Rate my VGC 2021 Team

Question

After thinking about it for a while I decided to make a Trick Room team based off of Glastrier, the new Trick Room powerhouse. So I tried making a VGC Trick Room team.

Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Frisk
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Night Shade
- Will-O-Wisp
- Ally Switch

Dusclops, my main Trick Room setter. Trick Room (obviously) to setup for my slow allies, Night Shade for some chip damage while my sweepers clean up, Will-o-Wisp so I take even less damage from Physical attacks, and Ally Switch so that my opponent will sometimes have to hit Dusclops and not my sweepers. Eviolite plus Max HP and Special Defense ensures that Dusclops can survive a hit.

Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- High Horsepower
- Rock Slide
- Hammer Arm
- Protect

Rhyperior, one of my sweepers. With Solid Rock and Weakness Policy especially under Dynamax, Rhyperior can tank supereffective hits and then sweep. High Horsepower is strong Ground STAB and raises Special Defense when Dynamaxed, which helps since Rhyperior is not too specially bulky. Rock Slide hits both foes and has a decent chance to flinch, and is a strong secondary STAB. Hammer Arm turns into Max Knuckle when Dynamaxed, bolstering its Attack even higher, and while not Dynamaxed is also nice coverage. Max HP EVs ensures it can survive mostly any Physical hit.

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Protect
- Pollen Puff

My support / redirection 'mon. Spore is a 100% accurate sleep move, which is pretty broken. Rage Powder redirects hits from opponents, and Pollen Puff heals allies. Max Defensive capabilities helps Amoonguss tank hits. I went for Regenerator instead of Effect Spore because Effect Spore can ruin my sleep tactics.

Glastrier @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Chilling Neigh
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower
- Close Combat
- Protect

Glastrier, the real star of this team and a great Dynamax sweeper. With Chilling Neigh and maximum attack investment, this thing is a beast. Icicle Crash is strong STAB, High Horsepower is for coverage, and Close Combat turns into Max Knuckle and is also stronger coverage. Sitrus Berry because Weakness Policy is already taken, and because it lacks any reliable recovery after Amoonguss is dead.

Hatterene (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psyshock
- Protect

My secondary Trick Room setter, Hatterene. This is mostly used as a Taunt / Imprison + Trick Room counter, as Dusclops would rather hold Eviolite than Mental Herb, and Hatterene gets Magic Bounce. It's also a better offensive threat than Dusclops, with its Dual STAB moves.

Incineroar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
- U-turn
- Snarl
- Darkest Lariat
- Fake Out

And finally, this team's Intimidator. Fake Out can help Dusclops or Hatterene set up Trick Room safely, Snarl lowers Special Attack which helps since Intimidate and Will-o-Wisp both only target Physical foes, U-turn for pivoting, and Darkest Lariat is stronger Dark-type STAB that can hit those with a Max Steelspike or otherwise Defense boost.

My main leads for this team are Incineroar + Dusclops or Glastrier / Rhyperior + Hatterene / Dusclops. The idea is that either I try to successfully set up Trick Room with Incineroar and Dusclops, or go with the TR setter and the a sweeper. Then I usually have Incineroar or Amoonguss in the back for support. This team has done pretty good so far, but the main problems are Taunt or Imprison + Trick Room with Dusclops, as mentioned before, other Trick Room teams, and Pokemon that can have Taunt and take out Hatterene.

Any suggestions are welcome. I'm looking forward to any feedback.

Comments

I would also just like to comment that you might want a team more like: Trick room setter/Support/Trick Room Sweeper1/Trick Room sweeper2/Fast/Fast.
Trick room will obviously not last the whole game and Dusclops is completely taunt bait. If you attempt to lead with Hatterene + Amoongus, fake out disrupts the game plan. Sometimes you must prepare for outside of trick room leads/mons since the team currently only functions in trick room. If your trick room setter is gone and trick room is no longer up, late game dynamax sweepers will give you a hard time.

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Yeah, I did come up with that problem sometimes, I'll try out some fast cleaners.

Answer 1

Looks fundamentally solid, I just have a few changes I'd suggest.

First, Bulldoze or brick break is preferred on Dusclops over ally switch, to give you a better way to proc a weakness policy (and because ally switch is toxic). So many common Pokemon do big damage to Rhyperior that it's not consistent to hope for your policy to get activated safely, and Weakness Policy is such a common item on it that your opponent very well may avoid attacking Rhyperior until its Dynamax and ends.

Second, item choices. Black Sludge and leftovers aren't that great in my opinion, especially when you already have regenerator for recovery on Amoonguss. Plus, Hatterene is offensive, and the same goes for Glastrier. VGC is generally fast paced, so it's usually optimal to enable your sweepers to do as much damage as possible with their items, and letting your support pieces handle reducing damage.

My first thought is: where's the life orb?! Both Hat and Glastrier are great users of life orb. Other good items for Glastrier are Lum Berry and white herb, white herb in particular to help against Intimidate as well as cancel Close Combat drops, making it easier to bring as a non-dynamax option (since all of your sweepers like to max).

Life Orb is good on Hat, as I mentioned, as well as resist berries and focus sash, in case you opponent wants to fake out Amoonguss + OHKO Hatterene.

Finally, Amoonguss. Coba Berry is the most common item for Amoonguss, but focus sash can sometimes allow you to survive until trick room is set and get a spore off.

My only critique about Rhyperior is that fighting isn't the best coverage for it, and usually you'll want either thunder punch or fire punch, depending on if you're worried about grass or water types more.

Finally, have you thought about Indeedee-Female instead of Amoonguss? This is not a necessity at all; Indeedee just combos well with Hatterene and improves your matchup against Spectrier.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Comments

Wow, thanks!

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You're welcome! The other comment is right, hard trick room is certainly can be difficult to pull off. Indeedee would honestly probably be the better choice if you wanted to stick with it.

If you DO want to go hybrid trick room, fast Dynamax sweepers that appreciate redirection, like Dragapult or Spectrier are good, as well as a good non-dynamax option that can close out games well, such as Rillaboom, Urshifu, or Tapu Fini.

(Aaron Zheng made a similar team to the hybrid TR team I mentioned, so I'll link it if you want to check it out- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDewlBbXBZ4)