INTODUCTION
TEAMBUILDING PROCESS
I usually start builiding by choosing one Pokemon to build around. I chose to start with SD Bewear for two reasons. One, I was tired of getting bodied by Snorlax, and two, I just love clicking Swords Dance and killing things.
I wanted some way of getting Bewear onto the field safely, so I knew I wanted a Pokemon with U-turn or something similar. I've used Morpeko in the past, and I've found it quite reliable and compresses a lot of roles into one. Plus is can deal with Sableye, and I absolutely hate Sableye.
Before I continued on, I wanted to get the Scarfer out of the way. I wanted to give Grassy Surge Rillaboom a try, and so decided to slap it on the team. Plus, it seemed like a pretty good fit, since it U-turn could bring in Bewear safely and Grass Terrain would help heal off the damage from Double Edge.
Next up was the Steath Rocker. I already had two Pokemon weak to fighting, so I knew I couldn't add a third, which really limited my options. I ended up going with Mudsdale because I liked it's blend of offense and defense; even without investment, it can still dish out some pain.
I wanted something Specially Defensive to pair with Mudsdale. This slot was initially occupied by Aromatisse, who does basically the same thing as Clefairy does. However, I personally value a Wishport Pokemon more than one with Aromatherapy (though there are definitely times when I wished I had Aromatisse), so I ended up with Clefairy. Teleport is just a really good move, man.
Honestly, this slot was an on-a-whim decision. I had no clue what to put for the last slot, so I just put Salazzle there and figured I'd change it later. After almost single-handedly winning me several games, though, Salazzle more than earned its spot.
THE TEAM
No Lube (Bewear) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
No Lube (Bewear) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
Though the team was initially built with this Pokemon in mind, it was ultimately relegated to the team's Snorlax check. Of course, it can do a lot more than that, especially if it gets up a Swords Dance (hence the nickname). But it's really the only member of the team that can stop Snorlax from sweeping. Past that, anything else it can do is a bonus. If it can set-up, or even just get a prediction correct, it can easily leave a gaping hole in the enemy team. The set is pretty standard: Jolly to be as fast as possible, and Drain Punch to give it some recovery since I'm clicking Double-Edge most of the time.
Mickey (Morpeko) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Hunger Switch
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Rapid Spin
- Protect
- Parting Shot
I've gotten quite a bit of mileage out of this little guy, mostly because it do a bunch of things. It can remove hazards, punish spinblockers, pivot out while weakening the opponent, and scout moves with Protect. It also hits decently hard as well, which is a plus. I just wish it was a bit faster (It's on the cusp of outspeeding Ninetales and Charizard), but I guess that's what Aura Wheel and Rapid Spin are for. The set is fairly basic. Aura Wheel is a really good attack, made even better by abusing Protect. Rapid Spin because I'd rather not get chipped by Rocks every time I switch. Parting Shot is chosen over U-turn so I can weak attacks and allow my team to take hits better. Since this thing's defenses are basically non-existent, I chose to go with max Attack and max Speed.
Maestro (Rillaboom) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Horsepower
An absolute star on the team, mostly due to its ability. This Pokemon does exactly what every other Choice Scarf Pokemon does: revenge kills things and pivots with U-turn. I don't have much to say, mostly because there isn't a lot to explain. The only thing really worth noting is that High Horsepower is basically mandatory because Earthquake hits like a limp noodle in Grassy Terrain. Still, I'm clicking either U-turn or Wood Hammer most of the time.
Okay, maybe the Pokemon is pretty average, but its ability might as well be the backbone of the entire team. The passive recovery does so much to help my team. It's not really mandatory, but boy does it help. Mudsdale, Salazzle, and Clefairy all greatly appreciate the extra recovery. The first two don't have any healing moves, so any extra health goes a long way (especially when Salazzle can abuse Protect to gain even more). And while Clefairy does get Wish, it really misses having Leftovers, so Grassy Terrain is just what the doctor ordered. Bewear and Morpeko benefit too, albeit to a lesser degree. It's kind of crazy just how much Grassy Terrain benefits bulky teams like this.
Boxer (Mudsdale) @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- High Horsepower
- Rock Slide
- Toxic/Protect
A physical tank capable of tanking on a majority of physical attackers in the tier, as well as the SR user. High Horsepower is chosen over Earthquake since the latter synergizes poorly with Grassy Terrain. Rock Slide provides good coverage, and makes it a nice check to Charizard. I've gone back and forth between Toxic and Protect in the last slot. Protect lets it recover health and gives it more staying power, but Toxic can let it at least cripple threats it can't really touch like Virizion. The EVs (according to the Smogon Dex) lets it avoid the 2HKO from Salazzle's Fire Blast and Choice Scarf Indeedee's Psychic, but honestly it's just pretty handy having some SpDef investment.
Tinkerbell (Clefairy) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
- Moonblast
Personally, I think Clefairy is kinda underrated in the tier. It's not meta-defining or anything, but it can be used whenever Aromatisse can be used. The main thing it brings is access to both Wish and Teleport, making it a fantastic pivot. Though its wishes aren't particularly large, they're good at keeping my Pokemon in the fight for that much longer, and sometimes that's all you need. I fully invested into SpDef so it can soak up the hits Mudsdale can't. Other than that, the set is fairly self-explanatory.
Rule 34 (Salazzle) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Corrosion
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Substitute
- Flamethrower
You know it, you hate it: SubToxic Salazzle. Honestly this thing is the MVP on this team. It serves as a nice wincon and can just generally wear down walls. It's also a nice emergency check to things that Mudsdale or Clefairy can't handle too well like Virizion. Plus, having another way to handle Stall alongside Bewear is pretty nice. I chose to go with Black Sludge over Heavy-Duty Boots since the recovery can let it stall things out more often, even when taking into account the potential Stealth Rocks. Play your cards right with this thing, and there's basically nothing the opponent can do.
THREATS
Duraludon
No Pokemon on the team can really take a Draco Meteor except Clefairy, who really doesn't like STAB Flash Cannon. My best bet is to put offensive pressure on it and KO it early before I have to sacking Pokemon to it.Duraludon
Sun Teams
CONCLUSION
This team is really good largely because it's so adaptable. You can pivot around the opponent's Pokemon constantly, scouting out moves with Protect, before going in for the kill with Bewear, Salazzle, or Rillaboom. Grass Terrain and Wishport keeps the team alive and well for more drawn out games. You've got multiple ways to bypass walls, and multiple paths to victory, so this team is well-suited for a variety of playstyles.
No Lube (Bewear) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
Mickey (Morpeko) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Hunger Switch
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Rapid Spin
- Protect
- Parting Shot
Maestro (Rillaboom) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Horsepower
Boxer (Mudsdale) @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- High Horsepower
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Tinkerbell (Clefairy) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
- Moonblast
Rule 34 (Salazzle) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Corrosion
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Substitute
- Flamethrower
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
Mickey (Morpeko) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Hunger Switch
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Rapid Spin
- Protect
- Parting Shot
Maestro (Rillaboom) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Horsepower
Boxer (Mudsdale) @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- High Horsepower
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Tinkerbell (Clefairy) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
- Moonblast
Rule 34 (Salazzle) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Corrosion
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Substitute
- Flamethrower