The Second Try

[The Knights of Wario Land]

Hello, this is Ryan, aka The Knights of Wario Land. I'm a huge fan of the VGC format, with its many unique combinations and fast pace, joining this website for that very reason due to the large VGC community.

Being a Pokemon fan for the last two years, I entered the VGCs 2011 with a non-EV trained Pokemon team, before I even knew how to EV train properly, and ended up being 4-0'ed first round to an Archeops and Mienshao. However, this year, I decided to make a huge change: the second the VGC locations were announced in September, I immediately started to prepare.

I originally planned on running a Trick Room team based with Chandelure, Hitmontop, Eelektross, Snorlax, etc., but they were all completely useless when Trick Room would run out, getting the 6th slot was insanely hard to choose, and it just was really boring to use. So after looking and lurking around the interwebs and Smogon for a better strategy, I realized a goodstuff team would be more of my style.

Note I only have access to Gen V games, as my SoulSilver is absolutely incapable of IV breeding.

Team Building Process

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I originally wanted to run a Double-genie set, with Tornadus and Landorus, to get advantage with great STABS.

However, after later inspections, I realized that I wouldn't be packing an Telepathy or Ghost-types to resist Landorus' Explosion, I was already planning on carrying a Normal Gem on another member, and that Garchomp outclasses Landorus in pretty much every way, plus I needed the Dragon-type coverage.

I'm always the type of guy to abuse Fake-Out, so I looked for a good user. I considered Weavile, but then realized that Ambipom gets STAB and Technician with it, and has less crippling weaknesses.

After witnessing its power with an old Sand team and at a time, with my VGC 2011 team before a Galvantula took over it, I realized my dream of Durant's time to shine could finally be shown on a bigger scale. Plus it's ridiculously fun to use.

Looking at my team already, I realized I needed a good and bulky Special Attacker. I considered Gastrodon, but it had crippling speed even with Tailwind and just wasn't as powerful as I wanted. After researching a bit more, I finally ended up with Milotic, whose bulk and power will annoy a lot of teams.

Seeing my Life Orb left unoccupied, I thought over a final member of my team, and what coverage I didn't have. For a bit I seriously considered Kindgra, but I realized two similar Water-types would be redundant and wouldn't cover much. I thought of Lucario, but he already shares the same weakness as Ambipom and Durant. Finally, the flaming monkey Infernape shone to me, as its' very mixed and has perfect coverage over what I didn't have before, Fire and Fighting-type moves.

However, looking into it a bit, I realized that Infernape outclasses Ambipom in every other way, so I've gotten rid of him. I then decided to replace its spot with the ever-useful and bulky Porygon2.

THE TEAM

Apu (Tornadus) @ Flying Gem

Ability: Prankster
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Acrobatics
-Tailwind
-Taunt
-Protect

Tornadus is one of my major support Pokemon, able to Taunt Trick Room and other Tailwind abusers, get Tailwind up itself to guarantee my other Pokes go first, and Protect, 'cause it's pretty frail. Realizing Tornadus gets fantastic STAB from Acrobatics, I decided to run the ol' Flight Gem-Acrobatics tactic with him for massive damage. Rock Slides, Blizzards, and Electric moves give it trouble, but that's all handled by the rest of the team.

Chomper V2 (Garchomp) @ Yache Berry

Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Protect

The bread-and-butter Yache Garchomp. Able to handle a wide range of Pokes and with respectable bulk, what he does is pretty self-explanitory. Even with Hail up, Rock Slide strikes fear in all those Ice-types, and Sand Veil causes Sandstorm users to think twice. I will be at a bit of a conflict with other Garchomps because of the Speed tie, but Tornadus' Tailwind will completely ignore this fact.

Dorricott (Durant) @ Focus Sash

(Shoutout to Mr. Durant man himself Dozz)
Ability: Jolly
Nature: Hustle
EVs:4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spe
-Hone Claws
-Iron Head
-X-Scissor
-Rock Slide

Durant has been one of the most unexpected sweepers I've used in a long time. Durant is all about power, power, and more power, and this set emphasizes that perfectly. Hone Claws gets rid of the accuracy loss of Hustle AND raising its power, making it a deadly-fast and deadly-powerful attacker easily able to counter such common foes as Terrakion, Zapdos, and more. Not running Protect is risky, but I've found more success without it than with it, and its Sash will allow it to take a hit.

Swirlicus (Milotic) @ Sitrus Berry

Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Bold
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp. Attk / 252 Sp. Def
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Recover
-Protect

The bulkiest one of the team, this Milotic will take people by surprise to find that it's pretty specially offensive too. It can take a pretty good hit with a Sitrus Berry, and get back up again with Recover, while Burn haxing the foe with Scald, making it a valuable supporter to the team. It does have issues with other Water-types, but the rest of the team will easily take care of them.

Rafiki (Infernape) @ Life Orb

Ability: Blaze
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 140 Attk / 116 Sp. A / 252 Spe
-Fake-Out
-Close Combat
-Overheat
-Protect

Infernape has the coverage over what the rest of my team lacks, as the set takes full advantage of its STABs. Fake-Out supports my other Pokemon, Close Combat is amazing, Overheat can't be overabused but is VERY powerful, and Protect is run to insure livability. I usually lead out with both Infernape and Tornadus, Porygon2, or Durant so they can set up whatever the hell they want. Infernape is very, VERY frail, but its pure power and great STABs make him invaluable to my team.

TROLLygon2 (Porygon2) @Eviolite

Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/ 252 Sp.A
-Thunder Wave
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
-Protect

Porygon2 is my bulky support 'mon with Eviolite, and still a good knack for Special Attack. Paralyzing the foes will ignore its low Speed stat, and said low speed stat can deal well with Trick Room teams too. It has the Electric coverage the rest of my teams lacks, hitting the common Flying-types really well with both Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. I considered running Recover, but I found it to be a bit too slow for it, and thus ran Protect instead.

 

[voodoo pimp]

With four and a half physical attackers, you're going to get hurt bad by Intimidate users, especially Gyarados since none of your special attacks really hurt it either. Other physically bulky Water-types will be troublesome for the same reason.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

With four and a half physical attackers, you're going to get hurt bad by Intimidate users, especially Gyarados since none of your special attacks really hurt it either. Other physically bulky Water-types will be troublesome for the same reason.

I have been indeed thinking about adding an Electric-type to my team, but unfortunately I am unable to access Thundurus due to the one I caught in White was before I knew about IVs. I've been thinking about Rotom for a bit, I might consider one of the forms over Tornadus.

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Using Zapdos >> Tornadus is a good switch. Zapdos can use Tailwind and HP Flying as to not lose the coverage.

 

[Drifblim]

Though Milotic with a Flame Orb is an ok strategy, the damage it does to you will end up hurting. Unlike Conkeldurr (who likes his Flame Orb), Milotic has no damaging means of recovery. Moves that super effect Milotic are very likely to be Sp Atks anyways, it's just the majority of Grass and Electric. If a main reason to be doing it is to stay away from other status conditions, that gives more reason to keeping it. Rest is an option over either of your non-stabs (probly Hp Fire cuz Ice beam is your only Ice move), you will have Marvel Scale whilst asleep.

 

[OdeDischarge]

First of all, I would like to thank you for such a complete write up. The VGC section of this site can sometimes lack a complete thought process, but you really did a great job explaining yourself. I am new to VGC and this will be my first year competing. My plan is to snag a few teams off of the VGC section to get a better understanding of how the metagame works. I just wanted to let you know that your wonderful little team here is about to be completely copied for all of it's awesomeness for a better understanding of VGC itself. Thank you very much.

P.S. If you have any problems with me taking your team, PM me and I'll stop immediately.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

First of all, I would like to thank you for such a complete write up. The VGC section of this site can sometimes lack a complete thought process, but you really did a great job explaining yourself. I am new to VGC and this will be my first year competing. My plan is to snag a few teams off of the VGC section to get a better understanding of how the metagame works. I just wanted to let you know that your wonderful little team here is about to be completely copied for all of it's awesomeness for a better understanding of VGC itself. Thank you very much.

P.S. If you have any problems with me taking your team, PM me and I'll stop immediately.

Wait wait wait what.

I'm kind of shocked that my team is liked this much.

Seriously, thanks.

 

[Saboros]

First of all, I would like to thank you for such a complete write up. The VGC section of this site can sometimes lack a complete thought process, but you really did a great job explaining yourself. I am new to VGC and this will be my first year competing. My plan is to snag a few teams off of the VGC section to get a better understanding of how the metagame works. I just wanted to let you know that your wonderful little team here is about to be completely copied for all of it's awesomeness for a better understanding of VGC itself. Thank you very much.

P.S. If you have any problems with me taking your team, PM me and I'll stop immediately.

o.O........... lulwut?

 

[OdeDischarge]

Sorry if I seemed to come on a little strong but this team really fits my playstyle perfectly. It's been a lot of fun to screw around with this team.

 

[Drifblim]

KoWl, you're famous now! lol

 

[muffinhead]

i think what saboros was trying to say is that the rmt is not really a complete write up, the descriptions are kindof short o_O

this team looks fun but if trick room is set up, its very hard to come back from. i think infernape and ambipom do the same job. keep 1 and switch the other for something that can reverse tr (bulky support mon).

if you keep ambipom, metagross and something like backup scarf abomasnow become almost impossible to handle. i recommend keeping infernape because of it.

try sitrus berry > flame orb and recover > hp fire on milotic. flame orb takes away hp every turn and doesnt help against special attackers at all, protect stalling will occur, etc. recover + sitrus gives more scald chances and survivability.

my rate is short, but i hope it helps o 3o

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

Alright, I've been thinking of running a good Psychic or Ghost-type with an Electric attack to replace Ambipom, and I've been experimenting with a Mismagius. However, I find it not super-bulky and I might want to run another one.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

Updated descriptions and now I've added a question about who should fill the last slot: Mismagius or Porygon2.

 

[voodoo pimp]

How about a compromise? Offensive Porygon2. They have the same Special Attack stats, and it gets BoltBeam.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

Already, deciding to use an Offensive Porygon2 set. What should I run on it?

 

[voodoo pimp]

I'd go with (Trick Room or Thunder Wave)/Thunderbolt/Ice Beam/Protect, or maybe Recover if you aren't worried about Fighting-types.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

Alright, put up the Offensive Porygon2 set. Will flesh out descriptions a bit more later.

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

All descriptions have been upgraded, ready for another rate.