VGC / Battle Spot / Doubles OU Cores Thread

[Black117]

- Pokémon featured: Arcanine and Milotic
- Metagame: Battle Spot Doubles (VGC 15)
- Core Type: Bulky Offensive
- Sets:

Arcanine @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Wild Charge

Milotic @ Leftovers / Sitrus Berry
Ability: Competitive
EVs: 236 HP / 140 Def / 132 SpA
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Recover
- Protect

This is a rather new core  Fire / Water core which's has seen some considerable usage in the Battle Spot Doubles ladder in offensive Arcanine and defensive Milotic. With the Choice Band item, an Adamant Arcanine can OHKO the following Pokemon with its respective coverage moves or high damage output from STAB Flare Blitz: Mega Kangashan (Close Combat), Heatran (CC), Char Y (Wild Charge), Sylveon (Flare Blitz), Mega Gardevoir (FB), and a ton of others. With its Fire-typing Arcanine can scare off any Grass-types like Breloom, Amoonguss, Virizion, etc who all beat Milotic with its powerful Choice Band Flare Blitz. Thanks to the Intimidate support, this allows Milotic to tank physical hits better and can perform its role as a bulky Water-type. In turn, Milotic is defensive enough to handle some of Arcanine's best counters like Rock-types (Tyranitar, Terrakion, Aerodactyl), and Ground-types (Landorus-T, Garchomp, Excadrill) with the combination of Scald + Ice-type coverage. If opted, Icy Wind can allow Milotic to drop the speed of the opposing two Pokemon by one stage, further allowing Arcanine to outspeed and run rampant against the opposing team. Perhaps the "real" danger of this core is setting off the "Competitive" ability as this allows Milotic to gain +2 in Special Attack. Pair Milotic with a Choice Band user like Arcanine and the opponent is forced to deal with either strong physical hits which can knock them out, or a +2 bulky Water-type with access to recovery. 
 

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- Pokémon featured: Mega Venusaur, Heatran, and Rotom-W
- Metagame: Battle Spot Doubles (VGC 15)
- Core Type: Defensive (Grass / Fire / Water)
- Sets:

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpA / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb / HP Ground
- Leech Seed / Synethesis / Sleep Powder
- Protect

Heatran @ Leftovers / Shuca Berry / Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 180 HP / 252 SpA / 76 Spe
Modest Nature
- Heat Wave
- Earth Power
- Substitute / HP Ice
- Protect

Rotom-Wash @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 60 SpA / 148 SpD / 12 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
- Protect / Electroweb

The idea of this defensive Grass-Fire-Water core centers around Mega Venusaur, which seen its peak during the early VGC 15 / ORAS BS Double metagame popularized by Cybertron. The goal of this core is to use the defensive synergy between Mega Venusaur, Heatran, and Rotom-W to tank / wall most hits while slowly chip away at the opponent. Note both Heatran and Rotom-W are resistant to the ever present Flying-types like Mega Salamence and Talonflame, both of whom can beat Mega Venusaur. In term, Mega Venusaur can prove itself to be a defensive answer against both Water-, Grass-, Rock-, and Ground-types which normally threaten either Heatran and Rotom-W. The third slot on Mega Venusaur is usually up for debate, either Leech Seed for residual damage, Synthesis to replenish 50% HP (though cut in Sand/Rain/Hail), or Sleep Powder to put targets to sleep. As the 2nd member of the core, Fire-/Steel-type Heatran is task to deal with strong Grass-types Pokemon, wall most Fire-type with its Flash Fire ability, and use its high number of resistances to support the team. Substitute Leftovers is the most common Heatran sets with these core, though Shuca Berry is seen to tank Ground-type hits if its partners aren't on the field. Finally the levitating Water-/Electric-type Rotom-W can deal with Ground-, Water-, and Rock-type similar to Mega Venusaur, can provide status support from Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave. As mentioned, Rotom-W is an excellent check to Flying-type as it can use its STAB Thunderbolts, or one of status options to wear them down.