This is the first time I've ever posted an RMT before. I have managed to get up to 1500 rating with this team, but I'm finding it a bit less consistent at that rating. I'm finding it hard to pin down exactly what it is since a lot of my losses come down to either unlucky freezes or flinches from speedy Pokemon, or simply getting outplayed. I do feel like the team needs some improvement but not exactly sure what I want to add and am looking for some fresh ideas and maybe some weaknesses I haven't been able to spot from people outside my circle of friends/people I compete at PCs with.
The team, at a glance:
Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 76 HP / 4 Def / 172 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Taunt
Tapu Lele is part of the offensive backbone of my team. It is an excellent candidate for a Z crystal user since it is not only powerful but boosted by its terrain, and can secure many OHKOs that way. Being able to switch my opponent's terrain is also beneficial. The first three moves I feel like are pretty standard on all Tapu Lele and don't need explanation, and Taunt is there to prevent shenanigans. Tapu Lele with Taunt singlehandedly prevents a lot of set up leads from working such as the common Fake Out + Trick Room setup. The HP invest lets it survive a Poison Jab from positive nature Pheromosa.
Kartana @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Smart Strike
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Protect
Kartana is the other part of my main offense. I like using Kartana because it can pick up KOs on a lot of things and once it does pick up a KO, Beast Boost makes it even deadlier and it can just snowball from there into an unstoppable threat. The first two moves need no explanation, and I feel like Sacred Sword is probably its best overall coverage, helping me against other Kartana, Porygon2, and Magnezone among other things, though Night Slash is tempting to be able to grab an easy KO on Alolan Marowak. I feel like the Focus Sash lets me play a little bit more aggressively as I will always survive random Z moves or Fire attacks, and having Protect lets me avoid double targets.
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 20 Def / 100 SpA / 140 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Flamethrower
- Snarl
- Protect
Arcanine is my main support, I enjoy pairing it with Tapu Lele especially since Intimidate and burn helps cover its weaker defense, not to mention it threatens Kartana back which otherwise threatens Tapu Lele easily. The defensive EVs let it always survive a Life Orb Nihilego Power Gem on the special side and lets me take 2 Earthquakes from Jolly Garchomp factoring in Sitrus Berry, with the rest going into special attack to give Flamethrower a little more power.
Muk-Alola @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Atk / 116 Def / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Curse
- Protect
This thing is awesome and has singlehandedly won me many games and even some 1v2s. If I could pick one team member to keep it would be this one definitely. It is a lovely combination of offense, defense, and support in the form of item removal, and it gives me a backup win condition and a slow mode for Trick Room. Anyway first two moves are standard, I like Curse a whole lot as I can survive so many hits with Curse + Figy Berry, and Protect helps me avoid the Ground Z-moves that inevitably come my way. The defensive EV investment makes sure I always live through Marowak's Flare Blitz since Bonemerang is just going to trigger my berry anyway.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic
- Recover
- Trick Room
Ok so Porygon2 was chosen because the above team has trouble with faster Pokemon such as weather sweepers. Thunderbolt was chosen specifically with Ducks in mind and also in order to be able to pressure Celesteela better by breaking its sub. Toxic is here in order for Porygon2 to be able to win the matchup versus other bulky Pokemon with recovery such as Gastrodon, other Porygon2, and Arcanine with Morning Sun, and because my luck with Download is garbage and I am always stuck with useless Attack boosts but I'm stuck with Download until bank so I can get Adaptability which is much better in my opinion. Recover lets me keep living and Trick Room is the whole reason I brought Porygon2 in the first place. The EV spread lets it live a double target from Hydro Vortex from Golduck and Hurricane from Pelipper with the rest thrown into defense to take physical hits better.
Braviary @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Tailwind
So, I originally had Milotic on this team but didn't like that it was pretty much dead weight if I don't manage to get Intimidated. Braviary on the other hand can still hit very hard even without Intimidates and if it does get Intimidated, it can actually OHKO all of the common Intimidate users (Arcanine sometimes avoids the OHKO with enough investment) plus it provides some additional Tailwind support. I originally had a slower build but felt I needed to be able to go first so I changed it to Scarf recently.
The team, at a glance:
Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 76 HP / 4 Def / 172 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Taunt
Tapu Lele is part of the offensive backbone of my team. It is an excellent candidate for a Z crystal user since it is not only powerful but boosted by its terrain, and can secure many OHKOs that way. Being able to switch my opponent's terrain is also beneficial. The first three moves I feel like are pretty standard on all Tapu Lele and don't need explanation, and Taunt is there to prevent shenanigans. Tapu Lele with Taunt singlehandedly prevents a lot of set up leads from working such as the common Fake Out + Trick Room setup. The HP invest lets it survive a Poison Jab from positive nature Pheromosa.
Kartana @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Smart Strike
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Protect
Kartana is the other part of my main offense. I like using Kartana because it can pick up KOs on a lot of things and once it does pick up a KO, Beast Boost makes it even deadlier and it can just snowball from there into an unstoppable threat. The first two moves need no explanation, and I feel like Sacred Sword is probably its best overall coverage, helping me against other Kartana, Porygon2, and Magnezone among other things, though Night Slash is tempting to be able to grab an easy KO on Alolan Marowak. I feel like the Focus Sash lets me play a little bit more aggressively as I will always survive random Z moves or Fire attacks, and having Protect lets me avoid double targets.
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 20 Def / 100 SpA / 140 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Flamethrower
- Snarl
- Protect
Arcanine is my main support, I enjoy pairing it with Tapu Lele especially since Intimidate and burn helps cover its weaker defense, not to mention it threatens Kartana back which otherwise threatens Tapu Lele easily. The defensive EVs let it always survive a Life Orb Nihilego Power Gem on the special side and lets me take 2 Earthquakes from Jolly Garchomp factoring in Sitrus Berry, with the rest going into special attack to give Flamethrower a little more power.
Muk-Alola @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Atk / 116 Def / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Curse
- Protect
This thing is awesome and has singlehandedly won me many games and even some 1v2s. If I could pick one team member to keep it would be this one definitely. It is a lovely combination of offense, defense, and support in the form of item removal, and it gives me a backup win condition and a slow mode for Trick Room. Anyway first two moves are standard, I like Curse a whole lot as I can survive so many hits with Curse + Figy Berry, and Protect helps me avoid the Ground Z-moves that inevitably come my way. The defensive EV investment makes sure I always live through Marowak's Flare Blitz since Bonemerang is just going to trigger my berry anyway.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic
- Recover
- Trick Room
Ok so Porygon2 was chosen because the above team has trouble with faster Pokemon such as weather sweepers. Thunderbolt was chosen specifically with Ducks in mind and also in order to be able to pressure Celesteela better by breaking its sub. Toxic is here in order for Porygon2 to be able to win the matchup versus other bulky Pokemon with recovery such as Gastrodon, other Porygon2, and Arcanine with Morning Sun, and because my luck with Download is garbage and I am always stuck with useless Attack boosts but I'm stuck with Download until bank so I can get Adaptability which is much better in my opinion. Recover lets me keep living and Trick Room is the whole reason I brought Porygon2 in the first place. The EV spread lets it live a double target from Hydro Vortex from Golduck and Hurricane from Pelipper with the rest thrown into defense to take physical hits better.
Braviary @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Tailwind
So, I originally had Milotic on this team but didn't like that it was pretty much dead weight if I don't manage to get Intimidated. Braviary on the other hand can still hit very hard even without Intimidates and if it does get Intimidated, it can actually OHKO all of the common Intimidate users (Arcanine sometimes avoids the OHKO with enough investment) plus it provides some additional Tailwind support. I originally had a slower build but felt I needed to be able to go first so I changed it to Scarf recently.
