I have a suggestion for Marshadow set, Ghost Memory > White Herb.Sometimes, when you are looking for inspiration, it can feel like you are climbing a mountain. Today, that mountain has been climbed!
Defiantly Competitive:
Today I am covering some very powerful, but often forgotten about abilities:
Competitive — +2 Special Attack per stat level lowered | Defiant — +2 Attack per stat level lowered
*Each ability boosts Atk, or SpA, per each stat drop, allowing you to take advantage of common moves like Strength Sap, Defog, Thunderous Kick, King’s Shield, Fire Lash, Obstruct, and especially Parting Shot (which boosts +2 Atk per drop — which makes it +4 - 1 = +3 Atk / Spa).
Replays:
Highest Ladder:
Competitive Match: Won 4-0 vs Quantum Terrasect
If I had kept the item, I would have won sooner for the KO vs Giratina
Lower Ladder:
Defiant Match (Regigigas): Won 5-0 vs NamiSwaaaann & Won 4-0 vs Poki-Oh
Defiant Match (Zamazenta-C): Won 4-0 vs TheUltraKing
The 3 best options areThe best way to utilize this is via Magic Bouncing Sticky Web, which can be done via Entraining your foe with Magic Bounce, then using Sticky Web, which allows you to get the boost when your teammate switches in. Of course, you would Sticky Web the opponent first, so you would both be at the same -1 drop. Afterwards, you could trap, so the foe is unable to keep resetting your Entrainment via switching, and then use Sticky Web so you can trigger upon switch-in.
Now the strategy is to partner with a fast self-Improof like Zamazenta-C, effectively making it a mutual drop but only your Pokémon gets +2 Atk or SpA, while you basically get to sweep / wall-break.
As a supplement I use Cramorant so I keep the opponent slower in case they use Rapid Spin. If they try and use Defog, switch in your Defiant / Competitive Pokémon so you can get the boost off of their -1 Evasion nerf on you.
Defiant
1. Zamazenta-C with Multi-Attack Fighting Memory to trap and hit Imposter hard, and sweep foes. Spirit Shackle is for Ghosts like Giratina, and can also serve as a trap that handles Darmanitan-Zen Mode. Anchor Shot works vs Xerneas, and hits Calyrex-Ice, Kyurem-B / W.
https://pokepast.es/7c4a10e5926ed0b6
Zamazenta-Crowned @ Fighting Memory
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Multi-Attack
- Spirit Shackle / Anchor Shot
- Strength Sap
- Shift Gear2. Regigigas, so you can use Extreme Speed and Multi-Attack Ice Memory to Improof with Giratina, or just use Cramorant with Knock Off earlier in the match to cause Paralysis and remove its Eviolite, so Imposter is now slower and easier to KO. See this replay as an example: Won 5-0 vs NamiSwaaaann
https://pokepast.es/4133bc46dc8c7cb5
Regigigas @ Ice Memory / Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Spectral Thief
- Multi-Attack / Glacial Lance
- Shift Gear / V-Create
Competitive
3. Use Technoblast Chill Drive for Dragons / Flying-types like Giratina, Landerous-T, Yveltal, and Zygarde-C, alongside Secret Sword for Steels like Registeel, Zamazenta-C, etc.
https://pokepast.es/3ead88ffebb87550
Spectrier @ Chill Drive
Ability: Competitive
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Techno Blast
- Secret Sword
- Strength Sap
- Quiver Dance
I typically focus on using Magic Guard Life Orb Ho-Oh to check Xerneas, and bc as a Flying-Type it can stay immune to Sticky Webs, allowing me to outspeed for a V-Create. If the foe is naturally slower than Ho-Oh, Sticky Webs serves a purpose in letting me V-Create a second time if I used it once prior, as it can still outspeed.
Personally, I am still working out the kinks of the teams, but the goal is to have a surprise boost, even if you don't opt for Sticky Webs, when your foe uses common debuff moves, and ends up buffing you up.Throughout my team I implement Debuffs like Parting Shot on Cramorant so that Imposter can also trigger the ability when they try to pivot while I predict their move (or if they use Knock Off while I use Knock Off, and get Paralyzed so I can Parting Shot first to my Defiant / Competitive ally to trigger it as they switch).
I use Strength Sap on Spectrier and Zamazenta-C bc the Imposter thinks they can heal, only to boost my offense levels higher, letting me sweep. This works great against Prankster Strength Sap, letting my opponent boost without spending a turn of my own to do so.
The best part about Regigigas and Zamazenta-C is the fact they can use Shift Gear for +2 Speed, so they still have +1 Speed by the end of the turn, more than negating the Sticky Web -1 Speed.
The rule is: Court Changing a Sticky Web doesn’t count as a trigger bc it is your own move. Defiant recognizes that you have to be impacted by a foe, not your own. So it will trigger off of a foe using Sticky Web, or a foe using Magic Bounce bc they set it.
Use the goal of not needing the Sticky Web — it’s just an added bonus. Cramorant, Ho-Oh, and a Prankster user don’t mind the Sticky Web, your lead should be your fast setter with Magic Bounce like Regieleki or Zamazenta-C, Entrainment, Trap, and Recover, you will also need a your Defiant / Competitive sweeper / wall breaker, and your 6th can be a second Sticky Webs setter or something that doesn’t mind Webs. Overall, your team needs to weaken and Paralyze, treating Defiant / Competitive a bit like Gulp Missle — it works as a deterrent so your foe is less likely to use Strength Sap, Defog, etc.
Necessary support is paralysis, and standard walls like Prankster Haze, as well as an Xerneas check like Ho-Oh. Overall, come up with your own, and remember, stay Defiantly Competitive!
Edit: Added Pokepaste team links!
Adding Marshadow as a new Sweeper:
No need for a limited coverage move when your STABs are already self-Improof
4.Marshadow @ White Herb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Poltergeist
- Strength Sap
- Extreme Speed / Shift Gear
Perfect coverage, White Herb to outspeeds your foe and to trigger White Herb + Poltergeist immediately to Improof.
I like it better than Zamazenta-C
Won 4-Forfeiture vs ExtremelyUnsure2
Won 5-0 vs Felipe789
Won 4-Forfeiture vs ItzYaBoiMax
Won 2-0 vs Nirvada
It is easier to improof if your Sticky Web was cleared. Also Multi Attack is stronger, more accurate, more pp than Poltergeist. Defiant Marshadow is cool tbh, it is better than Defiant Zamazenta-Crowned and Regigigas imo.
Btw Won 2-0 vs Nirvada isn't a replay.