Metagame Linked

I found this guy that used a persian-liepard meme set, I made a different version.
https://pokepast.es/7dcd5005f5802c34
As you expect, Capito and Clapito are the funny bit of the team. They fake out and then zoom with u-turn, repeat with the other guy, and you can kill iany, all you need is stupidity and time. Oh, make sure they aren't ghost type, that would suck, that is how I countered this strat.
Did I say ghosts, Rounded Out is just my Blacephalon from my non-meme team. Nothin special there.
Dozer is an optional sweep and a ghost killer. Also Aromatherapy support.
Speed does screens. Remember, Boh kittehs are below PU, they're garbage. And spins. Hazards are the bane of this strat.
Trader Jack is a secondary sweeper and is good to absorb the first few hits. The spiritual successor to Diggersby on the og team
I need to play more games with this strat. Definitely inconsistent, but interesting
Just run Softboiled instead of Moonlight, cause you know, there is always a risk of a rain team in Linked.
And also Sun.
And Hail.
Or Sand.
 
I found this guy that used a persian-liepard meme set, I made a different version.
https://pokepast.es/7dcd5005f5802c34
As you expect, Capito and Clapito are the funny bit of the team. They fake out and then zoom with u-turn, repeat with the other guy, and you can kill iany, all you need is stupidity and time. Oh, make sure they aren't ghost type, that would suck, that is how I countered this strat.
Did I say ghosts, Rounded Out is just my Blacephalon from my non-meme team. Nothin special there.
Dozer is an optional sweep and a ghost killer. Also Aromatherapy support.
Speed does screens. Remember, Boh kittehs are below PU, they're garbage. And spins. Hazards are the bane of this strat.
Trader Jack is a secondary sweeper and is good to absorb the first few hits. The spiritual successor to Diggersby on the og team
I need to play more games with this strat. Definitely inconsistent, but interesting
If you want to use Fake Out -> Pivot move, you should use Zeraora and Alolan Persian. The former is faster while having Volt Switch and the Latter has Fur Coat and a better defensive typing.
Also, while it's sad only Liepard gets this combo, it can use Sucker Punch -> Prankster Copycat. Something like.
Liepard @ Black Glasses
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Copycat
- Psych Up
- Swagger
Psych Up and Swagger allowing Liepard to gain an attack boost so Sucker Punch is even stronger.
 
I'm surprised no one ive run into is running assurance it's made for Linked 120 move provided the first attack hits

Test fakeout
100% flinch into a switch move.

a whole team of these and you can't lose the only thing it really needs is a stick web setup.

Result of some testing

Weavile with icicle Crash+ Assurance + black belt is a POWERFUL anti meta pick out speeding Mew if nothing else.
Fake out is great for a tiny bit of extra damage before committing

Unsure of a good 4th move im still testing it

Im also playing around with pickpocket and fling but too slow or lacking a movepool to abuse it in any hilarious ways. (kinda wanna buff defense tank the hit and then force them to switch having taken their item but no pokemon has all of that)

Scratch the above Shifty
 
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Ivy

resident enigma
is a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributor
I'm surprised no one ive run into is running assurance it's made for Linked 120 move provided the first attack hits

Test fakeout
100% flinch into a switch move.

a whole team of these and you can't lose the only thing it really needs is a stick web setup.

Result of some testing

Weavile with icicle Crash+ Assurance + black belt is a POWERFUL anti meta pick out speeding Mew if nothing else.
Fake out is great for a tiny bit of extra damage before committing
Assurance is a staple on literally every Dark-type. I'm surprised Weavile is underutilized enough to be considered "anti meta" lol. It can even help deal with Dragapult thanks to Ice Shard.
 
Weavile with icicle Crash+ Assurance + black belt is a POWERFUL anti meta pick out speeding Mew if nothing else.
Fake out is great for a tiny bit of extra damage before committing
I actually usually run Knock Off->Assurance if I am going to use Assurance on Weavile with Sword Dance, Ice Shards, and Heavy Duty boots.
Other Weavile sets you can run are Sword Dance->Triple Axle with Knock Off and Ice Shards. Both sets are great and depend on if your team. KO->Ass is better for more immediate threats and against Ice resists, while SD->TA is better against walls and Dark type resists, but also needs protective pads and can miss (something IC->Ass does have a problem with so you might want to run Ice Punch. Slightly weaker but you already do so much damage anyways and you’ll use Icicle Crash for Landorus-T anyways)
Both are great for dealing with suicide leads actually. Both can bypass Sash and Red Card and Weavile is fast too. Only Shuckle can set up against Weavile, which isn’t really an issue since Knock Off->Taunt Mew/Azelf is also a good lead and pairs well with Weavile.
 
After recovering back to 1.4k MMR due to the Volcarona quickban messing with my team, here's my team again:

https://pokepast.es/316f72c79080384d

Mew @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Imprison
- Transform
- Trick
- Soft-Boiled

Bisharp @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Polteageist-Antique @ Focus Sash
Ability: Weak Armor
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Giga Drain
- Shadow Ball

Clefable (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 180 Def / 8 SpA / 64 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Cosmic Power
- Soft-Boiled
- Moonblast
- Stored Power

Rillaboom (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drum Beating
- Grassy Glide
- Superpower

Barraskewda (M) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Propeller Tail
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Liquidation
- Flip Turn
- Aqua Jet
- Close Combat

There's nothing much that has changed really, aside from the fact that I now have zero fire moves (sadly). Steelix has been replaced to Bisharp, and Polteageist takes Volcarona's place. I've also given my signature Mew Soft-Boiled to recover in the mid stages of the game. No one runs Assault Vest either way, though I now should be careful against Black Sludge users. Mew can't really do anything against Trick users such as Choice Trick Lele anyway as they'd just opt in for a damaging move until you stop tricking your scarf and switch out. This team is definitely much weaker than before, so I take "Ban Mew" back, as without Volcarona, my team really suffered a lot. The increase of players in this OM also meant that counterplay against this type of Mew are being brainstormed significantly faster.
 
After recovering back to 1.4k MMR due to the Volcarona quickban messing with my team, here's my team again:

https://pokepast.es/316f72c79080384d

Mew @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Imprison
- Transform
- Trick
- Soft-Boiled

Bisharp @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Polteageist-Antique @ Focus Sash
Ability: Weak Armor
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Giga Drain
- Shadow Ball

Clefable (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 180 Def / 8 SpA / 64 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Cosmic Power
- Soft-Boiled
- Moonblast
- Stored Power

Rillaboom (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drum Beating
- Grassy Glide
- Superpower

Barraskewda (M) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Propeller Tail
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Liquidation
- Flip Turn
- Aqua Jet
- Close Combat

There's nothing much that has changed really, aside from the fact that I now have zero fire moves (sadly). Steelix has been replaced to Bisharp, and Polteageist takes Volcarona's place. I've also given my signature Mew Soft-Boiled to recover in the mid stages of the game. No one runs Assault Vest either way, though I now should be careful against Black Sludge users. Mew can't really do anything against Trick users such as Choice Trick Lele anyway as they'd just opt in for a damaging move until you stop tricking your scarf and switch out. This team is definitely much weaker than before, so I take "Ban Mew" back, as without Volcarona, my team really suffered a lot. The increase of players in this OM also meant that counterplay against this type of Mew are being brainstormed significantly faster.
What's funny is I have been using mew aswell but with a different approach and if they attempt to counter your mew they would lose to mine, and should they prepare for mine they lose to yours. Still may end up banned tbh its insanely overpowered against any team not running speed control of their own. Like literally anything slower than mew essentially has a 50/50 they have to win guessing the wrong move can equal guaranteed death (I'll go into further detail later when I upload my team)

Screenshot_20220220-103305_Samsung Internet.jpg
On a side note just reclaimed #1 at 1560- really enjoying being pushed in this OM!
 
What's funny is I have been using mew aswell but with a different approach and if they attempt to counter your mew they would lose to mine, and should they prepare for mine they lose to yours. Still may end up banned tbh its insanely overpowered against any team not running speed control of their own. Like literally anything slower than mew essentially has a 50/50 they have to win guessing the wrong move can equal guaranteed death (I'll go into further detail later when I upload my team)

View attachment 408317
On a side note just reclaimed #1 at 1560- really enjoying being pushed in this OM!
I don’t think Mew is really ban worthy. Imprison+Transform is annoying but not that hard to deal with even when linked, and plenty of Pokemon have Trick or Switcheroo including Prankster Pokemon. I think that restricting Imprison to be in slot 3/4 would be better as Mew with its other sets are fine as is, and banning Mew as a whole would cause collateral damage to teams that want a suicide lead that beats other suicide leads while also being an emergency counterplay to set up sweepers. Or any team that uses Mew outside of Transform set.
 
I don’t think Mew is really ban worthy. Imprison+Transform is annoying but not that hard to deal with even when linked, and plenty of Pokemon have Trick or Switcheroo including Prankster Pokemon. I think that restricting Imprison to be in slot 3/4 would be better as Mew with its other sets are fine as is, and banning Mew as a whole would cause collateral damage to teams that want a suicide lead that beats other suicide leads while also being an emergency counterplay to set up sweepers. Or any team that uses Mew outside of Transform set.
I think the true problem of Mew is that it's a really unpredictable mon. Is it running Choice Trick Imp? Is it running offense? Is it running hazards? Is it running stall? Is it running dual screens? No-one really knows. If people knew in advanced that one is bringing Imposter + Transform Mew in his team, then it wouldn't be that OP.
 
I think the true problem of Mew is that it's a really unpredictable mon. Is it running Choice Trick Imp? Is it running offense? Is it running hazards? Is it running stall? Is it running dual screens? No-one really knows. If people knew in advanced that one is bringing Imposter + Transform Mew in his team, then it wouldn't be that OP.
Exactly what I was getting at.

Dragapult was often cited being problematic because it had 2 devastating sets that could kill a switch in trying to block the other. Mew does this but takes it that much further. Now I am open to counter points but just Imagine this scenario.

A tailwind tornados uses tailwind and then gets switched out VIA eject button.Mew comes in. Your slower due too tailwind. Here are 3 of many possible mews
Mew 1: Dragon Dance Psychic fangs
Mew 2: Trick + Choice Scarf + Imprisiform
Mew 3: Mental Herb + Block + Imprisiform

What on your team can switch into all 3 of these ? And remember even if you predict correctly what if I use block instead of Imprisiform? Now you cannot switch after baiting a transform and instead whatever you just sent in is guaranteed to die unless it's prankster trick/taunt. But what if I transformed? Now you have to switch. But again I could have been a set up set, or tricked your taunted with a scarf. Etc.

With sets like block + imprisiform it makes the potential of a single misplay result in death but if you play with this mind then potential set up mews may become too powerful to counter. Now again, maybe I'm wrong and prankster sub/taunt/trick is good enough to justify its spot to counter Mew but a well played Mew has won me enough games that I have been comfortably sitting at the top of the ladder simply because of how confident I am playing Mew vs. My opponents with the pay off it provides with little risk. (You can just switch if they predict correct and preserve Mew to try again later, meaning you have many "re-rolls" on the 50/50)
 
Exactly what I was getting at.

Dragapult was often cited being problematic because it had 2 devastating sets that could kill a switch in trying to block the other. Mew does this but takes it that much further. Now I am open to counter points but just Imagine this scenario.

A tailwind tornados uses tailwind and then gets switched out VIA eject button.Mew comes in. Your slower due too tailwind. Here are 3 of many possible mews
Mew 1: Dragon Dance Psychic fangs
Mew 2: Trick + Choice Scarf + Imprisiform
Mew 3: Mental Herb + Block + Imprisiform

What on your team can switch into all 3 of these ? And remember even if you predict correctly what if I use block instead of Imprisiform? Now you cannot switch after baiting a transform and instead whatever you just sent in is guaranteed to die unless it's prankster trick/taunt. But what if I transformed? Now you have to switch. But again I could have been a set up set, or tricked your taunted with a scarf. Etc.

With sets like block + imprisiform it makes the potential of a single misplay result in death but if you play with this mind then potential set up mews may become too powerful to counter. Now again, maybe I'm wrong and prankster sub/taunt/trick is good enough to justify its spot to counter Mew but a well played Mew has won me enough games that I have been comfortably sitting at the top of the ladder simply because of how confident I am playing Mew vs. My opponents with the pay off it provides with little risk. (You can just switch if they predict correct and preserve Mew to try again later, meaning you have many "re-rolls" on the 50/50)
This. Also, keep in mind that my Choice Trick Mew can run Block alongside with Trick, it's just that I don't know how to utilize Block on Mew correctly, so I opt not running it. But on the other hand, I've been running into teams that seem to counter my team, which is why I took my stance on banning Mew back, but I don't know, maybe it's just because my team has alot of weaknesses and that Mew is truly overpowered.
 
I think the true problem of Mew is that it's a really unpredictable mon. Is it running Choice Trick Imp? Is it running offense? Is it running hazards? Is it running stall? Is it running dual screens? No-one really knows. If people knew in advanced that one is bringing Imposter + Transform Mew in his team, then it wouldn't be that OP.
Exactly what I was getting at.

Dragapult was often cited being problematic because it had 2 devastating sets that could kill a switch in trying to block the other. Mew does this but takes it that much further. Now I am open to counter points but just Imagine this scenario.

A tailwind tornados uses tailwind and then gets switched out VIA eject button.Mew comes in. Your slower due too tailwind. Here are 3 of many possible mews
Mew 1: Dragon Dance Psychic fangs
Mew 2: Trick + Choice Scarf + Imprisiform
Mew 3: Mental Herb + Block + Imprisiform

What on your team can switch into all 3 of these ? And remember even if you predict correctly what if I use block instead of Imprisiform? Now you cannot switch after baiting a transform and instead whatever you just sent in is guaranteed to die unless it's prankster trick/taunt. But what if I transformed? Now you have to switch. But again I could have been a set up set, or tricked your taunted with a scarf. Etc.

With sets like block + imprisiform it makes the potential of a single misplay result in death but if you play with this mind then potential set up mews may become too powerful to counter. Now again, maybe I'm wrong and prankster sub/taunt/trick is good enough to justify its spot to counter Mew but a well played Mew has won me enough games that I have been comfortably sitting at the top of the ladder simply because of how confident I am playing Mew vs. My opponents with the pay off it provides with little risk. (You can just switch if they predict correct and preserve Mew to try again later, meaning you have many "re-rolls" on the 50/50)
Well unpredictability can only get you so far. Landorus-T can be Defensive Rocks, Defog, SD+RP, SD+Sub, Bulk Up+RP, Suicide Lead, SmackQuake, or QuakeTurn, and you can even honestly run Calm Mind sets if you wanted to.
Unpredictability isn’t inherently broken or even useful. Would not knowing Mew was running Screen before it used them really made you lose the game? And that’s assuming your opponent didn’t give it away through team preview.
With Dragapult it’s busted since Dart Dance sets have very specific counters in Unaware and Priority (where often you’ll need 2 priority users and to sack something), and then it’s Hex set completely invalidates those counters when every priority aside from Vacuum Wave is Physical (while also having a 130 BP STAB move hurled at them) and Unaware Pokemon are usually physical walls.
There is also the fact that Dragapult is capable of setting up on a lot more Pokemon than Dragon Dance Mew due to it’s absurd speed stat, defensive profile, and hitting way harder with 120 Atk effective 100 BP STAB vs 100 Atk 85 BP STAB.
But more importantly is that imprison still seems like the only problem here. Checks like Grimmsnarl and Klefki only really fail against Imprison sets, and Klefki can beat those sets too with regular Switcheroo set or Switcheroo with Imprison itself if you really wanted to make sure.
But you solve those issues with Mew anyways by restricting Imprison, as it’s unpredictability isn’t so deadly as compared to something like Dragapult.

On a different topic;
:ss/Heatran:
Heatran @ Binding Band/Throat Spray
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Metal Sound
- Magma Storm

- Earth Power
- Taunt/Toxic
With Unaware Clefable being so common, this Heatran set take advantage of the fact that Clefable is not running Magic Guard and that Unaware doesn’t account for the user’s own stat drops. Metal Sound, while Nasty Plot would be better, acts as a psuedo Nasty Plot that is worse in every scenario except up against Unaware Clefable because Clefable’s SpD is still halves by Metal Sound. There is also basically nothing baring an opposing Heatran that wants to switch into Magma Storm while having their SpD lowered by 2 stages.
Binding Band makes Magma Storm’s residual damage even stronger, so even against something like Blissey or the Slowtwins, who do not like Metal Sound anyways, they’ll take a disgusting amount of damage.
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey: 253-298 (35.4 - 41.7%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO after trapping damage
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 110-130 (27.9 - 32.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after trapping damage
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 130-153 (37.7 - 44.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery and trapping damage
The extra trapping damage is nice since Taunt is usually the safer follow-up than to use Metal -> Storm.
Additionally, Heatran can run Throat Spray, which makes Magma Storm hit like it has 300 BP if Metal Sound succesfully hits, but this does mean that Heatran loses the power if it switches out.

Screech and Metal Sound/Acid Spray seem pretty underrated, as not every Pokemon has access to Sword Dance or Nasty Plot, and they are also useful against Bulk Up, Calm Mind, Cosmic Power, and Unaware respectfully. Another Pokemon like Crobat can run something similar as it doesn’t get Sword Dance for Brave Bird.


Edit: Gonna be honest with you all and say I don’t know how much longer I can take this meta in its current state. It’s basically unplayable currently because for some reason Dragapult wasn’t just Quick Banned like Volcarona, and other things like Tailwind not being restricted and how constrained the meta is. The deadline for the Dragapult and Kartana Suspect literally only leaves 2 days left after before it gets replaced by another meta for the month, and of course suspect tests now don’t ban the Pokemon while testing the meta (which is honestly why I avoid modern suspect tests). And that’s just a few issues with the meta as a whole. There is still Imprison, Tailwind, Clefable, and the near impossibility of revenge killing in this meta.
Maybe things will get better the 26th when (not if) Pult is banned, maybe there is a miracle where it’s banned sooner, but for now I’m not touching the meta. It’s just not fun currently.
 
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After recovering back to 1.4k MMR due to the Volcarona quickban messing with my team, here's my team again:

https://pokepast.es/316f72c79080384d

Mew @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Imprison
- Transform
- Trick
- Soft-Boiled

Bisharp @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Polteageist-Antique @ Focus Sash
Ability: Weak Armor
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Stored Power
- Giga Drain
- Shadow Ball

Clefable (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 180 Def / 8 SpA / 64 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Cosmic Power
- Soft-Boiled
- Moonblast
- Stored Power

Rillaboom (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drum Beating
- Grassy Glide
- Superpower

Barraskewda (M) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Propeller Tail
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Liquidation
- Flip Turn
- Aqua Jet
- Close Combat

There's nothing much that has changed really, aside from the fact that I now have zero fire moves (sadly). Steelix has been replaced to Bisharp, and Polteageist takes Volcarona's place. I've also given my signature Mew Soft-Boiled to recover in the mid stages of the game. No one runs Assault Vest either way, though I now should be careful against Black Sludge users. Mew can't really do anything against Trick users such as Choice Trick Lele anyway as they'd just opt in for a damaging move until you stop tricking your scarf and switch out. This team is definitely much weaker than before, so I take "Ban Mew" back, as without Volcarona, my team really suffered a lot. The increase of players in this OM also meant that counterplay against this type of Mew are being brainstormed significantly faster.
Damn, looks like I've been gone from Linked for too long, but I do agree now the meta becomes much more careful than the past, so if they see a Mew... This time, it's counterable.
 
Well unpredictability can only get you so far. Landorus-T can be Defensive Rocks, Defog, SD+RP, SD+Sub, Bulk Up+RP, Suicide Lead, SmackQuake, or QuakeTurn, and you can even honestly run Calm Mind sets if you wanted to.
Unpredictability isn’t inherently broken or even useful. Would not knowing Mew was running Screen before it used them really made you lose the game? And that’s assuming your opponent didn’t give it away through team preview.
With Dragapult it’s busted since Dart Dance sets have very specific counters in Unaware and Priority (where often you’ll need 2 priority users and to sack something), and then it’s Hex set completely invalidates those counters when every priority aside from Vacuum Wave is Physical (while also having a 130 BP STAB move hurled at them) and Unaware Pokemon are usually physical walls.
There is also the fact that Dragapult is capable of setting up on a lot more Pokemon than Dragon Dance Mew due to it’s absurd speed stat, defensive profile, and hitting way harder with 120 Atk effective 100 BP STAB vs 100 Atk 85 BP STAB.
But more importantly is that imprison still seems like the only problem here. Checks like Grimmsnarl and Klefki only really fail against Imprison sets, and Klefki can beat those sets too with regular Switcheroo set or Switcheroo with Imprison itself if you really wanted to make sure.
But you solve those issues with Mew anyways by restricting Imprison, as it’s unpredictability isn’t so deadly as compared to something like Dragapult.

On a different topic;
:ss/Heatran:
Heatran @ Binding Band/Throat Spray
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Metal Sound
- Magma Storm

- Earth Power
- Taunt/Toxic
With Unaware Clefable being so common, this Heatran set take advantage of the fact that Clefable is not running Magic Guard and that Unaware doesn’t account for the user’s own stat drops. Metal Sound, while Nasty Plot would be better, acts as a psuedo Nasty Plot that is worse in every scenario except up against Unaware Clefable because Clefable’s SpD is still halves by Metal Sound. There is also basically nothing baring an opposing Heatran that wants to switch into Magma Storm while having their SpD lowered by 2 stages.
Binding Band makes Magma Storm’s residual damage even stronger, so even against something like Blissey or the Slowtwins, who do not like Metal Sound anyways, they’ll take a disgusting amount of damage.
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey: 253-298 (35.4 - 41.7%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO after trapping damage
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 110-130 (27.9 - 32.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after trapping damage
252 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. -2 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 130-153 (37.7 - 44.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery and trapping damage
The extra trapping damage is nice since Taunt is usually the safer follow-up than to use Metal -> Storm.
Additionally, Heatran can run Throat Spray, which makes Magma Storm hit like it has 300 BP if Metal Sound succesfully hits, but this does mean that Heatran loses the power if it switches out.

Screech and Metal Sound/Acid Spray seem pretty underrated, as not every Pokemon has access to Sword Dance or Nasty Plot, and they are also useful against Bulk Up, Calm Mind, Cosmic Power, and Unaware respectfully. Another Pokemon like Crobat can run something similar as it doesn’t get Sword Dance for Brave Bird.


Edit: Gonna be honest with you all and say I don’t know how much longer I can take this meta in its current state. It’s basically unplayable currently because for some reason Dragapult wasn’t just Quick Banned like Volcarona, and other things like Tailwind not being restricted and how constrained the meta is. The deadline for the Dragapult and Kartana Suspect literally only leaves 2 days left after before it gets replaced by another meta for the month, and of course suspect tests now don’t ban the Pokemon while testing the meta (which is honestly why I avoid modern suspect tests). And that’s just a few issues with the meta as a whole. There is still Imprison, Tailwind, Clefable, and the near impossibility of revenge killing in this meta.
Maybe things will get better the 26th when (not if) Pult is banned, maybe there is a miracle where it’s banned sooner, but for now I’m not touching the meta. It’s just not fun currently.
I appreciate you feedback, but I must say I'm having a blast ! Last time I played Linked was gen 7 and had just as much fun :) I get your frustration though
 

tzaur

فلسطين حرة
is a Tiering Contributor
Does Prankster alter the priority brackets in any way when the first two slots are status moves? In this match, turn 22, the opposing Whimsicott outran my Weavile, which is running Jolly 252 Atk / 252 Spe+ (I triple checked), when I clicked Ice Shard which shares the same priority bracket as Prankster Tailwind. I checked to see if Ice Shard and Prankster moves share the same priority brackets, and they do. I also have Ice Shard in the third slot, so the priority bracket for the move should remain at +1. What happened here? Shouldn't the combined priority bracket of Whim's Prank TW -> SuD be +1?

Pretty sure Weav should've cleaned up here by picking off the Whim and the Torn-T with the +6 Ice Shard denying both of them the Tailwind and killing the Darm with SD -> Knock save for some Sash set (which in that case Nihilego would've just RK'ed anyway).
 
Screenshot 2022-02-21 at 23.12.17.png

Laser Focus Kingdra Peak No.2: https://pokepast.es/281ad3f9dfca6099

230Kingdra.png731-7318678_pelipper-png.pngkindpng_1350264.png812Rillaboom.png036Clefable.png208Steelix.png

  • Kingdra - 100% crit LO surf in rain usually OHKOs everything in the game. Laser Focus in linked lets you get two turns of crit so can crit next turn with Hydro/Draco
  • Peliper - U-turns rain and Tailwind for added power and much needed speed. Roost was never clicked on Peli in this meta so Defog Scald the optimal set
  • Gengar - Scarf with trick to cripple pokemon with linked moves that set up before attacking. Nasty Plot + Shadowball link for post trick
  • Rillaboom - Priority user on the team. Grassy Seed to help against Kart and aid setting up v lotta physical threats. Speed to move faster than base 110s after a drum beating. If boom dies after drum beating, slows down poke for kingdra KO.
  • Clefable - Villian. Awful. I built this team to beat this set. Ban this. Stole the set posted here by CaptMicrowave on his top ranked team and its not fair. Sets up on just about anything don't die. Auto lose if it comes in on fodder you dont have stat lowering + attack, mold breaker, 100% sniper crit, toxic or trick choice-item in the back. Likely replace with Comfey if this gets banned.
  • Steelix - Honestly, SR are nice but, team doesn't need it. I like Sub for predicting imprison transform mew switch ins but play around with last move and Rocky Helm>Leftovers if you want. Iron Defense + Body Press does good thing. Much needed check/counter to a lot of Electric types.
Free wins VS a lotta teams but weak af to nidoking, opposing gengar and, imprision transform mew. Peaking no.1 v hard with so many imprison transform mew variants being used. Please ban imprison transform mew along with clef, harmful to the meta fosho.
 
1st: Steadfast when you use a linked move against a Fake Out user is REALLY BROKEN, it boosts speed two times

2nd: Toxic + Venoshock Salazzle and Electric Terrain + Rising Voltage Zeraora are really fun to play

Here's a replay
 
Another thing I would like to point is: I saw someone using heatran, and it would have no way to outspeed a Weavile without a scarf, right? yet, I saw a heatran that outspeed Weavile and was able to use the linked move as if it wasn't choice locked
 
Another thing I would like to point is: I saw someone using heatran, and it would have no way to outspeed a Weavile without a scarf, right? yet, I saw a heatran that outspeed Weavile and was able to use the linked move as if it wasn't choice locked
Was tailwind up or even trick room?

so are we banning imprison transform mew or what
I sure hope not but probably will get suspect although meta is nearly over and Mew prolly gonna stay in till months end
 
I sure hope not but probably will get suspect although meta is nearly over and Mew prolly gonna stay in till months end
Why, don't you think it's toxic? It's basically an insta win against anything that isn't faster and is not carrying taunt. no switch in is safe and if paired up with tailwind then tough luck you ain't touching it. If we're not banning it why do we bother with volcarona and dragapult both are much easier to counter.
 
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Why, don't you think it's toxic? It's basically an insta win against anything that isn't faster and is not carrying taunt. no switch in is safe and if paired up with tailwind then tough luck you ain't touching it. If we're not banning it why do we bother with volcarona and dragapult both are much easier to counter.
Oh I know I pointed it all that out above, I just hope not cause i love using it. Idk if its ban worthy but I believe it is suspect worthy
 

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