The latest update of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduced the Ranked Battle and we're here to tell you the best team compositions.
The current meta started with Tailwind hyper offense teams with the popular choices of Murkrow and Gholdengo but has already transitioned into various archetypes and team compositions. There is currently more space to think of great combinations alongside other Pokemon that can dish out high-level plays. While it may be difficult to procure the Pokemon that you want with ample stats and all, there are rental codes that you can get from other trainers and use their teams to your advantage.
In this article, we'll share with you the current best team compositions that we have seen in the scene that you can use to progress in the first season of Ranked Battles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Cetitan Snow-Room
Team: Abomasnow, Cetitan, Indeedee-F, Armarouge, Hydreigon, Annihilape
Going into Gen 9, we received the buff that ice-types get from Hail (now known as Snow). This recent tournament-winning team features Abomasnow and Cetitan together with multiple modes to pilot in the team. Use Snow mode using Abomasnow's Snow Warning ability to set up your weather that allows Cetitan's wide coverage to threaten a whole variety of Pokemon on the opposite side of the playing field.
With the Snow Boost and Assault Vest Special Defense boost, Cetitan would be a challenging Pokemon to knock out and that's even before it Terrastalizes into a water-type. As mentioned earlier, there are various rooms that you can use as well including Trick Room from Armarouge which Cetitan can utilize when not under Snow, and Tailwind from Hydreigon to be able to move at a faster pace for the other attackers in the team like Bulk Up Annihilape.
Pawmot Screens Offense
Team: Grimmsnarl, Dragapult, Meowscarada, Volcarona, Pawmot, Florges
Since the beginning of season one, Pawmot hasn't always been one of the top picks but it suddenly picked up two wins in recent tournaments. One of the winning Pawmot teams features a set with Revival Blessing alongside Fake Out, Double Shock, Ice Punch, and Mach Punch equipped with the Assault Vest item making it a great support as well as a good offensive Pokemon as well. Usually, this kind of Pawmot can be paired with a Quiver Dance Volcarona, Life Orb three attacks physical Dragapult, and a Focus Sash Overgrow Meowscarada with the help of a Grimmsnarl that carries dual screens and is balanced and rounded off with a Florges.
Florges does not enable a Trick Room for the team although it carries the options of Pollen Puff and Skill Swap as support. While the Pollen Puff is pretty straightforward, Skill Swap may be used for the Meowscarada in the team for added protection.
Palafin Rain
Team: Kilowattrel, Meowscarada, Pelipper, Amoonguss, Palafin, Gholdengo
After winning a recent tournament, the rain archetype remains a common option for those who want to make use of Palafin with the rain buff. The Choice Banded, STAB, Tera Water, Rain-boosted, priority Jet Punches from Palafin: Hero is a big challenge to overcome and you have to make sure that your every move counts.
This Pelipper – Palafin combo is surrounded by strong attackers such as Meowscarada and a Kilowattrel with Life Orb and three attacks. To better complement and balance the team, Choice Scarf Gholdengo is a good choice with moves like Dazzling Gleam and Thunderbolt. Lastly, a Wiki Berry Amoonguss will be your main defender as it can put opponents to sleep with Spore and redirect attacks to itself to protect its partners. With the option to Clear Smog opponents you want to knock out, you also have Giga Drain for chip damage and more healing.
Coalossal Dondozo Semi-Room
Team: Tatsugiri, Dondozo, Coalossal, Dragapult, Armarouge, Indeedee
Coalossal remains a threat in the current meta of VGC. With the help of its tag team partner, Surf Dragapult, it can get its speed maxed out with the Steam Engine ability and gain +2 offensive stats. With the option to Terrastalize into a rock-type, it can now take less damage significantly with Surf and make use of its buff to dish out incredibly fast Rock Slides that will most likely give you the advantage as it can cause your opponents to flinch.
If Coalossal and Surf Dragapult don't really work for you against your opponent, you can also have the Trick Room offense mode with Indeedee and Life Orb Armarouge together with the Dondozo-Tatsugiri in your arsenal as well. Tatsugiri remains usable on its own while being able to provide speed control for its teammates with Icy Wind or hit enemies with massive damage if it is paired with Choice Specs and boosted Special Attacks.
Hard Trick Room
Team: Indeedee-F, Armarouge, Torkoal, Mudsdale, Mimikyu, Hariyama
Although Hard Trick Room has yet to prove itself as a top-tier archetype, it still has its pros when pointed in the right direction. There are three different Trick Room setters on this team with Indeedee-F as the main setter. If you don't use Indeedee-F, Hariyama can use Fake Out to stop your opponents to disrupt your Pokemon. Once the Trick Room is set, you can utilize Trick Room sweepers like Guts Hariyama, Charcoal-Eruption Torkoal, Expanding Force Armarouge, and Choice Band Mudsdale to take the offensive against your opponent.
Even Mimikyu can set the Trick Room and add Swords Dance to utilize Play Rough and hit 130 base power damage to your opponent's Pokemon with the use of the Iron Ball item.
Balance Offense
Team: Garchomp, Gyarados, Talonflame, Gardevoir, Hydreigon, Amoonguss
As we see more competition unfold in the VGC scene, we're expecting to see more trainers utilize a balance offense team than a focused Tailwind hyper offense team. Set to have high speed control with Talonflame's Tailwind (at full HP) and Choice Scarf Gardevoir, this enables the option for trainers to use Trick on an opponent's Pokemon to give them the Choice Scarf and have them locked in for the move.
The offense of this particular team will be coming from Swords Dance Garchomp with Clear Amulet, Dragon Dance Gyarados with Lum Berry, and Life Orb-three attacks Hydreigon. As for the defense, Occa Berry Amoonguss can withstand even strong fire-type moves while providing invaluable support via redirection with Rage Powder, Clear Smog for eliminating stat boosts, and Spore to put enemies to sleep.
Gholdengo Ceruledge Bulky Offense
Team: Gholdengo, Murkrow, Dragonite, Hydreigon, Ceruledge, Gengar
Say what you want but this team composition can easily dominate the VGC scene. Murkrow and Gholdengo have won several tournaments, especially in the first season of Ranked Battles. Choice Specs Gholdengo hits hard with Make It Rain, especially after Terrastalizing as a steel type. Pair this up with a Murkrow that provides Tailwind alongside Haze that can reset special attack drops from your main attack, Make It Rain.
Providing more offense in the team, Clear Amulet Ceruledge with three attacks and the move Bulk Up can make it pretty tough to beat as it can heal up any damage taken with the help of Bitter Blade's HP restoration. Gengar, provided with speed control through Icy Wind, can fire off Hypnosis to even the battlefield and put opponents to sleep rendering them disabled for up to three turns.
Lastly, a double dragon core of an Assault Vest Normal Tera type Dragonite and a Life Orb-three attacks Fire Tera type Hydreigon can dish out powerful Extreme Speed and Heat Wave to hit opponent Pokemon hard.
Of course, there are a lot of different Pokemon team compositions that you can still try and check out with the meta of Pokemon VGC always changing every now and then. Especially with the addition of Terrastalizing, matches can be more challenging than it was before. Pokemon Ranked Battle Best Team Compositions can be very tricky and hard to understand at first but we hope that this list makes it a little easy for you to manage. Make sure to check in to get the latest news, updates, and events on the Pokemon VGC scene here on ClutchPoints Gaming! Best of luck, Trainers!
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