I am primarily a singles player and started playing VGC mid 2017. Going into 2018 format, there are a lot of new Pokemon, and I would really appreciate any advice or help to improve the team. Its gone thorough a lot of changes and I'm still tweaking it. I've gone up to the 1300s ( I know that's not very impressive) and I won 2 VGC Showdown tournaments.
Kangaskhan @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Low Kick
- Ice Beam
- Return
Mega Kangaskhan was the first Pokemon I chose. With its incredible results in 2015 and 2016, I feel it is still a very strong start. I went with a standard EV Spread. Minus 1 Ice Punch can still OHKO certain Landorus and Low Kick will OHKO Stakataka. Return is my main STAB move.
Tapu Fini @ Choice Specs
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Dazzling Gleam
I wanted a strong special attacker, and I am already very familiar with Tapu Fini since it was one of my main Pokemon in 2017. Specs Tapu Fini hits incredibly hard and works well if I am against a Tapu Fini lead. Kangaskhan + Tapu Fini still allows Kangaskhan to fire off a Fake Out.
Zapdos @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Pressure
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 76 SpA / 4 SpD / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Tailwind
- Protect
In all honesty I added this Pokemon because I've always wanted to use it. Zapdos is usually run with Electrium Z but I wanted to go another route. I made my Zapdos a little bulkier and gave it a pinch berry. Zapdos also adds an option for speed control in Tailwind. It also works well with Landorus.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 68 HP / 44 Atk / 168 SpD / 228 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Superpower
- U-turn
Landorus is definitely one of the best Pokemon in the format and I think it works well with my team. I chose Choice Scarf because without Tailwind my team is pretty slow and I wanted a speedy Pokemon. Pretty standard Choice Scarf Landorus set.
Tyranitar @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 20 Atk / 156 Def / 28 SpD / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Low Kick
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Protect
This Pokemon was originally a Stakataka to have a Trick Room mode in case I'm up against opposing Trick Room. However, I noticed the team was weak to ghosts like Aegislash and weather teams, especially rain. Tyranitar allows me to have a psychic immunity and gives me a ghost/weather answer. I was debating to run Darkinium Z but I ended up choosing Life Orb for extra damage.
Kartana @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Detect
Lastly, I added Kartana. This was originally a Heatran with Firium Z but I never brought it as much and also saw that I had a a glaring Gastrodon/Mega Swampert weakness. Fightinium Z allows for it to OHKO Pokemon like Kangaskhan and Snorlax depending on it's spread.
I think the team is slowly getting better but in no way close to perfect. Some weaknesses I have are against Trick Room/Tailwind teams since the majority of my team is pretty slow. Weather is still a problem sometimes, and I feel like I don't hit that hard sometimes. Also only having 1 fire move on the whole team is obviously pretty bad. I was also thinking of getting rid of Low Kick on Mega Kangaskhan and replacing it with Sucker Punch. Anyways, I would really appreciate advice to help me start off the season strong. Thanks in advance!! :D
Kangaskhan @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Low Kick
- Ice Beam
- Return
Mega Kangaskhan was the first Pokemon I chose. With its incredible results in 2015 and 2016, I feel it is still a very strong start. I went with a standard EV Spread. Minus 1 Ice Punch can still OHKO certain Landorus and Low Kick will OHKO Stakataka. Return is my main STAB move.
Tapu Fini @ Choice Specs
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Dazzling Gleam
I wanted a strong special attacker, and I am already very familiar with Tapu Fini since it was one of my main Pokemon in 2017. Specs Tapu Fini hits incredibly hard and works well if I am against a Tapu Fini lead. Kangaskhan + Tapu Fini still allows Kangaskhan to fire off a Fake Out.
Zapdos @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Pressure
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 76 SpA / 4 SpD / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Tailwind
- Protect
In all honesty I added this Pokemon because I've always wanted to use it. Zapdos is usually run with Electrium Z but I wanted to go another route. I made my Zapdos a little bulkier and gave it a pinch berry. Zapdos also adds an option for speed control in Tailwind. It also works well with Landorus.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 68 HP / 44 Atk / 168 SpD / 228 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Superpower
- U-turn
Landorus is definitely one of the best Pokemon in the format and I think it works well with my team. I chose Choice Scarf because without Tailwind my team is pretty slow and I wanted a speedy Pokemon. Pretty standard Choice Scarf Landorus set.
Tyranitar @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 20 Atk / 156 Def / 28 SpD / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Low Kick
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Protect
This Pokemon was originally a Stakataka to have a Trick Room mode in case I'm up against opposing Trick Room. However, I noticed the team was weak to ghosts like Aegislash and weather teams, especially rain. Tyranitar allows me to have a psychic immunity and gives me a ghost/weather answer. I was debating to run Darkinium Z but I ended up choosing Life Orb for extra damage.
Kartana @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Detect
Lastly, I added Kartana. This was originally a Heatran with Firium Z but I never brought it as much and also saw that I had a a glaring Gastrodon/Mega Swampert weakness. Fightinium Z allows for it to OHKO Pokemon like Kangaskhan and Snorlax depending on it's spread.
I think the team is slowly getting better but in no way close to perfect. Some weaknesses I have are against Trick Room/Tailwind teams since the majority of my team is pretty slow. Weather is still a problem sometimes, and I feel like I don't hit that hard sometimes. Also only having 1 fire move on the whole team is obviously pretty bad. I was also thinking of getting rid of Low Kick on Mega Kangaskhan and replacing it with Sucker Punch. Anyways, I would really appreciate advice to help me start off the season strong. Thanks in advance!! :D
