Heya,
after a handful of years of close calls and failed lab experiments, I finally managed to top the Gen 7 OU ladder with a team of my own creation. Therefore, I figured for my trouble that I would make my first RMT and first forum post overall to share what I've found and ask for advice on where I should look to refine this.
This team started as another one of my goofy low tier spotlight teams, but I noticed I was pretty handily reaching near the top of the ladder even without the help of that fledgling star, and decided to try to change it to improve consistency vs certain team archetypes, and sure enough, I was able to claim the top spot. Hope you enjoy!
The Team
blackwater park (Toxapex) @ Waterium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Atk / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Liquidation
- Toxic Spikes
- Haze / Scald
- Recover
The first mon on this team is probably my favorite. I took inspiration from the legendary CB Pex team that ran wild a few years back, but realized pretty quickly it was going to need retooling if I was to use it on a fatter build. I went with one of its alternatives, Waterium Z with liquidation for a handful of reasons. That CB Pex gained notoriety by taking one of the tier's most passive pokemon and using it to blow up unsuspecting opponents that saw it as an opportunity to set up or to switch in one of their own threats. These include the likes of trapper Heatran, Gliscor, Psychium Z Volcarona, Mega Medicham, and Tapus Lele/Koko among many others. While it doesn't outright kill these (with the exception of Volc) like the original did, it does massive damage and can easily pick up kills after chip damage (also do note that just about all of these can 2HKO Pex, and that switching it in should be done with caution). Toxic Spikes are great for the team, and also for itself when it needs to pick up a kill on an aggressive switch into something like Tapu Lele after a few rounds. Haze is there for general pex stuff and as an out for CM users that the team can otherwise struggle with (the 12 speed lets it get the jump on Reuniclus but may not be necessary.) I've been torn up between Haze and Scald in that slot since the addition of a recent member that will be covered later.
plastic beach (Gastrodon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Scald / Clear Smog
- Earthquake / Clear Smog
- Toxic
- Recover
When building around this Pex, I found pretty quickly that I both wanted the spdef wall it provided, but also really needed the attack investment for it to shine. Thus, I fell back into my old habit of adding double water onto all of my bulkier teams, and Gastrodon fit the bill perfectly. It's a great check to Magearna, Ash Gren, and Tapu Koko among others, and also provides a hard stop to pivots like Zapdos and Rotom-Wash if they do not carry Toxic (this can be scouted around without too much issue.) Moveset is very standard, with Scald for burns, Earthquake for more damage on Heatran and Magearna, Toxic to punish particularly annoying mons like Mega Latias and Serperior. One thing to note is that one of its attacks can be swapped out for Clear Smog to assist with Refresh Mega Latias and primarily for Reuniclus, which poses a large threat to the team. This version would appreciate the aforementioned change of Haze on Toxapex to Scald.
follow the reaper (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 244 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Roost
As shown by the Toxapex, I wasn’t interested in building a team that solely relied on outbulking the opponent. I wanted some setup, and Mega Scizor provided that perfectly, along with a resist to the powerful psychic types running around in the tier. It also works as a great response to Kyurem-Black which rarely carries HP Fire these days in addition to full-time duty as one of the team’s primary ways of pulling out wins. The set is standard for letting it take and roost off special hits, and Knock Off was my coverage move of choice due to the utility it provided my team, along with removing leftovers from common checks like Zapdos and Heatran and being generally neutral at worst coverage to many of Bullet Punch’s resists. It is also an instrumental pokemon in allowing the team to remove itself from harrowing situations vs pokemon like Mega Mawile and Garchomp after other members of the team get the important damage off. Speaking of spreading important damage,
i gotta testify (Tornadus-Therian) (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Def / 48 SpA / 208 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Defog
Tornadus-Therian was my next choice for speed, hazard removal, and for both revenging and getting important damage on some of the team’s biggest potential threats. The spread is one I put in long ago, and can potentially be optimized to better get Regenerator hp recovery on weak special attackers, but it covers the purpose I sought after for it. It lives +2 Mega Mawile Sucker Punch and Adamant Landorus-Therian Stone Edge from full health, and either of Choice Band Kartana Knock Off and +2 Bulky Mega Scizor Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Heat Wave is necessary to properly wear down Mega Mawile/Scizor and properly scare out Ferrothorn that tries to Leech Seed on a Hurricane. Hidden Power Ice is a tech I first thought funny, but eventually found necessary to get huge hits off on Garchomp, Landorus-Therian and Gliscor which otherwise can fire off damage, set up, or click status moves pretty safely on a less invested Hurricane. Lastly, it gives a proper revenge killer to Mega Medicham which can pose a massive threat with the right move selection.
have a nice life (Clefable) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Soft-Boiled
- Stealth Rock
Clefable is there to do 3 things: get up rocks, check half the tier, and Calm Mind to end games vs worn down and/or less equipped teams. The combination of Calm Mind and Stealth Rock allows it to not only get up hazards vs Mega Sableye, but also pose an imminent threat to several of the tier’s premier defoggers (namely, Zapdos and Rotom-Wash). When healthy, it can serve as a soft check to Megacham and other physical threats and at bare minimum get good damage off with Moonblast to set up a revenge kill.
youthinkyouknowme (Ditto) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 1 Spe
- Transform
Lastly, the latest member of the team. Ditto replaced the team’s flashiest member to do a lot of dirty work in keeping both Hyper Offense and Stall honest with its combination of revenge killing and infinite PP with the regen core. It has served vital in allowing the team to check most physical sweepers and weather abusers that otherwise carved through the bulk on this team. Its appearance on the team has led me to consider the Clear Smog Gastrodon, as it covers the lone sweepers that scoff at Ditto in Reuniclus and Clefable. Lastly, the IVs are to give it Hidden Power Ground and potentially trap opposing Magnezone that threaten Mega Scizor. Before Ditto claimed this spot though, I had a different member I'd like to shout out.
Meloetta made a debut in SM high ladder moonlighting as a lategame cleaner with a set of Substitute, Calm Mind, Psyshock, and Focus Blast that set up on Chansey and other passive special attacking pokemon to steal the show in dire situations. However, it did little to provide help against the weaknesses of the team other than help with Blacephalon and psyspam to a certain extent, and she had to take a backstage spot. I miss her greatly, much like she missed her Focus Blasts.Threats
The various strong physical breakers of the tier will always pose a big threat to bulkier teams, and this one is no exception. Choice Band Victini in particular can make light work of both waters and resists Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, making it an absolute nuisance for the squad. Picking your scouts wisely and getting up hazards are an absolute must to allow Scizor, Torn-T, and Ditto to dispose of these later in the game.
Reuniclus is the lone blight I've found in the team's otherwise very strong matchup vs the balance that runs the upper ladder. Mega Scizor is a fine check, but besides that, it can get pretty hairy. Clear Smog on Gastrodon is a solid potential team option to shore this one up and make it much less pressing of an issue.
I have yet to see a bigger threat than substitute Gyarados. Rips every variation I've made of the team apart and counterplay is few and far between besides getting rocks up and damage wherever possible.
There are numerous other pokemon with strong matchups vs this team, but none came to mind as being quite as bothersome as these.
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about matchups, have any team suggestions, or if I didn't explain something well enough. Have a good one all!
to the main threatlist, as specs has been spammed a lot recently and it's still a menace. Twistedspoon HP Fire might actually be this team's worst MU and requires you get a toxic off with Gastro which often invites Lele in.