Project Teams of the Week - Week 48

[Jesuuuus]

WEEK 46



Super Bulky Recovery Team by Tempest Brute (I)
This team uses some unique teambuilding ideas to catch opponents off guard. The general theory surrounds using recovery moves and incredibly Pokémon (and spreads) in order to chip down opponents while keeping the team healthy. For example, Ogerpon-C is able to sap opponents health with Leech Seed, which along with Synthesis helps it stay on the field for a long period of time. Ogerpon-C can finally take full advantage of it's Defence-boosting tera, as it can help keep it out of range of physical attacks, most notably from Calyrex-I. Ivy Cudgel can threaten opposing Ho-Oh, which the team can otherwise struggle with. Speaking of Ho-Oh, this team has one. It is able to stay healthy with the recovery from Regenerator, Leftovers, and Life Dew. It has the potential to burn opponents with Sacred Fire, which will often lead to additional which, thanks to the incredibly slow pace of this team, will add up incredibly quickly. It's massive Special Defence also allows for it to take on Calyrex-S incredibly well, while Tera Grass allows it to beat Miraidon in a vacuum! While Ho-Oh is the most specially bulky restricted, Zamazenta-C is the most physically bulky restricted. It excels against Incieroar and Chien-Pao, while Wide Guard can help protect allies from Calyex-I's Glacial Lance. Tera Water helps it face off against Urshifu-R and Kyogre. Raging Bolt excels at taking down chipped opponents with Thunderclap, but is mainly here to help beat Kyogre and Urshifu-R without stacking Grass-types on the team. Tera Ghost gives a Fake Out immunity, but more importantly gives an immunity to Zamazenta-C's Body Press. Ting-Lu is incredibly strong into opposing Miraidon and Calyrex-S, thanks to Vessel of Ruin and its natual typing. Sand Tomb can help trap opponents in, which synergies well with Ogerpon-C's Leech Seed. Rocky Helmet allows Ting-Lu to punish opposing Urshifu-R targeting it with Surging Strikes.


Korapagos Balance by FBISurveillanceMan(I)
Terapagos and Koraidon have some great natural synergies in the context of the meta, despite Teraform Zero turning off the Sun, and both restricted being something of a tera-hog. This is because Koraidon excels at trading damage into Terapagos threats such as both Urshifu forms, Iron Hands, Zamazenta-C and can constantly trade 1 for 1 with opposing Koraidon. It forms a potent offensive combination with Flutter Mane, as Flutter Mane's Fairy-type moves can threaten the dragons that resist Koraidon's moves, while Koraidon's Fire-type moves threaten the Steel-types. Additionally, Koraidon threatens to OHKO the most common Fire-type in the game (Incineroar). AV Incineroar excels at helping Terapagos set up Calm Minds, with Fake Out and its positioning tools. Intimidate helps against opposing physical attackers that opponents will often used to KO Terapagos. Ogerpon-C can operate in both a fast mode of the team with Koraidon, helping to threaten other Fire-types in the meta such as Ho-Oh, or can redirect opponents moves with Follow Me to help Terapagos set-up. Amoonguss is used here as a secondary redirector, with it's infamous potential for Spore shenanigans. It was used over Brute Bonnet, despite being a sun team, due to the value of a fighting resist, helping to redirect attacks from the likes of Zamazenta-C, both Urshifus and Iron Hands.​

 

[Jesuuuus]

WEEK 47



Shieldfish by Indigo mask, calciumnyl and jeremy cloyster (I)
Shieldfish is a restricted duo that I personally think has been overlooked a little bit since the start of the format, so I'm happy to show it off here. The duo have some great synergies with one another. One is specially bulky and one is physically bulky, one has strong spread moves and the other does consistent chip over time, and the rain also turns of Zamazenta-C's Fire weakness. The duo can both struggle into some Pokémon, notably Raging Bolt, Amoonguss and Urshifu-R. Fortunately, Chien-Pao is an excellent partner with both, boosting Zamazenta-C's damage, and threatening the Grass, Dragon, Ghost, Psychic and Flying-types which resist Body Press and Kyogre's Water STABs respectively. Tornadus gives the team some hard speed control with Prankster Tailwind, helping Kyogre fire off full power Water Spouts as it attacks before opponents. Bleakwind Storm is also able to threaten the Grass-types like Amoonguss and Rillaboom, while the former can also get shut down by Tornadus' Taunt. Choice Scarf Urshifu-R is able to take advantage of Kyogre's rain effectively thanks to the ever spammable Surging Strikes, while also giving the team a fast mode without the need for Tornadus. Finally, Chioce Band Rillaboom is effective at threating opposing Water-types which can take advantage of Kyogre's Rain, and resist it's Water-type moves. It is able to spam priority Grassy Glide effectively, especially when next to Chien-Pao, while High Horsepower can threaten opposing Miraidon and Raging Bolt. These six are so strong together that I personally achieved number 1 on the ladder a few weeks into the format with them - which is a cheeky reminder that you will forever be 3 steps behind your gracious TOTW host!


Parabolic Charge Miraidon with Sun by 1#MiraidonHater & RichardTheCompany (I)
There aren't many things more painful than thinking you have finally KOd a Calm Mind Electric Seed Miraidon, just to see it Parabolic Charge back to full HP. And this is a Calm Mind Electric Seed Miraidon team! (you get the picture). Groudon was selected as the only restricted with a Paraoblic Charge immunity (that doesn't suck like Palkia or Dialga). This allows it to sit next to Miraidon, as you sweep with Helping Hand Paraoblic Charge. Grimmsnarl's screens give the team (and most importantly Miraidon) more staying power and allows for Groudon to survive a Draco Meteor from opposing Miraidon. Iron Hands gives the team Fake Out support, and is another Pokémon that Miraidon gets to freely click Parabolic Charge next to, due to the negligible damage it takes. Volcarona was the Pokémon added next, in order to help the team into opposing Zamazenta-C and Zacian-C with redirection and the potential to burn, while also being able to threaten an OHKO with Overheat. Flutter Mane was the 6th mon added, with Tera Normal and Protosythesis to take advantage of the sun, allowing it to out-speed CSR and threaten an OHKO with Shadow Ball.


Lunadon by 21Kieran (I)
Maybe my Groudon addiction is getting out of hand, or maybe Groudon is just really good in the meta at the moment! Assault Vest Groudon is able to confidently take Draco Meteor from opposing Miraidon, while Ground is one of the strongest offensive types going around currently. Power Herb Meteor Beam Lunala is able to hit the Bug-types and Flying-types which resist Groudon's Ground-type STABs, while also utility support in Wide Guard and Trick Room. Tera Water Lunala, along with Raging Bolt, allow the team to confidently take on Kyogre compostions, with the sun also activating Raging Bolt's Protosythesis. Brute Bonnet is an established piece on Sun teams these days, with it's typing allowing it to take on the likes of Calyrex-S, Miraidon and Kyogre, while Spore can put threats like Calyex-I to sleep. Covert Cloak helps Brute Bonnet play into balance compositions with the likes of Rillaboom and Safety Goggles Incineroar. Flutter Mane gives this team another form of speed control aside from Lunala's Trick Room, as well as threatening fast Pokémon like Calyrex-S and Koraidon. Entei plays into this fast mode of the team, with the potential for sun-boosted Choice Band boosted Sacred Fires, as well as Crunch and Tera Normal to threaten Calyrex-S and Extreme Speed for priority.​

 

[Jesuuuus]

SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT
Next week (commencing Monday 16th June) will be the last week of TOTW of the season. This is because the VGC circuit will stall post NAIC due to in person events stopping, and worlds competitors will be looking to hide teams. It is also to give your lovely Team of the Week staff a break!!! TOTW will restart once in person tournaments start back up in September. Good luck submitting trainers!!

 

[Jesuuuus]

WEEK 48



Mirai + CSR Cress-luna Offense by Iamslitherfish (I)
Life Orb Calyrex-S emits massive amounts of offensive pressure (as it often does). When you pair it next to Tera Fighting Sneasler, who is able to Close Combat the Normal and Dark types that resist Astral Barrage, as well as use Feint to break Wide Guard, you are able beat lots of standard counter-play for Calyrex-S. On top of this, Dire Claw is able to hit the AV Rillabooms that Calyrex-S and Miraidon can sometimes struggle to break quickly. Choice Scarf Miraidon is able to to dominate speed tiers, most importantly being able to out-speed Calyrex-S. Cresselia and Ursaluna are able to form a Trick Room mode (potentially along with Iron Hands) in order to beat opposing Tailwind teams. They also function to beat opposing Trick Room teams, due to Cresselia's Electric Seed reducing damage from Calyrex-I, and with Lunar Blessing able to keep its allies healthy.


Jumpluff Sun by CabbageConnoisseur (I)
This team achieved the impressive feat of reaching finals of NAIC in the senior division. Koraidon and Jumpluff join to form a potent lead, with your opponent forced to respect sleep shenanigans (but not with their grass types who sitting ducks in front of Koraidon), as well needing to stick damage onto Koraidon in spite of the redirection support from Jumpluff. Lunala is able to operate effectively in Jumpluff's Tailwind, especially if it is able to get to +1 Special Attack from Meteor Beam. Additionally, Focus Sash Ditto is even more effective in Regulation I, with double the restricteds for it to copy (most notably Calyrex-S and Calyrex-I). Safety Goggles Incineoar is doing Incineroar things, while Ursaluna has the potential to sweep in Lunala's Trick Room (it is even able to spam Earthquake next if Lunala Wide Guards!).


Meteor Beam Terapagos + Calyrex-I Balance by sheepie_sheep (I)
This 3 attacks Terapagos is able to threated a larger array of opponents without giving up anything in terms of damage output. Meteor Beam enables a Special Attack boost, while threatening mons like Calyex-I, while Flamethrower hits the Steel-types that resist Tera Starstorm along with AV Rillaboom. Leech Seed is standard tech for this format, enabling Calyrex-I to alternate Protects in order to whittle down the HP of threats such as Zamazenta-C, with the added benefit of keeping itself healthy. Landorus is an important member of the team. It's Ground type attacks synergise really nicely with both Glacial Lance, Tera Starstorm and Meteor Beam, due to the offensive coverage generated by these attacks. Additionally, Landorus is able to threaten opposing Zamazenta-C, which the team can struggle with otherwise. Volcarona is a key piece in the Zamazenta-C matchup, with its beneficial defensive type able to resist the Fighting, Steel and Ice-type from Zamazenta-C and Chien-Pao, with the potential to burn in return, as well as Rocky Helmet chip. The fire-water-grass core is completed with Rillaboom and Focus Sash Urshifu-R. Rillaboom is able to help the team positionally, thanks to it's slow pivoting with U-turn and the Fake Out pressure it provides. It is able able to recover Terapagos' HP back to full after some weak attacks in order to reset Tera Shell. Urshifu-R is doing Urshifu-R things, hitting through protect and leveraging it's strong offensive STAB combination. Focus Sash allows for Urshifu to be brough to many more matchups, and also allows survive some key attacks such as electric moves from Miraidon, Earth Power from Landorus and Psychic from Calyex-S, allowing it to better trade damage.


Koraidon + Calyrex-I Perish Trap by Sir Aaron07 (I)
[written by teambuilder] After lots and lots of testing around with different restricted duos, I ended up figuring out that the most consistent duo that works with perish trap is koraidon + calyrex ice rider. Koraidon has already been proven to synergize well with scream tail and the whole idea of getting 2 quick KOs for the perish song clean up. Calyrex ice rider is my pick here for the second restricted as it likes the double fake out support and its bulk and slow speed helps it stick around through the perish song countdown and faint last most of the time. I picked the fire tera type for the calyrex for burn immunity as well as fire resistance that my opponents might abuse when my koraidon sets up the sun. The flutter mane set is booster energy speed instead of focus sash so I can lead it with gothitelle or incineroar without having any restrictions like being forced to lead koraidon. Flutter mane is evd to be faster than most fast whimsicotts and max speed tornadus, bulky enough to live urshifu surging strikes incase I don't have sun and also live focus sash calyrex shadow astral barrage without tera normal. My incineroar is minimum speed so I can knock off the opposing adamant calyrex ice riders as they setup tr and parting shot before they move. This slow speed also synergizes well with my own calyrex as now I can break sashes or chip mons down before my glacial lance is launched. Amoonguss is tera dark for the calyrex shadow matchup and is holding the eject button for various defensive plays like switching it in on the gothitelle slot when gothitelle is vulnerable, absorbing the hit and switching gothitelle back in as the eject button activates, resetting fake out and shadow tag as a result.


Kingambit + Bundle Sun by dman12352 (I)
This unique take on a Koraidon and Calyrex-S team allowed for the teambuilder to achieve day 2 at the ever-competitive NAIC. Our friends from old regulations Iron Bundle and Kingambit are able to star on this team. Kingambit is strong into Trick Room compositions, most notably being able to resist the attacks of Calyrex-I and Lunala, while threatening super effective damage back. Tera Dark Calyrex-S helps out in the mirror, however you also don't need to preserve tera for Calyrex-S thanks to its Focus Sash. Meanwhile Iron Bundle, along with the natural speed of Koraidon and Calyrex-S, are able to dominate the speed of the battle. Raging Bolt is strong into Kyogre teams, and more importantly is strong into Tornadus Tailwind game plans, thanks to its great bulk and typing. Incineroar's positional strengths, with pivoting and Fake Out, helps glue this team together.​