Battle Spot Cloyster and Company (Pre-bank BSS)

[The Squash]

Introduction​

With Generation 7 in full swing and Pokebank soon approaching, I thought I would share a Pre-bank team I made that I've had some success with on Showdown!

Teambuilding Process

I originally wanted to build a team that could take advantage of Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain, so I selected Cloyster to be my main sweeper because of it's sheer power after even a single Shell Smash.

Next, I wanted another Pokemon to take advantage of Tapu Lele as well as a Mega, so I opted for Mega Gengar.

My team was quite frail at this point, so I added Porygon2 to help tank hits.

I needed a secondary sweeper for my team, so I added Buzzwole. In addition, it also helps my team deal with Dark-types.

Finally, my team had trouble with Ghost and Steel-types, so I added Incineroar to take care of them.

The Team​

Cloyster @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 Hp | 252 Atk | 252 Spe
Moves: Icicle Spear | Shell Smash | Rock Blast | Explosion

Cloyster functions as the team's main sweeper as well as a good lead. Shell Smash lets Cloyser boost its attack and speed to sky high levels. Icicle Spear is Cloyster's main damaging move, while Rock Blast lets it hit Fire and Bug-types, as well as opposing Cloysters. Explosion lets Cloyster go out with a bang, dealing high damage to Pokemon it normally could not touch, such as Steel-types and bulky Water-types. The given EVs are to maximize Cloyster's attack and speed for extra sweeping potential, while a Focus Sash allows Cloyster to survive the turn it sets up.

Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA | 4 SpD | 252 Spe
Moves: Moonblast | Psychic | Thunderbolt | Shadow Ball

Along with setting Psychic Terrain, Tapu Lele functions as the team's revenge killer, helping take out Dark and Fighting-types, which can cause trouble for the team. Moonblast and Psychic are used for STAB. Shadow Ball is used to hit Aegislash and other Ghost-types, while Thunderbolt hits Celesteela. The EV spread is standard, giving Tapu Lele greater speed and damage output.

Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body => Shadow Tag
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA | 4 SpD | 252 Spe
Moves: Shadow Ball | Sludge Bomb | Will-O-Wisp | Destiny Bond

Mega Gengar functions as the team's trapper, removing Pokemon such as the Tapus. Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball are used for dual STAB, while Will-O-Wisp can cripple physical attackers. Finally, Destiny Bond is used to grab an additional KO before Gengar faints. The EV spread is to maximize damage output and speed tie with max speed Tapu Koko.

Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Nature: Modest
EVs: 244 Hp | 252 SpA | 12 SpD
Moves: Thunderbolt | Ice Beam | Toxic | Recover

Porygon2 acts as the team's tank, adding some much needed bulk. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam form the classic BoltBeam coverage. Toxic is used to hit bulky mons such as Porygon2 and Tapu Fini. Recover provides Porygon2 with reliable recovery. An Eviolite helps boost Porygon2's bulk to even higher levels. The EV spread isn't ideal, but I don't know a spread that would be more beneficial to the team.

Buzzwole @ Figy Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Hp | 4 Atk | 252 SpD
Moves: Leech Life | Hammer Arm | Earthquake | Bulk Up

Buzzwole acts as the team's secondary sweeper and helps deal with Dark and Steel-types which can give the team trouble. It's also useful as an anti-lead against opponents who anticipate Cloyster to lead. Leech Life is used for STAB and helps keep Buzzwole's Hp up. Hammer Arm is used for a secondary STAB that doesn't drop attack and defense like Superpower. Earthquake is used to hit Aegislash and Mega Metagross. Bulk Up boosts Buzzwole's attack and defense so it can hit harder. The EV spread helps patch up Buzzwole's special bulk while ensuring an attack boost from Beast Boost. A Figy Berry provides Buzzwole with great recovery, helping it continue to sweep.

Incineroar: @ Incinium Z
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Hp | 228 Atk | 28 Spe
Moves: Flare Blitz | Darkest Lariat | Taunt | U-turn

Incineroar helps the team deal with Steel and Ghost-types. Flare Blitz is used for STAB and does great damage against Celesteela. Darkest Lariat can take out Ghost-types and ignores stat changes, which can be useful against sweepers. Taunt is used to cripple mons like Celesteela and Aegislash. U-turn is used for pivoting into a more favorable matchup. Incinium Z is used so Incineroar can OHKO Aegislash-Shield and deal massive damage. The EV spread maximizes Incineroar's attack and bulk while ensuring it will outspeed Marowak-A that outspeed Celesteela with 4 Spe EVs.

Threatlist

Mimikyu: After Mimikyu sets up, it's difficult to stop. The best option is to set up Psychic Terrain and sack Tapu Lele so Cloyster can set up without being fainted by Shadow Sneak.

Tapu Fini: The team struggles against Tapu Fini, especially the variants with Waterium Z, since they can beat Porygon2 with Nature's Madness + Hydro Vortex. Cloyster also cannot set up if it carries Haze.

+

Rain Teams: These matchups pretty much always end in a loss. Swift Swim Kingdra can outspeed and sweep my whole team. The only way to deal with this is to try and outlast the rain and beat Kingdra with Tapu Lele.

Mega Scizor: Mega Scizor can be annoying to face, but Incineroar can deal with it fairly well, especially if it hasn't taken prior damage.

+

Porygon-Z + Ninetails-A: While this team can beat Porygon-Z on its own, if Ninetails can set up Aurora Veil then it becomes much more difficult to beat.

Importable

Cloyster @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Shell Smash
- Rock Blast
- Explosion

Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball

Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-O-Wisp
- Destiny Bond

Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Recover

Buzzwole @ Figy Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Leech Life
- Hammer Arm
- Earthquake
- Bulk Up

Incineroar @ Incinium Z
Ability: Blaze
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 228 Atk / 28 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Darkest Lariat
- Taunt
- U-turn

 

[Solerme]

Hi dude, nice team already!
With the threatlist you have written maybe using A-Muk over Incineroar could be helpful, since not only it still resists to Ghost, but it solves a lot of problems you listed:

@ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 164 HP / 92 Atk / 252 SpD
Brave Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Flamethrower
- Clear Smog

This set handles Tapu Fini pretty well, porygon-Z with Clear Smog and Ninetales with PJab, Mimikyu with Smog + STAB, it can take hits from the rain cores and it could even be good vs Mega Scizor thanks to Flamethrower, always 2hko'ing 252 HP / 4 SpD variants of it. It also has the access to Brick Break if Aurora Veils still gives you problems.