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Hello everyone, and welcome to my RMT !
This team is a bit special as it isn't a ladder peak team (even if I think it is possible), but it is a tournament team that proved itself multiple times.
First of all, this team came from an interesting chain of events. The main idea isn't mine to begin with, as I took it from Giogiovannio, which himself got the idea from somewhere else : a French Youtuber wanted to play Tera Ice Crabominable under TR (which went miserably), and Giogiovannio got from it the idea of Band Caly I Tera Ice in a hard TR setting. Then, I went against him, and said to myself : "I love the idea, lemme give my own twist to it".
The main idea behind the team is to enable this Caly I set under Trick Room by weakening its checks through other Mons, allowing it to come multiple times on the field thanks to multiple setters, as well as Healing Wishes and other tools. When I first thought about the build, I wanted to have as many setters as possible, as well as at least one Mon that could use the TR well, but not use it themselves.
I'm gonna explain the team point by point :
- Each part of the team and their synergies
- Explanations for each Mons
- Different threats and how to take care of them
- Lines against archetypes
- Replays
Basically, I first wanted a suicide lead to guarantee a first Trick Room, while also denying hazards, which will be useful considering the team has no Boots, and all of the offensive Mons need to be at high HP to work properly. Hatterene will fill that role perfectly; then I needed mid game setters with different utility.
Dialga allows the team to have some hazards setting, while also providing coverage against the Steel types, mainly Zacian, but also NDM, although the damage would be minimal. Steel Beam allows for a ton of damage, while also providing tempo, and can take by surprise some players expecting Draco Meteor (with an Eject Pack) to come out.
For Arceus, at first I wanted a second Healing Wish (which is very useful in case a Mon is very low in HP and the first Healing Wish is already used up) as well as some options control. I thought about Arceus, and it worked out very well under a couple circumstances. First of all, I took the spread from the calc (National Dex Ubers Trick Room Setter), and even after trying out multiple different options, the proposed set was the better one; Taunt is here to shut down set up sweepers, as well as defensive Mons that want to do some shenanigans through moves like Thunder Wave, Roar, or even their own Taunt. Extreme Speed is here to pick up low HP threats; or Mons that lowered their defenses, such as Koraidon and Kyurem Black (if they play Scale Shot).
I first tried Sash on Dialga and a plate on Arceus, but they got shut down too easily by either hazards set after Hatterene died, or opposing Taunts, so Mental Herb came kinda naturally.
Also, each can be a lead depending on the match up : Hatterene will come out against most teams, Dialga is the best lead against Webs, and Arceus will be mainly lead against stall stuctures or other Trick Rooms.
The team's main set being Band Caly I, I needed another threat to soften up its checks, and Kyogre came up immediately. A slow Modest set under Trick Room is hard to check without taking a ton of risks, and some of Caly I's answers might come out to try and sponge some hits, which will help a lot throughout the game. It also works both ways, considering some of Caly I's checks include sets such as defensive Kyogre, defensive Arceus (mainly Water) and NDM (with some help from a Sun setter, mainly Koraidon), which, if weakened, will open up a path for the whale.
I then needed another offensive threat that could also set the Trick Room on their own, and I tried multiple Mons; NDM : lacks the immediate damage, and if played with SD, has a huge 4 move slots syndrome. NDW : pretty much the same issues as NDM, but this time, the ability doesn't help the typing, which can be very annoying. Magearna : Fleur Cannon lowering SpAtk isn't what I wanted here, although the defensive profile is very interesting.
So I needed an offensive setter with some defensive utility, and Lunala came into my mind immediately. Meteor Beam coupled with the Power Herb solves the damage problem, and Shadow Shield (being an inherently balanced ability) answers the defensive issue.
Lunala allows a ton of pivoting thanks to its ability and the Healing Wishes, making it a huge threat for any unprepared team; it can either set the two other threats up, or set itself up for mid or late game.
It might be an offensive setter, but it is still important to talk about Lunala's synergies with the other mid game setters. Arceus is here to clean up weakened targets, while also shutting down defensive sets; Dialga will be here to set up against threats that Arceus can't really agressively deal with, such as Ghost types and fast Arceus variants; Lunala is here as a middle ground against Choice locked sets, and in general (if need be) to asborb a hit and have some leeway in case of an emergency. In terms of typings, Lunala will do against Koraidon (with Kyogre's help most of the times), Dialga will deal with Steel and Ghost types (with Arc's help), as well as defensive Kyogre, Arceus and Ho Oh sets, and Arceus will deal with pretty much the rest.
Now let's talk about each Pokemon, the way they work, their moves and their spreads.
Also, I name my Pokemons after musics that I listen to, so I will link those with the sets !
Control Panel
@ Choice Band
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Glacial Lance
- Close Combat
- Trick Room
- High Horsepower
The star of the show, the breaker and the sweeper, Calyrex Ice is here to destroy pretty much anything with this Choice Band set. You're mainly gonna click the funny Glacial Lance button, but he has some other options to help against some situations. Close Combat and High Horsepower are here to take care of Steel types, CC being for Kingambit, and High Horsepower being for Zacian and NDM. Trick Room is a surprise tool, as nobody would expect a Band set to click this move, but it can save you in some situations. He is gonna be the main target of your Tera, as Tera Ice Band Glacial Lance does stupid amounts of damage.
In general, your gameplan is gonna be centered around him : how to enable him to break, how to identify and then weaken its checks, when to send it on the field, when to Tera with it... Nothing really interesting in terms of its spread, just full HP, full Attack.
Here are the main calcs :
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 396-468 (95.1 - 112.5%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 248 HP / 164+ Def Kyogre: 215-254 (53.3 - 63%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Shadow Shield Lunala: 425-500 (102.1 - 120.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 170-201 (42.8 - 50.6%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO (This calc is here to identify which set you're going up against)
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus-Electric: 440-518 (99 - 116.6%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO (This one is a bit outdated, as offensive Arceus sets tend to run even less HP, making the kill guaranteed)
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Calyrex-Ice: 320-378 (79.4 - 93.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
In general, your gameplan is gonna be centered around him : how to enable him to break, how to identify and then weaken its checks, when to send it on the field, when to Tera with it... Nothing really interesting in terms of its spread, just full HP, full Attack.
Here are the main calcs :
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 396-468 (95.1 - 112.5%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 248 HP / 164+ Def Kyogre: 215-254 (53.3 - 63%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Shadow Shield Lunala: 425-500 (102.1 - 120.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 170-201 (42.8 - 50.6%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO (This calc is here to identify which set you're going up against)
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus-Electric: 440-518 (99 - 116.6%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO (This one is a bit outdated, as offensive Arceus sets tend to run even less HP, making the kill guaranteed)
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Calyrex-Ice: 320-378 (79.4 - 93.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
@ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Bounce
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 168 HP / 88 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Healing Wish
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psychic Noise
The main lead, the Pokemon that's gonna allow the rest of the team to roll, Hatterene will make your early game as easy as possible. Your goal with it is gonna be to set Trick Room up, shut down any plans the opposing lead has, deny hazards as much as possible, then use Healing Wish to give you tempo as well as a full heal whenever you want.
Important point : against some match ups (which I explained in the Teambuilding and synergies part and will explain a bit more in the lines part), it is not necessary to sacrifice it at the start, as other leads can be better, and/or it can have some more utility later down the line. Psychic Noise is here to do some decent damage, as well as deny healing moves, and Dazzling Gleam is just here for the damage.
For the spread, I just took a standard spread, which is a pretty good one against some passive structures, and the Tera can help against some offensive threats such as Zacian, Kyurem Black and Koraidon.
Here are some calcs (mainly against stall options) :
252+ SpA Hatterene Psychic Noise vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clodsire: 204-240 (43.9 - 51.7%) -- 9.8% chance to 2HKO
4 Atk Clodsire Poison Jab vs. 252 HP / 200 Def Hatterene: 116-140 (36.4 - 44%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 160 SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 170-204 (42 - 50.4%) -- 1.2% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Psychic Noise vs. 244 HP / 12 SpD Gliscor: 175-207 (49.7 - 58.8%) -- 99.6% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 211-249 (41.8 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Important point : against some match ups (which I explained in the Teambuilding and synergies part and will explain a bit more in the lines part), it is not necessary to sacrifice it at the start, as other leads can be better, and/or it can have some more utility later down the line. Psychic Noise is here to do some decent damage, as well as deny healing moves, and Dazzling Gleam is just here for the damage.
For the spread, I just took a standard spread, which is a pretty good one against some passive structures, and the Tera can help against some offensive threats such as Zacian, Kyurem Black and Koraidon.
Here are some calcs (mainly against stall options) :
252+ SpA Hatterene Psychic Noise vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clodsire: 204-240 (43.9 - 51.7%) -- 9.8% chance to 2HKO
4 Atk Clodsire Poison Jab vs. 252 HP / 200 Def Hatterene: 116-140 (36.4 - 44%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 160 SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 170-204 (42 - 50.4%) -- 1.2% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Psychic Noise vs. 244 HP / 12 SpD Gliscor: 175-207 (49.7 - 58.8%) -- 99.6% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Hatterene Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 211-249 (41.8 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Ocean Breeze
@ Mystic Water
Ability: Drizzle
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Water Spout
- Origin Pulse
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
The second breaker, the Pokemon that's here to force out some options from your opponent, Kyogre will allow for your sweepers to finish the job without much issue (and it can even finish the job by itself). The moves are the same as the Choice sets, but the main novelty here is the item. The Mystic Water (or the Water Plate if you want to be fancy) will allow your Kyogre to do as much as possible without any drawbacks, as Choice Specs might lock you into an option that you regret afterwards, Life Orb weakens you tremendously quick and Expert Belt lacks in damage potential against neutral targets. Heavy Duty Boots can be an option, but you might miss on some important rolls.
For the spread, maximum Special Attack, lowest Speed possible, and defensive investments that allow it to tank some key moves. For the Tera, I first tried Water Tera for even more damage, but it didn't help at all, whereas Dark Tera can help against NDM (mainly the double dance set, but it can also help against a basic attacker with Photon Geyser) and Lunala
Here are the important calcs :
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned in Rain: 348-411 (107 - 126.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy in Rain: 459-541 (104 - 122.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Koraidon in Sun: 89-105 (26 - 30.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO into 252+ SpA Kyogre Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Koraidon: 240-284 (70.3 - 83.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Necrozma-Dusk-Mane in Rain: 367-433 (92.4 - 109%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Black Glasses Supreme Overlord 5 allies fainted Tera Dark Kingambit Sucker Punch vs. 48 HP / 208 Def Kyogre: 272-322 (77 - 91.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 48 HP / 208 Def Kyogre: 288-340 (81.5 - 96.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Tera Ghost Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 48 HP / 0 SpD Kyogre: 280-330 (79.3 - 93.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
For the spread, maximum Special Attack, lowest Speed possible, and defensive investments that allow it to tank some key moves. For the Tera, I first tried Water Tera for even more damage, but it didn't help at all, whereas Dark Tera can help against NDM (mainly the double dance set, but it can also help against a basic attacker with Photon Geyser) and Lunala
Here are the important calcs :
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned in Rain: 348-411 (107 - 126.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy in Rain: 459-541 (104 - 122.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Koraidon in Sun: 89-105 (26 - 30.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO into 252+ SpA Kyogre Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Koraidon: 240-284 (70.3 - 83.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Necrozma-Dusk-Mane in Rain: 367-433 (92.4 - 109%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Black Glasses Supreme Overlord 5 allies fainted Tera Dark Kingambit Sucker Punch vs. 48 HP / 208 Def Kyogre: 272-322 (77 - 91.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 48 HP / 208 Def Kyogre: 288-340 (81.5 - 96.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Tera Ghost Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 48 HP / 0 SpD Kyogre: 280-330 (79.3 - 93.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Highrise
@ Mental Herb
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 52 HP / 200 Def / 236 SpA / 20 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Steel Beam
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
The god of time is here to modify the pace of the battle thanks to multiple tools to its advantage. Dialga will mostly be a mid game Trick Room setter, and he will deal with any options that are annoying for the other setters. Most of the time, you're gonna come on a death on your side, tank pretty much any hit thrown at him, set up Trick Room, then deal huge damage and give you tempo thanks to Steel Beam. Earth Power is to take care of Steel types, Rocks are here in case you need them, especially against HO's (mainly Webs).
Important point : It is the best lead against Webs HO, as you don't really care about Webs being up, and if you can put Rocks down against this archetype, this will help you a lot. For the item, Mental Herb is the best choice here as it allows you to have one more chance against Taunt users (which are popping up more and more as of recently). Tera Flying is here to help against Koraidon, Zacian and any Ground spammers.
For the spread, this is the most interesting part as every point counts : almost max Defense, some HP, some Special Defense, minimum Speed, and the rest in Special Attack to do as much damage as possible.
Here are the most important calcs :
252 SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 52 HP / 20 SpD Dialga in Rain: 300-353 (84.7 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Close Combat vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 288-340 (81.3 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Behemoth Blade vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 149-176 (42 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Earth Plate Arceus-Ground Earthquake vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 270-318 (76.2 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Scale Shot (4 hits) vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 300-352 (84.7 - 99.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 0 SpA Pixie Plate Arceus-Fairy Judgment vs. 52 HP / 20 SpD Dialga: 295-348 (83.3 - 98.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
236 SpA Dialga Steel Beam vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy: 432-510 (97.5 - 115.1%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
Important point : It is the best lead against Webs HO, as you don't really care about Webs being up, and if you can put Rocks down against this archetype, this will help you a lot. For the item, Mental Herb is the best choice here as it allows you to have one more chance against Taunt users (which are popping up more and more as of recently). Tera Flying is here to help against Koraidon, Zacian and any Ground spammers.
For the spread, this is the most interesting part as every point counts : almost max Defense, some HP, some Special Defense, minimum Speed, and the rest in Special Attack to do as much damage as possible.
Here are the most important calcs :
252 SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 52 HP / 20 SpD Dialga in Rain: 300-353 (84.7 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Close Combat vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 288-340 (81.3 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Behemoth Blade vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 149-176 (42 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Earth Plate Arceus-Ground Earthquake vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 270-318 (76.2 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Scale Shot (4 hits) vs. 52 HP / 200+ Def Dialga: 300-352 (84.7 - 99.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 0 SpA Pixie Plate Arceus-Fairy Judgment vs. 52 HP / 20 SpD Dialga: 295-348 (83.3 - 98.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
236 SpA Dialga Steel Beam vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy: 432-510 (97.5 - 115.1%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
Live Forever
@ Mental Herb
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Impish Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Healing Wish
- Taunt
- Trick Room
Before you say it, yes I took this set from the calc, under the name "National Dex Ubers Trick Room Setter", and it is a very efficient one at that. Extreme Speed is a very useful tech move as it allows you to pick up low HP targets and isn't expected that much for a Trick Room setter; Taunt is very good against defensive sets to shut down hazards, phazing, opposing Taunts and even statuses.
For the item, I first tried with a plate to give it a better defensive typing, but Mental Herb was just more efficient in most scenarios, even with the lack of a type change, allowing it to win Taunt 1 vs 1. Boots or Leftovers can be an option to give it some longevity, but giving the tempo of the team, you need an item that's effective almost immediately, and the Mental Herb fills that role perfectly.
The spread gives it a ton of bulk, allowing it to tank key moves, and keeping the Speed stat untouched allows it to outspeed pretty much every defensive sets (outside of other Arceus, where the Mental Herb helps) and shut them down.
Here are the most important calcs :
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 350-414 (79 - 93.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Scale Shot (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 365-435 (82.3 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Arceus in Rain: 370-436 (83.5 - 98.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Photon Geyser vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 351-413 (79.2 - 93.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Arceus: 370-436 (83.5 - 98.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
For the item, I first tried with a plate to give it a better defensive typing, but Mental Herb was just more efficient in most scenarios, even with the lack of a type change, allowing it to win Taunt 1 vs 1. Boots or Leftovers can be an option to give it some longevity, but giving the tempo of the team, you need an item that's effective almost immediately, and the Mental Herb fills that role perfectly.
The spread gives it a ton of bulk, allowing it to tank key moves, and keeping the Speed stat untouched allows it to outspeed pretty much every defensive sets (outside of other Arceus, where the Mental Herb helps) and shut them down.
Here are the most important calcs :
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 350-414 (79 - 93.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Scale Shot (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 365-435 (82.3 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Origin Pulse vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Arceus in Rain: 370-436 (83.5 - 98.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Photon Geyser vs. 248 HP / 216+ Def Arceus: 351-413 (79.2 - 93.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Arceus: 370-436 (83.5 - 98.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Luna
@ Power Herb
Ability: Shadow Shield
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Meteor Beam
- Moongeist Beam
- Psyshock
The hybrid of the team, Lunala is here to help both sides of the team, by tanking hits to help give some room to breathe for the defensive setters, and by also being able to break and even sweep on its own.
The base of the set is pretty much the same as the Agility sweeper set, but you replace Agility by Trick Room. Meteor Beam Power Herb allows it to threaten Ho Oh, and also a ton of damage in general, thanks to the Special Attack boost. Psyshock is here to help against special walls and Calm Minders.
For the spread, full HP, full Special Attack, not minimal Speed, but high enough to make it faster than double dance NDM and paralysed Koraidon and Etern, but slower than defensive Mons.
Here are the most important calcs :
+1 252+ SpA Tera Ghost Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned: 330-390 (101.5 - 120%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Koraidon: 396-468 (116.1 - 137.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Meteor Beam vs. 248 HP / 120 SpD Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 93-110 (23.4 - 27.7%) -- 79.2% chance to 4HKO into +1 252+ SpA Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 248 HP / 120 SpD Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 348-411 (87.6 - 103.5%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Meteor Beam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Ho-Oh: 612-724 (147.1 - 174%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Shadow Shield Lunala: 380-450 (79.4 - 94.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
The base of the set is pretty much the same as the Agility sweeper set, but you replace Agility by Trick Room. Meteor Beam Power Herb allows it to threaten Ho Oh, and also a ton of damage in general, thanks to the Special Attack boost. Psyshock is here to help against special walls and Calm Minders.
For the spread, full HP, full Special Attack, not minimal Speed, but high enough to make it faster than double dance NDM and paralysed Koraidon and Etern, but slower than defensive Mons.
Here are the most important calcs :
+1 252+ SpA Tera Ghost Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned: 330-390 (101.5 - 120%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Koraidon: 396-468 (116.1 - 137.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Meteor Beam vs. 248 HP / 120 SpD Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 93-110 (23.4 - 27.7%) -- 79.2% chance to 4HKO into +1 252+ SpA Lunala Moongeist Beam vs. 248 HP / 120 SpD Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 348-411 (87.6 - 103.5%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunala Meteor Beam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Ho-Oh: 612-724 (147.1 - 174%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Shadow Shield Lunala: 380-450 (79.4 - 94.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Now, we come to an important part : the main threats and how to take care of them
There are a couple of leads that can be very annoying and some Pokemons that are just tough to deal with, so you need to have some plans against those.
Those are annoying sets to deal with for pretty much any teams, but even more for this team because of how tough it is to switch into, and because Arceus can't even use Extreme Speed against it. Flutter Mane is gonna come out when Trick Room just finished, and you're gonna need to adapt depending on which Pokemon you're on.
If you're on Lunala and at full HP : Flutter Mane has to Tera as even Specs don't OHKO, so you can, if Tera has been used or you call no Tera, either tank the Shadow Ball and kill it or place the Trick Room again; or, if Tera is still usable for your opponent, you go into Arceus to cover for the Tera. After that, if it Tera'd, you either Extreme Speed it if it is Fairy, or Trick Room if it is Stellar or Ghost. Another possible option is to Tera yourself, but you should consider it only if you don't need it for Caly I or anyone else.
If you're on Lunala, but not at full HP : 90% of the time, you're better off sacrificing it, go into Dialga, use Trick Room then Steel Beam. But if you see that it has an insane matchup, you can instead sacrifice Dialga, go into Arceus, use Trick Room then Healing Wish, and then go back into Lunala.
If you're on Kyogre : sacrificing it is the better idea, as it has probably already done its job. If you see that is Life Orb, go into Dialga and apply the same plan as above; if you see that it is Specs and locked into Shadow Ball, go into Arceus, use Trick Room then Healing Wish, then send either Caly I or Lunala.
If you're on Calyrex Ice : you can apply pretty much the same process as for Lunala, considering that even non Tera'd Caly I survives Specs Shadow Ball, but if you consider that you don't need it anymore, you can sacrifice the horse, then go into Lunala, use Trick Room and then go from there.
If you're on Lunala and at full HP : Flutter Mane has to Tera as even Specs don't OHKO, so you can, if Tera has been used or you call no Tera, either tank the Shadow Ball and kill it or place the Trick Room again; or, if Tera is still usable for your opponent, you go into Arceus to cover for the Tera. After that, if it Tera'd, you either Extreme Speed it if it is Fairy, or Trick Room if it is Stellar or Ghost. Another possible option is to Tera yourself, but you should consider it only if you don't need it for Caly I or anyone else.
If you're on Lunala, but not at full HP : 90% of the time, you're better off sacrificing it, go into Dialga, use Trick Room then Steel Beam. But if you see that it has an insane matchup, you can instead sacrifice Dialga, go into Arceus, use Trick Room then Healing Wish, and then go back into Lunala.
If you're on Kyogre : sacrificing it is the better idea, as it has probably already done its job. If you see that is Life Orb, go into Dialga and apply the same plan as above; if you see that it is Specs and locked into Shadow Ball, go into Arceus, use Trick Room then Healing Wish, then send either Caly I or Lunala.
If you're on Calyrex Ice : you can apply pretty much the same process as for Lunala, considering that even non Tera'd Caly I survives Specs Shadow Ball, but if you consider that you don't need it anymore, you can sacrifice the horse, then go into Lunala, use Trick Room and then go from there.
This is probably the most annoying set to lead against in this team, mainly because of the fact you have to call it if you want to make your life easier. So I'm gonna give you multiple lines depending on your lead.
Hatterene lead : On the first turn, you click Trick Room, and 2 things can happen. If they Swords Dance or attack you, you just Healing Wish the turn after, then go to Lunala and try to 1 vs 1 the Zacian if they stay in. If they Substitute, you immediately switch into Dialga, as they probably only have Wild Charge and Behemoth Blade, and they cannot even 2HKO you if they don't run Close Combat even at +3, and if they do have it, you can survive one at +1. You break the Sub, then kill it with Earth Power and/or Steel Beam. If they have Close Combat and kill you with it, go into Kyogre and kill it.
Dialga lead : Trick Room first turn, they Sub, and from here you can either Rocks if you don't think they have Close Combat, or just break the Sub with Earth power as many times as possible. If they stall out the Trick Room, adapt your play from here. If they go into a hazards setter, just go into Hatterene afterwards, try to place the Trick Room, sacrifice it, and go from there.
Arceus lead : Pretty much the same lines as Hatterene, but you can incorporate a Taunt on turn 2 if you don't value Arceus that much in the match up.
Lunala lead : Trick Room turn 1, Meteor Beam breaks the Sub turn 2, then Moongeist Beam kills from there.
You don't wanna lead neither Caly I nor Kyogre in general, so I didn't include them.
Hatterene lead : On the first turn, you click Trick Room, and 2 things can happen. If they Swords Dance or attack you, you just Healing Wish the turn after, then go to Lunala and try to 1 vs 1 the Zacian if they stay in. If they Substitute, you immediately switch into Dialga, as they probably only have Wild Charge and Behemoth Blade, and they cannot even 2HKO you if they don't run Close Combat even at +3, and if they do have it, you can survive one at +1. You break the Sub, then kill it with Earth Power and/or Steel Beam. If they have Close Combat and kill you with it, go into Kyogre and kill it.
Dialga lead : Trick Room first turn, they Sub, and from here you can either Rocks if you don't think they have Close Combat, or just break the Sub with Earth power as many times as possible. If they stall out the Trick Room, adapt your play from here. If they go into a hazards setter, just go into Hatterene afterwards, try to place the Trick Room, sacrifice it, and go from there.
Arceus lead : Pretty much the same lines as Hatterene, but you can incorporate a Taunt on turn 2 if you don't value Arceus that much in the match up.
Lunala lead : Trick Room turn 1, Meteor Beam breaks the Sub turn 2, then Moongeist Beam kills from there.
You don't wanna lead neither Caly I nor Kyogre in general, so I didn't include them.
One of the most dangerous set in the tier, if you let it set up, you lose the game, so you need to play it turn by turn.
It's gonna come out at the end of the Trick Room, using one set up move, then you switch into your Arceus, use Trick Room, Taunt it, die from Judgment this turn or from Healing Wish next turn, and you adapt your answer from here. From here it had 3 turns to set up, so let's adapt our answer.
3 Calm Minds : If you see it only setting up CM's by the time you Taunt it, you can Extreme Speed on the next turn instead of Healing Wishing, so it can give Tera Ice Caly I a huge roll to kill. But if you decide to use Healing Wish instead, 2 Glacial Lances (even non Tera'd) will do the job.
2 Calm Minds and 1 Iron Defense : You can also Extreme Speed in this situation, but this time it guarantees the Kyogre 1 vs 1, as Water Spout into Origin Pulse is a kill.
1 Calm Mind and 2 Iron Defenses : No need for Extreme Speed this time, Water Spout into anything is a guaranteed kill.
3 Iron Defenses : 252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy in Rain: 459-541 (103.6 - 122.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
In general, Arceus is the best answer to Arceus, as it can tank any one hit, Taunt it or place the Trick Room guaranteed thanks to the Mental Herb, and reset the tempo in your favor.
It's gonna come out at the end of the Trick Room, using one set up move, then you switch into your Arceus, use Trick Room, Taunt it, die from Judgment this turn or from Healing Wish next turn, and you adapt your answer from here. From here it had 3 turns to set up, so let's adapt our answer.
3 Calm Minds : If you see it only setting up CM's by the time you Taunt it, you can Extreme Speed on the next turn instead of Healing Wishing, so it can give Tera Ice Caly I a huge roll to kill. But if you decide to use Healing Wish instead, 2 Glacial Lances (even non Tera'd) will do the job.
2 Calm Minds and 1 Iron Defense : You can also Extreme Speed in this situation, but this time it guarantees the Kyogre 1 vs 1, as Water Spout into Origin Pulse is a kill.
1 Calm Mind and 2 Iron Defenses : No need for Extreme Speed this time, Water Spout into anything is a guaranteed kill.
3 Iron Defenses : 252+ SpA Mystic Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Fairy in Rain: 459-541 (103.6 - 122.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
In general, Arceus is the best answer to Arceus, as it can tank any one hit, Taunt it or place the Trick Room guaranteed thanks to the Mental Herb, and reset the tempo in your favor.
This turtle can be annoying to deal with mid game (mainly after Hatterene died, if you still have it, just use it to shut down Pagos), so you need a line to take care of it.
Switch in Arceus, Taunt it, break the Tera Shell with Extreme Speed, use Trick Room, and that's where the line splits in 2. If they managed to use Rocks, just Healing Wish; if not, Taunt it again, then either Healing Wish or go into one of your offensive Mon.
Switch in Arceus, Taunt it, break the Tera Shell with Extreme Speed, use Trick Room, and that's where the line splits in 2. If they managed to use Rocks, just Healing Wish; if not, Taunt it again, then either Healing Wish or go into one of your offensive Mon.
Now I know that I've talked about this next part a bit throughout the other parts, but it is still important to tackle on this subject, which is :
What to do against other archetypes
In this section, I'm gonna give you the rundown on how to handle each archetypes, what to do during the lead 1 vs 1 and what Pokemons are gonna give you the most value.
As one of the most common archetype in the tier, you need to be prepared to see it a lot, and it is probably the best match up out of all of them. You don't care if Webs are up on your side (in fact, it can help you against slow NDM and opposing Caly I), so your lead is gonna be Dialga. You need Rocks to be up against HO teams, but even more against Webs considering their lead is a deadweight if Rocks are up.
The lead sequence will be as follows : Rocks, Earth Power, Trick Room, then Steel Beam until you die. If it is Scarf Trick Ribombee, you still use Rocks, but then you switch into Arceus, use Extreme Speed until the bee dies, Trick after it dies, then Healing Wish. The only scary part about all of this is gonna be RNG shenanigans (full paras and Steel Beam miss) but Lunala should give you some contigency plans in case something goes sour
Your best Pokemon here is gonna be Kyogre because, once Rocks are up, Water Spout into Ice Beam under the Sun takes care of Koraidon, so there are basically no safe switch into it. Don't be afraid to sacrifice your Mons here because it is gonna be a war of high tempo, and the one who gets it the most and uses it the best wins the game. For the Tera, you mostly don't need it, so you can use it defensively on Dialga or Arceus to make sure you gain the tempo during the mid game.
Lunala is mostly gonna be here as a defensive setter, but it can still do some job on its own if need be; Caly I can still do its job, but overall your most valuable option is gonna be Kyogre.
The lead sequence will be as follows : Rocks, Earth Power, Trick Room, then Steel Beam until you die. If it is Scarf Trick Ribombee, you still use Rocks, but then you switch into Arceus, use Extreme Speed until the bee dies, Trick after it dies, then Healing Wish. The only scary part about all of this is gonna be RNG shenanigans (full paras and Steel Beam miss) but Lunala should give you some contigency plans in case something goes sour
Your best Pokemon here is gonna be Kyogre because, once Rocks are up, Water Spout into Ice Beam under the Sun takes care of Koraidon, so there are basically no safe switch into it. Don't be afraid to sacrifice your Mons here because it is gonna be a war of high tempo, and the one who gets it the most and uses it the best wins the game. For the Tera, you mostly don't need it, so you can use it defensively on Dialga or Arceus to make sure you gain the tempo during the mid game.
Lunala is mostly gonna be here as a defensive setter, but it can still do some job on its own if need be; Caly I can still do its job, but overall your most valuable option is gonna be Kyogre.
Another common archetype, this time the match up is a bit tougher, as you have to play it differently to how you do against Webs, but it is still a very good match up if everything goes well during the leading phase. You need to deny hazards as much as humanly possible, so Hatterene is gonne be your best lead here.
The lead sequence will go like this : attack until it's one hit away from death, Trick Room then kill it. After that, you use Healing Wish and you go to town. This also applies to a Glimmora lead, but you need to be aware of an eventual Sash less variant, so you're gonna switch the first two turns up to cover for this.
Here, Caly I is gonna be your best option to sweep the opposing team, as they likely won't go have defensive set up Pokemons, and once the ball is rolling, you win every 1 vs 1 even if Trick Room goes away. Speaking of that, you're gonna want to use the Tera on Caly I as soon as possible, as nothing switches into it inside this archetype. Be careful around Focus Sashes, although they are becoming more and more rare.
Lunala will be here as both an offensive and a defensive option, considering hazards HO don't play as many Dark types as other archetypes, so it should do a pretty good job offensively. As for the defensive side, it will help against Fighting type moves (Koraidon, Zacian) that Arceus and Dialga might struggle with, so you can pivot easily through it if the opponent tend to spam those moves.
The lead sequence will go like this : attack until it's one hit away from death, Trick Room then kill it. After that, you use Healing Wish and you go to town. This also applies to a Glimmora lead, but you need to be aware of an eventual Sash less variant, so you're gonna switch the first two turns up to cover for this.
Here, Caly I is gonna be your best option to sweep the opposing team, as they likely won't go have defensive set up Pokemons, and once the ball is rolling, you win every 1 vs 1 even if Trick Room goes away. Speaking of that, you're gonna want to use the Tera on Caly I as soon as possible, as nothing switches into it inside this archetype. Be careful around Focus Sashes, although they are becoming more and more rare.
Lunala will be here as both an offensive and a defensive option, considering hazards HO don't play as many Dark types as other archetypes, so it should do a pretty good job offensively. As for the defensive side, it will help against Fighting type moves (Koraidon, Zacian) that Arceus and Dialga might struggle with, so you can pivot easily through it if the opponent tend to spam those moves.
Probably the least used type of HO, but it's probably the worst match up out of the 3, so you need to be prepared for it. Arceus is the best lead here, as Taunt with the Mental Herb allows at most one Screen, and you force it out afterwards.
Here is how the lead sequence will go : Arceus lead, Taunt, Trick Room on the switch out, Taunt the Pokemon that came in, as it will (most of the time) be a set up sweeper, then Healing Wish. If you see a Deoxys Speed and go with Hatterene as a lead, just Dazzling Gleam turn one, then switch into Arceus, and apply what I told you to do above, but you're probably gonna have both Screens up this time.
You're gonna want to take it a bit slower against this archetype, so Arceus and Lunala are gonna be your most valuable Pokemons here, Arceus with Taunt and Extreme Speed, and Lunala thanks to its bulk. After the Screens went away, Calyrex is gonna be your best cleaner, and you can use Hatterene, Dialga and Kyogre fully defensively, the latter helping out a lot against Koraidon and NDM.
For the Tera, you can use it defensively on either Arceus (for Koraidon), Dialga (for Ground spammers) or Kyogre (for NDM), but it's also possible to use it offensively on Caly I or Lunala, but I do believe it's more useful to use it defensively to buy you more time.
Here is how the lead sequence will go : Arceus lead, Taunt, Trick Room on the switch out, Taunt the Pokemon that came in, as it will (most of the time) be a set up sweeper, then Healing Wish. If you see a Deoxys Speed and go with Hatterene as a lead, just Dazzling Gleam turn one, then switch into Arceus, and apply what I told you to do above, but you're probably gonna have both Screens up this time.
You're gonna want to take it a bit slower against this archetype, so Arceus and Lunala are gonna be your most valuable Pokemons here, Arceus with Taunt and Extreme Speed, and Lunala thanks to its bulk. After the Screens went away, Calyrex is gonna be your best cleaner, and you can use Hatterene, Dialga and Kyogre fully defensively, the latter helping out a lot against Koraidon and NDM.
For the Tera, you can use it defensively on either Arceus (for Koraidon), Dialga (for Ground spammers) or Kyogre (for NDM), but it's also possible to use it offensively on Caly I or Lunala, but I do believe it's more useful to use it defensively to buy you more time.
I put those two archetypes together because the way you deal with them is very similar, and their structures are close to each other. Hatterene is the best lead here to deny hazards and set up Trick Room, and Calyrex Ice is gonna be your best Pokemon overall, as these structures don't have a ton of switch into this.
Important point, remember to scout for the sets before : if you see that there an Arceus Water, a Kyogre or a NDM, take your time, play around them, scout their sets force their options to see what they do, switch around Dialga, Arceus and Lunala, and weaken them to free the path for a Caly I sweep. The combination of Kyogre and Caly I is really gonna shine in this match up, as Caly I will force out recovery turns for Kyogre to come in and give you the advantage. Don't be scared to use Tera early, as Tera Ice Caly I is your best bet against these structures (that's why I put the NDM and the defensive Kyogre calcs in the Caly I section, so that you can identify the spreads immediately).
Lunala is gonna be here mostly defensively, to help identify what their sets are, but it can also threaten offensively, as most players are gonna send their Ho Oh into Caly I, not expecting this much damage, probably get KO'd, and then make Lunala extremely dangerous into pretty much anything outside a Tera of their own.
Important point, remember to scout for the sets before : if you see that there an Arceus Water, a Kyogre or a NDM, take your time, play around them, scout their sets force their options to see what they do, switch around Dialga, Arceus and Lunala, and weaken them to free the path for a Caly I sweep. The combination of Kyogre and Caly I is really gonna shine in this match up, as Caly I will force out recovery turns for Kyogre to come in and give you the advantage. Don't be scared to use Tera early, as Tera Ice Caly I is your best bet against these structures (that's why I put the NDM and the defensive Kyogre calcs in the Caly I section, so that you can identify the spreads immediately).
Lunala is gonna be here mostly defensively, to help identify what their sets are, but it can also threaten offensively, as most players are gonna send their Ho Oh into Caly I, not expecting this much damage, probably get KO'd, and then make Lunala extremely dangerous into pretty much anything outside a Tera of their own.
This a pretty rare match up as it is a very fishy archetype (and I lack experience against it), but this where your defensive options are gonna shine the most. Rocks on Dialga, Taunt on Arceus, and Psychic Noise coupled with Magic Bounce on Hatterene are all gonna be very good tools in this match up, so you need to use them effectively, and not sacrifice them for no reasons. Calyrex Ice is gonna be here to force options, as Tera Ice Glacial Lance is very threatening, but the 8 PP's are gonna be your main concern; Hatterene is gonna be here to shut down any attempts at setting hazards up, same goes for Arceus, but it also works for set up moves (Curse, Amnesia, Calm Mind, etc); Lunala is gonna be useful mostly late game, when its checks are worn out; Dialga will be important to keep alive as it is your only Rocks setter, but also because of its very useful typing and its decent damage if you need to burst down a target with Steel Beam; Kyogre will be here for burst damage, and can deal the most damage to every target if you use it properly.
For the lead, this time any lead can work : if you expect something such as Gliscor or Closdire, you can lead Arceus or Hatterene and deny most of their options; if you expect a wall, go for the answer that it is weak to (Kyogre for Dondozo, Calyrex for Blissey or Clodsire).
This is gonna be a very tough match up, but it is very winnable if you play it well.
For the lead, this time any lead can work : if you expect something such as Gliscor or Closdire, you can lead Arceus or Hatterene and deny most of their options; if you expect a wall, go for the answer that it is weak to (Kyogre for Dondozo, Calyrex for Blissey or Clodsire).
This is gonna be a very tough match up, but it is very winnable if you play it well.
Replays :
VS Stallion (ladder game)VS Doso749 (SSNL match) (very early in my build of the team as it doesn't have Lunala yet, but you can see the main way the team works)
VS The Dovahneer (SSNL match, again)
VS The Strap/Skysolo (SSNL match)VS Sasageyo (UWC match)(needed a Koraidon for this one, so I had to tag out Dialga and tag in Koraidon, but the core idea stays the same)I know that the team lacks replays, but I didn't use it a ton on the ladder, and when I did, I didn't always download the replays, mainly because I didn't think I would do a RMT lol. Some people might be then asking : "Why give this team out to the public if it worked out so well for you in surprise settings ?" I've never really liked gatekeeping knowledge, and I've always loved sharing teams that I made to people. It's always nice to see how they react to it, what feedback they would give to it, but mostly how they play it. That last one is very unique feeling, and it makes me wanna do more of this type of stuff.
But yeah, overall I'm very proud of this team, carried me a lot in difficult matches, and I hope you all will like it too ! Feel free to share any ideas that you have to modify the team, or even any questions to you may have.
Multiple thanks : first, thank you so much to ZowwyCafé♪ for giving me so much advices as to how to do a RMT. This is my first one ever (at least at this scale), probably not my last, but without her advices, I wouldn't have done it at all. Huge thanks to Oya/Semort and YoruNoxx for being such amazing friends and people, and to have kept me company while I was going insane writing this down (go check them out in their respective tiers, they are amazing players). Thanks to entrocefalo and OreoSpeedruns for allowing me to deepen my knowledge about the tier and giving me the chance to build for them, hopefully I was at least useful at some point lol. Thank you to Giogiovannio (or Urayne on Discord, I don't know if they have a Smogon account lol) for giving me the base idea of the team and giving me feedback on how to upgrade it. And lastly, thanks to everyone that's gonna read this ! I hope you've found it at least interesting and that you're gonna give it a try, and if so, feel free to dm me on Smogon or on Discord !
I've been writing all of this for 10 hours in total (fuckass ADHD), it's midnight for me, I'm going to bed
