I tend to use Choice Specs over Calm Mind most of the time, but after watching
Ktütverde mess around with CM Berserk and trying to activate Berserk via Flame Orb (this tech doesn't actually work!), I also decided to test with CM Drampa and was pleasantly surprised. This team seeks to force CM Drampa's checks in one by one by setting up with other powerful wincons like SubCM Oricorio-G and LO SS Carracosta, which paves the way for a late-game win with Drampa. From early- to mid-game, you'll mostly be using Drampa as a means of pivoting into Ferroseed, Tangela, Victreebel, Eelektross, etc., and it's got Roost to boot, so it'll be around for the long haul, answering those until it's time to boost via CM. This brings me to my next addition:
What's a Pokemon that thrives once it no longer has to worry about being walled or checked by Pokemon like Tangela, Ferroseed, Victreebel, Eelektross, Jellicent, Lanturn, etc.? Mixed Carracosta. That's pretty much the driving concept behind this team. Drampa uses these mons as setup fodder and protects Costa via Sap Sipper, while in return, Carracosta can pivot into some of Drampa's checks like Alolan Sandslash (especially Scarf Slash) and Silvally-Fairy (assuming no Thunderbolt) and set up Shell Smash in their faces thanks to its usable bulk. Omastar would also fit here probably, but the idea behind Carracosta over Omastar was to sweep, even through Scarf Primeape via Costa's +2 LO Aqua Jet:
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Carracosta Aqua Jet vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Primeape: 247-292 (91.1 - 107.7%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock)
You also outpace Hitmonchan's Mach with a faster Aqua Jet post setup, forcing it to eat a big hit:
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Carracosta Aqua Jet vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Hitmonchan: 199-235 (82.5 - 97.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Carracosta Aqua Jet vs. 128 HP / 0 Def Hitmonchan: 199-235 (72.8 - 86%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Carracosta Aqua Jet vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Hitmonchan: 199-235 (65.6 - 77.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Taking out Primeape with Carracosta relieves some of the offensive pressure on Drampa, which is conducive to setting up Calm Mind. Life Orb > Waterium Z here, because of the above calc (you would have to fish for ~30% chip on Primeape otherwise for that calc to happen...).
Additionally, Life Orb Hydro Pump is really nice for taking out Gurdurr, so Drampa, Alolan Sandslash, and Hitmonchan can breathe a little more freely:
+2 4 SpA Life Orb Carracosta Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Gurdurr: 305-360 (81.5 - 96.2%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Carracosta in combination with CS Alolan Sandslash and offensive Hitmonchan provide the team with enough counterplay to big threats like Stoutland, Kangaskhan, and Dodrio.
At this point in the building process, I didn't have a switch-in for Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, or Primeape, so the next couple of additions were really about supporting Drampa and Carracosta defensively. SubCM Z Oricorio-G is pretty much the team's MVP: it checks Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, prevents Primeape from locking into CC, is the team's secondary check to Victreebel and other Grass-types that might otherwise destroy Carracosta... the list goes on. But, what it's mainly here for is to bring fat Pokemon like Alolan Sandslash, Lanturn, Regirock, Eelektross in on threat of its boosted Hurricane and then to KO them via its boosted Revelation Dance; Drampa appreciates Alolan Sandslash being KOed by Revelation Dance; Carracosta no longer has to worry about bulky Lanturn as much once that's been weakened; Claydol appreciates Oricorio-G taking out Skuntank for it with Hurricane; Hitmonchan no longer has to worry about how to break past Quagsire, Gastrodon, and Mudsdale, etc.
At this point, my counterplay to a more offensive Mudsdale was shaky (
TONE recently changed the on-site analysis spread for this to max Speed Adamant, so it's faster than neutral-natured Carracosta now), and I also didn't have SR or a Lycanroc switch-in. I was also looking for a second Fighting check, leading me to pick Claydol. This counters Thunder Punch / Stone Edge Hitmonchan nicely, but it still has to watch out for the Ice Punch variant that is becoming more common. This provides you with a good volt stop for when Lanturn or Eelektross try to pick up momentum against Carracosta or Oricorio-G, but for the most part, this add is pretty self-explanatory, as it's mostly glue here and shares good synergy with its teammates.
Seeing a growing weakness to Froslass, Jynx, Abomasnow (either Shard or Scarf), and Scarf Aurorus, the team's lack of entry hazard control, and how slow the team was overall so far, I decided to use Choice Scarf Alolan Sandslash to patch these issues. Scarf Iron Head is a really cool way to take out Froslass turn 1, as a lot of people still go for Wisp instead of scouting for Scarf (be careful though, 248 HP Lass lives Iron Head no matter what). Alolan Sandslash pulls overtime in checking Flying-types for the team too, especially Oricorio-E and SD Dodrio. If Claydol is down and Carracosta isn't healthy enough to live Accelerock, Alolan Sandslash can also act as an impromptu check to Lycanroc. Similarly, if Silvally-Fairy is proving difficult to remove, this outspeeds and KOes with Iron Head when Silvally-Fairy is at roughly 65% HP or less. Lastly, Alolan Sandslash forms an entry hazard setting and removal core with Claydol, though spinning with this successfully can be unreliable at times.
Lastly, the team was pretty weak to boosted threats, namely Omastar, and if I mispredicted with Alolan Sandslash, playing against Hail comps could still be pretty rough, too. At the same time, there wasn't much on the team with immediate breaking potential yet (this breaker slot would normally go to Drampa, but the request asked for CM). So, I went for offensive Hitmonchan. Once Hitmonchan reveals Thunder Punch, you can then lure in targets weak to Ice Punch (ex. Victreebel, Oricorio-E, Claydol, Golurk, and Mudsdale). Moving in the opposite direction, once you reveal Ice Punch, then targets weak to Thunder Punch will be used to switch into Chan, like Jellicent and Qwilfish, letting you take out two notable Taunt users that might stop a Carracosta sweep prematurely.
You can easily run Adamant Choice Band, or Adamant Life Orb here if you don't care about creeping Skuntank, Stoutland, and other base 80s for sure - decreasing its Speed and increasing its Attack enables Hitmonchan to 2HKO SpDef Clefairy and Def Gastrodon on the switch, as well as OHKO -1 Omastar with Mach Punch:
252+ Atk Choice Band Iron Fist Hitmonchan Drain Punch vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Gastrodon: 210-247 (49.2 - 57.9%) -- 96.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Iron Fist Hitmonchan Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Clefairy: 164-194 (47.6 - 56.3%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Iron Fist Hitmonchan Mach Punch vs. -1 0 HP / 0 Def Omastar: 276-326 (98.2 - 116%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
Hitmonchan was the most variable slot here, as there are a few more Omastar checks that are worth a shout (ex. the team below shows bulky Eel over Chan against TJ). You can also run Gurdurr here, but if you do, I'd definitely go Specs Drampa over CM, and perhaps bulky Sensu to account for having lost a Victreebel switch-in in that case. Anyway, enjoy the team!