Scolipede (Analysis)

Scolipede

I love this thing.

QC: [Snunch] [PK Gaming] [Oglemi]
GP: [NixHex (credit to SuperJOCKE)] [elDino]

[Overview]

<p>Scolipede is another seemingly sub-par Bug- and Poison-type Pokemon introduced in BW. However, unlike its brethren, it possesses a remarkable Speed stat of 112, allowing it to outspeed a large majority of the UU metagame. In addition, it has access to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, making it a decent lead. Unfortunately, Scolipede's only outstanding stat is its Speed. Its movepool is limited and its Attack stat is only decent, so it must rely on a Swords Dance boost if it wants to do some real damage.</p>

[SET]
name: Dual Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic Spikes
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Earthquake / Rock Slide
item: Focus Sash / Leftovers
ability: Swarm
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Scolipede is the fastest, and arguably best user of both Spikes and Toxic Spikes in UU. It also has the rare ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, a great boon to stall teams. Due to its high speed, it can easily get multiple layers of Spikes or Toxic Spikes up unless it gets Taunted. When boosted by Swarm, Megahorn does ridiculous damage to anything that doesn't resist it. The final move depends on your team's needs; Earthquake hits Fire- and Poison-types (since it won't be doing much damage to most Rock- and Steel-types regardless) while Rock Slide hits Flying-types.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread is simple; Speed is maximized to setup hazards before Scolipede can be KOed, while Attack investment is used so Scolipede can cause some good damage with Megahorn. Focus Sash is a good item if you plan to use Scolipede as a lead, though there are unfavorable match-ups such as Mismagius, which leaves Leftovers as a good option as well. Focus Sash guarantees at least one layer of hazards, so long as Scolipede hasn't taken any prior damage. Although this set is meant to be used as a lead, the death of the lead-metagame means that it often won't be used as a lead, thus, a Pokemon that knows Rapid Spin such as Donphan is useful to get rid of Stealth Rock and Spikes, as Scolipede can absorb the opponent's Toxic Spikes.</p>

<p>This set is meant to support the rest of the team, specifically sweepers whose jobs are made easier by the layers of hazards that Scolipede is able to lay down. Setup sweepers in particular, such as Raikou, Cobalion, Nasty Plot Houndoom, and Azelf are able to score easier KOs with the help of Spikes support, and also appreciate Toxic Spikes support to aid with setup. Houndoom deserves special mention for its ability to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed at Scolipede with Flash Fire, usually causing a free switch for Houndoom to set up. Chansey is one of the greatest enemies to special sweepers, and with Toxic Spikes, it must either switch out or waste a turn using Aromatherapy.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rock Slide
item: Life Orb
ability: Swarm
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Despite a decidedly average base Attack stat of 90, after a boost from Swords Dance, Scolipede becomes incredibly powerful, and can destroy whole teams lacking a dedicated 4x resist with a STAB Megahorn. Scolipede also has great coverage with Earthquake and Rock Slide. After Swarm has been activated, nothing short of Registeel or 4x resists such as Cobalion and Moltres will be able to switch in on Megahorn, especially after a Swords Dance. Earthquake and Rock Slide are used to take care of potential switch-ins. This set is nearly impossible to wall due to the fantastic coverage, therefore, nothing short of faster Pokemon and Choice Scarf users with super effective STAB moves will be able to revenge kill Scolipede.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Baton Pass may be used in the last slot over Rock Slide so that Scolipede can pass its boosts in a last-ditch effort to do something for the rest of the team, but is not recommended as Scolipede then loses coverage. Again, maximum investment in Speed and Attack along with a Jolly nature is used so that Scolipede can outspeed Base 110 Pokemon and below. Life Orb increases Scolipede's damage output significantly, but Leftovers is an option for passive recovery, though Scolipede then loses a great amount of power. Choice Scarf users such as Flygon and faster Pokemon with super effective STAB moves such as Crobat can easily revenge kill Scolipede, thus, a way to deal with them is appreciated such as priority and faster Choice Scarf users. Mamoswine is a very good answer to both Flygon and Crobat, as it can smash both with a super effective Ice Shard or Icicle Crash. A Rapid Spinner is needed to keep Stealth Rock and Spikes off the field, as they will wear down Scolipede very quickly, especially in conjunction with Life Orb recoil. Luckily, Scolipede isn't hindered by Toxic Spikes, as it absorbs them upon switching in.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Scolipede has a very limited movepool, but there are are a few moves worth mentioning. Poison Jab is a powerful secondary STAB, but lacks good coverage. X-Scissor is an option if you don't like the accuracy of Megahorn, but the drop in power is significant. Double-Edge is a powerful move, but doesn't add to Scolipede's coverage, as Steel-types resist it; Scolipede needs super effective coverage on Steel-types to be able to work effectively. Choice Band is viable with a set of Megahorn / Poison Jab / Rock Slide / Earthquake, but is somewhat outclassed by Swords Dance, while Choice Scarf is pointless with Scolipede's already high Speed. Substitute blocks random Will-O-Wisps and Thunder Waves, but Scolipede generally needs the coverage provided by Earthquake and Rock Slide. Scolipede gets Agility and Iron Defense to Baton Pass, but pure Baton Passing is better left to Mew. Lum Berry is an option to get rid of crippling burn or paralysis, but most opponents will just try to outright KO Scolipede due to its sub-par HP and defenses. Scolipede can drop either Spikes or Toxic Spikes to run a second coverage move, but having both Spikes and Toxic Spikes is one of the advantages it has over other spikers.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>The Dual Spiker set will always get walled by something depending on the choice of coverage move. If Scolipede runs Earthquake, it gets walled by Flying-types whereas if it runs Rock Slide, it gets walled by Steel-types. Regardless, Donphan is a great counter to the Dual Spikes set as it can take even a Swarm-boosted Megahorn and KO back with Earthquake. It can also spin away any hazards that Scolipede has set up, and even set up Stealth Rock, as Scolipede does not have access to Taunt. Defensive Steel-types such as Registeel make good checks to both sets, though they cannot take repeated +2 Earthquakes. The Swords Dance set's counters are few and far between; however, as previously mentioned, the best way to deal with it are with Choice Scarf users and faster Pokemon with super effective STAB attacks. There are two absolute counters to Scolipede; however, both are rarely seen in the UU metagame. Dusclops resists Megahorn, can take Swords Dance-boosted attacks with its monstrous Defense stat, and cripple Scolipede with Will-O-Wisp. Gligar resists both Megahorn and Earthquake, and Rock Slide does pitiful damage, even after a boost. Gligar can then Taunt Scolipede, before setting up with its own Swords Dance. Scolipede has a weakness to Stealth Rock and is vulnerable to Spikes, which help weaken it for a revenge kill. Since Scolipede's Special Defense is so low, strong neutral special attacks will bring it down in no time, while super effective ones will destroy it.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Scolipede receives the ability Quick Feet from the Dream World. It is by no means is a bad ability, but is somewhat wasted on Scolipede as it is already immune to one status (poison) and crippled by another (burn). In addition, it is already fast, so it generally has no need for a speed boost from Quick Feet.</p>

You need to expand on team options for the first set. Include offensive pokemon that need Toxic Spikes support to break certain walls, and Spikes support to break others. For example, Taunt SD Cobalion takes advantage of both hazards very well, as does sub CM Raikou. Be creative, the pokemon paired with Scolipede are vital to its success.

Deslash Baton Pass from the SD set. Scolipede's problems come from difficulty setting up and being revenge killed, not from being walled. Hitting fliers like Zapdos is much more important than baton passing out of... what exactly? Dusclops?

Ok, I expanded on the team options of the first set and deslashed Baton Pass from the SD set, I think I got everything.

What about a Baton Pass set? with Iron Defense, Agility, and Swords Dance at it's disposal it can certainly pass to a great sweeper or wall. And while I'm not sure if Quick feet is passable, when it gets that, he can be a very good sweeper by giving slow sweepers an attack/defense boost as well as a large speed boost.

Baton Pass is infinitely outclassed by Mew, who has more things to pass, taunt, thunder wave, and basically every TM available. AC is where it will stay, at best.

It's not the only user of both Spikes and Toxic Spikes in UU, although it is the fastest. Omastar is probably the only other one of note, although it could be doing more significant things. Might be worthwhile to mention him in the first set, if only to point out that Scolipede has an easier time against Cobalion.

Shall we go over this again?

Pokémon in UU that can have both Spikes and Toxic Spikes at the same time:

Roserade
Scolipede
Garbodor
Qwilfish
Omastar
Smeargle

6 Pokémon. Scolipede is far from the only one. It's the fastest one though, like the guy above said.

Gotcha, I meant to say that it was the best, I probably should have worded that differently. Fixed. Omastar is slow and gets owned by Taunt, nobody uses Qwilfish, Garbodor, or Smeargle, and Roserade prefers one set or the other, instead of both.

Though I can understand why you put in Leftovers slashed with Focus sash on the first set, you admit the leftovers is mainly for unfavourable matchups, and that with the loss of it being used as a lead, that's unlikely (and frankly even as a lead I think it would do better with Sash anyways).

Unslash that leftovers ;)

Further bit of convincing:
Even if Scolipede meets a Mismagius (as in the example), base 105 SpA vs. 69 SpDef with no investment and 60 HP. I hardly think leftovers is going to guarantee a 3HKO, in which case a Focus Sash does the same job.

0SpA Neutral nature Mismagius (which won't even be showing up) vs. 4HP 0SpDef Neutral Scolipede: 123-145 damage, vs. Scolipede's 262 HP.

That, and the whole point is to activate Swarm for a more powerful Megahorn if possible. So why wouldn't you always run Sash?

"Leads" don't exist in this metagame, which is why I've slashed Leftovers. QC doesn't seem to have a problem with it, so unless they say otherwise, the Leftovers slash will stay.

Focus Sash is a good item if you plan to use Scolipede as a lead, though there are unfavorable match-ups such as Mismagius, which leaves Leftovers as a good option as well.
Focus Sash guarantees at least one layer, most of the time two layers of (Toxic) Spikes.

Click to expand...

I still fail to see how leftovers is superior. This thing is gonna be 1HKO'd most of the time anyways. That damage calc I mentioned assumed a neutral nature 0 SpA Mismagius' Shadow Ball. I'll leave it to QC, but I just really don't see leftovers doing anything Sash doesn't do better on such a frail pokemon. Especially one wanting to activate swarm.

you never ever run Focus Sash on anything but a lead. So, while Focus Sash is superior as an item if using Scolipede as a lead (which is a good place to put it), if you use Scolipede outside of the lead position then Leftovers is the superior option.

maybe mention lum berry on the swords dance set so it can set up on walls and doesn't have to worry about status? And if not in the analys, dusclops should be in checks and couters since none of scoliped's attakes are 2HKOing dusclops.

oh yeah i suppose i can do this too



QC 3/3

This is written and ready for GP checks.

Unofficial check

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Man, this was easy. No major faults.

Thanks, SuperJOCKE, I implemented all but a few changes. The only thing I didn't change was the semicolon to a comma. The reason for this is that whenever you use "however" in the middle of a sentence, a semicolon is needed before "however" as it is basically 2 sentences broken up by a semicolon. Otherwise, your changes were good! :)

Thanks SuperJOCKE.

[GP 1/2]

And so Sally can wait, she knows it's too late as we're walking on by
Her soul slides away, but don't look back in anger
I heard you say

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Good job sir!

GP Approved 2/2

And this is done! Thanks elDino :)

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