Peaked #1 (2039 ELO) – Bronzong Stall
https://pokepast.es/1b7720880ff5cff1
Table of Contents
Introduction
is a Pokémon that I had wanted to build a stall team around for a long time but never quite got around to using. However with the drop of 
in DLC2 and the rise in viability it saw following the tragic 
ban, I knew it was finally time. Fellow Shoguns CTC and Storm Zone had also been believers in the bell. I was actually very sad to see the initial suspect test verdict, not only because of what it would mean for the meta, but also because would no longer be viable. Thankfully, we all know what happened, and as a result I was able to make this incredibly successful team with .
Even with the current test of
, thanks to the strong core of 
+ 
+ 
, it isn't usually a problem.
Proof of Peak
With this team, I was able to achieve the peak shown above on my alt "keldeo isnt bad."
I got this alt from a friend, and raised the GXE on it from around 78% to 88% primarily using. I also managed to complete the 
suspect requirements using only this team on a different alt, achieving the record and GXE below:
In hindsight, I don't know why I didn't just use this alt given the name is perfect, but it is what it is. I don't think it's too
to say that I achieved over a 90% GXE while using this team.
Peak Games:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267423964-l6f3ujvj3rtz0494cauahp6fupjg0ejpw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265921871-45f2ffqh8vc3g0nwne0r14s4gespmz4pw
Team Members
is a Pokémon that just keeps getting better and better on stall with every iteration of the meta. Previously, I was not a big fan of using this Pokémon. I felt like it was way too frail compared to and didn't provide the utility of 
. It felt like a bad combination of the two. However, a lot has changed, most notably the best 
set has now become the U-Turn set, and is by far and away the best counter to that set there is (and pretty much every other set too).
Outside of being a rock solid answer to the aforementioned, is a solid overall wall. It's capable of being a good stopgap for various physical threats whenever doesn't want to switch in, as well as walling somewhat problematic Pokémon like 
, Choice Band 
, and the occasional 
. However I didn't really have any other specific jobs for in mind other than , but it performs that job very well. In other matchups you can usually find a spot or two to throw it in vs. something.
Toxic is to spread status, Synthesis is to stay healthy. Clear Smog removes any boosts from Pokémon like
and Foul Play OHKOs a +2 with minimal chip. Tera Ghost is to block Rapid Spin in the right situations.
is another stall staple that needs little introduction. This set was also unchanged from the 
stall save the Tera Type. Although Physically Defensive is a good set, I believe that Specially Defensive is even better on stall and has quickly become my go-to set.
excels in longer matchups by harassing passive and fatter teams to guarantee progress. Earthquake was chosen to deal with 
, 
, and 
quickly to reduce the burden on .
Finally, I opted for Spikes and no status and enough Speed EVs to creep Modest.
Tera Fairy was chosen as a great overall defensive type and to snipe a that is about to use a Dragon-type move. doesn’t use Tera often on this team however, so other Tera types like Steel are viable.
is another Gen 9 OU stall staple. Unaware ensures that can wall almost every setup physical attacker in the meta such as 
, 
, and 
.
I elected to use Curse + Avalanche over other traditional sets as I found that this set provides the best combination of immediate damage into threatening Pokémon like while still providing the ability to wall comfortably in the endgame and function as a potential win condition.
Tera Fighting still remains the best Tera for and allows it to beat Tera Dark .
is another stall staple, although its viability has taken a hit since the introduction of . However, thanks to , that weakness is solved, so is a great team member.
Scald allows to fish for burns to cripple opposing Pokémon while Flip Turn lets Wish pass seamlessly in front of a variety of Pokémon thanks to minimum speed ensuring that takes the hit while another team member can receive the Wish unscathed.
Flip Turn also allows to escape common trapping Pokémon like .
However, there are also a few key deviations from the traditional sets.
I chose Tera Steel on as an overall great defensive type and to act as a secondary Knock Off absorber vs. Pokémon like 
and 
, which cannot beat. This set wins long-term vs. and even if maximum hazards are up and its boots have been knocked off, as Steel actually nets +2% HP when switching in after Regenerator.
Finally, instead of maximum Physical Defense, is running a mixed spread to maximize the number of Pokémon it can take a hit from.
Threats
As I always say, although this team is very tough to beat, it is not unbeatable.
Not much needs to be said about. It is borderline unwallable and has been a massive threat to stall since the day it was released. Your best counterplay is trying to status it with or or deal big damage with depending on the matchup and the set.
Swords Dance + Knock Off paired with hazard setters is pretty much an auto-loss due to this team's lack of hazard removal, as once loses its boots it's just a matter of time. Thankfully, with the reintroduction of , this set has fallen off the face of the earth just as I had predicted in my post (
I will primarily focus on the SD set, as this is the only set that the ban side unanimously agrees is “broken.” The utility sets, while solid, are passive and can be exploited with the plethora of strong ice, water and psychic noise coverage in the game. Protect turns can also be exploited with setup and double switching. Overall, these sets are not problematic and many agree.
Gliscor reached peak usage in the two weeks (weeks 4 and 5) that Kyurem was banned, with around a 20% usage rate in SCL. Since then, that usage rate has been cut in half with the exception of one...
), so this isn't a set that I really worry about.
The Substitute sets can get pretty annoying as we don't have with Haze. I've found that using to knock off Leftovers is often worth it, even if that means losing entirely.
Replays
+ 
1. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2244511838-rwv918e9znmqa5opagdgdbfs591z5hlpw
2. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263744004-1fje8oqprkqh66l9ryshay060ogot4wpw?p2
Trick
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2259466665-kbpnn82qyu4pa7oua8njpihllrtcf72pw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263070195-z62xu1qufyrq4uknfuzu0h4996pitb7pw
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262750936-0vmp1qqphtygaq9ageaufdhha5j7mz3pw
+ :okodogi:
1. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264085853-jp4fj6dlh998usmbzm1xzmj7htp3qm9pw?p2
2. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264092334-fmct9b9jl5nj7b4cipzmknxjttvogpapw
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264779024-z9wiluq8lnqhu6x8timdwxwkg1d5gedpw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265919432-vehywnoarqiu5u2io1ngtvlrt4rcq2npw?p2
+ garchomp: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267341809-lef9rzc9u1q9t4de43q1mhgfqe3kjrfpw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267423964-l6f3ujvj3rtz0494cauahp6fupjg0ejpw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2242057819-rzsuvxeuzedp5i47mzitlxsp244h4mrpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2243878416-k3aavauhsx1pjgtijhvnmtub9iy9v6vpw?p2
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264088664-hbmrcnys31egne1l51y8raue6q30ndypw?p2
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265429124-6t827re7dfufl5ht8o95prtf9gfq7dkpw?p2
Acknowledgements
If you want to get better at stall or competitive Pokémon in general, come check us out! We have the most resources to help out beginner and intermediate players out of any Discord server by far, and are always active to help you out with whatever teambuilding or gameplay questions you have! Don't just take my word for it though, take it from quacc, a once hardstuck 1400 ELO player who within a few months of joining the server was able to reach over 2000 ELO. Even former OU Forum main Heatranator improved his peak ELO rating by over 300 points after joining!
https://pokepast.es/1b7720880ff5cff1
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Proof of Peak
- Team Members
- Threats
- Replays
- Acknowledgments
Introduction
is a Pokémon that I had wanted to build a stall team around for a long time but never quite got around to using. However with the drop of in DLC2 and the rise in viability it saw following the tragic ban, I knew it was finally time. Fellow Shoguns CTC and Storm Zone had also been believers in the bell. I was actually very sad to see the initial suspect test verdict, not only because of what it would mean for the meta, but also because would no longer be viable. Thankfully, we all know what happened, and as a result I was able to make this incredibly successful team with .Even with the current test of
, thanks to the strong core of + + , it isn't usually a problem.Proof of Peak
With this team, I was able to achieve the peak shown above on my alt "keldeo isnt bad."
I got this alt from a friend, and raised the GXE on it from around 78% to 88% primarily using
. I also managed to complete the suspect requirements using only this team on a different alt, achieving the record and GXE below:In hindsight, I don't know why I didn't just use this alt given the name is perfect, but it is what it is. I don't think it's too
to say that I achieved over a 90% GXE while using this team.Peak Games:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267423964-l6f3ujvj3rtz0494cauahp6fupjg0ejpw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265921871-45f2ffqh8vc3g0nwne0r14s4gespmz4pw
Team Members
As usual, Calm Mind is the team’s primary special set-up wall. This is the same set as was used in my stall (https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/peaked-1-2059-elo-–-quagsire-stall.3747843/).
Because runs Stealth Rock, can opt for additional coverage instead of mono-Seismic Toss. Flamethrower was chosen to hit 
and punish physical attackers like and 
that think they have a free switch-in to . It hits pretty hard after a few boosts and prevents from being completely passive against other Tera Ghost Pokémon. The 10% burn chance is an added bonus. Shadow Ball is also an option instead to hit various Tera Ghost Pokémon harder, such as and 
at the cost of slightly reduced damage and no burn chance.
Tera Dark makes immune to Psyshock and Psychic Noise.
is the team’s primary special set-up wall. This is the same set as was used in my stall (https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/peaked-1-2059-elo-–-quagsire-stall.3747843/).Because
runs Stealth Rock, can opt for additional coverage instead of mono-Seismic Toss. Flamethrower was chosen to hit and punish physical attackers like and that think they have a free switch-in to . It hits pretty hard after a few boosts and prevents from being completely passive against other Tera Ghost Pokémon. The 10% burn chance is an added bonus. Shadow Ball is also an option instead to hit various Tera Ghost Pokémon harder, such as and at the cost of slightly reduced damage and no burn chance.Tera Dark makes
immune to Psyshock and Psychic Noise.
is a Pokémon that just keeps getting better and better on stall with every iteration of the meta. Previously, I was not a big fan of using this Pokémon. I felt like it was way too frail compared to and didn't provide the utility of . It felt like a bad combination of the two. However, a lot has changed, most notably the best set has now become the U-Turn set, and is by far and away the best counter to that set there is (and pretty much every other set too).Outside of being a rock solid answer to the aforementioned
, is a solid overall wall. It's capable of being a good stopgap for various physical threats whenever doesn't want to switch in, as well as walling somewhat problematic Pokémon like , Choice Band , and the occasional . However I didn't really have any other specific jobs for in mind other than , but it performs that job very well. In other matchups you can usually find a spot or two to throw it in vs. something.Toxic is to spread status, Synthesis is to stay healthy. Clear Smog removes any boosts from Pokémon like
and Foul Play OHKOs a +2 with minimal chip. Tera Ghost is to block Rapid Spin in the right situations.
Although seemingly niche and bad, today's featured Pokémon, , actually provides incredible utility and role compression for stall teams. Firstly, is the best counter in the game. It walls almost every single set: Mixed Dragon Dance, Specs, Boots 4A, Substitute + Protect, you name it, as resists all Ice and Dragon type attacks and is immune to Ground type attacks thanks to its ability Levitate. The only set it loses to, namely Dragon Dance + Tera Blast Fire 3 Physical attacks, is comfortably walled by . As a result, this team can get away with running 4 Freeze-Dry weak Pokémon because completely solves the weakness. Many people jokingly talked about as a check during the suspect test, and I didn't include it in my acclaimed DNB post (https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...14-hazy-shade-of-winter.3751394/post-10279537) for this reason. However, make no mistake about it, is very real and very good in Gen 9 OU.
also gets access to Stealth Rock, freeing up a slot on as mentioned earlier.
Psychic Noise was chosen to hit a that is behind a substitute and deny Leftovers recovery, or prevent a Wish pass from opposing , as is naturally slower than even minimum speed .
Thanks to Levitate, also walls the most common variants of and 
since they run Ice Spinner as an almost mandatory move. This means that is able to switch in to these Pokémon, force them out with super effective coverage, and set up Rocks in their face to guarantee progress always, something that no other good stall Pokémon can do to the extent can. also completely stonewalls 
as it blocks Mortal Spin with its Steel typing. Therefore, can ensure that any hazards that go up vs. teams stay up, which can prove massively useful by chipping down threats such as and . can even take on in a pinch.
Protect is another great choice to gain extra Leftovers recovery and scout opposing moves. It also allows to beat Future Sight , freeing up other members of the team even more. Finally it resists both stabs of , another potentially annoying Pokémon for stall.
Finally, Body Press was chosen to catch Pokémon like, 
, and that think they have a free switch into and cleanly 2HKO them. Tera Fighting is to boost the Body Press damage and turn the Dark type weakness into a resist.
, actually provides incredible utility and role compression for stall teams. Firstly, is the best counter in the game. It walls almost every single set: Mixed Dragon Dance, Specs, Boots 4A, Substitute + Protect, you name it, as resists all Ice and Dragon type attacks and is immune to Ground type attacks thanks to its ability Levitate. The only set it loses to, namely Dragon Dance + Tera Blast Fire 3 Physical attacks, is comfortably walled by . As a result, this team can get away with running 4 Freeze-Dry weak Pokémon because completely solves the weakness. Many people jokingly talked about as a check during the suspect test, and I didn't include it in my acclaimed DNB post (https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...14-hazy-shade-of-winter.3751394/post-10279537) for this reason. However, make no mistake about it, is very real and very good in Gen 9 OU. also gets access to Stealth Rock, freeing up a slot on as mentioned earlier.Psychic Noise was chosen to hit a
that is behind a substitute and deny Leftovers recovery, or prevent a Wish pass from opposing , as is naturally slower than even minimum speed .Thanks to Levitate,
also walls the most common variants of and since they run Ice Spinner as an almost mandatory move. This means that is able to switch in to these Pokémon, force them out with super effective coverage, and set up Rocks in their face to guarantee progress always, something that no other good stall Pokémon can do to the extent can. also completely stonewalls as it blocks Mortal Spin with its Steel typing. Therefore, can ensure that any hazards that go up vs. teams stay up, which can prove massively useful by chipping down threats such as and . can even take on in a pinch.Protect is another great choice to gain extra Leftovers recovery and scout opposing moves. It also allows
to beat Future Sight , freeing up other members of the team even more. Finally it resists both stabs of , another potentially annoying Pokémon for stall.Finally, Body Press was chosen to catch Pokémon like
, , and that think they have a free switch into and cleanly 2HKO them. Tera Fighting is to boost the Body Press damage and turn the Dark type weakness into a resist.
is another stall staple that needs little introduction. This set was also unchanged from the stall save the Tera Type. Although Physically Defensive is a good set, I believe that Specially Defensive is even better on stall and has quickly become my go-to set. excels in longer matchups by harassing passive and fatter teams to guarantee progress. Earthquake was chosen to deal with , , and quickly to reduce the burden on .Finally, I opted for Spikes and no status and enough Speed EVs to creep Modest
.Tera Fairy was chosen as a great overall defensive type and to snipe a
that is about to use a Dragon-type move. doesn’t use Tera often on this team however, so other Tera types like Steel are viable.
is another Gen 9 OU stall staple. Unaware ensures that can wall almost every setup physical attacker in the meta such as , , and .I elected to use Curse + Avalanche over other traditional sets as I found that this set provides the best combination of immediate damage into threatening Pokémon like
while still providing the ability to wall comfortably in the endgame and function as a potential win condition.Tera Fighting still remains the best Tera for
and allows it to beat Tera Dark .
is another stall staple, although its viability has taken a hit since the introduction of . However, thanks to , that weakness is solved, so is a great team member.Scald allows
to fish for burns to cripple opposing Pokémon while Flip Turn lets Wish pass seamlessly in front of a variety of Pokémon thanks to minimum speed ensuring that takes the hit while another team member can receive the Wish unscathed.Flip Turn also allows
to escape common trapping Pokémon like .However, there are also a few key deviations from the traditional sets.
I chose Tera Steel on
as an overall great defensive type and to act as a secondary Knock Off absorber vs. Pokémon like and , which cannot beat. This set wins long-term vs. and even if maximum hazards are up and its boots have been knocked off, as Steel actually nets +2% HP when switching in after Regenerator.Finally, instead of maximum Physical Defense,
is running a mixed spread to maximize the number of Pokémon it can take a hit from.Threats
As I always say, although this team is very tough to beat, it is not unbeatable.
Not much needs to be said about
. It is borderline unwallable and has been a massive threat to stall since the day it was released. Your best counterplay is trying to status it with or or deal big damage with depending on the matchup and the set.Swords Dance + Knock Off
paired with hazard setters is pretty much an auto-loss due to this team's lack of hazard removal, as once loses its boots it's just a matter of time. Thankfully, with the reintroduction of , this set has fallen off the face of the earth just as I had predicted in my post (
I will primarily focus on the SD set, as this is the only set that the ban side unanimously agrees is “broken.” The utility sets, while solid, are passive and can be exploited with the plethora of strong ice, water and psychic noise coverage in the game. Protect turns can also be exploited with setup and double switching. Overall, these sets are not problematic and many agree.
Gliscor reached peak usage in the two weeks (weeks 4 and 5) that Kyurem was banned, with around a 20% usage rate in SCL. Since then, that usage rate has been cut in half with the exception of one...
The Substitute sets can get pretty annoying as we don't have
with Haze. I've found that using to knock off Leftovers is often worth it, even if that means losing entirely.Replays
Choice Band + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2246041013-d7fom2wa9lgfcw6vy84nglpv0kjjn56pw
Tera Ghost https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2253921984-yyx1frl8pi5dhryw5eqiv1ggknue4iqpw?p2
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2255271311-06kbgbavsasljqmqjgylwhg40kpynqepw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2259812107-mcoem0mit0mh1agfwmzkwguh1dsadu2pw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2260661962-gzypb9c71p7jnkh9diac3x078hujdbkpw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2261781119-7199elqul5mpgpqxy1ft9p3mf8sz9vlpw?p2
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262373341-4y666g4fh10phcufytixszpvpcyrf18pw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262378830-9xu5k4pjzze6prv6dbb3w9qqittfv43pw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263073572-nlxqsp3kij7dj0p1rlxd6mna1i3tobhpw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263081622-9ahrbdacqnztqpq8fqprslxn9f5i8s4pw
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265431077-hjtqu1x11xmpipij6ziu8q4mzatz02fpw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265921871-45f2ffqh8vc3g0nwne0r14s4gespmz4pw
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265927300-4p687ryt0o4ys7ethqg4b8m6juj1ta8pw?p2
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2246041013-d7fom2wa9lgfcw6vy84nglpv0kjjn56pwTera Ghost
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2253921984-yyx1frl8pi5dhryw5eqiv1ggknue4iqpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2255271311-06kbgbavsasljqmqjgylwhg40kpynqepw?p2 https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2259812107-mcoem0mit0mh1agfwmzkwguh1dsadu2pw?p2 https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2260661962-gzypb9c71p7jnkh9diac3x078hujdbkpw?p2 https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2261781119-7199elqul5mpgpqxy1ft9p3mf8sz9vlpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262373341-4y666g4fh10phcufytixszpvpcyrf18pw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262378830-9xu5k4pjzze6prv6dbb3w9qqittfv43pw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263073572-nlxqsp3kij7dj0p1rlxd6mna1i3tobhpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263081622-9ahrbdacqnztqpq8fqprslxn9f5i8s4pw + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265431077-hjtqu1x11xmpipij6ziu8q4mzatz02fpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265921871-45f2ffqh8vc3g0nwne0r14s4gespmz4pw + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265927300-4p687ryt0o4ys7ethqg4b8m6juj1ta8pw?p2
+ 1. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2244511838-rwv918e9znmqa5opagdgdbfs591z5hlpw
2. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263744004-1fje8oqprkqh66l9ryshay060ogot4wpw?p2
Trick
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2259466665-kbpnn82qyu4pa7oua8njpihllrtcf72pw?p2 https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2263070195-z62xu1qufyrq4uknfuzu0h4996pitb7pw + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2262750936-0vmp1qqphtygaq9ageaufdhha5j7mz3pw + :okodogi:1. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264085853-jp4fj6dlh998usmbzm1xzmj7htp3qm9pw?p2
2. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264092334-fmct9b9jl5nj7b4cipzmknxjttvogpapw
+ https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264779024-z9wiluq8lnqhu6x8timdwxwkg1d5gedpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265919432-vehywnoarqiu5u2io1ngtvlrt4rcq2npw?p2 + garchomp: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267341809-lef9rzc9u1q9t4de43q1mhgfqe3kjrfpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2267423964-l6f3ujvj3rtz0494cauahp6fupjg0ejpw?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2242057819-rzsuvxeuzedp5i47mzitlxsp244h4mrpw https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2243878416-k3aavauhsx1pjgtijhvnmtub9iy9v6vpw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2264088664-hbmrcnys31egne1l51y8raue6q30ndypw?p2 + https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2265429124-6t827re7dfufl5ht8o95prtf9gfq7dkpw?p2
+ 
Acknowledgements
If you want to get better at stall or competitive Pokémon in general, come check us out! We have the most resources to help out beginner and intermediate players out of any Discord server by far, and are always active to help you out with whatever teambuilding or gameplay questions you have! Don't just take my word for it though, take it from quacc, a once hardstuck 1400 ELO player who within a few months of joining the server was able to reach over 2000 ELO. Even former OU Forum main Heatranator improved his peak ELO rating by over 300 points after joining!
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator:
