Pokémon Chesnaught (Revamp Occurring)

[TheEvergreenChameleon]

Sorry, I was a tad bit cranky yesterday. However, unless breloom does some serious prediction, it will three hit ko and get knocked out by two hammer arms unless it is a poison heal set which would make the two hit ko less likely anyway and would probably pack the predicatble sub punch or sub seed. It may not be 100% counter to breloom, but it does serve as a ridiculously good check and it will show up as a top threat to breloom in usage statistics.

I agree, it's a good check, but I really doubt it'll show up as a top threat. It's too predictable of a switch in, too niche in OU, and beyond that, Gourgeist is too common and does the job far better, having both a safe switch in on any of Breloom's attacks and the ability to revenge after Breloom has landed a kill. Chesnaught can come in on the majority of Breloom's moves, but it can't come in on SD or after an SD, meaning that it plays a much more dangerous game switching in and also has less of a capacity to come in after a kill.

 

[Rickyticq]

I think, depending on the situation, each can outplay each other. However, when you send Chesnaught in, you're probably going to want to set up spikes which is impossible if you have a Breloom threatening you with focus punch. So if your opponent is smart, they'll probably only let you set 1 layer of spikes or get one move off before their own counter gets sent out (assuming their counter is still alive).

Also, out of personal preference, I like to run low sweep instead of hammer arm on my Chesnaught specifically for the reason of crippling counters as they switch in or outspeeding any similar speed pokemon after 1 hit. If you ran bulk-up this way, there's really no way that a breloom could outplay you. But again, that is assuming that this is late game and their counter to your Chesnaught has already been taken out

 

[NotSoClutch]

I agree, it's a good check, but I really doubt it'll show up as a top threat. It's too predictable of a switch in, too niche in OU, and beyond that, Gourgeist is too common and does the job far better.

I agree that gourgeist will be better and
chesnaught will likely see only about 2-4% usage. Chesnaught is still a threat to breloom who I honestly think will still see significant usage even after the spore nerf. Chesnaught also checks a lot of other big time threats in
the current meta.

 

[shilly]

I've been playing around with the SubSeed + Hammer Arm set on my 'Naught, and I have to say, with the right support (namely something like an Azumarill/Aegislash core) he can get things done. It's a valid argument that this set doesn't fit well into OU; in fact I think it's a more viable set for the likes of UU and that Gourgeist completely stops this set in its tracks, but man, is this guy good if you play your cards right!!

I also saw someone run EQ on Chesnaught with the SubSeed set to lure in the unsuspecting Roosting Talonflame (I think Stone Edge would have been a better choice though. less risky). It would have been cool to get Drain Punch on the dude but Chesnaught has more than enough recovery moves to keep itself on its feet for a while. I never thought Grass/Fighting would have been a good defensive typing till he came along. Sorry, Virizion.

 

[CyRaX2018]

This man is a bulky mf and spikey shield just makes him a monster im def thinking he is goin to be OU Viable considering his typing and stats

 

[RibVein]

Still wouldn't be able to hit flying types, and what would you remove? Power Up Punch gets him the strength to attack others, and seed bomb is for a powerful attack.

I like where you're going with it, but I just think Leech Seed + Spiky Shield would be best used on a more defensive based chesnaught. Power Up Punch looks like it'll be a main factor to help him sweep, why not switch leech seed for something that adds more coverage (EQ, roar, shadow claw etc)? Would be a shame to get your attack raised just to be met by Aegislash.

 

[RobotnikIsSexy]

So... Gengar never got Sludge Wave and will not get Sludge Wave. I think people are convinced he can use Sludge Wave due to a glitch on PO where it shows "Sludge Bomb" as "Sludge Wave".

This bodes well for Chesnaught, who was previously staring down NU until we all figured out how Bulletproof works. I just hatched an Adamant one, so I'm going to try the Ass Vest set first, but I imagine I'll have 2 or 3 of these guys since they can learn/do so much.

 

[RabidChipmunk]

So... Gengar never got Sludge Wave and will not get Sludge Wave. I think people are convinced he can use Sludge Wave due to a glitch on PO where it shows "Sludge Bomb" as "Sludge Wave".

This bodes well for Chesnaught, who was previously staring down NU until we all figured out how Bulletproof works. I just hatched an Adamant one, so I'm going to try the Ass Vest set first, but I imagine I'll have 2 or 3 of these guys since they can learn/do so much.

Gastly is capable of learning Sludge Wave in Gen V through the Dream World. Once the Pokebank opens, Sludge Wave will be legal on Gengar in Gen VI, but at the cost of using egg moves like Disable.

 

[RobotnikIsSexy]

Oh, huh. Didn't know that one. Welp, GG Chesnaught. Still 2/3 ain't bad and that set sounds really hard to get a hold of.

 

[HighTowerNL]

Hey all i haven't tested this out yet but i was thinking of a Chestnaught set with Belly Drum and Salac Berry that could maybe work if you have Sticky Web up.

set: BellyDrumMadness
Chesnaught
item: Salac Berry
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Poison Jab
move 4: Brick Break/Shadow Claw/Dragon Claw
ability: Overgrow
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP

 

[alexwolf]

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Nature: Impish
- Spikes
- Hammer Arm
- Synthesis
- Roar / Leech Seed

By far the best set Chesnaught can run. SubSeed and boosting sets suck in OU for obvious reasons that have already been mentioned but this set is quite useful. It deals with quite a big deal of metagame defining threats, such as Excadrill, Tyranitar (DD MegaTtar sets too, which are fucking scary for some teams), Landorus-T, Gengar, and Aegislash, and does something useful with the switches it forces by using Spikes. You don't really need a Grass STAB as almost none of the Pokemon that you are using Chesnaught for cares about Seed Bomb, and Hammer Arm and Roar get the job against the Pokemon that you want to check. Roar is a great move on Chesnaught that more people should use, and it deals with Pokemon such as SD Aegislash, boosting Landorus-T, and a ton of physical with set up moves that you can't hurt otherwise. Leech Seed is useful against teams with Smooth Rock Hippowdon, where Synthesis will often not be enough healing with the pressence of sand and allows you to not get outstalled by Hippowdon.

 

[Bravadorado]

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Nature: Impish
- Spikes
- Hammer Arm
- Synthesis
- Roar / Leech Seed

I don't know about Spikes... I didn't like them before, and now with Defog they feel even more useless to me. What would you say about using Spiky Shield over Spikes? It'd be good for stalling HP back with LS+Leftovers. Plus it seems like it would do a similar amount of damage as a single layer of Spikes every time the enemy uses a contact move. So potential for more damage than Spikes if facing an enemy with contact moves, which is the majority of the things you listed, and it helps put some damage on Talonflame who is probably the biggest danger to Chesnaught. I think it at least works as a slash option, no?

Also, if I'm considering using Chesnaught on my team, would you consider him to be a full tank, or more of a bulky offensive threat? In other words, should I have another more dedicated tank (Such as Gliscor) on my team, or will Chesnaught suffice for my physical tank?

Also, I'm planning on using Yzard in my team, I assume the two of them make a pretty good team? He resists everything Yzard is weak to, and of all the things Chesnaught is weak to, basically none are likely to hit him on the switch. People are also likely to throw out physical moves on Yzard, which will help Chesnaught resist further. And there is the benefit of switching into drought, and the only pokemon that can take that away from him he can fight very well (Politoed, Hippowdon, Tyranitar).

Sounds good to me but I'm no expert.

Edit: Also, Empoleon and Chesnaught cover each other almost perfectly, which is surprising considering Chesnaught's many weaknesses.

 

[BurningMan]

I don't know about Spikes... I didn't like them before, and now with Defog they feel even more useless to me. What would you say about using Spiky Shield over Spikes? It'd be good for stalling HP back with LS+Leftovers. Plus it seems like it would do a similar amount of damage as a single layer of Spikes every time the enemy uses a contact move. So potential for more damage than Spikes if facing an enemy with contact moves, which is the majority of the things you listed, and it helps put some damage on Talonflame who is probably the biggest danger to Chesnaught. I think it at least works as a slash option, no?

Also, if I'm considering using Chesnaught on my team, would you consider him to be a full tank, or more of a bulky offensive threat? In other words, should I have another more dedicated tank (Such as Gliscor) on my team, or will Chesnaught suffice for my physical tank?

Also, I'm planning on using Yzard in my team, I assume the two of them make a pretty good team? He resists everything Yzard is weak to, and of all the things Chesnaught is weak to, basically none are likely to hit him on the switch. People are also likely to throw out physical moves on Yzard, which will help Chesnaught resist further. And there is the benefit of switching into drought, and the only pokemon that can take that away from him he can fight very well (Politoed, Hippowdon, Tyranitar).

Sounds good to me but I'm no expert.

Spikes are good because Chesnaught works similar to ferrothorn they both hard wall quite a number of Pokemon, but on the other hand are easy to wall themselve so having something like spikes/leechseed is great as it allows you to utilize the switches it forces much better. Spiky Shield is okay in tandem with Leech Seed, but considering that quite a number of Chesnaught switch-ins are special attackers or immune to Leech Seed its not that great and the residual you will do with Spikes is much more reliable (you don't want Talonflame to use Swords Dance on the turn you Spiky Shield). Overall i don't think that Chesnaught is really worth using in OU unless you need a Spikes user that can handle Lando-T etc. It got a niche especially with Bullet Proof granting it alot of unique immunities, but generally it is eclipsed by "better" defensive Grass types especially ones that don't care much about Scald.

 

[DDRMaster]

Hey all i haven't tested this out yet but i was thinking of a Chestnaught set with Belly Drum and Salac Berry that could maybe work if you have Sticky Web up.

set: BellyDrumMadness
Chesnaught
item: Salac Berry
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Poison Jab
move 4: Brick Break/Shadow Claw/Dragon Claw
ability: Overgrow
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def

The problem with a Belly Drum set is the fact that even after the Salac Boost, Chesnaught is still too slow. Any Pokemon that considers running a Choice Scarf will outspeed you with one equipped and even fast non-Scarfed Pokemon like Noivern will as well. Also, no matter how fast you get with Chesnaught, priority is running rampant right now and most users, particularly Talonflame, will KO you when you're at 25% health.

 

[NotSoClutch]

What are everyone's thoughts on a bulky bellydrum set? I was thinking that I might be able to pull off a set with synthesis and belly drum because of all of the switches chesnaught causes. Obviously it is a little too gimmicky for anything but lower ladder shinanigans, but I think it could be viable with something like edge quake coverage.

 

[TorchicBlaziken]

Only way to get Sludge Wave on Gengar is by getting a DW Gastly, which means it's not available until Pokemon Bank comes out and is illegal with all Egg Moves.

And that also means if you see a Shiny Gengar you know it doesn't have Sludge Wave.

 

[zferolie]

I like where you're going with it, but I just think Leech Seed + Spiky Shield would be best used on a more defensive based chesnaught. Power Up Punch looks like it'll be a main factor to help him sweep, why not switch leech seed for something that adds more coverage (EQ, roar, shadow claw etc)? Would be a shame to get your attack raised just to be met by Aegislash.

I was going for a great Defender that can start to power himself up. Speaking of Aegislash, it will not be able to hurt you much. Seed bomb doesn't activate kings shield, and with a few power up punches behind it, it will hurt it. Leech seed will kill it slowly, and you have your own Spiky Shield to use when you know it will attack. It's easy to predict when an Aegislash will attack.

 

[GeneralMLD]

I put power-up punch in place of bulk up. Defense is high enough as is and momentum stays in your favor.

 

[RabidChipmunk]

I think it just needs to be said right now that Chesnaught has no business trying to sweep in OU. Speed is everything, and with Chesnaught's poor speed, lack of priority, and vulnerable defensive typing, his sweep is going to get cut short far too often. His only true niche in OU is a utility counter to certain Pokemon (physical Tyranitar, Gengar without Dazzling Gleam or Sludge Wave) and a Spikes setter. Using him for any other purpose is doing him a disservice.

 

[Anartya]

Mold Breaker Excadrill is the Best Rapid Spinner in the game period. No Ghost type can spin block with him around! With access to swords dance, there are extremely few pokemon that can switch in to Excadrill. Defensive Spikes/Roar Chesnaught is probably the only pokemon that can actually set up spikes in front of +2/+4 Excadrill! Excadrill fears Chesnaught's OKHO by Hammer Arm and will hesitate to rapid spin his spikes away. If Excadrill switches out then he has accomplished nothing as a rapid spinner and Chesnaught is free to lay more spikes down.

 

[zferolie]

I think it just needs to be said right now that Chesnaught has no business trying to sweep in OU. Speed is everything, and with Chesnaught's poor speed, lack of priority, and vulnerable defensive typing, his sweep is going to get cut short far too often. His only true niche in OU is a utility counter to certain Pokemon (physical Tyranitar, Gengar without Dazzling Gleam or Sludge Wave) and a Spikes setter. Using him for any other purpose is doing him a disservice.

Giving him Power up punch is not to make him sweep. He will always be a physical tank before everything. Power up punch just helps him hit a bit harder, help him if all the special sweepers are down.

 

[sims796]

I think it just needs to be said right now that Chesnaught has no business trying to sweep in OU. Speed is everything, and with Chesnaught's poor speed, lack of priority, and vulnerable defensive typing, his sweep is going to get cut short far too often. His only true niche in OU is a utility counter to certain Pokemon (physical Tyranitar, Gengar without Dazzling Gleam or Sludge Wave) and a Spikes setter. Using him for any other purpose is doing him a disservice.

I think I'm inclined to agree. His typing, while solid to counter things that are worthwhile to counter, is also very easy to take advantage of. Just use him for what he does best.

 

[RabidChipmunk]

Giving him Power up punch is not to make him sweep. He will always be a physical tank before everything. Power up punch just helps him hit a bit harder, help him if all the special sweepers are down.

Fair enough, but I can't imagine Chesnaught getting enough boosts with PuP before getting forced out. Chesnaught is a pivot, really; he switches in, sets up Spikes/Leech Seed or just knocks something around, and switches out.

 

[alexwolf]

Mold Breaker Excadrill is the Best Rapid Spinner in the game period. No Ghost type can spin block with him around! With access to swords dance, there are extremely few pokemon that can switch in to Excadrill. Defensive Spikes/Roar Chesnaught is probably the only pokemon that can actually set up spikes in front of +2/+4 Excadrill! Excadrill fears Chesnaught's OKHO by Hammer Arm and will hesitate to rapid spin his spikes away. If Excadrill switches out then he has accomplished nothing as a rapid spinner and Chesnaught is free to lay more spikes down.

Yeah, as long as Excadrill remains a top tier threat (and Aegislash too) and the premier rapid spinner, Chesnaught will be a very viable option, being both a hard counter to Excadrill and also preventing him from immediately spinning away his Spikes. Not to mention that the second best spinner, Mega Blastoise, also doesn't like switching into Chesnaught and can be stalled out very easily with Leech Seed (no Lefties on Mega Blastoise helps a lot with this), while Mega Blastoise can't break through Chesnaught if it got seeded on the switch and lacks Ice Beam.

 

[NotSoClutch]

Yeah, as long as Excadrill remains a top tier threat (and Aegislash too) and the premier rapid spinner, Chesnaught will be a very viable option, being both a hard counter to Excadrill and also preventing him from immediately spinning away his Spikes. Not to mention that the second best spinner, Mega Blastoise, also doesn't like switching into Chesnaught and can be stalled out very easily with Leech Seed (no Lefties on Mega Blastoise helps a lot with this), while Mega Blastoise can't break through Chesnaught if it got seeded on the switch and lacks Ice Beam.

The only problem is that rapid spin spins leech seed away too. However, it is also a solid counter to donphan.