Hey guys! I've never done one of these before, but I wanna get more involved with the Smogon community, as well as get better at nat dex post-bans. This team has gotten me to about 1520 VR pretty quick, but I'm looking for ways to improve it. I keep switching the mega slot, but I'm starting to like gyarados a lot, as it helps poke holes in team walls such as Toxapex or Slowbro for Dracovish to take over.
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Earthquake
Gyarados is here to break holes early in teams, and to setup and punish more passive Pokemon like Toxapex. Sometimes I end up using it late game, but usually I attempt to use it early. I tried other megas such as Medicham, Lopunny or SD Mawile to take this spot, but neither ended up working as well as I was hoping. Gyarados has worked surprisingly well in breaking these holes, though it does still fear a burn from both Pokemon it is supposed to take out. Gyarados has the potential to cover almost every dracovish check, and it is very effective as long as it doesn't get scald burnt.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SpA / 172 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic
I'm using a stall breaker set on Heatran to break heavily defensive cores such as Chansey + Tangrowth, as this set is able to beat Chansey the vast majority of the time, and Toxapex every time as long as taunt is used correctly. The EV spread is so I will have a better matchup against Volcanion, ensuring the two hit ko on it even with max HP sets (which I have been seeing much more often). Heatran has very few switch ins, and even Pokemon which are semi-safe can been threatened by a well predicted toxic. Magma Storm + taunt also makes it so an unsuspecting Clefable gets trapped and potentially eliminated. I hate 75% accuracy, but in my opinion the trapping is with it on this team.
Dracovish @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Strong Jaw
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fishious Rend
- Crunch
- Psychic Fangs
- Ice Fang
This is a very standard dracovish set, and the Pokemon which is seen most at the end of battles. As everyone is brining one or even more dracovish checks, it's hard to utilize this thing to the fullest, making its spammable move not quite as spammable. Although I often use Dracovish as a late game sweeper, I also use it as an opportunity to lure one of its checks in, and switch into gyarados and have the ability to get off a dragon dance. To be completely honest, I rarely ever use its coverage moves, as even well predicted most dracovish checks can easily take any of its coverage moves. I want to change the moveslot to more easily punish counters, but I can't think of any possible 4th move to do that.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fly
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Defog
With the recent bans, Landorus-Therian's double flying ground stab coverage hits the majority of the tier save flying steel types and some other steels. I wanted to fit in hazards on Landorus, but I found it impossible due to the mandatory defog, with my team's average susceptibility to entry hazards. I am still debating between a Jolly and an Adamant nature, as I don't see too many benefits in the extra speed jolly gives me, so I don't know exactly where I should go with that. Landorus is also decent at defensively switching into Pokemon such as hawlucha and being able to retaliate with ease, it is also a good pivot when predicting switches correctly or on slower defensive walls.
Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 2 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Volt Switch
- Fleur Cannon
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head
Assault Vest magearna is here to soak up special hits from Pokemon such as Hydreigon, and switching in to safely pivot off of bulky waters without fearing a burn. Iron head is used to beat calm mind magearna, as well as the prevalent Clefable. Ice beam is used on switches into landorus, as well as killing an unboosted garchomp, which typically leads and sets up stealth rocks, but even if not magearna can take an earthquake, and dispatch of it with a single ice beam. I found it very important to find a Pokemon which could take special hits and didn't fear a burn, and Magearna in my opinion does that job very well.
Hydreigon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
Scarf Hydreigon is in-order to revenge kill other dracovish, with the fortunate ability to pivot out quickly when in a dangerous situation while getting some chip damage on the opposing Pokemon. I'm not 100% sure about this moves, but I like the dark stab, which threatens a lot of Pokemon, combined with flamethrower allowing me to have some 100% accurate way of dealing with pesky bug/grass+steel types which I have seen quite often. I have been very surprised my hyreigon's performance, but I would like to see how you guys think it would be changed.
Problem Areas:
Sticky Webs:
Adding Hydreigon to the team has definitely helped my teams matchup against webs sweepers such as dracovish, I still have an issue with it, if the opponent sets up webs and then goes into a Pokemon such as Kommo-O and continues to set-up.
Rain Teams:
Dealing with opposing rain teams is a rough matchup for this team. I have no answer for dracovish in rain other than sending in my own, these are all over now, so I really would like to have a better solution.
Mega Lopunny:
While I can revenge kill it or force it out, it becomes a problem to my team when sent in on Heatran or a weakened Magearna, forcing me to sacrifice a Pokemon in order to have the opportunity to revenge kill it with dracovish. I have a bigger problem, however, when Lopunny is paired with a Pokemon like Slowbro, which makes me have to play mind-games with my opponent to even have a chance of having a neutral interaction.
Kartana:
Kartana is a Pokemon with this team I honestly have to play around, I have nothing which outspeeds scarf variants, and unless I predict switches right it does a major chunk to my team.
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Thank you guys so much, I really appreciate everything you guys do, and I can't wait to get more involved with the Smogon community. I know gyarados might seem like a weird pick for a team, but I really like it as a wallbreaker for dracovish!! I'm open to all suggestions! Thank you guys so much and have a good day.
Replay:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1153069730-k5i9nobhv2uk9e6vbnfyqnh598k2phgpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1153252495
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Earthquake
Gyarados is here to break holes early in teams, and to setup and punish more passive Pokemon like Toxapex. Sometimes I end up using it late game, but usually I attempt to use it early. I tried other megas such as Medicham, Lopunny or SD Mawile to take this spot, but neither ended up working as well as I was hoping. Gyarados has worked surprisingly well in breaking these holes, though it does still fear a burn from both Pokemon it is supposed to take out. Gyarados has the potential to cover almost every dracovish check, and it is very effective as long as it doesn't get scald burnt.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SpA / 172 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic
I'm using a stall breaker set on Heatran to break heavily defensive cores such as Chansey + Tangrowth, as this set is able to beat Chansey the vast majority of the time, and Toxapex every time as long as taunt is used correctly. The EV spread is so I will have a better matchup against Volcanion, ensuring the two hit ko on it even with max HP sets (which I have been seeing much more often). Heatran has very few switch ins, and even Pokemon which are semi-safe can been threatened by a well predicted toxic. Magma Storm + taunt also makes it so an unsuspecting Clefable gets trapped and potentially eliminated. I hate 75% accuracy, but in my opinion the trapping is with it on this team.
Dracovish @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Strong Jaw
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fishious Rend
- Crunch
- Psychic Fangs
- Ice Fang
This is a very standard dracovish set, and the Pokemon which is seen most at the end of battles. As everyone is brining one or even more dracovish checks, it's hard to utilize this thing to the fullest, making its spammable move not quite as spammable. Although I often use Dracovish as a late game sweeper, I also use it as an opportunity to lure one of its checks in, and switch into gyarados and have the ability to get off a dragon dance. To be completely honest, I rarely ever use its coverage moves, as even well predicted most dracovish checks can easily take any of its coverage moves. I want to change the moveslot to more easily punish counters, but I can't think of any possible 4th move to do that.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fly
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Defog
With the recent bans, Landorus-Therian's double flying ground stab coverage hits the majority of the tier save flying steel types and some other steels. I wanted to fit in hazards on Landorus, but I found it impossible due to the mandatory defog, with my team's average susceptibility to entry hazards. I am still debating between a Jolly and an Adamant nature, as I don't see too many benefits in the extra speed jolly gives me, so I don't know exactly where I should go with that. Landorus is also decent at defensively switching into Pokemon such as hawlucha and being able to retaliate with ease, it is also a good pivot when predicting switches correctly or on slower defensive walls.
Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 2 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Volt Switch
- Fleur Cannon
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head
Assault Vest magearna is here to soak up special hits from Pokemon such as Hydreigon, and switching in to safely pivot off of bulky waters without fearing a burn. Iron head is used to beat calm mind magearna, as well as the prevalent Clefable. Ice beam is used on switches into landorus, as well as killing an unboosted garchomp, which typically leads and sets up stealth rocks, but even if not magearna can take an earthquake, and dispatch of it with a single ice beam. I found it very important to find a Pokemon which could take special hits and didn't fear a burn, and Magearna in my opinion does that job very well.
Hydreigon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
Scarf Hydreigon is in-order to revenge kill other dracovish, with the fortunate ability to pivot out quickly when in a dangerous situation while getting some chip damage on the opposing Pokemon. I'm not 100% sure about this moves, but I like the dark stab, which threatens a lot of Pokemon, combined with flamethrower allowing me to have some 100% accurate way of dealing with pesky bug/grass+steel types which I have seen quite often. I have been very surprised my hyreigon's performance, but I would like to see how you guys think it would be changed.
Problem Areas:
Sticky Webs:
Adding Hydreigon to the team has definitely helped my teams matchup against webs sweepers such as dracovish, I still have an issue with it, if the opponent sets up webs and then goes into a Pokemon such as Kommo-O and continues to set-up.
Rain Teams:
Dealing with opposing rain teams is a rough matchup for this team. I have no answer for dracovish in rain other than sending in my own, these are all over now, so I really would like to have a better solution.
Mega Lopunny:
While I can revenge kill it or force it out, it becomes a problem to my team when sent in on Heatran or a weakened Magearna, forcing me to sacrifice a Pokemon in order to have the opportunity to revenge kill it with dracovish. I have a bigger problem, however, when Lopunny is paired with a Pokemon like Slowbro, which makes me have to play mind-games with my opponent to even have a chance of having a neutral interaction.
Kartana:
Kartana is a Pokemon with this team I honestly have to play around, I have nothing which outspeeds scarf variants, and unless I predict switches right it does a major chunk to my team.
-
Thank you guys so much, I really appreciate everything you guys do, and I can't wait to get more involved with the Smogon community. I know gyarados might seem like a weird pick for a team, but I really like it as a wallbreaker for dracovish!! I'm open to all suggestions! Thank you guys so much and have a good day.
Replay:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1153069730-k5i9nobhv2uk9e6vbnfyqnh598k2phgpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1153252495
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