📈 Ladder Top Builds

The author decided that in a format with no broken standout, stacking raw base stats beats trying to metagame it, so he anchored on Mega Dragonite, a 700-total mon with the format's top numbers. Aegislash, with matching typing and great stats, locked in almost immediately. Since both are soft to wide-coverage attackers like Mega Lopunny, Mimikyu and mixed Garchomp, he added Hippowdon as a stat wall running Stealth Rock and Yawn for pivot rotations. To fix the low Speed and add a setup-stopper, a Choice Scarf Meowscarada applies pressure from the top with fast STAB and U-turn. A bulky Hisuian Samurott, tanky enough to switch in and spread spikes plus lock things with priority, synergizes well with the other four rotators. The team's big weakness is setup like Mega Clefable, so he finished with a Toxic Mega Glimmora that, paired with Mega Dragonite, fakes a Focus Sash set while breaking stBuild article →

Yosshi's build centers on Mega Pinsir as the unquestioned ace, backed by Gengar, Primarina, Archaludon, Kingambit, and Scarf Garchomp. Mega Pinsir sits at a tricky base-105 Speed tier that catches opponents off guard; Outrage enables fast wallbreaking; Rototiller is a niche pick that crushes Iron Defense Corviknight. Lacking Earthquake makes Aegislash problematic. Moxie was chosen over Intimidate because few Pokémon on the ladder carry Intimidate. Gengar's wide coverage makes it a flexible lead, with Focus Blast described as a necessary gamble. Primarina sets up Substitute to reach Torrent range against opposing Water Mega evolutions. Archaludon's default move against special attackers is Mirror Coat; Kingambit handles Umbreon-centered stall. Garchomp provides safe back-line coverage against Charizard. The author looks forward to Swampert's eventual addition to complete the classic Rain-Pinsir combination. Strengths: unusual Speed tier and unpredictable moves; weaknesses: Aegislash and stall counters.Build article →

Hayato's team is built around Umbreon as the most-selected Pokémon, with Mega Gengar and Focus Sash Garchomp present every game. Umbreon cycles with Wish + Protect + Yawn and synergizes with Gengar's Will-O-Wisp for chip damage. Mega Gengar uses Will-O-Wisp + Grudge + Shadow Ball + Focus Blast; Shadow Trapping is used to catch opposing Fairy-types for end-game attrition. Garchomp switched from Scarf to Sash midseason because Archaludon was too dangerous; Sash Garchomp excels at lead disruption with Stealth Rock. Mega Delphox came out heavily against Scizor, running Nasty Plot + Substitute for easy wins. Corviknight was adjusted from Brave Bird to Iron Head due to problems with Mimikyu, Glimmora, and Florges. Primarina ran every game with Sitrus Berry, using Misty Terrain to block Yawn loops and Perish Song to handle stall. Weaknesses after dropping Scarf Garchomp: Mega Lopunny, Basculegion, and Volcarona all became painful to deal with.Build article →

The author returned to competitive play after roughly three years and reached a peak of 2558 / final 2504 in singles Season M-1 using a hyper-offense face-to-face team. He opens by explaining why offense-forward play is harder in this game: no Choice Band/Specs/Life Orb means raw power is capped, accuracy-dependent moves cause more luck-based losses, and defensive walls are harder to break. His solution was inspired by his own old record: Mega Dragonite leads and scores at least one KO with Multiscale and Draco Meteor; Curse Mimikyu pivots in to counter setup and reverse bad situations; Sash Kingambit closes out with the surprise Metal Burst plus Guillotine package that punishes players who try to stall. Snorlax covers Florges and Lucario matchups, Archaludon handles defensive cores, and Mega Delphox was added last for the Lucario/Scizor/Mega Florges problem. He identifies Mega Florges and Hippowdon as the hardest matchups.Build article →

The author borrowed the Garchomp + Florges + Basculegion core from another player's stream, swapping the fire slot for Skeledirge, and finished 609th in singles Season M-1. The core works by having Garchomp lay Stealth Rock and Spikes to bring Florges or Basculegion into KO range; when opponents send out Aegislash or Ceruledge to answer Florges, Garchomp absorbs those hits; and scarf Basculegion-M cleans up with the powerful Ghost move. Florges was built physically bulky to stay healthy as a frontline threat, though the author reflects that extra Speed to outrun faster Archaludon would have been better. Kingambit mostly served as a deterrent on the teamsheet and rarely needed to battle. Gengar was the hardest to handle given uncertainty over Mega vs. Sash forms and Freeze-Dry, and fast Archaludon was another unresolved issue.Build article →

The author finished 610th at 2220. The build started from Archaludon being too strong to skip, paired with a Taunt/Will-O-Wisp/Encore Mega Delphox as the setup lead; since that pair lacked breaking power, a Calm Mind Primarina was added to close games. The remaining holes, stopping Basculegion/Blastoise/Gyarados, handling Mega Charizard X, breaking stall, and dealing with Floette, were covered by Scarf Meowscarada, Garchomp, and Scizor respectively. Mega Delphox leads often, chipping with burns and Magic Fire so teammates move freely while also trading head-on; it's strong at setup, slugfests and cleaning. Archaludon sets Stealth Rock and gets a hit in, is absurdly bulky, has great typing synergy with Delphox for safe entry, and carries Roar to avoid being a setup fodder. Primarina tanks and stacks Calm Minds, flipping would-be setup bait. Garchomp beats stall but fears Yawn and poison-sBuild article →

The author started from Lopunny's Guts + Mega Kick combo and Mirror Coat Archaludon, reaching peak 2554 / final 2503 in singles Season M-1. Lopunny's job is to nuke things with Guts-boosted Mega Kick and Close Combat; Mimikyu in the back ensures Lopunny can fire safely; Archaludon's Mirror Coat punishes Dragonite and reflected attacks from various specials. Pelipper was brought in to check Hippowdon rather than to run a dedicated rain team, with a Lum Berry set proving more practical as a solo pivot. Basculegion-M backs up the rain option but rarely found good matchups. The author assesses the rain lines as barely playable given how many common threats (Archaludon, Meowscarada) shut them down, and singled out Mega Gengar and Glimmora as consistent problems.Build article →

The author built around his longtime partner Flareon and reached peak 2564 / final 2503 (rank 617) in singles Season M-1. Flareon runs Substitute + Yawn + Baton Pass to pivot safely against lead Mega Scovillain or Mega Scizor, sleeping the opponents switchin and passing the baton to heavy hitters. Mega Gyarados with Dragon Dance cleans up Scizor-heavy teams, while its final move slot was settled as Lash Out. Archaludon with Charge + Scope Lens became the team MVP by firing boosted Draco Meteors repeatedly and countering stall and Baton Pass alike. Araquanid lays Sticky Web to control speed tiers; Diggersby provides explosive physical damage. Full-offense Florges uses the sticky web to outspeed even max-speed Scarf Garchomp. The author lists Basculegion, Scizor, Ceruledge, and Aegislash as the most problematic opponents.Build article →

The author wanted a high-stat standard team he could grind mastery on, built around moves that lock the opponent down for natural upside. The core is a Jolly Mega Metagross that is tough, fast, and hits hard: Bullet Punch for priority, Thunder Punch for waters, and Ice Punch or Psychic Fangs sharing the last slot. Choice Scarf Hydreigon outspeeds and deletes Mega threats, running Fire Blast to punish the Mawile and Primarina that often drop their bulk. Hippowdon is the do-everything physical wall and lead, backup Calm Mind Primarina breaks walls, and Mega Delphox wins the fire mirror. Life Orb Mimikyu is the stopper for Staraptor and Blaziken. He admits Hydreigon is weak and mostly just clicks U-turn, and Delphox became droppable late.Build article →

Hotategai's team is built around a type-synergy-focused offense that can flexibly switch between straight face-to-face and a short cycle. The base is Garchomp + Florges + Basculegion. Mega Charizard Y was added for Steel-type wallbreaking under Sun; Scarf Meowscarada was added to check Dragon Dance Gyarados and Scarf Garchomp, and Basculegion switched from Scarf to Sea Incense, which proved even more threatening. Roles: Garchomp is the sturdy physical lead with hazard duties; Mega Florges runs Moonblast with Ruination as a better choice against Archaludon; Charizard Y is tuned to survive Basculegion's Wave Crash and Mega Starmie's Aqua Break; Corviknight manages Garchomp and Primarina endgames with Bulk Up + U-turn + Roost; Sea Incense Basculegion uses Quick Attack + Wave Crash to prevent safe switch-ins; Meowscarada with Scarf and Play Rough proved excellent for the final two days. Weaknesses: Mega Lopunny, all Archaludon variants, and Mimikyu.Build article →

Inaf designed the team around combining face-to-face offense with sweep-recovery mechanics. The core trio is Garchomp with Sitrus Berry (Stealth Rock + Dragon Tail + Rock Tomb + Earthquake; Speed tuned to outrun Archaludon), Mega Scizor (Swords Dance + Bullet Punch + Knock Off + Roost; defense spread calculated to avoid Archaludon's Earthquake changing damage rolls), and Mimikyu (Lum Berry + Swords Dance as a versatile face-off/setup Pokémon). Mega Charizard Y is the second Mega ace, used mainly to bait Stealth Rock and apply early pressure. Meowscarada (Focus Sash) has wide type coverage as a lead, set up Dragon Dance lures and OHKOs. Primarina (Leftovers + Calm Mind) was added last to reliably beat Skeledirge and provide passive recovery through Drain Kiss. Strengths: simple select patterns, not prone to suddenly falling apart. Weaknesses: no reliable way to beat Mega Kangaskhan in a straight fight, Mega Starmie is a big threat, paralysis and freeze chip erode win rates, Archaludon's Mirror Coat disrupts momentum.Build article →

The author built around a white-herb Archaludon sweeper he found effective mid-season, pairing it with Vivillon after seeing buzz on Twitter. Rock Slide Mega Lucario was added to set up Vivillon by handling Dragon Dance Gyarados and faster threats. When that core struggled against faster megas like Delphox, Gyarados was added as an alternate win condition alongside Mimikyu. Sylveon filled the last slot to handle Sash Garchomp and Lopunny, though it rarely delivered. After stalling near 2400, the author replaced Mega Lucario with Scarf Lucario for surprise speed and finished at 2502 (635th). Weaknesses included no answer to Taunts or Skeledirge, and Vivillon's limited reliability late-season.Build article →

The author started with Mega Delphox, judging that its unusual mega form would catch opponents off-guard in a meta full of Florges. Garchomp with Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Dragon Tail was added to wear down HB Umbreon in two hits alongside Fire Blast. Mega Florges came next to dominate the preview screen and telegraph opponent team selection. Scarf Archaludon filled several roles at once (sweeper, anti-Basculegion, steel coverage), while Mystic Water Basculegion handled water-cycle teams. Lastly, Defiant Kingambit addressed Baton Pass and Stealth-Rock-Aegislash teams. Final result: 2502, 636th. Strengths were the unexpected Scarf Archaludon; main weaknesses were Aegislash, opposing Delphox, and Kingambit's low reliability.Build article →

The author has used Umbreon as his partner pokemon for years; with Umbreon drawing heavy counter-play this season, he paired it with Mega Gengar to fully exploit the curse-mark plus Hex offensive core. Garchomp was added for Stealth Rock and general utility. To handle Mega Lopunny, Mega Delphox, and Mega Lucario that suppress Umbreon, Slowking was eventually chosen for its ability to counter all three and its synergy with Gengar's catch. Mega Florges served as a secondary win condition when Gengar couldn't break through. Corviknight removed the Ground-type vulnerability that threatened Garchomp and blocked incoming Ice attacks. Flexibly choosing which of Gengar, Florges, or Corviknight to push through each game was the key strategic thought. Final: 2502 (peak 2587), one win short of Champion tier. Primary weakness was Scarf-wielding pokemon consistently breaking through.Build article →

The author finished 637th. He had climbed to 2200 on a Mega Lopunny core but stalled out against too many Primarina and rough Lopunny mirrors, so he rebuilt by swapping the Mega slot to Mega Pinsir. The new theme is speed plus Swords Dance: Mega Lopunny brings a STAB Mach Punch priority hit, while the late-added Pinsir, after a Swords Dance, hits scary hard with Quick Attack and uses Stomping Tantrum to break Bulk Up Corviknight. Both turn poison and burn into setup fuel, and Facade also pressures stall. Scarf Garchomp saw little play but delivered when used. Corviknight runs Taunt, Bulk Up and Leftovers, letting others chip first so it sweeps. The Focus Sash Basculegion reuses last season's reliable set. Archaludon went Timid this time, still setting Stealth Rock and getting one hit in. Standard selection is Archaludon plus a Mega plus Basculegion, with Corviknight and Garchomp as needeBuild article →

The author plays a matchup-first, pick-what-stings style, and the finished core is Kingambit with Mega Gyarados and Delphox. The Delphox borrows a fast Agility spread that balances bulk, power, and enough speed to outrun Adamant Garchomp, countering Hydreigon/Metagross, Mawile, Kingambit, and Archaludon. Kingambit is the team MVP: a Swords Dance sweep three-for-oned constantly, and a +2 Sucker Punch even sniped a Sneasler on the last day. Sash Glimmora leads as a shield, chipping Archaludon early and setting Spikes to pair with Kingambit's Sucker Punch. Life Orb Mimikyu swapped to Wood Hammer to feed on the Hippowdon and Primarina that trouble Delphox. Rum Berry Garchomp is a stable lead answering Hippowdon, Venusaur, and Umbreon, while Mega Gyarados cleans up opposing Mega Gyarados that lack Focus Blast.Build article →

The author built around Mega Froslass, using Aurora Veil to set up and then sweeping with Nasty Plot. Ice and Electric coverage lets Froslass pressure Garchomp, Primarina, and Corviknight simultaneously without needing Shadow Ball. Sash Glimmora leads to lay Toxic Spikes and use Mud Shot for speed control, giving Froslass priority-action opportunities. Kingambit with Black Glasses was chosen as a physical powerhouse that handles non-Fighting-type megas. Substitute-Calm-Mind Primarina dismantles Umbreon-based stall cycles. Hippowdon provides a switching buffer and activates sand for Excadrill, which sweeps Florges-plus-Scizor teams using Sand Rush. The author notes Glimmora is indispensable; removing it once caused a 300-point drop. Final result: 2501, 640th.Build article →

The author was hooked after seeing his fully Special-Attack-invested Delphox knock out HB Umbreon in two Fire Blast hits, and built around exploiting advantageous matchups with overwhelming firepower to break cycles. HB Archaludon was added as a pivot to block Starmie, Basculegion, and Kangaskhan that one-shot Delphox, while setting Stealth Rock. Scarf Garchomp became the de facto ace (highest usage rate) by reliably cleaning up against all Mega types. Those three formed the core. Mimikyu handled Basculegion and Umbreon; Mega Florges applied team-preview pressure and acted as a secondary ace; and Greninja with Toxic Spikes covered Sash Gengar, Sash Ceruledge, and Espathra-Clefable threats. Final: 2501, 642nd. Noted weaknesses: Hippowdon as a team-wide burden, and Archaludon struggling against several popular late-season sets.Build article →