SS OU Come Up - Hydreigon Balance PEAKED #1 2001, 83.2% GXE. (1-0 IN WCOP, WON IN STOUR)

SpookyZ

Hey guys as a newer player to the tournament scene i decided to rmt one of my favourite teams to use right now. If i was ever facing someone i dont know or wanted to ladder to the top i would bring this team. This team has many outs against hard matchups which is one reason why I like using this team.
Proof of Ranking
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:ss/Hydreigon:
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 12 Def / 244 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
To start off with this build I wanted to use 3 atks Hydreigon with specifically flamethrower to catch ferrothorns that try and greed to knock you off. Secondly i wanted draco+dark pulse since most of the slowking balance teams people are spamming have no switch ins with this. I decided to use 12 defense evs on hydreigon since you live a scarf kart sacred sword which can come handy sometimes against kart zone.
252 Atk Kartana Sacred Sword vs. 0 HP / 12 Def Hydreigon: 272-322 (83.6 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

:ss/Tapu Koko:
Tapu Koko @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 12 Def / 244 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Roost
Secondly i wanted to use boots koko as this mon is a pain in the ass to handle rn. When you pair this with Hydreigon you can u turn on ferrothorn into Hydreigon and click flamethrower as every ferrothorn likes to greed knock off or get rocks up. The evs on tapu koko is for adament Zeraora to avoid getting 2hkoed.
252+ Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 0 HP / 12 Def Tapu Koko in Electric Terrain: 118-140 (41.9 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

:ss/Skarmory:
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Roost
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
After putting koko on this build, i wanted something that can switch in on lando, switch into rillaboom, kartana etc. I felt like skarmory was the best option since it offers spikes+it stops setup mons like sd rillaboom, sd bisharp, sd garchomp, etc. I decided to do no defog on skamory as the other mons on the team dont really care about hazards because boots is a broken item. The speed on Skamory is to outspeed bisharp and Timid magnezone. If a specs magnezone switches in on your skarm as you iron defense you guarantee OHKO it. Another thing is that at +2 you have a 50% chance to ohko magnezone after stealth rock.
+2 252 Def Skarmory Body Press vs. 0 HP / 252+ Def Magnezone: 242-286 (86.1 - 101.7%) -- 50% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252 Def Skarmory Body Press vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Magnezone: 326-384 (116 - 136.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

:ss/Toxapex:
Toxapex @ Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 200 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Knock Off
When i put skarmory, Tapu koko and Hydreigon i wanted a mon that can force knock offs, stop setup mons with haze+a tsipkes absorber. Toxapex was the perfect mon for this build. Being able to knock off boots on things like slowking is very nice since skarm can pressure it with its spikes+ rocks chip it. Another thing toxapex does well on this team is checking specs dragapult+you can switch in on koko since the koko check i decided to use on this build was lando and koko always clicks gleam. Even if they thunderbolt you, you only take around 60% so you can always regen 33% of that off. the 200 spdef on pult gives you a jump point, 8 speed evs is for things that try and outrun 4 speed pex, like reuniclus.

:ss/Landorus-Therian:
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 176 Def / 84 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rest
- Toxic
After putting the 4 original mons i needed a ground type to stop any type of momentum from voltturn type of teams. This lando set also checks volc(After stealth rock and leftovers recovery), And sd garchomp since the skarmory doesnt have +defense and most sd garchomps are fire fang right now.This lando also gives me rocks and can trade toxics with opposing lando because you can rest it off. Landorus ignores the electric terrain as it is a flying type which allows you to click rest.
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 84 SpD Landorus-Therian: 301-355 (79 - 93.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

:ss/Scizor:
Scizor @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 132 Def / 128 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
For this last slot ive tried many mons, ive tried banded bish, banded melmetal, they all didnt work as well for me since lele is a thing. Without scizor lele and kyurem completely destroys this squad with only clicking one button. Scizor allows me to be braindead and just click u turn with koko+scizor, as you can u turn on things like skarmory then go koko u turn, slowly chip everything+ you can trade rocks are koko and scizor ignores hazards. The Evs on scizor is to live +2 rillaboom superpower and kill it back with u turn after life orb damage.
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Rillaboom Superpower vs. 248 HP / 132+ Def Scizor: 290-342 (84.5 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
0 Atk Scizor U-turn vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Rillaboom: 308-366 (90.3 - 107.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

Threat list:
:Reuniclus:- Thunder reuniclus can easily beat this squad if played well.
:Heatran: - Heatran can easily beat this squad since you need to keep your shedshell on pex as hydreigon cannot hit the heatran with epower. Against heatran you usually pivot into pex, click knock off and pivot into lando on the 2nd epower.
:Rillaboom: :Magnezone: Rillazone is a rlly tough mu as zone can trap your 2 rilla answers, against this i would play my hydreigon hella agressive.
:Volcarona: This mon can easily 6-0 if it flamethrowers hard as you switch into lando. I usually just try and play in a way so it never comes in or gets a chance to setup for free
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8ou-559109 This was for wcop.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8ou-560909 Skypenguin using this in stour

:Tapu koko: :Hydreigon: :Skarmory: :Landorus therian: :Toxapex: :Scizor: (click the sprites for the team)



Shoutouts to devin eclipseY Skypenguin zeno420 (balls hard) Monsareeasy (l2p) and Internal
 
Last edited:
death dreigon

death dreigon

I recommend earth power or flash cannon over dark pulse on that hydreigon tbh. D pulse doesn't hits anything that draco meteor doesn't. Having coverage for either heatran or clefable is much more worth imo. Otherwise solid team
 
Niko

Niko

is a Tiering Contributoris a Past WCoP Champion
World Defender
Ehy bro cool team! I suggest you to try Toxic>Scald on Toxapex to try to deal with Offensive Volcarona. Also helps with Rillaboom, Zapdos and other switchins. Also I think you put too much Speed on Skarmory and you risk not to check anymore what you need to check, and it's potentially useless because Iron Defense Magnezone is way slower than that and the Specs is often Timid. Maybe if you have problems with Lando's longevity and you don't think you need U-turn you can try Protect>Rest because I believe you're not going to click Rest that much (Rest is a pain for the momentum too), while Protect can be helpful to scout SpecsDragapult and other Choiced mons and to stall Volcarona once you poison it. The team looks solid overall, but I would consider these changes.
 

SpookyZ

Niko said:
Ehy bro cool team! I suggest you to try Toxic>Scald on Toxapex to try to deal with Offensive Volcarona. Also helps with Rillaboom, Zapdos and other switchins. Also I think you put too much Speed on Skarmory and you risk not to check anymore what you need to check, and it's potentially useless because Iron Defense Magnezone is way slower than that and the Specs is often Timid. Maybe if you have problems with Lando's longevity and you don't think you need U-turn you can try Protect>Rest because I believe you're not going to click Rest that much (Rest is a pain for the momentum too), while Protect can be helpful to scout SpecsDragapult and other Choiced mons and to stall Volcarona once you poison it. The team looks solid overall, but I would consider these changes.
Click to expand...
hm ye ur right, i was thinking of changing rest to smth else but i kept it that because in the wcop game i actually clicked rest on lando in the end game and it won
 

SpookyZ

death dreigon said:
I recommend earth power or flash cannon over dark pulse on that hydreigon tbh. D pulse doesn't hits anything that draco meteor doesn't. Having coverage for either heatran or clefable is much more worth imo. Otherwise solid team
Click to expand...
makes sense, i mainly had pulse for random slowbros to force them out,+ you hit slowking
 
SLDR

SLDR

just throwing this out there, but this is an alternative spread for koko if you want extra safety against zeraora

Tapu Koko @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 12 HP / 32 Def / 244 SpA / 220 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Roost

if you want max speed, go 212 spatk - 252 speed.
220 speed timid still outspeeds weavile and adamant zera (put 4 speed into spatk if you don't care about adamant zera) - hp and defense enough to avoid 2hko after rocks in terrain, in case zeraora knocks your boots off - max spatk possible

252 Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 12 HP / 32 Def Tapu Koko in Electric Terrain: 110-129 (37.2 - 43.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
 
Smashburn

Smashburn

:smogthink:

Just curious, as I've tried this team, I notice it is moderate in speed, momentum based, and defensively based, but it lacks defog- and in most cases VS offensively based teams using Ferrothorn you can barely touch it due to your only check (outside of Skarmory, who in many cases already instantly gives way to Dragapult, another honorable mention for threats) in Hydreigon getting worn down and being slower than or walled by most of its checks. As you also said, mons such as Heatran cause the team trouble but in most cases I generalize that many mons with access to hazards, bulk, and recovery do that. Are there any changes to be made that can help in minimizing this risk, or is it accepted that the team- although being more defensively based- must be played aggressively?
 
MAVERICK SHOOTERS

MAVERICK SHOOTERS

is a Tiering Contributor
Smashburn said:
:smogthink:

Just curious, as I've tried this team, I notice it is moderate in speed, momentum based, and defensively based, but it lacks defog- and in most cases VS offensively based teams using Ferrothorn you can barely touch it due to your only check (outside of Skarmory, who in many cases already instantly gives way to Dragapult, another honorable mention for threats) in Hydreigon getting worn down and being slower than or walled by most of its checks. As you also said, mons such as Heatran cause the team trouble but in most cases I generalize that many mons with access to hazards, bulk, and recovery do that. Are there any changes to be made that can help in minimizing this risk, or is it accepted that the team- although being more defensively based- must be played aggressively?
Click to expand...
this team doesnt really need defog since other than pex the rest of the team doesnt really care about hazards and by hazard stacking urself you can force the oppo to defog,then u can bait the ferro in on koko's u turn and surprise them with flamethrower of hydrei,if they know about it and are careful against skarmory with it ,u can gets spikes and rocks up then pressure it with constant momentum,the good thing about this team is that it has modes for a lot of things,against the heatran issue as spooky said ,ur main way of checking it is u go pex knock off it's lefties and go into hydrei or lando,with its longevity gone it will be easier to handle,also while the hydrei doesnt have earthpower,dark pulse still does respectable damage:
244 SpA Life Orb Hydreigon Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 126-149 (32.6 - 38.6%)
and with all the hazards stacking up with goodplays it is managable.
Also to get out of tough situations you must keep ur aggressiveness decently high enough for u to be in lead or in command of the momentum ,since this team isnt full blown stall ,and balance instead,its got good defensive units,but for some mons you have to just check them offensively
hope this helped :)
 
Smashburn

Smashburn

MAVERICK SHOOTERS said:
this team doesnt really need defog since other than pex the rest of the team doesnt really care about hazards and by hazard stacking urself you can force the oppo to defog,then u can bait the ferro in on koko's u turn and surprise them with flamethrower of hydrei,if they know about it and are careful against skarmory with it ,u can gets spikes and rocks up then pressure it with constant momentum,the good thing about this team is that it has modes for a lot of things,against the heatran issue as spooky said ,ur main way of checking it is u go pex knock off it's lefties and go into hydrei or lando,with its longevity gone it will be easier to handle,also while the hydrei doesnt have earthpower,dark pulse still does respectable damage:
244 SpA Life Orb Hydreigon Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 126-149 (32.6 - 38.6%)
and with all the hazards stacking up with goodplays it is managable.
Also to get out of tough situations you must keep ur aggressiveness decently high enough for u to be in lead or in command of the momentum ,since this team isnt full blown stall ,and balance instead,its got good defensive units,but for some mons you have to just check them offensively
hope this helped :)
Click to expand...
It did give me more of a general lowdown of the team, the strategy makes more sense from that point. I suppose it's just that I'm not very used to this variety of play style, being mainly a Ladder player after all.

Speaking of which, does anyone have any resources to competitive play? I've looked around some to start learning and nothing has really popped out, there isn't much that teaches advanced strategy.
 
OctoMystic

OctoMystic

Smashburn said:
It did give me more of a general lowdown of the team, the strategy makes more sense from that point. I suppose it's just that I'm not very used to this variety of play style, being mainly a Ladder player after all.

Speaking of which, does anyone have any resources to competitive play? I've looked around some to start learning and nothing has really popped out, there isn't much that teaches advanced strategy.
Click to expand...
https://www.smogon.com/articles/getting-started
this has alot of basic info
 
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