8th, then 4th, what comes next? Going into the tournament, I had no idea what to expect. I had decided the week before that I was going to use a new team, but, being me, I woke up on the Friday before with nothing. I forced myself to start thinking about the teams throughout the day, and for some reason started thinking about Mega Swampert. It seemed to be rising in popularity, and I was trying to figure out why. I never really liked rain because it limits the types you can have, as you normally have 2 or more water types, which means you lose some sort of type coverage. I also didn't really like the idea of Mega Swampert with Politoed, as you can't really freely Earthquake next to it, and also have to go for an obvious Protect to get your Swift Swim, which can be very easily predicted.
I then started thinking about another way to run Swampert. I don't remember why Trick Room came to mind, but I went with it. With only 70 base speed, Swampert could easily be run in Trick Room, and also putting it next to a Levitating setter (obvious Cresselia is obvious), I would be able to spam slow Earthquakes. I then immediately thought about Talonflame, as it can still get off priority BBs in TR which hugely threaten all Grass types, the only weakness of Swampert, and also let me EQ with it on the field. I also thought that no one would really be preparing for Talonflame anymore, as I very rarely see it. I then completed the F/W/G core with Ferrothorn, as it's amazing in TR, and a great defensive switch for pretty much anything that threatens Swampert.
After thinking for a while about what to add to this core, I came up with the idea to have a fast mode to the team, but I still wanted it to synergize with TR. Rain Dance Thundurus then became an easy pick. Outside of TR, Swampert could still be the fastest Poke on the field with RD, and Thundurus could provide Prankster support. Using TWave on a TR team was an idea I got from Jeremy Mantingh, his logic being that if Cresselia is too threatened to get up TR, you can still be the fastest side of the field. After I had these 5, I added Scrafty to patch up some defensive holes, and to provide Fake Out and Intimidate support. This team was built in about 10 minutes (EVs and all) and I had a grand total of 5 practise battles before Showdown decided to crash, so it was a very heavily theory based team going into the tournament, so I had to work pretty hard to prove the theory.
vs Harry Collis
Team: MAltaria - Excadrill - Eelektross - Milotic - Virizion - Braviary
This would be the third time I've played Harry, having played him at 2 previous challenges, although he didn't seem to remember me. Thanks to the fact that I like to use weird things, I know that Eelektross has access to Flamethrower and Giga Drain, so I know that I need to switch between my Swampert and Ferrothorn to take each attack. However, I am then able to play some mind games and keep Ferro in on a potential Flamethrower to take his Giga Drain predicting the Pert switch. I also end up miscounting my TR turns, so return it to normal one turn early, then assume I got it up the next turn, so I'm lucky that I was still in a good enough position to take the game.
vs Jamie Miller
Team: MBlaziken - Thundurus - Gastrodon - Virizion - Weavile - Scizor
Of course...
Already, I'm paired up against Jamie again. but at least we are using some new Pokemon. Turn 1 couldn't have gone worse for me, losing my Mega in return for TR, probably not the best trade, but turn 2 I manage to return the favour by knocking out his Mega. I then call the Fake Out wrong and let Scizor get up a free Swords Dance, but then retaliate with a KO on Weavile after predicting the Scizor to Protect. Leech Seed + Super Fang seal up the game, as Scizor can't survive the combination of LS and Rocky Helmet Damage from Cresselia at half hp. The picture was taken before the match, but was appropriate for the outcome.
vs Dan Capron
Team: MSableye - Charizard - Clefable - Ludicolo - Terrakion - Cresselia
Apparently this was one of Dan's first ever tournaments, so it's good that lots of new people are joining the community. He manages to catch me off guard with his Sableye being Mega, and I even forget about the Magic Bounce since MSableye is so rare, and I try and Leech Seed it, what a smart move. I manage to call his Fake Outs, and end up avoiding a stall war with MSableye as Rocky Helmet chips him enough so that he can no longer Recover enough to survive.
vs Micky Orchard
Team: MGengar - Heatran - ThundurusT - Whimsicott - Politoed - Kingdra
Micky was the first VGC player I knew, even before I started playing VGC myself, from some small Double Battle events, so I had no idea how to Pokemon when I met him, although I like to think I can now. It turned out he was using MGengar, one of my most hated Pokemon to face. I manage to predict the Protect turn 1 and pick up a KO, but that puts me in a game losing situation straight away thanks to the Fake Tears and the fact that I had a Ferrothorn Tagged in against a Heatran. There was no way to recover after -2 Shadow Ball was enough KO Swampert, and he even got a burn on the Heat Wave to really rub it in. He ended up with 3rd place, not too bad for a MGengar.
vs Ethan Hall
Team: MHeracross - Hydreigon - Terrakion - Suicune - RotomH - Aegislash
Given our resistances and the records we had going into this match, we were both pretty much guaranteed top cut, so I would like to say the match was more relaxed, but I don't think it ended up that way. Ethan is the only successful MHeracross user I've known, but I had a Talonflame, which would be absolutely key for me. Turn 1 I see the Quick Guard on Terrakion, so I know that I need to take out the Terrakion for Talonflame to be free to click the win button. I achieve this turn 2, which really opens up the game for me. All I needed to do was predict when I would actually be able to hit the MHeracross with a BB and I would take the game. This ends up being the final turn, as I manage to predict both the Protect and the switch out, gaining me enough momentum to take the match with TR being able to be set up.
Final Swiss Record: 4-1
My second 2nd seed in a row, not too bad. Top Cut will follow this soon.
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