VGC/Doubles

[Six Trails]

Has anyone here tried VGC before?

 

[Six Trails]

Well, since I got so many replies, I guess I will share my team...

Clefable @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Def / 28 SpA / 116 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Follow Me
- Moonblast
- Helping Hand
- Protect

Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Icy Wind
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Swampert @ Expert Belt
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 236 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Wide Guard

Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 20 Atk / 236 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Double-Edge
- Hyper Voice
- Draco Meteor
- Protect

Talonflame @ Charti Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 132 HP / 156 Atk / 84 Def / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Will-O-Wisp
- Tailwind
- Taunt

Ferrothorn @ Lum Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SpD
Brave Nature
- Iron Head
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave
- Protect

So, any thoughts? I would bring this over to the Rate My Team forum over on Serebii, but every time I post there, I get an infraction for breaking some rule I didn't know about...

 

[Kyo]

I've not tried VGC.

Interesting role you've got Talonflame playing. Not sure what to think of the team right this second so I might judge it later. Could you give a quick breakdown though of how you'd plan to use it, ideally?

 

[Six Trails]

I tend to lead with either Talonflame and Ferrothorn or Swampert and Ferrothorn. I use Ferrothorn to spam Thunder Wave on either special attackers of bulky Pokémon, and use Swampert or Talonflame to try and burn any physical attackers I see. The two together can either get some chip damage or even KOs before fainting.

After one of the two leads faint, I bring in Clefable, and usually stall with Protect and get some chip damage with Moonblast until my other lead dies, as I like to keep it as healthy as possible until Salamence comes out. When Clefable and Salamence are out, I'll either spam with Helping Hand + Hyper Voice, or go for Moonblast + Draco/D-E on a single Pokémon if it's being a nuisance

As for Gengar, I've only had about 7 battles, so I haven't really had the chance to try it out yet. If I'm honest, I threw him in because I couldn't think of a 6th member and he was in the recommendations as a partner for one of the other Pokémon, but I was too lazy to read the whole paragraph explaining how to use them together.

I tend to also use Swamper over Talonflame more often, so I never use Tailwind/Taunt as I feel Will-O-Wisp is more important to go for first. I also don't see Taunt being needed that much as the VGC meta-game is more about Protect/attacking rather than setting up (it is essential for Thundurus/other status spreaders, though).

Overall, I kind of threw this team together without doing too much research and the above strategy is what I came up with on the spot. My streak so far is 5 wins and 2 losses, so I suppose it's not too bad. I haven't been put in a lot of different situations yet, so I haven't seen that many checks to my strategy. My only real problem is Steel types that wall Salamence and Clefable after Swampert has left the field.

 

[Six Trails]

Forgot to add that another thing that really throws me off is the whole "bring 6 use 4" deal. Makes it harder to chose which Pokémon to use + preserve. :|