Azumarill
Pokedex #184
Type: Water / Fairy
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 50 SAtk / 80 SDef / 50 Spe
Abilities:
Huge Power: The power of the Pokémon’s attacks is doubled
Thick Fat: Fire and Ice-type moves deal 50% damage
Sap Sipper (hidden): Attack is raised by one stage when the Pokémon is hit by a Grass-type move. User receives no damage from Grass-type attacks.
Level up moves as for Generation V can be found here
TMs and HMs compatibility can be found here
Egg moves can be found here
New Moves:
Play Rough - Type: Fairy / 90 BP / 90% Acc / Physical / Can lower opponent's attack
(will be updated as it's researched)
Notable Moves:
Aqua Jet, Waterfall, Play Rough, Superpower, Return, Double-Edge, Ice Punch (tutor move), Substitute, Belly Drum, Aqua Tail, Focus Punch (Gen IV TM)
Overview
Yet Azumarill was one of the selected few Pokemon to gain the brand-new Fairy type, it remains largely the same, if not better. Backed up by 100 / 80 / 80 defenses, its unique Water/Fairy typing grants very welcomed resistances to Fire, Water, Ice, Bug, Fighting and Dark and a very important immunity to Dragon. Azumarill's new type comes with a potent move, Play Rough, which is a 135 physical move factoring STAB that can lower opponent's Attack, which is useful aganst switch-insand doesn't let it helpless against bulky Waters. Let's not forget about his old moves, namely reliable priority in Aqua jet, powerful Water STAB in Waterfall, and Ferrothorn catcher in Superpower. However, this new generation brought some problems to the powerful aqua bunny. Rain is not eternal anymore, which severely reduces the power its Water STAB moves. Azumarill also remains weak to Electric and Grass moves (unless you wish to use Sap Sipper... you don't, right?) and now also by Poison attacks. Azumarill's low Speed is also a letdown, especially if the foe is not weak to Aqua Jet and can damage it hard in return. Nonetheless, Azumarill changed to good to better, and is surely a solid pick in this new metagame.
Potential sets:
All-out Attacker
move 1: Aqua Jet
move 2: Play Rough
move 3: Waterfall | Aqua Tail
move 4: Superpower
ability: Huge Power
item: Choice Band | Splash Plate
nature: Adamant Nature
evs: 168 HP | 252 Atk | 4 Def | 84 Spe (courtesy of Sidakarya)
Cute looks can be decieving. Azumarill is all about power coming from 432 natural Attack, and this set is the best to show that off. Aqua Jet is a powerful priority move that can pick off fast Pokemon such as Volcarona, Gengar, Alakazam and Terrakion. Play Rough is its strongest STAB along Aqua Tail and, while a bit innacurate, lets Azumarill deal with some bulky waters like Jellicent, Politoed, Gastrodon and Gyarados. Waterfall is the reliable Water-type STAB, powerful and accurate, and is even better if using in Rain, where most things that don't resist (even some that do) are at least 2HKOed. Aqua Tail can be used, but the 10% less accuracy will be often worse than a 10% more power. Finally, Superpower lets Azumarill do what most Water-types would kill and rape their own mothers for being able to: Smashing Ferrothorn. Choice Band lets Azumarill destroy everything at the cost of being locked in a move. If versatility matters more than sheer power for you, Splash Plate can be used as a nice lure, at the cost of some important 2HKOs.
The ev spread makes sue that Azumarill will outspeed uninvested Jellicent by one point while maintaning a good amount bulk. Azumarill needs some Pokemon removed such as defensive Grass- and Poison-types that resist Aqua Jet and faster Electric- and Grass-types. Latios and Life Orb Latias are good partner, since it can come in Grass and Electric moves and retaliate back with a powerful special move of choice. The Lati twins have excellent defensive synergy with Azumarill too. Gothitelle is also a nice parter because its ability to trap troublesome Pokemon such as Tentacruel and Celebi and kill them with Psyshock and Signal Beam respectiely. Ferrothorn pairs nicely with Azumarill because not only because it lays entry hazards that eases with the aqua rabbit's cleaning, but also resists Electric and Grass and is immune to Poison, and Azumarill can take the Fire and Fighting moves aimed at the metal plant.
Checks and Counters
Besides Shedinja and Qwilfish, there aren't true Azumarill counters viable in the OU metagame. The closest thing are Amoonguss and Mega Venusaur since they are only 3HKOed by Choice Band Waterfall in rain and resists all of its common moves unless it runs Double-Edge or Ice Punch, and retaliate back with Giga Drain or Sludge Bomb. Tentacruel and Dragalge are 2HKOed by rain-boosted Water moves, but can do consistent damage by hitting Azumarill with Sludge Bomb. Revenge killing Azumarill is generally the best method to take it down, and Pokemon not weak to Aqua Jet that can unleash powerful super-effective moves work. The list include but it's not limited to Choice Band Kyurem-B, Heliolisk and Breloom. The lack of recovery also hampers Azumarill, so bulky Pokemon that can hit it super effectively or cripple without being OHKOed such as Rotom-W, physically defensive Zapdos or Jellicent are nice checks. If Azumarill is not locked in Aqua Jet, Mega Gengar can come and kill with Sludge Wave. When the rain turns are out, it's much easier to counter the aqua rabbit, but remember that it still hits extremely hard, choiced or not.
Closing Words
Azumarill really appreciates is new typing, giving him a new hope at life. Yet the rain nerf and the birth of powerful Mega Pokemon such as Mega Garchomp and Mega Gengar are horns in its little blue feet, Azumarill can still hold its own in the XY OU, being bulky and powerful at the same time. The set listed above will probably be the main set but do you think there will be others? If yes, which? Maybe a set consisting of Sap Sipper? Perish Trapper with Whirlpool? Do you think Azumarill will be metagame defining, a powerful threat, or just a niche UU mon again?
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