Gourgeist-Super (QC: 2/3) Not Written

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Cheryl.

Celesteela is Life

[OVERVIEW]

Gourgeist-XL posseses many great defensive qualities, such as its excellent Ghost/Grass typing that gives it resistances to common types such as Water- and Ground-types and an immunity to Fighting-type moves. It also has excellent physical bulk allowing it to check many physical attackers in the tier, as well as being one of the best counters to Swords Dance Virizion, a premier threat. Gourgeist-XL is also able to spinblock, which is important for many defensive teams, which is further helped by Gourgeist-XL's decent matchup against the most common Rapid Spinner, Blastoise and its access to reliable recovery, allowing Gourgeist-XL to separate itself from other Ghost-types. However, Gourgeist-XL has weaknesses to common types such as Fire-, Dark-, and Flying-, and has mediocre special bulk, leaving it easily bypassed by common special wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Meloetta and Life Orb Venusaur. Despite these flaws, Gourgeist-XL still proves to be a decent defensive Pokemon in RU due to its many pros.

[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Synthesis
move 3: Leech Seed
move 4: Foul Play / Seed Bomb
item: Leftovers / Colbur Berry
ability: Frisk
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Will-O-Wisp is used to cripple physical attackers while also adding residual damage to help wear down the opposing team. Synthesis provides Gourgeist-XL with reliable recovery, which helps to keep it healthy and add more longetivity. Leech Seed allows Gourgeist-XL to gain some passive recovery while also putting pressure on switch-ins. Foul Play is Gourgeist-XL's main move, allowing it to hit physical setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Samurott and Swords Dance + RestTalk Escavalier, and is Gourgeist-XL's best way of hitting Swords Dance Virizion, naturally hitting it for boosted damage due to Justified. Seed Bomb is a usable option over Foul Play to deal with Ground- and Water-types such as Rhyperior and Samurott much more quickly, while also threatening Blastoise, enhancing Gourgeist-XL's spinblocking capabilities. Rock Slide is another option for the last moveslot to hit Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-types such as Sigilyph and Houndoom, which are common switch-ins to Gourgeist-XL, while also OHKOing Fletchinder.

Set Details
========

Maximum HP and Defense investment with an Impish nature are used to make Gourgeist-XL as physically bulky as possible, allowing it to check physical attackers such as Medicham. Leftovers gives Gourgeist-XL extra passive recovery so it doesn't have to use Synthesis as often, and works well in conjunction with Leech Seed to keep Gourgeist-XL more healthy. Colbur Berry is a good alternative option to help Gourgeist-XL more reliably check Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee by taking their Dark-type coverage much better; it also allows Gourgeist-XL to survive Sneasel and Absol's Knock Off and cripple them with Will-O-Wisp in an emergency situation.

Usage Tips
========

Gourgeist-XL should be switched in on the Pokemon it checks, such as Fighting- and Ground-types. Gourgeist-XL must be wary of switching into Water-types, however, as even with its resistance to the typing, Gourgeist-XL can be crippled with a Scald burn, or be taken out by offensive Water-types using Ice Beam. Once switched in safely, Gourgeist-XL can proceed to spread burns and Leech Seeds against the opposing team, crippling physical attackers and wearing down its switch-ins. Make sure to keep Gourgeist-XL healthy throughout the game with Synthesis and Leech Seed, as it needs to be healthy to take on strong physical attackers such as Life Orb Medicham. Gourgeist-XL can also spinblock thanks to its Ghost-typing, so it can take on common spinners such as Hitmontop and Blastoise and keep hazards up on the field. However, Blastoise and Hitmontop both have ways of crippling Gourgeist-XL with Toxic and potential Scald burns, respectively, so it should be advised not to switch in on them repeatedly.

Team Options
========
  • Gourgeist-XL usually finds itself on more defensively-oriented teams, so it should be used with defensive partners in mind
  • Specially defensive Pokemon that can take the special hits that Gourgeist-XL cannot take, such as Registeel and Mega Audino, are great partners as they also appreciate Gourgeist-XL taking on most physical attackers.
  • Dark-type switch-ins such as Aromatisse and Diancie make for great partners as Gourgeist-XL is weak to Dark-type moves, notably Knock Off and Pursuit, which Dark-types can take advantage of unless Gourgeist-XL is running Colbur Berry.
  • Diancie synergizes very well with Gourgeist-XL, taking on the Dark-, Flying-, and Fire-types that Gourgeist-XL is weak to, while Gourgeist-XL takes on Ground- and Water-types for Diancie. Diancie also provides cleric support with Heal Bell so Gourgeist-XL doesn't have to worry about Toxic as often.
  • Alomomola takes on Fire-types for Gourgeist-XL while also taking on some special attackers like Exploud with a more specially defensive spread, and appreciates Gourgeist-XL countering Swords Dance Virizion and checking Fighting-type wallbreakers.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
  • Fire Blast can be used with a Relaxed nature to hit Grass- and Steel-types, notably 2HKOing Escavalier, but it is very weak against all other Pokemon and Gourgeist-XL can usually take on Steel-types by using Will-O-Wisp or Leech Seed.
  • Shadow Sneak can be used to OHKO Hoopa before it can KO Gourgeist-XL, which is very useful for stall teams that struggle against Hoopa. However, Shadow Sneak hits nothing else that is notable, making it a very niche move on Gourgeist-XL.
  • Trick Room is an option as Gourgeist-XL makes for an effective Trick Room setter with helpful resistances or immunities to types like Ground and Fighting.
Checks and Counters
===================

**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Houndoom and Delphox are immune to Will-O-Wisp and resist Seed Bomb, preventing Gourgeist-XL from spreading status and using its STAB. While they can be worn down by Leech Seed and Delphox and Houndoom can be damaged heavily by Rock Slide on the switch-in, they still threaten Gourgeist-XL out due to their STAB moves KOing it.

**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Absol and Sneasel heavily threaten Gourgeist-XL with their strong STAB moves and Pursuit to trap it if it tries to switch out. Houndoom is even better of a check, being immune to Will-O-Wisp while also not getting affected by Foul Play if it tries to set up Nasty Plots. However, physical Dark-types such as the aforementioned Absol and Sneasel have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants that can live a Knock Off easily and burn them, crippling them for the rest of the match.

**Status**: Burn and poison constantly wear down Gourgeist-XL, making it harder to check strong physical attackers while also forcing it to use Synthesis much more in a match.

**Flying-types**: Flying-types such as Fletchinder and Golbat can threaten Gourgeist-XL with their strong STAB attacks, while also having ways to get around Will-O-Wisp in Fletchinder's immunity and Golbat's Taunt. Braviary can even use Substitute and Bulk Up to set up on Gourgeist-XL while also not having to worry about Will-O-Wisp, Leech Seed, or Foul Play breaking its Substitute thanks to the Defense boosts. While Rock Slide variants of Gourgeist-XL can threaten Fletchinder with a KO, other variants can't do much to it outside of Leech Seeding and using Foul Play.

**Ice-types**: While a rarity in RU outside of the common Sneasel, Ice-types such as Sneasel and Jynx can still prove to be massive threats to Gourgeist-XL with their STAB moves hitting Gourgeist-XL super effectively and only fearing Rock Slide or Will-O-Wisp in Sneasel's case. Sneasel even has Pursuit to trap and do massive damage to non-Colbur Berry variants if Gourgeist-XL tries to switch out.

**Special Attackers**: Strong special attackers such as Choice Specs Meloetta and Life Orb Flygon can damage Gourgeist-XL heavily by hitting it on its medicore Special Defense stat and easily 2HKOing or OHKOing it, depending on the move or Pokemon. Specially attacking set-up sweepers, such as Substitute + Calm Mind Meloetta and Calm Mind Virizion, can also set up on Gourgeist-XL and deal massive damage afterwards.
 
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If one of Gourgeist-Super's natural traits is being able to spinblock against Blastoise, then shouldn't you put more emphasis on Seed Bomb as a move? Blastoise is one of the most reliable hazard removers in the tier and Gourgeist-S happens to be a spinblocker that can force it out.

Also, remove Swords Dance Fletchinder as a target for Foul Play. Realistically, Gourgeist-Super is not going to stay in on it, for Acrobatics has 3x the amount of PP than does Synthesis, and Gourgeist-Super takes a lot from Acrobatics and has to use Synthesis every other turn.
 

Punchshroom

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Foul Play is Gourgeist-XL's main move, allowing it to hit physical setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Samurott for a lot of damage, while also dealing reasonable damage to boosted Swords Dance Virizion
Foul Play's primary targets are boosting physical sweepers that cannot be burnt, such as SubBU Gallade and RestTalk Escavalier. It also always breaks Braviary's Substitutes, though obviously mention the risk of staying in vs Brav. Note on Virizion's Justified when talking about Foul Play too; it can naturally boost Foul Play's damage, but may also let Virizion break through Gourgeist-XL if the user isn't careful.
 
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