Italy Nationals - Seniors 7th Place Team Analysis

Hi! In this Team analysis I want to show you the team that I used at the 2014 Italy National Championships, my first VGC official competition, after just a year of playing VGC. I think that this team is really tough and i feel very confident with it, it also has a good sinergy between the members and it works really well - expecially in Senior division.
In march I won a local tournament with Aegislash, Gardevoir, Kangaskhan, Krookodile, Rotom-Heat and Amoonguss. Then, from March to May, I worked just on this team, and I finally get a solid team: the same as March's one with two changes, Azumarill on Gardevoir and Salamence on Krookodile. Just a week before the big event I put Lum Berry Garchomp on Amoonguss because i needed a good counter for the Khan-Artist combo. Here it is:

THE TEAM

SurrealPower (Kangaskhan) (F) @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Double-Edge
- Hammer Arm
- Sucker Punch

• 252 Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Hammer Arm vs. 84 HP / 12 Def Hydreigon: 180-213 (101.1 - 119.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
• 252 Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Hammer Arm vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Mega Kangaskhan: 168-198 (92.8 - 109.3%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
• 252 Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Double-Edge vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Mega Charizard Y: 181-216 (97.8 -116.7%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
• 252 Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Double-Edge vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Rotom-W: 136-162 (86.6 - 103.1%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

The only mega that I've used till January was a Dragon Dance MegaTyranitar (yeah, before everybody use it at worlds), but after thinking about Senior's metagame I ended up with the decision that Kangaskhan could be a good Pokémon: Fake Out support, fantastic output damage, the ability to counter the opponent's Kangaskhan with Hammer Arm. She's basically the MVP of the team. She provides a great support to Azumarill (I've used Belly Drum every game that I lead Kangaskhan-Azumarill) and also has a good priority move to finish off other Pokémon with not much HP left. I've runned a max Speed Jolly Kangaskhan just to be in speed tie with the other Kangaskhan. Fun fact: I didn't found any Jolly Kangaskhan or Khan-Artist combo at the event. Damn.

Rock Paper (Garchomp) (F) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Standard boring 4 HP Garchomp. I added it to the team just because it counters very well the always hated Khan-Artist combo, and I also used it to have a better matchup against some popular megas: Kangaskhan, Mawile, Manectric and Charizard. Nothing else to say, just a mainstream Pokémon that works well with its teammates.

Eddie (Aegislash) (M) @ Lefovers
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- King's Shield
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon

One of the best Pokémon right now, Aegislash was added on the team due to is insane bulkyness and offensive power. It also counters Kangaskhan, one of the most common Pokémon in Senior division, and I think that Aegislash give to whatever team a good switch-in option. I really hate the 252/252 spread, but I didn't found any better (maybe the Simon Yip's bulky one, but I read his report just after Italy Nationals) and I don't want to lost any Special Attack point. In my opinion the Modest Nature is the best Nature for an Aegislash: it reach a speed stat of 80, outspeeding Adamant Mawile (the Quiet Aegislash doesn't outspeed it) and it can make a Substitute before a possible Fire Fang.
This Pokémon is amazing, test it. For sure.

Mence Meat (Salamence) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
- Sleep Talk

Another dragon and another 252/252 spread. I really needed something to outspeed and KO Garchomp and Greninja (remember, I was in the Senior Divion. In the Master Division I'll probably use the Specs set, I love it) and Salamence was the perfect Pokémon for that purpose. I got addicted to Intimidate to the point that I lost the third top8 match against a Wigglytuff (a +2 Wigglytuff that spams Critical Hits for three turn isn't good). I chose Fire Blast over Flametrower to 2HKO Amoonguss and Aegislash, and OHKO Wolfe's bulky Mega Lucario. I decided on Modest Nature to deal more damage (mostly to Kangaskhan) because I never run into Salamence mirrors and most people run Timid anyway. I probably should have moved some EV's from Speed to HP and/or both defences as this speed stat isn't supposes to do anything special and having some extra bulk is always a good idea. Sleep Talk is another way to contrast the Khan-Artist, that I predicted will be very common at Nationals. 

Rikka (Rotom-Heat) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 140 SAtk / 12 SDef / 60 Spd
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Overheat

• 252+ Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Return vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Rotom-H: 126-150 (80.2 - 95.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
• 140+ SpA Rotom-H Overheat vs. 252 HP / 196+ SpD Mega Mawile: 152-180 (96.8 - 114.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
• 252 Atk Garchomp Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Rotom-H: 58-70 (36.9 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
• 252 Atk burned Garchomp Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Rotom-H: 29-35 (18.4%-22.2%) -- possible 5HKO

I needed a Fire-Type and I choose Rotom-Heat due to its ability to stay in and cripple physical attackers. It's also one of the few Pokémon on this team that don't mind taking a hit from Mawile (apart Rock Slide or Stone Edge, obviously).
I use this Pokémon since January, and I've tested all the Rotom-H set: Sitrus Berry + Light Screen, Life Orb HP Ice, Weakness Policy, and finally get the (in my opinion) best one. I didn't want to lose to an Azumarill-Amoonguss combo, so i chose Safety Goggles to avoid the Amoonguss Rage Powder and can hit whichever Pokémon i wanted. The Safety Goggles also are a great way to counter the Sun Teams, but i founded zero of them, just a Charizard OHKO'ed by Kangaskhan's Double-Edge. Will-O-Wisp provides to halves the physical attack stat, and paired with Intimidate, it did a great job against Kangaskhan. The EV's are explained in the calcs, but now I'll explain you why 60 Speed EV's. This 60 Speed EVs let Rotom outspeed all the Rotom that I faced and neutral nature Tyranitar, which was a huge mistake of mine, I actually should have made it outspeed Adamant Bisharp.

Yaya (Azumarill) (M) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 212 HP / 196 Atk / 52 Def / 36 SDef / 12 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Belly Drum
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough

Probably the co-MVP of the team, Azumarill was paired with Kangaskhan really often to get a Belly Drum off, and, after, sweep entire teams alone.
The moveset is the standard Belly Drum Azumarill one, but let me explain you the EV's spread.
212 HP EV's to activate the Sitrus Berry after a Belly Drum, 196 Atk EVs let Azumarill OHKO Garchomp before any boost and OHKO Salamence with -1 Play Rough + Aqua Jet. 52 Def EV's and 36 SDef EV's gives Azumarill a great bulkyness, it can also take a Thunderbolt from Max SAtk Rotom. Finally, the 12 Speed EV's let it outspeed the popular Zog's Azumarill with 4 Speed EV's.
I love that Pokémon and that EV's spread, I made it with a friend (and his nickame was the Azumarill's nickname). During a battle this Azumarill with a +6 boost has OHKO a full healt Garchomp with Aqua Jet with just a 40% chance to OHKO it.

Overall, this team was really fun to use, and after this analysis I'll probably give it another shot on Showdown, after some changes, like Salamence's EV set.
There are some new threats in the metagame that this team wouldn't perform very well (like Simon Yip's Us Nationals Team, an over-supported MegaBlastoise), but back in April and May i had an high win/lose ratios with it on PS! and managed to top the ladder once or twice. Thanks for reading, I hope that I'll do better next year in the Master Division and that I can afford my Worlds trip next year.

Final Position: 3rd after Swiss Rounds, 7th overall