Team building is a bit chaotic in this format due to limited mons and set up sweeps. I’ll mention what I’ve seen along the way and how to game some encounters. The team that got me over the ultra ball hump is above.

Pokeball tier - all the teams are bad because no one has VP. A quick grind through this tier is the basic skills test for newbies. Nothing to say besides try to pull any good mons to get through. I had Delphox on this team originally to bring me through.

Great ball tier - a mix of actual teams and plain garbage. Generally the actual teams aren’t quite as skilled, where the garbage teams are more skilled but haven’t played the game long enough. It is here I started noticing how expensive training and items and mons are, as I ran out of VP a few and had to make do with static raichu. Also pulling mobs I realized the base sets are pure garbage. Why is my blaziken got max defense and defense nature with blaze ability? All need major training (blaziken the most by far). Once you get a team started you can make to ultra ball without too much struggle with some skill. 

Ultra ball requires actual good team building. I made it to this tier with mega Delphox , kinggambit, garchomp, primarina, raichu (not mega) and mega-meganium. I tied roughly 50/50 win losses but couldn’t progress. I noted important counters and teams so I revised. My biggest issues were garchomp speed ties, meowscarada, and a dying to everything Delphox. I needed to change my team so i swapped Delphox with blaziken, raichu to M-Chu-Y , and mefanium with whimsicott. The whimsicott it turns out I never used. But this team got me to master ball and I’ve won quite a few since. Now below are important match ups and how to steer this team.

Often the lead will be Raichu-Y and primarina. Primarina is shockingly strong, running sparkling aria, moonblast, energy ball, and protect. It can lead well into many common threats , preventing set up and guiding the battle how you want. They can one tap garchomp (and survive an EQ) , one shot blaziken, etc etc. this Mon is underrated as I’ve not seen anyone else use it. Raichu-Y is great lead most of the time, even if the opponent throws garchomp. Mine has zap cannon, focus blast, grass knot, and fake out. I generally lead fake out in case the opponent swaps to chomp or other mons. Then I play normally. My favorite part is when the opponent leads or swaps into garchomp for this reason below:

Enemy garchomps can 1-shot raichu with outrage (honestly probably dragon claw also). But they always click EQ because brain gets dopamine hit for super effective. But I swap into my garchomp, who now return kills your garchomp with outrage because I’m scarfed, because I got tired of dying and losing to garchomp speed ties. This has played an important factor in killing mons that normally outspend garchomp, giving surprise kills. Highly recommend this.

Blaziken is important when the opponent has many mons to deal with raichu or has nothing that threatens blaziken so you can get a free switch in and set of swords dance and kill everything. He’s very busted if you get the swords dance off. 

Kinggambit is for any ghost types or teams lacking fighting type. He just goes in and iron heads fairies or kowtow/sucker punches everything else. 

I haven’t found the need to use whimsicott yet. I figured he’d be useful for grass moves or set up tailwind maybe. 

Anyway give it a go, scarf your garchomp, use primarina, singles is fun but often annoying so be prepared 

Poke ball to Master ball, what I learned on the way