Hello to all of you, this isĀ Wonseok JungĀ (@jungtendo1) Today, Iām here to show you the team I used to win the lastĀ Korean Winter League a couple weeks ago.
Last time, in Season 1 (the main Sun Series event in the Korean circuit), I felt sad after ending up as the runner-up, but now, Iām glad to write a team report as the Champion. To me, Moon Series has much more variables than Sun Series, and it doesn’t seem to haveĀ manyĀ fans within the community either, but I was nonetheless fortunate to win the title thanks to great planning and lots of revisionĀ and fine-tuning failure after failure.
Team Building Process
First of all, I thought about learning which cores were strong in the Moon Series, so I did some research about it.Ā I felt like as we moved out from Sun to Moon Series, the reintroduction of Z moves brought along a big shift to the metagame, as there weren’t many strong moves in the first series, so it was almost impossible to threaten the bulky Legendary PokĆ©mon with ease.
Therefore, cores like YvelDon (Yveltal and Groudon) worked well,Ā as they focused their build up on enduring hits and resisting damage, but as Z moves were brought back to the mix, using strong moves to knock out bulky PokĆ©mon made that approach harder to execute. Additionally, managing the opponent’s threats before and after each play and turn feels much more crucial.
Using Z moves onĀ GroudonĀ andĀ Kyogrewasn’t something I felt comfortable with either, as to me they have to dominateĀ theĀ weather by staying healthy and switching in and out. If they can set the game up with help from regular PokĆ©mon with Z moves, the game isĀ anĀ easy win. Finally, when thinking about the meta, the firstĀ PokĆ©mon that came to my mind was Xerneas, and so my team building process began.
You might be wondering howĀ does Xerneas benefit from Z moves if they are such a threat to it, but if you turn the reasoning around, knocking out potential threats for Xerneas with major ease can lead to stronger, safer Geomancy setups. Plus, if you look at recent Moon Series results, the Oceania International Championship last weekend had Xerneas in all top cut teams, therefore proving that it still has a fair impact to the game.
Now, my next question was, “Which legendary PokĆ©mon best fits with Xerneas?“Ā The best cores, to me, were Xerneas/Kyogre, Xerneas/Yveltal, Xerneas/Lunala and Xerneas/Groudon. Of course, they all share the Deer, but the playstyle is different in each one, and so I wanted to identify the idoneous one for fighting any given matchups at the event.
Ā
First, XernOgre (Xerneas and Kyogre) looked like two PokĆ©monĀ struggling to show offĀ one over another, and bothĀ needed to keep their HP, so it was hard to have safe plays. There are, of course, Z-Psych Up Kyogre variants aiming to help on that, but I didnāt think it was good enough. Especially forĀ Kyogre, it gets too weak against enemy Xerneas, not to mention Haze, Clear Smog, andĀ Amoongus.
Then, XY seemed robust if strong field control was used, and the recent version usingĀ Landorus-T felt flexibleĀ aginstĀ teams with Ground-type consistency. However, Xerneas is responsible for much of the team’s offensive output, up to the point that if you lose it or if Geomancy is denied, youĀ straightĀ up lose the game.Ā Given that everybody has at least a couple answers to Xerneas, this was too bold for me.Ā
On the other hand, XernAla (Xerneas/Lunala) relies heavily onĀ the Lunalium Z and Xerneas,Ā and if it struggles, it is quite hard to get back to theĀ game. Besides, I thought the team was basically aĀ Smeargle-reliantĀ team. Theefore,Ā I moved on toĀ XernDon, becauseĀ it was the most stable of all cores to me.
Xerneas/GroudonĀ was the play:Ā GroudonĀ puts pressure onĀ KyogreĀ (although it gets pressured back, too) and guards Xerneas from Fire and Steel-types. Also, if for any reason Xerneas can’t be brought to a game, GroudonĀ was powerful enough on its own. It also is key the fact that Groudon is one of the few restricted PokĆ©mon able to face Xerneas.
After decidingĀ to useĀ Xerneas plus Groudon, Incineroar was an easy and mindless choice. Afterwards,Ā I fixed and practiced so much changing the last three mons, but any combinationsĀ had glaring weaknesses, so I divided the three slots into three type of different roles I need to help my team in different situations, and struggled with it until the day before tour.Ā
Island Guardians to prevent sleep being used against my team felt important, and in the end I decided on Tapu-Koko to threatenĀ Kyogre while being able to reposition with Volt Switch in a wide array of scenarios.
A FiriumĀ Z abusing ofĀ Groudon’s weather boost was something I was really keen on using. In the end, I took Volcarona to do some quick damage with Z-Overheat while still being able to redirect with Rage Powder and put some pressure as a speed controller with Tailwind.
Grass-type PokĆ©mon to help flexible movement of theĀ team are essential in this metagame. Here was where I struggled the most, but in the end Amoonguss was my final choice, because I thought I need solid answers to Trick Room and Xerneas.
After all,Ā the team looks just as a standardĀ XernDon team, butĀ IĀ guess there is a reason to call it standard.Ā Now, onto the sets!
The Team
GroudonĀ @ Figy Berry
Ability: Drought
EVs: 132 HP / 92Ā AtkĀ / 4 Def / 252Ā SpDĀ / 28Ā SpeĀ
Careful Nature
– Protect
– Precipice Blades
– Roar
– Swords Dance
Careful-naturedĀ GroudonĀ is the ultimate version for the Moon series,Ā in my opinion. It takes special attacks with ease, and Roar allows to stop enemy Xerneas orĀ obvious attempts at Trick Room from the opposing side, making it easier for my own attackers to sweep. As Roar isn’t the most common of fillers,Ā the unpredictability played in my favor, as if my opponents were unaware of it, Roar disrupted their gameplans substantially.
In the other hands, Swords Dance is a good filler, especially againstĀ IncineroarĀ trying weakenĀ Groudon by cycling in and out, andĀ Precipice Blades works well in this meta lacking of Ground-type resistances, although it is useless against XY teams, but I did not fight against any at the event, soĀ GroudonĀ was brought at every game. Lacking of any other moves besides Precipice Blades was scary, as if there was any opposing PokĆ©monĀ flying or levitating, I had to knock it out beforehand, or I could just be bound for a loss.
The Item choice allowed Groudon to keep its HP as full as possible, as there is a lot of PokƩmon that it needs to threaten. Regarding its EV spread, the speed EVs allow me to outspeed the common Groudon variants, so I could have the upperhand in case of a mirror.
Ā 202 SpA Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 132 HP / 252 SpD Groudon in Sun: 84-102 (43.7 – 53.1%) — 18.8% chance to 2HKO
XerneasĀ @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 28 HP / 4 Def / 196Ā SpAĀ / 28Ā SpDĀ / 252Ā Spe
Timid Nature
– Protect
– Moonblast
– Dazzling Gleam
– Geomancy
Xerneas is the cornerstone of the team. There are different aspects of the team aiming to set Geomancy up with ease. Fake Out and Rage Powder, using Xerneas’ partner to put pressure on enemies and draw attention away from Xerneas, going for Geomancy in front of special attackers, and so on. If Geomancy is safely set,Ā itāsĀ too strong that every other PokĆ©mon on the field needsĀ to count Xerneas into every play.Ā
Because of the nature of the main Xerneas answers, it is important to use Volcarona and Groudon within the right timing to stop them. Plus, your opponent usually targets Xerneas down with a double target or uses its Z move before Geomancy goes up, so stable plays are required to set up safely. Do not just go for Geomancy without thinking twice, and if your board position feels awkward, just Protect and pull Incineroar out.
The EVs are pretty self-explanatory, andĀ the impact it has after Geomancy isĀ soĀ immense that there is no need on explaining the set, as it is pretty simple, too. However, if IĀ had to play this team again, I would revise the spread to invest more on defense.
Tapu KokoĀ @ Focus Sash
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252Ā SpAĀ / 4Ā SpDĀ / 252Ā SpeĀ Ā Ā
Modest Nature
– Protect
– Thunderbolt
– Volt Switch
– Sky Drop
Tapu Koko lets you to smoothly take control of the game’s pace by using Volt Switch to reposition and chip off at your opponents. I originally thought of TapuĀ FiniĀ to stop Water-Fire-type consistency, but TapuĀ Fini’s best offensive move is Nature’s Madness,Ā which does not actually pose any sort of menace, and Light Screen was mostly dragged along losing the game, so I chose Tapu Koko instead.
If my opponent hasĀ SmeargleĀ andĀ Venusaur, I mostly lead with Tapu Koko to have Electric Terrain right from the get-go. I run itĀ Modest-naturedĀ as I thought mirror matches didnāt really matter and I wanted to have as much damage output as possible.
With Focus Sash, Tapu Koko is more stable to use Sky Drop to support Xerneas and Groudon upon boosting, especially when the opponent hadĀ AmoongussĀ toĀ ClearĀ Smog Xerneas, asĀ Sky Drop and then Protect in the next turn could be the right play. While this scenario didn’t happen once to me, it was still useful to count on having a plan. Grass Knot and Taunt were also feasible options on the last slot.
IncineroarĀ @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 236 HP / 236Ā SpDĀ / 36Ā SpeĀ Ā Ā
Careful Nature
– Flare Blitz
– Snarl
– U-turn
– Fake Out
Incineroar is a PokĆ©monĀ that lets you win Double Battles. One of the reasons why it is used so much, in myĀ opinion, is the typing it has. Fire/DarkĀ allows for multiple valuable resistances in the meta, and whenĀ GroudonĀ andĀ XerneasĀ are threatened, it can come out to sponge crucial Z moves like Inferno Overdrive and Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. It especially deals well with opposing Lunala thanks to Snarl.
For a slight tip on how to play Incineroar, use Fake Out only when it isĀ needed, and try U-turning out, stacking Intimidate and change options as much as possible.
There areĀ varietyĀ of ways where IncineroarĀ can help you, like leading it together with Tapu Koko,Ā immediately switchingĀ Incineroar out,Ā then Volt Switching back intoĀ Incineroar, which re-enables turn 2 Fake Out pressure while stacks intimidates up.Ā I also found useful leading Groudon and Incineroar, which leads toĀ your opponent double protecting on Turn 1 expecting Fake Out, so you can punish that by switchingĀ IncineroarĀ out and self-Roaring the slot to bring itĀ back on turn 2.
(+2)Ā 252 SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 236 HP / 236+ SpD Incineroar: 169-199 (84.5 – 99.5%) — guaranteed 2HKO
VolcaronaĀ @ Firium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252Ā SpAĀ / 252Ā SpeĀ
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
– Protect
– Overheat
– Rage Powder
– Tailwind
As Iāve mentioned on the team building process, Volcarona nails theĀ fast Z-move abuser on the team. In some cases, it works as pseudo-Amoonguss,Ā too. Whatās different from the mushroomĀ is how strong it is against the Steel-types aiming at Xerneas. It also shows so much strength againstĀ Solgaleo, which was an issue to the team. While Volcarona was only used in specific match-ups, combining a quick nuke with support moves on speed and redirection proved to be key for the team.
Ā 252+ SpA Volcarona Inferno Overdrive (195 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Groudon in Sun: 217-256 (104.8 – 123.6%) — guaranteed OHKO
AmoongussĀ @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 212 HP / 60 Def / 236Ā SpDĀ Ā
Sassy NatureĀ Ā Ā
IVs: 0Ā AtkĀ / 0Ā SpeĀ
– Protect
– Clear Smog
– Spore
– Rage Powder
Amoonguss is a long-seen friend in VGC, and its success throughout the years clearly means that itās fit for doubles. It is usually used against teams withĀ no answer to sleep (without Island Guardians),Ā to fight against opposing Xerneas, and to take incoming Water-type moves aiming at Groudon.
To me, it was a struggle deciding what the last slot should be. But there were lots of cases where AmoongusĀ was doubleĀ targeted, so using Protect to block those was important. Incineroar and Amoongus bouncing in and out is a wall for Trick Room teams, and as Xerneas cannot move with ease in front ofĀ Amoongus, Amoonguss is actually capable of exerting pressureĀ under specific conditions.Ā Sitrus Berry was also a nice choice since there were many cases where Amoonguss was damaged at around 50%, and havingĀ Sitrus rather than a pinch berry was clearly superior.
Ā 252+ Atk Groudon Precipice Blades vs. 212 HP / 60 Def Amoonguss: 115-136 (53.2 – 62.9%) — 1.6% chance to 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery
Ā 252+ SpA Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 212 HP / 236+ SpD Amoonguss in Rain: 74-87 (34.2 – 40.2%) — guaranteed 4HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery
Ā +2 252 SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 212 HP / 236+ SpD Amoonguss: 90-107 (41.6 – 49.5%) — guaranteed 3HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery
Ā 252 SpA Lunala Psyshock vs. 212 HP / 60 Def Amoonguss: 174-206 (80.5 – 95.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery
Team Match-ups
Looking for a pasteable version of the team? Click here!
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | +/ |
Ā
Try to stopĀ XerneasĀ withĀ AmoongusĀ and Roar only when your board position is safe, as if youĀ RoarĀ every time theirĀ XerneasĀ comes out, the opposingĀ KyogreĀ could come in, and thatĀ leaves you in an uneasy position.Ā Play the game around preserving Xerneas and setting Geomancy up.Ā GroudonĀ isnātĀ much of a damage source, but it’s useful for setting Sun up against Kyogre.
In Bo3 sets, I tend to hide Roar on game 1, and use Koko on game 2 to pressureĀ Kyogre while keeping Roar to pick up Xerneas by surprise and disrupt their momentum after they Geomancy.
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | | + |
Ā
LeadĀ Volcarona and TapuĀ Koko to put pressure on bothĀ Venusaur and Groudon while also blocking sleep-inducing moves. You also got Roar against opposing Xerneas, andĀ thatāsĀ about it.
In Bo1Ā gamesĀ where you are not sure of Roar on their side, go withĀ IncineroarĀ instead of bold Geomancy. If you know they aren’t usingĀ Roar on any PokĆ©mon, you could go with your own Xerneas as well.Ā
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | + /Ā + |
Ā
In Bo1 games, your opponent will likely try to to nuke Xerneas down with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom before Geomancy is executed. If they lead Lunala with Incineroar,Ā itāsĀ pretty obviously Fake OutĀ and Z move on Xerneas, so go Protect turn 1, and switchĀ IncineroarĀ toĀ Groudon. With the Z move already wasted, your opponent’s only answer is Psych Up, so Roar Geomancy to rip their dreams at doing so. As Incineroar is threatened by the clean Groudon switchin, chances are you’ll get it. In case of a Bo3 set, on Game 2, your opponentĀ will try to Geomancy before you do by how game 1 went, so leadĀ GroudonĀ to punish it.
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | + |
Ā
GoingĀ VolcaronaĀ is good most of the time, but it depends, asĀ XY is a weird matchup where you win off of board control, but you lose because of it as well.
If there isnāt a clear answer to Spore as Tapu Fini, set Xerneas with the help ofĀ Amoongus, and sendĀ VolcaronaĀ in before opposingĀ Landorus-T comes out to threaten you. OpposingĀ AmoongusĀ can be dealtĀ withĀ Incineroar/Volcarona, so haveĀ XerneasĀ + Fire-type set on field to win.Ā
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | + |
Ā
Your opponent usually leadsĀ Incineroar andĀ Volcarona, which is one of your safer options as well. Check out the speeds with Intimidate activation and, if yourĀ IncineroarĀ is faster, go Fake Out-Tailwind; and if slower, go Snarl-Protect (althoughĀ frankly speaking,Ā itĀ isĀ aĀ safer option regardless).
Next turn, switchĀ Incineroar forĀ GroudonĀ andĀ FiriumĀ Z opposingĀ Volcarona. Even if it protects, it gets in rage of Precipice Blades on the following turn. Focus on baiting your opponent’sĀ FiriumĀ Z with Protect.
Whenever that happens, Xerneas is free to set Geomancy, but that of course leaves that window open for our opponent as well. However, we have Roar, and chances are they don’t. If youāve gone Geomancy before the opposingĀ GroudonĀ comesĀ out,Ā or if a bit of damage has been done to it already, sendĀ VolcaronaĀ inĀ andĀ thatāsĀ it for the game.Ā
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | +/ |
Ā
Lunala/Kyogre teams usually have slowĀ KyogreĀ andĀ LunalaĀ withĀ Trick Room, so leading Xerneas and GroudonĀ and going forĀ Roar+GeomancyĀ could work.Ā Opponent usually leadsĀ LunalaĀ with Tapu Koko to stop Amoonguss from denying Trick Room, so if the PokĆ©monĀ that comes in after Roar isĀ Kyogre, switchĀ GroudonĀ toĀ Amoongus, and ifĀ StakatakaĀ comes, pick Incineroar instead.
And then the rest of theĀ gameĀ is Xerneas stuff for the most part, you just have to play around your opponent’s threats. As of Bo3 sets, the opponent usually leads withĀ Kyogre at some point, so leading Tapu Koko to put pressure works out fine.
| Archetype | Always bring | Never bring | Common leads |
|---|---|---|---|
 | | | + |
Ā
LeadĀ Groudon and Tapu KokoĀ to set up the sun, and use Volt Switch to try to position as flexible as possible for a Geomancy setup. As soon as Xerneas is out, your opponent will fret of havingĀ SolgaleoĀ out, so have yourĀ VolcaronaĀ out ready. Geomancy +Ā VolcaronaĀ isĀ the game plan.
The Tournament
Swiss Rounds
Round 1Ā vsĀ 
Junha ChoiĀ |Ā L
My opponent played aĀ XernOgreĀ team built around TapuĀ LeleĀ +Ā Mandibuzz.Ā I have to admit that it looked like a gimmick rather than a Moon Series serious team.
At the beginning, I was snarling off slowly withĀ Incineroar, but I missed on my opponentās last turn of Tailwind, and went for Geomancy in the Sun assuming hisĀ KyogreĀ andĀ TogedemaruĀ couldn’t KOĀ my Xerneas. But Super Fang +Ā Waterium ZĀ came in killing Xerneas, and that finished the game along with a critical hit message.
Back then, I thought theĀ critĀ mattered, but calculating in retrospect, it actually didnāt. I neededĀ IncineroarĀ to get rid ofĀ Mandibuzz, but afterwards TapuĀ LeleāsĀ critĀ MoonblastĀ knock it out, thus losing the game for me.
After losing the first round, I had to win every round, and it definetly made me feel pressured. As you’re soon to withness,Ā I had bad luck on the first round, but in the rounds that followed, the PokĆ©monĀ GodĀ was smiling at me.Ā
Round 2Ā – Forfeit
My name was at the bottom of the parings board and my opponent didn’t show up when the round began, and so the event’s moderators told me to wait. Few minutes later, they checked the win for me and I walked over. Itās good to have a free win, but if I ended up 4-2, resistance wouldn’t be good for me. This made me worry even more.
Round 3Ā vsĀ JuyoungĀ HongĀ | W
JuyoungĀ was a rival of mine since we both were Seniors, and we also went to Worlds together twice already. He didnāt seem to have prepared much for Moon series, but heās got skills, so I got nervous.
In the beginning, I misplayed and got hit byĀ FiriumĀ Z on Xerneas by his Volcarona while not knowing whether it hadĀ Whirlwind or not, so using Geomancy was tough, but also my only hope, so I went for it. The following turn, I expected an attack and protected, butĀ JuyoungĀ read the play, lettingĀ VolcaronaĀ die andĀ havingĀ IncineroarĀ out again by U-turn. My only chance was to double protect, and I got it, thus winning the game. This was pure luck, soĀ IĀ have nothing to say if anyone blames me for that. I was nonetheless relieved, as after all, I couldnāt afford losing any of the rounds!
Round 4Ā vsĀ RyunaĀ |Ā W
At Round 4, I played againstĀ RyunaĀ who used Xerneas/Lunala. As I expected, he ledĀ Incineroar+Lunala, threateningĀ Xerneas, but I switched inĀ GroudonĀ while protectingĀ Xerneas, and with Geomancy next turn,Ā XerneasĀ finished the game with ease.
Round 5Ā vsĀ U-dongĀ |Ā W
YetĀ another mirror match, and looking back on how I did againstĀ Juyoung, I could easily win the game.Ā As my mirror match plan, I shotĀ FiriumĀ Z onto his protectingĀ VolcaronaĀ who was then on Precipice Blades KO range. Then I roared the opposing Xerneas to finish off the game with mine.
Round 6Ā vsĀ EnqĀ |Ā W
He seemed to have brought along the team Donguk Jung (SpringsVGC) used in Australia.Ā I expectedĀ KyogreĀ as a lead, so I ledĀ Xerneas and Groudon. I did not know if his Tapu Koko had Grass Knot or not, and ifĀ SolgaleoĀ was at the back, it would be hard to switch in resisting Precipice Blades. IfĀ HydreigonĀ switched in, then it’d be free for Xerneas, so I expected Grass Knot + Water Spout in Sun. He did so, but I switched in Koko and went for Geomancy right away. Dazzling Gleam at the following turn knocked both of enemyĀ PokĆ©mon, and it was indeedĀ SolgaleoĀ andĀ HydreigonĀ in the back, so I just Volt Switched intoĀ Volcarona, and RageĀ PowderĀ finished the game.Ā EnqvgcĀ still had niceĀ resistenceĀ and topĀ cutted.
Top Cut
Top 16Ā vsĀ JaeheonĀ LeeĀ | LWW
Looking at the team preview, I was awed by itā¦Ā I havenāt met or even thought of such a team, and Iām not that good with new stuff, so I was worried of this. He obviously had some plans as he had come onĀ top 16.Ā
ReshiramĀ obviously hadĀ Firium ZĀ to threatenĀ Groudon, and it got access to Tailwind, too, so Precipice Blades wasnāt the play. Furthermore,Ā HitmontopĀ hasĀ Wide GuardĀ to stopĀ GroudonāsĀ only weapon.Ā BisharpĀ seemed to be protected by Focus Sash, so I couldnāt set up Geomancy boldly.Ā CrobatĀ revealed Cross Poison and Life Orb, and since my Tapu Koko was Modest rather than Timid, it could get KOed easily. As you might have guessed, top 16Ā matchĀ was such a hard one. To win this IĀ needed:Ā
- Breaking Bisharp’s Focus Sash without giving it more than one Intimidate
- IntimidatingĀ Crobat
- Reading feint fromĀ HitmontopĀ
- Baiting Reshiram’s Inferno Overdrive with Protect
On the first game, I learned all that as I got hit by it, but it was worth to scout his plans.Ā
On game 2,Ā TapuĀ Koko did its job, so I hadĀ ReshiramĀ vsĀ IncineroarĀ in the end.Ā ReshiramĀ had Earth Power, but I had Snarl to decrease its offense, so I kept using it until it came into KO range. I was praying for Snarl not to miss and Earth Power not to lower myĀ Sp.Def., which fortunately didn’t happen.
Finally, on game 3, I did everything written above, reading his plays, and shotĀ MoonblastĀ after GeomancyĀ toĀ Crobat, which knocked it out as it wasnāt bulk-invested.Ā
Top 16Ā matchesĀ areĀ always the hardest it seems. In game 2, whenĀ XerneasĀ fainted, I thought it was an end and almostĀ cried, but luckily I pulled through!
Top 8Ā vsĀ Dong-JinĀ NamĀ |Ā WW
I did not know back then, but he seemed to use whatĀ @CheongSuwoongĀ introduced in his blog.Ā The teamĀ looked to be favorable for myĀ Groudon, so I wentĀ Groudon-Tapu Koko and avoided Fake Out pressure from his side.Ā
SolgaleoĀ used Flare Blitz and therefore I assumed it had either Choice Band or Choice Scarf.Ā I switched inĀ Incineroar, and shot Precipice Blades. Next turn, both opposing PokĆ©monĀ fainted, bringingĀ Incineroar GengarĀ in the back.Ā Ghostium ZĀ was quite obvious, so I usedĀ IncineroarĀ to soak it and hadĀ GroudonĀ back out.Ā The second game was pretty much the same and I went 2-0 here.
Top 4Ā vsĀ Jeong-EunĀ LeeĀ |Ā WW
It was my first time playing against him, but I had already a bit of practice on how to handle his team, so I felt good about my chances.Ā From Top 4 on, battles were also on screen.
By looking at the team preview, I guessed thatĀ HitmontopĀ would have Wide Guard, thus meaning thatĀ LunalaĀ andĀ StakatakaĀ didn’t, and that therefore they would probably be having 2 attacking moves + Trick Room + Protect. Z move would be forĀ Lunala,Ā and I expectedĀ KyogreĀ to be a slower Choice Specs variant. I planned the first game by assuming all of this, and most of it was right, except for one thing.Ā
First game, we tradedĀ XerneasĀ forĀ Lunala+Stakataka, and this led toĀ Incineroar + Groudon + AmoongusĀ on my end vs TapuĀ Koko + Kyogre on his. I switchedĀ GroudonĀ in to have the sun back up, but his Tapu Koko suddenly went Z-Brave Bird on myĀ Amoongus. The crowd went wild and screamed, butĀ AmoongusĀ didn’t have much usage at that point, and I hadĀ GroudonĀ up right away on the field without any Z-move pressuring my side anymore, so it was quite a solid positioning. My opponent had no answer toĀ GroudonĀ and thus I took the game.
Then, on game 2, my opponent ledĀ HitmontopĀ to answerĀ GroudonĀ that did so much on the first game. This made him vulnerable toĀ Xerneas, and Geomancy finished the game.Ā
FinalsĀ vsĀ Kyung-Ho ParkĀ |Ā WW
Before the game, I asked what his online name was, and I was amazed to find out that he was originally known for Battle Spot Singles and yet here he was, in the Finals of the VGC event! That is cool, as I only play doubles. I canāt even win against a 1400s player in BSS…
On game 1, I lead Xerneas/GroudonĀ vs his Tapu Koko andĀ Lunala. This indicated to me that he weas willing to Trick Room, but didn’t want Amoonguss out, so he went Tapu Koko and hadĀ KyogreĀ andĀ StakatakaĀ in the back. So I went Roar+Geomancy, andĀ StakatakaĀ came out. Next turn, my opponent gave away Tapu Koko, bringingĀ LunalaĀ back in. I expectedĀ KyogreĀ to come along soon, so broughtĀ AmoongusĀ in to Spore as Electric Terrain was gone during the Trick Room turns. I still had Xerneas out, too, and Groudon was awaiting in the back for the moment where his Stakataka finished my Xerneas.Ā In the final two turns of TR, I had the chance to Spore bothĀ Lunala and Kyogre, and I finished the game snarling off them both.
On game 2, I expected him to move towards a non-Trick Room reliant gameplan, asĀ he struggled withĀ Amoonguss, so I ledĀ Xerneas andĀ Tapu Koko and opponent ledĀ Lunala and Kyogre. I knewĀ KyogreĀ had a Choice Item, and by how the ability activated, I could find out that it was Choice Specs. I went Thunderbolt thinking that anything at the back could beĀ severlyĀ damaged, butĀ KyogreĀ did not switch out, and myĀ XerneasĀ went Geomancy getting hit by weakened Water Spout. And it was basically aĀ XerneasĀ sweep after that, so I took the second game with much more ease.
Closing Words
After the tour, a short award ceremony was held, and then my friends and I went off to have some Korean barbeque. Sejun roasted them and Enq bought it for me, thanks!
After that, I got so tired that I went back home shortly after visiting some other players. Back home, my parents and other friends congratulated me, and while I was really happy to win the tournament,Ā I still thought I should be working harder.
I finally have the champion title Iāve been craving for. I do haveĀ 170 KP (points under the CP system in Korea), which allows me to stand at 1st place for the National ranking as of now. However, the season is still ongoing, so I will do my best in tours coming along, as well as on Ultra series, earning as much points I can. I wouldnāt want to lose the heat this win brought to me, so in Ultra, and at Worlds, I will try my best!
Thanks to everyone who congratulated me and cheered me on. And to all participants, I praise your effort, and I hope to see you next time! Thanks to you all for reading as well!
