With swagger out of the way, players can now run attack IV's on their mons safely. What else will this ban bring to the tier? Discuss.
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Other Current Metagame trends
- Thread starter reyscarface
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Foul Play is still a thing, if you don't use Atk it's still better to have 0 Atk IVs.
Having Special attackers with 0 IVs in attack was never a downside unless you needed some hidden power format... I always used to do it out of practice just for confusion, even in gen5. It also was a decent check on RMTs for thoroughness. With swagger out of the way, maybe special attackers like Lando-I might see more mixed sets... Maybe. Things like Thundy could always run super power to go after chansey and such so it isn't too hard to believe that some mixed attackers may resurface.
Tbh I've never heard of anyone NOT running mixed attackers out of fear for Swagger...
Hopefully people will start realizing that Klefki is a pretty useful support pokemon with a neat set of resistances instead of using the godawful swagplay set. Other than that it just means that laddering won't be as painful.
I just wish it had a bigger movepool other than dual screens and maybe a spike set it doesn't have too many options right now (pls gamefreak gib tut0rz!)
Air Balloon Aegislash is a very interesting option for HO teams that I feel many people may start to utilize. The ability to spinblock the best Rapid Spinner in OU (Excadrill) is definitely worthy of noting as Deo-D + Air Balloon Aegislash + Bisharp make a formidable core for HO teams.
Air Balloon Aegislash is also great for dealing with Landorus-Therian, SubToxic Gliscor and Dragonite just to name a few
Air Balloon Aegislash is also great for dealing with Landorus-Therian, SubToxic Gliscor and Dragonite just to name a few
It's actually one of the best pokes as an additional Rain setter for Rain teams (Sun viable too). Good defensive typing and priority Rain can really be a win condition, allowing Keldeo for example to just smash through everything with Hydro Pump like in the old days at the very least, and can still use Thunder Wave against any Dragon Dancer.
Speaking of Keldeo, he's getting big again, I run into him constantly in the middle of the ladder. He's still damn fast and just hits so much harder than Greninja can. I swear, I'm the only one who misses when I use Hydro Pump though. -_-
Also, this also has to do with what I notice to be the "speed pocket". Everything at 101 (Landorus-I) and faster use max speed. Everything between 80-100 is feasible to run speed, with the most likely ones to run max speed being Excadrill, Manaphy, DDance Gyarados and CharY, and then everything slower just doesn't bother outside of speed creeping certain tiers. Obviously this is in thanks to priority and slower threats needing the sheer bulk to contend with these faster threats. But with a relative lack of scarf users outside of Garchomp, because he's still so damn good at getting CharX, there is a huge divide in mentality when it comes to speed. It's why Adamant and bulky CharX are so much more common than they normally would be.
Yeah, I forgot about that actually, I turned my leftover 5 IV Klefkis into a Rain and Sun setter but never got to use them yet.
I do feel like there's better manual setters though, like Tornadus or Deoxys-S for Rain and Whimsicott for Sun as Tornadus can take advantage of it's own rain with a powerful Hurricane and also the option to run Taunt, Deoxys has Stealth Rock and Taunt and Whimsicott is much more annoying than non-swagger Klefki albeit not as sturdy and with a worse typing, it does have several ways to provide momentum and prankster taunt as well as encore.
I do feel like there's better manual setters though, like Tornadus or Deoxys-S for Rain and Whimsicott for Sun as Tornadus can take advantage of it's own rain with a powerful Hurricane and also the option to run Taunt, Deoxys has Stealth Rock and Taunt and Whimsicott is much more annoying than non-swagger Klefki albeit not as sturdy and with a worse typing, it does have several ways to provide momentum and prankster taunt as well as encore.
It's got plenty of options besides dual screens. Spikes, weather, switcheroo, paralysis spreading... even without swagger it's still an annoying piece of shit
Switcheroo + Lagging Tail or smth might work but it can't really use choice items effectively, T-Wave should be on ever set apart from maybe dual screens (its by far the best thing Klefki can do, prio twave I mean)
It can barely put a decent set together without screens, between Foul Play (or a pathetically weak Play Rough) T-Wave, Spikes and maybe a weather skill it can barely put a decent set together.
Now that I think about it even Switcheroo+Lagging Tail isn't really that useful as unless you're using it on an electric or a ground type, you're better off using Thunder Wave.
Except it has no way of hitting Steel Types other then perhaps HP Fire/Ground which won't do much coming off of a base 80 SpA before you get 2-3 CMs off which is by no means a guarantee.
Anyways I think there's been enough Klefki discussion as I wouldn't really call Klefki a current metagame trend.
I'm seeing more and more Scarfed Excadrill on the higher side of the ladder (1600+) instead of it's usual Air Balloon item.
I don't find it very surprising though. Scarfed Excadrill (Jolly Nature) is great for a quick spin and also acts as a ghetto check/revenge killer to Char Y, Mega Pinsir, Char X, and Thundurus. With Excadrill's 453 scarf speed only boosted and other scarfed mons can outrun him.
I don't find it very surprising though. Scarfed Excadrill (Jolly Nature) is great for a quick spin and also acts as a ghetto check/revenge killer to Char Y, Mega Pinsir, Char X, and Thundurus. With Excadrill's 453 scarf speed only boosted and other scarfed mons can outrun him.
Like you said, only boosted/scarfed mons can outrun Scarf Excadrill, and most scarfers are faster than Excadrill anyway so I don't think Jolly nature is all that neccesary, even Mega Manectric is still outsped by Adamant Scarf Excadrill.
Yup my Scarf Excadrill is Adamant. I used to net so many free kills just because of the surprise factor, but higher up on the ladder everyone expects it, the scarf. But its such a good revenge killer and spinner with the scarf that I think the scarf set is its best set.
Scarf Excadrill is great. It's not only its surprise factor, it is due to the fact that it is an very good set.
Recently, I've been seeing alot of Assault Vest Azumarill. Which I believe is just as effective as the Choice Band set after trying it. It can even defeat things like Thundurus, which before gave Azumarill a lot of problems. I see it a lot in the 1500 range.
Recently, I've been seeing alot of Assault Vest Azumarill. Which I believe is just as effective as the Choice Band set after trying it. It can even defeat things like Thundurus, which before gave Azumarill a lot of problems. I see it a lot in the 1500 range.
With the prevalence of Hippowdon on balanced teams I'm actually surprised at the lack of Sand Rush Excadrill, its a bit trickier to use than scarf but so much better if you are able to play around CharY.
The ability to switch moves and outspeed everything unboosted (including Deo-S and all scarfers) is huge and you can still run an air balloon or even a life orb.
Back to Hippowdon, this is easily the beat defensive Mon on non HO/Stall teams.
With SpD investment its incredibly bulky on both sides, had solid recovery, removes CharY's sun, set's rocks, has a fairly powerful stab eq for a wall and has access to whirlwind to phaze or rock slide/stone edge to beat things that are immune to its stab like Talonflame, Mega Pinsir and ZardY or even toxic to annoy other walls, just such a great Mon overall and it's barely used at lower ratings.
The ability to switch moves and outspeed everything unboosted (including Deo-S and all scarfers) is huge and you can still run an air balloon or even a life orb.
Back to Hippowdon, this is easily the beat defensive Mon on non HO/Stall teams.
With SpD investment its incredibly bulky on both sides, had solid recovery, removes CharY's sun, set's rocks, has a fairly powerful stab eq for a wall and has access to whirlwind to phaze or rock slide/stone edge to beat things that are immune to its stab like Talonflame, Mega Pinsir and ZardY or even toxic to annoy other walls, just such a great Mon overall and it's barely used at lower ratings.
I've actually been seeing more sand rush excadrill in tour if not on the ladder. Risk is that you either need to build around it or try to counter team. Of course rotom then becomes a problem again
If you choose not to use Hippo or Ttar you obviously wouldn't run Sand Rush Excadrill, what kind of terrible reasoning is this?
And yes not beating Rotom-W does suck but there's plenty of ways to take it out.
If you don't see a balloon, you should immediately expect scarf, even scarfed rapid spin is to be exptected.
Well I've seen an Assault Vest Excadrill as well. But yeah for the most part its either Scarfed or Balloon.
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