Edit: this team was made for reg F before reg G was announced. It struggles to stand in the increased power level of reg G. You can still try it out if you want, but it lost a lot viability with restricted legendaries around
Introduction
So i am not at all a vgc player, but when Scarlet and Violet first came out I watched this foofootoo video and instantly fell in love with this gimmick. I have tried variants of it in pretty much every single regulation with little success. However, I made this version and have been doing decently with, getting into the high 1300's, which isn't much but, considering its a gimmick team and I am not a vgc player, I'd say is pretty successful. Idk whether that's from the team actually being good, me using it well, or just people not expecting the gimmick, but I'll take its success anyways
Paste: https://pokepast.es/689be280f986ef9b
The gimmick's fairly simple. Its idea is to get Tatsugiri to die while its in Dondozo's mouth. This is done with endure bringing it down to 1 hp after after Azelf's explosion and then being poisoned by toxic orb at the end of the turn. Because toxic damage doesn't start till next turn, you can bring in Dondozo and activate commander. Then Tatsugiri dies next turn from poison damage and you can bring in Flamigo to copy the double omni boost with costar. At that point you have two double omni boosted mons and only a few teams can deal with that kind of pressure.
Tatsugiri @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Commander
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 44 HP / 20 Def / 188 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Endure
- Protect
- Icy Wind
- Draco Meteor
Tatsugiri's meant to die lol. 9 times out of ten it clicks endure, so its set doesn't really matter. Endure is what really makes this work. For the uninformed, endure makes a mon live at 1 hp from any attack that entire turn. So even if Tatsugiri gets double targeted, it will still live that turn. Azelf's explosion will always bring Tatsugiri to 1 hp (even if band gets knocked off). Protect can be useful if you don't read a fake out targeting Azelf and thus don't tera ghost. If this happens, Tatsugiri will be poisoned that turn so you cant explode on it or its gonna die. Because of this, protect lets you still boom with Azelf on the second turn (assuming Tatsugiri wasn't brought down to 1 hp by an opponent, cause if thats case everything's kinda screwed lol). Other then that, nothing else really matters on it. You'll only need to tera or click another move if something goes terrible wrong. Icy wind is utility and draco to do some good damage in a worse case scenario. Tera steel resists all of Tatsugiri's weaknesses and can give you an immunity to toxic orb (idk when you'd want that, but tera type is so meaningless you might as well). EVs are to die to even an unbanded explosion and don't do anything else.
Azelf @ Choice Band / Covert Cloak
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Explosion
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Similarly to Tatsugiri, Azelf is meant to die. It also clicks the same move 9 times out of ten, that being explosion. why Azelf? Its the second most powerful exploder in the game (only outdamaged by Metagross) and is fast enough to get it off frequntly. Banded explosion is gonna do good damage to any non resist (and even some resists). This is the biggest change from foofootoo's original team. It had Drifblim as its exploder to be immune to fake out. That's probably the safer option, but I really like azelfs damage output compared to Drifblim. Imo, that's what's making the team successful his time around. The big chuck of damage done by explosion makes its much easier for Dondozo and Flamigo to clean. And besides, you can tera ghost if you really want to be immune to fake out. And if you don't want to use ur tera on a mon thats gonna die that turn (and u really shouldn't cause Dondozo and Flamigo really like having their tera's available) you can run Covert Cloak. It lowers explosions damage, but the almost guaranteed explosion can make up for that. Like Tatsugiri, other moves don't really matter. Zen Headbutt is soild STAB if you can't boom for whatever reason. Knock off can be good into ghost types if they lead 2. U-turns for positioning if you get a bad lead.
Dondozo @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 4 HP / 156 Atk / 20 Def / 76 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Order Up
- Earthquake
- Protect
This is the exact same set on the strategy dex for reg F. Like I said, I’m no vgc player so I have no idea what to specifically put on it and this does the job so I had no reason to change it. Not much else to say. Try to use order up the turn Tatsugiri dies so Flamigo can come in with a +3 boost. Earthquake is necessary for spread damage. Leftys cause the longevity is really nice (plus Flamigo is a better clear amulet user). Tera grass to take weaknesses like from rillaboom, ogerpon, and raging bolt thus surviving a move and getting a ko. Also, it’s the teams only spore taker.
Flamigo @ Clear Amulet
Ability: Costar
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Low Kick
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Protect
This set is probably the second biggest difference with foofootoo’s original team. His Flamigo was choice band 4 attacks, which I didn’t think ever really worked. Imo this is significantly better. Be able to switching moves with an amazing stab combo and access to protect really helps it functions. It can afford to run its stab combo as its only attacking options as they hit the entire relevant meta for at least neutral except for Gholdengo and Thundurus. Roost is useful recovery, especially since Dondozo doesn’t have any. Low Kick over CC cause removing the defense boosts really sucks. Clear amulet to not have to worry about intimidate spam completely shutting down the team. Tera steel cause it takes most of Flamigo’s base weaknesses in a pinch.
Introduction
So i am not at all a vgc player, but when Scarlet and Violet first came out I watched this foofootoo video and instantly fell in love with this gimmick. I have tried variants of it in pretty much every single regulation with little success. However, I made this version and have been doing decently with, getting into the high 1300's, which isn't much but, considering its a gimmick team and I am not a vgc player, I'd say is pretty successful. Idk whether that's from the team actually being good, me using it well, or just people not expecting the gimmick, but I'll take its success anyways
Paste: https://pokepast.es/689be280f986ef9b
https://pokepast.es/d66756a7be5fbc64
The psych up mon can pretty much be anything that gets it. I went with Metagross cause rock slide spread is good, clear body lets it run another item other then clear amulet, and everything that resists steel and rock is hit hard by either dondozo's water STAB or earthquake.
The psych up mon can pretty much be anything that gets it. I went with Metagross cause rock slide spread is good, clear body lets it run another item other then clear amulet, and everything that resists steel and rock is hit hard by either dondozo's water STAB or earthquake.
The Gimmick
The gimmick's fairly simple. Its idea is to get Tatsugiri to die while its in Dondozo's mouth. This is done with endure bringing it down to 1 hp after after Azelf's explosion and then being poisoned by toxic orb at the end of the turn. Because toxic damage doesn't start till next turn, you can bring in Dondozo and activate commander. Then Tatsugiri dies next turn from poison damage and you can bring in Flamigo to copy the double omni boost with costar. At that point you have two double omni boosted mons and only a few teams can deal with that kind of pressure.
Breakdown
Tatsugiri @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Commander
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 44 HP / 20 Def / 188 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Endure
- Protect
- Icy Wind
- Draco Meteor
Tatsugiri's meant to die lol. 9 times out of ten it clicks endure, so its set doesn't really matter. Endure is what really makes this work. For the uninformed, endure makes a mon live at 1 hp from any attack that entire turn. So even if Tatsugiri gets double targeted, it will still live that turn. Azelf's explosion will always bring Tatsugiri to 1 hp (even if band gets knocked off). Protect can be useful if you don't read a fake out targeting Azelf and thus don't tera ghost. If this happens, Tatsugiri will be poisoned that turn so you cant explode on it or its gonna die. Because of this, protect lets you still boom with Azelf on the second turn (assuming Tatsugiri wasn't brought down to 1 hp by an opponent, cause if thats case everything's kinda screwed lol). Other then that, nothing else really matters on it. You'll only need to tera or click another move if something goes terrible wrong. Icy wind is utility and draco to do some good damage in a worse case scenario. Tera steel resists all of Tatsugiri's weaknesses and can give you an immunity to toxic orb (idk when you'd want that, but tera type is so meaningless you might as well). EVs are to die to even an unbanded explosion and don't do anything else.
Azelf @ Choice Band / Covert Cloak
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Explosion
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Similarly to Tatsugiri, Azelf is meant to die. It also clicks the same move 9 times out of ten, that being explosion. why Azelf? Its the second most powerful exploder in the game (only outdamaged by Metagross) and is fast enough to get it off frequntly. Banded explosion is gonna do good damage to any non resist (and even some resists). This is the biggest change from foofootoo's original team. It had Drifblim as its exploder to be immune to fake out. That's probably the safer option, but I really like azelfs damage output compared to Drifblim. Imo, that's what's making the team successful his time around. The big chuck of damage done by explosion makes its much easier for Dondozo and Flamigo to clean. And besides, you can tera ghost if you really want to be immune to fake out. And if you don't want to use ur tera on a mon thats gonna die that turn (and u really shouldn't cause Dondozo and Flamigo really like having their tera's available) you can run Covert Cloak. It lowers explosions damage, but the almost guaranteed explosion can make up for that. Like Tatsugiri, other moves don't really matter. Zen Headbutt is soild STAB if you can't boom for whatever reason. Knock off can be good into ghost types if they lead 2. U-turns for positioning if you get a bad lead.
Dondozo @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 4 HP / 156 Atk / 20 Def / 76 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Order Up
- Earthquake
- Protect
This is the exact same set on the strategy dex for reg F. Like I said, I’m no vgc player so I have no idea what to specifically put on it and this does the job so I had no reason to change it. Not much else to say. Try to use order up the turn Tatsugiri dies so Flamigo can come in with a +3 boost. Earthquake is necessary for spread damage. Leftys cause the longevity is really nice (plus Flamigo is a better clear amulet user). Tera grass to take weaknesses like from rillaboom, ogerpon, and raging bolt thus surviving a move and getting a ko. Also, it’s the teams only spore taker.
Flamigo @ Clear Amulet
Ability: Costar
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Low Kick
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Protect
This set is probably the second biggest difference with foofootoo’s original team. His Flamigo was choice band 4 attacks, which I didn’t think ever really worked. Imo this is significantly better. Be able to switching moves with an amazing stab combo and access to protect really helps it functions. It can afford to run its stab combo as its only attacking options as they hit the entire relevant meta for at least neutral except for Gholdengo and Thundurus. Roost is useful recovery, especially since Dondozo doesn’t have any. Low Kick over CC cause removing the defense boosts really sucks. Clear amulet to not have to worry about intimidate spam completely shutting down the team. Tera steel cause it takes most of Flamigo’s base weaknesses in a pinch.
The Other Members
The gimmick requires those four mons, so you really never need to bring another mon. But, its still nice to have a full team of six to make the gimmick less obvious. The main import has Incineroar and Amoonguss since they are common annoying mons that many teams bring counter play for thus can potentially throw off your opponent. However, secondary members are a good option. Mons that play a part in the strategy that you can bring if the main core is bad into your opponent's team. Driftbloom is a good option to have an exploder immune to fake out. The best Driftbloom set is sash unburden so you can live a hit and then have a very fast explosion that turn, giving you a really good chance to get it off. A potential Flamigo replacement can be a psych up user like metagross, Terrakion, or Latios This is obviously not as effective as you need to use a turn and item slot to get the boosts, but it can still be useful if you think Flamigo isn't gonna do much into your opponents team.
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