Pokemon I Spam
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 248 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam
Tox Fire Bliss is my favorite Bliss set. It breaks SkarmBliss and can hit Meta and Tar for good value. Most importantly to my philosophy is the stallbreaking aspect. It's the best Bliss set at making progress against opposing stall. Also, I always want Ice Beam for Mix Mence and Zapdos, since those are important roles for Bliss. Pair with alternative Cune checks, like Zap, Gar, Starmie, DD Tar, Celebi, etc. Even Aero can revenge from low enough HP. You can still get fished by some Sub Cune or Cro Cune, ofc, but that's the case with Blissey without CM either way. Using this on an offensive team alleviates those issues.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Wish
- Seismic Toss
- Ice Beam
On SkarmMag or Superman stall, I'm a fan of Wish support. It's important to keep Skarm, Pert, and CB Mence healthy over the longer game as I'm pivoting. It also makes switching into the Meta and Tar that abuse it much easier for stall teams. I don't believe in Bliss without Skarm, generally. Exceptions can be made for Jira+Bold Cune teams.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 192 HP / 4 Def / 136 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leech Seed
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
Similar to Blissey, it beats stall. It struggles with Meta and Jira, which is dangerous in Agili Meta meta. It also struggles a bit vs Skarm, but when Skarm is Seeded on the switch, you can CM and set pressure with Psychic better than CB Meta. Skarm cannot Protect vs this, unlike with Meta, and the threat of winning after setting up is significant enough to force Skarm's hand. Pair with two Zap checks or Mag, as to keep it hidden until it is ready to do work. Mix Meta and Mix Jira are excellent partners to chip Skarm. Jira can chip Meta and Tar, which is helpful. Pert checks Meta and Tar. Zard switches in on Meta, abuses Skarm, and beats Jira as well, while also checking fires.
Charizard @ Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Beat Up
Nothing complex. Beat Up cooks Bliss, and Dclaw keeps Mence in line so you aren't walled by Mix Mence or giving DD Mence free set up. Here's your free win vs non-Molt Gon stall. If you play a Mix Meta particularly well, you can even dink Molt into range of this guy. Fire Blast is also an option... My only advice is never to use HP Ice. Pert teams are the best, and there is no worse feeling for a breaker than to be walled by all of the common walls (i.e. the water types of ADV who are on most teams).
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Counter
I've tinkered with HP Ghost for Missy, but dropping HP Bug vs Dol and Starmie feels bad. Use Counter so this guy isn't completely dead weight vs Meta -- the premier breaker of the tier -- or Drill Peck Skarm. I've tinkered briefly with Toxic+HP Fire Forre, and I think it makes some sense on a more offensive team where you appreciate Forre's ability to check Skarm and pressure for a mon that is somewhat less adept at making progress vs Skarm. I wouldn't go overboard with that, though.
Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 168 HP / 164 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Ice Punch
- Thunderbolt
Always always always always always always always come with a contingency for Blissey. Taunt+Wisp with Sand and Spikes is the most consistent Gengar set, and being able to solo stall teams is this set's claim to fame. Comes in on Skarm (and Lax), and goes to work. You need Ice Punch for Celebi and Zapdos, who will come in almost for free on this guy and make progress otherwise. It's nice for Claydol and also for Mix Mence, because endgames where Mence can come in and spam special attacks freely are not safe or comfortable. It's worth considering Grass coverage if you have a Blissey to sit Zap, Mence, and Cele, but I haven't really looked into that. Tbolt helps revenge Cune and keeps Skarm from getting out of hand, especially in endgames, but dropping Tbolt and relying on Wisp and bluffing is definitely an idea. I have used off Gar without Spikes and I like it. I still like that guy with Sand, because it's not a real Snorlax check without Wisp, and without Tar, you have to rely on Meta or awkward boom mindgames. It has potential there, but I haven't included it here because I can't entirely endorse it outside of specific builds. I have more Gar (sandless) teams that I dislike in my builder than I care to admit, but they are playable.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 68 Atk / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
Rash Nature
- Body Slam
- Fire Punch
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Ice Punch
- Dynamic Punch / Hidden Power [Fighting]
I used to hate Jirachi for the longest time because there were so many headaches when building it. I didn't like one set for the coverage or another set because it was status weak -- eventually, I realized my problem was that I wanted Jirachi to be useful defensively beyond checking Aero (or doing other 'nifty' things). I enjoyed Wish 3 Atks SpD for checking Zapdos -- an important offensive threat -- and making progress vs Skarm for about 3 seconds before I wanted something more, something faster and stronger vs Skarmory. And then it hit me: I needed to think of a new role for Jirachi where I could justify max SpA to bonk Skarm while also appreciating its defensive AND offensive qualities. Mix Jira is that. It switches in on Meteor Mash, making it a Meta check -- extremely valuable defensive real estate, when Meta is critical to unlocking so many play styles -- it switches in on Zapdos HP Grass and HP Ice, and with -Def, also on weaker Tbolts; it switches in on Gengar; it feasts on Skarm; it can beat Blissey with parafusion; it can pressure Swampert; it can para Molt, Zap, Zard, and Mence on the switch; and if you fit Ice Punch, it can fry Gon and freeze Mence. The one in-game problem with this guy is knowing exactly what the opponent is going to do, but it's extremely flexible and can do so much. In the builder, you do have a coverage issue. HP Fighting is perfect for getting a 2HKO on bulky Tar, who can check it extremely well, but you can't run HP Fighting AND have all-important Pert coverage in HP Grass. Dropping Fire Punch for Meta is out of the question, and Body Slam is so good for Bliss, birds, and random Dug switch-ins, so fitting Psychic to midground is a bit tricky. I've settled on picking my poisons here and using Pert with Dpunch (as a patch for Dpunch missing) and HP Fighting without. There are other sets worth looking at, but Fire Punch and Fighting coverage are a must for me. That, and Pert coverage, which I can give up for Zap coverage, but only on the basis of whether I prefer HP Fighting to Grass.
Jolteon @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 8 HP / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Baton Pass
8 HP tanks uninvested Jira Fire Punch guaranteed. It switches into Zap, Gar, Skarm, and sometimes, Cune, and it can clean up games if you break through everything intelligently. I use Grass 99% of the time. This set works on Spikes and on Spikeless builds. It's consistent until people start Roaring with Skarm on the Sub, so I use Wish as a counter to force confusion. It helps to revenge Cune and DD Tar, which is a huge boon. I like it on Spikeless more than on Spikes, and since I consider Zap a top threat to account for -- on par with Meta and DD Tar in the first tier -- this mon offers so much room for creativity within my rigid philosophy of building.
Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 168 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpA / 72 Spe
Rash Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic
- Explosion
This guy beats down SkarmPert and has boom. It checks Bliss and Tar with Mash. Boom is so important. I want at least one boom on offense, and I really hate to give up Meta's boom. It's gotta be top 3 for me, for sure. I only use this when I can switch into Pert, though, because it can trade for so much value that I hate to have to trade it into Pert alone. It can boom Celebi, Zapdos, fire birds, and waters offensively and the same and other mons defensively. It even chips in vs Meta and Jira. This is the secret sauce, next to Mix Jira, in playing fast vs Skarm, and I use one of Mix Jira or Mix Meta on most of my offensive teams in order to create a robust game plan. The key here is that being able to trade out all of these mons is great value next to mons that fit naturally on Mix Meta teams. I used to be quite low on DD Tar, since I didn't believe there was a mon that could trade out Pert for DD Tar to sweep, besides phys Grass Meta which gives free Spikes to Skarm outside of specific Mag teams, and that made offense quite mediocre for me. DD Tar, Zard or Mix Mence, off Curse Pert, and the boys really love being on a team with Mix Meta.
Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 168 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpA / 72 Spe
Rash Nature
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Explosion
Same as above, but better at hitting SkarmPert and worse at physical responsibilities. Boom still cleaves Celebi, Snorlax, and Blissey, and can even catch Tar for a squishy wincon.
Salamence @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
- Wish
- Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Brick Break
I liked this on Forre teams. I didn't typically use Mence with Skarm, because that's too Gengar and special weak, unless it was SkarmBliss with DD Tar for Cune. I use Brick Break every time for Ttar and Blissey. Rock Slide is fun in place of Dclaw with HP Grass sometimes, but Dclaw is nice for Mence. I don't mind no Dclaw, but midgrounding is important to me. HP Grass turns this into a Pert switch-in for some teams.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 240 HP / 240 SpD / 28 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Drill Peck
- Roar
Idk why I chose this speed creep, but it stuck. You don't lose too many rolls, either way, but you get to play defense vs Spikes and block WoW and BP from Gar and Zap. I don't like playing Skarm that gives opposing Skarm teams free reign, so unless I'm killling Skarm quickly or pairing with Starmie, I typically run Taunt. Even with Starmie, Taunt is probably a good idea.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
I use this as a spinner, a Cune check, and a DD Tar revenger. I need all of the compression to use a rapid spinner. It can't break stall or be a switch-in to physical attackers outside of a pinch, but in tandem with other pieces that
do appreciate spin, it offers an interesting alternative look to offensive waters.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 228 SpA / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute / Rest / etc.
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
Sub Cune 6-0s some Sandless Bliss stalls. Cune is Cune. Ice Beam makes it not garbage vs Mence, Celebi, and Zapdos. It fits nicely on teams where it can break Celebi and Zapdos for other members. Role compressing the responsibility to beat Sandless Bliss isn't particularly meaningful imo. There are too many CM Bliss teams flying around, and you can't game plan for the CM and non-CM Bliss matchup in this way. I have no strong feelings on Cune other than that Cune should use Ice Beam and that defensive Cune teams suck -- with or without Spikes -- because defensive Cune teams tend to be all-in on passive players with limited breaking ability outside of Dug or CB Mence. Those teams don't hold up vs different versions of heavy breaking with Meta and Tar, Aero Spikes offense, or Gengar or Celebi Spikes, and where they shore up vs one of those, they give way to another. It also sucks vs Toxic if it isn't running the right move in the flex slot. Cune is a mon that, with the right coverage, absolutely feasts on anything. Ice Beam sets destroy Fruhdazi (Skarm/Cele/Mence or Aero) teams, Cro Cune beats Stoss Bliss teams, Roar Cune beats opposing Cune teams, Tox Cune destroys Wish Blissey teams -- the list goes on. Sub Roar, Rain Dance, what have you else. Pull any of those sets into a bad mu, and you'll pay. It's still the second most dangerous special attacker in the tier and one of the mons I fear the most in preparing.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe
Quiet Nature
- Curse
- Earthquake
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
Hydro cleaves Skarm, and Curse gives it value against Bliss, Cune, and Milo. Pert trades up vs Aero teams quite nicely, should it come away unscathed early on. This mon trades up fairly consistently, and it switches into half the threats of the tier. This set fits on everything. Top 2 mon, and I put that on everything and every team.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 184 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge
Bulky phys best Tar checks Zap defensively and Cune offensively. DD and trade. Support with Mix Meta for optimal results. You can break for Meta or the other way around. The speed allows you to trade with slower Meta at lead to preserve your bulky water. It also guarantees you are faster than 330 Gar, which are the meta. 330 is useful for a few other reasons, but this is the big one for me. It also checks Bliss. I'm at the point where I feel Tar should be used on every team, except certain Mag teams which serve to exploit Sandless and certain stall teams -- which I don't use because I think they aren't as robust against certain offensive threats.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 216 HP / 136 SpA / 156 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 30 Spe
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Twaves opposing Zap at lead, packs Tox to pressure Bliss and permanently cripple different mons. HP Ice destroys Celebi teams. Pert rarely dares stay in, so HP Grass is hardly useful. Tox cripples non-Refresh Pert either way, and Refresh Pert is neither the meta, nor do I consider if a threat for most teams, so I am comfortable with Zap not pulling its weight in those specific mu's. I wanted something bulky, so I settled on CB Mence (and 252+ Tar) Rock Slide bulk, for those who stay in with CB Mence t1. This could be faster or skinnier, but the Meta switch in and utility bulk is quite nice. Revenging vs Cune is nice, too. Importantly, t1 Twave in the Zap mirror offers safety vs Zap, generally, that allows one to run a team with one fewer switch-in, and instead, run goodmon Zap.
Pokemon I Don't Use
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave
- Seismic Toss
- Ice Beam
Twave is nice defensive coverage for teams with Meta as the primary phys check. I like Wish Bliss on stall, for longevity, and Fire Tox Bliss on more balanced offensive builds for the reasons listed above. This set just doesn't kill Skarm quickly enough for me to feel like it truly has a firm grip on the Skarm teams of the meta. It still 6-0s some teams, but just not stall, which is unappealing.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
I use this sometimes, but Fire Blast is just faster than Tbolt vs Skarm, and Tox is just faster than Bliss. I will use this with something like Mix Jira who can wear down Tar and Meta, so Bliss is even more threatening. If it doesn't have to switch out, Spikes aren't a problem.
Breloom
Ability: Effect Spore
IVs: 0 Atk
What do you get when you give a grass type no tools to hit water types or Tbolt users who pack secondary ice coverage, and a fighting type mediocre bulk that only allows it to sometimes tank +1 Double-Edges from Rock types? The fastest way to lose vs every flying type in the tier. Stun Spore is fun next to Belly Drum Zard or some funky Gyara HOs until you miss. There's room for this guy in fishing mono Cune, Milo, and defensive Pert teams, but there's little room for that in my philosophy.
+1 80+ Atk Tyranitar Double-Edge vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Breloom: 232-274 (88.8 - 104.9%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Leech Seed
Every mon on my teams needs to be capable of getting 2-for-1 value consistently, because I firmly believe offense has the most consistent tendencies of any play style. This mon gets haxed too much and relies on match-ups for value. Worst of all, it's a stall mon. You want Seed to be offensively competent as a pivot and make progress, but there is no two-move combination that is satisfying. Fire/Grass coverage is ideal for grounded mons, but loses to floaters hard, and those are some of the more dangerous mons in the tier. Psy/Grass covers birds, but gives up free turns to Metagross, Skarmory, and Jirachi. Meta and Skarm are too threatening. Pair with Mag to compensate. I loved SkarmMag, and I think the Celebi takes are among the best and most brilliant -- credit to ABR -- but I still think they tend to be exploitable for one reason or other. I want something with a bit more fire power. Def Recover is the best of these spreads, though, because SpD investment doesn't actually check Cune, and you can still be overwhelmed by different offensive game plans. Randomly walling Lax can offer value, and you still check the other mons SpD Celebi is tasked with checking reasonably well, due to natural bulk, resistances, and Leech Seed. Good mon, but just extremely limited.
Claydol
Ability: Levitate
Rapid spin and no tools for making positive progress is fake to me. I really loved Altina's CI5 run, and I was all-in on the SkarmDol train. Dol just isn't Pert, and it doesn't fit very well with Pert either. It's good on stall with other waters. I never quite got the hang of taking advantage of spin to support slower, grounded, bulkier mons on offense. Cune appreciates it on mixed off, but how are you supposed to be good vs special attackers without having Tar for Zap? Cune doesn't like sand or artifical backbone. The help with Gar and Tar is real, but there are way better partners. On special offense, I can appreciate it offering some backbone, but I feel like just using a Mix Meta accomplishes so much more. Snorlax with Focus Punch and Wish support from Mix Mence appreciates spin, but somehow, the coverage on Lax just never feels worth it, and it has the same problems that the old Lax team styles had. What other slow, grounded, bulky wincons/trade pieces are there that significantly appreciate spin? I never saw a scout where I thought Claydol would be a serious threat. I tried everything to make this mon work -- even lead and back Curse off Pert -- but there are always better offensive AND defensive options imho. Even Mix Meta can lure and switch into Gengar and chip in vs Aero+Tar, and even better. It has a boom that can be used offensively and not just defensively. It was way better coverage and deals with Skarm more effectively, rather than giving it leftovers and losing slowly to Tox/DP/Gar/Suit/Aero next to Spikes.
Flygon
Ability: Levitate
I found some ideas with it recently, and those are in the dump. Simply, Gon isn't Pert, and Meta is a menace. Flygon stalls get smacked by certain phys mons, birds (or ZapDug), and off waters. The Molt+Bliss versions are solid, and fishing with Gon is extremely worth it. In fact, I'm quite high on Flygon teams, even as I think Gon itself does not fit on anything but Spikes balance/stall. Conventional offensive Flygon teams (off teams, not off Gon teams) feel somewhat frail and artificial. Gengar counterplay is always a bit awkward, as is Mence counterplay. In any event, I like the mon, but it falls victim to the 'not Pert' syndrome.
Gyarados
Ability: Intimidate
Kind of sucks Aero if it isn't Jolly Rock. Sub Pass (Jolt) with HP Ghost allows 2 DDs to break through Aero under ideal circumstances. HP Ghost absolutely farms Skarm teams without Tbolt/Twave Bliss. Starmie, Gengar, and Claydol, are free for Gyara. I don't like using it with Mence because I want 2 Zap switch-ins in general and Mag with phys off, and that's too much to ask, and Magless is kind of gross. You can't built Gyara that has a good time vs Aero
and everything else, but the mon has its upside, for however specific it is. However, I cannot be asked to build Gyara at this point, and I would rather build anything other than Mag off, since I prefer teams that can pivot and view Gyara as a mediocre pivot. It just doesn't make progress with its coverage nearly as well as I would like.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute / Wish
- Calm Mind
It's not a pivot -- it's not good defensively -- and there is no two-move coverage combination that makes you happy vs Tar, Meta, Pert, Dol, Lax, and Mag. It's a good fish into Bliss without CM, but for a mon that is a complete liability against grounded offensive mons, I would at least hope for it to be easier to justify coming in, like a Blissey, or to have more utility. Mix Jira outclasses in my mind. Even CM 3 has better upside because Fire Punch and HP Grass allow it to cleave through Meta and Pert, who are hugely important, and it can chip Tar.
Milotic
Ability: Marvel Scale
IVs: 0 Atk
Cool stall breaker with 2 of Refresh, Toxic, and Hypnosis. It's not Pert and it will get haxed by DD Tar or Metagross that thinks it needs a CB. Fits on slow teams -- not my style. I tried it on offensive stuff and didn't like it.
Salamence @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 176 Atk / 212 SpD / 120 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Flying]
Brick Break gives back more to the team and is more selfish. I like mons who are selfish while giving a lot to the team concept. I also want all the attack I can get. SpD helps you to tank neutral Bliss and weaker water Ice Beams and Gengar/Jira Ice Punches, but against teams with those mons, DD Mence does not often get easy set up. Not to mention, Wisp and Twave OHKO just as quickly, and Gar can boom with chip on Mence. Mence is a bit awkward as a pivot, as it needs HP to set up to win and does not make great progress before DDing (when compared to other revengers), but it can revenge sweep convincingly and Brick Break allows it to function as a pseudo revenger vs Tar and a pseudo pivot vs Bliss. Basically, SpD and EQ Mence just don't have enough power for me. Pair with Mag and friends or Zard (for example) to trade out or divide matchups respectively.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Immunity
- Focus Punch
Standard offensive Lax coverage hits Gar, Meta, and birds nicely. Curse EQ/Sball isn't my favorite either. Focus Punch fits with Rapid Spin, which I've explained I dislike in the Dol section. It is kind of a waste of a Snorlax, but sometimes, it can trade up nicely as the third special check on a team. I just prefer to use other mons or Mag so I can use a better set.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Def / 40 SpA / 32 SpD / 152 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Thunder Wave
- Surf
It 6-0s DPeck Skarm, but it sucks vs Tox Skarm or SkarmGar. Even Suit Tar is annoying. It's tricky to make it consistent. I don't really care for it, but I respect and prepare for it. I prefer to play quickly vs Skarm in any event, especially as I do not believe there are any offense mons that appreciate Spin, and I think stall gets stuffed too easily by anti-stall offensive game plans (Tox Skarm, Suit Tar, Gengar, etc.). I don't like to pair it with Pert, because the Zapdos and Tox Skarm mu's become dire, but that would mean another instance of not-Pert stall, which I can't abide.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rest
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Roar
Bold Cune gets haxed by phys Meta and DD Tar, but it also tends to be the sole wincon on most Cune teams. Or it partners with SkarmDug or CB Mence, but those teams are some kind of exploitable, awkward, or frail to Gar, Aero Spikes, DD Tar, booms, etc. that I don't care for. Mono Cune in particular sucks vs Cele/Zap/Mence.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Calm Mind
- Surf
Same as above, except this one is worse defensively for way more offensive upside. Still, give me Ice Beam.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
Non-Rest or Sub Cune. Tox Milo, Bliss, Skarm, etc. are a pain. It can get the match-up, but I'm looking for consistency here.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Baton Pass
Give me Toxic and HP Ice to handle Bliss and blast through Celebi teams. BP is cool with Mag+Lax, but this set just isn't super threatening. I don't care for Sub Zap either. It's really great, but I reaaaally want Twave for opposing Zap. It's a bit fishy for my liking.
A lot of this stuff goes out of the window in bo1 and everything is on the cards, though. There's so much more room for creativity in bo1 with cutting corners.
A blurb on the unique defensive rules I religiously follow:
- (At least) Two Zap checks (including, one or two Cune checks). One of them can be a lead TW Zap to trade t1.
- Two slots overall
- Softens ZapDug or just Zap
- One of them is almost always Tar
- Limits the nuissance that is BP Zap from abusing a more passive check
- It's hard to fit good Bliss and CM checks without Tar
- DD Tar gets off Cune low for a revenger to deal with it, or sweeps.
- (Lead) Zap, Tar, Jolt, Bliss, Cele, Lax, Raikou
- In order of robustness
- Lmao no Regice
- After getting haxed so much and getting so many bad mu's as a noob, I like to have a fast revenge killeron almost every team.
- Revengers must have adequate speed and breaking power/coverage to be useful in that role. Otherwise, they will trade out quickly instead of grabbing multiple KOs or endgaming properly.
- Dugtrio on (most, Milo) stall teams, because Arena trap is necessary to avoid Meta, Tar, and CM getting out of hand.
- Zard or Mix Mence on mixed offense teams who appreciate Zard's ability to switch into Gengar and Metagross and Mence's ability to switch into Pert (Hydro or EQ, provided HP Grass), phys Tar, and opposing Mence.
- I'm extremely high on Zard. Beat Up+Dclaw allows it to break Bliss better than Mence and avoid being walled by Mence.
- The only walls are Tar and Milo, who can be handled elsewhere on the team
- Cune can be handled as well
- Gengar and Metagross weaknesses are important for me when designing a defensive concept. I am comfortable cheating vs Gar with some stall teams, but not on offense
- Mix Mence on Forre teams, usually, and occasionally Molt, for the same reasons as listed for mix off above. Forre teams are high compression and reaaaally want the extra Tar or Meta check, respectively, to avoid getting overloaded.
- Aero on Spikes balance, usually to justify frailer, Spikes-dependent breakers
- And usually CB Mence on SkarmMag. I use Bliss and Pert on those every time. Mence offers the same defensive profile mentioned above, and also helps with fighters while appreciating Wish support and offering necessary offense. I've looked at CB Zard to be funny.
- Off Star, but rarely as a solo revenger, primarily on special or mixed offense
- It is a Rapid Spinner, a Cune check, and a (neutral speed) DD Tar/Gar revenger for frailer teams
- Pairs well with Mence and Zard, who have the bulk to support slower mons who appreciate Spin
- If I'm really greedy for an idea and have 2-3+ ways to deal with Bliss teams, I will use it solo
- I do not consider every fast mon a revenger. I do not consder other fast mons as reliable revengers.
- Jolt, Gar, Zap, Celebi, and Flygon, can help take down Tar, Cune, Meta, Pert, and a number of other mons reliably, so they can help but do not feature in the role
- They lack in power or coverage
- You will get haxed by mons from high HP ranges, so you need to be able to KO them from higher HP ranges
- This means I am low on Agility pass, as it is hard to fit with a second (i.e. non-Zap) bird
- I use Perton at least 80-90% of teams. It's hard to go higher.
- After Skarm, physical attackers and birds with (fire coverage) tend to make progress the fastest.
- Pert checks Meta and Tar harder than any other OU (Flygon barely qualifies, shut up)
- Pert checks phys Mence better than Milo and recovers in sand, unlike Cune, so it stays healthier
- It checks Aero
- It compresses checking Molt, Zard, Mix Mence, and Gengar
- Pert doesn't lose to RS RNG nearly as often as the other waters
- Pert is a mixed attacker, so it doesn't struggle vs Skarm or stall
- Therefore it fits on more offensive teams
- Flygon and Donphan
- If I'm using mixed or Spikes offense, one slot is usually an additional normal resist
- Mix Meta, (Taunt) Gar, or (Mix!) Jira
- They abuse or lure Skarm
If you're keeping track and know your synergies, this means unless I'm using SpD Jira, my cookie cutter team will have a specific role for 5 slots, typically. I have found specific uses for all of the mons I'm interested in, and I have found some for many of the mons I'm disinterested in, and I think I'm finally at the point where I've more or less run out of ideas. Maybe the meta evolves again in the future, but for now, this is about it for me, and that's why I'm making this dump. Obviously, there are still some questions left to ask, some improving left to be done, and some new 6s left to build, but I've found my philosophy, and I'm quite happy with it.