VGC New Team: Song of Storms

[Godot13]

The Song of Storms​

Welcome back Smogon. After getting my butt handed to me in Toronto, I decided to create an entirely new team based on one of the teams that obliterated me. It is a both rain team and a perish trap team. I am impressed with it so far, but I wanted to check with the community to see if you have any pointers (particularly in regards to moves.

Glunk (Politoed) (F) @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 92 Def / 76 SpA / 76 SpD / 20 Spe
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Protect
- Ice Beam
- Perish Song

Politoed is pretty much the linchpin of my team. I wanted it to be able to switch multiple times during battle in order to control the weather (and the ability to get off Perish Song before being knocked out), so I went with a bulky build and pinch berry. Her drizzle powers activates Ludicolo's Swift Swim and powers up her Hydro Vortex. It also weakens fire attacks, greatly benefiting Tapu Bulu and Mega Mawile. Her primary method of destruction is to use Perish Song in conjunction with Gothitelle to trap and kill both of my opponents creatures. Scald is there for STAB damage and burn potential. Ice Beam is used to destroy Landorus-T and damage Zapdos, Naganadel and other ice weak mons. Protect is there for both protection and stall.

Sasha Richu (Gothitelle) (F) @ Mago Berry
Ability: Shadow Tag
Level: 50
EVs: 228 HP / 116 Def / 4 SpA / 156 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Ally Switch
- Protect
- Skill Swap

My Gothitelle was designed to be as annoying as possible. Her primary goal is to switch in when on the turn where Politoed uses Perish Song or allow Tapu Bulu and Mega Mawile to go to town on my opponent. Once Perish Song is activated, it only needs to survive one additional unprotected turn to take out my opponents team (thanks to protect stalling a turn). It is bulky enough to take a Thunderbolt from a Xurkitree with a Tail Glow boost and has a Mago Berry to replenish health. My favorite move to use is Ally Switch, so that it can protect slower powerhouses like Mega Mawile and Incineroar from super effective hits or protect itself from hits to ensure the opponents are trapped. Psyshock is there so it is not worthless if taunted. Protect is mandatory for stalling and because its VGC. I currently am using skill swap to spread Intimidate, but I rarely use it and am considering a different option (possibly Heal Pulse).

Tapu Bulu @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 28 Atk / 4 Def / 172 SpD / 60 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Swords Dance
- Superpower
- Protect

Tapu Bulu is my Tapu of choice due to its physical power and the synergy Grassy Terrain brings to my team. I took advice I received from another player and focused the IV's primarily on bulk and using Swords Dance, Life Orb and Grassy Terrain to augment its physical power. This will allow Bulu to be easily able to set up Swords Dance or switch in comfortably. Bulu's lower speed ensures that Grassy Surge will always win out over Electric and Psychic (Misty matters less, due to the fact that Bulu easily beats Fini). Keeping Psychic Terrain off the field is extremely important to my team given the fact that they rely on Fake Out and Sucker Punch. Ludicolo also enjoys the grass attack boost and Mega Mawile likes the Earthquake nerf.

Tapu Bulu is one of my offensive threats. I went with Swords Dance to increase its attacking power and to take advantage of the fact that many mons (such as Tapu Fini) typically protect the first turn Bulu comes out. Horn Leech is the primary stab, dealing enormous damage with Grassy Terrain boost and restoring health (Wood Hammer would leave Bulu far too hobbled to be effective and Swords Dance can compensate for some of the power loss). I am currently running Superpower as the other attack (for Incineroar, MegaGross and Kartana), but am wondering if Rock Slide/or Stone Edge would be more effective.

Kappa Crunch (Ludicolo) (F) @ Waterium Z
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 13 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Fake Out
- Protect

Ludicolo is my rain sweeper and wall breaker. I went with Modest with max Special Attack IV's to ensure that Hydro Vortex/Pump does as much damage as possible. Hydro Vortex in the rain can tear through most creatures that don't resist water attacks (1KOing every variant of Zapdos except Misty Seed). Giga Drain is used to regain health and capitalize on the Grassy Terrain boost from Tapu Bulu. Fake Out allows for others to set up or to allow a slower Pokemon, like Bulu or Mega Mawile to gain a free attack.

Henlowe (Incineroar) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 140 Atk / 60 Def / 60 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 5 SpA
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
- Low Kick

Incineroar is so good it can even find a way onto a rain team. Outside of rain, he is my teams best answer to Mega Charizard Y and giving him an Assault Vest allows him to soak in Special Attacks and Intimidate aids in his physical bulk. I primarily use him to spread intimidate, Fake Out opponents, and Knock Off Items.

Fake Out is a must for any Incineroar. Flare Blitz allows him to terrify such threats as Kartana, Celesteela, MegaGross and Tapu Bulu and punish Sun Teams. Low Kick is for opposing Incineroars, MegaKhan and Snorlax. For the dark attack I went with Knock Off over Darkest Lariot, due to the utility of removing items.

Bitey (Mawile) (M) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Protect
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch

Mega Mawile is an absolute monster. Iron Head, Play Rough and Sucker Punch provide amazing type coverage and few creatures can safely switch or attack without fear of Sucker Punch. He primarily comes in the late game after a KO to finish the opponent. I maxed out HP to increase bulk, run Intimidate to lower attack and use rain and grassy terrain to lessen his Fire and Ground weaknesses. Gothitelle can also trap opponents normally flee such as the non-Koko Tapus and Tyranitar and allow for easy KOs.

Conclusion:

I feel this team has fantastic chemistry and have been impressed by the rate of wins it has given me. I am curious what the community thinks of this team and if you can think of any tweaks to improve it (like move or item changes). Thank you and happy battling

 

[Charlotte]

Generally the teams looking good. Choice of mons and general composition are solid. I do think some improvements to the movesets can be made though.

I think Ice Beam from a Politoed with little SpA investment won't be doing enough damage to most of what you want to hit with it. So instead, I would place Ice Beam on Ludicolo, in place of either Protect or Fake out, and use Helping Hand on Politoed instead. Ludicolo is faster (in rain) than one of the primary targets for Ice Beam, M-Salamence, and has SpA high enough for it to KO. On Politoed's end Helping Hand will let it greatly increase the damage from Ludicolo's Hydro Vortex allowing it to claim a wider range of KOs. Helping Hand in general is also just a fantastic move that I think has a wider application than Ice Beam on this team.

On Ludicolo, I think it's very much worth considering Energy Ball over Giga Drain. The higher damage can quite often be relevant against pokemon such as Fini. Ludicolo itself isn't too bulky when used in this offensive fashion, so the recovery from Giga Drain doesn't help it out too often either.

Gothitelle. I think Trick Room is vital here. It greatly strengthens Mawile's position, allowing it to act sooner in the turns and take knockouts before the opponent's pokemon can attack you. It would also benefit Incineroar and Bulu as both are pretty slow pokemon. Reducing Gothitelle's and Mawile's speed to 0 IVs with speed reducing natures might also be worth consideration, though not vital. You already mentioned not using Skill Swap too much, so it would likely be best to put Trick Room in that slot. I also think there could be some value in having Taunt in place of Ally Switch. Taunt could make stopping Amoonguss a little easier, you have only a few ways to harm it and Spore could quickly become quite annoying. You mention that Ally Switch is your favourite move, so this is just a small thing to consider.

Summary

Ice Beam -> Helping Hand

Fake Out/Protect -> Ice Beam, Giga Drain -> Energy Ball

Skill Swap -> Trick Room