Introduction
With the arrival of November shifts, the metagame has changed significantly and become far more offense-focused. While I prefer to play with more defensively-solid teams, two hyper-offensive Pokemon caught my eye: Iron Jugulis, whose fast Taunts allievated a lot of hyper offense's issues, and Maushold, a rather funny yet absurdly strong sweeper. I decided to deviate somewhat from my usual playstyle and build a setup spam hyper offense team in order to get reqs for the Hisuian Lilligant suspect test. I managed to carve out reqs with a GXE of 81.5%, and on a personal alt I managed to reach 1571, #15 on the RU ladder. One user, Arcanine1929, even hit #1 at one point with this team under the alt RU2L Sadge, and they still have an impressive ranking of #5!
Proof of Peak
Arcanine1929's Proof of Peak
Teambuilding Process
- I started out with two shiny new toys from the recent drops. Iron Jugulis is already a fairly strong Pokemon on its own, but with Taunt it could shut down the bulkier Pokemon that otherwise give the archetype trouble. Maushold was one of the few good designs from the recent generation and a very powerful set-up sweeper; it paired nicely with Iron Jugulis due to its ability to break down physically bulky Pokemon.
- I knew that I needed priority in this more offensive metagame, so I opted for Mimikyu, whose Disguise ability and phenomenal typing helped the team fend off other HO teams.
- I needed hazards at this point, and the first Pokemon that came to mind for an offensive Stealth Rock setter was Azelf. Having a backup Special Attacker and Taunt user was also quite nice.
- Revavroom was quite annoying to face in the previous meta, so I figured it could still hold its own here with its Shift Gear shenanigans. I went with a Jolly nature to outrun Basculegion in rain after a Shift Gear.
- I really needed a special attacking set-up sweeper, so I added Yanmega as my final team member. Together with Iron Jugulis and Maushold, it formed an offensive core designed at overwhelming and tearing down their shared checks.
- Azelf just wasn't cutting it as a Stealth Rocker, as it felt like it was lucky to even get up some rocks before keeling over. I experimented a bit with Focus Sash Brambleghast as a lead, inspired by a team I kept falling to in the previous metagame that utilized Sash Brambleghast and Yanmega.
- Even with two Ghost types, I found that the team was extremely weak to opposing Maushold. I consulted Madinina for advice after losing to them, and they suggested Stealth Rock Krookodile (due to its ability to remove Rocky Helmet via Knock Off and additional utility with Taunt) and Air Balloon Lucario (given its ability to set up on Ground-types) over Brambleghast and Revavroom respectively. This was the version of the team that I had the most success with.
The Team
MR. MUGULIS
@
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-
Hurricane
-
Dark Pulse
-
Earth Power
-
Taunt
One of the two cornerstones of the team, good ol' Mugulis serves to overwhelm defensive cores with a combination of Taunt and its strong STABs. Taunt Iron Jugulis is an amazing glue for hyper offensive teams, crippling bulkier problem Pokemon like Hippowdon and preventing the opposing team from setting hazards or gaining boosts. Earth Power is the coverage of choice due to its ability to hit Steel-types like Tinkaton as well as the likes of Pawmot and Alolan Muk in one slot (and to an extent Tyranitar, though you need Tera to do meaningful damage to it). Another reason to use Earth Power over Flamethrower is the fact that its power is not lowered by Rain, which is fairly prominent on the ladder at the moment. Tera Ground has both offensive and defensive utility, letting it pick up kills it otherwise couldn't achieve with Earth Power while giving it valuable resistances to Rock and Electric. Iron Jugulis often makes its appearance early on in the battle, and may even be used as a lead in situations where leading Krookodile is an unviable option.
MEECES PUFFS
@
Ability: Technician
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
Tidy Up
-
Population Bomb
-
Bite
-
Encore
The other cornerstone of this team, and a mon that will hopefully cause Ambipom to fall in usage and drop to NU. Maushold is a comically powerful sweeper thanks to the absurd power of Population Bomb and Tidy Up, the latter of which has the bonus effect of providing emergency hazard control for Iron Jugulis and Yanmega. Encore is put into the 4th slot in order to exploit slower set-up sweepers as well as Mimikyu after it revenge kills something with Shadow Sneak. Tera Fire protects Maushold against burns and lets it set up against Fire-types like Arcanine and Talonflame. It can also let Maushold survive First Impression from Slither Wing in a pinch. This is a family of late-game cleaners who are best sent out after checks like Tinkaton are worn down or knocked out and Rocky Helmets have been eliminated from the game. Maushold forms an offensive core with Iron Jugulis and Yanmega whose goal is to overwhelm would-be checks such as Tinkaton and Diancie.
Other Options
Low Kick can be used over Encore in order to beat Tyranitar. Maushold can also utilize Tera Ghost in order to protect itself from opposing Maushold and Lucario's Extreme Speed.
CHICORY FIBER
@
Ability: Disguise
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
Swords Dance
-
Play Rough
-
Drain Punch
-
Shadow Sneak
I've touched on Mimikyu being broken prior to the DLC drops, but even though it's been knocked down a peg by power creep (and Tinkaton) it's still a terrifying offensive threat. Drain Punch is used in order to keep Mimikyu going even after Life Orb recoil as well as a reliable, 100%-accurate method to smack the likes of Lucario and Maushold. Mimikyu rarely Terastallizes as teammates like Yanmega and Lucario generally appreciate the mechanic more, but Tera Ghost is used in order to pick off foes with Shadow Sneak in a pinch. While Mimikyu tends to be a mid-game mon that can block Rapid Spin as needed, there are some matchups (such as vs. Rain) where Mimikyu and its Disguise needs to be preserved and played carefully.
Other Options
Shadow Claw can be run over Drain Punch in order to hit the Slowbros for higher damage. If not running Shadow Claw, Tera Fairy can provide a power boost to Play Rough in a pinch.
NEED FOR SPEED
@
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
Knock Off
-
Earthquake
-
Stealth Rock
-
Taunt
The team's designated lead (usually), Krookodile's access to Intimidate and Taunt as well as its Ground typing sets it apart from the others. This is a standard Stealth Rock Krookodile set, with Focus Sash being used to survive hits like Mimikyu's Play Rough in a pinch. Taunt is put into the last slot in order to control the field's hazards, preventing the opponent from setting them up. As its other teammates prefer to abuse the mechanic, Terastallizing Krookodile is rarely recommended, but Tera Ground can be used to power up Earthquake in a pinch. While you usually want to lead Krookodile, there are some matchups (such as against Rain or Slither Wing Hyper Offense) where the opponent can abuse Krookodile in order to set up for a sweep; Iron Jugulis is usually a good backup lead instead.
Other Options
A rather funny, if untested set could be to utilize Tera Dragon and Scale Shot in order to make Krookodile a pseudo-setup sweeper, though it worsens your matchup against Mimikyu and the immediate power of Earthquake is generally more appreciated. This does have the benefit of punishing the uncommon Taunt Noivern, however.
WHY
@
Ability: Justified
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-
Swords Dance
-
Extreme Speed
-
Close Combat
-
Bullet Punch
As much as I dislike the tier's resident fursuit (hence the name), I cannot deny that Lucario's dual priority serves this team well. Air Balloon lets it set up against Ground-types like non-Close Combat Krookodile and Quagsire. Justified is the ability of choice in order to punish brazen Knock Off use. An Adamant nature is used in order to shore up the power lost by not using Life Orb, which isn't a huge loss since Lucario often relies on its priority moves anyway. Lucario prefers that its checks like Slowbro are worn down or eliminated, but can come in as needed in order to pick off threats like Iron Jugulis and Maushold. Be wary of Encore users such as Tinkaton and Scream Tail; while setting up on them seems appealing Lucario can quickly find itself crippled if it is not careful.
Other Options
Meteor Mash offers a noticeable power boost over Bullet Punch, but its lack of priority and imperfect accuracy can turn the tide against you. Inner Focus is an option in order to block Intimidate as well.
IF U CANT BEAT EM...
@
Ability: Speed Boost
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-
Bug Buzz
-
Air Slash
-
Tera Blast
-
Protect
...join 'em. A scourge of my last team, Yanmega is a very potent Hyper Offensive threat thanks to a combination of Throat Spray, Speed Boost, and Tera Ground Tera Blast. Yanmega will often come in later in the game against whittled-down threats in order to get a free boost via Bug Buzz. Air Slash's flinches can definitely come in clutch, though relying on them isn't a good idea unless your options are truly exhausted (especially with its imperfect accuracy). As Tera Ground Yanmega is somewhat predictable despite its power, using Protect to scout other mons' Tera is recommended. Protect can also be used not only to get additional Speed boosts but also stall out weather turns, making it a threat against Rain (so long as it lacks Basculegion) and Sun. If your game plan involves sweeping at the end with Yanmega and not, say, Maushold, be aggressive with Taunt from Krookodile and Iron Jugulis, as priority from the likes of Basculegion can pick off Yanmega after Stealth Rock damage.
Threatlist
- Bulky waters can be quite the headache for this team due to a lack of supereffective moves against them. All of them can stop a sweep cold, especially if Milotic or Vaporeon carry Haze. However they can be danced around, usually with Taunt Iron Jugulis.
(
) - Arguably public enemy number one, especially in Rain. Combine the previous issues with bulky waters with Basculegion's sheer nuking power and access to its own priority and you have an utter nightmare for this team. Your best bet is to preserve Mimikyu and pray to God. If Rain in general is too much of a problem for you then Shadow Claw over Drain Punch on Mimikyu is an option.
- On hyper offensive teams, Booster + Flame Charge Slither Wing is very prone to snowballing due to its ability to exploit Krookodile. If you see one in team preview, don't even bother leading Krookodile as it's just gonna be setup bait.
- Broken mon that I've discussed in my suspect thread post, Tera Ghost variants in particular are especially irritating due to being immune to Lucario's Extreme Speed and Maushold's Population Bomb. Yanmega with enough Speed boosts can help, as does Mimikyu thanks to Disguise and Shadow Sneak.
- Other Mimikyu are quite threatening due to its excellent typing giving it an immunity to Extreme Speed and Population Bomb as well as a neutrality to Jugulis's Dark Pulse, not to mention Disguise. Apart from hoping for Flinch hax, Krookodile can kill a Busted Mimikyu with Earthquake as long as its Sash is intact, and Tera Normal Lucario can deny Shadow Sneak while smacking Mimikyu with Bullet Punch.
- Another Pokemon from this team that happens to be a menace to face. Against other Hyper Offensive teams many games come down to whoever brings their Yanmega out first and/or whoever can control hazards the best.
Arguably the definitive anti-HO mon, Rocky Helmet Hippowdon stops my physical sweepers cold and can negate Jugulis's Booster Energy/Yanmega's Throat Spray with Roar. Try to play around it with Taunt and to knock off its Rocky Helmet.
Replays
vs C0nfiden1 0yster - This replay is short but gives a good idea of what to do when faced with a rain team: Be aggressive with Jugulis in the early-game (though be careful of other Jugulises (Juguli?)), preserve Mimikyu for Swift Swim guys like Barraskewda and especially Basculegion (though it didn't get any action here), and in general use Yanmega's Protect to scout other Teras.
vs RUL2 sadge - A mirror match against my own team, this shows the importance of getting Yanmega out before the opponent brings theirs out. While the flinch helped significantly, Mimikyu would've survived an Air Slash and KO'd back with two Shadow Sneaks or a Play Rough (I wouldn't wanna risk a flinch myself though). (note that the version my opponent using is slightly outdated; even if the Maushold had Encore I would've sent in my own Maus and then doubled back into Mimikyu).
Conclusion
Hyper Offense isn't my typical style but this team was a lot of fun to build and use. I hope you enjoyed this RMT and find success with this team! I'd also like to shoutout Madinina (I don't know your Smogon name, if you even have one) for helping with this team, specifically suggesting lead Krookodile and Air Balloon Lucario, as well as C0nfiden1 0yster for helping me practice using this team. Also obligatory feen and angelthesaucegod shoutouts
With the arrival of November shifts, the metagame has changed significantly and become far more offense-focused. While I prefer to play with more defensively-solid teams, two hyper-offensive Pokemon caught my eye: Iron Jugulis, whose fast Taunts allievated a lot of hyper offense's issues, and Maushold, a rather funny yet absurdly strong sweeper. I decided to deviate somewhat from my usual playstyle and build a setup spam hyper offense team in order to get reqs for the Hisuian Lilligant suspect test. I managed to carve out reqs with a GXE of 81.5%, and on a personal alt I managed to reach 1571, #15 on the RU ladder. One user, Arcanine1929, even hit #1 at one point with this team under the alt RU2L Sadge, and they still have an impressive ranking of #5!
Proof of Peak
Arcanine1929's Proof of Peak
Teambuilding Process
- I started out with two shiny new toys from the recent drops. Iron Jugulis is already a fairly strong Pokemon on its own, but with Taunt it could shut down the bulkier Pokemon that otherwise give the archetype trouble. Maushold was one of the few good designs from the recent generation and a very powerful set-up sweeper; it paired nicely with Iron Jugulis due to its ability to break down physically bulky Pokemon. - I knew that I needed priority in this more offensive metagame, so I opted for Mimikyu, whose Disguise ability and phenomenal typing helped the team fend off other HO teams. - I needed hazards at this point, and the first Pokemon that came to mind for an offensive Stealth Rock setter was Azelf. Having a backup Special Attacker and Taunt user was also quite nice. - Revavroom was quite annoying to face in the previous meta, so I figured it could still hold its own here with its Shift Gear shenanigans. I went with a Jolly nature to outrun Basculegion in rain after a Shift Gear. - I really needed a special attacking set-up sweeper, so I added Yanmega as my final team member. Together with Iron Jugulis and Maushold, it formed an offensive core designed at overwhelming and tearing down their shared checks. - Azelf just wasn't cutting it as a Stealth Rocker, as it felt like it was lucky to even get up some rocks before keeling over. I experimented a bit with Focus Sash Brambleghast as a lead, inspired by a team I kept falling to in the previous metagame that utilized Sash Brambleghast and Yanmega. - Even with two Ghost types, I found that the team was extremely weak to opposing Maushold. I consulted Madinina for advice after losing to them, and they suggested Stealth Rock Krookodile (due to its ability to remove Rocky Helmet via Knock Off and additional utility with Taunt) and Air Balloon Lucario (given its ability to set up on Ground-types) over Brambleghast and Revavroom respectively. This was the version of the team that I had the most success with.The Team
MR. MUGULIS
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-
-
-
-
One of the two cornerstones of the team, good ol' Mugulis serves to overwhelm defensive cores with a combination of Taunt and its strong STABs. Taunt Iron Jugulis is an amazing glue for hyper offensive teams, crippling bulkier problem Pokemon like Hippowdon and preventing the opposing team from setting hazards or gaining boosts. Earth Power is the coverage of choice due to its ability to hit Steel-types like Tinkaton as well as the likes of Pawmot and Alolan Muk in one slot (and to an extent Tyranitar, though you need Tera to do meaningful damage to it). Another reason to use Earth Power over Flamethrower is the fact that its power is not lowered by Rain, which is fairly prominent on the ladder at the moment. Tera Ground has both offensive and defensive utility, letting it pick up kills it otherwise couldn't achieve with Earth Power while giving it valuable resistances to Rock and Electric. Iron Jugulis often makes its appearance early on in the battle, and may even be used as a lead in situations where leading Krookodile is an unviable option.
MEECES PUFFS
Ability: Technician
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
-
-
-
The other cornerstone of this team, and a mon that will hopefully cause Ambipom to fall in usage and drop to NU. Maushold is a comically powerful sweeper thanks to the absurd power of Population Bomb and Tidy Up, the latter of which has the bonus effect of providing emergency hazard control for Iron Jugulis and Yanmega. Encore is put into the 4th slot in order to exploit slower set-up sweepers as well as Mimikyu after it revenge kills something with Shadow Sneak. Tera Fire protects Maushold against burns and lets it set up against Fire-types like Arcanine and Talonflame. It can also let Maushold survive First Impression from Slither Wing in a pinch. This is a family of late-game cleaners who are best sent out after checks like Tinkaton are worn down or knocked out and Rocky Helmets have been eliminated from the game. Maushold forms an offensive core with Iron Jugulis and Yanmega whose goal is to overwhelm would-be checks such as Tinkaton and Diancie.
Other Options
Low Kick can be used over Encore in order to beat Tyranitar. Maushold can also utilize Tera Ghost in order to protect itself from opposing Maushold and Lucario's Extreme Speed.
CHICORY FIBER
Ability: Disguise
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
-
-
-
I've touched on Mimikyu being broken prior to the DLC drops, but even though it's been knocked down a peg by power creep (and Tinkaton) it's still a terrifying offensive threat. Drain Punch is used in order to keep Mimikyu going even after Life Orb recoil as well as a reliable, 100%-accurate method to smack the likes of Lucario and Maushold. Mimikyu rarely Terastallizes as teammates like Yanmega and Lucario generally appreciate the mechanic more, but Tera Ghost is used in order to pick off foes with Shadow Sneak in a pinch. While Mimikyu tends to be a mid-game mon that can block Rapid Spin as needed, there are some matchups (such as vs. Rain) where Mimikyu and its Disguise needs to be preserved and played carefully.
Other Options
Shadow Claw can be run over Drain Punch in order to hit the Slowbros for higher damage. If not running Shadow Claw, Tera Fairy can provide a power boost to Play Rough in a pinch.
NEED FOR SPEED
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
-
-
-
The team's designated lead (usually), Krookodile's access to Intimidate and Taunt as well as its Ground typing sets it apart from the others. This is a standard Stealth Rock Krookodile set, with Focus Sash being used to survive hits like Mimikyu's Play Rough in a pinch. Taunt is put into the last slot in order to control the field's hazards, preventing the opponent from setting them up. As its other teammates prefer to abuse the mechanic, Terastallizing Krookodile is rarely recommended, but Tera Ground can be used to power up Earthquake in a pinch. While you usually want to lead Krookodile, there are some matchups (such as against Rain or Slither Wing Hyper Offense) where the opponent can abuse Krookodile in order to set up for a sweep; Iron Jugulis is usually a good backup lead instead.
Other Options
A rather funny, if untested set could be to utilize Tera Dragon and Scale Shot in order to make Krookodile a pseudo-setup sweeper, though it worsens your matchup against Mimikyu and the immediate power of Earthquake is generally more appreciated. This does have the benefit of punishing the uncommon Taunt Noivern, however.
WHY
Ability: Justified
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-
-
-
-
As much as I dislike the tier's resident fursuit (hence the name), I cannot deny that Lucario's dual priority serves this team well. Air Balloon lets it set up against Ground-types like non-Close Combat Krookodile and Quagsire. Justified is the ability of choice in order to punish brazen Knock Off use. An Adamant nature is used in order to shore up the power lost by not using Life Orb, which isn't a huge loss since Lucario often relies on its priority moves anyway. Lucario prefers that its checks like Slowbro are worn down or eliminated, but can come in as needed in order to pick off threats like Iron Jugulis and Maushold. Be wary of Encore users such as Tinkaton and Scream Tail; while setting up on them seems appealing Lucario can quickly find itself crippled if it is not careful.
Other Options
Meteor Mash offers a noticeable power boost over Bullet Punch, but its lack of priority and imperfect accuracy can turn the tide against you. Inner Focus is an option in order to block Intimidate as well.
IF U CANT BEAT EM...
Ability: Speed Boost
Tera Type:
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-
-
-
-
...join 'em. A scourge of my last team, Yanmega is a very potent Hyper Offensive threat thanks to a combination of Throat Spray, Speed Boost, and Tera Ground Tera Blast. Yanmega will often come in later in the game against whittled-down threats in order to get a free boost via Bug Buzz. Air Slash's flinches can definitely come in clutch, though relying on them isn't a good idea unless your options are truly exhausted (especially with its imperfect accuracy). As Tera Ground Yanmega is somewhat predictable despite its power, using Protect to scout other mons' Tera is recommended. Protect can also be used not only to get additional Speed boosts but also stall out weather turns, making it a threat against Rain (so long as it lacks Basculegion) and Sun. If your game plan involves sweeping at the end with Yanmega and not, say, Maushold, be aggressive with Taunt from Krookodile and Iron Jugulis, as priority from the likes of Basculegion can pick off Yanmega after Stealth Rock damage.
Threatlist
- Bulky waters can be quite the headache for this team due to a lack of supereffective moves against them. All of them can stop a sweep cold, especially if Milotic or Vaporeon carry Haze. However they can be danced around, usually with Taunt Iron Jugulis. () - Arguably public enemy number one, especially in Rain. Combine the previous issues with bulky waters with Basculegion's sheer nuking power and access to its own priority and you have an utter nightmare for this team. Your best bet is to preserve Mimikyu and pray to God. If Rain in general is too much of a problem for you then Shadow Claw over Drain Punch on Mimikyu is an option. - On hyper offensive teams, Booster + Flame Charge Slither Wing is very prone to snowballing due to its ability to exploit Krookodile. If you see one in team preview, don't even bother leading Krookodile as it's just gonna be setup bait. - Broken mon that I've discussed in my suspect thread post, Tera Ghost variants in particular are especially irritating due to being immune to Lucario's Extreme Speed and Maushold's Population Bomb. Yanmega with enough Speed boosts can help, as does Mimikyu thanks to Disguise and Shadow Sneak. - Other Mimikyu are quite threatening due to its excellent typing giving it an immunity to Extreme Speed and Population Bomb as well as a neutrality to Jugulis's Dark Pulse, not to mention Disguise. Apart from hoping for Flinch hax, Krookodile can kill a Busted Mimikyu with Earthquake as long as its Sash is intact, and Tera Normal Lucario can deny Shadow Sneak while smacking Mimikyu with Bullet Punch. - Another Pokemon from this team that happens to be a menace to face. Against other Hyper Offensive teams many games come down to whoever brings their Yanmega out first and/or whoever can control hazards the best. Arguably the definitive anti-HO mon, Rocky Helmet Hippowdon stops my physical sweepers cold and can negate Jugulis's Booster Energy/Yanmega's Throat Spray with Roar. Try to play around it with Taunt and to knock off its Rocky Helmet.Replays
vs C0nfiden1 0yster - This replay is short but gives a good idea of what to do when faced with a rain team: Be aggressive with Jugulis in the early-game (though be careful of other Jugulises (Juguli?)), preserve Mimikyu for Swift Swim guys like Barraskewda and especially Basculegion (though it didn't get any action here), and in general use Yanmega's Protect to scout other Teras.vs RUL2 sadge - A mirror match against my own team, this shows the importance of getting Yanmega out before the opponent brings theirs out. While the flinch helped significantly, Mimikyu would've survived an Air Slash and KO'd back with two Shadow Sneaks or a Play Rough (I wouldn't wanna risk a flinch myself though). (note that the version my opponent using is slightly outdated; even if the Maushold had Encore I would've sent in my own Maus and then doubled back into Mimikyu).Conclusion
Hyper Offense isn't my typical style but this team was a lot of fun to build and use. I hope you enjoyed this RMT and find success with this team! I'd also like to shoutout Madinina (I don't know your Smogon name, if you even have one) for helping with this team, specifically suggesting lead Krookodile and Air Balloon Lucario, as well as C0nfiden1 0yster for helping me practice using this team. Also obligatory feen and angelthesaucegod shoutouts
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