[Overview]
<p>Piplup retains its lone niche of being the only pure Water-type that can set up Stealth Rock. It gets the job done well enough too, as its decent defenses allow it to stave off most priority attacks and reliably set up Stealth Rock. Piplup's Special Attack isn't half bad either, and its array of useful support moves ensure that it isn't a one-trick pony. Unfortunately, Piplup's poor base 40 Speed means that it will find itself revenge killed easily by threats such as Chinchou. Overall though, Piplup is a decent Pokemon in its own right, and if played to its strengths, it shall not disappoint.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Ice Beam / Icy Wind
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Fire / Yawn
item: Eviolite / Focus Sash
nature: Timid
evs: 12 HP / 12 Def / 192 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the best, and only, set which Piplup is capable of running. The only other Water-types that have Stealth Rock are Omanyte and Kabuto, but they are too easily stopped by Croagunk with Vacuum Wave. Hydro Pump is Piplup's best STAB attack due to its sheer damage output, while Surf is more reliable. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Electric give Piplup excellent neutral coverage along with its Water-type attacks, and are the best options for the last two moveslots. Icy Wind is an option to weaken the potency of some sweepers that rely on Speed, such as Elekid and Gastly, and Hidden Power Fire allows Piplup to 2HKO Ferroseed. Yawn can also be used over either Hidden Power to force switches, and this works well in conjunction with entry hazards, but Piplup appreciates the coverage afforded by Hidden Power.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Eviolite is the superior option for an item, as it gives Piplup the bulk to take most priority attacks with ease. However, if priority users are not a problem, Focus Sash can be used to dodge OHKOes from Electric- and Grass-type attacks, though the ubiquity of entry hazards renders it useless most of the time. A different Hidden Power, namely Hidden Power Grass or Hidden Power Ground, can be used to score a super effective hit on Chinchou, but it will still fail to 2HKO most variants unless Piplup is carrying a Life Orb. The EVs on this set maximize Special Attack and Speed, with the rest put in HP and Defense. Mixed sweepers such as Elekid and Houndour appreciate having Stealth Rock on the field, making them good teamamtes for Piplup. Munchlax, Diglett, and Wynaut are all good partners for trapping and KOing Chinchou, but Diglett has to be the most wary of a Water- or Ice-type attack. As with any Pokemon which sets up entry hazards, Piplup appreciates having a Ghost-type such as Gastly or Duskull to block Rapid Spin.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Piplup can run a Choice Scarf to remedy its poor Speed, but it would be outclassed by Chinchou. Scald can be used to spread burns, but Hydro Pump is the preferred option for its much higher Base Power. Agility is another option, but Chinchou and Mantyke are much better at pulling off a sweep. FeatherDance can be an interesting option to cripple physical attackers such as Scraggy and Mienfoo. Piplup can also try an Endure + Salac Berry + Flail combination, but it would be too susceptible to priority attacks. It can run a physical set consisting of Waterfall, Drill Peck, Return, and Brick Break, but its Attack stat is a bit too low for such a set to be successful. Dig is an option to OHKO Chinchou, but it can easily be avoided by switching out. Toxic can be used to cripple a Pokemon, but has little use otherwise.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Chinchou is the bane of Piplup's existence, as it resists all the moves on the set barring Hidden Power Ground, has a high Special Defense, outspeeds Piplup, and OHKOes with STAB Thunderbolt. Electric-types fare well in general against Piplup. Since Piplup's defenses and Special Attack aren't spectacular, most Pokemon can sponge a Hydro Pump and OHKO or 2HKO in return. In particular, bulky Fighting-types such as Scraggy and Mienfoo can beat Piplup with Drain Punch. Staryu only fears Hidden Power Electric, OHKOes Piplup with Thunderbolt, and also removes Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin. Ferroseed scores the OHKO with Bullet Seed, and can take a Hidden Power Fire. Finally, Snover smashes Piplup to bits with Giga Drain, but needs to be careful when switching in, as Hidden Power Fire OHKOes.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Piplup gets Defiant from the Dream World, which raises Attack when Piplup's stats are lowered. Unless Piplup runs any physical attacks, this is useless, and Torrent is thus the better choice most of the time. Defiant does, however, aid physical sets against Intimidate users.</p>
<p>Piplup retains its lone niche of being the only pure Water-type that can set up Stealth Rock. It gets the job done well enough too, as its decent defenses allow it to stave off most priority attacks and reliably set up Stealth Rock. Piplup's Special Attack isn't half bad either, and its array of useful support moves ensure that it isn't a one-trick pony. Unfortunately, Piplup's poor base 40 Speed means that it will find itself revenge killed easily by threats such as Chinchou. Overall though, Piplup is a decent Pokemon in its own right, and if played to its strengths, it shall not disappoint.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Ice Beam / Icy Wind
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Fire / Yawn
item: Eviolite / Focus Sash
nature: Timid
evs: 12 HP / 12 Def / 192 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the best, and only, set which Piplup is capable of running. The only other Water-types that have Stealth Rock are Omanyte and Kabuto, but they are too easily stopped by Croagunk with Vacuum Wave. Hydro Pump is Piplup's best STAB attack due to its sheer damage output, while Surf is more reliable. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Electric give Piplup excellent neutral coverage along with its Water-type attacks, and are the best options for the last two moveslots. Icy Wind is an option to weaken the potency of some sweepers that rely on Speed, such as Elekid and Gastly, and Hidden Power Fire allows Piplup to 2HKO Ferroseed. Yawn can also be used over either Hidden Power to force switches, and this works well in conjunction with entry hazards, but Piplup appreciates the coverage afforded by Hidden Power.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Eviolite is the superior option for an item, as it gives Piplup the bulk to take most priority attacks with ease. However, if priority users are not a problem, Focus Sash can be used to dodge OHKOes from Electric- and Grass-type attacks, though the ubiquity of entry hazards renders it useless most of the time. A different Hidden Power, namely Hidden Power Grass or Hidden Power Ground, can be used to score a super effective hit on Chinchou, but it will still fail to 2HKO most variants unless Piplup is carrying a Life Orb. The EVs on this set maximize Special Attack and Speed, with the rest put in HP and Defense. Mixed sweepers such as Elekid and Houndour appreciate having Stealth Rock on the field, making them good teamamtes for Piplup. Munchlax, Diglett, and Wynaut are all good partners for trapping and KOing Chinchou, but Diglett has to be the most wary of a Water- or Ice-type attack. As with any Pokemon which sets up entry hazards, Piplup appreciates having a Ghost-type such as Gastly or Duskull to block Rapid Spin.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Piplup can run a Choice Scarf to remedy its poor Speed, but it would be outclassed by Chinchou. Scald can be used to spread burns, but Hydro Pump is the preferred option for its much higher Base Power. Agility is another option, but Chinchou and Mantyke are much better at pulling off a sweep. FeatherDance can be an interesting option to cripple physical attackers such as Scraggy and Mienfoo. Piplup can also try an Endure + Salac Berry + Flail combination, but it would be too susceptible to priority attacks. It can run a physical set consisting of Waterfall, Drill Peck, Return, and Brick Break, but its Attack stat is a bit too low for such a set to be successful. Dig is an option to OHKO Chinchou, but it can easily be avoided by switching out. Toxic can be used to cripple a Pokemon, but has little use otherwise.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Chinchou is the bane of Piplup's existence, as it resists all the moves on the set barring Hidden Power Ground, has a high Special Defense, outspeeds Piplup, and OHKOes with STAB Thunderbolt. Electric-types fare well in general against Piplup. Since Piplup's defenses and Special Attack aren't spectacular, most Pokemon can sponge a Hydro Pump and OHKO or 2HKO in return. In particular, bulky Fighting-types such as Scraggy and Mienfoo can beat Piplup with Drain Punch. Staryu only fears Hidden Power Electric, OHKOes Piplup with Thunderbolt, and also removes Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin. Ferroseed scores the OHKO with Bullet Seed, and can take a Hidden Power Fire. Finally, Snover smashes Piplup to bits with Giga Drain, but needs to be careful when switching in, as Hidden Power Fire OHKOes.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Piplup gets Defiant from the Dream World, which raises Attack when Piplup's stats are lowered. Unless Piplup runs any physical attacks, this is useless, and Torrent is thus the better choice most of the time. Defiant does, however, aid physical sets against Intimidate users.</p>
