I guess if we are dropping sets I'll drop a team that I've actually had a lot of fun with and got up to #5 on ladder with and shows you can succeed without using "broken" mons~
Venipede @ Focus Sash
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect
- Endeavor
Actually honestly believe that this is THE premier Spikes lead in the current tier. The main plus is access to both hazards as well as being able to immediately threaten basically everything at 1HP with fast (at that point) Endeavor. Is a super good lead because even if something sets up on you you can always bring it down to 1HP (or worst case 170) and revenge it with a teammate. The downside is that you cannot prevent opposing hazards from going up. I find that this mon actually can have utility throughout a game if played correctly as having a 1HP nuke can be more beneficial later. The combination of T-spikes + endeavor is great as well due to the fact that anything that switches in (that's affected by T-spikes) will actually faint due to the poison.
Minimum IVs allow you to get down to 1HP as fast as possible.
There are 2 options:
- Max Atk Jolly for increased Foul Play damage
- 0 Atk Timid for decreased recovery from Strength Sap recovery.
I chose option 2 because I think it is more relevant.
+ Speed is required to outspeed base 110s such as Archeops at +1.
Pikachu @ Light Ball
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 Atk / 152 SpA / 104 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Grass Knot
- Thunderbolt
- Knock Off
This set/spread is actually taken directly from user
fssong, and it makes sense. EVs allow you to outspeed base 70s naturally and the rest are put into offensive stats. Pikachu with Extreme Speed is actually incredible in the current meta as most teams are either HO, Weather, or TR, all of which get bypassed by the increased priority. Speaking of which, I am fairly certain that Pikachu Extreme Speed is the strongest priority in the meta at +0, even beating out Adamant Band Sneasel Ice Shard. This allows you to revenge the many offensive threats in the tier simply after they have taken hazard damage or other chip damage.
252+ Atk Light Ball Pikachu Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ribombee: 169-199 (64.7 - 76.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes
252+ Atk Light Ball Pikachu Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Shiftry: 187-221 (58.2 - 68.8%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 3 layers of Spikes
252+ Atk Light Ball Pikachu Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Sneasel: 179-211 (71.3 - 84%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Here are a few replays showing how good Pikachu is late game:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nualpha-580993456 - vs blapperl, who was #2 at the time of this battle
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nualpha-581023922 - vs Thrillz, using an effective sun team
The coverage allows you to be a menace against stall since you can fire off Knock Offs and you're not walled by Steelix, Quag, Slowbro, etc.
Persian-Alola @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Foul Play
- Fake Out
- Parting Shot
Persian-A is super cool as it allows you to be a soft check to a lot of stuff, Foul Play puts out a lot of damage, and this set does not get set up on by Pangoro or Virizion. Fake Out works for this team as I have T-Spike support and gets decent chip damage off and can be used to revenge things. In general, Persian-A has been effective at beating the bevy of dark types and such that roam around the tier currently and does well with Foul Play. If I were to change anything about this team I would change Play Rough --> Toxic and make it 248 HP with Timid Nature. Toxic would allow the team a better chance against P2 (when they have a grounded poison) and helps vs Necrozma. Makes a lot of sense on this team as a bulky pivot and gets Pikachu in safely with Parting Shot.
Incineroar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Darkest Lariat
- Fire Blast
This is my favorite mon in the current meta. It actually works amazingly well as a blanket check to a bunch of scary shit like Moltres, Ribombee, Whimsi, Sun Sweepers, Necrozma, any other Psychic type, Charizard, Typh, Sableye, Spiritomb, etc. Fake Out again is just a great way to get chip and works amazingly well with Spikes. Brave nature allows for a few cool things; it gives you a slow U-turn and the ability to run Fire Blast. Fire Blast is preferred over Flare Blitz due to lack of recoil and that it does more to Steelix (2hko). Darkest Lariat is a great spammable move that beats any mono attacking Necrozma set b/c it ignores Defense boosts so they cannot outstall you with Moonlight PP. This is an amazing pivot in the tier and it checks so much stuff. Strongly recommend trying this set out.
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
Don't have much to say about this. Mesprit is still super good. Dazzle hits Pangoro, Sableye, and Spiritomb. Ice Beam is potentially a good option to hit Xatu, Rhydon, and Steelix more effectively. Have considered Psychium-Z.
Oricorio-Sensu @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Revelation Dance
- U-turn
- Sleep Talk
Team's spinblocker. Scarf is in a really cool speed tier as you outpace Scarf Rotom. Hurricane allows you to block spins from Foresight Hitmontop and is an amazingly reliable check to Virizion. Is slightly weak, but that's not really the role it's supposed to fulfill. Definitely not an amazing mon in the current meta, but fits on this team well as it can check things like Virizion, Yanmega (since it quad resists Bug Bus), and other fast threats. Toxic can be used over Sleep Talk to hit P2.
Enjoy using this team or even just picking some aspects of it you think you can improve on.
Thanks everyone~
PS: Where do you find the animated Gen 7 Sprites - EDIT: Thanks
quziel