This is my first RMT (I have been playing for over a year, just never bothered to register on the forums). I built this team around the core of Magnezone and Greninja. Works quite well, Gren targets frailer mons with its Protean-boosted moves and Zone breaks bulkier ones with its Metal Sound and Z-Zap Cannon combination. Overall a decent team in my opinion, but it has notable weaknesses such as being weak to Earthquake Mega Gyarados and being unable to consistently beat Rockium Z Donphan. Suggestions on Pokemon, sets, and EV spreads would be appreciated!
Magnezone @ Electrium Z
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 80 HP / 204 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Zap Cannon
- Metal Sound
- Electroweb
- Protect
Magnezone's main role is to target bulky mons like Magearna, Tapu Fini, Tapu Lele and defensive Mew. It can also do well against frail offensive Pokemon like Mega Charizard Y and Porygon-Z. The reason for choosing Sturdy as Magnezone's Ability is obvious: it allows Zone to survive any hit from Pokemon without Mold Breaker. The first three moves are pretty straightforward, letting it boost and outspeed the opposing Pokemon in order to hit with a powerful Gigavolt Havoc alongside Electrium Z. Protect is chosen over other moves like Mirror Coat for its ability to protect Magnezone against Fake Out users such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Medicham.
The 80 HP EVs make Magnezone not 3HKOed by Seismic Toss from Chansey and Blissey, hitting 301 HP. 224 Speed EVs let it outspeed fast Magearna and Normalium Z Porygon-Z, and also outspeed fast Tapu Lele after one Electroweb.
Greninja @ Choice Specs
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Cannon
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
Greninja's purpose is to beat those non-Sturdy Ground-type Pokemon like Landorus-T and Garchomp that threaten Magnezone, as well as being a check to Serperior, the reason I chose it in the first place. Protean gives STAB to all of Greninja's moves, letting it hit harder and utilize type resistances. Choice Specs boosts Greninja's power even further, allowing it to OHKO the majority of the metagame with Hydro Cannon, its strongest move. The Choice lock doesn't matter much, as 1v1 matches tend to be short anyways. Greninja's set is pretty standard--Grass Knot hits Water-types such as Mega Gyarados and Mega Slowbro that resist Hydro Cannon, and is 4x super-effective on Mega Swampert. Ice Beam provides excellent coverage against the Dragon- and Grass- types in the tier, OHKOing Naganadel and Zygarde, while guaranteed OHKOing a Serperior with uninvested defenses. Dark Pulse is used instead of Hidden Power Fire as Magnezone can already beat Magearna.
Dragonite @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 216 HP / 128 Atk / 16 Def / 148 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fly
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
Dragonite, the final member of my team, rounds out the team and supports the main core by dealing with threats such as Mega Venusaur and Ground-type Sturdy Pokemon such as Donphan and Golem. I have seen the niche Fairium Z Donphan, though, and Dragonite's matchup against it and Rockium Z Donphan is shaky. Z-Fly is used to win against Primarina, slow Tapu Lele, and Kartana, as well as OHKOing Mega Venusaur. Earthquake hits Steel- and Rock-types, Extreme Speed picks off weakened Pokemon, and Dragon Dance boosts Dragonite's stats, allowing it to break through faster, bulkier Pokemon. Pretty much your standard Dragonite set.
Magnezone @ Electrium Z
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 80 HP / 204 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Zap Cannon
- Metal Sound
- Electroweb
- Protect
Magnezone's main role is to target bulky mons like Magearna, Tapu Fini, Tapu Lele and defensive Mew. It can also do well against frail offensive Pokemon like Mega Charizard Y and Porygon-Z. The reason for choosing Sturdy as Magnezone's Ability is obvious: it allows Zone to survive any hit from Pokemon without Mold Breaker. The first three moves are pretty straightforward, letting it boost and outspeed the opposing Pokemon in order to hit with a powerful Gigavolt Havoc alongside Electrium Z. Protect is chosen over other moves like Mirror Coat for its ability to protect Magnezone against Fake Out users such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Medicham.
The 80 HP EVs make Magnezone not 3HKOed by Seismic Toss from Chansey and Blissey, hitting 301 HP. 224 Speed EVs let it outspeed fast Magearna and Normalium Z Porygon-Z, and also outspeed fast Tapu Lele after one Electroweb.
Greninja @ Choice Specs
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Cannon
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
Greninja's purpose is to beat those non-Sturdy Ground-type Pokemon like Landorus-T and Garchomp that threaten Magnezone, as well as being a check to Serperior, the reason I chose it in the first place. Protean gives STAB to all of Greninja's moves, letting it hit harder and utilize type resistances. Choice Specs boosts Greninja's power even further, allowing it to OHKO the majority of the metagame with Hydro Cannon, its strongest move. The Choice lock doesn't matter much, as 1v1 matches tend to be short anyways. Greninja's set is pretty standard--Grass Knot hits Water-types such as Mega Gyarados and Mega Slowbro that resist Hydro Cannon, and is 4x super-effective on Mega Swampert. Ice Beam provides excellent coverage against the Dragon- and Grass- types in the tier, OHKOing Naganadel and Zygarde, while guaranteed OHKOing a Serperior with uninvested defenses. Dark Pulse is used instead of Hidden Power Fire as Magnezone can already beat Magearna.
Dragonite @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 216 HP / 128 Atk / 16 Def / 148 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fly
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
Dragonite, the final member of my team, rounds out the team and supports the main core by dealing with threats such as Mega Venusaur and Ground-type Sturdy Pokemon such as Donphan and Golem. I have seen the niche Fairium Z Donphan, though, and Dragonite's matchup against it and Rockium Z Donphan is shaky. Z-Fly is used to win against Primarina, slow Tapu Lele, and Kartana, as well as OHKOing Mega Venusaur. Earthquake hits Steel- and Rock-types, Extreme Speed picks off weakened Pokemon, and Dragon Dance boosts Dragonite's stats, allowing it to break through faster, bulkier Pokemon. Pretty much your standard Dragonite set.