Hey folks,
First time ever posting on discord so apologies I don’t know how to get the little Pokémon images to show my sample team!
Thought I would share as I finally made it to Top 50 on the weekend, with what I think is a fun team. You’ll see me on the ladder under JDandTurk or BandedKiss
https://pokepast.es/f02ab407bd1e7a83
Weavile Technician Loaded Dice:
Two forms of priority with fake out and ice shard are to catch off guard scarf ice weak Pokémon. Offensive Zapdos is KO’d by both (depending rolls and on defensive investment). I don’t have any speed control on the team, so Fake Out is also needed to slowly whittle down other various scarf Pokémon- most critically banded ES Aerilate Dnite. I used to have beat up on Weavile but after many games only clicked it twice. I swapped it for swords dance and immediately started doing much better in games. A regular phase of play is:
Open Weavile opponent switches out into defensive intim corvi. Icicle spear does 30% on 4 hits. I switch into rocky helmet Treads, and corvi is down to 54%.
I keep Corvi out, and next time I have Weavile in, I click SD as Corvi comes in. 4 hits +1 icicle spear does 60% to take out the biggest defensive check. The team is then normally cracked open for Weavile to sweep, or Roaring Moon to make constant progress.
Scream Tail Pixilate Choice Specs
My special sweeper. Catches a lot of folks off guard as they expect a passive turn when Screamtail switches in. But Fairy is such an amazing offensive type in this meta. So many dragons, darks, and fightings about. Boomburst BP is incredible, with SpAtk investment, the power output even of 65 base SpAtk Scream Tail is incredible. Again- OHKO offensive zapdos. 2HKO fully SpDef Manaphy after vest is knocked off. 2HKO Physdef corvi after two rounds of rocks.
111 base speed is also elite- out speeding so much of the meta. And with its natural bulk, it takes less than 75% from a CB aerilate ES from Dnite. Psyshock to catch iron moth off guard after a couple switches into Boomburst (Psychic only does 90%). Trick to cripple a defensive check when needed. And Wish/Stealth rocks depending on your play style.
Roaring Moon Regenerator Assault Vest
My favourite Spdef pivot in the game. Sponges everything. Surviving specs Draco Meteor from Walking Wake. This Pokémon’s Spdef is key to be able to knock off scarfs (so Weavile outspeeds and revenges). Or Assault Vests, so Scream Tail can 2HKO. Corvi has SpDef investment, so I can switch it in, if my U-turn is slower and I’m threatened with being taken out (especially by fairy moves). EVs may be able to be optimised on this mon- but I went with Adamant to have better chances to 2HKO or OHKO special mons that may stay in. E.g Iron Moth is OHKO by knock off after rocks (KO used in case it’s earth eater instead of SFLO). Or generally force switch outs so I can U-turn. Earthquake for Goodra-H, Shocks, or more damage on Fluffy Pokémon. Dtail for Pokémon that will obviously set up, or chip if rocks are up, or to maybe luck a switch to a Pokémon I can U-turn on.
Corvinight Unaware Leftovers
The main check on the team for set up Pokémon both on the Phys and Special side hence dual investment. Leftovers as I’ll likely be staying in many turns as the opponent tries to get +6 on me and I’ll be Brave Birding. Brave bird over body press to be able to do enough damage to at least 4HKO set up mons, or ghosts such as Polteageist. Due to lack of enough phys def investment or intimidate, it does get 3HKO by a lot of fighting/ice attackers. So keeping it healthy is important. It also struggles with physical Dland fire attackers- hence Well Baked Treads on the team. Due to SpDef investment it also allows me to stay in on volt switches to U-turn for initiative. Other than that, it’s just a Corvinight doing Corvinight things.
The above 4 are the main core of the team. The next two are interchangeable, and are mostly on the team to add the “glue” per se, to plug holes in my core. These are what I’ve had most success with.
Iron Treads Well Baked Body Rocky Helmet
As you can probably tell, my team struggles with switching into fast Physical fire attacks. A Well Baked Body Pokémon was needed here. I chose Iron Treads for role compression- rapid spin, rocks, are self explanatory. Knock off as mentioned is key to remove scarfs so Screamtail and Weavile can outspeed. Or AVs so Screamtail can 2HKO. Also leftovers/helmets/choice bands to give my pivots more survivability. Body Press over Earthquake is to deal enough damage back after being hit by a fire attack, and make progress against Corvinights (Body Press not affected by Intimidate). Also, it will result in surprise KOs against Chien Pao as they don’t expect a full phys def Iron Treads which can take a swords of ruin banded Sacred Sword. Rocky Helmet is also needed to get much needed chip on Banded Aerilate ES Dragonite (as even corvi takes too much from this), or Pokémon that have managed to get speed boosts on me. If they’re not armor tail/dazzling etc, Weavile can then pick them off with 2 forms of priority.
Iron Moth Desolate Land Heavy Duty Boots
Probably the only Pokémon on the team with a standard EV spread/moves. This Pokémon is essentially my switch into scald or fairy attacks. Roaring moon can take most water attacks, but if burnt, it struggles to make progress. I use sludge wave over toxic spikes so I can attempt to force set up scream tail/ manaphy out - as long as I don’t let them get too many calm minds. Set up scream tail can be a problem- however if it has stored power and dazzling gleam, moth can handle it as sludge wave does too much damage, and scream tail can’t wish/protect it off. If only stored power, roaring moon can handle it. If only dazzling gleam, corvinight can solo it. Manaphy can normally only click resisted moves with Dland up, if it doesn’t have stored power. Iron moth is also on the team as a fire attacker for steel types- since weavile only has normal/ice, and scream tail only fairy/psychic moves. Luckily there’s not too many offensive steel types in the meta (pre Gholdengo), so if a steel type is well baked body, it can generally be whittled down with my defensive core. Moth being moth is generally just a good mon too- absorbing toxic spikes. Morning Sun to heal 75% for longevity. U-turn to pivot. And with its speed tier and fiery dance procs, it can also be a sweeper.
Counters-
I’ve mentioned some of the main counters above, but the biggest single Pokémon that 6-0’s this team is Zamazenta Crowned. Weavile and Scream Tail get outspeed and OHKOd. Both Treads and Roaring Moon get Iron Defensed on, don’t do any damage and then OHKOd. Iron moth can’t switch into it, as it is outsped and 2HKO by body press after an Iron Defense. The only check is Corvinight. The only time I’ve taken out a Z-crowned is when the opponent let me get enough Brave Birds on it, while it tried to get +6 on me.
As mentioned this team can struggle with physical fight/ice spam. Lack of intimidate/full phys def on Corvi means it’s 3HKO by offensive Great Tusk CC’s. Technician Mamoswine Icicle Spear does over 50% with 5 hits. Scream Tail can switch into the Great Tusk CC’s attacks a few times, but if a rapid spin is clicked, it won’t take a following earthquake/headlong rush. The plan is to keep clicking roost, and try to drain PP with sacks/scream tail switch ins. Or to sack and revenge with Weavile/Scream Tail so long as rapid spin (or too many bulk ups) hasn’t been used.
Magic Guard Cinderace can also be a problem- HJK does too much damage to Iron Treads and it won’t take rocky helmet damage. No earthquake is a problem here. So the response is to chip it down with one attack from Treads, and 1-2 Fake Outs + icicle spear.
There’s a lot more nuances, and I’m happy to explain to anyone if they want more! Thanks all for being such a great metagame to play in!
JDandTurk
) but I got a sample sub
Weavile 
Dragonite 
Kommo-o 
