I've always had a penchant for making HO teams, so I've decided to branch out a tiny bit post Mega-Ray. As a result, HO + Lugia was initially an idea I had to counter balance some of the limits of HO, namely extremely bulky walls/tanks and vulnerability to revenge killing/Xerneas. The "main sweeper", or the one that's designed to be supported the most, is Mega Blaziken.
Lugia @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 204 Spe
Bold Nature
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Toxic
- Thunder Wave
Lugia serves a sort of focal point of the team, and can be thought of as a means to pass an advantage to whichever sweeper is appropriate later in the match. Basically, this set is used early game to cripple as many walls as possible with Toxic, and faster sweepers with Thunder Wave. Somewhat of a judgment call exists when facing a bulky sweeper/tank as to which status to inflict, but often typing dictates that, as in the case of Scizor, Landorus-T, and Arceus Ground/Electric/Steel/Poison. Whirlwind is there to phaze Xerneas and other setup sweeper/wallbreaker types, and to make spreading status a bit easier. 204 speed outspeeds Primal Groudon and Kyogre, which is nice for a wall, and honestly the defense EVs are a vestige of the Mega Ray era, so those are open to change.
Darkrai @ Life Orb
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Void
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
Darkrai was the last Pokemon I added to this team, largely because the rest of the team really appreciates not having to deal with hazards #multiscale. A fast Taunt lead is one way of accomplishing this, and Darkrai is arguably the best Pokemon that fits that archetype. Dark Void temporarily bypasses one check/counter, but the accuracy is REALLY annoying, so much so that I've considered using Wide Lens. Nasty Plot is generally the best way to spend the free turn Dark Void gives you, and Dark Pulse is there because it deals damage. Darkrai can really destroy the occasional team that forgot it exists, so it's not dead weight after its taunting is done. EVs are pretty standard for sweepers, but possibly not optimal (I'm not aware of what is optimal). 4 Def gives Genesect the SpA boost so he can't rek you with U-Turn.
Blaziken @ Blazikenite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- High Jump Kick
- Flare Blitz
As the main setup sweeper on this team, Blaziken usually comes in during the late game to sweep weakened and statused Pokemon. Protect and Swords Dance are standard, and I've chosen HJK over Low Kick because it does have higher BP, and the argument of accuracy seems to me to be exactly like Flamethrower vs Fire Blast on every special Fire mon in existence. It's not as if I'm going to click HJK when there's a Ghost left on the opposing team anyway. Flare Blitz serves as my other STAB, and compliments HJK pretty well, but I'm sure most of you already knew that. Like Darkrai, this one is open to EV optimizing if that's what ought to happen.
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 108 Atk / 160 SpA / 240 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Surf
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Ascent
- Stone Edge
This set's a bit weird. I use Rayquaza as a revenge killer primarily, as the nature of this metagame is still pretty offensive. Surf OHKOs max bulk Primal Groudon.
160 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza Surf vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Groudon: 452-536 (111.8 - 132.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Flamethrower OHKOs max bulk Ferrothorn, which I find insanely annoying in general.
160 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ferrothorn: 354-416 (100.5 - 118.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Stone Edge OHKOs max bulk Ho-Oh. While max bulk may not be common, this thing is everywhere, and the rest of the team is weak to it, so I'm not taking any chances.
108 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 442-525 (106.5 - 126.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Dragon Ascent is the spammable move of this set, and also the only one that isn't geared to kill a specific threat to the rest of the team. Leftover EVs are put in speed so Rayquaza can actually perform its role as an offensive mon.
Arceus-Steel @ Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Atk / 44 Def / 52 SpD / 128 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Recover
Here is your obligatory Xerneas/Ekiller check. Iron Head always 2HKOs Xerneas, While 2HKOing Ekiller at +2. Steelceus dies to Focus Blast and EQ respectively, but Focus Blast isn't being run as much as in the past, in my experience. All other attacks from those two do a pittance of damage to Steelceus.
+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 52 SpD Arceus-Steel: 187-221 (42.1 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 252+ Atk Silk Scarf Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Arceus-Steel: 134-158 (30.1 - 35.5%) -- 31.7% chance to 3HKO
Note that even at +2, Ekiller doesn't OHKO with EQ, so you can get some damage off before you die if they run EQ.
+2 252+ Atk Arceus Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Arceus-Steel: 372-438 (83.7 - 98.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
EVs are structured to avoid the 2HKO from +2 Xerneas' Moonblast, outspeed Primal Don & co, and survive an EQ from Ekiller, while doing as much damage as possible with 32+ attack investment.
Genesect @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 84 Atk / 172 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head
- U-turn
Ubers is a really unpredictable metagame, so Genesect helps this team out by providing coverage to hit all the random things people think of. BoltBeam's coverage is perfect, and the physical moves are for destroying Fairies and maintaining momentum, respectively. The attack EVs allow me to always 2HKO Xerneas, and the rest in SpA helps Genesect's good coverage really hurt. Generally, trying to get a download boost in SpA is more desirable, as BoltBeam hits a lot more mons hard than Iron Head and U-Turn. This Pokemon had a scarf at one point, but experience has shown me that this thing has real sweeping potential, and most of the stuff it can kill is slow anyway.
Threats
Clerics - Completely ruin Lugia's day, making this just a mediocre HO team unless they're dealt with by Darkrai, Genesect, or Steelceus before Lugia is dead.
This guy can ruin my day if Ray is somehow gone, so I generally save Ray for him.
RestTalk Variants beat Lugia, which is what I use to Toxic stall normal Ogres to death. Can be revenged by Genesect or Blaziken, though.
Lugia @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 204 Spe
Bold Nature
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Toxic
- Thunder Wave
Lugia serves a sort of focal point of the team, and can be thought of as a means to pass an advantage to whichever sweeper is appropriate later in the match. Basically, this set is used early game to cripple as many walls as possible with Toxic, and faster sweepers with Thunder Wave. Somewhat of a judgment call exists when facing a bulky sweeper/tank as to which status to inflict, but often typing dictates that, as in the case of Scizor, Landorus-T, and Arceus Ground/Electric/Steel/Poison. Whirlwind is there to phaze Xerneas and other setup sweeper/wallbreaker types, and to make spreading status a bit easier. 204 speed outspeeds Primal Groudon and Kyogre, which is nice for a wall, and honestly the defense EVs are a vestige of the Mega Ray era, so those are open to change.
Darkrai @ Life Orb
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Void
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
Darkrai was the last Pokemon I added to this team, largely because the rest of the team really appreciates not having to deal with hazards #multiscale. A fast Taunt lead is one way of accomplishing this, and Darkrai is arguably the best Pokemon that fits that archetype. Dark Void temporarily bypasses one check/counter, but the accuracy is REALLY annoying, so much so that I've considered using Wide Lens. Nasty Plot is generally the best way to spend the free turn Dark Void gives you, and Dark Pulse is there because it deals damage. Darkrai can really destroy the occasional team that forgot it exists, so it's not dead weight after its taunting is done. EVs are pretty standard for sweepers, but possibly not optimal (I'm not aware of what is optimal). 4 Def gives Genesect the SpA boost so he can't rek you with U-Turn.
Blaziken @ Blazikenite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- High Jump Kick
- Flare Blitz
As the main setup sweeper on this team, Blaziken usually comes in during the late game to sweep weakened and statused Pokemon. Protect and Swords Dance are standard, and I've chosen HJK over Low Kick because it does have higher BP, and the argument of accuracy seems to me to be exactly like Flamethrower vs Fire Blast on every special Fire mon in existence. It's not as if I'm going to click HJK when there's a Ghost left on the opposing team anyway. Flare Blitz serves as my other STAB, and compliments HJK pretty well, but I'm sure most of you already knew that. Like Darkrai, this one is open to EV optimizing if that's what ought to happen.
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 108 Atk / 160 SpA / 240 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Surf
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Ascent
- Stone Edge
This set's a bit weird. I use Rayquaza as a revenge killer primarily, as the nature of this metagame is still pretty offensive. Surf OHKOs max bulk Primal Groudon.
160 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza Surf vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Groudon: 452-536 (111.8 - 132.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Flamethrower OHKOs max bulk Ferrothorn, which I find insanely annoying in general.
160 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ferrothorn: 354-416 (100.5 - 118.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Stone Edge OHKOs max bulk Ho-Oh. While max bulk may not be common, this thing is everywhere, and the rest of the team is weak to it, so I'm not taking any chances.
108 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 442-525 (106.5 - 126.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Dragon Ascent is the spammable move of this set, and also the only one that isn't geared to kill a specific threat to the rest of the team. Leftover EVs are put in speed so Rayquaza can actually perform its role as an offensive mon.
Arceus-Steel @ Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Atk / 44 Def / 52 SpD / 128 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Recover
Here is your obligatory Xerneas/Ekiller check. Iron Head always 2HKOs Xerneas, While 2HKOing Ekiller at +2. Steelceus dies to Focus Blast and EQ respectively, but Focus Blast isn't being run as much as in the past, in my experience. All other attacks from those two do a pittance of damage to Steelceus.
+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 52 SpD Arceus-Steel: 187-221 (42.1 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 252+ Atk Silk Scarf Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Arceus-Steel: 134-158 (30.1 - 35.5%) -- 31.7% chance to 3HKO
Note that even at +2, Ekiller doesn't OHKO with EQ, so you can get some damage off before you die if they run EQ.
+2 252+ Atk Arceus Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 44 Def Arceus-Steel: 372-438 (83.7 - 98.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
EVs are structured to avoid the 2HKO from +2 Xerneas' Moonblast, outspeed Primal Don & co, and survive an EQ from Ekiller, while doing as much damage as possible with 32+ attack investment.
Genesect @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 84 Atk / 172 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head
- U-turn
Ubers is a really unpredictable metagame, so Genesect helps this team out by providing coverage to hit all the random things people think of. BoltBeam's coverage is perfect, and the physical moves are for destroying Fairies and maintaining momentum, respectively. The attack EVs allow me to always 2HKO Xerneas, and the rest in SpA helps Genesect's good coverage really hurt. Generally, trying to get a download boost in SpA is more desirable, as BoltBeam hits a lot more mons hard than Iron Head and U-Turn. This Pokemon had a scarf at one point, but experience has shown me that this thing has real sweeping potential, and most of the stuff it can kill is slow anyway.
Threats
Clerics - Completely ruin Lugia's day, making this just a mediocre HO team unless they're dealt with by Darkrai, Genesect, or Steelceus before Lugia is dead.
This guy can ruin my day if Ray is somehow gone, so I generally save Ray for him.
RestTalk Variants beat Lugia, which is what I use to Toxic stall normal Ogres to death. Can be revenged by Genesect or Blaziken, though.
