Overview
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Clawitzer is a strange Gen VI pokemon that has been overlooked due to its underwhelming stats. It's mediocre 71 base HP is barely compensated by 88 and 89 Defense and Special Defense, and it's strange 59 speed puts it in an awkward mid-zone that has it far too slow for standard combat, and yet slightly too quick for Trick Room. Yet a look at it's ability, along with it's amazing Special Attack-- and it begins to shadow more pokemon like Gardevoir, and becomes infinitely more viable. It's speed is just its bane, however, without proper team support-- and has probably been why this pokemon fades into obscurity.
Assault Vest
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name: Special Attacker
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere
move 4: Water Pulse/Sludge Bomb/Aqua Jet
ability: Mega Launcher
item: Assault Vest
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpDef
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Dark Pulse is a move that hits a majority of the metagame for neutral damage, and looms over the head of pokemon like Aegislash, who otherwise relax before 70-80% of their health is drained from one hit, it also causes panic to the emerging Gothitelle, as well as Trevenant, who would otherwise be fine with Horn Leech and Harvest. Ice Beam poses the most threats to Flying and Dragon, and after Assault Vest tanks a Spec's Salamence Draco Meteor, (252+ SpA Choice Specs Salamence Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Clawitzer: 118-141 (66.2 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO) always OHKO's those threats. Other Pokemon like Garchomp, Amoonguss, and non-mega Venusaur can't pretend to appreciate it as well. Aura Sphere, however poses threats to Steel and Dark types, like Bisharp, Lucario, Tyranitar, that could otherwise tank the prior two hits. Pokemon like Kangaskhan, Hydreigon and Smeargle cannot take it very well either. And in the final slot there can be Water Pulse, with Mega Launcher and STAB and a chance to confuse, it actually does more damage than Scald, or Sludge Bomb to threaten Fairy Types, but is inevitably very situational. Aqua Jet, with its priority making up for speed, is hard to pass up, but Clawitzer's poor attack makes it hard to want to give up a powerful move for priority.
Set Details
========
There's very little difference in EV's no matter where you toss them about. Speed will never quite be enough in either direction to be functional, so there is little point in investment, and with Clawitzer's ungodly special attack power, boosted by its situational ability, it begs for investment. However, it is best to put as much as possible in HP, as an equal amount (such as 216 HP, 40 SpDef) just allows for physical attacks to be stronger against it. so a standard-- yet boring 252 HP/252 Special Attack seems to function best as it hits the hardest, and sponges the most hits.
Usage Tips
========
While a Choice Specs set looks incredibly tempting, switching Clawitzer in and out if neededis a recipe for disaster. The extra power is unneeded in most situations, and allows opponents to react more accordingly to your moves. Utility and access to all four type moves is crucial, and without AV, Clawitzer has trouble taking hits-- and it's frailty makes it pointless. A Choice Scarf also looks tempting, making up for its pitiful speed, but falls to the same problems, as well as still not being faster than most of the meta-game, and erasing your Choice Scarf slot from someone like Salamence who could utilize it better.
Clawitzer can be a decent lead, but works best in the ambiguous "third slot" when a pokemon is switching out, or has been knocked out. It can create pressure, especially against weakened pokemon, and it's typing, which the current metagame has made surprisingly good due to a lack of offensive grass types, and powerful electric types, supplements most of the popular pokemon of the metagame without too much manipulation in their stats, moveset or strategy. Clawitzer is best played when your team needs another pokemon that can do a lot of damage, and be a decent Aegislash, Salamence, Rotom-Heat, Chandelure or Amoonguss check.
Team Options
========
For Clawitzer to really shine, its teammates must work very well with it. For one thing, it NEEDS Amoonguss as a partner. Rage Powder and Spore let it take on threats like Kangaskhan that would normally cause panic to it, Giga Drain threatens Rotom-Wash
Garchomp also works well, though Earthquake does take off a large part of Clawitzer's HP, it's immunity to Electric, ability to take on Talonflame and Charizard Y and obnoxiously high speed, compliments Clawitzer's resistance to Water, Ice and Fairy. It is this alone that makes them good switch-partners. A balance of Offensive power and Specially Offensive power also keeps the opponents team at bay, and limits the number of opponents that can safely take them both on
Checks & Counters
########
**Mawile-Mega** is a large problem, as with AV, Clawitzer must attack. None of his moves do much damage to Steel/Fairy, and he takes a large hit in return. Bisharp can be a problem for the same reason, but is more prone to Aura Sphere threats, and leaves him open to your other pokemon.
**Kangaskhan-Mega** for similar reasons to Mawile-Mega, but Parental Bond makes him that much scarier. More likely to OHKO, as it takes two hits,
**Rotom-Wash** is generally a stallish pokemon, and RestoChesto helps it survive for a long time. Its ability to sponge up hits and strike back super-effectively is a problem if your teammate cannot handle it.
**Charizard Y/Venusaur combo** because Solarbeam takes off a huge chunk of HP (65.1 - 77.5%), and STAB water Pulse can only do a max of 55% to Charizard Y, and Venusaur always lingers with Giga Drain.
**Being the last pokemon** Clawitzer has trouble when its teammates are down. This is mostly due to its terrible speed stat, so that it will almost always go last-- no matter Trick Room or not, and doesn't get a chance to fire off its incredibly strong attacks, because it's too busy counting its depleting HP. Clawitzer ALWAYS needs support to function well, and prefers a teammate who can sponge hits.
EDIT: Currently working on a Support Heal Pulse/Helping Hand variant. Will be posted soon.
########
Clawitzer is a strange Gen VI pokemon that has been overlooked due to its underwhelming stats. It's mediocre 71 base HP is barely compensated by 88 and 89 Defense and Special Defense, and it's strange 59 speed puts it in an awkward mid-zone that has it far too slow for standard combat, and yet slightly too quick for Trick Room. Yet a look at it's ability, along with it's amazing Special Attack-- and it begins to shadow more pokemon like Gardevoir, and becomes infinitely more viable. It's speed is just its bane, however, without proper team support-- and has probably been why this pokemon fades into obscurity.
Assault Vest
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere
move 4: Water Pulse/Sludge Bomb/Aqua Jet
ability: Mega Launcher
item: Assault Vest
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpDef
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Dark Pulse is a move that hits a majority of the metagame for neutral damage, and looms over the head of pokemon like Aegislash, who otherwise relax before 70-80% of their health is drained from one hit, it also causes panic to the emerging Gothitelle, as well as Trevenant, who would otherwise be fine with Horn Leech and Harvest. Ice Beam poses the most threats to Flying and Dragon, and after Assault Vest tanks a Spec's Salamence Draco Meteor, (252+ SpA Choice Specs Salamence Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Clawitzer: 118-141 (66.2 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO) always OHKO's those threats. Other Pokemon like Garchomp, Amoonguss, and non-mega Venusaur can't pretend to appreciate it as well. Aura Sphere, however poses threats to Steel and Dark types, like Bisharp, Lucario, Tyranitar, that could otherwise tank the prior two hits. Pokemon like Kangaskhan, Hydreigon and Smeargle cannot take it very well either. And in the final slot there can be Water Pulse, with Mega Launcher and STAB and a chance to confuse, it actually does more damage than Scald, or Sludge Bomb to threaten Fairy Types, but is inevitably very situational. Aqua Jet, with its priority making up for speed, is hard to pass up, but Clawitzer's poor attack makes it hard to want to give up a powerful move for priority.
Set Details
========
There's very little difference in EV's no matter where you toss them about. Speed will never quite be enough in either direction to be functional, so there is little point in investment, and with Clawitzer's ungodly special attack power, boosted by its situational ability, it begs for investment. However, it is best to put as much as possible in HP, as an equal amount (such as 216 HP, 40 SpDef) just allows for physical attacks to be stronger against it. so a standard-- yet boring 252 HP/252 Special Attack seems to function best as it hits the hardest, and sponges the most hits.
Usage Tips
========
While a Choice Specs set looks incredibly tempting, switching Clawitzer in and out if neededis a recipe for disaster. The extra power is unneeded in most situations, and allows opponents to react more accordingly to your moves. Utility and access to all four type moves is crucial, and without AV, Clawitzer has trouble taking hits-- and it's frailty makes it pointless. A Choice Scarf also looks tempting, making up for its pitiful speed, but falls to the same problems, as well as still not being faster than most of the meta-game, and erasing your Choice Scarf slot from someone like Salamence who could utilize it better.
Clawitzer can be a decent lead, but works best in the ambiguous "third slot" when a pokemon is switching out, or has been knocked out. It can create pressure, especially against weakened pokemon, and it's typing, which the current metagame has made surprisingly good due to a lack of offensive grass types, and powerful electric types, supplements most of the popular pokemon of the metagame without too much manipulation in their stats, moveset or strategy. Clawitzer is best played when your team needs another pokemon that can do a lot of damage, and be a decent Aegislash, Salamence, Rotom-Heat, Chandelure or Amoonguss check.
Team Options
========
For Clawitzer to really shine, its teammates must work very well with it. For one thing, it NEEDS Amoonguss as a partner. Rage Powder and Spore let it take on threats like Kangaskhan that would normally cause panic to it, Giga Drain threatens Rotom-Wash
Garchomp also works well, though Earthquake does take off a large part of Clawitzer's HP, it's immunity to Electric, ability to take on Talonflame and Charizard Y and obnoxiously high speed, compliments Clawitzer's resistance to Water, Ice and Fairy. It is this alone that makes them good switch-partners. A balance of Offensive power and Specially Offensive power also keeps the opponents team at bay, and limits the number of opponents that can safely take them both on
Checks & Counters
########
**Mawile-Mega** is a large problem, as with AV, Clawitzer must attack. None of his moves do much damage to Steel/Fairy, and he takes a large hit in return. Bisharp can be a problem for the same reason, but is more prone to Aura Sphere threats, and leaves him open to your other pokemon.
**Kangaskhan-Mega** for similar reasons to Mawile-Mega, but Parental Bond makes him that much scarier. More likely to OHKO, as it takes two hits,
**Rotom-Wash** is generally a stallish pokemon, and RestoChesto helps it survive for a long time. Its ability to sponge up hits and strike back super-effectively is a problem if your teammate cannot handle it.
**Charizard Y/Venusaur combo** because Solarbeam takes off a huge chunk of HP (65.1 - 77.5%), and STAB water Pulse can only do a max of 55% to Charizard Y, and Venusaur always lingers with Giga Drain.
**Being the last pokemon** Clawitzer has trouble when its teammates are down. This is mostly due to its terrible speed stat, so that it will almost always go last-- no matter Trick Room or not, and doesn't get a chance to fire off its incredibly strong attacks, because it's too busy counting its depleting HP. Clawitzer ALWAYS needs support to function well, and prefers a teammate who can sponge hits.
EDIT: Currently working on a Support Heal Pulse/Helping Hand variant. Will be posted soon.
