http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/crobat
probat.
[Overview]
<p>Crobat is one of the fastest non-Uber Pokemon in existence,
behind only to Electrode and Ninjask while tied with Jolteon and Aerodactyl. On top of this, its other stats
may not be astounding, but they are far from mediocrity, enabling it to use a variety of tactics to beat your opponent. From using its high Attack stat and decent movepool to whittle down the opponent
to abusing Nasty Plot and its moderate Special Attack
in order to sweep, or just using its support movepool and small bulk to cripple the foe's team, there's always a job for Crobat.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility Bat
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Roost
move 3: Super Fang
move 4: Brave Bird / U-turn
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly
evs: 232 HP / 56 Def / 76 SpD / 144 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>By far Crobat's
most effective set, the combination of high Speed, Roost and Taunt absolutely demolishes stall teams
. Not only are they unable to heal themselves while Crobat tears away at 50% of their health with Super Fang, but they are also unable to actually hurt Crobat due to its good bulk and Roost. It can even serve as a decent check to non-stall teams as well
; neither will Swords Dance
Infernape's Close Combat
won't 2HKO nor will Heatran's Fire Blast OHKO
. Consquently, Crobat can switch into physically based Infernape and Heatran and stall out Close Combats and Fire Blasts with Roost.</p>
If you dislike the change on what this set can do against Heatran, then it would be better to move it around elsewhere since the mention of Heatran interrupts the flow of how Crobat can deal with Infernape.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>
Crobat appreciates Toxic Spikes, for they help it take down opposing defensive Pokemon such as Vaporeon, Suicune, and Blissey with greater ease. Brave Bird is especially helpful for hastening the death of these Pokemon, as standard Vaporeon takes roughly 30% and Blissey takes about 34%, meaning Crobat can take them down after 2 Super Fangs.
An alternate EV spread of 168 HP / 88 Def / 252 Spe can be used as this gives more power on Brave Bird to KO other threats to your team (?)</p>
No mention of why to use U-Turn in this analysis. Your alternate EV Spread does not give any attack EVs, so how does this make Brave Bird stronger?
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Heat Wave / Roost
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 108 HP / 252 SpA / 148 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>
While Crobat appears to have a subpar Special Attack stat, it is the fastest user of Nasty Plot, which boosts its Special Attack to the point of being able to OHKO and 2HKO a myriad of common threats with the coverage that its Special movepool provides. Despite being weak to Stealth Rock, Life Orb is used to give Crobat all the power it can get, since its Special Attack is its weaker
offensive stat. With Hidden Power Fighting, Heat Wave and Sludge Bomb, Crobat
hits nearly everything in OU for neutral damage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Crobat is extremely frail
, and
thus should avoid Sandstorm unless you are attempting to kill Tyranitar with Hidden Power Fighting.
Crobat has the potential to score OHKOs on most Pokemon, but it relies on Stealth Rock and Spikes support. Without entry hazards, it will barely miss the OHKO on notable threats such as Gyarados, Tyranitar, and Heatran. Hidden Power Ground
hits Heatran and Magnezone harder than Hidden Power Fighting while still
maintaining super-effective coverage on Tyranitar, but +2 Hidden Power Ground fails to OHKO Tyranitar while an unboosted Heat Wave KOs Choice Scarf Magnezone most of the time and +2 Hidden Power Fighting KOs Heatran with at least two layers of Spikes. Roost is also an option over Heat Wave to increase Crobat's longevity, since Crobat is losing HP from residual damage like Sandstorm and LO Recoil nearly every turn.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Cross Poison
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>
Its high Speed and passable Attack makes Crobat a viable Choice Band candidate. Its typing allows it to switch in easily on a variety of threats, like the widespread Earthquake and Close Combat, and retaliate with a strong move that usually hits for super effective damage. Crobat makes a particularly good lead, since Inner Focus means it cannot be stopped by Fake Out, and many common leads such as Infernape and Azelf are KOed by Brave Bird and Pursuit respectively.</p>
<p>
Choice Band Crobat's damage output doesn't compare with that of other Choice Band users (or Choice Scarf users). However, like the Utility set, Crobat
focuses on weathering the opponent's team before letting something else clean up -- Crobat can't score OHKOs, but it can turn many
2HKOs and 3HKOs into OHKOs for
its teammates. As a result, U-turn is one of your more usable options, since Crobat is one of the fastest existing users of it, as you can switch in something that can not only clean up a ruined team, but also take little damage from the Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves aimed at Crobat.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Since it supports the team through direct damage as opposed to Taunt or Toxic, it has more EVs focused into power as opposed to bulk. Because of this, finding a good switch-in to Crobat's checks is a good
idea. Magnezone is a great choice since it traps and kills the Steel-types that wall Crobat
and can switch in on the Psychic-, Electric-, Ice-, and Rock- type attacks aimed at Crobat. Likewise, Crobat easily switches in on Magnezone's Ground- and Fighting-Type weaknesses.</p>
<p>
Since Crobat lacks recovery, it is vital that Stealth Rock is removed from play. Otherwise without Wish support, Crobat cannot switch in more than 4 times, severely hampering its usefulness. Taunt or Super Fang are
viable options over Cross Poison
, which lacks coverage, or Pursuit,
which lacks power. Taunt
prevents slower leads such as Swampert and Bronzong from setting up
entry hazards, letting you bring in a sweeper
at full health and start pounding down on the foe
. Super Fang is useful
when facing bulkier teams
; cutting 50% of their remaining health not only makes it easier to KO them
but also gives momentum to switch in a teammate for free
while they heal the damage off.</p>
[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>Crobat is one of those Pokemon that
views entry hazards as both a necessity and a deterrent. Stealth Rock
punishes Crobat for its Rock weakness. Combined with its frailty without investment, Crobat's longevity is severely hindered. On the other hand, if using the Choice Band/Nasty Plot attacker, Spikes will be a godsend
by assisting it scoring those OHKOs Crobat misses narrowly. If using the Utility Bat, Toxic Spikes will take down Pokemon such as Blissey and Swampert even faster, making it easier for your sweepers to plough through
the enemy's team.</p>
<p>Magnezone and Heatran are some of Crobat's best partners, since they resist most of the types Crobat is weak to, while Crobat is immune to their x4 Ground-type weakness. They also have the ability to take out many of Crobat's common counters, such as Steel-types, Suicune and Swampert. In return, Crobat can take down or weaken the many walls that would otherwise stop Magnezone and Heatran cold. However, Blissey will stop both
Nasty Plot Crobat and Explosion-less-Heatran, and Skarmory can stop Crobat if it uses any other set, although Magnezone and Heatran can KO it easily.</p>
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Crobat
can run a plethora of EV spreads, due to its versatility. You can reduce the Speed
investment to 144 EVs, reaching 356 Speed, outpacing +1 Tyranitar. Crobat has no benefit in speed tying with Aerodactyl or Jolteon. A spread of 104 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Def / 136 Spe gives Crobt more bulk while still maximizing Brave Bird's power. X-Scissor may deal more damage to Celebi and other Psychic-types, but Cross Poison is usually stronger due to gaining STAB. Cross Poison followed by Pursuit will usually finish them anyway. Crobat can use Giga Drain on the Nasty Plot set, always OHKOing Swampert after a Nasty Plot while regaining some much needed health. Confuse Ray, Whirlwind, Rain Dance and Screech are all usable options for support, but there is almost always a better user of it, and Crobat has more effective tools for supporting the team.
In your Counters section, you mention Hypnosis, but you do not mention it in any of the sets nor in OC.
[COUNTERS]
<p>Zapdos and Rotom-A
can wall Crobat forever; so do most Rock-, Steel-, and Ground-types too, but those suffer heavy damage from the Special Attacker. Jolteon and Aerodactyl can revenge kill it effectively, since Crobat rarely runs maximum Speed. Anything switching in
, though, has to be wary of Super Fang, Taunt or Hypnosis, but generally things like Snorlax and Blissey can take on the special sweeper while Swampert, Skarmory and Heatran
can stand their ground against the physical attacker.</p>
<p>The hardest thing about countering Crobat is that you don't know what set it runs until about a turn or two after it is sent out.
And By then there's a chance that they've already KOed your counter. However, once you determine its set, it's easy to take down. Generally, you should take advantage of the fact that it cannot hit very hard outside of Nasty Plot, and the fact that it's actually quite frail
, provided you hit it with a move that it doesn't resist.</p>