General gameplan: Like all good Trick Room teams, this squad is ABSURDLY aggressive. We begin with three bulky TR setters to reverse speed priority, all of whom can get some tactical kills all their own, bring Stealth Rock utility early game, and seize momentum with Explosion and Lunar Dance. Couple that bulk and utility with an insane amount of offensive pressure in our three breakers (well, four with Lunar Dance), each of whom take advantage of various defensive typings, speed tiers and priority. The team packs enough immediate breaking power and speed to tear Stall apart without needing to use precious turns to set up TR, yet under TR, is “fast” enough to take down offense, especially when factoring in priority, and bulky enough to take hits when it needs to.
The Squad:
Mew is the first Trick Room / Stealth Rock / Explosion momentum grabber. SR is vital in a lot of MUs. Rocks breaks/finish Sash-mons, saves vital Trick Room turns and is very helpful against Shedninja stall and Dragonite's Multiscale, while also letting your breakers just be generally more effective against fatmons. Mew is a good lead unless you see Breloom, Heatran, Togekiss, Tyranitar or Weavile or some random strong and fast ghost, dark or bug type. Without sleep or a strong supereffective move, Mew will get its job done. Explosion will handily KO most offensive mons neutral to it, remove an annoying Substitute, or chunk a defensive mon well. Mental Herb lets it set TR against Taunt leads like Azelf or Aerodactyl, throw up rocks the following turn before they can Taunt again and then Explode in their faces, denying the subsequent Rapid Spin or Defog from clearing their field. Mew's Overheat synergies well with Explosion in that Overheat hits Steels and pysically bulky mons like Skarmory, Scizor, Skarmory, Forretress and Tangrowth hard, meaning they all have to respect Mew, and therefore, cannot reliably tank its powerful Explosion. The choice of Overheat specifically along with our EVs and nature assure Mew will always OHKO Sp Def Scizor, barring a miss.
Important Note: Mew is not negatively speed invested for the reason that it needs to be able to outspeed some key threats to the team with Trick Room down. Specifically Overheat should be used against Scizor before setting Trick Room, and the use of Explosion vs Jolly Crawdaunt and Belly Drum Azurmarril will ensure you don’t get swept by these potent threats.
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Next, we have Bronzong. It functions much like Mew in that it is an early game TR + SR setter with Explosion for offensive momentum. Giving Zong similar traits to Mew may seem redundant at first, but having two rockers means the sneaky pebbles are going up regardless of which one is chosen as a lead, but also that teams that rely on having rocks down will be forced to sack their spinner or Defogger only to have the rocks go up a second time from our backup rocker, after their hazard control has fainted. Having the two pair together also means the more useful one can be preserved if the opponent carries a specific threat you expect them to use late game, like in the instance in the case where you would want to preserve Mew against Crawdaunt or Scizor or when you’d like to have Bronzong to check Heatran, Breloom or Extremespeed Lucario. It’s also nice to use the less useful one first if the opponent has Rotom, who can carry Trick to cripple one of your TR setters and seriously hamper your offensive momentum.
Investigating this double Exploding Trick Rooming rocker role further, Bronzong does have some important differences from Mew. Bronzong’s Steel typing lets it shrug off powerful Dragon type attacks from the likes of Latios and Dragonite. Instead of Overheat, Bronzong packs Earthquake, which when coupled with Heatproof, makes Bronzong the preferred lead choice when confronted with Heatran, who Mew cannot touch. Having a setter able to beat Heatran is vital, as Mew and Cres can be trapped with Magma Storm, which may force awkward uses of Explosion and Lunar Dance to preserve momentum. Bronzong should almost always EQ against Heatran, as your opponent will likely overpredict with a fire move or Taunt. EQ also hits other grounded steel types like Magnezone and Jirachi, which again, allows Explosion to function better as a KO option. EQ is also your team’s best option against a +2 Extremespeed Lucario in TR, because Bronzong resists ES, and Cres can’t damage it effectively. For Zong’s item choice, Lum Berry ensures Bronzong can set up against sleep moves, namely Breloom, which again, complements Mew nicely and also helps Bronzong against Paraflinch Togekiss, who might opt for a flinch strat which would easily wear down Mew before it could set up TR.
Last Zong note: Don’t be afraid to bluff Levitate if it suits you against Gliscor or Garchomp. However, if your opponent isn’t buying it, we do have a real ground immunity, which bring us to our next mon.
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Cresselia is your defensive wall, Ground immunity and mid/end game Trick Room setter. Lum Berry is, again, for setting up on Breloom and T. Wave Togekiss, which helps take some pressure off Bronzong. Moonlight lets it hang around when needed as a defensive pivot and sit on Dragons all day (especially Garchomp) and Ice Beam hits them hard even without investment, as well as pressuring Gliscor and Breloom. Given Cres’ bulk and access to healing with Moonlight, in a pinch it can also fish for freezes with Ice Beam. Lunar Dance faints Cres and brings one of your other mons back to full, and is generally a move that should be saved for end game when one of your breakers can clean up your opponent’s final 3 mons, or alternatively, heal Mew or Bronzong if they are weakened and you need them to check something specifically. Crawdaunt is generally the most obvious Lunar choice, but against Stall, having two Nidokings will force a lot of mixed pressure that will result in your opponent having to make an uncomfortable amount of predictions to play around. Heracross’ Flame Orb burn being healed by LD makes it the least optimal choice, but can be used in tactical cases, just bear in mind it will take a turn for Flame Orb to reactivate.
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Speaking of the breakers, obviously, because it’s Trick Room, the best damn breaker of the tier, Crawdaunt, is here. LO Mixed Crawdaunt with STABs and Sludge Bomb is the optimal set for our breaking purposes, and will almost GUARANTEED force progress if Trick Room is up. Very few mons want to switch in to this thing, especially in Trick Room, and the list true list of counters amounts to just one very niche mon: Poliwrath. Even the likes of Skarmory, Clefable, Tangrowth. Breloom and Azurmarril cannot hard switch in Daddy in Trick Room.
Thanks to Adaptability, our Water and Dark STABs are absurdly powerful. Waterfall has a handy 20% flinch chance, while Knock Off is the most clickable move on the team, given that if it doesn’t outright KO what it hits, it will remove the opponent’s item. An important note here, Knock Off is always the best move against opposing Azurmarrils as this denies them Sitrus and Belly Drum or its Band, and will ensure the rest of the team can more easily check it defensively. Offensive Breloom also dies to a Knock Off + Aqua Jet in TR. Aqua Jet helps picks off faster threats outside TR, as well as ensuring Infernape’s Mach Punch isn’t a threat to Crawdaunt inside TR. Sludge Bomb allows Crawdaunt to mangle Tangrowth and chunk itemless Azurmarril, as Crawdaunt will live a +4 Aqua Jet from full and outspeed in TR.
Good to note: Since our breakers are all Dark weak, Crawdaunt is generally a good lead of choice if you expect your opponent to lead with them. Crawdaunt is a good option defensively against Weavile, can pressure Honchkrow with Aqua Jet outside TR, and can always pressure Tyranitar offensively, Trick Room or no.
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Next up is the sleeper pick, and a set I tailor made for this team, Mixed Attacker Nidoking. Honestly, even in non-Trick Room teams, I am convinced this is Nidoking’s best set. This guy brutalizes Stall and Offense alike with its strong STABs, coverage and priority.
Like Mew, Nidoking is purposefully not negatively speed invested in order to serve as middling speed attacker. This means Nido can outspeed Stall without needing to set up TR, but it's also still slow enough that it WILL do good work against Offense and Balance with TR up. For this reason, Nidoking is almost always your lead against full Stall for its immediate mixed offensive pressure, unless they have Shedinja, in which case setting up Stealth Rock still needs to be your highest priority. (Keep in mind Mew is a good switch in for Shed, as it can return Will'o burns aimed at the breakers for a free Synchronize Shed KO.)
This Nidoking takes advantage of Sheer Force and Life Orb to both sides of the attacking spectrum, while also being fully invested in both Attack and Special attack. Physical Poison Jab is your strongest neutral move and best option against Rotom W and Clefable and nails an unassuming Blissey hard on switch in, expecting a full special set. Nearly as strong, its second STAB, Earth Power, hits Scizor and bulky defensive waters like Slowbro hard, as well as other steels. Ice Beam obliterates all the dragons and Gliscor and Tangrowth and two shots Skarmory. Finally Sucker Punch is chosen as the last move for its utility against offense, offsetting our lack of speed investment outside TR, and allowing Nidoking to surpringly snipe some weakened treats and the likes of Alakazam, Starmie and Latias.
Nidoking’s Poison and Ground typing is nice defensively, sporting an electric immunity for some cheeky Volt Switch blocks, picking up Toxic Spikes, and a handy Fighting resist to take Breloom’s Mach Punches which can force Crawdaunt out after a sack.
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Now the final member of the team has been interchangeable for some time, but each of them carried some issues. Band Azurmarril made the team weak to defensive pivoting and Protect, while over time Play Rough misses lead to far too many loses. Overheat / Solar Beam Torkoal was a powerful breaker, but worsened the MU against dragons and Curse Snorlax. Then, finally, it hit me. The answer was not another slow breaker, but another middle speed breaker, able to outspeed offensive mons with TR but still serve pressure to stall without TR. Thus, I turned to another nigh unwallable and definitive anti-meta wallbreaker, Guts Heracross.
Heracross is the ying to Crawdaunt and Nidoking’s yang. Heracross is max Attack, but has some bulk investment and just enough speed to let it outspeed some key Dark type threats to the team. Heracross’ speed investment and power also permits us yet another formidable option against Stall right out of the gate, with no TR setting required.
Close Combat, Façade and Night Slash provide perfect coverage. Close Combat is strong Fighting STAB. Guts + Flame Orb, along with Façade is strong neutrally, even two shotting defensive Clefable and Quagsire and one shotting defensive Togekiss after Stealth Rock. Night Slash is chosen as our last move over bug STAB, as this is our best option to hit fat psychics like Slowbro, while also ensuring we don’t get walled fully by ghost types.
Swords Dance brings even more breaking power for common defensive fatmons mons like Gliscor and Tangrowth, both of whom cannot touch Heracross due to its defensive typing. Guts with Flame Orb ensures status is less of a stressor to the team, and allows Hera to handily check Breloom post orb activation.
Speed notes reasoning: Knowing Heracross' exact speed tier is important, 242. Because it IS speed invested, it is only useful IN Trick Room against faster opponents.
A few different bulk and speed EV tiers can be chosen for Heracross. At the very least it should outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt, as otherwise, the team has no good option against the lobster outside Trick Room. The amount of HP bulk with this spread is handy, as it can more easily tank Aqua Jets and Scizor's Bullet Punch and hard switch into offensive Rotom W. However, I have opted to EV to 242 speed, specifically to let Hera outspeed to Adamant Honchkrow by a single point. Without this benchmark, while uncommon, this team would immediately fold to the mobster bird. If you like, you could also opt to have Heracross outspeed Jolly Heatran, but I find this unnecessary as the team already has multiple options against it, and the trade off for less bulk is generally undesirable is it becomes less sturdy of a check to the meta at large.
One last note: Heracross is not a bad option to take a Trick Scarf from Rotom W, as with its speed investment, it become decently fast outside TR with the scarf, and the resulting burn on Rotom will mean it will be less able to defensively check Crawdaunt and Nidoking.
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Main threats: Crawdaunt: Public enemy No. 1. It can one shot every member of the team, minus our own Crawdaunt, who will lose the trade outside TR. Crawdaunt also resists both of our priority and can always Aqua Jet Nidoking. Our best options against Crawdaunt outside TR are Mew using Explosion, Heracross (who can live Aqua jet from decent health and KO), and hard switching out own Crawdaunt and using Waterfall. Do NOT use Knock Off against Crawdaunt, as allowing the opposing Crawdaunt to chip itself with Life Orb recoil is actually good for our team, as it will often knock itself out. Checking it inside Trick Room is easier, as Bronzong can explode on it, Cres can Lunar Dance heal/pivot, and our own Crawdaunt, while gaining the speed advantage.
Mismagius: This is the only viable ghost left after Gengar’s exit from the tier, and while it is thankfully uncommon, it is the single worst MU for the team. The Substitute + Nasty Plot set is extremely dangerous and will result in a 6-0 if you give it the slightest chance. All the TR setters struggle against it, and besides being Ghost weak, Mag is immune to both Earthquake and Explosion meaning it sets up on Bronzong for free. It can stall out TR turns with Sub, as well as tank Mew’s Overheat and Cres’ Ice Beam. Crawdaunt can pressure it with Aqua Jet and check it if its only move is Shadow Ball, but will lose to Thunderbolt if behind a Sub. Heracross can tank a hit from full, and threaten with Night Slash. Nidoking is awkward against it too, but can play mind games with its stronger Ice Beam and Sucker Punch. SP can also catch Mag off guard and otherwise, can checkmate it if it doesn’t have enough health to Sub.
Honchkrow: Another uncommon, yet potent threat that will likely earn a KO every time it comes on the field when TR is down. Hard switching on it is a very dangerous game that can easily lead to you being 6-0ed if you play unwisely. However, Stealth Rock, recoil damage, Crawdaunt and Heracross all help keep it manageable. Honch threatens all the TR setters with its Dark STABs. While Cres can tank ONE Night Slash hit unboosted, but if Moxie activates, this becomes a non-option. Brave Bird ensures Heracross and Crawdaunt cannot hard switch in. Heracross must be preserved in this MU because Heracross is speed invested specifically to avoid this 6-0, and is your single option if Trick Room is down. If TR is already up, Honchkrow is much less of a nuisance, as the Psychics can all outspeed and hit it, but should need to wary of Sucker Punch. Switching around SP is always an option, so if all else fails, go for reads. It might pay off.
SD Lucario: Not an issue most of the time without a boost, but it will sweep you if it sets up and Bronzong is fainted. Just hit it with whatever you've got and don’t let it set up. It doesn't care about Trick Room or Crawdaunt’s Aqua Jet with Extremespeed. +2 ES will kill all your breakers. Remember to preserve Bronzong in this MU, even if you have to Lunar Dance it. Bronzong is your best option against it in TR since it resists its prority moves and will KO it with Earthquake.
Banded Outrage: It goes without saying Banded Outrage is very strong, whether it comes from Salamence, Dragonite, or Garchomp. While Cres can tank a hit and we have Bronzong, if Bronzong is down, it may be worth a sack before pivoting to Cres and trying to set TR, lest we get 2HKO and otherwise, barring confusion, it is GGs.
Curse Snorlax and Bulk Up Swampert: Quite uncommon, but I’ll put these two together, as they can snowball out of control quickly. Daddy’s Knock Off will remove their Lefties if they already have a boost, but Crawdaunt won’t be able to KO without its own demise. Heracross is your best option to beat these guys after a boost, as it is itself quite bulky, and will always outspeed and outboost them booth. Swampert can run Damp, so be mindful that Explosion is not an option against it.
Edit:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1587867634
As of June, this team is still putting in good work, and I’m sitting pretty at high ladder.
I hadn’t saved any replays, but I feel like this particular battle showcases all the strengths of the team against a very sturdy stall team, which employs many threats you might think could go toe to toe with this team, Gliscor, Weezing, Wish / Protect Clef, Tangrowth and Slowbro.
Yet the team perseveres through constant offensive pressure, coupled with some handy double switches, tactically shifting speed tiers with Trick Room. The use of double Stealth Rock makes an appearance.
That's all, have fun!