As I do more battles, I'll post them here and explain why I did what I did. I'm only going to post good battles, not ones that involve one side sweeping the other 4-0.
VS Steven Burton:
Battle Video: P97W-WWWW-WW2X-W347
His Team: Smeargle, Mega Kangaskhan, Clefairy, Thundurus
My Team: Talonflame, Landorus-T, Metagross, Mega Salamence
I've faced Steven Burton multiple times in the past. He is a great player from Wisconsin. When I had this match against Steven, he had won the Premier Challenge yesterday so I didn't know if it was a team I had already faced or if he came up with something new.
Turn one I lead with Talonflame + Landorus because that combination is able to handle a vast majority of his team. Steven had led with Kangaskhan + Smeargle. I opt for using Quick Guard turn one with my Talonflame because I am expecting a Fake Out from Mega Kangaskhan. Unfortunately Steven knows that I play with a Quick Guard Talonflame so he Power-Up Punches Landorus-T to get back his attack. He used Spiky Shield with his Smeargle in order to scout what I would do. I could've had Talonflame do Brave Bird, but that would've left me wide open. I didn't want to get Tailwind up turn 1 because if Fake Out was done to my Talonflame my turn would've been wasted.
My Landorus I had attempted to do Knock Off against Smeargle to get rid of whatever item it had. I wasn't certain if it was going to have Focus Sash or Mental Herb since he runs an entirely non-damaging set. I certainly could have opted for using Earthquake because Talonflame would be immune, but I didn't want to risk the Smeargle being sashed and being able to use Dark Void later on. Due to him using Spiky Shield I do lose a bit of HP on Landorus, but nothing too concerning.
Turn 2 Steven starts by switching out Smeargle for Clefairy due to Friend Guard. I use Protect with my Landorus-T so I don't get Double Edge or Returned. I opt for Tailwind with Talonflame so I can get the jump on Steven's team.
Turn 3 I switch out Talonflame in favor of Metagross because Talonflame had done its job and couldn't really do much else helpful. I figured I may need the Talonflame later on to deal with Smeargle since I still have to worry about Dark Void. Metagross resists Kangaskhan and also is able to deal with Clefairy more efficiently.
It is at this point I make a bold move. I choose to use Explosion with Landorus. It is not a move commonly carried on Landorus. Clefairy had done Follow Me so I wouldn't be able to target Kangaskhan without using Earthquake. I also felt my Landorus wasn't going to be able to take the hit so it seemed to be worth the risk. The blast did significant damage to Kangaskhan and Clefairy even with Clefairy possibly having Eviolite. I lose a decent chunk of HP on my Metagross as well. This leads to Metagross taking the two hits of Return, the second of which scores a crit.
I bring in Salamence since I'll need Talonflame later and Salamence has Intimidate to make Kangaskhan less threatening. I use Bullet Punch with Metagross against the Clefairy because I know I needed to use a priority move or Kangaskhan would get me with Sucker Punch. I'm able to get the KO which was a huge relief since Bullet Punch isn't the strongest move in the world. He used Sucker Punch with Kangaskhan which ended up failing because my Pokemon had already moved. This is why Tailwind is so good. My Salamence I mega evolve and use Hyper Voice which turns into a flying type move due to Aerilate. Since I had KO'd the Clefairy this turn I don't incur the tvt penalty which came just shy of getting the KO.
Steven brings in Thundurus since that is his best choice at this point. I have my Metagross finish off his Kangaskhan with Bullet Punch before my Metagross falls to Thunderbolt. I had used Protect with Salamence because I thought maybe he would T-Wave or HP Ice my Salamence. I still wouldn't change this move because it was just way too risky to not Protect and risk getting Thunder Waved so I could easily get KO'd.
Now I bring in Talonflame since I have nothing else and Steven brings Smeargle back in. This is it, 2 Pokemon per side. My Tailwind had faded so I may have to worry about Tailwind coming from his Smeargle. I don't use Flare Blitz on my Talonflame set because I find I almost never use it. Brave Bird would've done little damage since my set is a support one, not a Life Orb variant.
Steven has Smearlge use Spiky Shield. This was kind of an expected move, but I have to try targetting it with Talonflame anyway because its too risky not to. I had tried to Taunt Smeargle with Talonflame. This was a secret move I had on Talonflame. Unfortunately it failed. He uses Thunderbolt on Talonflame which makes me use up Focus Sash. I have Salamence use Flamethrower to weaken Thundurus.
The next turn he gets Spiky Shield to work again. I wasn't sure he would do that or if he would go for Dark Void so I had wasted a turn trying to Taunt it again. It was the best play I could've done because I needed to stop Smeargle or I'd lose. I don't know how bulky his Thundurus is so I didn't want to use a resisted Brave Bird. That move would've also meant Thundurus would've been able to target my Salamence. Additionally, his Sitrus Berry would likely have activated so I would not have been able to get a KO anyway.
I decide to go for the big hit with Salamence and use Draco Meteor. It misses. That has to be the worst timing to miss an attack. Thundurus finishes off Talonflame with another Thunderbolt which I was expecting.
I do Protect just to see what would happen. It probably wasn't the best move because me could've potentially set up Tailwind in which case I'd be able to get defeated by Thundurus.
I have no choice at this point but to use Draco Meteor again and hope that I can get the KO on Thundurus. If it gets the KO, its over and I win since he can't damage me with Smeargle. It connects this time and I'm watching the HP bar of Thundurus going down. It hits red and in my mind I'm saying "Keep going." It stops just short of the KO. Thundurus hits the HP Ice which I survive by a little bit, but it doesn't matter because Dark Void connected. I lost in a very close battle. Steven even said I should've won the match.
GG Steven.
VS Steven Burton:
Battle Video: P97W-WWWW-WW2X-W347
His Team: Smeargle, Mega Kangaskhan, Clefairy, Thundurus
My Team: Talonflame, Landorus-T, Metagross, Mega Salamence
I've faced Steven Burton multiple times in the past. He is a great player from Wisconsin. When I had this match against Steven, he had won the Premier Challenge yesterday so I didn't know if it was a team I had already faced or if he came up with something new.
Turn one I lead with Talonflame + Landorus because that combination is able to handle a vast majority of his team. Steven had led with Kangaskhan + Smeargle. I opt for using Quick Guard turn one with my Talonflame because I am expecting a Fake Out from Mega Kangaskhan. Unfortunately Steven knows that I play with a Quick Guard Talonflame so he Power-Up Punches Landorus-T to get back his attack. He used Spiky Shield with his Smeargle in order to scout what I would do. I could've had Talonflame do Brave Bird, but that would've left me wide open. I didn't want to get Tailwind up turn 1 because if Fake Out was done to my Talonflame my turn would've been wasted.
My Landorus I had attempted to do Knock Off against Smeargle to get rid of whatever item it had. I wasn't certain if it was going to have Focus Sash or Mental Herb since he runs an entirely non-damaging set. I certainly could have opted for using Earthquake because Talonflame would be immune, but I didn't want to risk the Smeargle being sashed and being able to use Dark Void later on. Due to him using Spiky Shield I do lose a bit of HP on Landorus, but nothing too concerning.
Turn 2 Steven starts by switching out Smeargle for Clefairy due to Friend Guard. I use Protect with my Landorus-T so I don't get Double Edge or Returned. I opt for Tailwind with Talonflame so I can get the jump on Steven's team.
Turn 3 I switch out Talonflame in favor of Metagross because Talonflame had done its job and couldn't really do much else helpful. I figured I may need the Talonflame later on to deal with Smeargle since I still have to worry about Dark Void. Metagross resists Kangaskhan and also is able to deal with Clefairy more efficiently.
It is at this point I make a bold move. I choose to use Explosion with Landorus. It is not a move commonly carried on Landorus. Clefairy had done Follow Me so I wouldn't be able to target Kangaskhan without using Earthquake. I also felt my Landorus wasn't going to be able to take the hit so it seemed to be worth the risk. The blast did significant damage to Kangaskhan and Clefairy even with Clefairy possibly having Eviolite. I lose a decent chunk of HP on my Metagross as well. This leads to Metagross taking the two hits of Return, the second of which scores a crit.
I bring in Salamence since I'll need Talonflame later and Salamence has Intimidate to make Kangaskhan less threatening. I use Bullet Punch with Metagross against the Clefairy because I know I needed to use a priority move or Kangaskhan would get me with Sucker Punch. I'm able to get the KO which was a huge relief since Bullet Punch isn't the strongest move in the world. He used Sucker Punch with Kangaskhan which ended up failing because my Pokemon had already moved. This is why Tailwind is so good. My Salamence I mega evolve and use Hyper Voice which turns into a flying type move due to Aerilate. Since I had KO'd the Clefairy this turn I don't incur the tvt penalty which came just shy of getting the KO.
Steven brings in Thundurus since that is his best choice at this point. I have my Metagross finish off his Kangaskhan with Bullet Punch before my Metagross falls to Thunderbolt. I had used Protect with Salamence because I thought maybe he would T-Wave or HP Ice my Salamence. I still wouldn't change this move because it was just way too risky to not Protect and risk getting Thunder Waved so I could easily get KO'd.
Now I bring in Talonflame since I have nothing else and Steven brings Smeargle back in. This is it, 2 Pokemon per side. My Tailwind had faded so I may have to worry about Tailwind coming from his Smeargle. I don't use Flare Blitz on my Talonflame set because I find I almost never use it. Brave Bird would've done little damage since my set is a support one, not a Life Orb variant.
Steven has Smearlge use Spiky Shield. This was kind of an expected move, but I have to try targetting it with Talonflame anyway because its too risky not to. I had tried to Taunt Smeargle with Talonflame. This was a secret move I had on Talonflame. Unfortunately it failed. He uses Thunderbolt on Talonflame which makes me use up Focus Sash. I have Salamence use Flamethrower to weaken Thundurus.
The next turn he gets Spiky Shield to work again. I wasn't sure he would do that or if he would go for Dark Void so I had wasted a turn trying to Taunt it again. It was the best play I could've done because I needed to stop Smeargle or I'd lose. I don't know how bulky his Thundurus is so I didn't want to use a resisted Brave Bird. That move would've also meant Thundurus would've been able to target my Salamence. Additionally, his Sitrus Berry would likely have activated so I would not have been able to get a KO anyway.
I decide to go for the big hit with Salamence and use Draco Meteor. It misses. That has to be the worst timing to miss an attack. Thundurus finishes off Talonflame with another Thunderbolt which I was expecting.
I do Protect just to see what would happen. It probably wasn't the best move because me could've potentially set up Tailwind in which case I'd be able to get defeated by Thundurus.
I have no choice at this point but to use Draco Meteor again and hope that I can get the KO on Thundurus. If it gets the KO, its over and I win since he can't damage me with Smeargle. It connects this time and I'm watching the HP bar of Thundurus going down. It hits red and in my mind I'm saying "Keep going." It stops just short of the KO. Thundurus hits the HP Ice which I survive by a little bit, but it doesn't matter because Dark Void connected. I lost in a very close battle. Steven even said I should've won the match.
GG Steven.