Noivern @ Life Orb
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Draco Meteor
- Heat Wave
- Taunt
Fast taunter with access to STAB Hurricane for synergy w/ Pelipper. Acts as a lead to taunt trick-room setters or to hit hard out of the gate with one of its STABs. Draco Meteor handles any opposing Dragons I out-speed and massively dents other threats (notably Gastrodon). Heat Wave is my primary means of handling Ferro, but comes in handy in plenty of other situations as a reliable spread move. Solid D-max abuser if the situation calls for it.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Flare Blitz
Fairly standard scarf-darm set that combines speed, power, and coverage to net necessary KOs or weaken 'mons that I don't have a clean counter for. Co-leads with Noivern except against obvious trick-room teams, generally U-Turning into whatever seems like the best partner unless the opponent leads a threat I know I need Darm to KO. Most of the time, this means taking advantage of Scarf to switch in Pelipper and ensure a hit from a Noivern Hurricane. Earthquake is reasonably safe to run with half the team being immune.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Hydro Pump
- Wide Guard
Rain and tailwind setter who can deal respectable damage with Hurricane and Hydro Pump. Considering moving from Damp Rock to Heavy Duty Boots, since it tends to switch in a lot against opposing weather teams to fudge Hurricane/Thunder accuracy from its teammates and/or perform speed control by turning the weather on opposing chlorophyl/sand rush abusers. I've waffled a lot on the last move, using U-Turn and Knock-off at various times, but Wide Guard has probably won me the most close matches by buying time against opposing rock slide/dazzling gleam/hyper voice users.
Rotom-Wash @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
Standard Rotom-W set. Its main jobs are to scout with Scarf Volt Switch and to survive the occasional Fishious Rend or G-Darm attack, but Thunder and Hydro Pump are not to be understimated with with rain up. Trick is an alternative to taunt to cripple opposing setup mons, and it can use D-max to break from choice lock and set up Electric Terrain or keep up rain.
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Facade
Tanks any and all special attacks. Sand offers great speed control paired with Excadrill. My most common D-max user, whether to ensure OHKOs against common trick room setters with Max Darkness, to survive Fighting type attacks and retaliate, or to abuse Max-Knuckle. Outside of D-max, Rock Slide and Crunch are just reliable STAB, while Superpower is my only source of fighting coverage. Like with Pelipper, I've cycled through lots of options with the last move. Facade lets me use T-tar to absorb predicted will-o-wisps (and other status), but I'm considering trying out Breaking Swipe to help improve team survivability.
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
Not a very interesting set, but an effective one. The number of ground-immunities on the team lets me run Earthquake pretty unchecked. Sash makes it fairly reliable to get up a Swords Dance if I think I need it. Iron Head and Rock Slide provide reliable damage and flinchhax. Basically my most straightforward wincon if I can get to a place where it can spam EQ or Rock Slide in the sand, especially with a boost.
Overall, this team has done really well for me, considering I'm pretty much a newb. There's a lot of redundance in attacks (2x Hurricane, 2x Hyrdopump, 2x EQ, 2x Rockslide), but all of those moves have proven worth having on multiple 'mons. I was struggling against trick-room teams until I added Taunt to Noivern, and I still frequently wind up spending my D-max right away to take care of some problematic setters like Dusclops and Hatterene. A fair number of rock weaknesses, but Wide Guard has helped with that. Lots of Freeze-Dry weaknesses, but that's usually fairly predictable. Tailwind Whimsicott is always fun to deal with, but I can usually get my own tailwind up on Turn 2 to counter (and having that advantage turn after their Tailwind ends and mine is still up can be huge).
My most consistent problems lately have been various doubles-only shenanigans, mostly involving Weakness Policy, and that feels like a matter of experience as much as anything else.
What else am I missing?
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Draco Meteor
- Heat Wave
- Taunt
Fast taunter with access to STAB Hurricane for synergy w/ Pelipper. Acts as a lead to taunt trick-room setters or to hit hard out of the gate with one of its STABs. Draco Meteor handles any opposing Dragons I out-speed and massively dents other threats (notably Gastrodon). Heat Wave is my primary means of handling Ferro, but comes in handy in plenty of other situations as a reliable spread move. Solid D-max abuser if the situation calls for it.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Flare Blitz
Fairly standard scarf-darm set that combines speed, power, and coverage to net necessary KOs or weaken 'mons that I don't have a clean counter for. Co-leads with Noivern except against obvious trick-room teams, generally U-Turning into whatever seems like the best partner unless the opponent leads a threat I know I need Darm to KO. Most of the time, this means taking advantage of Scarf to switch in Pelipper and ensure a hit from a Noivern Hurricane. Earthquake is reasonably safe to run with half the team being immune.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Hydro Pump
- Wide Guard
Rain and tailwind setter who can deal respectable damage with Hurricane and Hydro Pump. Considering moving from Damp Rock to Heavy Duty Boots, since it tends to switch in a lot against opposing weather teams to fudge Hurricane/Thunder accuracy from its teammates and/or perform speed control by turning the weather on opposing chlorophyl/sand rush abusers. I've waffled a lot on the last move, using U-Turn and Knock-off at various times, but Wide Guard has probably won me the most close matches by buying time against opposing rock slide/dazzling gleam/hyper voice users.
Rotom-Wash @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
Standard Rotom-W set. Its main jobs are to scout with Scarf Volt Switch and to survive the occasional Fishious Rend or G-Darm attack, but Thunder and Hydro Pump are not to be understimated with with rain up. Trick is an alternative to taunt to cripple opposing setup mons, and it can use D-max to break from choice lock and set up Electric Terrain or keep up rain.
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Facade
Tanks any and all special attacks. Sand offers great speed control paired with Excadrill. My most common D-max user, whether to ensure OHKOs against common trick room setters with Max Darkness, to survive Fighting type attacks and retaliate, or to abuse Max-Knuckle. Outside of D-max, Rock Slide and Crunch are just reliable STAB, while Superpower is my only source of fighting coverage. Like with Pelipper, I've cycled through lots of options with the last move. Facade lets me use T-tar to absorb predicted will-o-wisps (and other status), but I'm considering trying out Breaking Swipe to help improve team survivability.
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
Not a very interesting set, but an effective one. The number of ground-immunities on the team lets me run Earthquake pretty unchecked. Sash makes it fairly reliable to get up a Swords Dance if I think I need it. Iron Head and Rock Slide provide reliable damage and flinchhax. Basically my most straightforward wincon if I can get to a place where it can spam EQ or Rock Slide in the sand, especially with a boost.
Overall, this team has done really well for me, considering I'm pretty much a newb. There's a lot of redundance in attacks (2x Hurricane, 2x Hyrdopump, 2x EQ, 2x Rockslide), but all of those moves have proven worth having on multiple 'mons. I was struggling against trick-room teams until I added Taunt to Noivern, and I still frequently wind up spending my D-max right away to take care of some problematic setters like Dusclops and Hatterene. A fair number of rock weaknesses, but Wide Guard has helped with that. Lots of Freeze-Dry weaknesses, but that's usually fairly predictable. Tailwind Whimsicott is always fun to deal with, but I can usually get my own tailwind up on Turn 2 to counter (and having that advantage turn after their Tailwind ends and mine is still up can be huge).
My most consistent problems lately have been various doubles-only shenanigans, mostly involving Weakness Policy, and that feels like a matter of experience as much as anything else.
What else am I missing?
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