Drifblim (QC 1/3)

[Overview]

- With a combination of interesting typing and stat distribution Drifblim sets himself apart from the other tiers Ghost types (only ghost in the tier capable of setting 101 Hp subs, x4 Bug resist, etc.)
- Possesses two useful abilities in Unburden and Aftermath
- Can effectively play multiple different roles with it's fairly expansive movepool
- SR weakness and surprisingly frailty when uninvested makes him difficult to work with without proper support

[SET]
name: ChestoRest
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Rest
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Thunderbolt / Baton Pass / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Chesto Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Modest
EVs: 252 Def / 108 SpA / 148 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

- Supplies Drifblim with a respectable midrange method of sweeping
- Simply CM until you find yourself in KO range, then Rest off the damage, get the Unburden boost and sweep

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- Loves screen support (most notably Reflect), making Claydol/Rotom-A quite helpful partners
- More speed can be used to outrun the faster threats (Scarfed Galvantula/Manetric), but it often is negligible

[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Stockpile / Calm Mind
item: Leftovers
ability:Aftermath
nature: Bold
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SDef

[SET COMMENTS]

- Allows Drifblim to set up/support a sweep
- 101 Hp Subs allows him to set up on walls lacking decent offensive options, as well as safeguarding against Pursuit
- Shadow Ball again offers protection against Taunt

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- Salac-esque berries can be used, but the majority of the ones worth passing are currently unreleased
- More speed can be run, but the common walls are slower than you anyway

[SET]
name: SubCM
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Thunderbolt
item: Sitrus Berry / Ghost Gem
ability:Unburden
nature: Modest
EVs: 12 HP / 96 Def / 252 SAtk / 148 Spd

[SET COMMENTS]

- Takes a more offensive stance to Drifblim
- Outspeeds everything from Timid Scarfed Rotom down after the Unburden boost

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- Baton Pass can be run as opposed to a coverage move if you'd rather pass the boosts

[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Weather Ball
move 3: Thunder / Shadow Ball
move 4: Acrobatics / Explosion
item: Flight Gem / Water Gem
ability: Unburden
nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

- Allows Drifblim to set up Rain whist maintaining a fairly threatening offensive presence
- Weather Ball offers a strong, pseudo-stabbed attack to work with
- Thunder offers decent coverage w/Weather Ball in rain (resisted by incredibly rare Dragons and Grass types, whom are hit hard by Acrobatics anywho), coupled by a neat chance of paralysis, though Shadow Ball can be used for a reliable stab option
- Acrobling allows Drifblim to hit likely switch-ins like Liligant for a surprise OHKO, though Explosion can still hurt quite badly, in addition to allowing for switch advantage.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- a Sun-based support set is always possible, with Weather Ball [Fire]/Shadow Ball offering respectable neutral coverage

[OTHER OPTIONS]

- Drifblim can make a rather effective Weather Supporter, with decent bulk and access to Baton Pass/Memento for the easy switch advantage
- Drifblim can abuse Unburden+Focus Sash in the lead slot, but it's somewhat gimmicky
- It can run a Choice/Annoyer set to capitalize on Trick
- Can run a mixed Acrobatics set, which allows it to abuse it's Flying stab and Unburden boost quickly, but the amount of power offered by it is rather lackluster, and fails to effectively sweep teams without hefty hazard support.
- Drifblim possesses a handful of useful support moves, though he is often outclassed in such a role by other Ghosts of the tier

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

- Honchkrow can usually trap/set up a sub on Drifblim, as long as it is weary of WoW/Twave
- Entei can usually do whatever he pleases with Drifblim, though he doesn't appreciate Twave or Knock Off
- Manetric/Magneton all can switch in with relative ease and threaten with their stab

No chesto rest+ unburden set? you set up cms until at low health, rest and then get an unburden boost and sweep, definatley worth mentioning.

MoltenKyurem said:

No chesto rest+ unburden set? you set up cms until at low health, rest and then get an unburden boost and sweep, definatley worth mentioning.

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I already have that thrown in the AC of the SubCM set, but I'll definitely add some bulk to that section.

No, ChestoRest is easily one of Drifblim's best sets. It definitely should be its own set:

[SET]
name: ChestoRest
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Rest
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Thunderbolt / Baton Pass / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Chesto Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Modest
EVs: 252 Def / 108 SpA / 148 Spe

Speed EVs allow it to outspeed +1 Sharpedo after an Unburden boost.

Alrighty, I'll add ChestoRest, I wasn't totally sure how much better or worse it played than SubCM, so I was somewhat on the fence about adding it. Out of curiosity though, wouldn't Hp Fighting serve as a better first option in the last moveslot? I understand the importance of the Speed IV on stuff like Haunter, who need to run max speed, but couldn't Drifblim just run 248 Def / 108 SpA / 152 Spe? I dunno, I might just be missing something

I ran into a Flight Gem + Acrobatics set last night, and it was actually pretty damn threatening just by how hard it hits initially and how fast it comes out to be. idk if it deserves its own set, but it threatens HO teams pretty damn well. I don't really know what the set would look like though, especially the EVs. If anybody has any experience with the set, you should post here.

I think the set looked something like this, but definitely don't quote me on this:

[SET]
name: Acrobatics
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Destiny Bond
move 4: Will-O-Wisp (?) / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Flight Gem
ability: Unburden
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / (some SpA) / (enough Speed to outpace Accelgor after an Unburden boost iirc)

something to think about anyway

I was admittedly somewhat curious about the viability of an Acrobatics set, and it does sound interesting in theory, but for now I think I'll just put it into the OO. If anyone else can vouch for it's viability, maybe some logs, I'll add it as it's own set.

col49 said:

I was admittedly somewhat curious about the viability of an Acrobatics set, and it does sound interesting in theory, but for now I think I'll just put it into the OO. If anyone else can vouch for it's viability, maybe some logs, I'll add it as it's own set.

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I was spectating the battle when oglemi faced the drifblim and faced it myself and it is pretty viable imo.

BTW ev spread that would fit oglemi's description is 252atck / 180 spa / 76spe naughty / lonely

with naive it would be 252atck / 252spa / 4spe

MoltenKyurem said:

I was spectating the battle when oglemi faced the drifblim and faced it myself and it is pretty viable imo.

BTW ev spread that would fit oglemi's description is 252atck / 180 spa / 76spe naughty / lonely

with naive it would be 252atck / 252spa / 4spe

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Mmk, good enough for me haha, I'll add the Acrobatics set then, but I'll definitely need some help figuring it out :P

After playing more with the Acrobatics set, I'd say it's OO material. It's nice to have against frailer teams, but it serves no purpose and is dead weight against defensive teams.



QC APPROVED 1/3

Oglemi said:

After playing more with the Acrobatics set, I'd say it's OO material. It's nice to have against frailer teams, but it serves no purpose and is dead weight against defensive teams.

QC APPROVED 1/3

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Gotcha gotcha, will do, and many thanks for the check

Why is Support the first set? I admit I haven't played with Drifblim at all this gen, but it's never been a good defensive Pokemon. If you aren't using CM or Baton Pass, why would you use Drifblim over Rotom/Dusknoir/Sableye/Cofagrigus/Misdreavus? I doubt it's worth a set at all tbh (calcs or logs would be nice) and it definitely shouldn't be the first thing listed.

Actually, Drifblim's bulk when invested like that is comparable to hariyama's so dont down it yet. here are some calcs:

Durant's +1 LO iron head vs drifblim 58.82% - 69.23%
Honchkrow's LO Brave Bird vs drifblim 71.27% - 84.16%
Swellow's guts boosted Brave Bird vs drifblim 57.69% - 68.10%
Fraxure's LO outrage vs drifbim 61.31 - 72.62%
Samurott's LO torrent waterfall vs drifblim 60.63 - 71.49%

Overall its not so bad, may need ev tweaking to take hits on one side better

I admittedly wasn't totally sure where to put the Support set, I was more or less relying on the input of others to determine where it should be placed as far as usefulness :P In retrospect I would say that it likely should be placed either last or before SubCM, but I'd say that it has some value. It does make a better user of Knock Off than Sableye, who really can't afford to run it more often than not (in my limited experiences playing with and against it). However, I can see that it often will get outclassed by other support-based Ghosts, and will change the sets around accordingly.

MoltenKyurem said:

Actually, Drifblim's bulk when invested like that is comparable to hariyama's so dont down it yet. here are some calcs:

Durant's +1 LO iron head vs drifblim 58.82% - 69.23%
Honchkrow's LO Brave Bird vs drifblim 71.27% - 84.16%
Swellow's guts boosted Brave Bird vs drifblim 57.69% - 68.10%
Fraxure's LO outrage vs drifbim 61.31 - 72.62%
Samurott's LO torrent waterfall vs drifblim 60.63 - 71.49%

Overall its not so bad, may need ev tweaking to take hits on one side better

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Yeah, but Hariyama has a bunch of useful resistances that allow it to wall a lot of Bug- and Fire- and Ice-types, and it only has two weaknesses that aren't at all common except as STAB. Drifblim's Flying subtype gives it weaknesses to really common coverage moves; it can't wall Fighting-types because they all have Stone Edge or Ice Punch, it can't wall Normal-types because they all have Crunch/Dark Pulse or Wild Charge/Thunderbolt, and it can't wall Ground-types because they all have Stone Edge.

All those calcs show is Drifblim switching in and getting 2HKOed before it accomplishes anything at all. Other than maybe Life Orb Accelgor (which is pretty rare), I can't think of any offensive Pokemon that Drifblim can switch in on and cripple or force out with a support set. Sorry, but unless someone can name some, I'm rejecting the support set.

Honko said:

Yeah, but Hariyama has a bunch of useful resistances that allow it to wall a lot of Bug- and Fire- and Ice-types, and it only has two weaknesses that aren't at all common except as STAB. Drifblim's Flying subtype gives it weaknesses to really common coverage moves; it can't wall Fighting-types because they all have Stone Edge or Ice Punch, it can't wall Normal-types because they all have Crunch/Dark Pulse or Wild Charge/Thunderbolt, and it can't wall Ground-types because they all have Stone Edge.

All those calcs show is Drifblim switching in and getting 2HKOed before it accomplishes anything at all. Other than maybe Life Orb Accelgor (which is pretty rare), I can't think of any offensive Pokemon that Drifblim can switch in on and cripple or force out with a support set. Sorry, but unless someone can name some, I'm rejecting the support set.

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I guess thats true, well then i guess a support set IS inferior

Alrighty, fair enough, I'll remove the support set

After facing it on the ladder I want to suggest rain abuser Drifblim. It's amazing with Flight Gem and Rain Dance / Acrobatics / Thunder / Weather Ball. It's very difficult to switch in and it has the bulk to set up and break some walls.

zdrup15 said:

After facing it on the ladder I want to suggest rain abuser Drifblim. It's amazing with Flight Gem and Rain Dance / Acrobatics / Thunder / Weather Ball. It's very difficult to switch in and it has the bulk to set up and break some walls.

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I tested what he/she says,and it worked EXTREMELY well in the end

zdrup15 said:

After facing it on the ladder I want to suggest rain abuser Drifblim. It's amazing with Flight Gem and Rain Dance / Acrobatics / Thunder / Weather Ball. It's very difficult to switch in and it has the bulk to set up and break some walls.

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Hmm, alright, I wasn't totally sure how it would work in Gen 5 (I ran a set of that nature in Gen 4 fairly successfully), but I figured it would get major Slash syndrome, especially if tossing Acrobling into the mix. I feel like it would end up looking something like this:

[SET]
name: Weather Support
move 1: Rain Dance / Sunny Day
move 2: Weather Ball / Thunder
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Explosion / Acrobatics
item: Damp Rock / Heat Rock / Flight Gem
ability: Aftermath / Unburden
nature: ???
EVs: ???
(would test in theory)

So anywho, if I were to add something of the sort, I might need a little help determining an appropriate set :P

I think it would look something like this:

[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Weather Ball
move 3: Thunder / Shadow Ball
move 4: Acrobatics / Explosion
item: Flight Gem
ability: Unburden
nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Weather Ball is the main reason to use this. Thunder has good coverage alongside it, but Shadow Ball has equal power and can be used safely outside of Rain. Acrobatics covers Grass-types and is the easiest way to activate Unburden. Explosion takes a nice big chunk out of Lanturn, who would wall you easily and is a pain for Rain teams in general, plus it gets another sweeper in safely. If you aren't using Acrobatics, use some other Gem, since you need the Unburden boost to accomplish anything. Sunny Day goes in AC, but you use it pretty much the same way.

mmk, I'll toss that up there. I assume I should slash Damp Rock when running Explosion (obviously emphasizing on the natures of the sets when using each accordingly), no?

col49 said:

mmk, I'll toss that up there. I assume I should slash Damp Rock when running Explosion (obviously emphasizing on the natures of the sets when using each accordingly), no?

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No, one of the best things about this set is the amazing Speed Drifblim gets after losing its item. So if you're running Explosion you should use a Gem that boosts one of its other attacks. Although I have to say I don't agree with Explosion being used on this set.