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Metagame Alphabet Cup

I've been playing this tier for a few days and this has to be the most inconsistent my performance has ever been: one day I'm top 20, the next I'm barely surpassing 1200. Personal performances aside, I feel like this team is missing something but I'm not too sure. Maybe I'm just not used to this tier. If someone has suggestions on where to focus my changes feel free to say anything (anything except swapping a teammate to corviknight I hate what he generally brings to the table). Thanks in advance

https://pokepast.es/f0a6b2be15eed97e
 
I've been playing this tier for a few days and this has to be the most inconsistent my performance has ever been: one day I'm top 20, the next I'm barely surpassing 1200. Personal performances aside, I feel like this team is missing something but I'm not too sure. Maybe I'm just not used to this tier. If someone has suggestions on where to focus my changes feel free to say anything (anything except swapping a teammate to corviknight I hate what he generally brings to the table). Thanks in advance

https://pokepast.es/f0a6b2be15eed97e
Darkrai and Kommo-o definitely seem out of place. Using a Choice Scarf on Darkrai seems somewhat odd, given that it is already one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, and Samurott-Hisui or Sableye are definitely better hazard setters than Kommo-o. Furthermore, trying to make Kommo-o work when it only has Jungle Healing is awkward.
 
Why is mamo banned? Seems pretty out of place among the usual suspects, but I'm sure it's gone for good reason
I don’t know, but it might have been because of Swords Dance through the preevo? If more experienced players could run through the history of AC I would love to read it!

Also, is Iron Bundle being legal an oversight or on purpose? It doesn’t get anything new, but it was nevel lacking in that department. Perfect stab neutral coverage + pivot & encore with crazy speed & special attack is, perhaps, a lot. Goodra-H counters, but that’s about it.
 
Darkrai and Kommo-o definitely seem out of place. Using a Choice Scarf on Darkrai seems somewhat odd, given that it is already one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, and Samurott-Hisui or Sableye are definitely better hazard setters than Kommo-o. Furthermore, trying to make Kommo-o work when it only has Jungle Healing is awkward.
I know the both of them seem weird at a glance, however I feel that in a tier this full of set-up sweepers and hard walls a tool that punishes them unexpectedly like scarf trick/destiny bond is strong. Kommo-o's role, on the other hand, is to be a defensive knock-off that can set up some hazards: his good defenses and knock-off are the main reason why he's on the team, not the stealth rock part, and if I change him with a sableye or samurott, yes I have a more dedicated hazard setter but i lose in defenses and knock-off. These two have such specific tools that removing them means that I have to change my team completly. I just want to understand if that was your point or not, if my team is this flawed that i have to make a new one from the ground up
 
just started playing this tier. very fun! bit sad my boy mamo is gone. was really excited to use SD + shore up, but piloswine has managed to actually be pretty good in some games with the same set. swinub has also done okay for me as a suicide lead with the kleavor move, stun spore, and endeavor.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9alphabetcup-2295391534?p2

I will say though this tier would be 500X more fun if toxapex was banned. Teleport, Mortal Spin. Topsy turvey, this thing lives forever and makes games super long and unfun. Please ban it. It's not that it's super broken or anything, it just genuinely makes games way less fun. On the inverse there is no way anyone enjoys clicking mortal spin and teleport all game. Or unban Mamo so it can ohko the purple sea monster since piloswine can not OHKO it. Also as the guy said before, and I have to agree with. Iron Bundle seems a bit broken in the games i play.

overall i'd rate this tier an 8/10! very cool concept. please ban toxapex -and it will be a 10/10
 
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned my boy

:polteageist:
Polteageist @ Focus Sash
Ability: Weak Armor
Tera Type: Psychic / Fighting
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Secret Sword
- Shadow Ball

He gets a fighting move to counter dark types without the need of tera.
 
Espeon @ Focus Sash/Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Weather Ball
- Psychic
- Earth Power
- Electro Shot

I can finally post something with Espeon!!!!! I’ve been running this on rain for some hazard control and an absolute nuke when need be. Tera electric is good for avoiding random paras from body slams and making electro shot even stronger. I usually can’t make use of focus sash with it but sometimes it’s useful
 
I'm going to echo a sentiment I've seen a few times here which is that either Tera or Dragonite, possibly both, should be banned. Dragonite is the most broken mon in this meta and it's not even that close, in my opinion. There are basically no offensive checks to it at all, with all the bulk and speed control it leverages with Multiscale and Extreme Speed. You need to dance around it to try and break the Multiscale before even attempting to revenge kill with a mon that can withstand a boosted Extreme Speed, which is just completely unfeasible most of the time. Games between offensive teams are generally decided by which team positions their Dragonite better.

Dragon Ascent is an absurdly powerful move, dealing huge damage to neutral targets, but it alone is not enough to allow Dragonite to break through the hardiest walls in this meta. Bulky walls like Corviknight, Skeledirge and Toxapex can narrowly avoid 2HKOs and force it out or status it. Of course, Tera flips all of this and essentially lets Dragonite pick and choose its own counters, basically forcing risky defensive teras in order to play around its potential coverage. There is not as much need to only run Tera Normal, when other Tera types allow it to become completely unwallable.

First of all, Tera Electric + Double Shock allows it to completely obliterate Toxapex and Corviknight... like incredibly easily. +1 Jolly Dragonite OHKOs phys def Toxapex and Corviknight with the move. With Adamant it gets the guaranteed OHKO on phys def Alomomola as well. It also invalidates Dondozo as a counter, 2HKOing any variant of it. Electric tera has some other niche benefits, like setting up in the face of Glare users like Gholdengo, for instance.

The closest thing to a hard counter I've found is Rhyperior, which is very bulky and has recovery, but is a pretty flawed mon otherwise. It's slow and basically forced to click Dragon Tail every time, for fear of potential Tera Ground which turns +1 EQ into an easy 2HKO and completely flips the Rock Blast matchup. Tera Ground is probably the second best Tera type, as it lets Dragonite completely muscle through most of those grounded Flying resists, as well as letting it easily defeat Skeledirge without having to chip it at all (non-tera Adamant EQ is an unfavourable roll to 2HKO). Of course, Dragonite can't really do both at the same time, and this is the closest thing to a flaw I can find with this mon: it has 4MSS and chooses its own counters rather than simply defeating them all, which it is more than capable of on paper.

Now, this definitely all would be mitigated with the removal of Tera. Dragonite especially would be hurt, as Double Shock is completely unusable by a non-Electric type. It still would be pretty damn tough to stop due to all the other factors listed. Tying this back to sort of a general point about Tera, it kind of makes the meta feel a lot more volatile, especially since there are so many potential offensive threats to consider. The best thing to do is run very safe stalls full of blanket checks... but even that won't save you from an unprecedented sweeper with a weird tera. I definitely think a Tera ban is worth considering as well if we want to reign in the options... the mechanics of Alphabet Cup still allow for a ton of experimentation and creativity.
 
My (Personal) Hitlist

Glare: I’ve seen so much of this sentiment. There’s too many games decided entirely by it. The landscape of almost every non-electric sweeper carrying Tera Electric or Substitute should be evidence of how centralizing it is. Offensive mons need free turns to set up, defensive mons need free turns to do whatever. The speed drop, arguably the main mechanic of paralysis, has been sideline for the luck dependent game deciding 25% chance for nothing to a happen.

Dragonite: There’s a lot this mon has gained and I don’t think it’s out of order to say it’s too much. In many games it’s tera reliant, but what aside from that makes it broken? It has its best stabs now in Dragon Darts and Dragon Ascent. Part of what keeps dragonite balanced in standard play is its stab options are usually sidelined for its great coverage with its amazing attack. That’s not a factor anymore. The coverage that does exist, usually Tera Electric Double Shock or Eq is also almost always doing too much damage to whatever is on the opposite side.

Watchlist:

Salamence: Has many of the same issues as Dragonite. I originally thought it to just be a better version of Dnite, but I’m sorry to admit I was wrong. Dnite has overshadowed a smidgeon, and I would rather have this as the dragon/flying in the tier. However it’s still really strong and I can’t dismiss it from being too much.

Ursaluna: Trick Room is very good in this format, and I have no issue with that. It just seems to me that its biggest abuser is a monster. Facade 3hkos Corviknight at +0, not counting whatever it decides to run as its 4th move. At +1 from tidy up I believe it’s a guaranteed 2hko. But Ursa also has access to Temper Flare, shutting down even the Cotton Guard Corvs. Uturn can be a good strategic repositioning so that something else can set up TR. It has nigh perfect coverage with nothing that is an easy switch in, and it’s impressive bulk and rock resist lets it sit around forever. Guts means that it can be Para immune, but it’s not the biggest loss if it’s Glared. Passive damage is probably the most consistent way to get it out of the way.

Tera: I still can’t give cohesive thoughts on what would happen without Tera. At this point I’d say the tier would be better off without, but I’d like to see a Glare and Dnite ban enacted before that’s for certain.

I love the tier, will be playing more.
 
Hey everyone, been loving alphabet cup so far! I've just hit rank 1 (by 2 points LOL) on a shared alt I use with friends (iron gender) using this team I built and I wanna go over the sets a little bit. While I'm at it, here's the rank 1 game replay.


:swampert: Swampert @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Torrent
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Milk Drink
- Earthquake
- Flip Turn
- Spikes

I am utterly convinced that pert will find it's way in any meta where it has a reliable way of recovering health. Regenvest pert is amazing in AAA, and it's no surprise than milk drink(/morning sun/shore up) pert is also good in ABC cup. A pretty solid blanket check to any special attacker, and an excellent defensive pivot overall. Spikes also provides it with more utility (althought you could just run this with stealth rock/stone axe if you have another spiker).

:dragonite: Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance

Nothing crazy here, this set is pretty much a standard dnite set from SVOU, but with dragon darts over ice spinner as this meta finally gives the chonky orange dragon good stab options. Personally I prefer darts over dascent as the multihit means you easily beat other dnites and can also be useful in breaking sashes. Not having to drop your own defenses is also nice as dnite's base bulk is very good and sometimes you want to be able to attack without underminding that. EQ hits steel types and espeed for that crazy +2 priority.

:thundurus: Thundurus @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tidy Up
- Topsy-Turvy
- Toxic/Toxic Thread
- Volt Switch

One of the core sets in this team. I'm sure other people have also thought of using sets akin to this one (because I've seen at least topsy turvy thundy on some other teams), but for this team i'm actually running a fully defensive support thundurus, who acts as a sweeper stopper with priority topsy turvy, hazard cleaner with tidy up, and having priority toxic is always helpful in making progress vs some defensive mons or as an additional safety measure vs sweepers. The max defensive investments make sure you can come in multiple times on would be sweepers every game. One of the best sets on this team. Tera ghost allows you to use topsy turvy in front of espeed dnite in a pinch.

:moltres:
Moltres @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
- Magma Storm
- Roost
- U-turn
- Malignant Chain

Again, this looks pretty much like a classic defensive moltres set. However magma storm and malignant chain also let it act as a breaker of sorts sometimes through residual damage. It's basically heatran with roost, and it's amazing at what it does ! Potentially one of the biggest winners of the meta in terms of movepool. Pretty simple set, but extremely reliable.

:garganacl: Garganacl @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Glare
- Recover
- Salt Cure
- Stealth Rock

Forgive me lord for I have sinned... Bringing garganacl to an OM is an unpardonnable offense but I just could not pass up on the opportunity to take the most annoying mon on earth and make it 10x more annoying by giving it the cheapest move of all time... Again there isn't much to say about this, it's a good blanket check to physical mons while also forcing progress extremely easily through salt cure + status.

And finally, the supreme goat that won me many games...

:revavroom: Revavroom @ Air Balloon
Ability: Filter
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- V-create
- Victory Dance
- Recover

I think this is probably one of the coolest applications of movepool changes brought about by this om. I'm running max bulk revavroom to fully take advantage of filter, victory dance and roost. This allows you to easily set up on a lot of physical mons that would other wise beat you or only allow you to get 1 vdance up. Balloon gives you 1 additional free turn of set up vs mons with ground coverage, which often makes the difference between a 6-0 sweep and dying to EQ. Probably the only set on this team (besides thundurus) that actually required any thinking on my part to make and put to use, but i'm super glad I did because it has been amazing ! Tera electric is very nice because it both makes sure you get rid of all your weaknesses (except ground, which is lessened by filter and becomes managable once it's no longer a double weakness) AND makes you immune to the omnipresent glare. I used to run tera steel for similar good defensive properties and the added bonus of extra damage on iron head, but ultimately decided the glare immunity was more important. Ihead also synergizes nicely with Garganacl spreading paralysis everywhere which lets you paraflinch cheese through would be defensive checks. It's also possible to run volt tackle over vcreate to kill pexes, but honestly I haven't had any problem with this version and vcreate hits extremely hard right off the bat.

Here's the importable: https://pokepast.es/9c358b6af91d3c9b, hope you have fun if you decide to use this team and props to the leaders of this om for quickly acting on all the broken stuff (especially spore) !
 
I had an interesting set idea for the Don
Dondozo (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Atk / 72 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Wave Crash
- Body Press
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
While no recovery is tough, this can be patched up with Alomomola wish passing
Sporting 504 HP and 312 in both Defense and SpDef (after vest) this thing is nearly unkillable, while still having offenses to deal with threats, and the newly added Dragon Tail to force out setup mons. While vulnerable to Knock Off (as most things are) you still get a solid 208 SpDef to work with. Please let me know if this actually is good, or if there's any way to improve this, or if I'm just an idiot trying weird things as I'm still learning strategies.
 
Idk how to feel bout this meta atm. On one hand theres a lot of room for creativity, but then theres also a lot of broken stuff like dnite, boomburst prim etc that make it rlly had to build balance. Specs tera water prim has literally 0 switchins besides an immunity, u lose to dnite on the spot if you dont have a metal bird and u make a wrong switch the turn it comes in.
Also idk if its broken but glare being free is exremely frustrating to play against, especially on gholdengo, which is often paired with stoneaxe hamurott. Youre just on the backfoot from the start against offence.
 
Remove Mach Punch from Azumarill and replace it with a coverage move so it can potentially KO Toxapex with chip, replace Flygon with Dragonite or Salamence because they are much stronger, and remove Volt Switch from Volcanion because it wants coverage over pivoting.

For Corviknight and Skeledirge, I’m unsure what direction you want to go in because they are both physical walls on a balance team, leaving you to lack any special wall. I would replace one of them with Goodra-Hisui.
 
If anyone want cool TR setter then Tsareena works well for that
Tsareena @ Focus Sash
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Triple Axel
- Trick Room
- Topsy-Turvy
- Teleport
 
I'm a little confused, I tried to give a Battle Bond greninja Fiery Dance and it told me it wasn't possible. Tried with several other moves starting with F and it didn't work either. Changed it to Protean and it worked. I'm guessing Battle Bond is only obtained as a greninja in the game but the entire time he also had freeze-dry and it went through every single time. Is it a bug or Freeze-Dry wasn't "caught" in the moves not possible with Battle Bond ?
 
I'm assuming that's because the teambuilder simply rejects the Pokemon immediately upon discovering an illegal move, rather than listing all of the illegal moves. Put Freeze-Dry by itself, and you will see it is illegal.
 
I'm assuming that's because the teambuilder simply rejects the Pokemon immediately upon discovering an illegal move, rather than listing all of the illegal moves. Put Freeze-Dry by itself, and you will see it is illegal.
You're right it seems to update with each moves after I delete it but only mention one for the reason of the ban. Good to know for later I guess.
 
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