Status: Updated
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/ambipom/
Changes:
name: Lead
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Taunt / Payback / Pursuit
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: U-turn / Return
item: Life Orb / Silk Scarf
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ambipom is a great lead, thanks to its extremely high Speed, respectable Attack, great ability, and great movepool. Its ability to scout and Taunt are also extremely beneficial for a lead Pokemon.</p>
<p>Ambipom's bread and butter is its Technician-boosted Fake Out. It is a great attack to open a match with, as well as helpful later in the match when a revenge killer is needed. The drawback, however, is that Ambipom is limited to three moves after using Fake Out, or after the first turn Ambipom is in passes.</p>
<p>Taunt has gained more usage, thanks to the prevalence of leads that focus on setting up entry hazards. Payback and Pursuit are both great answers to Ghost-types, such as Froslass, whom Ambipom would otherwise have troubles KOing. Having a speedy Taunt user is also very useful in UU, since many Pokemon utilize stat-boosting moves to add some bite to their attacks; Ambipom's presence typically is enough to keep them from even trying to boost.</p>
<p>Low Kick takes care of some of Ambipom's old counters, such as Registeel, Cloyster, and Steelix. Running STAB Return is a very appealing choice for Ambipom, though a moveset consisting of Fake Out, Taunt, Low Kick, and Return will leave Ambipom open to Ghost-types, such as Mismagius and Spiritomb. Running U-turn is a viable option if scouting is needed for your team's success, though Pursuit will still hit for boosted damage.</p>
<p>As a "hit and run lead", Ambipom does not need to invest in any stats besides Attack and Speed. Ambipom has incredible frailness anyway and should focus on attacking. Silk Scarf will power up Ambipom's STAB moves, while Life Orb will power up all its moves. Unless you need Life Orb's extra power to get some specific KOs, Silk Scarf is probably the better choice, since Ambipom won't need to lose 20% of its health for using Fake Out + Return, and since U-turn and Payback don't really need to be boosted anyway.</p>
<p>Lead Ambipom will enjoy being paired up with bulky Pokemon who can take advantage of weakened (and possibly Taunted) opponents. The multitude of leads weak to Fighting makes Hariyama a great choice, thanks to extremely bulky Substitutes and STAB Force Palm or Focus Punch. Having an answer to lead Spiritomb is almost a necessity, since Ambipom can barely dent it with U-turn; try Venusaur or Arcanine. Both are relatively bulky and are immediate threats that can take down Spiritomb fairly easily.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Return
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Pursuit / Payback
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though it shares the same attacks as the Lead set, Life Orb Ambipom plays very differently, focusing less on scouting and causing light damage and more on actually remaining in the battle for an extended period of time.</p>
<p>Fake Out is Ambipom's obligatory attack, as the flinch and Technician boost always make it appealing. Return, then, is what Ambipom will be using against the vast majority of its opponents. Low Kick comes in handy against defensive walls, such as Registeel or Cloyster, dealing 2HKOs to each.</p>
<p>Since many Pokemon fear the amount of damage Ambipom's Fake Out can deliver, a Dark-type move of your choosing is suggested in the fourth moveslot. The decision comes down to who you want Ambipom to damage to. Pursuit will leave huge holes in any Pokemon your opponent is foolish enough to switch out, while Payback will OHKO many of the Ghost-types that like to switch in on a predicted Fake Out.</p>
<p>Ambipom is fairly frail, so having something that can provide Wish support is ideal. Clefable may be the best choice, since it can switch in without fear of entry hazards, provides Wish support, and can also absorb status thrown at Ambipom, most notably burn and paralysis. Clefable or Chansey can both run Aromatherapy, though pairing Ambipom up with another Normal-type is an open invitation to the likes of Hitmontop and Blaziken. Slowbro is a fairly decent switch-in to these Pokemon, since neither can do much to it, unless Blaziken is running a super effective Grass- or Electric-type attack. Milotic, too, is a decent switch-in, and has the added benefit of enjoying status; the Defense boost provided by Marvel Scale is greatly appreciated.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Pass and Attack
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Swift
move 4: Taunt / Water Pulse
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ambipom has access to Nasty Plot to boost his otherwise forgettable Special Attack stat as well as Baton Pass to gladly pass the Nasty Plot to a teammate. Not many Pokemon can pass Special Attack in UU very well, and so this is something Ambipom can excel at.</p>
<p>Nasty Plot is the wheels behind the set and keeps Ambipom moving forward with attacks or Baton Pass. Even with Technician, Ambipom would have no reason to use this set if it didn't have Nasty Plot in its movepool. Baton Pass allows Ambipom to pass Nasty Plot boosts to other recipients. Baton Pass can also help scout for switches if you need a quick switch as well.</p>
<p>The main STAB attack is Swift, an attack that never misses, which can come in handy if you ever fight a Pokemon that relies on you missing your attacks (Cacturne with Hippopotas support, for example). Swift also receives a handy Technician boost giving it 90 Base Power, 135 total when factoring in STAB. The other attack is there for coverage, although Water Pulse is the preferred option, allowing Ambipom to hit Rock- and Ground-types for super effective damage.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types, such as Milotic and Slowbro, enjoy receiving the Special Attack boost Ambipom provides, as do special sweepers like Rotom. Each of these partners also provides defensive support for Ambipom; Milotic absorbs status, Slowbro resists Fighting-type attack and can retaliate with STAB Psychic, and Rotom is immune to Fighting-type attacks. Remember to watch out for phazers, though, as they can easily negate your stat boosts. Mr. Mime is a great partner if the whole team strategy revolves around Baton Pass, thanks to its ability, Soundproof. For more information on Baton Pass teams, look here.</p>
[SET]
name: Pure Baton Pass
move 1: Agility
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Taunt
item: Lum Berry
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though a bit frail without dual screen support, Ambipom has enough stat boosting moves in its movepool to be an all-out Baton Pass teammate.</p>
<p>Unlike the previous set, which could function on its own if the need arose, this set is entirely dependent on its teammates to defeat the opponent. The advantage this set has over its sister set, though, is it can Baton Pass not only Nasty Plot boosts, but Agility boosts as well. Taunt goes well with the Baton Pass strategy, since it keeps Pokemon who use Roar, Whilrlwind, and/or Perish Song from ruining your team strategy.</p>
<p>Obviously, slow special sweepers are the best recipients of both Speed and Special Attack boosts. Venomoth, though rarely seen, is able to do a lot of damage with boosts, thanks to Tinted Lens. Other noteworthy recipients include the partners listed in the previous set, along with the likes of Magneton, Espeon, and others.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Since the lead set is used, obviously, in the lead spot, having answers to the leads Ambipom might have trouble with is ideal. If Ambipom is using Taunt, having a Pokemon who can dispose of Froslass and Spiritomb is needed. Drapion has little to fear from Psychic-wielding Alakazam, and Donphan can be taken care of by Slowbro. To avoid the speed tie and resulting damage, carry a Ghost-type to counter enemy Ambipom. Mismagius can handle Ambipom, thanks to Hidden Power Fighting, and is a reliable switch-in to Fighting-type attacks aimed at Ambipom.</p>
<p>Light Screen and Reflect are both helpful for the Baton Pass sets as Ambipom needs something to help it sponge attacks. Claydol and Uxie are great at providing dual screens and can support sweeper teammates with Stealth Rock as well. Claydol can also Rapid Spin to help set up Ambipom's recipient, and both Claydol and Uxie resist Ambipom's Fighting-type weakness.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Ambipom has a plethora of moves, but none of them are extremely helpful. Ambipom can use a strategy of Fake Out and Last Resort that relies on using Fake Out to make Last Resort the only usable move. However, if you wish to use this Ambipom, your team should be built around it; otherwise, it is dead weight.</p>
<p>Ambipom gets Seed Bomb, Fire Punch, Thunderpunch, and Aerial Ace; however, none of these are very helpful in UU when compared to its other options. Aerial Ace can help with Fighting-types, though.</p>
<p>Grass Knot can be used to help Ambipom against the likes of Rhyperior, Cloyster, and Omastar. Since Omastar and Cloyster are commonly seen as leads, it's very useful on the Lead set, though the Life Orb set can utilize Grass Knot with success. Players should drop Low Kick if they'd like to use Grass Knot.
<p>Ambipom is decent at using Rain Dance and has plenty of support moves to go with it, such as Thunder, Water Pulse, and Taunt. However, Electrode is generally a better user of Rain Dance than Ambipom.</p>
<p>Uproar can be used on the Nasty Plot attacker, preventing sleep and still receiving a Technician boost. However, Ambipom will be stuck using it for two to five turns, making Swift the superior choice.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Ambipom should just simply max out its attacking stats and Speed. Ambipom is just too frail to invest EVs into its defenses.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Ambipom is the number one UU lead for a reason; it does its job well. As long as Ambipom avoids paralysis and Fighting-type attacks it should do a fine job of stopping your opponent from setting up, revenge killing, scouting, Baton Passing, or performing any other role it's designed for.</p>
[Counters]
<p>As far the lead set is concerned, the leads that really give Ambipom trouble are Spiritomb, enemy Ambipom, and Moltres. Spiritomb is immune to Ambipom's Fake Out, Return, and Low Kick, takes neutral damage from U-turn, and will pseudo-trap Ambipom with Pursuit or Trick a Choice item, crippling Ambipom no matter what you decide to do. Enemy Ambipom are considerable threats, due to the speed tie; if your Ambipom is flinched at the beginning of the match, a Return will ensure the KO for your opponent next turn. Though it takes a hefty amount of damage from Fake Out, Moltres can OHKO Ambipom with Overheat and Roost off the damage.</p>
<p>The Life Orb set doesn't like dealing with Hitmontop, due to its ability, Intimidate, and its priority Fighting-type attack, Mach Punch. In fact, any Pokemon who is able to tank a Fake Out and retaliate with a priority attack of their own is a fairly decent counter, thanks to Ambipom's frail defenses. This includes Pokemon like Azumarill, Donphan, and Blaziken. Rhyperior is able to overcome Low Kick's damage and OHKO Ambipom easily.</p>
<p>Since their functions are fairly similar, the Baton Pass-themed sets share many common counters. Phazers, such as Drapion, Steelix, and Hariyama, are all able to break your chain if for some reason you decide not to Taunt them first. Taunting will leave Ambipom open to attacks, though, and that pitiful Defense stat won't do much to shield Ambipom from Drapion's Crunch, Steelix's Gyro Ball, or Hariyama's Force Palm.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/ambipom/
Changes:
- Remove Choice Band Set (completed)
- Revamp Lead Set (completed)
- Lead Set Comments (completed)
- Created New Life Orb Set (completed)
- Revamp Team Options Section (completed)
- Rewrite Opinion Section (completed)
- Revamp Counters Section (completed)
name: Lead
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Taunt / Payback / Pursuit
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: U-turn / Return
item: Life Orb / Silk Scarf
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ambipom is a great lead, thanks to its extremely high Speed, respectable Attack, great ability, and great movepool. Its ability to scout and Taunt are also extremely beneficial for a lead Pokemon.</p>
<p>Ambipom's bread and butter is its Technician-boosted Fake Out. It is a great attack to open a match with, as well as helpful later in the match when a revenge killer is needed. The drawback, however, is that Ambipom is limited to three moves after using Fake Out, or after the first turn Ambipom is in passes.</p>
<p>Taunt has gained more usage, thanks to the prevalence of leads that focus on setting up entry hazards. Payback and Pursuit are both great answers to Ghost-types, such as Froslass, whom Ambipom would otherwise have troubles KOing. Having a speedy Taunt user is also very useful in UU, since many Pokemon utilize stat-boosting moves to add some bite to their attacks; Ambipom's presence typically is enough to keep them from even trying to boost.</p>
<p>Low Kick takes care of some of Ambipom's old counters, such as Registeel, Cloyster, and Steelix. Running STAB Return is a very appealing choice for Ambipom, though a moveset consisting of Fake Out, Taunt, Low Kick, and Return will leave Ambipom open to Ghost-types, such as Mismagius and Spiritomb. Running U-turn is a viable option if scouting is needed for your team's success, though Pursuit will still hit for boosted damage.</p>
<p>As a "hit and run lead", Ambipom does not need to invest in any stats besides Attack and Speed. Ambipom has incredible frailness anyway and should focus on attacking. Silk Scarf will power up Ambipom's STAB moves, while Life Orb will power up all its moves. Unless you need Life Orb's extra power to get some specific KOs, Silk Scarf is probably the better choice, since Ambipom won't need to lose 20% of its health for using Fake Out + Return, and since U-turn and Payback don't really need to be boosted anyway.</p>
<p>Lead Ambipom will enjoy being paired up with bulky Pokemon who can take advantage of weakened (and possibly Taunted) opponents. The multitude of leads weak to Fighting makes Hariyama a great choice, thanks to extremely bulky Substitutes and STAB Force Palm or Focus Punch. Having an answer to lead Spiritomb is almost a necessity, since Ambipom can barely dent it with U-turn; try Venusaur or Arcanine. Both are relatively bulky and are immediate threats that can take down Spiritomb fairly easily.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Return
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Pursuit / Payback
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though it shares the same attacks as the Lead set, Life Orb Ambipom plays very differently, focusing less on scouting and causing light damage and more on actually remaining in the battle for an extended period of time.</p>
<p>Fake Out is Ambipom's obligatory attack, as the flinch and Technician boost always make it appealing. Return, then, is what Ambipom will be using against the vast majority of its opponents. Low Kick comes in handy against defensive walls, such as Registeel or Cloyster, dealing 2HKOs to each.</p>
<p>Since many Pokemon fear the amount of damage Ambipom's Fake Out can deliver, a Dark-type move of your choosing is suggested in the fourth moveslot. The decision comes down to who you want Ambipom to damage to. Pursuit will leave huge holes in any Pokemon your opponent is foolish enough to switch out, while Payback will OHKO many of the Ghost-types that like to switch in on a predicted Fake Out.</p>
<p>Ambipom is fairly frail, so having something that can provide Wish support is ideal. Clefable may be the best choice, since it can switch in without fear of entry hazards, provides Wish support, and can also absorb status thrown at Ambipom, most notably burn and paralysis. Clefable or Chansey can both run Aromatherapy, though pairing Ambipom up with another Normal-type is an open invitation to the likes of Hitmontop and Blaziken. Slowbro is a fairly decent switch-in to these Pokemon, since neither can do much to it, unless Blaziken is running a super effective Grass- or Electric-type attack. Milotic, too, is a decent switch-in, and has the added benefit of enjoying status; the Defense boost provided by Marvel Scale is greatly appreciated.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Pass and Attack
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Swift
move 4: Taunt / Water Pulse
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ambipom has access to Nasty Plot to boost his otherwise forgettable Special Attack stat as well as Baton Pass to gladly pass the Nasty Plot to a teammate. Not many Pokemon can pass Special Attack in UU very well, and so this is something Ambipom can excel at.</p>
<p>Nasty Plot is the wheels behind the set and keeps Ambipom moving forward with attacks or Baton Pass. Even with Technician, Ambipom would have no reason to use this set if it didn't have Nasty Plot in its movepool. Baton Pass allows Ambipom to pass Nasty Plot boosts to other recipients. Baton Pass can also help scout for switches if you need a quick switch as well.</p>
<p>The main STAB attack is Swift, an attack that never misses, which can come in handy if you ever fight a Pokemon that relies on you missing your attacks (Cacturne with Hippopotas support, for example). Swift also receives a handy Technician boost giving it 90 Base Power, 135 total when factoring in STAB. The other attack is there for coverage, although Water Pulse is the preferred option, allowing Ambipom to hit Rock- and Ground-types for super effective damage.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types, such as Milotic and Slowbro, enjoy receiving the Special Attack boost Ambipom provides, as do special sweepers like Rotom. Each of these partners also provides defensive support for Ambipom; Milotic absorbs status, Slowbro resists Fighting-type attack and can retaliate with STAB Psychic, and Rotom is immune to Fighting-type attacks. Remember to watch out for phazers, though, as they can easily negate your stat boosts. Mr. Mime is a great partner if the whole team strategy revolves around Baton Pass, thanks to its ability, Soundproof. For more information on Baton Pass teams, look here.</p>
[SET]
name: Pure Baton Pass
move 1: Agility
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Taunt
item: Lum Berry
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Though a bit frail without dual screen support, Ambipom has enough stat boosting moves in its movepool to be an all-out Baton Pass teammate.</p>
<p>Unlike the previous set, which could function on its own if the need arose, this set is entirely dependent on its teammates to defeat the opponent. The advantage this set has over its sister set, though, is it can Baton Pass not only Nasty Plot boosts, but Agility boosts as well. Taunt goes well with the Baton Pass strategy, since it keeps Pokemon who use Roar, Whilrlwind, and/or Perish Song from ruining your team strategy.</p>
<p>Obviously, slow special sweepers are the best recipients of both Speed and Special Attack boosts. Venomoth, though rarely seen, is able to do a lot of damage with boosts, thanks to Tinted Lens. Other noteworthy recipients include the partners listed in the previous set, along with the likes of Magneton, Espeon, and others.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Since the lead set is used, obviously, in the lead spot, having answers to the leads Ambipom might have trouble with is ideal. If Ambipom is using Taunt, having a Pokemon who can dispose of Froslass and Spiritomb is needed. Drapion has little to fear from Psychic-wielding Alakazam, and Donphan can be taken care of by Slowbro. To avoid the speed tie and resulting damage, carry a Ghost-type to counter enemy Ambipom. Mismagius can handle Ambipom, thanks to Hidden Power Fighting, and is a reliable switch-in to Fighting-type attacks aimed at Ambipom.</p>
<p>Light Screen and Reflect are both helpful for the Baton Pass sets as Ambipom needs something to help it sponge attacks. Claydol and Uxie are great at providing dual screens and can support sweeper teammates with Stealth Rock as well. Claydol can also Rapid Spin to help set up Ambipom's recipient, and both Claydol and Uxie resist Ambipom's Fighting-type weakness.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Ambipom has a plethora of moves, but none of them are extremely helpful. Ambipom can use a strategy of Fake Out and Last Resort that relies on using Fake Out to make Last Resort the only usable move. However, if you wish to use this Ambipom, your team should be built around it; otherwise, it is dead weight.</p>
<p>Ambipom gets Seed Bomb, Fire Punch, Thunderpunch, and Aerial Ace; however, none of these are very helpful in UU when compared to its other options. Aerial Ace can help with Fighting-types, though.</p>
<p>Grass Knot can be used to help Ambipom against the likes of Rhyperior, Cloyster, and Omastar. Since Omastar and Cloyster are commonly seen as leads, it's very useful on the Lead set, though the Life Orb set can utilize Grass Knot with success. Players should drop Low Kick if they'd like to use Grass Knot.
<p>Ambipom is decent at using Rain Dance and has plenty of support moves to go with it, such as Thunder, Water Pulse, and Taunt. However, Electrode is generally a better user of Rain Dance than Ambipom.</p>
<p>Uproar can be used on the Nasty Plot attacker, preventing sleep and still receiving a Technician boost. However, Ambipom will be stuck using it for two to five turns, making Swift the superior choice.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Ambipom should just simply max out its attacking stats and Speed. Ambipom is just too frail to invest EVs into its defenses.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Ambipom is the number one UU lead for a reason; it does its job well. As long as Ambipom avoids paralysis and Fighting-type attacks it should do a fine job of stopping your opponent from setting up, revenge killing, scouting, Baton Passing, or performing any other role it's designed for.</p>
[Counters]
<p>As far the lead set is concerned, the leads that really give Ambipom trouble are Spiritomb, enemy Ambipom, and Moltres. Spiritomb is immune to Ambipom's Fake Out, Return, and Low Kick, takes neutral damage from U-turn, and will pseudo-trap Ambipom with Pursuit or Trick a Choice item, crippling Ambipom no matter what you decide to do. Enemy Ambipom are considerable threats, due to the speed tie; if your Ambipom is flinched at the beginning of the match, a Return will ensure the KO for your opponent next turn. Though it takes a hefty amount of damage from Fake Out, Moltres can OHKO Ambipom with Overheat and Roost off the damage.</p>
<p>The Life Orb set doesn't like dealing with Hitmontop, due to its ability, Intimidate, and its priority Fighting-type attack, Mach Punch. In fact, any Pokemon who is able to tank a Fake Out and retaliate with a priority attack of their own is a fairly decent counter, thanks to Ambipom's frail defenses. This includes Pokemon like Azumarill, Donphan, and Blaziken. Rhyperior is able to overcome Low Kick's damage and OHKO Ambipom easily.</p>
<p>Since their functions are fairly similar, the Baton Pass-themed sets share many common counters. Phazers, such as Drapion, Steelix, and Hariyama, are all able to break your chain if for some reason you decide not to Taunt them first. Taunting will leave Ambipom open to attacks, though, and that pitiful Defense stat won't do much to shield Ambipom from Drapion's Crunch, Steelix's Gyro Ball, or Hariyama's Force Palm.</p>
