This is going to be the first of my conquests.
Changes I'm making:
*Changing the order of the sets. Choice Scarf is being removed, while Choice Band will be above Sub + SD.
*Lure set. I'm adding this one since it's good.
*Rewrite. n_n
[Overview]
<p>Absol stands out as one of the most prominent physical attackers in the NU metagame thanks to a combination of massive Attack, priority in Sucker Punch, and Swords Dance. Sitting at a decent base 75 Speed, Absol has just enough Speed to outpace what it needs to; faster threats have to deal with a Sucker Punch, and one that has an unusually high chance to score a critical hit at that! Absol's Dark typing also has great neutral coverage on most of the metagame and strikes many popular Pokemon, such as Misdreavus and Musharna, super effectively. Pokemon that can take a STAB Night Slash might also risk facing one of Absol's token coverage moves, namely Megahorn or even Psycho Cut. However, above all else, a word of note: you must be able to predict well with Absol due to the nature of Sucker Punch; it's very much a Pokemon with a high-risk, <em>very</em> high-reward playstyle.</p>
<p>Absol does have its downfalls, however. Several physical walls can stall Absol all day and all night; some Grass-types can even put Absol to sleep and effectively neuter it for the rest of the match. All entry hazards affect Absol, so they are a major thorn in its side; Life Orb sets will have their lifespans cut much shorter than they might hope, while bulkier sets often have to contend with Toxic Spikes. There are also offensive threats to Absol, namely the Fighting-types that litter the metagame. They are a huge threat to Absol, as they both resist its STAB moves and easily KO it. Substitute users can be a pain as well by bypassing Sucker Punch if they predict correctly. However, all of these setbacks can be avoided with some proper team support, which allows Absol to shine as an offensive juggernaut. Why else do you think Absol is so popular?</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Night Slash / Psycho Cut
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Super Luck
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If you see an Absol on the opponent's team, this is most likely the set it will be running. It has a lot going for it too; it wraps up a lot of Absol's best traits into one package, namely a massive Attack stat, Swords Dance to boost it with, and a priority Sucker Punch to hit any Pokemon that try to take it out for massive damage. Alongside this, Superpower is Absol's main coverage move. It doesn't usually need much else, either, thanks to the great neutral coverage Dark- and Fighting-type moves have together. In the final moveslot, Night Slash is the preferred option for a reliable STAB attack that works even when the opponent doesn't attack Absol. On the other hand, Psycho Cut can eliminate Fighting-types on the switch-in. Sawk is a good example of this, as Absol can KO it on the switch after Stealth Rock damage; if Absol does not have Psycho Cut, the only thing that could take down Sawk is a boosted, critical hit Sucker Punch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb gives Absol a welcome power boost against opponents it could not KO otherwise. However, Absol can be worn down too quickly if it acquires enough Life Orb recoil; this is especially true if there are hazards on the field, namely Toxic Spikes. Speaking of which, Lum Berry is another great choice for an item, as Absol can avoid an otherwise crippling status move or Toxic Spikes and get a boost with Swords Dance unscathed. For example, with a Lum Berry, it can always set up against Misdreavus by boosting as it uses Will-O-Wisp, then KOing with a STAB Night Slash. Super Luck is far and away the best ability on this set, as it allows Absol to occasionally beat several of its normal counters with a timely critical hit. Justified has its uses, but the main users of Dark-type moves in the tier—Golem and Skuntank, among others—threaten Absol enough that it can't effectively set up on them. Adamant is the preferred nature to increase Absol's damage output as much as possible, but you can get away with running Jolly as well, as this lets Absol outpace some slower offensive threats and quite possibly KO them. Absol can also win a possible Speed tie with other Jolly Absol and continue sweeping unscathed. If you prefer more bulk over Speed, an EV spread of 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe might be used to outspeed neutral base 50s.</p>
<p>There are several move options that work effectively on this set; however, they are niche to an extent and usually not as handy as the options listed. Megahorn is a neat idea to get past Tangela, as it nabs the OHKO after Stealth Rock damage. However, using Megahorn usually limits Absol to relying on Sucker Punch as its lone STAB move, which is not advised in most situations. Substitute might be used as well to block status moves. It also gives Absol a buffer against attacks, and by forcing your opponent to attack, Absol gets a free opportunity to fire off Sucker Punch.</p>
<p>Hazards are both loved and hated by Absol, in that it appreciates hazards on the opponent's side to bring some attacks into KO range, but it hates having its lifespan cut short by both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Thus, users of Stealth Rock, as well as Rapid Spin, are greatly appreciated. Golem is a great offensive user of Stealth Rock, while Tentacool is a great teammate for Absol; it both spins away Spikes, which wear Absol down, and puts them on the opponent's side. Other teammates that can soak up super effective attacks are also a huge help to Absol. Musharna and Gurdurr in particular are great teammates, as they can weaken opponents to the point that Absol might be able to sweep unhindered.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Night Slash
item: Life Orb
ability: Super Luck
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set focuses on attacking the opponent as soon as it enters the field. Priority Sucker Punch allows Absol to act as a revenge killer of sorts, while Pursuit is an interesting move on Absol; along with Night Slash, it effectively traps Psychic- and most Ghost-types. Absol can then play mindgames with its opponent and possibly throw them off. As a note, Absol's Pursuit is much more powerful than that of the bulkier Skuntank, giving Absol a niche of sorts. Superpower makes sure Absol can at least dent Rock- and Steel-types, such as Regirock and Probopass. It also gives Absol excellent neutral coverage; thus, it can afford to mispredict every once in a while, because many Pokemon that resist Night Slash hate taking a Superpower to the face.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>To give Absol as much power as possible, Life Orb is the preferred item; Adamant is the preferred nature for the same reason. However, Jolly is always an option if you feel that Absol needs to outspeed Pokemon such as Jolly Samurott, which can be a nuisance otherwise. Choice Band is another possible option on this set, as it gives a larger Attack boost than Life Orb does. However, Absol often cannot afford to lock itself into attacks, most notably Sucker Punch. Absol's EV spread on this set is fairly simple: as it is meant to bash the opponent with physical attacks as hard and as fast as possible, Attack and Speed are maxed out, with the four filler EVs going into HP to slightly increase Absol's bulk.</p>
<p>Super Luck is the preferred ability for its ability to score a timely critical hit on opponents. This is very helpful in some situations, as there is a decent chance that Absol might come out on top with a critical hit, especially with Night Slash, which has a 25% critical hit rate. Justified has its uses, but Absol can't damage most of the users of Dark-type moves in the metagame without getting badly hurt itself. Megahorn and Psycho Cut both have coverage against key threats to Absol, but they don't hit much else besides Tangela and Fighting-types, respectively. Teammates that can take advantage of the holes Absol can make in teams are great ideas. Musharna and Gurdurr can both take advantage of Ghost- and Psychic-types being removed, which allows them to attack unhindered. This process goes in reverse as well; Gurdurr and Musharna can create holes in an opponent's defenses to set Absol up for a clean sweep.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Lure
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Night Slash / Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Super Luck
nature: Lonely
evs: 88 Atk / 168 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While most Absol sets rely on physical attacks to beat down the opposition, this set aims to use Absol's usable Special Attack stat to eliminate key physical walls, such as Tangela and Quagsire, with super effective special attacks. Sucker Punch still provides a powerful STAB priority attack, while Superpower can dent Rock- and Steel-types, which otherwise take a pittance from this set. Fire Blast is this set's main draw; it always KOes physically defensive Tangela after Stealth Rock damage, while Amoonguss, another key physical wall in the metagame, is soundly 2HKOed. In the final moveslot, Night Slash is usually the best option, as it gives Absol a solid physical STAB move that doesn't rely on the opponent attacking it. However, Hidden Power Grass hits other walls that can handle Absol otherwise, such as Quagsire and Seadra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs allow Absol to always OHKO Tangela with Fire Blast after Stealth Rock, while its Attack stat is just 10 points lower than Jolly Absol with maximum investment. Speed is also maximized so that Absol can Speed tie with other neutral-natured base 75 Pokemon. The EVs on this set can be changed if you feel it needs more Attack or Special Attack. However, this is generally the best spread to go with. Life Orb is very important on this set, as Absol can't dream of KOing several Pokemon without the boost it provides.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Misdreavus is a huge threat to this set, as it can tank any hit from this set and neuter it with Will-O-Wisp. Thus, it might be a good idea to pack a teammate that can either trap Misdreavus or use Misdreavus to its advantage. Skuntank is a good example of the former, as it can effectively put Misdreavus in a checkmate position with a fast Crunch or Pursuit. On the other hand, Magmortar is immune to Will-O-Wisp thanks to its Fire typing and can roast Misdreavus to a crisp with STAB Fire Blast. Teammates that can take advantage of the fact that Absol destroys common physical walls are also recommended. Gurdurr is a prime example, as not only does it sweep easily with physical walls weakened or removed, but it also synergizes very well with Absol in terms of typing; the two of them can come in on each other's weaknesses and create further holes in the opponent's team. Psychic-types also gel with Absol in terms of type synergy, and they can get rid of Fighting-types, which soundly defeat Absol. Lastly, hazard support is absolutely vital for this set to function correctly, so users of Stealth Rock, such as Golem and Regirock, work nicely. Additionally, Absol appreciates teammates that can remove hazards from its side of the field; Armaldo is an interesting option if Absol is on an offensive team, as it can both set down Stealth Rock and beat most other hazard setters with Rapid Spin and STAB Stone Edge.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Choice Scarf is an interesting option for Absol; it lets Absol reliably revenge kill most variants of Haunter and Kadabra, among other threats, as they are incredibly frail on the physical side. However, its power is sometimes a bit low, and Absol usually has all the tools it needs to revenge kill opponents with a powerful Sucker Punch. Quick Attack is a priority move that always works, but it's nowhere near as powerful as Sucker Punch. Absol also has access to a number of support moves, including: Baton Pass, Magic Coat, Taunt, and Will-O-Wisp. While these moves might seem enticing, Absol is too frail to use them effectively.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>There are several Pokemon that can put an end to Absol; defensively speaking, powerful physical walls are your best options thanks to the fact that they can tank at least one hit from Absol and punish it for attacking. While it has to watch out for rare mixed sets, Tangela can wall any attack from Absol bar a boosted Megahorn after Stealth Rock. From there, it can put Absol to sleep or paralyze it; it can also attack Absol with STAB Giga Drain and regain some of its own HP in return. Amoonguss is nearly identical to Tangela when it comes to countering Absol, but along with its stellar physical bulk, it can also remove any boosts Absol might have acquired with Clear Smog, which is an extra bonus. On that note, Quagsire ignores any and all boosts Absol might have acquired and can hit back with Scald, Earthquake, or Toxic. Seadra, Torterra, and Weezing can all take any boosted attack from Absol (bar a boosted Psycho Cut to the latter) and can retaliate with STAB attacks that can either cripple Absol or KO it outright if it's weakened enough. Skuntank is a special case; it resists Absol's entire competitive movepool bar Megahorn and Superpower, but it can't do too much back either, as Absol resists its Dark-type attacks. Skuntank's STAB Poison-type attacks do a number on Absol, however.</p>
<p>If you cannot fit a defensive counter to Absol on your team, fear not; there are plenty of offensive Pokemon in NU that can beat Absol one-on-one. Chief among these are Fighting-types, which can almost always take a boosted Sucker Punch and KO with their STAB attacks. A special mention needs to be made for Gurdurr; not only does it wall Absol completely (even with Psycho Cut!), but it can also set up in its face with Bulk Up, then KO with STAB Mach Punch and Drain Punch. Users of Substitute can be troublesome for Absol as well, as you have to win a prediction war with the opponent so that you can nail the opposing Pokemon when it doesn't have a Substitute up; you have a decent chance of winning the prediction war with Absol, however. Haunter is probably the best example of a Substitute user. As most Absol only have two moves to hit it with—Sucker Punch and Night Slash or a coverage move—it can Disable the latter and make sure it gets a Substitute up for free, then proceed to hit Absol with a STAB Sludge Bomb. Other ways of bypassing Sucker Punch include faster priority users and Encore support; the former can make sure that Sucker Punch fails while they attack, while the latter can lock Absol into Sucker Punch after a kill, drain its PP, and give the Encore user at least one free turn.</p>
Changes I'm making:
*Changing the order of the sets. Choice Scarf is being removed, while Choice Band will be above Sub + SD.
*Lure set. I'm adding this one since it's good.
*Rewrite. n_n
[Overview]
<p>Absol stands out as one of the most prominent physical attackers in the NU metagame thanks to a combination of massive Attack, priority in Sucker Punch, and Swords Dance. Sitting at a decent base 75 Speed, Absol has just enough Speed to outpace what it needs to; faster threats have to deal with a Sucker Punch, and one that has an unusually high chance to score a critical hit at that! Absol's Dark typing also has great neutral coverage on most of the metagame and strikes many popular Pokemon, such as Misdreavus and Musharna, super effectively. Pokemon that can take a STAB Night Slash might also risk facing one of Absol's token coverage moves, namely Megahorn or even Psycho Cut. However, above all else, a word of note: you must be able to predict well with Absol due to the nature of Sucker Punch; it's very much a Pokemon with a high-risk, <em>very</em> high-reward playstyle.</p>
<p>Absol does have its downfalls, however. Several physical walls can stall Absol all day and all night; some Grass-types can even put Absol to sleep and effectively neuter it for the rest of the match. All entry hazards affect Absol, so they are a major thorn in its side; Life Orb sets will have their lifespans cut much shorter than they might hope, while bulkier sets often have to contend with Toxic Spikes. There are also offensive threats to Absol, namely the Fighting-types that litter the metagame. They are a huge threat to Absol, as they both resist its STAB moves and easily KO it. Substitute users can be a pain as well by bypassing Sucker Punch if they predict correctly. However, all of these setbacks can be avoided with some proper team support, which allows Absol to shine as an offensive juggernaut. Why else do you think Absol is so popular?</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Night Slash / Psycho Cut
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Super Luck
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If you see an Absol on the opponent's team, this is most likely the set it will be running. It has a lot going for it too; it wraps up a lot of Absol's best traits into one package, namely a massive Attack stat, Swords Dance to boost it with, and a priority Sucker Punch to hit any Pokemon that try to take it out for massive damage. Alongside this, Superpower is Absol's main coverage move. It doesn't usually need much else, either, thanks to the great neutral coverage Dark- and Fighting-type moves have together. In the final moveslot, Night Slash is the preferred option for a reliable STAB attack that works even when the opponent doesn't attack Absol. On the other hand, Psycho Cut can eliminate Fighting-types on the switch-in. Sawk is a good example of this, as Absol can KO it on the switch after Stealth Rock damage; if Absol does not have Psycho Cut, the only thing that could take down Sawk is a boosted, critical hit Sucker Punch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb gives Absol a welcome power boost against opponents it could not KO otherwise. However, Absol can be worn down too quickly if it acquires enough Life Orb recoil; this is especially true if there are hazards on the field, namely Toxic Spikes. Speaking of which, Lum Berry is another great choice for an item, as Absol can avoid an otherwise crippling status move or Toxic Spikes and get a boost with Swords Dance unscathed. For example, with a Lum Berry, it can always set up against Misdreavus by boosting as it uses Will-O-Wisp, then KOing with a STAB Night Slash. Super Luck is far and away the best ability on this set, as it allows Absol to occasionally beat several of its normal counters with a timely critical hit. Justified has its uses, but the main users of Dark-type moves in the tier—Golem and Skuntank, among others—threaten Absol enough that it can't effectively set up on them. Adamant is the preferred nature to increase Absol's damage output as much as possible, but you can get away with running Jolly as well, as this lets Absol outpace some slower offensive threats and quite possibly KO them. Absol can also win a possible Speed tie with other Jolly Absol and continue sweeping unscathed. If you prefer more bulk over Speed, an EV spread of 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe might be used to outspeed neutral base 50s.</p>
<p>There are several move options that work effectively on this set; however, they are niche to an extent and usually not as handy as the options listed. Megahorn is a neat idea to get past Tangela, as it nabs the OHKO after Stealth Rock damage. However, using Megahorn usually limits Absol to relying on Sucker Punch as its lone STAB move, which is not advised in most situations. Substitute might be used as well to block status moves. It also gives Absol a buffer against attacks, and by forcing your opponent to attack, Absol gets a free opportunity to fire off Sucker Punch.</p>
<p>Hazards are both loved and hated by Absol, in that it appreciates hazards on the opponent's side to bring some attacks into KO range, but it hates having its lifespan cut short by both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Thus, users of Stealth Rock, as well as Rapid Spin, are greatly appreciated. Golem is a great offensive user of Stealth Rock, while Tentacool is a great teammate for Absol; it both spins away Spikes, which wear Absol down, and puts them on the opponent's side. Other teammates that can soak up super effective attacks are also a huge help to Absol. Musharna and Gurdurr in particular are great teammates, as they can weaken opponents to the point that Absol might be able to sweep unhindered.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Night Slash
item: Life Orb
ability: Super Luck
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set focuses on attacking the opponent as soon as it enters the field. Priority Sucker Punch allows Absol to act as a revenge killer of sorts, while Pursuit is an interesting move on Absol; along with Night Slash, it effectively traps Psychic- and most Ghost-types. Absol can then play mindgames with its opponent and possibly throw them off. As a note, Absol's Pursuit is much more powerful than that of the bulkier Skuntank, giving Absol a niche of sorts. Superpower makes sure Absol can at least dent Rock- and Steel-types, such as Regirock and Probopass. It also gives Absol excellent neutral coverage; thus, it can afford to mispredict every once in a while, because many Pokemon that resist Night Slash hate taking a Superpower to the face.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>To give Absol as much power as possible, Life Orb is the preferred item; Adamant is the preferred nature for the same reason. However, Jolly is always an option if you feel that Absol needs to outspeed Pokemon such as Jolly Samurott, which can be a nuisance otherwise. Choice Band is another possible option on this set, as it gives a larger Attack boost than Life Orb does. However, Absol often cannot afford to lock itself into attacks, most notably Sucker Punch. Absol's EV spread on this set is fairly simple: as it is meant to bash the opponent with physical attacks as hard and as fast as possible, Attack and Speed are maxed out, with the four filler EVs going into HP to slightly increase Absol's bulk.</p>
<p>Super Luck is the preferred ability for its ability to score a timely critical hit on opponents. This is very helpful in some situations, as there is a decent chance that Absol might come out on top with a critical hit, especially with Night Slash, which has a 25% critical hit rate. Justified has its uses, but Absol can't damage most of the users of Dark-type moves in the metagame without getting badly hurt itself. Megahorn and Psycho Cut both have coverage against key threats to Absol, but they don't hit much else besides Tangela and Fighting-types, respectively. Teammates that can take advantage of the holes Absol can make in teams are great ideas. Musharna and Gurdurr can both take advantage of Ghost- and Psychic-types being removed, which allows them to attack unhindered. This process goes in reverse as well; Gurdurr and Musharna can create holes in an opponent's defenses to set Absol up for a clean sweep.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Lure
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Night Slash / Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Super Luck
nature: Lonely
evs: 88 Atk / 168 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While most Absol sets rely on physical attacks to beat down the opposition, this set aims to use Absol's usable Special Attack stat to eliminate key physical walls, such as Tangela and Quagsire, with super effective special attacks. Sucker Punch still provides a powerful STAB priority attack, while Superpower can dent Rock- and Steel-types, which otherwise take a pittance from this set. Fire Blast is this set's main draw; it always KOes physically defensive Tangela after Stealth Rock damage, while Amoonguss, another key physical wall in the metagame, is soundly 2HKOed. In the final moveslot, Night Slash is usually the best option, as it gives Absol a solid physical STAB move that doesn't rely on the opponent attacking it. However, Hidden Power Grass hits other walls that can handle Absol otherwise, such as Quagsire and Seadra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs allow Absol to always OHKO Tangela with Fire Blast after Stealth Rock, while its Attack stat is just 10 points lower than Jolly Absol with maximum investment. Speed is also maximized so that Absol can Speed tie with other neutral-natured base 75 Pokemon. The EVs on this set can be changed if you feel it needs more Attack or Special Attack. However, this is generally the best spread to go with. Life Orb is very important on this set, as Absol can't dream of KOing several Pokemon without the boost it provides.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Misdreavus is a huge threat to this set, as it can tank any hit from this set and neuter it with Will-O-Wisp. Thus, it might be a good idea to pack a teammate that can either trap Misdreavus or use Misdreavus to its advantage. Skuntank is a good example of the former, as it can effectively put Misdreavus in a checkmate position with a fast Crunch or Pursuit. On the other hand, Magmortar is immune to Will-O-Wisp thanks to its Fire typing and can roast Misdreavus to a crisp with STAB Fire Blast. Teammates that can take advantage of the fact that Absol destroys common physical walls are also recommended. Gurdurr is a prime example, as not only does it sweep easily with physical walls weakened or removed, but it also synergizes very well with Absol in terms of typing; the two of them can come in on each other's weaknesses and create further holes in the opponent's team. Psychic-types also gel with Absol in terms of type synergy, and they can get rid of Fighting-types, which soundly defeat Absol. Lastly, hazard support is absolutely vital for this set to function correctly, so users of Stealth Rock, such as Golem and Regirock, work nicely. Additionally, Absol appreciates teammates that can remove hazards from its side of the field; Armaldo is an interesting option if Absol is on an offensive team, as it can both set down Stealth Rock and beat most other hazard setters with Rapid Spin and STAB Stone Edge.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Choice Scarf is an interesting option for Absol; it lets Absol reliably revenge kill most variants of Haunter and Kadabra, among other threats, as they are incredibly frail on the physical side. However, its power is sometimes a bit low, and Absol usually has all the tools it needs to revenge kill opponents with a powerful Sucker Punch. Quick Attack is a priority move that always works, but it's nowhere near as powerful as Sucker Punch. Absol also has access to a number of support moves, including: Baton Pass, Magic Coat, Taunt, and Will-O-Wisp. While these moves might seem enticing, Absol is too frail to use them effectively.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>There are several Pokemon that can put an end to Absol; defensively speaking, powerful physical walls are your best options thanks to the fact that they can tank at least one hit from Absol and punish it for attacking. While it has to watch out for rare mixed sets, Tangela can wall any attack from Absol bar a boosted Megahorn after Stealth Rock. From there, it can put Absol to sleep or paralyze it; it can also attack Absol with STAB Giga Drain and regain some of its own HP in return. Amoonguss is nearly identical to Tangela when it comes to countering Absol, but along with its stellar physical bulk, it can also remove any boosts Absol might have acquired with Clear Smog, which is an extra bonus. On that note, Quagsire ignores any and all boosts Absol might have acquired and can hit back with Scald, Earthquake, or Toxic. Seadra, Torterra, and Weezing can all take any boosted attack from Absol (bar a boosted Psycho Cut to the latter) and can retaliate with STAB attacks that can either cripple Absol or KO it outright if it's weakened enough. Skuntank is a special case; it resists Absol's entire competitive movepool bar Megahorn and Superpower, but it can't do too much back either, as Absol resists its Dark-type attacks. Skuntank's STAB Poison-type attacks do a number on Absol, however.</p>
<p>If you cannot fit a defensive counter to Absol on your team, fear not; there are plenty of offensive Pokemon in NU that can beat Absol one-on-one. Chief among these are Fighting-types, which can almost always take a boosted Sucker Punch and KO with their STAB attacks. A special mention needs to be made for Gurdurr; not only does it wall Absol completely (even with Psycho Cut!), but it can also set up in its face with Bulk Up, then KO with STAB Mach Punch and Drain Punch. Users of Substitute can be troublesome for Absol as well, as you have to win a prediction war with the opponent so that you can nail the opposing Pokemon when it doesn't have a Substitute up; you have a decent chance of winning the prediction war with Absol, however. Haunter is probably the best example of a Substitute user. As most Absol only have two moves to hit it with—Sucker Punch and Night Slash or a coverage move—it can Disable the latter and make sure it gets a Substitute up for free, then proceed to hit Absol with a STAB Sludge Bomb. Other ways of bypassing Sucker Punch include faster priority users and Encore support; the former can make sure that Sucker Punch fails while they attack, while the latter can lock Absol into Sucker Punch after a kill, drain its PP, and give the Encore user at least one free turn.</p>