Resource ORAS Good Cores (Check Post #714)

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Mega Sableye is an extremely good Pokémon as we all know, providing in only one slot a ton of things to a team. And Volcarona, already a good Pokemon, becomes even better when paired to Mega Sableye and the things it provides.

  • Although obvious, Mega Sableye makes Stealth Rock way harder to set up on the field, and Volcarona greatly appreciates it as it is quad weak to it. Protip, when you lead off with Sableye and the opponent does with rocker Garchomp, don't mega evolve and go straight for Will-o-Wisp, because they are often Lum Berry and try to get up an SD the turn you mega evolve. At turn 2, go for Will-o-Wisp again but Mega Evolve at the same time. Even though SD Garchomp can be handled by Unaware Clefable in the back, it may be sometimes better to get the mega evolution off on Sableye as early as possible.
  • Mega Sableye is weak to fairies, and Volcarona completely stops some of them, most notably Clefable, but also specs Sylveon. EVs can be managed so Mega Gardevoir cannot 2HKO Volcarona with any move she wants to go for, although Taunt is annoying and Volcarona can't really do much to Gardevoir barring scaring her out. Mega Diancie is a problem, be sure to have something for it in the back, such as sp.def Skarmory. Mega Altaria can be handled depending on his moveset.
  • Volcarona also use the fairies quoted above to setup Quiver Dances. And truth be told, Volcarona is at this moment a fearsome sweeper, a lot of team aren't prepared for it. Once boosted, it can be really threatening and sometimes even unstoppable. It also acts as a win condition and also has utility throughout the entire match, and can use its ability to cripple U-Turn abusers or some Lopunnies who would've wanted to Fake Out Mega Sableye. They often do that in order to dodge the Will-o-Wisp during the turn Sableye is mega evolving.
  • Knock Off on Mega Sableye removes Heatran's leftovers, which can in a long run really benefit to Volcarona, as Heatran is a big counter to this set.
  • Toxic on Mega Sableye make Charizard Y and Stallbreaker Talonflame, both really annoying for Volcarona, less threatening. Mega Sableye overall walls Stallbreaker Talonflame all days and Toxic also allows it to beat the Bulk Up variants. And if you want my opinion, Toxic is one of the best move to use on Mega Sableye.
Partners to this core could be:
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    : Tentacruel brings important Spin support to the core, but it is not chosen randomly. Indeed, the combination of Magic Bounce Mega Sableye + Rapid Spin Tentacruel makes your side of the field theorically nearly always clean without any kind of hazards. Mega Sableye beats a lot of SR users and Tentacruel deal with the others, which are Clefable, Empoleon, and Heatran. SR Mega Diancie, SR Mold Breaker Excadrill and SR Landorus-I are still issues though.
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    : Chansey deals with Mega Charizard Y and Mega Diancie, and overall a shit ton of Pokémon. It's always a good Pokemon to have in Stall. Heal Bell Support is also important because a burned Mega Sableye isn't a happy Mega Sableye.
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    : Clefable is another blob good along this core. It can get up rocks, wall Belly Drum Azumarill, DD Mega Altaria, SD Taunt-less Gliscor (which is a thing nowadays apparently), or act as a second win condition with Calm Mind although it is kinda redudant with Volcarona as they share the same counters. Ice Beam can catch those fucking Gliscor off guard if you're worried about them.
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    : Ferrothorn is a check to Thundurus and an answer to Volt-Turn. It has overall a good utility, can get up spikes, and brings passive recovery to the team in the form of Leech Seed. It is also a nice check to fairies depending on their moveset (HP Fire-less Mega Diancie, for example). If holding a Shed Shell, you can switch out to Volcarona when facing a Magnezone, which will give you a free Quiver Dance.
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    : Heatran is another check to fairies but also a much-needed check to Choice Banded Victini which destroys this core. A Balloon can potentially be used in order to also check Mega Charizard X. With Taunt and Magma Storm, it can also act as a nice stallbreaker.
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    : Skarmory brings Defog Support, and with Counter, it can beat Bisharp which is a huge threat over there. Don't think Mega Sableye is enough to check Bisharp, because you often end up getting flinched. Skarmory is by the way an answer to Sand Offense. It can also get up Spikes. A sp.def set allows it to counter Mega Diancie reliably.
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    : AV Tornadus-T adds a much-needed check to Landorus-I and Life Orb Taunt Gengar. It's a great way to gain momentum and adds to the team a lot of speed.
Sets:

Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Knock Off
- Recover

Volcarona @ Leftovers
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 120 Def / 140 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Roost
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
  • Like I said above, you can go for 248/252+ on Volcarona's physical bulk in order to always dodge the 2HKO from Modest Mega Gardevoir's Psyshock. The 140 EVs in speed currently allow Volcarona to outspeed Mega Lopunny after 1 boost.
  • EVs can be managed differently on Sableye as well, although the max HP/Def never disappointed me. 8 Spe EVs, just so you outspeed other Mega Sableyes and possibly finish them off, and you also don't risk a tie with Ferrothorns who only use Power Whip as their offensive move.
 
I have used a M-Sableye and Volcarona core myself and it is quite good. However I'm a little unsure about the sets you are running. My main issue with defensive Volc is that it kinda has poor physical bulk even with investment and the typing doesn't really do it favors there. You don't wall a whole lot of things (granted fairies I guess) but the offensive set sets up on fairies and actually has the coverage to sweep whereas this set isn't doing anything to Keldeo (among other water types) which M-Sableye also hates.

As for Sableye why not run the mixed bulk set? Will-O-Wisp already neuters physical attackers and without Calm Mind or SpDef investment Sableye isn't taking hits on that side so well.
 
Its physical bulk is far from being bad actually. It walls what it needs to wall, e.g. fairies and Mega Lopunny (which often end up being burned).

I've been testing my sets during a long time, I changed a lot of stuff and I'm feeling confident about these one tbh. Offensive Volc just doesn't fit in the same team archetype I believe.

Keldeo is an issue amongst others yeah, but a core isn't something supposed to counter everything. Teammates will check the problems left I think. :]
 
The lack of Mega Venu balanced cores in this thread legit scares me. Here we go:
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Mega Venusaur is very fat. It's pretty anti-meta for a few reasons, and people are sleeping on it big time. Venu can reliably check a lot of big time threats such as Mega Diancie, Mega Altaria, Keldeo, Mega Lopunny and Rain offense. However, it is not without its share of flaws. Despite having only two weaknesses thanks to Thick Fat, Flying types and Psychic types give it problems. Clefable takes care of a few prominent threats to Venusaur, primarily Life Orb Latios. CM Clefable also provides a solid win condition for a balanced team. Finally, Heatran checks Talonflame, another prominent threat to Venu. Heatran's resists also overlap well with Venu's weaknesses and vice versa. When it comes to building out around this core, several common options fit well. Rotom-W provides another check to Talonflame, completes a FWG core, and provides momentum. Gliscor and Hippowdon are also good teammates, as their weaknesses are covered well by Venu and Heatran. Bulky Grounds are good in general for their wide defensive utility and ability to check Sand offense.

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fire
- Synthesis

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Flamethrower

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 192 SpD / 68 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Roar
- Stealth Rock

I'm gonna add a second one because the balanced section looked lacking when it comes to possibly the two best balanced Megas. Without further ado, part 2:
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Another core built out around a balanced Mega. Mega Slowbro takes on virtually all comers when it comes to physical attackers thanks to a gargantuan 180 base Physical Defense stat. I typically use an offensive tank set on balanced teams, but CM + 2 Attacks and Double Dance work fine as well. Slowbro, however, does have issues with Electric types. That's where Hippo comes in. With a mixed EV spread, Hippo can check most Electrics types in the tier. This set happens to be EVed to handle LO Thundurus-I. However, both Hippo and Bro are weak to Grass, so the next logical set is a strong Grass check. Tornadus-T is a strong check to offensive Grass types like Sceptile and Serperior with an Assault Vest, and Regenerator allows it to passively regain health over the course of a battle. AV Torn also hard check the ever so threatening Landorus-I. When building around this core, a cleric is helpful. The members of this core are particularly vulnerable to status like Toxic, so a cleric Clefable would be helpful. Torn-T as appriciates hazard control for maximum effectiveness, so Latias is a good next step as well. Latias also conveniently doubles as another Electric and Grass type check (outside of Sceptile).

Slowbro @ Slowbroite
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpA
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock / Grass Knot / Ice Beam
- Slack Off

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge

Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
EVs: 132 HP / 160 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
- Knock Off
- U-turn
 
Alright i got a new core too share with you guys. Although posting this in the ou chat might of gotten the idea stolen lol. Anyways this is a pretty cool offensive core that i think you guys might like.

Charizard-Y+Kyurem Black Offensive core

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A
lright this core is really awesome on balence teams simply cause of how amazing these two are together. Zard y and kyu b have next too 0 switchins at the moment on more offensive teams simply due to how hard they both hit as well as the massive amount of coverage they both have together. For example both zard y and kyu b beat things such as rotom-w and heatran. Only downside of this core is that chansey kinda walls you so teamates such as keldeo can prove to be useful due to how it beats chansey as well as mons such as breloom or any heavy hitting phyiscal attacker for that matter. The two are exstremely weak too rocks so hazard removal is needed in order for this core to function so pokemon such as starmie or excadrill make for great partners. On top of this the team is really weak vs rock type moves making mega diancie with diamond storm a huge threat so pokemon such as ferrothorn would work nicely with these two due to how he can take the rock type moves for these two. This is overall a pretty awsome core that can tear past teams that are not prepared for these two. Pair it with tar+excadrill to make this core even more of a threat. Not gonna mention sets as they are changeable to your liking and pretty diverse.

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Roost
- Focus Blast

Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 56 Atk / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
Mild Nature
- Fusion Bolt
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Roost
 
Isn't there a Kyurem Black and Mega Altaria core somewhere in this thread? Been looking for a bit and I couldn't find it in the OP
That was my core, but I deleted it lol because I didn't like it :P
The sets were mixed 3 attacks mega altaria (roost hyper voice eq Fire blast) and scarf Kyurem-b if you were wondering.
However, I think I'm going to rework the core with different sets for the pokemon.
 
That was my core, but I deleted it lol because I didn't like it :P
The sets were mixed 3 attacks mega altaria (roost hyper voice eq Fire blast) and scarf Kyurem-b if you were wondering.
However, I think I'm going to rework the core with different sets for the pokemon.
Ah, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, honestly. ._.

I'm not exactly "seasoned" when it comes to competitive battling since I don't exactly have much of an opportunity to play on a computer. I just lurk the threads all day every day. Anyways, the core essentially works as a dual balance-breaking core, with both hammering at each other's similar checks and counters, if I'm correct? That's what makes the core so interesting to me. I've been obsessed with Mega Altaria as of late.

EDIT: With Kyurem-b's set being the Roost + 3 attacks set and not the scarf set you originally posted.
 
Balanced core:
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Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 8 Atk / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Protect
- Diamond Storm
- Earth Power
- Moonblast

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave / Toxic
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower / Quick Attack
- Pursuit / Knock Off

I was in the OU room several days ago and randomly asked for a core to build a team around, and someone suggested these 3 mons(Can't remember who you are). I built a balance team around it and got good results on the ladder with the team, so I thought I should submit this core.
This core serves no specific function at first, but creates mindgames with the opponent regarding entry hazards once Diancie has gone mega. This core needs at least a semi-reliable switch-in to Thundurus-I to function well, and is best paired up with a Volt Switch user to give Diancie more switch-in opportunities. The core also keeps momentum very well even by itself due to switch-ins to the core's individual members being obvious at Team Preview.
The core itself is simple to use. Lead with Diancie and Protect if they can't boost, use Slowbro to pivot into physical attackers and Keldeo while statusing the switch-in, use Diancie either to wallbreak whenever it gets free switch or to clean after your sweeper has done its job. Scizor can pivot into Diancie or a different sweeper easily and appreciates paralysis support from Slowbro.
 
here's an offensive core i think is rad
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mega heracross is renowned for being a totally great stallbreaker with good bulk, good offensive typing, and amazing attack, but all this is held back its x4 weakness to flying alongside its low speed, meaning it's easily revenge killed by the ever present talonflame (which is becoming increasingly popular on stall/balance builds bc of how good its spdef set is), or pretty much anything that's faster and can hit it super-effectively. thundurus is naturally a great partner for this, as its a great check to talon for offensive team, while also being able to spreads paralysis to slow down faster opponents, making it easier for hera to put in work. good partners for this set are spinners/defoggers, as thundurus is weak to rocks and hera is easily worn down enough as it is. the latis deserves a notable mention as a partner, as they can defog hazards while also greatly appreciating heracross' ability to beat fighting types and able to clean up late game. i prefer substitute in hera's free moveslot to ease prediction and dodge status, but if you want to use sd, go for it.

Heracross @ Heracronite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pin Missile
- Close Combat
- Substitute
- Rock Blast

Thundurus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic/ Focus Blast/ Nasty Plot/ Filler
 
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(idk if this core has been posted before, it isnt in the OP so im going to assume no)

Heres a Defensive Core which is quite strong :]


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this core is amazing for balance/defensive teams. BroClef is what me and my frens like to call it. A mix of Physically Defensive Slowbro+Mixed Defensive Clefable.
At first this core might seem kinda weak but in practice this core is an amazing backbone for teams. First of all Clefable resists Dark and Bug type moves for slowbro while Bro resists steel types for clef. The plethora of mons this core checks/counters in OU is vast and amazing :]. Clefable spread is not to be 2hko'd by Thundurus or Latios's psyshock well theres a 5 percent chance :[ 252 SpA Life Orb Latios Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 160 Def Clefable: 181-214 (45.9 - 54.3%)
Slowbro's EVs are for avoiding the 3hko from Specs Keldeo with Hydro. What even makes this core better is it's ability to set up hazards and control the speed of the opposing team (T-Wave)
Overall this is a very solid defensive core that provides a nice backbone for teams. Possible teammates would maybe amoongus or mega venusaur to better handle opposing grass types and NP thundurus :]

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off
- Thunder Wave

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Softboiled
- Flamethrower
- Moonblast
- Stealth Rock
 
Offensive/Balance Core
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Bisharp @ Blackglasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Keldeo @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Speed
Timid/Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind

Landorus-I @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Speed
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Psychic

Frankly, I'm surprised that this core isn't up yet; maybe it's because throwing three of the best Pokemon in the tier together doesn't constitute creativity. But back in BW, the Landorus-I + Keldeo core with a Pursuit trapper was so strong that both were suspected, and both are still among the strongest Pokemon in the tier in a new metagame. Now added to that core is Bisharp, arguably the best Pursuit trapper in the game, and now we have what is quite possibly the strongest core I've ever used. Bisharp adds incredibly powerful utility and support to an already lethal core with priority, switch punishing, and the ability to remove items, and is even better at supporting Landorus-I and Keldeo than Tyranitar was in BW. In nearly half my games, I've actually been able to sweep entire teams with this core and not even having to use my other teammates (save for a couple of uses of Stealth Rock). I use Scarf Keldeo to beat the 110+ club, CM Landorus to tear apart bulkier teams, and triple Dark STAB Bisharp to support its teammates; I guess you could reverse the roles of Landorus-I and Keldeo by using Rock Polish and SubCM instead, respectively, but I haven't tested that.

Due to the offensive nature of the core, it seems like a natural fit for offensive teams, but I actually prefer to use it on balance, using three bulkier 'mons so that these three can use its teammates as pivots and not be quite as pressured to switch in and out.
 
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Mega Tyranitar + Gengar

i wanted to try out mega tyranitar because it was still effective as it was in xy. the only things that really changed was mega lopunny, mega beedrill, and mega sceptile got introduced along with a surge in mega alakazam recently. in addition to this, it faces competition with altaria and mega charizard x as a dragon dance user with a great typing, but i was still motivated to use it. this thing is just extremely hard to stop without the aforementioned pokemon. mega scizor's 252+ bullet punch only does 58.6% max and 49.2% minimum which shows how it can't be stopped by priority. another example of its bulk is that azumarill's choice band aqua jet ironically does the same amount of damage as scizor to mega tyranitar, and assault vest does 33.4% minimum and 39.2% max which is simply ridiculous. are you seriously showcasing its bulk? yes, i am m and you'll be surprised to see conkeldurr's mach punch to do only 75% max and breloom's (non-LO, but peope use focus focus sash more often) mach punch fails to ohko at full health and has 37.5% chance to fail an ohko after rocks. if you can get conkeldurr down to 43%, you can just kill it with +1 stone edge later, securing a sweep. this is where gengar comes in to force conkeldurr to come in and take damage. icy wind gengar is a little thing that has been gaining popularity at the moment, being able to bop landorus thinking they can retaliate after tanking a hit or set up rocks in its therian forme's case. removing landorus-t (and gliscor too!) is just a game changer for mega tyranitar and allows it to run fire punch more freely. scizor, ferrothorn, and skarmory are the main things that like to stop mega tyranitar from sweeping and they are all over the place. the former too are obviously ohkoed, while doing around 54% to very latter. gengar and mega tyranitar are also perfect synergy wise with the only thing being water which you'l have teammates for.

gengar's ability to wreck havoc balanced teams is just so appreciated because dd fire punch tyranitar completely wrecks these builds when gengar has done its job. offensive teams are naturally weak to tyranitar and lets face it, scarf landorus-t is almost no where to be seen nowadays and people are just using the more defensive set because of how easily worn down it gets by mega lopunny making it an inferior choice on offensive teams as well sometimes due to the archetype facing such a huge lopunny weakness. gengar also just pretty much gets a free kill off double switches when you bring mega tyranitar in which showcases their nice defensive and offensive synergy.

while this core is offensive, it should be used on more balanced builds because it can be hard for tyranitar to sweep or get gengar in. the core gets mauled by mega lopunny and mega diancie, so amoonguss is a great partner. defensive defog users are important for mega tyranitar to keeps its hp up for setting up. zapdos, togekiss, and mandibuzz all work well, but mandibuzz bring redundant typing. excadrill gets a boost from sand rush and can spin / revenge kill faster threats, but then again, mega tyranitar balance is the best archetype for this core. empoleon is a good user because it covers water spam and put rocks up. hazard stacking builds with mega tyranitar are also nice and they complement this cores ability to force switches. rotom-w is annoying, so have something like amoonguss / gastrodon / seismitoad (can set up rocks) or something. clefable is great too because it can set up rotom-w and ice beam clefable especially deals with pesky stallbreaker talonflame a lot better if you get the free switch. finally, keldeo walls mega tyranitar's moveset, so defensive magma storm heatran is a great set. magma storm / toxic / taunt / stealth rock (or earth power if you have another user). it lures keldeo in and just takes 30% straight off its health, so next time it comes in, it dies to +1 stone edge doing half. its not hard pokemon to wear. magma storm also brings down rotom-w to a point where it can no longer check gengar or +1 tyranitar which is great considering it doesn't care about stealth rock. magma storm heatran also takes care of chansey, so once you beat it, gengar has a field day against stall. also have something to cover excadrill because it can revenge kill you if its life orb.
:pimp:
this is a replay of my megatar squad showing its effectiveness against clone's mega gardevoir balance showing how icy wind gengar brings gliscor to a point where it can no longer check tyranitar and exhibits how icy wind gengar allows mega tyranitar to use fire punch freely to kill ferrothorn at +1. sorry if anything is worded weirdly, i'm too lazy to proofread
the glory (Tyranitar-Mega) @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance

dark fantasy (Gengar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Icy Wind
 
tyranitar-mega.gif
gengar.gif

Mega Tyranitar + Gengar

i wanted to try out mega tyranitar because it was still effective as it was in xy. the only things that really changed was mega lopunny, mega beedrill, and mega sceptile got introduced along with a surge in mega alakazam recently. in addition to this, it faces competition with altaria and mega charizard x as a dragon dance user with a great typing, but i was still motivated to use it. this thing is just extremely hard to stop without the aforementioned pokemon. mega scizor's 252+ bullet punch only does 58.6% max and 49.2% minimum which shows how it can't be stopped by priority. another example of its bulk is that azumarill's choice band aqua jet ironically does the same amount of damage as scizor to mega tyranitar, and assault vest does 33.4% minimum and 39.2% max which is simply ridiculous. are you seriously showcasing its bulk? yes, i am m and you'll be surprised to see conkeldurr's mach punch to do only 75% max and breloom's (non-LO, but peope use focus focus sash more often) mach punch fails to ohko at full health and has 37.5% chance to fail an ohko after rocks. if you can get conkeldurr down to 43%, you can just kill it with +1 stone edge later, securing a sweep. this is where gengar comes in to force conkeldurr to come in and take damage. icy wind gengar is a little thing that has been gaining popularity at the moment, being able to bop landorus thinking they can retaliate after tanking a hit or set up rocks in its therian forme's case. removing landorus-t (and gliscor too!) is just a game changer for mega tyranitar and allows it to run fire punch more freely. scizor, ferrothorn, and skarmory are the main things that like to stop mega tyranitar from sweeping and they are all over the place. the former too are obviously ohkoed, while doing around 54% to very latter. gengar and mega tyranitar are also perfect synergy wise with the only thing being water which you'l have teammates for.

gengar's ability to wreck havoc balanced teams is just so appreciated because dd fire punch tyranitar completely wrecks these builds when gengar has done its job. offensive teams are naturally weak to tyranitar and lets face it, scarf landorus-t is almost no where to be seen nowadays and people are just using the more defensive set because of how easily worn down it gets by mega lopunny making it an inferior choice on offensive teams as well sometimes due to the archetype facing such a huge lopunny weakness. gengar also just pretty much gets a free kill off double switches when you bring mega tyranitar in which showcases their nice defensive and offensive synergy.

while this core is offensive, it should be used on more balanced builds because it can be hard for tyranitar to sweep or get gengar in. the core gets mauled by mega lopunny and mega diancie, so amoonguss is a great partner. defensive defog users are important for mega tyranitar to keeps its hp up for setting up. zapdos, togekiss, and mandibuzz all work well, but mandibuzz bring redundant typing. excadrill gets a boost from sand rush and can spin / revenge kill faster threats, but then again, mega tyranitar balance is the best archetype for this core. empoleon is a good user because it covers water spam and put rocks up. hazard stacking builds with mega tyranitar are also nice and they complement this cores ability to force switches. rotom-w is annoying, so have something like amoonguss / gastrodon / seismitoad (can set up rocks) or something. clefable is great too because it can set up rotom-w and ice beam clefable especially deals with pesky stallbreaker talonflame a lot better if you get the free switch. finally, keldeo walls mega tyranitar's moveset, so defensive magma storm heatran is a great set. magma storm / toxic / taunt / stealth rock (or earth power if you have another user). it lures keldeo in and just takes 30% straight off its health, so next time it comes in, it dies to +1 stone edge doing half. its not hard pokemon to wear. magma storm also brings down rotom-w to a point where it can no longer check gengar or +1 tyranitar which is great considering it doesn't care about stealth rock. magma storm heatran also takes care of chansey, so once you beat it, gengar has a field day against stall. also have something to cover excadrill because it can revenge kill you if its life orb.
:pimp:
this is a replay of my megatar squad showing its effectiveness against clone's mega gardevoir balance showing how icy wind gengar brings gliscor to a point where it can no longer check tyranitar and exhibits how icy wind gengar allows mega tyranitar to use fire punch freely to kill ferrothorn at +1. sorry if anything is worded weirdly, i'm too lazy to proofread
Nice core, but add importable sets please o-o
 
I've been messing around with a balanced SDF core Involving Tyrantrum that I've found pretty fun.

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Tyrantrum@ Life Orb/ Choice Band
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Ability: Rock Head
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Dragon Claw
- Superpower
- Dragon Dance/ Stealth Rocks
T-Trum is fits this core because its is built around him, and because of that it makes it alot easier for him to hit Head Smash over and over.
Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Baton Pass
- Substitute
- Hyper Voice

I chose Sylveon; because, she helps him with his weaknesses of dragon and fighting types, and she also helps by giving him some longevity with Substitute, and Wish. With the ability to pass Sub with Baton Pass and being able to heal T-Trum; Sylveon can enable him to boost in order to do even more damage, or help setup entry hazards.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Magnezone with Volt Switch adds momentum for T-Trum and neutralizing that glaring steel type threat both other partners in the core share; Magnezone, Using his 1-2 combo of HP Fire and Magnet Pull is a nice steel cleaner that pairs nicely with these two.
 
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mmm red lobster + turkey

So this is a pretty simple offensive core that I've been toying around with lately.

Crawdaunt is really hard hitting wallbreaker, but it does have some counters, notably chesnaught, keldeo, and mega venusaur, while breloom is also a decent check. Pair it up with talonflame then! SD Talonflame really appreciates crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential, weakening pokemon such as rotom-w, slowbro, tyrantiar, lando-t, and heatran, so that talonflame can pull off a sweep. Crawdaunt also appreciates talonflame's ability to destroy most of it's checks and counters, notably chesnaught, and mega venusaur.

Probably the best partner for this core is latias. Latias removes entry hazards with defog, and can also give crawdaunt or talonflame a second chance at sweeping / wallbreaking in case they got paralyzed or burned, thanks to healing wish. Also provides a reliable switch in to keldeo, and I guess it acts as a secondary way of beating chesnaught / mega venusaur in case talonflame somehow died.

Double priority spam in the form of aqua jet + brave bird is pretty effective against offensive teams, while crawdaunt excels against slow defensive builds. So yeah, talonflame + crawdaunt is a pretty cool offensive core that I've been using lately; these two have solid offensive synergy, and do well against most plastyles.

Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Crabhammer
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
 
Alright guys I promise to start bringing some 3 mon cores but I’ve just been making them better with 2 lately.

Offensive Core:
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thundurus.gif

Mega Metagross + Thundurus
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm
- Grass Knot

Thundurus (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Nasty Plot
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast

This is a great offensive core that combines one of the most powerful wallbreakers in Metagross with an underrated threat in Nasty Plot Thundurus. There really aren’t many reliable answers to either and they cover each other very well.

Metagross pretty much goes to work against any playstyle with its standard wallbreaker set although of course the last slot can be mixed up for Agility, Bullet Punch, Pursuit, Ice Punch or whatever fits your team best.

The main things that wall Metagross with the standard moveset are bulky Mega Scizor, Counter Skarm, Slowking, fat pixies, Suicune, Rocky Helmet Garchomp and stuff like that. After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus can blast through all of these pretty easily and also takes out stuff like Slowbro which Metagross needs to predict on the switch. Leftovers is the main option since after a Nasty Plot Thundurus gets so much power and this way opponents can’t Life Orb stall and force you to predict more. Of course, Life Orb is still an option if you want to just go all out.

I have Focus Blast in the last slot just for coverage and the ease of sweeping. This core is mainly for very offensive teams so if you need that emergency button of priority Thunder Wave that is also an option but the loss of coverage is noticeable.

This core is pretty good against all playstyles, having the speed to keep up with HO, and the power and coverage for balance and even stall teams. Healing Wish support is not necessary but lets you be more aggressive early on so Latias is a good mon to pair it with.

Shoutout to Invok3r for doing most of the work in building a HO team around these two with me

Balance Core:
sableye-mega.gif
bisharp.gif

Mega Sableye + Bisharp
Sableeye @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball / Dark Pulse

Bisharp @ Black Glasses / Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance / Pursuit / Low Kick

Back with another balance core, this time with Mega Sableye which has gained traction as great glue on balance especially for hazard stacking teams. This core attempts to emphasize that even further by pairing it with Bisharp.

Sableye blocks opponents from setting up hazards and also provides a nice bulky win condition with its CM set. I opted for it over the utility set because Bisharp already provides Knock Off support and the threat of a CM sweep makes Sableye less passive. Sableye is also a nice spin blocker for non LO Excadrills and Starmies. Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse is a choice mostly based on whether you fear Chansey or not although Bisharp threatens it pretty heavily so I have Shadow Ball as the main option for better neutral coverage.

Bisharp does the same thing it always does: scares Defoggers, has a strong Knock Off and priority in Sucker Punch. Plus it can stomp Clefable with Iron Head. Choice of nature and item is up to you but I have Adamant + Blackglasses because I wanted Bisharp to still be very powerful but on a balanced team I prefer the longevity over LO recoil. Last move just depends on the rest of the team as well but SD is the main option just to be a more powerful wallbreaker or cleaner.

Pair this core with some hazard stackers to take full advantage of Mega Sableye and Bisharp’s excellent synergy in keeping hazards off your side of the field and up on your opponents'. Fairies are a pretty big threat since Bisharp can’t really switch into coverage moves and doesn’t check the faster ones like Mega Diancie. Keldeo is also something to bring a check for so something like Starmie or Tentacruel obviously works great to also provide Rapid Spin support or Toxic Spikes as well in the case of Tentacruel. Bisharp doesn’t really offer much defensive synergy so you have to build around that a bit and have something for stuff like Mega Charizards as well. The nice thing about this core is it provides a fair amount of offensive pressure to pair with the more defensive mons that like to hazard stack.

I added Lum Berry as an option on Bisharp to provide a buffer against Will-O-Wisps. Suggestion by pretty little liAr

Shoutout to Prince Python for building a team around this core with me
 
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Alright guys I promise to start bringing some 3 mon cores but I’ve just been making them better with 2 lately.

Offensive Core:
metagross-mega.gif
thundurus.gif

Mega Metagross + Thundurus
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm
- Grass Knot

Thundurus (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Nasty Plot
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast

This is a great offensive core that combines one of the most powerful wallbreakers in Metagross with an underrated threat in Nasty Plot Thundurus. There really aren’t many reliable answers to either and they cover each other very well.

Metagross pretty much goes to work against any playstyle with its standard wallbreaker set although of course the last slot can be mixed up for Agility, Bullet Punch, Pursuit, Ice Punch or whatever fits your team best.

The main things that wall Metagross with the standard moveset are bulky Mega Scizor, Counter Skarm, Slowking, fat pixies, Suicune, Rocky Helmet Garchomp and stuff like that. After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus can blast through all of these pretty easily and also takes out stuff like Slowbro which Metagross needs to predict on the switch. Leftovers is the main option since after a Nasty Plot Thundurus gets so much power and this way opponents can’t Life Orb stall and force you to predict more. Of course, Life Orb is still an option if you want to just go all out.

I have Focus Blast in the last slot just for coverage and the ease of sweeping. This core is mainly for very offensive teams so if you need that emergency button of priority Thunder Wave that is also an option but the loss of coverage is noticeable.

This core is pretty good against all playstyles, having the speed to keep up with HO, and the power and coverage for balance and even stall teams. Healing Wish support is not necessary lets you be more aggressive early on so Latias is a good mon to pair it with.

Shoutout to Invok3r for doing most of the work in building a HO team around these two with me

Balance Core:
sableye-mega.gif
bisharp.gif

Mega Sableye + Bisharp
Sableeye @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball / Dark Pulse

Bisharp @ Black Glasses / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance / Pursuit / Low Kick

Back with another balance core, this time with Mega Sableye which has gained traction as great glue on balance especially for hazard stacking teams. This core attempts to emphasize that even further by pairing it with Bisharp.

Sableye blocks opponents from setting up hazards and also provides a nice bulky win condition with its CM set. I opted for it over the utility set because Bisharp already provides Knock Off support and the threat of a CM sweep makes Sableye less passive. Sableye is also a nice spin blocker for non LO Excadrills and Starmies. Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse is a choice mostly based on whether you fear Chansey or not although Bisharp threatens it pretty heavily so I have Shadow Ball as the main option for better neutral coverage.

Bisharp does the same thing it always does: scares Defoggers, has a strong Knock Off and priority in Sucker Punch. Plus it can stomp Clefable with Iron Head. Choice of nature and item is up to you but I have Adamant + Blackglasses because I wanted Bisharp to be still very powerful but on a balanced team I prefer the longevity over LO recoil. Last move just depends on the rest of the team as well but SD is the main option just to be a more powerful wallbreaker or cleaner.

Pair this core with some hazard stackers to take full advantage of Mega Sableye and Bisharp’s excellent synergy in keeping hazards off your side of the field and up on your opponents'. Fairies are a pretty big threat since Bisharp can’t really switch into coverage moves and doesn’t check the faster ones like Mega Diancie. Keldeo is also something to bring a check for so something like Starmie or Tentacruel obviously works great to also provide Rapid Spin support or Toxic Spikes as well in the case of Tentacruel. Bisharp doesn’t really offer much defensive synergy so you have to build around that a bit and have something for stuff like Mega Charizards as well. The nice thing about this core is it provides a fair amount of offensive pressure to pair with the more defensive mons that like to hazard stack.

Shoutout to Prince Python for building a team around this core with me
As someone who has used the second core I can say it's definetley worthy of going in the archive. Bisharp and Mega Sableye have excellent synergy. I would however slash lum berry for bisharp's item, particularly if your using swords dance, to ease your time setting up.
 
wobbuffet.gif
charizard-megax.gif


Wobbuffet (M) @ Sitrus Berry / Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 28 HP / 232 Def / 248 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Counter
- Mirror Coat
- Safeguard

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Dragon Claw
- Flare Blitz / Earthquake

I want to start this with a simple tip, that should can be applied to most, if not all, set up sweepers. There will always be a trapper that can remove any problems you may have. People never realize just how much support trappers really provide when properly built around. While at face value, it doesn't look absolutely amazing, it starts to hit you when you really break down how trappers pave the way for sweepers.

Now, on to the meat. . .

Wobbuffet is simple, and it is there for multiple reasons. Keldeo and Scarf Landorus T can be difficult for Charizard to deal with if they are still around. Wobbuffet absolutely loves this. The recent rise in SubCM Keldeo, means less immediate power is behind its STAB moves, giving it more windows for it to switch in, lock it into a move, and act accordingly. See, this is where that support comes into play. It is after the turn in which Wobbuffet encores, that many games can be settled, this isn't just against Keldeo, this is against most things. Landorus T, if scarfed, and locked into an otherwise favorable move (i.e Earthquake, Knock Off, or stone edge) cannot kill Wobbuffet outright, and if Wobb manages to get in against Landorus T, it uses counter, kills it, and that is one HUGE check to Charizard out of the way. With that said, Wobbuffet can also come in on a normally not too threatening Pokemon and scare it into a status move in fear of taking a huge amount of damage, or out right dying. If it goes for the attack after you encore, you use counter or Mirror coat respectively. If it goes for the status, your opponent has potentially given you an open door to a win. Wobbuffet safeguards on the next turn, and switches right on out into Charizard. See, what Charizard dreams of while sitting in that Pokeball waiting for its time to shine, is free turns. No fear of being crippled by deadly status, no fear of taking super effective moves, just smooth sailing, and Wobbuffet is more than happy to give that to it.
If the time is right, and this core is in good hands, you have essentially won yourself the game. Charizard sets up a Dragon Dance, and does what it does best, clicks the win button. I cannot stress enough, how effective this core is, is entirely based on the user and their ability to assess the situation they are in. With that said, there are some problem children depending on what moves it is carrying. If it decides to carry Earthquake over Flare Blitz it has problems with Unaware Clefable. If it carries Flare Blitz over EQ, it is hard walled by Heatran (which can be dealt with by Dugtrio *hint hint*). So, it's entirely up to the team support on what move is carried by Charizard X. However, at the end of the day, the role of these two is simple, Wobbuffet has the ability to give Charizard X free turns, and honestly, it's quite easy to do.

I've had some relatively great success with this core combined with Dugtrio + Serperior since Heatran is really the only problem for those 3, and Dugtrio has a field day with that thing. I'd strongly recommend you all look into just how great trappers can be.

With that, I will be posting a new RMT soon with this core, so look out for that if you'd like, and I bid you all ado.

Ciao!

EDIT: Also, Done
 
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Offensive Core

bisharp.gif
+
gengar.gif


I'm honestly surprised this one hasn't been posted yet. Bisharp and Gengar work very well together. First of all, this is a good core to use if your team desperately requires a way to ensure that your opponent has no way to remove hazards. Bisharp deters Defoggers thanks to Defiant, and can Pursuit trap the Latis, the two most common Defoggers. Meanwhile, Gengar is a renowned spinblocker. As long as your opponent actually goes for Rapid Spin rather than a hit on the switch, those hazards aren't going anywhere. In addition to screwing over hazard removers, the two also have a good offensive presence together. First off, their defensive type synergy is excellent. Gengar is immune to Fighting and Ground attacks (Mold Breaker notwithstanding), while Bisharp shrugs off all three of Gengar's weaknesses. Offensively, since Ghost and Dark have similar coverage, Gengar and Bisharp are great at wearing down each other's checks. Both of them have no problem with Fairy types, which is great in this meta. They are also both capable of taking on Mega Metagross, which is likewise important.

Now, this core is far from flawless. Mega Lopunny laughs in their faces thanks to her high speed and Scrappy. The two most common rapid spinners can also pose a problem to Gengar, as Starmie can hit it with Psyshock on the switch, and can just plain outspeed it even on a safe switch. Therefore, while Gengar is supposed to normally switch in on spinners, it would be better to switch Bisharp in on a predicted Psyshock then take it out with Sucker Punch or Pursuit. Excadrill is a more serious problem, as it has a Mold Breaker Earthquake.

Offesnive teams that employ hazard stacking are the ones that will benefit the most from this core. Keldeo is a great partner in general, and it easily solves the Excadrill problem. Wallbreakers appreciate the strain this core places on teams, and can force switches to rack up hazard damage. Mega Gardevoir, Kyurem-B, and Landorus-I, are three wallbreakers that benefit a great deal from having Bisharp and Gengar as partners. Also, you're obviously going to need good hazard setters to get the most benefit from this core. Most hazard setters go fairly well with them, so that shouldn't be a big problem.

Also, make sure you use Sludge Wave on Gengar instead of Sludge Bomb. Otherwise, it is completely walled by Chesnaught unless it's running Icy Wind.

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 52 SpD / 204 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Pursuit

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Substitute / Taunt / Icy Wind
 
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mmm red lobster + turkey

So this is a pretty simple offensive core that I've been toying around with lately.

Crawdaunt is really hard hitting wallbreaker, but it does have some counters, notably chesnaught, keldeo, and mega venusaur, while breloom is also a decent check. Pair it up with talonflame then! SD Talonflame really appreciates crawdaunt's wallbreaking potential, weakening pokemon such as rotom-w, slowbro, tyrantiar, lando-t, and heatran, so that talonflame can pull off a sweep. Crawdaunt also appreciates talonflame's ability to destroy most of it's checks and counters, notably chesnaught, and mega venusaur.

Probably the best partner for this core is latias. Latias removes entry hazards with defog, and can also give crawdaunt or talonflame a second chance at sweeping / wallbreaking in case they got paralyzed or burned, thanks to healing wish. Also provides a reliable switch in to keldeo, and I guess it acts as a secondary way of beating chesnaught / mega venusaur in case talonflame somehow died.

Double priority spam in the form of aqua jet + brave bird is pretty effective against offensive teams, while crawdaunt excels against slow defensive builds. So yeah, talonflame + crawdaunt is a pretty cool offensive core that I've been using lately; these two have solid offensive synergy, and do well against most plastyles.

Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Crabhammer
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost

Hello Firehusky. I just wanted to ask do you have any mega recommendations for this core? I really ike the core and I want to build a HO team around it.
 
I guess Mega Sceptile could be a good mega to pair up with that core since you're building an HO team. It forms an FWG core, as well as appreciating Talon and Crawdaunt's ability to take down mons like Chansey and Clefable.
 
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excadrill.gif
celebi.gif

Sand + Celebi
This is a nice weather core featuring Celebi, its a nice bulky grass type that sand teams always apprecitate.
Since sand always has problems with bulky waters, especially rotom w and slowbro(both mega and non mega). Since celebi has natural cure and recover, it is a mon that can repeatedly switch in on the mentioned mons, along with other water types, like keldeo, manaphy, and starmie. Celebi can also baton pass either a swords dance or nasty plot, depending on the team. TTar and Exca really appreciate the support of celebi and how its able to handle the bulky waters that are a constant nuisance to ttar and driller.

For this core, good partners would be check bulky grass types, like mega zard y, and ttar can help zard y because it can pursuit trap latis. Also, something along the lines of a bulky water for balance would help for lando t. Slowbro and suicune are good for checking lando on balance. On offense, keldeo can be a good partner. All water types also appreciate celebi being able to dispose of rotom-w. In return, water types give you fire switch in, specifically tran. Keldeo in particular can check bisharp, something that this core can have trouble with if bisharp is SD.

Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 36 Def / 224 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Crunch/Pursuit
- Ice Beam
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Excadrill @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin/Swords Dance

Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 108 Spe
Impish Nature
- Recover
- Seed Bomb
- Swords Dance/Substitute
- Baton Pass
edit-used a better suggested celebi spread
edit2-used a better suggested ttar spread
 
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