DOU Effective Cores

[Platinum God n1n1]

I use this core on my sand team; and agree they complement each other but sandstorm on latios feels like a wasted slot considering it has a large move pool and high SpA to make use of; also it has 6 weaknesses so you dont want to waste a turn to get sand storm going, you want to get to offense right away with latios imo

 

[Idyll]

Doesn't Tailwind do pretty much the same thing except that Tailwind's more generally useful? Also lol Excadrill

 

[Ray Majore]

Stone Fried Chicken

Aerodactyl (M) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant/Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Sky Drop/Aerial Ace
- Protect/Taunt/Wide Guard
- Aqua Tail/Taunt/Wide Guard

Blaziken (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 80 Atk / 176 SpA / 252 Spe or 168 Atk / 88 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Overheat
- High Jump Kick/Superpower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

This core is similar to the Mega Diancie + Blaziken core, except it's Mega Aerodactyl that I'll be highlighting. These 2 Pokemon offensively synergise well with each other, with Mega Aero eliminating birds and Blaziken beating the hell out of Adamant Lando with HP Ice. They are also similar to fast and powerful cores such as Deo-A + Mega Kangaskhan because of its fast, offensive presence.

In the hide tab, all interchangeable sidelines are noted in italic typing, depending on how you'll be using this core. Mega Aero can run things such as Taunt and/or Wide Guard over Aqua Tail and/or Protect, as well as Adamant > Jolly nature. In one of my teams, Mega Aero uses Adamant because with enough Lando checks there's no need to outrun adamant scarf variants (I'll show it in another post). You also cannot get the immediate OHKO with Aqua Tail, which is sad if you get the -1 drop. Sky Drop and Aerial Ace are personal options imo. Blaziken can run specific EV spreads that have their own purposes, and you may use either High Jump Kick or Superpower. I do prefer HJK because I'm a very ballsy player who does the game of risk.

Some weaknesses would be Trick Room and water types in general, so I recommend mons such as Amoonguss and Rotom-W to patch these weaknesses. Wide Guard users such as Aegislash and Conkeldurr would help as well if you need to play mind games with spread moves such as Rock Slide and Earthquake.

(1/2)

 

[Platinum God n1n1]

Trick Room Sun
So CharY is very common with the evolution of rhydon but not commonly seen in trick room. I feel like CharY is best in trick room because you do not have to invest in speed and it pairs well with Goggles TR Cress. That cress + CharY TR has been used before, I am going with Jirachi instead for follow me support.
This is still a work in progress for me but I think this core is well rounded and interesting Fire + Rock core that megacyber will approve of

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Overheat
- Solar Beam
- Heat Wave
- Protect

Max SpA over heat CharY is super strong and OHKOs a lot; you wont see it much in non-tr CharY teams. Heatwave is the main attacker though, because you dont want the SpA drop. Like megacyber mentioned the Fire+Rock loses to water types; solarbeam beats the of course

Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hammer Arm/Ice Punch
- Protect

Eliminates CharY electric threats easy, and deals with heatran

Jirachi @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 122 Def / 134 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Iron Head
- Trick Room
- Follow Me
- Protect

And heres the bulky trick room setter that redirects the Amoongus spores, arguably better than Cress because it also lets tou take out Diancies who CharY does not like - cress cant to that

 

[CorruptedOmega]

Jirachi @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Impish Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder Wave
- Follow Me
- Protect

Landorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earth Power
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

Essentially Landorus kills most of Jirachi's checks and counters allowing Jirachi to spread yellow magic, redirect stuff, and be annoying. Landorus destroys Steels such as Aegislash, Bisharp, and Heatran, while also threatening Charizard and opposing Landorus. The core appreciates another mon to resist Jirachi's weaknesses, so Hydreigon and bulky Water-types make good partners.

 

[Bughouse]

Jirachi @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Impish Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder Wave
- Follow Me
- Protect

Landorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

Essentially Landorus kills most of Jirachi's checks and counters allowing Jirachi to spread yellow magic, redirect stuff, and be annoying. Landorus destroys Steels such as Aegislash, Bisharp, and Heatran, while also threatening Charizard and opposing Landorus. The core appreciates another mon to resist Jirachi's weaknesses, so Hydreigon and bulky Water-types make good partners.

Sure, but Lando-I should absolutely 100% be using Rock Slide, not Stone Edge. The only things you really want to use Rock move for get ohkoed by either move, but Rock Slide also deals spread damage (avoiding Follow Me/Rage Powder), and Lando-I has no reason to fear the only common Wide Guard user, as it ohkoes Aegislash.

 

[megacyber]

Sure, but Lando-I should absolutely 100% be using Rock Slide, not Stone Edge. The only things you really want to use Rock move for get ohkoed by either move, but Rock Slide also deals spread damage (avoiding Follow Me/Rage Powder), and Lando-I has no reason to fear the only common Wide Guard user, as it ohkoes Aegislash.

also rock slide gets sheer force boosts, and stone edge doesnt, which makes the damage gap less than it is in like lando t or w/e

 

[Big_Danny_Mason]

also rock slide gets sheer force boosts, and stone edge doesnt, which makes the damage gap less than it is in like lando t or w/e

Actually it does even more than lando t's, which is bonkers.

252+ Atk Landorus-T Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 64 Def Charizard: 332-392 (92.2 - 108.8%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
4 Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 64 Def Charizard: 380-447 (105.5 - 124.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[SocialSocialSocial]

Gengar takes great advantage of Virizion's strange, but useful typing, and power allowing it and easier chance to pick up KOs. Along with Gyarados' Intimidate making it much easier to handle threats to the core such as Talonflame. When using this core it's pretty important that one does not allow a Mega-Gardevoir team to get up its tailwind, unless they brought checks of their own in the back.

Hide

Virizion @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Protect

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Gyarados @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave / Icy Wind / Protect

 

[megacyber]

Gengar takes great advantage of Virizion's strange, but useful typing, and power allowing it and easier chance to pick up KOs. Along with Gyarados' Intimidate making it much easier to handle threats to the core such as Talonflame. When using this core it's pretty important that one does not allow a Mega-Gardevoir team to get up its tailwind, unless they brought checks of their own in the back.

Hide

Virizion @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Protect

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Gyarados @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave / Icy Wind / Protect

so what's their exact synergy? like what do they do for each other precisely? Cuz it kinda looks like three random mons

 

[Bughouse]

so what's their exact synergy? like what do they do for each other precisely? Cuz it kinda looks like three random mons

Because of Virizion's high speed, decent power, and unique coverage, you can trap and remove: Char-Y, Heatran, Keldeo, Kangaskhan, Kyu-B, Hydreigon, Rotom-W, Ferrothorn, etc...

I had a similar premise before on a team with Serperior instead of Virizion and a DD Gyarados instead of bulky. It's a decent core idea to play around with because trapping something like Ferro, Rotom-W, or Kyu-B, really makes Gyarados more effective. In my case, too, Gyarados could abuse something like Heatran being trapped to get free DDs (and Serperior to get its SpA boosts going).

 

[megacyber]

I give to you...

..the checkmater75

eZ (Azumarill) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum
- Protect

wins (Jirachi) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Impish Nature
- Follow Me
- Iron Head
- Icy Wind
- Protect

 

[SocialSocialSocial]

I give to you...

..the checkmater75

eZ (Azumarill) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum
- Protect

wins (Jirachi) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Impish Nature
- Follow Me
- Iron Head
- Icy Wind
- Protect

I've used this core before and I can definitely say it's godlike

 

[Checkmater]

I give to you...

..the checkmater75

eZ (Azumarill) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum
- Protect

wins (Jirachi) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Impish Nature
- Follow Me
- Iron Head
- Icy Wind
- Protect

You can't call it the checkmater75 and then use these shitty analysis spreads.

 

[Yellow Paint]

Sableye @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Fake Out
- Will-O-Wisp
- Quash
- Foul Play

+standard rachi diancie

Getting on the rachi diancie hype train, sable checks lando kang, disrupts opp on top of jirachi, and does heavy damage to thundy aegi. I guess speed could be adjusted to try and pass scrafty fake out or azu, but you're pretty dead weight without foul play.

 

[xzern]

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Hoopa-Unbound @ Life Orb
Ability: Magician
EVs: 184 Atk / 148 SpA / 176 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hyperspace Fury
- Hyperspace Hole
- Ally Switch / Drain Punch
- Protect

Hoopa's threatening ability to smack enemies behind their protection leaves fewer options for opponents when it comes to defending their team, typically pushing them into a situation where they must switch a pokemon that can tank or resist one of Hoopa's powerful hits, or be forced to either sac a pokemon or make a risky play. When using a Shadow Tag user, particularly Gengar, in tandem with Hoopa, it leaves even less options for opponents. It allows Hoopa to easily pick off threats that no sane person would ever keep in on it, like Cresselia or something. Gengar and Hoopa also have great offensive synergy; Gengar can threaten fairies and fast things, while also being able to burn physical attackers to allow Hoopa more flexibility. Hoopa, in return, can pick off bulky threats to Gengar such as Amoonguss and Aegislash. The core, however, needs a good amount of support towards things like Landorus and Talonflame.

 

[Platinum God n1n1]

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Overheat
- Solar Beam
- Heat Wave
- Protect

Hitmontop @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Atk / 120 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Sucker Punch
- Wide Guard

Have this core on four teams. They are all TR teams but will work great on non-tr teams as well

so a huge weakness to tr teams is Bisharp as it destroys ghost and psychic types who are your typical setters. Even though hitmontop has intimidate bisharp cannot OHKO it. And CharY obviously takes care of it with easy.
Another reason this guys work together well is that CharY doesnt have to carry HP grounds for heatrans; hitmontop can close combat them. So charY carries heatwave for spread and over heat to dish out maximum damage.
CharY also benefits from hitmontops ability to easily switch into landoT and use Wideguard
Fake out on hitmontop to help set up TR.
Dragons can be a problem, hitmontop can CC hydregons. I run sucker punch because I believe TR teams need some priority and suckerpunch+overheat takes out latios. you should have an ice move on some other pokemon for a second lando check and as a way to ht dragons
other options for hitmontop are mach punch, helping hand, and feint

 

[SocialSocialSocial]

Why'd you opt for sucker punch over feint? If you're going to use Hitmontop over Scrafty you should take better advantage of its movepool. Wide guard obviously supports Charizard well, but if you're not going to take advantage of feint, and just need something that can take out dragons, as well as Bisharp, Swampert is probably a better fit, and it beats spread rock users with ease.

 

[Platinum God n1n1]

Why'd you opt for sucker punch over feint? If you're going to use Hitmontop over Scrafty you should take better advantage of its movepool. Wide guard obviously supports Charizard well, but if you're not going to take advantage of feint, and just need something that can take out dragons, as well as Bisharp, Swampert is probably a better fit, and it beats spread rock users with ease.

I actually do use feint on some of my teams. thats why I listed it at the bottom of my post
but sometimes I prefer sucker for more power
swampert is definitely not a better pick as it cannot fake out; which is almost essential to have on tr teams.

 

[BlueSkiddo]

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Fire Blast
- Tailwind

Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Naive Nature
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt

Today's question is:

Which of these things are hated by Salamence, and demolished by Genesect?

A. Ice
B. Rock
C. Fairy
D. All of the above

If you guessed "D. All of the above", congratulations you're correct and you understand why this core works!

 

[Mishimono]

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Substitute / Bullet Punch / Ice Punch
- Protect

Blaziken @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 84 Atk / 172 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Overheat
- Superpower
- Stone Edge / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

Blaziken is a great partner for Mega-Metagross as it can kill threats to Metagross such as Aegislash, Heatran and Hydreigon. In return Metagross can beat beat Mega-Diancie and Keldeo for Blaziken. The Metagross spread lives an Adamant Bisharp Sucker Punch and the Blaziken spread allows it to KO Aegislash in shield form with Overheat. These two are very weak to Talonflame (and Lando-T without HP Ice) so Rotom-W and Thundurus make for good partners. This core is also weak to Trick Room so Amoonguss makes a good partner.

 

[Derivatives]

I've been addicted to this one lately because it's "cash".

Mawile-Mega @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Atk / 160 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Protect

Garchomp @ Choice Band
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Dual Chop

a long time ago in a galaxy only a few words and real logs different:
[00:22:14] KyleCole: garchomp sucks
[00:23:56] KyleCole: it cant even KO the other dragons
[00:24:05] KyleCole: and needs orb to kill charizard
(insert don't use that use this link)

meanwhile...
Because Garchomp is like one of my favorite mons I had to make this less true. By sticking a choice band on it, it becomes capable of OHKOing 108 HP Kyurem-B 75%
(252 Atk Choice Band Garchomp Dual Chop (2 hits) vs. 108 HP / 0 Def Kyurem-B: 396-468 (94.7 - 111.9%) -- approx. 75% chance to OHKO)
of the time, and it also becomes capable of OHKOing Salamence 87.5%
(-1 252 Atk Choice Band Garchomp Dual Chop (2 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Salamence: 316-376 (95.4 - 113.5%) -- approx. 87.5% chance to OHKO)
of the time. Dual Chop>Dragon Claw because despite having lower accuracy Dual Chop has a higher damage potential while breaking sash on Breloom and has a 43.75% chance
(252 Atk Choice Band Garchomp Dual Chop (2 hits) vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Breloom: 236-282 (90 - 107.6%) -- approx. 43.8% chance to OHKO)
to OHKO it. Also, Life Orb not OHKOing bulky Charizard isn't as scary, as it now has a 100% chance
(252 Atk Choice Band Garchomp Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 64 Def Mega Charizard Y: 416-492 (115.5 - 136.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO)
to OHKO it (though it fails at -1 :/).

Anyway, Mawile's turn to be praised. With its really cool defensive typing, strong priority, and access to SD, watching a Mawile set up on you is like watching Hiroshima happen in slow motion except for one detail: you weren't in Hiroshima.
I like using Iron Head>Play Rough because Iron Head doesn't miss and hits Amoonguss/fairies (pr still does but doesn't pick up the sylv KO at +0)/Rhyperiordons (actually came in handy once :^)) whereas Play Rough is meant to hit bulky waters/Keldeo/dragons (I guess? but the only ones that Garchomp doesn't outspeed+have a good KO chance are scarf Kyurem-B and Latios, and one of which is KOd by Maw's Sucker) and has additional power. I just feel that it's more important to get things like Amoonguss that could spell t r o u b l e instead of things like Gyarados that can just barely spell a n n o y i n g.
Edit: the things I listed in the above paragraph I meant as actually annoying to the core (i.e. bulky waters aren't hit by any part, and Amoonguss redirects Mawile's pr/sucker so easily). pr hits more stuff like Scrafty but all that does is Intimidate and Fake Out spam you lol.

They benefit a lot from Tailwind, as this enables Garchomp to just destroy shit like Jirachi+Diancie no problem and Mawile to outspeed virtually every unboosted thing in the game, and depending on your setter you can resolve some issues that this core has (Zapdos helps beat bulky waters, Suicune beats Lando and Heatran and has access to snarl™ to help Mawile set up, and Talonflame has strong priority BB to hit Venusaur/Charizard/Ludicolo and hurt neutral things like Lando [on switch-in] to help Mawile KO them; 2/3 of the mentioned possibilities are EQ immune which is lovely for Garchomp).

 

[Platinum God n1n1]

Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 208 Atk / 48 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Earth Power
- Protect

Gastrodon @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Muddy Water/Scald
- Ice Beam/Icy Wind
- Earth Power
- Protect/Recover

I've been talking about how good these guys are together for a while, still a big fan of this combo so putting it here.
Originally I was using Swampert for most of the same reasons as Gastrodon as it beats Diancie threats:
Beats fast Thundy
Walls RotomW/other waters
Beats Lando
Decent rain match up
Beats Aegislash and other steel types
Gets around follow me
Beats Talonflame

But have been using Gastrodon more than Swampert because I find Storm Drain to be more helpful in certain match ups, like against Suicune. They have very similar bulk; swampert more def and spd, gastrodon more hp. Gastrodon has slight edge in spa but cannot learn hydro pump. Swamperts biggest advantage is Wide Guard. But the biggest spread threat to Diancie is EQ lando which Ice Beam OHKOs anyways.
I dont recommend trying to get fancy with the Gastrodon spread. It will be pivoting in to help Diancie and your other guys like Talonflame
Major problem this core faces is grass types. Its a Diancie core you are probably running Talonflame already but should add one more grass counter. Goggles Jirachi/Togekiss/Magmortar or something like Latios

 

[KyleCole]

Major problem this core faces is grass types. Its a Diancie core you are probably running Talonflame already but should add one more grass counter. Goggles Jirachi/Togekiss/Magmortar or something like Latios

not magmortar christ

 

[Tymano]

Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 208 Atk / 48 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Earth Power
- Protect

Keldeo-Resolute @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind / Taunt / Quick Guard
- Protect

Diancie + Keld have some pretty great synergy with each other, as Diancie can dispose of things like Thundurus (non Flash-Cannon) Talonflame, and Latios that can all cripple, kill, or Check Keldeo while Keldeo smashes past Steels and Grounds for Diancie. Icy Wind can also help by beating faster shit for Diancie to steamroll past with Diamond Storm. Taunt can help against TR and Tailwind setters while Quick Guard can help against Priority users.