The first time i see that Blastoise will take Shell Smash in 8th gen I think it could be a good sweeper, so I try to build up a team around it.
For me using this teams is truly fun and it seems well builded, but I have a feeling like it lacks something.
I hope you can help me improve it.
PS: I'm not an English motherlanguage, so forgive me for any error I could do.
The Team
Zeraora @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Grass Knot
Fastest pokemon in the meta, good coverage and nice damage with LO. Grass Knot is for surprise and kill Seismitoad, which is often sent out to counter Zeraora's Plasma Fist - it could do truly nice damage on Hippo too. When i see a Seismi in other teams I generally bait him and give an hit with Knock Off, then GK f2w. Close Combat is good to pressure Ferro or kill Tyranitar, Excadrill ecc.
Hasty Nature for not decreasing GK power.
Blastoise @ White Herb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Pulse
The first pokemon I put on team. Evs in HP are for withstand more it and go for Shell Smash thant starting to wreck havoc on oppo's team. The 80 Evs in Speed is for reaching 424 Speed after one SS, so he outspeed any non scarfed mons on meta.
Surf is preferred over Hydro Pump for Precision's issue, Ice Beam is coverage for Dragons and Flying wall (Mandibuzz). Dragon Pulse is for neutral hitting mons whom resist both Surf and Ice Beam (Toxapex) and because I didn't find any better move to deal with them.
Modest nature to maxing Sp.Atk and White Herb for helping him not die with a bunch of priorities.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Memento
- Sucker Punch
Funny trapper that with Focus Sash can easy trap and kill a lot of threat weak to Earth moves, like Darmanitan, Cinderace, Zeraora. Rock Slide for coverage, but I haven't found situation when this is a way to go, because of Dugtrio poor atk. Memento is good to let Blastoise Shell Smash with no problem.
Other trapping threat, is primarly role is to stop sun/sand abuser, in fact he can easily manage to kill Torkoal and Tyranitar, because under Sun Venusaur could be a scary threat, like Exca under sand and without Corviknight.
Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
The revenge killer and 2nd unscarfed fast pokemon of the meta. It's tyiping is fantastic and has a lot of good coverage moves that can help team to clean in late game or removing an huge threat in mid game because not much pokemon can easily enter on him.
Shadow Ball, DMeteor and Fire Blast are the "big three moves" that every Specs Dragapult run, TBolt is for hitting hard Toxapex and Mandibuzz.
No more to say, I think that this is a fantastic pokemon.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Defog
- Roost
- Taunt
The defogger I need to help my team switch out easily and my unique Def wall. The big birb is amazing and the first time I see him in the trailer I totally fall in love with him.
Let's talk about the build! Body Press instead of Brave Bird for baiting and hit hard pokemon like Bisharp - that often enter on Defog - Tyranitar who can hit hard in the CB version, and Excadrill - whom is totally walled by Corviknight. Taunt + Pressure are for stallbreaking mons like Toxapex and Ferrothorn, with the last of them be hitted quite well with Body Press.
The Evs are for maximizing is Def power and the damage o Body Press, 8 Speed are for outspeeding other Corviknight.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 4 SpA / 116 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast
- Soft-Boiled
The Stealth Rocker I need, maybe not the best but I truly need a fairy type. Set is quite standard, but Evs are mixed to help her wall both physical and special moves. Generally she doesn't take a kill, but is very good to walling Hydreigon in all is variants and generally put pressure on all Dark mons and go for a good hit and Steel type thanks to Fire Blast.
I choose Magic Guard over Unaware. They are both fantastic ability, but i've found that MG suits better in this team.
Threatlist
There will be not a true threatlist, for the reason:
1) There isn't (for me) a true impossible threat for this team - maybe I can't see it.
2) There are a lot of "problematic pokemon" to deal with, like Dracovish or Scarf Darmanitan, but not impossible.
For me using this teams is truly fun and it seems well builded, but I have a feeling like it lacks something.
I hope you can help me improve it.
PS: I'm not an English motherlanguage, so forgive me for any error I could do.
The Team
Zeraora @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Grass Knot
Fastest pokemon in the meta, good coverage and nice damage with LO. Grass Knot is for surprise and kill Seismitoad, which is often sent out to counter Zeraora's Plasma Fist - it could do truly nice damage on Hippo too. When i see a Seismi in other teams I generally bait him and give an hit with Knock Off, then GK f2w. Close Combat is good to pressure Ferro or kill Tyranitar, Excadrill ecc.
Hasty Nature for not decreasing GK power.
Blastoise @ White Herb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Pulse
The first pokemon I put on team. Evs in HP are for withstand more it and go for Shell Smash thant starting to wreck havoc on oppo's team. The 80 Evs in Speed is for reaching 424 Speed after one SS, so he outspeed any non scarfed mons on meta.
Surf is preferred over Hydro Pump for Precision's issue, Ice Beam is coverage for Dragons and Flying wall (Mandibuzz). Dragon Pulse is for neutral hitting mons whom resist both Surf and Ice Beam (Toxapex) and because I didn't find any better move to deal with them.
Modest nature to maxing Sp.Atk and White Herb for helping him not die with a bunch of priorities.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Memento
- Sucker Punch
Funny trapper that with Focus Sash can easy trap and kill a lot of threat weak to Earth moves, like Darmanitan, Cinderace, Zeraora. Rock Slide for coverage, but I haven't found situation when this is a way to go, because of Dugtrio poor atk. Memento is good to let Blastoise Shell Smash with no problem.
Other trapping threat, is primarly role is to stop sun/sand abuser, in fact he can easily manage to kill Torkoal and Tyranitar, because under Sun Venusaur could be a scary threat, like Exca under sand and without Corviknight.
Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
The revenge killer and 2nd unscarfed fast pokemon of the meta. It's tyiping is fantastic and has a lot of good coverage moves that can help team to clean in late game or removing an huge threat in mid game because not much pokemon can easily enter on him.
Shadow Ball, DMeteor and Fire Blast are the "big three moves" that every Specs Dragapult run, TBolt is for hitting hard Toxapex and Mandibuzz.
No more to say, I think that this is a fantastic pokemon.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Defog
- Roost
- Taunt
The defogger I need to help my team switch out easily and my unique Def wall. The big birb is amazing and the first time I see him in the trailer I totally fall in love with him.
Let's talk about the build! Body Press instead of Brave Bird for baiting and hit hard pokemon like Bisharp - that often enter on Defog - Tyranitar who can hit hard in the CB version, and Excadrill - whom is totally walled by Corviknight. Taunt + Pressure are for stallbreaking mons like Toxapex and Ferrothorn, with the last of them be hitted quite well with Body Press.
The Evs are for maximizing is Def power and the damage o Body Press, 8 Speed are for outspeeding other Corviknight.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 4 SpA / 116 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast
- Soft-Boiled
The Stealth Rocker I need, maybe not the best but I truly need a fairy type. Set is quite standard, but Evs are mixed to help her wall both physical and special moves. Generally she doesn't take a kill, but is very good to walling Hydreigon in all is variants and generally put pressure on all Dark mons and go for a good hit and Steel type thanks to Fire Blast.
I choose Magic Guard over Unaware. They are both fantastic ability, but i've found that MG suits better in this team.
Threatlist
There will be not a true threatlist, for the reason:
1) There isn't (for me) a true impossible threat for this team - maybe I can't see it.
2) There are a lot of "problematic pokemon" to deal with, like Dracovish or Scarf Darmanitan, but not impossible.
