Hey everyone! Finally got Sword for Christmas and have been slowly working on building a competitive VGC team. I'm pretty new to the format, having spent most of my past playing OU on Showdown so this is essentially my first team I've built for this particular format. I got introduced to VGC via Aaron "Cybertron" Zheng's YouTube channel and one of the first thing's I saw he was using was a scarf-Moxie Gyrados, so I wanted to build a team around that concept (as the attack boosts from knockouts, in conjunction with speed boosts from Max Airstream make the thing a pretty terrifying concept, especially late game).
My team at a glance:
So as you can see, it's a bunch of familiar faces for those who are already playing the SS metagame. The basis obviously began with Gyrados and then spiraled out into the rest of the team, with the main goal being to dynamax Gyrados, use the stat buffs from moxie/rain from max geyser/speed from max airstream and tear through opposing teams. I initially ran with a lightning rod but wasn't having much luck, as the set is fairly predictable. So I swapped out Rhyperior/Raichu options for Togekiss and Ferrothorn, the idea being that Togekiss is a strong re-direct with follow-me and weakness policy and Ferrothorn shrugs off electricity like it's nothing. I wanted to add a special-attacking threat alongside Gyrados, hence Dragapult. Finally, in trying to figure out my last two slots, I went with specially offensive Rotom-W for sheer coverage/volt switch and specially defensive T-Tar with assault vest/sandstream, which has been surprisingly effective.
As for a deeper dive on each member:
Gyrados:
This thing is an absolute beast. Moxie/Choice Scarf is a devastating combo, as it's shockingly fast and gets stronger with every kill. Furthermore, the addition of Dynamaxing allows you to sidestep the choicelock for three turns, which is usually more than enough time to rip a truck-sized hole through opposing teams. EVs were set to maximize attack and speed, which with the scarf attached, typically allows Gyrados to outspeed threats like Toxitricity. Move set was created to get maximum coverage during Dynamax, and I'll typically spam Waterfall otherwise. Power Whip is an especially neat new toy for Gyrados, as things like Gastrodon get OHKO'd instead of walling.
Gyrados @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4HP/252 ATK/252 SPD
Jolly Nature
-Waterfall
-Power Whip
-Bounce
-Earthquake
Dragapult:
Still trying to decide which set I like best for this guy. I initially ran specs but didn't like both of my biggest offensive threats being locked into one move. I opted for Life Orb and that seems to be working better, as the thing is fairly frail anyways so sacrificing HP doesn't really affect the outcome most of the time and it can still hit hard. Nothing particularly unique about the EVs, simply built to hit fast and hard. Draco Meteor was chosen over Dragon Darts for sheer magnitude (although hitting both targets may be the better option, I'm curious to hear your thoughts there) and Shadow Ball added to take advantage of STAB. At one point, I had fly on here so that Dragapult would get access to speed boost from Airstream. However, after struggling with Ferrothorn and weather teams, I tacked on flamethrower to A.) tear throw Thorns and B.) give me the option of changing the weather with Max Flare (side note: Gyrados can also do this with Max Geyser). Protect was added to the final spot as simply a utility move and to help Pult surive a little longer.
Dragapult @ Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 SPD
Hasty Nature
-Draco Meteor
-Shadow Ball
-Flamethrower
-Protect
Togekiss:
Togekiss is easily my least used member of my team and I'm not sure if it's incompetence on my part or just that it doesn't have much synergy with the rest. I initially placed it because I noticed a lot of Smogon users were using it as a "Follow Me" target, which I needed to help keep Gyrados/Dragapult clean. Coincidentally, that resulted in Togekiss taking a lot of Thunderbolts for Gyrados, so I added weakness policy to help take advantage of that, in the event that it survives (the downside of that, is that Tyranitar is pretty good with weakness policy so this removes that option). As for EVs, I took on Smogon's recommended set, which maximizes Speed and SpA but with Dragapult/Rotom-W already present, I feel like another special attacker is pretty redundant. I probably need to look at rectifying that but I'm not sure if there's a better, bulkier option. Remaining move slots after Follow Me were added to either take advantage of STAB (Dazzling Gleam, Air Slash) or Coverage (Heat Wave).
Togekiss @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 SPD
Hasty Nature
-Air Slash
-Dazzling Gleam
-Heat Wave
-Follow Me
Rotom-W:
Now that I'm typing this up, I realize how heavy on special attackers my team is. That being said, Rotom-W is a great utility 'Mon albeit essentially the same one we've all been using for years. Levitate gives it ground immunity, water/electric typing is great both offensively and defensively. I used choice specs on this guy because A.) it makes Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump hit unbelievably hard and also allows for Rotom to run trick (which has been immensely helpful in terms of locking up things like Grimmsnarl and Whimsicott). Running EVs to max out Speed and SpA, although much like Togekiss, I feel I need to start pumping more into bulk as Rotom has difficulty staying on the field. I started out running Will-O-Wisp but because of specs, it never really worked. Swapped out for Volt Switch for escape purposes but I rarely, if ever, use it.
Rotom-W @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Speed
Timid Nature
-Thunderbolt
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Trick
Tyranitar:
I built this guy as a hybrid attacker/bulky wall (also mainly just because I love TTar) and so far I've enjoyed it. Assault Vest+ the Sp. Def buff from Sandstorm makes this guy a nuisance to get off the field. Rock Slide/Crunch to take advantage of STAB, Earthquake for overall coverage plus another way to reintroduce sand if T-Tar goes Mega. When I initially added T-Tar, I gave it Fire Punch to help cover Ferrothorn and Corviknight but it didn't hit very hard and I was taking out those two threats with other Pokemon, so I dropped it for the aforementioned EQ. Final slot goes to Superpower. This is primarily so that if Tyranitar goes Mega, it can start getting the attack boosts for the move. It really doesn't get used much otherwise, but since I can't use status moves with the vest, it felt like a logical 4th spot. Took the EV spread from Pikalytics and it seems to have provided a good mix of bulk/power but let me know if I should tweak it.
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 84 HP/204 ATK/4 DEF/12 SpD/204 SPD
Adamant Nature
-Crunch
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake
-Superpower
Ferrothorn:
I used to hate this guy's design but to be honest, it's become one of my favorite Pokemon after using him on this team. Added for physical bulk (and partly inspired after all the grief it gave me) and now it's very rare that he doesn't come in as one of my 4 Pokemon. Pretty standard set here: leftovers for passive recovery, iron barbs for chip damage. Power Whip for physical STAB, Gyro Ball for exactly the same reason. Leech Seed adds even more passive recovery (and becomes key late in games when it comes down to two walls wearing on each other). Protect rounds out the set. The only thing I'm even somewhat iffy on is my EV spread. Much like Tyranitar, I borrowed the spread from Pikalytics to keep it both bulky but also hold it's own as an attacker. Not much seems to phase this guy, as HP fire is gone so it's easy to predict threats.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 244 HP/92 ATK/152 DEF/20 SpD
Relaxed Nature
-Power Whip
-Gyro Ball
-Leech Seed
-Protect
---
So overall, I've really enjoyed playing with this team. There's not really any glaring weaknesses from a resistance standpoint and I have options for almost every threat I can think of. Most of my losses are totally on me, as I'm still learning the format. That being said, I have noticed a few things that I could use some advice on. First, I have no speed control other than Max Airstream. Tailwind doesn't really affect this team too much but I've had a few Trick Room teams rip me to shreds. Second, I feel my EV spreads need some improvement. Other than my two walls, everything else is basic 252/252 spreads and I feel that is probably inefficient use of points (particularly on Togekiss and Rotom-W). I'm open to any and all suggested changes and look forward to your feedback!
My team at a glance:
So as you can see, it's a bunch of familiar faces for those who are already playing the SS metagame. The basis obviously began with Gyrados and then spiraled out into the rest of the team, with the main goal being to dynamax Gyrados, use the stat buffs from moxie/rain from max geyser/speed from max airstream and tear through opposing teams. I initially ran with a lightning rod but wasn't having much luck, as the set is fairly predictable. So I swapped out Rhyperior/Raichu options for Togekiss and Ferrothorn, the idea being that Togekiss is a strong re-direct with follow-me and weakness policy and Ferrothorn shrugs off electricity like it's nothing. I wanted to add a special-attacking threat alongside Gyrados, hence Dragapult. Finally, in trying to figure out my last two slots, I went with specially offensive Rotom-W for sheer coverage/volt switch and specially defensive T-Tar with assault vest/sandstream, which has been surprisingly effective.
As for a deeper dive on each member:
Gyrados:
This thing is an absolute beast. Moxie/Choice Scarf is a devastating combo, as it's shockingly fast and gets stronger with every kill. Furthermore, the addition of Dynamaxing allows you to sidestep the choicelock for three turns, which is usually more than enough time to rip a truck-sized hole through opposing teams. EVs were set to maximize attack and speed, which with the scarf attached, typically allows Gyrados to outspeed threats like Toxitricity. Move set was created to get maximum coverage during Dynamax, and I'll typically spam Waterfall otherwise. Power Whip is an especially neat new toy for Gyrados, as things like Gastrodon get OHKO'd instead of walling.
Gyrados @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4HP/252 ATK/252 SPD
Jolly Nature
-Waterfall
-Power Whip
-Bounce
-Earthquake
Dragapult:
Still trying to decide which set I like best for this guy. I initially ran specs but didn't like both of my biggest offensive threats being locked into one move. I opted for Life Orb and that seems to be working better, as the thing is fairly frail anyways so sacrificing HP doesn't really affect the outcome most of the time and it can still hit hard. Nothing particularly unique about the EVs, simply built to hit fast and hard. Draco Meteor was chosen over Dragon Darts for sheer magnitude (although hitting both targets may be the better option, I'm curious to hear your thoughts there) and Shadow Ball added to take advantage of STAB. At one point, I had fly on here so that Dragapult would get access to speed boost from Airstream. However, after struggling with Ferrothorn and weather teams, I tacked on flamethrower to A.) tear throw Thorns and B.) give me the option of changing the weather with Max Flare (side note: Gyrados can also do this with Max Geyser). Protect was added to the final spot as simply a utility move and to help Pult surive a little longer.
Dragapult @ Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 SPD
Hasty Nature
-Draco Meteor
-Shadow Ball
-Flamethrower
-Protect
Togekiss:
Togekiss is easily my least used member of my team and I'm not sure if it's incompetence on my part or just that it doesn't have much synergy with the rest. I initially placed it because I noticed a lot of Smogon users were using it as a "Follow Me" target, which I needed to help keep Gyrados/Dragapult clean. Coincidentally, that resulted in Togekiss taking a lot of Thunderbolts for Gyrados, so I added weakness policy to help take advantage of that, in the event that it survives (the downside of that, is that Tyranitar is pretty good with weakness policy so this removes that option). As for EVs, I took on Smogon's recommended set, which maximizes Speed and SpA but with Dragapult/Rotom-W already present, I feel like another special attacker is pretty redundant. I probably need to look at rectifying that but I'm not sure if there's a better, bulkier option. Remaining move slots after Follow Me were added to either take advantage of STAB (Dazzling Gleam, Air Slash) or Coverage (Heat Wave).
Togekiss @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 SPD
Hasty Nature
-Air Slash
-Dazzling Gleam
-Heat Wave
-Follow Me
Rotom-W:
Now that I'm typing this up, I realize how heavy on special attackers my team is. That being said, Rotom-W is a great utility 'Mon albeit essentially the same one we've all been using for years. Levitate gives it ground immunity, water/electric typing is great both offensively and defensively. I used choice specs on this guy because A.) it makes Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump hit unbelievably hard and also allows for Rotom to run trick (which has been immensely helpful in terms of locking up things like Grimmsnarl and Whimsicott). Running EVs to max out Speed and SpA, although much like Togekiss, I feel I need to start pumping more into bulk as Rotom has difficulty staying on the field. I started out running Will-O-Wisp but because of specs, it never really worked. Swapped out for Volt Switch for escape purposes but I rarely, if ever, use it.
Rotom-W @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Speed
Timid Nature
-Thunderbolt
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Trick
Tyranitar:
I built this guy as a hybrid attacker/bulky wall (also mainly just because I love TTar) and so far I've enjoyed it. Assault Vest+ the Sp. Def buff from Sandstorm makes this guy a nuisance to get off the field. Rock Slide/Crunch to take advantage of STAB, Earthquake for overall coverage plus another way to reintroduce sand if T-Tar goes Mega. When I initially added T-Tar, I gave it Fire Punch to help cover Ferrothorn and Corviknight but it didn't hit very hard and I was taking out those two threats with other Pokemon, so I dropped it for the aforementioned EQ. Final slot goes to Superpower. This is primarily so that if Tyranitar goes Mega, it can start getting the attack boosts for the move. It really doesn't get used much otherwise, but since I can't use status moves with the vest, it felt like a logical 4th spot. Took the EV spread from Pikalytics and it seems to have provided a good mix of bulk/power but let me know if I should tweak it.
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 84 HP/204 ATK/4 DEF/12 SpD/204 SPD
Adamant Nature
-Crunch
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake
-Superpower
Ferrothorn:
I used to hate this guy's design but to be honest, it's become one of my favorite Pokemon after using him on this team. Added for physical bulk (and partly inspired after all the grief it gave me) and now it's very rare that he doesn't come in as one of my 4 Pokemon. Pretty standard set here: leftovers for passive recovery, iron barbs for chip damage. Power Whip for physical STAB, Gyro Ball for exactly the same reason. Leech Seed adds even more passive recovery (and becomes key late in games when it comes down to two walls wearing on each other). Protect rounds out the set. The only thing I'm even somewhat iffy on is my EV spread. Much like Tyranitar, I borrowed the spread from Pikalytics to keep it both bulky but also hold it's own as an attacker. Not much seems to phase this guy, as HP fire is gone so it's easy to predict threats.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 244 HP/92 ATK/152 DEF/20 SpD
Relaxed Nature
-Power Whip
-Gyro Ball
-Leech Seed
-Protect
---
So overall, I've really enjoyed playing with this team. There's not really any glaring weaknesses from a resistance standpoint and I have options for almost every threat I can think of. Most of my losses are totally on me, as I'm still learning the format. That being said, I have noticed a few things that I could use some advice on. First, I have no speed control other than Max Airstream. Tailwind doesn't really affect this team too much but I've had a few Trick Room teams rip me to shreds. Second, I feel my EV spreads need some improvement. Other than my two walls, everything else is basic 252/252 spreads and I feel that is probably inefficient use of points (particularly on Togekiss and Rotom-W). I'm open to any and all suggested changes and look forward to your feedback!
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