Best Team for Kitakami Prologue Cup

This is a strategy guide and complete explanation of a Balance Team for the Kitakami Prologue Online Competition with Pokemon from the Kitakami Pokedex 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.

Kitakami Prologue Cup Balance Team Summary and Rental Code

Rental Code	G1R6R3

This team makes use of Illumise's Prankster Tailwind, with Blood Moon Ursaluna offering the team a slow mode, but can still function in Tailwind. Ogerpon and Gyarados are present here as well, giving the team a Grass-Fire-Water Core while making use of only two Pokemon.

A Maus Ape Core is also in the team, which can steamroll opponents with no access to redirection, with Population Bomb Maushold being able to take surprise knock outs in a best-of-one setting.

The team seeks to set up an attacker and attempt to sweep, taking full advantage of the absence of popular meta threats such as Flutter Mane, Iron Hands, and Amoonguss in the Kitakami Prologue limited format.

Attention!	Rental Teams are not allowed in the Kitakami Prologue. Users are free to build this team in-game, or use the Rental Code in Regulation E Ranked Battles or Casual Battles.

Kitakami Prologue Cup Balance Team Movesets & Best Builds

Bulk Up Annihilape Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	252 HP / 52 Atk / 140 Def / 60 Sp. Def / 4 Spe
Final Stat Values	217 HP / 156 Atk / 118 Def / 118 Sp. Def / 111 Spe
Ability	Defiant
Tera Type
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・ Rage Fist ・ Drain Punch ・ Bulk Up ・ Protect

Annihilape is the team's Defiant Pokemon, which may prove necessary in the Kitakami Prologue, as the format features plenty of strong Intimidate Pokemon.

A Fire Tera is chosen to give Annihilape an immunity to Will-O-Wisp. Leftovers gives bulky Annihilape incremental recovery.

Annihilape Movesets and Best Builds

Dragon Dance Gyarados Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	252 Atk / 4 Sp. Def / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	170 HP / 177 Atk / 99 Def / 121 Sp. Def / 121 Spe
Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Lum Berry
Moveset	・ Waterfall ・ Tera Blast ・ Dragon Dance ・ Protect

Dragon Dance Gyarados is in the team to take advantage of its valuable Flying-type coverage, which may prove very useful in the Kitakami Prologue because of the abundance of strong Grass-types.

It will usually be in a position to sweep after a single Dragon Dance, making it a powerful threat that opponents must always be addressed.

Gyarados Movesets and Best Builds

Prankster Illumise Moveset and Best Build

Nature	Impish (+Def, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	252 HP / 156 Def / 100 Sp. Def
Final Stat Values	172 HP / 67 Atk / 126 Def / 118 Sp. Def / 105 Spe
Ability	Prankster
Tera Type
Held Item	Focus Sash
Moveset	・ Pounce ・ Encore ・ Tailwind ・ Protect

Illumise is a rare sight in competitive play. But within the Kitakami Prologue's limited format, Illumise's access to both Prankster and Tailwind make it a very worthy inclusion to this team.

Encore can punish passive plays by locking opponents into a move, forcing them into a disadvantage.

Its only attacking Move is Pounce which works as a secondary means of Speed Control.

Population Bomb Maushold Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	150 HP / 127 Atk / 90 Def / 95 Sp. Def / 179 Spe
Ability	Technician
Tera Type
Held Item	Wide Lens
Moveset	・ Population Bomb ・ Beat Up ・ Follow Me ・ Protect

Population Bomb Maushold was a staple in Series 1 VGC early on in Scarlet and Violet's lifespan. It makes a return in this team, being especially effective in best-of-one formats like in the Kitakami Prologue.

Population Bomb can score cheeky knockouts on non-resisted hits, and will fail when Intimidated. Which it won't mind since Maushold will frequently be seen with Annihilape.

Beat Up is for increasing its partnered Annihilape's damage output from its Rage Fist, while Follow Me is for redirecting damage onto itself in a pinch.

It is worth noting that Technician Maushold is way less bulky compared to Friend Guard Maushold, and without Focus Sash, it is not likely to take plenty of hits. Be prepared to only use Follow Me a few times in a match.

Maushold Movesets and Best Builds

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	156 HP / 172 Atk / 104 Def / 116 Sp. Def / 178 Spe
Ability	Mold Breaker
Tera Type
Held Item	Hearthflame Mask
Moveset	・ Wood Hammer ・ Ivy Cudgel ・ Swords Dance ・ Spiky Shield

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) is a strong inclusion to this team, benefiting greatly from Illumise's Tailwind.

This build runs Swords Dance, which can help Ogerpon score decisive knock outs even more consistently. By Terastallizing, Ogerpon can get another Attack boost, making it even more threatening on offense.

Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon (Fire) Movesets and Best Builds

Fast Bloodmoon Ursaluna Moveset and Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	44 HP / 4 Def / 252 Sp. Atk / 4 Sp. Def / 204 Spe
Final Stat Values	194 HP / 141 Def / 205 Sp. Atk / 86 Sp. Def / 98 Spe
Ability	Mind's Eye
Tera Type
Held Item	Throat Spray
Moveset	・ Hyper Voice ・ Earth Power ・ Blood Moon ・ Protect

Bloodmoon Ursaluna offers your team a slow mode, and a means to function against opposing Trick Room teams. Do note that Ursaluna will still underspeed dedicated Trick Room Pokemon in Trick Room. With Tailwind, Ursaluna's 98 Speed Total can go up to 196, allowing it to outspeed even Ogerpon variants.

Hyper Voice works in conjunction with Throat Spray, giving Bloodmoon Ursaluna a +1 Special Attack boost after successfully connecting with it.

Blood Moon gives Ursaluna a powerful single-target option, while Earth Power gives it an out against Steel and Rock-types, notably Ogerpon Cornerstone Mask, which it may struggle against.

Bloodmoon Ursaluna Movesets and Best Builds

Kitakami Prologue Cup Balance Team Strategies and Synergies

Best Four to Bring into Battle

Maus Ape

Maushold

Annihilape

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask)

Gyarados

Against teams with no redirection, Maus Ape is a strong duo to lead with. Use Beat Up on Annihilape with Maushold, and have both Pokemon sweep through unprepared teams. Against teams with Fake Out, using your Tera on Maushold may prove crucial to winning the match.

Ogerpon and Gyarados can round out the back end of the team, picking off your opponent's remaining Pokemon while having the option of Intimidate with Gyarados.

Illumise and Ogerpon

Illumise

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask)

Gyarados

Bloodmoon Ursaluna

Illumise is an effective lead, especially with a strong offensive Pokemon like Ogerpon and Gyarados.

Ogerpon and Gyarados fulfill the requirements for a Grass-Fire-Water Core, but using only two Pokemon instead of three. Having either of them at the back of this team composition can often allow you to have a backup offensive threat for later in the match.

Bloodmoon Ursaluna can also work as a win condition if the opponent has run out of ways to hit it for super-effective damage in the late game.

Illumise and Bloodmoon Ursaluna

Illumise

Bloodmoon Ursaluna

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask)

Gyarados

Illumise can support fast Bloodmoon Ursaluna with Tailwind, and can also be an effective nuisance for your opponent with its Encore and Pounce options. As with the previous team compositions seen above, Gyarados and Ogerpon are strong Pokemon to have for cleaning up in the later stages of a match.

When to Terastallize

Boost STAB Moves

Bloodmoon Ursaluna Tera Type:

Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) Tera Type:

Gyarados Tera Type:

Bloodmoon Ursaluna, Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask), and Gyarados all have the option to further boost their offense through Terastallization.

Terastallize when it feels safe and let one of the team's powerful sweepers take over the match!

Terastallize Defensively

Illumise Tera Type:

Annihilape Tera Type:

Maushold Tera Type:

Illumise has Tera Ghost, which will let it get an immunity to Fake Out without having to use Protect. This will often be a poor Tera choice, however, but the option may be relevant in some matches.

Annihilape can Tera Fire, which can prove vital in matchups against the likes of Dusclops who may attempt to Burn it with Will-O-Wisp.

Maushold also makes use of Tera Ghost, giving it an immunity to both Fake Out and Fighting-type Attacks.

Beware of Trick Room

Dusclops Frisk

Sinistcha Hospitality

While the team does have a slow mode in Bloodmoon Ursaluna, dedicated Trick Room teams may prove difficult to go against.

Use Illumise and lock an opponent into a disadvantageous move with Encore, or attempt to deny Trick Room completely with offense and super-effective Attacks after identifying the Trick Room setter.

Prepare for Redirection

Clefairy Friend Guard

Sinistcha Hospitality

Redirection is effective counterplay to Maus Ape, being able to redirect Maushold's Beat Up away from Annihilape, making the duo less effective. When in team preview, carefully identify which Pokemon have redirection from the opponent's team and craft a gameplan around eliminating that Pokemon as soon as possible.

Kitakami Prologue Dates and Details

October 6, 00:00 UTC - October 8, 23:59 UTC

Schedule	Registration Date: 2023/10/02 00:00 UTC to 2023/10/08 23:59 UTC
	Event Duration: 2023/10/06 00:00 UTC to 2023/10/08 23:59 UTC
Info	You may sign up and join this event from the start of the sign-up period to the end of the competition period!
Available Pokemon	・Kitakami Pokedex
Banned Pokemon	・Alolan Raichu ・Alolan Sandslash ・Alolan Ninetales ・Hisuian Arcanine ・Alolan Golem ・Paldean Wooper ・Hisuian Goodra ・Ursaluna

Sign-ups for the Kitakami Prologue began on October 2, allowing participants to register up until the last minute of this event on October 8!

The competition itself went on for three days over the weekend of October 6 to October 8 which has now ended.

Kitakami Prologue Online Competition

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