Weed Cat & Friends!
The Squad
First RMT here, and it's revolving around this team I've used ever since DLC 1 that still is proving to be really effective even in this new DLC 2 meta. The team actually went through several iterations, and Meowscarada wasn't on it until a good while after. An offensive team with the intent to break down holes from Zama or Moth, with the Pokémon being bulky enough to usually pivot as need be.
Meowscarada @ Choice Band
Ability: Protean
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flower Trick
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- U-turn
The star of this team, I guess? It's not every day you see a Meowscarda in OU these days so I guess that's what makes this team stand out. Banded meow's most attractive quality is its STRONG U-turns. What got me to use Meowscarda with a choice band was its sheer power, as once I saw an opponents banded Meow do 50% to a Walking Wake of mine I just knew I had to try it out. Meow is usually the lead on the team, getting either a strong knock off to force progress on anything or a U-turn. If the opponent counter-leads something like Pult to U-turn it into oblivion, we can attempt to punish it with a static from Zapdos. Meow after that will either come in on doubles or weaker resisted hits- from there it will U-turn out. Sucker punch is to get the jump on faster threats like opposing Iron Moths, and Flower trick is rarely used to clean up the opposing team or break through defense-boosting Pokemon like Garganacl and Dondozo, and sometimes even non-jolly Zamazentas. Overall, Meow has defiantly earned its keep.
Kingambit @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 236 HP / 248 Atk / 24 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Kowtow Cleave
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
Nothing special on Kingambit aside from its speed EV's. They just exist so that it always outspeed other bulky Kingambits. Kingambit on this team is used more as a mid-game wallbreaker than a late-game sweeper, though it can obviously do the latter if need be. I don't think there's much more to say here, you know what Kingambit is and what it does and why it's so good.
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Volt Switch
- Hurricane
- Roost
This Pokémon probably holds the team together like glue and I just don't realize it. Static is such a good ability, punishing many physical moves. Discharge is chosen over thunderbolt for it's greatly increased chance to paralyze opposing Pokémon. 8 Speed EVs let it always outspeed other bulky Zapdos, but there is an argument to let Zapdos underspeed opposing Zapdos. Zapdos helps counter a plethora of physical threats our team would otherwise struggle with, like Opposing Zamazenta, Rillaboom, Dondozo, Kingambit (Sometimes) and Roaring Moon for the limited time that it's probably going to be in the tier for along with many other physical Pokémon, and even some special attacking ones. Overall, Zapdos is an amazing Pokémon that keeps the opposing teams threats in check from start to finish and really helps cover the weaknesses the rest of the team has.
Zamazenta @ Leftovers
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Body Press
- Crunch
- Heavy Slam
- Iron Defense
What da dog doin'? It's sweeping the opposing team, that's what it's doing. The attack evs let it always 2 shot Offensive Gholdengo with Crunch, which also hits pult and lets Zama beat it from full HP if it hits it on the switch in (also, with Tera it can beat it without predicting if the Pult is specs and choses to Draco). The rest of the EVs are in defense and speed, and the jolly nature lets it outspeed the 3 protean/libero starters. Tera Steel lets it eat up Moonblasts from Enamorus and valiant along with other fairy attacks and flying attacks. It also boosts the damage of heavy slam to hit them harder too, turning some 3-shots into 2-shots or some 2-shots into 1-hit KO's. Zama is usually the teams wincon, and is thus kept healthy throughout the match though- its dauntless shield might be used up trying to scare another Pokémon out that the rest of the team can't deal with or just to pick up a KO. Zama is chosen over other sweepers due to it also checking a plethora of physical attackers, letting it easily get a checkmate when the opposing team is just physical Pokemon
Great Tusk @ Assault Vest
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Spinner
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
Now, for the most part this is a standard Great Tusk- except for the assault vest. The vest lets great tusk take hits it has no business taking, like iron moths psychic/dazzling gleam or a Draco meteor from a raging bolt. Now, these attacks will still greatly dent great tusk but it's better than being dead. Knock off hits Gholdengo on the switch and is a generally very safe move to click and ice spinner lets it beat stuff like Dragonite and let's it do damage to opposing Zapdos. Usually used in the early-mid game for its hazard removal though it can clean late game with rapid spin shenanigans.
Iron Moth @ Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 124 Def / 132 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
- Tera Blast
Iron moth is a very silly Pokémon. This one diverts from the main set of 3 attacks + sub to instead run Tera blast with Tera ground to blow past a plethora of "checks" or generally annoying Pokémon, including Heatran, Galarian-Slowking and opposing Iron Moth. Gleam lets it hit the dragon types of the tier, and sludge wave + fiery dance are mostly standard. Iron moth is most often used to break open holes in the opposing team early on in the game, sometimes paired with a surprise Tera ground. It can also clean with fiery dance if it wasn't needed during the mid-game. Iron moth helps deal with Iron valiant and many fast threats that the team appreciates, and it also beats Corviknight which would otherwise prove troublesome
Threats, Thoughts and Other stuff
When it comes to threats to the team, walking wake in the sun is a big one. Only real counterplay is to try and use Zama to scare it out but if that goes down it's usually joever. Iron boulder is a notable new threat too, but with smart counterplay it can be beaten (Usually by baiting it into using CC on Zapdos and getting itself paralyzed while also lowering its defenses). Opposing Zapdos can be very annoying and usually force iron moth to come in to scare it out. Ting-Lu is troublesome but it usually can't touch zapdos. Moltres is a massive threat as most of the team is physical attackers, and when paired with Ting-Lu can be incredibly hard to remove. This team also struggles greatly against more bulky teams and especially stall- it can beat those archetypes sometimes with smart maneuvering though.
One thing that you might've noticed when looking through the team is a complete lack of hazards. In all honesty, this team is so fast paced it doesn't benefit from them as much as other, more bulky teams- I also just couldn't find a way to slot them in. If I were to categorize this team, It'd be a weird mix of Hyper offense and Bulky offense.
...So yeah that's basically the team. Uh, here's some replays if you want. Please note that the gameplay is far from perfect and that the biggest thing holding me back from getting to the 1800's and 1900's is my skill
Replay 1
Replay 2
Replay 3 (This is before I made the attack EV change on Zamazenta)
Replay 4 (Probably one of my better ones)
(Proof of Elo, GXE has been rising faster and faster recently)
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