Biosci
Danger!?
Trick Tactics - A Guide to Trick Room in VGC
Written by Biosci, TrollFreak, and others
Introduction
Trick Room has been one of the most consistent strategies used throughout all of VGC, allowing slow, bulky powerhouses to rise and shine. It's notorious for giving use to many underrated Pokemon, most of whom without Trick Room are sitting ducks waiting to move. Trick Room just works so well at countering all the fast action that occurs in VGC from Swift Swim, Chlorophyll, Sand Rush, and Tailwind abusers making all of the fast speedy threats useless while Trick Room is up. Many people will see Trick Room teams and think of how simple and easy it will be to win the match, but if played correctly Trick Room can be set up and you're left to just wreck the opposition. It can be a simple strategy at times, but Trick Room just finds it's ways to work and win games.
Basics of Trick Room
Trick Room is a rather easy playstyle to grasp. If a player can successfully set up Trick Room, it's all a matter of figuring the quickest method to smash the opponent. At first, this may seem like an easy feat to accomplish, play testing can show different. To be successful with Trick Room, you must be fully aware of general threats, such as Imprison, Taunt, and general threats that can simply put the beat down on your Trick Room setters.
The keys to having all around great set up is use of a bulky Trick Room setter capable of taking hits in some way accompanied with some form of support, such as Rage Powder and Follow Me, Fake Out, and Taunt. There are lots of different factors to look out for in team preview, such as Prankster Taunt users, Imprison abusers, and even possible Pokemon who are capable of reversing Trick Room. Being aware of factors such as these before the game even starts can sometimes be key to setting up Trick Room. Being prepared for these kinds of things will help your set up be more diverse and less predictable to make best of 3 battles that much more in your favor. In a battle where you lack the ability to set up Trick Room, you will be left to rely solely on your bulky abusers to tank hits and hit back harder to win. Ideally, you will want to be prepared for a situation such as this when team building.
Having Trick Room set up is one thing, but the most important factor for a Trick Room team is having reliable strong abusers. Without them you're just left your Pokemon going first and having very little impact on the game at hand. Though, picking a bunch of good abusers of Trick Room isn't always the best choice. Having abusers the help support each other through abilities and have specific typing to provide good synergy for proper switching out from threats in the event that Trick Room set up is delayed. While Trick Room is up the enemy usually will try tactics to stall out each turn that Trick Room lasts. Prediction is key to identify how they will do it and if they will spam Protect certain Pokemon or not.
Pokemon for Trick Room teams
Trick Room users
Trick Room users need to be incredibly bulky. A frail Trick Room user runs the risk of being KOed before it can move. As you will find, Trick Room users are very different from one another. Some set-up Pokemon are better at attacking after Trick Room is up, and others excel at supporting your other Pokemon. The following descriptions will have basic points describing the overall role of each Pokemon.
Cresselia
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Cresselia is the absolute ruler of Trick Room. Sporting insane defenses, a useful ability, and an enormous movepool, Cresselia is seen on every other team. It is very difficult to predict what move Cresselia will use. A poorly-timed Taunt could earn you an Icy Wind or Psychic, but ignoring Cresselia might lead to Trick Room set up. Cresselia works well with a Sassy nature and is good at using Helping Hand to boost a partner's spread move. Calm Mind and Rest sets work well too, but some supporting moves must be sacrificed for this to work.
Musharna
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 116 HP / 55 Atk / 85 Def / 107 SpA / 95 SpD / 29 Spe
Abilities: Forewarn / Synchronize / Telepathy
Musharna is quite similar to Cresselia. Higher base Special Attack gives the option of attacking in Trick Room, while lower base Speed allows Musharna to function better. Musharna has access to Helping Hand, which works wonders with its Hidden Ability, Telepathy. Musharna appreciates Sitrus Berry or Mental Herb, depending on whether you prefer bulk or reliability.
Reuniclus
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 75 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Overcoat / Magic Guard / Regenerator (Unreleased)
Reuniclus is a powerful Trick Room user. Huge Special Attack, very low Speed, and a handy ability make Reuniclus a large threat to most teams. Reuniclus is rarely OHKOed by any single attack. Magic Guard prevents weather or status conditions from wearing it down. Life Orb is a great item for Reuniclus, as Magic Guard negates the recoil damage. This, together with Reuniclus' powerful moves, can deal serious damage to any Pokemon.
Dusclops
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 40 HP / 70 Atk / 130 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Dusclops is one of the best users of Eviolite, an item introduced to the game with the arrival of Black and White that boosts the Defense and Special Defense stat of a Pokemon that has not fully evolved. This makes Dusclops' defenses reach ridiculous levels. Combined with an immunity to common Norrmal-type moves such as Fake Out and Explosion, Dusclops reliably sets up Trick Room. Will-O-Wisp and Helping Hand are great support moves, however, Helping Hand is an XD exclusive move. Helping Hand is almost required on Dusclops' moveset, so IVs will most likely not be flawless.
Dusknoir
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 45 HP / 100 Atk / 135 Def / 65 SpA / 135 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Bronzong
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 67 HP / 89 Atk / 116 Def / 79 SpA / 116 SpD / 33 Spe
Abilities: Levitate / Heatproof / Heavy Metal
Amazing typing and a useful ability make Bronzong a phenomenal Trick Room user. Bronzong has access to various support moves, such as Imprison or Light Screen, as well as a great offensive movepool. STAB Gyro Ball can put a dent in many frail Pokemon, while Explosion is still a powerful spread attack. High Special Defense allows Bronzong to shrug off spread attack such as Surf or Discharge. Levitate with part Steel-typing helps out against most physical spread moves.
Cofagrigus
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 58 HP / 50 Atk / 145 Def / 95 SpA / 105 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Mummy
Cofagrigus makes use of its incredible defensive stats in order to almost always ensure that Trick Room gets set up. Its Mummy ability can mess with those who benefit from their own unique ability, which makes Cofagrigus especially annoying to physical attackers. On top of this, it has access to Will-O-Wisp, making Cofagrigus a great physical wall and Trick Room setter.
Slowking
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 80 Def / 100 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Slowbro
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Slowbro is a prime example of a great setter of Trick Room, and its easy to see why. Thanks to a great typing that gives resistances to Fighting, Fire, Ice, and Water-type attacks, which are all common in the VGC 2012 metagame. To exemplify this, Slowbro has 95 / 110 / 80 defenses, which gives it ample opportunity to set up Trick Room again and again. Pokemon such as Eelektross and Ferrothorn make good partners, as they can help to beat Water-type Pokemon that give Slowbro trouble. Scarfty makes another great partner, as it can use Fake Out to help set up Trick Room, as well as Dark-type STAB to get rid of Ghost-types, or a Fighting-type STAB to clear Dark-types, while Slowbro's Psychic-type STAB can help clear Fighting-type Pokemon that trouble Scarfty.
Jellicent
Type: Water / Ghost
Base Stats: 100 HP / 60 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 105 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Cursed Body / Damp (Unreleased)
Jellicent can be a solid Trick Room setter. With high HP and Special Defense, as well as great abilities in Water Absorb and Cursed Body, Jellicent can be useful on many teams. Jellicent has access to spread moves like Surf and Water Spout, which can be pretty powerful when launched out of Trick Room. Although it doesn't have the highest offensive stats, it can hit hard when necessary so it isn't dead weight after it sets up Trick Room.
Chandelure
Type: Fire / Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 55 Atk / 90 Def / 145 SpA / 90 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Flame Body / Shadow Tag (Unreleased)
Chandelure is a Pokemon capable of using Trick Room and extremely offensive sets. Choice Scarf sets are quite common, but Trick Room sets work just as well. Chandelure makes good use of a Focus Sash because of its multiple weaknesses to common spread attacks and general frailness. Once Chandelure sets up Trick Room, it can fire off STAB boosted Heat Waves quite easily. Hitmontop makes one of the best partners for Chandelure, giving Fake Out and Wide Guard support, as well as hitting Tyranitar hard.
Whimsicott
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 60 HP / 67 Atk / 85 Def / 77 SpA / 75 SpD / 116 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Infiltrator / Chlorophyll (Unreleased)
Whimsicott may look like the opposite of a good Trick Room user with high speed and relative frailty, but it is more than capable of using a Level 1 set. With Endeavor and Encore, Whimsicott becomes a tough nut to crack in the right hands, but can quickly become dead weight against sandstorm and hail teams, along with being a sitting duck against priority or spread attacks. Support is an absolute must when using Whimsicott.
Gallade
Type: Psychic / Fighting
Base Stats: 68 HP / 125 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Steadfast / Justified
paragraph
Porygon2
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 95 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Trace / Download / Analytic
paragraph
blorp
Rhyperior
Type: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 115 HP / 140 Atk / 130 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightningrod / Solid Rock / Reckless
Rhyperior is the ultimate Rock Slide and Earthquake user in double battles. Dual STAB spread attacks coming off of 140 base Attack and 40 base Speed will tear holes through any team. Telepathy or Levitating Pokemon with Trick Room make the best teammates for Rhyperior. Musharna is an especially good choice. It can use Helping Hand to boost Rhyperior's attacks to even higher levels. Its STAB Psychic can deal heavy damage to Pokemon that give Rhyperior trouble, such as Amoonguss or Hitmontop.
Gigalith
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 85 HP / 135 Atk / 130 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Sand Force (Unreleased)
paragraph
Metagross
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 130 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Clear Body / Light Metal
paragraph
Snorlax
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 160 HP / 110 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Immunity / Thick Fat / Gluttony (Unreleased)
paragraph
Hariyama
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 144 HP / 120 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Guts / Sheer Force
paragraph
Machamp
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 90 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 65 SpA / 85 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Guts / No Guard / Steadfast
paragraph
Scrafty
Type: Dark / Fighting
Base Stats: 65 HP / 90 Atk / 115 Def / 45 SpA / 115 SpD / 58 Spe
Abilities: Shed Skin / Moxie / Intimidate (Unreleased)
paragraph
Escavalier
Type: Steel / Bug
Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat (Unreleased)
It's strange how annoying Cresselia becomes from the transition from singles to doubles. If your Trick Room teams are ever plagued with no answers to Cresselia, look no farther than Escavalier. With a Bug Gem, Escavalier's Megahorn will assuredly OHKO all but the most physically bulky varients of Cresselia (and even they are KOed 80% of the time). With a dismal base speed and gargantuan attack, Escavalier is as good a candidate for Trick Room as they come. Keep in mind that using a Bug Gem does leave Escavalier a sitting duck for Heat Wave and other Fire-type attacks, so make sure your Trick Room team has answers for common users.
Hippowdon
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 112 Atk / 118 Def / 68 SpA / 72 SpD / 47 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Sand Force
paragraph
Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Unnerve
paragraph
Marowak
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 60 HP / 80 Atk / 110 Def / 50 SpA / 80 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Lightningrod / Battle Armor (Unreleased)
paragraph
Conkeldurr
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 105 HP / 140 Atk / 95 Def / 55 SpA / 65 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron Fist (Unreleased)
Conkeldurr faces stiff competition from Hariyama for a slot on a Trick Room team, but it has quite a few things to set it apart. Though it may lack the utility of Fake Out and the raw power of Close Combat, Conkeldurr makes up for it with sky high attack and Mach Punch. With Mach Punch at the ready, Conkeldurr works well in and out of Trick Room, slaughtering opponents like Abomasnow and Terrakion. Drain Punch is also very useful for recovering off the damage a burn from a Flame Orb will inflict and means Conkeldurr will be sticking around for much longer than Hariyama.
Ferrothorn
Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Iron Barbs
paragraph
Lickilicky
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 110 HP / 85 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA / 95 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Oblivious / Cloud Nine
Lickilicky brings a lot to the table; good stats all around with a low speed to abuse Trick Room, some of the weirdest coverage options around, a stellar anti-weather ability, and the only STAB Explosion in the game worth using. Though it doesn't dish out and take hits as well as other Pokemon, it's still an option to consider if you need a bit of extra defense against weather. Imagining Lickilicky's innards being thrown around to KO the opponent is also a funny idea to think about whenever you command it to explode.
Scizor
Type: Steel / Bug
Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 110 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
paragraph
Swampert
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 100 HP / 110 Atk / 90 Def / 85 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Damp
paragraph
Hitmontop
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Technician / Steadfast
paragraph
Rampardos
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 95 HP / 165 Atk / 60 Def / 95 SpA / 50 SpD / 58 Spe
Abilities: Mold Breaker / Sheer Force (Unreleased)
165 Base Attack. Good lord. Despite his below average defenses and weaknesses to spread moves, Rampardos is a decent option for a Trick Room abuser. STAB Rock Slides are always great to have and Rampardos is the proud holder of the most powerful in the game. Head Smash is also fearsome on Rampardos, although it means you can't run a Focus Sash effectively to patch up those dreadful defenses. On top of that, Rampardos also has access to Earthquake and the elemental punches for coverage. Though you may be hard pressed to cushion all the super effective attacks aimed at Rampardos, the damage you'll be outputting is absolutely insane.
Druddigon
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 77 HP /120 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpA / 90 SpD / 48 Spe
Abilities: Rough Skin / Sheer Force / Mold Breaker (Unreleased)
paragraph
Ursaring
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 90 HP / 130 Atk / 75 Def / 75 SpA / 75 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Quick Feet / Unnerve
Hell hath no fury like an Ursaring set ablaze by its Flame Orb. 130 base Attack is fearsome on its own, but factor in a Guts boost and a 140 base power Facade and you're dealing with a force to be reckoned with. Pokemon that resist or are immune to Facade are still at risk thanks to Close Combat crushing Steel and Rock-types and Crunch smashing any Ghost-types that dare stand in your way. However, Ursaring isn't without its downsides. 90/75/75 defenses might sound solid, but Ursaring is hit for neutral damage by every spread move in the book. Worse yet, Ursaring's Flame Orb will put a timer on how long he can stay in play and can easily put Ursaring into KO range for a large number of attacks. Even with all these faults, don't dismiss Ursaring. All it takes is a turn for Flame Orb and Trick Room to activate for Ursaring to start crushing villages.
Special Trick Room attackers
Eelektross
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 85 HP / 115 Atk / 80 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
paragraph
Abomasnow
Type: Ice / Grass
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Snow Warning / Sound Proof (Unreleased)
paragraph
Gastrodon
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Abilities: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Find your Trick Room team struggling against Rain? Gastrodon is a solid option to help slow down their torrential offense. With Storm Drain, every Surf your opponent uses will be powering up the little sea slug, allowing him to net a surprising number of KOs. As long is Gastrodon is in play, your opponent's Rain team will usually be resorting to single target attacks to knock out Gastrodon, cushioning the rest of the team from harsh Water-type blows.
Glaceon
Type: Ice
Base Stats: 65 HP / 60 Atk / 110 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Snow Cloak / Ice Body
paragraph
Ninetales
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 73 HP / 76 Atk / 75 Def / 81 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Drought
paragraph
Politoed
Type: Water
Base Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
paragraph
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Flame Body (Unreleased)
It's often forgotten that Heatran has access to the insanely powerful Eruption through an event move. The only reason you don't see Choice Scarf Heatrans running around OU is the nature restriction that comes with the event, Quiet only. In a Trick Room team, that's no problem at all. Though Heatran doesn't have the ability to support its Trick Room using partner very well, once it's under Trick Room it's going to be melting the face off of everything that isn't immune to Fire. With Eruptions running off of Base 130 Special Attack with Heat Wave for later on in the match, Heatran is definitely a strong contender for any Trick Room team that needs to deal damage fast and hard.
Octillery
Type: Water
Base Stats: 75 HP / 105 Atk / 75 Def / 105 SpA / 75 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Suction Cups / Sniper / Moody
Octillery is the proud holder of the most powerful Water Spout in the ruleset. The only downside (and a major one at that) is how dreadfully slow Octillery is, making it very difficult to pull of a Water Spout without losing HP first. With the aid of Trick Room and Octillery's Base 45 speed, Octillery will be outspeeding a majority of your foes and firing off high power Water Spouts. Anything that doesn't resist Water will be hit hard, especially if you throw a Water Gem or Helping Hand into the mix. Water Spout isn't all Octillery has to gloat about though, as it has a movepool that even gives Clefable a run for its money. With options like Flamethrower, Rock Blast, and Bullet Seed, Octillery can usually find a way to punch through anything that resists Water-type attacks. It's abilities aren't the finest in the world with the wildly unpredictable Moody and the near useless Suction Cups, but Sniper will obliterate anything if Octillery is lucky enough to score a critical hit.
Exeggutor
Type: Grass / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 95 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 65 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Harvest
paragraph
Vaporeon
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Hydration
Support Pokemon
blorp
Smeargle
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
paragraph
Amoonguss
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Regenerator (Unreleased)
Amoonguss serves its role as a Trick Room supporter excellently. With Rage Powder and great bulk, it can distract attacks away from the Trick Room setter, leaving an open opportunity to switch the game to your advantage. Once Trick Room is up, Amoonguss can really shine with Spore. With no Sleep Clause in VGC 2012, a 100% accurate sleep move is nothing to scoff at. In Trick Room, Amoonguss spreads sleep around like a monster, which can make it incredibly dangerous to play against. On top of this, it often carries Giga Drain to gain back more HP, making it even harder to kill.
Parasect
Type: Grass / Bug
Base Stats: 60 HP / 95 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Dry Skin / Damp
Parasect works almost exactly like Amoonguss, but trades more bulk and better defensive typing for a better offensive movepool and a stellar ability in the form of Dry Skin. With Dry Skin, Parasect is the perfect partner for Trick Room abusers who love throwing around Surf all day long. Notable partners include Slowking and Slowbro who can set up Trick Room on their own or Politoed if using a team that focuses on both rain and Trick Room.
Togekiss
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
Togekiss is an annoyance everyone should be prepared for. Not only does it possess Follow Me, but it also has Air Slash and Serene Grace, which gives Air Slash a 60% chance to flinch. An 80 base Speed is a bit disappointing, and Togekiss can't redirect spread moves such as Rock Slide and Blizzard, along with being hit super effectively by said moves. However, if you have even an ounce of luck, Togekiss can avoid said moves by simply flinching the offender, providing it's capable of outspeeding the opponent (either inside or out of Trick Room). It can even opt to go on the offensive with a staggering 120 base Special Attack combined with its good offensive movepool, which includes Heat Wave, Aura Sphere, Grass Knot and other interesting options.
Murkrow
Type: Dark / Flying
Base Stats: 60 HP / 85 Atk / 42 Def / 85 SpA / 42 SpD / 91 Spe
Abilities: Insomnia / Super Luck / Prankster
paragraph
Sableye
Type: Dark / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Stall / Prankster
paragraph
Threats to Trick Room(Written by lucariojr)
Obvious checks to Trick Room are those that simply prevent it from being used. Spore, Taunt, Fake Out and Swagger are by far the most common, but with supporters such as Amoonguss, Togekiss and Smeargle running around, such moves can be rendered useless in a heartbeat. Dragon Tail, Roar, Whirlwind and Circle Throw have slightly higher priority than Trick Room, but are rare sights because of the lack of entry hazards to abuse and make you more susceptible to Spore and similar moves, not to mention the Trick Room user can simply switch back in if you give it a chance. The most specific (and perhaps most effective) way to check Trick Room is carrying a Trick Room user yourself, which in and of itself is a task that requires a Pokemon similar to what you'd use in a pure Trick Room.
If you're absolutely desperate for a way to deal with Trick Room, you can consider Protecting both of your Pokemon every other turn or simply accept the fact that you're not going to move first. Along with making sure you don't have a team full of frail speedsters, consider adding bulkier attackers such as Tyranitar, Heatran and Metagross as well as Pokemon that utilize priority moves such as Hitmontop, Sableye and Scizor.
Sample Teams
Conclusion
(To be written by Biosci)
Written by Biosci, TrollFreak, and others
Introduction
Trick Room has been one of the most consistent strategies used throughout all of VGC, allowing slow, bulky powerhouses to rise and shine. It's notorious for giving use to many underrated Pokemon, most of whom without Trick Room are sitting ducks waiting to move. Trick Room just works so well at countering all the fast action that occurs in VGC from Swift Swim, Chlorophyll, Sand Rush, and Tailwind abusers making all of the fast speedy threats useless while Trick Room is up. Many people will see Trick Room teams and think of how simple and easy it will be to win the match, but if played correctly Trick Room can be set up and you're left to just wreck the opposition. It can be a simple strategy at times, but Trick Room just finds it's ways to work and win games.
Basics of Trick Room
Trick Room is a rather easy playstyle to grasp. If a player can successfully set up Trick Room, it's all a matter of figuring the quickest method to smash the opponent. At first, this may seem like an easy feat to accomplish, play testing can show different. To be successful with Trick Room, you must be fully aware of general threats, such as Imprison, Taunt, and general threats that can simply put the beat down on your Trick Room setters.
The keys to having all around great set up is use of a bulky Trick Room setter capable of taking hits in some way accompanied with some form of support, such as Rage Powder and Follow Me, Fake Out, and Taunt. There are lots of different factors to look out for in team preview, such as Prankster Taunt users, Imprison abusers, and even possible Pokemon who are capable of reversing Trick Room. Being aware of factors such as these before the game even starts can sometimes be key to setting up Trick Room. Being prepared for these kinds of things will help your set up be more diverse and less predictable to make best of 3 battles that much more in your favor. In a battle where you lack the ability to set up Trick Room, you will be left to rely solely on your bulky abusers to tank hits and hit back harder to win. Ideally, you will want to be prepared for a situation such as this when team building.
Having Trick Room set up is one thing, but the most important factor for a Trick Room team is having reliable strong abusers. Without them you're just left your Pokemon going first and having very little impact on the game at hand. Though, picking a bunch of good abusers of Trick Room isn't always the best choice. Having abusers the help support each other through abilities and have specific typing to provide good synergy for proper switching out from threats in the event that Trick Room set up is delayed. While Trick Room is up the enemy usually will try tactics to stall out each turn that Trick Room lasts. Prediction is key to identify how they will do it and if they will spam Protect certain Pokemon or not.
Pokemon for Trick Room teams
Trick Room users
Trick Room users need to be incredibly bulky. A frail Trick Room user runs the risk of being KOed before it can move. As you will find, Trick Room users are very different from one another. Some set-up Pokemon are better at attacking after Trick Room is up, and others excel at supporting your other Pokemon. The following descriptions will have basic points describing the overall role of each Pokemon.
Cresselia
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Cresselia is the absolute ruler of Trick Room. Sporting insane defenses, a useful ability, and an enormous movepool, Cresselia is seen on every other team. It is very difficult to predict what move Cresselia will use. A poorly-timed Taunt could earn you an Icy Wind or Psychic, but ignoring Cresselia might lead to Trick Room set up. Cresselia works well with a Sassy nature and is good at using Helping Hand to boost a partner's spread move. Calm Mind and Rest sets work well too, but some supporting moves must be sacrificed for this to work.
Musharna
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 116 HP / 55 Atk / 85 Def / 107 SpA / 95 SpD / 29 Spe
Abilities: Forewarn / Synchronize / Telepathy
Musharna is quite similar to Cresselia. Higher base Special Attack gives the option of attacking in Trick Room, while lower base Speed allows Musharna to function better. Musharna has access to Helping Hand, which works wonders with its Hidden Ability, Telepathy. Musharna appreciates Sitrus Berry or Mental Herb, depending on whether you prefer bulk or reliability.
Reuniclus
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 75 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Overcoat / Magic Guard / Regenerator (Unreleased)
Reuniclus is a powerful Trick Room user. Huge Special Attack, very low Speed, and a handy ability make Reuniclus a large threat to most teams. Reuniclus is rarely OHKOed by any single attack. Magic Guard prevents weather or status conditions from wearing it down. Life Orb is a great item for Reuniclus, as Magic Guard negates the recoil damage. This, together with Reuniclus' powerful moves, can deal serious damage to any Pokemon.
Dusclops
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 40 HP / 70 Atk / 130 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Dusclops is one of the best users of Eviolite, an item introduced to the game with the arrival of Black and White that boosts the Defense and Special Defense stat of a Pokemon that has not fully evolved. This makes Dusclops' defenses reach ridiculous levels. Combined with an immunity to common Norrmal-type moves such as Fake Out and Explosion, Dusclops reliably sets up Trick Room. Will-O-Wisp and Helping Hand are great support moves, however, Helping Hand is an XD exclusive move. Helping Hand is almost required on Dusclops' moveset, so IVs will most likely not be flawless.
Dusknoir
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 45 HP / 100 Atk / 135 Def / 65 SpA / 135 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Bronzong
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 67 HP / 89 Atk / 116 Def / 79 SpA / 116 SpD / 33 Spe
Abilities: Levitate / Heatproof / Heavy Metal
Amazing typing and a useful ability make Bronzong a phenomenal Trick Room user. Bronzong has access to various support moves, such as Imprison or Light Screen, as well as a great offensive movepool. STAB Gyro Ball can put a dent in many frail Pokemon, while Explosion is still a powerful spread attack. High Special Defense allows Bronzong to shrug off spread attack such as Surf or Discharge. Levitate with part Steel-typing helps out against most physical spread moves.
Cofagrigus
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 58 HP / 50 Atk / 145 Def / 95 SpA / 105 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Mummy
Cofagrigus makes use of its incredible defensive stats in order to almost always ensure that Trick Room gets set up. Its Mummy ability can mess with those who benefit from their own unique ability, which makes Cofagrigus especially annoying to physical attackers. On top of this, it has access to Will-O-Wisp, making Cofagrigus a great physical wall and Trick Room setter.
Slowking
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 80 Def / 100 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Slowbro
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Slowbro is a prime example of a great setter of Trick Room, and its easy to see why. Thanks to a great typing that gives resistances to Fighting, Fire, Ice, and Water-type attacks, which are all common in the VGC 2012 metagame. To exemplify this, Slowbro has 95 / 110 / 80 defenses, which gives it ample opportunity to set up Trick Room again and again. Pokemon such as Eelektross and Ferrothorn make good partners, as they can help to beat Water-type Pokemon that give Slowbro trouble. Scarfty makes another great partner, as it can use Fake Out to help set up Trick Room, as well as Dark-type STAB to get rid of Ghost-types, or a Fighting-type STAB to clear Dark-types, while Slowbro's Psychic-type STAB can help clear Fighting-type Pokemon that trouble Scarfty.
Jellicent
Type: Water / Ghost
Base Stats: 100 HP / 60 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 105 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Cursed Body / Damp (Unreleased)
Jellicent can be a solid Trick Room setter. With high HP and Special Defense, as well as great abilities in Water Absorb and Cursed Body, Jellicent can be useful on many teams. Jellicent has access to spread moves like Surf and Water Spout, which can be pretty powerful when launched out of Trick Room. Although it doesn't have the highest offensive stats, it can hit hard when necessary so it isn't dead weight after it sets up Trick Room.
Chandelure
Type: Fire / Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 55 Atk / 90 Def / 145 SpA / 90 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Flame Body / Shadow Tag (Unreleased)
Chandelure is a Pokemon capable of using Trick Room and extremely offensive sets. Choice Scarf sets are quite common, but Trick Room sets work just as well. Chandelure makes good use of a Focus Sash because of its multiple weaknesses to common spread attacks and general frailness. Once Chandelure sets up Trick Room, it can fire off STAB boosted Heat Waves quite easily. Hitmontop makes one of the best partners for Chandelure, giving Fake Out and Wide Guard support, as well as hitting Tyranitar hard.
Whimsicott
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 60 HP / 67 Atk / 85 Def / 77 SpA / 75 SpD / 116 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Infiltrator / Chlorophyll (Unreleased)
Whimsicott may look like the opposite of a good Trick Room user with high speed and relative frailty, but it is more than capable of using a Level 1 set. With Endeavor and Encore, Whimsicott becomes a tough nut to crack in the right hands, but can quickly become dead weight against sandstorm and hail teams, along with being a sitting duck against priority or spread attacks. Support is an absolute must when using Whimsicott.
Gallade
Type: Psychic / Fighting
Base Stats: 68 HP / 125 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Steadfast / Justified
paragraph
Porygon2
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 95 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Trace / Download / Analytic
paragraph
Physical Trick Room attackers
blorp
Rhyperior
Type: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 115 HP / 140 Atk / 130 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightningrod / Solid Rock / Reckless
Rhyperior is the ultimate Rock Slide and Earthquake user in double battles. Dual STAB spread attacks coming off of 140 base Attack and 40 base Speed will tear holes through any team. Telepathy or Levitating Pokemon with Trick Room make the best teammates for Rhyperior. Musharna is an especially good choice. It can use Helping Hand to boost Rhyperior's attacks to even higher levels. Its STAB Psychic can deal heavy damage to Pokemon that give Rhyperior trouble, such as Amoonguss or Hitmontop.
Gigalith
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 85 HP / 135 Atk / 130 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Sand Force (Unreleased)
paragraph
Metagross
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 130 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Clear Body / Light Metal
paragraph
Snorlax
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 160 HP / 110 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Immunity / Thick Fat / Gluttony (Unreleased)
paragraph
Hariyama
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 144 HP / 120 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Guts / Sheer Force
paragraph
Machamp
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 90 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 65 SpA / 85 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Guts / No Guard / Steadfast
paragraph
Scrafty
Type: Dark / Fighting
Base Stats: 65 HP / 90 Atk / 115 Def / 45 SpA / 115 SpD / 58 Spe
Abilities: Shed Skin / Moxie / Intimidate (Unreleased)
paragraph
Escavalier
Type: Steel / Bug
Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat (Unreleased)
It's strange how annoying Cresselia becomes from the transition from singles to doubles. If your Trick Room teams are ever plagued with no answers to Cresselia, look no farther than Escavalier. With a Bug Gem, Escavalier's Megahorn will assuredly OHKO all but the most physically bulky varients of Cresselia (and even they are KOed 80% of the time). With a dismal base speed and gargantuan attack, Escavalier is as good a candidate for Trick Room as they come. Keep in mind that using a Bug Gem does leave Escavalier a sitting duck for Heat Wave and other Fire-type attacks, so make sure your Trick Room team has answers for common users.
Hippowdon
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 112 Atk / 118 Def / 68 SpA / 72 SpD / 47 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Sand Force
paragraph
Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Unnerve
paragraph
Marowak
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 60 HP / 80 Atk / 110 Def / 50 SpA / 80 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Lightningrod / Battle Armor (Unreleased)
paragraph
Conkeldurr
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 105 HP / 140 Atk / 95 Def / 55 SpA / 65 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron Fist (Unreleased)
Conkeldurr faces stiff competition from Hariyama for a slot on a Trick Room team, but it has quite a few things to set it apart. Though it may lack the utility of Fake Out and the raw power of Close Combat, Conkeldurr makes up for it with sky high attack and Mach Punch. With Mach Punch at the ready, Conkeldurr works well in and out of Trick Room, slaughtering opponents like Abomasnow and Terrakion. Drain Punch is also very useful for recovering off the damage a burn from a Flame Orb will inflict and means Conkeldurr will be sticking around for much longer than Hariyama.
Ferrothorn
Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Iron Barbs
paragraph
Lickilicky
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 110 HP / 85 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA / 95 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Oblivious / Cloud Nine
Lickilicky brings a lot to the table; good stats all around with a low speed to abuse Trick Room, some of the weirdest coverage options around, a stellar anti-weather ability, and the only STAB Explosion in the game worth using. Though it doesn't dish out and take hits as well as other Pokemon, it's still an option to consider if you need a bit of extra defense against weather. Imagining Lickilicky's innards being thrown around to KO the opponent is also a funny idea to think about whenever you command it to explode.
Scizor
Type: Steel / Bug
Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 110 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
paragraph
Swampert
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 100 HP / 110 Atk / 90 Def / 85 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Damp
paragraph
Hitmontop
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Technician / Steadfast
paragraph
Rampardos
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 95 HP / 165 Atk / 60 Def / 95 SpA / 50 SpD / 58 Spe
Abilities: Mold Breaker / Sheer Force (Unreleased)
165 Base Attack. Good lord. Despite his below average defenses and weaknesses to spread moves, Rampardos is a decent option for a Trick Room abuser. STAB Rock Slides are always great to have and Rampardos is the proud holder of the most powerful in the game. Head Smash is also fearsome on Rampardos, although it means you can't run a Focus Sash effectively to patch up those dreadful defenses. On top of that, Rampardos also has access to Earthquake and the elemental punches for coverage. Though you may be hard pressed to cushion all the super effective attacks aimed at Rampardos, the damage you'll be outputting is absolutely insane.
Druddigon
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 77 HP /120 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpA / 90 SpD / 48 Spe
Abilities: Rough Skin / Sheer Force / Mold Breaker (Unreleased)
paragraph
Ursaring
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 90 HP / 130 Atk / 75 Def / 75 SpA / 75 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Quick Feet / Unnerve
Hell hath no fury like an Ursaring set ablaze by its Flame Orb. 130 base Attack is fearsome on its own, but factor in a Guts boost and a 140 base power Facade and you're dealing with a force to be reckoned with. Pokemon that resist or are immune to Facade are still at risk thanks to Close Combat crushing Steel and Rock-types and Crunch smashing any Ghost-types that dare stand in your way. However, Ursaring isn't without its downsides. 90/75/75 defenses might sound solid, but Ursaring is hit for neutral damage by every spread move in the book. Worse yet, Ursaring's Flame Orb will put a timer on how long he can stay in play and can easily put Ursaring into KO range for a large number of attacks. Even with all these faults, don't dismiss Ursaring. All it takes is a turn for Flame Orb and Trick Room to activate for Ursaring to start crushing villages.
Special Trick Room attackers
Eelektross
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 85 HP / 115 Atk / 80 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
paragraph
Abomasnow
Type: Ice / Grass
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Snow Warning / Sound Proof (Unreleased)
paragraph
Gastrodon
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Abilities: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Find your Trick Room team struggling against Rain? Gastrodon is a solid option to help slow down their torrential offense. With Storm Drain, every Surf your opponent uses will be powering up the little sea slug, allowing him to net a surprising number of KOs. As long is Gastrodon is in play, your opponent's Rain team will usually be resorting to single target attacks to knock out Gastrodon, cushioning the rest of the team from harsh Water-type blows.
Glaceon
Type: Ice
Base Stats: 65 HP / 60 Atk / 110 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Snow Cloak / Ice Body
paragraph
Ninetales
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 73 HP / 76 Atk / 75 Def / 81 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Drought
paragraph
Politoed
Type: Water
Base Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
paragraph
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Flame Body (Unreleased)
It's often forgotten that Heatran has access to the insanely powerful Eruption through an event move. The only reason you don't see Choice Scarf Heatrans running around OU is the nature restriction that comes with the event, Quiet only. In a Trick Room team, that's no problem at all. Though Heatran doesn't have the ability to support its Trick Room using partner very well, once it's under Trick Room it's going to be melting the face off of everything that isn't immune to Fire. With Eruptions running off of Base 130 Special Attack with Heat Wave for later on in the match, Heatran is definitely a strong contender for any Trick Room team that needs to deal damage fast and hard.
Octillery
Type: Water
Base Stats: 75 HP / 105 Atk / 75 Def / 105 SpA / 75 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Suction Cups / Sniper / Moody
Octillery is the proud holder of the most powerful Water Spout in the ruleset. The only downside (and a major one at that) is how dreadfully slow Octillery is, making it very difficult to pull of a Water Spout without losing HP first. With the aid of Trick Room and Octillery's Base 45 speed, Octillery will be outspeeding a majority of your foes and firing off high power Water Spouts. Anything that doesn't resist Water will be hit hard, especially if you throw a Water Gem or Helping Hand into the mix. Water Spout isn't all Octillery has to gloat about though, as it has a movepool that even gives Clefable a run for its money. With options like Flamethrower, Rock Blast, and Bullet Seed, Octillery can usually find a way to punch through anything that resists Water-type attacks. It's abilities aren't the finest in the world with the wildly unpredictable Moody and the near useless Suction Cups, but Sniper will obliterate anything if Octillery is lucky enough to score a critical hit.
Exeggutor
Type: Grass / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 95 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 65 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Harvest
paragraph
Vaporeon
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Hydration
Support Pokemon
blorp
Smeargle
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
paragraph
Amoonguss
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Regenerator (Unreleased)
Amoonguss serves its role as a Trick Room supporter excellently. With Rage Powder and great bulk, it can distract attacks away from the Trick Room setter, leaving an open opportunity to switch the game to your advantage. Once Trick Room is up, Amoonguss can really shine with Spore. With no Sleep Clause in VGC 2012, a 100% accurate sleep move is nothing to scoff at. In Trick Room, Amoonguss spreads sleep around like a monster, which can make it incredibly dangerous to play against. On top of this, it often carries Giga Drain to gain back more HP, making it even harder to kill.
Parasect
Type: Grass / Bug
Base Stats: 60 HP / 95 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Dry Skin / Damp
Parasect works almost exactly like Amoonguss, but trades more bulk and better defensive typing for a better offensive movepool and a stellar ability in the form of Dry Skin. With Dry Skin, Parasect is the perfect partner for Trick Room abusers who love throwing around Surf all day long. Notable partners include Slowking and Slowbro who can set up Trick Room on their own or Politoed if using a team that focuses on both rain and Trick Room.
Togekiss
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
Togekiss is an annoyance everyone should be prepared for. Not only does it possess Follow Me, but it also has Air Slash and Serene Grace, which gives Air Slash a 60% chance to flinch. An 80 base Speed is a bit disappointing, and Togekiss can't redirect spread moves such as Rock Slide and Blizzard, along with being hit super effectively by said moves. However, if you have even an ounce of luck, Togekiss can avoid said moves by simply flinching the offender, providing it's capable of outspeeding the opponent (either inside or out of Trick Room). It can even opt to go on the offensive with a staggering 120 base Special Attack combined with its good offensive movepool, which includes Heat Wave, Aura Sphere, Grass Knot and other interesting options.
Murkrow
Type: Dark / Flying
Base Stats: 60 HP / 85 Atk / 42 Def / 85 SpA / 42 SpD / 91 Spe
Abilities: Insomnia / Super Luck / Prankster
paragraph
Sableye
Type: Dark / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Stall / Prankster
paragraph
Threats to Trick Room(Written by lucariojr)
Obvious checks to Trick Room are those that simply prevent it from being used. Spore, Taunt, Fake Out and Swagger are by far the most common, but with supporters such as Amoonguss, Togekiss and Smeargle running around, such moves can be rendered useless in a heartbeat. Dragon Tail, Roar, Whirlwind and Circle Throw have slightly higher priority than Trick Room, but are rare sights because of the lack of entry hazards to abuse and make you more susceptible to Spore and similar moves, not to mention the Trick Room user can simply switch back in if you give it a chance. The most specific (and perhaps most effective) way to check Trick Room is carrying a Trick Room user yourself, which in and of itself is a task that requires a Pokemon similar to what you'd use in a pure Trick Room.
If you're absolutely desperate for a way to deal with Trick Room, you can consider Protecting both of your Pokemon every other turn or simply accept the fact that you're not going to move first. Along with making sure you don't have a team full of frail speedsters, consider adding bulkier attackers such as Tyranitar, Heatran and Metagross as well as Pokemon that utilize priority moves such as Hitmontop, Sableye and Scizor.
Sample Teams
team a
team b
team c
Conclusion
(To be written by Biosci)