Cobalion

[Uncommon Madness]

#638 Kobaruon --
Kobaruon it's one of the three Fighting type legendaries that can be found in the Isshu region. The first notable difference from the other members of the trio is its awesome typing. Thanks to its ability, immunity to Toxic Spikes, numerous 4x and 2x resistances and impressive physical bulkyness it has many opportunities to switch in.

Type Chart:

Immunities:

0.25x

0.50x

1.00x

2.00x

Base Stats: Hp 91- Atk 90- Def 129-SAtk 90-SDef 72- Spe 108

Ability: Heart of Justice (Attack rises if you are hit with a Dark-type attack)

Movepool:

- Move Tutor: None

- Pre-Evo moves: None

- Egg Moves: None (Genderless)

- Level-Up moves: Lv1: Quick Attack, Lv1: Leer, Lv7: Double Kick, Lv13: Metal Claw, Lv19: Take Down, Lv25: Helping Hand, Lv31: Mirror Type, Lv37: Iron Head, Lv42: Sacred Sword, Lv49: Swords Dance, Lv55: Assist Power, Lv61: Dragon Tail, Lv67: Metal Burst, Lv73:Close Combat.

- Learnable TMs: TM01 - Claw Sharpen, TM04 - Calm Mind, TM05 - Roar, TM06 - Toxic, TM10 - Hidden Power, TM12 - Taunt, TM15 - Hyper Beam, TM17 - Protect, TM20 - Safeguard, TM21 - Frustration, TM27 - Return, TM32 - Double Team, TM33 - Reflect, TM37 - Sandstorm, TM40 - Aerial Ace, TM42 - Facade, TM44 - Rest, TM48 - Troll, TM52 -Focus Blast, TM54 - False Swipe, TM67 - Get Even, TM68 - Giga Impact, TM69 -Rock Polish, TM71 - Stone Edge, TM72 - Volt Charge, TM73 - Thunder Wave, TM75 - Swords Dance, TM77 - Psych Up, TM81 - X-Scissor, TM83 - Cheer Up, TM84 - Poison Jab, TM87 - Swagger, TM90 - Substitute, TM91 - Flash Cannon, TM94 - Rock Smash, HM01 - Cut, HM04 - Strength.

New moves description

Name - Category - Type - PP - Base Power - Acc - Effect
Dragon Tail - Physical - Dragon - 10 - 60 - 90 - Forces the target to switch.

Cheer Up - Other - Normal - 30 --- - --- - Raises the user's Atk and SpAtk.

Volt Charge - Special - Electric - 20 - 70 - 100 - After this attack is used, if this attack is successful, if user has at least 1 HP, and if user's party has at least one non-active Pokémon and the opposing Pokemon's party has at least one unfainted Pokémon that isn't an egg, this attack causes the user to switch even if it cannot switch. (The new Pokémon becomes active immediately. Effect of Destiny Bond and Grudge takes precedence over this attack's effect.)

Sacred Sword - Physical - Fighting - 20 - 90 - 100 - Ignores target's stat changes.

Swords Dance

Kobaruon @ Life Orb
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SAtk)
EVs 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat/Sacred Sword
- Iron Head/Stone Edge
- Taunt

This set is very straightforward as max speed and attack are necessary to pull off a sweep. With Swords Dance Kobaruon can boost its mediocre Attack to a number of 612 after a single turn. Close Combat packs a lot of power and has good coverage with Iron Head, its second STAB move, which also comes with a nice 30% chance of flinching the target. CC can be replaced with Sacred Sword if Defenses drop are a problem. Stone Edge is a good secondary option to hit those pesky Flying types harder while keeping offensive coverage against Ghosts. Taunt is the best option for the last move slot as it gives Kobaruon the opportunity to set up against a wider range of Pokémon.

Offensive Calm Mind

Kobaruon @ Leftovers/Life Orb
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
- Calm Mind
- Flash Cannon
- Focus Blast
- Taunt

This set is very similar to Sub-CM Rachi but has quiet a few advantages over it such as an higher speed stat, better coverage and Taunt. With Calm Mind Kobaruon is able to boost both Special stats, making it quiet difficult to take down without super effective moves and turning it into an offensive power house after few turns. Taunt is necessary on this set to stop opponents that rely on status aliments or phazing moves. Note that this set is generally inferior to the Physically based one due to less offensive power and the shaky accuracy of Focus Blast.

Other Options:
Kobaruon's movepool and base stats are decent enough to let it run a physically defensive with also a few support moves like T-Wave and Reflect despite being weak to two of the most common physical type moves (Ground and Fighting). A mixed set based on Cheer Up may be used as a mid game wall-breaker but other Pokés are able to do it better; a defensive Calm Minder may sound good on paper but is probably not going to work in such an offensive metagame.


Commentary:
Kobaruon is a very balanced Pokémon and with its good typing and bulkyness it can switch in against some of the most threating Pokés and set up in their faces and the fact that it can run both a Physical and a Special offensive set with Taunt support makes it more difficult to counter.

Conclusion:
How do you think Kobaruon will affect the metagame? What's your opinion about this new Pokémon that B/W gave us? What are its best counters and team mates?
Share your opinion with the rest of the community by leaving a comment.

 

[Ryanide]

This thing has a really unappealing design, IMO, but everything else looks really cool. Heart of Justice is going to be like levitate for dark type moves. Poor dark types.

 

[Blitzenith]

Yes, I agree it's completely ugly.

It reminds me of a faster but weaker Lucario. I suppose Taunt is awesome for allowing for set-up with its decent defenses (and above average on the physical side, woo).

 

[Not Scicky]

Eh, weaker yes, but I think his incredible bulk and 108 base speed make up for that. But I could be wrong.

 

[TEA_DEMON]

No Bulk Up, are you serious?

I'm liking the looks of that Calm Mind set, but lack of a special movepool makes it look a bit less interesting. Imo running some sort of Hidden Power over Focus Blast would be a good idea for a more defensive Kobaruon (252 HP/252 Spe).

 

[Stellar]

This isn't wifi. Do not use multiple posts for the OP in the future.

 

[cjs177]

I actually think this guy looks really cool and he might be pretty cool to use along side a pokemon like Dragonite purely due to typing.

 

[rh2012]

abolutely love the typing. Numerous resistances and bulk make it able to possibly pull off 2 SD's. i just wish it had some form of priority :'(

 

[Not Scicky]

Wood horn is great BTW, typical physical walls like swampert and hippowdon are going to get eaten alive.

Also @RH2012: It get's quick attack if that helps ahahaha.

 

[rh2012]

lol YES. problem solved!

 

[Uncommon Madness]

@Stellar: Sorry for that. I know that rule but the second post was also a sort of "bump" that's why I didn't simply edit the OP.

@TanzAufDemVulkan: I was considering to slash Hidden Power Fighting in 3rd move slot of the Calm Mind set, so that you can choose between power and accuracy.
What do you guys think about it ?

 

[Omnipresent]

Ouch, move over Lucario, you are not the only one now.

Might not replace him, but I'll go for speed and a little more bulk, especially since with Swords Dance, the attack drop isn't that bad. That is something else.

 

[ginganinja]

Its going to struggle to break through Ghost types especialy that Ghost and Fire Type. In fact if it does not run Taunt then its almost set up bait. Ghost types will be its pressing issue I think. At least Lucario had Crunch to deal with them.

 

[Spades789]

Does Dragon Tail have a negative priority? If not, then Choice Scarf and DT is all you need.

 

[Pentao]

Does Dragon Tail have a negative priority? If not, then Choice Scarf and DT is all you need.

IIRC it makes you go last. Same with Overhead Throw, but interestingly enough, not Judo Throw.

 

[Corrupted]

He doesn't get wood horn.

 

[Raptorg]

Its going to struggle to break through Ghost types especialy that Ghost and Fire Type. In fact if it does not run Taunt then its almost set up bait. Ghost types will be its pressing issue I think. At least Lucario had Crunch to deal with them.

The physical set should be able to OHKO or at least 2HKO all of the ghosts except Dusknoir, defensive Spiritomb, Desukan and Giratina. All four which could give Lucario problems anyway since they can survive 1 crunch and cripple it with will-o-wisp.

I suspect Giratina won't be an issue assuming this one stays OU and Giratina stays uber so they usually won't meet.
Other than the usual issues where faster ghosts strike out of a revenge kill position, that's something Lucario has issues with as well. Crunch is nice, but unless Lucario receives a speed boost, any fighting move commonly used by Gengar or Mismagius is going to OHKO it especially after it KO'd something with close combat.


The special set could run Focus Blast/Hidden Power Ghost for coverage and super effective damage on ALL ghosts except Spiritomb(and Sableye, but who cares about Sableye anyway?). Which should take a lot of damage from Flash Cannon.

This does require it to give up Iron Head or Taunt. Whether that's worth it.. I can't say, but it can definitely deal with ghosts and retain strong coverage overall.

 

[Thee]

Personally, I think this is underrated.
The first thing I thought when seeing this was Skarm! But taunt shuts that down.
Then I thought Priority and mach punch. But with those defenses, Kobaruon won't be dying anything soon.
Then I thought it could be easily revenge killed and taunted, and noticed the fairly decent speed.
I am struggling to find anything that can really shut this down too easily. Yes it is stopped by scarfers, but overall this pokemon is very well balanced. I can see it being very successful. The special defense is, unfortunately, Magnezone bait. And Vacuum wave will be very annoying to this guy. He is solid, and functions well. I see a ton of potential, but I could also see this guy fall flat on his face from EQ spamming. We'll see.

 

[Venser]

What about Cheer Up on a mixed sweeper?

 

[storm]

I honestly dont think Iron Head is an option on teh Choice Band set. Gyarados walls it as does the ghost/water jellyfish and the ever popular shanderaa

 

[ozzy]

It was proven that Justice Heart doesn't grant immunity to dark type attacks.

 

[ANinyMouse]

It was proven that Justice Heart doesn't grant immunity to dark type attacks.

Yes. OP should be changed.

 

[Manaphy]

The SD Set seems like a faster Lucario without ExtremeSpeed.

The CM Set looks cool though.

 

[Uncommon Madness]

@storm: Stone Edge covers some particular Pokés but Iron Head is definately the best option once you've weakened them so yeah...

@ozzy: Thanks for the nitpick.

 

[KurashiDragon]

You can put Sacred Sword as an option on the swords dance set if you don't like the defense drops of close combat. It's not as powerful but it is a 90 BP move which could make it a worthwhile option.