Ladder Almost Any Ability

Hey, I don't mean to bump this and completely derail the topic, but I was wondering if there are any threads for AAA Ubers, AAA Doubles, AAA UU, and Any Ability. I figured this would be the most appropriate place to ask.

Also, is there any word on the banning of Adaptability and the -ates?
 
AAA Ubers has a thread but is dead. AAA UU falls under the OM UU megathread and AAA Doubles falls under Doubles OM megathread.

There's no format called "Any Ability" but judging from the name you gave it, it would basically be AAA without bans so, it seems like an unnecessary addition. AAA Ubers has significantly less bans iirc, so you could probably check that out.
 
AAA Ubers has a thread but is dead. AAA UU falls under the OM UU megathread and AAA Doubles falls under Doubles OM megathread.

There's no format called "Any Ability" but judging from the name you gave it, it would basically be AAA without bans so, it seems like an unnecessary addition. AAA Ubers has significantly less bans iirc, so you could probably check that out.
Thank you! I could have sworn I've seen Any Ability listed on Aqua, but now I don't see anything listed on Aqua besides the stuff that already has a ladder.
 
Just thought I'd share one mon I've ben using recently to good results.

TwinNeedle (Escavalier) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Megahorn
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Twineedle / Iron head

Beside he fact that this pokemon looks absolutely fabulous, it's a pretty good answer to a lot of special attacker. Started using it as my adapt latios answer, if you switch on a psyshock, click megahorn, if you switch on a draco, pursuit it. Simple.
Anyway, on top of that it can switch on a bunch of other threats like sheer force gengar, sheer force thundurus, sneasel, mega launcher hydreigon, hoopa, mixed kyurem...
What I really like is that it can simultaneously take some pokemons that often threaten more defensive teams like skymin, sniper hydreigon or refrigirate thundurus.
Most of the time it can deal a lot of damage to them too.
What they do:
  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Latios Draco Meteor vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 109-129 (31.7 - 37.6%)
  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Latios Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 138-163 (40.2 - 47.5%)
  • 252+ SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Hoopa Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 126-149 (36.7 - 43.4%)
  • 252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Thundurus Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 113-134 (32.9 - 39%)
  • 252 Atk Life Orb Thundurus Superpower vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 149-177 (43.4 - 51.6%) -- Can't 2hko
  • 252 Atk Life Orb Sneasel Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 160-188 (46.6 - 54.8%) -- Can't 2hko
  • 252+ SpA Life Orb Mega Launcher Hydreigon Dark Pulse vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 126-149 (36.7 - 43.4%)
  • 4 Atk Sniper Hydreigon Superpower vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier on a critical hit: 195-231 (56.8 - 67.3%) You switch on the focus energy so it can't kill you
  • 252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Air Slash vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 110-130 (32 - 37.9%)

What you do back:
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 408-480 (136.4 - 160.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 180-214 (60.2 - 71.5%) On the switch out
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Pursuit vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Hoopa: 452-532 (124.1 - 146.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO on the switch out
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Sneasel: 542-638 (215.9 - 254.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Hydreigon: 368-434 (113.2 - 133.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Shaymin-S: 213-252 (62.4 - 73.9%) Knock off + megahorn kills
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 121-143 (40.4 - 47.8%) Yeah you can't really hit that but if you knock off the LO it can't 3hko you
Iron head is if you want a diancie check and a stab that doesn't miss, twineedle has 40% chance to poison. Secret power also apparently has a 30% paralysis chance so you can use that too, but I don't really know how it works.
 
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Guess will leave some opinions over here:

Adaptability:
Adaptability is undoubtedly one of the best abilities to chose in AAA atm besides Gale Wings and Poison Heal. it has been the reason for many of the previous bans such as Mamoswine, Terrakion, and mostly the case for Bisharp and Keldeo (even though they still are able to run other effective abilities). This ability really creates a next level of power for most mons, due to them being able to spam there powerful STABs which sometimes have unresisted coverage. I feel like this ability has been overlooked for the longest time, and has a great correlation between the reason why most of the mons have gotten banned. I think this is the ability besides Gale Wings, which makes the meta heavily influenced by offense, as finding defensive answers to these mons abusing this ability is hard to come by. The ability clause has alleviated this a bit, but I still feel that the amount of power this ability brings to numerous mons is quite overwhelming, and should at least be considered for a suspect test.

So looking at the ban list if Adaptability would get banned, here is what I think could get retested:
: Still broken with abilities like Sheer Force and Gale Wings
: Still broken with any ability really
: ^
: ^
: I am still not sure. Tough Claws might be a little hard to deal with, but we still have powerful -ate abusers and Sheer Force users that would dish out more damage.
: Same as Bisharp. Primordial Sea/Drizzle might still be annoying to face, but the rise of more Desolate Land mons may make it manageable. It is also weak to Gale Wings, and rise in usage in Latios and Skymin
: Sturdinja is stupid
: Now that the Baton Clause has been nerfed again. Smeargle may actually be fine in the meta. Although Prankster Sleep would still be really annoying.
: I think Terrakion could possibly be retested. Could still use Sheer Force and Tough Claws, but stuff like Skarmory and Doublade still deal with it.
: Refrigerate still broken.
: Refrigerate for Mamo might also be too much, but low speed and defenses might alleviate that, due to highly offensive meta.

tl;dr Ban Adaptability, retest Keldeo, Bisharp, Mamoswine, Terrakion and Prankster Smeargle
Adaptability gives a greater boost to STAB moves, -ate abilities.
-ate abities: 1.3 * 1.5 = 1.95 < 2.0
Then again, there are normal type moves that have great secondary effects like Extreme Speed.
Is Adaptability generally better than -ate abilities?
 
-Ate is only really good on specific pokemon (extremespeed users, pokemon that lack/want strong STAB ice/fairy moves), whereas Adaptability is good on any pokemon with good STAB and offensive stats. I don't think the two are comparable.
 
Announcement:


Hoopa-Unbound has been quick banned from AAA.

Already a controversial figure in OU given its ability to almost invalidate defensive play, Hoopa-U becomes even more powerful in AAA with the addition of a useful ability. Choice Scarf + Hustle, Hoopa-U's most common set, was a complete terror to face for offensive teams, given Hustle gave it the equivalent of both a Choice Band and Choice Scarf boost simultaneously on Hyperspace Fury, which could not miss. Choice Band on the Hustle set gave it incredible power as well, 2HKOing even the most bulky of AAA's physical walls. More can be read about Hoopa-U's Hustle set in this post:

If Hoopa-U opted to go special however, it's Sheer Force set could mow down even the most sturdy of special walls with ease. After a Nasty Plot boost, almost every significant special wall in AAA (Including Chansey, Mandibuzz, Goodra and Meloetta) could not even take a single hit from the demon, and without resorting to otherwise questionable walls such as RegenVest Mandibuzz, stall was utterly hopeless against Hoopa-U.

Given the raw destructive power of both of these sets, in addition to the potential power of other possible sets such as Poison Heal, in a [4 Ban / 3 Did not vote] vote the council decided that suspecting Hoopa-U would inevitably lead to a ban, so we thus quick-banned it without an official suspect test.

A replay of Hoopa-U in action:
http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/almostanyability-250947975

Tagging The Immortal to inform him of the changes.

Eevee General The Immortal Kl4ng could one of you update the op with this ban?
 
Just thought I'd share one mon I've ben using recently to good results.

TwinNeedle (Escavalier) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Megahorn
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Twineedle / Iron head

Beside he fact that this pokemon looks absolutely fabulous, it's a pretty good answer to a lot of special attacker. Started using it as my adapt latios answer, if you switch on a psyshock, click megahorn, if you switch on a draco, pursuit it. Simple.
Anyway, on top of that it can switch on a bunch of other threats like sheer force gengar, sheer force thundurus, sneasel, mega launcher hydreigon, hoopa, mixed kyurem...
What I really like is that it can simultaneously take some pokemons that often threaten more defensive teams like skymin, sniper hydreigon or refrigirate thundurus.
Most of the time it can deal a lot of damage to them too.
What they do:
  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Latios Draco Meteor vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 109-129 (31.7 - 37.6%)
  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Latios Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 138-163 (40.2 - 47.5%)
  • 252+ SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Hoopa Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 126-149 (36.7 - 43.4%)
  • 252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Thundurus Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 113-134 (32.9 - 39%)
  • 252 Atk Life Orb Thundurus Superpower vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 149-177 (43.4 - 51.6%) -- Can't 2hko
  • 252 Atk Life Orb Sneasel Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier: 160-188 (46.6 - 54.8%) -- Can't 2hko
  • 252+ SpA Life Orb Mega Launcher Hydreigon Dark Pulse vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 126-149 (36.7 - 43.4%)
  • 4 Atk Sniper Hydreigon Superpower vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Escavalier on a critical hit: 195-231 (56.8 - 67.3%) You switch on the focus energy so it can't kill you
  • 252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Air Slash vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Escavalier: 110-130 (32 - 37.9%)

What you do back:
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 408-480 (136.4 - 160.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 180-214 (60.2 - 71.5%) On the switch out
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Pursuit vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Hoopa: 452-532 (124.1 - 146.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO on the switch out
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Sneasel: 542-638 (215.9 - 254.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Hydreigon: 368-434 (113.2 - 133.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Shaymin-S: 213-252 (62.4 - 73.9%) Knock off + megahorn kills
  • 8 Atk Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 121-143 (40.4 - 47.8%) Yeah you can't really hit that but if you knock off the LO it can't 3hko you
Iron head is if you want a diancie check and a stab that doesn't miss, twineedle has 40% chance to poison. Secret power also apparently has a 30% paralysis chance so you can use that too, but I don't really know how it works.
You'd be better off using Flash Fire or Primordial Sea on that set so you can have no weaknesses.
Braviary @ Leftovers
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 204 SpD / 52 Spe
Careful Nature
- Bulk Up
- Roost
- Substitute
- Brave Bird

Eat your heart out Curselax. Better Speed, reliable recovery, and a STAB that nothing is immune to. With Delta Stream negating all of Braviary's weaknesses, this set is really hard to stop after it gets a few boosts in. Bulk Up boosts Attack and Defence; Roost keeps you healthy; Subsitute shields you from status and Dragon Tail; Brave Bird is the STAB. EVs give enough Speed to outurn 0 Speed Rotom-A, with max HP so you can make 101 HP Subs. The rest is in Special Defence for better bulk in that area. Since Bulk Up boosts Attack and Defence they don't need investment.

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Psychic / Thunderbolt

Nice to have a Rapid Spinner that isn't dead weight offensively. Rapid Spin gets rid of hazards. Scald is the main STAB - Sheer Force makes it nearly as powerful as Hydro Pump but with better PP and perfect accuracy. Ice Beam hits the Grass and Dragon types that resist Scald. Psychic can be used for a powerful STAB; Thunderbolt can be used to hit opposing Water types. EVs maximise Speed and power; Life Orb gives a 1.3X boost on all moves, and thanks to Sheer Force has no recoil except on Rapid Spin

Mew @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Nasty Plot
Psychic
Focus Blast
Dark Pulse

We've seen defensive Mew - but what about offensive? Yes it faces competition from Gensect and Gengar, which are both stronger, but unlike them Mew can boost its damage output with Nasty Plot, has much better bulk and a broader movepool. Psychic is the STAB move. Focus Blast hits the Dark and Steel types that resist it; Dark Pulse hits opposing Psychic types. All the moves also get a Sheer Force boost, so no Life Orb recoil! The listed moves give Mew the best neutral coverage, but really you could use just about anything. If you don't like Focus Blast's accuracy, you could run Mega Launcher with Aura Sphere instead. If you do that, run Psyshock so you can still 2HKO Chansey at +2.
 
You'd be better off using Flash Fire or Primordial Sea on that set so you can have no weaknesses.
Except the whole point of Regenerator is to give Escavalier reliable recovery to check Special attackers throughout the match. Without Regenerator, it's losing 31.7% of its HP minimum every time it switches in on Latios's Adaptability Psyshock, not to mention entry hazards and other chip damage. And this is especially important since it's carrying an Assault Vest and not Leftovers. Flash Fire / Primordial Sea fills a different role entirely.

And besides, zero weaknesses is a meme.
 

dusk raimon

Banned deucer.
Ok so I thought id post on why I think shaymin-sky shud git banned, I mean seriously that thing is a monster. So it's most common set, or best set which Lapras said was adapt specs, rips apart most of the common walls in the meta, including doublade, Chansey, Suicune, snorlax, and so on. The set looks something like this:



Shaymin-Sky @ Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Seed Flare
- Air Slash
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Fire]/Dazzling Gleam

So this set can muscle through almost everything in the meta, and after rocks it can 2hko almost everything in the meta, as well as having blazing fast speed. The go to wall for special attackers, Chansey, gets creamed by a seed flare on switch in after rocks, losing around 55 percent usually, adding in the 40 percent chance for a drop specially defensive mons can't stay in very effectively or for long periods of time on shaymin. Even common mons which resist seed flare, such as doublade can't handle it well, taking around 60 percent without adding in hazards. Even then it has nice coverage in earth power and air slash, although last slot depends on team, although gleam is usually better because most ferrothorns run flash fire RIP. It can 2hko almost everything in the meta, bar stupid assvest shit like assvest Goodra. It can also destroy offense with its high speed, and once the offensive check, aka Refrig speed or gale wings are eliminated, it can just destroy offense. Now here are some calcs to prove Le shit, as well as good partners for it and other options in terms of sets.

First, some good partners for shaymin, it doesn't need hazard support, but if you want deo-s just allows it to break the meta into little pieces with the extra hazard chip imo. A steel breaker can also be quite nice, ranging from Lando to volc, although once again this is situational as steel mons which can wall seed flare usually don't take air slashes to the face nicely, or Earth powers or hp fire.

Also in terms of other options a sheer force wallbreaker set can work quite well and you don't have to predict switches as much, and as with most mons poison heal can work too, or even its normal serene grace.

Now for some Calcs:
252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 238-280 (33.8 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(238, 240, 242, 246, 248, 252, 254, 256, 260, 262, 266, 268, 270, 274, 276, 280)

252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 240 HP / 16 SpD Eviolite Doublade: 211-249 (66.1 - 78%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(211, 214, 216, 219, 221, 224, 226, 229, 231, 234, 236, 239, 241, 244, 246, 249)

252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Air Slash vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Ferrothorn: 178-210 (50.5 - 59.6%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(178, 180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200, 202, 204, 206, 210)


252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Suicune: 656-776 (162.3 - 192%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(656, 664, 672, 680, 688, 696, 704, 712, 720, 728, 736, 744, 752, 760, 768, 776)


252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 203-239 (53 - 62.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(203, 205, 207, 210, 212, 215, 217, 219, 222, 224, 227, 229, 231, 234, 236, 239)

And yea, so that's why I think shaymin should be banned in a nutshell. It's switchins, are basaically levitran and assvest Goodra, and that's about it. Please say something if u disagree with me imo, but yea that's my view and I wasn't sure why shaymin was legal tbh so Eh.
 
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Skymin is incredibly frail and thus susceptible to priority, with Gale Wings and Fridge E-Speed being particularly dangerous. Adaptability is not a good ability for it - Tinted Lens, Sheer Force and its native Serene Grace are all better. Likewise Life Orb > Specs. Tinted Lens negates the poor coverage of Grass moves; Sheer Force gives Seed Flare and Air Slash virtually the same power as Adaptability, but also powers up Earth Power and negates Life Orb recoil; Serene Grace lets you hax your way through slower walls. Or if you're running a SubSeed set you could use Thick Fat or Delta Stream for fewer weaknesses, or Poison Heal for more recovery and a status immunity.

252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 224+ SpD Mew: 231-273 (57.1 - 67.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 224+ SpD Mew: 237-281 (58.6 - 69.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
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dusk raimon

Banned deucer.
Skymin is incredibly frail and thus susceptible to priority, with Gale Wings and Fridge E-Speed being particularly dangerous. Adaptability is not a good ability for it - Tinted Lens, Sheer Force and its native Serene Grace are all better. Likewise Life Orb > Specs. Tinted Lens negates the poor coverage of Grass moves; Sheer Force gives Seed Flare and Air Slash virtually the same power as Adaptability, but also powers up Earth Power and negates Life Orb recoil; Serene Grace lets you hax your way through slower walls. Or if you're running a SubSeed set you could use Thick Fat or Delta Stream for fewer weaknesses.

252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 224+ SpD Mew: 231-273 (57.1 - 67.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Adaptability Shaymin-S Seed Flare vs. 252 HP / 224+ SpD Mew: 237-281 (58.6 - 69.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Most of the refrig speed users or gale wing users are usually steel types, (gene, Skarm) and can be trapped and dealt with, and neither of those can safely switch in on shaymin imo, but yes you do have some valid points, but the extra power of specs and adapt is very nice and gets some key 2hkoes and ohkoes which life orb or sheer force doesn't.
Edit: shaymin doesn't need the extra power on earth power that ohkoes what it needs to ohko either way without extra sheer force and life orb, also sheer force+life orb only makes Earth power 0.1 times stronger than specs, and U said urself shaymin is frail, so why run sub seed which is outclassed by other sets.
 
What KOs does Adaptability get you that Sheer Force doesn't?

And the argument that a Pokémon is broken because it has teammates that can deal with its checks is a terrible one, as it can be applied to just about anything.
 

dusk raimon

Banned deucer.
What KOs does Adaptability get you that Sheer Force doesn't?

And the argument that a Pokémon is broken because it has teammates that can deal with its checks is a terrible one, as it can be applied to just about anything.
Fair enough, but the point is it needs very little support and as you mentioned yourself has a wide range of sets which all are very powerful.
 
2 sets is hardly what I'd call a wide range: all out attacker, Sub Seed. It is a potent offensive threat, but it has enough checks to not be broken. Gale Wings Skarmory X4 resists Seed Flare, can take a Tinted Lens Air Slash and OHKO with Brave Bird.
 

lepton

im fragile, but not that fragile
is a Tiering Contributor
Is Mega Swampert any good? I was wondering because drizzle + swift swim seems great
 
It can work, but you have to play it really carefully. You get 4 turns, and if Swampert's forced out (bulky Grass types do that easily) then you can't sweep again if you've mega'd.
 

Lcass4919

The Xatu Warrior
on top of that, desolate land and delta stream are both fairly common abilities. and even the rare primal seas ruins this strat.
 

EV

Banned deucer.
How viable would this be?


Charizard @ Sitrus Berry / ???
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Belly Drum
- Acrobatics
- Fire STAB or Roost even
- Earthquake

You'd need to clear out Suicune and the Espeeders. You outspeed the other Gale Wing users except for Staraptor (which is probably Adamant) naturally so that's helpful. You can break Levitate or FF Doublade. Unaware Skarmory would only fear Flare Blitz which is counter-intuitive, so get that removed first too.
 

dusk raimon

Banned deucer.
How viable would this be?


Charizard @ Sitrus Berry / ???
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Belly Drum
- Acrobatics
- Fire STAB or Roost even
- Earthquake

You'd need to clear out Suicune and the Espeeders. You outspeed the other Gale Wing users except for Staraptor (which is probably Adamant) naturally so that's helpful. You can break Levitate or FF Doublade. Unaware Skarmory would only fear Flare Blitz which is counter-intuitive, so get that removed first too.
This could work, but it will be very hard to set up with it especially in the metagame rn which is very offensively orientated
 
do you even need to remove e speeders?
set could work with a bunch of stuff but you'd need to get a good feel for calcs.
 

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