📈 Ladder Top Builds

This whole team was borrowed wholesale from another player, so the author skips build reasoning and just shares impressions from reaching Champion rank for the first time — it became a rain team after a random scout pull turned out far stronger and faster than expected. Garchomp, Meowscarada, and Metagross get picked together about 80% of the time; against Aegislash or Gholdengo, which trouble Metagross, the author leans on that pair instead, with Garchomp also Taunting Archaludon, its own worst matchup, to set Metagross up. Mega Gengar, Sylveon, and especially Mega Floette (which both preferred leads are weak to) were rough, often needing Garchomp to chip damage before the back line could close it out. The author credits the result mostly to the borrowed team and is aiming for a top-99 finish next season.Build article →

This team starts with Mega Gengar to handle Primarina, the toughest matchup now: its STAB hits weaknesses and its ability traps foes, wrecking cycle teams one-sided. Gengar is fearsome with a good matchup but weak head-on, so bulky Corviknight backs it against Garchomp and Mimikyu, though that pair folds to setup sweepers, so Dragon Tail plus Stealth Rock Garchomp phazes boosters instead. Since the core still loses to Mega Greninja teams, Mega Lopunny joins as a second Mega to punish Swords Dance Kingambit and worn-down Mimikyu, Calm Mind Primarina mops up walls, and Choice Scarf Hisuian Samurott finishes off Delphox and Basculegion. The build has almost no unwinnable matchups, so it comes down to selection and play, with picking Gengar's Destiny Bond target correctly as the key skill.Build article →

This build grew from an early Mega Gyarados + Mega Lucario core that stalled around 2200 rating, losing mostly to Mega Lopunny + Basculegion. Having run that exact core in M-4, the author revived it for M-5, swapping Stealth Rock-weak Charizard for a Mega Delphox aimed at the dreaded Mega Scovillain + Tyranitar pair. Glimmora leads with Toxic Spikes for Lopunny's priority sweeps, Primarina stalls via Protect and Perish Song, Basculegion's power narrows opposing picks, and Archaludon covers the Trick Room weakness. It hit final Champion rank for the first time in five seasons, finishing 163rd with a top-100 goal next.Build article →

Built around a Taunt + Bulk Up Corviknight that the author felt could check almost anything, with the rest of the team built to support it. Glimmora leads to lay Toxic Spikes and cover Corviknight's Fire/Steel weakness; Mega Lopunny handles Steel walls like Archaludon and Aegislash with Swords Dance; Choice Scarf Basculegion cleans up Delphox, Metagross, Gengar and Lucario; Haban Berry Garchomp checks both Mega Charizard forms plus Volcarona and Bellibolt. Mega Chandelure was added late in the season when Sableye stall teams surged and became a losing matchup. The author credited Corviknight's Taunt for shutting down Yawn stallers and keeping morale high all season as the team's most-picked member, but admitted their play and risk management still need work, still struggling against Vanilluxe, Rotom and Mega Scizor.Build article →

This team is basically last season's (M-4) squad polished further, since the author treats this game as a proficiency grind and doubled down on the build he already knew best instead of switching. Blastoise is the core: Orthworm's Shed Tail brings it in safely, it sets up Shell Smash, then sweeps at max Speed. Aegislash runs Focus Sash as the best face-off piece, and having Shed Tail passed to it again basically works like getting a second Sash; backup Mega pick Glimmora is built at max Speed to outrun Charizard and Dragonite, while Choice Scarf Garchomp checks setup and fast attackers like Mega Delphox and Mega Greninja. New pick Vanilluxe was this season's MVP, running Taunt to shut down Baton Pass and stall teams and sweeping the final match 2-0. The author admits the team has real flaws and isn't a polished build, but says personal skill carried it to a first-ever final Champion rankBuild article →

The author felt Water/Dark had the best typing in the meta, so from Season 4 he built a cycle team around Hippowdon and Mega Gyarados's bulk, then found a full-attack (no Dragon Dance) Gyarados could pivot just as well, carrying that into Season 5. The final six: full-attack Mega Gyarados as the bulky attacker, Sylveon as the pivot, Focus Sash Garchomp covering Stealth Rock, face-offs, and closing games, Mega Delphox to break Steel-types the rest can't touch, Choice Scarf Gholdengo for speed control while easing Gyarados's cycling load, and Life Orb Mimikyu added late to win without switching — which also solved his long-time Umbreon problem. He rates Garchomp as the MVP for its flexible role across face-off, cycle, and setup selections, but admits Gholdengo hits too soft and Meowscarada stayed an unsolved problem all season.Build article →