I thought that it’d probably be a shame if the gen6 sample teams didn’t have a team with Kerfluffle in it, the last creation in the gen and one of the more successful CAPs for its time. Unveiling...
AT A GLANCE:
Pokemon: Kerfluffle / Manaphy / Cyclohm / Jirachi / Tomohawk / Mega Crucibelle
Team Archetype: Bulky Offense
Key Members / Cores: Specs Kerfluffle + Manaphy, Cyclohm + Jirachi + Tomohawk, pivoting from Kerfluffle / Mega Crucibelle / Jirachi to support a Manaphy setup
Difficulty: **** (mostly you’ll be playing around their moves since it’s not foolproof versus every Pokémon, but likely you’ll have enough offensive pressure to make some plays)
TEAM STRATEGY:
The idea of this team is to wallbreak with Kerfluffle + Mega Crucibelle and then have Manaphy sweep late-game. The team has a core of Cyclohm + Jirachi + Tomohawk in the back to cover myself defensively versus most Pokémon in the meta, but there’s always stuff like opposing Kerfluffle which could become a problem if you let Mega Crucibelle and Jirachi get weakened too early. Pivoting options like Kerfluffle, Jirachi, and Mega Crucibelle help Manaphy come in versus Pokémon like SpD Jirachi and Landorus-T, which Manaphy can promptly setup on. Jirachi is my Stealth Rocker and can be used liberally, as likely you’ll use it for Healing Wish at the end, in case you ever want to revive a weakened Pokémon at the end to seal the game, like Mega Crucibelle or Manaphy to attempt another sweep. Tomohawk is the premier Ground-type stop on this team and is the defensive set to help it accomplish this as reliably as possible versus Pokémon like Excadrill. Generally with this team, you’re aiming to pivot around for your wallbreakers and Manaphy to do some action, and then hopefully secure a sweep at the end of the game.
CHECKS AND COUNTERS:
Kerfluffle: It basically outspeeds my entire team and speedties with my Kerfluffle, and can threaten big damage with Life Orb/Specs Focus Blast versus everything. Generally you’ll probably find yourself using Jirachi at first to switch into those Focus Blasts, and then Crucibelle (if you didn’t Mega) next to try and Regenerator away some of that damage, but it is definitely a threat. Don’t let it come in too many times for free or else it’ll hurt.
Aurumoth: Illusion is kind of busted and if I can’t figure out that the opposing Pokémon is an Aurumoth in hiding and gets off a Quiver Dance, you’re basically sacking Tomohawk to Haze away the boosts and try to revenge kill it with Kerfluffle/Mega Crucibelle. If you see the opponent has an Aurumoth in team preview, getting up Stealth Rocks early is essential to try to scout it better.
Tomohawk: Life Orb Tomohawk hurts since it’s coverage of Hurricane + Earth Power hits my typical Flying-resists, making it hard to beat defensively. However, you can threaten it out with Kerfluffle and if it’s weakened, Mega Crucibelle. Definitely another Pokémon you’ll have to make some plays around and watch out for.
Jirachi: If it’s carrying Wish, it basically walls 4 of the Pokémon on this team. However, if not running Body Slam/Thunder Wave, it’s setup bait for Manaphy and Cyclohm can make it not want to stay in.
Mega-Crucibelle: Since my Jirachi doesn’t carry Wish, this can basically wear down it to the point where it can’t check what it wants to. However that takes a couple of Head Smashes to get it into that range, and you do have Cyclohm to try to Static paralyze it in the back and Kerfluffle with Specs HP Ground if it gets out of control with Coil.