Battle Stadium To Beat a Zacian (& Friends)

[KevDev]

Introduction

After ditching BSS during Series 9, I came back to discover that Series 10 had a non-Dynamax ruleset. One glaring flaw, however, was the allowance of one Legendary per team. I was not worried at all until I began to encounter the Gen 8 monstrosities. Zacian and Calyrex were everywhere removing any chance for me to be creative. As a result, it became my mission to attempt to delete these threats from existence while also accounting for the other powerhouses in the metagame. This team has the goal to to (hopefully) break past the majority of offensive teams running around with wallbreakers and setup while also dancing its way around stall. Many restricted Pokémon have one weak spot to pin down (except Zacian and Eternatus), so here is this thing I have been developing for a few weeks now.

The Stuff
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Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Spear
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard

The standard Mamoswine set does standard Mamoswine things. This functions as either a lead or a late game cleaner with the ability to destroy Zacian or Eternatus granted its sash is still up. It also poses a threat to Flying types that are willing to switch in for Ground weak Pokémon such as Zapdos. Landorus leads get destroyed with Ice Shard, the occasional Toxapex falls to EQ, and Mamoswine can chip neutral pokemon such as Kyogre and Calyrex with its rocks or STABS. I am not risking 100% accuracy for Icicle Crash considering Icicle Spear can break through sash or substitutes from the rare Prankster Thundurus/Whimsicott. Quad-weak targets such as the many setup Psuedo-Legendaries fall late game to Ice Shard, and it can switch into Eternatus when lead Urshifu-R shows up.

Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Bug Buzz/Psychic

This is here to fight the sword box-art legendary itself. Volcarona's EVs allow it to be as physically bulky as possible while still outspeeding Jolly Zacian and Timid Calyrex without Choice Scarf at +1. Flamethrower guarantees a non-bulky Zacian defeat after a boost, and its other moves are there to strike others after the fact such as Hippowdon, Toxapex (Psychic), and Gothitelle (Bug Buzz). On teams without Zacian, it can still function as a strong setup sweeper stopped heavily by Tyranitar and Heatran. Boots protect its non-existent feet from getting pierced by rocks and getting stuck on Sticky Web placed by Zacian's bugs.

Rillaboom @ Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
- High Horsepower/U-Turn
- Low Kick

Kyogre be gone (granted it lives). Sets terrain to eliminate problematic Psychic Terrain while also protecting my Eternatus from EQ. Rillaboom can also take care of some of Volcarona's problems while cleaning weakened opponents with the signature Grassy Glide. High Horsepower is for unsuspecting Heatran and Zacian while U-Turn gives a reliable switch in to its teammates that would rather not take an attack themselves. Low Kick feels more reliable than Superpower as it doesn't drop its attack or defense on repeated uses while also bypassing evasion. It still manages to reach high BP anyway due to the amount of heavy targets out there. Assault Vest to tank Kyogre's attacks as well as Calyrex to finish off with GG or Knock Off. Porygon-2 also gets crippled by Knock Off allowing everyone else to take care of it reliably.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Whirlpool
- Moonblast
- Protect/Haze
- Taunt/Haze

Here to tank both Urshifu styles' attacks on top of providing important utility against setup. If Tapu Fini manages to safely switch into Zacian, Haze can remove its boosts gained from its ability or Swords Dance forcing it into an uncomfortable position. Gothitelle among other setup (especially dragons) also get denied by Haze assuming they don't outspeed and defeat Fini early. Protect can scout moves while stalling for Whirlpool/Leftovers, and Taunt shuts down hazard spam on top of gimmicks. Misty Terrain may hinder Eternatus' Dynamax Cannon, but it also protects it from paralysis or opposing Dragon attacks, and it can still manage to finish them with its coverage.

Eternatus @ Power Herb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Meteor Beam
- Dynamax Cannon
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Bomb

Meteor Beam for the powerful Rock coverage against Yveltal and Zapdos while also denting neutral targets (granted it hits). After a boost, Eternatus becomes a menace with its coverage. Sludge Bomb melts fairies, Dynamax Cannon provides a spammable Dragon move granted it isn't in Misty Terrain, and Flamethrower stops Steels from entirely walling it. Heatran can be annoying to it, but with Meteor Beam and a boosted Dynamax Cannon, it isn't impossible to beat. Ground or Psychic types such as Landorus and Calyrex can counter it, though, and after Power Herb gets consumed, it gets tougher to stop Flying types that stand in its way. Ditto also takes advantage of the boost when switching in allowing it to reverse sweep my team.

Urshifu @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wicked Blow
- Low Kick
- Thunder Punch
- Sucker Punch

The final part of the team and the team slot that I keep debating on. Urshifu-S can hit extremely hard with Wicked Blow allowing it to clean to a similar degree as Rillaboom. Calyrex without Sash/Sub and Draining Kiss gets blasted into space, and Low Kick works the same way Rillaboom uses it. Thunder Punch hits Fini and other Flying types with one move, and it is all I can really say about Urshifu. Fairies wall it to death. Can be swapped into Rapid Strike form to trick people into thinking I wouldn't run two Water types, but thats it.

The Importable/Closing
Pokepaste:https://pokepast.es/169775d48351a98f

This would be my first RMT I would ever make (I believe), and I know this team needs improvement. Zacian can still counter this team through the power of friendship(crits), and Porygon-2/Celesteela have a field day if not properly taken care of. Screens are a pain, and Shuckle with Mental Herb exists. With that said, I'm just hoping something can be done to humiliate Sword dogs everywhere.​

 

[Omastar68]

Low Kick doesn't bypass evasion, where did you get that? I'm sure it's still fine over Superpower though. That said, on Urshifu it's always Close Combat. I have not seen them use Low Kick, though I haven't played in over a month lol. Still, I'd replace that move at least. Ice Punch might be better than Thunder Punch for coverage.

 

[KevDev]

Low Kick doesn't bypass evasion, where did you get that? I'm sure it's still fine over Superpower though. That said, on Urshifu it's always Close Combat. I have not seen them use Low Kick, though I haven't played in over a month lol. Still, I'd replace that move at least. Ice Punch might be better than Thunder Punch for coverage.

Yeah I didn't bother checking for Low Kick as i thought it functioned the same way as Heat Crash and Minimize interactions. That is an obvious change I immediately made after realizing this. As for Ice Punch, I may switch to it to hit dragons hard, but I'm split on what coverage I should place for that moveslot. Thanks!

 

[Omastar68]

U-Turn is ok too.

 

[KevDev]

After some testing, I found out that Ice Punch on Urshifu is incredible on this team. It gives a fast emergency Ice move in case Mamoswine is off of the table, and while Tapu Fini now walls it even more, the rest of my team easily deals with it through Sludge Bomb or Grassy Glide. I have also been experimenting with Specs Regieleki in place of Fini with generally favorable results so far seeing how it does massive damage to anything that isn't immune to it, but I fear that losing a tank may make it tough to sponge hits.