Butterfree [2/3] (will write soon)

Status
Not open for further replies.

marilli

With you
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Championis a Former Other Tournament Circuit Champion
Hello Butterfree

Overview
########

If fully set up, Butterfree is surprisingly a strong sweeper. Access to Quiver Dance and Sleep Powder lets Butterfree reliably put slower Pokemon to sleep and start setting up. Butterfree is mostly outmatched by Vivillon in relevant stats and movepool, but it has a few minor perks over Vivillon, such as Tinted Lens and higher Special Defense to set up more reliably against weaker attackers. Tinted Lens allows Butterfree to beat Mega-Steelix, Rotom, and Archeops, which are all common threats Vivillon has trouble facing. However, Butterfree is slow and weak without a boost. Butterfree is easily OHKOed by strong attackers, and it has trouble OHKOing anything unless it is weak to Bug Buzz. Most bulky attackers such as Feraligatr and Kangaskhan can even take a boosted Bug Buzz and KO back. Additionally, priority moves can bypass any speed boost Butterfree accumulates and revenge it with ease. Without proper support to enable set up, Butterfree is little more than a death fodder.

Bye Bye Butterfree
########
name: Bye Bye Butterfree
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Substitute
ability: Tinted Lens
item: Leftovers
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

Quiver Dance is required to turn Butterfree into an offensive threat. After two boosts, Butterfree is fast and strong to pose a legitimate threat. Sleep Powder allows Butterfree free turns to Quiver Dance without being immediately squashed. Bug Buzz is a solid STAB move for Butterfree. Not only does it have amazing neutral coverage with Tinted Lens, but also it discourages Grass-types and Substitute users from bypassing Sleep Powder. Finally, Substitute denies revenge killers, bypasses sucker punch, and eases prediction in general.

Set Details
========

EVs focus on Speed and Special attack. Butterfree needs maximum speed in order to outspeed as much as possible. Letting Butterfree get the Sleep Powder off before the enemy can move is a crucial part of Butterfree's success, and creates as much setup opportunity as possible. Remaining 4 EVs are put into Defense to let Butterfree switch in twice to SR and without fainting. Timid Nature allows Butterfree to outspeed Modest Mesprit, offensive Seismitoad, as well as fast Feraligatr variants, and also allows Butterfree to outspeed Swellow after a single Quiver Dance. Leftovers' passive recovery adds up, as Butterfree spends a lot of turns on the field sleeping the enemy, then setting up a Quiver Dance or a Substitute without retaliation. Alternatively, Focus Sash guarantees Butterfree stay alive against an otherwise lethal attack assuming no Stealth Rock, and lets it do something against faster offensive teams. Insect Plate is also an option to boost its only attack without the loss of health, allowing +2 Bug Buzz to OHKO bulky attackers such as Kangaskhan and Feraligatr after Stealth Rock damage.

Usage Tips
========

Butterfree serves as a situational win condition. Butterfree does not get much chance to set up a Quiver Dance without getting squashed, so make the most of limited setup opportunities. Against offensive teams, Choice-locked HP Grass, Fighting moves, and Ground moves are the most obvious examples of situations Butterfree can safely set up against. However, switching into them directly is not recommended. These moves are the only moves Butterfree can realistically stomach without dying immediately, and a single misprediction will leave you with a squashed bug. Even if you predict correctly, high-powered moves such as Choice Band Sawk Close Combat will 2HKO right through the quad-resist. Instead, a free switch after a sacrifice, or a slow U-turn or Volt Switch into something that cannot immediately OHKO Butterfree will nearly guarantee 2 boosts thanks to Sleep Powder. After 2 Quiver Dance boosts, priority moves are the only way an offensive team can outspeed Butterfree.

Against slower teams Butterfree has no trouble outspeeding, Sleep Powder becomes extremely powerful. If safely sent out against a key member of the enemy team that they need for the rest of your team, Butterfree can easily force a switch and get a free Quiver Dance. Try to target Hariyama, Audino, and other special walls Butterfree cannot handle with Sleep Powder if you are aiming for a Butterfree sweep. However, sleeping something the rest of your team has trouble with is also often the preferred outcome. Butterfree can be a win condition, but don't force it if there's an easier win condition.

Try to predict Grass-type switches aiming to absorb Sleep Powder, and Quiver Dance instead. After a Quiver Dance, Butterfree will comfortably outpace and OHKO offensive Grass-types like Leafeon and Lilligant, or against bulkier Grass-types like Vileplume, continue setting up until it can no longer break Butterfree's substitute. Stuff like Tangela, Cacturne, etc. are relatively helpless as Butterfree sets up taking minimal damage. Substitute if you predict a Sucker Punch, and having a Substitute up will deny other priority users such as Kangaskhan from revenge killing Butterfree. As Butterfree is very frail, it is often better to have keep the Substitute and a single Quiver Dance over getting an additional Quiver Dance boost.


Team Options
========

Butterfree struggles to function with Stealth Rock in play. Lest you want to play 5v6 from team preview, hazard control is crucial. Kabutops is perfect example of an offensive Rapid Spinner. Taunt Mismagius, Qwilfish, and Samurott also deny early Stealth Rocks while keeping offensive momentum. Pivot Xatu bounces SR away, and provides U-turn support. U-turn, Volt Switch from likes of Mesprit, Lanturn, Xatu, etc. help bring in Butterfree into its intended target without having to rely on risky predictions or double switches.

Teammates such as Rhydon or Kabutops encourages Choice-item Pokemon, especially the common Choice Specs Typhlosion, to lock itself into attacks that Butterfree can set up on.
Get rid of Special soaks. Resists don't matter with Tinted Lens, all things that have above average Special Defense can beat Butterfree 1v1 with sleep clause activated. Spikes from Qwilfish, Crustle, etc. work well with Sleep Powder forcing plenty of switches, especially against slower teams Butterfree has trouble muscling through. Additionally, having something that immediately threatens (the probably asleep) special soaks make good teammates. Mesprit can threaten a sleeping Hariyama with Psychic-type STAB, while providing U-turn support.
Offensive-minded Pokemon such as Kangaskhan or Feraligatr are good teammates. You can often force the enemy into a tough decision of letting Butterfree get an additional Quiver Dance, or letting their counters to the threatening Kangaskhan or Feraligatr fall asleep.

Other Options
########

Double Powder utility set with Defog. Defog is something it has over Vivillon.
Specs Tinted Lens lol you wish
Limited coverage: Psychic, Energy Ball, Hidden Power. Coverage moves are unnecessary given Bug Buzz's great neutral coverage with Tinted Lens.

Checks & Counters
########

**High Special Defense**: Hariyama, Audino, Rhydon, and other Pokemon with high special defense laughs at boosted Bug Buzz and KO back. Also, most Assault Vest users can comfortably tank Butterfree with the increased Special Defense.

**Revenge Killing**: Butterfree is very frail, and is very weak to priority from likes of Kangaskhan and Feraligatr. Most Choice Scarf users, such as Choice Scarf Rotom, can still outspeed Butterfree after a single Quiver Dance. However, note that Sucker Punch is not a reliable way to revenge kill, and Butterfree will outspeed the entire metagame after two Quiver Dance boosts.

**Immunity to Sleep Powder** Butterfree relies heavily on Sleep Powder to set up. As a result, Pokemon such as Bouffalant, Sap Sipper Miltank, and Magmortar make Butterfree a non-threat. They are immune to Sleep Powder and can OHKO back. Even if the switch is obvious, they take relatively negligible damage with unboosted Bug Buzz. Xatu can even bounce Sleep Powder and put Butterfree to sleep. Grass-types are also immune to Sleep Powder, but all but Ferroseed has trouble dealing with Quiver Dance on the switch.

**Offensive Pressure**: Lots of things can outspeed and OHKO an unboosted Butterfree. Not to mention, bulky offensive Pokemon such as Feraligatr and Kangaskhan can take Butterfree's attacks while posing an immediate offensive threat. Even if Butterfree manages to not die instantly, it denies Butterfree its necessary setup, letting the next Pokemon revenge kill it with ease.

**Stealth Rock**: Butterfree loses half of its maximum HP switching into Stealth Rock. Butterfree operates assuming that there are no Stealth Rocks in play, and even the weakest attacks can 2HKO Butterfree after Stealth Rock damage.

Overview
########
  • Strong if boosted
  • Nothing relevant resists Tinted Lens Bug Buzz allowing it to do more damage to the likes of Mega-Steelix Vivillon has trouble breaking.
  • Slightly better Physical defense allowing it to take stray priority moves
  • Outclassed by Vivillon in relevant stats and has inferior movepool
  • Slow and weak without a boost, struggles to down anything with a neutral Bug Buzz.
  • Even with some boosts, impossible to sweep through any special soak like Hariyama because it's not strong enough. It's also not fast enough to sweep offensive teams without 2 QDs.
Quiver Dance
########
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Substitute
ability: Tinted Lens
item: Leftovers
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========
  • Quiver Dance makes Butterfree usable. After a few boosts, Butterfree is fast and strong enough to pose a legitimate threat.
  • Sleep Powder makes Butterfree have a shot at using Quiver Dance without immediately dying
  • Bug Buzz is best STAB move for Butterfree, mostly unresisted with Tinted Lens. It also discourages Grass-types and Substitute trying to bypass Sleep Powder.
  • Substitute lets it avoid Revenge kills, bypass sucker punch, and ease prediction in general,

Set Details
========
  • EVs make it fast and strong as possible. It needs all the help it can get.
  • 4 Def lets it switch in twice to SR and not die
  • Leftovers' passive recovery adds up, as Butterfree spends a lot of turns on the field sleeping the enemy, then setting up a Quiver Dance or a Substitute without retaliation.
  • Focus Sash guarantees Butterfree stay alive against an otherwise lethal attack assuming no Stealth Rock. Bug Plate is an alternative to boost its only attack without the loss of health.
  • Timid allows Butterfree to outspeed some threats and sleep powder them before they do something.

Usage Tips
========
  • Serves as a situational win condition.
  • Take advantage of limited setup opportunities. Choice-locked HP Grass, Fighting moves, and Ground moves are the most obvious examples.
  • However, switching into them directly is not recommended. These moves are the only moves Butterfree can realistically stomach without dying immediately, and a single misprediction will leave you with a squashed bug. Even if you predict correctly, high-powered moves such as Choice Band Sawk Close Combat will 2HKO right through the quad-resist.
  • Instead, a free switch after a sacrifice, or a slow U-turn or Volt Switch into something that cannot immediately OHKO Butterfree will nearly guarantee 2 boosts thanks to Sleep Powder.
  • Against slower teams, Sleep Powder is a key move that allows Butterfree to set up. If safely sent out against a key member of the enemy team that they need for the rest of your team, Butterfree can easily force a switch and get a free Quiver Dance.
  • Try to target Hariyama, Audino, etc. with Sleep Powder, making it much easier to wear them down for a sweep. However, sleeping something the rest of your team has trouble with is also often the preferred outcome. Butterfree can be a win condition, but don't force it if there's an easier win condition.
  • Try to predict Grass-type switches aiming to absorb Sleep Powder, and Quiver Dance instead. After a Quiver Dance, Butterfree will comfortably outpace and OHKO offensive Grass-types like Leafeon and Lilligant, or against bulkier Grass-types like Vileplume, continue setting up until it can no longer break Butterfree's substitute.
  • Stuff like Tangela, Cacturne, etc. are relatively helpless as Butterfree sets up taking minimal damage.
  • Substitute prevents Sucker Punch, and other priority users such as Kangaskhan from revenge killing Butterfree. As Butterfree is very frail, it is often better to have keep the Substitute over getting an additional Quiver Dance boost.


Team Options
========
  • Get rid of SR, Kabutops is perfect example of an offensive Rapid Spinner. Taunt Mismagius, Qwilfish, Samurott etc. also deny early Stealth Rocks. Xatu bounces SR away.
  • Needs certain Pokemon in play so it can start setting up. U-turn, Volt Switch from likes of Mesprit, Lanturn, Xatu, etc. help bring in Butterfree into its intended target without having to rely on predictions or double switches.
  • Teammates such as Rhydon or Kabutops encourages Choice-item Pokemon, especially the common Choice Specs Typhlosion, to lock itself into attacks that Butterfree can set up on.
  • Get rid of Special soaks. Resists don't matter with Tinted Lens, all things that have above average Special Defense can beat Butterfree 1v1 with sleep clause activated. Spikes from Qwilfish, Crustle, etc. work well with Sleep Powder forcing plenty of switches, especially against slower teams Butterfree has trouble muscling through. Additionally, having something that immediately threatens (the probably asleep) special soaks make good teammates. Mesprit can threaten a sleeping Hariyama with Psychic-type STAB, while providing U-turn support.
  • Offensive-minded Pokemon such as Kangaskhan or Feraligatr are good teammates. You can often force the enemy into a tough decision of letting Butterfree get an additional Quiver Dance, or letting their counters to the threatening Kangaskhan or Feraligatr fall asleep.
Other Options
########
  • Double Powder utility set with Defog. Defog is something it has over Vivillon.
  • Specs Tinted Lens lol you wish
  • Limited coverage: Psychic, Energy Ball, Hidden Power.
Checks & Counters
########

**High Special Defense**: Hariyama, Audino, Rhydon, and other Pokemon with high special defense laughs at boosted Bug Buzz and KO back. Also, most Assault Vest users can comfortably tank Butterfree with the increased Special Defense.

**Revenge Killing**: Butterfree is very frail, and is very weak to priority from likes of Kangaskhan and Feraligatr. Most Choice Scarf users, such as Choice Scarf Rotom, can still outspeed Butterfree after a single Quiver Dance. However, note that Sucker Punch is not a reliable way to revenge kill, and Butterfree will outspeed the entire metagame after two Quiver Dance boosts.

**Immunity to Sleep Powder** Butterfree relies heavily on Sleep Powder to set up. As a result, Pokemon such as Bouffalant, Sap Sipper Miltank, and Magmortar make Butterfree a non-threat. They are immune to Sleep Powder and can OHKO back. Even if the switch is obvious, they take relatively negligible damage with unboosted Bug Buzz. Xatu can even bounce Sleep Powder and put Butterfree to sleep. Grass-types are also immune to Sleep Powder, but all but Ferroseed has trouble dealing with Quiver Dance on the switch.

**Offensive Pressure**: Lots of things can outspeed and OHKO an unboosted Butterfree. Not to mention, bulky offensive Pokemon such as Feraligatr and Kangaskhan can take Butterfree's attacks while posing an immediate offensive threat. Even if Butterfree manages to not die instantly, it denies Butterfree its necessary setup, letting the next Pokemon revenge kill it with ease.

**Stealth Rock**: Butterfree loses half of its maximum HP switching into Stealth Rock. Butterfree operates assuming that there are no Stealth Rocks in play, and even the weakest attacks can 2HKO Butterfree after Stealth Rock damage.
 
Last edited:

Ares

Fool me...can't get fooled again
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Please add on to C&C as right now it is pretty bare.

Do that and 1/3
 

marilli

With you
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Championis a Former Other Tournament Circuit Champion
This is updated got rid of Dragalge mentions and Sceptile mentions and such.

idk if the 2 QC checks carry over because i mean its kind of a jokemon and nothing has changed but honestly idc if i have to wait a bit lol
 

soulgazer

I FEEL INFINITE
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
maybe i didnt see it, but you should probably explain why Butterfree should be used over Vivillon; atm it sounds like its just a worst Vivillon in the Overview for me :(. Talk about Tinted Lens and what it lets Butterfree do that Vivillon can't IMO. Also I think Butterfree is a bit bulkier on the physical side (might want to check) so it might deserve a mention too.
 

Martin

A monoid in the category of endofunctors
is a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
I think Psychic should be slashed with Substitute or at least given a moves mention as it allows Butterfree to prevent Hariyama switch-ins after a boost (+1 252 SpA Life Orb Butterfree Psychic vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Assault Vest Hariyama: 216-255 (50.3 - 59.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock) before even considering Choice Band Hariyama, as well as allowing it to OHKO a variety of bulky Poison-types like Garbodor if they come in as you boost/Sleep Powder at +1 after very little prior damage (rocks always do the trick on anything relevant).

In OO, when you mention Hidden Power, make special mentions of HP Fire (to hit Ferroseed hard), Hidden Power Poison/Steel (prevents Togetic from switching in on you at +1), HP Water (hits SpD M-Camel before a boost) and HP Grass (hits standard Seismitoad before a boost).
 
Last edited:

Blast

Member of the Alien Nation
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
Vivillon actually has better physical bulk rip (does have higher special bulk though so it can possibly setup QDs on certain things easier)

this is fine to write up tho marilli
 

Kiyo

the cowboy kid
is a Forum Moderatoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
even with tinted lens i'd prob never run this over vivillon, i'd be more tempted to run mothim. i'd say no, but i really dc
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top