Started Season 5 at zero rank with this team, got up to Master rank on my 50th match 33W/17L
**Team link:**
https://pokepast.es/92a8c3aaaa13a2a2**Team Rental:**
https://imgur.com/a/r2xRFmqThe team was built from three two pokemon "cores" and most match-ups consisted of picking one core in front and another in back. Occasionally swapping a offensive or support mon if I saw a good match-up or setting sun up for Venusaur after turn 0-1.
The team cores are:
Alcremie+Duraludon (Decorate Tank)
Hitmontop+Gyarados (Dual Intimidate)
Torkoal+Venusaur (Sun+Chlorophyll)
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Strawberry (Alcremie) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sweet Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 228 SpA / 20 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Decorate
- Magic Room
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire
Notes: Speed outpaces 120’s with scarf, Survives WL Venusaur’s Sludge bomb.
Blender (Duraludon) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Stalwart
EVs: 196 HP / 4 Def / 244 SpA / 60 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dark Pulse
- Dragon Pulse
- Steel Beam
Notes: Ohkos Togekiss with Steel Beam/Max Steel, Dmax-kiss at +2 while Aura sphere is a 3hko. Survives any hit from LO Dragapult.
OHKOs common 252/164 Dusclops at +2 with Max Dark
This core came from a team I ran prior to IoA and performs just as well in the current game. Great against redirection and TR leads bar P2.
Alcremie’s goal is to decorate Duraludon so Dmax can OHKO almost the entire meta. While follow me users don’t affect Duraludon, Alcremie can use Magic room to null it’s scarf to set up on safer turns, this also has the bonus of nullifying any opposing Focus sashes, WP, Babris that can prevent a clean sweep. If Alcremie is threatened it can switch to Torkoal to threaten Steels and remove Sand/Rain or Top/Gyara to apply Intimidate. Sweet Veil makes Amoonguss useless against this core as Duraludon is immune to it's Rage powder/clear smog. Venusaur and Gyarados can replace Duraludon when needed for a similar strat.
When set in the rear Alcremie can function as a late cleaner with Dazzling gleam or Sun boosted Mystic fire, while Duraludon functions more of a tank role with it’s resistances covering most of the team’s type weaknesses.
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Basil (Hitmontop) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 108 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Wide Guard
- Rock Slide
- Brick Break
Notes:
Outspeeds uninvested Rillaboom, Max 95s at +1 from max air
Gunkanmaki (Gyarados) (F) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 12 SpD / 228 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Earthquake
Notes: Outspeeds max 130s at +1, OHKOs Max Def Amoonguss, 252/0 Indeedee-F and 4/0 Dragapult. 2hkos 252/+252 Togekiss with max Air
Gyara+Top is ideal for leading against TTat+Excadrill, Indeedee+Alakazam, Torkoal+Venusaur leads and teams using Whimiscott/Grimmsnarl. Hitmontop can Fake out the support threat while Gyarados can either Dmax and set Rain or speed boosts or disable a support with Taunt. Top’s Wide Guard protects from Rock slides, Expanding Force, Eruptions etc.
When not leading, Top can jump in easily and support with all it’s tools. Gyarados pairs well with Duraludon to keep momentum and to a lesser extent Venusaur, though it’s not too effective if the sun is up.
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Ancho (Torkoal) @ Charcoal
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 108 SpA / 84 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Protect
- Yawn
- Overheat
- Body Press
Notes: Survives Ttar’s Max Rockfall, Excadrills CB EQ, and LO Venusaur’s Earth Power. OHKO’s 252/252+ Amoonguss 93%. Enough speed to outpace 0spd Amoonguss.
Turnip (Venusaur-Gmax) @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 28 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
- Sludge Bomb
Notes: Outpaces Ttar, Scarf 100’s at +2, LO rounds down,
OHKOs Terrakion (Max grass is only 18%KO vs Dmax Terra)
The final core is a much more common sight, it matches well against rain teams and team packing fast threats such as Cinderace, Barraskewda, and Terrakion. Venusaur can Dmax for a heavy offense and residual damage with Vine Lash while its max coverage moves can push up Torkoal or Duraludon with S.atk or S.def buffs. Protect on both lets each scout or remove threats that could harm the other, buy time for yawn or switch Torkoal out/back in to get the chlorophyll buff back up. Torkoal can’t be ignored without taking a heavy hit from Overheat. Body press is coverage against Ttar, nearly OHKOing it as well as good chip to Incineroar and the rare Blissey. Yawn is to shut down anything that can’t be handled or can tank out late game.
Both are often chosen together in the rear slots for the same chlorophyll boost and cleaning up strat.
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Anti-Lead Strats:
Expand Force Indeedee+Alakazam:
Hitmontop+Gyarados does best, WG keeps expanding force/DG away while top takes two single hits to remove, Gyarados can Dmax and OHKO either with max Air, then KO the other next turn with the speed boost. Top can then outspeed and finish off a sashed indeedee with rock slide.
Togekiss+Friends:
As long as the ally doesn't shut Duraludon down (Excadrill,Terrakion) It can take Togekiss easily, Alcremie can Magic Room away it’s WP and Babri for a clean KO if I expect Follow me. Venusaur can also OHKO kiss 18% of the time with Sludge bomb so chip from Alcrieme or Top’s Fake out is needed, but it can tank most Ground/Fighting mons alongside Togekiss.
Amoonguss
Aside from being wary to use Decorate, Alcrieme+Duraludon can Ignore to make it a 2v1 match. Torkoal and Gyarados can easily OHKO it with Overheat/Max Air (Bounce can OHKO 252/0def variants.)
Poiltoed+Kingdra
Torkoal wins the weather war while Venusaur can go to town, Torkoal will typically get replaced turn 1 with Duraludon, Gyarados or Hitmontop to remove rain again if needed.
Terracott
Gyarados and Hitmontop shut it down well, Fake out Whim and Max Air while Terra does little at -2, Dragapult variants are handled by Torkoal+Venusaur with Vine lash ensuring the KO chance on Terrakion while Torkoal protects or Yawns the Dragapult.
Indeedee+Haterenne
Alcrieme+Duraludon was built for this. Magic room if you expect Follow me, Hat loses its sash/Babri and is OHKO'd with max Steel.
Ttar+Excadrill
Hitmontop+Gyarados was built for this lol. At -2 even their Max rocks do little to Gyarados, gotta be careful for WPs though.
P2 TR teams
Only TR user that gives me problems, but Alcrieme can null it’s eviolite while Duraludon or Torkoal can handle it’s common partners. Top+Gyara can Fake Out+Taunt it, but has to be wary of T-bolt
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Replays: (1st draft team)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1139527440Venusaur snowball.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1137610199Duraludon+Alcrieme core switching well with Torkoal+Venusaur
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1137074692Expected Ttar+Excadrll got Smite hax.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1137071941Really good use of Torkoal+Venusaur
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1137049489Decorate strat with Duraludon
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8 ... 1137057000Magic room+Decorate w/ Venusaur (I assume Shednija was sashed)