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**Pocket** · Dec 20th, 2012, 12:00:17 AM

Cresselia is indeed a massive tank. During mini-tours, last round, and this round, I haven't find myself struggling to get past Cresselia, though. I think the biggest misconception I've heard on IRC channel and on the forums is the need to counter Cresselia. This strikes me as an absurd notion (countering a defensive mon?). From experience, you don't need to counter Cresselia; in contrary, all you need to do is pack more than one Pokemon that's not walled by Cresselia. Seeing how offensive teams pack more than 1 powerful offensive mon, Cresselia isn't destroying HO anytime soon. The emphasis is now on the opponent switching in Cresselia on your mon rather than you switching into Cresselia. And from my experience there are plenty of mons that can put major dents to Cresselia to make it useless if it ever switches in on them. Here's a quick list:

Absol
Aerodactyl (Taunt & Roost)
Aggron (CB)
Armaldo
Bouffalant
Cacturne
Crawdaunt
Crustle
Durant
Drapion
Druddigon (HC & LO)
Entei (SubCM)
Escavalier
Feraligatr
Fraxure (DD Taunt & Eviolite)
Gallade (SD & Lum / Sub)
Golurk (LO)
Hariyama (Guts + Payback)
Linoone
Pinsir
Rhydon (SD)
Sawsbuck (SD)
Scolipede
Scyther
Zangoose
Accelgor (LO)
Eelektross (Acid Spray)
Haunter (LO)
Jynx
Magneton (Metal Sound)
Samurott (Taunt or SD)
Spiritomb

Quite a list for a Pokemon "that walls 95% of the metagame." Then of course there's manual Rain and Sun that adds more to the list of Pokemon that Cresselia fails to wall:

Floatzel (BU + LO)
Kabutops
Kingler
Omastar
Gorebyss
Poliwrath (BD)
Emboar
Entei
Magmortar
Moltres
Charizard

Also there are Utility mons that can force Cress out or cripple it

Clefable (Encore + Status)
Cryogonal (Haze + Status)
Lapras (Hydration + Status)
Mandibuzz (Phaze / Taunt / Status)
Misdreavus (PerishTrap / Stallbreaker)
Whimsicott

Now include Hail into the mix, and I found Cresselia an impenetrable wall on paper, but perfectly breakable in practice. From my perspective, RU has more than enough tools to deal with Cresselia. Sure, Cresselia is a major centralization force, as is any other good Pokemon like Sceptile, Entei, Slowking, etc. However, it does not restrict teambuilding to the extent that demands its banishment imo (and as shown through the list of mons that Cress doesn't wall).

Dec 20th, 2012, 12:00:17 AM	#77
Pocket Bakuman ;< Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7,171 Bergenfield	Cresselia is indeed a massive tank. During mini-tours, last round, and this round, I haven't find myself struggling to get past Cresselia, though. I think the biggest misconception I've heard on IRC channel and on the forums is the need to counter Cresselia. This strikes me as an absurd notion (countering a defensive mon?). From experience, you don't need to counter Cresselia; in contrary, all you need to do is pack more than one Pokemon that's not walled by Cresselia. Seeing how offensive teams pack more than 1 powerful offensive mon, Cresselia isn't destroying HO anytime soon. The emphasis is now on the opponent switching in Cresselia on your mon rather than you switching into Cresselia. And from my experience there are plenty of mons that can put major dents to Cresselia to make it useless if it ever switches in on them. Here's a quick list: Absol Aerodactyl (Taunt & Roost) Aggron (CB) Armaldo Bouffalant Cacturne Crawdaunt Crustle Durant Drapion Druddigon (HC & LO) Entei (SubCM) Escavalier Feraligatr Fraxure (DD Taunt & Eviolite) Gallade (SD & Lum / Sub) Golurk (LO) Hariyama (Guts + Payback) Linoone Pinsir Rhydon (SD) Sawsbuck (SD) Scolipede Scyther Zangoose Accelgor (LO) Eelektross (Acid Spray) Haunter (LO) Jynx Magneton (Metal Sound) Samurott (Taunt or SD) Spiritomb Quite a list for a Pokemon "that walls 95% of the metagame." Then of course there's manual Rain and Sun that adds more to the list of Pokemon that Cresselia fails to wall: Floatzel (BU + LO) Kabutops Kingler Omastar Gorebyss Poliwrath (BD) Emboar Entei Magmortar Moltres Charizard Also there are Utility mons that can force Cress out or cripple it Clefable (Encore + Status) Cryogonal (Haze + Status) Lapras (Hydration + Status) Mandibuzz (Phaze / Taunt / Status) Misdreavus (PerishTrap / Stallbreaker) Whimsicott Now include Hail into the mix, and I found Cresselia an impenetrable wall on paper, but perfectly breakable in practice. From my perspective, RU has more than enough tools to deal with Cresselia. Sure, Cresselia is a major centralization force, as is any other good Pokemon like Sceptile, Entei, Slowking, etc. However, it does not restrict teambuilding to the extent that demands its banishment imo (and as shown through the list of mons that Cress doesn't wall). __________________ Dark Horse Project: Conquer the Ladder! \| Word of Wisdom for Trainers \| Smogon Doubles: Let's Make It Official! Last edited by Pocket; Dec 20th, 2012 at 12:12:27 AM.