Anyway, the team
I think by the Pokémon selection, you can tell this is supposed to be quite an offensive team. There’s a little bit of nuance to the sets and how they gel together to create situations to use said offense, but generally this is a pretty traditional offense team in the context of Series 13 BSS. I will try to give details and the like as I break each set down.
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“Against all the evil that Hell can conjure, all the wickedness that mankind can produce, we will send unto them... only you.”
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Level: 50
EVs: 180 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Behemoth Blade
- Close Combat
- Play Rough
- Quick Attack
I think it should be apparent that Zacian is almost mandatory in series 13, as there is literally no trade off to running it with no restriction on the amount of legendaries. This is pretty much the standard Zacian spread. It beats most other spreads with Behemoth Blade into Quick Attack KOing all but the bulkiest of spreads quite consistently. Additionally, most spreads that survive the BB + QA combo sacrifice a lot of speed, and as such and simply be Bladed twice without risking anything. The speed benchmark is for adamant Marshadow, which is helpful in giving you an out should Landorus go down before marsh is revealed. Behemoth Blade is self apparent, and Close Combat is really hard to pass up as well. Quick Attack is chosen as it hits deceptively hard despite its low base power thanks to Zacian’s absurd attack stat, and Play Rough is great as secondary STAB. Other options include Wild Charge, which consistently OHKO’s most Kyogre variants, Ice Fang, which is very useful against Landorus and Zygarde (though BB and PR respectively can also get the job done), and Fire Fang, which hits ferrothorn, other Zacian, and shedinja, all of which can potentially pose problems for Zacian.
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“For he who comes in our time of need is not of mortal breed, he is the Destroyer, the right hand of our Creator and the one who brings fear where there is no hope.”
Ability: Dark Aura
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Oblivion Wing
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Heat Wave
Yveltal is one of my absolute favorite legendaries, it is easily one of the best answers to Calyrex-S in the game, and poses an immense offensive threat as well. Its STAB combination is simply amazing, and thanks to the healing provided by Oblivion Wing, Roost isn’t super necessary, meaning you can get away with slotting in Heat Wave for Zacian, which is really the only relevant thing that resists both of Yvetal’s main moves. I do, however, forgo Roost or Sucker Punch for Taunt on this build, as this lets Yveltal shut down utility from a vast array of threats. Notably Hippowdon, Groudon, Landorus, Lugia, Chansey, and it can even prevent a Geomancy from Xerneas, as Xerneas runs a LOT of bulk to not instantly drop to Zacian. There are also more fringe options that really dislike Taunt, such as Lunala, and my nemesis Zygarde. It pays to be more controlled with the dynamax trigger with this Ygod set, as making a well timed use of Taunt is often crucial to get maximum value from it in this metagame.
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“With it they did wondrous things, saved worlds from extinction, healed the sick... and gave infinite power to those who were worthy of it.”
RIDE THE LIGHTNING (Zekrom) @ Lum Berry“With it they did wondrous things, saved worlds from extinction, healed the sick... and gave infinite power to those who were worthy of it.”
Ability: Teravolt
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Bolt Strike
- Outrage
- Dual Wingbeat
Zekrom is an incredible anti stall Pokémon, provided it can find its way in on something other than Eternatus. Since Yveltal has my Life Orb slot, I opted for Lum Berry on Zekrom. This allows it to take advantage of common physical checks, such as Hippowdon, and allows it to safely set up on Ho-Oh. While the damage is a little lower without Life Orb, the security offered by Lum Berry is invaluable, and chipping things like Zacian to ensure they are in KO range when I go for the sweep isn’t unreasonable. Bolt Strike can be frustratingly inconsistent outside of Dynamax, so some people opt for Fusion Bolt, or more commonly, run it over coverage in the fourth slot. However, without Life Orb, the damage just isn’t enough, and I find myself willing to put up with the risk posed by clicking Bolt Strike. Dragon Claw is a potential option instead of Outrage as well, however I once again find that it’s just not powerful enough. Especially since Zekrom will be using dynamax most of the time, Outrage’s power boost is worth the riskier nature of the move. Dual Wingbeat is by far my preferred coverage move. While Shadow Claw can be useful in the Calyrex matchup, Marshadow is by far the bigger threat imo, and Dual Wingbeat allows Zekrom to bypass sash Marshadow thanks to the dual hit. Additionally, Wingbeat allows for the use of Max Airstream while dynamaxed, considering Zekrom’s somewhat average speed tier, this can be invaluable. Another potential option for the fourth slot is Body Press, while this won’t be boosted by Dragon Dance, access to Max Knuckle can be very handy, and the super effective hit on Ferrothorn can also help on certain comps. For a poke that has a relatively straightforward game plan, Zekrom is surprisingly adaptable in its approach.
———
"The mark of the Doom Slayer was burned upon his crypt, a warning to all of Hell that the terror within must never be freed. There he lies still, and ever more, in silent suffering."
EMPRESS (Calyrex-Shadow) @ Focus Sash
Ability: As One (Spectrier)
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Astral Barrage
- Psyshock
- Draining Kiss
- Nasty Plot
Calyrex is one of the most terrifying Pokémon ever conceived in my opinion, which makes it a natural fit on hyper offense. Blistering speed, amazing typing, and just a ridiculous level of power create a nearly unstoppable monster if not properly accounted for. Initially, I had used Marshadow in this slot, but I found that it was just too inconsistent. It was fine, and brought some great attributes to the team, but I wanted something more. After a disappointing loss against Papiloco in BSS Masters, where his Necrozma ended up walling out my mostly physically oriented offense, I reconsidered a lot of my team, and Calyrex stood out as a remedy to this. It takes advantage of many of Zacian and Yveltal’s poor matchups, breaks through most physical walls like nothing else, and can punish passive play in an instant with Nasty Plot. Of course, pokemon like Yveltal and Tyranitar give it serious trouble, as well as strong, tanky mons like Kyogre, since if Calyrex fails to grab the OHKO, it’s usually dead against offense, and Focus Sash can only go so far in remedying this. Still, the high threat level if left unchecked and the ability to tear through defensive cores with just a bit of maneuvering is well worth these downsides, and Calyrex has proven itself to be highly valuable time and time again.
———
"So you walk eternally through the shadow realms, standing against evil where all others falter. May your thirst for retribution never quench, may the blood on your sword never dry, and may we never need you again."
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Tomb
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Landorus-T is one of the few Pokémon that can check both Zacian and Zekrom, which are otherwise pretty difficult to handle. Thanks to its huge natural attack stat, uninvested Landorus still hits quite hard, and Rocky Helmet chip in tandem with U-turn pivoting my threats in safely provides a deceptively high amount of pressure for a mostly defensive Pokémon. Stealth Rock allows Lando to abuse the switches it can force to help wear down the opposing team, as well as break Marshadow’s sash passively, should it intelligently use Rock Tomb over Spectral Thief or, more commonly, simply switch out of Landorus. Intimidate + U-turn also allows Landorus to neutralize annoying things like Hippowdon, as it weakens it’s Earthquake while being able to damage it on its way out. Forcing it to eventually click Slack Off or just be KOed, which can be entry for something like Kyogre or Yveltal if timed properly, allowing me to break the cycle and make more immediate progress.
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"They are rage, brutal, without mercy. But you. You will be worse. Rip and tear, until it is done."
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
Finally, we have Kyogre. Forgoing Choice Scarf to allow it to effectively dynamax and trade blows better. If you manage to KO something with Water Spout without revealing scarf, it’s also feasible that it is able to grab a surprise KO by switching moves, should an opponent assume Scarf. Scald is taken as secondary STAB, as I find the burn utility to be more valuable than the extra damage of Surf or Origin Pulse, especially when accounting for the accuracy of the latter. I took max speed to outrun things like Zygarde and offensive NDM, which allows Kyogre to leverage its good matchups with them by moving first.
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And you will be their savior, your strength will be their shield, and your will, their sword. You will remain unbroken. For your might is… eternal.
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