Quick little intro. I was in the Ubers room on showdown one day talking about how Ho-oh seemed to get better with pretty much every passing generation and someone mentioned how fun band Ho-oh is to which I made the comment "CB bird cannot be walled." People seemed to like that quote so I made it the basis of this team.
Ho-Oh @ Choice Band
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Atk / 52 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Earthquake
- Toxic
This was my starting point. CB bird serves as the dual offensive-defensive backbone of this team, serving to switch in and batter down physical walls like Primal Groudon and defensive Zyg-C. The set I chose is a more defensive leaning tank set to lend a bit more resilience to things like Primal Don lacking rock moves, Marshadow lacking rock moves, and Xerneas. Dual STAB + EQ is standard and gives Ho-oh at least neutral coverage against the entire relevant tier. Toxic is a common fourth move and is what i chose over defog which would feel like overkill seeing the dual hazard control options this team already comes equipped with in Mega Diancie and Giratina or whirlwind seeing as this Ho-oh can simply attack into GeoXern and knock it out or at least drop it low enough that Arceus can pick it off. Toxic can be an easy click as the only things wanting to come in against this in Don itself and Zygarde get worn down quickly by it.
Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 24 Atk / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
This mon might be the hardest sell on the team. Dual STAB gives Diancie good coverage/ power, letting it check Ho-oh, Yveltal, and Zygarde. Earth power rounds out the set by giving it a move to hit the steels (not named Ferrothorn or Skarmory) and Primal Groudon that would want to switch into Diancie. 24 Atk Evs allow it to 2HKO Blissey and 232 SpA and 252 Spe with a Naive Nature allows it to hit as hard as possible while outspeeding as much as possible. I really enjoy the magic bounce support of Mega-Diancie alongside Ho-oh. Diancie also has no problem putting up rocks vs Mega Sableye or Giratina which rock setters like Ferrothorn and the Necrozma formes can sometimes struggle with. This could be ameliorated by using Primal Don as the setter but I wanted to dedicate my Primal Don to a different role on this team. Aside from that, Diancie, while not really beating many rock setters does put pressure on rock setters to click attacking moves rather than Stealth Rock with the threat of its Magic Bounce once it can get a safe mega off vs something like resting Zygarde or Yveltal. This Pokémon also pretty much single handedly shreds stall which is nice.
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Eruption
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Solar Beam
This Primal Groudon set is something I saw floating around other teams that looked like it was right at home on this team. Full out special attacking don is a little strange at first but is pretty much the perfect lure to break open teams for Ho-oh and Arceus. Eruption is a move thats very hard to switch into for many teams, forcing a recover from non resistant Arceus if they want to check don later and having a good chance to 2HKO resistant Arceus after rocks. Earth power is secondary STAB that allows don to beat opposing don since most sets don't run max speed like this one. HP Ice, though, is the star of the show, allowing this don to effectively lure Zygarde and Mega Salamence for the benefit of Ho-oh and E-Killer Arceus. Solar Beam rounds the set out, allowing Groudon to hit Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water.
Arceus @ Chople Berry
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Shadow Claw
- Recover
The classic set of Extreme Killer makes an appearance here as a win condition for this team that can exploit the holes left by Groudon and Ho-oh and pick off weakened teams. SD + Extreme Speed allows Arceus to boost its attack and hit most things with powerful STAB priority. Shadow Claw lets Arceus hit the ghosts who would otherwise be immune to Extreme Speed while also giving Arceus a stronger hit against the Normal type resistant Necrozma-Dusk-Mane. Recover lets Arceus keep itself healthy and out of KO range of opposing priority and also letting it stay healthy and turn something like support Arceus lacking Will-O-Wisp into setup fodder. 252 Atk Evs with an Adamant Nature maximizes its damage output. 16 Spe EVs lets it get past the Base 90s and the rest of its EVs are put into HP, which let it survive hits on its way to finish off a sweep. Chople Berry lets it take a fighting move from Marshadow and Lunala and respond with Shadow Claw.
Giratina-Origin @ Griseous Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 180 SpA / 52 SpD/ 28 Spe
Modest Nature
- Defog
- Hex
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunder Wave
Giratina is the defensive backbone of this team, checking most physical threats in the tier while providing support for the team and making offensive progress. Defog is the crucial hazard control move that helps increase the offensive threat of Ho-oh. Hex is good ghost STAB that synergizes with the Toxic and Burn that Ho-oh can spread as well as the paralysis that Giratina itself can spread. Dragon Pulse is secondary STAB that hits Zygarde and un-statused Primal Groudon as well as the Ghost immune Normal Arceus. Again, Thunder Wave synergizes with Hex allowing for more damage output and also ruining a Xerneas looking to force Giratina out. 248 HP and 54 SpD allow Giratina to avoid a 2HKO from Primal Groudon's fully powered Eruption. 28 Spe lets Giratina outspeed a paralyzed Modest ScarfXern and 180 SpA with a Modest nature maximizes Giratina's damage output.
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sunsteel Strike
- Earthquake
- Morning Sun
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane bookends this team as a general hit-taker and special check. Swords Dance lets Necrozma be an offensive threat while playing defense and can turn Sunsteel Strike into a "delete the other Pokémon" move in Searing Sunraze Smash. Sunsteel Strike itself is a general high powered STAB move itself that provides a supereffective hit on the Fairies Necrozma is tasked with checking. Earthquake is good coverage that hits Primal Groudon better than Sunsteel as well as opposing Necrozma and Magearna. Finally, Morning Sun lets Necrozma stay healthy while taking repeated hits. This set has maximum special bulk with a Careful nature to make it as sturdy as possible against fairies and support Arceus formes.
Kind of a long RMT but I really wanted to fully give my justification and thought process for this team. But yeah thoughts and feedback appreciated!
Here's the Pokepaste since that may be a bit easier to look at: https://pokepast.es/bc1b6d2e90c987d9
Ho-Oh @ Choice Band
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Atk / 52 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Earthquake
- Toxic
This was my starting point. CB bird serves as the dual offensive-defensive backbone of this team, serving to switch in and batter down physical walls like Primal Groudon and defensive Zyg-C. The set I chose is a more defensive leaning tank set to lend a bit more resilience to things like Primal Don lacking rock moves, Marshadow lacking rock moves, and Xerneas. Dual STAB + EQ is standard and gives Ho-oh at least neutral coverage against the entire relevant tier. Toxic is a common fourth move and is what i chose over defog which would feel like overkill seeing the dual hazard control options this team already comes equipped with in Mega Diancie and Giratina or whirlwind seeing as this Ho-oh can simply attack into GeoXern and knock it out or at least drop it low enough that Arceus can pick it off. Toxic can be an easy click as the only things wanting to come in against this in Don itself and Zygarde get worn down quickly by it.
Diancie-Mega @ Diancite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 24 Atk / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
This mon might be the hardest sell on the team. Dual STAB gives Diancie good coverage/ power, letting it check Ho-oh, Yveltal, and Zygarde. Earth power rounds out the set by giving it a move to hit the steels (not named Ferrothorn or Skarmory) and Primal Groudon that would want to switch into Diancie. 24 Atk Evs allow it to 2HKO Blissey and 232 SpA and 252 Spe with a Naive Nature allows it to hit as hard as possible while outspeeding as much as possible. I really enjoy the magic bounce support of Mega-Diancie alongside Ho-oh. Diancie also has no problem putting up rocks vs Mega Sableye or Giratina which rock setters like Ferrothorn and the Necrozma formes can sometimes struggle with. This could be ameliorated by using Primal Don as the setter but I wanted to dedicate my Primal Don to a different role on this team. Aside from that, Diancie, while not really beating many rock setters does put pressure on rock setters to click attacking moves rather than Stealth Rock with the threat of its Magic Bounce once it can get a safe mega off vs something like resting Zygarde or Yveltal. This Pokémon also pretty much single handedly shreds stall which is nice.
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Eruption
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Solar Beam
This Primal Groudon set is something I saw floating around other teams that looked like it was right at home on this team. Full out special attacking don is a little strange at first but is pretty much the perfect lure to break open teams for Ho-oh and Arceus. Eruption is a move thats very hard to switch into for many teams, forcing a recover from non resistant Arceus if they want to check don later and having a good chance to 2HKO resistant Arceus after rocks. Earth power is secondary STAB that allows don to beat opposing don since most sets don't run max speed like this one. HP Ice, though, is the star of the show, allowing this don to effectively lure Zygarde and Mega Salamence for the benefit of Ho-oh and E-Killer Arceus. Solar Beam rounds the set out, allowing Groudon to hit Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water.
Arceus @ Chople Berry
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Shadow Claw
- Recover
The classic set of Extreme Killer makes an appearance here as a win condition for this team that can exploit the holes left by Groudon and Ho-oh and pick off weakened teams. SD + Extreme Speed allows Arceus to boost its attack and hit most things with powerful STAB priority. Shadow Claw lets Arceus hit the ghosts who would otherwise be immune to Extreme Speed while also giving Arceus a stronger hit against the Normal type resistant Necrozma-Dusk-Mane. Recover lets Arceus keep itself healthy and out of KO range of opposing priority and also letting it stay healthy and turn something like support Arceus lacking Will-O-Wisp into setup fodder. 252 Atk Evs with an Adamant Nature maximizes its damage output. 16 Spe EVs lets it get past the Base 90s and the rest of its EVs are put into HP, which let it survive hits on its way to finish off a sweep. Chople Berry lets it take a fighting move from Marshadow and Lunala and respond with Shadow Claw.
Giratina-Origin @ Griseous Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 180 SpA / 52 SpD/ 28 Spe
Modest Nature
- Defog
- Hex
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunder Wave
Giratina is the defensive backbone of this team, checking most physical threats in the tier while providing support for the team and making offensive progress. Defog is the crucial hazard control move that helps increase the offensive threat of Ho-oh. Hex is good ghost STAB that synergizes with the Toxic and Burn that Ho-oh can spread as well as the paralysis that Giratina itself can spread. Dragon Pulse is secondary STAB that hits Zygarde and un-statused Primal Groudon as well as the Ghost immune Normal Arceus. Again, Thunder Wave synergizes with Hex allowing for more damage output and also ruining a Xerneas looking to force Giratina out. 248 HP and 54 SpD allow Giratina to avoid a 2HKO from Primal Groudon's fully powered Eruption. 28 Spe lets Giratina outspeed a paralyzed Modest ScarfXern and 180 SpA with a Modest nature maximizes Giratina's damage output.
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sunsteel Strike
- Earthquake
- Morning Sun
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane bookends this team as a general hit-taker and special check. Swords Dance lets Necrozma be an offensive threat while playing defense and can turn Sunsteel Strike into a "delete the other Pokémon" move in Searing Sunraze Smash. Sunsteel Strike itself is a general high powered STAB move itself that provides a supereffective hit on the Fairies Necrozma is tasked with checking. Earthquake is good coverage that hits Primal Groudon better than Sunsteel as well as opposing Necrozma and Magearna. Finally, Morning Sun lets Necrozma stay healthy while taking repeated hits. This set has maximum special bulk with a Careful nature to make it as sturdy as possible against fairies and support Arceus formes.
Kind of a long RMT but I really wanted to fully give my justification and thought process for this team. But yeah thoughts and feedback appreciated!
Here's the Pokepaste since that may be a bit easier to look at: https://pokepast.es/bc1b6d2e90c987d9
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