Abra (analysis)


Status: GP check 2/2
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[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of Little Cup’s potent sweepers with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack that is matched by no other Pokémon in Little Cup. It also has a superb 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace or tie most of the metagame. Abra can also run an effective Dual Screen set thanks to its aforementioned Speed and access to Encore. Unfortunately, Abra does have its drawbacks, most notably its paper-thin Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks, such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch and has a shallow special movepool that prevents it from taking full advantage of its amazing offensive stats.</p>

[SET]
name: SubAbra
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Encore / Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground
item: Life Orb
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is to use Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokémon who rely on priority to take down Abra, such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be troublesome for slower Pokémon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if, for example, a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Substitute. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit any Pokémon who isn't resistant or immune to it very hard. The exception to this is Munchlax, with its massive HP and Special Defense. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage alongside Psychic, hitting Dark- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. With the excellent coverage that these two attacks provide, there is hardly anything left to hit. Hidden Power Fire provides super effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Ground is almost exclusively for Aron, though it also provides good coverage on Houndour and Magnemite. However, Magnemite is already hit hard by Hidden Power Fire.</p>

<p>Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides a Pokémon such as Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only takes 1 HP due to recoil. The ability Inner Focus is to allow Abra to take Fake Outs, a common attack in Little Cup, and let it not flinch. Abra can then either Substitute, or if Abra is running Encore, Encore a move that won't work the next turn.</p>

<p>Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set is to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing Special Attack and Speed. Due to the IV drop from either Hidden Power Fire or Hidden Power Ground, Abra is forced to add an extra 4 EVs in each stat, making it so that Abra cannot gain a point in any other stat. If you choose to run Encore instead of a Hidden Power you want to run a spread of 76 Def / 236 SpA / 196 Spe. 76 EVs in Special Defense as opposed to Defense is also viable.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners who work well with this set are Choice Scarf Gligar and Choice Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokémon who gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as an incorrect prediction can lead to a dead Abra. For example, if Abra attempts to Substitute on a Choice Scarf Pokémon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokémon attacks, Abra will not have enough HP to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Substitute up with Abra, as many Pokémon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frailty. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. In the late-game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave his or her Pokémon in, possibly because there is a lack of a better options.</p>

[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Encore
move 4: Psychic
item: Light Clay
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Abra can run an effective Dual Screen set due to it being the fastest user in Little Cup. To go along with this, Abra is also tied for being the fastest user of Encore with Poliwag. On paper, Abra seems to be an inferior Dual Screener due to its very low defenses, but its high speed can make it very effective. Abra has the ability to very quickly set up screens, often before the opponent even attacks, giving Abra greater staying power and more time to execute its plan. A fast Encore is also very useful against leads with Stealth Rock, as Abra can set up a screen on the first turn, and if the opponent used Stealth Rock, Abra can Encore, forcing the opponent into a worthless move and allowing Abra to get up its second screen. This set functions very well as a lead if one is trying to set up screens as early as possible as well as there being common moves seen from the lead position that Abra can Encore, such as Stealth Rock and Fake Out.</p>

<p>Psychic gives Abra an attack on this set, and can still hit very hard despite the lack of Special Attack EVs. Light Clay is chosen so that the screens last 8 turns instead of 5, which can make a very big difference thanks to the fast pace of Little Cup. Inner Focus is very useful particularly against Fake Out leads such as Meowth, as Abra won't flinch. This gives Abra an opportunity to either Encore the lead, making it so that Fake Out will fail next turn, or set up its screen of choice. Timid nature is chosen to help Abra reach the magical 19 Speed, without hindering its defenses or Special Attack. The EVs given are to improve Abra's bulk while still keeping it at maximum Speed.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Dual Screen Abra functions best in the lead position, because in most cases you will want to get up screens as soon as possible. The ability Inner Focus also helps out with Abra being in the lead position, as Fake Out leads are relatively common. Obviously, Dual Screen Abra doesn't really need any support; it will be the one supporting other teammates for a sweep. In general, bulky set-up sweepers benefit the most from screens, letting them set up and sweep while taking relatively low damage. Good examples of this would be Totodile, Krabby, Dratini and Bagon. All of them are fairly bulky and can be very difficult to take down behind screens.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Inner Focus / Synchronize
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Abra can function very well as a Choice user due to the excellent coverage provided by its attacks, and can effectively run Choice Scarf or Choice Specs due to its high Special Attack and Speed. Psychic is Abra's strongest STAB move, and its main attack on this set. Signal Beam provides good coverage alongside Psychic.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf is generally the more reliable option with this set, due to the Little Cup metagame being very centralized around Speed. Choice Scarf boosts Abra's Speed to 28 with a Timid nature, matched only by positive natured 83-92 Base Speed Choice Scarf users, such as Gligar, and neutral-natured 93-100 Base Speed Choice Scarf users, such as Diglett, and surpassed only in Speed by 93-100 Speed Pokémon with a positive nature. However, Modest is also a very viable option due to Abra gaining 2 extra points in Special Attack, which can make the difference between winning and losing a battle. It is important to note, however, that you risk tying with 18 Speed Choice Scarf users such as Gastly. Hidden Power Ground is the superior option on this set due to Abra's ability to outpace a +2 Aron, even with a Modest nature. Trick is slightly less effective on this set, as many Pokémon in Little Cup will hardly mind the boost in Speed. However, it is still useful for Pokémon, such as Wynaut who lose their effectiveness when locked into a move. Trick can also be useful for Pokémon who may try to set up on Abra, forcing them to switch out, and not allowing them to sweep as effectively.</p>

<p>Choice Specs is a fun option with this set as Abra has good Speed, which allows it to run the set effectively, and its Special Attack gets boosted to astronomical levels with the Choice Specs boost. Timid is the only nature to use for this set, as it lets Abra tie with other 19 Speed Pokémon, such as Gligar and Staryu. Hidden Power Fire is generally the better option with Choice Specs, as Abra can hit Bronzor for massive damage, being able to OHKO max HP variants if they lack Special Defense EVs. Trick can be very effective on this set, as it can be a pain for physical attackers, who receive no boost in anything useful, and are forced to lock into an attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This set demands a high degree of prediction as any Choice set does due to being locked into one attack before switching out. Dark-types are also immune to Abra's strongest attack, making it even more difficult to play with this set. Predicting incorrectly and using Psychic on a switch to Carvanha gives it a free Substitute, which can be a major pain to any team. Also, using Psychic on a Dark-type Pokémon who knows Pursuit, such as Houndour or Stunky, spells instant death for Abra, and Munchlax can also Pursuit Abra while taking low damage from all of Abra's attacks, particularly on sets with Choice Scarf. Because of this, Abra sweeps best if Dark-types and Munchlax are removed from play. The Choice Specs set also greatly appreciates removal of Choice Scarf Pokémon, as they can outpace and potentially KO Abra. Croagunk works well with Abra because of this, as it is able to wear down Choice Scarf users with priority attacks.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Choice Scarf Gligar and Chioce Scarf Mankey make the best partners to the Substitute set, being able to scout for Abra and beat common special walls such as Munchlax with their physical attacks. While the Dual Screen set helps out literally every Pokémon in the game who uses attacks, some benefit more than others. Some Pokémon that the Dual Screen set helps out the most are stat-uppers such as Poliwag, Krabby, Dratini, and Bagon as well as other Dragon Dancers and Pokémon that can boost their Speed and Attack or Special Attack in two turns. Swords Dance Gligar makes a good partner to the Choice Scarf set, as Abra is fast enough to outpace most Choice Scarf users, Pokémon who Swords Dance Gligar have a fair bit of trouble with. Croagunk is one of the Pokémon that works best with the Choice Specs set as it can wear down Choice Scarf users with its priority attacks, and can do a good job of disposing of Dark-types with super-effective STAB Vacuum Wave.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Energy Ball can be used on either the Choice or SubAbra sets if your team has a lot of trouble with Chinchou, but it is important to note that a super effective Energy Ball hits with only 25 more Base Power than a neutral Psychic. Energy Ball also provides inferior coverage compared to Signal Beam, so it is generally not advised. Abra also possesses Calm Mind, which gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs boost, as well as a boost in Special Defense. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to set up and makes Abra vulnerable to revenge killing without a boost in Speed or a Substitute.</p>

[Counters]

<p>The Sub Abra set has surprisingly few counters. One of the best would be Munchlax, who isable to shake off a couple of Abra's hits and kill it with any of its attacks. Mantyke also makes a decent counter with the highest Special Defense stat in the Little Cup metagame. However, the best way to stop the SuAbbra set from doing significant damage to your team is simply to not let it use Substitute. If Abra is not behind a Substitute it has many more counters. The main one would be priority-move users. Abra is very frail and thus cannot take many priority attacks aimed at it. Virtually any Pokémon faster than Abra when it is not behind a Substitute is a counter because most will be able to KO Abra. An example of this would be Elekid, who can outpace and OHKO with ThunderPunch.</p>

<p>The only Pokémon that can actually counter the Dual Screen set are Pokémon that have a fast Taunt or can KO Abra behind Reflect or Light Screen. Even better counters would be Choice Scarf Pokémon that can KO Abra without letting it get one of the screen up. The only Taunt users that can match Abra in Speed are Voltorb, Gligar, Meowth, and Aipom. Voltorb will be the most trouble as it will always outpace Abra, as opposed to the latter two, with whom Abra ties. Abra can be surprisingly bulky behind screens, so not many Pokémon can take it out in one hit. One example would be Carvanha, who can OHKO Abra with Crunch, even behind Reflect. Choice Scarf Houndour is one Pokémon that absolutely counters Dual Screen Abra because it is able to outpace and OHKO Abra with Dark Pulse, not letting it set up either screen. However, other Choice Scarf-wielding Pokémon that can OHKO Abra are great counters such as Gligar, Cranidos, and Stunky.</p>

<p>The Choice set has many more counters if Abra predicts incorrectly. One could switch in a Pokémon who resists or is immune to Abra's attack, forcing Abra to switch out. However,with good prediction the Choice set can be very difficult to beat. Houndour, Carvanha, and Munchlax are probably the set's best counters. The former two can switch in on Psychic thanks to their immunity and either Substitute, Pursuit Abra, or simply kill it. Munchlax can take any of Abra's attacks and KO back.</p>

 
<p>The goal of this set is utalize Abra's awsome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon that rely on priority to take down Abra such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if say a weakend Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Sub. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit anything that doesn't resist it or is immune to it very hard, with the exception of Munchlax, with its massive HP and SpD. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage with Psychic hitting Dark-types for super-effective damage, along with other Psychic-types. With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super-effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron, and both provide equal coverage on Magnemite. Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides, say, ((?))Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already-powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set are to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing SpA and Spe. Due to the IV drop from both Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 2 EVs in each stat, making it so Abra can not gain a point in any other stat.</p>
^ Might wanna break this one into a few paragraphs.

I just wanna say that the primary use of Trick in Little Cup is basically equivalent to Encore-- lock an opponent into a single move, giving you the opportunity to set up. IE, what I would do is Trick-lock Munchlax into Pursuit-- Abra dies-- Aron gets a free turn to come in and set up. As far as that goes, though, Encore is almost always a better option, especially since Abra gets it too. :0 Maybe you just want to slash Energy Ball next to Trick.
 

macle

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Status: Needs checking
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[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of the most potent sweepers in Little Cup with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack matched by no other Pokemon in Little Cup. To go along with this it has 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace most of the metagame. Unfortunately, Abra does have it's drawbacks in it's paper Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch. It also has a shallow special move pool, preventing it from taking full advantage of it's amazing offensive stats.</p>

[SET]

name: Subra
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting / Encore
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is utilize Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon that rely on priority to take down Abra such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if say a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Sub. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit anything that doesn't resist it or is immune to it very hard, with the exception of Munchlax, with its massive HP and SpD. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage with Psychic hitting Dark-types for super-effective damage, along with other Psychic-types. With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super-effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron, and both provide equal coverage on Magnemite. Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of you're other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides say Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set are to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing SpA and Spe. Due to the IV drop from both Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 2 EVs in each stat, making it so Abra can not gain a point in any other stat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners that work great with this set are Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokemon that gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as a misprediction can lead to a dead Abra, such as if Abra attempts to Sub on a Scarf Pokemon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokemon attacks, not leaving enough HP for Abra to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Sub up with Abra, as many Pokemon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frail defenses. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. Late game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave their Pokemon in, either sacrificing it, or leaving it in simply due to lack of better options.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Abra can function very well as a Choice user, with its excellent coverage of attacks, and has the option of running Choice Scarf or Choice Specs, due to its high Special Attack and Speed, respectively. Psychic is Abra's strongest STAB, and its main attack on this set. Signal Beam provides good coverage alongside Psychic.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf is generally the more reliable option with this set, due to the Little Cup metagame being very centralized around Speed. Choice Scarf boosts Abra's Speed to 28 with a Timid nature, matched only by positive nature 19 Speed Pokemon Choice Scarfers such as Gligar, and neutral nature Choice Scarf 20 Speed Pokemon such as Diglett. And it is only surpassed by 20 Speed Pokemon with a positive nature and Choice Scarf attached. However, Modest is also a very viable option due to Abra gaining 2 extra points in Special Attack, which can make the difference between winning and losing a battle. But it is important to note that you risk tying with positive natured 18 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Gastly. Hidden Power Fighting is the superior option on this set due to Abra's ability to outspeed a +2 Aron, even with a Modest nature. Trick is slightly less effective on this set, as many Pokemon in Little Cup will hardly mind the boost in Speed. However, it is still useful for Pokemon like Wynaut who loses its effectiveness when forced into a move. Trick can also be useful for Pokemon that may try to set up on Abra, forcing them to switch out, and not allowing them to sweep as effectively.</p>

<p>Choice Specs is a fun option with this set as Abra has good Speed to allow it to run the set effectively, and its Special Attack gets boosted to astronomical levels with the Choice Specs boost. Timid is the only nature to use for this set, as it lets Abra tie with other 19 Speed Pokemon such as Gligar. Hidden Power Fire is generally the better option with Choice Specs, as Abra can hit Bronzor for massive damage, being able to OHKO it if max HP variants if they lack Special Defense EVs. Trick can be very effective on this set, as it can be a pain for physical attackers, who recive no boosts in anything useful, and are forced to choose an attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>These sets demand a high degree of prediction as any choice set does due to being locked into one attack before switching out. The Dark-type is also immune to Abra's strongest attack, making it even more difficult to play with this set. Predicting wrong and Psychicing on say a switch to Carvanha, gives it a free Substitute, which can be a major pain to any team. Also, Psychicing on a Dark-type Pokemon that knows Pursuit, such as Houndour or Stunky, spells instant death for Abra, and Munchlax can also Pursuit Abra, taking low damage from all of Abra's attacks, particularly on sets with Choice Scarf. Because of this, Abra sweeps best if Dark-types and Munchlax are removed from play. The Choice Specs set also greatly appreciates removal of Choice Scarf Pokemon, as they can outspeed and potentially KO Abra. Croagunk works well with Abra because of this, being able to wear down Scarfers with priority attacks.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey make the best partners to the Substitute set, being able to scout for Abra, and can beat common special walls such as Munchlax with their physical attacks. Swords Dance Gligar makes a good partner to the Choice Scarf set, as Abra is fast enough to outspeed most Scarfers, Pokemon that SD Gligar has a fair bit of trouble with. Croagunk is one of the Pokemon that works best with the Choice Specs set as it can wear down Scarfers with its priority attacks, and can do a good job of disposing of Dark-types with super-effective STAB Vacuum Wave.</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>Abra is one of the few Pokemon that can set up screens in Little Cup, but it is largely outclassed by Bronzor in that regard, who has better defensive typing and stats. Energy Ball can be used on either of the sets if your team has a lost of trouble with Chinchou, but it is important to note that a super-effective Energy Ball hits with only 25 more base power than a neutral Psychic. Energy Ball also provides inferior coverage compared to Signal Beam, so it is generally not advised. Abra also posses Calm Mind, which gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs boost, as well as a boost in Special Defense. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to set up and makes Abra vulnerable to revenge killing without a boost in Speed or a Substitute.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>The Subra set has surprisingly very few counters. One of the best would be Munchlax, being able to shake off a couple of Abra's hits and kill it with any of its attacks. Mantyke also makes a decent counter with the highest Special Defense stat in the Little Cup metagame. But the best way to stop the Subra set from doing significant damage to your team is simply to not let it use Substitute.</p>

<p>The Choice set has many more counters if Abra predicts incorrectly. One could switch in a resist or immunity to Abra's attack, virtually forcing Abra to switch out, giving the opponent the upper hand. But with good prediction the Choice set can be very difficult to beat. Houndour, Carvanha, and Munchlax are probably the set's best counters. The former two can switch in on an immune Psychic and either Substitute, Pursuit Abra, or simply kill it. Munchlax can take all of Abra's attacks and KO back.</p>
 
This analysis needs to include Dual Screen Abra as a main set, I personally think it's Abra's best set. It looks like this:

[SET]

name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Encore
move 4: Psychic
item: Light Clay
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe

That reminds me - you need to add "ability:" into every set since Abra has two abilities.
 
I just wanna say that the primary use of Trick in Little Cup is basically equivalent to Encore-- lock an opponent into a single move, giving you the opportunity to set up. IE, what I would do is Trick-lock Munchlax into Pursuit-- Abra dies-- Aron gets a free turn to come in and set up. As far as that goes, though, Encore is almost always a better option, especially since Abra gets it too. :0 Maybe you just want to slash Energy Ball next to Trick.
In the example you gave, Trick is most certainly the better option because if Abra encores nothing will happen because Munchlax is slower. Also Encore is a one-time thing, Trick can give a Pokemon trouble throughout a match if need be. Also, is the last sentence supposed to have something to do with the rest of the paragraph?
 
In the example you gave, Trick is most certainly the better option because if Abra encores nothing will happen because Munchlax is slower. Also Encore is a one-time thing, Trick can give a Pokemon trouble throughout a match if need be. Also, is the last sentence supposed to have something to do with the rest of the paragraph?
Okay... well... there you go.

And I think the point of saying that was assuming that having Trick is less desirable than getting some extra coverage (albeit, not that much). I'm not saying it is, but-- you know-- just in case.

Although I did just realize that it's probably better for Abra to try to get rid of his Choice item at some point just so he becomes less susceptible to being trapped/set up on, etc.
 
Doing a grammar and prose check here. Changes in red. I also used strikethroughs.


Status: Needs checking
----------------------------------------

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of the most potent sweepers in Little Cup (repetitive wording; you mention Little Cup once again in the same sentence) with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack matched by no other Pokemon in Little Cup. To go along with this, it has 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace most of the metagame. Unfortunately, Abra does have its drawbacks in its paper Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch, and It also (repetitive wording again; makes the sentences sound choppy) has a shallow special move pool <s>, preventing</s> that prevents it from taking full advantage of its amazing offensive stats.</p>

[SET]

name: Subra
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting / Encore
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is utilize Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon that rely on priority to take down Abra, such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if say a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Sub. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit anything that doesn't resist it or is immune to it very hard, with the exception of Munchlax, with its massive HP and SpD. (Don't know how to fix this sentence. It seems very long and awkward.) Signal Beam provides excellent coverage with Psychic Bug (Dark types are immune to Psychic.) hitting both Dark and Psychic types for super-effective damage.</s>, along with other Psychic-types.</s> With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super-effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron, and both provide equal coverage on Magnemite. Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of you're your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides say Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set are to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing SpA and Spe. Due to the IV drop from either both Hidden Power Fire and or Hidden Power Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 4 EVs in each stat, making it so that Abra can not gain a point in any other stat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners that work great with this set are Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokemon that gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as a misprediction can lead to a dead Abra. For example, if Abra attempts to Sub on a Scarf Pokemon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokemon attacks, Abra will not have enough HP to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Sub up with Abra, as many Pokemon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frail defenses. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. Late game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave their his or her Pokemon in, either sacrificing it or leaving it in simply due to lack of better options.</p>
That's all for now, since I'm tired and need my sleep.
 

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[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of the most potent sweepers in Little Cup with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack matched by no other Pokemon in Little Cup. To go along with this it has 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace most of the metagame. Unfortunately, Abra does have its drawbacks in its paper-thin Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch. It also has a shallow special movepool, preventing it from taking full advantage of its amazing offensive stats.</p>

[SET]
name: Subra

move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting / Encore
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is utilize Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon who rely on priority to take down Abra such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if, say, a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Substitute. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit any Pokemon who doesn't resist it or is immune to it very hard, with the exception of Munchlax, with its massive HP and Special Defense. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage with Psychic hitting Dark-types for super effective [no hyphen] damage, along with other Psychic-types. With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron, and both provide equal coverage on Magnemite. Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides a Pokemon like Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set are to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing Special Attack and Speed. Due to the IV drop from both Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 4 EVs in each stat, making it so Abra can not gain a point in any other stat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners who work great with this set are Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokemon who gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as a misprediction can lead to a dead Abra, such as if Abra attempts to Substitute on a Scarf Pokemon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokemon attacks, not leaving enough HP for Abra to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Substitute up with Abra, as many Pokemon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frail defenses. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. Late game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave their Pokemon in, either sacrificing it, or leaving it in simply due to lack of better options.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Abra can function very well as a Choice user due to its excellent coverage of attacks, and can effectively run Choice Scarf or Choice Specs due to its high Special Attack and Speed. Psychic is Abra's strongest STAB, and its main attack on this set. Signal Beam provides good coverage alongside Psychic.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf is generally the more reliable option with this set, due to the Little Cup metagame being very centralized around Speed. Choice Scarf boosts Abra's Speed to 28 with a Timid nature, matched only by positive nature 19 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Gligar, and neutral nature 20 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Diglett. It [never start a sentence with "and"] is only surpassed by 20 Speed Pokemon with a positive nature and Choice Scarf attached. However, Modest is also a very viable option due to Abra gaining 2 extra points in Special Attack, which can make the difference between winning and losing a battle. It is important to note, however, that you risk tying with positive natured 18 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Gastly. Hidden Power Fighting is the superior option on this set due to Abra's ability to outspeed a +2 Aron, even with a Modest nature. Trick is slightly less effective on this set, as many Pokemon in Little Cup will hardly mind the boost in Speed. However, it is still useful for Pokemon like Wynaut who lose their effectiveness when forced into a move. Trick can also be useful for Pokemon who may try to set up on Abra, forcing them to switch out, and not allowing them to sweep as effectively.</p>

<p>Choice Specs is a fun option with this set as Abra has good Speed to allow it to run the set effectively, and its Special Attack gets boosted to astronomical levels with the Choice Specs boost. Timid is the only nature to use for this set, as it lets Abra tie with other 19 Speed Pokemon such as Gligar. Hidden Power Fire is generally the better option with Choice Specs, as Abra can hit Bronzor for massive damage, being able to OHKO max HP variants if they lack Special Defense EVs. Trick can be very effective on this set, as it can be a pain for physical attackers, who recive no boosts in anything useful, and are forced to choose an attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This set demands a high degree of prediction as any Choice set does due to being locked into one attack before switching out. Dark-types are also immune to Abra's strongest attack, making it even more difficult to play with this set. Predicting wrong and Psychicing on say a switch to Carvanha gives it a free Substitute, which can be a major pain to any team. Also, Psychicing on a Dark-type Pokemon who knows Pursuit, such as Houndour or Stunky, spells instant death for Abra, and Munchlax can also Pursuit Abra while taking low damage from all of Abra's attacks, particularly on sets with Choice Scarf. Because of this, Abra sweeps best if Dark-types and Munchlax are removed from play. The Choice Specs set also greatly appreciates removal of Choice Scarf Pokemon, as they can outspeed and potentially KO Abra. Croagunk works well with Abra because of this, being able to wear down Scarfers with priority attacks.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey make the best partners to the Substitute set, being able to scout for Abra, and can beat common special walls such as Munchlax with their physical attacks. Swords Dance Gligar makes a good partner to the Choice Scarf set, as Abra is fast enough to outspeed most Scarfers, Pokemon who Swords Dance Gligar have a fair bit of trouble with. Croagunk is one of the Pokemon who works best with the Choice Specs set as it can wear down Scarfers with its priority attacks, and can do a good job of disposing of Dark-types with super-effective STAB Vacuum Wave.</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>Abra is one of the few Pokemon who can set up screens in Little Cup, but it is largely outclassed by Bronzor in that regard, who has better defensive typing and stats. Energy Ball can be used on either of the sets if your team has a lost of trouble with Chinchou, but it is important to note that a super effective Energy Ball hits with only 25 more Base Power than a neutral Psychic. Energy Ball also provides inferior coverage compared to Signal Beam, so it is generally not advised. Abra also possesses Calm Mind, which gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs boost, as well as a boost in Special Defense. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to set up and makes Abra vulnerable to revenge killing without a boost in Speed or a Substitute.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>The Subra set has surprisingly very few counters. One of the best would be Munchlax, being able to shake off a couple of Abra's hits and kill it with any of its attacks. Mantyke also makes a decent counter with the highest Special Defense stat in the Little Cup metagame. However, the best way to stop the Subra set from doing significant damage to your team is simply to not let it use Substitute.</p>

<p>The Choice set has many more counters if Abra predicts incorrectly. One could switch in a resist or immunity to Abra's attack, virtually forcing Abra to switch out, giving the opponent the upper hand. But with good prediction the Choice set can be very difficult to beat. Houndour, Carvanha, and Munchlax are probably the set's best counters. The former two can switch in on an immune Psychic and either Substitute, Pursuit Abra, or simply kill it. Munchlax can take all of Abra's attacks and KO back.</p>


I agree with Hyu, screener Abra is p. good, have you tested it thoroughly?
 

iss

let's play bw lc!
is a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Forum Moderator Alumnus
you should add priority to the counters, especially croagunk if it doesn't have a sub. add more to the last sentence about not having a sub- scarfers, priority, 20 speeders, etc.
 

jc104

Humblest person ever
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of the most potent sweepers with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack matched by no other Pokemon in Little Cup. To go along with this it has 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace most of the metagame. Abra can also run an effective Dual Screen set thanks to its aforementioned Speed and access to Encore. Unfortunately, Abra does have its drawbacks, most notably
in its paper-thin Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch and has a shallow special movepool that prevents it from taking full advantage of its amazing offensive stats.</p>

[SET]
name:Subra
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Encore / Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is utilize Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon who rely on priority to take down Abra such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if, say, a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Substitute. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit any Pokemon who
doesn't resist it or is isn't resistant or immune to it very hard. The exception to this is Munchlax, with its massive HP and Special Defense. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage alongside Psychic hitting Dark- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron; both provide equally good coverage on Magnemite.</p>

<p>Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides a Pokemon such as Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. The ability Inner Focus is to allow Abra to take Fake Outs, a common attack in Little Cup, and let it not flinch. Abra can then either Substitute, or if Abra is running Encore,
it lets it Encore a move that won't work the next turn.</p>

<p>Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set is to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing Special Attack and Speed. Due to the IV drop from either Hidden Power Fire or Hidden Power Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 4 EVs in each stat, making it so that Abra cannot gain a point in any other stat.</p> (You should probably mention the spread that should be used if not running Hidden Power)

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners who work
great well with this set are Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokemon who gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as an incorrect prediction can lead to a dead Abra. For example if Abra attempts to Sub on a Scarf Pokemon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokemon attacks, Abra will not have enough HP to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Sub up with Abra, as many Pokemon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frailty
defenses. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. In the late-game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave his or her Pokemon in, either sacrificing it, or leaving it in simply due to lack of better options.</p> (You need to change this a little, for you would never sacrifice if there were better options)

[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Encore
move 4: Psychic
item: Light Clay
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe

<p>Abra can run an effective Dual Screen set due to being the fastest user of them in Little Cup. To go along with this Abra
also is is also tied for being the fastest user of Encore with Poliwag. On paper, Abra seems to be an inferior Dual Screener due to its very low defenses, but its high speed can make it very effective. Abra has the ability to very quickly set up screens, often times before the opponent even attacks, giving Abra greater staying power, and more time to execute its plan. A fast Encore is also very useful against leads with Stealth Rock, as Abra can set up a screen turn one, and then if the opponent Stealth Rocked, Abra can Encore, forcing the opponent into a worthless move and allowing Abra to get up its other screen.</p> (you should probably clearly state here that this set works as a lead, if indeed it does)

<p>Psychic is to give Abra an attack on this set, and can still hit very hard despite the lack of Special Attack EVs.
Abra's item Light Clay is chosen so that the screens last 8 turns instead of 5, and the 3 extra turns can make a which can make a very big difference in thanks to the fast pace of Little Cup. Inner Focus is very useful particularly against Fake Out leads such as Meowth, as Abra won't flinch. This gives Abra an opportunity to either Encore the lead, making it so Fake Out will fail next turn, or set up its screen of choice. Timid nature is chosen to help Abra reach the magical 19 Speed, without hindering its defenses or Special Attack. The EVs given are to improve Abra's bulk are to help Abra out most bulk-wise, while still keeping it at maximum Speed.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Dual Screen Abra functions best in the lead position, because in most cases one will be wanting to get
down up(I think you need to be consistent regarding "getting up" and "getting down" screens) screens as soon as possible. The ability Inner Focus also helps out with Abra being in the lead position as Fake Out leads are relatively common. Obviously, Dual Screen Abra doesn't really need any support; (semicolon) it will be the one supporting other teammates for a sweep. In general, bulky set-up sweepers benefit the most from screens, letting them set up and sweep while taking relatively low damage. Good examples of this would be Totodile, Krabby, Dratini and Bagon. Both All of them are fairly bulky, and can be very difficult to take down behind screens.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Inner Focus / Synchronize
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Abra can function very well as a Choice user due to
its the excellent coverage of provided by its attacks, and can effectively run Choice Scarf or Choice Specs due to its high Special Attack and Speed. Psychic is Abra's strongest STAB move, and its main attack on this set. Signal Beam provides good coverage alongside Psychic.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf is generally the more reliable option with this set, due to the Little Cup metagame being very centralized around Speed. Choice Scarf boosts Abra's Speed to 28 with a Timid nature, matched only by
positive-natured 19 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Gligar, and neutral-natured 20 Speed Choice Scarfers such as neutral-natured Diglett. It is only surpassed by 20 Speed Pokemon with a positive nature and Choice Scarf attached (I fail to understand this – 20 speed depends entirely on the nature. It is reasonable to say positive-natured base 90 or something, but not positive natured 19 speed, which is the same as neutral natured 19 speed). However, Modest is also a very viable option due to Abra gaining 2 extra points in Special Attack, which can make the difference between winning and losing a battle. It is important to note, however, that you risk tying with positive-natured 18 Speed Choice Scarfers such as Gastly. Hidden Power Fighting is the superior option on this set due to Abra's ability to outspeed a +2 Aron, even with a Modest nature. Trick is slightly less effective on this set, as many Pokemon in Little Cup will hardly mind the boost in Speed. However, it is still useful for Pokemon like Wynaut who lose their effectiveness when forced locked into a move. Trick can also be useful for Pokemon who may try to set up on Abra, forcing them to switch out, and not allowing them to sweep as effectively.</p>

<p>Choice Specs is a fun option with this set as Abra has good Speed
to which allows it to run the set effectively, and its Special Attack gets boosted to astronomical levels with the Choice Specs boost. Timid is the only nature to use for this set, as it lets Abra tie with other 19 Speed Pokemon such as Gligar. Hidden Power Fire is generally the better option with Choice Specs, as Abra can hit Bronzor for massive damage, being able to OHKO max HP variants if they lack Special Defense EVs. Trick can be very effective on this set, as it can be a pain for physical attackers, who receive no boost in anything useful, and are forced to lock into choose an attack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This set demands a high degree of prediction as any Choice set does due to being locked into one attack before switching out. Dark-types are also immune to Abra's strongest attack, making it even more difficult to play with this set. Predicting incorrectly
wrong and using Psychic on say a switch to Carvanha gives it a free Substitute, which can be a major pain to any team. Also, using Psychic on a Dark-type Pokemon who know Pursuit, such as Houndour or Stunky, spells instant death for Abra, and Munchlax can also Pursuit Abra while taking low damage from all of Abra's attacks, particularly on sets with Choice Scarf. Because of this, Abra sweeps best if Dark-types and Munchlax are removed from play. The Choice Specs set also greatly appreciates removal of Choice Scarf Pokemon, as they can outspeed and potentially KO Abra. Croagunk works well with Abra because of this, being as it is able to wear down Scarfers with priority attacks.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>Scarf Gligar and Scarf Mankey make the best partners to the Substitute set, being able to scout for Abra, and can beat common special walls such as Munchlax with their physical attacks. While the Dual Screen set helps out literally every Pokemon in the game who uses attacks, some benefit more than others. Some Pokemon that the Dual Screen set helps out the most are stat-uppers such as Poliwag, Krabby, Dratini, and Bagon as well as other Dragon Dancers and Pokemon that can boost their Speed and Attack or Special Attack in two turns. Swords Dance Gligar makes a good partner to the Choice Scarf set, as Abra is fast enough to outspeed most Scarfers, Pokemon who Swords Dance Gligar have a fair bit of trouble with. Croagunk is one of the Pokemon that works best with the Choice Specs set as it can wear down Scarfers with its priority attacks, and can do a good job of disposing of Dark-types with super-effective STAB Vacuum Wave.</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>Energy Ball can be used on either the Choice or Subra sets if your team has a lot of trouble with Chinchou, but it is important to note that a super effective Energy Ball hits with only 25 more Base Power than a neutral Psychic. Energy Ball also provides inferior coverage compared to Signal Beam, so it is generally not advised. Abra also possesses Calm Mind, which gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs boost, as well as a boost in Special Defense. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to set up and makes Abra vulnerable to revenge killing without a boost in Speed or a Substitute.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>The Subra set has surprisingly
very few counters. One of the best would be Munchlax, being who is able to shake off a couple of Abra's hits and kill it with any of its attacks. Mantyke also makes a decent counter with the highest Special Defense stat in the Little Cup metagame. However, the best way to stop the Subra set from doing significant damage to your team is simply to not let it use Substitute. If Abra is not behind a Substitute it has many more counters. The main one would be priority-move users. Abra is very frail and thus cannot take many priority attacks aimed at it. Virtually any Pokemon faster than Abra when it is not behind a Substitute is a counter because most will be able to outspeed and KO Abra. An example of this would be Elekid, who can outspeed and OHKO with Thunderpunch.</p>

<p>The only Pokemon that can actually counter the Dual Screen set are Pokemon with a fast Taunt or can KO Abra behind
a Reflect or Light Screen. Even better counters would be Choice Scarf Pokemon that can KO Abra without letting it even get one screen up. The only Taunters that can match Abra in Speed are Voltorb, Gligar, and Meowth. The former will be the most trouble as it will always outspeed Abra, as opposed to the latter two, with whom Abra ties with and therefore has a chance to go first. Abra can be surprisingly bulky behind screens, so not many Pokemon can take it out in one hit. One example would be Carvanha, who can OHKO Abra with Crunch, even behind a Reflect. Choice Scarf Houndour is one Pokemon that absolutely counters Dual Screen Abra because it is able to outspeed and OHKO Abra with Dark Pulse, not letting it set up either screen. However, other Choice Scarf Pokemon that can OHKO Abra are great counters such as Gligar, Cranidos, and Stunky.</p>

<p>The Choice set has many more counters if Abra predicts incorrectly. One could switch in a Pokemon who is resistant or immune to Abra's attack,
virtually forcing Abra to switch out, giving the opponent the upper hand. However, with good prediction the Choice set can be very difficult to beat. Houndour, Carvanha, and Munchlax are probably the set's best counters. The former two can switch in on an immune Psychic thanks to their immunity and either Substitute, Pursuit Abra, or simply kill it. Munchlax can take any of Abra's attacks and KO back.</p>
GP Check 1
Changes are in bold and removals in red.
 
Hidden Power Fire provides super effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Fighting is almost exclusively for Aron, and both provide equal coverage on Magnemite.
Why use HP fighting when HP ground hits aron 4X AND magnemite 4x, while signal beam still hits bronzor harder than HP fighting.
 

Dubulous

I look just like Buddy Holly.
is a Community Leader Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
add in bold
remove in red bold
comments are in hide tags!

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Abra is one of the most potent sweepers with a monstrous 105 base Special Attack that is matched by no other Pokemon in Little Cup. To go along with this, it has 90 base Speed, allowing it to outpace most of the metagame. Abra can also run an effective Dual Screen set thanks to its aforementioned Speed and access to Encore. Unfortunately, Abra does have its drawbacks, most notably its paper-thin Defense and low HP. It is also weak to common priority attacks, such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch, and has a shallow special movepool that prevents it from taking full advantage of its amazing offensive stats.</p>

1. needs a helping verb to work.
2. "To go along..." is a prepositional phrase, so it needs to be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma.
3. when using "such as", separate what you are listing in commas.


[SET]
name: SubAbra
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Encore / Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground
item: Life Orb
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The goal of this set is utilize Abra's awesome power, while attempting to get rid of its glaring weakness to priority. If Abra manages to get a Substitute up, it has a good chance of taking down Pokemon who rely on priority to take down Abra, such as Carvanha and Croagunk. Substitute can also be trouble for slower Pokemon, as it turns potential OHKOs into 2HKOs. This can be helpful if, say, a weakened Munchlax is trying to take down Abra. Munchlax could be relying on only taking one hit from Abra and instead has to waste a turn taking down Abra's Substitute. Psychic is Abra's main STAB attack, which will hit any Pokemon who
isn't resistant or (add space) immune to it very hard. The exception to this is Munchlax, with its massive HP and Special Defense. Signal Beam provides excellent coverage alongside Psychic, hitting Dark- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. With the excellent coverage that those two attacks have, there is hardly anything left to cover. Hidden Power Fire provides super effective coverage on Bronzor, while Hidden Power Ground is almost exclusively for Aron, and though it also provides good coverage on Houndour and Magnemite. However, Magnemite is already hit hard by Hidden Power Fire.</p>

1. when using "such as", separate what you are listing with commas.
2. "hitting Dark-..." is a dependent clause that elaborates on what the excellent coverage is, so it should be separated from the rest of the sentence.
3. using "though it" instead of "and" works better with the word exclusively.


<p>Encore can be an interesting option on this set, as it can provide an excellent opportunity for one of your other sweepers to set up. For example, if Abra Encores a Gligar's Earthquake, it provides a Pokemon such as Mantyke with a free turn of set-up. Encore can also aid Abra in setting up a Substitute if Abra manages to Encore a non-attacking move. Life Orb gives even more power to Abra's already powerful attacks, and due to Abra's 19 HP stat, Life Orb only gives 1 HP of recoil. The ability Inner Focus is to allow Abra to take Fake Outs, a common attack in Little Cup, and let it not flinch. Abra can then either Substitute, or if Abra is running Encore,
Encore a move that won't work the next turn.</p>

<p>Timid is the best option for this set because it allows Abra to tie with the majority of non-Scarfed sweepers in Little Cup. The purpose of the EVs on this set is to maximize Abra's sweeping potential by maxing Special Attack (add space) and Speed. Due to the IV drop from either Hidden Power Fire or Hidden Power Ground Fighting, Abra is forced to add an extra 4 EVs in each stat that is lowered, making it so that Abra cannot gain a point in any other stat. If you choose to run Encore instead of a Hidden Power you want to run a spread of 76 Def / 236 SpA / 196 Spe. 76 EVs in Special Defense as opposed to Defense is also viable.</p>


1. Fighting is not a slash, instead HP Ground is slashed. HP Ground doesn't lower Speed, so adding "that is lowered" adds ambiguity.


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Two partners who work
well (add space) with this set are Choice Scarf Gligar and Choice Scarf Mankey. Both have access to U-turn to scout for Abra and both can dispose of Munchlax, a Pokemon who gives Abra a fair bit of trouble.</p>

<p>One must be very careful when using this set, as an incorrect prediction can lead to a dead Abra. For example, if Abra attempts to use
Substitute Sub on a Choice Scarf Pokemon, anticipating the switch, but instead the Pokemon attacks, Abra will not have enough HP to do much else. It is also very difficult to get a Substitute Sub up with Abra, as many Pokemon will choose to simply attack rather than switch due to Abra's frailty. Abra works better as an early game sweeper because of this, as the opponent is much more likely to switch when there are more options to switch to. In the late-game, there is a greater chance the opponent will leave his or her Pokemon in, possibly because becuase there is a lack of a better options.</p>

1. propriety is key here. when referencing the item Choice Scarf, use the whole name as opposed to just "Scarf".
2. when using "for example" at the beginning of a sentence, separate it with a comma.
3. same deal here. the move is "Substitute", not "Sub".
4. see 1
5. see 3
6. typo; misspelled.


[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Encore
move 4: Psychic
item: Light Clay
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe

<p>Abra can run an effective Dual Screen set due to being the fastest user of them in Little Cup. To go along with this, Abra
is also tied for being the fastest user of Encore with Poliwag. On paper, Abra seems to be an inferior Dual Screener due to its very low defenses, but its high speed can make it very effective. Abra has the ability to very quickly set up screens, often before the opponent even attacks, giving Abra greater staying power, and more time to execute its plan. A fast Encore is also very useful against leads with Stealth Rock, as Abra can set up a screen turn one, and then if the opponent used Stealth Rocked, Abra can Encore, forcing the opponent into a worthless move and allowing Abra to get up its other screen. This set functions very well as a lead, in order to set up screens as early as possible as well as there being common moves seen from the lead position that Abra can Encore, such as Stealth Rock and Fake Out.</p>

1. "to go along with this" is a prepositional phrase and should be separated from the rest of the sentence.
2. the comma after "power" is not necessary.
3. don't try to turn every move into a verb when just using "used" is appropriate.
4. when using "such as", separate what you are listing with commas.
5. "such as" not "such a"


<p>Psychic is to give Abra an attack on this set, and can still hit very hard despite the lack of Special Attack EVs.
Light Clay is chosen so that the screens last 8 turns instead of 5, which can make a (add space) very big difference(add space) thanks to the fast pace of Little Cup. Inner Focus is very useful particularly against Fake Out leads such as Meowth, as Abra won't flinch. This gives Abra an opportunity to either Encore the lead, making it so that Fake Out will fail next turn, or set up its screen of choice. Timid nature is chosen to help Abra reach the magical 19 Speed, without hindering its defenses or Special Attack. The EVs given are to improve Abra's bulk while still keeping it at maximum Speed.</p>

1. "that" is needed.


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Dual Screen Abra functions best in the lead position, because in most cases you will want one will be wanting to get
(add space) up screens as soon as possible. The ability Inner Focus also helps out with Abra being in the lead position, as Fake Out leads are relatively common. Obviously, Dual Screen Abra doesn't really need any support; it will be the one supporting other teammates for a sweep. In general, bulky set-up sweepers benefit the most from screens, letting them set up and sweep while taking relatively low damage. Good examples of this would be Totodile, Krabby, Dratini and Bagon. All (add space) of them are fairly bulky, and can be very difficult to take down behind screens.</p>

1. you're allowed to reference the battler in these; in fact, it's encouraged.
2. a comma is necessary after "position"
3. can you please do some self editing? i can understand one of two places where you omitted a space, but this is getting out of hand.


[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Inner Focus / Synchronize
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Abra can function very well as a Choice user due to
the (add space) excellent coverage provided by its (add space) attacks, and can effectively run Choice Scarf or Choice Specs due to its high Special Attack and Speed. Psychic is Abra's strongest STAB move, and its main attack on this set. Signal Beam provides good coverage alongside Psychic.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf is generally the more reliable option with this set, due to the Little Cup metagame being very centralized around Speed. Choice Scarf boosts Abra's Speed to 28 with a Timid nature, matched only by
positive-natured 83-92 Base Speed Choice Scarfers users, such as Gligar, and neutral-natured 93-100 Base Speed Choice Scarfers users, such as Diglett, and only surpassed in Speed only by 93-100 Speed Pokemon with a positive nature. However, Modest is also a very viable option due to Abra gaining 2 extra points in Special Attack, which can make the difference between winning and losing a battle. It is important to note, however, that you risk tying with 18 Speed Choice Scarfers users such as Gastly. Hidden Power Fighting Ground is the superior option on this set due to Abra's ability to outspeed a +2 Aron, even with a Modest nature. Trick is slightly less effective on this set, as many Pokemon in Little Cup will hardly mind the boost in Speed. However, it is still useful for Pokemon like such as Wynaut who lose their effectiveness when locked (add space) into a move. Trick can also be useful for Pokemon who may try to set up on Abra, forcing them to switch out, and not allowing them to sweep as effectively.</p>

1. Choice Scarf users, not Choice Scarfers
2. see 1
3. when using "such as" separate what you are listing with commas
4. NEVER start a sentence with and.
5. I moved "only" to conform with the paralellism of the sentence. "matched by..." and "surpassed by..."
6. see 1
7. HP Ground should be the option, not HP Fighting
8. use "like" when comparing things, use "such as" when giving examples.


<p>Choice Specs is a fun option with this set as Abra has good Speed,
which allows it to run the set effectively, and its Special Attack gets boosted to astronomical levels with the Choice Specs boost. Timid is the only nature to use for this set, as it lets Abra tie with other 19 Speed Pokemon, such as Gligar and Staryu. Hidden Power Fire is generally the better option with Choice Specs, as Abra can hit Bronzor for massive damage, being able to OHKO max HP variants if they lack Special Defense EVs. Trick can be very effective on this set, as it can be a pain for physical attackers, who receive no boost in anything useful, and are forced to lock into an attack.</p>

1. a comma is necessary after Speed.
2. listing multiple examples sounds better when using "such as", so I threw another 19 Speed Pokemon in there. You can replace it with whatever you want.


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This set demands a high degree of prediction as any Choice set does due to being locked into one attack before switching out. Dark-types are also immune to Abra's strongest attack, making it even more difficult to play with this set. Predicting incorrectly
and using Psychic on a switch to Carvanha gives it a free Substitute, which can be a major pain to any team. Also, using Psychic on a Dark-type Pokemon who knows Pursuit, such as Houndour or Stunky, spells instant death for Abra, and Munchlax can also Pursuit Abra while taking low damage from all of Abra's attacks, particularly on sets with Choice Scarf. Because of this, Abra sweeps best if Dark-types and Munchlax are removed from play. The Choice Specs set also greatly appreciates removal of Choice Scarf Pokemon, as they can outspeed and potentially KO Abra. Croagunk works well with Abra because of this, as it is able to wear down Choice Scarf users Scarfers with priority attacks.</p>

1. use "knows" with the singular.
2. Choice Scarf users, not Scarfers


[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>Choice Scarf Gligar and Choice Scarf Mankey make the best partners to the Substitute set, being able to scout for Abra, and can beat common special walls such as Munchlax with their physical attacks. While the Dual Screen set helps out literally every Pokemon in the game who uses attacks, some benefit more than others. Some Pokemon that the Dual Screen set helps out the most are stat-uppers such as Poliwag, Krabby, Dratini, and Bagon as well as other Dragon Dancers and (add space) Pokemon that can boost their Speed and Attack or Special Attack in two turns. Swords Dance Gligar makes a good partner to the Choice Scarf set, as Abra is fast enough to outspeed most Choice Scarf users Scarfers, Pokemon who Swords Dance Gligar have a fair bit of trouble with. Croagunk is one of the Pokemon that works best with the Choice Specs set as it can wear down Choice Scarf users Scarfers with its priority attacks, and can do a good job of disposing of Dark-types with super-effective STAB Vacuum Wave.</p>

1. the item is Choice Scarf
2. the comma and "can" make the sentence awkward.
3. use Choice Scarf users.
4. see 3
5. "super effective" does not have a dash in it.


[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>Energy Ball can be used on either the Choice or SubAbra sets if your team has a lot of trouble with Chinchou, but it is important to note that a super effective Energy Ball hits with only 25 more Base Power than a neutral Psychic. Energy Ball also provides inferior coverage compared to Signal Beam, so it is generally not advised. Abra also possesses Calm Mind, which gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs boost, as well as a boost in Special Defense. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to set up and makes Abra vulnerable to revenge killing without a boost in Speed or a Substitute.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>The SubAbra set has surprisingly
few counters. One of the best would be Munchlax, who is (add space) able to shake off a couple of Abra's hits and kill it with any of its attacks. Mantyke also makes a decent counter with the highest Special Defense stat in the Little Cup metagame. However, the best way to stop the SubAbra set from doing significant damage to your team is simply to not let it use Substitute. If Abra is not behind a Substitute it has many more counters. The main one would be priority-move users. Abra is very frail and thus cannot (add space) take many priority attacks aimed at it. Virtually any Pokemon faster than Abra when it is not behind a Substitute is a counter because most will be able to outspeed and KO Abra. An example of this would be Elekid, who can outspeed and OHKO with Thunderpunch.</p>

<p>The only Pokemon that can actually counter the Dual Screen set are Pokemon that have with a fast Taunt or can KO Abra behind
Reflect or Light Screen. Even better counters would be Choice Scarf Pokemon that can KO Abra without letting it get one screen up. The only Taunters that can match Abra in Speed are Voltorb, Gligar, and Meowth (what about Aipom). The former will be the most trouble as it will always outspeed Abra, as opposed to the latter two, with whom Abra ties. Abra can be surprisingly bulky behind screens, so not many Pokemon can take it out in one hit. One example would be Carvanha, who can OHKO Abra with Crunch, even behind Reflect. Choice Scarf Houndour is one Pokemon that absolutely counters Dual Screen Abra because it is able to outspeed and OHKO Abra with Dark Pulse, not letting it set up either screen. However, other Choice Scarf Pokemon that can OHKO Abra are great counters such as Gligar, Cranidos, and Stunky.</p>

<p>The Choice set has many more counters if Abra predicts incorrectly. One could switch in a Pokemon who is (add space) resistant or immune to Abra's attack,
forcing Abra to switch out. However, (add space) with good prediction the Choice set can be very difficult to beat. Houndour, Carvanha, and Munchlax are probably the set's best counters. The former two can switch in on Psychic thanks to their immunity and either Substitute, Pursuit Abra, or simply kill it. Munchlax can take any of Abra's attacks and KO back.</p>

1. "outspeed" is redundant since you mention earlier that the Pokemon is faster.
2. using "that have" instead of "with" conforms to the paralellism of the sentence.
Nice job. Please do some proofreading on your own after implementing the previous checks, as there were a lot of instances where spaces were simply omitted that were really annoying to come across.

GP Check 2/2


 

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