Other Metagames [AG] Pure Furies (500 posts, peaked 1694!)

[Hourai]

(banner by me)

Hello, this is Hourai, celebrating reaching 500 posts. Most of them have been after mid-February or so of this year, and 2016 has been a pretty crazy year for me, both on Smogon and in general. On the topic of the team, it may be my third team with three Arceus, but it wasn't always this way. It was five until I began altering and retooling it to make it not as bad. This also wasn't even the first team either, I had an entirely different team I threw out the window after realizing it wasn't working out at all.

Teambuilding

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Arceus was originally chosen as a way to deal lots of damage in a short time span with its EKiller set, and it was the standard with Lum Berry and Magic Coat, because I really love that set. It was later replaced with Primal Groudon as a way to lay out hazards and be one of the team's many Xerneas checks (because you can never have too many Xerneas checks)

Arceus-Poison was chosen as the first switchin before Primal Groudon was added to the team. It still has some use over Primal Groudon for being able to threaten it out with a way to hit it super-effectively and finish it off with Extreme Speed in case that fails. It's been one of the most consistently used members of the team, and for a really good reason too, even if only to check the omnipresent Xerneas.

Ghost Arceus was chosen as a way to threaten Gengars that don't run Shadow Ball, even if most of the time they run Destiny Bond when they aren't running Shadow Ball. It also serves as a switch-in for EKiller Arceus thanks to it being immune to Extreme Speed, even if most of the time they retaliate with Shadow Claw. There is the odd time they use Earthquake though, allowing it to do a good chunk of damage to Normalceus with Focus Blast.

Water Arceus was chosen as a way for the team to have entry hazard control to some degree, as my previous two teams lacked a really good way to either clear or set hazards. It also had a really clear niche on the time thanks to its typing, as Grass type moves are basically nonexistant and Electric-type moves are only really seen on a few Pokemon in AG, and it has the handy ability to switch in against Steel types that threaten the team's Fairy.

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Fairy Arceus was the initial choice, but Primal Groudon was later picked to provide a way to set Rocks and maybe switch in on the overconfident Xerneas if it isn't carrying HP Ground. Because PDon could now provide a way to set up Rocks, Fairyceus was almost completely redundant. As a result, I replaced it with Scarf Xerneas to threaten Darkrai, which is a major issue for the team otherwise. This was crucial, because the team was very Darkrai-weak after replacing Normalceus with PDon.

Mega Rayquaza was chosen for the team's Mega slot due to its sheer power and reliability, making it a great choice for a nuke. It initially had a Lum Berry DDance set, but it was later replaced with a Choice Band set due to the CB set's raw immediate power.

THE TEAM

Funeral Pyre (Groudon) @ Red Orb | Drought
Adamant | 152 HP / 236 Atk / 44 SpD / 76 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Precipice Blades
- Dragon Tail
- Stone Edge

This is the team's Stealth Rock setter, and a soft check for non-Geomancy Xerneas. Dragon Tail allows it to phase out non-Fairies, which helps keep Dragon Dance Mega Rayquaza at bay. Precipice Blades is its only STAB, but it more than makes up for it with being able to both be able to set rocks and deal a pretty healthy amount of damage at roughly the same time. Stone Edge allows it to easily dispatch Ho-Oh. All in all, PDon is easily one of the team's best and most consistently used members. It's basically the crux of the team.

Pestilence (Arceus-Poison) @ Toxic Plate | Multitype
Adamant | 88 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Def / 100 SpD
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Poison Jab

This was initially the team's only answer until I replaced some of the overkill amounts of Arceus spam with better team members. Earthquake is more of a filler move than anything else, although I guess it allows you to do something to PDon and Imposters. Swords Dance was added in case you really want to OHKO Xerneas, even though most of the time Xern only 3HKOs this with Moonblast at +2. Extreme Speed allows it to pick off Xerneas that are low on health without risking Poisonceus taking any damage itself. The allocation of EVs in its Defense allow it to live the rare Psyshock from Xern, even with only 68 points allocated. Poison Jab is a relatively powerful STAB after factoring in the boost from the Plate.

Sariel (Arceus-Ghost) @ Spooky Plate | Multitype
Timid | 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe | 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Focus Blast
- Recover

This is the team's safe switchin against EKiller Arceus, which can be an issue for the team. Calm Mind allows it to boost whenever possible, which can allow it to put out really good damage, even at +1. Focus Blast is a way for it to hit Normalceus once it's in, the moves infamous accuracy issue aside. Judgement is an incredibly solid STAB, and with Focus Blast, forms completely unresisted neutral coverage. Recover lets it heal up in its occasional down time and increase its longevity, because CM Ghostceus only really needs two moves to be good. Timid nature also allows it to outspeed Mega Gengar on the turn it Mega Evolves, even if they do almost always carry Protect.

Triton (Arceus-Water) @ Splash Plate | Multitype
Bold | 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe | 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
- Judgment

This is the team's Defogger, and also a wall of sorts thanks to how the team is stacked more on powerful offense moreso than defenses. Toxic lets it wear down non-Steel/Poison types, which can be great for helping it deal more damage even if STAB Judgement off of uninvested 120 Special Attack only has just okay power. Recover helps boost its already high longevity even further by giving it a way to heal.

Lunatic Deer (Xerneas) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Fairy Aura
Modset | 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe | 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Sleep Talk

It may have only two moves, but that's all it needs. Moonblast isn't a bad move to be locked into whatsoever, because nothing is immune to it, and it still hits resists for decent damage after Fairy Aura. Sleep Talk lets it safely switch in on Darkrai and take it out before it can become a major threat to the team (which it will because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to putting ways to deal with Darkrai in all honestly). Really, this is the only Pokemon I'm having trouble coming up with words to use to describe it thanks to how straightforward and practical it is.

VIVA LA BAND (Rayquaza) @ Choice Band | Air Lock
Jolly | 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Waterfall
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Extreme Speed

I'm definitely a big believer in the sheer power of Band Mega Ray, and it's because of this team. Dragon Ascent is both needed for it to Mega Evolve and an insanely powerful coverage move which can allow it to tear through anything that doesn't resist with ease. Jolly allows it to outspeed Timid Mega Diancie, which is really important, because otherwise this is mostly helpless against it. Waterfall is good coverage that allows it to hit Mega Diancies and PDons that it switches in on, and one of the factors in it not having Earthquake. V-create is stupidly powerful STAB that allows it to easily deal with things like Ferrothorn and the odd Aegislash. Extreme Speed lets it safely pick off things like Darkrai and Xerneas that are low on HP at little to no risk to itself.

Threatlist

Rock Polish set can be a real pain to deal with, especially if they're carrying Dragon Claw. If not, Ray can easily take them out with Waterfall.

If Poisonceus goes down, GeoXern can be a major pain to deal with. Specs sets can easily be muscled through though, and Scarf set can also be annoying but not ridiculously snowbally like GeoXern.

Borderline painful to go against if Xerneas is down, Double Team set is an uphill battle without Xerneas

Swagplay makes a total joke out of this team 90% of the time, it's basically autolose if it has Sub. No clue how to fix this.

I really hate having to deal with this thing. Great bulk in combination with Multiscale and reliable recovery means it's a pain to bring down no matter what, even with Rocks up.

(I know these are pretty barebones, I've been typing this out for the past hour or so)

Shoutouts

Same as previous RMT, actually

Proof

No replays yet!

Importable

Funeral Pyre (Groudon) @ Red Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 152 HP / 236 Atk / 44 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Precipice Blades
- Dragon Tail
- Stone Edge

Pestilence (Arceus-Poison) @ Toxic Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Def / 100 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Poison Jab

Sariel (Arceus-Ghost) @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Focus Blast
- Recover

Triton (Arceus-Water) @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
- Judgment

Lunatic Deer (Xerneas) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Sleep Talk

Strawman (Rayquaza-Mega) @ Choice Band
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Extreme Speed

 

[Josh]

You really need to sub one of your arcs for a lum ekiller or sub xern for scarf sleep talk bug buzz genesect, because xern switching in on sub forces it out again and darkrai sleeps almost your entire team and almost 6-0s you with some luck. Other than that, cool team and gz etc.