Gen 6 The Encore of Eternity: (Encore Mega Alakazam Hazard Stacking Balance)

[Insou]

Encore Mega Alakazam Hazard Stacking Balance



Hello everyone, Welcome to my team showcase for the team that I submitted for the ORAS Teambuilding competition back in 2023. Since then it has been used in SPL and other ORAS Tournaments such as ORAS TRIOS. The team utilizes Hazard stacking to maximize Mega-Alakazam's Mid-Late game breaking prowess allowing Swords dance Gliscor to take advantage of the hazard stacking concept of this team through constant wear and tear with psychic with the help of hazards. So without further ado, let's begin!

Team breakdown

Mega-Alakazam


Mega-Alakazam, the very core of this team which greatly benefits from the hazard stacking concept. Instead of choosing to go with the calm mind+three attacks or the recover+three attacks, I chose go to with Encore+Three Attacks to force a switch by locking the opposing pokemon into a non-damaging move. For instance, Encore mega alakazam allows you to lock Cm clefables and force a switch in certain occasions. This allows us to fully take advantage of mega alakazam's high special attack and its ability to break past weakened defensive core components due to the wear and tear from entry hazards.

Heatran


Heatran is one of your specially defensive wall in this team alongside Clefable. Heatran is equipped with a standard set of toxic, stealth rocks, protect and lava plume. This set ensures that we are able to properly cover for the likes of serperior and check talonflame with toxic, assuming that it does not have taunt. Additionally, calm nature is prefered to prevent getting 0hkod by Hp Ground Volcarona. Although the set does not particularly prevent Volcarona from creating progress if it has lum berry, an option would be to use stone edge over protect, however this change requires a change to sassy nature.

Gastrodon

Gastrodon functions as a mixed defensive wall and as a volt blocker to restrict opportunities for rotom wash to freely pivot. With Clear smog, we prevent all variants of clefable from setting up and running away with the game. The core of heatran and gastrodon creates a window for mega alakazam to enter the field and lock clefable into calm mind with encore. Most importantly, the relaxed nature and the spread of 248 hp, 28 defence, and 232 spdef ensures that a +1 dragon claw from an adamant Charizard X will always result in an 2hk0.

Skarmory

Taunt Skamory prevents opposing skarmories and other hazard setters such as ferrothorn from setting up hazards, allowing us to control of the hazard war and phaze them out with whirlwind.

Gliscor

Swords Dance Gliscor forms an excellent core with mega alakazam and establishes a great synergy with heatran and gastrodon. Ice fang over facade is preferred to effeciently deal with opposing Gliscors and Landorus-Therian. With Encore Alakazam forcibly creating progress by wearing the defensive core of the opposing team, Gliscor can function as a late-game cleaner. Lastly, initially the original paste had to outspeed timid offensive heatrans and nidokings, but the spread of 244 hp, 148 spdef, and 116 speed is preferred.

Clefable

Specially defensive Clefable serves as a speed control with thunder wave, and improves matchups opposing Mega-Alakazam, Calm Mind life orb Clefables and Keldeo as the spread guarantees a 3hko from mega alakazam, while thunder wave ensures that we are always faster than the opposing clefable which allows us to utilize heatran to pivot into gastrodon predicting a calm mind and eliminate the stat changes with clear smog.

Threats

Spoiler

Talonflame: Taunt is the most devastating set against this team as it is able to break past the team after rocks. Keeping gastrodon healthy migitates the overall progress that it can create. However, a more reliable answer is to switch protect or toxic on heatran to stone edge. This also allows you to deal with volcarona.
Mega-Charizard X: Zard X can prove to be a fatal threat to this team so be sure to keep Gastrodon healthy.

Alternative Versions

Spoiler

Suicune Version by Hiro80223001

Shortly after c0mp used the team in SPL, Hiro contacted me to suggest an alternative version. Here is the explanation for this version:
Roar Suicune gives the better matchup for the fire-type sweepers that run rampant in ORAS especially on HO. Pokemon like ZardX and Volcarona can easily break through with one boost so RoarCune puts a stop to that.

Replays
SPL XV Match: c0mp vs PJ
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen6ou-744828
ORAS Trios: Reze
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6ou-2273324449-cl2let3jtain37xyxw6l9cy01sgif3fpw

Importable
https://pokepast.es/3b602dcb089e2234

And that is all! I hope you all enjoy using the team if you choose to load it into one of your matches. If you do end up using it or have used it in the past and you would like your replays to be added here, then please shoot me a dm or just post the replay here!

 

[Hiro80223001]

Finally bro, this is epic.

 

[RufflesPro]

Hello Insou, I really like your team! I think it is a unique edit of the classic sample team choosing to use neither Chansey nor Cofagirgus.
Here's a couple of things I would change:

@ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roar
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Protect

Volcarona is a huge threat to the team and maximizing SpD is great at limiting it. Secondly, Roar is needed, otherwise SubQD Volcarona can 6-0 the team, plus it is a great combo with hazards.

@ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 248 HP / 100 Def / 160 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Recover
- Clear Smog

Because of Gastrodon's stat distribution (SpD > Def), it is actually better to go Sassy. With this spread, you achieve 197 Defense (instead of your 196) while getting 264 SpD (instead of your 258). 160 SpD is a jump point

@ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 248 HP / 196 SpD / 64 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Earthquake
- Roost

I don't think you need to go that fast on Gliscor. Because you have Gastrodon, Heatran is not of real particular problem, especially with Trace Mega Alakazam as well. Instead, running enough for Mega Tyranitar, Jolly Bisharp, and Adamant Dragonite/Gyarados should be more than enough. Furthermore, with a fast Gliscor and Whirlwind on Skarmory, Ice Fang is really not needed and it proved in that SPL replay how much Facade is appreciated.

@ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Roost
- Brave Bird
- Whirlwind

I understand the temptation go Taunt with speed to destroy enemy skarmory based teams, but that is not needed as the team is not weak to spikes. Instead, a max defense spread is used because Skarmory really does need every single point it can get to continuously check Mega Pinsir, Bisharp, CB Tyranitar, Weavile, and so on.
It is also necessary to have an attacking move on Skarmory or at least Counter. This way, Pokemon like Mega Pinsir can be punished because often times WW is not enough alone, especially in last mon situations.

Cheers ^_^