click on the sprites for the team!
If you've been playing BH ladder recently, you would probably know that Akira's Superman stall sample took over the ladder by storm. However, I felt like the structure could be modified to be better against certain matchups, most notably opposing Superman squads. So, I took the team and started to modify it bit by bit, but when I was done, I ended up with what's basically an entirely different structure with some overlapping mons.
"well whatever", I thought, then I took it for a try on ladder, expecting it to do not as well as the last time I piloted Akira's sample on ladder because of some quite essentric ideas... Yeah you can see what happened.
Original paste.
The most notable weakness of the original paste was opposing Knock Off Magic Guard Arceus-Ghost (or fringe Taunt variants, especially ones with Secret Sword as well), which Yveltal usually checks. It can also check RegenVest Ting-Lu, another annoyance to the original paste.
Shell Side Arm Eternatus looked annoying without Well-Baked Body Celesteela, so Chansey over Blissey fixed that. Chansey also adds another Magic Guard mon and has extra bulk over Blissey, which means it's going to be using Shore Up much less (especially vs. Thunder Cage users) and also can forgo Jungle Healing for the much more flexible Parting Shot.
I wanted to run Gigaton Hammer over Toxic Spikes on Melmetal, which meant I needed another Toxic Spikes user. I originally put it on Miraidon but I thought that against RegenVest Ting-Lu teams I would get its Boots knocked off often (since these teams don't carry much hazards) and against Imposter it was extremely annoying since I would get poisoned myself from the Toxic Spikes Imposter would set. A surprising Mortal Spin would also cripple Miraidon from doing anything. Eternatus fixed both problems by simply being a Poison-type. The extra bulk all around is also very nice.
Other minor moveset tweaks.
2. The team
lose your temper (Yveltal) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Spikes
- Shore Up
- Circle Throw
Magic Guard Yveltal sounds garbage, but it is actually pretty damn good. It's by far the most consistent Ghostceus switch in if you don't know its set (and the best counter bar specifically Thunder Cage sets). Knock Off does good amounts of damage, and removes Boots. Spikes gives you a click on free turns (eg. vs Imposter or Plate Fairyceus switch in), and acts as the secondary way of stacking hazards. Both synergies well with Circle Throw, which is used as both emergency setup control and a way to rack up hazard damage. Helmet is mostly a filler option because this is your main Knock Off absorber but it's nice against Ash-Greninja and U-Turn spammers in a pinch.
Improof: Knock Off Imposter then spam Spikes. If you can't spam Spikes, click Circle Throw.
flip the switch (Arceus-Ghost) @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Judgment
- Shore Up
- Knock Off
The most consistent Spikes user. Judgment + Knock Off threatens basically every single mon that wants to come in & remove Spikes, which when coupled with the hazards already present on the field can be lethal and remove their hazard removal for the rest of the game. Ghostceus also blocks Rapid Spin, as a bonus.
Improof: Selfproofs, Yveltal also easily improofs.
rot in any weather (Chansey) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Topsy-Turvy
- Burning Bulwark
- Shore Up
- Parting Shot
Mostly standard Magic Guard blob. Burning Bulwark is used over Ruination here as a way to scout out physical moves from the likes of Ash-Greninja, Mega Garchomp and other Band breakers (and potentially permanently cripple them), while also burning Shell Side Arm Eternatus, crippling its Shell Side Arms to basically no damage when you add Chansey's extra physical bulk over Blissey up. It's also nice to PP stall, but that should be treated as a bonus and not as a primary wincon. Parting Shot pivots you out, and also punishes aggressive hard switches by nerfing the mon that switches in, basically making it deal no damage.
Passivity is not a concern here because:
1. Imposter will die to hazard damage or all its other teammates will die first before it does anything significant with the free healing.
2. Who cares lol it's stall and I need all the moveslots I can. Adding Ruination/Super Fang means dropping Burning Bulwark and being vulnerable to stuff like V-Create Mega Garchomp because I have to predict it and can't put a crippling burn on it.
Improof: Ghostceus. Yveltal also improofs if it's statused before (won't care about Bulwark burns anymore), and Mega Audino can heal back up for free.
4am odyssey (Audino-Mega) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Scales
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Moonblast
- Haze
- Mortal Spin
- Shore Up
The glue. Mega Audino handles basically every threat Chansey can't handle (Secret Sword Ghostceus, Iron Valiant, etc). Haze stops Magic Bounce/Good As Gold sweepers from ever getting too far. Mortal Spin removes hazards, though this is not to be relied on and should instead be used as a secondary way to spread Poison, and to put extra pressure on Take Heart Arceus formes by forcing them to spam Take Heart while freeing yourself from Thunder Cage. Pretty self-explanatory otherwise.
Improof: Melmetal, Chansey also walls but can't block Mortal.
a job to me (Melmetal) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stone Axe
- Gigaton Hammer
- Strength Sap
- Burning Bulwark
The primary Mega Garchomp check and Mortal Spin blocker, Melmetal is an important centerpiece of the team. Stone Axe is an easy way of setting Stealth Rocks. It is chosen on Melmetal to somewhat pressure Fire-type mons that would otherwise wall Melmetal, and because there are no other passable users on the team. Gigaton coupled with Melmetal's good Atk stat makes it deceptively not passive (at least compared to the original paste). Sap is chosen over regular healing here because Melmetal can actually pressure most conventional Sapblockers. Burning Bulwark serves largely the same purpose as on Chansey, albeit with different mons (eg. scouting for V-Create on Mega Garchomp or checking what Mega Blaziken clicks)
Improof: Eternatus, Ghostceus can also work in a pinch.
inspired not 2 cut (Eternatus) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Strength Sap
- Dragon Energy
- Thunder Cage
- Toxic Spikes
The sole Fur Coat of the team. Chosen over Miraidon for its poison immunity and ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, Eternatus is surprisingly efficient at walling threats. The Speed drop over Miraidon sucks, but it makes up for that in extra bulk and harder hitting moves. Speaking of harder hitting moves, Dragon Energy makes Eternatus not completely fodder into Magic Guard mons, and pressures common hazard removal such as RegenVest Ting-Lu (with its Vest knocked). Thunder Cage hits Celesteela and chips down most other switch ins heavily when combined with Toxic Spikes and other hazards. Eternatus was chosen as the Toxic Spikes user because the most common Poison type is opposing Eternatus, who does not want to switch in to your own Eternatus for obvious reasons.
Improof: Generally Imposter won't come in on Eternatus but if it does, Chansey hard walls, sapblocks and can Parting Shot into Ghostceus for a free Knock Off or more Spikes. Mega Audino also hard walls but won't actually do anything back.
3. Threatlist
+ Mega Audino coverageEvery team loses to a variant of Pure Hackmons. In this case, it's specifically Gunk Shot/Noxious Torque/Gigaton Hammer. Your best bet is to try and catch it lacking with a Bulwark on a Bolt Strike/V-Create.
+ V-CreateNo real walls. The counterplay is to Burn it with Bulwark (which also scouts what move it locks in). Mega Audino always living Headlong Rush from Band + Tough Claws (and has a very high chance to live vs. Adaptability as well) from full can also be helpful for dealing massive amounts of damage to those who are greedy.
OR Volt Switch users + 
Get TSpikes up ASAP. Other hazards are also very nice but TSpikes is the main priority. After the Band user is poisoned, predict well with Bulwarks from Melmetal/Chansey and going Eternatus/Yveltal or staying in on appropriate moves should hopefully kill them before they win. If they have Wish support though :THEHORRORS:
4. Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...31684861-b14f3tl2puq8jqhabkx0hfk32m6ndotpw?p2 vs.
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...32531488-4sf9zb3aq2zo05p8ci701m55pts335ypw?p2 vs.
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2233925113-thc96iph1p9xwqvyzga32d0r2rcb16dpw vs.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...33930614-qu8m338fifhiar3v8ekgkf58lz0ej7bpw?p2 vs. unimproofed Ruination spam
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2234630240-mm21y6ix6fqgnyyioihn7jqa4a5zp9vpw vs.
Sunhttps://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2235274570-d8duq3s9uvl7vgk8ujmmhcexwjrzs0dpw vs.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2237155659-xvre2636qwylhigi5x2p304tm4yripypw vs.
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2239541775-bg8lxogl6253r0rf1tcsbuqwn3szx6rpw vs. Volt Switch
+ BugGoBrrrrrr i was in an arguably better position here when you dc'd fight mehttps://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...40569519-kc1xdxxyngohtmvnw0xbqgn47a1imdypw?p2 vs. outdated Superman
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...40579727-9kyxb4ppevn95gm0btc0cwf5yj86oq0pw?p2 vs.
+ 
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...41111534-zynbiuzzghc8smt3rrrp8dnu0lchv6opw?p2 vs.
Sun againhttps://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...41656763-8ozix3gukwago5kzk2jm0dodhqs745hpw?p2 vs. wack
balancehttps://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...41681043-gq5r6ylwhpz0ids4luwy8g12vie5l27pw?p2 vs.
+ 
Supermanhttps://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2242386392-ufain4b7x1fu71p70s4z0j30hors24opw vs. triple Regenerator +
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2242422888-abjhccnxufm3blya503bk0jz1py3q28pw vs. 4
(i hate ladder man)5. Conclusion
Well, thats about it for my fourth ever #1 ladder peak. I think this team is actually very strong versus the teched matchups (which are quite common on ladder) compared to the original team by Akira. It also showcases Yveltal and Fur Coat Eternatus, both of which I think are quite underutilized right now despite being not terrible.
Anyways, I am sorry in advance for destroying the state of ladder for the next few days
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