Introduction:
Hey y'all. This is my first ever RMT, and honestly my first serious foray into consistent high-ladder play in years. I have been super happy with the meta recently, and I think that the volatility (while hard to keep up with, teambuilding-wise) allows for tons of unique mons and team archetypes to shine. I am the type of player who usually leans on 1 team while laddering, and I wanted to make something unpredictable and uniquely "anti meta." I love the idea of bluffing popular sets and making slight changes to expected strategy, because obviously this game is so reliant on assumption and prediction. I also sort of stumbled on this team, which might look like a mess but has now peaked at #3 on one of my alts (noudle soop), and #1 on another alt (do not talk 2 me). It is incredibly fun to use, and it matches up phenomenally with a large portion of the popular teams going around on the ladder. This RMT is hella long, ik. I'm sorry.
Proof of Peak:
Ladder was a bit low at the time of this peak, I know. Will update if I peak higher!
Importable:
https://pokepast.es/8e77c1bbe1098098
Teambuilding Process:
I got folded about a month ago by sub mamo, and desperately wanted to make it work myself. At the same time, I had been pondering an offensive non-choiced Tapu Fini. I thought these 2 would be fun to build around, and didn't even worry about synergy initially.
Non-CB Mamo has a tough time breaking corviknight/ferro without flinches, so I felt magnezone was a natural partner. I didn't pick a set at first, but it fit the core well.
SD Rilla and Kart absolutely annihilate this core, so defensive dragonite made sense to me. Additionally, dnite was dropping in usage at this point and I didn't totally understand why. It needed a showcase.
Enter SpDef Heatran. Specs Lele switchin. Rocker. Splashable mon.
This is my designated speed control and late game offense on most of my teams. I think scarf kart is criminally underrated and tons of BOs just crumble to it with deliberate positioning and chip mid game.
At this point, I wanted to make magnezone air balloon to deal with Non-Choiced Melmetal, which my team otherwise cannot switch into more than once. ID Air Balloon zone allows me to either sac and pivot in to claim a kill, or predict EQ and switch hard in. Barring hax, full health zone never loses a 1v1 to Melmetal, no matter its set. I did not think this team was done. I knew I had no hazard control, and I expected to make changes. To my delight, this was basically never a problem. I'll address more specifically in gameplay, but the edits I assumed I'd have to make to the team were never required (in my personal experience).
Team + Sets:
This team is built around the idea that even the best players have a hard time positioning to stop 2 different late-game sweepers at the same time. It is designed to punch holes, largely by surprise, and capitalize on critical chip with either Scarf Kartana or DD fat Dragonite. It has no hazard control, no status, and no pivot moves. All momentum is created by switching and predicting with attacks, so if that isn't a strong part of your playstyle, this will be a tougher team to pilot. It's also non-stop offense without being HO. All of the mons are designed to apply consistent offensive pressure, and this pressure ideally prevents the fatmons of the tier (corv/hippo/pex/etc.) from recovering consistently or staying healthy.
donda (Tapu Fini) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
This is the star of the team and the reason it works. It will always either blow holes in the opponent's team, or position you to remove a critical mon with Zone/Heatran. For starters, absolutely no one runs this set (or anything close). Because your opponent doesn't see leftovers, they will most likely assume you are scarf (pretty much the only non-lefties fini set). I cannot tell you the amount of times I have clicked moonblast, my opponent has brought in heatran, and I've claimed with hydro pump. Knock is super useful for shed shell on pex/corv, removing AV from gking, and removing boots from blissey/slowking - all of these mons regularly come in on fini. Additionally, being fast lets you outspeed Landos that assume they can safely u-turn out and bop with ice beam or pump.
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rillaboom: 281-331 (82.4 - 97%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
This is a very common situation I've faced -- rilla comes in on fini (after I've gotten rocks up) and does not click glide, because i have a dnite, a heatran, and a kartana (and knocking one of this off is very valuable). Either you win the speed tie and have a good chance to OHKO, or you eat a knock or superpower and do huge damage in return.
252+ SpA Tapu Fini Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 88 SpD Corviknight: 165-195 (41.2 - 48.7%)
Corviknight comes in on fini, potentially takes rocks damage, and eats a moonblast/knock off. If it's not shed shell, it basically has to click u-turn to counter a possible hard switch to Magnezone. Fini does over 40% more damage, and now corv cannot switch into Kartana/Mamo anymore.
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 295-348 (76.4 - 90.1%)
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Kyurem: 360-425 (92 - 108.6%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 228-269 (59.5 - 70.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Hydro Pump vs. +1 248 HP / 0 SpD Volcarona: 245-290 (65.6 - 77.7%)
0- Atk Expert Belt Tapu Fini Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Slowking-Galar: 144-170 (36.5 - 43.1%)
252+ SpA Expert Belt Tapu Fini Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Buzzwole: 550-648 (131.5 - 155%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Basically you want to do as much damage as possible to as many mons as possible early game. Expert belt and the ability to switch moves (and still bluff choice) has proven irrefutably better than specs. Forcing damage on mons like corv, melmetal, and even opposing tapu fini sets up dnite, mamo, and/or kart incredibly well for late game.
graduation (Mamoswine) @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Substitute
The other "anti meta" mon. Mamo provides incredibly potent coverage and breaking ability, as well as just being fun to use. Substitute is there over knock off because one thing mamo does incredibly well is force switches and sacks, and subbing on an opponent's switch can often let mamo pick up 2 kills instead of 1. It also lets mamo avoid things like toxic from hippo and blissey, and it lets you win the 1v1 vs bisharp when it inevitably clicks sucker while you sub. Adamant nature because jolly mamo does no types of damage, and you really wants your crashes and shards to hit hard as hell. Mamo stops things like scale shot garchomp, dd dnite, and specs pult from getting out of control. Thick fat is there as a check to HDB Kyurem, which otherwise smashes this team but fails to 2hko Mamo with freeze dry/EP. Icicle crash is also there to hax your way through mons that the team otherwise struggles with, like fast buzzwole, heavy phys def. corv, and phys def. clef. People think they can spam recovery against icicle crash and the numbers are not in their favor.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Volcarona: 255-300 (81.9 - 96.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Kills with ice shard next turn.
-1 252+ Atk Mamoswine Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 12 Def Landorus-Therian: 436-520 (114.1 - 136.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
People love switching lando in on this mon, trying to get off and intimidate on a predicted EQ. Don't hesitate to spam ice move.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Garchomp: 304-360 (85.1 - 100.8%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Obviously shard always kills chomp after a scale shot, but I'll also usually go hard mamo on chomper anyway.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 168+ Def Corviknight: 115-136 (28.7 - 34%)
Seems like no damage, but with the situation I explained with tapu fini chipping corv, and the potential of icicle crash flinch, mamo deals with corv fairly well.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Weavile: 255-301 (90.7 - 107.1%) + 252 Atk Choice Band Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mamoswine: 270-318 (74.7 - 88%)
Weavile can never kill you outside of low kick, and you can always kill with EQ or EQ+shard.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Icicle Crash vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragonite: 324-384 (100.3 - 118.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
This is through multiscale.
252+ Atk Mamoswine Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tapu Lele: 228-268 (81.1 - 95.3%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Mamoswine Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 186-218 (58.6 - 68.7%)
252 Atk Arctozolt Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mamoswine: 260-308 (72 - 85.3%)
yeezus (Magnezone) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 116 SpA / 140 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
The mon that half the userbase seemingly hates or wants removed from the meta. This thing is the best support in the tier for mons like DD Dnite and Scarf Kartana, and it is essential for making the team work. Speed EVs are for the rare min speed Heatran, and outrunning opposing ID zone. Obviously taking out corv goes without saying, but removing Melmetal and Ferro is equally valuable, and I am ALWAYS willing to sack my zone to get rid of either of those mons. Iron Defense allows magnezone to 1v1 any non-iron defense ferro, and Air Balloon allows it to 1v1 any Melmetal that doesn't ice punch freeze or superpower crit. Removing melm and ferro is critical for the team because no other mons consistently force chip on them (mamo just doesn't do enough, and puts you on the back foot as ferro gets free spikes or a knock off). I personally think flash cannon > sub right now, because everyone and their momma loves brining dragapult in on air balloon zone (assuming you can't touch them) and flash cannon is a guaranteed 2hko with rocks. It also lets you chip landos that switch in, makes the CM clefable matchup easy, and helps you to kill a chipped Lele. This set also completely walls toxic hippo. Trading magnezone for your opponent's steel facilitates your sweepers to clean up late game, so don't overthink and preserve for no reason.
116 SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Lele: 210-248 (74.7 - 88.2%)
Useful because zone is an emergency check to lele, especially late game.
116 SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Dragapult: 150-177 (47.3 - 55.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Explained above.
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Magnezone: 178-211 (63.3 - 75%)
snack.
+2 252 Atk Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 252+ Def Magnezone: 196-232 (69.7 - 82.5%)
snack.
116 SpA Magnezone Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 88 SpD Corviknight: 276-326 (69 - 81.5%)
Obviously not an OHKO, but again, prevents corv from ever coming in on your sweepers.
+1 252 Atk Kartana Sacred Sword vs. 0 HP / 252+ Def Magnezone: 248-292 (88.2 - 103.9%)
Emergency answer to scarf kartana.
252 Atk Choice Band Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 252+ Def Magnezone: 147-174 (52.3 - 61.9%)
116 SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Clefable: 258-306 (65.4 - 77.6%)
116 SpA Magnezone Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Buzzwole: 222-262 (53.1 - 62.6%)
college dropout (Dragonite) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Atk / 52 Def / 148 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake
- Roost
I love this thing, my goodness. It's so fat. It's so easy to set up with. Dnite was put on the team initially because a) it is aided substantially by zone and b) it is an offensive answer to urshifu, heatran, and zeraora. But it has become the defacto sweeper for the team, and it seems like every other mon just naturally clears a path for dnite destruction. It does not need stab. Ice/ground coverage is amazing right now, and Dual Wingbeat will make you cry it misses so often. Speed EVs are there to outspeed kartana/alotales after 1 dragon dance. Defense EVs are the star of the show, and I'll explain them in the calc section. They were put in for the rain matchup but they essentially facilitate the whole set up process against mons that dnite cannot traditionally set up on no problem. This mon can almost singlehandedly beat rain and smashes sun. The complaint (which Pokeaim made repeatedly while piloting this team lol) is that the dnite is just flat out too slow. I'd argue that the fatness (max hp, defense EVs) allows you to get up 2 dances VERY easily on a ton of mons, thus outspeeding the whole tier. Additionally, your opponent doesn't know you're slow after the first DD (351 speed), so its not like they're gonna bring in their pult or zera confident that they can outrun a +1 mon.
252+ Atk Choice Band Barraskewda Liquidation vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite in Rain: 162-192 (42 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Defense EVs are for this. Barring a def drop, Barra absolutely cannot break dnite in the rain, meaning that you roost and DD on this mon until you just sweep. This calc is excluding multiscale btw.
+2 212 Atk Dragonite Ice Punch vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 322-380 (83.6 - 98.7%)
+2 60+ Atk Dragonite Ice Punch vs. 44 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 334-394 (100 - 117.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
There are pivotal calcs. 212 atk jolly dnite is the dnite that Storm Zone uses on his Volcanion rain team that's very popular, and you are guaranteed to win a 1v1 vs that dnite. If you both dance on the first turn, just dance again on the second turn. If they dance on the second turn, you always live their ice punch and always OHKO with your ice punch on the third turn. If they ice punch on the second turn, you always live and then outspeed and guaranteed OHKO the third turn.
252+ SpA Life Orb Seismitoad Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Multiscale Dragonite in Rain: 66-78 (17.1 - 20.2%)
lol.
252 Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite: 145-172 (37.6 - 44.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Also without multiscale. Non-bulk up zera cannot break this either (assuming it's not wack Play Rough), and it's more free DDs.
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Draco Meteor vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 265-313 (68.8 - 81.2%)
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite: 163-193 (42.3 - 50.1%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO
+2 60+ Atk Dragonite Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 406-478 (128 - 150.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
You have a very very good chance to be able to roost off and set up on specs pult locked into shadow ball. You can easily DD (if you're already at +1) on draco as well, and then kill with ice punch.
252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Close Combat vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite: 144-171 (37.4 - 44.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Surging Strikes (3 hits) vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite on a critical hit: 138-162 (35.8 - 42%) -- approx. 3HKO
These are without multiscale.
60+ Atk Dragonite Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Landorus-Therian: 348-412 (91 - 107.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Easily pick off lando, which will come in on your first DD.
+2 252+ SpA Life Orb Venusaur Weather Ball (100 BP Fire) vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Multiscale Dragonite in Sun: 97-114 (25.1 - 29.6%)
+3 60+ Atk Dragonite Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 282-334 (92.7 - 109.8%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Weavile Ice Shard vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite: 268-324 (69.6 - 84.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Kartana Smart Strike vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Dragonite: 145-172 (37.6 - 44.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
I try as hard as I possibly can to preserve multiscale throughout the game, and to NEVER get this thing knocked off until I'm ready to sweep. If I bring in dnite on an urshifu strikes/CC, I'm roosting the next turn 100% of the time. Even though switching out can get you momentum on their likely switch, keeping dnite at 100% is far more important. Slow DD works because multiscale lets dnite practically forget about the first hit it takes.
808s (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 128 SpD / 132 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
Not a ton needs to be said about this mon. Everyone knows what it does, and it does it very well. Rocks, trapping, breaking frail cores with magma + coverage. This mon acts as a blanket special check, but deals specifically with Lele and specs pult, which otherwise obliterate the team. It's aided by fini knocking off potential pex shed shell and gking AV, allowing heatran to comfortably deal with both. EV spread is standard spdef. Speed is to creep 144+ defense buzzwole, which is a HUGE problem for the team. You pretty reliably beat volcarona, even if you're significantly chipped. You also make specs kyurem think twice about click ice move, which is helpful for balloon zone dnite, who can both come in for free on specs earth power.
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran in Psychic Terrain: 110-129 (28.4 - 33.4%)
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 302-356 (78.2 - 92.2%)
+2 252 SpA Volcarona Psychic vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 77-91 (19.9 - 23.5%)
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 128+ SpD Heatran: 126-148 (32.6 - 38.3%)
pablo (Kartana) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Knock Off
- Smart Strike
Another tried and true (actually, more like disrespected) mon. Kart doesn't make the team work, but the team makes kart work. I will very rarely bring this mon out until late game, unless I desperately need to outspeed an opposing +1 speed garchomp or scarf fini or something. Kart lets fini/mamo/heatran clear holes and chip the mons it struggles with, and then comes in to snowball sweep. Smart strike could be changed to ace if you find yourself constantly losing to buzzwole, but my general experience has been that smart strike as a neutral move to lock into is incredibly valuable. Knock off and leaf blade - in theory - can sweep well, but in practice, resistances to both those moves stop kartana short. Smart strike does neutral damage to a ton of OU mons and is stronger than knock, allowing Kart another viable option if, for example, a late game torn-t or dragapult is preventing a leaf blade sweep. The mistake lots of people make with kart is trying to use it to chip ferrothorn --- do not do this! Non-boosted sacred sword will obviously never kill healthy ferro, and losing your scarf from a knock off in return can be catastrophic. Keep your scarf, play patiently, and wait for a pathway to clear for kart.
252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Weavile: 268-316 (95.3 - 112.4%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
Forced to risk this roll many games. If you get it, kart is rolling.
252 Atk Kartana Smart Strike vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Tornadus-Therian: 177-208 (48.8 - 57.4%) -- 94.1% chance to 2HKO
Torn basically cannot come in on kart if you run smart strike.
252 Atk Kartana Smart Strike vs. 248 HP / 60+ Def Mandibuzz: 121-144 (28.6 - 34%)
Chipping this mon is important. Getting mandibuzz to ~64% prior to kart coming in allows a smart strike sweep.
+1 252 Atk Kartana Smart Strike vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 280-330 (88.3 - 104.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Kartana Smart Strike vs. 44 HP / 0 Def Dragonite: 153-181 (45.8 - 54.1%) -- 52.3% chance to 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Slowking-Galar: 170-201 (43.1 - 51%) -- 97.7% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Notable Threats (and how to try and deal with them):
1. Buzzwole
Man does this thing cause issues. It takes nothing from kart, it takes nothing from mamo, it takes nothing from dnite, and it kills all 3 back. Sometimes my only play is to try and get a clutch flinch with icicle crash that allows me to 2hko after chip. The patient way to deal with buzz involves constant doubling into fini/heatran to force buzz to take rocks over and over without ever getting a chance to roost. Eventually, you can put it in a position where it cannot come in on rocks + 2 smart strikes/icicle crashes, or just get your opp to stay in on magma storm and die.2. Scarf Tapu Lele
Not to say that this mon breaks the team - it doesn't. It can't get past heatran easily, gets chipped trying to make progress vs. fini, and can't switch in on almost anything. The reason it's on the threat list is because it outspeeds dragonite even after 2 dragon dances, meaning that if you've committed to a dnite sweep, you better get rid of scarf lele first, because losing your dnite could very well mean losing the game. 3. Shed Shell Corv
Annoying AF because a) they get a free switch while you try and thunderbolt b) cannot deal with using zone, and thus walls kartana if well preserved. However, corv with no lefties has a harder time consistently switching in on mamoswine if rocks are up, and it's obliterated by fini. Chip chip chip, try to predict based on team composition if it would be shed shell, and don't get caught thunderbolting into lando.4. Iron Defense Corv
Destroys the team late game. If you run into ID Shed Shell corv, you're in for a rough game. ID allows it to essentially wall mamoswine and, more importantly, wall dnite. Dnite can break non-ID corv by just setting up to +6 in its face and spamming ice punch, but it has no shot at getting past ID corv without freeze.5. Heavy Duty Boots Timid Volcanion
Usually, the best way to force progress vs. specs volcanion is using a combination of rocks chip and fini chip to put it in range of mamo/dnite/kart. However, if you can't touch it with rocks, its longevity is FAR better, and if it's not choiced, you don't switch in at all. Mamo is outsped by timid, fini loses to sludge wave, and dnite really doesn't want to switch in on potential steam eruption burn. Timid volcanion is really not common, so this isn't a threat you'd face with any consistency, but it's still annoying af to deal with. You basically have to go dnite and hope you don't get burnt.6. LO Melmetal under Trick Room
The team deals well with CB melm under trick room, as you can always RK with magnezone. LO is a different story, and requires absolutely perfect switching. Heatran and Zone are the only DIB switchins, but die to superpower and EQ. Everything else either gets OHKOed or cannot KO back. Even getting up a sub with mamo is futile. You basically have to force Melm to superpower something, sack a mon, and then RK with zone. Good news I haven't ran into many LO melm's at all recently.7. LO Arctozolt
Mamoswine has a chance to be OHKOd by low kick, which means it is not safe as a bolt beak switch in. Kartana outspeeds but doesn't KO with anything. Messy business. You need to get rocks up so that kartana can kill with sacred sword, because otherwise this mon runs through the team.8. Regieleki
Mamo and heatran deal with this mon fairly well, but mamo is very frail as far as ground types come, and heatran is so easily chipped throughout the game. Eleki also outspeeds scarf kart, which is huge because it stops any late game kartana sweeps unless you're literally at 100% (thunderbolt does 99.6% max). Keep mamo alive until eleki is dead.Gameplay vs. popular MUs:
1. vs. lead Mew HO:
Lead with fini. Moonblast 3 times while they click stealth rock, spike, spike (or taunt). Don't worry about hazards because you will sweep with dnite/kart. Apply constant pressure with fini, and attack until fini dies. Even in the face of something like bulk up Zeraora, you're better of clicking moonblast on the bulk, sacking fini, and RKing with sacred sword from kartana. Get heatran in safely, prioritize getting rocks up, and then sack heatran appropriately if they don't have a Lele/zam/volcarona. Break with mamo/zone dependent on matchup until you can get dnite in at 100%. Set up and sweep. If opp has physical pult/weavile preserve mamo/kart for RK.
2. vs. Hail:
Lead with fini. Knock on Ninetales aurora veil/freeze dry. Switch hard to heatran on freeze dry/encore. Get rocks up as opponent goes Lando. Go hard mamo on Lando, and start spamming icicle crash/EQ appropriately. Preserve HP on mamo, as being able to live low kick from HDB Arctozolt and OHKO back is huge. Preserve kart, as it outspeeds arctozolt and can pretty easily run through weakened hail teams. You can be more aggressive early game with dnite, as it has a terrible hail matchup (ice moves and multiscale broken by weather). Keep heatran healthy because hail usually struggles to switch into heatran beyond spdef lando.
3. vs. Rain:
Lead with fini. Knock turn 1. If Pelipper stays in, you've won. Rain cannot beat this team without damp rock. Get rocks up with Heatran mid-game, keep dnite healthy, set up and sweep. The rain matchup is really really good.
4. vs. FS+Urshi BO/Balance:
Lead with fini and click the super effective move (if there is one) on the lead mon. Get a knock off on gking (they will stay in to take the knock off). Go hard mamo on gking, as misty terrain means gking has a hard time punishing this switch. EQ on expected switch to Urshifu, or go hard zone if opp has a corviknight. Once fini has knocked gking, if opp doesn't have a buzzwole, you can sack fini at the right time to get in zone/mamo in an advantageous position. Prioritize keeping rocks up, and keep dnite healthy as it beats urshi 1v1 (bar random ice punch urshi). Keep kartana healthy for weavile late game. Use zone/fini/heatran as weavile switch ins (healthy zone deals with weavile very well). If opponent has a ferrothorn, be willing to sack zone to kill the ferro (hard switch it in and get up your iron defenses). Eventually, try and create a whole for dnite to come in on urshifu (or a mon like heatran, rillaboom, kart) and get up 2 DDs to sweep.
5. vs. Stall:
Stall can carry plenty of different mons, but if it doesn't have a quagsire or shedinja, chances are magnezone has a very good matchup (like, capable of 6-0ing if you can get Iron Defenses up). Use fini and kartana to get important knocks on blissey, pex, or corv. Take advantage of misty terrain + sub to get mamo in advantageous positions to break. Keep heatran alive, as magma storm + taunt pretty much always gives stall trouble. There's a good chance kartana won't have room to sweep - if you're playing someone good - so you can be more aggressive with it mid-game. If 1 mon stands in dnites way (like quagsire), sack heatran's health to trap and seriously chip it with magma/EP. If no unaware mon and no ID corv, clear a path to sweep with dnite. Otherwise, clear a path to sweep with ID zone.
Replays (I'm so sorry):
I am terrible at remembering to save replays, so I only have these 3 to show:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1400532893 vs. Rilla HO
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1402908037 vs. Sun
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1394239668 vs. Urshifu BO
I think every other saved replay of the team on PS is either a <10 turn game, or me losing (because my opponent saved the replay lol). I can edit or reply to this post with more replays if people would like to see super high ladder play -- or just challenge me on PS and see how I use the team.
Lmk what you think! Lmk if you think something could be improved, and if my EVs are suboptimal on any particular mon! Lmk if you tried the team and it went well (or poorly)!
