first off, opposing normalize gar shuts down everything outside of your unstabbed ice shards. they can call out chomp/slaking switchins with entrainment or attacks on the switch, wearing them down and making them unstable answers in the long run.
I can agree that an opposing Gengar with Normalize can impact members of the team. It also depends when it is sent in. Typically I can just use Audino-Mega, which can Spectral Thief Gengar-Mega on Dazzling / / Adaptability / Mold Breaker variants that assume I will switch out (fearing a Sludge Wave) so they can set up Shell Smash. If Normalize, no problem, I can simple let it use Entrainment as I slow Baton Pass to Gachomp-Mega. Entrainment doesn’t get Baton Passed, and if they try to Entrainment me again, I can switch back to Audino-Mega, and use slow Baton Pass for more Ice Shards. Easy in, easy out, as Gengar cannot hurt Audino with STAB on Normalize sets. ;) Boomburst can also only do so much.
If they opt for Shell Smash on their Normalize sets, then Ice Shard does 2HKOs from Life Orb Chomp.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Garchomp-Mega Ice Shard vs. -1 252 HP / 252 Def Gengar-Mega: 157-186 (48.4 - 57.4%) -- 92.6% chance to 2HKO
Sometime Audino will force a switch when they realize what I am doing.
If my Slaking Belly Drums on their switch in, they risk a +6 Ice Shard (I.e. if they think I will use PHeal Slaking, and don’t realize what just happened).
Ice Shard Tech Life Orb Mega Chomp is a 3HKO to Gengar.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Garchomp-Mega Ice Shard vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Gengar-Mega: 104-123 (32 - 37.9%) -- 95.4% chance to 3HKO
secondly, ate users are a big threat. v create or just boomburst pressure deals with celesteela. specs literally clicks boomburst and takes someone out every time it comes in. espeed means gar forces them out only a couple times. boomburst is doing a million to slaking so you're forced to use zmove immediately (meaning if you get forced out you can't drum again).
Let’s address this.
If Slaking uses Z-Belly Drum, it goes after Boomburst, heals and boosts, leaving it at 50% + 1, so it can then sweep without fear of Extreme Speed, due to Dazzling, but it can also come back in and Belly Drum down to 1 HP on a safe switch (say you switch Slaking into Moongeist, Tail Glow, Oblivion Wing, Giga Drain/Substitute/Drain Punch Triage Rayquaza, who cannot touch Slaking). Okay?
Setpedia:
Refrigerate
Kyurem-Black @ Icicle Plate / Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Refrigerate
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naughty / Jolly Nature
- Fake Out / King’s Shield / U-turn
- Extreme Speed
- Boomburst / Frustration
- Precipice Blades / Bolt Strike / V-create
For coverage, according to the Setpedia, V-Create is the least recommended (final option slashed in) coverage move. Aegislash can easily wall it’s STAB, and isn’t scared of Bolt Strike.
If it has Precipice Blades, or Bolt Strike, Celesteela can also switch into that, survive the Boomburst and use Core Enforcer to remove its -ate ability, heal up, and Volt Switch to a Ghost to avoid the formerly -ate Ice moves, Gengar won’t fear Extreme Speed and can Entrain and set up from there. Volt Absorb, and typing handles Bolt Strike, Precipice Blades anyways. Also Life Orb, due to a Stealth Rock weakness, is the least recommended item (final option slashed in), similar to Rayquaza-Mega. Beak Blast can also be used if the foe has Frustration over Boomburst, and tbh I rarely see Boomburst.
Audino-Mega can also Core Enforcer to remove STAB, and then wall it’s hits. I don’t want to assume it has V-Create and Precipices on the same set if the suggested set lists one or the other.
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As for Rayquaza, it has better mixed stats, but worse coverage, plus a Tech Chomp Ice Shard does a minimum of 87,5%, so any minor chip means it is a 1HKO, so unless it is using priority Extreme Speed on a weakened Chomp, it’s done.
Setpedia
Mixed Aerilate
Rayquaza-Mega @ Sky Plate / Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Fake Out / King’s Shield
- Extreme Speed
- Boomburst
- V-Create / Precipice Blades / Thousand Arrows / U-turn
Choice Specs Aerilate
Rayquaza-Mega @ Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Naive Nature
- Boomburst
- Draco Meteor
- Secret Sword / Magma Storm / Extreme Speed
- Volt Switch / Extreme Speed
For Specs, Audino-Mega walls Draco, Celesteela walls Volt Switch and forces them to lose their pivot, Ghosts wall Secret Sword and Gengar outspeeds for Entrainment games. As for the Steels survivability:
252 SpA Choice Specs Rayquaza-Mega Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Celesteela: 239-282 (60 - 70.8%) -- not a KO
252 SpA Choice Specs Rayquaza-Mega Draco Meteor over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 180-214 (55.5 - 66%) -- not a KO
252 SpA Choice Specs Aerilate Rayquaza-Mega Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Celesteela: 206-243 (51.7 - 61%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
After Core Enforcer
252 SpA Choice Specs Rayquaza-Mega Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Celesteela: 114-135 (28.6 - 33.9%) -- 0.9% chance to 3HKO
So not a 2HKO, as Celesteela can just heal after Core Enforcer.
252 SpA Choice Specs Aerilate Rayquaza-Mega Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 156-183 (48.1 - 56.4%) -- 88.3% chance to 2HKO
Now, I could just switch to a Sassy nature:
252 SpA Choice Specs Aerilate Rayquaza-Mega Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Aegislash-Shield: 141-167 (43.5 - 51.5%) -- 8.6% chance to 2HKO
And stall with Shore Up if needed.
If facing Aegislash, I would simple U-Turn to Gengar on Specs Rayquaza, forcing a switch as I use Entrainment. Or send in Garchomp-Mega for the Ice Shard. Since most people don’t expect a Scarf or Ice Shard on Garchomp-Mega, they tend to stay in thinking I will be 1HKOed by their Specs move.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Garchomp-Mega Ice Shard vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Rayquaza-Mega: 364-432 (87.9 - 104.3%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
I don’t want to have to run thru all of Diancie-Megas Pixelate set calcs, but it’s basicslly a weaker Rayquaza, and if Rayquaza can barely 2HKO, then we know Diancie-Mega cannot on Aegislash, especially if I simply switch to Sassy, as even Celesteela, whom is less bulky can make it a near sure 3HKO:
252 SpA Choice Specs Pixilate Diancie-Mega Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Celesteela: 171-201 (42.9 - 50.5%) -- 2.3% chance to 2HKO
Yep. A nature change changes a lot.
shed completely walls slaking and chomp, leaving only normalize gar as your way around it. normalize gar is not a good way around shed. mold breaker tspikes are ok but not reliable in the slightest especially on such a passive mon.
Um, Aegislash has Mold Breaker so it’s U-Turn bypasses Sturdy for the 1HKO, while Immune to Endeavor and Extreme Speed. Toxic Spikes is only half of what it can do to stop Shedinja. Gengar removes its ability letting anything else KO it, (say Gengar was hit by Knock Off, it can just use Entrainment and switch to something else if it must). It can also just stay in and stall Endeavors, and force switches since Shedinja can’t even use U-Turn.
Celesteela can use Beak Blast and Burn Shedinja, and if the Shedinja isn’t lowest Speed, which occasionally happens, Core Enforcer on Audino-Mega can be used, letting me take Endeavor, Core Enforcer, and then switch to Slaking for the Dazzling blocking priority attacks, and KO.
Stop ignoring what my team can do, at least acknowledge Aegislash Mold Breaker, and consider Beak Blast. Endeavor and Extreme Speed are contact moves afterall, and while Protective Pads may be an item, I do see Focus Sash for handling Mold Breaker moves like Sunsteel Strike. Not all sets are the same.
imposter recovers for free on both celesteela and audino, and forces slaking out after it drums and burns zmove. your only way around it is trading tspikes if gar is alive (if gar is dead, slaking gets poisoned and dies too).
Aegislash can stall out Imposter and Rapid Spin on their Switch. Slaking can stall out Imposter until it will need to use Struggle, and then switch to Audino-Mega, who has Unaware. Imposter has to switch and you can Baton Pass to Gengar or Garchomp so the next time it comes in your Gengar can wall Imposter Gengsr, or your Celesteela can wall Garchomp, and they cannot heal.
I have also intentionally sent in Slaking again, as sometimes the Imposters will Belly Drum, and when they do, o switch to Audino, wall them, and when they switch out, they are at less than 50%. Keep in mind, I can also Core Enforcer Imposter with Audino, letting me slow Baton Pass to my Slaking or Garchomp and finish them off if they are weakened, or slow pivot to Gengar to hit them with Boomburst before they land Struggle.
Since Struggle doesn’t get a STAB boost, as of gen 2 onwards, could also use Celesteela for Beak Blast, to cause a Burn, and stall it.
+6 252+ Atk Life Orb Slaking Struggle vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela: 256-302 (64.3 - 75.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Then Burn, and switch to Audino for even less damage... not my favorite solution, but it could work to permanently impact Chansey for passive damage. Don’t forget the Struggle recoil of 25%+6.25% Burn accumulated quickly.
you have no reliable hazard removal. aegi gets spinblocked by all ghosts bar shed.
Gengar deters Ghosts, as Aegislash slow U-Turns. Garchomp discourages Giratina, Aegislash, and Gengar from simply switching into a STAB move. Aegislash can pivot to Gengar to absorb Imposter Toxic Spikes.
Other than that, I agree. I guess having Steel types helps vs Toxic Spikes, as is having Celesteela unaffected by Spikes, and having priority moves allow me to worry less about Sticky Webs. Gengar, can also come in on a slower threat, force a switch with Entrainment, and Quiver Dance to negate the Sticky Webs -Speed effect. Aegislash still can surprise people and come in though for the Rapid Spin.
your sleep protection is 2 passive goggles users. ph regi wins if celesteela is even slightly weakened and both goggles are knocked. ph xern can just 1v1 audino with magma and kiss then proceed to set up on aegi and sweep. disruptor ph mons (spore mmx, phero, and even the legendary ph zeraora) are incredibly problematic and steal momentum so you can lose even if they don't just sweep by themselves.
Okay, so I understand where you are coming from. I also know that if they use Knock Off on Audino-Mega, during that turn I can use Core Enforcer or Baton Pass on Regi, and send in Entrainment Gar, Celesteela can also Core Enforcer or Volt Switch.
As for Xerneas I can use Spectral Thief on Audino-Mega, which helps with Unaware, and since Xerneas doesn’t use Knock Off, I won’t fear Spore.
Since the other PH dont typically carry Sunsteel or Photon (see below), according to the Setpedia, Audino should do alright. Celesteela also walls Zoroara thanks to Volt Absorb, and threatens with Core Enforcer.
Poison Heal
Setpedia
Mewtwo-Mega-X @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Low Kick
- Icicle Crash / Knock Off
- Spore
- Leech Seed
No Photon, if Icicle Crash - as it’s the first and preferred move, it will be walled by Aegislash, who can Rapid Spin Leech Seed, and slow pivot to Audino or Celesteela for Core Enforcer. Not a problem.
If Knock Off, it’s power won’t be that strong due to the reduction to 65 base power, and Aegislash’s Low Kick immunity.
Pheromosa carries Knock Off, but with a possible Sleep Clause becoming a rule, I also think Sleep will be a reduced concern.
No Setpedia for Zeroara... ;(
drummers set up on aegi and maybe celesteela and sweep. sunsteel is always run and kills audino. even kartana is unfazed by ice shard. sacred fire and arrows bypass celesteela.
So, Which drummers besides Kartana? Celesteela can Core Enforcer Unburden users, or Beak Blast to Burn foes on contact moves. Thousand Arrows is neutral on the first hit when it removes the Flying immunity. Be more specific when you include more than Kartana. If at 1/2 HP due to Belly Drum, if it takes damage the turn it uses Belly Drum it can be a risky option. Plus, if Toxic Spikes is up, other Belly Drummers can be worn down.
i'd recommend trying out more consistent stuff, because although these one-time sweepers can win some ladder games, they can be easily shut down if the opponent is prepared.
Garchomp-Mega is a variant of Adaptability and for its primarily STAB, has about the same base power, trading out Draco Meteor for priority, on top of that I think my Setpedia Norm Gengar-Mega is pretty standard as it’s matches the -
Setpedia:
Normalize
Gengar-Mega @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Normalize
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Entrainment
- Judgment
- Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
- Taunt / Moongeist Beam / Psystrike / Boomburst.
As for Slaking, it might not fit on every team, but it can function well with a Toxic Spikes supporter, can Belly Drum up to 4 times, and like many other Pokemon that sweep, might not be 100% Self-Improof, but can under Z-move Breakneck Blitz, and with teammate such like Unaware Audino-Mega is not a concern. Pokemon like Sheer Force MMY and Contrary Sweepers also risk being Impostered by Eviolite and/or Scarf users. Unlike them, however, a Slaking at least forces a Struggle, and can do well against priority users that’s typically threaten sweepers.
I also want to note, I wanted to keep some remnants of his team intact, hence keeping 3/6 Pokemon he originally chose, keeping the same set he had on Zygarde-Complete and just making it Audino-Mega, and then switch out Kartana and Ferrothorn for synergistic Tech Chomp and Celesteela, so as not to multiply a Fighting weakness.
Therefore I didn’t want to make a brand new team, and kept core concepts like Mold Breaker Aegislash, and Slaking in with 1-2 tweaks at most.
