Arbok (BW2 Revamp) QC 1/3 - Up for Grabs

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QC Approvals: WhiteDMist

[Overview]

- When Jynx got unbanned from NU, Arbok essentially got another Psychic to watch out for, alongside other Psychics like Gardevoir and Musharna.
- Access to Coil + Gunk Shot allows it to hit hard, despite average attack. Also, Coil increases defense, making it harder to revenge kill.
- Has coverage moves like Aqua Tail, Earthquake, and Sucker Punch to boot
- Two excellent abilities in Intimidate and Shed Skin
- A bit lacking in power; 85 base attack, and Coil only boosts you to +1
- Lacks good HP and special bulk, and can easily be revenged by Jynx

[SET]
name: Offensive Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Aqua Tail / Seed Bomb
item: Life Orb / Black Sludge
ability: Intimidate / Shed Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

- Coil is Arbok's best set. With the ability to boost both attack, defense, and accuracy all at once, Arbok can prove to be annoying.
- Intimidate can be used to set up on offensive Pokemon that cannot touch Arbok, such as Choice Band Sawk.
- Shed Skin allows Arbok to recover from random burns, paralysis, and other status conditions, though it is already immune to Toxic.
- Coil's accuracy boost makes Gunk Shot rather lethal, and can hit pokemon that don't resist it or are not immune to it hard.
- Sucker Punch helps Arbok to avoid getting picked off by the likes of Jynx, who is a very dangerous threat in the tier.
- The next move is a coverage move. Earthquake hits Steels, especially Metang, while still hitting Regirock and Golem super effectively. Howevever, Aqua Tail hits Ground types like Golem and Golurk harder, and keeps neutral coverage on steels. Seed Bomb hits Grounds, especially Seismitoad, but leaves you walled by Steels.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

- Life Orb gives Arbok some much needed power, whereas Black Sludge prevents Arbok from getting worn down as easily. For example, with Life Orb, Arbok can get the 2HKO on Alomomola using a +1 Gunk Shot
- Rest can be used as a form of recovery if using Shed Skin, as there will be a 30% chance to wake up each turn. However, Arbok loses out on an attack, and it is not always going to wake up Arbok.
- Ghost and Psychic removal is appreciated; Skuntank is not the best partner due to the poison typing amplifying the team's ground weakness. However, Liepard can Pursuit trap Ghosts and Psychics without giving any synergy issues.
- If Aqua Tail is chosen, Steels like Metang and Mawile will be a problem; Golurk and Seismitoad can dispatch of them, and lay down Stealth Rock to wear down the opponent, especially Choice Scarf users like Jynx and Sawk. Misdreavus is still 4HKOd by Aqua Tail after +1
- If Earthquake is chosen, then Ground types will become a bigger issue. Ludicolo is thus an excellent teammate for Arbok, being able to OHKO every ground type in the metagame with its Water / Grass / Ice coverage. If Ludicolo is not of your taste, then other strong Water types, such as Simipour and Gorebyss, can make decent substitutes. Grasses like Sawsbuck does fine as well, but they cannot handle Piloswine too well.
- Arbok appreciates Wish support, especially with Life Orb and/or Shed Skin, to keep it healthy. Lickilicky is the best partner, as Arbok can check Fighting types like Primeape and Gurdurr in return. Alomomola is not bad though, as it can do a some damage to Grounds like Camerupt and Golem with Waterfall.
- If Black Sludge is chosen over Life Orb, Stealth Rock support is necessary to 2HKO Mandibuzz with a +1 Gunk Shot. Miltank and Regirock can provide Stealth Rock, and can paralyze faster opponents and help prevent them from revenging Arbok.

[Other Options]

- A bulky Coil set can be used, but the defense EVs do not allow Arbok to set up on any additional threats
- The Elemental Fangs and Rock Slide provide additional coverage, though Arbok really does not need them.
- Arbok can use a Choice set of Poison Jab / Earthquake / Aqua Tail / Switcheroo, but Coil is Arbok's biggest niche.
- The snake also has access to support moves like Dragon Tail, Glare, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, and Haze, but Arbok is not bulky enough to use them

[Checks and Counters]

- Misdreavus and Frillish wall Arbok pretty hard, and can use Will-O-Wisp and Taunt to shut it down.
- Steels like Mawile, Probopass, and Metang need to watch for Earthquake, but they are immune to Gunk Shot, and can really put Arbok in a pickle.
- Ground types (except for Torterra) like Golurk and Seismitoad can tank Arbok's attacks and respond back with a super effective Earthquake / Earth Power, though most should watch for Aqua Tail
- Special Choice Scarf users, such as Jynx and Electabuzz, need to watch for Sucker Punch, but can do hefty amounts of damage to Jessie's Cobra.
- Psychic types need to watch for a boosted Gunk Shot and Sucker Punch, but can easily dispatch of the Cobra.
 
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Blast

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I'm not QC, but I'll post my thoughts.

Imo Arbok wasn't really "hammered hard" when Jynx dropped down since it has Sucker Punch to kill and can potentially avoid Kiss with Shed Skin (which I think should be used over Intimidate b/c of that). And please remove the second point of your Overview, no fluff allowed.

The last point of the Overview should probably be removed too for the reasons I just listed. And about this point in the AC of the first set:
Alfalfa said:
Ghost and Psychic removal is appreciated; Skuntank adds another Ground weakness to the table, but is a very consistent Pursuit user. On the other hand, Life Orb Sneasel can 2HKO Physically Defensive Misdreavus and Frillish with Night Slash, and can outspeed every ghost in the tier, bar Scarf Haunter, but Arbok can handle Haunter to begin with by using Sucker Punch.
Skuntank imo isn't a great partner, since like you said it stacks weaknesses to Ground. And Sneasel doesn't get Night Slash, so remove that part. Personally, I thinkOffensive Pivot Liepard might deserve a mention here, since it can Pursuit trap Ghosts and Psychics and U-turn out into Arbok.

Finally, I'm not sure about bulky Coil, since it's basically the same as offensive Coil just with Sub and a few HP EVs. Offensive Coil can set up on walls if it runs Shed Skin anyway so yeah.

Again, I'm not QC so you don't have to implement all this, but I still hope I helped!
 

watashi

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seed bomb needs a bigger mention, i would slash it alongside eq/aqua tail since it does most things aqua tail does and also hits seismitoad at the cost of lower power (but higher accuracy!)
 

WhiteDMist

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[Overview]
You don't really need the second point. There's no need to mention Arbok's Atk stat, just say its average. Add in Gardevoir as another revenge killer alongside Jynx.

Offensive Coil
[Additional Comments]
Black Sludge doesn't provide bulk exactly, it helps prevent Arbok from being worn down as easily. Unless Stealth Rock provides specific KOs, don't mention them. If they do, please list some calcs.

Bulky Coil
[Set]
I feel like Rest should be slashed alongside Substitute, Shed Skin being slashed with Intimidate due to that, and the set should look like: Coil/Gunk Shot/Substitute|Rest/Earthquake|Aqua Tail|Seed Bomb. Let's see what the rest of QC thinks, but that's what I feel it should look like.

[Set Comments]
The Speed EVs technically outspeed Timid Gorebyss, it only Speed ties 112 Spe Mandibuzz. Since it is considered Speed creep otherwise, I would have to talk to the rest of QC to see if they think outspeeding Gorebyss is useful or not.

[Additional Comments]
Against, explain what KOs hazards provides, or else just don't mention them.
 
If you are saying I can't speedcreep, then there is no point in investing speed into bulky Arbok. The only other walls it would need speed for A) are of the same speed tier, and B) beat Arbok out to begin with (aka Altaria and Grumpig).
 
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tennisace

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Agreeing with above, Timid Gorebyss isn't an especially good target for Arbok to go after.
 

WhiteDMist

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Ok, after talking on #neverused with @tennisace and a few others, we've agreed that "Bulky" Coil doesn't really set up on much more than what the offensive Coil set already does (maybe Weezing?). Offensive Arbok already sets up on Alomomola, Grass-types, and other weak walls, while actually threatening Psychic-types (especially Jynx) with Sucker Punch. Perhaps in a less offensive metagame the bulky set would have been worth it, but right now Arbok is better off going full on offensive. Muk does the bulky offensive thing better anyway. I welcome any other QC members for their input, but for right now I don't see it happening.

For the offensive set, Shed Skin should be the main ability, with Intimidate getting a mention in AC to let you set up on Gurdurr. Shed Skin gives Arbok a chance to remove status, notably Sleep from stuff like Scarf Jynx, which can be invaluable. You can also mention Rest in AC and the bulky set and Substitute can go to OO (we also decided that Rest was better than Substitute since Knock Off isn't too problematic). In the Overview, list Shed Skin before Intimidate (or even just ditch Intimidate).

QC reject 1/3 for the bulky set.

I'll stamp once you've implemented these important changes.
 

scorpdestroyer

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Intimidate is mentioned in set comments but doesn't have a place in the set, that mention of intimidate should probably go under AC.
 
i think intimidate should be slashed or even first on arbok

intimidate is a ridiculously good ability that makes setting up a lot easier, and also gives arbok a little more utility in general because it allows it to check/cripple offensive mons.

shed skin is pretty unreliable and arbok is already immune to poison so the status heal isnt as good as you think. honestly it only really helps vs missy. everything else it's just a nice side benefit.

intimidate is just way too good to pass up honestly

edit: arbok tamer @Zebraiken agrees
 
I have two QC members telling me two entirely different things. Sort it out, I personally think both abilities are good, but if QC is disagreeing with each other, I can't fix that.
 

WhiteDMist

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Keep Intimidate then, after thinking about it I agree that it still has some uses and is at least guaranteed to work unlike Shed Skin.
 
For anybody who wants it, Arbok is now up for grabs - I am giving up the analysis so I can take a break from Smogon.
 
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