Introduction
This team, for all those who did not read the title, centers around Mega Manectric, a pokemon which I always think is not used enough. This team is built to allow Manectric to take full advantage of its abilities, Lightning Rod(pre-mega) and Intimidate(mega) and take KOs, both in the early and late game. There is a VoltTurn core with Rotom-Wash, Greninja, and Corviknight, and it is also provided hazard control by Garchomp, Corviknight, and Rotom-Wash. Kartana and Greninja both help out in taking on threats to Manectric such as Great Tusk, Garchomp, Swampert-Mega, and Landorus-Therian. Sometimes, I don't even have to use Manectric to win. At the time of writing this, this incarnation of the team has won me 14 battles and lost 1 match.
Manectric-Mega @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
The heart and soul of this team is Manectric, which I always thought was cool, and it has been one of my favorite pokemon personally. Putting coolness boasting a base Speed and Special Attack of 135. This set is used to give it the ability to hit practically everything with neutral damage(if not super effective) Thunderbolt provides a strong STAB move when Manectric has a favorable situation, and Volt Switch allows it to pivot out into a better check for the opponent. Flamethrower is a nice move, allowing it to hit Steel types like Ferrothorn, Gholdengo, or Scizor. Hidden Power Ice is a move that punishes pokemon like Landorus-T, Great Tusk, and Zapdos, all pokemon would usually be an easy switch in for Electric types like Manectric. The EV spread is maximised around using Manectric's speed and Special Attack to allow it to hit first and either be able to get a KO, or pivot out into something more suited for the field with Volt Switch.
Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
I realized, after finishing Manectric's moveset, that it would definitely appreciate hazard support, so I chose Garchomp, a pokemon both capable of support and offense. This set is essentially a offensive Stealth Rock, with Stealth Rock being a given, and Swords Dance increasing Garchomp's attack and threatningness(that's a word). Earthquake + Outrage gives Garchomp powerful STAB moves and Dragonium Z at +2 is a force to be reckoned with. The set centers around Speed and Atk, with a bit invested into SpD. It allows it to set up Rocks fast before dealing damage.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Mirror Armor
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 SpD
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Defog
- U-turn
- Roost
Corviknight serves for hazard control, along with being a good pivot. Corviknight + Manectric form a VoltTurn core, and Corviknight can also bait out Electric type moves, which Manectric can absorb using Lightning Rod(if not mega-evolved), or Garchomp gets a free switch in. Corviknight has Brave Bird, which serves as a high damage STAB move. Defog allows for hazard support, which also removes terrain, an added bonus. U-turn allows Corviknight to pivot out into a different pokemon, and allows its allies to apply pressure, as it also completes a VoltTurn core. Roost allows for self-recovery, and in some cases, has an advantage in removing its flying type. Tera Dragon allows it to resist its two weaknesses in Fire and Electric, along with giving it the ability to tank Water types as well. The set is made to allow Corviknight to pivot into moves safely, and focuses mainly on Defense, with Rocky Helmet being useful for chipping down pokemon like Urshifu-RS after Dragon Tera.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog
Rotom-Wash is a solid pokemon and also forms a VoltTurn core with Corviknight. Rotom provides a Ground immunity to the team, along with hitting many ground types super-effectively with Hydro Pump(the exception being Garchomp), which also serves as its main STAB move. Volt Switch allows Wash Rotom to switch out of an unfavorable situation, or allows it to deal damage with its Electric STAB and switch into Manectric to continue the momentum. Will-O-Wisp provides a way to both damage and cripple threatening physical attackers like Kartana or Rillaboom, along with allowing it to read switch-ins(obviously with the opponent predicting Volt Switch) and surprise them with a Will-O-Wisp. Defog serves as a way to remove terrains and entry hazards, and serves as another form of hazard control on this team. Tera Electric means that Rotom-Wash will have no weaknesses(except for that one Mold Breaker Haxorus with Earthquake that's out there somewhere). The EV spread is focused on making Rotom-Wash fast enough so that it can do the job it swapped in for and get out with Volt Switch. The item Leftovers allows it to recover health that may have been taken by entry hazards. (Also, as a side note, this just happens to be the longest section I've ever devoted to a pokemon in a RMT).
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Hydro Pump
With the VoltTurn cores that are on this team kept appearing on the team, I decided not to stop while teambuilding. I just took the typical Greninja Life Orb set, and gave it Tera Bug. The set is focused on offense, with Hydro Pump serving as its main STAB move. Dark Pulse serves as a secondary STAB move for any other Ghost type that isn't Dragapult. Ice Beam allows Greninja to hit Dragon and Ground types(oh, and Flying types) for extra coverage. U-Turn allows Greninja to switch out of a situation, mainly to let either Manectric or Kartana deal with whatever is currently on the field. Tera Bug allows Greninja to surprise any pokemon that unleashes either a Grass or Fighting type move, one that would usually OHKO Greninja, and then proceed to either pivot out with the now STAB U-Turn, or stay in to deal more damage. The EV spread + Life Orb is self-explanatory, maximizing Greninja's damage potential.
Kartana @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Psycho Cut
- Smart Strike
There used to be a Moltres in this spot, but after looking at the team, I realized that Ground types, especially Swampert-Mega, still posed a threat, meaning that I needed a hard counter against Water and Ground types. Enter Kartana, a pokemon that has some of the best coverage moves in the game and gets an attack boost whenever it KOs something(which happens often). Kartana works as a lead, revenge killer, and cleaner, all-in-one. The moveset and Tera all center around maximising Kartana's coverage to make it almost unapproachable, with Leaf Blade + Smart Strike being its main STAB move. Tera Psychic + Psycho Cut is a dangerous combo, especially when Kartana is at +1 attack, giving it a way to hit Fighting types. Knock Off gives it a way to punish any Dragapult running Flamethrower, because I haven't encountered Focus Sash Dragapult yet(there is always the possibility.) The EV spread is focused around maximizing the damage Kartana can do without Life Orb or Choice Band, since Focus Sash is always an item that Kartana appreciates(because of the number of Fire and Fighting types out there).
If you want to see ways that this team works, I added some replays that show some of this team's wins and its only loss.
Battles using this Team:
Wins:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-1940083190
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-1939830384
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-1939833250
Loss:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-1940104929
“It is never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and the heart-of the one who wields it.”
-Kevin Sands, The Blackthorn Key
(A side note: I would appreciate if someone could find it in their heart to tell me how stupid I am for building this team and list multiple pokemon and pokemon cores that could obviously crush this team)
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