This is my first time writing a post here :)
I wanted to share my ZU team featuring
Pokepast
When I started playing the ZU tier, I was really surprised that a legendary pokemon like is so low in usage (only 2.3%). Of course, it has the worst typing of the Sword of Justice, but still, 108 Speed and 129 SpDef is something. So i build this team, and tried it. I don't play regularly, but almost all the games i played in ZU were with this team and I got pretty good results with 76% win rate.
Now let's talk about the team:
The sweeper
Virizion @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sacred Sword
- Leaf Blade
- Zen Headbutt
I build the team around it. The classic SD set run Stone Edge and Close Combat with Life Orb. But i wanted something with more longevity, that can output consistently good damage. So I use Sacred Sword and it never disapointed me. Sacred Sword is very useful against common Iron Defense in the tier, like
for example. I use Zen Headbutt because it is REALLY useful against Poison types that love switch into . Tera Fire is really good defensive typing and help against Will-O-Wisp. is bulky enough (on the special side) to setup when it enters the field, and fast enough to sweep an entire team after the scarfer is gone.
The stall breaker
Magmortar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 36 HP / 80 Def / 140 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Acid Spray
- Tera Blast
Next, I needed a strong special attacker to handle all the physical walls struggle with. I choosed mainly because his good coverage and high SpAttack (125 - 3rd place in the tier after 
and 
). I started with Timid nature but then went for Modest with some bulk to survive some powerful attacks (140 SpA Modest is 353 SpA - just 4 points more than 252 SpA Timid). The really cool thing about is that it can use Acid Apray to lower the SpDef of some potential walls, making it a very powerfull wall breaker. Tera Blast Grass is very helpful against pokemons that resist Flamethrower and Thunderbolt, such as 
, 
or .
The defensive pivot
Toucannon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Keen Eye
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
- Beak Blast
- Boomburst
- U-turn
- Roost
For supporting my breaking core, I needed something that can handle physical attackers. Both and are more Specially defensive, so i looked for a physical wall. Introducing: THE BIRD. Even with not very high defenses, with full investment in HP and Defense, is able to survive the most powerful attacks in the tier. But the crazy thing is its signature move. Beak Blast is a broken move. Burning pokemons just by touching it is very mean. And nothing wants to take a 100 BP STAB move from a pokemon with 120 Attack. is my switch in to almost all physical attacks, and there is no single game where it did nothing. Because i made it mixed (I like Boomburst), i made it -Speed nature and that helps also to get a slow U-turn sometimes.
Tera Ghost is just a good tera type and make me better against fighting types that can cause serious problemes.
The lead
Golem @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Explosion
There is nothing too crazy about. Just that I wanted to use it. But it is still really cool and is my default lead of the team. Stealth Rock and Sturdy Custap Berry Explosion is old school and always good. I use Tera Steel Heavy Slam because i hate Stone Miss. Never sacked without doing anything.
The unblockable spinner
Morpeko @ Black Glasses
Ability: Hunger Switch
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Parting Shot
This is also a team member that i just wanted to use. Fast spinner with Knock Off is always good, but is special, because it has STAB Knock Off. A Ghost type that want to spin block will probably be dead by Knock Off. Only 
can block it and threatening with Will-O-Wisp. I use Black Glasses for extra power and Tera Electric for extra power on Aura Wheel (btw, did you know that if terastalises, it will not change form?).
The secondary sweeper
Veluza @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fillet Away
- Aqua Cutter
- Psycho Cut
- Aqua Jet
The last team member is filling a lot of gaps. Water type, Fighting resist (the only one in this team) and priority. But must importantly, it is the secondary sweeper of the team. With the support of, it is not very hard to setup with its BROKEN signature move. When finished the setup, something will die...
Only
walls it completely, everything else got deleted. Aqua Jet is used as the only priority move in the team, it is very important when didn't finished the job against a sweeper or a scarfer. Aqua Jet is also useful in some Sucker Punch mind games.
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9zu-2486567539
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9zu-2236132195-y5l9m4desd9o8e9t2vazsuefih3cxblpw
I would like to hear your thoughts on my team. Thank you very much.
I wanted to share my ZU team featuring
Pokepast
When I started playing the ZU tier, I was really surprised that a legendary pokemon like
is so low in usage (only 2.3%). Of course, it has the worst typing of the Sword of Justice, but still, 108 Speed and 129 SpDef is something. So i build this team, and tried it. I don't play regularly, but almost all the games i played in ZU were with this team and I got pretty good results with 76% win rate.Now let's talk about the team:
The sweeper
Virizion @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sacred Sword
- Leaf Blade
- Zen Headbutt
I build the team around it. The classic SD set run Stone Edge and Close Combat with Life Orb. But i wanted something with more longevity, that can output consistently good damage. So I use Sacred Sword and it never disapointed me. Sacred Sword is very useful against common Iron Defense in the tier, like
for example. I use Zen Headbutt because it is REALLY useful against Poison types that love switch into . Tera Fire is really good defensive typing and help against Will-O-Wisp. is bulky enough (on the special side) to setup when it enters the field, and fast enough to sweep an entire team after the scarfer is gone.+2 252 Atk Virizion Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 172-204 (51.4 - 61%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Virizion Sacred Sword vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Regirock: 198-234 (54.3 - 64.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 252 Atk Virizion Sacred Sword vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Regirock: 198-234 (54.3 - 64.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
The stall breaker
Magmortar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 36 HP / 80 Def / 140 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Acid Spray
- Tera Blast
Next, I needed a strong special attacker to handle all the physical walls
struggle with. I choosed mainly because his good coverage and high SpAttack (125 - 3rd place in the tier after and ). I started with Timid nature but then went for Modest with some bulk to survive some powerful attacks (140 SpA Modest is 353 SpA - just 4 points more than 252 SpA Timid). The really cool thing about is that it can use Acid Apray to lower the SpDef of some potential walls, making it a very powerfull wall breaker. Tera Blast Grass is very helpful against pokemons that resist Flamethrower and Thunderbolt, such as , or .Bulk for to survive Adamant 
CC
252+ Atk Passimian Close Combat vs. 36 HP / 80 Def Magmortar: 253-298 (84.3 - 99.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Tera Blast Grass after Acid Spray OHKO
140+ SpA Tera Grass Magmortar Acid Spray vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Lanturn: 37-44 (8.1 - 9.6%)
140+ SpA Tera Grass Magmortar Tera Blast (80 BP) vs. -2 252 HP / 252+ SpD Lanturn: 440-518 (96.9 - 114%)
to survive Adamant CC252+ Atk Passimian Close Combat vs. 36 HP / 80 Def Magmortar: 253-298 (84.3 - 99.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Tera Blast Grass after Acid Spray OHKO
140+ SpA Tera Grass Magmortar Acid Spray vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Lanturn: 37-44 (8.1 - 9.6%)
140+ SpA Tera Grass Magmortar Tera Blast (80 BP) vs. -2 252 HP / 252+ SpD Lanturn: 440-518 (96.9 - 114%)
The defensive pivot
Toucannon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Keen Eye
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
- Beak Blast
- Boomburst
- U-turn
- Roost
For supporting my breaking core, I needed something that can handle physical attackers. Both
and are more Specially defensive, so i looked for a physical wall. Introducing: THE BIRD. Even with not very high defenses, with full investment in HP and Defense, is able to survive the most powerful attacks in the tier. But the crazy thing is its signature move. Beak Blast is a broken move. Burning pokemons just by touching it is very mean. And nothing wants to take a 100 BP STAB move from a pokemon with 120 Attack. is my switch in to almost all physical attacks, and there is no single game where it did nothing. Because i made it mixed (I like Boomburst), i made it -Speed nature and that helps also to get a slow U-turn sometimes.Tera Ghost is just a good tera type and make me better against fighting types that can cause serious problemes.
These calcs show the defensive potential of . Remember: even if is dead after it switchs in - the attacker will be left burned...
252+ Atk Adaptability Tera Water Basculin Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Toucannon: 241-286 (66.2 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Sneasel-Hisui Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Toucannon: 298-352 (81.8 - 96.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
. Remember: even if is dead after it switchs in - the attacker will be left burned...252+ Atk Adaptability Tera Water Basculin Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Toucannon: 241-286 (66.2 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Sneasel-Hisui Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Toucannon: 298-352 (81.8 - 96.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
The lead
Golem @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Explosion
There is nothing too crazy about
. Just that I wanted to use it. But it is still really cool and is my default lead of the team. Stealth Rock and Sturdy Custap Berry Explosion is old school and always good. I use Tera Steel Heavy Slam because i hate Stone Miss. Never sacked without doing anything.The unblockable spinner
Morpeko @ Black Glasses
Ability: Hunger Switch
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Parting Shot
This is also a team member that i just wanted to use. Fast spinner with Knock Off is always good, but
is special, because it has STAB Knock Off. A Ghost type that want to spin block will probably be dead by Knock Off. Only can block it and threatening with Will-O-Wisp. I use Black Glasses for extra power and Tera Electric for extra power on Aura Wheel (btw, did you know that if terastalises, it will not change form?).The secondary sweeper
Veluza @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fillet Away
- Aqua Cutter
- Psycho Cut
- Aqua Jet
The last team member is filling a lot of gaps. Water type, Fighting resist (the only one in this team) and priority. But must importantly, it is the secondary sweeper of the team. With the support of
, it is not very hard to setup with its BROKEN signature move. When finished the setup, something will die...Only
walls it completely, everything else got deleted. Aqua Jet is used as the only priority move in the team, it is very important when didn't finished the job against a sweeper or a scarfer. Aqua Jet is also useful in some Sucker Punch mind games.+2 252 Atk Sharpness Tera Water Veluza Aqua Cutter vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Shiftry: 292-344 (90.9 - 107.1%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
+2 252 Atk Sharpness Veluza Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Lapras: 241-285 (51.9 - 61.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Sharpness Veluza Psycho Cut vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Lapras: 241-285 (51.9 - 61.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9zu-2486567539
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9zu-2236132195-y5l9m4desd9o8e9t2vazsuefih3cxblpw
I would like to hear your thoughts on my team. Thank you very much.
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