Xatu Balance
Introduction
Yo, this is my first ever post on this site, and my first ever RMT. Whenever I build teams, I usually have a rough concept or idea, and I had some ladder success using this xatu team. The premise is to prevent hazards to facilitate a volcarona sweep, and to strengthen my defensive core which lack instant recovery/lefties. I also had some success with AV magnezone, which I put on the team to trap heatran, the biggest roadblock to volc's sweep.
Introduction
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/4ff4ca4e14511096
I don't consider myself to be too good at laddering (my peak is 1800), but this team brought me back to the 1700s before I got bored and stopped laddering. (Update: team brought me to 1801)
Process
Xatu's a fun mon which I decided to build around. I already had ideas of using a magic bounce user to support LO volcarona, and decided on xatu due to having access to teleport. I also had an idea of using AV magnezone to trap heatran, which pairs well with teleport xatu. Xatu can lure heatran and teleport to magnezone.
Tapu Fini is an example of a mon with excellent defensive utility (pivoting into urshifu and weavile) that can be overwhelmed by hazards. Therefore, I decided to add scarf fini to check these threats, whilst also possibly supporting volcarona through tricking a toxapex/blissey/glowking. I also gave it defog as anti-hazard measures if xatu were to faint.
This was the original team. Victini pairs well with AV zone as with heatran gone, it's free to spam powerful V-Creates. I also made the victini scarf so that fini can trick more freely without sacrificing the team's speed. CM Clefable was my chosen rocker, another mon that appreciates heatran's removal. Although both of these choices performed well, I needed a ground immunity, and sometimes, victini felt redundant to have. The team needed a better defensive backbone against kart, pult, lele, and blace.
The Team
Take What You Want @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Thunder Wave / Haze
- Roost
- Teleport
Xatu is often seen as a low tier mon with a very slight OU niche. It is generally outclassed by defoggers such as torn-t and corv due to its middling stats. What sets it apart from defoggers is its amazing ability magic bounce, and what sets it apart from other magic bounce users (hatterene) is its access to instant recovery, and teleport. Because of magic bounce, it is not restricted to running boots (although it could), so I gave it rocky helmet to punish corv/lando-t/urshifu u-turns. When I was building the team, Xatu was originally a meme pick, but it actually puts mad work in games. Even when it doesn't bounce hazards back in games, it disincentives the opponent from clicking their hazards, which is good enough for xatu's teammates.
Take What You Want @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Thunder Wave / Haze
- Roost
- Teleport
Alongside tankchomp, xatu makes a very tough defensive core. For instance, defensive lando-t, which is commonly used to beat chomp, cannot beat xatu, even with knock off. U-turn is punished through xatu's helmet and toxic is bounced back through magic bounce. Knock Off 2HKOs, but after the helmet is removed, it becomes a 2HKO, and xatu can keep battering at lando with night shades, or teleport out into fini. If lando u-turns, teleport provides with momentum. For example, u-turning into a common partner heatran results in magnezone trapping tran. If it switches into pult, AV ttar is there to eat any hit and deal some sand damage on pult. Blissey/Glowking invites chomp in to set up rocks, or fini in to trick blissey. The fact that heatran 2HKOs xatu does not matter as a) it gets teleported on into magnezone and b) xatu can freely roost on heatran's defensive teammates.
0 Atk Landorus-Therian Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 174-206 (52 - 61.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Landorus-Therian Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 116-138 (34.7 - 41.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Landorus-Therian U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 63-75 (18.8 - 22.4%) -- 1.8% chance to 4HKO
0 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Xatu: 180-213 (53.8 - 63.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after trapping damage
Xatu also has a decent matchup against other rockers in the tier. Namely ferro, tankchomp, hippo, clef, and some mew. Against ferro, xatu straight up 1v1s it, as ferro cannot heal back nightshades due to leech seed being bounced back. Usually, I twave the ferro first so that if it switches out (in fear of magnezone) it is at least hindered through paralysis. Alternatively, teleporting into volcarona is viable to fire off strong LO flamethrowers or set up QD. Most hippo cannot touch xatu at all, but even the rare stone edge hippo has its stone edge PP stalled. Unfortunately, xatu may invite dracozolt in which is admittedly a bad matchup to the team. CM Clef is a tough matchup, but it gets twaved, which allows volcarona to get up to +6 (if clef CMs to +6), and due to paralysis, is likely to beat clef (Calcs in the volcarona section). Mew is weird because it can technically beat xatu with ice beam, meaning the mew set needs to be scouted before going out into a teammate to beat it. If it's cosmic power and sets up on xatu, volcarona can still beat it, 2HKOing mew at +2 SpD (Calcs in the volcarona section).
8 Atk Hippowdon Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 146-172 (43.7 - 51.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after sandstorm damage
0 Atk Ferrothorn Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 120-142 (35.9 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Ferrothorn Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 80-96 (23.9 - 28.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
0 Atk Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (142 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 130-154 (38.9 - 46.1%) -- 23.8% chance to 2HKO
Xatu can also serve as an emergency check to CB urshifu. It takes a tonne from surging strikes, but if urshifu is locked into CC, xatu can switch into urshifu to get a twave/teleport off.
252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 66-78 (19.7 - 23.3%) -- 27.3% chance to 4HKO
I think the main difference between xatu and torn-t, a mon which would inevitably be compared to xatu, is teleport, and immunity to ferro's leech seed. What this means is despite having a magnezone that doesn't trap ferro, ferro's bulk is severely compromised due to having difficulty in landing leeches throughout the game. Teleport's negative priority ensures hazards won't come up even if you choose to switch out. Torn-t's u-turn runs a possible risk in the opponent going for SR on the u-turn. Torn-t can also be taunted or toxic, which can prevent defog or force a switch respectively. The ability to run helmet also sets it apart from torn, who can get u-turned on all day. All in all, xatu is a mon that prevents hazards and limit the opponent's momentum.
Take Everything @ Assault Vest
Ability: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 52 SpA / 56 SpD / 148 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Mirror Coat
I love AV mag. Even with matchups without tran/steel birds it can pivot into special attackers, mainly lele and ghosts. It can even take scarf blace's fire blast and OHKO with mirror coat. (If zone looks useless in a game with blace, I'll usually lead with it to catch the blace off guard). To be honest, the spread and moveset was stolen from one of Joey's vids, I think the bellossom one.
252 SpA Heatran Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 272-320 (79 - 93%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
0 SpA Heatran Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 224-264 (65.1 - 76.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Blacephalon Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 276-326 (80.2 - 94.7%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
Unfortunately, offensive heatran can serve as a threat to AV mag, which is why I have fini, chomp, and potentially xatu as heatran switch-ins. Heatran in sun/eruption tran is a big pain to this team, and one of the reasons why I decided on ttar as my last slot. In a pinch, magnezone can also switch into specs lele repeatedly, though I would only do this if the opponent doesn't have a heatran, since zone needs HP to beat tran. (Magnezone is only really switching into moonblast safely if they try to hit chomp/ttar) Below are some cool calcs.
Defensive Calcs
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone in Psychic Terrain: 98-116 (28.4 - 33.7%) -- 98.9% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 80-94 (23.2 - 27.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 112-133 (32.5 - 38.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 204-242 (59.3 - 70.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone in Electric Terrain: 53-63 (15.4 - 18.3%) -- possible 5HKO
0 SpA Zapdos Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 114-136 (33.1 - 39.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Zapdos Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone in Rain: 109-129 (31.6 - 37.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Tapu Fini Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Magnezone: 100-118 (29 - 34.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Offensive Calcs
52+ SpA Magnezone Thunderbolt vs. +2 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 114-134 (33.1 - 38.9%) -- 8.6% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery (Zone beats CM fini)
52+ SpA Magnezone Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 222-264 (55.6 - 66.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
52+ SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Landorus-Therian: 103-123 (26.9 - 32.1%) -- 52.3% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
52+ SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 142-168 (39.7 - 47%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
52+ SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 156-184 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Although this magnezone set does not threaten to 2HKO common grounds, flash cannon prevents them from switching in over the course of the game. Scarf fini can switch in to SD chomp once to kill with moonblast after flash cannon chip. Sometimes, heatran may switch into magnezone thinking that it's specs or body press. In a 1v1 against heatran, spamming mirror coat is usually the play; if heatran predicts mirror coat and goes for SR, defog fini can remove hazards later on in the game. Finally, magnezone can switch into pex and threaten to volt/tbolt.
Overall, magnezone is mainly used to trap heatran, but it can be used as a pivot into some special attackers if chip on ttar is not desired.
Violence In Night @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Rock Blast
- Heavy Slam
- Ice Beam
- Body Press / Earthquake
AV Tyranitar is one of the purest special walls in the game. This thing reaches a whopping 738 SpD under sand. I gave it body press as a midground attacking move to hit stuff like weavile, ferro, tran, zone, but I feel like EQ could be better as it always 2HKOs koko (rock blast has shaky accuracy and needs to hit more than 3 times to 2HKO). One of tyranitar's weaknesses is its tendency to get worn down throughout the game, whether it's through hazards, status, or small chip moves like koko's u-turn. This is why AV ttar is a good partner with AV zone and xatu, as AV zone serves as a secondary special check, and xatu prevents hazards from coming up. Let's look at how disgustingly bulky AV ttar is:
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 252-300 (62.3 - 74.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 152-180 (37.6 - 44.5%) -- 3.1% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 68-84 (16.8 - 20.7%) -- possible 5HKO
+5 252 SpA Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 338-402 (83.6 - 99.5%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
80 SpA Slowking-Galar Scald vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 44-54 (10.8 - 13.3%) -- possible 7HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 98-116 (24.2 - 28.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Blacephalon Overheat vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 57-67 (14.1 - 16.5%) -- possible 6HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Heatran Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 96-114 (23.7 - 28.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 138-164 (34.1 - 40.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Aegislash-Blade Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 146-174 (36.1 - 43%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Volcanion Steam Eruption vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 188-224 (46.5 - 55.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
200 SpA Kyurem Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 62-74 (15.3 - 18.3%) -- possible 5HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 276-328 (68.3 - 81.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 104-124 (25.7 - 30.6%) -- 17.8% chance to 3HKO
Ttar's sand also serves as a measure against opposing weather, mainly hail (which had an insane matchup against my original team). Arctozolt unfortunately OHKOs with low kick, though. I think that this slot could be replaced with SpD pex, but I decided on ttar for extra security for lele, and to beat ghosts easier. I was also considering AV pert or gastro, but those would allow lele to spam psychic all game.
As for the moveset, heavy slam is for clef/lele, ice beam mainly for chomp that try to switch in, and rock blast for opposing volcarona. Rock blast over rock slide to pop substitutes (for kyurem).
0 Atk Tyranitar Heavy Slam (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 194-230 (49.2 - 58.3%) -- 98.4% chance to 2HKO
4 SpA Tyranitar Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 284-336 (79.5 - 94.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Tyranitar Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Volcanion: 186-222 (51.2 - 61.1%) -- approx. 2HKO after sandstorm damage
0 Atk Tyranitar Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 248 HP / 156 Def Volcarona: 504-588 (135.1 - 157.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Tyranitar Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 56 HP / 0 Def Kyurem: 234-276 (57.7 - 68.1%) -- approx. 2HKO after sandstorm damage
There's probably a better EV spread for AV ttar (more defence, maybe) but I was too lazy to make a specialised spread.
I'll Be Honest @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Flamethrower
- Toxic / Roar / Dragon Tail
Tankchomp is also one of my favourite pokemon to use. With flamethrower and toxic, it's a check to rilla/kart without being weak to magnezone, and with helmet it makes urshifu kill itself on surging strikes. It also synergises extremely well with xatu and magnezone. Phazing moves could be used over toxic to beat sub SD lando or phaze out calm mind users in a pinch.
Firstly, alongside magnezone and xatu, chomp can easily get rocks up and keep them on. This is because a) zone traps corv attempting to defog and b) xatu beats other defoggers that zone doesn't e.g. defensive lando. Moreover, because of flamethrower, rough skin, and helmet, garchomp can punish corv attempting to u-turn on a predicted zone switch, which puts it into volt switch range for zone. Flamethrower will OHKO timid kart even with a -SpA nature, and deals decent chip to scizor (another potential defogger). Finally, garchomp's pure physical defence allows it to check offensive (mainly scarf) lando (which xatu doesn't beat) or opposing garchomp if misty terrain is up.
0- SpA Garchomp Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Kartana: 460-544 (142.8 - 168.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0- SpA Garchomp Flamethrower vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Scizor: 160-192 (46.6 - 55.9%) -- 76.2% chance to 2HKO
0- SpA Garchomp Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rillaboom: 130-154 (38.1 - 45.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
Defoggers that Garchomp beat:
- Offensive lando
- Kartana
- Scizor (flamethrower until scizor is burned)
- Rotom-H (wisp is annoying)
Defoggers that Xatu beat:
- Defensive lando
- Mandibuzz (twave and spam night shade/roost)
- Torn-t (tough matchup, but torn does not want to get twaved)
Defoggers that Magnezone beat:
- Corv
- Zapdos (volt into ttar)
- Fini
- Mandibuzz
- Pelipper
- Rotom-W
- Torn-t
Defoggers that are not mentioned (dnite, hydreigon) can be checked using the other mons such as ttar or fini. Because of xatu, opposing lando often u-turns on garchomp, which inflicts a lot of chip for volcarona to sweep. Lando going for toxic is a huge risk due to xatu's presence.
Garchomp's matchup against rilla is generally good, but banded rilla's wood hammer can deal massive damage. However, this invites volc to switch in and spam roost, or alternatively, sac chomp to set up with volc.
252+ Atk Choice Band Rillaboom Wood Hammer vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp in Grassy Terrain: 304-358 (72.3 - 85.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Rillaboom Wood Hammer vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Volcarona in Grassy Terrain: 144-169 (46.3 - 54.3%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
We All Liars @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Trick
- Defog
Fini is also a check to tran and threatens to hydro, if HP on chomp/xatu/ttar is needed. Alongside xatu's twave, fini can check DD dnite. At +3 speed, a paralysed dnite cannot outspeed dnite. Fini is also my dragon immunity, in case I run into specs lati that wants to spam draco. Fini can also outspeed chomp whilst preventing it from scale shotting - usualy, vs. chomp, I lead fini as SD chomp is a huge threat to the team. Misty terrain has a niche use as it prevents blissey from beating volc for a few turns, and allows chomp to take a scale shot from opposing chomp and kill after moonblast chip.
In a more offensive build like my team, the ability to live 1 crucial hit through fini is incredibly useful.
Going Jail Tonight @ Life Orb
Ability: Flame Body / Swarm
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz / Psychic
- Roost
LO Volc is a super fun mon and the centrepiece of my team. Offensive volc is becoming less common nowadays; LO volc being extremely rare due to how good HDB is. However, with a solid defensive core and xatu's magic bounce + momentum, LO volc becomes a huge threat. Swarm is an option over flame body because you eat +1 dnite's EQ, set up, and deal around 70% (If dnite has DWB + EQ, garchomp beats it).
Firstly, volc, even with no defensive investment, has notable defensive use. Beating clef is incredibly useful, as it prevents clef from rocking up on volc's face. Volc can also beat CM clef through paralysis support from xatu. Moreover, the priority move that threatens volc (Aqua jet from urshifu/crawdaunt) is punished through the double rocky helmet core of xatu+garchomp. Ice type moves, like from kyurem, which are targeted to xatu and chomp, can be covered through volc. Volcarona is my subroost kyurem check, since I have AV ttar to deal with specs. Focus blasts from lele or kyurem aiming to pick off ttar are disincentived as it allows volc to set up. Finally, with LO, volc can beat cosmic power mew.
The choice of bug buzz or psychic honestly just depends on matchup; psychic hits dnite, pult, and pex, while bug buzz hits mew, substitutes, garchomp, and victini.
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Clefable: 216-255 (54.8 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mew: 398-468 (98.5 - 115.8%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. +1 252 HP / 0 SpD Mew: 265-312 (65.5 - 77.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. +2 252 HP / 0 SpD Mew: 198-237 (49 - 58.6%) -- 66% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 250-294 (88.9 - 104.6%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 244 SpD Melmetal: 408-484 (99.2 - 117.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Lele: 261-308 (92.8 - 109.6%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 128 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Melmetal: 374-439 (84.4 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 355-419 (92.9 - 109.6%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Landorus-Therian: 246-290 (64.3 - 75.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 335-395 (93.8 - 110.6%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Victini: 296-348 (86.8 - 102%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO (chip on vic can occur through garchomp)
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 56 HP / 0 SpD Kyurem: 321-380 (79.2 - 93.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (kills specs kyurem after rocks)
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 176+ SpD Assault Vest Slowking-Galar: 142-168 (36 - 42.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 283-335 (70 - 82.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey: 378-446 (52.9 - 62.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (set up in misty terrain)
Due to how strong LO volc is, a QD may not even be needed, and volc can function as a midgame wallbreaker. Obviously, a sweep should start in the endgame after defensive teammates have chipped the opposing team, since LO allows volc to pick up kills earlier.
Bad Matchups
Replays
I don't have many good replays, since I was low ladder when using this team (1500-1600s), and also I was using an older version of this team. I also got really lucky in my laddering session. Here are some replays:https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1439520686
- Beating someone with dragonite (big threat to the team)
- Xatu completely denies his defensive core.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1439675872-dgv00bnhu0g6v7roql20wfr89nvbza9pw
- This team has a crazy matchup vs. sun
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1439377123
- This is kinda a bad replay because I got lucky and froze his torn before he forfeited, but xatu's ability to negate leech seed and switch in to threats is demonstrated.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1439372028
- Chip damage from chomp is shown here, corv u-turning on chomp is also demonstrated (idk why he didnt defog considering he was shed shell on corv)
- I got lucky with the magnezone crit on eleki, but at that point my team had a good matchup against him so it looked like a win already.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1438958342
- Before I put Ttar on the team, hail was a very hard matchup as shown by this game.
- I didn't have to predict the lando switch as xatu beats defensive lando and prevents rocks.
- Magnezone eats specs volcanion's steam eruption.
- I forgot that the opponent's team's torn doesn't have hurricane, which is why I switched with volc.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1438944233
- Xatu pivots around sun like it's nothing
- In this replay, volc has psychic which was better than bug buzz here
- AV Ttar would have an amazing matchup here
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1438910369
- Very old version of the team
- Since he sacced his lando, xatu wasn't too useful here
- AV Mag traps tran
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