VGC 2023 Regulation C : A Chein Pao + Dragonite Team

VGC 23 Regulation C a Chien Pao and Dragonite Team 

I was quite excited to start off with this new format, albeit a bit intimidated to do so. I knew from the series 2 metagame as it took me a fair bit of time to get a good grip on the format. Now to shift the formats with essentially 4 new mechanics being introduced in the form of ruinous legendary quartet was kind of a big ask for me. It took me quite some time to start with my team before which I was dabbling around with Chein Pao + Dragonite.

The Dabble:

These two form a very solid doubles combination. My play style is a combination of offense + a bit of disruption and control strategies. With this I need to have situations where I can pin down my opponents offensively and remove uncertainty from my matchups. With the starting duo of dragonite + chein pao I was off to start fresh.

In a haphazard spark of inspiration I worked with a team of Wo Chein + Gholdengo, Gothitelle and Gastrodon/Arcanine for some testing. I was bringing Gholdengo and Arcanine with My Chein Pao and Arcanine for quite some games so I might be off to something with these four.

So with Chein Pao and Dragonite I could cover a lot offensively: teams unprepared for priority attacks or lacking in defensive utility would be ran over by these two. In testing I didn’t like that Dragonite would lock into a single attack so choosing life orb might be a more feasible option here. Going for inner focus + tailwind on the last moveslot means I can add another fast dimension to this team. I did some more testing and only used the aforementioned four. I did more research finding NeilVGC’s youtube channel quite useful and found the following to be quite relevant early meta cores in the game.

Leads: Flutter mane + Chi yu Chein Pao + Dragonite Annihilape + Maushold Iron Bundle + Flutter mane Talontusk

Defensive cores: Ting LU + Wo chein + Gothitelle + Flutter Mane+ Palafin   Ting Lu + Arcanine + Amoonguss   Maushold + Dragonite + Gholdengo

Offensive Cores: Chi yu + Iron Bundle Dragonite + Iron Bundle + Chein Pao Farigaraf + torkoal + brute bonnet + Chi yu + Murkrow.

I came back to this team quite a bit late, once all the series 2 majors were wrapped up. From testing or should I say dabbling into the regulation C format I ended up trying out flutter mane and torkoal as a replacement for my gholdengo + Arcanine that I was bringing previously. I quite liked flutter mane when trying it out and it felt like a ready to use offensive sweeper.

The Idea:

I was noticing from a lot of the popular team reports that most successful teams do start with an idea. I hadn’t stuck to one beforehand. Wanting to try out the Chein Pao + Dragonite duo and having tested Flutter mane, I felt like I had a clear direction for this team.

I did more research on what Pokémon to expect in regulation C and decided to patch up the team with a great tusk and Iron bundle of my own.

I can use either my Chein Pao and Dragonite to deal tons of damage to my opponents and then use Flutter mane to clean up or go vice versa depending on the matchup. With this core idea in mind I decided to patch up the rest of the team.

Supporting Members:

Instead of using an Arcanine, which I did like in testing, I wanted to turn to Scizor which had a more offensive take on Chi Yu + flutter mane + complete the Fairy, Dragon and Steel core on this team.

To round out this team I went with the choice o a duo I was already quite familiar with in Iron Bundle + Great Tusk. Great tusk still has a good theoretical grip on this format, with the biggest defensive beasts going to have tera poison whether it be Ting Lu, Wo Chein or Garganacl, I could hit them for a ton of damage. Iron bundle on the other hand would cover the fire types in this format very effectively with its hydro pumps. Following is the team I settled with.

The Team:

https://pokepast.es/353a7cfb462f206f

 

Of course in this early state of the format I am quite unsure of whether these 6 will be a team or not. With Fort Wayne Regionals being a day away I can adjust this current team or come back with some fresh ideas for Regulation C. that being said I think this team is quite a successful test for the format that got me quite nervous to think about in the first place.

Coming back to the team I was feeling quite comfortable with how easy it was to play. With noting some glaring flaws in the build such as its longevity and adjusting to different board positions; following is the team with the same six members that I adjusted:

Individual Analysis:

Still feeling quite a bit unsure about this Pokémon but it has great tools to handle the format. The offensive coverage of ice, dark and fighting proved way too useful to let go of and haze was an amazing utility as well. In open team sheet battles chein pao having no protect really threatens its presence but in CTS battles it works wonders.

Calcs: 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Tablets of Ruin Wo-Chien: 116-138 (60.4 - 71.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner vs. 236 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 97-115 (60.6 - 71.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Chi-Yu: 156-184 (119 - 140.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 118-140 (90 - 106.8%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ting-Lu: 144-170 (54.9 - 64.8%) -- 10.9% chance to 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery -1 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 120-144 (60.6 - 72.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Ice Spinner vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 182-216 (91.9 - 109%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Baxcalibur: 140-166 (73.2 - 86.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

Dragonite being its partner in crime did work wonders for me however I am not sure if this move set, ability and item slot is the most ideal for it. Initially I was running a non scarfed great tusk so setting up tailwind had great merit however in this move set tailwind works well to match my opponents’ side. I choose to go with inner focus as in the face of pivoting Arcanine and  Gyarados a tera boosted life ord extreme peed can really throw off my opponents’ game plans. Of course this once again is a dual edged sword as it puts the longevity of Dragonite at risk but this team functions well in the environment of trading blows for blows and coming out on top.

Calcs: 252 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 236 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite: 232-280 (118.3 - 142.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO 4+ SpA Protosynthesis Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 196 HP / 4 SpD Dragonite: 198-234 (103.6 - 122.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO 4+ SpA Protosynthesis Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 196 HP / 4 SpD Tera-Normal Dragonite: 99-117 (51.8 - 61.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 244 HP / 100 Def Arcanine: 142-168 (72.4 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Stomping Tantrum vs. 244 HP / 100 Def Arcanine: 177-211 (90.3 - 107.6%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Maushold: 133-157 (73.4 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 90-107 (68.7 - 81.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 121-142 (92.3 - 108.3%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Outrage vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 179-212 (136.6 - 161.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO 252+ Atk Life Orb Tera-Normal Dragonite Outrage vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Ting-Lu: 122-146 (46.5 - 55.7%) -- 18.8% chance to 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Outrage vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Ting-Lu: 165-195 (62.9 - 74.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Outrage vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Tablets of Ruin Wo-Chien: 133-156 (69.2 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

 

The best special attacker in the format works well on this team. Having an immunity to normal type protects it from extreme speed and fake out is amazing. There really isn’t much more to say about this Pokémon as for being 66% in usage right now its viability speaks for itself.

Calcs 252+ Atk Mystic Water Tera-Water Palafin-Hero Jet Punch vs. 84 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 118-140 (83.6 - 99.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ SpA Flutter Mane Shadow Ball vs. 84 HP / 4 SpD Flutter Mane: 120-144 (85.1 - 102.1%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO 252 SpA Life Orb Gholdengo Make It Rain vs. 84 HP / 0 SpD Flutter Mane: 159-190 (112.7 - 134.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO 60+ SpA Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 180 HP / 172 SpD Annihilape: 146-174 (70.1 - 83.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery 252+ Atk Ting-Lu Throat Chop vs. 84 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 76-90 (53.9 - 63.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 60+ SpA Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Vessel of Ruin Ting-Lu: 98-116 (37.4 - 44.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO 60+ SpA Flutter Mane Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 16 SpD Gyarados: 204-240 (100.9 - 118.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO 60+ SpA Flutter Mane Thunderbolt vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Palafin-Hero: 114-136 (64.7 - 77.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

To my surprise Scizor definitely ended up becoming the most used Pokémon in this team. It pairs up super well into the most common matchups and making a switch to the safety goggles item in addition to the fire terrastal type makes it all the more threatening. Leading scizor with iron bundle with flutter mane and great tusk in the back is my go to strategy against the Palabalance (with ting luand baxcalibur)

Calcs 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Chien-Pao: 134-162 (85.8 - 103.8%) -- 25% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 236 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 128-152 (80 - 95%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 51-61 (38.9 - 46.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO 252+ Atk Technician Sword of Ruin Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 67-81 (51.1 - 61.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 212 HP / 4 Def Glimmora: 122-146 (65.9 - 78.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Technician Sword of Ruin Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 212 HP / 4 Def Glimmora: 164-194 (88.6 - 104.8%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Baxcalibur: 122-146 (63.8 - 76.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Scizor Close Combat vs. 188 HP / 4 Def Kingambit: 256-304 (128.6 - 152.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO 252+ Atk Scizor Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Bundle: 136-160 (103.8 - 122.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO   252 SpA Iron Bundle Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Scizor: 109-129 (61.5 - 72.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ SpA Beads of Ruin Chi-Yu Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Tera-Fire Scizor: 121-144 (68.3 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

The EV spread I built for Iron Bundle’s is my favorite on this team. Longevity was already a glaring problem for this team and I needed speed with iron bundle as well, going for this EV spread provided so much more flexibility to a lot of matchups.

Tera grass and protect allow this mon to stick on the field for a longer time and support/disrupt the teams around it. It should go without saying that Iron Bundle is my go to answer to Palafin Matchups, the popularity of Arcanine, Chi Yu, Garchomp and Gyarados also work in favor. I feel that Iron Bundle is still quite unexplored in the Regulation C format and people might use it more in the upcoming tournaments.

Calcs 252+ Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Tera-Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 204 HP / 20 Def Iron Bundle: 135-159 (85.9 - 101.2%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO 252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 204 HP / 20 Def Iron Bundle: 114-136 (72.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. +2 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 68-84 (26.4 - 32.6%) -- 42% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery 252+ Atk Mystic Water Tera-Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 204 HP / 20 Def Iron Bundle: 92-109 (58.5 - 69.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Dazzling Gleam vs. 204 HP / 4 SpD Iron Bundle: 127-151 (80.8 - 96.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ SpA Life Orb Gholdengo Make It Rain vs. 204 HP / 4 SpD Iron Bundle: 165-195 (105 - 124.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO +2 252+ Atk Dondozo Wave Crash vs. 204 HP / 20 Def Iron Bundle: 82-97 (52.2 - 61.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252 Atk Arcanine Flare Blitz vs. 204 HP / 20 Def Iron Bundle: 81-96 (51.5 - 61.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tera-Water Palafin-Hero: 110-132 (53.1 - 63.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 36 SpA Iron Bundle Hydro Pump vs. 244 HP / 76+ SpD Arcanine: 152-182 (77.5 - 92.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Assault Vest Multiscale Dragonite: 66-80 (33.3 - 40.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 102-120 (51.5 - 60.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 236 HP / 116 SpD Amoonguss: 102-122 (46.5 - 55.7%) -- 68% chance to 2HKO after pinch berry recovery 36 SpA Iron Bundle Freeze-Dry vs. 252 HP / 16 SpD Gyarados: 196-232 (97 - 114.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

Choice Scarf Great Tusk has a very strong grip on the format. With four new dark types added and scarf being the recently discovered set, I just had to go for it. It should be noted that this Pokémon only outspeeds a max speed non booster energy Iron Bundle, but this speed is mostly to hit outspeeding flutter mane. Its offense is further boosted by the support of Chein Pao.

Calcs 252+ Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 236 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 127-151 (79.3 - 94.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 84 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 127-151 (90 - 107%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane: 169-201 (104.3 - 124%) -- guaranteed OHKO -1 252+ Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 244 HP / 100 Def Arcanine: 162-192 (82.6 - 97.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Sitrus Berry recovery -1 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 244 HP / 100 Def Arcanine: 216-254 (110.2 - 129.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Great Tusk Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ting-Lu: 252-296 (96.1 - 112.9%) -- 75% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Great Tusk Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 140 Def Tablets of Ruin Wo-Chien: 150-176 (78.1 - 91.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery 252+ Atk Sword of Ruin Great Tusk Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 180 Def Tablets of Ruin Wo-Chien: 192-228 (100 - 118.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Closing Thoughts:

My next direction with the regulation C format would be to explore the Baxcalibur balance archetype that is quite persistent and popular in the format. I feel like noticing the importance of balancing and repositioning in this format and my familiarity with Arcanine and Amoonguss in the series 2 format; it would be a great direction to try out.

With that being stated, I'd be back soon with more... Bye for now!