- 198
- Posts
- 14
- Years
- Seen Jul 7, 2016
Hello everyone! :D I'm just looking for help to improve on what has been a relatively successful VGC team I've been piloting for the past few weeks, going 3rd in a local VGC tournament (out of 16 total players) and going 3/2/1 on a 6-game Swiss-format Regional Qualifiers lately (unfortunately not Top Cut material, but it was my first ever tournament). The team is centered around a rarely-used move called Gravity, which (1) makes Ground-type moves like Earthquake hit Flying-types, (2) disables Air Balloon and some moves' effects, and (3) lowers all Pokemon's evasion by 66.6% (which makes moves 1.66x more accurate). The surprise factor of this strategy took lots of Game 1s, and is pretty sustainable even in Games 2 and 3. I feel it can still improve though, and I need help in finding what can put it over the top. So now, on to the team:
Sableye @ Mental Herb
Calm
Prankster
252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
- Gravity
- Will o Wisp
- Taunt
- Rain Dance
One of the Gravity setters of the team, Sableye basically has a single purpose in the team: set up and die. Once the field has been set up with Gravity (which is really easy to do because of Prankster), it basically just spreads status and screws over other Pokemon in the field until it dies. Will o Wisp takes care of physical attackers, Taunt manages other set up Pokemon (especially Trick Room) and Rain Dance screws over sun teams, surprising them and forcing Charizard-Y to switch out, which is an advantage to my team. Basically it acts as a pseudo-Follow Me, with the opponent having to commit turns to taking it out, while I get a safe switch in to my other sweepers when it goes down. Mental Herb makes sure that it takes two turns for a Thundurus or other Taunters to screw around with my Sableye, which by then would have been taken care of by my other Gravity abusers.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Clear Body
Jolly
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Gravity
- Protect
Another one of my Gravity setters (albeit a less reliable but bulky one), Mega Metagross also takes advantage of Gravity, allowing it to spam Earthquakes without fear of Flying-types, or making sure Meteor Mash doesn't become Meteor Miss in inopportune moments. I usually lead with Metagross when I know that the opponent has Intimidate support, and if the opponent expects a Sucker Punch, I can usually just set up Gravity and burn the Sucker Puncher with Will o Wisp, crippling them and making Metagross' attacks a bit safer.
Landorus-Therian @ Lum Berry
Jolly
Intimidate
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Hammer Arm
- Protect
Landorus is the best hole-puncher in the team, able to take out various Pokemon with nuclear Earthquakes even without set-up. It loses its Ground immunity once Gravity is set up, but the sheer power of STAB Earthquakes on 145 Base Attack is too wonderful to pass up. The other two attacks are for coverage, Rock Slide to deal with Flying-types if Gravity isn't set up, and Hammer Arm for Mega- Kangaskhan, which becomes very dangerous for the team if not dealt with quickly. I put Lum Berry instead of a power-boosting item because I needed a lead that can take Will o Wisps and/or Dark Voids without fear, while being able to dish out punishment despite their presence.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Naive
Protean
20 Atk/232 SpA/252 Spd
- Blizzard
- Gunk Shot
- Scald
- Protect
Blizzards under Gravity hit 100% of the time, and with Life Orb Greninja, I get the best mix of strong and fast Blizzards to abuse under Gravity. It's amazing how much damage STAB Blizzards deal, only a bit less stronger than Ice Beam, but for two Pokemon. Anything that is weak to Ice is instantly put in a timer, and with Greninja's blazing speed, only scarfed Pokemon and priority can reliably deal with it. Gunk Shot is for Fairy coverage, with Greninja's EVs giving it enough power to OHKO max HP, max Atk Azumarill, and Scald is for a 100% accurate attack without Gravity that also serves both as strong utility.
Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf
Timid
Telepathy
20 Def/252 SpA/232 Spd
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
Gardevoir serves as my sniper and cleaner, putting away threats that were able to survive the strong Ground/Ice spread moves from my main swepeers. Choice Scarf allows it pick off weakened Pokemon, with EVs made to specfically outspeed positive-natured Scarfed Smeargle. I was going to go with Trace, but Telepathy is infinitely better for my team because allows my Gardevoir to not get hit by my Earthquake spamming from Landorus and Metagross. The moves just round out for STAB (Moonblast and Psyshock) and good neutral coverage (Shadow Ball and Focus Blast), with Focus Blast getting a nice bonus of 100% accuracy under Gravity, making it a reliable move to go to if the opponent no longer has Ghost-types.
Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Brave
Iron Barbs
252 HP/140 Atk/116 SpD
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Protect
This guy has won me a few battles by its sheer bulk, but I honestly feel that it was sort of a bail out for my team. However, it does what it has to do well: check Rain and Trick Room teams. Power Whip and Leech Seed get 100% accuracy under Gravity, which allows Ferrothorn to use its STAB reliably for the former, and win stall wars with the latter, while Thunder Wave keeps fast threats in check. I was debating whether to get Leftovers or Rocky Helmet was the better item, and still I am undecided, but it was funny seeing Mega-Kangaskhan using Fake Out on my Ferrothorn switch-in and losing half its HP without me attacking.
The best part of this team is its surprise factor; people don't EV their Charizards and Rotoms to survive Earthquakes. Talonflame is surprisingly easy to take down, with Landorus limiting its Brave Bird and usually killing it with a single Earthquake. I was afraid Gravity would backfire on me even if I minimized Ground weaknesses (only Metagross is weak to Ground), but people aren't ready for it, so usually they just use Earthquake when they have a Thundurus, Charizard , Zapdos or Rotom with them, then they get surprised when their own Pokemon start eating their teammate's own Earthquake. I would imagine it would face many problems, but after rounds in Battle Spot and with my various local matches, I found out that this team has two big weakness: Tailwind (or probably because I don't know which Tailwind setters to Taunt) and Ludicolo, which gets faster than Greninja under Rain (rendering its Gunk Shot useless), resists both Ground and Ice, and being a bulky mofo in general. It also encounters problems with bulky Grass-types, so maybe a Fire or Flying coverage attack would help me. I'm really happy how this team is performing, but I believe it can still improve on paper, while my piloting skills polish as well. Any help is appreciated! :D
Sableye @ Mental Herb
Calm
Prankster
252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
- Gravity
- Will o Wisp
- Taunt
- Rain Dance
One of the Gravity setters of the team, Sableye basically has a single purpose in the team: set up and die. Once the field has been set up with Gravity (which is really easy to do because of Prankster), it basically just spreads status and screws over other Pokemon in the field until it dies. Will o Wisp takes care of physical attackers, Taunt manages other set up Pokemon (especially Trick Room) and Rain Dance screws over sun teams, surprising them and forcing Charizard-Y to switch out, which is an advantage to my team. Basically it acts as a pseudo-Follow Me, with the opponent having to commit turns to taking it out, while I get a safe switch in to my other sweepers when it goes down. Mental Herb makes sure that it takes two turns for a Thundurus or other Taunters to screw around with my Sableye, which by then would have been taken care of by my other Gravity abusers.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Clear Body
Jolly
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Gravity
- Protect
Another one of my Gravity setters (albeit a less reliable but bulky one), Mega Metagross also takes advantage of Gravity, allowing it to spam Earthquakes without fear of Flying-types, or making sure Meteor Mash doesn't become Meteor Miss in inopportune moments. I usually lead with Metagross when I know that the opponent has Intimidate support, and if the opponent expects a Sucker Punch, I can usually just set up Gravity and burn the Sucker Puncher with Will o Wisp, crippling them and making Metagross' attacks a bit safer.
Landorus-Therian @ Lum Berry
Jolly
Intimidate
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Hammer Arm
- Protect
Landorus is the best hole-puncher in the team, able to take out various Pokemon with nuclear Earthquakes even without set-up. It loses its Ground immunity once Gravity is set up, but the sheer power of STAB Earthquakes on 145 Base Attack is too wonderful to pass up. The other two attacks are for coverage, Rock Slide to deal with Flying-types if Gravity isn't set up, and Hammer Arm for Mega- Kangaskhan, which becomes very dangerous for the team if not dealt with quickly. I put Lum Berry instead of a power-boosting item because I needed a lead that can take Will o Wisps and/or Dark Voids without fear, while being able to dish out punishment despite their presence.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Naive
Protean
20 Atk/232 SpA/252 Spd
- Blizzard
- Gunk Shot
- Scald
- Protect
Blizzards under Gravity hit 100% of the time, and with Life Orb Greninja, I get the best mix of strong and fast Blizzards to abuse under Gravity. It's amazing how much damage STAB Blizzards deal, only a bit less stronger than Ice Beam, but for two Pokemon. Anything that is weak to Ice is instantly put in a timer, and with Greninja's blazing speed, only scarfed Pokemon and priority can reliably deal with it. Gunk Shot is for Fairy coverage, with Greninja's EVs giving it enough power to OHKO max HP, max Atk Azumarill, and Scald is for a 100% accurate attack without Gravity that also serves both as strong utility.
Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf
Timid
Telepathy
20 Def/252 SpA/232 Spd
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
Gardevoir serves as my sniper and cleaner, putting away threats that were able to survive the strong Ground/Ice spread moves from my main swepeers. Choice Scarf allows it pick off weakened Pokemon, with EVs made to specfically outspeed positive-natured Scarfed Smeargle. I was going to go with Trace, but Telepathy is infinitely better for my team because allows my Gardevoir to not get hit by my Earthquake spamming from Landorus and Metagross. The moves just round out for STAB (Moonblast and Psyshock) and good neutral coverage (Shadow Ball and Focus Blast), with Focus Blast getting a nice bonus of 100% accuracy under Gravity, making it a reliable move to go to if the opponent no longer has Ghost-types.
Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Brave
Iron Barbs
252 HP/140 Atk/116 SpD
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Protect
This guy has won me a few battles by its sheer bulk, but I honestly feel that it was sort of a bail out for my team. However, it does what it has to do well: check Rain and Trick Room teams. Power Whip and Leech Seed get 100% accuracy under Gravity, which allows Ferrothorn to use its STAB reliably for the former, and win stall wars with the latter, while Thunder Wave keeps fast threats in check. I was debating whether to get Leftovers or Rocky Helmet was the better item, and still I am undecided, but it was funny seeing Mega-Kangaskhan using Fake Out on my Ferrothorn switch-in and losing half its HP without me attacking.
The best part of this team is its surprise factor; people don't EV their Charizards and Rotoms to survive Earthquakes. Talonflame is surprisingly easy to take down, with Landorus limiting its Brave Bird and usually killing it with a single Earthquake. I was afraid Gravity would backfire on me even if I minimized Ground weaknesses (only Metagross is weak to Ground), but people aren't ready for it, so usually they just use Earthquake when they have a Thundurus, Charizard , Zapdos or Rotom with them, then they get surprised when their own Pokemon start eating their teammate's own Earthquake. I would imagine it would face many problems, but after rounds in Battle Spot and with my various local matches, I found out that this team has two big weakness: Tailwind (or probably because I don't know which Tailwind setters to Taunt) and Ludicolo, which gets faster than Greninja under Rain (rendering its Gunk Shot useless), resists both Ground and Ice, and being a bulky mofo in general. It also encounters problems with bulky Grass-types, so maybe a Fire or Flying coverage attack would help me. I'm really happy how this team is performing, but I believe it can still improve on paper, while my piloting skills polish as well. Any help is appreciated! :D
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