Battle Spot Doubles (VGC) Discussion and Records

This is a thread to discuss the current Doubles ladder on Battle Spot, which has the same rules as VGC15. Discuss teams that help you plow through the lower ladder or strategies you've come across/used, and maybe even post a team if you feel like it. It's also going to be a little bit of a leaderboard! Post proof of your rating, such as a picture of your ingame rating or go to http://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/ to get a screenshot of your rating there. There's no prizes for this except bragging rights, really.

For simple questions, such as "what nature for (Pokemon)?" go here.
For questions regarding VGC15 rules, such as "is this Pokemon allowed?" go here.

Also, here's a few helpful links to help you get started on teambuilding and such.

VGC15 Speed Tiers (Nuggetbridge)
Nuggetbridge Damage Calculator (like the Showdown calc, except geared toward VGC)
VGC15 Viability Rankings (so you can get an idea of what's considered good)
Sample Teams for VGC15 (low ladder stomping teams, so you can start fighting better opponents)

Also note the official stats on the Pokemon Global Link regarding each and every Pokemon allowed in VGC15. If you haven't checked that out yet, it's certainly worth a look. Here's an example of the kind of stats you should see on the Global Link: http://i.imgur.com/wOkKX2J.png

And now for the records! You need to be at 1600 points or more to be added into the rankings. If that's a little too low, I'll bump it up a little.

This season (season 8) is ending this Monday, March 16th. Post up your peaks or squeeze in some matches and share your experiences/battle videos/teams!

i guess i'll start off with an easy-to-top rating of 1713 using a team i basically netdecked from user: 13Random37 because i'm a useless scrub and blaziken is one of my favorite pokemon. I didn't know the exact sets he used save for his Blaziken set, so I just went with some sets I had in my box/sets I wanted to use. I bred the Blaziken especially for this team, though.




I haven't been active on battle spot at all recently, but I battled consistently for a few days and got a pretty good win/loss record to show for it. I don't remember seeing many rain teams, though one I did face used Life Orb and Protect Ludicolo instead of the Assault Vest set people like to use, which put in a lot of work and was one of my losses. I distinctly remember two losses because of Overheat misses, but if I didn't want to miss I'd use Flamethrower, I guess. The other losses were just me getting outplayed, though Mega Gengar was a big problem since my Landorus wasn't scarfed and Gengar didn't have Shadow Ball.

As for meta trends... I'm not too sure because I didn't take notes. I'm going to try to get myself to take more notes once I build a few of my own teams (yes, it's months into the season and I still haven't built teams I'm comfortable with...), but I do remember seeing a lot of Terrakion and slightly more Cresselia.

I'm not too happy with the Gengar and Landorus sets. I didn't bring landog for the vast majority of my games, and when I did, he was just an Intimidate bot. I found his bulk to be somewhat lacking even with an Assault Vest especially since I liked to switch it in, which chipped at its health badly (maybe I'm setting my standards too high here, though). Choice Scarf probably would've been more useful, especially against Charizard.

Gengar didn't really use Icy Wind too often and there were a few odd situations where I wanted to conserve it but didn't have great switch-ins, so I think I'll stick Protect in that slot if I pull this team out again. The team didn't really need Icy Wind speed control except for Landorus, and Blaziken pretty much did its own thing and didn't need any support outside of getting rid of Talonflame and Thundurus. I don't regret not having Shadow Ball too much since it's nice to hit Sylveon and such and Pokemon that I'd want to use Shadow Ball on are matchups I probably wasn't going to win with Gengar anyway like Heatran, Aegislash, etc. I don't think I ever wanted to finish something off with Shadow Ball/Gengar in general either, since I always led with it and it usually died at around turn 2.

Sylveon was Sylveon. I might try out a Pixie Plate set so I could use Protect to conserve it better, but as long as it could get one Hyper Voice off, I considered its job done. I used Hyper Beam a few times and KO'd a Suicune early, so it was a great filler move. Rotom-W was pretty much necessary for Talonflame. I think I used a spread of something like 252 HP / 76 SpA / 36 SpD / enough Speed to hit 112 so I could Will-O-Wisp Jolly Kangaskhan after Icy Wind, which never happened, with the rest in Defense and with a Calm nature. I haven't been too impressed with Rotom-W based on past experiences, but it most definitely pulled its weight on this team. I didn't use Will-O-Wisp all that often though, so maybe Thunder Wave would've worked a little better and helped Sylveon a little more.

Kangaskhan and Blaziken were the MVPs. I never really liked Fake Out Kangaskhan since it was often really easy to get rid of it. People often use Low Kick over PUP nowadays as well, and I think a lot of my setups were a result of people forgetting how hard +2 Kangaskhan hits. Anyway, I used a bulkier, Adamant Kangaskhan with enough Speed to hit 126 Speed, which speed creeps things speed creeping Bisharp, but otherwise I made the spread months ago so I don't really know specifics outside of the little super training graph that shows mostly HP and Attack investment, so it could be optimized. Protect Kangaskhan has definitely been my favorite way to use it though, because after a Power-Up Punch opponents would aggressively target kang and often get their turns wasted. I didn't try to bluff Fake Out either since I figure showing Protect makes switching in Sylveon and such easier without the threat of people double-targeting that slot. Otherwise, we all know how kang plays. Use Power-Up Punch more though people! Low Kick may get quick KOs but PUP creates easier overall win conditions.

Blaziken was probably only picked half of the time, but was still great every time I did bring it. It packs its own speed control, OHKOs top threats (namely Landorus and Terrakion), and looks cool while doing it. It was also my team's method of OHKOing Kangaskhan, which is probably something all teams should be able to do. Not having Fake Out on Kangaskhan kinda forced me to use Protect for Speed Boost, but double protecting was usually no big deal, especially since Blaziken would sometimes outrun tailwind setups when left unchecked, which was usually the result of people expecting fully physical Blaziken and leaving it alone after an Intimidate. I ran two stat reducing moves since, like Gengar, it tends to get KO'd quickly even if it puts in a lot of work in the few turns that it's active and Blaziken needs power, Fire Blast misses (Overheat does that enough already), High Jump Kick sucks, and Low Kick doesn't do as much to Rotom-W and can't KO Kangaskhan as easily. Sometimes running both Superpower and Overheat made me reveal Hidden Power Ice earlier than I'd like, but it didn't hurt me as much as it probably would've in a best of 3 set. Also, U-Turning into Blaziken doesn't give it a Speed Boost, and has made me weep gently into my pillow on many an occasion.

I kind of wish I took notes so I could elaborate on the Season 8 metagame, but all I got right now is thoughts on a netdecked team. Sorry, folks.

lucariojr said:

i guess i'll start off with an easy-to-top rating of 1713

Click to expand...

I peaked at 1611. Some of us simply dream of hitting "average". :P
inb4dickjoke

K bitches, laugh:



That's from the Feb IC, but is still 90% accurate.

I'm iffy on Mienshao, but the crazy bitch has done so much it'd be a shame to let it go. Was leaning towards Blaziken but then I'd have 4 starters on my team and have this obnoxious urge to run Pledge moves. Which I need to actually found a team around someday but anyway...

Char-Y is the general powerhouse, obliterating anything unfortunate enough to lack Flash Fire, smash Suicune/Rotom-W with Solarbeam, and bait Heatran like nothing else in this world. Does it wall me? Yes, yes it does. Is a Sun+STAB+Flash Fire boosted Heatran a threat? In theory, yes. In practice, Heatran's really done nothing more than tickle me while its partner prays to God I'm not stupid enough to use Heat Wave since Heatran is walled by Char-Y. Bulky Modest spread, will save EVs and shit for an RMT or something later. Ancientpower is because it's really an underrated but fucking amazing move on Char-Y. Talonflame cries, opposing Charizards just go "wtf" and die, and Gyarados kinda just laughs but at the same time does not like the damage and holy mother of hell if I get lucky with it. +1 everything Char-Y = GG.

Venusaur, I'm sorry to say is damn near worthless if non-Mega. When Mega, I do lose my primary death machine, but the tankish godliness of MegaSaur+Aegislash often walls an entire team alone. When non-Mega, it mainly just hopes to actually hit something with Sleep Powder and get a 2 turn sleep; which is a lot like banking on a 2HKO from Focus Blast. May drop Sleep Powder for something more... reliable, like Leech Seed, or Grassy Terrrain, idk.

Swampy runs a slight change: Muddy Water > Scald, and LO > Expert Belt. Scald isn't bad, I just like having a haxy spread move and Muddy Water KO's the stuff I need + damages partner without Surfing my ally. Thanks to LO, the neutral hits actually DO hurt, and the HP loss is a bitch but Swampy dies pretty easy anyway if it doesn't flat out wall something.
Still coinflipping on Scald/Muddy Water. Wide Guard keeps Rock Slide from double flinching everything crushing Charizard, Heat Wave/EQ from crushing Aegislash, and is anti-Sylveon device #4. Because Char-Y + Aegislash + MegaSaur and 3 potential Wide Guard users, for some reason, is not a big enough hint to people not to use Sylveon against me.

Mienshao is, and has proven to be, the HBIC. Sash has been a small, but appreciated improvement, and really keeps Mienshao around to smash Khan and dickbag Talonflame/Thundy just long enough to crush them with great hatred. Rock Slide is purely a filler for Charizard and Protect/Ghost switchins, hardly ever use it. Nearly always horrifically maims at least one foe and/or completely cockblocks 1+ priority spammer. Rarely disappoints.
Real men use HJK.

Aegislash, I have 0 problems with. SubSlash is known, standard, somewhat predictable, but is very effective. Acting as Anti-Khan measure #2, I have been very successful at leaving it in Blade form and using Sub. "No moron would leave an Aegislash in Blade form against two faster opponents, so I'm going to rape <partner> while it uses King's Shield". I've honestly won a battle without even using King's Shield thanks to aggressive Sub use. Subbing on Protect or gangbangs on its partner makes Aegislash extremely threatening, and also acts as a backup for Ferrothorn. Combine with the sheer popularity of Wide Guard Aegislash, and Sub even has surprise value.

Mandibuzz. Where do I even begin.
Originally chosen for the "Ghost+Psychic resist + Tailwind" niche (Hydreigon proved useless), she has since become the obscure all-star, turning near-certain "Well, I'm fucked" into "... omg, GO MANDIBUZZ, WE'RE SO WINNING THIS ONE". Foul Play 2HKO's any non-Sitrus Lando-T, does hilarious shit to PuP Khan, WP Aegislash, and MegaBoss, and punishes physically poweful Pokémon, even some that resist (lol, Breloom), while Snarl renders Special attacks into a joke. Roost just keeps the pain and Tailwinds coming, and the insane bulk + Sitrus allows her to survive obcene levels of double-targeting.
Overcoat makes her immune to Spore/Rage powder/Sand/Hail, making an impressive switchin for Aegislash. Breloom going to Spore an unSub'd Aegislash? Free switch <3. Amoonguss? Awesome. Lando-T figured out I don't have Wide Guard or WP? No prob, Rock Slide isn't even a 4HKO. Sun+STAB+Flash Fire Sub'd Heatran? She's beaten it.
About the only flaws she has are "useless against Cresselia, and doesn't have 6 moveslots for Taunt and Swagger". Oh, and she des funny shit to Venusaur. Can't Sleep me. Can't kll me. Snarl cripples, Foul play off of MegaSaur's buffed Atk hurts too. All in all, one of my "really, really stupid things that shouldn't work but functions on a godly level".

Will add more later, bed time