Battle Stadium Ultra Beasts (specifically Blacephalon) & Supports for Them

[PixelEm]

I've been studying the Smogon threads and archives for working strategies for Gen 8 Battle Stadium Singles, but this specific team really hasn't been working out. Any advice or suggestions?

• Dragapult (WoW-Hex, Curse Support)
  • Ability: Clear Body
  • Item: Sitrus Berry
  • Moves:
    • Will-O-Wisp
    • Hex
    • Flamethrower
    • Curse
  • Nature: Timid
  • EVs: 252 SpA, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
    • ***I hoped I could fake people out who are expecting an Infiltrator-Specs or -Scarf Dragapult, instead this is more based on supporting the rest of the team by burning physical opponents and cutting their HP with Curse, while Clear Body prevents stat nerfs from Sticky Web and the like
• Thundurus (Prankster Support + Pivot)
  • Ability: Prankster
  • Item: Heavy Duty Boots
  • Moves:
    • Volt Switch
    • Grass Knot
    • Eerie Impulse
    • Thunder Wave
  • Nature: Calm
  • EVs: 252 SpA, 4 Def, 252 Spe
    • Wave-Impulse covers speed-nerfing paralysis and special nerfs, then Volt Switch for obvious reasons. But I am torn on either Grass Knot or Focus Blast to cover Rock or Ground types, but should I at all consider using a different Prankster mon like Sableye or Grimmsnarl? Should I use a Screens-Prankster or keep Thunderus?
• Blacephalon (Dynamax Specs/Scarf Sweeper)
  • Ability: Beast Boost
  • Item: Choice Specs/ Choice Scarf
  • Moves:
    • Flamethrower/ Mind Blown
    • Solarbeam
    • Shadow Ball
    • Psyshock
  • Nature: Timid
  • EVs: 252 SpA, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
    • I love Blacephalon, and thought it'd be perfect as a special sweeper. BUT I'm still not sure if I should keep the Choice item or use a Focus Sash instead? Or should I put away Blaceph altogether and use a different Fire sweeper like Heatran?
• Stakataka (Trick Room Sweeper)
  • Ability: Beast Boost
  • Item: Weakness Policy/ Life Orb/ Air Balloon
  • Moves:
    • Trick Room
    • Body Press/ Heat Crash
    • Rock Slide
    • Gyro Ball/ Iron Head
  • Nature: Relaxed
  • EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SpD
    • I once got my rump whooped by a Stakataka with a Weakness Policy and Body Press, which inspired me to use one. But I'm still not sure which item would be best on this set; plus, should I even keep Stakataka or is it too risky to get OHKO'd from Ground or Fighting moves? Should I replace it with something like Buzzwole or Pheromosa?
• Swampert (Stealth Rock Bulk)
  • Ability: Damp
  • Item: Leftovers
  • Moves:
    • Stealth Rock
    • Yawn/ Ice Punch
    • Waterfall/ Liquidation
    • Earthquake
  • Nature: Adamant
  • EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SpD
    • Swampert is one hell of a setup 'mon, of course I'd want to test it out. BUT, I was hoping that I could possibly pair it with Stakataka's Trick Room, hence Ice Punch for type coverage and Waterfall for the flinch chance. Or should I stick to the traditional Stealth-Yawn set instead?
• Tentacruel (Toxic Spikes, Rapid Spin Utility)
  • Ability: Liquid Ooze/ Clear Body
  • Item: Black Sludge
  • Moves:
    • Sludge Bomb
    • Scald
    • Toxic Spikes
    • Rapid Spin
  • Nature: Timid
  • EVs: 252 SpA, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
    • Another great, dangerous utility 'mon. Felt like either Liquid Ooze or Clear Body would help me, Rapid Spin to get rid of hazards, and Toxic Spikes, Sludge Bomb, and Scald for the status utility

What can I do to make this team better? Please let me know what you think. Thank you!

 

[Omastar68]

Sticky Webs is rare to the point of being negligible. Use Infiltrator on a special Dragapult, it won't live max darkness well to avoid that stat drop anyway. Heavy Duty Boots are unviable in BSS, at least for sure on 2x weaks besides DNite, the aforementioned and 4x weaks might justify it. Use another item, though idk what since your sitrus aqnd lefties are taken and it's not really offensive enough for LO.

Please don;t put slashes in the team, is Blacephalon Specs or Scarf? And Flamethrower or MInd Blownb, whch have you been using?

I'm very surprised you have Gyro Ball and Iron Head slashed together on Stakataka, it's slower than Ferro even so Gyro Ball is the clearly better move. I'd probably replace Stakataka like you talk about because your team does not use tr at all otherwise.

Instead of Tentacruel use Toxapex, if you want something better but still similar. The reason is you don't need Rapid Spin in BSS, and Toxic is more reliable than Toxic Spikes since you don't need two layers and it affects flying mons. Also definitely Liquid Ooze if keeping Tentacruel cause of Leech Seed.

 

[marilli]

This team is super weak to Landorus-T and you should do something about it. Tentacruel really isn't serving much purpose here so I suggest swapping that out for a Landorus check. Porygon2, or Celesteela are ootions but i suggest waekness policy Lapras to also not be overly weak to Fini and Zapdos.

Your spreads are kind of weird. Swampert should be Sitrus and defense invested enough to take 2 sash wicked blow from Urshifu. You should use Yawn and flip turn which is swamperts niche. As for item on Dragapult Life Orb can work with the 252/252 dragapult spread and tbolt can hit Fini. Relaxed 0 Defense EV is actually fine on Stakataka but 0 SpDef Calm Thundurus suggests that just happened to work out. You should play around with the teambuilder to see Timid is superior- not that it matters tho cuz I suggest going full bulk on support Thundurus. Keep calm and drop the speed invsments. You could even go sub twave swagger over impulse.

Hope that helps.

edit: LO special pult is still fine. Most Pult sets are honestly just fine, I just tried to keep most of the team intact. I also left Blacephalon alone because I didn't want to mess with it - they seem to want to use it and it's not like Specs / Scarf are bad sets - they do play pretty differently from Life Orb, though. Specs and Dynamax not really a good combo but Scarf + Dynamax can often work out well, especially with Max Guard to stall out your own Dynamax to surprise outspeed the opponent.

 

[Omastar68]

The plurality of Dragapult are LO, but most of those are physical not special. Wisp ones are more common than special, and I'd figure on Wisp being better vs. Lanbdog. marilli do you truly think the Dragapult should be LO?

Another reason is I think Blacephalon could be the LO mon. 10% of it's HP is hardly worth a thing, and choice items don't work dynamaxed so anti-synergize w/ Solarbeam, which is maybe needed for Fini. Or is it w. the addition of Lapras and its Freeze-Dry?

252+ SpA Life Orb Blacephalon Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 205-242 (115.8 - 136.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ SpA Life Orb Blacephalon Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Tapu Fini: 153-182 (86.4 - 102.8%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

 

[adem]

Yo this is a rlly cool team, a lot of cool underused mons!