Other Metagames [BH] Last Surprise

[anaconja]

To celebrate Joker’s release in Smash, I'm proud to present my second RMT! It's much more adapted to the meta than my first, and also more successful.

peak

(soundproofed is a fresh alt)

I overheard some talk on the BH Discord about which Pokemon were the best Spikes setters. I'm pretty it was MAMP who mentioned PH Xerneas, and I was interested in basing a team off of it.

I added Rayquaza-Mega because it loves having Spikes up on the opposing team to turn some 3HKOs into 2HKOs, as well as generally pressure most Defog and Rapid Spin users.

Ho-Oh improofs Xerneas and takes on most Gengar-Mega sets, who outspeeds both Xerneas and Rayquaza-Mega and either use Entrainment or hit it hard with its STAB. It also beats Diancie-Mega and other Xerneas.

Dialga improofs Rayquaza-Mega and provides a blanket check to -ates and other special attackers that Ho-Oh can't handle.

Giratina provides a blanket check to physical attackers and is immune to Shedinja's Endeavor.

Finally, Chansey glues the team together by pressuring opposing Regenvesters, providing a secondary switch-in to Shedinja, and scouting sets.

The Team

|

| Poison Heal
252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe | 0 Atk | Modest
Moonblast | Earth Power | Quiver Dance | Spikes
Akira (Joker), the Wildcard
Xerneas has multiple functions: lay hazards, pressure hazard controllers, pressure hyper offensive teams, and act as a wincon. Spikes is really helpful in situations when the opponent is forced out, such as against impostered Giratina. It also can setup fairly easily against certain Magic Bouncers and Regenvesters that lack Anchor Shot like Giratina, Registeel, and Magearna. Finally, hyper offensive teams often lack a reliable check to Poison Heal setup, especially one that sets hazards, so Xerneas is a great asset in that matchup.
Imposterproof:

|

| Aerilate
252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe | Naive
Boomburst | Draco Meteor | Earth Power | Extreme Speed
Ann (Panther), the Femme Fatale
Rayquaza-Mega is an incredible wallbreaker due to its Specs-boosted Boombursts 2HKOing even Regenvesters that don't resist it. It's especially great with Spikes support, as the chip can really help it 2HKO Registeel and Fur Coat Chansey. Draco Meteor OHKOs non-Regenvest Zygarde-Complete and Giratina, while Earth Power pressures Steel-types without worrying about Flash Fire. Extreme Speed helps revenge kill low-health opponents and also outspeeds Prankster.
Imposterproof:

|

| Magic Bounce
252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD | 0 Spe | Sassy
Knock Off | Spectral Thief | Shore Up | Anchor Shot
Yusuke (Fox), the Gallant Rogue
Ho-Oh serves as a reliable check to Xerneas, Pixilate Diancie-Mega, and Gengar-Mega lacking Choice Specs. It can support Rayquaza-Mega by knocking off Assault Vests and Leftovers, as well as steal boosts from special PH mons. Z-Spectral Thief allows it to take less damage from Imposter and Tyranitar-Mega, as well as surprising opposing Psychic and Ghost types (it OHKOs MMY after a bit of chip, most notably). Anchor Shot ensures that Xerneas imposters are eliminated, as well as imposters that come in on Ho-Oh itself. It also chips Audino-Mega and OHKOs Diancie-Mega.
Imposterproof:

|

| Regenerator
252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD | 0 Spe | Sassy
Revelation Dance | Core Enforcer | Rapid Spin | U-turn
Makoto (Queen), the Vehicle
Dialga is a great balanced utility, tanking many special hits and some physical hits, but also able to dish out good damage against many offensive opponents. It removes hazards reliably and can then provde a slow pivot to Xerneas or Rayquaza-Mega.
Improof:

Alternative

|

| Regenerator
252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD | 0 Spe | Sassy
Poison Fang / Nuzzle | Core Enforcer | Rapid Spin | U-turn
This trades offensive presence and a neutrality to Fire-type attacks for more resistance against Specs -ate wallbreakers.
Improof:

|

| Prankster
252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD | 0 Spe | Relaxed
Core Enforcer | Haze | Strength Sap | Shore Up
Ryuji (Skull), the Juggernaut
Giratina is the physical blanket check, and it does its job very well. Core Enforcer removes Poison Heal and DQM; Haze removes Attack boosts; and Strength Sap checks Kartana, Mewtwo-Mega-X, and Regigigas better.
Improof:

|

/

| Imposter
Happiness: 0
252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD | 0 Atk / 0 Spe | Relaxed
Metal Burst | Whirlwind | Shore Up | Parting Shot
Futaba (Oracle), the Navigator
Chansey is the best scout in the meta, finding the sets of certain versatile Pokemon like Rayquaza-Mega and Mewtwo-Mega-Y. It also pressures walls that Xerneas and Rayquaza-Mega usually struggle with such as Spectral Thief users and Regenvest Dialga, respectively. 0 Happiness is used to allow Impostered Frustrations be 102 power, as Return is seldom used except in low ladder. Against another Imposter user or a Subsitute, Metal Burst is useful to reflect damage against a U-Turn, Whirlwind forces Substitute users out, and Parting Shot goes through Substitute and lowers the opponent's stats for the teammate coming in. Eviolite boosts Chansey’s defenses, but a Choice Scarf can also be used to pressure offensive teams. Note that this will hurt its improofing of Dialga.
Improof:

Alternatives

|

| Fur Coat
252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD | 0 Atk / 0 Spe | Relaxed
Metal Burst | Whirlwind | Shore Up | Parting Shot / U-Turn
This alternative helps handle Adaptability Mega Gengar better.
Improof:

Threats to the Team

Choice Specs Gengar-Mega is a huge threat to the team, and it's very hard to play against it once it's in. The best you can do is try to chip it with Spikes and then revenge kill it with Rayquaza-Mega. Alternatively, you can replace Imposter Chansey with Fur Coat Chansey or a bulky Dark type like Tyranitar-Mega or Regenvest Yveltal.

Choice Specs Diancie-Mega and Kyurem-White are also difficult to play against, since they can 2HKO Dialga. Ho-Oh can wall Diancie-Mega, but watch out for Volt Switch. The best strategy is to eliminate the improofs using Rayquaza-Mega and then send Chansey in. Fur Coat Chansey also works here.

Refrigerate or Pixilate MMX is annoying because it can get past Giratina by bypassing Strength Sap with Boomburst and outspeeding Prankster with Extreme Speed. Xerneas can switch in if it's healthy enough on anything that's not Sunsteel Strike, and Ho-Oh can switch in on anything that's not Photon Geyser. Additionally, if Giratina is already in, it lives a Boomburst, can remove Refrigerate, and then recover with Strength Sap since Extreme Speed becomes Normal again.

Replays
(note: some of the links might be broke, blame smogon)
Ladder Replays


Roomtour Replays


Smogon Tournament Replays

(BH Open)

(SSNL)

Importable

Kurusu (Xerneas) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Earth Power
- Quiver Dance
- Spikes

Takamaki (Rayquaza-Mega) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Boomburst
- Draco Meteor
- Earth Power
- Extreme Speed

Kitagawa (Ho-Oh) (M) @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Spectral Thief
- Shore Up
- Anchor Shot

Nijima (Dialga) (F) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Revelation Dance
- Core Enforcer
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn

Sakamoto (Giratina) (M) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Core Enforcer
- Haze
- Strength Sap
- Milk Drink

Sakura (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Imposter
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Shore Up
- Metal Burst
- Whirlwind
- Parting Shot

Shoutouts

Gurpreet Patel (Sent you a Friend Request) hehe boi

for real though

you've been a really good friend, through ladder, Discord, MBH, and WCoOM. give this man OM roomowner when

TheCoastsOfToast for being cute, and always being there for me through the years
MAMP for suggesting the set idea in the first place (even though it wasn't specifically to me)
Zovrah for helping me out in MBH and also being a friend for a long time; hope you get well soon
The cool guys on ladder: a loser Filia ElMustacho DarkBeserker fwqef
(special shoutout to highlighter for managing to beat me everytime he faces me)
The cool guys on BH Discord channel: Chessking345 SectoniaServant Willdbeast aki0s pazza

tell me how good joker is in smash since i dont have the game lamo​

 

[a loser]

This team is really tough to play against. Congrats on the success you got with it! I wish you had a couple more replays to show how it actually performs though...