Introduction
Hello everyone, I'm a VGC 2017 newbie and in general mediocre vgc player, I'm more a singles format kind of guy. I played the past two vgc formats without much success and this year hasn't changed the trend, but I digress. My adventure in this format started slightly before the London International but then I stopped playing for a while and came back at the end of january. After the negative record on the ladder with a heat Primarina-Charjabug-Oranguru TR team I decided to play a more standard team.
Teambuilding Process
I started with Celesteela/Porygon2/Tapu Fini as they form a sturdy defensive backbone to rely on.
Next I picked Tapu Koko/Garchomp. I didn't want to be completely reliant on Trick Room to be set up so I added this tried and true offensive core
Last we have Marowak. Originally I wanted to have something faster, something with a middling speed tier like Tapu Fini in order to work in and out of Trick Room, but its ability and typing allows it to check Tapu Koko and Kartana, which is really important.
The Team
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Ability- Beast Boost
EVs- 252 HP | 140 Def | 116 SpD
Nature- Careful
Heavy Slam | Leech Seed | Substitute | Protect
252 Atk Garchomp Fire Fang vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Celesteela: 64-76 (31.5 – 37.4%) — Miniscule chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Arcanine Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Celesteela: 170-204 (83.7 – 100.4%) — 6.3% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Xurkitree Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 116+ SpD Celesteela: 168-200 (82.7 – 98.5%) — guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. +1 252 HP / 116+ SpD Celesteela: 88-109 (43.3 – 53.6%) — 0.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (no terrain)
+1 252 Atk Gyarados Hydro Vortex (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Celesteela: 169-201 (83.2 – 99%) — guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (jolly Gyarados)
252+ SpA Golduck Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 252 HP / 116+ SpD Celesteela in Rain: 169-199 (82.8 - 97.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
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Ability- Download
EVs- 244 HP | 76 Def | 188 SpD
Nature- Calm
Trick Room | Ice Beam | Return | Recover
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Ability- Misty Surge
EVs- 252 HP | 20 Def | 228 SpA | 4 SpD | 4 Spe
IVs- 0 Atk
Nature- Modest
Moonblast | Dazzling Gleam | Muddy Water | Hydro Pump
The ev spread does the following:
228+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Fini Muddy Water vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 168-198 (100.5 - 118.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
4 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 252 HP / 20 Def Tapu Fini: 150-176 (84.7 - 99.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
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Ability- Lightning Rod
EVs- 252 HP | 188 Atk | 68 SpD
IVs- 0 Spe
Nature- Brave
Flare Blitz | Shadow Bone | Bonemerang | Protect
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Ability- Electric Surge
EVs- 4 Def | 252 SpA | 252 Spe
IVs- 0 Atk
Nature- Timid
Thunderbolt | Dazzling Gleam | Discharge | Protect
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Ability- Rough Skin
EVs- 4 HP | 252 Atk | 252 Spe
Nature- Jolly
Earthquake | Fire Fang | Poison Jab | Protect
Conclusion
Usage tips: this team has two modes, a trick room mode(Celesteela, p2, Tapu Fini, Marowak) and a fast mode(Tapu Koko, Garchomp, Tapu fini and the last one is usually celesteela for easy eq spam with chomp). If the opponent is rocking a somewhat fast team (Tapu koko, Garchomp, Kartana, Nihilego, etc..) control the pace of the game with trick room. I advise to lead p2+celesteela/marowak because tapu fini can't protect on the turn p2 goes for Trick Room. Otherwise if the opponent has a sluggish team lead Tapu Koko and Garchomp and watch things drop from turn 1.
Issues: AV kartana, opposing koko-chomp leads, team with fastmons+TR disrupter (muk), magnezone if going TR mode. Probably I should fit taunt somewhere to better deal with opposing TR, but I think that matchup is still bearable. Things to look into are probably Marowak and Garchomp, at least these two are not as performing as I would like.
Hopefully you will be more helpful than the RMT Room on Showdown, peace.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 140 Def / 116 SpD
Careful Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Protect
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 244 HP / 76 Def / 188 SpD
Calm Nature
- Trick Room
- Ice Beam
- Return
- Recover
Tapu Fini @ Choice Specs
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 228 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Dazzling Gleam
- Muddy Water
- Hydro Pump
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Atk / 68 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Protect
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Discharge
- Protect
Garchomp @ Groundium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
- Poison Jab
- Protect
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 140 Def / 116 SpD
Careful Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Protect
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 244 HP / 76 Def / 188 SpD
Calm Nature
- Trick Room
- Ice Beam
- Return
- Recover
Tapu Fini @ Choice Specs
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 228 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Dazzling Gleam
- Muddy Water
- Hydro Pump
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Atk / 68 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Protect
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Discharge
- Protect
Garchomp @ Groundium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
- Poison Jab
- Protect