National Dex Mega Altaria team based on Eternal Towers of Hell (Sequel)

[mysticwaterfall]

Hi everyone! I'm back from the depths yet again to a sequel to one of my teams that used Mega Camerupt! (And the team is still based on the same game) And this time i used a sweeping Mega Altaria! Please give me constructive criticism in the comments! I hope you enjoyed as this one took a little more time to make but enjoy nonetheless! Also CREDIT GOES TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT MADE THESE POKEMON ART PIECES

Team Making Phase

So I wanted to make this a more offensive team rather than defensive (Even though there are still some tanky mons on this team.) From the start i knew i wanted to use 3 specific pokemon: Mega Altaria, Iron Valiant, And Ceruledge. 3 Pokemon I think revolve really well around eachother and have good movepools and statspreads. However, the other 3 slots took much much longer before i decided on what they would be, before i settled on what i wanted to use, i went through phases of testing different pokemon like i used Hydrapple, Gholdengo, Tornadus, Magnezone etc. But i found 3 that i think are really good pairing with the rest of the team. So for the last 3 spots I picked Excadrill, Hisuian Samurott and Zeraora. I feel this is the best team composition i could think of but please still give constructive critism!

Team Breakdown

CoHaD (Citadel of Heights and Depths) (Altaria-Mega) @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure (Pixilate after mega)
EVs: 16 HP / 224 Atk / 16 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Earthquake
-Dragon Dance
- Roost
Altaria is a very good mega evolution and one i think is quite underrated. Altaria is a VERY good user of return when mega evolved and with 1 dragon dance. When you send it out, Mega Evolve then use Dragon Dance. If there is something that Altaria is weak to, switch out into Zeraora or Ceruledge as they resist most of what Altaria is weak to. Return for fairy type STAB, Earthquake for coverage and Roost for emergency healing. Overall Altaria can be INCREDIBLY powerful with Dragon Dance, Pixilate and STAB boosted Return.

SoW (Steeple of Waterfall) (Urshifu) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- U-Turn
- Ice Spinner
Urshifu with Choice Scarf is an incredibly good attacker, with it having an absurd ability and signature move, but with Choice Scarf, it makes him even faster. SUrging Strikes is there because it is an absurdly strong move plus it hits multiple times, Close Combat for good STAB damage, U-Turn for switching out safely and Ice Spinner for coverage. Overall an INCREDIBLY good attacker.

ToDE (Tower of Dangerous Expeditions) (Kingambit) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Supreme Overlord
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Low Kick
Kingambit is a good attacker with Supreme Overlord, and also has good typing. It has Swords Dance to set up, Knock Off for STAB and item removal, Sucker Punch for STAB and priority and Low Kick for coverage. Kingambit is a VERY good attacker, with Swords Dance, STAB and Supreme Overlord boosts, it can be INCREDIBLY good.

CoPE (Citadel of Pyramid Escapades) (Landorus-Therian) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Landorus is a very good pokemon for offense. Landorus has Swords Dance for setup, Earthquake for very good stab, Stone Edge for coverage and Z-Move usage and Stealth Rocks for setting up hazards. Landorus is an incredibly good setup sweeper with Swords Dance and can be very threatening if your opponent cant deal with it. To extension it also gets one of the best abilities in the game. Overall a very good and threatening setup sweeper.

SoRT (Steeple of Rising Temperatures) (Volcarona) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power Ground
Volcarona can be a very good setup sweeper, but has a bit of weaknesses. It has Quiver Dance for very good setup, Flamethrower for STAB, Bug Buzz for STAB, and Hidden Power Ground for good coverage. Overall Volcarona can be good, but it has a lot of weaknesses to common types. (Sorry for short explanation its just self explanitory mostly)

ToNoS (Tower of Nerves of Steel) (Corviknight) @ Leftovers
Ability: Mirror Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 SpD
Careful Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
- Defog
Corviknight is used mostly as a defensive switch in and a good pivot. It has Iron Defense for setting up Body Press, Body Press for Very good damage after Iron Defense, Roost for Healing and Defog for hazard removal. Corviknight is a good defensive Pokemon and good for switching in when your in a bad situation. Overall a very wall.

Replays

Vs All Future Paradox Team: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2477448124
(More Coming Soon!)

Threats

If this pokemon gets off a Quiver Dance, it can EASILY sweep through your team with little to no problems. Watch out for this Pokemon and dont let it set up if you can.



Can be a threat with how fast it is, having a widespread moveset, access to Will-O-Wisp and Court Change. Can sweep your team if your not careful. Try to kill it with Samurott or A Weak Armor boosted Ceruledge.

Importable Pokepaste

https://pokepast.es/2cb78974433a6004

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think this is a very solid team, yes it probably could use some defenses and it has a bunch of weaknesses but i think it is very fun to use and I think Mega Altaria is very underrated. I hope this team is at least alright, i tried my best on it but since its a sequel i didnt really have too much to work off of. Please give me constructive criticism in the comments on how to improve this team. Not sure if ill make a part 3 of this team "series" just because its very hard to think of Pokemon that relate to the names of towers/citadels/steeples from this game but if you do wanna see, let me know in the comments! With that ill see you all next time!

 

[mysticwaterfall]

Please give me constructive criticism in the comments! i would love to hear what you have to say!

 

[ILoveGarchom]

kidd0s

 

[Calmmind75]

Personally, I find this team to be quite funny, but I've realised some more threats:
: This thing with specs shreds through this team, as there are basically no safe switch ins, and CC from doesn't kill from full (252 Atk Ceruledge Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kyurem: 278-328 (71 - 83.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO), and ice beam picks up the 3HKO so it can trade with it, also your other "switch in" if it doesn't click freeze dry, has a chance to get 2HKO'd and it's a guaranteed 2HKO after rocks, and considering your hazard removal is basically eliminated in the first few turns, it really can't switch in much.
: If you're able to activate 's weak armor and have it at +2 attack, it's manageable, same if you have alive, but if not, it can be quite troublesome. You do have the tools to deal with it such as ironvaliant who can KO after(especially the surprise Z from ) but it can be hard to switch into if it gets a free entry.
: It can freely click moves into the team (especially if is mega evolved, free headlong rushes) and there's no real switch in to it, and +2 doesn't KO it from full with any move, neither .
In my opinion, something like with a specially defensive set could work out? Makes the team a bit more weak (especially if it has will o wisp), but it handles most of the mons that I've mentioned (252 SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 177-208 (44.3 - 52.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery), provides hazard removal for and for them to set up more easily (especially if excadrill is KO'd), but the team looks kinda HO like so not sure it will fit in. (and idk if there's any tower in the game that can fit , lol)
Another option can maybe be giving zeraora bulk up instead of toxic and adding CC instead of volt switch (if we stick with the HO way). walls it but it can be weakened by , and , so that way zeraora can be more threatening to other mons, (as a bonus fact, +1 electrium Z plasma fists OHKOes , that way you can abuse the terrain for more turns).
I really like the team tho, keep it up! (hope I gave good arguments, it's my first time rating a team lol)

 

[mysticwaterfall]

Personally, I find this team to be quite funny, but I've realised some more threats:
: This thing with specs shreds through this team, as there are basically no safe switch ins, and CC from doesn't kill from full (252 Atk Ceruledge Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kyurem: 278-328 (71 - 83.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO), and ice beam picks up the 3HKO so it can trade with it, also your other "switch in" if it doesn't click freeze dry, has a chance to get 2HKO'd and it's a guaranteed 2HKO after rocks, and considering your hazard removal is basically eliminated in the first few turns, it really can't switch in much.
: If you're able to activate 's weak armor and have it at +2 attack, it's manageable, same if you have alive, but if not, it can be quite troublesome. You do have the tools to deal with it such as ironvaliant who can KO after(especially the surprise Z from ) but it can be hard to switch into if it gets a free entry.
: It can freely click moves into the team (especially if is mega evolved, free headlong rushes) and there's no real switch in to it, and +2 doesn't KO it from full with any move, neither .
In my opinion, something like with a specially defensive set could work out? Makes the team a bit more weak (especially if it has will o wisp), but it handles most of the mons that I've mentioned (252 SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 177-208 (44.3 - 52.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery), provides hazard removal for and for them to set up more easily (especially if excadrill is KO'd), but the team looks kinda HO like so not sure it will fit in. (and idk if there's any tower in the game that can fit , lol)
Another option can maybe be giving zeraora bulk up instead of toxic and adding CC instead of volt switch (if we stick with the HO way). walls it but it can be weakened by , and , so that way zeraora can be more threatening to other mons, (as a bonus fact, +1 electrium Z plasma fists OHKOes , that way you can abuse the terrain for more turns).
I really like the team tho, keep it up! (hope I gave good arguments, it's my first time rating a team lol)

This was a really great comment for criticism! to start i could swap out Rapid Spin on Excadrill considering it wont be out for very long. I could swap out one of the members like Valiant or Excadrill for a defensive pivot like G-Slowking or i could use Corvi instead of excadrill because it is more defensive, has defog. My main counter for Great Tusk wouldve been samurott but it can be incredibly frail at times. So i could swap excadrill for a G-Slowking or Corvi or maybe keep it? I could even try using Ferrothorn for more defense and in place of excadrill for rocks. Thank you for the comment but could you give a reccomendation for what i should do for a defensive mon and/or what to replace with it? That would be wonderful and this comment really helped a lot! (P.S i think there are a few that could fit for corvi lol)

 

[Calmmind75]

This was a really great comment for criticism! to start i could swap out Rapid Spin on Excadrill considering it wont be out for very long. I could swap out one of the members like Valiant or Excadrill for a defensive pivot like G-Slowking or i could use Corvi instead of excadrill because it is more defensive, has defog. My main counter for Great Tusk wouldve been samurott but it can be incredibly frail at times. So i could swap excadrill for a G-Slowking or Corvi or maybe keep it? I could even try using Ferrothorn for more defense and in place of excadrill for rocks. Thank you for the comment but could you give a reccomendation for what i should do for a defensive mon and/or what to replace with it? That would be wonderful and this comment really helped a lot! (P.S i think there are a few that could fit for corvi lol)

So, looking at the team, and without changing a lot of mons or the idea of the team, I've had a few ideas:
for : isn't doing much, just pivoting around, so I think that adding spdef feels good vs most of the threats and also pivots around.
for : Imo this change is optional, but lando can kind of fit the excadrill role. At first I thought of standard defensive to helo vs Cinderace and set up rocks, but another worth it set could be lead explosion lando, who does the same thing as excadrill but more effectively, again, the change is optional.

 

[mysticwaterfall]

Thank you for the help! Here are the changes I made (i'm gonna add them to the post): Excadrill -> Landorus-T, I made it more offensive while still having it be a stealth rock setter, with Swords Dance, EQ, Stone Edge, Rocks and Rockium Z. Zeraora -> Corviknight with a specially defensive statspread. If you have anything else let me know!

 

[Untrue_reality]

i was too lazy to rate when you first posted but glad other ppl came and gave u help, ts forums used to be empty af ngl
anyways, the team still has some flaws.


1. no reliable speed control
without , you're stuck with for your speed control, which is pretty bad considering that if u wanna revenge kill something you either have to:
- either counter-sweep on the spot
or
- use the booster to revenge kill or force the mon out, get forced out next turn and then no more cleaning late game or revenge killing because you lost your speed control


2. and the balanced friends
To put it short, you kinda die to most well played balace teams, your general lack or immediate power without setup, longevity and especially pivoting make you extra susceptible to pasive and chip damage over the course of like, 40 turns.
But balance teams aren't exactly 6 passive mons themselves you know, a balance doesn't mind at all trading a mon if they somehow commit a mistake bad enough to get you a free setup turn.

balance teams can especially destroy you pretty quickly in my opinion, the only mon that can touch WITHOUT boosting are pretty much... just
Now dont get me wrong, it's not like Swords Dance can't blow a big hole jn balance teams AND scizor, the problem is...

You cant OHKO it
+2 252 Atk Landorus-Therian Continental Crush (180 BP) vs. 248 HP / 112+ Def Scizor-Mega: 266-313 (77.5 - 91.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
But it very likely can 2hko your Landorus-therian if it comes it on the (MANY) opportunities it has to Swords Dance
+1 0 Atk Technician Scizor-Mega Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus-Therian: 151-178 (47.3 - 55.7%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO
This means that has a decent chance to win most 1v1's vs , and if it does, it's borderline over for you, you wasted your move on a that'll js come in later and roost against corv, and therefore being able to check your whole team still (besides ceru)

Add this to the passive and chip damage that i previously mentioned and you have a one way ticket to a pretty bad defeat vs balance structures.


How to fix these issues??
No replacements method:
->Iron defense + Body press and no U-Turn, if you wanna go the extra mile you could add too but leftovers are good, especially for .
also, new EV spread that's probably better for you: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 SpD with an Impish nature, better for checking Sciz while your still able to check
-> and flip turn over sucker punch so you keep at least one pivot,also hey you have speed control now cool.
something something paste


Replacements Method:
->any scarfer ever, i like particularly here if u change the other stuff said here
to who actually has a defensive presence despite being a sweeper, despite being an infinitely better check
and to , yes you lose spikes, yes you gain a much more powerful Pokemon overall, rocks should be enough anyways, also a good check to knock off sciz
EVs still change and use body press over iron head it's just better
something something paste 2
warn me if there's an error with the pastes.

.........
(also post the new version's importables fr i wanna steal this)

 

[mysticwaterfall]

i was too lazy to rate when you first posted but glad other ppl came and gave u help, ts forums used to be empty af ngl
anyways, the team still has some flaws.


1. no reliable speed control
without , you're stuck with for your speed control, which is pretty bad considering that if u wanna revenge kill something you either have to:
- either counter-sweep on the spot
or
- use the booster to revenge kill or force the mon out, get forced out next turn and then no more cleaning late game or revenge killing because you lost your speed control


2. and the balanced friends
To put it short, you kinda die to most well played balace teams, your general lack or immediate power without setup, longevity and especially pivoting make you extra susceptible to pasive and chip damage over the course of like, 40 turns.
But balance teams aren't exactly 6 passive mons themselves you know, a balance doesn't mind at all trading a mon if they somehow commit a mistake bad enough to get you a free setup turn.

balance teams can especially destroy you pretty quickly in my opinion, the only mon that can touch WITHOUT boosting are pretty much... just
Now dont get me wrong, it's not like Swords Dance can't blow a big hole jn balance teams AND scizor, the problem is...

You cant OHKO it
+2 252 Atk Landorus-Therian Continental Crush (180 BP) vs. 248 HP / 112+ Def Scizor-Mega: 266-313 (77.5 - 91.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
But it very likely can 2hko your Landorus-therian if it comes it on the (MANY) opportunities it has to Swords Dance
+1 0 Atk Technician Scizor-Mega Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus-Therian: 151-178 (47.3 - 55.7%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO
This means that has a decent chance to win most 1v1's vs , and if it does, it's borderline over for you, you wasted your move on a that'll js come in later and roost against corv, and therefore being able to check your whole team still (besides ceru)

Add this to the passive and chip damage that i previously mentioned and you have a one way ticket to a pretty bad defeat vs balance structures.


How to fix these issues??
No replacements method:
->Iron defense + Body press and no U-Turn, if you wanna go the extra mile you could add too but leftovers are good, especially for .
also, new EV spread that's probably better for you: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 SpD with an Impish nature, better for checking Sciz while your still able to check
-> and flip turn over sucker punch so you keep at least one pivot,also hey you have speed control now cool.
something something paste


Replacements Method:
->any scarfer ever, i like particularly here if u change the other stuff said here
to who actually has a defensive presence despite being a sweeper, despite being an infinitely better check
and to , yes you lose spikes, yes you gain a much more powerful Pokemon overall, rocks should be enough anyways, also a good check to knock off sciz
EVs still change and use body press over iron head it's just better
something something paste 2
warn me if there's an error with the pastes.

.........
(also post the new version's importables fr i wanna steal this)

Updated it!! its kinda funny how the only surviving memeber from V1.0 is altaria, lol. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Untrue_reality]

Updated it!! its kinda funny how the only surviving memeber from V1.0 is altaria, lol. Thank you so much for your help!

No problem at all! Ngl you should be able to go along both versions and do decent,
you could also add the old versions in the importables part but that's rly it

 

[Calmmind75]

Updated it!! its kinda funny how the only surviving memeber from V1.0 is altaria, lol. Thank you so much for your help!

Np chief! Have fun laddering with the team!