Gothitelle (OU Analysis)

Yeah. If you can trap a spinblocker and kill it with Specs Psychic/Tbolt, why would you want to trick an item that lets you spin and then switch out? Can we please not try and cram every possible ridiculous gimmick set into this analysis?
 

jc104

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To clarify, please don't even mention that in OO.

Also, please mention trickscarf + CM somewhere in OO, and also its ability to trick its scarf back in order to gain speed for a sweep (something I had not previously considered).

And btw I'm still insisting on signal beam. I don't think I'll be outvoted in the end on this one. I got PKGaming and Tobes to give in, and yes I know tobes is not on qc but still.
 

AccidentalGreed

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I tested Signal Beam out for a few battles, and it was decent against the occasional Celebi as well as Choice-locked Latios anyways, so that's added in. QC, if you insist on removing it, please listen to jc104's reasoning.

If there's any more changes you'd like to see, speak up now. Otherwise, this is completely ready for QC.

Also that Scarf + Calm Mind + Trick Set sounds so awesome
 

Pocket

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~ Specs Gothitelle wants bulk. It can do amazing thing with some bulk, such as surviving a CB X-scissor from Terrakion. I don't really find its Speed to be particularly useful other than perhaps being faster than Tentacruel and support Jirachi. 44-48 Spe to outrun Skarmory and dumping the rest in HP is better imo.

~ I personally find HP Fire to be more useful than HP Ice. HP Ice's only target is Gliscor, which Psychic already does a good job at crippling. HP Fire allows Gothitelle to remove annoying Steel-types like Ferrothorn, removing the need for Magnezone.

~ On the Scarf set, it's worth noting that Psyshock is more useful for revenge-killing not only Terrakion in sand, but CM Virizion and CM Keldeo. Probably deserves primary slash for these reasons, unless Psyshock misses a KO on something more significant..

~ Calm Mind set - needs a mention of TBolt imo. It provides powerful neutral coverage so that at +6 it's gonna hurt. TB lets Gothitelle to hit Jirachi, Skarmory, Heatran hard with one move.

~ The support set I've mentioned earlier (Charm - Flash - T-Wave - Light Screen / Taunt) is far superior to the Dual Screens set, so if you're going to mention the latter, definitely mention the support set. For one, Charm not only halves Attack like Reflect but can even drop it further to -6, rendering physical mons useless. Flash is an underrated move since usually the opponent can switch out to negate the accuracy loss - but not with Gothitelle :o. T-Wave, Flash, Charm completely neuters the opponent, and throw in a Light Screen to absorb special hits and your sweeper is guaranteed to set up unhindered.

The beauty of this set is that Gothitelle can pull this more than once, since the opponent is usually helpless while Gothitelle drops their accuracy and attack to shit, allowing Gothitelle plenty of turns to heal up with Leftovers (except in sand / hail). THis is a fantastic support for set-up sweepers like Cloyster, who rather than having specific threats removed, it simply wants a free opening to smash its shell and goes to town. This Gothitelle is clutch mid- to late-game.

Don't hate until you've actually played it.
 

PK Gaming

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  • Specs Gothitelle should not run bulk over speed under any circumstances. Max speed let's you outspeed prominent walls (Gliscor, Skarmory, slow Dragonite and Tentacruel) as well as get the jump on Adamant Breloom, all Scizor and non-scarf Politoed. The extra bulk gained is inconsequential; Gothitelle is a wall trapper first, it has no business trying to mess with Terrakion or other strong Pokemon. An AC mention is fine.
  • Gliscor is kind of an important target. It's a defensive backbone tor most teams (stall & offense) and being able to one shot it is more preferable to 2HKOing with Psychic. HP ice is also useful against Dragon-types. Ferrothorn & Forretress are the only important targets hit by HP fire worth nothing and the latter is 2HKOed by Thunderbolt. Also consider the fact that HP fire is a liability when the rain is up as well. HP Fire is decent, but the sheer ubiquity of Gliscor makes HP Ice more preferable.
  • Hmm... Virizion is out of the picture, so let's disregard it. Targetting CM Keldeo & Terrakion sounds like a compelling reason to use Psyshock over Psychic, and it beats down Tentacruel easier, but I just know that weaker BP can potentially screw you over. Let's talk about it on IRC.
  • I'll take your word for it.
  • ಠ_ಠ
    We should talk about that set on IRC
 
Yes, it guarentees you set up. But unless you're trying to use it against a Thundurus or something, a Reflect/Light Screen is going to make them switch out to a counter anyway. And is actually useful once you've set up in that it makes you hard to revenge kill.
 

Pocket

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are we really going to fuss over what goes into OO, the section where shit like Toxic stalling is mentioned?
 
I don't really think we really need to be mentioning Charm, as it pretty much accomplishes what dual screens does, albeit a little less efficiently. In both cases, as soon as you bring out your setup sweeper, the opponent will switch out. This means that Charm will wear off; however, the effects of dual screens last for the next 3-4 turns (depending on which you played first) so you're much harder to revenge kill. I personally would just use the dual screens set over Charm because the effect doesn't really wear off with switching, even if you take less immediate damage. Both moves would produce the same scenario, but Charm's effects are gone as soon as the opponent switches.

EDIT: QC Approved (3/3)

You can probably do without Toxic stall, yeah.
 

AccidentalGreed

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Hi so

  • I decided to make Psyshock the primary option over Psychic on the Choice Scarf set, since it hits better targets, and I've already stressed how less useful Psychic is in comparison in my Google Drive writeup
  • Thunderbolt mentioned. The cool thing about it is unlike +6 HP Fighting, Thunderbolt actually has a good chance of OHKOing Scizor, and also dents Heatran a bit. The only notable target it loses out on is Ferrothorn.
  • Not sure how to go about that weird support set. I know it was successful in UU and all, but the difference between Charm and Reflect has already been layed out by Harsha.
  • Let's catch each other on IRC
 

Pocket

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Well alright I am not going to withhold approval just for something about OO. It's up to you to mention what I find is a more than viable option. You can probably remove the Toxic Stall OO while you're at it

QC Approved (2/3)
 

AccidentalGreed

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I'm.... I'm...

I'm actually done with this thing. Wow. Fatality.

Anyways, ignore my silly rambling and do what you always do, GP checkers~
 
Sorry to nitpick, but what's with referencing Gothitelle as a male? Sure it can be either gender, but it's a bit comparable to referring to Gardevoir as a male. In fact, 75% of wild Gothitelle are female!
 

alexwolf

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Thunder Wave is a very good option for Scarf Gothitelle, and allows it to act as a revenge killer for almost every offensive Pokemon. It should get a mention in AC.
 

AccidentalGreed

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Sorry to nitpick, but what's with referencing Gothitelle as a male? Sure it can be either gender, but it's a bit comparable to referring to Gardevoir as a male. In fact, 75% of wild Gothitelle are female!
If it wasn't obvious enough from my Overview, the only usable Gothitelle is a male Gothitelle. Literally. The event Gothitelle is only available as male, so I'm rounding the analysis around that to rub the salt in.

Alexwolf said:
Thunder Wave is a very good option for Scarf Gothitelle, and allows it to act as a revenge killer for almost every offensive Pokemon. It should get a mention in AC.
I typically don't enjoy non-attacking moves outside of Trick on Choice sets, but Gothitelle has little else to do anyways, and I trust your sanity.
 

GatoDelFuego

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REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS

[Overview]

<p>At the horrifying expense of femininity and dignity, Gothitelle can finally rise from the dark shadows of NU, becoming a hundred times more useful with his Mmmmk, "his" is a bit strange, unless you're trying to make a joke, but you must chose now whether gothitelle is gendered or genderless. Change them all so they fall under one category. I won't make the choice for you. newest and most prized ability: Shadow Tag. His modest base stats, apart from a high Special Defense, may indicate that he isn't exactly cut out for using Shadow Tag effectively; however, he still has just enough to fulfill his trapping role.</p>

<p>Gothitelle is arguably the most versatile and flexible of the available trappers in OU; unlike Dugtrio and Magnezone, Gothitelle isn't limited to trapping a certain group of threats, while his decent movepool far surpasses Wobbuffet's meager eight moves. Additionally, Gothitelle's attacking movepool enables him to hit a wider range of threats super effectively, making him a more flexible fit on any team. Unfortunately, being a "bad Psychic-type with a good ability", Gothitelle is also cursed with crippling downfalls. Pure Psychic typing does not really do him favors offensively or defensively, while his average stats still threaten to slow himself, as well as possibly his team's momentum, down. Despite these downfalls, Gothitelle is the one thing that can make sure his fellow sweepers wreak havoc without a hitch. After all, this funny concept of a Pokemon wasn't banned from UU for (excuse the double negative) no a reason.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Signal Beam
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle and Choice Specs go together like the cliched combination of peanut butter and jelly, as Choice Specs boosts Gothitelle's attacking power just to KO nearly threat it comes across. However, the main reason for using this isn't isn't just merely for power, but to also take advantage of Shadow Tag. The battle plan is simple; Gothitelle should switch into any potential threat to his team, (RC) and use the appropriate move to quickly discard or cripple the intended target. Ideally, Gothitelle should have been able to eliminate or weaken any threat necessary before fainting so his teammates are able to clean up or sweep with little problems afterwards.</p>

<p>The first slot is reserved for Gothitelle's chosen STAB move. Psychic is the preferred out of the two due to its higher base power and ability to hit physical walls hard without other coverage moves. Psyshock, on the other hand, enables Gothitelle to KO many specially defensive threats, such as Blissey, Terrakion in Sandstorm, and Virizion, without faltering. However, its benefit only really applies to threats similar to Terrakion and Virizion, since Gothitelle can simply use Trick to cripple walls like Blissey. Thunderbolt is a given since it grants decent coverage with the chosen STAB move, (RC) and also provides a reliable way to dispose of Water-types and Skarmory.<p>

<p>Finally, the third attacking move depends on which targets Gothitelle's team needs eliminated specifically. Hidden Power Ice can be used to remove Gliscor, as well as other Ground- or Flying-type walls, and provides relatively good coverage alongside Thunderbolt. Hidden Power Fire is reserved mainly for Scizor and Ferrothorn amongst other Steel-types, though keep in mind that Gothitelle isn't necessarily a good switch-in or answer to either of them. If you need Gothitelle to handle Celebi (who which can trouble rain teams and take other attacks with ease) as well as other Psychic- or Dark-types, use Signal Beam instead.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Simply maximizing Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature is recommended when using this set. Although it may seem odd to invest in Gothitelle's low Speed, outrunning key threats such as defensive Jirachi, Adamant Breloom, and Timid Magnezone is very essential to his success. If more power or bulk is desired, you may instead consider a Modest nature, (RC) and lower the speed EVs to outrun a specific set of defensive threats. A good benchmark is 44 Speed, which puts Gothitelle just ahead of uninvested base 70 Pokemon including Politoed and Skarmory, in addition to the occasional Quiet natured Dragonite.</p>

<p>If it weren't for the kind and fantastic people in the OU QC team, this set probably would have probably been the single worst case of slashitis in Smogon history. Ramblings aside, there are many possible attacking options that Gothitelle can use, depending on which threats his team has the most trouble with. Grass Knot can hit both Tyranitar and bulky Water-types hard, enabling Gothitelle to choose a more desirable Hidden Power. Grass Knot, unlike Hidden Power Ice, can also cleanly OHKO Hippowdon amongst similar physical walls. As far as alternative Hidden Powers are concerned, Hidden Power Fighting is Gothitelle's best weapon against Tyranitar, (RC) and also hits a number of Steel-types at least neutrally, but offers subpar coverage at best. Hidden Power Ground is used specifically for Heatran, (RC) and covers little else besides Jirachi under the rain. It is not advised to replace Trick with a coverage move, since as the ability to lock a defensive Pokemon into one move for the rest of the match is extremely valuable.</p>

<p>Obviously enough, teams that have trouble dealing with a particular threat would highly appreciate Gothitelle's unique capabilities. The possibilities—in terms of teammates and team strategies—are numerous. For instance, Fighting-types generally have issues getting past specific defensive threats if they either lack the power or the correct coverage move to hit them. Among these Fighting-types, Swords Dance Lucario is a tragic example, as it is walled by Jellicent and Slowbro if lacking Crunch, (RC) and Gliscor if lacking Ice Punch. Gothitelle, however, can decimate these threats with a simple Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice (given his speed, he is more adept at eliminating the former two), giving Lucario an essential win condition if other counters are taken care of. Gothitelle also pairs well with entry hazard users such as Skarmory and Forretress, since he can take out the most common Rapid Spin users—Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress—in a strike or two. Being a supporting attacker, Gothitelle itself does not need much support; however, he has peculiar synergy with U-turn or Volt Switch users, especially Scizor, Rotom-W, and Genesect. Using either of these moves eases prediction, maintains offensive momentum, and enables Gothitelle to switch into his intended target. The three aforementioned Pokemon also tend to lure in counters that can be beaten by Gothitelle, so this is a strategy all Gothitelle users should keep in mind.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psyshock / Psychic
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Wielding a Choice Scarf not only makes Gothitelle even more fashionably stunning, but it also allows him to be a faster, and arguably more offensively efficient, trapper. Much like Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Scizor, this Gothitelle can trap and revenge kill most threats needed without taking unnecessary damage from faster and more powerful foes. The icing on the cake is Trick, which, in combination with Shadow Tag and Choice Scarf, can instantly turn most defensive Pokemon into liabilities with a simple press of the button. Keep in mind, however, that Gothitelle's lowered offense and generally low Speed limits this set a bit, and is thus restricted to attacking most unboosted threats not holding a Choice Scarf of their own, up to Tornadus-T and downwards.</p>

<p>Since this set lacks the power of the Choice Specs set, one may find Psyshock more beneficial than Psychic overall, as Psyshock is Gothitelle's strongest option against Tentacruel, Terrakion (in sandstorm), Calm Mind Keldeo, and Virizion. Even against physical walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon, Psychic lacks to power to even 2HKO, but it can still be used for the minor increase in power. Thunderbolt is more valuable than ever, enabling Gothitelle to revenge kill Tornadus-T and Starmie effortlessly among other faster Water- or Flying-types. The third attack again depends on which threats Gothitelle must hit. Hidden Power Ice is more useful on this set, as it grants neutral coverage in addition to fast and easy KOes against the likes of Gliscor, Landorus's formes, unboosted Dragonite, and unboosted Salamence. If Forretress, Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Genesect (that isn't locked into a Bug-type move) prove to be troublesome, Gothitelle can use Hidden Power Fire at the cost of coverage and a perfect Speed IV.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximized Special Attack and Speed, along with a Timid nature, ensures that Gothitelle can revenge kill as many threats as possible, placing him just ahead of max Speed Tornadus-T by a single point. If Gothitelle uses Hidden Power Fire, it is still advised to maximize Speed, since he can at least outrun positive base 120 threats, and possibly win the Speed tie against Tornadus-T. As far as other moves are concerned, Grass Knot is a considerable option as Gothitelle's strongest option against Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Jellicent. Signal Beam can still be used to get the jump on Celebi and Latios. The other Hidden Powers mentioned in the Choice Specs set are near useless here, since asGothitelle now lacks the power necessary to break through Heatran, Tyranitar, and many others. At the end of the barren barrel of options, Gothitelle can replace its least important coverage move with Thunder Wave, enabling it to cripple foes it can't kill in dangerous situations.</p>

<p>Despite investment in his Special Attack, Choice Scarf Gothitelle is still slightly weak offensively; in fact, without entry hazards up, he finds himself unable to cleanly OHKO Timid Tornadus-T. Therefore, setting up entry hazards early in the game would help it greatly in obtaining as many quick KOes as possible. Given that Gothitelle can fit on multiple types of teams, the number of teammates that can set up either Stealth Rock or Spikes is many. Additionally, teammates with U-turn or Volt Switch are still beneficial, since they can scout and damage incoming switch-ins to gain momentum and prepare for a successful trap-and-kill.</p>

<p>On stall or most other defensively oriented teams, Gothitelle can be used to eliminate Tentacruel and Starmie, who which are among the most common removers of entry hazards themselves. After a significant amount of entry hazards have been laid out, it Gothitelle can trap and possibly overwhelm the opposing team. On more offensively minded teams, Gothitelle is once again a Fighting-type's best friend; since as Terrakion, Lucario, and other similar attackers generally have problems with Gliscor and other walls, Gothitelle can be relied on to eliminate or cripple them with Trick. It should be noted that because of the Speed increase, Gothitelle with Hidden Power Ice is a more reliable check against the usually faster Gliscor.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Rest
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Hidden Power Fire / Reflect
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle's disappointingly low Speed, lack of recovery, and pure Psychic-typing may make him seem like an unconventional Calm Mind user in OU. However, as with all sets, the main reason to use Calm Mind Gothitelle is because of his ability to trap and dispatch any foe you find necessary. Unlike other Calm Mind users, Gothitelle can set up a large amount of boosts with impunity without fear of being unexpectedly Tricked or being forced to switch out—problems that other defensive Calm Mind users detest. Gothitelle can therefore freely set up on and discard either defensive or Choice-locked threats, then proceed on to a possible sweep.</p>

<p>Psyshock is a required move on this set due to Gothitelle's tendency to struggle in Calm Mind wars otherwise. Without it, Gothitelle is liable to one-on-one losses against Calm Mind Latias, Jirachi, and Reuniclus. Although Rest may seem unconventional on a Pokemon lacking Sleep Talk, this is Gothitelle's only method of recovering from damage and status. Gothitelle needs not to worry about being inactive for a couple of turns, since as he can acquire enough boosts to withstand attacks from the correct trapped threats.

<p>The last slot depends on which targets Gothitelle needs to hit or set up on specifically. Hidden Power Fighting is a primary option as it hits Tyranitar and other Dark-types, who can other end Gothitelle with powerful STAB moves, for super effective damage. It also deals hits a decent amount of damage to most Steel-types for at least neutral damage, although it cannot OHKO Skarmory, Scizor, or Ferrothorn without some boosts coupled with prior damage. If such threats are a concern, Hidden Power Fire rids of them instantly, though this in turn leaves Gothitelle walled by the popular Heatran and Tyranitar. Finally, Reflect is an option over an attacking move as it helps Gothitelle potentially survive the opponent's attempts at dispatching it with powerful physical moves. However, this comes at the price of coverage, leaving Gothitelle unable to bypass Dark-types completely, in addition to some of the bulkier Steel-types.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The listed EVs allow Gothitelle to outrun threats with minimum base 70 Speed Pokemon, (RC) and retain as much physical bulk as possible. Maximized HP is also used to soften damage taken from Seismic Toss and minor forms of damage, such as entry hazards and Toxic. A more offensive EV spread with 252 SpA EVs and a Modest nature is also viable, though Gothitelle loses out on a significant amount of bulk in the process. You may even consider increasing the Speed EVs to outrun other defensive Pokemon, though this, again, sacrifices survivability.</p>

<p>Other attacks to consider in the third slot include Hidden Power Ground and Thunderbolt. Although Hidden Power Ground is rather specific coverage-wise, it it is the best possible weapon against Heatran and Jirachi in any weather. Thunderbolt has a higher base power than the listed moves, and unlike Hidden Power Fighting, can potentially OHKO Scizor and Skarmory with only a few boosts; the only significant target Gothitelle really loses out on with Thunderbolt is Ferrothorn. Gothitelle is also one of the few Pokemon that can get away with using Sleep Talk, since as Shadow Tag fixes almost every problem that other RestTalk users face. Thanks to this, Gothitelle can trap anything it wants, free from worry of being Tricked or being forced out. This, like Reflect, leaves Gothitelle walled by certain threats, so consider the options carefully.</p>

<p>Although Gothitelle can potentially sweep teams whole (especially stall or defensively-minded ones), one should not rely on him as a main sweeper, given the low initial power and coverage issues. Gothitelle's main function still is eliminating troublesome foes for the team, so his teammates should capitalize on this. Other special attackers, such as Genesect, Keldeo, Thundurus-T, and Psyshock-less Latios benefit greatly, since as Gothitelle can set up on and eliminate their hard counters, including Amoonguss, Jellicent, Slowbro, and Chansey. Additionally, Fighting-types still synergize well offensively, as many of them can patch up any of Gothitelle's possible coverage issues, (RC) and also benefit from the trapping and elimination of their counters. These teammates, if possible, should also be able to take on Gliscor, since, as without a super effective Hidden Power or Psychic, Gothitelle lacks an efficient means of hitting it. Again, Keldeo does well in this respect with its Water-type STAB, while Lucario and Mienshao can take Gliscor on comfortably with Ice Punch or Hidden Power Ice.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Like many other Psychic-type Pokemon, Gothitelle has a very colorful and extensive movepool, though the sets listed above are his best bets for being substantial to its team. Support roles are relatively limited due to Gothitelle's lack of reliable recovery and exploitable pure Psychic typing. Despite these drawbacks, Gothitelle still has the potential to trap and debilitate key parts of the opposing team, with options such as Thunder Wave, Tickle, Charm, Fake Tears, Taunt, and Trick in his respiratoire. Perhaps the best support set Gothitelle can manage is a dual screens set, consisting of Reflect, Light Screen, and two filler moves (preferably Heal Bell, Thunder Wave, and Taunt). Dual screen support, however, is typically utilized on offensive teams; thus, faster dual screen users are generally more beneficial to maintain as much offensive momentum as possible. Gothitelle, while having an advantage in Shadow Tag, can often be beaten down by faster attackers or Taunt users.</p>

<p>Gothitelle can also use an odd combination of Taunt, Torment, Protect, and Substitute to shut down either dedicated defensive threats or Choiced attackers. The idea behind this set is to trap these targets, then force them to Struggle themselves to death by using Taunt and Torment. Every other couple of turns, Gothitelle must use Protect or Substitute to avoid the threat's main attacking move. Such a strategy, however, is overspecialized. In short, defensive threats must have no more than one attacking move in order for the strategy to succeed, and the set itself is a liability against offensive Pokemon&mdash;no less offensive teams&mdashin general.</p>

<p>As for other attacking options, the best Gothitelle can do is use Fake Tears in order to dispatch the opponent more quickly than it could with Calm Mind. The ChestoRest combination allows Gothitelle to set up or attack more comfortably in the face of continuous damage and status, rather than stay inactive for two turns thanks to Rest. Gothitelle can even try out a non-choiced attacking set so that he can switch attacks, with Expert Belt, Leftovers, and Life Orb as alternative items. In place of Trick, Gothitelle should use Thunder Wave, Fake Tears, Taunt, or Substitute to help itself or its teammates.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>So you want to counter Gothitelle. First of all, get your priorities straight.</p>

<p>In order to actually "counter" something by definition, a Pokemon must be able to switch in safely. Thanks to Shadow Tag, this is pretty much impossible without the use of a switching move or the rare Shed Shell. Even then, good players can choose to simply avoid—if not straight-out destroy—threats using such tactics, and Shed Shell itself is relatively nonexistent save for several Steel-types. Nonetheless, Gothitelle's weakness to U-turn is hard to ignore. Even a non-STAB U-turn will deal a decent amount of damage to him, and since a different Pokemon will switch in the process, Gothitelle will have to adapt heavily depending on the situation. Genesect is particularly dangerous in this respect, since as it can boost any attack stat to bypass Special Defense boosts and deal major damage with STAB U-turn. Volt Switch and Baton Pass users can also switch out safely to a reliable check or counter.</p>

<p>As far as defensive countermeasures are concerned, Gothitelle has a hard time powering through threats without appropriate coverage moves or Special Attack boosts. For instance, without Hidden Power Fighting, he generally struggles against Heatran and Dark-types, especially Tyranitar and Hydreigon. Without Hidden Power Fire, he can't KO Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress, and Skarmory without being damaged, statused, or phazed out in the process. Among most special walls, Latias and Celebi can also take most attacks comfortably save Signal Beam or, in Celebi's case specifically for Celebi, a boosted Hidden Power Fire. Other walls can also be crippled by obtaining a Choice item via Trick. Generally speaking, Gothitelle's lack of good resistances and recovery make him easy to batter around with entry hazards and attacks. Gothitelle can be taken down with continual pressure, and since he is played as a support Pokemon, players often do not need to pack dedicated checks and counters to fend him off.</p>


Make sure you double check the he's and it's
[gp]1/2[/gp]
 

AccidentalGreed

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Yeah, the whole gender thing is sort of an eternal rub-it-in, and sort of a reminder that the only usable Gothitelle is male. I don't think it's a particularly big issue outside of consistency (which ya fixed).

Anyways, one more, and we can get this whole kabosh done.
 

Andy Snype

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[Overview]

<p>At the horrifying expense of femininity, Gothitelle becomes a hundred times more useful with his newest and most prized ability: Shadow Tag. His modest base stats, apart from a high Special Defense, may indicate that he isn't exactly cut out for using Shadow Tag effectively; however, he still has just enough to fulfill a trapping role.</p>

<p>Gothitelle is arguably the most versatile and flexible of the available trappers in OU; unlike Dugtrio and Magnezone, Gothitelle isn't limited to trapping a certain group of threats, especially considering as his decent movepool far surpasses Wobbuffet's meager eight moves. Additionally, Gothitelle's attacking movepool enables him to hit a wider range of threats super effectively, making him a more flexible fit on any team. Unfortunately, being a bad Psychic-type with a good ability, Gothitelle is also cursed with crippling downfalls. Pure Psychic typing does not really do him favors offensively or defensively, while his average stats still threaten to slow himself, as well as possibly his team's momentum, down. Despite these downfalls, Gothitelle is the one thing that can make sure his fellow sweepers wreak havoc without a hitch. After all, this funny concept of a Pokemon was banned from UU for a reason.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Signal Beam
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle and Choice Specs go together like peanut butter and jelly, as Choice Specs boosts Gothitelle's attacking power just to KO nearly threat it comes across. However, the main reason for using this isn't just merely for power, but to also take advantage of Shadow Tag. The battle plan is simple; Gothitelle should switch into any potential threat to his team and use the appropriate move to quickly discard or cripple the intended target. Ideally, Gothitelle should be able to eliminate or weaken any threat necessary before fainting so his teammates are able to clean up or sweep with little problems afterwards.</p>

<p>The first slot is reserved for Gothitelle's chosen STAB move. Psychic is the preferred out of the two due to its higher base power and ability to hit physical walls hard without other coverage moves. Psyshock, on the other hand, enables Gothitelle to KO many specially defensive threats, such as Blissey, Terrakion in Sandstorm, and Virizion, without faltering. However, its benefit only really applies to offensive threats similar to Terrakion and Virizion, since Gothitelle can simply use Trick to cripple walls like Blissey. Thunderbolt is a given since it grants decent coverage with the chosen STAB move and provides a reliable way to dispose of Water-types and Skarmory.<p>

<p>Finally, the third attacking move depends on which targets Gothitelle's team needs eliminated specifically. Hidden Power Ice removes Gliscor, as well as other Ground- or Flying-type walls, and provides relatively good coverage alongside Thunderbolt. Hidden Power Fire hurts Scizor and Ferrothorn amongst other Steel-types, though keep in mind that Gothitelle isn't necessarily a good switch-in or answer to either of them. If you need Gothitelle to handle Celebi (which can trouble rain teams and take other attacks with ease) as well as other Psychic- or Dark-types, use Signal Beam instead.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Simply maximizing Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature is recommended when using this set. Although it may seem odd to invest in Gothitelle's low Speed, outrunning key threats such as defensive Jirachi, Adamant Breloom, and Timid Magnezone is very essential to his success. If more power or bulk is desired, you may instead consider a Modest nature and lower the speed EVs to outrun a specific set of defensive threats. A good benchmark is 44 Speed, which puts Gothitelle just ahead of uninvested base 70 Pokemon including Politoed and Skarmory, in addition to the occasional Quiet natured Dragonite.</p>

<p>If it weren't for the kind and fantastic people in the OU QC team, this set probably would have probably been the single worst case of slashitis in Smogon history. Ramblings aside, There are many possible attacking options that Gothitelle can use, depending on which threats his teammates have the most trouble with. Grass Knot can hit both Tyranitar and bulky Water-types hard, enabling Gothitelle to choose a more desirable Hidden Power. Grass Knot, unlike Hidden Power Ice, can also cleanly OHKO Hippowdon amongst similar physical walls. As far as alternative Hidden Powers are concerned, Hidden Power Fighting is Gothitelle's best weapon against Tyranitar and hits a number of Steel-types at least neutrally, but offers subpar coverage at best. Hidden Power Grounddamages Heatran specifically and covers little else besides Jirachi under the rain. It is not advised to replace Trick with a coverage move, as the ability to lock a defensive Pokemon into one move for the rest of the match is extremely valuable.</p>

<p>Obviously enough, teams that have trouble dealing with a particular threat would highly appreciate Gothitelle's unique capabilities. The possibilities—in terms of teammates and team strategies—are numerous. For instance, Fighting-types generally have issues getting past specific defensive threats if they either lack the power or the correct coverage move. Among these Fighting-types, Swords Dance Lucario is a tragic example, as it is walled by Jellicent and Slowbro if it lacks Crunch and Gliscor if it lacks Ice Punch. Gothitelle, however, can decimate these threats with a simple Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice (given his speed, he is more adept at eliminating the former two), giving Lucario an essential win condition if other counters are taken care of. Gothitelle also pairs well with entry hazard users such as Skarmory and Forretress, since he can take out the most common Rapid Spin users—Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress—in a strike or two. Being a supporting attacker, Gothitelle himself does not need much support; however, he has peculiar synergy with U-turn or Volt Switch users, especially Scizor, Rotom-W, and Genesect. Using either of these moves eases prediction, maintains offensive momentum, and enables Gothitelle to switch into his intended target. The three aforementioned Pokemon also tend to lure in counters that can be beaten by Gothitelle, so this is a strategy all Gothitelle users should keep in mind.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psyshock / Psychic
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Wielding a Choice Scarf not only makes Gothitelle even more fashionably fabulous, but it also allows him to be a faster, and arguably more offensively efficient, trapper. Much like Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Scizor, this Gothitelle can trap and revenge kill most threats needed without taking unnecessary damage from faster and more powerful foes. The icing on the cake is Trick, which, in combination with Shadow Tag and Choice Scarf, can instantly turn most defensive Pokemon into liabilities for the opposing team. Keep in mind, however, that Gothitelle's low Special Attack (I follow that "lowered" is meant to be since you're not using Specs or CM, but as an analysis, a set analysis shouldn't really be comparing the lack of power from Scarf to its other sets, especially considering you've established Goth is kinda crappy stats-wise)and generally low Speed limits this set a bit, and is thus restricted to attacking most unboosted threats not holding a Choice Scarf of their own, which covers anything as fast as Tornadus-T and slower.</p>

<p>Since this set lacks the power of the Choice Specs set, one may find Psyshock more beneficial than Psychic overall, as Psyshock is Gothitelle's strongest option against Tentacruel, Terrakion in sandstorm, Calm Mind Keldeo, and Virizion. Even against physical walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon, Psychic lacks the power to even 2HKO, but it can still be used for the minor increase in power. Thunderbolt is more valuable than ever, enabling Gothitelle to revenge kill Tornadus-T and Starmie effortlessly among other faster Water- or Flying-types. The third attack again depends on which threats Gothitelle must hit. Hidden Power Ice is more useful on this set, as it grants neutral coverage in addition to fast and easy KOs against the likes of Gliscor, both Landorus formes, unboosted Dragonite, and unboosted Salamence. If Forretress, Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Genesect (that aren't locked into a Bug-type move) prove to be troublesome, Gothitelle can use Hidden Power Fire at the cost of coverage and a perfect Speed IV.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximized Special Attack and Speed, along with a Timid nature, ensures that Gothitelle can revenge kill as many threats as possible, placing him just ahead of max Speed Tornadus-T by a single point. If Gothitelle uses Hidden Power Fire, it is still advised to maximize Speed, since he can still at least outrun positive base 120 threats, and possibly win the Speed tie against Tornadus-T. As far as other moves are concerned, Grass Knot is a considerable option as Gothitelle's strongest option against Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Jellicent. Signal Beam can still be used to get the jump on Celebi and Latios. The other Hidden Power types mentioned in the Choice Specs set are near useless here, as Gothitelle now lacks the power necessary to break through Heatran, Tyranitar, and many others. At the end of the barren barrel of options, Gothitelle can replace his least important coverage move with Thunder Wave, enabling it to cripple foes he can't kill in dangerous situations.</p>

<p>Despite investment in his Special Attack, Choice Scarf Gothitelle is still slightly weak offensively; in fact, without entry hazards up, he finds himself unable to cleanly OHKO Timid Tornadus-T. Therefore, setting up entry hazards early in the game would help it greatly in obtaining as many quick KOes as possible. Given that Gothitelle can fit on multiple types of teams and hazards are ubiquitous, hazard support is usually present. number of teammates that can set up either Stealth Rock or Spikes is many. Additionally, teammates with U-turn or Volt Switch are still beneficial, since they can scout and damage incoming switch-ins to gain momentum and prepare for a successful trap-and-kill.</p>

<p>On stall or most other defensively oriented teams, Gothitelle can be used to eliminate Tentacruel and Starmie, which are among the most common spinners themselves. After a significant amount of entry hazards have been laid out, Gothitelle can trap and possibly overwhelm the opposing team. On more offensively minded teams, Gothitelle is once again a Fighting-type's best friend; as Terrakion, Lucario, and other similar attackers generally have problems with Gliscor and other walls, Gothitelle can be relied on to eliminate or cripple them with Trick. It should be noted that because of the Speed increase, Gothitelle with Hidden Power Ice is a more reliable check against the usually faster Gliscor.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Rest
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Hidden Power Fire / Reflect
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle's disappointingly low Speed, lack of recovery, and pure Psychic-typing may make him seem like an unconventional Calm Mind user in OU. However, as with all sets, the main reason to use Calm Mind Gothitelle is because of his ability to trap and dispatch any foe you find necessary. Unlike other Calm Mind users, Gothitelle can set up a large amount of boosts with impunity without fear of being unexpectedly Tricked or being forced to switch out—problems that other defensive Calm Mind users detest. Gothitelle can therefore freely set up on and discard either defensive or Choice-locked threats, then proceed on to a possible sweep.</p>

<p>Psyshock is a required move on this set due to Gothitelle's tendency to struggle in Calm Mind wars otherwise. Without it, Gothitelle is liable to one-on-one losses against Calm Mind Latias, Jirachi, and Reuniclus. Although Rest may seem unconventional on a Pokemon lacking Sleep Talk, this is Gothitelle's only method of recovering from damage and status. Gothitelle need not worry about being inactive for a couple of turns, as he can acquire enough boosts to withstand attacks from the correct trapped threats.</p>

<p>The last slot depends on which targets Gothitelle needs to hit or set up on specifically. Hidden Power Fighting is a primary option as it hits Tyranitar and other Dark-types, who can otherwise end Gothitelle with powerful STAB moves, for super effective damage. It also deals a decent amount of damage to most Steel-types for at least neutral damage, although it cannot OHKO Skarmory, Scizor, or Ferrothorn without some boosts coupled with prior damage. If such threats are a concern, Hidden Power Fire rids of them instantly, though this in turn leaves Gothitelle walled by Heatran and Tyranitar. Finally, Reflect is an option over an attacking move as it helps Gothitelle potentially survive the opponent's attempts at dispatching it with powerful physical moves. However, this comes at the price of coverage, leaving Gothitelle unable to bypass Dark-types completely, in addition to some of the bulkier Steel-types.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The listed EVs allow Gothitelle to outrun threats with minimum base 70 Speed Pokemon and retain as much physical bulk as possible. Maximized HP is used to soften damage taken from Seismic Toss and minor forms of damage, such as entry hazards and Toxic. A more offensive EV spread with 252 SpA EVs and a Modest nature is also viable, though Gothitelle loses out on a significant amount of bulk in the process. You may even consider increasing the Speed EVs to outrun other defensive Pokemon, though this, again, sacrifices survivability.</p>

<p>Other attacks to consider in the third slot include Hidden Power Ground and Thunderbolt. Although Hidden Power Ground is rather specific coverage-wise, it it is the best possible weapon against Heatran and Jirachi in any weather. Thunderbolt has a higher base power than the listed moves, and unlike Hidden Power Fighting, can potentially OHKO Scizor and Skarmory with only a few boosts; the only significant target Gothitelle really loses out on with Thunderbolt is Ferrothorn. Gothitelle is also one of the few Pokemon that can get away with using Sleep Talk, as Shadow Tag fixes almost every problem that other RestTalk users face. Thanks to this, Gothitelle can trap anything it wants, free from worry of being Tricked or being forced out. This, like Reflect, leaves Gothitelle walled by certain threats, so consider the options carefully.</p>

<p>Although Gothitelle can potentially sweep teams whole (especially stall or defensively minded ones), one should not rely on him as a main sweeper, given the low initial power and coverage issues. Gothitelle's main function still is eliminating troublesome foes for the team, so his teammates should capitalize on this. Other special attackers, such as Genesect, Keldeo, Thundurus-T, and Psyshock-less Latios benefit greatly, as Gothitelle can set up on and eliminate their hard counters, including Amoonguss, Jellicent, Slowbro, and Chansey. Additionally, Fighting-types still synergize well offensively, as many of them can patch up any of Gothitelle's possible coverage issues and benefit from the trapping and elimination of their counters. These teammates, if possible, should also be able to take on Gliscor, as without a super effective Hidden Power or Psychic, Gothitelle lacks efficient means of hitting it. Again, Keldeo does well in this respect with its Water-type STAB, while Lucario and Mienshao can take Gliscor on comfortably with Ice Punch or Hidden Power Ice.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Like many other Psychic-type Pokemon, Gothitelle has a very colorful and extensive movepool, though the sets listed above are his best bets for being substantial to its team. Support roles are relatively limited due to Gothitelle's lack of reliable recovery and exploitable pure Psychic typing. Despite these drawbacks, Gothitelle still has the potential to trap and debilitate key parts of the opposing team, with options such as Thunder Wave, Tickle, Charm, Fake Tears, Taunt, and Trick in his respiratoire. Perhaps the best support set Gothitelle can manage is a dual screens set, consisting of Reflect, Light Screen, and two filler moves (preferably Heal Bell, Thunder Wave, and Taunt). Dual screen support, however, is typically utilized on offensive teams; thus, faster dual screen users are generally more beneficial to maintain as much offensive momentum as possible. Gothitelle, while having an advantage in Shadow Tag, can often be beaten down by faster attackers or Taunt users.</p>

<p>Gothitelle can also use an odd combination of Taunt, Torment, Protect, and Substitute to shut down either dedicated defensive threats or Choiced attackers. The idea behind this set is to trap these targets, then force them to Struggle themselves to death by using Taunt and Torment. Every other couple of turns, Gothitelle must use Protect or Substitute to avoid the threat's main attacking move. Such a strategy, however, is overspecialized. In short, defensive threats must have no more than one attacking move in order for the strategy to succeed, and the set itself is a liability against offensive Pokemon&mdash;no less offensive teams&mdashin general.</p>

<p>As for other attacking options, the best Gothitelle can do is use Fake Tears in order to dispatch the opponent more quickly than it could with Calm Mind. The ChestoRest combination allows Gothitelle to set up or attack more comfortably in the face of continuous damage and status, rather than stay inactive for two turns thanks to Rest. Gothitelle can even try out a non-choiced attacking set so that he can switch attacks, with Expert Belt, Leftovers, and Life Orb as alternative items. In place of Trick, Gothitelle should use Thunder Wave, Fake Tears, Taunt, or Substitute to help itself or its teammates.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>So you want to counter Gothitelle. First of all, get your priorities straight.</p>

<p>In order to actually "counter" something by definition, a Pokemon must be able to switch in safely. Thanks to Shadow Tag, this is pretty much impossible without the use of a switching move or the rare Shed Shell. Even then, good players can choose to simply avoid—if not straight-out destroy—threats using such tactics, and Shed Shell itself is relatively nonexistent save for several Steel-types. Nonetheless, Gothitelle's weakness to U-turn is hard to ignore. Even a non-STAB U-turn will deal a decent amount of damage to him, and since a different Pokemon will switch in the process, Gothitelle will have to adapt heavily depending on the situation. Genesect is particularly dangerous in this respect, as it can boost any attack stat to bypass Special Defense boosts and deal major damage with STAB U-turn. Volt Switch and Baton Pass users can also switch out safely to a reliable check or counter.</p>

<p>As far as defensive countermeasures are concerned, Gothitelle has a hard time powering through threats without appropriate coverage moves or Special Attack boosts. For instance, without Hidden Power Fighting, he generally struggles against Heatran and Dark-types, especially Tyranitar and Hydreigon. Without Hidden Power Fire, he can't KO Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress, and Skarmory without being damaged, statused, or phazed out in the process. Among most special walls, Latias and Celebi can also take most attacks comfortably save Signal Beam or, in Celebi's case, a boosted Hidden Power Fire. Other walls can also be crippled by obtaining a Choice item via Trick. Generally speaking, Gothitelle's lack of good resistances and recovery make him easy to batter around with entry hazards and attacks. Gothitelle can be taken down with continual pressure, and since he is played as a support Pokemon, players often do not need to pack dedicated checks and counters to fend him off.</p>



GP Approved (2/2)
 
Oh yes, Flash and Charm are actually quite viable on Gothitelle due to Shadow Tag. You can even use Flash to give one of your teammates a free turn.
 

AccidentalGreed

Sweet and bitter as chocolate.
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
Thanks for the GP check, SS! The one thing I only deviated is the use of "low" in the Choice Scarf set, replacing that with "average," since that word fits its Special Attack a little more.

I also added Flash to the list of debilitating moves in Other Options.

If no other lady doth objects, this lady (snrk) is ready to be escorted to the Uploaded Analyses. Now it's time for me to work on Kyurem-B =)
 

His Eminence Lord Poppington II

proverb:the fish who eats most dies still too
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
[Overview]

<p>At the horrifying expense of femininity, Gothitelle becomes a hundred times more useful with his newest and most prized ability: Shadow Tag. His modest base stats, apart from a high Special Defense, mayight indicate that he isn't exactly cut out for using Shadow Tag effectively; however, he still has just enough to fulfill a trapping role.</p>

<p>Gothitelle is arguably the most versatile and flexible of the available trappers in OU; u. Unlike Dugtrio and Magnezone, Gothitelle isn't limited to trapping a certain group of threats, especially considering as his decent movepool far surpasses Wobbuffet's meager eight moves; moreover, his decent movepool far surpasses the eight moves available to the only other viable Shadow Tag user: Wobbuffet. Additionally, Gothitelle's attacking movepool enables him to hit a wider range of threats super effectively, making him a more flexible fit on any team. Unfortunately, being a bad Psychic-type with a good ability, Gothitelle is also cursed with crippling downfalls. Pure Psychic typing does not really do him favors offensively or defensively, while his average stats still threaten to slow himself, as well as possibly his team's momentum, down. Despite these downfalls, Gothitelle is the one thing that can make sure his fellow sweepers wreak havoc without a hitch. After all, this funny concept of a Pokemon was banned from UU for a reason.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Signal Beam
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle and Choice Specs go together like peanut butter and jelly, as Choice Specs boosts Gothitelle's attacking power just to KO nearly every threat ithe comes across. However, the main reason for using this isn't just merely for power, but to also take advantage of Shadow Tag. The battle plan is simple; Gothitelle should switch into any potential threat to his team and use the appropriate move to quickly discard or cripple the intended target. Ideally, Gothitelle should have been able to eliminate or weaken any threat necessary before fainting so his teammates are able to clean up or sweep with little problems afterwards.</p>

<p>The first slot is reserved for Gothitelle's chosen STAB move. Psychic is the preferred out of the two, due to its higher base power and ability to hit physical walls hard without other coverage moves. Psyshock, on the other hand, enables Gothitelle to KO many specially defensive threats, such as Blissey, Terrakion in Sandstorm, and Virizion, without faltering. However, its benefit only really applies to offensive threats similar to Terrakion and Virizion, sincbecause Gothitelle can simply use Trick to cripple walls like Blissey. Thunderbolt is a given since it grants decent coverage with the chosen STAB movePsychic-type STAB, and provides a reliable way to dispose of Water-types and Skarmory.<p>

<p>Finally, the third attacking move depends on whthe specifich targets Gothitelle's team needs eliminated specifically. Hidden Power Ice removes Gliscor, as well as other Ground- or Flying-type walls, and provides relatively good coverage alongside Thunderbolt. Hidden Power Fire hurts Scizor and Ferrothorn, amongst other Steel-types, though keep in mind that Gothitelle isn't necessarily a good switch-in or answer to either of them. If you need Gothitelle to handle Celebi (, which can trouble rain teams and take other attacks with ease), as well as other Psychic- or Dark-types, use Signal Beam instead.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Simply maximizing Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature is recommended when using this set. Although it may seem odd to invest in Gothitelle's low Speed, outrunning key threats, such as defensive Jirachi, Adamant Breloom, and Timid Magnezone, is very essential to his success. If more power or bulk is desired, you may instead consider a Modest nature and lower the speed EVs to outrun a specific set of defensive threats. A good benchmark is 44 Speed, which puts Gothitelle just ahead of uninvested base 70 Pokemon, including Politoed and Skarmory, in addition to the occasional Quiet Dragonite.</p>

<p>There are many possible attacking options that Gothitelle can use, depending on which threats his teammates have the most trouble with. Grass Knot can hit both Tyranitar and bulky Water-types hard, enabling Gothitelle to choose a more desirable Hidden Power. Grass Knot, unlike Hidden Power Ice, can also cleanly OHKO Hippowdon amongst similar physical walls. As far as alternative Hidden Powers are concerned, Hidden Power Fighting is Gothitelle's best weapon against Tyranitar, and hits a number of Steel-types at least neutrally, but offers sub-par coverage at best. Hidden Power Ground damages Heatran specifically and covers little else, besides Jirachi under the rain. It is not advised to replace Trick with a coverage move, as the ability to lock a defensive Pokemon into one move for the rest of the match is extremely valuable.</p>

<p>Obviously enough, teams that have trouble dealing with a particular threat would highstrongly appreciate Gothitelle's unique capabilities. The possibilities—in terms of teammates and team strategies—are numerous. For instance, Fighting-types generally have issues getting past specific defensive threats if they lack either lack the power or the correct coverage move. Among these Fighting-types, Swords Dance Lucario is aperhaps the most tragic example, as it is walled by Jellicent and Slowbro if it lacks Crunch, and Gliscor if it lacks Ice Punch. Gothitelle, however, can decimate these threats with a simple Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice (given his speed, he is more adept at eliminating the former two), giving Lucario an essential win condition if other counters are taken care of. Gothitelle also pairs well with entry hazard users, such as Skarmory and Forretress, sincbecause he can take out the most common Rapid Spin users, Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress, in a strikehit or two. Being a supporting attacker, Gothitelle himself does not need much support; however, he has peculiar synergy with U-turn or Volt Switch users, especially Scizor, Rotom-W, and Genesect. Using either of these moves eases prediction, maintains offensive momentum, and enables Gothitelle to switch into his intended target. The three aforementioned Pokemon also tend to lure in counters that can be beaten by Gothitelle, so this is a strategy all Gothitelle users should keep in mind.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psyshock / Psychic
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Wielding a Choice Scarf not only makes Gothitelle even more fashionably fabulous, but it also allows him to be a faster, and arguably more offensively efficient, trapper. Much like Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Scizor, this Gothitelle can trap and revenge kill most threats needed without taking unnecessary damage from faster and more powerful foes. The icing on the cake is Trick, which, in combination with Shadow Tag and Choice Scarf, can instantly turn most defensive Pokemon into liabilities for the opposing team. Keep in mind, however, that Gothitelle's average Special Attack and Speed limits this set a bit, and is thus restricted to attacking most unboosted threats not holding a Choice Scarf of their own, which covers anything as fast as Tornadus-T and slower.</p>

<p>SincBecause this set lacks the power of the Choice Specs set, one mayight find Psyshock more beneficial than Psychic overall, as Psyshock is Gothitelle's strongest option against Tentacruel, Terrakion in sandstorm, Calm Mind Keldeo, and Virizion. Even against physical walls such as Gliscor and Hippowdon, Psychic lacks the power to even 2HKO, but it can still be used for the minor increase in power. Thunderbolt is more valuable than ever, enabling Gothitelle to revenge kill Tornadus-T and Starmie effortlessly, among other faster Water- or Flying-types. The third attack again depends on which threats Gothitelle must hit. Hidden Power Ice is more useful on this set, as it grants neutral coverage in addition to fast and easy KOs against the likes of Gliscor, both Landorus formes, unboosted Dragonite, and unboosted Salamence. If Forretress, Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Genesect (that aren't locked into a Bug-type move) prove to be troublesome, Gothitelle can use Hidden Power Fire at the cost of coverage and a perfect Speed IV.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximized Special Attack and Speed, along with a Timid nature, ensures that Gothitelle can revenge kill as many threats as possible, placing him just ahead of max Speed Tornadus-T by a single point. If Gothitelle uses Hidden Power Fire, it is still advised to maximize Speed, sinceas he can still at least outrun positive base 120 threats, and possibly win the Speed tie against Tornadus-T. As far as other moves are concerned, Grass Knot is a considernotable option as Gothitelle's strongest option against Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Jellicent. Signal Beam can still be used to get the jump on Celebi, Latios, and other Psychic-types. The other Hidden Powers types mentioned in the Choice Specs set are near useless here, as Gothitelle now lacks the power necessary to break through Heatran, Tyranitar, and many others. At the end of the barren barrel of options, Gothitelle can replace his least important coverage move with Thunder Wave, enabling it to cripple foes he can't kill in dangerous situations.</p>

<p>Despite investment in his Special Attack, Choice Scarf Gothitelle is still slightly weak offensively; in fact, without entry hazards up, he finds himself unable to cleanly OHKO Timid Tornadus-T. Therefore, setting up entry hazards early in the game would help ithim greatly in obtaining as many quick KOs as possible. GAnd given that Gothitelle can fit on multiple types of teams, and hazards are ubiquitouthe ubiquity of hazards, hazard support is usually present. Additionally, teammates with U-turn or Volt Switch are still beneficial, sinceas they can scout and damage incoming switch-ins to gain momentum and prepare for a successful trap-and-kill.</p>

<p>On stall or most other defensively oriented teams, Gothitelle can be used to eliminate Tentacruel and Starmie, which are among the most common spinners themselves. After a significant amount of entry hazards have been laid out, Gothitelle can trap and possibly overwhelm the opposing team. On more offensively minded teams, Gothitelle is once again a Fighting-type's best friend; as Terrakion, Lucario, and other similar attackers generally have problems with Gliscor and other walls, Gothitelle can be relied on to eliminate or cripple them with Trick. It should be noted that because of the Speed increase, Gothitelle with Hidden Power Ice is a more reliable check against the usually faster Gliscor.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Rest
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Hidden Power Fire / Reflect
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gothitelle's disappointingly low Speed, lack of recovery, and pure Psychic-t Typing mayight make him seem like an unconventionalviable Calm Mind user in OU. However, as with all sets, the main reason to use Calm Mind Gothitelle is because of his ability to trap and dispatch any foe you find necessary. Unlike other Calm Mind users, Gothitelle can set up a large amount of boosts with impunity without fear of being unexpectedly Tricked or being forced to switch out—problems that other defensive Calm Mind users detest. Gothitelle can therefore freely set up on and discard either defensive or Choice-locked threats, then proceed on to a possible sweep.</p>

<p>Psyshock is a required move on this set due to Gothitelle's tendency to struggle in Calm Mind wars otherwise. Without it, Gothitelle is liable to one-on-one losses against Calm Mind Latias, Jirachi, and Reuniclus. Although Rest may seem unconventional on a Pokemon lacking Sleep Talk, this is Gothitelle's only method of recovering from damage and status. Gothitelle need not worry about being inactive for a couple of turns, as he can acquire enough boosts to withstand attacks from the correct trapped threatbe selective in which Pokemon he sets up on, and acquire enough boosts to withstand their attacks.</p>

<p>The last slot depends on which targets Gothitelle needs to hit or set up on specifically. Hidden Power Fighting is a primary option as it hits Tyranitar and other Dark-types, whoich can otherwise end Gothitelle with powerful STAB moves, for super effective damageSTAB moves. It also deals a decent amount of damage to most Steel-types, hitting them for at least neutral damage,; although, it cannot OHKO Skarmory, Scizor, or Ferrothorn without someeveral boosts coupled with prior damage. If such threats are aof greater concern, Hidden Power Fire rids of them instantly, though this in turn leaves Gothitelle walled by Heatran and Tyranitar. Finally, Reflect is an option over an attacking move as it helps Gothitelle potentially survive the opponent's attempts at dispatching it with powerful physical moves. However, this comes at the price of coverage, leaving Gothitelle unable to bypass Dark-types completely, in addition to some of the bulkier Steel-types.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The listed EVs allow Gothitelle to outrun threats with minimumuninvested base 70 Speed Pokemon and retain as much physical bulk as possible. Maximized HP is used to soften damage taken from Seismic Toss and minor forms of damage, such as entry hazards and Toxic. A more offensive EV spread with 252 SpA EVs and a Modest nature is also viable, though Gothitelle loses out on a significant amount of bulk in the process. You may even consider increasing the Speed EVs to outrun other defensive Pokemon, though this, again, sacrifices survivability.</p>

<p>Other attacks to consider in the third slot include Hidden Power Ground and Thunderbolt. Although Hidden Power Ground is rather specific coverage-wise, it it is the best possible weapon against Heatran and Jirachi in any weather. Thunderbolt has a higher base power than the listed moves, and unlike Hidden Power Fighting, can potentially OHKO Scizor and Skarmory with only a few boosts; the only significant target Gothitelle really loses out on with Thunderbolt is Ferrothorn. Gothitelle is also one of the few Pokemon that can get away with using Sleep Talk, as Shadow Tag fixes almost every problem that other RestTalk users face. Thanks to this, Gothitelle can trap anything it wants, free from worry of being Tricked or being forced out. This, like Reflect, leaves Gothitelle walled by certain threats, so consider the options carefully.</p>

<p>Although Gothitelle can potentially sweep teams whole (especially stall or defensively minded ones), one should not rely on him as a main sweeper, given the low initial power and coverage issues. Gothitelle's main function still is eliminating troublesome foes for the team, so his teammates should capitalize on this. Other special attackers, such as Genesect, Keldeo, Thundurus-T, and Psyshock-less Latios benefit greatly, as Gothitelle can set up on and eliminate their hard counters, including Amoonguss, Jellicent, Slowbro, and Chansey. Additionally, Fighting-types still synergize well offensively, as many of them can patch up any of Gothitelle's possible coverage issues and benefit from the trapping and elimination of their counters. These teammates, if possible, should also be able to take on Gliscor, as without a super effective Hidden Power or Psychic, Gothitelle lacks efficient means of hitting it. Again, Keldeo does well in this respect with its Water-type STAB, while Lucario and Mienshao can take Gliscor on comfortably with Ice Punch or Hidden Power Ice.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Like many other Psychic-type Pokemon, Gothitelle has a very colorful and extensive movepool, thoughbut the sets listed above are histhe best bets for being substantial to ituseful for his team. Support roles are relatively limited due to Gothitelle's lack of reliable recovery and exploitable pure Psychic typing. Despite these drawbacks, Gothitelle still has the potential to trap and debilitate key parts of the opposing team, with options such as Thunder Wave, Tickle, Charm, Flash, Fake Tears, Taunt, and Trick in his repertoire. Perhaps the best support set Gothitelle can manage is a dual screens set, consisting of Reflect, Light Screen, and two filler moves (preferably two of Heal Bell, Thunder Wave, and Taunt). Dual screen support, however, is typically utilized on offensive teams; thus, faster dual screen users are generally more beneficial to maintain as much offensive momentum as possible. Gothitelle, while having an advantage in Shadow Tag, can often be beaten down by faster attackers or Taunt users.</p>

<p>Gothitelle can also use an odd combination of Taunt, Torment, Protect, and Substitute to shut down either dedicated defensive threats or Choiced attackers. The idea behind this set is to trap these targets, then force them to Struggle themselves to death by using Taunt and Torment. Every other couple of turns, Gothitelle must use Protect or Substitute to avoid the threat's main attacking move. Such a strategy, however, is overspecialized. In short, defensive threats must have no more than one attacking move in order for the strategy to succeed, and the set itself is a liability against offensive Pokemon—no less offensive teams—in general.</p>

<p>As for other attacking options, the best Gothitelle can do is use Fake Tears in order to dispatch the opponent more quickly than it could with Calm Mind. The ChestoRest combination allows Gothitelle to set up or attack more comfortably in the face of continuous damage and status, rather than stay inactive for two turns thanks to Rest. Gothitelle can even try out a non-choiced attacking set so that he can switch attacks, with; Expert Belt, Leftovers, and Life Orb asre the alternative items for such a set. In place of Trick, Gothitelle should use Thunder Wave, Fake Tears, Taunt, or Substitute to help ithimself or ithis teammates.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>So, you want to counter Gothitelle.? First of all, get your priorities straight.</p>

<p>In order to actually "counter" something by definition, a Pokemon must be able to switch in safely. Thanks to Shadow Tag, this is pretty much impossible without the use of a switching move or the rare Shed Shell. Even then, good players can choose to simply avoid—if not straight-out destroy—threats using such tactics, and Shed Shell itself is relatively nonexistent save for several Steel-types. Nonetheless, Gothitelle's weakness to U-turn is hard to ignore. Even a non-STAB U-turn will deal a decent amount of damage to him, and sincbecause a different Pokemon will switch in the process, Gothitelle will have to adapt heavily depending on the situation. Genesect is particularly dangerous in this respect, as it can boost any aits Attack stat to bypass Special Defense boosts, and deal major damage with STAB U-turn. Volt Switch and Baton Pass users can also switch out safely to a reliable check or counter.</p>

<p>As far as defensive countermeasures are concerned, Gothitelle has a hard time powering through threats without appropriate coverage moves or Special Attack boosts. For instance, without Hidden Power Fighting, he generally struggles against Heatran and Dark-types, especially Tyranitar and Hydreigon. Without Hidden Power Fire, he can't KO Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress, and Skarmory without being damaged, statused, or phazed out in the process. Among most special walls, Latias and Celebi can also take most attacks comfortably, save Signal Beam, or, in Celebi's case, a boosted Hidden Power Fire. Other walls can also be crippled by obtaining a Choice item via Trick. Generally speaking, Gothitelle's lack of good resistances and recovery make him easy to batter around with entry hazards and attacks. Gothitelle can be taken down with continual pressure, and sincbecause he is played as a support Pokemon, players often do not need to pack dedicated checks and counters to fend him off.</p>

consistent referral to him / he / his

since implies the passing of time; since x event i have y

may is to do with permission, there are two correct uses of may i left in (should any keen eyes attempt to catch me out)

overall pretty well written though ;o
 

sandshrewz

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K, read this long analysis, just have a few changes to add on:

first set AC said:
Gothitelle also pairs well with entry hazard users, such as Skarmory and Forretress, sincbecause he can take out the most common Rapid Spin users, Starmie, Tentacruel, and Forretress, in a strikehit or two.
Em dashes can stay.

second set AC said:
GAnd given that Gothitelle can fit on multiple types of teams, and hazards are ubiquitouthe ubiquity of entry hazards, entry hazard support is usually present.
third set SC said:
<p>Gothitelle's disappointingly low Speed, lack of recovery, and pure Psychic-t typing mayight make him seem like an unconventionalviable Calm Mind user in OU.
typing is not capitalized.

Looks fine otherwise :)

[gp]3/2[/gp]

I was wondering why it was referred to as 'he' until I found out that Shadow Tag Gothi are all males, lol! >.>
 

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