SM OU Modest Mega Zam + SubTox Gliscor

[Clemenprez]

Introduction​

Hi everyone! I recently dropped a bit on the ladder so I decided to make a new team. It has been working out pretty good, but I am still looking for suggestions on how I can improve this team. Let's get into it!

The Team​

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
​

Mega Alakazam has been gaining a lot of popularity recently so I decided to try it out for myself. Psychic is of course powerful stab while shadow ball is to hit opposing psychic types and focus blast is for steel types like ferro and heatran. I really like recover in the last slot as it allows zam to usually switch into an attack more than one time in a game which can often be crucial. I went with a modest nature because it hits insanely hard with it. Speed tying with ash gren is in theory bad, but they almost always water shuriken you (which you live). Lopunny is an issue, but will never stay in on you and I am able to whittle it down throughout the game with my other mons.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 60 SpD / 204 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Protect
- Earthquake
​

Gliscor is the second mon I decided to build around because of how amazing (and cancerous) its SubToxic set is. The speed EVs allow me to outspeed max speed excadrill and below. SubTox Gliscor can basically beat any mon that is slower than it. As soon as it is poisoned just spam sub and protect. and they will be forced to switch or sack their mon. It can also beat faster mons by spamming sub after they break it. This set is extremely useful for getting rid of tapu bulu and adamant zygarde. Lasty, earthquake is a strong stab that can hit most steels and poisons hard that are immune to toxic.

Magnezone @ Electrium Z
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Substitute
- Flash Cannon
​

The next mon I chose on this team is magnezone because of it's amazing synergy with both zam and gliscor. It can remove celesteela and skarmory which are 2 mons that completely wall gliscor. Removing scizor and ferro are also handy for gliscor because earthquake does not do much to them and they can set up SD and hazards respectively. Zam appreciates all theses mons being gone, especially scizor so it can spam psychic and have an easy job cleaning. I went with the electrium z set on magnezone because the team doesn't have a z user. It can set up substite on most mons it traps except for the rare earthquake on celesteela. With electrium z, magnezone can also trap and kill mawile (Has a 56% chance to live a +2 sucker punch). Modest z also allows magnezone to trap and OHKO any heatran without any bulk investment (z and scarf sets).

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 80 HP / 148 Atk / 84 Def / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
​

So far my team had no hazard control and although I'm not super hazard weak I still decided a good defogger would be beneficial. I went with scarf lando-t because it also gives me a form of speed control and good pivot mon. The EV spread is just the standard one on smogon which I find works very well. Stone edge is for mega pinsir which currently looks very threatening to my team and I don't struggle very much with opposing lando-ts.

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Knock Off
​

Ferrothorn was the next mon I added to my team because I lacked both a rocker and a water resist. Stealth rocks chip is very helpful on this team so mons can get into range of getting KOd by zam. Leech seed provides me with decent recovery when stacked with leftovers. Power whip is a strong stab to OHKO water types that my team struggles with like mega swampert and ash-gren. Lastly I have knock off to punish victinis and blacephalons that try to come in for free. It is also useful for removing scarfs that can hinder mega zam's ability to sweep/clean.

Azumarill @ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
- Superpower
​

This last pick may seem a little weird, but I feel it really fits the team well. Gliscor and lando give my team 2 4x ice weaknesses and currently my only resistance was magnezone. I also had no fire resist so I decided a water type would fit very nicely. My team looked super weak to low kick weavile which even though zam outspeeds, it still has to hit a focus blast and does not want to take a banded or LO ice shard. Azu resists ice dark and fighting. Its typing also provided me with a second ash-gren switch-in. Aqua jet is a spammable move that absolutely decimates teams without a good water resist. It also gives me a reliable way to revenge kill volcorona which my team struggles with. Play rough is a strong stab used to hit mons that switch in hard. Knock off is also to hurt mons that try to switch in. Lastly, superpower is to hit ferrothorn hard (can OHKO depending on the spread).

Conclusion​

Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions please let me know. :]


EDIT: Big thanks to KuraiTenshi26 (idk how to tag people) for his suggestions to the team. If anyone is interested in trying out the team the updated importable is now below.
I also have some replays of this team to show how fantastic it is against HO and specifically Koko screens which seems really common on the ladder with OLT going on.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-777329469
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-777368732
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-777375217
Basically, just lead gliscor if you see a team that looks like it has a screens koko. If they lead koko, sub turn 1 as they often reflect on the expected earthquake. Next they will usually go for taunt, but I'd recommend using toxic anyways in case they don't. After taunting you they will almost always switch into hawlucha and attempt to setup. Just stay in and toxic once the taunt runs out. Then just stall it out with sub and protect!

Importable

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Recover

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 76 SpD / 188 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Protect
- Toxic
- Earthquake

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Tornadus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Taunt

Ferrothorn @ Chople Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave

 

[GamingWithLitten]

hi! our team is good but i kinda want to fix that Gliscor of yours

it looks like you are going defensive with it so why don't you use this


Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Roost
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

You can have more recovery with Roost and Knock Off the the Item. while keeping you substitute idea you can also deal some more damage with Earthquake

this is a suggestion if you don't like it that's fine just trying to help you out

 

[Clemenprez]

hi! our team is good but i kinda want to fix that Gliscor of yours

it looks like you are going defensive with it so why don't you use this


Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Roost
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

You can have more recovery with Roost and Knock Off the the Item. while keeping you substitute idea you can also deal some more damage with Earthquake

this is a suggestion if you don't like it that's fine just trying to help you out

Hey, thanks for the suggestion! The whole point of the set is to be Sub toxic in order to stall out mons like tapu bulu. I still might try your set though and see if it brings me success.

 

[Marigold]

Hey, this is a really cool team! It's great to see people try out new sets, cores, and synergies in a somewhat stale metagame so props to you for trying it out. Subtoxic gliscor is a very unique set, and pairing with magnezone is really nice. Took a look and noticed a few big weaknesses though.

threatlist

is extremely dangerous to the team, as it can tank banded jet and sd + roost up on a lot of this team. SubToxic Gliscor is an okay check, but it being the lone answer is a bit shaky.

&

are also troublesome matchups, seeing how the checks are either slower and die to focus blast, or can revenge but cannot switch in.

's swords dance variant is also notoriously strong vs this team and can break the team easily, seeing how magnezone cannot outspeed and trap it.

is very difficult for this team to deal with, as it can potentially outspeed zone and the team lacks switch-ins to this monster without dangerously playing around the coverage.

I'm not a certified rater, but I loooove the premise of the team and couldn't help myself from wanting to tweak it. Alright, so here are my...
proposed changes!

changes

As much as I love banded azumarill, I'm going to recommend changing it to rocks cm clefable. This gives you a hawlucha check and can also free up the hazard support that other teammates are pressured to do. Notably, this change enables us to hazard stack, which is SUPER strong with subtoxic gliscor and alakazam-m!

Scarf lando-t has poor type synergy with your gliscor, so I'm going to recommend changing lando to flyinium z torn-t. This helps a lot with the bulu and kartana matchup, while putting putting pressure on threats like av magearna for alakazam-m to clean up later. This team doesn't care about opposing hazard stack too much and thrives off of hazard wars, so the choice between defog or taunt in the 4th move is up to you.

We just changed our scarfer and z-move user, so scarf magnezone is ideal here. This maintains your pinsir revenger and now gives you a lele one too, and can force magearna to take chip throughout a battle, chipping it down slowly to alakazam-m range. This also destroys any hopes an sd kartana can have of beating you, while reliably threatening bulu.

Finally, gyro ball should replace knock off on ferrothorn. The ability to reliably ko opposing alakazam, lele, and bulu is very important for this team, and torn-t is a better knock off spreader anyway. To make this an even sturdier answer to these problematic psychics, I'm going to suggest chople berry replacing leftovers. This will give you a near surefire kill against a psychic type, and come clutch against all the fighting coverage in general that targets our favourite pointy boi.

Here's an importable with all the proposed changes:

importable

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Recover
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 112 SpD / 152 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Protect
- Toxic
- Earthquake

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Tornadus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Taunt / Defog

Ferrothorn @ Chople Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind / Thunder Wave

If you decide to try these changes out, lemme know how they worked for you :]

 

[Clemenprez]

Hey, this is a really cool team! It's great to see people try out new sets, cores, and synergies in a somewhat stale metagame so props to you for trying it out. Subtoxic gliscor is a very unique set, and pairing with magnezone is really nice. Took a look and noticed a few big weaknesses though.

threatlist

is extremely dangerous to the team, as it can tank banded jet and sd + roost up on a lot of this team. SubToxic Gliscor is an okay check, but it being the lone answer is a bit shaky.

&

are also troublesome matchups, seeing how the checks are either slower and die to focus blast, or can revenge but cannot switch in.

's swords dance variant is also notoriously strong vs this team and can break the team easily, seeing how magnezone cannot outspeed and trap it.

is very difficult for this team to deal with, as it can potentially outspeed zone and the team lacks switch-ins to this monster without dangerously playing around the coverage.

I'm not a certified rater, but I loooove the premise of the team and couldn't help myself from wanting to tweak it. Alright, so here are my...
proposed changes!

changes

As much as I love banded azumarill, I'm going to recommend changing it to rocks cm clefable. This gives you a hawlucha check and can also free up the hazard support that other teammates are pressured to do. Notably, this change enables us to hazard stack, which is SUPER strong with subtoxic gliscor and alakazam-m!

Scarf lando-t has poor type synergy with your gliscor, so I'm going to recommend changing lando to flyinium z torn-t. This helps a lot with the bulu and kartana matchup, while putting putting pressure on threats like av magearna for alakazam-m to clean up later. This team doesn't care about opposing hazard stack too much and thrives off of hazard wars, so the choice between defog or taunt in the 4th move is up to you.

We just changed our scarfer and z-move user, so scarf magnezone is ideal here. This maintains your pinsir revenger and now gives you a lele one too, and can force magearna to take chip throughout a battle, chipping it down slowly to alakazam-m range. This also destroys any hopes an sd kartana can have of beating you, while reliably threatening bulu.

Finally, gyro ball should replace knock off on ferrothorn. The ability to reliably ko opposing alakazam, lele, and bulu is very important for this team, and torn-t is a better knock off spreader anyway. To make this an even sturdier answer to these problematic psychics, I'm going to suggest chople berry replacing leftovers. This will give you a near surefire kill against a psychic type, and come clutch against all the fighting coverage in general that targets our favourite pointy boi.

Here's an importable with all the proposed changes:

importable

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Recover
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 112 SpD / 152 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Protect
- Toxic
- Earthquake

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Tornadus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Taunt / Defog

Ferrothorn @ Chople Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind / Thunder Wave

If you decide to try these changes out, lemme know how they worked for you :]

Hey, thanks for the rate! I actually did struggle with lele zam cores along with bulu and kart. I think these changes will help out a lot.