(credit to ken sugimori)
Hello Smogon, my name is Branflakes and this is my fifth RMT. I have had a passion for showdown laddering since I was 7 and most of the teams I've made are full/semi stall. This time I tried my luck at creating a balanced team that leads more towards offense and stall-breaking. As always, I attempt to account for most relevant threats in a given tier, and this team showcases some of the popular offensive cores in the metagame, as well as some that are less often seen. In anticipation of an AG tier being born as a result of Mega Rayquaza's immediate dominance in Ubers, I have been slowly piecing together a team suitable for a metagame where clauses do not exist. Yes, even santa clause does not exist in this new tier.
Peaks:
I made a bunch of testing accounts, most of which have been doing decently. I figured with the amount of success I've had, the team is at least able to hold its own against the standard threats that this metagame has to offer.
Preview
Like most other balanced teams, this one was built in an attempt to deal with most of AG’s most relevant threats. Setup sweepers such as Moody Octillery are omnipresent in all AG team archetypes, which means that special measures must be taken to ensure that such sweepers are prevented from setting up or KOing more than one team member. Thus, the team started with an offensive Darkrai set that performs multiple roles well and doesn’t require a ton of support besides
Team Building Process
The team building began with a simple offensive core that was supposed to do a good job at staying healthy and providing decent team support while holding its own offensively. I noticed that many of the top tier threats (according to the AG viability thread) were physical wall-breakers and sweepers, so I was naturally inclined to reinforce my team’s bulkiness
I did not want to compromise Darkrai's amazing speed by investing in bulk, so I instead included a couple focus sash users that could survive hits since hazards are very uncommon in this metagame. The idea of the second core is that is can survive hits from anything besides speed boosted Mega Heracross, and set up a sub after hitting Dark Void.
My team was lacking hazards, spin support and offense so I
It took only a few low-ladder matches to know that my team needed some big changes. Sableye was a poor choice because it has no way of putting things to sleep, fire types were too common to use will-o-wisp safely, and it disrupted the team's
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Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai is a very solid pokemon offensively and defensively despite its typing being a double-edged sword. The primary purpose of this set is putting things to sleep and stalling with Sub, and it excels at this by having enough bulk to take a hit if Dark Void misses (dark void never misses). Darkrai’s offensive capabilities are nothing to scoff at, as they give it the duality of being a stall-oriented pokemon with more than enough offensive pressure to force switches and dish out damage. The speed investment gives it safe sub opportunities whenever possible, while offering it a means of beating offensive threats including almost everything that doesn't outspeed and OHKO it.
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
This team slot originally belonged to non-shiny Darkrai to establish defensive synergy with other non-shiny Darkrai. The defensive core was completed by Darkrai who was later replaced by Darkrai, and thus Darkrai became a perfect support option by inheriting Darkrai’s sub/taunt abilities. Dark Void assists Darkrai against most physical setup sweepers regardless of their typings, giving it an edge over other Darkrais that would often be used as setup bait. The rest of the team has respectable mixed bulk despite all of the specially oriented EV spreads, which takes some of the burden off Darkrai especially when dealing with VoltTurn and opposing Darkrai.
Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Nasty Plot Darkrai generally struggles in this metagame by facing too much competition as a setup sweper and not having enough raw bulk to do anything effectively with its great defensive typing (not to mention being outclassed by Xerneas in this aspect). Instead, Darkrai has arguably the best ability to use along with Dark Void, distinguishing itself from most other sleep inducers in the game such as Moody Smeargle.
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Void
Darkrai is more than it meets the eye. This set is basically ripped straight from the typical Darkrai sets with some added utility in Will-O-Wisp. Darkrai distinguishes itself from other wisp users by having impressive mixed offenses/bulk and a threatening presence in being a potentially unbreakable setup sweeper by bluffing Nasty Plot. While its subpar offensive stats don’t always allow Darkrai to KO every powerful u-turn user, STAB Dark Pulse can quickly become threatening to almost everything in the tier as long as you put opponents to sleep. Darkrai’s greatest weakness is its inability to effectively run coverage moves against pokemon such as Conkeldurr and Spdef Roserade due to its lack of good coverage. Fortunately, there are very few relevant pokemon in the tier that can use Darkrai as setup bait while simultaneously being able to deal with Darkrai. Thus, Darkrai and Darkrai have enough offensive synergy to hold their own against most offensive and defensive teams in AG. I would like to see this pokemon get more usage in the coming months, because it performs impressively in the current meta. Definitely the underdog of the team and a very underrated threat.
Note: HP Fire actually sucks. Don't use this move. Don't even use this team
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
- Dark Void
Every offensive team needs some sort of powerful physical setup sweeper, and Darkrai fits this role perfectly by easily creating setup opportunities. Sucker Punch and Drain Punch have decent offensive coverage despite having a relatively low base attack, and Swords Dance/Dark Void greatly assists in breaking down other defensively-oriented cores. Defensively, Darkrai completes the Darkrai/Darkrai defensive core by offering valuable resistances to Dark(rai), Psychic and Ghost. Considering Darkrai’s lack of recovery, Darkrai does an excellent job at reinforcing these three resistances, thus further solidifying the team’s ability to keep all essential members alive when needed.
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
See: Darkrai
Threat List
Xerneas - Specifically mono-Xerneas teams. Just forfeit.
Lum Berry Slurpuff
denisSsS baton pass
Scarf Mega Heracross
Replays
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/anythinggoes-187764687
While the team is pretty effective in its current state, it is subject to change seeing how the metagame is constantly changing and obviously not everything about the team is perfect. Feel free to comment, rate and make suggestions.
Importable
Be sure to credit me every time you use this team. Also please like, comment and subscribe because it really helps out my channel.
Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
- Dark Void
Darkrai @ Lum Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Dark Void
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