Introduction
Hello everyone! I have decided to post this team because it is the first team I've had any amount of success with in generation 8. I deem this team "The Seven Layers of Hell" because the premise of this team is simple: You have seven layers of hazards at your command and your goal is to get up as many as possible. I got the idea for this team because of the new Gmax Copperajah and it's Gmax Steelsurge (which for those uninformed sets up a steel type version of Stealth Rock). After learning of this, I decided to take the hazards to the extreme and this team was born!
The Squad
Copperajah-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Heavy Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Stone Edge
- Whirlwind
So to start this team is the Pokemon I wanted to build around, Gmax Copperajah. This Pokemon has quickly become one of my favorites released this generation. I decided to make this a special tank because it can switch into threatening Pokemon like Dragapult specs very easily with this set and set up hazards on them. In the majority of matches, I choose to lead with this and figure out what to do after. Also, in most games you want to attempt to save your Dynamax for this because the extra damage from Steelsurge is very important to wearing down offensive threats. Whirlwind also heavily assists in this gameplan, so keeping this healthy is helping against bulkier teams especially.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Knock Off
- Toxic
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes
- Haze
- Recover
As per any stall team this gen and any team trying to stack Spikes especially, the infamous FerroPex core makes an appearance here. Now first of all, yes, I am well aware that having Toxic would most likely be stronger than Toxic Spikes on Toxapex, but I have Toxic Spikes to stick with the flavor of the team. FerroPex is a very splashable core right now, because they cover each other's weaknesses nearly flawlessly. Knock Off Ferrothorn is chosen here because getting rid of the opponent's Leftovers really assists in allowing me to win by allowing Scald burns to actually damage the opponents, as well as making the poison damage rack up faster. Along with Copperajah, these three make up the seven layers of hazards. The Calm nature is chosen on Toxapex to make it a little more capable of sponging special hits, although all the evs go into physical defense because I feel like the hits I need to take are usually on that side. Ferrothorn's spread is incredibly outdated, but I am not good at creating ev spreads honestly lol.
Hatterene (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mystical Fire
- Psyshock
- Draining Kiss
- Calm Mind
So because of the fact that I am stacking so many hazards, Defog is not an option for hazard control. Rapid Spin users are garbage this gen unless they are named Excadrill, which doesn't fit here. Enter Hatterene! Hatterene gives me hazard control in the form of Magic Bounce. The other great thing about Hatterene is it gives me a win condition in balanced/stall match ups. The 60 speed investment is to outspeed Toxapex so that I can pop it with Psyshock before it can Haze me. Draining Kiss is chosen over Dazzling Gleam because the added longevity it provides me is very important for this team.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Transform
So here is the obligatory Ditto. Ditto is fantastic in this meta because of all the Dynamax and set up spam going around right now. If it weren't for Ditto, this team straight up would not work because it would just get picked apart by set up spam eventually. A lot of the time, this is the last Pokemon on the field if the game actually reaches a conclusion without someone forfeiting. Additionally, this often turns into my win condition late game, because a big threat comes in, I transform into it and win the game after hazards chips the opponent down enough.
Corsola-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Strength Sap
- Night Shade
- Haze
- Will-O-Wisp
And finally we arrive at Corsola. This Pokemon is a nightmare to take down. The greatest part about this Pokemon is that it can sponge hits on either side and fully heal itself with Strength Sap, then Will-O-Wisp for free on the switches it forces. Corsola also serves the purpose of spin blocking because again, keeping up hazards is very important for this team. Corsola is very important to keep healthy a lot of the time because you end up using it to sponge hits from a lot of potent threats in the metagame such as Excadrill, while also blocking its spin.
Threat List/Problems with the team
Sub Sweepers
This team's biggest weakness is playing against any set up sweeper. Because of the lack of phasing or strong damage dealing moves, sweepers like Hydreigon are basically unstoppable. I'm not entirely sure what I could change about this team to help with this problem without ruining the idea of the team.
Taunt Sweepers with recovery
For a similar reason as sub sweepers, taunt sweepers are hard to deal with. Taunt makes me unable to interact with the opponent in any meaningful way, as well as locking out my recovery moves. Taunt sweepers without recover can be beaten by residual poison/burn damage eventually, but if you add in Corviknight's Roost for example, the team gets clean 6-0'd.
Court Change
A new addition to gen 8 is the Pokemon Cinderace. This Pokemon comes with an extremely cool new move called Court Change, which rather than removing hazards from the field, gives them to your opponent. While I really love Cinderace and this move's existence, it is obviously problematic for a team that relies on hazard stacking to win to have their hazards used against them lmao!
Sometimes too passive for it's own good
So one other issue with this team is that it's sometimes impossible to break opposing walls. While I can (and do) have the ability to stall them out of PP most of the time, it can lead to issues with opponents abusing my passivity to get their own threats in a few too many times.
Conclusion
I've greatly enjoyed the new Pokemon experience provided from gen 8. Playing stall as a whole honestly feels a lot different from previous generations because a lot of the old crutches like Chansey, Skarm, and M-Sableye being gone, and with Dynamax running around (for now), it definitely takes a good amount of thought to pilot this team properly. I do feel like this team is just way too weak to Substitute to be viable for all games, but I've definitely had a good amount of success versus offense teams not carrying Sub sweepers, and bulkier builds that just can't deal with the overwhelming amount of hazards.
Importable
Feel free to use this team for yourself! I've had a great time trying to make it work, and against traditional offense teams, it often can do very well. https://pokepast.es/e43049a3a6d1b36c
Hello everyone! I have decided to post this team because it is the first team I've had any amount of success with in generation 8. I deem this team "The Seven Layers of Hell" because the premise of this team is simple: You have seven layers of hazards at your command and your goal is to get up as many as possible. I got the idea for this team because of the new Gmax Copperajah and it's Gmax Steelsurge (which for those uninformed sets up a steel type version of Stealth Rock). After learning of this, I decided to take the hazards to the extreme and this team was born!
The Squad
Copperajah-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Heavy Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Stone Edge
- Whirlwind
So to start this team is the Pokemon I wanted to build around, Gmax Copperajah. This Pokemon has quickly become one of my favorites released this generation. I decided to make this a special tank because it can switch into threatening Pokemon like Dragapult specs very easily with this set and set up hazards on them. In the majority of matches, I choose to lead with this and figure out what to do after. Also, in most games you want to attempt to save your Dynamax for this because the extra damage from Steelsurge is very important to wearing down offensive threats. Whirlwind also heavily assists in this gameplan, so keeping this healthy is helping against bulkier teams especially.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Knock Off
- Toxic
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes
- Haze
- Recover
As per any stall team this gen and any team trying to stack Spikes especially, the infamous FerroPex core makes an appearance here. Now first of all, yes, I am well aware that having Toxic would most likely be stronger than Toxic Spikes on Toxapex, but I have Toxic Spikes to stick with the flavor of the team. FerroPex is a very splashable core right now, because they cover each other's weaknesses nearly flawlessly. Knock Off Ferrothorn is chosen here because getting rid of the opponent's Leftovers really assists in allowing me to win by allowing Scald burns to actually damage the opponents, as well as making the poison damage rack up faster. Along with Copperajah, these three make up the seven layers of hazards. The Calm nature is chosen on Toxapex to make it a little more capable of sponging special hits, although all the evs go into physical defense because I feel like the hits I need to take are usually on that side. Ferrothorn's spread is incredibly outdated, but I am not good at creating ev spreads honestly lol.
Hatterene (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mystical Fire
- Psyshock
- Draining Kiss
- Calm Mind
So because of the fact that I am stacking so many hazards, Defog is not an option for hazard control. Rapid Spin users are garbage this gen unless they are named Excadrill, which doesn't fit here. Enter Hatterene! Hatterene gives me hazard control in the form of Magic Bounce. The other great thing about Hatterene is it gives me a win condition in balanced/stall match ups. The 60 speed investment is to outspeed Toxapex so that I can pop it with Psyshock before it can Haze me. Draining Kiss is chosen over Dazzling Gleam because the added longevity it provides me is very important for this team.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Transform
So here is the obligatory Ditto. Ditto is fantastic in this meta because of all the Dynamax and set up spam going around right now. If it weren't for Ditto, this team straight up would not work because it would just get picked apart by set up spam eventually. A lot of the time, this is the last Pokemon on the field if the game actually reaches a conclusion without someone forfeiting. Additionally, this often turns into my win condition late game, because a big threat comes in, I transform into it and win the game after hazards chips the opponent down enough.
Corsola-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Strength Sap
- Night Shade
- Haze
- Will-O-Wisp
And finally we arrive at Corsola. This Pokemon is a nightmare to take down. The greatest part about this Pokemon is that it can sponge hits on either side and fully heal itself with Strength Sap, then Will-O-Wisp for free on the switches it forces. Corsola also serves the purpose of spin blocking because again, keeping up hazards is very important for this team. Corsola is very important to keep healthy a lot of the time because you end up using it to sponge hits from a lot of potent threats in the metagame such as Excadrill, while also blocking its spin.
Threat List/Problems with the team
Sub Sweepers
This team's biggest weakness is playing against any set up sweeper. Because of the lack of phasing or strong damage dealing moves, sweepers like Hydreigon are basically unstoppable. I'm not entirely sure what I could change about this team to help with this problem without ruining the idea of the team.
Taunt Sweepers with recovery
For a similar reason as sub sweepers, taunt sweepers are hard to deal with. Taunt makes me unable to interact with the opponent in any meaningful way, as well as locking out my recovery moves. Taunt sweepers without recover can be beaten by residual poison/burn damage eventually, but if you add in Corviknight's Roost for example, the team gets clean 6-0'd.
Court Change
A new addition to gen 8 is the Pokemon Cinderace. This Pokemon comes with an extremely cool new move called Court Change, which rather than removing hazards from the field, gives them to your opponent. While I really love Cinderace and this move's existence, it is obviously problematic for a team that relies on hazard stacking to win to have their hazards used against them lmao!
Sometimes too passive for it's own good
So one other issue with this team is that it's sometimes impossible to break opposing walls. While I can (and do) have the ability to stall them out of PP most of the time, it can lead to issues with opponents abusing my passivity to get their own threats in a few too many times.
Conclusion
I've greatly enjoyed the new Pokemon experience provided from gen 8. Playing stall as a whole honestly feels a lot different from previous generations because a lot of the old crutches like Chansey, Skarm, and M-Sableye being gone, and with Dynamax running around (for now), it definitely takes a good amount of thought to pilot this team properly. I do feel like this team is just way too weak to Substitute to be viable for all games, but I've definitely had a good amount of success versus offense teams not carrying Sub sweepers, and bulkier builds that just can't deal with the overwhelming amount of hazards.
Importable
Feel free to use this team for yourself! I've had a great time trying to make it work, and against traditional offense teams, it often can do very well. https://pokepast.es/e43049a3a6d1b36c
Last edited:
