Manchester Premier Challenge!

With Sun and Moon only a couple of months away, the beginning of the VGC 2017 circuit started this past weekend with Premier Challenges taking place across the UK. Despite very little playing and preparation time, I decided to dust off the ring rust and participate in Manchester!

The little time I had to practice for this tournament went into rebuilding my fairly successful Nationals team and getting comfortable within the 2016 format.

My nationals team can be found in more detail by following this link, but it consisted of Mega Manectric, Kyogre, Groudon, Gengar, Togekiss & Espeon. It was an easy to use team, but it didn’t come without its flaws, Smeargle + Xerneas leads could pose far too much of a problem, especially if follow me/geomancy was the play of choice whilst the matchup against Trick Room teams could be disastrous with no reliable way of preventing the set up.

I wanted the team to have favorable matchups against the standard “Big Six” and “RayOgre” teams, whilst having a way to deal effectively with Trick Room. Togekiss was the first Pokémon to be replaced, having offered absolutely nothing during my time at UK Nationals. Groudon was also dropped as I toyed with reverting back to the Gengar, Crobat, Ray, Ogre core and – despite being able to outspeed and OHKO opposing Mega Gengar – scarfed Espeon was the final Pokémon to be removed.

Talonflame @ Lum Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Atk / 76 Def / 20 SpD / 52 Spe
Jolly Nature
– Will-O-Wisp
– Taunt
– Tailwind
– Brave Bird

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 12 HP / 96 Def / 180 SpA / 220 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
– Hidden Power [Ice]
– Haze
– Sludge Bomb
– Protect

Kyogre-Primal @ Blue Orb
Ability: Primordial Sea
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
– Water Spout
– Origin Pulse
– Ice Beam
– Protect

Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
– Volt Switch
– Snarl
– Protect
– Thunder

Abomasnow @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 248 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA
– Grass Knot
– Ice Beam
– Hidden Power [Water]
– Worry Seed

Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 132 Def / 36 SpD / 84 Spe
Jolly Nature
– Knock Off
– Foul Play
– Protect
– Tailwind

So there’s the team! It’s probably one of the most offensive teams I’ve built for the 2016 format with the main aim being to take out most of the threatening mons before they have the chance to move. Abomasnow + Yveltal could KO both primals with a combination of Grass Knot and Foul Play for example, Abomasnow could also outspeed Salamence on the turn of mega evolving and knock it out with an Ice Beam.

We managed to go 4-1 throughout the swiss rounds before crashing out in top eight to the eventual winner.

KO Count:

1. Yveltal (8)
2. Abomasnow & M-Gengar (5)
3. Kyogre (4)
4. M-Manectric (1)
Wooden Spoon: Talonflame (0)

MVP: Yveltal

Yveltal was an invaluable asset, incredible damage output through Foul Play and Knock Off plus the ability to set Tailwind immediately put me on the front foot throughout swiss.

Dead Weight: Talonflame

With Tailwind already on Yveltal and having to drop either a mega, uber or Abomasnow to bring, Talonflame didn’t see much usage. Could potentially have assisted with Will-O-Wisps onto the Mawile we saw in the competition but the rest of the team did fine without it.
Most Surprising: Abomasnow

Bred from my shiny Abomasnow, this Yeti family has now top cut all but two events I’ve used him in. Incredibly fun to use, the top moment for Abomasnow came in round four of swiss where he secured KOs onto both Kyogre and Thundurus to help finish off the game.