Gen 7 OM Competitive Discussion

The single most hellish mon in Gen 7 BH:

Zygarde-Complete @ Leftovers
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Imprison
- Transform
- Anchor Shot
- Shore up / Dragon Hammer
 

EV

Banned deucer.
~Eevee General's☉☽ STABmons Predictions P2~

This post will focus on the new viable Gen 7 Pokemon/UBs and list the roles I foresee them filling in the new metagame. I'm making the assumption that the current move banlist applies.

Gumshoos: Normal, 88 / 110 / 60 / 55 / 60 / 45, Stakeout / Strong Jaw / Adaptability

Role - FakeSpeeder
Set(s) - [Adaptability] Silk Scarf, Banded, Lum Swords Dance, Memory
Arsenal - Fake Out, Extreme Speed, U-turn, Earthquake, Multi-Attack Ice/Fire, Crunch, Head Charge, Pursuit​

Toxapex: Poison / Water, 50 / 63 / 152 / 53 / 142 / 35, Merciless / Limber / Regenerator

Role - Bulky Pivot
Set(s) - [Regenerator] Black Sludge, Assault Vest
Arsenal - Scald, Clear Smog, Poison Fang, Toxic Spikes, Recover, Baneful Bunker, Infestation​

Mudsdale: Ground, 100 / 125 / 100 / 55 / 85 / 35, Own Tempo / Stamina / Inner Focus

Role - FakeSpeed Check
Set(s) - [Stamina] Support
Arsenal - Shore Up, Precipice Blades, Earthquake, Spikes, Rock Slide, Roar, Toxic​

Araquanid: Water / Bug, 68 / 70 / 92 / 50 / 132 / 42, Water Bubble / Water Absorb

Role - All-Out Attacker, Water Check
Set(s) - [Water Bubble] Banded, Life Orb, [Water Absorb] Leftovers
Arsenal - Liquidation, Aqua Jet, Leech Life, U-turn, Lunge, Heal Order, Scald, Sticky Web​

Bewear: Normal / Fighting, 120 / 125 / 80 / 55 / 60 / 60, Fluffy / Klutz / Unnerve

Role - Ekiller
Set(s) - [Fluffy] Bulky Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Adrenaline Orb Swords Dance, Lum Swords Dance
Arsenal - Swords Dance, Extreme Speed, Drain Punch, Recover, Earthquake, Ice Punch, High Jump Kick, Taunt​

Palossand: Ghost / Ground, 85 / 75 / 110 / 100 / 75 / 35, Water Compaction / Sand Veil

Role - Hazard Support
Set(s) - [Water Compaction] Spikes
Arsenal - Spikes, Shore Up, Earth Power, Moongeist Beam, Spirit Shackle​

Silvally: Normal, 95 / 95 / 95 / 95 / 95 / 95, RKS System

Role - Potpourri Support
Set(s) - [RKS System] Steel/Ghost/Fairy/? Memory Support
Arsenal - Every move​

Drampa: Normal / Dragon, 78 / 60 / 85 / 135 / 91 / 36, Berserk / Sap Sipper / Cloud Nine

Role - Special Attacker
Set(s) - [Berserk] Bulky Berserk
Arsenal - Boomburst, Recover, Core Enforcer, Calm Mind, Fire Blast​

Zygarde: Dragon / Ground, 216 / 100 / 121 / 91 / 95 / 85, Power Construct

Role - Setup Sweeper, Hazard Support
Set(s) - [Power Construct] Bulky Dragon Dance, Coil, Spikes
Arsenal - Dragon Dance, Coil, Shore Up, Dragon Hammer, Precipice Blades, Stone Edge, Substitute, Dragon Tail, Spikes, Rest, Sleep Talk​

Tapu Koko: Electric / Fairy, 70 / 115 / 85 / 95 / 75 / 130, Electric Surge / Telepathy

Role - Physical Attacker
Set(s) - [Electric Surge] Zap Plate, Banded
Arsenal - Bolt Strike, Play Rough, U-turn, Volt Switch, Hidden Power, Ice, Brave Bird, Zing Zap​

Tapu Lele: Psychic / Fairy, 70 / 85 / 75 / 130 / 115 / 95, Psychic Surge / Telepathy

Role - Priority Control, Special Attacker, Special Sweeper
Set(s) - [Psychic Surge] Terrain Extender, Leftovers, Specs
Arsenal - Moonlight, Psystrike, Psycho Boost, Moonblast, Calm Mind, Cosmic Power, Stored Power, Focus Blast​

Tapu Bulu: Grass / Fairy, 70 / 130 / 115 / 85 / 95 / 75, Grassy Surge / Telepathy

Role - Bulky Pivot
Set(s) - [Grassy Surge] Grassy Heal
Arsenal - Leech Seed, Spore, Horn Leech, Play Rough, Taunt, Substitute, Spiky Shield​


Tapu Fini: Water / Fairy, 70 / 75 / 115 / 95 / 130 / 85, Misty Surge / Telepathy

Role - Bulky Pivot
Set(s) - [Misty Surge] Keldeo's Bane
Arsenal - Steam Eruption, Moonlight, Moonblast, Defog, Calm Mind​

Magearna: Steel / Fairy, 80 / 95 / 115 / 130 / 115 / 65, Soul-Heart

Role - Support
Set(s) - [Soul-Heart] Leftovers
Arsenal - Moonlight, Volt Switch, Thunder Wave, Nature's Madness, King's Shield, Moonblast​

Marshadow: Fighting / Ghost, 90 / 125 / 80 / 90 / 90 / 125, Technician

Role - Physical Attacker
Set(s) - [Technician] Life Orb
Arsenal - Spectral Thief, Drain Punch, Bulk Up, Mach Punch, Shadow Sneak, Will-O-Wisp, High Jump Kick, Close Combat​

Pheromosa: Bug / Fighting, 71 / 137 / 37 / 137 / 37 / 151, Beast Boost

Role - Offensive Pivot, Special Sweeper
Set(s) - [Beast Boost] Banded, Quiver Dance, Tail Glow
Arsenal - U-turn, First Impression, Close Combat, Leech Life, Megahorn, Ice Beam, Quiver Dance, Tail Glow, Bug Buzz, Secret Sword, Taunt​

Xurkitree: Electric, 83 / 89 / 71 / 173 / 71 / 83, Beast Boost

Role - Offensive Pivot, Special Sweeper
Set(s) - [Beast Boost] Scarf, Specs, Tail Glow
Arsenal - Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Hidden Power Ice, Parabolic Charge, Energy Ball, Thunder Wave, Tail Glow​

Celesteela: Steel / Flying, 97 / 101 / 103 / 107 / 101 / 61, Beast Boost

Role - FakeSpeed Check, Tank
Set(s) - [Beast Boost] Support, Bulky Attacker
Arsenal - Roost, Defog, Beak Blast, Leech Seed, Oblivion Wing, King's Shield, Flash Cannon, Sunsteel Strike, Fire Blast, Earthquake​

Kartana: Grass / Steel, 59 / 181 / 131 / 59 / 31 / 109, Beast Boost

Role - Physical Sweeper
Set(s) - [Beast Boost] Swords Dance, Banded
Arsenal - Spore, Swords Dance, Sunsteel Strike, Horn Leech, Power Whip, Sacred Sword​
 
Last edited:

EV

Banned deucer.
The new STABmons thread isn't up yet so I'll just have to keep posting here I guess.

Hello. Today I want to talk about two upcoming strategies to the new STABmoons metagame, which we've been playing under the custom format on PS. The first is Psychic Terrain, a new status move that blocks priority moves and boosts Psychic attacks 1.5x their power for five turns. The second is Z-moves, specifically the ones that grant stat boosts.

Psychic Terrain

Priority defines STABmons and it's what keeps some deadly sweepers in check. A common setup Pokemon, Yanmega, is known for its Speed Boost + Tail Glow sets, which give it near unrivaled power and speed after just one or two turns (two if you carry Protect) and can almost always guarantee setting up thanks to Focus Sash. Without Pokemon such as Heatran or Zapdos on your team, Yanmega can swiftly clean up with powerful STAB moves in Bug Buzz and Oblivion Wing. All is not lost, however, so long as you pack a FakeSpeeder to deal with threats like Yanmega. Ursaring, Sylveon, Mega Lopunny, and of course Diggersby before its ban were all mainstays in ORAS STABmons for their ability to pick off runaway sweepers before they got out of control.

Eventually anti-priority strategies developed to block these revenge attempts. The success of such threats as Mega Scizor and Mega Metagross during the Shift Gear stage of the meta was due to their resistance to Fake Out + Extreme Speed, forcing opponents to rely on defensive checks in order to contain these sweepers. STABmons has always relied on FakeSpeeders to keep the lid on setup sweepers--maybe even overly so--and our philosophy has been to ban threats deemed broken when common revenge tactics coupled with reliable defensive checks fail to halt sweepers in their tracks. Thus, Shift Gear was sent packing.

With the advent of Sun and Moon we're entering a brand new landscape filled with ripe potential to, once again, bypass the priority revenger safeguard. The most notable impact thus far due to its highly anti-meta ability is Tapu Lele.
Tapu Lele is a Psychic / Fairy Pokemon with fairly well-rounded stats, notably a high Special Attack of 130 and solid base 115 Special Defense. It has the new ability Psychic Surge, which summons the Psychic Terrain status giving it an immunity to priority while boosting Psychic moves. With its high Special Attack it can fire off Psystrikes or Psycho Boosts at 1.5x their power--essentially a free Choice Specs! The secondary Fairy typing grants it STAB on the move Moonblast, a powerful and reliable Fairy attack that hits Dark-types for double damage. Together its STABs are resisted by Steel-types, so carrying Focus Blast is a wise choice to get around them.

But what else makes Tapu Lele unique in STABmons? While having an immunity to priority for five turns (or eight with a Terrain Extender) is certainly helpful, we mustn't forget the setup move available to Tapu Lele called Geomancy. This two-turn charge move gives +2 boosts to Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it a fearsome threat that can outspeed just about any Pokemon and hit them with Psychic Terrain boosted Stored Powers at 140 base power before STAB. After you take into account the STAB and terrain boost, it's essentially hitting targets with a 315 base power attack. This level of power is unfounded and can easily 2HKO the metagame's best special sponge:

+2 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Stored Power (140 BP) vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Psychic Terrain: 385-454 (59.9 - 70.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
All of this power comes with the built in immunity to any revenge attacks, meaning a Pokemon must be able to live Tapu Lele's onslaught and retaliate with a move strong enough to KO it in return. Note that trying to shuffle Tape Lele out with a phazing move is no surefire way to defeat it as it can run Taunt to block Whirlwind and Roar, is immune to Dragon Tail, and will be able to KO anything carrying Circle Throw thanks to its type advantage over Fighting Pokemon.

There are other strategies involved with Psychic Terrain that don't rely on Tapu Lele as the main attacker that I shall mention next. If for some reason you do not want to sweep with the guardian you can instead use it to setup the terrain. This strategy involves the Terrain Extender, which gives your team eight turns of Psychic Terrain while another Pokemon begins to set up without fear of retaliation. But how to get Tapu Lele out and your sweeper in safely? It lacks U-turn, Volt Switch, and Baton Pass, three common pivoting moves. It does have access to Lunar Dance, however, which is a guaranteed free switch for your incoming teammate with the added benefit of healing them completely upon entry.

Sweeper teammates for Tapu Lele include other Psychic and Fairy Pokemon such as Espeon, which can replicate the Stored Power onslaught with Shell Smash while carrying a built-in status deflector and it has room to run stronger coverage with a Plate and Judgment; and Sylveon, which has access to either Shell Smash or Geomancy and a very strong Boomburst (even after the power cut to 1.2x). If Espeon isn't carrying a Plate it will want to run a Focus Sash to buy a turn for setup, whereas Sylveon will generally have a Power Herb to activate Geomancy, but may also run a Focus Sash for Shell Smash.

Z-moves

There are a few Z-moves that double as setup moves when combined correctly. Most notably, Splash grants an immediate +3 Attack to the user. Normally a Swords Dance + a boosting item is preferred, as the power and reuse of the move throughout the match is more reliable. However, consider the move Splash on Bibarel. Thanks to Simple, Z-Splash will give it an instant +6 to Attack, and unlike Belly Drum, doesn't come with the cost of losing any HP.
Other Z-moves also grant stat boosts, including a few that grant +1 to all stats upon usage. These moves are Celebrate, Conversion, Forest's Curse, Geomancy, Happy Hour, Hold Hands, Purify, Sketch, and Trick-or-Treat. (Note that upon the advent of the new ladder, Sketch is banned.) Using Bibarel as an example again, if it activates Z-Celebrate, Simple will grant it +2 to every stat. Conversion, a Normal move, is available to Azumarill through Azurill, and will turn Azumarill into the type that matches the type of its first moveslot. Z-Conversion can thus turn Azumarill into a Normal-type with +1 in all stats and a newfound STAB on Extreme Speed. There are many more Pokemon to take into account that benefit from these moves such as Porygon-Z and Meloetta, which get a soft Shell Smash without any stat drops and can then fire off Boombursts while being cushioned defensively against revenge attacks.

It isn't just Normal Pokemon that can abuse this strategy, however, as there are four other types of moves in the list: Grass, Fairy, Poison, and Ghost. Focusing on Geomancy and Fairy-types brings us back to a threat I discussed in the section above: Tapu Lele. If Tape Lele forgoes a Power Herb or Terrain Extender for a Fairium Z, it can use Z-Geomancy to shocking effect. On the first turn it gains +1 to all stats, so right away its bulk is improved while it waits to charge the move. On the second turn it receives the +2 boosts from Geomancy itself, giving it an overall increase of +1/+1/+3/+3/+3, or a cumulative +11, which translates to a 240 base power Stored Power. Factor in STAB and Psychic Terrain and you get ... 540 base power. Looking at our calc versus Chansey from earlier and updating it with the new power we get:

+3 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Stored Power (240 BP) vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Psychic Terrain: 822-967 (128 - 150.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Ouch. With power like this you won't even need to worry about coverage on Tapu Lele, as Miracle Eye will ignore Dark's immunity to Psychic, and it's not like Steel-types will fare any better:

+3 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Stored Power (240 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel in Psychic Terrain: 434-511 (119.2 - 140.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Of course, this means Tapu Lele can't hold a Terrain Extender, meaning it will be vulnerable to revenge moves sooner or later and loses the 50% bonus to Psychic moves. The additional boosts to Speed thanks to Z-Geomancy means you can shift investment out of that stat, however, and dump into into HP and Defense, thus mitigating revenge attempts once Psychic Terrain wears out. All of this becomes moot if and when Geomancy gets banned from STABmons, but I expect the move and Tapu Lele to make quite a splash while the combination is still available. Psychic Terrain will remain a top strategy regardless and we may even see it run on Psychic Pokemon without the aide of Tapu Lele in order to shield themselves from revenge attacks. What tactics can you think of that involve these strategies? Share in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! Join me next time when I discuss some other new strategy I'm bound to stumble upon eventually. o3o
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 1)

Top