This meta ain't big enough for two kings.
Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Ice Beam
- Substitute
Urshifu @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Wicked Blow
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
Marowak-Alola @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Atk / 248 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fire Punch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Stealth Rock
- Bonemerang
Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Teleport
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 188 Def / 72 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Ice Beam
- Substitute
Urshifu @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Wicked Blow
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
Marowak-Alola @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Atk / 248 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fire Punch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Stealth Rock
- Bonemerang
Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Teleport
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 188 Def / 72 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost
team-building process:
This team began with Ruft's post in the current metagame thread. They described an Alolan Marowak set that shut down a bunch of new threats, and I was interested in trying it.
I then went with TURBODERP's suggestion for a Grassy Surge user as a partner. Was tempted to try Tapu Bulu, but Rillaboom provided more utility.
Urshifu came next as an answer to the Ghost and Dark attacks A-Marowak attracts.
The once and future king is a mon I've used in Nat Dex a lot and an answer to the Fairies that stop Urshifu.
Since these mons have no access to healing apart from Grassy Terrain, I added Clefable as a dedicated Wish passer.
-> I tried a defensive Salamence to deal with Cinderace and Grass types like other Rillaboom, but found it really lacking. My Flying weakness at this point brought Zapdos to the table instead.
Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Ice Beam
- Substitute
Nidoking usually isn't the first choice when thinking of wallbreakers to use in OU, but a combination of its typing, ability, and wide coverage means it has some viability. It comes in for free on Regieleki, forces out Fairies, and has just enough Speed to take out other wallbreakers like Rillaboom and Zygarde. Sludge Wave is its strongest STAB, Earth Power hits Steels and other Poisons, and Ice Beam catches things the STABs miss like Landorus. Since Nidoking forces a lot of switches, Substitute provides a buffer and can even force a sacrificial play to remove it.
Urshifu @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Wicked Blow
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
With Nidoking to deal with Fairies, Urshifu was picked for be a second wallbreaker. Choice Scarf might seem weird, but of all the mons on my team, it was the best suited to provide speed control. With a Scarf, Adamant Urshifu hits 439 Speed, which outpaces everything from Jolly +1 Gyarados down. Since Wicked Blow always crits, it still does a lot of damage even without a Band. Sucker Punch is here to revenge kill boosted threats. CC is Urshifu's strongest Fighting STAB. U-turn provides momentum.
Marowak-Alola @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Atk / 248 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fire Punch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Stealth Rock
- Bonemerang
All the credit for this set, EVs, etc. goes to Ruft, who discusses it here. Marowak-A is a disgustingly anti-meta mon right now that sets up Rocks on a lot of the threats running around. WoW annoys physical attackers like Landorus-T that try to come in. Fire Punch is STAB that doesn't cut down Marowak-A's life with recoil. Bonemerang is rather weak, but prevents Heatran coming in for free and isn't nerfed by Grassy Terrain like Earthquake. HDB is required in order for Marowak-A to keep doing its job checking threats without getting shredded by hazards.
Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
Rillaboom was chosen to support the team with Grassy Terrain, and is a threat on its own with Choice Band. Grassy Glide is a powerful form of priority and speed control. CB Wood Hammer is insanely strong. U-Turn provides momentum, and Knock Off has decent type synergy and removes items.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Teleport
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
Clefable is the team's dedicated Wish passer. Wish heals itself and teammates, either by switching out or Teleporting to guarantee someone else comes in freely. Moonblast has good neutral coverage. There's not much else to really say about this -- it stops Dragons and keeps the team healthy.
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 188 Def / 72 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost
Zapdos joins the team by virtue of its Electric/Flying typing. This is my switch in to Melmetal, Zapdos-G, and Tornados, to name a few. Discharge and Static spreads Paralysis, which helps Nidoking and Rillaboom outspeed things. Heat Wave deals with Ferrothorn, Kartana, and Magearna. Defog keeps hazards off, and Roost keeps Zapdos going.
problems:
Landorus is a pain in the butt that usually costs me either Urshifu or Rillaboom to chip it into kill range from Scarf Wicked Blow or CB Grassy Glide, since neither of those OHKO. Blaziken can get out of hand very quickly with Speed Boost, since my speed control is resisted. I got dunked on by a double dance Moltres-G because I didn't know what it does. It was not a good feel.
This is the first team I built for this fledgling meta, and I reached the 1600s under an alt with it. No team is perfect though, so any recommendations on things to change, tweak, etc. are welcome. Feel free to try out the team yourself, especially if you enjoy using sleeper hits like Nidoking and Marowak-A!
Thanks for reading! :3
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