Magby (LC analysis) [GP 2/2]

Aroma-X said:

[Overview]
<p>Though often overlooked as a mixed sweeper, Magby is actually a very strong offensive threat in Little Cup. It has huge Attack and Special Attack stats, and also reaches 19 Speed, things that most other sweepers would die for. It even has access to a decent priority attack in Mach Punch. ItMagby's ability, Flame Body, also allows it to occasionally cripple a physical sweeper when hit by a contact move. Unfortunately, Magby's defenses are abysmal to say the leaat best, and most priority attacks will be able to 2HKO it. All in all, Magby can be a very dangerous threat if played correctly, but might turn out to be a horrible bust if not.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Priority Sweeper
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: ThunderPunch
move 4: Overheat
item: Life Orb
ability: Flame Body
nature: Hasty / Lonely
evs: 236 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 HP

[Set Comments]
<p>This set has the potential to be very dangerous if played properly. STAB Flare Blitz is Magby's most powerful and reliable attack, decimating almost anything that doesn't resist it while still netting the 2HKO on most Hippopotas and Gligar. ThunderPunch is a good coverage move, smacking the Water-types who resist Magby's STAB moves very hard. Mach Punch allows Magby to revenge kill faster threats, including all Carvanha lacking Aqua Jet. Finally, Overheat OHKOes Gligar with ease, and also gives Magby a powerful STAB attack without any recoil.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Magby's Speed and Attack. A Hasty nature is best, allowing Magby to hit 19 Speed, but a Lonely nature can also be used to boost Magby's Attack. Hidden Power Grass is a viable alternative to hit Wooper and Chinchou, but ThunderPunch gets coverage on almost all other Water-types. Choice Scarf Chinchou and defensive Omanyte can beat this Magby without much trouble, so Diglett is a good teammate to cover Magby's weaknesses. After Magby goes down, it can easily switch in, trap the opponents with Arena Trap, and KO with Earthquake. However, Diglett should not switch in on Chinchou locked into Hydro Pump unless it has a Focus Sash, as it will get outsped and KOedIt can't switch in, however. Ferroseed is another good teammate as it resists most of Magby's weaknesses, while Taunt Gligar can prevent other Pokemon from setting up Stealth Rock, which Magby is weak to.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Wallbreaker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Cross Chop
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: ThunderPunch
item: Life Orb
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 200 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 2 HP

[Set Comments]
<p>Magby's mixed wallbreaking abilities can be further demonstrated by the sheer offensive capability of this set. Fire Blast is Magby's most reliable STAB attack, having a high 120 Base Power while lacking the drawback of Overheat. Even with a hindering nature, Cross Chop is still quite the dangerous attack, managing to 2HKO even the bulkiest of Munchlax as well as OHKOing Houndour. Cross Chop also scores the 2HKO on Scraggy, and Flame Body could also burn it. Hidden Power Grass pairs very well with Fire Blast, hitting most Rock- and Water-types for super effective damage. Finally, ThunderPunch rounds out Magby's coverage, easily OHKOing Mantyke.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>A Timid nature is very important on this set to ensure that Magby hits the magic Speed tier of 19. Unfortunately, Flare Blitz is illegal with Cross Chop, meaning it can't be used on this set. Hidden Power Ice can also be used in lieu of Hidden Power Grass so Magby can secure the OHKO on Gligar, but it risks losing the Speed tie and getting OHKOed by Earthquake. In addition, Magby would misses out on quite somea bit of coverage if it goes with Hidden Power Ice;. Hidden Power Grass will hit Chinchou hard, but Magby's other moves wouldn't do much to it, bar a critical hit from the inaccurate Cross Chop. For teammates, other sweepers in Gligar and Misdreavus can wreak havoc once Magby has sufficiently weakened the opponent's team. Since this set is easily beaten by Choice Scarf Chinchou, a trapper in Munchlax or Eviolite Stunky can be of great help. Diglett possesses a STAB super effective Earthquake, but will unfortunately be easily KOed by a Water-type attack or Ice Beam.</p>

[SET]
name: Flame Charge
move 1: Flame Charge
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Cross Chop
move 4: Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Flame Body
nature: Naive / Mild
evs: 160 Atk / 60 Def / 196 SpA / 92 Spe
ivs: 2 HP

[Set Comments]
<p>With Flame Charge, Magby has a way to boost its Speed without having to lock itself into one move. In addition, it will be able to outspeed almost every Choice Scarf user, most notably Snover and Chinchou (though Magby still has problems with the latter). Fire Blast is its best option for a STAB attack, dealing huge damage without the secondary effect of Overheat. Hidden Power Grass pairs very well with Fire Blast, giving Magby great coverage. Cross Chop is primarily for Munchlax, who will beat this set if it was purely specialould otherwise beat this set.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>Life Orb is important so Magby gets as much power as possible, but Eviolite can be used for an easier setup. The drop in power will be quite noticeable, however. For EVs, Special Attack is maximized, while 2 points are given to Attack and Speed, with rest thrown into Defense. Again, Magby will have numerous problems against priority attacks. Though it can KO it on the switch, Magby loses often to Pokemon such as Croagunk unless Flame Body activates. However, Timburr enjoys a burn since Guts will raise its Attack, and can KO more easily with Mach Punch or Drain Punch. For that reason, Misdreavus is a good partner, as it can beat Croagunk and Timburr with relative ease. As for other options, Hidden Power Ice is a viable alternative in order to beat Gligar. 252 Speed EVs canis also be used (an option, asshifting one point from Defense and Attack) allows Magby in order to tie with Gligar before any boosts. Hidden Power Ground is an option to hit Croagunk, Houndour, and Chinchou, but Hidden Power Grass is better for hitting Chinchou, and Magby already has a super effectivepowerful attack for the two former Pokemon.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Brick Break
move 3: ThunderPunch
move 4: Overheat / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Flame Body
nature: Lonely / Hasty
evs: 240 Atk / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]
<p>With a Choice Scarf, Magby hits a very high 27 Speed with just a neutral nature. Flare Blitz inflicts huge amounts of damage to anything that doesn’isn't resistant or is immune to it, and is Magby's best bet at revenge killing. Brick Break is a reliable move that gets good coverage alongside Flare Blitz, and nets an OHKO on Houndour. ThunderPunch hits most Water-types that resist Flare Blitz, including Mantyke. Overheat allows Magby to hit with a powerful move without the recoil thatof Flare Blitz presents; h. However, Hidden Power Grass can be used to 2HKO Choice Scarf Chinchou, a Pokemon that would otherwise beat this set.</p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>A Lonely nature is best for boosting Magby's Attack, but Hasty can be used to allow Magby to Speed tie with Choice Scarf users having 19 Speed, such as Gligar and Staryu. In order for this set to pull off a sweep, you need to predict well since Magby could otherwise get locked into an ineffective move. For example, Carvanha can come in on a -2 Overheat, and threaten a KO with Aqua Jet or set up a Substitute. In addition, a Pokemon with Flash Fire, such as Houndour, can easily come in on a locked Overheat and set up. For that reason, good teammates are Pokemon that can beat Flash Fire users -. Timburr and Munchlax fare very well against Houndour, the premier Fire-type in Little Cup, while Frillish can beat Growlithe. Also, Snover is a good teammate as it resists Water- and Ground-type moves and can beat Gligar, a Pokemon that Magby has some trouble with.</p>

[Other Options]
<p>Magby can potentially run a physical or special Choice setset using Choice Band or Choice Specs, but it sorely misses the ability to switch attacks. Also, the lack of Speed would opens it up to Choice Scarf users, and opponents can easily switch to a Pokemon that can sponge a Flare Blitz or Fire Blast. It can also run a SubPunch set, but given Magby's frailty, it finds it too hard to set up successfully. It also has Lava Plume to potentially inflict a burn, but the move has a lot less power than Fire Blast and Overheat. The same reason applies to Will-O-Wisp. Belly Drum is another move that Magby has in its arsenal, but Magby's inherent weakness to priority attacks and low defenses prevent it from pulling off a sweep successfully.</p>

[Checks and Counters]
<p>Priority is the number-one counter to Magby, and probably for good reason. Timburr can switch in to any physical attack and threaten Mach Punch, and even enjoys a burn because of Guts. Munchlax, who resists Flare Blitz courtesy of Thick Fat, can beat Magby with Earthquake as long as Magby does not carry Cross Chop. Houndour can come in on the Choice Scarf set, absorb a Fire-type attack with Flash Fire, and KO with Hidden Power Ground, raise its Speed with Flame Charge, or safely set up a Substitute. Carvanha also makes a fine check, since it will eventually be able to outspeed and KO Magby with Waterfall or Aqua Jet. Finally, Chinchou can switch into almost all of Magby's moves provided it hasn't been weakened already, and KO with Surf or Hydro Pump.</p>

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