Reports

Published on April 15th, 2014 | by Crys

15

Do you like my Scarf? A Seniors Georgia Regionals Team Report

Hello reader, and thank you for reading my report of the recent April Regionals. I’m known as Crys here on Nugget Bridge and primarily CrystalNinetales on Showdown (among many other names). I’ve been participating in VGC since 2011, and after ages of reading other peoples’ reports on how they did at the events, I decided to try making my own report this year.

Building the Team

So, after my success at Virginia Regionals with Noivern, I wanted to try to use another Pokemon that was not used frequently but was still somewhat viable. After a lot of searching through the Kalos Pokedex, I settled on Wigglytuff. It had everything I wanted in a Pokemon as I was team building. Wigglytuff provided an answer to Salamence and other Intimidate users, and it was able to hit back fairly well and sponge a few hits as well. Unfortunately, after running Wigglytuff successfully for a few months, I noticed that not only was I getting bored with Wigglytuff, but it ended up being more of a dead weight on my changed team than actually supporting it. So, with a week before the actual event, I changed Wigglytuff to another Pokemon that I had never used before and wanted to try out: Gardevoir. I saw immediate improvement in my team, as Gardevoir let me hit faster threats that Wigglytuff could not, and let me absorb Special Attacks better as well.

The Team

lunarisbad
(Gardevoir) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
– Moonblast
– Shadow Ball
– Will-O-Wisp
– Psychic

Gardevoir was really clutch in most of my matches, scoring knockouts with Moonblast and Psychic, while occasionally burning a physical attacker. Shadow Ball was for coverage against Ghost types such as Aegislash, but sadly I never got to use it. I ran Modest 252/252/4 with Choice Scarf to hit very hard. I had tried Timid beforehand for more Speed, but I found that the extra power Modest gave me more than made up for the lower Speed. Trace was very useful during my matches, often copying Parental Bond from other Kangaskhan on the switch in. Gardevoir also paired well with Kangaskhan in multiple situations, letting Kangaskhan Fake Out whatever threatened Gardevoir on turn 1 while Gardevoir picked off a threat to Kangaskhan.

If you’re wondering about Gardevoir’s nickname, I noticed that Lunar and Gardevoir seem to have similar haircuts and, as such, I used that. Lunar isn’t bad by the way. On the contrary, he’s fairly good. When I devised the nicknames for my team, he was the butt of jokes on the Showdown VGC room, and so it stuck.

baby khan
(Kangaskhan) (F) @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
– Fake Out
– Power-Up Punch
– Sucker Punch
– Facade

Ah, Kangaskhan. So good, yet so cheap. I used a rather basic Mega-Kangaskhan set, outside of Facade. The Scrappy Ability let me hit Ghost types with my attacks before Mega Evolving. When Mega Evolved, Kangaskhan could abuse Power-Up Punch to get to +2 Attack while breaking any potential Focus Sashes on the opposing team. Sucker Punch was used to hit Pokemon that outsped Kangaskhan, and also allowed me to somewhat hit Aegislash. Originally, I ran Return over Facade, but I forgot to max out Kangaskhan’s happiness before the competition. In the registry line I was forced to put the next best thing outside of Frustration: Facade. Facade was overall not as good as Return, but it allowed me to take a burn and hit back hard.

inst.noodle
(Rotom-Heat) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 68 SpA / 140 SpDef / 4 SpD
Calm Nature
– Overheat
– Thunderbolt
– Will-O-Wisp
– Protect

So, after looking at the differences between Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Wash, I decided Heat form benefited my team more. Overheat and Protect are staples on Rotom-Heat. Thunderbolt was used to hit Water- and Flying-types for decent damage, and Will-O-Wisp was used to burn those pesky physical attackers while also providing residual damage.

I had issues coming up with an EV spread for Rotom, so I asked Drizzleboy for some help. The EVs let me survive Kangaskhan’s Return, 2HKO most Calm Amoonguss, and survive strong Water-type attacks from Mega Blastoise and Rotom-Wash.

imoccababy
(Ferrothorn) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 SDef
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
– Power Whip
– Gyro Ball
– Leech Seed
– Protect

Ferrothorn was really good for the team. It could sponge physical attacks as well as taking those pesky Water-type attacks that plagued my team. I ran Ray Rizzo’s EV set from the Virginia Regionals. While it may be unoriginal and cheap to not think of my own spread, why make a new one when this set does the job perfectly? Power Whip OHKOs most Rotom-Wash, and Gyro Ball provides a very powerful STAB move (which also hits Fairy-types for super-effective damage). Leech Seed was used as a recovery move and Protect was used either to scout or stall for more Leech Seed healing.

insecurity
(Gyarados) @ Wacan Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 236 HP / 116 Atk / 4 Def / 152 Spd
Adamant Nature
– Thunder Wave
– Waterfall
– Protect
– Taunt

Gyarados came in handy during a lot of my matches. The EVs listed allow it to be fairly bulky, and the Wacan Berry let it survive most Electric attacks. It can outspeed all Rotom forms (excluding regular Rotom), and then proceed to Taunt them. If I was up against a Rotom-Heat, I could alternatively use Waterfall, which could usually bring its HP down by 70-90 percent.

landshark
(Garchomp) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
– Dragon Claw
– Earthquake
– Rock Slide
– Protect

Garchomp was a good Pokemon in my matches. It absorbed Electric attacks, and was able to hit opposing Pokemon fairly hard. I ran a rather basic set here, but with Garchomp there’s really no need to make up any fancy sets outside of 252/252. Earthquake lets Garchomp hit Fire- and Steel-types. Dragon Claw was used for other Dragons. Rock Slide was used for Flying-types and Mega Charizard-Y.

Matches

With over 70 competitors in attendance, I had heard we would have to compete in eight rounds of Swiss.

Round 1 vs Captain Catastrophe

He brought Charizard-Y, Mamoswine, Rhydon, Mienshao
I brought Garchomp, Gardevoir, Ferrothorn, Kangaskhan

He led off with Charizard-Y and Mienshao, while I led with Garchomp and Gardevoir. Garchomp and Charizard protected turn 1, and strangely enough Mienshao didn’t go for the Fake Out, so I was able to OHKO it with a Moonblast. The rest of the match is rather hazy, but I remember his Mamoswine took down my Garchomp with an Icicle Spear. His Charizard revealed Flamethrower which managed to burn my Gardevoir and take it out. Fortunately, I was able to knock out the Charizard with Kangaskhan and Gyro Ball the Mamoswine. In the end it came down to my Ferrothorn vs his Rhydon. I was able to win the match thanks to a high Leech Seed damage roll, sealing my first win with only 26 HP remaining.

Round 2 vs William

He brought Aegislash, Klefki, Mega Lucario, Scizor
I brought Garchomp, Gyarados, Rotom-Heat, Ferrothorn

This wasn’t a very eventful match, as most of his team was under-leveled. Garchomp had a field day by KOing all four of his Pokemon, securing me my second win, and also giving me my first 4-0 of the day.

Round 3 vs John L.

He brought Smeargle, Azumarill, Mega-Alakazam, Nidoking
I brought Kangaskhan, Gardevoir, Ferrothorn, Rotom-Heat

He led off with Smeargle and Azumarill, while I led with Kangaskhan and Gardevoir. I got a lucky Fake Out critical hit turn 1 which knocked out the Smeargle right off the bat. I went for a Will-O-Wisp onto Azumarill, which Protected, blocking my attack. He brought in Alakazam, mega evolved it, and got flat out OHKOed by a Sucker Punch from Kangaskhan. Gardevoir landed the Will-O-Wisp onto Azumarill, while he went for a Belly Drum. He brought in Nidoking, and I switched into Ferrothorn, which absorbed an Aqua Jet from Azumarill and then gave it some recoil damage from Ferrothorn’s Iron Barbs. I used Facade against Azumarill, which was then knocked out at the end of the turn due to burn damage. I switched Kangaskhan into Gardevoir. He Earth Powered my Ferrothorn, which didn’t do enough to knock it out. Fortunately, I hit Nidoking with Power Whip, then knocked it out with Psychic on the next turn, giving me my second 4-0 of the day.

Round 4 vs Albert O.

He brought Ferrothorn, Mienshao, Mega Kangaskhan, Rotom-Heat
I brought Gardevoir, Ferrothorn, Mega Kangaskhan, Gyarados

All I remember from this match is that it came down to Ferrothorn versus Ferrothorn, which ended with the timer running out. I ended up losing because he had managed to get some damage onto my Ferrothorn prior to the 1v1. As I said, I don’t remember the specifics, but I do remember that it was a very good match.

Round 5 vs Miles A.

He brought Mega Manectric, Politoed, Ludicolo, Sableye
I brought Gardevoir, Kangaskhan, Gyarados, Garchomp

He led off with Manectric and Sableye, and I led with Kangaskhan and Gardevoir. He protected with Manectric and Rain Danced with Sableye. I KOed the Sableye with Moonblast, and used Fake Out against Manectric, but Protect blocked my attack. He brought in Ludicolo, who used Fake Out on my Kangaskhan. Gardevoir outsped Manectric and Moonblasted it before it Volt Switched into Politoed. What he did next I don’t remember that well, but in the end my Gyarados Thunder Waved his Ludicolo, letting my Ferrothorn clean up. I won this match 3-0.

Round 6 vs Triston L.

He brought Garchomp, Tyranitar, Mega-Mawile, and Zapdos
I brought Garchomp, Gardevoir, Rotom-Heat, Ferrothorn

Someone I had beaten in Virginia had come to take their revenge! I flinched from Rock Slide on turn 1, which may have ended up costing me the game. He then scored double knockouts, and his Pokemon took care of the rest of my team with relative ease. From here, my record was 4-2, so I was worried; I needed to win my next two matches if I wanted to cut.

Round 7 vs ???

He brought Greninja, Kangaskhan, Swellow, ???

I brought Kangakshan, Gardevoir, Ferrothorn, Garchomp

Remember how I said there were eight matches? Yeah, so it turned out it was seven. I knew that if I wanted to even hope to cut, I needed to win this match. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much from this match other than the fact that he was running a very interesting team, including a Honchkrow that I noticed in Team Preview. Needless to say, I managed to win the match, and then waited for the final results. Somehow I managed to get seventh seed, which got me into Top Cut! I’m really not too sure how I did it, but I was glad at the time.

Top Cut

Top 8 vs Aaron O.

Game 2: He brought Mienshao, Rotom-Heat, Mega Kangaskhan, Azumarill
Game 2: I brought Gyarados, Rotom-Heat, Ferrothorn, Gardevoir

Unfortunately, the first game of top cut was very hazy and I don’t remember a clue about it. Besides that, I lost. In game 2, he led with Mienshao and Rotom-H, while I led with Gyarados and Rotom-H. I Protected with Gyarados and he Faked Out my Rotom, causing it to flinch. He targeted my Gyarados with Will-O-Wisp, which was blocked by my Protect. I Taunted his Rotom, his Mienshao Rock Slided me and luckily my Rotom managed to land the Will-O-Wisp on his Mienshao. However, he predicted my Taunt and went straight for the Thunderbolt onto Gyarados, bringing it down to 10 HP. From there the match went downhill for me. I managed to knock out his Kangaskhan and Mienshao, but he ended up winning the game with Belly Drum Azumarill, who took out my Ferrothorn.

Overall, it was a rather fun event, despite the top cut choke. I look forward to Nationals, as I am confident that I can do better there.

About the Author

Crys After trying out VGC in 2011, Crys has been fascinated with the format and how to get better and better at it. After finally making Top Cut in the 2014 Virginia Regional, he now has the self confidence to reach out towards other people and attempt to make himself known.

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