Hello, I’m Jong Dae-Jung, also known as AmazeMaker. I’m 21 years old and I live in Thailand being half Korean. Although I’m still new to offline competitive tournaments, I’ve been actively participating in online and team tournaments where I’ve gained valuable experience. I was also part of the Thailand national team that won the 2022 World Cup of Pokémon VGC organised by Victory Road—it was an amazing experience and incredible journey.
Thank you for taking the time to read my team report, and I hope you enjoy it!
Table of Contents
Teambuilding process
In the past, I’ve missed several opportunities, including the 2022 Thailand National Championship. At the time, I was preoccupied with preparing for my school graduation, which made it difficult for me to participate. However, this experience motivated me to push myself beyond my limits and work harder to make up for what I missed last year.
However, when I had the opportunity to participate in the 2023 Thailand National Championship, the rules had changed to an online qualifier plus a live event for 64 players in the region. The format consisted of best-of-1 single elimination, with only the top 4 finalists earning an invitation to Yokohama. These rule changes had a significant impact on various aspects of the competition, including my mentality and the need to adapt to new strategies and countermeasures. In other words, the margin for error was incredibly narrow, and even the slightest mistake could mean missing out on the World Championship. With that in mind, let’s shift our focus to the team!
My main stage team is a total game-changer—a modified version of the original online qualifier team, with Amoonguss taking the place of Talonflame. This powerhouse squad is the ultimate counter against the Thailand meta to devastate the teams like those based on MausApe (Maushold + Annihilape), Dondozo, and Tailwind cores.
The core of this incredible team was inspired by the sheer potential that Chaiyawat Traiwichcha and I saw in the combination of Chien-Pao and Dragonite. These two Pokémon make an unstoppable late-game sweeping duo, especially with Dragonite’s Normal Tera Type-boosted Extreme Speed!
Having an unstoppable late-game sweeper is essential in this team, but it’s just as important to have a Pokémon that can deal explosive damage early on. That’s where none other than Flutter Mane comes into my thoughts as a meme “Everywhere I go, I see his face”; and to cause more disasters, I added Chi-Yu.
If you’re looking for the heart and soul of the hyper-offensive team, you should look no further than the speed-controlling Pokémon that make it all possible. And for mine, it is Iron Bundle—my favorite Paradox. At first, I thought Iron Bundle would simply serve as a speed control for my team. It turns out the Pokémon contributed so much as a carry. This Iron Bundle is really unique among others which I hope it catches your attention to continue reading…
As said earlier, I chose to replace Talonflame with turbo Amoonguss to make the team more flexible.
The Team
Get the team’s paste here!
T’Challa (Chien-Pao) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sword of Ruin
Tera Type: Ghost
Jolly Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
– Ice Spinner
– Sucker Punch
– Sacred Sword
– Protect
When it comes to our late game sweeper, there’s really not much to say about Chien-Pao—its 252 Attack, Speed, and Jolly Nature are pretty standard. But don’t be fooled—this Pokémon is a true standout on its own. Chien-Pao’s unique Dark/Ice typing, paired with its Sword of Ruin ability, make it one of the most feared Pokémon on the field.
Pairing Chien-Pao with a Dragonite creates a formidable offensive combination. Additionally, in my opinion, Chien-Pao’s Ghost Tera Type provides the best protection against Fake Out, Fighting-type attacks, and Extreme Speed.
Bar B Gon (Dragonite) @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Normal
Adamant Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
– Extreme Speed
– Aqua Jet
– Aerial Ace
– Outrage
When considering the ideal partner for Chien-Pao, Dragonite stands out as an excellent choice. It can throw off incredibly strong physical moves, especially Extreme Speeds when paired with Normal-type Terastallization and Sword of Ruin.
Dragonite is incredibly powerful with Multiscale, even 4-times effective Ice-type moves (excluding Chien-Pao’s Ice Spinner and Icicle Crash) won’t be enough to stop it. But what really sets this Dragonite apart is the 252 Speed EV investment, as you’ll be able to outspeed Dragonite’s mirror and bulky Follow Me Maushold.
Nezuko (Flutter Mane) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Fairy
Timid Nature
EVs: 164 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD / 140 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
– Moonblast
– Dazzling Gleam
– Shadow Ball
– Thunderbolt
The combination of Choice Specs Flutter Mane and Chi-Yu’s Beads of Ruin is just nasty on this team. I really appreciate Tang Shiliang for generously sharing his advice on optimizing Flutter Mane’s usage, as it has greatly impacted my team’s performance in the tournament.
To add on, this Flutter Mane is always guaranteed to outspeed Modest max Speed Flutter Mane and Roaring Moon. Therefore the reason for Thunderbolt is to remove Gyarados or punishing Water-Tera Type Gholdengo and Amoonguss.
164 HP / 196 Def Flutter Mane vs. 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash: 121-144 (80.1 – 95.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO
164 HP / 196 Def Flutter Mane vs. 252+ Atk Mystic Water Tera-Water Palafin-Hero Jet Punch: 126-150 (83.4 – 99.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO
164 HP / 196 Def Flutter Mane vs. 252 Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush: 124-147 (82.1 – 97.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO
U CAN’T C ME (Chi-Yu) @ Leftovers
Ability: Beads of Ruin
Tera Type: Grass
Timid Nature
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
– Heat Wave
– Dark Pulse
– Substitute
– Protect
Chi-Yu is a fascinating Pokémon on this team, primarily due to its Dark/Fire typing that offers defensive advantages against Prankster users and its ability Beads of Ruin. I decided to Terastallize into a Grass type to cover its weaknesses into Palafin’s Jet Punch and Ting-Lu’s Stomping Tantrum which could be OHKOs.
As I previously mentioned, Chi-Yu and Flutter Mane form a great offensive duo, and Chi-Yu also plays a crucial role in eliminating Gholdengo and Annihilape. I added Substitute to Chi-Yu as it proved to be helpful in certain situations. Giving Chi-Yu Leftovers allows it to maintain Substitute and disturb the opponent.
冰淇淋 (Iron Bundle) @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Poison
Timid Nature
EVs: 236 HP / 12 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
– Freeze-Dry
– Icy Wind
– Hydro Pump
– Protect
Iron Bundle: My Ultimate Paradox Pick! With its Icy Wind move for speed control, this bad boy has helped this team to dominate the competition. I trained its EVs to keep it on the field longer and support my team like a champ. Plus, it’s the only Poison Tera Type in the tournament (besides Pitchapat Chinnarasri [Pleng♪] who also used my team)—this Iron Bundle can handle anything thrown its way!
236 HP / 12 Def Iron Bundle vs. 252+ Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed: 135-160 (83.8 – 99.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO
236 HP / 12 Def Iron Bundle vs. 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword: 126-150 (78.2 – 93.1%) — guaranteed 2HKO
236 HP / 4 SpD Iron Bundle vs. 252+ SpA Beads of Ruin Chi-Yu Heat Wave: 135-159 (83.8 – 98.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO
236 HP / 12 Def Iron Bundle vs. 236+ Atk Iron Hands Drain Punch: 132-156 (81.9 – 96.8%) — guaranteed 2HKO
Tao Kae Noi (Amoonguss) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Water
Bold Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
– Spore
– Rage Powder
– Pollen Puff
– Protect
In terms of defensive support, Amoonguss is hands down the best choice for our team. What sets this particular Amoonguss apart is its impressive Speed, that I actually count to outpace the Ting-Lu builds with a 4 and 12 EV investment in Speed.
Although I didn’t end up utilizing Amoonguss much during the tournament, simply having it on the team preview was enough to make my opponents second-guess their strategy and play into the mind games.
252 HP / 116 Def Amoonguss vs. 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner — guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery
How to use the team
This team is created to be accessible to everyone and is built for hyper-offensive play. Simply just click the button! Keep in mind that the more damage you deal, the easier it will be for Chien-Pao and Dragonite to secure the victory.
For the best results, lead with a pair of special attackers that can handle against the matchups and deal significant damage. These Pokémon are the backbone of the strategy, setting the tone for the rest of the battle. And to wrap up the game, simply bring in Chien-Pao and Dragonite to finish off your opponent.
Common leads
Click on the tabs to see some notes!
The combination of Flutter Mane + Iron Bundle is the most effective lead for this team in terms of speed control and damage output. Additionally, this pairing is particularly effective at countering teams that feature Dondozo and Palafin.
Flutter Mane + Chi-Yu is the most effective solution for countering MausApe (Maushold + Annihilape) and other threats. This pairing works particularly well when Flutter Mane is equipped with Choice Specs and is used alongside Chi-Yu. In addition, the capability of Chi-Yu to Substitute increases the flexibility of this lead strategy, providing opportunities to explore various options.
Flutter Mane + turbo Amoonguss is the only viable countermeasure against Dondozo + Ting-Lu, and Sand teams.
Common threats
Click on the tabs to see some notes!
Sand teams are tough for my team, as four of my Pokémon are weak to Rock. Opponents who lead with Tyranitar + Lycanroc can spam Rock Slide to deal heavy damage and disrupt my strategy.
- Counterplay: For this matchup, I suggest leading with a Flutter Mane + Amoonguss duo, using Dazzling Gleam + Spore into Lycanroc. Importantly, pray that both Pokémon will not flinch.
Intimidate poses a challenge for this team. Chien-Pao and Dragonite are strong sweepers, but Intimidate can weaken them. It’s important to take out Intimidate users early to avoid disruption.
- Counterplay: To counter Intimidate users, I lead with Flutter Mane + Chi-Yu, carefully selecting Flutter Mane’s moves and using Substitute with Chi-Yu. This maintains a strong position, even if Flutter Mane is OHKO’d in turn 1. It also creates an opportunity for Dragonite to potentially switch in.
When faced with Gyarados + Ting-Lu, I mostly predict the opponent’s moves by using Thunderbolt on Gyarados + Substitute with Chi-Yu as usual. Even if they protect Gyarados and target Flutter Mane with a Heavy Slam, it is a calculated risk to bait for a free Substitute.
While this may be less difficult than the previous threats mentioned, it’s still crucial to have a Pokémon on the team that can effectively counter them.
- Counterplay: Although I usually prefer to lead with Flutter Mane in most matchups, if facing a team with at least two Ghost-type Pokémon, I would place it at the back to serve as a counter. Alternatively, if I must lead with it, I always prioritize preserving it for later use.
Conclusion
As a player, I believe in not setting my expectations too high, with the notion that “no expectation = no disappointment”. When I entered this tournament, I didn’t expect to make it very far. However, despite the challenges of a best-of-1 single-elimination format, I gave it my all in every match, defying all odds and surpassing all expectations. Through my dedication, I have proven that anything is possible. I’m grateful for all the opportunities and challenges that have come my way, and I look forward to pushing myself further in the future, both as a person and as a player. With hard work, dedication, and respect for my opponents, I’m confident that I can achieve great things.
Talking about the tournament, I thought I had the perfect counter against Thailand’s meta. But when I saw their defensive and balanced team build, I knew I was in trouble. I had to play smartly, putting myself in advantageous positions and relying on my EVs trained to come through in clutch moments. And they did! No regrets using this team though—it took me to rank No. 1 in Pokemon Showdown!
Moreover, I sincerely hope TPC takes this issue seriously. It is disappointing to see so many players have been affected by this kind of competition. We all put in so much effort for a tournament that only happens once a year, and to lose our chance to compete due to an unfair system is truly devastating. It is our hope that this situation will lead to more improvements in the future, so that all players have an equal and fair chance to participate in these events.
In closing, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me, especially my family and the Thailand community. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to connect with so many talented VGC players from all around the world. Without our paths crossing, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Their kindness and willingness to share their knowledge and expertise have been invaluable, and I’m grateful for all the lessons I have learned from them. I look forward to continuing to grow and improve with their guidance.
Thank you all so much for everything!
