Rate my VGC 2020 Series 6 Team

Question

Heya! I'm incredibly new to VGC in general, and this is actually the first team that I've put together for the format. Really excited to get into VGC and I'd appreciate any and all advice you can give me! (I know the team's not too great right now, and I'm not overly attached to any of the pieces, so please make any suggestions you think might be helpful)

Durant @ Life Orb
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Stomping Tantrum
- Thunder Fang
- Protect

Talonflame @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tailwind
- Flare Blitz
- Brave Bird
- Protect

Dracovish @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Strong Jaw
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fishious Rend
- Dragon Rush
- Psychic Fangs
- Rock Slide

Comfey @ Babiri Berry
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Floral Healing
- Helping Hand
- Giga Drain
- Draining Kiss

Amoongus @ Mental Herb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Bold Nature
- Pollen Puff
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Protect

Grimmsnarl @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Spirit Break
- Fake Out

Thank you so much for the help. Below here I'm going to go on a schpiel about how I use a few parts of the team, just cuz I would definitely really appreciate some gameplay tips as well as teambuilding tips, but that probably will end up being a bit much to read, so if you only want to help with my team, that's definitely understandable and I genuinely appreciate it.

My typical opener is Durant / Comfey if I need to get through something bulky and don't need/can't get speed control, (Helping hand max lightning one shots most lapras, helping hand max steel does huge damage to trick room rhyperior, and floral healing helps me pick up the ko without taking too much damage unless the opponent has a taunt dusclops set) and Durant or Dracovish / Talonflame if I need speed control or the opponent has a talonflame as well. I expect to always be bringing Amoongus in the back once Venusaur is banned, and Amoongus and Comfey have phenomenal synergy when it comes to healing up my sweepers if I've taken out most of the major threats on my opponent's side. (Pollen puff/regenerator and Floral Healing) I haven't been using Grimmsnarl all that much, but I sometimes bring him in the front if my opponent is running Talonflame and Urshifu, just so I can set up a bit of bulk before I get swept, but he's the weakest link on my team and I've been looking for a different piece that can fill a better role. Outside of that, those are pretty much my game plans. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi! Your team looks pretty solid, I just have a couple of suggestions.

I like your Durant set, Thunder Fang should be amazing because or how strong Lapras seemingly will be, plus it blocks spore from Amoonguss. You can consider running Rock Slide over Stomping Tantrum for Charizard, although Helping Hand + Max Lightning might KO as well. It’s up to you.

I personally like using a Bulky Talonflame with Taunt, especially on this team since it seems to struggle against trick room. You can probably drop Flare Blitz and the attack investment, although if your worried about Durant Mirrors, Flare Blitz is better.

Dracovish looks good, but do you really need Dragon rush? It’s a very risky move to be locked into, and it doesn’t even get the strong jaw boost (I think). Ice Fang or Leech Life are probably good. Rock Slide is also changeable.

On to Comfey.
EDIT: I am changing my suggestion to use Clefairy due to already having Amoonguss for redirection.

Since Comfey is mostly used for support, you don’t need draining kiss. You can choose between trick room, taunt, ally switch, or protect. Otherwise, it looks good.

Amoonguss looks good, just make it min speed for added trick room threats.

If you’re not using Grimmsnarl that often, you can consider Gmax Lapras. It has the screens effect and pairs well with tailwind or Comfey. This doesn’t really improve your Urshifu matchup, though, so I’d recommend keeping Grimmsnarl, or Sableye. Against Talonflame/Urshifu Teams I’d lead Prankster + Dracovish. You can fake out and Fishious Rend Talonflame turn one for the KO. I personally might use Scary face (and maybe Taunt or Protect) over screens to further assist Dracovish’s Fishious Rend. You can then consider Band over scarf, but scarf is probably better.

PokePaste

Gameplan
You will almost always Dynamax Durant on this team. Usually Comfey plus Durant is a good lead, but if you need speed control, You can use Prankster or Talonflame instead. Dracovish is a strong Pokémon to have in the back, as is Amoonguss. Grimmsnarl is also good support to Dracovish.

This team looks very strong and adaptable, very impressive for a new player!

Hope this helps!

Comments

Thanks so much for the advice! It helps out a heck of a lot. I was considering switching Grimmsnarl out for a slow/bulky weakness policy Gmax Lapras just so I wouldn't feel locked into Dmax Durant openers, and giving Comfey trick room for an alternate team mode with Amoongus in the back and Comfey's priority Giga Drain helping Lapras set up. Do you think that would be a good idea? (I'm just terrified of how common everyone's saying Gmax Charizard and Coalossal are going to be this season)

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Lapras could definitely be strong! I’ve been using a Trick Room Comfey + Weakness Policy Lapras Team this season and I climbed pretty high on the ladder. (Of course, 3 of the members will be banned...) It should be even stronger now that Rillaboom and Venusaur are gone, and Amoonguss is great in Trick Room. Fast Hyper offensive Lapras also works really well with Talonflame. Slow Lapras doesn’t really help against Coalossoal though, and Weavile Teams can Fake out and Max Rockfall your Talonflame for the KO turn one. Talonflame our speeds Weavile, so if you Protect turn one you should be fine, although Volcalith will do half to Talonflame through Protect and will KO you with the side effect if they just surf turn one. If you’re really worried about it, what I’m going to use in Series 6 is Sableye in place of Grimmmsnarl plus Scarf Dracovish. Sableye can Rain Dance to get rid of potential sun on Charizard Teams, and Dracovish can outspeed and OHKO Dynamax Charizard. Sableye can also Prankster Quash Coalossal (or just fake it the partner) and Dracovish can Fishious Rend Coalossal.

Also, I realize that the Clefairy I recommended is useless since you have Amoonguss for redirection already.