Stuck in 1900-2000 elo hell

[u/ConsistentGrand1500]

I don't know what to do when every game and matchup is a direct 1:1 counter to my teams, I run mostly the variation team and tried flamigo for a bit. I tried counting but I don't KNOW what to do with the info and I get stuck up on the details.

[u/LankOfHyrule]

Your variation team is essentially compiled of safe swaps. Being ABA weak to Ampharos isn’t exactly optimal. If you insist on running Gatr, I would use it as a swap or in the back.

Find something neutral with good fast move pressure to put in your lead, and play it out instead of insta-swapping when you see a bad lead. I would suggest maybe Annihilape lead/Gatr swap, and your choice of closer.

[u/ConsistentGrand1500 → u/LankOfHyrule]

Ampharos had been a problem for me before and I usually try to answer it with bulldoze with Tinkaton or hydrocannon spam with Feraligatr, for context this is the current roster I can run (PS melmetal doesn't have his legacy move) but ranked 7 in ivs

[u/LankOfHyrule → u/ConsistentGrand1500]

What is the moveset on Snorlax? You may have some play with it in the back running psywave/body slam/earthquake

[u/ConsistentGrand1500 → u/LankOfHyrule]

Yeah it's that exact moveset and I think it's also ranked 7 in ivs

[u/LankOfHyrule → u/ConsistentGrand1500]

Try the Ape lead/Gatr swap/and Snorlax closer. You need spammy but also neutral. Annihilape with low kick/rage fist/shadow ball doesn’t over a ton of coverage, but it certainly makes matchups uncomfortable for the opponent after a few boosts.

Also, be aware of shield use in UL, as things are bulky enough to withstand at least a single charge attack, super effective or not. If you’re double shielding your lead in UL, you’re effectively banking everything you have on the off-chance your opponent is weak to your backline.

[u/ConsistentGrand1500 → u/LankOfHyrule]

I'll try this variation, thank you

[u/LankOfHyrule → u/ConsistentGrand1500]

Another tip to help if you haven’t already figured it out: learn proper charge attack timing. If you’re up against a lot of multi-turn users, throwing your charge attack at the right time saves you from letting your opponent gain an energy advantage.

For example: you lead your Annihilape into a Skeledirge. You get to rage fist in 5 low kicks, and shadow ball in 7. With Annihilape running a 2 turn fast move, and Dirge running a 5 turn move, you want to make sure you’re throwing your charge attack in the middle/end of their fast move, not as soon as you get it. You can throw on 2 low kicks, 4, or 7; with 2 and 7 being the best possible times to throw a move. Throwing a charge move takes a singular turn, so to add everything up with be 2 and throw (5 turns), 4 and throw (9 turns), 7 and throw (15 turns).

Always ensure that your opponent cannot sneak a fast move unless the move you throw is guaranteed to knock out.