I'm sure you all know how these threads work. Post any creative sets you've come up with and actually tested, and give us a brief explanation of how it works. Hopefully it will give other players some ideas when building their own teams, or at the very least it might generate some more activity on these forums.
I'll start things off!
ACID RAIN
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Rain Dish
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Moves:
- Acid Spray
- Scald/Haze
- Mirror Coat
- Protect
This is my Tentacruel that just surprises people and annoys things. Use it in a team with Kyogre or bring it in against opposing Rain teams to ensure you get Rain Dish healing. Acid Spray works with any Special Sweeper on your team, like Kyogre, Xerneas, Tapu Koko/Lele, Mewtwo, Lunala, Yvetal etc, to soften targets up and allow KO's. This set can survive a Tapu Lele's Psychic in Psychic Terrain, or a Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain, and OHKO both back with Mirror Coat! And Haze is great for stopping Geomancy Xerneas in particular, or Calm Mind/Swords Dance users. Other options for this set include Knock Off, Icy Wind, Electric/Psychic Seed, and a 50% healing berry.
SWISS ARMY CAT
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moves:
- Fake Out
- Fake Tears
- Foul Play / Snarl / Knock Off
- Rain Dance / Encore / Taunt / Thunder Wave / Charm
I'm splashing this cat on just about every team at the moment because it does so much! Prankster Fake Tears softens up any target you want to KO with your special sweeper like Kyogre or Xerneas. Fake Tears is especially helpful because everyone invests in Special Defense EVs due to the style of the meta and the use of Intimidate support, and it can allow surprise KO's. Fake Out allows your teammate to set up. Encore and Taunt can cripple something when timed correctly. Rain Dance is probably my favourite move on the 4th slot when I run Kyogre, because people bring out Groudon when you lead with Scarf Kyogre and reverse the weather on you, so you just lead with Prankster Rain Dance and sweep with Water Spout. You can even cripple things and force switches with Charm. Just be VERY wary of Tapu Lele and Tsareena and their priority-negating abilities! They like to switch in when they see a Liepard lead.
GO GO GADGET GENGAR
Item: Safety Goggles / Red Card
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Calm
EVs: 240 HP / 36 Def / 232 SpD
Moves:
- Trick Room
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Clear Smog / Sludge Bomb
Admittedly this wasn't my idea, but I'm stealing it because it's brilliant. A bulky Gengar with Trick Room? Yes! The EVs allow it survive more than you'd expect. Kartana's Leaf Blade is a 3HKO, and a Geomancy'd +2 Xerneas can only 3HKO with Dazzling Gleam or 2HKO with Moonblast. Don't think it will tank anything too ridiculous though, you still need to avoid Incineroar's Knock Off, and obvious things like Psychic, Precipice Blades, Moongeist Beam or Photon Geyser. This is your team's Trick Room setter while still also threatening an offensive presence. Sludge Bomb can OHKO Tapu Koko for example, though I prefer Clear Smog to shutdown Xerneas or something else setting up on you. Your opponent will usually predict an offensive Gengar and allow you to surprise them with a crippling Will-O-Wisp or a Trick Room set up. Ghost typing is a blessing this meta because it means you're immune to Fake Out, which is everywhere. Lastly, Safety Goggles means you can completely ignore Amoonguss and focus on the other opponent, though Red Card does have some fun results.
I'll start things off!
ACID RAIN
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Rain Dish
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Moves:
- Acid Spray
- Scald/Haze
- Mirror Coat
- Protect
This is my Tentacruel that just surprises people and annoys things. Use it in a team with Kyogre or bring it in against opposing Rain teams to ensure you get Rain Dish healing. Acid Spray works with any Special Sweeper on your team, like Kyogre, Xerneas, Tapu Koko/Lele, Mewtwo, Lunala, Yvetal etc, to soften targets up and allow KO's. This set can survive a Tapu Lele's Psychic in Psychic Terrain, or a Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain, and OHKO both back with Mirror Coat! And Haze is great for stopping Geomancy Xerneas in particular, or Calm Mind/Swords Dance users. Other options for this set include Knock Off, Icy Wind, Electric/Psychic Seed, and a 50% healing berry.
SWISS ARMY CAT
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moves:
- Fake Out
- Fake Tears
- Foul Play / Snarl / Knock Off
- Rain Dance / Encore / Taunt / Thunder Wave / Charm
I'm splashing this cat on just about every team at the moment because it does so much! Prankster Fake Tears softens up any target you want to KO with your special sweeper like Kyogre or Xerneas. Fake Tears is especially helpful because everyone invests in Special Defense EVs due to the style of the meta and the use of Intimidate support, and it can allow surprise KO's. Fake Out allows your teammate to set up. Encore and Taunt can cripple something when timed correctly. Rain Dance is probably my favourite move on the 4th slot when I run Kyogre, because people bring out Groudon when you lead with Scarf Kyogre and reverse the weather on you, so you just lead with Prankster Rain Dance and sweep with Water Spout. You can even cripple things and force switches with Charm. Just be VERY wary of Tapu Lele and Tsareena and their priority-negating abilities! They like to switch in when they see a Liepard lead.
GO GO GADGET GENGAR
Item: Safety Goggles / Red Card
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Calm
EVs: 240 HP / 36 Def / 232 SpD
Moves:
- Trick Room
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Clear Smog / Sludge Bomb
Admittedly this wasn't my idea, but I'm stealing it because it's brilliant. A bulky Gengar with Trick Room? Yes! The EVs allow it survive more than you'd expect. Kartana's Leaf Blade is a 3HKO, and a Geomancy'd +2 Xerneas can only 3HKO with Dazzling Gleam or 2HKO with Moonblast. Don't think it will tank anything too ridiculous though, you still need to avoid Incineroar's Knock Off, and obvious things like Psychic, Precipice Blades, Moongeist Beam or Photon Geyser. This is your team's Trick Room setter while still also threatening an offensive presence. Sludge Bomb can OHKO Tapu Koko for example, though I prefer Clear Smog to shutdown Xerneas or something else setting up on you. Your opponent will usually predict an offensive Gengar and allow you to surprise them with a crippling Will-O-Wisp or a Trick Room set up. Ghost typing is a blessing this meta because it means you're immune to Fake Out, which is everywhere. Lastly, Safety Goggles means you can completely ignore Amoonguss and focus on the other opponent, though Red Card does have some fun results.
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