I welcome to my team the definat thunderbird. I have always been a fan of the new form of zapdos, the fighting/flying emu styled pokemon at a glance has alot going for it. Not only does it have a fantastic ability for a physical attacker in defiant, but fighting flying makes for an amazing stab combination and it does also have acess to U-turn which just begs for an effective choice user with the 4th move purely being for filler, avoding that awkward 4mss. However it's stab combination might pack an insane punch but it does mean that decent bulk it has is not as decent as it could be in the light of day, close combat reduces defences and brave bird has recoil which on a pokemon that switches in to activate it's ability might put it at a disadvantage, in the long run, being worn down more quickly. Still it's an overall solid pokemon in it's own right and this team aims to put it to good work.
Zapdos-Galar @ Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Brave Bird
- Stomping Tantrum
- U-turn
Zapdos as mentioned before in it's galarian form boasts an impressive stat spreak and potent offensive typing. It's stab moves alone hit most of the meta either super effective or neutral like a truck with a potential boost given by defiant under a choice band, zapdos is going to be hitting like a truck. For the set it's Zapdos-g's tried and tested trust choice band set. It's by far the bets set of zapdos-g and this mainly lies in it's desire for hit and run tacitics, with a lakc of roost set up sets are much less viable but with acess to U-turn in particular zapdos is either going to hit something hard or get out from an unfavourable match-up. For the set a jolly nature is preferred to outpace as many or tie with base 100 and sdlower pokemon as possible, attack is already being boosted by band and base 120 stab so adamant is a bit overkill vs the benifits of being more speedy to out pace say kyurem always, who would otherwise frost this emu. Keeping all eves in attack and speed are pretty standard here, speed is for tieing or outpacing 100 or slower pokemon and attack is to hit hard as possible. The move set is pretty standard - close combat and bravebird make for powerful duel stab, stomping tantrum is just a bit of ground coverage, U-turn is to quickly get out of a bad situation in a pinch.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Iron Head
- Power Whip
For a better better typing to synergise with the team dealing with threats such as tapu fini with it's stellar grass/steel typing vs mews sub par pure psychic, ont the suggestion of ironwater ferrothorn joins the team. The set is the standard spiker set, zapdos-g loves hazard stacking do ferrothorn makes for an even more reliable one than mew at the cost of relible healing and u-turn for a much needed better typing for the team. The set has an impish nature to boost defence, as we are not running gyro ball here relaxed is not nessary, with eves as the standard spread. The move choice allows ferrothorn some decent coverage, with iron head for fairies, power whip for waters like tapu fini, leech seed allows him to heal more than just with leftovers and other team mates comping in to take a blow from a would be counter, finaly we have the hzards -spikes- pretty self explanitory but spikes hurt pokemon when switching making defoggers commer and defoggers give zapdos a defiant boost ontop of wearing down teams it's a win win, lando will have the counterpart stealth rock.
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 244 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Toxic
On the suggestion of ironwater and with his other suggestions bulking the team out physically, specially defensive lando comes in to take the place of its more physical original counterpart. Lando-t thanks to its ability not only can tank special hits with this set but isn't physically weak either through it will largely be taking weaker hits, it still helps. With the eves switched to the special build and now it's nature a careful one to further special bulk with 12 in speed to outpace some slower threats. The moveset is a slight change on the original, with other mons taking over duties namely defogging -stealth rock is standard hazards hitting everything and helps rack up damage and some potential defiant boost punishment from g-dos, earthquake is reliable ground stab, U-turn allows lando to pivot out in a pinch, toxic allows lando to help wear down mons for the team to pick off later.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Moonblast
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt
Requiring a better answer to threats like urishifu-r, on the suggestion of ironwater, the 2nd tapu to join the team arrives. Tapu fini has a fantastic typing in water/fairy allowing it to make good use of it's solid bulk to tank hits from the likes of urishfu and weavile like they were nothing, making handling these threats much easier for the team. The nature and eves are standard bold to boilster it's defence as it will be primarily tanking physical hits and 40 SpD to tank the odd special bulk with the eves for that taken from defence for hp hp to give further more mixed bulk. The move choice is pretty standard affair, moonlast is powerful fairy stab, taunt preventsa slow pokemon from setting up, poisoning fini, or putting up hazards, natures madness halves the hp of pokemon that take a hit which is great as fini isn't exactly meant to sweep and isn't powerful enough to make a dent on many threats in it's own right.
Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Triple Axel
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard
Weavile is fantastic offensive pokemon in todays meta, mainly for it's duel stab ice/dark combination hitting a varity of top threats like dracopult and lando-t hard, as well as it's speed and new toy of ice stab in tripple alex. The set chosen is a swords dance sweeper for the team with other members providing support or choice locked ofensive it makes for a more effetively choice to have him as a booster rather than a bander. Naturally a jolly nature with max attack and speed makes weaville as fast as possible to make good use of it's great speed tier and solid attack as much as possible. the move choice again is a bread and butter set- sword dance to boost stats. triple axel is powerful cie stab and ice shard helps it pick off faster weakened threats like dracopult. Heavy duty boots help weavile by him avoiding hazard to which all of them he is weak to.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Future Sight
Tapu lele makes for a great user of choice scarf, it's not the fastest pokemon but it is fast enough to outpace pokemon while udner a scarf, then combine this with the fact the terrain it sets also boosts it's psychic stab and it further finds more power than other scarfers out there as a result. Not only that psychic terrain helps team mates avodi priority like weavile avoid pesky priority moves that could ruin their day. The eves and nature make for as fats as lele as possible with a timid nature chosen namely as lele doesn't have the fastest speed tier in the world and it's strong wihtout modest thanks to it's terrian it sets anyways so all in special attack and speed for eves to hit as hard and fast as it can. The move chocie is another standard chocie - Psyshock allows lele to hit physically with it's psychic stab, moon blast is strong and makes good use of it's fairy stab, Focus blast hits steels and other threats like tyranitar to avoid lele being a free set up turn for them and future site is something lele can set off as it prepares for a potential switch and hit something in future.
Zapdos-Galar @ Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Brave Bird
- Stomping Tantrum
- U-turn
Zapdos as mentioned before in it's galarian form boasts an impressive stat spreak and potent offensive typing. It's stab moves alone hit most of the meta either super effective or neutral like a truck with a potential boost given by defiant under a choice band, zapdos is going to be hitting like a truck. For the set it's Zapdos-g's tried and tested trust choice band set. It's by far the bets set of zapdos-g and this mainly lies in it's desire for hit and run tacitics, with a lakc of roost set up sets are much less viable but with acess to U-turn in particular zapdos is either going to hit something hard or get out from an unfavourable match-up. For the set a jolly nature is preferred to outpace as many or tie with base 100 and sdlower pokemon as possible, attack is already being boosted by band and base 120 stab so adamant is a bit overkill vs the benifits of being more speedy to out pace say kyurem always, who would otherwise frost this emu. Keeping all eves in attack and speed are pretty standard here, speed is for tieing or outpacing 100 or slower pokemon and attack is to hit hard as possible. The move set is pretty standard - close combat and bravebird make for powerful duel stab, stomping tantrum is just a bit of ground coverage, U-turn is to quickly get out of a bad situation in a pinch.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Iron Head
- Power Whip
For a better better typing to synergise with the team dealing with threats such as tapu fini with it's stellar grass/steel typing vs mews sub par pure psychic, ont the suggestion of ironwater ferrothorn joins the team. The set is the standard spiker set, zapdos-g loves hazard stacking do ferrothorn makes for an even more reliable one than mew at the cost of relible healing and u-turn for a much needed better typing for the team. The set has an impish nature to boost defence, as we are not running gyro ball here relaxed is not nessary, with eves as the standard spread. The move choice allows ferrothorn some decent coverage, with iron head for fairies, power whip for waters like tapu fini, leech seed allows him to heal more than just with leftovers and other team mates comping in to take a blow from a would be counter, finaly we have the hzards -spikes- pretty self explanitory but spikes hurt pokemon when switching making defoggers commer and defoggers give zapdos a defiant boost ontop of wearing down teams it's a win win, lando will have the counterpart stealth rock.
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 244 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Toxic
On the suggestion of ironwater and with his other suggestions bulking the team out physically, specially defensive lando comes in to take the place of its more physical original counterpart. Lando-t thanks to its ability not only can tank special hits with this set but isn't physically weak either through it will largely be taking weaker hits, it still helps. With the eves switched to the special build and now it's nature a careful one to further special bulk with 12 in speed to outpace some slower threats. The moveset is a slight change on the original, with other mons taking over duties namely defogging -stealth rock is standard hazards hitting everything and helps rack up damage and some potential defiant boost punishment from g-dos, earthquake is reliable ground stab, U-turn allows lando to pivot out in a pinch, toxic allows lando to help wear down mons for the team to pick off later.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Moonblast
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt
Requiring a better answer to threats like urishifu-r, on the suggestion of ironwater, the 2nd tapu to join the team arrives. Tapu fini has a fantastic typing in water/fairy allowing it to make good use of it's solid bulk to tank hits from the likes of urishfu and weavile like they were nothing, making handling these threats much easier for the team. The nature and eves are standard bold to boilster it's defence as it will be primarily tanking physical hits and 40 SpD to tank the odd special bulk with the eves for that taken from defence for hp hp to give further more mixed bulk. The move choice is pretty standard affair, moonlast is powerful fairy stab, taunt preventsa slow pokemon from setting up, poisoning fini, or putting up hazards, natures madness halves the hp of pokemon that take a hit which is great as fini isn't exactly meant to sweep and isn't powerful enough to make a dent on many threats in it's own right.
Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Triple Axel
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard
Weavile is fantastic offensive pokemon in todays meta, mainly for it's duel stab ice/dark combination hitting a varity of top threats like dracopult and lando-t hard, as well as it's speed and new toy of ice stab in tripple alex. The set chosen is a swords dance sweeper for the team with other members providing support or choice locked ofensive it makes for a more effetively choice to have him as a booster rather than a bander. Naturally a jolly nature with max attack and speed makes weaville as fast as possible to make good use of it's great speed tier and solid attack as much as possible. the move choice again is a bread and butter set- sword dance to boost stats. triple axel is powerful cie stab and ice shard helps it pick off faster weakened threats like dracopult. Heavy duty boots help weavile by him avoiding hazard to which all of them he is weak to.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Future Sight
Tapu lele makes for a great user of choice scarf, it's not the fastest pokemon but it is fast enough to outpace pokemon while udner a scarf, then combine this with the fact the terrain it sets also boosts it's psychic stab and it further finds more power than other scarfers out there as a result. Not only that psychic terrain helps team mates avodi priority like weavile avoid pesky priority moves that could ruin their day. The eves and nature make for as fats as lele as possible with a timid nature chosen namely as lele doesn't have the fastest speed tier in the world and it's strong wihtout modest thanks to it's terrian it sets anyways so all in special attack and speed for eves to hit as hard and fast as it can. The move chocie is another standard chocie - Psyshock allows lele to hit physically with it's psychic stab, moon blast is strong and makes good use of it's fairy stab, Focus blast hits steels and other threats like tyranitar to avoid lele being a free set up turn for them and future site is something lele can set off as it prepares for a potential switch and hit something in future.
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because you just don’t have any Water resist and thus Surging Strikes is extremely free and claiming a kill each time. If you happen to be in a position where Urshifu-R is against Lando, Mew or Weavile you need to let something die. This also means that Barraskewda 
, even though it’s a bit less common than Urshifu-R is also super threatening. You can’t switch into rain boosted Barraskweda and against Rain your opponent will just have to spam Liquidation with Barra to win. In the same way, Tapu Fini 
is a problem too as you will have a hard time preventing the Calm Mind set from just setting up and attempting to sweep. While they are a bit less problematic, Dragapult 
, Weavile 
and Heatran 
are all three hard to handle, especially when used together as you really on Clefable to beat them (Physically defensive Landorus-T isn’t a Pult answer and don’t like coming on Heatran) and Clefable is a shaky answer needing to be at 100% to switch into Pult or Weavile. Lastly, Kartana 
and Melmetal 
are both problematic too as they don’t even need to predict as they can just spam Double Iron Bash/ Leaf Blade to score easy kills against this team.
-> 
: Stacking Spikes is indeed a good strategy with Gapdos, but I’m not a fan of Mew as a Spikes setter. Sure, this thing has an amazing movepool and being able to U-turn is nice with such a powerful wallbreaker in the back. However, Mew has a bad defensive typing and won’t help much against a lot of offensive threats. Ferrothorn is another Spikes setter with a way more interesting defensive type, bring a Steel type and thus a lot of useful resistances in this team. It prevents Kartana and Melmetal from mindlessly clicking their STAB moves and help dealing with threat like Calm Mind Clefable and Kyurem with Iron Head. It’s also a good Tapu Fini answer, especially if you opt to run Power Whip. Here is the set:
-> 
: I would use SpD Landorus-T to check Dragapult and Heatran (and because I added a physical Def Ferrothorn and a physical Def Tapu Fini). SpD Landorus-T became the norm in a metagame where checking Dragapult and Heatran is hard and where Landorus-T doesn’t need that much its physical bulk. As for Defog, you can replace it by either Toxic, Knock Off or even Smack Down to annoy Corviknight. Toxic and Knock Off are the most standard choices though as it allows you to cripple the opposing Landorus-T, even though you don’t want to have too much Knock Off users to keep some power on Weavile’s one and Tapu Fini’s terrain may prevent you from using Toxic on some targets when it’s active. Here is the new set I would use on Landorus-T (The Speed EVs allow you to outspeed 120 Speed EVs Heatran, but you can run no Speed and even drop some IVs to have a slow U-turn):