Hi RMT,
This current meta has not been kind to me. With the amount of threat saturation. I have really struggled as a balance player to find a team that can properly handle everything in the tier. This has all led to me dropping all the way down from 1800 to 1300 over the last few months, where I’m currently stuck.
I believe the following team is good on paper yet I consistently lose to screens HO, Gambit (Tera blast fairy is all over low ladder), and Ogerpon.
The team:
I want to work with a boots same team, I find Tusk really hard to fit in with the amount of dangerous ice and fairy types right now. I also like the free spot it creates without the need for a spinner.
Garganacl @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 248 HP / 56 Def / 204 SpD
Careful Nature
- Salt Cure
- Earthquake
- Curse
- Recover
I started with Gargancle as a ghost resist, status absorber, and general sweeper. I went with the curse set to threaten Glowking and covert cloak Gholdengo more readily. SpD Tera water forms a good core with Clefable that allows the team to take on (unbelievable broken) Kyurem.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Protect
- Knock Off
SD Gliscor is all over the ladder right now as a way to threaten balance teams, and it’s great. I went with knock over facade as it makes the stall match up a lot easier once hazards are up. Gliscor serves as a general wall and can typically trade with Kingambit with Zamazenta is too worn down.
Zamazenta @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Heavy Slam
- Roar
Zamazenta is the teams Darkrai answer, which is a common threat to balance, speed control, breaker, and emergency phaser. I copied the EV spread from a Finchinator team with a similar structure. Zamazenta also of course answers gambit, which this team otherwise struggles with.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
- Moonlight
Clefable is SpD with leftovers to handle Kyurem. It’s also the teams primary knocker and sets rocks. Typical Clefable stuff. I actually find the defensive set more useful pass off sticky barb to pokemon like Roarinf Moon, but Kyurem is so dangerous it needs to be specially defensive.
Sinistcha @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Heatproof
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Matcha Gotcha
- Shadow Ball
- Calm Mind
- Strength Sap
Sinistcha was added over Gholdengo as an Ogerpon switch in, stronger spin blocker, and occasional sweeper. its amazing at checking a wild variety of physical sweepers in the tier, but I do find it can get chipped down super easily, especially with Ogerpon running knock off. I have also considered foul play over calm mind to more immediately threaten SD pokemon
Samurott-Hisui @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Ceaseless Edge
- Razor Shell
- Sucker Punch
- Encore
Samurott was originally Ogerpon grass, but once Sintcha was added I felt having two grass types was redundant. It of course is the teams spike setter, and emergency priority. I went with Adamant for more immediate power and to eke out extra KOs I wouldn’t otherwise get. Encore of great for pokemon like skarmory and stopping opposing SD Gliscor.
I feel the team is good but I consistently struggle with the same pokemon and don’t know how to tweak the team to fix it.
Hatterene, Kingambit, Raging Bolt, and Volcarona all have ways of power through the team even if I have basic checks for them. My instinct is to replace Gargancle but I’m not sure with what.
Any help would be greatly appreciated !
This current meta has not been kind to me. With the amount of threat saturation. I have really struggled as a balance player to find a team that can properly handle everything in the tier. This has all led to me dropping all the way down from 1800 to 1300 over the last few months, where I’m currently stuck.
I believe the following team is good on paper yet I consistently lose to screens HO, Gambit (Tera blast fairy is all over low ladder), and Ogerpon.
The team:
I want to work with a boots same team, I find Tusk really hard to fit in with the amount of dangerous ice and fairy types right now. I also like the free spot it creates without the need for a spinner.
Garganacl @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Purifying Salt
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 248 HP / 56 Def / 204 SpD
Careful Nature
- Salt Cure
- Earthquake
- Curse
- Recover
I started with Gargancle as a ghost resist, status absorber, and general sweeper. I went with the curse set to threaten Glowking and covert cloak Gholdengo more readily. SpD Tera water forms a good core with Clefable that allows the team to take on (unbelievable broken) Kyurem.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Protect
- Knock Off
SD Gliscor is all over the ladder right now as a way to threaten balance teams, and it’s great. I went with knock over facade as it makes the stall match up a lot easier once hazards are up. Gliscor serves as a general wall and can typically trade with Kingambit with Zamazenta is too worn down.
Zamazenta @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Heavy Slam
- Roar
Zamazenta is the teams Darkrai answer, which is a common threat to balance, speed control, breaker, and emergency phaser. I copied the EV spread from a Finchinator team with a similar structure. Zamazenta also of course answers gambit, which this team otherwise struggles with.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
- Moonlight
Clefable is SpD with leftovers to handle Kyurem. It’s also the teams primary knocker and sets rocks. Typical Clefable stuff. I actually find the defensive set more useful pass off sticky barb to pokemon like Roarinf Moon, but Kyurem is so dangerous it needs to be specially defensive.
Sinistcha @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Heatproof
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Matcha Gotcha
- Shadow Ball
- Calm Mind
- Strength Sap
Sinistcha was added over Gholdengo as an Ogerpon switch in, stronger spin blocker, and occasional sweeper. its amazing at checking a wild variety of physical sweepers in the tier, but I do find it can get chipped down super easily, especially with Ogerpon running knock off. I have also considered foul play over calm mind to more immediately threaten SD pokemon
Samurott-Hisui @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Ceaseless Edge
- Razor Shell
- Sucker Punch
- Encore
Samurott was originally Ogerpon grass, but once Sintcha was added I felt having two grass types was redundant. It of course is the teams spike setter, and emergency priority. I went with Adamant for more immediate power and to eke out extra KOs I wouldn’t otherwise get. Encore of great for pokemon like skarmory and stopping opposing SD Gliscor.
I feel the team is good but I consistently struggle with the same pokemon and don’t know how to tweak the team to fix it.
Hatterene, Kingambit, Raging Bolt, and Volcarona all have ways of power through the team even if I have basic checks for them. My instinct is to replace Gargancle but I’m not sure with what.
Any help would be greatly appreciated !