Other Metagames Ancestral

Century Express

melodies of life
is a Tutoris a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Former Old Generation Tournament Circuit Champion
Ancestral

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Introduction

Hello everyone. Although i play oldgens and UU more often, I discovered Inverse after some some matches just for fun, but after some time, I realize the Inverse metagame is really interesting and cool to play. Although the ladder is pretty much dead and lacks matches at good levels, this team helped me to peak #1, and i consider this team a great showcase of Mega Alakazam's potential on this metagame. Also, try to ignore my broken english because it's terrible ofc, but i'll try to explain everything on its details.

Teambuilding Process
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So, the first thing that popped in my mind, was to work with a mon which matchups reasonably well offensive and balanced-inclined squads. For these options, the main options which caught me were Mega Lopunny, Mega Zam, and Mega Bee, especially because of the Speed factor + excellent coverage. After some theorymon, Alakazam ended up fitting the team's main proposal perfectly. Thanks to its 150 Speed tier, i could easily take a great advantage vs teams which rely on a 145 Speed tier mega + Chansey / Avalugg core. Plus, some ideal resistances and counterplays vs some priority moves like Sucker Punch and Fake Out helped him even more helpful to exploit his full potential.

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Using Alakazam usually means get hard walled by fat stuff like Chansey and Porygon2, and this is the part of the teambuilding is where Alakazam truly shines. For example, Landorus shares some of his switch-ins like Chansey, Blissey, and Porygon2, but in other hand, his job is breaking and baiting his checks. U-Turn for example, is a amazing counterplay vs Chansey and Porygon2, allowing the safe switch-in of Gothitelle, or Knock Off for removing Shed Shell or Eviolite and then, opening more space for Alakazam to put some work on mid- and late-game. Also, not switching vs Landorus means getting KO'd by something on its coverage, so Landorus keeps me in a advantage position even if i mispredict.

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At this point (offensively at least), i was feeling terribly weak vs opposing Mega Alakazam and Dragonite, i and wanted to take a extra advantage of defensive glues, being useful not being only to set-up sweep, but to absorb incoming status moves, and act like a emmergency button against potential threats. Breloom does not only cover these issues, as it likes Gothitelle support as well. Removing Chansey and P2 from the field automatically means removing a Fight-resist, so it gets so much easier to set-up with him.

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These slots were dedicated just for a defensive backbone, honestly. Although i don't consider something like Chansey + Avalugg or P2 + Avalugg obligatory to be honest, they cover so many threats and provides so much support that there's almost no reason to not use them on Bulky and Balanced teams. Talking about the support, Avalugg is there for spinning, so Breloom can switch-in more often, and the Thunder Wave from P2 can take advantage against every offensive threat virtually, and if the opponent brings a specific status absorber, i can try do double switch to Gothitelle, bonus!
Under the Microscope

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Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite *** Spoon Waltz (
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Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def | 252 SpA | 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Protect

Mega Alakazam is ridiculously amazing in this metagame. Although he works best at mid- and late-game, it's usually a good idea to play against him early-game, because it attracts Chansey and Porygon2 switch-ins often, and from the moment that you double switch to Gothitelle and trap the opposing wall, it's a great step for Alakazam to break virtually everything later on the match. The choice of its nature is based on which threats you want to pressure more, but I've been using Timid over Modest because i'm kinda weak vs Mega Beedrill if i opt for Modest. But there are some vital benchmarks with Modest nature, like good chances for fishing a 2HKO vs (some) Porygon2 with Shadow Ball, for example.

Psyshock was my primary option, but since i already have Gothitelle to trap Chansey, Psyshock ended being a redundant option overall, and then Psychic ended up being the superior option. The coverage options synergizes his breaking potential, where Shadow Ball capitalizes on Normal-types which wall or pick a resist vs Psychic, like Mega Lopunny, Porygon2, while Energy Ball is really useful to pressure Dragonite, Kyurem, Breloom, and Mega Sceptile. Even with a Timid Nature, i like to use Protect. I know it sounds kinda useless because of the few scenarios mega evolving, but believe me, it isn't. Scenarios like Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, and Choice Scarf users trying to chip off damage with Fake Out happens really often, and regaining momentum against them, or simply scouting choice-locked mons is really useful for my gameplan.

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Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf *** Renaissance (
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Ability: Shadow Tag
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 80 HP | 28 Def | 176 SpD | 224 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Calm Mind | Heal Bell
- Psyshock
- Rest

Gothitelle is simply put, the main reason why Alakazam works so well. It's just a matter of time until you make on a double switch, or switch-in via Landorus-I's U-Turn, and Gothitelle start to do its job with total impunity. It doesn't have any secret to play with Gothitelle, but since it isn't so reliable to switch-in against some threats, the best starting point is trying to double switch from Mega Alakazam or P2, or with Landorus's U-Turn, as i said before. Gothitelle is more dedicated to break defensive cores, but it doesn't mean that it's useless vs offense, it's just more limited. Anyways, after trapping something, her main function is to analyze the right moment to Trick a potential set-up sweeper (like Meloetta or Porygon-Z for example), so i can block a lot of attempts from common wallbreakers to demolish my defensive core.

Outside of that, Goth's moveset is 100% standard, with the only variation being Heal Bell, to avoid issues like Breloom's Spore later in the match, or walls like Cresselia and Blobs using TWave or Toxic. This spread is more inclined on SpD, because it actually tries to take something around ~90%~ from Mega Zam and Meloetta's Psychic and rkill them in a emmergency scenario. 80 HP is completely important on it, so i can reach 301 HP and outstall Chansey / Blissey's Seismic Toss, and 216 hits the 115 tier Speed benchmark and usually outspeed any (possible) bulky variants of Dragonite, and Scarftar.

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Landorus @ Life Orb *** Relayer (
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Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 28 Atk | 228 SpA | 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Psychic
- U-turn | Knock Off

Landorus acts as the team's regular attacker and pivot (except if you opt for Knock Off of course). Anyways, Landorus is oriented or to: break stuff with his coverage, or U-Turn his checks to a appropriate trapper or attacker. Even if you don't need to outright U-Turn with him, Landorus itself poses a relevant threat, 2HKOing almost everything which isn't a dedicated wall or resist.

Talking about resists, there aren't many, and that's why he's so nice to use. On his coverage, Psychic is actually important even if it doesn't affect the offensive synergy, because it hits Cresselia and Lati twins for super-effective damage, and Stealth Rock is Stealth Rock. It's a less useful than SR in the standard metagame, but the 25% taken from Fight-types like Breloom and Mega Lopunny can prove to be vital for my offensive core, because they will be on my Loom's Mach Punch's range eventually. 28 Attack is really situational, but allows to avoid Dragonite recovers himself to 100% if he Roosts, and gives me good rolls of KOing him after breaking his Multiscale.

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Breloom @ Toxic Orb *** Soulcage (
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Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 212 HP | 252 Atk | 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Swords Dance
- Mach Punch
- Facade

If Alakazam isn't trying to outright break the opposing team, like for example, against matchups with Shed Shell Blissey, Breloom usually will be doing this function. For this team, i opted for a bulky variant with Poison Heal instead of Technician, so it allows me to have a longer ~staying power~ against many defensive glues, and thanks to its extra bulk, it can even beat Avalugg on 1v1! Anyways, instead of picking a dual STAB moveset, Mach Punch + Facade worked out like a charm, because it combines every single factor that i wanted on the team, like pressuring walls, and revenge killing Dragonite, Alakazam, Lati@s, and Mega Beedrill as well, being useful against a couple of playstyles overall.

I guess 252 HP and 252 Attack can be used as well... but i'm a bit paranoid against opposing speed creeps, and this probably fares well against any opposing Breloom and (regular) Abomasnow creeped as well, i guess.

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Porygon2 @ Eviolite *** Patozoid (
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Ability: Trace
EVs: 224 HP | 132 Def | 144 SpD | 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tri Attack
- Psyshock
- Recover
- Thunder Wave

It doesn't exist any secret using Porygon2, his function is to check virtually everthing of the tier. Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, Staraptor, Mega Alakazam, Greninja, Lati@s, Mega Sceptile... the list goes on. The first thing that came in my mind although, was using Chansey, but my team was playing in a more offensive pace, so i wanted to avoid spending too much turns on Aromatheraphy and status support. At the cost of absorbing status and having a higher Special Defense, Porygon2 shares a more flexible utility. Thanks to Trace, he can steal the momentum vs some Wobbuffet and Gothitelle trapping attempts (because of Shed Shell on Avalugg), and regain a bit of momentum vs Sheer Force and Adaptability users, and not being so status prone if a trace a potential Synchronize from Mew or Natural Cure from Blobs if Breloom's Toxic Orb isn't active. Unlike Chansey, Porygon2 has a harder time getting trapped by opposing Gothitelle, although losing Eviolite anyways sucks. Anyways, the best to work with Porygon2 is trying to analyze his utility against regular attackers, and decide the best opportunity to spread Thunder Wave or to double switch, if the opponent carries a Gothitelle or Wobbuffet, of course.

This is a pretty conventional spread, focused to tank hits and spread paralyze, and Psyshock is really useful. It doesn't add anything to the coverage, but it avoids to get raped by Gothitelle and Meloetta if both try to use as a fodder (CM + Rest for Gothitelle, and SubCM for Meloetta), so Psyshock is that useful if you ask me, and this trait aspect makes Porygon2 superior than Chansey and Blissey, at least for this team. This spread is almost the UU's spread, but my HP + SpD avoids the 3HKO from Modest Mega Zam after rocks, and takes a ~40%-47%~ roll from +1 or Specs Meloetta (both Shadow Ball). The extra speed is there to speed creep opposing P2, and the remaining HP + Def spread is useful to survive against Dragonite's Outrage at +2, and Mega Lopunny's Return | Frustation after a Power-Up-Punch into a 3HKO most of the time.

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Avalugg @ Shed Shell *** Everfrost (
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Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP | 20 Def | 232 SpD | 8 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Recover

Ice-type Pokémon are my favorite type overall, and them being actually excellent in Inverse Battle is really a amazing thing for me. While Porygon2's only weakness is Ghost-type moves, Avalugg owns only a singular Ice-type weakness, and since both share titanic defenses, it isn't hard to see why cores like these are so effective. Aside from his walling capacities, Avalugg does a good job spinning, although he matchups poorly against Toxic Spikes users, if Gothitelle doesn't run Heal Bell. Anyways, even though his coverage is the same of the non-Inverse metagame, Earthquake is really good to complement his main STAB, hitting Dragonite and Grass-types like Celebi, Shaymin or Breloom for super-effective damage.

If you want to use a more Defense-inclined spread it's fine as well, but i consider SpD Avalugg + a bit of Def (to tank better SD Loom, while avoiding 2HKO from Dragonite's Ice Beam) more safe overall, since it turns potential OHKO benchmarks into 2HKOs as well, if he switches into a hazard and breaks Sturdy, even though it's situational (but useful) in scenarios vs Porygon-Z and Mega Alakazam.

Final Words

Thanks everyone for reading at this point, i hope you guys enjoyed. :D

Relayer (Landorus) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 28 Atk / 228 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Psychic
- U-turn

Everfrost (Avalugg) (M) @ Shed Shell
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 232 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Recover

Patozoid (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 224 HP / 132 Def / 144 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tri Attack
- Psyshock
- Recover
- Thunder Wave

Renaissance (Gothitelle) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Shadow Tag
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 80 HP / 28 Def / 176 SpD / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Rest

Soulcage (Breloom) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Swords Dance
- Mach Punch
- Facade

Spoon Waltz (Alakazam-Mega) (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Protect

 
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