INTRODUCTION: Brand new to Smogon posting but been battling competitively in Singles for about a year now. I've also been building teams on my own ever since and testing them on the ladder. I use to just grab any tier 'mon I wanted to use and build around them but now I've adjusted my building and tend to use cores instead. I wanted to make a team around Mega-Diancie as a way to get my gf to get into competitive with me and it turns out I liked the team!!! .. just not with Diancie on it, lol.
HERE'S THE SQUAD:
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tangrowth is one of the two core 'mons I built this team around. Tangrowth is used as my "check all" physical wall. It switches in reliably on physical 'mons; allowing me to remove items on them or switch-in's. (Though some mixed attackers and faster 'mons give me trouble). In conjunction with Heatran, they form a very solid defensive core.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Earth Power
Heatran forms the second half of my defensive core. With Tangrowth being my pure grass-type physical wall, who can switch in on water types of any kind, Heatran helps him out by being able to check or counter anything else. Magma Storm, though it almost cost me some games via. poor accuracy, allows Heatran to trap certain foes like Mega Vensaur with Taunt making sure it and the likes of Chansey, Blissey, and other bulky 'mons don't start those stall shenanigans. It also functions as a solid lead vs. hazard setters.
Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Garchomp serves as my stealth rocker who can also double as my physical wallbreaker if need be. Due to a lot of matchups and switch-in's I have ran into while Garchomp is out on the field, his role depends heavily on the game and how my opponent is playing me. Most games, he either gets Rocks and and his job is done or he gets to set up an SD and begins to break through. I have Dragonium Z as my item to hit Flying types like Skarmory and Hawlucha that tend to switch in on Garchomp. It lets me hit them without having to be locked into Outrage if my opponent still has a fairy type hanging around. (prediction-heavy, I know)
Manaphy @ Waterium Z
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
Manaphy is my main special wallbreaker. Once I'm able to get a Tail Glow up, which is fairly easy in low ladder, Manaphy's coverage allows it to wreak havoc. A lot of 2HKO's turn into OHKO's after a boost -- Toxapex gets OHKO'd after a boost from Psychic, (Mega Venusaur gets 2HKO'd), etc. Once bulky water types are out the way, Manaphy usually cleans up or forces an "x" click. Even if manaphy find itself in a precarious situation, Hydro Vortex puts a dent in just about everything that's not Blissey or Chansey.
CONCLUSION::
HERE'S THE SQUAD:
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Earth Power
Heatran forms the second half of my defensive core. With Tangrowth being my pure grass-type physical wall, who can switch in on water types of any kind, Heatran helps him out by being able to check or counter anything else. Magma Storm, though it almost cost me some games via. poor accuracy, allows Heatran to trap certain foes like Mega Vensaur with Taunt making sure it and the likes of Chansey, Blissey, and other bulky 'mons don't start those stall shenanigans. It also functions as a solid lead vs. hazard setters.
Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Garchomp serves as my stealth rocker who can also double as my physical wallbreaker if need be. Due to a lot of matchups and switch-in's I have ran into while Garchomp is out on the field, his role depends heavily on the game and how my opponent is playing me. Most games, he either gets Rocks and and his job is done or he gets to set up an SD and begins to break through. I have Dragonium Z as my item to hit Flying types like Skarmory and Hawlucha that tend to switch in on Garchomp. It lets me hit them without having to be locked into Outrage if my opponent still has a fairy type hanging around. (prediction-heavy, I know)
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
Manaphy is my main special wallbreaker. Once I'm able to get a Tail Glow up, which is fairly easy in low ladder, Manaphy's coverage allows it to wreak havoc. A lot of 2HKO's turn into OHKO's after a boost -- Toxapex gets OHKO'd after a boost from Psychic, (Mega Venusaur gets 2HKO'd), etc. Once bulky water types are out the way, Manaphy usually cleans up or forces an "x" click. Even if manaphy find itself in a precarious situation, Hydro Vortex puts a dent in just about everything that's not Blissey or Chansey.
Magearna @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shift Gear
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Flash Cannon
I originally had Mega Diancie in this slot as my Mega to build around but I found myself not being able to get her in when I needed her too. I'm more of a fan of bulky offense bcz it allows for an easier game and Magearna filled Diancie's role perfectly. Magearna let's me switch in on Grass and Water types that don't have coverage and being the setup. Once Magearna gets a kill and the Soul-Heart takes affect, the snowballing begins. BoltBeam is amazing coverage for this team and Flash Cannon allows me to not be stalled by other Fairies. (Don't need Focus Brick for heatran bcz I have 3 checks for it).
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt
Tapu Lele is the unsung hero of this team. Scarf Lele is my revenge killer; choice scarf with a terrain boost allows her to pick-off and revenge kill a lot of the unboosted metagame with proper hazards up. Some prediction and scouting is definitely needed when my opponent has a greninja. But other than that, Lele does her job the best out of everyone on this team.
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shift Gear
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Flash Cannon
I originally had Mega Diancie in this slot as my Mega to build around but I found myself not being able to get her in when I needed her too. I'm more of a fan of bulky offense bcz it allows for an easier game and Magearna filled Diancie's role perfectly. Magearna let's me switch in on Grass and Water types that don't have coverage and being the setup. Once Magearna gets a kill and the Soul-Heart takes affect, the snowballing begins. BoltBeam is amazing coverage for this team and Flash Cannon allows me to not be stalled by other Fairies. (Don't need Focus Brick for heatran bcz I have 3 checks for it).
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt
Tapu Lele is the unsung hero of this team. Scarf Lele is my revenge killer; choice scarf with a terrain boost allows her to pick-off and revenge kill a lot of the unboosted metagame with proper hazards up. Some prediction and scouting is definitely needed when my opponent has a greninja. But other than that, Lele does her job the best out of everyone on this team.
CONCLUSION::
- This team, unbeknownst to myself until I got a few games in, creates a double type core of FWG+StlFryDrgn. Both of which work extremely well with the FWG core being predominantly defensive and the StlFryDrgn core being predominantly offensive.
- I plan on using this team on the ladder for a while so any advice on reaching mid- and high ladder is appreciated.
THANK YOU!!
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