Balanced Cinderace/Lapras Team For VGC 2021
Hey everyone, M.Rosen here. I'm not usually a big VGC player, but I've decided to give it go for this year. This is is my first RMT so any advice is welcome! As a player, Balance has been my favourite archetype to run as it covers a wide variety of options and it usually really fun to play. This team has two modes, an offensive one featuring G-Max Cinderace and a defensive one featuring G-Max Lapras. I'm really excited to show off this team so let's not waste anymore time and get into it! ^^ (I haven't tested this team yet in Showdown -but I have tested it in SS and I have a record of 6-4 over ten games- so I don't have any results to show on the showdown ladder, that's because I wanna get this team to its fullest potential before I start Laddering. I am also still learning the meta via Pikalytics so if I miss coverage against something please let me know.)
Cinderace-Gmax (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Libero
Level: 50
Gigantamax: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Bounce
- Pyro Ball
- Sucker Punch
The main offensive force for this team. I really like the look of Cinderace because of its hidden ability Libero AKA Protean 2.0. Getting STAB on every move is incredible and throwing Life Orb into the mix turns up the power even further. I feel like the set is pretty straight forward, Pyro Ball is a great physical fire type move due to it's 120 BP but the 90 accuracy could be a slight problem when not G-Maxed, I'm running Bounce for speed control via Max Airstream but it could have some use apart from that which I haven't found yet, Sucker Punch is a generally good move to have because of its priority allowing us to maybe pick up some KO's on unsuspecting Pokémon that are trying to get rid of 'Ace, finally, High Jump Kick was added to the set for the Attack boost from Max Knuckle; which allows Cinderace to set up against passive Pokémon - it also is a good move outside G-Max but again the accuracy is called into question. The EV'S are pretty obvious with the exception of HP as I didn't know where to put the four left over EV's, Jolly Cinderace is the best imo as it's in a high speed tier at Level 50 and outspeeding a potentially dangerous Pokémon is crucial. Accuracy outside of G-Max is my only real concern with this set but I think I don't need to worry about that too much as the pro's far outway the con's. Cinderace is a key part in the FWG core this team was built around and I love to use it, those where enough reasons for it to be on this team.
Lapras-Gmax (F) @ Light Clay
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
Gigantamax: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Thunder
- Surf
- Freeze-Dry
I've talked about the offensive G-Max Pokémon, so now let's talk about the defensive one! I initially planned to build my team around G-Max Lapras but decided against it because the team was too defensive for my liking. I think we all know how tanky Lapras is and I wanted to try and maximize that bulk and attempt to provide some support for my team with this set, which is why there's a couple of interesting move choices. The solution to that challenge was quite simple, G-Max Resonance. For those who are unaware, G-Max Resonance is Lapras's exclusive G-Max Move: the BP depends on your Ice move and isn't really important but the effect is, G-Max Resonance sets up Aurora Veil for 5 turns and when you combine it with Light Clay it turns into an excellent defensive tool which could potentially become a wincon. Thanks to this Lapras becomes an instrumental part of this team. Let me just explain the set as well. Protect is standard and I don't think I need to go over it, Thunder is for additional coverage and more power over Thunderbolt (I was willing to take the risk over accuracy because the two other attacking moves Lapras has are 100% accurate.), Surf is a great spread move and it can actually deal some decent damage with STAB, and finally, Freeze-Dry was chosen as the Ice-type STAB thanks to its effect of hitting Water types super effectively; turning checks like Tapu Fini and Gastrodon into winnable matchups if you play it right. For anyone curious, I chose Shell Armour over Water Absorb and Hydration for my ability as I wanted to have a slightly better chance against Single Strike Urshifu with it's Wicked Blow. The EV'S and IV'S are pretty standard once again, we maximize HP And SPA whilst using the extra four for some physical bulk. This is a special Lapras so it was always going to have 0 Attack IV's. Last but not least, I picked a modest nature for some slight extra power. Lapras has seen some usage recently and I hope it sees more play as I believe it is the most underrated G-Max 'Mon rn. Lapras makes up the second part of our FWG core and I don't really see another Pokémon filling this slot.
Raichu (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fake Out
- Nuzzle
- Volt Switch
- Safeguard
The first support based Pokémon on this team is Lt.Surge's signature Pokémon, Raichu! I stumbled upon it by chance and began to experiment with this adorable rat. Raichu fills the role of fast support on this team similar to how it was used in the early months of 2020, I do have another support 'Mon on this team but its slower so I want to go over the faster one first. According to VGC 2020 Crown Tundra | Pikalytics | Pokemon Sword & Shield, Raichu is only on 4.85% of teams; I want to change that. Raichu has some good options and can be a brilliant support Pokémon if you play it right. Now then, its moves. Fake Out is an obvious choice for how vital flinches are in VGC, Nuzzle provides speed control via paralysis and its probably the move you'll be using most often due to its many uses, Volt Switch is a great tool for momentum and a generally good high powered STAB for Raichu and lets it get out of matchups it loses really easily, lastly, Safeguard is in the last slot as some of the Pokemon on this team don't appreciate status (Cinderace loses power with a Burn and Poison puts Lapras on a timer.) I don't think status is that common but I still thought it was important to prepare for it. Additionally, Sitrus Berry provides Raichu with a decent form of recovery so that's why I went with it. I'm not quite sure about EV's as I think I could change the spread to live a Max Quake but I'm not sure. Regardless, the current spread is standard with Max Speed and Special Attack the obvious choices with 4 HP on the side for a tiny bit of extra bulk. Finally, Timid is just to make this rat as speedy as possible.
Rillaboom (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bulldoze/ Earthquake
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Grassy Glide
Moving on to the final part of our FWG is the Gen VIII 'Mon Rillaboom. Grassy Surge is a brilliant ability and that was the main reason it finds itself on this team. 'Boom was intially G-Max but I decided against it since it wasn't a necessity to run it and because Cinderace and Lapras both needed it more. Rillaboom is probably has the most options on this team and I tried to make the drum monkey cover as many bases as it could. Considering its pretty common rn, players probably have ways of dealing with it but I decided to run it because it just seemed to slot into this team super well and cover some of this teams type weaknesses. I chose Vest as Rillaboom does appreciate more bulk and the limit to only damaging moves isn't really a downside. I personally chose to run Bulldoze as an extra form of speed control but you can run Earthquake if you would prefer more power, Fake Out is pretty self explanatory, Knock Off may be my favourite move to use as it removes Pokémon reliant on there items like Weakness Policy Metagross and Moltres-G and Evolitie users such as Dusclops and Porygon2: almost making them deadweight (Key word Almost.) and lastly I picked Grassy Glide over Wood Hammer because of the priority and the fact that Rilla' takes no recoil. The EV spread maximizes bulk and power with Max HP and Attack plus the 4 Special Defence boosted by the Assault Vest. Adamant Nature was the only choice for this set as it helps Rillaboom to potentially get a couple of KO's.
Indeedee-F (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Expanding Force
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Heal Pulse
I initially put Cresselia in this slot as I wanted to see if I could make it work on this team. Once that experiment failed I began looking at other psychic types and eventually realised that Indeedee-F was perfect for this slot. This team really appreciates redirection and support, two things that Indeedee-F provides and excels in. In my opinon this is the best redirection 'Mon in VGC rn but that could change other time. The ghost immunity Indeedee-F also provides is great to beat Dusclops as it usually only runs Night Shade as its attacking move. This is the second terrain setter on this team and my preferred one as Psychic Terrain invalidating priority moves is brilliant due to every team having at least one if not more. Moving on, let's talk about the set. Expanding Force is great as a STAB move as its always going to get the boost from Psychic Terrain, Follow Me helps with longevity for some of the frailer Pokémon on this team, Helping Hand is one of the best boosting moves as you can reap the benefits on the same turn it's used, lastly, Heal Pulse was a unique choice but I went with it to provide a form of recovery for the other members of my team. It's not often run on Indeedee-F so you may be able to get a jump on your opponent and get a chance to turn a match around. Focus Sash is easily the item of choice for any redirector and Indeedee-F is no exception. EV's are standard with Max HP and Def for obvious reasons with the leftover 4 going into Spa for extra power. A Bold Nature maximizes defence and was the only option for this team. Finally, 0 Attack IV's are pretty standard so I don't feel like I need to explain my choice there.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SpA / 180 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Air Slash/Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon/Heavy Slam
- Leech Seed
For the final Pokémon on this team, I wanted a Trick Room counter as it's one of the most common playstyles in VGC at the moment, I also wanted a dedicated special wall to deal with 'Mons that have high special attack. Celesteela stuck out because of its typing, bulk and ability and I knew I could make it work. Ultra Beasts always seem to be good in competitive and Celesteela is no exception, it may be possibly the greatest wall in the format and the only one that can hit back hard at the same time. Having a ground immunity is brilliant due to how common Earthquake is and Beast Boost is one of the best abilities in the game and can easily spiral out of control. This set is one of the most adjustable on this team but this is the one I have currently. Protect is standard on pretty much any Pokémon, Air Slash is for fighting types and with this EV spread Celesteela can OHKO Urhsifu with a Helping Hand boosted attack but you could run Flamethrower to beat grass and ice types, Flash Cannon is a decent STAB, nothing else to say, Heavy Slam is another option 'Steela because of its heavy weight, lastly, Leech Seed is brilliant for forcing switches and putting Pokemon on a timer and it may be the best move on this set, only rivalled by Protect. Celesteela's "unique" EV spread is designed to get the Beast Boost in Spdef instead of normal defence whilst maximizing its Spa. Since this set is special, I don't need any Attack IV'S. Finally, I picked a Sassy Nature for its Spdef boosts and it reduces speed which is perfect for a Trick Room counter.
What could be added/changed?
I feel like an Intimidate user may be useful as the majority of this metagame is psychical with a few special 'Mons (That may get walled by Celesteela) so it would be nice to have that option available to me, the only two I see fitting into this team are Lando-T, my preferred choice based on the team currently, and Incineroar. Some of the EV's and IV's for the Pokémon could maybe be changed to ensure that they live certain attacks so that they can still influence the match. Similarly, some of the items may need to be changed in order to maximize the output of certain Pokémon.
Summary
I had a lot of fun building my first VGC team, I tried to cover as many bases as I could with the Pokemon I picked and if any glaring holes emerge i'll be sure to do my best to try and fix them. I feel like this team is quite solid because of the FWG core but this could be optimized further with outside input, (which I'm really hoping for) I feel like the importance of FWG is quite overstated but it's still a solid foundation to have. Because of the lack of testing, I am lacking in certain areas but that's because I wanna get this team to the best it can be and then make changes according to the results I get. VGC looks really fun and I hope that I can make a good start to life as a VGC player! Just to make things clear, I will only really be accepting constructive criticism because I feel like that's the only way my Teambuilding skills are going to get better. My only fear is getting "shut down" by members of the VGC community for being a terrible teambuilder so hopefully that doesn't happen.
Thanks for reading this to the end and I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave feedback about the format of this in the replies so I can adjust for my next RMT.
See ya,
M.Rosen
:D
(Edit: Forgot to add the Pokepaste, so here you go: Cinderace/Lapras Balance (pokepast.es))
(Edit: Added my record in SS over 10 games but keep in mind this was in the lower tiers)
Hey everyone, M.Rosen here. I'm not usually a big VGC player, but I've decided to give it go for this year. This is is my first RMT so any advice is welcome! As a player, Balance has been my favourite archetype to run as it covers a wide variety of options and it usually really fun to play. This team has two modes, an offensive one featuring G-Max Cinderace and a defensive one featuring G-Max Lapras. I'm really excited to show off this team so let's not waste anymore time and get into it! ^^ (I haven't tested this team yet in Showdown -but I have tested it in SS and I have a record of 6-4 over ten games- so I don't have any results to show on the showdown ladder, that's because I wanna get this team to its fullest potential before I start Laddering. I am also still learning the meta via Pikalytics so if I miss coverage against something please let me know.)
Cinderace-Gmax (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Libero
Level: 50
Gigantamax: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Bounce
- Pyro Ball
- Sucker Punch
The main offensive force for this team. I really like the look of Cinderace because of its hidden ability Libero AKA Protean 2.0. Getting STAB on every move is incredible and throwing Life Orb into the mix turns up the power even further. I feel like the set is pretty straight forward, Pyro Ball is a great physical fire type move due to it's 120 BP but the 90 accuracy could be a slight problem when not G-Maxed, I'm running Bounce for speed control via Max Airstream but it could have some use apart from that which I haven't found yet, Sucker Punch is a generally good move to have because of its priority allowing us to maybe pick up some KO's on unsuspecting Pokémon that are trying to get rid of 'Ace, finally, High Jump Kick was added to the set for the Attack boost from Max Knuckle; which allows Cinderace to set up against passive Pokémon - it also is a good move outside G-Max but again the accuracy is called into question. The EV'S are pretty obvious with the exception of HP as I didn't know where to put the four left over EV's, Jolly Cinderace is the best imo as it's in a high speed tier at Level 50 and outspeeding a potentially dangerous Pokémon is crucial. Accuracy outside of G-Max is my only real concern with this set but I think I don't need to worry about that too much as the pro's far outway the con's. Cinderace is a key part in the FWG core this team was built around and I love to use it, those where enough reasons for it to be on this team.
Lapras-Gmax (F) @ Light Clay
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
Gigantamax: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Thunder
- Surf
- Freeze-Dry
I've talked about the offensive G-Max Pokémon, so now let's talk about the defensive one! I initially planned to build my team around G-Max Lapras but decided against it because the team was too defensive for my liking. I think we all know how tanky Lapras is and I wanted to try and maximize that bulk and attempt to provide some support for my team with this set, which is why there's a couple of interesting move choices. The solution to that challenge was quite simple, G-Max Resonance. For those who are unaware, G-Max Resonance is Lapras's exclusive G-Max Move: the BP depends on your Ice move and isn't really important but the effect is, G-Max Resonance sets up Aurora Veil for 5 turns and when you combine it with Light Clay it turns into an excellent defensive tool which could potentially become a wincon. Thanks to this Lapras becomes an instrumental part of this team. Let me just explain the set as well. Protect is standard and I don't think I need to go over it, Thunder is for additional coverage and more power over Thunderbolt (I was willing to take the risk over accuracy because the two other attacking moves Lapras has are 100% accurate.), Surf is a great spread move and it can actually deal some decent damage with STAB, and finally, Freeze-Dry was chosen as the Ice-type STAB thanks to its effect of hitting Water types super effectively; turning checks like Tapu Fini and Gastrodon into winnable matchups if you play it right. For anyone curious, I chose Shell Armour over Water Absorb and Hydration for my ability as I wanted to have a slightly better chance against Single Strike Urshifu with it's Wicked Blow. The EV'S and IV'S are pretty standard once again, we maximize HP And SPA whilst using the extra four for some physical bulk. This is a special Lapras so it was always going to have 0 Attack IV's. Last but not least, I picked a modest nature for some slight extra power. Lapras has seen some usage recently and I hope it sees more play as I believe it is the most underrated G-Max 'Mon rn. Lapras makes up the second part of our FWG core and I don't really see another Pokémon filling this slot.
Raichu (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fake Out
- Nuzzle
- Volt Switch
- Safeguard
The first support based Pokémon on this team is Lt.Surge's signature Pokémon, Raichu! I stumbled upon it by chance and began to experiment with this adorable rat. Raichu fills the role of fast support on this team similar to how it was used in the early months of 2020, I do have another support 'Mon on this team but its slower so I want to go over the faster one first. According to VGC 2020 Crown Tundra | Pikalytics | Pokemon Sword & Shield, Raichu is only on 4.85% of teams; I want to change that. Raichu has some good options and can be a brilliant support Pokémon if you play it right. Now then, its moves. Fake Out is an obvious choice for how vital flinches are in VGC, Nuzzle provides speed control via paralysis and its probably the move you'll be using most often due to its many uses, Volt Switch is a great tool for momentum and a generally good high powered STAB for Raichu and lets it get out of matchups it loses really easily, lastly, Safeguard is in the last slot as some of the Pokemon on this team don't appreciate status (Cinderace loses power with a Burn and Poison puts Lapras on a timer.) I don't think status is that common but I still thought it was important to prepare for it. Additionally, Sitrus Berry provides Raichu with a decent form of recovery so that's why I went with it. I'm not quite sure about EV's as I think I could change the spread to live a Max Quake but I'm not sure. Regardless, the current spread is standard with Max Speed and Special Attack the obvious choices with 4 HP on the side for a tiny bit of extra bulk. Finally, Timid is just to make this rat as speedy as possible.
Rillaboom (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bulldoze/ Earthquake
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Grassy Glide
Moving on to the final part of our FWG is the Gen VIII 'Mon Rillaboom. Grassy Surge is a brilliant ability and that was the main reason it finds itself on this team. 'Boom was intially G-Max but I decided against it since it wasn't a necessity to run it and because Cinderace and Lapras both needed it more. Rillaboom is probably has the most options on this team and I tried to make the drum monkey cover as many bases as it could. Considering its pretty common rn, players probably have ways of dealing with it but I decided to run it because it just seemed to slot into this team super well and cover some of this teams type weaknesses. I chose Vest as Rillaboom does appreciate more bulk and the limit to only damaging moves isn't really a downside. I personally chose to run Bulldoze as an extra form of speed control but you can run Earthquake if you would prefer more power, Fake Out is pretty self explanatory, Knock Off may be my favourite move to use as it removes Pokémon reliant on there items like Weakness Policy Metagross and Moltres-G and Evolitie users such as Dusclops and Porygon2: almost making them deadweight (Key word Almost.) and lastly I picked Grassy Glide over Wood Hammer because of the priority and the fact that Rilla' takes no recoil. The EV spread maximizes bulk and power with Max HP and Attack plus the 4 Special Defence boosted by the Assault Vest. Adamant Nature was the only choice for this set as it helps Rillaboom to potentially get a couple of KO's.
Indeedee-F (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Expanding Force
- Follow Me
- Helping Hand
- Heal Pulse
I initially put Cresselia in this slot as I wanted to see if I could make it work on this team. Once that experiment failed I began looking at other psychic types and eventually realised that Indeedee-F was perfect for this slot. This team really appreciates redirection and support, two things that Indeedee-F provides and excels in. In my opinon this is the best redirection 'Mon in VGC rn but that could change other time. The ghost immunity Indeedee-F also provides is great to beat Dusclops as it usually only runs Night Shade as its attacking move. This is the second terrain setter on this team and my preferred one as Psychic Terrain invalidating priority moves is brilliant due to every team having at least one if not more. Moving on, let's talk about the set. Expanding Force is great as a STAB move as its always going to get the boost from Psychic Terrain, Follow Me helps with longevity for some of the frailer Pokémon on this team, Helping Hand is one of the best boosting moves as you can reap the benefits on the same turn it's used, lastly, Heal Pulse was a unique choice but I went with it to provide a form of recovery for the other members of my team. It's not often run on Indeedee-F so you may be able to get a jump on your opponent and get a chance to turn a match around. Focus Sash is easily the item of choice for any redirector and Indeedee-F is no exception. EV's are standard with Max HP and Def for obvious reasons with the leftover 4 going into Spa for extra power. A Bold Nature maximizes defence and was the only option for this team. Finally, 0 Attack IV's are pretty standard so I don't feel like I need to explain my choice there.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SpA / 180 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Air Slash/Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon/Heavy Slam
- Leech Seed
For the final Pokémon on this team, I wanted a Trick Room counter as it's one of the most common playstyles in VGC at the moment, I also wanted a dedicated special wall to deal with 'Mons that have high special attack. Celesteela stuck out because of its typing, bulk and ability and I knew I could make it work. Ultra Beasts always seem to be good in competitive and Celesteela is no exception, it may be possibly the greatest wall in the format and the only one that can hit back hard at the same time. Having a ground immunity is brilliant due to how common Earthquake is and Beast Boost is one of the best abilities in the game and can easily spiral out of control. This set is one of the most adjustable on this team but this is the one I have currently. Protect is standard on pretty much any Pokémon, Air Slash is for fighting types and with this EV spread Celesteela can OHKO Urhsifu with a Helping Hand boosted attack but you could run Flamethrower to beat grass and ice types, Flash Cannon is a decent STAB, nothing else to say, Heavy Slam is another option 'Steela because of its heavy weight, lastly, Leech Seed is brilliant for forcing switches and putting Pokemon on a timer and it may be the best move on this set, only rivalled by Protect. Celesteela's "unique" EV spread is designed to get the Beast Boost in Spdef instead of normal defence whilst maximizing its Spa. Since this set is special, I don't need any Attack IV'S. Finally, I picked a Sassy Nature for its Spdef boosts and it reduces speed which is perfect for a Trick Room counter.
What could be added/changed?
I feel like an Intimidate user may be useful as the majority of this metagame is psychical with a few special 'Mons (That may get walled by Celesteela) so it would be nice to have that option available to me, the only two I see fitting into this team are Lando-T, my preferred choice based on the team currently, and Incineroar. Some of the EV's and IV's for the Pokémon could maybe be changed to ensure that they live certain attacks so that they can still influence the match. Similarly, some of the items may need to be changed in order to maximize the output of certain Pokémon.
Summary
I had a lot of fun building my first VGC team, I tried to cover as many bases as I could with the Pokemon I picked and if any glaring holes emerge i'll be sure to do my best to try and fix them. I feel like this team is quite solid because of the FWG core but this could be optimized further with outside input, (which I'm really hoping for) I feel like the importance of FWG is quite overstated but it's still a solid foundation to have. Because of the lack of testing, I am lacking in certain areas but that's because I wanna get this team to the best it can be and then make changes according to the results I get. VGC looks really fun and I hope that I can make a good start to life as a VGC player! Just to make things clear, I will only really be accepting constructive criticism because I feel like that's the only way my Teambuilding skills are going to get better. My only fear is getting "shut down" by members of the VGC community for being a terrible teambuilder so hopefully that doesn't happen.
Thanks for reading this to the end and I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave feedback about the format of this in the replies so I can adjust for my next RMT.
See ya,
M.Rosen
:D
(Edit: Forgot to add the Pokepaste, so here you go: Cinderace/Lapras Balance (pokepast.es))
(Edit: Added my record in SS over 10 games but keep in mind this was in the lower tiers)
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