Lets be honest; getting into vgc is HARD!
Especially when you only have a few months to learn all of the good and the bad of the new gen.
So maybe it wasnt the best idea to drop everything I was doing to devise a new team for the upcoming vgc 17 season. Though I have some experience with vgc from last year, the meta has completely changed from last year. Tapu's, UB's and a lot of new potential in alolan forms have taken over the vgc format, and after a lot of messing around with horrible teams, i think (THINK) that i came up with something pretty good(ish).
Tapu Lele @ Life Orb
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt/HP Ice
- Protect
What needs to be said? Tapu lele has a massive damage output with STAB terrain-boosted psycic, good spread in dazzling gleam and protect as standard. As for the other slot, T-bolt works for tapu fini, araquanid and other bulky waters, whereas hidden power works for... uhh... idk, but i've been told by some more experienced players it works, so i'm not sure? I'm running T-bolt atm. Spread to maximise damage ans speed. Life orb for even more damage.
Muk-Alola @ Black Sludge
Ability: Power of Alchemy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Brick Break/Shadow Sneak
- Protect
Just like Lele, Muk is a Beast! Power of alchemy works with resetting terrain, like misty terrain, or intimidate. The set is mainly just pure kill. Knock off for... Knocking off items and good stab damage, Poison jab is fairy kryptonite, and protect as standard. Last slot between brick break and shadow sneak, BB for Porygon2 and SS for priority, which is good, considering his slow nature. unsure about spread, but i think bulky physical works best. Black sludge for that treasured recovery.
Arcanine @ Firium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 108 SpA / 148 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Burn Up
- Heat Wave
- Protect
- Snarl
Arcanine is my favourite pokemon. Ever. It was supposed to be entei. But it wasn't. And i am glad. It is in my opinion the best intimidator, bar Krookodile, maybe. Burn up for huge damage, boosted further with firium z. Heatwave for spread, protect per usual and snarl, which pairs up nicely with intimidate. The spread gives some bulk. and good damage output. It's mostly switch-in, switch-out, reset intimidate and burn up, and target all of those ever-present steel types.
Celesteela @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Protect
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
Celesteela. The one we all knew would be here. It deserves all of its publicity. heavy slam, for when muk dies and when other things are SO CLOSE to death. Leech seed and toxic is suprisingly effective, and protect is, well, protect. Fully defensive spread, and sitrus berry for liveability.
Garchomp @ Focus Sash
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
- Protect
- Dragon Claw
These next 2 slots, especially this one, are kind of shaky. This used to be kartana, but garchomp works a bit better. Eq, Poison Jab and Dragon claw for damage, and protect as standard. Its spread is fast physical, and sash gives it at least one hit.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpDef
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Ice beam
- Scald
- Protect
I really like tapu fini, and it is heavily underrated. Taunt works well against a lot of stuff, like eevee's baton pass setup. The Scald and Moonblast attacks for coverage. and protect. The spread is mixed defenses, because it has no means of recovery, outside leftovers.
Overall, not a bad team. I generally use either an Arcanine and Lele, or Arcanine and Muk. Its far from perfect, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou ;)
Especially when you only have a few months to learn all of the good and the bad of the new gen.
So maybe it wasnt the best idea to drop everything I was doing to devise a new team for the upcoming vgc 17 season. Though I have some experience with vgc from last year, the meta has completely changed from last year. Tapu's, UB's and a lot of new potential in alolan forms have taken over the vgc format, and after a lot of messing around with horrible teams, i think (THINK) that i came up with something pretty good(ish).
Tapu Lele @ Life Orb
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt/HP Ice
- Protect
What needs to be said? Tapu lele has a massive damage output with STAB terrain-boosted psycic, good spread in dazzling gleam and protect as standard. As for the other slot, T-bolt works for tapu fini, araquanid and other bulky waters, whereas hidden power works for... uhh... idk, but i've been told by some more experienced players it works, so i'm not sure? I'm running T-bolt atm. Spread to maximise damage ans speed. Life orb for even more damage.
Muk-Alola @ Black Sludge
Ability: Power of Alchemy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Brick Break/Shadow Sneak
- Protect
Just like Lele, Muk is a Beast! Power of alchemy works with resetting terrain, like misty terrain, or intimidate. The set is mainly just pure kill. Knock off for... Knocking off items and good stab damage, Poison jab is fairy kryptonite, and protect as standard. Last slot between brick break and shadow sneak, BB for Porygon2 and SS for priority, which is good, considering his slow nature. unsure about spread, but i think bulky physical works best. Black sludge for that treasured recovery.
Arcanine @ Firium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 108 SpA / 148 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Burn Up
- Heat Wave
- Protect
- Snarl
Arcanine is my favourite pokemon. Ever. It was supposed to be entei. But it wasn't. And i am glad. It is in my opinion the best intimidator, bar Krookodile, maybe. Burn up for huge damage, boosted further with firium z. Heatwave for spread, protect per usual and snarl, which pairs up nicely with intimidate. The spread gives some bulk. and good damage output. It's mostly switch-in, switch-out, reset intimidate and burn up, and target all of those ever-present steel types.
Celesteela @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Protect
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
Celesteela. The one we all knew would be here. It deserves all of its publicity. heavy slam, for when muk dies and when other things are SO CLOSE to death. Leech seed and toxic is suprisingly effective, and protect is, well, protect. Fully defensive spread, and sitrus berry for liveability.
Garchomp @ Focus Sash
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
- Protect
- Dragon Claw
These next 2 slots, especially this one, are kind of shaky. This used to be kartana, but garchomp works a bit better. Eq, Poison Jab and Dragon claw for damage, and protect as standard. Its spread is fast physical, and sash gives it at least one hit.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpDef
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Ice beam
- Scald
- Protect
I really like tapu fini, and it is heavily underrated. Taunt works well against a lot of stuff, like eevee's baton pass setup. The Scald and Moonblast attacks for coverage. and protect. The spread is mixed defenses, because it has no means of recovery, outside leftovers.
Overall, not a bad team. I generally use either an Arcanine and Lele, or Arcanine and Muk. Its far from perfect, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou ;)