Here Comes the Storm! (VGC 2013 team)

[joej m]

hello peoples! the last team i posted here was a complete failure... and so was I... >.> xD but i have become more experienced, even getting 12th in america (in the really cruddy system of global link tourneys xD) battling some tough battles. But the team i entered in a barely can say i made myself... :/ so i decided to make a team of my own to possibly use in the upcoming tourney! here yah go
KEEP in mind that this is a team for doubles. all you single battlers who have something to say about "tiers" etc back off. if you have suggestions that might be viable you may post them though DO NOT SAY TO GET RID OF PROTECT. IT IS IMPORTANT IN DOUBLES. if you are a single battler you may say something as long as it makes sense towards doubles. a lot of things do apply to doubles that do in singles so if it makes sense i won't cut your head off for saying it xD

This team is going 17-5. pretty good i have to say.

Backround:
The FIRST ever strategy i used was with a latias and gastrodon, storm drain... but that sucked because my EV's were whack xD plus i didn't understand competitive all that much >.> after getting all the experience i decided to make a new team with that combo~!

latias @ haban berry
modest nature
252 HP/ 156 defense/ 100 sp attack
levitate
-psyshock
-surf
-recover/tailwind
-protect
this girl is the most underrated VGC supporter that has capability to do some major damage to the foes and help my team a lot. running 100 sp attack lets it 2 hit KO landorus-t that has 252 health/ 0 sp defense EV's. and it can take the u-turn from it and live with more than half health. it can also take usually around 90% of a 252 health/ 0 defense hitmontop, and then it is easy bait for KOing next turn. surf is there for a reason which will show up in the next pokemon. but as well as that it can use recover to completely crush the hopes and dreams of the foe of KOing. the EV's let it take a scizor bug bite (technician), tyranitar crunch, and timid latios draco meteor dragon gem when at full health. i am thinking of running maybe tailwind, t wave, or helping hand... but not sure if it is worth it...

Gastrodon @ sitrus berry
bold nature
252 hp/ 108 defense/ 28 special attack/ 120 sp defense
storm drain
-ice beam
-earth power
-recover
-protect

This Gastrodon set is on the bulkier side, though it isn’t lacking in the offensive department. Gastrodon’s Defense stat is pretty average, so a Bold nature is preferred if you’re looking for a mixed defensive Gastrodon. Defensively, this Gastrodon can do a ton. It survives a Fighting Gem Close Combat from Terrakion and is only 3HKOed by Zen Headbutt from Metagross, Crunch from Tyranitar, and Bug Bite from Scizor. Draco Meteor Dragon Gem from Timid Latios doesn’t even KO while Sitrus Berry keeps Gastrodon from being easily picked off afterwards. ( i did not write this... thanks to nugget bridge for the article)

(this part is mine) this is why latias has surf. and that is why the name of the team is what it is. because of STORM drain. spamming surf could never be more fun than when you have a defensive gastrodon next to you xD this guy can take whatever hit is sent towards it basically and then KO back after the stat boosts of storm drain. This was also the first combo that had synergy that i made without knowing it was already being used that worked. these exact two pokemon... just no good EV's xD

hitmontop @ fighting gem
Adamant nature
164 health/ 252 attack/ 92 speed
intimidate
-Close combat
-sucker punch
-detect
-fake out

This is probably the most useful fake out user in the game. with addition to being a spinning top this guy is awesome. fake out, intimidate, and that awesome fighting gem close combat is deadly to anyone. it can outspeed base 80 speeds with neutral speed natures with 4 speed EV's. namely togekiss and chandelure. it can fake out while the other pokemon sweeps the foe easily.

scizor @ flying gem
adamant nature
212 HP/ 252 attack/ 44 speed
technician
-Bullet punch
-Bug Bite
-Acrobatics
-Protect

I like having the steel typing on a team. they can tank the dragon moves everyone fears. scizor also has the amazing bug typing letting it take out cresselia pretty well. bullet punch is a great priority that can help me in tight situations. its EV's let is outspeed 4 speed hitmontops with adamant natures and KO with acrobatics. i am not sure if i should use this or a defensive set... :/

rotom heat @ fire gem
modest nature
252 hp/ 252 sp attack
levitate
-thunderbolt
-hidden power grass
-overheat
-protect

this was originally volcarona, but having bug stab already in the team and being weak to my new nemesis, landorus-t (rock slide) by x4 it just wouldn't do. i decided to switch to a rotom! its overheat crushes everything basically... its so powerful. hp grass is for a semi counter to gastrodon because that can ruin my team sometimes. its stab coverage is amazing in the VGC metagame and rotom h is quite a great pokemon with that overheat.

landorus-t @ choice scarf
adamant nature
108 hp/ 252 attack/ 148 speed
intimidate
-earthquake
-u-turn
-rock slide
-explosion

i am using my nemesis xD it has the EV's to outspeed a max speed weavile by one! GNARLY DUDE xD then KO i think 50% of the time with u-turn. having 2 intimidate pokemon on the team is quite fun. pokemon like t tar, excadrill, garchomp scizor, and more can often overpower my teams. but -2 attack can stop that and force a switch giving me a pretty good advantage. 145 base attack is so deadly. explosion is always fun to catch people off guard.

please rate my team!

 

[Atrocious]

Rotom only has 3 moves....

Anyways why not Wide Guard > Detect on Hitmontop?

You've got basically NO speed control if you opt to not use Tailwind on Latias and if you do opt for Tailwind then Choice Scarf on Landy-T seems pointless as that'd be your greatest abuser. Also, not too sure about VGC but I'm pretty sure Tornadus is probably the better Tailwind user with access to Prankster Tailwind + Taunt. I see how you'd like to keep Surf + Gastrodon combo but meh. Scizor + filler beats your Latias + Gastrodon pretty much anyday.

If for some reason you're tied down and in love with Latias, I'd recommend Icy Wind instead of Tailwind. Perhaps Helping Hand > Surf or Psyshock as well.

Anyways slap a protect on Rotom and I'd recommend swapping Thunderbolt for Discharge forming the DisQuake combo with Landy.

 

[Shreyas]

You do want a little more speed control going on in your team since a majority of them are bulkier attackers.

I really suggest Icy Wind on Gastrodon or Latias instead of protect. Their bulk will keep them alive, and they have access to the annoying Recover, so you really shouldn't worry about taking a major hit. IF they are really that threatened by an opponent attacker, a better option would be to switch your pokemon rather than burning a turn with protect anyway.

And just a thought: running Feint > Detect on Hitmontop can help your Rotom-H, Scizor, or Landorus a free kill on the first turn, and put you ahead of the game. That too, feint will help break through Focus Sash as well. Due to the fake out pressure, your opponents are likely to use Protect, which is when Feint + SE attack will get you ahead in the game.

I'll rate it a little bit more later. Also, I see a slight problem against Rain. Especially the teams that run Ludicolo. I'm pretty curious as to how you plan on checking Rain.

@ Atrocious: The reason why you probably do not want to use Tornadus for Tailwind would be because he is rather frail, and on top of that can only set up something that'd last for 3 turns. You'd be better off running bulkier pokemon using Thunder Wave/Icy Wind for a longer lasting effect.

 

[joej m]

thanks for all the suggestions
at shreyas: i am trying between tailwind and recover. i might try a t wave or icy wind later. right now though for some reason the entire team works perfectly and needs no setup to sweep... it was doing fine on PO without an speed boost. but i am still trying to figure sets out.
i put protect on rotom btw.

i want latias because it is bulky, its set is quite good that i made, and it is faster than most other surf users that are bulky that dont use trick room.
how does scizor beat a gastrodon? it is actually pretty hard for them with the recovery and the surf boost. but i put rotom heat specifically in there to deal with steel types... especially scizor. whenever they have a scizor i bring it in. it is pretty easy to beat a scizor with my team.
all of your suggestions of moves are good. i know all the moves are viable. i will try them all.
btw, tornadus sucks imo. it is frail, it has limited coverage that i easily already have, and my team has been doing fine without speed control. not all teams need speed control. someone else made a team with storm drain and surf, and there fastest base speed was 80 or so... and they didn't run speed control. and that team is awesome.
checking rain isn't that hard. if i have scizor and gastrodon out, gastro don will make the water moves useless, then scizor can sweep the ludicolo. and i know they won't be carrying hp fire to check scizor because... it is a rain team xD but if latias could get trick room... i would be hands on. trick room completely counters rain most of the time. latias can't get it ;(
i will try thunder wave over recover and protect and latias. see if either one is viable in the slots.
but thanks for the rating~