Helios, carry meto Hawaii right now

Maestro Arena

Maestro Arena

Hi. I´m trying to create a decent, excellent and not so standar team for the VCG of Paris. So I thought: what should I use in this metagame dominated by Hitmontop, Zapdos, Cresselia, Terrakion and company? So I decided to stick to Sun since I think nobody will use it and well used it can surprise everybody.

I´ve been testing this team in SkarmBliss but...I usually finish beaten 1-0 (almost always by hax ¬¬) but if I usually lose, then, hax or not hax, there must be something wrong in the team.

Posting it.

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Ninetales (M) @ Charti Berry
Trait: Drought
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Energy Ball
- Protect

My sun inducer with an offensive movepool. Heat Wave to strike hard opponent mon, Energy Ball for Water types and that annoying Terrakion, and HP Ice for trying to kill dragons (yet it will never OHKO Garchomp or Dragonite). Charti Berry allows Ninetales to ALWAYS survive a Rock Slide from Terrakion.

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Venusaur (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Sleep Powder
- SolarBeam
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect

The second reason I use a Sun team: is my favourite mon ever. I usually don´t face weather teams or win easily the weather wars, so I´m using SolarBeam instead Energy Ball. Sleep Powder for sleep the enemies (but I usually am haxed there; I never sleep both enemy Pokemon and the asleep Poke always awakes after 1-2 turns). Sludge Bomb for STAB and that 30% of poisoning that never happens; it allows me to beat Zapdos or Latios but then Venusaur cannot do nothing to Metagross. Lefties makes Venusaur more bulky

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Volcarona (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Protect

Ah! I remember when the used attack for striking both opponents was EQ; but now is Rock Slide and being Volcarona is suffering. For that reason the item is Focus Sash. Hidden Power Ground is for Terrakion and Heatran, yet it nevers OHKO Terrakion. I was thinking in Quiver Dance but I´m not sure.

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Cresselia (F) @ Heat Rock
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SAtk / 160 SDef / 12 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Moonlight
- Helping Hand
- Psychic
- Sunny Day

The utility wall of VCG, sunny version. Sunny Day + Heat Rock comes handy allowing me to have a second sun inducer (and allowing me to even change Ninetales if I need to do modifications to my team to make it more successful). Moonlight gives it 2/3 HP recovery. The sacrifice I had to do was Ice Beam making me Tyranitar weak (I choose Psychic to handle Terrakion).

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Infernape (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- Protect

My physical sweeper. I carry Life Orb to strike hard, but in exchange Infernape only lasts 2-3 turns. I put it as lead if I see my opponent carrying an Hitmontop to Fake Outing it. I also use it when I see an enemy Terrakion or Tyranitar. Also, Infernape and Volcarona have a good synergy with Infernape taking down Tyranitar and Terrakion while Volcarona takes care of Latios and Cresselia.

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Rotom-W @ Electric Gem
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 124 HP / 252 SAtk / 132 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Protect
- Discharge
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Ice]

My anti-rain teams. Helping Hand + Electric Gem + Discharge allows me to do a lot of damage to rain teams (except Ludicolo). Hydro Pump is my only certain anti-Chandelure way and HP Ice goes for Zapdos, Garchomps and dragons in general.


What changes would you reccomend me? I´m thinking in adding a Dugtrio for enemy Tyranitars or Terrakions, but I´m not sure...

Also, I´ve been testing other items: Wise Glasses on Ninetales to increase its offensive power (then I would put Charti Berry to Volcarona), and Wise Glasses of Venusaur to increase Sleep Powder accuracy.
 
At a quick glance, I would say that Venusaur should do away with Sleep Powder, replace it with another move, preferably a coverage move. If you want to put things to sleep, use Spore. In the fast-paced doubles environment, the only thing you should leave to chance is Focus Blast, which nets KOs for certain pokemon. That is the only luck based move you should ever use on anything, because all sleep powder has to do is miss and you get an immediate disadvantage. Also, replace sludge bomb with another attack, I don't think poison gets a SE hit on anything notable.
Infernape looks like he would make a good lead, maybe with the focus sash. I know that Rotom-W is your rain counter, but if you manage to get the sun back up while he's out, one of his STABs loses its usefulness. Storm Drain Gastrodon is a good pokemon that works in all weathers, and few rain pokemon can successfully hurt him. Also, if he switches in on a water attack and gets a storm drain boost, it will somewhat negate the effect of his Surf (or Muddy Water) being weakened when the sun goes back up. Gastrodon has good defensive synergy with most of your team.
The last thing I would reccomend it Whimsicott. He takes practice to use successfully, but priority sun would make things a lot easier. Check him out.
That's my general input. I'm not a pro player, but I do know a thing or two.

EDIT: Do not use Wise Glasses or Wide Lens, they are useless items. Wise Glasses are severely outclassed by LO or one of the gems, and wide lens is not usually worth it. Also, if you decide that Whimsicott makes a better back-up for setting down sun, you could give Cresselia Sitrus Berry for added survivability. That last one is not a concrete recommendation, just a thought.
 
M. Rock said:
At a quick glance, I would say that Venusaur should do away with Sleep Powder, replace it with another move, preferably a coverage move. If you want to put things to sleep, use Spore. In the fast-paced doubles environment, the only thing you should leave to chance is Focus Blast, which nets KOs for certain pokemon. That is the only luck based move you should ever use on anything, because all sleep powder has to do is miss and you get an immediate disadvantage. Also, replace sludge bomb with another attack, I don't think poison gets a SE hit on anything notable.
Infernape looks like he would make a good lead, maybe with the focus sash. I know that Rotom-W is your rain counter, but if you manage to get the sun back up while he's out, one of his STABs loses its usefulness. Storm Drain Gastrodon is a good pokemon that works in all weathers, and few rain pokemon can successfully hurt him. Also, if he switches in on a water attack and gets a storm drain boost, it will somewhat negate the effect of his Surf (or Muddy Water) being weakened when the sun goes back up. Gastrodon has good defensive synergy with most of your team.
The last thing I would reccomend it Whimsicott. He takes practice to use successfully, but priority sun would make things a lot easier. Check him out.
That's my general input. I'm not a pro player, but I do know a thing or two.

EDIT: Do not use Wise Glasses or Wide Lens, they are useless items. Wise Glasses are severely outclassed by LO or one of the gems, and wide lens is not usually worth it. Also, if you decide that Whimsicott makes a better back-up for setting down sun, you could give Cresselia Sitrus Berry for added survivability. That last one is not a concrete recommendation, just a thought.
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Thanks for your answer!

I have Sludge Bomb mainly for STAB and allows me to hit hard both Zapdos and Latios. I´m thinking in changing Sleep Powder for HP Ice too. Argh, Growth would be useful but in VGC it´s a bad idea...

Rotom-W has a good synergy too with the team; Discharge is always a very good way to strike hard the enemy, and usually I don´t need to use Hydro Pump.

Storm Drain Gastrodon is a very interesting idea and I´m going to test that. I´m going to test it for Rotom. I´m thinking too in testing the team with Gastrodon over Volcarona (yet I´ll miss that 335 special attack sunny Heat Wave), and even over Ninetales (I´d miss my eternal drought but I have Bulky Cresselia with 8 turns Sunny Day which can act like a less and more bulky version of Ninetales).

For what Pokemon would you recommend me to test Whimsicott? I´m thinking in a Sunny Day/Encore/Cotton Guard/Tailwind or Leech Seed set.
 
I'm not sure. I think you just have to play more trial and error with your team, and while playing keeping these things in mind:

"Where would Whimsicott fit? Would he have made this victory easier (if you won) or possible (if you lost)?"

"Which team member is the least useful?"

"Which team members would benefit most from Whimsicott's support (aside from just auto-sun)?"

You don't have to use him, it was just a suggestion. Having priority sunny day makes it easier to shift the momentum in your favor, as well as the fact that he is kind of bulky and isn't hurt by many rain-abusers. If played right, he can be excrutiatingly annoying, especially with Leech Seed. Taunt is also useful, just be wary of pokes with the mental herb (usually carried by pokemon that fulfill a supporting role).

EDIT: Actually Encore might be more useful than Taunt. Encore punishes those that protect. In fact, Whimsy can play a good pressure game by making the opponent afraid to protect.
 
It's not going to end well if you go against a Trick Room team with Fake Out support. If the Trick Roomer is not a Ghost, you could get off easy, but if it is a Ghost type, you will be screwed severely by Chandelure, who walls 4/6 of your team, isn't fazed by Fake Out, and 2HKOes Cresselia w/ Shadow Ball. Just be careful of Trick Room.

Sandstorm can also be an issue as well since the typical starter is Tyranitar and the whole team is nerfed by a lack of Sun.
 
PokeMaster366 said:
It's not going to end well if you go against a Trick Room team with Fake Out support. If the Trick Roomer is not a Ghost, you could get off easy, but if it is a Ghost type, you will be screwed severely by Chandelure, who walls 4/6 of your team, isn't fazed by Fake Out, and 2HKOes Cresselia w/ Shadow Ball. Just be careful of Trick Room.

Sandstorm can also be an issue as well since the typical starter is Tyranitar and the whole team is nerfed by a lack of Sun.
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Yes, I need something for Chandelure. Gastrodon would work well against Chandelure, wouldn´t it?

For Sandstorms teams I´m not so afraid. Ninetales besides, I have Cresselia as a second Sunny bringer, and with prediction I can use Infernape and Venusaur to beat them. The Pokemon which has given me more problems in weather has been Ludicolo.

Speaking of Ludicolo...Bulb Absorb Ludicolo with Solarbeam could work well in this team as a surprising anti-rain?
 
Rotom kinda needs to stay for rain-counteryness i would say. Sludge bomb on Venusaur should be replaced with hidden power of your choice(fire?) because it gets walled by steels
 
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