[OVERVIEW]
Aipom is blessed with a high base Speed stat, allowing it to outrun most of the metagame, and the ability Skill Link, which boosts multi-hit moves beyond their expected power. When paired with its selection of coverage and support moves, Aipom is a solid offensive threat. However, Aipom is held back by its Normal typing, which forces it to rely on coverage moves to hit the common Rock- and Steel-types in LC. Additionally, its typing leaves it weak to Fighting-types, which are one of LC's most dominant offensive types. Additionally, Fury Swipes, Aipom's most powerful STAB attack, is only 80% accurate, leaving Aipom prone to missing in key situations.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fury Swipes
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Brick Break / Fire Punch
move 4: Fake Out
item: Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly
evs: 76 HP / 116 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fury Swipes is Aipom's primary STAB attack and is guaranteed to always hit five times thanks to Skill Link. Because of LC's damage mechanics, Fury Swipes hits much harder than Return does. Knock Off hits the Ghost-types that are immune to Fury Swipes for super effective damage and also helps to weaken Pokemon that switch in by removing their held items. Brick Break and Fire Punch are both options to hit the Steel-types that give Aipom trouble. Brick Break and Fire Punch OHKO Pawniard and Ferroseed, respectively, both of which are the two most threatening Steel-types for Aipom to face. Fake Out gives Aipom a form of priority and is useful for bringing Pokemon into KO range of its other attacks.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Aipom's Speed, allowing it to reach a Speed of 19 with a Jolly nature, outspeeding or tying with most of the metagame. 116 Attack EVs allow Aipom to 2HKO a huge portion of the metagame with Fury Swipes, allowing Aipom to run 76 HP and 76 Defense EVs to better handle physical priority, such as Sucker Punch and Mach Punch. Alternatively, Aipom can run an EV spread of 76 HP / 196 Atk / 236 Spe to maximize its Attack and hit very bulky Pokemon harder, but this does not significantly change its damage output unless an Adamant nature is also run. Generally, the extra Defense and Speed points are more useful for handling priority attacks. Life Orb is the item of choice, boosting Aipom's damage output, and because of LC's damage mechanics, it boosts Aipom's Fury Swipes to the same extent a Choice Band would.
Usage Tips
========
In most situations, Aipom should use its powerful Fury Swipes, which will significantly damage most Pokemon that don't resist it. Knock Off should be used when either a bulky Pokemon or a Pokemon that Aipom doesn't easily KO is predicted to switch in, ideally weakening it by removing its item. Aipom should avoid taking powerful hits; it should avoid switching into attacks when possible and switch out when faced with a Pokemon it can't OHKO or 2HKO. Caution is also needed when using Fury Swipes against a Flame Body Pokemon, Ferroseed, or Mudbray, as they all have abilities that benefit from taking multiple hits.
Team Options
========
Because Aipom does little for a team defensively, the best partners are those that keep pressure on the opposing team, don't give up momentum, and help to wear down Aipom's checks and counters so Fury Swipes can be spammed more easily. Poison-types make good partners for Aipom, as they are able to take on the Fighting-types that threaten it and wear down the Fairy-types it has trouble breaking past. Skrelp and Mareanie handle Fighting-types well and can set Toxic Spikes to weaken opposing teams for Aipom. Croagunk can knock the items off of opposing bulky Pokemon to help Aipom, and it also makes a good Ferroseed check. Other Fighting-type checks help Aipom as well, with Snubbull being especially notable for its ability to check Fighting-types without completely killing the momentum Aipom generates. A check to Ponyta, Larvesta, and Mudbray is essential, and several Water-type Pokemon fit this role well, including the previously mentioned Skrelp and Mareanie, Staryu, and faster Chinchou variants. Staryu is also useful for its ability to remove entry hazards, which wear down Aipom quickly in conjunction with Life Orb. Additionally, if Fire Punch is selected, Water-types such as Shellder and Corphish make good partners, as they appreciate this set's ability to lure in Ferroseed. Flying-types, including Doduo, Rufflet, and Vullaby, share similar checks and counters to Aipom and appreciate Aipom bringing in and weakening these counters early-game, creating an opportunity for a sweep later on. Fighting-types, such as Timburr, which can easily handle the Rock- and Steel-types that wall Aipom, Knock Off the bulky Pokemon that can take a Fury Swipes, and add priority to go alongside Fake Out in Mach Punch, also make great partners.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Under no circumstances should Aipom attempt a Last Resort set, as it is unreliable, misses out on important coverage, and is not significantly more powerful than Fury Swipes. An Eviolite set with Taunt and U-turn can be used as a leading set using Aipom's Speed and decent bulk to scout the opponent's team. However, this set is a waste of Aipom's attacking potential, does not hit hard enough, and is not quite bulky enough to significantly affect the opponent's play. Grass Knot is a possibility to not only hit the Rock-types that threaten Aipom, but also KO Berry Juice variants of Mudbray, but the only Aipom checks it really lures and hits well are Onix and Tirtouga, which means that handling Rock-types is usually better left to teammates. Aipom has a variety of other options, including Ice Punch and Gunk Shot, but these moves generally only hit specific Pokemon at the expense of more valuable moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flame Body Pokemon**: Pokemon with Flame Body, specifically Larvesta and Ponyta, have a very high chance of burning Aipom if hit by Fury Swipes, which keeps Aipom from freely spamming its most powerful attack. Once Aipom is burned, both Pokemon can recover their health with no fear of being KOed.
**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon, including Archen, Onix, and Tirtouga, have no trouble handling most variants of Aipom, though they do take significant damage from Brick Break. Additionally, Onix and Tirtouga have to be cautious of being lured in by the rare Grass Knot set.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Powerful Choice Scarf Pokemon, especially Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Scraggy, can outspeed Aipom and revenge kill it due to its lack of reliable priority.
**Fighting-types**: Although most Fighting-types are heavily damaged by Fury Swipes, all can easily KO Aipom with STAB attacks. Timburr is especially threatening thanks to its access to Mach Punch, and Stufful also is a solid counter thanks to Fluffy giving it a pseudo-Defense boost.[/hide]GP 2/2 :)[/quote]
Aipom is blessed with a high base Speed stat, allowing it to outrun most of the metagame, and the ability Skill Link, which boosts multi-hit moves beyond their expected power. When paired with its selection of coverage and support moves, Aipom is a solid offensive threat. However, Aipom is held back by its Normal typing, which forces it to rely on coverage moves to hit the common Rock- and Steel-types in LC. Additionally, its typing leaves it weak to Fighting-types, which are one of LC's most dominant offensive types. Additionally, Fury Swipes, Aipom's most powerful STAB attack, is only 80% accurate, leaving Aipom prone to missing in key situations.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fury Swipes
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Brick Break / Fire Punch
move 4: Fake Out
item: Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly
evs: 76 HP / 116 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fury Swipes is Aipom's primary STAB attack and is guaranteed to always hit five times thanks to Skill Link. Because of LC's damage mechanics, Fury Swipes hits much harder than Return does. Knock Off hits the Ghost-types that are immune to Fury Swipes for super effective damage and also helps to weaken Pokemon that switch in by removing their held items. Brick Break and Fire Punch are both options to hit the Steel-types that give Aipom trouble. Brick Break and Fire Punch OHKO Pawniard and Ferroseed, respectively, both of which are the two most threatening Steel-types for Aipom to face. Fake Out gives Aipom a form of priority and is useful for bringing Pokemon into KO range of its other attacks.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Aipom's Speed, allowing it to reach a Speed of 19 with a Jolly nature, outspeeding or tying with most of the metagame. 116 Attack EVs allow Aipom to 2HKO a huge portion of the metagame with Fury Swipes, allowing Aipom to run 76 HP and 76 Defense EVs to better handle physical priority, such as Sucker Punch and Mach Punch. Alternatively, Aipom can run an EV spread of 76 HP / 196 Atk / 236 Spe to maximize its Attack and hit very bulky Pokemon harder, but this does not significantly change its damage output unless an Adamant nature is also run. Generally, the extra Defense and Speed points are more useful for handling priority attacks. Life Orb is the item of choice, boosting Aipom's damage output, and because of LC's damage mechanics, it boosts Aipom's Fury Swipes to the same extent a Choice Band would.
Usage Tips
========
In most situations, Aipom should use its powerful Fury Swipes, which will significantly damage most Pokemon that don't resist it. Knock Off should be used when either a bulky Pokemon or a Pokemon that Aipom doesn't easily KO is predicted to switch in, ideally weakening it by removing its item. Aipom should avoid taking powerful hits; it should avoid switching into attacks when possible and switch out when faced with a Pokemon it can't OHKO or 2HKO. Caution is also needed when using Fury Swipes against a Flame Body Pokemon, Ferroseed, or Mudbray, as they all have abilities that benefit from taking multiple hits.
Team Options
========
Because Aipom does little for a team defensively, the best partners are those that keep pressure on the opposing team, don't give up momentum, and help to wear down Aipom's checks and counters so Fury Swipes can be spammed more easily. Poison-types make good partners for Aipom, as they are able to take on the Fighting-types that threaten it and wear down the Fairy-types it has trouble breaking past. Skrelp and Mareanie handle Fighting-types well and can set Toxic Spikes to weaken opposing teams for Aipom. Croagunk can knock the items off of opposing bulky Pokemon to help Aipom, and it also makes a good Ferroseed check. Other Fighting-type checks help Aipom as well, with Snubbull being especially notable for its ability to check Fighting-types without completely killing the momentum Aipom generates. A check to Ponyta, Larvesta, and Mudbray is essential, and several Water-type Pokemon fit this role well, including the previously mentioned Skrelp and Mareanie, Staryu, and faster Chinchou variants. Staryu is also useful for its ability to remove entry hazards, which wear down Aipom quickly in conjunction with Life Orb. Additionally, if Fire Punch is selected, Water-types such as Shellder and Corphish make good partners, as they appreciate this set's ability to lure in Ferroseed. Flying-types, including Doduo, Rufflet, and Vullaby, share similar checks and counters to Aipom and appreciate Aipom bringing in and weakening these counters early-game, creating an opportunity for a sweep later on. Fighting-types, such as Timburr, which can easily handle the Rock- and Steel-types that wall Aipom, Knock Off the bulky Pokemon that can take a Fury Swipes, and add priority to go alongside Fake Out in Mach Punch, also make great partners.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Under no circumstances should Aipom attempt a Last Resort set, as it is unreliable, misses out on important coverage, and is not significantly more powerful than Fury Swipes. An Eviolite set with Taunt and U-turn can be used as a leading set using Aipom's Speed and decent bulk to scout the opponent's team. However, this set is a waste of Aipom's attacking potential, does not hit hard enough, and is not quite bulky enough to significantly affect the opponent's play. Grass Knot is a possibility to not only hit the Rock-types that threaten Aipom, but also KO Berry Juice variants of Mudbray, but the only Aipom checks it really lures and hits well are Onix and Tirtouga, which means that handling Rock-types is usually better left to teammates. Aipom has a variety of other options, including Ice Punch and Gunk Shot, but these moves generally only hit specific Pokemon at the expense of more valuable moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flame Body Pokemon**: Pokemon with Flame Body, specifically Larvesta and Ponyta, have a very high chance of burning Aipom if hit by Fury Swipes, which keeps Aipom from freely spamming its most powerful attack. Once Aipom is burned, both Pokemon can recover their health with no fear of being KOed.
**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon, including Archen, Onix, and Tirtouga, have no trouble handling most variants of Aipom, though they do take significant damage from Brick Break. Additionally, Onix and Tirtouga have to be cautious of being lured in by the rare Grass Knot set.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Powerful Choice Scarf Pokemon, especially Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Scraggy, can outspeed Aipom and revenge kill it due to its lack of reliable priority.
**Fighting-types**: Although most Fighting-types are heavily damaged by Fury Swipes, all can easily KO Aipom with STAB attacks. Timburr is especially threatening thanks to its access to Mach Punch, and Stufful also is a solid counter thanks to Fluffy giving it a pseudo-Defense boost.[/hide]GP 2/2 :)[/quote]
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