📈 Ladder Top Builds

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 team is built around Mega Delphox using Magical Flame + Wish + Protect to run a defensive cycle, paired with Archaludon (Iron Defense + Rest + Lum Berry) as the physical wall that single-handedly shuts down life orb Mimikyu teams and Mega Gyarados setup builds. Meowscarada (Focus Sash) lays Toxic Spikes and Leech Seed to set up win conditions against special Water-types; when Toxic Spikes have poor coverage, Sitrus Berry Garchomp takes over with Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Dragon Tail. Primarina (Leftovers) handles Hydreigon-centric cores and provides Perish Song as a reliable closer, while Choice Scarf Staraptor fills the last slot for speed control and Ghost-immunity pivoting — though the author concedes post-season that Mega Lopunny would likely have been the correct call. The team's core weakness is being too reactive: without enough offensive pressure, it struggled to close games Build article →

The team is built around Mega Victreebel with Toxic Spikes, pairing it with Umbreon for a cycle-based defensive core with good type synergy. Skeledirge handles dragon-types like Garchomp and covers the Encore-into-switch play to shut down setup; its Coba Berry lets it beat Gholdengo and Mimikyu. Excadrill is immune to both Dragon moves and poison, often winning games with Earthquake against teams lacking Ground-type immunities, though the author warns it is fragile and cannot be used as aggressively as Garchomp. Primarina covers Mega Victreebel's weaknesses, while Mega Delphox was added last to handle Excadrill-led pressure and the Steel/Poison types that Mega Victreebel tends to invite. The author notes that Archaludon's declining usage made Mega Victreebel easier to bring out, but overall did not reach Champion rank this season and aims to improve next time.Build article →

The team was built on impulse after the author got swept 3-on-1 by a friend's Conkeldurr, so he scrapped his old squad and rebuilt around it. Conkeldurr runs Life Orb with Sheer Force and Ice Punch/Fire Punch/Thunder Punch/Mach Punch to one-shot common threats like Primarina and Meowscarada; Mega Blastoise is paired specifically to force opponents into sending out exactly those two targets. Mega Delphox handles the heavy Hydreigon and Metagross matchups that were popular that season, while Choice Scarf Diggersby covers the Mimikyu weakness and out-tricks Mega Delphox mirrors. Archaludon sets up Stealth Rock and phazes away boosts to avoid being used as a setup target. The author openly admits the team is underdeveloped — it wins mainly by reading the opponent's team selection almost perfectly, and that prediction requirement is the core weakness.Build article →

The team is built around a Hippowdon-core Starmie squad adapted from another player's article, reworked to handle new threats like Mawile and Mega Metagross. Archaludon runs a specially defensive Sitrus Berry set, acting as a switch-in pivot for Greninja and Primarina matchups while also setting up Stealth Rock to enable Hippowdon's Yawn sweeping. Mega Lucario uses a Nasty Plot special set to punish Scarf Dark-types, Kingambit, and Slowbro cycles that Starmie struggles against. The default lead is Archaludon plus Hippowdon with a flexible third slot, ideally Starmie. The author considers Hippowdon the strongest member of the squad, generating endless advantage through Stealth Rock and Yawn; the main weakness is Lucario's win rate stubbornly hovering around 70% before dropping off, and Mamoswine barely saw play across the season.Build article →

The team started from a friend's build featuring Mega Staraptor, Gholdengo, Garchomp, Alolan Ninetales, Kingambit, and Choice Scarf Basculegion, then went through several revisions. Gholdengo was swapped for Choice Scarf Hydreigon due to being too frail, and Mega Delphox was added late to counter Mega Staraptor's counters while pairing well with Kingambit. The core gameplan is to lead with Focus Sash Glimmora to set Stealth Rock and clear the path for Mega Staraptor to sweep through type matchups; Kingambit cleans up after a Swords Dance and was selected in nearly every game; Mimikyu fills a flexible revenge-killing slot and Mega Delphox covers when Staraptor cannot be brought. The author identifies Greninja, Mega Raichu-Y, and Primarina as the hardest matchups, noting the team has no Ground-type to handle Mega Raichu-Y, and Hippowdon with Whirlwind can disrupt both Mega Staraptor and MeBuild article →

With many new Pokemon flooding the meta this season, the author kept the core simple: Archaludon sets Stealth Rock and Roars to deny setup, then Mega Blaziken and Choice Scarf Basculegion clean up — a trio that very few teams can fully handle. Mega Blaziken runs Stone Edge over Rock Slide to secure KOs on Mega Delphox and Mega Dragonite even without Stealth Rock support, and to threaten Skeledirge and Charizard in spots where switching to Basculegion is not an option; the trade-off is that Feint introduces some luck-based moments. Basculegion uses Flip Turn to cycle into favorable matchups and combos with Archaludon's Roar to deny Substitute before sweeping with Shadow Sneak. Mega Meganium with Leaf Storm handles Hippowdon and Mimikyu matchups; sash Garchomp keeps Charizard and Mawile in check; Taunt Corviknight dismantles stall cores. The main weakness is when Archaludon is forced out aBuild article →

The team is built around Mega Dragonite as the primary ace — after dabbling with Mega Metagross and Mega Mawile early on, the author was impressed by Dragonite's head-to-head performance and made it the season's centerpiece. To beat the common threats of Hydreigon+Metagross cores, screens, rain, and Delphox, the supporting cast includes Focus Sash Greninja (handles Hydreigon, Metagross, and Delphox), Life Orb Mimikyu (HP-invested enough to survive Mega Gyarados Waterfall), Never-Melt Ice Vanilluxe (counters Minimize users and Archaludon-heavy teams — credited as the MVP of this ranking), Aegislash (deals with Alolan Ninetales and Floette matchups), and Archaludon (Dragon Tail phasing against Mega Gyarados and burning screens turns). Mega Dragonite runs Dragon Pulse over Draco Meteor to avoid the Special Attack drop leaving it as setup fodder. The author's main regret is narrowly missing Build article →

The team is built around Grimmsnarl, newly available this season, serving as a non-screen cycle anchor with Parting Shot. Mega Delphox walls the vast majority of special attackers using its high SpDef and Mystical Fire, while Psychic Noise cuts off opponent recovery to prevent stall-outs, and Wish keeps Archaludon healthy so it becomes an infinite tank behind Parting Shot support. Toxapex backs up as a secondary physical wall specifically for Greninja, Blastoise, and other special-Water threats; Mega Meganium fills a second Mega slot to handle rain teams, Mawile teams, and special-Water matchups; and Choice Scarf Garchomp cleans up late while setting Stealth Rock. The team's strength is its cycle flexibility and built-in answers to gimmick teams via priority Taunt and Roar, but heavy role concentration from opponents is a genuine weak point, and Hisuian Samurott is listed as a near-unwinBuild article →

This is a grass mono team built to lead Meowscarada for Toxic Spikes, set up, then bring Scovillain in to sweep. The engine is Meowscarada laying Toxic Spikes, Whimsicott forcing setup with Memento, and Scovillain grinding opponents out with Protect + Substitute + Leech Seed + Leftovers; as the team's pillar it also throws a rare Fire move and flips type disadvantages via Anger Point-style bulk. Against Poison-types it swaps in Serperior (Glare + Leech Seed self-setup), Grass Rotom walls Staraptor's flying moves with Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, and Mega Venusaur handles Skeledirge and opposing Venusaur that Scovillain hates. The author flags Skeledirge, Staraptor, Dragapult, and Delphox as tough, plus Perish/Curse and surprise Substitute users; grass mons are frail, so a single free setup turn can end the game.Build article →

This is a poison-based stall team; the author started from last season's core and rebuilt it around the new format's threats, aiming to give minimal answers to every popular mon. Toxapex is the dual-defensive core, spreading poison to the back with Toxic Spikes and pairing beautifully with Meganium, shifted to an HB spread to wall Life Orb Mimikyu. Slowbro is the main physical wall, locking down crit-fishing opponents with Iron Defense plus Shell Armor and eating a huge range of physical attackers like Blaziken, Metagross and Mamoswine. Meganium ignores weather on its recovery thanks to Mega ability, one-shots Mawile with Weather Ball, and pairs Substitute with the Toxic Spikes to freeload against Stealth Rock Garchomp. Snorlax is the special wall and anti-draw insurance, using Smack Down plus Fissure on floating, hard-to-break mons, and the author calls it MVP. Choice Scarf Hisuian Samu

The author only knows how to play stall and, returning after three years away, just piled strong walls together. The core idea is that stall can't start without Toxapex, so it's the anchor and the team's only Toxic user, poisoning then pivoting out on Regenerator. Around it: Mega Chesnaught as a top physical wall that beats Hazard cycling better than Avalugg and blocks Mega Raichu via Bulletproof; Tyranitar as the special wall for Mega Delphox and Mega Gengar; Slowbro to take Mega Starmie and Mega Metagross, with Mega Shell Armor making late-game closing very safe. Then Milotic covers Archaludon and Gholdengo, and Mega Clefable uses Magic Bounce to beat hazard-setting Garchomp and reflect Taunt. The author says Mega Mawile, Rotom, and Bellibolt are the hardest, and that fielding Tyranitar and Chesnaught together often makes weather-turn timing tricky.Build article →

The team starts from wanting fast, high-power Electric Mega Raichu Y as the ace. Its three banes are Garchomp, bulky mons, and fast attackers, and it also struggles to move twice in front of the same Pokemon, so the author built around two axes: finite-cycle counterplay and setups that guarantee action turns. To that end: Orthworm tanks Garchomp and hands Raichu safety via Shed Tail; Mega Starmie breaks the bulky mons Raichu can't crack, using Bulk Up to plow through walls off an Orthworm handoff; Araquanid checks fast attackers, holding a Chople Berry to lay Sticky Web first so Raichu moves before threats. Whimsicott plays counter and closer with Leech Seed plus Sub/Protect, punishing every Garchomp variant, while Meowscarada patches gaps and opens a Toxic Spikes win route. The author says the team isn't fully polished, loads heavily on speed control, but is tight on both firepower and Build article →

This is a bulky stall team, and the author left notes on each member. Mega Slowbro walls special attackers first, then comes back in to grind down physical threats; sometimes he even ran Trick Room over Iron Defense. Umbreon is prized for beating the Hydreigon plus Metagross pair, and a Substitute-Taunt Hydreigon opponent is basically a free surrender. Scizor was slotted in for the annoying Kingambit and Mimikyu but rarely saw play. Glimmora is an attacker that also drops Toxic Spikes on the side, often leading against Delphox teams to chip with a Gem before pivoting out and copying it with Ditto. The author calls Ditto the team MVP, saying a stall team without it really struggles.Build article →

The core plan is to use Clefable as a setup pivot, then baton momentum into sweepers. Clefable runs Moonblast, Thunder Wave, Encore and Stealth Rock with Magic Bounce; it reliably eats a Timid Archaludon Flash Cannon and outspeeds a paralyzed max-speed Mega Delphox, serving as Mega slot 1 and the lead setter, though the author fears a missed Thunder Wave. Garchomp borrows someone else's bulky spread with Stealth Rock and Spikes, low usage but solid when picked. Volcarona boosts damage via Swarm plus Bug Buzz and actually got better as Charizard and Ceruledge declined. Mega slot 2 is Mega Gyarados, thrown at Mimikyu teams to snatch speed with one Dragon Dance. Basculegion runs Adamant plus Focus Sash and can beat the rain Pelipper-Swampert-Archaludon core. Kingambit got hard to use as Hippowdon, Blaziken, Staraptor and Hisuian Samurott rose, and the author admits it might be worth swappinBuild article →

The author is a Mawile devotee aiming for a Trick-Room-less Mega Mawile core. Mega Mawile runs Adamant with Sucker Punch, Play Rough, Knock Off and Swords Dance, sweeping via Sucker Punch pressure plus Swords Dance; the key is minimizing Sucker Punch mind-games in the first place. Its partner is Leftovers Dragon Dance Taunt Gyarados, the team MVP thrown almost every game, whose Intimidate supports the Mega and forms an Intimidate cycle with Mawile so one sets up while the other dances. Garchomp takes a solid bulky spread, outspeeds jolly Archaludon, carries Stealth Rock plus Spikes as the lead, and can strip Mimikyu's Disguise from above. Focus Sash Gengar runs Will-O-Wisp, Icy Wind, Venoshock and Sludge Wave to reliably handle lead Garchomp, burn physical attackers, and deter opponents from bringing walls. Mega Blaziken is a filler that outpaced Mawile in usage; it runs High Jump Kick oBuild article →

The author started from Mega Mawile, his favorite, built around its absurd Huge Power damage; Intimidate before Mega lets it drop an attack and even scout whether an opposing Archaludon holds White Herb to pick Swords Dance or a Sucker Punch kill. Mimikyu with Life Orb uses Disguise to guarantee Trick Room, and can attack solo too. The real ace is male Basculegion with Spell Tag: Grave Rush one-shots most neutral targets, and Substitute dodges Sucker Punch while it maneuvers. Garchomp is a flexible Ground attacker, Mega Greninja handles Meganium, Skeledirge and Delphox that Mawile hates, and Vanilluxe sets snow plus Aurora Veil for physical bulk. He notes Mimikyu with intact Disguise, Charizard Y and Umbreon are the roughest matchups.Build article →

The author loves the Hoenn region, so he built a Hoenn mono-team, locking in Blaziken, Swampert, Sableye, Milotic and Metagross first, then adding Sceptile for fun. He admits there's no firm core; it was meant as a rough draft that just kept winning. Mega Metagross handles the pivot cycle, while Blaziken uses Speed Boost to sweep or win one-on-ones. Swampert is trained as an attacker but carries Yawn and Stealth Rock to swap between offense and support, hard to read. Milotic is actually the heart of the team, wearing down physical attackers with Scald and Cute Charm and countering special ones with Mirror Coat, plus Haze against setup. Sableye uses Prankster Will-O-Wisp, Foul Play, Recover and Encore. Sceptile's Earth Power and high speed slot in well, even outrunning Choice Scarf Basculegion. He says the team hates entry Toxic Spikes and always leads Milotic versus Glimmora.Build article →