So, Mawilite and Beedrillite were released just a little bit ago. Although I do like myself some buffed fell stinger beedrill, I had to build a team around mega mawile before it got banned. I decided to make a team based around countering mega mawile's weakness, namely fire, ground, and steels. I added Specs Koko and Life orb greninja for breaking down mons for mawile as well as a rain orientated defensive core to help deal with fire and ground types.
THE TEAM:
Mawile (M) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Thunder Punch
Man, I hope this mon doesn't get banned just so I can wreck people with it for a while. I forgot how much raw power mega mawile has. I'm not going to through calcs in here because frankly I'm too lazy. Play rough is self explanitory. Sucker punch is there for pokemon that Mawile outspeeds as well as to get revenge kills. I chose thunder punch over iron head or some over coverage because pokemon like toxapex and pelipper are problems for the rest of the team. Swords dance for late game sweeping. Just press buttons and watch stuff die.
Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
I think Lando-T is better this generation, if that is even possible. I decided to rock with a helmet defensive lando to be my main counter to physical mons, mostly steels that mawile can't hit. Stealth rock to break sashse and gradually wear down teams. U-turn is for momentum to bring in mawile or the other wallbreakers on the team safely. Earthquake needs no explanation. Hidden power ice is for other landos/chomps/other mons that can use lando as setup fodder.
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Protect
I will admit, I through ferrothorn on almost all my teams because it is so dang good, especially with all the tapus and ultra beasts running around. Ferro also really appreciates the rain, allowing it to shrug of hp fires and leech back its health. I have spikes to help with lando for breaking sashes and gradually wearing teams down. Gyro ball over power whip because this team struggles more with fairies and other fast mons than it does with bulky waters. Protect is very nice because it allows a round of extra recovery which helps avoid a lot of crucial 2HKOs.
Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Specs koko is very underrated in my not so humble opinion. In the rain, thunder hits so freaking hard it isn't even funny. I am in the rain most of the time, so I really don't have a problem with the accuracy drop outside of rain. U-turn is there for grabbing momentum that doesn't get walled by ground/marowak (and choice specs u-turn hits very hard...). Dazzling gleam is self explanatory. Hidden power fire is really nice for scizor/ferro, but I am open to changing it if there is another move that would works better. Koko is here to eliminate the skarms/celests/other flying mons that give mawile trouble.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Defog
- U-turn
- Roost
Pelipper has really been enjoying the buffs it got this gen, which turn it into a very good defensive tank, especially with roost. It also gives me hazard removal, which the other members of the team greatly appriciate. I chose scald over hurricane because flying STAB isn't really needed and the burn comes into clutch a lot more than confusion. Plus, scald gets the rain boost, which is always nice. Basically switches in to set the rain up, roosts, and u-turns out.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Z
Hasty Nature
IVs: 30 Atk
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Gunk Shot
This moveset is so good. Like, insanely good. There have been teams where I can switch this mon in and pick off nearly every single mon on their team simply because this coverage is so good. Water shuriken over pump or surf because power/STAB doesn't matter too mnuch and the priority is nice for mons like phero and opposing koko. Ice beam for the ground/dragon/flying types. HP fire for scizor/ferro. Gunk for the tapus. With this moveset, I can hit the following super effectively/kill them:
Mega Zam, Buzzwhole, Celesteela, Dugtrio, Excadrill, Ferrothorn, Garchomp, Heatran, Jirachi, Kartana, Landorus-T, Latios, Magearna, Magnezone, Mamoswine, Marowak, Mega Metagross, Mimikyu, Nihilego, Pheromosa, Mega Pinsir, Salamence, Scizor, Scolipede, Skarmory, Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu/Fini/Koko/Lele, Tyranitar, Volcarona, Zapdos, Zygarde.
^Like is this not crazy? Show me your switchins.
So, that's the team. Use koko/gren to break down walls, pivot around with my defensive mons until I bring in mawile and start punching holes in everything. This team does struggle with mons with fire/electric/ice coverage, like goodra and zapdos, but I can typically play around them. Any suggestions on how to improve this team are appreciated. Thanks!
THE TEAM:
Mawile (M) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Thunder Punch
Man, I hope this mon doesn't get banned just so I can wreck people with it for a while. I forgot how much raw power mega mawile has. I'm not going to through calcs in here because frankly I'm too lazy. Play rough is self explanitory. Sucker punch is there for pokemon that Mawile outspeeds as well as to get revenge kills. I chose thunder punch over iron head or some over coverage because pokemon like toxapex and pelipper are problems for the rest of the team. Swords dance for late game sweeping. Just press buttons and watch stuff die.
Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
I think Lando-T is better this generation, if that is even possible. I decided to rock with a helmet defensive lando to be my main counter to physical mons, mostly steels that mawile can't hit. Stealth rock to break sashse and gradually wear down teams. U-turn is for momentum to bring in mawile or the other wallbreakers on the team safely. Earthquake needs no explanation. Hidden power ice is for other landos/chomps/other mons that can use lando as setup fodder.
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Protect
I will admit, I through ferrothorn on almost all my teams because it is so dang good, especially with all the tapus and ultra beasts running around. Ferro also really appreciates the rain, allowing it to shrug of hp fires and leech back its health. I have spikes to help with lando for breaking sashes and gradually wearing teams down. Gyro ball over power whip because this team struggles more with fairies and other fast mons than it does with bulky waters. Protect is very nice because it allows a round of extra recovery which helps avoid a lot of crucial 2HKOs.
Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Specs koko is very underrated in my not so humble opinion. In the rain, thunder hits so freaking hard it isn't even funny. I am in the rain most of the time, so I really don't have a problem with the accuracy drop outside of rain. U-turn is there for grabbing momentum that doesn't get walled by ground/marowak (and choice specs u-turn hits very hard...). Dazzling gleam is self explanatory. Hidden power fire is really nice for scizor/ferro, but I am open to changing it if there is another move that would works better. Koko is here to eliminate the skarms/celests/other flying mons that give mawile trouble.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Defog
- U-turn
- Roost
Pelipper has really been enjoying the buffs it got this gen, which turn it into a very good defensive tank, especially with roost. It also gives me hazard removal, which the other members of the team greatly appriciate. I chose scald over hurricane because flying STAB isn't really needed and the burn comes into clutch a lot more than confusion. Plus, scald gets the rain boost, which is always nice. Basically switches in to set the rain up, roosts, and u-turns out.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Z
Hasty Nature
IVs: 30 Atk
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Gunk Shot
This moveset is so good. Like, insanely good. There have been teams where I can switch this mon in and pick off nearly every single mon on their team simply because this coverage is so good. Water shuriken over pump or surf because power/STAB doesn't matter too mnuch and the priority is nice for mons like phero and opposing koko. Ice beam for the ground/dragon/flying types. HP fire for scizor/ferro. Gunk for the tapus. With this moveset, I can hit the following super effectively/kill them:
Mega Zam, Buzzwhole, Celesteela, Dugtrio, Excadrill, Ferrothorn, Garchomp, Heatran, Jirachi, Kartana, Landorus-T, Latios, Magearna, Magnezone, Mamoswine, Marowak, Mega Metagross, Mimikyu, Nihilego, Pheromosa, Mega Pinsir, Salamence, Scizor, Scolipede, Skarmory, Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu/Fini/Koko/Lele, Tyranitar, Volcarona, Zapdos, Zygarde.
^Like is this not crazy? Show me your switchins.
So, that's the team. Use koko/gren to break down walls, pivot around with my defensive mons until I bring in mawile and start punching holes in everything. This team does struggle with mons with fire/electric/ice coverage, like goodra and zapdos, but I can typically play around them. Any suggestions on how to improve this team are appreciated. Thanks!