|
-
Pickup
- Adds a chance of finding an item after each in-game battle.
-
Technician
- Increases the Base Power of moves with 60 or less by 50%.
-
Unnerve
- Prevents the foe from consuming its held Berry item.
|
Level 5 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
40
|
- |
20 |
23 |
- |
| Atk |
45
|
9 |
11 |
14 |
15 |
| Def |
35
|
9 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
| SpA |
40
|
9 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
| SpD |
40
|
9 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
| Spe |
90
|
13 |
15 |
18 |
19 |
Overview
Meowth is a Pokemon that has remained both an effective and reliable Pokemon, even in BW. It functions as an excellent offensive lead for many teams thanks to its Speed, easily stopping other leads from setting up entry hazards or rain and sun with Taunt. However, Meowth now faces stiff competition from Mienfoo, which performs a role similar to Meowth's, as well as checking Scraggy. In order for Meowth to conserve its spot as the Fake Out and Taunt user of choice, it will have to turn to its superior Speed and STAB attacks. Do not let this discourage you from using Meowth, though, as it is by no means a bad Pokemon and still retains much of its effectiveness from DPP.
This is what Meowth does best, the one set that has remained a reliable standard over time. Fake Out, with the boosts attained from Technician, STAB, and Life Orb (if it is the chosen item), provides a good hit on anything that doesn't resist it or pack major bulk. U-turn allows a quick change to one of Meowth's teammates, giving it great tactical value early in the battle. Taunt is a move that separates Meowth from other popular fast attackers, allowing Meowth to stop the setup of entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Spikes, as well as Rain Dance from Pokemon such as Bronzor, Mantyke, and Chinchou. The final move is a choice between various options. Return grants Meowth a powerful and reliable STAB attack to wield, and thanks to its excellent Speed, scores hits on many slower Pokemon before Meowth falls. On the other hand, Bite allows Meowth to take on the various Ghost-type Pokemon seen throughout the metagame, such as Misdreavus and Gastly, that resist or are immune to Meowth's other attacks.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The item choice must be considered carefully; Focus Sash allows Meowth another turn to perform a final Taunt or U-turn, whereas Life Orb adds even more sting to Meowth's moves, particularly its signature Fake Out, at the cost of health. However, Meowth is fragile and won't be taking hits well, so the health cost might be worth paying in exchange for a higher damage output. The EV spread recommended allows Meowth to maximize its Speed and increase its damage output, reaching 19 Speed and 14 Attack, and a 0 HP IV allows Meowth to hit 19 HP, meaning it only loses 1 HP per turn of Life Orb recoil.
Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon are the greatest threats to Meowth, but with U-turn and a reliable Fighting- or Water-type partner, they can be easily dealt with. It is worth noting that while Meowth's Fake Out is powerful, Meowth is still vulnerable to Pokemon that possess the ability Inner Focus, such as Pawniard.
Other Options
Meowth does not have too many options aside from those mentioned. Hypnosis provides sleep; however, it lacks accuracy, which may prove fatal given Meowth's frailty. Meowth can also use Fury Swipes to take advantage of Technician, though the damage output is often outweighed by Return's sheer power. Meowth can run Silk Scarf over Life Orb should one find the health toll a large price to pay, as it provides a boost to Fake Out and Return; however, U-turn and Bite would miss the extra power. Feint is a gimmicky option, but it gets STAB and can pierce through Protect. Hone Claws and Work Up are also quite viable; Hypnosis can receive an accuracy boost from Hone Claws as well.
Meowth can run a Nasty Plot sweeper set with some combination of Swift, Shock Wave, 60 Base Power Hidden Power, Water Pulse, Icy Wind, and Shadow Ball, along with a spread of 76 Def / 196 SpA / 36 SpD / 196 Spe Timid. This set hits a blistering 19 Speed and achieves several Technician boosts, but is easily stopped by Pokemon such as Munchlax, Bronzor, and Fighting-types. Given the abundance of Fighting-type priority, as well as Meowth's frailty, this set could be considered a gimmick at best.
Checks and Counters
Given its nature, Meowth has few true counters, but it has many enemies. Counters to Meowth are Pokemon that possess the ability Inner Focus to negate Fake Out's advantage, such as Mienfoo, and can retaliate right away. Pokemon such as Timburr that take little damage from Meowth's attacks and possess super effective priority could also be considered counters to Meowth, as they can hit it before it can U-turn to safety. Still, a smart opponent could switch, rather than U-turn, taking advantage of the telegraphed Mach Punch. Other Pokemon, such as Croagunk and Chimchar, that pack super effective priority in Vacuum Wave can efficiently deal with Meowth, but they'll still suffer from Meowth's Fake Out. As said before, Meowth has few true counters, yet priority is the one foil to it, almost always forcing it to switch or U-turn out.
