Sylveon.
Penny saved is still a fucking penny
Introduction
Well, to be honest idea of no guard zap cannon always sounded intriguing to me, so I just searched zap cannon on the team-builder. And from there, I realised how good Deo-S could be in metagame which was filled with fast and frail hitters and other pidgeotite users. Not to say, due to it's blazing speed stat of 200, and enormous special attack boost pidgeotite provides, it was a good start for the team. And the rest of the team just provides enough support + offensive pressure allowing it act as a decent cleaner. So here's the first look at the team ::
But, ye first some music (Listen from 1:04 :P) ::
Team-Building Process ::
- Obviously I started with Deo-S due to it's aforementioned traits.
- Next up, Magearna + Support-ceus form was added as a defensive backbone for the team. Arceus was later changed to ghost-ceus because I wanted a solid check to all sort of pheromosas in general + kartana to some extent.
- Again doubling up the offensive pressure SD Pdon + Goli was added to the team, considering how useful they are together by the virtue of their abilities.
- At-last I wanted a solid win-con + something that could take on blissey without fearing toxic in general, so kartana was added, additional speed also works out in favour by being able to revenge things like manaphy.
Proof of Peak ::
The Team ::
Pop God (◣_◢)┌∩┐ (Deoxys-Speed) @ Pidgeotite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Focus Blast
- Zap Cannon
- Psycho Boost
- Taunt / Stealth Rocks
Coming to the move-set, we have psycho-boost as the strongest and STAB move capable of 1hkoing uninvested Primal Groudon after rocks, whereas it one shots other threatening pidgeotite users like xurkitree since Deo-S outspeeds even after webs. It also has the infamous Zap Cannon in it's arsenal whiich is basically a 120 BP thunder-wave and it's always lovely to have something which could outspeed various speedy things and paralyse them before going down. It's decently strong considering it 1hkoes yveltal after some chip damage. Focus Blast is always a good move to have in general. For the last slot both taunt or stealth rocks are viable. Taunt shuts down opposing webs leads or deo-s leads and is useful in stopping random set-up moves in a pinch, whereas stealth rocks is obviously stealth rocks.
Dvorzhetskii (Magearna) @ Sablenite
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 96 SpA / 160 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Heart Swap
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
Coming to the moveset, Fleur Cannon is the only STAB move on the set being decently strong due to it's high Base Power. Heart Swap is a such a good move on magearna in general since it just beats so passive set-up mons as well as Geomancy Xerneas obviously. I was earlier against Volt Switch on magearna since it always invites Primal Groudon, but after testing with it, I have to say Volt Switch in general is the better move than let's say Flash Cannon. It just makes magearna so less passive in general while you can always chip the incoming Primal-Groudon by Fleur-Cannon. Pain Split is the only psuedo recovery magearna gets it's actually quite annoying to say the least, since it allows magearna to do chips the opposing team even better.
Nevermore (Arceus-Ghost) @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Defog
The Speed EVs outspeed base 80s like chandelure.
Coming to the moves, the set itself is pretty standard with defensive EVs allowing it to avoid KO from +2 precipice blades from groudon. Judgement is the obligatory STAB move which hits decently hard on neutral targets. Toxic is an option over Will-o-Wisp if you want to pressurize opposing support-ceus forms but since this team has more than enough ways to do that, so the additional utility of Wisp is always helpful, allowing it to stay on and nerf scary things like golisopod. Other than that Recover is for the obligatory recovery while defogging the hazards is it's one of the main role.
Ave-Rex (Groudon-Primal) @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock / Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Precipice Blades
Again since I felt a bit weak to stall builds I eventually swapped Stealth Rocks on Primal Groudon for Substitute, and tbh it was once of my best decisions for this team. You see main ways to take out primal groudon for slower teams is toxic + recovery stall or continuously chipping it using phasing or weak attacks. This is what Substitute excels at making allowing groudon to freely set-up against Zapdos/Giratina with Dragon Tail/Arceus-Water(Since they mostly go for toxic) and many other stuff even when it comes on opposing blue orb mons and a fast Primal Groudon behind a Sub is scary af.
Well other than Substitute the set is standard with Ground/Rock coverage providing a solid coverage and Maximum Attack ensures they at least hurt.
Golisogod (Golisopod) @ Blue Orb
Ability: Emergency Exit
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leech Life / Swords Dance
- Liquidation
- Aqua Jet
- Toxic
Coming to the moveset, Liquidation just hits ridiculously hard coming from Base 175 attck and boosted by rain, 2hkoing most neutral stuff. Whereas Aqua Jet is just gold allowing it to bypass it's slow speed and nabbing KOes on stuff like rock polish Pdon which are generally hard to deal with otherwise. Well, on the third slot Swords Dance is a viable option if you want to apply more pressure but Idk in my experience Goli likes the sustain from leech life however small that might be over time. Well toxic works just fine on the last slot putting incoming Red-Orb mons on a timer. The EV's just allow you to creep other Golisopods.
Karnosiris (Kartana) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Beast Boost
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Frustration
- Sacred Sword
Coming to the moveset, it's generally customizable according to your needs, I have seen people run dual STAB + Sacred Sword or even Night Slash. And in all fairness anything on Kartana is good once you manage to get off that Sword's Dance, I personally favour Frustration because it's almost just as powerful as Smart Strike and gives you a decent way to hit Zapdos, almost 1hkoing at +2 after Rocks which is actually quite commendable. This however does leave you walled against Giratinas but like, they are quite easy for the team to deal with so it's generally okay.
Threat-list ::
- Flying spam :: Though not as good with dragonite gone, but since this team lives on the bulk of it's pivots rather than switch-ins, you just need to tread carefully. Nothing too scary though.
- Kartana :: Like to most teams, kart at +2 could be threatening, but this is where deo-s comes in as it is capable of revenging most set-up sweepers after some chip damage.
- Hax :: This team has a bad hax match-up since it tries to utilise all 6 mons in most matches, so bad luck means you'll have to play extra good lol.
Replays (Sadly all I have are ladder replays) ::
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7mixandmega-557135618 :: As I said offensive groudon is always helpful against bulky ass teams
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7mixandmega-556523702 :: Goli cleans up end-game tho he kind of gave up towards the end.
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7mixandmega-556481762 :: Just some ladder match
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7mixandmega-554072421 :: Weird ass team, but kart sweeps
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7mixandmega-554084303 :: Goli + Deo-S put up so much work
Conclusion ::
Anyways, the team meshed up pretty well imo, and actually utilises Deo-S's superb speed stat to it's advantage, since the rest of the team focuses on wall-breaking and paving the way for a deo-s cleanup or kartana sweep. Substitute Groudon is pretty great against slower builds and has the capability to break through tina/bliss or similar defensive cores. Also, I would like to say how well the council has handled the meta-game irrespective of many good stones being absent, so hats off to that.Generally I don't do shoutouts, but like here's one to motherlove and aki0s for the nicknames lol(hardest thing imo) and one to Jordn for forcing me to ladder nerd :3.
Always ggs :).
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