Happy Holidays! With the excitement of Gen 8, I decided to have my try at building a team. This team was built before Dynamax was banned and I found moderate success using it even after the ban for me (first time breaking 1600).
Since this is my first time building, I wanted to try pretty standard mon to play with. Not much explanation is needed here. Darmanitan deals big damage with Gorilla Tactics and it is scarfed for revenge killing. Standard three moves for coverage, u-turn for pivoting, and it an essential win condition for many of my games.
With the main player of my team done, I had to counter some of the most common threats in the meta. I felt that Seismitoad provides great role compression, as he is my water immunity for rain teams and Dracovish, electric immunity, rocker, and a physically defensive tank. Toxic is used to cripple many pokemon. Protect is used for scouting moves (G-Darm, for example). Overall a solid defensive utility mon.
Now I needed hazard control as well as ground immunity. Once Bulk Up + Max Airstream, I changed this moveset to something directly from the Smogon page. Great counter to Excadrill and great steel-flying typing means it could defog in a lot of situations. It is also surprisingly bulky: I can out-stall Hatterene's mystical fire and some Dragapult sets. The physical defense also allows it being a scarfed Galarian Darmanitan check, provided that they don't predict it and click flare blitz.
At this point, I needed a special attacker that could reliably break through common walls like Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Mandibuzz. Life orb Clefable hits hard and is an excellent stall-breaker. The coverage also allows for predictions, and so you can 2HKO Aegislash and Corviknight (physical sets) and OHKO Excadrill. Overall a value pick as a special attacker, but it is on the slow side.
This Dragapult was a fun set that I included. The set serves to scare mons out in fear of specs, and then set up a substitute. After burning, it does a decent chunk of damage with hex. Beats a lot of stall mons especially Galarian Corsola that my other team members can't beat. The speed EVs are set to outspeed Adamant Scarf Dracovish.
This was mainly to counter the set-up sweeping Dynamaxers (ie Gyarados) but now serves as a just a revenge killer. It has been a bit less used but it has saved me the few times I brought it. I don't really know what should belong in this spot now that Dynamaxing is gone.
View attachment 215376 I have no switch-ins for opposing life orb Clefable should they switch in on Seismitoad or Corviknight.
View attachment 215379 Specs Dragapult usually claims a kill. Darm and Ditto are only offensive checks, I have no real defensive checks.
The Team
View attachment 215371
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
View attachment 215371
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
Since this is my first time building, I wanted to try pretty standard mon to play with. Not much explanation is needed here. Darmanitan deals big damage with Gorilla Tactics and it is scarfed for revenge killing. Standard three moves for coverage, u-turn for pivoting, and it an essential win condition for many of my games.
View attachment 215372
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
With the main player of my team done, I had to counter some of the most common threats in the meta. I felt that Seismitoad provides great role compression, as he is my water immunity for rain teams and Dracovish, electric immunity, rocker, and a physically defensive tank. Toxic is used to cripple many pokemon. Protect is used for scouting moves (G-Darm, for example). Overall a solid defensive utility mon.
View attachment 215375
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
Now I needed hazard control as well as ground immunity. Once Bulk Up + Max Airstream, I changed this moveset to something directly from the Smogon page. Great counter to Excadrill and great steel-flying typing means it could defog in a lot of situations. It is also surprisingly bulky: I can out-stall Hatterene's mystical fire and some Dragapult sets. The physical defense also allows it being a scarfed Galarian Darmanitan check, provided that they don't predict it and click flare blitz.
View attachment 215376
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
At this point, I needed a special attacker that could reliably break through common walls like Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Mandibuzz. Life orb Clefable hits hard and is an excellent stall-breaker. The coverage also allows for predictions, and so you can 2HKO Aegislash and Corviknight (physical sets) and OHKO Excadrill. Overall a value pick as a special attacker, but it is on the slow side.
View attachment 215379
Dragapult @ Leftovers
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Disable
- Substitute
Dragapult @ Leftovers
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Disable
- Substitute
This Dragapult was a fun set that I included. The set serves to scare mons out in fear of specs, and then set up a substitute. After burning, it does a decent chunk of damage with hex. Beats a lot of stall mons especially Galarian Corsola that my other team members can't beat. The speed EVs are set to outspeed Adamant Scarf Dracovish.
View attachment 215377
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Transform
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Transform
This was mainly to counter the set-up sweeping Dynamaxers (ie Gyarados) but now serves as a just a revenge killer. It has been a bit less used but it has saved me the few times I brought it. I don't really know what should belong in this spot now that Dynamaxing is gone.
Threats
View attachment 215371 Scarf sets outspeed my entire team, and Seismitoad and Corviknight are not that reliable checks to it (both get 3HKO by Icicle Crash)View attachment 215376 I have no switch-ins for opposing life orb Clefable should they switch in on Seismitoad or Corviknight.
View attachment 215379 Specs Dragapult usually claims a kill. Darm and Ditto are only offensive checks, I have no real defensive checks.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Transform
Dragapult @ Leftovers
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Disable
- Substitute
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Transform
Dragapult @ Leftovers
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Disable
- Substitute
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Moonlight
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
I'm actually surprised I could get this high with such glaring weaknesses to common mons
View attachment 215387
View attachment 215387