It's Double Trouble!

[risenreturn]

Hey everyone! Since I learned that VGC is going to be in November, aloong with being in Toronto, I finally have a chance to go to VGC, so I decided to take a shot at my team now. I've been using this on the GBU to success, And I felt that It probably needed to be edited to better fit the VGC style game. Nonetheless, I feel the smogonites here can better Inform me on the basis of how dfferent the VGC is from the GBU, as this upcoming event if I can go to it, will be my first ever. On top of that, I love doubles, so...

AT A GLANCE:

TEAM BUILDING PROCESS:

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I came up with this clever idea of Trick+Torment, which would effectively disable any pokemon at the start of the turn. To properly do this, though, I needed a fast pokemon with Trick and a bulky pokemon with Torment. Rotom fit the bill for speedy and Trick, while Spiritomb fit the bulky pokemon with torment. I also threw Protect+Imprison in there to mess with people. And with Rotom's surprising amount of bulkiness, it could take a hit or two as well.

I thought up this Swampert set a little later, and thought that it would fit into this team very nicely with it's whole "Piss you off" idea wth his trolly st I gave him. He did however quickly become the top star of my team, pissing many, many people off.

At this Point, I realized I needed some offense to this team. Going through my team, i realized Electivire can come in easily after I cripple one of the opponents pokemon, or switch in while Rotom uses Discharge. It quickly became a valuable asset to my team.

Spiritomb wasn't exactly pulling his weight. I mean, he could always get off a Torment, but at that point he didn't really have anything to do. so he just sat there until he was the last standing, then he died. SO i looked around, and found a plausible defensive core in Audino And Dusknoir. It also gave me a neat idea on a decent strategy as well. and add the fact that Dusknoir, Swampert, and Audino gives me a very good defensive core, It was best to fill my final spot with another attacker, someone I've wanted to use since he was released.

From what you've seen so far, it's safe to guess that I thought of a fancy idea with Bisharp.I don't know if it's been already thought of or not, but it isn't the fanciest strategy, so I don't doubt it. anyway, Bisharp has so far done very well since I began using him.

IN DEPTH:

Bisharp (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Stone Edge
- Night Slash
- Brick Break

Yes, that right, a choice scarf. bet you haven't seen that a lot have you? Anyway, Surprisingly, A choice Scarf actually allows Bisharp to outrun the majority of Threats I have so far encountered, and OHKO with it's massive attack stat. unless it resists my choiced move, of course, but then my partner could deal a good amount of damage to it. I usually just head Iron Head or Night Slash for STAB, but Stone edge and Brick Break have there uses.

Swampert (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/252 Sp.D/ 6Defense
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wide Guard
- Toxic
- Muddy Water
- Mirror Coat

The annoyer on my team that stays around forever and doesn't leave. wide guard protects the rest of my team from any of the o so common spread moves, like Rock slide, Surf, Earthquake, etcetera... While Toxic Deals Damage, and Mirror Coat is for "Smart" people who think they can OHKO my Swampy with Grass knot. That doesn't happen when He survives and OHKO's back with Mirror Coat. Honestly though, Mirror Coat hasn't been that useful so far. I've also yet to decide whether or not to use Protect over Wide Guard. I find Wide Guard has a better use in doubles, but Protect keeps Swampy safe even if the move I'm using isn't a spread move.Muddy Water deals damage if he's taunted, and has the possibility of dropping accuracy, which is just great.

Audino (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Healer
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spe)
- Heal Pulse
- After You
- Protect/Swagger
- Simple Beam

As many people should know, in singles, Audino sucks ass. in doubles, however, Audino can perform well as a supporting pokemonto your partner to enhance a sweep. So far, has worked very well with Dusknoir, heal pulsing after he curses. anyway, I've also been planning to use Audino to Simple Beam Electivire after it get's a speed boost from motor drive, then Swagger it, giving it +4 attack, and it healing it's confusion via a lum berry, which gives it huge speed and monstrous attack. This does take a very long time to fully set up yet, and as such, I usually can't succeed in doing that, and on top of that, I'm not even sure if it will work. Audino is the one with leftovers, as I felt that she was the one that needed it the most

Dusknoir (M) @ BrightPowder
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 98 Atk / 20 Def / 140 SDef
Impish Nature
- Curse
- Brick Break
- Ice Punch
- Will-O-Wisp

Part of my defensive squadron. Yes, I have a defensive squadron. Anyway, All his EVs are in Defenses, because Dusknoir has terribad HP anyway, HP EVs won't change it enough. Anyway, Will-o-wisp is for Consistent damage/Crippling physical attackers, Brick Break and Ice Punch are To hit back with some decent damage. Curse, while it may seem strange, actually tends to be a decent doubles strategy. As some of you may know, in Doubles, it is rarely safe to switch out. as such, even with two stallers on the field, it still is never safe completely to switch. As such, Even with Curse, it's hard to safely switch. which means it builds up damage quite nicely. add in the fact that Audino can simply Heal pulse Dusknoir back to full health makes Curse actually a decent move to use.

Rotom-C @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252Spe/252 Sp.A/6HP
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Discharge
- Leaf Storm
- Volt Switch

Rotom is my special sweeper of the team. Discharge is my Electric STAB of Choice, as it can hurt none of my partners severely, as well as boost Electivire and not damage Swampert at all, while hitting both opponents, makes for a very good move. Leaf Storm is my secondary STAB, And Volt Switch allows Rotom to switch to another pokemon relatively unscathed.And Trick is always good for screwing over attackers when they try to set up. Choice Specs are there in case I decide to just spam Discharge or Leaf Storms on something.

Electivire (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Motor Drive
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Cross Chop
- Ice Punch
- Fire Punch

My secondary sweeper, and very useful for the team. Motor Drive allows it to absorb Rotom's Discharges and hit back with Earthquake, both hitting both opponents, and both being immune to the other's attack. Cross Chop, Ice Punch, and Fire Punch and all Coverage moves. anyway, physical sweeper, 'nuff said.


P.S. This would be for VGC 2012, but basically it's a basic doubles team.

 

[risenreturn]

Bump

 

[Captain Dragan]

If Swagger is just a filler move, I suggest you change it with a better filler move.
Stuff like Hidden Power, Shadow Ball and Volt Switch all do the job. For the rest, the team looks pretty good, although I got used to think Audino is always bad, no matter what, but whatevs.

 

[nightwolf]

Yeah ditch Swagger. There are better moves that fill in just as well and give you a STAB. You don't want to be locked into swagger near the end of a match and your down to just Rotom.

 

[MMX]

You need to invest max HP on Dusknoir.

Your spread of 6 HP/ 252 Def / 252 SDef with Adamant Nature
121 HP / 132 Atk / 187 Def / 76 SAtk / 187 SDef / 65 Spd

121 HP * 187 Def/SDef = 22627 Total Def

My spread of 252 HP / 98 Atk / 20 Def / 140 SDef with Impish nature
152 HP / 132 Atk / 173 Def / 76 SAtk / 173 HP / 65 Spd

152 HP * 173 Def/SDef = 26296 Total Def

My spread gives you much more bulk and the same atk as your current Dusknoir spread. Maxing HP on pokes with HP < Def will give them much more overall bulk than maxing defenses.

 

[waterwarrior]

-About your problem with Audino outspeeding Dusknoir, try a Relaxed nature and 0 Speed IV's, and that should fix the problem.
-Swampert is utter Taunt bait, and Thundurus isn't going to very rare this VGC. Replace Toxic with Waterfall, just so you have an attack. That and doubles are usually more fast-paced, so Toxic won't be a huge asset.

 

[Feathers]

Scarf will not stop a hitmontop's mach punch from utterly destroying bisharp, and he's one of the most common leads. I would recommend taking off the scarf and giving it protect over BB so it can last more than one turn, and maybe swap out night slash for sucker punch to keep the priority you're looking for.

Swampert needs to be fixed as well, as previously stated by waterwarrior. I also can't see rest working well since he can easily be double targeted by two other common VGC pokemon (ludicolo and abomasnow) who are sometimes on the same team. The isn't really a point to using your own chesto berry for that when you have spore to be worrying about.

And I like the way you're thinking with your possible audino/electivire strategy, but simply said, it probably won't work. If you can't set it up in one turn then it most likely isn't worth trying. With something like that, you have to KNOW it will work before you start doing it. Maybe you would get lucky with matchups but chances are you won't get a chance.

As for trick rotom, unless you lead with him you probably won't get a trick in and you will be stuck with whatever it is you use. All setup is usually complete by the end of the second turn outside of Trick Room which may have to be rebooted once late in the game. He has no way of protecting himself unless he is out with swampert and Wideguard, and he isn't bulky in any sense of the word. In fact, none of your pokemon can protect unless they are out with swampert and that might cause a few problems.

Personally I would use Zapdos over Rotom. Protect, Heatwave, Discharge, and whatever you want, though I usually see substitute. Pair with with swampert and I think you have a much better duo than rotom/swampert.

hat's all I've got for now, but I hope it helps.

 

[risenreturn]

All right, thanks for the input everyone! I've fixed some of my teams flaws, and think it's much better now, so thanks all!

Although Feathers, although Zapdos does have the possibility of being better than Rotom, I feel that Zapdos is completely screwed over by Wide guard, and I also hate Zapdos more than almost every other pokemon in existence. So I'm not really going to use him, thanks for the suggestion though.

And While The GBU will most likely be different from the VGC, I have yet to see a single Hitmontop in my battles, or if there has been one, I haven't started with Bisharp. SO i don't know if it will really be common, I mean, I understand how it would be, with good attack, priority and intimidate, but if I encounter one, I simply won't start with Bisharp.