Hey everyone, long time lurker here. I've been playing showdown on and off since BW, but I really got back into it this year after the release of Crown Tundra and some friends who said I should play. I've been playing and iterating on this team for a while now, but I'm not sure how to improve it. Here goes!
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Crunch
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Thunder Wave
I originally based this team around a Moltres/TTar Core after reading about the core in the good cores thread. And hey, turns out the core is pretty good. Even after like 10 thousand years, TTar is still relevant. This guy's job to to be thrown at most of the special attackers in the tier and then spread status or put up some rocks. Obligatory spectrier counter, and only takes around 40% even after a Hex after a burn. Stone Edge over Rock Blast for STAB that hits the birds harder, and Crunch hits stuff like Latios, Dragapult, Spectrier etc. and takes a big ol bite out of their life.
Moltres @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Scorching Sands
- Defog
- Roost
The other part of the core I wanted to build a team around, Moltres got new timbs and is thriving. Great physical wall and defogger, checks stuff like Melmetal, Cinderace, Excadrill, Rillaboom and Blaziken while also safely removing rocks from stuff like non stone edge Lando. Flame body is hilarious and can randomly cripple stuff like Urshifu as well.Flamethrower for STAB, Scorching Sands for a stronger 1v1 ability vs. Heatran, and then the other moves are just necessary for its function. Its the good ol bird, which I'm sure you've seen plenty of.
Slowbro @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Teleport
- Future Sight
Slowbro is something that I have been messing around with to test, and I really liked his performance. Gotta say, I was real confused why people were running Future Sight of all things nowadays until I played one game with the Bro. Great physical wall that can just say no to a lot of things in the tier while also throwing in Future Sights to help break stuff. I've been a little bit more back and forth on whether I should replace this mon though. I find using Future Sight fun, and regenerator is just hilariously broken, but theres a lot of overlap with checking stuff Moltres checks while critically also not being able to deal with Urshifu, which is a problem for this team. He definitely puts in work if he's able to get in though, and as a pivot and momentum generator he really is unparallel.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
Here I was looking for a physical breaker that could also give me some key immunities to Electric and Ground, and Landorus-T gave me everything I wanted (as he always does). The Swords Dance sets is a little bit unconventional and probably not as good as the pivot set, but it can really catch people off guard because no one expects Landorus to start settin' up. Landorus easily causes switches and from there you can also see the pause as people try to figure out how not to lose to the +2 Lando. Using Lefties for some longevity over something like Life Orb, which I don't really like with all of the sucker punches going around in the tier right now. EQ and Stone Edge for that good Ground/Rock coverage, and Knock Off because Knocking stuff off while doing massive damage on a switch is always great.
Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Grass Knot
I threw in Koko on this team because I was sick of losing to the combination of Fini-Buzzwole, and although Buzzwole is dropping in use following the exit of Kyurem-B, I still find this guy to be a really underrated mon in the current meta. Amazing speed tier that ties with Spectrier helps it come in and threaten out a lot of different mons after a kill, and from there you can generate momentum with your +1 Volt Switch. TBolt if you need to hit stuff harder, Dazzling Gleam to ensure Urshifu dies on the revenge, and Grass Knot hits stuff like Swampert hard.
Spectrier @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Grim Neigh
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Shadow Ball
- Dark Pulse
- Will-O-Wisp
Scarf spectrier is kind of the nuclear option in terms of needing to control speed, but hey, it works. This guy gives this team a late game win con to work towards, and if you can get all of the different dark types in the meta out of the way, pretty much nothing is going to stop him, especially at +1 with a scarf. Hex hits mons paralyzed and burned by TTar and will o wisp real hard, Shadow Ball is just the no think click funny button to sweep, Dark Pulse for some obligatory I don't want to lose to the 10% HP Blissey, and Will-O-Wisp to cripple things looking to come in and take on Spectrier such as Urshifu and TTar.
I got to around 1600 with this team, but I've been feeling like it isn't too hot especially with the meta changes. Any time Tapu Lele can get in with a free switch feels rough, the team does not deal with Urshifu well at all, and Taunt-CM Tapu Fini feels really oppressive to deal with if it gets even one boost. Other problematic mons include special rain sweepers such as Kingdra, which I usually beat by having to manage the weather, Nidoking which can smack holes in this team, and Sludge Bomb Venusaur. This is one of the first team I tried to build on my own without just stealing a team, so I'm open to any suggestions. Thank for reading!
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Crunch
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Thunder Wave
I originally based this team around a Moltres/TTar Core after reading about the core in the good cores thread. And hey, turns out the core is pretty good. Even after like 10 thousand years, TTar is still relevant. This guy's job to to be thrown at most of the special attackers in the tier and then spread status or put up some rocks. Obligatory spectrier counter, and only takes around 40% even after a Hex after a burn. Stone Edge over Rock Blast for STAB that hits the birds harder, and Crunch hits stuff like Latios, Dragapult, Spectrier etc. and takes a big ol bite out of their life.
Moltres @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Scorching Sands
- Defog
- Roost
The other part of the core I wanted to build a team around, Moltres got new timbs and is thriving. Great physical wall and defogger, checks stuff like Melmetal, Cinderace, Excadrill, Rillaboom and Blaziken while also safely removing rocks from stuff like non stone edge Lando. Flame body is hilarious and can randomly cripple stuff like Urshifu as well.Flamethrower for STAB, Scorching Sands for a stronger 1v1 ability vs. Heatran, and then the other moves are just necessary for its function. Its the good ol bird, which I'm sure you've seen plenty of.
Slowbro @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Teleport
- Future Sight
Slowbro is something that I have been messing around with to test, and I really liked his performance. Gotta say, I was real confused why people were running Future Sight of all things nowadays until I played one game with the Bro. Great physical wall that can just say no to a lot of things in the tier while also throwing in Future Sights to help break stuff. I've been a little bit more back and forth on whether I should replace this mon though. I find using Future Sight fun, and regenerator is just hilariously broken, but theres a lot of overlap with checking stuff Moltres checks while critically also not being able to deal with Urshifu, which is a problem for this team. He definitely puts in work if he's able to get in though, and as a pivot and momentum generator he really is unparallel.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
Here I was looking for a physical breaker that could also give me some key immunities to Electric and Ground, and Landorus-T gave me everything I wanted (as he always does). The Swords Dance sets is a little bit unconventional and probably not as good as the pivot set, but it can really catch people off guard because no one expects Landorus to start settin' up. Landorus easily causes switches and from there you can also see the pause as people try to figure out how not to lose to the +2 Lando. Using Lefties for some longevity over something like Life Orb, which I don't really like with all of the sucker punches going around in the tier right now. EQ and Stone Edge for that good Ground/Rock coverage, and Knock Off because Knocking stuff off while doing massive damage on a switch is always great.
Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Grass Knot
I threw in Koko on this team because I was sick of losing to the combination of Fini-Buzzwole, and although Buzzwole is dropping in use following the exit of Kyurem-B, I still find this guy to be a really underrated mon in the current meta. Amazing speed tier that ties with Spectrier helps it come in and threaten out a lot of different mons after a kill, and from there you can generate momentum with your +1 Volt Switch. TBolt if you need to hit stuff harder, Dazzling Gleam to ensure Urshifu dies on the revenge, and Grass Knot hits stuff like Swampert hard.
Spectrier @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Grim Neigh
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Shadow Ball
- Dark Pulse
- Will-O-Wisp
Scarf spectrier is kind of the nuclear option in terms of needing to control speed, but hey, it works. This guy gives this team a late game win con to work towards, and if you can get all of the different dark types in the meta out of the way, pretty much nothing is going to stop him, especially at +1 with a scarf. Hex hits mons paralyzed and burned by TTar and will o wisp real hard, Shadow Ball is just the no think click funny button to sweep, Dark Pulse for some obligatory I don't want to lose to the 10% HP Blissey, and Will-O-Wisp to cripple things looking to come in and take on Spectrier such as Urshifu and TTar.
I got to around 1600 with this team, but I've been feeling like it isn't too hot especially with the meta changes. Any time Tapu Lele can get in with a free switch feels rough, the team does not deal with Urshifu well at all, and Taunt-CM Tapu Fini feels really oppressive to deal with if it gets even one boost. Other problematic mons include special rain sweepers such as Kingdra, which I usually beat by having to manage the weather, Nidoking which can smack holes in this team, and Sludge Bomb Venusaur. This is one of the first team I tried to build on my own without just stealing a team, so I'm open to any suggestions. Thank for reading!
