Since the beginning of this generation, I've attempted time and time again to try and get HO to work. Following many failed experiments I came to the conclusion that to have a chance against the tiers walls Belly Drum was really my only shot. So my next challenge was how I was going to get Belly Drum spam to work. Then it occurred to me, why not create a team that looks like stall so players let their guard down and use that as leverage to win games. Spoiler Alert: It actually worked and was shockingly consistent even after players figured out what it was. Here is the team I came up with: https://pokepast.es/d2eae6c3e2a66207.
Calyrex IR is an incredibly potent sweeper. It's STAB Glacial Lance allows it to beat common Prankster and Fur Coat Pokemon, such as Giratina while Precipice Blades off of its 165 attack stat allows it to KO most steel types. Spore and Safety Goggles make this set Imposter resistant and allows it to cripple walls not carrying Safety Goggles.
Earth Jotunn (Zygarde-Complete) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Belly Drum
Glacial Lance
Final Gambit
Precipice Blades
Zygarde has an excellent mix of bulk, health points, and attack power which allow it to be an incredibly useful Belly Drum user. Its bulk makes it so It can Set-Up on many Pokemon like Zamzenta. After a Belly Drum boost Zygarde OHKO's almost everything in the tier bar the bulkiest Fur Coat Pokemon and Prankster Pokemon. And even if an opponent can take a hit from Zygarde It can just remove said threat with Final Gambit thus allowing the rest of the team to pick up the slack and win the game.
World Egg (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
Final Gambit
Shore Up
U-turn
Destiny Bond
Chansey is the first of 2 suicide pivots on this team. It has an excellent special stat which allows it to take hits from most special attackers including Calyrex and pivot to the appropriate Pokemon. Additionally, since It carries both Destiny Bond and Final Gambit it can remove problematic threats such as Heatran, Golisopod, and Psystrike Calyrex.
Sutekh (Giratina) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Haze
Teleport
Destiny Bond
Shore Up
Giratina is the second suicide pivot on this team. It has an excellent mixed bulk which allows it to take hits from many attackers such as Regigigas and Zacian and can use Teleport to generate Set-Up opportunities for the Belly Drum Sweepers on the team. Additionally, since It carries Destiny Bond it can remove problematic threats and act as a last-ditch Improof to Chansey In case it manages to defeat Calyrex IR.
The Hellscapes (Ho-Oh) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unburden
Level: 99
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Belly Drum
V-create
Bolt Beak
Glacial Lance
The final Set-Up sweeper on this team, Ho-Oh is chosen for its fire STAB and its combination of excellent bulk and Attack Stat. STAB V-Create takes out common Fur Coat and Prankster Steel Types which opens holes in the opponent's team for Calyrex and Zygarde to sweep.
Yggdrasil (Xerneas) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Teleport
Moonblast
Shore Up
Defog
Since Ho-Oh and Calyrex have a massive Stealth Rocks weakness the team needed a Magic Bounce pokemon. I ended up selecting Xerneas for the role since it has a decent special stat and STAB Moonblast which makes it so it's not as passive. Defog is to clear Stealth Rocks from the game and Teleport is used to pivot into my offensive sweepers. As for my item, I selected Focus Sash so Xerneas can take potentially lethal hits in a pinch and retaliate with Moonblast.
With this team I was able to get in the top 10 with about a 90% Gxe and was able to win a few room tours. (My laddering alt for the team was MLG's playleappad).
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1248020370
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1236708276
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1243957419-e03klx7jxe8hzpfqra287b7qnscakxmpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1236703403
The Team, Fake Stall:
Shadowfax (Calyrex-Ice) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Simple
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Shift Gear
-Glacial Lance
-Precipice Blades
Spore
Shadowfax (Calyrex-Ice) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Simple
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Shift Gear
-Glacial Lance
-Precipice Blades
Spore
Calyrex IR is an incredibly potent sweeper. It's STAB Glacial Lance allows it to beat common Prankster and Fur Coat Pokemon, such as Giratina while Precipice Blades off of its 165 attack stat allows it to KO most steel types. Spore and Safety Goggles make this set Imposter resistant and allows it to cripple walls not carrying Safety Goggles.
Earth Jotunn (Zygarde-Complete) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Belly Drum
Glacial Lance
Final Gambit
Precipice Blades
Zygarde has an excellent mix of bulk, health points, and attack power which allow it to be an incredibly useful Belly Drum user. Its bulk makes it so It can Set-Up on many Pokemon like Zamzenta. After a Belly Drum boost Zygarde OHKO's almost everything in the tier bar the bulkiest Fur Coat Pokemon and Prankster Pokemon. And even if an opponent can take a hit from Zygarde It can just remove said threat with Final Gambit thus allowing the rest of the team to pick up the slack and win the game.
World Egg (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
Final Gambit
Shore Up
U-turn
Destiny Bond
Chansey is the first of 2 suicide pivots on this team. It has an excellent special stat which allows it to take hits from most special attackers including Calyrex and pivot to the appropriate Pokemon. Additionally, since It carries both Destiny Bond and Final Gambit it can remove problematic threats such as Heatran, Golisopod, and Psystrike Calyrex.
Sutekh (Giratina) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Haze
Teleport
Destiny Bond
Shore Up
Giratina is the second suicide pivot on this team. It has an excellent mixed bulk which allows it to take hits from many attackers such as Regigigas and Zacian and can use Teleport to generate Set-Up opportunities for the Belly Drum Sweepers on the team. Additionally, since It carries Destiny Bond it can remove problematic threats and act as a last-ditch Improof to Chansey In case it manages to defeat Calyrex IR.
The Hellscapes (Ho-Oh) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unburden
Level: 99
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Belly Drum
V-create
Bolt Beak
Glacial Lance
The final Set-Up sweeper on this team, Ho-Oh is chosen for its fire STAB and its combination of excellent bulk and Attack Stat. STAB V-Create takes out common Fur Coat and Prankster Steel Types which opens holes in the opponent's team for Calyrex and Zygarde to sweep.
Yggdrasil (Xerneas) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Teleport
Moonblast
Shore Up
Defog
Since Ho-Oh and Calyrex have a massive Stealth Rocks weakness the team needed a Magic Bounce pokemon. I ended up selecting Xerneas for the role since it has a decent special stat and STAB Moonblast which makes it so it's not as passive. Defog is to clear Stealth Rocks from the game and Teleport is used to pivot into my offensive sweepers. As for my item, I selected Focus Sash so Xerneas can take potentially lethal hits in a pinch and retaliate with Moonblast.
Laddering Peak:
With this team I was able to get in the top 10 with about a 90% Gxe and was able to win a few room tours. (My laddering alt for the team was MLG's playleappad).
Replays:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1248020370
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1236708276
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1243957419-e03klx7jxe8hzpfqra287b7qnscakxmpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8balancedhackmons-1236703403
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