Budew (LC Analysis)

[DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE BITCHES!]

QC APPROVED 2/2
[Dracoyoshi] [Elevator Music]

GP CHECKS 2/2
[FATECRASHERS!!!!] [uRAGG]
Post Approval changes:

  • Added alternative EV spread to Spiker set AC: 236 HP/36 SpD/ 236 Spe Calm/Bold
  • Switched around some information in the Choice Scarf AC for better subject matter agreement.
  • Changed alternative EV spread to 196 HP / 36 SpA / 36 SpD/ 236 Spe Calm/Bold. I hate LC EVS lol.
(cutie pie xD)
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[OVERVIEW]
<p>When one looks at Budew, the first thing that comes to mind is how cute it is with its endearing sleepy eyes and adorable petite stature. But take one look at its stats, and that love quickly turns into disappointment. However, with great assets such as Spikes, Stun Spore, Leaf Storm, and Natural Cure, backed up by an efficient stat distribution, Budew can make quite a splash in Little Cup. Although it does suffer from frailty issues, Budew can be great if it is backed up by good teammates and used correctly.</p>

[SET]
name: Spiker
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Energy Ball / Sludge Bomb
move 3: Stun Spore
move 4: Rest
item: Oran Berry
nature: Bold
ability: Natural Cure
evs: 196 HP / 76 Def / 36 SpA / 196 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Budew is one of the select few Pokemon in Little Cup that can set up Spikes. Unlike some of the other Spikers in Little Cup, Budew possesses good typing and bulk, as well as decent Speed, which allows it to set up effectively. Budew's access to Natural Cure allows it to adopt a sort of Spike-and-run strategy; it does this by Spiking as much as it can, Resting off any damage, and then switching out, recovering from sleep automatically due to Natural Cure. However, Budew isn't limited solely to providing entry hazard support; it also has access to Stun Spore and sports resistances to common attacking types in Little Cup, such as Water and Fighting. Using these tools, Budew can easily spread paralysis throughout the opposing team and deal good damage with either of its STAB moves of choice.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Both Energy Ball and Sludge Bomb are viable options for the second moveslot. Energy Ball provides Budew with a reliable STAB move that possesses decent super effective coverage on the many Ground-, Rock-, and Water-types that inhabit Little Cup. Sludge Bomb, on the other hand, provides better neutral coverage and has higher Base Power. Stun Spore allows Budew to cripple its counters and either KO them with its STAB move of choice or switch to an appropriate counter. Sleep Powder may be tempting to include in the set in Stun Spore's place, but it is illegal in conjunction with Spikes. Rest is the icing on the cake; Rest paired with Natural Cure provides Budew with a reliable recovery move that restores all of its health with no real drawbacks besides the necessity of switching out.</p>

<p> This set can also work well as a lead. However, if Budew isn't in the lead position, then it can switch in and set up on a variety of Choiced Pokemon such as Choice Scarfed Mankey or Machop and Choice Band Remoraid. It can also set up on some variants of Chinchou that lack Ice Beam, as well as Croagunk that lack Ice Punch. Rest allows for a larger margin of error when using Budew, as you can fully heal Budew's health and switch out when it's badly hurt; however, Budew cannot endure attacks from hard-hitting Pokemon for long, so you must play cautiously in order to preserve it. Duskull makes for a great partner as it blocks Rapid Spin and is immune to Normal- and Ground-type assaults. It also deals with Gligar effectively, which would otherwise trouble Budew.</p>

<p>Budew's Stun Spore allows it to cripple the fast sweepers that it lures, such as Houndour, Ponyta, Gligar, and Diglett. Slow, hard-hitting Pokemon such as Aron and Omanyte enjoy having these Pokemon paralyzed, and therefore make effective partners. Water-type Pokemon like Chinchou also pair well with Budew as they provide an answer to Fire-types. Chinchou, thanks to its strong STAB Thunderbolt, also has the bonus of being able to deal with opposing Water-types that sport Ice Beam.</p>

<p>Although what is listed above is generally the most effective way to utilize Budew, there are a couple of other options. A Bold nature is advised on this set because it augments Budew's Defense stat, allowing Budew to switch in on physical Fighting-type moves more reliably; however, a Calm nature is a perfectly viable choice as it allows Budew to take special hits even better. Although Stun Spore is a great support move, it can be switched out for either Sludge Bomb if you wish for Budew to have a reliable secondary STAB, Shadow Ball if you want Budew to be able to quickly deal with Ghost-types like Gastly, or Hidden Power Ice if you wish for Budew to deal with Gligar. An alternative EV spread of 196 HP / 36 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe with a Calm or Bold nature can be used in lieu of the one above in order to capitalize on Budew's above-average Speed stat. Running 236 Speed EVs with a neutral nature gives Budew 15 Speed, allowing it to surpass the cluttered 14 Speed benchmark. If you wish to utilize Budew in the lead position, then this EV spread is usually a superior choice than the one displayed in the set.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground / Shadow Ball
move 4: Sleep Powder / Rest
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Modest / Timid
ability: Natural Cure
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Budew's Special Attack stat may seem low, its good Speed when Scarfed and access to the ridiculously strong 140 Base Power Leaf Storm Allow it to function quite effectively as a Choice Scarf user. Thanks to its helpful resistances to Fighting- and Water-type attacks, Budew can find many opportunities to switch in and fire off full-powered Leaf Storms. Sleep Powder makes countering Budew even more difficult, as it lets Budew easily put one of its counters out of commission. Budew's access to Natural Cure helps it not only to remove status ailments, but also to fully recover its HP with Rest while waking up immediately after it switches out.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Bulbasaur is Budew's main competition for a team slot when using this set, as it possesses one more point in Special Attack and access to Sleep Powder as well. The reasons to use Budew over Bulbasaur are simple: higher Speed and Natural Cure. Budew reaches 22 Speed with a Modest nature and 24 Speed with a Timid nature, which lets it outpace the coveted 21 Speed benchmark that many Scarfers aim for.</p>

<p>Budew's dual STABs in Leaf Storm and Sludge Bomb form a potent combo and pack quite a punch, while Sleep Powder allows Budew to incapacitate both its counters and any Pokemon that pose a threat to the team. If a sleep-inducing move is unnecessary, then Rest can be utilized to abuse Natural Cure and prolong Budew's life span. Budew's dual STABs leave it vulnerable to Steel- and Poison-types. Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Bronzor and Magnemite super effectively, as well as Dry Skin Croagunk for increased damage. Hidden Power Ground is another option that hits Poison-types like Grimer and Stunky harder; it also has the bonus of hitting Magnemite and Rock/Steel-types 4x super effectively. Shadow Ball provides good neutral coverage and hits Ghost-types like Gastly; however, it does leave Budew a bit more vulnerable to Magnemite and Stunky. Extrasensory is another option in the third slot, but it is generally inferior to the aforementioned options.</p>

<p>Running Budew with a Timid nature allows it to outrun 22 Speed Scarfers such as Adamant Eevee, Adamant Cranidos, positive-natured Bulbasaur, and positive-natured Krabby. Since many of these Pokemon are threatening, they are generally worth outrunning if you don't mind the drop in Budew's Special Attack. Running Shadow Ball allows Budew to run a more efficient EV spread of 36 HP / 196 SpA / 40 SpD / 236 Spe since it isn't losing any IVs for Hidden Power; the added bulk that this spread provides lets Budew switch in on a wider variety of attacks.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>Budew partners exceptionally well with Aron both defensively and offensively. Budew resists the Water- and Fighting-type assaults that trouble Aron and also has the ability to provide the paralysis, sleep, and Spikes support that Aron enjoys so much. In return, Aron can switch into Flying-, Ice-, and Psychic-type moves with ease and take advantage of any paralyzed or sleeping opponents, KOing them with Head Smash before they can act. Omanyte is also a great partner as it resists Flying-, Ice-, and Fire-type attacks and can deal with paralyzed Gligar, although it cannot switch into Earthquake.</p>

<p>Water-type sweepers like Remoraid and Chinchou greatly enjoy Spikes support, as it helps whittle down their counters. They have great defensive synergy with Budew, as well as benefitting from Budew's ability to eliminate Water-types with its Grass-type STAB attacks. These Water-type sweepers also help Budew deal with troubling Fire-types such as Houndour, Growlithe, and Ponyta. Although these Fire-type Pokemon are counters to Budew, they also, ironically, pair well with it as they tend to force switches often, thus racking up Spikes damage; they also take care of Steel-types like Bronzor that resist both of Budew's STABs.</p>

<p>Budew has trouble dealing with repeated physical assaults, most notably from the likes Gligar and Munchlax. Because of this, physically defensive Pokemon like Duskull and Bronzor make good teammates. Bronzor counters most physical attackers, while setting up Stealth Rock as a complement to Budew's Spikes. However, Bronzor and Budew share a Fire-type weakness, which must be taken into consideration. Duskull sports three immunities to some of the most common physical attacking types in Normal, Fighting, and Ground.</p>

<p>Budew enjoys being teamed with up spinblocking Ghost-types if it is packing Spikes. Duskull, again, is a great partner to Budew for the reasons stated above. Gastly, despite sharing a weakness to Psychic-type moves, also makes for a good partner as it greatly benefits from the Spikes support that Budew provides</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Budew doesn't really have many other options besides the ones listed above. A Life Orb set with three attacks and Rest is an option, but Budew's frailty usually lets it down. Synthesis is an option over Rest on the Spikes set, but it is usually a bad idea since it only heals 25% of Budew's health in rain, which is fairly common in Little Cup. Although Budew also has access to Swords Dance, it lacks the Attack stat and the physical movepool to abuse it.</p>

[COUNTERS]
<p>Although Budew is easily countered, it is still fairly hard to switch into due to its access to Stun Spore and Sleep Powder. However, if you can avoid the potential status ailments, Fire-types like Ponyta and Houndour can easily take care of Budew with their STAB attacks, despite taking a hefty amount of damage from Sludge Bomb. Gligar with Aerial Ace also counters Budew easily.</p>

<p>Diglett is Budew's worst nightmare if it manages to switch in while Budew is using Rest. Due to its ability, Arena Trap, Diglett can prevent Budew from switching out, effectively making it a sitting duck. Munchlax doesn't mind paralysis and can easily tank most of Budew's attacks while KOing Budew with its STAB move of choice. Offensively oriented Water-types that pack Ice Beam also cause Budew trouble, but are hit super effectively by Budew's STAB and therefore are not notable threats. Strong Psychic-type attacks from the likes of Abra and friends utterly destroy Budew; however, most Psychic-type Pokemon abhor paralysis and are OHKOed or 2HKOed by either of Budew's STABs. Grimer and Croagunk resist both of Budew's STABs and can heavily damage it if they pack super effective coverage moves like Fire Punch and Ice Punch.</p>
 
I wouldn't suggest Choice Band, or heck maybe not even Choice Specs because Budew really isn't going to be doing much damage. I think Budew is best at laying down Spikes, and that should be his main goal.

If you want to wear down walls a bit, maybe just a mention of Toxic Spikes and Sleep Powder in Other Options? Toxic Spikes may not be as useful in LC, but it does help at the end of the day, and Sleep Powder is really useful.

Good luck with this!
 
I wouldn't suggest Choice Band, or heck maybe not even Choice Specs because Budew really isn't going to be doing much damage. I think Budew is best at laying down Spikes, and that should be his main goal.

If you want to wear down walls a bit, maybe just a mention of Toxic Spikes and Sleep Powder in Other Options? Toxic Spikes may not be as useful in LC, but it does help at the end of the day, and Sleep Powder is really useful.

Good luck with this!
I said Choice Specs was a bad idea in Other Options, and I didn't really suggest Choice Band. Sleep Powder is a good idea, but unfortunately it is illegal with Spikes and therefore defeats the entire purpose of Budew lol. I'll include it in other options, but i'll make sure to clarify that it is illegal. Toxic Spikes deserves a mention in Other Options, granted but i'm not going to include it in the set unless i'm advised to due to the commoness of grounded poison types and for the fact that stall isn't really prominent in little cup.
Thanks for the input!
 
I said Toxic Spikes + Sleep Powder in Other Options. I know its illegal with Spikes, so thats why Toxic Spikes has to be used. I meant Swords Dance Budew, not Choice Band, sorry.
 
I said Toxic Spikes + Sleep Powder in Other Options. I know its illegal with Spikes, so thats why Toxic Spikes has to be used. I meant Swords Dance Budew, not Choice Band, sorry.
lol srry for the misunderstanding--changes are in the op

EDIT: I'm just putting in SD in the Optional Changes to tell people that its a horrible idea. I'm not really suggesting it. Same with Choice Specs
 

Brambane

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Mention Ghost-types in team options, since they can block Rapid Spin (although spinners are fairly rare in Little Cup). Other than that, I like it. I've used this set as a lead before, and it preformed pretty well. Approved.

 
Budew can probably run the same exact Scarf set as Bulbasaur (Sleep Powder/Leaf Storm/Sludge Bomb/Hidden Power Fire or Ground) with a Modest nature. It's almost the exact same as Timid Bulbasaur except it is 1 point lower in SpAtk and Def (although it is 1 point higher in SpDef). It also has Natural Cure to further its niche, since Scarf Pokemon that don't care about the rare Paralysis are cool. I don't know if you want to test it or just throw it in there somewhere, but its really almost the same as Bulbasaur so I don't think it needs testing, just a mention that Bulbasaur is pretty much better at it.

Budew doesn't get Toxic Spikes, so that should be removed from OC.

Good job though :)
 
I remember using that scarf set pretty effectively; i must have forgotten about it lol. Ill se if i can make up a set for it that's different from Bulbasaur. Maybe ill add rest in there somewhere lol. Otherwise, into the OC it goes! lol

EDIT: I can't test this until Pokelab comes back online soo... yeah...
 
Yeah after testing i decided the scarf set is goin in the OC. Its not different enough from Bulbasaur to warrant its own set IMO.
 
I actually retested it and realized that it isn't outclassed enough to not warrant a set (lol). I'm goin to add it in. I mean, if scarf Budew was made first, people would of just said that Bulbasaur is just an inferior Budew coz Budew has Natural Cure, sooo... yeah lol.
EDIT: I don't think its actually better than Bulbasaur btw. Just makin a point.
 
Budew's biggest selling point is really the fact that it is the fastest spiker in all of LC. I feel there should be a quicker EVs spread mentioned somewhere to capitalize on this fact.
 
ok. I'll look into it and add one in :).

EDIT: Added a new spread of 236 HP/36 SpDef/236 Spe with a Calm/Bold nature in the AC. Allows it to outrun the cluttered 14 Speed tier. I didn't put in a Timid nature because i didn't really think there was any thing in the 15 speed benchmark worth enough to outrun while sacrificing bulk

EDIT 2: Just Realized Budew just needs 196 HP to max its HP stat -_-. New spread is 196 HP/36 SpA/36SpD/236 Spe
 

macle

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Hey guys, this is my first attempt at an analysis, so be kind XD

[Yeahh! Ready for GP Checks!]

QC APPROVED 2/2
[Dracoyoshi] [Elevator Music]

GP CHECKS 0/2

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(cutie pie xD)


[OVERVIEW]
<p>When one first looks at Budew, the first thing that comes to mind is how cute it is with its endearing sleepy eyes and adorable stature. But then once one takes a look at its stats, that love quickly turns to disappointment, as at first glance, Budew just doesn't look that good. However with unique assets such as Spikes, a 140 Base Power move in Leaf Storm, and Natural Cure, as well as just enough stat points in just the right places to utilize them, Budew can surprisingly make quite the splash in Little Cup despite its looks. Although it does have its flaws in that it's physically frail and dies to hard hits, the payoff of using Budew can be great if it is backed up by good teammates and a portion of general skill.</p>

[SET]
name: Spiker
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Energy Ball / Sludge Bomb
move 3: Stun Spore
move 4: Rest
item: Oran Berry
nature: Bold
ability: Natural Cure
evs: 196 HP / 76 Def / 36 SpA / 196 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Budew is one of the select few Pokemon in Little Cup that can set up Spikes, and with its good typing coupled with its decent Special Defense and ability, Natural Cure, allows it to set them up reliably. Spikes is a given in the set, as it allows Budew do what it does best. Energy Ball provides Budew with a reliable STAB that possess decent super effective coverage on the many Ground, Rock, and Water-types that plague Little Cup. Sludge Bomb, however provides better neutral coverage and has higher base power. Stun Spore allows Budew to cripple its counters and either kill them with its STAB move of choice or switch to an appropriate counter. Rest is the icing on the cake. Paired with Natural Cure, Rest provides Budew with a reliable recovery move that restores all of its health with no real drawbacks besides the necessity of switching out.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p> This set works great in the lead position even though it isn't specifically designed for that purpose. If it isn't in the lead position, this Budew can switch in and set up on a variety of choiced Pokemon such as scarfed Mankey, scarfed Machop, and Banded Remoraid. It can also set up on some forms of Chinchou that lack Ice Beam as well as priority Croagunk that lack Ice Punch. Rest allows for a larger margin of error as you can fully heal your own health and switch out when Budew is badly hurt (and wake up thanks to Natural Cure); however Budew cannot endure attacks from hard hitters for long, so you must be careful on what it stays in on. Duskull makes for a great partner as it blocks Rapid Spin and is immune to Normal and Ground-type physical assaults. It also deals with Gligar effectively, who would otherwise trouble Budew</p>

<p>Budew's Stun Spore allows it to cripple the many fast sweepers that it lures such as Houndour, Ponyta, Gligar, and Diglett. Slow, hard-hitting Pokemon such as Aron and Omastar enjoy having these Pokemon paralyzed so it is good to consider pairing them with Budew. Water-type Pokemon like Chinchou also pair well with Budew as they provide an answer to Fire-types. Chinchou also has the bonus of being able to deal with opposing Water-types sporting Ice Beam with its STAB Thunderbolt.</p>
<p>Although the moves that are displayed in the set above are generally the most effective, there are a couple of other options that can be used. Bold nature is advertised on this set because it augments Budew's Defense stat so it can switch in on physical fighting type moves more reliably; however Calm is a perfectly viable choice as it allows Budew to take special hits even better. Although Stun Spore is a great support move, it can be switched out for either Sludge Bomb if one wishes for secondary STAB, Shadow Ball if one wishes to deal with ghosts like Gastly, or Hidden Power Ice if one wishes to deal with Gligar. An alternative EV spread of 236 HP / 36 SpD / 236 Spe with a Calm or Bold nature can be used in lieu of the one above to capitalize on Budew's higher speed stat. 236 Speed EVs with a neutral nature gives Budew 15 Speed, allowing it to outrun the cluttered 14 Speed benchmark.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground / Shadow Ball

move 4: Sleep Powder / Rest
item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Modest/Timid
Ability: Natural Cure
Evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Budew's special attacking stat may seem low, its good speed when scarfed, ridiculous 140 base power move in Leaf Storm, and Sleep Powder help form it into a threat that is hard to counter. Bulbasaur is Budew's main competition for a team slot when using this set, as it possesses one more point in Special Attack and also possesses Sleep Powder. The reason to use Budew over Bulbasaur is simple: Budew has higher speed and has Natural Cure. Budew's base speed allows it to reach base 22 speed with a Modest nature and base 23 speed with a Timid nature. This lets it outrun the coveted 21 speed benchmark that oh so many Scarfers aim for since there are no non-scarfers that are able to exceed 20 points in speed. Also, Natural Cure lets Budew simply shrug off the occasional rare paralysis by switching out, letting it stay at top notch speed throughout the battle. Budew's double STABs in Leaf Storm and Sludge Bomb are a potent duo and pack quite a punch and Sleep Powder allows Budew to take out its counters as well as Pokemon that pose a threat to the team. If a sleeping move is unnecessary, Rest can be utilized to abuse Natural Cure and make Budew into a regenerating tank.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Running Budew with a Timid nature allows it to outrun 22 speed Scarfers like Adamant Eevee, Adamant Cranidos, +Speed Bulbasaur, +Speed Krabby and others. Since many of these Pokemon are considerably strong when scarfed they are generally worth outrunning if you don't mind the drop in Special Attack. Budew's dual STABs leave it vulnerable to Steel and Poison-types. Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Bronzor and Magnemite super effectively as well as Dry Skin Croagunk pseudo-super effectively. Hidden Power Ground is another option to hit a wider range of Poison-types like Grimer and Stunky harder. Hidden Power Ground also has the bonus of hitting Magnemite and Rock/Steel-types x4 super effectively. Shadow Ball provides good neutral coverage and hits Ghost types like Gastly super effectively, however it leaves you a bit more vulnerable to Magnemite and Stunky. Running Shadow Ball also allows Budew to run a more efficient EV spread of 36 HP / 196 SpA /40 SpD / 236 Spe since it isn't losing any IVs for Hidden Power; this spread gives Budew more special bulk. Extrasensory is another option in the third slot, but it is generally inferior to the advertised options.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>Budew partners exceptionally well with Aron both defensively and offensively. Budew resists Water and Fighting-type assaults and also has the ability to provide paralysis, sleep, and Spikes support that Aron enjoys so much. Aron can also switch into Flying, Ice, and Psychic-type moves with ease and Head Smash the potentially paralyzed or sleeping user to death. Omanyte is also a great partner as it resists Flying, Ice, and Fire type attacks. Omanyte also helps deal with Gligar if it is paralyzed, although it cannot switch into Earthquake.</p>

<p>Water type sweepers like Remoraid and Chinchou greatly enjoy Spikes support as it helps whither down their counters. They also enjoy the great defensive synergy that Budew provides as well as Budew's Grass-type STAB, which can help deal with their Water-type counters. These Water-type sweepers also help Budew deal with Fire-types such as Houndour, Growlithe, and Ponyta that trouble it. Although these Fire-type Pokemon are counters to Budew, they also, ironically, pair well with it as they tend to force switches often, wracking up Spikes damage, and they also take care of Steel-types like Bronzor that resist both of Budew's STABs.</p>

<p>Budew has trouble dealing with repeated physical assaults from the likes of Gligar and Munchlax. Because of this, defensive Pokemon like Duskull and Bronzor. Bronzor counters most variants of physical attackers, while setting up Stealth rock as a partner to Budew's Spikes. Bronzor shares a fire weakness with Budew so it is wise to take that into consideration when forming a team with them. Duskull sports 3 immunities to some of the most common attacking types in Normal, Fighting, and Ground.</p>

<p>Budew enjoys being teamed with spinblocking Ghost-types if it is packing Spikes. Duskull, again, is a great partner to Budew for the reasons above. Gastly, despite sharing a weakness in Psychic-type moves, also makes for a great partner as it greatly benefits from the Spikes support that Budew provides</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Budew doesn't really have many other options besides the ones listed above, but it does have a few other things it can abuse. A Life Orb set with three attacks and Rest is an option, but Budew's low general physical frailty usually lets it down. Synthesis is an option over Rest on the Spikes set, but due to the prevalence of rain, it is usually a bad idea since it would only heal 25% of Budew's health in that weather. Although Budew also has access to Swords Dance, it lacks neither the Attack score nor the physical movepool to abuse it.</p>

[COUNTERS]
<p>Although Budew is easily countered, it is still fairly hard to safely switch anything into it due to the danger of status moves such as Stun Spore and Sleep Powder. However, if they can avoid the potential status ailment Fire-types like Ponyta and Houndour easily take care of Budew with their Fire-type STABs despite taking a hefty amount of damage from Sludge Bomb. Gligar also counters Budew, especially if it is packing Aerial Ace.</p>

<p>Diglett is Budew's worst nightmare if it switches in the turn it uses Rest. Due to its ability, Arena Trap, Budew cannot switch out and as a result becomes a sitting duck. Munchlax doesn't mind paralysis and can easily tank most of Budew's attacks while KOing with its STAB move of choice. Offensively oriented Water-types that pack Ice Beam also cause Budew trouble, but they are hit super effectively by Budew's STAB and therefore are not much of a threat in the long run. Strong Psychic-type attacks from the likes of Abra and friends utterly destroy Budew, however most of these Pokemon abhor paralysis and are 1-2HKOed by either of Budew's STABs. Grimer and Croagunk resist both of Budew's STABs and can heavily damage it if they pack super effective coverage moves like Fire Punch and Ice Punch respectively. If they don't possess the said coverage moves, they don't pose much of a threat, however..</p>
just fixed some things...



 
grammar edits in pink
prose edits in blue

[box][OVERVIEW]
<p>When one looks at Budew, the first thing that comes to mind is how cute it is with its endearing sleepy eyes and adorable stature. But once one takes a look at its stats, that love quickly turns to disappointment. However, with unique assets such as Spikes, a 140 Base Power move in Leaf Storm, and Natural Cure, as well an effective stat distribution, Budew can make quite the splash in Little Cup. Although it does suffer from frailty issues, Budew can be great if it is backed up by good teammates and used correctly.</p>

[SET]
name: Spiker
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Energy Ball / Sludge Bomb
move 3: Stun Spore
move 4: Rest
item: Oran Berry
nature: Bold
ability: Natural Cure
evs: 196 HP / 76 Def / 36 SpA/ 196 SpDef

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Budew is one of the select few Pokemon in Little Cup that can set up Spikes. Unlike some of the other Spikers in Little Cup, Budew possesses good typing and bulk that allows it to set up effectively. Budew's access to Natural Cure allows it to adopt a sort of Spike-and-Run strategy by Spiking as much as it can, Resting, and then switching out, recovering off the status with Natural Cure. Budew isn't limited solely to providing entry hazard support; it also has access to Stun Spore and resistances to many common attacking types in Little Cup such as Water and Fighting. Using these tools, Budew can easily spread paralysis throughout the opposing team and deal good damage with either of its STAB moves of choice.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Spikes is a given on the set, as it allows Budew to do what it does best. Energy Ball provides Budew with a reliable STAB that possesses decent super-effective coverage on the many Ground-, Rock-, and Water-types that plague Little Cup. Sludge Bomb, however, provides better neutral coverage and has higher base power. Stun Spore allows Budew to cripple its counters and either kill them with its STAB move of choice or switch to an appropriate counter. Rest paired with Natural Cure provides Budew with a reliable recovery move that restores all of its health with no real drawbacks besides the necessity of switching out.</p>

<p> This set can also work great as a lead. If it isn't in the lead position, Budew can switch in and set up on on a variety of choiced Pokemon such as Scarfed Mankey, Scarfed Machop, and Banded Remoraid. It can also set up on forms of Chinchou that lack Ice Beam as well as priority Croagunk that lack Ice Punch. Rest allows for a larger margin of error as you can fully heal your own health and switch out when Budew is badly hurt, removing status ailments with Natural Cure. However, Budew cannot endure attacks from hard hitters for long, so you must be careful to preserve it. Duskull makes for a great partner as it blocks Rapid Spin and is immune to Normal- and Ground-type physical assaults. It also deals with Gligar effectively, who would otherwise trouble Budew.</p>

<p>Budew's Stun Spore allows it to cripple the fast sweepers such as Houndour, Ponyta, Gligar, and Diglett. Slow, hard-hitting Pokemon such as Aron and Omastar enjoy having these Pokemon paralyzed and therefore make effective partners. Water-type Pokemon like Chinchou also pair well with Budew as they provide an answer to Fire-types. Chinchou also has the bonus of being able to deal with opposing Water-types sporting Ice Beam with its STAB Thunderbolt.</p>

<p>Although the moves listed above are generally the most effective choices, there are a couple of other options that can be used. A Bold nature is advised on this set because it augments Budew's Defense stat so that it can switch in on physical Fighting-type moves more reliably; however, Calm is a perfectly viable choice as it allows Budew to take special hits even better. Although Stun Spore is a great support move, it can be switched out for either Sludge Bomb if one wishes for secondary STAB, Shadow Ball if one wishes to deal with ghosts like Gastly, or Hidden Power Ice if one wishes to deal with Gligar. An alternative EV spread of 236 HP / 36 SpD / 236 Spe with a Calm or Bold nature can be used in lieu of the one above to capitalize on Budew's higher speed stat. 236 Speed EVs with a neutral nature give Budew 15 Speed, allowing it to outrun the cluttered 14 Speed benchmark.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground / Shadow Ball
move 4: Sleep Powder/Rest
item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Modest/Timid
Ability: Natural Cure
Evs: 36 HP/200 SpAtk/ 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Budew's special attacking stat may seem low, its good speed when Scarfed and ridiculous 140 base power move in Leaf Storm make up for these flaws. Using its helpful resistances to Fighting and Water, Budew can find many instances to switch in and fire off full-powered Leaf Storms. Sleep Powder makes countering Budew even more difficult, as it lets Budew easily take one of its counters out of commission. Budew's access to Natural Cure helps it not only to remove status ailments but also to recover itself with Rest. </p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Bulbasaur is Budew's main competition for a team slot when using this set, as it possesses access to Sleep Powder and one more point in Special Attack. The reason to use Budew over Bulbasaur is simple: Budew has higher speed and Natural Cure. Budew's reaches base 22 speed with a Modest nature and base 24 speed with a Timid nature. This lets it outrun the coveted 21 speed benchmark that many Scarfers aim for since there are no non-Scarfers that are able to exceed 20 points in speed.</p>

<p>Budew's dual STABs in Leaf Storm and Sludge Bomb are a potent duo and pack quite a punch while Sleep Powder allows Budew to take out its counters as well as Pokemon that pose a threat to the team. If a sleep-inducing move is unnecessary, Rest can be utilized to abuse Natural Cure and prolong Budew's life span.</p>

<p>Running Budew with a Timid nature allows it to outrun 22 speed Scarfers like Adamant Eevee, Adamant Cranidos, +Speed Bulbasaur, and +Speed Krabby. Since many of these Pokemon are threatening when Scarfed, they are generally worth outrunning if you don't mind the drop in Special Attack. Budew's dual STABs leave it vulnerable to Steel- and Poison-types. Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Bronzor and Magnemite super-effectively as well as Dry Skin Croagunk pseudo-super-effectively. Hidden Power Ground is another option to hit a wider range of Poison-types like Grimer and Stunky harder. It also has the bonus of hitting Magnemite and Rock- / Steel-types x4 super-effectively. Shadow Ball provides good neutral coverage and hits Ghost-types like Gastly; however, it leaves you a bit more vulnerable to Magnemite and Stunky. Running Shadow Ball also allows Budew to run a more efficient EV spread of 36 HP / 196 SpA / 40 SpD / 236 Spe since it isn't losing any IVs for Hidden Power; this spread gives Budew more special bulk. Extrasensory is another option in the third slot, but it is generally inferior to the aforementioned options.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>Budew partners exceptionally well with Aron both defensively and offensively. Budew resists Water- and Fighting-type assaults and also has the ability to provide the paralysis, sleep, and Spikes support that Aron enjoys so much. Aron can also switch into Flying-, Ice-, and Psychic-type moves with ease and Head Smash the potentially paralyzed or sleeping opponent to death. Omanyte is also a great partner as it resists Flying-, Ice-, and Fire-type attacks, and can deal with paralyzed Gligar, although it cannot switch into Earthquake.</p>

<p>Water-type sweepers like Remoraid and Chinchou greatly enjoy Spikes support as it helps whither down their counters. They also enjoy the great defensive synergy that Budew provides as well as Budew's Grass-type STAB, which can help deal with their Water-type counters. These Water-type sweepers also help Budew deal with Fire-types such as Houndour, Growlithe, and Ponyta. Although these Fire-type Pokemon are counters to Budew, they also, ironically, pair well with it as they tend to force switches often, wracking up Spikes damage. They also take care of Steel-types like Bronzor that resist both of Budew's STABs.</p>

<p>Budew has trouble dealing with repeated physical assaults from the likes of Gligar and Munchlax. Because of this, defensive Pokemon like Duskull and Bronzor make good teammates. Bronzor counters most physical attackers while setting up Stealth Rock to complement Budew's Spikes. However, Bronzor and Budew share a Fire-type weakness, which must be taken into consideration. Duskull sports 3 immunities to the common attacking types of Normal, Fighting, and Ground.</p>

<p>Budew enjoys being teamed with spinblocking Ghost-types if it is packing Spikes. Duskull, again, is a great partner to Budew for the reasons above. Gastly, despite sharing a weakness in Psychic-type moves, also makes for a good partner as it greatly benefits from the Spikes support that Budew provides.</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Budew doesn't have many other options besides the ones listed above, but it does have a few other things it can abuse. A Life Orb set with three attacks and Rest is an option, but Budew's frailty usually lets it down. Synthesis is an option over Rest on the Spikes set, but due to the prevalence of rain, it is usually a bad idea since it only heals 25% of Budew's health in rain conditions. Although Budew also has access to Swords Dance, it lacks the Attack stat and the physical movepool to abuse it.</p>

[COUNTERS]
<p>Although Budew is easily countered, it is still fairly hard to switch into due to its access to Stun Spore and Sleep Powder. However, if you can avoid the potential status ailments, Fire-types like Ponyta and Houndour easily take care of Budew with their STAB attacks, despite taking a hefty amount of damage from Sludge Bomb. Gligar Aerial Ace also counters Budew easily.</p>

<p>Diglett is Budew's worst nightmare if it switches in on Rest. Due to its ability Arena Trap, Dugtrio can prevent Budew from switching out, effectively trapping it. Munchlax doesn't mind paralysis and can easily tank most of Budew's attacks while KOing with its STAB move of choice. Offensively-oriented Water-types that pack Ice Beam also cause Budew trouble, but they are hit super-effectively by Budew's STAB and therefore are not notable threats in the long run. Strong Psychic-type attacks from the likes of Abra and friends utterly destroy Budew; however, most Psychic Pokemon abhor paralysis and are 1-2HKOed by either of Budew's STABs. Grimer and Croagunk resist both of Budew's STABs and can heavily damage it if they pack super-effective coverage moves like Fire Punch and Ice Punch, respectively.</p>[/box]

I also fixed up the spacing issues, so don't worry about those. Good job!
 

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