Combusken (QC 0/3)

The Shellder Smuggler

Banned deucer.
Overview
########

- Is gifted with the godly ability of Speed Boost
- Has access to Swords Dance as a boosting move, as well as access to Baton Pass, forming a good Baton Pass combo
- Good STAB in Flare Blitz
- Weak to priority
- Frail, and not too much better with Eviolite
- best NFE

Baton Pass
########
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Protect
move 3: Swords Dance / Bulk Up
move 4: Reversal / Flare Blitz
ability: Speed Boost
item: Focus Sash / Eviolite
evs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========

- Swords Dance is the main boosting move giving a +2 boost to Combusken's Attack
- Bulk Up can be used instead to gain a Defense boost too, at the cost of only getting a +1 Attack boost
- Protect to get a free turn of Speed Boost
- Baton Pass passes these boosts and is works very well with Speed Boost and Swords Dance
- Reversal works with Focus Sash to do damage
- Flare Blitz does good damage and stops Combusken from being Taunt bait
- Substitute can be used over Protect to avoid status, but takes away health that can potentially be used later

Set Details
========

- 252 HP EVs max out HP, letting Combusken take hits as well as possible
- 196 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature allow Combusken to outspeed Scarf Braviary at +2
- 60 Def EVs let Combusken take Fletchinder's Acrobatics once
- Focus Sash guarantees at least one Swords Dance set up if there are no entry hazards up
- Eviolite lets Combusken set up Swords Dance a lot easier
- Speed Boost is very important as it allows Combusken to become faster each turn, and works well with Protect, and adds Speed stat boosts when passing with Baton Pass

Usage Tips
========

- Since this set forces switches very often on Pokemon such as Escavalier who suspect an offensive set, Swords Dance is best used on a switch
- Protect should be used to gain a free boost of Speed each turn
- After setting up Swords Dance, Combusken can use Protect once more or Baton Pass

Team Options
========

- Dual Screen users such as Cresselia make Combusken setting up much easier, especially with the eviolite
- Revenge killers can get rid of opposing Speed Boost users that threaten Combusken (Sharpedo and Yanmega)

Other Options
########

- Shadow Claw hits Slowking as it resists both of Combusken's STABs
- Hone Claws can also be used, but Combusken would rather use Swords Dance
- Rock Slide can hit Moltres and Delphox, but isn't much better out of this
- A special set of Fire Blast / Focus Blast / Protect / Baton Pass can work with Combusken's usable Special Attack, but is kinda niche.
- A physical Swords Dance set may also be used, but is also kinda niche due to Combusken's mediocre Attack and being outclassed by Sharpedo and Yanmega as Speed Boost Sweepers

Checks & Counters
########

**Defensive Counters** Pokemon such as Weezing and Gastrodon aren't very threatened by Combusken's Attacks even at +2 due to their high Defense and can easily wear down Combusken

**Status** Although immune to burn, Combusken is very threatened by Toxic and Paralysis as it cripples him in the way that he is worn down by toxic damage with Flare Blitz or he is slowed down by paralysis

**Speed Boost** Combusken is threatened by Sharpedo and Yanmega, who both outspeed with Speed Boost and can OHKO with Waterfall and Air Slash, respectively.

**Mega-Banette** Mega Banette is a complete stop to Combusken as it can either Taunt or Destiny Bond Combusken, as both are very threatening to it

**Fletchinder and Moltres** Fletchinder resists both of Combusken's STABs and has a chance to OHKO with Acrobatics. Moltres also resists both STABs and can OHKO with Hurricane.

**Delphox** Delphox resists both Combusken's STABs and can OHKO with Psychic, forcing Combusken to Baton Pass away

**Slowbro** Slowbro resists both of Combusken's STABs and can OHKO with Scald or Psyshock, and can use Dragon Tail if Combusken tries to Baton Pass out, granted it doesn't switch into a Fairy-type
 
Last edited:
Wait, what? How is Baton Pass illegal with Swords Dance? The former is an egg move, latter is a TM.
 
Not QC but just a couple nitpicks.

Put Fletchinder in C&C, it uses Combusken as set up fodder, or can outright kill with priority Acrobatics, preventing it from passing all its boosts.

Remove "weak to Stealth Rock" in the overview, its not weak to SR. You could say its susceptible to all kinds of entry hazards but I don't know if thats worth mentioning, since a lot of other Pokemon are, as well.
 
Reversal > Flare Blitz with Focus Sash is the item for the BP set.

The BP set should definitely be the first, if not the only set. I've never seen Combusken used as a sweeper, and I don't feel it has enough over Sharpedo or Yanmega to warrant its own set.

I wouldn't mention Escavalier as a recipient, as while it's good in theory, it's really too slow to make use of Speed Boost. Instead, mention Pokemon like Braviary, Cobalion, Virizion, Tyrantrum, Gallade, etc... Basically Pokemon with good Speed and Attack and enough bulk to switch into an attack.

EDIT: Oops read that wrong. I guess just mention those Pokemon in the Team Options.
 
LightningLuxray said:
Reversal > Flare Blitz with Focus Sash is the item for the BP set.

The BP set should definitely be the first, if not the only set. I've never seen Combusken used as a sweeper, and I don't feel it has enough over Sharpedo or Yanmega to warrant its own set.

I wouldn't mention Escavalier as a recipient, as while it's good in theory, it's really too slow to make use of Speed Boost. Instead, mention Pokemon like Braviary, Cobalion, Virizion, Tyrantrum, Gallade, etc... Basically Pokemon with good Speed and Attack and enough bulk to switch into an attack.

EDIT: Oops read that wrong. I guess just mention those Pokemon in the Team Options.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I can agree with these. Is Reversal + Focus Sash even good on a pass dedicated to Baton Passing, forcing Combusken to faint when he switches in again, when there will most likely be entry hazards? Also, Combusken can run a Swords Dance set well, but I'll see if it's worth putting under BP.
 
The Shellder Smuggler said:
I'm not sure if I can agree with these. Is Reversal + Focus Sash even good on a pass dedicated to Baton Passing, forcing Combusken to faint when he switches in again, when there will most likely be entry hazards? Also, Combusken can run a Swords Dance set well, but I'll see if it's worth putting under BP.
Click to expand...

I can 100% guarantee you the BP set is worth putting above the offensive one lol.

Also Focus Sash is needed to set up unless it's against stall or something, as even with Eviolite its bulk is trash. 1% Reversal actually hits p hard, too.

Also I don't know why you feel there will most likely be entry hazards; if you're using Combusken, your opponent is most likely not going to be thinking about setting up hazards lol. And if you're REALLY paranoid, just run Kabutops or something similar.
 
LightningLuxray said:
I can 100% guarantee you the BP set is worth putting above the offensive one lol.

Also Focus Sash is needed to set up unless it's against stall or something, as even with Eviolite its bulk is trash. 1% Reversal actually hits p hard, too.

Also I don't know why you feel there will most likely be entry hazards; if you're using Combusken, your opponent is most likely not going to be thinking about setting up hazards lol. And if you're REALLY paranoid, just run Kabutops or something similar.
Click to expand...

Ok I'll slash focus sash first, I'm not sure about dropping eviolite. And I'll also put the BP set above it too :]
 
A couple of things.

You mention 248 HP EVs to help with Stealth Rock damage on the Baton Pass set, but since Combusken's max HP is not divisible by 8, that doesn't actually help with Stealth Rock. It is divisible by 4, so I guess it helps if you switch into 3 layers of Spikes or you have to deal with random Curse shenanigans or something, but I think that's situational enough that you can safely use max HP.

I agree with LightningLuxray that the Baton Pass set should be the first set. In my opinion, the biggest thing that sets Combusken apart from other Speed Boost users is its ability to pass Speed Boosts while also offering more bulk and power than Ninjask. Still, I'm not sure if the Swords Dance set should be removed entirely. It does have an advantage over Sharpedo and Yanmega in that it can boost its power much higher thanks to Swords Dance, but whatever.

I think Bulk Up deserves a little more merit. I've actually like passing Bulk Ups sometimes because it makes both Combusken and its receiver considerably more difficult to take down depending on the opponent. For instance, after a Bulk Up, Adamant LO Hitmonlee's Reckless Hi Jump Kick fails to OHKO Combusken even after Stealth Rock damage. Swords Dance is probably still better more often than not, but I don't think Bulk Up needs to be thrown in alongside Hone Claws because it's honestly a much better boosting move. Maybe put it in Set Details or something?

Mention Slowking as a target Shadow Claw hits. I think there was something else I wanted to recommend you mention, but I can't remember what it is. You could probably remove most of those other mentions too because, although Shadow Claw hits them hard, Flare Blitz hits them ~29% harder.

There are several other common and good Pokemon that need to be in Checks & Counters. For instance, Slowking, Moltres, and Delphox are three in particular that resist both of Combusken's STABs and can threaten back with a STAB attack. If you're not running Shadow Claw / Rock Slide, all you can really do is Baton Pass away. Slowking in particular is bad since it can use Dragon Tail as you Baton Pass and ruin your boosts, provided you aren't passing to a Fairy.

I also think special Combusken needs a mention. I used a set of Fire Blast / Focus Blast / Protect / Baton Pass a little while back, and it did pretty well. It has a good bit of power for late-game sweeping (Fire Blast is hitting about as hard as Yanmega's Bug Buzz, and Focus Blast hits a little harder), and it has an advantage over Yanmega and Sharpedo in that it can pass its Speed Boosts to something else when the going gets tough. Some Pokemon don't need more than a few Speed Boosts in order to sweep with ease, so it's still pretty useful even without a boosting move. Maybe it's a bit too niche to get its own set, but it at least deserves Other Options (it's certainly better than Will-O-Wisp, lol).
 
Agent Gibbs said:
A couple of things.

You mention 248 HP EVs to help with Stealth Rock damage on the Baton Pass set, but since Combusken's max HP is not divisible by 8, that doesn't actually help with Stealth Rock. It is divisible by 4, so I guess it helps if you switch into 3 layers of Spikes or you have to deal with random Curse shenanigans or something, but I think that's situational enough that you can safely use max HP.

I agree with LightningLuxray that the Baton Pass set should be the first set. In my opinion, the biggest thing that sets Combusken apart from other Speed Boost users is its ability to pass Speed Boosts while also offering more bulk and power than Ninjask. Still, I'm not sure if the Swords Dance set should be removed entirely. It does have an advantage over Sharpedo and Yanmega in that it can boost its power much higher thanks to Swords Dance, but whatever.

I think Bulk Up deserves a little more merit. I've actually like passing Bulk Ups sometimes because it makes both Combusken and its receiver considerably more difficult to take down depending on the opponent. For instance, after a Bulk Up, Adamant LO Hitmonlee's Reckless Hi Jump Kick fails to OHKO Combusken even after Stealth Rock damage. Swords Dance is probably still better more often than not, but I don't think Bulk Up needs to be thrown in alongside Hone Claws because it's honestly a much better boosting move. Maybe put it in Set Details or something?

Mention Slowking as a target Shadow Claw hits. I think there was something else I wanted to recommend you mention, but I can't remember what it is. You could probably remove most of those other mentions too because, although Shadow Claw hits them hard, Flare Blitz hits them ~29% harder.

There are several other common and good Pokemon that need to be in Checks & Counters. For instance, Slowking, Moltres, and Delphox are three in particular that resist both of Combusken's STABs and can threaten back with a STAB attack. If you're not running Shadow Claw / Rock Slide, all you can really do is Baton Pass away. Slowking in particular is bad since it can use Dragon Tail as you Baton Pass and ruin your boosts, provided you aren't passing to a Fairy.

I also think special Combusken needs a mention. I used a set of Fire Blast / Focus Blast / Protect / Baton Pass a little while back, and it did pretty well. It has a good bit of power (Fire Blast is hitting about as hard as Yanmega's Bug Buzz, and Focus Blast hits a little harder), and it has an advantage over Yanmega and Sharpedo in that it can pass its Speed Boosts to something else when the going gets tough. Some Pokemon don't need more than a few Speed Boosts in order to sweep with ease, so it's still pretty useful even without a boosting move. Maybe it's a bit too niche to get its own set, but it at least deserves Other Options (it's certainly better than Will-O-Wisp, lol).
Click to expand...

Ah, the combusken master from the RU thread :]

I'll implement this ASAP, and probably tonight if I'm not tired. Spirit I've gotten rid of the SD set, and I think I can do your changes right now real quick.
 
Focus sash with flare blitz ?_? Why is focus sash even the main slash?

If anything, mention it in set details, imo.
 
Because it's hard af to set up with something with like 0 bulk successfully, even with Eviolite.

Also Reversal should be there with Focus Sash, not Flare Blitz.
 
Tbh i'd remove Sky Uppercut mention from the overview. It is really bad and you don't use it on any set. Also i don't really know about Bulk Up because almost anytime i used it i wished ir was Swords Dance but that is up to QC i guess
 
You could still mention the offensive Swords Dance set in Other Options. It's too outclassed as a sweeper to deserve a main set, but it's fine in Other Options. Just mention that Yanmega and Sharpedo are generally better Speed Boost sweepers. In fact, you could probably work it in alongside the special set mention and make it clear that the aforementioned competition hurts the viability of both offensive sets.
 
Agent Gibbs said:
You could still mention the offensive Swords Dance set in Other Options. It's too outclassed as a sweeper to deserve a main set, but it's fine in Other Options. Just mention that Yanmega and Sharpedo are generally better Speed Boost sweepers. In fact, you could probably work it in alongside the special set mention and make it clear that the aforementioned competition hurts the viability of both offensive sets.
Click to expand...

Done, QC ready
 
The QC team has agreed that this is going to have to be reassigned, since it is kind of clear you do not have very much experience with Combusken The Shellder Smuggler. Along with the fact that you initially thought that its main niche wasn't a legal set (Speed Boost + Swords Dance + Baton Pass), people are kind of walking you through and you are implementing things without argument. I'm sorry, but we don't think you have enough experience with the chicken.

For whoever picks this up, put Reversal + Focus Sash in OO, not the main set. If you want me to justify, it is a horrible option because 1) you are taking away bulk provided by Eviolite 2) you need Defog/Rapid Spin to let your item and move be of any use 3) Flare Blitz is stronger at every health percentage except 1% 4) you can kill Escavalier and damage Doublade 5) if there are any hazards out Combusken won't be able to pass twice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top