This is a problem I've been having lately, and while I wasn’t sure if it needed its own thread, I figured I’d try.
How do you take electric attacks? By far the two most common electric attacks you'll face are Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave. For offensive teams especially, these can be real problems. With so many speedy pokes, who's going to take the T-Wave? What if your opponent unleashes SpecsJolt, who takes the T-Bolt?
Now, the obvious answer is: Duh, Ground types! That's fine and all, but lets look at all the OU Ground pokes:
Donphan, Dugtrio, Flygon, Gliscor, Hippowdon, Mamoswine, Rhyperior, and Swampert.
Which OU Ground type makes a good switch-in to T-Bolt users?
Flygon and Gliscor are the only ones who aren't 2HKO'ed by Jolteon's HP Grass, but both can be be 2HKO’ed by Shadow Ball if SR is down.
Swampert is the only guy who would want to switch in on a typical Scarf Magnezone, as Flash Cannon would prove painful for the rest. Flygon is a good switch in if he avoids Flash Cannon.
Flygon switches in safely, but unless CB isn't going to be powerful enough to even 2HKO a defensive Zapdos. Mamoswine only manages to 2HKO Zapdos, meaning Zapdos can finish him off with Heat Wave and Roost if off later.
Overall: Flygon is the closest you're going to get to a safe switch in to T-Bolt users, but still needs to be careful.
What about T-Wave?
Every Ground poke uses Physical moves so that's a plus, however 37.1% of Blissey carry Toxic and 33.4% Ice Beam, so you've still got to be careful or the Blissey user is going to catch on and punish you.
Gliscor is a relatively safe switch, albeit unless you're going to SD, he won't really do much. Flygon gets in and threatens with U-Turn.
Flygon can get in, but doesn't 2HKO even with CB Outrage. 69.6% carry Ice Beam, so really only Rhyperior boosted by SS is going to anything to Cresselia.
96.7% carry Ice Beam...Flygon can 2HKO but will likely be killed. Mamoswine, Rhyperior, and Swampert make pretty good switch-ins, albeit Swampert doesn't threaten at all. Only 17.2% carry Toxic, so you're relatively safe from that.
Flygon can switch in and threaten with Outrage, Gliscor can only pose a threat if it runs SD and SE, Mamoswine will usually scare Togekiss off but note that even Adamant CB Ice Fang is not a guaranteed OHKO. Rhyperior backed by SS also fairs well.
See switch-ins for T-Bolt.
Overall: Similarly to T-Bolt switch-ins, Flygon is the only one able to switch in and pose a threat most of the time, but it’s going to need a CB. A number of T-Wave users also carry Ice Beam, meaning you’ll get your first switch in pretty safe, but after that you need to be very careful.
But what about Electivire and Jolteon?
Electivire: I’m really not going to go very in depth with this guy, he’s going to have trouble with a number of walls as his offensive stats just don’t cut it.
Jolteon: Looking over the list of T-Bolt and T-Wave users, Jolteon is actually a very good switch in. With one exception: Blissey. If your opponent uses Blissey to spread the paralysis, Jolteon’s immunity is going to be rather uselsess.
Conclusion:
Looking over the list of Electric immunities in OU, the only two pokes who will actually be good switch-ins a majority of the time are Flygon and Jolteon…But Jolteon is walled by Blissey and has no way around, something you don’t want in a sweeper, especially on an offensive team. Flygon suffers from Speed vs. Power: Scarf is needed to let him patch up that 100 Base Speed and CB is needed to get by most walls. Now, I’m certainly not trying to say these are poor pokes, I’ve used both and they can be very potent, but neither quite fit my team as well as one would like. Which brings me back to my question: How do you get around Electric attacks? A good Electric resist is needed so as to keep the offense going when your Gyarados or Suicune is threatened, but if Flygon and Jolteon don't cut it for your team, what do you use to absorb Electric attacks?
How do you take electric attacks? By far the two most common electric attacks you'll face are Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave. For offensive teams especially, these can be real problems. With so many speedy pokes, who's going to take the T-Wave? What if your opponent unleashes SpecsJolt, who takes the T-Bolt?
Now, the obvious answer is: Duh, Ground types! That's fine and all, but lets look at all the OU Ground pokes:
Donphan, Dugtrio, Flygon, Gliscor, Hippowdon, Mamoswine, Rhyperior, and Swampert.
Which OU Ground type makes a good switch-in to T-Bolt users?
Overall: Flygon is the closest you're going to get to a safe switch in to T-Bolt users, but still needs to be careful.
What about T-Wave?
Overall: Similarly to T-Bolt switch-ins, Flygon is the only one able to switch in and pose a threat most of the time, but it’s going to need a CB. A number of T-Wave users also carry Ice Beam, meaning you’ll get your first switch in pretty safe, but after that you need to be very careful.
But what about Electivire and Jolteon?
Electivire: I’m really not going to go very in depth with this guy, he’s going to have trouble with a number of walls as his offensive stats just don’t cut it.
Jolteon: Looking over the list of T-Bolt and T-Wave users, Jolteon is actually a very good switch in. With one exception: Blissey. If your opponent uses Blissey to spread the paralysis, Jolteon’s immunity is going to be rather uselsess.
Conclusion:
Looking over the list of Electric immunities in OU, the only two pokes who will actually be good switch-ins a majority of the time are Flygon and Jolteon…But Jolteon is walled by Blissey and has no way around, something you don’t want in a sweeper, especially on an offensive team. Flygon suffers from Speed vs. Power: Scarf is needed to let him patch up that 100 Base Speed and CB is needed to get by most walls. Now, I’m certainly not trying to say these are poor pokes, I’ve used both and they can be very potent, but neither quite fit my team as well as one would like. Which brings me back to my question: How do you get around Electric attacks? A good Electric resist is needed so as to keep the offense going when your Gyarados or Suicune is threatened, but if Flygon and Jolteon don't cut it for your team, what do you use to absorb Electric attacks?