VGC [VGC18] RMT! Grim Fantasy

[axecrazyorc]

Introduction​

This team was built around a core of Hydreigon-Lucario-(Mega)Gardevoir, giving solid type coverage backed up by the pairing of Politoed-Ludicolo, with Nihilego pulling up the rear to help keep Tapus in check. I've played some 20 or 30 matches in Showdown and it's performed pretty solid: my major defeats have mostly been bad plays or poor prediction on my part or just bad RNG (getting frozen, missing crucial attacks, etc). It still feels rough, though. I'm pretty new to the competition scene and don't have much experience with double battles regardless, so I'm hoping someone with more experience can help me polish my team.

Teambuilding Process​

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This is where I started, this was my chosen Core. I wanted as much variety and coverage as possible here and to do that I decided to mix the Fantasy core and the FDP core. The three of them have so far proven to be important and powerful enough that at usually two and sometimes all three have been included in every match.

These two were my next additions, following a solid meta pairing. I had seen the two in use together in a lot of videos and streams, and quite a few guides and articles strongly recommended them, so I decided to play along and haven't regretted it. I frequently lead with Politoed and Hydreigon, pop Tail Wind and switch Poli for Ludi so the latter has an even greater speed advantage.

A lot of pokemon filled the last slot before I settled on Nihilego, but after his predecessors kept getting stomped by Tapus I decided I needed a stronger way to keep Fairies in check, and he fills the roles nicely.

The Team​

Hydreigon @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Tailwind
- Protect
​

As part of the core, Hydreigon offers a fast and powerful check on Psychic and Ghost types with STAB Dark Pulse, and a STAB Draco Meteor (or the Z-Move) deals solid damage across the board, even penetrating Protect. Tail Wind gives the team a useful speed boost and Protect rounds out his pool.

Lucario @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Tail
- Bullet Punch
- Stone Edge
​

Lucario lets my bring the hurt to Dark, Steel and Ice types that would otherwise be a threat to the rest of the team. STAB Close Combat hurts even on a neutral hit, and the Z-Move has OHKOed several threats before they've been able to become nuisances. His solid Attack and Speed stats let him bring the hurt fast, and the coverage from Stone Edge hits dangerous parts of the meta hard (lookin at you, Charizard and Talonflame), as well as doing respectable damage to Landorus-T.

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Psychic
- Protect
- Pain Split
​

Gardevoir-Mega is my primary Dragon check, with a STAB Pixelated Hyper Voice. She also handles dangerous Fighting and Poison types with STAB Psychic and Pain Split lets her punish foes for any move that leaves her hurt but alive. Not much else to say, but it seems like in the current meta she's been the linchpin of the team.

Ludicolo @ Assault Vest
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Fake Out
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Scald
​

After Politoed makes things wet Ludi hit fast and hard. Leading with Fake Out gets the team an extra turn, Scald cripples physical strikers nicely and does respectable STAB damage to Fire and Ground types (especially when rain boosted) and Ice Beam hits Grass, Flying and Dragon types like a truck. Giga Drain rounds out the list to help him stay alive and is a nice way to deal respectable STAB damage to Ground types.

Politoed @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Scald
- Helping Hand
- Icy Wind
​

Politoed's primary purpose is Drizzle, to put Ludi into fast mode. But he has his own ways to bring the hurt, with Scald and Icy Wind letting him fill the same roles as his partner. Protect is a vital survival tool, and Helping Hand lets him spike his friends' damage output in a major way.

Nihilego @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect
​

The space jellyfish hits the eponymous Tapus and even Azurill hard with STAB Sludge Bomb, but he's also able to switch into poison type moves that would really hurt anyone else when Lucario isn't available and has added coverage thanks to Power Gem and Hidden Power: Ice. Protection fills in the pool and gives him an extra turn on the field.

Conclusion​

At the end of the day it's been a reliable team so far, but like I said it still feels rough. It's hard for me to tell if it's the team that needs tuning or me as a player, so I've come here hoping folks more knowledgeable than I about competition play and the current official meta can lend a hand and help me polish those rough edges.

Importable

Hydreigon @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Tailwind
- Protect

Lucario @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Inner Focus
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Tail
- Bullet Punch
- Stone Edge

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Psychic
- Protect
- Pain Split

Ludicolo @ Assault Vest
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Fake Out
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Scald

Politoed @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Scald
- Helping Hand
- Icy Wind

Nihilego @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect