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DETONATE-Sticky Web Zard X click on the sprites for the importable
One of the fun experiments with Zard X when I believed in Sticky Web (that style has some huge weaknesses but I tried my best to make it viable).
I initially built the team around Charizard and Manaphy, as water and fire are two offensive types complementing each other during the game, while they both benefit from the speed drop caused by Sticky Web. Unlike ORAS, where I would have chosen a Ghost type to block Rapid Spin, I thought it made more sense to focus entirely on offense, considering that the primary method to remove Sticky Web in SMOU is Defog. With Zard X, I find Ribombee to be the superior Sticky Web setter. Paired with Excadrill, they form a double suicide lead core, ensuring the placement of rocks and Sticky Web while denying hazards on your side.
I believe Swords Dance Charizard X with Sticky Web can be devastating. Flare Blitz and Earthquake are the main attacks here. Flame Charge is a niche choice to outspeed Scarf Landorus or any Pokémon not affected by Sticky Web, turning it into a deadly sweeper. It can be replaced by Roost for more longevity as well. Serperior adds glare support to cripple Pokémon not affected by the Sticky Web and contributes a solid snowball effect to the team, fitting well into Hyper Offense. Taunt is included because it excels at disrupting bulky builds and can open up opportunities for its teammates (substitute is also an option). Speaking of Serperior, I opted to give Manaphy a Rindo Berry to help against THE snake (since Contrary gives it a speed boost due to Sticky Web) but also Kartana.
Finally, I must emphasize that Bisharp is incredible in Hyper Offense. Defiant instills fear in opponents, compelling them not to Defog. If they do, and you anticipate it, you get a nice boost that can transform Bisharp into the winning piece of the game. Also, Sucker Punch from Bisharp always seemed excessively powerful, and the Z move just gives him that extra nuke.
After extending the votes, voters have decided that Zaza has won this week's competition. Congrats, and I have added you to the hall of fame.
Unfortunately I cannot continue to run this competition due to IRL stuff, so I do not have another topic for now. If anyone wants to take over this thread, they can feel free to by contacting a forum moderator.
I'm back and I'm ready to get things running again. From this point onwards, I'm going to run the tournament with a 4-3 schedule; 12PM GMT on Friday-Tuesday 5PM GMT for posting, and 5PM Tuesday-Friday 12PM GMT for voting. I'm hoping with this change the tournament gets a little more fun to run, as I can cycle through new topics faster. I'll try to stick to relatively simple ideas like building around a Pokemon, an item, or a certain group of Pokemon (i.e certain tiered Pokemon). Without further ado, I'm going to announce the first Pokemon.
Week 7: Cresselia
Cresselia has established itself as a great support/defensive option for hyper offense teams and balance teams, as it is the single best check to Mega Medicham in the tier (other than wack ass shed lmao) and can be incredibly helpful against other offense threats like Mega Lopunny, Tapu Lele, and Hawlucha. It can opt to run a Calm Mind set to take advantage of common teams struggling to threaten it and reduce its passivity, a support variant making use of Lunar Dance and/or status moves like Thunder Wave and Toxic, or even a Trick Room support, if you're really, really boring.
You have until 5PM GMT on Tuesday to post a team featuring Cresselia (Honestly, I'll probably be quite lenient, as its the first week and doesn't have the full amount of time; make sure to let me know if you think the posting time is too short, I can adjust. Additionally, you can feel free to PM me on here or on Discord (szinnia) suggestions for future weeks and I will credit you if I use it. Anyway, have fun!
I'll start things off with my own team I was building last night. Thanks to CM Reuniclus for giving some set advice.
Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost
Mega Charizard Y has quite a beautiful synergy with Kartana. Something that I love to see explored is the use of sun to boost Moonlight and Synthesis, most importantly clearing negative weathers. I'm opting for a defensive Mega Charizard Y (underrated) to check the biggest threat to Cresselia, (especially Toxic ones) Mega Mawile. It's unbothered by any of Play Rough or Knock Off, and doesn't need to worry about +2 Sucker Punch thanks to Will-O-Wisp. It does take huge damage from Thunder Punch variants of Mawile, though it doesn't OHKO outright. Charizard is also adept at handling Choiced/SD Fight Kartana, Excadrill lacking Rock Slide, and Tapu Bulu, on the physical side. It also appreciates Future Sight from Cresselia aiding it against Toxapex. The Speed investment allows it to get the jump on various Pokemon that speedcreep Modest Heatran.
I love heat Cresselia sets like this in general (can't claim credit for this set; it was made by Skypenguin) but it really helped to fit certain things on the team. Toxic + Skill Swap puts a stop to Calm Mind Reuniclus and SD Gliscor. Although it isn't as potent against Gliscor as Skill Swap Chansey, as it can't remove Gliscor's bad poison via Natural Cure, it's better against Reuniclus for the same reason. Skill Swap also has many other interesting uses, such as cancelling Regenerator. Cresselia is such a good Toxic user because it's hard to OHKO. Super useful for threats like Mega Swampert and setup sweepers like Volcarona and Mega Charizard X if things go wrong. As I mentioned previously, Future Sight helps Charizard Y, but it can also mitigate opposing offensive pressure by punishing certain doubles on certain turns, which is helpful when using passive Pokemon like itself, Chansey, and Seismitoad(?).
Kartana @ Grassium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 128 HP / 128 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Synthesis
- Defog
Kartana is another benefactor of Charizard's sun, and a crucial teammate that is able to clear Stealth Rock against even the biggest pain in the ass offensive Stealth Rockers, SD Lando/Garchomp, as they're threatened out by Bloom Doom, which is a powerful nuke in its own right. As I'm pairing it with Heal Bell, it can grab items like Toxapex's Black Sludge, Chansey's Eviolite and Volcarona's berry/lefties as it's not permanently ruined by burn from Scald/Flame Body or paralysis from Thunder Wave. It can revenge kill the biggest pain to balance teams, Manaphy, as well as help against Mega Gyarados.
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 244 HP / 36 Def / 216 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Rest
Seismitoad is honestly my favourite Pokemon; it was the first analysis I ever wrote, and it's incredibly satisfying to use and splashable on balance teams. It's great against offense, blocking Volt Switch from Rotom-W, Magearna, and Tapu Koko, and pressures opposing Stealth Rock users like Landorus-T and Heatran with Scald and Earthquake, respectively. If Seismitoad was, say, a Landorus-T or a Gliscor, then this team would be lost against Rotom-W and Tapu Koko. As I'm pairing it with Heal Bell, it's safe for it to go to sleep and maintain its own health. It still completely owns Rotom-W in its sleep, literally.
Chansey is here to blanket check and invalidate many special attackers like Volcarona, Greninja, Calm Mind Tapu Koko, and opposing Mega Charizard Y, as well as spread status and provide cleric support. I really like how Heal Bell cuts out a lot of risk. As I mentioned previously, it lets Kartana face its fear of contact related effects and allows Seismitoad to sleep tight. Thunder Wave could also be used instead of Toxic to punish Steel-types, but I prefer Toxic.
There's not a single Pokemon more of a blast to use than Ditto; seriously, whenever this thing can be fit on a team, its the best experience. It's a super useful revenge killer against the likes of Mega Charizard X, Taunt Kommo-o, Flyinium Gyarados, and more. It's probably the best Pokemon on the team against stall if it gets knocked, but that's not to say the matchup is any good. To sum up Ditto's role on the team in a sentence, it gives the team an out against the most dire circumstances, which, for bulkier teams, means it's worth its weight in gold.
