So this is the 15th-ish iteration of this team. It started as a doubles team, then changed to a battle tower singles team, and then finally to just a team I plan on using for battling friends, and then in the battle tower (and probably online as well in VS matches). I personally prefer to be more defensive and stall, then I am offensive. As such I find to gravitate more towards Pokémon with good bulk, or to Pokémon that aren’t necessarily bulky, but are very good at stalling. Following is the current team. I haven’t had many chances to test it 100% (work and that jazz). Though from previous testings I’m confident in my explanations of the roles of each Pokémon on this weird team. (Also, typing this on my phone as access to a PC is limited at the time of writing, so no pics...)
CORSOLA (Galar form)
Cursed Body
Bold
Evolite
252 Hp/252 Def/4 Spd
Stealth Rock
Will-o-Wisp
Strength Sap
Hex
I originally expected Excadrill to be my stealth rock setter, however looking at types and checks, Corsola actually fit better on the team. I pretty much took this set right of the Smogon Strategy Dex. I went with Hex over the suggested night shade as most of the time my opponent had a status condition. Main role of Corsolla is to set up the rocks, later on its role shifts to more of a stall/ spin blocker.
Toxapex
Merciless
Bold
Black Sludge
252 Hp/252 Def/4 Spd
Protect
Recover
Scald
Toxic
This is the set I’ve always used and it honestly annoys EVERYONE who comes up against it. Toxapex’s primary role is to take it, then ask for more, AKA stall. I prefer merciless over regenerator as I find this set has good reliable recovery, plus a good chinch of the time this ends up being the last one I fainted on my team, as such it has to rely on scald a lot more. I find my opponents tend to Dynamax vs Toxapex more then the others on this team. Most of the time their Dynamaxed Pokémon take out Toxapex, other times I luck out and toxapex survives. I feel this is a double edged sword as I don’t have to worry about them Dynamaxing later on in the battle, but at the same time I lose my best staller. I have tried toxic spikes on this guy, but It just didn’t feel the same as with toxic.
Dragapult
Clear body
Timid
Leftovers
96 Hp/16 Def/184 SpA/212 Speed
Disable
Will-o-wisp
Hex
substitute
I was just looking through the strategy dex when I happened upon this set.I thought it was interesting Dragapult is more seen as a full on special sweeper then a staller. I haven’t had much chance to play with this set, but from the little that I have it works rather well. As the entry in the strategy dex noted, my opponents do play differently when they realize what the set is. That said, I like the fact that Dragapult is fast. As such I usually get to spread the damage around for a turn or two before my opponent realizes what it actually is doing. I’ve found clear body to be more useful then infiltrator, though there have been 2 times at least where I’ve wish I had it.
Darmanitan (Galatians)
Gurilla tatics
Choice scarf
Adamant
252 Att/252 speed
Flare Blitz
Icicle Crash
U-turn
EQ
Not a fan of choice sets cause I’m not a fan of being locked into a move, that said, I find this works. Not really much to say honestly. Pick a move and wreak my opponent pretty much.U-turn comes in very handy when I make a bad type up or just to annoying my opponent with switching between this guy and Toxtricity a bunch o times.
Toxtricity (Gigamaxed)
Punk Rock
Timid
Choice specs
252 Sp.Att/ 252 Speed
Volt Tackle
Sludge Wave
Over Drive
Boomburst
I honestly just really like this guy. The design and typing. Are just awesome. I chose this to be a choices set as well,mostly becauseI found it worked a lot better then anything else I’ve tried. It also works well with Darmanitan. This is the guy I tend to Gigamax. Mostly cause he just looks cool. That’s pretty much it, I chose him cause he looked cool.
Obstagoon
Guts
Adamant
Flame Orb
252 Att/252 Speed
Facade
Obstruct
Close combat
Bulk up
This is the most recent addition. I haven’t had a chance to test him yet, however I can explain why I added him. Ive been finding that I’ve been having trouble with other defensive teams. Although Darmanitan and Toxtricity can dish out the damage, I’ve found that they just quite couldn’t finish the job, and that I would lose with my opponent needing just one more hit. This slot used to be filled by Hawlucha, however he just was not pulling his weight. So I went through the Strategy dex and landed on Obstagoon. I feel like his typing will help my team greatly as well as being able to break the walls so that Darmanitan or Toxtricity can clean house.
So that’s the team. I realize in a few of them I didn’t state where I put the last 4 Ivs. Personally I find that it doesn’t matter where they go when a Pokémon has a fixed role ( Such as a special sweeper). To note I have tried Prankster Grimmsnarl. As much as my team ( and my self) likes the status abilities of prankster, I just found Grimmsnarl didn’t really mesh with me as a player. I didn’t really enjoy using him, and as such I replaced him. I’ve also been looking at maybe Pinchurin. I realize he’s not very strong or bulky, but I feel the spikes and toxic spikes would benefit my team greatly. The biggest threat to this team is Dynamax. This gem is VERY offensive and I find it hard for a defensive team to stick as the Dynamaxed Pokémon tends to break through my defensives.
Thanks in advanced for any advice!
CORSOLA (Galar form)
Cursed Body
Bold
Evolite
252 Hp/252 Def/4 Spd
Stealth Rock
Will-o-Wisp
Strength Sap
Hex
I originally expected Excadrill to be my stealth rock setter, however looking at types and checks, Corsola actually fit better on the team. I pretty much took this set right of the Smogon Strategy Dex. I went with Hex over the suggested night shade as most of the time my opponent had a status condition. Main role of Corsolla is to set up the rocks, later on its role shifts to more of a stall/ spin blocker.
Toxapex
Merciless
Bold
Black Sludge
252 Hp/252 Def/4 Spd
Protect
Recover
Scald
Toxic
This is the set I’ve always used and it honestly annoys EVERYONE who comes up against it. Toxapex’s primary role is to take it, then ask for more, AKA stall. I prefer merciless over regenerator as I find this set has good reliable recovery, plus a good chinch of the time this ends up being the last one I fainted on my team, as such it has to rely on scald a lot more. I find my opponents tend to Dynamax vs Toxapex more then the others on this team. Most of the time their Dynamaxed Pokémon take out Toxapex, other times I luck out and toxapex survives. I feel this is a double edged sword as I don’t have to worry about them Dynamaxing later on in the battle, but at the same time I lose my best staller. I have tried toxic spikes on this guy, but It just didn’t feel the same as with toxic.
Dragapult
Clear body
Timid
Leftovers
96 Hp/16 Def/184 SpA/212 Speed
Disable
Will-o-wisp
Hex
substitute
I was just looking through the strategy dex when I happened upon this set.I thought it was interesting Dragapult is more seen as a full on special sweeper then a staller. I haven’t had much chance to play with this set, but from the little that I have it works rather well. As the entry in the strategy dex noted, my opponents do play differently when they realize what the set is. That said, I like the fact that Dragapult is fast. As such I usually get to spread the damage around for a turn or two before my opponent realizes what it actually is doing. I’ve found clear body to be more useful then infiltrator, though there have been 2 times at least where I’ve wish I had it.
Darmanitan (Galatians)
Gurilla tatics
Choice scarf
Adamant
252 Att/252 speed
Flare Blitz
Icicle Crash
U-turn
EQ
Not a fan of choice sets cause I’m not a fan of being locked into a move, that said, I find this works. Not really much to say honestly. Pick a move and wreak my opponent pretty much.U-turn comes in very handy when I make a bad type up or just to annoying my opponent with switching between this guy and Toxtricity a bunch o times.
Toxtricity (Gigamaxed)
Punk Rock
Timid
Choice specs
252 Sp.Att/ 252 Speed
Volt Tackle
Sludge Wave
Over Drive
Boomburst
I honestly just really like this guy. The design and typing. Are just awesome. I chose this to be a choices set as well,mostly becauseI found it worked a lot better then anything else I’ve tried. It also works well with Darmanitan. This is the guy I tend to Gigamax. Mostly cause he just looks cool. That’s pretty much it, I chose him cause he looked cool.
Obstagoon
Guts
Adamant
Flame Orb
252 Att/252 Speed
Facade
Obstruct
Close combat
Bulk up
This is the most recent addition. I haven’t had a chance to test him yet, however I can explain why I added him. Ive been finding that I’ve been having trouble with other defensive teams. Although Darmanitan and Toxtricity can dish out the damage, I’ve found that they just quite couldn’t finish the job, and that I would lose with my opponent needing just one more hit. This slot used to be filled by Hawlucha, however he just was not pulling his weight. So I went through the Strategy dex and landed on Obstagoon. I feel like his typing will help my team greatly as well as being able to break the walls so that Darmanitan or Toxtricity can clean house.
So that’s the team. I realize in a few of them I didn’t state where I put the last 4 Ivs. Personally I find that it doesn’t matter where they go when a Pokémon has a fixed role ( Such as a special sweeper). To note I have tried Prankster Grimmsnarl. As much as my team ( and my self) likes the status abilities of prankster, I just found Grimmsnarl didn’t really mesh with me as a player. I didn’t really enjoy using him, and as such I replaced him. I’ve also been looking at maybe Pinchurin. I realize he’s not very strong or bulky, but I feel the spikes and toxic spikes would benefit my team greatly. The biggest threat to this team is Dynamax. This gem is VERY offensive and I find it hard for a defensive team to stick as the Dynamaxed Pokémon tends to break through my defensives.
Thanks in advanced for any advice!