Azelf [QC 3/3] [GP 2/2]

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Azelf

[Overview]

<p>As another one of the Underused Pokemon that remain unchanged from BW, Azelf continues to shine as a dual screener and fast user of moves such as Taunt and Stealth Rock. Azelf took a major blow from the transition to BW2, as Pokemon such as Heracross became all the more lethal and new threats such as Mienshao and Scrafty were introduced. With these new threats, exploiting Azelf's frailty became even easier, making it harder for Azelf to pull off a sweep. Despite the new threats, Azelf still has many tools at its disposal, such as its base 115 Speed stat, base 125 offensive stats, and access to Nasty Plot, which allow it to hold its own in the dangerous Underused tier.</p>

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Thunderbolt / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Of all Azelf sets, this set performs best in the sweeping category. This is because Nasty Plot boosts Azelf's Special Attack, allowing it to break through a lot of threats when backed by its blistering Speed stat. Psychic is the STAB move of choice, as it breaks through anything that doesn't resist it and that doesn't have high special bulk. Fire Blast allows Azelf to get past Steel-type Pokemon such as Registeel and Empoleon, Pokemon that resist Azelf's STAB Psychic and that would otherwise phaze or set up on it. It also helps against Weavile and Bisharp, two of the Dark-type Pokemon that tend to switch in on Psychic. Thunderbolt allows Azelf to muscle past the bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier, barring Swampert, and adds decent coverage alongside Psychic and Fire Blast. Thunderbolt is also useful for preventing Azelf from being walled by Houndoom, as it is immune to Psychic and Fire Blast thanks to its typing and ability. If opting for Psyshock over Psychic so that targets such as Snorlax and Porygon2 won't interrupt Azelf's sweep, one should also use Grass Knot over Thunderbolt to ensure that bulky Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert cannot come in, tank Psyshock, and beat Azelf.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Psyshock can be used over Psychic to gain more overall damage on special walls such as Snorlax and Porygon2, but it does less damage in most other situations. In the same sense, Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if the low PP and shaky accuracy is unappealing to you. An Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb if the drop in HP is unfavorable, but its lower damage output will be noticeable, as not every move will get a boost every time it is used. Shadow Ball can be used in order to hit very specific targets such as Xatu or Cofagrigus if your team struggles with them, but really reduces Azelf's coverage options, leaving it even more vulnerable to Dark-type Pokemon such as Krookodile or Houndoom.</p>

<p>Azelf greatly wants entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Empoleon and Qwilfish, as they help Azelf get past Focus Sashes, making for easier sweeps. They also weaken opponents, which turns many of Azelf's 2HKOs into OHKOs, such as boosted Thunderbolt against Suicune. Azelf also appreciates teammates such as Mienshao and Heracross to remove the Dark-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier so Azelf can boost and use its attacks without fear of Pursuit or Sucker Punch.</p>

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-turn / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its high Speed and Special Attack stats, Azelf can forego the need to set up with Nasty Plot and attack head-on. However, unlike the Nasty Plot set, this variant is not nearly as powerful, and is more useful for picking off weakened opponents. Psychic is Azelf's best STAB attack, hitting the array of Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier, such as Roserade, Heracross, or Machamp, for heavy damage. Fire Blast gains super effective coverage on the Steel- and Ice-types found in UU, such as Bronzong or Frosslass. Shadow Ball is useful against the array of opposing Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon found throughout the tier, such as Xatu, Chandelure, or Cofagrigus. The last slot is based on preference. Stealth Rock is great for team support and damaging opponents as they switch in, U-turn is handy for scouting the opponent and providing your team with momentum, and Grass Knot is handy for punishing heavier Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Swampert, and Golurk, opening holes in the opposing team for Azelf's teammates to take advantage of.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Thunderbolt is also highly useful in the fourth slot, as it prevents Houndoom from completely walling Azelf and does considerable damage to the plethora of bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier. Psyshock is a valid option over Psychic in order to do more damage against the likes of Porygon2 and Snorlax, but tends to be weaker in most other situations. Azelf is typically better off letting a teammate such as Heracross or Scrafty remove the special walls before it begins tearing the opposing team up. Flamethrower can be used if Fire Blast's lower accuracy and PP are unappealing to you, but will be significantly weaker. Explosion can be used in the fourth moveslot to remove a troublesome Pokemon that is shutting your team down, clearing the path for another Pokemon to sweep.</p>

<p>This Azelf variant still suffers greatly against Dark-types, especially Houndoom and Weavile, and appreciates having them removed or heavily damaged by Fighting-type friends, such as Cobalion and Mienshao, before coming in. Azelf also appreciates entry hazard support from bulky Pokemon such as Empoleon, Rhyperior, Bronzong, and Roserade to increase its overall damage output.</p>

[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt / U-turn
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-turn
item: Light Clay
nature: Timid / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its blistering base 115 Speed and great supporting movepool, Azelf works as the second-best dual screener in the game, falling short of only Deoxys-S. This set helps more frail Pokemon such as Sharpedo and Porygon-Z set up and begin their sweeps, as it supplies them with a temporary defensive boost from Light Screen and Reflect. Taunt shuts down opposing Taunt users, walls, and in extreme cases, setup sweepers. This can also help keep hazards off Azelf's side of the field until setup is complete. Stealth Rock is great for general team support, damaging the opponent upon switching in, and breaking any stray Focus Sashes that might delay the sweep of a teammate.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Light Clay is used to lengthen the effects of Light Screen and Reflect from 5 turns to 8, giving your team more than enough time to set up and begin sweeping. U-turn can be used over either Taunt or Stealth Rock if the threat of being Taunted by Crobat is too high. It also allows for a sweeper to be brought in while damaging the opponent. Explosion can be used to heavily damage the opponent and gain a quick transition to an awaiting Pokemon, but is generally not recommended unless you're packing a backup screener such as Xatu or Cresselia, as it prevents Azelf from ever setting up dual screens for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Because Crobat outspeeds and shuts this set down, Pokemon such as Raikou and Zapdos make for great teammates, as they don't mind Taunt as much, and can beat Crobat one-on-one.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn / Trick
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Despite having a very usable base 125 Attack, Azelf's only viable attempt at physical offense is with a Choice Band, simply because it lacks a way to boost its Attack. This set works well as a revenge killer, simply because it isn't powerful enough to break walls like other physical attackers, such as Darmanitan or Heracross. Zen Headbutt gains STAB, which will deal decent damage to most of the tier, but being locked into this move can terminate Azelf, as UU has its fair share of Pursuit users, most of which are Dark-types. Fire Punch hits the Steel- and Ice-type Pokemon such as Cobalion and Froslass for solid damage. Ice Punch hits the handful of Grass- and Flying-type Pokemon such as Shaymin and Gligar for super effective damage, rounding out coverage with Zen Headbutt and Fire Punch. U-turn can be used for scouting purposes, generating momentum, and hitting Dark-type switch-ins that would be expecting a Zen Headbutt. However, Trick can be used over U-turn to cripple setup Pokemon and walls, as well as giving Azelf free reign to switch its moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>ThunderPunch could be used to hit bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Suicune and Milotic harder, but is generally inferior to the other two elemental punches in terms of providing coverage. Explosion is a more than viable option that can leave a hell of a dent in the opponent's team, as it basically OHKOes anything that doesn't resist it or has a massive Defense stat, leaving your team room to pull off a sweep.</p>

<p>In order for Choice Band Azelf to be of full use, Pursuit users such as Heracross or Houndoom need to be off the field so Azelf can later switch in without fear. Azelf also appreciates the removal of Dark-type Pokemon and entry hazard support from Qwilfish or Bronzong, as Azelf forces switches and doesn't want to fear using its STAB move. Fighting-types such as Heracross and Scrafty excel at removing Dark-types, and are thus great teammates for Azelf.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A Choice Specs set could be used for a powerful hit-and-run attacker, but Azelf is very frail, and the prospect of being locked into Psychic against Weavile or other Dark-types is very risky and is typically not recommended. Hidden Power Fighting and Shadow Ball are viable options on the Nasty Plot set, but take away coverage. Substitute eases the need for predictions, but is not recommended because of Azelf's paper-thin defenses and the lack of Pokemon it could set a Substitute up on. A Choice Scarf set consisting of Trick, Explosion, Zen Headbutt, and Ice Punch can be used, but it receives stiff competition from other Choice Scarf users, such as Flygon and Raikou.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Dark-types, especially Weavile and Houndoom, are immune to Azelf’s STAB attacks and pack Pursuit and other powerful Dark-type attacks to shut it down. Weavile is naturally faster and can use Pursuit or Night Slash to destroy Azelf, and Houndoom has access to Sucker Punch, provoking mind games with Azelf that require incredible prediction skills to work around. Yanmega and Sharpedo typically have Speed Boost and Protect, and are able to outspeed Azelf after a single boost and threaten it with STAB Bug Buzz and Crunch, respectively. Snorlax fears nothing but boosted Psyshocks, and has Rest, Whirlwind, Body Slam, and Crunch to shut down Azelf. Porygon2 can weather just about anything but boosted Hidden Power Fighting and can paralyze Azelf, set up Trick Room to use Azelf's Speed against it, or KO with Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, or Tri Attack. Victini commonly carries a Choice Scarf, can take anything but Shadow Ball, and can OHKO Azelf with V-Create.</p>
 

kokoloko

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QC talked, we're gonna save you some work:

1. Don't write up a weather set. That is never seen and dedicated weather teams aren't exactly great--not to mention the Pokemon that actually use weather have no problem setting it up themselves (Kingdra and sometimes Arcanine)

2. Don't skeletonize the All-Out Attacker and the Offensive Stealth Rock sets just yet, we might ask you to merge them if we determine they play too similarly.

As for everything else, continue as usual.
 

TrollFreak

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Ok, got rid of the Weather Set, and for the All-Out Attacker, I removed the notes for it jic QC wants to merge them. Thanks Koko
 

Pocket

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Thunderbolt should replace Grass Knot on the NP set - being walled by Houndoom, no matter how rare, sucks. It does more damage to Water-types not named Swampert anyways, not to mention Empoleon dgaf about Azelf without Thunderbolt. Grass Knot is really only for Swampert and Rhyperior, which don't enjoy taking Psychic anyways (although Rhyperior in particular would shrug off Psyshock).

For the same reason, Thunderbolt should go over Grass Knot on the all-out attacker set. You really want that extra 15 BP to get past Slowking - Grass Knot / Shadow Ball won't 2HKO from my experience. It's also nice against special-bulky mons like Togekiss.

I'd either remove Stealth Rock and drop it into AC or re-name the all-out attacking set to "Offensive" - since it wouldn't be an all-out attacker with SR.

Explosion deserves at least an AC mention on the CB and "All-Out" attacking set. The increased damage boost from the item makes it more viable than on the Scarf set imo.
 
Thunderbolt should replace Grass Knot on the NP set - being walled by Houndoom, no matter how rare, sucks. It does more damage to Water-types not named Swampert anyways, not to mention Empoleon dgaf about Azelf without Thunderbolt. Grass Knot is really only for Swampert and Rhyperior, which don't enjoy taking Psychic anyways (although Rhyperior in particular would shrug off Psyshock).

For the same reason, Thunderbolt should go over Grass Knot on the all-out attacker set. You really want that extra 15 BP to get past Slowking - Grass Knot / Shadow Ball won't 2HKO from my experience. It's also nice against special-bulky mons like Togekiss.

I'd either remove Stealth Rock and drop it into AC or re-name the all-out attacking set to "Offensive" - since it wouldn't be an all-out attacker with SR.

Explosion deserves at least an AC mention on the CB and "All-Out" attacking set. The increased damage boost from the item makes it more viable than on the Scarf set imo.
Finally, progressive action with Azelf.

I saw the discussion last night about Thunderbolt > Grass Knot at #genvuu. I knew this was coming, but waited for it to be confirmed here. Made the change. AC mentions have also been edited in.
 

Pocket

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I'm not part of the UU QC staff, so don't be surprised if my changes are rejected

Substitute deserves an AC mention on the "All-Out" Attacking set, imo. Azelf makes a great cleaner late-game (if the opponent is lacking Cresselia, Umbreon, Snorlax), and Substitute would definitely ease in prediction as well as protecting it from revenge-killers.
 
I'm not part of the UU QC staff, so don't be surprised if my changes are rejected

Substitute deserves an AC mention on the "All-Out" Attacking set, imo. Azelf makes a great cleaner late-game (if the opponent is lacking Cresselia, Umbreon, Snorlax), and Substitute would definitely ease in prediction as well as protecting it from revenge-killers.
I'm going to hold off on this one simply because of Azelf's lack of bulk on that set, and that the coverage suffers if something not named Shadow Ball is dropped. It basically just drops Azelfs already shallow HP for a substitute screaming to be broken, which it may not want to risk. In my own opinion, that set should be concentrating on just all-out attacking rather than risking the setup. It wasn't mentioned anywhere on the previous analysis, so yeah. Holding off on that until an UU QC member gives the green or red light for Substitute.
 

kokoloko

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You don't need to wait for confirmation here when I specifically tell you what to do in #genvuu. Anyway, set order should be:

1. "Nasty Plot" with Thunderbolt / Grass Knot in the 4th slot--and a mention how Grass Knot should be used with Psyshock.
2. "All-Out Attacker" ("Offensive" implies other sets are defensive) with Stealth Rock / U-turn / Grass Knot in the fourth slot--and an AC mention of Thunderbolt and its merits.
3. "Dual Screens" with U-turn slashed after both Taunt and Stealth Rock, as it can be used over either one. Also the natures should be Timid / Jolly, not the other way around.
4. "Choice Band" with a heavy mention of Explosion in AC.
5. "Choice Scarf"; although I still question its viability--especially those move choices. I'd like other QC members to weigh in here.

Substitute is OO material, as there just isn't much Azelf will be setting up Substitutes on. You also need to add teammates to every set and generally expand the skeleton a bit, since this is pretty lacking at the moment.
 

complete legitimacy

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On the Dual Screens set, Timid should be the only option, since it doesn't really matter either way since you have no attacking moves, but a lower Attack stat will let you take less damage from confusion. I know it's ridiculously situational, but you may as well do it since there's no other differences between Jolly and Timid otherwise.
 

destinyunknown

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I think the Choice Scarf set just deserves an OO mention since Azelf doesn't have much to distinguish itself from other Pokemon like Flygon or Mienshao as revenge killers. If Explosion wasn't nerfed the set would be viable, but Azelf is too weak and lacks the coverage to revenge what it needs to.
 
You don't need to wait for confirmation here when I specifically tell you what to do in #genvuu. Anyway, set order should be:

1. "Nasty Plot" with Thunderbolt / Grass Knot in the 4th slot--and a mention how Grass Knot should be used with Psyshock.
2. "All-Out Attacker" ("Offensive" implies other sets are defensive) with Stealth Rock / U-turn / Grass Knot in the fourth slot--and an AC mention of Thunderbolt and its merits.
3. "Dual Screens" with U-turn slashed after both Taunt and Stealth Rock, as it can be used over either one. Also the natures should be Timid / Jolly, not the other way around.
4. "Choice Band" with a heavy mention of Explosion in AC.
5. "Choice Scarf"; although I still question its viability--especially those move choices. I'd like other QC members to weigh in here.

Substitute is OO material, as there just isn't much Azelf will be setting up Substitutes on. You also need to add teammates to every set and generally expand the skeleton a bit, since this is pretty lacking at the moment.
Made those changes. With those in place, is the analysis itself still lacking in spots? Where exactly should I beef parts up?

On the Dual Screens set, Timid should be the only option, since it doesn't really matter either way since you have no attacking moves, but a lower Attack stat will let you take less damage from confusion. I know it's ridiculously situational, but you may as well do it since there's no other differences between Jolly and Timid otherwise.
It's not like with a Jolly nature Azelf is scoring KOs with U-Turn anyways. It's there to more or less get a sweeper out. Made that change.

I think the Choice Scarf set just deserves an OO mention since Azelf doesn't have much to distinguish itself from other Pokemon like Flygon or Mienshao as revenge killers. If Explosion wasn't nerfed the set would be viable, but Azelf is too weak and lacks the coverage to revenge what it needs to.
I'll wait to see what other QC members say about this. I agree, the Scarf set doesn't exactly have what it takes to contend for the position of Choice Scarf user with the likes of Mienshao, Raikou and Flygon doing it so much better. I'm willing to make it an OO mention. Let's see if QC comes to a consensus on it.
 

kokoloko

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No. Keep Jolly slashed on the Dual Screens set, the added damage is going to be useful a lot more of the time than the decreased self-inflicted damage from confusion. That seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?

Anyway, Scarf to OO, do it.
 
No. Keep Jolly slashed on the Dual Screens set, the added damage is going to be useful a lot more of the time than the decreased self-inflicted damage from confusion. That seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?

Anyway, Scarf to OO, do it.
Alright. Both changes made.
 
Psyshock can be used over Psychic to gain more overall damage on special walls such as Snorlax and Porygon2
I would just like to say that Porygon 2 is not a special wall, considering that its defenses are 90/95-not really a big difference. Its defensive set also emphasizes physical defense. "Overall" doesn't make sense/fit either.
 
I would just like to say that Porygon 2 is not a special wall, considering that its defenses are 90/95-not really a big difference. Its defensive set also emphasizes physical defense. "Overall" doesn't make sense/fit either.
Yeah, Porygon2 is one of the better special walls in the tier. I'm pretty sure about that.

This will be completely written tomorrow, as I'm finally getting a day off and some time to do this.
 
Sorry I didn't make that very clear-what I mean is that, considering the difference in base power of the two moves, the differences in defenses, and the EV spread of the defensive set, Porygon2 should not be mentioned in what Psyshock provides over Psychic. Here are the calcs.
252SpAtk Life Orb Azelf (Neutral) Psyshock vs 4HP/0Def Eviolite Porygon2 (Neutral): 38% - 46% (120 - 144 HP). Guaranteed 3HKO.
252SpAtk Life Orb Azelf (Neutral) Psychic vs 4HP/0SpDef Eviolite Porygon2 (Neutral): 41% - 49% (130 - 153 HP). Guaranteed 3HKO.
 

GatoDelFuego

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[Overview]

<p>As another one of the Underused Pokemon that remain unchanged from BW, Azelf continues to shine as a dual screener and fast user of moves such as Taunt and Stealth Rock. Azelf took a major blow from the transition to BW2, as Pokemon such as Heracross became all the more lethal and new threats such as Mienshao, Scrafty, and Shadow Tag Gothitelle were introduced. With these new threats, exploiting Azelf's frailty became even easier, making it harder for Azelf to pull off a sweep. Despite the new threats, Azelf still has many tools at its disposal, such as its Base 115 Speed stat, Base 125 offensive stats, and access to Nasty Plot, which allow it to hold its own in the dangerous Underused tier.</p>

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Thunderbolt / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Of all Azelf sets, this set performs best in the sweeping category. This is because Nasty Plot boosts Azelf's Special Attack, allowing it to break through a lot of threats when backed by its blistering Speed stat. Psychic is the STAB move of choice, breaking through anything that doesn't resist it and doesn't have a plethora of special bulk. Fire Blast allows Azelf to get past Steel-type Pokemon such as Registeel and Empoleon, Pokemon that would otherwise resist Azelf's STAB Psychic and phaze or set up on Azelf. It also helps with Weavile and Bisharp, two of the Dark-type Pokemon that tend to switch in on Psychic. Thunderbolt allows Azelf to muscle past the bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier, barring Swampert, and adds decent coverage alongside Psychic and Fire Blast. Thunderbolt is also useful for preventing Azelf from being walled by Houndoom, as it is immune to Psychic and Fire Blast thanks to its typing and ability. If opting for Psyshock over Psychic so that targets such as Snorlax or Porygon2 won't interupt Azef's sweep, Grass Knot should also be used over Thunderbolt, ensuring that bulky Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert cannot come in, tank Psyshocks, and beat Azelf.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Psyshock can be used over Psychic to gain more overall damage on special walls such as Snorlax and Porygon2, but it does weaker damage in most other situations. In the same sense, Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if the low PP and shaky accuracy is unappealing to you. An Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb if the drop in HP is unfavorable and to possibly feign a Choice set It's using nasty plot, but lower damage outputs will be noticeable, as not every move will get a boost every time it is used. Shadow Ball can be used in order to hit very specific targets such as Xatu or Cofagrigus if your team struggles with them, but really reduces Azelf's coverage options, leaving it even further vulnerable to Dark-type Pokemon such as Krookodile or Houndoom. Azelf greatly wants entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Empoleon and Qwilfish, as they help Azelf get past Focus Sashes, making for easier sweeps. They also weaken opponents, which turns many of Azelf's 2HKOs into OHKOs. Azelf also appreciates teammates such as Mienshao or Heracross to remove the Dark-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier so Azelf can boost and use its attacks without the fear of Pursuit or Sucker Punch.</p>


[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-Turn / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its high Speed and Special Attack stats, Azelf can forego the need to set up with Nasty Plot and attack head-on. However, unlike the Nasty Plot set, this variant is not nearly as powerful, and is more useful for picking off weak or weakened threats. Psychic is Azelf's best STAB attack, hitting the array of Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier for heavy damage. Fire Blast gains super effective coverage on the Steel- and Ice-types found in the UU tier, reducing an available resistance to Azelf's STAB. Shadow Ball is useful against the array of opposing Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon found throughout the tier. The last slot is based on preference. Stealth Rock is great for team support, damaging opponents as they switch in, U-Turn is handy for scouting the opponent and providing your team with momentum, and Grass Knot is handy for punishing heavier Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Swampert, or Golurk, opening holes in the opposing team for Azelf's teammates to abuse.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Thunderbolt is also highly useful in the fourth slot, as it prevents Houndoom from completely walling Azelf and does considerable damage to the plethora of bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier. Psyshock is a valid option over Psychic in order to do more damage against the likes of Porygon2 and Snorlax, but tends to be weaker in most other situations. Azelf is typically better off letting a teammate such as Heracross or Scrafty remove the special walls before it begins tearing the opposing team up. Flamethrower can be used if Fire Blast's lower accuracy and PP are unappealing to you, but will be significantly weaker. Explosion can be used in the fourth moveslot to remove a troublesome Pokemon that is shutting your team down, clearing the path for another Pokemon to sweep. This Azelf variant still suffers greatly against Dark-types, especially Houndoom and Weavile, and appreciates having them removed or heavily damaged by Fighting-type friends in Cobalion or Mienshao before coming in. Azelf also appreciates entry hazard support from bulky Pokemon such as Empoleon, Rhyperior, Bronzong, or Roserade to increase its overall damage output.</p>

[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt / U-turn
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-turn
item: Light Clay
nature: Timid / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its blistering base 115 Speed stat and great supporting movepool, Azelf works as the second-best dual screener in the game, falling short of only Deoxys-S. This set helps more frail Pokemon such as Sharpedo or Porygon-Z set up and begin their sweeps, as it supplies them with a temporary defensive boost from Light Screen and Reflect. Light Clay is used to lengthen the effects of Light Screen and Reflect from 5 turns to 8, giving your team more than enough time to set up and begin sweeping the other team. Taunt is used to shut down opposing taunters, walls, and in extreme cases, setup sweepers. This can also help keep hazards off Azelf's side of the field until setup is complete. Stealth Rock is great for general team support, damaging the opponent upon switching in, and breaking any stray Focus Sashes that may delay the sweep of a teammate.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>U-turn can be used over either Taunt or Stealth Rock if the threat of being taunted by Crobat is too risky. It also allows for a sweeper to be brought in while damaging the opponent. Explosion can be used to heavily damage the opponent and gain a quick transition to an awaiting Pokemon, but is generally not recommended unless you're packing a backup screener such as Xatu or Cresselia, as it prevents you from ever setting up dual screens for the rest of the match. Because Crobat outspeeds and shuts this set down, Pokemon such as Raikou or Zapdos make for great teammates, as they don't mind taunt as much, (RC) and can beat Crobat one-on-one.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn / Trick
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Despite having a very usable base 125 Attack stat, Azelf's only viable attempt at physical offence is with a Choice Band, simply because it lacks a way to boost its Attack stat. This set works well as a revenge killer, simply because it isn't powerful enough to break walls like other physical attackers, such as Darmanitan or Heracross. Zen Headbutt gains STAB, which will deal decent damage to most of the tier, but being locked into this move can terminate Azelf, as UU has its fair share of Pursuit users, most of which are Dark-types. Fire Punch hits the Steel-type and Ice-type Pokemon such as Bronzong or Froslass for solid damage. Ice Punch hits the handfull of Grass- and Flying-type Pokemon such as Shaymin or Gligar for super effective damage, rounding out coverage with Zen Headbutt and Fire Punch. U-turn can be used for scouting purposes, generating momentum, and or hitting Dark-type switch-ins that would be expecting a Zen Headbutt. However, Trick may be used over U-turn to cripple setup Pokemon and walls, as well as giving Azelf free reign to switch its moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>ThunderPunch could be used to hit bulky Water-type pokemon such as Suicune or Milotic harder, but is generally inferior to the other two elemental punches in terms of providing coverage. Explosion is a more than viable option that can be used to leave a hell of a dent in the opponent's team, as it basically OHKOes anything that doesn't resist it or has a massive Defense stat, leaving your team room to pull off a sweep. In order for Choice Band Azelf to be of full use, Pursuit users such as Heracross or Houndoom need to be off the field or extensively weakened so Azelf can later switch in without fear. Azelf also appreciates the removal of Dark-type Pokemon and entry hazard support from Qwilfish and/or Bronzong, as Azelf forces switches and doesn't want to fear using its STAB move. Fighting-types such as Heracross and Scrafty excel at removing Dark-types, providing themselves as great teammates for Azelf.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A Choice Specs set could be used for a powerful hit-and-run attacker, but Azelf is very frail, and the prospect of being locked into Psychic on Weavile or other Dark-types is very risky and is typically not recommended. Hidden Power Fighting and Shadow Ball are viable options for the Nasty Plot set, but begin to take away from coverage options when paired with its other moves. Substitute can be used to ease the need for predictions, but is not recommended because of Azelf's paper-thin defences and the lack of Pokemon it could set Substitute up on. A Choice Scarf set consisting of Trick / Explosion / Zen Headbutt / Ice Punch can be used, but it receives stiff competition from other Choice Scarf users, such as Flygon or Raikou.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Dark-types, especially Weavile and Houndoom, (AC) are immune to Azelf’s STAB Psychic attacks and pack Pursuit and other powerful Dark-type attacks to shut it down. Weavile is naturally faster and can use Pursuit or Night Slash to destroy Azelf, and Houndoom has access to Sucker Punch, provoking mind games with Azelf that require incredible Bloo-like prediction skills to work around. Yanmega and Sharpedo typically have Speed Boost and Protect, and are able to outspeed Azelf after a single boost and threaten it with STAB Bug Buzz or Crunch, (AC) respectively. Snorlax fears nothing but boosted Psyshocks, and has Rest, Whirlwind, Body Slam for paralysis, and Crunch to shut down Azelf. Porygon2 can weather just about anything but boosted Hidden Power Fighting and can paralyze, set up Trick Room to use Azelf’s speed against it, or KO with thunderbolt, Ice Beam, or Tri Attack. Victini can take anything but Shadow Ball, is commonly carrying a Choice Scarf, and can OHKO Azelf with V-Create.</p>
 
[Overview]

<p>As another one of the Underused Pokemon that remain unchanged from BW, Azelf continues to shine as a dual screener and fast user of moves such as Taunt and Stealth Rock. Azelf took a major blow from the transition to BW2, as Pokemon such as Heracross became all the more lethal and new threats such as Mienshao, Scrafty, and Shadow Tag Gothitelle were introduced. With these new threats, exploiting Azelf's frailty became even easier, making it harder for Azelf to pull off a sweep. Despite the new threats, Azelf still has many tools at its disposal, such as its b[/b]ase 115 Speed stat, b[/b]ase 125 offensive stats, and access to Nasty Plot, which allow it to hold its own in the dangerous Underused tier.</p>

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Thunderbolt / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Of all Azelf sets, this set performs best in the sweeping category. This is because Nasty Plot boosts Azelf's Special Attack, allowing it to break through a lot of threats when backed by its blistering Speed stat. Psychic is the STAB move of choice, breaking as it breaks through anything that doesn't resist it and that doesn't have a plethora of high special bulk. Fire Blast allows Azelf to get past Steel-type Pokemon such as Registeel and Empoleon, Pokemon that would otherwise resist Azelf's STAB Psychic and that would otherwise phaze or set up on Azelf it. It also helps with Weavile and Bisharp, two of the Dark-type Pokemon that tend to switch in on Psychic. Thunderbolt allows Azelf to muscle past the bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier, barring Swampert, and adds decent coverage alongside Psychic and Fire Blast. Thunderbolt is also useful for preventing Azelf from being walled by Houndoom, as it is immune to Psychic and Fire Blast thanks to its typing and ability. If opting for Psyshock over Psychic so that targets such as Snorlax or and Porygon2 won't interrupt Azef's Azelf's sweep, Grass Knot should also be used one should also use over Thunderbolt, ensuring to ensure that bulky Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert cannot come in, tank Psyshocks , and beat Azelf.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Psyshock can be used over Psychic to gain more overall damage on special walls such as Snorlax and Porygon2, but it does weaker damage "it is weaker" or "it does less damage" in most other situations. In the same sense, Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if the low PP and shaky accuracy is unappealing to you. An Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb if the drop in HP is unfavorable, but its lower damage outputs will be noticeable, as not every move will get a boost every time it is used. Shadow Ball can be used in order to hit very specific targets such as Xatu or Cofagrigus if your team struggles with them, but really reduces Azelf's coverage options, leaving it even further more vulnerable to Dark-type Pokemon such as Krookodile or and Houndoom. new paragraph Azelf greatly wants entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Empoleon and Qwilfish, as they help Azelf get past Focus Sashes, making for easier sweeps. They also weaken opponents, which turns many of Azelf's 2HKOs into OHKOs examples. Azelf also appreciates teammates such as Mienshao or and Heracross to remove the Dark-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier so Azelf can boost and use its attacks without fear of Pursuit or Sucker Punch.</p>


[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-Turn U-turn / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its high Speed and Special Attack stats, Azelf can forego the need to set up with Nasty Plot and attack head-on. However, unlike the Nasty Plot set, this variant is not nearly as powerful, and is more useful for picking off weakened threats. Psychic is Azelf's best STAB attack, hitting as it hits the array of Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon found in the Underused tier for heavy damage. Fire Blast gains super effective coverage on the Steel- and Ice-types found in UU, reducing an available resistance to Azelf's STAB this is sort of weird at best and misleading at worst, rephrase or remove it imo. Shadow Ball is useful against the array of opposing Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon found throughout the tier. give some examples instead of just providing information people can find from a type chart! - this applies to all the three preceding sentences The last slot is based on preference. Stealth Rock is great for team support, and damaging opponents as they switch in, U-Turn U-turn is handy for scouting the opponent and providing your team with momentum, and Grass Knot is handy for punishing heavier Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Swampert, or and Golurk, opening holes in the opposing team for Azelf's teammates to abuse take advantage of.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Thunderbolt is also highly useful in the fourth slot, as it prevents Houndoom from completely walling Azelf and does considerable damage to the plethora of bulky Water-type Pokemon found in the tier. Psyshock is a valid option over Psychic in order to do more damage against the likes of Porygon2 and Snorlax, but tends to be weaker in most other situations. Azelf is typically better off letting a teammate such as Heracross or Scrafty remove the special walls before it begins tearing the opposing team up. Flamethrower can be used if Fire Blast's lower accuracy and PP are unappealing to you, but will be significantly weaker. Explosion can be used in the fourth moveslot to remove a troublesome Pokemon that is shutting your team down, clearing the path for another Pokemon to sweep. new paragraph This Azelf variant still suffers greatly against Dark-types, especially Houndoom and Weavile, and appreciates having them removed or heavily damaged by Fighting-type friends, such as Cobalion or and Mienshao, before coming in. Azelf also appreciates entry hazard support from bulky Pokemon such as Empoleon, Rhyperior, Bronzong, or and Roserade to increase its overall damage output.</p>

[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt / U-turn
move 4: Stealth Rock / U-turn
item: Light Clay
nature: Timid / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its blistering base 115 Speed and great supporting movepool, Azelf works as the second-best dual screener in the game, falling short of only Deoxys-S. This set helps more frail Pokemon such as Sharpedo or Porygon-Z set up and begin their sweeps, as it supplies them with a temporary defensive boost from Light Screen and Reflect. Light Clay is used to lengthen the effects of Light Screen and Reflect from 5 turns to 8, giving your team more than enough time to set up and begin sweeping move to AC. Taunt is used to shuts down opposing taunters Taunt users, walls, and in extreme cases, setup sweepers. This can also help keep hazards off Azelf's side of the field until setup is complete. Stealth Rock is great for general team support, damaging the opponent upon switching in, and breaking any stray Focus Sashes that may might delay the sweep of a teammate.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>U-turn can be used over either Taunt or Stealth Rock if the threat of being Taunted by Crobat is too risky high. It also allows for a sweeper to be brought in while damaging the opponent. Explosion can be used to heavily damage the opponent and gain a quick transition to an awaiting Pokemon, but is generally not recommended unless you're packing a backup screener such as Xatu or Cresselia, as it prevents you Azelf from ever setting up dual screens for the rest of the match. new paragraph Because Crobat outspeeds and shuts this set down, Pokemon such as or and Zapdos make for great teammates, as they don't mind Taunt as much, and can beat Crobat one-on-one.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn / Trick
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Despite having a very usable base 125 Attack, Azelf's only viable attempt at physical offence offense is with a Choice Band, simply because it lacks a way to boost its Attack. This set works well as a revenge killer, simply because it isn't powerful enough to break walls like other physical attackers, such as Darmanitan or Heracross. Zen Headbutt gains STAB, which will deal decent damage to most of the tier, but being locked into this move can terminate Azelf, as UU has its fair share of Pursuit users, most of which are Dark-types. Fire Punch hits the Steel-type and Ice-type Pokemon such as Bronzong or and Froslass for solid damage. Ice Punch hits the handfull handful of Grass- and Flying-type Pokemon such as Shaymin or and Gligar for super effective damage, rounding out coverage with Zen Headbutt and Fire Punch. U-turn can be used for scouting purposes, generating momentum, and or hitting Dark-type switch-ins that would be expecting a Zen Headbutt. However, Trick may can be used over U-turn to cripple setup Pokemon and walls, as well as giving to give Azelf free reign to switch its moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>ThunderPunch could be used to hit bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Suicune or and Milotic harder, but is generally inferior to the other two elemental punches in terms of providing coverage. Explosion is a more than viable option that can be used to leave a hell of a dent in the opponent's team, as it basically OHKOes anything that doesn't resist it or has a massive Defense stat, leaving your team room to pull off a sweep. new paragraph In order for Choice Band Azelf to be of full use, Pursuit users such as Heracross or Houndoom need to be off the field so Azelf can later switch in without fear. Azelf also appreciates the removal of Dark-type Pokemon and entry hazard support from Qwilfish and/ or Bronzong, as Azelf forces switches and doesn't want to fear using its STAB move. Fighting-types such as Heracross and Scrafty excel at removing Dark-types, providing themselves as and are thus great teammates for Azelf.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A Choice Specs set could be used for a powerful hit-and-run attacker, but Azelf is very frail, and the prospect of being locked into Psychic on Weavile or other Dark-types is very risky and is typically not recommended. Hidden Power Fighting and Shadow Ball are viable options for on the Nasty Plot set, but begin to take away coverage options when paired with its other moves . Substitute can be used to eases the need for predictions , but is not recommended because of Azelf's paper-thin defences defenses and the lack of Pokemon it could set a Substitute up on. A Choice Scarf set consisting of Trick, / Explosion, / Zen Headbutt , / and Ice Punch can be used, but it receives stiff competition from other Choice Scarf users, such as Flygon or and Raikou.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Dark-types, especially Weavile and Houndoom, are immune to Azelf’s STAB attacks and pack Pursuit and other powerful Dark-type attacks to shut it down. Weavile is naturally faster and can use Pursuit or Night Slash to destroy Azelf, and Houndoom has access to Sucker Punch, provoking mind games with Azelf that require incredible prediction skills to work around. Yanmega and Sharpedo typically have Speed Boost and Protect, and are able to outspeed Azelf after a single boost and threaten it with STAB Bug Buzz or Crunch, respectively. Snorlax fears nothing but boosted Psyshocks, and has Rest, Whirlwind, Body Slam, and Crunch to shut down Azelf. Porygon2 can weather just about anything but boosted Hidden Power Fighting and can paralyze Azelf, set up Trick Room to use Azelf 's Speed against it, or KO with Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, or Tri Attack. Victini commonly carries a Choice Scarf, can take anything but Shadow Ball, is commonly carrying a Choice Scarf, and can OHKO Azelf with V-Create.</p>
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