SS OU Magnezone BO

The goal of this team is for SpDef lando and phys def Scizor to pivot in Magnezone to trap steels, and then bring in CB Melmetal as much as possible once any Ferrothorn and Corviknight are ko'd. Changes I have made to this team include changing Weavile to Garchomp and being generally unsure if I should use CB melm or CB kartana. if no knock off on weav or kart, it found a home on scizor by replacing swords dance. because I edited my team here, I assume it counts as my 'bump' for this post.

Garchomp @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Scale Shot
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge

A cleaner that gets a lot of opportunity to set up thanks to misty terrain provided by Fini as well as good pivoting; opportunity cost was the reason I chose this mon. Stone edge can be used as coverage since Ferro and Corviknight will hopefully be disposed of by zone, allowing it to dispose of other birds even if unboosted, and allowing it to be a Zapdos pivot. Because of its longevity, I would sometimes both break walls, be a pivot, and sweep all in the same game. As for fairies, I could generally pivot around them (except for Bulu...) while chipping all of them with earthquake. grassy terrain is the bane of this mon, but fortunately Scizor eats the setters for breakfast


Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Thunderbolt
- Body Press
- Toxic

standard bp Magnezone set; it is incredibly important that you trap Ferrothorn and Corviknight mainly. If you don't, the team collapses. also used as a check to choice locked Melmetal and Kartana. The rest of my team uses this mon like a loaded gun pointed to their steels' head. Garchomp and Melmetals use of its utility is self explanatory, but Landorus can keep rocks up easier, Scizor can u-turn to zone, and scarf Fini can potentially swap to zone on an expected Ferro. as an aside, this mon is important death fodder once the defensive steels are gone. toxic is almost never used, but it prevents it from being setup fodder.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 30 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Toxic

Landorus reliably sets rocks and forms a pivoting core with Scizor, getting zone and other threats in safely. he checks fire types as well as providing a ground immunity. I am considering smack down or stone edge, as the Volcarona match up is poor, and it still allows you to threaten flying types such as Tornadus and Zapdos. smack down could be used to ground Landorus, but considering its main draw is beating Corviknight, it would be redundant considering u-turn into zone. if Scizor gets opportunity to roost, let Scizor take chip.

Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 120 HP / 172 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Defog

Scarf Fini is a no-brainer on this team, as it provides hazard control, a Heatran check, trick stallbreaking, etc. because this mon is so important, has no recovery, and checks so much, it is often the timer this team has before it's defenses break down. it's role as a revenge killer is also important against Weavile, G-Zapdos, Urshifu, etc. Try to avoid chip on this pokemon, as it gets no recovery and often needs to stay alive to check any fire types. The EV spread is made to outspeed dragonite after a DD, and always 2HKO Heatran through leftovers.

Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 172 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Forms a pivot core with Landorus, as well as being the designated soaker of knock offs and chip. checks not only physical threats but some special ones Lando can't cover, such as Kyurem and Tapu Lele (except specs psychic). it benefits greatly from having Magnezone around to scare off steel types from it. It also relies heavily on Lando, Tapu Fini, and garchomp to soak fire type attacks. Swords dance is rarely played, but it provides yet another alternative cleaner if need be. In spite of having roost, you still need to be careful about how much damage you take, lest you be unable to pivot or get a roost off.

Melmetal @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Thunder Punch

I needed a strong breaker that enjoyed steels being gone and this pokemon fit the bill. Sometimes I try CB Kartana, but I get a conundrum where every game I lose is caused by either a lack of speed or a lack of bulk, depending on which I choose. Landorus and scizor give both fair opportunities to attack, so I am not sure which is better. both give immediate power which this team needs, and kartana stomps slowbro while melmetal out muscles buzzwole and can still soften slowbro.
 
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Hey BeardedDrakon, I’m here to rate your team and suggest potential changes.

This team looks solid, and I like the idea of using Magnezone with Pokemon like Garchomp and Melmetal who love to see some Steel types being removed. I’m not a big fan of Scizor, even though I understand why he was here as this team was built before Kyurem’s ban (but we can take this as an opportunity to update the team for the post Kyurem meta). I think this team’s main issue is being a bit too weak to some fast special breakers like Dragapult, because, even if specially defensive Landorus-T is a decent check, it gets overwhelmed pretty fast and you often want to have a secondary check. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini is a decent revenge killer for things like Dragapult or even Weavile/Urshifu-R, but I think you still need to have decent defensive options against these Pokemon because they may not stay in against a Tapu Fini who has not revealed any Leftovers or who seems to have an offensive spread. I won’t suggest many changes as I think the team is already pretty good, and I will mainly focus on replacing Scizor and suggesting some sets changes. Let’s dive into it!


Major Changes

:scizor: -> :tapu lele:: I was not a big fan of defensive Scizor even in the Kyurem era, and it is even worse now that Kyurem is gone. I think you can make the Melmetal more defensive to still deal with Tapu Lele and some special threats (will talk about him just below) and run a more threatening Pokemon here. You should be fine with Lando-T, Melmetal and Garchomp baiting in Corviknight and Ferrothorn to trap them, even without a U-turn Scizor. Instead of Scizor, you could try something like your own Tapu Lele, as it is a Pokemon who loves to see Magnezone trap and kill some Steel types like Ferrothorn and who can be extremely useful to force kills against slower teams, especially if you make the Melmetal more defensive. You can try the classic Choice Specs set, just below:

tapulele.gif

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Psychic


Minor Changes

:melmetal:: I would go with Assault Vest Melmetal over a Choice Band Set, because I feel that you need a secondary switch-in to special breaker like Dragapult and AV Melmetal could help against Tapu Lele now that I replaced Scizor. In my opinion, you don’t really need a Choice Band set to force progress with Melmetal once Steel types are removed and could even benefit from not being locked on a move. I would also replace Superpower by Ice Punch as Ferrothorn is not really a problem with Magnezone in the back. Here is the set:

melmetal.gif

Melmetal @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 128 HP / 116 Atk / 252 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch


:magnezone:: I would try to use Rocky Helmet over Leftovers. Rocky Helmet main purpose is to wear down even more Corviknight as it U-turn out. It can also be a cool item to punish Kartana or Urshifu-R who wants to click Surging Strikes.


:landorus-therian:: Not a big change, but I would just replace Toxic by Knock Off. Toxic is cool to catch other Lando-T, but you already have it on Magnezone and the opposing Lando-T will often come in against your Magnezone to get Toxic anyway. As you don’t have any Knock Off user, I think it would be interesting to add it on Lando-T in case you need to remove an annoying item on something.


That’s all for the suggestions I had, here is the paste with these updates, feel free to try it out:

Garchomp @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Scale Shot
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge

Magnezone @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Thunderbolt
- Body Press
- Toxic

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 30 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 120 HP / 172 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Defog

Melmetal @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 128 HP / 116 Atk / 252 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Psychic

Threatlist:

:blacephalon:: Blacephalon is way scarier than Dragapult and you rely on Tapu Fini hitting Hydro Pump to revenge kill it. Garchomp and Landorus can both take a hit when at full, but you need to play super carefully against it.

Swords Dance :Kartana:: If Magnezone is able to punish a Choice locked Kartana, especially when it doesn’t use Sacred Sword, Swords Dance Kartana can be a huge threat. You will have to chip it down first if you want to be able to revenge kill it as your only revenge killer is Tapu Fini.

:Weavile:: Weavile is not as threatening as the other two, but make sure to keep some Pokemon out of range, because Tapu Fini can easily get Knock Off when it tries to come in, leaving your whole team slower and weak to a Swords Dance Weavile clean.

If you feel that Speed Control is too much of an issue, you could try using Choice Scarf Tapu Lele over a Choice Specs set and use back a more offensive set on Melmetal (like the Choice Band set you had) to keep some breaking power.

Hope this was interesting, have a nice day and a merry Christmas!
 
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