Unofficial Metagames Here Comes The Sun [ZU Sun HO]

[BP]

Here Comes The Sun

With Exeggutor recently being unbanned, I feel that it's the perfect time to share a team that I've been playing with! Weather has always been pretty poor in the most recent meta before Exeggutor was freed. Hopefully, this will give players some insight on not only a lesser used playstyle but also on Exeggutor's viability in the current meta. With that being said, enjoy!

Teambuilding Process

Click Me

I really wanted to get a good understanding of Exeggutor as a Pokemon since we were suspecting it. I knew the best way to do that was to use Exeggutor so I slapped him on a team and got to building the perfect Exeggutor squad!

In a much earlier meta, Exeggutor was quick banned due to its offensive potency in the Sun. This was the deciding factor for me when deciding what kind of team I should be building. Because the team was going to be Sun oriented the most viable and splashable weather setter, Volbeat, was the obvious option here. Moreover, Volbeat is able to support Exeggutor in other ways such as helping help mitigate Exeggutor's Bug- and Dark-type weaknesses.

With one abuser and one setter, I decided it'd be best to go with another abuser right off the bat. I chose one my favorites from ORAS PU, Sawsbuck. Sawsbuck is the team's dedicated Sweeper and can often find itself helping clean as well.

Right off the bat, I knew I wanted a Fire-type to abuse the Sun with its further boosted STAB moves. I tried taking a look at Simisear but just wasn't impressed with how it fit onto the team. I then turned to Rapidash and was immediately sold. Rapidash acts as an offensive weather setter that can also abuse the Sun. I was delightfully surprised watching Rapidash put in work against a good amount of bulkier teams.

No team is complete without hazards, not even Sun. I decided on Golem for its sheer role compression. It's a great suicide lead with access to Sunny Day and Stealth Rocks which allows it to support the team in more ways than one. Additionally, thanks to its access to Explosion it rarely wastes a turn of Sun.

At this point, I knew I needed removal with Toxic-Spikes on the rise. I first thought of using Sandslash but realized that I wanted something a bit more offensive with coverage options to fit the team better. Silvally-Poison was my final decision as it absorbs Toxic-Spikes and holds decent type synergy with Exeggutor and Sawsbuck. It also has a plethora of coverage moves that allow it to chip or KO certain team threats.

Team Analysis

Exeggutor

Dole (Exeggutor) @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

Solar Beam / Sleep Powder

Psychic / Psyshock

Hidden Power [Fire]

Giga Drain / Leaf Storm

Exeggutor has been freed and it smells so fresh! Life Orb Exeggutor hits so much with its 383 Special Attack stat. This coupled with Chlorophyll under the Sun makes Exeggutor one of the most threatening Pokemon out there. Its access to incredibly strong STAB (Solar Beam and Leafstorm) make it extremely hard to switch into. Additionally, Sleep Powder allows Exeggutor to cripple opposing checks and counters that may try to gain an upper hand. It also discourages momentum gain amongst the opposing team. Exeggutor requires little to no prediction while being on the field as its able to just click its respected STAB for huge damage. It's unfortunate however that most Choice Scarf Pokemon outspeed under Sun due to Exeggutor's lackluster Speed.

Volbeat

Ringo (Volbeat) @ Heat Rock
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe

Sunny Day

U-turn

Thunder Wave

Encore

Volbeat is ZU's greatest weather setter thanks to its access to Prankster, mediocre bulk, and decent resistances. These are huge selling points for Volbeat as it's almost mandatory for every team utilizing Sun or Rain. Volbeat's access to Thunder-Wave and Encore allow it to help support the team if setting weather is no longer the win-con. Without Volbeat weather would be more unviable than it already is (rip rain). Slow U-turn support allows Volbeat to bring in the teams offensive threats. I tend to bring in Exeggutor or Rapidash with U-turn in the early game and focus on Sawsbuck in the later portions.

THE BUCK

Dionysus (Sawsbuck-Summer) (M) @ Normalium Z
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature

Horn Leech

Double-Edge

Toxic

Swords Dance

I fell in love with Sawsbuck all the way back when I first started playing ORAS PU. I used to spam it and catch fat W's and ever since then I've had a special place in my heart for it. I'm particularly pleased with how awesomely it performs on this team. Adamant Buck hits like a truck and at +4 it can OHKO almost the entirety of ZU with Z- Double-Edge. Horn Leech does loads as well and it helps boosts Sawsbuck's longevity. If the opposing team has a Gourgiest that hasn't been dealt with you can simply click Toxic and cripple it. This also works for other switch-ins that can try to gain the upper hand. Combusken is no threat while under Sun due to Sawsbuck hitting 578 Speed and OHKO nonEviolite Busken with Double-Edge.

Nice try dirty chicken!

Rapidash

Spirt (Rapidash) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Flare Blitz

Wild Charge

Sunny Day

Morning Sun

Rapidash is able to provide the team role compression thanks to Flash Fire, its ability to set Sun, and its potential to abuse that Sun. Thanks to Flare Blitz, Rapidash is able to chip and or kill a majority of the tier under Sun. Charcoal adds to this damage output. Moreover, Rapidash is able to heal recoil and maintain its longevity through Morning Sun which is boosted while Sun is active. Wild Charge is more so just a coverage option that allows Rapidash to hit things such as Mareanie, Swanna, and other Water- or Flying-types super effectively.

Golem

Goldstein (Golem) @ Heat Rock
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Sunny Day

Stealth Rock

Explosion

Stone Edge

Golem is ZU's best Stealth Rock user (feel free to argue). With access to Sturdy, Golem is going to contribute something to every game it plays in. This is what makes it so incredibly good. Golem is really able to shine on this team however thanks to it being able to open doors of opportunity for its teammates when it dies. Stealth Rocks applies more pressure against the opposing team and Sunny Day benefits the rest of the team immensely. Golem positively effects the team 100% of the time. If that's not a good teammate then I'm not sure what is, to be honest.

Silvally-Poison

Drip (Silvally-Poison) @ Poison Memory
Ability: RKS System
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpA
Bold Nature

Defog

U-turn

Surf

Thunderbolt

Silvally-Poison tends to be the most expendable Pokemon on the team if hazards aren't an issue anymore. All it does for the team is absorb Toxic-Spikes and act as a slow pivot much like Volbeat. The only difference is Volbeat does more than just pivot. Surf is the only questionable move here and I chose it over Ice Beam because it beats Crustle which can be a huge threat if left unchecked. Otherwise, Thunderbolt beats Swanna and chips other Water-types if Rapidash is out of commission.

Replays

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-931217612

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-930583454
Sawsbuck puts work in both of these replays and it really shows its offensive potency.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-932496208

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-932499920

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-930591264
Eggy shines here in these replays as it cleans.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-930982698

RAPIDASH THE GOAT

Importable

Dole (Exeggutor) @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain

Ringo (Volbeat) @ Heat Rock
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Sunny Day
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Encore

Dionysus (Sawsbuck-Summer) (M) @ Normalium Z
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Double-Edge
- Toxic
- Swords Dance

Spirt (Rapidash) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Sunny Day
- Morning Sun

Goldstein (Golem) @ Heat Rock
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sunny Day
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Stone Edge

Drip (Silvally-Poison) @ Poison Memory
Ability: RKS System
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpA
Bold Nature
- Defog
- U-turn
- Surf
- Thunderbolt

​

 

[BeaterGames]

Looks like a fun team, but how do you counter something like an opposing Rapidash with High Horsepower, fire types in general or electric types?

 

[BP]

Looks like a fun team, but how do you counter something like an opposing Rapidash with High Horsepower, fire types in general or electric types?

With sun up Eggy and Sawsbuck outspeed the entire unboosted meta. Sawsbuck OHKO a majority of the mons you mention with Z-Double Edge and with stealth rocks chip Double Edge does extremely well too.