This is the team that I've been using to ladder. Currently floating around 1500-ish and been doing so for a bit now. While I feel like it's a pretty well balanced and versatile team I've been running into some problems, especially against sun and stall teams. Putting Taunt on Mandi has helped quite a bit with dealing with stall but I feel like it could be better. The other big problem I'm having is that my team is missing a solid win-con.
Kyurem @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Freeze-Dry
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
The main damage dealer of the team while also being a good check to mons like Rillaboom, Rotom-H (in a pinch) and just having the ability to nuke almost the entire metagame.
Kyurem is able to take a decent amount of hits while being able to OHKO back in return, it also outspeeds most defensive mons so pretty often you are able to just dent whatever switches in. Ice Beam functions as the general nuke and often takes atleast half of whatever pokemon switches in, if not killing them unless it's something like a bulky aegislash or other steel. While having great offensive benefits it can also be a good defensive switch-in for mons like rillaboom, mandibuzz forcing both out after switching in. It also just tears through rain teams and just is a great mon overall.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
Specially defensive excadrill functions really well as both a hazard setter and remover. Rapid-Spin also allows it to act as somewhat of a late-game sweeper in a pinch while also clearing hazards. Excadrill generally is my switchin for mons like Clefable, Aegislash and Magnezone, Often it comes in for free while forcing out whatever it switches in on. The special bulk plus it's decent uninvested attack allows excadrill to be a good versatile hazard setter and remover that is able to come in often over the course of a game.
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Volt Switch
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Boots Zeraora is imo one of the best offensive pivots in the game and being paired with dragapult and mandibuzz makes it so that it does a lot in the game.
While mainly serving as a pivot, because of it's speed it can function pretty reliably as a late game sweeper, outspeeding the entire metagame while doing okay damage and even being able to take a hit if it has too.
Dragapult @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 68 Atk / 188 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- U-turn
Dragapult completes the fast volt-turn core with Zeraora.
The Mild Nature is chosen to be able to better check Volcarona and other special mons.
Dragon Darts 2hkos most Volcarona's while also letting it dent specially defensive switch-ins like Blissey.
WoW serves as a way to spread status and also neutralize threats like Excadrill, Hippodown and Urshifu.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Wish
- Thunder Wave
Clefable was the first part of the defensive backbone of this team, Often serving as my defacto switchin for mons like Urshifu, Zeraora and other physical attackers.
Twave lets it cripple fast mons like Dragapult and Alakazam while also slowing down mons like Urshifu to give Kyurem an easier time.
Another important reason for including Twave on clef is for making sure Volcarona doesn't run over my team after a quiver dance.
Wish is there to heal mons like Mandi, Kyurem and Excadrill back up, all of which are often healty enough to not need the teleport while switching in.
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 44 SpD / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- Taunt
- U-turn
Mandibuzz rounds out my defensive backbone, being better able to check mons like Rillaboom and Excadrill which give Clefable some trouble.
Originally serving as my defogger of choice but since I was having a rough time dealing with stall mons, I started experimenting with Taunt which has worked out great so far.
Foul Play lets it heavily dent mons like Excadrill and Rillaboom while also doing a lot of damage to mons like Hawlucha after they setup.
Being a Slow U-Turning mon helps Kyurem by bringing it in safely and letting it fire of a move for free.
While the team has been serving my well I feel like I'm missing a solid win-con. I have nothing that sets up and currently I'm just slowly wittling down my opponents by making aggressive doubles and defensive switches. The other problem I'm having is dealing with stall, which Taunt has been helping me with immensely.
I also feel like Dragapult is not doing all that I want it to do, often sitting out or not doing more then burning a Urshifu or Excadrill from time to time. It also doesn't always serve as a good volc check due to some volcs being bulky or having roost.
Kyurem @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Freeze-Dry
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
The main damage dealer of the team while also being a good check to mons like Rillaboom, Rotom-H (in a pinch) and just having the ability to nuke almost the entire metagame.
Kyurem is able to take a decent amount of hits while being able to OHKO back in return, it also outspeeds most defensive mons so pretty often you are able to just dent whatever switches in. Ice Beam functions as the general nuke and often takes atleast half of whatever pokemon switches in, if not killing them unless it's something like a bulky aegislash or other steel. While having great offensive benefits it can also be a good defensive switch-in for mons like rillaboom, mandibuzz forcing both out after switching in. It also just tears through rain teams and just is a great mon overall.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
Specially defensive excadrill functions really well as both a hazard setter and remover. Rapid-Spin also allows it to act as somewhat of a late-game sweeper in a pinch while also clearing hazards. Excadrill generally is my switchin for mons like Clefable, Aegislash and Magnezone, Often it comes in for free while forcing out whatever it switches in on. The special bulk plus it's decent uninvested attack allows excadrill to be a good versatile hazard setter and remover that is able to come in often over the course of a game.
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Volt Switch
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Boots Zeraora is imo one of the best offensive pivots in the game and being paired with dragapult and mandibuzz makes it so that it does a lot in the game.
While mainly serving as a pivot, because of it's speed it can function pretty reliably as a late game sweeper, outspeeding the entire metagame while doing okay damage and even being able to take a hit if it has too.
Dragapult @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 68 Atk / 188 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- U-turn
Dragapult completes the fast volt-turn core with Zeraora.
The Mild Nature is chosen to be able to better check Volcarona and other special mons.
Dragon Darts 2hkos most Volcarona's while also letting it dent specially defensive switch-ins like Blissey.
WoW serves as a way to spread status and also neutralize threats like Excadrill, Hippodown and Urshifu.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Wish
- Thunder Wave
Clefable was the first part of the defensive backbone of this team, Often serving as my defacto switchin for mons like Urshifu, Zeraora and other physical attackers.
Twave lets it cripple fast mons like Dragapult and Alakazam while also slowing down mons like Urshifu to give Kyurem an easier time.
Another important reason for including Twave on clef is for making sure Volcarona doesn't run over my team after a quiver dance.
Wish is there to heal mons like Mandi, Kyurem and Excadrill back up, all of which are often healty enough to not need the teleport while switching in.
Mandibuzz @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 44 SpD / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- Taunt
- U-turn
Mandibuzz rounds out my defensive backbone, being better able to check mons like Rillaboom and Excadrill which give Clefable some trouble.
Originally serving as my defogger of choice but since I was having a rough time dealing with stall mons, I started experimenting with Taunt which has worked out great so far.
Foul Play lets it heavily dent mons like Excadrill and Rillaboom while also doing a lot of damage to mons like Hawlucha after they setup.
Being a Slow U-Turning mon helps Kyurem by bringing it in safely and letting it fire of a move for free.
While the team has been serving my well I feel like I'm missing a solid win-con. I have nothing that sets up and currently I'm just slowly wittling down my opponents by making aggressive doubles and defensive switches. The other problem I'm having is dealing with stall, which Taunt has been helping me with immensely.
I also feel like Dragapult is not doing all that I want it to do, often sitting out or not doing more then burning a Urshifu or Excadrill from time to time. It also doesn't always serve as a good volc check due to some volcs being bulky or having roost.
