Once Upon A… umm… Something. Well, it happened a long time ago. On a great continent north of the rest of the world lay an ancient kingdom. For many years the kingdom was a peaceful sanctuary where some of the mightiest warriors came to train. But soon, tragedy befell this land. A dragon – a massive green serpent, lay waste to the once peaceful kingdom. There were rumors among travelers that the seemingly peaceful kingdom was in fact wicked – one whose rulers defiled the voice of their people and that the dragon was heavens’ divine will sent to put an end to the kingdom’s evildoers. As to if the kingdom was actually wicked or the dragon was sent from the heavens, nobody knows for sure.
Upon the arrival of the beast, the greatest warriors took up arms. They used every tool they had crafted in their kingdom’s great history – swords, arrows, catapults, some say soup ladles. They fought against the dragon hour after hour, day after day. And yet, even among the great warriors protected by their armor of old, no weapon proved effective. The kingdom was divided in resolution. Many continued to fight. Some prayed to the heavens. Others tried to continue with life as normal. There is a rumor that one fled to a faraway land, never to return.
But there is one with the power to slay the foul beast.
Through the history of the ancient kingdom are many legends of fabled warriors – the Myth of Flaming Cloak, the Legend of the Magic Chamber, and one that has something to do with a ringing metallic sound. But even among these warriors of legend is one who stands above all others. Ancient texts call him the warrior of ten thousand. What this number represents is unknown – perhaps his number of victories, the number of stones he could carry, or even the number of days he once went without food. He does not use a sword, a shield, or arrows of any kind. Among his weapons is a hammer, rumored to be even greater than that of Ajax or Thor, but in truth, no one has actually seen it.
After seven days and seven nights of constant battle, the kingdom failed to conquer the dragon. The castle, villages, and fields burned. But on the eighth day, everything changed.
From the heavens descended the metal-faced warrior of ten thousand. With a single swing of his mighty hammer, the dragon was smashed high into the sky, sent to descend upon some other forsaken continent. The ancient kingdom was finally freed of the seemingly unstoppable dragon, and just as quick as the warrior of ten thousand appeared, he disappeared, never to be seen by the kingdom again. Much of the kingdom rejoiced. Others felt they could have slayed the beast themselves. Talk that seven days were not enough to prepare the kingdom’s defense grew among the people. Even today, some in the kingdom yearn for the dragon’s return.
In the dragon’s wake new beasts arose from the mountains, canyons, and seas, but none of them quite like the mighty dragon. And with these new beats the kingdom still thrives, greater than its even been, as old legends and rumors proliferate from the kingdom’s rich history. Today the warriors continue to fight the lesser beasts, filled with hope and the expansion of their kingdom, but some say darkness has gathered once again.
Once Upon A Something is the story where those great beasts of the modern age are fought, in the very same kingdom of legend.
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The structure of this team is based on one of my favorite post-Marshadow builds from Sun and Moon, updated with a few Pokemon and techniques that are standouts in Ultra Sun and Moon. The focus of the team is primarily on offensive synergy. Double Dance Necrozma-DM, Special Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Mixed Primal Kyogre form the offensive core, supported by the utility Mega Salamence, Arceus-Fairy, and Marshadow have to offer. The combination of these three offensive threats is harsh on defensive builds, which rely on bulkmons and support Arceus to form their counter play against such threats.
With good structure, defense against esoteric threats naturally follows. New players often overlook the power of cohesive synergy and the simple utilization of effective Pokemon. Such choices often create a natural defense against many of the oddities that can appear, and tend to craft builds that are far less reliant on opponent perception and consequently more consistent. Unorthodox sets and nichemons have their place, but among newer players there seems to be an obsession with trying to use weird Pokemon and sets just for the sake of it. The reality is that good Pokemon rise above sad attempts at innovation and stand tall.
This is what Once Upon A Somewhere strives to be – an option filled, no nonsense, straightforward approach to offensive USM teambuilding via strong Pokemon.
Necrozma-DM
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe
Adamant Nature
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Double Dance Necrozma-DM is a frightening offensive threat with the ability to punish a variety of defensive Pokemon. Even against offenses, this Pokemon can find a plethora of setup opportunities thanks to its high natural bulk. Rock Polish provides just enough Speed to outpace what is typical from hyper or bulky offense teams while Swords Dance and Solganium Z are enough to bust through many defensive Pokemon. This is the team’s primary check to Xerneas, and also functions as a way to rob momentum from opposing Arceus-Fairy, Magearna, Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, blobs, and certain defensive Steels.
Mega Salamence
Ability: Aerialate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
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A fast Defog Mega Salamence provides a potential out vs. suicide hazard setters, especially Sticky Web, along with an option for intermediate or emergency hazard control. Dragon Dance is used in order to help limit how much momentum the set yields and so that it may still function as a win condition. Double-Edge is preferred as it OHKOs Mega Lucario unboosted and is overall harsher on neutral bulky Pokemon. Earthquake may be used in order to have better options vs. Steels, mainly opposing Necrozma-DM, as Dragon Dance alone is not enough to prevent the yield of momentum vs. these. The main focus of this set is utility – fighting hazard war, Intimidate, and providing some additional options vs. threats such as Primal Groudon, Swords Dance Arceus, and Mega Lucario.
Arceus-Fairy
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
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Arceus-Fairy has many strengths as a Stealth Rock setter, focusing on staying power, reliability, and effectiveness vs. Magic Bouncers in addition to prowess against Yveltal and Marshadow. While comparatively ironclad in these roles, this is undoubtedly the most passive Pokemon on the team, and one of the first places a good opponent looks when trying to regain momentum. Trappers such as Mega Gengar and Gothitelle are especially eager to this, and are why Marshadow runs Pursuit. Stone Edge is an option I’ve used in order to relinquish less momentum vs. Ho-Oh - especially vs. double Defog teams that employ Ho-Oh as anti-hazard. In short, Arceus-Fairy is here to get Stealth Rock and ensure Dark-types can’t pick on Necrozma-DM.
Primal Groudon
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 240 SpA / 144 SpD / 124 Spe
Mild Nature
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Freed of Stealth Rock with the support of Arceus-Fairy, this set options for a mixed Rock Polish set. Strong Fire Blast and Hidden Power Ice help disrupt some typical Primal Groudon checks, especially those typically employed by offense such as Mega Salamence, Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, and various floaty Pokemon. Unneutered Precipice Blades still hits hard off a monster Attack stat and can dent bulky Water-types along with some SpD walls. Offensive synergy with Primal Kyogre ensures that the team has punish opportunities vs. Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Arceus-Water, and Giratina-O. From a defensive perspective, Primal Groudon helps to cover Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, and functions as a beatstick Pokemon.
Marshadow
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
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As discussed in teambuilding and variations, Marshadow provides Pursuit support, a proactive solution vs. slower setup sweepers, and revenge killing of fast offensive threats via Shadow Sneak. Offense builds, especially in the current metagame, have a strong desire for a fastmon, and Marshadow fills many of these traits, proactively checking several offensive Pokemon. It functions as a gluemon for the team, provided the aforementioned utilities, while also being able to directly threaten some defensive Pokemon as well. Pursuit is run in order to offer some resistance vs. trappers, however even this proactive solution is not ironclad vs. such Pokemon that are impossible to reactively check.
Primal Kyogre
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
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Many defensive teams, especially in modern generations, fail to adequately check Kyogre. This arises from a mentality of complacency with Primal Groudon, lack of variety in reactive Primal Kyogre checks, and the fact that offense tends to have a built-in advantage thanks to Speed. Because very few defensive Pokemon can manage to wall Primal Kyogre, other members of the build such as Marshadow, Primal Groudon, and Necrozma-DM focus on picking up the offense matchup. The main reason this set is physical is related to matchup vs. Primal Groudon. Earthquake Primal Kyogre is the best proactive way to punish Primal Groudon switch-ins, and the team is strongly motivated in reducing the opportunities opposing Primal Groudon can seize. A set of Substitute + Calm Mind isn’t terrible vs. Primal Groudon however, still gets the job done vs. passive Toxic Pokemon, and is better vs. Ferrothorn. Against builds that option for Arceus-Water as a pivot vs. Primal Kyogre, Substitute can be especially effective.
The list is not exhaustive, and obviously there is some personal debate in regards to what can be considered each of the respective types of checks. I also put these things together rather quickly, so I can get an idea of how the variations trade gaps in coverage.
I hope you've enjoyed this tale with me... Until the next evening... Vale~
