HypnoEmpire
Yokatta...
- Quick Look -
I knew I wanted to build stall, so I immediately picked Cresselia as it's basically a stall staple for its ability to wall the hel out of everything. I am and was convinced that Drapion could work solidly as a stall mon for its Pursuit capabilities, but I never actually built a stall team with it to prove it, at least not until now.
I was trying to find a Defogger that could switch into Nidoqueen and wall it while, of course, Defogging its rocks. Thus, Articuno was born! Little did I realize, Articuno is more amazing than I realized... I needed another Defogger that could beat Rock-types and I still needed something for Salazzle, so I picked up Flygon.
Setup users are a pain, so Quagsire was an obvious choice. I needed a Pokemon that can wall Ice-types and set Stealth Rock, and I don't like how vulnerable Registeel is to Mega Abomasnow, so I picked Bronzong. I almost chose Mega Camerupt instead to help check Durant and Escavalier a bit better, but Mega Abomasnow was just too threatening and Mega Camerupt lacking recovery made it a mediocre answer to threats.
- In-Depth -
Item: Psychium Z
EVs: 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 Spe | Bold Nature
Moves: Psyshock / Moonblast / Moonlight / Calm Mind or Toxic
Moon duck was the first Pokemon I chose for this team and for good reason. Its immense bulk and being one of the only reliable answers to the various Fighting-types in the tier makes it invaluable to builds like these. I gave it enough speed to outpace Jolly Bewear while speed creeping Pokemon like Gligar that can afford to run enough speed to outpace Jolly Bewear. Shattered Psyche OHKOes Bewear, which could otherwise tank an attack and OHKO with a +2 Breakneck Blitz. I use Psyshock over Psychic so I can 2HKO Virizion. Moonblast hits Dark-types like Pangoro, but keep in mind that Moonblast doesn't OHKO without some chip damage. Toxic is Toxic, it badly poisons bulky stuff except Steel-types like Registeel and Doublade, which do freely switch into Cresselia, but being able to scare out stuff like Milotic (depends if they are running a Heal Bell Pokemon or not) is very nice. However, while Toxic is always nice, Calm Mind puts more offensive pressure on the opponent, which is especially useful vs more offensive teams. It also benefits from Articuno PP stalling Registeel and Bronzong, as those two would otherwise be reliable stops to Cresselia. +1 Shattered Psyche can take out Gligar after its Eviolite is removed (which is likely if Gligar is their answer to Drapion) and a bit of chip, which can be pretty useful as you outspeed your average Gligar.
Item: Choice Band
EVs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe | Jolly Nature
Moves: Knock Off / Pursuit / Poison Jab / Night Slash
These are all after a Knock Off:
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gligar on a critical hit: 211-249 (63.1 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gligar: 93-111 (27.8 - 33.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Milotic: 112-133 (28.4 - 33.7%) -- 0.7% chance to 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel: 93-111 (25.5 - 30.4%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 188 HP / 128 Def Snorlax: 160-189 (31.4 - 37.2%) -- 81.8% chance to 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 232+ Def Cresselia: 162-192 (36.4 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gligar on a critical hit: 211-249 (63.1 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gligar: 93-111 (27.8 - 33.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Milotic on a critical hit: 253-298 (64.2 - 75.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Milotic: 112-133 (28.4 - 33.7%) -- 0.7% chance to 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel on a critical hit: 211-249 (57.9 - 68.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel: 93-111 (25.5 - 30.4%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 188 HP / 128 Def Snorlax on a critical hit: 360-424 (70.8 - 83.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Night Slash vs. 188 HP / 128 Def Snorlax: 160-189 (31.4 - 37.2%) -- 81.8% chance to 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sniper Drapion Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 232+ Def Cresselia on a critical hit: 387-459 (87.1 - 103.3%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO252 Atk Choice Band Drapion Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 232+ Def Cresselia: 162-192 (36.4 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
However, there are some alternatives to Night Slash if you don't want to rely on hax. Earthquake can be used to hit Registeel, Gigalith, Toxicroak, Nidoqueen, etc. Aqua Tail 2HKOes Gligar after its Eviolite is removed and it hits Pokemon like Nidoqueen, Gigalith, and Moltres. I suppose even Ice Fang could be used if you want to hit Gligar harder. While Band Drapion can be nice for its power, you could opt to run Scarf Drapion, which not only helps with the Durant and Virizion weakness, but also aids in trapping targets like Espeon and Mismagius. However, this leaves you more vulnerable to Pokemon like Araquanid and SubCM Cresselia. I gave it enough Speed to outpace Scarf Gardevoir, max Attack EVs, and the rest into HP. Fire Fang hits Durant, though Toxic is another very nice move as it hits various Pokemon that wall it such as Milotic and Umbreon. You could also run Earthquake here to hit Toxicroak and Nidoqueen harder. Here's the set (credit to avocado):
Drapion @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 20 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Pursuit
- Fire Fang / Toxic
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 20 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Pursuit
- Fire Fang / Toxic
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 40 SpD / 200 Spe | Timid Nature
Moves: Freeze-Dry / Defog / Roost / Heal Bell
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 116 SpD / 80 Spe | Jolly Nature
Moves: Earthquake / Defog / Roost / Toxic
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe | Impish Nature
Moves: Curse / Earthquake / Scald / Recover
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD | Calm Nature
Moves: Psywave / Stealth Rock / Toxic / Protect
- Threats -
Stealth Rock setters like Diancie, Mega Steelix, and Ice Punch Rhyperior can break right through Articuno and Flygon, ensuring that they get rocks up. They are not overly threatening otherwise and rocks can be defogged away later by Flygon. Stealth Rock setters with Toxic that beat Articuno are annoying as well; just force them out with something else, probably Bronzong, and Defog rocks later.
Spider Web Araquanid is very threatening as it can trap and kill a Pokemon if I predict wrong. Choice Band just clicks Liquidation and kills stuff. My counterplay vs Araquanid is keeping rocks up and keeping pressure on it with Articuno and Drapion. If I get a chance to weaken Araquanid enough then I can Pursuit trap it.Swords Dance Grassium-Z Virizion is extremely threatening to the team as it KOes Cresselia with +2 Leaf Blade into +2 Bloom Doom. My counterplay vs this is keeping Bronzong healthy enough to Toxic it or baiting out the Bloom Doom.
Choice Band Durant and Choice Band Escavalier are huge threats. A lot of the time, I just have to hope that Durant misses and everything is peachy. However, I do have some limited counterplay vs Choice Band Durant outside of hax. Drapion can survive one hit from full and remove Durant's Choice Band, making Durant a much less significant threat. If Durant is in vs Quagsire then I can Scald Burn it or Curse on it and live the second hit. Bronzong can use HP Fire on it if you decide to run that. Escavalier is a bit different because it's very slow but it doesn't miss nearly as often. Drapion can remove its Choice Band and Quagsire can burn it, and if Escavalier isn't running a ton of Speed EVs, Quagsire can outspeed it and Curse on it, almost guaranteeing that it will live two Megahorns.
When I laddered and got reqs with this team, I encountered some awesome techs that were very threatening to this team like HP Grass + Dragon Pulse Salazzle and Calm Mind Z-Dazzling Gleam Espeon, but they are not very common and I doubt you'll find sets like these all too often. Some sets like Choice Band Pangoro and Toxic on random Pokemon like Salazzle and Doublade can be annoying to play around as well.- Replays -
Note: I used SubCM Cresselia and Groundium-Z Flygon for a while, so some replays will feature those.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-652373651
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-654924513
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-655451173
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-655453636
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-655457425
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7rususpecttest-655500445
- Importable -
Cresselia @ Psychium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Moonlight
Drapion @ Choice Band
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Night Slash
Articuno @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Freeze-Dry
- Roost
- Defog
- Heal Bell
Flygon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Def / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Roost
- Defog
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psywave
- Toxic
- Protect
Quagsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Recover
- Curse
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Moonlight
Drapion @ Choice Band
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Night Slash
Articuno @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Freeze-Dry
- Roost
- Defog
- Heal Bell
Flygon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Def / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Roost
- Defog
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psywave
- Toxic
- Protect
Quagsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Recover
- Curse
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