So, I know that soon the format will be changing in VGC to just Sun and Moon, but I have been wanting to get into it. I have been a long time fan of Pokemon, but this is the first year I am going to try VGC. I put this team together on Showdown, and have had moderate success with it. I am looking for some help in improving it, because I think there are a few ways that it can be better.
1. Mega Swampert
Item: Swamperite
Ability: Swift Swim
Moves: Earthquake, Aqua Tail, Protect, Ice Punch
Nature: Adamant
Spread: 12HP, 236ATK, 4DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SPE
I picked Swampert because of his massive attack power and because of the Swift Swim ability, which makes him faster than anything else that isn't boosted. If successfully set up with Swift Swim, he is a dangerous physical sweeper. Earthquake is a must, and protect comes in handy when allowing the Swift Swim set up. I chose Aqua Tail over Waterfall for the power, and Ice Punch is a good utility move that checks Dragons/Grass. The spread maximizes speed, while still leaving Swampert a little bulkier than a pure physical sweeper, allowing him to take hits. The attack is more than enough to take down mostly anything, and gets the boost from the Adamant nature.
2. Kyogre (Primal)
Item: Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
Moves: Ice Beam, Origin Pulse, Protect, Thunder
Nature: Modest
Spread: 252HP, 0ATK, 60DEF, 156SPATK, 36SPDEF, 4SPe
Kyogre is a monster, and he also acts as my Rain creator for Swampert, so often times I will have them both out at the same time, although it usually happens later in the battle. Ice Beam is a must to check Grass/Dragon. Origin Pulse is also a must for spread damage, and the STAB/Rain boost makes it even stronger. Protect comes in handy when trying to preserve rain for another turn. Thunder is a utility move that never misses when Kyogre is out, and helps take down flying types and other water types.
3. Weavile
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
Moves: Fake Out, Knock Off, Icicle Crash, Poison Jab
Nature: Jolly
Spread: 0HP, 240ATK, 12DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SP
Weavile serves as my Fake Out pressure Pokemon, and is also a pseudo fairy check with Poison Jab. The highly useful Knock Off gets a STAB bonus, and so does Icicle Crash, which takes care of Dragons/Flying/Grass. His spread lets him take advantage of his speed, while still being able to hit pretty hard. Focus Sash and the tiny investment in the defenses allow him to stay in battle a few extra turns. It usually leads, in combination with my Xerneas or Dragonite.
4. Xerneas
Item: Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
Moves: Geomancy, Dazzling Gleam, Flash Cannon, Protect
Nature: Modest
Spread: 252HP, 0ATK, 4DEF, 252SPATK, 0SPDEF, 0SPE
Xerneas is my fairy type, with the typical Geomancy set up. I tacked on Flash Cannon to serve as a Fairy check. Protect allows him extra time to be on the field and let others take care of threats. His spread is pretty basic, and I honestly don't know how else to approach it other than making him as strong and bulky as possible. With the Geomancy boost, it doesn't need a speed investment.
5. Dragonite
Item: Lum Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Moves: Dragon Dance, Dragon Claw, Extremespeed, Fire Punch
Nature: Adamant
Spread: 4HP, 244ATK, 4DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SPE
Dragonite is another physical sweeper on the team. Once he gets the DD boost, his other moves hit quite hard. Fire punch is there to be a check to grass type walls and steel type threats to Xerneas. Extremespeed is there in case I need the highest priority move to take something down quickly. The spread allows him to hit as hard as possible, while still maintaining the tiniest bit of bulk compared to a pure sweeper. DD covers the lack of Nature boost to speed, and a full investment into speed still makes him pretty quick. The Lum Berry helps protect it from status conditions, like a Dark Void Smeargle or a Thunder Wave Thunderus.
6. This is the slot I have struggled with the most. 'Mons that I have tested include a Defensive Tangela, a utility Glisgor, and fast and bulky Heatran. The Tangela didn't work out entirely well, as it didn't have the move pool to fend for itself once everything else went down. The Glisgor had Swords Dance and Baton Pass, and I was toying with Baton Passing into the Swampy or the Dragonite. It also was holding the toxic orb and had poison heal, and also had Toxic as a status move, and Aqua Tail. It was just a little too slow to be used effectively. The Heatran stayed on my team the longest, but I rarely used it. It served as a Fairy/Grass check, and had Magma storm, flash cannon, earth power, and protect. I am just unsure as to what Pokemon will compliment the rest of my team the best.
It isn't the best team in the world; I understand that. However, I have been using it for a while with moderate success. I know it can be better, but I am new to the metagame and am still learning. I know one of my major weaknesses is a Tailwind or Trick Room team, and also when I get into weather battles things can get dicy. The team is also susceptible to status conditions, which I tried to partially alleviate with the Lum Berry on the Dragonite. Part of the problem could also be my prediction and battling skills, which I am also working on improving.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
1. Mega Swampert
Item: Swamperite
Ability: Swift Swim
Moves: Earthquake, Aqua Tail, Protect, Ice Punch
Nature: Adamant
Spread: 12HP, 236ATK, 4DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SPE
I picked Swampert because of his massive attack power and because of the Swift Swim ability, which makes him faster than anything else that isn't boosted. If successfully set up with Swift Swim, he is a dangerous physical sweeper. Earthquake is a must, and protect comes in handy when allowing the Swift Swim set up. I chose Aqua Tail over Waterfall for the power, and Ice Punch is a good utility move that checks Dragons/Grass. The spread maximizes speed, while still leaving Swampert a little bulkier than a pure physical sweeper, allowing him to take hits. The attack is more than enough to take down mostly anything, and gets the boost from the Adamant nature.
2. Kyogre (Primal)
Item: Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
Moves: Ice Beam, Origin Pulse, Protect, Thunder
Nature: Modest
Spread: 252HP, 0ATK, 60DEF, 156SPATK, 36SPDEF, 4SPe
Kyogre is a monster, and he also acts as my Rain creator for Swampert, so often times I will have them both out at the same time, although it usually happens later in the battle. Ice Beam is a must to check Grass/Dragon. Origin Pulse is also a must for spread damage, and the STAB/Rain boost makes it even stronger. Protect comes in handy when trying to preserve rain for another turn. Thunder is a utility move that never misses when Kyogre is out, and helps take down flying types and other water types.
3. Weavile
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
Moves: Fake Out, Knock Off, Icicle Crash, Poison Jab
Nature: Jolly
Spread: 0HP, 240ATK, 12DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SP
Weavile serves as my Fake Out pressure Pokemon, and is also a pseudo fairy check with Poison Jab. The highly useful Knock Off gets a STAB bonus, and so does Icicle Crash, which takes care of Dragons/Flying/Grass. His spread lets him take advantage of his speed, while still being able to hit pretty hard. Focus Sash and the tiny investment in the defenses allow him to stay in battle a few extra turns. It usually leads, in combination with my Xerneas or Dragonite.
4. Xerneas
Item: Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
Moves: Geomancy, Dazzling Gleam, Flash Cannon, Protect
Nature: Modest
Spread: 252HP, 0ATK, 4DEF, 252SPATK, 0SPDEF, 0SPE
Xerneas is my fairy type, with the typical Geomancy set up. I tacked on Flash Cannon to serve as a Fairy check. Protect allows him extra time to be on the field and let others take care of threats. His spread is pretty basic, and I honestly don't know how else to approach it other than making him as strong and bulky as possible. With the Geomancy boost, it doesn't need a speed investment.
5. Dragonite
Item: Lum Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Moves: Dragon Dance, Dragon Claw, Extremespeed, Fire Punch
Nature: Adamant
Spread: 4HP, 244ATK, 4DEF, 0SPATK, 4SPDEF, 252SPE
Dragonite is another physical sweeper on the team. Once he gets the DD boost, his other moves hit quite hard. Fire punch is there to be a check to grass type walls and steel type threats to Xerneas. Extremespeed is there in case I need the highest priority move to take something down quickly. The spread allows him to hit as hard as possible, while still maintaining the tiniest bit of bulk compared to a pure sweeper. DD covers the lack of Nature boost to speed, and a full investment into speed still makes him pretty quick. The Lum Berry helps protect it from status conditions, like a Dark Void Smeargle or a Thunder Wave Thunderus.
6. This is the slot I have struggled with the most. 'Mons that I have tested include a Defensive Tangela, a utility Glisgor, and fast and bulky Heatran. The Tangela didn't work out entirely well, as it didn't have the move pool to fend for itself once everything else went down. The Glisgor had Swords Dance and Baton Pass, and I was toying with Baton Passing into the Swampy or the Dragonite. It also was holding the toxic orb and had poison heal, and also had Toxic as a status move, and Aqua Tail. It was just a little too slow to be used effectively. The Heatran stayed on my team the longest, but I rarely used it. It served as a Fairy/Grass check, and had Magma storm, flash cannon, earth power, and protect. I am just unsure as to what Pokemon will compliment the rest of my team the best.
It isn't the best team in the world; I understand that. However, I have been using it for a while with moderate success. I know it can be better, but I am new to the metagame and am still learning. I know one of my major weaknesses is a Tailwind or Trick Room team, and also when I get into weather battles things can get dicy. The team is also susceptible to status conditions, which I tried to partially alleviate with the Lum Berry on the Dragonite. Part of the problem could also be my prediction and battling skills, which I am also working on improving.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
