Arbok [GP 2/2]

Django

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Working off this skeleton.


Arbok

[Overview]

<p>In an incredibly fast paced metagame with so many offensive powerhouses, Arbok would seem to struggle to make an impact with its mediocre stats and comparatively poor defensive typing. However, access to the somewhat rare Coil and a few useful niches mean that Arbok has carved out a home for itself in NU. With two very useful abilities to choose from, Arbok can change its role completely; either using Shed Skin to be an incredibly hard Pokemon for stall to beat, or using Intimidate to slow down offensive teams and hit them where it hurts with its STAB Gunk Shot. Throw in a host of coverage moves as well as some priority, and Arbok becomes a force to be reckoned with. All things considered it is one of the most anti-metagame Pokemon currently, as it matches up so well against many common teams.</p>

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

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Poison is a surprisingly effective offensive type in NU, primarily due to the distinct lack of Steel-types when compared to other tiers. For those few Steel-types that do exist, Arbok possesses the necessary coverage moves to work around them, making it a very relevant threat. Offensive teams in particular can struggle to take +1 Gunk Shots, so a single mistake allowing Arbok to set up can be fatal. It finds a lot of time to set up against hazard users like Garbador and Cacturne as well as against Pokemon that are common on offensive teams like Skuntank. Combine this with its good Speed tier which lets it outspeed Samurott and Ludicolo, two of the biggest threats in the NU metagame, and you have a fantastic anti-metagame Pokemon. The rare Coil is a great boon for Arbok, acting like Bulk Up with the added advantage of boosting Gunk Shot's accuracy to a respectable 91%. When at +1, Gunk Shot is absolutely lethal, especially with its poor accuracy compensated for. It can be unreliable if Arbok is forced to attack before it gets a chance to use Coil, but when played correctly, it is exceptionally dangerous. A few notable threats can easily take boosted Gunk Shot and cripple Arbok in return, however. The choice of coverage move depends on which of these Pokemon your team is more concerned by. Aqua Tail is great for destroying Golurk and being able to hit other Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, while still breaking through Golem. Earthquake, on the other hand, hits Steel-types like Probopass, Bastiodon, and Metang much harder. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, something which is almost invaluable in NU. It also helps to prevent Psychic-types such as Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximum Speed is used in order to force a Speed tie with other base 80 Pokemon, such as Braviary, Gardevoir, and Altaria. If you are not worried about guaranteeing a chance to hit these Pokemon before they hit you then you can lower the Speed EVs to outpace all base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Samurott and Ludicolo, while putting the extra EVs in HP to take hits better as Arbok sets up. 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe would achieve this. Intimidate makes Arbok's effective bulk much bigger and lets it set up on Skuntank among others with much greater ease. Shed Skin, on the other hand, will help against more defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Alomomola, granting Arbok a psuedo immunity to status which allows for greater freedom to set up. In terms of other move options, Arbok can use Seed Bomb to muscle its way past Carracosta and Relicanth, but finding room for it is difficult.</p>

<p>If Arbok does use Intimidate, status can really hinder its effectiveness. As such, a cleric is a great teammate to alleviate this; Lickilicky can do a great job while also healing Arbok with Wish. Similarly, the choice of coverage move can make other teammates more effective. If Earthquake is chosen, then having a good Golurk counter such as Tangela is always a good idea, as well as a Pokemon such as Skuntank that can take out Misdreavus and Haunter. If Aqua Tail is used, then having effective methods to deal with Steel-types is essential; Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk do this to great effect. Carracosta and Relicanth also counter this set efficiently, so carrying Grass-types to beat these is a good idea. Bulky Rock-types such as Regirock will always be a problem for Arbok but they can easily be worn down with Spikes. Cacturne makes a great partner because of this, also being able to deal with Psychic-types effectively. Finally, Zangoose and Arbok do a great job of eliminating each other's counters. Zangoose is great at luring in and beating both Steel- and Ghost-types, while Arbok can set up on bulkier walls such as Alomomola and Amoonguss.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Aqua Tail / Sucker Punch
evs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
nature: Adamant
item: Black Sludge
ability: Shed Skin

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Arbok is very effective against offensive teams, it can also be built to completely stop many stall teams. The fact it is immune to Toxic and partially immune to other status (due to Shed Skin) is fantastic, turning it into a semi-reliable status absorber for your team. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, meaning stall's main method against boosting sweepers is irrelevant. This immunity to status means that top walls like Alomomola and Amoonguss are simply setup bait. Coil is the set up move of choice, giving Arbok a boost similar to Bulk Up while also boosting the accuracy of its STAB Move, Gunk Shot. Rest is a very valid option with Shed Skin, enabling Arbok to heal off repeated attacks and absorb status several times in a match. Aqua Tail provides the best two move coverage with Gunk Shot, preventing Arbok from being walled by both Steel-types and Ghost-types, as well as hitting Golem much harder than Earthquake. It also appreciates Coil's accuracy boost. Sucker Punch is also a viable option to prevent faster, frail Pokemon such as Swellow, Cinccino, and Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok. It has poor coverage with Gunk Shot, however.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed investment lets Arbok outspeed neutral base 56 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than those. This can be crucial against certain Pokemon such as Exeggutor and Torterra. Clearly there is still a large portion of the metagame which will outspeed Arbok, so paralysis support from the likes of Probopass or Regirock is very helpful as it lets Arbok outspeed more Pokemon and get more setup opportunities. This is particularly crucial if Aqua Tail is being used instead of Sucker Punch. Alternatively, if Sucker Punch is being used, then support from teammates is essential to beat Rock- and Steel-types. Sawk and Torterra make great partners in this regard and will also benefit from Arbok being able to tear apart Alomomola and Amoonguss. In a similar vein, Zangoose can beat many of Arboks counters while Arbok beats the walls Zangoose can struggle to break on its own. Ludicolo and Samurott are also capable of outspeeding Arbok and dealing heavy damage with STAB Hydro Pump, so having a way to deal with these and other powerful special threats is essential.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Arbok has very few viable sets that do not utilize Coil; it's what gives Arbok a niche. Substitute can be a nice addition to a bulky boosting set, as it lets Arbok use Intimidate while still being able to avoid status. Choice sets could be an option, but generally there are better users like Braviary. Arbok does get Switcheroo however, which can be a nasty surprise for walls. It also gets additional coverage moves in Seed Bomb and the elemental fangs, but the listed moves are generally superior. Pursuit is another interesting option, but Psychic-types will generally not be switching out of Arbok, so it struggles to find use. Glare is another quiver in Arboks bow, which can paralyze Ground-types and help Arbok get the jump on some faster threats, but it really has no room to fit it on a moveset. Dragon Tail could be used to stop opponents from phazing Arbok, as well as enabling Arbok to set up on Gurdurr, but it gives no real coverage. A bulky Dragon Tail set could work, but Eelektross probably does it better.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Powerful Ground-types are among the best counters to Arbok; Piloswine and Golurk in particular deal with it easily. Psychic-types such as Musharna and Gardevoir can also easily dispatch Arbok with STAB Psychic, provided they can avoid Sucker Punch. Misdreavus walls any set that lacks Aqua Tail, so it must be taken into account. Alomomola can beat the offensive set, but struggles with the bulkier Rest versions. Rock-types such as Regirock, Carracosta, and Golem (provided Arbok doesn't have Aqua Tail) can easily take Gunk Shot and threaten Arbok with Earthquake. Bulky Seismitoad takes hits all day and can scare out Arbok with STAB Earth Power, but will lose to Seed Bomb. The key to countering Arbok is to not let it set up, so be sure to maintain momentum and don't go needlessly setting up Spikes if you do see one.</p>
 
I'd definitely slash Substitute with Sucker Punch on the first set. It lets it set up on a whole lot more pokemon, including Scald Alomomola, Miltank, Lickilicky, Amoonguss (before Sleep Clause) and Tangela. Substitute gives you a free Gunk Shot at whatever tries to come in, too. Sucker Punch is usually more useful, but Sub has its uses and is a lot better at screwing up defensive/balanced teams.
 

jake

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just a couple o notes for ya

- piloswine, golurk in c&c. both can switch in and do a ton of damage to arbok regardless of boosts, and pilo in particular gives no fucks about anything.

+2 252 Atk Arbok Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Piloswine: 131-155 (32.42 - 38.36%) -- 98.63% chance to 3HKO
+2 252 Atk Arbok Aqua Tail vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Piloswine: 236-278 (58.41 - 68.81%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

- i really have never used the extra bulk and just went for the base 80 speed ties with other shit like braviary, gardevoir, specs altaria etc. being able to win the tie against jolly cb brav and ohko it with +1 gunk shot has won me more than a few matches. i'm not saying the extra bulk is particularly bad, but honestly i would wager that it makes little impact given how shitty arbok's defenses already are - i would prefer to use max investment in speed and bump the slightly bulkier spread to AC. it also lets you win more often than not when trying to play vs sub gardevoir, since you can potentially outspeed and KO regardless of whether or not they sub rather than having to try to predict perfectly. also it lets you boost once or twice on skuntank before it taunts you!

- don't mention set-up on gurdurr. if you boost evenly (as in it doesn't try to come in on arbok and you set up at the same time) it does roughly as much damage with drain punch as gunk shot will do in return and gurdurr recovers more. ice punch also does significantly more. i tried to set up on gurdurr once or twice and it kind of bit me in the butt. mention something like skuntank idfk, you just don't win against gurdurr unless you're a boost or two ahead.

- not much else apart from a few other mentions of teammates - notably stuff that beats musharna since that is quite possibly the biggest pain to deal with.

[qc]2/2[/qc]
 

Django

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OK I added the above changes, and I think I'm gonna put Substitute in AC of the offensive set, thanks for that citro. One last check would be nice!!
 
some things to add to c&c:
  • golbat
  • Vigoroth

both have taunt and recovery to chip away at Arbok.

Torterra also does pretty well, it can switch in and OHKO if its offensive. Or switch in and avoid the 2HKO if its bulky. I'd add that as well.

Also name it Offensive Coil please I like that name more :)
[qc]3/3[/qc]
 
GP check. Good job on writing this! The only things I noticed more than once were really minor like needing an apostrophe before an s.
Additions in Blue
Subtractions in Red
Comments in Purple

[Overview]

<p>In an incredibly fast paced metagame with so many offensive powerhouses, Arbok can would seem to struggle to make an impact. (remove period) Its with its mediocre stats and comparatively poor defensive typing would initially seem to hold it back. (the reason I'm suggesting merging these two sentences is because one seems to be definitively saying Arbok struggles to make an impact in NU while the other says that only appears to be the case; if you disagree though, you can leave them as is) However, access to the somewhat rare Coil, (remove comma) and a few other useful niches, (remove comma) means that Arbok has carved out a home for itself in NU. With two very useful abilities to choose from (add comma) Arbok can change its role completely; either being using Shed Skin to be an incredibly hard Pokemon for stall to beat while using Shed Skin, or using Intimidate to slow down offensive teams and hit them where it hurts with STAB Gunk Shot. Throw in a host of coverage moves, (remove comma) as well as some priority, and Arbok becomes a force to be reckoned with. All things considered it is one of the most anti-metagame Pokemon currently, as it matches up so well against many common teams.</p>

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

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Poison is a surprisingly effective offensive type in NU, primarily due to the distinct lack of Steel-types when compared to other tiers. For those few Steel-types that do exist, Arbok posesses possesses the necessary coverage moves to work around them, making it a very relevant threat. Offensive teams in particular can struggle to take +1 Gunk Shots, so a single mistake allowing Arbok to set up can be fatal. It finds a lot of time to set up against hazard users like Garbador or and Cacturne, (remove comma) as well as against Pokemon that are common on offensive teams like Skuntank. Combine this with its good Speed tier which lets it outspeed Samurott and Ludicolo, two of the biggest threats in the NU metagame, and you have a fantastic anti-metagame Pokemon. The rare Coil is a great boon for Arbok, acting like Bulk Up with the added advantage of boosting Gunk Shots (add apostrophe before the s) accuracy to a respectable 91%. When at +1, Gunk Shot is absolutely lethal, and the especially with its poor accuracy has obviously been compensated for. It can be unreliable if Arbok is forced to attack before it gets a chance to use Coil, but when played correctly (add comma) Arbok it is exceptionally dangerous. A few notable threats can easily take boosted Gunk Shot and cripple Arbok in return, however. The choice of coverage move depends on which of these Pokemon your team is more concerned by. Aqua Tail is great for destroying Golurk and being able to hit other Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, while still breaking through Golem. Earthquake on the other hand, hits Steel-types like Probopass, Bastiodon, and Metang much harder. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, something which is almost invaluable in NU. It also helps to prevent Psychic-types such as Gardevioir from revenge killing Arbok.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximum Speed is used in order to force a Speed tie with other base 80 Pokemon, such as Braviary, Gardevoir, and Altaria. If you are not concerned by worried about guaranteeing a chance to hit these Pokemon before they hit you then you can lower the Speed EVs to outpace all base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Samurott and Ludicolo, while using putting the extra EVs in HP to take hits better as Arbok sets up. 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe would achieve this. Intimidate makes Arboks (add apostrophe before s) effective Bulk (make lowercase) much bigger, (remove comma) and lets it set up on Skuntank and others with much greater ease. Shed Skin, on the other hand, will help against more defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Alomomola, granting Arbok a psuedo immunity to status which allows for greater freedom to set up. In terms of other move options, Arbok can use Seed Bomb to muscle its way past Carracosta and Relicanth, but finding room for it is difficult.</p>

<p>If Arbok does use Intimidate, status can really hinder its effectiveness. As such, a cleric is a great teammate to alleviate this, (change to semicolon) and Lickilicky can do a great job while also healing Arbok with Wish. Similarly, the choice of coverage move can make other teammates more effective. If Earthquake is chosen (add comma) then having a good Golurk counter such as Tangela is always a good idea, as well as a Pokemon such as Skuntank that can take out Misdreavus and Haunter. If Aqua Tail is used (add comma) then having effective methods to deal with Steel-types is essential; Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk do this to great effect. Carracosta and Relicanth also counter this set efficiently, so carrying Grass-types to beat these is a good idea. Bulky Rock-types such as Regirock will always be a problem for Arbok, and but they can easily be worn down with Spikes. Cacturne makes a great partner because of this, also being able to deal with Psychic-types effectively. Finally, Zangoose and Arbok do a great job of eliminating each others (add apostrophe before s) counters. Zangoose is a great at luring in and beating both Steel- and Ghost-types, while Arbok can set up on bulkier walls such as Alomomola and Amoonguss.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Aqua Tail / Sucker Punch
evs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
nature: Adamant
item: Black Sludge
ability: Shed Skin

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Arbok is very effective against offensive teams, it can also be built to completely stop many stall teams. The fact it is immune to Toxic and partially immune to other status (due to Shed Skin) is fantastic, turning it into a semi-reliable status absorber for a team. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, meaning stalls main method against boosting sweepers is irrelevant. This immunity to status means that top walls like Alomomola and Amoonguss are simply set up setup bait, and after a few boosts it can take physical hits with ease (these two ideas don't seem to really connect; it might be better to make the bit about getting a few boosts a separate sentence or link the two ideas together more clearly). Coil is the set up move of choice, and gives giving Arbok a boost similar to Bulk Up, (remove comma) while also boosting the accuracy of its STAB Move, Gunk Shot. Rest is a very valid option with Shed Skin, enabling Arbok to heal off repeated attacks and absorb status, and do so several times in a match. Aqua Tail provides the best two move coverage with Gunk Shot, preventing Arbok from being walled by both Steel-types and Ghost-types, as well as hitting Golem much harder than Earthquake. It also appreciates Coils Accuracy Coil's accuracy boost. Sucker Punch is also a viable option to prevent faster, frail Pokemon such as Swellow, Cinccino, or and Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok. It has poor coverage with Gunk Shot, however.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed investment lets Arbok outspeed neutral base 56 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than those. This can be crucial against certain Pokemon such as Exeggutor and Torterra. Clearly there is still a large portion of the metagame which will outspeed Arbok, so paralysis support from the likes of Probopass or Regirock is very helpful as it lets Arbok outspeed more Pokemon and get more setup opportunities. This is particularly crucial if Aqua Tail is being used instead of Sucker Punch. Alternatively, if Sucker Punch is being used, then support from teammates is essential to beat Rock- and Steel-types. Sawk and Torterra make great partners in this regard, (remove comma) and will also benefit from Arbok being able to tear apart Alomomola and Amoonguss. In a similar vein, Zangoose can beat many of Arboks counters while Arbok beats the walls Zangoose can struggle to break on its own. Ludicolo and Samurott are also capable of outspeeding Arbok and dealing heavy damage with STAB Hydro Pump, so having a way to deal with these, and other powerful special threats, is essential.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Arbok has very few viable sets that do not utilise utilize Coil; its it's what gives it Arbok a niche. Substitute can be a nice addition to a bulky boosting set, as it lets Arbok use Intimidate while still being able to avoid status. Choice sets could be an option, but generally there are better users like Braviary. Arbok does get Switcheroo however, which can be a nasty surprise for walls. It also gets additional coverage moves in Seed Bomb and the elemental fangs, but the listed moves are generally superior. Pursuit is another interesting option, but Psychic types (add dash between Psychic and types) will generally not be switching out of Arbok, so it struggles to find use. Glare is another interesting option (you might want to use a different phrase here since you also just described Pursuit as another interesting option) which can paralyze Ground-types and help Arbok get the jump on some faster threats, but it really has no room to fit it on a moveset. Dragon Tail could be used to stop opponents from phasing phazing Arbok, as well a as enabling Arbok to set up on Gurdurr, but it gives no real coverage. A bulky Dragon Tail set could work, but Eelektross probably does it better.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Powerful Ground-types are among the best counters to Arbok, (change to semicolon Piloswine and Golurk in particular deal with it easily. Psychic types (add dash between Psychic and types) such as Musharna and Gardevoir can also easily dispatch of Arbok with STAB Psychic, provided they can avoid Sucker Punch. Misdreavus walls any set that lacks Aqua Tail, so it must be taken into account. Alomomola can beat the offensive set, but struggles with the bulkier Rest versions. Rock-types such as Regirock, Carracosta, and Golem (provided Arbok doesn't have Aqua Tail) can easily take Gunk Shot and threaten Arbok with Earthquake. Bulky Seismitoed Seismitoad takes hits all day and can scare out Arbok with STAB Earth power Power, but will lose to Seed Bomb. The key to countering Arbok is to not let it set up, so be sure to maintain momentum and don't go needlessly setting up Spikes if you do see an Arbok one.</p>


[gp]1/2[/gp]
 

cb aaron judge

ALL RISE
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Working off this skeleton.


Arbok

[Overview]

<p>In an incredibly fast paced metagame with so many offensive powerhouses, Arbok would seem to struggle to make an impact with its mediocre stats and comparatively poor defensive typing. However, access to the somewhat rare Coil, and a few useful niches, means that Arbok has carved out a home for itself in NU. With two very useful abilities to choose from, Arbok can change its role completely; either using Shed Skin to be an incredibly hard Pokemon for stall to beat, or using Intimidate to slow down offensive teams and hit them where it hurts with its STAB Gunk Shot. Throw in a host of coverage moves as well as some priority, and Arbok becomes a force to be reckoned with. All things considered, it is one of the most anti-metagame Pokemon currently, as it matches up so well against many common teams.</p>

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

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Poison is a surprisingly effective offensive type in NU, primarily due to the distinct lack of Steel-types when compared to other tiers. For those few Steel-types that do exist, Arbok possesses the necessary coverage moves to work around them, making it a very relevant threat. Offensive teams in particular can struggle to take +1 Gunk Shots, so a single mistake allowing Arbok to set up can be fatal. It finds a lot of time to set up against hazard users like Garbador and Cacturne, as well as against Pokemon that are common on offensive teams like Skuntank. Combine this with its good Speed tier which lets it outspeed Samurott and Ludicolo, two of the biggest threats in the NU metagame, and you have a fantastic anti-metagame Pokemon. The rare Coil is a great boon for Arbok, acting like Bulk Up with the added advantage of boosting Gunk Shot's accuracy to a respectable 91%. When at +1, Gunk Shot is absolutely lethal, especially with its poor accuracy compensated for. It can be unreliable if Arbok is forced to attack before it gets a chance to use Coil, but when played correctly, it is exceptionally dangerous. A few notable threats can easily take boosted Gunk Shot and cripple Arbok in return, however. The choice of coverage move depends on which of these Pokemon your team is more concerned by. Aqua Tail is great for destroying Golurk and being able to hit other Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, while still breaking through Golem. Earthquake on the other hand, hits Steel-types like Probopass, Bastiodon, and Metang much harder. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, something which is almost invaluable in NU. It also helps to prevent Psychic-types such as Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximum Speed is used in order to force a Speed tie with other base 80 Pokemon, such as Braviary, Gardevoir, and Altaria. If you are not worried about guaranteeing a chance to hit these Pokemon before they hit you, then you can lower the Speed EVs to outpace all base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Samurott and Ludicolo, while putting the extra EVs in HP to take hits better as Arbok sets up. 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe would achieve this. Intimidate makes Arbok's effective bulk much bigger and lets it set up on Skuntank among others with much greater ease. Shed Skin, on the other hand, will help against more defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Alomomola, granting Arbok a psuedo immunity to status which allows for greater freedom to set up. In terms of other move options, Arbok can use Seed Bomb to muscle its way past Carracosta and Relicanth, but finding room for it is difficult.</p>

<p>If Arbok does use Intimidate, status can really hinder its effectiveness. As such, a cleric is a great teammate to alleviate this; Lickilicky can do a great job while also healing Arbok with Wish. Similarly, the choice of coverage move can make other teammates more effective. If Earthquake is chosen, then having a good Golurk counter such as Tangela is always a good idea, as well as a Pokemon such as Skuntank that can take out Misdreavus and Haunter. If Aqua Tail is used, then having effective methods to deal with Steel-types is essential; Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk do this to great effect. Carracosta and Relicanth also counter this set efficiently, so carrying Grass-types to beat these is a good idea. Bulky Rock-types such as Regirock will always be a problem for Arbok but they can easily be worn down with Spikes. Cacturne makes a great partner because of this, it also being able to deal with Psychic-types effectively. Finally, Zangoose and Arbok do a great job of eliminating each other's counters. Zangoose is great at luring in and beating both Steel- and Ghost-types, while Arbok can set up on bulkier walls such as Alomomola and Amoonguss.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Aqua Tail / Sucker Punch
evs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
nature: Adamant
item: Black Sludge
ability: Shed Skin

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Arbok is very effective against offensive teams, it can also be built to completely stop many stall teams. The fact it is immune to Toxic and partially immune to other status (due to Shed Skin) is fantastic, turning it into a semi-reliable status absorber for a team. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, meaning stalls main method against boosting sweepers is irrelevant. This immunity to status means that top walls like Alomomola and Amoonguss are simply setup bait. Coil is the set up move of choice, giving Arbok a boost similar to Bulk Up while also boosting the accuracy of its STAB Move, Gunk Shot. Rest is a very valid option with Shed Skin, enabling Arbok to heal off repeated attacks and absorb status several times in a match. Aqua Tail provides the best two move coverage with Gunk Shot, preventing Arbok from being walled by both Steel-types and Ghost-types, as well as hitting Golem much harder than Earthquake. It also appreciates Coil's accuracy boost. Sucker Punch is also a viable option to prevent faster and frail Pokemon such as Swellow, Cinccino, and Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok. It has poor coverage with Gunk Shot, however.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed investment lets Arbok outspeed neutral base 56 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than those. This can be crucial against certain Pokemon such as Exeggutor and Torterra. Clearly there is still a large portion of the metagame which will outspeed Arbok, so paralysis support from the likes of Probopass or Regirock is very helpful as it lets Arbok outspeed more Pokemon and get more setup opportunities. This is particularly crucial if Aqua Tail is being used instead of Sucker Punch. Alternatively, if Sucker Punch is being used, then support from teammates is essential to beat Rock- and Steel-types. Sawk and Torterra make great partners in this regard and will also benefit from Arbok being able to tear apart Alomomola and Amoonguss. In a similar vein, Zangoose can beat many of Arbok's counters while Arbok beats the walls Zangoose can struggle to break on its own. Ludicolo and Samurott are also capable of outspeeding Arbok and dealing heavy damage with STAB Hydro Pump, so having a way to deal with these, and other powerful special threats, is essential.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Arbok has very few viable sets that do not utilize Coil; it's what gives Arbok a niche. Substitute can be a nice addition to a bulky boosting set, as it lets Arbok use Intimidate while still being able to avoid status. Choice sets could be an option, but generally there are better users like Braviary. Arbok does get Switcheroo however, which can be a nasty surprise for walls. It also gets additional coverage moves in Seed Bomb and the elemental fangs, but the listed moves are generally superior. Pursuit is another interesting option, but Psychic-types will generally not be switching out of Arbok, so it struggles to find use. Glare is another quiver in Arboks bow, which can paralyze Ground-types and help Arbok get the jump on some faster threats, but it really has no room to fit it on a moveset. Dragon Tail could be used to stop opponents from phazing Arbok, as well as enabling Arbok to set up on Gurdurr, but it gives no real coverage. A bulky Dragon Tail set could work, but Eelektross probably does it better.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Powerful Ground-types are among the best counters to Arbok; Piloswine and Golurk in particular deal with it easily. Psychic-types such as Musharna and Gardevoir can also easily dispatch Arbok with STAB Psychic, provided they can avoid Sucker Punch. Misdreavus walls any set that lacks Aqua Tail, so it must be taken into account. Alomomola can beat the offensive set, but struggles with the bulkier Rest versions. Rock-types such as Regirock, Carracosta, and Golem (provided Arbok doesn't have Aqua Tail) can easily take Gunk Shot and threaten Arbok with Earthquake. Bulky Seismitoad takes hits all day and can scare out Arbok with STAB Earth Power, but will lose to Seed Bomb. The key to countering Arbok is to not let it set up, so be sure to maintain momentum and don't go needlessly setting up Spikes if you do see one.</p>


amcheck btw
 

Nix_Hex

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[Overview]

<p>In an incredibly fast paced metagame with so many offensive powerhouses, Arbok would seem to struggle to make an impact with its mediocre stats and comparatively poor defensive typing. However, access to the somewhat rare Coil, and a few useful niches means that Arbok has carved out a home for itself in NU. With two very useful abilities to choose from, Arbok can change its role completely; either using Shed Skin to be an incredibly hard Pokemon for stall to beat, or using Intimidate to slow down offensive teams and hit them where it hurts with its STAB Gunk Shot. Throw in a host of coverage moves as well as some priority, and Arbok becomes a force to be reckoned with. All things considered it is one of the most anti-metagame Pokemon currently, as it matches up so well against many common teams.</p>

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

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Poison is a surprisingly effective offensive type in NU, primarily due to the distinct lack of Steel-types when compared to other tiers. For those few Steel-types that do exist, Arbok possesses the necessary coverage moves to work around them, making it a very relevant threat. Offensive teams in particular can struggle to take +1 Gunk Shots, so a single mistake allowing Arbok to set up can be fatal. It finds a lot of time to set up against hazard users like Garbador and Cacturne as well as against Pokemon that are common on offensive teams like Skuntank. Combine this with its good Speed tier which lets it outspeed Samurott and Ludicolo, two of the biggest threats in the NU metagame, and you have a fantastic anti-metagame Pokemon. The rare Coil is a great boon for Arbok, acting like Bulk Up with the added advantage of boosting Gunk Shot's accuracy to a respectable 91%. When at +1, Gunk Shot is absolutely lethal, especially with its poor accuracy compensated for. It can be unreliable if Arbok is forced to attack before it gets a chance to use Coil, but when played correctly, it is exceptionally dangerous. A few notable threats can easily take boosted Gunk Shot and cripple Arbok in return, however. The choice of coverage move depends on which of these Pokemon your team is more concerned by. Aqua Tail is great for destroying Golurk and being able to hit other Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, while still breaking through Golem. Earthquake, on the other hand, hits Steel-types like Probopass, Bastiodon, and Metang much harder. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, something which is almost invaluable in NU. It also helps to prevent Psychic-types such as Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximum Speed is used in order to force a Speed tie with other base 80 Pokemon, such as Braviary, Gardevoir, and Altaria. If you are not worried about guaranteeing a chance to hit these Pokemon before they hit you then you can lower the Speed EVs to outpace all base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Samurott and Ludicolo, while putting the extra EVs in HP to take hits better as Arbok sets up. 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe would achieve this. Intimidate makes Arbok's effective bulk much bigger and lets it set up on Skuntank among others with much greater ease. Shed Skin, on the other hand, will help against more defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Alomomola, granting Arbok a psuedo immunity to status which allows for greater freedom to set up. In terms of other move options, Arbok can use Seed Bomb to muscle its way past Carracosta and Relicanth, but finding room for it is difficult.</p>

<p>If Arbok does use Intimidate, status can really hinder its effectiveness. As such, a cleric is a great teammate to alleviate this; Lickilicky can do a great job while also healing Arbok with Wish. Similarly, the choice of coverage move can make other teammates more effective. If Earthquake is chosen, then having a good Golurk counter such as Tangela is always a good idea, as well as a Pokemon such as Skuntank that can take out Misdreavus and Haunter. If Aqua Tail is used, then having effective methods to deal with Steel-types is essential; Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk do this to great effect. Carracosta and Relicanth also counter this set efficiently, so carrying Grass-types to beat these is a good idea. Bulky Rock-types such as Regirock will always be a problem for Arbok but they can easily be worn down with Spikes. Cacturne makes a great partner because of this, also being able to deal with Psychic-types effectively. Finally, Zangoose and Arbok do a great job of eliminating each other's counters. Zangoose is great at luring in and beating both Steel- and Ghost-types, while Arbok can set up on bulkier walls such as Alomomola and Amoonguss.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Aqua Tail / Sucker Punch
evs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
nature: Adamant
item: Black Sludge
ability: Shed Skin

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Arbok is very effective against offensive teams, it can also be built to completely stop many stall teams. The fact it is immune to Toxic and partially immune to other status (due to Shed Skin) is fantastic, turning it into a semi-reliable status absorber for ayour team. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, meaning stall's main method against boosting sweepers is irrelevant. This immunity to status means that top walls like Alomomola and Amoonguss are simply setup bait. Coil is the set up move of choice, giving Arbok a boost similar to Bulk Up while also boosting the accuracy of its STAB Move, Gunk Shot. Rest is a very valid option with Shed Skin, enabling Arbok to heal off repeated attacks and absorb status several times in a match. Aqua Tail provides the best two move coverage with Gunk Shot, preventing Arbok from being walled by both Steel-types and Ghost-types, as well as hitting Golem much harder than Earthquake. It also appreciates Coil's accuracy boost. Sucker Punch is also a viable option to prevent faster, frail Pokemon such as Swellow, Cinccino, and Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok. It has poor coverage with Gunk Shot, however.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed investment lets Arbok outspeed neutral base 56 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than those. This can be crucial against certain Pokemon such as Exeggutor and Torterra. Clearly there is still a large portion of the metagame which will outspeed Arbok, so paralysis support from the likes of Probopass or Regirock is very helpful as it lets Arbok outspeed more Pokemon and get more setup opportunities. This is particularly crucial if Aqua Tail is being used instead of Sucker Punch. Alternatively, if Sucker Punch is being used, then support from teammates is essential to beat Rock- and Steel-types. Sawk and Torterra make great partners in this regard and will also benefit from Arbok being able to tear apart Alomomola and Amoonguss. In a similar vein, Zangoose can beat many of Arboks counters while Arbok beats the walls Zangoose can struggle to break on its own. Ludicolo and Samurott are also capable of outspeeding Arbok and dealing heavy damage with STAB Hydro Pump, so having a way to deal with these and other powerful special threats is essential.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Arbok has very few viable sets that do not utilize Coil; it's what gives Arbok a niche. Substitute can be a nice addition to a bulky boosting set, as it lets Arbok use Intimidate while still being able to avoid status. Choice sets could be an option, but generally there are better users like Braviary. Arbok does get Switcheroo however, which can be a nasty surprise for walls. It also gets additional coverage moves in Seed Bomb and the elemental fangs, but the listed moves are generally superior. Pursuit is another interesting option, but Psychic-types will generally not be switching out of Arbok, so it struggles to find use. Glare is another quiver in Arboks bow, which can paralyze Ground-types and help Arbok get the jump on some faster threats, but it really has no room to fit it on a moveset. Dragon Tail could be used to stop opponents from phazing Arbok, as well as enabling Arbok to set up on Gurdurr, but it gives no real coverage. A bulky Dragon Tail set could work, but Eelektross probably does it better.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Powerful Ground-types are among the best counters to Arbok; Piloswine and Golurk in particular deal with it easily. Psychic-types such as Musharna and Gardevoir can also easily dispatch Arbok with STAB Psychic, provided they can avoid Sucker Punch. Misdreavus walls any set that lacks Aqua Tail, so it must be taken into account. Alomomola can beat the offensive set, but struggles with the bulkier Rest versions. Rock-types such as Regirock, Carracosta, and Golem (provided Arbok doesn't have Aqua Tail) can easily take Gunk Shot and threaten Arbok with Earthquake. Bulky Seismitoad takes hits all day and can scare out Arbok with STAB Earth Power, but will lose to Seed Bomb. The key to countering Arbok is to not let it set up, so be sure to maintain momentum and don't go needlessly setting up Spikes if you do see one.</p>

[Overview]

<p>In an incredibly fast paced metagame with so many offensive powerhouses, Arbok would seem to struggle to make an impact with its mediocre stats and comparatively poor defensive typing. However, access to the somewhat rare Coil and a few useful niches mean that Arbok has carved out a home for itself in NU. With two very useful abilities to choose from, Arbok can change its role completely; either using Shed Skin to be an incredibly hard Pokemon for stall to beat, or using Intimidate to slow down offensive teams and hit them where it hurts with its STAB Gunk Shot. Throw in a host of coverage moves as well as some priority, and Arbok becomes a force to be reckoned with. All things considered it is one of the most anti-metagame Pokemon currently, as it matches up so well against many common teams.</p>

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

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Poison is a surprisingly effective offensive type in NU, primarily due to the distinct lack of Steel-types when compared to other tiers. For those few Steel-types that do exist, Arbok possesses the necessary coverage moves to work around them, making it a very relevant threat. Offensive teams in particular can struggle to take +1 Gunk Shots, so a single mistake allowing Arbok to set up can be fatal. It finds a lot of time to set up against hazard users like Garbador and Cacturne as well as against Pokemon that are common on offensive teams like Skuntank. Combine this with its good Speed tier which lets it outspeed Samurott and Ludicolo, two of the biggest threats in the NU metagame, and you have a fantastic anti-metagame Pokemon. The rare Coil is a great boon for Arbok, acting like Bulk Up with the added advantage of boosting Gunk Shot's accuracy to a respectable 91%. When at +1, Gunk Shot is absolutely lethal, especially with its poor accuracy compensated for. It can be unreliable if Arbok is forced to attack before it gets a chance to use Coil, but when played correctly, it is exceptionally dangerous. A few notable threats can easily take boosted Gunk Shot and cripple Arbok in return, however. The choice of coverage move depends on which of these Pokemon your team is more concerned by. Aqua Tail is great for destroying Golurk and being able to hit other Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, while still breaking through Golem. Earthquake, on the other hand, hits Steel-types like Probopass, Bastiodon, and Metang much harder. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, something which is almost invaluable in NU. It also helps to prevent Psychic-types such as Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Maximum Speed is used in order to force a Speed tie with other base 80 Pokemon, such as Braviary, Gardevoir, and Altaria. If you are not worried about guaranteeing a chance to hit these Pokemon before they hit you then you can lower the Speed EVs to outpace all base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Samurott and Ludicolo, while putting the extra EVs in HP to take hits better as Arbok sets up. 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe would achieve this. Intimidate makes Arbok's effective bulk much bigger and lets it set up on Skuntank among others with much greater ease. Shed Skin, on the other hand, will help against more defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Alomomola, granting Arbok a psuedo immunity to status which allows for greater freedom to set up. In terms of other move options, Arbok can use Seed Bomb to muscle its way past Carracosta and Relicanth, but finding room for it is difficult.</p>

<p>If Arbok does use Intimidate, status can really hinder its effectiveness. As such, a cleric is a great teammate to alleviate this; Lickilicky can do a great job while also healing Arbok with Wish. Similarly, the choice of coverage move can make other teammates more effective. If Earthquake is chosen, then having a good Golurk counter such as Tangela is always a good idea, as well as a Pokemon such as Skuntank that can take out Misdreavus and Haunter. If Aqua Tail is used, then having effective methods to deal with Steel-types is essential; Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Sawk do this to great effect. Carracosta and Relicanth also counter this set efficiently, so carrying Grass-types to beat these is a good idea. Bulky Rock-types such as Regirock will always be a problem for Arbok but they can easily be worn down with Spikes. Cacturne makes a great partner because of this, also being able to deal with Psychic-types effectively. Finally, Zangoose and Arbok do a great job of eliminating each other's counters. Zangoose is great at luring in and beating both Steel- and Ghost-types, while Arbok can set up on bulkier walls such as Alomomola and Amoonguss.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Rest
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Aqua Tail / Sucker Punch
evs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
nature: Adamant
item: Black Sludge
ability: Shed Skin

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>While Arbok is very effective against offensive teams, it can also be built to completely stop many stall teams. The fact it is immune to Toxic and partially immune to other status (due to Shed Skin) is fantastic, turning it into a semi-reliable status absorber for your team. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, meaning stall's main method against boosting sweepers is irrelevant. This immunity to status means that top walls like Alomomola and Amoonguss are simply setup bait. Coil is the set up move of choice, giving Arbok a boost similar to Bulk Up while also boosting the accuracy of its STAB Move, Gunk Shot. Rest is a very valid option with Shed Skin, enabling Arbok to heal off repeated attacks and absorb status several times in a match. Aqua Tail provides the best two move coverage with Gunk Shot, preventing Arbok from being walled by both Steel-types and Ghost-types, as well as hitting Golem much harder than Earthquake. It also appreciates Coil's accuracy boost. Sucker Punch is also a viable option to prevent faster, frail Pokemon such as Swellow, Cinccino, and Gardevoir from revenge killing Arbok. It has poor coverage with Gunk Shot, however.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed investment lets Arbok outspeed neutral base 56 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than those. This can be crucial against certain Pokemon such as Exeggutor and Torterra. Clearly there is still a large portion of the metagame which will outspeed Arbok, so paralysis support from the likes of Probopass or Regirock is very helpful as it lets Arbok outspeed more Pokemon and get more setup opportunities. This is particularly crucial if Aqua Tail is being used instead of Sucker Punch. Alternatively, if Sucker Punch is being used, then support from teammates is essential to beat Rock- and Steel-types. Sawk and Torterra make great partners in this regard and will also benefit from Arbok being able to tear apart Alomomola and Amoonguss. In a similar vein, Zangoose can beat many of Arboks counters while Arbok beats the walls Zangoose can struggle to break on its own. Ludicolo and Samurott are also capable of outspeeding Arbok and dealing heavy damage with STAB Hydro Pump, so having a way to deal with these and other powerful special threats is essential.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Arbok has very few viable sets that do not utilize Coil; it's what gives Arbok a niche. Substitute can be a nice addition to a bulky boosting set, as it lets Arbok use Intimidate while still being able to avoid status. Choice sets could be an option, but generally there are better users like Braviary. Arbok does get Switcheroo however, which can be a nasty surprise for walls. It also gets additional coverage moves in Seed Bomb and the elemental fangs, but the listed moves are generally superior. Pursuit is another interesting option, but Psychic-types will generally not be switching out of Arbok, so it struggles to find use. Glare is another quiver in Arboks bow, which can paralyze Ground-types and help Arbok get the jump on some faster threats, but it really has no room to fit it on a moveset. Dragon Tail could be used to stop opponents from phazing Arbok, as well as enabling Arbok to set up on Gurdurr, but it gives no real coverage. A bulky Dragon Tail set could work, but Eelektross probably does it better.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Powerful Ground-types are among the best counters to Arbok; Piloswine and Golurk in particular deal with it easily. Psychic-types such as Musharna and Gardevoir can also easily dispatch Arbok with STAB Psychic, provided they can avoid Sucker Punch. Misdreavus walls any set that lacks Aqua Tail, so it must be taken into account. Alomomola can beat the offensive set, but struggles with the bulkier Rest versions. Rock-types such as Regirock, Carracosta, and Golem (provided Arbok doesn't have Aqua Tail) can easily take Gunk Shot and threaten Arbok with Earthquake. Bulky Seismitoad takes hits all day and can scare out Arbok with STAB Earth Power, but will lose to Seed Bomb. The key to countering Arbok is to not let it set up, so be sure to maintain momentum and don't go needlessly setting up Spikes if you do see one.</p>

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