Feraligatr [BW2 Revamp] [QC: 3/3] (GP: 2/2)

Status: Copyediting
Quality Control: Lavos Spawn, PK Gaming, Princess Bri
Grammar Check: sirndpt,



[Overview]

<p>Feraligatr is a Pokemon that is often overlooked in OU, largely because of its seemingly average stats. While base stats of 105 Attack and 100 Defense are decent by OU standards, its base 78 Speed is lacking for an OU sweeper. Fortunately, Feraligatr thrives in the rain-dominated metagame, as it powers up its Water-type STAB attacks in the form of Aqua Jet and Waterfall, which possess good neutral coverage. Its access to Aqua Jet, Crunch, Swords Dance, and a useful ability in Torrent give it a definite niche in OU over other physical rain attackers such as Gyarados and Azumarill.</p>

<p>Although Feraligatr is an effective late-game sweeper thanks to Aqua Jet, it can also function well mid-game, as opposing weather starters that attempt to remove rain have a hard time switching into it. The only exception is Abomasnow, who still won't enjoy taking a hit from Feraligatr while eating hazards damage. Defensively, its Water typing allows it to overpower common bulky Water-types or other Pokemon that seemingly wall it, barring Scald burns.</p>

<p>That said, Feraligatr does have a number of flaws. Its STAB is resisted by many popular OU Pokemon. Furthermore, it is too slow to freely spam Waterfall against offensive threats and therefore is forced to rely on Aqua Jet or its bulk to take a hit and dish back damage. However, given proper support, Feraligatr has the potential to wreak havoc due the fact that it is a forgotten threat with a specific niche, which gives trouble to a lot of stall teams already hard-pressed to cover common OU threats.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Aqua Jet
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: Crunch / Superpower / Ice Punch
item: Mystic Water
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 184 HP / 252 Atk / 72 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is to come in late-game against something that cannot do much back to Feraligatr, such as Forretress, or more commonly, Pokemon that cannot knock Feraligatr out, which include OU powerhouses such as Keldeo, Terrakion, and Scizor. From there Feraligatr can proceed to grab a Swords Dance boost as the opponent attempts to weaken it or switch out. At this point, the opposing team should be weakened enough such that faster threats will either fail to OHKO Feraligatr and get knocked back by a boosted Waterfall or Crunch, or be picked off by a +2 Mystic Water—and possibly Torrent—boosted Aqua Jet in the rain, while any slower walls will succumb to Waterfall or Feraligatr's coverage move of choice.</p>

<p>As stated above, Aqua Jet is the main selling point of this set. It allows Feraligatr to bypass its Speed issue and decimate weakened faster threats. Its power in the rain is almost comparable to Scizor's Bullet Punch, and it goes above and beyond that once Torrent kicks in. This might seem easier said than done, but Feraligatr's surprising bulk allows it to set up much more comfortably than expected. For instance, despite Keldeo's resistances to Water and Dark-type moves, it cannot take Feraligatr out in one hit and will fall to a boosted Waterfall + Aqua Jet. Gyarados also falls in the same vein. Additionally, Aqua Jet allows Feraligatr to check multiple boosting threats in OU, such as Terrakion, Landorus, Scizor, and Volcarona.</p>

<p>While it is tempting to use two coverage moves in place of Waterfall, a rain-boosted STAB Waterfall still comes in handy in most cases, as it allows Feraligatr to muscle through Hippowdon, Skarmory, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and less bulky Pokemon that resist Water-type moves. Superpower packs a massive punch and easily breaks through Ferrothorn, Gastrodon, and Chansey, among others; it can also be fired off unboosted to soften some threats, most notably Rotom-W. Ice Punch prevents Dragonite and Salamence from setting up on Feraligatr, and deals significant damage to other Dragon-types that resist Water, such as Latios, Latias, and Hydreigon. It also severely injures bulky Grass-types such as Celebi and Amoonguss, as well as less common ones like Tangrowth. Crunch, on the other hand, is the ideal choice for dealing with Jellicent, Celebi, and Slowbro. Crunch is listed first as it decimates the ever-so-common Jellicent and Celebi, and a boosted Waterfall will still hurt the other walls. Crunch also allows Feraligatr to support Keldeo, as it removes problematic Pokemon such as Jellicent and bulky Celebi, who cannot OHKO with Giga Drain. Keep in mind that a 2x-resisted STAB Mystic Water-boosted Waterfall in the rain still hits harder than any of Feraligatr's neutral coverage moves bar Superpower.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given Speed EVs allow Feraligatr to outspeed uninvested Rotom-W, and by extension any fast Jellicent. A bulkier spread can be used, however getting outsped and burned by Jellicent will put an end to Feraligatr's sweep. Conversely, more Speed EVs can be used to outspeed uninvested base 100 Speed Pokemon or Adamant Breloom at the cost of significant bulk.</p>

<p>The power behind Feraligatr's attacks goes far beyond what its supposedly only average base 105 Attack might suggest, as shown by these calculations, all of which factor in a Swords Dance boost, Mystic Water, Torrent, and rain:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Rotom-W 51.82% - 61.39%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Latias 49.86% - 58.68%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Scizor 96.5% - 113.99%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 192/64 Reuniclus 94.87% - 111.74%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Latios 66.45% - 78.41%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Dragonite (no Multiscale) 53.87% - 63.16%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Starmie 73.18% - 86.21%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Breloom 76.63% - 90.42%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Keldeo 56.04% - 65.94%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Jirachi 97.07% - 114.66%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/252+ Reuniclus 135.85% - 159.91%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/252+ Skarmory 113.17% - 133.23%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/88 Ferrothorn 69.89% - 82.1%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/16 Starmie 115.48% - 136.22%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/0 Rotom-W 103.63% - 122.11%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/0 Amoonguss 103.25% - 121.58%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 0/0 Dragonite (no Multiscale) 107.43% - 126.32%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 252/252+ Slowbro 56.85% - 67.01%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 248/216+ Jellicent 76.43% - 90.32%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 248/0 Celebi 81.89% - 96.77%</li>
</ul>

<p>Getting into Torrent range is a big part of Feraligatr's performance. Luckily, Feraligatr's bulk allows it to weather most hits, even some super effective ones, and live with just enough HP to start a Torrent-boosted rampage. Here is a list of some common attacks that can bring it close to or into Torrent range, with the listed EV investment of 184 HP:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>252 Atk+ Kyurem-B Fusion Bolt 82.35% - 96.92%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Rotom-W Volt Switch 71.43% - 84.03%</li>
<li>252 Atk+ Choice Band Scizor U-turn 52.94% - 62.46%</li>
<li>252 SpA Life Orb Starmie Thunderbolt 73.95% - 87.39%</li>
<li>252 Atk (+1) Terrakion Close Combat 81.79% - 96.64%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Life Orb Reuniclus Psychic 67.23% - 78.99%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Life Orb Landorus Earth Power (Sheer Force) 81.79% - 96.64%</li>
<li>252 Atk+ Gyarados Waterfall (Rain) 29.41% - 34.45%</li>
<li>252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Hydro Pump (Rain) 71.43% - 84.03%</li>
<li>0 SpA Amoonguss Giga Drain 47.06% - 55.46%</li>
<li>0 Atk Ferrothorn Power Whip 68.91% - 81.51%</li>
<li>0 SpA Celebi Giga Drain 52.94% - 63.03%</li>
</ul>

<p>Naturally, entry hazards can jeopardize Feraligatr's tanking capability, so a spinner is recommended. Tentacruel and Starmie are arguably the best choices to support Feraligatr. The former can soak up Toxic Spikes, which is by far the most dangerous hazard for Feraligatr. The latter packs an offensive presence which has good synergy with it.</p>

<p>Rain support is mandatory for Feraligatr to shine in OU. An offensive Politoed, especially a Choice Specs variant, is a good partner as it helps soften up Pokemon that resist Water-type moves such as opposing Tentacruel, Rotom-W, Latios, Starmie, and Ferrothorn. Speaking of Ferrothorn, it is also a good partner for Feraligatr, as it can take on or at least switch into common Pokemon that trouble Feraligatr, such as Latias, Latios, Amoonguss, Celebi, Starmie, and Rotom-W, and in return lay hazards to facilitate Feraligatr's late-game sweep.</p>

<p>As far as items go, it is hard to find one with more utility and consistency than Mystic Water. Lum Berry can be used to get an extra Swords Dance or attack without worry of a status move or Scald burn. Life Orb is also an option as it further boosts Feraligatr's power (including that of its coverage moves), however it essentially puts a timer on Feraligatr's sweep, and is therefore not recommended. A Wacan or Rindo Berry can also prove useful in extending Feraligatr's sweep, although it requires specific and proper planning and will not perform as consistently as Mystic Water.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>There are a few other options that can be considered when using Feraligatr in OU, however it is hard to find one that is not outclassed by another Pokemon. Feraligatr can make good use of its bulk to run a Choice Band set, but Azumarill is better in this regard. Likewise, a Dragon Dance set is viable, but Gyarados usually performs this better due to its ease in getting two Dragon Dances up, which is necessary for either of them to outspeed common Choice Scarf foes.</p>

<p>A Swords Dance set with Aqua Jet and two coverage moves can be used, as the combination of Superpower and Crunch can dispose of defensive cores such as Ferrothorn + Jellicent. Feraligatr also receives other physical moves that are worth mentioning, such as Aqua Tail, Earthquake, Return, Shadow Claw, and Low Kick. Waterfall is still preferred over Aqua Tail as it generally nets the same KOs while having perfect accuracy and a chance to flinch. Earthquake is a gimmicky option that hits Tentacruel, Toxicroak, and Jirachi harder, as well as making quick work of Ninetales that might think it can tank a hit in the sun. Return can be used to hit its checks and counters neutrally, barring Ferrothorn and Jellicent. Shadow Claw is an option over Crunch to keep a neutral hit on Toxicroak but loses some crucial OHKOs. Finally, Low Kick lacks the negative effects of Superpower and still gets the job done against Ferrothorn. However, it should be noted that Superpower is much more reliable against special walls and Rotom-W.</p>

<p>A Substitute + Swords Dance set can be used at the expense of Aqua Jet or the coverage move, leaving Feraligatr with only Water-type attacks. Substitute is a nice surprise move as it can block status and ward off Scald burns, and reliably getting into Torrent + boosting-berry range is also a neat option to have. However, mono-Water-type attacks leave it completely walled by too many things and dropping Aqua Jet makes little sense as it is Feraligatr's main selling point. Substitute does work as a one-time cushion against revenge killers, but it will lose the ability to pick off weakened teams, which should be the goal of a team centered around Feraligatr.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Feraligatr's checks and counters can be divided into two categories, yet they have one thing in common: a resistance to Water. The first group of checks to Feraligatr comprises of those that can outspeed and deal heavy damage to it. These include Latias, Latios, Salamence, Dragonite, Kyurem-B, Breloom, Celebi, Venusaur, Toxicroak, Starmie, and Rotom-W. Keep in mind that most of these Pokemon need to be kept healthy to properly check Feraligatr, as a boosted Aqua Jet can pick off weakened ones. This is especially true for Rotom-W, who, despite being able to maim Feraligatr with its STAB Electric-type attack or Will-O-Wisp, is one of the easier Pokemon to wear down as it is often forced to switch in and out to deal with Feraligatr's common teammates Starmie, Politoed, and Tornadus. Checks in this group also need to take Feraligatr out in one hit, as they will fall to the Waterfall + Aqua Jet combination otherwise. Toxicroak gets a special mention as it is immune to Feraligatr's dreaded Water-type moves, and can set up in return. Technician Breloom also outspeeds Feraligatr with the given EV spread and can out-prioritize Feraligatr with Mach Punch, as can ExtremeSpeed Dragonite.</p>

<p>The second way to handle Feraligatr is by attempting to wall it. Pokemon that fall into this category are Jellicent, Ferrothorn, Tentacruel, Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Slowbro. However, they will all fall to the appropriate coverage move. If Feraligatr lacks the coverage move to deal with these Pokemon, Jellicent can cripple Feraligatr with Will-O-Wisp, Tangrowth and Amoonguss can neuter Feraligatr with Sleep Powder and Spore respectively or outright attack with Giga Drain, and Ferrothorn can utilize Power Whip and Leech Seed. Tentacruel, like a lot of other bulky Water-types, can attempt to stomach Feraligatr's assault, but cannot do much in return aside from fishing for a Scald burn. However, the Toxic set can try to stall Feraligatr out, and laying up Toxic Spikes early will help in limiting Feraligatr's staying power.</p>

[Unreleased]

<p>Sheer Force is an interesting addition to Feraligatr, as not only does it aid the Swords Dance set, but it also makes a Dragon Dance set more viable. In addition to boosting the power of Waterfall, Crunch, and Ice Punch, this ability also negates Life Orb recoil when the aforementioned moves are used. This will allow Feraligatr to fire off much more powerful unboosted attacks right off the bat, increasing its versatility.</p>

Toxicroak should be mentioned as a counter because it can tank everything bar ice punch. Return should also get a mention either in AC or OO because it gets great neutral coverage with waterfall at the cost of being walled by jellicent and ferrothorn.

add the explanation for in what situations you'd want to use ice punch and it's good. kinda helps that you know this pokemon better than almost everyone else. shoutout to marth, and

qc approved 1/3

Add Substitute in the AC, which would go over the 4th move. Sub lets Gatr get past usual checks such as Ferrothorn (Leech Seed is not fun), Amoonguss, and Rotom-W, protects Gatr from Scald users other than Jellicent, and gives a way to Gatr to get into Torrent range manually if needed. Yeah being walled by Jellicent, Toxicroak, and Gastrodon sucks, but this is what Gothitelle is for, so make sure to mention him as a partner for versions with Sub.

what the hell are you talking about...sub is literally useless when using sd gatr. all the pokemon you mention aren't affected at all by gatr having sub. ferro is just gonna power whip you anyways and not bother with leech seed. amoonguss will giga drain you twice and you'll die. clear smog still breaks the sub so that's a moot point. rotom-w will volt switch. and you even listed jellicent as a counter that you now win vs when you have sub, but then go on to mention that you actually lose to jelli regardless because now you can't hit it. being completely ineffective against three common ou pokemon, and vulnerable to a plethora of potential checks, is not a good reason to mention substitute.

don't listen to him hugo!!

Why would Amoonguss not use Spore on Gatr, especially when +4 Waterfall OHKOes (103.24 - 121.52%). In the same vein, Rotom-W would be better off using WoW to neutralize Gatr than to use Volt Switch, which would only give to Gatr a second turn to use SD as well as getting into Torrent range, and then good luck finding something to deal with +4 Torrent Gatr. Finally, Ferrothorn is better off using Leech Seed as well, as one turn of Leech Seed + SR + Power Whip OHKOes Gatr and doesn't give to Gatr the chance to hit back with Torrent boosted Waterfall. If Ferrothorn were to use Power Whip, Gatr would just take it, setup a second SD and then deal 95.17 - 111.93%, which has a 68.75% chance to OHKO standard Ferro and always OHKOes SpD versions.

cos amoonguss could just clear smog or giga drain depending on gatr's health? seems pretty obvious to me. and ferro shouldn't use leech seed for obvious reasons, if gatr has superpower ferro's dead anyways but if it doesn't then gatr is just gonna sd again so power whip is by far the better move since from torrent range a +4 waterfall ohkos most variants. seriously i've never seen a mono attacking sub sd gatr work at all well, it's trash. ac should not become the place where we dump everything that sucks, but COULD be used.

You know, if Amoonguss is clear smogging, Substitute blocks that. And I have a feeling Clear Smog fails to break the sub.

Edit: I really doubt that. Amoonguss' clear smog is weak as hell. It barely does double a sub to uninvested BRELOOM who is much less bulky than Feraligatr as I recall. Hell, as I recall Giga Drain doesn't even do 50% to Feraligatr, although that could be something else.

Yea I don't back Substitute at all. When I used Gatr, I always wanted as many attacking moves as possible, and alexwolfs examples don't exactly fill me with support for Substitute.

Its also worth noting that iitc 72 speed Gatr outspeeds 0 speed Rotom-W (ie SDef versions) and faster Rotom-W would win regardlessso yea, im not seeing ANY use for Sub really.

@ Tehy

Clear smog still breaks the sub so that's a moot point.

Click to expand...

Clear Smog doesn't break the Sub Lavos, and as i explained again using Giga Drain is not the best option against a healthy Gatr if Spore can be used. I already explained to you why Ferrothorn shouldn't use Power Whip the first turn too (and idk why you mentioned Superpower as if Gatr has that then Ferro dies before doing anything.

then gatr is just gonna sd again so power whip is by far the better move since from torrent range a +4 waterfall ohkos most variants

Click to expand...

The point is that if you don't hit Gatr with Power Whip on the first turn and use Leech Seed instead then Gatr won't get the Torrent boost at +4, and thus won't OHKO Ferro, while getting OHKOed back from Power Whip after SR + 1 turn of Leech Seed + Iron Barbs damage.

I am ok with mentioning Sub at the OO, as far as you get the uses it has. However, you can't argue that Sub is useless when you don't get its use.

[qc]2/3[/qc]

thanks for this getting up man

ah i was calcing sludge bomb lol...whoops. ok so you are now running sub on gatr in order to beat amoonguss, but at the expense of being able to beat celebi, jellicent, gastrodon, toxicroak, ferrothorn, and the list goes on and on. i've been saying for months and months now that teambuilding is all about tradeoffs, and in this particular instance unless your team is really weak to amoonguss then sub is a shitty tradeoff! so uh...don't use it.

Lavos as i already explained to you, Sub allows you to better deal with Ferrothorn, SpD Rotom-W, and Amoonguss, as well as Scald users such as Tentacruel and defensive Starmie (with Sub you can use those two as set-up bait and get all the way to +6 where otherwise you would be forced to KO them as fast as possible to avoid the Scald burn). Btw, i am comparing Sub to Crunch, which is the main slash on the last slot. Once again, i am fine with wherever Sub is mentioned (AC or OO) as long as you understand its use.

there's a lot of disagreement in c&c about this one and we've all seen both sides of the argument presented, so i'd like to leave it up to gr8astard's discretion as to whether or not he would like to include sub in ac/oo. of all of us he knows feraligatr the best and could probably articulate the merits and detriments of sub better than alexwolf or i, so let's hand it over to him imo

also i'm tired of typing, so there's that

All right, so not to start even more QC arguing, but here's an idea:Why not AC subsitute, with aqua jet replaced by a coverage move?

I mean, the whole thing with Aqua Jet is to block revenge killers, and Substitute can help you do that too. It's not foolproof, but the alternative is to be walled by anything with a water immunity and still having trouble with a lot of water resistances.

I get what Alexwolf is trying to say, but I am still undecided on this. On one hand, substitute Feraligatr has a surprise factor that can make it useful, as you said, to block status moves and ward off scald burns. Getting into Torrent + boosting berry range a la Empoleon also sounds pretty neat. However, mono-water attack leaves it completely walled by too many things and as Lavos said it is all about tradeoffs.

From personal experience I believe Gatr performs best in a team with solid synergy both offensively and defensively, for instance with pokemon such as Keldeo and Starmie to soften water resists or Tornadus to force Rotom-W to continuously switch in, all while eating hazards damage. The same synergy is not offered by Gothitelle, not to mention it can usually only trap one pokemon before it dies. Against a sand team with both Jellicent and Celebi, for instance, you can only choose to trap one (obviously Jellicent, because it is immune to your attack) before being revenged by Tyranitar, thus leaving your Gatr unable to muscle through Celebi with Waterfall alone. That said, I admit substitute Gatr is a neat idea, but if I do get convinced to add it I'll most likely put it in OO, not AC.

Mono water is garb and Sub is too situational. Oo it pls.

i still don't get how your english is good like what the hell

put spaces in between /'s and the moves or evs

[qc]3/3[/qc]

Thanks for writing this, gr8 - can't think of a better man for this job!

some general poke-grammar problems:
- capitalize moves and typing (Scald; Water-type)

overview:
- you end on a sour note, don't do that. Bring up its flaws early on and end strong with positives so people want to continue reading.

set comments
- explanation of ev spread goes in additional comments, and it's certainly not the best way to introduce any set
- provide a description of this set's role and performance instead. What is the mission of this set (to perform a clean SD sweep with Rain support). How do you play this set? When does it usually find the opportunity to SD? Can it be injected into battle earlier on? You can also bring up how Gatr can take down water resists with SD -> Waterfall -> AJ.
- you then move into individual move descriptions, which you have done splendidly.

additional comments
- convincing calcs
- nice teammates
- i'd suggest some lesser items, unless you think they are totally outclassed. You could mention Lum Berry for a one-time emergency protection against status, allowing Feraligatr more opportunities to set up Swords Dance on bulky Water-types. Wacan / Rindo Berry to halve Electric / Grass moves? Mention that the loss of power boost in its STAB moves is significant, though.
EDIT: It seems you talked about this in OO - move that paragraph to AC; add Wacan / Rindo if you think it has its uses (I personally think its better than LO)

other options
- add aqua tail and Substitute here

checks & counters
- nice summation of counters in your first sentence

They also need to take Feraligatr out in one hit, otherwise they will fall to the Waterfall + Aqua Jet combination.

Click to expand...

except for Toxicroak

unreleased

However, without the Swords Dance set's defensive investment, Feraligatr will have a harder time setting up and will be more vulnerable to priority attacks—even Scizor will deal up to 30% with a Choice Band Bullet Punch. Therefore, the viability of Sheer Force over Torrent in OU is debatable.

Click to expand...

This is quite misleading, since Sheer Force can also greatly power up SD set, too. Sure Sheer Force wont boost Aqua Jet, but free LO & SF boosts to Waterfall and Crunch; what's not to love? It'll outshine Torrent most of the time, no doubt.

Thumbs up, gr8!

as a feraligatr lover (<3) i can safely say that sometimes you need BOTH superpower and crunch; superpower is for the obvious ferrothorn, while crunch is for celebi, and mainly jellicent. This allows you to get past those common core that otherwhise can wall you depending on the move. And tbh waterfall isnt really that usefull if you dont use fast feraligatr, aqua jet its still the move you are going to use against fast threats. With aqua jet/spower/crunch coverage life orb can also be used imo.

Nice to see the issue has been solved. If gr8astard doesn't find it AC worthy, then OO is the perfect place for it as it is true that giving up valuable coverage is very hard to do.

One last thing i want to say about Sub is that it allows Gatr to avoid the OHKO from certain hard hitters that otherwise check Gatr pretty well. For example, Specs Latios can switch into anything bar Crunch / Ice Punch, take even a +2 Aqua Jet and OHKO back with DM. However, with Sub you can use Sub as Latios comes in, let the first DM break your sub as you use SD and then take the second DM as you use SD for a second time and Latios goes for the second DM while simultaneously getting into Torrent range. Then OHKO Latios with +4 Torrent boosted Aqua Jet and sweep if faster priority users are gone.

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[Overview]

<p>Feraligatr is a Pokemon that is often overlooked in OU, largely because of its seemingly average stats. While base stats of 105 Attack and 100 Defense are decent by OU standards, its base 78 Speed is lacking for an OU sweeper. Fortunately, Feraligatr thrives in the rain-dominated metagame, as it powers up its Water-type STAB attacks in the form of Aqua Jet and Waterfall, which possess good neutral coverage. Its access to Aqua Jet, Crunch, Swords Dance, and an abusable a useful ability in Torrent give it a definite niche in OU over other physical rain attackers such as Gyarados and Azumarill.</p>

<p>Although Feraligatr is an effective late-game sweeper thanks to Aqua Jet, it can also function well mid-game, as opposing weather starters that attempt to cancel out remove rain have a hard time switching into it. barring The only exception is Abomasnow, who still won'(!)t enjoy taking a hit from Feraligatr while eating hazards damage. Defensively, its Water typing allows it to overpower common bulky Waters or other Pokemon that seemingly wall it, barring Scald burns.</p>

<p>That said, Feraligatr does have a number of flaws. Its STAB is resisted by many popular OU Pokemon if unboosted. Furthermore, it is too slow to freely abuse spam Waterfall against offensive threats and therefore is forced to rely on Aqua Jet or its bulk to take a hit and dish back damage. However, given proper support, Feraligatr has the potential to wreak havoc due the fact that it is a forgotten threat with a specific niche, which gives trouble to a lot of stall teams already hard-pressed to cover common OU threats.</p>

[SET]
space not needed
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Aqua Jet
move 3: Waterfall
move 4: Crunch / Superpower / Ice Punch
item: Mystic Water
ability: Torrent
nature: Adamant
evs: 184 HP / 252 Atk / 72 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is to come in late-game against something that cannot do much back to Feraligatr, such as Forretress, or more commonly, Pokemon that cannot knock Feraligatr out, which include OU powerhouses such as Keldeo, Terrakion, or Scizor. From there Feraligatr can proceed to grab a Swords Dance boost as the opponent attempts to weaken it or switch out. At this point, the opposing team should be weakened enough such that faster threats will either fail to OHKO Feraligatr and get knocked back by a boosted Waterfall / or Crunch,(comma) or be picked off by a +2 Mystic Water- (and possibly Torrent-) boosted Aqua Jet in the rain, while any slower walls will succumb to Waterfall or the Feraligatr's coverage move of choice.</p>

<p>As stated above, Aqua Jet is the main selling point of this set. It allows Feraligatr to bypass its Speed issue and decimate weakened faster threats. Its power in the rain is almost comparable to Scizor's Bullet Punch, and it goes above and beyond that once Torrent kicks in. This might seem easier said than done, but Feraligatr's surprising bulk allows it to set up much more comfortably than expected. For instance, despite Keldeo resisting Keldeo's resistances to Water and Dark moves, it cannot take Feraligatr out in one hit and will fall to a boosted Waterfall + Aqua Jet. Gyarados also falls in the same vein. Additionally, Aqua Jet allows Feraligatr to check multiple boosting threats in OU,(comma) such as Terrakion, Landorus, Scizor, and Volcarona.</p>

<p>While it is tempting to use two coverage moves in place of Waterfall, a rain-boosted STAB Waterfall still comes in handy in most cases, as it allows Feraligatr to muscle through Hippowdon, Skarmory, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and less bulky Water resists. Superpower packs a massive punch and easily breaks through Ferrothorn, Gastrodon, and Chansey,(comma) among others; it can also be fired off unboosted to soften some threats, most notably Rotom-W. Ice Punch prevents Dragonite and Salamence from setting up on Feraligatr, and deals significant damage to other Dragon-types that resist Water,(comma) such as Latios, Latias, and Hydreigon. It also severely injures bulky Grass-types such as Celebi and Amoonguss, as well as less common ones like Tangrowth. Crunch, on the other hand, is the ideal choice for dealing with Jellicent, Celebi, and Slowbro. Crunch is listed first as it decimates the ever-so-common Jellicent and Celebi in this metagame, and a boosted Waterfall will still hurt the other walls. Crunch also allows Feraligatr to support Keldeo, as it removes problematic Pokemon such as Jellicent and bulky Celebi, which cannot OHKO with Giga Drain. Keep in mind that a 2x-resisted STAB Mystic Water-boosted Waterfall in the rain still hits harder than any of Feraligatr's neutral coverage moves bar Superpower.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The given speed EVs allow Feraligatr to outspeed uninvested speed Rotom-W, and by extension any fast Jellicent. A bulkier spread can be used, however getting outsped and burned by Jellicent will put an end to Feraligatr'(!)s sweep. Conversely, more Speed can be given used to outspeed uninvested base 100s or Adamant Breloom at the cost of significant bulk.</p>

<p>The power behind Feraligatr's attacks goes far beyond what its "average" supposedly only average base 105 Attack might suggest, as shown by these calculations, all of which factor in a Swords Dance boost, Mystic Water, Torrent, and rain:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Rotom-W 51.82% - 61.39%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Latias 49.86% - 58.68%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 248/0 Scizor 96.5% - 113.99%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 192/64 Reuniclus 94.87% - 111.74%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Latios 66.45% - 78.41%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Dragonite (no Multiscale) 53.87% - 63.16%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Starmie 73.18% - 86.21%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Breloom 76.63% - 90.42%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Keldeo 56.04% - 65.94%</li>
<li>Aqua Jet vs 0/0 Jirachi 97.07% - 114.66%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/252+ Reuniclus 135.85% - 159.91%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/252+ Skarmory 113.17% - 133.23%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 252/88 Ferrothorn 69.89% - 82.1%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/16 Starmie 115.48% - 136.22%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/0 Rotom-W 103.63% - 122.11%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 248/0 Amoonguss 103.25% - 121.58%</li>
<li>Waterfall vs 0/0 Dragonite (no Multiscale) 107.43% - 126.32%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 252/252+ Slowbro 56.85% - 67.01%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 248/216+ Jellicent 76.43% - 90.32%</li>
<li>Crunch vs 248/0 Celebi 81.89% - 96.77%</li>
</ul>

<p>Getting into Torrent range is a big part of Feraligatr's performance. Luckily, Feraligatr's bulk allows it to weather most hits, even some super effective ones, and live with just enough HP to start a Torrent-boosted rampage. Here is a list of some common attacks that can bring it close to or into Torrent range, with the listed EV investment of 184 HP EVs investment:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>252 Atk+ Kyurem-B Fusion Bolt 82.35% - 96.92%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Rotom-W Volt Switch 71.43% - 84.03%</li>
<li>252 Atk+ Choice Band Scizor U-turn 52.94% - 62.46%</li>
<li>252 SpA Life Orb Starmie Thunderbolt 73.95% - 87.39%</li>
<li>252 Atk (+1) Terrakion Close Combat 81.79% - 96.64%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Life Orb Reuniclus Psychic 67.23% - 78.99%</li>
<li>252 SpA+ Life Orb Landorus Earth Power (Sheer Force) 81.79% - 96.64%</li>
<li>252 Atk+ Gyarados Waterfall (Rain) 29.41% - 34.45%</li>
<li>252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Hydro Pump (Rain) 71.43% - 84.03%</li>
<li>0 SpA Amoonguss Giga Drain 47.06% - 55.46%</li>
<li>0 Atk Ferrothorn Power Whip 68.91% - 81.51%</li>
<li>0 SpA Celebi Giga Drain 52.94% - 63.03%</li>
</ul>

<p>Naturally, entry hazards can jeopardize Feraligatr's tanking capability, so a spinner is recommended. Tentacruel and Starmie are arguably the best choices to support Feraligatr. The former can soak up Toxic Spikes, which is by far the most dangerous hazard for Feraligatr. The latter packs an offensive presence which synergizes well with it.</p>

<p>Rain support is practically mandatory for Feraligatr to shine in OU. An offensive Politoed, especially a Choice Specs variant, is a good partner as it helps soften up Water resists such as opposing Tentacruel, Rotom-W, Latios, Starmie, and Ferrothorn. Speaking of Ferrothorn, it is also a good partner for Feraligatr, as it can take on or at least switch into common Pokemon that trouble Feraligatr,(comma) such as Latias, Latios, Amoonguss, Celebi, Starmie, and Rotom-W, and in return lay up hazards to facilitate Feraligatr'(!)s late-game sweep.</p>

<p>As far as items go, it is hard to find one with more utility and consistency than Mystic Water. Lum Berry can be used to get an extra Swords Dance or hit off attack without worry of a status move or Scald burn. Life Orb is also an option as it further boosts Feraligatr's power (including that of its coverage moves), however it essentially puts a timer on Feraligatr's sweep, and is therefore not recommended. A Wacan or Rindo Berry can also prove useful in extending Feraligatr's sweep, although it requires specific and proper planning and will not perform as consistently as Mystic Water.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>There are a few other options that can be considered when using Feraligatr in OU, however it is hard to find one that is not outclassed by another Pokemon. Feraligatr can make good use of its bulk to run a Choice Band set, but Azumarill is better in this regard. Likewise, a Dragon Dance set is viable, but Gyarados usually performs this better due to its ease in getting two Dragon Dances up, which is necessary for either of them to outspeed common Choice Scarf foes.</p>

<p>A Swords Dance set with Aqua Jet and two coverage moves can be used, as the combination of Superpower and Crunch can dispose of defensive cores such as Ferrothorn + Jellicent. Feraligatr also receives other physical moves that are worth mentioning, such as Aqua Tail, Earthquake, and Return. Waterfall is still preferred over Aqua Tail as it generally nets the same KOs while having perfect accuracy and a chance to flinch. Earthquake is a gimmicky option that hits Tentacruel, Toxicroak, and Jirachi harder, as well as making quick work of Ninetales that might think it can tank a hit in the sun. Finally, Return can be used to hit its checks and counters neutrally, barring Ferrothorn and Jellicent.</p>

<p>A Substitute + Swords Dance set can be used at the expense of Aqua Jet or the coverage move, leaving Feraligatr with mono-Water attacks. Substitute is a nice surprise move as it can block status and ward off Scald burns, and reliably getting into Torrent + boosting-berry range is also a neat option to have. However, mono-Water attacks leave it completely walled by too many things while dropping Aqua Jet makes little sense as it is Feraligatr's main selling point. Substitute does work as a one-time cushion against revenge killers, but it will lose the ability to pick off weakened teams, which should be the goal of a team centered around Feraligatr.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Feraligatr'(!)s checks and counters can be divided into two categories, yet they have one thing in common: a resistance to Water. The first group of checks to Feraligatr comprises of those that can outspeed and deal heavy damage to it. These include Latias, Latios, Salamence, Dragonite, Kyurem-B, Breloom, Celebi, Venusaur, Toxicroak, Starmie, and Rotom-W. Keep in mind that most of these Pokemon need to be kept healthy to properly check Feraligatr, as a boosted Aqua Jet can pick them off when weakened pick off weakened ones. This is especially true for Rotom-W, who,(comma) despite being able to maim Feraligatr with its STAB Electric attack or Will-O-Wisp, is one of the easier Pokemon to wear down as it is often forced to switch in and out to deal with Feraligatr'(!)s common teammates like Starmie, Politoed, and Tornadus. Checks in this group also need to take Feraligatr out in one hit, as they will fall to the Waterfall + Aqua Jet combination otherwise. Toxicroak gets a special mention as it is immune to Feraligatr'(!)s dreaded Water moves, and can set up in return. Technician Breloom also outspeeds Feraligatr with the given EV spread and can out-prioritize Feraligatr with Mach Punch, as can ExtremeSpeed Dragonite.</p>

<p>The second way to handle Feraligatr is by attempting to wall it. Pokemon that fall into this category are Jellicent, Ferrothorn, Tentacruel, Amoonguss, and Slowbro. However, they will all fall to the appropriate coverage move. If Feraligatr lacks the coverage move to deal with these Pokemon, Jellicent can cripple Feraligatr with Will-O-Wisp, Amoonguss can neuter it with Spore or outright attack with Giga Drain, while Ferrothorn can utilize Power Whip and Leech Seed. Tentacruel, like a lot of other bulky Waters, can attempt to stomach Feraligatr'(!)s assault, but cannot do much in return aside from fishing for a Scald burn. However, the Toxic set can try to stall Feraligatr out, and laying up Toxic Spikes early will help in limiting Feraligatr'(!)s staying power.</p>

[Unreleased]

<p>Sheer Force is an interesting addition to Feraligatr, as not only does it boost the Swords Dance set, but it also significantly upgrades the Dragon Dance set kind of confusing given that there's no dd set listed (or is this a remnant from a previous version of this analysis?) either way, either take it out or change it to something like 'also makes a dragon dance set (more) viable'. In addition to boosting Waterfall, Crunch, and Ice Punch, this ability also negates Life Orb recoil when the aforementioned moves are used. This will allow Feraligatr to fire off a much more powerful unboosted attacks right off the bat, increasing its versatility.</p>

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just one thing to watch out for when you make changes: be sure to replace all curly apostrophes (’) to straight ones (') - i've marked them out with a !

anyway, some minor pokégrammar stuff (in particular, Rain isn't ever capitalized) but regardless, i thought this was really thorough and informative, so yeah thanks for writing this & nice job :)

Implemented, thanks sirndpt =] !

Just some minor PokéGrammar edits, good analysis.



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iconic edit: uploading, nice work gr8