Created a sort of volt turn team with only alolan mons and mantine (who just got a buff in gen 7 so it counts) so I could try out some of the new stuff. But I really fell in love with the team through my hours on showdown with it. However I realize that the team could use some improvements (especially on the hazard side) so I decided to post it here.
Here is the pastebin: http://pastebin.com/CXKmRedd
Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Air Slash
- Roost
- Defog
This was the mon that i created the team around as I thought it was great with the new buffs. Probably one of the best pure spdef tanks in the game right now, it's only real weaknesses being physical rock type moves and electric types but we'll deal with that later. Only thing else to say is that I'm close to replacing air slash with toxic because I'm tired of not being able to exchange toxic with other Mantines but it seems like status overkill with scald so I'll wait for feedback before changing it.
Pheromosa @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 64 Spe
Brave Nature
- U-turn
- Brick Break
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam
Probably the weirdest mon on the list but I wanted a Pheramosa that wouldn't go down with just one strong priority move without compromising on speed or damage. I realized that it could be ran like a moxie scarfer. Brave nature is so that it can keep the special attack without sacrificing defenses in the process and the 64 evs in speed is to outspeed a timid scarf Tapu Lele. Brick break is so that my opponent cant just send in a ghost type or protect if they figure out I'm locked in. Ice beam is included as it's great for dealing with pokemon like lando who think they can deal with your physical set. Also scarf areal ace Dugtrio is a thing now so ill see if it's worth upping the speed to deal with it or going special all together but it kind of defeats the purpose of this set.
Xurkitree @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pokebankou-486053812 (I know my opponent wasn't good but it's still fun to watch Xurkitree tear up this weird rain team)
The other half of the volt turn tag team, this mon more than carries it's weight. Just be smart about the opponents switches so you don't get trapped in by dugtrio. I'm considering swapping dazzeling gleam out for hp ground (for alolan Marowak) but I think it would just create more problems than it would solve as Komo-O would wall it.
Mimikyu @ Normalium Z
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Play Rough
- Splash
- Destiny Bond
By far my favorite on this team and probably the biggest gimmik, the mind games you can play with this set are hilarious. If played right Mimikyu is at least a guaranteed trade or it can get that last mon prepped for a beast boost sweep. Swords dance was considered over z-splash but once you loose your disguise this mon is pretty much done anyways so just use it wisely. I also realized in my brief time with swords dance that some of the tanks that my opponent switched in to Mimikyu were going from 2HKOs to 3HKOs. Unfortunately I feel like this Mimikyu will probably be the first to go if this team needs something else.
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Flame Charge
- Shadow Bone
- Substitute
This mon was added with reckless originally but i needed another electric move sponge so now it kind of just walks the line between wall breaker and an electricity sponge. Marowak rarely stayed past halfway through a battle unless I needed it to check a threat like Ferro or Kartanna. The strat is usually check, sub/flame charge on the switch and either get some damage in or switch back out. I thought about switching out flame charge for rocks but the speed is really needed if you want to be a threat to the speedy OU mons that eat up this poor guy.
Mudsdale @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I originally had Palossand in this slot but as much as I wanted it to work the sandcastle just wasn't pulling his weight as a defensive tank (it was pretty much just knock off bait). That's where Mudsdale comes in (another mon who can't learn stealth rock sadly). Not much to say here as it's just a two attack rest talk set. Mudsdale pulls it's weight better than Palossand but it's still not a star player on the team. My issues with this mon are with it's lack of reliable damage as about half of the opponents I faced would just counter tank it and set up hazards. But on the bright side it deals with mantine's weaknesses quite well.
I know some of the stuff seems weird but try it out before hating on it because there is a purpose to it. I'm open to any suggestions and am not opposed to swapping out for older mons as my initial challenge of making a full alolan team (without toxipex or a full team of legendaries/ultra beasts) to ladder to 1200 is over however I'm not really interested in adding toxipex or a few other truly overused mons. Some of the problems I found with this team was it's lack of status sponges, hazards and a difficulty to gain momentum on certain teams. I also found my self often being walled by a tanky mon at the end of a game (maybe I'm just bad). Summarizing some of the changes I thought about making (not including swapping out members of the team) are hp ground on Xurkitree, stealth rocks on Alolan Marowak, making Pheramosa a special attacker, pretty much anything on Mimikyu and replacing rock slide or earthquake with status on Mudsdale.
Here is the pastebin: http://pastebin.com/CXKmRedd
Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Air Slash
- Roost
- Defog
This was the mon that i created the team around as I thought it was great with the new buffs. Probably one of the best pure spdef tanks in the game right now, it's only real weaknesses being physical rock type moves and electric types but we'll deal with that later. Only thing else to say is that I'm close to replacing air slash with toxic because I'm tired of not being able to exchange toxic with other Mantines but it seems like status overkill with scald so I'll wait for feedback before changing it.
Pheromosa @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 64 Spe
Brave Nature
- U-turn
- Brick Break
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam
Probably the weirdest mon on the list but I wanted a Pheramosa that wouldn't go down with just one strong priority move without compromising on speed or damage. I realized that it could be ran like a moxie scarfer. Brave nature is so that it can keep the special attack without sacrificing defenses in the process and the 64 evs in speed is to outspeed a timid scarf Tapu Lele. Brick break is so that my opponent cant just send in a ghost type or protect if they figure out I'm locked in. Ice beam is included as it's great for dealing with pokemon like lando who think they can deal with your physical set. Also scarf areal ace Dugtrio is a thing now so ill see if it's worth upping the speed to deal with it or going special all together but it kind of defeats the purpose of this set.
Xurkitree @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pokebankou-486053812 (I know my opponent wasn't good but it's still fun to watch Xurkitree tear up this weird rain team)
The other half of the volt turn tag team, this mon more than carries it's weight. Just be smart about the opponents switches so you don't get trapped in by dugtrio. I'm considering swapping dazzeling gleam out for hp ground (for alolan Marowak) but I think it would just create more problems than it would solve as Komo-O would wall it.
Mimikyu @ Normalium Z
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Play Rough
- Splash
- Destiny Bond
By far my favorite on this team and probably the biggest gimmik, the mind games you can play with this set are hilarious. If played right Mimikyu is at least a guaranteed trade or it can get that last mon prepped for a beast boost sweep. Swords dance was considered over z-splash but once you loose your disguise this mon is pretty much done anyways so just use it wisely. I also realized in my brief time with swords dance that some of the tanks that my opponent switched in to Mimikyu were going from 2HKOs to 3HKOs. Unfortunately I feel like this Mimikyu will probably be the first to go if this team needs something else.
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Flame Charge
- Shadow Bone
- Substitute
This mon was added with reckless originally but i needed another electric move sponge so now it kind of just walks the line between wall breaker and an electricity sponge. Marowak rarely stayed past halfway through a battle unless I needed it to check a threat like Ferro or Kartanna. The strat is usually check, sub/flame charge on the switch and either get some damage in or switch back out. I thought about switching out flame charge for rocks but the speed is really needed if you want to be a threat to the speedy OU mons that eat up this poor guy.
Mudsdale @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I originally had Palossand in this slot but as much as I wanted it to work the sandcastle just wasn't pulling his weight as a defensive tank (it was pretty much just knock off bait). That's where Mudsdale comes in (another mon who can't learn stealth rock sadly). Not much to say here as it's just a two attack rest talk set. Mudsdale pulls it's weight better than Palossand but it's still not a star player on the team. My issues with this mon are with it's lack of reliable damage as about half of the opponents I faced would just counter tank it and set up hazards. But on the bright side it deals with mantine's weaknesses quite well.
I know some of the stuff seems weird but try it out before hating on it because there is a purpose to it. I'm open to any suggestions and am not opposed to swapping out for older mons as my initial challenge of making a full alolan team (without toxipex or a full team of legendaries/ultra beasts) to ladder to 1200 is over however I'm not really interested in adding toxipex or a few other truly overused mons. Some of the problems I found with this team was it's lack of status sponges, hazards and a difficulty to gain momentum on certain teams. I also found my self often being walled by a tanky mon at the end of a game (maybe I'm just bad). Summarizing some of the changes I thought about making (not including swapping out members of the team) are hp ground on Xurkitree, stealth rocks on Alolan Marowak, making Pheramosa a special attacker, pretty much anything on Mimikyu and replacing rock slide or earthquake with status on Mudsdale.
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