Rank #1 Specs Bundle Semiroom Team
I am back once again, this time with a more meta team. This team contains, in my opinion, six of the best mons in the format. However, there are a couple of very unorthodox sets on this team that enable it to function cohesively and easily outperform other meta teams. There's a decently long analysis that follows, but if there's one set you should read, it's the Chi-Yu one. This team is the most fun I've had in the SV era since the early days, lots of fun ways to pilot it.
(I lived this)
Iron Hands is a pretty standard set that I've run pretty much since the beginning of SV, with pretty much max hp, a decent amount of sp def investment, and a dump in attack. Heavy Slam is nice to hit fairies like Iron Valiant and Sylveon, and I've recently transitioned to running CC over Drain Punch on most Iron Hands sets due to the large damage difference.
This is the first unconventional set on the team. Choice Specs enables Bundle to do absurd damage that usually opponents won't expect to come from it, especially when paired with Chi-Yu. Tera Blast Ground may seem like an odd choice, but allows Bundle to basically bully Iron Hands and dodge electric attacks in general. I basically determined that ground was the best offensive coverage it could ask for and went with it. Freeze Dry and Icy Wind round out the set, standard attacks that always add value.
Personally one of my favorite Pokemon to run in the format, Glimmora provides offensive hazard support with stealth rock and defensive hazard control with mortal spin. This was a very integral piece of the team, allowing the attackers to pick up crucial KOs after wearing opponents down. Not a whole lot to say here, just a really solid piece.
The cornerstone of this team. Assault Vest Chi-Yu is ridiculously bulky on the special side, utilizing its base 120 sp def. This spread allows Chi-Yu to attain the usual special attack stat of an unboosted timid Chi-Yu, while maxing out HP and investing a little into both defenses. I often found that Chi-Yu doesn't need any speed investment on this team to be successful, as the Speed Control and bulk can more than make up for it. The attacks are those that are typically found on a specs set, with Heat Wave, Snarl, Dark Pulse, and Overheat. This set made me feel like I was playing SS again. You are able to play safely around opposing special attackers without fear, and most importantly, this Chi-Yu beats other Chi-Yu and Iron Bundle. With this set, I think I've finally found the set I've been looking for for all of SV: a consistent and safe bulky Pokemon that enables the rest of the team to survive.
Another very solid Pokemon, one I find myself slotting onto most of my teams. This set has pretty much optimized balanced bulk while allowing for a modest nature to still pick up KOs. Nasty Plot provides a way to punish passive play, and Safety Goggles is a nice extra Amoonguss check. The role compression on Farigarif is unmatched in this format, blocking priority while also providing a bulky TR setter is invaluable, especially on this team. Speed on this set is debatable, I went with - nature and 31 IVs, just to always outspeed min speed armarouge outside of TR, a decent benchmark while maintaining a decently low speed.
Yet another form of speed control, this time another one of my favorite sets, the speed booster energy acrobatics tailwind set. Again not a whole lot new to say from my other team reports, just a solid pick that provides another way to map out your games with alternate speed control and solid damage output.
A Couple Replays:
"Why I run Tera Ground Bundle" vs Bage1
Match that got me rank 1
Probably should have saved a couple more but a lot of my games were pretty clean with AV Chi-Yu and Iron Bundle cleaning up pretty easily. I had a good game versus Genone but I apparently forgot to save it.
I am back once again, this time with a more meta team. This team contains, in my opinion, six of the best mons in the format. However, there are a couple of very unorthodox sets on this team that enable it to function cohesively and easily outperform other meta teams. There's a decently long analysis that follows, but if there's one set you should read, it's the Chi-Yu one. This team is the most fun I've had in the SV era since the early days, lots of fun ways to pilot it.
(I lived this)
Iron Hands is a pretty standard set that I've run pretty much since the beginning of SV, with pretty much max hp, a decent amount of sp def investment, and a dump in attack. Heavy Slam is nice to hit fairies like Iron Valiant and Sylveon, and I've recently transitioned to running CC over Drain Punch on most Iron Hands sets due to the large damage difference.
This is the first unconventional set on the team. Choice Specs enables Bundle to do absurd damage that usually opponents won't expect to come from it, especially when paired with Chi-Yu. Tera Blast Ground may seem like an odd choice, but allows Bundle to basically bully Iron Hands and dodge electric attacks in general. I basically determined that ground was the best offensive coverage it could ask for and went with it. Freeze Dry and Icy Wind round out the set, standard attacks that always add value.
Personally one of my favorite Pokemon to run in the format, Glimmora provides offensive hazard support with stealth rock and defensive hazard control with mortal spin. This was a very integral piece of the team, allowing the attackers to pick up crucial KOs after wearing opponents down. Not a whole lot to say here, just a really solid piece.
The cornerstone of this team. Assault Vest Chi-Yu is ridiculously bulky on the special side, utilizing its base 120 sp def. This spread allows Chi-Yu to attain the usual special attack stat of an unboosted timid Chi-Yu, while maxing out HP and investing a little into both defenses. I often found that Chi-Yu doesn't need any speed investment on this team to be successful, as the Speed Control and bulk can more than make up for it. The attacks are those that are typically found on a specs set, with Heat Wave, Snarl, Dark Pulse, and Overheat. This set made me feel like I was playing SS again. You are able to play safely around opposing special attackers without fear, and most importantly, this Chi-Yu beats other Chi-Yu and Iron Bundle. With this set, I think I've finally found the set I've been looking for for all of SV: a consistent and safe bulky Pokemon that enables the rest of the team to survive.
Another very solid Pokemon, one I find myself slotting onto most of my teams. This set has pretty much optimized balanced bulk while allowing for a modest nature to still pick up KOs. Nasty Plot provides a way to punish passive play, and Safety Goggles is a nice extra Amoonguss check. The role compression on Farigarif is unmatched in this format, blocking priority while also providing a bulky TR setter is invaluable, especially on this team. Speed on this set is debatable, I went with - nature and 31 IVs, just to always outspeed min speed armarouge outside of TR, a decent benchmark while maintaining a decently low speed.
Yet another form of speed control, this time another one of my favorite sets, the speed booster energy acrobatics tailwind set. Again not a whole lot new to say from my other team reports, just a solid pick that provides another way to map out your games with alternate speed control and solid damage output.
A Couple Replays:
"Why I run Tera Ground Bundle" vs Bage1
Match that got me rank 1
Probably should have saved a couple more but a lot of my games were pretty clean with AV Chi-Yu and Iron Bundle cleaning up pretty easily. I had a good game versus Genone but I apparently forgot to save it.
and Hydro Pump from Choice Specs 
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Normal Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 248 HP / 100 Def Chi-Yu: 235-277 (75 - 88.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Gholdengo Power Gem vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Assault Vest Chi-Yu: 136-160 (43.4 - 51.1%) -- 3.9% chance to 2HKO
244 SpA Choice Specs Walking Wake Hydro Steam vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Assault Vest Chi-Yu in Sun: 288-342 (92 - 109.2%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Baxcalibur Glaive Rush vs. 248 HP / 100 Def Chi-Yu: 249-294 (79.5 - 93.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
). It also helps with the 
which is great in TR.
and 
speed mons under tailwind
Cresselia is really irritating. I'm not sure exactly how viable it is (somewhere between T1-3!) but it's easily able to stay on the field for 10+ turns and spam Lunar Blessing + other support moves. It's virtually unkillable without using the strongest moves in the format, and if those moves fail to do so, it threatens immediate speed control in Trick Room/TWave/Icy Wind. If you aren't using Trick Room, it's very strong to have Cresselia be faster than some of your Pokemon (on the latter team, Palafin and Landorus-T) to cure status like Sleep before they move. Tera choice is interesting and very team dependent - Dark gives you an immunity to Prankster Taunt + Ghost resistance, Steel lets you wall Ursaluna much more comfortably, and Fairy is the best "all-around" type.
Bear is bear. Ursaluna + Cress is absolutely filthy. This is on my mind for the June 11th quickban slate. Jesus fucking christ it's melmetal 3.0 with a built in choice band and status immunity
Definitely the Pokemon I underestimated the most coming into this release. Tera Grass flips its weaknesses nearly perfectly and still retains Flash Fire. For item choice, Assault Vest has a phenomenal matchup into Flutter/Chi-Yu and lets you fit all the coverage moves you need. Heavy Slam is an option over Flash Cannon to OHKO almost any Flutter Mane.
Thund has been okay. There are plenty of Pokemon (Iron Hands, Ursaluna, Cresselia, Amoong, Landorus) that can very safely ignore everything it wants to do, and the Gen 7 Prankster nerf severely hurts its matchup into offense. I don't recommend the exact version of the second team too much, just put Amoong over Thund.
