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Project Good Cores

UT

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Appellate Judge
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Banner by in the hills
Thread widely copied from the ou one
Approved by me cause I can just do that

A strong core is one of the most valuable things to form when creating a new team. Cores are typically made up of a group of Pokémon that, when used together, work excellently toward accomplishing a specific goal, and any good player uses them, intentionally or not. The majority of cores have varying characteristics that allow them to triumph in different areas, and depending on your team, cores can be built to succeed offensively or defensively. An offensive core is a group of Pokémon that are both focused towards and designed to enable the team to break through most other team styles while being balanced for general play. A defensive core is a group of Pokémon chosen to give a team a solid set of resistances and the ability to switch into many of the common and threatening attacks in the metagame, allowing it to stick around long enough to win the match. A balanced core is typically a core composed of one wall and one offensive Pokémon, each supporting the other in some way ; although this category offers more flexibility than the others, as some pokemon can be considered both offensive and defensive in different ways. Overall, cores function as a fantastic base or starting point for a wide range of teams and they are commonly used while teambuilding to achieve a specific goal.


Posting Guidelines
  • Any person can post a core in this thread. The cores are broken down into three categories: offensive cores, balanced cores and defensive cores. When posting your core, please make sure to state which one of these categories your core falls under.
  • Although the way your core works may be obvious to you, this may not be the case for others. As such, when posting a core, please make sure to explain how the core operates and any other details you think are important to include. The explanations don't have to be essays; as long as your post has some substance and conveys the main idea behind the core, it's all good. Things you may want to include when explaining how your core works could be how your core breaks down their similar checks, how they cover each other's defensive weaknesses, what the core's weaknesses might be, and what some good partners for the core are.
  • Make sure your post includes the sets your core is using. In addition, please try to include an explanation of any EV spreads deviating from the standard 252 / 252. Replays are also very helpful and highly encouraged when posting cores.
  • Please do not post a core that has more than 3 Pokemon. Cores bigger than this restrict building immensely.
  • Please be respectful of the cores people post in this thread. If someone posts a core that you think is ineffective or just plain bad, there is no need to jump at their throats. With that said, constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged - simply be nice!
This thread is being run by myself, and probably like Betticus IV and LordBox and whoever else from council chips in. I will monitor the cores posted in this thread and carefully consider a variety of aspects before deciding which cores are featured in the archive. This includes quality of explanation, effectiveness of the core in the current metagame, etc. I'll seek feedback from others to ensure the selected cores are of high quality. Cores will be updated and/or archived as the metagame progresses. Just like with anyone else who posts a core, please feel free to bring up any concerns you might have. Happy posting !

Core Archive :
:talonflame:
:talonflame:
:talonflame:
I may reward high quality submissions arbitrarily with likes or other prizes.
 
Want to get things started,,,


:sv/Deoxys-speed::sv/cobalion:

Deoxys-Speed @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Fluffy
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Timid Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Psychic Noise
- Recover

Cobalion @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 232 Def / 24 SpA / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch
- Body Press
- Steel Beam

An interesting defensive core I recently used in home field was fluffy deos + mg cob. These two mons have incredible synergy as phys def partners and progress makers. Both play well on faster paced hstack teams, and check the others phys def weaknesses. Cobalion is able to take on the darks (moon, chien, zarude, gambit, etc etc) that deos would normally struggle into, while deos is able to handle the fightings (zama, tusk, hands etc etc) that cob struggles into. As mentioned earlier, even with their great defensive synergy, these two still apply quite a bit of offensive pressure. Spikes + knock + psynoise being a ridiculous combo for progress, and Coba being able to pivot out on mons it isn't able to immediately threaten with the combo of bp and beam.

The spread for deos is to outspeed tusk at +1 while maximizing bulk. For cobalion, 24 spatk is bc that is some benchmark I cannot remember, with the rest being dumped into speed and defense (for maximum bp damage and taking phys def hits). Realistically cobalion could be made 310 speed, but Coba mirror is always an important consideration.

Full team I used this on:
https://pokepast.es/bbbcc00167d18104
 
Offensive Core: James Bolt
:bw/Thundurus-Therian::sm/inteleon:
(wish i could use the animated gen 5 sprite)
Thundurus-Therian (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot

Inteleon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Weather Ball
- U-turn
- Mud Shot
- Ice Beam
Thundy-T and Intel form a pretty strong core of special attackers able to threaten each others checks, with thundy being able to cripple or knock out the waters that intel struggles to break down while intel serves to nuke the mons who resist or take neutral damage from thundy. They also are both able to uturn into each other to constantly pressure opponents into risky positions. The core mainly struggles to deal with Hoodra who eats just about everything you can throw at it, even if you fit fblast on thundy it only does ~42% max, so having teammates to deal with it like zama or gapdos is helpful. This core also struggles with the few mons that are faster than intel so having these 2 on a balance team to cover for their lack of bulk and to have hazard support is advised. Last note, i haven't tested this myself just something I thought of for this thread.

:Thundurus-therian: vs. :swampert:
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus-Therian Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Swampert: 255-302 (63.1 - 74.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Knock into gknot is also a 2hko
:thundurus-therian: vs. :Manaphy:
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus-Therian Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Manaphy: 276-328 (68.3 - 81.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Although you can 2 shot it and 1 tap it if it loses the vest, 1v1ing it isnt great if only cause you lose a lot of fire power
:thundurus-therian: vs. :primarina: & :ting-lu:
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus-Therian Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Primarina: 242-289 (66.4 - 79.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus-Therian Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ting-Lu: 309-364 (60.1 - 70.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Thundy wallops these 2 due to only losing hp for the ko. against ting you most likely dont want to stay in immediately after knocking it if only to bait it out later
:inteleon: vs :roaring moon:
252 SpA Choice Specs Inteleon Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 68 SpD Assault Vest Roaring Moon: 178-210 (43 - 50.8%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO
97% to 2hko with rocks or 1 spike

252 SpA Choice Specs Inteleon Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 68 SpD Roaring Moon: 266-314 (64.4 - 76%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Thundy baits moon in a million times over, you will knock it eventually, same goes for cocky scarf moons
:inteleon: vs. :iron hands:
252 SpA Choice Specs Inteleon Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Iron Hands in Heavy Rain: 328-387 (64.1 - 75.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
same deal as with moon, you will knock it eventually
:inteleon: vs. :scream tail:
252 SpA Choice Specs Inteleon Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Scream Tail in Heavy Rain: 316-373 (85.1 - 100.5%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
moon but mu but even better for intel cause it can actually click it’s stabs and it outspeeds all the time (scarf tail isnt real trust)
:thundurus-therian: vs. :scream tail:
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus-Therian Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Scream Tail: 185-218 (49.8 - 58.7%) -- 70.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
In a pinch it can survive boomburst and follow up with the ko
:inteleon: vs :empoleon:
252 SpA Choice Specs Inteleon Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Empoleon in Heavy Rain: 127-150 (34.1 - 40.3%) -- 44.2% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
A bit of a roadblock but can be overcome with either outside help, luck, or good timing.
Sad that i wasnt the first to post, especially cause ive been trying to figure out what to type for this all day
Possible squad for these guys: https://pokepast.es/ddb34a517701c1ba
 
A SpeDef duo I've been loving


:sv/Primarina::sv/corviknight:

Primarina @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Surf
- Moonblast
- Psychic Noise
- Flip Turn

Corviknight @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

This is a set I took from Giagantic (specifically: https://pokepast.es/136455b9fb27e8c6 ). I have felt almost unbreakable from the special side with these two and I really like how neither if particularly frail on the physical side either. I find they synergize very well with each other as they cover a lot of each others weaknesses. Both have slow pivots that I find very useful when paired with frail threats. Prim eats just about anything just by being stupidly bulky, and Corv eats the poison, grass, and electric types that Prim doesn't like. Pair these two with a more dedicated physical wall for a solid defensive core for most balance teams.

I have entertained the idea of replacing Corviknight with Mandibuzz to help with a lot of the heavier hitting psychic types (expecially if you take the whole defensive core from Giagantic), but Corviknight is the better option on most teams.
 
Gholdengo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Hadron Engine
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Make It Rain
- Thunderbolt
- Psyshock


Zamazenta @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sword of Ruin
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Heavy Slam
- Stone Edge

GholdZama! Specs Ghold offers a lot of breaking power into most balance teams and can trade 1 for 1 at worst vs various offenses thanks to its decent natural bulk even when uninvested and type. The biggest roadblock for Ghold is Hoodra - although Ghold can beat it over time if its av is knocked off, but i digress - and to a lesser extent Bulletproof Treads, which are just a free double switch into Zama. Zama doesnt need cb with Specs Ghold offering so much breaking power naturally, so i opted for boots here to mitigate the risk of hazards. Similarly, Zama is owned by various Ghosts like Pecha and Sinis, which are also just a free double switch for Ghold to come in on. Ghold also helps with some of Zamas weaknesses like Stail and can come in relatively safely on it which in turn leads to more holes broken for Zama to clean up with. Lastly, Zama also helps to pressure Darks that threaten Ghold like Gambit, Moon, and Pao and can even switch in a few times to absorb revenge kill attempts.


https://pokepast.es/1cfa6db20d83248a This is the same old Specs Ghold + Zama team i made a while back - surprisingly I don't actually have any meaningful replays with it, or at least replays that show off the breaking power of the core, but aim did make a vid using this team a while back if anyones interested:

 
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