Monotype Z-Celebrate Victini Psychic Balance by Eien

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Introduction

This balance Psychic team was built around Z-Celebrate Victini, a set that has been dipping in and out of the Monotype metagame for two years, able to counter Bug and Steel teams, which are two of Psychic's worst matchups. To support it, the team brings two powerful wallbreakers in Mega Latios and Metagross along with two sturdy walls in Mew and Celebi. This team's secondary theme was to showcase the power of Healing Wish, carried by two members, to give the team the opportunity to freely take status moves and powerful hits only to be healed back up for another go.

Team Members


Victini @ Normalium Z
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Celebrate
- V-create
- Stored Power
- Focus Blast

Victini is on essentially every Psychic team and for good reason. Its Fire typing is invaluable for beating both Steel and Bug, changing two of Psychic's worst matchups into a winnable one. While most Victini use Searing Shot, this team values V-create instead. V-create lets Victini power right through Alolan Muk, meaning this set can actually beat Poison teams. Without Alolan Muk, the rest of the team is opened up to spam Psychic-type STAB attacks, and if they don't sacrifice Alolan Muk, Stored Power is nabbing KOs left and right anyways. Having V-create + Focus Blast also means that Victini is a huge threat to Dark and Steel teams. While Searing Shot is superior to prevent Victini from getting revenge killed by Excadrill, V-create OHKOes every possible Celesteela variant unlike Searing Shot, which can only OHKO Celesteela with no Special Defense investment.


Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost
- Taunt

With Mimikyu making its delayed but strong entrance into the metagame, Mew is forced to be even faster than it has ever been. This spread outspeeds base 85 Speed Pokemon, such as Heracross after having its item removed by Knock Off, Suicune, and Kommo-o, in addition to outspeeding Adamant Mimikyu. The rest of the set is a classic that has been dangerously effective in Monotype for years. Mew almost single-handedly covers a lot of matchups thanks to its fantastic bulk and ability to cripple physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. After Kommo-o is revenge killed by Latias, most standard Dragon teams can't touch Mew anymore. Mew also happily walls Normal, Electric, Grass, Fairy, Steel, and Ground teams completely. It's a disgustingly good Pokemon in the current metagame that is almost unprepared for it.


Latios-Mega @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Roost

Mega Latios is an uncommon pick for Psychic teams, but the ridiculous damage output it can bring after just a single Calm Mind is worth it for this team. At just +1 Special Attack, Mega Latios has a good roll to OHKO everything on Flying with Stealth Rock's help thanks to the combination of Psychic and Thunderbolt. Additionally, Water defensive cores are similarly dismantled, with +1 Special Attack again giving it an OHKO on almost everything. Teams that lack Mega Sharpedo are basically free wins, and even then, Mega Sharpedo is forced to Mega Evolve because Sharpedo can't OHKO Mega Latios with Crunch, meaning it can only check Mega Latios once. In addition to this, Mega Latios serves as a fast Pokemon on a team that lacks Speed, outspeeding non-Choice Scarf Keldeo, Garchomp, and Nihilego. As such, teams that lack physical attackers that outspeed and KO Mega Latios are easily swept.


Celebi @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 72 SpD / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Giga Drain
- Recover
- Healing Wish

Celebi completes the defensive core of this team with Mew and fulfills multiple roles to make sure the rest of the team can function at their best. Stealth Rock is a necessary move on every team, and Celebi's ability to force out Mega Diancie and take on Garchomp makes it a reliable setter in the Fairy and Dragon matchups. In addition, with the help of a Colbur Berry and a decently powerful STAB Giga Drain, Celebi is able to act as a guaranteed check to Mega Sharpedo, the only way for Water teams to handle Mega Latios. Celebi has many options for its last utility move, but this team loves Healing Wish. With the support of Healing Wish, Mew can effectively spam Will-O-Wisp against Steel's offensive core knowing it can be healed back up later on. Healing Wish also lets Mega Latios beat Celesteela and Gliscor on Flying teams, as taking a Toxic is no danger if Celebi can use Healing Wish later on.


Metagross @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit

Metagross really glues this team together with its powerful STAB attacks. Meteor Mash and Zen Headbutt are perfect coverage moves against Poison teams, and with Victini's help, the matchup is almost free. Meteor Mash and Bullet Punch cover Fairy teams completely, guaranteeing a KO every time it has a free switch and being an emergency check to Life Orb Mimikyu thanks to its HP investment keeping it out of range of +2 Shadow Sneak even after one layer of Spikes damage. Bringing Pursuit means Metagross is incredibly dangerous for Dragon teams, as Latias and Latios can only Defog once before Metagross inevitably Pursuit traps them. Most importantly for both types that can use Mega Latias, Metagross can switch in freely, even if Mega Latias carries Thunderbolt, and can spam Meteor Mash until it's forced to switch out.


Latias @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Healing Wish

With the team being fairly slow, Choice Scarf Latias was a natural choice to provide revenge killing. Things in particular to note are being able to KO Kommo-o even after Clangorous Soulblaze, taking on +1 Mega Sharpedo, and outspeeding +2 Cloyster, all threats that can easily sweep this team if they get to set up safely. What really sets Latias apart from every other Psychic-type Choice Scarf user is its access to both Defog and Healing Wish. Defog is necessary for this team to keep Mew safe from Toxic Spikes and Victini safe from Stealth Rock, so it was clear that there was a need for hazard control. Having a second Healing Wish user is what gives this team its incredibly reliability. Most teams that don't easily lose to this team's powerful offensive core are only equipped to deal with this team's threats once. A handful of teams have enough redundancy to deal with them twice. However, very few teams can beat a threat like Mega Latios or Mew three times, which is why having multiple Healing Wish users can edge out teams that greedily cut corners to cover their other weaknesses.

Threatlist

Dark Teams - Even without Mega Gallade, Dark teams can be beat; however, certain conditions need to be met. Typically, setting up Victini can bait in Alolan Muk to be OHKOed by V-create, at which point Mega Latios is capable of sweeping with just boosted Thunderbolts. However, the team still needs to be careful of Taunt Hydreigon stopping Mega Latios before it gets too many Calm Minds, and Tyranitar remains a very difficult wall to break when Metagross is completely countered by Rocky Helmet Mandibuzz.

Ghost Teams - Every Psychic team is deathly weak to Ghost to the point of being incapable of beating it. It's possible to try to outmaneuver your opponent, though. If Mega Sableye is miraculously KOed and Mimikyu loses its Disguise, Victini and Latias have a chance to sweep. Metagross comes in clutch with its STAB attacks having no reliable switch-in; however, it relies on perfect prediction, and even with Healing Wish, there is very little room for mistakes.

Volcarona - All Psychic teams are weak to Volcarona, and this team is no exception. However, it has a couple outs that other teams often lack. Choice Scarf Latias can use Psyshock to revenge kill Volcarona, as it often has to take damage to set up. Volcarona sets without Bug Buzz are beaten with Mega Latios's ability to boost alongside it. Even with Bug Buzz, Victini bringing V-create means it can still KO Volcarona even if it gets a Quiver Dance, able to survive a +1 Bug Buzz easily. That being said, if Bug manages to bring Volcarona in on Celebi, it can lead to an unsalvageable situation.

Mega Sharpedo - While Celebi is one of the most reliable checks to Mega Sharpedo, this team lacks enough threats to easily force Sharpedo to Mega Evolve. If Mega Sharpedo is paired with Choice Scarf Greninja, the U-turn support can be extremely dangerous, as nothing reliably switches into U-turn without giving Sharpedo a free KO without Mega Evolving. The team will typically rely on Mega Latios or Victini setting up to scare the opponent, hoping the other can set up and sweep after Mega Sharpedo is removed by Celebi.

Replays
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-919968180 Ridley vs Havens

Importable
Victini @ Normalium Z
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Celebrate
- V-create
- Stored Power
- Focus Blast

Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost
- Taunt

Latios-Mega @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Roost

Celebi @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 72 SpD / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Giga Drain
- Recover
- Healing Wish

Metagross @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit

Latias @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Healing Wish


Credits
Created by: Eien
Written by: Eien
Grammar checked by: Estronic
Art by: Image by Ticken & Text by TPP
 

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