I've been battling competitively for a little over a year now and after some success last series (ended up stumbling my way into the top 2,000 on the Switch, before quickly falling back down) I wanted to get some feedback from the experts on the team I've been putting together for Series 10. Since I've never played competitively outside of SS, I'm not really accustomed to a format without Dynamxing so its been an adjustment to say the least.
Urshifu @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
- Taunt
- Wicked Blow
Urshifu is one of the core three team members. I had a lot of success running him last series and never really found myself needing to dynamax him so I figured he would be well suited for the new format. Most of the time I'll use him to sweep up whatever is left after Zacian and Rotom-H get knocked out. Also pretty good counter to Calyrex-S, Cresselia, and other walls with Taunt + Wicked Blow. With the focus sash and with sucker punch, Urshifu is usually guaranteed to get at least two hits. Close combat for a bit of coverage and taunt to deal with set-ups or stalls. Usually I'll send Urshifu out first if I see Hippowdon in team previews to taunt.
Zacian-Crowned @ Rusted Sword
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
The main legendary sweeper. Pretty standard set, I'll usually send him out second after Rotom-H faints or I'll volt switch into him. There's pretty much never a situation where I don't run him.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Superpower
Landorus is the main Zacian counter. Choice Scarf + Jolly nature allows him to just outspeed Zacian so an Earthquake usually results in a OTKO. In situations where I don't run Rotom-H, I'll send him out first to scout with U-Turn. I'm considering maybe running something other than Superpower as its fourth move since Zacian's Close Combat is usually plenty fighting coverage and I almost always run the two together.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dazzling Gleam
- Calm Mind
- Surf
Tapu Fini really only serves 3 purposes. 1: To set up Misty Surge so that I can play without fear of one of my physical sweepers getting a status condition. 2: To set up Calm Mind and act as a special sweeper in case I feel like I can't use Rotom-H. 3: To use Ice Beam - I don't know if its good team building to always have an ice user on your team or if just still have PTSD from the dominance of Zapdos and Landorus-T last series.
Rotom-Heat @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
I chose to run Rotom-H because I felt as though he had pretty good synergy with Zacian, with Levitate + Fire/Electric typing providing pretty good move coverage and resistances/immunities to Zacian's ground and fire weaknesses. Usually I'll send him out first to either scout and volt switch into Zacian or to start clearing the field with Overheat. I went back and forth on the EVs because trading some speed for defense could allow Rotom to survive a Close Combat from a +1 boosted Zacian, which could be useful but in the end I decided to just go for the full speed investment.
Rillaboom @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Grassy Glide
- Acrobatics
This has sort of been my wildcard pokemon. I only recently settled on Rillaboom, mostly as a counter to Quagsire and other Ground/Water types, and I've had mild success with him but I'm not super sure that he fits. He's my only grass type attacker and I feel like Grassy Seed + Acrobatics can catch people off guard sometimes, but I already have three other physical attackers and I don't want to use Tapu Fini and Rillaboom together so I feel stuck choosing Zacian and Rotom-H anytime I need to use Rillaboom.
Overall, I'm open to any suggestions and substitutions - there's no one pokemon that I feel very strongly about including in the team. That being said, I do feel as though the Rotom-H, Zacian, and Urshifu core has been pretty successful thus far. I think it may just come down to making sure the sets are right and that I pick the right supporting pokemon for the remaining three slots.
Urshifu @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
- Taunt
- Wicked Blow
Urshifu is one of the core three team members. I had a lot of success running him last series and never really found myself needing to dynamax him so I figured he would be well suited for the new format. Most of the time I'll use him to sweep up whatever is left after Zacian and Rotom-H get knocked out. Also pretty good counter to Calyrex-S, Cresselia, and other walls with Taunt + Wicked Blow. With the focus sash and with sucker punch, Urshifu is usually guaranteed to get at least two hits. Close combat for a bit of coverage and taunt to deal with set-ups or stalls. Usually I'll send Urshifu out first if I see Hippowdon in team previews to taunt.
Zacian-Crowned @ Rusted Sword
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
The main legendary sweeper. Pretty standard set, I'll usually send him out second after Rotom-H faints or I'll volt switch into him. There's pretty much never a situation where I don't run him.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Superpower
Landorus is the main Zacian counter. Choice Scarf + Jolly nature allows him to just outspeed Zacian so an Earthquake usually results in a OTKO. In situations where I don't run Rotom-H, I'll send him out first to scout with U-Turn. I'm considering maybe running something other than Superpower as its fourth move since Zacian's Close Combat is usually plenty fighting coverage and I almost always run the two together.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dazzling Gleam
- Calm Mind
- Surf
Tapu Fini really only serves 3 purposes. 1: To set up Misty Surge so that I can play without fear of one of my physical sweepers getting a status condition. 2: To set up Calm Mind and act as a special sweeper in case I feel like I can't use Rotom-H. 3: To use Ice Beam - I don't know if its good team building to always have an ice user on your team or if just still have PTSD from the dominance of Zapdos and Landorus-T last series.
Rotom-Heat @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
I chose to run Rotom-H because I felt as though he had pretty good synergy with Zacian, with Levitate + Fire/Electric typing providing pretty good move coverage and resistances/immunities to Zacian's ground and fire weaknesses. Usually I'll send him out first to either scout and volt switch into Zacian or to start clearing the field with Overheat. I went back and forth on the EVs because trading some speed for defense could allow Rotom to survive a Close Combat from a +1 boosted Zacian, which could be useful but in the end I decided to just go for the full speed investment.
Rillaboom @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Grassy Glide
- Acrobatics
This has sort of been my wildcard pokemon. I only recently settled on Rillaboom, mostly as a counter to Quagsire and other Ground/Water types, and I've had mild success with him but I'm not super sure that he fits. He's my only grass type attacker and I feel like Grassy Seed + Acrobatics can catch people off guard sometimes, but I already have three other physical attackers and I don't want to use Tapu Fini and Rillaboom together so I feel stuck choosing Zacian and Rotom-H anytime I need to use Rillaboom.
Overall, I'm open to any suggestions and substitutions - there's no one pokemon that I feel very strongly about including in the team. That being said, I do feel as though the Rotom-H, Zacian, and Urshifu core has been pretty successful thus far. I think it may just come down to making sure the sets are right and that I pick the right supporting pokemon for the remaining three slots.
