The Neighbor's Club - Apex 2014 1st Place Team Report

Intro Intro:

Hi this is Cypher this was meant for other places but I never posted it. But since this is a personal blog with friends, might as well post it now! Also, this was written some months ago so whatever. Also nickscor has a similar team since great minds think alike obviously.

Introduction

Hey there everyone, this is Jun (short for Junko) T. (intial for tunafish) (Cypher). If you don’t know me, well, I’m the worst mod on the Nuggetbridge PS! Server, a former Nuggetbridge forum mod, and currently a tournament director. Like the rest of the imoutos, I am a cute girl that got into anime a long time ago.  I actually have a notable qualification now (besides top 16 nats for masters last year), by winning Apex 2014’s Pokemon tournament on January 18th. If you didn’t know about that, Apex is currently the biggest grassroots tournament for Pokemon VGC in the country. Although it was a small tournament with 123 participants, it was stacked with well-known players and you only had two chances to survive through the tournament. Too bad I suck and still the worst.

Also, I prefer explaining with bullets rather than paragraphs.

Background behind the name

• I received my Pokemon from dingram at 1am the day of the tournament
• I instantly ran into big problems
• I still had to breed for a penta-flawless Timid Bulbasaur (which I accidentally fell asleep on)
• I had to ReEV some Pokemon but I didn’t have any Reset Bags nor EV-reducing berries
• I had to EV everything but I didn’t have PKRS nor EV-training items, so EV training would be very time consuming
• As a result, I got really upset and contacted TalkingLion if I can borrow his team during the tournament despite never using his team before
• He complied and gave me his team. He also told me the basics of the team and how to use it
• Suddenly, dingram gets on IRC and I raged at him for providing me Pokemon this late when I asked him for it before
• TalkingLion and dingram then offer to help me out, but I believed it was too late at this point because I had to leave for the tournament in ~4 hours
• I obliged anyways and I traded them
• LudiImpact and PM649 get on around this point, and they assisted me with EV training
• They all managed to help me finish my team an hour before I had to leave for Apex!
• I realized how I have friends and this reminded me of the anime Haganai, which is an anime about having friends
• I named my team after said anime
• Thus shoutouts to imoutos and goonsquad
• Talkinglion, Soulsur, MikotoMisaka, Chuppa
• dingram, pm649, ludiimpact
• ESPECIALLY TALKINGLION
• ESPECIALLY TALKINGLION!!!

 

Building the Team

• I have a heavy preference towards Anti-Meta types of team as those types of teams bring me the most success
• Therefore I kept that in mind and tried to develop a team that can beat standard teams while holding its ground
• I also wanted to use 2 Mega Evolutions because I like how you can confuse the opponent on which Pokemon will Mega Evolve and thus play mindgames
• Also one Mega Evolution may be more useful in one situation than in another
• I wasn’t up-to-date with the current VGC 2014 metagame
•  I developed a simple to use team to research it
• The team consisted of Mega-Tyranitar / Mega-Garchomp / Scarf Gardevoir / Specs Rotom-H / Sash Mamoswine / Zapdos
• The team was a simple DisQuake team, which I believed was good at this point of the Meta since it was the start of the Meta and thus not as developed it was
• As I played, I learned what I liked and what I disliked about the meta, and swapped my team accordingly
• The team at this point consisted of Mega-Kangaskhan / Zapdos  / Mega-Gyarados / Rotom-H / Garchomp / Scarf Gardevoir
• I discovered the overpowered DisQuake core of Garchomp / Zapdos / Mega-Kangaskhan / Scarf Gardevoir
• This core won me a majority of my games on PS! so I dubbed this core “Press buttons and win!” due to a lot of PS! users succumbing to Earthquake/Discharge/Dazzling Gleam/Return
• I rotated some Pokemon out for others in order to cover some weaknesses
• The team was Garchomp / Mega-Kangaskhan / Mega-Mawile / Scarf Gardevoir / Zapdos / Amoonguss
• Although the team was doing well on PS! it started to lose more often, and I saw this as a problem
• I had to look for the weak points of this team, and I discovered it was Zapdos / Mega-Mawile / Amoonguss because my team couldn’t deal with Talonflame and friends that well
• I rotated some Pokemon in and out of the team again to solve these problems
• The team was Garchomp / Mega-Kangaskhan / Mega-Gyarados / Scarf Gardevoir / Rotom-H / Safety Goggles Meowstic
• The team was performing well, but I kept on having problems, especially against Rotom-W which was annoying to handle. Thus, I looked for a solution for my problem, and found my answer
• I switched Meowstic for Venusaur, and this helped my team a lot
• Venusaur created a useful F/W/G core for my team, which assisted a lot in defensive synergy
• I removed the mega stone from Gyarados, and put it on Venusaur instead
• This made Venusaur quite bulky while removing its Fire- and Ice-type weakness
• In the end
• the team was Garchomp / Mega-Kangaskhan / Mega-Venusaur  / Scarf Gardevoir / Rotom-H / Band Gyarados
• I call the team DisQuake still, despite not using Discharge anymore
• I had 43 different variations of the team, ranging from subtle changes such as changing an EV spread, to complex changes such as swapping Pokemon, having different EV spreads, and trying out niche moves.
• I only trained via the Nuggetbridge PS! server because I did not have enough time to test on Battle Spot. On PS, I managed to keep a ~3-4:1 win record throughout ~8 alts, each ranking high on the ladder before the ladder reset.

The Neighbor's Club

Sena (Garchomp) (M) @ Lum Berry

Trait: Rough Skin

EVs: 60 HP / 164 Atk / 4 Def / 28 SDef / 252 Spd

IVs: 31/x/31/31/31/31

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

- Earthquake

- Dragon Claw

- Rock Tomb

- Protect

• Sena is a shit
• Literally, shit
• No really, shit
• Lum Berry to prevent Burns and Sleep. Also nice to get hit by the opponent’s Swagger and get the free +2 Attack
• Yache Berry was an option over Lum to prevent Garchomp from getting KOed from most Ice moves, but Lum’s utility fitted better for my team
• Max Speed Garchomp to ensure Garchomp outspeeds Charizard-Y and speed tie with other Garchomps
• 60 HP to minimize Hail damage
• 60 HP / 4 Def is used to survive Adamant Garchomp’s Dragon Claw 100% of the time
• 60 HP / 28 SDef is used to survive Mega-Manetric’s HP Ice 33% of the time
• Rest of the EVs are dumped into Attack
• Earthquake and Dragon Claw are standard STAB moves
• Rock Tomb over Rock Slide for Deagle-level mindgames and strategies
• Bypasses Wide Guard unlike Rock Slide
• Higher chance to KO Charizard who’s EVed to take a non-boosted Rock Slide
• 100% Speed drop, useful to catch Garchomp and friends on the switch so I can always outspeed
• Requires great prediction to utilize it effectively, compared to Rock Slide
• Protect is Protect

Kate & Maria (Kangaskhan) (F) @ Kangaskhanite

Trait: Scrappy --> Parental Bond

EVs: 200 HP / 172 Atk / 100 SDef / 36 Spd

IVs: 31/31/25/x/31/31

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Fake Out

- Return

- Power-Up Punch

- Sucker Punch

• Kangaskhanite for Mega Evolution
• Inner Focus was supposed to be used over Scrappy in order to not get flinched by opposing Fake Out. However, I was unable to get one on time and thus settled on Scrappy.
• Bulky Kangaskhan is great
• 200 HP / 100 SDef survives non-boosted Mega Lucario’s Aura Sphere 100% of the time
• Special bulk helps against annoying Rain teams
• Adamant 172 Atk allows Mega Kangaskhan to KO 4/0 Kingdra majority of the time
• Rest of the EVs are dumped into Speed in order to outspeed standard Rotom-formes
• Fake Out for utility and to do some damage
• I was using Protect over Fake Out before, but Fake Out’s utility was too good to pass and it helped dealt with Greninja by preventing it from using Mat Block
• Return is standard consistent STAB and to ensure KOs at +0 Attack unlike Facade
• Power-Up Punch is for the Attack boosts and to negate the Intimidate drops
• Sucker Punch is priority and to hit Ghost-Types

Yukimura (Venusaur) (M) @ Venusaurite

Trait: Chlorophyll --> Thick Fat

EVs: 84 HP / 4 Def / 196 SAtk / 4 SDef / 220 Spd

IVs: 31/x/31/31/31/31

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Giga Drain

- Sludge Bomb

- Sleep Powder

- Protect

• Venusaurite for Mega Evolution
• Chlorophyll over Overgrow so opponents will think twice about bringing in their Charizard-Y
• Timid 220 Speed allows Venusaur to outspeed max speed non-scarf Smeargle
• It also allow Venusaur to outspeed majority of Rotoms, especially Rotom-W
• 84 HP / 4 Def allows Venusaur to survive Adamant Talonflame’s Brave Bird 100% after Intimidate
• Allows Mega-Venusaur to survive Adamant Talonflame’s Brave Bird 100% without Intimidate
• Allows Mega-Venusaur to survive LO Adamant Talonflame’s Brave Bird 100% after Intimidate
• Rest of the EVs are dumped into SAtk
• Allows Mega-Venusaur to KO 4/0 Mamoswine 100% with Giga Drain
• Giga Drain over Energy Ball for siphoning opponent’s HP
• Sludge Bomb is standard STAB and hits Fairy-types
• Sleep Powder for utility to stop threatening Pokemon, such as opposing Mega-Kangaskhans
• Leaf Storm was an option over Sleep Powder due to being able to KO Specially-Bulky Rotom-W majority of the time, but the utility from Sleep Powder was more useful overall.
• Protect is Protect

Kobato (Gardevoir) (M) @ Choice Scarf

Trait: Telepathy

EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd

IVs: 31/x/31/31/31/31

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Dazzling Gleam

- Moonblast

- Psyshock

- Shadow Ball

•  Male Gardevoir
• Choice Scarf was used to be fast in order to outspeed fast threats such as Garchomp, Mega-Manetric, or Greninja and hit them with tons of damage
• Telepathy instead of Trace due to having two EQ users and having another Pokemon to switch in while using Earthquake is pretty useful.
• Standard 252 SAtk / 252 Spd for maximum damage out and speed in order to slay Dragon-types
• Dazzling Gleam for STAB and spread damage
• Was the main STAB move
• Moonblast for a strong STAB move when I need to get a lot of damage/OHKO a certain target
• Psyshock for STAB and maybe hit harder
• Psyshock over Psychic because I felt that due to large usage of Intimidate and Burns used in this meta, more Pokemon would run more SDef EVs than Def Evs
• Shadow Ball was a filler move. It was used to chunk Aegislash for some damage compared to Thunderbolt
• Thunderbolt could be used instead, but I didn’t really use either moves a lot during practice
• Also fuck MikotoMisaka btw because Scarf Gardevoir was really useful at Apex

Rika (Rotom-H) @ Chesto Berry

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 216 HP / 48 Def / 4 SAtk / 4 SDef / 236 Spd

IVs: 30/x/31/31/31/31

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Thunderbolt

- Overheat

- Will-O-Wisp

- Rest

• Chesto Berry is used to prevent Rotom-H from being put to Sleep from Amoonguss and Venusaur
• Helps against Dark Void
• Used in conjunction with Rest
• 216 HP / 48 Def is used to survive non-CB Gyarados’s Waterfall majority of the time
• Allows it to survive CB Gyarados’ Waterfall majority of the time after Intimidate
• 236 Speed allows Rotom-H to outspeed neutral Base 80s and Positive Base 70s
• Most notably outspeeds Mamoswine while outspeeding and KOing Gyarados
• Modest 4 SAtk allows Rotom-H to KO 4/0 Venusaur 100% with Overheat
• Thunderbolt over Volt Switch for stronger STAB
• Overheat is standard strong STAB
• Will-o-Wisp is utility which burns Mega-Kangaskhan, Mega-Mawile, Garchomp, Scrafty, and other physical attackers that inhibit this meta
• Rest is used so I can have a use for the Chesto Berry if the opponent lacks a Sleep move
• No Protect so I can have a use for Chesto Berry
• Avoids Sucker Punch at low HP and can recover itself
• Allows Rotom-H to wall Talonflame by repetitive usage of Rest

Yozora (Gyarados) (F) @ Choice Band

Trait: Intimidate

EVs: 36 HP / 244 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SDef / 220 Spd

IVs: 31/31/31/x/31/31

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

- Waterfall

- Ice Fang

- Earthquake

- Thunder Wave

• Choice Band is for tons of damage
• No really, it hurts a lot. It provided my team a consistent source of heavy damage.
• Intimidate over Moxie for utility, making sure that certain physical attacks don’t KO
• Jolly 220 Speed hits 141 Speed, which outspeeds my Venusaur while outspeeding the same threats, most importantly the Rotom-formes
• Rest of EVs are dumped into Attack then into HP
• Waterfall is standard STAB
• Used over Aqua Tail due to 100% accuracy and the flinch chance
• Ice Fang is for coverage and to hit Dragon-types and Grass-types, most notably Salamence and Amoonguss
• Earthquake is a spread move that can hit Mawile for a good amount of damage, and to use in conjunction with Telepathy
• Thunder Wave is a filler move. It helped against fast Pokemon such as Greninja
• Used over Stone Edge because I wasn’t using Stone Edge a lot during practice, and CB Waterfall
• Thunder Wave helped deal with the annoying Greninja+Mega Lucario combo by bypassing Mat Block and paralyzing the Mega Lucario, which made it easier to deal with.

Interesting things to note about the team:

• Every Pokemon has a different type
• Everybody has different type attacks
• Only exception is Garchomp and Gyarados – Earthquake
• 5/6 of the team can Mega-Evolve – Only two members of the team has Mega Stones equipped however
• I opted for 2 Mega Evolutions instead of 1 – Kangaskhan and Venusaur – so I don’t have to rely on one Mega evolution throughout the battle and my opponents won’t know which Pokemon I will Mega-Evolve
• There was no Sitrus Berry. There used to be on earlier variations, but there was no need for it in the end
• There’s only two Pokemon with Protect – Garchomp and Venusaur – They had an empty slot open and for the others I could not fit Protect
• Two Pokemon with Choice Items – Gardevoir and Gyarados
• I utilized Deagle tactics by not using moves under 90%
• The exception to this are the two status moves – Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder

Cores/Combos

• Venusaur / Rotom-H / Gyarados
• FWG core
• Outspeed neutral Base 80s, which was the most important speed tier imo after Base 100s
• Each member supported one another
• Venusaur dealth with Rotom-W, which threatened Rotom-H and Gyarados
• Gyarados dealth with Mamoswine, Chandelure, Rotom-H
• Garchomp / Rotom-H
• Anti-Sun lead
• Both threaten Charizard-Y
• Both cannot be stopped by Venusaur’s Sleep Powder due to Chesto/Lum berry
• Rotom-H can KO Venusaur
• Garchomp can threaten Rock-types and other Garchomps to help Rotom-H
• Rotom-H can burn other physical attackers to help Garchomp
• Threatens some Water-types and Ice-types
• Kangaskhan  / Gardevoir
• Gardevoir, according to DeagleBeagle, threatens majority of Intimidate users, even chunking Mawile for a bunch of damage, a Pokemon that threatens Kangaskhan
• Kangaskhan can set up with Gardevoir’s assistance and wreck the opponent’s team
• Dazzling Gleam / Return did a lot of damage
• Kangaskhan / Venusaur
• Fake Out + Sleep Powder
• Bulky mons
• Who’s going to Mega-evolve?!? Only I know which one will
• Garchomp / Gardevoir / Gyarados
• EQ + 2 EQ immunes
• Ground + Fairy = nice coverage
• They hit hard

 Battle Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GQxkyilfNM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhasFS_OvlQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EReFSlpYWuo

 Conclusion:

No copy pasterino plz. The team feels outdated IMO, but I still like to use it regardless.
This is such a shitty report though.

@CypherVGC because self-promotion is cool.