SM OU Trick Room God Squad (Peaked #1 62W - 3L)


Hey everyone, hope you are all well and welcome to the most masterful, ingenious, powerful team ever created by the most skillful player on earth. I peaked at #1 on the ladder with this team with a record of 62-3 (see screenshot for proof) which as a record disproves anyone dismissing Trick Room as a gimmick or unviable strategy - I actually think it's in the strongest position in the meta it has ever been. Alolan Marowak, whilst one of the biggest boons for Trick Room this generation, having abysmal speed coupled with savage power and coverage, is also ironically one of its greatest enemies. My goal when creating this team was to make it as cohesive and momentum based as possible, whilst not being too weak to Alolan Marowak nor stacking too many Dark or Ghost type weaknesses, so as not to be ravaged by Hoopa, Bisharp, Gengar etc.

Bronzong @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Gyro Ball

Bronzong remains the best Trick Room setter in the tier in Gen 7 in my opinion, combining a solid defensive typing with great mixed bulk, a stellar ability, god awful speed and an ideal movepool. Levitate enables Bronzong to comfortably set up Trick Room against Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, Sand Rush Excadrill, Salamence, Mamoswine etc. and its excellent resistances to Flying, Normal, Dragon, Psychic, Rock, Fairy, Grass, Ice and immunity to Poison enable it to set up Trick Room on a plethora of common OU Pokemon, including but not limited to; Latis, Togekiss, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Necrozma, Mega Pinsir, Kyu-B, Mega Venusaur, Nihilego, Minior (even after Shell Smash), Alolan Ninetales, Alolan Sandslash etc. etc.
Gyro Ball is a powerful STAB move, particularly when you have 63 speed, Explosion is not only a nuke but enables one of the dedicated Trick Room abusers to come in unharmed and maximises the number of TR turns they have, as well as preventing Rapid Spin or Defog from removing your Stealth Rock in certain situations.
Mental Herb allows you to set up Trick Room against common Taunt leads such as Aerodactyl, Lycanroc and Azelf (crucial for early momentum), which then also allows you to set up Stealth Rock before they can Taunt you again.
Regarding EV spread you could give some consideration to 252 HP / 252 SpDef / 8 Atk, however I have always found that maximum HP investment alone, combined with Bronzong's typing allows it to perform its role.

Audino (F) @ Chople Berry
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Wish
- Trick Room
- Healing Wish
- Knock Off

Now here's where the genius innovation of the greatest player in the World comes in. Don't question or mock this selection, it has proved extremely effective and there is sound reasoning behind it. Audino over Cresselia enables me to maintain the amazing utility of Trick Room + Healing Wish without stacking Dark or Ghost type weaknesses with Bronzong. Regenerator along with high bulk enables it to set up Trick Room multiple times throughout the course of a match and although this was originally specially defensive, I adjusted the EVs to maximum physical defense, identifying that Audino's objective was to set up Trick Room on Pokemon including Mimikyu, Alolan Marowak and Bisharp, that Bronzong is unable to. Even uninvested Audino generally has the bulk to take special attacks courtesy of high HP and Sp Def stats.
Trick Room is a given, Knock Off is the damaging attack because Audino hits like a wet paper fish and it gives me the utility of removing items (particularly significant in the case of Alolan Marowak's Thick Club) as well as breaking Mimikyu's Disguise. Wish is mainly filler although it can pull its weight against more passive, hazard stacking stall teams.
Healing Wish is the crux of the set and in my opinion one of the most powerful moves in the game. The ability to set Trick Room, followed by an instant Healing Wish can completely swing the momentum of a match, granting one of my sluggish nukes a second opportunity at blitzing my opponent's team, guaranteeing that they come in unscathed, free of debilitating status and with 3 turns of Trick Room to abuse.
I originally intended for this to be Mega Audino in truth due to the superior bulk, and the secondary Fairy typing giving it neutrality to Fighting and additional resistances to Dark, Dragon and Bug, however this is currently unavailable and Regenerator is a broken ability regardless.
Finally Chople Berry allows you to set Trick Room against Pokemon you otherwise couldn't comfortably, including Gengar, Kommo-o and even Terrakion and Pheromosa! The Chople Berry means Audino has 0 weaknesses so it's a very effective lead if you are confident your opponent's team has no attacks that through raw power alone can OHKO Audino.
Also without exception, lead with this if your opponent has Alolan Marowak because it allows you to set up Trick Room and Knock Off its Thick Club.

Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Flash Cannon
- Fleur Cannon
- Aura Sphere/Thunderbolt

The third and final Trick Room setter, by far the most offensive of the three, whilst also having arguably the best defensive typing in the game in Steel/Fairy. Magearna has admirable bulk along with resistances to Dark and Bug which the other two lack. It's the best setter of the 3 against Pokemon like Scizor, Weavile, Bisharp and Hoopa.
Soul Heart is a fantastic ability, granting Magearna a Sp Atk boost each time a foe is KOd, which not only means Magearna can snowball as a threat once Trick Room is up, but also encourages weakened enemies to switch out, enabling you to set up Trick Room.
Flash Cannon is consistent and moderately powerful STAB. Aura Sphere or Thunderbolt is a direct decision between being able to hurt Ferrothorn, Heatran and Magnezone or Celesteela, Toxapex and Skarmory respectively. Although I think the team struggles a little more with Heatran and Ferro, the others are considerably more common so pick your poison. I've alternated between them regularly during my time laddering.
Fleur Cannon is a nuke 195 BP move with one of the best offensive types in the game in Fairy, however it severely lowers your Sp Atk stat which may seem counter intuitive on a set that is designed to clean up your opponent's team. However there are a few ways this team mitigates this.
Firstly, Fairium Z means that you are able to use a nuclear Fairy type move when required (300 BP Twinkle Tackle) without lowering your Sp Atk and actually increasing it by a stage if you pick up a KO. If you follow this up with a Fleur Cannon that also takes a KO, you will end up at +/- 0 due to Soul Heart.
Moves like Draco Meteor, Fleur Cannon and Overheat remain popular due to their immense power, despite them often being a momentum drain that forces you to switch out, granting your opponent set up opportunities. However, Magearna being able to set up Trick Room even when its own stats are in tatters means you don't lose much momentum.

Marowak-Alola (F) @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head/Lightningrod
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- Shadow Bone
- Swords Dance

An absolute staple on SUMO Trick Room teams in my opinion, the most brutal abuser of the strategy in the tier. An automatic Swords Dance boost in Thick Club, with the ability to switch up moves unlike Choice Band and high powered, 100% accurate STAB moves with excellent coverage, make this Pokemon a savage.
I've fluctuated between Lightningrod and Rock Head during my time laddering - Rock Head is the most obvious choice on an offensive Trick Room team without a hazard remover, considering Marowak will already be losing 25 percent of its health to Stealth Rock and Flare Blitz is the most powerful move you can abuse, although Audino's Healing Wish does give you the option of recovering Alolan Marowak to full health regardless of the recoil damage and smashing face in once more.
The defensive utility of Lightningrod can't be underestimated though, Fire Ghost is an exemplary defensive typing in the current meta, walling Genesect, Pheromosa, Heatran etc. although an immunity to electric on top of this makes it one of the best counters to Magnezone, Xurkitree and Tapu Koko there is.
Flare Blitz and Shadow Bone are self explanatory, powerful 100% accurate STAB moves, Earthquake is for coverage on Pokemon such as Heatran, Tyranitar and Toxapex.
Swords Dance, though rarely used, is the most optimal move for the final slot. Marowak already has all the coverage it needs between Fire, Ghost and Ground so the option to Swords Dance against the aforementioned Pokemon or on a predicted switch for 2 guaranteed OHKOs during the final 2 turns of Trick Room is appreciated.

Vikavolt (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch


Obscene power along with dismal speed, good coverage despite such a shallow movepool and access to Volt Switch was enough to persuade me to incorporate this into my TR team. The stat spread screams Trick Room and Vikavolt really delivers.
Levitate is always a strong ability, it discourages Choiced Ground moves, can situationally make it a good switchin to Lando-T, Hippo, Garchomp etc. if you are confident they are going to EQ, immunity to Spikes means Vikavolt is able to come in a minimum of 4 times unless it sustains damage from an attack etc.
TBolt and Bug Buzz both hit like ten tonne trucks and provide good coverage between them. HP Ice is fantastic to nail their predictable Ground type switchin, such as Gliscor, Lando-T, Garchomp, thinking they can stomach the Electric/Bug coverage, and one correct prediction will enable you to abuse TBolt or Volt Switch risk free for the remainder of the game.
Volt Switch is highly effective with this level of power, because it can often put the opponent in a situation where they die if they stay in, or gift you momentum and damage by switching. It is also useful on the final turn of Trick Room to pivot back into one of your setters.

Tapu Bulu @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Horn Leech
- Megahorn
- Superpower

OHKOs Latios and Mega Charizard Y after Rocks END
Seriously this has farcical power and its synergy with the rest of my team makes it a valuable member. Grassy Terrain not only provides me a method of countering the opponent's terrain but it also gives Audino and Magearna the equivalent of Leftovers recovery, halves ground damage, removing the Ground weakness of Magearna and Alolan Marowak (important because my two Ground immunities are both courtesy of Levitate), therefore Mold Breaker Excadrill would have a lot of fun against this team without Grassy Terrain and slightly mitigates the Wood Hammer and Flare Blitz recoil of Bulu and Marowak respectively.
Wood Hammer is the move you'll be clicking the vast majority of the time - due to its immense power only 4x resists take it well (Skarm, Celesteela, Ferro, Heatran, Scizor etc.) and between Vikavolt and Alolan Marowak you have ways to punish these switchins.
Horn Leech is for when you don't require as much power and want to prioritise longevity, although it still hits satsifyingly hard coming off almost 600 Attack.
Superpower is to annihilate Heatran and Ferrothorn if you feel like predicting, although the other three Metal types mentioned need to be considerably weakened for it to KO.
Megahorn is filler for the most part, although it is your most effective move against Tangrowth and Amoonguss switching in.


I feel I've managed to create a Trick Room team with immense offensive prowess, but also a stable defensive backbone, due to respectable bulk throughout and complementary type synergy between the members.
Momentum was vital to me, I think a common flaw with Trick Room teams in the past was choosing to use a bulky setter such as Porygon 2 which was able to set Trick Room multiple times throughout a match due to having Recover, but not able to make effective use of the Trick Room turns due to mediocre offensive stats, meaning you either had to manually switch to a nuclear abuser, risking them getting KOd or taking heavy damage or stay in and lose your Trick Room turns.
In this case Bronzong has over 300 attack along with a powerful Gyro Ball to abuse in Trick Room or Explosion if it's favourable to bring an abuser in unscathed, Magearna has a Sp Atk stat equal to Tapu Bulu's physical attack therefore is a powerful cleaner in its own right and Audino has Healing Wish, to prevent it from being a sitting duck, give one of the nukes a second chance at sweeping and it also has strong synergy with the recoil damage of Wood Hammer and Flare Blitz.
The fact that 4/6 members do not have a move that is even neutrally effective against Alolan Marowak is slightly unnerving, however Tapu Bulu and Magearna still hit it incredibly hard and with a record like 62-3 it clearly hasn't been an overwhelming problem. I have tested Pokemon such as Drampa, Crawdaunt and Araquanid on the team in light of this but with lacklustre results.
I hope you enjoyed this RMT, I put a lot of time and thought into it and creation of the team itself took a lot of rigorous testing - please try it out if you are interested. Adulation of my genius is welcomed along with constructive suggestions for improvements.

~ WhimsicottIsBroken
 
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TR is indeed very threatening this gen, (I've been using it a lot), and this team is very solid. However, I don't think I'd be a big fan of Specs Vikavolt, as getting locked into a weak HP Ice or electric move could be unappealing and also, LR Marowak-A is running around everywhere. Plus the SR weakness isn't good on a specs pivot, especially without hazard removal. (I've been kinda agonizing that Mega Ampharos is unreleased as TR teams could really use it for the cool utility of Volt Switching through Marowak. Sigh, some day.)

I would recommend using Bonemerang on Marow over EQ, as Grassy Terrain doesn't nerf its damage output. I think I would the the 10% miss rate forgiveable when pairing Marow with Bulu for this reason. Bonemerang also has cool utility in hitting through sashes and Substitutes.

------

Anyway.

Here are a few counters I can see.

Amoongus: This shroom is cancer to TR teams (which is a great a reason why everyone should be running minimal speed EVs on it now, as its speed outside TR is garbage anyway). Spore provides one of the surest ways to stop TR setting, as TR has reduced priority, Spore will always hit it first, unless you're using a Lum Berry, or a grass type like Eggecutor or Trevenant. Tapu Bulu is helpless to do any meaningful damage to it, and cannot even switch in to absorb Spore predicts without risking taking Sludge Bomb to the face. Amoongus also can render one of your offensive mons useless under TR as it underspeeds them all. And then... Rengenerator ensures it'll be sticking around for a while.

Sub Stallers: If these guys get set up, you're going to have a hell of a time. Toxic stall Gliscor is still a thing, and if SubSeed Celesteela gets set up, it will eat this team alive, not to mention stall out all those precious TR turns.

Fire types: Lots of weaknesses to Fire moves and only Marow resists. Magma Storm Heatran can trap kill your TR setters and hit Marowak with Earth Power on the switch in. Charizard X and Y both can do some work on you with their stabs as well. And like you said, your own worst enemy is Marowak-A, although Audino is a cool counter.

Scald/Water types/Rain teams: You're packing only one water resist, and it's a physical attacker, so it shouldn't risk switching into Scald. Sure you have your special attackers which can take a burn or a strong water move, but it's still annoying. And strong water moves like BD Azurmarril, Specs Kingdra, Band Aquachnid or Crawdaunt? Fuggetabotit.

Stall: Stall is TR's worst matchup and can win by war of attrition, and hazards (especially those with Toxic Spikes).

But all in all, great team!
 
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Fun squad! I changed Vikavolt to AV Goodra which instantly made the team perform much better. Correctly played stall still beats it more often than not and opposing Substitute users are a problem as well though.
 
Fun squad! I changed Vikavolt to AV Goodra which instantly made the team perform much better. Correctly played stall still beats it more often than not and opposing Substitute users are a problem as well though.
Not a bad idea. With Sap Sipper, you get an answer to Spore, as well as a water and fire resist.
 
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Vann I can empathise with your frustration that Mega Ampharos is unreleased, being able to hit Alolan Marowak with an Electric move would be welcomed. However I would tend to favour Mega Abomasnow or Mega Camerupt on Trick Room teams due to their higher raw output and higher base power moves. Mega Camerupt would also give me a Volt Switch absorber without running Lightningrod on Marowak and aid me against Heatran, Charizard Y, Salazzle etc.
Spore users have historically been a problem for Trick Room teams - in this instance Breloom is made an irrelevance by Bulu. Amoonguss is more problematic, although I haven't faced any with minimum speed IVs which is probably preferable as you mentioned. The way I've dealt with it is switching the least useful team member in as sleep fodder to the obvious Spore and then doubling out to A-Marowak which destroys it barring the uncommon Foul Play.
The fire type weakness I can accept however Heatran is the least common it has been on the ladder since its inception in DPP and Earth Power isn't a given on all of its sets considering all of Stealth Rock, Magma Storm, Lava Plume, Toxic, Roar and Solarbeam>Bloom Doom are viable and common.
Stall has always been a problem for Trick Room teams and will continue to be unless you run Mega Sableye, which is sub-optimal for TR in every other way. At one point I had Mega Blastoise over Magearna to help out against the strong water and fire types that you mentioned as well as provide an offensive Rapid Spinner - however the damage output was underwhelming and although the spinning helped against SR and Spikes HO, it didn't save me against competent stall teams which have Toxic Spikes too. I did actually defeat the few stall teams I faced on my 65 game ladder run courtesy of Audino knocking off crucial items such as Chansey's Eviolite, Skarms Leftovers etc., the extreme pressure that SD Alolan Marowak puts on them and Specs Volt Switch forcing out Pokemon like Toxapex, Skarm, Tapu Fini etc. into Chansey, which you can force out before it can recover by going into A Marowak or Bulu. However, I'm under no illusion that without perfect doubles throughout, the matchup isn't favourable.
 

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