This is my first VGC team which I have been using on Showdown for around 3 weeks now and I would really appreciate it if I got some feedback on it because I have worked on this team for a long time.
My team uses a core of Grass, Water, Fire and Steel, Fairy and Dragon which is very popular now. (Grass and Steel both from Kartana)
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 212 HP / 188 Atk / 108 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Protect
- Extreme Speed
Arcanine is very popular in the meta for its ability and its bulk but also it can hit hard and I've tried to incooperate all these into this set. 108 Spe allows Arcanine to outspeed 252+ Spe Pelipper (which is a threat to Arcanine), Alolan Sandslash, Celesteela and Magnezone and 252 Spe Tapu Bulu. With 188+ Atk, Arcanine can:
188+ Atk Arcanine Wild Charge vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Pelipper: 192-228 (141.1 - 167.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
188+ Atk Arcanine Flare Blitz vs. 160 HP / 0 Def Tapu Bulu: 170-204 (103 - 123.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
188+ Atk Arcanine Wild Charge vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Gyarados: 228-272 (134.1 - 160%) -- guaranteed OHKO
This is the standard moveset for Arcanine and a combo of Flare Blitz/Wild Charge and then a next turn Extreme Speed can hit extremely hard. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to round off this Arcanine set with a high amount of bulk.
Gyarados @ Waterium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 156 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Protect
This set is very simple. 100 Spe + Dragon Dance allows Gyarados to outspeed popular 252+ Spe mons like Garchomp, Mimikyu, Porygon-Z, Tapu Lele, and Xurkitree. All these are a threat to Gyarados (Porygon-Z because Z-Conversion Electric is common) so with 252+ Atk and the option of +1 Atk with DD can deal with these pokemon extremely hard. Having two pokemon with Intimidate is key for my team and having one Fire type and one water type makes it extremely easy to choose at least one of them in battle. As I am using this to Intimidate, I felt like this Gyarados needed some bulk to it to take hits on switch ins so the rest of the Evs are put into HP which means this set can soak up hits well.
Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Veil
Level: 50
EVs: 96 HP / 232 Atk / 88 SpD / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
This scarf Garchomp with 92 Spe can outspeed everything in the meta except 252+ Pheromosa which for my team is not too much of a threat because the rest of my team can deal with it well. 96 HP 88 SpD is used to make 252 SpA Moonblast from Tapu Lele, 252 Life Orb Tapu Koko SpA and 252 SpA Nihilego HP Ice a 2HKO. The rest is put into Atk to hit extremly hard. Poision Jab is used for Fairy Types, Rock Slide to hit mons like Gyarados and Arcanine (without hitting your ally with EQ) and DC and EQ for two STABs.
Kartana @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 92 HP / 164 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Smart Strike
- Sacred Sword
- Night Slash
- Leaf Blade
I orignally used the focus sash variant Kartana and to be honest it was really bad. At first, I looked at this set and thought no investment into Atk was really bad however Kartana still hits hard with no investment. This set is from Smogon and it is very effective. 252 Spe allows Kartana to outspeed Garchomp and Nihilego and 92 HP allows this set to survive Tectonic Rage and Fire Fang from Garchomp and the rest of the Evs are dumped into SpD. Night Slash is used to hit Metagross and Alolan Marowak super effectively and the rest of the moves are the standard Kartana moves.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Nature's Madness
- Protect
- Scald
I used Nature Madness over Muddy Water for Tapu Fini because personally I find it a great move for breaking down tanky pokemon such as Celesteela, Porygon2, other Tapu Finis and any pokemon I believe will stay in a long time. The rest of the moves are standard. 252 HP 84+ SpD can survive 252+ Xurkitree and Tapu Koko Thunderbolt and 252 SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche. The rest is put into Def and at 172 Def Tapu Fini can survive 252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade. I use Fini to break down bulky pokemon with Natures Madness whilst staying in for a long time.
Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 24 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Protect
Tapu Lele is essential for theis team as it hugely threatens most pokemon in the meta. 24 HP and 4 Def ensures that 252 Atk Garchomp Poison Jab does not OHKO. 252 SpA is ussed to ensures the damage output is maximum and the rest is put into Speed with a Timid nature which outspeeds 252 Spe Gaarchomp and Nihilego and 252+ Xurkitree and Tapu Fini. Thunderbolt is used to deal with Celesteela.
Again, I would really appreciate it if I got some feedback on this team because I've worked on it for a lot. :)
My team uses a core of Grass, Water, Fire and Steel, Fairy and Dragon which is very popular now. (Grass and Steel both from Kartana)
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 212 HP / 188 Atk / 108 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Protect
- Extreme Speed
Arcanine is very popular in the meta for its ability and its bulk but also it can hit hard and I've tried to incooperate all these into this set. 108 Spe allows Arcanine to outspeed 252+ Spe Pelipper (which is a threat to Arcanine), Alolan Sandslash, Celesteela and Magnezone and 252 Spe Tapu Bulu. With 188+ Atk, Arcanine can:
188+ Atk Arcanine Wild Charge vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Pelipper: 192-228 (141.1 - 167.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
188+ Atk Arcanine Flare Blitz vs. 160 HP / 0 Def Tapu Bulu: 170-204 (103 - 123.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
188+ Atk Arcanine Wild Charge vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Gyarados: 228-272 (134.1 - 160%) -- guaranteed OHKO
This is the standard moveset for Arcanine and a combo of Flare Blitz/Wild Charge and then a next turn Extreme Speed can hit extremely hard. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to round off this Arcanine set with a high amount of bulk.
Gyarados @ Waterium Z
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 156 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Protect
This set is very simple. 100 Spe + Dragon Dance allows Gyarados to outspeed popular 252+ Spe mons like Garchomp, Mimikyu, Porygon-Z, Tapu Lele, and Xurkitree. All these are a threat to Gyarados (Porygon-Z because Z-Conversion Electric is common) so with 252+ Atk and the option of +1 Atk with DD can deal with these pokemon extremely hard. Having two pokemon with Intimidate is key for my team and having one Fire type and one water type makes it extremely easy to choose at least one of them in battle. As I am using this to Intimidate, I felt like this Gyarados needed some bulk to it to take hits on switch ins so the rest of the Evs are put into HP which means this set can soak up hits well.
Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Veil
Level: 50
EVs: 96 HP / 232 Atk / 88 SpD / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
This scarf Garchomp with 92 Spe can outspeed everything in the meta except 252+ Pheromosa which for my team is not too much of a threat because the rest of my team can deal with it well. 96 HP 88 SpD is used to make 252 SpA Moonblast from Tapu Lele, 252 Life Orb Tapu Koko SpA and 252 SpA Nihilego HP Ice a 2HKO. The rest is put into Atk to hit extremly hard. Poision Jab is used for Fairy Types, Rock Slide to hit mons like Gyarados and Arcanine (without hitting your ally with EQ) and DC and EQ for two STABs.
Kartana @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 92 HP / 164 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Smart Strike
- Sacred Sword
- Night Slash
- Leaf Blade
I orignally used the focus sash variant Kartana and to be honest it was really bad. At first, I looked at this set and thought no investment into Atk was really bad however Kartana still hits hard with no investment. This set is from Smogon and it is very effective. 252 Spe allows Kartana to outspeed Garchomp and Nihilego and 92 HP allows this set to survive Tectonic Rage and Fire Fang from Garchomp and the rest of the Evs are dumped into SpD. Night Slash is used to hit Metagross and Alolan Marowak super effectively and the rest of the moves are the standard Kartana moves.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Nature's Madness
- Protect
- Scald
I used Nature Madness over Muddy Water for Tapu Fini because personally I find it a great move for breaking down tanky pokemon such as Celesteela, Porygon2, other Tapu Finis and any pokemon I believe will stay in a long time. The rest of the moves are standard. 252 HP 84+ SpD can survive 252+ Xurkitree and Tapu Koko Thunderbolt and 252 SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche. The rest is put into Def and at 172 Def Tapu Fini can survive 252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade. I use Fini to break down bulky pokemon with Natures Madness whilst staying in for a long time.
Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 24 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Protect
Tapu Lele is essential for theis team as it hugely threatens most pokemon in the meta. 24 HP and 4 Def ensures that 252 Atk Garchomp Poison Jab does not OHKO. 252 SpA is ussed to ensures the damage output is maximum and the rest is put into Speed with a Timid nature which outspeeds 252 Spe Gaarchomp and Nihilego and 252+ Xurkitree and Tapu Fini. Thunderbolt is used to deal with Celesteela.
Again, I would really appreciate it if I got some feedback on this team because I've worked on it for a lot. :)
