Pokémon Rate My Team
3 votes
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This team has gotten me to No.1 on the ladder and is one of the precious few teams I’m proud of due to my poor teambuilding skills. I’m wondering if there’s any improvements I could make to it.

Kyogre
Kyogre @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Water Spout
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Thunder

Marshadow
Marshadow @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poltergeist
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Ice Punch

The core this team is built around. Marshadow beats up Kyogre’s checks in Ferrothorn, Lapras, Kyurem-W, Chansey and Blissey, as well as putting a dent in slower, bulkier Etern sets and threatening Calyrex-S which can threaten Kyogre with it’s high damage and speed tier. Kyogre beats faster Eterns, Ho-Oh, Defensive Xerneas and Toxapex which all check Marshadow.
Necrozma
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sunsteel Strike
- Thunder Wave
- Morning Sun
Kyogre and Marshadow are both beaten by Zacian-C, who boasts a higher speed tier and OHKOS both of them, so It’s only logical that I have it’s most common check, Necrozma. Additionally, it checks Xerneas. It also provides Stealth Rock support and Thunder Wave to punish aggressive switchins to Kyogre, Calyrex-S, and Eternatus.
Yveltal
Yveltal @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dark Aura
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
A reliable Calyrex-S check that’s almost a necessity on teams like this. Being able to Defog on and beat the most common rocker in Necrozma-Dusk is valuable. Foul Play handles NDM better and 2HKOs Zacian-C which prevents it from switching in.
Eternatus
Eternatus @ Black Sludge
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 164 SpD / 92 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dynamax Cannon
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Recover
A good Kyogre check, which is nice for 2 reasons: it beats an S tier threat and improofs my own Kyogre from ditto. The speed allows it to outpace Adamant Marshadow. Flamethrower beats most NDM sets and makes it risky for Zacian to come in. Dynamax cannon provides strong neutral coverage and also hits threats like other Eternatus, Zygarde, and Kyurem-W.
Ditto
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Transform
A very nice Pokémon that holds the team together well. It provides additional backup against Zacian-C, Xerneas, Kyogre, Zekrom, and offensive NDM (AKA most of the tier’s top offensive threats) which is incredibly valuable.

by
Ditto should have 252 HP
How will NDM check Zacian without EQ?
You can think about having Sucker Punch over Foul Play.
Ditto’s EVs are for struggle battles with other dittos

Why does it need EQ to check Zacian? Sunsteel still does ~40-50% (plus Rocky helmet chip and potential reduced defense from Close Combat) and it still lives most things thrown at it (assurance can be played around with predictions and swords dance is basically begging for ditto to revenge kill you and sweep your entire team)


I really don’t think sucker Punch is better than foul play. I already have marshadow and ditto as revenge killers, and going faster than Calyrex-S isn’t a huge deal when I can tank nearly everything it can throw at me and heal it off, plus it can take advantage of me via substitute.

1 Answer

2 votes
 
Best answer

Alright I'm back from a break and here we go with dealing with your team.

Your team is very solid for laddering purposes, with Kyogre + Marshadow forming a unwallable offensive core. However, this team has a few weaknesses, notably Zekrom, SubSeed Calyrex-S and Zygarde.

Marshadow @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant --> Jolly Nature
- Poltergeist --> Spectral Thief
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Ice Punch / Bulk Up

With almost every Eternatus running 350+ Spe at the moment, Adamant seems a bad option on Marshadow. Poltergeist can also be forgone for Spectral Thief, which makes it easier to deal with Coil Zygarde, as Ice Punch won't hurt it much. It also does not get walled by Sitrus Berry Eternatus or itemless Toxapex, Xerneas, etc. which adds to another of its benefits.

Since you don't need Ice Punch anymore, Bulk Up is a nice way to become more threatening as it also outdamages Eternatus' Recover so that they can't stall you forever.

Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sunsteel Strike
- Thunder Wave --> Earthquake
- Morning Sun

The Zekrom match-up looks really bad for this team. The only thing that can survive a +1 Bolt Strike / Dragon Claw is Necrozma-DM, but without Thunder Wave it's just easy to set-up Substitute behind it (Sunsteel Strike does not break a Sub in 1 hit) and avoid getting revenge killed from Ditto.

To solve this, you have to sacrifice one slot of Thunder Wave for Earthquake. Now with Ditto + EQuake NDM, your matchup vs Zekrom is totally solved.

Yveltal @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dark Aura
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Atk / 224 SpD
Careful --> Adamant Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

If your Yveltal doesn't have 32+ Atk EVs, then it can't break Calyrex-S' Substitute with a U-turn. If this happens, Calyrex-S can just set-up Leech Seed, abuse Nasty Plot and outdamage Roost's recovery. However, considering you have Marshadow and Ditto, it's not the worst mu, still investing a bit into Atk is never a bad idea.

Kyogre and Eternatus are alright, though I would go Modest Nature for the damage roles on Blissey.

  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 4 HP / 252+ SpD Blissey: 262-309 (40.1 - 47.3%) -- 47.7% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
  • 252 SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 4 HP / 252+ SpD Blissey: 238-282 (36.5 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock

Though it has only 50%~ chance of 2HKOing after Stealth Rock damage, Blissey is never at 100% hp really. Many times, it has come into Eternatus' moves then pivot out with Teleport, for example.

Another thing I would go on Eternatus would be Sitrus Berry or Heavy-Duty Boots over Black Sludge. Basically, what Sitrus Berry does is that it makes you immune to Poltergeist after the item gets consumed. Heavy-Duty Boots on the other hand help vs Sticky Web teams also hazard stack teams.


Final Team

Hope this helps!

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Thanks!
Happy to help!