Introduction
Hm, i don't really know what to say because i'm making this after i don't know how many hours of writing but i'm gonna try to do something. Hello! Today i'm going to show you a team builded for something like four or five months. I decided to retire it because from what i have seen in the dedicated thread, Aegislash will probably be banned (hence the name of the thread!). I won't share my opinion here because
Ok so this team has been created for one single reason : explode those shitty hard stalls. I'll explain later why this playstyle is absolute shit in XY (i'm not exaggerating, i really think stall in xy is shit). I wanted to play an hyper offense because this is the playstyle I prefer and I really love how badass are looking those teams in xy (especially with the arrival of the MEGAS!). Mega Mawile has always been my first pick because its a mega which allows any build because it hasn't a big weakness to Stealth Rock (unlike Charizard, Gyarados and Pinsir) and it doesn't need some support (unlike Gardevoir and Medicham). This team had to be Defogger/Spinner free and had to focus in one single thing : hit, hit and hit again. Let the show begin !
The Team
- Ability : Justified
- Item : Focus Sash
- Nature : Jolly
- EVs : 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
- Moveset :
- Stealth Rock - Every competitive team needs it
- Taunt - Locks some random leads (Smeargle, Shuckle etc.), prevents Skarmory from using Defog and Aegislash from getting a free Substiture
- Close Combat - Its most powerful STAB
- Stone Edge - Second STAB, has an amazing coverage with Close Combat
- Why this Pokemon ?
I was searching for a SR user which could destroy all those Defog users. I have of course tried Deoxys-S but I wanted something with has the ability to take a hit from something in addition of having a real offensive potential. Since Bisharp is very annoying for Mawile, i thought that Terrakion instead of Deoxys-S could handle this job and i was right! Terrakion is, of course, not a Bisharp switch-in, but it survives (and get a free boost! (that's why sharp will never use its priority)) to Sucker Punch and KOes. it back with a Close Combat. Terrakion is amazing because it really prevents Zapdos, Mandibuzz and Skarmory from using Defog and Lati@s have some trouble to switch in it because Stone Edge does massive damage (and has a high crit ratio!). Oh yeah and it gives a second fire resistance which is so useful if my opponent has something like a Scarf Heatran.
..... - Item, Nature & EVs :
I didn't pick Focus Sash only because "its a lead". This is a very important item which can save me from a sweep if Thundurus is dead (and if my opp didn't set-up SR of course). Jolly nature to outspeed a plethora of things and to tie with non-scarf Keldeo (this one is painful).
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
- Other options :
- Earthquake (> Taunt) is an option to consider if you want to hit harder Mawile and damages Aegislash but Taunt is just better in this team imo.
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Breloom is an excellent replacement if you want to put much pressure, its probably the most annoying lead for offensive teams and its able to revenge kill Bisharp, Excadrill and Mega Gyarados thanks to Mach Punch. The disadvantage of Breloom for this team is its fire weakness (Greninja would be my only resistance to this type...) so play it with Garchomp (with Stealth Rock) instead of Landorus.
- Ability : Sheer Force
- Item : Life Orb
- Nature : Naive
- EVs : 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Moveset :
- Earth Power - STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB
- Focus Blast - Powerful against Chansey, Skarmory, Ferrothorn and other things
- Psychic - Is super effective against Gengar, Conkeldurr, Chesnaught, Venusaur and Amoonguss
- Knock Off - Makes Chansey & Tornadus-T weaker, prevents Gliscor from Poison Healing (if not activated (and if my opp is autistic to bring it while its not)) and punishes Lati@s
- Why this Pokemon ?
Landorus is a wonderful wallbreaker and is fearsome for a lot of stall teams, that's why i chose it. Its the most important Pokemon in my team if i'm facing a stall. Of course, Lando is not useless against an offensive team because its fast I only have it to take a hit from Excadrill (except if this fucker flinches) so I have to play carefully with it.
..... - Item, Nature & EVs :
Naive because I have to take a hit from Excadrill and Landorus has just a better defense, allowing it to take some hits like Talonflame's Brave Bird, Garchomp's Outrage etc. Full speed and Life Orb for obvious reasons.
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
- Other options :
- Hidden Power [Ice] (> Knock Off) is now the best option to consider because of a newcomer in stall teams named Specially Defensive Gliscor.
- Rock Slide (> Knock Off) lures Mega Charizard Y / Talonflame and 2HKOes AVTornadus-T / Specially Defensive Zapdos.
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Mamoswine offers a nice possibility to revenge kill Thundurus without passing by Greninja, Aegislash or Mawile. It demolishes Breloom which is too often painful for a lot of offensive teams. Thick Fat is also a fantastic ability because it makes Mamoswine an excellent check to Mega-Manectric, one of my biggest threats I didn't chose the pig for some reasons : it does nothing against stall, Skamory can Defog as it wants and above all it provides another Excadrill weakness.
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Garchomp is a strong choice instead of Landorus because its cool with a sash against offensive teams and has Rough Skin to deal with Talonflame and other things. I prefered Landorus for its amazing wallbreaking ability plus they are more defoggers able to remove SR against Chomper (letting SR to Terrak and play it SR + 3 attacks is of course an option).
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Diggersby is cool here because its a threatening Pokemon for stalls without Skarm (rare to be honest) and is always painful for an offensive team when it handles a sash but if Diggersby has a quality, its definitely its ghost immunity especially in my team because i'm using Terrakion, Thundurus & Greninja without Dark Pulse.
- Ability : Prankster
- Item : Life Orb
- Nature : Timid
- EVs : 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Moveset :
- Thunder Wave - The move making it godlike
- Thunderbolt - Its most powerful 100acc STAB
- Focus Blast - Needed to kick Ferrothorn, Tyranitar, Kyurem-B, Mamoswine (very annoying) and can finish Charizard X
- Hidden Power [Ice] - Boltbeam, hits hard Garchomp, Landorus(-T), Gliscor and damages Chesnaught & Lati@s
- Why this Pokemon ?
When you're building an offensive team, you have to think firstly to put a Thundurus (except if you have a sandrush mole). Its the most amazing teammate because it stops 2000 things which could 6-0 your team easily without it. Of course its not only the "ultimate pseudo revenge killer", its really powerful and fast.
Thundurus is the Pokemon i have to keep against offensive teams. Losing it early puts me under pressure and gives a huge advantage to the opponent if he brings a set-up sweeper or a fast thing like Greninja. I can use it as a real sweeper against certains balanced teams depending on the team i'm facing of course. And... against stall teams its the Pokemon which does little or nothing. It can still T-Wave some annoying stalls (Charizard X / Tornadus-T).
..... - Item, Nature & EVs :
I can't imagine playing Thundurus with Leftovers. Without Life Orb, it becomes unable to kill Charizard Y, Gengar, Landorus, Garchomp and a lot of things else. Life Orb offers too a clean 252/0 Clefable 2HKO and its still powerful against +1 Suicune. Timid to outspeed Adamant Talonflame, Keldeo, Gengar, Garchomp, Landorus, Lati@s etc. and 252 Speed EVs to tie with another Thundurus.
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
- Ability : Protean
- Item : Life Orb
- Nature : Timid
- EVs : 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Moveset :
- Hydro Pump - STA... wait. Most powerful attack so has to be played
- Ice Beam - Hits Dragons and Grasses and that's its best 100acc attack
- Extrasensory - To say "hi" to Mega Venusaur, Keldeo and Conkeldurr
- Hidden Power [Grass] - Suggested by my bro McMeghan, since the team can find some issues against Rotom-W, it also damages Azumarill
- Why this Pokemon ?
Greninja is extremly fast and threatening for any offense or balanced team because it runs four differents STABs. Look at the part "is useful against". There are few mons which can stop it : Chansey, AVAzumarill, Ferrothorn and AVKyurem-B. Against stall teams, it attracts Chansey so its easy to pivot with Terrakion or Mawile and make it lose 12,5% again and again. Against offensive teams, you just have to predict (if there's an Azumarill I have my Mawile so it's cool). Because the team is weak to Greninja, I use my own Greninja as a potential revenge killer if it runs HP Fire (I have Aegislash & Mawile so scouting this move is easy), which means it has 30 IV Speed.
..... - Item, Nature & EVs :
Life Orb for obvious reasons, same thing for nature and EVs.
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
- Other options :
- Dark Pulse (> Hidden Power [Grass]) can be played if you think Aegislash is annoying and it stills 2HKO non-SpD Rotom-W. It has the great quality to kill something without becoming weak to Bisharp or Mawile's Sucker Punch.
- Ability : Stance Change
- Item : Life Orb
- Nature : Hasty
- EVs : 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Moveset :
- Shadow Ball - An excellent attack this gen thanks to the Steel-type nerf. Hits hard too many things to make a list
- Flash Cannon - Destroys Clefable, Sylveon, Chesnaught and Mandibuzz (2HKOed after SR)
- Shadow Sneak - Finishes Lati@s, Gengar, Medicham and can make some Pokemons in Sucker Punch KO range
- Sacred Sword - 2HKOes Chansey if I knocked its item off, OHKOes most Tyranitar versions and KOes Specially Defensive Heatran after SR and Shadow Ball
- Why this Pokemon ?
Why not ? Its amazing. This set is of course weaker to powerful sweepers but what you have here is a powerful wallbreaker. For example, a non-SpD Mega Venusaur is 2HKOed by Shadow Ball (and it can't Sythesis since Aegi is faster with this spread). Same shit for Heatran with Shadow Ball + Sacred Sword. Quagsire, Clefable, Slowbro, Chesnaught, Skamory, Mandibuzz, etc. To be clear, most common stalls are ridiculed by this set. Its probably less effective now since stall users run Charizard X, Gliscor and Tornadus-T but its still a threat to consider because this set takes full advantage of Aegi's offensive potential. Against offensive teams I use it as a switch to something or as a tank to a potential threat (Keldeo or Mega Manectric for example).
..... - Item, Nature & EVs :
Life Orb to guarantee a lot of KOs / ZHKOs, Hasty because I can take a Timid Mega Manectric Overheat which is (like I said when I was talking about Mamoswine) one of my biggest threats. 252 Speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and some stalls.
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
- Other options :
- Substitute (> Flash Cannon) is now an option because this set is famous and Bisharp is now used to Sucker Punch against an Aegislash. Its also cool against Ferrothorn (even if this one can break the sub easily).
- Shuca Berry (> Life Orb) can be an amazing item to lure Excadrill and Gliscor. Allows me to survive to a Mamoswine's Earthquake too. Btw I lured Gliscor with it, Lando has often a free way to sweep.
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Bisharp is a cool thing to substitute Aegislash if its banned. Sucker Punch helps a lot against Mega Manectric and some sweepers because its just more powerful than Shadow Sneak. It has great resistances and is really cool against offensive teams. One of its best quality is its possibility to check another Bisharp if i run Low Kick and it has a free +2 against (rares) Sticky Web teams. Of course, it brings a ton of issues, just because its not Aegi. First of all, its weak to Keldeo and more than its weakness, it let it set-up. Its also really weak to Breloom and Terrakion... really annoying.
- Ability : Intimidate -> Huge Power
- Item : Mawilite
- Nature : Adamant
- EVs : 84 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Spd
- Moveset :
- Swords Dance - Yo. I now have 1356 attack .dancin
- Play Rough - Most powerful STAB, as usual!
- Sucker Punch - Strong priority move which solves its low speed, great coverage with the fairy type and destroys all those frails sweepers at +2 and gives to Mawile a revenge killer job.
- Fire Fang - Chosen to deal with steel walls (especially Scizor, Skarmory and Ferrothorn) and can surprise a non-mega evolved Venusaur which would switch in it
- Why this Pokemon ?
It would be easy to say "Mawile is the best Mega" but I think I'm right if I say Mawile is the Mega which has the easiest team building (with Mega Scizor) because unlike Charizard, Pinsir, Gyarados, Gardevoir etc., Mawile doesn't need support to be effective. It provides, in addition to its incredible attack, a support by itself because it checks things like Conkeldurr and Azumarill that are normally very difficult to check in offense. Against stall its so easy to use it because only Mega Venusaur and WoWHeatran can check it so i just have to put my SR and pivot once again making Venusaur lose 12,5% (and 6,5% for Tran since he has Leftovers).
..... - Nature & EVs :
Adamant because Huge Power gives an amazing boost + Jolly is useless. EVs to outspeed Skarmory & Mega Scizor (it can be important if Mawile is low HP).
..... - Is useful against :
- Offensive threats :
- Defensive threats :
- Offensive threats :
Match-ups
Offense
To be honest, Deoxys was cool for my team because I had really clean match-ups against. Now he's banned, most common leads are Breloom, Garchomp and Mamoswine. When I see Breloom, I always lead with Mawile to get a free Intimidate and I let something sleeping, depending on the opponent's team (its often Landorus). After that, Mawile and Aegislash take it easy. Against Garchomp, I send my Terrakion to put SR, it always EQ turn 1 then SR turn 2 because if I Close Combat it, Rough Skin kills so I have to use Taunt turn 2 and then break it sash (and sac Terrak btw) with Close Combat. Of course I can Close Combat after SR because SR are annoying for Thundurus "only" and if it attacks (and keeps its sash) during turn 2, I'm in a clear disadvantage. Mamoswine is very annoying because I have to Close Combat it and forcing him to attack me. Now to talk more specifically about my match-up against offensive teams, Thundurus & Aegislash are both pretty cool against them, Greninja is very fast and attracts prority users, Mawile works pretty well too. At least playing against an offensive team is cool but its certainly not my best match-up since a plethora of sashed sweepers + Healing Wish Latias could annoy me a lot.
Balanced
Depending on what Pokemons those teams have, I can be more or less in difficult. For example, a team like Crystalised is painful because it has ScarfTran even if this team is weak to Greninja & Terrakion. Same shit for a Hippowdon + Excadrill duo (thanks god its a very unseen combo) or a bulky offensive team with ScarfLandorus-T. I really think balanced teams (and bulky offense) are an excellent playstyle this gen (just look at FLCL, Bloo and Masterclass results during last ST) because you can deal with hyper offensive teams without having issues with stall teams (especially if you're playing some things like Charizard Y + Pursuit Trapper, Clefable, Mega Gyarados etc.)
Stall
Lol. This playstyle is ridiculous this gen. Playing with this always makes you under pressure when you're facing a good player and playing against it is the best thing that could happen to me (translation : i'm a good player 8) ). I just have to put my SR and pivoting again and again until Chansey (or another wall like Mega Venusaur for example) finds itself in a bad situation. Landorus can wallbreak, Aegi and Mawile do the same. At least this playstyle, known for its "safety" is in reality the most dangerous because you have to take big risks to impose your rythm. Of course, stall teams have newcomers for some time like SpD Gliscor, AVTornadus-T, CharizardX WoW, Alomomola etc. Those kinds of stalls are better because they run some fast Pokemons but its still hard for them to take Greninja, Landorus, Mawile etc + they have to consider the presence of Stealth Rock so yeah, this is very difficult for a stall to win against this team.
Threats
Conclusion
And that's it! I hope you enjoyed reading this RMT. I don't have too much things to add, I'm tired. I think I'm gonna eat something like a potato. Because i love potatoes! Don't want to make shootouts because I would forget someone etc etc. I just have to say that the model is inspired by MDragon's rain stall RMT. If you've seen some bigs spelling or grammar mistakes, PM me please!
