What is up Hariyama Alert Nation. I'm your host, DAZZLING GLEAMSTAR, LET'S GET ROOOOOIGHT INTO THE RMT! Also in the news, this is my first gen 7 pre-bank team. In general, didn't used to play prebank because pokebank OU is going to eventually be the standard OU (unless I'm dumb and am missing something) which will basically make the non-bank OU an obsolete tier. That being said, I found myself with a handful of Alohan pokemon and realized that the team I'd originally built for gen 7 OU was legal in pre-bank. So naturally, to limit the amount of busted mons I had to face, I wanted to test out the meta. And honestly, any meta where Marowak flourishes is a meta I want to be in. But basically, I'm not the best at building for this tier. The team was initially meant for just some low ladder fun but I've adapted the team and practiced with it a lot to the point where I can say confidently that I don't believe it to be a "bad" team. And as a bonus, it's one of the funnest to play gen 7 teams I've made. It feels a bit closer to offence on the "offence versus balance" spectrum, which keeps most of the games interesting to play but also gives me a form of backbone to fall back on. But... I know it's still in need of much improvement.
Teambuilding Process:
So this was the pokemon I'd originally wanted to build the team around. Mimikyu is one of my favorite gen 7 pokemon, with the only other contender really being Marowak. Honestly, the day this thing was leaked I knew I was going to love it; no matter what its stats or ability was. Its typing, its design, it was all just so slick. Soon after it was leaked, we find out its stats and ability. Stats? Honestly, surprisingly good. People always thing Mimikyu is frail just because its ability tailors very much towards an offensive set. What people often forget is that while it only has 55 HP, its got 80/105 defenses. Which is really, really nice when you consider it has such an amazing typing and a fairly decent speed tier. And I doubt I really need to talk about how good its ability is, but here I'll say it not. Disguise is sick.
Now, I don't think it's possible for me at this point to make a team without Marowak. This thing is a god. Marowak is the answer I needed for pokemon like Magnezone, Celesteela, Magearna, Metagross, Kartana, Alohan Sandslash, and of course pretty much every electric type in the tier thanks to its amazing typing with lighting rod. And thus, the ghost spam core was born.
From what we had so far, I realized that I was going to struggle with killing bulky waters, with switching into psychic types, and in gaining initiative to take advantage of Mimikyu's ability to set up, and Marowak's ability to break walls. In addition to these things, I also wanted a secondary answer to steel types as I don't like switching Marowak into rocks. Magnezone gave me a revenge killer that could accomplish all the above and more.
The next pokemon is a little bit controversial, or at least it initially seemed as such when I chose it. Hydreigon's unique typing offers it a very niche thing in the tier: the ability to switch into Alohan Marowak. Hydreigon's immunity to ground and psycic, along with its speed tier and access to utility moves, made it in my opinion justified in gaining a spot on the team.
Komala was another pokemon that honestly I just wanted to have to opportunity to use. For this team, Komala offers a niche role at being able to consistently switch into and remove hazards on Toxapex and Necrozma. Although pretty much only those, as stealth rockers in pre bank are all but non-existent. Like, you either run a suicide lead with Mamoswine or Lycanrock, or you run a sand team with like Gigalith, or you run Necrozma. That's pretty much it.
And speaking of rockers... my obligatory stealth rocker. I'm not running a sand team, and not only do I hate suicide leads but my team isn't offensive enough to capitalize on trading a full pokemon to get up hazards turn 1. So I'm running Necrozma. Necrozma helps me deal with Tapu Lele.... kinda? Like Lele is busted and doesn't have any counters anyway. But I guess Lele doesn't force me out so that's a thing. Also, Necrozma has really good lead matchup versus most teams as teams are either running a Necrozma of their own (which makes Komala better in that matchup), or a suicide lead which is walled by Necrozma (Mamoswine, Lycanrock).
The Team:
Mimikyu @ Leftovers
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
The speed is enough to outspeed max speed plus a speed boosting nature base 70 pokemon. I could've ran more speed for Mamoswine, but these days they all run a suicide lead set that is going to die in the first couple of turns anyways. Sub-SD may seem like an odd set, but in my oppinion sub Mimikyu has to be one of the best sets as it's the only real set-up move that appreciates being guaranteed, as it sets you up for the strongest way to hit the opponent if you're unsure of what to predict and maintains its value after the disguise has been compromised. But more importantly, and the reason the set is so fun, is you set up on Toxapex. Which is hilarious, fairy gets to plus 6 on the poison type.
0 SpA Toxapex Scald vs. 116 HP / 0 SpD Mimikyu: 51-60 (18.2 - 21.4%) -- possible 5HKO
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 144 Atk / 68 SpD / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
This set is my own custom set. It's a little bit strange to look at, but it does the job it's supposed to do, and it does so consistantly.
Defensively:
252+ SpA Life Orb Xurkitree Hidden Power Ground vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 133-159 (79.6 - 95.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 168-198 (51.8 - 61.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (can't OHKO after rocks, pretty much guarenteed to live after the special attack drop without rocks, and I can rest on it anyways)
+1 252+ SpA Life Orb Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 251-296 (77.4 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (if it somehow got a boost)
252 SpA Porygon-Z Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 200-236 (61.7 - 72.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Life Orb Buzzwole Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Marowak-Alola: 226-268 (69.7 - 82.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Tapu Fini Surf vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 152-182 (46.9 - 56.1%) -- 81.3% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Mold Breaker Gyarados-Mega Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Marowak: 276-326 (85.4 - 100.9%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
Offensively: (not a benchmark, just pointing out how strong Marowak is without even full investment)
144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tapu Fini: 129-153 (37.5 - 44.4%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 106-126 (34.8 - 41.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
-1 144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Gyarados: 160-190 (48.3 - 57.4%) -- 94.1% chance to 2HKO
Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Scarf Magnezone offers some extra speed for revenge killing. Mag can effectively trap and eliminate Celesteela, Kartana, Sandslash without hail, and Mega Scizor with it's STABs and HP fire. Magnezone is also my best answer to bulky water types, especially offensive bulky water types like Araquanid, Azumarill, and Golisopod.
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
- U-turn
As I mentioned before, Hydreigon is a good initial switch into Marowak and subsequently most ghosts in general. U-turn offers the team a way of maintaining momentum which is incredibly important for a team that isn't 6 fat walls. Roost lets me sustain throughout the match, since Hydra's resistances and immunities make it a key pokemon to keep healthy.
Komala @ Leftovers
Ability: Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn
Specially defensive Komala, which lives a hit from Mega Alakazam which is always nice. Earthquake lets me beat pokemon that might try to spinblock like marowak, and hits pokemon that can set up hazads like Nihaligo or Toxapex for enough damage that I threaten them out and keep kazards off the field. U-turn is chosen over protect because if I give a free switch into an enemy pokemon I'll often just have to sac versus it so maintaining momentum can't be stressed enough.
Necrozma @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Psychic
- Moonlight
And finally we've got physically defensive Nectrozma. It's fat. It's job is to be fat and set up hazards. This thing is actually ridiculous. It lives a shadow bone from Marowak, to put it into context. Thunder wave is used over dark pulse because the team needed the extra speed control for things like tapu Lele, Gyarados, and Mega Zam.
Threatlist:
(cleanly 6-0's me)
Teambuilding Process:
So this was the pokemon I'd originally wanted to build the team around. Mimikyu is one of my favorite gen 7 pokemon, with the only other contender really being Marowak. Honestly, the day this thing was leaked I knew I was going to love it; no matter what its stats or ability was. Its typing, its design, it was all just so slick. Soon after it was leaked, we find out its stats and ability. Stats? Honestly, surprisingly good. People always thing Mimikyu is frail just because its ability tailors very much towards an offensive set. What people often forget is that while it only has 55 HP, its got 80/105 defenses. Which is really, really nice when you consider it has such an amazing typing and a fairly decent speed tier. And I doubt I really need to talk about how good its ability is, but here I'll say it not. Disguise is sick.
Now, I don't think it's possible for me at this point to make a team without Marowak. This thing is a god. Marowak is the answer I needed for pokemon like Magnezone, Celesteela, Magearna, Metagross, Kartana, Alohan Sandslash, and of course pretty much every electric type in the tier thanks to its amazing typing with lighting rod. And thus, the ghost spam core was born.
From what we had so far, I realized that I was going to struggle with killing bulky waters, with switching into psychic types, and in gaining initiative to take advantage of Mimikyu's ability to set up, and Marowak's ability to break walls. In addition to these things, I also wanted a secondary answer to steel types as I don't like switching Marowak into rocks. Magnezone gave me a revenge killer that could accomplish all the above and more.
The next pokemon is a little bit controversial, or at least it initially seemed as such when I chose it. Hydreigon's unique typing offers it a very niche thing in the tier: the ability to switch into Alohan Marowak. Hydreigon's immunity to ground and psycic, along with its speed tier and access to utility moves, made it in my opinion justified in gaining a spot on the team.
Komala was another pokemon that honestly I just wanted to have to opportunity to use. For this team, Komala offers a niche role at being able to consistently switch into and remove hazards on Toxapex and Necrozma. Although pretty much only those, as stealth rockers in pre bank are all but non-existent. Like, you either run a suicide lead with Mamoswine or Lycanrock, or you run a sand team with like Gigalith, or you run Necrozma. That's pretty much it.
And speaking of rockers... my obligatory stealth rocker. I'm not running a sand team, and not only do I hate suicide leads but my team isn't offensive enough to capitalize on trading a full pokemon to get up hazards turn 1. So I'm running Necrozma. Necrozma helps me deal with Tapu Lele.... kinda? Like Lele is busted and doesn't have any counters anyway. But I guess Lele doesn't force me out so that's a thing. Also, Necrozma has really good lead matchup versus most teams as teams are either running a Necrozma of their own (which makes Komala better in that matchup), or a suicide lead which is walled by Necrozma (Mamoswine, Lycanrock).
The Team:
Mimikyu @ Leftovers
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
The speed is enough to outspeed max speed plus a speed boosting nature base 70 pokemon. I could've ran more speed for Mamoswine, but these days they all run a suicide lead set that is going to die in the first couple of turns anyways. Sub-SD may seem like an odd set, but in my oppinion sub Mimikyu has to be one of the best sets as it's the only real set-up move that appreciates being guaranteed, as it sets you up for the strongest way to hit the opponent if you're unsure of what to predict and maintains its value after the disguise has been compromised. But more importantly, and the reason the set is so fun, is you set up on Toxapex. Which is hilarious, fairy gets to plus 6 on the poison type.
0 SpA Toxapex Scald vs. 116 HP / 0 SpD Mimikyu: 51-60 (18.2 - 21.4%) -- possible 5HKO
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 144 Atk / 68 SpD / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
This set is my own custom set. It's a little bit strange to look at, but it does the job it's supposed to do, and it does so consistantly.
Defensively:
252+ SpA Life Orb Xurkitree Hidden Power Ground vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 133-159 (79.6 - 95.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 168-198 (51.8 - 61.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (can't OHKO after rocks, pretty much guarenteed to live after the special attack drop without rocks, and I can rest on it anyways)
+1 252+ SpA Life Orb Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 251-296 (77.4 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (if it somehow got a boost)
252 SpA Porygon-Z Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 200-236 (61.7 - 72.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Life Orb Buzzwole Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Marowak-Alola: 226-268 (69.7 - 82.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Tapu Fini Surf vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Marowak-Alola: 152-182 (46.9 - 56.1%) -- 81.3% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Mold Breaker Gyarados-Mega Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Marowak: 276-326 (85.4 - 100.9%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
Offensively: (not a benchmark, just pointing out how strong Marowak is without even full investment)
144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tapu Fini: 129-153 (37.5 - 44.4%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 106-126 (34.8 - 41.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
-1 144+ Atk Thick Club Marowak-Alola Shadow Bone vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Gyarados: 160-190 (48.3 - 57.4%) -- 94.1% chance to 2HKO
Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Scarf Magnezone offers some extra speed for revenge killing. Mag can effectively trap and eliminate Celesteela, Kartana, Sandslash without hail, and Mega Scizor with it's STABs and HP fire. Magnezone is also my best answer to bulky water types, especially offensive bulky water types like Araquanid, Azumarill, and Golisopod.
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
- U-turn
As I mentioned before, Hydreigon is a good initial switch into Marowak and subsequently most ghosts in general. U-turn offers the team a way of maintaining momentum which is incredibly important for a team that isn't 6 fat walls. Roost lets me sustain throughout the match, since Hydra's resistances and immunities make it a key pokemon to keep healthy.
Komala @ Leftovers
Ability: Comatose
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn
Specially defensive Komala, which lives a hit from Mega Alakazam which is always nice. Earthquake lets me beat pokemon that might try to spinblock like marowak, and hits pokemon that can set up hazads like Nihaligo or Toxapex for enough damage that I threaten them out and keep kazards off the field. U-turn is chosen over protect because if I give a free switch into an enemy pokemon I'll often just have to sac versus it so maintaining momentum can't be stressed enough.
Necrozma @ Leftovers
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Psychic
- Moonlight
And finally we've got physically defensive Nectrozma. It's fat. It's job is to be fat and set up hazards. This thing is actually ridiculous. It lives a shadow bone from Marowak, to put it into context. Thunder wave is used over dark pulse because the team needed the extra speed control for things like tapu Lele, Gyarados, and Mega Zam.
Threatlist:
