VGC Trick Room Guide: Farigiraf, Staraptor & Araquanid Tips
Summary
The Pokémon Champions | VGC Battles & Tournaments server discusses optimizing Trick Room teams for the current regulation. This guide evaluates the viability of the Farigiraf and Staraptor Final Gambit lead while suggesting Araquanid as a superior alternative to Grapploct. Members share tactical advice on using Armor Tail, Wide Guard, and effective team building to improve competitive performance.
I've been making a trickroom team with Mawile and Ampharos.
I remember that the opening with Farigiraf and Staraptor Final Gambit was very used in that kind of teams, but is still good in this regulation? Or there are other openings that are better?
Also, I don't know if Grapploct is good for soak, should I use Araquanid instead?
Farigiraf + Scarf Staraptor can still work, but I’d treat Final Gambit as a matchup option rather than the automatic turn-one play. Armor Tail helps protect the lead from opposing Fake Out, but it doesn’t stop regular-priority Taunt or attacks. Gambit deals Staraptor’s current HP, so taking damage first reduces it; Protect blocks it and Ghost-types are immune. Keep U-turn as the escape route when there isn’t a useful trade.
I’d test Araquanid over Grapploct here: Liquidation / Soak / Wide Guard / Protect with Water Bubble. It contributes meaningful damage under Trick Room even when you don’t need Soak, and Wide Guard gives your slow attackers protection from spread attacks. You don’t need to spend a turn on Soak every game just because it’s available.
