Psych Up

[WinstonShnozwick]

Psych Up: Copies opponent's stat changes.Psych Up copies both the positive and negative changes to the target's stats and replicates them onto the user. The target's Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, Speed, Accuracy and Evasion are copied. Any changes made to the target's stats after Psych Up is used will not affect the user's stats.

By Level;

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Psyduck
Golduck
Slowpoke
Slowbro
Drowzee
Hypno
Espeon
Slowking
Meditite
Medicham
Spoink
Grumpig
Spinda
Watchog
Elgyem
Beheeyem

By TM;

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Butterfree
Clefairy
Clefable
Vulpix
Ninetails
Jigglypuff
Wigglytuff
Meowth
Persian
Psyduck
Golduck
Abra
Kadabra
Alakazam
Slowpoke
Slowbro
Magnemite
Magneton
Farfetch'd
Gastly
Haunter
Gengar
Onix
Drowzee
Hypno
Exeggcute
Exeggutor
Lickitung
Chansey
Tangela
Staryu
Starmie
Mr. Mime
Jynx
Porygon
Mewtwo
Mew
Hoothoot
Noctowl
Cleffa
Igglybuff
Togepi
Togetic
Natu
Xatu
Sudowoodo
Hoppip
Skiploom
Jumpluff
Espeon
Umbreon
Murkrow
Slowking
Misdreavus
Girafarig
Dunsparce
Steelix
Sneasel
Porygon2
Stantler
Smoochum
Miltank
Blissey
Raikou
Entei
Suicune
Lugia
Ho-oh
Celebi
Nuzleaf
Shiftry
Ralts
Kirlia
Gardevoir
Surskit
Masquerain
Skitty
Delcatty
Sableye
Mawile
Meditite
Medicham
Volbeat
Illumise
Roselia
Spoink
Grumpig
Spinda
Swablu
Altaria
Lunatone
Solrock
Baltoy
Claydol
Milotic
Castform
Kecleon
Shuppet
Banette
Duskull
Dusclops
Chimecho
Absol
Gorebyss
Relicanth
Luvdisc
Metang
Metagross
Regirock
Regice
Registeel
Latias
Latios
Kyogre
Groudon
Rayquaza
Jirachi
Deoxys
Budew
Roserade
Wormadam
Mothim
Drifloon
Drifblim
Mismagius
Honchkrow
Glameow
Purugly
Chingling
Bronzor
Bronzong
Bonsly
Mime Jr.
Happiny
Spiritomb
Finneon
Lumineon
Weavile
Magnezone
Lickilicky
Tangrowth
Togekiss
Yanmega
Porygon-Z
Gallade
Dusknoir
Froslass
Rotom
Uxie
Mesprit
Azelf
Dialga
Palkia
Regigigas
Giratina
Cresselia
Phione
Manaphy
Darkrai
Shaymin
Arceus
Victini
Watchog
Purrloin
Munna
Musharna
Unfezant
Woobat
Swoobat
Audino
Sigilyph
Yamask
Cofagrigus
Zorua
Zoroark
Gothita
Gothorita
Gothitelle
Solosis
Duosion
Reuniclus
Frillish
Jellicent
Alomomola
Elgyem
Beheeyem
Litwick
Lampent
Chandelure
Meinshao
Vullaby
Deino
Zweilous
Hydreigon
Cobalion
Terrakion
Virizion
Keldeo
Meloetta

By Breeding;
None

Psych Up isn't really seen often if at all in the metagame to my experience, but upon discovering this, it looks like it could work quite well in certain situations. One extremely efficient use could be for when fighting a baton pass team. Just fake attack them, and let them grow a chain, then when you feel that you should end it, use psych up, gain a few +4 - +6's, and sweep/destroy them. Also, there are quite a few common set up pokemon, and so in the metagame currently it could have application in many scenarios seeing as set up pokemon are common. I think that it's usage would be better on a bulky pokemon, so as to take a hit that would follow when the opponent sees the stat boosts you just copied.

An interesting, if gimmicky, pokemon that stands out to me is Zoroark, which could pose as a pokemon to lure in pokemon that set up, and then steal the boosts and sweep.

Zoroark (M) @ Life Orb Trait: Illusion
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
- Psych Up
- Sucker Punch
- Flamethrower
- Night Slash


He fills a role as a mixed sweeper somewhat well, with the dual stab combo of dark/fire hitting many things in the metagame for super effective. Flamethrower decimates steels, notably even the defensive varients like skarmory and bronzong, while Night Slash hits common ghosts resisting flamethrower like Jellicent and flash fire Chandelure, also being physical to hit blissey. Sucker Punch is your priority move, which may be useful for Zoroark seeing his frail build, to get KO's at the last moment without worrying about enemy priority. Fool the opponent with illusion to think you are setup bait, then psych up before they hit you and sweep.


This is my first time with this sort of thread, so any issues/advice would be appreciated :)

 

[NijaSkills]

The issue with Psych-up is that in the turn that you take to copy their boosts, they could very well kill you, and even if they don't, you still have to be able to kill them. If it wasn't restricted to Manaphy and Smeargle, Heart Swap would be much better, since it takes away their boosts and gives them to you. Also Foul Play uses your opponent's attack stat to attack, so it is mostly useless, since most things hit super-effectively by it are special attackers, and Blissey has an attack stat of 10.

 

[WinstonShnozwick]

Oh, my bad sorry, replace Night Slash on that then.

 

[ParaChomp]

A triple normal type thread for doubles and/or triples!

Regigigas @ Leftovers
ability: Slow Start
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Careful Nature (+SpD, -SpA)
- Psych Up
- Foresight
- Drain Punch
- Return

Snorlax @ Leftovers
ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Careful Nature (+SpD, -SpA)
- Rest
- Stockpile
- Belly Drum
- Last Resort

Audino @ Leftovers
ability: Healer
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 94 SpD
Calm Nature (+SpD, -SpA)
- Heal Bell
- Heal Pulse
- Wish
- Protect

Incredibly hard to pull off but when you do...

Also Foul Play uses your opponent's attack stat to attack, so it is mostly useless, since most things hit super-effectively by it are special attackers, and Blissey has an attack stat of 10.

Murkrow anyone?

 

[Daenym]

Zoroark (M) @ Life Orb Trait: Illusion
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
- Psych Up
- Sucker Punch
- Flamethrower
- Night Slash


He fills a role as a mixed sweeper somewhat well, with the dual stab combo of dark/fire hitting many things in the metagame for super effective.

Houndour does not approve of these lies.

On a more serious note. Your best bet to pull off a "reliable" Psych Up Pokemon would be something with Psych Up, a recovery move, STAB, and coverage/second STAB. Then it needs to have the right balance of speed/bulk to be able to pull off the Psych Up and be able to recover lost health. Zoroark's generally pretty frail, and LO isn't helping on that front.

Assuming you're willing to wait for your opponent to get plenty of boosts (presumably Clam Mind/NP) a Sashed Alakazam would be plausible. Good coverage, immunity to hazards/weather/status/etc. Just wrecked by priority, of course.

Porygon2 seems like another good special attacking option for this, since he's got great bulk and recovery with ok speed.

Gallade maybe. But he's honestly better off just using his own Bulk Up instead of relying on his low speed to catch an attack boost.

Thinking about some really common stat uppers, Reuniclus, Scizor, Excadrill, Gliscor and Volcarona come to mind. Yeah, there are tons of others, but these are some of the most common. So what from the list of Pokemon above can take a +2 attack from these, survive (with or without Sash) and OHKO back with the new boost(s) (or have time to recover health, if you go that route)? Yeah...

 

[Airfoil]

Murkrow anyone?

Also Foul Play uses your opponent's attack stat to attack, so it is mostly useless, since most things hit super-effectively by it are special attackers, and Blissey has an attack stat of 10.

It would have been the best way for getting rid of fighting types, but Dark isn't a very good typing for Foul Play.....