SEEDLING II - A PURE HACKMONS BULKY OFFENSE
Hello! AV Cosmoem is here to bring you the exciting sequel to Seedling - M-Altaria Bulky Offense, A Pure Hackmons RMT: Seedling II - A Pure Hackmons Offense! This has been awaited for some time, mostly because I needlessly hyped up the creation of this RMT in the Pure Hackmons Discord server, but let's get on with it.
For those of you who don't know, Pure Hackmons is a format created on Pokemon Showdown back in Black and White, but actually dates before that. It originates from players using Game Shark to hack their Pokemon games, giving them access to all kinds of different hacked Pokemon. In the Generation 6 Pure Hackmons, the metagame largely revolves around Wonder Guards of different types. Therefore, the metagame also revolves around users of Mold Breaker, Teravolt, and Turboblaze, because they ignore Wonder Guard and can sweep very easily due to unlimited coverage options. There are also many methods to counter Mold Breaker and set-up, most notably Imposter and Prankster. However, this team will be different from my last one. This team prevents defensive play in its entirety with the different options at hand to stop it, and offensive play is punished by a variety of different anti-offense Pokemon. They work together to create a powerful core that allows me to be flexible with my counterplay.
Once again, the title is based on the game Seedling. Sadly, there will not be a Seedling II - Seedling's ending showed no incentive of a sequel. At least there's one on Smogon. Let's get started with this RMT!
Teambuilding Process
The team started out as how I tried to build my first team: have Mega Latios sweep with Shell Smash, Spacial Rend, Blue Flare, and Seed Flare, then have Mega Altaria Imposter-proof it with various sets. However, I wanted a catch here; to make Mega Altaria improof both Mega Latios and Primal Groudon. This idea fell short in the future, but at the time it was my goal. I had Primal Groudon run Choice Band Wonder Guard with V-create, Thousand Arrows, Extreme Speed, and U-turn. A Fur Coat Mega Altaria could switch into this set easily. However, this would allow Mega Latios to break through Mega Altaria by using Seed Flare over and over again, so I changed it to Energy Ball. I also changed Blue Flare into Searing Shot, since that move is powerful enough to OHKO or 2HKO targets I needed, while having 100% accuracy.
Giving Mega Altaria the burden of improofing both a physical and special attacker was incredibly difficult, so I created another improofer for Primal Groudon to ease up Mega Altaria's importance on the team. I decided on Mega Swampert, as its Water-typing allowed it to run Steam Eruption successfully, OHKOing Imposters of Primal Groudon. Also, I had not exactly decided what Mega Altaria's set was, so I decided to run its best set, Prankster, until I could find something better. This also allowed me to change Energy Ball back to Seed Flare on Mega Latios.
Next, I wanted something to punish defensive play even further. I also needed a hazard setter. I decided on Shadow Tag Mega Aerodactyl with Encore, Perish Song, King's Shield, and Spikes. This let me easily get up Spikes while punishing the opponent for laying down hazards and such. This also bolstered the matchup against Mega Audino, which was a problem Pokemon. Also, I had changed U-turn into Poison Jab on Primal Groudon, to further the Fairy matchup, as I figured I needed an extra slot.
Mega Diancie was my final choice, as a revenge killer was imminent. I picked Mega Diancie out of everything because my matchup against standard Mega Latios was not the greatest. Out of it and Kyurem-Black, I picked it since it had a better matchup against other -ate users than Kyurem-Black. I had no Steel-type on the team, which would usually be the counter to -ate, but I did have Primal Groudon. The issue with Primal Groudon is that Dragon-types were not on its side, seeing how its moveset consisted of a Fire, Ground, and Poison move. Mega Diancie solved this with its Fairy STAB, and the ability to outspeed Kyurem-Black and resist Flying. I also had no Mega Gengar counter, which would surely be baited in on Mega Diancie, so I added Sucker Punch which gave Mega Diancie the ability to successfully revenge kill Mega Gengar. The last move was undecided.
So if you didn't notice until now, those were all Mega Latias sprites. As it turns out, I was accidentally using Mega Latias the entire time. Mega Aerodactyl's set was changed to be a Choice Band Shadow Tag set instead of a Support Shadow Tag set, because the team favored an immediate revenge killer rather than a Perish Trapper much more. It also gave me a secondary Mega Mewtwo X check, which would be very helpful. Primal Groudon's Poison Jab was changed to Gunk Shot, since I played a game against King's Shield Mega Audino and it prevented Primal Groudon from killing it. Also I needed hazards now, since Mega Aerodactyl was the setter. I made Mega Altaria a Stealth Rock setter, and in turn changed its set to Magic Bounce, since that would fix both of Mega Latios's problems with status and Imposter. My Gyarados matchup was iffy, so I gave Mega Altaria Volt Switch, which did loads of damage to Gyarados. However, it didn't kill, so when I looked to a partner that could be brought in to kill Gyarados, I fixated on Mega Diancie, who had an undecided last slot. Nuzzle had the power to kill Gyarados after Mega Altaria's Volt Switch, and gave Mega Diancie paralysis utility. Both Pokemon had Fairy STAB as well, so they possessed the ability to hit Gyarados even harder after it Mega Evolved, with Mega Diancie unlocking Fairy-type FakeSpeed. Mega Swampert would force it to Mega Evolve, since Gyarados wouldn't be able to hit past it. I had finished the team.
The Team
The Shieldspire (Groudon-Primal) @ Choice Band
Ability: Wonder Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- Thousand Arrows
- Gunk Shot
- Trick
This is, in my opinion, the best possible Wonder Guard set for Primal Groudon. V-create and Thousand Arrows are obvious of course, but previously, the matchup against Mega Audino and Xerneas was difficult due to me lacking any serious ways to kill them. Mega Latios was weak to Fairy in itself, as well as Ice, and every Xerneas carried Freeze-Dry, so that wouldn't work. In my test games, I had barely used U-turn due to Primal Groudon being huge counters to some Wonder Guards, and getting walled by the rest. Primal Groudon was always out against Wonder Guard, who could easily block U-turn. Therefore, I replaced it with Gunk Shot, which was currently the most viable option to defeat Fairy-types. This is because Meteor Mash, Gear Grind, Iron Head, Bullet Punch and Poison Jab are all contact moves, which King's Shield thrives on. For this reason, King's Shield is a favorite move of Mega Audino, which makes it much harder to approach. Gunk Shot is non-contact, and therefore bypasses King's Shield. Trick makes Primal Groudon that much more dangerous, as few Pokemon would appreciate being tricked a Choice Band. Primal Groudon was named after the Shieldspire, the being of patience and the relic of Gundernourd.
The Times (Altaria-Mega) @ Shed Shell
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Roost
- Volt Switch
Enter the star of Seedling II, Mega Altaria. Its moveset was chosen carefully to ensure the best possible performance. Moonblast and Roost are both mandatory on a Mega Altaria. Moonblast ensures that the Mega Altaria can force the Imposter out, instead of sitting and waiting for its PP to drain. Stealth Rock was for hazards, as this team has none otherwise. Volt Switch may seem like a strange choice, but it hits Gyarados super effectively and nearly kills it. It always goes last against Gyarados, and can pivot into Mega Diancie or Mega Swampert easily. While this does give it trouble against Primal Groudon, as it can block Volt Switch, Mega Altaria can set Stealth Rock on it, and then flee to Mega Swampert. Magic Bounce assists Mega Latios, as it cannot run Lum Berry to stop status, and a Magic Bouncer is just nice to have. Mega Altaria was named after the Times, the three relics of Rostef.
Tentacled Beast (Swampert-Mega) @ Swampertite
Ability: Wonder Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- U-turn
- Slack Off
- Steam Eruption
- Defog
Yeah, I couldn't get my hands on a sprite, so this will have to do. Mega Swampert is the Primal Groudon improof and serves important roles on the team. Due to his Water STAB, Mega Swampert can use Steam Eruption to OHKO Primal Groudon's imposter. No, I didn't forget its item; Swampertite prevents Trick and Knock Off, which stops Choice Scarf Chansey from clicking Trick. Originally, it ran Waterfall with maximum Attack EVs. However, it only 2HKO'd while Steam Eruption can OHKO and even burn. Its EVs were specifically chosen for maximum damage output, and it needs these EVs to have a good chance at OHKOing Choice Scarf Chansey. U-turn is a standard Swampert move, and it's not hindered by any -Atk nature. The reason why I have no bulk on this Mega Swampert is because it dies in the face of every Grass move anyway, so maximizing its Atk and SpA to hit its targets is the best course of action to me. Mega Swampert is named after the Tentacled Beast, the dreaded sea beast and relic of Trohn.
The Lights (Latios-Mega) (M) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Spacial Rend
- Searing Shot
- Energy Ball
Mega Latios is the wincon, and has both of its problems solved in Seedling II, and it owes it all to Mega Altaria. Energy Ball is chosen over Seed Flare because Mega Altaria is not Prankster; therefore, Energy Ball is run so that Imposter can't overwhelm Mega Altaria by using Seed Flare to cause Special Defense drops, before breaking through it. The only target that Mega Latios suffers against due to the loss of Seed Flare is Primal Kyogre. Unlike in Seedling, Mega Altaria now sports Magic Bounce, which gives it the ability to reflect status that could trouble Mega Latios, and the rest of the team, greatly. This is the same Mega Latios as the previous one from Seedling - M-Altaria Bulky Offense, A Pure Hackmons RMT. Read the description there if you want more info. Mega Latios is named after the Lights, the relic of the chamber of darkness, Woshad.
King of Fire (Aerodactyl-Mega) @ Choice Band
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Diamond Storm
- Dragon Ascent
- Thousand Arrows
- U-turn
Originally a support Shadow Tag Mega Aerodactyl, I changed the set to Choice Band. The team has been mostly reliant on bulky offense up until now, so a strong revenge killer like Mega Aerodactyl is great to the team. In addition, Mega Aerodactyl is immune to Spikes and resists Extreme Speed, leaving little room for chip. This leaves it less dependent on Mega Swampert's Defog. Mega Swampert's Ground-type, which allows it to resist Stealth Rock, compliments Mega Aerodactyl well and allows Mega Swampert to Defog much easier, as opponents may have an incentive to set Stealth Rock due to Mega Aerodactyl's presence. This set is the Mega Aerodactyl from [ORAS Hackmons] Desertlovania, as I believe it's the best one there is. This also provides a check to Mega Mewtwo X, which devastated the previous members of the team as it outsped all of them. Mega Aerodactyl was named after the King of Fire, the creature of lava and the relic of Bosiniad.
The Watcher (Diancie-Mega) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Extreme Speed
- Sucker Punch
- Nuzzle
Mega Diancie offers many things. Up until now, this team wasn't the greatest against Shed Shell Mega Mewtwo X. Dragons also hindered this team's progress; Mega Altaria was a natural destroyer of dragons, but could not stand against Aerilate Mega Rayquaza. Mega Diancie is a Flying-type resist and can largely threaten Mega Rayquaza, especially if Mega Rayquaza has been on the field for at least one turn. Mega Diancie can then use Fake Out, scoring huge damage on Mega Rayquaza and potentially killing it. This team also had no good counterplay to Mega Gengar, besides hitting it on the turn it sets up. Primal Groudon could successfully do this, but after Mega Gengar sets up, the team falls prey to it. Enter Mega Diancie, who can use Fake Out + Sucker Punch to easily rid of Mega Gengar after it sets up. Safety Goggles prevents it from being Spored, in case the Mega Gengar has it, but more importantly it protects the team against Mold Breaker Spore. I was originally thinking of putting this on Mega Altaria, but it already has Magic Bounce. This change can definitely be made, though. Nuzzle is a move to complete the combo of Mega Altaria Volt Switch -> Mega Diancie Nuzzle, killing Gyarados. Mega Diancie can also paralyze foes that threaten it. Mega Diancie was named after the Watcher, who watches all.
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6purehackmons-1143908663 (vs Mbouchon)
Shoutouts
Ransei - You're a super cool guy, and you believed in me through and through. You've helped me to get where I am today, and I thank you for it.
dramlamb - How come you don't talk anymore? You're like one of my best friends on Smogon, and you're so nice and so good at the game, you gotta come back to the PH scene!
Solaros & Lunaris - Thanks for helping me with a lot of the decisions I made to end up with this final product.
Tmi489 - You're super good at the game and playing with you made me realize what I had to do to make Seedling II a good team.
Alexgrizz BahamutLagoon manu 11 Monsareeasy PociekMociek mc56556 WrathoftheLeopard you guys are all very cool, continue being cool (or consequences)
EDIT: Thank you so, so much for RMT of the Month and Team Showcase! With this we can spread Pure Hackmons around and gain more players in the playerbase.
And of course, the importable. Take it with caution.
（⊙ｏ⊙） Seedling II （⊙ｏ⊙）
Bye!
Attachments
Last edited: