Introduction
Hi everyone! This is my first posting of an RMT! I've been playing with this team for a while now, and I've found some moderate success with it. I'm still working to completely understand the metagame, but I do believe this is a solid start that either can be improved upon, or perhaps just a better strategy while using this team. Thanks in advance for your help!
The Team
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
Excadrill comes to the team carrying two important attributes: It’s a reliable lead and my only ground type, which in this metagame can do a lot of good. 95 percent of the time Excadrill will be my suicide lead. The pokemon my opponent brings out will determine what my first move will be. If one of the Primals comes out, I typically try to give them Toxic before I set up Stealth Rocks, and because of my speed and focus sash usually I can get both. When facing other hazard setters I can get them down to 1 hp with Earthquake, and then Spin to kill and remove hazards. On the down side this is my only pokemon with Earthquake and any form of hazard removal, but I’m really hesitant to give any of my other potential defog users that move because everything they carry is so important.
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Extreme Speed
This is the classic Mixquaza set, and the idea is hit them with as much power as possible. I always try to get Rayquaza in safely, and pull it out often. Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent are STAB Special and Physical moves respectively, and can deal a huge amount of damage with Life Orb to many common threats. V-Create has proven to be a super helpful coverage move, taking care of most steel type threats to my team and potentially Arceus-Ice. Extreme Speed gives my team a priority move, so if I need to bring Rayquaza into another opponent I can revenge kill and then go to town on their next mon with one of the aforementioned moves. The downside being that V-Create means I don’t get Earthquake. (On a personal note: this is hands-down one of my favorite pokemon, and most of the other team members were selected after building the team around Rayquaza)
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Moonlight
- Sunsteel Strike
Necrozma-DM is the only defensive Pokemon on my team, but its bulk and typing is helpful and Sunsteel Strike still does a good amount of damage. Most of the time Necrozma-DM continues the work of Excadrill – setting up Stealth Rocks and spreading Toxic where Excadrill simply can’t as it’s not designed to last. Moonlight allows for good-old-fashioned Toxic stall, and for me, spreading Toxic to as many people as possible helps the rest of my team sweep as efficiently as possible (especially various forms of Arceus). Sunsteel Strike helps keep the fairies in check.
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Facade
I brought Mega Salamence onto the team because I needed a strong Physical sweeper. Dragon Dance gives both Double-Edge and Façade great power. Façade lets me take advantage of status moves and not have to worry about recoil damage. When things get tough I have Roost to help me out, but especially if I’m DD’d and have status I can usually power through most things with Façade.
Xerneas @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Aromatherapy
- Grass Knot
Xerneas gets a slot on the team thanks to its great typing and wide amount of coverage moves. Analogous to Mega Salamence, Xerneas serves as (one) of my Special sweepers. Moonblast takes care of many threats, notably Marshadow, Zygarde-C, Yveltel, Tyranitar, and Arceus-Dark. Focus Blast gives me more coverage on Skarmory, while Grass Knot deals with Primal-Kyogre and Arceus-Ground. I use Aromatherapy because Yveltal doesn’t like status, especially with the Life Orb damage it takes on. I prefer the Choice Scarf over Geomancy/Power Herb for the extra speed to get in and deal damage fast.
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
- Taunt
- Sucker Punch
Yveltel makes it on the team because Xerneas can’t handle every single threat, and it serves as another Special sweeper to take care of the types Xerneas can’t. Dark Pulse and Oblivion Wing hit different types, with Oblivion Wing also giving Yveltal a nice health boost, which is needed when running a Life Orb set. Taunt works really well against leads that Excadrill can’t go up against, and will guarantee that Sucker Punch hits the target (provided they don’t switch out of course). Originally this set had U-Turn instead of Sucker Punch, but I’ve found a lot more success having a good priority move besides Rayquaza’s E-Speed.
Hi everyone! This is my first posting of an RMT! I've been playing with this team for a while now, and I've found some moderate success with it. I'm still working to completely understand the metagame, but I do believe this is a solid start that either can be improved upon, or perhaps just a better strategy while using this team. Thanks in advance for your help!
The Team
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
Excadrill comes to the team carrying two important attributes: It’s a reliable lead and my only ground type, which in this metagame can do a lot of good. 95 percent of the time Excadrill will be my suicide lead. The pokemon my opponent brings out will determine what my first move will be. If one of the Primals comes out, I typically try to give them Toxic before I set up Stealth Rocks, and because of my speed and focus sash usually I can get both. When facing other hazard setters I can get them down to 1 hp with Earthquake, and then Spin to kill and remove hazards. On the down side this is my only pokemon with Earthquake and any form of hazard removal, but I’m really hesitant to give any of my other potential defog users that move because everything they carry is so important.
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Extreme Speed
This is the classic Mixquaza set, and the idea is hit them with as much power as possible. I always try to get Rayquaza in safely, and pull it out often. Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent are STAB Special and Physical moves respectively, and can deal a huge amount of damage with Life Orb to many common threats. V-Create has proven to be a super helpful coverage move, taking care of most steel type threats to my team and potentially Arceus-Ice. Extreme Speed gives my team a priority move, so if I need to bring Rayquaza into another opponent I can revenge kill and then go to town on their next mon with one of the aforementioned moves. The downside being that V-Create means I don’t get Earthquake. (On a personal note: this is hands-down one of my favorite pokemon, and most of the other team members were selected after building the team around Rayquaza)
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Moonlight
- Sunsteel Strike
Necrozma-DM is the only defensive Pokemon on my team, but its bulk and typing is helpful and Sunsteel Strike still does a good amount of damage. Most of the time Necrozma-DM continues the work of Excadrill – setting up Stealth Rocks and spreading Toxic where Excadrill simply can’t as it’s not designed to last. Moonlight allows for good-old-fashioned Toxic stall, and for me, spreading Toxic to as many people as possible helps the rest of my team sweep as efficiently as possible (especially various forms of Arceus). Sunsteel Strike helps keep the fairies in check.
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Facade
I brought Mega Salamence onto the team because I needed a strong Physical sweeper. Dragon Dance gives both Double-Edge and Façade great power. Façade lets me take advantage of status moves and not have to worry about recoil damage. When things get tough I have Roost to help me out, but especially if I’m DD’d and have status I can usually power through most things with Façade.
Xerneas @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Aromatherapy
- Grass Knot
Xerneas gets a slot on the team thanks to its great typing and wide amount of coverage moves. Analogous to Mega Salamence, Xerneas serves as (one) of my Special sweepers. Moonblast takes care of many threats, notably Marshadow, Zygarde-C, Yveltel, Tyranitar, and Arceus-Dark. Focus Blast gives me more coverage on Skarmory, while Grass Knot deals with Primal-Kyogre and Arceus-Ground. I use Aromatherapy because Yveltal doesn’t like status, especially with the Life Orb damage it takes on. I prefer the Choice Scarf over Geomancy/Power Herb for the extra speed to get in and deal damage fast.
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
- Taunt
- Sucker Punch
Yveltel makes it on the team because Xerneas can’t handle every single threat, and it serves as another Special sweeper to take care of the types Xerneas can’t. Dark Pulse and Oblivion Wing hit different types, with Oblivion Wing also giving Yveltal a nice health boost, which is needed when running a Life Orb set. Taunt works really well against leads that Excadrill can’t go up against, and will guarantee that Sucker Punch hits the target (provided they don’t switch out of course). Originally this set had U-Turn instead of Sucker Punch, but I’ve found a lot more success having a good priority move besides Rayquaza’s E-Speed.
