This is a bit of strange for ND Bazaar but I didn't want to make multiple posts. I just want to briefly offer my opinion on relevant aspects of building on both ladder and tournaments. Then I'll share some teams I've been enjoying recently. It has been a little while since I last posted anything regarding National Dex, and I'd like to share my personal opinion on the tier. First, I always believed, and still do, that this tier has so much potential to be the best and most enjoyable on the website. Especially considering how volatile the current-generation meta is, there is so much appeal to playing National Dex over other tiers. That being said, I currently find this meta boring as hell. Perhaps my recent distance from National Dex tournaments has given me a distorted picture, but I've watched various replays from NDPL and SSNL, and I'll be keeping an eye on the circuit. Ladder and Tournament usage feels very different. Both playerbases have adjusted to the meta in different ways: On the ladder, Assault Vest Alomomola has soared in usage as a response to the metagame's most volatile threats (namely Volcarona and Gholdengo). I think the key to building ladder is to being well prepared (mentally) for variations of stall (Shedinja), HO most notably Zamazenta screens is still very popular. The other HO lead you'll see a lot is Mega-Diancie. Next, I'd argue the Sun cult is stronger than stall (most certainly in usage). Trick Room is more common than you'd think. Lastly, Alomomola. It is funny to think that people shamed this set for so long but it has become one of the most prominent sets in the tier and finally surpassed Toxapex on the VR. Doesn't ladder sound fun?
The most important and relevant developments I've noticed in tournaments are Cinderace and 4a Kyurem. Cinderace in my opinion should not be running Will-O-Wisp without a scarfer (the lack of viable speed control options is a major problem in this tier). Pyro Ball and Gunk Shot are great in almost every match up, you are of course walled by Heatran (so is Will-O-Wisp) but this is a worthwhile risk in tournament (first usage when). Chili Dewd made a joke in the National Dex showdown room but I found it to be true "Base 110 speed is the new base 100". Cinderace's speed tier + Libero gives it amazing revenge killing capabilities, in conjuction with the fact Court Change is invaluable for certain teams makes this one of the most reliable pokemon in the tier. Notably outspeeding Mega-Diancie, Mega-Latios, Ogerpon, Gholdengo and checks so many other things. If you do not have a good way to punish this pokemon from clicking U-turn then it is easily one of the most frustrating pokemon to deal with. The only way to really punish Libero is Flame Body Moltres or Pursuit (Mega)Tyranitar. Will-O-Wisp is still common and a decent option to deal support your teammates by crippling road blocks but honestly to me it just feels not good enough. Kyurem, to be specific 4a is the set that sparked a lot of interest during PL. And now we've seen more people start to use it. The coverage just hits everything honestly and can force you to make trades to kill or cripple it. Most of the pokemon that can deal with this pokemon are not great switch ins Zamazenta, Superpower Ogerpon, Draco Meteor Mega-Latios, even Mega-Scizor is a bit shaky since Offensive never OHKO's with Bullet Punch. SpDef Mega-Scizor does have a chance to live Freeze Dry + HP Fire but cannot OHKO back since you're probably not Close Combat lol. This is THE threat to Balance but most teams have ways to pivot around it and abuse it's slow speed.
LO Landorus + Mega Pinsir
https://pokepast.es/d49ef4fec658e733
The star of the show is obviously :Mega-Pinsir: but really quickly I want to go over this Landorus set. It's designed to weaken checks for it's teammates. Stealth Rock could also be used as a lure to invite in Great Tusk and Boom on it. It was pretty fun to use, I hope you'll try to incorprate it into your own builds. The team itself has glaring flaws but I've stopped trying to make consistent teams or use them.
Mega-Pinsir I think is extremely underrated, it is currently UR but has amazing tools. Aerilate Quick Attack is an amazing priority option which threatens Ogerpon, Scarf Urshifu, Zamazenta to an extent and Cinderace. It has noticable flaws that requires maybe more support than it's worth but I have never seen anyone REALLY give an effort to use this. Webs is caveman thinking, we can do better. In case nobodies familiar with the calcs, they speak for itself:
MEGA PINSIR CALCULATIONS
252+ Atk Aerilate Pinsir-Mega Frustration vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 208-246 (43.9 - 52%) -- 13.3% chance to 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Aerilate Pinsir-Mega Frustration vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 415-489 (87.7 - 103.3%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Aerilate Pinsir-Mega Quick Attack vs. 0 HP / 0 Def
Ogerpon-Wellspring: 228-270 (75.7 - 89.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Pinsir-Mega Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def
Gholdengo: 406-478 (107.4 - 126.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pinsir-Mega Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def
Gholdengo: 284-336 (90.1 - 106.6%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
DOUBLE EDGE
+2 252+ Atk Aerilate Pinsir-Mega
Double-Edge vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 489-576 (103.3 - 121.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Aerilate Pinsir-Mega
Double-Edge vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 246-289 (52 - 61%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
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LO LANDORUS CALCULATIONS (ignore the spikes I forgot to remove LOL)
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def
Great Tusk: 183-216 (49.3 - 58.2%) -- 97.7% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Explosion vs. 0 HP / 4 Def
Great Tusk: 303-357 (81.6 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Life Orb Landorus-Therian Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD
Great Tusk: 195-231 (52.5 - 62.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Explosion vs. 252 HP / 0 Def
Garchomp: 400-472 (95.2 - 112.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after 1 layer of Spikes
0 SpA Life Orb Landorus-Therian Hidden Power Ice vs. 244 HP / 228+ SpD
Gliscor: 208-250 (59 - 71%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Poison Heal
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 192-227 (40.5 - 47.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Explosion vs. 8 HP / 252+ Def
Alomomola: 318-376 (67.2 - 79.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Landorus-Therian Explosion vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def
Zapdos: 307-361 (80.1 - 94.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Life Orb Landorus-Therian Hidden Power Ice vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD
Zapdos: 130-153 (33.9 - 39.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
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REPLAYS
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2495158402-d14hqmmwt17ub4jsjmth4246ncf709ppw SMASHED
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2494655528-ne9vt3yu9rb1n3kfvl3wci1hv0dxu2upw SMASHED
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2494667497-i9v3t1pbe3dudq6ymx517sn8blq3hy0pw SMASHED
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2494676017-xjlvweybh6wbv615rb27tbutcvvwmyxpw SMASHED
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2495202838-coerhwuolksmb0onucbxris6ccwd8oapw SMASHED