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Pokémon battle Vtuber 'Sakuranomiya Piano' reached rank 858 in M-1 singles with a Mega Starmie + Mega Blastoise dual-Mega offense team. The core idea is using Scovillain's selection pressure as a setup tool — its Mega ability Hard Press punishes physical attackers, forcing opponents to lead with special or Fire-types, which Mega Starmie then handles at maximum efficiency. Mega Blastoise covers the overlap of threats that beat both (Archaludon, Ghost-types, Hydreigon), with Mirror Coat as the team's signature tech — no one expects a Mega attacker to go passive, so it punishes Bellibolt and other special nukes. Mimikyu with Fairy Feather sets up off fake-outs, Ceruledge holds Focus Sash as a late-game cleaner, and Scarf Archaludon specifically answers Gyarados. The author cites clean, predictable selection logic as the main strength, while Glimmora, Sneasler, and stall teams are the notable weaknesses.Build article →

The author reached a final rating of 2458 in M-1 singles with a Mega Floette + Mega Delphox dual-Mega team assembled hastily from May 4th after noticing Floette's standout performance at a tournament event. Floette runs max Speed with Oblivion Wing for maximum reach against Dragons and Garchomp; Delphox covers the Fire/Psychic angle that Floette cannot handle — namely Steel- and Poison-types — and uses Substitute plus Nasty Plot to sidestep status. Scarf Garchomp is the generalist sweeper and Basculegion check; Stamina Archaludon is described as probably the team's strongest individual and was used in most games. Ceruledge with Focus Sash handles Flying-type obstacles, and Camo Berry Primarina uses sleep to beat Yawn-loop strategies. The author notes that Archaludon and Garchomp carried the team, while Floette's clear weaknesses demanded careful team selection.Build article →

Player 'matsubokkuru' peaked at 2550 and finished M-1 singles at 2456 using a Mega Starmie + special-attacking Mega Lucario dual-Mega team alongside Dragon Dance Dragonite, Hippowdon, Focus Sash Samurott-H, and Scarf Archaludon. After weeks of testing Starmie in cycle builds, the author switched to offense and climbed rapidly. Starmie's selection pressure draws out Archaludon, Kingambit, and Meowscarada — all prime targets for special Lucario. Dragonite sets up Dragon Dance off the Pokémon that stop Lucario (Basculegion, Aegislash, Scarf Garchomp); Hippowdon handles Stealth Rock and Yawn setup. Samurott-H covers Charizard-type Fire slots and Kingambit, while Scarf Archaludon stops Basculegion and Gyarados. The biggest weaknesses are Gyarados sweeping unopposed if it gets a single Dragon Dance, and Primarina having no clean answer across the roster.Build article →

Player 'rito.' reached rank 879 in M-1 singles at rating 2456 with a dual-receiver offense-defense cycle built around the pattern of one attacker plus two receivers. The starting point was finding a physical wall that could actually hit Hippowdon back — Slowbro qualifies, and with Iron Defense + Body Press it converts stall situations into clean wins against physical attackers. Glimmora handles the special-receiver slot: its Toxic Debris auto-lays poison spikes, while Rapid Spin clears the opponent's hazards to protect the receivers. Mega Charizard X serves as the sole attacker, sweeping via Dragon Dance when the cycle creates an opening. Scarf Meowscarada is the designated sweeper for Delphox, Gengar, and Basculegion. Galarian Slowking patches the team's Mega Floette weakness with Calm Mind and sleep recovery. Samurott-H with Focus Sash provides hazard-laying and Sacred Sword ignores Stamina boosts on Archaludon. The team's strength is its flexible selection patterns; weaknesses include accuracy-reliant moves and Aegislash's Poltergeist.Build article →

Player 'Suzuki Kei' built an M-1 singles rain team around Mega Starmie, also reaching top 8 at the Thunder Strike #7 tournament with the same team. The central concept: if Starmie can take a hit, max-Speed Archaludon gets to act second while still threatening fast opponents, making Pelipper + Starmie + Archaludon the rain core. Starmie runs physical-attack-oriented moves in the rain for devastating output. Archaludon holds a Shuca Berry and max Speed/SpA to lure Gyarados — letting it set up Dragon Dance before OHKOing with Thunderbolt. Pelipper provides priority U-turn and Weather Ball damage. Sableye with Mega Stone handles Gengar and Umbreon via Will-O-Wisp stall; Kingambit counters Basculegion; Espathra with Calm Mind and Leftovers sweeps at the end. The author notes Starmie felt stronger than expected, but the final day saw so much Starmie-targeted counterplay that it became hard to use.Build article →

Player 'zawa' finished M-1 singles at rank 898 and rating 2455 using a cycle team centered on Dragonite, Hippowdon, Glimmora, and Mega Lopunny. The motivation was that Lopunny covers exactly the Pokémon that Dragonite struggles with — Umbreon, Greninja, and Meowscarada — while Mach Punch provides reliable late-game priority. The team adopted the Dragonite/Hippowdon/Glimmora framework from another player and added Lopunny plus Aegislash and Scarf Meowscarada. Lopunny's key technique is setting up Swords Dance in non-Mega form to avoid accumulating weaknesses before committing; Mega Kick is the high-damage finisher. Glimmora acts as the special wall and sets up toxic spikes for attrition cycling. Aegislash specifically targets Archaludon. The author notes weaknesses against Mega Venusaur as a lead, Dragonite mirror matchups, and Scarf Meowscarada creating dangerous King's Shield timing decisions against Aegislash.Build article →

The author reached rank 903 at rating 2454 in M-1 singles with a pure offensive team built around Mega Lopunny. The concept is straightforward: almost no status moves outside of Sneasler's Swords Dance and Ceruledge's Swords Dance — just hit things. Lopunny leads with Fake Out to gauge HP investment, then uses Mega Kick to force through HB-configured Aegislash and Archaludon, and handles Mega Lucario and Mega Blastoise. Against bulky Aegislash that Lopunny cannot break, Shuca Berry Archaludon tanks a Ground-type move and fights back hard. Physical-type Mega Starmie with Hustle covers matchups without Aegislash or where Gyarados appears. Primarina handles the cleanup Starmie cannot reach and anchors cycles after Hippowdon's Stealth Rock. Ceruledge with Focus Sash sets up with Swords Dance; Sneasler uses Swords Dance into Acrobatics to handle Archaludon and Floette. The author notes that Starmie became increasingly hard to deploy as late-season counterplay targeted it, and Primarina remained a structural weakness.Build article →

Player 'Doragoon' reached rank 904 at rating 2454 in M-1 singles, building around the six-generation legend Mega Kangaskhan alongside Aegislash and Garchomp. The pairing logic is mutual coverage: Kangaskhan's Fake Out-into-Double-Edge clears most things, with Aegislash catching the Stamina Archaludon that Kangaskhan draws out — and the two cover each other's Fighting and Ghost weaknesses respectively. Garchomp adds Fake Out chip damage then circles back as a late sweeper, with Rough Skin providing passive attrition in cycles. Ram Berry Primarina handles Yawn-loop strategies and uses Encore to lock opposing setup aces. Mega Greninja targets Hippowdon-heavy cycle teams and Starmie-heavy matchups. Volcarona covers Lucario and Lopunny. The author notes Kangaskhan was used in roughly 95% of games; weaknesses include Mega Venusaur as a lead being a near-guaranteed loss, Dragonite mirror matchups, and an unoptimized Volcarona Speed stat.Build article →

The team was built around surprise moves to secure easy wins. Meowscarada with Choice Scarf uses Power Gem to pick off Talonflame and Volcarona leads, Triple Axel for Garchomp and Dragonite, and Dark Pulse in the last slot to threaten Aegislash. Mega Garchomp snowballs with Scale Shot boosting Speed, then sweeps with Swords Dance. Gengar with Focus Sash opens games or checks from the back using Shadow Sneak. Defensive Volcarona handles physical attackers and can sweep with Will-O-Wisp plus Quiver Dance. The main weakness is Mega Charizard X, which breaks through the core. Orthworm is the oddball: Metal Burst punishes Mega Dragonite and Mega Lopunny, and its bulk is tuned to survive Fighting moves. The author admits Mega Florges barely saw play and functioned mainly as a decoy.Build article →

The team centers on luring opponents with a Garchomp-Dragonite-Dragapult core, then breaking them with a Mega Charizard Y, Corviknight, and Choice Scarf Meowscarada cycle. After finding Mega Florges plus Archaludon worked well initially, the author switched focus to Mega Charizard Y as the main win condition since Florges was consistently shut down by Archaludon, Aegislash, and Scizor. Corviknight handles entry hazard removal and pivot play, which is essential to getting Charizard Y onto the field safely. Mega Florges shifted to a decoy-and-lure role with Psychic to threaten Glimmora and Toxapex. Basculegion serves as a disruptive lead against setup teams. The team's biggest weakness is Mega Lucario: a single Swords Dance can sweep the entire squad.Build article →

The team was built around the author's partner Glaceon, paired with Mega Dragonite and Mega Florges as the three-way core. Glaceon with Never-Melt Ice upgrades Blizzard range so it one-shots key threats like Mega Starmie and Basculegion; Charm and Yawn round out its toolkit in a way the author considers unique. Glimmora leads to lay Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock, using Mud Shot to slow threats and chip away for the sweepers. Mega Dragonite covers wide ground with Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Roost, and doubles as a Baton Pass receiver from Espathra. Mega Florges can push through unfavorable matchups on raw power; Moonblast, Draining Kiss, and Psychic make it a solid batonpass destination, though the author feels the bulk tuning still came up short. Samurott fills the last slot with Black Glasses-boosted Shadow Sneak, also covering Archaludon. Espathra acts as the speed booster and Baton Pass link, enabling both Mega sweepers to snowball.Build article →

Built around partner Glaceon with Mega Dragonite as the new Mega to try, and Mega Florges added for its raw firepower. The goal was layering multiple play patterns — direct matchup, setup sweeping, and cycle — so no single counter plan dismantles the team. Glaceon with Never-Melt Ice pushes Blizzard coverage high enough to threaten Starmie and Basculegion, while Charm and Yawn form a support toolkit the author considers unique to this Pokemon. Mega Dragonite covers most scenarios through Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Roost. Glimmora leads to set Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock as a foundation for both sweepers. Mega Florges is explosive after Baton Pass boosts, though the author notes HB-leaning bulk still left it vulnerable before Mega evolution. Samurott patches weak points with Black Glasses Shadow Sneak against Starmie and Sacred Sword for Archaludon. Espathra provides Baton Pass acceleration to make the Mega sweepers snowball more reliably.Build article →

The team is built around Mega Blastoise, which the author values for its high one-on-one performance and ability to re-enter and rampage after Trick Room is set. White Herb Archaludon pairs with it as a lead or back-row deterrent against Stealth Rock setters, with Sheer Cold for Mega Clefable and Rock Tomb for Talonflame. Focus Sash Mimikyu sets up Trick Room and disrupts with Curse, re-enabling Blastoise for a second sweep window. Swords Dance Focus Sash Garchomp applies direct pressure and handles Charizard Y teams. Mega Scizor replaced an earlier bulky Steel option to cover Florges and Primarina, with U-turn maintaining cycle flexibility. Gyarados covers Blastoise's weaknesses against Primarina, Meowscarada, and post-Trick Room Aegislash; Earthquake makes it hard to wall, and Intimidate adds defensive value. The biggest problem matchup is Mega Dragonite, which is very hard to handle without Trick Room, and pivot Corviknight combined with a strong attacker also pressures the team.Build article →

The team was built around pink Mega Lopunny, which the author had used in USUM and knew had the firepower, especially given the absence of Rocky Helmet this format. Mega Lopunny uses Fake Out plus Mach Punch as a priority combo; swapping from U-turn to Mach Punch noticeably improved win rate against Dragon Dance sweepers like Mega Gyarados and Mega Charizard. Aegislash with Spell Tag is the offensive centerpiece, using Sacred Sword to threaten Archaludon and Shadow Sneak to pick off various soft targets. Mega Delphox with Choice Specs uses Focus Blast to punish switching in Primarina and similar counters while blasting through Corviknight-based cycle teams. Primarina runs Quick Turn for pivot play and performs well against Hippowdon and Umbreon head-on. Dragonite with Lum Berry sets Dragon Dance then uses ExtremeSpeed to clean up; increasing Mega Infernape usage in the late season made it harder to bring. Choice Scarf Archaludon covers Espathra and Florges, and takes first turns against Glimmora leads.Build article →

Mega Lucario forms the core: with Florges and Archaludon heavily present, Lucario's type matchup against both is excellent, so the author ran full-coverage moves rather than Swords Dance, applying immediate pressure from favorable matchups. Choice Scarf Hydreigon covers Lucario's Ground and Fire weaknesses on type while also winning cleanly against the common Choice Scarf Garchomp and Hydreigon. Primarina handles cycle play; its typing walls Mega Lopunny, and Encore into Mega Gengar's pursuit of trapped foes was a powerful sequence. Corviknight is the second pivot, originally running Power Whip for Venusaur but that target almost never appeared, so the author thinks Iron Defense would be better. Mega Gengar is the breaker: Shadow Tag traps opponents, Modest nature boosts Special Attack, a +1 Shadow Ball drops Hippowdon, and Protect ensures stable Mega evolution in the cycle. Garchomp rounds out the team as an emergency ace when neither Mega can push through, with Thunder Fang covering Corviknight and non-Mega Gyarados.Build article →

The team blends cycle and direct matchup play. Mega Clefable is the most-used Pokemon: Natural Cure without Mega evolving lets it stay healthy against special attackers, while Moonlight and Cosmic Power let it outlast almost anything; Unaware blocks setup from Smeargle-style effects and Thunderbolt handles Primarina and mirror Clefable. Mega Gyarados sweeps after a Dragon Dance, Taunt stopping Aegislash from setting up Iron Defense and Swords Dance, Earthquake preventing Archaludon and Dragonite from being safe switchins. Its hardest matchups are Mega Dragonite and Meowscarada, which it cannot deal with. Rotom slots in as a fire-and-pivot pivot, spreading Will-O-Wisp on physical threats and Volt Switching for cycle control. Aegislash is the dedicated Florges check, using Shadow Ball, Shadow Sneak, and Flash Cannon from multiple angles sustained by Leftovers. Glimmora leads with Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock, using Rapid Spin to clean up its own hazards. Choice Scarf Garchomp is the direct offense backup: Rock Slide and Outrage cover almost everything outside Dragonite and Archaludon.Build article →