Staraptor & Raichu VGC Team Guide | Pokémon Champions
Summary
The Pokémon Champions | VGC Battles & Tournaments server features a detailed breakdown of a unique Staraptor and Raichu team. This post explores strategic synergies like the Whimsicott-Staraptor combo and Farigiraf's utility, while seeking community feedback to overcome meta challenges against Zard Y and Venusaur. It is a great resource for players looking to refine their competitive builds and climb the Master Ball rankings.
Team: https://pokepast.es/48acdf141e27f625
Raichu and Basculegion help to challenge and prevent current strategies, such as Zard Y and Blastoise. Raichu sits most games, but when it is needed it always delivers and prevents a sweep from what would otherwise be a threat to the whole team.
Farigaraf is an overall controlling unit on the field. Like Wolfey's two of the main purposes is to stop priority (Usually switched in beside the megas to help get a quick kill on a threat) and to help reverse trick room if needed. It has Twin Beam and Thunderbolt to help provide extra help on killing things like Sneasler and helping finish off a strong Flying attacker.
The Whimsicott and Staraptor dynamic is a key part of this team. Whimsicott can set up tailwind and use charm on Staraptor to raise its attack by 2. Staraptor is running the usual set as Close Combat helps raise the defenses and along with Brave Bird be able to deal great damage. I also run Roost on it as it does spend a lot of time close to getting knocked out, and helps bring it back into more reasonable HP when it can.
Excadrill is there to help kill big megas like Tyranitar (Usually wih Raichu) or Fairy type issues like Floette or Sylveon. It can also set up with Swords Dance and Rock Slide finishes off the moveset, as an overall just great move to have in situations. I have concidered switching Swords Dance to Protect, but am still on the fence.
Overall the team works alright, but I need some help figuring out how to improve it. Im Master Ball 4 but cannot get my ranking into the top 50k,m have struggle keeping in top 75k. It struggles against Zard Y Venusaur duo, but other than that there is no real theme that I can find.
I really prefer tickle on raptor
Whims gets to either make stuff easier to hit or raptor gets to be more heavily protected
Also helps reset arch
I also would consider grass knot over fake out on Raichu y
I always ran charm because I used it as after to nullify attackers, but the defense change also would do well because of special threats. Grass knots a great idea, I am finding myself using fake out less as time goes on.
Just ran into a battle fake out would have been really good, idk which to run on it since both have their uses
I reallllly dislike how little protects you have
Other than that this seems fine outside my other points
You do have a couple solid answers to both zard and saur. Do you reckon its more of a fine tuning issue with the calcs? what exactly do you struggle with with those two?
The venusaur is able to get sleep powder in before I can do anything no matter what my starters are
even if i get up tailwind brave bird it has sash and sleep powders
Not sure theres much counterplay to that except double upp & praying to rngesus
