Hello Again Smogon VGC community!
I took the leap and got some coaching about the Team crisis I was having at the start of the format and asked my Coach what I should run to maximise the chance of improvement for me. He recommended running a Balance team, so heres my attempt at putting together all the things I can remember being told about teambuilding!
I'm going to start with the main offensive core of the team. And here we go:
Dragapult (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- Outrage
- U-turn
Dragapult is an amazing source of immediate power due to its near un-resisted STAB combination, solid Attack, and excellent Speed tier, which outspeeds the entirety of the un-boosted metagame. Dragon Darts offers a STAB not-really-spread, spread damage option that does not fail to Wide Guard. Phantom Force is the best Ghost STAB option which can also break through Protect. Outrage is there for an instant nuke and U-Turn serves as a pivoting option too giving it just a small hint of versatility.
Dragapult can use a vast variety of items to hit a majority of the format incredibly hard while outspeeding them. These sets can be used to wallbreak, pivot and gain momentum via U-turn, or clean up an endgame with relative ease. As its so fast I opted for the Choice Band to maximise its capability as a Physical Attacker and late game cleaner.
Tera-Dragon further emphasises the instant damage dealing capability of this Pokemon with a Jolly nature and max-max investment ensuring this Pokemon just hits as fast and as hard as it possibly can.
Dragapult has 3 main weaknesses in Fairy-types, Dark-Types and Steel-Types which are immune or resist its Dragon Type attacks so I wanted to pair it with another offensive Pokemon that hits both:
Sneasler (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Poison Touch
Level: 50
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Dire Claw
- Fake Out
- Protect
With strong STAB moves, an amazing Speed tier, and access to Poison Touch, Sneasler is one of the most terrifying Pokemon in the Meta. It easily removes the troublesome Steel, Dark and Fairy-Types that give Dragapult trouble. With Poison Touch and great offensive stats, Sneasler functions as a fast attacker and status spreader with great instant offence capability. Dire Claw further adds to this status spreading capability and can cause some funny interactions with berries where the opponents Pokémon can be status-ed by Dire Claw, eat a berry to remove the status, only to be poisoned by Poison Touch. Close Combat is the other STAB move which tackles those steel types I mentioned. I also opted for Fake Out and Protect to give the Pokémon more utility options.
A Focus Sash is chosen here as Sneasler is pretty frail making it difficult to switch in and unable to absorb most hits without it. Again I have opted for a Jolly Nature and max-max spread to allow the Pokemon to hit as fast and hard as possible, with Stellar Tera facilitating this too without limiting me to one STAB option.
As I said, these two Pokemon so far are both quite frail and are difficult to switch in or cannot absorb a double-up into them. So I thought I'd include a strong re-director to preserve them and help facilitate their switch-ins
Electabuzz (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Vital Spirit
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 244 HP / 212 Def / 4 SpA / 20 SpD / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Electroweb
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Protect
Electabuzz is proving itself to be one of the formats premier support Pokemon with access to tools such as Follow Me, Helping Hand, Electroweb and Taunt so its a perfect fit in this role here. Follow Me provides the redirection support that keeps the two major offensive units on the team safe, helps dissuade Maushold and its Beat-Up shenanigans which is strongly present in the meta and can redirect sleep/paralysis from Amoongus, Vivillon, Grimmsnarl or Gyarados (thanks to the Vital Spirit ability and Electric Typing). Electroweb is STAB, but its more used as a in-the-moment speed control option. Helping Hand helps turn the offensive units on the team into Nukes when the moment calls for it and Protect is useful utility.
Its the Eviolite that makes all this possible with a strong boost to both bulk stats and EVs to compliment HP and Physical Defence. A little is left in speed to ensure Electabuzz can outspeed Timid Pelliper. Dragon Tera Typing is chosen due to its wealth of resistances to very common types to compliment the defensive role of this Pokemon.
Electabuzz only has one weakness in Ground typing so what Pokemon offers a nice supportive role which resists Ground Types?
Rillaboom (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 4 Def / 60 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Fake Out
Rillaboom is an excellent Terrain setter, revenge killer, Fake Out support, and offensive pivot all at once thanks to its good Attack stat, Grassy Surge, and access to a phenomenal movepool. This gives me answers into Psychic Terrain and also allows me to support the two offensive Pokemon on the team into Ground Types where Electabuzz can't. Grassy Glide is a STAB priority move, with its big brother Wood Hammer being the STAB nuke on the set. Last is U-Turn as this Rillaboom appreciates the pivoting option to reset Fake Out or Terrain.
Assault Vest allows Rillaboom to be as Bulky as possible which allows me to invest in the first Attack EV bump and enough speed to outspeed Timid Max Investment Ursaluna Blood-Moon. The rest goes into rounding out the Bulk to keep Rillaboom around as long as possible. A defensive Tera Fire is chosen to allow Rillaboom to mitigate its most glaring weakness in Fire-Types while Electabuzz dissuades the Flying Types.
The teams shaping up well but there are a few things that are issues: our only way into Dragon Types is our own Dragon Type, which is risky. Also, there are a plethora of setup Pokemon in the format that we need an answer to like Dondozo, Kommo-O, and my only Fire type resists are all Tera-Types. So who helps here?
Primarina (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Liquid Voice
Level: 50
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 108 HP / 84 Def / 108 SpA / 4 SpD / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Moonblast
- Haze
- Protect
Primarina is an excellent offensive threat thanks to its high Special Attack, enabling it to punch holes in opposing teams with its powerful STAB combination. It also possesses a nice defensive typing and special bulk, allowing it to check many special attackers which this format is full of. Fairy types are few and far between in the format but this Pokemon neatly fits as member number 2 of both a FWG core and a Fantasy core on this team. Furthermore its access to Haze gives me an answer into various setup Pokemon such as Dondozo, Kommo-O and the Alolan Muk/Smeargle nonsense thats everywhere in Best-of-1 formats. It also has a spread damage STAB option in Hyper Voice, facilitated by the Liquid Voice ability.
The Life Orb allows this Pokemon to have a more instant offensive presence as Throat Spray or Calm Mind boosts would only potentially be Hazed away by itself. As such the HP EVs are optimised to reduce life orb chip as much as possible, while hitting the Modest Special Attack Bump. I've opted for quite a fast Primarina to mitigate one of its most glaring weaknesses and also to allow her to outspeed Modest Max Ursaluna Bloodmoon.
So as I said, we've got 2/3 of a Fairy-Dragon-Steel core but I still don't have a solid answer into some of the most prominent meta pokemon, such as Gholdengo and as much as I can flip Psychic Terrain, I'd rather have a more offensive answer to hard Trick Room/Psyspam stuff.
Kingambit (M) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 196 Atk / 4 Def / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Kowtow Cleave
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Protect
Kingambit's strong stat line, good typing, and Defiant allow it to shine as an Intimidate counter and general offensive threat. It can function at any Speed tier thanks to Sucker Punch. It is flexible against many match ups thanks to its huge bulk and ability to exert huge amounts of pressure after a Swords Dance. It appreciates Fake Out support and Redirection to facilitate its setup, both of which are on this team. Once it has set up, though, it becomes very difficult to deal with, even into its resistances.
Blackglasses and Tera Dark both serve to boost the attacking presence of this Pokemon, with the majority of the investment being in Health and hitting the final Adamant EV bump. The rest goes to round out Special Defence with a cheeky point in speed for the mirror match.
As Kingambit is only running Dark Type moves it can struggle into other dark types and is very vulnerable to Fighting types. Thats why it pairs beautifully with Primarina who scares away it main checks with her STAB combo, Sneasler with its fighting type coverage and Rillaboom who resists the Ground types, removes priority blocking terrain and allows it to set up.
And thats my attempt at a proper balance team.
Its been working quite well for me so far, I'm learning fast. Feel free to check out my replays at the same username on Showdown if you want to see the team in action (and how awful I still am).
Notes: I am aware that Magmar does the same things as Electabuzz and would also complete the FWG core of the team. I'm currently testing a version with the below Magmar set which slightly improves my matchup into Amoonguss and Gholdengo:
Magmar @ Eviolite
Ability: Vital Spirit
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Overheat
- Follow Me
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Supportive Pokémon doing similar things to Electabuzz. Burn capability is nice into opposing Sneaslers, Dragapults, and Body Press Archaludons etc. Overheat is a powerful Fire STAB that can hit Amoonguss and Gholdengo.
EVs and Eviolite are mostly for Bulk but a Modest nature is needed to do ANYTHING at all with Overheat. Tera Ghost allows Fake Out dodges and Facade dodges but, more importantly, is a defensive typing. The speed investment is to make sure I don’t speed tie my own Rillaboom.
Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear all your comments, queries and constructive criticisms!
Thank you!!
I took the leap and got some coaching about the Team crisis I was having at the start of the format and asked my Coach what I should run to maximise the chance of improvement for me. He recommended running a Balance team, so heres my attempt at putting together all the things I can remember being told about teambuilding!
I'm going to start with the main offensive core of the team. And here we go:
Dragapult (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- Outrage
- U-turn
Dragapult is an amazing source of immediate power due to its near un-resisted STAB combination, solid Attack, and excellent Speed tier, which outspeeds the entirety of the un-boosted metagame. Dragon Darts offers a STAB not-really-spread, spread damage option that does not fail to Wide Guard. Phantom Force is the best Ghost STAB option which can also break through Protect. Outrage is there for an instant nuke and U-Turn serves as a pivoting option too giving it just a small hint of versatility.
Dragapult can use a vast variety of items to hit a majority of the format incredibly hard while outspeeding them. These sets can be used to wallbreak, pivot and gain momentum via U-turn, or clean up an endgame with relative ease. As its so fast I opted for the Choice Band to maximise its capability as a Physical Attacker and late game cleaner.
Tera-Dragon further emphasises the instant damage dealing capability of this Pokemon with a Jolly nature and max-max investment ensuring this Pokemon just hits as fast and as hard as it possibly can.
Dragapult has 3 main weaknesses in Fairy-types, Dark-Types and Steel-Types which are immune or resist its Dragon Type attacks so I wanted to pair it with another offensive Pokemon that hits both:
Sneasler (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Poison Touch
Level: 50
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Dire Claw
- Fake Out
- Protect
With strong STAB moves, an amazing Speed tier, and access to Poison Touch, Sneasler is one of the most terrifying Pokemon in the Meta. It easily removes the troublesome Steel, Dark and Fairy-Types that give Dragapult trouble. With Poison Touch and great offensive stats, Sneasler functions as a fast attacker and status spreader with great instant offence capability. Dire Claw further adds to this status spreading capability and can cause some funny interactions with berries where the opponents Pokémon can be status-ed by Dire Claw, eat a berry to remove the status, only to be poisoned by Poison Touch. Close Combat is the other STAB move which tackles those steel types I mentioned. I also opted for Fake Out and Protect to give the Pokémon more utility options.
A Focus Sash is chosen here as Sneasler is pretty frail making it difficult to switch in and unable to absorb most hits without it. Again I have opted for a Jolly Nature and max-max spread to allow the Pokemon to hit as fast and hard as possible, with Stellar Tera facilitating this too without limiting me to one STAB option.
As I said, these two Pokemon so far are both quite frail and are difficult to switch in or cannot absorb a double-up into them. So I thought I'd include a strong re-director to preserve them and help facilitate their switch-ins
Electabuzz (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Vital Spirit
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 244 HP / 212 Def / 4 SpA / 20 SpD / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Electroweb
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Protect
Electabuzz is proving itself to be one of the formats premier support Pokemon with access to tools such as Follow Me, Helping Hand, Electroweb and Taunt so its a perfect fit in this role here. Follow Me provides the redirection support that keeps the two major offensive units on the team safe, helps dissuade Maushold and its Beat-Up shenanigans which is strongly present in the meta and can redirect sleep/paralysis from Amoongus, Vivillon, Grimmsnarl or Gyarados (thanks to the Vital Spirit ability and Electric Typing). Electroweb is STAB, but its more used as a in-the-moment speed control option. Helping Hand helps turn the offensive units on the team into Nukes when the moment calls for it and Protect is useful utility.
Its the Eviolite that makes all this possible with a strong boost to both bulk stats and EVs to compliment HP and Physical Defence. A little is left in speed to ensure Electabuzz can outspeed Timid Pelliper. Dragon Tera Typing is chosen due to its wealth of resistances to very common types to compliment the defensive role of this Pokemon.
Electabuzz only has one weakness in Ground typing so what Pokemon offers a nice supportive role which resists Ground Types?
Rillaboom (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 4 Def / 60 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Fake Out
Rillaboom is an excellent Terrain setter, revenge killer, Fake Out support, and offensive pivot all at once thanks to its good Attack stat, Grassy Surge, and access to a phenomenal movepool. This gives me answers into Psychic Terrain and also allows me to support the two offensive Pokemon on the team into Ground Types where Electabuzz can't. Grassy Glide is a STAB priority move, with its big brother Wood Hammer being the STAB nuke on the set. Last is U-Turn as this Rillaboom appreciates the pivoting option to reset Fake Out or Terrain.
Assault Vest allows Rillaboom to be as Bulky as possible which allows me to invest in the first Attack EV bump and enough speed to outspeed Timid Max Investment Ursaluna Blood-Moon. The rest goes into rounding out the Bulk to keep Rillaboom around as long as possible. A defensive Tera Fire is chosen to allow Rillaboom to mitigate its most glaring weakness in Fire-Types while Electabuzz dissuades the Flying Types.
The teams shaping up well but there are a few things that are issues: our only way into Dragon Types is our own Dragon Type, which is risky. Also, there are a plethora of setup Pokemon in the format that we need an answer to like Dondozo, Kommo-O, and my only Fire type resists are all Tera-Types. So who helps here?
Primarina (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Liquid Voice
Level: 50
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 108 HP / 84 Def / 108 SpA / 4 SpD / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Moonblast
- Haze
- Protect
Primarina is an excellent offensive threat thanks to its high Special Attack, enabling it to punch holes in opposing teams with its powerful STAB combination. It also possesses a nice defensive typing and special bulk, allowing it to check many special attackers which this format is full of. Fairy types are few and far between in the format but this Pokemon neatly fits as member number 2 of both a FWG core and a Fantasy core on this team. Furthermore its access to Haze gives me an answer into various setup Pokemon such as Dondozo, Kommo-O and the Alolan Muk/Smeargle nonsense thats everywhere in Best-of-1 formats. It also has a spread damage STAB option in Hyper Voice, facilitated by the Liquid Voice ability.
The Life Orb allows this Pokemon to have a more instant offensive presence as Throat Spray or Calm Mind boosts would only potentially be Hazed away by itself. As such the HP EVs are optimised to reduce life orb chip as much as possible, while hitting the Modest Special Attack Bump. I've opted for quite a fast Primarina to mitigate one of its most glaring weaknesses and also to allow her to outspeed Modest Max Ursaluna Bloodmoon.
So as I said, we've got 2/3 of a Fairy-Dragon-Steel core but I still don't have a solid answer into some of the most prominent meta pokemon, such as Gholdengo and as much as I can flip Psychic Terrain, I'd rather have a more offensive answer to hard Trick Room/Psyspam stuff.
Kingambit (M) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 196 Atk / 4 Def / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Kowtow Cleave
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Protect
Kingambit's strong stat line, good typing, and Defiant allow it to shine as an Intimidate counter and general offensive threat. It can function at any Speed tier thanks to Sucker Punch. It is flexible against many match ups thanks to its huge bulk and ability to exert huge amounts of pressure after a Swords Dance. It appreciates Fake Out support and Redirection to facilitate its setup, both of which are on this team. Once it has set up, though, it becomes very difficult to deal with, even into its resistances.
Blackglasses and Tera Dark both serve to boost the attacking presence of this Pokemon, with the majority of the investment being in Health and hitting the final Adamant EV bump. The rest goes to round out Special Defence with a cheeky point in speed for the mirror match.
As Kingambit is only running Dark Type moves it can struggle into other dark types and is very vulnerable to Fighting types. Thats why it pairs beautifully with Primarina who scares away it main checks with her STAB combo, Sneasler with its fighting type coverage and Rillaboom who resists the Ground types, removes priority blocking terrain and allows it to set up.
And thats my attempt at a proper balance team.
Its been working quite well for me so far, I'm learning fast. Feel free to check out my replays at the same username on Showdown if you want to see the team in action (and how awful I still am).
Notes: I am aware that Magmar does the same things as Electabuzz and would also complete the FWG core of the team. I'm currently testing a version with the below Magmar set which slightly improves my matchup into Amoonguss and Gholdengo:
Magmar @ Eviolite
Ability: Vital Spirit
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Overheat
- Follow Me
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Supportive Pokémon doing similar things to Electabuzz. Burn capability is nice into opposing Sneaslers, Dragapults, and Body Press Archaludons etc. Overheat is a powerful Fire STAB that can hit Amoonguss and Gholdengo.
EVs and Eviolite are mostly for Bulk but a Modest nature is needed to do ANYTHING at all with Overheat. Tera Ghost allows Fake Out dodges and Facade dodges but, more importantly, is a defensive typing. The speed investment is to make sure I don’t speed tie my own Rillaboom.
Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear all your comments, queries and constructive criticisms!
Thank you!!
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