Balanced Hackmons Team Study 1: Adrian Marin

[Halliday]

BH Team Study

Approved by Treecko Hollywood

What is it?

BH team study is where I take a team from a notable battler of the Balanced Hackmons community, and you try to examine the reasons behind the decisions made. This is to help people get a better understanding of the metagame overall, and to provide insight into the stronger battlers of the tier. This week we are observing a team made by Adrian Marin.

Questions to answer:

What role does this pokemon serve on the team?

How well does this pokemon fulfill this role?

Are there any pokemon that may fulfill this role better?

How well does this pokemon synergize with the rest of the team?

What is the overall goal of this team?

What is the strong point of this team, and the weak point? (As in, what does it do best to help reach it's goal, and what does it do worse?)

What are some potential threats to this team.

Team

Kyogre @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 252 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: null Atk
- Topsy-Turvy
- Parting Shot
- Heal Order
- Destiny Bond

Darmanitan-Zen @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 252 Spd
Quiet Nature
IVs: 8 Spd
- Volt Switch
- Psystrike
- Nuzzle
- Dragon Tail

Yveltal @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Circle Throw
- Roost

Xerneas @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 252 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: null Atk
- Moonblast
- Worry Seed
- Milk Drink
- Topsy-Turvy

Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Imposter
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 127
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 252 Spd
Impish Nature
- Fake Out
- Skill Swap
- Recover
- Haze

Giratina @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef
Relaxed Nature
IVs: null Atk / null Spd
- Soft-Boiled
- Aromatherapy
- Defog
- Baton Pass

 

[AWailOfATail]

Well, let's take a look at this. I'm gonna be focusing on Darm-Z.

This Pokemon has some of the best resistances in the game and nice 105/105/105 bulk, making it a common Pokemon on stall teams. Which this is. Because it's Adrian's team. RegenVest is one of the common sets as it resists Pixilate and Refrigerate Boombursts, which can otherwise dismantle stall teams. Volt Switch is obviously for switching. Nuzzle is to paralyze, D-Tail is to phase, and Psystrike is just damage. It'll help it take down Mega-Venusaur. The Speed may seem weird, but it allows it to outspeed minimum base 90s (aka Kyogre). Overall, Darm-Z is a really solid choice for this team, as it fits in well. (I'd go Unaware but that's me)

 

[Peef Rimgar]

Glad the first team is Adrian stall so I'm somewhat qualified here.

The main issue I see to this team is Aerialate (namely Rayquaza), as having no flying resist makes this team very susceptible to it. He has a few things to at best CHECK Rayquaza, such as Dbonding with PranksterOgre or just becoming Rayquaza with Chansey, assuming Chansey has takes 0 prior damage, but it's certainly an issue for the team.

I also really don't quite understand what he's going for with the Xerneas set. It's by no means unviable, but it just seems outclassed by the more standard prakster set in my opinion. Poison Heal is more well suited for sweepers or stuff that's going to be staying in and doing damage (like Yveltal).

 

[Pikachuun]

I also really don't quite understand what he's going for with the Xerneas set. It's by no means unviable, but it just seems outclassed by the more standard prakster set in my opinion. Poison Heal is more well suited for sweepers or stuff that's going to be staying in and doing damage (like Yveltal).

You have a 1-dimensional view of poison heal. Poison Heal is not just useful for Offense, but is also useful for Defensive/Stall teams because of its 12.5% chance passive recovery and immunity to sleep. The set walls quite a few physical sets well (+6 Extremespeed from a Mega-Gyara is eaten up and topsied), and uses the passive recovery to heal a bit. The 12.5% recovery can turn 2HKOs into 3HKOs, and is quite useful for all teams. There's a reason the ability clause exists.

 

[Peef Rimgar]

You have a 1-dimensional view of poison heal. Poison Heal is not just useful for Offense, but is also useful for Defensive/Stall teams because of its 12.5% chance passive recovery and immunity to sleep. The set walls quite a few physical sets well (+6 Extremespeed from a Mega-Gyara is eaten up and topsied), and uses the passive recovery to heal a bit. The 12.5% recovery can turn 2HKOs into 3HKOs, and is quite useful for all teams. There's a reason the ability clause exists.

Well actually let me correct that statement of Pheal a bit. What I meant is that it's better suited on things that don't neccisarily want to waste the turns to use reliable recovery, which is something a prankster set for Xern has no problem at all doing. Stuff like Giratina and Yveltal make such good use of it as they want as many turns to do their niche as opposed to wasting turns healing when it wouldn't be otherwise necessary.

 

[AWailOfATail]

Well actually let me correct that statement of Pheal a bit. What I meant is that it's better suited on things that don't neccisarily want to waste the turns to use reliable recovery, which is something a prankster set for Xern has no problem at all doing. Stuff like Giratina and Yveltal make such good use of it as they want as many turns to do their niche as opposed to wasting turns healing when it wouldn't be otherwise necessary.

Well, this Xern is basically a counter to other PHers. When it's PH itself, it's immune to Spore. Sure, it could easily hold Safety Goggles, but PHers are rather invaluable.

 

[Adrian Marin]

Glad the first team is Adrian stall so I'm somewhat qualified here.

The main issue I see to this team is Aerialate (namely Rayquaza), as having no flying resist makes this team very susceptible to it. He has a few things to at best CHECK Rayquaza, such as Dbonding with PranksterOgre or just becoming Rayquaza with Chansey, assuming Chansey has takes 0 prior damage, but it's certainly an issue for the team.

I also really don't quite understand what he's going for with the Xerneas set. It's by no means unviable, but it just seems outclassed by the more standard prakster set in my opinion. Poison Heal is more well suited for sweepers or stuff that's going to be staying in and doing damage (like Yveltal).

Yes, this is indeed the main issue of this team. Recently, I discovered that there's an unavoidable flaw in every Prankster + Regenvest anti-ate core. All possible cores are threatened by Ground moves, many of the best ones like Darm-Z + Kyogre are weak to Aerilate Boomburst. For this reason, I have come to the conclusion that a Prankster + Soundproof anti-ate Pokemon core is thus, superior.

It's an honor for my team to be featured in this project, thanks TheBurgerKing99!

EDIT: Whoa, 400th post!

Defensive Poison Heal Xerneas is excellent at walling many PH sweepers that use status moves like Spore and Sacred Fire. Prankster Xerneas really does not enjoy being statused. This, together with passive healing separates the two and makes defensive PH Xerneas one of the best walls in the metagame in my opinion if I do say so myself.

I wrote about it in the BH Threatlist, you should give it a read and try it out yourself! It never fails me.

 

[Rumors]

In terms of threats, while it's not common (surprisingly), a dual-Regen core looks like it still threaten's Adrian's team, particularly a bulky offensive core utilizing Volturn moves to easily switch out, heal, and inflict damage. I've not taken a good Volturn + Regen core against Adrian yet, though a bad/okayish one consisting of Regen-LO Slaking and Regen-LO Reshiram was able to drag a match between him and that team to around 150 turns without a KO on either side that we both eventually decided to call a draw.

Of course, this isn't the same team I went against since that was late Gen V/very early Gen VI, but the move/ability structure is very similar. The main differences, if memory serves right since I didn't save replays, was that he had entry hazards, more residual damage, and a more offensive mon (I want to say standard PH Gigas, but I could be wrong. Here his residual damage is nearly non-existent and his offensive presence is smaller (biggest hitters are Xern Moonblast and Darm Psystrike) and neither have the raw power to 2HKO bulky threats with neutral attacks. And since Darm is slow and Xern is running a defensive nature, a number of potential offensive Regens, like Slaking and Reshiram, could outspeed and Volturn out to avoid a hit or a Nuzzle.

Adrian knows what he's doing though, so finding the right Regencore to properly wear down his team rather than force him into in draw is no easy task. Also worth noting, the use of a Regencore would make Chansey harder to take out, but a properly built team would (or should, anyway) have an answer. (Or they could run two Steel-type Regen-users and a Magnet Puller, but then we're in the realm of counter-teaming and that's not exactly fair.)

The other main threat I see would be a fast (and not even that fast since nothing here breaks base 100 speed), Moldy Taunt. Especially if you could meld them together with a sweeping set or hazard shuffling set backed by Substitute. Taunt alone hurts his whole team except Giratina and Darm-Z, but Moldy prevents Gira from both bouncing it and being functional, leaving Adrian with nothing but unboosted offensive and possibly an Imposter to fight back with. But on the bright side, Taunt is surprisingly rare, and cramming everything you'd need to stop Adrian's whole team onto a single mon without Baton Pass support for Sub/possible boosts would not be easy.

And finally, the third threat, would be Sturdinja. Particularly non-contact Sheddies. Adrian's main answer appears to be Rocky Helmet, which is not only risky since it means putting Kyogre in a revenge-KOable position, particularly to E. Speed or anything with other priority and a higher base speed, but it's also completely ineffective against Sheddys that do not use contact moves or are capable of safely removing items (putting Taunt on Kyogre would help the latter, though 4 MSS is a seriously issue in finding a spot for Taunt). If Sheddy also doesn't have any moves with which it can KO opposing Sheddies, then that leaves Worry Seed and bounced hazards as his only possible responses. Not even Kyogre's D-Bond is useful if it's a non-attacking Sheddy.


...Also, I only meant to write one quick paragraph talking about the Regencore vulnerability. Whoops. Sometimes I wish my ability wasn't Wall of Text.

 

[Adrian Marin]

\

And finally, the third threat, would be Sturdinja. Particularly non-contact Sheddies. Adrian's main answer appears to be Rocky Helmet, which is not only risky since it means putting Kyogre in a revenge-KOable position, particularly to E. Speed or anything with other priority and a higher base speed, but it's also completely ineffective against Sheddys that do not use contact moves or are capable of safely removing items (putting Taunt on Kyogre would help the latter, though 4 MSS is a seriously issue in finding a spot for Taunt). If Sheddy also doesn't have any moves with which it can KO opposing Sheddies, then that leaves Worry Seed and bounced hazards as his only possible responses. Not even Kyogre's D-Bond is useful if it's a non-attacking Sheddy.


...Also, I only meant to write one quick paragraph talking about the Regencore vulnerability. Whoops. Sometimes I wish my ability wasn't Wall of Text.

My main answer to Shedinja is completely unconventional, I almost always just PP stall it with Giratina. I use Rocky Helmet only as a safety measure against Shedinja leads (they're sometimes Illusion Pokemon.)

 

[Kit Kasai]

My main answer to Shedinja is completely unconventional, I almost always just PP stall it with Giratina. I use Rocky Helmet only as a safety measure against Shedinja leads (they're sometimes Illusion Pokemon.)

Sadly, that method actually works. Shedinja can't touch giratina.

+6 252+ Atk Shedinja Ice Shard vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Giratina: 208-246 (41.2 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

 

[AWailOfATail]

Sadly, that method actually works. Shedinja can't touch giratina.

+6 252+ Atk Shedinja Ice Shard vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Giratina: 208-246 (41.2 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

+6 252+ Atk Pixilate Shedinja Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Giratina: 538-634 (106.7 - 125.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
pixilate shed > pixilate tran
new meta lgi

 

[Peef Rimgar]

+6 252+ Atk Pixilate Shedinja Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Giratina: 538-634 (106.7 - 125.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
pixilate shed > pixilate tran
new meta lgi

I would complain about this being irrelevant but this has beaten my team so much it's fucking stupid

 

[Halliday]

It almost beat my team. Then I won.