SM OU Tapu Lele isn't the only one who can use Spoons (Mega Alakazam Team)

[ShatteredBlad3s]

Introduction​

So I decided to make a team centered around mega Alakazam due to psychic terrain going around as Tapu Lele is S rank. Also Mega Alakazam outspeeds common threats such as Protean Greninja, Ash-Greninja, and Tapu Koko due to the Mega Evolution buff.

Teambuilding Process​

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Mega Alakazam is an interesting mega due to the fact that it outspeeds most of the threats in the metagame and does other unique roles as well. I never built a team around Mega Alakazam due to the fact that I never really liked it in the Oras Metagame but now it looks to be shaping up to be top 5 megas in SuMo.

Tapu Fini is one of my favorite mons introduced in SuMo due to the fact that Nature's Madness is a great move combined with taunt. Latis were horrible at defogging and whenever I ran them for defogging I never fogged because I usually wanted damage and this mon always gets the fog off for free. This immediately gives me a check to Pheromosa which outspeeds Mega Alakzam.

I realized that an S rank mon wasn't being dealt with by the first 2 members being Tapu lele and specifically the scarf set because that outspeeds Mega Alakazam so I went with Magearna. I haven't used it a lot which is great because it plays vital role in being a great pivot on the team because some of the other mons can sap momentum at times.

Lando-T has always been one of the best mons in the OU metagame and SuMo is no different. A common theme on this team reoccurs because I have never used the SD Super Sonic Skystrike Set before and I really wanted to try it out. It actually works on this team very well taking care of some of the special walls that would other wise annoy Mega Alakazam and Magearna.

I was looking weak to electric types such as Magnezone and Tapu Koko so I looked for an answer that gave me rocks and Alolan-Marowak fit that perfectly. Alolan-Marowak also provides a backup check to Pheromosa just in case it is LO P Jab which shuts down Tapu Fini if predicted right.

A good special sweeper fit nicely onto the last member of my team and my favorite mon in the metagame works quite nicely. Ash Greninja has good synergy with Flynium-Z lando-T making it so Ice beam isn't needed for Bulu and overall works well to clean late game on any team with little support.

The Squad​

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 32 Def / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Mega Alakazam is an interesting mega due to the fact that it outspeeds most of the threats in the metagame and does other unique roles as well. Mega Alakzam is a very nice deterrent to mons such as Sand Rush Excadrill which otherwise gives my team problems and protean Greninja which I can counter sweep turn 1. Psychic over Psyshock is debatable but after testing it out the only mon i would want Psyshock for is Magearna and Chansey obviously but thats a given but I think the Psychic damage is better in most scenarios. Shadow Ball hits psychics, f blast hits ferrothorn and heatran, and I have the tech Hp ice for Lando-T because its hard to switch into unless you have a Bronzong and no other move was needed.​

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Defog
- Moonblast
-Nature's Madness​

Tapu Fini is one of my favorite mons introduced in SuMo due to the fact that Nature's Madness is a great move combined with taunt. You can 1v1 so many mons in the meta just with 2 moves that its hard not to use it. It is the best hazard remover in the game in my opinion due to its typing and natural bulk on both physical and special sides. Moonblast is a good last move to hit pheromosa for 100% damage and same with Ash-Greninja which is one of the main reasons why its on the team to counter those mons.

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest- Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Fleur Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ground]
​

I realized that an S rank mon wasn't being deal with by the first 2 members being Tapu lele and specifically the scarf set because that outspeeds Mega Alakazam so I went with Magearna. Magearna is incredibly bulky with an assault vest and I can lure in magnezone and heatran with Hp ground to almost Ohko them both which are supposed to counter this mon. This mon also deals with Protean greninja as well and a backup check to Tapu Koko while being a great pivot with Volt switch.

Landorus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Fly
- Earthquake
​

Lando-T has always been one of the best mons in the OU metagame and SuMo is no different. A common theme on this team reoccurs because I have never used the SD Super Sonic Skystrike Set before and I really wanted to try it out. This set is really good at wearing down and straight up Ohkoing answers for Ash-Greninja, Magearna, and Mega Alakazam such as Toxapex, Tapu-Bulu, Choice Scarf Lando-T, Salamence. Stone edge is there to hit Skarmory and Celesteela for damage and to have a move after I use the Z-Move to hit flying types such as Mega Pinsir.

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Shadow Bone
- Earthquake
- Flare Blitz
- Stealth Rock
​

I was looking weak to electric types such as Magnezone and Tapu Koko so I looked for an answer that gave me rocks and Alolan-Marowak fit that perfectly. Alolan-Marowak also sets up rocks for me very easily most of the time and allows me to play 50-50s vs Tapu Koko by them u-turning on my Tapu Fini while i nature's madness wearing a counter down such as Ferrothorn. Bulky steels such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Heatran are annoying to most teams but Alolan-Marowak can pretty much OHKO all of them to relieve the pressure off of my premier sweepers and cleaners.

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
​

A good special sweeper fit nicely onto the last member of my team and my favorite mon in the metagame works quite nicely. Ash Greninja has good synergy with Flynium-Z lando-T making it so Ice beam isn't needed for Bulu and overall works well to clean late game on any team with little support. Water Shuriken is an amazing move when boosted under the Ash-Greninja form allowing almost a non opposed late game sweep most of the time,

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Threat List:

Replay from Finals from an OU Tournament:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pokebankou-516058524

Importable

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 32 Def / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt
- Defog
- Moonblast

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Fleur Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Landorus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Fly
- Earthquake

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Shadow Bone
- Earthquake
- Flare Blitz
- Stealth Rock

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken

 

[Anish]

Hey Shatter3d Blades,

Nice team, built around M Zam, which is one of the most threatening Pokemon right now, and pairing it with Pokemon which manages to take advantage of its usual checks like Magearna in Alolan Marowak and offensive Lando T. It also manages to be able to deal with common threats in this metagame like Tapu Lele and Ash Greninja. However, it is slightly weak to offensive grounds like Continental Crush / Supersonic Strike Lando T, and E Speed Coil Zygarde as well as DD sets, and offensive Garchomp, as well as Mega Metagross, as you had pointed out, and cant really force out Tapu Fini out well, except with Magearna, which fears getting chipped by Nature's Madness. Mega Pinsir and Flying types that force out Mega Alakazam are annoying to face, as you don't have any switch ins to them. Tapu Bulu is also very threatening, especially Choice Scarfed sets, which are able to check Ash Greninja, and outspeed a unboosted Landorus- T.

>

Firstly, I would run a Volcarona > Ash Greninja. Volcarona acts as a boosting wincondition, check to Tapu Bulu and also helps soft check Pheromosa. It manages to 1v1 and set up on threatening Pokémon like Tapu Fini and forces out steels that threaten Zam , like Jirachi , Scizor Mega, Magearna and Celesteela, and can even nab a free boost off them. It appreciates Tapu Fini weakening Toxapex vs non Shedinja or Zapdos stall, and is very hard to switch into with a Firium Z.

Set Change

Next off, you feel weak to Pinsir Mega, Salamence, offensive grounds like Landorus T, Garchomp and Zygarde. I would suggest running a Defensive Landorus-T>Offensive Landorus-T, to help with these threats. Landorus-T sets Stealth Rocks, helps with Volt Turn cores by getting chip damage through its Rocky Helmet. It frees up Stealth Rocks for Alolan Marowak, and is a very soft Metagross Mega check but can be used as a last ditch resort to get chip damage through its Rocky Helmet.

>

Now, with the aforementioned changes, the team becomes slower, loses out on some offensive presence and Volcarona becomes a huge threat. Landorus T can often get weakened by birdspam cores, and Mega Metagross gets very annoying here. I would suggest running a scarf Garchomp > Alolan Marowak, to help deal with them, as it outspeeds Volcarona after a Quiver Dance, and kills it back with Stone Edge. It also manages to soft check Mega Metagross, which is still a huge threat to your team, but you can mantain pressure on it, and try to not let it get in for free on Tapu Fini or Magearna helps with Bloom Doom and outspeeds Salamence after a boost, incase Landorus-T gets weakened into its range. It appreciates opposing Defensive Lando T getting weakened by Hidden Power Ice. This does make Tapu Koko more irritating, but this still switches in to any move except for Hidden Power Ice, and you have soft checks in AV Magearna, and Defensive Lando T, while Koko doesnt come in on any Pokemon bar Tapu Fini, who still chunks it with Moonblast.

Set Tweaks

With HP Ice Lando already on the team, and the stall matchup looking much more difficult, I would recommend running Knock Off> HP Ice and Psyshock > Psychic on Mega Alakazam, to bait in Chansey and 2HKO with Psyshock. This also helps Volcarona, which dislikes Chansey.

I would also personally tweak the Tapu Fini spread, to only run 60 speed for Defensive Landorus-T, running 16 Special Defensive with a Calm nature to hit a jump point,which helps taking hits from Ash Greninja, and running the rest in Defense for slightly more physical bulk.
​

importable

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 32 Def / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Knock Off

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 184 Def / 16 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Defog

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Fleur Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock

Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Outrage

Volcarona @ Firium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Giga Drain

Hope I helped!
Also, btw, what are you running 28 Defense for on Mega Alakazam?​