Hello everyone and welcome to my first RMT, I wanted to show you a team I had a lot of fun to play with:
Without further introduction, let's enter the :
-Rotom: Rotom is not a huge threat but its acces to volt switch to evade Porygon2 Block, its ability to burn and to stay healthy during the match make it anoying to face, however hoopa is able to OHKO it, and it can be weakened with boomburst spam.
-Magearna: Magearna is much more difficult to check for the team, with only heatran able to deal enough damage to OHKO it. Non Volt Switch variants can be trapped by Porygon2, however a deffensive setup set with CM/Moonlight/Moonblast/Nature's Madness could pressure Porygon2 too much, and Nature's Madness is annoying for every Poke in my team.
-Rain: Rain is hard to deal with for my team, because of the sheer power of Ash Gren, Swampert... However Hoopa is able to 2HKO every rain Poke, and Porygon is still able to tank hits while it's full health, so it's not impossible to win.
Replay:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7stabmons-999061444
This is a decisive match from LOM, a Frontier-like tournament organised in the French room
Overall this team was really fun to play, and I found it pretty strong: the defensive core is hard to break, and the offensive core deals lots of damage. If you have any comments about the team, or if you see any english mistakes, dont hesitate to tell me.
Without further introduction, let's enter the :
TEAMBUILDING PROCESS
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Block
- Perish Song
- Recover
- Boomburst
Hoopa-Unbound @ Choice Band
Ability: Magician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hyperspace Fury
- Photon Geyser
- Sucker Punch
- Gunk Shot
These Poke were the two I wanted to build the team around. First of all we have Trap Porygon2, an excellent Pokemon whose job is to remove annoying defensive threats, mainly Landorus-Therian, Celeesteela and Chansey. Trace as an ability is usefull, because it allows to switch it on Intimidate users, notably Lando-T. Boomburst still does lots of damage even without SpA EVs and it's the reason I use Porygon2 over Type-Null, which has a slightly better bulk but has les SpA.
The other main Poke of this team is Band Hoopa-U, a Poke which hits like a truck. Photon Geyser and Sucker Punch are two great additions to Hoopa's moovepool: Priority is always nice to have, and Photon Geyser allows it to 2HKO Lando-T full Def after Intimidate:
0 SpA Hoopa-Unbound Photon Geyser vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 207-244 (54.1 - 63.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Hyperspace still does lots of damage even after the Intimidate, mainly on Scarf Lando-T:
-1 252 Atk Choice Band Hoopa-Unbound Hyperspace Fury vs. 0 HP / 68 Def Landorus-Therian: 193-228 (60.5 - 71.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Finally, gunk shot is a pretty good coverage moove to have which OHKO almost every Fairy type.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Shore Up
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Beak Blast
The next Poke I added in the team was Defensive Lando-T, as I needed a Stelth Rock user and a way to deal with Scarf Lando. RH helps in this way, because most of the time, Lando will come to Revenge Kill Hoopa-U with U-turn, and that's a very easy way to weaken it. "Slow" U-Turn is always helpfull to have to bring Hoopa safely on the fielf. Not much more need to be said on this Poke, it's a preddy standard set but still very effective.
Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Rapid Spin
- Boomburst
- Heal Bell
Defensive Altaria-Mega fits very well in the team, as I needed an hazard removal, a status absorber, and a water resist. Heal bell is very usefull in this tier full of Beak Blast and Steam Eruption, particularly with Hoopa-U, because most of the time people will loose a Poke to burn Hoopa, and this can bring it back to action. Being able to remove toxic from Porygon2 and Lando-T is also very nice. For the same reason as Porygon2, Boomburst even whithout investments still does lots of damage and is more than enough as the only attack of this set. Finally, I play it with Cloud Nine, as it's one of the few Poke able to switch on Water Spout Greninja under the rain:
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Altaria: 108-128 (30.5 - 36.1%) -- 51.2% chance to 3HKO
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Blue Flare
- Eruption
Heatran joined the team as the Fairy-Fire resists I was lacking, a cleaner and a revenge killer. This Poke is not super strong in the current meta, where ther is a Rotom-W or H in almost every team, but it's still kinda usefull. Moreover, if you manage to switch in on a Will-O-Wisp targetting Hoopa or Lando, it become very hard to stop:
252 SpA Flash Fire Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Rotom-Wash: 174-204 (57.2 - 67.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Kommo-o @ Kommonium Z
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Clanging Scales
- Close Combat
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Dance
Finally, I wanted a setup sweeper in the team. This was the slot the most difficult to find, as I tried to fill it with Thundu-T, Nasty Plot Ash-Gren... but I finally chose Kommo-o, as Soundproof is still a very good ability to have and allows it to be a secondary check to Sylveon and special Altaria-Mega. Being a mixed attacker is usefull to deal damage to almost all defensive Poke in the metagame. Fighting + Poison hit almost all the meta, considering that there are not a lot of viable ghost type.
Main Threats for the Team
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Block
- Perish Song
- Recover
- Boomburst
Hoopa-Unbound @ Choice Band
Ability: Magician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hyperspace Fury
- Photon Geyser
- Sucker Punch
- Gunk Shot
These Poke were the two I wanted to build the team around. First of all we have Trap Porygon2, an excellent Pokemon whose job is to remove annoying defensive threats, mainly Landorus-Therian, Celeesteela and Chansey. Trace as an ability is usefull, because it allows to switch it on Intimidate users, notably Lando-T. Boomburst still does lots of damage even without SpA EVs and it's the reason I use Porygon2 over Type-Null, which has a slightly better bulk but has les SpA.
The other main Poke of this team is Band Hoopa-U, a Poke which hits like a truck. Photon Geyser and Sucker Punch are two great additions to Hoopa's moovepool: Priority is always nice to have, and Photon Geyser allows it to 2HKO Lando-T full Def after Intimidate:
0 SpA Hoopa-Unbound Photon Geyser vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 207-244 (54.1 - 63.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Hyperspace still does lots of damage even after the Intimidate, mainly on Scarf Lando-T:
-1 252 Atk Choice Band Hoopa-Unbound Hyperspace Fury vs. 0 HP / 68 Def Landorus-Therian: 193-228 (60.5 - 71.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Finally, gunk shot is a pretty good coverage moove to have which OHKO almost every Fairy type.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Shore Up
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Beak Blast
The next Poke I added in the team was Defensive Lando-T, as I needed a Stelth Rock user and a way to deal with Scarf Lando. RH helps in this way, because most of the time, Lando will come to Revenge Kill Hoopa-U with U-turn, and that's a very easy way to weaken it. "Slow" U-Turn is always helpfull to have to bring Hoopa safely on the fielf. Not much more need to be said on this Poke, it's a preddy standard set but still very effective.
Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Rapid Spin
- Boomburst
- Heal Bell
Defensive Altaria-Mega fits very well in the team, as I needed an hazard removal, a status absorber, and a water resist. Heal bell is very usefull in this tier full of Beak Blast and Steam Eruption, particularly with Hoopa-U, because most of the time people will loose a Poke to burn Hoopa, and this can bring it back to action. Being able to remove toxic from Porygon2 and Lando-T is also very nice. For the same reason as Porygon2, Boomburst even whithout investments still does lots of damage and is more than enough as the only attack of this set. Finally, I play it with Cloud Nine, as it's one of the few Poke able to switch on Water Spout Greninja under the rain:
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Altaria: 108-128 (30.5 - 36.1%) -- 51.2% chance to 3HKO
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Blue Flare
- Eruption
Heatran joined the team as the Fairy-Fire resists I was lacking, a cleaner and a revenge killer. This Poke is not super strong in the current meta, where ther is a Rotom-W or H in almost every team, but it's still kinda usefull. Moreover, if you manage to switch in on a Will-O-Wisp targetting Hoopa or Lando, it become very hard to stop:
252 SpA Flash Fire Heatran Eruption (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Rotom-Wash: 174-204 (57.2 - 67.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Kommo-o @ Kommonium Z
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Clanging Scales
- Close Combat
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Dance
Finally, I wanted a setup sweeper in the team. This was the slot the most difficult to find, as I tried to fill it with Thundu-T, Nasty Plot Ash-Gren... but I finally chose Kommo-o, as Soundproof is still a very good ability to have and allows it to be a secondary check to Sylveon and special Altaria-Mega. Being a mixed attacker is usefull to deal damage to almost all defensive Poke in the metagame. Fighting + Poison hit almost all the meta, considering that there are not a lot of viable ghost type.
-Rotom: Rotom is not a huge threat but its acces to volt switch to evade Porygon2 Block, its ability to burn and to stay healthy during the match make it anoying to face, however hoopa is able to OHKO it, and it can be weakened with boomburst spam.
-Magearna: Magearna is much more difficult to check for the team, with only heatran able to deal enough damage to OHKO it. Non Volt Switch variants can be trapped by Porygon2, however a deffensive setup set with CM/Moonlight/Moonblast/Nature's Madness could pressure Porygon2 too much, and Nature's Madness is annoying for every Poke in my team.
-Rain: Rain is hard to deal with for my team, because of the sheer power of Ash Gren, Swampert... However Hoopa is able to 2HKO every rain Poke, and Porygon is still able to tank hits while it's full health, so it's not impossible to win.
Replay:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7stabmons-999061444
This is a decisive match from LOM, a Frontier-like tournament organised in the French room
Overall this team was really fun to play, and I found it pretty strong: the defensive core is hard to break, and the offensive core deals lots of damage. If you have any comments about the team, or if you see any english mistakes, dont hesitate to tell me.