OMotM/LCotM Spotlight: 350 Cup and Fervent Impersonation (2024)

What is an OMotM/LCotM?

The OMotM, or Other Metagame of the Month, is the metagame that is voted by the players to have a ladder for a specific month. The LCotM, or Leader's Choice of the Month, is a second ladder that is chosen specifically by OM forum mods. For the most part, the LCotM is a metagame that needs more love, as it may not be able to compete with the metagames that get nominated for the OMotM voting.

For June, the OM of the Month is 350 Cup, while Leader's Choice is Fervent Impersonation.

Introduction to 350 Cup

350 Cup is a metagame in which all Pokémon with a base stat total of 350 or lower have their base stats doubled. For example, Delibird, a Pokémon with a 330 base stat total, and a base stat spread of 45/55/45/65/45/75 now has a new base stat total of 660 and a new stat spread of 90/ 110/90/130/90/150. This new increase of stats allows many Pokémon that are strong in the Little Cup tier to find major success in 350 Cup, such as Hisuian Voltorb, Glimmet, and Toedscool. Since many new Pokémon now have a base stat total typically between 600-700, 350 Cup allows players to make use of Ubers Pokémon like Koraidon, Necrozma-DM, and the Arceus formes. If you are unsure of a Pokémon's new base stat total, you can use the /350 command in any chat room, which will show you the new base stat total of the Pokémon in addition to the new stat spread. All in all, the increase of viable Pokémon as well as the opportunity to make baby Pokémon viable leads to a fun and interesting metagame for all players to enjoy!

Threats in 350 Cup

• Scraggy @ Life Orb
• Ability: Moxie
• Tera Type: Poison
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Jolly Nature
• - Dragon Dance
• - Close Combat / Drain Punch
• - Knock Off
• - Poison Jab / Stone Edge

New Stat Spread: 100/150/140/70/140/96 BST: 696

Scraggy is one of the strongest Pokémon in 350 Cup, thanks to its incredible new base stat total of 696 and a new base stat spread of

100/150/140/70/140/96, multiple setup moves in Dragon Dance and Bulk Up, and access to many incredible abilities in Moxie, Shed Skin, and Intimidate. Dragon Dance allows Scraggy to outspeed many fast threats such as Glimmet, Doduo, and Smeargle. Close Combat allows Scraggy to potentially OHKO Hisuian Voltorb and Delibird; alternatively, Drain Punch, while dealing less damage, is able to offset Life Orb chip. Poison Jab hits Fairy-type Pokémon such as Clefairy and Snubbull, while Stone Edge nails Flying-types like Ho-Oh. Moxie is a more offensive ability that allows Scraggy to more effectively snowball. Tera Poison is used to resist hits from Fighting-types like Koraidon and Mienfoo and Fairy-types like Clefairy and Zacian-C while also boosting the power of Poison Jab.

• Smeargle @ Leftovers
• Ability: Technician
• Tera Type: Steel
• EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Speed
• Jolly Nature
• - Mortal Spin / Rapid Spin
• - Stone Axe / Taunt
• - Ceaseless Edge / Sticky Web
• - Memento

New Stat Spread: 110/40/70/40/90/150 BST: 500

Thanks to its new incredible Speed stat of 150 in addition to its infinite movepool, Smeargle functions as an entry hazard setter and remover. Mortal Spin allows Smeargle to remove entry hazards set up by Hippopotas and opposing Smeargle while also inflicting poison onto opposing Pokémon while Rapid Spin isn't blocked by Steel-types like Bronzor and Pawniard and only fails against Ghost-types like Giratina and Drifloon. Stone Axe sets Stealth Rock, is boosted by Technician, and cannot be prevented by Taunt, while Ceaseless Edge works similarly, setting Spikes instead. Sticky Web benefits partners like Pawniard and Craniados by slowing down foes like Mienfoo and Hisuian Voltorb. Taunt prevents the use of Defog from Giratina and Drifloon. Memento grants a free switch.

• Mienfoo @ Heavy-Duty Boots
• Ability: Regenerator
• Tera Type: Steel
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Jolly Nature
• - High Jump Kick
• - Knock Off
• - Poison Jab
• - U-turn

New Stat Spread: 90/170/100/110/100/130 BST: 700

Mienfoo is a top Pokémon in 350 Cup, thanks to its incredible ability in Regenerator and its solid coverage options. High Jump Kick deals great amounts of damage, able to OHKO Stunky and opposing Mienfoo. Knock Off, in addition to providing coverage to hit Slowpoke and Bronzor, removes valuable items that are meant to wear Mienfoo down, like Rocky Helmet on Clefairy. Poison Jab gives Mienfoo an option to hit Pokémon like Clefairy, Shroomish, and Snubbull. U-turn allows Mienfoo to switch out of bad matchups versus Tinkatink and Zacian-C. Regenerator is an incredible ability on Mienfoo as it allows it to more easily take Spikes chip and makes it less of a punishment when missing High Jump Kick.

Introduction to Fervent Impersonation

Fervent Impersonation is a new OM that allows Pokémon to transform to another Pokémon when it has less than 50% HP, similar to Zygarde's Power Construct. However, there are some restrictions, as the Pokémon that transforms must have the same moveset as the Pokémon it transforms into. For example, a Galarian Weezing with a moveset of Shadow Ball, Defog, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond could transform into a Giratina, as both of these Pokémon have access to those moves. Since Fervent Impersonation allows the transformation of any Pokémon, it is typically best to transform into Uber Pokémon. However, it is important to note that these legendary Pokémon are not able to use their signature moves as the movesets of both Pokémon must align. All in all, Fervent Impersonation allows endless possibilities of transformation!

Threats in Fervent Impersonation

• Koraidon (Blaziken) @ Leftovers
• Ability: Speed Boost
• Tera Type: Fire
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Adamant Nature
• - Swords Dance
• - Flare Blitz
• - Close Combat
• - Earthquake

Thanks to its similar movepool to Koraidon and great ability in Speed Boost, Blaziken functions as a fast sweeper. Swords Dance allows Blaziken to raise its solid Attack stat to high levels, enabling it to potentially OHKO Iron Hands. Earthquake provides Blaziken with a way to hit Eternatus, Iron Hands, and Raging Bolt. Tera Fire allows Blaziken to increase the power of Flare Blitz while also being a solid defensive Tera for Koraidon. Koraidon is a great option for Blaziken to transform into, as the boosts from Blaziken's Speed Boost make it quite difficult to revenge kill. Orichalcum Pulse helps compensate for the lack of STAB on Flare Blitz after transformation thanks to the sun it sets in addition to the Attack boost.

• CalyrexShadow (Gholdengo) @ Air Balloon
• Ability: Good as Gold
• Tera Type: Fairy
• EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Timid Nature
• IVs: 0 Atk
• - Nasty Plot
• - Shadow Ball
• - Psyshock
• - Tera Blast

Gholdengo's incredible stats and solid movepool give it the opportunity to transform into Calyrex-S and sweep entire teams. Nasty Plot raises Gholdengo's damage output to insane levels, allowing it to OHKO Galarian Weezing. Psyshock provides a way for Gholdengo to hit Blissey and Clodsire, while also becoming a STAB move after it transforms into Calyrex-S. Tera Blast Fairy destroys Dark-type Pokémon like Roaring Moon and Darkrai. Tera Fairy gives a resistance to Dark-type attacks from the aforementioned Darkrai and Roaring Moon. After Gholdengo transforms into Calyrex-S, it has a much easier time sweeping thanks to its enhanced Special Attack and Speed in addition to its new ability in As One.

• ZacianCrowned (Iron Hands) @ Lum Berry
• Ability: Quark Drive
• Tera Type: Fighting
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Jolly Nature
• - Swords Dance
• - Close Combat
• - Play Rough / Wild Charge
• - Iron Head / Wild Charge

Iron Hands succeeds in Fervent Impersonation thanks to its incredible bulk, which allows it to typically take a hit and transform into the mighty Zacian-C. Swords Dance allows Iron Hands to use its immense bulk pre-transformation to grab safe boosts. Close Combat, while not being a STAB move after transformation, is still quite strong and can 2HKO Gouging Fire and destroy Arceus-Normal transformations. While Play Rough is not a STAB move for Iron Hands, Zacian-C gains STAB on it and can hit Dragon-types like Dragonite and Dragapult. Iron Head is the same case as Play Rough, instead nailing Pokémon like Clefable and Iron Valiant, although you should note that it won't change into Behemoth Blade. Wild Charge hits Pokémon like Corviknight and Ho-Oh, but it isn't a STAB move after transformation. Tera Fighting increases the power of Close Combat as well as making it a STAB move if Iron Hands has already transformed to Zacian-C. Lum Berry rids Iron Hands of burn from the likes of Galarian Weezing and Ho-Oh.

Final Thoughts

In the end, 350 Cup and Fervent Impersonation are both exciting metagames filled with unique experiences and interesting mechanics for all Pokémon players to be fond of. Enjoy these metagames this June and check out the room on PS! to discuss them!