Hi users. If you don’t know me, I’m a moderator on Pokemon Showdown & former SPL player for Los Tigres. Though playing competitively for a change was a lot of fun, I’m generally a very casual player who likes to goof off with Shrang and Trickroom (come back someday bud!). In generation 5, we liked to spam random pokemon that can actually put in work in a ladder environment, such as regular Charizard, Beartic, Liepard, Cobalion, Virizion, Serperior, Moltres, and the one and only Stunfisk. Most of these Pokemon are not as good as they were last generation, but Stunfisk’s ability to cripple all of the new threats in a pinch arguably makes it even better than before!
This team was built around Stunfisk’s ability to reliably set up Stealth Rock and paralyze key threats, such as Geomancy Xerneas (Fisk tanks a +2 Moonblast if healthy), Yveltal, most Calm Mind Arceus, and other threats. It also checks Dialga fairly well! The rest of the team is fairly standard but strives to check every threat in the metagame. Sub Geomancy Xerneas and a well-played Kyogre are very difficult to deal with, but almost every other relevant threat in the metagame has multiple solid checks.
I gave this team to Tesung to use non-ironically in the Ubers Premier League and he won with it, since Stalltwo had a great match-up. It also destroys the ladder, as most defensive teams tend to do vs. the poorly-constructed HO spam that the ladder likes so much. The ladder peak is evidence of that, though ladder peaks in general are easy to obtain and mean very little in the long run. I saved a screenshot on another computer and will post it tomorrow I guess.
Teambuilding Process
Gonna make this really brief, but this was the core I started off with. I initially used Specially Defensive Clefable to check Xerneas, Palkia, Yveltal, CM Arceus, and a variety of other threats while providing cleric support, but found Clefable was a very shaky “check” to Lustrous Orb Palkia and Geo Xern and gets outmight murdered by Pixie Plate and LO Xern.
The team in-depth
Stunfisk @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Discharge
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
One of the most enjoyable Pokemon I have had the pleasure of laddering with, Stunfisk easily finds opportunities to set up Stealth Rock thanks to its very good special bulk and unique defensive typing. Stunfisk can also spread paralysis very easily with Static and Discharge. I wound up putting Thunder Wave on it as well to paralyze Geomancy Xerneas, allowing Mewtwo Y and Ho-Oh to smash it with Psystrike and Brave Bird respectively, but Toxic is often better to pressure Defog Arceus and damage walls in general. You'd be surprised how many Giratina-A on the ladder do NOT carry Rest.
Unlike Chansey, Stunfisk is NOT weak to Mega Gengar. It also deals with Superpower Sash Deo-A leads a little better than Chansey can and isn't as badly crippled by Knock Off. Last generation, many argued that Chansey outclasses Stunfisk but this gen Stunfisk is actually better IMO.
Yveltal @ Dread Plate
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
- Roost
Physically Defensive Yveltal is really common at the moment, and for good reason. It is one of the best best to Extremekiller Arceus in the game, since it takes a trollish 50% from a +2 ESpeed and OHKOes +2 Arceus back with Foul Play. Almost anything that doesn't resist Dark moves or isn't a blob is going to get smacked by a Dread Plate, STAB, and Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play, making Yveltal strong both defensively and offensively. Yveltal can beat Rayquaza, Groudon, most Deo-A, and other physical/mixed threats as well.
Sucker Punch is necessary on this team since choiced Kyogre is a nightmare without it. Kyogre and Palkia both take over 50% from this move. Finally, Taunt stops recovery and improves the team's matchup against Stall. The lack of leftovers can be a detriment due to the lack of Wish on this team, but a well-played Yveltal will always put in work.
Xerneas @ Leftovers
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 92 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
This is a different spread from the physically defensive cleric, as I wanted Xerneas to be able to switch in on anything Palkia could throw at it apart from a Lustrous Orb-boosted Hydro Pump with SR out. Assault Vest and Leftovers Palkia cannot 2HKO Xerneas with SR out unless they land a lucky crit, making Xerneas a fairly safe switchin into it. Xerneas also has enough physical defense to check Zekrom very effectively. Like with Yveltal, I sped crept this enough to outrun opposing tank Xerneas the vast majority of the time, since the ladder VERY rarely runs more than 8 Speed on walls (if any at all).
Xerneas does not get a reliable recovery move, meaning it is forced to run Rest to replenish its health. The new Sleep mechanics and its access to Aromatherapy (potentially waking it up early from its nap) make running Rest on walls easier than last generation though. Aromatherapy is a must on a team like this, especially to remove burns from Yveltal and paralysis/toxic from MM2Y and Arceus-Water. Finally, even an uninvested Moonblast will hit fairly hard.
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 164 SpD / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog
Kyogre checks are fairly important for any team, and Arceus-Water is a pretty good one since it can switch in on Water-moves and Ice Beam. Arceus-Water can also wall most Dialga, Arceus-Ground, Ho-Oh, Heatran, and other threats. Arceus is EV'd to outrun and burn Kangaskhan before it can hit you withPower-up Punch Frustration. With Will-O-Wisp, Arceus can act as a secondary check to EKiller if Yveltal cannot stick around, though be wary that Will-O-Wisp can miss or be foiled by Lum Berry.
If the opponent has a Kyogre, keep Waterceus as healthy as possible since Stalltwo Y and Sucker Punch Yveltal are not very reliable ways to beat it. Kyogre will never use Thunder until Waterceus is revealed, so you get to switch in virtually for free the first time; subsequent times it might be a good idea to sacrifice Stunfisk if you have Rocks up to punish Thunder spam.
Mewtwo @ Mewtwonite Y
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 248 HP / 84 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psystrike
- Recover
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
Most Stalltwo are not mega evolutions, since this Mewtwo variant enjoys Leftovers recovery and Unnerve. I like Mega Mewtwo Y here though to help with Kyogre, Palkia, and opposing Stalltwo (which would be a nightmare otherwise). Psystrike also does a spectacular job at pressuring Ho-Oh, as even without investment all but physically defensive turkeys will get 2HKOed by the move. Mewtwo Y loses Unnerve, but since I have multiple checks to ExtremeKiller and the uncommon Lum Double Dance Groudon, I'm not too concerned about it. The lack of physical bulk is a deterrent, but otherwise I find running Mewtwonite Y on this worthwhile.
Ho-Oh @ Choice Band
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 224 HP / 172 Atk / 80 SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Earthquake
- Sleep Talk
The final team member, Ho-Oh offers an incredible wallbreaker that serves as the team's best Xerneas check. Both of its STABs hit really freaking hard and Earthquake ambushes Arceus-Rock and Heatran on the switch. Sleep Talk is there to switch into Darkrai. The EV spread ensures that Ho-Oh can live a +2 Thunder from Modest Xerneas while creeping other base 90 Pokemon as much as possible.
Ho-Oh has a tendency to force 50-50's that favor its user. For example, suppose that Ho-Oh gets in on Grassceus and the opponent's best switchins are Kyogre and Dialga. Even if you guess "wrong," Dialga will still lose a good chunk of health from brave Bird and Kyogre risks getting crippled with a burn. It goes without saying that Ho-Oh will have far more success if Waterceus can keep SR off the field with Defog; without Roost, Ho-Oh cannot afford to enter the field up play with Rocks up.
Major threats to the team include Gothitelle, Substitute Calm Mind and Geomancy Xerneas, faster StalltwoY, and many others.
Note that there is a serious version of the team with specially defensive Dialga>Stunfisk that solves the Kyogre issue and helps with Gothitelle/Xerneas, so if you REALLY want to win, you can just use that over flat fish.
Importable: http://pastebin.com/XTx0g6X7
Just want to give a very quick shout-out to Hugendugen/Shrang/Fireburn/Dice/Edgar/Melee Mewtwo/Butt's Wife/Hack/pokeaim/many others for making the Ubers community a pleasant place to be.
This team was built around Stunfisk’s ability to reliably set up Stealth Rock and paralyze key threats, such as Geomancy Xerneas (Fisk tanks a +2 Moonblast if healthy), Yveltal, most Calm Mind Arceus, and other threats. It also checks Dialga fairly well! The rest of the team is fairly standard but strives to check every threat in the metagame. Sub Geomancy Xerneas and a well-played Kyogre are very difficult to deal with, but almost every other relevant threat in the metagame has multiple solid checks.
I gave this team to Tesung to use non-ironically in the Ubers Premier League and he won with it, since Stalltwo had a great match-up. It also destroys the ladder, as most defensive teams tend to do vs. the poorly-constructed HO spam that the ladder likes so much. The ladder peak is evidence of that, though ladder peaks in general are easy to obtain and mean very little in the long run. I saved a screenshot on another computer and will post it tomorrow I guess.
Teambuilding Process
Gonna make this really brief, but this was the core I started off with. I initially used Specially Defensive Clefable to check Xerneas, Palkia, Yveltal, CM Arceus, and a variety of other threats while providing cleric support, but found Clefable was a very shaky “check” to Lustrous Orb Palkia and Geo Xern and gets outmight murdered by Pixie Plate and LO Xern.
The team in-depth
Stunfisk @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Discharge
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
One of the most enjoyable Pokemon I have had the pleasure of laddering with, Stunfisk easily finds opportunities to set up Stealth Rock thanks to its very good special bulk and unique defensive typing. Stunfisk can also spread paralysis very easily with Static and Discharge. I wound up putting Thunder Wave on it as well to paralyze Geomancy Xerneas, allowing Mewtwo Y and Ho-Oh to smash it with Psystrike and Brave Bird respectively, but Toxic is often better to pressure Defog Arceus and damage walls in general. You'd be surprised how many Giratina-A on the ladder do NOT carry Rest.
Unlike Chansey, Stunfisk is NOT weak to Mega Gengar. It also deals with Superpower Sash Deo-A leads a little better than Chansey can and isn't as badly crippled by Knock Off. Last generation, many argued that Chansey outclasses Stunfisk but this gen Stunfisk is actually better IMO.
Yveltal @ Dread Plate
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
- Roost
Physically Defensive Yveltal is really common at the moment, and for good reason. It is one of the best best to Extremekiller Arceus in the game, since it takes a trollish 50% from a +2 ESpeed and OHKOes +2 Arceus back with Foul Play. Almost anything that doesn't resist Dark moves or isn't a blob is going to get smacked by a Dread Plate, STAB, and Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play, making Yveltal strong both defensively and offensively. Yveltal can beat Rayquaza, Groudon, most Deo-A, and other physical/mixed threats as well.
Sucker Punch is necessary on this team since choiced Kyogre is a nightmare without it. Kyogre and Palkia both take over 50% from this move. Finally, Taunt stops recovery and improves the team's matchup against Stall. The lack of leftovers can be a detriment due to the lack of Wish on this team, but a well-played Yveltal will always put in work.
Xerneas @ Leftovers
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 92 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
This is a different spread from the physically defensive cleric, as I wanted Xerneas to be able to switch in on anything Palkia could throw at it apart from a Lustrous Orb-boosted Hydro Pump with SR out. Assault Vest and Leftovers Palkia cannot 2HKO Xerneas with SR out unless they land a lucky crit, making Xerneas a fairly safe switchin into it. Xerneas also has enough physical defense to check Zekrom very effectively. Like with Yveltal, I sped crept this enough to outrun opposing tank Xerneas the vast majority of the time, since the ladder VERY rarely runs more than 8 Speed on walls (if any at all).
Xerneas does not get a reliable recovery move, meaning it is forced to run Rest to replenish its health. The new Sleep mechanics and its access to Aromatherapy (potentially waking it up early from its nap) make running Rest on walls easier than last generation though. Aromatherapy is a must on a team like this, especially to remove burns from Yveltal and paralysis/toxic from MM2Y and Arceus-Water. Finally, even an uninvested Moonblast will hit fairly hard.
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 164 SpD / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog
Kyogre checks are fairly important for any team, and Arceus-Water is a pretty good one since it can switch in on Water-moves and Ice Beam. Arceus-Water can also wall most Dialga, Arceus-Ground, Ho-Oh, Heatran, and other threats. Arceus is EV'd to outrun and burn Kangaskhan before it can hit you with
If the opponent has a Kyogre, keep Waterceus as healthy as possible since Stalltwo Y and Sucker Punch Yveltal are not very reliable ways to beat it. Kyogre will never use Thunder until Waterceus is revealed, so you get to switch in virtually for free the first time; subsequent times it might be a good idea to sacrifice Stunfisk if you have Rocks up to punish Thunder spam.
Mewtwo @ Mewtwonite Y
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 248 HP / 84 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psystrike
- Recover
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
Most Stalltwo are not mega evolutions, since this Mewtwo variant enjoys Leftovers recovery and Unnerve. I like Mega Mewtwo Y here though to help with Kyogre, Palkia, and opposing Stalltwo (which would be a nightmare otherwise). Psystrike also does a spectacular job at pressuring Ho-Oh, as even without investment all but physically defensive turkeys will get 2HKOed by the move. Mewtwo Y loses Unnerve, but since I have multiple checks to ExtremeKiller and the uncommon Lum Double Dance Groudon, I'm not too concerned about it. The lack of physical bulk is a deterrent, but otherwise I find running Mewtwonite Y on this worthwhile.
Ho-Oh @ Choice Band
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 224 HP / 172 Atk / 80 SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Earthquake
- Sleep Talk
The final team member, Ho-Oh offers an incredible wallbreaker that serves as the team's best Xerneas check. Both of its STABs hit really freaking hard and Earthquake ambushes Arceus-Rock and Heatran on the switch. Sleep Talk is there to switch into Darkrai. The EV spread ensures that Ho-Oh can live a +2 Thunder from Modest Xerneas while creeping other base 90 Pokemon as much as possible.
Ho-Oh has a tendency to force 50-50's that favor its user. For example, suppose that Ho-Oh gets in on Grassceus and the opponent's best switchins are Kyogre and Dialga. Even if you guess "wrong," Dialga will still lose a good chunk of health from brave Bird and Kyogre risks getting crippled with a burn. It goes without saying that Ho-Oh will have far more success if Waterceus can keep SR off the field with Defog; without Roost, Ho-Oh cannot afford to enter the field up play with Rocks up.
Major threats to the team include Gothitelle, Substitute Calm Mind and Geomancy Xerneas, faster StalltwoY, and many others.
Note that there is a serious version of the team with specially defensive Dialga>Stunfisk that solves the Kyogre issue and helps with Gothitelle/Xerneas, so if you REALLY want to win, you can just use that over flat fish.
Importable: http://pastebin.com/XTx0g6X7
Just want to give a very quick shout-out to Hugendugen/Shrang/Fireburn/Dice/Edgar/Melee Mewtwo/Butt's Wife/Hack/pokeaim/many others for making the Ubers community a pleasant place to be.
Last edited:
