Hey guys its me Ho3n back at it again with some clickbait title.
Anyways, I recently made some 100% pure HEAT in the team builder this morning, shot my ranking on the ladder huge and lemmie tell you some of this here is the new wave.
Back earlier this summer, I was one of the first to utilize Electric Seed Hawlucha, a new threat that teams weren't exactly prepared for, and I was easily able to shoot to the 1900's and reach top 6 on the ladder. The point is to the best of your ability, build to have an edge of unpredictability and creativeness that is meta-specific. This team takes some trends that I had thought that were working well and combines them to an undeniably successful effect.
The Team (Importable):
Lets go through an average game (sorry no replays, if you live under a rock servers down). Almost always, lead endeavor mega Diancie is the start.
Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Substitute
- Moonblast
- Endeavor
This set is crazy good as a lead, and excels even further in the realm of being team specific. Rocks and hazards will wear down one of the main sweepers, Volc, so it is imperative to prevent them. Magic Bounce is great for this, but Diance in its normal form is what is so interesting. Thanks to 50/150/150 bulk and a max hp ev investment, Diance can shrug off some attacks in its normal form, substitute off, and strike when mega evolved. It can really take some players off guard, and is great for killing or at least getting a substitute on mons like mega Lopunny, Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Peliper, and more. Hell, even 252 attack Lando can't KO! (this can be great for getting off an endeavor if you don't want to deal with Lando, or setting up rocks)
252 Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Diancie: 252-296 (82.8 - 97.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Furthermore, it makes as a great counter lead. I'd argue that only 4 out of the 20 most used lead mons last month can stop this set (October's stats found here: http://www.smogon.com/stats/2017-09/leads/gen7ou-1695.txt). Only mold breaker Excadrill, choice scarf Keldeo, Garchomp, and other mega Diancies can really deal with this set. It is so effective, and while getting up rocks/preventing rocks is good point, getting the 1% endeavors by subbing is also great to set up Ash-Greninja. Against stall, many a times have I got Chanceys, Skarms, and Toxapexes down to such low presentages that help take away for either Gren or Volc.
It takes maybe some practice and a good feel, but the prevention of hazzards and getting endeavors up to help for sweeping is a key component to this team.
Greninja-Ash @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
This Ash-Gren is meant to be flexible but still be able to dish out damage; specs was replaced with LO. While it is a preference for me to have surf to avoid misses, hydro pump can easily be a replacement. With LO, I like the usage of Ice Beam to help with bulkier Grass types such as Bulu and Tangrowth, and coverage is better than say spikes with this team I believe. As for the rest of the moves, shuriken and Dark Pulse are standard.
Ash-Gren should be built heavily into your mind if you've been playing SuMo OU from the start, and I don't have much to add with regards to the meta. Mons like Toxapex and Keldeo are still good checks for both Gren and Volc, so the best is to predict when the opponent still has these mons available and double rather than trying to muster through with dark pulse or something. Rather, Gren is helpful for getting rid of Heatran, bulky Ground types, and importantly Latios. Scarf Lati does 1HKO with Draco Meteor, but that just helps to set up with either Volc or Zygarde.
You are fast, hit hard, and are meant to make the opponent's team feel uncomfortable with your range of attacks and priority. A good opponent will NOT want you to battle bond, but when their lead is at 1% from endeavor, it's hard to see what can take a bullet or if it's just better to let your Gren take the kill. Most of the time, they'll think you are trapped in choice specs, and the life orb can be a rude awakening. A part of me wants to run mystic water or even waterium z just for that surprise factor, but ultimately the power and coverage of LO is just too good for situations forced from this.
This mon can easily be expendable thanks to it's low defenses, LO recoil, and how you can reach a wincon with any other of the three set sweepers this team offers. Make sure trade offs are justified, and giving you an adventage that the opponent may not obviously see. However, thanks to being the team's 1 out of 2 priority users and having a blistering fast speed, don't count this mon out as being a clean up sweeper at the end.
Now for the ring of set up sweepers, starting with the mon that got me the most successful sweeps.
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
What. A. MONSTER this mon is... I at first doubted Swarm on Volc, thinking Flame Body gave it some support albeit it being haxxy. But the 50% damage boost when at 33% health or lower is beyond crazy, even being able to break through Chansey and Heatran; look at these calcs!!!
+3 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 561-661 (87.5 - 103.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 209-246 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+4 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 313-369 (83.2 - 98.1%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 64 SpD Toxapex: 231-273 (75.9 - 89.8%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Against Chansey, getting up to +3 has the hurdle of avoiding Toxic. Sub can help, and you can easily get +1 when they switch Chansey in, but good stall players may try to Toxic again in between seismic tosses. Be careful, and safe plays can be getting to +2, firing off a non-Swarm Bug Buzz for around 25%, and then bopping the z move. The fact alone that this mon can deal with the insane special tank of Chansey is just that; insane.
Furthermore; being able to muster through Heatran is also crazy. Heatran can also Toxic and in some cases Phase with roar, but at +2 spDef has a hard time breaking a sub. So again, dance around with sub and quiver dance to avoid Toxic. Heatran usually is easier to set up on, and naturally can bring your health down to swarm with Magma Storms and Earth Powers. Scouting with a preliminary Bug Buzz to see how defensive Heatran is can be healpful and can also secure a KO when you pop the Z move; sets without hp investment/with spDef investment can take less/more set up turns. Toxapex is also annoying with Haze, but again with the right prediction, just a bug buzz and a +1 Savage Spin-Out in Swarm can take it out.
No doubt alone from these traditional "counters" can you see the savagery of this mon. Also worth mentioning is that Charizard in both forms are 1HKO by a +1 Savage Spin-Out in Swarm, and even Charizard X is 1HKO'd at full health. I've already goten 3 zards that think they could tank it, which then helps continue the sweep of course.
The wort thing against Volc is when the opponent uses the traditional counters the right way or when volc is at swarm health and is easily taken down by priority. Keep Zygarde alive against teams with mega Pinsir, and either ensure rocks with Diancie or try to keep it too healthy to deal with it. Volc helps with Tangrowth, Skarmory, Kartana switch ins, and substitute to stall out rain. Just keep rocks off the field in almost every circumstance, and this thing will carry its weight.
Zygarde @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 120 HP / 148 Atk / 240 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
This set for garde is just fun. I'm not sure if it was done before or to how much success, but weakness policy is perfect in this meta. Bulky mons like Lando and Tangrowth tend to carry HP Ice, and with some hp investment they only do around half of your health. This set is meant to bait these attacks (also gleam on Koko, moon blast on Finni, or even a Mew's ice beam if you want to risk Wil-o-Wisp) and get the +2 attack boost along with the dragon dance boost. It is surpassingly meta, and at +3 you can break through walls that your opponent thought were safe.
However, unlike Volc, Zygarde doesn't just break through everything. Most of its checks like Ferrothorne and Scarf Lati can still come in at this situation, either requiring an additional DD or to be able to take a hit. Zygarde usually can pull this off, its a bulky mon, but it should be noted that it works much better as a late to mid game sweeper than how Volc and Ash-Gren cna come in early and wreck havoc. Zygarde can help clean up the mess that the aforementioned two paved the way in.
Other than for sweeping, Weakness Policy helps get rid of some big threats. Jolly Swampert and mega Loppony can not kill Zygarde with Ice Punch, and it can be adventages to bait them and follow with a +2 thousand arrows. That and pressuring with Extreme Speed can be hard to stomach. This is also the case with Mimikyu's Play Rough, so if the opponent thought that saving it and its Disguise was enough, their in for a rude awakening. Outrage is great for nuking things at around +3, but can be short lived against fairy and steel types, so use it when it is only worth it. I once ran Iron Tail to help with Bulu and Clef, but outrage at +3 is just much more helpful. It should be mentioned that these two mons are troublesome for the team as a whole, though.
Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 19 Atk
- Swords Dance
- Defog
- Sacred Sword
- Leaf Blade
Timid Kartana! All this time I thought it was a meme, here it was being one of the hidden gems of OU. What really blew me away about this set was the surprise speed boosting factor, as well as the considerable physical bulk. Setting up a swords dance is easy against Lando, Mimikyu, Ferrothorne, and much more thanks to this new found bulk and Lefties recovery. And after you set up an SD and get +1 Speed from a kill, its hard to switch something in on this.
Sweeping and revenge killing is Kartana's main role, but Defog can be used if the enemy got rocks up. This set is great against lead Excadrill, one of the leads that breaks Diance's prevention. Diance can still lead and fire off a moonblast to break the Excadrill's sash. Then, Kartana can come in and soak up an EQ, defog, and if Excadrill is still in, KO it with Secret Sword. I found this to be greatly successful against the lead Excadrill/Victini/Scarf Kartana team, you know the one.
Another second hand sweeper like Zygarde, with Kartana wait till most of the damage has already been done to start setting up, but don't be afraid to be opportunistic. Kartana is still strong, but it's the speed that matters the most with this set. Toxapex, Skarmary, mega Mawhile, even A-Marowak all would normally be scared if a regular 252 attack Kartana set up on them, but you cant do the same scary damage at +2. Instead, Koko, Gren, and scarf Lele and Keldeo to name a few can no longer check Kartana. Keep this in mind when trying to sweep, and don't underestimate Kartana's bulk when setting up Sword Dances. Here's a few calcs to give you an idea:
0 Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 118-139 (36.6 - 43.1%) -- 97.7% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 153-181 (47.5 - 56.2%) -- 27.3% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Supersonic Skystrike (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 268-316 (83.2 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Zygarde Thousand Arrows vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 160-189 (49.6 - 58.6%) -- 68% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
64+ Atk Scizor-Mega U-turn vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 99-117 (30.7 - 36.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana in Psychic Terrain: 116-137 (36 - 42.5%) -- 93.9% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
Lastly is Tangrowth, the glue of this team. Tangrowth is this gen's premier pivot, in my eyes surpassing the glory of Rotom Wash of last gen. It can just deal with so much and still provide pressure, all while being able to conserve and regenerate Hp. The ev spread is relatively basic for AV, and so is the movepool. I won't explain much here as this is a standard Tangrowth, but it helps so much to able to tank a hit from Keldo, Greninja, even one from mega Medichan and Lopunny. Theres time where the end sweep is more of me keeping Tangrowth alive with switch ins and walling the rest of my opponent. Just an imperative mon to this team, easy to use and still keeps up the momentum.
Overall this team is just plain fun to use. No complaints, I have a blast playing with this, and I hope you do to.
Proof of ranking: https://imgur.com/a/loP1t
Anyways, I recently made some 100% pure HEAT in the team builder this morning, shot my ranking on the ladder huge and lemmie tell you some of this here is the new wave.
Back earlier this summer, I was one of the first to utilize Electric Seed Hawlucha, a new threat that teams weren't exactly prepared for, and I was easily able to shoot to the 1900's and reach top 6 on the ladder. The point is to the best of your ability, build to have an edge of unpredictability and creativeness that is meta-specific. This team takes some trends that I had thought that were working well and combines them to an undeniably successful effect.
The Team (Importable):
Code:
Zygarde @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 120 HP / 148 Atk / 240 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 19 Atk
- Swords Dance
- Defog
- Sacred Sword
- Leaf Blade
Greninja-Ash @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Substitute
- Moonblast
- EndeavorLets go through an average game (sorry no replays, if you live under a rock servers down). Almost always, lead endeavor mega Diancie is the start.
Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Substitute
- Moonblast
- Endeavor
This set is crazy good as a lead, and excels even further in the realm of being team specific. Rocks and hazards will wear down one of the main sweepers, Volc, so it is imperative to prevent them. Magic Bounce is great for this, but Diance in its normal form is what is so interesting. Thanks to 50/150/150 bulk and a max hp ev investment, Diance can shrug off some attacks in its normal form, substitute off, and strike when mega evolved. It can really take some players off guard, and is great for killing or at least getting a substitute on mons like mega Lopunny, Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Peliper, and more. Hell, even 252 attack Lando can't KO! (this can be great for getting off an endeavor if you don't want to deal with Lando, or setting up rocks)
252 Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Diancie: 252-296 (82.8 - 97.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Furthermore, it makes as a great counter lead. I'd argue that only 4 out of the 20 most used lead mons last month can stop this set (October's stats found here: http://www.smogon.com/stats/2017-09/leads/gen7ou-1695.txt). Only mold breaker Excadrill, choice scarf Keldeo, Garchomp, and other mega Diancies can really deal with this set. It is so effective, and while getting up rocks/preventing rocks is good point, getting the 1% endeavors by subbing is also great to set up Ash-Greninja. Against stall, many a times have I got Chanceys, Skarms, and Toxapexes down to such low presentages that help take away for either Gren or Volc.
It takes maybe some practice and a good feel, but the prevention of hazzards and getting endeavors up to help for sweeping is a key component to this team.
Greninja-Ash @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
This Ash-Gren is meant to be flexible but still be able to dish out damage; specs was replaced with LO. While it is a preference for me to have surf to avoid misses, hydro pump can easily be a replacement. With LO, I like the usage of Ice Beam to help with bulkier Grass types such as Bulu and Tangrowth, and coverage is better than say spikes with this team I believe. As for the rest of the moves, shuriken and Dark Pulse are standard.
Ash-Gren should be built heavily into your mind if you've been playing SuMo OU from the start, and I don't have much to add with regards to the meta. Mons like Toxapex and Keldeo are still good checks for both Gren and Volc, so the best is to predict when the opponent still has these mons available and double rather than trying to muster through with dark pulse or something. Rather, Gren is helpful for getting rid of Heatran, bulky Ground types, and importantly Latios. Scarf Lati does 1HKO with Draco Meteor, but that just helps to set up with either Volc or Zygarde.
You are fast, hit hard, and are meant to make the opponent's team feel uncomfortable with your range of attacks and priority. A good opponent will NOT want you to battle bond, but when their lead is at 1% from endeavor, it's hard to see what can take a bullet or if it's just better to let your Gren take the kill. Most of the time, they'll think you are trapped in choice specs, and the life orb can be a rude awakening. A part of me wants to run mystic water or even waterium z just for that surprise factor, but ultimately the power and coverage of LO is just too good for situations forced from this.
This mon can easily be expendable thanks to it's low defenses, LO recoil, and how you can reach a wincon with any other of the three set sweepers this team offers. Make sure trade offs are justified, and giving you an adventage that the opponent may not obviously see. However, thanks to being the team's 1 out of 2 priority users and having a blistering fast speed, don't count this mon out as being a clean up sweeper at the end.
Now for the ring of set up sweepers, starting with the mon that got me the most successful sweeps.
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
What. A. MONSTER this mon is... I at first doubted Swarm on Volc, thinking Flame Body gave it some support albeit it being haxxy. But the 50% damage boost when at 33% health or lower is beyond crazy, even being able to break through Chansey and Heatran; look at these calcs!!!
+3 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 561-661 (87.5 - 103.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 209-246 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+4 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 313-369 (83.2 - 98.1%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Swarm Volcarona Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 64 SpD Toxapex: 231-273 (75.9 - 89.8%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Against Chansey, getting up to +3 has the hurdle of avoiding Toxic. Sub can help, and you can easily get +1 when they switch Chansey in, but good stall players may try to Toxic again in between seismic tosses. Be careful, and safe plays can be getting to +2, firing off a non-Swarm Bug Buzz for around 25%, and then bopping the z move. The fact alone that this mon can deal with the insane special tank of Chansey is just that; insane.
Furthermore; being able to muster through Heatran is also crazy. Heatran can also Toxic and in some cases Phase with roar, but at +2 spDef has a hard time breaking a sub. So again, dance around with sub and quiver dance to avoid Toxic. Heatran usually is easier to set up on, and naturally can bring your health down to swarm with Magma Storms and Earth Powers. Scouting with a preliminary Bug Buzz to see how defensive Heatran is can be healpful and can also secure a KO when you pop the Z move; sets without hp investment/with spDef investment can take less/more set up turns. Toxapex is also annoying with Haze, but again with the right prediction, just a bug buzz and a +1 Savage Spin-Out in Swarm can take it out.
No doubt alone from these traditional "counters" can you see the savagery of this mon. Also worth mentioning is that Charizard in both forms are 1HKO by a +1 Savage Spin-Out in Swarm, and even Charizard X is 1HKO'd at full health. I've already goten 3 zards that think they could tank it, which then helps continue the sweep of course.
The wort thing against Volc is when the opponent uses the traditional counters the right way or when volc is at swarm health and is easily taken down by priority. Keep Zygarde alive against teams with mega Pinsir, and either ensure rocks with Diancie or try to keep it too healthy to deal with it. Volc helps with Tangrowth, Skarmory, Kartana switch ins, and substitute to stall out rain. Just keep rocks off the field in almost every circumstance, and this thing will carry its weight.
Zygarde @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 120 HP / 148 Atk / 240 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
This set for garde is just fun. I'm not sure if it was done before or to how much success, but weakness policy is perfect in this meta. Bulky mons like Lando and Tangrowth tend to carry HP Ice, and with some hp investment they only do around half of your health. This set is meant to bait these attacks (also gleam on Koko, moon blast on Finni, or even a Mew's ice beam if you want to risk Wil-o-Wisp) and get the +2 attack boost along with the dragon dance boost. It is surpassingly meta, and at +3 you can break through walls that your opponent thought were safe.
However, unlike Volc, Zygarde doesn't just break through everything. Most of its checks like Ferrothorne and Scarf Lati can still come in at this situation, either requiring an additional DD or to be able to take a hit. Zygarde usually can pull this off, its a bulky mon, but it should be noted that it works much better as a late to mid game sweeper than how Volc and Ash-Gren cna come in early and wreck havoc. Zygarde can help clean up the mess that the aforementioned two paved the way in.
Other than for sweeping, Weakness Policy helps get rid of some big threats. Jolly Swampert and mega Loppony can not kill Zygarde with Ice Punch, and it can be adventages to bait them and follow with a +2 thousand arrows. That and pressuring with Extreme Speed can be hard to stomach. This is also the case with Mimikyu's Play Rough, so if the opponent thought that saving it and its Disguise was enough, their in for a rude awakening. Outrage is great for nuking things at around +3, but can be short lived against fairy and steel types, so use it when it is only worth it. I once ran Iron Tail to help with Bulu and Clef, but outrage at +3 is just much more helpful. It should be mentioned that these two mons are troublesome for the team as a whole, though.
Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 19 Atk
- Swords Dance
- Defog
- Sacred Sword
- Leaf Blade
Timid Kartana! All this time I thought it was a meme, here it was being one of the hidden gems of OU. What really blew me away about this set was the surprise speed boosting factor, as well as the considerable physical bulk. Setting up a swords dance is easy against Lando, Mimikyu, Ferrothorne, and much more thanks to this new found bulk and Lefties recovery. And after you set up an SD and get +1 Speed from a kill, its hard to switch something in on this.
Sweeping and revenge killing is Kartana's main role, but Defog can be used if the enemy got rocks up. This set is great against lead Excadrill, one of the leads that breaks Diance's prevention. Diance can still lead and fire off a moonblast to break the Excadrill's sash. Then, Kartana can come in and soak up an EQ, defog, and if Excadrill is still in, KO it with Secret Sword. I found this to be greatly successful against the lead Excadrill/Victini/Scarf Kartana team, you know the one.
Another second hand sweeper like Zygarde, with Kartana wait till most of the damage has already been done to start setting up, but don't be afraid to be opportunistic. Kartana is still strong, but it's the speed that matters the most with this set. Toxapex, Skarmary, mega Mawhile, even A-Marowak all would normally be scared if a regular 252 attack Kartana set up on them, but you cant do the same scary damage at +2. Instead, Koko, Gren, and scarf Lele and Keldeo to name a few can no longer check Kartana. Keep this in mind when trying to sweep, and don't underestimate Kartana's bulk when setting up Sword Dances. Here's a few calcs to give you an idea:
0 Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 118-139 (36.6 - 43.1%) -- 97.7% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 153-181 (47.5 - 56.2%) -- 27.3% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Supersonic Skystrike (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 268-316 (83.2 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Zygarde Thousand Arrows vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 160-189 (49.6 - 58.6%) -- 68% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
64+ Atk Scizor-Mega U-turn vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana: 99-117 (30.7 - 36.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Kartana in Psychic Terrain: 116-137 (36 - 42.5%) -- 93.9% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
Lastly is Tangrowth, the glue of this team. Tangrowth is this gen's premier pivot, in my eyes surpassing the glory of Rotom Wash of last gen. It can just deal with so much and still provide pressure, all while being able to conserve and regenerate Hp. The ev spread is relatively basic for AV, and so is the movepool. I won't explain much here as this is a standard Tangrowth, but it helps so much to able to tank a hit from Keldo, Greninja, even one from mega Medichan and Lopunny. Theres time where the end sweep is more of me keeping Tangrowth alive with switch ins and walling the rest of my opponent. Just an imperative mon to this team, easy to use and still keeps up the momentum.
Overall this team is just plain fun to use. No complaints, I have a blast playing with this, and I hope you do to.
Proof of ranking: https://imgur.com/a/loP1t
