Amoonguss

[TheMantyke]

This analysis was written as part of the mass skeleton production query. QC is free to check it, but its main purpose for now is just to get the skeleton out the door.

Overview
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Spore and Rage Powder are amazing support attacks
Shuts down some of the best Pokemon in the tier, particularly Rotom-W
Many Pokemon in the format that can destroy Amoonguss such as Rotom-H, Charizard, and Talonflame
Weak offensive presence.
Various small unsubtle nerfs on Amoonguss where put into effect this generation. See: Grass-type buff, Safety Goggles.



Support
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name: Support
move 1: Spore
move 2: Rage Powder
move 3: Giga Drain
move 4: Protect
ability: Regenerator / Effect Spore
item: Black Sludge / Rocky Helmet
evs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpDef
nature: Calm / Sassy

Moves
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Spore lets you put things to sleep and buy your partner so leeway
Rage Powder lets you redirect attacks for your partner and let them operate more comfortably.
Giga Drain is your STAB attack so you can at least inflict some direct damage. Really helpful vs Rotom-W and Politoed
Protect allows you all the neat utilities of Protect

Set Details
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Regenerator is the main slash since it allows Amoonguss to take a beating and switch in again later to keep doing work.
Effect Spore is also an option if you want to focus on Rage Powder primarily and deal the most damage to the opponent's team as possible folding naturally and giving your partner freedom to do whatever.
Effect Spore is risky if you find yourself sporing a lot. You could burn up Lum Berries, put something to sleep, or just give them paralysis or burn and waste a turn sporing them
EVs allow for maximum bulk accross both Defense and Special Defense
Calm allows you to outspeed a few Pokemon that are equipped to operate in Trick Room (and Amoonguss is still plenty slow inside Trick Room as is with Calm)
Sassy allows you to underspeed almost everything when in Trick Room

Usage Tips
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Likes doing work early game, switching out and getting the Regenerator boost, then coming back in for another round.
If you have a Fake Out user and both targets pose roughly the same threat, the general procedure is Fake out, spore non fake out target, spore other pokemon next turn
Use Rage Powder to set up anything that wants to boost or protect you Pokemon from Will-o-Wisp

Team Options
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Generally anything that Amoonguss doesn't share a weakness to heatwave with is a decent partner
Kangaskhan is a fantastic partner. Fake Out lets Amoonguss Spore in greater comfort, Amoonguss' Rage Powder and Fighting resistance lets Kangaskhan Power Up Punch and inflict big hits in comfort.
Rotom-W, Talonflame, among others like working with him
Trick Room Enducers like Aromatisse are alright.
Try to make sure whatever partner you pick can make up for Amoonguss' lack of offensive presence.

TEAM OPTIONS GO HERE

Other Options
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Sludge Bomb
Synthesis
Energy Ball
HP Ice
Level 49 Amoonguss


Checks & Counters
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Extremely Strong Super Effective Attacks: Talonflame, Mega Charizard Y, and Rotom-H being the biggest culprits.
Safety Goggles: You can completely ignore amoonguss and attack their partner
Lum Berry: Let you take a spore which can lead to Amoonguss being in an uncomfortable situation.
Taunt: Shuts down everything but his weak Giga Drain

 

[Martin]

I have a few suggestions:

• wouldn't Sitrus Berry / Mental Herb be a better selection of items for Amoonguss to use?
• Don't mention Regenerator as a main slash as it is almost useless in doubles due to the high risk in switching. However, do mention it in OO.
  
• When stating the risks of Effect Spore, just remember that it can't burn.
• I'd slash Synthesis next to Giga Drain and Protect as it is incredibly useful on Amoonguss and is augmented by the fact that Mega Charizard Y exists with Drought.
  
• What in particular do the EVs let you survive? Be a little clearer about their purpose.
  
• I personally run 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD and a Relaxed or Bold nature in order to survive Sky Plate Talonflame's Brave Bird. Mention this spread in Set Comments, but explain why you feel the other spread is better.
• mention opposing Grass-types in checks and counters
• Mention Sludge Bomb to deal with Grass-types in moves, but say why it isn't recommended ie. it is very weak off its special attack stat and the most common grass-types in the metagame (ferrothorn, amoonguss and venusaur) are not weak to it

 

[TheMantyke]

I have a few suggestions:

• wouldn't Sitrus Berry / Mental Herb be a better selection of items for Amoonguss to use?

These are useful items for Amoonguss, but I feel as though it can afford forgoing a Sitrus Berry and give it to something that wants it more

• Don't mention Regenerator as a main slash as it is almost useless in doubles due to the high risk in switching. However, do mention it in OO.

Absolutely not. I'm not sure where you're getting there's a high risk in switching in VGC beyond formats like VGC 2011 where there wasn't much bulk to go around. Amoonguss can get some disruptive support going early game, then switch out and resume later on. It also helps that some of the Pokemon Amoonguss dislikes are often really easy to switch into

• I'd slash Synthesis next to Giga Drain and Protect as it is incredibly useful on Amoonguss and is augmented by the fact that Mega Charizard Y exists with Drought.

Synthesis is already listed in OO and I don't really want it on the main set. Giga Drain is very useful for dealing with Rotom-W and even though it borders on having the bulk to skip out on Protect, I think his low speed condems Amoonguss to needing it most of the time. The Charizard Y point is kind of moot since bringing Amoonguss versus Charizard Y is a little shaky and if you're using Amoonguss with your own CharY, you might as well be using Venusaur.

• What in particular do the EVs let you survive? Be a little clearer about their purpose.
  
• I personally run 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD and a Relaxed or Bold nature in order to survive Sky Plate Talonflame's Brave Bird. Mention this spread in Set Comments, but explain why you feel the other spread is better.

The EV spread attains maximum overall bulk for Amoonguss according to the defense calculator. I'm hesitant to switch to your spread considering that not too many Talonflame are running Sharp Beak or Sky Plate from the Battlespot usage statistics and the LO (I'd say the most common talonflame) can still KO.

• mention opposing Grass-types in checks and counters

Alright

• Mention Sludge Bomb to deal with Grass-types in moves, but say why it isn't recommended ie. it is very weak off its special attack stat and the most common grass-types in the metagame (ferrothorn, amoonguss and venusaur) are not weak to it

It is already in OO

 

[Martin]

These are useful items for Amoonguss, but I feel as though it can afford forgoing a Sitrus Berry and give it to something that wants it more

I, personally, don't see much use for Black Sludge seeing as you will often have more healing from Sitrus Berry than you will from Black Sludge, Rocky Helmet does deserve a mention in set comments for the utility it provides against opposing Talonflame, but it should stay in set comments or OO as this use is pretty limited. Sitrus Berry, once again, has more healing than Black Sludge most of the time and Mental Herb deals with the annoying Taunts that Amoongus is often targeted with to put something to sleep or something.

The Charizard Y point is kind of moot since bringing Amoonguss versus Charizard Y is a little shaky and if you're using Amoonguss with your own CharY, you might as well be using Venusaur.

I meant when used with CharY, or when the opposing one has been KOd and the sun still lingers.

The EV spread attains maximum overall bulk for Amoonguss according to the defense calculator. [/quote]
I'm just saying we need a little more detail as to what the EVs are actually for. What do they let Amoongus survive a hit from?

I'm hesitant to switch to your spread considering that not too many Talonflame are running Sharp Beak or Sky Plate from the Battlespot usage statistics and the LO (I'd say the most common talonflame) can still KO.

When I said that I meant for it to not be on the main set, but in set comments for the set as an alternate spread if people want it.

 

[Professor Birch]

This is nearly identical to the set I use but my EVs are messed up. How this is now, is the way to use Amoonguss to its full potential. Actually, Black Sludge is the the ideal item over Sitrus Berry as in the long run, it well help Amoonguss last longer. One thing I can suggest though is Clear Smog in OO. One quick question, what is the level 49 Amoonguss?

 

[Martin]

This is nearly identical to the set I use but my EVs are messed up. How this is now, is the way to use Amoonguss to its full potential. Actually, Black Sludge is the the ideal item over Sitrus Berry as in the long run, it well help Amoonguss last longer. One thing I can suggest though is Clear Smog in OO. One quick question, what is the level 49 Amoonguss?

I assume the level 49 Amoongus is to get a reverse-speed-creep for trick room

 

[BeastMode2010]

You might get more healing from sitrus, but 90% of the tone, it's already going to be taken by another teammate, and only so many things can hold black sludge, so overall it is the better option.

Idk if it deserves mention, but Amoonguss is a very potent ANTI trick room pokemon. His ability to spore anything first inside trick room can really shut down them down long enough for you to wear out the tr. Against almost any tr setter (except maybe chandelure), I would be afraid to actually use the trick room

 

[tofucocoa]

idk how i feel about even mentioning level 49 amoonguss anymore; the whole point of that was to spore them before they spored you under trick room and since grass types can't be affected by spore anymore...

 

[Biosci]

This is literally the only set to be running on Amoonguss unless your team has room of error to use it's other crappy move pool. Just a few things to add to OO:

-HP Fire: Just being able to damage Ferrothorn and Mawile is really nice for Amoonguss.
-Coba/Occa Berry: There's strong Flying-/Fire-types move in this meta going around, these can pay off a lot in certain match ups.
-Lum Berry: Smeargle. That is literally the only reason.
-Rest: tbh I'd rather use Rest than Synthesis, but still it's not as good as it used to be last year since you can't get Spore this year.

Other than that QC 1/2