Resource SM OU ULTRA Cores

[teachable]

Hiya y'all, prep for non-doublade post:

Here's a coolio Balanced core I've been messing around with, Mantine + Excadrill :).

The basic idea is that Mantine is your bulky water and checks stuff like Volcarona/Zard Y that your Excadrill can't and your Excadrill handles stuff like Psyshock Lele or Tapu Koko. Provides a lot of what you want on a team, Electric immunity + Steel, Rocks + Hazard Removal, Status... It's really pretty cool and I'm a big fan of this albeit the Excadrill set is unconventional. You can make Excadrill a more offensive set if you want to opt to run a (mega) Ttar.

import

Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 40 Def / 220 SpD
Calm Nature
- Roost
- Scald
- Defog
- Toxic

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic

 

[Jordy]

for (fill) user

Hiya y'all, prep for non-doublade post:

Here's a coolio Balanced core I've been messing around with, Mantine + Excadrill :).

The basic idea is that Mantine is your bulky water and checks stuff like Volcarona/Zard Y that your Excadrill can't and your Excadrill handles stuff like Psyshock Lele or Tapu Koko. Provides a lot of what you want on a team, Electric immunity + Steel, Rocks + Hazard Removal, Status... It's really pretty cool and I'm a big fan of this albeit the Excadrill set is unconventional. You can make Excadrill a more offensive set if you want to opt to run a (mega) Ttar.

import

Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 40 Def / 220 SpD
Calm Nature
- Roost
- Scald
- Defog
- Toxic

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic

Use Ferrothorn or Hippowdon over the drill zzz.

sets

Charizard @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Roost

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 20 HP / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Defog
- Roost
- U-turn

Really solid core, Charizard Y's something that's super slept on as of currently. Defog Tapu Koko and Charizard Y have super good synergy in the sense that Tapu Koko can Defog away Stealth Rock and can U-turn out of Grass-types to get in Charizard Y. This core thrives thanks to the current Gastrodon and SpDef Tapu Bulu meta. This core works exceptionally well with Pursuit trappers, namely Tyranitar and Weavile as this core tends to struggle a bit with Mega Lati@s, the ability to wear down Toxapex is also greatly appreciated.

 

[HCJB]

Volt-Turn Electric Spam Offense

Importable

Zeraora @ Choice Band
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch
- Volt Switch

Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Grass Knot
- U-turn

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch

With the release of Zeraora, I wanted a core that supported the nasty offence he's packing. A lot of people say Zeraora is an inferior Koko, but why not use both?

All three core members are some of the fastest mons in the tier, and can pack coverage to weaken each others checks. Specs Koko Grass Knot 2HKOes the inevitable Gastrodon switch-ins, which is the greatest check to the core, while Specs Hidden Power Ice OHKOes defensive Lando-T. U-turn is chosen over Volt Switch to allow for more scouting potential, with a Timid nature to not compromise on defences despite the attack drop. Similarly, Mega-Manectric can pressure Ground types with HP Ice, Flamethrower helps Ferrothorn and Bulu which Koko struggles with, and Volt Switch allows for pivoting - plus Intimidate just about covers you against Hawlucha when partnered with Koko who resists its STABs. Zeraora caps the trio it's own fire coverage with Fire Punch, and potential for pivoting with Volt Switch (again favouring Jolly to maintain bulk despite the SpAtk drop). It goes without saying that each members Electric STABs under Electric Terrain are pretty savage, especially with the above average attack stats.

In terms of partners with nice synergy, something resisting the obvious Ground weakness as well as Ash-Greninja is key - personally I like Band Bulu who also hits phenomenally hard. A catch all fast scarfer, something like Protean Greninja, can beat out other scarfers that threaten the core as well as a fair few other things that boost to +1 Spe.

 

[Martin]

This isn’t in the archive+I didn’t see it on what was admittedly a skim, so my apologies if it’s itt already.

BuluPex

Sets

Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 224 HP / 216 SpD / 68 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Synthesis

Toxapex @ Payapa Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic / Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover

This core functions as a pretty nasty backbone in general; Bulu does a good job covering shit like Koko for Pex while also resisting Ground and providing Grassy Terrain support for Pex, which is good to both make up for Toxapex’s lack of Black Sludge and to alleviate the pressure put onto Pex by Earthquake users and allowing it to try and get of Scalds vs Lando-T safely and fucking with Gyarados, Zard X etc. who need EQ to even pressure Pex. On the flipside, Toxapex doubles up the ability to fuck with Keld, meaning Bulu never needs to take risks with HP Poison Keld or whatever, and it also does a good job fucking with Fire-types not called Heatran or Victini—namely Volcarona—that can give Bulu a goant headache. Beyond this it absorbs Toxic Spikes, which is generally a giant bastard for Bulu teams to deal with. Really solid core in general. Heatran’s a bastard tho, so make sure to bring a countermeasure to it such as Mega Latios or whatever in the back; same goes for Victini; also be carefulmof random stuff like Z-Dig+Gunk Greninja, although that shit’s a niche lure anyway so *shrugs*

 

[TFL]

Final Gambit

or

Sets

Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Trick / Bolt Strike
- U-turn
- V-create
- Final Gambit

Staraptor (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog / Double Edge
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Final Gambit

Accelgor (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Yawn
- Spikes
- Bug Buzz / Protect
- Final Gambit

This uncommon core, for hyper offensive teams, usually surprises the opponent and often KOs a vital Pokemon on the opposing team, hopefully, a counter to one of your set up sweepers or cleaners. For the most part, you will just use Final Gambit, while the other moves are for niche utility. Choice Scarf is used on Victini and Staraptor so that you can start the game outspeeding and KOing two Pokemon right away. In Accelgor's case, you can use Spikes if that helps the rest of your team more than a random kill, or Yawn to force switches. Protect is an option on the set so that you can lead against teams that have Mega Medicham and allow you to Sleep Pokemon that switch in with Volt Switch/U-turn. Focus Sash is the preferred item here, because you already outspeed every Pokemon that doesn't have Choice Scarf.

In this replay, we see Staraptor take out my opponent's hazard setter so that Smeargle's Sash stays intact and Victini bring down Landorus-Therian, a potential check to Mega Pinsir. Because Pinsir is able to deal with Ferrothorn, my opponent is now opened up for my BoltBeam coverage Dragonite to clean. Here, my opponent switches his/her Ferrothorn into my Staraptor, predicting a Choice Banded Double Edge. 'Raptor kills Ferrothorn, their only counter to BoltBeam Dragonite. In this last replay, Victini and Accelgor deal with both of my opponent's hazard removers, which allows me to set up and sweep with Agility Zapdos in the late game.

This core works surprisingly well and has a lot of potential in its variety. I recommend having an additional Choice Scarf mon with this core. Or at least some way to revenge kill after the core has gone down after using their Gambit.