Tentacruel (Acupressure - QC 0/3)

This thing will seriously blow your mind. Credits go to [ sOuLeSs ]Syu since I saw him use it in OU.



http://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/tentacruel/uber

I got one log here already, but if you guys want more logs, just tell me and I'll go get more.





[SET]
name: Acupressure
move 1: Acupressure
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Protect
move 4: Scald
item: Leftovers
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

- HAAAAAAAAX
- Essentially, since Moody is banned, this is probably the closest thing you'd get to an Evasion boosting set.
- With the right boosts, this thing will destroy entire teams just like Moody Pokemon did. Without them, Tentacruel can still use Substitute and Protect to stall like Stallrein.
- Tentacruel is good at this set and not other Acupressure users because of its access to Rain Dish, which lets it set up Substitutes much more easily, and therefore be able to use Acupressure more easily. It's also immune to Toxic Spikes (and absorbs them!), so you're not going down easily to those, ever.
- While not as good as the passive Moody, the upside of Acupressure that you don't get minus stats, only +2s, which, apart from Attack and Accuracy, Tentacruel would always be benefitting from each Acupressure.
- Best way to play this set is to find a free turn and set up a Sub, then proceed to use Acupressure. If the opponent is slower than you or you're getting unfavourable boosts, you can always stall it out with Protect and Substitute, or just switch out and try again later.
- Acupressure, Substitute and Protect are obviously the core of this set, as they maximise your chances of getting important boosts. Scald is for STAB, which conveniently has a burn rate, and this may let you stall out things that you couldn't kill easily.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- EV spread is just standard, since Tentacruel enjoys its bulk, although a fast spread with 252 HP / 80 SpD / 176 Spe can be used to outspeed base 90s.
- An additional coverage move like Ice Beam can be used over Protect, but it's generally not recommended.
- Kyogre is pretty much mandatory, since it lets Tentacruel use Rain Dish. Both have Electric weaknesses, however, so investing in a Dialga or strong Ground-type (Ground Arceus, Garchomp, Excadrill) helps.
- It's actually really difficult to stop this set once it gets going. You can phaze Tentacruel (provided it hits) since it's not very strong without high SpA boosts, while Perish Song stops last mons. If you can Taunt Tentacruel (again, assuming you hit), it becomes a joke.
- Offensively, strong Thunders are probably the best way to stop Tentacruel. While Tentacruel can PP stall you out of Thunder (By alternating between Sub and Protect, which fails 30% the time in rain), it still prevents Tentacruel from setting up too many Acupressures, and this makes it easier to deal with. Bringing in sun, hail or sandstorm also helps, since Tentacruel cannot stall as easily. Again, Dialga is excellent at luring in Groudon with Bulk Up and Draco Meteor. Gliscor and Ground Arceus handily stop many sand teams.

This is way to gimmicky to be an official set. I'd like to try it sometime, but not really too viable

Not sure about this set yet. I have not found the time to try it out. However, what team does this Tentacruel fit into?

Defensive teams want Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes on their Tentacruel while Offensive teams never use Tentacruel actually. Forretress or Ferrothorn suits more balanced or offensive teams better due to their superior resistances.

Some logs can help prove how well this thing does. Groudon can switch in and OHKO if you are without Defense boosts or unless it misses. You mentioned how Groudon can be dealth with.

The team I'm using is just my Jynx team but with Acupressure Tentacruel over Jynx. I'm pretty much using that team to test any rain dependent Pokemon, really. Here it is:



As for logs, I have one at the start of the OP, I'll gather some more if you need them.

I think it definitely belongs on balanced to defensive rain teams. While yes, they do appreciate Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes that Tentacruel provides, they don't always need them, and support isn't the only thing Tentacruel can do.

I think this is a very cool idea. However, I see three main counters:

Immediately eliminate Tentacruel with Earthquake before it can set up a Substitute.
Use Taunt on it.
Use Roar or Whirlwind to phase it out. Clear Smog also works if no substitute is up.

Most people will probably try the first method, as this move set is extremely unconventional (and creative).

is there really enough merit to make an analysis? I think an OO mention is good enough because its luck based and a waste of its spinning abilities. Just because a pokemon learns a move doesn't mean there should be a set for it

Tried this out and didnt really like it. Its slow to setup and mostly completely bait, not to mention its very prone to being Roared out. The opponent usually catches on easily enough and more often than not, Tentacruel will lose against more powerful sweepers such as Offensive Groudon and LO Dialga. Furthermore, it dont really see what purpose it accomplishes apart from being a subpar Stallbreaker ? I might be prejudiced though but I'm leaning towards a rejection atm.

It's more of the Evasion boosting that really makes it cool. I mean, Moody was pretty useless if you didn't get the boosts you wanted early game, but if you did get them, you could pretty much turn a lost game into a win. Same sort of thing goes with Acupressure. The purpose is obviously simple: You gain the boosts that you need and then you sweep.

I have yet to try this, but just from reading the provided log, it seems like a gimmick at best, easily countered or shut down unless the evasion boosts are achieved. Wasn't the boost to evasion the main reason Moody was banned? So why allow for or encourage a moveset that cheapens the game. God forbid if this became mainstream in OU let alone Ubers.

I think this set just isn't viable in Ubers because it relies too much on the boosts Acupressure gives. Sometimes it does not boost the stats you want, such as Attack.

The only time I found it useful was when Tentacruel actually set up on a Dragon Tail Dragonite in Ubers with Substitute at +2 Defense. Dragonite is never used competitively in Ubers anyway. Also most of the time, I found Acupressure Tenta to be useless. I miss Rapid Spin all the time and it is illegal with Acupressure sadly.

This set is also easily foiled by Groudon or any phazers. Tentacruel isn't as powerful or annoying as Jynx either. STAB Ice Beam is cool but Scald isn't especially when there are so many Dragon-types. Like others have said, it relies too much on luck.

Sorry.

QC REJECTED 1/3

QC Rejected 2/3

The reasons I highlighted earlier still stands. Basically, too dependant on luck, very prone to phazing, zero use outside of being a mediocre stallbreaker etc etc

Roar is too popular to ignore and it is a useless tenta for the majority of the match. Even when it does work, it prolongs the battle so long. There are other sweepers that can be used the entire game and aren't dependent on immediate 1/49 (basically a 2% chance of immediately getting 2 evasion boosts). Echoing what trickroom said.

qc reject 3/3 sorry shrang but it's pretty much what everybody else said

Moving.