nice! Would it be possible to include it in the first post for future reference?
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Metagame Bad 'n Boosted (OMotM October!)
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i have no idea how to use tampermonkey, is this mobile compatible?
Assuming you are using Safari, then you need to:
1. Go to the app store and download "Userscripts"
2. In Settings, search for "Extensions"
3. Find Userscripts and toggle it on.
4. Click this: Install the Userscript and click view
5. Click the puzzle piece that should be in the address bar
6. Tap Userscripts, and pull the popup up fully.
7. Install it
Andd that should be good, DM me if you need it explained further
Last edited:
Given that a VR may be a thing soon, I may as well list IMO what is viable in the meta, I organized the stuff by type (in particular focusing on if a mon would be used more by one type over the other, if dual-typed).
:dragon:
:dragonair::fraxure::kyurem-black::kyurem-white::zekrom::giratina::giratina-origin::palkia-origin::tatsugiri::regidrago::vibrava:
:fairy:
:gardevoir::sylveon::ribombee::scream tail::morgrem::clefairy::clefable::hatterene:
:ice:
:frosmoth::calyrex-ice::weavile::cloyster::iron bundle::cetitan::dewgong::chien-pao::beartic::vulpix-alola:
:rock:
:rampardos::diancie::tyranitar::kleavor::minior::lycanroc-dusk::iron boulder::naclstack:
:ground:
:ursaluna-bloodmoon::pupitar::marshtomp::ting-lu::groudon::ursaluna::hippowdon::dugtrio::quagsire::gastrodon::krookodile:
:water:
:bruxish::quaxwell::inteleon::barraskewda::dondozo::alomomola::ludicolo::palafin-hero::poliwrath::crawdaunt::rotom-wash:
:poison:
:toxapex::clodsire::eternatus::salazzle::weezing-galar::fezandipiti::ariados::iron moth::victreebel::gengar::tentacruel::venomoth::toxtricity::gloom::grafaiai::foongus::amoonguss::slowbro-galar::bellsprout::bulbasaur::glimmora:
:fire:
:pignite::scovillain::volcarona::volcanion::raboot::gouging fire::lampent::growlithe::rotom-heat::torkoal::vulpix::skeledirge:
:grass:
:skiddo::nuzleaf::brambleghast::thwackey::meowscarada::sprigatito::grookey::wo-chien::jumpluff::sinistcha::snivy::servine::shaymin-sky:
:steel:
:archaludon::goodra-hisui::duraludon::dialga::bisharp::kingambit::magnezone::magneton::orthworm::zacian-crowned::scizor::iron treads::excadrill::necrozma-dusk-mane::metagross::perrserker::magearna::gholdengo::bronzong:
:electric:
:iron hands::jolteon::regieleki::dedenne::galvantula::eelektrik::pikachu:
:fighting:
:koraidon::emboar::iron valiant::breloom::great tusk::lucario::blaziken::gallade::primeape::mienshao::hariyama::falinks:
:ghosT:
:flutter mane::hoopa::banette::spectrier::froslass::zoroark-hisui::zorua-hisui::lunala:
:psychic:
:deoxys::deoxys-speed::deoxys-defense::deoxys-attack::azelf::farigiraf::girafarig::mewtwo::indeedee-f::hattrem:
:dark:
:hoopa-unbound::morpeko::persian-alola::umbreon::zoroark::chi-yu::zweilous::urshifu::samurott-hisui::sableye::zorua:
:normal:
:persian::dunsparce::arceus::blissey::komala::ambipom::wigglytuff::porygon::porygon-z::ditto::smeargle:
:bug:
:masquerain:
:flying:
:kilowattrel::skarmory::thundurus-therian::ho-oh::pelipper::braviary-hisui::oricorio-pom-pom::oricorio-sensu::oricorio::rufflet::staraptor::rayquaza::noivern::enamorus::vullaby::dodrio::drifblim:
:dragon:
:dragonair::fraxure::kyurem-black::kyurem-white::zekrom::giratina::giratina-origin::palkia-origin::tatsugiri::regidrago::vibrava:
:fairy:
:gardevoir::sylveon::ribombee::scream tail::morgrem::clefairy::clefable::hatterene:
:ice:
:frosmoth::calyrex-ice::weavile::cloyster::iron bundle::cetitan::dewgong::chien-pao::beartic::vulpix-alola:
:rock:
:rampardos::diancie::tyranitar::kleavor::minior::lycanroc-dusk::iron boulder::naclstack:
:ground:
:ursaluna-bloodmoon::pupitar::marshtomp::ting-lu::groudon::ursaluna::hippowdon::dugtrio::quagsire::gastrodon::krookodile:
:water:
:bruxish::quaxwell::inteleon::barraskewda::dondozo::alomomola::ludicolo::palafin-hero::poliwrath::crawdaunt::rotom-wash:
:poison:
:toxapex::clodsire::eternatus::salazzle::weezing-galar::fezandipiti::ariados::iron moth::victreebel::gengar::tentacruel::venomoth::toxtricity::gloom::grafaiai::foongus::amoonguss::slowbro-galar::bellsprout::bulbasaur::glimmora:
:fire:
:pignite::scovillain::volcarona::volcanion::raboot::gouging fire::lampent::growlithe::rotom-heat::torkoal::vulpix::skeledirge:
:grass:
:skiddo::nuzleaf::brambleghast::thwackey::meowscarada::sprigatito::grookey::wo-chien::jumpluff::sinistcha::snivy::servine::shaymin-sky:
:steel:
:archaludon::goodra-hisui::duraludon::dialga::bisharp::kingambit::magnezone::magneton::orthworm::zacian-crowned::scizor::iron treads::excadrill::necrozma-dusk-mane::metagross::perrserker::magearna::gholdengo::bronzong:
:electric:
:iron hands::jolteon::regieleki::dedenne::galvantula::eelektrik::pikachu:
:fighting:
:koraidon::emboar::iron valiant::breloom::great tusk::lucario::blaziken::gallade::primeape::mienshao::hariyama::falinks:
:ghosT:
:flutter mane::hoopa::banette::spectrier::froslass::zoroark-hisui::zorua-hisui::lunala:
:psychic:
:deoxys::deoxys-speed::deoxys-defense::deoxys-attack::azelf::farigiraf::girafarig::mewtwo::indeedee-f::hattrem:
:dark:
:hoopa-unbound::morpeko::persian-alola::umbreon::zoroark::chi-yu::zweilous::urshifu::samurott-hisui::sableye::zorua:
:normal:
:persian::dunsparce::arceus::blissey::komala::ambipom::wigglytuff::porygon::porygon-z::ditto::smeargle:
:bug:
:masquerain:
:flying:
:kilowattrel::skarmory::thundurus-therian::ho-oh::pelipper::braviary-hisui::oricorio-pom-pom::oricorio-sensu::oricorio::rufflet::staraptor::rayquaza::noivern::enamorus::vullaby::dodrio::drifblim:
Last edited:
:sceptile: @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unburden
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Synthesis
- Shed Tail
- Leech Seed
- Energy Ball
Fun 'mon I've not seen before but wanted to try out. Back in the day, we had Cyclizar as a Shed Tail bot and this is probably the closest we can get to it now. Yes, Orthworm exists and is generally better than Sceptile, but Sceptile has better longevity to repeatedly use Shed Tail. Sceptile also has great physical bulk (120/140) and okay special bulk (120/140/85) to actually sit on stuff and get going. I haven't used it that much yet, but so far it's been pretty fun and I hope someone else is able to make it work as well.
I rarely ever click the last two moves. Leech Seed is nice to just annoy 'mons and lets you give the Pokemon you switch to some further healing. Energy Ball is there so you can threaten out the bulky Waters and Grounds that you sit on. Definitely room for optimization there.
Good partners include anything that loves getting a free turn. I've been using Belly Drum Booster Speed Iron Hands and Dragon Dance Kyurem-Black. You definitely want to invest in multiple abusers, as IMO, Sceptile embodies Shed Tail as a playstyle and you want to get value out of the option to use it multiple times. KyuB has been the absolute highlight of the team, also for the fact that it can abuse Shed Tail multiple times better than something like Iron Hands.
Ability: Unburden
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Synthesis
- Shed Tail
- Leech Seed
- Energy Ball
Fun 'mon I've not seen before but wanted to try out. Back in the day, we had Cyclizar as a Shed Tail bot and this is probably the closest we can get to it now. Yes, Orthworm exists and is generally better than Sceptile, but Sceptile has better longevity to repeatedly use Shed Tail. Sceptile also has great physical bulk (120/140) and okay special bulk (120/140/85) to actually sit on stuff and get going. I haven't used it that much yet, but so far it's been pretty fun and I hope someone else is able to make it work as well.
I rarely ever click the last two moves. Leech Seed is nice to just annoy 'mons and lets you give the Pokemon you switch to some further healing. Energy Ball is there so you can threaten out the bulky Waters and Grounds that you sit on. Definitely room for optimization there.
Good partners include anything that loves getting a free turn. I've been using Belly Drum Booster Speed Iron Hands and Dragon Dance Kyurem-Black. You definitely want to invest in multiple abusers, as IMO, Sceptile embodies Shed Tail as a playstyle and you want to get value out of the option to use it multiple times. KyuB has been the absolute highlight of the team, also for the fact that it can abuse Shed Tail multiple times better than something like Iron Hands.
:SV/Skarmory:BnB Updates!:SV/flutter-mane:
For those who haven't seen yet, we now have a VR that can be found here:
If you have any comments on placements or certain Pokemon that you believe should be added, feel free to voice them in this thread or in OM/BnB Discord.
Additionally,
Sample Team Submissions are now open!
If you've found success with certain teams, please post them in this thread to submit as samples!
Stay tuned for more updates!
Last edited:
Hey guys, I wanted to make a rank 1 post. My peak elo so far has been about 1700, 88 GXE, ~+4/-40 per game.
https://pokepast.es/e897a83ef6f95b85
I enjoy stall, but for most of you who probably don't, you can still use this as a resource for deciding which stall-breakers to use. The team has a classic hazards win condition. Knock their Heavy Duty Boots off, paralyze them, and phase. Thief on Skarmory has been a ground-breaking tech to get Heavy Duty Boots off of Spinners to make quick progress, where previously difficult. Then, switch in Clef on the next Spin, and leave them with a Sticky Barb. Even with heavy optimization, the team still has room for improvement. 5 of the 6 mons have custom EV spreads, which are loosely guided by calcs, but adjusted throughout hundreds of games to net successful results.
Ho-Oh @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Atk / 64 Def / 60 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Recover
- Whirlwind
You just have to know in advance whether the opposing mon can learn Knock Off. Adding 124 attack was the primary change made for investment against Salazzle. According to my calcs, a 0 attack invested BB will break a 0 hp 0 defense salazzle sub 24% of the time. Adding 124 attack brings that 24% chance up to an 87% chance. In real play, the damage output seems to be a little higher though in a good way. The extra attack is also noticed against Alomomola, often putting it in 2HKO range after hazards, preventing it from switching in as freely as it is used to. 8 Speed for the faster whirlwind. Tera Fairy is optimal vs. Koraidon, but it's a bit of a mindgame, and essential to not click it too early. The formula is that I always hold Tera and whirlwind them the first time to scout for Tera Fire + SD. The next time they swtich in, you can be sure they will click their Dragon move on you straight away, and then you have the option to Tera and catch them with a BB.
Persian-Alola @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Fur Coat
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Knock Off
- Roar
- Rest
Aka, the "Goat." In my opinion, Persian-Alola is the #1 mon in BnB, and should be at the top of the S+ list. He is my lead nearly every game because he can tank just about any first move other than a Specs Kyogre Water Spout. We often get a free Knock straight away, or if I expect them to Knock back, sometimes I will switch to let Skarm get Knocked instead. For the longest time, I ran T-Wave over Foul Play because T-Wave is optimal to run on your lead mon. But why click T-Wave, when you can knock out that Calyrex, Koraidon, or Zacian-C instead? Tera Fire is a frequent usage to wall all 3 of these, and the extra Fairy resist has been relevant too, aiding against mons like Clef & Ribombee. Fire is weak to High Horsepower from Calyrex, but the results have been holding up, even compared to Tera Water.
Dondozo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 SpD
Careful Nature
- Liquidation
- Body Slam
- Curse
- Rest
Dozo occupies the "fill slot" of the team. I tested 20+ mons in his place, everything from Koraidon to Blissey. Once I settled on Dozo though, the team as a whole sky-rocketed in consistency. It's not a perfect answer, but it gives counterplay to some of the nastiest stall-breakers I have encountered. It can contest Taunt Tera Blast Fairy Mightyena if you can secure a Body Slam Para. It tanks 2 Glacial Lances from Banded Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice as it provides a key Ice resist for the team. It can combat Tera Electric Zacian-Crowned after 1 Curse. Dozo's role is to stop the momentum of some of these threats, not to dish back damage in return. We want to create a situation in which these threats take hazard damage upon entry, and have to switch out. I labbed Dozo vs. Ribombee and discovered that Tera Steel is superior vs Stored Power strategies, not Tera Dark, because the Ribombee amongst others run Moonblast for coverage. Further, to 1v1 a 100% health Ribombee, the only solution is Dozo needs to curse twice and then Wave Crash twice to 2HKO it - if dozo uses a lower power move in this scenario, he gives ribombee time to QD 1 too many times for it to handle. So for this reason, I trialed Wave Crash for a while, and the 1v1 situation just never came up. Fundementally, the best way to beat Ribombee is to weaken it with hazards so you don't have to fear that 100% health demon when it enters as the last mon. So I've slotted in Liquidation as a fill move for now, but it also seems natural because it is an OP move.
Clodsire @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 168 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
Aka, Anti-Kyogre Insurance with the Water Absorb. And doubles as the primary switch in to Flutter Mane, because some of them run power gem for Ho-Oh. It's difficult evaluating Clod's power level, because although he is without doubt the weakest mon on the team, there are so few mons in the game that can switch into a Kyogre Water Spout, let alone if it's specs or Tera Water, and Clod takes 0% with the Water Absorb. Clod isn't even a "counter" as well because they can just predict the switch by clicking ice beam (2HKO if specs, 3HKO without). With Rain as the team's weakest matchup, Clod turns an auto ff matchup into one that is playable if you get some predictions correct. The next tricky question is: if I were to concede the rain matchup and opt to not invest in water absorb, who would I even replace Clod with anyways? There are many good mons, but the best answer is not clear. Clef or Skarm could run rocks as well, so it wouldn't even have to be a rocker. Clod functions as an okay support mon not just due to it's ability, but useful typing, providing a needed Ground type for the team, and Poison type to absorb the occasional Toxic Spikes/Debris. Poison Jab to apply status, and EQ to chip threats like Salazzle and Zekrom, for example. I've been liking the physical versions of Poison/Ground STAB because they get consistent chip into calm minders, which will always be bigger threats to the team because Persian exists. And I cant help but mention that 32pp on Poison Jab is satisfying. Generally, though, if we can take out the opposing Spinner/Defogger and get rocks to stick on the field, I'm happy saccing or trading this mon off. Clod is the worst mon to Tera, but I slotted in Tera Fire because it seems optimal vs. Kyogre.
Clefairy @ Sticky Barb
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 80 SpD / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Thunder Wave
- Wish
- Moonlight
Clef is one of those mons that feels okay to play with, but as soon as your opponent has it, you just can't play the game. No more Salt Cure, Leech Seed, Curse, Toxic/Burn, hazards, Knock off courtasy of Fairy typing, and free switch in for the next Wish Pass with the optimal now 140 base hp. Skarm is our early game switch in to Knock off, and Clef becomes the better late game switch in after we execute our Sticky Barb play. Sticky barb is a goated item, and usually claims a mon entirely by itself. A good mon of choice is the rapid spinner. Goodbye Hatterene on the Nuzzle/Draining Kiss. Perfect for Breloom, although you may have to be patient until they bring it out Mid-Late game, and it's a maneuver getting the toxic orb Knocked off first. Night shade > Moonblast for chip onto opposing Skarmory, Deoxys-D, or Calm Mind Clef. Clef has access to an amazing movepool. It has become clear that the highest win% moves to include are Night shade and wish. Either Persian or Clef could run T-Wave for the team, and it has made sense to give T-Wave to Clef to let Persian carry better with Foul Play. T-Wave also has synergy with Night shade because Night shade is most effective vs. Paralyzed targets to drain Recover PP. Given the first 3 moves, our last move must be Moonlight or Protect, so I have been enjoying Moonlight for obvious reasons. The team is weak to Braviary-Hisui, especially if it clicks Tera Flying, so I teched in a possible answer in Tera Electric Clef, made to tank Heat Waves where Tera Steel Dozo could not. It's still tricky because Tera Flying Hurricane does 2HKO Clef without Tera Electric, and Braviary still outspeeds Clef even when Paralyzed. What this means is: Game plan to Knock or Thief the Life orb ASAP, so that Clef no longer requires Tera to survive 2 Tera Flying Hurricanes. And we just have the Tera Electric as a last resort if this cannot be done. Yes, there are CM Braviary variants. This strategy is to prep against: Hurricane, Psychic, Heat Wave, Roost. If they drop Heat Wave, Tera Steel Dozo can handle it. If they drop Roost, we can play the hazards game because they need life orb to do relevant damage.
Skarmory @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 164 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Thief
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
Last, but not least, Thief is a fantastic move on Skarm. The most important mon to Knock Off is the opposing Spinner/Defogger, and they will bring this mon in against Skarm. Just be careful to not Thief the AV, as some Spinners run that. Thief also gives us a great edge in the mirror matchup. Sitrus Berry has felt great to guarantee Thief value each game, but maybe there is a better consumable item I have not thought of. 8 Speed for faster whirlwind. We don't Tera Skarm, but I slotted in Tera Ground as a 1-time Fail-Safe vs. perhaps Tera Electric Zacian-C, Zekrom, Archaludon, the electric move is always telegraphed.
Room for improvement? It's a bit unsatifying that no mon on the team gets STAB value out of Tera, like some other mons do: Koraidon, Kyogre, Calyrex-Ice, and Terapagos for example. But, that speaks to the team's gameplan of flexibility, using the tools to optimally solve problems as you encounter them.
Here is a replay of a match I had today with another top 5 player (who I know is very good) that perfectly encapsulates the flow of the team.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9badnboosted-2696321030
Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk, and I hope you enjoy! - Benny
https://pokepast.es/e897a83ef6f95b85
I enjoy stall, but for most of you who probably don't, you can still use this as a resource for deciding which stall-breakers to use. The team has a classic hazards win condition. Knock their Heavy Duty Boots off, paralyze them, and phase. Thief on Skarmory has been a ground-breaking tech to get Heavy Duty Boots off of Spinners to make quick progress, where previously difficult. Then, switch in Clef on the next Spin, and leave them with a Sticky Barb. Even with heavy optimization, the team still has room for improvement. 5 of the 6 mons have custom EV spreads, which are loosely guided by calcs, but adjusted throughout hundreds of games to net successful results.
Ho-Oh @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Atk / 64 Def / 60 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Recover
- Whirlwind
You just have to know in advance whether the opposing mon can learn Knock Off. Adding 124 attack was the primary change made for investment against Salazzle. According to my calcs, a 0 attack invested BB will break a 0 hp 0 defense salazzle sub 24% of the time. Adding 124 attack brings that 24% chance up to an 87% chance. In real play, the damage output seems to be a little higher though in a good way. The extra attack is also noticed against Alomomola, often putting it in 2HKO range after hazards, preventing it from switching in as freely as it is used to. 8 Speed for the faster whirlwind. Tera Fairy is optimal vs. Koraidon, but it's a bit of a mindgame, and essential to not click it too early. The formula is that I always hold Tera and whirlwind them the first time to scout for Tera Fire + SD. The next time they swtich in, you can be sure they will click their Dragon move on you straight away, and then you have the option to Tera and catch them with a BB.
Persian-Alola @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Fur Coat
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Knock Off
- Roar
- Rest
Aka, the "Goat." In my opinion, Persian-Alola is the #1 mon in BnB, and should be at the top of the S+ list. He is my lead nearly every game because he can tank just about any first move other than a Specs Kyogre Water Spout. We often get a free Knock straight away, or if I expect them to Knock back, sometimes I will switch to let Skarm get Knocked instead. For the longest time, I ran T-Wave over Foul Play because T-Wave is optimal to run on your lead mon. But why click T-Wave, when you can knock out that Calyrex, Koraidon, or Zacian-C instead? Tera Fire is a frequent usage to wall all 3 of these, and the extra Fairy resist has been relevant too, aiding against mons like Clef & Ribombee. Fire is weak to High Horsepower from Calyrex, but the results have been holding up, even compared to Tera Water.
Dondozo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 SpD
Careful Nature
- Liquidation
- Body Slam
- Curse
- Rest
Dozo occupies the "fill slot" of the team. I tested 20+ mons in his place, everything from Koraidon to Blissey. Once I settled on Dozo though, the team as a whole sky-rocketed in consistency. It's not a perfect answer, but it gives counterplay to some of the nastiest stall-breakers I have encountered. It can contest Taunt Tera Blast Fairy Mightyena if you can secure a Body Slam Para. It tanks 2 Glacial Lances from Banded Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice as it provides a key Ice resist for the team. It can combat Tera Electric Zacian-Crowned after 1 Curse. Dozo's role is to stop the momentum of some of these threats, not to dish back damage in return. We want to create a situation in which these threats take hazard damage upon entry, and have to switch out. I labbed Dozo vs. Ribombee and discovered that Tera Steel is superior vs Stored Power strategies, not Tera Dark, because the Ribombee amongst others run Moonblast for coverage. Further, to 1v1 a 100% health Ribombee, the only solution is Dozo needs to curse twice and then Wave Crash twice to 2HKO it - if dozo uses a lower power move in this scenario, he gives ribombee time to QD 1 too many times for it to handle. So for this reason, I trialed Wave Crash for a while, and the 1v1 situation just never came up. Fundementally, the best way to beat Ribombee is to weaken it with hazards so you don't have to fear that 100% health demon when it enters as the last mon. So I've slotted in Liquidation as a fill move for now, but it also seems natural because it is an OP move.
Clodsire @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 168 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
Aka, Anti-Kyogre Insurance with the Water Absorb. And doubles as the primary switch in to Flutter Mane, because some of them run power gem for Ho-Oh. It's difficult evaluating Clod's power level, because although he is without doubt the weakest mon on the team, there are so few mons in the game that can switch into a Kyogre Water Spout, let alone if it's specs or Tera Water, and Clod takes 0% with the Water Absorb. Clod isn't even a "counter" as well because they can just predict the switch by clicking ice beam (2HKO if specs, 3HKO without). With Rain as the team's weakest matchup, Clod turns an auto ff matchup into one that is playable if you get some predictions correct. The next tricky question is: if I were to concede the rain matchup and opt to not invest in water absorb, who would I even replace Clod with anyways? There are many good mons, but the best answer is not clear. Clef or Skarm could run rocks as well, so it wouldn't even have to be a rocker. Clod functions as an okay support mon not just due to it's ability, but useful typing, providing a needed Ground type for the team, and Poison type to absorb the occasional Toxic Spikes/Debris. Poison Jab to apply status, and EQ to chip threats like Salazzle and Zekrom, for example. I've been liking the physical versions of Poison/Ground STAB because they get consistent chip into calm minders, which will always be bigger threats to the team because Persian exists. And I cant help but mention that 32pp on Poison Jab is satisfying. Generally, though, if we can take out the opposing Spinner/Defogger and get rocks to stick on the field, I'm happy saccing or trading this mon off. Clod is the worst mon to Tera, but I slotted in Tera Fire because it seems optimal vs. Kyogre.
Clefairy @ Sticky Barb
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 80 SpD / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Thunder Wave
- Wish
- Moonlight
Clef is one of those mons that feels okay to play with, but as soon as your opponent has it, you just can't play the game. No more Salt Cure, Leech Seed, Curse, Toxic/Burn, hazards, Knock off courtasy of Fairy typing, and free switch in for the next Wish Pass with the optimal now 140 base hp. Skarm is our early game switch in to Knock off, and Clef becomes the better late game switch in after we execute our Sticky Barb play. Sticky barb is a goated item, and usually claims a mon entirely by itself. A good mon of choice is the rapid spinner. Goodbye Hatterene on the Nuzzle/Draining Kiss. Perfect for Breloom, although you may have to be patient until they bring it out Mid-Late game, and it's a maneuver getting the toxic orb Knocked off first. Night shade > Moonblast for chip onto opposing Skarmory, Deoxys-D, or Calm Mind Clef. Clef has access to an amazing movepool. It has become clear that the highest win% moves to include are Night shade and wish. Either Persian or Clef could run T-Wave for the team, and it has made sense to give T-Wave to Clef to let Persian carry better with Foul Play. T-Wave also has synergy with Night shade because Night shade is most effective vs. Paralyzed targets to drain Recover PP. Given the first 3 moves, our last move must be Moonlight or Protect, so I have been enjoying Moonlight for obvious reasons. The team is weak to Braviary-Hisui, especially if it clicks Tera Flying, so I teched in a possible answer in Tera Electric Clef, made to tank Heat Waves where Tera Steel Dozo could not. It's still tricky because Tera Flying Hurricane does 2HKO Clef without Tera Electric, and Braviary still outspeeds Clef even when Paralyzed. What this means is: Game plan to Knock or Thief the Life orb ASAP, so that Clef no longer requires Tera to survive 2 Tera Flying Hurricanes. And we just have the Tera Electric as a last resort if this cannot be done. Yes, there are CM Braviary variants. This strategy is to prep against: Hurricane, Psychic, Heat Wave, Roost. If they drop Heat Wave, Tera Steel Dozo can handle it. If they drop Roost, we can play the hazards game because they need life orb to do relevant damage.
Skarmory @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 164 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Thief
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
Last, but not least, Thief is a fantastic move on Skarm. The most important mon to Knock Off is the opposing Spinner/Defogger, and they will bring this mon in against Skarm. Just be careful to not Thief the AV, as some Spinners run that. Thief also gives us a great edge in the mirror matchup. Sitrus Berry has felt great to guarantee Thief value each game, but maybe there is a better consumable item I have not thought of. 8 Speed for faster whirlwind. We don't Tera Skarm, but I slotted in Tera Ground as a 1-time Fail-Safe vs. perhaps Tera Electric Zacian-C, Zekrom, Archaludon, the electric move is always telegraphed.
Room for improvement? It's a bit unsatifying that no mon on the team gets STAB value out of Tera, like some other mons do: Koraidon, Kyogre, Calyrex-Ice, and Terapagos for example. But, that speaks to the team's gameplan of flexibility, using the tools to optimally solve problems as you encounter them.
Here is a replay of a match I had today with another top 5 player (who I know is very good) that perfectly encapsulates the flow of the team.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9badnboosted-2696321030
Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk, and I hope you enjoy! - Benny
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BNB is very fun, and I like how so many things are viable, yay!
That being said, be civil and free to have opinions nicely.
Alright, here are some thoughts on the brand new VR, some agreeing, some things other than agreeing.
:Skarmory: Skarmory
First I will start with agreeing; Skarmory is goated, and in my opinion, easily the best mon in the tier.
As a defensive pokemon, skarm has essentially no weaknesses, and every sweeper needs to take skarm into account.
Not only are it's stats perfect, and it's typing is great, but its defensive movepool is almost everything you could ask for. Spikes, Rocks, Reliable recovery, Phazing, thief if you are cheeky, Taunt, Iron defense + Body Press or even Swords dance if you really want to throw in a surprise. Even sturdy can come in clutch to prevent a sweep, but likely it will not have to get that far, because of the defensive profile.
:Vibrava: Vibrava
Now I will take a turn to disagree. Vibrava is overrated.
1. It loses to Skarmory hard. That is a big deal.
2. It has to compete with skarmory and tusk and clod if trying to be defensive, while competing with tusk, ursalunas and excadrill on the offensive side.
The biggest boon Vibrava has that keeps it unique and viable in some teams is access to a very strong first impression, which is very valuable priority, but I think it just matches up poorly into a little too much to be an A tier mon.
:pelipper: Rain :Ludicolo:
Not much to say other than Ludicolo is by far the best rain abuser, if you ain't using it, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
:Persian-Alola: Alolan Persian
As Botside Benny said, the Goat.
While I do think Skarmory is a bit better, man this is such a good glue mon. Parting Shot on balance, Roar for safety and decreased passiveness, Rest for stall, Foul Play to destroy the physical attackers you wall, and Knock off and T-wave are always nice to have. A pokemon with a good typing, great movepool, and fantastic stats does not deserve a flat x2 Defense Boost for free.
This mon takes glacial lances about as well as dondozo, who I need to remind you... RESISTS THEM.
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 169-199 (33.5 - 39.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 164-194 (35.3 - 41.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Freakin Koraidon needs a damage boosting item to 2hko:
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 170-204 (36.6 - 43.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Collision Course (133.3251953125 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 188-224 (40.5 - 48.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Easily a top 10 mon, probably top 5, and definitely deserving of S- alongside the other greats.
:Emboar: Emboar
While I don't necesarily disagree with the placement, personally I have found great success with emboar.
With it's natural bulk it can find entrances, and it is a very consistent breaker.
The list of pokemon that are able to switch into it safely are basically none if you factor in the possibility of knock, and wild charge on top of it's stabs. Phys def ho-oh and salazzle can, but would hate to lose their items. Pex is the only reliable-ish one, but wild charge does just over 50%, so be careful.
TLDR on Emboar, it clicks tanks moves surprisingly well, and hits surprisingly hard with its very nice stabs, bolstered by the right coverage. and 130 speed is nothing to scoff at.
:Orthworm: Shed Tail :Sceptile:
This mostly goes to Orthworm, but sceptile is probably decent with leech, synthesis and hella boosted hp/defense as well.
Why the heck (pardon my french) is this not banned?
Yes phazing and taunt are valuable items to have in the meta, inherently making Shed Tail worse, however it is crazy to say it is not good.
Here is one example:
You know that my orthworm will shedtail this next turn, but your current mon, Clodsire, is slower and doesn't have access to phazing.
Do you...
1. Stay in and watch me switch in my Choice Band calyrex-ice safely and fail to break a sub/setup rocks in hopes of phazing me out later,
2. Switch to a Physical wall preemptively and watch as salazzle comes in to toxic something for free, or
3. Switch into something that doesn't mind getting toxic'd like clefairy, and ribombee comes in to start setting up quiver dances?
If you answered 1, sorry, something is dying, hope you aren't playing stall.
If you picked 2, sorry, something is not only getting toxic'd, but you still have salazzle behind a sub, recipe for disaster, and any phazing attempts will be met with more chaos, and often fire lashes.
If you picked option 3, congrats, you might survive if you have skarmory or ho-oh! You'd better pray that the ribombee user is braindead and didn't actually switch into a breaker against clefairy anyways, because your ho-oh/skarmory is not weakened enough.
Anyways.... TLDR of this whole post... Ribombee still sweeps, better than frosmoth everytime let's go!
That being said, be civil and free to have opinions nicely.
Alright, here are some thoughts on the brand new VR, some agreeing, some things other than agreeing.
:Skarmory: Skarmory
First I will start with agreeing; Skarmory is goated, and in my opinion, easily the best mon in the tier.
As a defensive pokemon, skarm has essentially no weaknesses, and every sweeper needs to take skarm into account.
Not only are it's stats perfect, and it's typing is great, but its defensive movepool is almost everything you could ask for. Spikes, Rocks, Reliable recovery, Phazing, thief if you are cheeky, Taunt, Iron defense + Body Press or even Swords dance if you really want to throw in a surprise. Even sturdy can come in clutch to prevent a sweep, but likely it will not have to get that far, because of the defensive profile.
:Vibrava: Vibrava
Now I will take a turn to disagree. Vibrava is overrated.
1. It loses to Skarmory hard. That is a big deal.
2. It has to compete with skarmory and tusk and clod if trying to be defensive, while competing with tusk, ursalunas and excadrill on the offensive side.
The biggest boon Vibrava has that keeps it unique and viable in some teams is access to a very strong first impression, which is very valuable priority, but I think it just matches up poorly into a little too much to be an A tier mon.
:pelipper: Rain :Ludicolo:
Not much to say other than Ludicolo is by far the best rain abuser, if you ain't using it, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
:Persian-Alola: Alolan Persian
As Botside Benny said, the Goat.
While I do think Skarmory is a bit better, man this is such a good glue mon. Parting Shot on balance, Roar for safety and decreased passiveness, Rest for stall, Foul Play to destroy the physical attackers you wall, and Knock off and T-wave are always nice to have. A pokemon with a good typing, great movepool, and fantastic stats does not deserve a flat x2 Defense Boost for free.
This mon takes glacial lances about as well as dondozo, who I need to remind you... RESISTS THEM.
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 169-199 (33.5 - 39.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Ice Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 164-194 (35.3 - 41.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Freakin Koraidon needs a damage boosting item to 2hko:
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 170-204 (36.6 - 43.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Collision Course (133.3251953125 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Persian-Alola: 188-224 (40.5 - 48.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Easily a top 10 mon, probably top 5, and definitely deserving of S- alongside the other greats.
:Emboar: Emboar
While I don't necesarily disagree with the placement, personally I have found great success with emboar.
With it's natural bulk it can find entrances, and it is a very consistent breaker.
The list of pokemon that are able to switch into it safely are basically none if you factor in the possibility of knock, and wild charge on top of it's stabs. Phys def ho-oh and salazzle can, but would hate to lose their items. Pex is the only reliable-ish one, but wild charge does just over 50%, so be careful.
TLDR on Emboar, it clicks tanks moves surprisingly well, and hits surprisingly hard with its very nice stabs, bolstered by the right coverage. and 130 speed is nothing to scoff at.
:Orthworm: Shed Tail :Sceptile:
This mostly goes to Orthworm, but sceptile is probably decent with leech, synthesis and hella boosted hp/defense as well.
Why the heck (pardon my french) is this not banned?
Yes phazing and taunt are valuable items to have in the meta, inherently making Shed Tail worse, however it is crazy to say it is not good.
Here is one example:
You know that my orthworm will shedtail this next turn, but your current mon, Clodsire, is slower and doesn't have access to phazing.
Do you...
1. Stay in and watch me switch in my Choice Band calyrex-ice safely and fail to break a sub/setup rocks in hopes of phazing me out later,
2. Switch to a Physical wall preemptively and watch as salazzle comes in to toxic something for free, or
3. Switch into something that doesn't mind getting toxic'd like clefairy, and ribombee comes in to start setting up quiver dances?
If you answered 1, sorry, something is dying, hope you aren't playing stall.
If you picked 2, sorry, something is not only getting toxic'd, but you still have salazzle behind a sub, recipe for disaster, and any phazing attempts will be met with more chaos, and often fire lashes.
If you picked option 3, congrats, you might survive if you have skarmory or ho-oh! You'd better pray that the ribombee user is braindead and didn't actually switch into a breaker against clefairy anyways, because your ho-oh/skarmory is not weakened enough.
Anyways.... TLDR of this whole post... Ribombee still sweeps, better than frosmoth everytime let's go!
Rain
:pelipper: :archaludon: :kyogre: :ludicolo: :iron-treads: :braviary-hisui:
After breaking 1400s and Top 10 on ladder, I wanted to share this team!
I don't say this lightly, but I believe I solved rain in this tier. I am very proud of this build, and I am confident it will influence the meta.
https://pokepast.es/eb93b4eb4398e0a6
Bad n' Boosted Stats
1. Pelipper doubles its HP, Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Pelipper is extremely bulky on both sides now, though its heightened speed is a burden, as it wants the slow U-turn into one of your offensive threats.:pelipper: :archaludon: :kyogre: :ludicolo: :iron-treads: :braviary-hisui:
After breaking 1400s and Top 10 on ladder, I wanted to share this team!
I don't say this lightly, but I believe I solved rain in this tier. I am very proud of this build, and I am confident it will influence the meta.
https://pokepast.es/eb93b4eb4398e0a6
Bad n' Boosted Stats
2. Archaludon doubles its Special Defense, which is normally the only stat holding it back in normal play, so it is both a rain sweeper and a defensive juggernaut on both sides.
3. Kyogre is unchanged.
4. Ludicolo doubles its Attack, Defense, and Speed, all of which turn Ludicolo into a mandatory addition on rain teams.
5. Iron Treads doubles its Special Defense, allowing it to tank hits a lot more comfortably.
6. Hisuian Braviary doubles its Defense, Special Defense, and Speed, turning it from a slow breaker into a fast breaker that is very hard to take down.
Sets
:damp-rock: :pelipper: :damp-rock:
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Roost
Pelipper is a necessity for rain. It has much better stats than Politoed in BnB, and its access to Knock Off and U-turn helps the team greatly. Roost is great for longevity in some situations, and the last move is filler. I went with Hurricane since it can be nice to fish for confusion and to make Pelipper a little less passive (e.g., picking off a low-health opponent). I had Tera Ground for a long time, but I realized that Tera Fairy is the better choice, solely because of Koraidon. Swords Dance Koraidon would otherwise be very difficult for the team to handle, as it changes weather and has a strong combination of moves. Tera Fairy Pelipper shuts it down very well, as it resists Dragon/Fighting while pseudo-resisting Fire with Drizzle. I opted for physically defensive Pelipper as it tends to switch into more physically offensive opponents, while its Special Defense is more than enough to still be great in that regard.
:leftovers: :archaludon: :leftovers:
Archaludon @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 136 SpA / 48 SpD / 16 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Electro Shot
- Draco Meteor
- Flash Cannon
- Body Press
There is no rain without Archaludon, and there is no Archaludon without rain. Joking aside, the doubled Special Defense enables Archaludon to run Leftovers instead of Assault Vest and be extremely oppressive in some games, as it is very hard to take down with Stamina boosts, Electro Shot boosts, and residual healing. The EVs are very flexible, though I wouldn't change max HP. Tera Fairy is a standard but strong defensive typing for Archaludon, though I don't tend to use its tera most games. Draco Meteor technically could be Dragon Pulse, but I advise against it as you want the burst damage in some scenarios, plus Ditto is more threatening in the tier with its doubled HP, so having a way to lower your Special Attack could actually be beneficial in the Ditto matchup. The other moves are non-negotiable; Body Press helps into specially defensive Pokemon, bulky steels like Bisharp, and allows for mixed attacking; Flash Cannon lets you hit Clefairy harder among other Fairy threats while being a reliable move outside of rain, and Electro Shot boosts your Special Attack while punishing Skarmory.
:choice-specs: :kyogre: :choice-specs:
Kyogre @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Ice Beam
- Origin Pulse
- Thunder
Despite not receiving any stat boosts, Kyogre holds up and is irreplaceable on rain teams. I faced Botside Benny when he had peaked ladder, and he mentioned how underrated it was. I had just played a few games at that point, so I was curious to try it, and he was not wrong. A well-positioned Choice Specs Kyogre will tear apart most teams, and the support pieces were chosen to enable Kyogre so it can click Water Spout as much as possible. Its coverage is perfect, as Ice Beam is a safe click and hits Dragons while Thunder hits bulky waters like Dondozo. Tera Water is used fairly often, as it pushes Kyogre over the edge to OHKO a vast majority of the tier. Fat teams cannot handle Kyogre unless it is poorly positioned or they have Water Absorb/Storm Drain. Offense teams will outspeed Kyogre, but they usually need to trade 1-2 Pokemon to handle it. I really like it in tandem with Pelipper because double weather setters ensure you can go full on rain with your team, and Pelipper with Damp Rock enables Kyogre to click Water Spout or Origin Pulse for more turns while taking pressure off it to get the rain up. Choice Scarf is a little too weak, so I would avoid it. Calm Mind with Heavy-Duty Boots is an option, though Choice Specs is more oppressive to deal with. On that note, stick to Modest max speed, as the bulk does not need investment, and you want to outspeed as many Pokemon as possible while being as strong as possible with Modest.
:heavy-duty-boots: :ludicolo: :heavy-duty-boots:
Ludicolo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Swift Swim
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Seed Bomb
- Ice Spinner
- Swords Dance
Ludicolo is so good in Bad n' Boosted. Where Kyogre is the breaker, Ludicolo covers for it as the revenge killer and speedy sweeper. Its moves are non-negotiable, as Swords Dance allows Ludicolo to sweep, and Water + Grass + Ice hits almost everything for major damage. Ludicolo in rain outspeeds pretty much the entire tier with its doubled base Speed on top of Swift Swim. I tested Life Orb, but I ended up preferring Heavy-Duty Boots. You can't always rely on Iron Treads keeping off hazards if there's a strong spinblocker like Brambleghast, and boots allow you to be more resilient into every hazard. You have great insurance into Sticky Web, Toxic Spikes become even less useful, and hazard-stacking teams often cannot handle a +2 Ludicolo. The Life Orb boost is nice, but being able to preserve health feels a lot more important in practice. Not to mention, you can preserve a low-heath Ludicolo and save it for cleaning up or revenge killing late-game, which is often game-winning. Tera Water is clicked very often, and it gives Ludicolo the power buff it needs sometimes to get the sweep off or get that difficult KO. Max speed with Adamant is not is important as Kyogre, but Adamant compensates for no Life Orb, and you want the speed so you can still be fast outside of rain, plus you aren't at a disadvantage in the mirror. I wouldn't change the EVs, but you could argue Jolly.
:leftovers: :iron-treads: :leftovers:
Iron Treads @ Leftovers
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Stealth Rock
Iron Treads is a near-perfect support piece for the above rain core, and after testing other alternatives, they all feel inferior. With Water Spout Kyogre and Pelipper, I knew I needed removal, and Iron Treads opened up options for the last slot the most. Outside of Rapid Spin, its most important attrible is its typing. The top 4 cannot switch into Fairy and Dragon moves, making a secondary Steel nearly mandatory. I tinkered with other removal + offensive Steel (e.g. Morpeko + Zacian-Crowned) and Iron Treads + rain abuser, and I felt a lot more confident in the latter. If you look at the other example spinner + Steel, the opponent can freely click Volt Switch, which is not good for teams, so the Ground typing was just as important to me. Then, after searching through Iron Treads' kit, I soon decided it was the superior choice on this rain team. Stealth Rock is usually not clicked, but it can be really annoying for some teams to remove while putting some Pokemon in range of Kyogre and Ludicolo. Secondary Knock Off is always nice, and I opted for it over Earthquake since its offensive stats are pretty useless in this tier (not to mention, it is walled by Skarmory). Volt Switch is probably the only "unusual" move on the entire team, but Iron Treads is somewhat slow in this tier, and as a support piece, being able to use it to tank a hit while potentially getting the slow pivot is amazing value. With the doubled Special Defense, it wants to run Sassy nature to underspeed everything and tank as many special hits as possible, allowing Pelipper to go for physical bulk investment. You should not use tera on Iron Treads, but Tera Ghost could be used for spin blocking in rare circumstances.
:life-orb: :braviary-hisui: :life-orb:
Braviary-Hisui @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Psychic
- Heat Wave
- Roost
After deciding on Iron Treads, I wanted to add one more rain abuser that could patch up weak matchups, and after much testing and theorizing, I eventually landed on Hisuian Braviary as the best choice. In this tier, Braviary's bulk is so good that its poor defensive typing is no longer a liability. Its high speed turns it into a much more threatening breaker, and Modest + Life Orb + Sheer Force is enough to still be very difficult to handle defensively. Double rain setters allow Hurricane to be a consistent move, and Tera Flying pushes it over the edge. While Braviary is strong in its own right, it also patches up some minor weaknesses the team has. The original inspiration was to ease the matchup against stall/fat with Water Absorb Clodsire, as Clodsire is only threatened by Ludicolo, and it completely walls Archaludon and choice-locked Kyogre while getting a free Toxic off on unboosted Ludicolo. Hisuian Braviary, while not enjoying Toxic, will nuke Clodsire with Psychic and can sustain itself with Roost. Koraidon cannot safely switch into Braviary, whereas the other Pokemon on the team have to predict correctly, or you will be in an uncomfortable position. Grass-types can be tricky to hit, so Braviary fixes that. I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. Sheer Force is the better ability for rain specifically. Heat Wave, while weakened in rain, is an option into Steels in a pinch; not to mention, Steels are pretty weak against rain. Tinted Lens should be used with Calm Mind, and setup is difficult to pull off when the primary switch-in is Whirlwind Skarmory. Setting up also means burning through rain turns and risking inaccurate Hurricanes. Most importantly, a lot of the premier defensive Pokemon in the tier are neutral to Flying + Psychic, so you feel surprisingly weak into them. For example, Dondozo should always beat you 1v1 when that's not necessarily the case with Sheer Force + Life Orb. At the end of the day, you want to spam Hurricane once you bring in Hisuian Braviary, and Sheer Force + Life Orb enables that best. Timid is a fine alternative to Modest, though Braviary misses out on some 2HKOs or 2HKO rolls against common defensive Pokemon, thus making it more tera-reliant. The bulk is so good that there's no real reason to invest in it.
Conclusion
I think rain is currently one of the best playstyles in Bad n' Boosted, and my rain team is arguably the best rain team, if not one of the best. With that being said, I would like to see someone prove me wrong! I might try to peak ladder with the team, though I've also been tinkering with other underexplored archetypes so we'll see. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.
:water: Enjoy! :water:
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I've been running Ursaluna-BM and found it pretty good, you can run 252/252 jolly and do solidly well though I'm not really sure what benefit there is to running max speed. I've found more luck running a defensive spread whilst still keeping 252 in atk, allows better survivability against non CC koraidon and works well as a late game heavy hitter. Plus its so funny watching ghost mons get sent in only to get clapped by facade.
Since October is almost over, here are a few more teams/sets I made that you can try out! They aren't as good as my team above, but they should play fine and showcase how diverse the meta is.
Rain (Excadrill version):pelipper::archaludon::kyogre::ludicolo::excadrill::braviary-hisui:
I consider this a sidegrade to my team above. Excadrill changes how the team is played, and it feels like a slightly better meta call now that rain has picked up a lot more in the past couple weeks. It eases the matchup into opposing Archaludon, as before you were forced to trade your Archaludon with theirs, but now you have an alternative. Also, while sharing Rapid Spin and the same amazing typing, Excadrill plays a lot differently than Iron Treads. While Iron Treads is an amazing utility Pokemon with Knock Off and Volt Switch, Excadrill fills a more offensive utility role with enough attack to hit hard in the tier and Swords Dance. After Rapid Spin, Jolly Excadrill outspeeds most of the tier, as it outpaces Deoxys, Zacian-C, and all the 70-base speed Pokemon that have their speed doubled in BnB. It has slightly better bulk than Iron Treads, but given its weaker utility moves, it should lean more into its offensive capabilities. Mold Breaker is also nice into Orthworm and Dondozo. The main issue Iron Treads has is its passivity, and Excadrill helps out a bit. Both are very potent teams, it just depends on your playstyle preference.
Rhyperior TR: :calyrex-ice::torkoal::hatterene::rhyperior::dialga-origin::urshifu:
Trick Room is vastly underexplored in this tier, as it allows Pokemon with awkward speed tiers to shine. Rhyperior is a perfect example; it doubles its Special Defense, allowing it to make better use of Solid Rock, and it hits 80 speed, which is too slow for most teams but slow enough to be viable in Trick Room. The offensive typing of the entire team is very strong, and the middling speed tiers often result in the team outspeeding fat teams while underspeeding most other archetypes. It makes use of other underused Pokemon like Dialga and Urshifu, and it's offensively sound.
SubTect: :salazzle::breloom::naclstack::brambleghast::alomomola::dugtrio:
When you're feeling a little evil, try out this team! Some teams do not have the tools to handle SubTect, and Salazzle and Breloom happen to be the best abusers in the tier. The team relies on racking up chip with Toxic, Leech Seed, Salt Cure, Scald burns, and hazards while staying healthy with Leftovers, Poison Heal, Wish passing, and recovery moves. Dugtrio is admittedly a gimmick, but it works here as a Ground type that can trap in chipped opponents and pick them off, and more importantly, upset your opponent with trapping.
Screens: :arceus::koraidon::morgrem::ribombee::ogerpon-hearthflame::landorus:
I have a few versions of screens, and this is the most recent of mine that I believe is most consistent. Morgrem is preferred over Deoxys for Prankster, better defensive typing, and better bulk. E-Killer Arceus is really good into some teams while providing reliable revenge killing into opposing offensive teams, Koraidon is amazing itself while beating what Arceus struggles into, and Ogerpon Hearthflame loves the sun and screens. Nobody uses Ogerpon, which is a little surprising. Sun is a great archetype, and Tera + Ivy Cudgel shreds teams. Before tera, it can use Mold Breaker into Dondozo, and with screens, it loves the healing of Horn Leech. Play Rough for the Dragons, and it's ready to shine. Ribombee is really strong, and screens ease its ability to go for Quiver Dance and quickly get out of control. Landorus is the filler slot for more special offense, Ground and Electric immunity, and Stealth Rock.
Miscellaneous Sets: :clefairy::primeape::skrelp:
While I've used a handful of other niche Pokemon/sets, these stand out. Clefairy is a different flavor to Ribombee, as it is more crit-me-not but has Magic Guard. It is purely a gimmick, but it can spiral out of control in the late game, as nobody expects Cosmic Power + Stored Power.
Primeape is extremely bulky, and with screens support, it can tank hits with ease and rack up Rage Fist boosts comfortably.
Nobody cares about those, though. Skrelp is way too slept on! It is a great Trick Room option. It is one of those Pokemon that has all 6 stats doubled; it has 100/120/120 bulk, 120/120 offenses, and 60 speed. The speed is bad, but it's really nice in Trick Room. Water/Poison is strong defensively and offensively, and people forget it has Adaptability. Quiet Skrelp is just as strong as Timid Porygon-Z, except it has 2 stabs, and they are both so much better than Normal. Life Orb is an alternative to Choice Specs, though Skrelp appreciates its solid bulk and maintaining health. While tricky to build around, I think it has some solid potential for a Pokemon that nobody uses, and it gets surprising KOs.
Rain (Excadrill version):pelipper::archaludon::kyogre::ludicolo::excadrill::braviary-hisui:
I consider this a sidegrade to my team above. Excadrill changes how the team is played, and it feels like a slightly better meta call now that rain has picked up a lot more in the past couple weeks. It eases the matchup into opposing Archaludon, as before you were forced to trade your Archaludon with theirs, but now you have an alternative. Also, while sharing Rapid Spin and the same amazing typing, Excadrill plays a lot differently than Iron Treads. While Iron Treads is an amazing utility Pokemon with Knock Off and Volt Switch, Excadrill fills a more offensive utility role with enough attack to hit hard in the tier and Swords Dance. After Rapid Spin, Jolly Excadrill outspeeds most of the tier, as it outpaces Deoxys, Zacian-C, and all the 70-base speed Pokemon that have their speed doubled in BnB. It has slightly better bulk than Iron Treads, but given its weaker utility moves, it should lean more into its offensive capabilities. Mold Breaker is also nice into Orthworm and Dondozo. The main issue Iron Treads has is its passivity, and Excadrill helps out a bit. Both are very potent teams, it just depends on your playstyle preference.
Rhyperior TR: :calyrex-ice::torkoal::hatterene::rhyperior::dialga-origin::urshifu:
Trick Room is vastly underexplored in this tier, as it allows Pokemon with awkward speed tiers to shine. Rhyperior is a perfect example; it doubles its Special Defense, allowing it to make better use of Solid Rock, and it hits 80 speed, which is too slow for most teams but slow enough to be viable in Trick Room. The offensive typing of the entire team is very strong, and the middling speed tiers often result in the team outspeeding fat teams while underspeeding most other archetypes. It makes use of other underused Pokemon like Dialga and Urshifu, and it's offensively sound.
SubTect: :salazzle::breloom::naclstack::brambleghast::alomomola::dugtrio:
When you're feeling a little evil, try out this team! Some teams do not have the tools to handle SubTect, and Salazzle and Breloom happen to be the best abusers in the tier. The team relies on racking up chip with Toxic, Leech Seed, Salt Cure, Scald burns, and hazards while staying healthy with Leftovers, Poison Heal, Wish passing, and recovery moves. Dugtrio is admittedly a gimmick, but it works here as a Ground type that can trap in chipped opponents and pick them off, and more importantly, upset your opponent with trapping.
Screens: :arceus::koraidon::morgrem::ribombee::ogerpon-hearthflame::landorus:
I have a few versions of screens, and this is the most recent of mine that I believe is most consistent. Morgrem is preferred over Deoxys for Prankster, better defensive typing, and better bulk. E-Killer Arceus is really good into some teams while providing reliable revenge killing into opposing offensive teams, Koraidon is amazing itself while beating what Arceus struggles into, and Ogerpon Hearthflame loves the sun and screens. Nobody uses Ogerpon, which is a little surprising. Sun is a great archetype, and Tera + Ivy Cudgel shreds teams. Before tera, it can use Mold Breaker into Dondozo, and with screens, it loves the healing of Horn Leech. Play Rough for the Dragons, and it's ready to shine. Ribombee is really strong, and screens ease its ability to go for Quiver Dance and quickly get out of control. Landorus is the filler slot for more special offense, Ground and Electric immunity, and Stealth Rock.
Miscellaneous Sets: :clefairy::primeape::skrelp:
While I've used a handful of other niche Pokemon/sets, these stand out. Clefairy is a different flavor to Ribombee, as it is more crit-me-not but has Magic Guard. It is purely a gimmick, but it can spiral out of control in the late game, as nobody expects Cosmic Power + Stored Power.
Primeape is extremely bulky, and with screens support, it can tank hits with ease and rack up Rage Fist boosts comfortably.
Nobody cares about those, though. Skrelp is way too slept on! It is a great Trick Room option. It is one of those Pokemon that has all 6 stats doubled; it has 100/120/120 bulk, 120/120 offenses, and 60 speed. The speed is bad, but it's really nice in Trick Room. Water/Poison is strong defensively and offensively, and people forget it has Adaptability. Quiet Skrelp is just as strong as Timid Porygon-Z, except it has 2 stabs, and they are both so much better than Normal. Life Orb is an alternative to Choice Specs, though Skrelp appreciates its solid bulk and maintaining health. While tricky to build around, I think it has some solid potential for a Pokemon that nobody uses, and it gets surprising KOs.