SM OU Pheromosa+Lele Core, Need Some Help (Peak 1400+)

[jeremy.tayhy]

XENO|TOPIA

Hi, I've been trying to climb to higher ranks for a while, and I've been play-testing this team for some time. Would like some constructive feedback since I cannot break past this rank barrier.
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At a glance
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SONG OF CHOICE

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The Team
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Teambuilding Process

1) I wanted to build a team around my favourite legendary, Tapu Lele. Her Psychic Terrain gives her a massive Psychic Boost, making her a powerful cleaner at the end of the game.

2) Since Psychic Terrain gives immunity to priority moves to Pokemon on the ground, Pheromosa immediately comes to mind as a Pokemon that can easily take advantage of this, using its blistering speed to sweep without being killed by priority. She can easily destroy dark types as well – one of Tapu Lele’s hamartia.

3) Tapu Lele’s second flaw is dealing with steel types, so Magnezone comes into mind as a steel slayer to kill off Bisharp, Mega Scizor. Assault Vest allows it to tank special attacks, while allowing it to swap around moves as needed against other troublesome steel types like Celesteela.

4) The Psychic Boost can also extend to Metagross, which is also my mega of choice for this team. A great speed tier and few resistances allow it to destroy other offensive teams which may prove difficult for this team to overcome.

5) Magnezone and Metagross also makes a really good core when formed with Landorus-T. My rocks setter, and coupled with a high attack it is able to break even the biggest of walls. Intimidate makes it a pretty good pivot too.

6) At this point my team was really weak to fire. The Psychic Terrain also meant that Metagross may not be able to use Bullet Punch – Tapu Fini brings to the table terrain control, as well as a fire check.

7) After some play-testing, adding in Garchomp was a better idea since it functioned as a better revenge killer instead of just walling out certain threats with Tapu Fini, some of which Garchomp even handles better.

Maki (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
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The role of Tapu Lele is to clean up teams that has had their weaknesses removed, or have been severely crippled. Choice Scarf allows it to outspeed huge threats like Pheromosa, Greninja and Weavile, while Psychic Terrain makes sure they can't use priority to take her out. Psychic and Moonblast for STAB, Focus Blast to take care of Dark and Steel types I couldn't cover earlier on, and Shadow Ball covers Jirachi and helps take out Metagross after Magnezone is done with it.

Diva (Pheromosa) @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam​

Pheromosa helps to revenge kill, cover dark types, or can act as a secondary win-condition if Tapu Lele cannot pull off her job. Life Orb is to boost the power of her moves so she can take care of Lele's weaknesses. HJK is for STAB, U-turn is meant to make it difficult to revenge kill, Poison Jab helps take out the Tapus which otherwise make it difficult to pull off a sweep, and Ice Beam helps cover switch-ins like Garchomp and Landorus-T. Naive and Hasty don't make too much of a difference since we are only looking to boost speed using Beast Boost, and if any priority move hits it, it's dead anyway.

Kotori (Landorus-Therian) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
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Landorus-T is my lead, and helps cover Tapu Lele from steel as well. Intimidate allows it to be a blanket check against other physical attackers, while the extra 4 Def helps to tank that little bit of damage. Stealth Rock provides chip damage which allows Tapu Lele and Pheromosa to have an easier time cleaning up, and also pops Dragonite's Multiscale allowing it to be KO-ed by Ice Beam. Swords Dance sets up against set-up fodder, and allows it to start up its wallbreaking capabilities. EdgeQuake hits everything for neutral. Rockium Z allows Lando to KO walls like Skarmory and Celesteela efficiently.

Chromozoned (Magnezone) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 132 HP / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt​

Magnezone is my other way of dealing with steel types, especially tanks like Celesteela. Magnet Pull traps Steels like Scizor and Ferrothorn and can KO them with HP [Fire]. 124 Spe allows it to outspeed minimum speed Mega Scizor. Volt Switch allows it to scout along with Pheromosa, and Flash Cannon is STAB. Thunderbolt helps deal with Bird Spam, as well as 2HKO Celesteela. Assault Vest allows me to use Mag as a proper switch in to aforementioned pokemon, and can allow me to feign a Choice item as well (you won't believe me but I seriously faked out a dude using Togekiss).

Gold (Metagross-Mega) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake​

My Mega of choice is Metagross. Psychic Terrain helps me boost Zen Headbutt, and the unresisted coverage Metagross brings also helps me set up for a Lele clean-up. MM is a very spammable STAB, while Zen Headbutt helps me take out threats like Toxapex, Keldeo and Mega-Venusaur. EQ helps me hit Heatran, Magnezone and opposing Metagross, and overall compliments the set properly. Bullet Punch is a nice priority which can help me take out Pheromosa, and help revenge kill as well. However, this will NOT WORK under Psychic Terrain. So...

Kanan (Garchomp) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Dual Chop
- Fire Fang
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A pretty effective change to my team, its's much more solid now (thanks Amoonguss!). Just as he has said in his rate, it is able to remove the threat of Volcarona and opposing Meta Metagross, and having two scarfs on my team means outspeeding threats won't be a problem. Although the lack of defogger makes this team a little harder to pilot, ultimately a powerful revenge killer can do so much more than a slow tank. However, if you're keen on testing out the previous variant of the team (Tapu Fini double terrain setters), I will leave it below.

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Conclusion+Threatlist+Importable
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It was a fun team to build, which was able to draw out the potential of the newer legendaries to help win more games. I haven't been able to test it on a very huge scale but I think this team turned out very well, so let me know how it goes!
If no one noticed I definitely was not naming these girls after Love Live! characters or that one spirit from Date a Live uvuvwevwevwe-

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Threatlist

This team isn't perfect, and is still destroyed by some set-ups.

Volcanion – dual typing makes it really difficult to take down; only hope is landorus-t’s earthquake breaking through it.

Its own core – The core is just too strong to take down. Pheromosa can tear through Landorus, and only Metagross has a chance of destroying it. Tapu Lele herself can sweep through the team too.

Trick Room – this team is pretty offense-oriented, so we really need to get out a taunt, or break down their trick room user.

Set-up sweepers - if unable to get rid of it quickly, can immediately pose a huge threat to the team. Examples:
Dragon Dance Dragonite: if it gets 2 dragon dances down, it outspeeds even Tapu Lele
Swords Dance Scizor: if magnezone is down, your team is in for a huge ride.

Importable

Maki (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Diva (Pheromosa) @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam

Gold (Metagross-Mega) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake

Chromozoned (Magnezone) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 132 HP / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt

Kotori (Landorus-Therian) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Kanan (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Defog
- Taunt
- Moonblast

My Tapu Fini (currently sitting in my PC now)

Kanan (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Defog
- Taunt
- Moonblast​

My defensive wall. This helps me check my weaknesses like Alolan-Marowak. Taunt helps me shut down opposing defensive pokemon like Chansey and Skarmory, and prevents their recovery or set-up. Defog is my entry hazard check, since Pheromosa appreciates being able to come in and out, while Lele would appreciate a full health entry too. Hydro Pump is meant to KO fire types, and moonblast is a spammable STAB which also takes care of dragons and dark types.

Edit Log

Major Edit #1: Replaced Tapu Fini for Garchomp after extensive testing. ​

EDIT: REPLAYS
A guy that used my team (using a prototype of a team I've been trying out): http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-543168264​

 

[3d]

Hi cool team. The first immediate threat I noticed to this team was Volcarona. With the ability to setup on a lot of this team, and pretty much win after that its worth noting as a threat. I also saw that opposing Mega Metagross could be an issue especially since your Magnezone is not Choice Scarf meaning your only real way of beating this is winning the speed tie with your own Metagross and hitting it with Shadow Ball from Tapu Lele, and that isn't really a reliable way of beating it. With that being said, here is my suggested change.

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My change would be changing your Tapu Fini to a Garchomp. Garchomp provides you with a solid answer to both Volcarona, and Mega Metagross with its ability to outspeed both of them and hit them hard with Rock Slide and Earthquake respectively. The reason I chose to replace Tapu Fini is Garchomp can still check Alolan-Marowak which you said this team had trouble with previously, and I also don't think you need Defog too much on this team since you have ways to pressure most rockers, mainly Skarmory, Landorus-T, Chansey, and Heatran with your Pheromosa/Landorus-T, and the same goes for Spikers, but Magnezone can trap most spikers. Also, running Dual Chop on this is a good option since removing Tapu Fini opens up a Pheromosa weakenss, Dual Chop can break the sash if they try to setup or KO Garchomp with Ice Beam predicting you to have Dragon Claw.

garchomp set

Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Dual Chop
- Fire Fang

 

[jeremy.tayhy]

Hi cool team. The first immediate threat I noticed to this team was Volcarona. With the ability to setup on a lot of this team, and pretty much win after that its worth noting as a threat. I also saw that opposing Mega Metagross could be an issue especially since your Magnezone is not Choice Scarf meaning your only real way of beating this is winning the speed tie with your own Metagross and hitting it with Shadow Ball from Tapu Lele, and that isn't really a reliable way of beating it. With that being said, here is my suggested change.

-->

My change would be changing your Tapu Fini to a Garchomp. Garchomp provides you with a solid answer to both Volcarona, and Mega Metagross with its ability to outspeed both of them and hit them hard with Rock Slide and Earthquake respectively. The reason I chose to replace Tapu Fini is Garchomp can still check Alolan-Marowak which you said this team had trouble with previously, and I also don't think you need Defog too much on this team since you have ways to pressure most rockers, mainly Skarmory, Landorus-T, Chansey, and Heatran with your Pheromosa/Landorus-T, and the same goes for Spikers, but Magnezone can trap most spikers. Also, running Dual Chop on this is a good option since removing Tapu Fini opens up a Pheromosa weakenss, Dual Chop can break the sash if they try to setup or KO Garchomp with Ice Beam predicting you to have Dragon Claw.

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I've tried it out, and it has really improved my chances of breaking through clutch moments. Like you've said, it does provide a perfect counter to Metagross! But I haven't seen any Volcaronas around the ladder ever since I started building this deck. Just my luck I guess haha

However, this change actually brings about a huge ice weakness, especially from, as aforementioned, Pheromosa's Ice Beam, or even things like Weavile. Weavile especially ravages through my team as its typing brings issues to Metagross, Tapu Lele, Landorus-T and even Magnezone if it possesses Low Kick. Any suggestions as to how to mitigate that? Fire Fang only helps if Garchomp is still alive :/

One more issue with your statement: You said I can pressure spikes/stealth rocks users. May I ask how I can perform that? Also I kept defog as an insurance, just in case my Landorus-T lead matches up with another rocks user and I am unable to block it off. Any way I can still keep this insurance while having better checks to Metagross and Alolan Marowak? I know I'm asking for a little too much for a glue, but yea ^^

Will continue testing this out for now so I won't edit the OP, but any more suggestions are welcome, and I'll be updating it in due time. :)

 

[3d]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I've tried it out, and it has really improved my chances of breaking through clutch moments. Like you've said, it does provide a perfect counter to Metagross! But I haven't seen any Volcaronas around the ladder ever since I started building this deck. Just my luck I guess haha

However, this change actually brings about a huge ice weakness, especially from, as aforementioned, Pheromosa's Ice Beam, or even things like Weavile. Weavile especially ravages through my team as its typing brings issues to Metagross, Tapu Lele, Landorus-T and even Magnezone if it possesses Low Kick. Any suggestions as to how to mitigate that? Fire Fang only helps if Garchomp is still alive :/

One more issue with your statement: You said I can pressure spikes/stealth rocks users. May I ask how I can perform that? Also I kept defog as an insurance, just in case my Landorus-T lead matches up with another rocks user and I am unable to block it off. Any way I can still keep this insurance while having better checks to Metagross and Alolan Marowak? I know I'm asking for a little too much for a glue, but yea ^^

Will continue testing this out for now so I won't edit the OP, but any more suggestions are welcome, and I'll be updating it in due time. :)

scarf lele beats weavile, and so does mega metagross. Weavile also isn't that common, or at least as common or as much of a threat as Volcarona previously was. You can also pressure stealth rockers via Pheromosa which checks almost all rockers and Landorus-T is there for things like Heatran in case you don't want to miss. To deal with Pheromosa, Scarf sets dont like taking Mega Metagross' hits and fear using Ice Beam for that reason, and any other set loses to garchomp/tapulele.

 

[jeremy.tayhy]

Thanks Amoonguss. I've already changed the team to suit the needs of the meta. Would still like some more constructive feedback from others as well!