Rate My VGC 2021 Series 9 Team

Question

Was bored of using the overused archetype Sunroom so moved on to another overused archetype, Coalossal.

Coalossal @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Steam Engine
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heat Wave
- Meteor Beam
- Solar Beam
- Protect

Not much to say here. 176 Speed is for Regieleki, and I wasn't sure what to EV for defensively so I just dumped it into HP.

Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- Detect

The set is even more standard than my Coalossal one, even less to say here.

Dragapult @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Will-O-Wisp
- Light Screen
- Surf
- Breaking Swipe

Still a very standard set, although I opted for Will-O-Wisp over Ally Switch to not be a horrible person. Colbur was chosen over Safety Goggles since even if the opponents do lead with Venusaur they always have the option of Sleep Powdering my Coalossal instead of Dragapult.

Kartana @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Smart Strike
- Sacred Sword
- Aerial Ace

Kartana was chosen as my grass type of choice since it rounds out the FWG core and gets me closer to completing the Fantasy core. It's a classic AV set(I have nothing else to complete the sentence). I like to lead it with Urshifu-Rapid against some more passive pokemon and be able to boost up Urshifu-Rapid with Max Knuckle/Max Steelspike/Max Airstream or remove its counters with Max Overgrowth, similar to a NUT core. It's probably not how you're supposed to play Kartana but I haven't played around enough with it to know better.

Zapdos @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Detect

Since the team as was was pretty weak to Venukoal, I added on Zapdos to help beat them. Unsure of the item choice since I kind of still want Safety Goggles but I think that Grimmsnarl's support is enough to make sure that Zapdos can safely run Life Orb.

Grimmsnarl (M) @ Lagging Tail
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 172 HP / 252 Def / 84 SpD
Impish Nature
- Fake Out
- Spirit Break
- Trick
- Fake Tears

The final member of my team; finishes my fantasy core. EVd to survive a Life Orb Max Quake from Landorus-T, or a Max Ooze from Venusaur. Fake Tears synergizes beautifully with Zapdos as it allows for insane damage output or even with Coalossal but a situation where I can have both a dynamaxed Coalossal and Grimmsnarl on the field is pretty rare. Since I thought that Grimmsnarl already provided enough damage reduction I went with the Lagging Tail set. Trick is always nice against fast threats, especially when I lead Zapdos+Grimmsnarl against a Venukoal-I can turn one fake out into Venusaur and Max Airstream the Torkoal, picking up a KO and preventing sleep. Of course, they could always max but I always live and then turn two Trick the lagging tail into a Max Flare. Trick/Fake Out is also very effective against opposing Coalossal teams-A lead of Urshifu-Rapid and Grimmsnarl can beat pretty much anything they send out: If they lead Urshifu-Rapid, I can fake out, and if they lead Dragapult I can Trick them.

Answer 1

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
I wrote a full response and I accidentally closed the page...
I'll rewrite my main points because I'm running short on time now:

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/535c51516ded2ca5

1) Coalossal's EVs --> 176 = 172 EVs (Speed) + 76 HP --> 68 HP + 4 DEF + 4 SP.DEF. Consider Earth power
2) Urshifu is fine
3) Changed Dragapult's spread, Wolfe glick's spread, lives Tapu Fini Moonblast, Sucker Punch from Urshifu, LO Airstream for Landorus-T. Light Screen is fine, I also hate clicking ally switch.
4) Kartana/Zapdos/Grimmsnarl loses to Trick room and Clefairy + Hyper Offense. Quick calcs: (I had an entire explanation behind this)

252 Atk Life Orb Dragapult Max Phantasm vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Dynamax Zapdos: 156-185 (46.9 - 55.7%) -- 75.8% chance to 2HKO ---- 100% to 2HKO after defense drop.

+2 252+ SpA Coalossal-Gmax G-Max Volcalith vs. 252 HP / 76+ SpD Eviolite Clefairy: 147-174 (83 - 98.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Volcalith damage (Comes down to rolls)

252 SpA Life Orb Spectrier Max Phantasm vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Dynamax Zapdos: 172-203 (51.8 - 61.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Against Glastrier + Clefairy, you have to use Kartana (Glastrier beats Coalossal with quake, kills Zapdos, Steelspikes Grimmsnarl, lum berry cures Will-o-wisp). However, it is very simple for the opponent to switch Incineroar in and your match up becomes risky.

Against trick room (Incineroar + Dusclops), you have no answers.

5) Because of #4, I first added Incineroar + Amoonguss to beat Incineroar + Dusclops:

Incineroar @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 228 HP / 4 Atk / 116 Def / 140 SpD / 20 Spe
Careful Nature
- Fake Out
- Flare Blitz
- Parting Shot
- Taunt

Because you didn't use safety goggles Dragapult, Safety goggles Incineroar makes up for it.

Amoonguss @ Coba Berry
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 244 HP / 156 Def / 4 SpA / 100 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Spore
- Rage Powder
- Clear Smog

I hate speed ties and hence, the 4 Spe investment, Clear smog is to prevent Tapu Fini from setting up but it's largely subject to your preferences.

Lastly, I chose AV Celesteela:

Celesteela @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 36 HP / 4 Def / 180 SpA / 36 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Flash Cannon
- Flamethrower
- Meteor Beam

Because it does really well against Clefairy + HO, trick room sweepers, etc. Coalossal covers for Electric and fire as well (+2 252+ SpA Coalossal-Gmax G-Max Volcalith vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Dynamax Regieleki: 322-379 (103.8 - 122.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO). Celesteela is also really good as a 2nd mode.

6) Don't fixate yourself on completing the fantasy core. It narrows down your options when it comes down to teambuilding. Most teams don't have a complete fantasy core anyway.

Hope I helped!

PS: Sorry I couldn't post the entire explanation, I'm really kicking myself because of that. It was really fun rating your team because it also led to me discovering the core Incineroar/Amoonguss/Celesteela. Hope you have fun with the team!

Comments

thanks take my points

Answer 2

Alright, so this team is looking REALLY good actually. I have a few tips, but, you don't have to take them if you want as your team is already pretty damn good.

Coalossal:

Nothing to say here really. Meteor beam is good stab, solar beam is really good coverage, heat wave is good stab and while I personally like earth power because the special defense attack is REALLY good for its low special defense, you can opt for protect.

Urshifu:

Urshifu is a good activator of the weakness policy and steam engine. [This is one of the top placing teams] [1] As you can see, the set is the same as yours.

Dragapult:

> Dragapult is a good pokemon, but honestly, ally switch is a good move anyways, so uhh, i would honestly use it. However, with the relative frailty of dragapult, I would actually opt for the focus sash.

Kartana:

Sword man. I personally think that you should run this set. Kartana @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Atk / 4 Def / 244 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Smart Strike
- Sacred Sword
- Aerial Ace

Zapdos. The synergy with your team is questionable, as having three pokemon being weak to ice types, and with stray ice beams being very common with porygon z teams or glastrier being dangerous, I personally would choose something else to destroy venukoal. I personally find rotom-H as being an amazing check/counter to rotom-h. Rotom-Heat @ Safety Goggles
Level: 50
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 212 HP / 100 Def / 52 SpAtk / 12 / 132 Spe
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Nasty Plot
- Protect

Pretty simple set lel.
[1]: https://pokepast.es/315a9724a80ed2f0

Grimmsnarl:

Grimmsnarl is a good choice for this team, nothing much to say really.