I wanted to change up my stall lineup a little, so I started wondering what alternative checks I could find to Tapu Lele, as I often find myself dedicating a slot on my team to a Lele check. Gholdengo looked promising, and it delivers.
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/090375db1857e088
Gholdengo @ Leftovers
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 212 HP / 204 SpD / 92 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Recover
- Make It Rain
- Nasty Plot
Gholdengo not only serves as a check to Lele (among othres, like Iron Crown), but as a powerful breaker, at least by stall standards. The speed EVs allow Gholdengo to outspeed defensive Gliscor. The rest is dumped into HP and SpD while maximizing leftovers recovery. Gholdengo avoids the 2HKO from specs Lele and OHKOs it with Make It Rain. If it is cm and it boosts on your switch, you can nasty plot to OHKO the following turn. If Tyranitar is in the back, you can NP on the expected switch and then OHKO Tyranitar with Make It Rain. Hex is very powerful when the target is statused, so I decided to give it hex and and build my team around statusing the opponent team.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Defog
- Stealth Rock
Gliscor is my primary check to Heatran and Glimmora. It takes their hits relatively well, is unthreatened by toxic, can defog their hazards away, and OHKO both with no setup. Max HP divisible by 8 (for poison heal) and max SpDef provides the bulk Gliscor needs. Although some sets are more threatening, Gliscor can check Mega Diancie to a degree. Stealth rock is a must on any team, or at least spikes. I prefer stealth rock because it hits all Pokemon, bar magic guard Pokemon. This is where I could fit it on the team, and it's pretty neat when your opponent can't threaten out your stealth rocker with their own, forcing them to defog or put up with the rocks without pressuring me with their own.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 212 HP / 192 Def / 104 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave
Unaware Pokemon are a must on stall teams because their passive nature opens many opportunities for the opponent to set up. Clefable also serves as my cleric, using heal bell to heal my team of status. I decided to balance the defensive stats to handle both physical and special threats. Additionally, this spread allows Clefable to serve as a check to non-specs Lele, though it must be wary of pyscium z. Thunder wave spreads status for Gholdengo, and is very useful besides. A wasted turn can be a big opportunity to any Pokemon. Furthermore, unlike burn and poison, paralysis affects Heatran, a woe to stall. If Heatran is paralyzed, Gholdengo can NP on their switch to Heatran, outspeed it, and OHKO with hex if it is offensive, ~80% to SpD sets, requiring very little chip. I chose knock off over moonblast because I feel every team should have knock off for its utility, and I couldn't fit it elsewhere.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Roost
- Defog
- Iron Defense
Corviknight serves as my check to SD stealth rock sets, notably on Lando and Garchomp. Ironpress allows Corviknight to both wall and KO these Pokemon, while removing their stealth rocks with defog. Rocky Helmet punishes u-turn, knock off, and other contact moves. Primarily, I chose rocky helmet because I was having a problem with ceaseless edge, which can't be spammed until I'm forced to choose between defog and roost with rocky helmet. Corviknight also serves as a great check to other threatening physical sweepers, such as Kartana, Rillaboom, Mega Mawile, and Mega-Scisor.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic Spikes
Toxapex serves as my check to banded Urshifu-R. Even without defensive investment, Toxapex avoids the 2HKO from all of Urshifu's moves, so SpD is maxed out to better check Zard Y and other special threats. Toxic immediately puts setup sweepers like Volcarona on a timer, while toxic spikes spreads poison across the opponents team. Haze allows Toxapex to wall the aforementioned Volcarona and other special sweepers.
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 156 SpD / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Mega Sableye is the star of many stall teams, and this one is no different. I chose night shade over knock off because it does much more damage against popular hazard setters, notably Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Gliscor. Additionally, it does not activate iron barbs, and if Toxapex gets knocked and burnt, Sableye can pp stall its recover with night shade. Will-o-wisp spreads yet more status, and is very useful for its ability to turn a big threat or bad match up into a cake walk, especially since Clefable can easily wall most physical threats if they are burned. Protect ensures that Sableye can safely get its mega evolution off. The speed EVs creep non-gyro Ferrothorn, and EVs are mixed for mixed bulk. Sableye can even serve as a solid check to Heatran if it is paralyzed, since a miss or paralysis can give you the breathing room to attack and make some progress.
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/090375db1857e088
Gholdengo @ Leftovers
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 212 HP / 204 SpD / 92 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Recover
- Make It Rain
- Nasty Plot
Gholdengo not only serves as a check to Lele (among othres, like Iron Crown), but as a powerful breaker, at least by stall standards. The speed EVs allow Gholdengo to outspeed defensive Gliscor. The rest is dumped into HP and SpD while maximizing leftovers recovery. Gholdengo avoids the 2HKO from specs Lele and OHKOs it with Make It Rain. If it is cm and it boosts on your switch, you can nasty plot to OHKO the following turn. If Tyranitar is in the back, you can NP on the expected switch and then OHKO Tyranitar with Make It Rain. Hex is very powerful when the target is statused, so I decided to give it hex and and build my team around statusing the opponent team.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Defog
- Stealth Rock
Gliscor is my primary check to Heatran and Glimmora. It takes their hits relatively well, is unthreatened by toxic, can defog their hazards away, and OHKO both with no setup. Max HP divisible by 8 (for poison heal) and max SpDef provides the bulk Gliscor needs. Although some sets are more threatening, Gliscor can check Mega Diancie to a degree. Stealth rock is a must on any team, or at least spikes. I prefer stealth rock because it hits all Pokemon, bar magic guard Pokemon. This is where I could fit it on the team, and it's pretty neat when your opponent can't threaten out your stealth rocker with their own, forcing them to defog or put up with the rocks without pressuring me with their own.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 212 HP / 192 Def / 104 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave
Unaware Pokemon are a must on stall teams because their passive nature opens many opportunities for the opponent to set up. Clefable also serves as my cleric, using heal bell to heal my team of status. I decided to balance the defensive stats to handle both physical and special threats. Additionally, this spread allows Clefable to serve as a check to non-specs Lele, though it must be wary of pyscium z. Thunder wave spreads status for Gholdengo, and is very useful besides. A wasted turn can be a big opportunity to any Pokemon. Furthermore, unlike burn and poison, paralysis affects Heatran, a woe to stall. If Heatran is paralyzed, Gholdengo can NP on their switch to Heatran, outspeed it, and OHKO with hex if it is offensive, ~80% to SpD sets, requiring very little chip. I chose knock off over moonblast because I feel every team should have knock off for its utility, and I couldn't fit it elsewhere.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Roost
- Defog
- Iron Defense
Corviknight serves as my check to SD stealth rock sets, notably on Lando and Garchomp. Ironpress allows Corviknight to both wall and KO these Pokemon, while removing their stealth rocks with defog. Rocky Helmet punishes u-turn, knock off, and other contact moves. Primarily, I chose rocky helmet because I was having a problem with ceaseless edge, which can't be spammed until I'm forced to choose between defog and roost with rocky helmet. Corviknight also serves as a great check to other threatening physical sweepers, such as Kartana, Rillaboom, Mega Mawile, and Mega-Scisor.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic Spikes
Toxapex serves as my check to banded Urshifu-R. Even without defensive investment, Toxapex avoids the 2HKO from all of Urshifu's moves, so SpD is maxed out to better check Zard Y and other special threats. Toxic immediately puts setup sweepers like Volcarona on a timer, while toxic spikes spreads poison across the opponents team. Haze allows Toxapex to wall the aforementioned Volcarona and other special sweepers.
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 156 SpD / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Night Shade
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Mega Sableye is the star of many stall teams, and this one is no different. I chose night shade over knock off because it does much more damage against popular hazard setters, notably Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Gliscor. Additionally, it does not activate iron barbs, and if Toxapex gets knocked and burnt, Sableye can pp stall its recover with night shade. Will-o-wisp spreads yet more status, and is very useful for its ability to turn a big threat or bad match up into a cake walk, especially since Clefable can easily wall most physical threats if they are burned. Protect ensures that Sableye can safely get its mega evolution off. The speed EVs creep non-gyro Ferrothorn, and EVs are mixed for mixed bulk. Sableye can even serve as a solid check to Heatran if it is paralyzed, since a miss or paralysis can give you the breathing room to attack and make some progress.
