SM OU Z Focus PUNCH Gengar 1700 Peak

So we're chilling in the middle of the Naganadel meta, which as a result means we're also stuck in a Ttar meta. Now, nay-sayers have told me "you FOOL, you can't be using Gengar in a Ttar meta". And to those nay-sayers, I've whipped up the super secret anti-ttar tech. Nobody can tell me I can't use Gengar. If people start using Weavile on every single team, I'll run like focus sash+counter or something. But the point is... I brought Gengar into the lab with the intention of doing the dew against AV Ttar. Now, I'll admit that a lure without having a mon to take advantage of said lure (ie; the team isn't rocking its own Naganadel or Blacephalon or something to actually take advantage of Ttar being removed) doesn't really make much sense on its own. But I made this team just as a way to basically try out the Gengar set, not really to like top the ladder or anything. I just wanted to see if I was going to be using Focus Punch in enough games for me to tell myself it's worth it. So I have plans in the future of making a team with Naga+Gengar, but this is the team I've been using to test it out. and I find I always have the most fun with teams that feature cool lures and uncommon techs. Obviously, I'm not here to say this is like a top tier team or anything, low 1700 isn't really anything impressive but I feel like 1500/1600 is the perfect part of the ladder to use teams that are fun, while still being competitive enough to get that RUSH from being rewarded from high risk high reward plays.

Also, I realized that the team cannot kill Toxapex. I don't know how that is something that could even be overlooked in teambuilding, but for some reason I overlooked it. I never ended up fixing the team because like I mentioned it was made as a fun team and I was more concerned with enjoying using it then actually tweaking its weaknesses.


Coming In Dry (Gengar) @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Punch
- Taunt

So, lemme break it down lads:

Z-Focus BLAST:
252 SpA Gengar All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tyranitar in Sand: 268-316 (66.3 - 78.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Z-Focus PUNCH:
0 Atk Gengar All-Out Pummeling (200 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 372-440 (92 - 108.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock


Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Ice Beam
- Earthquake

I mean, we ARE in a Naganadel meta right? Do I even need to justify this pick? Other then getting rid of Naga, Volcorona and the Clown, it helps get rid of scarfers like Latios and Tapu Lele. Oh and can beat down Heatran and bolt-beam Magearna because of EQ. Ice beam prevents lando from switching in, which is nice.


Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

I don't really have much solid justification for using landorus. It's a fantastic pivot that blanket checks a large portion of the metagame, especially things that threaten Tyranitar, as well as provides the team with hazards which supports Gengar.


Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Volt Switch
- Defog
- Pain Split

I was excited to use rotom ever since I heard it was getting defog. Rotom provides more momentum as well as provides a fairly decent defensive backbone to the team in tandem with Ttar and Lando. In particular, it helps ease up pressure versus Keldeo or Greninja match ups as well as giving me initiative and reliably defogging versus Landorus (even sans Hydro Pump). My last move was split between pain split and hydro pump, and I decided to take pain split as a personal preference because I love the potential recovery on rotom.

The team starts to get clunky here as while it has the momentum and the pivots, it doesn't really have the best pokemon to take advantage of that momentum. The closest the team has to a breaker is Gengar who in itself struggles to deal damage to Ferrothorn, Rotom, Magearna, Heatran and Toxapex. Against stuff like Heatran obviously I'd much rather have Focus Blast, but A) we be streight missing out here and B) the purpose of the squad is to style on AV Ttars, maybe get a few stylish naked focus punch kills.


Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Beam

Gren helps patch up the mediocre overall speed of the team. It helps immensely versus several setup sweepers that get free setup on some of the team: Gyarados, Volcarona, Ash-Gren or Mega Ttar. It's also pretty funny because IDK if this is a low ladder thing but I'd say about 9/10 games where I lead Gren into Koko my opponent stays in and dies to gunk. The set it pretty standard, nothing too crazy. Rock slide for stuff like volc, ice beam for stuff like lando, u-turn and gunk don't really need an explenation.



Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shift Gear
- Calm Mind
- Fleur Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Magearna is here to patch up my pretty big annoyance from steel types. The team has an incredibly hard time killing Ferrothorn or Scizor, and chipping away things like Mawile, Bisharp or other Magernas are hard to do without losing mons. The set it walled by Toxapex and heatran which feelsbadman but getting rid of those mons can lead to a sweep (I'll admit, "just get rid of it" isn't really as easy as I make it sound). And even if it can't sweep, spamming Fleur Cannon is generally pretty good.

Replays:

Using focus punch: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-662987085
Getting 2 kills with naked focus punch: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-663880415

Common Match ups:
Azelf HO: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-663808783
Trick Room: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-663874696
Sticky Web: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-663216680
 

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