STAMPS
Approvals: 2/2:
(Bluewind)
(Folgorio)
GP: 2/2:
(Fatecrashers)
(Snorlaxe)
======
Changes from current:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/beedrill
======
[Overview]
<p>Beedrill is a bad Pokemon, but he has decent Attack and Speed, with enough of a movepool to use them; access to reliable STAB options, Endeavor, Toxic Spikes, Baton Pass, Swords Dance, and Agility, as well as key 4x resistances; all of which play their part in making Beedrill that much less useless. However, all of Beedrill's other stats are lackluster, and outside the aforementioned options, he does not have much more. A weakness to Stealth Rock doesn't help either. Still, Beedrill is better than most of his oft-forgotten Bug-type brothers, and though he is grossly outclassed, he is definitely a viable Pokemon in his own right.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Baton Pass / Poison Jab / Substitute
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Beedrill gets access to Swords Dance, and with his only usable stats being Attack and Speed, it is only natural to have a set based around it. It's not hard to believe that this is Beedrill's best bet at sweeping, and though getting the chance to set up might be a little hard, once you do, Beedrill may just surprise you.</p>
<p>X-Scissor is a nice, reliable STAB for general usage, and it is quite powerful if you manage to get Beedrill into Swarm range. Brick Break offers the best coverage with X-Scissor and hits pesky Steel-types for super effective damage. In the final slot, we have Baton Pass, Poison Jab, and Substitute. Baton Pass is the main slash because it allows Beedrill to take his boosts and pass them to an ally (as opposed to wasting them), as well as scout switch-ins in the early-game. Poison Jab is a nice auxiliary STAB move though, hitting Flying-types hard, and having a nifty chance to poison some of the bulky Pokemon that Beedrill lures in. Finally, Substitute is useful for blocking status and easing prediction when you find yourself facing a Pokemon slower than Beedrill.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are cookie-cutter for a sweeper, with maximum Attack and Speed to emphasize Beedrill's only worthwhile stats. An Adamant nature is recommended because the added power is often more useful than the extra Speed a Jolly nature provides. Still, Jolly is a viable option if you require Beedrill to outspeed neutral-natured base 80s, most notably Blaziken.</p>
<p>Substitute can be used in conjuction with Salac Berry for some added Speed (be sure to put those last 4 EVs into HP if you do so, so as to activate the Salac Berry in just 3 Substitutes). Beedrill outspeeds everything up to positive-natured base 120s after the boost, which is more than enough to theoretically pull off a successfull sweep. However, Beedrill's horrific physical defense makes him extremely susceptible to priority, and his typing leaves him vulnerable to damaging weather, which makes this option fail more often than not.</p>
<p>Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin. These are Beedrill's favorite team options; especially when he's trying to sweep. Donphan and Claydol are great teammates to provide Rapid Spin as well as Stealth Rock, and they also resist any Rock-type attacks aimed at Beedrill. In return, Beedrill easily switches into Grass-type attacks. Any Pokemon that appreciates Attack boosts will also be good, and your options are going to be quite broad since every physical attacker does. Rhyperior and Azumarill are possibly the best receivers thanks to their high Attack stat and they cover Beedrill's weaknesses quite well. If Beedrill happens to scout out a potential threat with Baton Pass early, you're also going to want a Pokemon that can scare out or trap said threat. For example, if a Steel-type comes in, a Magneton or Dugtrio waiting in the wings is going to be able to prevent them from ever ruining Beedrill's fun.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Poison Jab / Pursuit
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Beedrill can be an effective Choice Scarf user thanks to his decent Attack and Speed. U-turn is what really makes this set worthwhile, so it should be capitalized on, especially if you can get one off on the many Steel- or Fire-types Beedrill lures in, bring in a trapper like Dugtrio, and nab a free KO. X-Scissor is Beedril's most reliable STAB move, and it can even be used to sweep late-game if Swarm is activated. Brick Break provides nice coverage with X-Scissor, 2HKOing such switch-ins as Aggron and Kabutops. Finally, while Poison Jab is a good secondary STAB move to hit Flying-types; Pursuit is just swell for trapping weakened Pokemon, especially the likes of Rotom and Mismagius, sealing their fate.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed with an Adamant nature allows Beedrill to outspeed everything up to positive-natured base 120s, which is where his prime targets are: Sceptile and Alakazam. Attack is also maximized for added power, and the rest go into Special Defense, as Beedrill really shouldn't be investing at all in his terrible Defense. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Swellow, but Beedrill is incapable of OHKOing it with any of its moves, and Swellow has Quick Attack to negate this advantage anyway.</p>
<p>For any Beedrill set, Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support is obligatory. But Choice Scarf Beedrill, being the one that will switch in and out the most, almost requires the latter, as having only a maximum of 5 switch-ins as a scout and revenge killer is... pretty bad. Choice Scarf Beedrill also likes stuff that can come in on the bulky Pokemon it will lure in on the U-turn. Fire-types such as Arcanine fear nothing from Weezing, and Pursuit users such as Houndoom can trap and eliminate Ghost-types from the match. A Pokemon that can set up on Pursuit is also useful, as the ever frail Beedrill doesn't like the move one bit.</p>
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Agility / Swords Dance
move 3: Substitute
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Liechi Berry / Salac Berry
nature: Jolly
evs: 244 HP / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set drops the idea of sweeping completely, and instead aims to support a teammate with the boosts that Beedrill can provide. Agility and Swords Dance are both very useful boosting moves, and the appropriate pinch Berry should be used to make up for the stat that is not being boosted. Substitute eases the Berry activation, and is also useful for blocking status and passing in its own right. Finally, X-Scissor is the obligatory STAB move, ensuring that Beedrill is not complete Taunt bait; without any investment though, it's going to hit like the soft end of a feather duster, so don't expect it to KO anything healthy anytime soon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs maximize the number of potential targets Beedrill can set up on, and give a HP number divisible by 4, activating the pinch Berry after 3 Substitutes (or 2 Substitutes and Stealth Rock). The rest go into Special Defense to ease the damage taken from less powerful special attacks. Even with the investment though, Beedrill won't be taking any powerful attacks anytime soon, especially physical ones, so don't expect him to. It is not advised to have both Swords Dance and Agility on the same moveset, as with Beedrill's defenses, he won't get the chance to obtain more than one boost in a typical match.</p>
<p>Rhyperior is an ideal teammate to pass to, as it can easily capitalize on either and any of the boosts Beedrill can provide. It's also awesome that Beedrill and it happen to cover each other's weaknesses almost perfectly. As with other pure Baton Passers, you should keep in mind that Beedrill is more of an accessory to your team, moreso than an actual teammate. Therefore, your team should be able to function even without Beedrill's presence, and having Beedrill on the team only helps the team by providing the tools to sweep late-game.</p>
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Endeavor
move 3: Protect
move 4: X-Scissor / U-turn
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Beedrill may seem outclassed in the role of a Toxic Spikes lead by Venomoth, who has access to Sleep Powder, Tinted Lens, and higher stats in everything that is relevant, Beedrill has one trick up his sleeve, Endeavor, an extremely useful and unique move to Beedrill when used in the lead slot. The idea is quite simple. Against slower leads, set up a layers Toxic Spikes until Beedrill gets knocked down to low HP, and then depending on the situation, either set up another layer and get KOed, or Endeavor to bring the opposing Pokemon down to 1 HP. Beedrill's options are limited to just the latter strategy against faster leads. Protect is the option for the third slot so Ambipom and Hariyama don't ruin this strategy with Fake Out, while X-Scissor and U-turn are the predictable STAB options that every Pokemon should have.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Beedrill's two strongest points, and everything else, including the IVs, go into making Endeavor as effective as possible. Obviously, Pokemon that benefit from Toxic Spikes being on the field make the best teammates to this set. Stall teams, SubRoosters, and Pokemon that use Wish + Protect for recovery can all easily abuse the steady damage of Toxic Spikes to great effect. Don't forget spinblockers, such as Spiritomb, either; you never want all of Beedrill's hardwork to just disappear.</p>
<p>In terms of leading, Beedrill actually fairs quite well with most leads thanks to Focus Sash and Endeavor. However, Qwilfish, in particular, can utilize Taunt to prevent Beedrill from executing his strategy and then freely set up its own payload afterwards. To counteract it, a good Rapid Spin user (let's say Blastoise) to remove entry hazards it might set up, and a strong team core to protect against rain are necessary.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support are great for Beedrill, being an offensive Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock. Donphan can provide both, and it resists Rock, while Beedrill can come in on Grass-type moves thanks to his 4x resistance. Kabutops can do the same, but it resists Fire instead of Rock. U-turn partners are useful, and Moltres is a good example of one (but with both Beedrill and Moltres on the same team, an extremely reliable Rapid Spinner is just about necessary). Ambipom is another great choice, as it can easily provide offensive momentum with its powerful Fake Out and U-turn. Baton Pass receivers who like Attack and Speed boosts are also good to have if Beedrill carries it; Rhyperior is a good example, as he can come in on Fire-type attacks aimed at Beedrill. Milotic and Slowbro are always good Pokemon to fall back on in UU, and both, like many of the other recommended teammates, resist Fire. The latter is also able to provide paralysis support with Thunder Wave, another thing that Beedrill appreciates. Finally, Pokemon that can reliably remove Steel-types from a match are just great, the best being Dugtrio and Magneton.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>A Choice Band set would seem obligatory with Beedrill's stat distribution, but the boost in power really does not net many additional KOs compared to the Scarf set, making it an almost completely inferior option. Aerial Ace is a fine choice for hitting other Bug-types, but they are few and far between in the UU tier. Bug Bite can be pretty funny if you manage to steal the opponent's Berry and ruin their game plan, but it is gimmicky and unreliable. Payback and Assurance are essentially the same exact move, and they can be used to nail predicted Ghost-type switch-ins. Finally, Toxic cripples bulky Water-types that might switch into Beedrill.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Poison-types, especially Weezing with its high physical defense and access to Flamethrower, are the best counters to Beedrill; resisting both his STABs, without being weak to any auxiliary attack he may possibly carry. Grounded ones can also absorb any Toxic Spikes Beedrill might set up just by switching in. Steel-types also resist both STABs, and usually have the bulk to take even Swords Dance-boosted Brick Breaks. Flying-types resist Bug, and can threaten with a super effective STAB attack; they just have to be a bit wary about poison from Poison Jab or Toxic. Ghost-types only have to fear Payback and Assurance, and can threaten in return with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
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Post-critique changes (a la bmb)
Approvals: 2/2:


GP: 2/2:


======
Changes from current:
- Conformed to current layout
- Sent all sets but Choice and Swords Dance to OC (reasons are there)

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/beedrill
======
[Overview]
<p>Beedrill is a bad Pokemon, but he has decent Attack and Speed, with enough of a movepool to use them; access to reliable STAB options, Endeavor, Toxic Spikes, Baton Pass, Swords Dance, and Agility, as well as key 4x resistances; all of which play their part in making Beedrill that much less useless. However, all of Beedrill's other stats are lackluster, and outside the aforementioned options, he does not have much more. A weakness to Stealth Rock doesn't help either. Still, Beedrill is better than most of his oft-forgotten Bug-type brothers, and though he is grossly outclassed, he is definitely a viable Pokemon in his own right.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Baton Pass / Poison Jab / Substitute
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Beedrill gets access to Swords Dance, and with his only usable stats being Attack and Speed, it is only natural to have a set based around it. It's not hard to believe that this is Beedrill's best bet at sweeping, and though getting the chance to set up might be a little hard, once you do, Beedrill may just surprise you.</p>
<p>X-Scissor is a nice, reliable STAB for general usage, and it is quite powerful if you manage to get Beedrill into Swarm range. Brick Break offers the best coverage with X-Scissor and hits pesky Steel-types for super effective damage. In the final slot, we have Baton Pass, Poison Jab, and Substitute. Baton Pass is the main slash because it allows Beedrill to take his boosts and pass them to an ally (as opposed to wasting them), as well as scout switch-ins in the early-game. Poison Jab is a nice auxiliary STAB move though, hitting Flying-types hard, and having a nifty chance to poison some of the bulky Pokemon that Beedrill lures in. Finally, Substitute is useful for blocking status and easing prediction when you find yourself facing a Pokemon slower than Beedrill.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are cookie-cutter for a sweeper, with maximum Attack and Speed to emphasize Beedrill's only worthwhile stats. An Adamant nature is recommended because the added power is often more useful than the extra Speed a Jolly nature provides. Still, Jolly is a viable option if you require Beedrill to outspeed neutral-natured base 80s, most notably Blaziken.</p>
<p>Substitute can be used in conjuction with Salac Berry for some added Speed (be sure to put those last 4 EVs into HP if you do so, so as to activate the Salac Berry in just 3 Substitutes). Beedrill outspeeds everything up to positive-natured base 120s after the boost, which is more than enough to theoretically pull off a successfull sweep. However, Beedrill's horrific physical defense makes him extremely susceptible to priority, and his typing leaves him vulnerable to damaging weather, which makes this option fail more often than not.</p>
<p>Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin. These are Beedrill's favorite team options; especially when he's trying to sweep. Donphan and Claydol are great teammates to provide Rapid Spin as well as Stealth Rock, and they also resist any Rock-type attacks aimed at Beedrill. In return, Beedrill easily switches into Grass-type attacks. Any Pokemon that appreciates Attack boosts will also be good, and your options are going to be quite broad since every physical attacker does. Rhyperior and Azumarill are possibly the best receivers thanks to their high Attack stat and they cover Beedrill's weaknesses quite well. If Beedrill happens to scout out a potential threat with Baton Pass early, you're also going to want a Pokemon that can scare out or trap said threat. For example, if a Steel-type comes in, a Magneton or Dugtrio waiting in the wings is going to be able to prevent them from ever ruining Beedrill's fun.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Poison Jab / Pursuit
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Beedrill can be an effective Choice Scarf user thanks to his decent Attack and Speed. U-turn is what really makes this set worthwhile, so it should be capitalized on, especially if you can get one off on the many Steel- or Fire-types Beedrill lures in, bring in a trapper like Dugtrio, and nab a free KO. X-Scissor is Beedril's most reliable STAB move, and it can even be used to sweep late-game if Swarm is activated. Brick Break provides nice coverage with X-Scissor, 2HKOing such switch-ins as Aggron and Kabutops. Finally, while Poison Jab is a good secondary STAB move to hit Flying-types; Pursuit is just swell for trapping weakened Pokemon, especially the likes of Rotom and Mismagius, sealing their fate.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed with an Adamant nature allows Beedrill to outspeed everything up to positive-natured base 120s, which is where his prime targets are: Sceptile and Alakazam. Attack is also maximized for added power, and the rest go into Special Defense, as Beedrill really shouldn't be investing at all in his terrible Defense. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Swellow, but Beedrill is incapable of OHKOing it with any of its moves, and Swellow has Quick Attack to negate this advantage anyway.</p>
<p>For any Beedrill set, Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support is obligatory. But Choice Scarf Beedrill, being the one that will switch in and out the most, almost requires the latter, as having only a maximum of 5 switch-ins as a scout and revenge killer is... pretty bad. Choice Scarf Beedrill also likes stuff that can come in on the bulky Pokemon it will lure in on the U-turn. Fire-types such as Arcanine fear nothing from Weezing, and Pursuit users such as Houndoom can trap and eliminate Ghost-types from the match. A Pokemon that can set up on Pursuit is also useful, as the ever frail Beedrill doesn't like the move one bit.</p>
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Agility / Swords Dance
move 3: Substitute
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Liechi Berry / Salac Berry
nature: Jolly
evs: 244 HP / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set drops the idea of sweeping completely, and instead aims to support a teammate with the boosts that Beedrill can provide. Agility and Swords Dance are both very useful boosting moves, and the appropriate pinch Berry should be used to make up for the stat that is not being boosted. Substitute eases the Berry activation, and is also useful for blocking status and passing in its own right. Finally, X-Scissor is the obligatory STAB move, ensuring that Beedrill is not complete Taunt bait; without any investment though, it's going to hit like the soft end of a feather duster, so don't expect it to KO anything healthy anytime soon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs maximize the number of potential targets Beedrill can set up on, and give a HP number divisible by 4, activating the pinch Berry after 3 Substitutes (or 2 Substitutes and Stealth Rock). The rest go into Special Defense to ease the damage taken from less powerful special attacks. Even with the investment though, Beedrill won't be taking any powerful attacks anytime soon, especially physical ones, so don't expect him to. It is not advised to have both Swords Dance and Agility on the same moveset, as with Beedrill's defenses, he won't get the chance to obtain more than one boost in a typical match.</p>
<p>Rhyperior is an ideal teammate to pass to, as it can easily capitalize on either and any of the boosts Beedrill can provide. It's also awesome that Beedrill and it happen to cover each other's weaknesses almost perfectly. As with other pure Baton Passers, you should keep in mind that Beedrill is more of an accessory to your team, moreso than an actual teammate. Therefore, your team should be able to function even without Beedrill's presence, and having Beedrill on the team only helps the team by providing the tools to sweep late-game.</p>
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Toxic Spikes
move 2: Endeavor
move 3: Protect
move 4: X-Scissor / U-turn
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Beedrill may seem outclassed in the role of a Toxic Spikes lead by Venomoth, who has access to Sleep Powder, Tinted Lens, and higher stats in everything that is relevant, Beedrill has one trick up his sleeve, Endeavor, an extremely useful and unique move to Beedrill when used in the lead slot. The idea is quite simple. Against slower leads, set up a layers Toxic Spikes until Beedrill gets knocked down to low HP, and then depending on the situation, either set up another layer and get KOed, or Endeavor to bring the opposing Pokemon down to 1 HP. Beedrill's options are limited to just the latter strategy against faster leads. Protect is the option for the third slot so Ambipom and Hariyama don't ruin this strategy with Fake Out, while X-Scissor and U-turn are the predictable STAB options that every Pokemon should have.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Beedrill's two strongest points, and everything else, including the IVs, go into making Endeavor as effective as possible. Obviously, Pokemon that benefit from Toxic Spikes being on the field make the best teammates to this set. Stall teams, SubRoosters, and Pokemon that use Wish + Protect for recovery can all easily abuse the steady damage of Toxic Spikes to great effect. Don't forget spinblockers, such as Spiritomb, either; you never want all of Beedrill's hardwork to just disappear.</p>
<p>In terms of leading, Beedrill actually fairs quite well with most leads thanks to Focus Sash and Endeavor. However, Qwilfish, in particular, can utilize Taunt to prevent Beedrill from executing his strategy and then freely set up its own payload afterwards. To counteract it, a good Rapid Spin user (let's say Blastoise) to remove entry hazards it might set up, and a strong team core to protect against rain are necessary.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support are great for Beedrill, being an offensive Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock. Donphan can provide both, and it resists Rock, while Beedrill can come in on Grass-type moves thanks to his 4x resistance. Kabutops can do the same, but it resists Fire instead of Rock. U-turn partners are useful, and Moltres is a good example of one (but with both Beedrill and Moltres on the same team, an extremely reliable Rapid Spinner is just about necessary). Ambipom is another great choice, as it can easily provide offensive momentum with its powerful Fake Out and U-turn. Baton Pass receivers who like Attack and Speed boosts are also good to have if Beedrill carries it; Rhyperior is a good example, as he can come in on Fire-type attacks aimed at Beedrill. Milotic and Slowbro are always good Pokemon to fall back on in UU, and both, like many of the other recommended teammates, resist Fire. The latter is also able to provide paralysis support with Thunder Wave, another thing that Beedrill appreciates. Finally, Pokemon that can reliably remove Steel-types from a match are just great, the best being Dugtrio and Magneton.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>A Choice Band set would seem obligatory with Beedrill's stat distribution, but the boost in power really does not net many additional KOs compared to the Scarf set, making it an almost completely inferior option. Aerial Ace is a fine choice for hitting other Bug-types, but they are few and far between in the UU tier. Bug Bite can be pretty funny if you manage to steal the opponent's Berry and ruin their game plan, but it is gimmicky and unreliable. Payback and Assurance are essentially the same exact move, and they can be used to nail predicted Ghost-type switch-ins. Finally, Toxic cripples bulky Water-types that might switch into Beedrill.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Poison-types, especially Weezing with its high physical defense and access to Flamethrower, are the best counters to Beedrill; resisting both his STABs, without being weak to any auxiliary attack he may possibly carry. Grounded ones can also absorb any Toxic Spikes Beedrill might set up just by switching in. Steel-types also resist both STABs, and usually have the bulk to take even Swords Dance-boosted Brick Breaks. Flying-types resist Bug, and can threaten with a super effective STAB attack; they just have to be a bit wary about poison from Poison Jab or Toxic. Ghost-types only have to fear Payback and Assurance, and can threaten in return with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
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Post-critique changes (a la bmb)
- Added Baton Pass slashes on SD set - SilentVerse
- Added Toxic Spikes Lead set - shrang
- Extra bits on info on sets - Flashrider57
- Added pure BP set - Bluewind
- GP Check 1 - Fatecrashers
- GP Check 2 - Snorlaxe
- Individual set team options - Oglemi