Banette @ Banettite
Abitlity: Cursed Body
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
- Will-O-Wisp
- Destiny Bond
- Shadow Claw
- Trick (Magic) Room / Protect
Mega-Banette is best on very gimmicky teams, including Assist V-Create, Trick/Magic Room, and trollish Prankster teams, but that isn't all it can do. It offers any opponent two choices: kill both of our pokemon, or play mindgames that are heavily skewed in my favor. I can't imagine Moltres better justifying a teamslot in the upper echelons of OU, even over non-megas, so I think this is appropriate as a reference for people that wanna try something else that is a bit different. Most Banette fans would use Protect instead of Magic/Trick Room on gimmick-free teams, allowing a free Mega-Evolve, some burn-stalling, and less chance of suicide if mindgames go right--making Protect almost as good as Trick Room against Mawile and better against most other things, but leaving Banette as a one-trick-pony in most matches.
I chose this set because this is the Banette, except for Frisk due to the nature of Magic Room, I use as one of 2 defensive Magic Room setters when I try to make it work as a Choiced-setup gimmick. 8 Spd makes it outspeed things aiming for the same speed bracket as the example Mawile set the turn it mega-evolves, because I don't have room for Protect, and leaves it with a nice odd HP number too. It is the pokemon I use that best counters Mega-Mawile, as I rely on prediction and checks in my normal OU teams--for example, Hydreigon will die to any fairy attack, but can take up to a +4 Sucker Punch to Fire Blast back if it switches in "safely" (kinda predictably, despite the threat of King's Shield) with an Aegislash double switch. I use Banette as a lead and answer to Knock Off (As almost all Magic Room users are weak to Knock Off, Klefki wishing to keep its Light Clay, and the gimmick is ruined by it.) My Magic Room teams have only climbed ratings in UU so far, as OU pokemon are generally better setting up by themselves and don't ever beg for +2 and a Scarf to enable a sweep, but they are fun with the potential for whole-team-sweeping Banded priority (i.e. +6 CB Azumarill, +2 CB Talonflame, +4 CB Aegislash) in OU!
This set makes a great, albeit mega, Trick Room setter that also takes down a slow threat, Trick Room allowing it to move after Mawile and other slow attackers, leading to Destiny Bond --> Shadow Claw
guaranteeing a KO or switch against anything Banette is moving after without recovery or status. It is, therefore, best as a Trick Roomer against Mega-Mawile because altering speed secures a KO, and it can sacrifice itself productively to bring in Conkeldurr or other slow attackers unscathed in the middle of Trick Room.
This Banette outspeeds the majority of Mega-Mawile sets, including the example, before mega-evolving--so Protect isn't essential in this match-up. It can take any +0 hit on the switch, burning as it mega-evolves if Mawile uses Fire Punch, Sucker Punch, or disabled Play Rough that does low end RNG damage, Destiny Bonding if it's most Play Roughs or Swords Dance. Ideally, you burn it after a Sucker Punch or Fire Punch switch-in and set up room/protect stall burn then Shadow Claw/Destiny Bond --> (Protect -->) Destiny Bond/Shadow Claw to leave Mawile in Shadow Claw range or dead with Banette ready to play mindgames and burn/room more, or both pokemon dead. A Swords Dance or Play Rough is a pain, your Banette is 90% dead, but spamming Destiny Bond and randomly WoWing and Shadow Clawing once so Protect stall ends in a kill or Trick Rooming then Shadow Clawing alternatively leaves their chances to predict correctly and avoid dying as well at
1/5 or 1/9. Mega-Banette, similar to Aegislash, places the burden of the mindgame on your opponent, and will always do enough to bother Mega-Mawile and other physical attackers, usually bringing it down and setting up room with less-than-godly prediction from Mawile.
Banette is weak to damaging status+setup/burn immunity or switching into OHKOs as a suicide counter to physical attackers. Priority Destiny Bond makes it better against stuff it's slow against with a Protect set, but taking out enemy Mawile AND setting up the Trick Room that would enable it otherwise is a pretty big deal!
