Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Fire
Tangrowth is a fine choice on bulky offensive teams like this one. Completes the durable FWG core, helps the team deal with several threats, and provides a useful Pokemon for pivoting purposes. As far as weaknesses go, Tang helps this team with several:
- Breloom - This is the #1 weakness I see. Between Spore and its STABs, Loom does a really huge number to every member here. Lando-T is the only real "answer" the team has, and it's definitely a shaky one. Another response to Loom is needed, especially when the team is focused around a Mega Lop + Hydreigon core (two Pokemon super weak to Loom). Tang helps with this weakness nicely.
- Mega Diancie - Another annoying Pokemon for this team to stomach hits from. The issue stems from the natural Fairy weakness a core with Hydreigon + Mega Lop brings. With an AV, Tang can actually check Mega Diancie rather well, taking 31.9 - 37.8% and 33.6 - 40% from Moonblast and Diamond Storm, respectively.
- Mega Alakazam - Between Psychic, Shadow Ball, and Focus, Mega Zam can KO or 2HKO the whole team and prove hard to maneuver around. The team has some answers between Mega Lop's priority and Lando-T's speed, but nothing can switch in safely here. Protect variants also complicate things, and these methods of counter play don't really change how threatening Mega Zam can be once it's in safely. Lando-T is already pressured to deal with so many offensive threats for this team (Mega Gyara as another example), so a partner to relieve its pressure would be nice. AV Tang fits the bill, stomaching Psychic surprisingly well (32.9 - 38.8%) and doubling up as a check to many of the threats Lando-T is entrusted to deal with.
- Manaphy - I can see the standard Tail Glow + 3 attacks Manaphy being super threatening too. For example, after a Tail Glow on something like Slowbro or Tran, the team can end up losing around 2 Pokemon before Mega Lop and Lando-T can revenge kill back. Tang can actually tank a +3 Ice Beam from Manaphy (72.7 - 86.1%) and kill back with Leaf Storm after SR (89.7 - 105.5%). Having Tang on the team is thus useful to help the team avoid losing one too many Pokemon.
Overall, Tang is a helpful Pokemon for this team to have because it's able to patch up some notable weaknesses. Being able to use Tang as a way of pivoting versus certain threats is also useful here, especially versus threats the team dislikes switching into (Mega Gardevoir, Azu, Thund-I, and so on). Other useful applications of Tang's pivoting abilities include 1. checking Keld and taking away some pressure from Slowbro, and 2. being able to even stomach a DM from Latios if necessary (49.2 - 58.1%), which is useful versus the increasingly popular Surf variants capable of threatening Tran. The ground resistance is also useful on a team where Lando-T isn't defensive, which naturally makes Pokemon like Exca more threatening.