VGC Astral Psyspam: Calyrex-Shadow Indeedee Semi-Room

[caelT8]

> Astral Psyspam <



Introduction

After Regulation D, I somewhat lost interest in VGC and Pokemon as a whole. Even when I would play, I mostly played gen 3, 4, 5, and 6 OU. For whatever reason though, during Reg G I got interested in VGC again and started playing again. I initially started off with Calyrex-Shadow balance teams, and grew to love using Calyrex. I soon built this team.

Teambuilding Process



I chose Calyrex-Shadow as it seemed to be one of the strongest restricteds and I found that I enjoyed using it.



I wanted to add a Trick Room mode and a priority blocked. I first wanted to use Farigiraf, but I saw that Indeedee had better sysnergy with Calyrex as Calyrex could use Expanding Force with Indeedee's Psychic Terrain.



I needed a Pokemon that operates well under Indeedee's Trick Room and selected Ursaluna-Bloodmoon. By skipping Reg E and F, I missed the opportunity to use this mighty trick room sweeper, but it seemed to fit well on this team.



Incineroar was an easy pick. This team needed an intimidator, a pivot, and a stronger defensive backbone. Incineroar fits all three roles well.



I needed a stronger physical attacker and a faster pokemon, so Urshifu was an obvious choice.



I wanted to complete a Fire-Water-Grass core with Incineroar and Urshifu, so I chose Amoonguss as it works well under Trick Room and doesn't overwrite Indeedee's psychic terrain like Rillaboom would.


The Team


Calyrex-Shadow @ Life Orb
Ability: As One (Spectrier)
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 28 HP / 84 Def / 140 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Astral Barrage
- Expanding Force
- Pollen Puff
- Protect

Calyrex was the Pokemon I decided to build around. It is one of, if not the strongest restricted in Reg G. I went with an aggressive Expanding Force set. Astral Barrage is a must on Calyrex, base 120 spread ghost-STAB is incredible. Expanding Force works well with Indeedee. It gets powered up to Astral Barrage levels in Psychic Terrain, and then gets a terrain boost. Pollen Puff hits dark types that otherwise wall Calyrex, as well as Rillaboom and Tera Grass Calyrex-I. The EVs live a Tera Water Surging Strikes from Urshifu. Tera Ghost is for even more offensive power.


Indeedee-F @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Trick Room

Indeedee-F is one of the main support Pokemon. It offers redirection and speed control. Helping Hand can boost Calyrex or Ursaluna's damage to insane levels, and Dazzling Gleam is solid spread damage. Fairy is a good defensive tera that also gives Dazzling Gleam STAB. Psychic Seed gives Indeedee a helpful SpD boost, making it even tankier. The EVs and standard, just boosting Indeedee's bulk. A zero speed IV makes Indeedee faster under Trick Room and doesn't affect it too much outside of TR with most of its moves having priority.


Ursaluna-Bloodmoon @ Throat Spray
Ability: Mind's Eye
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Blood Moon
- Hyper Voice
- Earth Power
- Protect

Ursaluna-Bloodmoon is our Trick Room sweeper. While Calyrex outspeeds and KO's outside of TR, Ursaluna does the same in TR. The moveset is standard, with Blood Moon and Earth Power being STAB and Hyper Voice being spread and most importantly for this Ursaluna, activating Throat Spray. Calyrex already uses up this team's Life Orb slot, so Ursaluna needed to use a different item. I decided to use Throat Spray to give Ursaluna a SpA boost that boosts its damage more than Life Orb does, without the drawback of losing HP. This does mean that Ursaluna needs to use Hyper Voice to get a damage boost, though. The EVs maximize SpA and add to Ursaluna's bulk as well. I love using TR sweepers as they can be bulkier and do more damage because the don't need any speed investment.


Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- U-Turn

This is a standard Scarf Urshifu-Rapid-Strike. It adds a strong physical attacker to the team, along with a bit of speed control through Choice Scarf. Adamant nature adds more damage. The moveset is fairly standard, Aqua Jet instead of Coaching is because there isn't another strong physical attacker on the team that appreciates coaching's boosts. Urshifu forms a Fire-Water-Grass core with Amoonguss and Incineroar. Both appreciate Urshifu's U-Turn, Incineroar wants to get back in to Fake Out and Amoonguss likes to switch in and out with Regenerator.


Incineroar @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 25 Spe
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Parting Shot

Incineroar is one of the strongest Pokemon in VGC, period. It was an obvious choice for this team to complement Urshifu and Amoonguss. Fake Out is a must, and Parting Shot is a strong pivot move. Knock Off adds Dark STAB and hits Calyrex-Shadow. It can also remove key items like Safety Goggles from opponents. Will-O-Wisp hits Zamazenta and Calyrex-Ice. Tera Ghost lets Incineroar become immune to Fake Out, Close Combat, and Body Press. The EVs allow it to live +1 Body Press from Zamazenta and +1 Life Orb Astral Barrage from Calyrex-Shadow. The Speed IVs let Incineroar get the slower parting shot and also move faster in Trick Room. Incineroar adds to the defensive backbone of the team.


Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 244 HP / 188 Def / 76 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Sassy Nature
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Pollen Puff
- Protect

Amoonguss does what is has done for all of SV: be a strong supporter with access to some of the best moves in the game. This is pretty standard set. Spore puts enemies to sleep, Rage Powder redirects, and Pollen Puff heals up allies. The EVs make Astral Barrage a 3HKO and let Amoonguss survive a Chien-Pao Ice Spinner. Tera Fairy lets Amoonguss check Miraidon. Min Speed and a Sassy Nature make Amoonguss as slow as possible, letting it outspeed almost everything in Trick Room. Of course, Amoonguss also functions great outside of Trick Room as well.

Conclusion

I've found this team to be strong and quite fun to use. It's helped me get back into playing VGC, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

​

 

[Pengu]

> Astral Psyspam <



Introduction

After Regulation D, I somewhat lost interest in VGC and Pokemon as a whole. Even when I would play, I mostly played gen 3, 4, 5, and 6 OU. For whatever reason though, during Reg G I got interested in VGC again and started playing again. I initially started off with Calyrex-Shadow balance teams, and grew to love using Calyrex. I soon built this team.

Teambuilding Process



I chose Calyrex-Shadow as it seemed to be one of the strongest restricteds and I found that I enjoyed using it.



I wanted to add a Trick Room mode and a priority blocked. I first wanted to use Farigiraf, but I saw that Indeedee had better sysnergy with Calyrex as Calyrex could use Expanding Force with Indeedee's Psychic Terrain.



I needed a Pokemon that operates well under Indeedee's Trick Room and selected Ursaluna-Bloodmoon. By skipping Reg E and F, I missed the opportunity to use this mighty trick room sweeper, but it seemed to fit well on this team.



Incineroar was an easy pick. This team needed an intimidator, a pivot, and a stronger defensive backbone. Incineroar fits all three roles well.



I needed a stronger physical attacker and a faster pokemon, so Urshifu was an obvious choice.



I wanted to complete a Fire-Water-Grass core with Incineroar and Urshifu, so I chose Amoonguss as it works well under Trick Room and doesn't overwrite Indeedee's psychic terrain like Rillaboom would.


The Team


Calyrex-Shadow @ Life Orb
Ability: As One (Spectrier)
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 28 HP / 84 Def / 140 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Astral Barrage
- Expanding Force
- Pollen Puff
- Protect

Calyrex was the Pokemon I decided to build around. It is one of, if not the strongest restricted in Reg G. I went with an aggressive Expanding Force set. Astral Barrage is a must on Calyrex, base 120 spread ghost-STAB is incredible. Expanding Force works well with Indeedee. It gets powered up to Astral Barrage levels in Psychic Terrain, and then gets a terrain boost. Pollen Puff hits dark types that otherwise wall Calyrex, as well as Rillaboom and Tera Grass Calyrex-I. The EVs live a Tera Water Surging Strikes from Urshifu. Tera Ghost is for even more offensive power.


Indeedee-F @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Trick Room

Indeedee-F is one of the main support Pokemon. It offers redirection and speed control. Helping Hand can boost Calyrex or Ursaluna's damage to insane levels, and Dazzling Gleam is solid spread damage. Fairy is a good defensive tera that also gives Dazzling Gleam STAB. Psychic Seed gives Indeedee a helpful SpD boost, making it even tankier. The EVs and standard, just boosting Indeedee's bulk. A zero speed IV makes Indeedee faster under Trick Room and doesn't affect it too much outside of TR with most of its moves having priority.


Ursaluna-Bloodmoon @ Throat Spray
Ability: Mind's Eye
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Blood Moon
- Hyper Voice
- Earth Power
- Protect

Ursaluna-Bloodmoon is our Trick Room sweeper. While Calyrex outspeeds and KO's outside of TR, Ursaluna does the same in TR. The moveset is standard, with Blood Moon and Earth Power being STAB and Hyper Voice being spread and most importantly for this Ursaluna, activating Throat Spray. Calyrex already uses up this team's Life Orb slot, so Ursaluna needed to use a different item. I decided to use Throat Spray to give Ursaluna a SpA boost that boosts its damage more than Life Orb does, without the drawback of losing HP. This does mean that Ursaluna needs to use Hyper Voice to get a damage boost, though. The EVs maximize SpA and add to Ursaluna's bulk as well. I love using TR sweepers as they can be bulkier and do more damage because the don't need any speed investment.


Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- U-Turn

This is a standard Scarf Urshifu-Rapid-Strike. It adds a strong physical attacker to the team, along with a bit of speed control through Choice Scarf. Adamant nature adds more damage. The moveset is fairly standard, Aqua Jet instead of Coaching is because there isn't another strong physical attacker on the team that appreciates coaching's boosts. Urshifu forms a Fire-Water-Grass core with Amoonguss and Incineroar. Both appreciate Urshifu's U-Turn, Incineroar wants to get back in to Fake Out and Amoonguss likes to switch in and out with Regenerator.


Incineroar @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 25 Spe
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Parting Shot

Incineroar is one of the strongest Pokemon in VGC, period. It was an obvious choice for this team to complement Urshifu and Amoonguss. Fake Out is a must, and Parting Shot is a strong pivot move. Knock Off adds Dark STAB and hits Calyrex-Shadow. It can also remove key items like Safety Goggles from opponents. Will-O-Wisp hits Zamazenta and Calyrex-Ice. Tera Ghost lets Incineroar become immune to Fake Out, Close Combat, and Body Press. The EVs allow it to live +1 Body Press from Zamazenta and +1 Life Orb Astral Barrage from Calyrex-Shadow. The Speed IVs let Incineroar get the slower parting shot and also move faster in Trick Room. Incineroar adds to the defensive backbone of the team.


Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 244 HP / 188 Def / 76 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Sassy Nature
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Pollen Puff
- Protect

Amoonguss does what is has done for all of SV: be a strong supporter with access to some of the best moves in the game. This is pretty standard set. Spore puts enemies to sleep, Rage Powder redirects, and Pollen Puff heals up allies. The EVs make Astral Barrage a 3HKO and let Amoonguss survive a Chien-Pao Ice Spinner. Tera Fairy lets Amoonguss check Miraidon. Min Speed and a Sassy Nature make Amoonguss as slow as possible, letting it outspeed almost everything in Trick Room. Of course, Amoonguss also functions great outside of Trick Room as well.

Conclusion

I've found this team to be strong and quite fun to use. It's helped me get back into playing VGC, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

​

Hi caelT8, I'm glad you have decided to come back to the VGC community! This is quite a good team, and here are the weaknesses I would like to point out.

- Pelippermay not be a restricted Pokemon, but you have no real way to deal with it besides Ursaluna-BM, which doesn't like to take a Weather Ball. Wide Guard denies both Astral Barrage and Expanding Force under Psychic Terrain from CSR, and without Nasty Plot, non-Psychic Terrain Expanding Force can't do enough damage, along with Pollen Puff not dealing enough either. Indeedee-Fdeals low amounts of damage, Urshifu-Rand Amoongusscan't reliably take 1-2 Hurricane, and Incineroarloses to Weather Ball. Along with that, partner CSIcan completely ruin your team with Astral Barrage protection thanks to Wide Guard.

- Choice Specs Terapagosfeels like a issue here, with only one real way to deal with it: Urshifu-R(in terms of damage, as Amoonguss can do well unless Terapagoslets out a Hyper Beam). And with the Terastilized forme's ability turning off the terrain, this Pokemon can be a menace. Calm Mind sets can also pose a threat, possibly a bigger threat when equipped with possibly the Covert Cloak and Fake Out support in Rillaboomand Incineroar.

Changes

Life Orb --> Sitrus Berryon CSR
While not necessary, it grants bulk that CSRloves to have. This set can be very good if you can make the right plays. Plus, it opens the Life Orbup for Ursaluna.

Pollen Puff --> Draining Kiss / Nasty Plot on CSR
I don't think personally that Pollen Puff is all that great tbh. You have Urshifu-Rto hit Dark-types. I think even Psychic can work here, just anything that can hit Pelipperreally.

Throat Spray --> Life Orbon Ursaluna-BM
Since we opened this up, it just seems necessary.

Tera Ghost --> Tera Water on Incineroar
This helps with the Pelipper+CSImatchup, with being able to eat Glacial Lance and Weather Ball easily.

Tera Fairy --> Tera Water on
This is also for the same reason mentioned above, just generally better than Fairy for the shroom.

That's it! And here is your new team, so good luck and happy battling!

 

[caelT8]

Hi caelT8, I'm glad you have decided to come back to the VGC community! This is quite a good team, and here are the weaknesses I would like to point out.

- Pelippermay not be a restricted Pokemon, but you have no real way to deal with it besides Ursaluna-BM, which doesn't like to take a Weather Ball. Wide Guard denies both Astral Barrage and Expanding Force under Psychic Terrain from CSR, and without Nasty Plot, non-Psychic Terrain Expanding Force can't do enough damage, along with Pollen Puff not dealing enough either. Indeedee-Fdeals low amounts of damage, Urshifu-Rand Amoongusscan't reliably take 1-2 Hurricane, and Incineroarloses to Weather Ball. Along with that, partner CSIcan completely ruin your team with Astral Barrage protection thanks to Wide Guard.

- Choice Specs Terapagosfeels like a issue here, with only one real way to deal with it: Urshifu-R(in terms of damage, as Amoonguss can do well unless Terapagoslets out a Hyper Beam). And with the Terastilized forme's ability turning off the terrain, this Pokemon can be a menace. Calm Mind sets can also pose a threat, possibly a bigger threat when equipped with possibly the Covert Cloak and Fake Out support in Rillaboomand Incineroar.

Changes

Life Orb --> Sitrus Berryon CSR
While not necessary, it grants bulk that CSRloves to have. This set can be very good if you can make the right plays. Plus, it opens the Life Orbup for Ursaluna.

Pollen Puff --> Draining Kiss / Nasty Plot on CSR
I don't think personally that Pollen Puff is all that great tbh. You have Urshifu-Rto hit Dark-types. I think even Psychic can work here, just anything that can hit Pelipperreally.

Throat Spray --> Life Orbon Ursaluna-BM
Since we opened this up, it just seems necessary.

Tera Ghost --> Tera Water on Incineroar
This helps with the Pelipper+CSImatchup, with being able to eat Glacial Lance and Weather Ball easily.

Tera Fairy --> Tera Water on
This is also for the same reason mentioned above, just generally better than Fairy for the shroom.

That's it! And here is your new team, so good luck and happy battling!

Thank you for the rate! I tried out these changes and they all seem very good.

 

[iPetBigfoot]

Thank you for the rate! I tried out these changes and they all seem very good.

caelT8 Tera Fairy is probably better on Calyrex since you have Draining Kiss, if you don't want to change the tera type then Nasty Plot might be better in the last slot. Right now Draining Kiss is going to be doing less damage than Astral Barrage vs Dark-types that are neutral to Fairy like Incineroar or Chi-Yu.