Monotype Flying Balance Featuring Scarf Zapdos-Galar
Importable: https://pokepast.es/9c40a722a4159de8
Importable: https://pokepast.es/9c40a722a4159de8
Just hit 1500 on the monotype ladder! Mostly thanks to this flying team in combination with a dark team I posted here last month. This flying team could definitely use some improvements, so please let me know your thoughts! I definitely think the move sets could use some tweaking and maybe even a sub or two to adjust for role overlap. I don't typically build defensive teams so I am sure there are some obvious oversights in this build. Thanks for checking out my team!
In order of how I built the team:
Zapdos-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- U-turn
I began with scarf Z-G for no other reason than I really just wanted to build around him. The strong and fast close combat serves flying well against steel and dragon teams where the likes of archaludon, goodra-H, bisharp, heatran and others are big threats to mono flying. The fighting typing also allows it to switch into stealth rocks for neutral damage which is nice when not holding boots. I briefly considered choice band as well but found that the extra speed control was more valuable than raw power on this mon. Defiant also comes in clutch against opposing Landorus-T or Salamence in the mirror matchup.
U-Turn became a highlight move so I decided this set would be best if paired with pivots to bring it in safely, which the flying type has plenty of. So next I added:
Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 248 HP / 44 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Knock Off
- U-turn
I believe the whole flying archetype would be significantly worse if not for Tornadus-T. The ability to blanket check neutral special attackers and pivot freely with regenerator while easily spreading knock off is so powerful. Hurricane hits respectably hard (if not for some frustrating misses) and heat wave further helps against opposing corviknight, iron crown, etc. that Z-G only hits for neutral damage. Even with just 216 speed EVs Tornadus-T is often outspeeding the majority of the tier. This set was lifted directly from the forums, so not much else to say as it is tried and true.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Toxic
Defensive Gliscor felt like a natural companion for Tornadus-T to shore up it's defensive weakness. Also acting as the dedicated hazard setter for the team able to consistently get rocks up in almost any matchup. Earthquake is fantastic against poison and, of course, the electric immunity is absolutely essential. Toxic + protect gives me an out against setup sweepers or stallers that gliscor would normally be useless against. Most notably, weakness policy ceruledge and armarouge get their focus sash or endure shenanigans shut down by toxic. I opted not to use U-Turn on gliscor to provide more active utility, and others will have the move later.
Articuno @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 248 HP / 208 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Freeze-Dry
- Roost
- U-turn
- Haze
Specially defensive Articuno felt like a good friend for the team to help patch up the ice type weakness, as well as provide haze to stop setup sweeps, especially bulky ones like hatterene or dondozo for example. Freeze dry is MASSIVE in the water matchup as well as the ground matchup. Roost and U-Turn provide longevity and provide opportunities to bring in Z-G or my other defensive mons.
I felt like at this point, I needed another offensive threat to bring in with all these U-Turns, so naturally I turned to the goat:
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earth Power
- Focus Blast
- Psychic
- Rock Slide
Life orb 4 attacks Landorus is extremely deadly with all of its coverage. This set is taken straight off the forums and works amazing. Earth power hits neutral targets for massive damage and absolutely rips through poison and electric teams. Focus blast helps a lot in the steel and dark matchups, as well as hitting skarmory and corviknight for solid neutral damage. Psychic feels like it could be replaceable, but it has come in handy against fighting since Landorus himself does not hold a flying move. Rock slide is fantastic into the fire matchup and takes care of moltres and volcarona, as well as helping out tons in the mirror matchup.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 12 Atk / 100 Def / 144 SpD
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Roost
The team desperately needed a defogger, so I added (possibly) the best one in the game. Iron head is nice into mono fairy and mono rock, and the rest of the moveset is pretty standard. This also helps a lot into ice types which are of course always problematic. With the addition of corvi, the full team has 2 special tanks, 2 physical tanks, and 2 offensive mons (one physical and one special). This seemed like a pretty well rounded build, and this is why I think it has worked for me so far.
Thanks for checking out my team! Please let me know if you have any suggestions to help improve the team as I try to push higher on ladder.
-5penny (previously Spenny0107)
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Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers