Teambuilding Process
I started with the combo of Tyranitar and Z-Iron Moth, a recent experimentation of mine made during NDFL for shoring up matchups against defensive cores. Pursuit support was also such that Iron Moth could connect its Z-Move against common specially defensive targets used to check it without the risk of being scouted as prominently, which became especially important following the uptick in regen pivots such as Reuniclus and Slowking.
Given the plethora of Steels available, I had to decide on a clear direction that I wanted the team to go towards, so I settled on Jirachi, a rather niche choice otherwise, but one that complemented the aforementioned core very well nonetheless with its pivoting and healing capabilities.
Scarf Tapu Fini provided the team with useful Speed control, removal, and a defensive stop to certain Fighting and Dragon-types. In addition, it also gave the team an additional defensive buffer in Misty Terrain, which could help dissuade status options from walls that the team would attempt to force trades against.
The team at this point needed a backup check against Mega Tyranitar, the most influential Pokemon in the tier by far, an offensive buffer against other sweepers, and something that could profit the most from trades against Pokemon such as Ting-Lu. Leftovers Iron Hands, which I’ve been backing for a few months now, ended up fitting this role perfectly.
Lastly, Excadrill provided the team with an additional form of speed control against late-game threats like Speed Booster Moth, as well as a faster wincon and beneficiary of Tyranitar’s Sand.
Team Overview
@ 
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 192 HP / 44 Atk / 20 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
Bout damn time I got around the country and I hit these stages. I was made to slay them. Ten Thousand.
Ol’ reliable. It is just about impossible to downplay the immense flexibility Tyranitar’s Mega form holds over the meta, with it also extending to meeting the needs of the teams here. I’ve opted to retain maximum Speed investment to get the jump on most defensive Rotom-W and offensive Aegislash sets, the extra EVs being pooled into its bulk, which only increases the capacity it has for trading with things and performing its usual list of early-to-midgame duties, that being setting hazards, softening up various walls with Knock Off, and trapping its crucial targets in Iron Moth and the like. The opportunity cost of running fewer Attack EVs is also much less impactful in this scenario than it normally would for most Pokemon, especially with the huge attack multiplier already afforded by running Adamant.
0 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 192 HP / 20 SpD Tyranitar-Mega in Sand: 110-132 (28.2 - 33.9%) -- 0.3% chance to 3HKO
8 Atk Aegislash-Blade Close Combat vs. 192 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar-Mega: 328-388 (84.3 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Latios-Mega Aura Sphere vs. 192 HP / 20 SpD Tyranitar-Mega in Sand: 228-272 (58.6 - 69.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
@ 
Ability: Quark Drive
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Acid Spray
- Substitute
- Energy Ball
Traded my artist and I pawned off the easel. Spend it all searching for God, Neon Cathedral.
The debatable broken to end all other possible brokens on the list, Iron Moth serves as the team’s main offensive wallbreaker, with only few options left to possibly push it over the edge. Personally, I still hold my belief that a set such as this offers Moth the most flexibility in breaking down its dedicated pivots by far. No Sludge Wave is arguably a blow against certain targets, notably against the Lati-twins, as well as when dealing with certain offensive Fire-types like Volcanion in a pinch, but with most frailer targets falling over to Flamethrower, as well as Pursuit support targeting the Latis, I found it reasonable to make said sacrifice as need be.
252 SpA Iron Moth Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Thundurus-Therian: 186-220 (62.2 - 73.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Moth Inferno Overdrive (175 BP) vs. -2 252 HP / 252+ SpD Vessel of Ruin Ting-Lu: 376-444 (73.1 - 86.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Iron Moth Inferno Overdrive (175 BP) vs. -2 248 HP / 8 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 382-451 (54.3 - 64.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Moth Energy Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Rotom-Wash: 196-232 (64.4 - 76.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
@ 
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 136 SpD / 124 Spe
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Laces woven, barley holdin’ that stich. Creases are time amongst the grime and the grit.
Jirachi is the team’s defensive pivot and momentum generator into dangerous Psychics such as the Lati twins and Calm Mind Clefables, whilst also bolstering the offensive prowess of this team via unrestricted Healing Wishes. You usually run Rocks in the last slot on these types of sets, but Tyranitar being the Rocker here helps put it in a position where other alternatives can be explored. Psychic coverage itself was something I experimented with at some point given the annoyance of Toxapex spamming Knock Off while it was in the tier, however it was still far too situational to make use of effectively, Body Slam on the other hand, allows for potential punishes against late-game Agility Galarian Moltres and Celesteela, which can allow Jirachi or another teammate to break them down more reliably. The Speed EVs allow Jirachi to outspeed Jolly Variants of M-Tyranitar, potentially being able to get off some useful chip on Dragon Dance variants via Iron Head flinches.
+1 0 SpA Latias-Mega Aura Sphere vs. 248 HP / 136+ SpD Jirachi: 92-109 (22.8 - 27%) -- 0% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Enamorus Tectonic Rage (175 BP) vs. 248 HP / 136+ SpD Jirachi: 312-368 (77.2 - 91%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+2 252 SpA Thundurus-Therian Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 136+ SpD Jirachi: 255-300 (63.2 - 74.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Greninja Dark Pulse vs. 248 HP / 136+ SpD Jirachi: 234-276 (58 - 68.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
@ 
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 188 HP / 76 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Trick
- Defog
All I ever dreamt about was making it. They ain’t giving it, I’m taking it.
Scarf Tapu Fini provides a mix of incredible defensive utility to use in the midgame, both directly and indirectly through Misty Terrain. It remains excellent as a midgame stop to the likes of Keldeo, Buzzwole and Hydreigon, whereas its terrain also lingers to aid the team in absorbing status against the likes of Amoonguss and while in the tier, Wisp Cinderace and Toxapex, potentially paving the way for the team’s offense to move forward without repercussion. It even helps as an additional buffer in the stall matchup, threatening out Mega Sableye itself, and being able to cripple a wall such as Slowking, Tangrowth or Quagsire which may interrupt efforts from Iron Moth and Hands otherwise. The given speed EVs allow Tapu Fini to outrun Jolly Mega Aerodactyl before tricking its Scarf.
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 188 HP / 0 Def Tapu Fini: 277-327 (84.4 - 99.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
76 SpA Tapu Fini Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 350-414 (96.9 - 114.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
76 SpA Tapu Fini Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Greninja: 282-332 (98.9 - 116.4%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
@ Ability: Quark Drive
EVs: 152 HP / 36 Atk / 108 Def / 72 SpD / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Punch
I look incredible. I’m in this big-ass coat. From that thrift shop down the road.
The quintessential trade artist down in the NDUU tier himself. Besides its obligatory role in holding off the everpresent Mega Tyranitar, Iron Hands also provides an all-purpose buffer to other offensive threats lurking about, namely Mega Aerodactyl, Zeraora, and Galarian Zapdos in the contexts of this build - even being able to reliably stomach the likes of non-choiced Latios and Enamorus from full when adjusted to do so as such. Earthquake is used over Ice Punch more reliably KO the likes of Aegislash and Iron Moth. In other cases, Iron Hands under Misty Terrain poses a major threat to defensive cores populating the tier, namely VoltTurn teams anchoring on the Ting-Lu + Rotom-Wash + Scizor core as a defensive stopgap to most things, as well as slower ones such as Hippowdon + Celesteela when done right, since they cannot force chip on it reliably and give it many free turns to setup as a result.
132 SpA Iron Moth Fiery Dance vs. 152 HP / 72 SpD Iron Hands: 159-187 (32.6 - 38.3%) -- 98.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 132 SpA Quark Drive Iron Moth Fiery Dance vs. 152 HP / 72 SpD Iron Hands: 307-363 (63 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Excadrill Earthquake vs. 152 HP / 108 Def Iron Hands: 288-338 (59.1 - 69.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Enamorus Moonblast vs. 152 HP / 72 SpD Iron Hands: 396-468 (81.3 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
36+ Atk Iron Hands Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 132+ Def Skeledirge: 174-206 (42.3 - 50.1%) -- 31.3% chance to 2HKO after sandstorm damage
+2 36+ Atk Iron Hands Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Both: 324-382 (100 - 117.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 36+ Atk Iron Hands Drain Punch vs. 252 HP / 120+ Def Rotom-Wash: 187-222 (61.5 - 73%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
@ 
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Midnight drive. Got that gas pedal, leaning back, taking my time.
Still the late-game sweeper with one of the most defining game mechanics behind it to this date. Air Balloon over the usual boosting item or Leftovers is key in particular, giving Excadrill significant midgame utility against common Grounds and against opposing Sand matchups, and its role as a cleaner and speed control largely mitigates the need for them. This is a fairly standard Excadrill set otherwise.
252 Atk Excadrill Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 318-374 (62.2 - 73.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Excadrill Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Tapu Fini: 298-352 (86.8 - 102.6%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Threatlist
(
) - Having balloon on our own helps with this to an extent, but opposing sand abusers, particularly Z-Excadrill can be very threatening if given multiple opportunities over the course of the game, try to maximise offensive pressure against Excadrill, and position Iron Hands and Moth into situations where you aren’t immediately forced out by it without gaining anything in return. Conserving the balloon is also key, albeit somewhat anecdotal when trying to setup sweeps.
- It’s one of the only good hazard removers in the tier, and definitely one of the easiest to fit. Rotom-W also occasionally runs more Speed investment to outrun Tyranitar, and Scarf sets of its own disrupts the gameplan through unblockable momentum + Trick. Try to force it in and chip it with one of the early-game options, while keeping Misty Terrain around should it reveal to have status options.
- Mostly on account of Battle Bond sets, you lose if any team member falls into KO range, in addition to it occasionally fitting Sludge Wave for Fini.
- With Jirachi lacking sufficient SpDef investment to take +2 Shadow Ball on most occasions and the situational nature of Scarf Fini and Excadrill as revengers into it, NP Alakazam becomes very threatening if you don’t manage to keep Sand around.
- SD Hawlucha is often EVed to outrun +2 Excadrill after Unburden with the rest in bulk, and the Terrain defense boost on some occasions doesn’t really help its case when trying to remove it with Iron Hands or Fini, respectively. Keeping both options healthy enough from Preview should be enough to retaliate in a pinch, but it can become very difficult to stop from setting up otherwise.
- Something which the team can struggle to 1v1, at least in theory. Given its massive bulk and ability to force irrecoverable chip damage on every team member, it’s important to keep the sand up to limit Synthesis recovery, and overwhelm it with attacks while falling back onto Jirachi if needed.
(
) - Sticky Web teams are somewhat rare, but highly threatening if loaded into. The core of breakers in conjunction with Air Balloon Aegislash (a common spinblocking option) is often such that depending on the matchup, revenge killing can become rather tricky to do with a slower team that gives many setup opportunities on free turns as needbe. Try to keep Excadrill and Fini to remove the Webs away early on, since an undeterred Iron Moth’s ability to outspeed force KOes against the likes of Zapdos and Thundurus-T is certainly very helpful for alleviating offensive pressure.Replays and Accomplishments
I have used this team throughout the entire Latios suspect, as well as plenty within my own time.
- vs Standard HO - vs Webs.
- vs Hawlucha Offense
- vs VoltTurn
- vs opposing Sandhttps://pokepast.es/e26f6848b75f9dff - No Nicknames
https://pokepast.es/1cc1a3f5270d68a7 - With Nicknames
Tyranitar-Mega @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 192 HP / 44 Atk / 20 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
Iron Moth @ Firium Z
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Acid Spray
- Substitute
- Energy Ball
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 136 SpD / 124 Spe
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 188 HP / 76 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Trick
- Defog
Iron Hands @ Leftovers
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 152 HP / 36 Atk / 108 Def / 72 SpD / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Punch
Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
https://pokepast.es/1cc1a3f5270d68a7 - With Nicknames
Tyranitar-Mega @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 192 HP / 44 Atk / 20 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
Iron Moth @ Firium Z
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Acid Spray
- Substitute
- Energy Ball
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 136 SpD / 124 Spe
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 188 HP / 76 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Trick
- Defog
Iron Hands @ Leftovers
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 152 HP / 36 Atk / 108 Def / 72 SpD / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Punch
Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Shoutouts
NDUU Council and VR Teams: It wouldn’t be the same without each and everyone. Collectively speaking, thanks for being great people to talk to for all those years, and for being right behind me whenever we got to tiering. I hope the tier continues to move forward because of you guys.
Towers of Regigigas: No other team holds the same memory I have of the time we played in NDFL. To every member I and Velcroc led along the way. Stand strong, with or without me in the future we’ll come back to take it ourselves. Long Live the Regiking.
zastra >:)
Great and Glorious Ginkals: #2 best team I’ve ever been a part of. I appreciate you guys having my back during OTSL games, and for bringing it across every tier which was being played that year. I found it especially engaging to watch you all discuss these aspects even if I couldn’t contribute much, and when it came to seeing you guys work towards the eventful nature of our win. Will be happy to talk to each of you anytime.
I also wanna give shoutouts to several parts of the ND community: hidin R8 sealoo Gangsta Spongebob in particular. You were all amazing to know and work with regardless of what we got to. I only wish you the best no matter the endeavour.
Cheers to everyone in this community for an excellent year so far and many more for those interested in accomplishing greatness!!