You are a type specialist in a hostile region. How do you best represent your chosen element?

[Ironmage]

I think Delphox's main problem is that Wizards and "Steel" don't really mesh all that well.

Given that this is enough of a pet peeve to inspire my username, I feel the need to argue about this further. I think that a mage could easily slot into a Steel-type team that plays up the supernatural associations of metals like silver or meteoric iron (as a scholar) or one that focuses on animated objects (a classic obstacle in a wizard's tower). The issue was that, other than the Honedge line, there weren't really any good options in the dex (maybe slurpuff for the animated objects theme?)

quick mockups with the whole Kalos dex

Wizard, Artificer, Gold, Silver, Lodestone, Dragonbone


Primarily guardian constructs, but with a bound demon in the back

Still feel the first is missing Metagross for proper meteoric iron...

 

[Railroader17]

Given that this is enough of a pet peeve to inspire my username, I feel the need to argue about this further. I think that a mage could easily slot into a Steel-type team that plays up the supernatural associations of metals like silver or meteoric iron (as a scholar) or one that focuses on animated objects (a classic obstacle in a wizard's tower). The issue was that, other than the Honedge line, there weren't really any good options in the dex (maybe slurpuff for the animated objects theme?)

quick mockups with the whole Kalos dex

Wizard, Artificer, Gold, Silver, Lodestone, Dragonbone


Primarily guardian constructs, but with a bound demon in the back

Still feel the first is missing Metagross for proper meteoric iron...

I mean like I said, there aren't a ton of steel centric theme teams that a wizard pokemon can fit into well, not that it couldn't fit at all, and the two teams you used are solid examples of it fitting in well.

The issue is that outside of super natural / medieval fantasy centric theme teams like the ones you made, you'll unfortunately find yourself hard pressed to find a place for a wizard pokemon outside of an actual steel type wizard themed pokemon (maybe Legends ZA will give us this, Psychic / Steel old Kalosian Beeheeyem / Hypno maybe?).

And Delphox in particular faces stiff competition in the Central Kalosian Dex from the likes of Alakazam (and especially Mega Alakazam), who not only also fits the Wizard motif, but also even has actual spoons (apparently made from psychic energy which adds a whole new layer to the supernatural element considering it can make metal with it's mind). So even then Delphox's main role on a team from a teambuilding perspective would be it's ability to compress fire & psychic coverage / Will-O-Wisp eating onto one mon unless your willing to run HP Fire Magic Guard Alakazam.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Results are in and it's a landslide victory - congratulations to Ironmage for winning this round! Will DM you shortly.

 

[Hugin]

Oof. Any of y'all who are new to the thread who are discouraged by a couple low placements, I've been here every time and just hit 2nd-to-last with a team that I thought fit very well. The voters want what they want, build teams you like and don't chase the high score.

 

[Noah3475]

Oof. Any of y'all who are new to the thread who are discouraged by a couple low placements, I've been here every time and just hit 2nd-to-last with a team that I thought fit very well. The voters want what they want, build teams you like and don't chase the high score.

Well said. Originally, my goal was for my team to place in the top half of entries, but I have long since dropped it in favor of enjoying the process of team creation and following discussions.

You have until March 18th, 9PM GMT to cast your vote!

I forgot to factor my time zone... I never vote for my own submission, but even if I vote at all, Ironmage's victory was decisive such that it wouldn't have mattered. Well done!

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

Oof. Any of y'all who are new to the thread who are discouraged by a couple low placements, I've been here every time and just hit 2nd-to-last with a team that I thought fit very well. The voters want what they want, build teams you like and don't chase the high score.

I feel ya. I'm used to being out of step with everyone else with regard to either my own team or the teams I voted for, but this time it was both

 

[QuentinQuonce]

I feel ya. I'm used to being out of step with everyone else with regard to either my own team or the teams I voted for, but this time it was both

Puh-lease, you're the current thread champion! (not that I'm keeping count of such things)

 

[Noah3475]

Puh-lease, you're the current thread champion!

By 31 Points. How do I know this?

(not that I'm keeping count of such things)

I am. :-) Based on 10 most recent contests:

1. Cobalt Empoleon , 207 Points, 3 Wins, 8 Top Fives
2. Pikachu315111 , 176 Points, 2 Wins, 6 Top Fives
3. Eeveeto , 167 Points, 2 Wins, 5 Top Fives
4. Hugin, 163 Points, 5 Top Fives
5. Ironmage, 141 Points, 1 Wins, 4 Top Fives
6. Axiemeister, 97 Points, 1 Wins, 3 Top Fives
7. Jhm5, 68 Points, 1 Wins, 2 Top Fives
8. CTNC , 61 Points, 2 Top Fives
9. SpyderMarz , 60 Points, 3 Top Fives
10. DrPumpkinz , 58 Points, 3 Top Fives

11 - 24

11. Imperial Magala , 56 Points, 1 Top Fives
12. Railroader17, 48 Points, 2 Top Fives
13. Gryoine, 39 Points, 2 Top Fives
14. DaRotomMachine , 28 Points
15. SturdyShedinja , 27 Points, 1 Top Fives
16. WarriorGallade , 27 Points
17. bdt2002, 26 Points, 1 Top Fives
18. Bakugames , 25 Points, 1 Top Fives
19. Antihaxxer, 20 Points, 1 Top Fives
20. Metalmindstats, 19 Points, 1 Top Fives
21. Misterdarvus , 17 Points
22. Bedal Roscoe , 11 Points
23. gvmgvm40, 10 Points
24. DuoM2 , 9 Points

25. Noah3475 , 4 Points

26

26. StupidFlandrs48 , 2 Points

Edit: Added positions 11 - 24 and 26 for personal satisfaction.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

By 31 Points. How do I know this?


I am. :-) Top 10 of 26 Users by total Points, based on 10 most recent contests:

1. Cobalt Empoleon , 207 Points, 3 Wins, 8 Top Fives
2. Pikachu315111 , 176 Points, 2 Wins, 6 Top Fives
3. Eeveeto , 167 Points, 2 Wins, 5 Top Fives
4. Hugin, 163 Points, 5 Top Fives
5. Ironmage, 141 Points, 1 Wins, 4 Top Fives
6. Axiemeister, 97 Points, 1 Wins, 3 Top Fives
7. Jhm5, 68 Points, 1 Wins, 2 Top Fives
8. CTNC , 61 Points, 2 Top Fives
9. SpyderMarz , 60 Points, 3 Top Fives
10. DrPumpkinz , 58 Points, 3 Top Fives
...
25. Noah3475 , 4 Points

Oh jeez okay I'll stop feeling sorry for myself. Also thanks for making it just the past ten rounds, given that that's basically when I started participating.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

And we're off again - last round's winner has selected our new question.

You are a Grass-type specialist in USUM Poni Island. How do you best represent your chosen type?​

Big moment. We haven't covered Grass yet, for the obvious reason that it's common as hell in nearly every area in the Pokemon world. But there are some exceptions, such as this one. Interested to see what concepts arise from this...

A reminder to please read the guidelines in the OP before commenting, especially if you're new to the thread. You have until March 29th, 9PM GMT to make your case!

Once again, you may only select Pokemon from the USUM Poni Island Pokedex, i.e. Pikipek-Aerodactyl. Any teams which include Pokemon from any of the other three Alola island dex listings will not be valid for this round and will be disqualified.

USUM Poni Dex is here for those who need it: https://www.serebii.net/ultrasunultramoon/ponipokedex.shtml

Teams so far

Pikachu315111: Dhelmise, Tropius, Exeggutor, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Florges
igiveuponaname: Tropius, Lilligant, Oricorio, Florges, Cutiefly, Ribombee
Eeveeto: Dhelmise, Tropius, Exeggutor, Dragalge, Heracross, Ambipom
Scorpio: Tropius, Exeggutor, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Ribombee, Florges
Cobalt Empoleon: Exeggutor, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Malamar, Lickilicky, Noivern
WarriorGallade: Tropius, Whimscott, Florges, Scyther, Goodra, Mudsdale
SpyderMarz: Tropius, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Oricorio, Mienshao, Florges
Hugin: Dhelmise, Exeggutor, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Florges, Dragalge
CTNC: Tropius, Exeggutor, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Exeggcute, Dragalge
Valteyek: Heracross, Toucannon, Mismagius, Zoroark, Goodra, Pyroar

 

[Eeveeto]

You have until March 15th, 9PM GMT to make your case!

Does traveling to the past mean I can use Celebi?

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Does traveling to the past mean I can use Celebi?

Never copy-and-paste, kids, it's a filthy habit and you'll get caught out every time

 

[Pikachu315111]

Dibs on the most obvious team:

POWER PLANT:
Poni Island is fortunate enough to have such a diverse ecosystem that it not has 5 Grass-type families and a few Grass adjacent mons, but also they're a good spread of different types of plants (or plant byproducts). So to show that off I went mostly full Grass-type plus one of the most obvious adjacent non-Grass-types. Yes, the theme name is just a pun, though with this also being a Sun team which if focused on hitting and healing it's not quite a mismatch. And no real trainer concept attached to this, it can be just anyone whose interest is with plants.

Alolan Exeggutor. Harvest. Enigma Berry. Solar Beam, Dragon Pulse, Psyshock, Flamethrower
Dhelmise. Steelworker. Grassium Z. Power Whip, Shadow Claw, Anchor Shot, Pain Split
Tropius. Harvest. Salac Berry. Solar Beam, Air Slash, Bulldoze, Synthesis
Whimsicott. Prankster. Heat Rock. Solar Beam, Moonblast, Sunny Day, U-turn
Lilligant. Own Tempo. Metronome. Petal Dance, Hidden Power (Rock), Quiver Dance, Synthesis
Florges. Flower Veil. Life Orb. Solar Beam, Moonblast, Sunny Day, Synthesis

Green Catalogue

Alolan Exeggutor: The co-star ace along with Dhelmise. Exeggutor is a (coconut) palm tree, probably the most famous tropical plant. Alolan Exeggutor's strategy is to attack as much as it can while hoping (1) it's hit by a super effective attack and (2) sun is out; that way Enigma Berry will heal it a nice chunk of HP and Harvest is guaranteed to restore it for it to heal off the next SE hit, rinse and repeat until sun runs out. A gamble of a strategy, but its also Alolan Exeggutor, it's not one to run a typical strategy.

Dhelmise: The second co-star, the "straight mon" of this double act. As we know, Dhelmise is not the anchor but the seaweed wrapping around the anchor, seaweed being the most famous example of underwater plant. Having the Z-Crystal, Dhelmise's main focus is hitting hard and has the most powerful Grass-type move it can learn to do so (even if Power Whip isn't that great of a Move otherwise). Dhelmise is also sort of a trapper, I couldn't pass on it's Signature Move as it synergizes with its Signature Ability, and to keep this synergy chain going I gave it Pain Split for potential pseudo healing.

Tropius: We go back on land for another fruit tree which is also a Special Attacker and has the Harvest Ability. Tropius is specifically a banana tree, another tropical plant to emphasize Alola's climate. Though both are fruit producing tree, I do feel both have their own niche, or at least stereotyped to have: whereas coconut trees are usually presented as both humorous (watch for falling coconuts) and a challenge (opening a coconut and how to eat one), banana trees are presented as being a symbol of plentifulness (banana are an easy fruit to eat and grow in bundles). Whereas Exeggutor was a casual Harvest user, Tropius is more extreme as Tropius really needs that speed boost from Tropius to start posing any challenge and having multiple Salac go off would be nice; it also has Synethsis which heals more under Sun and it may need that extra health to get multiple Salac boosts. It also originally had Earthquake for coverage but reanalyzing it's Speed strategy decided Bulldoze would be better as both are going to go off its weaker offense stat anyway and even if Tropius is knocked out Bulldoze could provide a bit of support slowing down the opponent.

Whimsicott: While cotton is more associated with dryer climates, it originated thus also grows just fine in tropical climates so its inclusion here isn't that off. Thus is add in more plant diversity being a shrub that produces a product that isn't a food item. Whimsicott would also be my first mon out as it's the Sun Setter. Prankster, Sunny Day + Heat Rock, U-turn. That's what it'll be doing most of the time. Those STAB offense Moves aren't just for show, but they're defiantly "last resort".

Lilligant: Lilies are a very diverse group of flowers you can find a variety of almost anywhere. Lilligant also has a dancing theme which fits into the Polynesian culture of Alola (albeit it looks like a ballroom dancer but I digress). And with that Lilligant is here to hit fast and hard via dancing, getting a Quiver Dance off (maybe two) and then mainly Petal Dancing (though has Hidden Power for coverage and Synthesis for healing when it needs it). Since it has Synthesis it doesn't mind having the Sun up, but Lilligant works just as well without it.

Florges: There are more kinds of flowers than lilies. And I gotta say it, I get why Flabebe and Floette aren't part Grass-type because they're just holding the flower, but Florges has FUSED with its flower at this point so why is it not part Grass now? Well, it may not be Grass-type but it fits right in with this team, and not just because it's the back-up Sun Setter. Learning also Solar Beam and Synthesis, you'll be forgiven to think its a Grass-type, however with out without the sun a taste of its Life Orb Moonblast will remind you what Type it really is.

 

[igiveuponaname]

First time trying this out, hope it's somewhat okay



Honestly when I was first looking through the available Grass types on Poni Island I was surprised, I wasn't expecting there to be as many as there were, and with varied designs to boot! There was easily a bunch of different ideas I could have chosen from when making a team, but I quickly settled on making a team comprising of Pokémon with floral designs or who relate in someway with flowers.

In regards to the sets and overall team structure, I decided to build the team with lots of Sunny Day users and ways to benefit from it, as many of the mons chosen have moves and/or abilities which benefit greatly while sun is active, in addition to leaning into the floral theming. I also included lots of berries since they're another form of plant life that relate to some mons on the team, which I'll get into later.

Team choices and explanations

Lilligant (F) @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Leaf Guard
- Petal Dance
- Synthesis
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder

An obvious choice for a team with a floral theming, I won't dive in too much into why Lilligant was chosen for this team. Its set is a Quiver Dance sweeper that takes advantage of the Sunny Day which its various teammates can set up for it with boosted Synthesis and Leaf Guard for status protection.


Florges (F) @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Flower Veil
- Synthesis
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Sunny Day

A must have for a team leaning heavily into floral aesthetics, I don't think much needs to be said about Florges here. Its set is a simple Calm Mind sweeper that uses Sunny Day to boost Synthesis' healing power and support its other teammates as well.


Cutiefly @ Focus Sash
Ability: Honey Gather
- Sunny Day
- Leech Life
- U-turn
- Sticky Web

Okay. Let me explain. When deciding on team choices, I was immediately drawn to Ribombee once I settled on my team idea, after all it is a pollinator which goes hand in hand with the flower based team I was making. But while looking through its dex entries on Serebii I noticed that it is never said to gather pollen directly from flowers and other plants itself, just that it rolls up the pollen into puffs. Not a deal breaker, I did include it after all, but I was looking for something a bit more direct.
Enter Cutiefly. While looking at its dex entries I noticed that it does collect pollen directly from flowers which makes it fit right in with the team's theming even though it is an NFE. It even has the Honey Gather ability, which helps support the theme of team even though it has no in battle purpose. As for its set, since its stats are so low, its role is a simple support mon with moves like Sunny Day and Sticky Web which benefit the team greatly, and its holding a Focus Sash so that it doesn't immediately die.

Cutiefly dex entries

Ribombee @ Mago Berry
Ability: Shield Dust
- Pollen Puff
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Sunny Day

Ribombee still finds a place on this team since it is still a pollinator which helps flowers and other plants grow. Its set is another Quiver Dance sweeper that can take advantage of Sunny Day, this time with sun boosted Hidden Powers.



Tropius @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Harvest
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Earthquake
- Growth

Tropius may not relate to flowers, but it does grow berries on its neck which are another form of plant life which can benefit from pollination similar to flowers (although they don't need it as much as flowers do). As such, Tropius provides berries for it and its teammates to hold in battle, with the exception of Cutiefly. Its set is designed to take advantage of Sunny Day as much as possible, it has Solar Beam of course, Growth which boosts both of its attacking stats by two stages while under sun, and it has the Harvest ability, which always guarantees it gains a Sitrus Berry at the end of a turn if it doesn't already have one when sun is active.


Oricorio-Sensu @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Dancer
- Revelation Dance
- Roost
- Calm Mind
- Taunt

Oricorio stands out from the rest of the team, its design does not relate in any way to flowers or other forms of plant life, nor does it play a role in the pollination process unlike Cutiefly and Ribombee. So why choose it? Because Oricorio still has a connection with flowers, as it drinks their nectar in order to change between forms. Specifically, the Purple Nectar found on Poni Island will change it into its Sensu form which is used on this team. Unfortunately, Oricorio doesn't learn any moves which benefit from Sunny Day, nor does it learn the move itself, so its move set is a basic Calm Mind sweeper that stands out from the rest of the team.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

First time trying this out, hope it's somewhat okay

More than okay. Welcome!

 

[Eeveeto]

Theme is a tropical beach. Team is Doubles Based.

Item: Normal Gem. Ability: Technician. Moves: Fake Out, Seed Bomb, Fire Punch, Thief. Ambipom is a monkey. Monkeys live on trees (literally only there in Johto and Sinnoh) and eat bananas (when at palms). Ambipom also learns Seed Bomb. This Ambipom uses Fake Out to give a free turn to its teammate and then just attacks with what it has, maybe stealing an item from an opponent or its teammate.
Item: Sitrus Berry. Ability: Harvest. Moves: Tailwind, Leaf Tornado, Air Slash, Leech Seed. Grass Mon, lives in jungles close to the beach. Puts Tailwind and then annoys the opponents with accuracy drops, Leech Seeds and flinches until it dies. Also, it provides bananas and sometimes a Sitrus Berry to our Ambipom, which is also useful.
Item: Heracronite. Moves: Pin Missile, Close Combat, Rock Blast, Bullet Seed. Another Pokemon that likes living in trees (remember Johto and the Headbutt thing?) and eats nectar. This is the only available Mega with a Grass move in its arsenal, so had to include it. Hits with everything it has.
Item: Yache Berry. Ability: Harvest. Moves: Trick Room, Dragon Hammer, Wood Hammer, Flamethrower. Well, nothing to explain here, its literally a palm. Puts Trick Room, hopefully after Tailwind (which lasts 3 turns not counting first one) wears off.
Item: White Herb. Ability: Adaptability. Moves: Draco Meteor, Sludge Bomb, Scald, Thunderbolt. This Pokemon does not learn Grass moves at all (except Hidden Power, which is a move no one except Unown should learn), but is based on a algae, so it fits in a Grass theme in general and a beach one in particular, algaes are common close to the shore. Abuses Trick Room with the low Speed it has, hitting with everything. Also, fun Pokedex entry:
"This vicious Pokémon sprays a poisonous liquid on opponents that come near. For whatever reason, it gets along really well with Dhelmise. " So, the ace is obvious here.
Item: Grassium-Z. Moves: Power Whip, Shadow Claw, Anchor Shot, Rock Slide. The other algae Pokemon and our ace. Just like Dragalge it abuses Trick Room and uses the most powerful moves, which consist in 3 STABs and Rock Slide, which hits effectively 4 out of 5 types that usually threaten Grass.

 

[DrPumpkinz]

It's not a trainer but the idea of Totem Alolan Exeggutor is too funny to pass up.



Damn thing's so tall its neck is always Doug Dimmadoming off the top of the screen, and the Crabrawlers that climb it actually evolve.

Hide

Exeggutor-Alola @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Harvest
Totem Boosts: +1 all
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
- Dragon Hammer
- Wood Hammer
- Natural Gift
- Flamethrower

In addition to healing, Wiki Berry provides a decently strong Rock-type attack. Both uses allow the berry to be recovered by Harvest, which combined with Wiki Berry's 50% healing in Gen 7 and the totem aura boosting Exeggutor's defenses, makes this tree very hard to topple.

Crabominable
Ability: Iron Fist
- Ice Hammer
- Crabhammer
- Hammer Arm
- Thunder Punch

I know Crabominable doesn't learn Hammer Arm, but Alomomola doesn't learn Water Gun either and the hammer spam was too tempting

 

[Scorpio]

Kinda became a dual Grass/Fairy team, but whatever. Plus Pikachu315111 took the most obvious one.

Four Grass types, well-known Totally-Not-A-Grass-Type Florges, and a pollinator. I decided to make a Doubles-focused team inspired by the venerable [USER]Detective Togekiss[/USER]. Pretty even number of supporters and attackers.


Whimshicott@Focus Sash
Prankster
-Tailwind
-Stun Spore
-Giga Drain
-U-turn
The first, and purest supporter, and one of the two leads. Tailwind, Giga Drain if I think it can live another hit, U-turn if it's better to support another day, Stun Spore if not.


Tropius@Life Orb
Solar Power
-Earthquake
-Dragon Pulse
-Energy Ball
-Body Slam
Went full offense on Tropius to make up for its rather middling stats, with Life Orb and Solar Power in case it and Florges share the field. Has some good coverage as well, plus some utility with Body Slam.


Florges@Heat Rock
Flower Veil
-Sunny Day
-Dazzling Gleam
-Energy Ball
-Flower Shield
Second supporter, with its weird gimmick of boosting Grass-types without actually being Grass itself. Flower Shield is gonna be useful with the former and the upcoming Pokemon, as is Heat Rock-extended Sunny Day.


Lilligant@Miracle Seed
Own Tempo
-Quiver Dance
-Petal Dance
-Sleep Powder
-Hidden Power (Fire)
Quiver Dance go brrr. Doesn't have a lot of options but with this power, it doesn't miss them so much.


Ribombee@Wise Glasses
Shield Dust
-Pollen Puff
-Draining Kiss
-Psychic
-Tailwind
The last supporter. Its main job is to set Tailwind again, and Pollen Puff allies that need healing, and potentially foes that need hurting.


Exeggutor-Alola@Grassium-Z
Chlorophyll
-Wood Hammer
-Dragon Hammer
-Psyshock
-Dragon Pulse
The ace, as indicated by the Z-Crystal to nuke whatever's left on the field. Is also rather Physically oriented for a change.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

Lots of partial synergies to play with here, but it was tough to put everything together! Finally landed on something I like, though.

Here's a doubles-focused Poni Grass team:

@ Heat Rock	@ Focus Sash	@ Life Orb	@ Sitrus Berry	@ Lansat Berry	@ Grassium-Z
Own Tempo	Chlorophyll	Telepathy	Prankster	Contrary	Harvest
Sunny Day	Teeter Dance	Dragon Pulse	Dazzling Gleam	Fling	Leaf Storm
Fire Blast	Solar Beam	Heat Wave	Fake Tears	Psycho Cut	Draco Meteor
Power Whip	Sleep Powder	Solar Beam	Sunny Day	Trick Room	Flamethower
Explosion	Protect	Moonlight	Memento	Confide	Skill Swap

There's nothing too character-driven here. Alola carried on the trend of focusing less and less on proper double battles since their introduction in Hoenn, but Totem Pokemon and SOS battles added an interesting twist on the concept, where a primary Pokemon is being directly supported by an ally. My submission is inspired by that main/support relationship.

The team is intended to function as three pairs, although there are a couple of crossover synergies, like how Noivern's Telepathy protects it from Lickilicky's Explosion or how Whimsicott can use Fake Tears or Memento on a Contrary partner (pre- or post-Skill Swap).


Lickilicky sets up sun to activate Lilligant's Chlorophyll, while being immune to its Teeter Dance. From there, Lilligant can spread sleep while Lickilicky attacks. Protect + Explosion hopefully finishes off whatever's in front of them.


Whimsicott uses Prankster Fake Tears to boost Noivern's damage output to terrifying levels, while also being the team's secondary Sunny Day user. Noivern gets several moves that benefit from sun, both for coverage and longevity.


This is the secret threat at the end. In practice, this is a very fragile setup, but if it works? Horrifying. Malamar sets up Trick Room while Exeggutor Skill Swaps to gain Contrary. This turns Exeggutor into a far stronger Serperior with way better coverage. Malamar can also support its partner by Flinging its Lansat Berry to sharply boost Exeggutor's critical hit ratio, before recovering the berry with its new Harvest ability so it can do it again. Psycho Cut is a reliable STAB move that becomes particularly strong in the rare case where Malamar consumes the berry itself. Confide is an odd pick, but it has two uses: it can speed up Exeggutor's snowballing or it can weaken an opponent to patch up Exeggutor's weaker defensive stat.

Exeggutor has a Grassium-Z because... you gotta!

-------------

I had a lot of false starts with this team because a lot of Pokemon only gained access to fun moves like Skill Swap in Gen IX, which kept tricking me while I was scrolling their learnsets. Happy with the final result!

yes it's technically Trick Room weather again

 

[WarriorGallade]

Similar to the prior submissions above, a doubles team is what I'll also go with. The topic does lend itself well to combining strategies for this assortment of Grass types.
However my theming is a bit different, as it's based around a farm! Alola has many farms sprinkled around each of its islands, and (iirc) Hapu's grandmother tends to one herself on Poni Island. Each team member takes up a different role when it comes to managing various aspects around it. As such, almost all of the team members hold berries, to add flavor and more effectively use fresh produce to their benefit.


@ Babiri Berry
Ability: Flower Veil
- Flower Shield
- Grassy Terrain
- Sunny Day
- Petal Blizzard
First up, Florges. Often seen tending to the plants as they grow, Florges helps set the stage for plants and the other team members, as all of its moves benefit the allies. Flower Shield gives some good bulk to the Grass types in the back, while Petal Blizzard offers a decent multi-target move. Grassy Terrain does not provide as much utility as one might expect, but is a flavorful pick and the passive recovery is beneficial.

@ Yache Berry
Ability: Sap Sipper
- Power Whip
- Rain Dance
- Aqua Tail
- Thunder Punch
Second up, Goodra. Plants need more than sunlight for a balanced growth, so that's where water comes into the fray! Goodra's slimy body allows it to easily distribute nutrients to the crops by simply rolling around on the fields as it rains- a fun and productive pastime for it. Rain Dance helps add some counterplay to opposing trainers that roll up with a slew of Fire types. Thanks to Sap Sipper, its attacks pack a punch when the nearby Florges uses Petal Blizzard and offer good coverage against the types that Grass misses.

@ Kebia Berry
Ability: Infiltrator
- Growth
- Worry Seed
- Hurricane
- Giga Drain
Third up, Whimsicott. It aims to sow the seeds and help them sprout, all the while benefiting from both Goodra and Florges' weathers. Its Hurricane also acts to counter and dissipate any strong winds headed towards the crops. Worry Seed exists for flavor and to cripple ability-reliant foes, Growth amps up its offensive stats in the sun, while Hurricane acquires a nasty never-miss in the rain. Giga Drain helps with its longevity.

@ Starf Berry
Ability: Harvest
- Protect
- Fly
- Roost
- Leech Seed
Fourth up, Tropius (absolutely no bias here, not at all). Tropius is also able to plant seeds if Whimsicott can't, but its main calling is elsewhere. After the plants are grown, Tropius helps harvest them without any damage. Its Flying typing allows it to take an aerial view of the field to see if any crops are in need of attention, directing Florges as it surveys the fields. This set is a bit different, as rather than dealing immediate damage, T:ropius aims to stay on the field for as long as possible to assist its partner Scyther. Roost and Leech Seed help it recover HP, while Protect and Fly let it fish for more Harvest activations.


@ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
- Bug Bite
- Morning Sun
- Night Slash
- Aerial Ace
Fifth up, Scyther. Plants don't grow alone - with plenty of weeds and other Bug type Pokemon lurking nearby. Scyther's speed and sharp claws allow it to easily ward away all these unwanted things. It also acts as a good watchmon at night, to deter any thieves, all while camoflaged in the grass itself. Morning Sun helps add a sun perk, and Bug Bite allows it to feast not just on opposing berries...but on Tropius' as well. Given Tropius' ability to infinitely regenerate berries, but no way to easily consume them, Scyther's Bug Bite deals middling damage, all the while making it stronger, faster or bulkier thanks to Tropius' held Starf Berry. Eviolite patches up its decent bulk, so it becomes quite a threat if allowed to snowball. Night Slash offers more good flavor and could assist with a timely crit, and Aerial Ace is another good STAB option.

@ Groundium Z
Ability: Stamina
- Rototiller
- Earthquake
- Facade
- Rock Slide
Last up, Mudsdale. What do you do when the harvest is done? Trade it with other people, of course! or eat it, if you're Scyther. With its boundless Stamina, Mudsdale ferries produce and seeds to and from various people across the island, with the ability to climb over all sorts of rough terrain. After it's all done with that, it helps prepare the soil with Rototiller, so the cycle can begin anew on a different plot of land. The held Groundium Z was a gift from the Kahuna, and is used over a Grassium Z as the latter is not easily available outside of Akala Island to the average trainer. The Z crystal allows Mudsdale to either boost its own Attack via Z-Rototiller or launch a powerful single-target blow if powering Earthquake. Facade helps if it suffers a status, and Rock Slide allows for more good spread damage.

 

[Ironmage]

Sunny day is an interesting move, because it actually treats day and night equally. As a less populated area, the Japanese name of Clear Skies takes on an extra meaning with the lack of light pollution allowing for a good look at distant stars. So here's a team that leverages Grass's weather synergies without a blue curtain in the way.


Dhelmise @ Leftovers
Ability: Steelworker
- Anchor Shot
- Synthesis
- Sunny Day
- Knock Off
Knowledge of the stars was important for early navigation, though Dhelmise appears to be recent enough to have a compass instead. Still, ghost types are usually nocturnal and Steel is the most committed to light-based attacks.


Exeggutor-Alola @ Figy Berry
Ability: Harvest
- Moonlight
- Leech Seed
- Draco Meteor
- Zen Headbutt
In addition to being closest to touching the sky, the family is rare in terms of getting access to Moonlight instead of just Synthesis. Are other Grass types synthetic?


Tropius @ Starf Berry
Ability: Harvest
- Dragon Dance
- Natural Gift
- Seed Bomb
- Facade
Why bother staying rooted when the quest for light keeps bringing you upwards? Natural gift is here for another use of Harvest $"It was said to be so strong it was abandoned at the world's edge"


Whimsicott @ Heat Rock
Ability: Beast Boost
- Sunny Day
- U-turn
- Dazzling Gleam
- Knock Off
While smaller than the towering trees, it's capable of being blown by the winds to greater heights. It also serves as a great setter thanks to Prankster.*%> Being the main actual Grass-type, it was pretty much an auto-include.


Xurkitree @ Grassium Z
Ability: Infiltrator
- Flamethrower
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Discharge
A treelike form rooted *^"< by flying in the night. Like Exeggutor, Noivern can use Draco Meteor to(*&T{P have a powerful Grass attack even when Solar Beam can't be charged normally.


Celesteela @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
- Flame Charge
- Seed Bomb
- Acrobatics
- Autotomize
One of the most plantlike non-Grass mons in existence, with it being the only outsider to learn Seed Bomb by level. It takes the idea of bamboo's rapid upward growth to the extreme while working in a link to the location of what's providing energy for that growth. I could have gone for a stronger Fire move to really work with Sun, but I wanted a primarily physical set to show off Seed Bomb.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Whimsicott @ Heat Rock
Ability: Beast Boost
- Sunny Day
- U-turn
- Dazzling Gleam
- Knock Off
While smaller than the towering trees, it's capable of being blown by the winds to greater heights. It also serves as a great setter thanks to Prankster.*%> Being the main actual Grass-type, it was pretty much an auto-include.

Kartana: Image, Ability
Whimsicott: Name, Item, Moveset, Description

Xurkitree @ Grassium Z
Ability: Infiltrator
- Flamethrower
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Discharge
A treelike form rooted *^"< by flying in the night. Like Exeggutor, Noivern can use Draco Meteor to(*&T{P have a powerful Grass attack even when Solar Beam can't be charged normally.

Noivern: Image, Ability, Flamethrower, U-turn, half of Description
Xurkitree: Name, Item, Dazzling Gleam, Discharge, half of Description

Celesteela @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
- Flame Charge
- Seed Bomb
- Acrobatics
- Autotomize
One of the most plantlike non-Grass mons in existence, with it being the only outsider to learn Seed Bomb by level. It takes the idea of bamboo's rapid upward growth to the extreme while working in a link to the location of what's providing energy for that growth. I could have gone for a stronger Fire move to really work with Sun, but I wanted a primarily physical set to show off Seed Bomb.

Nothing wrong here, but aren't Ultra Beasts not allowed?

And just in general what the heck happened here? Why are the top two Pokemon fused with Ultra Beasts?

 

[Ironmage]

Kartana: Image, Ability
Whimsicott: Name, Item, Moveset, Description



Noivern: Image, Ability, Flamethrower, U-turn, half of Description
Xurkitree: Name, Item, Dazzling Gleam, Discharge, half of Description



Nothing wrong here, but aren't Ultra Beasts not allowed?

And just in general what the heck happened here? Why are the top two Pokemon fused with Ultra Beasts?

I ran out of ideas while staring at Celesteela like that one spongebob meme and decided to dress it up as a cosmic horror vibe. The idea is that the team description starts out normal but happens to be staring out into the stars and slowly becomes corrupted and replaced by UBs. I actually consider the 'alien influence' bit to have started earlier with Tropius' choice of berry: the descriptions for the Starf berry talk about being otherwordly tasty and it provides the strongest Psychic-type Natrual Gift. I am aware that UBs aren't normally allowed.

 

[SpyderMarz]

After putting seeing other submissions and thinking really hard about it, I present to you all a doubles team that is all about partnership and teamwork, in both its strategy and theme.

(the teambuilder i normally use doesn't have white florges so that's why it looks different today)

Alolan Wedding

I'm doing something a bit different this time. The team represents concepts of a wedding, marriage, love, and the like. Cutting TWO Grass types is a bit bold, I guess, but the theme isn't exactly a plant-centric one. Each member has a strategy that largely depends on another member of the team. Also, expect to see moves such as Attract, Charm, and Captivate as they tie into the theme as well. The order the Pokemon are sent out mirrors the order their real-life counterparts walk down the aisle during a typical wedding procession. Without further ado, let's get into it.
The Groom

Whimsicott (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Helping Hand
- Captivate
The groom usually leads the pack during a wedding ceremony. I had a bit of trouble finding a mon for this role, but eventually settled on Whimsicott because there weren't many fitting options in the selection for this round (sharing a Egg Group with Lilligant was important). Anyway, he's here to abuse Prankster, as Whimsicott usually do. He's also gonna use Protect almost every other turn to abuse Leftovers and Leech Seed.
The Officiant

Mienshao (M)
Ability: Regenerator
- Aura Sphere
- Grass Knot
- Calm Mind
- Baton Pass
Accompanying the groom at the wedding's beginning is this guy. Mienshao was the perfect mon to officiate, with its robe-like fur resembling that of a priest, and long arms like vines to fit on the grass type team. I was hoping it got Power Whip or something, but it doesn't, so we've got a special attacking Mienshao, folks. He's got two powerful moves that can be boosted by Whimsicott's Helping Hand. Additionally, he's got a goofy strategy where he can use Baton Pass to give his Calm Mind boosts to Oricorio while recovering HP with Regenerator.
The Bridal Party

Oricorio (F) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Dancer
- Revelation Dance
- Attract
- Safeguard
- Toxic
Next in line is the bridal party, responsible for getting the bride prepared. Parties usually have dancing, so Oricorio was the best choice. I wanted to follow the theme of preparing the bride, then I realized that Oricorio DOESNT GET SUNNY DAY so I tried something else. I figured the only other way I could justify using this bird is if it could use a Grass type move. But how? Enter the next member.
The Flower Girl

Florges (F) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Flower Veil
- Petal Dance
- Psychic
- Defog
- Attract
After all the adults have gone by, the flower girl prepares the path for the bride, taking out threatening Poison-Types with Psychic and clearing away hazards with Defog. She has another role through Petal Dance. Oricorio can copy it with Dancer, allowing them both to tear through the opposing team in a storm of flower petals. They've got Lum Berries to cure their confusion after the devastating attack is over. After that, the path for the bride will be complete. But before that, we've got one more important member of the team.
The Ring Bearer

Tropius (M) @ Grassium Z
Ability: Chlorophyll
- Solar Beam
- Air Slash
- Sunny Day
- Synthesis
Usually accompanying the flower girl is the ring bearer, bearing the ring. The Z-Ring, that is. I had to include at least one more Grass type, and Tropius was the most fitting. After setting the stage with Sunny Day, he can unleash a Z-Move that decimates any opponents who survived the double Petal Dance. Also, Sunny Day benefits himself as well as Oricorio's Revelation Dance (if Oricorio's still active).
The Bride

Lilligant (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
- Solar Beam
- Giga Drain
- Protect
- Charm
Cue the music. The bride dramatically arrives at last to complete the ceremony. The opponent should be defeated by the time Lilligant arrives, but if not, she's perfectly capable to finish the job herself. Tropius' Sunny Day will boost her Speed, allowing for an easy cleanup with Solar Beam. She's also gonna use Protect every other turn to abuse Leftovers just like Whimsicott. Combine this with Charm's attack drops and Giga Drain healing, and it's gonna be tough to finish this beast off.

 

[Hugin]

"Every Pokémon occupies it's own niche in the environment. But they can do so in very different ways, even if they end up looking similar."

Hide

Lilligant (F) @ Zoom Lens
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Dream Eater

Florges-Orange (F) @ Light Clay
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA
Mild Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Moonblast
- Synthesis
- Light Screen

Exeggutor-Alola @ Custap Berry
Ability: Harvest
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Def
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse

Tropius @ Starf Berry
Ability: Harvest
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Synthesis
- Protect

Dragalge @ White Herb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Haze

Dhelmise @ Grassium Z
Ability: Steelworker
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Power Whip
- Phantom Force
- Anchor Shot
- Earthquake

So we have 2 flowers, 2 trees, and 2 seaweed. Each of those pairs has an internal symmetry(normal setup, berry-based stalling setup w/Harvest, potent boosted one-off attacks). Lead Lilligant specifically is a counter to the easiest in-game strat (X items go brrr), and most of the rest have something to make them tough for the usual "spam fire/flying types to win" move, even if the coverage mostly isn't great(grass type coverage sucks).

Concept is essentially a scientist studying hydroponics and other efficient agriculture methods, contrasting various approaches for the best results.

This one was fun because there were a lot of options, which normally I don't like. But there's 5 fully-evolved Grass types, a double handful of fairies and bugs closely associated with plants, and a couple of water types you could argue for. It left a lot of space to choose between. That said, the concept took effort. I really wanted Dragalge, since it's basically a cross between seaweed and a seahorse, but that+Dhelmise makes for almost a water team right out, and there's no other good grass mon with some water theming. I was trying to cut one of the two trees when it hit me. And then building the movesets was just fun, I usually try to balance good with something an AI could theoretically use, but grass moves are not generally straightforward(and sadly all the Grass Z-Status moves suck for this).