[RU] Gothorita [QC 2/3]

[col49]

Figured I'd get this out there as well, since I should be able write up camel fairly quickly, and this is a pretty narrow analysis content-wise. Also Gothorita is adorable af 'n one of my favourite 'mons :]

Why This Belongs On-Site:

• Efficient trappers, especially ones that can set up, are kinda ridiculous for offense in a metagame centralized on bulky attackers and fat defensive pivots like Amoonguss / Momo
• Really, something that can dispatch the majority of defensive 'mons w/out tech'ing excessively is really, really, good. Plus it can make an end-game run of it v.teams unprepared for a +6, moderately bulky 'mon

gothic lolita 10/10

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Within a metagame so strewn with bulky, moderately passive Pokemon, a trapper such as Gothorita holds a rather sizable niche. With many teams being held together defensively by lynchpins such as Alomomola and Amoonguss, the ability to completely remove these types of Pokemon can facilitate sweeps from assorted, potent threats. Moreover, due to its access to Calm Mind, Gothorita can prove threatening even after the initial trapping exchange, being able to easily boost to +6 and thereafter threaten any team lacking in a Dark-type or similar immediately threatening Pokemon.

• Trapper
• Shadow Tag user w/decent bulk from Eviolite + the ability to CM up on more defensively-oriented 'mons establishes a primary niche for it
• Various defensive 'mons in the tier forgo pHazing of some nature for alternative utilities, meaning that Gothorita can find several opportunities to dispatch commonplace defensive lynchpins for teams (Amoonguss, Tangrowth, Momo, non-boosting Slowking, Clefable, Ferroseed, etc. etc.)
• Pretty match-up reliant, and will struggle to hold a lot of value in match-ups with more offensive builds due to middling bulk, lower Speed, and typically limited coverage options
• Nonetheless, it can facilitate high levels of productivity from tons of offensive 'mons, so it should be given some level of consideration for offense

[SET]
name: Calm Mind Trapper
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Rest
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Toxic
item: Eviolite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 176 Def / 84 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk
While typically avoided in analyses as something to be taken as a given, I feel as though it should be specifically addressed that Gothorita should minimize Atk in order to reduce Foul Play damage, since being able to outlast Defensive Spiritomb on a more consistent basis is pretty significant to this set, even if the difference is only reducing the impact of getting slammed by a crit.

[SET COMMENTS]

• This set aims to dispatch common defensive lynchpins while establishing as an immediate offensive threat to the remaining team in turn, accumulating multiple boosts against the primary defensive targets and thereafter forcing an immediate, aggressive response to handle it
• CM+Rest is therefore crucial, as it allows Gothorita to steadily build up its defenses while developing the offensive presence to threaten the trapped target, while keeping itself healthy and avoiding a loss to status inducers that Gothorita will commonly match up against
• Psychic is obvious primary STAB, and often all Gothorita needs to break down defensive 'mons after accumulating boosts
• Given that coverage is typically unnecessary given Gothorita's ability to set up so leniently, and Sleep Talk could even be considered a poor option for lack of ability to properly regulate 'flow' (could accidentally pick off a 'mon while asleep, leaving the ability to OHKO the follow-up to a Sleep Talk roll), Gothorita can fairly easily pick up a utility move for its final moveslot
• Toxic is generally good, since it allows Gothorita to accrue passive damage on 'mons while boosting in order to avoid burning away too much Psychic PP, particularly reinforcing its match-up with defensive Slowking, and can help it to outlast bulkier 'mons post-trapping

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Outpace minimum Speed Alomomola, rest in bulk. Lanturn just Volt Switches out regardless, and you lose the jump point in Defense by going higher =(
• Investing slightly more in SpDef (usually running Calm > Bold) can help Gothorita get the ball rolling vs. 'mons like Sigilyph, though then it loses the bulk to avoid the 2HKO from stuff like Lefties Drudd's Outrage 'n such, which is a little lame
• Tons of little utility options that can be tossed in the final slot if need be, including
  • Offensive: Grass Knot, HP Fire, Signal Beam, TBolt
  • Supportive: Charm, Reflect, Substitute, Taunt
• Really varies what sort of partners should be attached to this based on team structure, but typically you're looking for cleaners that otherwise struggle with such defensive Pokemon
• HP Rock Lilligant and SS Oma both do pretty jobs at this, though the vulnerability to Scarf Durant should be noted here
• Scarf / Agility Moltres makes a cool cleaner here, since it not only burns through teams w/out their bulky Water / SpDef Normal chilling at a healthy amount of HP, but it also cleanly switches in on the Bug-types that typically come in to stifle a Gothorita post-trapping. Scarf can also U-Turn into Gothorita on defensive responses, which is another nice synergy between them

[Other Options]

• Choice sets are usable-ish, albeit a bit fragile, though their only really boon is being able to dispatch slower 'mons w/SE coverage (Esca, Golurk, Rhydon)
• Incorporation of Trick Room somewhere for team support

[Checks & Counters]

• It's a trapper *-*
• Variations of certain sets, such as DTail Slowking, can prevent them from being trapped by Gothorita, though this is uncommon
• Clear Smog Amoonguss can at the very least restrict Gohtorita's ability to set up, forcing it to KO it outright
• Pursuit users, such as Absol, Esca, and 'Tomb can force a trade after trapping, though this could very well be interpreted as a winning scenario for the Gothorita user, especially if the Pursuit user is choiced in some way
• Hard-hitting Bug- and Dark-types, as well as the occasional CB Golurk, can come in post-trap and threaten with an OHKO under normal circumstances, and while it can switch out, it doesn't bog down momentum like a choiced Pursuit possibly can
• Heightened offensive pressure, since Gothorita isn't bulky to the extent that it can set up on 'mons that invest too heavily in offense, making it difficult to trap anything

 

[complete legitimacy]

This definitely deserves to be on-site. I'm not too sure about slashing Taunt because you can use Magneton for most Steels and obviously Gothorita deals with Poisons well without Taunt, but overall I'm not too concerned about whether it stays as a slash or not. Good work otherwise.

QC APPROVED 1/3

 

[Swamp-Rocket]

Yeah I agree that Taunt might not deserve a slash. Plus without Toxic Gothorita cannot touch defensive Spiritomb unless it PP stalls tomb out of Foul Plays and a possible second attacking move.

I don't really see what Signal Beam hits (at least that Gothorita doesn't already beat) or how Charm is better than Reflect - they probably don't deserve AC, but its nbd if you can explain why I'm wrong in the write up. Everything else is fine though.

QC Approved 2/3

 

[col49]

Ayte, cool tapes :)

Just to address whatever, I mention Taunt b/c it offers a lot of 'security' and self-sufficiency for Gothorita as a trapper. Not every team can afford the double trapper, and from time to time builds will need something for Steelix+Momo (for a general example), and for that Taunt Gothorita is one of the best 'mons to go to (plus 'Lix is always a little tricky to trap w/Magneton). Similarly, it will perform a lot better against something such as 'Tomb, especially RestTalk variants, who will just keep trading status and Resting up alongside Gohtorita, eventually edging out a win due to Leftovers recovery+an attacking move to actually pick off the other; Taunt Gothorita simply facilitates the PP stalling process to the 24 turns of active Foul Plays, making a much more consistent win for it. Plus, there's always nice little bonuses such as not auto-conceding max layers to Ferroseed, which can definitely be nice x_x

In regards to Signal Beam, it is basically a hybrid move for hitting the relevant Dark-types and helping it edge out match-ups v.most Psychic-types, though it is definitely the most inferior of the offensive 'filler moves'. Charm is mostly relevant over Reflect in that it doesn't have to be reset and that it can stack, which allows it to set up v.something like CB Drudd more consistently (barring crits, ofc.).