Introduction:What Is BSS?
BSS(Battle Spot Singles) is basically the format that you play in on your DS. You can have at most 3 Pokemon per battle, which can make battles difficult even before they start. The battles tend to be fast-paced since there are 3 Pokemon per battle. Every Pokemon except "powerful" legendaries, event Pokemon and Pokemon holding the Soul Dew, is allowed.
Playstyles&Threats
With such a wide selection of Pokemon, it's no wonder to see different playstyles rise in BSS. Fast and powerful ones that swiftly deal great damage, bulky defensive ones that are a chore to take down, and ones that are between the two, being able to take some hits while dishing out damage back, Pokemon differ from one another greatly. Playstyles may vary greatly, but four main ones exist: balanced, hyper-offensive, stall/defensive, and the one only demons from hell tend to use (dice rolls AKA hax.) Balanced teams have a combination of offense and defense. They often form a defensive and offensive typing core and are(in my opinion) the safest team choice in general. Hyper-offensive teams use fast and frail offensive monsters, aiming to finish off the opponent quickly with raw power. They often use items like Life Orb, Focus Sash and Choice items. Examples of such Pokemon are Weavile, Talonflame and Greninja. Defensive teams use bulky Pokemon with high defenses and good defensive typings. They often have moves like Recover and Roost to heal off lost HP, and often aim to wither the opponent down with status like poison and burn. They may also carry setup moves like Calm Mind to take advantage of their high defenses to set up. They usually hold items like Rocky Helmet and Leftovers to take advantage of their bulk. This variant may include Pokemon such as Cresselia, Porygon2 and Slowbro. Stall differs from defensive in that it uses moves like Leech Seed in conjunction with Protect or Substitute to wear the opponent down while staying alive itself. Pokemon that are defensive can also be listed as stally, but rather squishy ones like Whimsicott and regular Sableye are also added due to their stall-inclined movesets and abilities. Hax teams are the ones that make you cringe with the sheer power of luck and annoyance. They also utilize recovery items but differ from stall in the moves they use, often aiming to lock the opponent in an endless cycle that requires luck to break through with moves like Thunder Wave, Swagger(often in conjunction with Foul Play),Attract and evasion moves like Double Team. Nearly any Pokemon with average defense can be haxy due to the availability of Swagger and Attract, but Klefki in particular stands out as being nearly the most annoying Pokemon ever with T-Wave Swagplay. All these playstyles bar hax(due to Smogon's nature of banning most luck-dependent win conditions) are present in every format in Smogon but BSS differs due to having at max 3 Pokemon per battle. For example, you won't see entry hazards and Defog as much due to the fast-paced nature of the metagame(and the limited availability of Defog due to the pentagon rule.).
Because so many Pokemon are allowed in Battle Spot, it's only natural that some won't see use due to being outclassed by others or simply being weak. For example, you won't use Light Ball Pikachu when Mega Manectric is available because it is outright a better Pokemon. And out of those Pokemon who see use, there are naturally some which are more dangerous and take priority in teambuildng. This section will list the Top 10 Threats(In My Opinion) in BSS and their most common sets.
(Note that the order may change in some of these.)
Number 10-Landorus-Therian
This thing is the classic Choice Scarfer of the game. In nearly every meta where it is allowed, a Choice Scarf set is viable. Its combination of speed and power on top of Intimidate make Landorus-Therian a solid threat. However, it is not limited to Choice Scarf. Landorus-Therian can also utilize Choice Band to increase its high power to ridiculous leves, smashing everything that doesn't resist its STAB Earthquake. You may also see some defensive variants that utilize its defensive prowess to set up Stealth Rock.
Choice
Ability: Intimidate
Item: Choice Scarf/Choice Band
Nature&Spread: Jolly, 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Moves:
-Earthquake
-U-Turn
-Stone Edge
-Knock Off/Superpower/Explosion
Probably the variant you will see the most, though you should never underestimate it. Earthquake and Stone Edge provide near perfect coverage except on Breloom and Chesnaught, hitting anything else hard. U-Turn takes advantage of the Choice item to gain mometum while dealing chip damage.It also OHKOes Life Orb Greninja. On the last slot, Knock Off is preferred to deal reliable damage to Gengar and getting rid of opponents' items on the switch. Superpower can also be used to hurt Ferrothorn and Mamoswine on the switch. Finally, Explosion can deal massive damage as a last ditch hope. Maximum Speed and Attack allow Landorus-Therian to hit as hard as possible as fast as possible. Jolly is used to outspeed key threats like neutral natured base 100s, such as Adamant Megazard-X.
Countering Landorus-Therian:
Skarmory can set up Stealth Rock and phaze Landorus-Therian to rack up entry hazard damage, while laughing at Stone Edge. Any bulky Water-type can force Landorus-Therian out with their STAB move. Mamoswine carrying Focus Sash can live a Choice Banded Superpower while OHKOing Landorus-Therian with Icicle Spear.
Number 9-Rotom-W
Rotom-W has a great defensive typing and the stats to back it up. It can withstand powerful hits while punishing physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. It can also outright dish out damage with its STAB Hydro Pump and Thunderbolt, and gaining momentum with its slow Volt Switches. Rotom-W can also hold a Choice item and Trick to screw the opponent's item up. It also has the unique trait to completely shut down Mamoswine's normally unresisted Ice-Ground STAB combination, and the ability to withstand Mega Salamence's Aerilate boosted attacks.
Defensive
Ability: Levitate
Item: Leftovers/Chesto Berry
Nature&Spread: Bold or Calm, 252HP/204 Defense or 204 Sp. Def/52 Spe
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch/Thunderbolt
-Will-O-Wisp
-Pain Split/Rest
Hydro Pump is Rotom-W's main STAB attack, hitting hard even uninvested. Volt Switch is used to screw up the opponent's momentum while giving it to you. Thunderbolt is also a stronger option that doesn't force Rotom-W out. Will-O-Wisp burns physical attackers like Garchomp and Salamence and deals chip damage. Pain Split is used with Leftovers and Rest is used Witch Chesto to give Rotom-W a way of recovery. 52 Speed EVs outspeed maximum Speed Jolly Azumarill. Maximum HP EVs give Rotom-W bulk, and the rest goes to Def or SpD depending on the nature.
Choice
Ability: Levitate
Item: Choice Scarf/Specs
Nature&Spread: Modest, 252 SpA/252Spe/4 SpD
Moves:-Trick
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Pain Split/Will-O-Wisp/Thunderbolt
Trick switches Rotom-W's item with its opponent, ruining walls like Porygon2, Cresselia and Chansey while gaining theirs, possibly revealing the opponent's set. Hydro Pump hits very hard with Specs, and still does high damage with Scarf. Volt Switch is great as always at gaining momentum. In the last moveslot, Thunderbolt is preferred to deal huge damage to Suicune and not forcing Rotom-W out. Pain Split can be used to extend Rotom-W's longevity and Will-O-Wisp burns the foe. Maximum Speed and SpA are used to take advantage of Rotom's Choice item and Modest gives it more firepower.
Countering Rotom-W:Venusaur takes everything Rotom-W throws at it and destroys it with Giga Drain. Serperior gets a free Leaf Storm boost while severely hurting Rotom. Latios can ruin the defensive set with a Choice Scarf Trick, and Latias simply takes anything thrown at it by Rotom. Mega Sceptile gets a Lightningrod boost on a predicted Volt Switch.
Number 7-Greninja
Greninja is fast and powerful. Its Protean gives it its major power and mind game-playing prowess with its type-changing properties. Greninja's vast movepool makes its full moveset very unpredictable, although it is also its main problem. Nevertheless, Greninja is a major threat to prepare for.
Lead
Ability: Protean
Item: Life Orb/Focus Sash
Nature&Spread: Naive, 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 Atk
Moves:-Hydro Pump/Scald
-Ice Beam
-Dark Pulse
-Gunk Shot/Spikes/Grass Knot/Extrasensory/Low Kick/Hidden Power Fire, 30 Attack, Special Attack and Speed IVs if using HP Fire
Hydro Pump hits very hard even without a Life Orb boost, and it takes a huge chunk out of anything that doesn't resist it or is Chansey. Ice Beam is a must to handle Garchomp and Mega Salamence and also Thundurus. Dark Pulse OHKOes Mega Gengar and takes normal Gengar to its Sash. The last moveslot goes to whatever you need Greninja to handle. Gunk Shot plows through Fairies, Spikes playsmind games on Rotom-W, Graess Knot heavily damages Water types(you mustn't use it on Rotom-W due to it being as light as paper.), Extrasensory hits Mega Venusaur and Conkeldurr, Low Kick hits Tyranitar, Bisharp and Specially Defensive Heatran and lastly, HP Fire hits Ferrothorn and Scizor. Max Speed and SpA is obvious. Life Orb is used to boost Grennja's power, allowing it to achieve some important OHKOes such as Low Kick on Heatran. Focus Sash allows it to stop a boosted Mega Salamence but the drop in power is noticeable. You may also run Water Shuriken but Greninja has no room for it. Greninja can also run a physical set but it appreciates the ability to check Salamence more.
Countering Greninja:Any faster attacker threatens Greninja, such as Mega Beedrill and Choice Scarfers. (Mega) Scizor can threaten to OHKO Ice Greninja with Bullet Punch. Conkeldurr also threatens to do the same with Mach Punch, but it doesn't like Extrasensory. Aegislash can take a Dark Pulse and OHKO back, and even if it has a Sash it can still Shadow Sneak. Passive damage such as burn and sandstorm add to Life Orb's recoil, harshly withering Greninja. Paralysis completely ruing Greninja.
Number 7-Mega Mawile
With Huge Power, Mega Mawile has the highest Atack in the game, being able to reach something that is the equivalent of 259 Base Attack, which is beyond the limit of 255. With this much power, coupled with great bulk and Intimidate pre-Mega, Mawile is a huge threat to defensive teams, ripping them apart with Swords Dance boosted onslaughts. It is, however, still slow and is prone to revenge killing, although Mawile somewhat remedies this with Sucker Punch.
Wallbreaker
Ability: Intimidate pre-Mega
Item: Mawilite
Nature&Spread: Adamant, 252 HP/212 Attack/ 44 Def
Moves:
-Swords Dance/Pain Split
-Play Rough
-Sucker Punch
-Knock Off/Iron Head/Fire Fang
Swords Dance boosts Mawile's attack to frightening levels, allowing it to break through the toughest of walls such as Suicune and Porygon2. Alternatively, Pain Splitcan be used for more longevity, although Swords Dance's huge boost in attack is more appealing. Play Rough is Mawile's Primary STAB option, tearing through anything that doesn't resist it with raw power. Sucker Punch gives Mawile priority which is priceless. In the last moveslot, Knock Off is preferred to ruin Porygon2 and hit (Mega) Gengar. Iron Head can be used to hit Fairies and Ice-Types, though the only relevant Ice-Type is Mamoswine, and Play Rough hits Fairies hard already. Fire Fang can be used to roast Ferrothorn and (Mega) Scizor.
You may opt to run Ice Fang for Gliscor and Landorus-T but it has no other use. The given EVs allow Mawile to survive a Banded Flare Blitz from Talonflame after intimidate, while the rest goes to Attack.
Countering Mega Mawile:
While directly switching into Mega Mawile is virtually impossible, it is easy to take care of if you have a free turn, such as on the turn Mawile is sent out. Rotom can burn Mawile, which shuts it down. Faster Earthquakers can annihilate Mawile, such as Garchomp and Landorus-T, which also Intimidates. Hitting it on the special side is also a great way of dealing with it, as Intimidate only lower Physical Attack. Skarmory and Ferrothorn can deal with Mawile if it lacks Fire Fang. Sableye can use Will-O-Wisp on the turn it Mega Evolves to burn Mawile while gaining bulk, but it takes heavy damage in the process. Mega Slowbro takes any of Mawile's unboosted attacks and threatens with Fire Blast.
Number 6-(Mega) Blaziken
With Speed Boost, Blaziken is a huge threat to offensive teams, outspeeding a vast majority of the metagame with a single boost. Fire and Fighting gives it great coverage, and its STAB moves have high Base Power to boot. You should always keep Blaziken in mind while teambuilding.
Offensive
Ability: Speed Boost
Item: Blazikenite
Nature&Spread: Adamant, 252Atk/ 252Spe/4 SpD
Moves:
-Protect
-High Jump Kick/Superpower
-Flare Blitz
-Knock Off/Brave Bird
Protect gives Blaziken a free Speed Boost while safely going Mega. HJK vs Superpower is a matter of reliability, and both boast great power. Flare Blitz gives Blaziken good coverage and has high power. Knock Off deals with Psychic and Ghost-types without relying on Flare Blitz, and removing items from opponents. Brave Bird can suprise Mega Gallade and Conkeldurr, but has little use other than that. Adamant is used since Speed Boost already boost Blaziken's Speed. Max Attack and Speed gives Blaziken its offensive presence, while 4 SpD EVs deny Porygon2 from its Download boost.
Mixed Attacker
Ability: Speed Boost
Item: Life Orb
Nature&Spread: Naive, 4 Atk/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe, 30 Attack and 30 Defense IVs
Moves:
-Protect
-Overheat
-Hidden Power Ice
-High Jump Kick
Protect is necessary for Speed Boost. Overheat ravages Aegislash and physically defensive Pokemon. HP Ice OHKOes Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, Garchomp and Gliscor. High Jump Kick is insane damage.
Maximum SpA and Speed give Blaziken damage on the special side since HJK already has huge amounts of power with just a LO boost. Life Orb is necessary for more damage. Naive is used to outspeed neutral natured base 150s after a Speed Boost.
Countering (Mega) Blaziken:
Mega Slowbro completely neuters both variants of Blaziken, standing out as the best counter. Rotom-W generally has a realtively easy time dealing with Blaziken, OHKOing with Hydro Pump though HJK manages to break through its defenses, so it can't switch in safely. Landorus-T Intimidates Blaziken and OHKOes with Earthquake, though it must watch out for the HP Ice set, with Gliscor and Salamence being in a similar vein. Suicune takes anything Blaziken throws at it and demolishes it with its Water-Type STAB. Aegislash can play mind games, though the results will either be like a jackpot or outright horrific, so you should resort to it only as an emerency.
Number 5-Garchomp
Garchomp is stupidly versatile and unpredictable, making it almost a staple on any team that aims high. Its stats are very well placed, possessing great bulk, high speed, high attack and usable special attack, with a nearly unresisted STAB combination that is also great defensively. It also has a great ability in Rough Skin, trolling Mega Kangaskhan with "Rocky Skin", 2HKOing it just with recoil damage done to itself. Garchomp is quite poosible the best non-legendary and non-mega out there and there is little to no reason to not use it.
Bulky Wallbreaking Stealth Rocking Sweeping...
Ability: Rough Skin
Item: Rocky Helmet/Focus Sash/Life Orb/Lum Berry
Nature&Spread: Naive/Jolly, 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Moves:
-Stealth Rock/Swords Dance
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast/Rock Tomb/Stone Edge
If you are using Focus Sash or Rocky Helmet, use Stealth Rock. Otherwise, go with Swords Dance. Outrage and Earthquake provide near perfect coverage and offer high Base Power. Fire Blast destroys Ferrothorn, Skarmory and Scizor whereas Rock Tomb screws up offensive switch ins such as Greninja. Stone Edge can also be used to hit Togekiss harder, but the Speed drop of Rock Tomb is more valuable.
Max Attack and Speed give Garchomp the power and speed it needs. Naive is used with Fire Blast and Rock Tomb/Stone Edge is used with Jolly. Rocky Helmet racks up insane passive damage on moves like Shadow Sneak. Focus Sash allows Garchomp to stop boosted Mega Salamence and Choice Scarf Garchomp. A completely defensive set with maximum Defense and HP holding the Rocky Helmet with the moves Stealth Rock/Earthquake/Fire Blast/Dragon Tail is also viable. Some Defense on this set can be moved to Speed to check more threats depending on your team. Swords Dance and Stealth Rock can be replaced with Stone Edge/Fire Blast(whichever one you don't have) with Choice Scarf or Band. Mega Garchomp can be used, with a Naughty nature and max SpA and Spe with Draco Meteor/Fire Blast/Stone Edge/Earthquake for a nasty surprise, but it takes up a Mega slot.
Countering Garchomp:
Focus Sash Mamoswine is a solid offensive check, OHKOing any variant with Icicle Spear and OHKOing offensive ones with Ice Shard with some prior damage. Porygon2 walls any variant and OHKOes with a +1 Ice Beam. Slowbro can also do this, but Mega Chomp can catch it off guard. Ferrothorn and Skarmory can wall any variant lacking Fire Blast though it is not worth the risk. Aegislash can take an unboosted Earthquake, activate its Weakness Policy and OHKO offensive variants with Shadow Ball. You can also take advantage of it locking itself into Outrage. Garchomp's main strength comes from its unpredictability, so Gourgeist can reveal its variant with Frisk.
Number 4- (Mega) Gengar
Gengar, both in its regular and Mega form, is something to watch out for. Wrongly predicting whether it is Mega or not can cost you the game, since they have different playstyles. Regular Gengar with its Focus Sash is very annoying because it screws up many other leads. Mega Gengar, on the other hand, is the main problem. It easily takes advantage of a Choice-locked Pokemon, reducing you to a mere 2 Pokemon with its Perish Trapping set, and it works even as a lead most of the time because you usually don't have the guts to Earthquake a Levitating Gengar with your Scarf Landorus. Gengar is always a threat to watch out for.
Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Item: Focus Sash
Nature&Spread: Timid, 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 SpD
Moves:
-Sludge Wave/Taunt
-Taunt/Focus Blast
-Shadow Ball/Hex
-Will-O-Wisp/ Destiny Bond
Sludge Wave is a powerful STAB option, hitting Fairies for super effective damage. Taunt, on the other hand, renders Chansey completely useless against Gengar. Focus Blast hits Ferrothorn, Bisharp on the switch, and Tyranitar. Shadow Ball is the secondary STAB option, hitting opposing Ghost and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Destiny Bond takes the opponent down with Gengar, and also play mind games. Alternatively, Hex with Will-O-Wisp renders Mega Kangaskhan helpless against Gengar since Earthquake doesn't hit and Will-O-Wisp is a status move, making Sucker Punch fail. Timid with max Spe and SpA is used as this set is offensive and Gengar equals Speed.
Perish Trapper
Ability: Levitate pre-Mega
Item: Gengarite
Nature&Spread: Timid, 252HP or SpA/252 Spe/ 4 SpD
Moves:
-Perish Song
-Protect/Shadow Ball/Sludge Wave/Will-O-Wisp
-Substitute/Focus Blast/Sludge Wave/Hex
-Destiny Bond
Perish Song works wonders with Shadow Tag, effectively removing a Pokemon out of the 3 your opponent has. Protect stalls out a turn of the perish cycle, whereas Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave are more offensive options. Again, Will-O-Wisp can be used in this slot with Hex in the next for great damage, even uninvested. Substitute ruins Sucker Punchers and protects it in general. Focus Blast can also be used in this slot for a more offensive option and hitting Pokemon such as Heatran and Bisharp on the switch. Destiny Bond goes hand-in-hand with the whole process, further guaranteeing the fall of the trapped Pokemon. Timid is a must for Gengar to be super-fast, which is crucial to its success. Max HP or SpA depends on whether you want Gengar to be offensive or bulky, with the moves being chosen accordingly as well.
Countering (Mega) Gengar:Gengar absolutely hates Pursuit, so Focus Sash Bisharp can make short work of it, as well as defensive Mega Tyranitar, which has sandstorm and Stealth Rock for the guaranteed kill. Aegislash beats Gengar 1 on 1 but loses about 70% of its health during the process, and Sucker Punch on the Focus Sash set can catch it off guard. Mega Sableye can take most of Gengar's attacks and switch out of Shadow Tag due to being a Ghost-type. However, a surprise Dazzling Gleam will hurt it. Choice Scarf Earthquake takes down Mega Gengar, from the likes of Landorus-T and Garchomp. However, Icy Wind can OHKO.
Number 3- Aegislash
Aegislash virtually has a Base Stat Total of 720, along with a solid defensive typing and mind-game playing power, which makes it among the premier choices in BSS. Literally once every 3 battles you will see one. Aegislash's capability to chech both Mega Salamence and Mega Kangaskhan at the same time, along with many others, make Aegislash suitable for nearly any team.
Offensive
Ability: Stance Change
Item: Weakness Policy
Nature&Spread: Quiet, 252 HP/4 Atk/252 SpA, 0 Speed IVs/30 Attack and 30 Defense IVs if using HP Ice
Moves:
-King's Shield
-Shadow Sneak
-Sacred Sword/Flash Cannon/Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power Ice/Shadow Ball/Flash Cannon
King's Shield is Aegislash's main tool in mind game-playing, lowering the attack of any contact maker by 2 stages. Shadow Sneak is priority and is very strong after a Weakness Policy Boost. Sacred Sword slices through Chansey and Porygon2, who would otherwise wall it. Shadow Ball or Flash Cannon can be used as STAB moves and it is highly recommended to have either one. Hidden Power Ice can surprise Garchomp, Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, dealing a huge chunk and OHKOing all of them after Stealth Rock. Quiet along with 0 Speed IVs are used to underspeed as many Pokemon as possible, while still having Hidden Power Ice. Max HP and SpA allow Aegislash to be as bulky and offensive as possible. A defensive set with Toxic/Substitute/King's Shield/Shadow Ball or Flas Cannon can be used to take advantage of King's Shield's prediction factor to set up Substitute with Leftovers as the held item. However, Aegislash loses its offensive presence this way.
Countering Aegislash:
Taunt denies Aegislash of its ability to King's Shield, leaving it in its vulnerable Blade Forme. Bisharp neuters King's Shield's attack drop with Defiant, allowing for a safe Knock Off. Status ailments still go through King's Shield, so Will-O-Wisp and Taunt will still hit it. Aegislash is also highly predictable, so this can be used to set up. Still, because of its gargantuan defense, Aegislash will cause trouble for many Pokemon since they usually fail to OHKO with a super effective move and Weakness Policy wrecks them.
Number 2-Mega Salamence
This unholy behemoth that emerges onto the battlefield with infernal flames is arguably the best Dragon Dancer in the game as of now, being able to set up on a ridiculous amount of Pokemon and once it does, that usually wraps the game up. A set-up Salamence's Double Edge destroys anything that doesn't resist it, and it has Fire Blast too so it doesn't get walled by Skarmory. Mega Salamence is ALWAYS someting to prepare for.
Frisbee Dance
Ability: Intimidate pre-Mega
Item: Salamencite
Nature&Spread: Jolly/Naive, 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 Def
Moves:
-Dragon Dance
-Double Edge/Return/Facade
-Earthquake
-Roost/Fire Blast
Dragon Dance boosts Salamence's Speed and Attack to very high levels, readying it for a sweep. The Normal type moves listed are up to the player's preference: Double Edge deals monstrous damage but has recoil, Return is the most consistent optin but the drop of power from DE is noticeable, and Facade laughs in the face of status. Earthquake provides important coverage against Steel-typres. Roost increases Salamence's longevity whereas Fire Blast destroys Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Max Attack and Speed is obvious on a sweeper. Naive with Fire Blast and Roost with Jolly.
Countering Mega Salamence:
Unfortunately, Mega Salamence will usually take something down or punch a gigantic hole through your team before it goes down. That is USUALLY how it goes: if you understand what the quiet means then you know the storm is approaching. Porygon2 has the highest chance to stand against the frisbee dragon, being able to take a hit and OHKO with a +1 Ice Beam. Mega Slowbro can do the same thing but it risks facing a surprise special variant. Mega Sableye can act as an emergency button with Prankster Will-O-Wisp but fails to harm Facade variants. Cresselia can take a hit or two and retaliate with its Ice Beam, but Double Edge deals massive damage even to Cresselia. Your best bet is to take advantage of its base form with 100 Base Speed. Greninja excels at this, OHKOing any Salamence variank with a LO-boosted Ice Beam, and even unboosted Mega Salamence since Greninja ouspeeds.
Number 1-Mega Kangaskhan
Feel the wrath of the most powerful Pokemon in BSS. This terror from the infernal depths of Game Freak's mind has the capability to single-handedly crumble entire teams just with the simple power of its ability: Parental Bond. What this does is basically you attack twice every turn with the second move having 50% of its usual power, with the second move also applying secondary effects with the same chance as the first hit. That means duck Focus Sash and Substitutes. That means +2 from Power-Up Punch. That means a Choice Band boost. And all of this means that you are bound to lose if you don't prepare for this Pokemon.
Harbinger of Doom
Ability: Scrappy pre-Mega
Item: Kangaskhanite
Nature&Spread: Jolly/Adamant, 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
-Double Edge/Return
-Sucker Punch
-Earthquake/Power-Up Punch
-Fake Out/Crunch/Power-Up Punch
Double Edge and Return are the obligatory STAB moves, dealing outstanding damage even without any boosts. Sucker Punch gives Kangaskhan a powerful priority move that enables it to break through Alakazam and Gengar. Power-Up Punch boosts Kangaskhan's attack by 2 stages, enabling it to destroy everything in its path. Alternatively, Earthquake can be used to hit Steel types harder. Fake Out enables Kangaskhan to safely Mega Evolve and deal chip damage(that is quite high to be considered "chip"). Crunch allows for a safer way to deal with Gengar. Power-Up Punch can instead be used in this slot to have more coverage. Ice Punch can be used to deal with Gliscor and Mega Salamence. Max Speed and Attack maximize Kangaskhan's damage output. Jolly speed ties with many other base 100s whereas adamant has more power.
Countering Mega Kangaskhan:Surprisingly, the best Pokemon has more counters than the 2nd best. Gourgeist completely neuters any Kangaskhan lacking Crunch, and even then an unboosted Crunch is a 3HKO after Leftovers recovery, assuming no Defense drops occur. Mega Salamence can take on unboosted Kangaskhan lacking Ice Punch. Regular Gengar with Will-O-Wisp is the safest option to shut down Kangaskhan, as it outspeeds and is unaffected by Sucker Punch as it uses WOW. Rough Skin+ Rocky Helmet makes Kangaskhan 2HKO itself.
Well I'm out of time to write anything else. I'll continue tomorrow with Honorable Mentions.
BSS(Battle Spot Singles) is basically the format that you play in on your DS. You can have at most 3 Pokemon per battle, which can make battles difficult even before they start. The battles tend to be fast-paced since there are 3 Pokemon per battle. Every Pokemon except "powerful" legendaries, event Pokemon and Pokemon holding the Soul Dew, is allowed.
Playstyles&Threats
With such a wide selection of Pokemon, it's no wonder to see different playstyles rise in BSS. Fast and powerful ones that swiftly deal great damage, bulky defensive ones that are a chore to take down, and ones that are between the two, being able to take some hits while dishing out damage back, Pokemon differ from one another greatly. Playstyles may vary greatly, but four main ones exist: balanced, hyper-offensive, stall/defensive, and the one only demons from hell tend to use (dice rolls AKA hax.) Balanced teams have a combination of offense and defense. They often form a defensive and offensive typing core and are(in my opinion) the safest team choice in general. Hyper-offensive teams use fast and frail offensive monsters, aiming to finish off the opponent quickly with raw power. They often use items like Life Orb, Focus Sash and Choice items. Examples of such Pokemon are Weavile, Talonflame and Greninja. Defensive teams use bulky Pokemon with high defenses and good defensive typings. They often have moves like Recover and Roost to heal off lost HP, and often aim to wither the opponent down with status like poison and burn. They may also carry setup moves like Calm Mind to take advantage of their high defenses to set up. They usually hold items like Rocky Helmet and Leftovers to take advantage of their bulk. This variant may include Pokemon such as Cresselia, Porygon2 and Slowbro. Stall differs from defensive in that it uses moves like Leech Seed in conjunction with Protect or Substitute to wear the opponent down while staying alive itself. Pokemon that are defensive can also be listed as stally, but rather squishy ones like Whimsicott and regular Sableye are also added due to their stall-inclined movesets and abilities. Hax teams are the ones that make you cringe with the sheer power of luck and annoyance. They also utilize recovery items but differ from stall in the moves they use, often aiming to lock the opponent in an endless cycle that requires luck to break through with moves like Thunder Wave, Swagger(often in conjunction with Foul Play),Attract and evasion moves like Double Team. Nearly any Pokemon with average defense can be haxy due to the availability of Swagger and Attract, but Klefki in particular stands out as being nearly the most annoying Pokemon ever with T-Wave Swagplay. All these playstyles bar hax(due to Smogon's nature of banning most luck-dependent win conditions) are present in every format in Smogon but BSS differs due to having at max 3 Pokemon per battle. For example, you won't see entry hazards and Defog as much due to the fast-paced nature of the metagame(and the limited availability of Defog due to the pentagon rule.).
Because so many Pokemon are allowed in Battle Spot, it's only natural that some won't see use due to being outclassed by others or simply being weak. For example, you won't use Light Ball Pikachu when Mega Manectric is available because it is outright a better Pokemon. And out of those Pokemon who see use, there are naturally some which are more dangerous and take priority in teambuildng. This section will list the Top 10 Threats(In My Opinion) in BSS and their most common sets.
(Note that the order may change in some of these.)
Number 10-Landorus-Therian
This thing is the classic Choice Scarfer of the game. In nearly every meta where it is allowed, a Choice Scarf set is viable. Its combination of speed and power on top of Intimidate make Landorus-Therian a solid threat. However, it is not limited to Choice Scarf. Landorus-Therian can also utilize Choice Band to increase its high power to ridiculous leves, smashing everything that doesn't resist its STAB Earthquake. You may also see some defensive variants that utilize its defensive prowess to set up Stealth Rock.
Choice
Ability: Intimidate
Item: Choice Scarf/Choice Band
Nature&Spread: Jolly, 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Moves:
-Earthquake
-U-Turn
-Stone Edge
-Knock Off/Superpower/Explosion
Probably the variant you will see the most, though you should never underestimate it. Earthquake and Stone Edge provide near perfect coverage except on Breloom and Chesnaught, hitting anything else hard. U-Turn takes advantage of the Choice item to gain mometum while dealing chip damage.It also OHKOes Life Orb Greninja. On the last slot, Knock Off is preferred to deal reliable damage to Gengar and getting rid of opponents' items on the switch. Superpower can also be used to hurt Ferrothorn and Mamoswine on the switch. Finally, Explosion can deal massive damage as a last ditch hope. Maximum Speed and Attack allow Landorus-Therian to hit as hard as possible as fast as possible. Jolly is used to outspeed key threats like neutral natured base 100s, such as Adamant Megazard-X.
Countering Landorus-Therian:
Skarmory can set up Stealth Rock and phaze Landorus-Therian to rack up entry hazard damage, while laughing at Stone Edge. Any bulky Water-type can force Landorus-Therian out with their STAB move. Mamoswine carrying Focus Sash can live a Choice Banded Superpower while OHKOing Landorus-Therian with Icicle Spear.
Number 9-Rotom-W
Rotom-W has a great defensive typing and the stats to back it up. It can withstand powerful hits while punishing physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. It can also outright dish out damage with its STAB Hydro Pump and Thunderbolt, and gaining momentum with its slow Volt Switches. Rotom-W can also hold a Choice item and Trick to screw the opponent's item up. It also has the unique trait to completely shut down Mamoswine's normally unresisted Ice-Ground STAB combination, and the ability to withstand Mega Salamence's Aerilate boosted attacks.
Defensive
Ability: Levitate
Item: Leftovers/Chesto Berry
Nature&Spread: Bold or Calm, 252HP/204 Defense or 204 Sp. Def/52 Spe
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch/Thunderbolt
-Will-O-Wisp
-Pain Split/Rest
Hydro Pump is Rotom-W's main STAB attack, hitting hard even uninvested. Volt Switch is used to screw up the opponent's momentum while giving it to you. Thunderbolt is also a stronger option that doesn't force Rotom-W out. Will-O-Wisp burns physical attackers like Garchomp and Salamence and deals chip damage. Pain Split is used with Leftovers and Rest is used Witch Chesto to give Rotom-W a way of recovery. 52 Speed EVs outspeed maximum Speed Jolly Azumarill. Maximum HP EVs give Rotom-W bulk, and the rest goes to Def or SpD depending on the nature.
Choice
Ability: Levitate
Item: Choice Scarf/Specs
Nature&Spread: Modest, 252 SpA/252Spe/4 SpD
Moves:-Trick
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Pain Split/Will-O-Wisp/Thunderbolt
Trick switches Rotom-W's item with its opponent, ruining walls like Porygon2, Cresselia and Chansey while gaining theirs, possibly revealing the opponent's set. Hydro Pump hits very hard with Specs, and still does high damage with Scarf. Volt Switch is great as always at gaining momentum. In the last moveslot, Thunderbolt is preferred to deal huge damage to Suicune and not forcing Rotom-W out. Pain Split can be used to extend Rotom-W's longevity and Will-O-Wisp burns the foe. Maximum Speed and SpA are used to take advantage of Rotom's Choice item and Modest gives it more firepower.
Countering Rotom-W:Venusaur takes everything Rotom-W throws at it and destroys it with Giga Drain. Serperior gets a free Leaf Storm boost while severely hurting Rotom. Latios can ruin the defensive set with a Choice Scarf Trick, and Latias simply takes anything thrown at it by Rotom. Mega Sceptile gets a Lightningrod boost on a predicted Volt Switch.
Number 7-Greninja
Greninja is fast and powerful. Its Protean gives it its major power and mind game-playing prowess with its type-changing properties. Greninja's vast movepool makes its full moveset very unpredictable, although it is also its main problem. Nevertheless, Greninja is a major threat to prepare for.
Lead
Ability: Protean
Item: Life Orb/Focus Sash
Nature&Spread: Naive, 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 Atk
Moves:-Hydro Pump/Scald
-Ice Beam
-Dark Pulse
-Gunk Shot/Spikes/Grass Knot/Extrasensory/Low Kick/Hidden Power Fire, 30 Attack, Special Attack and Speed IVs if using HP Fire
Hydro Pump hits very hard even without a Life Orb boost, and it takes a huge chunk out of anything that doesn't resist it or is Chansey. Ice Beam is a must to handle Garchomp and Mega Salamence and also Thundurus. Dark Pulse OHKOes Mega Gengar and takes normal Gengar to its Sash. The last moveslot goes to whatever you need Greninja to handle. Gunk Shot plows through Fairies, Spikes playsmind games on Rotom-W, Graess Knot heavily damages Water types(you mustn't use it on Rotom-W due to it being as light as paper.), Extrasensory hits Mega Venusaur and Conkeldurr, Low Kick hits Tyranitar, Bisharp and Specially Defensive Heatran and lastly, HP Fire hits Ferrothorn and Scizor. Max Speed and SpA is obvious. Life Orb is used to boost Grennja's power, allowing it to achieve some important OHKOes such as Low Kick on Heatran. Focus Sash allows it to stop a boosted Mega Salamence but the drop in power is noticeable. You may also run Water Shuriken but Greninja has no room for it. Greninja can also run a physical set but it appreciates the ability to check Salamence more.
Countering Greninja:Any faster attacker threatens Greninja, such as Mega Beedrill and Choice Scarfers. (Mega) Scizor can threaten to OHKO Ice Greninja with Bullet Punch. Conkeldurr also threatens to do the same with Mach Punch, but it doesn't like Extrasensory. Aegislash can take a Dark Pulse and OHKO back, and even if it has a Sash it can still Shadow Sneak. Passive damage such as burn and sandstorm add to Life Orb's recoil, harshly withering Greninja. Paralysis completely ruing Greninja.
Number 7-Mega Mawile
With Huge Power, Mega Mawile has the highest Atack in the game, being able to reach something that is the equivalent of 259 Base Attack, which is beyond the limit of 255. With this much power, coupled with great bulk and Intimidate pre-Mega, Mawile is a huge threat to defensive teams, ripping them apart with Swords Dance boosted onslaughts. It is, however, still slow and is prone to revenge killing, although Mawile somewhat remedies this with Sucker Punch.
Wallbreaker
Ability: Intimidate pre-Mega
Item: Mawilite
Nature&Spread: Adamant, 252 HP/212 Attack/ 44 Def
Moves:
-Swords Dance/Pain Split
-Play Rough
-Sucker Punch
-Knock Off/Iron Head/Fire Fang
Swords Dance boosts Mawile's attack to frightening levels, allowing it to break through the toughest of walls such as Suicune and Porygon2. Alternatively, Pain Splitcan be used for more longevity, although Swords Dance's huge boost in attack is more appealing. Play Rough is Mawile's Primary STAB option, tearing through anything that doesn't resist it with raw power. Sucker Punch gives Mawile priority which is priceless. In the last moveslot, Knock Off is preferred to ruin Porygon2 and hit (Mega) Gengar. Iron Head can be used to hit Fairies and Ice-Types, though the only relevant Ice-Type is Mamoswine, and Play Rough hits Fairies hard already. Fire Fang can be used to roast Ferrothorn and (Mega) Scizor.
You may opt to run Ice Fang for Gliscor and Landorus-T but it has no other use. The given EVs allow Mawile to survive a Banded Flare Blitz from Talonflame after intimidate, while the rest goes to Attack.
Countering Mega Mawile:
While directly switching into Mega Mawile is virtually impossible, it is easy to take care of if you have a free turn, such as on the turn Mawile is sent out. Rotom can burn Mawile, which shuts it down. Faster Earthquakers can annihilate Mawile, such as Garchomp and Landorus-T, which also Intimidates. Hitting it on the special side is also a great way of dealing with it, as Intimidate only lower Physical Attack. Skarmory and Ferrothorn can deal with Mawile if it lacks Fire Fang. Sableye can use Will-O-Wisp on the turn it Mega Evolves to burn Mawile while gaining bulk, but it takes heavy damage in the process. Mega Slowbro takes any of Mawile's unboosted attacks and threatens with Fire Blast.
Number 6-(Mega) Blaziken
With Speed Boost, Blaziken is a huge threat to offensive teams, outspeeding a vast majority of the metagame with a single boost. Fire and Fighting gives it great coverage, and its STAB moves have high Base Power to boot. You should always keep Blaziken in mind while teambuilding.
Offensive
Ability: Speed Boost
Item: Blazikenite
Nature&Spread: Adamant, 252Atk/ 252Spe/4 SpD
Moves:
-Protect
-High Jump Kick/Superpower
-Flare Blitz
-Knock Off/Brave Bird
Protect gives Blaziken a free Speed Boost while safely going Mega. HJK vs Superpower is a matter of reliability, and both boast great power. Flare Blitz gives Blaziken good coverage and has high power. Knock Off deals with Psychic and Ghost-types without relying on Flare Blitz, and removing items from opponents. Brave Bird can suprise Mega Gallade and Conkeldurr, but has little use other than that. Adamant is used since Speed Boost already boost Blaziken's Speed. Max Attack and Speed gives Blaziken its offensive presence, while 4 SpD EVs deny Porygon2 from its Download boost.
Mixed Attacker
Ability: Speed Boost
Item: Life Orb
Nature&Spread: Naive, 4 Atk/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe, 30 Attack and 30 Defense IVs
Moves:
-Protect
-Overheat
-Hidden Power Ice
-High Jump Kick
Protect is necessary for Speed Boost. Overheat ravages Aegislash and physically defensive Pokemon. HP Ice OHKOes Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, Garchomp and Gliscor. High Jump Kick is insane damage.
Maximum SpA and Speed give Blaziken damage on the special side since HJK already has huge amounts of power with just a LO boost. Life Orb is necessary for more damage. Naive is used to outspeed neutral natured base 150s after a Speed Boost.
Countering (Mega) Blaziken:
Mega Slowbro completely neuters both variants of Blaziken, standing out as the best counter. Rotom-W generally has a realtively easy time dealing with Blaziken, OHKOing with Hydro Pump though HJK manages to break through its defenses, so it can't switch in safely. Landorus-T Intimidates Blaziken and OHKOes with Earthquake, though it must watch out for the HP Ice set, with Gliscor and Salamence being in a similar vein. Suicune takes anything Blaziken throws at it and demolishes it with its Water-Type STAB. Aegislash can play mind games, though the results will either be like a jackpot or outright horrific, so you should resort to it only as an emerency.
Number 5-Garchomp
Garchomp is stupidly versatile and unpredictable, making it almost a staple on any team that aims high. Its stats are very well placed, possessing great bulk, high speed, high attack and usable special attack, with a nearly unresisted STAB combination that is also great defensively. It also has a great ability in Rough Skin, trolling Mega Kangaskhan with "Rocky Skin", 2HKOing it just with recoil damage done to itself. Garchomp is quite poosible the best non-legendary and non-mega out there and there is little to no reason to not use it.
Bulky Wallbreaking Stealth Rocking Sweeping...
Ability: Rough Skin
Item: Rocky Helmet/Focus Sash/Life Orb/Lum Berry
Nature&Spread: Naive/Jolly, 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Moves:
-Stealth Rock/Swords Dance
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast/Rock Tomb/Stone Edge
If you are using Focus Sash or Rocky Helmet, use Stealth Rock. Otherwise, go with Swords Dance. Outrage and Earthquake provide near perfect coverage and offer high Base Power. Fire Blast destroys Ferrothorn, Skarmory and Scizor whereas Rock Tomb screws up offensive switch ins such as Greninja. Stone Edge can also be used to hit Togekiss harder, but the Speed drop of Rock Tomb is more valuable.
Max Attack and Speed give Garchomp the power and speed it needs. Naive is used with Fire Blast and Rock Tomb/Stone Edge is used with Jolly. Rocky Helmet racks up insane passive damage on moves like Shadow Sneak. Focus Sash allows Garchomp to stop boosted Mega Salamence and Choice Scarf Garchomp. A completely defensive set with maximum Defense and HP holding the Rocky Helmet with the moves Stealth Rock/Earthquake/Fire Blast/Dragon Tail is also viable. Some Defense on this set can be moved to Speed to check more threats depending on your team. Swords Dance and Stealth Rock can be replaced with Stone Edge/Fire Blast(whichever one you don't have) with Choice Scarf or Band. Mega Garchomp can be used, with a Naughty nature and max SpA and Spe with Draco Meteor/Fire Blast/Stone Edge/Earthquake for a nasty surprise, but it takes up a Mega slot.
Countering Garchomp:
Focus Sash Mamoswine is a solid offensive check, OHKOing any variant with Icicle Spear and OHKOing offensive ones with Ice Shard with some prior damage. Porygon2 walls any variant and OHKOes with a +1 Ice Beam. Slowbro can also do this, but Mega Chomp can catch it off guard. Ferrothorn and Skarmory can wall any variant lacking Fire Blast though it is not worth the risk. Aegislash can take an unboosted Earthquake, activate its Weakness Policy and OHKO offensive variants with Shadow Ball. You can also take advantage of it locking itself into Outrage. Garchomp's main strength comes from its unpredictability, so Gourgeist can reveal its variant with Frisk.
Number 4- (Mega) Gengar
Gengar, both in its regular and Mega form, is something to watch out for. Wrongly predicting whether it is Mega or not can cost you the game, since they have different playstyles. Regular Gengar with its Focus Sash is very annoying because it screws up many other leads. Mega Gengar, on the other hand, is the main problem. It easily takes advantage of a Choice-locked Pokemon, reducing you to a mere 2 Pokemon with its Perish Trapping set, and it works even as a lead most of the time because you usually don't have the guts to Earthquake a Levitating Gengar with your Scarf Landorus. Gengar is always a threat to watch out for.
Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Item: Focus Sash
Nature&Spread: Timid, 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 SpD
Moves:
-Sludge Wave/Taunt
-Taunt/Focus Blast
-Shadow Ball/Hex
-Will-O-Wisp/ Destiny Bond
Sludge Wave is a powerful STAB option, hitting Fairies for super effective damage. Taunt, on the other hand, renders Chansey completely useless against Gengar. Focus Blast hits Ferrothorn, Bisharp on the switch, and Tyranitar. Shadow Ball is the secondary STAB option, hitting opposing Ghost and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Destiny Bond takes the opponent down with Gengar, and also play mind games. Alternatively, Hex with Will-O-Wisp renders Mega Kangaskhan helpless against Gengar since Earthquake doesn't hit and Will-O-Wisp is a status move, making Sucker Punch fail. Timid with max Spe and SpA is used as this set is offensive and Gengar equals Speed.
Perish Trapper
Ability: Levitate pre-Mega
Item: Gengarite
Nature&Spread: Timid, 252HP or SpA/252 Spe/ 4 SpD
Moves:
-Perish Song
-Protect/Shadow Ball/Sludge Wave/Will-O-Wisp
-Substitute/Focus Blast/Sludge Wave/Hex
-Destiny Bond
Perish Song works wonders with Shadow Tag, effectively removing a Pokemon out of the 3 your opponent has. Protect stalls out a turn of the perish cycle, whereas Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave are more offensive options. Again, Will-O-Wisp can be used in this slot with Hex in the next for great damage, even uninvested. Substitute ruins Sucker Punchers and protects it in general. Focus Blast can also be used in this slot for a more offensive option and hitting Pokemon such as Heatran and Bisharp on the switch. Destiny Bond goes hand-in-hand with the whole process, further guaranteeing the fall of the trapped Pokemon. Timid is a must for Gengar to be super-fast, which is crucial to its success. Max HP or SpA depends on whether you want Gengar to be offensive or bulky, with the moves being chosen accordingly as well.
Countering (Mega) Gengar:Gengar absolutely hates Pursuit, so Focus Sash Bisharp can make short work of it, as well as defensive Mega Tyranitar, which has sandstorm and Stealth Rock for the guaranteed kill. Aegislash beats Gengar 1 on 1 but loses about 70% of its health during the process, and Sucker Punch on the Focus Sash set can catch it off guard. Mega Sableye can take most of Gengar's attacks and switch out of Shadow Tag due to being a Ghost-type. However, a surprise Dazzling Gleam will hurt it. Choice Scarf Earthquake takes down Mega Gengar, from the likes of Landorus-T and Garchomp. However, Icy Wind can OHKO.
Number 3- Aegislash
Aegislash virtually has a Base Stat Total of 720, along with a solid defensive typing and mind-game playing power, which makes it among the premier choices in BSS. Literally once every 3 battles you will see one. Aegislash's capability to chech both Mega Salamence and Mega Kangaskhan at the same time, along with many others, make Aegislash suitable for nearly any team.
Offensive
Ability: Stance Change
Item: Weakness Policy
Nature&Spread: Quiet, 252 HP/4 Atk/252 SpA, 0 Speed IVs/30 Attack and 30 Defense IVs if using HP Ice
Moves:
-King's Shield
-Shadow Sneak
-Sacred Sword/Flash Cannon/Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power Ice/Shadow Ball/Flash Cannon
King's Shield is Aegislash's main tool in mind game-playing, lowering the attack of any contact maker by 2 stages. Shadow Sneak is priority and is very strong after a Weakness Policy Boost. Sacred Sword slices through Chansey and Porygon2, who would otherwise wall it. Shadow Ball or Flash Cannon can be used as STAB moves and it is highly recommended to have either one. Hidden Power Ice can surprise Garchomp, Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, dealing a huge chunk and OHKOing all of them after Stealth Rock. Quiet along with 0 Speed IVs are used to underspeed as many Pokemon as possible, while still having Hidden Power Ice. Max HP and SpA allow Aegislash to be as bulky and offensive as possible. A defensive set with Toxic/Substitute/King's Shield/Shadow Ball or Flas Cannon can be used to take advantage of King's Shield's prediction factor to set up Substitute with Leftovers as the held item. However, Aegislash loses its offensive presence this way.
Countering Aegislash:
Taunt denies Aegislash of its ability to King's Shield, leaving it in its vulnerable Blade Forme. Bisharp neuters King's Shield's attack drop with Defiant, allowing for a safe Knock Off. Status ailments still go through King's Shield, so Will-O-Wisp and Taunt will still hit it. Aegislash is also highly predictable, so this can be used to set up. Still, because of its gargantuan defense, Aegislash will cause trouble for many Pokemon since they usually fail to OHKO with a super effective move and Weakness Policy wrecks them.
Number 2-Mega Salamence
This unholy behemoth that emerges onto the battlefield with infernal flames is arguably the best Dragon Dancer in the game as of now, being able to set up on a ridiculous amount of Pokemon and once it does, that usually wraps the game up. A set-up Salamence's Double Edge destroys anything that doesn't resist it, and it has Fire Blast too so it doesn't get walled by Skarmory. Mega Salamence is ALWAYS someting to prepare for.
Frisbee Dance
Ability: Intimidate pre-Mega
Item: Salamencite
Nature&Spread: Jolly/Naive, 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 Def
Moves:
-Dragon Dance
-Double Edge/Return/Facade
-Earthquake
-Roost/Fire Blast
Dragon Dance boosts Salamence's Speed and Attack to very high levels, readying it for a sweep. The Normal type moves listed are up to the player's preference: Double Edge deals monstrous damage but has recoil, Return is the most consistent optin but the drop of power from DE is noticeable, and Facade laughs in the face of status. Earthquake provides important coverage against Steel-typres. Roost increases Salamence's longevity whereas Fire Blast destroys Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Max Attack and Speed is obvious on a sweeper. Naive with Fire Blast and Roost with Jolly.
Countering Mega Salamence:
Unfortunately, Mega Salamence will usually take something down or punch a gigantic hole through your team before it goes down. That is USUALLY how it goes: if you understand what the quiet means then you know the storm is approaching. Porygon2 has the highest chance to stand against the frisbee dragon, being able to take a hit and OHKO with a +1 Ice Beam. Mega Slowbro can do the same thing but it risks facing a surprise special variant. Mega Sableye can act as an emergency button with Prankster Will-O-Wisp but fails to harm Facade variants. Cresselia can take a hit or two and retaliate with its Ice Beam, but Double Edge deals massive damage even to Cresselia. Your best bet is to take advantage of its base form with 100 Base Speed. Greninja excels at this, OHKOing any Salamence variank with a LO-boosted Ice Beam, and even unboosted Mega Salamence since Greninja ouspeeds.
Number 1-Mega Kangaskhan
Feel the wrath of the most powerful Pokemon in BSS. This terror from the infernal depths of Game Freak's mind has the capability to single-handedly crumble entire teams just with the simple power of its ability: Parental Bond. What this does is basically you attack twice every turn with the second move having 50% of its usual power, with the second move also applying secondary effects with the same chance as the first hit. That means duck Focus Sash and Substitutes. That means +2 from Power-Up Punch. That means a Choice Band boost. And all of this means that you are bound to lose if you don't prepare for this Pokemon.
Harbinger of Doom
Ability: Scrappy pre-Mega
Item: Kangaskhanite
Nature&Spread: Jolly/Adamant, 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
-Double Edge/Return
-Sucker Punch
-Earthquake/Power-Up Punch
-Fake Out/Crunch/Power-Up Punch
Double Edge and Return are the obligatory STAB moves, dealing outstanding damage even without any boosts. Sucker Punch gives Kangaskhan a powerful priority move that enables it to break through Alakazam and Gengar. Power-Up Punch boosts Kangaskhan's attack by 2 stages, enabling it to destroy everything in its path. Alternatively, Earthquake can be used to hit Steel types harder. Fake Out enables Kangaskhan to safely Mega Evolve and deal chip damage(that is quite high to be considered "chip"). Crunch allows for a safer way to deal with Gengar. Power-Up Punch can instead be used in this slot to have more coverage. Ice Punch can be used to deal with Gliscor and Mega Salamence. Max Speed and Attack maximize Kangaskhan's damage output. Jolly speed ties with many other base 100s whereas adamant has more power.
Countering Mega Kangaskhan:Surprisingly, the best Pokemon has more counters than the 2nd best. Gourgeist completely neuters any Kangaskhan lacking Crunch, and even then an unboosted Crunch is a 3HKO after Leftovers recovery, assuming no Defense drops occur. Mega Salamence can take on unboosted Kangaskhan lacking Ice Punch. Regular Gengar with Will-O-Wisp is the safest option to shut down Kangaskhan, as it outspeeds and is unaffected by Sucker Punch as it uses WOW. Rough Skin+ Rocky Helmet makes Kangaskhan 2HKO itself.
Well I'm out of time to write anything else. I'll continue tomorrow with Honorable Mentions.
