VGC Tequila Girls

[modaxe]

Introduction​

Hey guys! I've been lurking for a while and decided to really try and get into playing VGC format more competitively. I put together this team and played with it for a few weeks now. It seems to work decently, but something is definitely off. I can't quite pin down what the problem is. Also, as a big fan of grass pokemon like Tsareena, its definitely a plus if she stays (but DEFINITELY LET ME KNOW if she really has to go).

Tsareena @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Queenly Majesty
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 108 Def / 60 SpD / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Trop Kick
- Low Sweep
- Play Rough
​

I really like Tsareena and wanted her on a team. I've put her in as utility coverage for now. Her set allows her to deal with a number of speedy physical attackers. Low sweep helps her slow threats that out-speed the team's sweepers, as well as do decent damage to steel types. Trop kick gives her a fair amount of STAB damage against most 'mons while checking physical damage threats. It also helps with Tapu Fini. Her speed lets her function with most of the 'mons on this team as she works decently in and out of trick room depending on the matchup. Protect helps her play around super-effective attacks, as her typing leaves her relatively vulnerable to the ice and fire type moves that teams almost always carry.

Gothitelle @ Figy Berry
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 244 HP / 108 Def / 156 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Heal Pulse
- Helping Hand
- Protect
​

As the main support of the team, Gothitelle functions as the trick room setter, healer, and helping hander of the team. She was chosen due to the fact that she takes helping hand and trick room. Helping hand is essential for Mega Mawile to OHKO certain Zapdos variants as well as Mega Metagross and Mega Tyranitar. As a trick room setter, she pairs well with Tapu Lele's terrain and Tsareena's Queenly Majesty. Easily falling for taunts is an issue though. Heal Pulse allows the slower 'mons to survive longer to sweep in trick room.
Note: Dusclops is another TR/HH 'mon. I've looked into using him. Please let me know if you think Gothitelle should be swapped out in favour of Dusclops due to typing/etc.

Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect
​

I had previously run Tapu Fini here but kept having trouble with poison 'mons like Mega Venusaur. Tapu Lele was brought in as a Poison counter and a hard hitter to start off non-trick room games with a bang. She OHKOs most Poison threats and a ton of non-specially defensive 'mons. Psychic and moonblast are used for STAB damage, while dazzling gleam helps with chip damage or finishing off low 'mons.

Mawile @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Rock Slide
- Protect
​

This is the team's trick room sweeper. It OHKOs Mega Charizard Y, Mega Metagross, Mega Tyranitar, some common Zapdos sets, and a bunch of other 'mons. Iron head takes out the fairies and Mega Tyranitar, sucker punch deals with Mega Metagross, rock slide gets Mega Charizard Y and Zapdos. Protect helps it survive until trick room is set up or when they swap in a counter. Intimidate is also really nice against physical 'mons.

Zapdos @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 236 HP / 68 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 188 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Tailwind
​

Zapdos pairs really well with Tapu Lele when it carries psychic seed. It is here as a tailwind setter when faster 'mons are brought by the enemy. It allows Tsareena to outspeed quite a few 'mons out of trick room and Tapu Lele to outspeed common sweepers and steel types. Thunderbolt 2HKOs Tapu Fini, heat wave helps a ton against Ferrothorn and other steel types, and roost lets it stay alive long enough to potentially get two tailwinds off.

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stomping Tantrum
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Protect
​

The sweeper for non-trick room battles, this guy spanks any Tapu start and hits hard into almost everyone. Zapdos helps it outspeed everything with tailwind. Zen headbutt gets bonus damage with psychic terrain from Tapu Lele, meteor mash allows it to get through a lot of walls it would usually struggle with, and stomping tantrum usually hits its checks really hard. Clear body is pretty standard as it stops Intimidate when you first put it in.

Conclusion​

Thanks for taking a look at my team. From what I can tell, the lack of typing spread (i.e. three psychic 'mons and both Megas being steel) seem to hurt it when it comes to certain checks. Any suggestions on how to fix this, as well as whatever other problems you might have spotted with this team, are much appreciated.

Importable

Tsareena @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 108 Def / 60 SpD / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Trop Kick
- Low Sweep
- Play Rough

Gothitelle @ Figy Berry
Ability: Shadow Tag
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 108 Def / 156 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Heal Pulse
- Helping Hand
- Protect

Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect

Mawile @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Rock Slide
- Protect

Zapdos @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Pressure
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 68 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 188 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Tailwind

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stomping Tantrum
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Protect

 

[Level 51]

Hi modaxe, sorry for the late reply! While your team is pretty cool and each member of the team is viable in their own way, the general way the team is put together doesn't really work. As far as I can tell, there's a few sections to your team:

• Mawile and Gothitelle forming a TR core;
• Tapu Lele and Metagross forming a fast offensive core;
• Zapdos supporting the LeleGross combination with bulky Tailwind; and Tsareena as a Rain check.

I assume this was an attempt at a semiroom build. However, the thing about semiroom is that it's not really "half TR half fast"; the two halves of a semiroom team really have to complement each other and be able to work together, and unfortunately, there's a couple of issues with your setup:

• Double Steel-type Megas in Mawile and Metagross create a lot of overlap for this role
• The fast mode and slow mode don't overlap a lot; Mawile and Gothitelle work pretty exclusively with each other and not very well with the rest of the team, which could cause flexibility issues.
• Tsareena, while a nice Azumarill check, doesn't really have a place on the team, since Tapu Lele already sets Psychic Terrain, which protects 5/6 of the team members in the same way Queenly Majesty does.

My suggestions, which would hopefully help you remedy the above issues:

→

Mawile → Landorus-T
I think the easiest way to fix this team is by removing the TR portion of the team and changing it to Pokemon that better complement the other half of the team. Landorus-T is a solid replacement for the Intimidate that Mawile provided for the team, and can similarly deal with Mega Charizard Y and Zapdos. You could also give it a Choice Scarf or Yache Berry to let it somewhat check Mega Metagross, too, which would become a bigger threat after the removal of Mawile.

→

/

Tsareena → Amoonguss / Ferrothorn
As I mentioned above, Tsareena seems quite extraneous to the functioning of the team, since Tapu Lele provides the priority support . The only successful instance of Tsareena usage that I'm aware of (Oceania IC; report here) had it acting as a hard counter to Azumarill for a very Azumarill-weak team, which yours isn't really, as well as a softer Rain check. Therefore, I'd suggest using Amoonguss or Ferrothorn instead. Both are strong Rain checks for the team, but Amoonguss comes with the added benefit of acting as redirection to support DD Tyranitar (should you choose to add it), while Ferrothorn can pick up Tsareena's goal of dealing strong Grass-type damage to hit Tapu Fini, for example, and allows your team to better check Mega Metagross.

→

/

Gothitelle → Tyranitar
Since you'd be removing the TR half of your team, you'd need a better way to handle opposing Trick Room teams. Dragon Dance Darkinium Z Tyranitar is one option, as it's capable of getting huge amounts of damage on most TR setters like Cresselia or Oranguru, which tend to be weak to Dark-type moves. Additionally, Tyranitar also serves as a secondary Rain check. You could also consider making Tyranitar into a Mega Tyranitar to check Rain more effectively, as well as have the added benefit of not being OHKOed by Mega Metagross. I don't think this is very necessary if you do use Ferrothorn, and it would also create some conflict between your team's two Megas.

Mega Metagross's Meteor Mash → Iron Head
This is just a personal preference; I don't like the 10% chance to miss and the 30% flinch chance is generally more worth it than the 20% attack raise, in my opinion. You also don't really lose out on that much damage, if I recall correctly.

In summary:
Mawile → Choice Scarf / Yache Landorus-T
Tsareena → Amoonguss / Ferrothorn
Gothitelle → DD Darkinium Z Tyranitar / DD Mega Tyranitar
Mega Metagross's Meteor Mash → Iron Head

Hope I could help a bit! Feel free to ask any questions you might have, either here or via a VM :) These changes do make the team a little weaker to Mega Metagross, but with the Tailwind support from Zapdos as well as a bunch of soft checks (Ferrothorn, your own Metagross, Mega Tyranitar, Landorus-T) you should be able to play around it.