Defensive Steel Core
Mega Charizard X is an absolute monster against Steel and can generally blow through most Steel teams. If you allow the opposing Fire team to pop your Heatran's Balloon, Megazard X becomes 100x more dangerous as Heatran is rendered useless against it outside of resorting to switching between Heatran and Skarmory hoping that you out-predict your opponent until they run out of PP. AV Volcanion is also a prominent threat and is much harder to counter than its choice-locked counterpart. Ferrothorn switch? Click Fire Blast. Heatran switch? Click Steam Eruption. Rinse and repeat.
LO Greninja is especially potent against this core asProtean allows it to nearly OHKO Ferrothorn with HP Fire, with Hydro Pump OHKOing Heatran if you try to switch it in predicting the HP Fire. Mega Gyarados isn't usually that big of a deal unless it's running Taunt, in which case it becomes much more dangerous. Intimidate allows it to switch in vs. Ferrothorn before Mega evolving and essentially force a switch to Skarmory, allowing it to set up a DDance and Taunt before it can be Whirlwinded away.
Landorus, aka the biggest threat to Steel teams on Ground. Earth Power and Focus Blast can pretty much decimate this core, but even then it doesn't have to. The offensive pressure alone can force you to switch out, giving it the opportunity to set up a Gravity and sweep with some other Pokemon like Excadrill. Not a lot of fun
While these guys can't outright sweep this core like the other mons could, they're still incredibly powerful. Tapu Koko alone isn't very difficult to handle, as it's outright walled by Ferrothorn if it's not Specs HP Fire, but the support it gives with Electric Terrain allows Alolan Raichu, the real threat, to put in work. While Ferrothorn can attempt to stall out the Terrain with Leech Seed, Protect, and Lefties recovery, it can simply switch out into Tapu Koko, restart the terrain, and continue the fun, except this time with a heavily damaged Ferrothorn. It's like Hippowdon and Excadrill in ORAS except worse
Bisharp helps with the hazard stack core created by Ferrothorn and Skarmory, as it makes opponents think twice before clicking Defog to remove the hazards on their side of the field. It also helps vs. Normal matchups as it can knock off the Eviolites on Chansey and Pory2 whom would otherwise wall this core.
Magnezone, specifically Scarf TrapZone, can be used to trap opposing Heatrans and easily pop their balloons to make them easier to dispose of with your own Heatran. Also helps to trap in Empoleons that can threaten to Defog away hazards on Water teams, as well as taking care of half of the annoying SkarmDos core on Flying.
Magearna's amazing movepool allows it to check whichever mons threaten the team while also being able to utilize set-up moves such as Calm Mind and Shift Gear to sweep teams after 1 kill.
Excadrill is incredibly useful in that it helps vs. Fire and Electric teams, both of which are pains in the ass to deal with. It works as a check to Volcanion and Megazard X before a DDance, and it helps to nullify the annoying VoltTurn core on Electric.
Celesteela can almost solo Ground teams if it weren't for Landorus, but even then Lando can't completely overpower this monster without some initial damage. Max SpD Celesteela can survive an Earth Power under Gravity and does major damage back with Heavy Slam, not to mention if you decide to run HP Ice.
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Spikes
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 52 SpA / 164 SpD / 44 Spe
Gentle Nature
- Lava Plume
- Stone Edge
- Earth Power
- Toxic
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Spikes
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 52 SpA / 164 SpD / 44 Spe
Gentle Nature
- Lava Plume
- Stone Edge
- Earth Power
- Toxic
Skarmory is easily the best defensive wall Steel has to offer. It's moveset is pretty standard; Stealth Rock works well with Spikes on Ferrothorn for hazard stack support, Roost as reliable recovery, Whirlwind to phaze, and Brave Bird for damage. The 8 EVs invested in Speed allow Skarmory to speed-creep speed-creeping Azumarill, which is useful considering that BD Azumarill can potentially sweep Steel teams w/ Stealth Rocks up.
Ferrothorn acts as an effective special wall and for hazard stack support. Leech Seed and Protect works as its primary form of recovery while also allowing it to scout out Scarfs such as Victini and Hydreigon. The 56 and 208 EVs in Defense and SpD respectively allow Ferrothorn to survive a LO HP Fire from Protean Greninja as well as Terrakion's CC, while also being able to be 2HKO'd by a Focus Blast from Landorus and Raichu-A and 3HKO'd by Landorus's Earth Power, Tankchomp's Fire Blast, and Specs Hydreigon's Dark Pulse after Lefties recovery, all of which are threats to Steel teams. It's resistance to Electric types also makes it particularly useful vs. Electric teams, which are known to cause problems for Steel.
Heatran's set allows it to take on opposing walls and 1v1 most Heatran variants. It's EVs in SpD and SpA allow it to live an Earth Power from opposing offensive Heatrans and OHKO back with its own EP. If they are instead invested in HP, the 44 Speed EVs allows it to speed creep and 2HKO with Earth Power. This set is also able to outspeed base 80 walls and, more importantly, 16 Speed Mandibuzz and either wittle it down with Toxic or attack with Lava Plume if it's low enough before it gets the chance to Roost back up. Stone Edge also allows it to take on Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y, as it OHKO's both and survives a Focus Blast or a +1 HP Ground.
Ferrothorn acts as an effective special wall and for hazard stack support. Leech Seed and Protect works as its primary form of recovery while also allowing it to scout out Scarfs such as Victini and Hydreigon. The 56 and 208 EVs in Defense and SpD respectively allow Ferrothorn to survive a LO HP Fire from Protean Greninja as well as Terrakion's CC, while also being able to be 2HKO'd by a Focus Blast from Landorus and Raichu-A and 3HKO'd by Landorus's Earth Power, Tankchomp's Fire Blast, and Specs Hydreigon's Dark Pulse after Lefties recovery, all of which are threats to Steel teams. It's resistance to Electric types also makes it particularly useful vs. Electric teams, which are known to cause problems for Steel.
Heatran's set allows it to take on opposing walls and 1v1 most Heatran variants. It's EVs in SpD and SpA allow it to live an Earth Power from opposing offensive Heatrans and OHKO back with its own EP. If they are instead invested in HP, the 44 Speed EVs allows it to speed creep and 2HKO with Earth Power. This set is also able to outspeed base 80 walls and, more importantly, 16 Speed Mandibuzz and either wittle it down with Toxic or attack with Lava Plume if it's low enough before it gets the chance to Roost back up. Stone Edge also allows it to take on Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y, as it OHKO's both and survives a Focus Blast or a +1 HP Ground.
Mega Charizard X is an absolute monster against Steel and can generally blow through most Steel teams. If you allow the opposing Fire team to pop your Heatran's Balloon, Megazard X becomes 100x more dangerous as Heatran is rendered useless against it outside of resorting to switching between Heatran and Skarmory hoping that you out-predict your opponent until they run out of PP. AV Volcanion is also a prominent threat and is much harder to counter than its choice-locked counterpart. Ferrothorn switch? Click Fire Blast. Heatran switch? Click Steam Eruption. Rinse and repeat.
LO Greninja is especially potent against this core asProtean allows it to nearly OHKO Ferrothorn with HP Fire, with Hydro Pump OHKOing Heatran if you try to switch it in predicting the HP Fire. Mega Gyarados isn't usually that big of a deal unless it's running Taunt, in which case it becomes much more dangerous. Intimidate allows it to switch in vs. Ferrothorn before Mega evolving and essentially force a switch to Skarmory, allowing it to set up a DDance and Taunt before it can be Whirlwinded away.
Landorus, aka the biggest threat to Steel teams on Ground. Earth Power and Focus Blast can pretty much decimate this core, but even then it doesn't have to. The offensive pressure alone can force you to switch out, giving it the opportunity to set up a Gravity and sweep with some other Pokemon like Excadrill. Not a lot of fun
While these guys can't outright sweep this core like the other mons could, they're still incredibly powerful. Tapu Koko alone isn't very difficult to handle, as it's outright walled by Ferrothorn if it's not Specs HP Fire, but the support it gives with Electric Terrain allows Alolan Raichu, the real threat, to put in work. While Ferrothorn can attempt to stall out the Terrain with Leech Seed, Protect, and Lefties recovery, it can simply switch out into Tapu Koko, restart the terrain, and continue the fun, except this time with a heavily damaged Ferrothorn. It's like Hippowdon and Excadrill in ORAS except worse
Bisharp helps with the hazard stack core created by Ferrothorn and Skarmory, as it makes opponents think twice before clicking Defog to remove the hazards on their side of the field. It also helps vs. Normal matchups as it can knock off the Eviolites on Chansey and Pory2 whom would otherwise wall this core.
Magnezone, specifically Scarf TrapZone, can be used to trap opposing Heatrans and easily pop their balloons to make them easier to dispose of with your own Heatran. Also helps to trap in Empoleons that can threaten to Defog away hazards on Water teams, as well as taking care of half of the annoying SkarmDos core on Flying.
Magearna's amazing movepool allows it to check whichever mons threaten the team while also being able to utilize set-up moves such as Calm Mind and Shift Gear to sweep teams after 1 kill.
Excadrill is incredibly useful in that it helps vs. Fire and Electric teams, both of which are pains in the ass to deal with. It works as a check to Volcanion and Megazard X before a DDance, and it helps to nullify the annoying VoltTurn core on Electric.
Celesteela can almost solo Ground teams if it weren't for Landorus, but even then Lando can't completely overpower this monster without some initial damage. Max SpD Celesteela can survive an Earth Power under Gravity and does major damage back with Heavy Slam, not to mention if you decide to run HP Ice.
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