Battle Stadium Singles blog #25 — Zacian Calyrex-S momentum (Season 28; Series 12)
The first two months of maintenance mode (Series 12) are behind us, so I figured it's about time for me to report in on what I got up to this past March.
Unfortunately, what I decided to feature this time around isn't necessarily the most exciting thing ever—a variant of irohapoke's rather clever take on Zacian-Calyrex—but the short breakdown of common team archetypes towards the bottom of the page should at least be somewhat illuminating for anyone planning to do some laddering themselves.
And, hey, it's not all bad, Utility Umbrella Umbreon makes an appearance!
A faster Choice Scarf Calyrex-S.
Standard Swift Swim Seismitoad hits a real Speed stat of 252.
Max Guard-Max Phantasm-Max Guard into Psyshock.
(+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Max Starfall (130 BP) vs. 156 HP / 4 SpD Dynamax Calyrex-Shadow: 322-381 [82.5 - 97.6%]).
Choice Band Sucker Punch.
Absolutely, utterly, eternally tricked and crippled.
Sometimes your best out is a final mon 1v1 coin toss against Choice Scarf Ditto.
When you play the Volt-Turn roundabout against hard stall, and finally get in a position where Tyranitar switches in on Grassy Terrain Leaf Storm.
(Zapdos-Urshifu-Calyrex vs. Ho-Oh-Tapu Bulu-Tyranitar).
(+2 60+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Behemoth Blade vs. 252 HP / 76 Def Zacian-Crowned: 169-199 (84.9 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO).
Cut enough attack from Zacian in order to live a revenging Ditto, and you may have to rely on a defensive calc (and avoid +252 SpAtt variants of Yveltal):
(252 SpA Life Orb Yveltal Max Flare (130 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned: 172-203 (86.4 - 102%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO)
Got too peeved to snap a screenshot that one time when Umbreon got frozen by a Kyogre Ice Beam (does not activate Synchronize), so here's the next best thing—a Scald burn.
Only had to dodge four 20% Sheer Colds to close it out.
If you thought a ruleset with two restricted pokemon would finally be enough check Zapdos' privilege, well, you would be wrong.
1) Team overview
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/ca5f62f3ecbc9172
Rental: 0000 0002 9B1W B5
The short of it is, Zacian-Calyrex baits in Ditto like nothing else, so the team's original author has baked in multiple redundancies to take advantage of just such an eventuality.
Lack of robust defensive play is another hallmark of a face-to-face construction, where one more or less has to get a good lead in order to not get blown out.
To this end, and perhaps a bit paradoxically, the power level of restricted pokemon, the very thing that makes Series 12 so unpalatable compared to everything else that has come before it this gen, nevertheless makes leading Calyrex and Zacian fairly consistent options—especially when they are EV'd to actually hit key defensive benchmarks, as here.
Zacian
Zacian's sheer format-warping power demands an answer from every team. Where that takes the form of Quagsire, defensive Zapdos, Intimidate play (Landorus, Incineroar), or regular old Dynamax momentum from something that 1HKOs it, the Zacian player at least has five other pokemon to work with.
Where things really get interesting, though, is when the opponent's answer to Zacian is Ditto. And because this team pairs Zacian with another juicy Ditto-target in Calyrex, you can be assured the opponent is highly likely to bring it.
So, then, the key defensive benchmark is giving Ditto-as-Zacian only a single roll (6.25%) to 1HKO this set from full, which means the heavy defensive investment here also makes regular Zacian mirrors stay-in-able—not that there's a defensive switch for it here anyway, mind you.
The investment in Speed hits a real stat of 183, which is intended to creep past other bulkier Zacian sets occupying a range of above Adamant Cinderace's 171 at a bare minimum, but also hits a benchmark of being a single point faster than up to 252 Speed base 130s, with Eternatus being singled out by the team's original author.
Calyrex-S
The cleverness of the team author's original build really shines through with how this Calyrex is built with opposing Ditto in mind.
First, this set is EV'd to natively outspeed this team's Zacian by one, meaning it can revenge Ditto-as-Zacian with Choice Scarf, oneshotting it barring one roll (6.25%) even when Ditto did not copy a SpDef-drop from Close Combat.
Likewise, the primary defensive benchmark concerns Zacian, as well. Full-offense sets have a 37.5% to oneshot this set from full with their +252 Att Behemoth Blade, but for any set that cuts attack in order to hit their own defensive benchmarks for Zacian mirrors (or being unrevengeable by Ditto from full, as is the case with this team's Zacian set), the numbers move even further in Calyrex's favor, with Jolly Behemoth Blade being always survivable from full—making the Calyrex lead into Zacian feel even more consistent.
Although Trick can indeed cripple an obvious Porygon2 switching in, not to mention Quagsire-Chansey/Blissey, I've found its primary use to be as a Max Guard move in Dynamax duels.
Nowhere is this more evident than against Seismitoad and Xerneas, where Calyrex outspeeds both after Swift Swim and Geomancy, respectively, letting it get its superior Choice Scarf Speed tier back through sequences such as Max Guard-attack-Max Guard, or attack-Max Guard-attack. This also tends to apply to various offensively unboosted Max Airstream sweepers such as Landorus, Zapdos, and Ho-Oh.
Leaf Storm makes short work of Dynamax Seismitoad. Because Choice Scarf Calyrex excels as a lead, outspeeding and oneshotting 252 HP Screens Regieleki, for example, Leaf Storm also plays into this as it stops Swampert and Hippowdon from getting to click any buttons before keeling over—finding further use as a way of eventually breaking through Assault Vest Tyranitar after enough chip.
Zapdos
As formidable as Calyrex-S is as a special attacker, it is completely dead against Yveltal, which is, in my view, the best restricted pokemon behind Zacian. This makes a Dynamax attacker capable of contesting Yveltal mandatory—hence, Zapdos.
There is nothing special going on here in terms of EVs, +252 Speed being mandatory for Yveltal, opposing Zapdos, and, to a lesser extent, for Choice Scarf Kyogre after a Max Airstream.
Static is normally very much the preferred ability for both offensive and defensive Zapdos because of how it can cripple Zacian (defensive Rocky Helmet variants of Zapdos may even opt for Endure for an extra round of chip damage an an additional paralysis roll), but Pressure lets Zapdos scout for opposing Kyogre's Choice Scarf through the toast order of abilities on turn one, which I chose to do in the original team author's footsteps.
Volt Switch could easily be Heat Wave for opposing Zacian, although it fails to oneshot the standard bulkier variants even with Max Flare. And that's excluding the games where Zacian is covered by Kyogre's Drizzle.
Other options for the last move slot include Thunder Wave, commonly seen on defensive Zapdos and Focus Sash Zapdos, or even Substitute to really leverage Pressure against opposing Zapdos and Porygon2, and to give more options against Yawn loops by Quagsire, Swampert, and Hippowdon, none of which can break even an uninvested Zapdos Substitute with their standard sets.
Darmanitan
Focus Sash Darmanitan trades into Ditto-as-Zacian, which would outspeed and effortlessly push aside the old standard of Choice Scarf Darmanitan. Adamant Gorilla Tactics Darmanitan also cleanly 1HKOs even the bulkiest Zacian sets, unlike, for example, +252 Att Mamoswine or 252 Att Landorus-T, hitting a major offensive benchmark very few Focus Sash users do.
In order to pull off this role, Darmanitan needs its Focus Sash, meaning it should not be elected as lead unless it is safe to U-turn out, it is really good offensively (particularly versus Eternatus-Ho-Oh), or the opponent's answers to Zacian-Calyrex do not include Ditto.
Usually with pokemon that have equal defensive stats like Darmanitan, 252/252 EV-spreads would want to put the remaining stat point into SpDef in order to avoid giving Porygon2's Download a SpAtt boost. This is indeed an option here, not least because of how good Porygon2 is as a bring against Calyrex, but I like the 4 HP on Darmanitan in order to give it an extra switch into Stealth Rock damage.
Urshifu-Rapid-Strike
Urshifu-RS is a free switch into two Calyrex-S checks: Urshifu-SS and Tyranitar. Against slower teams, or teams that don't consist of things that threaten it with an immediate 1HKO (e.g. Zacian-Yveltal-Zapdos), it can opt for a greedy lead on things like Landorus or Ho-Oh. Another opening to field Urshifu is presented by rather telegraphed leads such as crippler Mimikyu, and various Focus Sash users, Mamoswine chief among them.
Choice Band Urshifu's main bailiwick, however, is wall-breaking things like Porygon2 and the aforementioned Tyranitar for Calyrex-S's benefit.
As for the moveset, with U-turn, Urshifu can also slowly get through Yawn loops by Quagsire, as well as Swampert and Hippowdon, while getting the main offensive threats back into attack position.
I went for Aqua Jet in the fourth move slot over something like Ice Punch, which would give Urshifu a move to click into Zygarde-C, a Dragapult lead, or into an Eternatus switch—I feel Aqua Jet is just more bang for the buck against all the momentum offense going on. And besides, if Choice Band Wicked Blow is not enough to break through Eternatus (for whom Urshifu's 163 is a major benchmark for Speed to ensure Pressure + Recover attrition), Urshifu is better off U-turning out of a good match-up if Eternatus is likely to switch in.
In any case, a particularly notable target for Aqua Jet, aside from finishing off weakened opponents, is getting to break the Focus Sash of a Pheromosa—a major threat to Calyrex-S due to natively outspeeding it and carrying Throat Chop—U-turning out of the lead match-up.
A Max Airstream move is also an option on Choice Band Urshifu on Zacian teams, but I have not found it as effective on Urshifu-RS compared to Urshifu-SS, and it would necessitate running a Max Guard move for maximum effect in order to dictate the power turns in Dynamax duels.
Umbreon
Although Utility Umbrella Umbreon lives two 252 SpAtt Water Spouts over 98% of the time, it is clearly outclassed by Blissey—not to mention Gastrodon—as a defensive check for Kyogre.
The reasoning for me to go for something strictly speaking inferior like this over either Blissey or Gastrodon is twofold: first, because Umbreon provides a potent check to opposing Calyrex-S, and Ditto-as-Calyrex in particular; and, second, it still barely gets the job done on Kyogre (and Dialga), with the added benefit of also being slightly better at checking Yveltal and Necrozma Dusk-Mane than either Blissey or Gastrodon.
I have opted for both Snarl and Foul Play as opposed to reserving one of the two slots for Protect or Taunt. This is in order to get more mileage out of the measly 8 PP of Moonlight through Snarl (a mini-Eerie Impulse) when sitting in front of special attackers like Kyogre, Dialga, or Yveltal, but also to have a potent offensive move in Foul Play with which to meaningfully threaten the aforementioned Dusk-Mane, and especially a Zacian switch.
Umbreon is also fairly interesting defensively against Grimmsnarl, being immune to Prankster Taunt, which means it can at least somewhat manage opposing screens turns through setting up a Yawn loop. Umbreon also has a role in thwarting Shedinja, which walls Zacian, and beats Calyrex due to its Focus Sash.
2) Usage notes
Stopped laddering after getting above 1800 Elo, but at least managing to take a game off the #3 finisher (2100 Elo) along the way. Proof of concept, if nothing else.
To reiterate, games do largely get decided by baiting in an opposing Ditto to copy Zacian when Ditto is one of their initial six.
Without any kind of defensive switch for Zacian (Quagsire), a massive violation of team-building conventions in this series, and a display of a lack of basic good sense, teams like this rely on leading things that can either force it out, or 1v1 it; that is to say, on Calyrex, Zacian, Darmanitan, or Dynamax Zapdos. But even when doing greedy Urshifu leads against Zacian teams, the opponent is in a position where they may want to think about playing around Focus Sash Counter.
Of course, and this is just an aside, the most shocking observation about having something that is just so much better than everything else in the game as Zacian is that you can pair it with anything and still end up doing just fine.
To give but one example, you can be, of all things, a physical Palkia or physical Reshiram team, and still be a Zacian team. So, when it comes to dealing with Series 12's bête noire, at the end of the day, you never really know. You know?
2.1 Usual team compositions
Calyrex-
Zacian-Calyrex-Darmanitan/Zapdos
Zapdos/Darmanitan-Urshifu-Calyrex/Zacian
2.2 VS team select screen
The conventional breakdown of BSS-teams into the three basic archetypes of, first, offense (face-to-face construction, hyper/momentum offense); second, the defensive cycle (bulky offense, hard stall); and, finally, dedicated set-up (screens modes, Baton Pass) is no longer meaningful enough to have around as a reliable heuristic, the sheer raw stats of having two restricted pokemon on every team defenestrating such notions.
Therefore, I have adapted the approach of categorizing things based on common pairings of restricted pokemon, and trying to briefly go over how such pairings play out.
Everything below will be subject to changes in future iterations as the metagame develops, as per usual.
Zacian-Kyogre
- The most defining feature is having two restricted pokemon that thrive outside Dynamax (in the case of Choice Scarf Kyogre), freeing up a slot for a dedicated Dynamax attacker, which makes for a terrifying trio.
- If no obvious Dynamax-users are present (e.g. Zapdos, Landorus, Dragonite, Cinderace), Kyogre may itself be a fairly dedicated Dynamax-set, such as Assault Vest or Life Orb (fast, or slow bulky Max Strike). Similarly, things like a probable Choice Band Urshifu-SS will likely be carrying a Max Airstream move.
- Whenever things that compete for Choice Scarf—Ditto—are present, trying to work out Kyogre's set is worth a few extra seconds in the team select screen.
- Typical builds: Quagsire/Hippowdon/Swampert, Zapdos, Landorus, Shedinja/Focus Sash users, Swift Swim sweeper Seismitoad, Porygon2, Ditto.
- Gothitelle eliminates Quagsire, Chansey/Blissey, and Gastrodon, some of the most consistent defensive checks for both restricted pokemon.
Zapdos/Darmanitan-Umbreon-Calyrex
Calyrex-Umbreon-Zapdos
If the opposing side relies on Kyogre-Seismitoad-Zacian, playing for the Calyrex out is highly recommended. In any case, Kyogre is among Umbreon's better match-ups—just bring a plan for dealing with the opposing Zacian (e.g. Darmanitan, or Dynamax Zapdos trade into Calyrex snowball, Zacian mirror trade).
Zacian-Yveltal
- The Yveltal pairing gives Zacian a way to get through Necrozma-Dusk-Mane, an otherwise fairly good check for Zacian, as well as providing the one of the better answers for Calyrex-S in its combination of Max Airstream and Sucker Punch.
- Because Zacian is so easy to slot onto any team as one of two restricted pokemon, physical Yveltal is, as a rule, considerably weaker than in Series 8/11, and seems to be mostly found on hard stall, so assuming a special attacker set from every Yveltal is not unreasonable.
- Yveltal is more or less a lock for the team's Dynamax user, so things like Zapdos and Landorus, when present, may opt for more defensive builds.
- Typical builds: Quagsire/Hippowdon/Swampert, Ditto/Dracovish, Chansey/Blissey/Gastrodon, Zapdos, Landorus, Mamoswine/Focus Sash user.
Zacian-Zapdos-Darmanitan
Darmanitan-Zapdos-Zacian
Yveltal is Calyrex's worst match-up, which means it should, in most cases, be benched. Opposing physical Yveltal may want to lead against Darmanitan because Sucker Punch 1HKOs any non-Focus Sash set, especially if the opponent has Quagsire to fall back on, so they can afford to hit Zacian in the lead match-up.
Zacian-Calyrex-S
- Likely the pairing of restricted pokemon that most closely resembles classic hyper offense, playing to win three 1v1s with pure offensive momentum, i.e. a "face-to-face construction".
- Typical builds: Focus Sash users, Porygon2, Gastrodon/Seismitoad/Chansey, Ditto, Zapdos, Landorus, Quagsire, Mimikyu.
Zacian-Calyrex-Darmanitan
Calyrex-Umbreon-Zapdos/Zacian/Darmanitan
Darmanitan should always be able to get a trade, provided its Focus Sash stays intact. Umbreon's role is to prevent the opposing Calyrex from snowballing, and should be considered especially if the opposing Calyrex looks like a Focus Sash set.
Yveltal-Necrozma Dusk-Mane
- Dusk-Mane's Weakness Policy sets are among the easiest things to pilot, particularly with Misty Terrain preventing it from being crippled by paralysis or burn.
- Dusk-Mane's most prominent set options are defensive Dragon Dance (Rocky Helmet, Lum Berry), and Dragon Dance + three attacks (Life Orb, Weakness Policy, Lum Berry).
- Other, far more esoteric options include Calm Mind or Cosmic Power + Stored Power sets.
- Tapu Fini and Landorus are Dusk-Mane's two most iconic partners, although Tapu Fini is hard to justify in a ruleset with two restricted pokemon outside of its crippler sets (Trick).
- Typical builds: Kyogre-checks, Dragonite, Ditto, Porygon2/Tyranitar, Focus Sash user.
Zacian-Zapdos-Umbreon/Calyrex
Zapdos-Urshifu-Umbreon/Zacian
Zapdos should be decent against both restricted pokemon. Yvetal and Dusk-Mane also struggle with 2HKOing Umbreon, although Umbreon gets farmed by Lum Berry Dusk-Mane and does less than nothing if Tapu Fini is around.
If the opposing six uses Chansey or Blissey as their Kyogre-checks, Urshifu may be a good pick, as both blobs also hard wall Zapdos, and neither Yveltal nor Dusk-Mane enjoy switching into Surging Strikes. Although unnecessary for defensive Dusk-Mane teams, Quagsire may also make an appearance, which is another point in Urshifu's favor.
Zacian-Eternatus
- Zacian-Eternatus is essentially a borderline-obsolete Lapras-screens team, where both restricted pokemon take advantage of Gigantamax Lapras' Light Clay screens in order to snowball offensively (Zacian), or defensively (Cosmic Power Eternatus).
- Typical builds: Lapras, Quagsire, Landorus, Zapdos, Urshifu, Tyranitar/Porygon2, Focus Sash users.
Zacian-Calyrex-
Zapdos-Calyrex-Darmanitan/Umbreon
Without enough stat-boosing going on here, Eternatus (Cosmic Power) behind Screens is a problem for this team, which mandates Calyrex and its Trick-tech. Darmanitan has a terrible upfront match-up against Lapras, but is guaranteed to get at least one powerful attack off against one of the restricted pokemon—screens or no screens.
The combination of Electric Terrain from Lapras' Max Lightning and the bulk from Screens makes Umbreon's prospects of making progress towards exhausting Screens turns via Yawn loop fairly poor.
Hard Stall
- Usual restricted pokemon: Eternatus-Ho-Oh, Yveltal (Taunt, likely physical), Zygarde, even Xerneas.
- Typical builds consist of a fairly passive defensive cycle: Quagsire, Chansey/Blissey/Porygon2, Tyranitar, Celesteela, Shedinja, Ditto, Ferrothorn.
- The most passive variants opt for Toxapex, Skarmory attrition.
Darmanitan-Calyrex-Urshifu
Zapdos-Urshifu-Calyrex
Darmanitan is mandatory in order to force out an Eternatus opener. Urshifu is excellent at brute-forcing through passive pokemon not named Toxapex, but is completely dead against Eternatus, necessitating a pairing with Calyrex.
Screens mode
- Xerneas is a common sweeper on Screens mode (Grimmsnarl, Regieleki, Klefki etc.).
- Screens are also occasionally seen with Necrozma Dusk-Mane, even outside its anti-Zacian pairing with Xerneas.
- Zacian with Screens support avoids being revenged by Ditto.
- Otherwise underwhelming set-up pokemon like Zekrom, Kyurem-B, or Rayquaza are made playable by Screens support, and may make an appearance.
- Even more dedicated set-up teams employing Blaziken, Scolipede, or Poltegeist pass may also opt for screens over a dedicated cripple/suicide lead.
Calyrex-Zacian-
Zacian-Calyrex-Zapdos/Umbreon
As stated above, Calyrex outspeeds and 1HKOs even 252 HP Regieleki. Dealing with Grimmsnarl is far more problematic.
With a little luck, Umbreon barely avoids the 2HKO from Grimmsnarl's uninvested Spirit Break, and can attempt to Yawn loop to exhaust screens turns. Volt Switch Zapdos is normally alright against Grimmsnarl, but lack of defensive investment and Static is not good, compounded by the fact that Grimmsnarl often carries Taunt to stop Zapdos from Roosting.
Xerneas-Necrozma Dusk-Mane (no support)
- Xerneas-Dusk-Mane without obvious support pokemon like Screens setters.
- May indicate an attrition-based Xerneas team, where the most readily available Xerneas check, Zacian, is worn out by repeatedly switching into Moonblast and attacking into Rocky Helmet chip (e.g. Dusk-Mane) until it is safe for Xerneas to click Geomancy and sweep.
- Xerneas likely carries Substitute, and may be fully invested into Speed. This accomplishes several things: Substituting through opposing Dynamax turns, being a fast Dynamax attacker itself without a Geomancy boost, and making Geomancy free against things like non-Choice Scarf Kyogre, whose hold item is revealed in the lead match-up by ability toast order due Xerneas' higher native Speed tier.
- Typical builds: Kyogre-checks, Porygon2, Urshifu, additional Zacian-checks like Ditto or Quagsire, Focus Sash-users.
- Typical team compositions: Xerneas-Dusk-Mane-check for opponent's second restricted mon besides Zacian (Kyogre, Yveltal etc.).
Calyrex-Zacian-Darmanitan/Zapdos
Darmanitan-Calyrex-Zacian
Zacian-Calyrex-
As always with Xerneas, identifying how it is going to be deployed is key. Unsupported Xerneas-teams tend to like to lead Xerneas because they have good switches into Zacian and its partner, and like nothing more than to chip it down to size with Moonblast.
3) In conclusion
If you've made it this far, you can stomach a bit of editorialization about the state of the game. I say this as someone with over four thousand games of ranked singles in Sword & Shield alone, but in my view, the addition of a second restricted pokemon to the proceedings has been nothing short of the kiss of death for what I like about BSS.
One need look no further than the usage of Ditto, an especially instructive indicator species for the health of a format, whose solidly entrenched position among the top 5 of usage should go a long way to demonstrate just how deep the rot goes.
In other words: I simply find a two-restricted format not fun enough to play in 3v3 singles. So unless the developers do some more official weekender tournaments I find interesting, my Series 12 coverage, at least, won't be anything too spectacular going forward. I wonder if StarCraft2 will have me back?
With that out of the way, for April, I am going to start off with Kyurem-W, Choice Band Zacian, and physical Yveltal stuff and see where I land.
- Tox
SW-0021-9848-8999
