Heatran isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a steel type with issues that can limit its ability to fit on team. It’s a steel type that doesn’t check Kyurem which requires you to have to fit an answer elsewhere, which can restrict building to a degree, and it’s a very hazard vulnerable pokemon. I’d also say that it doesn’t answer a huge amount of pokemon so it defensively is okay, but not as capable as other steels
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Metagame SV OU Metagame Discussion v4
- Thread starter TPP
- Start date
Wonder how bulky bootspam h stack SD gliscor teams are doing nowadays. A year or two ago those teams were the trend and some people were complaining about it.
We haven't seen a lot of dragon spam teams this gen afaik, but I think now is as good a time as any for those kinds of teams to shine. With the tera blast ban, tera fairy is quite uncommon except on a handful of exceptions who either naturally get coverage and/or really appreciate the defensive typing, like Gholdengo, Bolt and Garganacl. 4 of the 6 natural fairy types in OU (Enamorus, Clef, Weezing-G and Primarina) are not easy to fit on teams, with only Valiant and Hatterene being really common. Neither of those have reliable recovery and are easy to wear down.
I think a few things could be interesting - banded dragapult is still not bad even after losing tera blast ghost - tera dragon darts hammers resists down, even things like Gambit and Ghold can take 40% or more. Moreover, you can beat every fairy type with the combination of u-turn, hazards and double-edge. Double-edge is a pretty garbage move for most mons, but dragon normal coverage is not horrible if your only goal is to hit fairy types - it basically hits as hard as a 80 base power stab ghost move. I don't think tera normal double edge is worth it because it is good enough at its job without tera, you do something ridiculous like 70% to max HP primarina off the rip, so it is pretty much guaranteed to die if you catch it with u-turn + hazards the first time it switches in, Clef and Weezing are really the only ones that can switch in consistently.
I also think DD Dragapult has some scope, like the Gen 4 ubers Mence + Rayquaza teams - something like DD/Darts/Double Edge/Curse lets Dragapult wallbreak early-mid game and cripple stuff like Corviknight (it 1v1s ID BP sets with curse + DD), paving the way for Kyurem or Dragonite to kill everything later. If you run max HP max attack adamant Pult, it is basically a second DD Kyurem - you give up ~20% bulk for a bit more speed and attack + an open item slot (so you can run lefties/muscle band/lum/resist berry). You would probably need to pair these two with Hatt + CC Tusk + GKing to keep hazards off, stallbreak, and take care of fairies.
Draco spam with Pult (or even Latios) + Kyurem is also probably viable, you could run specs on one and scarf on the other.
I think a few things could be interesting - banded dragapult is still not bad even after losing tera blast ghost - tera dragon darts hammers resists down, even things like Gambit and Ghold can take 40% or more. Moreover, you can beat every fairy type with the combination of u-turn, hazards and double-edge. Double-edge is a pretty garbage move for most mons, but dragon normal coverage is not horrible if your only goal is to hit fairy types - it basically hits as hard as a 80 base power stab ghost move. I don't think tera normal double edge is worth it because it is good enough at its job without tera, you do something ridiculous like 70% to max HP primarina off the rip, so it is pretty much guaranteed to die if you catch it with u-turn + hazards the first time it switches in, Clef and Weezing are really the only ones that can switch in consistently.
I also think DD Dragapult has some scope, like the Gen 4 ubers Mence + Rayquaza teams - something like DD/Darts/Double Edge/Curse lets Dragapult wallbreak early-mid game and cripple stuff like Corviknight (it 1v1s ID BP sets with curse + DD), paving the way for Kyurem or Dragonite to kill everything later. If you run max HP max attack adamant Pult, it is basically a second DD Kyurem - you give up ~20% bulk for a bit more speed and attack + an open item slot (so you can run lefties/muscle band/lum/resist berry). You would probably need to pair these two with Hatt + CC Tusk + GKing to keep hazards off, stallbreak, and take care of fairies.
Draco spam with Pult (or even Latios) + Kyurem is also probably viable, you could run specs on one and scarf on the other.
My biggest problem with Heatran is that he's a special wall that kinda just gets crushed by anyone who clicks calm mind. The others can still slow pivot into a faster physical threat.
The ladder is dogshit
Heatran should be used offensively 90% of the time, he has 130 Special Attack, you have to take advantage of that. The typing and ability already allows it to wall what it needs to, you just have to take the power. As a special wall, it's mid at best, use Ting-Lu if you want a Special wall without recovery.
I think the main use of heatran is a rocker that’s extremely awkward for hazard removal to switch into.
:heatran:
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 12 Def / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Overheat / Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Power Gem
- Dragon Pulse
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 12 Def / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Overheat / Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Power Gem
- Dragon Pulse
244 EVs allow you to outpace Jolly 252 Zama (414 speed vs 412), Power Gem OHKOs all but full 252 HP/252 SpDef Molt, Tera Dragon with Dragon Pulse baits/nukes Walking Wake and chipped Dragonite. Flash Cannon/Steel Beam may be STAB, but most of its intended targets can be hit with other moves instead for comparable results. Overheat for raw damage, Fire Blast for burn chance on switch-ins. Earth Power smacks threats like Ceruledge, Pecharunt, and Slowking-G. Pair with a Stealth Rock user that helps cover its weaknesses, like :gliscor:, :sandy shocks:, or :ting lu:
oh hi. so i may or may not have done some silly stuff
Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
in celebration of :garchomp: still being in the bl trashcan i decided to try this guy out. no :samurott-hisui:? thats impossible. but anyways this goober was fun to use. it ended up being a pretty makeshift :kingambit: check without me needing a bulky fighter or anything like that. dtail despite somehow missing at the worst opportune moments was a really neat way for me to push hazard dmg and force stuff out. a more neat offensive :ting-lu: is nice to have. since the final team ended up using double ground with lando i just figured going max bulk would be fine. it does let me tank a +2 5 fallen kowtow guaranteed which is nice but if you want to kill :raging-bolt: then just go back up to 250 speed.
Darkrai @ Choice Specs
Ability: Bad Dreams
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
:darkrai: has become a mild obsession with me. ive always wanted to use specs but couldn't fit it well. turns out i just needed to be basic. 4a is just very reliable especially when since i dont like using trick anyways unless theres nothing left. tera dark is busted though. that shit is disgusting on :kingambit: even before tera. i've had many games where it looked like i was gonna get my ass beat but tera dark let me clean up. flinch is disgusting though that saved my ass too many times.
https://pokepast.es/91799df37a5a7fc1
This little team got top 50. heres some replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646477204-68ixn23xnkxyh0f1ge085f70q6yn1lnpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646478927-i2b3tfo4qp3rttsrd4v8x5oe7dn399bpw
this team isn't the one i care too much about. it may have more aura but this one is more colorful so have at it
https://pokepast.es/5a41c5a2720e773b
This is v1. i was feeling a bit lazy after my red card rai team and figured that i should do smth similar. so i slapped together :garchomp: + specs :darkrai: into a team similar to last time. over the outrage :landorus-therian: is a :dragonite:. always the goat btw. kept barely reaching out of top 50 into around top 70 or so. though after some play adjustments i got this team to around top 45. heres some replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646484865-qees3e4n479a276gknage9uw9w39ikjpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646017195-rqs2dkpqxk4vcylq89thwnqbovfqubypw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646018443-xgbmfixhfb4i87g3b4etmuiuwf8fxygpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2642674033-xpbb8l676omn40km0w3q1b1pvkedfn4pw
oh and heres a vid joey did on the team
Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
in celebration of :garchomp: still being in the bl trashcan i decided to try this guy out. no :samurott-hisui:? thats impossible. but anyways this goober was fun to use. it ended up being a pretty makeshift :kingambit: check without me needing a bulky fighter or anything like that. dtail despite somehow missing at the worst opportune moments was a really neat way for me to push hazard dmg and force stuff out. a more neat offensive :ting-lu: is nice to have. since the final team ended up using double ground with lando i just figured going max bulk would be fine. it does let me tank a +2 5 fallen kowtow guaranteed which is nice but if you want to kill :raging-bolt: then just go back up to 250 speed.
Darkrai @ Choice Specs
Ability: Bad Dreams
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
:darkrai: has become a mild obsession with me. ive always wanted to use specs but couldn't fit it well. turns out i just needed to be basic. 4a is just very reliable especially when since i dont like using trick anyways unless theres nothing left. tera dark is busted though. that shit is disgusting on :kingambit: even before tera. i've had many games where it looked like i was gonna get my ass beat but tera dark let me clean up. flinch is disgusting though that saved my ass too many times.
https://pokepast.es/91799df37a5a7fc1
This little team got top 50. heres some replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646477204-68ixn23xnkxyh0f1ge085f70q6yn1lnpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646478927-i2b3tfo4qp3rttsrd4v8x5oe7dn399bpw
this team isn't the one i care too much about. it may have more aura but this one is more colorful so have at it
https://pokepast.es/5a41c5a2720e773b
This is v1. i was feeling a bit lazy after my red card rai team and figured that i should do smth similar. so i slapped together :garchomp: + specs :darkrai: into a team similar to last time. over the outrage :landorus-therian: is a :dragonite:. always the goat btw. kept barely reaching out of top 50 into around top 70 or so. though after some play adjustments i got this team to around top 45. heres some replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646484865-qees3e4n479a276gknage9uw9w39ikjpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646017195-rqs2dkpqxk4vcylq89thwnqbovfqubypw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646018443-xgbmfixhfb4i87g3b4etmuiuwf8fxygpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2642674033-xpbb8l676omn40km0w3q1b1pvkedfn4pw
Last edited:
For anyone interested in on-site writing, a new slate of OU analyses is now open! This is taking a focus on adding some newer sets that have attained viability over the past few months, along with some rewrites of older sets as required. Feel free to place a reservation here if you'd like to give this a go, and do reach out to C&C staff if you want to learn more or would be interested in Quality Control!
lax made an interesting claim in his most recent upload that Gallade is the mathematically strongest physical attacker in gen 9 OU. Here is my fact check in case anyone is interested:
Next strongest:
Slaking at 1 hp using Flail = 130.3% - 153.5%
Next strongest:
Mienshao with Reckless using High Jump Kick = 126.9% - 149.4%
Next strongest:
Maushold (also with Choice Band) using Population Bomb (10 hits) = 119.8% - 142.3%
Next strongest:
Breloom Bullet Seed (5 hits) = 104.8% - 123.5% (4 hits = 83.8 - 98.8%)
Next strongest:
Slaking Giga Impact = 97.7% - 115.3%
Next strongest:
Regidrago Outrage = 83.5% - 98.5%
Next strongest:
Ursaluna Flame Orb (no band) Facade = 82.7% - 97.3%
Next strongest:
Maushold Wide Lens (no band) Population Bomb = 82.3% - 97.3%
Next strongest:
Medicham Close Combat = 81.6% - 96.2%
Winner of the strongest no drawback no setup physical attack in gen 9 OU:
Gallade Sacred Sword = 73.4% - 86.5%
So in the end, annoyingly, Lax is kinda right... Or did I miss anything?
Strongest physical attacker in Gen 9 OU
Winner:
Alolan Golem with Galvanize using Explosion = 158% - 186.1%But what if you don't want the user to instantly faint? (also ineligible now: metagross explosion = 107.3 - 126.4)Next strongest:
Slaking at 1 hp using Flail = 130.3% - 153.5%
But what if you remove specific field, HP, or opponent-dependent conditions? (also ineligible now: Burned Ursaluna choice band facade = 123.5 - 145.6, Kingambit Fallen 5 Lash Out after a stat other than attack has been lowered the same turn = 128.8 - 151.6%, Kingambit Fallen 5 Assurance after being hit the same turn: 103.3 - 121.7%, Perrserker Steely Spirit Gyro Ball against fast opp (means opponent) = 111.6 - 131.4, Conkeldurr Iron Fist Focus Punch: 105.9 - 125, Haxorus with Rivalry against same gender using Outrage = 91.7 - 108.2)Next strongest:
Mienshao with Reckless using High Jump Kick = 126.9% - 149.4%
But what if you want to avoid recoil damage? (also ineligible now: Alolan Golem Galvanize Double Edge = 76 - 89.5, Rampardos Head Smash = 100 - 117.9, Rillaboom Wood Hammer = 84.6 - 99.6)Next strongest:
Maushold (also with Choice Band) using Population Bomb (10 hits) = 119.8% - 142.3%
But what if you want to avoid moves that have less than 81% accuracy? (also ineligible: Flapple hustle outrage = 89.1 - 105.2)Next strongest:
Breloom Bullet Seed (5 hits) = 104.8% - 123.5% (4 hits = 83.8 - 98.8%)
But what if you don't want to take your chances with a multi hit move? (also ineligible: Cinccino Tail Slap = 84.2 - 99.2%)Next strongest:
Slaking Giga Impact = 97.7% - 115.3%
But what if you want to move next turn? (also ineligible: Rhyperior Rock Wrecker = 88.3 - 104.1)Next strongest:
Regidrago Outrage = 83.5% - 98.5%
But what if you want to be able to switch next turn? (also ineligible: Haxorus Outrage = 73.4 - 86.5)Next strongest:
Ursaluna Flame Orb (no band) Facade = 82.7% - 97.3%
But but the flame orb only activates at the end of a turn so this should be considered setup.Next strongest:
Maushold Wide Lens (no band) Population Bomb = 82.3% - 97.3%
But what if you want an absolute guarantee that the move doesn't miss?Next strongest:
Medicham Close Combat = 81.6% - 96.2%
But what if you don't want any stats to drop?Winner of the strongest no drawback no setup physical attack in gen 9 OU:
Gallade Sacred Sword = 73.4% - 86.5%
So in the end, annoyingly, Lax is kinda right... Or did I miss anything?
Last edited:
I will be taking a hiatus for a little over a month soon, so just wanted to give some quick metagame thoughts.
I do not think we need to ban anything right now. OLT is bound to shake-up the metagame with new ideas and trends, but also I think nothing stands out as broken anyway. I do feel we are mostly settled from the Tera Blast ban and the tier after the ban has a lot of similarities to the prior metagame, but even then there was nothing overly egregious before. Some people wanted to discuss retests after the Tera Blast ban; I am openminded to that, but it is hard to fit with OLT, SCL, etc. on the horizon, so we will wait and see on that front.
As for things to keep an eye on...Dragonite is a great Pokemon, but I would not suspect or ban it right now. Kyurem is for sure annoying, but it faces a lot of limitations and only fits onto so many teams. Wellspring and Zamazenta have been more on the outside looking in of the "radar" for a while although there are specific games that highlight both being menaces. Point is: we have a lot of things we can discuss for suspects, but none that feel close to being banworthy and I do not sense that changing before OLT.
I do not think we need to ban anything right now. OLT is bound to shake-up the metagame with new ideas and trends, but also I think nothing stands out as broken anyway. I do feel we are mostly settled from the Tera Blast ban and the tier after the ban has a lot of similarities to the prior metagame, but even then there was nothing overly egregious before. Some people wanted to discuss retests after the Tera Blast ban; I am openminded to that, but it is hard to fit with OLT, SCL, etc. on the horizon, so we will wait and see on that front.
As for things to keep an eye on...Dragonite is a great Pokemon, but I would not suspect or ban it right now. Kyurem is for sure annoying, but it faces a lot of limitations and only fits onto so many teams. Wellspring and Zamazenta have been more on the outside looking in of the "radar" for a while although there are specific games that highlight both being menaces. Point is: we have a lot of things we can discuss for suspects, but none that feel close to being banworthy and I do not sense that changing before OLT.
I believe that you forgot Terastalization on Breloom. It only needs 4 hits to overtake Gallade.
252+ Atk Choice Band Technician Tera Grass Breloom Bullet Seed (4 hits) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 448-528 (83.8 - 98.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Ooh yeah you're right good catch! I fixed it now
Hey uh does anyone have teamdumps for ever shitmon they've experiemented with?
Maushold + [Anything to lure in and kill or knock Corv] + [Slow pivot] + [Moltres destroyer].
Offensive Maushold requires too much support to ever be a reliable option, but if you're looking to play with a low tier mon anyway, then provide it that support and you'll be entertained. Being able to 2HKO Dondozo with a neutral physical move, without needing to Tera, is great fun.
As a bonus, you can outspeed and revenge a Wellspring or special Kyurem.
Offensive Maushold requires too much support to ever be a reliable option, but if you're looking to play with a low tier mon anyway, then provide it that support and you'll be entertained. Being able to 2HKO Dondozo with a neutral physical move, without needing to Tera, is great fun.
As a bonus, you can outspeed and revenge a Wellspring or special Kyurem.
hey. so normally id wait a bit but i got like 4 teams up my butt to show so i gotta larp a little more.
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Low Kick
- Ice Punch
earlier today i was rewatching 658Greninja and his vid on :tyranitar: from like half a year ago and figured "eh may as well try now i can be silly on my alt". turns out i accidentally got top 11. so yippee for me. cb is a wallbreaker extraordinaire and thats the best part about it. turns out when you have that much bulk power and utility it ends up doing really well. combined with :great-tusk: it essentially guarantees :kingambit: cannot do shit which is really nice. plus it can check slow variants of :dragonite:. oddly this was my sole fire resist against :iron-moth: so i relied on it a lot against it. tera rock is nutty and really shows off ttar's bulk when shedding that dark type vs idk :enamorus:. sand is sand and thats great.
Zapdos @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Static
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
i dont like using :zapdos:. too cheap and really annoying to use sometimes. but since i was doing double removal, i decided to go helmet zap. this guy is disgusting and incredibly dishonest. it opens a lot of role compression in terms of fighting :zamazenta: but it is so cheap and so haxful. if i see anyone using this guy i will fume. tera dragon is here for both :ogerpon-wellspring: as well as :cinderace: cuz i dont got a better check to it really.
https://pokepast.es/90af4c0ab77708bb
heres the team that got top 11 to top 12 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652480318-7w6p8g1mq706v9tik90qd4360lp63ofpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652497033-2csdl1lss6b91id8thd7hw3earxjrqjpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652487361-kieybsx9vhwc8kj5p1la77dggsk89fxpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652503728-q6xh7ofdgf0xxop2eypx5d5hg07nyb1pw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652517920-5bye4jxye8meljf5u0apowsrpd7xh0upw
onto team #2
Meowscarada @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Protean
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Spikes
- Triple Axel
- U-turn
i thought :meowscarada: was a noob strat before this. tbh it is but i wouldnt say it was horrible at least. i gave up flower trick since 90% of the time we're using the other moves way more. spikes instead let me actively force progress alongside knock. having that ground type after spikes does do wonders sometimes, especially against twave :gholdengo:. even though Marnie is a hater about this team :meowscarada: at least does smth over bum keld and dogi.
Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Aura Sphere
- Trick
ive attempted to get specs :latios: to work in the past but it sorta fumbled until now. i had to realize this guys only defensive value is levitate and thats it. it sucks vs :ogerpon-wellspring: and like sorta checks :zamazenta: and :dragonite:. in exchange though, this guy nukes everything. clicking specs draco is very tempting on non fairies. :gholdengo: and :kingambit: still get chunked by tera dragon. luster purge is also nice. tbh i didnt really get to use aura sphere cuz spam draco or luster duh but hitting :kingambit: instantly is good. trick is also nice. tera dragon specs draco calcs are fun.
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Kingambit: 365-431 (90.5 - 106.9%) -- guaranteed KO in 2 turns after 1 layer of Spikes and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gholdengo: 345-407 (91.2 - 107.6%) -- 93% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
https://pokepast.es/36f3cc99423b0bb1
this team got like top 45 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650470995-4g6d2xge1xknk6th7pxgo83p2c54oknpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650476760-u8t8hwml5euutl9gkot3rsne8k7bbvppw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650479410-pbvgrfo55eqc9f39pdb4ymmxkuvbxuqpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650482191-yvmq5xraqbxuhqx9qsg7qysdd7ck2gxpw
onto team 3
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Spinner
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
i was feeling pretty lazy with :dragonite:. i had already explored bulky espeed so i figured tera ground would do. i originally ran espeed on this guy but realized :kingambit: did a good enough job for priority. so therefore i went even more dishonest bastard. rock slide is a neat tech i think marnie or Heatranator told me. idt it made too many game changing stuff cuz for some reason i just did not see a :moltres:. jolly i figured is better here for the :dragapult: and :zamazenta: shtick. lum is nice though. i wanted a very aggressive :dragonite: so having the ability to mess with status spammers like :cinderace: is always a nice deal. ground eq is nasty.
Kingambit @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Kowtow Cleave
- Low Kick
honestly the :kingambit: i see are either those iron head low kick fast variants or those really weirdo black glasses stuff. black glasses is buns btw. originally i was just being a basic goober and using iron head kowtow but realized :gholdengo: already shreds fairies and i can afford to greed a bit with how my team is set up. so kowtow low kick it was. i like fat gambit so i decided to keep it anyways. quick side thing those max speed ada variants are wack tbh you either go jolly or no speed. low kick is just especially nice rn with tera normal :dragonite: being everywhere and the lowering usage of fairies outside of :iron-valiant:. i was lazy with tera and just kept ghost since i wanted to bully :zamazenta:.
https://pokepast.es/ded881e370c0eb5f
this team got around top 25. heres more replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648866784-533dqwxtec5032ehfnuoc1frvevgbrvpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648865338-ggubeqaij5m8itsuudx7v8fp2owvditpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648972624-ul3edc402n5nmmp0adr8m15u0j9lgvgpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648974758-8yapa74sc3pcotkijvkfk3owp7cs71qpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648976164-p1jbn4dav6ycnpenlafu34vyenwvi2opw
Cresselia @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
:cresselia: is an actual mon now so pay attention. i went with bulky here since cress is pretty weak even when boosted, so i may as well just go all in on bulk. boltbeam coverage since i find stored power is both dishonest and really meh. cress really manhandles a lot of mons as a blanket check. 120/110/120 bulk is no joke and you get to wall :great-tusk: :dragonite: and :zamazenta: for free which is always appreciated. you can also slowly chip :ting-lu: down pretty well since payback isnt really common and its forced to ruination or whirlwind. excellent blanket check and late game cleaner. idr who introduced :cresselia: to me but it might've been Storm Zone or lax i forgot.
https://pokepast.es/31a91a939fbc44f4
this team got around top 50 or so(prob misremembered and looking at the elo it was like top 30 or 25)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646957561-jys86lo59e4bm2x7rqd6lrf0upet6iwpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2647415095-4o0bvkvl6ivfeufmjuxbi5h6yxftik2pw
oh yeah i should also talk about what i think of the current meta. its fine. would've liked :volcarona: coming back but whatever i have to do :volcanion: instead. ladders been more wack but apprently olts coming up soon so thatll prob bring up the elo deflation. nothings really broken either they all sorta coexist. :dragonite: will always be :dragonite: no matter what. same with :zamazenta:. oh yeah and i've finally stopped being an av :samurott-hisui: spammer im a more general hstack spammer instead.
samu apple volc supremacy
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Low Kick
- Ice Punch
earlier today i was rewatching 658Greninja and his vid on :tyranitar: from like half a year ago and figured "eh may as well try now i can be silly on my alt". turns out i accidentally got top 11. so yippee for me. cb is a wallbreaker extraordinaire and thats the best part about it. turns out when you have that much bulk power and utility it ends up doing really well. combined with :great-tusk: it essentially guarantees :kingambit: cannot do shit which is really nice. plus it can check slow variants of :dragonite:. oddly this was my sole fire resist against :iron-moth: so i relied on it a lot against it. tera rock is nutty and really shows off ttar's bulk when shedding that dark type vs idk :enamorus:. sand is sand and thats great.
Zapdos @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Static
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
i dont like using :zapdos:. too cheap and really annoying to use sometimes. but since i was doing double removal, i decided to go helmet zap. this guy is disgusting and incredibly dishonest. it opens a lot of role compression in terms of fighting :zamazenta: but it is so cheap and so haxful. if i see anyone using this guy i will fume. tera dragon is here for both :ogerpon-wellspring: as well as :cinderace: cuz i dont got a better check to it really.
https://pokepast.es/90af4c0ab77708bb
heres the team that got top 11 to top 12 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652480318-7w6p8g1mq706v9tik90qd4360lp63ofpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652497033-2csdl1lss6b91id8thd7hw3earxjrqjpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652487361-kieybsx9vhwc8kj5p1la77dggsk89fxpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652503728-q6xh7ofdgf0xxop2eypx5d5hg07nyb1pw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652517920-5bye4jxye8meljf5u0apowsrpd7xh0upw
onto team #2
Meowscarada @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Protean
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Spikes
- Triple Axel
- U-turn
i thought :meowscarada: was a noob strat before this. tbh it is but i wouldnt say it was horrible at least. i gave up flower trick since 90% of the time we're using the other moves way more. spikes instead let me actively force progress alongside knock. having that ground type after spikes does do wonders sometimes, especially against twave :gholdengo:. even though Marnie is a hater about this team :meowscarada: at least does smth over bum keld and dogi.
Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Aura Sphere
- Trick
ive attempted to get specs :latios: to work in the past but it sorta fumbled until now. i had to realize this guys only defensive value is levitate and thats it. it sucks vs :ogerpon-wellspring: and like sorta checks :zamazenta: and :dragonite:. in exchange though, this guy nukes everything. clicking specs draco is very tempting on non fairies. :gholdengo: and :kingambit: still get chunked by tera dragon. luster purge is also nice. tbh i didnt really get to use aura sphere cuz spam draco or luster duh but hitting :kingambit: instantly is good. trick is also nice. tera dragon specs draco calcs are fun.
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Kingambit: 365-431 (90.5 - 106.9%) -- guaranteed KO in 2 turns after 1 layer of Spikes and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gholdengo: 345-407 (91.2 - 107.6%) -- 93% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
https://pokepast.es/36f3cc99423b0bb1
this team got like top 45 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650470995-4g6d2xge1xknk6th7pxgo83p2c54oknpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650476760-u8t8hwml5euutl9gkot3rsne8k7bbvppw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650479410-pbvgrfo55eqc9f39pdb4ymmxkuvbxuqpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650482191-yvmq5xraqbxuhqx9qsg7qysdd7ck2gxpw
onto team 3
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Spinner
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
i was feeling pretty lazy with :dragonite:. i had already explored bulky espeed so i figured tera ground would do. i originally ran espeed on this guy but realized :kingambit: did a good enough job for priority. so therefore i went even more dishonest bastard. rock slide is a neat tech i think marnie or Heatranator told me. idt it made too many game changing stuff cuz for some reason i just did not see a :moltres:. jolly i figured is better here for the :dragapult: and :zamazenta: shtick. lum is nice though. i wanted a very aggressive :dragonite: so having the ability to mess with status spammers like :cinderace: is always a nice deal. ground eq is nasty.
Kingambit @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Kowtow Cleave
- Low Kick
honestly the :kingambit: i see are either those iron head low kick fast variants or those really weirdo black glasses stuff. black glasses is buns btw. originally i was just being a basic goober and using iron head kowtow but realized :gholdengo: already shreds fairies and i can afford to greed a bit with how my team is set up. so kowtow low kick it was. i like fat gambit so i decided to keep it anyways. quick side thing those max speed ada variants are wack tbh you either go jolly or no speed. low kick is just especially nice rn with tera normal :dragonite: being everywhere and the lowering usage of fairies outside of :iron-valiant:. i was lazy with tera and just kept ghost since i wanted to bully :zamazenta:.
https://pokepast.es/ded881e370c0eb5f
this team got around top 25. heres more replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648866784-533dqwxtec5032ehfnuoc1frvevgbrvpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648865338-ggubeqaij5m8itsuudx7v8fp2owvditpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648972624-ul3edc402n5nmmp0adr8m15u0j9lgvgpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648974758-8yapa74sc3pcotkijvkfk3owp7cs71qpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648976164-p1jbn4dav6ycnpenlafu34vyenwvi2opw
Cresselia @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
:cresselia: is an actual mon now so pay attention. i went with bulky here since cress is pretty weak even when boosted, so i may as well just go all in on bulk. boltbeam coverage since i find stored power is both dishonest and really meh. cress really manhandles a lot of mons as a blanket check. 120/110/120 bulk is no joke and you get to wall :great-tusk: :dragonite: and :zamazenta: for free which is always appreciated. you can also slowly chip :ting-lu: down pretty well since payback isnt really common and its forced to ruination or whirlwind. excellent blanket check and late game cleaner. idr who introduced :cresselia: to me but it might've been Storm Zone or lax i forgot.
https://pokepast.es/31a91a939fbc44f4
this team got around top 50 or so(prob misremembered and looking at the elo it was like top 30 or 25)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646957561-jys86lo59e4bm2x7rqd6lrf0upet6iwpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2647415095-4o0bvkvl6ivfeufmjuxbi5h6yxftik2pw
oh yeah i should also talk about what i think of the current meta. its fine. would've liked :volcarona: coming back but whatever i have to do :volcanion: instead. ladders been more wack but apprently olts coming up soon so thatll prob bring up the elo deflation. nothings really broken either they all sorta coexist. :dragonite: will always be :dragonite: no matter what. same with :zamazenta:. oh yeah and i've finally stopped being an av :samurott-hisui: spammer im a more general hstack spammer instead.
samu apple volc supremacy
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Is anyone else stuck around 1600? This meta, and really the generation in general feels like it hasn’t been conducive to improvement. I’ve tried a variety of teams and I just stall out around 1700 before dropping back down. There’s so much variance/offensive fire power it’s hard for me to stay consistent.
where was someone like you two months ago? The Tyranitar dream is overhey. so normally id wait a bit but i got like 4 teams up my butt to show so i gotta larp a little more.
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Low Kick
- Ice Punch
earlier today i was rewatching 658Greninja and his vid on :tyranitar: from like half a year ago and figured "eh may as well try now i can be silly on my alt". turns out i accidentally got top 11. so yippee for me. cb is a wallbreaker extraordinaire and thats the best part about it. turns out when you have that much bulk power and utility it ends up doing really well. combined with :great-tusk: it essentially guarantees :kingambit: cannot do shit which is really nice. plus it can check slow variants of :dragonite:. oddly this was my sole fire resist against :iron-moth: so i relied on it a lot against it. tera rock is nutty and really shows off ttar's bulk when shedding that dark type vs idk :enamorus:. sand is sand and thats great.
Zapdos @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Static
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
i dont like using :zapdos:. too cheap and really annoying to use sometimes. but since i was doing double removal, i decided to go helmet zap. this guy is disgusting and incredibly dishonest. it opens a lot of role compression in terms of fighting :zamazenta: but it is so cheap and so haxful. if i see anyone using this guy i will fume. tera dragon is here for both :ogerpon-wellspring: as well as :cinderace: cuz i dont got a better check to it really.
https://pokepast.es/90af4c0ab77708bb
heres the team that got top 11 to top 12 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652480318-7w6p8g1mq706v9tik90qd4360lp63ofpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652497033-2csdl1lss6b91id8thd7hw3earxjrqjpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652487361-kieybsx9vhwc8kj5p1la77dggsk89fxpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652503728-q6xh7ofdgf0xxop2eypx5d5hg07nyb1pw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2652517920-5bye4jxye8meljf5u0apowsrpd7xh0upw
onto team #2
Meowscarada @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Protean
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Spikes
- Triple Axel
- U-turn
i thought :meowscarada: was a noob strat before this. tbh it is but i wouldnt say it was horrible at least. i gave up flower trick since 90% of the time we're using the other moves way more. spikes instead let me actively force progress alongside knock. having that ground type after spikes does do wonders sometimes, especially against twave :gholdengo:. even though Marnie is a hater about this team :meowscarada: at least does smth over bum keld and dogi.
Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Aura Sphere
- Trick
ive attempted to get specs :latios: to work in the past but it sorta fumbled until now. i had to realize this guys only defensive value is levitate and thats it. it sucks vs :ogerpon-wellspring: and like sorta checks :zamazenta: and :dragonite:. in exchange though, this guy nukes everything. clicking specs draco is very tempting on non fairies. :gholdengo: and :kingambit: still get chunked by tera dragon. luster purge is also nice. tbh i didnt really get to use aura sphere cuz spam draco or luster duh but hitting :kingambit: instantly is good. trick is also nice. tera dragon specs draco calcs are fun.
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Kingambit: 365-431 (90.5 - 106.9%) -- guaranteed KO in 2 turns after 1 layer of Spikes and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tera Dragon Latios Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gholdengo: 345-407 (91.2 - 107.6%) -- 93% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
https://pokepast.es/36f3cc99423b0bb1
this team got like top 45 or so. also replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650470995-4g6d2xge1xknk6th7pxgo83p2c54oknpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650476760-u8t8hwml5euutl9gkot3rsne8k7bbvppw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650479410-pbvgrfo55eqc9f39pdb4ymmxkuvbxuqpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2650482191-yvmq5xraqbxuhqx9qsg7qysdd7ck2gxpw
onto team 3
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Spinner
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
i was feeling pretty lazy with :dragonite:. i had already explored bulky espeed so i figured tera ground would do. i originally run espeed on this guy but realized :kingambit: did a good enough job for priority. so therefore i went even more dishonest bastard. rock slide is a neat tech i think marnie or Heatranator told me. idt it made too many game changing stuff cuz for some reason i just did not see a :moltres:. jolly i figured is better here for the :dragapult: and :zamazenta: shtick. lum is nice though. i wanted a very aggressive :dragonite: so having the ability to mess with status spammers like :cinderace: is always a nice deal. ground eq is nasty.
Kingambit @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Kowtow Cleave
- Low Kick
honestly the :kingambit: i see are either those iron head low kick fast variants or those really weirdo black glasses stuff. black glasses is buns btw. originally i was just being a basic goober and using iron head kowtow but realized :gholdengo: already shreds fairies and i can afford to greed a bit with how my team is set up. so kowtow low kick it was. i like fat gambit so i decided to keep it anyways. quick side thing those max speed ada variants are wack tbh you either go jolly or no speed. low kick is just especially nice rn with tera normal :dragonite: being everywhere and the lowering usage of fairies outside of :iron-valiant:. i was lazy with tera and just kept ghost since i wanted to bully :zamazenta:.
https://pokepast.es/ded881e370c0eb5f
this team got around top 25. heres more replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648866784-533dqwxtec5032ehfnuoc1frvevgbrvpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648865338-ggubeqaij5m8itsuudx7v8fp2owvditpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648972624-ul3edc402n5nmmp0adr8m15u0j9lgvgpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648974758-8yapa74sc3pcotkijvkfk3owp7cs71qpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2648976164-p1jbn4dav6ycnpenlafu34vyenwvi2opw
Cresselia @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
:cresselia: is an actual mon now so pay attention. i went with bulky here since cress is pretty weak even when boosted, so i may as well just go all in on bulk. boltbeam coverage since i find stored power is both dishonest and really meh. cress really manhandles a lot of mons as a blanket check. 120/110/120 bulk is no joke and you get to wall :great-tusk: :dragonite: and :zamazenta: for free which is always appreciated. you can also slowly chip :ting-lu: down pretty well since payback isnt really common and its forced to ruination or whirlwind. excellent blanket check and late game cleaner. idr who introduced :cresselia: to me but it might've been Storm Zone or lax i forgot.
https://pokepast.es/31a91a939fbc44f4
this team got around top 50 or so.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2646957561-jys86lo59e4bm2x7rqd6lrf0upet6iwpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2647415095-4o0bvkvl6ivfeufmjuxbi5h6yxftik2pw
oh yeah i should also talk about what i think of the current meta. its fine. would've liked :volcarona: coming back but whatever i have to do :volcanion: instead. ladders been more wack but apprently olts coming up soon so thatll prob bring up the elo deflation. nothings really broken either they all sorta coexist. :dragonite: will always be :dragonite: no matter what. same with :zamazenta:. oh yeah and i've finally stopped being an av :samurott-hisui: spammer im a more general hstack spammer instead.
samu apple volc supremacy
I don’t even remember when I started seeing this on ladder recently, and was pretty confused at first. But playing with it more, no yeah I can definitely see why it gets used. There are some teams that don’t seem to know what to do about it, and like you said it’s a solid blanket check to the aforementioned mons, and a few others too.
As far as ground immune mons go, it honestly is better than I expected, and it makes me wonder what other sets are worth trying out on it.
Speaking of underrated mons/sets
Slowking-Galar @ Leftovers / Shuca Berry / Colbur Berry
Tera Type: Grass / Fairy / Water
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Sludge Bomb / Psyshock
- Ice Beam / Flamethrower
- Calm Mind
- Slack Off
Glowking feels like one of the most item versatile pokemon in the tier (if that’s how you’d describe it), with it being able to run pretty much whatever it wants. This is a set I shared in the NatDex OU thread a little while ago and felt like posting it here. While you give up some defensive utility of boots / AV, you get a Mon with the ability to deal more damage and even handle troublesome grounds (trading favorably with Great Tusk and outright removing Landorus T and Gliscor). Flamethrower is an alternative to smack Kingambit and Corviknight hard while also pressuring Gholdengo and Treads on the switch and even hitting Iron Crown.
The calm mind also keeps it from being as easily pressured by strong neutral special attacks once it’s at +1, since this set runs physical bulk. Berry choice is team dependent but it feels quite malleable.
I'm trying to build weavile, I made this team and I think I've covered a lot of OU threats. I'm 3-0 at around 1300 elo and I haven't encountered anything yet that I've had a problem with. I can't really look at a team and figure out like "oh yeah this one pokemon is gonna destroy the whole team" so I'm posting this to ask if there's any obvious threats I'm not seeing or any specific playstyle like sun or TR that completely walls this.
https://pokepast.es/604b66d51ff34310
https://pokepast.es/604b66d51ff34310
I've always wondered, why does :Rillaboom: never use his signature move?
I know wood hammer hits like a truck, but even with grassy terrain's passive healing, he takes a good chunk everytime he gets a kill
Drum Beating, though dealing ⅓ less damage, has a guaranteed chance to slow. With 252 speed EVs, he's able to out speed every pokemon with 135 base speed or less that has been hit, and by using a positive speed nature, he's able to out speed the entire metagame (with the exception of :Deoxys-Speed:), allowing :Rillaboom: to hit the opposing pokemon twice, dealing 33% more damage than a single wood hammer, and not taking any recoil damage
This also helps :Rillaboom: to pivot to other hard hitting pivots (such as :Raging Bolt:, :Kyurem: or :Hoopa-Unbound:), as he can click U-turn and place one of these in front of an slowed pokemon and allowing them to click a powerful move without the fear of taking damage from a powerful move. This option is kinda risky, since they're also taking damage from the first move, but if you manage to send a pokemon that resists the incoming attack, you put the opponent in a bad spot
And to top it all of, drum beating doesn't make contact, allowing :Rillaboom: to use his powerful grass move without the fear of proccing :corviknight:'s :rocky helmet: or :Moltres: flame body
I know wood hammer hits like a truck, but even with grassy terrain's passive healing, he takes a good chunk everytime he gets a kill
Drum Beating, though dealing ⅓ less damage, has a guaranteed chance to slow. With 252 speed EVs, he's able to out speed every pokemon with 135 base speed or less that has been hit, and by using a positive speed nature, he's able to out speed the entire metagame (with the exception of :Deoxys-Speed:), allowing :Rillaboom: to hit the opposing pokemon twice, dealing 33% more damage than a single wood hammer, and not taking any recoil damage
This also helps :Rillaboom: to pivot to other hard hitting pivots (such as :Raging Bolt:, :Kyurem: or :Hoopa-Unbound:), as he can click U-turn and place one of these in front of an slowed pokemon and allowing them to click a powerful move without the fear of taking damage from a powerful move. This option is kinda risky, since they're also taking damage from the first move, but if you manage to send a pokemon that resists the incoming attack, you put the opponent in a bad spot
And to top it all of, drum beating doesn't make contact, allowing :Rillaboom: to use his powerful grass move without the fear of proccing :corviknight:'s :rocky helmet: or :Moltres: flame body
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Drum beating Rillaboom often gets overlooked/not used because it already has a priority move called grassy glide in grassy terrain, and most of the time wood hammer into grassy glide can guarantee most kills with life orb.
Another thing is, even though wood hammer gives rilla a lot of recoil, it’s a necessary evil to be stronger into fat like slow balances and stall teams. In addition grassy terrain passive healing mitigates some of the chip rilla takes.
Tbh I’m open to the idea of drum beating rillabooom. Realistically it’s only working on jolly choice band sets and it still underspeeding -1 deoxys-speed eliminates 80% of its potential. But like you said it can hit corv moltres and the other birds without facing contact effects and can 2hko pult on switch so maybe it works in that aspect. Still a pretty bad move click but i can see the vision.