CustodesTerrestris Iridescentes (Gen 9 National Dex Ubers)

Salutations to all Pokémon players who might find themselves reading my very first RMT, and welcome. Before getting into the heart of the matter, allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Momo, and I am an avid Pokémon enthusiast. From a young age, I have been captivated by the world of Pokémon, and the diverse creatures that inhabit it. My very first game was Pokémon Colosseum, which I used to play back in 2004-2005 on my Nintendo Gamecube. Growing up, I played some games from the franchise, and I only knew of the existence of Pokémon Showdown in mid-2018, but it wasn't until mid-2019 that I truly started to take an interest in competitive strategies. At the dawn of my journey into the world of competitive Pokémon, I was but an absolute noob. For instance, I would lose to F.E.A.R teams using legendary Pokémon such as Dialga, Groudon... while I would have no idea what I was doing whatsoever. I would also use the most outrageous sets anyone could possibly think of.
However, despite starting as a pure novice, I knew that, with dedication, my mindset would eventually enable me to strive until I thrived.
I first started with the 1v1 and Ubers tiers in Gen 7, before truly finding my feet in USUM Anything Goes, which I relished playing back in the day. After peaking the USUM anything goes ladder at some point, I went back to USUM Ubers to peak that ladder, as well. Now without further ado, let's take a look at my current team for the National dex Ubers tier.




                                                                     

A glimpse into the team

Before even getting the chance to play this tier at all, I initially held the belief that adopting a stall playstyle in National Dex Ubers would prove to be an overwhelming challenge due to the recent nerfs to restorative moves such as Rest, Roost, and Recover. This is coupled with the fact that there is a myriad of offensive threats such as Koraidon, Primal-Groudon, Primal-Kyogre, etc. that could conceivably wreak havoc unchecked, but I shall talk about the aforementioned threats later. Subsequently, I resolved to embark on the endeavor regardless, with the intention of gauging the outcome through personal experimentation. Weirdly enough though, I must also admit that the reason as to why I decided to play this tier was because a part of me felt nostalgic as I wanted to play on a ladder that allowed me to play with or against the Primals. Unfortunately, Pokémon Showdown suddenly removed the Gen 9 National Dex AG ladder. That being said, let's get onto the teambuilding process part.

Teambuilding process

Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes initially started off with the members shown above. However, I often faced difficulties when battling against Marshadow, especially those equipped with Poltergeist and Life Orb. I also struggled against Choice Band Koraidon because my Primal Groudon was specially defensive. At some point, I considered adding Mega Sableye to the team, but I kind of find it overrated in this tier for several reasons : firstly, it cannot reliably prevent Stealth Rock from Primal Groudon as offensive variants are more common than defensive ones. Secondly, it is not an effective check against Life Orb Marshadow as it was in USUM, as the Soul Striker Pokémon may use Poltergeist, or worse, even terastallize into Ghost to boost its Ghost-type attacks. Moreover, Necrozma can continuously use Knock Off to weaken Mega Sableye and force it to use Recover, which is not ideal as it only has eight PPs.


Sometime later, I opted to replace Arceus-Ground with Arceus-Fairy, and chose to equip black glasses to Yveltal. This allowed me to gain a boost from dark-type moves such as Knock Off and Foul Play, while avoiding being locked into the first move I selected. And quite frankly, the team was pretty solid. Yveltal's set can be pretty devastating. Just to give you an idea : 252 Atk Black Glasses Dark Aura Tera Dark Yveltal Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 420-495 (118.3 - 139.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO.
252 Atk Black Glasses Dark Aura Yveltal Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 315-370 (88.7 - 104.2%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO.
252 Atk Black Glasses Dark Aura Tera Dark Yveltal Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 312-369 (78.3 - 92.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO.

I'll let you guess how much damage it can inflict on the likes of Primal Groudon who happen to set up with Swords Dance...

In spite of the ostensible resilience of this team, I wasn't fully content with the team despite the fact that it was pretty solid and was very close to peaking with said team. I felt that something was lacking. The intimidations posed by the likes of Koraidon and, more crucially, Arceus-Normal that terastallize into Ghost could be, at times, overwhelming. Mega Slowbro was rendered futile in the face of the latter except for paralyzing it with thunder wave, which would still dismantle my whole team after setting up to +6. Afterward, I considered using a Pokémon that could effectively withstand multiple physical attacks without being affected by any of their status-enhancing effects... And that's when Dondozo appeared.
A reason as to why I feel that, overall, Dondozo fits better on my team is because it checks the main physically offensive threats of the meta, and it can also check on some occasion a set that Mega-Slowbro can't : Nasty Plot Mewtwo/Mega-Mewtwo Y. Additionally, I would struggle against other stall teams that mainly have pain split Magearna. As the latter can repeatedly come in against my Yveltal. It was quite a pain. So I resorted to bringing a Pokémon that could also pressure opposing stall teams (amongst other playstyles as well) thanks to its "infamous" ability.



Then with the team above, I decided to start from scratch under a fresh new account, and eventually managed to peak with a win-loss record of 45-0 (including two ties). And I would name it Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes, which means "The Guardians Of The Iridescent Earth" in Latin. However, that doesn't mean in any way that this team is intrinsically invincible/flawless. It's just that if played really well, it is more likely to win against most teams on the ladder, more often than not.

An in-depth examination of the team

Satis Rosea (Arceus-Fairy) @ Pixie Plate  
Ability: Multitype  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe  
Bold Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Judgment  
- Stealth Rock  
- Will-O-Wisp  
- Recover

The primary member of this team operates as a defensive fulcrum, emphasizing the establishment of entry hazards and the propagation of status conditions. Thanks to its ample bulk and access to the dependable recovery option through Recover, Arceus-Fairy can effectively employ stall tactics against certain adversaries while also punishing incoming switches with its potent Judgment attack. Moreover, its utilization of the Will-O-Wisp technique can impose significant harm upon physical attackers, such as the widely prevalent Necrozma-Dusk-Mane or even a Pokémon such as Melmetal upon its entry, thereby considerably mitigating the foe's offensive potential. The pixie Pokémon plays an indispensable role within this team, adeptly handling numerous menacing threats that currently reign within the metagame, including Marshadow, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza. Additionally, it can even function as a proficient avenger, revenge-killing Ultra Necrozma that has unleashed the devastating Outrage beforehand. Another thing is that it can switch-in VS. a Koraidon that happens to use a dragon-type move, whilst being choice locked, and then adroitly choose one of the four moves it knows, depending on the prevailing circumstances.



Custos Templi (Giratina) @ Leftovers  
Ability: Pressure  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD  
Relaxed Nature  
IVs: 0 Spe  
- Defog  
- Toxic  
- Dragon Tail  
- Rest

Giratina is the 2nd member of this team. Well... It is nothing new that this colossus, which has commonly been used on stall teams for several years now, can be extremely annoying to take out due to its insane and massive bulk. The second member of this team is the primary switch-in to Primal-Groudon, thanks to its tremendous physical bulk, and the fact that it can Defog away not only Primal Groudon's Stealth Rock but also that of physically defensive Necrozma-Dusk-Mane, Ferrothorn, etc. Additionally, the use of Dragon Tail is important as it manages to phaze physically offensive threats like Primal-Groudon when it happens to use Swords Dance, or Dragon Dance Necrozma-Dusk-Mane. Besides, the use of Toxic is pretty much mandatory, as it allows it to cripple threats such as Primal-Groudon, Calm Mind Arceus-Ground, Yveltal (if you're able to predict a switch), though the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can even afford to terastallize into a fairy type and then use toxic to poison Yveltal if need be. Another thing to note as to why I said that it can be troublesome to take out is because of its ability, and this holds true especially when it is facing Pokémon that don't have powerful attacks, such as Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and then some, while eating up 2PPs every time. And this is even more annoying for the opponent as it is coupled with Eternatus, which has got the very same ability. Last but not least, it can fully recover its health using the move Rest, but it must sleep for two turns as a trade-off. However, this "exchange" can be advantageous in certain situations during prolonged battles, namely stall wars, where Giratina's inability to use up its move's PP is useful. Moreover, while sleeping, Giratina is immune to status conditions, which can also be beneficial. In case of emergency though, Chansey can use Heal Bell to wake up Giratina if it cannot afford to sleep for two turns.


Daemonium Draconis (Eternatus) @ Leftovers  
Ability: Pressure  
Tera Type: Water  
EVs: 128 HP / 252 Def / 128 Spe  
Bold Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Toxic Spikes  
- Cosmic Power  
- Sludge Bomb  
- Recover

The Poison/Dragon type Pokémon covered in iridescent purple scales that shimmer and shine in the light can also be extremely annoying to deal with. One might question the necessity of having two Pokémon with the Pressure ability. Well, the thing is, Eternatus' inherent Poison type allows it to eliminate toxic spikes on its own side, thus preserving the need to use Defog. Eternatus is tasked with pressuring the opposing team by setting up a single layer of toxic spikes on the opponent's field, which can be beneficial as Toxic has a chance of missing, and Necrozma-Dusk-Mane may switch in and out before transforming into its Ultra form. Sludge Bomb is a useful move for poisoning Pokémon like Ho-Oh or Yveltal that may attempt to defog, or for poisoning Primal Groudon upon switch-in. This can gradually wear down the opposing team, particularly against hyper-offensive teams. Cosmic Power is a move that boosts Eternatus' Defense and Special Defense by one stage each time it is used, making it incredibly durable, especially when combined with Leftovers, which restores some of its health each turn. As for Recover, it is a highly useful move for such a stall team. Moreover, It is interesting to note that Eternatus can terastallize into a Water type and thereby effortlessly wall Primal-Kyogre that don't know Thunder (also assuming ice beam doesn't freeze), also making it no longer weak to Earthquake/Precipice Blade from Primal Groudon, or say, Psystrike from Mewtwo. Eternatus is EV'd as such as it allows the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes to outspeed fast Yveltal before possibly getting taunted. Its physical defense investment is made as such, because depending on the opposing team, if the opponent sends out their Primal-Groudon on turn 1, then the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes could immediately terastallize Eternatus into Water so as to not get wrecked by a Precipice Blade by the Continent Pokémon, and then set a single layer of toxic spikes before possibly switching out. Besides, it can also serve as a backup check against the likes of Marshadow, physically offensive Yveltal (if Arceus-Fairy happens to be greatly weakened for whatever reason), and can also, in some situations, stall out Dragon Ascent from the Sky-High Pokémon thanks to Cosmic Power, which makes it quite practical.  



Sacra Avis (Ho-Oh) @ Heavy-Duty Boots  
Ability: Regenerator  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 248 HP / 208 Def / 52 SpD  
Relaxed Nature  
IVs: 0 Spe  
- Whirlwind  
- Toxic  
- Sacred Fire  
- Defog


Ho-Oh is the fourth and antepenultimate member of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes. The phoenix Pokémon is a great Defog user due to its combination of low Speed, awesome defensive stats, and access to Regenerator for passive recovery. The moveset of this Pokémon is pretty standard, with Whirlwind being especially useful for pseudo-hazing potential sweepers, or Pokémon that frequently hide behind a Substitute. Its only attacking move, Sacred Fire, is preferred over Flamethrower due to the prevalence of physically offensive threats in this tier. Moreover, it has the added bonus of potentially burning the opposing Eternatus upon switch-in, which can force it to use recover and wear it down over time. This is especially valuable for Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes, especially if the opposing Eternatus doesn't have leftovers as an item. Additionally, it can also burn Arceus that know Taunt, allowing the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes to pressure it and force it to use Recover.

Also, if the opponent's Primal Groudon is lacking a Rock-type move, using Defog with Ho-Oh can greatly alleviate the pressure on Giratina to keep Stealth Rock off the field. This is especially beneficial if the Primal Groudon knows Toxic. Additionally, Ho-Oh has the added advantage of being able to Defog against Stealth Rock Arceus-Fairy, something that Giratina cannot do, unless the Renegade Pokémon terastallizes. But one may not always want to do that.

Ho-Oh's EVs are tailored to survive a +2 Thunder from Xerneas (assuming the latter doesn't terastallize into Electric). However, one can predict a Thunder from Xerneas, and therefore terastallize Ho-Oh into Grass before crippling the deer Pokémon with Toxic, and then sending out Chansey. Though it's best to do so against say, Primal-Kyogre, or Primal-Groudon, if necessary. Another thing as to why terastallizing the phoenix Pokémon into Grass is useful is because of Swords Dance Wild charge Zacian-Crowned. Even though Dondozo has got tremendous bulk, it cannot handle every threat by itself during a batlle. Thus, doing so might be a relief for the False Dragon Titan.



Cete Titanic (Dondozo) @ Leftovers  
Ability: Unaware  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD  
Relaxed Nature  
- Curse  
- Body Press  
- Liquidation  
- Rest

The False Dragon Titan is the penultimate member of this team. It is a prominent constituent of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes, boasts an impressive physical bulk akin to that of Giratina, amounting to 115 versus 120, respectively. Its possession of Unaware ability renders it impervious to a plethora of formidable opponents such as Zacian-Crowned, Ekillers, Zygarde, and numerous others that presently run rampant on the ladder. The incorporation of Curse within its moveset permits the augmentation of both its offensive and defensive capabilities, thereby increasing the potency of Body Press, which exploits the user's physical defense to inflict damage. Notably, Liquidation proves to be an invaluable addition, particularly against Ghost-type adversaries, wherein the efficacy of Body Press would be absolutely nullified. Additionally, the inclusion of Rest allows Dondozo to absorb status effects whilst potentially being awakened by Chansey at a pivotal moment during the battle. Notably, it can withstand a boosted Psystrike from Mewtwo/Mega Mewtwo Y that may have decimated one of its fellow teammates beforehand (Generally Ho-Oh). Its terastallization into fairy allows it to defend itself more effectively against Close Combat/Collision course from a Koraidon holding Choice Band, amongst other things, and since Miraidon isn't present in this particular tier, it can proceed to use Rest with ease when it is about to die.




Magnum Ovum (Chansey) @ Eviolite  
Ability: Natural Cure  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD  
Careful Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Confide  
- Soft-Boiled  
- Seismic Toss  
- Aromatherapy

The cheerful egg-like Pokémon is the main special wall of this team. As you know, the Eviolite item boosts Chansey's already impressive Defense and Special Defense stats to tremendous heights, while Natural Cure ensures that it can quickly heal off any status conditions that it might suffer from. It outclasses Blissey here, as Mega Gengar is non-existent on the ladder, coupled with the fact that it handles Xerneas better than Blissey. The use of confide is mostly useful against the likes of calm mind Arceus variants, Xerneas, Eternatus, Primal Kyogre... The comprehensive nature of Aromatherapy's curative powers, which extend to afflictions like paralysis and freezing, etc. significantly enhances this team's resilience against unfavorable hax. Seismic toss is mostly used to deal with the aforementioned threats, as well as Taunt users such as Yveltal ( assuming it is a specially offensive variant, as it getting knocked off can be a bit detrimental).
An important thing to note is that Chansey can terastallize into Grass if need be, especially when one faces a scary Primal Kyogre that terastallizes into Water and uses Water Spout, which can be pretty devastating, truthfully.

Threat List

Upon encountering Koraidon during a battle, regardless of its moveset, the optimal first switch-in would be Ho-Oh. However, one must exercise caution as Koraidon possesses great versatility. As Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes comprises three Pokémon that resist Fire-type moves, the opposing Koraidon is most likely to either use a dragon-type move or U-turn. If it inflicts 34.6 - 41.2% to Ho-Oh with Dragon Claw or a mere 4-5% with U-Turn, it is most likely to hold three of the following items : Leftovers, Choice Scarf, or Dragonium Z. In the case of Leftovers, one should pretty much always expect Koraidon to use Swords Dance. In that case, Ho-Oh can withstand a +2 Dragon claw before using Toxic, and then the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can switch to Dondozo to (potentially) terastallize and wall it, then use Curse + an attack/Rest.

With a Choice Scarf item, one should initially switch to Ho-Oh and stay in, in order to badly poison Koraidon afterwards if Koraidon stays in, or potentially badly poison something else upon switch-in. However, one may also switch to Arceus-Fairy. So it all depends on the move used by the opposing Koraidon. Switching to the Pixie Pokémon may force Koraidon to switch out and then allow the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes to gain momentum.

If the Reptile Pokémon is holding a Dragonium Z item, it is best to keep Ho-Oh as healthy as possible, and try to use Toxic upon switch-in, though the phoenix Pokémon is certain to be defeated though, if the Reptile Pokémon utilizes its Z move. However, once Koraidon reveals its item, Dondozo can easily come in and wall it, and terastallize into Fairy, if need be.
Something that I noticed is that Dragonium Z is often used on Hyper Offense teams. On Bulky Offense/Balance, it is most likely to hold either Choice Scarf or Leftovers, but eh, the ladder is really random at times, so one had better be just careful and factor in any possibility, after all.

If Koraidon inflicts 52 - 61.4% damage to Ho-Oh with Dragon Claw or 7.4 - 8.9% with U-Turn, then the Reptile Pokémon is holding a Choice Band item. If Ho-Oh is severely weakened before Koraidon is brought out, then either Arceus-Fairy or Dondozo can be switched in depending on the matchup. Outrage may also be used, although it is somewhat less common than Dragon Claw.

Regarding the Life Orb variant, it may require a combination of Ho-Oh, Dondozo, and Arceus-Fairy. In rare instances, one can use Giratina to bait Koraidon by terastallizing into Fairy and using Toxic before either staying in and possibly poisoning another Pokémon.





Giratina is generally the first switch-in. The following plays may depend on its moveset: if Necrozma-Dusk-Mane happens to use Stealth Rock, then it is most likely a defensive variant, in which case the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes should Defog away the hazards, whether the opposing Necrozma-Dusk-Mane stays in or not. Then, one can decide to bring Eternatus to pressure the opponent's team with toxic spikes in case Necrozma-Dusk-Mane reuses Stealth Rock. Another thing to note is that the opponent is likely to switch his or her Necrozma-Dusk-Mane in front of Arceus-Fairy, in which case the latter can use Will-O-Wisp to render it less threatening.

However, if Necrozma-Dusk-Mane uses dragon dance first, then it is preferable to pseudo-haze it as soon as possible with Dragon Tail, especially if the opponent is planning to ultra burst. Then Giratina can still tank a +1 Photon Geyser before pseudo hazing it, though it can get knocked out if Ultra Necrozma uses Outrage, in which case Arceus-fairy can come in and revenge kill. In the former scenario, it's best to keep the Eternatus healthy to put a layer of spikes in order to pressure the opponent as much as possible.




Most opponents will, sooner or later during the battle,  send their Primal-Groudon and set up Stealth Rock. As for defensive variants, Giratina can simply use Defog to remove the hazards (either Stealth Rock or Spikes). To ensure that Giratina moves last against Primal Groudon, it SHOULD be made as slow as possible. If the opponent's Primal Groudon doesn't have a Rock-type attack or is unlikely to use one, then Ho-Oh is a good counter that can also use Defog to remove Stealth Rock. Ho-Oh is a better choice than Giratina since it can restore health just by switching out. If Ho-Oh is low on health due to Toxic damage, Giratina can always be switched in. However, if the opponent's Primal Groudon has a Rock-type attack, then it can threaten to knock out Ho-Oh, in which case it's best not to bring it in.

The Continent Pokémon can be quite frightening when it is used offensively, as Swords Dance is kind of common and it can land a critical hit on the likes of Giratina, or Dondozo, which can result in them being easily defeated. Long story short, Swords Dance Primal-Groudon is a menace.
That being said, the first switch-in is Giratina as I said. And from that moment onward, if Primal Groudon uses Swords Dance on the switch-in, then it's better to use Dragon Tail so as to pseudo-haze it. Giratina's bulk is such that it can survive a +2 Precipice Blade from the Continent Pokémon. Then the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes will have to find a way to set up Toxic Spikes or badly poison it with Toxic (from Tera grass Ho-Oh) as soon as possible before sacrificing a Pokémon and then bringing in Dondozo, while Primal-Groudon is poisoned/badly poisoned.

Regarding Primal Groudon's mixed sets (often encountered on trick room teams), they are countered by Giratina, Eternatus that has terastallized into a Water type, or even Ho-Oh, if they don't have a Rock-type attack. In this configuration, this variant isn't that much of a trouble for Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes.




Here, the most dangerous set is Calm mind + Water Spout (especially when it terastallizes into Water) to make it worse for Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes. However, this doesn't necessarily result in an auto-loss, as Chansey is extremely bulky and can terastallize as well in response. If the opposing does terastallize into Water, then the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes should retaliate by terastallizing Chansey into Grass, and then proceed to regain health. Another way to play around Primal-Kyogre is that one could bait it by bringing Ho-Oh before terastallizing into Grass and then use toxic before switching out to Chansey and stall out the Sea Basin Pokémon.

On the other hand, the other variants that one may encounter such as Calm mind + Scald aren't that big a deal.



Choice scarf variants are dealt with fairly easy thanks to Chansey as the latter takes 32-38 % from Water Spout. Even if it happens to land a critical hit on the first Water Spout, then one can just terastallize into Grass and then use Soft Boiled to regain health. As it switches out, one will have to find a way to put a layer of toxic spikes to cripple the opposing threat anytime it switches in. While Chansey can also handle Choice Specs Kyogre, it is worth noting that this variant is extremely rare, as most people prefer to use the primal form instead.



Well, this Pokémon is mostly used as a suicide lead, since it gets Stealth Rock. Whenever one sees a Rayquaza, it's generally best to lead with Arceus-Fairy. Then one can just set the entry hazard, before attacking the opposing threat (or try to burn it with will-o-wisp, though the former option is better). Arceus Fairy's bulk is such that it can even live two dragon ascent. It can also survive a +1 dragon ascent from Rayquaza that holds life orb. If for whatever reason, Arceus-Fairy is no longer on the battlefield, then the False Dragon Titan can simply wall it (assuming there isn't a Koraidon in the back). However, if there IS a Koraidon in the back of the opponent's team, then it's best to use Giratina and pseudo-haze Rayquaza.




The Soul Striker Pokémon can be handled effectively by Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes primarily because of the reliable counter provided by Arceus-Fairy. In case Arceus-Fairy is eliminated before Marshadow enters the field, Eternatus, as well as Giratina that terastallizes into a fairy type, can act as solid walls against it. If Marshadow lacks a Rock-type move, Ho-Oh can also function as a wall.



This Pokémon has become significantly less threatening due to its recent nerf, which nullifies its attack boost as soon as it switches out for the first time. Nonetheless, it is frequently used in conjunction with moves such as Swords Dance and Wild Charge. Generally, one could switch to Ho-Oh, and if the opposing player attempts to set up with Swords Dance, they can be countered by predicting a Wild Charge move. As a result, Ho-Oh can terastallize into Grass  and potentially inflict a burn on Zacian-Crowned, which greatly weakens it. Another Pokémon that can have a pretty easy time against Zacian is Dondozo, as it can easily spam Curse in front of it.



When one is facing Eternatus during a battle, Chansey is the ideal first switch-in, as Eternatus can potentially use Meteor Beam so as to nuke Ho-Oh. To determine the opposing Eternatus' moveset, one must observe its actions. If it uses Toxic Spikes, first, then it is likely a defensive set. Conversely, if it uses attacking moves such as Dynamax Cannon, Sludge Bomb/Wave, the player should use Seismic Toss to check whether it is holding Leftovers and deduce that it is not holding Power Herb. From there, the player can strategically use Confide and recover health, before switching to Ho-Oh, and starting to play around it.



Four out of the six members of the team are capable of handling the Steel-type Pokémon, but one must employ strategic maneuvers, given that the most frequently utilized set includes a Choice Band and has the potential to deal substantial damage, as it can transform into a Steel-type, which boosts the power of Double Iron Bash, and most importantly, can make a member of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes flinch at a crucial time, which can be annoying. It is mostly paired with trick room setters that know either Lunar Dance or Healing Wish, sometimes both, and the aforementioned moves allow Melmetal to get back to full health, cured of any status, with all of its PPs restored, for that matter. So one should be patient when he or she has to deal with it, and not fret under any circumstances.



Calyrex-Ice is handled fairly easily by Dondozo due to its Unaware ability. After that, one can proceed to use Curse and follow up with Body Press, or Liquidation (if predicting a switch-out).



When Salamence or Mega Salamence is in play, Arceus Fairy is a recommended initial switch, as it has the resilience to withstand its moves. Arceus Fairy can even endure a +1 Double Edge attack from Mega Salamence and retaliate with a single Judgment move. However, if Arceus Fairy is required for other purposes, one can opt to bring in Dondozo directly to wall Salamence's attacks. In some dire situations, one could bring Giratina and terastallize into Fairy before pseudo-hazing the opposing threat.



It is recommended to switch to Ho-Oh first, as the opposing Pokémon is more often than not, likely to be Mega Mewtwo Y. Now if Mewtwo/Mega Mewtwo Y uses Nasty Plotas Ho-Oh switches in, then the player should proceed to weaken it with Sacred Fire. Since Ho-Oh is a formidable tank, it is able to survive a +2 Psytrike from the Psychic-type Pokémon. If necessary, Ho-Oh can be sacrificed before sending in Dondozo. While Mewtwo may have previously set up with Nasty Plot, Dondozo can fairly tank psystrike as said move works on the target's physical defense. Then Dondozo can use curse + Liquidation to combat Mewtwo, or directly use Liquidation, despite Mewtwo's earlier setup.




PP stalled by Giratina/Eternatus. Arceus-Fairy also naturally pressures it. It's best not to bring Ho-Oh until the opposing mega sableye has revealed all its moves, as it can carry knock off, which can be detrimental in a stall war. One should expect a long battle against a Mega Sableye though.



When the opponents sends out Arceus-Ground for the very first time, the first Pokémon that should be switched in is Giratina. Thanks to its massive bulk, the latter can tank any attack of the former fairly well. Then, depending on Arceus-Ground's moveset, the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can either use toxic on Arceus-Ground, or try to phaze it if it knows Taunt and then manages to set up with dragon dance. An important thing to note is if it does know Taunt, then it's preferable to terastallize Ho-Oh into Grass so as to hopefully burn it with sacred fire, or badly poison it, and not get wrecked by Stone Edge, or Power Gem. After which the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can bring Dondozo or Chansey depending on the situation.



As sad as it may be from the opponent's perspective, this Pokémon is countered extremely easily by Dondozo thanks to the combination of Curse, Body Press, and unaware.
If Arceus terastallizes into Ghost, then Dondozo can just finish it off with liquidation. In some match-ups where arceus-Fairy is not necessarily needed, the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can even afford to switch Arceus Fairy in, and try to burn it.




This Pokémon is mostly played with the following set : Foul play / Taunt / Toxic / Recover, and often terastallizes into a Poison type to counter Fairy-type attacks. Therefore, the optimal strategy would be to apply pressure on the opposing team by setting up at least one layer of toxic spikes with Eternatus before Arceus-Dark gets the opportunity to terastallize into Poison. If the opponent tries to Defog away the toxic spikes, the user of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes can simply bring back Eternatus every time, and can possibly poison with Sludge bomb if Arceus-Dark happens to be faster than Eternatus. If Arceus-Dark manages to terastallize without getting poisoned, then one should try to burn through either Sacred Fire, or Will-O-Wisp by predicting a switch-in. At some point, this will cause the opponent's Pokémon to use Recover upon entering the field, and since the aforementioned move has been nerfed to 8PPs, the opposing Pokémon will not be able to sustain itself indefinitely.



This Pokémon is more often than not, used as a suicide lead. When one sees a deoxys-attack, it's generally best to lead with Ho-Oh, as the former is mostly encountered on Hyper Offense teams. Then one can naturally use Sacred Fire and potentially kill the psychic-type Pokémon in one go. In case Sacred Fire doesn't kill it and deoxys-Attack happens to use Knock off, removing Ho-Oh's heavy-duty-boots, one can still remove the rocks by bringing Giratina in later on, or even by terastallizing Ho-Oh into grass in front of threats such as Kyogre.


Another Pokémon used as a suicide lead. One can just lead with Arceus-fairy and kill it with two Judgement before removing the hazards later on with Giratina / Ho-Oh.



When facing an opposing Giratina, Chansey is often the initial switch-in to determine whether it is utilizing a physical or special offensive set. If it is the former, Arceus-Fairy can be used to counter it. In uncommon situations, Giratina can be brought in and terastallize into Fairy, before applying Toxic to badly poison it. As for special offensive variants, it can be easily blocked by the Phoenix Pokémon. If the opposing Giratina manages to status several members of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes, Chansey can still be brought in at some point to use heal its partners.



Eternatus and Giratina are often used to counter defensive variants, and it is best to start with the former as it is inherently immune to toxic and can set up another layer of toxic spikes if the opposing flying Pokémon tries to Defog any hazards. Using both Eternatus and Giratina to counter Ho-Oh's attacks or Defog attempts will quickly deplete its PPs, as each of them consumes 2PPs every single time Ho-Oh launches an attack upon them, or tries to Defog away the hazards set by Eternatus and/or Arceus-Fairy. As for the offensive variants, albeit less common, especially choice band , one may need to use a combination of Giratina and Eternatus, and even Dondozo if need be. One will be pressured, but should not fret at all, as Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes comprises insanely bulky Pokémon, coupled with the fact that 2 out of the 6 members have got Pressure, which is really helpful.


Easily countered by Chansey, due to its stupendous bulk. Xerneas is even easier to handle if it has been statused beforehand. Another thing to note is that Ho-Oh can live a +2 Thunder from Xerneas (assuming it doesn't terastallize into Electric), but the former can still terastallize as well if one feels the need to do so.


All physical variants are countered by Arceus-Fairy, while the special ones are countered with a combination of Ho-Oh + Chansey. In some rare instances, one can even terastallize Giratina into Fairy and cripple it with Toxic. In spite of not having special defense investment, the Renegade Pokémon can still tank fairly easily attacks like Oblivion Wing due to its inherent bulk, which is awesome.



Extremely easily countered by Dondozo. One can even afford to switch to Ho-Oh or Giratina first, and then try to toxic Zygarde, before sending out his or her Dondozo to wall it.


Countered effortlessly by Giratina, as the Renegade Pokémon can just badly poison the False Dragon Titan before pseudo-hazing it if the latter tries to use curse before it.


Often used in stall teams, the most annoying set that one may encounter is the one with Spikes. In such configuration, it is best to terastallize Giratina in order to not get smashed by Fleur Cannon, after which one can alternate between Giratina and  Eternatus (to set a layer of toxic spikes in exchange if there isn't a mega-sableye in the back) when the mythical Pokémon enter the field, after which Ho-Oh may be summoned and defog the hazards. So it becomes a PP war here. The phoenix Pokémon also helps its partners by forcing Magearna to switch out. It is also worth saying that one must be prepared for an extremely long battle in that regard.
In a scenario different than the abovementioned one, it is easily countered by Ho-Oh + Chansey.



Known as a suicide lead, and depending on the rest of the opponent's team, Ho-Oh should lead against Excadrill and use Sacred Fire, (twice if Sacred Fire doesn't burn, as Ho-Oh can survive any hit from the mole Pokémon). Afterward, if the opponent sends, say, a Pokémon that can destroy Ho-Oh such as Primal-Kyogre, then one can just terastallize the phoenix Pokémon and then Defog. This is to prevent the opponent from switching out every time and to avoid Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes suffering from Stealth Rock.


The pitch-black Pokémon is not really a threat to this team, especially due to the sleep clause that exists in Ubers. Therefore, one can just get one of his or her Pokémon that is not Arceus-Fairy asleep and then bring the aforementioned Pokémon to kill it with judgement



Generally used in Hyper Offense teams, It usually tries to setup Sticky Webs on the user's field. One can just bring Arceus-Fairy, or Eternatus to kill it as soon as possible. If Smeargle uses Spore on turn 1, then one can simply switch to either Arceus-Fairy or Eternatus and then finish it off.



Ho-Oh can easily counter it as long as Lucario lacks the move Stone Edge. Besides, Dondozo can also deal with it inflict non-negligible damage thanks to Boy Press. Giratina has the ability to pseudo-haze it in some situations, and in a worst-case scenario, Arceus-Fairy can survive a Meteor Mash attack before attempting to weaken it with Will-O-Wisp, although in that case, doing so is dicey.



Due to the passive nature of this team, Ditto is rendered quite ineffective against such a team.



So cute that it is indeed a threat ^-^

Replays Section

VS. lowkjer
VS. Dubya Bee (a salty kid who seems to despise long battles, yet uses stall himself as well... It baffles me)
VS. Larrycharizard1
VS. G9sv
VS. Rain go brrrrrrrr
VS. xiaoheizi114514
VS. david bowie gaming
VS. Bennybennybennyben (tie)
VS. Larrycharizard1
VS. Fiaro's
VS. nfyhsueryfgius
VS. lerorodu42
VS. defame TV
VS. PivotsMan
VS. yo mAma thicc
VS. CM10
VS. GoldGrifter
VS. puissance du feu
VS. Apoiguespm
VS. BashoShmurda
VS. CharRexS
VS. bob the builder 88
VS. serenaxsylveon
VS. YaYu 2009
VS. xuanyao
VS. Anvisaber
VS. Fiaro's
VS. the geek freak
VS. Cracker O'Doel
VS. defame TV
VS. Pokemon Bidoof Ed
VS. Merrittttt
VS. Helpnoname
VS. NPCqwp国一边惩爆音怪
VS ASCH8
VS. Miki06R

Bonus Content

Here is another peak that I managed to get with a win-loss record of 78-8, with a GXE record of 93%, as shown in the picture below. Prior to peaking, I had been utilizing a slightly different version of Custodes Terrestris Iridescentes, and, on occasion, experimenting with different teams for fun.




VS. bodden town
VS. Alice_Finnemore
VS. Alice_Finnemore
VS. Joulus
VS. NeonJolteonWasUsed
VS. newluka
VS. puissance du feu
VS. shuaibi2333
VS. PivotsMan
VS. xiaoheizi114514
VS. jack shield atlas
VS. ashfak
VS. klsdflksdfklsd
VS. SwozyLand
VS. defame TV
VS. justznic
VS. ReUsE114514hoooo
VS. defame TV
VS. klsdflksdfklsd
VS. azxyq
VS. Bobsican
VS. NeonJolteonWasUsed (Good offense, but better defense).
VS. AngelitoD
VS. DLZ Nature
VS. AGKilled
VS lowkjer
VS. newluka
VS. NeonJolteonWasUsed
VS. KingAMP102903
VS. T!tan!um
VS. hazhir
VS. Yoshikitty64
VS. AlexDC10
VS. Player 2206  

Final Words

All told, I must assert that this team cannot be deemed remotely revolutionary per se, but it just so happened to completely dominate the ladder during the time I laddered with it. I also must adress that I find rather lamentable, and cringe to observe grown-ass individuals succumbing to fits of frenzy and precipitating conflict/drama over a single game that they lost due to RNG and whatnot. Whilst I personally don't pretend to be the best / the GOAT at this game, I maintain a steadfast conviction that my mentality does not lend itself to displays of petulance or frustration in the face of unfavorable outcomes resulting from chance or unforeseen circumstances. Indeed, losing a battle, while undoubtedly disappointing, is an entirely acceptable and even expected occurrence, should I say. The key to achieving sustained success in such a context lies in diligently pursuing all viable means of optimizing one's chances of victory (regardless of the playstyle adopted). Ultimately, I contend that the primary objective of playing this very game should be to simply have fun. So until then guys, take care

Firstly, great RMT, 45-0 is VERY impressive.
I am here to give some suggestions on the potential modification of the team. I took the team, modified it, and laddered with it, peaking twice.

Magnum Ovum (Chansey) @ Eviolite  
Ability: Natural Cure  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD  
Careful Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Soft-Boiled  
- Confide  
- Seismic Toss  
- Aromatherapy  

Cete Titanic (Dondozo) @ Leftovers  
Ability: Unaware  
Shiny: Yes  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD  
Impish Nature  
- Curse  
- Body Press  
- Liquidation  
- Rest  

Sacra Avis (Ho-Oh) @ Heavy-Duty Boots  
Ability: Regenerator  
Tera Type: Grass  
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD  
Relaxed Nature  
IVs: 0 Spe  
- Brave Bird  
- Toxic  
- Sacred Fire  
- Defog  

Custos Templi (Giratina) @ Leftovers  
Ability: Pressure  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD  
Relaxed Nature  
IVs: 0 Spe  
- Defog  
- Toxic  
- Dragon Tail  
- Rest  

Daemonium Draconis (Eternatus) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Toxic
- Dragon Pulse
- Recover 

Satis Rosea (Arceus-Ground) @ Earth Plate  
Ability: Multitype  
Tera Type: Fairy  
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 12 Spe  
Bold Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Judgment  
- Stealth Rock  
- Will-O-Wisp  
- Recover  

(I would've sent a pokepaste link but the website wont allow it since my account is new, sorry abt that)

This is the version of the team that I used.
The main changes are to the Ho-oh set, Eternatus set, and Arceus forme.
For the Ho-oh set, I realised that since the team's only real way out against Eternatus is via Chansey's seismic toss (Sacred Fire has severe PP issues against Eternatus), that can leave Chansey vulnerable against other special attackers that it may need seismic toss to handle, for example, Kyogre, Xerneas etc. To respond to this weakness, I changed Whirlwind on Ho-oh to Brave Bird, doing chip damage to Eternatus and pressuring its 8 recover PPs effectively, this also gives me a better move to spam in the long run. The reason I decided to give up on Whirlwind is that whirlwind is primarily for phasing out Geomancy Xerneas, Calm Mind Arceus Formes, and potential physical attackers that may decide to set up on Ho-oh (eg. Koraidon, Groudon, Ekiller etc).  For threats like Geomancy Xerneas and Calm Mind Arceus formes, they can be dealt with via Chansey's Confide, and for Physical Boosters, they can be dealt with by Dondozo. Hence, I believe whirlwind to be the most exchangeable of Ho-oh's moves. Since Ho-oh can no longer whirlwind out Geomancy Xerneas, there is no point to invest its special defense for taking that +2 Thunder anymore, hence it was replaced by a max physdef Ho-oh. The maximum physical investment also guarantees it to survive a +2 Psystrike from Timid Mega Mewtwo Y, which is awesome as the rainbow pokemon can proceed to chunk it heavily via Sacred Fire.

For the Eternatus set, simply put, I did not enjoy a set that feels so powerless against Steel Types, and Cosmic Power, a move that feels like it should be used on a slow set-up wincon, doesn't go well with Sludge Bomb, a move with an immunity IMO. Hence, I replaced it with the standard Dragon Pulse + Toxic, and It has worked surprisingly well for me. I can tera into water type, and use Dragon Pulse to finish off weakened threats such as Ultranecrozma, Koraidon, Primal Groudon Etc. I also added a bit more speed to allow Eternatus to outspeed the base 100s, because honestly, why not.

For Arceus, I changed Arceus Fairy to Arceus Ground to again, strengthen my MU against Eternatus, and also strengthen my MU against threats such as NDM, and SD Primal Groudon. I realised that tera fairy Arceus Ground has basically the same utility of beating Outrage-locked Koraidon/Ultranecrozma via tera, and Marshadow is a non-threat the vast majority of the time due to the presence of physically defensive Eternatus. This change, however, does leave me more vulnerable to Yveltal, but I think it is still manageable with good play, and hence Id argue that this trade off is worthwhile. I kept Will o Wisp on Arceus Ground as there is no other good burn spreader otherwise, with Giratina much preferring Dragon Tail since the team removed Ho-oh Whirlwind. I also modified the EVs, to allow Arceus to always tank a +1 Light That Burns The Sky from Jolly Ultranecrozma. This of course, comes at the cost of speedtie-ing with neutral nature max speed base 90s, but I do believe this change to be overall worthwhile.

Ultimately, these are just some small modifications I would make to the team that I believe would make an improvement, and are more personal than 'objectively correct'. This team is already great, but I think with the changes I suggested, it can be further optimised.