The Team:
Zapdos-Galar @ Electric Seed
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Blaze Kick
- Drill Peck
- Thunderous Kick
If set up properly, this monster has the potential to sweep teams. The idea is to switch into a defog, get the +2 attack boost, set up an agility boost, and sweep. Many defogger can give it a problem, but most defoggers have likely taken some damage, don't outspeed zapdos, and/or cant take it out in one shot. The electric seed helps out especially in the setup, since corviknight does only a little damage with brave bird, revenge killing Zapdos becomes much harder. You could use brave bird for extra power, but I prefer drill peck for longevity. Same with thunderous kick, since unlike close combat it doesn't lower defenses, and can even lower others defenses, making switching in even harder for bulky mons like toxapex. Speaking of which, its one of the main threats, but you can sub in stomping tantrum to deal super effective damage while still hitting magerna and not fearing a blaze kick miss, but the added power, crit chance, and corviknight smacking power of blaze kick is to good to pass up. Agility is to outspeed every mon, even spectier, but finding an opportunity isn't always easy, or even at times necessary depending on the opposing team. If you want extra power, Bulk up is also a good option.
Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
This is the hazard setter. Most teams are usually prepared for ferrothorn so its best to be carful with him, as most will try to take it out fast. However sometimes just getting off stealth rocks or even one layer of spikes is good enough. Leech seed and protect are for longevity, although to rack up easy damage i put rocky helmet, but leftovers works well too. This team relies a lot on entry hazards, so having a reliable hazard setter is important.
Mandibuzz (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Whirlwind
- Defog
- Roost
This is the bulky defogger of the team. While it seems strange to have a defogger on a team that relies on entry hazards, this teams needs both a bulky pivot, and a check to the likes of spectrier, kartana and rillaboom. Also it helps it the team start the match with something like sticky webs from shuckle/araquinid. Roost is for longevity, and knock off is for STAB damage and removing items like choice items, leftovers and boots. Whirlwind is there to not only rack up hazard damage, but also stop setup sweepers like substitute garchomp and spectrier and dragon dance dragonite. these mons would bowl over the team if they are given the chance to setup.
Cinderace @ Expert Belt
Ability: Libero
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Pyro Ball
- Zen Headbutt
- High Jump Kick
This is the wall breaker and a mon that can easily sweep on its own. The four attacks give it a wide array of coverage, each picked to destroy common mons in the meta. Pyro ball for kartana rillaboom magaerna and ferrothorn, gunk shot for the fairies, zen headbutt for nidoking and toxapex, and high jump kick for heatran hydreigon and tyranitar. With these cinderace gets easy one-shots, and can even sweep unprepared teams. It best to be carful, however, and its often best to switch to the backup bulky mons since most players will send in choice scarfers to finish it off. Expert best can be ditched for boots to have a better time switching in, and moves like zen headbutt or gunk shot can be dropped for either sucker punch for priority, or court change for hazard and screen support.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Haze
- Toxic
- Scald
- Recover
The third and final bulky pivot, and one with the best longevity. Haze is for setup sweeper, mainly magerna, whom its mainly supposed to check. Toxic is good to rack up damage and put some mons on a timer, but it can be subbed for knock off if you prefer, or even toxic spikes/baneful bunker. Scald is for STAB but mainly the chance to burn physical mons, and recover is for longevity.
Tapu Koko @ Leftovers
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
Finally the electric and fairy sweeper. Thunderbolt and dazzling gleam are easy STAB, While u-turn is for momentum, especially to catch ground types off guard, especially nidoking who will almost always switch into it hoping for a free switch, only to have cinderace come into it for free. Taunt is to stop setup like stealth rocks, spikes, dragon dance, nasty plot, screens, and trick room from a variety of mons, but both u-turn and taunt can be dropped for screens if you prefer. Leftovers is for longevity, but you could use other things like life orb for extra damage.
This team is a simple 3 offensive, 3 defensive mon team. This allows for long games where the frailer offensive mons can fall back on the defensive mons for backup, and even if they should fall the three walls have the tools to wear down and finish off the opposing team. Entry hazards are a big part of the team, as hazards help to soften up the opposing team, as well as force a defog that powers up the team's most powerful sweeper, G-Zapdos. Certain mons do give this team some issues. Opposing cinderace and nidoking, both powerful wall breakers, pose a threat, since their coverage makes them hard to switch into, so tough prediction is required in these situations. No ground types also mean electric types like opposing tapu koko, zapdos and especially thunderus and regieleki are a big problem to switch into. This can be remedied by putting in something like rapid spin excadrill in place of defog mandibuzz, which is good for keeping the teams own hazards, but opens up spectrier as a bigger problem. If and when spectrier is banned from ou, this could be a viable choice. Let me know your thoughts on this team in the comments below.
Zapdos-Galar @ Electric Seed
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Blaze Kick
- Drill Peck
- Thunderous Kick
If set up properly, this monster has the potential to sweep teams. The idea is to switch into a defog, get the +2 attack boost, set up an agility boost, and sweep. Many defogger can give it a problem, but most defoggers have likely taken some damage, don't outspeed zapdos, and/or cant take it out in one shot. The electric seed helps out especially in the setup, since corviknight does only a little damage with brave bird, revenge killing Zapdos becomes much harder. You could use brave bird for extra power, but I prefer drill peck for longevity. Same with thunderous kick, since unlike close combat it doesn't lower defenses, and can even lower others defenses, making switching in even harder for bulky mons like toxapex. Speaking of which, its one of the main threats, but you can sub in stomping tantrum to deal super effective damage while still hitting magerna and not fearing a blaze kick miss, but the added power, crit chance, and corviknight smacking power of blaze kick is to good to pass up. Agility is to outspeed every mon, even spectier, but finding an opportunity isn't always easy, or even at times necessary depending on the opposing team. If you want extra power, Bulk up is also a good option.
Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
This is the hazard setter. Most teams are usually prepared for ferrothorn so its best to be carful with him, as most will try to take it out fast. However sometimes just getting off stealth rocks or even one layer of spikes is good enough. Leech seed and protect are for longevity, although to rack up easy damage i put rocky helmet, but leftovers works well too. This team relies a lot on entry hazards, so having a reliable hazard setter is important.
Mandibuzz (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Whirlwind
- Defog
- Roost
This is the bulky defogger of the team. While it seems strange to have a defogger on a team that relies on entry hazards, this teams needs both a bulky pivot, and a check to the likes of spectrier, kartana and rillaboom. Also it helps it the team start the match with something like sticky webs from shuckle/araquinid. Roost is for longevity, and knock off is for STAB damage and removing items like choice items, leftovers and boots. Whirlwind is there to not only rack up hazard damage, but also stop setup sweepers like substitute garchomp and spectrier and dragon dance dragonite. these mons would bowl over the team if they are given the chance to setup.
Cinderace @ Expert Belt
Ability: Libero
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Pyro Ball
- Zen Headbutt
- High Jump Kick
This is the wall breaker and a mon that can easily sweep on its own. The four attacks give it a wide array of coverage, each picked to destroy common mons in the meta. Pyro ball for kartana rillaboom magaerna and ferrothorn, gunk shot for the fairies, zen headbutt for nidoking and toxapex, and high jump kick for heatran hydreigon and tyranitar. With these cinderace gets easy one-shots, and can even sweep unprepared teams. It best to be carful, however, and its often best to switch to the backup bulky mons since most players will send in choice scarfers to finish it off. Expert best can be ditched for boots to have a better time switching in, and moves like zen headbutt or gunk shot can be dropped for either sucker punch for priority, or court change for hazard and screen support.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Haze
- Toxic
- Scald
- Recover
The third and final bulky pivot, and one with the best longevity. Haze is for setup sweeper, mainly magerna, whom its mainly supposed to check. Toxic is good to rack up damage and put some mons on a timer, but it can be subbed for knock off if you prefer, or even toxic spikes/baneful bunker. Scald is for STAB but mainly the chance to burn physical mons, and recover is for longevity.
Tapu Koko @ Leftovers
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
Finally the electric and fairy sweeper. Thunderbolt and dazzling gleam are easy STAB, While u-turn is for momentum, especially to catch ground types off guard, especially nidoking who will almost always switch into it hoping for a free switch, only to have cinderace come into it for free. Taunt is to stop setup like stealth rocks, spikes, dragon dance, nasty plot, screens, and trick room from a variety of mons, but both u-turn and taunt can be dropped for screens if you prefer. Leftovers is for longevity, but you could use other things like life orb for extra damage.
This team is a simple 3 offensive, 3 defensive mon team. This allows for long games where the frailer offensive mons can fall back on the defensive mons for backup, and even if they should fall the three walls have the tools to wear down and finish off the opposing team. Entry hazards are a big part of the team, as hazards help to soften up the opposing team, as well as force a defog that powers up the team's most powerful sweeper, G-Zapdos. Certain mons do give this team some issues. Opposing cinderace and nidoking, both powerful wall breakers, pose a threat, since their coverage makes them hard to switch into, so tough prediction is required in these situations. No ground types also mean electric types like opposing tapu koko, zapdos and especially thunderus and regieleki are a big problem to switch into. This can be remedied by putting in something like rapid spin excadrill in place of defog mandibuzz, which is good for keeping the teams own hazards, but opens up spectrier as a bigger problem. If and when spectrier is banned from ou, this could be a viable choice. Let me know your thoughts on this team in the comments below.
