Hello, everyone. It's been a long time since I've been involved with Pokemon and even longer since I've posted an RMT, but I've recently felt like playing this game again (or maybe I'm just overdue for a stupid, self-destructive decision and this is the universe's way of correcting that minor error) and thought I'd share a team I've been using to some success. I'm a bit rusty (turns out actually playing is more difficult than armchair coaching tournament games while under no pressure), but I still passed 1700 Elo using this team with a pretty solid win/loss ratio, so I felt it was worth sharing.
K/DA - POP/STARS is a bulky offense team that relies on two breakers equipped with Choice items to open up holes for two sweepers. Three pivots grab momentum, whittle down opposing Pokemon, and enable the sweepers and breakers to come in safely and do their jobs. Throughout SM, I have maintained that every Pokemon on offensive teams that don't go the full hyper offense route needs to pull double duty and contribute to the team both offensively and defensively. Therefore, each Pokemon on this team is capable of leveraging its innate typing and bulk to take at least a hit or two in the process of dishing out damage. The team feels straightforward to play, which is nice for me, since I'm still trying to reach a point where I feel satisfied that my level of play is as competitive as I want it to be. It's also nice for players who have trouble building for whatever reason and just want improve or rely on fundamental playing skill to succeed. This team rewards aggressive play and "outplaying" the opponent and doesn't offer the same insurance against mistakes that fatter archetypes do, but that's the nature of offense. It's hard to succeed using this style if you aren't willing to make plays, but double Intimidate and some naturally bulky Pokemon still give you a bit of leeway in case you predict incorrectly.
Despite not playing for months, I still watched tour games and kept up with forums a bit, so I wanted to come up with something that could exploit the current meta trends without feeling too generic. I noticed that teams trended toward slower balance/bulky offense rather than the more offensive squads I was used to seeing around the time of SPL, so I started with a revamped ORAS strategy that I remember fondly. Back when Celebi, Sylveon, and Conkeldurr dropped into ORAS, the hot new take on the tier involved a lot of Choice Band Krookodile + Choice Specs Sylveon + Nasty Plot Celebi teams, and I felt some variant of that strategy could be effective in SM.
At this point, I wanted a Dragon-type to add some useful resistances and offensive presence. I wasn't enamored with the thought of using Latias or Hydreigon for a couple of reasons. First, I've used those Pokemon quite a bit in the past and wanted to try using something I didn't normally find ways of working into my builds. Second, I don't like type-stacking in general and try to avoid it unless the value doing so outweighs the cost of the resources required to compensate for shared weaknesses (this is a personal quirk of mine more than anything else and is not meant to imply that type-stacking is bad or that no one can succeed by doing so). As a result, Kommo-o ended up finding its way into the fourth slot. I originally had a Dragon Dance set here and thought about replacing it with a mixed set, with or without Stealth Rock, but then I came across a set posted by Hot N Cold here and thought it looked interesting. I ended up using it because I wanted a Stealth Rock setter that isn't a Ground-type, a Scizor check, and general physical tank.
With the core of my team complete, I started thinking of ways I could get my breakers in. Manectric added the speed this team was sorely lacking and provided a backup check to some physical sweepers that looked like they could be scary. I considered Zeraora here, but ultimately decided that Manectric's greater defensive utility outweighed Zeraora's strengths (double Intimidate has done a lot to ease matchups against things I don't have hard answers for). Defensive Scizor was the final addition. I noticed that I had issues with Latias and Mega Aerodactyl, which Scizor helped patch up. It also offered some priority on a team that was kind of slow in general.
Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Krookodile is the first of the two breakers I originally structured this team around. Choice Scarf has been the item of... choice... for Krookodile since the beginning of SM, but I've noticed people running more stuff that's naturally slower than Krookodile, which I think has opened up more of a space for Choice Band Krookodile to be effective. This set is a huge part of the team's success, as it naturally preys upon player reactions and mindsets associated with a meta where Krookodile is predominantly faster and weaker. Most people tend to leave Pokemon that can comfortably survive an attack from Choice Scarf Krookodile in instead of switching into a sturdier answer (notably, many Blissey have met inglorious ends this way, though Krookodile has claimed plenty of other victims) and punishing that level of complacency can be game-changing. Krookodile's typing, ability, and innate bulk allow it to come in multiple times throughout the match and fire off powerful attacks and it is one of the most consistent Pokemon on this team.
In addition to its general-purpose obligation to hit things, Krookodile also serves as one of my primary weapons against stall, as it can use Knock Off to remove Leftovers, can hit many stall Pokemon at least neutrally, and does a great job of removing Blissey for the three special attackers on my team, all of which can give stall teams trouble once Blissey is weakened or KOed. If I catch a switching Blissey with Pursuit, it takes at least 40% damage, putting it in KO range of Primarina if Stealth Rock is up. Superpower allows me to catch out people who expect a Pursuit or who just expect Blissey to 1v1 Choice Scarf Krookodile. My standard game plan against stall is to find an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, bring Primarina in on something (often a Defogger like Gligar or Mandibuzz), and double out to Krookodile as the opponent brings Blissey in. From there, I can either Pursuit Blissey if I think it's switching out, click Superpower if I think it's staying in, or use Knock Off or Earthquake if I think a safe midground play is the best option. Even if it isn't KOed outright, removing Blissey's Leftovers does a lot to ease the matchup. If I can neutralize Blissey, stall teams rarely have good ways to handle Celebi and Primarina, especially if Krookodile is still around to support them.
The moveset and EV spread are straightforward. Earthquake is Krookodile's strongest STAB option, Knock Off offers good coverage alongside Earthquake and allows Krookodile to remove opposing items, Pursuit helps trap targets, and Superpower hits Blissey and lures Hydreigon. The EV spread allows Krookodile to be as fast as possible and maximize its damage output. I've actually considered running Scarf to patch up this team's lack of speed, but I'm so dependent on Krookodile's breaking power (Accelgor can confirm how dangerous this Pokemon can be when used effectively) that it's hard to justify the change unless I'm confident that I'll face a matchup with lots of fast, frail Pokemon.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
I have never been a huge fan of bulky Scizor, to be quite honest. I generally prefer to take advantage of Scizor's offensive strengths, rather than its defensive ones, but bulky Scizor turned out to be exactly what this team needed. When I was trying to finish the team, I had plenty of ways to threaten opposing Pokemon and was rather weak to some prominent threats. I wanted a Steel-type that could switch into both Latias and Mega Aerodactyl, so I went with fat Scizor due to its ability to split EVs and be just bulky enough to take on both of the aforementioned Pokemon if I kept it healthy throughout the match. Scizor takes a maximum of 94.4% from +1 Latias Gigavolt Havoc, meaning it has a good chance to survive after Stealth Rock damage and a turn of Leftovers recovery. Mega Aerodactyl fails to 2HKO with Stone Edge even after Stealth Rock, which is really important because this set's unboosted damage output is so pitiful that Bullet Punch fails to KO Mega Aerodactyl after Stealth Rock, meaning Scizor often has to take 2 hits to win the matchup.
Other than offering its defensive contributions, Scizor's functions include providing free switches for the rest of my team via slow U-turn, serving as a late-game sweeper, and revenge killing dangerous Pokemon that are sufficiently weakened or hit super effectively by Bullet Punch. Scizor has more longevity than anything else on the team due to heavy defensive investment and a recovery move, so I often use it to tank a hit and bring in something with a better matchup.
The moveset and EV spread are standard. Swords Dance is necessary so that I can fool myself into thinking this Pokemon does damage and thereby avoid crying myself to sleep because I've resorted to using it, Bullet Punch is Technician-boosted STAB priority and Scizor's main source of sustained damage, U-turn is a secondary STAB option that lets me generate momentum and create favorable matchups for the rest of the team, and Roost keeps Scizor healthy throughout the match. Leftovers provides passive recovery and is essential to providing the favorable rolls the EV spread allows vs. the threats I outlined above.
Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Sparkling Aria
- Psychic
Primarina is my second breaker and replaced Sylveon when I updated the ORAS core to fit SM. Primarina has a good matchup against a lot of offensive teams despite its poor speed because it's very difficult to switch into without using a small number of specific Pokemon and has enough bulk to take a hit or two and trade a KO back. Primarina's purpose is simple: force something out, click the appropriate STAB or Psychic, and claim a kill. Primarina has great synergy with Krookodile, as their typings are complementary and each Pokemon can remove the Pokemon that wall the other. Krookodile can trap or outright KO Pokemon like Blissey, Tentacruel, Volcanion, and Empoleon to open up opportunities for Primarina, while Primarina can take on Fighting-types and Hydreigon for Krookodile. Using these two Pokemon correctly is the key to this team's success. Primarina is one of my most potent weapons vs. stall because of its synergy with Krookodile, as most stall teams rely primarily on Blissey, which is easy to lure in and pressure with smart double switches.
Primarina is my main Hydreigon check (although it tends to get worn down by constant U-turns from Choiced sets) and secondary general Dragon-type check. Thankfully, both Krookodile and Mega Manectric can lure Hydreigon in and remove or weaken it, so I don't necessarily need to switch into Hydreigon over and over. It also provides a solid offensive check to Pokemon like Crawdaunt and Mega Sharpedo since it can either outspeed slow offensive Pokemon and hit hard enough to OHKO/2HKO them or tank a single hit from faster threats and strike back.
The moveset and EV spread are pulled straight from the analysis and require little explanation. Hydro Pump is Primarina's most powerful viable STAB option and is strong enough to 2HKO Blissey when Primarina is in Torrent range. Moonblast and Sparkling Aria are more consistent STAB options that sacrifice power for reliability and offer good coverage in conjunction with Psychic, which hits the few Pokemon that resist Primarina's STABS, such as Amoonguss, Tentacruel, and Volcanion. The Speed EVs allow Primarina to outspeed minimum Speed Mega Altaria, the Special Attack EVs and Modest enable Primarina to hit as hard as possible, and the HP makes it a little more durable.
Celebi @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
Celebi is the team's main sweeper, meant to punch holes with Nasty Plot and a Z-move or take advantage of weakened opponents. It serves as a potent offensive weapon, forcing out the bulky Water-types that often switch in on Scizor and using the opportunities created thereby to set up and threaten a sweep. Celebi's primary purpose is to capitalize on the vulnerabilities in the opposing team that Krookodile and Primarina create or to open up a path to victory for Scizor or Manectric. Celebi works well with Krookodile and Primarina because its typing synergizes well with theirs and it provides a secondary way of pressuring a lot of the Pokemon that give them trouble.
Celebi also contributes defensively to the team by at least soft checking a lot of threatening Pokemon, such as Zeraora and Terrakion. It forces out Pokemon like Swampert and Quagsire for Mega Manectric, other bulky Water-types for Scizor and Krookodile, and various Fighting- and Ground-types for Krookodile and Mega Manectric, respectively. Its innate defensive stats allow it to survive a lot of neutral hits as well, and I can often rely on Celebi to tank a hit and trade damage on something I need neutralized.
Nasty Plot, Giga Drain, and Psychic are standard. Nasty Plot amplifies Celebi's power and provides its STABs and (Z-)Shadow Ball with the power they need to muscle through bulkier walls. I originally saw someone (I think it was Pak, but I'm too lazy to check) post this and thought it was interesting. On principle, Z-Shadow Ball is an interesting midground between Dazzling Gleam and Earth Power that hits both Steel-types and Latias, but in practice I've found it disappointing. It's possible that it's simply a bad fit for this team, which has ways of handling most of Z-Shadow Ball's targets as it is, but I'd like to find a replacement regardless. Right now I'm leaning toward either Dazzling Gleam or Earth Power and would appreciate input in favor of possible options. The EV spread simply maximizes offensive potential.
Kommo-o @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 248 HP / 156 Def / 8 SpA / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Tail
This is probably the most unusual set on the team. As I said above, I got it from Hot N Cold's post in one of the forum threads, tried it on a whim because it seemed interesting, and ended up really liking it. Kommo-o does a good job of setting and protecting Stealth Rock, as Rocky Helmet punishes Rapid Spin and STAB Close Combat allows it to force out Defoggers like Empoleon. Kommo-o's contribution to the team is mainly defensive, as its stats and typing allow it to effectively check a lot of dangerous offensive Pokemon. Kommo-o is my primary answer to Mega Sharpedo, Crawdaunt, Bisharp, Scizor, and many of the other nasty sweepers, breakers, and cleaners that permeate the tier. Between Rocky Helmet, Close Combat, and Flamethrower, it can win a lot of 1v1 matchups and can force out things it doesn't beat directly with Dragon Tail. I often try to bring Kommo-o in early to set Stealth Rock and continually switch it in to rack up chip damage unless I need to keep it in reserve for something specific. Kommo-o is beefy enough to take on Pokemon like Terrakion in isolated matchups, so don't be afraid to stay in on a hard hitter at need.
Stealth Rock is a necessity in Gen. 7 UU. Close Combat is a strong STAB option that doesn't lock Kommo-o into a move and allows it to take on Pokemon like Bisharp, Mega Sharpedo, and Crawdaunt. Flamethrower covers Scizor and helps wear down physically defensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Doublade. Dragon Tail feels almost like an afterthought on this team (the set was originally meant to partner with Klefki and take advantage of Spikes), so I've considered changing it to a Dragon-type STAB or Poison Jab for either more general presence or the ability to hit Pokemon like Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Florges/Sylveon, which switch in on this Pokemon with impunity. That said, Dragon Tail has saved me a few times by forcing out Pokemon that thought they could set up for free (including, amusingly, other Kommo-o). The EV spread is a bit complex, but everything has reason. The HP EVs maximize overall bulk, the Speed investment enables Kommo-o to outspeed Adamant Scizor, the 8 SpA EVs ensure that Flamethrower always KOs offensive Scizor, and the rest of the EVs help Kommo-o take physical hits. Rocky Helmet is important to rack up chip damage and punish Rapid Spin/U-turn. Any ability is valid here. Bulletproof provides good general-purpose defensive utility, while Soundproof + Poison Jab is worth considering to take on Sylveon and specially-oriented Mega Altaria.
Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
Mega Manectric serves as a fast cleaner and pivot. It often finds itself taking advantage of the holes the rest of the team opens up at the end of the game, and spends the earlier parts of the game creating opportunities for those breakers. Mega Manectric injects some much-needed speed into this lineup and prevents me from depending completely upon bulk and Scizor's Bullet Punch to deal with anything faster than Base 100 Speed. Mega Manectric's speed and offensive presence often commands certain responses from the opposing team, which can often be taken advantage of with Volt Switch or a double switch. Doubling out to Celebi or Primarina allows you to threaten the Ground-types that often come in to absorb a Volt Switch.
Despite its unimpressive defensive stat spread, Intimidate allows it to take a surprising number of attacks and its typing gives it a few useful resistances (it's my only Flying resist, which is really important for handling things like Moltres and Mega Pidgeot). Mega Manectric serves as a backup check to Pokemon like Scizor, Cobalion and Mega Sharpedo and forms a double Intimidate pseude-defensive core with Krookodile. In endgame scenarios, I have found myself switching between Krookodile and Mega Manectric while foddering off useless Pokemon to neutralize a scary sweeper or cleaner. Intimidate also lends itself well to aggressive double switches, as coming in on something and getting off an Intimidate gives you more freedom to switch around to an actual answer.
The EV spread maximizes offensive potential. Volt Switch combines damage potential with the ability to gain free switches. Thunderbolt provides a stronger, more consistent STAB. Flamethrower hits Grass-types and Pokemon like Scizor. Signal Beam is an option I saw gain traction after I stopped playing, and hits Latias, Hydreigon, Celebi, and Krookodile. It's important for luring Pokemon that I have trouble with, since I can often chunk something like Latias or Hydreigon into range of another Pokemon's attacks or KO it outright, which takes defensive pressure off of Scizor and Primarina. I chose to forego Hidden Power because I could pressure everything Hidden Power Grass covered and Signal Beam hit most of Hidden Power Ice's targets anyway. I've considered working a Hidden Power into the set for Gligar somewhere, but I like the current moveset more.
Hazard Stacking: I have no way of removing hazards, so I try my best to either force the opponent to Defog by getting up Stealth Rock in a matchup where both sides having Stealth Rock up favors me or to keep up offensive pressure and punish hazards. For example, if I predict a Klefki to switch in and start setting up hazards on Kommo-o, I can double to Krookodile and create an opportunity to deal heavy damage to something. I can usually work around hazards if I control the pace of the game.
Mega Altaria: Mega Altaria is the biggest threat I've experienced in a practical sense (not a good thing when it's this popular). Scizor handles sets without Fire-type coverage well, but Fire-type coverage is common and many people decide to handicap themselves by running Magneton in the hopes that enough opponents do what this team does and rely on Scizor to beat Mega Altaria often enough to compensate for the fact that Magneton isn't a Pokemon. Usually, I have to pivot around with Intimidate or somehow avoid risking Scizor. Since my defensive answers are pretty shaky, I try to control the tempo of the game and avoid letting it set up or find free turns to attack. I'm considering Poison Jab and Soundproof on Kommo-o to help with this.
Latias: Scizor is normally a fairly solid Latias answer, but Electrium Z can be dangerous. If I lose the roll, I'm in trouble. Primarina can survive a +1 Thunder from max health something like 80% of the time, but it's almost a guaranteed kill if Stealth Rock is up. I generally try to chip Latias when it tries to set up or bluff Choice Scarf Krookodile in a pinch.
Flying-types: Pokemon like Moltres and Mega Pidgeot can spam Hurricane against this team fairly easily. Mega Manectric can come in once at best and force them out. My plan for handling them usually involves setting up Stealth Rock as soon as I can, eating one Hurricane with Mega Manectric, and relying on Stealth Rock damage and my team's offensive presence to force favorable trades instead of trying to switch in consistently.
Strong Physical Breakers: Stuff like Terrakion and Mamoswine often give teams like this trouble. A lot of breakers in SM often force teams like this to guess the STAB move correctly on any given turn (do I switch Krookodile in on Stone Edge or Celebi in on Close Combat, for example). Often, the solution is either outplaying or trading one for one. In many cases, Kommo-o and Intimidate spam make Pokemon like this manageable.
Strong Special Breakers: As with the above, Pokemon like Primarina and Nidoking usually force me to switch in the Pokemon that resists the correct STAB move or accept that something will die and simply try to trade favorably. I don't have Rocky Helmet chip or Intimidate to help me here, so special breakers are a bit scarier than physical ones, for the most part.
Accelgor promised me a banner eventually and has been one of my best friends for a few years now. Thank you for putting up with me randomly PMing you BW lower tier teams and asking you what you think.
UU friends: There are too many of you guys to tag, but you know who you are. Thank you for being there and hanging out with me for way longer than any sane person would tolerate my incessant bullying.
#fgo: Like the UU goons, there are too many of you. Most of you are pretty cool people, but I'm not tagging an entire server. Finding 30+ usernames is not happening. Still, I'm glad that I got to meet a bunch of nice dudes from other communities. Thanks for talking about weeb games with me. It's always fun to watch you guys bully each other into sacrificing financial stability for virtual waifus.
I got lazy at the end and wanted to post this before I went to sleep, so I apologize if I forgot anyone.
K/DA - POP/STARS is a bulky offense team that relies on two breakers equipped with Choice items to open up holes for two sweepers. Three pivots grab momentum, whittle down opposing Pokemon, and enable the sweepers and breakers to come in safely and do their jobs. Throughout SM, I have maintained that every Pokemon on offensive teams that don't go the full hyper offense route needs to pull double duty and contribute to the team both offensively and defensively. Therefore, each Pokemon on this team is capable of leveraging its innate typing and bulk to take at least a hit or two in the process of dishing out damage. The team feels straightforward to play, which is nice for me, since I'm still trying to reach a point where I feel satisfied that my level of play is as competitive as I want it to be. It's also nice for players who have trouble building for whatever reason and just want improve or rely on fundamental playing skill to succeed. This team rewards aggressive play and "outplaying" the opponent and doesn't offer the same insurance against mistakes that fatter archetypes do, but that's the nature of offense. It's hard to succeed using this style if you aren't willing to make plays, but double Intimidate and some naturally bulky Pokemon still give you a bit of leeway in case you predict incorrectly.
Teambuilding Process
Despite not playing for months, I still watched tour games and kept up with forums a bit, so I wanted to come up with something that could exploit the current meta trends without feeling too generic. I noticed that teams trended toward slower balance/bulky offense rather than the more offensive squads I was used to seeing around the time of SPL, so I started with a revamped ORAS strategy that I remember fondly. Back when Celebi, Sylveon, and Conkeldurr dropped into ORAS, the hot new take on the tier involved a lot of Choice Band Krookodile + Choice Specs Sylveon + Nasty Plot Celebi teams, and I felt some variant of that strategy could be effective in SM.
At this point, I wanted a Dragon-type to add some useful resistances and offensive presence. I wasn't enamored with the thought of using Latias or Hydreigon for a couple of reasons. First, I've used those Pokemon quite a bit in the past and wanted to try using something I didn't normally find ways of working into my builds. Second, I don't like type-stacking in general and try to avoid it unless the value doing so outweighs the cost of the resources required to compensate for shared weaknesses (this is a personal quirk of mine more than anything else and is not meant to imply that type-stacking is bad or that no one can succeed by doing so). As a result, Kommo-o ended up finding its way into the fourth slot. I originally had a Dragon Dance set here and thought about replacing it with a mixed set, with or without Stealth Rock, but then I came across a set posted by Hot N Cold here and thought it looked interesting. I ended up using it because I wanted a Stealth Rock setter that isn't a Ground-type, a Scizor check, and general physical tank.
With the core of my team complete, I started thinking of ways I could get my breakers in. Manectric added the speed this team was sorely lacking and provided a backup check to some physical sweepers that looked like they could be scary. I considered Zeraora here, but ultimately decided that Manectric's greater defensive utility outweighed Zeraora's strengths (double Intimidate has done a lot to ease matchups against things I don't have hard answers for). Defensive Scizor was the final addition. I noticed that I had issues with Latias and Mega Aerodactyl, which Scizor helped patch up. It also offered some priority on a team that was kind of slow in general.
The Team
Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Krookodile is the first of the two breakers I originally structured this team around. Choice Scarf has been the item of... choice... for Krookodile since the beginning of SM, but I've noticed people running more stuff that's naturally slower than Krookodile, which I think has opened up more of a space for Choice Band Krookodile to be effective. This set is a huge part of the team's success, as it naturally preys upon player reactions and mindsets associated with a meta where Krookodile is predominantly faster and weaker. Most people tend to leave Pokemon that can comfortably survive an attack from Choice Scarf Krookodile in instead of switching into a sturdier answer (notably, many Blissey have met inglorious ends this way, though Krookodile has claimed plenty of other victims) and punishing that level of complacency can be game-changing. Krookodile's typing, ability, and innate bulk allow it to come in multiple times throughout the match and fire off powerful attacks and it is one of the most consistent Pokemon on this team.
In addition to its general-purpose obligation to hit things, Krookodile also serves as one of my primary weapons against stall, as it can use Knock Off to remove Leftovers, can hit many stall Pokemon at least neutrally, and does a great job of removing Blissey for the three special attackers on my team, all of which can give stall teams trouble once Blissey is weakened or KOed. If I catch a switching Blissey with Pursuit, it takes at least 40% damage, putting it in KO range of Primarina if Stealth Rock is up. Superpower allows me to catch out people who expect a Pursuit or who just expect Blissey to 1v1 Choice Scarf Krookodile. My standard game plan against stall is to find an opportunity to set up Stealth Rock, bring Primarina in on something (often a Defogger like Gligar or Mandibuzz), and double out to Krookodile as the opponent brings Blissey in. From there, I can either Pursuit Blissey if I think it's switching out, click Superpower if I think it's staying in, or use Knock Off or Earthquake if I think a safe midground play is the best option. Even if it isn't KOed outright, removing Blissey's Leftovers does a lot to ease the matchup. If I can neutralize Blissey, stall teams rarely have good ways to handle Celebi and Primarina, especially if Krookodile is still around to support them.
The moveset and EV spread are straightforward. Earthquake is Krookodile's strongest STAB option, Knock Off offers good coverage alongside Earthquake and allows Krookodile to remove opposing items, Pursuit helps trap targets, and Superpower hits Blissey and lures Hydreigon. The EV spread allows Krookodile to be as fast as possible and maximize its damage output. I've actually considered running Scarf to patch up this team's lack of speed, but I'm so dependent on Krookodile's breaking power (Accelgor can confirm how dangerous this Pokemon can be when used effectively) that it's hard to justify the change unless I'm confident that I'll face a matchup with lots of fast, frail Pokemon.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
I have never been a huge fan of bulky Scizor, to be quite honest. I generally prefer to take advantage of Scizor's offensive strengths, rather than its defensive ones, but bulky Scizor turned out to be exactly what this team needed. When I was trying to finish the team, I had plenty of ways to threaten opposing Pokemon and was rather weak to some prominent threats. I wanted a Steel-type that could switch into both Latias and Mega Aerodactyl, so I went with fat Scizor due to its ability to split EVs and be just bulky enough to take on both of the aforementioned Pokemon if I kept it healthy throughout the match. Scizor takes a maximum of 94.4% from +1 Latias Gigavolt Havoc, meaning it has a good chance to survive after Stealth Rock damage and a turn of Leftovers recovery. Mega Aerodactyl fails to 2HKO with Stone Edge even after Stealth Rock, which is really important because this set's unboosted damage output is so pitiful that Bullet Punch fails to KO Mega Aerodactyl after Stealth Rock, meaning Scizor often has to take 2 hits to win the matchup.
Other than offering its defensive contributions, Scizor's functions include providing free switches for the rest of my team via slow U-turn, serving as a late-game sweeper, and revenge killing dangerous Pokemon that are sufficiently weakened or hit super effectively by Bullet Punch. Scizor has more longevity than anything else on the team due to heavy defensive investment and a recovery move, so I often use it to tank a hit and bring in something with a better matchup.
The moveset and EV spread are standard. Swords Dance is necessary so that I can fool myself into thinking this Pokemon does damage and thereby avoid crying myself to sleep because I've resorted to using it, Bullet Punch is Technician-boosted STAB priority and Scizor's main source of sustained damage, U-turn is a secondary STAB option that lets me generate momentum and create favorable matchups for the rest of the team, and Roost keeps Scizor healthy throughout the match. Leftovers provides passive recovery and is essential to providing the favorable rolls the EV spread allows vs. the threats I outlined above.
Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Sparkling Aria
- Psychic
Primarina is my second breaker and replaced Sylveon when I updated the ORAS core to fit SM. Primarina has a good matchup against a lot of offensive teams despite its poor speed because it's very difficult to switch into without using a small number of specific Pokemon and has enough bulk to take a hit or two and trade a KO back. Primarina's purpose is simple: force something out, click the appropriate STAB or Psychic, and claim a kill. Primarina has great synergy with Krookodile, as their typings are complementary and each Pokemon can remove the Pokemon that wall the other. Krookodile can trap or outright KO Pokemon like Blissey, Tentacruel, Volcanion, and Empoleon to open up opportunities for Primarina, while Primarina can take on Fighting-types and Hydreigon for Krookodile. Using these two Pokemon correctly is the key to this team's success. Primarina is one of my most potent weapons vs. stall because of its synergy with Krookodile, as most stall teams rely primarily on Blissey, which is easy to lure in and pressure with smart double switches.
Primarina is my main Hydreigon check (although it tends to get worn down by constant U-turns from Choiced sets) and secondary general Dragon-type check. Thankfully, both Krookodile and Mega Manectric can lure Hydreigon in and remove or weaken it, so I don't necessarily need to switch into Hydreigon over and over. It also provides a solid offensive check to Pokemon like Crawdaunt and Mega Sharpedo since it can either outspeed slow offensive Pokemon and hit hard enough to OHKO/2HKO them or tank a single hit from faster threats and strike back.
The moveset and EV spread are pulled straight from the analysis and require little explanation. Hydro Pump is Primarina's most powerful viable STAB option and is strong enough to 2HKO Blissey when Primarina is in Torrent range. Moonblast and Sparkling Aria are more consistent STAB options that sacrifice power for reliability and offer good coverage in conjunction with Psychic, which hits the few Pokemon that resist Primarina's STABS, such as Amoonguss, Tentacruel, and Volcanion. The Speed EVs allow Primarina to outspeed minimum Speed Mega Altaria, the Special Attack EVs and Modest enable Primarina to hit as hard as possible, and the HP makes it a little more durable.
Celebi @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
Celebi is the team's main sweeper, meant to punch holes with Nasty Plot and a Z-move or take advantage of weakened opponents. It serves as a potent offensive weapon, forcing out the bulky Water-types that often switch in on Scizor and using the opportunities created thereby to set up and threaten a sweep. Celebi's primary purpose is to capitalize on the vulnerabilities in the opposing team that Krookodile and Primarina create or to open up a path to victory for Scizor or Manectric. Celebi works well with Krookodile and Primarina because its typing synergizes well with theirs and it provides a secondary way of pressuring a lot of the Pokemon that give them trouble.
Celebi also contributes defensively to the team by at least soft checking a lot of threatening Pokemon, such as Zeraora and Terrakion. It forces out Pokemon like Swampert and Quagsire for Mega Manectric, other bulky Water-types for Scizor and Krookodile, and various Fighting- and Ground-types for Krookodile and Mega Manectric, respectively. Its innate defensive stats allow it to survive a lot of neutral hits as well, and I can often rely on Celebi to tank a hit and trade damage on something I need neutralized.
Nasty Plot, Giga Drain, and Psychic are standard. Nasty Plot amplifies Celebi's power and provides its STABs and (Z-)Shadow Ball with the power they need to muscle through bulkier walls. I originally saw someone (I think it was Pak, but I'm too lazy to check) post this and thought it was interesting. On principle, Z-Shadow Ball is an interesting midground between Dazzling Gleam and Earth Power that hits both Steel-types and Latias, but in practice I've found it disappointing. It's possible that it's simply a bad fit for this team, which has ways of handling most of Z-Shadow Ball's targets as it is, but I'd like to find a replacement regardless. Right now I'm leaning toward either Dazzling Gleam or Earth Power and would appreciate input in favor of possible options. The EV spread simply maximizes offensive potential.
Kommo-o @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 248 HP / 156 Def / 8 SpA / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Tail
This is probably the most unusual set on the team. As I said above, I got it from Hot N Cold's post in one of the forum threads, tried it on a whim because it seemed interesting, and ended up really liking it. Kommo-o does a good job of setting and protecting Stealth Rock, as Rocky Helmet punishes Rapid Spin and STAB Close Combat allows it to force out Defoggers like Empoleon. Kommo-o's contribution to the team is mainly defensive, as its stats and typing allow it to effectively check a lot of dangerous offensive Pokemon. Kommo-o is my primary answer to Mega Sharpedo, Crawdaunt, Bisharp, Scizor, and many of the other nasty sweepers, breakers, and cleaners that permeate the tier. Between Rocky Helmet, Close Combat, and Flamethrower, it can win a lot of 1v1 matchups and can force out things it doesn't beat directly with Dragon Tail. I often try to bring Kommo-o in early to set Stealth Rock and continually switch it in to rack up chip damage unless I need to keep it in reserve for something specific. Kommo-o is beefy enough to take on Pokemon like Terrakion in isolated matchups, so don't be afraid to stay in on a hard hitter at need.
Stealth Rock is a necessity in Gen. 7 UU. Close Combat is a strong STAB option that doesn't lock Kommo-o into a move and allows it to take on Pokemon like Bisharp, Mega Sharpedo, and Crawdaunt. Flamethrower covers Scizor and helps wear down physically defensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Doublade. Dragon Tail feels almost like an afterthought on this team (the set was originally meant to partner with Klefki and take advantage of Spikes), so I've considered changing it to a Dragon-type STAB or Poison Jab for either more general presence or the ability to hit Pokemon like Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Florges/Sylveon, which switch in on this Pokemon with impunity. That said, Dragon Tail has saved me a few times by forcing out Pokemon that thought they could set up for free (including, amusingly, other Kommo-o). The EV spread is a bit complex, but everything has reason. The HP EVs maximize overall bulk, the Speed investment enables Kommo-o to outspeed Adamant Scizor, the 8 SpA EVs ensure that Flamethrower always KOs offensive Scizor, and the rest of the EVs help Kommo-o take physical hits. Rocky Helmet is important to rack up chip damage and punish Rapid Spin/U-turn. Any ability is valid here. Bulletproof provides good general-purpose defensive utility, while Soundproof + Poison Jab is worth considering to take on Sylveon and specially-oriented Mega Altaria.
Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
Mega Manectric serves as a fast cleaner and pivot. It often finds itself taking advantage of the holes the rest of the team opens up at the end of the game, and spends the earlier parts of the game creating opportunities for those breakers. Mega Manectric injects some much-needed speed into this lineup and prevents me from depending completely upon bulk and Scizor's Bullet Punch to deal with anything faster than Base 100 Speed. Mega Manectric's speed and offensive presence often commands certain responses from the opposing team, which can often be taken advantage of with Volt Switch or a double switch. Doubling out to Celebi or Primarina allows you to threaten the Ground-types that often come in to absorb a Volt Switch.
Despite its unimpressive defensive stat spread, Intimidate allows it to take a surprising number of attacks and its typing gives it a few useful resistances (it's my only Flying resist, which is really important for handling things like Moltres and Mega Pidgeot). Mega Manectric serves as a backup check to Pokemon like Scizor, Cobalion and Mega Sharpedo and forms a double Intimidate pseude-defensive core with Krookodile. In endgame scenarios, I have found myself switching between Krookodile and Mega Manectric while foddering off useless Pokemon to neutralize a scary sweeper or cleaner. Intimidate also lends itself well to aggressive double switches, as coming in on something and getting off an Intimidate gives you more freedom to switch around to an actual answer.
The EV spread maximizes offensive potential. Volt Switch combines damage potential with the ability to gain free switches. Thunderbolt provides a stronger, more consistent STAB. Flamethrower hits Grass-types and Pokemon like Scizor. Signal Beam is an option I saw gain traction after I stopped playing, and hits Latias, Hydreigon, Celebi, and Krookodile. It's important for luring Pokemon that I have trouble with, since I can often chunk something like Latias or Hydreigon into range of another Pokemon's attacks or KO it outright, which takes defensive pressure off of Scizor and Primarina. I chose to forego Hidden Power because I could pressure everything Hidden Power Grass covered and Signal Beam hit most of Hidden Power Ice's targets anyway. I've considered working a Hidden Power into the set for Gligar somewhere, but I like the current moveset more.
Threat List
I'm not including an exhaustive threat list. Instead, I'll just list some Pokemon or categories of Pokemon that the team struggles to deal with and how I play around them.
Hazard Stacking: I have no way of removing hazards, so I try my best to either force the opponent to Defog by getting up Stealth Rock in a matchup where both sides having Stealth Rock up favors me or to keep up offensive pressure and punish hazards. For example, if I predict a Klefki to switch in and start setting up hazards on Kommo-o, I can double to Krookodile and create an opportunity to deal heavy damage to something. I can usually work around hazards if I control the pace of the game.
Mega Altaria: Mega Altaria is the biggest threat I've experienced in a practical sense (not a good thing when it's this popular). Scizor handles sets without Fire-type coverage well, but Fire-type coverage is common and many people decide to handicap themselves by running Magneton in the hopes that enough opponents do what this team does and rely on Scizor to beat Mega Altaria often enough to compensate for the fact that Magneton isn't a Pokemon. Usually, I have to pivot around with Intimidate or somehow avoid risking Scizor. Since my defensive answers are pretty shaky, I try to control the tempo of the game and avoid letting it set up or find free turns to attack. I'm considering Poison Jab and Soundproof on Kommo-o to help with this.
Latias: Scizor is normally a fairly solid Latias answer, but Electrium Z can be dangerous. If I lose the roll, I'm in trouble. Primarina can survive a +1 Thunder from max health something like 80% of the time, but it's almost a guaranteed kill if Stealth Rock is up. I generally try to chip Latias when it tries to set up or bluff Choice Scarf Krookodile in a pinch.
Flying-types: Pokemon like Moltres and Mega Pidgeot can spam Hurricane against this team fairly easily. Mega Manectric can come in once at best and force them out. My plan for handling them usually involves setting up Stealth Rock as soon as I can, eating one Hurricane with Mega Manectric, and relying on Stealth Rock damage and my team's offensive presence to force favorable trades instead of trying to switch in consistently.
Strong Physical Breakers: Stuff like Terrakion and Mamoswine often give teams like this trouble. A lot of breakers in SM often force teams like this to guess the STAB move correctly on any given turn (do I switch Krookodile in on Stone Edge or Celebi in on Close Combat, for example). Often, the solution is either outplaying or trading one for one. In many cases, Kommo-o and Intimidate spam make Pokemon like this manageable.
Strong Special Breakers: As with the above, Pokemon like Primarina and Nidoking usually force me to switch in the Pokemon that resists the correct STAB move or accept that something will die and simply try to trade favorably. I don't have Rocky Helmet chip or Intimidate to help me here, so special breakers are a bit scarier than physical ones, for the most part.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading! I've had fun using this team and feel that it's helped me recover at least some of my form, so hopefully someone else will enjoy using it as well, or at least reading about it. I've been out of the game for a while and I'm not sure how long I'll stay this time, but this team seems to be a promising start. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact me. Finally, the following or groups of users deserve shoutouts for various reasons:
Accelgor promised me a banner eventually and has been one of my best friends for a few years now. Thank you for putting up with me randomly PMing you BW lower tier teams and asking you what you think.
UU friends: There are too many of you guys to tag, but you know who you are. Thank you for being there and hanging out with me for way longer than any sane person would tolerate my incessant bullying.
#fgo: Like the UU goons, there are too many of you. Most of you are pretty cool people, but I'm not tagging an entire server. Finding 30+ usernames is not happening. Still, I'm glad that I got to meet a bunch of nice dudes from other communities. Thanks for talking about weeb games with me. It's always fun to watch you guys bully each other into sacrificing financial stability for virtual waifus.
I got lazy at the end and wanted to post this before I went to sleep, so I apologize if I forgot anyone.
Importable
Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Sparkling Aria
- Psychic
Celebi @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
Kommo-o @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 248 HP / 156 Def / 8 SpA / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Tail
Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Sparkling Aria
- Psychic
Celebi @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
Kommo-o @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 248 HP / 156 Def / 8 SpA / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Tail
Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
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