QC: Anty, Raiza, Tone114
GP: P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Carnivine is severely outclassed by other Grass-types such as Leafeon, Tangela, and Roselia due to its slow base Speed, mediocre defenses, and shallow support movepool. It lacks reliable recovery, can easily be worn down, and is easily revenge killed due to its poor Speed. Although it has Levitate, which gives it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes; Sleep Powder, which usually gives it a chance to set up; and a good Attack stat coupled with a 120 Base Power STAB move and Knock Off, Carnivine still remains hopelessly outdone by its fellow Grass-types and will rarely, if ever, perform better than them.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Power Whip
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Natural Gift
item: Watmel Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Adamant
evs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sleep Powder allows Carnivine to cripple opposing Pokemon to get the chance to fire off its attacks. Power Whip is Carnivine's main STAB move, while Knock Off is used to hit Pokemon immune or resistant to Grass-type attacks and can cripple switch-ins such as Tangela and Vullaby, which are immune to Sleep Powder. Natural Gift gives Carnivine a one-time 100 Base Power Fire-type move to hit Grass-types with if it's running a Watmel Berry, and it can help improve Carnivine's poor coverage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment with an Adamant nature gives Carnivine as much wallbreaking power as possible. 68 Speed EVs allows Carnivine it to outspeed uninvested Gourgeist-XL to hit it with a Knock Off. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to give Carnivine extra bulk. Watmel Berry is essential with Natural Gift, as otherwise Carnivine is incapable of using the move.
Usage Tips
========
Carnivine is most effectively used early- and mid-game where it can cripple opposing teams to support a sweep. Sleep Powder is the move Carnivine should use most of the time since it can start firing off attacks afterward. If you're predicting the opponent to send in a Pokemon immune to Sleep Powder such as Tangela or Zebstrika, use Knock Off or Natural Gift to get off damage, depending on the circumstance. Use Knock Off more early-game to cripple foes by removing their items. Be wary of switching Carnivine into Scald or status users such as Poliwrath or Misdreavus, as it is permanently crippled by burns and does not appreciate being worn down by Toxic or slowed by paralysis.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Barbaracle appreciate Carnivine's ability to Knock Off Eviolites from the likes of Tangela. They can also use the foe Carnivine has put to sleep as setup fodder provided that the foe does not switch out. Pokemon that can remove entry hazards with Defog or Rapid Spin such as Pelipper or Armaldo can keep Carnivine's Focus Sash intact . Pokemon immune to Fire-type attacks, such as Rapidash, can help take on and discourage the use of Fire-type moves for Carnivine. Most Pokemon immune to Fire also carry super effective coverage for the Grass-types that can wall or threaten Carnivine. Pokemon that can take on Ice-types, such as Clefairy and Piloswine, can also help switch into Pokemon such as Aurorus that threaten to revenge Carnivine. Zebstrika can counter Jumpluff, one of the biggest threats to Carnivine, as well as threaten other Flying- and Grass-types such as Swanna and Tangela. Pokemon with a slow pivoting move, such as Probopass, can get Carnivine a free switch onto the field with Volt Switch so that it avoids taking extra damage. Clerics such as Lickilicky or Grumpig can healing off Carnivine's status conditions.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Swords Dance can be run to boost on sleeping or weak Pokemon, but Carnivine is too slow to sweep teams, loses out on running Natural Gift, and is outclassed by Leafeon in this role. Substitute is also an option to give Carnivine protection against status and weak attacks. Leech Seed can be run over Sleep Powder for a SubSeed set, but it fails to get past any of Carnivine's normal counters and Carnivine is too slow to run it effectively, unlike better users such as Gourgeist-S. Leftovers can be used for some passive recovery to counteract losing health if running Substitute, but Carnivine is typically KOed too fast for the item to be useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types are immune to Sleep Powder and resist Power Whip, making them some of the best switch-ins to Carnivine, although some do not appreciate losing their Eviolite via Knock Off or being hit by Natural Gift. Most Grass-types carry super effective coverage versus other Grass-types, such as Tangela's Hidden Power Fire, and are capable of at least 3HKOing Carnivine. Jumpluff in particular takes very little damage from Knock Off, as it does not run an item, and can KO Carnivine with STAB Acrobatics.
**Fire-types**: Although Fire-types are not immune to Sleep Powder and can be crippled on the switch in, they can switch into a resisted Power Whip fairly easily, and they are capable of OHKOing Carnivine, although most take heavy damage from Knock Off.
**Ice-types**: Ice-types lack the resistances to Carnivine's attacks and sleep immunity of Grass-types, but they can all KO Carnivine with their super effective STAB moves. Piloswine and Aurorus should be careful, however, since they take heavy damage from Power Whip.
**Flying-types**: Flying-type Pokemon can easily OHKO or 2HKO Carnivine with their super effective STAB moves. Most Flying-types resist Power Whip aside from Swanna and Pelipper, although Knock Off does a significant amount to most if Carnivine can catch them on the switch in.
**Strong Attackers**: All strong attackers in the metagame are capable of 2HKOing Carnivine thanks to its poor defenses. Carnivine is also slower than most of them, leaving it prone to being revenge killed by practically every offensive Pokemon in the metagame.
GP: P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Carnivine is severely outclassed by other Grass-types such as Leafeon, Tangela, and Roselia due to its slow base Speed, mediocre defenses, and shallow support movepool. It lacks reliable recovery, can easily be worn down, and is easily revenge killed due to its poor Speed. Although it has Levitate, which gives it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes; Sleep Powder, which usually gives it a chance to set up; and a good Attack stat coupled with a 120 Base Power STAB move and Knock Off, Carnivine still remains hopelessly outdone by its fellow Grass-types and will rarely, if ever, perform better than them.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Power Whip
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Natural Gift
item: Watmel Berry
ability: Levitate
nature: Adamant
evs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sleep Powder allows Carnivine to cripple opposing Pokemon to get the chance to fire off its attacks. Power Whip is Carnivine's main STAB move, while Knock Off is used to hit Pokemon immune or resistant to Grass-type attacks and can cripple switch-ins such as Tangela and Vullaby, which are immune to Sleep Powder. Natural Gift gives Carnivine a one-time 100 Base Power Fire-type move to hit Grass-types with if it's running a Watmel Berry, and it can help improve Carnivine's poor coverage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment with an Adamant nature gives Carnivine as much wallbreaking power as possible. 68 Speed EVs allows Carnivine it to outspeed uninvested Gourgeist-XL to hit it with a Knock Off. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to give Carnivine extra bulk. Watmel Berry is essential with Natural Gift, as otherwise Carnivine is incapable of using the move.
Usage Tips
========
Carnivine is most effectively used early- and mid-game where it can cripple opposing teams to support a sweep. Sleep Powder is the move Carnivine should use most of the time since it can start firing off attacks afterward. If you're predicting the opponent to send in a Pokemon immune to Sleep Powder such as Tangela or Zebstrika, use Knock Off or Natural Gift to get off damage, depending on the circumstance. Use Knock Off more early-game to cripple foes by removing their items. Be wary of switching Carnivine into Scald or status users such as Poliwrath or Misdreavus, as it is permanently crippled by burns and does not appreciate being worn down by Toxic or slowed by paralysis.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Barbaracle appreciate Carnivine's ability to Knock Off Eviolites from the likes of Tangela. They can also use the foe Carnivine has put to sleep as setup fodder provided that the foe does not switch out. Pokemon that can remove entry hazards with Defog or Rapid Spin such as Pelipper or Armaldo can keep Carnivine's Focus Sash intact . Pokemon immune to Fire-type attacks, such as Rapidash, can help take on and discourage the use of Fire-type moves for Carnivine. Most Pokemon immune to Fire also carry super effective coverage for the Grass-types that can wall or threaten Carnivine. Pokemon that can take on Ice-types, such as Clefairy and Piloswine, can also help switch into Pokemon such as Aurorus that threaten to revenge Carnivine. Zebstrika can counter Jumpluff, one of the biggest threats to Carnivine, as well as threaten other Flying- and Grass-types such as Swanna and Tangela. Pokemon with a slow pivoting move, such as Probopass, can get Carnivine a free switch onto the field with Volt Switch so that it avoids taking extra damage. Clerics such as Lickilicky or Grumpig can healing off Carnivine's status conditions.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Swords Dance can be run to boost on sleeping or weak Pokemon, but Carnivine is too slow to sweep teams, loses out on running Natural Gift, and is outclassed by Leafeon in this role. Substitute is also an option to give Carnivine protection against status and weak attacks. Leech Seed can be run over Sleep Powder for a SubSeed set, but it fails to get past any of Carnivine's normal counters and Carnivine is too slow to run it effectively, unlike better users such as Gourgeist-S. Leftovers can be used for some passive recovery to counteract losing health if running Substitute, but Carnivine is typically KOed too fast for the item to be useful.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types are immune to Sleep Powder and resist Power Whip, making them some of the best switch-ins to Carnivine, although some do not appreciate losing their Eviolite via Knock Off or being hit by Natural Gift. Most Grass-types carry super effective coverage versus other Grass-types, such as Tangela's Hidden Power Fire, and are capable of at least 3HKOing Carnivine. Jumpluff in particular takes very little damage from Knock Off, as it does not run an item, and can KO Carnivine with STAB Acrobatics.
**Fire-types**: Although Fire-types are not immune to Sleep Powder and can be crippled on the switch in, they can switch into a resisted Power Whip fairly easily, and they are capable of OHKOing Carnivine, although most take heavy damage from Knock Off.
**Ice-types**: Ice-types lack the resistances to Carnivine's attacks and sleep immunity of Grass-types, but they can all KO Carnivine with their super effective STAB moves. Piloswine and Aurorus should be careful, however, since they take heavy damage from Power Whip.
**Flying-types**: Flying-type Pokemon can easily OHKO or 2HKO Carnivine with their super effective STAB moves. Most Flying-types resist Power Whip aside from Swanna and Pelipper, although Knock Off does a significant amount to most if Carnivine can catch them on the switch in.
**Strong Attackers**: All strong attackers in the metagame are capable of 2HKOing Carnivine thanks to its poor defenses. Carnivine is also slower than most of them, leaving it prone to being revenge killed by practically every offensive Pokemon in the metagame.
Last edited by a moderator:
