[VGC2019] X-Ray with Stomping Tantrum Amoonguss

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The Team Building Process

I’ve been using teams including since the early season in Ultra Series. After Japan Nats, I reconsidered them and found the following needed in the rest two slots:

1. A counter against Celesteela even under heavy rain
2. A terrain setter against Tapu Lele
3. A strong counter against Groudon-Primal under TR or not
4. A counter against Gengar-Mega and Nihilego

I considered “Tapu Koko + Suicune” and “Tapu Fini + Zapdos” as a good choice to meet their requirements.

The former is the same six as the famous team, MisterGX’s Spring Scramble 1st Place Team. I tested his team but I was still suffering from Gengar-Mega and Nihilego very much. Suicune can weaken their SpA by Snarl but cannot beat them quickly. Moreover, Suicune can’t use helpful move such as Nature’s Madness and I felt Suicune doesn’t work well sometimes.

Next I tested the latter. Zapdos is an excellent counter against Gengar-Mega, thanks to Tailwind and Roar even if it learns Perish Song. On the other hand, Zapdos can’t do anything against Nihilego so I tried to deal with Nihilego by any means. After many tests, I noticed the combination of Amoonguss and Rayquaza-Mega can be an answer against Nihilego, mainly because Nihilego doesn’t learn Taunt unlike Gengar-Mega. However, Nihilego with Substitute and a terrible pair of Nihilego + Amoonguss are still problems.

I found the Ground-type move is not satisfied only by Rayquaza’s Earth Power. I attempted Incineroar or Amoonguss with Ground-type move. I tested Incineroar with Bulldoze first. It was pretty good but it was a bit difficult to use skillfully. So I tried to use Amoonguss with Hidden Power Ground, following the fact in VGC2015 against Heatran. At that time, luckily I found Amoonguss learned Stomping Tantrum in Gen7 and it can OHKO Nihilego by only 20 Attack EVs. I was very excited by the fact and tested it. It brought so much benefit to my team and I realized it’s perfect for me.

Battle Video

The Team

• +2 244+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Incineroar: 183-216 (90.5 – 106.9%) — 43.8% chance to OHKO
• +2 244+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Dazzling Gleam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Lele: 133-157 (91 – 107.5%) — 43.8% chance to OHKO
• +2 244+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Primal Kyogre: 100-118 (48.3 – 57%) — 89.1% chance to 2HKO
• 252 SpA Lunala Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom vs. 4 HP / 28 SpD Xerneas: 175-207 (86.6 – 102.4%) — 18.8% chance to OHKO
• Outspeeds Modest Tapu Lele (after Magic Room)

When I tested MisterGX’s team, I favorited high SpA Xerneas and fast Incineroar (faster than opponent’s Incineroar) so much. They can knock out opponent’s Incineroar by Fake Out plus +2 Moonblast and make mirror matchups easier.

• 252+ SpA Primal Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 252 HP / 164+ SpD Assault Vest Incineroar in Heavy Rain: 168-198 (83.1 – 98%) — guaranteed 2HKO
• Outspeeds Timid Amoonguss

To deal with Xerneas mirror matchups clearly, it’s essential to outspeed opponent’s maxspeed Amoonguss.

• 20 Atk Amoonguss Stomping Tantrum vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Nihilego: 184-220 (99.4 – 118.9%) — 93.8% chance to OHKO
• 20 Atk Amoonguss Stomping Tantrum vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Stakataka: 56-68 (33.3 – 40.4%) — guaranteed 3HKO
• 20 Atk Amoonguss Stomping Tantrum vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Mega Gengar: 62-74 (37.1 – 44.3%) — guaranteed 3HKO

Surprisingly physical-attacking Amoonguss. I think Amoonguss’s attack move in x-ray team needs:

1. Not to be powerless after Gengar-Mega’s Substitute and Taunt.
2. To break Stakataka’s substitute.
3. To have a choice attacking Metagross-Mega or Solgareo by Amoonguss, instead of Rage Powder.

I was using Foul Play for a long time in order to satisfy 1 and 3. But sadly I found it can’t break Gengar-Mega’s substitute after my own Intimidate. Grass Knot was also tempting because Stakataka with Substitute was increasing after Japan Nats.

Stomping Tantrum not only meets all the requirements but make it possible to beat down troublesome Poison or Steel types such as Nihilego and Togedemaru. The problems, it’s hard to deal with Poison or Steel types with Substitute or Rage Powder, are successfully resolved thanks to this surprising move.

• 0 SpA Life Orb Mega Rayquaza Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Gengar: 153-182 (91.6 – 108.9%) — 50% chance to OHKO
• 0 SpA Life Orb Mega Rayquaza Earth Power vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Metagross: 135-161 (86.5 – 103.2%) — 25% chance to OHKO

I chose Hasty Nature in order to OHKO as many Gengar-Mega as possible and beat down Metagross-Mega by Earth Power plus Stomping Tantrum.

• +2 252 SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Dazzling Gleam vs. 4 HP / 52 SpD Zapdos: 139-165 (83.7 – 99.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO
• 196 SpA Zapdos Gigavolt Havoc (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 156+ SpD Tapu Fini: 182-216 (102.8 – 122%) — guaranteed OHKO
• 196 SpA Zapdos Gigavolt Havoc (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Primal Kyogre: 186-222 (89.8 – 107.2%) — 37.5% chance to OHKO

Zapdos is very effective to RayOrge-Celesteela teams. Roar is useful for blocking opponent’s Trick Room and dealing with Gengar-Mega.

• +2 252 SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 92+ SpD Tapu Fini: 145-172 (81.9 – 97.1%) — guaranteed 2HKO
• Outspeeds minspeed Kyogre and Groudon in TR

I chose Fini as a strong counter against Groudon and Tapu Lele. Tapunium Z is very compatible to Rayquaza’s Extreme Speed. Protect is essential because it’s speed is quite low and it doesn’t have berries.

Conclusion

Amoonguss with Stomping Tantrum is completely new type. If you like, please try it 🙂

Thank you for reading this article.

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