Skuntank (Update)

Well, Whistle or Eo was saying eons ago that Skuntank needed a really bad revamp, and thanks to buggy's compendium in the UU reservations thread, I found out why that was.

I'm effectively taking this over for Age of Kings who had this written. His thread, which can be locked, can be found here.

SOMALIA gets credit for writing the Trapper set.

I'm just adding a couple bits of info and fixing the Choice Band's Additional Comments section as it mentions Raikou as a partner, otherwise this was very well written. I'm also fixing the spacing issues between sentences.

Major Edit: nvm, Heysup had posted in Age of King's thread highly questioning the viability of the Choice Band set, so I'll remove it. If anyone has any objections please let me know.

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/skuntank




[Overview]

<p>Skuntank is often overlooked in favor of its more defensive Dark / Poison counterpart, Drapion, or more powerful Dark-types like Absol. However, Skuntank has a few unique qualities that set it apart, most notably its access to Explosion and an odd but awesome Speed stat. With base 103 HP, Skuntank also lacks the utter frailty of the other offensively-oriented Dark-types in UU. Then when Skuntank does go down, its ability, Aftermath, does 25% damage to the attacking Pokemon if it KOed Skuntank with a contact attack. These factors, coupled with Skuntank's neutrality to the Fighting-type attacks commonly carried by fragile Psychic- and Ghost-types, allow it to reliably switch in on and KO these Pokemon. Skuntank's ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, take down faster threats with Sucker Punch, and Explode on enemy walls makes it a useful and unique addition to any UU team.</p>


[SET]
name: Trapper
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Sucker Punch / Crunch
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With above average offensive stats and respectable Speed, Skuntank makes excellent use of Taunt. Combine this with its excellent typing and Pursuit, and you have a superb trapper on your hands. This set can be used as an effective way to get rid of spinblockers such as Rotom, Mismagius, and Spiritomb, while also dismantling walls with the help of Taunt. Common sweepers such as specially offensive Venusaur and Absol are stopped right in their tracks, unable to set up or use status inducing moves. Although Skuntank has a relatively shallow movepool it does have access to Explosion, giving more reason than ever to use it over other Dark-types such as Drapion or Spiritomb. It is best to use Explosion as a last resort, usually after you've seen the opponent's entire team and have gotten rid of their spinblocker. Sucker Punch is the primary choice in the fourth slot, giving Skuntank priority to use against fragile faster sweepers such as Moltres, Manectric, and Scyther. Pokemon with Substitute such as Alakazam are easily defeated with this set. Going for Pursuit first usually causes the opponent to stay in, either to play it safe or to at least get some damage on Skuntank, which means that you can use Sucker Punch on the following turn to catch them off-guard. Crunch is a secondary option if you prefer not to take chances with Sucker Punch. It is recommended to use a Jolly nature if you use Crunch in the 4th slot. The EVs are straightforward, giving Skuntank all the offensive power and Speed it can get.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Although usually considered an offensive, fragile Pokemon, Skuntank can also utilize bulky spreads with great success. An option would be to change the EV spread to 24 HP / 232 Atk / 252 SpD with an Adamant nature, which still allows Skuntank to net an OHKO on Alakazam with Sucker Punch without it switching, while also being able to survive Focus Blast from Life Orb variants. Since you no longer outspeed base 80 Speed sweepers, Sucker Punch should definitely be used over Crunch. Life Orb Mismagius fails to OHKO you with +2 Thunderbolt even with the presence of Stealth Rock and you can land a 2HKO with Pursuit + Sucker Punch (assuming it doesn't switch out). An Adamant nature is highly recommended as it allows Skuntank to be able to hit hard while having a respectable amount of bulk.

<p>Despite Skuntank being a major threat to a wide variety of Pokemon, it also has a respectable number of counters. Steel- and Rock-types such as Steelix, Rhyperior, and Aggron wall this set all day, taking little damage even from Explosion. Bulky walls such as Donphan and Tangrowth can deal with Skuntank as long as they avoid getting hit by Explosion. Water-types such as Milotic and Blastoise make ideal teammates for Skuntank, being able to deal with most of its counters and luring in other bulky walls for Skuntank to play with. Claydol is probably the best possible ally that Skuntank can hope for, since it is immune to Skuntank's single weakness and lures in Ghost-types for Skuntank to dispose of. Claydol also deals with Fighting- and Steel-types reliably that normally carry Ground-type attacks to easily dispose of Skuntank. Dugtrio is another good teammate to easily bypass Registeel and other Steel-types. Finally, Mismagius makes a great partner as it can absorb any stray Fighting- and Ground-type attacks aimed at Skuntank and use the free switch to set up. In return, Skuntank can dispose of enemy Ghost-types and eliminate Chansey.</p>

[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Poison Jab
move 4: Crunch / Pursuit / Return
item: Life Orb
ability: Aftermath
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Taking advantage of Skuntank’s STAB attacks and Explosion, this set aims to break down walls while simultaneously working as a quasi-tank. Sucker Punch deals massive damage to faster, fragile Pokemon that dare attack Skuntank; in many cases, it allows Skuntank to revenge kill a Pokemon that is attempting to sweep your team, such as Mismagius, Alakazam, or Sceptile. Skuntank is one of only two Dark-types that get Explosion (the other being Shiftry), which complements Skuntank's Dark-type STAB perfectly since few Ghost-types will be willing to switch into Skuntank for fear of getting hit by a super effective Crunch. Poison Jab is Skuntank’s secondary STAB attack, and it does not require the opponent to attack in order to work. While Poison-type attacks have relatively poor super effective coverage, they do provide great neutral coverage. Poison Jab is useful for keeping common Fighting-types at bay, such as Blaziken, Hitmontop, and Hitmonlee. Crunch is used in the last slot as a reliable secondary STAB and for the number of Ghost-types likely to use Substitute, such as Rotom. Pursuit can also be used in the last slot and makes a death trap for fragile Psychic- and Ghost-types that are unable to switch out without being KOed. Return is mostly for dealing damage to enemy Skuntank and Toxicroak that resist Skuntank's STAB attacks.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Skuntank sits in a rather unique Speed tier, so maximizing its Speed with a Jolly nature is highly recommended. In doing so, Skuntank is able to outspeed various threats of the UU tier, including Venusaur, Blaziken, and Adamant Arcanine.</p>

<p>Rather than attempting to sweep, this set aims to eliminate problematic walls in order to set up a sweep by a teammate. The main idea is to switch in on various threats, such as Alakazam, Mismagius, and Rotom, and fire off Poison Jab or Crunch to scout your opponent's switch-in. Steel-types completely wall this set, so it is ideal that your team has Pokemon that pack strong Fire-, Fighting- or Ground-type attacks. Moltres is an excellent partner, as it boasts STAB on its powerful Fire Blast and is immune to Skuntank’s only weakness, Ground-type attacks. Dugtrio makes an excellent partner as well for its ability to safely remove Registeel and Chansey without worrying about being crippled by Thunder Wave. Many Rock- and Ground-types, such as Donphan and Rhyperior, have the defenses to weather Skuntank’s moves, even if they risk being poisoned by Poison Jab. Claydol can switch into these Pokemon thanks to its immunity to Ground-type attacks and eliminate those Ground-types with Ice Beam. In return, Skuntank removes Claydol's Ghost-, Dark-, and Grass-type foes. Water-types such as Milotic and Blastoise can also eliminate problematic Rock-types, while Skuntank destroys Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Leafeon in return.</p>

<p>Once Pokemon that resist or are immune to Explosion are removed, Skuntank is free to switch in on its selected victim and unleash all hell with its Life Orb boosted Explosion. The idea is to select a victim that would normally wall Skuntank's sweeping partner. Good candidates to Explode on include Weezing, Miltank, and Milotic. Once those problematic Pokemon have been removed, good candidates to sweep the opposition include Swellow, Hitmonlee, and Torterra. A word to the wise: do not use Explosion unless you are absolutely sure the opponent's Ghost-types have been fully removed; otherwise, if they switch in at the wrong time, Skuntank's sacrifice will have been in vain.</p>


[Team Options]

<p>Skuntank, like most offensive Pokemon, appreciates Stealth Rock support, as it is crucial for guaranteeing certain OHKOs and 2HKOs. Skuntank does well on any bulky or heavy offense team, cleaning up the opponent's team late-game with a combination of strong priority and Explosion. Espeon, Alakazam, and Mismagius are powerful end-game sweepers that benefit from Skuntank removing some of their usual counters and appreciate Skuntank's resistances to Dark- and Ghost-type attacks. Fighting-types in general are excellent complements to Skuntank, as Skuntank can remove faster Ghost- and Psychic-types that stop Fighting-type sweepers while the Fighting-types can take care of the Steel-types that wall Skuntank. Since Skuntank gets STAB on Poison-type moves, it can be a nice companion to bulky Water-types, removing enemy Grass-types like Tangrowth and Sceptile. Pokemon that resist or are immune to Ground-type attacks, like Claydol, are great teammates, as they cover Skuntank's sole, easily-exploited weakness.</p>


[Optional Changes]

<p>Fire Blast, with a Rash or Mild nature, Life Orb, and at least 100 Special Attack EVs 2HKOes Aggron and Steelix. While Registeel is still only 3HKOed, Fire Blast prevents Skuntank from being wholly walled by Steel-types without using Explosion. Hidden Power Ground can be used on either set specifically for Aggron, as it deals 96.8% - 113.9% even with a hindering nature. However, sacrificing a moveslot for one Pokemon is not recommended. Screech can replace any move other than Pursuit on the sets since, as Screech will be causing switches, it makes a wonderful combo alongside Pursuit. Rock Smash can be used with Screech to deal heavy damage to Rock- and Steel-types like Aggron but has little use otherwise, and Fire Blast generally does more damage. Night Slash has a high critical hit rate, but Sucker Punch and Crunch are more reliable forms of STAB. The low PP attack Punishment is in the same boat but can be useful if you worried about running into a Calm Mind Spiritomb or Calm Mind Uxie.</p>


[Counters]

<p>Countering Skuntank is difficult, since Explosion can take most potential counters down with it. Registeel is generally a good switch-in, resisting almost everything Skuntank has except for a Life Orb Fire Blast, which fails to 3HKO the standard variant. Weezing is in the same position as Registeel and can retaliate back with Thunderbolt, Will-O-Wisp, and Pain Split (which benefits from Skuntank's high HP stat). Rhyperior has massive defenses and can freely set up on any Skuntank set. All of the aforementioned Pokemon are severely crippled by a Life Orb Explosion, however. Spiritomb takes paltry damage from most of Skuntank’s moves and can burn Skuntank while being immune to Explosion; however, it loses to Taunt variants. Houndoom is faster than Skuntank and can come in on a predicted Sucker Punch and proceed to either incinerate Skuntank with Fire Blast or set up with Nasty Plot. Drapion is also faster than Skuntank and has access to Earthquake (which is unaffected by Aftermath), more often than not gaining free turns to set up. Anything faster than Skuntank that can survive a Sucker Punch is a good candidate to beat it.</p>

yeah listen youre going to want to aim for a jolly nature here to take advantage of that unique speed point. youll be beating all sorts of prominent pokemon who linger lower than that speed point such as venusaur, blaziken, even adamant arcanine (!).

i actually think this set is a dead ringer version of somalias but somalias analysis emphasizes the role of skuntank relatively better than this one. getting with the analysis, im pretty sure we can do a much better job at emphasizing skuntanks role in the actual game. if you plan to differenciate this set from somalia you're going to want to emphasize on the following:

• role with tearing down walls as supposed to trapping; therefore, you your slashes to be crunch / sucker punch / explosion / poison jab. just mention pursuit honestly because this is strictly physical attacking (breaking down walls, etc).
• with that said emphasize on what youre doing and how you will come in the match. talk about his unique typing and switching in on many prolific special attackers like rotom, missy, alakazam.
• talk about what youre hitting crunch and sucker punch are powerful stab moves hitting shit for neutral. with that said, youre going to have people switching it to resist it so poison jab needs a mention and how it deals with blaziken, hitmontop, hitmonlee, etc. poison jab is usually the best move to use on someone absolutely planning to switch out.

with that said, ac is lacking in actual substance and factual information on the metagame. no one uses charizard and it isnt exactly the best way to deal with steel types because (common steel-type) registeel is going to use thunder wave and leave you in dusts by switching out. youre going to want to think from a luring standpoint so for partners, youre going to want combos like uxie (with u-turn) + dugtrio to successfully trap it. but in terms of safe partners you want donphan or torterra because they boast immunity to paralysis and take very little from iron head. donphan is great cause it lures in mismagius and you can use this to your advantage by bringing in skuntank.

lastly, you want to pair this with another physical attacker to take advantage of skuntanks explosion on physical walls such as milotic or slowbro. speaking of explosion.. emphasize on using it careful and ensure they have no ghost-types to absorb the hit. thats all..

Back from the dead I see franky, lol.

Yeah, I was debating on whether or not just dropping the set all together, as Skuntank is really just played best as a Trapper, and I couldn't think of how to reword the second set to make it seem different enough. However, I think I can rewrite it now with your comments to differentiate it from Somalia's.

I'll get to writing it soon.

Thanks for amazing post and help franky!

D'you think Hidden Power Ground should get a mention? Just for hitting Aggron for 96.8% - 113.9% with Life Orb and a hindering nature?

Yeah, I'll add that to OC too.

EDIT: There, changes made.

EDIT 2: Cleaned up the Team Options and Counters section. This should be ready for GP checks then.

removals in red
additions in bold
comments in [italics]


GP CHECK 1/2

Thanks uragg, changes made!

buggy?

Anyways, looks pretty good, I didn't find too many mistakes.

GP Check [2/2]

REMOVE
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1 down, somewhere around 40 to go (and that's just in CE)

Thanks buggy, changes made. Sorry about the odd spacing errors, I was using a different computer when I made uragg's changes.

Well, this should be done!

Uploaded this, waiting for a cache. The only change I made was adding a </p> tag that was missed. Thanks AoK and Oglemi