Funbot28
Banned deucer.
amazing art by Moosical
Its about time that I did a ZU RMT given how much I enjoy and play the metagame, especially in the past year or so due to many changes and metagame shifts that I feel had made the tier more enjoyable as a whole as a result. With the most recent Exeggutor Suspect resulting in its unbanning, the tier has definitely shifted again and thus led to me to start building new teams to account for such a powerful wallbreaker joining the likes of Shiftry, Swanna, and Komala that already terrorize the ZU metagame. While I did not have the time to obtain reqs for the suspect itself, I managed to play countless games throughout the time Eggy was being suspected and managed to form a grasp on how to best build around and against it as a result of my playtesting, concluding into the formation of this team which I personally believe highlights the strength of the seemingly unstoppable wallbreaker known as Choice Specs Exeggutor!
As initially stated, I wanted to focus the team around the newly introduced Exeggutor, and capitalize on its best set in Choice Specs. A menacing wallbreaker that can punch holes in the majority of teams once checks such as Bronzor and Shiftry have been dealt with.
Wallbreakers like Exeggutor work best with entry hazard support, wearing down its checks to the point that 3HKOs turn into 2HKOs, and Golem is by far the best SR setter in the tier. Not only does it setup hazards and threaten out the majority of removers, but it can also check the likes of Rapidash, Electivire, and Rotom-F which can help threaten to revenge kill Eggy as well.
While Eggy appreciates entry hazard support, it also equally benefits from them being removed as well due to its susceptibility of being worn down throughout the match as a result. Silvally-formes are usually the best ways of slapping on entry hazard removal on balance teams due to its ability to provide momentum at the same time in the form of U-Turn. Initially, I had considered Fightvally as my Deffoger due to its ability to check Shiftry and provide backup insurance for threats like Komala and Kecleon. However, opposing Eggy had started to become a threat I wanted to consider alongside checks such as Bronzor and Metang. Therefore I decided to add on Silvally-Dark as the Deffoger in order to not only provide Defog support, but also have the nice utility in Pursuit in order to trap Psychic-types such as Eggy, Bronzor, and Kadabra.
Another huge threat to the team at this point was Combusken, which is an offensive powerhouse that many teams fall prey to as of late due to its ability to break through most of its check with both its sets being SD Z-Move or Special. Therefore, I wanted to add one of its most reliable checks and a general reliable defensive pivot to the team being Mareanie. It also helped provide Tspikes support and absorption to the team, which is really important nowadays given how prominent Mareanie is becoming mainly thanks to threats like Combusken, Swanna, and FightVally.
Felt the team needed a Choice Scarfer at this point and while other choices such as Swanna, Pinsir, Rapidash, and Rotom-F have started to pick up some popularity as of recent, Scarf Electivire will always remain to be one of the most consistent options in SM ZU. It can check the likes of Swanna, Floatzel, boosted Crustle, and boosted Combusken (up to 2 Speed Boosts). It also added extra insurance from opposing Evire, dissuading them from just gaining momentum via Volt Switch due to its immunity which was really beneficial as well.
Up to this point, the team really relied on Specs Eggy solely to provide any form of strong wallbreaking which was a bit of an issue. Threats such as Shiftry, Abomasnow, and Gourgeist-XL had also been quite annoying as well, making SD Combusken a natural fit to the team. It pairs really well with Specs Exeggutor as the two can handle eachothers checks quite well and apply just enough offensive pressure for the rest of the team to the point where partners such as Electrivire and DarkVally can usually sweep lategame.
Exeggutor @ Choice Specs
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain
The menace itself. Choice Specs Exeggutor is nothing short of amazing and is a threat that surprised many to see come back into the tier after being in ZUBL for the longest time. While it does hold an abundance of weaknesses, mainly being Dark, Fire, Bug, and Ice which makes it forced out by many threats in the tier, it still can apply so much pressure when giving a free turn to come in. Its STABs form a great offensive combo, threatening the likes of Golem, Mareanie, FightVally, WaterVally, and Muk super effectively, while dealing incredible amounts of damage to everything else neutrally. Many teams not carrying solid defensive checks to Eggy can often be forced to sack a mon each time it manages to come in and pull off a move due to how much power it packs. HP Fire targets Steel-types such as Bronzor, Metang, and Mawile, while also enabling Eggy to hit its most common offensive check in Shiftry super effectively as well. Giga Drain provides another coverage option that does not force Eggy out by reducing its SpA while also providing it useful recovery, especially when used against the likes of high HP targets such as Golem, Licklicky, and Granbull. Modest was preferred over Timid to get the maximum amount of power, where Timid did not provide many advantageous speed creeps to warrant the drop in power.
Golem @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Atk / 236 Def / 12 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
A common sight on the majority of offense, balance, and even stall teams, Golem is an amazing Stealth Rock setter and defensive check to powerful physical wallbreakers such as Choice Band Komala, Bouffalant, Pinsir, and Rapidash. Amazing resistances / immunities to common offensive types such as Fire, Electric, Normal, and Flying also enable it to deal with other common threats like Rotom-F, Oricorio-B, Electivire, and Chatot, although it must fear coverage options that take advantage of its 4x weaknesses. Protect provides a great way to gain extra recovery with Leftovers and also scout against common Choiced mons such Electivire, Swanna, Komala, Rapidash, and Rotom-F, giving the team an advantage of such threats. Earthquake and Rock Blast enable it to threaten the majority of the tier safe from checks such as Bronzor. Rock Blast was preferred over Stone Edge to break past opposing Sturdy mons such as Crustle (especially when they are Weak Armour) and help against threats who usually try to set up Substitutes against Golem such as Bouffalant and Combusken. The given EV spread enables Golem to speed creep opposing defensive Golem while also helping it check dangerous physical wallbreakers such as CB Komala and Scarf Electrivire, as even there super effective coverage moves do not threaten to 2HKO it due to its impressive physical bulk. Sturdy support also is also always a nice clutch against more offensive teams, enabling it to act as an emergency check against boosted threats like Combusken, Pinsir, and Swanna.
Silvally-Dark @ Dark Memory
Ability: RKS System
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Multi-Attack
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Defog
As mentioned previously, Silvally-Dark provides a check to dangerous Psychic-types such as opposing Exeggutor, Kadabra, Beheeyem, and acting as a trapper to Bronzor. It also provides great measure against Shiftry, which was a huge nuisance to the team at this point as well. Pursuit was the main focus of using Silvally-Dark, effectively removing or significantly wearing down one of the most effective checks to Specs Exeggutor in Specially Defensive Bronzor or Metang, opening up big holes against the opposing team and letting Specs Eggy go in as a result. Silvally-Dark also helped deal with opposing Specs Exeggutor, as most of the time they tend to click Psychic against teammates such as Mareanie and Combusken, or HP Fire against my own Specs Eggy, enabling DarkVally to severely weaken it as it is forced out. U-Turn provides crucial momentum for the team and also lets DarkVally to threaten opposing Dark-types such as Shiftry. Defog was crucial at this point for the team even though Silvally-Dark may not be the best user of it. The given EV spread enables DarkVally to outspeed max Speed Shiftry and below, ensuring it can manage to use U-Turn before being severely crippled by Life Orb Leaf Storm. The added bulk investment in HP enables DarkVally to better check Psychic-types such as Focus Sash Kadabra and Mr.Mime as well which is always nice. DarkVally also sponges Knock Offs, something that is appreciated by any ZU team given how common threats such as Shiftry, Komala, and Mawile spam the move.
Mareanie @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 32 Def / 228 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes
- Haze
Mareanie is a great specially defensive pivot for the team, acting as a great check to the likes of Specially offensive Combusken, Choice Specs Abomasnow, Silvally-Dragon, and Z-Rain Dance Swanna. It's resistances to types such as Fighting, Bug, Water, Poison, and Fire also help against physical attackers such as Silvally-Fighting, Muk, Floatzel, Choice Scarf Rapidash, and Machoke. The move choices are pretty standard here, where Scald enables it to spread useful burns against the likes of physical Swanna, Pinsir, Kecleon, and Bouffalant. Toxic Spikes are a useful way of further wearing down checks to Exeggutor, dissuading the likes of Assault Vest Kecleon, Licklicky, and specially defensive Dusclops in coming in without threatening to be 2HKOed thanks to the added chip damage thanks to the poison status. Haze is necessary to let Mareanie deal with the likes of SD Combusken, and can also aid as an emergency check to setup sweepers such as Fraxure, Leafeon, and Pinsir from using Mareanie as setup bait. The given EV spread enables it to avoid the 2HKO from the likes of Life Orb Swanna Hurricane, Life Orb HP Electric Combusken, and have a good chance of living a +2 Z-Fire Blast from Simisear without the Eviolite boosts. Not having the physical bulk may make threats such as physical Combusken and Swanna a bit more of an issue, however partners such as Electivire and Golem can still help keep those threats in check as well.
Electivire @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Motor Drive
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Volt Switch
- Wild Charge
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
Scarf Evire is a common sight to any ZU player, being one of the most reliable forms of keeping dangerous offensive threats such as Swanna, Floatzel, Crustle, Combusken, and SD Pinsir in check. It also is one of the best forms of providing momentum for a team, given how common it forces switchins thanks to its impressive coverage. I decided to go with the standard coverage options, as I felt Flamethrower was not necessary for this team to cover threats such as Abomasnow and Gourgeist-XL, and I much preferred to deal better damage against offensive Komala, Assault Vest Kecleon, and Bronzor. Earthquake and Ice Punch provide amazing coverage, dealing with the likes of offensive Golem, Altaria, Silvally-Dragon, opposing Electivire, and more niche picks such as Camerupt and Gabite. Not much else to add here, Scarf Evire is just a solid momentum grabber and offensive check to a bunch of top metagame picks.
Combusken @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- Sky Uppercut
- Flare Blitz
A huge threat that has been picking up more and more attention as of late, SD Z-Move Combusken is a threat that every team mandates at least 2 answers to at minimum imo. Not only can it turn the tide against offensive teams once checks such as Scarf Evire and Swanna have been taken out and weakened respectively, but its typing can also provide a backup check to threats such as Shiftry, Abomasnow, Simisear, and Bellossom in a pinch despite its meager bulk, especially given its not carrying an Eviolite. Once Combsuken is given the chance to setup an SD and have a Speed Boost or two under its belt, it can be near impossible to handle without solid counters such as Physically defensive Mareanie, Aqua Jet Swanna, or Unaware Pyukumuku. I prefer Fightinium Z over Firium Z as it can deal more damage against checks such as Silvally-Water, Silvally-Dragon, Swanna in the Rain, and break through specially defensive Normal-types such as Komala and Licklicky for Exeguttor. While Exeggutor may be the main focus of the team, Combusken can usually pull most of the weight the majority of games due to how consistent of a wallbreaker it can be at times.
Swanna can still be a pain to the team given how it can be hard to play around all it's sets at times. Whether it be Life Orb Special, Z-Mirror Move, Z-Rain Dance, Z-Hurricane, or Choice Scarf Mixed, members of the team such as Mareanie and Electivire can sometimes be easily overwhelm by one of these sets, making Swanna probably one of the most difficult threats to play around.
Choice Band Golem is a bitch. All that needs to be said... Periodt (But for real mainly the plan is to threaten it out with Eggy, but good luck switchin into such a menace).
Similarly to Swanna, Abomasnow also packs an abundance of sets that can make it hard to maneuver around, mainly the counterplay between its SD and Specs sets requiring different answers. For the most part, a healthy Mareanie can switch into Specs Abomasnow relatively well and threaten to PP stall it out with recover, but cannot deal with SD into Earthquake or general Life Orb Mixed sets carrying Earthquake. Combusken can offensively check and force it out, but again cannot switch into Abomasnow at all and can also fall prey to a Scarf Earthquake. Again, its important to Scout out the Abomasnow set to properly deal with it, but it can be quite difficult at times in all honestly.
Mr. Mime can also be an issue with both its Scarf and Nasty Plot sets, given how it is a Psychic type that can break through DarkVally with its secondary coverage. Again, its important to scout for the Mime set with pivots into Eggy and DarkVally, where members such as Evire and Combusken can threaten it out offensively, but it can still be a nuisance to play around.
Toucannon is a pain since its a Flying-type wallbreaker that can break through Physically defensive Golem, which is always a sign of trouble. Luckily, Electivire and Combusken can still offensively check it and force it out, however it can be really hard to switch into due to the threat of Knock Off and general strong Brave Birds.
A more recent trend in Sun Offense can also apply huge pressure to the team, as abusers such as Eggy + Shiftry can overwhelm the likes of Mareanie, Golem, and DarkVally, making it easier for lategame cleaners such as Rapidash to sweep. Typically, these type of teams tend to be weak to Combusken, but can still be a hard matchup for sure if not played properly.
Gonna do this like I did last time and mass tag everyone cause I will be sitting here all day if I right decripts and shit ;p
OM frens:
Chloe GL Volkner Jrdn Catalystic Pigeons E4 Flint Ransei The Immortal motherlove Betathunder TheCoastsOfToast Willdbeast MAMP Racool Uselesscrab Alakazam
UM frens:
Xayah 5gen Tack :] Ezaphs Spook kay a fruitshop owner
Money Mag$$: aka team that will win OMPL 2019 ;)
regirock Megazard Sylveon. xavgb cromagnet42 SuperSkylake PinkDragonTamer Gmansour20 Cam LPY
The Viv Crib:
vivalospride Andyboy
Other Frens:
yogi Rabia tondas Jordy Specs
And everyone else I talk too lol, sorry if I missed anyone :>
Even though my other latest RMT was not too long ago, I still feel that a lot of stuff happened here with my personal connections in this community and other IRL stuff in my life, so I wanted to highlight this moment by providing a dope ass team alongside just giving people who have helped me personally and just generally been nice to me a shout out that they deserve. Thanks for putting up with my annoying self lol, hopefully I can grow to be a better person these upcoming months or however long I decide to dedicate time to this site.
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