Welcome back to RMT's Tournament showcases, a project where we showcase top teams from successful tournament players.
This team by Attribute is a faster-paced take on hazard-stacking balance, a common archetype in the later stages of SV OU. It features Swords Dance Gliscor as a key offensive threat, overwhelming fat teams with the assistance of Ting-Lu's hazards. A bevy of anti-offense technology such as Unaware Clefable and a bulky Dragonite protects it from metagame threats like Gliscor and Ogerpon-Wellspring. Making its debut in Smogon Premier League, the most prestigious team tournament on Smogon, this team secured four wins over the course of a month in which the metagame rapidly shifted. Achieving success when used by a variety of players in both SPL and OST, this squad is robust enough to perform well both in tournaments and for all-purpose applications.
---
Building Process
+ 
I wanted to make a team based around Swords Dance Gliscor with Knock Off and Facade. It's excellent at breaking down fatter teams, but appreciates support from both Stealth Rock and Spikes. To that end, Ting-Lu can forgo Whirlwind to utilize both of these hazards, with the rest of the team contributing to anti-offense.
->
+ + 
+ 
My next two picks were chosen for their anti-offense utility. Weavile offers both high natural speed and priority at once, and its typing in combination with a decent Special Defense allows it to switch into Kyurem's Ice-type moves a handful of times. This is vital to protecting the double Ground-types present in the build, and its Knock Off can also help enable Ting-Lu's hazards. With no resists to Ogerpon-Wellspring on the team, I opted to add Dragonite as a second form of anti-offense as well as an Ogerpon-Wellspring check. It's the only Water-type resist on the team.
->
+ + + + 
To protect against opposing Swords Dance Gliscor, I added Corviknight, which also serves as an answer to Kingambit.
->
+ + + + + 
Finally, as the team still seemed vulnerable to being overwhelmed by offense, I added Unaware Clefable as the final Pokemon to check setup sweepers. It also helps the team defend itself from Iron Defense Zamazenta and Iron Valiant.
---
The Team
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 244 HP / 168 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Knock Off
- Protect
The main anti-fat threat. Knock Off synergizes incredibly with rocks and spikes. Tera Normal Facade is run over Earthquake primarily to hit Ogerpon-Wellspring harder, but it also hits Corviknight and Skarmory, forcing them to use Roost PP. The EVs allow Gliscor to outspeed Modest Raging Bolt, with the rest invested in special bulk to absorb special hits from mons like Kyurem, Walking Wake (out of sun), and Darkrai.
Ting-Lu @ Leftovers
Ability: Vessel of Ruin
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ruination
- Spikes
I wanted to have Stealth Rock and Spikes on one mon, but I wanted to avoid using Skarmory as I think that mon is bad, so I opted for Ting-Lu. Whirlwind was dropped in favor of Earthquake and Ruination: this combination is still decent enough against offensive threats, and the rest of the team is full of anti-offense tech to make up for it. I maximized Special Defense and HP because this team is overall more susceptible to special attackers than physical ones; Tera Ghost blocks Rapid Spin and is neutral against Kyurem, Walking Wake, and many special attackers.
Weavile (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Icicle Crash
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard
Weavile is the main source of speed control on this team, but it's still slower than Deoxys, Dragapult, and Zamazenta; Ice Shard helps to alleviate this and can potentially sweep after a Swords Dance. Knock Off has obvious synergy with Ting-Lu's hazards. SD is especially valuable here as this team has less longevity compared to other Gliscor balance teams out there - you're encouraged to win quickly with this squad and the multiple setup mons help with that. I use Icicle Crash over Triple Axel for increased consistency as well as being a non-contact move. Tera Fire allows Weavile to act as emergency Moltres counterplay, as Gliscor can't switch into Flamethrowers repeatedly; it also helps to punish teams that use Galarian Weezing as their only Weavile answer.
Dragonite (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Atk / 52 Def / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
Dragonite serves as an anti-offense mon, a strong win condition in its own right, and the sole Wellspring check. The defensive EVs give you 98% odds of surviving two Play Roughs from full health. 104 Attack is a nice round number that hits a jump point and gives stronger Extreme Speeds in general, and the rest was put into speed to outspeed most defensive Gholdengo. Roost gives this Dragonite plenty of longevity, and Earthquake is solid coverage. I picked Tera Normal and DD over Dragon Tail for stronger Extreme Speeds versus offense, since this team already performs well against offense and Dragon Tail is often countered by Tera Fairy mons.
Corviknight (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 136 HP / 252 Def / 120 Spe
Impish Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Rocky Helmet Corviknight is the Knock Off absorber of the team, punishing it with Knock Off as well as punishing Rapid Spin, as the team lacks a natural Ghost-type. Helmet chip goes a long way against offense mons like Ogerpon-Wellspring and Samurott, and it punishes all-out attacker Zamazenta and its Close Combats in combination with Pressure. Iron Defense allows it to compete with SD attackers like Kingambit and Gliscor, and Brave Bird is used over U-Turn to hit Tera Ghost Kingambit. I don't use Defog here since you want the hazards up and really value the extra coverage. Tera Water is a great defensive type for Cinderace and Samurott; Fairy is also acceptable as it's neutral to Kyurem's special moves. The EVs maximize defense for Body Press, then outspeed Adamant Kingambit; the rest are in HP. Alternatively, 232 HP / 252 Def / 24 Spe outspeeds paralyzed Ogerpon-Wellspring.
Clefable (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
Unaware Clefable is the emergency check to most mons in combination with Thunder Wave, crippling the likes of Ogerpon-Wellspring, Kyurem, and even defensive mons like Moltres. Calm Mind allows it to compete with special attackers and provides another wincon, since the team lacks true longevity and wants to win faster. Tera Poison improves Clef's matchup against Iron Valiant, as well as absorbs poison, being Unaware and not Magic Guard. 12 Speed EVs lets you outspeed paralyzed Kyurem, and the rest is in physical defense.
Against bulkier balance teams, aim to win quickly with your multiple wincons (particularly SD Gliscor), as this team lacks removal and has less longevity. When facing offense, use your dual priority in combination with Unaware Clefable and Ting-Lu's hazards to cripple down opposing sweepers. This team came at a time when offensive setup threats like Roaring Moon and Gliscor were causing panic in the metagame, and comes equipped with multiple checks to both them and other popular offense Pokemon such as Kyurem and Ogerpon-Wellspring.
Threatlist
-
Turns off Gliscor’s healing and can burn a good number of the physical mons on this team. Consider saving Tera Fire for Weavile.-
/ sun: This team has one Water resist and it’s far from safe against Wake’s raw power. Get your turns right with Ting-Lu, Tera if you have to, and use your priority.-
You have one natural Moonblast resist. Clefable can Tera Poison as an out: don’t switch hard into Moonblast.- Bold
Can get out of hand quite quickly with Tera out of play. Try and win with your setup mons before this happens.---
pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/58fca214773752fe
Replays
With many victories across official Smogon tournaments, Attribute's (fan-named) Evil Clefable Team has quickly established itself as a key team in the later stages of SV OU, and it ultimately helped both Attribute and his teammate Lily achieve excellent records in SPL. Our thanks again to Attribute for sharing and explaining this team!
---
team and explanation: Attribute
written by: ninth
art by: Rex The Eater Of Worlds
editing and formatting: TheDuckChris
Last edited by a moderator:
