A few months ago I decided to make a hilariously bad Stall team that basically gave everything an offensive sort of set: members of said team included Swords Dance+Weak Armor+Flyinium-Z Skarmory, Curse+Waterfall Quagsire, and Calm Mind Mega Sableye. The surprise factor of such a bad team is the likely reason for its success at the lowest ends of the ladder, but one team member in particular stood out as something that seemed usable even on a more serious team. And so this bizarre Stall team of sorts - a Stall team that maintains its strong defensive backbone courtesy of Unaware Clefable, 2-Attacks Zapdos, Chansey, and Gliscor while still revolving largely around two noticeably offensive threats - was born!
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mean Look
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball/Dark Pulse
- Recover
Mega Sableye is, more often than not, the MVP of this stall team; however, it should be incredibly obvious right away that this is not a conventional Mega Sableye set. Taking a page from Slowbro's book in NU and UU - one of its most fearsome sets in both tiers is a deadly Block set that allows it to trap and set up on things that would otherwise have a relatively easy time stalling Slowbro out - this Mega Sableye serves to bait in some things that it would typically be unable to threaten too heavily before trapping them with Mean Look, setting up six Calm Minds whilst stalling them out of PP with Recover, and then functioning as a powerful and deadly win condition thereafter. My reasons for using this particular Mega Sableye set over a standard defensive one are somewhat complex:
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz
Fat Volc is its most effective set in the current metagame, in my opinion, and despite its incredibly awkward typing its role on this team is crucial: it deters stray U-turns and is without a doubt my team's most reliable answer to Mega Mawile, being able to force an unboosted Mega Mawile out with relative ease. Sableye+Volcarona is an extraordinarily powerful core, and despite Sableye's unorthodox set this synergy cannot be stressed enough. Many teams are outright unprepared to deal with both a boosting Sableye that can trap threats to Volcarona and a boosting Volcarona that relentlessly batters anything that Sableye can't choose to eliminate at will. While SubRoost Moltres has a lot more defensive synergy with this team, I find Bulkarona's power extremely useful.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
The Hawlucha check, and one of my three layers of hazard control. Zapdos's uses on this team are a bit limited, but as a Defogger it still acts as a crucial defensive player on my team. This is my most consistent answer to Tornadus-Therian as well, and Torn-T is still a notoriously good offensive Defogger. When and where it can, it can get some decent chip damage on switchins and threaten them with status and it can PP stall in a pinch, making it useful over the likes of SubRoost Moltres or SubRoost Kyurem.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Protect
Clefable tends to be my preferred Unaware user on most teams for its ability to not get completely reamed by Mega Heracross. It compresses roles quite nicely for Stall teams by virtue of functioning as both an Unaware wall and a powerful cleric that can both pass Wishes and cure status with Heal Bell. There's very little to say here, really: Clefable is just very necessary and it pairs well with Volcarona since it's such blatant Mawile bait.
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
Chansey is Chansey. You know what Chansey is and you know what Chansey does, but in case you don't know what Chansey is and what Chansey does, it basically sponges special hits forever because it is a rotten pink bastard. It is my answer to Volcarona, Ash-Greninja, some Tapu Lele variants, and others and its moves are as bog-standard as they come: Stealth Rock because I need hazards, Seismic Toss because it's the most damage a Chansey is ever going to do if something cannot get poisoned, Soft-Boiled because it's Chansey, and Toxic because spreading status can be crucial to put an opponent's win condition on a timer. As far as my understanding of Stall is concerned, it's mandatory because that's just what Chansey is all about.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 88 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Defog
- Earthquake
- Roost
This Gliscor set is a bit different from a traditional Gliscor set, though I'll admit the EVs have some room for work. The set acts as yet another Defogger while also serving as the obligatory Heatran answer. The speed EVs I opt to run are explicitly to outspeed Tapu Fini and U-turn out before it hits with Surf, which can be of use to me occasionally. Its bulk is still preserved such that it can eat Mega Mawile's Play Rough into Sucker Punch. The EVs can be customized to an extent as long as it's outspeeding Heatran and living those two hits from Mega Mawile.
If anyone has any feedback or suggestions for this team, please let me know! I'm not too religious about laddering, but I feel like other people could take this team incredibly far on the ladder or even in tournament. Maybe this might end up inspiring some folks that hate full Stall teams to try something like this too!
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mean Look
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball/Dark Pulse
- Recover
Mega Sableye is, more often than not, the MVP of this stall team; however, it should be incredibly obvious right away that this is not a conventional Mega Sableye set. Taking a page from Slowbro's book in NU and UU - one of its most fearsome sets in both tiers is a deadly Block set that allows it to trap and set up on things that would otherwise have a relatively easy time stalling Slowbro out - this Mega Sableye serves to bait in some things that it would typically be unable to threaten too heavily before trapping them with Mean Look, setting up six Calm Minds whilst stalling them out of PP with Recover, and then functioning as a powerful and deadly win condition thereafter. My reasons for using this particular Mega Sableye set over a standard defensive one are somewhat complex:
- One of my biggest problems when playing with traditional Stall teams is that games can take a pretty long time. I dislike the inherently passive nature of a lot of these teams. I wanted to use a Stall staple that could function with a noteworthy offensive presence, and so this Mega Sableye set came to fruition on serious teams.
- Mega Sableye, even with such an unorthodox set, functions well as a Magic Bounce user by virtue of just being Mega Sableye. Moreover, the ability is an absolute godsend when I'm using it to sweep as it's nigh-impossible to stop its sweep once it gets started save for breaking through it with brute force alone. It cannot be Taunted, you cannot set your hazards up on it, and you cannot use Toxic on it to put it on a timer. It greatly appreciates being burnt by Scald as the damage a Burn inflicts over time is incredibly manageable and it prevents this set from being paralyzed by a stray Electric move or frozen by a stray Ice move. However, this Mega Sableye is a very selfish Magic Bouncer; it's using its incredibly ability less to support its team and more to support itself, and it should be played selfishly and aggressively at all times unless it welcomes in another boosting sweeper.
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz
Fat Volc is its most effective set in the current metagame, in my opinion, and despite its incredibly awkward typing its role on this team is crucial: it deters stray U-turns and is without a doubt my team's most reliable answer to Mega Mawile, being able to force an unboosted Mega Mawile out with relative ease. Sableye+Volcarona is an extraordinarily powerful core, and despite Sableye's unorthodox set this synergy cannot be stressed enough. Many teams are outright unprepared to deal with both a boosting Sableye that can trap threats to Volcarona and a boosting Volcarona that relentlessly batters anything that Sableye can't choose to eliminate at will. While SubRoost Moltres has a lot more defensive synergy with this team, I find Bulkarona's power extremely useful.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
The Hawlucha check, and one of my three layers of hazard control. Zapdos's uses on this team are a bit limited, but as a Defogger it still acts as a crucial defensive player on my team. This is my most consistent answer to Tornadus-Therian as well, and Torn-T is still a notoriously good offensive Defogger. When and where it can, it can get some decent chip damage on switchins and threaten them with status and it can PP stall in a pinch, making it useful over the likes of SubRoost Moltres or SubRoost Kyurem.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Protect
Clefable tends to be my preferred Unaware user on most teams for its ability to not get completely reamed by Mega Heracross. It compresses roles quite nicely for Stall teams by virtue of functioning as both an Unaware wall and a powerful cleric that can both pass Wishes and cure status with Heal Bell. There's very little to say here, really: Clefable is just very necessary and it pairs well with Volcarona since it's such blatant Mawile bait.
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
Chansey is Chansey. You know what Chansey is and you know what Chansey does, but in case you don't know what Chansey is and what Chansey does, it basically sponges special hits forever because it is a rotten pink bastard. It is my answer to Volcarona, Ash-Greninja, some Tapu Lele variants, and others and its moves are as bog-standard as they come: Stealth Rock because I need hazards, Seismic Toss because it's the most damage a Chansey is ever going to do if something cannot get poisoned, Soft-Boiled because it's Chansey, and Toxic because spreading status can be crucial to put an opponent's win condition on a timer. As far as my understanding of Stall is concerned, it's mandatory because that's just what Chansey is all about.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 88 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Defog
- Earthquake
- Roost
This Gliscor set is a bit different from a traditional Gliscor set, though I'll admit the EVs have some room for work. The set acts as yet another Defogger while also serving as the obligatory Heatran answer. The speed EVs I opt to run are explicitly to outspeed Tapu Fini and U-turn out before it hits with Surf, which can be of use to me occasionally. Its bulk is still preserved such that it can eat Mega Mawile's Play Rough into Sucker Punch. The EVs can be customized to an extent as long as it's outspeeding Heatran and living those two hits from Mega Mawile.
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mean Look
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Protect
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 88 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Defog
- Earthquake
- Roost
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Mean Look
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
Volcarona @ Buginium Z
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Bug Buzz
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Protect
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 88 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Defog
- Earthquake
- Roost
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-827247990
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826753338
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826751447
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826280807 (I got extremely lucky here but reversed this completely after magically surviving the Heracross's unbridled wrath.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826176571
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826169238
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825295047
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825294717
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-823802014
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-823803442
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826753338
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826751447
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826280807 (I got extremely lucky here but reversed this completely after magically surviving the Heracross's unbridled wrath.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826176571
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-826169238
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825295047
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825294717
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-823802014
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-823803442
If anyone has any feedback or suggestions for this team, please let me know! I'm not too religious about laddering, but I feel like other people could take this team incredibly far on the ladder or even in tournament. Maybe this might end up inspiring some folks that hate full Stall teams to try something like this too!
