[Overview]
Empoleon is an often-overlooked Pokemon with some great offensive potential. Between Torrent, 12 resistances, and high Special Attack, Empoleon can do some serious damage in the late game. Empoleon's movepool is just large enough for him to have a few tricks up his sleeve; few teams are prepared for everything Empoleon brings to the table. (This overview seems a bit short to me)
[SET]
name: Agility SubPetaya
move 1: Agility
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Surf
move 4: Grass Knot / Ice Beam
nature: Modest
item: Petaya Berry
ivs: 30 HP
evs: 24 Def / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>While not a very intuitive set for Empoleon's stat spread and typing, Empoleon is most threatening as a late game cleanup Pokemon. Using Empoleon is pretty simple. Near the end of the battle, bring Empoleon in on one of the 12 types of attack he resists, Agility on the switch, and then use Substitute until Empoleon activates his Petaya Berry, increasing Empoleon's Special Attack to 529. With the added bonus of Torrent multiplying Surf's power by 1.5, Empoleon can punch right through Pokemon, even those that resist Water. What really makes Empoleon shine over other late game sweepers is his resistance to priority attacks. Other than Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, Empoleon resists every priority attack in the game, and Scizor's Bullet Punch will never KO an Empoleon, even after 3 Subs and switching in on Stealth Rock. This makes Empoleon nearly impossible to stop if you provide some key team support with Stealth Rock, Sand Stream, and the elimination of a few key threats earlier in the game.</p>
<p>The given EVs ensure you outrun +1 neutral-natured Base 90 Speed Pokemon and positive-natured +1 base 80 Pokémon after an Agility. However, since these are relatively rare, you may reduce the number of Speed EVs to 212 to outrun Choice Scarf Heatran, giving a spread of 12 HP/32Def/252SpA/212 Spe, but the increase in defense is only slight. 30 HP ensures that Petaya Berry activates on your third Substitute, and 24 Def ensures that Scizor won't be ruining your fun. Grass Knot and Ice Beam each cover some key Water resists. </p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Your first major decision when using Empoleon is what to use as your 4th attack. Grass Knot is the primary option, as it can help you to obtain (they are far from secure)KOs on particularly tricky opponents like Suicune and Vaporeon. Unless they come in on Toxic Spikes as you begin to set up, both of these Pokemon will end Empoleon's sweep, so having insurance against them is recommended. Ice Beam is an option if you are scared of Salamence, Celebi, and Shaymin. Salamence is only OHKOed 50% of the time by Surf after Stealth Rock (Sandstorm finishes it off, but Empoleon will die first). Celebi and Shaymin will be KOed by Ice Beam with any prior damage (small chance with just SR), but they take 42.3% - 49.8% from Surf as well. Grass Knot is the better option simply because working around Celebi and Shaymin is a lot easier for a team to do than to work around Suicune and Vaporeon due to Celebi's Pursuit and Shaymin's lack of real recovery, but if your team is structured against the aforementioned bulky Waters, running Ice Beam is still an option.</p>
<p>Empoleon is one of the rare Pokemon that is reliable enough to build a team around, and he really shines with proper support. First of all, Stealth Rock and Sandstorm are requirements. Stealth Rock ensures vital KOs on many defensive Pokemon that don't resist Water, while helping with many who do as well, including the aforementioned Salamence. Sand Stream is also immensely beneficial to Empoleon, making a few key Pokemon unable to stop Empoleon's sweep on the switch in. For this reason, Tyranitar makes an ideal partner for Empoleon, providing Sand Stream permanent Sand for the team. Any suicide lead, including Aerodactyl or Azelf, will help Empoleon's sweep by ensuring SR makes it onto the field on turn 1. </p>
<p>Key counters to an Empoleon team include Blissey, Celebi, some Bulky Waters, and Choice Scarfed Pokemon with higher than 80 Base Speed. Choosing Pokemon for the rest of your team to eliminate these threats early is vital to the success of an Empoleon team. The best Empoleon complement is the aforementioned Tyranitar. With Sand Stream as well as a very powerful Pursuit, he is able to do significant damage to Blissey, Celebi, Rotom-A, and many of the game's fastest Choice Scarfers (including Timid Rotom, which outspeeds Empoleon). He also baits out the fairly rare Vacuum Wave Lucario. Other complements to Empoleon focus on either providing Empoleon with switch-ins or baiting and wearing down key Pokemon before Empoleon's sweep begins. Salamence is one of the best offensive complements to Empoleon, as he tends to draw Ice and Dragon attacks that Empoleon loves to come in on. In addition, Scarf Salamence can come in after an opponent's Scarfer takes out Empoleon with Earthquake or a Fighting move and revenge kill to clean up the remnants of the opponent's team. Stallbreaking Gliscor provides Empoleon with even more support, as he baits and Toxics Vaporeon and Suicune while providing a bit of support against stall teams trying to Spike or otherwise set up on your team. Tentacruel, Forretress, and Roserade all provide Toxic Spikes, which basically do Gliscor's job with the addition of hitting Blissey, Celebi, and Shaymin through Natural Cure. A baiting Heatran can Explode on bulky waters and Blissey to make way for Empoleon's sweep, but watch out for Protect. Rotom-A is useful to block Rapid Spin from taking away Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes. Careful thought needs to be put into the entirety of your team in order to make sure Empoleon gets the support he needs; Empoleon is sadly not a Pokemon well suited to being "dropped in" on a team.</p>
<p>You can run Timid with a spread of 12 HP/48 Def/252 SpA/196 Spe in order to beat Scarf Rotom, but you lose a massive amount of power and ensure far fewer KOs, so it is a poor option. Hydro Pump gains guaranteed KOs on Salamence, Rotom, and some other borderline Pokemon, and can offset the use of a Timid nature, but the last thing you want your late game sweeper to do is miss a vital attack, so Hydro Pump is an inferior option. When you consider how useful Scarf Rotom's perfect counter, Tyranitar, is, it becomes even less appealing as an option. </p>
