Monotype "Thugs" - A Mega-Less Dark Monotype

Tyke · Mar 22, 2017

Hey, it's Tyke.

This is my second RMT, as you can tell by the slightly less terrible name, and is an unconventional Bulky-Offensive Dark Monotype without a Mega. The team's got a fun momentum core and has performed pretty well in room-tournaments and on ladder, for whatever that's worth.

But who cares? Let's christen that new

tag!

So I started building this team around U-turn Mandibuzz, which I wanted to pair with some strong wallbreakers to make a more momentum driven offensive Dark Team.

From there I chose Tyranitar as my physical wallbreaker, sporting strong STABs and the ability to trap threats with Pursuit.

To bolster up the special side, I added Greninja, a strong mixed attacker who appreciates being brought in safely.

Next I added Sharpedo-Mega to act as a cleaner who could abuse the holes punched by the two wallbreakers and offer some speed control.

Finally I needed a rocks setter, since Tyranitar was offensive, and a fairy check / special tank. So I added Krookodile and Alola-Muk.

After initial testing, I found the team severely in need of better speed control, and Sharpedo-Mega just did not suffice. I removed him, and changed Greninja to Choice Scarf to act as my speed control and cleaner. I then added Specs Hydreigon to replace Greninja's role as special wallbreaker.

Mandibuzz @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 212 Def / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Mandibuzz is a defensive staple of Dark Monotypes with excellent 110 / 105 / 95 defenses, access to roost, and valuable neutralities to Bug- and Fighting-type attacks that threaten the team. She's also the only viable Hazard Removal, a ground immunity, and on this team, a defensive pivot. U-turn Buzz was the set I built this entire team around, seeking to pair it with powerful wallbreakers and trappers to generate offensive momentum. Foul Play is for checking physical attackers and set up sweepers, keeping Mandibuzz from being too passive when it can't just pivot. Speed EVs are to outrun base 80s with common investment, like Mega-Venusaur, and all other threats around that speed tier like 252 Ada Azumarill, Bulky Mega-Scizor, etc.

Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 204 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake

The second Pokemon I started teambuilding around was Tyranitar; specifically his Choice Band set as it paired nicely with a defensive pivot like Mandibuzz. Band Tyranitar is able to shatter defensive cores with potent STABs, Stone Edge and Crunch. With Pursuit, T-tar can effectively trap and KO threats forced out by its potent offense and defenses. Earthquake is to round out his coverage and hit Steel Types super effectively. The speed EVs are, again, to outrun base 80s with common investment (44 Speed Mega-Venusaur, Rotom-Wash, etc).

Hydreigon @ Choice Specs / Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon / U-turn

The second wallbreaker for this offensive momentum core is Hydreigon, who strikes hard on the special side with a Choice Specs set. Dark Pulse and Draco Meteor are your spammable STABs, able to bust up defensive cores. Fire Blast is for coverage against Steel types like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Magearna. The final slot can either be Flash Cannon to hit Fairy types reliably, or U-turn to generate even more momentum. Life Orb is an also an option if you want to moveswitch at the cost of sustain.

Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn / Rock Slide

Next up is Greninja, the best addition (return?) to Dark Monotypes this generation. Greninja is a versatile and powerful attacker, abusing Protean to hit hard with a wide variety of coverage options: but rather than go Life Orb, I went choice scarf so that Greninja could serve as the team's speed control and cleaner. Hydro Pump is your strongest attack, while Ice Beam is a reliable hit that also provides valuable coverage to hit Flying, Ground, and Dragon. Gunk shot is your hardest hitting physical attack, and also helps Greninja hit Fairy types. U-turn lets scarf-ninja generate momentum and pivot into Hydreigon / Tyranitar, as without Life Orb Greninja is not strong enough to break defensive pokemon. Rock Slide can also be run as a reliable Volcarona check.

Krookodile @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt

As I was running an offensive Tyranitar, I had two choices for Stealth Rock setters; Krookodile was the clear choice. But I didn't want to run it as a suicide lead, as Krookodile's electric immunity is extremely helpful for keeping Volt Switcher's from generating momentum off the team and keeping threats like Xurkitree from spamming its STAB. Ground STAB is handy for hazarding Steel and Poison, very common types in the metagame. And Intimidate is extremely valuable for dulling Physical attackers and supporting Mandibuzz, which this team appreciates as Mandibuzz is essentially the entire Defensive core and does not have Mega-Leye to shield it from status or Stealth Rocks. I went with a bulky offensive spread capable of outspeeding common defoggers like Zapdos or Skarmory while still maintaining a decent defensive presence.

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 216 HP / 132 Atk / 156 SpD
Careful / Sassy Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Rock Slide / Fire Blast

Finally, Alola-Muk serves as this teams blanket special defensive tank and Fairy check, sporting excellent Poison / Dark typing and neutralities to Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. With Assault Vest, Muk is capable of switching in on a wide selection of special attacks, and pester teams with Knock Off or Pursuit Trap the threat for decent damage. Poison Jab gives Muk a tool to take on Fairy types and is a reliable STAB move with 57% (i think?) chance to poison. The last slot can go to Rock Slide if you aren't running it on Greninja to check Volcarona, or Fire Blast to hazard Steel teams more efficiently.

- Fairy Teams: Crazy, I know! Fairy teams, especially those running Dazzling Gleam Koko, will have a heavy momentum advantage and between Screens, Spikes, and almost every pokemon forcing you to switch, this MU is extremely difficult.

- Magearna: I mentioned Fairy already, but Magearna deserves it's own bulletpoint. Sweeper sets are the most dangerous, but any Magearna is going to be a huge pain in the butt to contend with, especially volt switch Magearna's that can generate momentum off of Muk to bring in threats like Mega-Scizor or Excadrill.

- Swift Swim: This is a pretty difficult match up, nothing switches in on Kingdra, Kabutops, or Seismtoad, and Manaphy outspeeds the team's wallbreakers and cannot be easily taken down by Greninja. Try to trap Kingdra with Band Tyranitar and you may have a chance.

- Fighting: It's rare, but Fighting will deck you without Mega-Sableye or Psychic / Flying coverage. But tbh Fighting's so irrelevant you don't need to worry about it ~~until you do~~.

So there y'all go, Bulky Offensive Mega-Less Dark! It's a bit of a weird build, yeah. And being a bit undeveloped, I'm sure there some optimizations that could be made here and there. But I've had some good success with it (moreso than other dark builds, at least) and thought it was cool enough to share.

Anyways, I hope you have fun with the team and if you have any suggestions let me know!

Momma Mabel (Mandibuzz) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

The Don (Tyranitar) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 204 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake

H.Y.D.R.A. (Hydreigon) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon

Slick (Greninja) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn

Kingpin (Krookodile) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt

Clayface (Muk-Alola) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 216 HP / 132 Atk / 156 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock off
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Rock Slide

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-550528417 (vs Ground)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-550521756 (vs Steel)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-550508383 (vs Dark)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-550493391 (vs Dragon)

Got to 1665 if anyone cares: http://i.imgur.com/POAh3pf.jpg

The whole mono room deserves a shout out for being cool.

Ladder deserves a shout out for keeping it mellow with the Magearnas.

And thanks to The Excadrill, SirSkit and iLlama for helping me test the team.