Battle Stadium The Walking Fortress: Blastoise-Gmax BSS

[GiamPW07]

Hello, Smogon! This is the team from my first run at Master Ball Tier in Battle Stadium Singles, but it didn't go as planned. My team managed to peak at rank 8 in the Great ball tier, but has hit on a roadblock, never cracking rank 9 and recently experiencing a losing streak dropping me to rank 7. What is recommended to make it more viable?

Blastoise-Gmax @ White Herb
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 132 Def / 200 SpA / 132 SpD / 44 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Flash Cannon
- Dark Pulse

The inspiration for the team, Blastoise is my Shell Smash sweeper with a set built around Shell Smash and then Dynamaxing, being capable of softening up opponents with Max Darkness, boosting Defense with Max Steelspike, and gunning everything it sees down with G-Max Cannonade. These moves improve its Gigantamax capabilities and have been proven to be excellent coverage. The White Herb lets it remain bulky after setting Shell Smash. Surf is run over Hydro Pump after losing a few matches to Hydro Pump's accuracy. Dark Pulse allows Blastoise to beat unboosted Dragapult after Shell Smash, even when Dragapult is Dynamaxed. Its excellent coverage also lets it cover Tyranitar and special attack takes out Durant.

Incineroar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Parting Shot
- Darkest Lariat
- Cross Chop
- Blaze Kick

Incineroar is a bulky pivot with Parting Shot to give its teammates a safer opportunity to set up and acts as a possible check to Rillaboom, which Blastoise loathes. Darkest Lariat helps against Psychic-types, Blaze Kick gives more longevity than Flare Blitz, and Cross Chop lets Incineroar soft check Obstagoon leads and other Dark-types. There's not much more I can say here, but Intimidate is a valuable ability to allow Incineroar to switch in and debuff strong physical attackers in conjunction with Parting Shot.

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 52 Def / 52 SpD
Careful Nature
- Power Whip
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Rock Slide

Assault Vest Tangrowth is good to check take Flying-types and Cinderace (most use Bounce to try and dodge a more anticipated Earthquake) by surprise on switch-in with a supereffective Rock Slide, and can bring down Incineroar's usual type checks with a Power Whip or an Earthquake. Knock Off fills the remaining slot to get rid of any troublesome items. Regenerator makes it even tankier and works to wear down opponents with Incineroar before wreaking havoc with Blastoise.

Hawlucha @ Power Herb
Ability: Unburden
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sky Attack
- Flying Press
- Thunder Punch
- Swords Dance

Hawlucha can attack with double speed after Sky Attack. Flying Press is used over close combat to keep Flying coverage while saving a moveslot for Swords Dance if screens are up. Thunder Punch lets Hawlucha check Dragon Dance Gyarados and other assorted flying types. Hawlucha has some good coverage and the potential to Dynamax sweep, so it is a useful team member. It can even at least dent T-Tar with a 4x super effective Flying Press if the need arises.

Klefki @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Steel Beam
- Thunder Wave

I needed a screen/ Thunder Wave setter, so I chose Klefki. I use Klefki over Grimmsnarl for Prankster because of a better defensive spread and defensive typing. After it sets screens, it will use Steel Beam to leave the field and hopefully take its adversary down with it. Klefki also is only weak to Fire and Ground, meaning its weaknesses are better covered by the team by those of Grimmsnarl.

Dracozolt @ Lum Berry
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 248 Atk / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Outrage
- Bolt Beak
- Earthquake
- Pluck

Dracozolt is a Max Airstream sweeper that has insane Attack with Hustle, boosted Speed+ Bolt Beak, and the ability to Dynamax, take a Max Quake from Gyarados when Dynamaxed, and OHKO it in return with a Max Lightning or Bolt Beak. It does, however, need to set up with Max Airstream and has to get a head start on Gyarados if it doesn't want to have to take a Max Quake.

And that's all! I would love to hear what you have to say and am grateful for your assistance in improving my team!

 

[zapper22001]

Heavy Duty Boots is not too impactful of an item in BSS; it is really only worth considering on 4x-weak Pokemon like Charizard and Volcarona. You might benefit more from running a pinch berry, which would also let you more comfortably use Flare Blitz. You can try going full physical defense to help slow down Cinderace (252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef Impish). A cool option that some people toyed around with a little bit was running Burning Jealousy to punish max move boosts. Other support options like Will-o-wisp / Taunt could be utilized over Cross Chop.

Choice Scarf Dracozolt is quite good and might be worth trying for another speed control option. Aerial Ace is better than Pluck. The ability to get a guaranteed revenge kill without risking a Hustle miss outweighs the effect of Pluck. I would run 252 Atk / 252 Spe Adamant.

Hawlucha might benefit from running Mold Breaker so you have an easier time with Mimikyu in which case, I would run Swords Dance / Close Combat / Brave Bird / Iron Head.

Finally, I would adjust all some of the EV spreads. Since BSS is played at level 50, you waste EVs by having an investment number divisible by 8. For instance, your Kleki spread wastes EVs since 128 Def hits the same Defense stat as 124 Def.

I think this is a good set of small changes to start with. I think the team is certainly capable of getting to Master Ball tier. It would also be helpful to reevaluate some aspects of your strategy. For example, your current strategy is to check some Flying-types with Tangrowth and then hit back with a Rock Slide, but most opponents would take advantage of that matchup in order to start an Airstream sweep. Given your current Tangrowth EV spread, Cinderace, LO Gyarados can OHKO Tangrowth and Timid Togekiss is an 80% role in their favor.

Hope this helps and good luck getting to Masterball tier.

 

[Omastar68]

There's no reason to run -spe and not i atk nature on Klefki. Also you put Dazzling Gleam not Steel Beam, even though you talk about Steel Beam. You might want to use a Bold nature instead of Calm too. Klefki's Def is just a tiny bit higher than SpD and I feel like there are somewhat more physical mons.

I'm not sure about Cross Chop on Incineroar. I don't think I've seen any Onbstagoons. You mention acc has been an issue w/ Hydro Pump on Blastoise, maybe use Superpower?

that's not much but I'm new to this meta.

 

[GiamPW07]

There's no reason to run -spe and not i atk nature on Klefki. Also you put Dazzling Gleam not Steel Beam, even though you talk about Steel Beam. You might want to use a Bold nature instead of Calm too. Klefki's Def is just a tiny bit higher than SpD and I feel like there are somewhat more physical mons.

I'm not sure about Cross Chop on Incineroar. I don't think I've seen any Onbstagoons. You mention acc has been an issue w/ Hydro Pump on Blastoise, maybe use Superpower?

that's not much but I'm new to this meta.

Thanks for your help. I must have modified the set a bit, but I originally ran Steel Beam to let Klefki KO itself for an easier switch-in. Maybe not on Showdown, but in BSS on the actual Switch console, Obstagoon about meets the requirements to be OU, meaning you're about 50% likely to encounter it in a given day of competitive play (15 battles). The error s fixed. Thanks again!

 

[marilli]

Hey, cool team. I got some few comments on set optimization for this team. Hope I'm not too late.

GMax Blastoise is a cool starting point for a team. However, you really want a move like Ice Beam or Dragon Pulse to hit opposing Dracozolt, which is a nightmare matchup and is going to wall your Blastoise setup. Dracozolt is so effective with Dynamax in the current meta it is a top 15 Pokemon in usage on the ladder. This is further problematic over other more defensive counters like Toxapex because it flips their defense into offense, it's a large swing in momentum. You aren't beating things like Toxapex with Max Darkness anyways unless they severly misplay - they've got a Blissey along with them almost always and you probably want to Dynamax Dracozolt vs those defensive teams anyways.

Modest Nature EVs: 188 HP / 252 SpA / 68 Spe will have better bulk than 132 Def / 132 SpDef, also outspeed Dragapult after +2, so this is a more optimal spread.

Incineroar: -1 252 Atk Life Orb Libero Cinderace High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Incineroar: 198-234 (98 - 115.8%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO

You want some more bulk to actually do pivot things that Incineroar needs to survive

-1 252 Atk Life Orb Libero Cinderace-Gmax High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 124 Def Incineroar: 172-203 (85.1 - 100.4%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
seems like a minimum benchmark if you insist on offensive.

You should be Sitrus Berry and not Heavy Duty Boots, and Cross Chop is a pretty bad move in general: Incineroar has Close Combat for more consistent offenses, Brick Break to get that specific KO and also break screens.

no comments on Tangrowth and Hawlucha, I would suggest some Pokemon changes but if it works for you, then it works for you.

Dracozolt could use Life Orb here because this is going to be your primary wall breaker which is necessary on these types of teams. You also probably want Low Kick over Earthquake, which has similar coverage all around, but also hits Ferrothorn, boosts Attack (Max Knuckle into Max Wyrmwind will KO physically defensive Hippowdon switching in unless they also spend their Dynamax.). If you decide to keep Lum Berry, which is viable, you still want Low Kick and Max Knuckle -> Airstream -> Wyrmwind KO Hippowdon.

Hope this helps