Charizard Y Team Flowchart

Hey guys Jack here. It's so funny how I said I was retiring from VGC, but I'm still playing and making post like this one (It took me 10 minutes to come up with that joke so just please laugh). Now if you are like me I've always been fascinated by Charizard (Specifically Charizard Y) since I started playing VGC back in 2015. It's always been my go to mega when I had a mental block on what to build around, or if I just felt like picking up a team playing with it. Over the past 4 years of using this Pokemon I've realized that 95% of the Charizard Y teams I made followed the same pattern, and I will show you examples of the teams I've used.

Team #1 (1894 Rating, 3rd in US, Battlespot Doubles) ***BEFORE USUM***

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y

Ability: Drought

Level: 50

EVs: 252 HP / 12 Def / 52 SpA / 4 SpD / 188 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Heat Wave

- Tailwind

- Protect

- Solar Beam

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs

Ability: Psychic Surge

EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 28 SpA / 4 SpD / 60 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Psychic

- Dazzling Gleam

- Moonblast

- Thunderbolt

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Intimidate

Level: 50

EVs: 164 HP / 52 Atk / 4 Def / 60 SpD / 228 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Rock Slide

- U-turn

- Earthquake

- Superpower

Tapu Koko @ Assault Vest

Ability: Electric Surge

Level: 50

EVs: 236 HP / 4 Def / 116 SpA / 52 SpD / 100 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Thunderbolt

- Volt Switch

- Dazzling Gleam

- Nature's Madness

Heatran @ Shuca Berry

Ability: Flash Fire

Level: 50

EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 180 SpA / 4 SpD / 28 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Heat Wave

- Hidden Power [Ice]

- Protect

- Earth Power

Hydreigon @ Darkinium Z

Ability: Levitate

Level: 50

EVs: 12 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 236 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Draco Meteor

- Dark Pulse

- Taunt

- Protect

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Team #2 (1806 Rating, 10th in US - Season 7, Championship Ladder)

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y

Ability: Drought

EVs: 252 HP / 12 Def / 52 SpA / 4 SpD / 188 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Overheat

- Heat Wave

- Solar Beam

- Protect

Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest

Ability: Iron Fist

EVs: 244 HP / 140 Atk / 4 Def / 84 SpD / 36 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Drain Punch

- Mach Punch

- Ice Punch

- Knock Off

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Intimidate

EVs: 84 HP / 140 Atk / 4 Def / 76 SpD / 204 Spe

Jolly Nature

- U-turn

- Superpower

- Rock Slide

- Earthquake

Tapu Fini @ Waterium Z

Ability: Misty Surge

EVs: 236 HP / 4 Def / 220 SpA / 20 SpD / 28 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Protect

- Haze

- Moonblast

- Hydro Pump

Zapdos @ Sitrus Berry

Ability: Pressure

Level: 50

EVs: 236 HP / 36 Def / 140 SpA / 76 SpD / 20 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Roost

- Thunderbolt

- Tailwind

- Hidden Power [Ice]

Bisharp @ Focus Sash

Ability: Defiant

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Knock Off

- Iron Head

- Protect

- Sucker Punch

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Team #3 (1803 Rating, 9th in US - Season 8, Championship Ladder)

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y

Ability: Drought

EVs: 204 HP / 12 Def / 100 SpA / 4 SpD / 188 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Heat Wave

- Solar Beam

- Protect

- Tailwind

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z

Ability: Electric Surge

EVs: 76 HP / 4 Def / 228 SpA / 12 SpD / 188 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Thunderbolt

- Substitute

- Dazzling Gleam

- Protect

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Intimidate

EVs: 84 HP / 140 Atk / 4 Def / 76 SpD / 204 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Earthquake

- Rock Slide

- U-turn

- Superpower

Bisharp @ Focus Sash

Ability: Defiant

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Knock Off

- Sucker Punch

- Iron Head

- Protect

Amoonguss @ Iron Ball

Ability: Regenerator

EVs: 252 HP / 140 Def / 116 SpD

Relaxed Nature

IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe

- Clear Smog

- Spore

- Rage Powder

- Protect

Kangaskhan-Mega @ Kangaskhanite

Ability: Scrappy

Level: 50

EVs: 36 HP / 244 Atk / 12 Def / 140 SpD / 76 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Fake Out

- Return

- Ice Punch

- Low Kick

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Team #4 (1806 Rating, 8th in US - Season 10, Championship Ladder)

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y

Ability: Drought

Level: 50

EVs: 204 HP / 12 Def / 60 SpA / 4 SpD / 228 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Protect

- Solar Beam

- Heat Wave

- Tailwind

Heatran @ Shuca Berry

Ability: Flash Fire

Level: 50

EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 116 SpA / 4 SpD / 92 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 30 Spe

- Protect

- Heat Wave

- Earth Power

- Hidden Power [Ice]

Landorus-Therian @ Groundium Z

Ability: Intimidate

EVs: 84 HP / 148 Atk / 4 Def / 76 SpD / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Protect

- U-turn

- Rock Slide

- Earthquake

Tapu Koko @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Electric Surge

EVs: 76 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 12 SpD / 164 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Thunderbolt

- Volt Switch

- Dazzling Gleam

- Discharge

Kartana @ Assault Vest

Ability: Beast Boost

Level: 50

EVs: 12 HP / 68 Atk / 4 Def / 172 SpD / 252 Spe

Jolly Nature

IVs: 0 SpA

- Leaf Blade

- Sacred Sword

- Smart Strike

- Knock Off

Araquanid @ Sitrus Berry

Ability: Water Bubble

Level: 50

EVs: 252 HP / 244 Atk / 12 SpD

Adamant Nature

IVs: 20 Spe

- Bug Bite

- Liquidation

- Wide Guard

- Protect

As you can see each one of my teams had Charizard/Landorus. The reason for this is that Landorus out of every intimidate user available in the format has by far the best synergy with Charizard (I also personally think it is by far the best Pokemon in the format and it has been on every team I've made in this format). You can fire off earthquakes without any drawback because Charizard is part flying type. It beats common Pokemon that threaten Charizard such as Heatran/Tapu Koko, and it is a good switch-in option against other physical Landorus/ Incineroar because of it's ability. Another thing that I think is worth noting about Landorus is that there are plenty of viable sets that you can run with it, which you can use to bluff your opponent. It can be bulky Assault Vest, Choice Scarf, Z Move, Life Orb, Choice Band, and even Focus Sash (Hideyuki Taida got 2nd at worlds in 2015 with a Focus Sash Landorus).

The next thing you may notice about my Charizard Y teams is that each one of them has a Tapu on it. Personally I think if you are going to build a Charizard Y team you should have either Koko/ Fini/ Lele, but not Tapu Bulu. The reason for why having one of the three I just mentioned is important is not only because of terrain control, but because of Kommo-o teams "Gengar/ Kommo-o/ Tapu Bulu/ Incineroar/ A redirect user normally Clefairy but it can be substituted with Amoonguss". Tapu Bulu unlike the other 3 Tapus can't beat Kommo-o because the only fairy move it gets is Dazzling Gleam and it is a physical attacking Pokemon. One Tapu won't be able to counter that team in it's entirety, however it is nice to have a fairy type on your team as a hard check to Kommo-o.

Now I usually like to have a steel type Pokemon not only on my Charizard Y teams but on all of my teams because it is arguably the best typing in the game and for the most part you can freely switch in a steel type Pokemon on any Tapu. It has more resistances than any other type and to add on top of this a steel type Pokemon has been on every single team that's won a world title from 2008 to 2017 (The 2014 world championships is the only year where a steel type Pokemon didn't win worlds) A steel type isn't necessarily a requirement on Charizard Y teams, because someone did place top 4 at Japanese nats this year with a Charizard Y team that didn't have a steel type.

(Here is the link so you can see that http://raitostar.hatenablog.com/entry/2018/06/12/235820 ) However if you don't have one on your team I do feel like you are doing yourself a disservice.

The Last thing that you should have on a Charizard Y team is a Pokemon to counter trick room. I don't only think this rule only applies to Charizard Y teams, but to all teams (This part of the flowchart isn't optional). I don't care if a team is hyper offensive I think even then having a trick room counter is a must. I've seen way to many people not have a trick room counter of their team, then they will run into a hard trick room team and get slaughtered. Now what I think makes a good trick room counter is a Pokemon with a base 75 speed or less (Tapu Bulu and Pokemon that are slower than it) and the Pokemon must have bulk invested into it. If a Pokemon is base 80 speed and you slap an iron ball on it, it doesn't automatically make that Pokemon a trick room counter just because Iron Ball is really only good on a couple of Pokemon this format (Iron ball is an item that cuts the Pokemons speed in half).

Other options you can have on Charizard Y teams:

-Speed Control (Tailwind, Trick Room, Icy Wind, ect)

-Other weather setters (Tyranitar, Gigalith) *** A Gigaltih Charizard Y team broke a 2000 rating in battlespot doubles*** http://www.emolgame.jp/blog-entry-82.html

-Second fairy type or steel type (Mimikyu, other Tapu, ect)

-Water Type (Araquanid, Gastrodon, Milotic, Tapu Fini, Greninja, Rotom-W ect)

-Second intimidate user (Incineroar, Hitmontop, Scrafty, Krookodile)

-Pokemon that can beat set up teams like Minimize, Evoboost, ect

-Levitate user/ Flying type (Cresselia, Zapdos, Rotom-W, ect)

My personal Flow Chart ***Don't always have to follow it exactly***

Charizard/ Landorus

.

Tapu

.

Steel Type

.

Trick Room Counter

.

Find what your team is weak to or what it needs and fill in the rest. This varies between teams so my team may need something that your's doesn't

***You can take two or more of the concepts from the flowchart and combine them into 1 Pokemon. For example if I had an Aegislash on my team, that qualifies as a trick room counter and a steel type, so I would check both of those off the list. Also aim to combine concepts because it will give your team enough room to add the extra things on it that I listed above this***

Concept Teams Using the Flowchart:

1) Charizard/ Landorus/ Tapu Fini/ Kartana/ Snorlax/ Cresselia

2) Charizard/ Landorus/ Heatran/ Gastrodon/ Tapu Koko/ Mimikyu***My Current Team

3) Charizard/ Landorus/ Araquanid/ Cresselia/ Kartana/ Tapu Koko***Terry Newton

4) Charizard/ Landorus/ Nihilego/ Metagross/Ammonguss/ Tapu Lele

5) Charizard/ Landorus/ Kangaskhan/ Heatran/ Ammonguss/ Tapu Koko

Helpful Links from this year/ prior years:

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/doubles-sample-teams.3595859/

Scroll to a little past the middle of the page and then you will see some Charizard Teams

http://nuggetbridge.com/articles/teams-from-the-japanese-national-championships/

http://nuggetbridge.com/articles/teams-from-the-2015-pokemon-world-championships/

Scroll to 11th place and then after that there are a bunch of Charizard Y team

http://raitostar.hatenablog.com/entry/2018/06/12/235820

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/bicho5296/20180615/1529070374

This page is in Japanese, but you can run it through a translater

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/spring-regionals/2015/teams/masters-slc/#team-alberto-lara-champion-salt-lake-city-masters-division

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/charlotte-regionals-2018/vg-masters/#team-jakob-swilley-masters-division-quarterfinalist

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/dallas-regionals-2018/vg-masters/

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/malmo-regionals-2018/vg-masters/#team-nicole-saeed-masters-division-quarterfinalist

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/roanoke-regionals-2018/vg-masters/#team-james-baek-masters-division-semifinalist

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/sindelfingen-regionals-2018/vg-masters/#team-robin-lange-masters-division-quarterfinalist

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/collinsville-regionals-2018/vg-masters/#team-terry-lye-masters-division-quarterfinalist

https://thegamehaus.com/mega-gengars-reign-over-vgc-continues-vgc-2018-toronto-regional-championships-recap/2018/05/15/

Scroll to 3rd place

https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/costa-mesa-regionals-2018/vg-masters/