What is up, dumbasses and dumbassettes! Tic-Tac-Toe Guru back again with a bit of an interesting post today. I’m going to be doing a redux RMT of my most famous and iconic team, Tenta Webs from Gen7 Anything Goes. I did a lot of looking back on Tenta Webs after I posted my initial RMT, which I was pleasantly surprised to learn won a RMT of the month award, which was pretty cool considering I had no idea such a thing existed. I still knew however that it was a flawed team and had glaring issues that I did not know how to circumvent without throwing away the novelty that makes the team what it is, that being Tentacruel. I did however fix the team in some respects, I think; I added in some more common webs offense tropes on a couple of the Pokemon here while also attempting to fix my matchup with other hyper offense teams, specifically ones containing Vivillon, and in turn I believe I also improved the matchup against the ever present and ever so annoying Baton Pass. My goal with this redux RMT is to outline the edits I made and hope to convince you all that this team is significantly improved and still a force to be reckoned with in the Gen7 AG metagame.
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Stealth Rock
- Infestation
- Encore
My set for Shuckle has not changed. It’s the standard Shuckle webs-setting set for Gen7 AG, and it’s still as effective as ever. Dual hazards+Infestation trapping+Encore is still a potent force for inhibiting proper hazard removal (Defogging specifically) and pairs very well with Tentacruel.
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Haze
My Tentacruel set hasn’t changed either. It’s still the unique spinner/Toxic Spikes-layer you all know and love. It pairs well with Shuckle to inhibit the defogging capabilities of Pokemon like Arceus-Fairy. It has Haze to help with the annoyance that is Baton Pass and set-up sweepers, and it has Scald because Scald.
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
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- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
I did end up changing my Mega Rayquaza set to be more in line with the traditional Webs Offense variant. Jolly nature allows it to at best speed tie with opposing non-Choice Scarf variants, and a +2 boost from Swords Dance allows it to OHKO opposing Defog Arceus-Fairy that would otherwise be able to Defog my hazards away on a switch-in. It allows hazards to be up in more games and lead to more wins in turn. This has proved to be better than Adamant Dragon Dance, as I can OHKO Defog Arceus-Fairy after one boost, and I outspeed a good amount of Mega Rayquaza sets by virtue of being Jolly.
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Spout
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
- Origin Pulse
My Kyogre set is still the same standard specially-offensive juggernaut it was when the first iteration of the team was conceived. It destroys so many bulky obstacles facing this team, such as pretty much any Arceus form and Zygarde, and it also helps against the annoyance to this team that is Yveltal.
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Force
- Extreme Speed
- Stone Edge
I did change Arceus-Ghost’s nature to Adamant. This gives it the chance (if only slight) to OHKO full defensive Ho-oh without a boost, something it was incapable of doing with Jolly, and it allows a +2 boosted Stone Edge to OHKO full defensive Yveltal reliably after rocks, which, again, Jolly was unable to accomplish.
252+ Atk Arceus-Ghost Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 352-416 (84.6 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
+2 252+ Atk Arceus-Ghost Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Yveltal: 338-398 (74.1 - 87.2%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Photon Geyser
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Necrozma is the last and most significant Pokemon I’ve edited since I made my initial RMT. Two of the major threats I’ve encountered with this team over the years are Arceus-Dark and Vivillon. I gave Necrozma X-Scissor to help with the Arceus-Dark issue, which has helped, dealing great damage to defensive Arceus-Dark at +2, and this change paired with Kyogre is usually sufficient in dealing with Arceus-Dark. The Vivillon issue was more worrisome. I initially switched Sunsteel Strike for Substitute, which is very weird and unconventional, but it did help with the issue. I did, however, find a better solution, that being Rock Blast. Rock Blast allows Necrozma to circumvent the Focus Sash and Substitute, something which it could not do reliably with Substitute. It can also switch into Vivillon whilst being put to sleep in the hopes that it can wake up and one-shot the demonic butterfly without worry of it being set up on too much to where Substitute becomes near ineffective. Rock Blast also helps against opposing Smeargle leads, as Rock Blast has a chance to OHKO after 4 hits and WILL OHKO with 5 hits. This allows the hazard momentum to favor me against opposing Smeargle Webs teams. It also helps against more common BP teams, giving it the chance to eradicate Pokemon like Scolipede and Drifblim after a Swords Dance boost.
Mega Sableye, and specifically Bounce Stall teams in general, are still problematic for the same reasons as before. Magic Bounce significantly inhibits my ability to get hazards up on the field, specifically Stealth Rock, which would allow me to deal with Pokemon like Lugia much more effectively.
Yveltal is probably the biggest threat to this team still. Its typing alone is still problematic; Dark hits 2 of my Pokémon for super-effective damage, and its Flying typing means it is immune to webs. It is an extremely versatile Pokemon; the offensive variant carrying Sucker Punch poses a significant threat to Arceus-Ghost and Kyogre, the Choice Scarf variant outspeeds my entire team, and I have nothing to slow it down, and the defensive variant still takes a +2 Stone Edge without rocks on the field and can threaten Arceus-Ghost, and it can also threaten Rayquaza and Necrozma with Foul Play, as neither of them can reliably OHKO it. Kyogre is key against Yveltal, but it’s such a versatile Pokemon, and one that can be faster than Kyogre, that it’s by no means a fix-all solution.
The issues that Arceus-Dark plagued upon this team in the past are still by no means eradicated; Kyogre is the only thing that deals with it comfortably, but if it’s paired with Primal Groudon or Ferrothorn, it can be a hard pill to swallow. A Calm Mind set can be especially frustrating if I can’t keep webs on the field. Putting X-Scissor on Necrozma gives me a bit of an easier time dealing with it, but it’s by no means a complete fix to this problem.
Specifically Choice Scarf Mega Rayquaza is a big issue for this team. It has no reliable switch-ins and outspeeds everything on my team. It can be played around with rocks, priority from my own Mega Rayquaza and Arceus-Ghost, and calling a correct move and switching into something like Necrozma-Dusk-Mane, which can take a Dragon Ascent, or Kyogre, which can sponge a V-Create. Jolly Mega Rayquaza sets can be problematic too, since Adamant nature Arceus-Ghost no longer outspeeds it, but I do again have priority, and Ultra Necrozma outspeeds it, so it isn’t as much of an issue.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed my redux RMT of Tenta Webs! I haven’t done an RMT in a while and I’ve wanted to do one for a while, but with school and other outside activities that take precedence over mons, I just haven’t found the time or the motivation to make one on any new teams. As always, please leave any constructive criticisms if you have any! Peace out!
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