Hello!
This is my first attempt of making a competitive team ever (usually just play through the main games and thats it) so this has been an interesting experience to say the least. I tried to make a balanced ish team instead of going for a specific type since this is my first team building experience. I've done a couple battles with this team so far, so I think it has a good base. (Fun fact this post is part of a student led class!)
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Volt Switch
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Zeraora is a great offensive pivot and it has the highest speed stat in the tier currently. It's electric typing also gives me coverage over water type pokemon, which Tyranitaur and Excadrill are weak to, and flying type pokemon which Urshifu is weak to. Volt switch is a great move that allows me to get some damage in before forcing a switch if needed.
Slowbro @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Future Sight
- Teleport
Slowbro is my tanky defensive pivot boi that is mainly used to take hits for the rest of the team, and is part of the dark fighting psychic core with urshifu and tyranitaur. With Teleport, I'm able to switch to a stronger attacker that could K.O. on the next turn without risking them being killed. Heavy Duty Boots lets him be the ideal switch in almost all situations also. With future sight, Slowbro can still hit hard, and Slack Off and Regenerator keeps this mans in the battle as long as possible.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 216 SpD / 40 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Rock Blast
Tyranitaur is a solid mon that can hit hard and tank special if needed, and is part of the psychic dark fighting core with Slowbro and Urshifu. With sand stream, I'm able to get rid of weather that the other team invoke with their mons, and get rid of those associated bonuses. Tyranitaur also is a useful stealth rock setter, and can poison mons that I can't defeat otherwise. I wanted Tyranitaur to last as long as possible, so I gave it Leftovers to maximize the amount of hits it can take.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin
I added Excadrill to the team because I wanted a STAB earthquake and a steel typing to cover Urshifu's and Tyranitaur's weakness to Fairy. Excadrill is also immune to electric types, which gives me some leverage over teams who also use an electric pivot. I also did not have a hazard control move before now, so it having access to Rapid Spin was the final factor for me using this mon. Excadrill can also setup with Swords Dance, so I have the ability to do that paired with the max Attack EV's. I also gave this man leftovers since even though its more offensive, I wanted it to last as long as possible in battle.
Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- U-turn
When I added Urshifu to the team, it was because I wanted STAB fighting to cover Tyranitaur's weakeness to Steel and Slowbro's weakness to Dark, as part of the Dark Psyhic Fighting Trio. Since Surging Strikes is always a critical hit, I'm able to deal with setups of reflects on the other side. This is especially important because I do not have a defog user on the team right now (which is something I may have to reconsider later). Aqua jet also adds some much needed speed control to the mix, while the Choice band allows this hard hitter to hit even harder. Uturn also allows Urshifu to damage and flee from supereffective grass types.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
With the choice scarf, Tapu Lele is able to outspeed a lot and kill them dragons (and other things) since no one else has anything super effective against them. Her ability of Psychic Surge also supports Slowbro when I want to attack with him. Psyshock is a great psychic move who can deal with mons with high special defense also.
I hope this is detailed enough! After doing a couple of battles I've noticed a pretty bad weakness to grass types, so I definitely need more coverage for that but not sure what I want to change, so any advice would be appreciated XD.
This is my first attempt of making a competitive team ever (usually just play through the main games and thats it) so this has been an interesting experience to say the least. I tried to make a balanced ish team instead of going for a specific type since this is my first team building experience. I've done a couple battles with this team so far, so I think it has a good base. (Fun fact this post is part of a student led class!)
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Volt Switch
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Zeraora is a great offensive pivot and it has the highest speed stat in the tier currently. It's electric typing also gives me coverage over water type pokemon, which Tyranitaur and Excadrill are weak to, and flying type pokemon which Urshifu is weak to. Volt switch is a great move that allows me to get some damage in before forcing a switch if needed.
Slowbro @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Future Sight
- Teleport
Slowbro is my tanky defensive pivot boi that is mainly used to take hits for the rest of the team, and is part of the dark fighting psychic core with urshifu and tyranitaur. With Teleport, I'm able to switch to a stronger attacker that could K.O. on the next turn without risking them being killed. Heavy Duty Boots lets him be the ideal switch in almost all situations also. With future sight, Slowbro can still hit hard, and Slack Off and Regenerator keeps this mans in the battle as long as possible.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 216 SpD / 40 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Rock Blast
Tyranitaur is a solid mon that can hit hard and tank special if needed, and is part of the psychic dark fighting core with Slowbro and Urshifu. With sand stream, I'm able to get rid of weather that the other team invoke with their mons, and get rid of those associated bonuses. Tyranitaur also is a useful stealth rock setter, and can poison mons that I can't defeat otherwise. I wanted Tyranitaur to last as long as possible, so I gave it Leftovers to maximize the amount of hits it can take.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin
I added Excadrill to the team because I wanted a STAB earthquake and a steel typing to cover Urshifu's and Tyranitaur's weakness to Fairy. Excadrill is also immune to electric types, which gives me some leverage over teams who also use an electric pivot. I also did not have a hazard control move before now, so it having access to Rapid Spin was the final factor for me using this mon. Excadrill can also setup with Swords Dance, so I have the ability to do that paired with the max Attack EV's. I also gave this man leftovers since even though its more offensive, I wanted it to last as long as possible in battle.
Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- U-turn
When I added Urshifu to the team, it was because I wanted STAB fighting to cover Tyranitaur's weakeness to Steel and Slowbro's weakness to Dark, as part of the Dark Psyhic Fighting Trio. Since Surging Strikes is always a critical hit, I'm able to deal with setups of reflects on the other side. This is especially important because I do not have a defog user on the team right now (which is something I may have to reconsider later). Aqua jet also adds some much needed speed control to the mix, while the Choice band allows this hard hitter to hit even harder. Uturn also allows Urshifu to damage and flee from supereffective grass types.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
With the choice scarf, Tapu Lele is able to outspeed a lot and kill them dragons (and other things) since no one else has anything super effective against them. Her ability of Psychic Surge also supports Slowbro when I want to attack with him. Psyshock is a great psychic move who can deal with mons with high special defense also.
I hope this is detailed enough! After doing a couple of battles I've noticed a pretty bad weakness to grass types, so I definitely need more coverage for that but not sure what I want to change, so any advice would be appreciated XD.
is an issue. Rillaboom just has to click Grassy Glide and you will lose one mon each time he clicks it. Your only way to deal with him is to let someone die and try revenge killing him with Lele. But has your Lele is scarf you won’t even be able to kill him and if you’re opponent has someone who can come on Lele and pivot back into Rillaboom you can’t do anything.
is also an issue even if it is more manageable than Rillaboom because he lacks a priority move, he will still pick a KO each time if it comes on the right mon.
and Landorus 
. They are less problematic than Rillaboom and Kartana but may still be annoying to deal with as you don’t have a good switch-in to Earthquake.
+ Toxapex 
) as even if Scarf Lele can surprise your opponent, it lacks some kill power and can’t pressure much strong defensive cores.
Zeraora is indeed really good as a fast pivot and having an offensive electric type to threaten flying types that wall Excadrill is great. Something I can suggest you here is to try Dracozolt instead of Zeraora. It doesn’t have the same role as it cannot pivot but is way deadlier as a wallbreaker and benefits a lot from Sand. I think there will be some Match ups where Dracozolt will be more helpful and others where you rather have Zeraora so you should just test the two possible versions of the team with each of them in that spot. Here is the Dracozolt set I’m thinking of:
This mon is really helpful in sand teams as it give you a water resist, a slow pivot to safely in with your sand abusers and some Future Sigh support.
Your sand setter and main special defensive wall. You could consider using Smooth Rock instead of Leftovers if you chose to use Dracozolt. Also, Rest is an option instead of Toxic but Toxic is fine.
Excadrill is your main sand abuser and Leftovers is a good item choice as it gives him a lot more staying power so nothing to change here.
Here is the biggest change that may solve a lot of issues the team has. Instead of Urshifu that is not necessary here, I think you should play Corviknight 
so that you will have a mon able to come on Rillaboom/Kartana and an earthquake immunity. It will also give you a defogger as in some matchups having to spin with Excadrill can be annoying. (You could also consider playing Mandibuzz but as you have TTar for mons like Dragapult, I think Corvi fits better here). Here is the Corviknigth set I’m thinking of:
Lele is a really strong mon in this meta but I don’t like Scarf Lele, especially here as you already have a lot of speed control. Thus, I would only change the item here giving him a Choice Specs instead of a Choice Scarf.