Hello, friends. With the recent additions to RU as well as the significant departure of Durant, I've decided now is as good of a time as any to make my first RMT! This teams design is mostly influenced by the recent surge in Yanmega/Moltres usage, as well as the incredibly common defensive glues of Milotic, Cresselia, and Mega-Steelix. I'm not exactly known for my teambuilding, but after final review I was genuinely pleased with the end results. Anyway, let's dive into it.
Shaymin is the star of the show, it exists as a Pokemon I believe absolutely dismantles many of the metagames most splashable and otherwise frustrating walls. While seed flare is obviously its main attraction, it has access to a plethora of viable moves and sets to an extent most mons in the tier don't really experience. When Durant left the tier, I immediately noticed discussion of how difficult it was to deal with some of the tiers bulkier Pokemon while remaining viable offensively. Feeling this wasn't true, I aimed to build a team spearheaded by a Pokemon that could do incredibly well versus the common cores of RU today.
Moltres was the most immediate partner that came to mind with Shaymin, and with good reason. Moltres exists as a potent threat that deals with the steels, bugs, and other grass types that are able to annoy Shaymin. Also, u-turn support is quite helpful when scaring out most of the types mentioned above, allowing Shaymin or another Pokemon to come in with momentum.
Mega Blastoise appeared to me as an obvious third choice; not only did it complete the Fire/Water/Grass core, but it also provided necessary hazard removal for Moltres. Mega Blastoise exists as not just the best spinner in the tier at the moment, but also as perhaps the most frightening offensive form of hazard control. Similar to Moltres, Blastoise can check many of the foes that give Shaymin relative difficulty. On the flip side, Milotic is one of the tiers most common answers for our Mega, though is utterly handled by Shaymin.
Looking for a Pokemon that could take on forms of Salazzle as well as start to form a bulky core, I turned to Cresselia. There isn't as much to say about Cress as there is about the other three mons above, though I think it's important to note that it takes on a good chunk of the tiers special attacking threats. While it certainly can be a momentum killer, it felt necessary as a backbone here.
Bewear isn't a Pokemon I originally had on the team, though I used them to replace Snorlax. It's able to cover plenty of the shortcomings Cresselia has (mainly dark types) while also retaining immediate offensive aggression in a way CurseLax usually doesn't. Similarly to the example provided above, many of the threats that give Bewear trouble are thwarted by Cresselia, so they're easily able to act off of each other. While it's certainly more susceptible to special attackers, Fluffy is obviously a very useful ability for handling a healthy amount of physical attackers.
To finish off the team, I added the most offensive stealth rocker in the tier since Kommo's removal. Nidoqueen takes on not only all of the rockers in RU (barring Necrozma) but also some of the removers, which was something I valued. The ability to scare out rocks before they go up helps Moltres out in case Blastoise is ever in a spot where spinning is nonviable or even unavailable.
Shaymin @ Grassium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
The original idea for this team was that Shaymin not only beats several of the bulkier mons in the tier, but also can surprise pokemon like Yanmega for a guaranteed OHKO and Moltres for around 85% typically. Also, z-move seed flare either OHKOs or has a chance to OHKO many pokemon with relatively fair bulk in the tier. It's especially lethal if seed flare has already been used and a 2-stage specially defensive drop was implemented. Synthesis allows for great recovery as you're able to endlessly switch Shaymin in on Pokemon like the increasingly common Milotic that lacks ice beam, or the common Mandibuzz that lacks brave bird. Another sneaky ability of this set is that non-specs damage with no life orb recoil or leftovers usually alludes to the existence of a choice scarf, an item that's incredibly standard on this Pokemon to begin with. In the very few test games I used this team that had Yanmega, if people lost a Pokemon to seed flare or simply went to check Shaymin with Yanmega, it resulted in an OHKO with HP Rock. Moltres also regularly can check any usual Shaymin, as Moltres takes mostly negligible damage from non-boosted typically 75-90 BP attacks like psychic or air slash. Air Slash is debatable and other moves can certainly be used on this set (like psychic or earth power) though I felt hitting opposing grass types was appreciated. A big drawback to this Pokemon in general is that the 8 PP provided by seed flare can really fade quickly, so it's crucial to judge when the absolute best time to strike is.
Moltres @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Moltres was brought on originally as a scarfer that could outspeed certain mons in RU, most notably Virizion, Swellow, Shaymin, and Yanmega. Another great perk of Moltres is dealing with the viable steels that annoy our Shaymin set, such as Escavalier or Bronzong. Fire Blast and Hurricane are self explanatory as powerful STABs that can deeply puncture unprepared teams. Milotic & Umbreon are often switch-ins to this behemoth and U-turn allows great momentum into counters like Shaymin and Bewear, respectively. The fourth slot can be altered between a number of moves. I've found myself most fond of Overheat, though Air Slash and Toxic I've found also suitable. I'm not a large fan of a hidden power slot here, mainly because of the intended targets being handled by the rest of the team generally.
Blastoise-Mega @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Rounding out the FWG core, Blastoise is the offensive spinner that Moltres so heavily benefits from. Like many, I use a timid nature with max speed to ensure I'm outspeeding things like timid Nidoqueen, among other useful benchmarks. Hydro Pump to me seems much better than Water Pulse or Scald if you can stomach the accuracy drop. Having a pretty good chance of killing Mega Steelix and OHKOing standard Gligar seemed pretty valuable, among other various rolls. Dark Pulse stands out as the best secondary slot in the tier at the moment, being particularly useful on this team for Pokemon like Hoopa, Bronzong, and Cresselia. The chance to flinch down Milotic if it's low is available in a pinch as well. Aura Sphere is actually a move I prefer less than Ice Beam at the moment, though feel it's more necessary since with it, Blastoise can OHKO Linoone, a Pokemon that can trouble this team if Bewear is weakened. Aura Sphere is also nice for OHKOing Bewear if for whatever reason it came to it. Finally, Rapid Spin is a must have on this team for simple removal reasons. Threatening out just about any rocker to begin with is nice as well. As mentioned earlier, Milotic is a very popular counter to Blastoise at the moment, though that's easy to abuse with Shaymin on the team.
Cresselia @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 104 SpD / 152 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Cresselia is a great answer to the variety of fighting types in the tier at the moment, as well as Salazzle. Colbur Berry is used because in my opinion there really isn't a better item for Cress, it lets it take on dark types to an extent and then proceed to throw off a Moonblast or Thunder Wave. Thunder Wave isn't exactly a move I've seen a lot of, with most visibly favoring Toxic if any form of status at all. However, with the rise of Refresh Milotic I don't see an overt usage for Toxic outside of other Cresselias and Mandibuzz. Thunder Wave is an alternative that I've found to be relatively fruitful, as it catches several offensive Pokemon that would typically switch in to Cress without a care in the world. The rest of the set is standard, I feel the dual coverage is absolutely necessary. I toyed with the idea of something like Lunar Dance over a status condition, though felt it wasn't as entirely beneficial as I had hoped. The main downside of this Cress is that it's still easily the most passive mon on this team, and can be taken advantage of regardless of status if you're not careful.
Bewear @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Bewear handles mostly what Cresselia can not, putting pressure on Pokemon like Snorlax and other various dark types. I've started with a Jolly nature because I appreciate the ability to outspeed Jolly Bewear/Pangoro, as well as Adamant Cloyster if necessary. Typically on band sets I'd run Adamant, though I feel with a silk scarf & SD it can get away with Jolly. Return is because I value Bewear's HP highly, especially if I'm fighting a team with Linoone on it. SD Return generally let's it 2hko the same Pokemon I'd like it to do so otherwise. Hammer Arm is just nice STAB Coverage, but it's also ideal so that Mandibuzz has a hard time roosting versus you after speed drop, especially if Bewear is at +2. While Earthquake was certainly an option to hit various steels & poisons, Shadow Claw allows me to not be completely walled by Mismagius & also catch Hoopa on switches more effectively than Earthquake would. Ice Punch is a definite viable 4th move, though I felt the rest of the team handled Gligar well enough to where it could be dropped.
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Rounding out the team is Nidoqueen, our offensive rocker who is arguably the best at what it does in the tier. Between Earth Power and Ice Beam, it handles most Pokemon who would otherwise be willing to set rocks, or remove them. Taunt is a late addition to the team to annoy Mandibuzz, as I feel Ground/Ice Coverage is really most of what Nidoqueen needs in the current meta. Thunderbolt is an option over Taunt if it's truly desired for stuff like Pyukumuku, Milotic, Feraligatr or Blastoise. However, I felt Shaymin was more than enough for the first two pokemon on its own. Lastly, Stealth Rock is a required move for self-explanatory reasons.
-Offensive Psychics in general can give this team a hard time, seeing as it has a double psychic weakness. If you can land a Thunder Wave on Meloetta or Gardevoir that's great, though Espeon in general is a little harder to deal with because of Magic Bounce.
-Salazzle can be problematic since it comes in very easily versus Shaymin or Bewear. Cresselia is the main counter to this pokemon, though Moltres, Blastoise, or Nidoqueen can handle certain variants of it. Forcing Salazzle into rocks is really beneficial, especially to Moltres.
-These offensive waters can be very troubling. Blastoise punches holes through the team if faced versus Nidoqueen or Bewear, and Gatr can become incredibly dangerous if given the opportunity to set up.
-Linoone more or less ruins this team if given the opportunity to setup with Bewear weakened, so if Linoone appears it's imperative to keep Bewear healthy+hazards off the field, especially spikes. This little rodent is honestly one of the most dangerous mons in the tier, and that's no different here.
In general a large issue this team has is putting too much defensive pressure on Cresselia, as quite a few of the Pokemon are slower than dangerous offensive Pokemon that generally hit around 280 speed, like some of the ones mentioned above.
Shaymin @ Grassium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seed Flare
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Air Slash
- Synthesis
Moltres @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Overheat
Blastoise-Mega @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Aura Sphere
- Rapid Spin
Cresselia @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 104 SpD / 152 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
- Thunder Wave
Bewear @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Hammer Arm
- Shadow Claw
- Swords Dance
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seed Flare
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Air Slash
- Synthesis
Moltres @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Overheat
Blastoise-Mega @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Aura Sphere
- Rapid Spin
Cresselia @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 104 SpD / 152 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
- Thunder Wave
Bewear @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Hammer Arm
- Shadow Claw
- Swords Dance
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
There's a lot of people I really do appreciate so sorry if I miss anyone ;_;, though I'm not going to tag every community I'm a part of.
RU Friends - Chill Shadow Arifeen lighthouses Meru Kushalos Feliburn & a few others
Tours Community - Cdumas Tony Sken lax bugzinator passion Pak Cynde Shiba KratosMana Dream & many, many others. All of the Bushmasters & Stakatakas are wonderful ppl :D
Battle Spot Friends - Jhon qsns cant say NOVED chemcoop Solerme Zamrock Cynara
Amazing Friends - Eyan Kaori Chloe miltankmilk You all know I treasure you dearly n_n
RU Friends - Chill Shadow Arifeen lighthouses Meru Kushalos Feliburn & a few others
Tours Community - Cdumas Tony Sken lax bugzinator passion Pak Cynde Shiba KratosMana Dream & many, many others. All of the Bushmasters & Stakatakas are wonderful ppl :D
Battle Spot Friends - Jhon qsns cant say NOVED chemcoop Solerme Zamrock Cynara
Amazing Friends - Eyan Kaori Chloe miltankmilk You all know I treasure you dearly n_n
Last edited: