Clamperl (QC 2/3)

[Max Carvalho]

Overview
######## Taken over from @ Nineage

• Insanely powerful attacker, hitting 34 Special Attack holding its signature item, DeepSeaTooth
• Gets the coveted shell smash, allowing it to double that already high Sp. Atk and patch up its low speed in one turn. After Shell Smash boost it will pretty much OHKO almost all LC Pokémon holding DeepSeaTooth.
• Shell smash, while a great boosting move, lowers both defenses, leaving clamperl vulnerable to the priority attacks found everywhere in LC.
• Mediocre HP make it hard to set up.
• Is mainly outclassed by Omanyte as a Shell Smash sweeper due to lack of bulk and less reliance on its item, but hits harder than Omanyte.

Set Name
########
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Surf
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Substitute / Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Fire
ability: Shell Armor
item: DeepSeaTooth
evs: 248 SpA / 80 SpD / 180 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

• Shell Smash is the obvious boosting up, patching up clamperls low speed and boosting its sky-high special attack to the point where it can OHKO most of the tier.
• Surf is Clamperls top STAB option, and should be the go-to spam move.
• Ice Beam aims for the KO on Foongus, Croagunk, and Cottonee, Pokemon that would otherwise tank Surf fairly easy with Croagunk being immune to it.
• Substitute is useful to avoid Sucker Punch and helps Clamperl to set up as Clamperl usually causes a switch when it comes in.

Set Details
========

• EVs maximize Clamperls special attack and speed for best sweeping potential, with the extra point thrown into Special Defense.
• Timid nature should always be used over Modest as not only Timid allows Clamperl to outspeed key Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Pawniard, but Modest doesn't offer any KO that Timid wouldn't.
• Shell Armor protects Clamperl from critical hits coming from priority.
• DeepSeaTooth allows Clamperl to wreak more havoc, doubling its Special Attack basically KOing almost everything in the LC metagame.

Usage Tips
========

• Clamperl can be used early game as a wallbreaker firing off powerful attacks, as it doesnt need the Shell Smash boost that much. When all strong priorities users and Scarfers from the opposing side are gone, Clamperl may sweep.

Team Options
========

• Clamperl needs a team centered around it to have any shot sweeping. As such, Cottonee is easily the best teammate it could have, getting free momentum with Encore and guaranteeing a safe set up with Memento.
• Cottonee also happens to handle Electric-types such as Chinchou quite well.
• Hazards allow is to score some KOs it couldnt get otherwise, as well as wearing down some of its bulky switch ins over a match. Dwebble, Drilbur, and Archen, just to state some of them, are good hazard setters, some of them can set up multiple times during the battle.
• Foongus also has a good defensive synergy with Clamperl and can put to sleep an opposing threat, giving a free switch in to Clamperl.
• Wynaut gets honorable mention for being able to trap scarfers who might otherwise ruin Clamperls day.
• Having no hazards on Clamperl's field is good as it allows Clamperl to survive some priority hits, so hazard removal is appreciated.
• Diglett has nice Stealth Rock and Memento support, and can trap Pawniard as well, a major issue to Clamperl.

Other Options
########

• Hidden Power Electric nails Tentacool and Mantyke but they are quite uncommon to make Hidden Power Electric worth the trouble.

Checks and Counters
########

**Priority**: Fletchling is the strongest priority user in the metagame and as such, it has an easy time KOing Clamperl after defenfes drops. Pawniard is also a strong priority user that can KO Clamperl with some prior damage or holding a Life Orb. Fighting-types with access to priority such as Mienfoo, Timburr, and Croagunk are also semi-reliable checks to Clamperl.

**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killing Clamperl is the best way to go: Choice Scarfers, such as Gastly and Doduo aim for the KO on Clamperl. Focus Sash Abra is another great revenge killer that will always suceed on KOing Clamperl after defenses drops. Sturdy + Berry Juicers such as Magnemite can deal with it if they are at full health or, in case of Magnemite, with Endure.

**Very bulky pokemon**: Pretty much only Munchlax and Ferroseed can take any hit and OHKO back, but will be severly damaged in the process.

 

[tcr]

Mention how things like ScarfChou can beat it, as well as like Gastly (ohko without evio, and loses to sub gastly). Subsequently switch the 76 hp evs to 80 Sdef, as this stops the ohko from chinchou and gastly some times, but still loses to a med roll or with any prior damage.

looks good qc 1/3

 

[Max Carvalho]

changes implemented.

 

[Corporal Levi]

Overview:
Get rid of the Rattled point because Knock Off gets rid of the biggest reason to use Clamperl, and it's very rare that the +1 speed boost will be worth it, between not many common Pokemon being between +2 and +3 Clamperl and Clamperl really disliking the power drop.
Omanyte is more comparable to Clamperl than Tirtouga is because both are extremely hard-hitting special attacking non-Sturdy sweepers, so switch that point up and say that it is usually outclassed by Omanyte due to Omanyte's significantly greater bulk and less noticeable reliance on its item, but Clamperl offers more sheer damage output.

Shell Smash:
Mention that if Eviolite is run, it should first be considered if it is worth running over Omanyte.
Mention Diglett as a good teammate for its ability to use Stealth Rock and Memento and trap Pawniard, a significant impediment to non-Substitute Clamperl.

Checks and Counters:
For the Revenge-killer section, mention Sash Abra, who can take one hit if its Focus Sash is intact and deal heavy damage. Replace the Murkrow mention with Fletchling.

Great work :)
QC 2/3

 

[Max Carvalho]

I was thinking if shell armor would be better than rattled. At least, shell armor protects from crits coming from priority while rattled is really occasional. What are your guys opinions? Changes implemented thx corp.

 

[doomsday doink]

I was thinking if shell armor would be better than rattled. At least, shell armor protects from crits coming from priority while rattled is really occasional. What are your guys opinions? Changes implemented thx corp.

Rattled can be cool because DeepSeaTooth is like a Knock Off magnet and you might as well get something out of it. Also, I think you should add Scald to OO because the burn chance can be pretty handy when trying to sustain longevity. Maybe include Iron Defense/Barrier in OO as well, just because it can help to patch up the defense drop; however, it's pretty situational and doesnt have that much use in a standard game.

 

[Max Carvalho]

Definetely gonna add all this to OO (not now, typing on phone sucks.). Thx Fizz

 

[apt-get]

How did this pass? This analysis has a lot of weak points.

Check

Main Set

- Make Substitute the main slash
- Remove the eviolite slash, it's purely outclassed by Omanyte as an eviolite smasher.
- Change nature to Modest as main slash

Moves

- Mention things Ice Beam beats, instead of just saying "coverage". Examples include Foongus, Croagunk, ...
- Remove the eviolite mention in the last slot description

Set Details

- What's that timid description for? You should never switch clamperl into dark-, ghost-, and bug-type attacks anyway, and modest is far better for the 4 added points into SpA after smashing, which can prove useful when targeting things neutral to Ice Beam / Hitting bulky walls with Surf. Timid can be put, but it shouldn't be the main slash.
- Remove eviolite mention in second bullet point

Usage Tips

- Remove Eviolite mention

Team Options

- Remove Onix in the SR setters
- "can Spore an opposing target to give Clamperl momentum": that makes no sense, replace it with something that actually has a meaning

Checks and Counters

- Merge the "Scarfers" section with the "Revenge Killers" section. Remove all mentions of priority in the "revenge killers" section and put them in the "Priority" section. Why did you do that?
- The order should be: "Priority" => "Revenge Killers" => "Very Bulky Pokémon"
- Remove the Murkrow mention in the sucker punch users lol, replace doduo with gastly in scarfers, and add Fletchling as the #1 priority user

It'll probably look like this:

• Priority: fletchling acro => sucker punch pawn => mach punch / fake out / vacuum wave fighters
• Revenge Killers: Scarfers (gastly chinchou etc) => sash abra => sturdyjuice users (tirt mag etc)
• V. Bulky Pokémon: munchlax ferro lickitung etc

how did this get 2 qc checks...?

qc 3/3 w/e

 

[Max Carvalho]

Timid outspeeds Scarf Pawniard, enough reason to run it. Instead of telling the obvious (Modest gives more 4 points into SpA) you should give me some threats that are OHKOed or 2HKOed with Modest that aren't by Timid. I lurked into A-rank and there aren't any so good luck on that lol. Imma just slash Shell Armor, LOL, Rattled was proofen to be worth nothing. And fyi, I'm a lazy dick most of the stuff here was written by Nineage and I didn't change that much so my apologies for not changing all this poor written text ;~;. Gonna do everything else EXCEPT slashing Modest.

 

[boo836]

who uses scarf pawn any more? 9_9

 

[tehy]

that makes no sense, replace it with something that actually has a meaning

these feelings have lurked in my brain for so long, waiting for someone to give them words...


Oh yeah, to actually contribute:

+2 248 SpA Deep Sea Tooth Clamperl Surf vs. 0 HP / 236 SpD Eviolite Munchlax: 25-30 (83.3 - 100%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
(25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 27, 27, 27, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 30)

+2 248+ SpA Deep Sea Tooth Clamperl Surf vs. 0 HP / 236 SpD Eviolite Munchlax: 25-31 (83.3 - 103.3%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

I don't really know what spreads Ferro runs, but i feel like it can take a beam no matter what

chou can take a hit no matter what and actually,

+2 248 SpA Deep Sea Tooth Clamperl Surf vs. 76 HP / 148 SpD Eviolite Chinchou: 15-18 (60 - 72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18)

+2 248+ SpA Deep Sea Tooth Clamperl Surf vs. 76 HP / 148 SpD Eviolite Chinchou: 16-19 (64 - 76%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(16, 16, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 19)

Like, 1 more HP is helpful if you have wear down. And i guess that counts for ferro, but everything except lax seems pretty situational, it's mostly just lax V scarf pawn.

Honestly, what's the point of sub? Sucker Punch, i guess and that is legit, but HP grass/Fire are pretty sweet.

 

[Max Carvalho]

Thanks for contribuing tehy. At least I can slash Modest now, but I will make it clear why it should be used as Munchax already has a solid chance to be KOed with Timid. Clamperl causes switches the time it comes in battle so Substitute is a great tool to have an easy Shell Smash. All the Hidden Powers are aimed to very specific threads (Chinchou and Ferro.). As such, Substitute can be more useful cus against teams without Chou or Ferro HP is a wasted slot.

 

[tehy]

Clamperl causes switches the time it comes in battle so Substitute is a great tool to have an easy Shell Smash. All the Hidden Powers are aimed to very specific threads (Chinchou and Ferro.). As such, Substitute can be more useful cus against teams without Chou or Ferro HP is a wasted slot.

But, if you've forced a switch, why not smash? I guess sub eases the will-they-or-won't-they switch prediction and lets you set up on a status move, or KO inbound scarfers instead

But really, for a pokemon with so few hard counters , it seems a shame not to get rid of one.

 

[Goddess Briyella]

Max Carvalho, how's this coming along? Please implement your last check so we can move this to GP!