Hi, I need help forming a team for the Series 1 Doubles format. This is my first time playing doubles, let alone a VGC format. Here is my team for the format so far:
Garganacl (Rock Titan) @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Gentle Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Recover
- Salt Cure
From the viable Pokémon that are available in the format, the sweepers are mostly physical attackers, such as Tyranitar, Garchomp, Gyarados, Azumarill, Scizor, Dragonite and Annihilape. Therefore, a physical wall would be best to hold them off, so I believe Garganacl would be a perfect job for the role.
Granted I chose him because it looks like to be my Gen 9 fav, but there are a lot of things that are going for the Rock Titan. With buffs in Iron Defense, it would be able to take a lot of physical hits and can take even one supereffective hit if necessary. It can heal with Recover and can use Salt Cure to punish switch ins like Gyarados, Azumarill and Dondozo. Plus, it's a setup mon that isn't scared of Amonguss Spore.
I chose Tera Type Water becauase I think it's a good defensive type to resist Scizor's Bullet Punch and Gyarados Waterfall.
Granted, a downside is that Garganacl has a poor special defense so it can't take special hits well. It also can't deal damage well against resists such as Gyarados and Azumarill with Body Press.
Gastrodon @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Storm Drain
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Recover
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Yawn / Clear Smog
Gastrodon is a Pokémon that can use Storm Drain to nullfiy water attacks that can threaten Garaganacl, which could also allow it to handle Palafin, Gyarados and Dondonzo. It being a special attacker means that it doesn't suffer too greatly against Will-O-Wisp, whilst also be able to handle phyiscal walls and take physical attacks decently. It has healing in the form of Recover, and chilling water can help bring down physical attackers. Earth Power can be used to handle fire types, whereas Ice Beam is used for Grass Gargancl and Dragons. Yawn can be used to prevent opposing mons from setting up, whereas Clear Smog can be used to erase the mon's stat changes (like Gyarados and Tyranitar's Dragon Dance). I don't know which of the two options are better.
Grimmsnarl (M) @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Fairy
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SpD
Careful Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Spirit Break
- Parting Shot
Grimmsnarl sets up Light and Reflect to increases the team's defenses, and Sprit Break can deal at least decent damage to Gyarados and Tyranitar. Parting Shot lowers the opposing pokemon stats so that it would be easier for the Rock Titan to boost its defenses and sweep. Spirit Break can also lower the special attack of switch-in Goldengho.
Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Atk/ 4 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Thunder Wave
- Snarl
- Protect
Tyranitar is a necessary crux of the team, as I believe that weather is also a necessary factor to consider in this meta. Snarl + Thunder Wave are to help Tyranitar hamper the offensive presence of the opposing team, and Rock Slide can be used to deal spread damage with a chance of flinching. Protect can be also used to ensure that Tyranitar can still be kept in shape to summon sand again if threatened by other weather setters.
Arcanine @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Snarl
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Flare Blitz
Setting aside the fact I love the dog, I believe Arcanine can be a great asset to the team. It has snarl to wear down special attacks that can threaten the Rock Titan, and Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers, which is mostly all attackers in the format (except Gholdengo). Flare Blitz can be used to deal with Grass Types. Safety Goggles is used to block Amoonguss spread is used to maximise it's bulk whilst still being a fast doggo. The reason why I am still keeping Arcanine even though I have Tyranitar, is because Arcanine has Will-o-Wisp and can 1v1 Scizor.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Iron Defense
- Roost
Last member of the team. It functions almost like Garagancl, except it uses its Pressure ability to dissuade mons from setting up and wearing down physical attacks from opposing mons. Rocky Helmet is used to damage physical attackers like Azumarill and Gyarados over time, and Brave Bird can be used against Annilape and Amoonguss. Roost is to keep the Steel bird alive, and Body Press + Iron Defense can deal a lot of damage.
So, this is my first team for the doubles for Series 1. I do realise that there are flaws within the team that can be exploited, such as not able to handle Ice teams effectively, or lack the necessary super effective coverage to handle threats such as Azumarill and Gyarados. I was thinking of Rotom-W as a useful mon to beat Water Types with Thunderbolt, but I don't think I can replace the mon with one of my team members.
If there is any feedback on how I can improve my team, please let me know.
Garganacl (Rock Titan) @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Gentle Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Recover
- Salt Cure
From the viable Pokémon that are available in the format, the sweepers are mostly physical attackers, such as Tyranitar, Garchomp, Gyarados, Azumarill, Scizor, Dragonite and Annihilape. Therefore, a physical wall would be best to hold them off, so I believe Garganacl would be a perfect job for the role.
Granted I chose him because it looks like to be my Gen 9 fav, but there are a lot of things that are going for the Rock Titan. With buffs in Iron Defense, it would be able to take a lot of physical hits and can take even one supereffective hit if necessary. It can heal with Recover and can use Salt Cure to punish switch ins like Gyarados, Azumarill and Dondozo. Plus, it's a setup mon that isn't scared of Amonguss Spore.
I chose Tera Type Water becauase I think it's a good defensive type to resist Scizor's Bullet Punch and Gyarados Waterfall.
Granted, a downside is that Garganacl has a poor special defense so it can't take special hits well. It also can't deal damage well against resists such as Gyarados and Azumarill with Body Press.
Gastrodon @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Storm Drain
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Recover
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Yawn / Clear Smog
Gastrodon is a Pokémon that can use Storm Drain to nullfiy water attacks that can threaten Garaganacl, which could also allow it to handle Palafin, Gyarados and Dondonzo. It being a special attacker means that it doesn't suffer too greatly against Will-O-Wisp, whilst also be able to handle phyiscal walls and take physical attacks decently. It has healing in the form of Recover, and chilling water can help bring down physical attackers. Earth Power can be used to handle fire types, whereas Ice Beam is used for Grass Gargancl and Dragons. Yawn can be used to prevent opposing mons from setting up, whereas Clear Smog can be used to erase the mon's stat changes (like Gyarados and Tyranitar's Dragon Dance). I don't know which of the two options are better.
Grimmsnarl (M) @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Fairy
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SpD
Careful Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Spirit Break
- Parting Shot
Grimmsnarl sets up Light and Reflect to increases the team's defenses, and Sprit Break can deal at least decent damage to Gyarados and Tyranitar. Parting Shot lowers the opposing pokemon stats so that it would be easier for the Rock Titan to boost its defenses and sweep. Spirit Break can also lower the special attack of switch-in Goldengho.
Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Atk/ 4 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Thunder Wave
- Snarl
- Protect
Tyranitar is a necessary crux of the team, as I believe that weather is also a necessary factor to consider in this meta. Snarl + Thunder Wave are to help Tyranitar hamper the offensive presence of the opposing team, and Rock Slide can be used to deal spread damage with a chance of flinching. Protect can be also used to ensure that Tyranitar can still be kept in shape to summon sand again if threatened by other weather setters.
Arcanine @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Snarl
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Flare Blitz
Setting aside the fact I love the dog, I believe Arcanine can be a great asset to the team. It has snarl to wear down special attacks that can threaten the Rock Titan, and Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers, which is mostly all attackers in the format (except Gholdengo). Flare Blitz can be used to deal with Grass Types. Safety Goggles is used to block Amoonguss spread is used to maximise it's bulk whilst still being a fast doggo. The reason why I am still keeping Arcanine even though I have Tyranitar, is because Arcanine has Will-o-Wisp and can 1v1 Scizor.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Iron Defense
- Roost
Last member of the team. It functions almost like Garagancl, except it uses its Pressure ability to dissuade mons from setting up and wearing down physical attacks from opposing mons. Rocky Helmet is used to damage physical attackers like Azumarill and Gyarados over time, and Brave Bird can be used against Annilape and Amoonguss. Roost is to keep the Steel bird alive, and Body Press + Iron Defense can deal a lot of damage.
So, this is my first team for the doubles for Series 1. I do realise that there are flaws within the team that can be exploited, such as not able to handle Ice teams effectively, or lack the necessary super effective coverage to handle threats such as Azumarill and Gyarados. I was thinking of Rotom-W as a useful mon to beat Water Types with Thunderbolt, but I don't think I can replace the mon with one of my team members.
If there is any feedback on how I can improve my team, please let me know.