Psyspam is generally seen in the OU tier alone, but I decided to take it to UU. Psyspam works by first overwhelming and overpowering psychic type's checks, then winning from there. Typically, psyspam also abuses Psychic Terrain, but that's not very usable in UU so I made do without it. This team follows the same blueprint. The team centers around the offensive core of Calm Mind Reuniclus and Life Orb Latias, which work together to eliminate and wear down psychic type checks like Hydreigon, Krookodile, Alolan-Muk, Scizor, Metagross, Mega Aggron, and many, many more. The team has been relatively successful and I haven't seen anything like it so far, so I decided to RMT it.
I started with the core of Calm Mind Reuniclus+Life Orb Latias. Reuniclus can beak down most stall builds with ease, while Latias has a better matchup against offense. Latias is a really cool lure for Alolan Muk, with Life Orb Draco Meteor into Earthquake knocking it out. These two overwhelm their checks together, except for one mon in particular.
That particular mon is Scizor. I noticed that Scizor completely destroys the Reun+Latias core, so I decided to add Magneton. Magneton also gives me a scarfer and a volt switch mon, which is useful to bring in my two psychic types. Having Mag as my scarfer allows me to revenge kill threats that can become dangerous, like Starmie or Mega Pidgeot. It also gives me a dragon and steel resist, albeit a very frail one.
At this point, the team has no dark check and two weaknesses, has no solid wall, no defog, and no hazards. Mega Altaria provides me a solid dark resist, and helps me check a large swath of the metagame. It checks Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, Hydreigon, Heracross, Kommo-o, Crawdaunt, Infernape, Volcanion, Darmanitan, Latias, Mega Manectric without HP Ice, and so many others. It gives me a defogger, and also gives me a useful cleric.
Rhyperior gives me a needed check to the ever-common Moltres, Mega Manectric without HP Grass, Mega Pidgeot, Raikou, Togekiss, Mega Aerodactyl, Terrakion, Nihilego, and Mega Beedrill. Rhyperior and Mega Altaria combined soft check Gengar and Chandelure. This thing also gives me Stealth Rocks, and gives me a check to Alolan Muk, which would run through my team. I experimented with Diancie and others over Rhyperior, but Rhyperior seemed to be the best fit.
Amoongus rounds out the team by providing me with a decent Primarina check and a Scizor soft check. With Eject Button, Amoongus helps Magneton trap Scizor. Eject Button also allows you to switch out without losing momentum when Primarina predicts the Amoongus switch-in with Psychic. Amoongus helps check Fairies and Waters too.
Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Calm Nature
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Energy Ball
Reuniclus is the first half of the psyspam core. The 252 HP EVS are because I want to maximize Reun's bulk. The 12 Speed is to outspeed all the Reuniclus or Amoognus who are hitting 98 speed by putting 8 Speed EVS. It also conveniently speed creeps negative speed nature Quagisre by one point. The rest is thrown in defense because it's Special Defense is boosted by CM. Magic Gaurd allows me to bypass hazards, poison, and burn, vital to beating stall. Calm Mind and Soft Boiled is the bread and butter of this mon, and allow it to set up on a bunch of mons in the tier. Psyshock is here because it allows you to beat blissey and to beat opposing CM mons. Energy Ball is here because it kills Quagsire and does a bunch to Pyukumuku, and without Energy Ball you don't guarantee a win against stall. Also, Energy Ball still hits Crawdaunt, Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, and hits several mons harder, like Starmie. The only downside is that you can't kill steels or Hydreigon, but it doesn't matter because once you have boosts Hydreigon loses to you anways and you have Magneton+Eject Button Amoongus to eliminate steel types. This pokemon is capable of taking on stall by itself, and can destroy bulky balance teams. It's also useful as a sponge against things like Starmie, Sylveon, Rhyperior, Swampert, Seismitoad, Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Mow, and other passive mons. In my opinion, this mon is not used enough, and although it was better with Venusaur in the tier, it's still pretty solid. However, it struggles with Scizor and other bulky steels, and once it's weakened, it's often impossible to heal because of how slow it is.
Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Earthquake
- Recover
Latias is the second half of the psyspam core. The EV spread is pretty self explanatory. Max Speed Max Special Attack to maximize speed and special attack, 4 attack to increase Earthquake damage output. Earthquake allows me to hit Metagross, Mega Aggron, Stakataka, Klefki, Cobalion, and most notably, Alolan-Muk. Draco Meteor is a staple on this mon for Dragon STAB. Psyshock allows you to hit Blissey harder and is your other STAB move. Recover is nice to give Latias much needed recovery to offset Life Orb recoil, and to allow it to soft check things like Starmie. LO Latias can be really dangerous when paired with Mag+Eject Button; however, pursuit stills screws this thing up.
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power Fire
Magneton has a place in the tier as a steel trapper, and that's exactly what it's here for. Magneton allows me to trap the biggest issue to Latias and Reuniclus: Scizor. The EVs are simple. Max speed max special attack to maximize speed and power. The 4 defense EVs are to keep the HP number odd and because it is preferred over special defense becuase of Scizor. HP Fire hits Scizor for 4x super effective damage, and thunderbolt, volt switch, and flash cannon are a staple on Mag. Magnet Pull is here to gaurantee trap steels. Magneton gives me a scarfer and a volt switch Pokemon to keep up much needed momentum. Magneton is the only reason the team doesn't lose to every steel in UU. Without Mag, Scizor would be extremely problematic.
Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Impish Nature
- Return
- Roost
- Defog
- Heal Bell
Mega Altaria has an excellent defensive typing, which allows it to wall a large portion of the metagame. The EV spread is what I personally believe to be the optimal spread for defensive Mega Alt (calc dump below). Alt is here for Defog and Heal Bell support, and also to give me a reliable Dragon and Dark switch-in. This prevents me from losing Sharpedo, Krookodile, Hydreigon, Latias, and HP Grass Mega Mane. Return is here over Hyper Voice for two main reasons: firstly, Return is stronger than Hyper Voice, and secondly, when running Hyper Voice, Alt can get set up on by CM Latias and Sylveon. Return is also a guaranteed OHKO on 0 HP 0 Def Latias, whereas Hyper Voice can't. Heal Bell+Magic Guard Reuniclus can be irritating because being Poisoned or Burned gives me a status absorber, so you could definitely run Flamethrower over that; however, I like being able to cure the status of all my other mons. Getting the mega off as soon as possible is vital to the team's success, because otherwise you get nuked by Dragons like Hydreigon and Latias. Also, Mega Evolving removes the Stealth Rock weakness, which is very important to be able to fully check things like Latias and Crawdaunt.
Rhyperior @ Figy Berry
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 248 HP / 56 Def / 204 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
-Rock Blast
- Roar
Rhyperior is here for a multitude of reasons. Ground types are awesome to have in the current metagame, and Stealth Rocks are basically a necessity. Rhyperior is the only mon on the team capable of switching in on Moltres, altough HP Grass stings. Like, a lot. Rhyperior prevents mons like Mega Mane and Raikou from pivoting all over, and also checks other birds like Togekiss and Mega Pidgeot. However, it often gets taken advantage of because of the lack of reliable recovery. This is why I like Figy Berry, because it allows me to check things throughout the duration of the match and eases the need to play perfectly around HP Grass Moltres.
Amoongus @ Eject Button
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 72 SpD / 12 Spe
Calm Nature
- Spore
-Giga Drain
-Hidden Power Fire
- Clear Smog
Amoongus rounds out the team with a Primarina check and a Scizor soft check. The EVs allow Amoongus to live one Specs Primarina Psychic, the speed EVs allow you to speed creep 8 speed Reuniclus and minus speed nature Quagsire. Clear Smog allows me to phaze huge threats like DD Kommo-o and DD Mega Altaria. HP Fire+Spore+Eject Button helps me check Scizor, which is the biggest threat to the team. However, Eject Button is a double-edged sword, often making Amoongus switch out when I don't want it to. Be sure to burn the Eject Button if you don't anticipate it to be useful in the match, because it can cost you late game. Amoongus is also pretty passive, and if I had to replace a mon on the team, Amoongus would be the mon.
~Scizor~
Scizor is quite possibly the biggest threat to the team. Although bulky defensive SD variants are the hardest to beat because they won't die to my Magneton HP Fire, most offensive variants are a threat. Once Magneton is chipped enough for +2 Bullet Punch, the game is pretty much over. However, it's pretty easy to remove Scizor before this occurs. By chipping 20% off of Sciz, Mag HP Fire will pick of all common variants. You can either double in the Magneton on the predicted switch or use the Eject Button on Amoongus.
~Strong Special Ghosts~
Gengar and Chandelure are both huge threats to the team, mainly because I have no Ghost resist. Altough Rhyperior and Amoongus can switch in to Gengar, Focus Blast destroys Rhyperior and Amoongus doesn't appreciate STAB Specs Shadow Ball. Altaria-Mega can switch into Chandy, but if it's Specs, Shadow Ball does a lot. If it's Sub CM, Altaria barely breaks the Sub. If you find Chandelure to be Sub CM, Rhyperior can eat it up and kill it back with Rock Blast.
~Primarina~
Choice Specs Primarina plows through my team. If Primarina uses Psychic on the switch to Amoongus, you can live it and pivot out with Eject Button, allowing you to go into one of your many Pyschic resists and gain some momentum. However, if Amoongus ever dies or gets too low, you can lost to the combination of Scald and Moonblast because you have no switch ins. Fortunately, if it's not Specs, it's not a threat because you can go into Reuniclus or Amoongus and sponge all the hits.
~Kyurem~
Kyurem destroys the team because I have no real Ice resists. Every variant of Kyurem beats me, from Specs to Sub. Specs 2HKOs the entire team and is really irritating to take down, while Sub is virtually impossible to break without costing you a mon. The best way to counterplay is to just get the Rocks up and double anticipating it to come in. This way, Kyurem gets chipped down and you can force it out. Other than that, there isn't much you can do.
~Starmie~
Starmie's coverage is good enough to hit all the mons on the team super effectively except for Reuniclus. If it's Life Orb Analytic, Starmie can 2HKO everybody, so you just have to predict which move it will hit correctly. If Icium Z, burn the Z. Once the Z is burned, you can check it with both Amoongus and Reuniclus. If Starmie is not Analytic, Reuniclus can wall it pretty easily, unless it's Waterium Z. Bulky Starmies are free setup fodder for Reuniclus.
~Mamoswine~
Mamowsine is a huge threat to the team because it's coverage is super effective on every mon on the team other than Reuniclus. Life Orb variants 2HKO the entire team, so you usually have to take Ice Shard chip with Lati or Mag to remove it. If it's not Life Orb, Reuniclus can soft check it, but if it's Life Orb, it smacks Reuniclus hard. If Mamo is LO, go into Lati or Mag and pick it off. If it's Sash, you can check it with Reuniclus; just make sure Reuniclus is healthy.
~Heracross~
Heracross is really dangerous because of the sheer power it gets with Flame Orb+Guts. It's relatively simple to play around, just predict which move it will hit and the try to get in Latias or Mag to revenge it. Altaria can check some variants, but if they get an SD up you can no longer beat it with Alt; you just pick a sack and revenge it.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-796281497 example of how the team traps Scizor
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-795709663 example of how the defensive core functions
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-794939506 how to beat stall
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-793513806 example of Reuniclus sponging hits as a soft check
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-789376847 Mamowsine destruction, poorly played by me
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-788503914 vs several large threats to the team
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-786862858 different version of the team, Reuniclus beats stall
I'm quite satisfied with the team and with the RMT. The team did way better than I expected, and I personally think it's a really enjoyable team to use. Thank you to Pearl; your "My Friends Never Die," RMT helped me create and format the RMT. Thanks to all the people who made the sprites, it made it really easy to find everything in one place. If you have any comments, critiques, suggestions, or rates, please leave a comment. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy the team and the RMT as much as I enjoyed making them! Until next time, au revoir.
