Introduction
So I made my return to AG after a long hiatus in ou with this webs team. It was inspired by my need to have a team that beats arcspam and can plow through bulkier teams. I noticed webs HO had a high prevalence on the high ladder during my last climb in April, so I decided to create this. It has gone through many changes since its conception in April though, which turned it into a fairly standard HO team but it still has a few twists and turns. It has had much of its success due to its incredible ability to keep up offensive pressure as well as work with or without webs. Without further ado, into the team!
Proof Of Peak
History
So the team started as an answer to bulkier teams and arcspam, as well as just having an HO team since HO is the most viable playstyle imo. I just slapped together a bunch of heavy hitters along with SD mega ray which could OHKO max defense arceus formes after an SD boost. I threw CM Arc Steel in there too in order to act as a stallbreaker.
(Primal)
(Steel)
(Ghost)
(Mega)
I began to realize that groudon was a liability for the team and wasn't pulling its weight. I put arceus-ground on the team for its stronger priority as well as better speed. The only reason I chose groudon originally was for fire type stab, but I found it did not really matter in the long run as mega ray has VCreate and Yveltal's dark pulse can still do massive damage to steel types.
(Ground)
(Steel)
(Ghost)
(Mega)
I mostly just used the above version of the team in tournaments for a few months while I played OU. Then it all changed and I took it to the ladder, I got to about the low 1700's until I realized that arceus steel was becoming a liability due to its weak power. Its CM was also allowing for free defog turns for the opponent. So I tried to mend this problem by giving my team more priority in the form of substitute ekiller arceus.
(Ground)
(Normal)
(Ghost)
(Mega)
So I got to about 1800 with this version of the team, and then I began encountering an arcspam team which screwed this team over with burns from defensive arceus. I lost over and over to this team until I realized it was time to make a change. This time I actually made a good change to the team, by replacing the ekiller arceus with Geomancy Xerneas. This allows me to not be as phased by burns while giving me fairy type coverage and a very strong hitter.
(Ground)
(Ghost)
(Mega)
This version of the team was monsterous, it got me from around 1800 to 1903 with only a single loss. I thought about getting rid of arceus ground for arceus normal, the life orb ekiller, but i found strong ground STAB to be more important than stronger priority. With all of the versions, I have a record of 58W/24L.
I began to realize that groudon was a liability for the team and wasn't pulling its weight. I put arceus-ground on the team for its stronger priority as well as better speed. The only reason I chose groudon originally was for fire type stab, but I found it did not really matter in the long run as mega ray has VCreate and Yveltal's dark pulse can still do massive damage to steel types.
I mostly just used the above version of the team in tournaments for a few months while I played OU. Then it all changed and I took it to the ladder, I got to about the low 1700's until I realized that arceus steel was becoming a liability due to its weak power. Its CM was also allowing for free defog turns for the opponent. So I tried to mend this problem by giving my team more priority in the form of substitute ekiller arceus.
So I got to about 1800 with this version of the team, and then I began encountering an arcspam team which screwed this team over with burns from defensive arceus. I lost over and over to this team until I realized it was time to make a change. This time I actually made a good change to the team, by replacing the ekiller arceus with Geomancy Xerneas. This allows me to not be as phased by burns while giving me fairy type coverage and a very strong hitter.
This version of the team was monsterous, it got me from around 1800 to 1903 with only a single loss. I thought about getting rid of arceus ground for arceus normal, the life orb ekiller, but i found strong ground STAB to be more important than stronger priority. With all of the versions, I have a record of 58W/24L.
The Team
1. Shuckle
Shuckle (M) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Encore
- Toxic
So this is the mon that makes the team all possible. Not much to say about it other than mental herb for recovering once from taunt/opposing encore, both hazards, encore for providing free set up turns for shuckle or its teammates, and toxic for wearing down mons such as defog arceus formes or for the teammates. If one does not play shuckle well though, such as encoring thinking a mon will set up and getting 2HKOd, the team can be severely hindered. This usually happens with arceus steel, as it is difficult to tell whether it will attack, set up, or magic coat. Most other potential magic coat users can be scouted using encore first turn. Overall, shuckle is vital for the team, and if both webs and rocks are up, the team is a killer and is very tough to withstand the heavy hits.
2. Yveltal
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
Yveltal is low key the best mon in the game. Just like last gen, dark is an amazing STAB due to it being unresisted apart from a few mons. Dark Aura combined with Life Orb just boosts the already strong special attack to unreal levels. Yveltal also acts as the main stallbreaker, with taunt + Oblivion wing/dark pulse beating support arceus formes and also hitting common stall pokemon such as giratina, lugia, mega sableye, ferrothorn, and celesteela. Taunt also prevents defog users from removing hazards and xerneas from setting up, with both being problems for the team. Taunt and Dark Pulse can be used with a little bit of prediction to beat baton pass as well. Sucker punch was chosen because priority is always good and it can hit specially defensive mons such as kyogre for more damage. Yveltal is the team's main special wallbreaker and has longevity as well, so it can stick around for a while..unless you have rocks on your side. Another function of yveltal is its ability to beat other webs teams due to its flying typing. A rash nature was chosen as it gives power to yveltal's special attack without compromising its defense or attack.
3. Xerneas
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Geomancy
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Thunder
So Xerneas was the product of many changes and is the second special attacker on the team. I was hesitant to use it at first because everyone has at least 2 counters to it on their team. The secret with xerneas is to not be too trigger happy with the geomancy as roar is everywhere, as well as counters to Xern. The spread on xerneas was chosen so that I could outspeed scarf mega ray, support arceus with 8 speed evs, and smeargle while giving it maxiumum power and a little bulk. Moonblast, along with Thunder and Focus Blast, provides excellent coverage, allowing xerneas to take out Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn, Celesteela, Ho-oh, Kyogre, Rayquaza-Mega, and the list goes on and on. It also pressures mons like Arceus-Dark and Yveltal which pressure Arceus-Ghost. Its only real counters are Arceus-Poison, Groudon, and Magearna, which can take multiple hits once geomancy is up. Even without geomancy up, it can still 2hko a lot of the meta.
4. Arceus-Ground
Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed
Ground type is my favorite type, mostly due to earthquake, a staple on any team. This one is no different. Swords dance along with the EdgeQuake combo allows Arceus-Ground to be a ferocious killer. It also has espeed to hit mons such as mega rayquaza which are faster and not risk the stone edge miss (which WILL happen). I chose adamant over jolly for this arceus to boost the power of its move while taking advantage of sticky web. Arceus-Ground helps me deal with mons such as Groudon-Primal, Kyogre-Primal, Arceus and its formes, Yveltal, and Ho-oh to name a few. With an SD up it can deal with also every mon in the meta and earth plate makes it even stronger. Now I have considered a tectonic rage set, but I find that my z move is better for Arceus-Ghost, and I have not looked back since. Even without any defense of HP investment other than 4 evs, Arceus-Ground can stomach a lot of hits and gets plenty of setup chances. As I have said before, I find the strong ground stab to be better than a stronger extremespeed, as 4/6 mons on this team run priority, stronger priority was not needed.
5. Arceus-Ghost
Arceus-Ghost @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Force
- Extreme Speed
- Brick Break
I have found arceus-ghost to be the most potent sweeper on the team, which its counters being thrown out to stop my other mons, arceus-ghost can come in and freely sweep. The buff it got this gen with Never Ending Nightmare allows it to muscle past mons which could otherwise beat it, such as opposing arceus ghost and primal groudons. Without never ending nightmare, the core of arceus-normal and arceus-ghost can stall it out. Its other coverage moves, brick break and extreme speed, provide it with unresisted stab similar to marshadow, with the bulk to take hits and set up. If granted a free setup turn by shuckle, arceus ghost can potentially get 2 swords dances up. Sometimes it takes a little prediction, but arceus-ghost can sweep entire teams with little chip damage. I chose jolly over adamant because I found the 10% power boost of adamant is not needed, and I would rather have this mon to take out mega ray before it is hit and to function in case webs aren't set up. I must say that I did not expect Arceus-Ghost to be this good, a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
6. Rayquaza-Mega
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- V-create
So this is the mon that I built the team originally to use. I expected Swords Dance Mega Ray to be a godsend, the best mon ever under webs, the cure to my ladder ailments. It is still a monster, after 1 SD boost it can OHKO the most common arceus formes, no matter what the defense in addition to others such as kyogre, xerneas, and zygarde. The reality however, is that this mon can sweep teams under webs, as long as all priority is removed, as well as mons such as yveltal and opposing Rayquaza. It functions as a great wallbreaker still, 2hkoing almost everything that switches in on it barring lugia and mons such as arceus rock and other that resist flying/fire moves. Dragon ascent is the move most used, with VCreate being there to defeat Celesteela, Magearna, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Arceus-Steel, and Solgaleo among others. Extremespeed is there mostly to act as a check to setup mons such as xerneas. If I grossly misplay and webs are not up and xerneas sets up, I can use the strong extremespeed of rayquaza along with the other priority users to defeat it. Overall, SD mega ray serves a vital purpose on the team, but the purpose is far different and diminished from what I originally had planned.
Importable
Shuckle (M) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Encore
- Toxic
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Geomancy
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Thunder
Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed
Arceus-Ghost @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Force
- Extreme Speed
- Brick Break
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- V-create
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Encore
- Toxic
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Geomancy
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Thunder
Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed
Arceus-Ghost @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Force
- Extreme Speed
- Brick Break
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- V-create
Threats
1. Hazards- Hazards, especially rocks and sticky webs, hampers the team's ability to take hits and set up, or switch in. With no hazard control other than taunt, this is an issue which needs to be played very carefully around.
2. Kartana- if webs are not up, this thing run through the team by virtue of beast boost.
3. Xerneas- if it gets to set up, i either lose or have to sacrifice a few mons to beat it, which ruins the offensive synergy
4. Smeargle and Baton Pass- self-explanatory, i have no immunity to sleep and Evasion sucks, have to beat it by breaking sashes and prediction.
5. DDance Ray, if it gets set up it is very tough to beat, although offensive pressure prevents that most of the time.
Replays
Tour and Ladder
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7anythinggoes-597955036
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7anythinggoes-597941141
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7anythinggoes-596677871 (me getting whooped by kartana due to bad playing)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7anythinggoes-595317209
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7anythinggoes-596181235
Final Word
All of this laddering happened pre-marshadow, as I was unable to play just as marshadow was released. I wanted to showcase the team now as I am unsure how a team full of setup sweepers will do in a marshadow meta. The team overall has been very consistent. I am looking to improve upon it as well as optimize it for a metagame with marshadow. Thanks to all who took time to look over my team or leave any feedback.
Last edited: