Creating Teams
- Thread starter AdrianD
- Start date
First I'll start out with a specific set, core, playstyle, whatever. Next I'll pick Pokemon that synergyze well with what I currently have. For example, if I decide to build a team around rain Volarona, I'd use Politoed to set up the rain. I'd probably use Tentacruel, too because he spins away those pesky rocks that take away half of Volcarona's health, sets up Toxic Spikes to help Volcarona's sweep, benefits from rain with boosted STAB and Rain Dish, and covers some of Volcarona's threats and vice versa.
Then I'd fill the rest of my team with Pokemon that help me counter as many top threats as I can. I'll look at a list of the most used Pokemon in that tier and try pick Pokemon that can at the very least check as many as possible. I typically have the last 2 or 3 spots filled this way.
Finally, I'll work on improving the rough draft. If my team's weak to some commonly used Pokemon, I'll change some team members for something that can at least check the weaknesses. After I think I've got it down for the most part, I'll start playtesting the team and making changes to handle threats I might not have noticed earlier. I'll start asking for outside help to get opinions from other viewpoints from people on PB's IRC or Skype or whatever if I have some kinks to work out still (which is like always for everybody because there's no such thing as a perfect team). I'll probably post a RMT to get further input. This last part about review and updates pretty much never ends until I retire the team due to it being beyond repair, boredom, or being interested in a new set/core/playstyle/etc and then start the process all over again.
Then I'd fill the rest of my team with Pokemon that help me counter as many top threats as I can. I'll look at a list of the most used Pokemon in that tier and try pick Pokemon that can at the very least check as many as possible. I typically have the last 2 or 3 spots filled this way.
Finally, I'll work on improving the rough draft. If my team's weak to some commonly used Pokemon, I'll change some team members for something that can at least check the weaknesses. After I think I've got it down for the most part, I'll start playtesting the team and making changes to handle threats I might not have noticed earlier. I'll start asking for outside help to get opinions from other viewpoints from people on PB's IRC or Skype or whatever if I have some kinks to work out still (which is like always for everybody because there's no such thing as a perfect team). I'll probably post a RMT to get further input. This last part about review and updates pretty much never ends until I retire the team due to it being beyond repair, boredom, or being interested in a new set/core/playstyle/etc and then start the process all over again.
You do realize this is for VGC Cinesra, so spinners are not something you would use on a team. Entry hazards are never used. The big key here is the Pokemon you use have to be able to support each other. Helping Hand can be useful since then you can dish out larger amounts of damage.
You do have to have a strategy in mind. There are multiple strategies one can use. You could use weather, Trick Room, stall, or just big attackers. Two of your six slots should go toward eliminating vulnerabilities the team has. This would be something like a counter for rain if you were using a sun team. Think of it as teching for a team like you tech for a deck in the TCG.
Protect is a staple on VGC teams. It lets you scout out what the opponent will do. At the US VGC Nationals in the Master's Division one player had Metagross use Protect while the other player had a Misdreavus on the field with another Pokemon ( I believe it was Abomasnow ). It did that because Misdreavus is not something you see normally in the VGC format. This allowed him to discover that Misdreavus had Will-O-Wisp so he switched out Metagross for Ludicolo since burning it would not bother it much.
Fake Out is another common move in VGC. You do that to an opposing Pokemon that is faster that your other Pokemon can take out. This lets you get a free KO against their team. It also breaks Focus Sash, although that isn't too common. It also works if one Pokemon they have is a threat and you need two turns to KO it instead of being able to do it in one.
Rage Powder and Follow Me are two other moves that require specific attention. These moves make it so your opponent's moves will target the Pokemon that used Rage Powder / Follow Me. This is important if you need to KO or cripple one of their Pokemon and don't want that Pokemon getting KO'd before it can do so. The move does nothing if the foe uses a move that targets both of your Pokemon such as Earthquake.
Speaking of Earthquake, teams will often sport attacks that hit multiple targets. Earthquake and Surf hit all targets except the user so you will want to pick your partner Pokemon carefully. It can be taken advantage of if you use Storm Drain Gastrodon and use Surf with your other Pokemon. Rock Slide and Blizzard strike both foes. This makes them great for weakening the opponent. Rock Slide has a chance of causing flinch while Blizzard can sometimes cause a freeze. Do note that all moves that hit more than one target are subject to a 2 vs 2 penalty in the damage formula. Similarly Light Screen and Reflect don't reduce by half, it is by less in doubles.
You do have to have a strategy in mind. There are multiple strategies one can use. You could use weather, Trick Room, stall, or just big attackers. Two of your six slots should go toward eliminating vulnerabilities the team has. This would be something like a counter for rain if you were using a sun team. Think of it as teching for a team like you tech for a deck in the TCG.
Protect is a staple on VGC teams. It lets you scout out what the opponent will do. At the US VGC Nationals in the Master's Division one player had Metagross use Protect while the other player had a Misdreavus on the field with another Pokemon ( I believe it was Abomasnow ). It did that because Misdreavus is not something you see normally in the VGC format. This allowed him to discover that Misdreavus had Will-O-Wisp so he switched out Metagross for Ludicolo since burning it would not bother it much.
Fake Out is another common move in VGC. You do that to an opposing Pokemon that is faster that your other Pokemon can take out. This lets you get a free KO against their team. It also breaks Focus Sash, although that isn't too common. It also works if one Pokemon they have is a threat and you need two turns to KO it instead of being able to do it in one.
Rage Powder and Follow Me are two other moves that require specific attention. These moves make it so your opponent's moves will target the Pokemon that used Rage Powder / Follow Me. This is important if you need to KO or cripple one of their Pokemon and don't want that Pokemon getting KO'd before it can do so. The move does nothing if the foe uses a move that targets both of your Pokemon such as Earthquake.
Speaking of Earthquake, teams will often sport attacks that hit multiple targets. Earthquake and Surf hit all targets except the user so you will want to pick your partner Pokemon carefully. It can be taken advantage of if you use Storm Drain Gastrodon and use Surf with your other Pokemon. Rock Slide and Blizzard strike both foes. This makes them great for weakening the opponent. Rock Slide has a chance of causing flinch while Blizzard can sometimes cause a freeze. Do note that all moves that hit more than one target are subject to a 2 vs 2 penalty in the damage formula. Similarly Light Screen and Reflect don't reduce by half, it is by less in doubles.
For certain weather teams, you have choices on which weather inducer to use.
Sand: Tyranitar, Hippopotas, Hippowdon
Rain: Politoed
Sun: Ninetales, Vulpix
Hail: Abomasnow, Snover
Trick Room teams should have 2 Pokemon with Trick Room, 2 Fast Dragons (Latios, Latias, Hydreigon), and 2 <30 speed sweepers. It is recommended to have one of the Trick Room Pokemon be Cresselia, as it is very bulky and annoying to take down. It can also learn Light Screen/the other move like Light Screen, which are very powerful in Doubles. A great moveset to use for Cresselia is Light Screen/Trick Room/Hidden Power [Fire]/Psychic.
Sand: Tyranitar, Hippopotas, Hippowdon
Rain: Politoed
Sun: Ninetales, Vulpix
Hail: Abomasnow, Snover
Trick Room teams should have 2 Pokemon with Trick Room, 2 Fast Dragons (Latios, Latias, Hydreigon), and 2 <30 speed sweepers. It is recommended to have one of the Trick Room Pokemon be Cresselia, as it is very bulky and annoying to take down. It can also learn Light Screen/the other move like Light Screen, which are very powerful in Doubles. A great moveset to use for Cresselia is Light Screen/Trick Room/Hidden Power [Fire]/Psychic.
I prefer Bold nature for Cresselia, but Calm is also good.
AdrianD said:
okay so hi .. Im new here , and im playing competitive VGC since im 12 yrs old , im 15 now . VGC is such a fast paced game ending only from 6-10 turns . I build my team about a Conkeldurr . A very potent trick room sweeper . I have cresselia for trick room . Amoonguss for spore support and heatran for spread moves . But i have 4 slow pokemons what if my opponent has taunt users? Thats why u dont need to utilize full trick room team . I have mamoswine and thundurus as my combatants if im facing fast opposing teams . U just need a diverse team that can counter the metagame . U dont need to utilize 6 slow mons for TR .
. And if u watched the VGC videos some team there . (including ray rizzo's team ) has thundurus and hydreigon as fast mons and tyranitar and metagross for trick room . . :3
SheNinja said:
It depends on what you want Cresselia to do. Calm is generally the preferred nature in VGC because VGC is based a lot more around special attacks than physical ones. In Singles, Bold is generally preferred because it's more physically-based (dragons and company), and mons actually have time to set up boosts that will overpower Cress, but in VGC, Special Attackers are a lot more prevalent. Physical Attackers can't overpower Cresselia without any boosts, and in VGC you don't usually get time to do that unless you're running something like Rage Powder Amoonguss, which is exclusive only to a few teams.
From what I'm told, Rain teams are by very common, and the ability to spam moves like Hydro Pump, SURF!! (which hits BOTH pokemon), Huricane, and Thunder is incredible. Calm nature also helps you take on several top VGC threats even outside of rain, including Hail Teams (Abomasnow and Rotom-F spamming Blizzard), Zapdos, Thundurus, Tornadus, and more. Cresselia doesn't usually need Bold nature since most of the physical attackers in VGC are either already beaten (ie: Garchomp, Terrakion) or not going to be beaten anyways (ie: Tyranitar).
I would also like to say that if you're just starting out VGC, Cresselia is a great pokemon to experiment with because its support movepool is incredible, allowing it to fit onto basically any team you could possible think of. With moves like Helping Hand, Reflect, Light Screen, Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, and Trick Room, there's almost always something Cresselia can do to benefit you.