I'm pretty new to the VCG doubles format, but I spent some time building this team and I've had on and off success with it on the ladder. Just wanting some opinions on what I can improve on and change.
The team has two main cores and modes that can be used.
Gallade @ Choice Band
Ability: Justified
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 68 SpD / 188 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch
I do have a bit of personal bias for Gallade and wanted to build a team with one on it. Gallade is the main sweeper of the first mode with Whimsicott as the other mon in the core. The mode utilizes the Beat Up gimmick that Whimisott can use. Dynamax Gallade, get +4 attack through Justified, start sweeping. Rock Slide is useful for coverage and the flinch chance, Drain Punch and Zen Headbutt for STAB, and Ice Punch for more coverage and a bit of a safeguard against dragon and flying types. I couldn't run max speed as it outsped the Whimsicott so instead, I invested those remaining points into SpD for a bit more bulk. I ran Choice Band in order for its attacks to pack a bit more punch when it's not Dynamaxed. Gallade can also serve as a mon in the back that can hit pretty hard with the Choice Band and its speed.
Whimsicott @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 Def
Lax Nature
- Beat Up
- Tailwind
- Protect
- Giga Drain/Moonblast
The other mon in the Beat Up mode for this team. Whimsicott is a great support mon, and Prankster allows it to set up with relative ease against almost anything. Base 116 speed is quite good, which turns into 137 with the small EV investment, so in most cases Beat Up will move first, allowing a pretty seamless way that this mode can work. Tailwind allows for even greater speed on Gallade so a Tailwind then Beat Up first two turns has also worked pretty well for me. I invested in bulk for the EVs since attacking isn't Whimsicott's job and Leftovers for passive healing. Giga Drain works for this as well but I've swapped it for Moonblast on occasion for the fairy type coverage.
Coalossal-Gmax @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Steam Engine
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rock Slide
- Heat Wave
- Solar Beam
- Protect
The other mode for the team is the Coalossal mode. Similar to the Beat Up mode, it involves setting up with another mon (Dragapult for this mode), Gmaxing Coalossal, and sweeping with it. Surf on the Dragapult pops the Weakness policy, giving +2 Atk & +2 SpA, and it also pops the Steam Engine ability, giving Coalossal +6 Spd. This set up works pretty well as +6 speed allows it to outspeed the majority of things immediately, and the boosted attack hits very hard. Coalossal can set up its own sun with Max Flare and the chip damage from Gmax Vocalith is very useful for setting up for relatively easy endgames for the mons in the back.
Dragapult @ Light Clay
Ability: Cursed Body
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Dragon Darts
- Surf
This Dragapult set utilizes its insane speed stats as a good set up mon. It usually runs next to Coalossal in order to pop all the boosts with Surf, but it also runs screens as added defense boosts throughout the whole game. Light Clay increases the duration of screens, and Dragapult usually lasts long enough to set up at least one screen and use surf. Dragon Darts works as a good move for chip damage if Dragapult is still on the field after setting up, and is good to hit two opponents, or one once. I ran a more bulky set on this Dragapult as attacking isn't its main focus, and I'd like it to last for at least a few turns to properly set up. I chose Cursed Body as the ability as the chance to disable a move can be quite useful and makes things easier sometimes, but the ability isn't vital for this Dragapult set to work properly.
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Frisk
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Imprison
- Night Shade
- Pain Split
Trick Room is a killer for this team. The main offensive mons/sweepers work best because they are so fast, so if your opponent pops Trick Room, you've basically lost already. So, I needed a Trick Room answer. I chose Dusclops because of how popular it is and how much it's working in the current format. This is a pretty standard Imprison set to try and prevent Trick Room from being set up and usually is slow enough to reverse Trick Room by going first if it is set up. I've only ever had problems with other similar Dusclops and speed-ties. Frisk is just useful to see what your opponent is holding. I ran the normal bulky set with Eviolite which makes this mon really hard to kill, and Pain Split only adds to this, allowing Dusclops to be quite annoying if used properly.
Gyarados @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Crunch
- Bounce
- Waterfall
Gyarados is probably the shakiest member on this team. It serves as a late-game mon, Intimidate lowering the already cut attack if Reflect has been set up before or just lowering attack in general when it enters, which is useful overall. The item can be changed, but I've seen the best results with the Life Orb as it allows for that extra attack power when you're trying to clean up mons in the endgame. Gyarados has the potential to Dynamax if it is absolutely necessary, but usually just runs coverage moves as an offensive attacker if the sweepers are KO'd.
Overall, I've had some success with the team but would really like to improve it to get more consistent results with it.
The team has two main cores and modes that can be used.
Gallade @ Choice Band
Ability: Justified
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 68 SpD / 188 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch
I do have a bit of personal bias for Gallade and wanted to build a team with one on it. Gallade is the main sweeper of the first mode with Whimsicott as the other mon in the core. The mode utilizes the Beat Up gimmick that Whimisott can use. Dynamax Gallade, get +4 attack through Justified, start sweeping. Rock Slide is useful for coverage and the flinch chance, Drain Punch and Zen Headbutt for STAB, and Ice Punch for more coverage and a bit of a safeguard against dragon and flying types. I couldn't run max speed as it outsped the Whimsicott so instead, I invested those remaining points into SpD for a bit more bulk. I ran Choice Band in order for its attacks to pack a bit more punch when it's not Dynamaxed. Gallade can also serve as a mon in the back that can hit pretty hard with the Choice Band and its speed.
Whimsicott @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 Def
Lax Nature
- Beat Up
- Tailwind
- Protect
- Giga Drain/Moonblast
The other mon in the Beat Up mode for this team. Whimsicott is a great support mon, and Prankster allows it to set up with relative ease against almost anything. Base 116 speed is quite good, which turns into 137 with the small EV investment, so in most cases Beat Up will move first, allowing a pretty seamless way that this mode can work. Tailwind allows for even greater speed on Gallade so a Tailwind then Beat Up first two turns has also worked pretty well for me. I invested in bulk for the EVs since attacking isn't Whimsicott's job and Leftovers for passive healing. Giga Drain works for this as well but I've swapped it for Moonblast on occasion for the fairy type coverage.
Coalossal-Gmax @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Steam Engine
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rock Slide
- Heat Wave
- Solar Beam
- Protect
The other mode for the team is the Coalossal mode. Similar to the Beat Up mode, it involves setting up with another mon (Dragapult for this mode), Gmaxing Coalossal, and sweeping with it. Surf on the Dragapult pops the Weakness policy, giving +2 Atk & +2 SpA, and it also pops the Steam Engine ability, giving Coalossal +6 Spd. This set up works pretty well as +6 speed allows it to outspeed the majority of things immediately, and the boosted attack hits very hard. Coalossal can set up its own sun with Max Flare and the chip damage from Gmax Vocalith is very useful for setting up for relatively easy endgames for the mons in the back.
Dragapult @ Light Clay
Ability: Cursed Body
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Dragon Darts
- Surf
This Dragapult set utilizes its insane speed stats as a good set up mon. It usually runs next to Coalossal in order to pop all the boosts with Surf, but it also runs screens as added defense boosts throughout the whole game. Light Clay increases the duration of screens, and Dragapult usually lasts long enough to set up at least one screen and use surf. Dragon Darts works as a good move for chip damage if Dragapult is still on the field after setting up, and is good to hit two opponents, or one once. I ran a more bulky set on this Dragapult as attacking isn't its main focus, and I'd like it to last for at least a few turns to properly set up. I chose Cursed Body as the ability as the chance to disable a move can be quite useful and makes things easier sometimes, but the ability isn't vital for this Dragapult set to work properly.
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Frisk
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Imprison
- Night Shade
- Pain Split
Trick Room is a killer for this team. The main offensive mons/sweepers work best because they are so fast, so if your opponent pops Trick Room, you've basically lost already. So, I needed a Trick Room answer. I chose Dusclops because of how popular it is and how much it's working in the current format. This is a pretty standard Imprison set to try and prevent Trick Room from being set up and usually is slow enough to reverse Trick Room by going first if it is set up. I've only ever had problems with other similar Dusclops and speed-ties. Frisk is just useful to see what your opponent is holding. I ran the normal bulky set with Eviolite which makes this mon really hard to kill, and Pain Split only adds to this, allowing Dusclops to be quite annoying if used properly.
Gyarados @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Crunch
- Bounce
- Waterfall
Gyarados is probably the shakiest member on this team. It serves as a late-game mon, Intimidate lowering the already cut attack if Reflect has been set up before or just lowering attack in general when it enters, which is useful overall. The item can be changed, but I've seen the best results with the Life Orb as it allows for that extra attack power when you're trying to clean up mons in the endgame. Gyarados has the potential to Dynamax if it is absolutely necessary, but usually just runs coverage moves as an offensive attacker if the sweepers are KO'd.
Overall, I've had some success with the team but would really like to improve it to get more consistent results with it.
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