Well well well, here I am, in my 5th foray into the wide, scary world of VGC Pokemon. This is my 3rd original team, and the 2nd that I've brought forth unto the council to judge. I'm fairly certain that this team is somewhat good, but it could definitely use of revamping. Therefore, without further ado, this is my VGC Trick Room team.
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Belly Drum
- Liquidation
- Superpower
- Knock Off
This was the first Pokemon I added. It's already a very slow mon, so using Trick Room really opens up my moveset, as I don't have to include Aqua Jet to deal any amount of damage. I typically couple with Indeedee for redirection + Trick Room antics. Liquidation is primary stab, Superpower takes care of any steel types that I'm unable to deal with, and knock off hits anything hard, and a lot of pokemon are incredibly hindered by the removal of their items. No investment in speed order to go first in Trick Room, and max HP EVs in order to increase it's overall bulk. Belly Drum is hard to pull off in the best of circumstances, and opponents really don't want it to happen, so alternative 'Mons would be appreciated.
Hatterene-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Expanding Force
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire
Hatterene is my primary Trick Room setter, and my primary Dynamaxer. Expanding force is better than Psychic in almost every case, particularly when Indeedee is out. It's max HP allows it to survive a choice banded Rillaboom Grassy Glide, even with Grassy Terrain up. Hatterene couples very well with Indeedee or Amoonguss, and they redirection they offer is invaluable. Porygon2 acts as a sort of hard counter for it, however, as it can just Trick Room the Trick Room away, and can tank just about any hit I throw at it. Dazzling gleam cleans up any Fighting or Dark types, and Mystical Fire deals with steel types.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Recover
- Psyshock
I shuffled around for another Trick Room setter of Hatterene caliber, but I soon realized that there wasn't one. So, I cast around for a bulky pokemon, preferably one that used Trick Room. I used Tangrowth, realized that anything it did was done better by Amoonguss, Dusclops just didn't put up enough offensive pressure to make sense with the rest of the team, and Slowbro just wasn't bulky enough to get it up reliantly. I ended up here. Porygon2 may not be as bulky as Dusclops, but it certainly is bulky in it's own right. Trace can allow for the copying of some great abilities, and it can tank just about any hit you throw at it. Recover mean longevity that you might not get with Hatterene, and Tri-Attack for STAB. As little speed as possible for Trick Room, and Psyshock to take care of Special Defensive walls or Fighting Types. It works ok, but I would be open to suggestions for better Trick Room setters.
Indeedee-F @ Focus Sash
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Expanding Force
- Follow Me
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect
Indeedee is, in many ways, the backbone of my team. It can OHKO Amoonguss unless it has maximum investment, and Dazzling Gleam and take care of pokemon that think they have an edge on my team, like Scrafty or Urshifu. I typically keep it hidden in case my opponent sends out a Rillaboom or another Indeedee, then I won't have to worry about terrain competition or trying to out damage the other Indeedee. Expanding Force is great and can completely upend teams, follow me can just break teams, particularly when using either G-Max or Spore on Amoonguss. I find Focus Sash to be better than the terrain extender, as one particularly strong move can make me go down a pokemon without it.
Mr. Sandman (Amoonguss) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
Another incredible support mon, Amoonguss can shut down a lot of teams, particularly Rain or Sand, which rely on one or two Pokemon doing the heavy lifting. Because of no sleep clause in VGC, if given the proper set-up it can sleep the entire other side of the field, and deal decent damage with Sludge Bomb. Rage powder takes heat off Porygon2 or Hatterene when setting up Trick Room, or if in danger of being knocked out. Protect is sometimes needed, particularly with the rampant use of Expanding Force. Regenerator means that I don't have to put a recovery move on it, and it's typing means that I can switch in or out on pokemon that think they can OHKO me.
Azazel (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Poltergeist
- Protect
Marowak is my premier physical attacker. It has an excellent offensive typing, ability, and its stats are great for Trick Room teams. I have to give it protect over swords dance, as most teams will try desperately to make sure I don't get any hits off. I can just spam Flare Blitz because I get rock head, and Bonemerang is a great coverage move. Poltergeist is better than Shadow Bone, and Max attack means 290 base attack as soon as I switch in. Under Trick Room, this thing can blaze through teams, and redirection means that it can even survive a few turns outside of it. I have Rock Head over Lightning Rod because of Flare Blitz, and the only pokemon that needs protection from it is Azumarill, who I'm not even sure is good on my team. I originally had Rhyperior in this role, but no consistent way to proc Weakness Policy, combined with it being entirely melted by any water or grass move, had me switch to this.
That's the team! Any kind of advice would be helpful, and possible replacements for either Azumarill or Porygon2 would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Belly Drum
- Liquidation
- Superpower
- Knock Off
This was the first Pokemon I added. It's already a very slow mon, so using Trick Room really opens up my moveset, as I don't have to include Aqua Jet to deal any amount of damage. I typically couple with Indeedee for redirection + Trick Room antics. Liquidation is primary stab, Superpower takes care of any steel types that I'm unable to deal with, and knock off hits anything hard, and a lot of pokemon are incredibly hindered by the removal of their items. No investment in speed order to go first in Trick Room, and max HP EVs in order to increase it's overall bulk. Belly Drum is hard to pull off in the best of circumstances, and opponents really don't want it to happen, so alternative 'Mons would be appreciated.
Hatterene-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Expanding Force
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire
Hatterene is my primary Trick Room setter, and my primary Dynamaxer. Expanding force is better than Psychic in almost every case, particularly when Indeedee is out. It's max HP allows it to survive a choice banded Rillaboom Grassy Glide, even with Grassy Terrain up. Hatterene couples very well with Indeedee or Amoonguss, and they redirection they offer is invaluable. Porygon2 acts as a sort of hard counter for it, however, as it can just Trick Room the Trick Room away, and can tank just about any hit I throw at it. Dazzling gleam cleans up any Fighting or Dark types, and Mystical Fire deals with steel types.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Recover
- Psyshock
I shuffled around for another Trick Room setter of Hatterene caliber, but I soon realized that there wasn't one. So, I cast around for a bulky pokemon, preferably one that used Trick Room. I used Tangrowth, realized that anything it did was done better by Amoonguss, Dusclops just didn't put up enough offensive pressure to make sense with the rest of the team, and Slowbro just wasn't bulky enough to get it up reliantly. I ended up here. Porygon2 may not be as bulky as Dusclops, but it certainly is bulky in it's own right. Trace can allow for the copying of some great abilities, and it can tank just about any hit you throw at it. Recover mean longevity that you might not get with Hatterene, and Tri-Attack for STAB. As little speed as possible for Trick Room, and Psyshock to take care of Special Defensive walls or Fighting Types. It works ok, but I would be open to suggestions for better Trick Room setters.
Indeedee-F @ Focus Sash
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Expanding Force
- Follow Me
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect
Indeedee is, in many ways, the backbone of my team. It can OHKO Amoonguss unless it has maximum investment, and Dazzling Gleam and take care of pokemon that think they have an edge on my team, like Scrafty or Urshifu. I typically keep it hidden in case my opponent sends out a Rillaboom or another Indeedee, then I won't have to worry about terrain competition or trying to out damage the other Indeedee. Expanding Force is great and can completely upend teams, follow me can just break teams, particularly when using either G-Max or Spore on Amoonguss. I find Focus Sash to be better than the terrain extender, as one particularly strong move can make me go down a pokemon without it.
Mr. Sandman (Amoonguss) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
Another incredible support mon, Amoonguss can shut down a lot of teams, particularly Rain or Sand, which rely on one or two Pokemon doing the heavy lifting. Because of no sleep clause in VGC, if given the proper set-up it can sleep the entire other side of the field, and deal decent damage with Sludge Bomb. Rage powder takes heat off Porygon2 or Hatterene when setting up Trick Room, or if in danger of being knocked out. Protect is sometimes needed, particularly with the rampant use of Expanding Force. Regenerator means that I don't have to put a recovery move on it, and it's typing means that I can switch in or out on pokemon that think they can OHKO me.
Azazel (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Poltergeist
- Protect
Marowak is my premier physical attacker. It has an excellent offensive typing, ability, and its stats are great for Trick Room teams. I have to give it protect over swords dance, as most teams will try desperately to make sure I don't get any hits off. I can just spam Flare Blitz because I get rock head, and Bonemerang is a great coverage move. Poltergeist is better than Shadow Bone, and Max attack means 290 base attack as soon as I switch in. Under Trick Room, this thing can blaze through teams, and redirection means that it can even survive a few turns outside of it. I have Rock Head over Lightning Rod because of Flare Blitz, and the only pokemon that needs protection from it is Azumarill, who I'm not even sure is good on my team. I originally had Rhyperior in this role, but no consistent way to proc Weakness Policy, combined with it being entirely melted by any water or grass move, had me switch to this.
That's the team! Any kind of advice would be helpful, and possible replacements for either Azumarill or Porygon2 would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
