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This article reads more as a season retrospective than a fixed team write-up. The author started building around Vanilluxe after getting wrecked by one — it threatens both Garchomp and Corviknight, hits Water types with Freeze-Dry, and gets accurate Blizzard under Snow. Later additions included Garchomp, Basculegion, Mega Lopunny, and Corviknight for sweeping. The final version swapped Vanilluxe for Archaludon and adjusted items. The author's biggest self-criticism is that once Vanilluxe started underperforming, they patched around it instead of rebuilding, leading to inconsistent team selection every game. They finished 366th at Rating 2550 and consider that a step up from SV Season 1, but are frustrated at missing the top-100s.Build article →

The author, primarily an FPS player, built this team around his three favorites — Volcarona, Mega Starmie, and Mega Floette — all sharing a high-pressure, raw-firepower style. Mega Starmie serves as a physical powerhouse that also clears entry hazards with Rapid Spin, punishing passive teams and discouraging the opponent from leading with Hippowdon. Sash Garchomp checks Blaziken and uses Swords Dance plus Scale Shot to break through opponents, while Scarf Meowscarada provides wide coverage and specifically handles Basculegion. Volcarona (with a berry) sets up Quiver Dance and threatens sweeps, running a defensive cycle with specially-defensive Leftovers Archaludon to handle Water-, Rock-, and Flying-type threats. Mega Floette fires off near-spammable Moonblast to dismantle Mawile-based teams, also luring in Steel-types as Volcarona setup bait. Main weaknesses the author acknowledges: MegBuild article →

This team is an M-2 build updated for M-3, keeping Garchomp, Dragonite, and Aegislash as the core trio while adding targeted answers to the new meta threats: fast Mimikyu from Life Orb being unbanned, increased wall builds and Ice-types from Light Clay being unbanned, and widespread Fairy-types running no Steel moves. The result is a bizarrely skewed composition with three Steel-types and three to four Dragon-types. Dragonite runs Substitute and Roost to grind down Hippowdon matchups and force draws against unbreakable teams; Archaludon with Choice Scarf disrupts lead wall-setters and lands surprise Hyper Beam damage, then holds its own against Mega Staraptor after firing; Gyarados walls Mimikyu physically and uses Roar against baton chains; Mawile targets Pixilate Clefable and provides Intimidate support against Mimikyu. The author notes Mawile's presence baited Hippowdon nearly every gBuild article →

The author, a dedicated Umbreon user, spent the entire season tormented by Mega Florges. This article documents that struggle rather than presenting a polished team build. Umbreon's standard counter (Gengar) stopped being reliable once special-attacking Florges — particularly Psyshock variants — became widespread mid-season. Empoleon using the Steel Wing + Leftovers combination became the final answer: it can safely switch into Florges without becoming a Calm Mind setup target, resists Moonblast, and doesn't fear Substitute. With Empoleon added, the author's win rate against Florges teams recovered to around 60%. Final result was 372nd place; the author doesn't plan to return for Season 2.Build article →

The team is built around a Mega Gyarados and Archaludon cycle core, with Sylveon added for Wish support to offset Stealth Rock chip damage and Dragon-type vulnerabilities. The trio struggled with low Speed, Fairy-type coverage gaps, losing to Grass-type Megas, and limited wallbreaking, so Mega Delphox was brought in to cover all those holes — it pairs offensively with Gyarados and fits cleanly into the team's type matrix. The last two slots go to Focus Sash Garchomp, which removes Electric-type weaknesses and sets Stealth Rock versus threats Archaludon cannot handle, and physically defensive Toxapex with a Shuca Berry to absorb Fighting- and Fairy-type pressure from the likes of Staraptor, Mega Lopunny, Mimikyu, and Floette. The author notes that the non-Mega slots lack raw wallbreaking power and recommends defaulting to Mega Delphox in any tough matchup.Build article →

The core is Mega Glimmora alongside Hippowdon. The author valued Adaptability Mega Glimmora for breaking value-walls and collapsing enemy cycles without needing to set up, then paired Hippowdon to switch into Garchomp and feed sand plus Stealth Rock chip for the Megas. Glimmora and Hippowdon share a Water weakness, so the build adds Leftovers Aegislash to absorb special Primarina and Scarf Hydreigon to outspeed and remove physical Mega Starmie. The back Mega is Mega Meganium, strong into hard-to-stop setup sweepers like Mega Gyarados and Mega Blastoise, applying pressure with two high-power moves. A Haban Berry Garchomp rounds it out as a second answer to Charizard's Dragon Pulse. The upside is Glimmora punching through bulk with no boosts; the downside is its poor switch-in profile and middling Speed, making it a bit demanding to pilot.Build article →

The team is built around Mega Froslass as a do-everything starter: high offensive pressure plus Aurora Veil support for the sweepers behind it. Mega Gyarados was added late to handle matchups where Froslass struggles — Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Starmie, etc. — using Intimidate and type change after Mega Evolution. Garchomp pairs Lum Berry with Swords Dance and Scale Shot to snowball speed and attack simultaneously; Volcarona started as a Will-O-Wisp setter and became a wider coverage attacker to threaten Corviknight. Mimikyu covers Fairy angles, though the author admits it's the weakest slot. Hisuian Goodra with Shell Armor, Rest, and Iron Defense stacks under Veil and regularly sweeps three opponents in a row without fearing crits. Final result was 395th place at Rating 2538 (peak 2549).Build article →

A cycle team built around Mega Charizard Y, documented through five iterations of refinement. The initial build used Delphox and Dragonite but kept struggling against Mega Lopunny. The pivotal discovery was Rock Balloon Archaludon, which single-handedly solved five requirements simultaneously: face Garchomp, beat Baton Pass teams, check Mega Gyarados, lay Stealth Rock, and handle Mega Kangaskhan. The final lineup pairs Charizard Y with Archaludon, Scarf Hisuian Samurott, Corviknight (Defog), Sylveon, and Garchomp. Charizard Y smashes through with overwhelming fire power; Samurott's signature move applies entry hazards even when switching; Corviknight clears hazards; Sylveon walls physical attackers with Wish support; Garchomp destroys Corviknight under sun with Swords Dance + Fire Fang. Weaknesses identified: Mega Lucario, Mega Clefable, and Mega Charizard X. Final result: 397th place, peak Rating 2603.Build article →