Metagame Cross Evolution

[Gulchittious Boi]

I’ve seen a lot of technician Breloom sets (for obvious reasons), but Breloom is the only Gen 9 mon so far to have Poison Heal, so I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with:

Breloom (Dunsparce) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance/Mach Punch/Protect/Bulk Up
- Facade

Gen 5 may be dead, but Dunsparce’s massive Hp could mean a glimmer of hope for Poison heal Breloom. Facade gives this boy one of the meatiest buttons you’ll ever click, earthquake is used over fighting stab to not be walled by ghosts. Substitute is self explanatory, and I have a few ideas of what to do with the last move slot

Edit: leech seed in the last move slot is pretty matchup dependent, but with some good reads can bully certain Pokémon

 

[DosDogs]

I

I’ve seen a lot of technician Breloom sets (for obvious reasons), but Breloom is the only Gen 9 mon so far to have Poison Heal, so I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with:

Breloom (Dunsparce) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance/Mach Punch/Protect/Bulk Up
- Facade

Gen 5 may be dead, but Dunsparce’s massive Hp could mean a glimmer of hope for Poison heal Breloom. Facade gives this boy one of the meatiest buttons you’ll ever click, earthquake is used over fighting stab to not be walled by ghosts. Substitute is self explanatory, and I have a few ideas of what to do with the last move slot

I would use coil to help make up for brelooms bad defense, but I like the idea

 

[justideas]

View attachment 505343

Breloom (Cetoddle) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Ice Shard
- Mach Punch
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance

Holy Mother of God, this Pokemon is busted. Casually one-shotting some offence at neutral. Though, I think HP>Speed.


I also wish to add my abomination:

:: meets ::
Dragonite (Primeape) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Rage Fist
- Roost
- Dragon Dance

95/155/90/90/100/105

Summary

Does need some EV changes to suit the meta, but pretty much just a more powerful Dragonite without a x4 weakness, and with more dangerous moves. Flying/Fighting can switch in on a good amount of Pokemon, tera-steel deals with basically everything else (fairy/psychic/flying/toxic, etc), so you typically get at least 1 free DD regardless of who you're setting up against, but usually far more. DD just lets you reliably sweep vs bulk up sets, and forces your opponent to treat it as a fast sweeper, despite the decent bulk. Most Pokemon simply cannot break multi-scale at neutral, and if they do, you can more than likely kill them back. I found it way more fun than Bisharp/Annihilape.

 

[Eeveepunter]

Tsareena (Bisharp) @ Leftovers
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Night Slash
- Acupressure
- Substitute
- Synthesis

85/205/150/70/120/80

This thing is a demon. Immune to psychic, toxic, prankster moves, and priority, and after a tera it can completely wall things like dunsparce + clodsire who run eq/toxic/coil/roost. Night slash is a great move because it has no immunities and a high crit chance to help break though some fat mons. Works best with screens and the EV’s can definitely be tinkered with, I went full SpD to help prevent weak special moves from breaking the sub.

Shamelessly stealing your tech. Naclstack for slightly better defense and salt cure.

Tsareena (Naclstack) @ Leftovers
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Recover
- Salt Cure
- Substitute
- Acupressure

Thank you for your contribution.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1839379284-tlvo4w2cmmspz06kq9q40ro87jdjvk3pw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1839731765

 

[Iynhe]

Thanks for the new bans!
However, this is just my opinion:
The game has become somewhat stagnant.

FIrst, can't say I disagree.
Second, come to low ladder!
We have bad stuff like

A lot of atk with a scarf

Mankey->Gyarados

Gyarados (Mankey) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- U-turn

A way to run Illusion

Glimmet->Zoroark-Hisui

Zoroark-Hisui (Glimmet) @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Power Gem
- Shadow Ball
- Flamethrower
- Rock Polish

I guess Armor Cannon is NICE.

Litleo->Armarouge

Armarouge (Litleo) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Armor Cannon
- Hyper Voice
- Energy Ball
- Taunt

One of the way to run Sheer Force Life Orb (because I love this combo)

Buizel->Cetitan

Cetitan (Buizel) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Substitute

Eh, there is no No Guard combination that gives you at least two of the BIG 100% status attacking moves, so I guess this will do. Inferno or Zap Cannon are better moves than Dynamic Punch, but Lycanrock iirc gives you much more physical attack than special attack so I went with that. I'll change it in the future.

Crabrawler->Lycanroc-Midnight

Lycanroc-Midnight (Crabrawler) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bulk Up
- Dynamic Punch
- Stone Edge
- Gunk Shot

Shift Gear is free!

Pawniard->Revavroom

Revavroom (Pawniard) @ Leftovers
Ability: Filter
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Gunk Shot
- Shift Gear

And last but not least, Stakeout is a shitty ability because no one ever switches.

Mankey->Mabosstiff

Mabosstiff (Mankey) @ Choice Band
Ability: Stakeout
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn

The base mon for this one could be better, I guess. Mankey doesn't force a lot of switches :( Or maybe I just too low ladder to play this effectively/have the opponent switch.

 

[PQRDG]

I also wish to add my abomination:

:: meets ::
Dragonite (Primeape) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Rage Fist
- Roost
- Dragon Dance

95/155/90/90/100/105

For sure this is a very solid Pokemon. I also use this evolution, but I run Earthquake instead of Roost. With the large number of Normal/Ghosts in the tier (Zorua-Hisui, Stantler/Ceruledge, etc) Fighting+Ghost no longer hits everything in the game. In addition, Tera Ghost might be better than Tera Steel for more damage on Rage Fist, but that could go either way.

 

[Lewi11]

FIrst, can't say I disagree.
Second, come to low ladder!
We have bad stuff like

A lot of atk with a scarf

Mankey->Gyarados

Gyarados (Mankey) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- U-turn

A way to run Illusion

Glimmet->Zoroark-Hisui

Zoroark-Hisui (Glimmet) @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Power Gem
- Shadow Ball
- Flamethrower
- Rock Polish

I guess Armor Cannon is NICE.

Litleo->Armarouge

Armarouge (Litleo) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Armor Cannon
- Hyper Voice
- Energy Ball
- Taunt

One of the way to run Sheer Force Life Orb (because I love this combo)

Buizel->Cetitan

Cetitan (Buizel) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Substitute

Eh, there is no No Guard combination that gives you at least two of the BIG 100% status attacking moves, so I guess this will do. Inferno or Zap Cannon are better moves than Dynamic Punch, but Lycanrock iirc gives you much more physical attack than special attack so I went with that. I'll change it in the future.

Crabrawler->Lycanroc-Midnight

Lycanroc-Midnight (Crabrawler) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bulk Up
- Dynamic Punch
- Stone Edge
- Gunk Shot

Shift Gear is free!

Pawniard->Revavroom

Revavroom (Pawniard) @ Leftovers
Ability: Filter
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Gunk Shot
- Shift Gear

And last but not least, Stakeout is a shitty ability because no one ever switches.

Mankey->Mabosstiff

Mabosstiff (Mankey) @ Choice Band
Ability: Stakeout
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn

The base mon for this one could be better, I guess. Mankey doesn't force a lot of switches :( Or maybe I just too low ladder to play this effectively/have the opponent switch.

THIS is what I'm talking about. FUN! Maybe besides Gyardaos Mankey xD Love these sets, this is the kind of creativity I was talking about! Nice job!

 

[Clas]

Before anything else, please welcome anaconja back to the council!

Girafarig, Ice Scales, and Miraidon are now quickbanned!

​

This was the second banslate of the generation, addressing the main problematic Pokemon that have arisen as during the first week of Cross Evolution's time on the ladder. This slate was made primarily to address Girafarig, Ice Scales, and Miraidon. Last Respects and Rage Fist were also included in this slate, as they were requested early on. As with last time, a >50% threshold excluding abstention was required for a ban.

	anaconja	DosDogs	in the hills	PQRDG	smellslikememe	Zuldaar	ACTION
Girafarig	BAN	DNB	BAN	DNB	BAN	BAN	4-2-0 BAN
Ice Scales	BAN	BAN	BAN	BAN	ABS	DNB	4-1-1 BAN
Miraidon	ABS	BAN	DNB	BAN	BAN	BAN	4-1-1 BAN
Rage Fist	DNB	DNB	DNB	DNB	DNB	DNB	0-6-0 NO ACTION
Last Respects	DNB	BAN	DNB	BAN	DNB	BAN	3-3-0 NO ACTION

Reasonings:

Girafarig

Girafarig has been a dominant force, warping the entire metagame around it. In particular, its Frosmoth Stored Power sets elicited the use of highly specific and oftentimes suboptimal checks in order to beat it, and even then those checks could even fail to check the specific sets they were tailored to due to Girafarig's versatility. On top of this, it wasn't even a guarantee that Girafarig was even running Frosmoth or Stored Power to begin with, as it has a laundry list of potential evos it can pick and choose from due to its well-distributed stats and good movepool. Its base typing is already fairly decent, but Girafarig also stands out as an excellent user of Tera, as both its offensive and defensive potentials synergize well with several Tera-types, adding an additional element of unpredictability to an already oppressive Pokemon. Due to its power and set variability, Girafarig is now banned.

Ice Scales

Ice Scales was deemed broken in the previous generation, and it will be banned this gen for largely the same reasons; the mechanic of halving all special damage is uniquely punishing especially on Frosmoth, and enables broken setup to a generally unhealthy degree.

Miraidon

Miraidon's usage is generally a bit lower compared to Girafarig and Ice Scales, but this should not detract from its qualities that make it extremely difficult to deal with in the current meta. 135 is generally a fairly good speed tier, and the few Pokemon that do outspeed are generally ill-equipped to deal with Miraidon or are simply KO'd by its Choice Scarf variant. While 135 SpA is not spectacular at first glance, Hadron Engine not only powers up its Electro Drift, it also grants it an effective 197 base SpA courtesy of the 1.33x stat boost. This, in combination with Miraidon's unique STAB combination, makes it nearly impossible to switch into, as even the bulkiest special walls in Dunsparce-Clodsire and Chansey evos are already nearly 2HKO'd by Electro Drift before Tera. Draco Meteor covers the Ground-types that like to switch into it, and aside from relatively niche AV sets that are prone to being worn down, nothing save for Ice Scales users can safely stomach Miraidon's absurd level of power.

Rage Fist, Last Respects

The council was mostly unanimous in allowing Rage Fist, as it isn't particularly broken or oppressive in Cross Evolution. However, Last Respects was a split vote that ultimately resulted in a no-ban; concerns related to Basculegion and Basculin-White were brought up, but ultimately the council saw no reason to ban a move that is not currently broken.

To reiterate: Girafarig, Ice Scales, and Miraidon are now banned from Cross Evolution. Tagging Kris to implement, and thanks in advance.

retagging Kris as im out rn and it looks like this was missed

 

[RNGWizard]

not sure if this belongs in suggestions but the type for crossevo-ed pokemon doesn't show correctly after it switches out and comes back in

also updating the speed range to reflect the crossevo-ed mon's speed stat would be a nice QoL change

 

[PardusV3]

You would think gyarados is a tenured professor with how long it has been allowed despite being unhealthy for the meta. Yes, frosmoth is more centralizing that gyarados, but gyarados absolutely blows out girafarig and miraidon in terms of relevancy. The gap between gyarados and the next best evolution now is so large that you would be at a severe disadvantage to not have one on every team you make, which stifles creativity. The fact that it wasnt even considered is wild.

 

[DosDogs]

You would think gyarados is a tenured professor with how long it has been allowed despite being unhealthy for the meta. Yes, frosmoth is more centralizing that gyarados, but gyarados absolutely blows out girafarig and miraidon in terms of relevancy. The gap between gyarados and the next best evolution now is so large that you would be at a severe disadvantage to not have one on every team you make, which stifles creativity. The fact that it wasnt even considered is wild.

Gyarados is a great evo for bulky mons like Hippopotas and Slowpoke, and is good for Murkrow, but it has several checks and little sweeping potential as it gives a whooping 1 speed. Don't forget it also goes on a stage 1, not a stage 2. Teams can function without Gyarados, they just need to fill the roll Gyarados would play in that team with a different mon, those teams may be slightly better if they used Gyarados, but it wouldn't put those teams at a "severe disadvantage". It may turn out to be a problem later but its not too over centralizing right now.

 

[eheueheu]

is there a way that I can use the commands on showdown to check the stat difference of a mon and their pre-evolution? I remember there being some but i cant remember how to use it.

 

[UT]

is there a way that I can use the commands on showdown to check the stat difference of a mon and their pre-evolution? I remember there being some but i cant remember how to use it.

/showevo shows the stats / typing changes of an evo

 

[DosDogs]

is there a way that I can use the commands on showdown to check the stat difference of a mon and their pre-evolution? I remember there being some but i cant remember how to use it.

Also, just in case you need it, /ce will allow you to see the stats of a crevoed mon.

 

[PQRDG]

All right so I have learned this week that my team is bad. Passable, maybe even viable, but definitely not great. HOWEVER, there is one Pokemon on this team that allows me to check a lot of low-ladder players, and it is this:

() @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shift Gear
- Beat Up
- Population Bomb
- Nuzzle

Basically, make sure your team has an answer to this, and you will be golden. Note that if Pop Bomb gets all 10 hits it actually does enough damage to kill certain Dunsparce/Clodsire sets if they haven't put up defenses yet.

This lead is a bit of a noob trap, so I am glad to see high-ladder players having answer for it. Some people prefer wide lens for population bomb, but sash means you can lead, get either a Nuzzle or a Shift Gear, and probably get at least one kill with it.

Results may vary, but this is one of my favourite combos I have been using since before the first bans, so I hope using it and/or preparing for it will help both new and veteran players in their pursuits.

 

[Eeveepunter]

Did something happen with the spreadsheet? Lots of values are just straight up wrong and I don't remember it being that way.

 

[Eeveepunter]

For everyone else that hates Chansey Garganacl, I present:

Tinkaton (Bisharp) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Mold Breaker
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Gigaton Hammer
- Fling


Standard Tinkasharp that trades SD for Toxic Orb/Fling. I almost never get to set up SD anyways, and Chansey Garganacl is top 5 most annoying sets. Just a blob that sits around salt curing and ignoring status, even from corrosion. I pair this with covert cloak Clodzor to completely neuter the pink cancer. Bisharp tend to lure it in with that juicy steel typing which lets me get the toxic off.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1842637136

 

[Ahpel the applin water]

Allow me to introduce birbs.

Yeah idk how Ceruledge isn't banned yet cause it can provide mons with insane offensive power and good bulk.

 

[PepperIsAUsedName]

Some if you may be familiar with this if you've played AAA...

Mudsdale (Dunsparce) @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Stamina
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Roost
- Body Press/Flamethrower

130 HP/95 Atk/100 Def/75 Sp Atk/95 Sp Def/55 Speed

It is the resurrection of Stamina Scream Tail! This thing has lots of counters, and doesn't actually have the best stats ever, but if you allow it to get going it can be quite the nuisance. Tera Poison to avoid Toxic and have a Fighting resist. Covert Cloak basically gives you a free Defense boost on Salt Cures (and the occasional Nuzzle), as well as avoiding annoying poison, paralysis, and flinching that may impede your setup. Body Press is probably better overall but there are a few notable Dark/Ghost types that this set would be walled by, so pick what you like. Kinda unsure on that final move slot.

 

[DosDogs]

Some if you may be familiar with this if you've played AAA...
View attachment 507475View attachment 507476
Mudsdale (Dunsparce) @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Stamina
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Roost
- Body Press/Flamethrower

130 HP/95 Atk/100 Def/75 Sp Atk/95 Sp Def/55 Speed

It is the resurrection of Stamina Scream Tail! This thing has lots of counters, and doesn't actually have the best stats ever, but if you allow it to get going it can be quite the nuisance. Tera Poison to avoid Toxic and have a Fighting resist. Covert Cloak basically gives you a free Defense boost on Salt Cures (and the occasional Nuzzle), as well as avoiding annoying poison, paralysis, and flinching that may impede your setup. Body Press is probably better overall but there are a few notable Dark/Ghost types that this set would be walled by, so pick what you like. Kinda unsure on that final move slot.

Dunsparce gets Amnesia, so what if you went with that over calm mind, and then used bpress and then EQ or Poison Jab in forth slot, or even Roar, but becoming a crazy wall with Amnesia could be fun

Also I do like that set as it is too

 

[Zuldaar]

Some if you may be familiar with this if you've played AAA...
View attachment 507475View attachment 507476
Mudsdale (Dunsparce) @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Stamina
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Roost
- Body Press/Flamethrower

130 HP/95 Atk/100 Def/75 Sp Atk/95 Sp Def/55 Speed

It is the resurrection of Stamina Scream Tail! This thing has lots of counters, and doesn't actually have the best stats ever, but if you allow it to get going it can be quite the nuisance. Tera Poison to avoid Toxic and have a Fighting resist. Covert Cloak basically gives you a free Defense boost on Salt Cures (and the occasional Nuzzle), as well as avoiding annoying poison, paralysis, and flinching that may impede your setup. Body Press is probably better overall but there are a few notable Dark/Ghost types that this set would be walled by, so pick what you like. Kinda unsure on that final move slot.

My suggested spread for Body Press is
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
this alternative gives you more special bulk at the cost of physical bulk without losing any defense.

However StoredPower/BodyPress gets hardwalled by dark/ghosts (Bisharp,Skeledirge/Annihilape)

 

[flying moose]

After testing out about two dozen variations of this team (half since the Girafarig ban), I have finally settled on a version that got me to #1 on the ladder, and I would now like to share it. It's a balance team that utilizes a lot of pivoting and immunity-switching to get two nuclear attackers in and out safely, with the remaining four mons providing support that can often be fairly stally.

The Team (click for Pokepaste)






The Muscle:

Larvesta*Lokix (Larvestix) is the team's insanely heavy hitter who is very hard to switch into, but can't stay in for long due to its frailty and for being slow enough that it relies heavily on its priority, which forces it to switch the next turn. As such the gameplay for this team largely revolves around getting it in safely so it can delete things. I terastallize it in virtually all my games and try to bring it in on offensive threats only when I'm sure it can can OHKO or outspeed, though I do usually lead with it. First-impression to nuke faster offensive mons, U-turn against slower but dangerous mons, and Leech Life against bulky things that try to chip you. Throat Chop for the occasional cases where you need the super effective hit against a very bulky ghost or the opponent has a double bug-resist.

Stantler*Ceruledge (Stantledge) on the other hand is a phenomenal setup sweeper that is strong off the bat, fast, surprisingly bulky, immune to Will-o-Wisp, and has tons of opportunities to switch in and set-up thanks to it's four immunities. It's just a sweeper that has it all, and can sometimes wipe out entire unprepared teams. Great abuser of Litleo, Zorua-H, and any Primeape without Dark moves. Every once in a while I will Tera it to Fire after a Flash Fire boost to break through a bulky switchin, but usually Larvestix is already activated or I decide I'd rather abandon the sweep to save its immunity profile for jumping in later. This Stantledge set notably cannot touch other Normal Pokemon evolving into Ceruledge, and is also stopped cold by any healthy Clodsparce and Chansedirge, and is wiped out by strong Sucker Punches, usually from opposing Bisharps.


The Support

These are the two core support mons that I lean into the most heavily. One thing I love about them is how well they complement Stantledge. Most of the time when I face off against other Ceruledge evos, they are running Earthquake or a Dark attack instead of Bitter Blade so as to not be walled by Stantledges like mine, or they switch in a powerful Dark pokemon. Well guess who handles those moves phenomenally? These guys. Bulky Bisharp*Tsareena (Bishareena) with Rocky Helmet absorbs the incoming Dark moves, often punishing them in the process, and taking the opportunity to Rapid Spin or U-turn on whatever switches in. It hates Earthquakes and Fighting moves though, which Toedsdos eats for breakfast, using the opportunity to set Spikes or use Leech Seed or Knock on the switchin. Toedsdos can also help beat opposing Bisharps with its powerful Earthquake (great if they are packing the aforementioned moves that would give mine trouble) and has such good Special Defense that it can tank many hits even without investment. I often spend a lot of my games dancing around between these two + Stantledge (who takes the Fire moves aimed at Bishareena), chipping away until I get an opportunity to setup or safely get in my Larvestix nuke.


Secondary Muscle and Pivoting

This team is very physically-oriented, so Magneton*Dragonite adds some much appreciated special power and additional pivoting (I will call it Dragneton since Magnenite sounds too similar to its prevo). With the excellent Electric/Flying typing and Multiscale, it can absorb a powerful attack in a pinch, fish for paralysis, or just pivot. Ice Beam is great for whamming Ground*Gyarados evos, most notably Hippopotas but also Mudbray and opposing Toedscool, who otherwise give the team trouble and often don't see the Ice move coming.


The Staller

This fat fella was the final piece for me to work out. Put simply, Grimer*Clodsire (Grimesire) was my eventual solution to Clodsparce, which Coil-Earthquaked/Body Pressed my Bishareena and Toxic'd everyone else. I needed something that was immune to Toxic and didn't care about Coil boosts, without requiring me to redirect my Tera away from Larvestix, and this fit the bill better than anything else I tried. I preferred this over a Steel type as I like the perfectly accurate Toxic, I didn't want another defensive mon weak to both Ground and Fighting moves, and I like being able to absorb T-spikes from Glimmora evos. Whenever I see a Dunsparce or anything that is likely to run Clodsire (or a Skeledirge Chansey), I avoid Poison Jab and Dragneton's Discharge until I can get a Toxic on it. Poison Jab is its best damaging move when I am free to use it, while Drain Punch really helps dent opposing Bisharp--the most common Steel type that comes in to block my Toxics and Jabs. Grimesire is invested in its weaker physical defense so it takes less damage from Clodsparce's Earthquakes and can better handle most poison-proof switchins, but like Toedsdos, its uninvested special bulk still tanks a solid number of special attacks, and unlike the mushroom, it can heal back more easily.

Replays

Here are some higher level replays. Apparently I don't have a good one of Stantler sweeping.

In which I eventually manage to break past a really tough stall team (that also uses a couple heavy hitters):
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843145481

A really close game where I barely won after getting tricked a Scarf and making some bad plays toward the end, but does a good job showing the type synergy and how essential Larvestix is for cleaning up.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843136655-sgdrg0m4oc9clk8ffng15de0818t79npw

Another decent demonstration of the synergy, and does a better job showing Toedscool supporting the team.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843156834

Not my favorite replay since I got lucky with a low roll from Population Bomb at the beginning, but it shows an interaction between two Stantledges and two Bisharp evos, until I soften it at a price and can finish it.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843132697

Surviving against a Trick Room team thanks to Larvestix First Impression and some immunity-switching to stall out the TR turns.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843119598

Against a bulky offense team that is able to take apart my defensive core but demonstrates Leech Life being used to clean instead of First Impression.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9crossevolution-1843153315-9snzyg4pqf1efxg4kkwox50xiur5rv2pw

 

[IMakeNoSense]

i want bisharp banned. i hate it so much

that's all ty!

 

[DosDogs]

i want bisharp banned. i hate it so much

that's all ty!

if we ban the best wall breaker in the meta how u plan on killing sparce?

 

[PQRDG]

Hope y'all brought your reading glasses! There are a lot of Pokemon that have proven to be very strong in this meta, a few of them being somewhat unexpected, and I wanted to bring them up. A handful of people have been saying "Pokemon_x is broken!" and while I don't always agree with that sentiment, I can see why some of the threats I am about to list can seem problematic to some players. Please note that I have been working on this post for some time, and it is entirely a coincidence that my "critique" includes a number of the Pokemon included in moose's above post.

I apologize in advance, there will be a good handful of Pokemon mentioned so this will be a long one for you all to read. I have seperated them into these Spoiler bubbles so that it isn't just a wall of text, you're welcome.

Bases

Some people claim the moose instills as much fear as its cousin the giraffe. It has comparable stats in terms of attack, special attack, and speed. While it didn't have the STAB on Stored Power that made Girafarig so threatening, it still has a number of tools in its kit that give it solid offensive presence. Its main set on ladder appears to be paired with Ceruledge (see Ceruledge section farther down), though it also pairs well with other Pokemon, including the ocassional Hariyama, and the uncommon Maushold, Gyarados, or Lokix.

Bisharp hits hard. That's honestly the biggest problem with it. It is also a good defensive Pokemon thanks to its Steel typing and solid bulk. Its main set is to evolve into Tinkaton (Gigaton Hammer go brrrrrrr) but it also has solid evolutions in Tsareena, Dragonite, Skeledirge or the rare Annihilape. The only things that keep it in check are its low speed and 4x weakness to fighting moves, but these can be handled by Sucker Punch and Tera Fairy/Ghost respectively.

Misdreavus is an interesting case, it has a lot of good sets it can work with. As the bulkiest Ghost type in the tier, it enjoys a number of evolutions that add on to its already good stats. Its main set is with Frosmoth (see Frosmoth section farther down) but it also runs an effective set when paired with Breloom, as it appears it did back in Gen 7. Misdreavus is probably the most versatile base of these three mentioned, being usually used as a special attacker but also being a useful physical attacker when given the right evolution.

This bird has a lot of tricks. With 91 speed and 85 for both its attacking stats, Murkrow can become an offensive threat on either side. Its main sets are Gyarados or Lycanroc, but it can also be a solid special attacker if given the right evolution. It seems to mainly be kept in check by being very frail, but it is hard to get something to hit before it thanks to its high speed and access to Sucker Punch.

Potentially just as versatile as the ghost and the bird, Dunsparce has proven to be a central part of this metagame. Its main set, unsurprisingly, is the well-advertized Clodsire set. However, thanks to its solid bulk and good defensive stats, it can easily evolve into nearly anything and still be good on the team. It won't be out-speeding much, but it doesn't need to if it can survive a lot of hits and hit back hard.

Evolutions

Unsurprisingly some people are taking issue with this. I believe someone in the OM convo the other day referred to it as "the professor who has tenure" because it hasn't been banned since it was unbanned in Gen 7. It is a very effective evolution. Thanks to its high attack and bulk, it can run Intimidate sets on defensive mons (Mudbray, Bronzor, Toedscool), or Moxie sets on offensive mons (e.g. Murkrow). Both of these types of sets are often very hard to handle if a team is not properly prepared for them.

As mentioned in the Stantler section, Ceruledge has become a central evolution on ladder. The addition of the Ghost typing gives the recipient two immunities (three if they take Flash Fire as the ability, which most do). Weak Armor sets are common on low ladder, but those are often kept in check by a Pokemon with Beat Up, usually a Maus-related set. Ceruledge pairs particularily well with Stantler and Murkrow, improving their defensive typings and giving them a lot of speed and power. This was an amazing evolution on Scyther before its ban thanks to the immunity granted by Flash Fire, and there are likely other Pokemon who appreciate the ability. Bitter Blade as a way to recover health is really nice, especially after a Swords Dance.

Some of you may be surprised to see this come up after the Ice Scales ban, but this Quiver Dancing moth is still a scary evolution. It gives solid bulk, and the ability Shield Dust, which is more relevant than ever thanks to this generation's addition of Salt Cure. It gives more speed and bulk than its counterpart Volcarona, which makes it easier for a receiver to feel safe setting up a Quiver Dance or two and sweeping through the enemy team. Its best receiver at this time is Misdreavus, but there are many other special attackers who it would likely still work with nicely.

This one is here as part of my personal take. With Scyther gone, Lokix would have disappeared if not for Larvesta. If Scyther/Lokix was Lokix 2.0, Larvesta/Lokix is Lokix 1.5. It is able to pull off the same trick Scyther did: get in, and get a strong First Impression that very few things can take easily, save for a Multiscale Dragonite evo or a priority-immune Tsareena evo. This combo may not be as fast or as bulky as the Scyther variant, but it doesn't need to be when it can clean up Tsareena-less teams with the combo of First Impression and Sucker Punch. Larvesta is absolutely the main beneficiary of this evolution, but it also can go on other Pokemon (though not many others run it) such as Stantler and Murkrow. Physical attackers love it, and it gives enough special attack that there are likely special attackers that would also appreciate the evolution.

Multiple paragraphs about Clodsire, may be condensed in a future edit.

This may also be seen as a hot take. This will be the only defensive evolution in this list (as you will be able to tell, as it is the last evolution I am talking about). Clodsire has come out of the woodwork since Day 1 and proven to be the best defensive evolution in the game thanks to its incredible bulk and Unaware ability.

In previous generations, Unaware as an ability was a niche ability to pick, being basically restricted to Clefable (who would rather use Magic Guard most of the time) and Quagsire (a balanced evolution and still unusual pick). This has changed this generation. And, while I do not think Unaware Skeledirge is too big of an issue at this moment, Clodsire has proven to be a big deal.

There are two main Clodsire sets: Dunsparce and Bronzor. There are obviously other Pokemon who would benefit from its evolution, such as Mudbray, and the recently posted Grimer. These sets have evolved quite a bit over the past couple weeks. For example, the classic Coil Dunsparce set has been replaced by some players with a Stockpile + Body Press set. While it may be possible to do solid damage to these sets, if they get the chance to set up against you it is nearly impossible to break through without some specific counters in mind.

The number one reason Bisharp/Tinkaton is so popular is... because of Gigaton Hammer. But the number two reason is Mold Breaker. Clodsire sets are so bulky that you often need Mold Breaker to get through them. Genuinely, there are very few crevos that can do more than 50% to these sets at +0, and Clodsire has Recover to get back half its health.

This brings us to one of the greatest tools in Clodsire's kit: Toxic. Only around 30 Pokemon in total at the moment have access to Toxic, and Clodsire is one of them. Giving anything bulky the ability to Toxic+Recover stall, in a meta with few viable Poison or Steel types, and no access to status cures such as Heal Bell, will allow good Clodsire sets to just sit and wait as you die. Plus, they can run Tera-Poison to be immune to opposing or Magic Bounced Toxics (assuming they aren't immune to it already).

Honestly if it wasn't for Toxic I probably wouldn't be talking about this evolution. But I think this becomes the final nail in the coffin, making it basically mandatory to run a Clodsire evo on your team, as a Clodsire evolution is one of the few things that can decently check an opposing Clodsire evolution.

Anyways rant over, fell free to read this all in your own time. I would love to hear all of your opinions, namely if I have over-exaggerated the strengths of any of these Pokemon, if I have missed some important details, or if there are any other powerful threats in the tier that I have overlooked.

Edit: please note that the details in this post are my opinions and my opinions alone. These comments are not intended to represent the council nor the playerbase at large, but rather be a representation of some Pokemon that have been argued by some to be powerful threats. This post is not intended to promote the ban of any of these listed Pokemon, but instead to show trends in the meta that I personally have observed since the most recent set of bans.