📈 Ladder Top Builds

The author's plan is to counter the top of the meta and win on matchup. Hippowdon is the do-everything physical wall and lead with Earthquake, Yawn, Protect, and Slack Off, handling physical walling, weather overwrite, and stalling, staying useful all game. Mega Charizard X runs a classic Swords Dance build: set up off a lead, dance, and sweep with Flare Blitz, Nitro Charge, Dragon Claw, and Swords Dance, and since Scarfers vanished from the meta it rarely stops once its speed is up, making it MVP. Mega Gengar breaks bulk with Dazzling Gleam and pressures the heavy walls he struggles with. Focus Sash Defiant Empoleon leads to one-shot hazard setters with Surf, Flash Cannon, and Ice Beam, plus Vacuum Wave. Choice Scarf Hydreigon deletes fast Megas and catches things with U-turn. Inner Focus Annihilape refuses Stealth Rock and uses Taunt plus chip to set up Charizard X. He notes several HPBuild article →

作者参考高分玩家的M-1构筑，把Mega皮可西＋气势披带火神蛾这套强化接力作为骨架开始搭。Mega皮可西首发铺隐形岩、放电磁波和叫声制造跳板，魔法镜还能挡掉对面的钉子，几乎每场都先发。火神蛾踩着被叫声锁技或被讲究围巾乌龙换走的对手蝶舞全扫，披带保底；幽尾玄鱼带咒术之符＋适应力扫墓，配高速移动伪装成讲究围巾骗对手，再加替身躲哈欠鬼火不意打；仆刀将军则是负责清扫剩下的讲究围巾手，靠隐形岩＋不意打＋剑舞收尾，铁头换成铁头是因为原本的踢倒对沙奈朵、仙子伊布换上来冥想根本打不动。另两只Mega位是Mega长耳兔（专砸Mega路卡利欧和铝钢桥龙）和讲究围巾花叶蒂（伪装Mega位，对Mega路卡利欧首发破灭之愿稳赢，也能用戏法把铝钢桥龙和受队变成跳板）。作者自评核心组合咬合度高、强化接力打点厚，但承认Mega路卡利欧轴本来很难处理，全靠花叶蒂硬撑。Build article →

The author had been stuck on the usual Hydreigon-Metagross build until an opponent's Toxic Spikes Mega Victreebel plus Umbreon steamrolled him, so he made that poison cycle his core this season. Umbreon whittles down with Toxic and Foul Play while Mega Victreebel lays Toxic Spikes and blows things up; Umbreon was his MVP. Bellibolt is the special wall that also checks Primarina and spreads poison via Soak; Choice Scarf Garchomp answers Mega Charizard, especially Y; Mimikyu covers Substitute Staraptor and revenge-kills; Mega Blaziken was a filler slot that became a hidden MVP, its pressure keeping Archaludon off the field. He admits real weaknesses: Substitute Archaludon and Staraptor that shrug off poison are nearly unbeatable, and Iron Defense Body Press Metagross walls him.Build article →

The author climbed to a final top-thousand finish built around his favorite, Kommo-o. He started by locking in longtime partner Mega Gyarados for Intimidate control and Dragon Dance sweeps, then added Volcarona to switch into Choice Scarf Meowscarada and Kommo-o to break Archaludon. Kommo-o led roughly 90% of games: Clanging Scales one-shots lead Garchomp, Aura Sphere hits Archaludon, Vacuum Wave mops up, and Bulletproof blocks Shadow Ball and Zap Cannon, making it the real core. Adaptability Basculegion is the Choice Scarf cleaner with Curse and Wave Crash, Corviknight pivots and walls physical attackers with Iron Defense and U-turn, and Mega Metagross uses Tough Claws Psychic Fangs to punish fairies like Floette. His toughest matchups are Ceruledge, Charizard, and Mega Scovillain; the team lacks flexible options, so when in doubt he leads the standard three.Build article →

The author specializes in Baton Pass teams and started from a core of Espathra, Corviknight, and Clefable that had already shown results. Dragapult with Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Hex serves as the lead, inflicting status regardless of Substitute and maintaining momentum even after speed drops. When the Baton Pass route fails, Sleep-plus-Focus-Blast Mega Gengar provides a secondary option that turns losing matchups into coin-flips. The last alternate slot went to Eevite Volcarona over Scarf Basculegion, because Kingambit, Glimmora, Mega Scizor, and Primarina—common Baton Pass counters—all fall to boosted Fiery Dance or Morning Sun recovery. The Baton Pass route covers 95% of games; the standard offense route 5%. Biggest weakness: Scarf Garchomp tears through the team if not properly managed. Final: 2501, 655th.Build article →

The author admits he was short on time and didn't refine the team, riding luck and synergy to crack the three-digit ranks. The starting idea was a small test: on a Charizard Y plus Corviknight core, swapping Corviknight for Conkeldurr — which also clears hazards — keeps firepower while still cycling. Mega Charizard Y runs Will-o-Wisp, Roost and Solar Beam to stay bulky and win the Lopunny matchup; Umbreon is a defensive wall with Toxic and Foul Play that doubles as a Basculegion check; Mega Venusaur is a special-attacking set. Conkeldurr brings Drain Punch, Mach Punch, Defog and Earthquake, removing Stealth Rock aimed at Charizard while hitting hard and outspeeding Hippowdon, and Archaludon sets rocks and answers Starmie, with Choice Scarf Garchomp as the Ground and speed slot. He's candid that it's a rough build that won on luck and matchups, but going nearly undefeated in the 2100s sugBuild article →

Finishing 663rd at 2500 in Champions' first season, the author built around a Scarf Sneasler / U-turn Corviknight / Mega Glimmora cycle. Sneasler outspeeds the meta's scarfers, beats Meowscarada and isn't bossed around by Normal Mega leads, and even in bad matchups it slaps a 30% poison touch on the switch. Corviknight is both a shield protecting Sneasler and Glimmora, and bait that lures Mega Dragonite, Volcarona and Skeledirge into Glimmora's range. Glimmora, with Adaptability, smashes favorable matchups and uses Spiky Shield to force Aegislash into Blade Forme and nullify Focus Sashes. The remaining holes are patched by Focus Sash Garchomp (for Gengar and bulky Garchomp), Mega Charizard Y (for Hippowdon, Scizor, Mega Venusaur) and Mega Gyarados (cleaning Mega Delphox and Scarf Basculegion). Running both Charizard and Gyarados also tricks opponents into thinking Glimmora isn't the MegaBuild article →

After meeting Mega Greninja in ZA, the author committed to using it in Champions. Its wide move coverage and high Speed are strong, but the low base power meant it couldn't anchor a team solo. An early core with Mimikyu and Scarf Garchomp stalled in the Hyper Ball tier, so the author pivoted to the familiar Mega Kangaskhan as the primary damage dealer, reaching Master Ball rank. Primarina joined to answer the troublesome Garchomp matchup and handle Mega Lopunny, with Perish Song providing soft answers to Baton Pass and setup. Aegislash replaced Mimikyu to cover Corviknight and Archaludon and absorb Ice moves aimed at Garchomp. Volcarona was the final addition against Gengar-Umbreon cores and Skeledirge cycles. In practice, Greninja was selected roughly 4 times as often as Kangaskhan late-season. Primary weaknesses: HD Archaludon and Scarf Garchomp. Final: 2500 (peak 2575), 666th.Build article →

The author's concept was to build around the combination of status damage, Umbreon, and Mega Gengar as a defensive-cycle core. Sash Glimmora was chosen to spin away Stealth Rock and counter Archaludon, solving a persistent weakness of cycle teams to hazard stacking. Sneasler replaced Scarf Urshifu, because its Poison Touch gives a 30% chance of poisoning on contact, synergizing perfectly with Gengar's Hex and Umbreon's Protect-cycling for passive chip. Mega Gyarados handled Hippowdon-type stall with Taunt, preventing passive plays. Volcarona served as the Fighting-type resist and setup sweeper, with added value against Lopunny teams. The primary lineup was Sneasler-Gengar-Umbreon; secondary was Glimmora-Gengar-Umbreon. The author's stated goal each game was to maintain a 2v2 situation with both Gengar and Umbreon alive. Mega Gyarados was the MVP on the final day. Final: 2500, 668th.Build article →

The author started building around Floette's Light of Ruin power and finished around 670th. Floette is the high-damage fairy that moves first via Grassy Glide and works well as a lead or backline threat, paired with Charizard Y as the Mega slot to beat the steels it fears and swing weather. Choice Scarf Garchomp is valued for its play against Charizard and steels, running max Speed to at least tie opposing Garchomp. He originally ran Hippowdon for Stealth Rock and rain control, but rarely got to bring it, so he swapped to a HP-invested Archaludon that survives Mega Swampert's Earthquake on a good roll and uses Metal Burst to punish Gyarados and Staraptor. Corviknight clears Stealth Rock so the Charizard plan can function, and Focus Sash Greninja handles Sash Glimmora and is the team's only priority. He admits Archaludon is opponent-dependent and inconsistent.Build article →

This season the author chased hit-rate consistency, and once Light Clay was added they committed to a dual-screens team. The core is Gholdengo as the screen-setter: its ability blocks Encore, Curse, Taunt, Defog and Trick, and it can drop Memento after screens, tuned to survive key hits. Annihilape leads with Stealth Rock, Taunt and a speed-drop rock move, and it walls Charizard leads well. The real sweeper is Gyarados, whose Mold Breaker ignores Unaware and Mimikyu's disguise, and its Taunt turns Altaria, Hippowdon and Skeledirge into setup fodder for two or three Dragon Dances. Blaziken's Speed Boost applies selection pressure, baiting counters that Gyarados then eats. Hippowdon handles Mega Raichu and Ceruledge, and Vanilluxe covers rain. The author's admitted weak spots are the late-game rise of Starmie and Meowscarada, plus no answer to Ditto.Build article →

The team is named for its Garchomp, Mega Gyarados and Hawlucha. Unburden Hawlucha isn't strong on its own, but with Brave Bird, Drain Punch, Taunt and Bulk Up the usual physical walls can't stop it; once it eats its berry and triggers Unburden it outspeeds even Scarfers and fast Megas, making it the team's number-one finisher. The bulky Primarina, Bellibolt and Rotom that Hawlucha can't dent go to max-Attack Mega Gyarados, which removes them with Ice Fang, Earthquake, Power Whip and Dragon Dance. Max-speed Sash Garchomp lays Stealth Rock with guaranteed action, and Dragon Tail Archaludon phazes and chips the whole team. On the final day the author found Gengar, Clefable, Sylveon and Meowscarada hard to handle, so Mega Delphox and Basculegion were swapped for physical Mega Lucario, which breaks Sylveon and Umbreon, and Misty Terrain Primarina, which denies Yawn even on the switch and beatBuild article →

This is a matchup-offense team built around Dragonite and Lopunny as twin face-up threats. Mega Lopunny runs Swords Dance, Mach Punch, Megaton Kick and Close Combat as the physical ace and usually comes out alongside Slowking. Slowking with Leftovers carries Sludge Wave, Psychic, Flamethrower and Freeze-Dry as a special tank that handles the team's problem mons Sneasler, Floette and Scizor. Sylveon has the highest usage, with Leftovers plus Hyper Voice, Magical Flame, Yawn and Protect; nearly every Dragon gets thrown at it, as do Lopunny, Charizard and Scizor teams, and its Yawn-Protect loop is genuinely annoying. Multiscale Mega Dragonite is the Mega slot that breaks the Aegislash and Venusaur that Lopunny fears, while Scarf Basculegion is the second wincon, usually saved to spam Last Respects at the end. The team struggles with Mega Charizard X, Sneasler paired with Mega Floette, and SBuild article →

The author centered the team on Mega Heracross, reasoning that the absence of Mega Aggron and Mega Ninetales in this generation gives Heracross more room than in Gen 6 or 7. HB Aguav Pelipper and Scarf Adaptability Basculegion formed a rain backbone, with rain both powering Basculegion and reducing Heracross's Fire weakness. Sash Kingambit handled Ghost and Fairy threats that trouble Heracross, changing from Black Glasses to Sash after unexpected 4x KOs and Mirror issues. HB Mega Florges countered Mega Dragonite and Dragon-types broadly, while managing physical attackers like Mega Lopunny. Lum Swords Dance Garchomp with Fire Fang quickly dispatched Scizor and Umbreon teams drawn out by Florges. Mega Pidgeot was the final addition for Corviknight and Moody Scovillain, using Substitute-Roost to stay safe, Hurricane for Garchomp in two hits, and Heat Wave for Steel-types. Florges was selected ~70-80% of games; Corviknight was the primary culprit in losses on the final day. Final: peak 2620, ended 2497, 675th.Build article →

The team is built around three dedicated dual-screen setters, with Espathra acting as the Speed Boost pivot that passes boosts into the main Mega-evolution sweepers. After one Quiver Dance boost, Espathra outruns even Mega Greninja, and its Lumina Crash sometimes closes out games without needing to pass at all. The two Mega aces are Mega Clefable (Calm Mind breaker that can overwhelm physically bulky builds after two boosts) and a Mega Espathra itself as backup. The author highlights the team's simplicity—just pick the right wall-setter and ace per matchup—while noting players still need solid damage intuition. Final standing: 2495 / 679th.Build article →

The author is a longtime sand player who built out from a sandstorm core. Tyranitar sets sand and doubles as a pivot, switching in on Alolan Ninetales, Vanilluxe and Pelipper; holding Smooth Rock it extends the sand turns to feed Life Orb Excadrill, the main gun, which OHKOs Meowscarada with Iron Head plus Stealth Rock chip. For the lead Mega, they first ran Mega Scovillain, whose Grass/Fire coverage synergizes with sand, cycling with Tyranitar to rack up burn, sand and rock chip until things fall into Excadrill's range. But it struggled against Garchomp, so the author swapped to Mega Meganium, which can pivot in safely and beats Garchomp on typing. The rest: Mega Dragonite covers Fire and Poison blind spots, Hippowdon handles Mega Blaziken and Mega Staraptor, and Aegislash beats Corviknight as the back-line core. The author admits the final day was full of Poison Jab Garchomp that brokeBuild article →

This is a genderless mono team built around Maushold, which the author says woke up hard this season now that Wide Lens is legal: Technician Population Bomb spams big damage from turn one, lands reliably, and knocks out roughly half the Megas. He lists Maushold's three weak spots plainly: it does zero to Ghosts, dies to anything faster before it moves, and is scary to actually bring. So he pairs Choice Scarf Ditto to copy whatever Mega KOs Maushold and swing back, plus Iron Defense/Agility Mega Metagross as a Choice-Scarf-proof sweeper that answers the Hydreigon+Metagross core. Physical Ice Spinner Mega Starmie OHKOs bulky Garchomp and handles Mimikyu, Wash Rotom uses Will-O-Wisp and Electroweb on Ghosts like Ceruledge and Aegislash, and Polteageist covers the team's bad matchups into Corviknight and Delphox. The author admits the team is very physical, so Corviknight got heavy and leaneBuild article →

A cycle team built around Mega Starmie as a high-power breaker, replacing an earlier Mega Lopunny core after finding that Hippowdon-heavy matchups were too difficult and Lopunny lacked immediate firepower. Mega Starmie uses Mighty Cleave to dish out enormous damage, and Aqua Jet to clean up faster threats or late-game sweeping. Corviknight handles physical attackers via U-turn and Iron Defense, while Bellibolt acts as the special-defensive pivot. Hisuian Samurott covers Gengar, Basculegion, and Aegislash. Mega Gengar is the alternate Mega for difficult matchups involving Archaludon or Scovillain. Key weaknesses: Mimikyu (narrow removal routes), Araquanid's sticky webbing disrupting speed tiers, and Ceruledge's wide coverage leaves no reliable answer. Final result: 691st / 2488.Build article →

This is a Mega Lopunny attack-cycle: keep pressuring with Lopunny's main moves, and against bulky walls like Venusaur or Skeledirge, switch to Toxic Spikes plus Dragonite and Aegislash to poison them down. When Toxic Spikes got answered by the field, the author rebuilt around several setup sweepers instead. Lopunny runs Fake Out, High Jump Kick, Thunder Punch and U-turn, with turn-one Fake Out scouting info almost risk-free. Calm Mind Primarina hard-punishes Hippowdon, the mon most often switched into Lopunny; Bulk Up plus Taunt Corviknight handles the walls Lopunny can't crack as a second setup sweeper; and Mega Delphox is the second Mega, using Will-o-Wisp and Magical Flame for pseudo-bulk and Psyshock plus Encore to beat setup, covering the steels Lopunny struggles with and being one of the few answers to Mega Meganium. Archaludon leads and checks Basculegion and Mimikyu, while a FocuBuild article →