VGC 2011 - A 2025 Perspective (LADDER TOP 20 USAGE POSTED)

MosquitoVGC

MosquitoVGC

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Introduction
Hello everyone! My name is Kristian Mosquito. I competed in the Seniors Division of the 2011 VGC circuit, ranking 5th Place at the 2011 US National Championships and competing in the 2011 World Championships. I would like to share my perspective on VGC 2011, why I have considered it the least-competitive format in VGC history, what makes it exciting, and why I have hope that this month’s VGC 2011 Ruins of Alph (RoA) ladder shows promise to change my opinion.

Mechanics Differences
As a Generation V format, VGC 2011 shares the same mechanics differences from Regulation I as VGC 2013. Notable changes:
  • Critical hit rate is 1/16; they deal x2 damage
  • Dynamic speed doesn’t exist; speed order is determined at the beginning of turn, which means the effects of Tailwind, paralysis, etc, don’t take effect until the following turn (except: Quash)
  • Electric-types and Grass-types do not have immunity to paralysis/powder moves respectively
  • Dark-types are not immune to Prankster status moves
  • Gems exist, and they boost damage by x1.5
  • Steel resists Dark and Ghost
  • Existence of Hidden Power
  • Other changes in accuracy, effects, etc. for many moves

Rules
  • Standard VGC Rules
    • Double Battles
    • Bring 6, choose 4
    • Team Preview
    • Species Clause
    • Item Clause
  • VGC 2011 Specifics
    • Only Pokémon in the Unova Dex are permitted
    • Victini, Zekrom, Reshiram, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect are banned
    • Sky Drop is banned
    • Played on Black/White assuming it’s the year 2011
      • Therian formes do not exist
      • Liechi, Ganlon, Salac, Petaya, Apicot, Micle, Custap, Jaboca, and Rowap Berries are unavailable
      • B2W2 move tutor moves are unavailable
      • Certain event moves (Present Audino) are unavailable
      • Snarl is unavailable
      • Hidden Abilities are unavailable for all species besides Musharna and Darmanitan

Format Centralization
VGC 2011 is the most overcentralized format in VGC history. Since it only permits Unova Pokémon, there are only 149 legal species to use. Only counting fully-evolved Pokémon, this drops to 75 species. Without Hidden Abilities and B2W2 tutor moves, many Pokémon have limited tools and aren’t viable for competitive play.

While the Unova Dex has a sufficient variety of Pokémon types, the low diversity of roles (including the absence of weather-setting abilities and low distribution of Icy Wind) centralizes the format around select high-power species. Battles often become beatdown brawls with limited defensive or status options.

What makes this format exciting (and less competitive) is the high reliance on luck. The top three Pokémon often run max speed and (with gems for two of them) can OHKO themselves. Terrakion outruns most Pokémon and is incentivized to click a medium power STAB Rock Slide, which threatens flinches most turns. Add in Thunder Wave and Swagger, and battles will often be determined by speedties and probability rolls.

Metagame Overview
This is my preliminary tier list for the format. It is based on my experience playing in 2011, tournament results from 2011, and my personal judgment in 2025 honed by 14 additional years of VGC competition. I expect some placements to slightly change by the end of this month’s ladder, but the overall list should stay consistent. Pokémon are ordered within tiers by descending BST.
Mosquito VGC 2011 Tierlist v1.0.png

Thundurus, Tornadus, Terrakion (TTT)
These are the three strongest Pokémon in the format. All three have exceptionally high stats for the format and excellent STAB damage output. The Forces of Nature have additional utility from Prankster, while Terrakion strikes fear with Rock Slide flinches and the threat of Beat Up + Justified when paired with Whimsicott. Barring unique teambuilding intentions, every team in the format should use these three Pokémon. Doing without them is a huge opportunity cost.

Generalist Attackers
Krookodile is highly-valued for its Electric-immunity, status as only good Intimidate user, and STAB spread damage. Hydreigon and Haxorus have an easier time attacking due to the scarcity of Steel-types and Ice-types. Chandelure and Jellicent have Fake Out immunity, spread special damage, and the option to use Trick Room or Choice Scarf. Scrafty is the best Fake Out user and has excellent typing to deal super-effective STAB damage to top threats. Landorus, Eelektross, and Conkeldurr are less common but still threaten solid damage and excellent bulk.

Utility
Amoonguss and Volcarona are the only two redirectors in the format; the former threatens Spore and the latter can OHKO with Fire Gem Overheat or opt for Quiver Dance set-up. Whimsicott outruns the Forces of Nature and threatens a plethora of Prankster-boosted status moves such as Encore, Safeguard, Taunt, and Light Screen, as well as the option for Beat Up + Justified Terrakion (TerraCotta). Ferrothorn threatens a defensive checkmate with Leech Seed, but suffers from the high number of Fighting-types.

Hard Trick Room
Trick Room provides counterplay to the high base speeds of TTT and slows down games with high bulk Pokémon. Reuniclus offers high single-target Life-Orb Magic Guard damage. Musharna can exploit Telepathy to pair with Earthquake, Discharge, or Surf. Cofagrigus has Fake Out immunity and access to the rare Will-O-Wisp. Escavalier has exceptionally good typing for the format paired with high physical damage output.

Niches
Many Pokémon do not have the versatility or stats to be featured on most teams, but they have enough tools to win some games and be a threat. These include Final Gambit Accelgor, rain sweeper Seismitoad, and Zoroark mindgames. Niche Pokémon should see experimentation. Many of them have won Regional Championships or placed well at Worlds. They may see success on ladder.

History vs. Modernity
In 2010, TPC announced that the 2011 circuit would only permit Unova Pokémon. For months, both Japanese and Western players designed teams in-spite of the fact that Black/White were only available in Japanese until March. Players had a good understanding of the strengths of the various Pokémon in the format. Namely, weather looked underwhelming, and most teams would be some form of Tailwind or Trick Room.

Official tournaments were scheduled for the spring and summer. Tragically, the 2011 Touhoku earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan. The Japanese circuit was cancelled, leaving the US and European circuits as the only official tournaments (there was also an unofficial circuit in Australia). At US and European Regionals and Nationals, tournaments were dominated by GoodStuffs teams using basic EV spreads, Tailwind Tornadus, and occasionally Trick Room options. Wolfe Glick was the notable exception who saw continuous success with a hard Trick Room team.

The 2011 World Championships saw a paradigm shift when Ray Rizzo won with a rarely-used set: bulky Thunder Wave Thundurus. His use of this Thundurus fundamentally defined Generation 5 VGC, as it would become a top tier threat in 2012 and 2013.

We were bad in 2011, especially compared to modern standards. The skill floor was significantly lower and the VGC circuit was in its infancy and very casual, as such so were our teams and play. In 2025, players now have access to much better teambuilding theory. Swagger Thundurus, unseen in 2011, is now known to be a genuine threat. Bulky teams are respected more than in 2011, and players understand how to craft better EV spreads.

In January, the RoA VGC 2013 ladder was initially filled with Swagger Thundurus and Thunder Wave + Rock Slide spam. Better players adapted around this and innovated to improve their win rates in spite of initial volatility. I believe the VGC 2011 ladder will see the same cycle of early volatility followed by skilled adaptation.

I have hope that our modern understanding of teambuilding can mitigate the offensive nature of battles seen in the year 2011. The limited options in the format can lead to a high level of optimization, and as such using anti-metagame Pokémon and techs can be much more rewarding.

Conclusion
VGC 2011 is a volatile, centralized format that may amuse or disappoint modern VGC players. These two factors make it less competitive but enable excitement and challenge. This format has much room for growth, and it’s best seen as a format to be played on occasion for fun instead of a place for devotion. As my first successful year of VGC, I have some nostalgia for 2011, and I’m excited to play on ladder this month!

A special thank you to the Pokétopia server for keeping DS-era VGC formats active, to Kenan Nerad (Lucien Lachance, 2011 Dallas Regional Senior Champion) for editing this post, and to Phillip Codio for being my partner-in-crime in the 2011 circuit.

Sample Teams
Compiled by Zubola
Zubola

Thread 'VGC 2011 Sample Teams'

This thread aims to give players more teams to play in VGC 2011, the Ruins of Alph Community Choice Ladder for April 2025.
Big thank you to everyone who allowed me to post their team!

Basic Neutral Damage v1.0 - by MosquitoVGC
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https://pokepast.es/6d556e9870ee8aa0

ScarfDrei...
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Thank you for the succinct writeup and preview, Kristian.

I would like to reiterate that most people incorrectly think of 2011 as being a format dominated by the same small handful of pokemon. (I've seen several people who didn't play the format natively say that only ten pokemon are even viable, which is outlandishly reductive). Take one look at successful regional, national, and worlds teams and you'll see just how wrong that perception is. If you still think 2011 is that overly centralized, then it should be very easy to build an anti-meta team. Get creative, be the change you want to see, etc.

Give 2011 an honest try. Allow yourself to enjoy the format. You are going to lose matches to Rock Slide, speed ties, and Thunder Wave. That's not unique to this format by any stretch of the imagination.
 
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Lucien Lachance said:
Thank you for the succinct writeup and preview, Kristian.

I would like to reiterate that most people incorrectly think of 2011 as being a format dominated by the same small handful of pokemon. (I've seen several people who didn't play the format natively say that only ten pokemon are even viable, which is outlandishly reductive). Take one look at successful regional, national, and worlds teams and you'll see just how wrong that perception is. If you still think 2011 is that overly centralized, then it should be very easy to build an anti-meta team. Get creative, be the change you want to see, etc.

Give 2011 an honest try. Allow yourself to enjoy the format. You are going to lose matches to Rock Slide, speed ties, and Thunder Wave. That's not unique to this format by any stretch of the imagination.
Click to expand...

ok nvm it was mostly just genies + fighting-type + rock slide user
:eeveehide:
 
I have almost no experience playing doubles at all, but it's interesting to hear such a storied (old!) player's perspective on the game. Very well written and interesting looking format. The extremely limited number of pokemon in this metagame seems fun and should make it easier to get into, shame that I only saw this post now. Would have loved to try this out.
 
I'll do a little write up/ word vomit. I'm mostly a newer VGC player, but went to this format because Regulation H sucked. I got to number one in the ladder, and dropped to third shortly before it was locked, and enjoyed it all the way. The format is pretty limited in the actual Pokemon that can be used, but the sets and EV spreads are what makes the format interesting. I would say the format is pretty replayable, and while it is a bit of an RNG mess, it still feels like it's manageable with tools like safeguard and substitute. Overall, just playing the format and finding the community behind was a blast, and would definitely do it all over again if I could.
 
Post-Ladder Reflection

While I stand by my original assessment that this format is centralized and not highly competitive, I'm relieved that teambuilding innovations made laddering not as bad as I remembered it being in the year 2011. I had fun playing this format for a month, but I don't want play it for the forseeable future.

Metagame Overview
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In a month of laddering, the most active players realized many of the drawbacks of Pokémon and adopted fairly safe compositions for ladder. I believe the drawbacks of all Pokémon besides Thundurus makes battling in VGC 2011 much less safe than in VGC 2013. Games are decided quicker and there's less balance/pivot opportunities compared to most VGC 2011 formats. It makes almost every Pokémon feel weak at times.

Thundurus
I'm convinced that if you aren't using this Pokémon, your team is already weaker by default. When most of the top Pokémon have weaknesses to STABs of other top Pokémon, Thundurus is relieved that it isn't OHKOed by Rock Slide and doesn't have to often deal with Ice moves. It and Tornadus are blessed by being the fastest good Pokémon in the format. Prankster Thunder Wave gets ridiculous at times, and Prankster Substitute is an easy way to punish misplays.

Tornadus, Terrakion, Krookodile
Tornadus getting speedtied and OHKO by Thundurus, the most common species in the format, makes it difficult to consistently position. In addition, it's susceptible to Intimidate and Charm. Terrakion has the same drawbacks as known prior to this month's ladder, but they were highlighted by Krookodile. Krookodile is the only viable Intimidate user and has the bonus of being immune to Thundurus Thunder Wave. This two factors made it much more popular this month than in the year 2011. Due to Terrakion and Krookodile both having numerous shared weaknesses, they aren't often seen on the same time. As a result, they often fight over the same teamslot, with some players prefering the defensive value of Krookodile, and others preferring the offensive nature of Terrakion. Either way, both have a monumental weakness to Fighting....

Conkeldurr, Hydreigon, Amoonguss
These three have seen success due to high levels of consistency. Pure-Fighting benefits from the lack of good Psychic types and the high number of top Pokémon weak to Fighting; Conkeldurr happens to be the best of them. Hydreigon struggles against Fighting STAB and is outrun by TTT, but it has otherwise excellent resists and deals consistent damage over time. Redirection on a high bulk-Pokémon such as Amoonguss is even more important in VGC 2011 than other formats because of all of the top Pokémon threatening super-effective moves on each other.

Whimsicott
SchrodingerWhimsicott.jpg

I hate facing this prankster on ladder so much. Giga Drain is a surprisingly good STAB due to its damage on Terrakion or Krookodile. Otherwise you have to play moveset roulette against it, and then play mindgames on what move will be used even when you guess the moveset. Meanwhile using Whimsicott yourself is limiting due to four moveslot syndrome. The best way to deal with Whimsicott is to bring your Grass-resists, target down its partner, and hope the surprise status move doesn't happen to counter your leads. Bo1 CTS is a disaster.

B Tiers
Jellicent, Eelektross, Reuniclus, and Chandelure all work as expected pre-ladder. Scrafty feels notably worse now than in the year 2011. Many players opted for Conkeldurr instead due to... a better matchup against Conkeldurr, and the higher popularity of Krookodile (read: Intimidate) punishes the low-Attack Scrafty. Haxorus is much worse now that players intentionally run all-Female teams, and it suffers from immediate Thunder Wave from Thundurus. I think Landorus, Escavalier, and Gothitelle should have seen more experiementation, since all three have consistent typing.

C Tiers
Building around niche Pokémon was one of my favorite parts of ladder. I appreciated trying to make this pieces fit into a rigid metagame. Kenan (Lucien Lachance) would always encourage me to just have fun and not worry so much about ladder. So I did. I lost a lot of ladder rating, but it felt rewarding when a niche Pokémon proved itself. I tried almsot everything, and other top players would occasionally test at least one niche Pokémon as well. I tried Beheeyem to counter early-ladder Turbo Amoonguss, but MORESTATS seems to have succeeded better. Both zubola and I abused lack of Water resists to sweep with Seismitoed. I had a decent win streak with Crustle and Carracosta, which inspired AG to win with Crustle. Radio tested Bisharp, AG tested Volcarona + Mienshao, nerd tested Zebstrika, Kenan tested Vanilluxe and Darmanitan. All of these Pokémon were viable enough to deserve C tier. Meanwhile, Musharna and Cofagrigus did much worse than their year 2011 performance would have predicted. Ferrothorn was actually bad enough to deserve D tier.

Ladder Experience
Ladder went from frustrating to enjoyable to miserable for reasons largely unrelated to the format itself. At the beginning of the month, many new players laddered with sample teams or built their own things. The Rock Slide flinches, speed ties, Swagger confusion hits and Thunder Wave full paralyzes were exactly what I feared for early ladder. We adapted by playing toward consistency, and Zubola, oopsgtg, and I ended up consolidating toward the dominant ladder core of Thundurus/[Rock Slide physical]/Conkeldurr/Hydreigon/[consistent filler]/[Amoonguss counter]. The second week of ladder was exciting when Swagger disappeared and AG began dominating ladder. Serious players were fairly consistent. I ended up trolling to #1 on ladder using triple Swagger, Seismitoed, and double Shell Smash. For a moment, VGC 2011 felt decent.

Then ladder nearly stopped. People got tired or bored of playing ladder. Finding a match could take up to half an hour. I lost at least 5 games due to not matching, forgetting I had Showdown open, then losing due to inactivity. This made it really difficult to have fun. I couldn't test new ideas. I couldn't regain ladder rating after a large losing streak. By the end of the month, my greatest anger was not toward the format; it was the inactivity. This too made me not bother to matchup, which contributed to other people getting less games. Frankly, a ladder isn't good if it's dead. This is a sign VGC 2011 shouldn't have another ladder for a long time, especially when there are many better VGC formats (please bring back 2010!).

Conclusion
I would like to agree with a saying by my friends Arbin and Kenan: "[VGC 2011] is like eating fast food for the first time in a long time. It makes you feel bad if you eat too much, but you cant help sheepishly approaching the drive through." This format is fun to visit on occasion and has . It's exciting to play both for nostalgia and for the . However, it's not a highly competitive format and isn't worth the mental anguish to commit significant time to improve in. If you have the chance to play in a VGC room tour, give it a try! Just remember it's not that serious and then focus on other formats.

Thank you to the members of the Pokétopia Discord server who both helped with brainstorming ladder ideas as well as made a competition out of achieving Top 10. They made the January VGC 2013 ladder enjoyable and made this April's VGC 2011 ladder bearable. I look forward to more VGC formats offered as RoA spotlight ladders!
 
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