Gen 9 Bulky offense team centered around Iron crown.
Iron Crown @ Assault Vest
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 20 Atk
- Tachyon Cutter
- Future Sight
- Focus Blast
- Volt Switch
Thought Iron crown was a cool pokemon that no one was using, so I decided to experiment with it. Tachyon cutter is great STAB, future sight to rack up pressure, focus blast is for coverage, and volt switch for pivot, and synergy with future sight. Gave it assault vest for extra special bulk and fighting tera to resist dark, while boosting focus blast. Crown is to be used with...
Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Landorus therian makes a great pivot core with crown, as it is immune to ground, while crown resists ice that lando dies to. Stealth rocks is utility, earthquake is STAB, stone edge for coverage and U-turn for pivot and pressure. Made lando a defensive build instead of offensive to check physical attackers more and to support the pivoting archetype of the team. But, this isn't where the pivoting ends...
Samurott-Hisui @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sharpness
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ceaseless Edge
- Aqua Cutter
- Sucker Punch
- Flip Turn
Hisuian samurott adds a 3rd pivoting core that is able to resist both crown and lando's weaknesses, like ghost, dark, water and ice, while Crown and Lando help resist Hamu's weaknesses, like grass, fighting and electric. Hamu can further support the team with Spikes pressure on top of stealth rocks with ceaseless edge, aqua cutter is STAB boosted by sharpness, sucker punch is prio that comes in clutch at times, thought Idk if I should use knock off for utility instead, and flip turn for more pivot and pressure. Gave it duty boots for it to be immune to hazards, as I couldn't bother bringing in a spinner like Great tusk or Iron treads, as I already have a ground type, and I don't want to overlap types, since it breaks the archetype of the team.
Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Def / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Morning Sun
- Will-O-Wisp
Volcorona is a great setup sweeper that just made it into OU due to the suspect test, and it fits my team perfectly. Quiver dance is setup, flamethrower is STAB, and I use it over fiery dance because I already have quiver for setup, Morning sun is healing, and will-o-wisp further supports the team by crippling physical attackers. Physically defensive moth is better because I have quiver dance to increase special defense, and to support Flame body, which is made for physical attackers. Duty boots for the same reason as Hisuian Samurott. Tera water to resist water types.
Zamazenta @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Close Combat
- Roar
- Heavy Slam
Zamazenta's ability to provide speed control for the team, on top of being bulky makes it really valuable for the team, as there isn't many pokemon that can do this. Crunch is coverage, Close Combat is great STAB, roar to force out cheeky pokemon that like to set up, as well as providing a bit of utility and synergy with the stealth rock and spikes, and Heavy slam is more coverage. Duty boots for the same reason as Volcorona and Hisuian Samurott, and tera dark for immunity to psychic moves and boosted crunch damage.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
- Knock Off
My final pokemon is clefable, who can reliably absorb Knock off that would otherwise threaten to take off duty boots from my pokemon that would then take significant damage from hazards, while clefable is immune to hazards itself, because of magic guard. Calm mind for setup, Moonblast is STAB, moonlight for recovery, and Knock off is utility to get duty boots pokemon to take damage from the rocks and spikes. Made it a setup instead of utility based, since my team has plenty of that already, and only volc who sets up, and gave it tera fire to resist steel.
Now for some concerns and notes:
-are there any mons that should be replaced because they dont fit in the team, or because there is a better alternative?
-any mons that should have a different moveset?
-any opposing mons that can annihilate my team? (I certainly know that Dondozo is capable)
-any metagame stuff that my team doesn't cover?
-any other stuff that I haven't covered?
Like I said above, bulky, unbreakable pokemon like Dondozo can steamroll my team into a flat pancake, as my team is moreover focused on pressure with pivot and hazards rather than damage, and since I only have 2 setup sweepers that can be easily checked with a variety of pokemon like Dozo, dengo, moth, gambit etc...
I also have my doubts on clefable, as I have tested this team, and it really isn't doing much to improve the archetype of the team, and really is only here to absorb knock off. Perhaps a pokemon who can absorb knock off, while being able to dish out great amounts of damage onto bulky pokemon my team struggles with would be great!
Finally, I'm uncertain of some moves. Future sight is great for the structure of the team, but dark types wall it pretty easily, and it heavily relies on the pivoting to work. Some moves like psychic noise can do damage right away, and can provide utility against bulky pokemon who are looking to heal. Sucker punch on Hisuian samurott can certainly be swapped for knock off as well.
One last thing is that Volcorona is a suspect testing pokemon, so it can certainly return to Ubers, and if it does, i'll have to find an alternative to it. Any reccomendations?
Sorry, no playbacks on pokemon showdown showcasing the team, and where the weaknesses are cuz I forgot to upload and save the playbacks!
Anyways that's all for this team! Any suggestions will be welcome, and thanks for reading!
