Hydreigon is a powerful wallbreaker with its STAB Draco Meteor hitting most Pokemon extremely hard. Dark Pulse functions as a secondary STAB move more spammable than Draco Meteor, while the combination of Focus Blast and Fire Blast give it great coverage especially against Steel-type Pokemon that resist Draco Meteor, though also against certain Pokemon like Porygon2 and Tyranitar. Choice Specs boosts the wallbreaking potential of all of Hydreigon's moves. Levitate is Hydreigon's only ability and allows it to switch into Ground-type moves that hit half the team super effectively. A Timid nature lets Hydreigon be as fast as possible.

Bisharp is a secondary wallbreaker, revenge killer, and occasionally sweeper. Knock Off and Iron Head are its strongest attacking moves, with Knock Off having additional utility even against Pokemon that resist it (such as removing Leftovers from walls), and Iron Head hitting Fairy-types that resist the team's Dark-type moves super effectively. Sucker Punch allows Bisharp to revenge kill frail or weakened Pokemon, clean weakened teams, and even take out offensive Pokemon at full health after a Swords Dance. Swords Dance allows it to set up so that it can break through walls easier and pose a threat to faster Pokemon with a stronger Sucker Punch. Defiant gives it the same Attack boost if it switches into Defog, if the opponent sets up Sticky Web, if an Intimidate Pokemon switches in, and the like. Darkinium-Z gives it a one-time nuke to break through Pokemon like Toxapex. An Adamant nature boosts Bisharp's attack; a Jolly nature can be used instead to outspeed Pokemon like Adamant Mamoswine, but it does not matter as much as the extra breaking power, and Sucker Punch can handle faster Pokemon already. (With Darkinium-Z: Note that Z-Sucker Punch is stronger than Z-Knock Off, though sometimes (albeit only rarely) the Sucker Punch PP is valuable enough to use Z-Knock Off instead.)

Mega Sableye is the first Pokemon of the defensive core, immune to Fighting-type moves that threaten the rest of the team. Its strong typing with only one weakness alongside good mixed defenses and reliable recovery lets Mega Sableye answer a variety of offensive Pokemon, while Magic Bounce lets it bounce hazards and status moves like Toxic and Thunder Wave that the rest of the team don't want to take. Knock Off gives Mega Sableye utility while Foul Play does more damage and discourages Pokemon from setting up with Swords Dance and the like in front of it. Will-O-Wisp lets Mega Sableye cripple physical attackers, and Recover gives Mega Sableye longevity throughout the game. Prankster as a pre-Mega Ability can sometimes come in useful in getting off a priority Will-O-Wisp. Mixed defensive investment lets it answer threats from both sides better, with a Careful nature because Will-O-Wisp can weaken physical Pokemon.

Mandibuzz is the second Pokemon of the defensive core, able to answer Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten the rest of the team thanks to its typing and strong physical bulk. Foul Play lets it hit Pokemon that try to set up on it, most notably Belly Drum Azumarill. Taunt helps Mandibuzz against passive Pokemon like Chansey and can also prevent hazards from being set again after Defog. Defog allows Mandibuzz to remove hazards from the field. Roost and Leftovers give Mandibuzz recovery so it can stay healthy throughout the battle. Overcoat makes it immune to Breloom's Spore, among other things, as well as its own Tyranitar's Sand Stream. Defense investment and an Impish nature helps it answer physical Fighting-type Pokemon best, with 16 Speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Azumarill. 96 Speed EVs can instead be used to outspeed Jolly Azumarill, at the cost of physical bulk.

Tyranitar is the third Pokemon of the defensive core, able to switch into Ice Beams and Thunderbolts that Mandibuzz is weak to thanks to its monstrous Special Defense under Sand. Stone Edge hits hard with its high base Attack even uninvested, and also allows it to take out Pokemon like Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y. Fire Blast is a coverage move to hit Steel-type Pokemon like Skarmory and Scizor. Thunder Wave gives it additional utility, crippling Pokemon that might try to set up on it. Stealth Rock allows it to set hazards to support the offensive half of the team. Leftovers provides Tyranitar with passive recovery it otherwise wouldn't have. Sand Stream is used to boost its Special Defense, alongside a Sassy nature and max Special Defense investment. A Sassy nature is used over a Calm or Careful one so that both Stone Edge and Fire Blast are not weakened.

Muk-Alola is the last Pokemon of the team, functioning as another Pokemon in the defensive core due to its strong typing answering Fairy-type Pokemon alongside recovery in Recycle, as well as another threat especially in the Fairy matchup thanks to Curse. Knock Off and Poison Jab are its STAB moves, Poison Jab hitting the Fairy-type Pokemon that resist Knock Off. Curse allows it to set up and boost its Attack and Defense, becoming a threat against teams later in the game and helping it answer physical attackers. Recycle alongside Iapapa Berry grants Muk-Alola reliable recovery, though it also makes Muk-Alola very vulnerable to Knock Off (as Recycle cannot recycle items that were removed by Knock Off). Gluttony is used so that Muk-Alola eats its Iapapa Berry earlier. Special Defense investment helps it answer Fairy-type Pokemon best, with 12 Defense EVs to survive Choice Band Victini's V-Create.