Projects ND Other Tiers Teambuilding Competition [CYCLE 15: NDRU DIGGERSBY! Congrats to DanBear02 on winning Cycle 14!]

[zastra]

art by IoSonoNeon!
approved by R8 | hosted by me | OP stolen from R8's ND version
NATIONAL DEX OTHER TIERS TEAMBUILDING COMPETITION ​

Welcome to National Dex Other Tiers Teambuilding Competition! In this project, a Pokemon (or set) from a particular NDOT will be presented for you to build a team around each week and then submit. This will then be taken into voting. The winner is the team with the most votes!

Rules:

1. Entry submission: Post team in the thread itself with import and explanation in hide tags. Please, when you are submitting a team, try not to slash movesets / items in the importable. The finished product should be the build you are most confident in. It is fine to do minor set changes throughout the week, but if you want to give an option for one of your Pokemon, note it in the Explanation instead. Make sure the team you post are according to the Pokémon, Core or Theme of the Week: or else you’ll obviously get disqualified. Joke teams will also be disqualified. If you'd like to submit an idea for a Theme, don't be afraid to PM me through Smogon.
2. Disputes / Copying: Obviously, there is potential for disputes over copying or people making similar entries. In general, if your team entry has the same cores of Pokémon and similar move sets to an earlier entry, it will be disqualified. If anyone tries to abuse this by reserving an early post in the thread for their entry, please bring it to my attention and they'll be disqualified. If you are caught doing this there is a high possibility you will not be allowed to post in the building stage for an indefinite amount of time.
3. Discussion and team changes: One part of the process is to have discussion about the teams and the core. While I'd like to keep this from being a speedy RMT thread, suggestions of improvements to entered teams are allowed. In the interests of fairness though, I'd ask that any suggestions don't involve anything more major than move set changes, and that if you've already submitted a team you won't change the Pokémon in it. Basically, just be sure that you're happy with the team before you send it in.
4. Clean and Tidy: I'd like to keep the thread as clean and uniform as possible, as for ease of browsing, so this means keep formatting consistent, using the provided links for sprites and avoid posting one liners during the submission phase.
5. Sprites: Please use this sprite option below:
   • https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/xyani/
   • Alternatively, you may use the :pokemon: format to get your sprites. For example, :slaking: will get and :sv/slaking: will get you .
6. Voting Phase: The voting system used is the Ranked Pairs format. This format is arguably much fairer than the simple voting format and should help keep high stakes for the teams that win. So to vote you basically order your options like this: C>B>A>D, like this A>B=C>D, or like this D>C, assuming there are 4 team options (A, B, C, and D). You can vote if you made a team, but naturally, you aren't allowed to vote for yourself. If you choose not to vote for all teams, the last team(s) will be assumed to be last and valued equally if more than one got left out. If you have any questions about this system, by all means, contact me.

The Metagames:

1. National Dex UU
2. National Dex RU
3. National Dex BH
4. National Dex Little Cup
5. National Dex NFE
6. National Dex Surprise OM

The metagames will cycle in that order. The "Surprise OM" will be choosen by the hosts, after discussion with the NDOMs management. Note that the metagames and the cycle are both subject to change.

The winning team will be added to the Hall of Fame! Have fun posting! ​

 

[zastra]

Hall of Fame​

Cycle​	Winning team​	Winner​
Cycle 1: ND Ubers Swords Dance Flame Charge Koraidon​	- Mega Salamence Bulky Offense​	Runo​
Cycle 2: ND RU Swords Dance Tapu Bulu ​	- SD Bulu + Psychium Z Slowking​	hidin​
Cycle 3: ND BH Tail Glow Arceus-Ghost ​	- RegiXern​	anaconja​
Cycle 4: ND LC Flyium Z Vullaby ​	- BirdSpam	Charis_Akins​
Cycle 5: ND NFE Choice Band Raboot	- CB Raboot standard	Velcroc
Cycle 6: ND GG Volcarona	- Volcarona + SD Chien-Pao Bulky Offense	Aera
Cycle 7: ND Ubers Swords Dance Ultra Necrozma	- Yveltal + Arceus-Fairy BO	Runo
Cycle 8: ND UU Choice Band Meowscarada	- Mega Latios Balance	3MoreMinutes
Cycle 9: ND RU Nasty Plot Hydreigon	- Golurk BO	Velcroc

 

[zastra]

Cycle 1: ND Ubers Swords Dance Flame Charge Koraidon

Koraidon @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Orichalcum Pulse
Tera Type: Fire / Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Swords Dance
-Flame Charge
-Low Kick / Close Combat / Collision Course
-Dragon Claw / Outrage / Substitute

Already a powerhouse, SD+Flame Charge Koraidon can prove itself to be a formidable sweeper and can blow apart unprepared teams with relative ease. However, the use of Flame Charge means you suffer somewhat of a 4mss, forgoing possibly useful coverage (or item, even), not to mention there's a need to set up to actually do things.
How will you build an effective team that supports this bike monster? Building deadline is a week from now, and voting will end two days after.​

 

[ANinjaDude]

NatDex Ubers Koraidon Balance(?)
https://pokepast.es/46327fb4d6b714f2



Koraidon @ Leftovers
Ability: Orichalcum Pulse
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Low Kick
- Dragon Claw
- Flame Charge
- Swords Dance

Basic Set-Up Sweeper Koraidon with the goal of getting up a SD and winning.



Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 248 HP / 72 Def / 188 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sunsteel Strike
- Toxic
- Morning Sun

Just the standard defensive NDM set, but it's able to check Zacian-C w/o Tera Blast Ground, slow down Xerneas, etc, and set rocks.



Ho-Oh @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Def / 52 SpD
Impish Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Toxic
- Defog
- Whirlwind

Standard defensive Ho-Oh, acts as a blanket check to Koraidon lacking Z-moves, Marshadow Choice locked into the wrong move/without Rock Tomb, Zacian-C w/o Wild Charge, and at times what feels like half the metagame. It also Defogs.



Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Heat Crash
- Spikes
- Swords Dance

Defensive SD PDon to help break through defensive teams, and can also get up spikes in MUs where they aren't able to do much vs PDon.



Zacian-Crowned @ Rusted Sword
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Behemoth Blade
- Tera Blast
- Swords Dance

Zacian-C set with Tera Blast Ground to deal with NDM/PDon/Eternatus/Zacian-C and Dual Stabs. Lacks coverage for Ho-Oh, and not sure if I'm going to change it or not, but it's still a dangerous set.



Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Defog
- Recover

Defensive Groundceus set to help check Zacian-C, NDM, PDon, etc. Ice Beam is for Zygarde, can act as a secondary Defogger, and has reliable recovery. Will probably come back and change the Tera type at some point.​

 

[BrakeSeer]

https://pokepast.es/b848e4b2b9d43b05
my submission for this event

I have always loved memento, it is such a flexible move from facilitating sweeps to shutting them down, it always leads to a good time. an SD koraidon prompt is the perfect place to put it into practice.
this is a offensive team built around orichalcum pulse, allowing ho oh to turn passivity into a genuine threat most people will not expect, helping break through most neutral Pokémon who would otherwise win the 1v1 such as Xerneas and Yveltal. flutter mane is build to repeatedly check scarf Koraidon with tera burnt, since it will always out speed thanks to the proto boost alongside the scarf boost. enough overview, lets break down the sets



Koraidon @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Orichalcum Pulse
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Flame Charge
- Close Combat
- Outrage

this is a swords dance Koraidon Variant with Z-Outrage to blitz past tera water Zygod complete as well as NDM after a dance, along with Pdon. I Close close Combat as a fighting STAB since I like the consistency it offers compared to Low Kick, whilst not compromising power like Collision Course. overall, a consistent late game cleaner and breaker, worth the team slot



Flutter Mane @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protosynthesis
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Shadow Ball
- Power Gem
- Memento


This Flutter mane is meant to take on HO teams that rely on speed control through Koraidon with a Choice Scarf, and other fast threats. Flutter Mane completely shuts this down, along with being a strong Pokémon in its own right. along with great coverage alongside its trademark STABs complimented by Power Gem, which allows it to eviscerate Ho-oh, the premier special wall that resists fairy, which also benefits its teammates Xern, and our own Ho-oh, whilst making Arceus-Ground able to wall things a bit easier since Ho-oh cannot switch in for free. An odd move choice in Memento allows Koraidon to set up for free on the entire metagame, allowing it to SD for free, often getting a Flame Charge through tera mix ups. overall, a great matchup check that facilitates Koraidon excellently whilst abusing its ability for itself. it also uses the uncommon Tera Ghost to take it out of Mega-Lucarios bullet punch KO range, even with Stealth Rock on the field.



Ho-Oh @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 188 Atk / 52 SpD / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Thunder Wave
- Defog

Ho oh is a great glue Pokémon with the deceptively high base Atk of 130 along with a powerful Fire type STAB in Sacred Fire, and a great secondary STAB in Flying, which few viable Pokémon resist, with the most prominent one in NDM fearing both burns and Sacred fire. I use the relatively uncommon offensive variant for less passivity allowing it to pick up surprise KOs thanks to the sun boost from Koraidon. along with its fantastic natural bulk and good typing and incredibly ability in Regenerator allowing it to come in multiple times throughout a game, making it quite the versatile Pokémon, and a good pick for a team.



Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 248 HP / 72 Def / 188 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sunsteel Strike
- Toxic
- Morning Sun

This is a basic defensive option with a good signature move to break through some abilities that reduce damage or Shedninja if that mf gets unbanned along with unparalleled bulk, good typing, a great defensive ability in Prism Armour, and solid recovery thanks to the sun in Morning Sun, great utility thanks to Stealth Rock and has some presence on the field thanks to Toxic, stopping it from being too passive. I think it fits well on this team, and is very helpful overall.



Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 124 Spe
Bold Nature
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Defog
- Recover

This is a stand in defensive ground type for Pdon, because Pdon removing the sun is more detrimental to this team than the cost of not using Pdon, along with repeating any typing should be avoided if possible, which this accomplishes without losing to much. the Judgement hits hard thanks to Earth Plate, and Ice Beam deals with the many Dragons like Rayquaza, Mega Mence, and Zygarde (assuming they have not used Tera). along with running Defog for the utility that helps with longevity on the team, and the reliable recovery allows Arceus to stick around to support its teammates.



Xerneas @ Choice Specs
Ability: Fairy Aura
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 SpA / 72 SpD / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Aromatherapy
- Thunder Wave

to fill the last team slot i chose to run specs Xern over the more common geomancy set. this may seem unintuitive at first, since memento is made to allow Pokémon to set up, but i think the unexpected damage of choice specs Tera Fairy Moonblasts will tear through defensive cores that can normally handle a Tera Electric/Steel Xern that is at +2 or upboosted if Xern chooses to sub on the switch. along with this, Thunderbolt allows consistency over Thunder in the sun, a meager 50% acc, with only a 20 bp difference. along with Thunder Wave to help slow down faster threats for Koraidon to out speed things without needing a Flame Charge or two. on top of this, Aromatherapy allows the trainer to status absorb, a role in need in the Toxic ridden tier known as Nat Dex Ubers. this gives a bit more flexibility in how a player can pilot this team. I specialized this Xern EV spread to out speed all the common defensive Arceus forms crept to 307 speed to out speed the primals​

 

[Runo]

<- click for paste
I'm pretty sure I made this team for Ghosting tour, but never used it. Kinda annoyed that this team is still valid months later but cool for me ig.

 

[zastra]

Voting time!

NatDex Ubers Koraidon Balance(?)
https://pokepast.es/46327fb4d6b714f2

A

https://pokepast.es/b848e4b2b9d43b05
my submission for this event

B

<- click for paste
I'm pretty sure I made this team for Ghosting tour, but never used it. Kinda annoyed that this team is still valid months later but cool for me ig.

C

 

[entrocefalo]

C

 

[LOrd Fernado]

c

 

[Eledyr]

C

 

[xqiht]

c

 

[Runo]

Congrats to Runo for winning Cycle 1!

Cycle 2: ND RU Swords Dance Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu @ Rockium Z / Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
Tera Type: Water / Steel
EVs: 220 HP / 144 Atk / 144 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge / High Horsepower
- Swords Dance

Tapu Bulu is a strong wallbreaker with a lot of defensive utility, with Swords Dance being able to take its breaking power even futher to be a strong win-condition on a variety of teams. However, it's quite slow which leaves it easily revenge killed and tends to have trouble with consistently breaking past NDRU's common Steel-types even with Close Combat. Additionally it has some coverage issues which means that it has to choose whether to lose to Flying-types or Poison-types mainly. How will you support Tapu Bulu?

Building deadline is a week from now, and voting will end two days after.​

 

[Kinzo]

https://pokepast.es/920b4a2006f7c47b
I get extra point for using mscept

 

[Runo]

<-- Paste
Made a nice offense team to support SD Bulu. Mienshao helps revenge kill annoying Steels such as Cobalion, while also being a good speed control mon. Volcanion is the fogger that helps check Steels and Grass types like Aggron-Mega, Amoonguss, and Tangrowth. Mega Pidgeot does the same but is more focused on beating Grass types, also makes a nice U-turn core with Mienshao since they handle each others checks for the most part. Rhyperior is the rocker and helps beat Poisons such as Crobat. Azelf rounds out the voltturn core and also helps deal with Poison types such as Nidoking for Tapu Bulu.

 

[hidin]

SD Bulu + Psychium Z Slowking

Psychium Z Slowking is able to compliment Tapu Bulu since it messes with Rotom-H and Volcanion for it, with the Z-Move to immediately remove the aforementioned and other Pokemon like Primarina. Houndoom is here for the FWG core and according to my research in this tier, has no safe defensive counterplay boosted. Sandy Shocks is speed control and Stealth Rock user, Enamorus-T with a Yache Berry is cope for Icium Z Lilligant-Hisui since its really annoying, but you can use HDB + Tera if you want to be more safe against Pokemon like Mienshao. Crobat is Crobat, that being a good pivot and hazard control.

Does a little weird into Electric-types but the MU is playable; don't get too shook though.

 

[zastra]

https://pokepast.es/920b4a2006f7c47b
I get extra point for using mscept

A

<-- Paste

B

SD Bulu + Psychium Z Slowking

C

Voting time! Ends in 2 days so hurry up!

 

[xqiht]

c

 

[LOrd Fernado]

c

 

[georgebowserjr]

C cuz theres no way im saying A and B has a rhyperior

 

[rarre]

B

 

[zastra]

Congratz to hidin on winning Cycle 2!

Cycle 3: ND BH Tail Glow Arceus-Ghost

Arceus-Ghost @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Mold Breaker
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Secret Sword
- Tail Glow
- Strength Sap

Tail Glow Ghostceus can prove itself to be a formidable cleaner at times, with mold breaker to ensure it gets past ice scales, further bolstering its breaking potential. however, it's not without its flaws. it doesn't have immediate breaking power, and gets outsped and revenge killed by things like MGar, etc. How will you effectively build around the God of Ghosts?

Building deadline is a week from now, and voting will end two days after.​

 

[LOrd Fernado]

ghostceus team with mpert as the improof(AND ITSELF). zacc and lunala create a voltturn core and it also helps with lunala's improofing. zacc is sor because ghostceus is a set-up sweeper. xern is passive healing and hazard clearing, and status spreader.

 

[anaconja]

bringing the regixern back from gen 8. regigigas pressures things that give ghostceus trouble such as dialga/tinglu while xern handles checks to regigigas like dondozo/waterceus and improofs regi (facade does ~33). bit of a wack defensive core, neither groudon nor swampert have especially exploitable weaknesses on the physical and special side respectively and if you want pivoting you can put vswitch on groudon over stone axe. chansey rounds the core out while improofing xern.

ghostceus team with mpert as the improof. zacc and lunala create a voltturn core and it also helps with lunala's improofing. zacc is sor because ghostceus is a set-up sweeper. xern is passive healing and hazard clearing, and status spreader.

you should probably take into account that ghostceus improofs itself, also xern is jolly fsr

 

[zastra]

Apple

Banana

2 days.

 

[rarre]

Banana