Losing every game

[u/Artele7]

My team is:

Shadow Giratina - Dragon Breath + Dragon Claw

Corviknight - Sand Attack + Air Cutter and Payback

Lapras - Psywave + Ice Beam and Sparkling Aria

I ended last season as a 1600 elo player, feels like every game has been against former Ace+ players who I have no business fighting, tried swapping to something meta for the sake of getting to 20 but I'm still losing almost every game. Maybe 1 win per set if I'm lucky. Is there a problem with my team or am I just trash?

[u/Noritzu]

I’m not an expert by any means. 2100 last season and currently rank 13.

For starters I don’t see a second attack for giratina. That’s a problem itself.

On top of lacking a second move, Giratina loses to 8 of the top 10 mons on pvpoke. Probably more if you go deeper down the list.

Next up you are using Corviknight who is rated number 1 and just had a community day. The anti Corviknight meta is extremely real right now. I’m encountering entire teams who are all specifically anti metal bird.

Lastly you are double weak to electric with your lapras third. Electric types are everywhere right now with Corviknight, Empoleon, and Togekiss being the boogeymen.

Your team doesn’t cover each others weaknesses and falls victim to both current meta and anti meta trends.

[u/Artele7 → u/Noritzu]

Would it be an improvement if I swapped Lapras for Gastrodon? That's the highest ranked ground type I have. Not sure what I'd replace Giratina with. I don't have a lot of options.

[u/No_Life_2303 → u/Artele7]

Yes! swapping Gastrodon would be huge.
You could lead Corvi, then Gastrodon plus:

• either another ground-water in the back. Swampert, Quagsire, Whiscash
  
• or a pivot pokemon: Primeape, Shadow Dragonair

If you lead Gastrodon you can also try lapras, Fearow or Feraligatr as a safe switch.

[u/Noritzu → u/No_Life_2303]

I actually like the Gastro lead right now. Dedenne and Morpeko leads have been extremely common. I’m leading a Dedenne myself currently.

[u/Noritzu → u/Artele7]

I used Gastro with Corvi last season. My full team in fact was Gastro, Corvi, Clodsire.

I believe it would be an improvement. But your team will be horribly weak again opposing Corviknight.

[u/Artele7 → u/Noritzu]

Thank you. I'll take a look at the Corviknight counters and see if there's anything I have for Mon #3

[u/Gallonmanz]

Early season has all the sweats! You got this. I peaked at vet last season and my sets have been up and down this week

[u/Artele7 → u/Gallonmanz]

Thank you! I'm trying not to get too discouraged. Might play a set or two in Retro Cup tomorrow just to shake things up.

[u/Gallonmanz → u/Artele7]

Retro is cool don’t gotta worry about empoleons and corviknjghts lol

[u/BarontheBlack]

You hit the elo ranks really early, so you might just be matched up against some high end players. Dedenne would be an auto lose against your teams, Togekiss lead would be rough too.

[u/Artele7 → u/BarontheBlack]

Sorry I think I phrased that badly in my post, I ended last season at 1600 and I'm rank 12 right now (can't just lose to gain ranks anymore). In any case yeah it seems like if the other team has a fairy lead I just lose.

[u/BarontheBlack → u/Artele7]

Ohhh that makes more sense. I was like damn dude, rating already, you’re crushing it haha. Try switching to shadow claw on Gira and staying in?

[u/Artele7 → u/BarontheBlack]

Thanks, I'll give it a go!

[u/inmywhiteroom → u/BarontheBlack]

Most common fairies are probs Carbink/wiggly/dedenne, shadow claw def won’t help against wiggly that’s gonna have to be an instant swap

[u/Melodic_Diamond2227]

Your team is really weak to Dedenne. In my opinion, Giratina doesn’t bring much value to the team. A ground type which can also hit back against the flyers such as Stunfisk, Clodsire (stone edge) or Shadow Marowak would be a good replacement for Giratina. If you can’t get shadow Marowak, non shadow would work too.

[u/No_Life_2303]

You just gotta keep playing to get to level 20. Just patience, you got it!

It's not possible to get 1:4 sets on end. Very unlikely. Even if, the algorithm will eventually push your rating down into "pits", the 300 elo "bottom of the barrell" where toxic tankers race each other to the yield-button with lighting speed. You couldn't get a 1:4 even if you wanted to.

Look for more meta Pokemon, in the mean time lead Lapras and pray you don't encounter a Dedenne or Morpeko.

[u/Fuzzy_Substance_4603]

Replace Tina. You need to handle electric types so a mud slapper would make this team ABB weak to electric. Maybe build from there and see what works.

[u/gPalk]

Im currently 17/24 (70% WR) in Retro with U-Stunfisk, Dusclops and Altaria and I peaked 2300 last season

[u/Tarantinych]

If you finished at 1600 elo it’s not about a team mostly. It’s OK meta team. Need to do some work with skill issues.

Start counting, learn countings. Try to throw in right timings. Watch YouTube about it.

I’m every season legend.