Here’s my VGC speed control team. The analyses are as below:
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Frisk
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Imprison
- Night Shade
- Pain Split
Dusclops is normally used on TR (Trick Room) teams as a bulky setter. Due to the prevalence of TR teams on the ladder, the main setter being Eviolite Dusclops, I needed a counter to Trick Room on a fast team like mine. The sole purpose of this Dusclops is to counter Trick Room with Imprison. Night Shade and Pain Split are extra measures to simply deal some damage to opposing Pokemon. Other than a Trick Room counter, this Dusclops will never be used against a faster team.
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Energy Ball
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
This Chandelure has many purposes. The Choice Scarf is not supposed to be actually used, but is supposed to be tricked onto Pokemon such as Whimsicott and Clefairy who depend on Follow Me and Helping Hand. Additionally, Energy Ball checks many of Chandelure’s checks if they are not Dynamaxed, such as Rhyperior, who resists or tanks many of Chnadelure’s attacks. Flamethrower and Shadow Ball are simply necessary on Chandelure, and they check both Dusclops and Hatterene, who, once again, are the majority of Trick Room setters. This is a support Pokemon that has the ability to sweep with the coverage it has, but is not normally a sweeper.
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Excadrill is a particularly frail mon, being weak to Rhyperior’s High Horsepower and Max Quake, two very popular Ground-Type moves that can easily OHKO an Excadrill. I experimented with the idea of a Weakness Policy Excadrill, before discovering that because of its frailty, it would either get OHKOed or never get those boosts. This would be one of the best choices to Dynamax, mostly for G-Max Charizard, being able to easily OHKO it with Max Rockfall. High Horsepower checks many different mons, such as Chandelure and other Excadrill. Even in speed ties, the Sash prevails once again, allowing it to live other attacks and hit back hard. Iron Head hits fairies extremely hard, normally 2HKOing or 1HKOing Togekiss.
Ludicolo @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Energy Ball
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
Ludicolo is one of the best checks to Tyranitar, one of the main Sandstorm setters and a very popular choice on many teams. One of the main reasons Ludicolo was a preferred choice on this team is it’s ability to steal or set its own rain with Max Geyser, a 190BP move being upgraded from Hydro Pump. Swift Swim Ludicolo outspeeds many checks to my team overall, such as Tyranitar checking Chandelure, Dusclops and Braviary with Rock Slide and Crunch, and Whimsicott being an overall threat due to its ability to cripple teams with Trick, Follow Me and Helping Hand boosting attacks. Whimsicott can be 2HKOed by a Life Orb boosted Ice Beam, while Tyranitar is 2HKOed by Hydro Pump in Sandstorm. This is also a great choice to Dynamax, activating Swift Swim and boosting its already powerful STAB Hydro Pump/Max Geyser to OHKO Tyranitar measures.
Hydreigon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse
Hydreigon is the newest addition to my team, and a good one at that. It checks Dracovish and other popular Dragon Types such as Dragapult, while being able to hit Grass and Ice types hard with Flamethrower. Dark Pulse is an extremely powerful STAB move with the additional chance to flinch, and with Hatterene being a prominent TR setter, and a Psychic/Fairy typing making it neutral to Dark, Hydreigon has the ability to become a sweeper paired with Excadrill to quickly dispatch fairies, cleaving the way for Hydreigon to start sweeping through opposing teams. Draco Meteor is a move supposed to be used as a last resort, as this is a set revolving around Special Attack, and dropping it by half is not something I would like to do mid-game. Dragon Pulse is my main Dragon Stab, as 85BP boosted by STAB can dispatch Vish and Pult in 1 or 2 hits.
Braviary @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Protect
- Bulk Up
- Close Combat
Braviary is the last pick on the team, and I’m not sure what to label it as. It works as a Dynamax Pokemon, but also functions well as a setup/cleanup sweeper with Brave Bird and Close Combat being effective at picking off Excadrill and Conkeldurr with ease. A Sitrus Berry helps with its lack of Roost, allowing it some passive recovery. Sheer Force effectively boosts the STAB Brave Bird to an amazing amount of power, and Close Combat hits what Brave Bird is resisted by. Bulk Up allows it to hit even harder than it does with Close Combat and Brave Bird. That’s all for this analysis. There’s nothing much to say for Braviary except for the fact that it cleans up nicely.
So, how’s my team? Leave some feedback for me!