1. The Concept
For most of this generation post-Home and particularly post-DLC, I have been using Rillaboom + Sneasler + Zamazenta with assorted partner mons as an easy way to climb ladder, using this structure to get reqs for both the Kingambit and Ursaluna-Bloodmoon suspects. This team was actually born of another suspect test, as I decided that for the Roaring Moon suspect I'd load up these mons plus some of the best sweepers at the time and just throw it at ladder. For this, I picked Manaphy and Roaring Moon itself with Hatterene for some hazard control, using this to get reqs with a comfortable record of 36-4. Roaring Moon was then banned, and although a logical replacement for this would be another offensive mon such as Kingambit, I instead chose Air Balloon Heatran, an at-the-time UU mon with underexplored potential for both defensive and offensive utility and role compression in OU. With this build, I was able to get reqs for the ongoing Gliscor suspect test, and with some minor modifications this team was able to get reqs for 9 other people; Modifications applied exclusively to the Manaphy slot cus Double Dance is some horrible cheese lmao
uhh I didn't screenshot a peak my bad and I haven't laddered on my main in about 2 weeks lmao but trust I did have this team >1800 at one point, my friend A plague doc is currently top 100 with the Waterpon version though so huge shoutouts to them!
Reqs:
My own reqs post with the original team (have since made a couple minor changes to EVs)
Roller K, reqs post with Sitrus Manaphy
A plague doc, reqs post with Ogerpon-W
Magcargo, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Waci, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Ehmcee, reqs post w/ og team
Lifeismyth, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana and SP Hatt
Milkshook, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
lou dort, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Xurkiyee, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Reqs:
My own reqs post with the original team (have since made a couple minor changes to EVs)
Roller K, reqs post with Sitrus Manaphy
A plague doc, reqs post with Ogerpon-W
Magcargo, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Waci, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Ehmcee, reqs post w/ og team
Lifeismyth, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana and SP Hatt
Milkshook, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
lou dort, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
Xurkiyee, reqs post w/ Sitrus Mana
The Team
Modified Version w/ Tail Glow Sitrus Manaphy, big shoutout to Roller K for this change as it alone made reqs 6x
Modified Version w/ SD Encore Ogerpon-W by A plague doc, really cool Ogerpon-W set, thanks for sharing the tech!
2. The Team
Iron Bands (Rillaboom) (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
This team is built around Rillaboom, a mon which since my original Grassy Terrain RMT has regained Grassy Glide and can now run Choice Band comfortably as a result. Tera Grass lets Grassy Glide hit some ridiculous numbers, with a roll in your favour to OHKO Iron Valiant from full and doing massive damage even to fast, frail resists. Wood Hammer turns into a complete nuke with Tera, having a 75% chance to OHKO max PhysDef Gliscor and 2HKOing even bulky Kingambit if they try to switch in on a resisted hit. Knock Off hits Slowking-Galar and removes Rocky Helmet from mons like Corviknight that can use this to chip down Rillaboom over time, while U-turn allows you to pivot out on defensive switch-ins to bring in another threat that can take advantage of them by setting up or getting off a strong hit. The given spread outspeeds Modest Volcanion along with uninvested base 100s like the occasional max bulk Zapdos, with maximum attack investment and remaining EVs dumped in HP for additional bulk; this notably gives you a 93.8% chance to live Adamant Sneasler's Dire Claw from full and pick it off with two Grassy Glides or a Wood Hammer (which OHKOs without Tera Grass if they aren't Grassy Seed themselves). Both this and Sneasler are female after having some horrible experiences on the ladder vs Cute Charm Enamorus, although this is only gonna come up maybe once in every few thousand games.
Creepin' (Sneasler) (F) @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Unburden
Tera Type: Dark / Ghost
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dire Claw / Gunk Shot
- Close Combat
- Lash Out / Shadow Claw
- Swords Dance
Please save me Mega Hawlucha... they took a mon that would have been OU calibre in any other gen and gave it 38 more base Attack, better Sp.Def and the most broken hax move ever. I'm at the point where I'd seriously consider voting ban on a Sneasler suspect because with Grassy Seed + Unburden this thing rips through offensive teams lacking a bulky enough resist and can hax through anything, the amount of times I've 1v1d ID Zamazenta with this is criminal. The given spread outspeeds standard defensive Zapdos even after getting para'd (lmao) and by extension outspeeds Tusk even without Unburden. Dire Claw and Close Combat are reliable STAB options, while Gunk Shot is non-contact and OHKOs defensive Zapdos at +2; I just like Dire Claw cus I'm cheap and dishonest and also don't like to miss. Lash Out or Shadow Claw over Acro are required here as this mon is often an effective lure to Gholdengo or Slowking-G, which can be weakened or removed for teammates like Zamazenta to sweep. I personally prefer Lash Out as Tera Dark lets you retain your resistance to Kingambit's Sucker Punch, although Tera Ghost Shadow Claw hits the same targets while granting an immunity to Dragonite's Extreme Speed and letting you sit on ID Zamazenta for a while to fish for hax.
Michael Vick (Zamazenta) @ Leftovers
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 44 HP / 40 Atk / 252 Def / 172 Spe or 44 HP / 252 Def / 40 SpD / 172 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Body Press
- Heavy Slam
- Crunch
- Iron Defense
Very fair mon that invalidates almost any physical attacker and also has base 138 speed for some unknown reason. Body Press benefits from Iron Defense setup, with Crunch to hit Ghost and Psychic types and Heavy Slam for Fairies, Tera Steel guaranteeing an OHKO on Iron Valiant and Enamorus as well as a 2HKO on even Bold Clefable. 252 Def EVs maximises the power of Body Press, while 172 Spe outspeeds +1 Adamant Dragonite and also creeps the sample Zama set which is fun for ladder interactions. 44 HP is a niche pick that maximises the % recovered from Leftovers and Grassy Terrain, which is likely not going to come into play often but it's a fun little optimisation that I like to include when Zama's going to be healing massive amounts from both over the course of a game, and lets you put 40 EVs into SpDef to improve the matchup into special attackers (notably dodging the OHKO from Scarf Enamorus' Moonblast), or shift those EVs into Attack as is done here to improve your odds of 2HKOing Gholdengo with Crunch from 29.7% to 65.6% and guarantee the OHKO on Ninetales-A with Heavy Slam.
Mr Worldwide (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp / Stealth Rock
To all the haters that slept on Mr Worldwide... He's Back. SpDef Flash Fire Heatran is an excellent answer to Iron Moth, a mon that this core struggles heavily with, while also being able to check special attackers that struggle with its defensive typing in a pinch like Blast-less Iron Valiant and Gholdengo. Air Balloon enhances its walling capacity further, with standard CC-less Tusk and DD Dragonite forced to spend a turn popping its balloon before being able to deal with it, and EQ-Toxic Gliscor being completely walled. Stealth Rock can be ran as this team otherwise lacks any way of pressuring the opponent with hazards, but I personally like Will-O-Wisp with 40 speed to outrun Adamant Kingambit. This allows for Heatran to neutralise Kingambit while also giving it the opportunity to click an unexpected Wisp into the aforementioned Tusk and Dragonite that have to waste a turn popping balloon. Additionally, Tera Ghost allows you to be a panic check to opposing Sneasler and Zamazenta, as you then are able to resist/be immune to a STAB Fighting move and permanently prevent those mons from sweeping against your own Zama, although Tera here is not often clicked and is flexible. Magma Storm + Taunt gives this team an additional tool to break stall past Banded Rilla, helping to fix what is otherwise a pretty rough matchup, and Earth Power gives good coverage while directly threatening Iron Moth.
Saint Laurent Hatt (Hatterene) @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Magic Bounce
Tera Type: Water / Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
- Psyshock
- Draining Kiss
- Nuzzle / Mystical Fire
- Calm Mind
Hatterene provides this team with a special setup sweeper, while additionally being able to bounce back hazards and status to act as a switch-in to Gliscor, particularly when Grassy Terrain is up to weaken their EQs. Although I typically run Stored Power on most of my Hatterene, Psyshock is a useful tool to break through Blissey, Clodsire and opposing CM users in general while providing an immediate option to hit targets like Cinderace and Iron Moth. Draining Kiss gives Hatterene necessary recovery and hits Dark types that resist Psyshock, and Nuzzle lets you outspeed mons like Kingambit and 0 speed Heatran along with acting as a panic check to faster mons that you live a hit from but cannot KO while Mystical Fire allows you to instantly threaten Steel types bar Heatran, I usually prefer the former. The given spread maximises defence while outspeeding Toxapex, allowing it to hit it before Calm Mind boosts can be Hazed away. Tera Water is a good general defensive typing, although weak to Rillaboom and Zapdos; Tera Steel can be used alternatively, giving key weaknesses to Fighting and Fire but resisting Rilla and also being immune to Sludge Bomb poison from Slowking-G. Leftovers is a good alternative on Hatterene for a less offensive build, but Grassy Seed allows you to easily set up in the face of weaker defensive mons and live hits from would-be revenge killers.
2.1 The Sixth Slot
The original version of this team and the one that I'm writing up here uses Take Heart + Acid Armor Manaphy. However, this is the most customisable team slot, and results have also been achieved by switching this with a more offensive Tail Glow Manaphy set, using Sitrus Berry to keep it healthy while Grassy Terrain chip heals it + powers up its Energy Ball. Ogerpon-Wellspring has also been used here instead to great success, and Lum SD Kingambit is also an option that improves the team's matchup into Dragapult and Skeledirge while benefitting from Sneasler luring and weakening Great Tusk. These sets will not be discussed here though, as this is not the version of the team I have experience with building and using. Note that this slot provides a general balance-breaker to the team.
Peculiar Mixture (Manaphy) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 240 HP / 112 Def / 156 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Stored Power
- Take Heart
- Acid Armor
This is the most stupid broken cheese we've had in a while, with Scald's 30% chance to burn making this an absolute nightmare to handle. Stored Power becomes incredibly strong after only a couple of Take Heart boosts and takes advantage of Acid Armor to make this mon a near-unwallable threat which is very difficult to take off the field, very few mons running phasing moves and those that do (Ting-Lu) being hit hard by Scald and not appreciating a burn. Tera Poison is a very strong defensive typing for a faster Manaphy spread, as common Ground-type attackers (Great Tusk and Gliscor) are slower and cannot easily eat a Scald, while there are very few Psychic-type attacks in the tier (Hatterene and Slowking-G); Dragon can alternatively be used to flip the Grass and Electric weaknesses and match up better into Zapdos, but the weakness to Moonblast is not appreciated. The given spread outspeeds both Jolly Great Tusk and mons such as Defensive Zapdos trying to speed creep that benchmark, with remaining investment into HP and PhysDef. Manaphy is incredibly cheap and will often claim more than one kill off the opponent making a poor choice of lead, although it hates having its Leftovers knocked off.
3. Team Use
Unfortunately, my teams do not play themselves (there is no designated lead) and so you kinda have to make a choice based on matchup. Rillaboom is a good general lead, particularly into Gliscor as you threaten Knock and can often get a free switch or alternatively vs stall immediately click Tera Grass Hammer. Manaphy is an alternative that loads well into lead Scor/Glimmora, along with some of the fast, frailer leads in the meta like Cinderace, Sneasler or Pult, able to always live a hit and either immediately click the set-up move, Scald for damage/threatening burn or switch out to punish a choice lock, although it's hard to justify losing too much HP early on Manaphy even with Terrain + Lefties for recovery. It's hard to stop Glimmora from getting up rocks even with Hatterene, as Sludge Wave deals massive damage. However, Mana can often just threaten setup to the point where they lose way too much ground by staying in. Zamazenta is also a good lead into Aurora Veil teams with Heavy Slam for Ninetales-A.
Against hard stall, Rillaboom is an excellent breaking tool that they will always have to Tera to deal with, and both Hatterene and Manaphy exert significant pressure if Heatran is able to trap and eliminate or severely weaken their Blissey. Into offence, Sneasler is often your breaker, and given the opportunity to set up an SD it can maim teams to the extent that Zama can easily clean up. Balance/fat teams can be harder to break, with Skeledirge in particular being a big issue that Heatran would much prefer having rocks for. However, Manaphy loads very well into these builds and can often fully stall out a Milotic's recovers after Scald burning it, just be careful to not get Mirror Coated in the process; both of the modified versions of this team also have a mon in this slot that loads well into balance (TG Mana and Ogerpon-W).
Double Dance Manaphy just tearing apart a team immediately, not really an insightful game lol but it's the one funny game I saved when I was laddering on my main with this build.
Don't have more of my own as I didn't really plan on actually writing this up til a bunch of other people made reqs with it and I don't save my own replays unless it's a funny game or something, so many thanks to those other players for having the following replays public (picked out a few that I liked the gameplay in):
Expert Stall 6-0 in 56 turns, pretty great plays and great use of Heatran-Rilla-Hatt to systematically dismantle a stall team; the other 3 mons didn't even hit the field once.
Rilla and Hatterene go to town vs a build featured by Jamvad, lower down on ladder but opponent did end up making reqs on a diff account which is part of why I picked out this game.
Tglow Manaphy wraps up a webs team, Rilla-Sneasler clean up a won endgame.
Heatran doesn't need balloon to 1v1 an AV Goodra with EQ, opponent underestimates Hatterene and forfeits.
Will update this with some more replays if I do get any, but no promises cus I don't really feel like playing this meta lmao forgive me. Also whoever was on OUVT sillygoofy was using this build but with Kingambit over Heatran, didn't make reqs with it but appeared at the end of Blunder's reqs vid and I'm pretty sure they choked by going for the immediate CC into the Mandibuzz, Dire Claw -> CC killed and Foul Play would've done 75 if they didn't get the drops from CC.
Don't have more of my own as I didn't really plan on actually writing this up til a bunch of other people made reqs with it and I don't save my own replays unless it's a funny game or something, so many thanks to those other players for having the following replays public (picked out a few that I liked the gameplay in):
Expert Stall 6-0 in 56 turns, pretty great plays and great use of Heatran-Rilla-Hatt to systematically dismantle a stall team; the other 3 mons didn't even hit the field once.
Rilla and Hatterene go to town vs a build featured by Jamvad, lower down on ladder but opponent did end up making reqs on a diff account which is part of why I picked out this game.
Tglow Manaphy wraps up a webs team, Rilla-Sneasler clean up a won endgame.
Heatran doesn't need balloon to 1v1 an AV Goodra with EQ, opponent underestimates Hatterene and forfeits.
Will update this with some more replays if I do get any, but no promises cus I don't really feel like playing this meta lmao forgive me. Also whoever was on OUVT sillygoofy was using this build but with Kingambit over Heatran, didn't make reqs with it but appeared at the end of Blunder's reqs vid and I'm pretty sure they choked by going for the immediate CC into the Mandibuzz, Dire Claw -> CC killed and Foul Play would've done 75 if they didn't get the drops from CC.
4. Threats
: Hatt and Mana always live a hit if you need to finish it off, and Rilla does 75% with Glide. Tera Steel Heavy Slam from Zamazenta is also good to deal with Val, but be careful of them making the safe play and clicking Encore into Press/ID.
: This team has no Ghost resist and Pult outspeeds everybody, and although Heatran is a good switch into some of the more annoying variants it just gets U-turned on, Wisp Pult in particular being a big threat that Zama can't just eat a hit from and 2HKO with Crunch. On frailer teams Pult will often come in on Sneasler to try to live an unboosted hit from it, and it can be worth Teraing to OHKO it with Lash Out, while Grassy Glide from Rilla does >37% if they're already chipped.Unburden
: The Unburden Sneasler mirror can be tough particularly if they run Acrobatics, and Glide only does ~31% if they're Grassy Seed. Zamazenta can ID on it if they aren't already boosted when you come in, but Tera Poison on Manaphy and Tera Ghost Heatran are sometimes good to preserve as an answer to it.Toxic
: The team has plenty of tools to deal with defensive Gliscor, but it's still Gliscor. You should be fine against it so long as you keep Manaphy/Hatterene alive with Terrain support, preserve Tera for Zamazenta or keep Balloon on Heatran, but be very careful of it beating all of your physical attackers one by one in an endgame.CM
: Sub CM Enam is tough if you've already exhausted your Grassy Seed on Sneasler, although Sneasler does live one EP. Grassy Glide does a min of 43 and Rilla will usually live a +1 Moonblast so this is a good panic check, and Zama outspeeds and does a large chunk with Heavy Slam or OHKOs with Tera but can't come in hard.
: Defensive Zapdos variants are tough for this team to deal with, as Heatran gets Volted/U-turned on while Zap beats everything else pretty hard. Sometimes it's good to use Sneasler to get chip on Zap for Rilla and Zama to break through or vice versa.
: Dirge is again hard to break through, able to sit on most of the team and spread burns. Manaphy can help with this to an extent as it will often force Dirge to Tera, although this is one of the reasons to consider Stealth Rock over Will-O-Wisp on Heatran.
: Don't let Rillaboom go down and don't lose your special attackers too early, Manaphy can break through with Stored Power but needs to stay healthy and be given time to set up.5. Final Note
This team's general structure is very customisable, with the last slot able to be modified and several of the sets up to personal preference, although I personally prefer the version listed in the post. Haven't really been laddering to get a peak to show here since I've been busy with draft leagues recently (also I really don't think I'd have fun trying to grind out this meta lmao) but the structure was pretty free reqs for myself and after seeing a few other people successfully hit reqs w/ it I figured it'd be worth writing up and posting on here.
Shoutout me for making the team and to everyone who did make reqs with it, and thanks again to Roller K and A plague doc for the modified versions that have seen good results on ladder/during the suspect test. As always, open to any questions or comments both here or on Discord at KyleJD.
On another note, if anyone wants some beautiful art commissioned after the masterpiece on display here just lmk I got u covered...
Last edited:
