Best Defensive Singles Rental Team for VGC & Competitive

This is a strategy guide and complete explanation of a Defensive Singles Team for Ranked Battle in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for the team's rental code and tips on how to use this team effectively in competitive play, recommended movesets and best builds, and strategies and synergies for each Pokemon.

Defensive Team Summary and Rental Code

Rental Code	CL6W9Y

This defensive-oriented team features Grimmsnarl as a lead to set up Reflect and Light Screen, bolstering the rest of the team's bulk and making it easier for them to switch in and setup.

Pokemon like Cloyster and Volcarona appreciate the added bulk dual screens provides, allowing them to use their stat boosting moves Shell Smash and Quiver Dance two or three times to then sweep the opposing team.

Defensive Team Movesets & Best Builds

Dual Screens Grimmsnarl Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 244 / Def 204 / Spe 60
Final Stat Values	HP 201 / Def 122 / Sp.Atk 103 / Sp.Def 95 /Spe 88
Ability	Prankster
Tera Type
Held Item	Light Clay
Moveset	・ Foul Play ・ Reflect ・ Light Screen ・ Taunt

Grimmsnarl's ability to set up dual screens makes it an invaluable member of this team and will always function as lead support for any team composition.

Apart from setting up Reflect and Light Screen, Grimmsnarl also shuts down opposing support and defensive Pokemon with Taunt and threatens physical setup sweepers with Foul Play.

Grimmsnarl Movesets and Best Builds

Life Orb Dragonite Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly (+Spe, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 4 / Atk 252 / Spe 252
Final Stat Values	HP 167 / Atk 186 / Def 115 / Sp.Def 120 / Spe 145
Ability	Multiscale
Tera Type
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・ Dragon Claw ・ Earthquake ・ Extreme Speed ・ Dragon Dance

Dragonite is a fearsome setup sweeper thanks to its Multiscale Ability which reduces the damage it receives by 50% when it's at full health. This allows it to set up with Dragon Dance several timmes and overpower its enemies with Dragon Claw and Earthquake.

This build uses Tera Normal type to give it Normal STAB on Extreme Speed, while also removing its common weaknesses to Fairy, Ice, and Rock-type moves.

Dragonite Movesets and Best Builds

Quiver Dance Volcarona Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spe 252
Final Stat Values	HP 161 / Def 85 / Sp.Atk 205 / Sp.Def 125 / Spe
Ability	Flame Body
Tera Type
Held Item	Heavy-Duty Boots
Moveset	・ Fiery Dance ・ Psychic ・ Giga Drain ・ Quiver Dance

Volcarona synergizes well with Dragonite, switching into Ice and Fairy-types looking to check its partner. Great natural bulk and Quiver Dance make Volcarona a formidable sweeper, with Fiery Dance also having a chance to increase its Special Attack.

Volcarona struggles against Water-types, but by terastallizing into a Grass-type, it can catch its usual checks and counters off guard with a STAB Giga Drain.

Shell Smash Cloyster Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	Atk 252 / Def 4 / Spe 252
Final Stat Values	HP 125 / Atk 161 /Def 201 / Sp.Def 65 / Spe 122
Ability	Skill Link
Tera Type
Held Item	Lum Berry
Moveset	・ Icicle Spear ・ Ice Shard ・ Drill Run ・ Shell Smash

Cloyster is a powerful setup sweeper that can overpower enemies with Skill Link ensuring icicle Spear hits the maximum 5 times, and can further boost its offenses with Shell Smash. It's Ice-typing, however, makes it easy to revenge kill and vulnerable to very common attacking types such as Rock and Fighting-type moves.

This makes Grimmsnarl a great partner for it, with dual screens ensuring it gets at least one Shell Smash safely, to then sweep the opposing team with its powerful Ice-type STAB.

Nasty Plot Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 244 / Def 4 / Sp.Atk 244 / Spe 12
Final Stat Values	HP 193 / Def 116 / Sp.Atk 202 / Sp.Def 112 / Spe 106
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Covert Cloak
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Nasty Plot ・ Recover

Gholdengo is a powerful special attacker that is very difficult to switch in to once it has set up Nasty Plot boosts. Its Good as Gold Ability also makes it nearly impossible to wear down since it is immune to Status moves. With Covert Cloak, this Gholdengo is also protected from moves with secondary effects that can lower its Special Attack or inflict status.

With the given EVs and Recover, Gholdengo can stay on the field for a long time and overwhelm the opposing team with STAB Shadow Ball and Make it Rain.

Pivot Wash Rotom Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 252 / Sp.Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values	HP 157 / Def 127 / Sp.Atk 172 / Sp.Def 128 / Spe 106
Ability	Levitate
Tera Type
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・ Hydro Pump ・ Volt Switch ・ Tera Blast ・ Nasty Plot

Wash Rotom's great typing and access to Nasty Plot makes it a great bulky attacker and pivot for this defensive team. Hydro Pump is a strong Water-type STAB while Volt Switch allows it to pivot to Grimmsnarl or another attacker in the event it encounters a check.

This Wash Rotom has Fairy Tera type, allowing it to take on its usual counters - Dragapult and Hydreigon, and surprise them with a STAB super effective Tera Blast.

Defensive Team Strategies and Synergies

Defensive Strategy: Setup and Sweep

1	Send out Grimmsnarl and setup dual screens Use the move according to your opponent's first Pokemon: ・Physical attacker: Setup Reflect. ・Special attacker: Light Screen ・Defensive / Support: Taunt
2	Use Taunt and Foul Play With both screens set up, use Taunt to prevent defensive Pokemon from using their own support moves, or use Foul Play against physical attackers boosting their offenses. Note: Make sure to switch out Grimmsnarl before the screens expire.
3	or + Switch in your main attackers With dual screens up, switch in your main attacker. Both Volcarona and Dragonite are great options since the added defenses from screens allows them to boost with Quiver Dance and Dragon Dance more than once. Note: When switching in Cloyster, avoid boosting too much with Shell Smash since it lowers its defenses by one stage.
4	→ Switch in another attacker if you encounter a check If your main attacker goes down or it encounters a check, pivot out to your other attacker. Cloyster is a great sub attacker since its Skill Link Ability allows it to take on Sturdy and Focus Sash users.

The general strategy with this team is to setup dual screens with Grimmsnasrl so that you can switch in your main attackers safely and ensure that they get enough buffs from their boosting moves. Although this is a defensive team, choosing two bulky setup sweepers ensure you keep the pressure on your opponent.

When to Use Gholdengo and Wash Rotom

Use Against Bulky Water, Fire, and Ground-types

Dondozo

Skeledirge

Clodsire

The party's offensive competition makes it easy to check with defensive Water, Fire, and Ground-types. Skeledirge, in particular, ignores both Volcarona and Dragonite's boosts while being resistant or neutral to their attacks.

If you notice that your opponent has these Pokemon on the team preview, consider using Gholdengo or Wash Rotom as sub attackers to overpower these defensive Pokemon.

Use Against Garganacl

Nature	Sassy (+Sp. Def, -Spe)
EV Spread	244 HP / 12 Def / 252 Sp. Def
IVs	0 Spe
Final Stat Values	206 HP / 120 Atk / 167 Def / 142 Sp. Def / 36 Spe
Ability	Purifying Salt
Tera Type
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・ Salt Cure ・ Body Press ・ Iron Defense ・ Recover

Garganacl is one of the most common defensive pivots in Ranked Battle Series 1, with its Purifying Salt Ability giving it complete immunity to Status moves. Physical attackers like Dragonite struggle against it, even with coverage moves like Earthquake since it can also boost its Defense with Iron Defense.

Both Gholdengo and Wash Rotom are great checks to Gholdengo thanks to their resistances. Gholdengo, in particular can OHKO Garganacl even without a Nasty Plot boost and its Covert Cloak protects it from the residual damage from Salt Cure.

When to Terastallize

Use to Remove Weaknesses

Volcarona Tera Type:

Dragonite Tera Type:

Volcarona and Dragonite have 4x weaknesses which hamper their ability to stay in long matches, especially when facing Pokemon that can take advantage of their Rock and Ice-type weaknesses respectively.

By terastallizing, these attackers eliminate their weaknesses and are able to setup against their usual checks and counters.

Boost STAB Moves

Cloyster Tera Type:

Gholdengo Tera Type:

Terastallizing is also an option if you want to further boost the power of your Pokemon's STAB moves. Both Cloyster and Gholdengo appreciate the additional STAB boost to their attacks, allowing them to deal heavy damage even defensive Pokemon even without boosts.

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