Last month's blog was deleted since the rules changed to bring6pick4. I took the time to pair each usable Pokemon into a certain category. Since Tailwind and Trick Room are the main strategies used, I will group Pokemon into these categories, and some can be in both since they have that low mediocre speed, with high offense. There are also certain Pokemon that work well on any team, but are mainly filler. Some are more filler than others, and all Pokemon are at least slightly filler, since you can pick 4 out of the 6 Pokemon in a party.
There are only 152 Pokemon to choose from, most of these being first or 2nd stage Pokemon. Only 65 Pokemon are either 3rd stage, or only have one stage, such as Tabunne (not including Pokemon like Genosekuto which are banned from VGC). Since a lot of Pokemon don't have great synergy with one another, since all the unique typings and a lot of the duel typings were not put into 5th gen' Pokemon. We end up with a lot of filler Pokemon as a result, since we don't not have Pokemon that can 4x resist a lot of attacks or have good offensive abilities.
Some may say this VGC season requires less team-building. I don't quite see it that way. Items are fixed to each pokemon and you have to pick a party of 6 the opponent sees beforehand, and everyone has to learn to make a team that has a variety of offensive Pokemon or defensive Pokemon that works well versus the foe's six, because who knows what they will choose. Pokemon this generation seem a lot more balanced, but in turn it makes themed teams not do as well. Themed teams are meant to be a lot better in a particular weather or strategy. The only themes this generation has is really just moves that raise one's own speed. First, I will list all the categories of either Trick Room or Tailwind Pokemon, and whether they set up those moves or not.
Trick Room
Abagoora
Baffuron
Burungeru
Daikenki
Desukan - Sets up Trick Room
Gigaisu
Goruggo
Iwasiperu
Karimugan
Morobareru
Mushaana - Sets up Trick Room
Roobushin
Shanderaa - Could set up Trick Room
Shubargo
Tabunne - Sets up Trick Room
Zuruzurkin
Tailwind
Baffuron
Bajiiron - Sets up Tailwind
Borutorenosu
Burungeru
Doryuuzu
Erufuun - Sets up Tailwind
Goruggo
Hihidaruma
Iwasiperu
Morobareru
Ononokusu
Randorosu
Roobushin
Sazandora
Shanderaa
Terakion
Torenlos - Sets up Tailwind
Urugamosu
Now we are onto the dilemma of which 6 to pick in a team. The most important priority is first of all is to get a themed move set up no matter which Pokemon or moves the foe might use. So it would be a good idea to use two Pokemon that are holding Trick Room, if that is the theme, but in the case of Tailwind, since all the Pokemon that learn Tailwind lack variety, it would not be a good idea to have two Tailwinders. If a 2nd Pokemon has a move to set something up, it should not be used, for a few reasons. All the Tailwinders have similar move-pools and typing, and have not much to offer to the team, no variety. Many Pokemon learn Trick Room. Offensive Pokemon such as Shanderaa can be used either primarily for Trick Room, or as a backup.
Another consideration is about which items to assign to each Pokemon. Remember, items cannot be switched around this year, so picking items will be more difficult. It won't just be 6 good items that work on almost every Pokemon somewhat well. There are some restraints that make picking items more difficult. Item clause may be a burden, but it adds to the originality of a team, and gives educated battlers a greater advantage over someone who doesn't put any thought into picking items that will work in a variety of different situations. Pick items that do a similar function as other moves, if two of the same item is needed. There are many ways to solve this problem. If an approximate 30% boost is needed on one move in order to one hit kill a certain Pokemon, then one can always put a Jewel on that Pokemon in order to boost that move 50%, but since it boosts by 50%, this means less EVs in that stat are needed in order to have the same power.
Here is an example of how a Jewel can be used instead of Life Orb:
Sazandora (M) @ Dragon Jewel
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 80 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Draco Meteor
- Crunch
- Protect
- Rock Slide
With less Sp Atk, Sazandora can still one hit kill what it needs to kill with Dragon Jewel. And Evs are put into Atk, because then it basically spreads out the effect of Dragon Jewel into essentially a Life Orb, since we are not maxing Atk or Sp Atk whenever Life Orb is used.
This is another team, except this one demonstrates how to use Trick Room this time:
Shandera (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Heat Wave
- Protect
- Trick Room
Morobareru (M) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Anger Powder
- Spore
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
Mushaana (M) @ Sitrus Berry
Trait: Telepathy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Psychic
- Trick Room
- Helping Hand
- Light Screen
Crustle (M) @ Rock Gem
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Rock Slide
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
Burungeru (M) @ Water Jewel
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Water Spout
- Shadow Ball
- Protect
- Ice Beam
Shubarugo (M) @ Bug Jewel
Trait: Swarm
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Iron Head
- Megahorn
- Protect
- Substitute
Mental Herb is used on Morobareru for a reason. It is normally a lead, and always is a lead if the opponent has a Pokemon who commonly carries Taunt. It isn't just for an obvious Spore, even though that is a big benefit of it. But Anger Powder misdirects Taunt to Morobareru and then my Shanderaa doesn't need to carry Mental Herb. Mental Herb doesn't need to be on Morobareru, however. It can be used either just on Shanderaa, or Desukan would be the ideal user of it, because of the bulk and likeliness of the foe to Taunt it. Another benefit from the team, is that I can Spore second turn, after TR is set up, so I outspeed. Notice how I have a backup Trick Roomer that can do more than just Trick Room, but can really help the team as well.
And now for the last kind of team, basically the two before were Tailwind or Trick room, and the only other team left to use is one that somehow beats Trick Room or Tailwind, or prevents the foe from setting it up. One way to do this is Imprison Trick Room. Shanderaa is very good at this, and works well even without this strategy. Imprison TR prevents the foe from Trick Rooming, and it also gives you the option to Trick Room if the foe uses Tailwind. This can be even used as filler, but the preferred way to use it, is to use it with a team that has really fast Pokemon. This way, you will outspeed the foes even without a theme; this strategy is basically an anti-meta that works somewhat reliably.
Thanks for reading this month's edition of DeagleBeagle's Blog. I am running low on requests to cover the following months, so if anyone has requests, please contact me and I will be glad to talk about them in one of the up-coming months.
