(Other) Explosion in GSC [Outline]

Jorgen · Jun 15th, 2013, 6:24:19 PM

Got the approval for this a while back from Jelli, like a long time ago, and I didn't have time to do it. I have the time now, though, so although this wasn't explicitly approved in the approval thread, I'm assuming the approval from ages ago is still valid. I'm only posting an outline for now to make it easier for QC people to sift through the content.

Introduction

Strongest move in GSC
Can usually OHKO just about anything that doesn't resist it
Is typically more reliable than the 50-50 affair it is in RBY
Also generally used for much more specific reasons: offensive, defensive, tactical
Despite its effectiveness, there are ways to combat its use
You lose a mon when you use it, so be careful
But then again, don't be too afraid to pull the trigger, especially when it's unexpected

Mechanics

Base power 250, halves defense
Selfdestruct used by Lax, with 200 BP, STAB, and halving of defense
Fainting mechanics if used first:
opposing Pokemon can't move
no poison/burn/seed damage
spikes damage on yoru switch-in assessed
lefties assessed after spikes

Ways to use:
Wallbreaking

Often called bait-explosion
Criteria for a good bait-exploder:
Must be otherwise-countered by their target
Must be able to take a hit from or outspeed their target
Don't wait until your Exploder is about to die to pull the trigger
Examples: Exeggutor for Zapdos, Cloyster for Starmie, Gengar for Raikou

Defensive

Stops setup sweepers and saves the game
Criterion for a good defensive exploder:
Must be able to outspeed or take a hit from their target
Examples: Cloyster for Vaporeon, Gengar for Agi-Passed Snorlax

Free turns

Because of death mechanics, if you go first, your opponent can't move
Even if you can't kill, can prevent the opponent from Resting
At the very least, even if you go last, you get a free switch
Should be done sparingly, this usually isn't as good as a trade
Example: specific scenario

Bluffing

Sometimes predicting Explosion can be just as punishing as using it
Use this to your advantage
Can bluff both offensive and defensive Explosions
Bluffing offensive is lower-risk, but less likely to work because of that
Bluffing defensive is high-risk, but more likely to work because of that
Examples: Egg puts Skarm to sleep, Cloyster Spikes as Drumlax switches out

Trading down

If you're up in the Pokemon count, you can use Exploders to simplify into a favorable endgame
Or instead of simplifying, you can just outright win if you can trade all of your Exploders for all of their remaining Pokemon
Can also prevent last-Poke shenanigans; too much for last-Poke Lax and Vap to set up against

Main users
Cloyster

Main use is Spiking
Baits Starmie, but mediocre otherwise in wallbreaking
Good defensive boomer because of high defense and good speed tier

Exeggutor

Sleep Powder and attacking power can really force the issue
Great at baiting ST Zapdos and also Raikou to an extent
Not great defensively because of speed tier and bug weak, but can deal with Lax

Gengar

Great offensive Exploder with Sleep threat and coverage
Can bait Raikou and Lax pretty reliably, but can struggle to OHKO
Speed makes it a decent defensive user, especially against Agi-Passed Lax, but lack of power can miss out on KOs
Really, though, it's much better used offensively

Snorlax

STAB Selfdestruct, not Explosion
Strongest sacrifice in the game
Good offensively, almost no risk if you run Curse to catch Skarm, or you could run coverage to catch Suicune/Miltank
Defensive boom is also great for opposing Curselax, has power to muscle past a Curse or two
Defensive boom also good for lots of other stuff such as Charizard because Snorlax is good at surviving most hits
Lax misses out on walling ability by using Boom, though

Steelix

Has Curse & EQ to force the issue... somewhat
Offensive boom is OK, can break Suicune and Zapdos at +1
Defensive boom is basically nonexistent, can't even outspeed Lax
Defensive boom use is relegated to beating last-Poke Curselax
Very useful defensively for opposing Lax/Electrics, so usually reluctant to Explode

Forretress

Main purpose in life is Spikes
Awful offensively, doesn't force anything to take it at all
Decent defensively, can survive pretty much any non-Fire hit and hits hard enough to OHKO things

Muk

Another Curse Bomber
Offensively, it's unexpected, applies pressure with Curse, and can force basically whatever it wants to go down, although Ghosts & Rocks can be a problem
Defensively, it can prevent Marowak and Snorlax from setting up, and can survive a Vap Surf (although fears faster Acid Armor), not good for much else due to low Speed & EQ weak

Golem

ANOTHER Curse Bomber
Offensively, it's kinda weak, has to catch Waters on the switch, takes a ton from Zapdos' Hidden Power
Defensively, it can mess with Snorlax (even Curselax), not much else

Combatting Explosion

Switch a Resistor into a predicted Explosion

the lower their health, the more likely they'll try to Explode
alternatively, if you're setting up, they'll also likely Explode
try to use Normal resists that can't be punished easily. Example: Skarm on Exeggutor

Strategic Sacrifice

Explosion does little good if it KOs the wrong thing
Ideally your sacrifice should be low-risk
Example: Vap on Cloyster

Reflect/Defense Boosts/Substitute

You could just outright deflect Explosion's power
Example: Reflect Raikou, Curse from Lax, Acid Armor from Vap, Substitute from Tentacruel

Caveats

Explosion is very risky, you will lose a Pokemon whether they do or not, so don't just mindlessly Explode
Then again, predicting Explosion can also be risky for your opponent, so don't be afraid to pull the trigger if you're in control

Conclusion

Get out there and get a hands-on feel for how to use Explosion yourself!

Jun 15th, 2013, 6:24:19 PM	#1
Jorgen World's Strongest Fairy Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 749	Explosion in GSC [Outline] Got the approval for this a while back from Jelli, like a long time ago, and I didn't have time to do it. I have the time now, though, so although this wasn't explicitly approved in the approval thread, I'm assuming the approval from ages ago is still valid. I'm only posting an outline for now to make it easier for QC people to sift through the content. Introduction Strongest move in GSC Can usually OHKO just about anything that doesn't resist it Is typically more reliable than the 50-50 affair it is in RBY Also generally used for much more specific reasons: offensive, defensive, tactical Despite its effectiveness, there are ways to combat its use You lose a mon when you use it, so be careful But then again, don't be too afraid to pull the trigger, especially when it's unexpected Mechanics Base power 250, halves defense Selfdestruct used by Lax, with 200 BP, STAB, and halving of defense Fainting mechanics if used first: opposing Pokemon can't move no poison/burn/seed damage spikes damage on yoru switch-in assessed lefties assessed after spikes Ways to use: Wallbreaking Often called bait-explosion Criteria for a good bait-exploder: Must be otherwise-countered by their target Must be able to take a hit from or outspeed their target Don't wait until your Exploder is about to die to pull the trigger Examples: Exeggutor for Zapdos, Cloyster for Starmie, Gengar for Raikou Defensive Stops setup sweepers and saves the game Criterion for a good defensive exploder: Must be able to outspeed or take a hit from their target Examples: Cloyster for Vaporeon, Gengar for Agi-Passed Snorlax Free turns Because of death mechanics, if you go first, your opponent can't move Even if you can't kill, can prevent the opponent from Resting At the very least, even if you go last, you get a free switch Should be done sparingly, this usually isn't as good as a trade Example: specific scenario Bluffing Sometimes predicting Explosion can be just as punishing as using it Use this to your advantage Can bluff both offensive and defensive Explosions Bluffing offensive is lower-risk, but less likely to work because of that Bluffing defensive is high-risk, but more likely to work because of that Examples: Egg puts Skarm to sleep, Cloyster Spikes as Drumlax switches out Trading down If you're up in the Pokemon count, you can use Exploders to simplify into a favorable endgame Or instead of simplifying, you can just outright win if you can trade all of your Exploders for all of their remaining Pokemon Can also prevent last-Poke shenanigans; too much for last-Poke Lax and Vap to set up against Main users Cloyster Main use is Spiking Baits Starmie, but mediocre otherwise in wallbreaking Good defensive boomer because of high defense and good speed tier Exeggutor Sleep Powder and attacking power can really force the issue Great at baiting ST Zapdos and also Raikou to an extent Not great defensively because of speed tier and bug weak, but can deal with Lax Gengar Great offensive Exploder with Sleep threat and coverage Can bait Raikou and Lax pretty reliably, but can struggle to OHKO Speed makes it a decent defensive user, especially against Agi-Passed Lax, but lack of power can miss out on KOs Really, though, it's much better used offensively Snorlax STAB Selfdestruct, not Explosion Strongest sacrifice in the game Good offensively, almost no risk if you run Curse to catch Skarm, or you could run coverage to catch Suicune/Miltank Defensive boom is also great for opposing Curselax, has power to muscle past a Curse or two Defensive boom also good for lots of other stuff such as Charizard because Snorlax is good at surviving most hits Lax misses out on walling ability by using Boom, though Steelix Has Curse & EQ to force the issue... somewhat Offensive boom is OK, can break Suicune and Zapdos at +1 Defensive boom is basically nonexistent, can't even outspeed Lax Defensive boom use is relegated to beating last-Poke Curselax Very useful defensively for opposing Lax/Electrics, so usually reluctant to Explode Forretress Main purpose in life is Spikes Awful offensively, doesn't force anything to take it at all Decent defensively, can survive pretty much any non-Fire hit and hits hard enough to OHKO things Muk Another Curse Bomber Offensively, it's unexpected, applies pressure with Curse, and can force basically whatever it wants to go down, although Ghosts & Rocks can be a problem Defensively, it can prevent Marowak and Snorlax from setting up, and can survive a Vap Surf (although fears faster Acid Armor), not good for much else due to low Speed & EQ weak Golem ANOTHER Curse Bomber Offensively, it's kinda weak, has to catch Waters on the switch, takes a ton from Zapdos' Hidden Power Defensively, it can mess with Snorlax (even Curselax), not much else Combatting Explosion Switch a Resistor into a predicted Explosion the lower their health, the more likely they'll try to Explode alternatively, if you're setting up, they'll also likely Explode try to use Normal resists that can't be punished easily. Example: Skarm on Exeggutor Strategic Sacrifice Explosion does little good if it KOs the wrong thing Ideally your sacrifice should be low-risk Example: Vap on Cloyster Reflect/Defense Boosts/Substitute You could just outright deflect Explosion's power Example: Reflect Raikou, Curse from Lax, Acid Armor from Vap, Substitute from Tentacruel Caveats Explosion is very risky, you will lose a Pokemon whether they do or not, so don't just mindlessly Explode Then again, predicting Explosion can also be risky for your opponent, so don't be afraid to pull the trigger if you're in control Conclusion Get out there and get a hands-on feel for how to use Explosion yourself!