Hi all guys, I'm here to show u one of my experiments: a VGC team started from Lapras ^^
Building Phase:
So all started from Lapras. Why this? Because I read a post that was about the best water team for the VGC, and at the fifth position was Lapras. So the first thing was to think about a moveset for it, and I saw that he can learn a really useful move: Icy Wind. So here the role for this mon. Later we will se all the moveset with the spread.
Since I have Icy Wind I found useless to use a Trick Room strategy in this team. That's why I wanted another form of speed control, so I choosed Talonflame with his priority Tailwind. But at this point I noticed that I had still no legendaries, so the first thing that I thought was: "let's use a double primal core". So this team became a Double Primal team.
Now I noticed that I had still no megas, and I had no counter for Xerneas (yes I have Groudon, but is better to exaggerate D:). So I thought to Mega-Mawile, a powerful megamon that can counter Xerneas, but also Salamence, Rayquaza and can give me the Intimidate support. Finally I needed my last member. Seeing that I could use a second mega, I choosed Mega-Salamence, it is always useful to have it.
Movesets:
Lapras (F) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Water Absorb
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 4 SpA / 76 SpD
Calm Nature
- Ice Shard
- Icy Wind
- Freeze-Dry
- Hydro Pump
So let's start with movesets. Here is the star of the team. With this spread I can resist to a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas and a Low Kick from Mega-Kanga. The problem of this mon is the speed, that's why I though to Icy Wind and Tailwind. The ability is fantastic, with a good predict I can absorb a powerful Water Spout and refull my HP. Finally the moves: Ice Shard as priority, it's always good to have it, I can KO Salamence or Rayquaza with priority; Icy Wind it's my solution to the low speed as I said before; Freeze-Dry is an awesome move, I can hit really hard some of the most used mons in the tier, like Mega-Salamence or Kyogre; finally Hydro Pump as STAB because Lapras can't learn Scald (D:). Anyway it has less precision, but under the rain it makes really high damage.
Talonflame (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tailwind
- Quick Guard/Taunt
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
Here a classical Talonflame, my second idea for the speed control and one of the most used mon in the VGC thanks to it's fantastic ability. I can easily set a priority Tailwind to help my team. But he can also protect my teams from priority like Fake Out, Extreme speed or other Talonflame flying moves with Quick Guard. THe other two moves are the two STABs that can deal really much damage. The only problem is that both have the recoil, and with the Life Orb recoil is a great problem. I thought to Taunt too, but only >Quick Guard. Even If I could also set Taut>Flare Blitz... What do u think about this?
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Lax Nature
- Protect
- Eruption
- Rock Slide
- Precipice Blades
Another king of the VGC. With its fantastic ability I can nullify the water moves, but obv I have to be care when I use my Lapras. The spread and the nature are quite strange, but I found it on the suggestions from Pokemon Showdown. With this spread it has a great phisical defence, yes, but I am really weak to special attacks... For the moves: Protect always useful, Eruption to deal much damage to both foes, Rock Slide to hit Talonflame and usually Ho-oh, finally Precipice Blade as STAB and signature move.
Kyogre-Primal @ Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Scald
- Water Spout
- Ice Beam
Same speech for Kyogre. I found the set on the suggestion on Pokemon Showdown. Maybe for Kyogre this set has more sense, seeing the high special defence. I can resist a lot of hits thanks the high defences and deal massive damage even spending only 4 Evs in SpAtk. Protect useful as said before, Scald+Water Spout as STABs, the first is to avoid to use Water Spout when I'm low HP, finally Ice Beam to coverage.
Mawile (F) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Play Rough
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
Here my Xerneas and dragons Counter. The ability is really useful if used well. The spread let me have massive damage but also good resistance (not great but well). No Evs used in speed just because I'm slow also with a max Evs and Tailwind. Sucker Punch help me in this case. It's a great priority move. THen we have the evergreen Protect and the two STABs Play Rough and Iron Head.
Salamence (M) @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Protect
- Hyper Voice
- Double-Edge
- Draco Meteor/Fire Blast
Finally another great pokemon. First in its normal form he can provide the Intimidate support which is always welcome. In its mega form he have another great ability in Aerilate. So all normal moves become Flying moves and get a boost. That's why the "mixed" set, to have a powerful special move like Hyper Voice to hit both of opponents, but also a powerful Double-Edge. Then we have protect and finally another powerful STAB in Draco Meteor. Another alternative is Fire Blast to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor.
So this is the team. I have to say that I collected victoryes but also defeats testing it and, very importantly, sometimes Lapras led me to win the game.
I hope that someone can help me to improve this team and, if it's possible, I hope that no one will contest my idea of using Lapras in a VGC team just because it's never used.
So, as always, thanks in advance to all the answers.
Building Phase:
So all started from Lapras. Why this? Because I read a post that was about the best water team for the VGC, and at the fifth position was Lapras. So the first thing was to think about a moveset for it, and I saw that he can learn a really useful move: Icy Wind. So here the role for this mon. Later we will se all the moveset with the spread.
Since I have Icy Wind I found useless to use a Trick Room strategy in this team. That's why I wanted another form of speed control, so I choosed Talonflame with his priority Tailwind. But at this point I noticed that I had still no legendaries, so the first thing that I thought was: "let's use a double primal core". So this team became a Double Primal team.
Now I noticed that I had still no megas, and I had no counter for Xerneas (yes I have Groudon, but is better to exaggerate D:). So I thought to Mega-Mawile, a powerful megamon that can counter Xerneas, but also Salamence, Rayquaza and can give me the Intimidate support. Finally I needed my last member. Seeing that I could use a second mega, I choosed Mega-Salamence, it is always useful to have it.
Movesets:
Lapras (F) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Water Absorb
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 4 SpA / 76 SpD
Calm Nature
- Ice Shard
- Icy Wind
- Freeze-Dry
- Hydro Pump
So let's start with movesets. Here is the star of the team. With this spread I can resist to a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas and a Low Kick from Mega-Kanga. The problem of this mon is the speed, that's why I though to Icy Wind and Tailwind. The ability is fantastic, with a good predict I can absorb a powerful Water Spout and refull my HP. Finally the moves: Ice Shard as priority, it's always good to have it, I can KO Salamence or Rayquaza with priority; Icy Wind it's my solution to the low speed as I said before; Freeze-Dry is an awesome move, I can hit really hard some of the most used mons in the tier, like Mega-Salamence or Kyogre; finally Hydro Pump as STAB because Lapras can't learn Scald (D:). Anyway it has less precision, but under the rain it makes really high damage.
Talonflame (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tailwind
- Quick Guard/Taunt
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
Here a classical Talonflame, my second idea for the speed control and one of the most used mon in the VGC thanks to it's fantastic ability. I can easily set a priority Tailwind to help my team. But he can also protect my teams from priority like Fake Out, Extreme speed or other Talonflame flying moves with Quick Guard. THe other two moves are the two STABs that can deal really much damage. The only problem is that both have the recoil, and with the Life Orb recoil is a great problem. I thought to Taunt too, but only >Quick Guard. Even If I could also set Taut>Flare Blitz... What do u think about this?
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Lax Nature
- Protect
- Eruption
- Rock Slide
- Precipice Blades
Another king of the VGC. With its fantastic ability I can nullify the water moves, but obv I have to be care when I use my Lapras. The spread and the nature are quite strange, but I found it on the suggestions from Pokemon Showdown. With this spread it has a great phisical defence, yes, but I am really weak to special attacks... For the moves: Protect always useful, Eruption to deal much damage to both foes, Rock Slide to hit Talonflame and usually Ho-oh, finally Precipice Blade as STAB and signature move.
Kyogre-Primal @ Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Scald
- Water Spout
- Ice Beam
Same speech for Kyogre. I found the set on the suggestion on Pokemon Showdown. Maybe for Kyogre this set has more sense, seeing the high special defence. I can resist a lot of hits thanks the high defences and deal massive damage even spending only 4 Evs in SpAtk. Protect useful as said before, Scald+Water Spout as STABs, the first is to avoid to use Water Spout when I'm low HP, finally Ice Beam to coverage.
Mawile (F) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Play Rough
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
Here my Xerneas and dragons Counter. The ability is really useful if used well. The spread let me have massive damage but also good resistance (not great but well). No Evs used in speed just because I'm slow also with a max Evs and Tailwind. Sucker Punch help me in this case. It's a great priority move. THen we have the evergreen Protect and the two STABs Play Rough and Iron Head.
Salamence (M) @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Protect
- Hyper Voice
- Double-Edge
- Draco Meteor/Fire Blast
Finally another great pokemon. First in its normal form he can provide the Intimidate support which is always welcome. In its mega form he have another great ability in Aerilate. So all normal moves become Flying moves and get a boost. That's why the "mixed" set, to have a powerful special move like Hyper Voice to hit both of opponents, but also a powerful Double-Edge. Then we have protect and finally another powerful STAB in Draco Meteor. Another alternative is Fire Blast to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor.
I hope that someone can help me to improve this team and, if it's possible, I hope that no one will contest my idea of using Lapras in a VGC team just because it's never used.
So, as always, thanks in advance to all the answers.
