I'd love to see your scream tail set, that sounds super interesting!
How about a mini RMT?
yes i play rhythm games
I find the current state of the STABMnM meta pretty fun, so I spent this ladder mostly trying out random ideas, like Hisuian Avalugg Offense, Full Sun, Giraffe Rain, LO Etern + TTar BO, and other random, mainly bulkier, things, but finally decided to actually push for #1 a little before EUIC. I didn't get a screenshot of peak, nor replays, but I feel like making this is still worth doing.
Building Process
I knew I wanted to start with SkewdaBolt since they're the strongest offensive duo in the entire metagame. They both can pivot each other in and threaten massive damage if left unchecked.
Hisuian Arcanine was added for 3 reasons. One, it provides reliable entry hazard setting in Stone Axe. Two, it answers Altarianite Dragonite and Ampharosite Scream Tail. Third, and most importantly, it gives the team a way of getting through Zeraorite Heatran, Magearna, and Corviknight with little hassle.
With how entry hazard-weak this team currently is, I knew I wanted a robust anti-hazards core. Great Tusk has reliable, unblockable Rapid Spin, while Vaporeon shores up its weaknesses while also having Court Change for the hazard stack and stall matchups. This does leave the team decently weak to Raging Bolt, but I figured that the last Pokemon could make that a non-issue, and Ceruledge, but the team already has lots of ways to pressure that.
I was debating quite heavily between Latiasite/Zeraorite Magearna and Chimechite Scream Tail, but decided on the latter because of its Speed tier and access to Heart Swap. While Magearna is certainly stronger, Scream Tail can outspeed and OHKO Raging Bolt and Altarianite Dragonite while also answering the numerous setup sweepers like Chimechite Thundurus/RBolt, Spectrier, Farigiraf, Primarina, and Cloyster. I'll go into more detail on Heart Swap over Encore for Scream Tail's overview.
The Team
Barraskewda @ Barbaracite (
->
)
Ability: Swift Swim
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wave Crash
- Close Combat
- Psychic Fangs
- Flip Turn
Barbaracite Barraskewda is probably the scariest offensive Pokemon in the meta currently. Very few Pokemon can actively switch into Barraskewda, and even fewer can actually block Flip Turn (Vaporeon and Wellspring Mask Pecharunt are the only two that come to mind, and both can't block Flip Turn AND handle the other moves it carries simultaneously). Being realistic, though, the only two moves ever clicked are Close Combat and Flip Turn, with Wave Crash only being used for very specific Pokemon like Pecharunt (Psychic Fangs is minimally weaker but no recoil) on decently low HP. Psychic Fangs is here only for Eternatus and Wellspring Mask Pecharunt, but it 2HKOs both. Since Raging Bolt is on the team, a Jolly nature is better, but on teams with faster Pokemon than it like Metagrossite Roaring Moon an Adamant nature is better.
Raging Bolt @ Lucarionite (
)
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 20 Atk
- Electro Drift
- Draco Meteor
- Volt Switch
- Thunderclap
Lucarionite Raging Bolt is the second half of the duo, and is significantly more deadly than Barraskewda. That being said, Raging Bolt is best used in the opening turns of the game due to Chimechite Rhyperior being on many teams currently. Oftentimes I will rip Draco Meteors instantly while their Rhyperior is not Mega Evolved purely to either dissuade the switch-in entirely or just OHKO it outright. Thunderclap helps with opposing Keldeo, Barraskewda, Spectrier, and co, while a Timid nature near-enough ensures that defensive Eternatus is handled by at least one half of the core.
Arcanine-Hisui @ Altarianite (
->
)
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 172 HP / 240 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Extreme Speed
- Morning Sun
- Stone Axe
Hisuian Arcanine is the tier's premier speed control and Stealth Rock setter. Moreover, it's also the team's best way to pressure Ceruledge, as Vaporeon cannot OHKO it without Stealth Rock present, although Hisuian Arcanine can only switch in via pivot move. Sacred Fire is the chosen Fire move of choice due to it burning any non-Fire types and non-Flash Fire users that dare switching in, although both Pyro Ball and Fire Lash are respectable, albeit worse choices on this team.
Please stop running Bitter Blade on Arcanine, it's not a good move. The EVs give Arcanine the ability to outspeed Adamant Aerodactylite and Barbaracite Kingambit while both maximizing Attack and Morning Sun recovery.
Great Tusk @ Pinsirite (
->
)
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 28 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Body Slam
- Shore Up
- Rapid Spin
Great Tusk is the team's Ground-type, main physical wall, and main entry hazard remover. Body Slam provides cheese potential, while Precipice is a mostly drawlackless 16PP move that deals phenomenal damage, although Headlong Rush is a reasonable alternative if you are okay with the chance to be put out of commission from Burning Bulwark. This Great Tusk is intentionally not very invested since Vaporeon and Scream Tail alone are not nearly enough to handle the tier while it still remains incredibly powerful. I do not remember what the Special Defense EVs do, but the Speed investment means that Modest Charizardite Y and sunless Victreebelite Heatran is slower and OHKOed outright.
Vaporeon @ Sablenite (
)
Ability: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Scald
- Flip Turn
- Recover
- Court Change
Vaporeon is the team's main wall and defensive pivot, and secondary entry hazard remover; technically, it's moreso an entry hazard punisher due to both Sablenite providing Magic Bounce and Vaporeon just having Court Change thanks to STABmons. It's also the team's Iron Moth answer due to that usually not carrying Energy Ball, although a well-played Hisuian Arcanine can also answer in a pinch as long as it has not already Mega Evolved. Scald is chosen here over alternative moves due to the burn chance and high PP. Max Defense maximizes its mixed bulk, while a Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs make it as slow as possible, i.e. as slow as Toxapex.
(
->
)
Scream Tail @ Chimechite
Ability: Protosynthesis
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SpA / 28 SpD / 144 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Heart Swap
- Moonlight
- Teleport
Scream Tail is the team's glue, Poison-type answer, primary Raging Bolt counter, and setup answer. Fleur Cannon is chosen as the attack of choice due to it threatening to OHKO Raging Bolt outright and guaranteeing said OHKO after Stealth Rock chip. Since the stat drops from Fleur Cannon can be heavily detrimental, Heart Swap is the move of choice over Encore. Heart Swap also has the incredibly relevant benefit of bypassing Sablenite entirely, something Encore cannot do. It is worth noting that Substitute does Block Heart Swap, but the few Substitute setup attackers in the tier cannot simultaneously answer Scream Tail and sweep the rest of the team; only Audinite Spectrier gets close to threatening that concept. Teleport provides reliable slow pivoting to safely bring in Barraskewda or Raging Bolt. The EV investment lets Scream Tail outspeed Lucarionite Raging Bolt while never being 2HKOed outright by Timid Lucarionite Raging Bolt's Electro Drift, and any higher damage than 49.7% guarantees that my Raging Bolt will outspeed.
One thing to note with this Scream Tail is that it is near-enough required to lead and Mega Evolve versus pretty much every team featuring a Poison-type. Since it is also the team's Mortal Spin and non-Iron Moth Poison-type answer, Scream Tail is kind of a bottleneck in these matchups, requiring pretty precise play to navigate the early game.
Threatlist
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/
)
Since this team borders the edge between BO and Balance, Adamant Lucarionite Ceruledge rightfully becomes a major threat thanks to it threatening to 2HKO Vaporeon outright (28% chance), having a near-guaranteed 2HKO on Great Tusk via Pyro Ball (72% chance), and having a guaranteed 2HKO versus both Tusk and Vaporeon after entry hazards. Absolite Z Ceruledge can also pick up a surprise KO on Barraskewda if left unchallenged thanks to it being faster (161 vs 156), but is otherwise unimpressive versus the team. Adamant Ceruledge is also slower than Raging Bolt and Draco Meteor OHKOs, so keep that in mind.
Iron Moth is a significant threat thanks to Malignant Chain having a 50% chance to put Vaporeon on a timer alongside its already incredibly high damage. Not just that, but if it for some reason has Energy Ball then Vaporeon just does not answer. It's best to just limit how much Iron Moth can come in, whether that be via extreme offensive play or via Stealth Rock being present near-immediately.
Obviously nowhere near as threatening as Iron Moth, but still worth respecting. Mega Evolve Scream Tail as soon as possible and Teleport into something that pressures whatever Scream Tail is against.
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Be prepared to trade versus sun. The more chip on Heatran, the better. Raging Bolt can also live Earth Power once and 1v1 as a result. When sun isn't present, you have matchup advantage and as such should put on as much offensive pressure as possible.
Lumping them under the same umbrella, although Barraskewda is far scarier. Don't be afraid to not Mega Evolve versus the former, and be accepting of the latter's ability to just not care about your defensive core. Thankfully, they both cannot safely switch in on anything the team has, and can only both really switch in via slow pivot while Great Tusk is on the field; burning Barraskewda basically ensures it does nothing for the rest of the game
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Rhyperior can be annoying at times, since Barraskewda doesn't actually OHKO it, Great Tusk probably won't be able to hurt it, Arcanine can potentially be KOed if it doesn't get the Sacred Fire burn, and the rest can't touch it post-mega. The best ways to handle it are KO it before it Mega Evolves and scout the EV spread using Vaporeon, accepting that it may lose a not-so-insignificant amount of HP in the process.
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Is this Pokemon used? No, it's restricted, but its signature move isn't. Don't be brazen and instead check to see if they actually have Bulwark. If they do, or you don't have the time or resources to safely check, plan around having Barraskewda be burned. It won't be wallbreaking anymore, but it'll still probably force out any offensive guys.
Pokepaste
