Blaziken

[auaua]

[Overview}
Blaziken is a Pokemon one would not normally expect to see in Ubers. Its base stats show nothing exciting, save above-average attacking stats. However, in Black and White it receives the ability Speed Boost, which means that given just one turn alive, it can be a very potent sweeper. Access to Swords Dance, Substitute, Agility, and Baton Pass means that Blaziken can see play over Ninjask as a Baton Passer, due to the fact that it can actually deal damage. It is slightly let down by mediocre defenses, but a resistance to Ice and Fire mean that it is easy for Blaziken to come in and start setting up.

[SET]
name:Uber Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hi Jump Kick
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Flare Blitz/ Shadow Claw
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk/252 Spe/ 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
This set is tricky to set up but can be insanely powerful with Blaziken's ability to boosts its speed. Hi Jump Kick OHKOes many foes like Scizor, Palkia, Kyogre and Zekrom and is Blaziken's best Fighting STAB attack. Stone Edge covers most Flying types that Blaziken will face. It OHKOes Ho-Oh and Rayquaza, and is guaranteed to OHKO Lugia after SR damage. The last set depends on whether you have sunlight support from Groudon. Flare Blitz in sunlight OHKOes Groudon and 2HKOes Latias, Latios, and Giratina-O. Jolly is preferred to give as much of an edge over any potential Scarfers. EVs are needed in Speed and Attack to maximize Blaziken's sweeping prowess.

[Team Options]
Blaziken will struggle with defensive Groudon, Scarfers, and getting a chance to set up. Wobbuffet is a godsend as it can trap and kill most of them. With its annoying Encore, it can give Blaziken needed opportunities to set up. Kyogre can TWave Latios, Latias, and Palkia switch-ins.

[Optional Changes]
Blaziken does not have many other viable options. A mixed set is better left to Reshiram who can hit anything neutrally. Thunderpunch is outdamaged by Stone Edge and Hi Jump Kick. Protect could be used if you don't mind losing coverage. A baton pass set could be done since Blaziken is deadly to many Pokemon.

[Counters]
Physically defensive Kyogre could come in but HJK will hurt it a lot. Choice Scarfers faster than Base 80 can threaten it as well. Groudon will be a problem without Flare Blitz. Giratina and Giratina-O can be counters but have to be wary of its Shadow Claw.

Propose any additional sets. I think Reshiram would be better with a mixed set because it can hit anything neutrally.

 

[Mattster]

Wait...why is this in Ubers..?

 

[auaua]

they only allowed us to do ubers analyses

 

[Fatecrashers]

the OU category is now open
you can contact a mod to move it to OU if you'd like

 

[Great Sage]

Keep it here; Theorymon said that he thought Speed Boost Blaziken could be viable in Ubers.

 

[firecape]

You PMed me to look at this, but you didn't even check to stickies to see if you did it right. Please view the stickies/annoucements to find out the proper format for formal analyes. Also, none of these sections is up to Smogon's standards. Team Options is supposed to explain what Pokemon work well with the Pokemon. You can hardly give the reader the best teammate choices and why they are in 1-2 sentences. There are other issues, but you should look at the announcement with the example analysis to find out what we expect.

 

[DetroitLolcat]

Would it be reasonable to slash in Claw Sharpen as a secondary to ensure Stone Edge and HJK hit? They would still be powerful at +1, and Blaziken needs all of his attacks to hit to stay alive...

 

[haydenboyter]

i agree with the claw sharpen idea

If only he could learn hammer arm
Oh well

 

[Ahhhhhh......Clefable.]

Are Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, and Rock Slide not mentioned as alternatives because of the power drop? I understand that in the Ubers tier that Blaziken will need as much power as possible, but I feel that these three moves are more reliable (or at least less dangerous) alternatives to his core moves.

Blaze Kick and Sky Uppercut don't have to worry about any recoil, unlike Flare Blitz and Hi Jump Kick (if it misses or a ghost switches in, which would ruin Blaziken.) Rock Slide is more accurate than Stone Edge, and because of Speed Boost, could actually use that flinch rate.

I understand that Blaziken won't be taking hits well anyways, so the recoil may not be too much of a worry for him, and that he wants as much power as he can get. Still, these three moves came to mind as optional changes for players who want to take a "safer" route when using Blaziken.

 

[auaua]

The primary reason for using Hi Jump Kick is that Blaziken needs as much power in the Uber tier since his defenses are low. Fire moves don't give Blaziken the coverage that Shadow Claw or Stone Edge does. Flare Blitz is primarily used to OHKO bulkier versions of Groudon in the sunlight.

 

[BubaOReally?]

No button pass set? maybe something with bulk up + Speed boost?

 

[calze6]

You could even slash in BP. However, isn't speed boost only available in DW and I thoight analyses on DW sets weren't allowed and a DW section was to be written?

 

[Nexus]

You could even slash in BP. However, isn't speed boost only available in DW and I thoight analyses on DW sets weren't allowed and a DW section was to be written?

Speed Boost torchic was released, so Speed Boost Blaziken can be used in Standard Ubers as well as DW Ubers, so it can have a set with Speed Boost, which is really the only reason to use Blaziken in Ubers. Also, the OP needs to state the ability in the set, since Blaziken has two: Blaze and Speed Boost.