Hello!^^ I'm Sycarium, and I'm a super strong player in this game, but semi new to gen8. Essentially I first got beyond ridiculed by everyone for this team in showdown OU chat, which annoyed me, so I got myself to 1600 with it in a day or two with around 90% winrate. It took a while to figure out the gen 8 meta to finish the team... but once it was finished.... That was it.
The basic idea is to out-predict your opponent while switching around like crazy.
The team runs band/spec lure sets one after another, with high defensive synergy to switch around, and high value for correct predictions of enemy pokemon. It skips things like rocks/defogs, and aims to abuse enemy anti-tempo plays like those (easily one-shotting every rocker in the game with unpredictable sets) while not caring much about hazards itself. Sounds weird, I know. It works, however, and has for past gens as well.
Each of these pokemon is my own creation, to anti-meta the fck out of random strangers. Surprise value is key, the team is not the greatest when playing vs people you know, although it can work.
First, some explanation on the Core.
So there's a Slowbro with regeneration, specs HP/SPA+ and 4 speed (could be 8) to outspeed other slowbros. (sometimes good, sometimes bad. but you run trick, and they run teleport). It pivots most things, such as banded urshifu with ease and regenerates back. Also, it survives mostly all S/E stab moves from mostly all pokemon by roughly 10% and kills them in return. (regens back). Very nice. People don't really know this can be a thing, so they'll allow their pokemon to die free vs it, spd landorus, trap heatran ect. things that should work to counter it, now get countered instead and likely one shotted. On the other hand, not a single wall switches outta it, so your trick play is essentially guaranteed. (And often necessary). Naturally, flamethrower kills ferros/corvis pretty well. people below 1800 rarely predict that (unless you make it very obvious). And if they do, they'll predict the next lure a bit harder... suspense of disbelief, you know? Psyshock kills urshifu (that deals 90% with thunderpunch), toxapex, slowbro galar, ect.
Second, we have Melmetal. It's hp defence with 12 speed to outspeed toxapex. it's band. The thing is, what I think people don't realize, is that melmetal already has 550 attack banded, which is already leathal vs half/most things. Especially if S/E. But now, it also one shots all physical things that counter it. (such as landorus) (while still being relatively good vs spa). The hp/def build is very lure-y and works out most of the time. This is one of the key defense walls, among slowbro and chansey.
Then we get to chansey. Now. That pokemon is a replacement for Umbreon, which I used to love before in earlier generations. It serves similar purpose, one shotting sword dancers with counter and working as a wall-betweener between all the other pokemon. wish+protect (very nice with ridiculous defensive mel metals ect.) and defense stats to take on anything slowbro/melmetal can't. ect. (and if they start to play around counter, you get them low enough for banded extremespeed from dnite with a few Seicmic Tosses. Adaptable. But the thing is, most things that work vs chansey, are extremely strong vs this team (such as weawile). Thefore, countering them is clutch. Also, this is my main tool to deal with fini+lele. (fini you trade with seicmic toss, depending on set chansey lives it or doesn't. and ofc, lele is played around by switching around).
Side note: Heal bell is redundant, because you can play around status by just having 1 of your pokemon eat the status effect/all the ones coming after, or natural cure them, or steel type immune them ect. most pokemon are slow, therefore tw isn't the worst. some are spa, therefore will o wisp isn't a problem. and slowbro regenerates toxic. )
Then we get to heatran. It's specs. And it essentially hits very hard, if you predict right. it also walls a lot of things just enough to kill them. Special attackers usually don't really dent it, but die in return. It also kills things like: blissey, slowbro, mew, dragapult, lele (non focus blasting) ect. many things almost kill heatran, but then get capped right after. Same as before. Very strong. The ideal pokemon to abuse ferrothorns/corviknights if you don't manage to lure them immediately. Also kills specially defensive tyrannitar 2hko. But it's not the main tool vs that.
Dragonite is. Dragonite, banded, essentially kills, again, anything that "counters it". Ferrothorn? Superpower kills it. (or 80%S it). A tyrannitar of scarf nature or whatever? Donezo. balloon heatran? there you go. Mel metal? 80%. Blissey? KO. Then, we got to Outrage. now outrage has been used always, but it's always been absolutely shit. This gen, however. That's no longer true. this pokemon two shots defensive toxapex. outrage kills most thing that they switch to predicting superpower. yes. you may die in return. But most of the time, it's not the case. seeing as you don't one shot.->they switch to fairy->you get outta outrage->you switch. Then we get to Extremespeed. now. the team doesn't have enough speed to deal with some threats. Some pokemon, like sd weawile, just fck you over. Unless, you clip them a little->extremespeed. no one predicts the band, no one switches out.->free kill. it comes very clutch in very many matchups. A lot of enemy pokemon set up at the best chance. You have the wrong pokemon vs them.->setup->sweep. But, in those situations, you can now chip them instead (which isnt good enouh most cases), and espeed to finish them. A lot of things are very manageable like this. Koko. weawile. Barraskada, regieleki (hard though). ect. But. It still does 50% vs most things (special zapdos). if they switch out. Just gotta get their steel types out first. A thing, the team is perfectly capable of doing.
Then, Rock slide is volcarona tech. Hp Def volcarona fcks dnite sideways, and that's not something you want. :)
Then, we got Dragapult. Which is essentially your speed tool/coverage/revenger. I figured, that max speed is redundant. You need modest to actually kill things (like mel metal) in one hit, and most pokemon that outspeed it (say, scarfs), you can A) predict that are scarf (you know it instantly if they hit you once ever/looking at their team) and play around otherways. But enemy doesn't know ur specs therefore, they will play around it as well. :P and specs capitalizes on that hard. basics. Anyway. Hydropump kills spd lando and heatran and severely harms tyrannitar. Fireblast kills ferro+corviknight. (ferro even in rain). Shadow ball is great overall, ofc. Rn I run cursed body>infiltrator, since I'm not meeting too many substitutes (that I can't work around anyway), and cursed body is very freaking good since it autowins lost games at 30% chance, + gives more usage outta low hp sac pults. It destroys scarfers.
Things the team has trouble against: Specs regieleki. mass u-turn ect. (but it can be beaten, just capitalize on their inherent need to u-turn when they could just kill)... things too close to stall are hard. All ghost type sweepers that nasty plot ect. Since both chansey and dragonite are useless against them. umbreon used to fill that slot (but not that well). :P
rn. I'm debating Dnite the most. Something that would fill that slot, but made things easier vs hard matchups like ghost/eleki could be optimal. But say, if I were to use Rillaboom -arguably better band in many ways- it'd no longer have any unpredictability, and therefore it's grassy slide will amount to little. Also, it doesn't bulk as well.^^' (or counter volcarona). I've also lost to suicunes and 1 cheesy registeel that I didn't trick... but that can probably be played around.
Stealth rocks=regieleki gets extremespeed one shot. But I can't fit it well in the team.^^' +I don't like using it.
Ok. That's essentially it. Replays:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655111862
Overused showdown room challenge->won.
This is where they finally shut up.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655161005
^team working like a charm. This is essentially how it feels playing it. Fun
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655167807-6dc271d5h6s9z4sw2xnwr1wyrtqhn2npw
^and this is where I hit 1600+ vs a rain team. :P Rain is the easiest thing to beat with this.
Thoughts?
Trying my hardest! (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
- Protect
- Counter
Great Sentience (Melmetal) @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Superpower
Mr.Disaster (Slowbro) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Flamethrower
- Psyshock
- Trick
Untamo (Heatran) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 16 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
Mathafulk (Dragapult) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
N-nani? (Dragonite) @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Rock Slide
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
The basic idea is to out-predict your opponent while switching around like crazy.
The team runs band/spec lure sets one after another, with high defensive synergy to switch around, and high value for correct predictions of enemy pokemon. It skips things like rocks/defogs, and aims to abuse enemy anti-tempo plays like those (easily one-shotting every rocker in the game with unpredictable sets) while not caring much about hazards itself. Sounds weird, I know. It works, however, and has for past gens as well.
Each of these pokemon is my own creation, to anti-meta the fck out of random strangers. Surprise value is key, the team is not the greatest when playing vs people you know, although it can work.
First, some explanation on the Core.
So there's a Slowbro with regeneration, specs HP/SPA+ and 4 speed (could be 8) to outspeed other slowbros. (sometimes good, sometimes bad. but you run trick, and they run teleport). It pivots most things, such as banded urshifu with ease and regenerates back. Also, it survives mostly all S/E stab moves from mostly all pokemon by roughly 10% and kills them in return. (regens back). Very nice. People don't really know this can be a thing, so they'll allow their pokemon to die free vs it, spd landorus, trap heatran ect. things that should work to counter it, now get countered instead and likely one shotted. On the other hand, not a single wall switches outta it, so your trick play is essentially guaranteed. (And often necessary). Naturally, flamethrower kills ferros/corvis pretty well. people below 1800 rarely predict that (unless you make it very obvious). And if they do, they'll predict the next lure a bit harder... suspense of disbelief, you know? Psyshock kills urshifu (that deals 90% with thunderpunch), toxapex, slowbro galar, ect.
Second, we have Melmetal. It's hp defence with 12 speed to outspeed toxapex. it's band. The thing is, what I think people don't realize, is that melmetal already has 550 attack banded, which is already leathal vs half/most things. Especially if S/E. But now, it also one shots all physical things that counter it. (such as landorus) (while still being relatively good vs spa). The hp/def build is very lure-y and works out most of the time. This is one of the key defense walls, among slowbro and chansey.
Then we get to chansey. Now. That pokemon is a replacement for Umbreon, which I used to love before in earlier generations. It serves similar purpose, one shotting sword dancers with counter and working as a wall-betweener between all the other pokemon. wish+protect (very nice with ridiculous defensive mel metals ect.) and defense stats to take on anything slowbro/melmetal can't. ect. (and if they start to play around counter, you get them low enough for banded extremespeed from dnite with a few Seicmic Tosses. Adaptable. But the thing is, most things that work vs chansey, are extremely strong vs this team (such as weawile). Thefore, countering them is clutch. Also, this is my main tool to deal with fini+lele. (fini you trade with seicmic toss, depending on set chansey lives it or doesn't. and ofc, lele is played around by switching around).
Side note: Heal bell is redundant, because you can play around status by just having 1 of your pokemon eat the status effect/all the ones coming after, or natural cure them, or steel type immune them ect. most pokemon are slow, therefore tw isn't the worst. some are spa, therefore will o wisp isn't a problem. and slowbro regenerates toxic. )
Then we get to heatran. It's specs. And it essentially hits very hard, if you predict right. it also walls a lot of things just enough to kill them. Special attackers usually don't really dent it, but die in return. It also kills things like: blissey, slowbro, mew, dragapult, lele (non focus blasting) ect. many things almost kill heatran, but then get capped right after. Same as before. Very strong. The ideal pokemon to abuse ferrothorns/corviknights if you don't manage to lure them immediately. Also kills specially defensive tyrannitar 2hko. But it's not the main tool vs that.
Dragonite is. Dragonite, banded, essentially kills, again, anything that "counters it". Ferrothorn? Superpower kills it. (or 80%S it). A tyrannitar of scarf nature or whatever? Donezo. balloon heatran? there you go. Mel metal? 80%. Blissey? KO. Then, we got to Outrage. now outrage has been used always, but it's always been absolutely shit. This gen, however. That's no longer true. this pokemon two shots defensive toxapex. outrage kills most thing that they switch to predicting superpower. yes. you may die in return. But most of the time, it's not the case. seeing as you don't one shot.->they switch to fairy->you get outta outrage->you switch. Then we get to Extremespeed. now. the team doesn't have enough speed to deal with some threats. Some pokemon, like sd weawile, just fck you over. Unless, you clip them a little->extremespeed. no one predicts the band, no one switches out.->free kill. it comes very clutch in very many matchups. A lot of enemy pokemon set up at the best chance. You have the wrong pokemon vs them.->setup->sweep. But, in those situations, you can now chip them instead (which isnt good enouh most cases), and espeed to finish them. A lot of things are very manageable like this. Koko. weawile. Barraskada, regieleki (hard though). ect. But. It still does 50% vs most things (special zapdos). if they switch out. Just gotta get their steel types out first. A thing, the team is perfectly capable of doing.
Then, Rock slide is volcarona tech. Hp Def volcarona fcks dnite sideways, and that's not something you want. :)
Then, we got Dragapult. Which is essentially your speed tool/coverage/revenger. I figured, that max speed is redundant. You need modest to actually kill things (like mel metal) in one hit, and most pokemon that outspeed it (say, scarfs), you can A) predict that are scarf (you know it instantly if they hit you once ever/looking at their team) and play around otherways. But enemy doesn't know ur specs therefore, they will play around it as well. :P and specs capitalizes on that hard. basics. Anyway. Hydropump kills spd lando and heatran and severely harms tyrannitar. Fireblast kills ferro+corviknight. (ferro even in rain). Shadow ball is great overall, ofc. Rn I run cursed body>infiltrator, since I'm not meeting too many substitutes (that I can't work around anyway), and cursed body is very freaking good since it autowins lost games at 30% chance, + gives more usage outta low hp sac pults. It destroys scarfers.
Things the team has trouble against: Specs regieleki. mass u-turn ect. (but it can be beaten, just capitalize on their inherent need to u-turn when they could just kill)... things too close to stall are hard. All ghost type sweepers that nasty plot ect. Since both chansey and dragonite are useless against them. umbreon used to fill that slot (but not that well). :P
rn. I'm debating Dnite the most. Something that would fill that slot, but made things easier vs hard matchups like ghost/eleki could be optimal. But say, if I were to use Rillaboom -arguably better band in many ways- it'd no longer have any unpredictability, and therefore it's grassy slide will amount to little. Also, it doesn't bulk as well.^^' (or counter volcarona). I've also lost to suicunes and 1 cheesy registeel that I didn't trick... but that can probably be played around.
Stealth rocks=regieleki gets extremespeed one shot. But I can't fit it well in the team.^^' +I don't like using it.
Ok. That's essentially it. Replays:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655111862
Overused showdown room challenge->won.
This is where they finally shut up.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655161005
^team working like a charm. This is essentially how it feels playing it. Fun
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1655167807-6dc271d5h6s9z4sw2xnwr1wyrtqhn2npw
^and this is where I hit 1600+ vs a rain team. :P Rain is the easiest thing to beat with this.
Thoughts?
Trying my hardest! (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
- Protect
- Counter
Great Sentience (Melmetal) @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Superpower
Mr.Disaster (Slowbro) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Flamethrower
- Psyshock
- Trick
Untamo (Heatran) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 16 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
Mathafulk (Dragapult) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
N-nani? (Dragonite) @ Choice Band
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Rock Slide
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
