The Knight and The Dragon

Hi everyone! Drago is back with a new team I brought up to rank 802 on the in-game ladder, featuring Regidrago and Zacian. I believe Regidrago to be a strong option in the format with Flutter Mane and other fairy and steel types not being as relevant. To help with fairies, I found Zacian to be a strong partner for the Regi, being able to threaten Ice Dragon and Fairy types that it otherwise struggles against. With the format currently being Single Restricted I found Zacian to be a good option to partner with Regidrago, and gave it the edge over Zamazenta since it is able to hit Dragons for SE and wall them. Before I get too deep into this, lets take a closer look at the team as a whole.

Credit to SPCrashworks on Twitter

Zacian-Crowned @ Rusted Sword

Ability: Intrepid Sword

Tera Type: Dragon

EVs: 156 HP / 124 Atk / 60 Def / 4 SpD / 164 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Play Rough

- Behemoth Blade

- Swords Dance

- Protect

• As it stands, Zacian is not the absolute power house it once was, but Zacian is still a good option in this format. The nerf to both its base stat total and its ability was a bit much. (Intrepid Sword only boosts Zacian's attack once instead of every time on switch-in, and its base attack went from 170 to 150)

• Zacian offers strong offensive and defensive coverage for Regidrago, as it both walls and hits Ice Fairy and Dragon types, which can be an issue for Regidrago.

• Zacian is prone to intimidate, as it has to hold the Rusted Sword to be at its strongest, so to counteract that we have Swords Dance, even after an intimidate Zacian will be at +2 when it clicks swords dance.

• Zacian primarily thrives in matches where it can click Swords Dance freely. If there's no intimidate pressure Zacian has a much easier time getting damage off.

• Tera Dragon allows Zacian to sit in front of all Ogerpon forms, eats water spouts from Kyogre, and take electric attacks from Miraidon.

• Notable Calcs:

  • 252+ Atk Groudon Precipice Blades vs. 156 HP / 60 Def Zacian-Crowned: 156-186 (83.4 - 99.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Tera-Water Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 156 HP / 4 SpD Tera-Dragon Zacian-Crowned in Rain: 155-183 (82.8 - 97.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Hadron Engine Miraidon Volt Switch vs. 156 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned in Electric Terrain: 154-183 (82.3 - 97.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

  • 44 Atk Incineroar Flare Blitz vs. 156 HP / 60 Def Zacian-Crowned: 134-162 (71.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

  • +1 252 SpA Tera-Ghost Calyrex-Shadow Rider Astral Barrage vs. 156 HP / 4 SpD Zacian-Crowned: 162-192 (86.6 - 102.6%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

  • 207 Speed

  • Attack Dump

Credit to Miiriey on DeviantArt

Pelipper @ Focus Sash

Ability: Drizzle

Level: 50

Tera Type: Water

EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Timid Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Weather Ball

- Hurricane

- Tailwind

- Wide Guard

• Pelipper has been around since the beginning of this gen but has found its stride in this format as it offers a lot to support its teammates and do big damage in the rain with Weather Ball and Hurricane.

• The primary reason Pelipper is on the team is to protect its partners from spread moves like Glacial Lance, Astral Barrage, and Water Spout.

• Tailwind is to allow Regidrago and its other members to out speed the opponent. Also valuable for Tailwind Mirrors into Whimsicott and Tornadus.

• Tera Stellar is to boost damage.

• Notable Calcs:

  • 252+ SpA Pelipper Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Groudon in Rain: 246-290 (118.8 - 140%) -- guaranteed OHKO

  • 252+ SpA Pelipper Weather Ball (100 BP Water) vs. 236 HP / 124+ SpD Incineroar in Rain: 200-236 (100 - 118%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Credit to GabrianneArts on DeviantArt

Incineroar @ Safety Goggles

Ability: Intimidate

Level: 50

Tera Type: Ghost

EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 156 Def / 68 SpD / 28 Spe

Impish Nature

- Knock Off

- Taunt

- Fake Out

- Parting Shot

• Incineroar is the most used Pokemon in the format. It got anything but weaker upon entering the restricted format.

• Fake Out pressure allows Zacian to set up and Regidrago to do damage without worrying about getting hit.

• Parting Shot allows for slow pivots and nerfing down damage from the opponent.

• Taunt to prevent Trick Room and stop Spore from Amoonguss.

• Knock Off allows Incin to Parting Shot and Intimidate Pokemon with Clear Amulet.

• Tera Ghost is for Zamazenta and an option to win Fake Out wars.

• You die to specs Miraidon and Terapagos, Koraidon, Kyogre, Urshifu Rapid Strike, and Pelipper, you live everything else.
  

Credit to drawingpkmneveryday on Tumblr

Regidrago @ Dragon Fang

Ability: Dragon's Maw

Level: 50

Tera Type: Steel

EVs: 156 HP / 252 SpA / 100 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk

- Dragon Energy

- Draco Meteor

- Earth Power

- Protect

• Strong option into the format right now. With a decrease of Steel and Fairy types Regidrago is able to click Dragon Energy a lot more to allow it to sweep easier.

• Draco Meteor is a nuke button, usually clicked after Regidrago takes damage, as Dragon Energy gets weaker as you lose more hp.

• Earth Power lets you hit Steel Types for Super Effective.

• Tera Steel lets it take hits from Ice Fairy and Dragon types if Zacian is unable to switch in to protect it.

• Hits 113 speed which out speeds Calyrex Shadow Rider in Tailwind.

• Max Special Attack with Modest nature to get the most out of its damage.

• HP Dump.

Credit to Danbooru on danbooru.donmai

Ogerpon-Wellspring @ Wellspring Mask

Ability: Water Absorb

Level: 50

Tera Type: Water

EVs: 204 HP / 76 Atk / 12 Def / 28 SpD / 188 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Ivy Cudgel

- Horn Leech

- Spiky Shield

- Follow Me

• Wellspring has fallen off in the format but I believe its still a strong option for a team based around set up and positioning.

• Follow Me allows Zacian to set up Swords Dance and Regidrago to click Dragon Energy in the face of strong single target attackers.

• Work's well with Pelipper to do big damage with Tera Water Ivy Cudgel.

• Hits 169 speed which out speeds Landorous Incarnate and Chi Yu.

• Attack dump after defensive calcs.

• Notable Calcs:

  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyogre Thunder vs. +1 204 HP / 28 SpD Tera-Water Ogerpon-Wellspring: 154-182 (85 - 100.5%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

  • -1 76 Atk Tera-Water Ogerpon-Wellspring Ivy Cudgel (1.2x Mask Boost) vs. 252 HP / 156+ Def Incineroar in Rain: 192-228 (95 - 112.8%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
    

Credit to Lucas Riquenes on ArtStation

Rillaboom @ Assault Vest

Ability: Grassy Surge

Level: 50

Tera Type: Fire

EVs: 196 HP / 172 Atk / 4 Def / 60 SpD / 76 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Wood Hammer

- Grassy Glide

- Fake Out

- U-turn

• Rillaboom is the second choice when it comes to Fake Out options in the format, and Rilla does it well as it out speeds most Incineroar and all Iron Hands.

• Pairs well with Incineroar as a way to have constant Fake Out pressure and pivots with U-turn and Intimidate.

• Grassy Terrain allows Rilla to shut down Psychic and Electric terrain.

• Rilla hits 115 which out speeds bulkier Rillaboom.

• Notable Calcs:

  • 252+ SpA Beads of Ruin Chi-Yu Heat Wave vs. 196 HP / 60 SpD Assault Vest Rillaboom: 150-176 (75 - 88%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery

  • +1 156+ Def Sword of Ruin Zamazenta-Crowned Body Press vs. 196 HP / 4 Def Rillaboom: 160-190 (80 - 95%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery

  • 4 Atk Incineroar Flare Blitz vs. 196 HP / 4 Def Rillaboom: 168-198 (84 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery

  • 172+ Atk Rillaboom Wood Hammer vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Flutter Mane in Grassy Terrain: 151-178 (93.2 - 109.8%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO (not that any Flutter Mane runs this but Wood Hammer should ALWAYS OHKO Flutter Mane)

Match ups and Leads

• The worst match ups's are with Zamazenta teams, as you struggle to do any real damage without setting up Zacian and Regidrago's attacks are mostly resisted by it.

• Kyogre is dependent on your positioning, but Redigrago+Wellspring is you're best lead into it. Eating Water Spout is huge and Wellspring redirects Ice Beam from Kyogre to allow Regidrago to click Dragon Energy. Zacian and Rillaboom/Pelipper in the back depending on the other members of the team. Pelipper is also valuable as it can punish Tera Grass with Hurricane and Wide Guard helps with Kyogre's Spouts.

• Groudon and Koraidon are not too bad, Pelipper+Wellspring is really strong as a lead as Pelipper is usually slower than Groudon and Koraidon. Incineraor and Wellspring is also good into the average Sun Team. Zacian needs to be in the back since Raging Bolt can be a problem.

• Miraidon is very heavily position based as the match up is in favor of who gets better positioning. Rillaboom and Regidrago is a solid lead as Dragon Energy is fairly free along with FO pressure to help with stopping Miraidon from doing damage. As these teams tend to have Incineroar, Zacian is strong in the back to preserve the attack boost. Wellspring is decent for redirection, can also go Incineroar for double Fake Out pressure.

• Terapagos is in a similar situation as Miraidon, positional based. Regidrago and Wellspring are very solid into these teams, with Rillaboom and Zacian in the back. Wellspring is good as Flutter Mane and Chi Yu are commonly on these teams and Wellspring beats both. Zacian does big damage to Terapagos with Swords Dance but be careful of Earth Power from Terapagos as it can OHKO Zacian. Pelipper is also valuable for Wide Guard to stop Tera Starstorm and Tailwind for speed control.

• Into both Calyrex Ice Rider Incineroar is very valuable. Incineroar can stop Trick Room with Taunt and Knock Off the Clear Amulet to allow Incineroar to Parting Shot and Intimidate Calyrex Ice Rider. Zacian Wellspring is also strong as you can redirect High Horsepower from Zacian to let it do damage and set up Swords Dance. Pelipper is strong as well for Wide Guard to stop Glacial Lance.

• Into Calyrex Shadow Rider Incineroar is very helpful as it resist's Astral Barrage and is immune to its Psychic STAB attacks. Incineroar can also threaten a tera with Knock Off always OHKOing it as it's 4x weak to Dark Types. Wellspring can OHKO Calyrex with Tera Water Ivy Cudgel in the Rain with Pelipper. Pelipper once again valuable for Wide Guard and Tailwind speed control. Zacian also punishes Tera Fairy and Fighting with it's STAB attacks.

Rental & PokeBin/Paste:

https://pokebin.com/38416b806bfc3db7

I hope the read was fun and I hope you enjoy the team!