|
-
Overgrow
- Boosts power of Grass-type moves by 50% when at 1/3 HP or less.
-
Leaf Guard
- Prevents status effects in sun.
|
Level 5 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
45
|
- |
21 |
24 |
- |
| Atk |
49
|
9 |
11 |
14 |
15 |
| Def |
65
|
11 |
13 |
16 |
17 |
| SpA |
49
|
9 |
11 |
14 |
15 |
| SpD |
65
|
11 |
13 |
16 |
17 |
| Spe |
45
|
9 |
11 |
14 |
15 |
Overview
Chikorita is an interesting Pokemon to use in Little Cup. It is poor offensively, due to having poor attacking stats and a small offensive movepool. However, Chikorita is able to perform well in a supportive position. It has decent bulk, and by virtue of its Grass typing and its stats it can be a good dual screener. With Magic Coat to reflect hazards, it makes a good lead in the Little Cup metagame, where entry hazards can be decisive.
Using its exceptional bulk, great defensive movepool, and useful defensive typing, Chikorita is a very hard wall to tear down. Using Aromatherapy, Chikorita can remove status from its whole team, proving effective on stall teams and hyper offense teams that are scared of paralysis. Its Grass typing in tandem with Aromatherapy allows Chikorita to wall and defeat common offensive and defensive threats, namely Slowpoke, Staryu, Chinchou, Diglett, Drilbur, and Hippopotas. It can also spread status in the form of Toxic, which is beneficial for teams with a plethora of Fake Out and Protect users.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Chikorita does have trouble with some Pokemon, however. Almost any Steel-type walls and sets up on Chikorita; Bronzor can set up Stealth Rock, Pawniard can set up Swords Dance, and Magnemite can set up Substitute. Ferroseed is especially tricky for Chikorita, as its Grass typing means Giga Drain will do abysmal damage. For this reason, using Hidden Power Fire instead of Toxic is an option if your team has trouble with Steel-types. As an alternative, you can pair Chikorita up with Magnemite or a Fire-type, such as Houndour to help with the aforementioned threats.
Chikorita's impressive movepool grants it Bullet Seed, Leech Seed, GrassWhistle, and Counter, which might be usable with special team support. Using a teammate with Sunny Day is helpful to aid Synthesis's healing capabilities as well as eliminate harmful weather conditions. Munchlax is a good teammate, as with Thick Fat, it takes only half damage from Ice- and Fire-type attacks, and it can check Gastly and Ferroseed quite well using Pursuit and Fire Punch, respectively. Ponyta can check Snover and Steel-types, and it can set up sun for both itself and Chikorita to enjoy.
The goal of this set is to set up both Reflect and Light Screen. Leaf Storm is a good STAB attack that can hit Pokemon such as Chinchou hard, and the drop in Special Attack doesn't matter much since Chikorita won't need to attack very often. Magic Coat allows this set to function effectively as a lead. Chikorita can reflect status and entry hazards, which allows it to play a key role in the team. If not in the lead position, it is useful for reflecting the occasional Taunt that would prevent the setup of screens. Both Synthesis and Giga Drain can be run on the set so Chikorita can regain HP, allowing it to set-up screens multiple times throughout the course of the battle.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The specified EVs and nature give Chikorita maximum bulk. Its relatively high defenses allow it to fulfill its role as a dual screener. A Bold nature can be used to boost Defense, whereas a Calm nature can be used to boost Special Defense. Dual screens, Magic Coat, and decent bulk allow Chikorita to deal with threats such as Cottonee that are not carrying Hidden Power Fire or Ice. Magic Coat tends to be less useful outside of leading or checking Cottonee, so if not used as a lead, Synthesis is the preferred option.
Anything that appreciates dual screens appreciates Chikorita support, though Chikorita is best used when you want to keep Stealth Rock off the field or when its teammates have better synergy with it than other Pokemon carrying screens, such as Bronzor. Water-type sweepers such as Mantyke, Chinchou, and Shellder appreciate Chikorita's ability to take Grass-, Electric-, and Ground-type hits. Aside from Water-type sweepers, Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Scraggy are good partners, as under screens, they will find themselves able to set up multiple times, making them extremely dangerous. Steel- and Dragon-type set-up sweepers such as Dratini also benefit from having Chikorita on their team, as Dragon-types can switch in on Fire-type attacks directed at Chikorita, while Steel-types can switch into Ice-type attacks. Pokemon that can offer Wish support, such as Lickitung, allow Chikorita without Synthesis to set up screens multiple times, thanks to the added survivability.
Other Options
Hidden Power Fire enables Chikorita to take care of Ferroseed. Worry Seed can be crippling to Pokemon that rely heavily on their ability, such as Cottonee and Scraggy. Chikorita also has a usable physical STAB in the form of Seed Bomb, but Giga Drain with its healing ability and Leaf Storm with its additional power are generally preferred options.
Checks and Counters
Lead Anorith is faster than Chikorita, has a powerful super effective attack in the form of X-Scissor, and can Brick Break screens, making it a major threat to Chikorita. U-turn leads such as Meowth and Aipom can be problematic. Both Fake Out and U-turn can deal a lot of damage to Chikorita, and this really wears it down. Lead Houndour is a good counter to Chikorita as it is faster and easily OHKOes with Overheat. Cottonee's Taunt can be an issue as it requires prediction with Magic Coat to stop it, but Chikorita without Hidden Power Fire is walled anyway.
Unreleased
Chikorita receives Leaf Guard from the Dream World. However, as the only starters released with their Dream World abilities have been level 10 and male, it will likely not be usable in Little Cup even if it is released.
