Underrated but effective sets in the BW2 overused metagame

[2sly4u]

Originally Posted by Fat Rackham

In which case they'd have to be facing a player who's good enough to know the opponent is good enough not to spore against a team with Espeon. But then... etc...etc

That kind of level of predicting is not likely to occur frequently. At least not on the ladder.

Spore's actually safer than you'd think against teams with Espeon. Espeon really doesn't want to risk switching into Techniloom because it gets destroyed by Bullet Seed or Low Sweep. Toxic Heal Breloom can just use Substitute on the switch, and choose its move from there. I'd be much more hesitant to fire off a Spore against teams with Xatu.

[Skore]

I can count on the fingers on one hand how many people have predicted an Espeon switch in to catch Spore. Or even hazard setters. It's only the non-predictable hazard setters that seem to get Rocks down on me these days (Gliscor and Mamoswine seem to be the 2 I miss most).

[Rayquaza_]

Or... you could use Xatu instead of Espeon so Breloom can't do anything to you regardless.

[Arcticblast]

Some Breloom use Rock Tomb or Stone Edge, and Poison Heal Loom still exist...

[Skore]

Well the other under-rated factor about Espeon is that she has the same Speed and Special Attack as Latios. I like my Espeon to have an offensive presence.

[hichez]

I love espeon and she really is under-rated. The sad truth is that your team has to get rid of all potential threats before she can come out and to her thing. Her mediocre defense and HP. Her speed is also good, but sadly there is still a large enough pokemon that can out speed espeon.

[metalmulisha]

since no one bothered to use the event jirachi.good surprise for our fellow dragons.

jirachi@choice specs/life orb
ability:serenegrace
nature:modest
Evs: 56hp/200 sp.atk/252 spe

-thunderbolt/wish
-flash cannon
-Hidden power fire/ice
-Draco meteor

if you chose L.O.then wish and HP ice will be in place. if you want to nuke choice specs would be your path.HP fire it to take down the common steel(scizor,forretress,skarmory) and grass type (ferrothorn,virizon) HP ice gets rid of gliscor,landourus and any other ground type not affected ground by thinderbolt. thunderbolt if for coverage gyarados,starmie,vaporeon etc. draco meteor is an awesome twist when the dragon types come out to play

[Cherub Agent]

If you're using Choice Specs, then Doom Desire is normally the preferred option on jirachi. The damage output is phenomenal if you come in on a Pokemon with low SpD like Breloom. Draco Meteor is an interesting idea, i'll have to try that someday.

[EspeonX]

Doom Desire and Wish is excellent. If they switch to a Jirachi check and your check to the Jirachi check is around half HP, just Wish as they switchin and switch to your check, which puts huge pressure on them.

[metalmulisha]

Originally Posted by Fat Cherub Agent

If you're using Choice Specs, then Doom Desire is normally the preferred option on jirachi. The damage output is phenomenal if you come in on a Pokemon with low SpD like Breloom. Draco Meteor is an interesting idea, i'll have to try that someday.

the only problem with doom desire is that you would have to wait a couple of turns before it takes affect its indirect and with choice specs you'll would have to switch out otherwise you'd be useless.it works better with L.O

[EspeonX]

^I disagree. You would Doom Desire as their check to Jirachi comes in, and then you switch to the check to their pokemon. This allows you to force them out and make the switchin suffer heavy damage, or for them to stay in and die to your check.

[iHeartlessHero1337]

Volcarona @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power(Ice)/Psychic
- Bug Buzz
- U-turn
- Flamethrower/Fiery Dance/Fire Blast/Overheat

It's job in this set changed from set up sweeper to lead scout which is still a threat to leads like Ferrothorn, Metagross, Skarmory, Jolteon, Azelf or Jirachi. It's main purpose however, is definately being the most ANTI-Genesect pokemon around in OU. The scarf means it will outspeed any variant of Genesect while still being able to OHKO.

Even with the HP ice forcing a loss of 1 speed IV, it is still faster. Any of the fire type moves will OHKO Genesect or Ferrorthorn, however only Fire Blast and Overheat guarantee others such as Jirachi, and Metagross. It will be up to personal preference of Power VS Accuracy.

With that said you must also remember Fiery Dance has the chance to +1 SAttk Making Volcarona a threat to the next pokemon coming in should they be weak or neutral to fire (GAMBLE).

While it's not a physical attker the u-turn is there if you wish to scout and save it for later. And the HP Ice is there for coverage, but could be replaced with Psychic if you want.

Should your opponents team be weak after rock and/or spike damage and the tides of battle.. This Volcarona, while not as strong as the QD-sweeper version is still a sweeper. Scarfed base 100+ are the only threats to this Volcarona as is any version of Tyranitar, Dragonite, Heatran, Ground and Water-Types. I recommend, if you give this a try, that you be careful.

[Shovel]

I've never even seen, or heard off Scarf Volcarona :p I'll have to try it, it seems extremely interesting.

Doom Desire is all about predicting and forcing switches. It is extremely helpful in some cases, unless the opponent has a counter to it that you can't Check/Counter. Generally, this won't happen to well built teams though.

A really underrated set, especially in an offensive metagame, is Dual Screens Latios.



Latios @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Memento
- Dragon Pulse

This easily allows for your Pokemon to set up, and works especially well with the likes of Nasty Plot Thundurus-T under the rain, and Dragon/Swords Dance Haxorus. It is something to look out for, and to be considered.

(I just names every single Pokemon weak to Ice that I could, obviously. Cloyster is also a great option, as well as Keldeo, Scizor, and the new Genesect)

[WeGotTheJazz]

I don't know why the standard OU Bisharp set is overlooked by pretty much everyone. Setting up on a Ferrothorn leads to destruction of entire teams 75% of the time.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by Fat metalmulisha

since no one bothered to use the event jirachi.good surprise for our fellow dragons.

jirachi@choice specs/
-Draco meteor

How is this not outclassed by Psychic or Hp Ice? Most dragons wont want to switch in on either move, and the ones that can (Lati@s mainly, and maybe Hydregon) are hit hard by Flash Cannon. Theres a reason people dont use Draco Meteor on Jirachi and thats because its too weak against anything its not Super Effective against (only dragons). I guess theres worse moves to be using but im not sold.

Originally Posted by Fat iHeartlessHero1337

Volcarona @ Choice Scarf

One of these took out my Genesect today...however aside from suprise factor this has Just about nothing over the standard sets.

Originally Posted by Fat WeGotTheJazz

I don't know why the standard OU Bisharp set is overlooked by pretty much everyone. Setting up on a Ferrothorn leads to destruction of entire teams 75% of the time.

Fought one of these today too, and after it got to +6 i sent in Ditto and swept with Iron Head. Threats like Terrakoin, Breloom, Ditto, Genesect, etc make Bisharp hard to use...but with support it could be decent.

[Prankster]

One of my favorite sets to use is Trick Scarf Rachi


Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Serene grace
EVs: 252 hp/252 speed
-Trick
-Iron Head
-U-Turn/Body Slam
-Wish/Stealth Rock

I am actually a frequent user of choice scarf jirachi, not only because its scarf makes it an interesting revenge killer, but it can also be used to shut down some of its counters. Nothing is more satisfying for me than tricking a choice scarf to a gliscor switch in, replacing its toxic orb. One of Jirachi's main weaknesses is that is does not fare well against other walls if it is running the normal spdef set, and its only offensive set is its subCM set, which gets revenge killed by a lot of OU powerhouses, like terakion and landorus. Choice Scarf Jirachi offers a little bit of both worlds. You can trick the scarf immediately to shut down a wall (because most walls hate trick) and you can also use it as a last ditch effort to defeat a sweeper. I also tend to run CS Rachi with 252 attack for faster killing.

[Yamborski]

Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 12 Atk / 252 SAtk / 244 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Earthquake 2HKOs some Tyranitar, Jirachi, and OHKOs Heatran. It also isn't weather dependent. Surf hits basically nothing that EQ doesn't outside of rain. Earthquake is basically a free kill against a Heatran that switches in on Draco Meteor.

[Camisado]

Dugtrio @ Life Orb/Focus Sash/Leftovers
Trait: Sand Trap
EV's 252 ATK/252 SPD 6HP
Jolly -SpATK + SPD

-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Hone Claws
-Reversal/Sucker Punch/Substitute

It's not a new set, but it's a cool tool Rain can use to win the weather war. Also a great teammate for Moxie Gyarados. Jolteon or Scarf Genosect come in to revenge with a scarf Thunderbolt, you switch/sacrifice, and go +6 and sweep. Substitute helps ease prediction, Sucker Punch for some much needed priority. Perfect accuracy Stone Edge is cute, too.

Also is a cool partner with Charm Wobbuffett, as it lets you set up on Forretress (Rapid Spin usually 2HKO's a Dugtrio sub. D: ) and some Ferrorthorn.

[Lavos Spawn]

@ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Thunderbolt
- Trick

scarf gengar is 100% underrated and it's beautiful on deo-d offense teams especially, because even starmie (normally the bane of gengar's spinblocking) will get smashed, rspinning into gengar then trying to follow up with a surf/hpump/psychic ko but popped with a stab sball before it can do anything...if you doubt it give it a shot. hp ice or tbolt, depends on if your team is weak to dragons or gyarados. oh yeah and you can trick blissey unstoppable

[Joeyboy]

Terrakion @ (Salac Berry)
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat

Pretty cool set that I've had a lot of fun using. This set aims to combine Terrakion's awesome Sub/SD set with the ability to increase speed. No one ever expects it and it can lead to many clean sweeps. Substitute blocks Scizor, and the other common priority atm from nailing Terrakion; Swords Dance allows Terrakion to reach absurd power and act even as a stallbreaker; finally the Salac Berry allows Terrakion to punish careless offensive teams(seriously who needs +2 Spe when you already have a base of 108).

Hope you guys try it out :]

[Jimbon]

Amoonguss (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 192 HP / 252 Def / 28 SAtk / 36 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spore
- Stun Spore
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Giga Drain

Here's something I've been testing pretty extensively, and I've had pretty decent results. While the moveset may look pretty standard, the EVs are what separate this from the standard Amoonguss. I'm really surprised I haven't seen other Physically Defensive Amoonguss, as it is surprisingly good. I used a similar set back in Dream World to beat Excadrill and Garchomp, but it still performs great in the current metagame. The set helps to beat / cripple a lot of common physical attackers, namely Landorus, Terrakion, Dragonite, Salamence, Lucario, Scizor among other notable physical threats. Most of these think they can easily set up against Amoonguss who does not pose the best defense, when actually Amoonguss's base defense is 70 while it's special defense is 80. It's great for luring in many physical attackers, while also doing pretty well at checking Keldeo and Thundurus-T. As for the EVs, 192 HP EVs gives Amoonguss a Regenerator number, while the 28 SAtk EVs lets Amoonguss break Keldeo's Substitute. 36 Speed EVs is to speed creep other Amoonguss, however this is just preference. I've been using this on a Sand Stall team with a Specially Defensive Hippowdon and it works great, as the both bounce off eachother really well. I highly encourage you to try out this set, you'll be surprised as to what it can do.

[Ricky Horror]

Lucario@Focus Sash
Trait: Inner Focus
Evs: 252 Atk/ 4Hp / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
-Close Combat
-Crunch
-Extremespeed
-Ice punch

Lucario is always 4MSS, but with this set it's free to pick up the extra move and OHKO several leads after Extremespeed. Aslo grabbing some mid-game to late-game kills if SR are kept off the field.

[Lavos Spawn]

of course there's always the matter of actually keeping sr off the field...

[RegiGuy]

Originally Posted by Fat iHeartlessHero1337

Volcarona @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power(Ice)/Psychic
- Bug Buzz
- U-turn
- Flamethrower/Fiery Dance/Fire Blast/Overheat

It's job in this set changed from set up sweeper to lead scout which is still a threat to leads like Ferrothorn, Metagross, Skarmory, Jolteon, Azelf or Jirachi. It's main purpose however, is definately being the most ANTI-Genesect pokemon around in OU. The scarf means it will outspeed any variant of Genesect while still being able to OHKO.

Even with the HP ice forcing a loss of 1 speed IV, it is still faster. Any of the fire type moves will OHKO Genesect or Ferrorthorn, however only Fire Blast and Overheat guarantee others such as Jirachi, and Metagross. It will be up to personal preference of Power VS Accuracy.

With that said you must also remember Fiery Dance has the chance to +1 SAttk Making Volcarona a threat to the next pokemon coming in should they be weak or neutral to fire (GAMBLE).

While it's not a physical attker the u-turn is there if you wish to scout and save it for later. And the HP Ice is there for coverage, but could be replaced with Psychic if you want.

Should your opponents team be weak after rock and/or spike damage and the tides of battle.. This Volcarona, while not as strong as the QD-sweeper version is still a sweeper. Scarfed base 100+ are the only threats to this Volcarona as is any version of Tyranitar, Dragonite, Heatran, Ground and Water-Types. I recommend, if you give this a try, that you be careful.

Well guess I'm not the only one who uses this. Anyway, to add on to what the poster and Boondocker said, I would slash on Giga Drain. I mainly use the moves Bug Buzz, Flamethrower, Giga Drain, and HP Ice for coverage since a Volcarona with U-turn just screams "I'm Choice Scarfed." Also Giga Drain can 2HKO an unexpected Keldeo that switches in. This has happened several times while using this set. You could also choose to run Hidden Power Rock to hit Fire-types bar heatran, Gyarados, and opposing Volcarona.

To add on to the movesets, here's something I have come up with. (I really wish I knew how to put sprites in posts)

Espeon @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Bounce
Evs: 252 HP / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
-Heal Bell
-Calm Mind
-Baton Pass / HP Fire
-Psychic / HP Fire

Basically serves as a cleric and then a set-up sweeper or Baton Passer. The idea is to come in on something that sets up hazards, such as Forretress or Ferrothorn, either use Heal Bell or Calm Mind depending on the situation, then proceed to either sweep or pass on your boosts to an appropriate Pokemon on your team. The Evs are mainly like that because I haven't really done calcs for this set nor does it need Evs in SpAtk as it isn't intended to stay in for long or hit hard off-the-bat. I have found success in using this set, but it is vulnerable to Choice Scarf users.

[Lavos Spawn]

Originally Posted by Fat iHeartlessHero1337

Volcarona @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power(Ice)/Psychic
- Bug Buzz
- U-turn
- Flamethrower/Fiery Dance/Fire Blast/Overheat

ok i tried this set on PS (not ideal testing grounds but w/e) and it did surprisingly well, especially against the single stall team i faced. chansey came in, uturn, terrakion, offensive pressure achieved.

i recommend this set highly to anyone who hates genesect.