Checkmater
It’s just us kittens left, and the rain is coming
If you're stuck on where to go next when building a team, or unsure of where to start, you can check out this thread to find out what successful Doubles teams have looked like and what some of these teams have in common.
Viewing teambuilding frameworks can also be helpful to notice similarities and differences accross compositions to get a better grasp of building with a particular Pokemon or core or archetype.
If you want to contribute feel free to post similarities between successful teams that you've spotted! Your post can be a framework for me to add to the OP, or a comment on an existing framework. Please contribute as much as possible: good discussions are always healthy and welcome on the forums, and it's good practice in team analysis!
Currently in progress of getting some groundwork laid out, and would appreciate any assistance!
- 2 Fire resists/counters
- 1 Ground immunity
- 2 Steels checks
- At MOST 2 pokemon that have difficulty dealing with Steel-Types
- At least 1 Steel Type
- At least 2 Soft Psychic Spam checks
- Counters for both Celesteela AND Ferrothorn
- At least 1 Hoopa-U counter
- At least 1 Water-resist
- At least 2 Mega Salamence counters
Checkmater Semiroom
Stax TR
Marilli Semiroom
1: Gardevoir
2: Steel-Type
While most of these teams feature Heatran for its ability to deal with opposing Fire-Types as well as provide more offensive pressure under Trick Room, Aegislash is an option as well.
This slot primarily functions to beat opposing Gardevoir and Psychic Spam, as well as Mega Salamence
3: Amoonguss
Most teams opt for Amoonguss here because of its very strong synergy with the style of Gardevoir Trick Room. Being able to absorb hits and benefitting from Gardevoir's ability to beat opposing Tapu Fini make Amoonguss+Gardevoir a strong combination.
In particular, a grass type is important in order to check the combination of Marshadow and Rain at the same time for Gardevoir teams. A strong rain check is especially necessary for teams running Heatran.
4: Water-Type
Waters are the only strong steels check that simultaneously deal with LandoT, making them valuable includes. There are a variety of options such as the presented Gyarados, Rotom-Wash, Volcanion, and Tapu Fini, but Rain should also be noted as an option.
5: Ground-Type
LandoT and Zygarde both work well to beat Fire-types, while also checking Steels.
6: Flexible Steels Check
Steels are obviously problematic so this final slot is also geared towards dealing with them. Most use a Dark-Type, but Snorlax is also a viable option.
Further Notes:
All teams have intimidate to help Garde deal with physical attackers.
Most Gardevoirs are running Trick Room.
Unless they are using Fini, the answer to Amoonguss for the rest are either beating it outside of room or using Substitute.
Stax TR
Marilli Semiroom
1: Gardevoir
2: Steel-Type
While most of these teams feature Heatran for its ability to deal with opposing Fire-Types as well as provide more offensive pressure under Trick Room, Aegislash is an option as well.
This slot primarily functions to beat opposing Gardevoir and Psychic Spam, as well as Mega Salamence
3: Amoonguss
Most teams opt for Amoonguss here because of its very strong synergy with the style of Gardevoir Trick Room. Being able to absorb hits and benefitting from Gardevoir's ability to beat opposing Tapu Fini make Amoonguss+Gardevoir a strong combination.
In particular, a grass type is important in order to check the combination of Marshadow and Rain at the same time for Gardevoir teams. A strong rain check is especially necessary for teams running Heatran.
4: Water-Type
Waters are the only strong steels check that simultaneously deal with LandoT, making them valuable includes. There are a variety of options such as the presented Gyarados, Rotom-Wash, Volcanion, and Tapu Fini, but Rain should also be noted as an option.
5: Ground-Type
LandoT and Zygarde both work well to beat Fire-types, while also checking Steels.
6: Flexible Steels Check
Steels are obviously problematic so this final slot is also geared towards dealing with them. Most use a Dark-Type, but Snorlax is also a viable option.
Further Notes:
All teams have intimidate to help Garde deal with physical attackers.
Most Gardevoirs are running Trick Room.
Unless they are using Fini, the answer to Amoonguss for the rest are either beating it outside of room or using Substitute.
Stax Semiroom
Kaori/Sam Semiroom
Matame Semiroom
Stax Electric-Spam
Majorbowman & Miltankmilk Balance
1: Mence
Mence functions as a potent threat in the metagame, especially for late-game cleanup, but it struggles heavily against opposing steel-types, as well as the FiniZap core
2: Electric-Type
Helps beat opposing mence, as well as helping deal with FiniZap. Electric-Types are also generally decent at covering opposing steels
3: Steels Check
Needed to cover up Mence's inability to deal with Steel-types. Most teams fill this slot with a dark type but LandoT also works
4: Dedicated Fairy resist/counter
Here we can see perhaps the most deciding role on Mence teams: how they choose to deal with opposing Fairy-types. While all of these cover opposing Fairy-types on the surface, Heatran is notably unable to deal with Tapu Fini, Amoonguss struggles against Tapu Lele, while Aegislash and Ferrothorn struggle most against opposing Fire-Types while also being more passive than other options.
5: Water+Fairy-Type
Fairies (in 4/5 of these teams) complete the Dragon, Fairy, Steel core. Fairy-types are strong, with many options (Tapu Bulu is notably absent, but could theoretically work well with Mence) in the current meta, but are especially important for checking Hoopa-U & Ttar, as well as Dragons such as opposing Mence and Kyube. Overall, Water+Fairy is an amazing typing that compliments Salamence very well.
6: FiniZap Counter, Steels Check
Most teams use Snorlax, whereas Stax's ElectricSpam team uses Porygon Z. Both are incredible at punishing the passivity of FiniZap cores, using the momentum gained to setup unhindered.
Kaori/Sam Semiroom
Matame Semiroom
Stax Electric-Spam
Majorbowman & Miltankmilk Balance
1: Mence
Mence functions as a potent threat in the metagame, especially for late-game cleanup, but it struggles heavily against opposing steel-types, as well as the FiniZap core
2: Electric-Type
Helps beat opposing mence, as well as helping deal with FiniZap. Electric-Types are also generally decent at covering opposing steels
3: Steels Check
Needed to cover up Mence's inability to deal with Steel-types. Most teams fill this slot with a dark type but LandoT also works
4: Dedicated Fairy resist/counter
Here we can see perhaps the most deciding role on Mence teams: how they choose to deal with opposing Fairy-types. While all of these cover opposing Fairy-types on the surface, Heatran is notably unable to deal with Tapu Fini, Amoonguss struggles against Tapu Lele, while Aegislash and Ferrothorn struggle most against opposing Fire-Types while also being more passive than other options.
5: Water+Fairy-Type
Fairies (in 4/5 of these teams) complete the Dragon, Fairy, Steel core. Fairy-types are strong, with many options (Tapu Bulu is notably absent, but could theoretically work well with Mence) in the current meta, but are especially important for checking Hoopa-U & Ttar, as well as Dragons such as opposing Mence and Kyube. Overall, Water+Fairy is an amazing typing that compliments Salamence very well.
6: FiniZap Counter, Steels Check
Most teams use Snorlax, whereas Stax's ElectricSpam team uses Porygon Z. Both are incredible at punishing the passivity of FiniZap cores, using the momentum gained to setup unhindered.
The point of noticing frameworks like this isn't to limit creativity or say "you MUST build this way." this framework catalogue exists as a resource for when you're starting out on a new team to help you take a top level thing and put your own spin on it. - Keith
Once one understands why, for example, landot or water types or fire types (etc) are almost 100% include for x framework then it's easier to see the costs/benefits of not running that slot and how it can impact teambulilding, as well as being able to more easily glimpse the variety within teambuilding.
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