Hey guys, first time posting and long time lurker. Just wondering if I could get some feedback on a team I'm currently using! It's on a 45 win streak right now and going pretty well (although I've had a couple close moments)
Charizard w/ Charizardite Y
Nature: Timid
Ability: Solar Power
IVs: 31/X/30/31/31/31
EVs: 252SpA 4SpD 252Spe
Moves:
- Heat Wave
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power Ice
- Protect
I chose those EVs to maximize damage on Charizard, but now that I think about it using some EVs into HP could've been better since Charizard can actually take a rock slide from some pokemon with barely any HP left (e.g. Mallow's Sceptile-4). Heat Wave for damage onto both targets and Solar Beam/HP Ice for coverage.
Tapu Bulu w/ Assault Vest
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Grassy Surge
IVs: HT/31/31/31/HT/HT
EVs: 244Hp/84Atk/20Def/100SpD/60Spd
Moves:
- Wood Hammer
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Rock Slide
Just a standard doubles Tapu Bulu I was gonna use in online battles but decided not to afterwards so thought I would try it out in battle tree. It seems to pair well with Charizard, having large defensive bulk and strong boosted stab moves with wood hammer and sustain from horn leech and terrain. Superpower and Rock Slide for coverage as well. In retrospect, I think I might be better using a Fightnium-Z or something since Tapu Bulu does end up getting oneshot by alot of fire type pokemon, and without protect I can't stall out a move from income fire attacks and either have to switch or let him die. However, I also have Groundium-Z on Garchomp so I would probably have to use a Life Orb or a Choice Band/Scarf instead.
Kartana w/ Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Beast Boost
IVs: 31/31/HT/31/31/HT
EVs: 252Atk/4Def/252Spd
Moves:
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Detect
I was debating whether or not to use Pheromosa as "bait" for this slot instead, but I decided to go with Kartana. Kartana lets me switch in onto poison type moves which would be used on Tapu Bulu, and takes no damage. In addition, 99% of the time like with Pheromosa teams, when Kartana is 1-shot (usually due to fire types), he can detect and stall out another move letting my Charizard/Garchomp sweep. Since he's also highly defensive, I sometimes use him to switch into an incoming Rock Slide/Stone Edge if Tapu Bulu is KO'd or switched out, but most of the time I'll be switching Tapu Bulu for Kartana. Leaf Blade and Smart Strike for nice stab moves, Sacred Sword for coverage, and lets me hit annoying evasion users like Blissey and Regigas.
Garchomp w/ Groundium-Z
Nature: Adamant
Ability; Rough Skin
IVs: 31/31/31/X/31/31
EVs: 252Atk/4Def/252Spd
Moves:
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
- Protect
Garchomp is essentially my backup sweeper when Charizard is dead or switched out. If there's a Rock Slide user on the enemy team which has the potential to OHKO my Charizard I'll instantly swap Charizard out for Garchomp instead. Additionally, lots of fast electric type pokemon (such as M-Manetric) like to target my Charizard, and Garchomp is brilliant to switch into them. Dragon Claw and EQ for powerful stab moves and Poison Jab for coverage and taking out fairy types. Groundium-Z is also great since it prevents damage going to Kartana/Tapu Bulu and is usually a guaranteed OHKO on anything which isn't super defensive and things which don't resist it.
One of the main issues I think with this team (except for Kartana I guess) so far is speed, being I get outsped by a lot of Choice Scarf users and higher base speed pokemon in the Tree. It hasn't been detrimental in the couple battles I've had so far, but it has brought me to some close moments where I end up in 1v1 situations with Kartana usually. Also Assault Vest Tapu Bulu probably isn't the best for him, and I probably need to change the EV spread on him too. One of the main threats to this team is quick claw users with rock type moves (mainly rock slide) which are able to hit Charizard. If there's a potential Rock Slide user, usually I'll protect with Charizard first move to scout and then try and kill him with Tapu Bulu, but on a few rare occasions the Pokemon I scout won't rock slide for some reason and try to setup or something instead (still not entirely sure on how the AI works since I haven't played pokemon since BW2). The main threat to this team for me so far, is anything with rock slide usually, since they can usually outspeed my Charizard (e.g. M-Sceptile, Garchomp) and proceed to OHKO him. Another thing I've come across is Assault Vested Magnezone which can take one heat wave from Charizard and OHKO him back with a thunderbolt.
The reason why I went for Tapu Bulu over Venusaur is since Tapu Bulu has a higher bulk and more damage, albeit at the cost of reduced speed. Tapu Bulu has pretty good defenses and can tank multiple hits due to Horn Leech (like how Venusaur would with giga drain), and my team covers Tapu Bulu's weaknesses more well than it would for Venusaur too. Tapu Bulu is also amazing bait for poison type pokemon like Crobat and poison type move users (Poison Jab, Sludge Bomb etc), when Kartana switches in it completely negates the damage which would've been done. Kartana's high speed also lets it revenge kill the pokemon trying to KO Tapu Bulu, since it most likely would have been weakened up by Charizard's Heat Wave. Kartana also survives super effective sun boosted fire attacks due to Focus Sash, and then baits another turn using detect letting my other pokemon sweep for longer (like with Pheromosa bait leads).
Garchomp is also great for switching into Rock Slides (as mentioned before) and swiftly takes care of rock types with EQ. Z-boosted EQ lets him KO targets very easily which Charizard/Tapu Bulu can't either, or didn't have the chance to. His 4x ice weakness is covered pretty well by my whole team too so that hasn't been too much of an issue for him. I was debating whether to use something like Landorus/Landorus-T/Excadrill over him but I feel like Garchomp would be better. Exacdrill does have better typing compared to Garchomp but I feel as though his lower speed will be detrimental to my already speed deficient team. Probably making a Garchomp with Jolly instead of Adamant would be better too so I can outspeed more things, but I would have to check the Tree speed tier and see if there are any threats in that range first.
Overall, I feel like its pretty solid so far, but there's probably a few major/minor issues or problems which I haven't picked up on it yet so would really appreciate any advice or support on how I can improve this team! Thanks for taking the time to read all this~