After a Nasty Plot boost, Azelf has very few things stopping its rampaging through opposing teams. With Life Orb, Azelf even can threaten to 3HKO Blissey and 2HKO Snorlax with a boosted Psychic. Flamethrower tears through Steel-types that resist its STAB attack, and also allows Azelf to OHKO a Weavile switch-in. Grass Knot helps cover Tyranitar and will OHKO after a boost. If you have access to it, Hidden Power Fighting is an excellent choice for dealing with all Dark-types as well as Heatran. Leftovers can aid in taking assaults such as Swampert's Waterfall, Infernape's Close Combat, and Dusknoir's Shadow Sneak better, although at the same time you lose some power and won't OHKO a Weavile switch-in.
Choice Specs helps to take down some of its potential counters, as they may be unable to take repeated punishment from its boosted attacks. Explosion is what makes this an even bigger threat and works very well on a team loaded with special attackers. Lure in Blissey and Explode right in her face. U-turn is also very useful, allowing Azelf to scout for its counters and get in a light hit. As an added bonus, it's super effective on Tyranitar and Weavile and can help to wear them down. Choice Scarf ensures Azelf will outrun everything—most notably Weavile—and is worth considering over Choice Specs. Rash is an acceptable nature if one elects to use it.
This is a slight variation of the previous set. Unlike the previous set, you are not restricted to a single attack. U-turn wears down switch-ins, but Grass Knot is a more powerful option for taking down Tyranitar. Other OptionsThunderbolt is generally a good move, but doesn't offer better type coverage than Azelf's other attacks. However, Thunderbolt does let you hurt Gyarados and Togekiss. Shadow Ball hits its fellow Psychics. Hidden Power Ice is relatively weak, but easily OHKOs Garchomp and Salamence provided it has at least a 10% boost. Focus Sash is a good alternative on the Life Orb set. It can ensure Azelf's survival against the likes of Weavile and helps it to survive to Explode on a foe. Given Focus Sash is unreliable if Stealth Rock is in play, this strategy would be best used if Azelf is leading your team. Taunt or Safeguard can work on the Nasty Plot set, completely ruining the opponent's attempt at statusing you, but you have to give up Grass Knot / Hidden Power Fighting and thus get walled by Tyranitar. Taunt is generally superior since it also stops things like Celebi from Baton Passing and setting up, and prevents Calm Mind Blissey from setting up on you and ruining your chances of sweeping. Safeguard, however, lasts longer than Taunt and gives team support. EVsTimid is the preferred nature for the Nasty Plot set. A minimum of 352 Speed (220 EVs if Azelf is using Hidden Power Fighting, 216 otherwise) is needed to outrun Timid Gengar. Max Special Attack, with the remaining EVs in HP. By happy coincidence, 36 HP EVs guarantees Azelf will survive a Choice Band Pursuit from Jolly Weavile, assuming it doesn't switch out, of course. You can also always sacrifice one Special Attack point and put it in HP. This will put its HP at 301, which lets it survive three Blissey Seismic Tosses as long as Stealth Rock or Sandstorm aren't in play. Obviously, don't use it with Life Orb. The Choice Specs and Life Orb sets should have the same spread as the Nasty Plot set, but with a Naive nature and the remaining EVs in Attack to boost Explosion/U-turn. Choice Scarf doesn't require much in the way of Speed. 76 EVs will hit 285 Speed to outrun Choice Scarf Medicham and almost everything else. 168 EVs hits 308, allowing Azelf to outrun Jolly Ninjask. Use a Rash nature, and max Special Attack with any remaining EVs in Attack. OpinionAzelf's excellent Speed, massive Special Attack and ability to boost with Nasty Plot make it one of the best special sweepers in the game. If that wasn't enough, it even has a very powerful Explosion to take out Blissey and Cresselia. It is very fragile though, which isn't helped by its weakness to Pursuit. Because of this, its opportunities to safely switch in can be limited, although it is immune to the ever popular Earthquake. Azelf is such a massive threat that it must always be considered when constructing a team. Ignore this harmless looking pixie at your peril. CountersBlissey and Cresselia both shrug off Azelf's hits well and can cripple it with Thunder Wave. Uxie, Mesprit, Gardevoir, and Togekiss are also capable of taking one boosted hit and paralyzing it. Snorlax can soak up hits reasonably well and has access to Body Slam, Crunch, Pursuit, and Yawn to kill or incapacitate Azelf. Houndoom resists Grass and is immune to Fire and Psychic, making him an excellent counter to most sets that do not pack Hidden Power Fighting. He threatens Azelf with Dark Pulse and Pursuit. Heatran takes its attacks incredibly well and has the added advantage of resisting Explosion. His powerful Fire attacks make short work of Azelf. Spiritomb's STAB Sucker Punch and Pursuit make it a huge threat to Azelf. Explosion immunity is helpful too. Dusknoir can 2HKO with Shadow Sneak, given around 280 Attack (46–54% against a 301 HP Azelf). Although he fears predicted Flamethrowers, Weavile is very useful against Azelf. He outspeeds Azelf and can OHKO with CB Pursuit or Night Slash. However, it should be noted that Azelf will survive Choice Band Pursuit from a Jolly Weavile if the Azelf has 16 HP EVs. |
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