I debated which team I would like to get reviewed for a while, but I am liking this one so far so I decided to post it first.
Here is the team: (Ignore nicks, habit of mine to use them)
The team is based off of Dragapult. I decided on the Hex set since it seemed the best one in the meta from my testing. I am using the Ox The Fox's spread since it helps vs Volcarona and Darts is an easier move to click than Draco Meteor. Thunder Wave is best to cripple Clefable, Magearna and Mandibuzz, so I used it over Wisp. It also helped that Shifu is finally gone. Pult is the more consistent Speed control and pivot, as well as a late-game breaker if I get enough status spread around. Pult is the first of the offensivevely-oriented mons on the team.
Slowbro would be the next member of the team. It provides a defensive backbone for Pult, as well as providing utility in Future Sight support and Scald Burns. It also provides a slow-pivot for the team to abuse, as well as the always reliable (and borderline broken) Regen--scout strat Pex and Bro are known for. Slowbro also helps immensely against Rain, which a common match up in the meta. Slowbro is the principal defensive backbone on the team, and is active enough to keep up with the offensive nature of the team.
Next up is Tyranitar. Tyranitar provides key ingredients for the team's success. It aids greatly against opposing Ghost-types, which greatly abuse Slowbro or Dragapult (in the case of a fast Dragapult or Scarf Spectrier). Its also a very Specially Bulky mon, helping Bro in that regard. T-tar also sets Rocks very well, can status opposing mons well, aiding Dragapult, and is helped by Slowbro's ability to check Lando and Hippo well. Tyranitar is also the de-facto Heatran check on the team, helping there as well. Crunch is run to hit Spectrier and is overall better at hitting most of the tier, and Earthquake prevents passivity in the face of a Magearna and allows Tyranitar to hit Melmetal, Excadrill, and Heatran for big damage.
Next up is the Earthquake switch-in and overall hazard control of the team, Zapdos. Zapdos can come in on Landorus, Garchomp, Cinderace (with the help of Slowbro) and Excadrill, as well as other threats that can take advantage of the rest of the team. Zapdos also punishes U-turn abuse that otherwise annoy mons like Ttar and Slowbro greatly. Zapdos can also fish for Paralysis with Discharge well (hence why it was picked over Volt Switch) and helps against Rain with its threat to Pelipper and Hurricane spam, abusing Rain in return. Hurricane is ran to avoid the passivity Heat-Wave sets would have, as it can hit Landorus and Garchomp for big damage as well. While not as effective at hitting Ferrothorn, the team is able to effectively play around Hazard-stacking teams given the amount of members with HDB or hazard resistances/immunities, with only Tyranitar and Heatran being suceptible to these strategies pre-Knock Offs. Zapdos and Slowbro make a great PhysDef core, and Tyranitar provides great Special bulk. Zapdos is also a bit less passive than other Defensive FLying-types in the tier, such as Moltres or Mandibuzz, are and thus makes it one of the best fits for this team.
Up next is Excadrill. Excadrill fulfills several key roles in the team. Excadrill provides Physical Offensive sweeping and breaking, an electric-immunity that can switch in on mons like Tapu Koko, takes advantage of the Sand Tyranitar provides, and is amazing speed control while Sand is up. Excadrill also provides Hazard Control on matches Zapdos cannot Defog comfortably in, and is a reliable breaker of mons Dragapult has issues with, such as Toxapex, Clefable, Tyranitar, Heatran, and even Mandibuzz after some chip and an SD. Rapid Spin is preferred over Rock Slide or Toxic since the team can reliably threaten Flying checks to Excadrill already, it provides a way for Excadrill to aquire Speed outside of Sand and allows to remain a win-con as a result even if Sand ends, and it eases the pressure on Zapdos to remove Hazards. Air Baloon allows Excadrill to partially abuse Hippowdon and Landorus/Garchomp, which gives Tyranitar breathing room and allows the team to pressure teams rellying on these mons to deal with Excadrill while the Balloon is active. Excadrill-Dragapult is a pretty good Offensive core that is not greatly reliant on Choice items, and thus makes it amazing. Excadrill also serves as a backup Steel in defensive terms, thus allowing the next mon (Heatran) some breathing room.
Lastly, breaking Heatran is picked. Offensive power is preferred on this team because it already has Special bulk in Tyranitar, it has another Steel-type in Excadrill to come in on mons like Clefable, and it provides further breaking power and Utility against Stall and Balance that SpD Heatran does not provide as well as Offensive Heatran does. Heatran is the dedicated breaker and the main Steel-Type defensive mon. Heatran takes on mons like Mandibuzz, Corviknight, Clefable, Toxapex, Quagsire, and a lot of defensive mons that might otherwise be harder to deal with for this team. Heatran already is one of the best picks for Bulky offense to run anyhow, so it makes sense for it to be on this team already. Heatran is amazing at spreading Toxic for Dragapult as well, and it is able to run Taunt and Toxic thanks to Tyranitar's role as rock setter. Heatran also checks mons like Magearna, Tornadus, Tapu Lele (to an extent since its not SpD), Latios, Kyurem and Volcarona.
Overall, I would classify the team as Bulky Offense, with not many mons being momentum-drains while keeping offensive pressure and possesing significant bulk. The team was made around Dragapult and has gone through some changes, but I would like some opinions on the current build. Heatran is the newer addition to the team, replacing a Protect Melmetal that was used before, among other changes. I appreciate all constructive input on how the team might better work. Thank You!
Here is the team: (Ignore nicks, habit of mine to use them)
B-2 (Dragapult) (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 96 Atk / 252 SpA / 160 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hex
- Dragon Darts
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
Logan (Excadrill) (M) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Zapper (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Roost
Duh King (Slowbro) (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Slack Off
- Teleport
Le Heat (Heatran) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Taunt
Rockzilla (Tyranitar) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 216 SpD / 40 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Thunder Wave
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 96 Atk / 252 SpA / 160 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hex
- Dragon Darts
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
Logan (Excadrill) (M) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Zapper (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Roost
Duh King (Slowbro) (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Slack Off
- Teleport
Le Heat (Heatran) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Taunt
Rockzilla (Tyranitar) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 216 SpD / 40 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Thunder Wave
The team is based off of Dragapult. I decided on the Hex set since it seemed the best one in the meta from my testing. I am using the Ox The Fox's spread since it helps vs Volcarona and Darts is an easier move to click than Draco Meteor. Thunder Wave is best to cripple Clefable, Magearna and Mandibuzz, so I used it over Wisp. It also helped that Shifu is finally gone. Pult is the more consistent Speed control and pivot, as well as a late-game breaker if I get enough status spread around. Pult is the first of the offensivevely-oriented mons on the team.
Slowbro would be the next member of the team. It provides a defensive backbone for Pult, as well as providing utility in Future Sight support and Scald Burns. It also provides a slow-pivot for the team to abuse, as well as the always reliable (and borderline broken) Regen--scout strat Pex and Bro are known for. Slowbro also helps immensely against Rain, which a common match up in the meta. Slowbro is the principal defensive backbone on the team, and is active enough to keep up with the offensive nature of the team.
Next up is Tyranitar. Tyranitar provides key ingredients for the team's success. It aids greatly against opposing Ghost-types, which greatly abuse Slowbro or Dragapult (in the case of a fast Dragapult or Scarf Spectrier). Its also a very Specially Bulky mon, helping Bro in that regard. T-tar also sets Rocks very well, can status opposing mons well, aiding Dragapult, and is helped by Slowbro's ability to check Lando and Hippo well. Tyranitar is also the de-facto Heatran check on the team, helping there as well. Crunch is run to hit Spectrier and is overall better at hitting most of the tier, and Earthquake prevents passivity in the face of a Magearna and allows Tyranitar to hit Melmetal, Excadrill, and Heatran for big damage.
Next up is the Earthquake switch-in and overall hazard control of the team, Zapdos. Zapdos can come in on Landorus, Garchomp, Cinderace (with the help of Slowbro) and Excadrill, as well as other threats that can take advantage of the rest of the team. Zapdos also punishes U-turn abuse that otherwise annoy mons like Ttar and Slowbro greatly. Zapdos can also fish for Paralysis with Discharge well (hence why it was picked over Volt Switch) and helps against Rain with its threat to Pelipper and Hurricane spam, abusing Rain in return. Hurricane is ran to avoid the passivity Heat-Wave sets would have, as it can hit Landorus and Garchomp for big damage as well. While not as effective at hitting Ferrothorn, the team is able to effectively play around Hazard-stacking teams given the amount of members with HDB or hazard resistances/immunities, with only Tyranitar and Heatran being suceptible to these strategies pre-Knock Offs. Zapdos and Slowbro make a great PhysDef core, and Tyranitar provides great Special bulk. Zapdos is also a bit less passive than other Defensive FLying-types in the tier, such as Moltres or Mandibuzz, are and thus makes it one of the best fits for this team.
Up next is Excadrill. Excadrill fulfills several key roles in the team. Excadrill provides Physical Offensive sweeping and breaking, an electric-immunity that can switch in on mons like Tapu Koko, takes advantage of the Sand Tyranitar provides, and is amazing speed control while Sand is up. Excadrill also provides Hazard Control on matches Zapdos cannot Defog comfortably in, and is a reliable breaker of mons Dragapult has issues with, such as Toxapex, Clefable, Tyranitar, Heatran, and even Mandibuzz after some chip and an SD. Rapid Spin is preferred over Rock Slide or Toxic since the team can reliably threaten Flying checks to Excadrill already, it provides a way for Excadrill to aquire Speed outside of Sand and allows to remain a win-con as a result even if Sand ends, and it eases the pressure on Zapdos to remove Hazards. Air Baloon allows Excadrill to partially abuse Hippowdon and Landorus/Garchomp, which gives Tyranitar breathing room and allows the team to pressure teams rellying on these mons to deal with Excadrill while the Balloon is active. Excadrill-Dragapult is a pretty good Offensive core that is not greatly reliant on Choice items, and thus makes it amazing. Excadrill also serves as a backup Steel in defensive terms, thus allowing the next mon (Heatran) some breathing room.
Lastly, breaking Heatran is picked. Offensive power is preferred on this team because it already has Special bulk in Tyranitar, it has another Steel-type in Excadrill to come in on mons like Clefable, and it provides further breaking power and Utility against Stall and Balance that SpD Heatran does not provide as well as Offensive Heatran does. Heatran is the dedicated breaker and the main Steel-Type defensive mon. Heatran takes on mons like Mandibuzz, Corviknight, Clefable, Toxapex, Quagsire, and a lot of defensive mons that might otherwise be harder to deal with for this team. Heatran already is one of the best picks for Bulky offense to run anyhow, so it makes sense for it to be on this team already. Heatran is amazing at spreading Toxic for Dragapult as well, and it is able to run Taunt and Toxic thanks to Tyranitar's role as rock setter. Heatran also checks mons like Magearna, Tornadus, Tapu Lele (to an extent since its not SpD), Latios, Kyurem and Volcarona.
Overall, I would classify the team as Bulky Offense, with not many mons being momentum-drains while keeping offensive pressure and possesing significant bulk. The team was made around Dragapult and has gone through some changes, but I would like some opinions on the current build. Heatran is the newer addition to the team, replacing a Protect Melmetal that was used before, among other changes. I appreciate all constructive input on how the team might better work. Thank You!