AAA Almost Any Ability

[100%NoobJuice]

me: smogon, can i get torch song
smogon: no, we have torch song at home
torch song at home:

TS at home (Iron Moth) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Dance
- Air Slash
- Energy Ball
- Sludge Wave

 

[Hyper-Go-ons]

I call this set "Soundburst Skeledirge"

Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Punk Rock
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Torch Song
- Hyper Voice
- Shadow Ball
- Slack Off

 

[LordBox]

Since everyone is posting teams and sets, thought I might as well post a team (or concept?) I've been semi-happy with ever since Tera and PHeal/MBounce bans took away like half the things I abused, featuring Stakeout CB Tusk which is a very cool set that I've talked about before.

https://pokepast.es/586b99cc8860fa35 (Main variant of the team I use)

The main star of the show, Stakeout CB Tusk with Adamant to absolutely jack up its power to the max. This set really appreciates mons like special U-Turn Dragapult or U-Turn Noivern which can pivot on IceScales mon into Great Tusk and put them in a tight position and has gotten amazing value off just constant pivots w/ Dragapult on IceScales Corviknight and smacking the shit out of anything that comes in, with even FC Hippowdown taking 70-80% from STABs on the switch-in + next attack. This thing is a fucking slot machine though but get your predicts right and the value you can get out of this is great. Rapid Spin is probably also better replaced by IceSpinner but I just hate hazards.

Generic FurScales combo, I don't think I need to explain much about Corviknight but Iron Hands was specifically chosen here for slow pivot which benefits everything here, especially the Tusk. Moveset on Iron Hands is tentative though excluding VSwitch.

/

I don't like relying on Corviknight alone as a special wall so RegenVest Ting-Lu is here to shore up its weaknesses to Fire-types and such, although bulky or RegenVest Chomp also are cool options due to its actual Fire resistance.

/

/

/

/ (Any special attacker with pivot)
Iron Valiant is here so Great Tusk isn't your only real form of physical coverage while acting as a more reliable wallbreaker when Tusk can't force switch-ins. Iron Bundle and U-Turn Noivern are also very cool options to pair up as it can turn on IceScale switch ins for free Stakeout abuse while Slither Wing just pairs nicely with Pult and can still U-Turn for Tusk. Really any special attacker with pivot can abuse this slot though like VSwitch Hadron Engine Rotom Wash or such.

Acts to offensively check and revenge kill fast offensive threats like Iron Bundle and Fluttermane while posing quite the nice offensive profile with Specs + Hadron Engine and pairs beautifully with Stakeout Tusk to bait in IceScale mons.

Overall pretty cool and you can tinker around with it to suit Stakeout Tusk, which I cope by saying it should be on VR rankings when no one is using it except me (it's a good mon I swear, if you can get the predicts right anyway). Otherwise I've also paired up things like MG LOrb Quaquaval to Rapid Spin while also doing some other neat things offensively and gets turn as well. DNite, especially CB, probably can also fit on the team but it doesn't work too well with Stakeout CB Tusk. Turns out hazards are too much of a pain to effectively use CB here, although you can still try, been trying it over Valiant/Pult slot to some success.

 

[Hyper-Go-ons]

May I talk about situational abilites?

Rocky Payload seems a strong ability for Rock Type pokemon such as Lycanroc is able to deal a lot of damage with Accelerock and the others including Lycanroc can use Rock Slide, Rock Blast or Stone Edge, but Drednaw gets Head Smash making it hit like train after a Shell Smash or Swords Dance.

Well-Baked Body Eliminates Fire Weakness and gives +2 Defense, this pairs well since Forretress and Avalugg learn Body Press, both also have access to Rapid Spin but Avalugg gets access to Recover. In other hand, Forretress can set up Hazards such as Stealth Rock, Spikes or Toxic Spikes.

Sharpness may be underused, but it can make some of the pokemon STAB such as Bitter Blade, Kowtow Cleave and more slicing attacks stronger. Take note that Air Slash is also boosted by Sharpness.

Aerilate, Pixilate, Refrigerate and Galvanize need more usage, such as Iron Hands and Tinkaton are able use a STAB Fake Out thanks to Galvanize and Pixilate respectively or even Salamence having its mega flashbacks.

Psychic Surge Armarouge is a next level Tapu Lele. With x1.5 power Expanding Force, it's perfect for a choice set such as Choice Scarf or Choice Specs for more firepower, It also protects Armarouge from its common priority weaknesses such as Aqua Jet, Jet Punch, Sucker Punch, Accelerock, and Shadow Sneak.

 

[LordBox]

Some more neat albeit experimental teams that have served me decently well recently, and hey if they let me stay at 1500+ consistently after 20+ battles they must be worth something right? None of these teams are optimized by any metric either so you can have fun tinkering with them.


Out of the teams I've tested, this is one I've probably used the most and it's pretty neat. Main idea is to spam pivot to get your threats on the table, mainly Stakeout Valiant. FC Slowking I'm using because I don't particularly like FC Corv and wanted to find a defensive trio that could pivot offensive mons in, which left me with little options so by process of elimination here we are. Stakeout Valiant can really be replaced by standard SFLO but it can do neat things and can be very hard to switch into provided you get your predicts right, LO recoil does kinda suck though so you could always try Band/Specs. Scarf Dazzling Flutter was to deal with offensive threats and can lure things like DNite and Cereludge which is cool but I honestly prefer DNite over it, only using it because otherwise this team dies to Triage BDrum Hands. This team can kinda struggle against FC CM Florges if you don't play it right with Valiant and hazards can suck with standard GaG abuse.


Hang on... this seems familiar! This team is pretty similar to the last team but different enough I thought I'd put it here. Pivot spam from your defensive mons only this time, FC SlitherWing here as a defensive pivot over SlowKing. With Slither as your Fur Coat user a DNite check is also kinda mandatory to not die here so Dazzling Flutter is more important to have. Tusk is here as a Stakeout abuser now with Iron Valiant as a regular wallbreaker, although Stakeout isn't actually abused that much here so MBreaker is probably fine as well, Iron Valiant could also potentially go. If you don't use FC SlitherWing, you could also try replaced Flutter with Bundle/Hadron Pult to support your main breakers as well and this applies for the first team as well.


Trying out the FC SlitherWing / IceScales Garg combo and its worked fairly well defensively, with Iron Moth to compensate for Garg's terrible Bundle matchup. Again pivoting around and getting in Iron Valiant while chipping at the enemy team is the main gist of the team with Garg serving as a wincon late-game more than a few times around while Dazzling Flutter does Dazzling Flutter things and could be replaced by like DNite/Hadron Pult if you wanna try. LO Regen Tusk is probably better replaced by bulky Regen, just trying this set out as it can better dissuade spinblocking, OHKO'ing Skeleridge 99% of the time with Headlong Rush. Team is also pretty reliant on Iron Valiant to break so take that how you will.

 

[Turtlek]

Don't know if Earth Eater is used, but I think Levitate is better. On IronHands, it prevents you from a lot of fish Spikes/Tspikes, so I think it's worth 25% once or twice a gamr.

 

[Talpr0ne]

Don't know if Earth Eater is used, but I think Levitate is better. On IronHands, it prevents you from a lot of fish Spikes/Tspikes, so I think it's worth 25% once or twice a gamr.

Neither ability is universally better than the other, both have advantages and disadvantages.
Earth Eater keeps you grounded, which means the Pokémon can benefit from terrains, can absorb Toxic Spikes if it's a Poison type, and also can't be suppressed by Gravity or Smack Down/Thousand Arrows (for natdex). It also means that it can't be scouted by observing the interactions of the Pokémon with hazards and terrain. On the other hand, for a Pokémon vulnerable to hazards (particularly Toxic Spikes), Levitate has a obvious perk if you don't care about being possibly scouted.

 

[LordBox]

It's still technically Monday in some place of the world riiiigghhtt? Fuck I was off by like 15 minutes

Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Fur Coat
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Morning Sun
- Bug Buzz / Giga Drain / Psychic / Will-o-Wisp

Anyway, this set is actually kinda hilarious, although I haven't actually tested it that much since I kinda forgot about this and then remembered while after and slapped in a random HO team. This set though really epitomizes how useful Fur Coat/Ice Scales to the point where I'm slapping Fur Coat on things like Volcarona which is defensively frail, not using it as a wall but instead to try to facilitate setup. Behind screens this thing is actually insanely bulky unless something like Bundle shows up, Fur Coat allowing to straight up set on things like BB Corv, Iron Valiant and even things that should beat Volcarona always like banded Dragonite (252+ Atk Choice Band Aerilate burned Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 126-148 (33.7 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO LMAO) or even Bundle ( 252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Bundle Hydro Pump vs. +1 248 HP / 0 SpD Volcarona in Heavy Rain through Light Screen: 252-297 (67.5 - 79.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO / +1 0 SpA Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Iron Bundle: 285-336 (112.6 - 132.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO ) although with the caviet of needing the burn on switch or screens up for the funny last ones. Got a lot of potential and can potentially can become unkillable as Quiver Dance boosts the other side and also threatens any offensive mon that can't OHKO it before getting killed. It does get owned by Bundle unless you've got a boost up, DD Dragonite can beat you in a setup war or without wisp and can hates Clodsire and Toxic in general Bliss/Chansey but is nonetheless funny af and people should try it. HDB isn't even mandatory if you're HO and go lefties or LO as options. Could pair up on fat or balance teams but the standard Bulkarona set is probably better for them without turn (but you could always try I guess? I haven't tested this set much and am planning to test more).

https://pokepast.es/3d2f21938d70d5ff
Also team I paired it up with if anyone is interested, pretty generic screens HO although the sash teapot doesn't work well on screens, it does however handles things Volc does fail against like Bundle.

 

[Giagantic]

Got two sets of teams I made, both which have performed well in my experience.
_____________________________________________


https://pokepast.es/a0c36e2c59b6fd0e

This team is something I am fairly happy with, it should enable the player to counteract most threats in the metagame barring niche sets. Gholdengo is Fur Coat and acts as a bulky sweeper being able to setup versus many different Pokemon such as Corviknight and stay in against things that would normally threaten to kill it such as Regenvest Iron Treads, Iron Hands, and so forth... Scream Tail is your primary check to Iron Valiant and is able to take on all sets that fail to have Shadow Ball or are again more niche such as SD sets, it's EV's speed creep Great Tusk and 1hko in return. Pixelate Boomburst gives Scream Tail an actual offensive presence but running Bulletproof would allow it to handle a variety of other threats at the cost of being more passive. Skeledirge is your Iron Bundle check and also similarly able to act as a bulky sweeper, however, early game will often be you pressing Will-o-Wisp to cripple incoming switches though watchout for Well-Baked Body running Gholdengo and Corviknight. Garganacl is your setter and Ice Scales Pokemon, able to handle a wide rage of special attackers and threaten with Salt Cure. Great Tusk is the obligatory Rapid Spinner, and is scrappy to ensure the spin goes off and to ease prediction when pressing Close Combat. Great Tusk is the least cohesive element of the team but is mandatory for several reasons; A, a spinner is necessary for dealing with hazard spam teams with Good as Gold, B, scarf is needed to ensure the team has a fast Pokemon that is able to handle one of the teams scariest matchups, Houndstone, otherwise it is very likely that Houndstone will reverse sweep the team, and in general having this speed lets you revenge kill/threaten all non-scarf Pokemon in the meta. Overall, very happy with this team and it has rarely lost and battled against accomplished players and won.
_____________________________________________


https://pokepast.es/7e2aab3d6da0518e

This team was created with the idea of abusing Stakeout Choice Band Great Tusk, the core of the team is obviously Great Tusk who is able to dole out immense damage to anything that switches and if a Pokemon fails to switch it will typically KO or heavily damage the Pokemon regardless. The rest of the team is heavily focused on either pivoting or setting hazards with MG Dragapult pressuring the opposing team with LO Shadow Ball/Draco Meteor or Wisp, Slowking is the obligatory Fur Coat Pokemon and is able to pivot with Chilly Reception; Ice Beam and Foul Play ensure it isn't easy setup fodder. Iron Moth is there to handle Iron Bundle and pivots on it to hopefully bring in Great Tusk. Corviknight is standard Ice Scales Pivot with defog for obvious reasons. Garchomp is your setter and fire type tank, able to phaze and threaten in equal measures. As a whole, the team is decent but I wouldn't put it on the same level as the other team personally speaking. Still it went 10-0 on an alt so it shouldn't be underestimated as Great Tusk will put in work with a bit of prediction.

 

[Hyper-Go-ons]

Anyway, this set is actually kinda hilarious, although I haven't actually tested it that much since I kinda forgot about this and then remembered while after and slapped in a random HO team. This set though really epitomizes how useful Fur Coat/Ice Scales to the point where I'm slapping Fur Coat on things like Volcarona which is defensively frail, not using it as a wall but instead to try to facilitate setup. Behind screens this thing is actually insanely bulky unless something like Bundle shows up, Fur Coat allowing to straight up set on things like BB Corv, Iron Valiant and even things that should beat Volcarona always like banded Dragonite (252+ Atk Choice Band Aerilate burned Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 126-148 (33.7 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO LMAO) or even Bundle ( 252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Bundle Hydro Pump vs. +1 248 HP / 0 SpD Volcarona in Heavy Rain through Light Screen: 252-297 (67.5 - 79.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO / +1 0 SpA Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Iron Bundle: 285-336 (112.6 - 132.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO ) although with the caviet of needing the burn on switch or screens up for the funny last ones. Got a lot of potential and can potentially can become unkillable as Quiver Dance boosts the other side and also threatens any offensive mon that can't OHKO it before getting killed. It does get owned by Bundle unless you've got a boost up, DD Dragonite can beat you in a setup war or without wisp and can hates Clodsire and Toxic Bliss/Chansey but is nonetheless funny af and people should try it. HDB isn't even mandatory if you're HO and go lefties or LO as options. Could pair up on fat or balance teams but the standard Bulkarona set is probably better for them without turn (but you could always try I guess? I haven't tested this set much and am planning to test more).

However, Fur Coat Volc still dies to strong Rock Type attacks such as Rocky Payload users such as the ones I mentioned and STAB Power Gem users.

252 Atk Life Orb Rocky Payload Lycanroc Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 551-655 (147.3 - 175.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Tyranitar Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 520-616 (139 - 164.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Drednaw Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 696-820 (186 - 219.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Tyranitar can hold a Lum Berry to heal it from a burn by Will-O-Wisp.

Also, Physical Mold Breaker / Teravolt / Turboblaze users can ignore Fur Coat and Hit Volcarona Hard.

 

[cat]

However, Fur Coat Volc still dies to strong Rock Type attacks such as Rocky Payload users such as the ones I mentioned and STAB Power Gem users.

252 Atk Life Orb Rocky Payload Lycanroc Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 551-655 (147.3 - 175.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Tyranitar Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 520-616 (139 - 164.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Drednaw Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 696-820 (186 - 219.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Tyranitar can hold a Lum Berry to heal it from a burn by Will-O-Wisp.

Also, Physical Mold Breaker / Teravolt / Turboblaze users can ignore Fur Coat and Hit Volcarona Hard.

idk tho, whos realistically using lycanroc. drednaw could have a niche as a ss mguard head smash, idt rocky payload is a good idea. sure free 1.5x boost on rock attacks but we've seen this before in steelworker, and steelworker had only one abuser in ss iirc (melm) (preferred tech anyway) (melm is banned in ss) if you do really like payload, you could use it as a third stab instead on something that wants rock coverage. ttar is really meh when garganacl is here imo. (if u say "ttar is an offensive mon while garg is defensive i will question your obsession with ttar "ttar ohkoes garm-zen with accelerock")

 

[LordBox]

However, Fur Coat Volc still dies to strong Rock Type attacks such as Rocky Payload users such as the ones I mentioned and STAB Power Gem users.

252 Atk Life Orb Rocky Payload Lycanroc Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 551-655 (147.3 - 175.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Tyranitar Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 520-616 (139 - 164.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Drednaw Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 696-820 (186 - 219.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Tyranitar can hold a Lum Berry to heal it from a burn by Will-O-Wisp.

Also, Physical Mold Breaker / Teravolt / Turboblaze users can ignore Fur Coat and Hit Volcarona Hard.

All of the mentioned Rocky Payload mons are very rare so FC Volcarona isn't impacted much, plus for MBreaker mons like Tusk and Baxculibur they can either be burnt or threatened by Volcarona offensively, Great Tusk the most prominent MBreaker being very close to OHKO'd by a +1 Fiery Dance/Flamethrower or just dying if you use Giga Drain or Psychic while banded Baxculibur is more tricky but still manageable as it has actually get in the field.

 

[Tanny89k]

However, Fur Coat Volc still dies to strong Rock Type attacks such as Rocky Payload users such as the ones I mentioned and STAB Power Gem users.

252 Atk Life Orb Rocky Payload Lycanroc Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 551-655 (147.3 - 175.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Tyranitar Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 520-616 (139 - 164.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Rocky Payload Drednaw Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Volcarona: 696-820 (186 - 219.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Tyranitar can hold a Lum Berry to heal it from a burn by Will-O-Wisp.

Also, Physical Mold Breaker / Teravolt / Turboblaze users can ignore Fur Coat and Hit Volcarona Hard.

As described in LordBox's post, this Volcarona's job is to set up in the face of moderately powerful physical attackers using its FC-enhanced bulk and Morning Sun, potentially in addition to Will-O-Wisp and Shed Tail/screens support. Using Rocky Payload wallbreakers and Lum Berry as points against it is nitpicking, as they are neither prominent in the meta nor important to Volcarona's role.

When scrutinizing a set, focus on things that affect what it's supposed to do: identify its fundamental flaws (e.g. in XY OU, Talonflame's offensive presence wavers as it gets worn down by Brave Bird/Flare Blitz recoil and 4x SE Stealth Rock chip), relevant counters (e.g. in BW Ubers, Blaziken's attempts at sweeping are often thwarted by Giratina and Giratina-O, with at least one being present on most teams), and competition (e.g. in RBY OU, Persian's role as a Normal-type revenge killer is better fulfilled by Tauros). Instead of bringing up its inability to win irrelevant matchups, look at the opportunity cost of running it over DesoLand Volc or a different FC mon, its reliance on Shed Tail/screens, its Stealth Rock weakness, how it has to choose between running coverage to hit PSea Iron Bundle and running Will-O-Wisp to better exploit physical attackers, etc.

In short, when analyzing sets, refrain from nitpicking over trivial matchups and instead analyze their ability to fulfill their primary role.

 

[cat]

on another note, how is the meta now? i was on vacation and didnt really play aaa for a week. is it more defensive based (furscales)? is sflo flutter, aerilate dnite, primsea bundle still broken? I'm looking to start laddering soon

 

[Tranquility]

After using a couple of the stakeout abuse teams from LordBox on the ladder I believe that Stakeout is pretty busted on mons like Great Tusk. Pivoting stakeout abusers into advantageous situations can be done pretty easily with stuff like slowking or corviknight, and with the boost of stakeout can take advantage of the opponent switching out. A lot of things that would normally become checks to great tusk become more susceptible to it cause of stakeout, so it either forces sacrifices or 50-50's for the opponent on what to switch if they have immunities.
Here's a replay of it in action:

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9almostanyability-1750707587-y7gf963y9equy2u65l0b48fcyv5i6slpw (Loss but stakeout killing a max def great tusk)

I don't have the replay of it unfortunately but also had an instance where stakeout boosted close combat did 84(!) to a max defense slither wing
(+2 252+ Atk Choice Band Great Tusk Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slither Wing: 271-320 (72.4 - 85.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO)

I believe this element even if it's really only prevalent for a pokemon like Great Tusk is unhealthy, so I'd like to see a potential action on stakeout down the line (it was banned last gen, and I also I think tusk is pretty integral to the tier).

 

[brookeisagurl]

hiiii! I whipped this team up pretty quickly idk how good it is but it's fun! it tends to lose to sun teams though because theres like a trillion automatic sun abilities so its super hard to win the weather war :(

https://pokepast.es/76208030da8aca47

its a snow team with corviknight as the sun setter because its resist or neutral to all of ice's weaknesses and its got a lotta utility. Its a corviknight you can give it anything n itll work but its a good weather setter cause it wants to pivot all day.
My weather abusers are fur coat bundle and slush rush baxcalibur. Bundle gives more utility with aurora veil but its also fast and does a lotta damage and it like never dies to physical moves lol. slush rush baxcalibur is straight up broken with the defense boost its so bulky and so strong and it gets swords dance and all the coverage it could ever ask for. I put earthquake in the last slot but it could also be body press/crunch/iron head/zen headbutt if ur brain isnt as big as mine.
prankster chilly reception slowking is a secondary weather setter but also more importantly its basically just the gen 8 slowbro set with blizzard instead of surf or psychic or whatever it was (maybe i should give it a colbur berry ).
scarf flutter mane is a cleaner i gave it ice scales over dazzling because that ability is broken. Its a pretty standard set otherwise.
choice band adaptability iron tusk works as a physical breaker to stuff like clodsire because it does a trillion damage but it could also be slither wing or iron hands if you want i just like tusk's stab combo better

and thats it! please let me know your thoughts if you have any comments or compliments or improvements or suggestions or whatever i adore attention <3

 

[LordBox]

After using a couple of the stakeout abuse teams from LordBox on the ladder I believe that Stakeout is pretty busted on mons like Great Tusk. Pivoting stakeout abusers into advantageous situations can be done pretty easily with stuff like slowking or corviknight, and with the boost of stakeout can take advantage of the opponent switching out. A lot of things that would normally become checks to great tusk become more susceptible to it cause of stakeout, so it either forces sacrifices or 50-50's for the opponent on what to switch if they have immunities.
Here's a replay of it in action:

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9almostanyability-1750707587-y7gf963y9equy2u65l0b48fcyv5i6slpw (Loss but stakeout killing a max def great tusk)

I don't have the replay of it unfortunately but also had an instance where stakeout boosted close combat did 84(!) to a max defense slither wing
(+2 252+ Atk Choice Band Great Tusk Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slither Wing: 271-320 (72.4 - 85.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO)

I believe this element even if it's really only prevalent for a pokemon like Great Tusk is unhealthy, so I'd like to see a potential action on stakeout down the line (it was banned last gen, and I also I think tusk is pretty integral to the tier).

Noo don't banned my beloved Stakeout Tusk! On a more serious note it probably is worth looking at to ban in the future anyway, although I don't think it's that great imo, the predictions go both ways and makes using it rather inconsistent and needs good play to get into favourable situations... although the constant 50/50 situations that are forced due to Tusk's presence might be a bit unhealthy. Healthy neutral FC mons like Hippowdown can reliably check Stakeout Tusk but they have to be healthy or risk not being able to handle Tusk on the next encounter, although can always switch to the immunity after scouting which adds another level of prediction. Hazard stack + Stakeout Tusk sounds super funny and perhaps someone could cook with that? Just an idea.

Anyway, since I'm here guess I'll dump some more teams (or variants of a team from the looks of it) which have worked fairly well, all featuring WBB Specially Defensive Gholdenego + IceScales Corv. The duo is a bit sketch but Gholdenego packs some fairly nice offensive utility and can handle the most common annoyances to Corv being Iron Moth and Volcarona (also can fairly reliably handle Cereludge). Also 28 Spe IVs is to outspeed bulky RegenTusk, although probably not needed if using Sub.


Since I was talking about Stakeout Tusk before, here's another Stakeout Tusk team! Taking inspiration from Giagantic, pairing MGLO Pult with Stakeout Tusk along with Noivern and Sub Gholdenego makes Corviknight absolute fodder for this team despite it seemingly hard-walling half my team here. Switching in on Pult or Noivern is just easy pivot for Tusk while Gholdenego serves to counter the moths while also laughing at IceScles Corv. Noivern is replaceable by other special pivot mons and Defog is questionable on it, I just hate hazards. This team noticeably hates FC CM Florges without Make It Rain on Gholdenego as if Tusk can't get it on a switch, it can setup and just win unless I PP stall Moonblast, so take that how you will.


The team I've probably used the most and it works fairly reliably, the main idea to chip at the enemy with Garg and Tusk and trying to get your offensive threats in good position, mainly Valiant. Gholdenego/Garg have also alone has won a few games as well if you can get them in the right position or kill key threats to them. This team can struggle against faster offensive threats, particularly on the special side as once Corv falls, Flutter or Bundle both can easily destroy the team so adding a mon to offensively check them like Scarfers, Pult or Dnite might be a good idea. Originally was using Earth Eater Ghold + FC Garg but that was a pain to build the rest of the team around and also tried Stakeout Valiant + OPulse Slither but Life Orb recoil sucks, but still a cool concept.


I really don't come up with original teams, do I? Despite this, it works well, abusing the offensive pivot spamming duo of Hadron Pult and Slither to rack up chip and hopefully eventually overwhelm the enemy. Despite the Gholdenego, fitting in a Spikes Chomp over it to further abuse the forced switches seems like a neat idea, maybe even a GaG abuser? Although, this sounds like a different team with how'd you have to fit them in. Tusk is just here to get rid of hazards which would otherwise quickly erode at Pult and SlitherWing and set SR, although this set is garbage just use normal Bulky Regen and you're probably fine.

 

[cat]

hiiii! I whipped this team up pretty quickly idk how good it is but it's fun! it tends to lose to sun teams though because theres like a trillion automatic sun abilities so its super hard to win the weather war :(

https://pokepast.es/76208030da8aca47

its a snow team with corviknight as the sun setter because its resist or neutral to all of ice's weaknesses and its got a lotta utility. Its a corviknight you can give it anything n itll work but its a good weather setter cause it wants to pivot all day.
My weather abusers are fur coat bundle and slush rush baxcalibur. Bundle gives more utility with aurora veil but its also fast and does a lotta damage and it like never dies to physical moves lol. slush rush baxcalibur is straight up broken with the defense boost its so bulky and so strong and it gets swords dance and all the coverage it could ever ask for. I put earthquake in the last slot but it could also be body press/crunch/iron head/zen headbutt if ur brain isnt as big as mine.
prankster chilly reception slowking is a secondary weather setter but also more importantly its basically just the gen 8 slowbro set with blizzard instead of surf or psychic or whatever it was (maybe i should give it a colbur berry ).
scarf flutter mane is a cleaner i gave it ice scales over dazzling because that ability is broken. Its a pretty standard set otherwise.
choice band adaptability iron tusk works as a physical breaker to stuff like clodsire because it does a trillion damage but it could also be slither wing or iron hands if you want i just like tusk's stab combo better

and thats it! please let me know your thoughts if you have any comments or compliments or improvements or suggestions or whatever i adore attention <3

hi, im here to give a bit of critisicm.
i wouldnt really recommend using a snow team as there are desoland abusers like iron moth and chi-yu, or bundle's primsea. (snow isnt really good at all)
corvi as a snow setter? wouldnt recommend it as it likes scales or furc instead
bax is an ok choice but it isnt really that good, i would recommend maybe cloyster? or dont run a skush rush user
tusk is fine, would prefer smth like mold / teravolt / turboblaze or stakeout
flutter prefers sheer force or hadron engine
bundle likes primsea or adapt
overall my last thoughts are: snow isnt very good






speaking abt stakeout, im pretty sure its banworthy. heres a calc of tusk sending chomp back to dpp ubers:

+2 252 Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp: 294-346 (70 - 82.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

thats the switch in part



252 Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp: 147-174 (35 - 41.4%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

next hit

this is not considering:
1) tusk uses adamant mostly
2) tusk could predict and ice spinner to ohko chomp back to the ice age

however, tusk is the only stakeout abuser as of now, maybe tusk should get suspect tested instead? idk

 

[Isaiah]

however, tusk is the only stakeout abuser as of now,

Nah, things like Iron Bundle and Iron Valiant can use stakeout as well. You even have madmen like aesf running Choice Band Stakeout Chi-Yu to lure special walls and cook them.

---
After getting washed by max Defense Fur Coat Flutter Mane in the Ghosting tour, I decided to try it out myself and playtested it in a bunch of ladder games:


https://pokepast.es/257d50440c4cbd8a

Actually spinblocking non-moldy Great Tusk is really cool (Golden Joe wishes), and you can also do stuff like this:

Spoiler

Additionally, Choice Scarf Sword Iron Valiant is unsurprisingly strong, able to OHKO or 2HKO a lot of non-Fur Coat Pokemon and choose between getting rid of their item or forcing them to take its Scarf. I think it's also only a matter of time before defensive regen chomp comes back; Spikes are extremely free when the only real defogger is corv, and SD + Dragon Tail lets you spread the hazard damage to everyone. The Corviknight is Volt Absorb in hopes that Iron Valiant won't 6-0 this team at lead, but sometimes it happens anyway, so good luck! Blissey kind of sucks, but Shadow Ball + Calm Mind should in theory handle Golden Joe. I think it's possible that Fiery Dance could be better than Overheat on Iron Moth, but the idea was that you typically don't want to have it in for more than 1-2 turns at a time, so maybe the burst damage is better than in-built setup.

 

[brookeisagurl]

idk how relevant this comment is considering everyone's posting teams but ice scales n fur coat should probably be banned literally every team has both of them its kinda ridiculous. Theyre definitely the best defensive abilities in the game. On the other hand though the offensive power creep is crazy so theyre kinda necessary to hold teams together so they dont just get destroyed by stakeout/hadron/orichalcum

 

[Isaiah]

idk how relevant this comment is considering everyone's posting teams but ice scales n fur coat should probably be banned literally every team has both of them its kinda ridiculous. Theyre definitely the best defensive abilities in the game. On the other hand though the offensive power creep is crazy so theyre kinda necessary to hold teams together so they dont just get destroyed by stakeout/hadron/orichalcum

Any metagame discussion is valid! To contextualize this more though, AAA is always going to be centralized around whatever the "best defensive abilities" are. At the beginning of last gen it was Dauntless Shield + Poison Heal + Regenerator, and at the end of the gen it was Intimidate + Regenerator. I don't think "every team has both of them" (even as an exaggeration) is good enough reason to ban something, because if we went by that and banned FurScales, then the inevitable resulting combo of Defensive Ruin abilities + Regenerator being on the vast majority of teams would also need to be banned as well, leaving us with virtually nothing. Do you perhaps have more reasoning as to why you believe they should be banned?

 

[brookeisagurl]

i dug deep as fuck for this but i found ho lead palossand its the only thing in the game with both destiny bond and rocks and it also gets imprison to stop rocks from going up. its dumb as hell but it works surprisingly well i love it. the evs dont matter as long as its max special attack so they actually wanna kill you and cant just ignore you and set up with whatever. i gave it max hp just because it means you can sometimes get imprison rocks and destiny bond before dying but honestly since you're planning on dying after setting hazards and you have prankster so you dont need speed it really doesnt matter.

Palossand @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Destiny Bond
- Stealth Rock
- Imprison
- Earth Power

 

[Isaiah]

i dug deep as fuck for this but i found ho lead palossand its the only thing in the game with both destiny bond and rocks and it also gets imprison to stop rocks from going up. its dumb as hell but it works surprisingly well i love it. the evs dont matter as long as its max special attack so they actually wanna kill you and cant just ignore you and set up with whatever. i gave it max hp just because it means you can sometimes get imprison rocks and destiny bond before dying but honestly since you're planning on dying after setting hazards and you have prankster so you dont need speed it really doesnt matter.

Palossand @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Destiny Bond
- Stealth Rock
- Imprison
- Earth Power

Cool set :0 maybe try Curse > Earth Power so you can more quickly beat Defog Corviknight? Also gives you an out to KO yourself most of the time (the existing dark types either trigger destiny bond or phaze you anyway)

 

[brookeisagurl]

Cool set :0 maybe try Curse > Earth Power so you can more quickly beat Defog Corviknight? Also gives you an out to KO yourself most of the time (the existing dark types either trigger destiny bond or phaze you anyway)

but if i run curse i don't have an attacking move how does that beat defog corviknight unless it runs curse which i don't think it does

oh wait curse is different for ghost types

---

ive been using a slush rush baxcalibur/snow warning bundle core but idk what to build around it any suggestions

cold godzilla (Baxcalibur) @ Life Orb
Ability: Slush Rush
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Glaive Rush
- Icicle Spear
- Earthquake

futurama santa (Iron Bundle) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Snow Warning
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry
- Flip Turn
- Hydro Pump

 

[SonOfDusk]

With tera being gone for a number of weeks, I think we've had enough time to get at least a basic analysis of the threat levels of some Pokemon and abilities themselves, without the question of whether it's tera pushing them over the edge or not.

So I'm making a call out post on my Twitter dot com. Flutter Mane, you are broken. Fr though, it puts unbelievable pressure from the team builder to team preview to in battle. The standard SFLO set is as we know, quite powerful on its own, but it generally is healthily answered by any Ice Scales mon that isn't hit for SE damage by its stabs. However, Flutter's near-unmatched speed and surprisingly good special bulk allows it to run a myriad of sets which all require different answers. Dazzling to stop one of the few reliable ways to offensively check it, CM+Pain Split or Mold Breaker to check nearly every defensive Ice Scales user, Regen to mitigate chip, even Fur Coat as we've seen above to turn it into a wincon that isn't dead to most physical priority.

It already has the stats, typing, and neutral coverage to be a threat, but having to account for all of its sets and never knowing what set it's running until it's possibly too late, is unhealthy in my humble and nonprofessional opinion. That's not factoring in the RNG of SpDef drops from non SF sets, which are becoming significantly more common especially at high ladder where Flutter users know SFLO is often prepared for and can easily adapt and run alternatives thanks to the sheer amount of options it's afforded and its excellent stats.

As for other threats, I think Tusk, possibly Kingambit, and maybe Hands are worth keeping an eye on. The prominence of special ghosts means Hands always has to be careful if it's Triage, and FC and Regen are checked by many strong special attackers, but it can either be a mon that potentially 6-0s you or stays alive for eons and all sets can set up with either Iron Defense + BP, or SD. With the right trends though, it has potential to be a menace. Tusk is incredibly versatile as it has tons of options much like flutter, but with more exploitable speed and no recovery to aid setup. It can run Regen, Stakeout, Mold Breaker, Adapt, etc and excell with all of them thanks to its massive physical bulk, huge attack + good stabs, passable speed (which can become much less manageable after a Spin), Spin and Knock access, and its ability to beat common spinblocker Skeledirge, though I'd say the latter is pretty good considering GaG Dirge strats are fairly toxic themselves, as someone who's used it a few times before. Kingambit has a very clear weakness that it no longer can just make disappear, and it's notably destroyed by Tusk. It is, like the others, versatile. FC/Scales + Lefties, Adapt, Mold Breaker, RegenVest + Metal Burst, etc. It has a ton of potential to reveal itself as broken on the right team and is made stronger with Flutter being able to switch in on every fighting type and KO them, creating 50/50 "will I won't I" situations. However, I think we need more time to evaluate it and if Flutter goes imo it'll be a lot less good.

More than any pokemon currently used though, I think Flutter is worth a suspect. You NEED at least 2 answers to it if you don't want to lose to one of its many sets. And that's what imo sets apart all the best threats from the good ones: versatility. Bundle is still strong but it's significantly more manageable with tera gone and still has trouble with DesoLand fire types. Unlike the other threats I listed, it is NOT very versatile. Adapt or PrimSea, MAYBE Snow Warning + Veil. You know what's coming and if it uses something else, then it's a huge trade off often not worth using. That means less pressure on team builder, way less pressure when it's revealed at preview. Flutter? The sight of it means you have to be extremely cautious from the get go until you're confident in its set, assuming you didn't find out too late.