Other Metagames Monotype: Desire of Steel

[Wish9]

Hey guys! WishingJirachi7 here, or simply just Wish. I'm showcasing a team I managed to peak over 1600 Elo with and then dropped due to sandbagging with Specs Regice. It's an overall balanced team that's pretty simple yet effective in the current metagame. It's notable however that the metagame has adapted to Steel which makes it slightly worse but doesn't keep it from getting consistent wins on monotype ladder.

Dark Knight (Bisharp) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Bisharp is a great sweeper in on both Steel and Dark teams. With a Swords Dance under his belt, he often ends the game quickly if one can predict right. Sucker Punch bypasses Bisharp's below average speed and allows for mindgames. Lum Berry is used to set up on something that may try to status it such as Chansey. Iron Head gives you a chance for scumbag flinches. Defiant deters any attempts of Defog and makes Sticky Web from other teams a liability. Nothing special with the EV spread.

Steel Burd (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind

The main physical wall of the team. It checks Fighting and Ground, sets up Spikes, and phazes with Whirlwind. Rocky Helmet is nice for extra residual damage. Max HP and Defense for obvious reasons. Skarmory synergizes well with Heatran who provides the Fire immunity. Skarmory should be on every serious Steel team.

4Swords (Doublade) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Gyro Ball / Shadow Claw
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword

Yet another check to Fighting that Steel gets. Although he's not Aegislash, he gets the job done. With Eviolite, many non-STAB physical moves barely phase it and it can sweep weakened teams with Swords Dance and Shadow Sneak. The other moves are pretty much standard. Gyro Ball vs Shadow Claw is one's own preference. His Ghost typing allows him to spinblock. Max Atk and HP for obvious reasons.

Metal Marvel (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off / Bug Bite

Yep, it's one of the many things low ladder pimps complain about. That aside, Mega Scizor is a very good late-game cleaner thanks to priority Technician Bullet Punch with Swords Dance. She even has base 150 Atk and solid bulk along with Roost which makes her difficult to deal with. The choice of Knock Off vs. Bug Bite all comes down to your own preference of removing items and covering ghosts, or dealing more overall damage, both cover psychic types. Max Atk and HP are what I prefer but you can change the spread to whatever you like.

Resetti (Excadrill) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head

Basically the Excadrill set you see on every Steel team. He spins away hazards and covers Fire with EdgeQuake while helping out as a nice revenge killer. Mold Breaker means levitaters such as Gengar and Rotom-Wash are not safe from Earthquake. Nothing special with the EV spread.

420 Blaze It (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Toxic

The main SR setter and special defensive wall of the team. Flash Fire gives a much needed immunity to Fire that Steel gets raped by and synergizes well with Skarmory, who sets up Spikes and handles Ground and Fighting moves. Toxic and Lava Plume allow Heatran to spread status on the opposing team. Taunt is there to stop passive walls. I put 44 EVs in speed in order to outspeed uninvested Mandibuzz and hit it with Taunt.

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Threats:

Electric Monos: The core of Rotom-W and Zapdos is hell to break. Heatran can Toxic, Bisharp can come in on Zapdos's Defog, and Excadrill can try to outpredict but you can only do so much.

Fighting Monos: SubCM Keldeo in particular is especially threatening as you have no reliable counter to it. Fortunately, Excadrill, Mega Scizor, or Doublade can pick it off if it's weakened.

Fire + Ground/Fighting Coverage: Everything dies.

Ground Monos: As soon as Skarmory and Mega Scizor die, it's gg.

Mega Sableye: This team is heavily reliant on hazards which Mega Sableye can prevent. Bisharp can 2hko with +2 Iron Head and Heatran can try burning it to force it into recovering earlier than it wants.

importable

Dark Knight (Bisharp) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Steel Burd (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind

4Swords (Doublade) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Gyro Ball
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword

Metal Marvel (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off

Resetti (Excadrill) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head

420 Blaze It (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Toxic

Replays: Coming Soon!

scpinion U r Way2Dank
Stunfisk The Great Y r u still bad

 

[Cell]

Hey, nice team there! Love the Doublade+Bisharp core.

Overall the team is very solid and the only recommendation I can think of is maybe changing the Mega-Scizor spread a bit to modify its bulk properly while maintaining its offensive capabilities.

Set

Metal Marvel (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off / Bug Bite

Good luck with the team!

 

[Wish9]

Hey, nice team there! Love the Doublade+Bisharp core.

Overall the team is very solid and the only recommendation I can think of is maybe changing the Mega-Scizor spread a bit to modify its bulk properly while maintaining its offensive capabilities.

Set

Metal Marvel (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off / Bug Bite

Good luck with the team!

I'm a bit hesitant on needing more prior damage against things such as Lando-I but then again, I can force it out multiple times or weaken it with Bisharp. Thanks for the feedback! :D

 

[lax]

Hey, dude! Cool team you got there. Here are some hopefully helpful edits:

• First of all, I'd change Earth Power > Taunt on your Heatran because it's a lot more helpful. Earth Power allows you to hit other ballonless heatrans and spdef tran can easily take an Earth Power and revenge in return. Opposing Heatrans are huge threats to steel teams so Earth Power is extremely useful in this situation. Earth Power also allows you to hit most fire types such as Victini with a strong move instead of wearing it down with Toxic as tran doesn't have too reliable recovery so it would be worn down as well. Taunt is the most expendable move on the set because it's not creeping enough to actually stop things like Mew or Defog Zapdos.
• Another thing I noticed is that you pretty much just lose to water teams and get hard walled by skarm+balloon tran combo. I would fix this by changing Magnezone > Scizor-Mega. Magnezone is actually an incredible mon, especially for steel teams more focused on physical presence rather than being balanced. Magnezone is able to revenge kill specs keldeo, a huge threat and helps the steel vs flying matchup a ton. Bait in the skarm, trap, and you're good. HP Ice is also amazing on scarf zone allowing it to outspeed and OHKO landorus, and nearly ohko spdef gliscor and chomp. Not too major because of the tran set, but, zone is amazing vs steel teams as well. Usually, once skarm is down your exca has free reign to stomp through the team. Overall an amazing mon for steel teams and I think you should consider trying it out.

Other than that, your team is really solid! Here are the sets:

Sets

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 176 SpD / 80 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Toxic

Thanks for reading, and gl!