Monotype Dark Team

[RicardoSilva7631]

The Dark type is full of offensive options. Taht is why this team has fantastic attackers. However I found out that is difficult to win with it when the advantage passes to the opponent. Any help?

Sableye @ Sablenite

Ability: Prankster

EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA

Bold Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Recover

- Toxic

- Calm Mind

- Dark Pulse


The first time I encontered Mega Sableye I was possessed by the will to use it. It can use Toxic prior to its opponent as Sableye thanks to Prankster and Magic Bounce is simply terrific against telegraphed status moves. Recover allows its useful time to enlarge and Calm Mind reinforces its stats, setting it up to Dark Pulse (which has a flinch probability that is very, very welcome).

Greninja @ Life Orb

Ability: Protean

Shiny: Yes

EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Ice Beam

- Extrasensory

- Hidden Power [Fire]

- Hydro Pump


Greninja is my other lead, because of Protean which turns every attack in a Stab and o its excellent speed. The attack were chosen to expand its coverage.


Scrafty @ Leftovers

Ability: Shed Skin

EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Rest

- Dragon Dance

- Crunch

- High Jump Kick


Scrafty is a personal favourite. The set relies on Rest and Shed Skin to nullifie status effects and gain time to use Dragon Dance. The finishers are also stabs and boosted by Dragon Dance are very effective.

Mandibuzz @ Leftovers

Ability: Overcoat

EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def

Impish Nature

- Defog

- Roost

- Foul Play

- Brave Bird

I placed Mandibuzz in this team to serve as a Defoger. It is the only way I found of dealing with field effects and thanks to Roost and Foul Play it can put a decent fight before biting the dust. Brave Bird is used as a stab attack against good matchups.

Umbreon @ Leftovers

Ability: Synchronize

EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

Calm Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Heal Bell

- Wish

- Toxic

- Foul Play

Umbreon is the Cleric of the team. Th combianiton of Heal Bell and Wish allos to recover any member of the team, which is very useful since the Dark types in this team are not suited to stalling tactics. I chose Foul Play in place of Protect since it offers a way for Umbreon to attack but I think the latter may be better.

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest

Ability: Poison Touch

EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA

Brave Nature

- Knock Off

- Pursuit

- Shadow Sneak

- Fire Blast


The Alolan Muk is the most tactical of the pokéos in this team. Knock Off and Pursuit are both stabs and are very powerful when used in the adequate situations and Shadow Sneak prevents the opponent from running. Fire Blast as chosen for coverage.

 

[Celticpride]

Two weeks have passed so you're good to go dude.

 

[Vid]

Hi RicardoSilva7631, Dark is starting to become popular because of the recent Magearna ban for good reason, . However, Dark teams still have a tough time dealing with certain threats such as Mega Altaria, Tapu Koko, and Mega Diancie if the certain Pokemon or sets are used.
Rate

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  Calm Mind Mega Sableye on paper seems great invest all of Mega Sableye's EVs into Defense while using Calm Mind to boost its weaker Special Defense. However, this is not true in reality as Mega Sableye finds very few opportunities to set up a Calm Mind and if it does it is easily revenge killed by plethora of common Fairy-types such as Mega Altaria, Mimikyu, and Mega Diancie. In the current metagame the utility set is the most effective set as it can cripple multiple threats and is useful in almost every matchup unlike Calm Mind set which is only useful in few matchups. 248 HP / 116 Def / 144 SpD > EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA & Careful nature > Bold nature With changing the set, the EVs and nature need to be changed as utility set needs some Special Defense investment and a boosting nature to take special hits Will-O-Wisp > Calm Mind With Will-O-Wisp Mega Sableye is able to cripple physical attackers such as Landorus-T and Garchomp that would normally 2HKO Mega Sableye. This change helps in almost every matchup as it gives Mega Sableye more room to use Recover increasing its sustainability. Knock Off > Dark Pulse this change is simple because a Calm Mind set is not being ran Dark Pulse is extremely weak especially from an unboosted Mega Sableye, so Knock Off is a suitable replacement because of the utility Knock Off provides by removing items from likes of Leftovers Zapdos and Eviolite Chansey. Proposed Change(s): Utility Set > Calm Mind Set / Will-O-Wisp > Calm Mind / Knock Off > Dark Pulse / 248 HP / 116 Def / 144 SpD > EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA / Careful nature > Bold nature
  
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  The current Greninja set is really good on Water teams because Greninja has the unique ability to choose what it can and cannot beat. However, on Dark teams it is extremely difficult to justify using Life Orb Greninja because of the limited number of revenge killers Dark teams have access to. Choice Scarf > Life Orb With a Choice Scarf Greninja is able to outspeed and revenge kill a huge chunk of metagame most notably Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in Sand and Tapu Koko. With change the set needs to be altered to ensure that Greninja can revenge kill as many threats to Dark teams as possible so that the team is never found in a situation where it auto loses to fast threats such as +1 Mega Altaria and +1 Volcarona. Gunk Shot > Extrasensory Losing out on hitting Mega Venusaur may seem devastating, but being completely walled by Fairy types is far worse as Fairy types namely Clefable can take advantage of the current Greninja set being able to easily set up a Calm Mind. This change gives Greninja a way to hit and KO those Fairy-types, while also being able to revenge kill Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and Tapu Koko. U-turn > Hidden Power Fire This change may seem strange as with this change Greninja will not be able to hit Ferrothorn, a common Greninja switch in, but Hidden Power Fire is only useful for Ferrothorn which is not always seen on Steel teams. U-turn is a fantastic option because Greninja forces a lot of switches and U-turn allows Greninja to constantly gain momentum making U-turn useful in almost any matchup. Proposed Change(s): Choice Scarf > Life Orb / Gunk Shot > Extrasensory / U-turn > Hidden Power Fire
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  Scrafty in a vacuum seems like an excellent choice it has access to Dragon Dance, the ability to recover status thanks to Shed Skin, and it only hastwo weaknesses. However, in practice Scrafty is not a good Pokemon as it's low speed leaves it outsped by the majority of metagame even after a Dragon Dance, while also being weak to common Fairy and Fighting attacks. Bisharp > Scrafty Bisharp is the perfect replacement for Scrafty as it has Swords Dance along with priority Sucker Punch allowing it to function as a late-game sweeper like Scrafty. Bisharp is also a part Steel-type meaning it can check most Fairy-types with its STAB Iron Head.
  
• 
  Taunt > Foul Play This change allows Mandibuzz to beat Mega Venusaur one-on-one while also being good utility move in general for Pokemon such as Chansey and Ferrothorn. This change is used to make up for replacing Extrasensory on Greninja so that the team doesn't auto lose to Mega Venusaur. Proposed Change(s): Taunt > Foul Play
  
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  Umbreon in theory is great special wall with its monstrous Special Defense stat along with its decent HP, but the opportunity cost of not using Tyranitar is extremely high. Tyranitar like Umbreon is a great special wall because of the 1.5 Special Defense boost Rock-types get in the Sand even without reliable recovery. Along with Tyranitar also gives the team a reliable Stealth Rock user along with also having good coverage moves namely Fire Blast to eliminate Ferrothorn.
  
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  Assault Vest Muk is a great set, but a couple modifications are necessary to optimize the set for the current metagame. Poison Jab > Shadow Sneak With Poison Jab Alolan Muk is able to hit Fairy-types such as Tapu Bulu and Clefable that wall the current set, while only giving up a weak priority move to hit Fairy-types. 248 HP / 12 Def / 248 SpD > 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA this change in EVs allows Alolan Muk to always survive a V-Create from Choice Scarf Victini after Stealth Rock while also enhancing its Special Defense. Sassy nature > Brave nature this change enhances Alolan Muk's Special Defense allowing it to switch into multiple special Fairy-type attacks. Proposed Change(s): 248 HP / 12 Def / 248 SpD > 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA / Sassy nature > Brave nature

Good luck with the team!

Sets

Sableye @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 116 Def / 144 SpD
Careful Nature
- Recover
- Toxic
- Will-O-Wisp
- Knock Off

Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn
- Hydro Pump

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off

Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Taunt
- Brave Bird

Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch
- Stone Edge
- Fire Blast

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Def / 248 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Fire Blast