Hi all! I've been playing VGC since the start of the year, and have had plenty of fun. Not a fan of the rules this year, but have still had a whole lot of fun at events, and am very proud of how I've gone for my first year (Seniors: Top 4 Brisbane Regionals, 10th Australia Nationals).
Anyway since I'm most likely not going to worlds I thought I'd have a bit of fun and try a few new things, including using some of my favourite Pokemon! Surprisingly, the new team has been going pretty alright, so I thought I'd share it and see if anyone could improve on it! Without further ado:
Yveltal @ Black Glasses
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Protect
So basically...I love yveltal. It's been a favourite of mine since XY came out, and I'd never given it much thought for VGC. It's a fairly standard set. Basically, this yveltal is for those pesky trick room users which are often psychic types, as well as the occasional mewtwo. Priority in sucker punch is always nice too, especially to weaken those water spouts from kyogre. Not really sure if there's a better alternative for this, but regardless, yveltal is one of my personal favourites and a strong threat in VGC 2016.
Kyogre-Primal @ Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Protect
We all know who the biggest threat this year is. And this Pokemon is really the best counter at the moment. In all my teams so far, I've included the big blue whale. With frightening damage output and the ability to swing the weather back in my control, I can't see a real reason for kyogre not to be on this team.
Raichu @ Zap Plate
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Volt Tackle
- Nuzzle
- Encore
- Fake Out
I suppose from here on out of this report we start to see some mons that haven't seen as much usage as I think they could have. Raichu, on my first team and here for my last. Volt tackle either outright OHKOs or does a frightening amount of damage even with exceptionally high defensive kyogre. It also puts enemy yveltal at risk of copping a ridiculous amount of damage. Nuzzle can cripple speedy foes that threaten my exceptionally fast team. Encore I think is the most annoying move of the set, especially since it's often substituted for feint, making it as unpredictable as it is crippling to status move users. And well fake out...coz fake out.
Mienshao @ Lum Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Wide Guard
- Quick Guard
That's right, and it's not just in there for laughs. This meinshao is very threatening to a very wide range of Pokemon. The ability to always get a fake out off vs allies of enemy fake out users regardless of speeds due to inner focus is huge. Alternatively, just throw a high jump kick for a quick ohko onto kang or life orb weavile. Wide guard can be huge for preventing the use of some of the most common moves in the format, while quick guard stops pranksters and talonflame.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Low Kick
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Greninja. I love it! I think we all know what gunk shot's good for (hint: starts with x, ends with erneas). In all seriousness, this move picks up an ohko on non defensive Xerneas, and also many other less used fairy types like clefairy I beleive and also togekiss. Low kick deals serious damage to the primals, dialga, kangaskhan and anything weak to fighting. I basically use the last two moves for 1 thing each: groudon and salamence. Switch in to kyogre and fire off a scald, or a quick OHKO onto mence can throw the game back in my favour. In my opinion, Greninja is totally underrated and a serious and unpredictable threat in vgc 2016.
Whimsicott @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Endeavor
- Tailwind
- Encore
Initially I had Mega Gengar here, but just wasn't working as well as I would have hoped. Instead we have whimsicott, the Pokemon I hate playing and love having. An alternate solution to set up Xerneas with encore, as well as other status users with either taunt or encore depending on the move, whimsicott is a key player on my team. I really only use tailwind when my foe sets it also, so I am still able to outspeed in most circumstances. And when I'm down to sash, endeavour is a fun move to lower the opponents health quickly.
As I'm sure you can see, this isn't really a stereotypical VGC team. The real aim is to pick up lots of quick KOs, a strategy which seems to be abandoned for a lot of long settup. I've had lots of fun with this team, and surprisingly reasonable success. It is vital that you understand how the team works, and don't try a lot of settup when using it. Just throw speed and power around and go for the quick win! It was a quick build so evs are not perfect, but if you can fix them, great.
Anyway, I guess that's all! Any fixes are welcome!
Cheers
PS: I tried adding mon sprites, but my internet was being Australian (for those in other countries that means really really slow and temperamental)
Anyway since I'm most likely not going to worlds I thought I'd have a bit of fun and try a few new things, including using some of my favourite Pokemon! Surprisingly, the new team has been going pretty alright, so I thought I'd share it and see if anyone could improve on it! Without further ado:
Yveltal @ Black Glasses
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Protect
So basically...I love yveltal. It's been a favourite of mine since XY came out, and I'd never given it much thought for VGC. It's a fairly standard set. Basically, this yveltal is for those pesky trick room users which are often psychic types, as well as the occasional mewtwo. Priority in sucker punch is always nice too, especially to weaken those water spouts from kyogre. Not really sure if there's a better alternative for this, but regardless, yveltal is one of my personal favourites and a strong threat in VGC 2016.
Kyogre-Primal @ Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Protect
We all know who the biggest threat this year is. And this Pokemon is really the best counter at the moment. In all my teams so far, I've included the big blue whale. With frightening damage output and the ability to swing the weather back in my control, I can't see a real reason for kyogre not to be on this team.
Raichu @ Zap Plate
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Volt Tackle
- Nuzzle
- Encore
- Fake Out
I suppose from here on out of this report we start to see some mons that haven't seen as much usage as I think they could have. Raichu, on my first team and here for my last. Volt tackle either outright OHKOs or does a frightening amount of damage even with exceptionally high defensive kyogre. It also puts enemy yveltal at risk of copping a ridiculous amount of damage. Nuzzle can cripple speedy foes that threaten my exceptionally fast team. Encore I think is the most annoying move of the set, especially since it's often substituted for feint, making it as unpredictable as it is crippling to status move users. And well fake out...coz fake out.
Mienshao @ Lum Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Wide Guard
- Quick Guard
That's right, and it's not just in there for laughs. This meinshao is very threatening to a very wide range of Pokemon. The ability to always get a fake out off vs allies of enemy fake out users regardless of speeds due to inner focus is huge. Alternatively, just throw a high jump kick for a quick ohko onto kang or life orb weavile. Wide guard can be huge for preventing the use of some of the most common moves in the format, while quick guard stops pranksters and talonflame.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Low Kick
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Greninja. I love it! I think we all know what gunk shot's good for (hint: starts with x, ends with erneas). In all seriousness, this move picks up an ohko on non defensive Xerneas, and also many other less used fairy types like clefairy I beleive and also togekiss. Low kick deals serious damage to the primals, dialga, kangaskhan and anything weak to fighting. I basically use the last two moves for 1 thing each: groudon and salamence. Switch in to kyogre and fire off a scald, or a quick OHKO onto mence can throw the game back in my favour. In my opinion, Greninja is totally underrated and a serious and unpredictable threat in vgc 2016.
Whimsicott @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Endeavor
- Tailwind
- Encore
Initially I had Mega Gengar here, but just wasn't working as well as I would have hoped. Instead we have whimsicott, the Pokemon I hate playing and love having. An alternate solution to set up Xerneas with encore, as well as other status users with either taunt or encore depending on the move, whimsicott is a key player on my team. I really only use tailwind when my foe sets it also, so I am still able to outspeed in most circumstances. And when I'm down to sash, endeavour is a fun move to lower the opponents health quickly.
As I'm sure you can see, this isn't really a stereotypical VGC team. The real aim is to pick up lots of quick KOs, a strategy which seems to be abandoned for a lot of long settup. I've had lots of fun with this team, and surprisingly reasonable success. It is vital that you understand how the team works, and don't try a lot of settup when using it. Just throw speed and power around and go for the quick win! It was a quick build so evs are not perfect, but if you can fix them, great.
Anyway, I guess that's all! Any fixes are welcome!
Cheers
PS: I tried adding mon sprites, but my internet was being Australian (for those in other countries that means really really slow and temperamental)