Intruduction
So this team is based around the Magnezone + Latios Core.
A core like this would probably work well in HO but since i don't enjoy that playstyle very much i've opted for balance.
I will try my best to explain my choices in terms of team members and sets.
Offensive Core
These 2 are what i decided to build the team around and i'd say the synergy is pretty obvious.
Magnezone disposes of steels so that Latios can run rampant.
I have choosen Latios over the likes of Mega Alakazam for it's superior defensive capabilities which is value more over destructive power since this is balance.
Latios-Mega @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Psychic
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roost
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Psychic
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roost
Magnezone @ Electrium Z
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
I don't have much to say on the Latios set since it's just the standart one but i will explain my choices on Magnezone.
So the reason as to why i choose Z over scarf is mainly because i think Magnezone is a pretty poor scarfer due to it's low speed and the scarf set lacks a lot of power.
The Z set gives me some more power and also lets capitalize on the steels i trap not to mention my team only has one more mon that could make good use of a Z crystal that being Heatran who i decided to give leftovers from the moment i added him which will be explained later.
Defensive Core
So for the defensive backbone of this team i decided to go with Rotom w and Tapu Bulu.
I mainly choose these for their amazing type synergy but also because they provide volt switch and terrain respectively which influenced the latter choices.
Another quality i value about them is that they are less passive then other defensive pivots because Rotom can generate or keep up momentum and bulu can even become an offensive threat late game.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Protect
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Protect
Rotom-W is running it's standard physically defensive set with the exception of Pain split over Defog this is because i want to keep Rotom healthy throughout the game because this is a balance team and i don't want to take away it's ability to cripple switch ins for it but don't get me wrong both Stealth Rock and Defog are mandatory on a team like this and will be included on the last 2 members.
As for Bulu it uses the it's bulky sd set so it can take on specially offensive threats, i prefer this set over AV because i like the recovery on this set and i think it's ability to function as a late game cleaner in combination with that gives it much more utility on this team. I choose Protect over Synthesis because Bulu's speed in my opinion doesn't allow it to use Synthesis that well and i like the extra utility protect provides outside of free recovery that being scouting of choice sets and Z moves.
Supplements
So i have 2 slots left and i still need Stealth Rocks, Defog and so much more.
Then my eyes fell on those 2.
Heatran is a great addition to my defensive core thanks to bulu's terrain making the bulk from it's utility set really shine not to mention it also provides stealth rocks acts as a Stall breaker and forms a Fire/Water/Grass core with the defensive core.
Lando on the other Hand gives me a Scarfer that can revenge kill a lot of the Mons that would otherwise destroy this team, provides a fast defogger that can beat a decent amount of Stealth rock setters and completes a Volturn core with rotom.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 80 HP / 148 Atk / 84 Def / 196 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
- Defog
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 80 HP / 148 Atk / 84 Def / 196 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
- Defog
As said before Heatran using it's utility set with leftovers was planned from the start because of the Gliscor levels of passive recovery and extra bulk terrain provides it, taunt over toxic tho since i really wanted a Stall breaker on this team.
Lando uses his usual scarf set with the only change being Rock Slide over hp ice this choice is pretty much necessary because mons such as volcarona can proof to be very dangerous to this team so it needs this move in order to revenge kill threats like it.
Threats and Tricky Match ups
Latios can deal with Zygarde but the set has to be properly scouted first due to the threat of Outrage scouting it with Tapu bulu is possible but could enable Zygarde to set up or hit Bulu with Iron Tail, tho unless it's coil zygarde Bulu usually wins and if it's coil latios can outspeed and kill with ice beam.
Honestly this thing is a pretty big issue because it can set up on Rotom, Eq Heatran and Dragon Claw Latios. The main answer to it is Landorous T and it's one of the reasons he's in this team. Lando can come in take a flare blitz and outspeed with eq to kill, however if this thing got up two dd's or landorous is dead the game might as well be over.
This one isn't as problematic as it's edgy counterpart but it still deserves a mention because it can break through the entire defensive core. Here the plan is to switch between Rotom, Heatran and Bulu to bring in Latios safely who can 1v1 this at full health, if that fails lando can revenge kill it with Rock Slide. Still once Latios is down this thing can get a kill everytime it comes in and switch out against lando so preserving his health in that match up is key.
Both of these 2 can be dealt with with by either Bulu or Heatran but the danger comes from not knowing which one you're facing. If you predict it being Protean and it's actually Ash Gren and you switched into Heatran it's for sure dead and the same can go for Bulu because Protean carries Ice beam and Gunk shot. However once the set has been scouted both of these can be dealt with easily tho the same doesn't apply to the Protean Life Orb Greninja which is a big threat to this team and is pretty much unwallable.
Closing Words
I'm currently at the 14-- range of ratings so it's pretty fair to say that i'm bad at this game tho with that being said this team is what brought me there to begin with so there might be some potential here if get's adjusted properly. Please be honest with my rate and feel free to tell me why my team could be lacking in certain areas. Oh and keep in mind that there might be more threats to this team i simply wasn't aware of when writing this.
Thanks for Reading this.