I mean this seriously - is a "fun" or "interesting" meta more important than 100% ideological purity? We have already defined "pure" to not include ROM hacking; is that diminishing the entire concept of the format? I don't know! I am just saying that OMs should be good and this one is not good. There's a reason this forum is dead; it's because there's exceedingly few viable game states as a result of Ngas and Emax. There's nothing to talk about. I think having an ideological asterisk is more than worth revitalizing this tier. Ngas is going to ruin every future PH meta, it's worth talking about seriously even if Emax likely won't be in Gen 9.
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Metagame Pure Hackmons [Leader's Choice]
- Thread starter aerobee
- Start date
I mean this seriously - is a "fun" or "interesting" meta more important than 100% ideological purity? We have already defined "pure" to not include ROM hacking; is that diminishing the entire concept of the format? I don't know! I am just saying that OMs should be good and this one is not good. There's a reason this forum is dead; it's because there's exceedingly few viable game states as a result of Ngas and Emax. There's nothing to talk about. I think having an ideological asterisk is more than worth revitalizing this tier. Ngas is going to ruin every future PH meta, it's worth talking about seriously even if Emax likely won't be in Gen 9.
The big issue with banning Pokemon/abilities/items/moves, etc from this format is that it starts becoming impossible to justify something else being kept/not being banned.
If Neutralizing Gas is banned, nothing will really stop players from proposing for a ban on Wonder Guard, No Guard, Mold Breaker moves, Innards Out, or certain other Pokemon as a whole for being "too much". Whoever runs the meta at the time could ban them as a result, and the metagame ends up being a second Balanced Hackmons.
However there is currently a community of Pure Hackmons players who focus primarily on the older generations and a permanently ladder for Gen 6 Pure Hackmons to accompany them. These formats are futureproof for Pure Hackmons, unlike Gen 8+ unfortunately.
They hang out in https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/oldshark or in the Pure Hackmons discord: https://discord.gg/237zz3kP
Thinking back to how I've built my latest streak of Gen 8 SwSh Pure Hackmons (post-Crown Tundra, post-overflow) teams, they had some diversity between them, but they also had a large array of similarities. May as well present this to all of you, then:
A Gen 8 Sword & Shield Pure Hackmons Teambuilder
A team of 6 Eternamaxes stymies loads of Shell Smashers (and at least forces them to go mixed or bide their time with OHKO moves), but it has quite a lot of trouble dealing with better-built teams whose OHKO move users outspeed Eternamax and/or outright switch into OHKO moves they are immune to and whose Substitute/Taunt/sleep users also outspeed Eternamax and prevent Eternamax from getting much done. Your (perhaps overly detailed) way to build such a better-built team is here!
...All right, Eternamax isn't the only threat in Gen 8 SwSh Pure Hackmons despite occupying the entire topmost viability tier, so I recommend making sure your team satisfies this entire checklist:
Lead Faster Than Eternamax
Any lead faster than Eternamax has an easy time disrupting Eternamax leads without getting disrupted themselves simply by moving first. Two of the most reliable leads in Gen 8 SwSh PH are Regieleki (the fastest mon in the entire game) and Zacian-Crowned (awesome base Attack, good bulk, outspeeds and OHKOs Regieleki when holding a Choice Scarf). Calyrex-Shadow has trouble being a viable lead in PH due to being unable to OHKO Regieleki without Dynamaxing while holding a non-boosting item such as Choice Scarf or Focus Sash, although it does avoid the OHKO from Regieleki's Knock Off and Bolt Beak even while holding an item.
Regieleki
Regieleki @ Lum Berry
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Lovely Kiss
- Stealth Rock
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
Regieleki is one of the best leads in the entire Gen 8 SwSh PH meta thanks to being both the fastest mon in the meta and having enough bulk to stand up to Eternamax's utility attacks - it fails to get 2HKOed by Eternamax's Knock Off, for instance. Lum Berry wards off sleep once, which is often enough time for Regieleki to land a Lovely Kiss of its own and sleep the opposing lead that way. Sleeping leads are generally punished more harshly than Taunted leads, anyway, especially since switching out does not cure sleep. Bolt Beak is a devastating attack, 2HKOing Calyrex-S, Spiritomb, Obstagoon, and more, along with having a very slim chance to 2HKO Zacian-C. Heck, assuming you outspeed the opposing Regieleki every time, it even 3HKOs that Regieleki! Fissure combos well with Bolt Beak as the OHKO move of choice, as nearly every Flying-type gets 2HKOed or worse by Bolt Beak anyway. As a hazards lead, Regieleki without recovery cannot be depended on to keep hazards up for long, but even making the opponent waste a turn or two clearing hazards away may be enough to nail a crucial OHKO move.
Zacian-Crowned
Zacian-Crowned @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Precipice Blades
- Switcheroo
- Guillotine / Horn Drill / Fissure / Spectral Thief / Spore / Lovely Kiss
Zacian-Crowned @ Lum Berry
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Taunt / Lovely Kiss
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Stealth Rock / Knock Off / Double Iron Bash / Roost / Pain Split / Substitute
With its/her impressive base Speed, brutally high base Attack, and great bulk and typing, Zacian-C is also one of the best leads in SwSh PH. Zacian-C is able to guaranteed OHKO Regieleki with Precipice Blades with just a Choice Scarf, and it/she also outspeeds Regieleki with that Choice Scarf on. Zacian-C's bulk is so impressive that Regieleki needs a Choice Band to guarantee 2HKOing Zacian-C with Bolt Beak, and not even Adamant Choice Band Zacian-C can guaranteed OHKO another Zacian-C with Precipice Blades.
Zacian-C can use many of the same utility options as Regieleki, except it/she has increased freedom to use Taunt instead of Lovely Kiss due to its/her impressive bulk. Zacian-C's preferred STAB is Double Iron Bash, which maddeningly inflicts flinches slightly more than half the time and also 2HKOs much of the meta that doesn't resist Steel. Lead Zacian-C's without Choice Scarf will end up seeing Regieleki slip away with a first-turn move like Stealth Rock, Lovely Kiss, Sticky Web, Substitute, Taunt, or an OHKO move before Zacian-C can OHKO Regieleki back.
Overflow Defense Eternamax
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles / Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Roost / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Night Shade
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock / Sticky Web
- Whirlwind
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Slack Off / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Roost / Wish
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Taunt / Nature's Madness / Night Shade / Seismic Toss / Whirlwind
Eternamax can set its Defense or Special Defense - not both - to the magic overflow number 655 (which overflows to 0, granting near-invulnerability to attacks from that side) by setting that defensive EV to exactly 240 and giving Eternamax a nature that boosts that defense. This ability to gain near-invulnerability to either physical or special attacks is why OHKO moves are so common in Gen 8 SwSh PH.
Overflow Defense Eternamax has more freedom to use anti-setup measures such as Spectral Thief and Clear Smog than Overflow Special Defense Eternamax thanks to not having to worry about the Normal/Psychic-type Shell Smasher Indeedee or the Fairy/Steel-type Zacian-Crowned.
While Eternamax is often stuck with the utility roles of the team such as hazards setter and hazard remover, Eternamax can also pull off a capable Taunt-Sub-Sub breaker-OHKO move disruptor set similar to Regieleki's. Night Shade is the preferred Sub breaker attack for Eternamax because it breaks all Substitutes in 1-2 hits no matter what, and Normal-types are neutralized fairly easily by Taunt, especially since pretty much all of them are slower than Eternamax (unlike the dangerous Ghost-type Shell Smasher Calyrex-S, who is immune to Seismic Toss).
Thanks to being tied for the highest base HP in the game, along with having the highest defenses, Eternamax is quite possibly the best Wish user in the meta. For similar reasons, Eternamax is the best Flame Orb holder in the meta in case you still need more Neutralizing Gas users but you also need some status immunity. The burn Flame Orb self-inflicts does nerf Eternamax's physical offences fairly greatly, though.
Overflow Special Defense Eternamax
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Whirlwind
- Soft-Boiled / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Fissure
- Slack Off / Wish
- Whirlwind
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Flame Orb
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lovely Kiss / Spore
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Whirlwind
- Milk Drink
Overflow Special Defense Eternamax needs to make sure that all its anti-setup moves still work on the Normal/Psychic-type Shell Smasher Indeedee, who can make Stored Power reach dangerous levels faster than Psystrike. This means that Spectral Thief is discouraged because Normal-types are immune to it. Whirlwind is among the best of the anti-setup moves Overflow SpDef Eternamax can use because it phazes mons behind Substitutes (and Wonder Guarders, and Normalize users, and annoying OHKO move users, and...), thus giving Eternamax's OHKO moves clear paths again. Topsy-Turvy, Haze, and Clear Smog can be used, but the former 2 are quite useless against teams without Shell Smashers (unless you are just here to win PP wars in Haze's case), and the latter is blocked completely by the dangerous Zacian-Crowned.
Ghost-Type (Guillotine/Horn Drill immunity)
Ghost-types are highly useful in Gen 8 SwSh PH, not only because they can spinblock and block Eternamax's Final Gambit, but also because they are crucially immune to the Normal-type OHKO moves, Guillotine and Horn Drill. As a result, they can easily switch into those OHKO moves and get more opportunities to enter the fray and protect team members. Due to how cramped trying to fit so many roles into only 6 team members is, Ghost-types often also have to compress other roles such as Comaphazer check, Psychic-type Shell Smasher check, and even hazards user.
Spiritomb
Spiritomb @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief / Knock Off
- Guillotine / Horn Drill / Fissure
- Soft-Boiled
- Nature's Madness / Whirlwind / Curse / Magic Coat / Circle Throw / Spikes / Baton Pass
As the bulkiest Ghost/Dark-type in the meta, Spiritomb is often called upon to be both an immunity to Normal-type OHKO moves and a Psychic-type Shell Smasher check. Due to Magic Bounce also preventing Normalize Calyrex-S from having its way with the mon, while Spiritomb OHKOs Calyrex-S back, Spiritomb can also easily compress being a Comaphazer check by bouncing back Whirlwind and Roar.
As a Ghost/Dark-type, Spiritomb can capably use both Spectral Thief and Knock Off, giving it immense flexibility for its 4th moveslot. However, Spiritomb is easily crimped by Taunt from Neutralizing Gas users. Due to Spiritomb's low-ish offences, it might actually want Fissure instead of a Normal-type OHKO move in order to break Giratina, although Fissure leaves it open to Yveltal. Note that Nature's Madness OHKOs opposing Substitutes, including overflow Eternamax's, as long as the opposing mon has at least 50% of its max. HP remaining. Also note that Circle Throw is a nasty way to lure Obstagoon and phaze it out, although Spiritomb is bad at checking Obstagoon anyway, and using Circle Throw often comes at the cost of losing the ability to phaze out Substitute users.
Giratina
Giratina @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Roost
- Curse / Spikes / Stealth Rock / Sticky Web
In terms of raw bulk, Giratina is the bulkest Ghost-type in the meta - so impressively bulky that non-+Atk Yveltal cannot 2HKO Impish it with Knock Off even with Stealth Rock, and Adamant Yveltal has a very slim chance to 2HKO it with Knock Off with the help of SR. Such impressive bulk lets Giratina be a great user of Ghost Curse to force out quite a lot of mons behind Substitutes, especially Eternamax, and it also lets Giratina set hazards and spinblock at the same time.
Giratina-Origin
Giratina-Origin @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose / Shadow Tag
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Bolt Strike
- Fissure
- Roost
Thanks to Giratina-O's increased base Attack and Special Attack, it actually can act as a bulky offensive Ghost-type in the SwSh post-Crown Tundra PH meta. Importantly, Giratina-O can reliably OHKO Regieleki with only Expert Belt, while Giratina(-A) cannot. Giratina-O does lose a noticeable amount of bulk compared to plain old Giratina, though (e.g. Giratina-O only barely avoids the 2HKO from non-+Atk Yveltal's Knock Off), so make sure you actually abuse Giratina-O's offensive capabilities if you want to use it. Note that spamming OHKO moves and using a Life Orb don't mix very well.
Drifblim
Drifblim @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Infestation
- Strength Sap
- Spiky Shield
- Spikes / Nature's Madness
Drifblim @ Safety Goggles / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Spectral Thief
- Slack Off
- Nature's Madness / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Drifblim is the strongest and bulkiest Ghost/Flying-type available, thus giving it a niche in Gen 8 SwSh PH as pretty much the only mon immune to all 3 of the most common OHKO moves. Bulk problems and naturally under-speeding Eternamax - Drifblim barely avoids the 2HKO from Eternamax's Knock Off - means that Drifblim often needs speed control support such as Sticky Web or paralysis spam in order to succeed. (Non-+Speed Drifblim actually does outspeed overflow Eternamax post-Webs.)
Note that the topmost set is similar to ones that Arkeis has used (in https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8purehackmons-1441104844) with Sticky Web support and the bottom set is my own invention.
Calyrex-Shadow
Calyrex-Shadow @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lovely Kiss / Spore / Encore
- Astral Barrage
- Moonblast / Fleur Cannon / Thunder Cage
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
Calyrex-S is in the relatively unique position of being perhaps the only somewhat viable Shell Smasher that is immune to at least one OHKO move not named Sheer Cold, thus making opposing switch-ins a little more predictable when used as a mid-game OHKO immunity mon. Calyrex-S is pretty much forced to use sleep moves or Encore as disruption instead of Taunt or Substitute since it gets OHKOed by Eternamax's Knock Off 25% of the time and narrowly avoids the OHKO from Eternamax's Spectral Thief. Life Orb ensures that Astral Barrage guaranteed 2HKOs Zacian-Crowned and Moonblast guaranteed 2HKOs Yveltal, but Expert Belt gives Calyrex-S similar damage calcs against Dark-types and a little more longevity - it still lets Calyrex-S guaranteed OHKO non-+SpDef Spiritomb with Fleur Cannon and guaranteed 2HKO non-+SpDef Yveltal with Moonblast. Thunder Cage is a particularly nasty way to lure Yveltal, trapping and guaranteed 2HKOing non-+SpDef it even with Expert Belt. Calyrex-S uses Normal-type OHKO moves particularly well since no Ghost wants to switch into it.
Flying-Type (Fissure Immunity)
Flying-types are highly useful in Gen 8 SwSh PH because they are immune to and can therefore switch into one of the most common OHKO moves in the meta, Fissure. Like Ghost-types protecting team members from Normal-type OHKO moves, Flying-types also similarly protect team members from Fissure and therefore extend the longevity of your team. Due to how cramped trying to fit so many roles into only 6 team members is, Flying-types often also have to compress other roles such as Comaphazer check, Psychic-type Shell Smasher check, and speed control.
Cramorant-Gorging
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Taunt
- Milk Drink
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Flip Turn
- Taunt
- Soft-Boiled
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
The demon bird itself, Gulp Missile Cramorant-Gorging plays a somewhat Innards Out-like role in Gen 8 SwSh PH due to crippling anyone who attacks it, including and especially on the turn Cramorant-Gorging is switched in. This includes Neutralizing Gas users, whose ability cannot suppress Gulp Missile, and mons behind Substitutes, who get their HP ripped out anyway as the missile bypasses their Subs. While Cramorant-Gorging only rips out 25% of an opposing mon's max. HP when attacked instead of often 100% of it (like Innards Out Chansey), Cramorant-Gorging also paralyzes any non-Electric-type, non-major-statused mon who attacks it. Cramorant-Gorging, with its Regieleki-tier bulk, also is barely bulky enough to get attacked repeatedly by Eternamax (and other walls such as Giratina and Spiritomb) and heal off the damage. While switching out Cramorant-Gorging after it has been hit and form changes to plain old Cramorant restores its Gorging form, Surf also restores the ability to rip out a further 25% of the opposing mon's HP, thus often helping Cramorant-Gorging win 1-on-1s against opposing Eternamax. Taunt forces the opposing mon to attack it and trigger Gulp Missile. Thanks to all the switches it forces, Cramorant-Gorging is a particularly good user of both pivot moves and OHKO moves. If you want to keep paralyzing mons with Cramorant-Gorging, though, keep this mon away from Regieleki, who will gladly take roughly 41% of its max. HP in damage OHKOing Rocky Helmet Cramorant-Gorging with Bolt Beak. Speaking of Rocky Helmet, the chip damage it racks up can be crucial, especially since Cramorant-Gorging doesn't need to be awake in order to be disruptive.
Yveltal
Yveltal @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off / Wicked Blow
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
As the bulkiest Dark/Flying-type in the meta, Yveltal is often called upon to be both an immunity to Fissure and a Psychic-type Shell Smasher check. Due to Magic Bounce also preventing Normalize Calyrex-S from having its way with the mon, while Yveltal OHKOs Calyrex-S back, Yveltal can also easily compress being a Comaphazer check.
Yveltal is generally Impish to check Obstagoon and other Shell Smash-Power Trip users better. Wicked Blow can be used instead of Knock Off to guaranteed 2HKO Giratina.
Landorus-Therian
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers / Safety Goggles
Ability: Comatose / Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Fissure
- Encore / Taunt
- Substitute / Aromatherapy / Spikes / Soft-Boiled
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Plasma Fists
- Encore / Taunt
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Landorus-T is entirely immune to Regieleki's deadliest attack combination, Bolt Beak + Fissure, giving it/him a niche in Gen 8 SwSh PH as a Flying-type not forced out by Regieleki. (Bolt Beak has a nasty habit of 2HKOing darn near anything that doesn't resist Electric.) Comatose gives Landorus-T immunity to any sleep moves Regieleki decides to use, although it makes Landorus-T more vulnerable to No Guard Regieleki sets. Thousand Arrows OHKOs Regieleki, even Wonder Guard Regielekis on Air Balloons. Precipice Blades can be used instead to guaranteed OHKO Zacian-C, although Landorus-T needs either a Choice Band (with a Jolly nature) or an Expert Belt and an Adamant nature in order to do so, and Zacian-C has a good chance of flinching Landorus-T to death with Double Iron Bash. ...And Adamant Landorus-T is now slower than Yveltal instead of faster like Jolly Landorus-T. Fissure combos wonderfully with Thousand Arrows because Thousand Arrows smacks down everything so they lose their immunity to Ground and therefore Fissure.
It turns out that Landorus(-I) needs to have an Attack-increasing nature in order to guaranteed OHKO Regieleki with Thousand Arrows without an item and that Jolly Landorus-T has both higher Attack and higher Speed than Adamant Landorus(-I). Therefore, base Landorus should only be used instead of Landorus-T if you are using any special attacks with base power.
Hazard Removal
People can and will spam Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web in Gen 8 SwSh PH (they won't use Toxic Spikes due to every half-decent team packing at least 2 Eternamax), so hazard removal can easily swing games back in your favour. Perhaps the best hazard removal option in the meta is Rapid Spin, which dodges Taunt, damages non-Ghost-types, and one-sidedly removes hazards from your side only. Court Change may be the second best hazard removal option because it flings all the hazards on your side onto their side and still works against Ghost-types...but since Court Change also flings all the hazards on their side onto your side, it does nothing if both sides have Stealth Rock and nothing else (a somewhat common scenario in SwSh PH). Defog is usually a distant 3rd place among hazard removal options in SwSh PH due to being blocked by Taunt, just like Court Change, and also removing all the hazards from both sides instead of just yours.
Hazard removers in SwSh PH must be resilient enough to use a hazard-removing move at least once per game, and they should preferably be resilient enough to use that move at least twice per game. Eternamax is often the hazard remover on the team for that resiliency reason (along with often being able to use Neutralizing Gas for as unblockable a hazard-removing move as possible), although other reasonably bulky mons also make decent hazard removers, and Ghost- and Dark-types might have untapped potential as Rapid Spinners no Ghosts want to switch into.
Hazards
At the very least, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web will often force your opponent to waste a turn or two getting their hazard remover in and using their hazard-removing move, thus often giving you 1-2 free turns to use OHKO moves or other useful moves. Depending on which hazard-removing move your opponent tries to use, you might be able to spinblock your opponent for days or cripple their hazard remover with Cramorant-Gorging. Therefore, even a suicide hazard-setting lead can swing a game in your favour, although a bulky hazard setter who can set hazards multiple times in a game is also pretty useful. Stealth Rock is worth setting aside a moveslot for if you cannot make room for other hazards. Hazard setters should have Neutralizing Gas to prevent Magic Bouncers from being able to reflect hazards onto your side. You may want Knock Off support to go with your hazards in order to remove Heavy-Duty Boots, Leftovers, and Black Sludge from opposing mons.
Comaphazer Check
Fast Comatose users such as Choice Scarf Regieleki can spam Sleep Talk calling phazing moves (such as Whirlwind), thus preventing you from taking turns and also potentially incurring lots of hazard damage. Magic Bounce is perhaps the best check to Comaphazing, as it reflects non-attacking phazing moves away, and all attacking phazing moves have both accuracy issues and at least one viable mon immune to them (Ghost-types in Circle Throw's case, Zacian-C in Dragon Tail's case). Magic Bounce also blocks the rare Normalize Calyrex-S and wards off Taunt attempts from Cramorant-Gorging and Eiscue. Dynamax can also block Comaphazing, though timing your Dynamax for that should only be done after your Magic Bouncer has been KOed. To minimize the impact a Comaphazer can have on your team, aggressively clear hazards against Comaphazer-using teams.
Psychic-Type Shell Smasher Check
Calyrex-Shadow and Indeedee can both use Shell Smash to boost Stored Power and Psystrike to dangerous levels within 1-2 turns. Due to being able to hit on both sides of the spectrum, and also due to Stored Power-Power Trip users existing such as Obstagoon and Regigigas, a Dark-type is recommended on your team because Eternamax has a fair chance of falling to these mixed attacks. Note that Spiritomb checks Power Trip users poorly due to not resisting Dark.
Other Cool Slots
Your spare slots (often only one spare slot left at this point) are the places to experiment with cool ideas, additional mid-game plays, spare Ghost- and/or Flying-types, that mid-game breaker/late-game Shell Smasher you've been thinking about experimenting with, whether Normalize Calyrex-Shadow and Wonder Guard Air Balloon Regieleki really have lost all their luster, that Comaphazer you were thinking about squishing into your Spikes-stacking team, etc. These ideas below may be good ideas, but they aren't the only ones you can use!
Regieleki
Regieleki @ Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Taunt / Encore / Lovely Kiss / Spore
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
As a mid-game disruptor, Regieleki has trouble switching in due to its general frailty and its vulnerability to all OHKO moves, but as the fastest mon in the meta, it has a fairly easy time harassing opponents once it is in. Bolt Beak is still a powerful STAB attack, this time more important than ever due to its ability to tear through opposing Substitutes. Sub, as usual, helps prevent Regieleki from getting KOed. Taunt and Encore notably work on opponents behind Substitutes, although sleep moves are still disruptive options.
Zacian-Crowned
Zacian-Crowned @ Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Anchor Shot
- Perish Song
- Slack Off
- Substitute / Taunt
Zacian-C can use a variety of disruptive moves more effectively than Regieleki can due to its/her great bulk. Leech Seed sets resemble OHKO sets quite a lot except for Anchor Shot (including sharing a common weakness to opposing Substitute), but Perish Song is a potent option Zacian-C may be among the best users of. Perish Song notably bypasses opposing Substitutes, which means that opposing Songed mons are eventually forced out at worst and eventually get KOed (thanks to being trapped beforehand by Anchor Shot) at best. A 50% recovery move lets Zacian-C withstand repeated blows from trapped opposing mons and go for multiple Perish Song rounds, while Sub helps Zacian-C stymie OHKO moves and other nonsense and Taunt prevents most opposing phazing and other nonsense.
Eiscue
Eiscue @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Rapid Spin / U-turn
- Soft-Boiled / Taunt / Encore / Nature's Madness
Eiscue @ Leftovers / Safety Goggles / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt / Encore / Roost
Ice Face Eiscue is in the unique position of both being immune to every OHKO move at least once and being able to restore OHKO move protection by starting or switching into Hail, thanks to how the Neutralizing Gas-dodging Ice Face behaves. As an Ice-type that gets 30% accuracy on Sheer Cold, Eiscue is perhaps the best abuser of Sheer Cold in the meta. With a Speed-increasing nature, it also outspeeds overflow Eternamax when in Noice form. Be aware that Zacian-Crowned's Double Iron Bash has a chance to OHKO Eiscue after Stealth Rock through Ice Face anyway, thanks to the first DIB hit breaking Ice Face. Due to its resiliency in the face of OHKO moves, Eiscue makes a decent hazards clearer if you otherwise have no room.
Other Tips & Tricks
If you're having trouble figuring out how to make only 6 mons satisfy the entire checklist and perhaps more, check out these example teams and their structures!
Lead, Yveltal, Giratina, Eiscue
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/f1c6e1372c929474
Anti-Lead, Cram, Spiritomb
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/5e3fad0ff4d5b47f
A Gen 8 Sword & Shield Pure Hackmons Teambuilder
A team of 6 Eternamaxes stymies loads of Shell Smashers (and at least forces them to go mixed or bide their time with OHKO moves), but it has quite a lot of trouble dealing with better-built teams whose OHKO move users outspeed Eternamax and/or outright switch into OHKO moves they are immune to and whose Substitute/Taunt/sleep users also outspeed Eternamax and prevent Eternamax from getting much done. Your (perhaps overly detailed) way to build such a better-built team is here!
...All right, Eternamax isn't the only threat in Gen 8 SwSh Pure Hackmons despite occupying the entire topmost viability tier, so I recommend making sure your team satisfies this entire checklist:
- Lead faster than Eternamax
- Overflow Defense Eternamax
- Overflow Special Defense Eternamax
- Ghost-type (Guillotine/Horn Drill immunity)
- Flying-type (Fissure immunity)
- Hazard removal
- Hazards
- Comaphazer Check
- Psychic-type Shell Smasher Check
Lead Faster Than Eternamax
Any lead faster than Eternamax has an easy time disrupting Eternamax leads without getting disrupted themselves simply by moving first. Two of the most reliable leads in Gen 8 SwSh PH are Regieleki (the fastest mon in the entire game) and Zacian-Crowned (awesome base Attack, good bulk, outspeeds and OHKOs Regieleki when holding a Choice Scarf). Calyrex-Shadow has trouble being a viable lead in PH due to being unable to OHKO Regieleki without Dynamaxing while holding a non-boosting item such as Choice Scarf or Focus Sash, although it does avoid the OHKO from Regieleki's Knock Off and Bolt Beak even while holding an item.
Regieleki
Regieleki @ Lum Berry
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Lovely Kiss
- Stealth Rock
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
Regieleki is one of the best leads in the entire Gen 8 SwSh PH meta thanks to being both the fastest mon in the meta and having enough bulk to stand up to Eternamax's utility attacks - it fails to get 2HKOed by Eternamax's Knock Off, for instance. Lum Berry wards off sleep once, which is often enough time for Regieleki to land a Lovely Kiss of its own and sleep the opposing lead that way. Sleeping leads are generally punished more harshly than Taunted leads, anyway, especially since switching out does not cure sleep. Bolt Beak is a devastating attack, 2HKOing Calyrex-S, Spiritomb, Obstagoon, and more, along with having a very slim chance to 2HKO Zacian-C. Heck, assuming you outspeed the opposing Regieleki every time, it even 3HKOs that Regieleki! Fissure combos well with Bolt Beak as the OHKO move of choice, as nearly every Flying-type gets 2HKOed or worse by Bolt Beak anyway. As a hazards lead, Regieleki without recovery cannot be depended on to keep hazards up for long, but even making the opponent waste a turn or two clearing hazards away may be enough to nail a crucial OHKO move.
Zacian-Crowned
Zacian-Crowned @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Precipice Blades
- Switcheroo
- Guillotine / Horn Drill / Fissure / Spectral Thief / Spore / Lovely Kiss
Zacian-Crowned @ Lum Berry
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Taunt / Lovely Kiss
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Stealth Rock / Knock Off / Double Iron Bash / Roost / Pain Split / Substitute
With its/her impressive base Speed, brutally high base Attack, and great bulk and typing, Zacian-C is also one of the best leads in SwSh PH. Zacian-C is able to guaranteed OHKO Regieleki with Precipice Blades with just a Choice Scarf, and it/she also outspeeds Regieleki with that Choice Scarf on. Zacian-C's bulk is so impressive that Regieleki needs a Choice Band to guarantee 2HKOing Zacian-C with Bolt Beak, and not even Adamant Choice Band Zacian-C can guaranteed OHKO another Zacian-C with Precipice Blades.
Zacian-C can use many of the same utility options as Regieleki, except it/she has increased freedom to use Taunt instead of Lovely Kiss due to its/her impressive bulk. Zacian-C's preferred STAB is Double Iron Bash, which maddeningly inflicts flinches slightly more than half the time and also 2HKOs much of the meta that doesn't resist Steel. Lead Zacian-C's without Choice Scarf will end up seeing Regieleki slip away with a first-turn move like Stealth Rock, Lovely Kiss, Sticky Web, Substitute, Taunt, or an OHKO move before Zacian-C can OHKO Regieleki back.
Overflow Defense Eternamax
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles / Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Roost / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Night Shade
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock / Sticky Web
- Whirlwind
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Slack Off / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Roost / Wish
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Taunt / Nature's Madness / Night Shade / Seismic Toss / Whirlwind
Eternamax can set its Defense or Special Defense - not both - to the magic overflow number 655 (which overflows to 0, granting near-invulnerability to attacks from that side) by setting that defensive EV to exactly 240 and giving Eternamax a nature that boosts that defense. This ability to gain near-invulnerability to either physical or special attacks is why OHKO moves are so common in Gen 8 SwSh PH.
Overflow Defense Eternamax has more freedom to use anti-setup measures such as Spectral Thief and Clear Smog than Overflow Special Defense Eternamax thanks to not having to worry about the Normal/Psychic-type Shell Smasher Indeedee or the Fairy/Steel-type Zacian-Crowned.
While Eternamax is often stuck with the utility roles of the team such as hazards setter and hazard remover, Eternamax can also pull off a capable Taunt-Sub-Sub breaker-OHKO move disruptor set similar to Regieleki's. Night Shade is the preferred Sub breaker attack for Eternamax because it breaks all Substitutes in 1-2 hits no matter what, and Normal-types are neutralized fairly easily by Taunt, especially since pretty much all of them are slower than Eternamax (unlike the dangerous Ghost-type Shell Smasher Calyrex-S, who is immune to Seismic Toss).
Thanks to being tied for the highest base HP in the game, along with having the highest defenses, Eternamax is quite possibly the best Wish user in the meta. For similar reasons, Eternamax is the best Flame Orb holder in the meta in case you still need more Neutralizing Gas users but you also need some status immunity. The burn Flame Orb self-inflicts does nerf Eternamax's physical offences fairly greatly, though.
Overflow Special Defense Eternamax
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Whirlwind
- Soft-Boiled / Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Fissure
- Slack Off / Wish
- Whirlwind
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Flame Orb
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lovely Kiss / Spore
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Whirlwind
- Milk Drink
Overflow Special Defense Eternamax needs to make sure that all its anti-setup moves still work on the Normal/Psychic-type Shell Smasher Indeedee, who can make Stored Power reach dangerous levels faster than Psystrike. This means that Spectral Thief is discouraged because Normal-types are immune to it. Whirlwind is among the best of the anti-setup moves Overflow SpDef Eternamax can use because it phazes mons behind Substitutes (and Wonder Guarders, and Normalize users, and annoying OHKO move users, and...), thus giving Eternamax's OHKO moves clear paths again. Topsy-Turvy, Haze, and Clear Smog can be used, but the former 2 are quite useless against teams without Shell Smashers (unless you are just here to win PP wars in Haze's case), and the latter is blocked completely by the dangerous Zacian-Crowned.
Ghost-Type (Guillotine/Horn Drill immunity)
Ghost-types are highly useful in Gen 8 SwSh PH, not only because they can spinblock and block Eternamax's Final Gambit, but also because they are crucially immune to the Normal-type OHKO moves, Guillotine and Horn Drill. As a result, they can easily switch into those OHKO moves and get more opportunities to enter the fray and protect team members. Due to how cramped trying to fit so many roles into only 6 team members is, Ghost-types often also have to compress other roles such as Comaphazer check, Psychic-type Shell Smasher check, and even hazards user.
Spiritomb
Spiritomb @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief / Knock Off
- Guillotine / Horn Drill / Fissure
- Soft-Boiled
- Nature's Madness / Whirlwind / Curse / Magic Coat / Circle Throw / Spikes / Baton Pass
As the bulkiest Ghost/Dark-type in the meta, Spiritomb is often called upon to be both an immunity to Normal-type OHKO moves and a Psychic-type Shell Smasher check. Due to Magic Bounce also preventing Normalize Calyrex-S from having its way with the mon, while Spiritomb OHKOs Calyrex-S back, Spiritomb can also easily compress being a Comaphazer check by bouncing back Whirlwind and Roar.
As a Ghost/Dark-type, Spiritomb can capably use both Spectral Thief and Knock Off, giving it immense flexibility for its 4th moveslot. However, Spiritomb is easily crimped by Taunt from Neutralizing Gas users. Due to Spiritomb's low-ish offences, it might actually want Fissure instead of a Normal-type OHKO move in order to break Giratina, although Fissure leaves it open to Yveltal. Note that Nature's Madness OHKOs opposing Substitutes, including overflow Eternamax's, as long as the opposing mon has at least 50% of its max. HP remaining. Also note that Circle Throw is a nasty way to lure Obstagoon and phaze it out, although Spiritomb is bad at checking Obstagoon anyway, and using Circle Throw often comes at the cost of losing the ability to phaze out Substitute users.
Giratina
Giratina @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
- Roost
- Curse / Spikes / Stealth Rock / Sticky Web
In terms of raw bulk, Giratina is the bulkest Ghost-type in the meta - so impressively bulky that non-+Atk Yveltal cannot 2HKO Impish it with Knock Off even with Stealth Rock, and Adamant Yveltal has a very slim chance to 2HKO it with Knock Off with the help of SR. Such impressive bulk lets Giratina be a great user of Ghost Curse to force out quite a lot of mons behind Substitutes, especially Eternamax, and it also lets Giratina set hazards and spinblock at the same time.
Giratina-Origin
Giratina-Origin @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose / Shadow Tag
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Bolt Strike
- Fissure
- Roost
Thanks to Giratina-O's increased base Attack and Special Attack, it actually can act as a bulky offensive Ghost-type in the SwSh post-Crown Tundra PH meta. Importantly, Giratina-O can reliably OHKO Regieleki with only Expert Belt, while Giratina(-A) cannot. Giratina-O does lose a noticeable amount of bulk compared to plain old Giratina, though (e.g. Giratina-O only barely avoids the 2HKO from non-+Atk Yveltal's Knock Off), so make sure you actually abuse Giratina-O's offensive capabilities if you want to use it. Note that spamming OHKO moves and using a Life Orb don't mix very well.
252+ Atk Expert Belt Giratina-Origin Precipice Blades vs. 248 HP / 252 Def Regieleki: 386-456 (106.3 - 125.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Expert Belt Giratina-Origin Bolt Strike vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 264-312 (58 - 68.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Giratina-Origin Bolt Strike vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 220-260 (48.3 - 57.1%) -- 91.8% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Yveltal Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252 Def Giratina-Origin: 254-300 (50.4 - 59.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Yveltal Knock Off vs. 248 HP / 252 Def Giratina-Origin: 168-200 (33.3 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Expert Belt Giratina-Origin Bolt Strike vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 264-312 (58 - 68.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Giratina-Origin Bolt Strike vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 220-260 (48.3 - 57.1%) -- 91.8% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Yveltal Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252 Def Giratina-Origin: 254-300 (50.4 - 59.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Yveltal Knock Off vs. 248 HP / 252 Def Giratina-Origin: 168-200 (33.3 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Drifblim
Drifblim @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Infestation
- Strength Sap
- Spiky Shield
- Spikes / Nature's Madness
Drifblim @ Safety Goggles / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Spectral Thief
- Slack Off
- Nature's Madness / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Drifblim is the strongest and bulkiest Ghost/Flying-type available, thus giving it a niche in Gen 8 SwSh PH as pretty much the only mon immune to all 3 of the most common OHKO moves. Bulk problems and naturally under-speeding Eternamax - Drifblim barely avoids the 2HKO from Eternamax's Knock Off - means that Drifblim often needs speed control support such as Sticky Web or paralysis spam in order to succeed. (Non-+Speed Drifblim actually does outspeed overflow Eternamax post-Webs.)
Note that the topmost set is similar to ones that Arkeis has used (in https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8purehackmons-1441104844) with Sticky Web support and the bottom set is my own invention.
Calyrex-Shadow
Calyrex-Shadow @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lovely Kiss / Spore / Encore
- Astral Barrage
- Moonblast / Fleur Cannon / Thunder Cage
- Horn Drill / Guillotine
Calyrex-S is in the relatively unique position of being perhaps the only somewhat viable Shell Smasher that is immune to at least one OHKO move not named Sheer Cold, thus making opposing switch-ins a little more predictable when used as a mid-game OHKO immunity mon. Calyrex-S is pretty much forced to use sleep moves or Encore as disruption instead of Taunt or Substitute since it gets OHKOed by Eternamax's Knock Off 25% of the time and narrowly avoids the OHKO from Eternamax's Spectral Thief. Life Orb ensures that Astral Barrage guaranteed 2HKOs Zacian-Crowned and Moonblast guaranteed 2HKOs Yveltal, but Expert Belt gives Calyrex-S similar damage calcs against Dark-types and a little more longevity - it still lets Calyrex-S guaranteed OHKO non-+SpDef Spiritomb with Fleur Cannon and guaranteed 2HKO non-+SpDef Yveltal with Moonblast. Thunder Cage is a particularly nasty way to lure Yveltal, trapping and guaranteed 2HKOing non-+SpDef it even with Expert Belt. Calyrex-S uses Normal-type OHKO moves particularly well since no Ghost wants to switch into it.
Flying-Type (Fissure Immunity)
Flying-types are highly useful in Gen 8 SwSh PH because they are immune to and can therefore switch into one of the most common OHKO moves in the meta, Fissure. Like Ghost-types protecting team members from Normal-type OHKO moves, Flying-types also similarly protect team members from Fissure and therefore extend the longevity of your team. Due to how cramped trying to fit so many roles into only 6 team members is, Flying-types often also have to compress other roles such as Comaphazer check, Psychic-type Shell Smasher check, and speed control.
Cramorant-Gorging
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Taunt
- Milk Drink
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Flip Turn
- Taunt
- Soft-Boiled
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
The demon bird itself, Gulp Missile Cramorant-Gorging plays a somewhat Innards Out-like role in Gen 8 SwSh PH due to crippling anyone who attacks it, including and especially on the turn Cramorant-Gorging is switched in. This includes Neutralizing Gas users, whose ability cannot suppress Gulp Missile, and mons behind Substitutes, who get their HP ripped out anyway as the missile bypasses their Subs. While Cramorant-Gorging only rips out 25% of an opposing mon's max. HP when attacked instead of often 100% of it (like Innards Out Chansey), Cramorant-Gorging also paralyzes any non-Electric-type, non-major-statused mon who attacks it. Cramorant-Gorging, with its Regieleki-tier bulk, also is barely bulky enough to get attacked repeatedly by Eternamax (and other walls such as Giratina and Spiritomb) and heal off the damage. While switching out Cramorant-Gorging after it has been hit and form changes to plain old Cramorant restores its Gorging form, Surf also restores the ability to rip out a further 25% of the opposing mon's HP, thus often helping Cramorant-Gorging win 1-on-1s against opposing Eternamax. Taunt forces the opposing mon to attack it and trigger Gulp Missile. Thanks to all the switches it forces, Cramorant-Gorging is a particularly good user of both pivot moves and OHKO moves. If you want to keep paralyzing mons with Cramorant-Gorging, though, keep this mon away from Regieleki, who will gladly take roughly 41% of its max. HP in damage OHKOing Rocky Helmet Cramorant-Gorging with Bolt Beak. Speaking of Rocky Helmet, the chip damage it racks up can be crucial, especially since Cramorant-Gorging doesn't need to be awake in order to be disruptive.
Yveltal
Yveltal @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off / Wicked Blow
- Guillotine / Horn Drill
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
As the bulkiest Dark/Flying-type in the meta, Yveltal is often called upon to be both an immunity to Fissure and a Psychic-type Shell Smasher check. Due to Magic Bounce also preventing Normalize Calyrex-S from having its way with the mon, while Yveltal OHKOs Calyrex-S back, Yveltal can also easily compress being a Comaphazer check.
Yveltal is generally Impish to check Obstagoon and other Shell Smash-Power Trip users better. Wicked Blow can be used instead of Knock Off to guaranteed 2HKO Giratina.
Landorus-Therian
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers / Safety Goggles
Ability: Comatose / Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Fissure
- Encore / Taunt
- Substitute / Aromatherapy / Spikes / Soft-Boiled
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas / Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Precipice Blades
- Plasma Fists
- Encore / Taunt
- Fissure / Horn Drill / Guillotine
Landorus-T is entirely immune to Regieleki's deadliest attack combination, Bolt Beak + Fissure, giving it/him a niche in Gen 8 SwSh PH as a Flying-type not forced out by Regieleki. (Bolt Beak has a nasty habit of 2HKOing darn near anything that doesn't resist Electric.) Comatose gives Landorus-T immunity to any sleep moves Regieleki decides to use, although it makes Landorus-T more vulnerable to No Guard Regieleki sets. Thousand Arrows OHKOs Regieleki, even Wonder Guard Regielekis on Air Balloons. Precipice Blades can be used instead to guaranteed OHKO Zacian-C, although Landorus-T needs either a Choice Band (with a Jolly nature) or an Expert Belt and an Adamant nature in order to do so, and Zacian-C has a good chance of flinching Landorus-T to death with Double Iron Bash. ...And Adamant Landorus-T is now slower than Yveltal instead of faster like Jolly Landorus-T. Fissure combos wonderfully with Thousand Arrows because Thousand Arrows smacks down everything so they lose their immunity to Ground and therefore Fissure.
It turns out that Landorus(-I) needs to have an Attack-increasing nature in order to guaranteed OHKO Regieleki with Thousand Arrows without an item and that Jolly Landorus-T has both higher Attack and higher Speed than Adamant Landorus(-I). Therefore, base Landorus should only be used instead of Landorus-T if you are using any special attacks with base power.
Hazard Removal
People can and will spam Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web in Gen 8 SwSh PH (they won't use Toxic Spikes due to every half-decent team packing at least 2 Eternamax), so hazard removal can easily swing games back in your favour. Perhaps the best hazard removal option in the meta is Rapid Spin, which dodges Taunt, damages non-Ghost-types, and one-sidedly removes hazards from your side only. Court Change may be the second best hazard removal option because it flings all the hazards on your side onto their side and still works against Ghost-types...but since Court Change also flings all the hazards on their side onto your side, it does nothing if both sides have Stealth Rock and nothing else (a somewhat common scenario in SwSh PH). Defog is usually a distant 3rd place among hazard removal options in SwSh PH due to being blocked by Taunt, just like Court Change, and also removing all the hazards from both sides instead of just yours.
Hazard removers in SwSh PH must be resilient enough to use a hazard-removing move at least once per game, and they should preferably be resilient enough to use that move at least twice per game. Eternamax is often the hazard remover on the team for that resiliency reason (along with often being able to use Neutralizing Gas for as unblockable a hazard-removing move as possible), although other reasonably bulky mons also make decent hazard removers, and Ghost- and Dark-types might have untapped potential as Rapid Spinners no Ghosts want to switch into.
Hazards
At the very least, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web will often force your opponent to waste a turn or two getting their hazard remover in and using their hazard-removing move, thus often giving you 1-2 free turns to use OHKO moves or other useful moves. Depending on which hazard-removing move your opponent tries to use, you might be able to spinblock your opponent for days or cripple their hazard remover with Cramorant-Gorging. Therefore, even a suicide hazard-setting lead can swing a game in your favour, although a bulky hazard setter who can set hazards multiple times in a game is also pretty useful. Stealth Rock is worth setting aside a moveslot for if you cannot make room for other hazards. Hazard setters should have Neutralizing Gas to prevent Magic Bouncers from being able to reflect hazards onto your side. You may want Knock Off support to go with your hazards in order to remove Heavy-Duty Boots, Leftovers, and Black Sludge from opposing mons.
Comaphazer Check
Fast Comatose users such as Choice Scarf Regieleki can spam Sleep Talk calling phazing moves (such as Whirlwind), thus preventing you from taking turns and also potentially incurring lots of hazard damage. Magic Bounce is perhaps the best check to Comaphazing, as it reflects non-attacking phazing moves away, and all attacking phazing moves have both accuracy issues and at least one viable mon immune to them (Ghost-types in Circle Throw's case, Zacian-C in Dragon Tail's case). Magic Bounce also blocks the rare Normalize Calyrex-S and wards off Taunt attempts from Cramorant-Gorging and Eiscue. Dynamax can also block Comaphazing, though timing your Dynamax for that should only be done after your Magic Bouncer has been KOed. To minimize the impact a Comaphazer can have on your team, aggressively clear hazards against Comaphazer-using teams.
Psychic-Type Shell Smasher Check
Calyrex-Shadow and Indeedee can both use Shell Smash to boost Stored Power and Psystrike to dangerous levels within 1-2 turns. Due to being able to hit on both sides of the spectrum, and also due to Stored Power-Power Trip users existing such as Obstagoon and Regigigas, a Dark-type is recommended on your team because Eternamax has a fair chance of falling to these mixed attacks. Note that Spiritomb checks Power Trip users poorly due to not resisting Dark.
Other Cool Slots
Your spare slots (often only one spare slot left at this point) are the places to experiment with cool ideas, additional mid-game plays, spare Ghost- and/or Flying-types, that mid-game breaker/late-game Shell Smasher you've been thinking about experimenting with, whether Normalize Calyrex-Shadow and Wonder Guard Air Balloon Regieleki really have lost all their luster, that Comaphazer you were thinking about squishing into your Spikes-stacking team, etc. These ideas below may be good ideas, but they aren't the only ones you can use!
Regieleki
Regieleki @ Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Taunt / Encore / Lovely Kiss / Spore
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
As a mid-game disruptor, Regieleki has trouble switching in due to its general frailty and its vulnerability to all OHKO moves, but as the fastest mon in the meta, it has a fairly easy time harassing opponents once it is in. Bolt Beak is still a powerful STAB attack, this time more important than ever due to its ability to tear through opposing Substitutes. Sub, as usual, helps prevent Regieleki from getting KOed. Taunt and Encore notably work on opponents behind Substitutes, although sleep moves are still disruptive options.
Zacian-Crowned
Zacian-Crowned @ Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Anchor Shot
- Perish Song
- Slack Off
- Substitute / Taunt
Zacian-C can use a variety of disruptive moves more effectively than Regieleki can due to its/her great bulk. Leech Seed sets resemble OHKO sets quite a lot except for Anchor Shot (including sharing a common weakness to opposing Substitute), but Perish Song is a potent option Zacian-C may be among the best users of. Perish Song notably bypasses opposing Substitutes, which means that opposing Songed mons are eventually forced out at worst and eventually get KOed (thanks to being trapped beforehand by Anchor Shot) at best. A 50% recovery move lets Zacian-C withstand repeated blows from trapped opposing mons and go for multiple Perish Song rounds, while Sub helps Zacian-C stymie OHKO moves and other nonsense and Taunt prevents most opposing phazing and other nonsense.
Eiscue
Eiscue @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Safety Goggles / Leftovers
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Rapid Spin / U-turn
- Soft-Boiled / Taunt / Encore / Nature's Madness
Eiscue @ Leftovers / Safety Goggles / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt / Encore / Roost
Ice Face Eiscue is in the unique position of both being immune to every OHKO move at least once and being able to restore OHKO move protection by starting or switching into Hail, thanks to how the Neutralizing Gas-dodging Ice Face behaves. As an Ice-type that gets 30% accuracy on Sheer Cold, Eiscue is perhaps the best abuser of Sheer Cold in the meta. With a Speed-increasing nature, it also outspeeds overflow Eternamax when in Noice form. Be aware that Zacian-Crowned's Double Iron Bash has a chance to OHKO Eiscue after Stealth Rock through Ice Face anyway, thanks to the first DIB hit breaking Ice Face. Due to its resiliency in the face of OHKO moves, Eiscue makes a decent hazards clearer if you otherwise have no room.
Other Tips & Tricks
- Unless you need your mon to play a certain role (e.g. Comaphazer check, temporary OHKO move dodger, status blocker), Neutralizing Gas should be your default ability on your mons because it suppresses very nearly all other abilities.
- You should split your OHKO moves between Fissure and Normal-type ones fairly evenly across your team. Don't end up with only Fissure and no Normal-type OHKO moves or vice versa, or some opposing teams can and will take advantage of this with the relevant immune mons. Even having 5 Horn Drill users and 1 Fissure user can lead to trouble if the Fissure user is KOed and your opponent has a Ghost. Ice-type Sheer Cold users help make OHKO move splits more even by being just as accurate as the other OHKO move users and facing a different set of immunities, so you can pull off 4 Guillotine users, 1 Fissure user, and 1 Sheer Cold user somewhat safely.
- Safety Goggles should be the default item on your mons in case you can't think of anything else, as Spore spam will otherwise be devastating to your team, and Safety Goggles blocks Spore.
- Every mon on your team with the same species and form should have the same nickname...or no nickname at all. For example, every Eternamax should either have the same nickname or be left with the default name. This maximizes the chance that your opponent and their view of the Showdown battle will confuse your mons for each other. Don't nickname one Eternamax "Demise" and another "Calamity", for instance, as opponents may eventually figure out that "Demise" has overflow Defense or knows Rapid Spin and "Calamity" has overflow Special Defense or knows Stealth Rock instead and act accordingly. You may be able to relax this uniform nickname rule for mons easily distinguished from other team members, such as Comatose users and Flame Orb holders (note that both announce themselves within a turn of switching in for the first time).
- Unless you are using Imprison on your set, split your 50% recovery move names as evenly as possible...except don't pick Recover because that's found the most often on sample teams here. If you are using Imprison, pick Recover. For similar reasons, also split your Normal-type OHKO move names - Horn Drill and Guillotine - as evenly as possible.
- A Comatose mon or a Flame Orb holder is a good idea in order to mitigate status spam from opponents, such as sleep and paralysis. Note that Neutralizing Gas cannot suppress Comatose.
- If you use Spore, you need to back it up with Knock Off support because Spore is blocked by perhaps the most common item in the meta, Safety Goggles.
- Don't put Roost on Flying-types - you will eventually watch your Flying-type get OHKOed by Fissure while it's Roosting.
- Strength Sap and Pain Split are a lot weaker in Gen 8 SwSh Pure Hackmons than in Gen 8 SwSh Balanced Hackmons due to how common Substitute is in PH and the sheer base Speed of the Substitute abusers.
- Remember the usual max. HP-setting tips: make sure not to have max. HP evenly divisible by the fraction denominator of damage taken by Stealth Rock (e.g. don't make the max. HP of a mon that takes normal damage from SR divisible by 8), make sure the max. HP of Substitute users is not divisible by 4, and make sure the max. HP of Ghost Curse users is not divisible by 2.
If you're having trouble figuring out how to make only 6 mons satisfy the entire checklist and perhaps more, check out these example teams and their structures!
Lead, Yveltal, Giratina, Eiscue
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/f1c6e1372c929474
Regieleki @ Lum Berry
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Lovely Kiss
- Stealth Rock
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine
- Whirlwind
- Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Night Shade
- Fissure
Yveltal @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Giratina @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Horn Drill
- Roost
- Curse
Eiscue @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Rapid Spin
- Soft-Boiled
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Lovely Kiss
- Stealth Rock
- Bolt Beak
- Fissure
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine
- Whirlwind
- Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Night Shade
- Fissure
Yveltal @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Guillotine
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Giratina @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Horn Drill
- Roost
- Curse
Eiscue @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Face
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hail
- Sheer Cold
- Rapid Spin
- Soft-Boiled
Anti-Lead, Cram, Spiritomb
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/5e3fad0ff4d5b47f
Zacian-Crowned @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Precipice Blades
- Switcheroo
- Guillotine
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Horn Drill
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Fissure
- Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine
- Roost
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Taunt
- Milk Drink
- Fissure
Spiritomb @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine
- Soft-Boiled
- Nature's Madness
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Precipice Blades
- Switcheroo
- Guillotine
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 240 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Horn Drill
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Fissure
- Wish
Eternatus-Eternamax @ Black Sludge
Ability: Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine
- Roost
Cramorant-Gorging @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Gulp Missile
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Taunt
- Milk Drink
- Fissure
Spiritomb @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Guillotine
- Soft-Boiled
- Nature's Madness
Last edited:
For our last month of generation 8, we won't be having an OM of the Month, but will be having two Leader's Choice formats! I'm happy to say Pure Hackmons is our last gen 8 Leader's Choice!
Stay tuned for our second choice, it will come later in the month.
Stay tuned for our second choice, it will come later in the month.
Look, i may not be that great at ph, but i've made a team, that tested to be pretty well.
https://pokepast.es/ff22541b7a675f6e
Importable:
im ugly (Kyurem-White) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Spore
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
snowman (Darmanitan-Galar-Zen) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Belly Drum
- Icicle Crash
- V-create
the goat (Eternatus-Eternamax) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 HP
- Spectral Thief
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Recover
sworded dog (Zacian-Crowned) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Spore
the other goat (Eternatus-Eternamax) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 HP / 0 Spe
- Spectral Thief
- Baton Pass
- Stored Power
- Shell Smash
horny teddy (Indeedee) (M) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spore
- Shell Smash
- Boomburst
- Stored Power
https://pokepast.es/ff22541b7a675f6e
Importable:
im ugly (Kyurem-White) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Spore
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
snowman (Darmanitan-Galar-Zen) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Belly Drum
- Icicle Crash
- V-create
the goat (Eternatus-Eternamax) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 HP
- Spectral Thief
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Recover
sworded dog (Zacian-Crowned) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Spore
the other goat (Eternatus-Eternamax) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 HP / 0 Spe
- Spectral Thief
- Baton Pass
- Stored Power
- Shell Smash
horny teddy (Indeedee) (M) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spore
- Shell Smash
- Boomburst
- Stored Power
Eternamax can overflow one of its defenses by using 240 Evs and a +Def/SpD nature which make it so Eternamax takes 1-2 damage, the most common way of dealing with Eternamax is by using OHKO moves, your team is walled by two Eternamaxes
https://pokepast.es/2759b0a159213c04
https://pokepast.es/2759b0a159213c04
glitch - help!!!
max defense, defense boosting nature on eternatus Eternamax + assault vest + fur coat stack overflows into 6 defense
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8purehackmons-1722844836
I tested body press on multiple games and the defense stat really is what it says
max defense, defense boosting nature on eternatus Eternamax + assault vest + fur coat stack overflows into 6 defense
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8purehackmons-1722844836
I tested body press on multiple games and the defense stat really is what it says
Attachments
This is expected behavior, because of Overflow. You do not want to EV your EMax past 240+.