Mastodon - Quintessence
Introduction
Great song worth sharing. I haven't posted an RMT or any thread in years. After Gen 4 I stopped playing until Gen 6 came out and it's been on and off since then, with a resurgence in Gen 7 (I usually play on my phone). I sense I will dipping away from battling for awhile and think its about time to post this. I think Gen 7 has been one of the most unpredictable generations in terms of playstyle possibilities, and the best generation for Trick Room. I've been using this team for almost two years. It's been my best build. I've had multiple top 25 peaks using it, at least one more than I've shown because I tried my hand at a laddering tournament but peaked waayy too early and couldn't keep it up. Couldn't find the picture. It's my go to team. I truly believe it is among the most consistent Trick Room teams possible to design. Part of this consistency is due to some surprises that help on the ladder, which may now be lost, but oh well, I've used this team long enough. I'd be more than happy to hear suggestions for improving upon this team and new mons to use.
The idea of trying to make a competitive Trick Room team came when I saw how awesome Marowak-Aloha is and how deadly Magearna can be. Marowak used to be a regular Trick Room sweeper of old and now has a fire rising in its chest. The two of them can run games themselves. Celesteela was probably the next Pokemon added, as I needed someone to counter my Ground-weakness. Plus Beast Boost allows it to set up a sweep while it attacks, invaluable for a team under the clock. A glorious thing about Trick Room is it often eliminates a lot of thinking against certain playstyles (offense). Prediction becomes easier because you yourself are playing hyper offensively - you want to knock out as many pokemon before Trick Room runs out. Hence, bar Cresselia, all Pokemon are maxing one attack stat or another. Every move after using Trick Room is pretty much just picking an attack occasionally trying to anticipate switch ins. It's really fun.
Necrozma @ Life Orb
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Stealth Rock
- Photon Geyser
- Earthquake
Weird looking Pokemon. Cross between a mantis and a lobster? This is my lead most of the time (exceptions being M-Sableye, sometimes Greninja and Hoopa-U). It is the result of role compression. I needed a mon with both Trick Room and Stealth Rock and wasn't easily OHKOed (Necrozma lives Char-Y's Fire Blast most of the time). Uxie is the main alternative but after Uxie sets up Trick Room and Stealth Rock it either has to die or switch out. Necrozma has a third option: Photon Geyser, which is ridiculously powerful. It can OHKO Landorus w/o HP investment, 2HKO Zygarde and Tapu Fini w/o SpD investment. Earth Power enables me to remove a key threat to my team early: Heatran. Heatran leads will Taunt you and you will kill them. Mega Mawile is another threat and if you can weaken/kill it early it is a huge boon. When I first started using Necrozma I was using either Psychic or Prismatic Laser and Earthquake > Earth Power, that's how old this team is. Photon Geyser wasn't even a thing.
Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Fleur Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
Mag is a beeassst. With the advent of abilities like Soul-Heart and Beast Boost, some mons don't need a boosting move to sweep which makes Trick Room more viable since it's the only thing that needs to be set up. Offensive teams are on their back heel against Mag, whose best counter outside Chansey is other Mag. Twinkle Tackle is insanely powerful. I usually use it grab a boost and kill Tapu's, weakened Tangrowth, Landorus, etc. It will also OHKO Kartana which can help with mindgames a bit. Focus Blast hits Ferrothorn, Magnezone, and Heatran, both of which are frustrating to deal with. Also can OHKO Excadrill w/o SpD investment, which is why I use it over Aura Sphere. My team is also weak to Heatran outside of Trick Room so it's important to hit it hard if you can (the miss will happen). Thunderbolt is for Celesteela, Mantine, and Toxapex but it's also a good scouting move without the drawbacks of the other two. Mag also checks numerous Pokemon such as Greninja, Tapu Lele, and can set up Trick Room on them which becomes vital.
Celesteela @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
When unexpected, and most of the time it is, this Celesteela has the potential to kill quite a few mons. It is crucial to this team for a few reasons: breaks through non-quagsire stall if it gets a boost, counters M-Scizor, M-Alakazam, and provides Earthquake immunity. Heavy Slam is stronger than you would thing, and there are a lot of Steel-weak mons in OU. 120bp STAB against most mons is stellar. At +1 it'll 2HKO Chansey and Mega-Sableye. Earthquake and Fire Blast perfectly compliment its STAB and EQ 2HKOs Mag, most Jirachi, and sometimes Toxapex. The last move I've played around with, using Giga Drain when Quagsire and M-Swampert were big and Hidden Power Ice before I added Cresselia to the team. Stone Edge is mainly to kill Charizard and Volcarona, but can also 2HKO Zapdos after Stealth Rock which helps if my 6th mon is a water-type. Assault Vest lets Cele survive against some Fire- and Electric-attacks and kill in retaliation. For instance, Volcarona with Bug Buzz will run through this team outside of Trick Room, but it will usually try to set up on Celesteela. With Stone Edge that plan is nixed (unless it misses). And it'll survive unboosted Fire Blast, non-Specs Thunderbolt from Koko, ScarfZone's Tbolt, and means Greninja can only 3HKO with Choice Specs Hydro Pump before it becomes Ash. I've tried using Leftovers and Leech Seed but the loss in SpDefensive bulk and the momentum from using Leech Seed didn't seem worth it against the majority of teams.
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Swords Dance
The main sweeper. Might be my favorite Pokemon. I love the design - is it based on Cubone's lost mother who has returned from the depths of hell to exact its vengence? Marowak destroys frailer teams AND pokes holes in stall teams (struggles more against bulky-offense). In order to help against stall, I lead with Mag against M-Sableye and then double switch-in Marowak and then either SD or Flare Blitz Chansey (sometimes Chansey stays in to Toxic). Then the next switch in is usually Toxapex who dies to Bonemerang. SD lets Marowak go 1v1 against Tapu Fini w/o Surf and a +1 Flare Blitz OHKOs most Landorus. I go back and forth between Rock Head and Lightning Rod, sticking with Rock Head since adding Mega-Venusaur. Bonemerang > EQ > Knock Off for hitting Mimikyu, Substitute Heatran,
Cresselia @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Toxic
- Ice Beam
- Lunar Dance
Third Trick Room user. Almost always guarantees TR b/c Cress is soo hard to OHKO and Mental Herb prevents Taunt. For awhile I had tried out other "guaranteed" Trick Room users (Reuniculus, Mimikyu, Porygon2) but none could match the utility of Lunar Dance. I also like Cress for easily easily countering Landorus and Zygarde (who otherwise is a huge pain). Is also my general physical sponge, and also can survive a +3 Scald from Manaphy and set up TR (although that's not really relevant anymore). I started using Toxic > Psychic to hit Calm Mind users like Suicune and also Volcorona, especially if Marowak is dead and I can't hit them with a hard physical attack. Lunar Dance is really cool because it gives a weakened mon another chance, so I can purposely let one mon get weakened if it means killing its counter and then bring it back to full health to sweep. It also makes playing with this team a lot more complicated. You need to try and figure out ahead of time who to let take damage and then who would be best to revive. Also of note, Lunar Dance revives PP too!
Mega-Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Growth
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fire
The stall killer, secondary Zygarde counter, and Water-resist (curse you shurikens). Before I started using Mega-Venusaur I tried countless other mons: M-Slowbro, Zygarde, Landorus, Azumarill, M-Mawile. I settled on Mega-Venusaur because its typing covers many of my teams weaknesses while also proving to be one of the best against stall (I haven't faced Moltres stall yet tbf). After three Growths, you will gain more HP from Giga Drain on Chansey than damage done by Seismic Toss. If you can set up on Chansey then Pex should be easy to get by. (Unaware users like Quag, Pyuk, and Clefable have no chance). If your opponent goes straight to Pex to counter Venu then that is more problematic due to Haze. You can try to outstall it's Recovers and then Lunar Dancing to revive your own PP or try and break past Pex with Marowak. Why not Quiet nature and 0 Spe IVs? Against stall it is useful being able to outspeed Chansey and Skarmory. Plus it is already slower than the majority of offensive threats it is looking to hit. Don't underestimate the power of max SpA Sludge Bomb; counters to defensive Venusaur become checks, such as Latios, Tornadus, and Charizard.
Threats
Zygarde
- After a couple boosts Thousand Arrows will kill everything bar Cress. She is my go to set up Trick Room and hit it with Ice Beam but if it survive or keeps using Substitute that's when I go to M-Venu to kill it with Giga Drain. Those with Dragonium Z can go past M-Venu though and that's more trouble. The best way to beat Zygarde is figure out what set it is early. Scout other mons with potential Z-moves and if the opponent will be setting up dual screens.
Heatran
- If Necrozma didn't kill it by surprise then it will usually require a sacrifice of Mag or Cele (who survives Magma Storm at full health). Protect Heatran is more annoying because it tries to waste Trick Room.
Mega-Mawile
- Absolutely awful to face. Marowak survives unboosted Sucker Punch w/o SR damage and M-Venu can 3HKO with unboosted HP Fire but is still a dastardly threat. Sometimes I have to rely on Focus Blast hitting to kill it too which is never reliable. Cele will die to +2 ThunderPunch. Thankfully it can't run all the moves it wants to which usually leaves an opening.
Ash-Greninja
- Water Shuriken absolutely cleans up my team if its weakened, OHKOing Marowak and taking a chunk out of everyone else. The opponent will often lead with it: After Trick Room, I hit it with Earth Power to ensure Cele can kill it in one shot.
Hoopa-U
- Dastardly creature. If Mag is weakened it can destroy the entire team out of Trick Room. Reason being is that Celesteela's Heavy Slam is only 60bp, so I must rely on Mag to kill it if Trick Room isn't up. A smart player will NOT let Hoopa-U take a hit and wear down Mag over time.
Here you can see the evolution of the team
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-572463891
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-602699345
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-695152337
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-623243695
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-680249060
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-572463891
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-602699345
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-695152337
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-623243695
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-680249060
Celesteela @ Assault Vest
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
Cresselia @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Lunar Dance
Necrozma @ Life Orb
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 188 SpA / 68 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Swords Dance
Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Fleur Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
Mega-Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Growth
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fire
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
Cresselia @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Lunar Dance
Necrozma @ Life Orb
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 188 SpA / 68 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Swords Dance
Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Fleur Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
Mega-Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Growth
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fire
