A Broken Metagame
Pure Hackmons is an Anything Goes-based format, similar in the way that neither metagames have anything banned. However, their metagames are extremely different from each other. For Anything Goes, a (now diminished) playability has enabled the tier to become a common one for less experienced players to try out; every Pokemon in the format has something that holds it back from being an uncontrollable cancer on the metagame. Now imagine a format where one could use any Ability on any Pokemon, with any moveset. What do you get? A broken metagame.
Eternatus-Eternamax, otherwise known as Eternamax, represents part of what constitutes such a broken metagame - its obscene stats and partial invincibility capture players’ attention, leaving it at the forefront of the metagame. Regieleki represents the blazing-fast speed tier that support Pokemon require for them to be successful; offensive Pokemon need to be faster still, needing to boost their Speed with Shell Smash or being a strong attacker carrying a Choice Scarf. Grimmsnarl represents the inflated importance of typing in the metagame, due to the prevalence of offensive Pokemon running Shell Smash + Stored Power/Power Trip sets. And Cramorant-Gorging represents obscure mechanics in the metagame, offering a way to make progress against opposing Eternamax.
Due to time constraints and personal reasons, I was only able to ladder Pure Hackmons for two days; this amounted to thirty battles in total. I was able to get a 35-1 record on the ladder, something that’s more impressive than it seems. As OHKO moves have such a large impact on the metagame, and therefore are used very often, it’s very difficult to have a long-lasting undefeated ladder run. The one time I lost was the game where I got hit by two Sheer Colds (with unmodified accuracy) in a row. Unfortunately, due to my aforementioned time constraints I wasn’t able to get very high on the ladder either; however, rest assured that it accurately represents what is run in the Pure Hackmons metagame.
(I laddered a bit in February of last year, the previous time Pure Hackmons was the OMoTM, and had a w/l ratio of 4-5. This was before I delved deep into the metagame.)
Teambuilding Process
I started with two Eternamax, which are necessary due to being able to be either physically or specially invincible with the Overflow mechanic. One of them is physically invincible, and the other is specially invincible. Due to this, Eternamax prevents any conventional attackers from functioning well without some way to pressure it (two examples are Zacian-C running Fissure and Indeedee running Psystrike to hit Eternamax from both sides). These two Pokemon are the core of the team, switching into the myriad of Pokemon that aren’t able to effectively pressure them.
One of the best ways to pressure Eternamax is to prevent it from doing anything it’s great at doing, and Regieleki shines in that department. This is another Pokemon that’s considered nigh-necessary on all viable Pure Hackmons teams, as its performance in pressuring Eternamax and other passive Pokemon is just too much to forgo.
This was originally a team I created to submit as a sample in the OM Bazaar, so I wanted to include a set that’s easier to use. Comatose Regieleki simply prevents the opponent from moving, forcing the opposing Pokemon out with Sleep Talk calling a phasing move. With hazards on the team, when the user’s in an advantageous position Regieleki can chip the opposing team and eventually either force a Dynamax or win outright.
What this team next needed was a way to reliably check Shell Smash sweepers. While Comatose Regieleki can switch into an unboosted sweeper, if said sweeper has Dynamax available then a 50/50 is forced, making a safe outcome uncertain. Yveltal’s good bulk and Dark typing helps, allowing it to stomach Power Trip at +3. Additionally it can viably run Magic Bounce, providing useful role compression.
At this point I felt like the only Pokemon that could reliably threaten the whole team was Choice Scarf Zacian-C, which can threaten physically defensive Eternamax with a OHKO move and pressure the rest of the team with conventional attacks. Cramorant-Gorging can check it very nicely, not only walling Zacian-C but also chipping and paralyzing it when hit by an attack.
When creating movesets for each Pokemon, I realized that Grimmsnarl was a better pick than Yveltal for this team. Grimmsnarl offers a 4x resistance to Power Trip, as opposed to Yveltal’s 2x resistance - a strict upgrade even after accounting for Grimmsnarl’s much poorer bulk. Additionally, Yveltal’s immunity to Fissure was redundant, as Cramorant-Gorging was also a Flying-type. Lastly Grimmsnarl can also fulfill the role of a Magic Bouncer as well. To summarize, Grimmsnarl does what Yveltal does better in this team’s case, with the rest of the team covering its weaknesses.
In-Depth Analysis
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Rapid Spin
- Wish
- Fissure
Specially defensive Eternamax is a monster to take down, as even Psychic-type Shell Smash sweepers have a difficult time pressuring it. Safety Goggles prevents opposing Pokemon from putting Eternamax to sleep with Spore; while Eternamax isn’t out as often against Pokemon that run Spore in the metagame, it’s a useful item due to how much it supports its teammates. 240 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature are used to take advantage of the Overflow mechanic.
Spectral Thief is extremely useful, preventing non-Normal types from setting up in Eternamax’s face, as well as hitting Calyrex-S and Giratina super effectively. Rapid Spin is a strong way to prevent hazards from being on the field, thereby removing the potency of opposing Comatose + Sleep Talk Pokemon. At least one of these two attacks will always work; against an opposing Ghost-type Spectral Thief will nearly always be super effective, and against a Normal-type Rapid Spin will hit fairly hard, considering that the vast majority of viable Normal-type sets are Shell Smash sweepers. Wish utilizes Eternamax’s phenomenal HP stat to fully heal non-Eternamax teammates, and Fissure pressures opposing Eternamax and Zacian-C with recovery, which could take advantage of it with a support set.
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Spikes
- Fissure
- Whirlwind
Now, physically defensive Eternamax may be slightly less of a defensive menace, but it is still a mandatory Pokemon on viable Hackmons teams. Safety Goggles, again, helps to prevent sleep; 240 Defense EVs and an Impish nature allow Eternamax to take advantage of the Overflow “glitch”. Safety Goggles also help as a useful item while also concealing which side Eternamax’s invincibility lies, making it superior to Black Sludge.
Having Spectral Thief on both Eternamax further the guessing game, as either Eternamax could be using the move. It, again, also steals stat boosts and chips most opposing Pokemon, making it a useful move in general. Spikes discourages switch-ins; it’s also very reliable thanks to Neutralizing Gas removing any viable immediate counterplay. As with the other Eternamax, Fissure pressures other Eternamax, though it’s more useful against faster Pokemon like Zacian-C and Regieleki with recovery, due to them being able to Taunt Eternamax while it tries to set up Spikes. Whirlwind’s an interesting move that Eternamax can run to check opposing Substitute Pokemon; as Regieleki takes advantage of Eternamax’s passivity and is the largest Substitute user, I find that Whirlwind helps greatly.
Regieleki @ Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bolt Beak
- Taunt
- Fissure
- Substitute
Regieleki, the fastest Pokemon in the franchise, has cemented its role as the number-two Pokemon in the metagame due to being able to seamlessly pressure even Eternamax running Rapid Spin due to outspeeding Overflowed Eternamax at +1, as well as running Substitute to great effect.
Leftovers + Substitute provides some longevity for Regieleki, allowing it to stay in longer and offering it more chances to use Fissure. Bolt Beak is a relatively uncommon move on Regieleki that I find criminally underused; dealing nearly 50% to Zacian-C with the move is no joke. Taunt’s a great move on Regieleki due to being able to prevent Eternamax from achieving much; Spectral Thief from Eternamax fails to 3HKO Regieleki. Fissure’s the best OHKO move on this Regieleki set, as Electric / Ground coverage hits everything bar Landorus, which I’ve only seen one user try out so far. As said before, Substitute is an amazing move on Regieleki; this is because almost nothing outspeeds it unboosted and allows for failed predictions by the opponent to grant the user chances to use Fissure.
Regieleki @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Comatose
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Whirlwind
- Dynamax Cannon
- Max Flare / Focus Punch*
The other prominent role Regieleki has in the metagame is forcing nearly every Pokemon out with a Comatose + Sleep Talk set. With a Choice Scarf, it is faster than every other unboosted Pokemon, and therefore only Magic Bounce, (the purely theoretical) Magic Coat, Suction Cups, and Dynamax. This is why a team requires a reliable way to prevent phasing moves from affecting them to be viable. This strategy only works because Comatose is not affected by Neutralizing Gas.
Sleep Talk is able to call most moves in the user’s moveset at +0 priority. This is important, as when Sleep Talk calls moves like Whirlwind and Circle Throw, they aren’t -6 priority anymore. Thus, every time the user’s faster and uses Sleep Talk, provided a phasing move is called the opposing Pokemon will be forced out every time (barring an immunity). This, with hazards, can be used to chip opposing Pokemon, often straight-up winning in the late-game. Nevertheless, as said earlier, every viable team has some way to combat this. Therefore, conventional attacks are imperative. Dynamax Cannon and Max Flare are two moves that aren’t called by Sleep Talk; the former can hit bulky Dragon-types like Giratina super effectively, while the latter can 3HKO Zacian-C.
*Note: I’ve noticed over the course of battling that Max Flare has a chance to be called with Sleep Talk, at least on PS; I am nearly certain that this is a bug. If not, Focus Punch can be used instead, as it is also not called by the move.
Grimmsnarl @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Gigantamax: Yes
Impish Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Horn Drill
- Recover
Grimmsnarl, with, in my opinion, one of the best typings in the metagame, seamlessly handles Shell Smash sweepers that try ripping through teams with sheer damage, from both sides due to Overflowed Eternamax’s nature. It also provides role compression by running Magic Bounce, where its typing helps slightly because of being immune to Dynamax Cannon.
Safety Goggles help Grimmsnarl fulfill its role as a Shell Smash sweeper check, preventing them from successfully putting it to sleep with Spore. Sucker Punch can be used when predicting when a Shell Smash sweeper will attack; it OHKOes the most common sweeper in Indeedee after one Shell Smash and the slightly less common Calyrex-S. Knock Off is a useful move in general, hitting decently hard on Grimmsnarl while also removing switch-ins’ items; it therefore serves a purpose no matter what situation Grimmsnarl’s in. Horn Drill pressures switch-ins in Zacian-C and Eternamax, though it pressures the latter more. Having a Normal-type OHKO move is optimal due to Knock Off and Sucker Punch taking care of Ghost-types. Reliable recovery is mandatory, as even with a 4x resistance to Dark Grimmsnarl risks being heavily chipped by Shell Smash sweepers running Power Trip, such as Obstagoon. When Dynamaxing, being a G-Max Grimmsnarl is advantageous due to G-Max Snooze often forcing opposing Pokemon out.
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Taunt
- Fissure
- Recover
- Flip Turn
I find Cramorant-Gorging to be the single hardest stop to opposing Zacian-C, as I’ve only really seen Bolt Beak once on it and three of the moves offensive sets run are predetermined. It also serves as a paralysis-spreader in general, annoying opposing Eternamax and Calyrex-S in addition to the aforementioned Zacian-C.
Rocky Helmet increases chip from using contact moves, forcing Eternamax to take 41% with chip from attacking Cramorant-Gorging with, say, Spectral Thief. Taunt shuts down said Eternamax, and is especially useful against slower, paralyzed foes. Fissure offensively pressures opposing Eternamax and other support Pokemon that otherwise take advantage of Cramorant. Reliable recovery is a must for obvious reasons. Flip Turn’s a fun tech that I tried (and surprisingly got nice results with), as Cramorant enjoys maintaining momentum for the rest of the team.
Threatlist
In a broken metagame, busted threats are commonplace. Here are a few commonly run moves or Pokemon that I had trouble with when battling with the team:
Horn Drill / Guillotine
Because this team has no Ghost-types, battling Pokemon using Horn Drill or Guillotine was a challenge. As each member of the team has an important role, losing one to a OHKO move that can’t easily be blocked is devastating. However, due to the moves’ 30% accuracies they aren’t the most reliable thing ever, meaning, fortunately, that most players I encountered didn’t repeatedly use the move against me. When the opponent is more experienced, however, I believe these two moves are much more of a nuisance.
Rapid Spin
Again, having no Ghost-types made it difficult to consistently have hazards set on the field. Against Rapid Spin Eternamax I used Cramorant to discourage it from using the move; over time I could eventually switch in my Comatose Regieleki and force Eternamax out.
Final Gambit Eternamax
There’s really no way to beat these menaces outside of outplaying. Usually the first Pokemon I’d sack would be Cramorant, as it can paralyze Eternamax and doesn’t provide any immediate help to its teammates. However, if the opponent has multiple of them and play well I don’t think there’s a reliable road to victory outside of a good Dynamax.
Regieleki
One final threat to this team, I feel, is Regieleki; no Pokemon on my team reliably outspeed and threaten it at the same time, leaving my own Regieleki as the go-to. As Regieleki doesn’t carry Safety Goggles and is quite frail, it’s often difficult to take down opposing Regieleki in the mid-to-late game.
Conclusion
Gen 8 Pure Hackmons has an incredibly unique teambuilding and playing style. While this is partly due to behemoths like Eternamax and Regieleki absolutely dominating the metagame, the largest offender is actually Neutralizing Gas, due to restricting the amount of viable Abilities, and therefore strategies, in Hackmons. These unique strategies, in turn, help create an extremely centralized web of checks and counters; in other words, they facilitate a broken metagame.
Importable: https://pokepast.es/42f984fb70eb8b06
Thanks to the Pure Hackmons community and everyone in the Old Shark room for helping me when I started with the metagame! I couldn’t have made it this far without y’all to support me.
Also thanks to the AG room and community for putting up with my Hackmons obsession.
Also thanks to the AG room and community for putting up with my Hackmons obsession.
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