Sinistcha @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Heatproof
Level: 50
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Matcha Gotcha
- Iron Defense
- Strength Sap
Kinda my favorite, for both utility and idea. Great cloaker, that was more for reg g and before, but still I find use. Mainy Sneasler and Garg. Heatproof can surprise things that think fire is a great idea, esp. w/ tera. Again was more for prior reg(s,) but other anility is for VGC. Dark blocks the worst part of psyspam, and covers 2 weaknesses and pranksters. I don't need to cover fire, as teraing neutral makes it into a resist. EVs mostly max HP/Def, but w/ odd hp and some SpD for some luna bm set or another, in case it lacks priority or is faster. While SInistcha is typically soft on the special side(defensively,) it often walls physical stuff, even some SD things if no crits, since I go Iron Def over CM. This mon performs well for me, I think I've brought it less recently, but its easily the best into Sneasler, Garg, and Gallade. It can often take a hit from bruisers like Meow and mess up their atk, too. Only thing, as ever, is 4mss.
Alcremie @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 196 Def / 20 SpA / 12 SpD / 28 Spe
Calm Nature
- Draining Kiss
- Calm Mind
- Acid Armor
- Tera Blast
Good user of lefties, though I sometimes feel I could swap the items on these 1st two. Aroma Veil is basically the reason this is here, hardly anyone expects it, so I get free set up on encore/taunt, a rarity. I suppose I COULD run Hatterene, but besides the ghost weakness, which I don't really enjoy, it lacks a def boosting move iirc. That has saved me a lot on Ape, DNite, Corv, etc. Ground is for Ghold, Arch, Poisons, etc, decent coverage w/ tera blast, though I sometimes wish I was water, for FWG core, or even just fairy for damage that heals. EVs leave an even hp, unsatisfactory usually, but needed for some DNite calc. Uh +SpD for highest base stat,..spe for dirge. I can't always hurt dirge cause unaware, but it may be chipped. This is pretty good, esp. recently I think. Maybe I've seen more encore type stuff recently, unsure. Steel weakness is a pain but if DNite has Iron Head it probably has steel tera, so I can hit it w/ my own tera. This performs well, imo defensive boosting for both sides, w/ healing and some coverage still, is underrated. It needs time generally, only a few things fear an attack pre-boosts, but it can often get time through lefties, ability, and maybe even terrain.
Arcanine-Hisui @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Head Smash
Now this one I'm getting less sure of, despite hitting absurdly hard. Something about the typing, I don't always do good into fighting, and water hits Dirge too, even if I do have two grasses...Anyways, CB is great even w/ the conflict w/ the tera. Not much can switch in to Head Smash, even a Protect Lefties Dozo can be 2hkod w/ tera on 1 hit. DNite often lives even tera HS, but not if it's 252 spe, then unterad kos I think. Stellar can be ok, it secures the ohko on lots of Luna BM and maybe Sturdy Arch, but also gives some chance vs. 252/0 DNite from full. Fighting or rock would help w/ one or the other, but never both. Flare Blitz is fr the acc more than anything, like w/ Volcarona who doesn't need the whole BP of head smash, generally. I had Psychic fangs, but it's weird w/ locking in, so I put Espeed for chipped stuff/lesser prio users and slower espeeds. I was weak ish to ninetails-a, but this ofc still hits AND walls that. Spe Evs for 252 spe 80s, so basically just DNite usually.
Arboliva @ Eject Pack
Ability: Seed Sower
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 236 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Earth Power
- Strength Sap
- Leech Seed
I've had much positive experiences using Arb, 2nd favorite new mon easy. I wasn't disappointed in AV per se, I guess I just wanted to try this. I had it w/ seed Unburden Hawlucha, but that failed. I'm keeping this Arb though, works w/ most any seed user, doesn't have to be unburden I don't think. Leaf Stor is obviously a crazy hit, esp. if terad and they proc terrain(not a huge ask.) EVs try to live Chomp's Banded Outrage, w/ enough SpA for something that I forgot. Anyways it is near max, so nvm. Modest 0 Spe is chosen to be faster than orkoal or something, but still very slow for pivoting. Earth Power was kept even after the transition from AV, as it provides vital coverage against steels and fires, namely arch before flying tera. Strength Sap is a big favorite, lots of stuff hates that, and it works great w/ Arb's special bulk. It also compensates for no op Giga Drain heals, cause that seemed more redundant w/ leaf storm. Leech Seed is also a huge nuisance, I'm not sure I use it that much, but it's dangerous. Anyways, very strong mon imo, plus support.
Pawmot @ Leppa Berry
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Punch
- Revival Blessing
- Nuzzle
- Wish
This isn't here for a specific reason anymore, but I do really like it. Good into stall by pivoting w/ wish, and ofc putting up to 2 mons back in play. EVs were changed because creeping Charizard no longer seemed optional w/ all losing to it, and I adde just 2 or 3 more points for Chomp cause ofc. I didn't really need the extra def, I hope. This is still very bulky among Pawmots. Ice Punch is for damage to 4x weak dragons, CC isn't very synergistic at all w/ a bulky no atk ev set, and Doubleshock won't work w/ the tera. I suppose other options exist, but DNite is major even if it's not a ko after nuzzle. Nuzzle is great, I like spreading para as it's so annoying w/ the full para chance, and spe cut not only stops Zard, but helps hex and arcanine h. Wish is here to stay because I like healing up the half healed mon from Revival Blessing. It's not always helpful, but often enough imo. Ghost tera is for espeed mainly, at least once it got me out of trapping, though. Volt Absorb seemed useless-ish to me w/ the resist at first, but I kept it into a battle on accident and was not disappointed. It's great for switching in on Electro Shot or t wave and healing, and has applications w/ tera. I'm most open to changing this or Arcanine atm, though if keeping this I prefer a bulky set.
Skeledirge @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Unaware
Level: 50
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Yawn
- Torch Song
- Hex
- Slack Off
I really needed Unaware, desperately even. For a while I had been managing w/o it, but once the boosters started getting me again, I forgot how. So this is chosen because....um. I don't think I liked Dozo as much. Obviously it's even weaker to grass in terrain, that may be the main reason. Anyways, this is great in its own right. Grassy Seed gives great fat on one side, that few things can boost through(no Oger so I guess Tinkaton? meh,) and I suppose it helps w/ knock off damage too. Oh right, this is chosen PRIMARILY for the sound tech w/ unaware, to get Glis. Terrain+seed totally nullifies their damage output, really even after the terrain goes, and Steel blocks poison. Dozo can't really lose to Glis, but it requires me winning the timer, which is both tedious AND uncertain, cause they might well have one and/or Mola/Blissey/Chansey for the base HP. Yawn is great, shut down a whole team recently. Hex is chosen over Shadow Ball because of that and the other little bit of status I do, I prefer it. Although I'm partial to something like Alluring Voice or Scorching Sands, I don't particularly care for Shadow Ball here. Sinistcha doesn't reliably spread status, so is better for that than hex. Otherwise basic set, this works great.
Recently doing fine, overall bad. Not w/ this team, but it always feels that way at the time. I have short memory and didn't play yesterday, so can only say got caught by a Chomp that crit. Alcremie and Dirge did do great, separate games, against 2 whole teams. Basically 3-0d both people. I'm unsure of a few little things mostly, generally think it's getting better. I play a lot, but very little given how much free time I have, so after I dig myself in a hole I usually don't have enough time to get out before the season is up...