Butterfree (UU Analysis)

SilentVerse

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Being that Butterfree is my favorite Pokemon, and that few people would actually bother to use it, I thought I would revamp it. Butterfree really isn't that great, but having a 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder is pretty appealing and coupled with a Stun Spore that's almost as accurate as Thunder Wave, Butterfree actually doesn't do too bad as a lead. I've tested both these sets a fair amount, and they've been working pretty well, though they might need some refining. I'll still attempt to test these sets even more in my free time, as well as trying any changes that you guys feel should be changed. Anyways, here's my first analysis.


Status: Uploaded! Good work SilentVerse :)


http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/butterfree

[Overview]

<p>Butterfree, at a glance, is a terrible Pokemon. Horrible typing, bad stats overall, a shallow movepool, and a 4x Stealth Rock weakness undermine much of her remaining positive qualities. However, Butterfree does have one thing going for her: a 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder! Compoundeyes remedies Sleep Powder’s otherwise problematic accuracy, which plagues other sleep-inducing leads such as Scarf Venusaur and Jumpluff. Having access to a 97.5% accurate Stun Spore is also pretty good, and with U-turn to scout for switch-ins, Butterfree starts to seem like a decent option. In the end, while these things certainly don't make up for Butterfree's large number of shortcomings, they at least help her to stand out as an interesting alternative status spreader.</p>

[SET]
name: Scarfed Sleep Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Bug Buzz
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set allows Butterfree to outspeed many Pokemon in UU and quickly cripple them with
an accurate Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. This set functions best as a lead, since there is no need to worry about switching into Stealth Rock; she can also stop the opponent from getting up entry hazards, which helps her teammates later in the match. Even though Choice Scarf may lock you into Sleep Powder or Stun Spore, it is still Butterfree's most consistent way of spreading status, as Butterfree's frailty and relatively low base 70 Speed really hurt her ability to status things.</p>

<p>Sleep Powder is a given on this set, as the main reason you should be using Butterfree in the first place is her very reliable 97.5%
accurate Sleep Powder. It's also (as mentioned previously) a great way to stop your opponent's lead from getting entry hazards up. U-turn provides a way for Butterfree to scout the opposition for any Sleep Talkers who may attempt to absorb your Sleep Powder, while Stun Spore allows Butterfree to accurately spread paralysis that's only blocked by Ditto, Persian and Hitmonlee later in the match. Bug Buzz rounds off the set by providing a nice STAB move from Butterfree's decent base 80 Special Attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Timid nature, 252 Speed EVs, and a Choice Scarf, Butterfree reaches a Speed stat of 393, outspeeding
every non-Scarfed lead in UU, barring Electrode. This almost guarantees that Butterfree will outspeed and put to sleep the opposing Pokemon. 252 EVs in Special Attack make Butterfree's Bug Buzz as strong as possible without sacrificing any Speed. Though a Timid nature weakens U-turn further, U-turn is extremely weak anyway, so there isn't much point to using a Naive or Hasty nature. However, if you wish for U-turn to hit harder, and don't find Bug Buzz too useful, max out Butterfree's Attack and give her a Jolly nature. If you opt for this route, you should replace Bug Buzz with another support move, such as Toxic, as Bug Buzz won't be doing much due to the lack of investment. Another alternate EV spread is 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe. This increases Butterfree's overall durability quite a bit and allows you to take Ambipom's Fake Out better. This spread also makes it easier for Butterfree to come in later in the match to spread status.</p>

<p>Because this set loses badly to Electrode, having a way to deal with Rain Dance is advised. Pairing Butterfree with bulky Water-types like Milotic and a Registeel can help against Rain Dance teams, as well as providing two solid defensive Pokemon for Butterfree to U-turn to. Stealth Rock greatly hampers Butterfree's ability to switch in later in the match, so Rapid Spinners are useful. Hitmontop, Donphan, and Blastoise are great choices as they resist some of Butterfree's common weaknesses. They also have a way to get a guaranteed Spin off with Foresight or Odor Sleuth.</p>

<p>Offensively, Swellow and Ursaring work well in conjunction with Butterfree. Butterfree can give both of them a free switch in with Sleep Powder or U-turn to activate their Orbs. From this point, they can proceed to rip large holes in the opposing team (or at least put immediate pressure on the
opponent). Rhyperior and Aggron are also great options because Butterfree can give them a free switch-in or set up turn, which they can use to wreak havoc. Butterfree can also slow down the opposition with her accurate Stun Spore. In general, Pokemon who benefit from free switches and/or free turns are great choices to pair with Butterfree.</p>

[SET]

name: Double Powder Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Jolly
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Though this set seems extremely similar to the first set, it plays quite differently. Whereas the first set is guaranteed to put a Pokemon to sleep, this set attempts to cripple more of the opponent's team after you've slept the opposing lead, or provide a free switch-in to one of your Pokemon. This set is especially effective against slower leads such as Omastar and Uxie because Butterfree will be able to outspeed and put them to sleep, allowing her to either paralyze the switch-in if they switch out, or simply scout the opponent's move with U-turn. Against faster leads with Taunt, this set does much worse, as it is almost forced to U-turn immediately. However, this can still give one of your Pokemon a free switch-in, so this can potentially benefit your team.</p>

<p>Like the first set, Sleep Powder is once again used to stop slower leads from getting their entry hazards up. Stun Spore, with correct prediction, can allow you to cripple a third of your opponent's team in tandem with Sleep Powder via the Double Powder strategy. However, this strategy can be easily
telegraphed due to it being commonly used on Butterfree, so U-turn provides a safe scouting move when you're unsure if your opponent will switch out. Protect is yet another scouting move that also allows you to stop the most common lead in UU, Ambipom, from breaking Butterfree’s sash with Fake Out and KOing her the next turn.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given EVs make Butterfree as fast as possible
without using a Choice Scarf. With 248 EVs in HP, Butterfree has a bit more overall bulk to take light attacks after her Sash has been broken. Maximum HP is not needed because Butterfree would only be able to switch into Stealth Rock once without taking any prior damage, thanks to her HP stat being an even number. Alternatively, you can move the HP EVs into Attack if you want to boost U-turn's power. However, U-turn is still quite weak, even with that much investment, so dropping the EVs into HP is generally the better option.</p>

<p>As with the last set, Electrode is a huge threat. Carrying Pokemon like Milotic, Registeel, and Venusaur can help deal with the rain that Electrode is likely to bring. Kabutops and Arcanine leads can be quite threatening as well, seeing as they commonly carry Lum Berry. Milotic can once again be quite helpful in stopping these leads, though Kabutops will still be able to
set up Stealth Rock, while Arcanine may try to Toxic Milotic.</p>

<p>Once again, Pokemon who can abuse free switch-ins and turns when the opponent is crippled by
sleep, such as Swellow and Ursaring, are effective partners to this set. However, this set provides more opportunities for slow, hard-hitting Pokemon such as Absol and Hariyama to set up or punch holes in the opposing team. This set can generally spread paralysis more easily than the first set because you aren't restricted to a single move. The paralysis can then assist these hard-hitting Pokemon, such as the aforementioned Absol and Hariyama, as well as Aggron and Rhyperior, in smashing through these teams that are slowed down from paralysis. Dugtrio is also an interesting partner for this set. Butterfree can U-turn out of a potential victim for Dugtrio, such as Registeel, who may attempt to absorb your sleep, allowing Dugtrio to get in for free and proceed to trap and KO the switch-in.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Butterfree should be used mostly on offensive teams, because it is there where she can truly excel. With access to Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and U-turn, Butterfree can easily provide a free turn or
switch-in to one of your powerful sweepers, allowing them to threaten your opponent. Swellow and Ursaring, as mentioned previously, pair well with Butterfree because she can provide an opportunity for them to come in and activate their Orbs. After this, they can severely damage teams with their boosted Facades. For slower, hard-hitting Pokemon, Butterfree can slow down the opposition with Stun Spore, letting these Pokemon rip through the opposing team. Aggron and Rhyperior both hit extremely hard and appreciate the potential paralysis support Butterfree provides. The free turns that Butterfree can provide with Sleep Powder can also allow them to set up with Rock Polish and proceed to sweep.</p>

<p>Given that Butterfree is 4x weak to Stealth Rock, Rapid Spinners are an absolute necessity if you want her to
be even remotely useful later in the game. Donphan, Hitmontop, and Blastoise pair excellently with Butterfree, as they resist some of her major weaknesses such as Electric-, Rock-, and Fire-type moves, and can always execute a Rapid Spin with Odor Sleuth or Foresight. Unfortunately, all of these Spinners are also weak to one of Butterfree's numerous weaknesses, so you may need another defensive Pokemon to cover the particular weakness. On the flip side, entry hazards like Stealth Rock can be useful for Butterfree, as she can sometimes force switches with the threat of her Sleep Powder. By U-turning out as they switch, you can cause your opponent to switch out again as you bring in your counter to their switch-in, letting you slowly rack up damage with your entry hazards.</p>

<p>While Butterfree should never be used on a stall team, running defensive Pokemon to cover Butterfree's numerous weaknesses is appreciated. Milotic is an excellent choice as
he covers Butterfree's weakness to the rather common Fire-type moves and can deal with some of the leads who Butterfree has issues with, including Kabutops, Arcanine, and the rain that Electrode will bring. Registeel is another good partner to Butterfree, as both of them resist types that the other is weak to (barring Fire and Electric). Registeel's weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type moves can potentially allow Butterfree to switch in later during the match, giving her the opportunity to spread status around later in the game.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Unfortunately, Butterfree's movepool is really shallow, so there aren't many viable options here. Roost and Morning Sun may be used if you want some healing,
but 50% healing generally doesn't mean much for Butterfree. It could work somewhat decently if you're running a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe, but even then, Butterfree is rather frail. Butterfree could cobble together a Sunny Day set up set with Sleep Powder, Sunny Day, Morning Sun/Safeguard, and U-turn, but other Pokemon can do a better job of it. Energy Ball can be used if you want to deal with Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior; however, Bug Buzz is generally the better option, as you hit Mesprit and Uxie harder, both of whom are more common than Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior. It should also be noted that even Energy Ball won't OHKO Rhyperior and only has a slim chance of OHKOing Omastar.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Butterfree absolutely despises any kind of Sleep Talker, as they
can absorb the status effects, especially sleep, that Butterfree spreads around. RestTalk Altaria, Spiritomb, and Rotom are all particularly annoying for Butterfree to face because they can either set up in her face or, in Rotom's case, KO Butterfree with a STAB Discharge or Thunderbolt. Pokemon who can set up Substitute before Butterfree can do anything are also irritating for Butterfree to face, though they must be wary of Stun Spore on the switch-in. Rotom and Mismagius are great examples of this, as they're bulky enough to take Butterfree's weak STAB moves and set up on her.</p>

<p>As a lead, Butterfree fears Electrode. Electrode will always outspeed Butterfree and stop
her from putting it to sleep with Taunt. From there, Electrode can set up Rain Dance without much fear of any of Butterfree's weak attacks. Leads with Lum Berry are also irksome, as the Lum Berry will remove the sleep instantly while the opposing Pokemon sets up on or KOes you. Lead Swellow is another lead who Butterfree fails against. With Protect, he can stop any attempts by Butterfree to paralyze or sleep him, then become immune to her status attacks via his Toxic or Flame Orb. After this, Swellow can simply KO Butterfree.</p>

<p>If you lack a Sleep Talker, sending a bulky Pokemon who can survive being asleep for a couple of turns will do just fine. Milotic, Registeel, Chansey, and Altaria are great choices for this. In the case of the last two, they can remove the sleep upon switching out with their handy Natural Cure ability, so they won't have to stay asleep for long. For Milotic and Registeel, they are easily bulky enough to sleep for a couple of turns and still take a few hits safely. Toxic Orb Clefable is also a good counter to Butterfree, as
she becomes immune to Butterfree's status after Toxic Orb activates and can easily shrug off her weak attacks.</p>
 

franky

aka pimpdaddyfranky, aka frankydelaghetto, aka F, aka ef
is a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
Butterfree is excellent, especially that last set. Here are my two cents:

-slow hard hitting pokemon are great partners for this set. the immediate sting with stun spore, plus the additional sleep on the opponent allows *insert slow hard hitting pokemon here* to immediately place pressure on the opponent. hariyama, rhyperior, aggron, and absol are great example to this.

-you can definitely look to optimize butterfree's ability to possibly come in later and spread more status. you can start by changing its evs on the last slot to a simple 252 hp / 4 def / 252 spe. the attack is certainly not needed. you can look for the same spread 252 hp / 4 def / 252 spe on the first spread but i think the spA can come in great handy against stuff that will absorb your sleep and expect a walk-in-the-park against butterfree. maybe mention the spread in AC.

-i think placing the strong emphasize on butterfree being dead weight outside the lead position. this is extremely important for players looking to use butterfree -- it has the great niche with the near-perfect accuracy but it is ass outside the lead position.

-counters: rotom but emphasize on the sleep-talk set. it can switch into stun and sleep powder and resist bug buzz and retaliate with thunderbolt or discharge. mentioning rotom only is not going to work since it can potentially switch into stun spore. mention toxic orb clefable as well as it can shrug off any hit and render status useless.

my 2 cents.
 

FlareBlitz

Relaxed nature. Loves to eat.
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
I definitely think you should mention Energy Ball/Giga Drain as an option. It does way better than Bug Buzz against Omastar, Kabutops, and Rhyperior, who are fairly common leads. Bug Buzz does better against Mespirit/Uxie, so it should probably be slashed in depending on what the individual's team has more trouble with. You could also slash Roost in over Bug Buzz on the scarf set; this lets Butterfree heal off and scout possible status absorbers if it comes in mid-game. You can also switch it into things like Hitmontop this way without worrying about it just dying the next time it switches in.
 

SilentVerse

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Butterfree is excellent, especially that last set. Here are my two cents:

-slow hard hitting pokemon are great partners for this set. the immediate sting with stun spore, plus the additional sleep on the opponent allows *insert slow hard hitting pokemon here* to immediately place pressure on the opponent. hariyama, rhyperior, aggron, and absol are great example to this.

-you can definitely look to optimize butterfree's ability to possibly come in later and spread more status. you can start by changing its evs on the last slot to a simple 252 hp / 4 def / 252 spe. the attack is certainly not needed. you can look for the same spread 252 hp / 4 def / 252 spe on the first spread but i think the spA can come in great handy against stuff that will absorb your sleep and expect a walk-in-the-park against butterfree. maybe mention the spread in AC.

-i think placing the strong emphasize on butterfree being dead weight outside the lead position. this is extremely important for players looking to use butterfree -- it has the great niche with the near-perfect accuracy but it is ass outside the lead position.

-counters: rotom but emphasize on the sleep-talk set. it can switch into stun and sleep powder and resist bug buzz and retaliate with thunderbolt or discharge. mentioning rotom only is not going to work since it can potentially switch into stun spore. mention toxic orb clefable as well as it can shrug off any hit and render status useless.

my 2 cents.
Sounds good franky. I'll add those in. For the EVs, I guess I'll put those as the main option on the second set and put the max attack spread in AC. I've found Max SpA on the Choice Scarf set pretty useful to kill some weakened things later that come in to absorb your status, so I'll put that spread in AC and test it out. Also, I'm assuming 248 HP/ 8 Def/ 252 Spd would be better as it allows Butterfree to switch into Stealth Rock twice if it hasn't taken any prior damage.

I definitely think you should mention Energy Ball/Giga Drain as an option. It does way better than Bug Buzz against Omastar, Kabutops, and Rhyperior, who are fairly common leads. Bug Buzz does better against Mespirit/Uxie, so it should probably be slashed in depending on what the individual's team has more trouble with. You could also slash Roost in over Bug Buzz on the scarf set; this lets Butterfree heal off and scout possible status absorbers if it comes in mid-game. You can also switch it into things like Hitmontop this way without worrying about it just dying the next time it switches in.
That sounds fair enough. I'll slash Energy Ball with Bug Buzz for now. I'm not too sure how Energy Ball will do though as it doesn't KO Rhyperior, has a small chance of KOing Omastar, and can only KO Kabutops if they don't have Focus Sash. I'll test it out and see how it does.

Edit: I dunno, Roost doesn't seem to be working that well at the moment. Butterfree's really frail and 50% healing doesn't help much. I'll test some more, but right now, I think it's fine in OC.
 
I've seen Butterfree used effectively against me, and it's always the Bug Buzz variant. I don't think Energy Ball makes sense...you 2HKO Omastar and Kabutops either way (as leads).

What you have listed there actually looks right. I'll approve it on the condition that Energy Ball is removed.

 

SilentVerse

Into the New World
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I've seen Butterfree used effectively against me, and it's always the Bug Buzz variant. I don't think Energy Ball makes sense...you 2HKO Omastar and Kabutops either way (as leads).

What you have listed there actually looks right. I'll approve it on the condition that Energy Ball is removed.

Yeah, Energy Ball was kinda lackluster when I tested it last night. I guess I'll put a small mention of it in OC, and remove it from the main set+comments.
 

SilentVerse

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Pardon my double post, but it's been a couple of days since I last posted and this is getting rather close to the bottom of the page, so I think that I can bump this. Also, after testing both sets a bit more, I've been wondering if I should switch the order of the sets. Choice Scarf is guaranteed to get a sleep off, but I've found that it's easy to predict once you know Butterfree is scarfed. The second set, on the other hand, isn't guaranteed to get the sleep off but can do more things after sleeping something. Input would be greatly appreciated.
 
as promised I tested it and it was quite good so


I don't really think it matters which way the sets are ordered. Scarf gets Sleep Powder off more but is a little harder to use in all cases after you press "Sleep Powder" at the beginning of the match. neither one is really better than the other, so w/e.
 

SilentVerse

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Thanks for the approval guys. I'll try to write up the complete write up ASAP, though it might take a while with exams looming. Currently, I'm about half done it, so hopefully it can be up by this weekend. If not, it'll be up the next weekend. Should I put up the parts I have written first, or should I put it all up at the same time?
 

Ray Jay

"Jump first, ask questions later, oui oui!"
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
It is important to note however, that SpD is the abbreviation for Special Defense. Everything that says Spd and is implying Speed should br abbreviated Spe. (unless of course, you actually wanted Special Defense there)
 
Hmmmmm... This looks oddly similar to jumpluff, the only different between the two is that butterfree haves better accuracy, anyway both the sets look fine to me.
 

SilentVerse

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Alright, the write-up is now complete, so grammar checks would be appreciated. Sorry for taking so long, my last exam just finished today so I didn't get much time before today to complete the write-up. My writing probably isn't that great, and I likely made the analysis unnecessarily fat in some places, but this is my first time doing this. Also, I decided to use she/her instead of he/his because personally, I think of Butterfree as more feminine then masculine. I'm perfectly fine with changing it if you guys want though.
 

Ray Jay

"Jump first, ask questions later, oui oui!"
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus


GP Check 1/2
(Changes and additions in Blue, Deletions in Red)

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/butterfree


[Overview]

<p>Butterfree, at a first glance, is a terrible Pokemon. A horrible typing, bad stats overall, shallow movepool, and 4x Stealth Rock weakness undermine much of its remaining positive qualities. However, Butterfree does have one thing going for it: a 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder! This remedies the otherwise problematic accuracy that Sleep Powder has that plagues other sleep-inducing leads. means unless you're rather unlucky, Sleep Powder will sleep the opponent. Having access to a 97.5% accurate Stun Spore is also pretty good, and with U-turn to scout things, Butterfree starts to seem not too as bad. In the end, while these things certainly don't make up for Butterfree's large amount of shortcomings, they at least help her Butterfree to stand out as an interesting alternative for a status spreader.</p>

[SET]
name: Scarfed Sleep Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Bug Buzz
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set allows Butterfree to outspeed many Pokemon in UU and quickly cripple them with Butterfree's Butterfree’s accurate Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. It functions best as a lead, since there is no need to worry about switching into Stealth Rock and it can easily stop the opponent from getting up entry hazards. Even though Choice Scarf may lock you into Sleep Powder or Stun Spore, it is still Butterfree’s most consistent way of spreading status, as Butterfree’s frail defenses and relatively low Base 70 speed really hurt hurts its ability to status things.</p> [I fixed Butterfree's as we can't have those weird apostrophes lying around]

<p>Sleep Powder is a given on this set, as the main reason you should be using Butterfree in the first place is her very reliable 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder. It's also a great way to stop your opponent's lead from getting entry hazards up. U-turn provides a way for Butterfree to scout the opposition for any Sleep Talkers that may attempt to absorb your Sleep, while Stun Spore allows Butterfree to spread an accurate paralysis that's only blocked by Ditto, Persian and Hitmonlee (though the first two are rather rare, and the last will usually run Iron Fist over Limber) later in the match. Bug Buzz rounds off the set by providing a nice STAB move off of Butterfree's decent base 80 Special Attack.</p>


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Timid nature, 252 EVs, and a Choice Scarf, Butterfree reaches a Speed stat speed of 393, outspeeding almost every non-scarfed lead in UU, barring Electrode. This almost guarantees that Butterfree will outspeed and sleep the opposing Pokemon. 252 EVs in Special Attack make Butterfree's Bug Buzz as strong as possible, without sacrificing any speed. Though a Timid nature weakens U-turn further, U-turn is extremely weak anyway, so there isn't much point in using a Naive or Hasty nature. However, if you wish for U-turn to hit harder, and don't find Bug Buzz too useful, max out Butterfree's attack and give it a Jolly nature. If you opt for this route, you should replace Bug Buzz with for another support move, such as like Toxic, as Butterfree's Bug Buzz won't be doing much due to the lack of investment. Another alternate EV spread is 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe. This increases Butterfree's overall durability quite a bit and allows you to take Ambipom's Fake Out better. This spread also makes it easier for Butterfree come in later in the match to spread status.</p>

<p>Because this set loses badly to Electrode, having a way to deal with Rain Dance is advised. Pairing Butterfree with bulky Water-types Bulky Waters like Milotic and a Registeel can help against these Rain Dance teams, as well as providing two solid defensive Pokemon for Butterfree to U-turn to. Stealth Rock greatly hampers Butterfree's ability to switch in later in the match, so Rapid Spinners are useful. Hitmontop, Donphan, and Blastoise are great choices as they resist some of Butterfree's common weaknesses. They all also have a way to get a guaranteed spin off with Foresight or Odor Sleuth._</p> [Delete that space I underlined]

<p>Offensively, Swellow and Ursaring work well in conjunction with Butterfree. Butterfree can give both of them a free switch in with Sleep Powder or U-turn to activate their orbs. From this point, they can proceed to rip large holes in the opposing team or at least put immediate pressure on the opponent. Rhyperior and Aggron are also great options because Butterfree can give them a free switch-in switch in or set up turn, from which they can use proceed to pose a huge threat. wreak havoc. Butterfree can also slow down the opposition with her accurate Stun Spore. In general, Pokemon that benefit from free switches and/or free turns are great choices to pair with Butterfree.</p>

[SET]
name: Double Powder Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Jolly
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Though this set seems extremely similar to the first set, it plays quite differently. Whereas the first set is guaranteed to put a Pokemon to sleep, get a sleep off, this set attempts to cripple more of the opponent's team after you've slept the opposing lead, or provide a free switch in to one of your Pokemon. While this set won't be guaranteed to sleep the opponent like the first set, against slower leads like Omastar and Uxie, you'll find that this set can do much more than the first set after sleeping something, and is especially dangerous against slower leads.</p>

<p>Like the first set, Sleep Powder is once again used to stop slower leads from getting their entry hazards up. Stun Spore, with correct prediction, can allow you to cripple a third of your opponent's team in tandem with Sleep Powder via the Double Powder strategy. However, this strategy can be easily telegraphed, due to it being commonly used on Butterfree, so U-turn provides a safe scouting move when you're unsure whether or not your opponent will switch out. Protect is yet another scouting move that also allows you to stop the most common lead in UU, Ambipom, from breaking your sash with Fake Out and KOing you the next turn.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given EVs make Butterfree as fast as possible, without a Choice Scarf, while also giving a bit of bulk to Butterfree. The HP EVs are not completely maxed because with 252 EVs, you reach an even HP stat. This only allows you to switch into Stealth Rock once without any prior damage, so it's desirable to drop 4 EVs from your HP so that you achieve an odd number. Though the bulk won't do too much overall, it assists Butterfree in taking some light attacks once your sash has been broken from other light hits or weather. Alternatively, Alternately, you can swap the HP EVs into Attack if you want to boost U-turn's power. However, U-turn is still quite weak, even with that much investment, so dropping the EVs into HP is generally the better option.</p> [The first few sentences sound a bit awkward to me. If you think they're fine, then cool, but otherwise, consider rewriting them.]

<p>As with the last set, Electrode is a huge threat. Carrying things like Milotic, Registeel, and Venusaur can help deal with the rain Rain that Electrode is likely to bring. Kabutops and Arcanine leads can be quite threatening as well, seeing as they commonly carry Lum Berry. Milotic can once again be quite helpful in stopping these leads, though Kabutops will still be able to get Stealth Rock up and Arcanine may try to Toxic Milotic.</p>

<p>Once again, Pokemon that can abuse free switch-ins and turns where the opponent is crippled by sleep such as Swellow and Ursaring are effective partners to this set. However, this set provides more options for slow, ridiculously hard-hitting Pokemon such as Absol and Hariyama to set up or punch holes in the opposing team. This set can generally spread paralysis easier then the first set, because you aren't restricted to a single move. The paralysis can then assist these hard-hitting Pokemon such as the aforementioned Absol, Hariyama, Aggron, and Rhyperior in smashing through these teams that are slowed down from paralysis. Dugtrio is also an interesting partner for this set. With U-turn, Butterfree can U-turn out of a potential victim for Dugtrio such as Registeel that may attempt to absorb your sleep, allowing Dugtrio to get in for free to trap and KO the switch in.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Butterfree should be used mostly on offensive teams because it is there where Butterfree can truly excel. With access to Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and U-turn, Butterfree can easily provide a free turn or switch in to one of your powerful sweepers, allowing them to threaten put pressure on your opponent. Swellow and Ursaring, as mentioned previously, pair well with Butterfree because Butterfree can easily provide an opportunity for them to come in and activate their orbs. After this, they can severely damage teams with their boosted Facades. For slower, extremely hard-hitting Pokemon, Butterfree can slow down the opposition with Stun Spore, letting these Pokemon to rip through the opposing team. Aggron and Rhyperior both hit extremely hard, and appreciate the potential paralysis support Butterfree provides. The free turns that Butterfree can provide with Sleep Powder can also allow them to set up with Rock Polish.</p>

<p>Being 4x weak to Stealth Rock, Rapid Spinners are an absolute necessity if you want Butterfree to be even remotely useful later in the game. Donphan, Hitmontop, and Blastoise pair excellently with Butterfree as they resist some of Butterfree's major weaknesses such as Electric, Rock, and Fire and can always execute a Rapid Spin get a guaranteed spin off with Odor Sleuth or Foresight. Unfortunately, all of these spinners are weak to one of Butterfree's numerous weaknesses, so you may need another defensive Pokemon to cover the particular weakness. On the flip side, entry hazards like Stealth Rock can be useful for Butterfree as Butterfree can sometimes force switches with the threat of her Sleep Powder. By U-turning out as they switch, you can cause your opponent to switch out once again as you bring in your counter to their switch in, letting you slowly rack wrack up damage with your entry hazards.</p>

<p>While Butterfree should never be used on a stall team, running defensive Pokemon to cover Butterfree's numerous weaknesses can be appreciated. Milotic is an excellent choice as it covers Butterfree's weakness to the rather common Fire type and can deal with some of the leads that Butterfree has issues with, including Kabutops, Arcanine, and the rain that Electrode will bring. Registeel is another good option as the Steel-type has excellent synergy with Bug-Flying types, due to both of them resisting types that the other is weak to [Fire?]. Registeel's weaknesses to Fighting and Ground can potentially allow Butterfree to switch in later during the match on her resists, giving her the opportunity to spread status around later in the game.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Unfortunately, Butterfree's movepool is really shallow so there aren't many viable options here. Roost and Morning Sun may be used if you want some healing, but generally, 50% healing doesn't mean much for Butterfree. It could work somewhat decently if you're running a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spd, but even then, Butterfree is rather frail. Butterfree could cobble together a Sunny Day set up set with Sleep Powder, Sunny Day, Morning Sun/Safeguard, and U-turn, but other Pokemon can do a better job of it. Energy Ball can be used if you want to deal with Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior harder. However, Bug Buzz is generally the better option as you hit Mesprit and Uxie harder, both of whom are more common than Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior. It should also be noted that even Energy Ball won't OHKO Rhyperior and it only has a slim chance of OHKOing Omastar.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Butterfree absolutely despises any kind of Sleep Talker as they use up Butterfree's precious sleep, while not particularly minding it themselves. RestTalk Altaria, Spiritomb, and Rotom are all particularly annoying for Butterfree to face because they can either set up in her face or in the case of Rotom, KO Butterfree with a STAB Discharge or Thunderbolt. Pokemon that can set up Substitute before Butterfree can do anything are also irritating for Butterfree to face, though they must be wary of Stun Spore on the switch in. Rotom and Mismagius are great examples of this as they're bulky enough to take Butterfree's weak STAB moves and set up on her.</p>

<p>As a lead, Butterfree fears Electrode. Electrode will always outspeed Butterfree and stop it from putting Electrode to sleep with Taunt. From there, Electrode can set up Rain Dance in her face, without much fear of from any of Butterfree's weak attacks. Leads with Lum Berry are also irksome as the Lum Berry will remove the sleep instantly while the opposing Pokemon sets up something or KOs you. Lead Swellow is another lead that Butterfree falls against. With Protect, it can stop any attempts by Butterfree to paralyze or sleep it, then become immune to her status attacks via Toxic or Flame Orb. After this, Swellow can simply KO Butterfree.</p>

<p>If you lack a Sleep Talker, sending a bulky Pokemon that can survive being asleep for a couple of turns will do just fine. Milotic, Registeel, Chansey, and Altaria are great choices for this. In the case of the last two, they can remove the sleep upon switching out with their handy Natural Cure ability, so they won't have to stay asleep for long. For Milotic and Registeel, they are easily bulky enough to sleep for a couple of turns and still take a few hits safely. Toxic Orb Clefable is also a good counter to Butterfree as it becomes immune to Butterfree's status after Toxic Orb activates and can easily shrug off her weak attacks.</p>


Well done, makes me want to use Butterfree.
 

SilentVerse

Into the New World
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Thanks for the GP check Dr. Reid. I've changed all the changes that you changed there, barring the part with Hitmonlee using Iron Fist, which I modified a bit to fit better (because, well, Hitmonlee doesn't have Iron Fist as an ability, and Hitmonlee doesn't really use Reckless too often. Perhaps you mixed it up with Hitmonchan?).

Edit: Actually, I think I'll rewrite the first part of that paragraph as it does sound kinda awkward after reading it again.
 

jc104

Humblest person ever
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
<p>Butterfree, at a glance, is a terrible Pokemon. A horrible typing, bad stats overall, a shallow movepool, and 4x Stealth Rock weakness undermine much of her remaining positive qualities. However, Butterfree does have one thing going for it: a 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder! This remedies the otherwise problematic accuracy that Sleep Powder has that plagues other sleep-inducing leads. (This sentence is a little awkward. How about “Compoundeyes remedies Sleep Powder’s otherwise problematic accuracy, which plagues other sleep-inducing leads”)Having access to a 97.5% accurate Stun Spore is also pretty good, and with U-turn to scout things, Butterfree starts not to seem not too bad. In the end, while these things certainly don't make up for Butterfree's large number of shortcomings, they at least help her to stand out as an interesting alternative for a status spreader.</p>

[SET]
name: Scarfed Sleep Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Bug Buzz
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set allows Butterfree to outspeed many Pokemon in UU and quickly cripple them with an accurate Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. This set functions best as a lead, since there is no need to worry about switching into Stealth Rock, and she can easily stop the opponent from getting up entry hazards. Even though Choice Scarf may lock you into Sleep Powder or Stun Spore, it is still Butterfree’s most consistent way of spreading status, as Butterfree’s frailty and relatively low Base 70 speed really hurt her ability to status things.</p>

<p>Sleep Powder is a given on this set, as the main reason you should be using Butterfree in the first place is her very reliable 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder. It's also a great way to stop your opponent's lead from getting entry hazards up. ( this is repeating stuff from the first paragraph)U-turn provides a way for Butterfree to scout the opposition for any Sleep Talkers that may attempt to absorb your Sleep Powder, while Stun Spore allows Butterfree to spread an accurate paralysis accurately that's only blocked by Ditto, Persian and Hitmonlee (though the first two are rather rare, and the last may run Reckless over Limber) later in the match. Bug Buzz rounds off the set by providing a nice STAB move from Butterfree's decent base 80 Special Attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Timid nature, 252 EVs, and a Choice Scarf, Butterfree reaches a Speed stat of 393, outspeeding almost every non-scarfed lead in UU, barring Electrode. This almost guarantees that Butterfree will outspeed and put to sleep the opposing Pokemon. 252 EVs in Special Attack make Butterfree's Bug Buzz as strong as possible, without sacrificing any speed. Though a Timid nature weakens U-turn further, U-turn is extremely weak anyway, so there isn't much point in using a Naive or Hasty nature. However, if you wish for U-turn to hit harder, and don't find Bug Buzz too useful, max out Butterfree's attack and give her a Jolly nature. If you opt for this route, you should replace Bug Buzz with another support move, such as Toxic, as Bug Buzz won't be doing much due to the lack of investment. Another alternate EV spread is 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe. This increases Butterfree's overall durability quite a bit and allows you to take Ambipom's Fake Out better. This spread also makes it easier for Butterfree to come in later in the match to spread status.</p>

<p>Because this set loses badly to Electrode, having a way to deal with Rain Dance is advised. Pairing Butterfree with bulky Water-types like Milotic and a Registeel can help against Rain Dance teams, as well as providing two solid defensive Pokemon for Butterfree to U-turn to. Stealth Rock greatly hampers Butterfree's ability to switch in later in the match, so Rapid Spinners are useful. Hitmontop, Donphan, and Blastoise are great choices as they resist some of Butterfree's common weaknesses. They all also have a way to get a guaranteed spin off with Foresight or Odor Sleuth.</p>

<p>Offensively, Swellow and Ursaring work well in conjunction with Butterfree. Butterfree can give both of them a free switch in with Sleep Powder or U-turn to activate their orbs. From this point, they can proceed to rip large holes in the opposing team or at least put immediate pressure on the opponent. Rhyperior and Aggron are also great options because Butterfree can give them a free switch-in or set up turn, which they can use to post a huge threat (I must say that I liked your previous sentence better). Butterfree can also slow down the opposition with her accurate Stun Spore. In general, Pokemon that benefit from free switches and/or free turns are great choices to pair with Butterfree.</p>
[SET]
name: Double Powder Lead (set needs renaming as both leads have double powder)
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Jolly
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Though this set seems extremely similar to the first set, it plays quite differently. Whereas the first set is guaranteed to put a Pokemon to sleep, this set attempts to cripple more of the opponent's team after you've slept the opposing lead, or provide a free switch in to one of your Pokemon. While this set won't be guaranteed to sleep the opponent like the first set, you'll find that this set can do much more than the first set after sleeping something, (again you are repeating yourself here) and is especially dangerous against slower leads.</p>

<p>Like the first set, Sleep Powder is once again used to stop slower leads from getting their entry hazards up. Stun Spore, with correct prediction, can allow you to cripple a third of your opponent's team in tandem with Sleep Powder via the Double Powder strategy. However, this strategy can be easily telegraphed, due to it being commonly used on Butterfree, so U-turn provides a safe scouting move when you're unsure if your opponent will switch out. Protect is yet another scouting move that also allows you to stop the most common lead in UU, Ambipom, from breaking Butterfree’s sash with Fake Out and KOing her the next turn.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given EVs make Butterfree as fast as possible, without using a Choice Scarf. With 248 EVs in HP, Butterfree has a bit more overall bulk to take light attacks after her sash has been broken. Maximum HP is not used because Butterfree would only be able to switch into Stealth Rock once without taking any prior damage, thanks to her HP stat being an even number. Alternatively, you can move the HP EVs into Attack if you want to boost U-turn's power. However, U-turn is still quite weak, even with that much investment, so dropping the EVs into HP is generally the better option.</p>

<p>As with the last set, Electrode is a huge threat. Carrying things like Milotic, Registeel, and Venusaur can help deal with the rain that Electrode is likely to bring. Kabutops and Arcanine leads can be quite threatening as well, seeing as they commonly carry Lum Berry. Milotic can once again be quite helpful in stopping these leads, though Kabutops will still be able to get Stealth Rock up and Arcanine may try to Toxic Milotic.</p>

<p>Once again, Pokemon that can abuse free switch-ins and turns where the opponent is crippled by sleep, such as Swellow and Ursaring, are effective partners to this set. However, this set provides more options for slow, ridiculously hard-hitting Pokemon such as Absol and Hariyama to set up or punch holes in the opposing team. This set can generally spread paralysis more easily than the first set, because you aren't restricted to a single move. The paralysis can then assist these hard-hitting Pokemon such as the aforementioned Absol and Hariyama, as well as Aggron, and Rhyperior in smashing through these teams that are slowed down from paralysis. Dugtrio is also an interesting partner for this set. With U-turn, Butterfree can U-turn out of a potential victim for Dugtrio such as Registeel that may attempt to absorb your sleep, allowing Dugtrio to get in for free to trap and KO the switch-in.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Butterfree should be used mostly on offensive teams because it is there where Butterfree can truly excel. With access to Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and U-turn, Butterfree can easily provide a free turn or switch-in to one of your powerful sweepers, allowing them to threaten your opponent. Swellow and Ursaring, as mentioned previously, pair well with Butterfree because Butterfree can easily provide an opportunity for them to come in and activate their orbs. After this, they can severely damage teams with their boosted Facades. For slower, extremely hard-hitting Pokemon, Butterfree can slow down the opposition with Stun Spore, letting these Pokemon rip through the opposing team. Aggron and Rhyperior both hit extremely hard, and appreciate the potential paralysis support Butterfree provides. The free turns that Butterfree can provide with Sleep Powder can also allow them to set up with Rock Polish.</p>

<p>Given that Butterfree is 4x weak to Stealth Rock, Rapid Spinners are an absolute necessity if you want her to be even remotely useful later in the game. Donphan, Hitmontop, and Blastoise pair excellently with Butterfree as they resist some of Butterfree's major weaknesses such as Electric-, Rock-, and Fire-type moves and can always execute a Rapid Spin with Odor Sleuth or Foresight. Unfortunately, all of these spinners are also weak to one of Butterfree's numerous weaknesses, so you may need another defensive Pokemon to cover the particular weakness. On the flip side, entry hazards like Stealth Rock can be useful for Butterfree as Butterfree can sometimes force switches with the threat of her Sleep Powder. By U-turning out as they switch, you can cause your opponent to switch out once again as you bring in your counter to their switch-in, letting you slowly rack up damage with your entry hazards.</p>

<p>While Butterfree should never be used on a stall team, running defensive Pokemon to cover Butterfree's numerous weaknesses can be appreciated. Milotic is an excellent choice as he covers Butterfree's weakness to the rather common Fire-type moves and can deal with some of the leads that Butterfree has issues with, including Kabutops, Arcanine, and the rain that Electrode will bring. Registeel is another good partner to Butterfree as the Steel-type has excellent synergy with Bug-Flying types, due to both of them resist types that the other is weak to (barring Fire and Electric ). Registeel's weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type moves can potentially allow Butterfree to switch in later during the match on her resists, giving her the opportunity to spread status around later in the game.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Unfortunately, Butterfree's movepool is really shallow so there aren't many viable options here. Roost and Morning Sun may be used if you want some healing, but generally, 50% healing doesn't mean much for Butterfree. It could work somewhat decently if you're running a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spd, but even then, Butterfree is rather frail. Butterfree could cobble together a Sunny Day set up set with Sleep Powder, Sunny Day, Morning Sun/Safeguard, and U-turn but other Pokemon can do a better job of it. Energy Ball can be used if you want to deal with Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior. However, Bug Buzz is generally the better option as you hit Mesprit and Uxie harder, both of whom are more common than Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior. It should also be noted that even Energy Ball won't OHKO Rhyperior and it only has a slim chance of OHKOing Omastar.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Butterfree absolutely despises any kind of Sleep Talker as they use up Butterfree's precious sleep, while not particularly minding it themselves. RestTalk Altaria (is altaria really a good switch-in given that natural cure prevents sleep clause from taking hold?), Spiritomb, and Rotom are all particularly annoying for Butterfree to face because they can either set up in her face or in the case of Rotom, KO Butterfree with a STAB Discharge or Thunderbolt. Pokemon that can set up Substitute before Butterfree can do anything are also irritating for Butterfree to face, though they must be wary of Stun Spore on the switch-in. Rotom and Mismagius are great examples of this as they're bulky enough to take Butterfree's weak STAB moves and set up on her.</p>

<p>As a lead, Butterfree fears Electrode. Electrode will always outspeed Butterfree and stop her from putting it to sleep with Taunt. From there, Electrode can set up Rain Dance, without much fear of any of Butterfree's weak attacks. Leads with Lum Berry are also irksome as the Lum Berry will remove the sleep instantly while the opposing Pokemon sets up something or KOs you. Lead Swellow is another lead that Butterfree fails against. With Protect, he can stop any attempts by Butterfree to paralyze or sleep him, then become immune to her status attacks via Toxic or Flame Orb. After this, Swellow can simply KO Butterfree.</p>

<p>If you lack a Sleep Talker, sending a bulky Pokemon that can survive being asleep for a couple of turns will do just fine. Milotic, Registeel, Chansey, and Altaria are great choices for this. In the case of the last two, they can remove the sleep upon switching out with their handy Natural Cure ability, so they won't have to stay asleep for long. For Milotic and Registeel, they are easily bulky enough to sleep for a couple of turns and still take a few hits safely. Toxic Orb Clefable is also a good counter to Butterfree as she becomes immune to Butterfree's status after Toxic Orb activates and can easily shrug off her weak attacks.</p>
Edited directly over the previous check. Changes in bold and removals in red

GP check 2/2



Edit - by the way, you mean pose a huge threat, but as I said, I preferred the previous sentence. "Wreak havok" is just way more exciting.
 

SilentVerse

Into the New World
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Thanks for the GP check jc104. I edited in all the changes there, and changed some of the parts where I repeated myself. I'm not sure if I should change the name of the second set however because it focuses more on using Double Powder than the first set (as the first set can't really pull off the strategy due to Choice Scarf). I suppose I could change to something like Sashed Lead, but due to the fact that it focuses more on using the Double Powder strategy, I think it should be OK, even if both the sets have Double Powder. If other people think it should be changed as well though, I'm perfectly willing to change it.

Edit: Hmm, I suppose I can change it back.

Also, with that being the second GP check, I think this should be ready for upload!
 

Snorlaxe

2 kawaii 4 u
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
Proofreading this to pick up on anything that the GP folks may have missed


[Overview]

<p>Butterfree, at a glance, is a terrible Pokemon. Horrible typing, bad stats overall, a shallow movepool, and a 4x Stealth Rock weakness undermine much of her remaining positive qualities. However, Butterfree does have one thing going for her: a 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder! Compoundeyes remedies Sleep Powder’s otherwise problematic accuracy, which plagues other sleep-inducing leads such as Scarf Venusaur and Jumpluff. Having access to a 97.5% accurate Stun Spore is also pretty good, and with U-turn to scout for switch-ins, Butterfree starts to seem like a decent option. In the end, while these things certainly don't make up for Butterfree's large number of shortcomings, they at least help her to stand out as an interesting alternative status spreader.</p>

[SET]
name: Scarfed Sleep Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Bug Buzz
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set allows Butterfree to outspeed many Pokemon in UU and quickly cripple them with
an accurate Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. This set functions best as a lead, since there is no need to worry about switching into Stealth Rock; she can also stop the opponent from getting up entry hazards, which helps her teammates later in the match. Even though Choice Scarf may lock you into Sleep Powder or Stun Spore, it is still Butterfree's most consistent way of spreading status, as Butterfree's frailty and relatively low base 70 Speed really hurt her ability to status things.</p>

<p>Sleep Powder is a given on this set, as the main reason you should be using Butterfree in the first place is her very reliable 97.5% accurate Sleep Powder. It's also (as mentioned previously) a great way to stop your opponent's lead from getting entry hazards up. U-turn provides a way for Butterfree to scout the opposition for any Sleep Talkers who may attempt to absorb your Sleep
Powder, while Stun Spore allows Butterfree to accurately spread paralysis that's only blocked by Ditto, Persian and Hitmonlee later in the match. Bug Buzz rounds off the set by providing a nice STAB move from Butterfree's decent base 80 Special Attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Timid nature, 252 Speed EVs, and a Choice Scarf, Butterfree reaches a Speed stat of 393, outspeeding
every non-Scarfed lead in UU, barring Electrode. This almost guarantees that Butterfree will outspeed and put to sleep the opposing Pokemon. 252 EVs in Special Attack make Butterfree's Bug Buzz as strong as possible without sacrificing any Speed. Though a Timid nature weakens U-turn further, U-turn is extremely weak anyway, so there isn't much point to using a Naive or Hasty nature. However, if you wish for U-turn to hit harder, and don't find Bug Buzz too useful, max out Butterfree's Attack and give her a Jolly nature. If you opt for this route, you should replace Bug Buzz with another support move, such as Toxic, as Bug Buzz won't be doing much due to the lack of investment. Another alternate EV spread is 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe. This increases Butterfree's overall durability quite a bit and allows you to take Ambipom's Fake Out better. This spread also makes it easier for Butterfree to come in later in the match to spread status.</p>

<p>Because this set loses badly to Electrode, having a way to deal with Rain Dance is advised. Pairing Butterfree with bulky Water-types like Milotic and a Registeel can help against Rain Dance teams, as well as providing two solid defensive Pokemon for Butterfree to U-turn to. Stealth Rock greatly hampers Butterfree's ability to switch in later in the match, so Rapid Spinners are useful. Hitmontop, Donphan, and Blastoise are great choices as they resist some of Butterfree's common weaknesses. They also have a way to get a guaranteed Spin off with Foresight or Odor Sleuth.</p>

<p>Offensively, Swellow and Ursaring work well in conjunction with Butterfree. Butterfree can give both of them a free switch in with Sleep Powder or U-turn to activate their Orbs. From this point, they can proceed to rip large holes in the opposing team (or at least put immediate pressure on the opponent). Rhyperior and Aggron are also great options because Butterfree can give them a free switch-in or set up turn, which they can use to wreak havoc. Butterfree can also slow down the opposition with her accurate Stun Spore. In general, Pokemon who benefit from free switches and/or free turns are great choices to pair with Butterfree.</p>


[SET]
name: Double Powder Lead
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Stun Spore
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Compoundeyes
nature: Jolly
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Though this set seems extremely similar to the first set, it plays quite differently. Whereas the first set is guaranteed to put a Pokemon to sleep, this set attempts to cripple more of the opponent's team after you've slept the opposing lead, or provide a free switch-in to one of your Pokemon. This set is especially effective against slower leads such as Omastar and Uxie because Butterfree will be able to outspeed and put them to sleep, allowing her to either paralyze the switch-in if they switch out, or simply scout the opponent's move with U-turn. Against faster leads with Taunt, this set does much worse, as it is almost forced to U-turn immediately. However, this can still give one of your Pokemon a free switch-in, so can potentially benefit your team.</p>

<p>Like the first set, Sleep Powder is once again used to stop slower leads from getting their entry hazards up. Stun Spore, with correct prediction, can allow you to cripple a third of your opponent's team in tandem with Sleep Powder via the Double Powder strategy. However, this strategy can be easily telegraphed due to it being commonly used on Butterfree, so U-turn provides a safe scouting move when you're unsure if your opponent will switch out. Protect is yet another scouting move that also allows you to stop the most common lead in UU, Ambipom, from breaking Butterfree’s sash with Fake Out and KOing her the next turn.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given EVs make Butterfree as fast as possible without
using a Choice Scarf. With 248 EVs in HP, Butterfree has a bit more overall bulk to take light attacks after her Sash has been broken. Maximum HP is not needed because Butterfree would only be able to switch into Stealth Rock once without taking any prior damage, thanks to her HP stat being an even number. Alternatively, you can move the HP EVs into Attack if you want to boost U-turn's power. However, U-turn is still quite weak, even with that much investment, so dropping the EVs into HP is generally the better option.</p>

<p>As with the last set, Electrode is a huge threat. Carrying Pokemon like Milotic, Registeel, and Venusaur can help deal with the rain that Electrode is likely to bring. Kabutops and Arcanine leads can be quite threatening as well, seeing as they commonly carry Lum Berry. Milotic can once again be quite helpful in stopping these leads, though Kabutops will still be able to set up Stealth Rock, while Arcanine may try to Toxic Milotic.</p>

<p>Once again, Pokemon who can abuse free switch-ins and turns when the opponent is crippled by
sleep, such as Swellow and Ursaring, are effective partners to this set. However, this set provides more opportunities for slow, hard-hitting Pokemon such as Absol and Hariyama to set up or punch holes in the opposing team. This set can generally spread paralysis more easily than the first set because you aren't restricted to a single move. The paralysis can then assist these hard-hitting Pokemon, such as the aforementioned Absol and Hariyama, as well as Aggron and Rhyperior, in smashing through these teams that are slowed down from paralysis. Dugtrio is also an interesting partner for this set. Butterfree can U-turn out of a potential victim for Dugtrio, such as Registeel, who may attempt to absorb your sleep, allowing Dugtrio to get in for free and proceed to trap and KO the switch-in.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Butterfree should be used mostly on offensive teams, because it is there where she can truly excel. With access to Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and U-turn, Butterfree can easily provide a free turn or
switch-in to one of your powerful sweepers, allowing them to threaten your opponent. Swellow and Ursaring, as mentioned previously, pair well with Butterfree because she can provide an opportunity for them to come in and activate their Orbs. After this, they can severely damage teams with their boosted Facades. For slower, hard-hitting Pokemon, Butterfree can slow down the opposition with Stun Spore, letting these Pokemon rip through the opposing team. Aggron and Rhyperior both hit extremely hard and appreciate the potential paralysis support Butterfree provides. The free turns that Butterfree can provide with Sleep Powder can also allow them to set up with Rock Polish and proceed to sweep.</p>

<p>Given that Butterfree is 4x weak to Stealth Rock, Rapid Spinners are an absolute necessity if you want her to
be even remotely useful later in the game. Donphan, Hitmontop, and Blastoise pair excellently with Butterfree, as they resist some of her major weaknesses, such as Electric-, Rock-, and Fire-type moves, and can always execute a Rapid Spin with Odor Sleuth or Foresight. Unfortunately, all of these Spinners are also weak to one of Butterfree's numerous weaknesses, so you may need another defensive Pokemon to cover the particular weakness. On the flip side, entry hazards like Stealth Rock can be useful for Butterfree, as she can sometimes force switches with the threat of her Sleep Powder. By U-turning out as they switch, you can cause your opponent to switch out again as you bring in your counter to their switch-in, letting you slowly rack up damage with your entry hazards.</p>

<p>While Butterfree should never be used on a stall team, running defensive Pokemon to cover Butterfree's numerous weaknesses is appreciated. Milotic is an excellent choice as
he covers Butterfree's weakness to the rather common Fire-type moves and can deal with some of the leads who Butterfree has issues with, including Kabutops, Arcanine, and the rain that Electrode will bring. Registeel is another good partner to Butterfree, as both of them resist types that the other is weak to (barring Fire and Electric). Registeel's weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type moves can potentially allow Butterfree to switch in later during the match, giving her the opportunity to spread status around later in the game.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Unfortunately, Butterfree's movepool is really shallow, so there aren't many viable options here. Roost and Morning Sun may be used if you want some healing, but 50% healing generally doesn't mean much for Butterfree. It could work somewhat decently if you're running a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe, but even then, Butterfree is rather frail. Butterfree could cobble together a Sunny Day set up set with Sleep Powder, Sunny Day, Morning Sun/Safeguard, and U-turn, but other Pokemon can do a better job of it. Energy Ball can be used if you want to deal with Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior; however, Bug Buzz is generally the better option, as you hit Mesprit and Uxie harder, both of whom are more common than Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior. It should also be noted that even Energy Ball won't OHKO Rhyperior and only has a slim chance of OHKOing Omastar.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Butterfree absolutely despises any kind of Sleep Talker, as they can absorb the status effects, especially sleep, that Butterfree spreads around. RestTalk Altaria, Spiritomb, and Rotom are all particularly annoying for Butterfree to face because they can either set up in her face or, in Rotom's case, KO Butterfree with a STAB Discharge or Thunderbolt. Pokemon who can set up Substitute before Butterfree can do anything are also irritating for Butterfree to face, though they must be wary of Stun Spore on the
switch-in. Rotom and Mismagius are great examples of this, as they're bulky enough to take Butterfree's weak STAB moves and set up on her.</p>

<p>As a lead, Butterfree fears Electrode. Electrode will always outspeed Butterfree and stop
her from putting it to sleep with Taunt. From there, Electrode can set up Rain Dance without much fear of any of Butterfree's weak attacks. Leads with Lum Berry are also irksome, as the Lum Berry will remove the sleep instantly while the opposing Pokemon sets up on or KOes you. Lead Swellow is another lead who Butterfree fails against. With Protect, he can stop any attempts by Butterfree to paralyze or sleep him, then become immune to her status attacks via his Toxic or Flame Orb. After this, Swellow can simply KO Butterfree.</p>

<p>If you lack a Sleep Talker, sending a bulky Pokemon who can survive being asleep for a couple of turns will do just fine. Milotic, Registeel, Chansey, and Altaria are great choices for this. In the case of the last two, they can remove the sleep upon switching out with their handy Natural Cure ability, so they won't have to stay asleep for long. For Milotic and Registeel, they are easily bulky enough to sleep for a couple of turns and still take a few hits safely. Toxic Orb Clefable is also a good counter to Butterfree, as
she becomes immune to Butterfree's status after Toxic Orb activates and can easily shrug off her weak attacks.</p>


Butterfree is awesome ;)
 
You randomly forgot to type a space between words in places, but other than that, I didn't have to make any changes. Excellent writeup! Uploaded.
 

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