Salutations. With the release of Marshadow a few days ago, I, and a lot of others, needed to try using this beast in Ubers, and so far, it hasn't disappointed me in the slightest. This is "HALT!", a balance team revolved around both Marshadow and Magearna snatching stat boosts from opposing sweepers. While Focus Sash Marshadow is able to stop the likes of DD Mega Mence, Double-Dance Primal Groudon and SD Arceus-formes bar Ekiller (which gets Close Combated anyways), Magearna comes in to (Z) Geomancy Xerneas and prevents that from wreaking havoc on the team as well. Coupled with a double-Toxic core of Ho-Oh and Arceus-Water, a fast rocks SD Primal Groudon and a Scarf Yveltal for late game cleaning, this team has been really fun to use so far and has been mostly successful.
THE TEAM:
(so cute ;u;)
Marshadow @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Rock Tomb
While I have only seen Life Orb variants of Marshadow on the Ubers ladder so far, and I won't deny the fact that it's probably the superior set, I've really been digging Focus Sash lately. It gives my team insurance against many of the physical sweepers in the tier. With the help of Defog Arceus-Water to clear hazards away to keep ym Sash intact, it won't matter how many boosts Double Dance Groudon, Mega Mence, or any of the SD Arceus-formes besides Ekiller get. I'll be brought down to my Sash and then snatch the boosts away, halting a sweep and potentially counter-sweeping my opponent. While I have Magearna for snatching Xerneas's boosts, Marshadow, thanks to its Sash, is still a nice backup to stop Xerneas from sweeping as well.
Its moveset is pretty typical of most Marshadow that you'll encounter on the ladder. Since I'm not running Life Orb, I opted to run Rock Tomb over HP Ice to dent Ho-Oh and to simply slow down opposing mons in general. The neat thing about Shadow Sneak is, even without Life Orb, it's still able to OHKO Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock.
Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Pain Split
- Heart Swap
- Volt Switch
I have found Magearna to be a solid partner for Marshadow, being able to comfortably switch in to both Xerneas and Yveltal (watch for Heat Wave tho). While Marshadow is a one-time stop to the physical sweepers of Ubers, Magearna handles the opposite side of the attacking spectrum, and Heart Swap's GeoXern's boosts and uses them against it. Meanwhile, having access to a strong Fairy STAB move in Fleur Cannon is nice at chipping incoming Primal Groudon in the early-mid game (Groudon can only come in so many times until it's in range of something on my team) while also forcing out opposing Yveltal, Giratina-O, and other Fairy-weaks.
Pinging Pdon with Fleur Cannon early on can also help you gauge what set it is based on the damage. 17% means it's max SpDef and anything higher suggests an offensive set.
Once Groudon, Zygarde and Groundceus are down, Volt Switch just becomes so handy for this team. It forms a nice VoltTurn core with my Scarf Yveltal, which gives my team a ton of momentum when utilized correctly, and clicking Volt really eases the prediction game. Being able to volt switch out of Mega Gengar is also a huge boon for Magearna. Pain Split gives Mag a form of recovery in a meta with high HP mons.
Ho-Oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 224 HP / 136 Atk / 72 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Toxic
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Ho-Oh is a nightmare for a lot of teams, and because of that, it's on this one. I'm doing something a little controversial with this set. I'm opting to not run recover, but instead an offensive 3 Attacks + Toxic set. I was originally running the phys def variant with recover instead of HP Ice, and while that helped me out vs Mega Lucario and opposing Marshadow, I found myself in a bad spot vs Zygarde and Salamence, two mons that love switching in vs Ho-Oh, and my only other team members that can somewhat handle them are Waterceus (which isn't even running Ice Beam) and scarf Yveltal. To remedy this, I opted for a LO HP Ice set, as it 3HKOs standard ZyGod after Stealth Rock and OHKOs Mence and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock as well. Meanwhile, I spread Toxic statuses on to incoming Groudon, Giratina-O, and support Arceus formes like Water and Rock to put them on a timer.
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Recover
- Toxic
- Judgment
I think out of all my mons, my Arceus-Water went through the most revisions. I was originally running 2 attacks + Defog with Judgment + Ice Beam, but I started to miss Toxicing Groudon. Then, I switched to Ice Beam + Toxic + Defog, but now mons like Magearna and Mega Lucario got to come in for free. Now I'm finally deciding to run Judgment + Toxic + Defog, as despite me not running Ice Beam for Mence + Ray, I can still stomach their hits fairly ok except for +1 Skystrike from Adamant Ray, and I have Marshadow in the back in case they try to set up and sweep my team, as well as Foul Play on my Scarf Yveltal for neutral Ray / Bulky Mence. Also, Judgment with the speed I'm running helps my Lead Excadrill matchup as they ALWAYS click Toxic first, as well as being able to 2HKO lead Cloyster as well.
The speed is to outpace any non-scarfed Yveltal so I can use any of my support moves before I'm Taunted, while also outspeeding Adamant Mega Lucario. Other than that, this set's fairly standard.
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance
- Precipice Blades
- Stone Edge
Does this bullshit really need an introduction?
I wanted a Primal Groudon set that can role compress as a fast Stealth Rock setter and a wallbreaker. I'm opting to run the borderline meme-y Jolly max speed Groudon here as my team's pretty weak to opposing Groudon and Kyogre and I naturally outpace most of them, or at worst, speed tie, but that in itself is an extremely rare occurrence. I'm also running a fast Groudon because I felt that my team checks Xerneas well enough on its own with the inclusion of Magearna and Ho-Oh. I'm running EdgeQuake coverage as I don't need Fire STAB when I have Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire spreading burns for me, +2 Precipice Blades OHKOs Ferrothorn after rocks, +0 Stone Edge OHKos Ray after rocks, and +1 Edge kills offensive Salamence after rocks anyways.
(This gif is appropriate for my set lmao)
Yveltal @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 32 HP / 4 Def / 232 SpA / 240 Spe
Modest Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
This has been the MVP of my team so far and my personal favorite Yveltal set, and is almost always my lead unless there's an Excadrill, in which case I lead with Arceus-Water. As I feel every serious Ubers team needs a Dark type, while also considering the fact my team could use some speed control, I opted for Choice Scarf Yveltal.
Having U-Turn on this thing is just dandy, as this loves to bait in Magearna, Xerneas, and Ho-Oh, and thanks to my own Magearna having Volt Switch, my team has a VoltTurn core that it greatly benefits from. As this is my backup Ekiller check, I have Foul Play along with the defensive spread of 32 HP / 4 Def. Foul Play also lets me revenge neutral +1 Rayquaza and bulkier Mega Salamence sets. Having a Choice Scarf on this in the currently new Marshadow meta is nice as I can just click Oblivion Wing and drain its life force. Lastly, Dark Pulse lets me smack Groudon, Lugia, Lunala, Giratina-O, ect.
REPLAYS:
A lot of the following replays show the evolution of the team, as Ho-Oh and Arceus-Water undergo changes over time:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-599202435
Not too much of a game, but it shows off how well Judgment on Waterceus works vs most leads as well as the destructive force of Marshadow.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-599206075
An example of why I love Focus Sash Marshadow so much. A Double Dance Groudon would have swept me without it. I could have reverse-swept him with it had not Shadow Sneaked the Yveltal, as I was predicting a Sucker Punch...
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-600311841
Kind of a shit game with the hax, but it demonstrates how effective of a cleaner Scarf Yveltal can be late game.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-600327131
Another example of how well Sash Marshadow has worked for me and a prime example as to why max speed Primal Groudon also helps my lead excadrill matchup as well.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-600339273
This was an annoying af match. I was up against Glare Zygarde + Skymin. However, you'll see how Volt Switch works wonders on Mag in this matchup, bringing in Scarf Yveltal safely to force it out. It was also after this match where I ultimately decided to switch my Ho-Oh set to a LO HP Ice variant, because if it was any other set, I probably would have folded.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ubers-600491589
The replay showcasing my current team, and is the best one of out all of these in my opinion. Starts off a bit scummy on my end with some hax, but that quickly changes to where I also start to get haxed, but I somehow manage to pull off a satisfying victory. It also shows how not suffering from Life Orb recoil helps Marshadow later on.
THREAT LIST:
Probably the mon I'm scared of the most. My way of dealing with it is pivoting between Groudon and Arceus-Water. Otherwise, I don't have a solid switchin to this. This is also one of the reasons why I'm opting for max speed Groudon on the team. Luckily, LO Ho-Oh 2HKOs defensive Kyogre with Brave Bird.
+1 Adamant Skystrike has a chance to 2HKO my Arceus-Water and can do a number to this team. However, I have Scarf Foul Play for such a set as well as Sash Marshadow to steal the boost.
Another one of this team's biggest fears, and why I'm running HP Ice on Ho-Oh. Glare sets, in particular, are extremely annoying to deal with. Keep Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Arceus-Water alive to deal with this, and perhaps even keeping Magearna healthy enough to take a Thousand Arrows.
Specifically referring to the Swords Dance set, but support can be annoying, too. Arceus-Water has a chance to die to +2 Tectonic Rage. However, I have Ground immunes to pivot to in case I come across that. Also, Marshadow steals boosts and is immune to Extreme Speed.
Mainly SD/Double Dance sets. Very scary to come in on, even with Arceus-Water, and is one of the reasons why my own Groudon is max speed. Yveltal does good damage with Dark Pulse and Marshadow can once again steal any potential boosts.
Marshadow @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Rock Tomb
Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Pain Split
- Heart Swap
- Volt Switch
Ho-Oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 224 HP / 136 Atk / 72 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Toxic
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Recover
- Toxic
- Judgment
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance
- Precipice Blades
- Stone Edge
Yveltal @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 32 HP / 4 Def / 232 SpA / 240 Spe
Modest Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spectral Thief
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Rock Tomb
Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Pain Split
- Heart Swap
- Volt Switch
Ho-Oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 224 HP / 136 Atk / 72 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Toxic
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Recover
- Toxic
- Judgment
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance
- Precipice Blades
- Stone Edge
Yveltal @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 32 HP / 4 Def / 232 SpA / 240 Spe
Modest Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Dark Pulse
- Oblivion Wing
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