WAVES ON WAVES ON WAVES
AKA HONG KONG 98 AKA CRUSHER 2: PENGUIN BOOGALOO AKA EMPOLEON'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL
im not gonna say that this is the greatest team of gen 7 or anything, its just another cheesy shed team, and as we all know, cheesy shed teams win on ladder. that being said, i'm pretty proud of this team because it's creative and can be played in interesting ways, so decided to make this rmt. enjoy
(this isn't a new alt, it was used for this rmt as well. i didn't play any games on it between the peak there and the use of this team, meaning that this team went 103-7 from 1500 elo. in my opinion, that's pretty good.)
(the first alt i used this team on was attraction props, which ended up going 50-0 initially [link], but i lost several games in quick succession shortly after that, which i attribute mainly to my own misplays in using the team instead of flaws in it.)
Empoleon @ Rocky Helmet **silver surfer
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Defog
- Shore Up
Empoleon's role on the team is as a hard check to most defensive Pokemon. It can also handle setup sweepers, mainly Poison Heal Regigigas, Poison Heal Xerneas lacking Earth Power or Secret Sword (these variants are walled by Shedinja) and soft check some -ate users thanks to its Fire-type neutrality. U-turn, Defog, and Shore Up are pretty standard moves to gain momentum, remove hazards for Shedinja, and recover health respectively; Anchor Shot could be used, but it is unnecessary thanks to Shedinja threatening Imposter users well enough already. Topsy-Turvy is used on this set mainly for opposing Imposter users transformed into Xerneas, which can potentially 2HKO Empoleon after spamming Quiver Dance first and clicking Moonblast if no anti-setup tool is used. I chose a Sassy nature for Empoleon because it allows it to better take on Pokemon it's meant to wall, including Magma Storm/Lava Plume Xerneas and Pixilate Diancie's Boomburst with Stealth Rock up.
Blissey @ Choice Scarf **scrambler
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
Imposter Blissey provides several very appreciated benefits to the team. First of all, it can switch into most offensive Pokemon at least once while scouting their set, making them much easier to deal with. It also takes care of miscellaneous sweepers that aren't covered by the rest of the team, like some Shell Smash users that beat Zygarde, Contrary Mega Mewtwo Y, and -ate users if the team has been weakened. That being said, Blissey's Imposter is by no means an infinite resource, and it should only be left to take damage when necessary, especially because recovering through any means other than Regenerator gives up momentum because of Blissey's Choice Scarf.
Blissey is usually the go-to lead of the team because of the benefits given by being able to scout a set and leading into potential free switchins for Shedinja, Xerneas, or Empoleon with little to no risk; in fact, the only times in which Blissey is suboptimal as a lead, in my opinion, are those when the opponent's team is already known so there is no scouting needed, and when facing fragile hyper offense teams, against which losing a bit of momentum can mean losing the game. Outside of these uncommon situations, leading with Blissey involves very little risk.
The moves on this set are fairly straightforward. Switcheroo with a Timid nature allows Blissey to outspeed base 100 Pokemon and give them its Choice Scarf, assuming it isn't transformed. Whirlwind phazes out Substitute users, which block Imposter's transforming effect, while Heal Order allows Blissey to stay healthy if not transformed assuming its Choice Scarf is gone. Final Gambit is a personally preferred move, because it can force a favorable late-game trade if needed, but other options like Toxic Spikes are most likely viable as well. Blissey's moves don't really matter that much anyway, because it will usually be transformed into another Pokemon.
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers **sword to the moon
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
The main reason I decided to build around Triage Mega Rayquaza is because I actually hadn't used it at all this generation, so I decided to see what all the hype was about and eventually came up with this set. Leftovers, Modest Oblivion Wing, and Volt Switch allow this set to be played in a super flexible way, unlike most other Mega Rayquaza sets. Most defensive cores will have a relatively solid answer to this Pokemon in the early game, but it can still act in a supportive role thanks to +3 Volt Switch hitting most things for solid damage and pivoting out to a Pokemon that can easily force out the foe, such as Shedinja vs. Fur Coat Chansey. Leftovers adds to Mega Rayquaza's longevity and is honestly a very underrated item on this set; ignoring stray damage from moves like U-turn might seem insignificant, but it makes a difference in the long run. Secret Sword is used to hit Fur Coat Chansey and most Steel-types for super effective damage, but Earth Power is a usable alternative option that hits Aegislash at the cost of covering Chansey.
When using this set in games, be aware of possible mixups. In general, unless the opponent's counterplay is Unaware or Stealth Rock is up (I'll get to that later), Mega Rayquaza can do tons of damage if it is able to get 2 Tail Glows up. This can be accomplished by baiting out Metal Burst or Recover from Fur Coat Chansey, for example. If 2 Tail Glows is unfeasible, Mega Rayquaza can still wear down its switchins with Volt Switch without giving them opportunities to recover.
Zygarde-Complete @ Groundium Z **surface
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
Zygarde-C offers several useful benefits over Giratina on this team, the most prominent of which being its ability to counter most Mega Gengar sets. A Careful nature allows it to PP stall Choice Specs Moongeist Beam variants with Recover, while Groundium Z and Encore can take care of Normalize variants easily.
That being said, Zygarde's good qualities certainly don't end there. Its great physical bulk and relative lack of weaknesses make up for Empoleon's relatively low bulk, and it can reliably switch in against most foes without super effective STAB or Ice coverage. Additionally, its lack of passivity between Thousand Waves, Tectonic Rage, and Prankster Encore cannot be understated; this game from BH Spring Seasonal is a good example of how Zygarde can actually lure in and remove annoying Pokemon from the game entirely. This strategy is somewhat reliant on the opponent not knowing sets, but even when sets are known, it can still be used as a powerful deterrent.
Haze alongside Prankster is mandatory to stop Belly Drum users and Shell Smash Dark-types from sweeping. Thousand Waves is a solid STAB move that can 2HKO frailer Steel-types such as Magearna while trapping Imposter and defensive Pokemon. Encore works wonderfully alongside Thousand Waves and allows Zygarde to trap and remove any Pokemon lacking a trapping immunity or Magic Bounce that can't KO it. Groundium Z provides a high-powered move that can KO bulkier Pokemon like Registeel and Mega Tyranitar after they have been hit by one Thousand Waves already, and also comes with a useful Trick immunity.
Xerneas @ Toxic Orb **sayori
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
- Moonblast
- Spikes
Spikes Poison Heal Xerneas has been a rising set for a while now, and for good reason: Xerneas is already a difficult Pokemon to counter, and adding Spikes into the equation makes it even more threatening. This set is different than most Spikes sets, however; instead of using a coverage move like Earth Power to bypass Fairy resists, it takes on a different role with Strength Sap. Coverage moves are ultimately unnecessary on the set because thanks to Shedinja's Stealth Rock, the team can already get hazards up in nearly every matchup, and the only common Magic Bounce Ghost-type, Giratina, is forced out by Moonblast.
Strength Sap deserves a bit of explanation here, because it sees almost no use on Poison Heal Xerneas. Its role is as a potent anti-offense tool that can help Xerneas consistently counter Pokemon such as Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X over the course of the game, even if hazards are up. (Speaking of which, Xerneas can be used freely even with hazards up, because it is imposter-proofed by Empoleon instead of Shedinja. This can be incredibly useful because it means that the team's offensive presence doesn't just crumble to hazards + Imposter.) Additionally, it can allow Xerneas to 1v1 Pokemon that would otherwise easily defeat it, such as Poison Heal Regigigas, Primal Groudon, all Mega Diancie variants except Shell Smash Magic Guard, and even Shedinja (Endeavor into -1 Extreme Speed fails to KO after Poison Heal recovery). This game, also from BH Spring Seasonal, shows how potent Strength Sap can be in preventing offensive counterplay to Xerneas.
Shedinja @ Protective Pads **silence
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
Stealth Rock Shedinja is, in my opinion, its best set by far. Having a Magic Bounce user on the team that takes nothing from Endeavor thanks to Imposter's high HP allows for easy imposter-proofing, while almost all opposing Magic Bounce users are forced out by the threat of Endeavor. The ability to slow pivot on a huge amount of the meta without having to recover at all is also a huge plus. Shedinja is also the main imposter-proofer for Empoleon and Mega Rayquaza and counter for threats like Mega Diancie. That being said, switching it in and staying in recklessly on opposing Pokemon with unknown sets is generally a bad idea because of Shedinja's extreme fragility and how important it is in most games.
The other details of this set are relatively self-explanatory. Endeavor and Extreme Speed are mandatory on Shedinja, while Protective Pads prevents it from dying to stray Rocky Helmet users or moves that punish contact, such as Spiky Shield. It's used over items such as Safety Goggles because sand and hail are both rare and not that threatening. Minimum defenses don't affect Shedinja's functionality at all and allow for Imposter users to be hit harder; for example, U-turn into Mega Rayquaza's Oblivion Wing can KO even Eviolite Imposter after Stealth Rock.
REPLAYS
wish i had better ones but here you go
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-896975254https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-901951674https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-904654510https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-905231398https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-900074519
WHY DO REPLAYS GO TO THE LEFT INSTEAD OF STAYING IN THE CENTER LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE
AKA HONG KONG 98 AKA CRUSHER 2: PENGUIN BOOGALOO AKA EMPOLEON'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL
im not gonna say that this is the greatest team of gen 7 or anything, its just another cheesy shed team, and as we all know, cheesy shed teams win on ladder. that being said, i'm pretty proud of this team because it's creative and can be played in interesting ways, so decided to make this rmt. enjoy
(this isn't a new alt, it was used for this rmt as well. i didn't play any games on it between the peak there and the use of this team, meaning that this team went 103-7 from 1500 elo. in my opinion, that's pretty good.)
(the first alt i used this team on was attraction props, which ended up going 50-0 initially [link], but i lost several games in quick succession shortly after that, which i attribute mainly to my own misplays in using the team instead of flaws in it.)
i built this team when i was on a plane and didn't have anything else to do. ps wasn't even loaded, i just typed out mons in importable format on my phone. it probably worked because of the lack of distractions.
so the initial idea of this team was volt switch triage ray, with the set being knock/volt switch/tg/oblivion wing. i was thinking of good partners and was like "hey ph mmx might work because he can switch into core (?) and beat spectral users (????)". it didn't work at all so i scrapped that and started again from scratch.
ph xern looked a lot more promising than ph mmx because of its increased longevity, lack of fairy weakness, and ability to actually beat the things that scared ray out (spectral/core). it could also take on shed to some extent with spikes. i didn't have the full set yet at this point but moonblast/qd/spikes seemed very good, and others had seen success with it in the past.
i needed an imposter proofer for the ray. on the mmx team i used regenvest raikou which...wasn't great, but shed looked like a pretty viable option at this point especially given its synergy with xern (shed + xern is imposter proof and almost guarantees hazards for me). it also allowed me to run a good coverage move on the mray, which i really needed seeing as volt switch was not enough to actually kill steels.
shed teams obviously need a bouncer. i was worried about opposing magma storm xerns and needed some kind of role compression here. since i prefer bounce steels on shed teams due to their useful typing (rock resist + dont have to worry about poison fang), i started looking at potential options and decided on the penguin. this did mean that i wouldn't be able to run any coverage move on xern because of emp's typing, so i was checking out status moves that could do work to the opposing team but not by imposter and saw strength sap. by this point, the team was almost done.
it's imposter. all shed semi stalls need imposter. i dont think i have to explain this one.
needed a few things in this last slot like prank user, gar check, secondary mmx check, and others and decided on standard prank zyg with z waves for normalize gar. encore was what all the cool kids were using on their prank users and i hadn't used it yet so figured i'd give it a try
so the initial idea of this team was volt switch triage ray, with the set being knock/volt switch/tg/oblivion wing. i was thinking of good partners and was like "hey ph mmx might work because he can switch into core (?) and beat spectral users (????)". it didn't work at all so i scrapped that and started again from scratch.
ph xern looked a lot more promising than ph mmx because of its increased longevity, lack of fairy weakness, and ability to actually beat the things that scared ray out (spectral/core). it could also take on shed to some extent with spikes. i didn't have the full set yet at this point but moonblast/qd/spikes seemed very good, and others had seen success with it in the past.
i needed an imposter proofer for the ray. on the mmx team i used regenvest raikou which...wasn't great, but shed looked like a pretty viable option at this point especially given its synergy with xern (shed + xern is imposter proof and almost guarantees hazards for me). it also allowed me to run a good coverage move on the mray, which i really needed seeing as volt switch was not enough to actually kill steels.
shed teams obviously need a bouncer. i was worried about opposing magma storm xerns and needed some kind of role compression here. since i prefer bounce steels on shed teams due to their useful typing (rock resist + dont have to worry about poison fang), i started looking at potential options and decided on the penguin. this did mean that i wouldn't be able to run any coverage move on xern because of emp's typing, so i was checking out status moves that could do work to the opposing team but not by imposter and saw strength sap. by this point, the team was almost done.
it's imposter. all shed semi stalls need imposter. i dont think i have to explain this one.
needed a few things in this last slot like prank user, gar check, secondary mmx check, and others and decided on standard prank zyg with z waves for normalize gar. encore was what all the cool kids were using on their prank users and i hadn't used it yet so figured i'd give it a try
Empoleon @ Rocky Helmet **silver surfer
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Defog
- Shore Up
Empoleon's role on the team is as a hard check to most defensive Pokemon. It can also handle setup sweepers, mainly Poison Heal Regigigas, Poison Heal Xerneas lacking Earth Power or Secret Sword (these variants are walled by Shedinja) and soft check some -ate users thanks to its Fire-type neutrality. U-turn, Defog, and Shore Up are pretty standard moves to gain momentum, remove hazards for Shedinja, and recover health respectively; Anchor Shot could be used, but it is unnecessary thanks to Shedinja threatening Imposter users well enough already. Topsy-Turvy is used on this set mainly for opposing Imposter users transformed into Xerneas, which can potentially 2HKO Empoleon after spamming Quiver Dance first and clicking Moonblast if no anti-setup tool is used. I chose a Sassy nature for Empoleon because it allows it to better take on Pokemon it's meant to wall, including Magma Storm/Lava Plume Xerneas and Pixilate Diancie's Boomburst with Stealth Rock up.
Blissey @ Choice Scarf **scrambler
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
Imposter Blissey provides several very appreciated benefits to the team. First of all, it can switch into most offensive Pokemon at least once while scouting their set, making them much easier to deal with. It also takes care of miscellaneous sweepers that aren't covered by the rest of the team, like some Shell Smash users that beat Zygarde, Contrary Mega Mewtwo Y, and -ate users if the team has been weakened. That being said, Blissey's Imposter is by no means an infinite resource, and it should only be left to take damage when necessary, especially because recovering through any means other than Regenerator gives up momentum because of Blissey's Choice Scarf.
Blissey is usually the go-to lead of the team because of the benefits given by being able to scout a set and leading into potential free switchins for Shedinja, Xerneas, or Empoleon with little to no risk; in fact, the only times in which Blissey is suboptimal as a lead, in my opinion, are those when the opponent's team is already known so there is no scouting needed, and when facing fragile hyper offense teams, against which losing a bit of momentum can mean losing the game. Outside of these uncommon situations, leading with Blissey involves very little risk.
The moves on this set are fairly straightforward. Switcheroo with a Timid nature allows Blissey to outspeed base 100 Pokemon and give them its Choice Scarf, assuming it isn't transformed. Whirlwind phazes out Substitute users, which block Imposter's transforming effect, while Heal Order allows Blissey to stay healthy if not transformed assuming its Choice Scarf is gone. Final Gambit is a personally preferred move, because it can force a favorable late-game trade if needed, but other options like Toxic Spikes are most likely viable as well. Blissey's moves don't really matter that much anyway, because it will usually be transformed into another Pokemon.
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers **sword to the moon
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
The main reason I decided to build around Triage Mega Rayquaza is because I actually hadn't used it at all this generation, so I decided to see what all the hype was about and eventually came up with this set. Leftovers, Modest Oblivion Wing, and Volt Switch allow this set to be played in a super flexible way, unlike most other Mega Rayquaza sets. Most defensive cores will have a relatively solid answer to this Pokemon in the early game, but it can still act in a supportive role thanks to +3 Volt Switch hitting most things for solid damage and pivoting out to a Pokemon that can easily force out the foe, such as Shedinja vs. Fur Coat Chansey. Leftovers adds to Mega Rayquaza's longevity and is honestly a very underrated item on this set; ignoring stray damage from moves like U-turn might seem insignificant, but it makes a difference in the long run. Secret Sword is used to hit Fur Coat Chansey and most Steel-types for super effective damage, but Earth Power is a usable alternative option that hits Aegislash at the cost of covering Chansey.
When using this set in games, be aware of possible mixups. In general, unless the opponent's counterplay is Unaware or Stealth Rock is up (I'll get to that later), Mega Rayquaza can do tons of damage if it is able to get 2 Tail Glows up. This can be accomplished by baiting out Metal Burst or Recover from Fur Coat Chansey, for example. If 2 Tail Glows is unfeasible, Mega Rayquaza can still wear down its switchins with Volt Switch without giving them opportunities to recover.
Zygarde-Complete @ Groundium Z **surface
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
Zygarde-C offers several useful benefits over Giratina on this team, the most prominent of which being its ability to counter most Mega Gengar sets. A Careful nature allows it to PP stall Choice Specs Moongeist Beam variants with Recover, while Groundium Z and Encore can take care of Normalize variants easily.
That being said, Zygarde's good qualities certainly don't end there. Its great physical bulk and relative lack of weaknesses make up for Empoleon's relatively low bulk, and it can reliably switch in against most foes without super effective STAB or Ice coverage. Additionally, its lack of passivity between Thousand Waves, Tectonic Rage, and Prankster Encore cannot be understated; this game from BH Spring Seasonal is a good example of how Zygarde can actually lure in and remove annoying Pokemon from the game entirely. This strategy is somewhat reliant on the opponent not knowing sets, but even when sets are known, it can still be used as a powerful deterrent.
Haze alongside Prankster is mandatory to stop Belly Drum users and Shell Smash Dark-types from sweeping. Thousand Waves is a solid STAB move that can 2HKO frailer Steel-types such as Magearna while trapping Imposter and defensive Pokemon. Encore works wonderfully alongside Thousand Waves and allows Zygarde to trap and remove any Pokemon lacking a trapping immunity or Magic Bounce that can't KO it. Groundium Z provides a high-powered move that can KO bulkier Pokemon like Registeel and Mega Tyranitar after they have been hit by one Thousand Waves already, and also comes with a useful Trick immunity.
Xerneas @ Toxic Orb **sayori
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
- Moonblast
- Spikes
Spikes Poison Heal Xerneas has been a rising set for a while now, and for good reason: Xerneas is already a difficult Pokemon to counter, and adding Spikes into the equation makes it even more threatening. This set is different than most Spikes sets, however; instead of using a coverage move like Earth Power to bypass Fairy resists, it takes on a different role with Strength Sap. Coverage moves are ultimately unnecessary on the set because thanks to Shedinja's Stealth Rock, the team can already get hazards up in nearly every matchup, and the only common Magic Bounce Ghost-type, Giratina, is forced out by Moonblast.
Strength Sap deserves a bit of explanation here, because it sees almost no use on Poison Heal Xerneas. Its role is as a potent anti-offense tool that can help Xerneas consistently counter Pokemon such as Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X over the course of the game, even if hazards are up. (Speaking of which, Xerneas can be used freely even with hazards up, because it is imposter-proofed by Empoleon instead of Shedinja. This can be incredibly useful because it means that the team's offensive presence doesn't just crumble to hazards + Imposter.) Additionally, it can allow Xerneas to 1v1 Pokemon that would otherwise easily defeat it, such as Poison Heal Regigigas, Primal Groudon, all Mega Diancie variants except Shell Smash Magic Guard, and even Shedinja (Endeavor into -1 Extreme Speed fails to KO after Poison Heal recovery). This game, also from BH Spring Seasonal, shows how potent Strength Sap can be in preventing offensive counterplay to Xerneas.
Shedinja @ Protective Pads **silence
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
Stealth Rock Shedinja is, in my opinion, its best set by far. Having a Magic Bounce user on the team that takes nothing from Endeavor thanks to Imposter's high HP allows for easy imposter-proofing, while almost all opposing Magic Bounce users are forced out by the threat of Endeavor. The ability to slow pivot on a huge amount of the meta without having to recover at all is also a huge plus. Shedinja is also the main imposter-proofer for Empoleon and Mega Rayquaza and counter for threats like Mega Diancie. That being said, switching it in and staying in recklessly on opposing Pokemon with unknown sets is generally a bad idea because of Shedinja's extreme fragility and how important it is in most games.
The other details of this set are relatively self-explanatory. Endeavor and Extreme Speed are mandatory on Shedinja, while Protective Pads prevents it from dying to stray Rocky Helmet users or moves that punish contact, such as Spiky Shield. It's used over items such as Safety Goggles because sand and hail are both rare and not that threatening. Minimum defenses don't affect Shedinja's functionality at all and allow for Imposter users to be hit harder; for example, U-turn into Mega Rayquaza's Oblivion Wing can KO even Eviolite Imposter after Stealth Rock.
REPLAYS
wish i had better ones but here you go
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-896975254https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-901951674https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-904654510https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-905231398https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7balancedhackmons-900074519
WHY DO REPLAYS GO TO THE LEFT INSTEAD OF STAYING IN THE CENTER LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE
silver surfer (Empoleon) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Shore Up
- Defog
scrambler (Blissey) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
sword to the moon (Rayquaza-Mega) @ Leftovers
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
surface (Zygarde-Complete) @ Groundium Z
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
sayori (Xerneas) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Spikes
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
silence (Shedinja) @ Protective Pads
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Shore Up
- Defog
scrambler (Blissey) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
sword to the moon (Rayquaza-Mega) @ Leftovers
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
surface (Zygarde-Complete) @ Groundium Z
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
sayori (Xerneas) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Spikes
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
silence (Shedinja) @ Protective Pads
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
Empoleon @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Shore Up
- Defog
Blissey @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
Zygarde-Complete @ Groundium Z
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
Xerneas @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Spikes
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
Shedinja @ Protective Pads
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Topsy-Turvy
- Shore Up
- Defog
Blissey @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlwind
- Final Gambit
- Heal Order
- Switcheroo
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Tail Glow
- Secret Sword
- Oblivion Wing
Zygarde-Complete @ Groundium Z
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Haze
- Encore
- Thousand Waves
- Recover
Xerneas @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Spikes
- Quiver Dance
- Strength Sap
Shedinja @ Protective Pads
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 97 HP / 252 Atk
Brave Nature
IVs: 4 HP / 0 Def / 20 SpA / 0 SpD / 0 Spe
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Extreme Speed
- U-turn
so if you were wondering what getting 98 gxe was like, i'm here to answer that here
first off, let me get one thing out of the way: i believe that this is something that can be done by anyone, given a decent amount of effort put into learning the bh meta, a favorable environment in terms of the ladder playerbase and metagame, moderate skill at the game, and enough motivation. it's not something inhuman like my mans roudolf13 with 98 in rby ou somehow, this man is the GOAT. 98 in bh is very much achievable and i would not call this an impossible record by any means.
that being said, the laddering process was absolutely excruciating. one of my favorite things about playing bh on ladder is that it doesn't matter if you lose a game because you get haxed or you're using some dumb meme team or whatever, because you can just tryhard to get the elo back if you want. (from what i've heard, ou is different even if you're good, which i find interesting.) but when you're going for gxe, losing any game erases all the progress from that day at the very least. this incentivized me to hold onto every game like it was a finals tour game, which overall led to a ton of stress and feelings that i dodged a bullet even if i won.
there's also something to say about the easy games, which made up about a third of the total games. i don't know exactly what it is, but there's something deeply disturbing about spamming the same team against real human players and winning every time. it really just makes me think that there are better things that i could be doing with my time.
if there's anything to be said in favor of this laddering run, it's mainly two things. first of all, i do feel a lot more competent using this team than when i was originally laddering on attraction props, although there were diminishing returns the more i played. not sure whether the last 50 games really made a difference at all. the other thing i got out of this was being able to manage stress and long games more easily, which is ok i guess
i would not recommend doing this, but if you're motivated enough then go ahead.
first off, let me get one thing out of the way: i believe that this is something that can be done by anyone, given a decent amount of effort put into learning the bh meta, a favorable environment in terms of the ladder playerbase and metagame, moderate skill at the game, and enough motivation. it's not something inhuman like my mans roudolf13 with 98 in rby ou somehow, this man is the GOAT. 98 in bh is very much achievable and i would not call this an impossible record by any means.
that being said, the laddering process was absolutely excruciating. one of my favorite things about playing bh on ladder is that it doesn't matter if you lose a game because you get haxed or you're using some dumb meme team or whatever, because you can just tryhard to get the elo back if you want. (from what i've heard, ou is different even if you're good, which i find interesting.) but when you're going for gxe, losing any game erases all the progress from that day at the very least. this incentivized me to hold onto every game like it was a finals tour game, which overall led to a ton of stress and feelings that i dodged a bullet even if i won.
there's also something to say about the easy games, which made up about a third of the total games. i don't know exactly what it is, but there's something deeply disturbing about spamming the same team against real human players and winning every time. it really just makes me think that there are better things that i could be doing with my time.
if there's anything to be said in favor of this laddering run, it's mainly two things. first of all, i do feel a lot more competent using this team than when i was originally laddering on attraction props, although there were diminishing returns the more i played. not sure whether the last 50 games really made a difference at all. the other thing i got out of this was being able to manage stress and long games more easily, which is ok i guess
i would not recommend doing this, but if you're motivated enough then go ahead.
u guys were expecting this 1 so shoutouts to the HEHE BOI ALLIANCE. Zovrah Lux92 pazza aki0s Lotus Electrolyte xavgb Chazm Magii you guys are super cool and supported me thru all this so thanks. might give more in depth shoutouts later idk.
shoutouts to my mans Anaconja for being a cool dude and accomplished nickname connoisseur
regirock THE MOST DANGEROUS OF THE DIGLETTS. its really cool to see you back and youve been great to hang out with
ou crew curi lyd Colonel M Mellow Mannat Jordy i know i havent been that active in the ou community recently but you guys are honestly super chill, you get a bad rep but ive had a great time in the ou discord.
shoutouts to everyone who still takes oms seriously to some extent, had my conflicts w you guys before but honestly i feel like the discord has gotten a lot better. hopefully ompl will be fun. dont ban contrary.
shoutouts to my mans Anaconja for being a cool dude and accomplished nickname connoisseur
regirock THE MOST DANGEROUS OF THE DIGLETTS. its really cool to see you back and youve been great to hang out with
ou crew curi lyd Colonel M Mellow Mannat Jordy i know i havent been that active in the ou community recently but you guys are honestly super chill, you get a bad rep but ive had a great time in the ou discord.
shoutouts to everyone who still takes oms seriously to some extent, had my conflicts w you guys before but honestly i feel like the discord has gotten a lot better. hopefully ompl will be fun. dont ban contrary.
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