List of VGC 17 Cores: Part 1

List of VGC 17 Cores: Part 1

The following are a list of VGC 17 cores written by various people from the Pokemon Forever Forums to help anyone in need of guidance or basically team building efforts. Most of the cores were done by myself, yet will credit to certain cores done by certain people. 

Tapu Lele + Porygon2

 

- Pokémon featured: Tapu Lele + Porygon2
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Balance
- Sets:

Tapu Lele @ Life Orb
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect

Tapu Lele @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 116 SpA / 4 SpD / 100 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Protect

__________

Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Discharge
- Shadow Ball
- Recover

or

Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 76 Def / 116 SpA / 68 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Discharge  / Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Trick Room
- Recover


Tapu Lele has established itself as one of the immediate threats in the VGC format not only with its ability to hit hard with Psychic-Terrain boosted Psychic STABs but the ability to block out priority hits for all grounded Pokemon. The thing about Tapu Lele is that its not the best Pokemon from a defensive standpoint given its average base 70 HP / 75 Def. One defensive Pokemon to pair with Tapu Lele is Porygon2 given its enhanced defenses from Eviolite item to take several hits repeated. The thing about Porygon2 is in a format where Fight-type Pokemon are relatively scarce or are fearful of the recent Fairy-type editions, especially when Tapu Lele Psychic / Fairy-typing essentially threatens them. This makes Porygon2 viable enough to use as a defensive pivot and a mini tank with the ability Download to get a potential Special Attack raise. Porygon2 has a incredibly flexible movepool with the standard BoltBeam combination, Recover Toxic, Thunder Wave, Shadow Ball, Tri Attack, and even Trick Room. One combination to use together with this core is a "Trick Room" lead where Tapu Lele sets up Psychic Terrain as Porygon2 can't be Fake out or hit with priority moves to during Trick Room. Without priority to pick off the Trick Room sweeper paired with Porygon2 and Tapu Lele

Torkcoal + Oranguru + Liligant

 

- Pokémon featured: Torkcoal + Oranguru + Liligant
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Offense
- Sets:

Torkoal @ Charcoal  / Choice Specs / Firium Z
Ability: Drought
Level: 50
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Eruption
- Heat Wave  / Flamethrower / Overheat
- Solar Beam  / Earth Power
- Protect

Oranguru @ Mental Herb
Ability: Inner Focus
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 140 Def / 20 SpA / 96 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psychic
- Instruct
- Trick Room
- Protect

Lilligant (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Chlorophyll
Level: 50
EVs: 124 HP / 252 SpA / 132 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- After You
- Sleep Powder
- Protect

Here we have perhaps the face of Sun-Based teams centered around the newly released Drought Torkoal, Trick Room Oranguru, and Chlorophyll Liligant. The goal og this core is essenially the same end result: Get Torkoal in prime position to sweep. Rarely Oranguru will pick up OHKOs and Liligant is here mostly to scare off Pokemon who are weak to the Grass-type Leaf Storm or Bloom Doom Z Move. This core is essentially geared to have the potential to switch between a "fast" mode with Chlorophyll After You Liligant and the Trick Room Instruct Oranguru. With its speed doubled in the sun, Liligant can assist the slow Torkoal in getting fast After You Eruptions, putting targets alseep with Sleep Powder, and STAB Leaf Storm. Bloom Doom Z-Crystal is an option to have in case Liligant can hit one target hard with a STAB move, potentially in range of Torkoal or Oranguru's STAB. Speaking of Oranguru, it has both Trick Room, Inner Focus, and maybe the Mental Herb to guaranatee a field condition in most scenarios. Once Trick Room is setup, Oranguru can Instruct Torkoal to hit its Drought boosted Eruptions and Fire-type attack for heavy damage output.

Celesteela + Arcanine + Gastrodon

 

- Pokémon featured: Celesteela + Arcanine + Gastrodon
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Defensive
- Sets:

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 164 HP / 68 Atk / 108 Def / 124 SpD / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Leech Seed
- Substitute / Flamethrower
- Protect

Gastrodon @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Storm Drain
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Toxic
- Earthquake  / Recover / Ice Beam
- Protect

Arcanine @ Firium Z / Sitrus Berry / Safety Goggles
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 4 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Overheat / Burn Out
- Will-O-Wisp
- Snarl
- Morning Sun /  Protect


This core is built around having to protecting Celesteela for the late game SubSeeds and can provide great synergy for each other. Given how bulk Celesteela is both  BST and typing respectively, what better way to pair this defensive mon with... another one in Arcanine. To start, Arcanine has the ability Intimidate to lower the defense of the opposing Pokemon, while use either Will-O-Wisp, or Snarl respectively to lower the opposing target's offensive potential. Thanks to the Intimidate ability, potential burn status, and Snarl special attack drops against the foes, Celesteela can find it much easier to setup Substitutes / Leech Seeds, bur most of all stick around throughout the match. Gastrodon is an interesting pick here, but serves the purpose of redirecting all single target Water-type moves against Arcanine or Celesteela. In fact, Toxic Gastrodon paired with Celesteela has the potential to "stall" out opponents if they don't have the proper offensive Pokemon to beat either mons. In turn, but Arcanine and Celesteela can easily handle any Grass-type Pokemon on the field like Tapu Bulu or Kartana. Gastrodon can serves a defensive switch in for any potenial Rock- or Electric-type Pokemon aimed at Arcanine or Celesteela. While this team is quite 'stally', note all three Pokemon essentially aid in tackling their own resistences or potential weaknesses with passive damage.




- Pokémon featured: Tapu Koko + Alolan Raichi + Peliper
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Offensive/Utility
- Sets:
[spoiler]
Note: EVs for Koko and Raichu are pretty standard, but Peliper EVs are my own experiment.

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt
- Protect

Raichu-Alola @ Pecha Berry
Ability: Surge Surfer
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Encore
- Protect
- Discharge

Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 172 HP / 84 Def / 128 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Scald
- Protect

Written by Hojunhu

Pretty self explanatory. Tailwind to help make fast Pokemon much, much faster. If you use my Peliper set Sash will save Peliper from opposing Koko to get tailwind off, and is then faster then max speed Koko under tailwind to get a hurricane off and to either double target with partner for KO or get a scald off on another threat before honorably giving its life to our cause. For info on why Koko and Raichu work well, see Black's above post.

Tapo Koko + Alolan Raichu

- Pokémon featured: Tapu Koko and Alolan Raichu
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Offensive
- Sets:

[spoiler]

Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Volt Switch / Discharge / HP Ice
- Protect

Raichu-Alola @ Focus Sash
Ability: Surge Surfer
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fake Out
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Encore / HP Ice / Protect

[/spoiler]

One of the most common pairs seen in VGC 17 is between the two Electric-types in Tapu Koko and Alolan Raichu. Note this pair is relatively strong to due their ability to outspeed most of the format and abuse the Electric Terrain field summoned from Tapu Koko. As long as the Guardian Deity activates Electric Terrain, all Electric-type attack receive a 1.5x boost, and allows Alolan Raichu's Surger Surfer to doubles its already fast base speed of 110. With the Electric Terrain, Tapu Koko can do sizable damage against the opposing Pokemon with its STAB Electric-type moves such as Thunderbolt, Discharge, Volt Switch, or Wild Charge if mixed. With its part-Fairy typing, Dazzling Gleam from Tapu Koko can at least threaten opposing Fighting-, Dragon-, and notably Dark-type Pokemon, who usually threaten Alolan Raichu. In turn, Alolan Raichu can threaten Poison-type Pokemon such as Gengar, Salazzle, and Nihilego who all three can knock out Tapu Koko with a Sludge Bomb. Alolan Raichu is not limited to using STAB Electric type moves + Psychic, but it has Fake Out pressure and Encore for disruption. Note with the rise of Ground-type and Lightening Rod users to counter this core, Discharge is a viable option to have to bypass such immunity / redirection. With their fast base speed, Tapu Koko and Alolan Raichu can serve as a fast mode which can pickoff heavily weaken Pokemon or deal initial damage to setup for faints for the late game.

Gyarados + Alolan Marowak

- Pokémon featured: Gyarados and Alolan Marowak
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Offensive
- Sets:

[spoiler]

Gyarados @ Waterium Z / Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 244 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang / Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Protect

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Bone
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Protect

[/spoiler]

Gyarados has been one of the most threatening Pokemon in the early VGC 17 format do to its high base Attack stat and potential to setup multiple Dragon Dances to further increase it damage output. The Intimidate ability allows Gyarados to reduce the attack stats of the opposing Pokemon by one stage, which can in turn allow opportunities to setup. That said, one of the major issues with Gyarados is its quadruple weakness to Electric-type moves, and to make matters worse, there are now reputable Electric-types such as Tapu Koko or Alolan Raichu who can easily knock it out. Given Gyarados's weakness to Electric-types, one new Alolan Pokemon has seen a dramatic rise to aid in Gyarados's setup: Alolan Marowak. With the Lightening Rod ability, Alolan Marowak can effectively redirect all single-target based Electric moves from Gyarados to it without any harm. In terms of offensive pressure, both the potential of Dragon Dance-boosted Gyarados and the Thick Club Alolan Marowak can inflict massive damage against its foes. Once Gyarados setups Dragon Dances, it can use either Waterfall, Ice Fang, or Crunch. Waterium Z from a +1 Gyarados can almost certainly knock out any Pokemon that's neutral to Water and doesn't have high natural defenses. With Thick Club, Alolan Marowak's attack stat doubles and can threaten Electric-type Pokemon with Bonemerang, Grass-types with Flare Blitz, or Psychic-types with Shadow Bone.

Pelipper +Golduck

 

- Pokémon featured: Pelipper + Golduck
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Rain Offense
- Sets:

[spoiler]

Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Hurricane
- Tailwind
- Protect

__________

Golduck @ Waterium Z
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump/Encore
- Protect

[/spoiler]

Rain teams now have a new weather setter in the form of Pelipper and has certainly made a splash alongside Golduck.  With the "stronger" Swift Swim Pokemon like Ludicolo and Kingdra gone, this allows for Golduck to shine in most hyper offensive Rain teams given moderately above average Water-type moves being boosted in the rain. With the Waterium Z, Hydro Vortex in the Rain becomes one of the strongest attacks in the games capable of dealing heavy damage, or if not knocking out any frail Pokemon. Pelipper can provide Tailwind support to bolster both their speed stats, and use Hurricane to deal Super Effective damage against opposing Grass-type Pokemon who would normally handle Rain-based teams.

Tapu Bulu + Alolan Muk

 

- Pokémon featured: Tapu Bulu + Alolan Muk
- Metagame: S/M VGC 17
- Core type: Bulky Offense
- Sets:

[spoiler]

Tapu Bulu @ Miracle Seed
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 4 SpD / 60 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Swords Dance
- Rock Slide
- Protect

__________

Muk-Alola @ Figy Berry
Ability: Poison Touch
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Knock Off
- Shadow Sneak
- Protect

[/spoiler]

With the introduction of Tapu Bulu, this Pokemon has is one of the four who summon a new type of field condition called Grassy Terrain. For those who don't know, some of the effects of Grassy Terrains involves halving the damage of Earthquake (one of the strongest spread damage), and giving all "grounded" Pokemon an 1/16th recovery. So what does Alolan Muk has to do in all of this? Notice how Alolan Muk's Poison/Dark-typing essentially gives it one weakness in Ground-type attacks, and one of the most common Ground-type moves to use is Earthquake. Essentially where this is going is pair Alolan Muk with Tapu Bulu and it will have a pseudo neutral hits against some Ground-type hits like Earthquake which only deal about 50% less total damage than expected. Now for any other Ground-type who can learn single, Tapu Bulu pretty much can OHKO them with a Grassy-Terrain boosted attack and can help Alolan Muk stick around for the long fight.