground. Edgar can take advantage in those moments if he doesn't want to try to win solely on matchup. Trying to beat Zen on matchup alone is going to be difficult. Each of Zen's playstyles have just too many mons to cover that it's impossible to counter him with one team. But if there's anyone that was in the tourney that could build around and counter-team Zen, it's Edgar. Edgar has the previously mentioned resources and insider knowledge, has a GOAT-builder helping prep, can play nearly every playstyle well, and is on a fucking roll. This series is going to be nasty, and I think Edgar can pull off the upset. Edgar in 7.
Velvet Blood :ooo vs AnythingGoesLegend - VB staved off elimination versus zugubu. Game one looked dicey as VB had sacked her Scarf Yveltal counter early in the game. Scarf Yveltal showed why it's the fourth worst Pokemon to face as it was able to clean from there. Game two had VB with two frail special-attacking ghosts in hand facing down an Alolan Muk. She played out of her mind, made some good plays
while avoiding virtually all poisons, and VB forced the game three. Game three, VB's Scarf Ho-Oh put on a showcase. Both VB and zugubu played really well and this was easily the highlight of the round. Both looked to be hesitant to bring any sort of prepared counter-team and they both brought general goodstuffs. This round however, preparation should be a bit easier as Velvet Blood has AGL in the semifinals. AGL used his standard lineup of BS + PsySpam and he was able to overwhelm GRNBLN, like many of his previous rounds.
"Wow! PsySpam is being used a lot this tournament. It must mean it's viabl- oh wait it's all coming from AGL nvm". Note how I've picked against AGL every series because he's my friend and I secretly wanted him to win by not jinxing him. That being said and this is now out in the open, he's going to lose here. Velvet Blood has just too much skill and preparation. She will need to consider making safe mid-ground switches throughout this series as AGL is going to try to gain favorable positioning. Offenses just aren't the hardest of playstyles to shut down. AGL has been attempting to learn Magnemite stall
to complete his transformation into Xynix aka bullshit HO/BP followed by misplaced stall teams. That's good of him trying to expand his playstyles, but in order to successfully stall high-level competition, like VB, you'd have to more than adept at fat. What I'm saying is that there's no way in hell VB is getting stalled out. I am advising her, however, to bring a non-stall weak team that won't be dead-weight versus the more likely Webs, PsySpam, or SmashPass, just in case. Something weird,
like Fini, Koko, Hoopa-U, or Serperior could be considered. Maybe even a Sub Keen Eye Drapion. If Silent Mobius could form the Xynix-cteam, VB can do the same to AGL.
Hint: it starts with a Gear. I'm seriously struggling to bet against Velvet Blood here. VB 3 - AGL 1.
With these two series, expect to see some great hard-hitting offenses. Plays are going to be required from all four player, so these should be some good games. I still haven't learned how to bridge ideas yet, so here's a link to
The Greatest by Sia. Happy Pride month!