After the recent Magearna ban and the Cinderace quickban right after, I realized most of my teams weren't viable anymore, as they were built for the previous metagame. To remedy this, I decided to make a new team from scratch. Although not initially planning to make a new team, I was helping someone online in building his team and we ended up with a similar-looking build. I personally liked the outcome, but I decided to change it up a bit when I was rebuilding it to suit my own needs.
Teambuilding Process
Starting off with a popular core, I went for Mandibuzz and Clefable as my main defensive backbone. Both support each other really well, especially since this particular core deals so well with Urshifu-S. Mandibuzz takes care of removing hazards and Rillaboom, while Clefable takes care of threats such as Dragapult, walls Kommo-o, can 1v1 the likes of non-Life Orb Zeraora, switch in cleanly against Toxapex, and much more.
To add further to the defensive backbone, I decided to try out a Hippowdon set that has been increasing in popularity over the course of the 1st OLT cycle. It runs a fully specially defensive set with Rock Slide to lure in Volcarona and get rid of it instantly. It lives anything at +1, but you do have to fear a possible boosted Giga Drain despite it being rare on the ladder.
Without Cinderace on the run anymore, and with the decline of Rain teams, Volcarona is now better than ever with one of its checks banned to Ubers. The sudden increase in Clefables on the ladder also means that it only gets to setup more easily with Quiver Dance. It is currently a very powerful threat to the metagame, even threatening burns with Flame Body.
With the absence of Magearna and Cinderace in the current metagame, I decided to try out using Crawdaunt, as it just straight up demolishes stall into oblivion when used correctly. It is currently a very powerful breaker, being able to OHKO threats like Toxapex, Chansey, Blissey, Amoonguss, and many more after a +2 boost from Swords Dance due to Adaptability.
I figured that this team was indeed way too slow, and it needed some speed control. Zeraora helps against the likes of Dragapult, helps cripple opposing threats with the use of Knock Off, and is a very good fast pivoting mon to begin with. Volt Switch is essentially spammable against teams lacking an electric immunity. Close Combat is also a very good coverage move, allowing it to put offensive pressure on Chansey/Blissey, Ferrothorn, and Magnezone.
The Team:
Mandibuzz (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- Defog
- U-turn
Being the most optimal defogger in the current meta, Mandibuzz is a very good defensive pivot, having access to a slow U-Turn and Foul Play to punish breakers like Choice Band Rillaboom and Life Orb Scizor, threaten a roll on Belly Drum Azumarill, and even prevent Zeraora from switching into it directly. 56 Speed EVs let it outspeed opposing Adamant Crawdaunt to either U-Turn away or threaten it with Foul Play if it has boosts. 248 HP EVs are used instead of 252, as it lessens Stealth Rock damage by a small amount. Although it's wearing Heavy-Duty Boots, this does come into play when it does get Knocked Off or Tricked.
Clefable (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave
Who else doesn't remember how good this thing was before the DLC drop and the sudden rise of Magearna? Well because that menace is gone for good, Clefable sits on the throne once again but with a different set. Instead of the ever-popular Wish + Teleport set, I decided to go for Thunder Wave to cripple threats like Venusaur and opposing Volcarona. With a bit of luck, it also helps you get free turns with paralysis. Knock Off is there to punish switchins and weaken their offensive or defensive pressure. It also helps weaken the likes of Chansey and Toxapex. 160 Defense EVs help against Urshifu.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Rock Slide
I've been seeing this set above the ladder at around 1900s, and they always somehow just stay in against my Volcarona. Everybody is cool until the Hippowdon brings out a Rock Slide and wins the game. That's the main purpose of this set, as the team as a whole would have problems with Volcarona if I decided to use a different set. It also lives a Choice Specs-powered Overheat from Charizard upon switchin, as it changes the weather. Hippowdon is my Stealth Rock user as well.
Volcarona (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Dance
- Quiver Dance
- Psychic
- Bug Buzz
This one is an obvious pick, as Volcarona is currently one of, if not the best special setup sweeper in the entire metagame. With the existence of Heavy-Duty Boots, it no longer has to rely on constant hazard removal to get in safely without taking any significant damage. Fiery Dance is used over Fire Blast for both accuracy and the benefits of a possible Special Attack boost. I used to run Roost, but I decided that the use of Bug Buzz will enable me to beat the likes of Necrozma and Reuniclus much more easily, and that opposing Crawdaunt won't be able to switch in against me.
Crawdaunt (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Aqua Jet
- Crabhammer
I personally think Crawdaunt is such an underrated threat and isn't taken note of most of the time, which is why I picked it in the first place because of the Magearna ban. It's a really good breaker, being able to break through stall fairly easily if played well. It has the power to OHKO almost everything in the metagame, including even Chansey, Blissey, the infamous Toxapex, Magic Guard Clefable, and many more not stated.
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Volt Switch
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
Zeraora is the primary speed control of the team, being the single fastest non-Choice Scarf user in the entire metagame sitting at an insane Speed of 423, outspeeding even the likes of Dragapult. It is a very good and useful fast pivot, being able to abuse Volt Switch and maintain momentum throughout the battle. it also synergizes well with Mandibuzz's slower U-Turn, as they form a solid pivoting core. Knock Off also helps cripple all kinds of switchins.
Threats:
Belly Drum Azumarill is a really bad matchup for this team, as all it needs to do is keep Azumarill healthy until Mandibuzz is gone, and it can setup in front of Hippowdon to straight up just win the game. It can be played around however, as it certainly isn't very easy to even get in, and Volcarona threatens to burn it with Flame Body.
The only thing you can actually do against this is either you pray you don't get flinched on the Knock Off, or pray it clicks Trick so that you get rid of its Choice Scarf. Togekiss has risen significantly after the Cinderace and Magearna bans, and it's an absolute menace on the ladder. All it needs is some good luck.
Rain certainly has seen better days, but Kingdra literally just gets off free damage with Hydro Pump. I'm only relying on the fact that Kyurem is slowly gaining more usage in most stall teams, therefore causing Rain teams to just lie low for now due to the abundance of everything that straight up beats it in the metagame. The matchup isn't impossible, but it certainly is hard to play around.
______________________________________________________________________
Team paste: https://pokepast.es/a1bee67990ae7e59
Starting off with a popular core, I went for Mandibuzz and Clefable as my main defensive backbone. Both support each other really well, especially since this particular core deals so well with Urshifu-S. Mandibuzz takes care of removing hazards and Rillaboom, while Clefable takes care of threats such as Dragapult, walls Kommo-o, can 1v1 the likes of non-Life Orb Zeraora, switch in cleanly against Toxapex, and much more.
To add further to the defensive backbone, I decided to try out a Hippowdon set that has been increasing in popularity over the course of the 1st OLT cycle. It runs a fully specially defensive set with Rock Slide to lure in Volcarona and get rid of it instantly. It lives anything at +1, but you do have to fear a possible boosted Giga Drain despite it being rare on the ladder.
Without Cinderace on the run anymore, and with the decline of Rain teams, Volcarona is now better than ever with one of its checks banned to Ubers. The sudden increase in Clefables on the ladder also means that it only gets to setup more easily with Quiver Dance. It is currently a very powerful threat to the metagame, even threatening burns with Flame Body.
With the absence of Magearna and Cinderace in the current metagame, I decided to try out using Crawdaunt, as it just straight up demolishes stall into oblivion when used correctly. It is currently a very powerful breaker, being able to OHKO threats like Toxapex, Chansey, Blissey, Amoonguss, and many more after a +2 boost from Swords Dance due to Adaptability.
I figured that this team was indeed way too slow, and it needed some speed control. Zeraora helps against the likes of Dragapult, helps cripple opposing threats with the use of Knock Off, and is a very good fast pivoting mon to begin with. Volt Switch is essentially spammable against teams lacking an electric immunity. Close Combat is also a very good coverage move, allowing it to put offensive pressure on Chansey/Blissey, Ferrothorn, and Magnezone.
The Team:
Mandibuzz (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- Defog
- U-turn
Being the most optimal defogger in the current meta, Mandibuzz is a very good defensive pivot, having access to a slow U-Turn and Foul Play to punish breakers like Choice Band Rillaboom and Life Orb Scizor, threaten a roll on Belly Drum Azumarill, and even prevent Zeraora from switching into it directly. 56 Speed EVs let it outspeed opposing Adamant Crawdaunt to either U-Turn away or threaten it with Foul Play if it has boosts. 248 HP EVs are used instead of 252, as it lessens Stealth Rock damage by a small amount. Although it's wearing Heavy-Duty Boots, this does come into play when it does get Knocked Off or Tricked.
Clefable (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave
Who else doesn't remember how good this thing was before the DLC drop and the sudden rise of Magearna? Well because that menace is gone for good, Clefable sits on the throne once again but with a different set. Instead of the ever-popular Wish + Teleport set, I decided to go for Thunder Wave to cripple threats like Venusaur and opposing Volcarona. With a bit of luck, it also helps you get free turns with paralysis. Knock Off is there to punish switchins and weaken their offensive or defensive pressure. It also helps weaken the likes of Chansey and Toxapex. 160 Defense EVs help against Urshifu.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Rock Slide
I've been seeing this set above the ladder at around 1900s, and they always somehow just stay in against my Volcarona. Everybody is cool until the Hippowdon brings out a Rock Slide and wins the game. That's the main purpose of this set, as the team as a whole would have problems with Volcarona if I decided to use a different set. It also lives a Choice Specs-powered Overheat from Charizard upon switchin, as it changes the weather. Hippowdon is my Stealth Rock user as well.
Volcarona (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Dance
- Quiver Dance
- Psychic
- Bug Buzz
This one is an obvious pick, as Volcarona is currently one of, if not the best special setup sweeper in the entire metagame. With the existence of Heavy-Duty Boots, it no longer has to rely on constant hazard removal to get in safely without taking any significant damage. Fiery Dance is used over Fire Blast for both accuracy and the benefits of a possible Special Attack boost. I used to run Roost, but I decided that the use of Bug Buzz will enable me to beat the likes of Necrozma and Reuniclus much more easily, and that opposing Crawdaunt won't be able to switch in against me.
Crawdaunt (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Aqua Jet
- Crabhammer
I personally think Crawdaunt is such an underrated threat and isn't taken note of most of the time, which is why I picked it in the first place because of the Magearna ban. It's a really good breaker, being able to break through stall fairly easily if played well. It has the power to OHKO almost everything in the metagame, including even Chansey, Blissey, the infamous Toxapex, Magic Guard Clefable, and many more not stated.
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Volt Switch
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
Zeraora is the primary speed control of the team, being the single fastest non-Choice Scarf user in the entire metagame sitting at an insane Speed of 423, outspeeding even the likes of Dragapult. It is a very good and useful fast pivot, being able to abuse Volt Switch and maintain momentum throughout the battle. it also synergizes well with Mandibuzz's slower U-Turn, as they form a solid pivoting core. Knock Off also helps cripple all kinds of switchins.
Threats:
Belly Drum Azumarill is a really bad matchup for this team, as all it needs to do is keep Azumarill healthy until Mandibuzz is gone, and it can setup in front of Hippowdon to straight up just win the game. It can be played around however, as it certainly isn't very easy to even get in, and Volcarona threatens to burn it with Flame Body.
The only thing you can actually do against this is either you pray you don't get flinched on the Knock Off, or pray it clicks Trick so that you get rid of its Choice Scarf. Togekiss has risen significantly after the Cinderace and Magearna bans, and it's an absolute menace on the ladder. All it needs is some good luck.
Rain certainly has seen better days, but Kingdra literally just gets off free damage with Hydro Pump. I'm only relying on the fact that Kyurem is slowly gaining more usage in most stall teams, therefore causing Rain teams to just lie low for now due to the abundance of everything that straight up beats it in the metagame. The matchup isn't impossible, but it certainly is hard to play around.
______________________________________________________________________
Team paste: https://pokepast.es/a1bee67990ae7e59
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