The Team
Lucifer (Garchomp-Mega) @ Garchompite
Ability: Rough Skin
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Scale Shot
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
This Garchomp set is mainly based on setting up with Swords Dance and then to use Scale Shot to speed up. Rock Slide has better accuracy than Stone Edge(which would always miss at a crucial moment), along with having a chance to flinch. It also gives it coverage against Ice and Flying types, which was helpful for any non-bulky Flying tera types. Finally, I gave it Earthquake because it's the best Ground type move for Mega Garchomp and can OHKO most opponents with neutral or super-effective damage. Its EV spread focuses on maxing out its attack potential and letting it outspeed the opponent after just one Scale Shot with the remaining Evs investing in its special defense.
Paladin (Zeraora) @ Punching Glove
Ability: Volt Absorb
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 116 HP / 140 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Fire Punch
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
Zeraora's Plasma Fists, along with being a super powerful move, allows it to turn any Normal type moves into Electric type moves, which it happily absorbs. Fire Punch and Drain Punch appreciate Zeraora's Punching Glove and add extra coverage for when it terastalizes into a Flying type. They also give it coverage against Ice and Rock types, which are its last two weaknesses as a Flying type. Knock Off serves as additional coverage against Psychic and Ghost types. Its EV spread mainly invests its speed against opponents and allows it to stay in a couple more turns than a max attacking spread would.
Factory Fairy (Jirachi) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Serene Grace
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 88 SpA / 112 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Moonblast
- Protect
Jirachi has always been one of my favorite pokemon, due to its ability, Serene Grace. This set abuses said ability with its 2 STAB moves, Iron Head and Zen Headbutt, which both have a high flinching chance due to Serene Grace. Moonblast is a good coverage move against Dark types, along with having a 60% chance to lower Special Attack due to Serene Grace. Finally, Protect is good for scouting the opponent's move and allowing Jirachi to stay in another turn. Tera Steel allows Jirachi to remove its Ghost and Dark weaknesses and gain a 2x Iron Head with 60% Flinch Chance along with having two moves to defend against Fighting types. Its EV spread is mainly to outspeed the opponents for the flinch chance to matter and to dish out as much damage as possible before getting KO'd.
Mr Grins (Gengar) (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Cursed Body
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect
Gengar's two main stab moves are Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, which can deal massive damage to the opposing side with neutral damage, and can 2HKO a Max HP and Sp Def. Dragapult. Dazzling Gleam is an extra coverage move to defend against mainly Dark types, since it can cause at least neutral damage to pokemon like Kingambit, who lack a good special defense without restricting their moveset. Since it has a Focus Sash, it can now just focus on dealing damage the first turn and either switching out or using Protect the next turn. Tera Fairy is a good defensive tera since it now resists Dark types and gains a STAB move in Dazzling Gleam.
Al Capone (Grimmsnarl) @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 184 HP / 200 Def / 124 SpD
Calm Nature
- Parting Shot
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Taunt
Grimmsnarl provides screen support for the team with the combination of Light Screen and Reflect. It can then pivot out to the attacker using Parting Shot, making the situation for set-up much easier for Garchomp with the opponent either having to switch out or to manage with very low attacking stats against a pokemon with screens on their side. While testing out the team, Taunt was originally Fake Out. But after seeing many set-up sweepers that we couldn’t stop without sacrificing a pokemon, I switched it with Taunt to prevent 1. opposing set-up sweepers and 2. other taunt users that could stop Garchomp in its tracks. Tera Steel’s a good defensive typing since it now resists all its former weaknesses and can stay in longer. The EV spread is devoted to letting Grimmsnarl stay in as long as possible so it can set up the screens and then to Taunt the opponent and switch out with Parting Shot.
Queen Moth (Volcarona) (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
First of all, Volcarona can easily switch into Fairy and Ice type moves against Garchomp before setting up with Quiver Dance so that it can begin sweeping. Fiery Dance serves as the main STAB move and can enable Volcarona to sweep whole teams due to the 50% chance to increase its special attack. Bug Buzz is the other STAB move that Volcarona can use and is by far its most powerful Bug type move. Giga Drain is a good coverage move which gains STAB through Grass tera type, which is also a good defensive tera since it now resists Water. Its EV spread focuses on making it a special sweeper once it sets-up. Plus, the Heavy-Duty Boots means it doesn’t have to worry about Stealth Rock, which would bring it down to 50% HP and would ruin its chances of setting-up.
Teambuilding Process
I knew I wanted to make a Mega Garchomp team that would actually be viable and that I could use in tournaments so I started out with Mega Garchomp
Zeraora was the first thing that came to my mind when thinking of something that could clean up after Garchomp's sweep, since it has pretty good coverage with a high attack stat
I want to cover Garchomp's weaknesses with Jirachi since it has pretty good stats along with Steel typing and Serene Grace
I wanted to put a Kingambit here but since I already have a steel type, I chose Gengar.
I knew a team like this would definitely need screen support, and in my opinion, Grimmsnarl was the best one for the job. Also, it's immune to Dragon type moves that would crush Garchomp
Finally, I needed a pokemon that would deal damage against Grass and Water types at the same time, along with resisting Fairy. Volcarona is what came to my mind.
Weaknesses
Earthquake and other Ground types: If a pokemon knew Earthquake or Earth Power and were either fast or bulky, they absolutely swept our team because we had no resistances against them and only one super-effective move against regular ground types.
Toxic: This team lost consecutively when the opposing team would Toxic our pokemon before switching between attacks and Protect to stall us out. Will-O-Wisp wasn't much of a problem since we have two special attackers
Water types: With Zeraora and Volcarona out of the way, Water types have easily beaten this team because of neutral damage on most of our pokemon. Thank God Palafin is banned.
Stall Teams: As mentioned previously, good stall teams have crushed this team with Toxic, bulky sets, Protect, etc.