[OVERVIEW]
Accelgor's access to Spikes along with its incredible base 145 Speed makes it an effective suicide lead for hyper offense teams. In addition to Spikes, Accelgor also has access to useful moves such as Final Gambit, which lets it prevent entry hazard removal for a turn to keep momentum on your team's side, and Encore, which heavily discourages foes from trying to set up against Accelgor. Its offensive movepool is decent as well, with useful coverage options such as Focus Blast, Giga Drain, and Sludge Bomb, which gives it good late-game cleaning potential alongside its high Speed. In fact, with a Timid nature, Accelgor naturally outspeeds base 80 Speed Choice Scarf users, notably Medicham, as well as anything slower. However, Accelgor faces stiff competition for a teamslot from other Spikes setters such as Omastar, Mega Glalie, and Qwilfish. In addition to this, Accelgor is quite frail, especially physically, leaving it vulnerable to being revenge killed by strong priority moves and fast Choice Scarf users.
[SET]
name: Spikes Lead
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Final Gambit
move 3: Encore
move 4: Bug Buzz
item: Focus Sash
ability: Unburden
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Accelgor's high Speed makes it an effective Spikes lead for hyper offense teams. With Spikes set up, the opponent's grounded Pokemon take extra damage upon switching in, making it easier for Accelgor's teammates to break through walls and eventually sweep. Final Gambit is quite important to ensure Spikes stays set up on the other side of the field; its main use is preventing opposing Rapid Spin and Defog users from clearing entry hazards for one turn, after which an appropriate teammate can switch in and threaten the opponent's entry hazard remover. If Accelgor has high HP left, it will take out a large chunk of the foe's HP as well. Encore is useful for locking the foe into support moves and discouraging setup sweepers from setting up on Accelgor, as well as giving Accelgor opportunities to set additional layers of Spikes. It can also provide Accelgor's teammates with an opportunity to set up. Bug Buzz is Accelgor's strongest STAB move, giving it a way of dishing out damage without always resorting to Final Gambit, which is especially important if Accelgor is Taunted by a foe. Energy Ball is an option over Encore, as this allows Accelgor to heavily damage or KO Rhyperior, which might try to anti-lead against Accelgor. This can help clear the path for teammates such as Houndoom and Tauros.
Set Details
========
With maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature, Accelgor naturally outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame. Full investment in HP maximizes Final Gambit's potential damage output. An alternate spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe can be used to increase the damage output of Bug Buzz instead. Focus Sash allows Accelgor to survive any one hit, allowing it to set up two layers of Spikes against foes that attack it outright. Unburden doubles Accelgor's Speed after Focus Sash activates, allowing it to set up two layers of Spikes even against opposing Choice Scarf users.
Usage Tips
========
Accelgor is best used as a lead for hyper offense teams. Be cautious of opposing priority users, such as Hitmonlee and Mega Glalie, as well as Rock Blast users such as Rhyperior, Cinccino, and Crustle, as these Pokemon can limit Accelgor to a single layer of Spikes. If your opponent brings in a Rapid Spin user to try to remove Spikes, either switch to a teammate that can spinblock or use Final Gambit. If Accelgor is up against a Defog user and Spikes has already been set up, use Final Gambit. This blocks entry hazard removal for a turn, allowing you to bring in a teammate to threaten the foe out and keep entry hazards set up. Final Gambit can also take a serious chunk out of the foe's health if Accelgor is still at high HP, allowing Accelgor to heavily damage or KO a foe that is particularly threatening to your team.
Team Options
========
Ghost-type Pokemon such as Mega Banette and Mismagius are good teammates because they block Rapid Spin, making it easier to keep Accelgor's Spikes set up on the opponent's side of the field. Mega Banette can also block Defog with its priority Taunt, but keep in mind it must have already Mega Evolved for Taunt to have priority. A fast Stealth Rock user such as Cobalion is useful on entry hazard-stacking offense teams; Cobalion also has a fast Taunt to prevent Defog and can also serve as an alternate lead if you sense that Accelgor will have a poor matchup. Strong wallbreakers, including Houndoom, Hitmonlee, Tyrantrum, Emboar, and Choice Specs Meloetta, can all put huge offensive pressure on the opponent and greatly benefit from the entry hazard support that Accelgor provides. Powerful Volt Switch users such as Choice Specs Rotom-C can help to wear down the opponent's team; entry hazard damage combined with Volt Switch can quickly wear down the foe, not to mention Rotom-C can also demolish Ground-types with Leaf Storm. U-turn users also pair well with Accelgor to keep momentum for your team and leave the opponent at a disadvantage, causing the opponent's team to be worn down by Spikes.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Bug Buzz
move 2: Hidden Power Ground
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Giga Drain / Spikes / Sludge Bomb
item: Life Orb
ability: Sticky Hold
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Bug Buzz is Accelgor's strongest STAB attack, hitting Pokemon such as Reuniclus and Tangrowth for massive damage. Hidden Power Ground 2HKOes Qwilfish and Garbodor without any prior damage if Accelgor is running a Modest nature; it also OHKOes Magneton. Focus Blast might initially appear redundant in terms of coverage, but it's still useful because it hits other Steel-types such as Mega Steelix and Cobalion much harder than Hidden Power Ground does. It also gives Accelgor a way to pressure specially defensive Normal-types. Giga Drain provides great coverage against Rhyperior, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, and can also 2HKO specially defensive Alomomola if Accelgor runs a Modest nature. Energy Ball is another option here, allowing Accelgor to OHKO Rhyperior after Stealth Rock, as long as Rhyperior doesn't have a Careful nature. It also ensures that Accelgor 2HKOes specially defensive Alomomola even when running a Timid nature. Spikes is a great option to capitalize on forced switches, helping to wear down your opponent's team. Sludge Bomb 2HKOes Aromatisse, which can otherwise wall Accelgor completely.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment maximizes Accelgor's offensive capabilities. Life Orb increases Accelgor's damage output even further. A Timid nature allows Accelgor to outspeed Timid Jolteon, +1 Tyrantrum, and Choice Scarf Medicham. A Modest nature can be used instead to give Accelgor's attacks even more power, allowing it to 2HKO specially defensive Alomomola with Giga Drain. Though it's situational, Sticky Hold is the chosen ability, as it prevents Trick or Switcheroo users from taking Accelgor's item.
Usage Tips
========
Accelgor can be used at several points during the game. Its high Speed and good coverage allow it act as a potent revenge killer as needed. Accelgor should not be directly switched into attacks, as its poor bulk means it struggles to take even resisted hits. Accelgor can potentially be used to clean late-game, but keep in mind that its frailty leaves it fairly easy to revenge kill with Choice Scarf or priority users. If running Spikes, it can punish the opponent's switches quite well, providing more residual damage on the opposing team.
Team Options
========
Teammates that can remove entry hazards are appreciated, as Accelgor can be worn down quickly due to its frailty, weakness to Stealth Rock, and Life Orb recoil. Hitmonlee and Kabutops work well in this regard, as they can provide Rapid Spin support and help break past special walls for Accelgor. Wallbreakers such as Tyrantrum, Hitmonlee, Emboar, and Choice Specs Meloetta make for good teammates, as they can break past the special walls that Accelgor struggles with. If running Spikes, a spinblocker such as Mega Banette or Spiritomb can pair up nicely with Accelgor to help ensure entry hazards stay set up. Flying-types such as Golbat and Braviary are quite threatening to Accelgor, as it lacks super effective coverage against them and they threaten to KO Accelgor with Brave Bird. Strong Electric- or Rock-types such as Jolteon, Magneton, Tyrantrum, and Kabutops can all serve as great offensive Pokemon to deal with Flying-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Fire can be used on the offensive set to hit Escavalier much harder while retaining decent coverage against most other Steel-types. Yawn is a decent support option that can be used to force switches. Knock Off is a good utility move to remove items from Accelgor's switch-ins, but it doesn't have the room for the move, not to mention Accelgor's Attack stat is weak. U-turn is an option for Accelgor to pivot out of its checks, but the lead set is better off using Final Gambit and the offensive set doesn't enjoy giving up valuable coverage. Baton Pass is an option for the offensive set, as it prevents Accelgor from being Pursuit trapped by the likes of Drapion and Skuntank and provides momentum for the team, but the move also takes away from Accelgor's coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Defog and Rapid Spin**: Entry hazard removers can remove the Spikes set by Accelgor. They must be cautious of Final Gambit, however, and risk losing a lot of HP if Accelgor is at high health.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Mega Banette and Spiritomb can limit Accelgor to one layer of Spikes and are immune to Final Gambit.
**Multi-Hit Moves**: Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Cinccino, and Crustle can KO Accelgor through its Focus Sash with Rock Blast, limiting it to one layer of Spikes. Keep in mind, however, that Final Gambit does considerable damage to all of them, not to mention that Rhyperior risks getting smacked by Energy Ball and that Cinccino risks getting OHKOed by Focus Blast.
**Xatu**: Xatu's ability bounces back Spikes, preventing Spikes lead Accelgor from doing its job effectively.
**Faster Pokemon**: Any Pokemon that is faster than Accelgor can do serious damage to it due to Accelgor's frailty. This mainly includes fast Choice Scarf users, such as Rotom-C, Houndoom, and Meloetta.
**Priority Users**: Due to Accelgor's frailty, powerful priority users such as Fletchinder and Mega Glalie can do considerable damage to Accelgor. Fletchinder in particular is able to OHKO Accelgor at full health with its priority Acrobatics.
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