Protean Palace

[MK]

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/proteanpalace-248488708

So outside of this battle being hilarious with the Wonder Guard shenanigans, it features a clean sweep by Zygarde.

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Coil
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake / Substitute
- Extreme Speed

Holy crap, this is amazing. Bulky Coil Zygarde has swept in roughly 60% of my battles so far. Even though the battler had some questionable choices (Dual Chop Hawlucha), Zygarde still would've survived a HJK due to its poison typing. Coil is not only a great boosting move, but also makes me immune to Toxic. Stone Edge and Earthquake is for EdgeQuake coverage, although Earthquake can be swapped out for Substitute to prevent status. Usually, I click Stone Edge for the crit chance, but Earthquake was won me a battle before due to the ability to play mindgames. Finally, Extreme Speed is the best move on this set, as with Protean and boosts it hits extremely hard. It's also hard to revenge kill because of the defense boost, and most physical attackers can't do much in general.

Zygarde @ Life Orb
Ability: Aura Break
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Coil
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Brick Break

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/proteanpalace-248378913

Looking at this replay, not only does zygarde outspeed gliscor (due to a full all-out EV set), but also can make advantage of anything gliscor throws at it. The coil boost allowed an instant OHKO on the dark-typed gliscor, which was obviously going to use toxic to break the setup I'd pulled off instantly. Regardless of whether the move had been taunt, knock off, or even earthquake (to check the coil poison typing), it was still an obvious outcome in the end. Plus, with +1 defense, EQ does hardly anything to zygarde-poison type. Even without life orb, leftovers can be a possible item for zygarde, as shown in this replay here: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/proteanpalace-248380212

The only way I see gliscor having anything against a zygarde is if it can instantly get off a toxic upon switch-in, OR it runs subtox set, which in this meta, I don't think a lot of stalling teams would generically use.

If you use Life Orb, I'd probably suggest Dragon Dance and a Jolly Nature instead of Adamant and Coil, because yours is more offensively oriented. Also, Coil seems kind of contradictory because of Life orb: what's the point of boosting defense if you're going to be chipping your health away? Also, none of your moves benefit from having more accuracy, and Zygarde would much rather prefer the Speed.

Both sets are good though, and you can choose according to which one fits your team better!

 

[The Real Red]

"If you use Life Orb, I'd probably suggest Dragon Dance and a Jolly Nature instead of Adamant and Coil, because yours is more offensively oriented. Also, Coil seems kind of contradictory because of Life orb: what's the point of boosting defense if you're going to be chipping your health away? Also, none of your moves benefit from having more accuracy, and Zygarde would much rather prefer the Speed.

Both sets are good though, and you can choose according to which one fits your team better!"

In response to this:

I've tried both sets, with life orb coil and lefties coil. Coil in that scenario is mainly just to counter the toxic effect of gliscor, plus allow knock off to not do as much damage due to defensive boosting. I see what you mean about DDance set, but then what's really the point in using zygarde when dnite is a far better DDance/Espeed set, par from the coil toxic immunity. Sure you could argue about sub, but as from what I've seen, nobody is really using any statuses other than toxic, and maybe will-o-wisp (which tbh, is not really a threat as you can predict wow's a mile off). I've tested zygarde with leftovers and life orb in both Jolly and Adamant scenarios. If a coil zygarde can pretty much OHKO with life orb damage, I'd honestly prefer the Life orb damage as you're already at +1 atk, and if espeed doesn't kill (say sashed mon), your +1 defense allows you to at least take a hit. In terms of speed, it wouldn't need Jolly in my original set due to a 252speed investment, allowing it to outspeed quite a lot of things. DDance is just an added extra.

Brick break was just a superpower replacement for zygarde, and can easily be changed to stone edge to suit the accuracy boost made by coil however. I was just incorporating that moveset to perfectly get around the trolling gliscor. However, with a gliscor out of the picture, you could easily sub stone edge for brick break either way depending on team moveset imo.

EDIT: As of my last test, I do prefer bulkzy to all-out zy, but that's only due to the lack of gliscor users at this current time on the ladder.

 

[InoCyan247]

What happens if a pokemon is poisoned and changes into a poison type, or burned and changes into a fire type etc?

 

[The Immortal]

What happens if a pokemon is poisoned and changes into a poison type, or burned and changes into a fire type etc?

It is still poisoned/burned.

 

[The Real Red]

What happens if a pokemon is poisoned and changes into a poison type, or burned and changes into a fire type etc?

Basically what TI said, unless for EG: You toxic first turn with gliscor toxic orb. Since toxic orb activates at the end of the turn, you wouldn't get poisoned due to being poison type. This changes after the next turn if you use a different-type move, and so you will become poisoned after. Using toxic again, does not remove the toxic effect/status from toxic orb in this scenario.

 

[Akumeoy]

I'm just here to recommend Excadrill as a dedicated Stealth Rock lead. Shedinja with Espeon backup was very threatening to my team, and Excadrill's Mold Breaker lets it KO the first cleanly and set up on / force out the second. It's also great for applying offensive pressure to Dragonite -- Earthquake 2HKOs all non-bulky sets through Multiscale, limiting it to one Dragon Dance.

I run it with Protect to let it set up Stealth Rock on things with Fake Out (like Megacham), and Earthquake as its strongest move. Rapid Spin (for opposing hazard setters) or Brick Break (to stop levitators from walling you, hit Espeeders/recoverers harder, and break screens) goes in slot four.

Also, Paralysis support is incredibly useful not only for nerfing the ubiquitous HO mons and generating free turns, but also rendering opponents much easier to take down simply because you know what type they'll be when your attack hits. You have a lot of options for this, and I won't say what I put mine on, but it's incredibly useful for easing prediction and I recommend running some.

 

[Chopin Alkaninoff]

Because I'll likely not play showdown until near the end of July (around 30), I'll post my darude sandstorm team that made #1 in ladder now. Tell me if you need screenshot.

Darude Sandstorm Team

Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Roar

Arcanine @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Flare Blitz
- Extreme Speed
- Morning Sun

Whimsicott @ Choice Specs
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Nature Power
- Hurricane
- Moonblast
- Switcheroo

Excadrill @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rock Slide

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Bullet Punch
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch

Dragonite @ Life Orb
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Iron Head

So I usually lead with either Medicham or Hippowdon. Medicham is to kill other leads while Hippowdon is to set up Rocks and Sandstorm to support Excadrill and kill Shedinjas. For Excadrill, I usually spam Iron Head to make it resistant agains Fake Outs and Extremespeeds. I use Physically defensive Arcanine to check on Mega Medicham and most Extremespeeders and cripple them with Will-o-wisp. The rest of the teams are priority users, including Whimsicott, just because it's priority isn't punishable by Rocky Helmets.

Why Life Orb on Dragonite? Because it reminds me of -atespeed on Mix and Mega. Also, Leftovers is kinda useless in Sandstorm. Medicham is your standard revenge killer with Fake Out + Bullet Punch. Overall, this team is pretty good I think, even though I lost sometimes because of hax.

Edit: might as well post my Stall hating team which (surprisingly) works and made me peaked around top 5 in ladder with around 1400+ elo under alt of Chopin Alkaninoff3 (I usually use different alt for different team). This team is kinda gimmicky I think, so don't use it if you don't like gimmicks.

I HATE STALL

Fak stall (Sableye) @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Dark Pulse

Hate mimez (Shedinja) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Wonder Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Shadow Sneak
- Baton Pass

Screw Stall (Mew) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Roost
- Defog

I'mNOTstalling (Arcanine) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun
- Extreme Speed

NoPatiencetoStall (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Seismic Toss
- Protect

Klefki @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Foul Play
- Thunder Wave

I usually lead with Sableye, then mega while Will-o-wisping opponent's physical attackers, as well as bouncing rocks if your opponent tried to set up. Shedinja is primarily used to wall and wear down opponent with Will-o-wisp. To avoid Rocky Helmet switches, try not to randomly use Shadow Sneak. Mew is to Knock Off opponent's leftovers so that Will-o-wisp from either Sableye or Arcanine wear down more quickly. Chansey is to offer Wish support and to clean from status.

I haven't named my Klefki yet because it's just a filler, so feel free to change it. It's main purpose os to set up Reflect or Light Screen to control those powerful Attacks that can quickly wear down my team. Overalll, kinda gimmicky, but it works if you use it properly.

 

[The Real Red]

Now from what I've seen, mega sableye and shedinja are the two main nuisances to this meta.
With ninja having access to wonder guard, and mega sable switching in to bounce your projectiles/status moves right back at you.

WELL NO MORE!

Introducing, a really stupid, yet workable gliscor set!

Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 192 SpD / 72 Spe
Careful Nature
- Protect
- Roost
- Toxic
- Sky Uppercut

Now I know what you're thinking. The classic spdef gliscor. With SKY UPPERCUT?! Hear me out, smogoners. Ever been against a team with ninja/sable combo? Well this does the job.

Obviously a ninja will protect on a gliscor first turn (or usually anyways, due to not wanting to get toxic'd, unless it runs lum berry, in which case that's all fine, go for another toxic it can't really do much to you.) But if you go for that protect first turn, you instantly get your poison heal going.
However, if they switch to mega sable, then there's a whole new story. Since you're poison type while using toxic, and mega sable bounces it back to you, you can't be poisoned right? So that gives sable the ideal opportunity to setup a wow straight on you. haha wrong. Protect. You get poisoned, and sable has to resort to calm mind dark pulsing. Haha that's cute. But what's this? Sky uppercut?
Since mega sable is really REALLY slow (Base 20 speed), you're obviously gonna outspeed it. And you obviously won't need to worry about dark pulse flinching either (unless knock off, but even then if sable is running knock off, then it's a one time thing and so is useless after due to not being able to burn you with wow). Now, with sky uppercut, gliscor can EASILY take out a mega sable. Even without any atk! Just look at these calcs!

0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 110-132 (36.1 - 43.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
3HKO. Now, lets see what a sableye can do back.

• 4 SpA Mega Sableye Dark Pulse vs. 244 HP / 192+ SpD Gliscor: 35-42 (9.9 - 11.9%) -- possibly the worst move ever
• 0- Atk Mega Sableye Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 244 HP / 0 Def Gliscor: 33-40 (9.3 - 11.3%) -- possibly the worst move ever

It ain't got nothing on this gliscor. The matter of the fact is, you can easily roost if you get low HP as well as allow poison heal to heal you.
But with a 3HKO, mega sable is probably gonna be forced to use recover right? Hahah. Even with recover, it'll still have the same effect as fighting is super effective on normal! The only true way it can win is by setting up CM dark pulse spam, but even then..

+4 4 SpA Mega Sableye Dark Pulse vs. 244 HP / 192+ SpD Gliscor: 104-123 (29.5 - 34.9%) -- 0.2% chance to 4HKO after Poison Heal


It literally has got nothing on gliscor whatsoever as long as you don't get yourself burned.


EDIT: On a sidenote, This gliscor can take down one foe that has been really really annoying to me: Megacham.

Since megacham uses the set: Fakeout/BP/HJK or drain punch/Ice punch, it literally cannot resist sky uppercut. Plus of the fact it can't really revenge kill, if you swapped to physically defensive gliscor. It would eventually be forced to switchout. Lets see the calcs:

• 0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Mega Medicham: 204-240 (76.9 - 90.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (Ice and normal, if you outspeed)
  
• 0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Mega Medicham: 102-120 (38.4 - 45.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (Megacham is fighting type)

Since you're unable to probably get killed by this megacham, you could easily pull off a protect if it decides to go for the HJK to try and OHKO. But even then...

• 240+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Gliscor: 138-162 (38.9 - 45.7%) -- 71.6% chance to 3HKO after Poison Heal

If you protect on that, megacham is done for.

Overall, this gliscor set may not be the ideal or even average one, but it sure can hardcounter mega sableye if specially defensive, as well as be a killer towards megacham if physically defensive.

 

[Salamencizer]

Fear he HP Electric Shedinjas and The Adaptability mons.

 

[The Real Red]

Fear he HP Electric Shedinjas and The Adaptability mons.

HP electric ninja rofl.

And adaptability mons aren't that good tbh.. The best one I can think of is poryz but that is kinda RIP to espeeders.

 

[Salamencizer]

yup

 

[Chopin Alkaninoff]

Now from what I've seen, mega sableye and shedinja are the two main nuisances to this meta.
With ninja having access to wonder guard, and mega sable switching in to bounce your projectiles/status moves right back at you.

WELL NO MORE!

Introducing, a really stupid, yet workable gliscor set!

View attachment 46338
Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 192 SpD / 72 Spe
Careful Nature
- Protect
- Roost
- Toxic
- Sky Uppercut

Now I know what you're thinking. The classic spdef gliscor. With SKY UPPERCUT?! Hear me out, smogoners. Ever been against a team with ninja/sable combo? Well this does the job.

Obviously a ninja will protect on a gliscor first turn (or usually anyways, due to not wanting to get toxic'd, unless it runs lum berry, in which case that's all fine, go for another toxic it can't really do much to you.) But if you go for that protect first turn, you instantly get your poison heal going.
However, if they switch to mega sable, then there's a whole new story. Since you're poison type while using toxic, and mega sable bounces it back to you, you can't be poisoned right? So that gives sable the ideal opportunity to setup a wow straight on you. haha wrong. Protect. You get poisoned, and sable has to resort to calm mind dark pulsing. Haha that's cute. But what's this? Sky uppercut?
Since mega sable is really REALLY slow (Base 20 speed), you're obviously gonna outspeed it. And you obviously won't need to worry about dark pulse flinching either (unless knock off, but even then if sable is running knock off, then it's a one time thing and so is useless after due to not being able to burn you with wow). Now, with sky uppercut, gliscor can EASILY take out a mega sable. Even without any atk! Just look at these calcs!

0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 110-132 (36.1 - 43.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
3HKO. Now, lets see what a sableye can do back.

• 4 SpA Mega Sableye Dark Pulse vs. 244 HP / 192+ SpD Gliscor: 35-42 (9.9 - 11.9%) -- possibly the worst move ever
• 0- Atk Mega Sableye Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 244 HP / 0 Def Gliscor: 33-40 (9.3 - 11.3%) -- possibly the worst move ever

It ain't got nothing on this gliscor. The matter of the fact is, you can easily roost if you get low HP as well as allow poison heal to heal you.
But with a 3HKO, mega sable is probably gonna be forced to use recover right? Hahah. Even with recover, it'll still have the same effect as fighting is super effective on normal! The only true way it can win is by setting up CM dark pulse spam, but even then..

+4 4 SpA Mega Sableye Dark Pulse vs. 244 HP / 192+ SpD Gliscor: 104-123 (29.5 - 34.9%) -- 0.2% chance to 4HKO after Poison Heal


It literally has got nothing on gliscor whatsoever as long as you don't get yourself burned.


EDIT: On a sidenote, This gliscor can take down one foe that has been really really annoying to me: Megacham.

Since megacham uses the set: Fakeout/BP/HJK or drain punch/Ice punch, it literally cannot resist sky uppercut. Plus of the fact it can't really revenge kill, if you swapped to physically defensive gliscor. It would eventually be forced to switchout. Lets see the calcs:

• 0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Mega Medicham: 204-240 (76.9 - 90.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (Ice and normal, if you outspeed)
  
• 0 Atk Gliscor Sky Uppercut vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Mega Medicham: 102-120 (38.4 - 45.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (Megacham is fighting type)

Since you're unable to probably get killed by this megacham, you could easily pull off a protect if it decides to go for the HJK to try and OHKO. But even then...

• 240+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Gliscor: 138-162 (38.9 - 45.7%) -- 71.6% chance to 3HKO after Poison Heal

If you protect on that, megacham is done for.

Overall, this gliscor set may not be the ideal or even average one, but it sure can hardcounter mega sableye if specially defensive, as well as be a killer towards megacham if physically defensive.

One problem of this set is when Mega Sableye carries Shadow Ball instead of Dark Pulse as the attacking move. With a set of Recover/Calm Mind/Will-o-wisp/Shadow Ball, it will have an advantage of immunity to Fighting and Normal (Facade especially).

Also, does Mega Sableye and Shedinja that problematic? I thought I'm the only one uses them, though I don't know now because I haven't played Showdown since 18th of July because reasons.

 

[The Real Red]

One problem of this set is when Mega Sableye carries Shadow Ball instead of Dark Pulse as the attacking move. With a set of Recover/Calm Mind/Will-o-wisp/Shadow Ball, it will have an advantage of immunity to Fighting and Normal (Facade especially).

Also, does Mega Sableye and Shedinja that problematic? I thought I'm the only one uses them, though I don't know now because I haven't played Showdown since 18th of July because reasons.

Aye, that may be an ideal thing against it but I wouldn't like think about it that way since shadow ball would only work if the gliscor wasn't using roost/protect, thus why I said dark pulse/knock off.

You'd also be surprised the amount of shedinja involved around this sort of time actually. Mega sable I haven't seen as much, but I thought it would be nice to actually see if I could hard counter one set of it.

 

[Akumeoy]

Well, since the month is wrapping up and I'm not planning on playing much more Protean Palace, here's a team that's brought me up to spots 4 (Akumeoy) and 7 (kfc intensifies) on the ladder.

Social Media Squad

twitter (Excadrill) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic / Rapid Spin

A lot of teams in Protean Palace don't run hazard control, even if they're running Dragonite or Shedinja; I suppose people think it's hard to fit on their team? In any case, entry hazard leads are good, and since people kept bringing Mega Sableye or Espeon backup in lieu of Defog or Rapid Spin, I went with Excadrill and its Mold Breaker. Knowing that Mega Medicham is a big threat that most people put in the lead spot, I ran Protect to let Excadrill keep its sash. Against opponents who aren't that smart, Protect can be used after rocks are set to bait another HJK. The spread does... something! I think it's intended to have the highest damage output possible while reaching some physically defensive benchmark. Earthquake is its strongest attack, 2HKOing Dragonite. Last slot goes to Rapid Spin or Toxic, to deal with other entry hazard setters and with bulky opponents, respectively.

reddit (Dragonite) @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Brick Break
- Thunder Wave
- Roost

Dragonite is a powerful Extreme Speed user with reliable recovery that can be quite hard to break -- a top threat. Of the things that Dragonite can't beat, I don't know that boosting helps with many of them, so I opted for a bulky attacker set. Extreme Speed is obligatory. Brick Break, while weaker than Earthquake, hits opponents using moves like Recover/Slack Off/Softboiled, Protect, and Extreme Speed. Thunder Wave makes life a lot easier for Dragonite against fast attackers it can't just wipe up with Extreme Speed -- it can tank a hit, use Thunder Wave to make the opponent slower than it, and either Roost off the damage or use Brick Break freely against things stuck in Rock- or Steel-type. Roost + Multiscale + Leftovers can make Dragonite a pain in the ass to take down, and I've had more than one person forfeit in its face.

facebook (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Moonblast / Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball / Thunderbolt / Draco Meteor
- Trick

Dragonite and Mega Medicham are huge threats with their powerful priority. One thing that does a reliable job of dealing with them both is faster (default) Steel-types, of which I decided to run two. I also wanted to make sure I was running at least one special attacker so I could have some sort of answer to burn spreaders, and I know that Scarf users with unusual sets are good at getting surprise kills. Another thing I knew I wanted somewhere on the team was Trick-Scarf, which would help neutralize Shedinja for another member of my team to handle (provided it hadn't set up too many Swords Dances) and any miscellaneous walls I was likely to encounter. It pairs well with Dragonite's Thunder Wave as well. To this end, I added a special Scarf Jirachi onto the team. Moonblast hits the many things that end up using Fighting- or Dark-type moves, and nobody expects it ever, and Fairy's a pretty solid defensive typing. Flash Cannon because Steel is another good defensive type to get locked into. Trick as already described. The last slot is something I've had trouble with. I've run Draco Meteor in the past to surprise things with heavy damage, but the Special Attack drop was really disappointing. Energy Ball and Thunderbolt are both options for bulky Water-types.

instagram (Metagross) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Hammer Arm
- Frustration

When I think of "Offensively inclined, bulky, speedy Steel-types ideally with priority", the only thing that properly fits the description is Mega Metagross. It can be a little tricky to mega-evolve it in time, but I doubt I have to talk up its prowess afterwards afterwards. Steel is a good type to have after KOing an opponent, so after I added Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash was option 2. I liked having the Fighting-type move on Dragonite to beat up on Normal-types, so I added that again with Hammer Arm -- powerful, but a bit tricky to play with. Frustration takes Slot 4 by virtue of being a powerful, reliable move with no recoil that shifts me into a reasonable defensive typing.

pinterest (Diggersby) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Huge Power
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Wild Charge
- Ice Punch

If you haven't guessed already, I like going fast and I like hitting hard. One trick that I picked up from Hidden Type is Foul Play Diggersby. Foul Play is interesting in that it uses the opponent's Attack stat and the user's Huge Power, making Diggersby's STAB Foul Play incredibly powerful -- for example, it OHKOs Mega Medicham if it's not Fighting-type (another benefit of Protect on Excadrill). A Choice Scarf lets me outspeed most of the meta, and combines with U-Turn lets Diggersby pivot quite well. Wild Charge and Ice Punch were chosen from among Diggersby's multitude of "coverage" options (this coverage, incidentally, is much of why I chose Diggs over Lando-T -- the unpredictability lets me nab kills) for the BoltBeam combo, and if you ever run a similar set, I encourage you to figure out for yourself which moves your team needs for those slots. Diggersby is pretty weak to priority (hating both Mach Punch and Ice Shard, as well as risking an OHKO from Megacham's Fake Out + BP), but that's what Megagross and Jirachi are for.

tumblr (Mew) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Knock Off
- Heal Bell
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog

While I would consider my teambuilding pretty solid, the above five slots did leave a few things to be desired -- Dragonite really wants some hazard control (this is the most pressing concern), all of them really appreciate clerics, status spreading is really helpful... I was sort of pigeonholed into using Mew, as the only hazard controller that gets the appropriate moves. This set right here is only the most recent iteration of a bunch of different things I've tried on the set, so don't take it as seriously as any of the other sets. I would love to use Starmie here for its Rapid Spin, but it can't run Heal Bell, which really hurts me against defensively-inclined Pokemon/teams. Knock Off is some good utility I guess; Tbolt, Scald, Sucker Punch, Taunt, and recovery (Taunt is nonexistent, so I could probably deal with a four-status-moves set) are all options to take over Knock Off or Will-O-Wisp.

Common threats

Dragonite: Ideally, impaled on entry hazards, and wiped up by Jirachi or Megagross. If they're running hazard control, I have to find some way to get damage on it. They usually don't run Roost, so it's not incredibly hard. My own Dragonite can mop it up if the latter's Multiscale is broken, as mine can take two banded/+1 Adamant Extreme Speeds through Multiscale and 2HKO back. Mew is an option, but risky unless they've revealed an item other than Lum Berry.

Medicham-Mega: Excadrill sets rocks up against it as a lead. Diggersby can revenge it from full health with Foul Play. Dragonite can Espeed through it if it has a reasonable amount of prior damage. Megagross, if it's managed to Mega-Evo, outspeeds and KOs. Mew can get off a WoW if it's still Psychic-type.

Porygon-Z: If it doesn't have a scarf, literally anything besides Mew and broken-sash Excadrill can handily take care of it. If it's scarfed, Diggersby won't cut it unless it locks itself into Thunderbolt, in which case you get a free switch-in. However, note that Megagross can't BP its way through Electric-type Pory-Z.

Shedinja: Stealth Rocks from Excadrill if it's not a lead, EQ or Toxic if it is. If they've gotten the rocks off the field, Jirachi's Trick+Scarf neutralizes it if you don't let it set up too many Swords Dances. Mew can cut through it with Will-O-Miss, but it's also susceptible to Shadow Sneak. Dragonite can handle some sets, as that and Swords Dance render it susceptible to Brick Break if it loses a turn to paralysis. Diggersby, being immune to Shadow Sneak, can use Foul Play to sometimes revenge opponents that aren't smart enough to scout with Protect first.

Zygarde: This is troublesome to the team. Jirachi's Trick+Scarf is your best bet; after taking on a Scarf, Zygarde can be cut down by various things, depending on what it locks itself into. Your second best bet is to try and paralyze it with Dragonite and then start Breaking Bricks against it, unless it gets locked into Coil, in which case you get a free turn to do what you want.

Starmie: Spins against my entire team. Diggersby and Jirachi can OHKO if it hasn't changed type yet. Threatens most of the team with Scald, if not coverage moves. Consider conserving Excadrill if the opponent has this, because they will probably have one of the aforementioned threats.

Leech Seeders: A pain in the ass for this team, as they're usually bulky enough that I can't necessarily 2HKO them, meaning that they take out huge chunks of my HP. Hope that the opponent doesn't bring one, improvise if they do. Offensive pressure is your friend.

Arcanine: Chopin wasn't kidding when he said this was a good wall -- Will-O-Wisp, Intimidate, and Rocky Helmet are all very painful for this physically inclined team. Mew with Scald is the best option, followed by Jirachi's Trick-Scarf. If it leads, Toxicing it with Excadrill may very well be a higher priority than setting up Rocks. If they're also running Shedinja, though, pray that they decide to burn you instead of just Flare Blitzing you so that you can afford to set up Rocks on turn one.

Overall, I would say that this is an incredibly fun meta that forces you to think on your feet and encourages a variety of creative strategies. Here's hoping it at least gets a challenge option, if not a permaladder.

 

[SpartanMalice]

The idea is not Mega Sableye and Shedi being powerful individually, but a core of them basically covering each others' flaws (wherein it preserves its Dark/Ghost typing, bounces status and hazards targeted for and to cripple Shedi). However, fair point that weather can usually take care of it. I kind of blanket check it with Rocky Helmet Arcanine + prediction (courtesy of Chopin's dog) as I run weatherless, but it might be viable to run Tyranitar or Hippowdon in this, tbh.

 

[Josh]

http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/protean-palace-team-peaked-1-1500-elo.3545511/ if anyone wants to see a decent balanced offense team.
This is still the best meta :^)


With approval from OP, I'd like to start a Protean Palace viability rankings. Chopin Alkaninoff has already done a great start, and I'd like it to become official. I'll have help from chopin and scorp with determining rankings. Let me know if you approve TI. (I'm not really sure how much to put here lol)
The Immortal