Guide to Support Moves in VGC 2017: Trick Room
Original Article: http://samtemplekurokyunevgc.blogspot.co...017-3.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/templevgc
Welcome back to another article where the goal is talk about Support Moves in the VGC 2017 format. Today, we'll be talking about Trick Room. Trick Room is a very strong move and can even be built around a team as an archetype. Hope you enjoy and let's begin.
Basic Knowledge
Trick Room is a non-damaging Psychic type move with no accuracy, -7 priority in the turn order so it will go last every turn if used no matter what the user's speed stat is. It has 5 PP and can max out at 8. When use, Trick Room will reverse the move order in each priority bracket. This means that Pokemon with lower Speed stats will move first and the Pokemon with higher speed stats will move last. The effects of Trick Room will last for 5 turns including the turn its used so you essentially have 4 turns to make the most out of Trick Room. Also, any Pokemon holding a Full Incense or Lagging Tail, as well as Pokemon with the ability Stall will go last in their respective priority bracket regardless of their Speed stat. If Quick Claw activates while under Trick Room, that Pokemon will go first in their respective priority bracket. When used in conjunction with the Psychic type Z-Crystal, it will raise a Pokémon's accuracy by 1 stage. Now I want to talk about all Pokemon in VGC 2017 that can learn the move Trick Room. Since Trick Room is a TM instead of a Move Tutor move, all Pokemon that did well with this move in past formats they were allowed like Slower and Porygon2 can still use the move.
1) Alakazam
When Alakazam is going to be used, I doubt Trick Room will be a move it uses. The reason is that Alakazam is very fast and while fast Trick Room users are a surprise thing, Alakazam will most likely run out of space in its moves to fit Trick Room.
2) Slowbro
I expect Trick Room to be very common on Slowbro. Slowbro has impressive bulk and a strong defensive typing and will be able to easily fit Trick Room into a moveset along with moves like Scald and Psychic, so Trick Room can be a nice fit.
3) Gengar
Gengar is probably one of the only fast Pokemon that can be a viable Trick Room setters. I'll link a battle here. This battle showed how Gengar can effectively use Trick Room to support its team and the surprise factor it can bring as well.
4) Hypno
The problem with Hypno is going to be its mediocre bulk. Its 85/70/115 bulk and shallow support moves it has access to means that once Hypno sets up Trick Room, it won't have much to do to support the team, but it also won't be doing much damage with 73/73 for its attacking stats.
5) Exeggutor
Exeggutor can do a great job of supporting the team. Exeggutor does learn a decent amount of support moves like Skill Swap and Sleep Powder to support the team. I'll link a battle here from 2012 that showed Exeggutor in the finals of the World Championships.
6) Alolan Exeggutor
While Exeggutor has the potential to be a decent Trick Room setter, its Alola counterpart on the other hand will most likely not function as one. The reason is that its moveset is rather shallow so it may have other moves that Alolan Exeggutor will want to use while Trick Room gets pushed out.
7) Starmie
Starmie is a very offensive Pokemon that focuses on damage and doesn't have the bulk to survive many turns. Because of this, Trick Room doesn't really fit the way Starmie functions since it can use moves like Scald, Ice Beam, Psychic, and Thunderbolt instead of Trick Room.
8) Espeon
Espeon's utility comes in its Magic Bounce ability. With the ability to bounce back a status move onto your opponent is nice. This is great because it gives Espeon supportive options to help support the team. Trick Room is a move that Espeon can potentially use and being a very fast supportive Psychic type that can help support the team.
9) Slowking
Slowking is does the same job as Slowbro with very similar stats as Slowking is more of a specially defensive Pokemon as Slowbro is a more physically defensive Pokemon. Something Slowking has going for it is it's Oblivious ability, which means it can be Taunted, giving it a free Mental Herb for an ability.
10) Misdreavus
Misdreavus is a very bulky Pokemon as it can still evolve and has pretty decent defensive stats before it can hold the Eviolite. With a good defensive typing as a pure Ghost type and access to some good support moves like Skill Swap, Thunder Wave, and the important one in Trick Room, Misdreavus can do well. Here's a battle here that shows Misdreavus shine in the finals of a major Pokemon tournament with high stakes behind it.
11) Porygon2
Like Misdreavus, since Porygon2 has the potential to still evolve and decent defenses and a strong defensive typing, Porygon2 can hold the Eviolite and use some strong support moves like Recover to never faint, moves like Ice Beam, Tri Attack, and Discharge to cause damage, as well as Trick Room to support the team
12) Smeargle
Smeargle has terrible stats, but its niche come in with the fact that it can learn every move. Smeargle using Trick Room can be a very strong idea if it can surprise a team, which if it can succeed in doing this, then it'll really put in work.
13) Spinda
Spinda isn't the best Pokemon. It's stats is 60 across the board, doesn't have many moves it can use, and only really succeeds in using Skill Swap to give its Contrary ability to other Pokemon to either make them bulkier or hit harder. Trick Room will probably be a bad option on Spinda, and Spinda probably won't succeed in VGC 2017.
14) Mismagius
Mismagius is seen as an offensive Pokemon since its not bulky enough to really use Trick Room. This means that it probably won't have room for Trick Room in a moveset since it has moves it really wants to use.
15) Porygon-Z
Porygon-Z probably won't succeed as a Trick Room user. The reason is that Porygon-Z succeeds in using Conversion and its Z-Move to really get some major boosts to its stats and start going for moves that will most certainly do a large amount of damage.
16) Whimsicott
Even though Whimsicott is very fast as at a base 116 speed stat, it could be a very effective Trick Room user. Its very fast speed can allow it to surprise the opponent and swing momentum in there favor. I'll link a video here that shows how Trick Room Whimsicott could be very effective in battle.
17) Carbink
Carbink has a lot of bulk at 50/150/150, which means that it can take a hit, but being a Rock type means it's weak to a lot of strong types like Water, Grass, and Steel. Its 50/50 attacking stats means it won't be doing much damage. It also has a pretty decent support moves.
18) Trevenant
Trevenant has a really strong attack stat at base 110 so it can certainly take a hit and combine that with its Harvest ability means that once Trevenant uses Trick Room, it can potentially stay at a decent amount of HP.
19) Comfey
Comfey stats are pretty average, but its Triage ability means it can set up Trick Room and get a major boost from its HP healing moves like Draining Kiss and Floral Healing. It's 51/90110 bulk is pretty decent and it can certainly take a hit.
20) Oranguru
Oranguru is one of the best Trick Room users in the 7th generation. The reason is it has access to the Inner Focus and Telepathy ability, its pretty nice 90/80/110 bulk is pretty solid, and it has access to the move Instruct to give its partner a second chance to use its move.
21) Mimikyu
Mimikyu is an appealing Trick Room setter due to its Disguise ability, giving it a free Substitute, as well as its well-rounded stats, giving it 55/80/105 bulk allowing it to take hits, and dish out some damage with its base 90 attack stat. Its only real issue as a setter its base 96 speed stat in slower metagame.
22) Bruxish
Bruxish has some pretty average stats. Its 68/70/70 bulk is pretty low and so it won't be able to take a hit well. Its 105 attack stat is pretty strong so it can certainly take a hit. Its Dazzling ability means it block all priority moves like Taunt from Prankster users like Whimsicott and Sableye in the 2017 meta.
23) Nihilego
I don't expect this to be a thing on Nihilego. Its 109/47/131 bulk may be good on the special side, but it can take a physical based hit. Its also very fast at base 103 and Nihilego in general focuses more on getting damage at fast as possible before it faints.
How to beat Trick Room
Twitter: https://twitter.com/templevgc
Welcome back to another article where the goal is talk about Support Moves in the VGC 2017 format. Today, we'll be talking about Trick Room. Trick Room is a very strong move and can even be built around a team as an archetype. Hope you enjoy and let's begin.
Basic Knowledge
Trick Room is a non-damaging Psychic type move with no accuracy, -7 priority in the turn order so it will go last every turn if used no matter what the user's speed stat is. It has 5 PP and can max out at 8. When use, Trick Room will reverse the move order in each priority bracket. This means that Pokemon with lower Speed stats will move first and the Pokemon with higher speed stats will move last. The effects of Trick Room will last for 5 turns including the turn its used so you essentially have 4 turns to make the most out of Trick Room. Also, any Pokemon holding a Full Incense or Lagging Tail, as well as Pokemon with the ability Stall will go last in their respective priority bracket regardless of their Speed stat. If Quick Claw activates while under Trick Room, that Pokemon will go first in their respective priority bracket. When used in conjunction with the Psychic type Z-Crystal, it will raise a Pokémon's accuracy by 1 stage. Now I want to talk about all Pokemon in VGC 2017 that can learn the move Trick Room. Since Trick Room is a TM instead of a Move Tutor move, all Pokemon that did well with this move in past formats they were allowed like Slower and Porygon2 can still use the move.
1) Alakazam
When Alakazam is going to be used, I doubt Trick Room will be a move it uses. The reason is that Alakazam is very fast and while fast Trick Room users are a surprise thing, Alakazam will most likely run out of space in its moves to fit Trick Room.
2) Slowbro
I expect Trick Room to be very common on Slowbro. Slowbro has impressive bulk and a strong defensive typing and will be able to easily fit Trick Room into a moveset along with moves like Scald and Psychic, so Trick Room can be a nice fit.
3) Gengar
Gengar is probably one of the only fast Pokemon that can be a viable Trick Room setters. I'll link a battle here. This battle showed how Gengar can effectively use Trick Room to support its team and the surprise factor it can bring as well.
4) Hypno
The problem with Hypno is going to be its mediocre bulk. Its 85/70/115 bulk and shallow support moves it has access to means that once Hypno sets up Trick Room, it won't have much to do to support the team, but it also won't be doing much damage with 73/73 for its attacking stats.
5) Exeggutor
Exeggutor can do a great job of supporting the team. Exeggutor does learn a decent amount of support moves like Skill Swap and Sleep Powder to support the team. I'll link a battle here from 2012 that showed Exeggutor in the finals of the World Championships.
6) Alolan Exeggutor
While Exeggutor has the potential to be a decent Trick Room setter, its Alola counterpart on the other hand will most likely not function as one. The reason is that its moveset is rather shallow so it may have other moves that Alolan Exeggutor will want to use while Trick Room gets pushed out.
7) Starmie
Starmie is a very offensive Pokemon that focuses on damage and doesn't have the bulk to survive many turns. Because of this, Trick Room doesn't really fit the way Starmie functions since it can use moves like Scald, Ice Beam, Psychic, and Thunderbolt instead of Trick Room.
8) Espeon
Espeon's utility comes in its Magic Bounce ability. With the ability to bounce back a status move onto your opponent is nice. This is great because it gives Espeon supportive options to help support the team. Trick Room is a move that Espeon can potentially use and being a very fast supportive Psychic type that can help support the team.
9) Slowking
Slowking is does the same job as Slowbro with very similar stats as Slowking is more of a specially defensive Pokemon as Slowbro is a more physically defensive Pokemon. Something Slowking has going for it is it's Oblivious ability, which means it can be Taunted, giving it a free Mental Herb for an ability.
10) Misdreavus
Misdreavus is a very bulky Pokemon as it can still evolve and has pretty decent defensive stats before it can hold the Eviolite. With a good defensive typing as a pure Ghost type and access to some good support moves like Skill Swap, Thunder Wave, and the important one in Trick Room, Misdreavus can do well. Here's a battle here that shows Misdreavus shine in the finals of a major Pokemon tournament with high stakes behind it.
11) Porygon2
Like Misdreavus, since Porygon2 has the potential to still evolve and decent defenses and a strong defensive typing, Porygon2 can hold the Eviolite and use some strong support moves like Recover to never faint, moves like Ice Beam, Tri Attack, and Discharge to cause damage, as well as Trick Room to support the team
12) Smeargle
Smeargle has terrible stats, but its niche come in with the fact that it can learn every move. Smeargle using Trick Room can be a very strong idea if it can surprise a team, which if it can succeed in doing this, then it'll really put in work.
13) Spinda
Spinda isn't the best Pokemon. It's stats is 60 across the board, doesn't have many moves it can use, and only really succeeds in using Skill Swap to give its Contrary ability to other Pokemon to either make them bulkier or hit harder. Trick Room will probably be a bad option on Spinda, and Spinda probably won't succeed in VGC 2017.
14) Mismagius
Mismagius is seen as an offensive Pokemon since its not bulky enough to really use Trick Room. This means that it probably won't have room for Trick Room in a moveset since it has moves it really wants to use.
15) Porygon-Z
Porygon-Z probably won't succeed as a Trick Room user. The reason is that Porygon-Z succeeds in using Conversion and its Z-Move to really get some major boosts to its stats and start going for moves that will most certainly do a large amount of damage.
16) Whimsicott
Even though Whimsicott is very fast as at a base 116 speed stat, it could be a very effective Trick Room user. Its very fast speed can allow it to surprise the opponent and swing momentum in there favor. I'll link a video here that shows how Trick Room Whimsicott could be very effective in battle.
17) Carbink
Carbink has a lot of bulk at 50/150/150, which means that it can take a hit, but being a Rock type means it's weak to a lot of strong types like Water, Grass, and Steel. Its 50/50 attacking stats means it won't be doing much damage. It also has a pretty decent support moves.
18) Trevenant
Trevenant has a really strong attack stat at base 110 so it can certainly take a hit and combine that with its Harvest ability means that once Trevenant uses Trick Room, it can potentially stay at a decent amount of HP.
19) Comfey
Comfey stats are pretty average, but its Triage ability means it can set up Trick Room and get a major boost from its HP healing moves like Draining Kiss and Floral Healing. It's 51/90110 bulk is pretty decent and it can certainly take a hit.
20) Oranguru
Oranguru is one of the best Trick Room users in the 7th generation. The reason is it has access to the Inner Focus and Telepathy ability, its pretty nice 90/80/110 bulk is pretty solid, and it has access to the move Instruct to give its partner a second chance to use its move.
21) Mimikyu
Mimikyu is an appealing Trick Room setter due to its Disguise ability, giving it a free Substitute, as well as its well-rounded stats, giving it 55/80/105 bulk allowing it to take hits, and dish out some damage with its base 90 attack stat. Its only real issue as a setter its base 96 speed stat in slower metagame.
22) Bruxish
Bruxish has some pretty average stats. Its 68/70/70 bulk is pretty low and so it won't be able to take a hit well. Its 105 attack stat is pretty strong so it can certainly take a hit. Its Dazzling ability means it block all priority moves like Taunt from Prankster users like Whimsicott and Sableye in the 2017 meta.
23) Nihilego
I don't expect this to be a thing on Nihilego. Its 109/47/131 bulk may be good on the special side, but it can take a physical based hit. Its also very fast at base 103 and Nihilego in general focuses more on getting damage at fast as possible before it faints.
How to beat Trick Room
- Taunt - You can Taunt the setter so they can't go for the move
- Damage - If you can knock them out or get a large amount of damage on them, it makes it harder for the opponent to do much with heavily weakened Pokemon
- Protect - Moves like Protect work well as you can use the move and not take any damage that turn. The best idea is to switch between attacking and Protect to stall out Trick Room.
