Other Metagames [National Dex OU] Stored Wrath (peaked #1)

[Guard]

Introduction​

Greetings! I am delighted to welcome the opportunity to present my very first RMT! The objective of this RMT is to cover a favourite team of mine I built in the National Dex OU tier and to give this tier its wholly deserved representation in this subforum.

For those who do not know, National Dex OU is akin to regular OU, except for the fact that teambuilding is not restricted to Galar Dex Pokemon, mechanics and moves only (meaning Z-moves, Mega Evolutions, Pursuit and Dexit-victims are allowed). Hence, it is in a sense similar to gen 7 OU, albeit with access to the new gen 8 Pokemon, updated movepools of all Pokemon in the Galar Dex (e.g. Shell Smash Mega Blastoise is playable) and a few Pokemon from older gens that used to be on the banlist, but got unbanned this generation (i.e. Zygarde-50%, Genesect, Mega Metagross, Dugtrio, Deoxys-Defense and Aegislash). This makes it one of the most exciting and diverse tiers to play, a statement that will quantify in truth after the inevitable Dynamax ban. Naturally, this also flows from the diverse nature of teambuilding in this tier, with HO, Balance, BO and Stall all being viable choices and having multiple ways to deliver a fruitful team.

​

The team I will be presenting is a Balance team that has two clear roads towards victory. It also does not center around Dynamax, while being able to go toe to toe against many of the most restrictive Dynamaxers regardless. This guarantees its relevance (and naturally, enhancement) after the Dynamax ban. Without further ado, let’s proceed to the team.

Teambuilding Process​

This team started off with the core of Reuniclus + Toxapex, which I was very eager to try out, due to a notable movepool buff Reuniclus got in Stored Power. This makes it an exponentially more powerful wincon than it was in gen 7 and allows it to break Stall’s Unaware walls in one slot.


Ferrothorn was added next, as it complements Toxapex very well by serving as a check to Electric and Psychic-types and provides the mandatory Stealth Rock.


Zapdos was the final member of the defensive backbone, providing the composition with a defogger and a capable check to potent Dynamaxers such as Kartana, Landorus-T and Gyarados.


At this point, the team needed a better matchup against Offense, and there is no one more capable of fulfilling this job than Mega Lopunny, as it has access to an excellent Speed tier, along with a good Attack stat, unresisted STAB options and 2 forms of potent priority.


Lastly, Dracovish was added in order to drastically improve the Stall and Balance matchup due to its unmatched wall- and stallbreaking prowess.

In-depth Look



Lopunny-Mega @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Fake Out

Frustration

High Jump Kick

Quick Attack

Mega Lopunny starts off this team with an excellent matchup versus Offense. Due to Scrappy not being immune to Intimidate anymore, Landorus-T cannot reliably switch into Mega Lopunny anymore, enabling it to drop Ice Punch for the crucial Quick Attack, which, along with Fake Out, drastically improves its revenge killing prowess to the point where a Scarfer is redundant. Furthermore, its combination of Scrappy, Frustration and High Jump Kick gives it ample amounts of power, therefore also making it a potent late-game wincon along with any wallbreaker.



Dracovish @ Choice Band
Ability: Strong Jaw
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature

Fishious Rend

Outrage

Psychic Fangs

Crunch

Since Mega Lopunny gives us a great matchup versus Offense already and greatly benefits from any wallbreaker, Dracovish is our second team member. Along with Fishious Rend, Strong Jaw, a sufficient Speed tier, a Choice Band and an Adamant nature, Dracovish is hands down the most potent wallbreaker to have ever graced any OU metagame, being able to 2OHKO even bulky resists such as Rotom-Wash, AV Tangrowth, Mega Lati@s, specially defensive variants of Tapu Bulu, Toxapex, Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini and it even has a chance to 2OHKO physically defensive variants of Toxapex, Tangrowth and Alomomola with Fishious Rend after Stealth Rock. Its coverage is optimized in order to beat its checks. Outrage 2OHKO’s Seismitoad and Gastrodon. Psychic Fangs reliably 2OHKO’s Toxapex and Crunch 2OHKO’s Jellicant and Slowbro. Furthermore, Dracovish is a very solid Heatran check, so do not hesitate to use it as such.

The core of Mega Lopunny and Dracovish is our first means of winning with this team. This is achieved by prioritizing laying rocks and pressuring the team with Mega Lopunny and Dracovish from there. This is done most efficiently by carefully double switching Dracovish after the foe sends out its Lopunny check. Once Dracovish gets onto the field, it is in most cases guaranteed to take out a Pokemon, often a Pokemon part of the defensive backbone of the team. Thus, once the opposition is weakened sufficiently, Mega Lopunny turns into a wincon and easily cleans up mid- or late-game. This is however quite difficult to do in rare cases where the opponent has an Alomomola, Mega Slowbro, Rocky Helmet Tangrowth or Water Absorbers. In these situations, it is often better to focus on the second strategy to achieve victory, which brings us to:



Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

Calm Mind

Acid Armor

Stored Power

Recover

Reuniclus is quite possibly the most potent wincon the metagame has to offer. This is due to a combination of traits, mainly encompassing its great bulk and special attack, access to ways of boosting its defensive and offensive prowess, its ability Magic Guard and a lethal move in Stored Power. These traits enable it to serve as a check to almost all defensive threats, by using them as setup fodder and denying their ways of dealing passive damage. The combination of Calm Mind and Acid Armor makes it progressively more difficult to break though and check Reuniclus, and allows Stored Power to reach 380 base bower, allowing Reuniclus to OHKO the bulkiest of Pokemon such as Chansey and specially defensive Jirachi. Reuniclus is also our check to Mega Medicham and Zygarde in this team, so do not hesitate to switch it into these threats.



Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

Scald

Toxic Spikes

Toxic

Recover

Toxapex starts off the defensive backbone of this Balance team, providing a crucial check to a very large part of the metagame, including the likes of Mega Lopunny, Mega Metagross and Dracovish. In addition, its ability to spread status is unmatched due to its access to Scald, Toxic, Toxic Spikes and Baneful Bunker, enabling Reuniclus to outlast Dark-types it otherwise wouldn't be able to touch. This is why the otherwise redundant combination of Toxic + Toxic Spikes is run, giving Toxapex several ways of poisoning Dark types, including levitating ones such as Hydreigon and a Mega Gyarados in its base form.

The core of Reuniclus + Toxapex is our second way to achieve victory. The gameplan here is to prioritize laying down Toxic Spikes or directly poisoning any Dark-types with Toxapex, or to attempt to remove Dark-types with Mega Lopunny or Dracovish (if the matchup is too difficult for this core, such as Hydreigon teams, you will often be able to make use of the first core in order to win the match; careful planning from team preview is key). If there are no Dark-types (left) or if they are crippled to the point where Reuniclus can outlast them, attempt to bring Reuniclus into a passive foe that is not able to do much against it and start boosting up. After collecting a sufficient amount of boosts, you will often be able to end the game from there.



Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 232 SpD
Careful Nature

Leech Seed

Stealth Rock

Power Whip

Thunder Wave

Ferrothorn is our next member of the defensive backbone, notably providing us with a durable check to Electric-types and Ash-Greninja that bother the rest of the team. Its EV spread (and attack choice in Power Whip) is optimized in order to fulfill this role, having enough SpD in order to check Tapu Koko and avoid the 3OHKO from Greninja's Dark Pulse. It is also a very good check to Thunder Punch + Ice Punch Mega Metagross, which otherwise troubles the team. In addition, Ferrothorn is our Stealth Rock setter, which is crucial in allowing Dracovish to break through most of its checks. Leech Seed provides it ample amounts of recovery, with Thunder Wave allowing it to cripple threatening Psychic-types such as Tapu Lele, which otherwise give this team a hard time..



Zapdos @ Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature

Discharge

Heat Wave

Defog

Roost

Zapdos concludes the defensive backbone and our team by providing us with a very solid defogger, due to Heavy Duty Boots preventing it from taking Stealth Rock damage. Its ability to spread paralysis very effectively is a boon for Dracovish, allowing our wallbreaker to outspeed Pokemon it otherwise doesn't. Zapdos also acts as a check to otherwise dangerous sweepers, such as Kartana and Hawlucha, and generally discourages U-turn spam from the likes of Genesect and Landorus-Therian. ​

Importable

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 160
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes
- Toxic
- Recover

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Acid Armor
- Stored Power
- Recover

Lopunny-Mega @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Frustration
- High Jump Kick
- Quick Attack

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 160
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave

Dracovish @ Choice Band
Ability: Strong Jaw
Hidden Power: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fishious Rend
- Outrage
- Psychic Fangs
- Crunch

Zapdos @ Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost

Proof of peak

In my signature. This was in the beta ladder. If you were to look me up in the current ladder, you would find me at number either number one or two.

Threatlist

This team lacks a Dark-resistance other than Mega Lopunny, meaning that Ash Greninja can typically break through Ferrothorn after some chip, which it can generate itself due to Spikes. The key here is to not let it transform, and break the foe's defensive backbone before Ash-Gren breaks yours, so it cannot escape Mega Lopunny anymore

Thunder Punch + Hammer Arm + Ice Punch variants greatly threathen this team, by being able to cheese through the defensive backbone. However, these are uncommon and they are a free switchin for Dracovish after 1 Spe drop from Hammer Arm.

Since I have Ferrothorn in my team, Magnezone has to be played around extremely carefully, or it will easily cripple the team beyond repair.

Dugtrio can remove Toxapex, thus eliminating part of one the game plans. In these matchups, prioritize getting up Rocks, so you at least break its potential Focus Sash.

Banded Dracozolt easily breaks through Ferrothorn, and naturally has a great matchup against the rest of the backbone, which means you will have to play agressively around it, in order to limit its effectiveness.

Psychic-types that can get past Ferrothorn are hard to check defensively. Mega Alakazam also notably outspeeds Mega Lopunny, making it an even more dangerous threat.

Volt Switch Since this team lacks a Ground-type, Volt Switch users can freely gain momentum on Ferrothorn. You should discourage this by laying down Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock as soon as possible.

Lastly, shoutouts to Funbot28 and power for taking on the responsibilty of counselling one of the most fun metagames and to all contributing to it!

 

[N_Mareanie]

Team looks great! I'm a big fan of Mega Lopunny and Reuniclus myself too :)

Here’s a suggestion:
Change Toxapex's item from Black Sludge to Shed Shell. Toxapex has enough access to recovery to begin with, being Recover and Regen, and Shed Shell really eases the matchup against Dugtrio + threatening mon (like charizard y, it would demolish you rn).

otherwise the team looks rlly cool! might just try it out myself ;)

 

[N_Mareanie]

I am glad you like it!

As for your suggestion, the issue with losing Black Sludge is the fact that the Band Vish matchup gets a lot shakier, and since Vish seems to be used a lot more than Dugtrio rn, I opted for Black Sludge regardless. But running Shed Shell definitely has its merits, notable also allowing you to sponge up Tran's Magma Storms without Vish getting chipped.

Yeah Dracovish would become troublesome, didn’t really think about that.
Maybe change Toxapex to SpDef and replace Ferrothorn with PhysDef Tangrowth? SpDef Toxapex allows you to have a more consistent check to Ash Greninja, while PhysDef Tangrowth gives you a way better matchup against Dracovish, Dracozolt, Mega Metagross and Zygarde should you run into Z-move variants that can break through Zygarde. Tangrowth also gives you a secondary Kartana check should you run into Fightinium that breaks through Corvi. You still check Psychics with Corviknight sufficiently (not like Lele and MegaZam are super common rn anyways).
This does mean you lose hazards which is a huge downside, but I personally don’t mind that as much anymore because of the loads of good hazard removal and HDB.
It’s up to you though.

 

[N_Mareanie]

I'll definitely give this a try, thank you for your suggestion. The Koko matchup does become worrying though

252 SpA Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 252 HP / 88 SpD Tangrowth: 157-186 (38.8 - 46%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Tough Claws Metagross-Mega Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 168+ Def Tangrowth: 152-180 (37.6 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(be sure to run Rocky Helmet btw)

Not many Koko are specs (if any) so Tangrowth should fine because of Regen.

And I mean, it's tricky to build in this meta anyway. Your team gets shafted by Psychium Z Volcarona (you have to rely on dual priority from MegaLop to not get swept) and Galarian Darmanitan does a number to your team as well. I don't think this is rlly your fault though, as it's near impossible to properly check every threat. Genesect also looks quite threatening depending on its set.