[NatDex Monotype] Mono Flying NP Tornadus-Therian Balance
This team is a Mono Flying balance team built around NP Tornadus-Therian. Tornadus does well as a special wallbreaker due to its above average bulk, good coverage, and Regenerator, which allows Tornadus-T to wallbreak more than once throughout a match. The team's gameplan is to wear down opposing Pokemon with the defensive Pokemon on the team along with two physical wallbreakers in Galarian Zapdos and DD Mega Aerodactyl, to allows Tornadus-Therian to clean lategame. DD Mega Aerodactyl is the secondary win condition, while Nasty Plot Tornadus-Therian is the main win condition.
The team does well, but a few matchups are rough. I'd also like to see if I need to change the defensive Pokemon used on the team.
Team Pokepaste
Team Members
Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 88 HP / 172 SpA / 8 SpD / 240 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Taunt
The Pokemon the team is built around. NP Tornadus-Therian is the main win condition of the team once certain Pokemon are knocked out or weakened. Tornadus-Therian is able to break through defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex as it can take a hit from a move like Scald and shrug the damage off with Regenerator.
Heat Wave is used to threaten Steel-types such as Scizor, Jirachi, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn. Taunt stops Haze users like Toxapex and Mantine from using Haze to get rid of your Nasty Plot boosts, as well as preventing getting inflicted by status moves that could hinder your ability to wallbreak such as poisoning and paralysis. 88 HP along with 8 Special Defense EVs let you live an Ice Beam from Choice Scarf Greninja. 240 Speed EVs let Tornadus-T outspeed Cinderace and can eliminate it.
Aerodactyl @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
DD Mega Aerodactyl is a good physical wallbreaker Tornadus-T appreciates having to deal with special walls such as Chansey, Heatran, and Galarian Slowking. DD Mega Aerodactyl is also the secondary win condition of the team. After 1 Dragon Dance, Mega Aerodactyl's already high attack and speed become threatening, as you can outspeed Choice Scarf users such as Greninja. Earthquake alongside Stone Edge hits most of the metagame super effectively. Earthquake handles most Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Magnezone, some NP Tornadus-T checks like Galarian Slowking and Dragalge, as well as Steel-types like Heatran, Jirachi, and Aegislash. Ice Fang, which gets boosted by Tough Claws, helps with the Dragon matchup alongside Stone Edge and Earthquake to deal super effective damage to all of the viable Dragon-types like the Lati twins, Kommo-o, Garchomp, and Mega Altaria. Ice Fang also deals with Gliscor, Landorus(both forms), and other flying types without having to rely on Stone Edge landing a hit.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 48 SpD / 208 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Landorus-T is an excellent teammate for Tornadus-T as Landorus-T provides an Electric immunity, a Stealth Rock setter, and a pivot that can bring in Tornadus-T on defensive Pokemon.
The chip damage from Stealth Rock is really useful to put opposing Pokemon in range of Tornadus-T's attacks. Knock Off's effect of removing items lets you cripple Pokemon along with making Pokemon holding Heavy-Duty Boots vulnerable to Stealth Rock. U-Turn provides good momentum for the team and can let you bring in Tornadus-T on Pokemon Landorus-T can draw in, such as Corviknight and Mega Venusaur. 208 Speed EVs allow Landorus-T to outspeed Nidoking so you can OHKO it with Earthquake, and the rest of the EVs is used on Special Defense to help live some special hits.
Mantine @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 240 HP / 160 Def / 108 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Defog
- Haze
- Roost
Mantine serves as the Defogger of the team, as the win conditions of the team are vulnerable to Stealth Rock. Mantine's Water Absorb helps check Pokemon like Barraskweda, Urshifu-R, and Azumarill. Mantine's natural high Special Defense is useful for special wallbreakers like Blacephalon, Kommo-o Mega Charizard-Y lacking HP Electric, and Volcarona.
Scald prevents physical wallbreakers like Dragonite and SD Garchomp from abusing its passive presence, as the burn effect cripples them. Haze and Roost help stop setup sweepers like Volcarona and Kommo-o if it didn't Taunt you as well as being able to survive so you can Defog Stealth Rock from your team. Usually, Mantine uses a spread of 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe, with enough speed to outspeed Adamant Azumarill to Haze its boost away before it attacks, but I decided to add a few more Speed EVs to get the jump on Mega Scizor just running enough speed for the 200-202 range to try to outlast Mega Scizor. Should I just use the regular spread instead, or is my spread fine?
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Celesteela is a good mixed wall for the team and can deal with faster threats like Mega Lopunny and Weavile, two Pokemon that can force Tornadus-T out since they outspeed it. Celesteela's typing is useful for the Psychic-, Ice-, and Fairy-type matchup.
Heavy Slam can threaten quite a bit of damage to Pokemon who don't resist it, even though Celesteela is a defensive Pokemon. Toxic and Leech Seed helps wear down opposing Pokemon, weakening them so they can be put in range of Tornadus-T's attacks. Protect is useful for getting a free turn of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery, as well as letting you scout for Choiced attackers like Darmanitan-Galar, Greninja, and Weavile. 96 Special Defense EVs is used to easily live a Mega Diancie's Mystical Fire if you didn't take too much damage, as well as surviving special hits better.
Zapdos-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Throat Chop
- U-turn
Galarian Zapdos is a second physical wallbreaker and servers as the team's form of speed control to outspeed Non Scarf Weavile, Non Scarf Greninja, and Mega Lopunny. Galarian Zapdos helps with the Normal- and Ice- matchup. Defiant can make Galarian Zapdos threatening, as you can take advantage of a Pokemon using Defog and Aegislash using King's Sheild.
The combination of STABs Brave Bird and Close Combat can be threatening, as only some Pokemon can resist both STAB moves. Throat Chop covers Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon like Aegislash, Latias, Gengar, and Blacephalon. U-Turn lets you keep up momentum and can bring in a teammate should Galarian Zapdos be forced to switch out.
Some Team Issues
- The Electric-type matchup is pretty rough. For example, Rotom-Wash easily threatens the team, as its STAB combination along with Levitate can make it annoying to deal with. Is there a way I can fix the Electric-type matchup?
- I find Melmetal quite a nuisance to deal with at times. Is there a certain way I should carefully play around it?
- Is my matchup versus Calm Mind + Taunt Tapu Fini something that should be considered? I personally have trouble with it if I let it in for free. Does something need to be changed to deal with it?
That's it for now. My team has peaked over 1500 Elo on the National Dex Monotype ladder before I lost a few battles. Looking forward to changes that make the team better and fix the issues I mentioned above.
Thanks for reading!
