The Edge of America
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Introduction
Hello, people of Smogon. My name is MDB, and today I am showcasing one of the more successful teams in the latter half of the USUM AG metagame. It’s quite interesting how this team came about, and it always seems the best teams I make are the ones I don’t expect to do well. Around the end of December, I decided to build a team around Specs Ogre, after seeing Game Moderator’s Halloween RMT. This team came about, and proved to be a very solid addition to my builder, surpassing my previous highest peak, and netting me an Elo of 2024. I played on/off with it after that, and returned to an alt of mine, MDB Prime, to do some laddering with the team, while I tested on my main. The results were quite unexpected, as the account started doing extremely well, and I enjoyed success such as I’ve never had before. Before long, I had once again reached 2000, and I kept on winning. The final results ended up with a 98-11 record, and the Elo and GXE pictured below:
The Team
Kyogre @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Water Spout
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
Specs Kyogre is what this team is built around, and it is a terrifying wallbreaker with extremely few switchins. Choice Specs makes Kyogre hit harder in rain than Modest Primal Kyogre, and I run Timid as it outspeeds most support Arceus forms, and most base 90s. Water Spout is the obligatory STAB move for when Kyogre is healthy, and hits for devastating power, having a chance to 2HKO Blissey, and outright 2HKOing Ferrothorn. Origin Pulse is used if Kyogre is about to take damage or already has, still hitting frighteningly hard. Thunder is used to have a perfect accuracy move when rain is up, while also dealing with Arceus Water and other Primal Kyogres.
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
The best pokemon to ever be created, Mega Rayquaza, operates as a fantastic sweeper, wallbreaker, and revenge killer, making it an apparent option on this team. I opted for the standard Life Orb set, as I wanted a set up sweeper for my build. I decided to go for Earthquake on this set as it does not impede Mray’s sweep like V-Create does, and it also gives it a no drawback move to go for so it doesn’t automatically lose to pokemon such as Arceus Rock, Mega Gengar, and Tyranitar. Adamant is chosen over Jolly because of the power boost making it able to OHKO support Arceus forms after a boost and rocks damage.
Groudon @ Red Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Roar
- Fire Punch
- Stealth Rock
Primal Groudon is a truly incredible pokemon, insanely splashable and great wherever situation you put it in. This set is a bit weird, but I opted to run Mono Attack Pdon to increase the amount of support the pokemon could offer, and also to surprise my opponents. Fire Punch is used over Blades to beat Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Skarmory, all threats to my team. The EVs and nature allow Groudon to beat certain support Arceus formes, and most importantly, become a solid check to Primal Kyogre. Toxic is used to whittle down bulkier pokemon, Stealth Rock is an obligatory move on most every team due to its ability to chip every single pokemon upon switchin, which Roar can abuse, and also phase Pokemon that are setting up.
Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
Arceus Fairy is the best Arceus Form in AG currently, able to blanket check a wide variety of pokemon, including metagame staples such as Marshadow, Yveltal, and Zygarde. This set is pretty much the standard, 16 Speed EVs allow it to creep 252 base 90s, while the rest are put into Defense so as to better check Marshadow and Mega Rayquaza. Toxic allows Fairceus to put pokemon on a timer, while Defog is used to clear away entry hazards, and in some cases, get rid of screens. Recover and Judgment are mandatory options, giving a reliable STAB option and recovery. This pokemon holds the team together by checking major threats to my team, and is the common switchin to most physical attackers in the tier, along with the next pokemon.
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Perish Song
- Judgment
Arceus Dark is here because of a lack of ways to severely hit Necrozma forms and SD arceus forms. The EVs allow Darkceus to outpace Jolly/Naive Mega Rayquaza, and get the Wisp off. Wisp also cripples physical set up sweepers, and annoyances to the team, such as bulky steels and Arceus Poison. Perish Song is used to stop sweepers that Wisp cannot, and to also check Baton Pass. Finally, Judgment and Recover are used to increase the longevity of Darkceus, and give it a spammable STAB move. Arceus Dark is the team’s go-to Ultra and Dusk Mane Necrozma check, and offers the best option to beat ekiller, one of the biggest threats to this team.
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Sunsteel Strike
- Moonlight
- Swords Dance
Dusk Mane Necrozma is one of the most important editions to Ubers and AG alike, as it is an extremely splashable pokemon with a plethora of options available to it. This set takes standard Specially Defensive Dusk Mane, designed to check more passive special attackers, and the threatening Xerneas, and turns it into a pokemon capable of pulling off sweeps and eliminating pokemon that normally check the standard set. The EVs are standard, maximizing its SpDef bulk. Solganium Z is used to break past walls that do not take enough damage from Sunsteel Strike. Toxic is used to wear down checks and cripple threats. Moonlight is a reliable recovery option that gives Mane staying power. Sunsteel Strike is an amazing STAB option which ignores abilities, which can score OHKOs on Shuckle. Swords Dance is the innovation of this set, allowing Dusk Mane to surprise its opponents by letting them think it is passive Rocks, when it unleashes SD and breaks threatening pokemon, like Calm Mind Steelceus. Probably the most underrated and best Dusk Mane set out there in my opinion.
Conclusion
This is the most successful team I’ve ever built and I have to say, this team started as more of a lazy build and a meme more than anything. However, I feel it is my most important team that I’ve ever built, as it marked the start of me regularly peaking instead of doing every couple of months. It’s been well over half a year since my last RMT and a lot has changed for me, AG, and the community. I mean, Heatran finally got ranked, and Ultra Necrozma has come to the forefront instead of being overshadowed by Dusk Mane. I feel like I’ve become a more respected and well-known player, and this team started that trend. Without further ado, I'd like to give some shoutouts to some of my close friends and people who have helped me.
NOTE: Later on, when I was making my second run, I opted to change Specs ogre to Scarf every other game or so. This worked to surprise people who knew the team, and give me a better way to hit HO teams, while offering some more speed to this slow team.
This is MDB, and thank you for reading.
Introduction
Hello, people of Smogon. My name is MDB, and today I am showcasing one of the more successful teams in the latter half of the USUM AG metagame. It’s quite interesting how this team came about, and it always seems the best teams I make are the ones I don’t expect to do well. Around the end of December, I decided to build a team around Specs Ogre, after seeing Game Moderator’s Halloween RMT. This team came about, and proved to be a very solid addition to my builder, surpassing my previous highest peak, and netting me an Elo of 2024. I played on/off with it after that, and returned to an alt of mine, MDB Prime, to do some laddering with the team, while I tested on my main. The results were quite unexpected, as the account started doing extremely well, and I enjoyed success such as I’ve never had before. Before long, I had once again reached 2000, and I kept on winning. The final results ended up with a 98-11 record, and the Elo and GXE pictured below:
The Team
Kyogre @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Water Spout
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
Specs Kyogre is what this team is built around, and it is a terrifying wallbreaker with extremely few switchins. Choice Specs makes Kyogre hit harder in rain than Modest Primal Kyogre, and I run Timid as it outspeeds most support Arceus forms, and most base 90s. Water Spout is the obligatory STAB move for when Kyogre is healthy, and hits for devastating power, having a chance to 2HKO Blissey, and outright 2HKOing Ferrothorn. Origin Pulse is used if Kyogre is about to take damage or already has, still hitting frighteningly hard. Thunder is used to have a perfect accuracy move when rain is up, while also dealing with Arceus Water and other Primal Kyogres.
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
The best pokemon to ever be created, Mega Rayquaza, operates as a fantastic sweeper, wallbreaker, and revenge killer, making it an apparent option on this team. I opted for the standard Life Orb set, as I wanted a set up sweeper for my build. I decided to go for Earthquake on this set as it does not impede Mray’s sweep like V-Create does, and it also gives it a no drawback move to go for so it doesn’t automatically lose to pokemon such as Arceus Rock, Mega Gengar, and Tyranitar. Adamant is chosen over Jolly because of the power boost making it able to OHKO support Arceus forms after a boost and rocks damage.
Groudon @ Red Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Roar
- Fire Punch
- Stealth Rock
Primal Groudon is a truly incredible pokemon, insanely splashable and great wherever situation you put it in. This set is a bit weird, but I opted to run Mono Attack Pdon to increase the amount of support the pokemon could offer, and also to surprise my opponents. Fire Punch is used over Blades to beat Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Skarmory, all threats to my team. The EVs and nature allow Groudon to beat certain support Arceus formes, and most importantly, become a solid check to Primal Kyogre. Toxic is used to whittle down bulkier pokemon, Stealth Rock is an obligatory move on most every team due to its ability to chip every single pokemon upon switchin, which Roar can abuse, and also phase Pokemon that are setting up.
Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
Arceus Fairy is the best Arceus Form in AG currently, able to blanket check a wide variety of pokemon, including metagame staples such as Marshadow, Yveltal, and Zygarde. This set is pretty much the standard, 16 Speed EVs allow it to creep 252 base 90s, while the rest are put into Defense so as to better check Marshadow and Mega Rayquaza. Toxic allows Fairceus to put pokemon on a timer, while Defog is used to clear away entry hazards, and in some cases, get rid of screens. Recover and Judgment are mandatory options, giving a reliable STAB option and recovery. This pokemon holds the team together by checking major threats to my team, and is the common switchin to most physical attackers in the tier, along with the next pokemon.
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Perish Song
- Judgment
Arceus Dark is here because of a lack of ways to severely hit Necrozma forms and SD arceus forms. The EVs allow Darkceus to outpace Jolly/Naive Mega Rayquaza, and get the Wisp off. Wisp also cripples physical set up sweepers, and annoyances to the team, such as bulky steels and Arceus Poison. Perish Song is used to stop sweepers that Wisp cannot, and to also check Baton Pass. Finally, Judgment and Recover are used to increase the longevity of Darkceus, and give it a spammable STAB move. Arceus Dark is the team’s go-to Ultra and Dusk Mane Necrozma check, and offers the best option to beat ekiller, one of the biggest threats to this team.
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Sunsteel Strike
- Moonlight
- Swords Dance
Dusk Mane Necrozma is one of the most important editions to Ubers and AG alike, as it is an extremely splashable pokemon with a plethora of options available to it. This set takes standard Specially Defensive Dusk Mane, designed to check more passive special attackers, and the threatening Xerneas, and turns it into a pokemon capable of pulling off sweeps and eliminating pokemon that normally check the standard set. The EVs are standard, maximizing its SpDef bulk. Solganium Z is used to break past walls that do not take enough damage from Sunsteel Strike. Toxic is used to wear down checks and cripple threats. Moonlight is a reliable recovery option that gives Mane staying power. Sunsteel Strike is an amazing STAB option which ignores abilities, which can score OHKOs on Shuckle. Swords Dance is the innovation of this set, allowing Dusk Mane to surprise its opponents by letting them think it is passive Rocks, when it unleashes SD and breaks threatening pokemon, like Calm Mind Steelceus. Probably the most underrated and best Dusk Mane set out there in my opinion.
Conclusion
This is the most successful team I’ve ever built and I have to say, this team started as more of a lazy build and a meme more than anything. However, I feel it is my most important team that I’ve ever built, as it marked the start of me regularly peaking instead of doing every couple of months. It’s been well over half a year since my last RMT and a lot has changed for me, AG, and the community. I mean, Heatran finally got ranked, and Ultra Necrozma has come to the forefront instead of being overshadowed by Dusk Mane. I feel like I’ve become a more respected and well-known player, and this team started that trend. Without further ado, I'd like to give some shoutouts to some of my close friends and people who have helped me.
Tic-Tac-Toe Guru Well, you probably shouldn't be surprised by this. We've been good frens for a while, and you've always been there for me, whether it be for mons or irl. We're rage and hax brothers, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Just try not to have a heart attack at 30.
Lipise poopsock :)
AnythingGoesLegend You are literally the flex god lmao.
Legendoftsih Roybot
pulsar512b Cringe comps could be made with your Smogon posts
Game Moderator Gave me the specs ogre idea
ice-master-523 You're a cool dude with a keen sense of mons who lost way too much to this team cuz u don't run ogre switchins
Lavaclaw Thanks for letting me on your channel with the glory of Heatran
Lipise poopsock :)
AnythingGoesLegend You are literally the flex god lmao.
Legendoftsih Roybot
pulsar512b Cringe comps could be made with your Smogon posts
Game Moderator Gave me the specs ogre idea
ice-master-523 You're a cool dude with a keen sense of mons who lost way too much to this team cuz u don't run ogre switchins
Lavaclaw Thanks for letting me on your channel with the glory of Heatran
NOTE: Later on, when I was making my second run, I opted to change Specs ogre to Scarf every other game or so. This worked to surprise people who knew the team, and give me a better way to hit HO teams, while offering some more speed to this slow team.
EKILLER: By far the biggest threat to this team. Best course of action is to burn it with Darkceus and hope that it isn't a set that doesn't mind status.
Arceus Ground: Calm Mind and SD variants are very annoying to face if Kyogre is Specs, regular support isn't that big of a deal.
PDON: If this is Rest Don, you basically only have Mray to hit it. However, this set isn't that common.
Arceus Ground: Calm Mind and SD variants are very annoying to face if Kyogre is Specs, regular support isn't that big of a deal.
PDON: If this is Rest Don, you basically only have Mray to hit it. However, this set isn't that common.
Groudon @ Red Orb
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Roar
- Fire Punch
- Stealth Rock
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Perish Song
- Judgment
Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Sunsteel Strike
- Moonlight
- Swords Dance
Kyogre @ Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Origin Pulse
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
- Water Spout
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Roar
- Fire Punch
- Stealth Rock
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Perish Song
- Judgment
Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Toxic
- Recover
- Defog
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Solganium Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Sunsteel Strike
- Moonlight
- Swords Dance
Kyogre @ Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Origin Pulse
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
- Water Spout
Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
