Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Delver
I know i said i'd abstain from ekans discussion, but i have this weird bump in my chest so i figured i should do it anyways
Awesomely subtle jokes aside, my biggest complaint with ekans for B is that it has way too much competition from Croagunk. Croagunk who can basically do everything ekans can do, but with the addition of having a fighting stab to do it with. They can both set up for sweeps, ekans via coil and croagunk via bulk up; they both act as effective fighting type checks, with croagunk having the added bonus of a water immunity which provides recovery - however unreliable. ekans on the other hand has to take intimidate's damage reduction - which is by no means bad; but personally I'd take the water immunity. they're both weak to psychic attacks, but the only really common thing (bar bronzor which is terrible) to use psychic attacks is Abra - who will OHKO either unless my calcs are off.
I will refrain from saying "it should be C" because I abstained for a reason - i had no experience with ekans in the past and honestly i dont really intend to for the future. However, I'd like you to convince me that Ekans has enough of a disernable niche from croagunk, or that he can do what croagunk does just as well or better that he deserves the B teir. "walling fighting types" really isnt enough. Croagunk does that, deals with pesky water types, acts as an amazing revenge killer or bulk-up sweeper etc.
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Ah, but Ekans is not merely an attacker, it can also cripple up to half a team if played correctly with the moveset of Glare + Switcheroo + Swagger; whereas for Croagunk it's pretty clear that it's going on the offensive and it will need a Bulk Up or Nasty Plot boost before it can start dealing damage. Ekans too can have a pseudo-immunity to status if it chooses to utilize Shed Skin, so random Thunder Waves and Will-o-Wisps are not as crippling. Your argument about Water types are valid, and I concede that Ekans does not have as many switch-in opportunities as Croagunk. However, Ekans fares better against the far more prominent Fighting types like Mienfoo, Scraggy, Timburr, opposing Croagunk etc. due to Intimidate and can cripple whatever switches in with Glare or start boosting more comfortably, whereas Croagunk has to tread more carefully. IMO, Ekans is not really meant to be played like Croagunk although it can choose to do so for versatility; it's more like Koffing: Counter/Check Fighting types, then cripple whatever switches in with the appropriate move.