Introduction:
In my attempt this month to get into Master Ball Tier in Battle Stadium Doubles for the first time in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, I've been using Luka Trejgut's 2nd place Peoria Regional Championships team.
Team Summary:
The team features Tornadus, Kingambit, Ogerpon, Urshifu, Landorus, and Flutter Mane.
This team is a hyper offense team that focuses on a combination of speed with Tailwind as well as offensive power with strong attackers like Fire Ogerpon and Swords Dance Kingambit.
The team primarily relies on Tornadus for speed control through Tailwind and Rain Dance, while Kingambit serves as a Defiant user to counter Intimidate-based strategies and boost its own attack.
Ogerpon plays a supporting role with Follow Me, and the team also has Rapid Strike Urshifu for fast, powerful attacks, and Choice Scarf Landorus for additional offensive pressure.
Flutter Mane serves as a special attacker and has access to Trick Room, providing versatility against slow Trick Room teams.
Below is a visual of the team stats via VGC Helper:
Strengths:
Speed Control: Tornadus's Tailwind provides essential speed control, ensuring your Pokémon can outspeed opponents. This is crucial for gaining a speed advantage in battles.
Defiant Kingambit: Kingambit's Defiant ability is an excellent anti-meta choice, countering Intimidate users like Landorus and boosting its own attack when hit with moves that have secondary effects, like Icy Wind and Bleakwind Storm.
Versatile Movesets: The team members have well-thought-out movesets, allowing for various strategies and good coverage. For example, Tornadus can hit hard with Bleakwind Storm and support itself (e.g. 100% Bleakwind Storm accuracy) and others (e.g. Urshifu's Aqua Jet & Surging Strikes) with Rain Dance.
Good Type Coverage: The team comprises a variety of types, reducing its vulnerability to specific type matchups and making it harder for opponents to counter.
Weaknesses:
Choice Scarf Users: Teams with Choice Scarf users like Water Urshifu and opposing Tornadus can be problematic, as they can outspeed your Pokémon and potentially KO them before they get a chance to act.
Opposing Tornadus with Taunt: Tornadus with Taunt can prevent your Tailwind setup and hinder your team's speed control, which is vital for your strategy.
Urshifu Water: Urshifu Water can pose a significant threat, especially if it is Jolly or scarfed, as your team lacks strong switch-ins for this Pokémon.
Trick Room Teams: Teams that can set up Trick Room can be challenging, and it's important to use Flutter Mane to reverse Trick Room in such matchups.
Lead Strategies:
Tornadus and Landorus: This lead combination allows you to capitalize on Landorus's Intimidate and U-Turn for pivot plays while setting up Tailwind with Tornadus.
Tornadus with Urshifu: This lead focuses on the offensive power of Urshifu while Tornadus provides speed control and support with Rain Dance.
Landorus and Kingambit: This lead combination allows you to capitalize on Landorus's Intimidate and U-Turn for pivot plays into Tornadus with Tailwind
setting up a speedy and mighty Kingambit. You can later bring in Ogerpon for Follow Me support.
Ogerpon with Kingambit: This lead focuses on using Ogerpon for Follow Me support to set up Kingambit with Swords Dance and become a powerful attacker.
Other Useful Tips:
- Carefully consider your lead choices based on the opponent's team composition and strategy.
- Make use of Tornadus's Rain Dance to enhance the power of Water-type moves like Urshifu's Surging Strikes and mitigate the damage from opposing Fire-type moves.
- Be cautious when facing Choice Scarf users, and try to predict their moves to avoid getting caught off guard.
- Always have a plan to handle Trick Room teams, as they can disrupt your speed-based strategy.
- Pay attention to opposing Tornadus and Taunt users to ensure your Tailwind setup goes smoothly.
- Kingambit can be a powerful late-game sweeper when it has amassed boosts through Swords Dance and Defiant.
- Remember to adapt your strategy to the specific matchup you're facing, as flexibility is key in competitive Pokémon battles.
Conclusion:
Cyberton considers this team easily one of the best teams in the format right now.
I am a pretty average amateur competitive player. Using this team, I've rapidly ascended from Beginner Tier to Ultra Ball Tier with a 70% winning percentage using the team.
Aside from the strong team, it does need to be mentioned that the high win percentage is also based on strong co-piloting of the team from my youngest son. Thanks Emmett! :)
Below is Cybertron's video showcasing the team:
If you'd like to try out the team, it has been generously made available as a Rental Team. Use the code CMMD84.
