So I've been laddering fairly consistently for once in my life over the course of beta, and I'm back with some more observations. The following Pokemon and/or sets range from decent to good in the current meta. Some are very strong and splashable, while some are just good sets with a valuable niche. I wouldn't consider any of them meta-defining sets, but I think they all have their uses.
Azumarill @ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
Most of the conversation about Azumarill has centered around its Z-Belly Drum set. While that set is certainly excellent, Azumarill can also run a viable Choice Band set. This set hits incredibly hard right off the bat and is useful in almost any matchup. It has the power to threaten slow teams, and is far from useless against faster ones, thanks to its natural bulk and access to STAB Aqua Jet. Water/Fairy is an incredible typing, both offensively and defensively, and allows it to check threats such as Keldeo, Sharpedo, and most Dragons. Azumarill is bulky enough to survive most attacks that don't hit it super-effectively, and it can often grab multiple kills in a match by surviving a hit to KO its attacker in return and then using Aqua Jet to pick off a weakened foe. Priority of any kind is valuable in a fast-paced, offensive meta, and Aqua Jet is no different.
Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Stone Edge
- Wing Attack / Earthquake
- Aqua Tail / Earthquake
I have mostly been using an all-out attacking set, but I tested Hone Claws on one of my teams and it's performed quite well so far. Mega Aerodactyl has little trouble finding setup opportunities in this meta, as it threatens out quite a few common Pokemon (Sand Stream support from something like Hippowdon also helps it leverage the Special Defense boost from Sandstorm to create more opportunities to set up). Aqua Tail hits Hippowdon, Krookodile, and other Ground-types, but Earthquake is a perfectly viable coverage option as well. Earthquake can also be run over Wing Attack, depending on what the team needs to cover and what checks Mega Aerodactyl's partners can threaten most effectively. Mega Aerodactyl is usually seen as a utility Pokemon, but this set allows it to function as more of a standalone offensive threat.
Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
I've found Choice Scarf Infernape to be fairly useful recently. It's not an amazing set, but it has a great speed tier for a Choice Scarfer and is just powerful enough to revenge kill a lot of prominent threats. Being able to outspeed common Choice Scarfers like Mienshao and Hydreigon is very useful for offensive teams, which often lack comfortable switch-ins to these Pokemon. Tying with Choice Scarf Keldeo is also pretty nice. Infernape's speed tier is a little less valuable now that Staraptor and Victini are banned, but Infernape will almost certainly outspeed whatever people choose to use in place of those two Pokemon (maybe Darmanitan?). Flare Blitz and Close Combat are great STAB moves, and fast U-turn is really nice for grabbing momentum and getting chip damage on things like Latias and Starmie, especially if one of Infernape's teammates can trap its common checks with Pursuit. Stone Edge is a good coverage option, but I've never actually clicked it. Feel free to replace it with whatever you want. Infernape doesn't really get tons of switch-in opportunities, but it resists common priority like Scizor's Bullet Punch and Sucker Punch from Bisharp and Mega Absol. I've also considered running Nasty Plot since it has the potential to put in a lot of work against bulkier teams, but it's got a bad case of 4MSS, and is reliant on Focus Blast to break stall and therefore unreliable. Maybe that set will become more popular now that we have a stable meta and a chance to see that meta develop without near-constant banwaves.
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 208 HP / 108 SpA / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic Spikes
- Haze
The same attributes that made Tentacruel a valuable defensive utility Pokemon in ORAS UU continue to keep it relevant. Its defensive typing and stat spread allow it to check common Pokemon like Primarina and Keldeo, and it has enough speed to pressure offensive Pokemon like Krookodile as well. Tentacruel also possesses a movepool containing several valuable utility options. Rapid Spin, Toxic Spikes, Haze, Knock Off, and Toxic are all useful in different situations (although Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes should be the primary options). I like Haze in the last slot to help handle Belly Drum Azumarill. Tentacruel is very easily customized in terms of EV spreads and can run offensive, defensive, or mixed spreads with equal facility. This spread simply runs enough speed to outspeed Krookodile, hits a Leftovers/Black Sludge number, and invests the remaining EVs in Special Attack in order to do some decent damage with Scald.
No teams to share this time, but maybe I'll build something I like enough to make public sometime soon. Building should be easier in a more stable meta, and I'm interested to see what patterns develop.