The Court of the Crimson King
Process
This team started by stealing the fun z-Druddigon from a Jarii team pokeaim used in a NU Road to Top Ten video. Knowing that rocks would be hard to come by, I figured my favorite spike setter, Garbodor would have to come in. Like I said, this was my first attempt at seriously teambuilding so I figured it would be good use an S-tier pokemon, trust viability rankings.I love to have Intimidate support on a team (especially with a less defensive Druddigon) so Incineroar seemed a natural fit, I started with SD+Iapapa but found that I was quickly getting blown back by special attackers, that's where the Assault Vest comes in.
Play Style
An early, fast Devastating Drake can punch a very wide hole in almost any team early on, leaving room for a fast balance team to run around and have fun. The bulky core of Garbodor and Incineroar (plus Druddigon if it's still alive) allows for momentum control early in the game with the potent combo of Spikes, Intimidate, Rocky Helmet and Incineroar's slow U-Turn. A true balance team, I find that Incineroar is the glue that really holds the team together: enough bulk to tank hits for frailer teammate, meanwhile slow U-Turns allow the frail offensive core of Ambipom and Heliolisk to go to town. Originally I had named the team for Ambipom who is super fun to use (and often the last mon standing), but when I step back and have to name an MVP, I realize that Incineroar truly is the Crimson S-Tiered King!
I should point out that most of the EV spreads are not set to meet specific needs and could probably use some tweaking.
Alright let's get into it...
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Druddigon @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Iron Head
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
Garbodor @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Impish Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Toxic Spikes
- Pain Split
- Spikes
The EV spread is the standard Smogon defensive spike setter set. Thread warns against threat of sleep powder, but honestly I usually wind up soaking up sleep powder/hypnosis with this mon to save other more active teammates from getting it.
Incineroar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 244 HP / 72 Def / 144 SpD / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- U-turn
Decidueye @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
This is the best Decidueye set (at least for this squad). Leaf Storm is a guaranteed OHKO against Palossand, Piloswine, and Blastoise (the latter two need rocks or spike), 50-65% on most Steelix allows other members of the team to clean up that pesky mon. Roosting after getting hit Knock Off allows for decent recovery against anyone trying to hazard stack. Decideueye's fast U-Turn allows you to get in whatever threat you need for a given situation and increase pressure voltTurn style. This mon is particularly useful in the early game where you can exert hazard control over common rockers like Steelix, Rhydon and Seismitoad. Decidueye serves as the team's spinblocker, if your opponent has Dhelmise or Cryogonal, make sure to keep Incineroar to support it.
Heliolisk @ Choice Specs
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
- Volt Switch
The core of any decent NU voltTurn squad, Heliolisk is very straightforward as a special attacker: Volt Switch when you can to get in what you need, or spam Hyper Voice when there are any resistances on the field. Against Decidueye and Dhelmise: always Volt Switch. In addition to its role on general voltTurn strategy, Heliolisk is essential for taking care of mons the tier's bulky poison types (RIP Vileplume). I go with Surf over Dark Pulse primarily because of Palossand, who will be OHKO'd if there is a single spike on the field. Heliolisk, like Incineroar loves the presence of Garbodor on this squad to soak up fighting moves and u-turn.
Ambipom @ Normal Gem
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Return / Double Edge
- Low Kick
- Thief
Okay this is what you've all been waiting for, Normal Gem/Technician Ambipom. I try to preserve this mon for as long as possible, as Normal Gem-boosted Fakeout can often be enough to turn the tide in a battle. STAB Fakeout+Return is enough to KO a lot of the tier's better setup sweepers like Sceptile, Delphox and Bulk Up Braviary. Technician-boosted Thief makes quick work of Xatu and Delphox, also if you can keep it in your back pocket long enough, Thief can really punish ghost types switching in on expected Fakeout/Return/Low Kick. I like Low Kick against Steelix, but you could easily switch this out for U-Turn or Acrobatics. While Ambipom serves as decent speed control for this team, Technician Fakeout is essential for whittling down threats such as scarf mons or agility-boosted Vikavolt. Overall the coverage offered in Ambipom's technician-boosted moves is sufficient to make it function as a late game physical sweeper that doesn't need to set up or get choice-locked. Sure it doesn't hit as hard as some of the tier's more traditional sweepers like Passimian and Sneasel, but I think that access to such a strong priority move as Fakeout really carves out Ambipom's role as a fairly unique one in the tier.
A quick point about Normal Gem: I prefer Normal Gem: I prefer normal gem to say Life Orb or Silk Scarf for three main reasons.
1) Consuming Normal Gem allows Ambipom to live Passimian's Knock Off.
2) Maximum power on your first STAB move, often helpful in late-game scenarios.
3) Thief allows you to yoink away useful items like Vaporeon's Leftovers, Minior's White Herb, Sneasel's Choice Band.
Threats
Aerodactyl
This mon causes serious problems for the team, especially if it is a Z-variant or gets off a hone claws. It usually takes Incineroar+Druddigon to handle Aerodactyl. I'll usually sac Incineroar to this mon in order to bring in a full HP Druddigon, Iron Head is a guaranteed KO if Aerodactyl has taken rocks damage. Otherwise, Z-outrage is your best bet, even though it's overkill it's definitely worth it to get this threat off the field. Protect is nice to soak up either z-Fly or z-Stone Edge but this leaves offensive options against Aerodactyl severely limited. If you want to mess with the EVs and make Druddigon a bit bulkier and give him glare, Aero's role as a threat is severely hampered.Aerodactyl
Bulky Mons with Recovery
Hariyama, Miltank, and a boosted Audino are all pretty annoying threats for this team (basically anything with recovery). T-spikes are essential against stall, and even then matchups against mons like this are an uphill battle. If stall becomes more common in the meta I would likely put taunt on either Garb or Druddigon.
Status Spam
Without Heal Bell/Aromatherapy support, this team is generally weak to status but Glare spam in specific can really threaten such a speed-heavy team. Because of this, getting rid of an opposing Druddigon is always a high priority and I will often risk the 50/50 going up against another lead Druddigon. While less common, Prankster Whimsicott is a huge issue for mons like Ambipom and Heliolisk, it can easily be dealt with by Incineroar - dark type immunity to Prankster moves has saved my hide more than once.
Ground Type
Paste
https://pokepast.es/44a9961b960e6df8
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