perhaps one of my favorite albums of this year, I stumbled upon this lovely band while listening to a radio of songs similar to The Bidding by tally hall.
Alien Blues came on and I absolutely loved it, I immediately clicked on the bands page and listened to the rest of the album. Coincidentally I was also trying to think of a fun team to build around while listening to Alien Blues. I thought to myself why scrolling through the builder, huh gholdengo kinda looks like a funky alien, and thus I had decided to build around gholdengo. Particularly a build where I could spam the HECK out of make it rain.
(sorry this didn’t come out sooner, I’ve been procrastinating a tad bit, not that you smogon lurkers care that much, but thanks for reading)
(also sorry if the set descriptions aren’t too good I have a lot of trouble trying to fit all my thoughts about a mons role into something short and easy to read, if you need more elaboration about what a mon does just ask)
https://pokepast.es/4824531471287722
Team-building Process
started with gholdengo obviously, I wanted to take advantage of gholdengos decent bulk and high special attack. So to add onto that I gave gholdengo some lovely specs, this allows for around 2 make it rains while maintaining a still rather high special attack stat.
To patch up some up gholdengos weaknesses (cough cough fire) as well as tailwind support.
it felt like a crime to not include this monstrosity on the team, patches up offensive holes with the dual stabs that beat otherwise hard to kill dragons.
Amoonguss has been and will continue to be one of the best doubles mons, it can heal our offensive mons with pollenpuff and incapacitate threats with spore.
Provided hazard removal since we’re not running defog on pelipper. Team was shaping up to be pretty specially oriented so some physical damage output was welcome.
this was originally something else, but for the life of me I can’t remember what, however I think quaquavel is more suited for the team. It can clean up late game with powerful rain boosted aquasteps + moxie.
Set + Explanation
Alien Blues (Gholdengo) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Good as Gold
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Make It Rain
- Shadow Ball
- Trick
- Nasty Plot
gholdengo can poke holes early game and clean up endgame, one of two main terra users on this team gholdengo takes full advantage of the obscenely powerful tera steel stab make it rain to deal massive amounts of damage. Gholdengo can usually click make it rain twice before wanting a switch out. Gholdengo greatly appreciates tailwind support as we are not running scarf. Trick allows gholdengo to cripple defensive mons as well as ape trying to mash the bulk up button. Even after specs are removed gholdengo can still threaten with the now available nasty plot, against unprepared foes. EVS maximize damage output as well trying to outspeed opposing mons.
Ash In The Sun (Pelipper) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Serious Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Tailwind
- Protect
- Roost / U-turn / Defog
Pelipper is pretty standard, it provides rain support for the rest of the team boosting water moves to terrifying heights. Peli also provides tailwind support which allows our offensive mons to lean into power boosting natures as opposed to speed ones. Hydropump is rain boosted and allows Pelipper to not just sit on the field, it chips away sashes and accumulates chip damage in general. I personally prefer roost so we can keep rain up even when rocks are up, but u-turn can be used to add some more momentum to the team. Since this team is more offensively oriented peli can be a defensive backbone for the team to fall on. we put EVS into defense and hp so Pelipper can provide tailwind + rain support for as long as possible.
Smile Boyo (Iron Bundle) @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Freeze-Dry
- Hydro Pump
- Flip Turn
- Protect
(I’m just gonna call this IB because I don’t want to type iron bundle 20 times)
IB seemed like a perfect addition to the team, rain teams usually have trouble with bulky dragons and IB has stab freeze dry to help with that. Little did I know IB was a monstrosity under rain. I have yet to see a single mon live tera hydropump under rain. Now pair that with a booster energy (+ spa) and now cause mass destruction. Tailwind support allows us to run the power boosting nature, flip turn can pivot out of unfavorable matchups. EVS again are to outspeed and kill opponents as fast as possible. (edit, in hindsight I didn’t have to type iron bundle that much)
Worn / Wander (Amoonguss) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rage Powder
- Spore
- Pollen Puff
- Clear Smog
Amoonguss is the only other defensive mon on this team, and as such I wanted to split the EVS between the defensive stats pretty evenly (leaning more into special bulk because Pelipper is physical)
spore the threats, rage powder to protect our offensive teammates, pollen puff to heal our teammates, and clear smog to beat dondozo, and prevent opposing sweeps.
Cotton Kid (Tsareena) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Queenly Majesty
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn
- Power Whip
- Helping Hand
Two of our attackers are special so it felt fitting to add a physical attacker. Tsareena can pivot out with u-turn, keep hazards off the field with rapid spin (which gholdengo, IB, and peli appreciate) hit pretty hard with stab power whip, and to add unto the already obscene power of IB’s hydro pumps (basically any teammates except gholdengo because helping hand is blocked by good as gold)
As well as blocking powerful priority moves with queenly majesty.
Oulala (Quaquaval) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aqua Step
- Close Combat
- Ice Spinner
- Protect
Perhaps there is another item that better suites quaquaval, but I have yet to find it! Expert belt allows for easier revenge killing, rain boosted aqua steps can often facilitate a sweep late game. Aqua step Is stab and also helps late game in scenarios where tailwind is not up, CC is a strong stab, and ice spinner is just a coverage move. EVS aim for max damage as fast as possible.
Threat-List
Full-Room - I haven’t run into any full-room on ladder yet but I can imagine this team would have trouble with it (especially considering our team aims to outspeed opponents) your best bet would probably be stalling out t-room with protect and spore (taking advantage of amoongusses naturally low speed stat)
Other stuff - my mind is blank as of right now… this will probably be heavily edited later
replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9doublesou-1741519251-azb5rimqz1bztx7nay4b6k4z8wf66i4pw - VS semi trick room
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9doublesou-1742725569 vs another trick room team
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9doublesou-1742736965 vs prankster spore
more coming soon….
conclusion
I’m really happy with how this team turned out, worked wonders for me on ladder. I am open to all changes (although preferably gholdengo stays) thanks for reading, and have a nice day!
haters be hating, I’m like
“252+ SpA Iron Bundle Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ting-Lu in Rain: 620-732 (120.6 - 142.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO”
(I also intend to try to be more active in the doubles community this year so expect more rmts coming soon!)
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