Introduction
National Dex's inclusion of every Pokemon ever released leads to some incredibly unique team structures; this is the format's allure and is what makes it so unique. As of earlier this year, many great players and builders have experimented with the new tools that Generation 9 has introduced, and within this RMT are the results of such experiments. The team itself is centered around the popularized defensive core of Hippowdon + Skarmory, henceforth known as HippoSkarm; the two cover an incredibly large portion of the metagame with utter ease, with Hippowdon checking threats like Mega Diancie and Mega Charizard Y and Skarmory checking Mega Gyarados, Dragonite, Kartana, and Great Tusk. Aside from their wide-reaching defensive profiles, both also form a potent entry hazard-stacking core that whittles down the opponent's offensive threats over time. The sand provided by Hippowdon exacerbates this even further, making sure that even Pokemon like Zapdos and Dragonite aren't safe from chip damage. Sand also lets Hippowdon mess with rain much more than one would think, effectively making the matchup more than winnable in tandem with teammates like Toxapex. The rest of the team is geared towards covering what the original core doesn't beat. Garganacl is the team's wincon and provides a sturdy check to the likes of Dragapult and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, which become easier to deal with thanks to the Special Defense boost provided by sand. The chip damage it spreads with Salt Cure is also important in forcing progress against faster teams when it gets an opportunity to. Mega Lopunny provides the team with speed control, offensively checking foes like Gholdengo and chipping down threats with Fake Out, putting them in range of its own or a teammate's attacks. U-turn also allows it to secure a favorable position for its team, pivoting out on foes like Landorus-T and Toxapex and going into a teammate like Skarmory or Garganacl to take advantage of them. Toxapex scouts against Choice item attackers like Choice Specs Iron Valiant and Choice Band Zamazenta and switches out into the appropriate check if need be. It also spreads status, is a secondary Water-resistant wall, and provides initial counterplay to Mega Charizard Y before Hippowdon can do it alone, switching in on Scorching Sands and pivoting into Hippowdon to reset the weather afterwards. Mandibuzz provides entry hazard removal, Knock Off support that helps against threats like Great Tusk and Kingambit, and a much-needed check to Hoopa-U, a wallbreaker that lacks relevancy but otherwise rips this team apart. This team has garnered massive success and praise among the playerbase and has showcased the core of HippoSkarm excellently, shooting both Pokemon up in viability when most thought the two were long forgotten amidst Scarlet and Violet's immense power creep.
In-Depth
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Hippowdon's potency as a wall stems from its immense defensive stats; against foes without super effective coverage, it can switch in with impunity and often recovers back to near-full HP the next turn. Toxic incurs valuable chip damage on Mega Charizard Y, Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Tera Grass Heatran, foes that otherwise freely switch into it. Tera Steel lets Hippowdon act as an emergency check to Choice Specs Tapu Lele and provides an overall favorable defensive typing that lets it get hits in against foes like Kyurem and Weavile in a pinch. Leftovers provides much needed passive recovery, preventing it from having to use Slack Off as much.
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Spikes
- Roost
Skarmory provides a buffer to physical attackers like Kingambit and Mega Gyarados and sets Spikes to boot. The combination of Iron Defense + Body Press means those same sweepers cannot overwhelm it with repeated boosted hits, making it tough to take down. Spikes, alongside Hippowdon's Stealth Rock, forms a dangerous entry hazard-stacking core, spreading chip damage with ease. Tera Fighting allows Skarmory to resist Kingambit's Knock Off in a pinch, with the given Speed EVs making sure it can outspeed Kingambit as well.
Garganacl @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Salt Cure
- Recover
Garganacl is one of the best beneficiaries of sand available, using the Special Defense boost to better check threats like Heatran, Choice Specs Dragapult, and Tapu Lele. Salt Cure is a must, as this lets it spread chip damage to the likes of Great Tusk, Garchomp, and Rotom-W, generating progress as well. As a wincon, it is supported by the rest of the team through entry hazards, sand, and status wear down its checks, such as Gholdengo. Tera Water allows Garganacl to shed its awful defensive typing, improving its matchup against foes like Barraskewda and the aforementioned Gholdengo.
Lopunny (F) @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Return
- Close Combat
Mega Lopunny is the team's speed control, dealing with fast setup sweepers and wallbreakers like Quark Drive-boosted Iron Valiant, Barraskewda, and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T. It has an incredible STAB combo as well, hitting even supposed checks like Toxapex and Landorus-T for decent damage, forcing the former to use Recover and the latter to switch out when chipped. U-turn allows Mega Lopunny to secure a favorable position, keeping up momentum and ensuring that the team never falls behind.
Toxapex @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic
- Haze
- Recover
Toxapex provides a safety net for rain wallbreakers like Floatzel and Barraskewda, and it can scout dangerous Choice-locked attackers, such as Dragapult, Zamazenta, and Weavile. It also serves an important role in initially switching into Mega Charizard Y before Hippowdon; this is because Hippowdon will fall to Solar Beam, since Mega Charizard Y resets the weather upon Mega Evolving. As such, Toxapex must switch in first to take a hit, then switch out into Hippowdon to reset the whether, significantly improving the matchup as a result. Tera Dragon allows Toxapex to take coverage moves from foes like Volcarona and Urshifu-R, hitting them with Toxic afterwards. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents Toxapex from having to use Recover as much and allows it to scout much more safely against Choice-locked attackers.
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpD / 52 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Defog
- Roost
Mandibuzz usually jumps out at people as the most odd member of the team; however, it's role is important and not to be understated. Mandibuzz provides invaluable entry hazard control, which allows Toxapex to be less wary of losing its Heavy-Duty Boots. It also serves as a secondary check to Choice Specs Dragapult and provides Knock Off support, which the team lacks otherwise, removing important items like Leftovers from Great Tusk, Heavy-Duty Boots from Zapdos, and Black Glasses or Leftovers from Kingambit. Toxic lets it cripple the former two, as well as foes like Tornadus-T and Rotom-W. Overcoat allows it to perform its role without being pestered by sand, further improving its potency as a Defogger. The given EV spread lets Mandibuzz avoid a 2HKO from Choice Specs Dragapult's Draco Meteor and lets it outspeed Gholdengo and Rotom-W. Tera Poison allows Mandibuzz to take hits from the likes of Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham in a pinch to fire off a crucial Toxic; it also provides a poison immunity and removes its Stealth Rock weakness.
Threat List
Hoopa-U - Despite Mandibuzz providing a buffer to Hoopa-U, it is still able to break past it with Tera Dark-boosted Hyperspace Fury in conjunction with Knock Off, making it a dangerous foe to encounter for the team.
Choice Specs Tapu Lele - Choice Specs Tapu Lele is ludicrously powerful and incredibly hard for any team to switch into adequately, and this rings true for this team as well. One of the members of the team, most likely Hippowdon, will be forced to Terastallize to take care of it, making it a difficult matchup.
Mega Medicham - Mega Medicham is similar to Choice Specs Tapu Lele in that it is extremely hard to switch into, but it can instead switch moves to accommodate for what switches into it. When given adequate pivot support, it can usually 2HKO Skarmory or at least significantly dent it, forcing it to use Roost and risk letting in one of Mega Medicham's teammates.
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen9nationaldex-691580 - sealoo vs AmyQuaris (NDWC)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-1814420434 - gamer but swag vs JKallStar (ND Trio Tournament)
Importable
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Spikes
- Roost
Garganacl @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Salt Cure
- Recover
Lopunny (F) @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Return
- Close Combat
Toxapex @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic
- Haze
- Recover
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpD / 52 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Defog
- Roost
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Spikes
- Roost
Garganacl @ Leftovers
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Salt Cure
- Recover
Lopunny (F) @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Return
- Close Combat
Toxapex @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic
- Haze
- Recover
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpD / 52 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Defog
- Roost
Credits
created by: gamer but swag
written by: Sulo
Quality Checked by: hidin
Grammar Checked by: dex
Art by: WigglyTree
