Crobat

[CoolStoryBrobat]

I'd like to see a mention of Conkeldurr in Team Options because it commonly lures out Mega Venusaur which Crobat works great against, and because Crobat needs something to handle things like Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Steel-types like Heatran and Bisharp. The ability to utilize burns to your advantage works really well because Rotom-W likes throwing WoWs left and right.

Nitpicks for the Checks and Counters section:

When you mention Bisharp, mention how Defog gives Bisharp a quick +2 Attack boost as well because of Defiant, which makes Defogging on teams with Bisharp harder to do because giving Bisharp a boost against Crobat usually means you're going to be losing a Pokemon.

Rotom-W and Zapdos need mentions in the electric-type section as well, just make sure you mention them.

Name some Pokemon in the priority section that can threaten Crobat, things like Scizor and Mamoswine are pretty important to mention in particular. Also, ExtremeSpeed Genesect is going to leave a mark on Crobat especially since your spread gives Genesect the Attack boost. Speaking of which, those alternative sets you mentioned might work better if you added the leftover EV point into SpD, I noticed you didn't really do that for the other spreads but did it for the main spread.

qc 3/3

Thank you! Changes have been made, though if you look at the above alternate spreads I posted, I actually emphasized having more SpD investment, on both:

A spread of 252 HP / 58 SpD / 200 Spe may be more optimal for maximizing bulk for a full utility-based role, though the loss of power in Brave Bird will be significant. An offensive EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can also be used to maximize Crobat's strength and speed,

This is now ready for GP checks! To whomever does check it, I'd kinda like some feedback on the Team Options section...I feel as though it may be a little too lengthy and intricate, but I'm not totally sure...If you feel it's fine, I'm all for it, but I'd just like some thoughts on it so I know if I was overdoing it or not.

 

[GamingShawn]

Amateur Check here

Additions
Removals
(Comments)

Overview
########

Taking flight from the ceiling of its cave once again, Crobat flies through the night in the Overused (this seems to be the correct spelling based on the Spelling and Grammar Standards thread) environment, ready to swoop its way down into a team requiring its support. When taking a look at Crobat, a few things will immediately stand out: its blazing fast base 130 Speed, immunity to Spikes and Ground moves, a strong 120-BP (not sure if the hyphen is necessary) STAB move in Brave Bird, solid recovery in Roost, a fast Taunt, and key resistances to Fighting-, Fairy-, and Bug-type moves. As with any Pokemon, though, Crobat isn't without its flaws, and these must be addressed when considering it for your team. Having A Stealth Rock weakness, overall average stats aside from its Speed, and weaknesses to common Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-type moves really make it difficult hard (if you're gonna use very/really to describe something you may as well use a stronger adjective :P ) for Crobat to stand out amongst its competition. It also has trouble dealing with Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, and despite its incredible Speed, priority moves, (AC) barring Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, (AC) will chip away off at its health.

However, Don't let these shortcomings discourage you, however, as Crobat has what all it needs to stand out in the form of some newly-buffed tools at its disposal. Defog now allows it to clear hazards (I know clearing hazards is mainly what Defog is for but I don't think it hurts to mention that it also gets rid of dual screens since that may be something that could be useful for the reader to know) from both sides of the field, while its ability Infiltrator allows it to hit foes behind Substitutes, such as Gengar, Scolipede, and Trevenant. Toxic now has perfect accuracy when used by Crobat; in conjunction with Infiltrator, this allows it to be very annoying, spreading status through teams heedless (just by definition of heedless I think 'regardless' works better here) of Substitutes. With everything it has in its arsenal, Crobat is able to find a spot for any team looking to deal with with numerous defensive and offensive Pokemon, while keeping entry hazards clear for its teammates.

Standard
########
name: Standard
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Taunt/Toxic
ability: Infiltrator
item: Black Sludge
nature: Jolly
evs: 168 HP / 136 Atk / 4 SpD / 200 Spe


Moves
========

Brave Bird is obligatory hard-hitting Flying STAB, (remove comma) which allows Crobat to damage and even revenge kill frail Pokemon who don't resist it, such as Alakazam, Greninja, and Lucario, (change comma to period) as well as Brave Bird is also good for hitting Pokemon Crobat would commonly switch into come in on, namely Grass- and Fighting-types Pokemon. Roost heals Crobat back up and allows it to keep going, which is absolutely vital given its Stealth Rock weakness. Defog is a must-have as it allows Crobat to take on a more utility-based role for the team by removing hazards from both sides. Taunt is preferred for the 4th moveslot as it is what allows this set to hinder defensive teams by preventing status moves and setup, working well with Defog as it helps Crobat stop hazard users such as Ferrothorn with ease. Toxic can be used to whittle down walls and defensive Pokemon, as well as hitting Pokemon behind Substitutes. U-turn can be used in the last moveslot if gaining momentum is absolutely important. This allows Crobat to function as part of a potential U-turn/Volt Switch core (I believe referring to this as VoltTurn is acceptable) with its teammates and help them maintain the advantage against Pokemon whom Crobat can force out. Lastly, Super Fang can also be used, as in conjunction with Taunt and Brave Bird, it becomes much more of a pain to switch into Crobat, even with Steel-types.

Set Details
========

Black Sludge is more useful than Leftovers for Poison-types since it discourages Trick users, who would take constant damage from the item if they obtained it. The given EVs and nature maximize bulk while allowing Crobat to outpace Noivern, the fastest threat whom Crobat can afford to deal with and get a fast Brave Bird off on, while still allowing Crobat to OHKO Trevenant and Alakazam and 2HKO Greninja, Sp. Def specially defensive Tentacruel, offensive Starmie, Conkeldurr, Mega Venusaur, and Lucario with Brave Bird. Infiltrator is a must-have ability for the ability since it allows Crobat to beat Substitute users, and Inner Focus is generally inferior and more situational in comparison (this latter part doesn't seem all too necessary imo ->) due to the lack of consistent Fake Out users in OU. 4 SpD Special Defense EVs ensure Genesect gets an Atk Attack boost from Download; this is useful since Crobat quad 4x resists U-turn, and doesn't want to take a boosted Thunderbolt or Ice Beam, though it must be wary of sets carrying Iron Head. Bear in mind though, that Crobat's EVs aren't set entirely in stone, and can be customized specifically for the needs of the team. For instance, a spread of 252 HP / 58 SpD / 200 Spe may be more optimal for maximizing bulk for a full utility-based role, though the loss of power in Brave Bird will be significant. An offensive EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can also be used to maximize Crobat's strength and speed, allowing it to outpace even base 70 Pokemon holding a Choice Scarf, though Crobat will lose out on a lot of bulk, and the extra Speed does not help it outrun many other relevant threats.

Usage Tips
========

This Pokemon set can be seen as a "glue" for teams that have issues with both heavily defensive teams and frail offensive hitters, (AC) as it does a decent job of handling both; as such, (AC) the moves can be easily adjusted if there are certain threats your team needs to deal with more effectively. For instance, if you already are already running a Rapid Spin user, Toxic can be used over Defog, as with Roost and Taunt, Crobat can shut down any wall that isn't immune to Toxic and keep it from healing itself. It's preferred to take out the opponent's Stealth Rock user before using Defog, otherwise you risk compromising Crobat's bulk to repeated switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Try not to use the move beforehand unless it is absolutely necessary. Despite Crobat's incredible Speed, it is highly prone to being revenge killed by Choice Scarf users going for a revenge kill. If you run U-turn, hard switching is often advised rather than attempting to stomach a blow and U-turn, even if you're anticipating a resisted hit. When playing defensively, Crobat needs all the HP it can hang on to given its Stealth Rock weakness and opposing offensive pressure that can keep it from using Roost. Don't hesitate to go for Taunt against most defensive Pokemon, even if they are capable of dealing a hard blow; between Taunt and Roost, you'll be able to shrug off damage and maintain the advantage against most walls. Crobat also functions as a solid counter to Gliscor, due to being immune to both Earthquake and Toxic, while stopping it from doing anything with Taunt; (change semicolon to period) Be wary of sets carrying Ice Fang though, (AC) as they can eventually wear down Crobat and force it to Roost, possibly taking it out with an Earthquake, while taking little in return from Brave Bird thanks to Poison Heal.

Team Options
========

In general, Though Crobat's typing offers it numerous weaknesses, it has resistances that allow it to fit into teams and cover up holes very easily. Dark-types are immune to Crobat's Psychic weakness while Crobat covers their Fighting and Fairy weaknesses. Water-types can take Ice moves, and Ground-types can take Electric moves for Crobat while Crobat can switch into Grass-type attacks for both Pokemon with impunity. A teammate who can deal with Rock and Steel-type Pokemon is absolutely mandatory, as they are hard stops to Crobat. Magnezone is a solid partner in this regard since Magnet Pull lets it reliably trap and kill a number of Steel-type Pokemon, while beating Rock-type Pokemon with STAB Flash Cannon on top of resisting all four of Crobat's weaknesses by itself. Despite having a shared Psychic weakness, Conkeldurr works well with Crobat as it not only lures out Mega Venusaur, who can be beaten by Crobat, but it deals with Zapdos, Heatran, Rotom-W, Tyranitar, and Bisharp with ease. Its (its is ambiguous here) Conkeldurr's access to Guts also means it can utilize status spread by Heatran, Zapdos, (AC) or Rotom-W and hit even harder. As mentioned, Crobat is a solid Gliscor counter, so physical attackers who have trouble breaking through it, such as Swords Dance Aegislash, Garchomp, Mega Mawile, and Bisharp, (AC) are all partners who can take advantage of Crobat's support. This Pokemon Crobat is also able to plow down most Fighting- and Grass-type Pokemon such as Breloom, Trevenant, Venusaur, Gourgeist, Celebi, Conkeldurr, Medicham, Lucario, and Toxicroak, (remove comma) with Brave Bird so Pokemon who appreciate their removal, such as Rotom-W, Keldeo, Quagsire, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Hydreigon, (AC) work with Crobat effectively. Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock who can take advantage of its Defog support also work well, such as Volcarona, Dragonite, Charizard, and Thundurus, since they all have an easier time sweeping with hazards missing from their side of the field.

(If you're worried about this team options section being a bit lengthy, you could stand to remove some of the Pokemon you mention in what Crobat beats and what Crobat works well with to focus on more common ones, but that's something you may have to consult with QC about. Also, the first few sentences about mentioning which x-types work well with Crobat could stand to be removed as it's generally better to give specific examples with those kinds of statements.)

Other Options
########

Crobat's movepool is somewhat shallow and doesn't offer too many other choices for it to use. Venom Drench is an interesting new move it gained this generation that allows it to significantly cripple any poisoned attackers, possibly forcing them back out in the long run while racking up hazard damage. A Choice Band set consisting of Brave Bird, Cross Poison/Super Fang, U-turn, and Sleep Talk can be used, (AC) though it is highly outclassed by Pokemon such as Staraptor and Talonflame, who both possess better coverage and or are able to hit significantly harder. In a similar regard, Sharp Beak allows Crobat to hit harder with Brave Bird with little cost to its staying power, but it will greatly miss the passive recovery from Black Sludge. Crobat does have Nasty Plot and Heat Wave in its movepool, enabling it to take on most Steel-types barring Heatran, but it is heavily outclassed as a Nasty Plot sweeper by Pokemon such as Mega Lucario, Thundurus, and even Togekiss, who all possess better Special Attack stats and coverage.


Checks & Counters
########

**Steel-types**: Most Steel-types in general are able to counter Crobat and force it out thanks to their resistance to Brave Bird and immunity to Toxic; examples include Heatran, Magnezone, Jirachi, Skarmory, Aegislash, Klefki, and Bisharp. Bisharp is especially dangerous as it not only forces Crobat out for a free turn, but its Defiant ability allows it to switch in on Defog and get a free +2 Attack boost, making it an immediate threat for your team to deal with. Steels like Ferrothorn and Forretress who are neutral to Brave Bird but are still able to take a hit with ease and deal significant damage to Crobat with Gyro Ball, (change comma to period) or specifically in Ferrothorn's case, have the ability Iron Barbs to discourage attacking it outrightly. Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs ability is especially discouraging to Crobat.

**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, and Barbaracle are able to stomach a Brave Bird and either trap Crobat with Pursuit in Tyranitar's case, KO with Stone Edge, or set up on it while forcing it out with ease. However, all of them must be wary of switching into a Toxic.

**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zapdos, Rotom-W, Thundurus, (AC) and Mega Manectric are able to switch in freely and KO Crobat with Thunderbolt or force it out and gain momentum with Volt Switch, though they too have to be wary of a surprise Toxic on the switch-in.

**Stealth Rock**: Crobat has a painful Stealth Rock weakness, so this often can render it easier to take down for some offensive threats. This, (AC) coupled with Brave Bird's recoil, (AC) can often mean Crobat may be KOed easily if it fails to net a much-needed KO with Brave Bird.

**Priority Attacks**: Crobat resists no priority outside of Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, meaning a boosted hit can leave a dent in it, allowing Pokemon such as Talonflame, Scizor, and Mamoswine to pick it off. Extremespeed Genesect is also a noteworthy issue for Crobat since the given EV spread gives it an Attack boost from Download.

**Revenge killing**: Crobat can be revenge killed easily by Pokemon such as Choice Band Talonflame as well as Choice Scarf users such as Genesect, Terrakion, Tyrantar, and Garchomp. Faster threats such as Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Alakazam are able to outspeed Crobat you and OHKO with their respective STABs as well.

 

[Jukain]

gp 1/2

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

Amateur Check here

Additions
Removals
(Comments)

Thanks. All changes have been put in and I took your word about slimming down the Team Options section

 

[Winry]

Currently writing up another check! Will edit this post in a bit when finished.

Add / Remove / Comments

GP

Overview
########

Taking flight from the ceiling of its cave once again, Crobat flies through the night in the Overused environment, ready to swoop its way down into a team requiring its support. When taking a look at Crobat, a few things will immediately stand out: its blazing fast base 130 Speed, immunity to Spikes and Ground-type moves, a strong base 120 BP STAB move in Brave Bird, solid recovery in Roost, access to fast Taunt, (since you already said it was fast!) and key resistances to Fighting-, Fairy-, and Bug-type moves. As with any Pokemon, though, Crobat isn't without its flaws, and these must be addressed when considering it for your team. A Stealth Rock weakness, overall average stats aside from its Speed, and weaknesses to common Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-type moves make it difficult for Crobat to stand out among its competition. It also has trouble dealing with Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, and despite its incredible Speed, priority moves, barring Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, will chip away at its health.

Don't let these shortcomings discourage you, however, as Crobat has all it needs to stand out in the form of some newly- buffed tools at its disposal. Defog now allows it to clear hazards from both sides of the field as well as dual screens, while its ability Infiltrator allows it to hit foes behind Substitutes, such as Gengar, Scolipede, and Trevenant. Toxic now has perfect accuracy when used by Crobat; in conjunction with Infiltrator, this allows it to be very annoying, spreading status through teams regardless of Substitutes. With everything it has in its arsenal, Crobat is able to find a spot for any team looking to deal with with numerous defensive and offensive Pokemon, while keeping entry hazards clear for its teammates.

Standard
########
name: Standard
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Taunt/Toxic
ability: Infiltrator
item: Black Sludge
nature: Jolly
evs: 168 HP / 136 Atk / 4 SpD / 200 Spe


Moves
========

Brave Bird is a obligatory hard-hitting Flying STAB which allows Crobat to damage and even revenge kill frail Pokemon who don't resist it, such as Alakazam, Greninja, and Lucario. Brave Bird is also good for hitting Pokemon Crobat would commonly switch into, namely Grass- and Fighting-types. Roost heals Crobat back up and allows it to keep going, which is absolutely vital given its Stealth Rock weakness. Defog is a must-have, as it allows Crobat to take on a more utility-based role for the team by removing hazards from both sides. Taunt is preferred for the 4th moveslot as it is what allows this set to hinder defensive teams by preventing status moves and setup, working well with Defog as it helps Crobat stop hazard users such as Ferrothorn with ease. Toxic can be used to whittle down walls and defensive Pokemon, as well as hitting Pokemon behind Substitutes. U-turn can be used in the last moveslot if gaining momentum is absolutely important. This allows Crobat to function as part of a potential VoltTurn core with its teammates and help them maintain the advantage against Pokemon whom Crobat can force out. Lastly, Super Fang can also be used, as in conjunctionbecause with Taunt and Brave Bird, it becomes much more of a pain to switch into Crobat, even withfor Steel-types.

Set Details
========

Black Sludge is more useful than Leftovers for Poison-types since it discourages Trick users, who would take constant damage from the item if they obtained it. The given EVs and nature maximize bulk while allowing Crobat to outpace Noivern, the fastest threat whom Crobat can afford to deal with and get a fast Brave Bird off on, while still allowing Crobat to OHKO Trevenant and Alakazam and 2HKO Greninja, specially defensive Tentacruel, offensive Starmie, Conkeldurr, Mega Venusaur, and Lucario with Brave Bird. Infiltrator is a must-have ability since it allows Crobat to beat Substitute users, and Inner Focus is generally inferior and more situational in comparison. 4 Special Defense EVs ensure that opposing Genesect gets an Attack boost from Download; this is useful since Crobat 4x resists U-turn, and doesn't want to take a boosted Thunderbolt or Ice Beam, though it must be wary of sets carrying Iron Head. Bear in mind, though, that Crobat's EVs aren't set entirely in stone, and can be customized specifically for the needs of the team. For instance, a spread of 252 HP / 58 SpD / 200 Spe may be more optimal for maximizing bulk for a full utility-based role, though the loss of power in Brave Bird will be significant. An offensive EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can also be used to maximize Crobat's strength and speed, allowing it to outpace even base 70 Pokemon holding a Choice Scarf, though Crobat will lose out on a lot of bulk, and the extra Speed does not help it outrun many other relevant threats.

Usage Tips
========

This set can be seen as a "glue" for teams that have issues with both heavily defensive teams and frail offensive hitters, as it does a decent job of handling both; as such, the moves can be easily adjusted if there are certain threats your team needs to deal with more effectively. For instance, if you are already running a Rapid Spin user, Toxic can be used over Defog, asnd with Roost and Taunt, Crobat can shut down any wall that isn't immune to Toxic and keep it from healing itself. It's preferred to take out the opponent's Stealth Rock user before using Defog, otherwise you risk compromising Crobat's bulk to repeated switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Try not to use the move beforehand unless it is absolutely necessary. Despite Crobat's incredible Speed, it is highly prone to being revenge killed by Choice Scarf users. If you run U-turn, hard switching is often advised rather than attempting to stomach a blow from an offensive Pokemon and U-turn, even if you're anticipating a resisted hit. When playing defensively, Crobat needs all the HP it can hang on to given its Stealth Rock weakness and opposing offensive pressure that can keep it from using Roost. Don't hesitate to go for Taunt against most defensive Pokemon, even if they are capable of dealing a hard blow; between Taunt and Roost, you'll be able to shrug off damage and maintain the advantage against most walls. (I know this isn't grammar, but it almost contradicts what you said before because you say it's better for Crobat to regularly switch out than to U-turn, but then say Crobat should risk taking a blow and use Taunt because it can shrug off damage. That's why I suggested to add "from an offensive Pokemon so it sounds a little clearer ) Crobat also functions as a solid counter to Gliscor, due to being immune to both Earthquake and Toxic, while stopping it from doing anything with Taunt. Be wary of sets carrying Ice Fang, though, as they can eventually wear down Crobat and force it to Roost, possibly taking it out with an Earthquake, while taking little in return from Brave Bird thanks to Poison Heal.

Team Options
========

Though Crobat's typing offers it numerous weaknesses, it has resistances that allow it to fit into teams and cover up holes very easily. A teammate who can deal with Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon is absolutely mandatory, as they are hard stops to Crobat. Magnezone is a solid partner in this regard since Magnet Pull lets it reliably trap and kill a number of Steel-type Pokemon, while beating Rock-type Pokemon with STAB Flash Cannon on top of resisting all four of Crobat's weaknesses by itself. Despite having a shared Psychic weakness, Conkeldurr works well with Crobat as it not only lures out Mega Venusaur, who can be beaten by Crobat, but it deals with Zapdos, Heatran, Rotom-W, Tyranitar, and Bisharp with ease. Conkeldurr's access to Guts also means it can utilize status spread by Heatran, Zapdos, or Rotom-W and hit even harder. As mentioned, Crobat is a solid Gliscor countercheck, (From what I assume counter = Pokemon that can beat it; check = Pokemon that can beat the other in situations where the opponent doesn't have a certain move, and since you mentioned Ice Fang Gliscor as a threat in last paragraph I think check > counter but feel free to correct me since I may be wrong ~_~) so physical attackers who have trouble breaking through it, such as Swords Dance Aegislash, Garchomp, Mega Mawile, and Bisharp, are all partners who can take advantage of Crobat's support. This PokemonCrobat is also able to plow down most Fighting- and Grass-type Pokemon such as Breloom, Trevenant, Venusaur, Celebi, Conkeldurr, and Lucario with Brave Bird so Pokemon who appreciate their removal, such as Rotom-W, Keldeo, Quagsire, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Hydreigon, work with Crobat effectively. Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock who can take advantage of its Defog support also work well, such as Volcarona, Dragonite, Charizard, and Thundurus, since they all have an easier time sweeping with hazards missing from their side of the field.

Other Options
########

Crobat's movepool is somewhat shallow and doesn't offer too many other choices for it to use. Venom Drench is an interesting new move it gained this generation that allows it to significantly cripple any poisoned attackers, possibly forcing them back out in the long run while racking up hazard damage. A Choice Band set consisting of Brave Bird, Cross Poison/Super Fang, U-turn, and Sleep Talk can be used, though it is highly outclassed by Pokemon such as Staraptor and Talonflame, who both possess better coverage and are able to hit significantly harder. In a similar regard, Sharp Beak allows Crobat to hit harder with Brave Bird with little cost to its staying power, but it will greatly miss the passive recovery from Black Sludge. Crobat does have access to Nasty Plot and Heat Wave in its movepool, enabling it to take on most Steel-types barring Heatran, but it is heavily outclassed as a Nasty Plot sweeper by Pokemon such as Mega Lucario, Thundurus, and even Togekiss, who all possess better Special Attack stats and coverage.


Checks & Counters
########

**Steel-types**: Most Steel-types in general are able to counter Crobat and force it out thanks to their resistance to Brave Bird and immunity to Toxic; examples include Heatran, Magnezone, Jirachi, Skarmory, Aegislash, Klefki, and Bisharp. Bisharp is especially dangerous as it not only forces Crobat out for a free turn, but its Defiant ability allows it to switch in on Defog and get a free +2 Attack boost, making it an immediate threat for your team to deal with. Ferrothorn and Forretress are neutral to Brave Bird but are still able to take a hit with ease and deal significant damage to Crobat with Gyro Ball. Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs ability is especially discouraging to Crobat.

**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, and Barbaracle are able to stomach a Brave Bird and either trap Crobat with Pursuit in Tyranitar's case, KO with Stone Edge, or set up on it while forcing it out with ease. However, all of them must be wary of switching into a Toxic.

**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zapdos, Rotom-W, Thundurus, and Mega Manectric are able to switch in freely and KO Crobat with Thunderbolt or force it out and gain momentum with Volt Switch, though. However, they toalso have to be wary of a surprise Toxic on the switch-in.

**Stealth Rock**: Crobat has a painful Stealth Rock weakness, so this often can render it easier to take down for some offensive threats. This, coupled with Brave Bird's recoil, can often mean Crobat may be KOed easily if it fails to net a much-needed KO with Brave Bird.

**Priority Attacks**: Crobat resists no priority outside of Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, meaning a boosted hit can leave a dent in it, allowing Pokemon such as Talonflame, Scizor, and Mamoswine to pick iCrobat off. Extremespeed Genesect is also a noteworthy issue for Crobat since the given EV spread gives it an Attack boost from Download.

**Revenge killing**: Crobat can be revenge killed easily by Pokemon such as Choice Band Talonflame as well as Choice Scarf users such as Genesect, Terrakion, Tyranitar, and Garchomp. Faster threats such as Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Alakazam are able to outspeed Crobat and OHKO with their respective STABs as well.

c/p

Overview
########

Taking flight from the ceiling of its cave once again, Crobat flies through the night in the Overused environment, ready to swoop its way down into a team requiring its support. When taking a look at Crobat, a few things will immediately stand out: its blazing fast base 130 Speed, immunity to Spikes and Ground-type moves, a strong base 120 STAB move in Brave Bird, solid recovery in Roost, access to Taunt, and key resistances to Fighting-, Fairy-, and Bug-type moves. As with any Pokemon, though, Crobat isn't without its flaws, and these must be addressed when considering it for your team. A Stealth Rock weakness, overall average stats aside from its Speed, and weaknesses to common Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-type moves make it difficult for Crobat to stand out among its competition. It also has trouble dealing with Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, and despite its incredible Speed, priority moves, barring Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, will chip away at its health.

Don't let these shortcomings discourage you, however, as Crobat has all it needs to stand out in the form of some newly buffed tools at its disposal. Defog now allows it to clear hazards from both sides of the field as well as dual screens, while its ability Infiltrator allows it to hit foes behind Substitutes, such as Gengar, Scolipede, and Trevenant. Toxic now has perfect accuracy when used by Crobat; in conjunction with Infiltrator, this allows it to be very annoying, spreading status through teams regardless of Substitutes. With everything it has in its arsenal, Crobat is able to find a spot for any team looking to deal with with numerous defensive and offensive Pokemon, while keeping entry hazards clear for its teammates.

Standard
########
name: Standard
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Taunt/Toxic
ability: Infiltrator
item: Black Sludge
nature: Jolly
evs: 168 HP / 136 Atk / 4 SpD / 200 Spe


Moves
========

Brave Bird is a hard-hitting Flying STAB which allows Crobat to damage and even revenge kill frail Pokemon who don't resist it, such as Alakazam, Greninja, and Lucario. Brave Bird is also good for hitting Pokemon Crobat would commonly switch into, namely Grass- and Fighting-types. Roost heals Crobat back up and allows it to keep going, which is absolutely vital given its Stealth Rock weakness. Defog is a must-have, as it allows Crobat to take on a more utility-based role for the team by removing hazards from both sides. Taunt is preferred for the 4th moveslot as it allows this set to hinder defensive teams by preventing status moves and setup, working well with Defog as it helps Crobat stop hazard users such as Ferrothorn with ease. Toxic can be used to whittle down walls and defensive Pokemon, as well as hitting Pokemon behind Substitutes. U-turn can be used in the last moveslot if gaining momentum is absolutely important. This allows Crobat to function as part of a potential VoltTurn core with its teammates and help them maintain the advantage against Pokemon whom Crobat can force out. Lastly, Super Fang can also be used, because with Taunt and Brave Bird, it becomes much more of a pain to switch into Crobat, even for Steel-types.

Set Details
========

Black Sludge is more useful than Leftovers for Poison-types since it discourages Trick users, who would take constant damage from the item if they obtained it. The given EVs and nature maximize bulk while allowing Crobat to outpace Noivern, the fastest threat whom Crobat can afford to deal with and get a fast Brave Bird off on while still allowing Crobat to OHKO Trevenant and Alakazam and 2HKO Greninja, specially defensive Tentacruel, offensive Starmie, Conkeldurr, Mega Venusaur, and Lucario with Brave Bird. Infiltrator is a must-have ability since it allows Crobat to beat Substitute users, and Inner Focus is generally inferior and more situational in comparison. 4 Special Defense EVs ensure that opposing Genesect get an Attack boost from Download; this is useful since Crobat 4x resists U-turn, and doesn't want to take a boosted Thunderbolt or Ice Beam, though it must be wary of sets carrying Iron Head. Bear in mind, though, that Crobat's EVs aren't set entirely in stone, and can be customized specifically for the needs of the team. For instance, a spread of 252 HP / 58 SpD / 200 Spe may be more optimal for maximizing bulk for a full utility-based role, though the loss of power in Brave Bird will be significant. An offensive EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can also be used to maximize Crobat's strength and speed, allowing it to outpace even base 70 Pokemon holding a Choice Scarf, though Crobat will lose out on a lot of bulk, and the extra Speed does not help it outrun many other relevant threats.

Usage Tips
========

This set can be seen as a "glue" for teams that have issues with both heavily defensive teams and frail offensive hitters, as it does a decent job of handling both; as such, the moves can be easily adjusted if there are certain threats your team needs to deal with more effectively. For instance, if you are already running a Rapid Spin user, Toxic can be used over Defog, and with Roost and Taunt, Crobat can shut down any wall that isn't immune to Toxic and keep it from healing itself. It's preferred to take out the opponent's Stealth Rock user before using Defog, otherwise you risk compromising Crobat's bulk to repeated switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Try not to use the move beforehand unless it is absolutely necessary. Despite Crobat's incredible Speed, it is highly prone to being revenge killed by Choice Scarf users. If you run U-turn, hard switching is often advised rather than attempting to stomach a blow from an offensive Pokemon and U-turn, even if you're anticipating a resisted hit. When playing defensively, Crobat needs all the HP it can hang on to given its Stealth Rock weakness and opposing offensive pressure that can keep it from using Roost. Don't hesitate to go for Taunt against most defensive Pokemon, even if they are capable of dealing a hard blow; between Taunt and Roost, you'll be able to shrug off damage and maintain the advantage against most walls. Crobat also functions as a solid counter to Gliscor, due to being immune to both Earthquake and Toxic, while stopping it from doing anything with Taunt. Be wary of sets carrying Ice Fang, though, as they can eventually wear down Crobat and force it to Roost, possibly taking it out with an Earthquake, while taking little in return from Brave Bird thanks to Poison Heal.

Team Options
========

Though Crobat's typing offers it numerous weaknesses, it has resistances that allow it to fit into teams and cover up holes very easily. A teammate who can deal with Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon is absolutely mandatory, as they are hard stops to Crobat. Magnezone is a solid partner in this regard since Magnet Pull lets it reliably trap and kill a number of Steel-type Pokemon, while beating Rock-type Pokemon with STAB Flash Cannon on top of resisting all four of Crobat's weaknesses by itself. Despite having a shared Psychic weakness, Conkeldurr works well with Crobat as it not only lures out Mega Venusaur, who can be beaten by Crobat, but it deals with Zapdos, Heatran, Rotom-W, Tyranitar, and Bisharp with ease. Conkeldurr's access to Guts also means it can utilize status spread by Heatran, Zapdos, or Rotom-W and hit even harder. As mentioned, Crobat is a solid Gliscor check, so physical attackers who have trouble breaking through it, such as Swords Dance Aegislash, Garchomp, Mega Mawile, and Bisharp, are all partners who can take advantage of Crobat's support. Crobat is also able to plow down most Fighting- and Grass-type Pokemon such as Breloom, Trevenant, Venusaur, Celebi, Conkeldurr, and Lucario with Brave Bird so Pokemon who appreciate their removal, such as Rotom-W, Keldeo, Quagsire, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Hydreigon, work with Crobat effectively. Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock who can take advantage of its Defog support also work well, such as Volcarona, Dragonite, Charizard, and Thundurus, since they all have an easier time sweeping with hazards missing from their side of the field.

Other Options
########

Crobat's movepool is somewhat shallow and doesn't offer too many other choices for it to use. Venom Drench is an interesting new move it gained this generation that allows it to significantly cripple any poisoned attackers, possibly forcing them back out in the long run while racking up hazard damage. A Choice Band set consisting of Brave Bird, Cross Poison/Super Fang, U-turn, and Sleep Talk can be used, though it is highly outclassed by Pokemon such as Staraptor and Talonflame, who both possess better coverage and are able to hit significantly harder. In a similar regard, Sharp Beak allows Crobat to hit harder with Brave Bird with little cost to its staying power, but it will greatly miss the passive recovery from Black Sludge. Crobat does have access to Nasty Plot and Heat Wave, enabling it to take on most Steel-types barring Heatran, but it is heavily outclassed as a Nasty Plot sweeper by Pokemon such as Mega Lucario, Thundurus, and even Togekiss, who all possess better Special Attack stats and coverage.


Checks & Counters
########

**Steel-types**: Most Steel-types in general are able to counter Crobat and force it out thanks to their resistance to Brave Bird and immunity to Toxic; examples include Heatran, Magnezone, Jirachi, Skarmory, Aegislash, Klefki, and Bisharp. Bisharp is especially dangerous as it not only forces Crobat out for a free turn, but its Defiant ability allows it to switch in on Defog and get a free +2 Attack boost, making it an immediate threat for your team to deal with. Ferrothorn and Forretress are neutral to Brave Bird but are still able to take a hit with ease and deal significant damage to Crobat with Gyro Ball. Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs ability is especially discouraging to Crobat.

**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, and Barbaracle are able to stomach a Brave Bird and either trap Crobat with Pursuit in Tyranitar's case, KO with Stone Edge, or set up on it while forcing it out with ease. However, all of them must be wary of switching into a Toxic.

**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zapdos, Rotom-W, Thundurus, and Mega Manectric are able to switch in freely and KO Crobat with Thunderbolt or force it out and gain momentum with Volt Switch. However, they also have to be wary of a surprise Toxic on the switch-in.

**Stealth Rock**: Crobat has a painful Stealth Rock weakness, so this often can render it easier to take down for some offensive threats. This, coupled with Brave Bird's recoil, can often mean Crobat may be KOed easily if it fails to net a much-needed KO with Brave Bird.

**Priority Attacks**: Crobat resists no priority outside of Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, meaning a boosted hit can leave a dent in it, allowing Pokemon such as Talonflame, Scizor, and Mamoswine to pick Crobat off. Extremespeed Genesect is also a noteworthy issue for Crobat since the given EV spread gives it an Attack boost from Download.

**Revenge killing**: Crobat can be revenge killed easily by Pokemon such as Choice Band Talonflame as well as Choice Scarf users such as Genesect, Terrakion, Tyranitar, and Garchomp. Faster threats such as Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Alakazam are able to outspeed Crobat and OHKO with their respective STABs as well.

Ok, there weren't really a lot of grammar mistakes, but there were a couple of wording fixes that you could make ^^ Nice job! I'll find an official GP member to check this one last time.

 

[Redew]

I went over this check with her over chat and this is now GP 2/2.

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

I went over this check with her over chat and this is now GP 2/2.

Thank you!

 

[Legitimate Username]

CoolStoryBrobat
I need to bring up the whole Black Sludge over Leftovers issue.

Most of the time, Black Sludge will be inferior to Leftovers. Why is this, I hear you ask? Surely Black Sludge is superior if held by a Poison-type, as not only does it heal the same amount, but it also damages any Pokemon who tries to use Trick? Well, yes, this is true. However, there is a problem with this—even if your opponent does accidentally get Black Sludge by Trick or Switcheroo, your Pokemon is still crippled, while the Trick user can just shrug and Trick your Black Sludge onto a different Pokemon on your team, later in the battle, thus crippling two Pokemon on your team, instead of one. Of course, you could always predict this and switch in your original Poison-type—but this is a gamble. In short, Leftovers is the safer item, even for Poison-types.

The analysis specifically references why Black Sludge is superior, but as demonstrated above, the logic in this is flawed. I'm not necessarily saying that Leftovers should replace Black Sludge here, but I think that it should at least remove the erroneous reasoning as to why it's superior to Leftovers and simply say something like "Black Sludge is used for passive recovery".

EDIT: Shroomisaur, you've convinced me. I no longer think that the change is necessary. Also, I don't think that slashing both is necessary, because the difference seems minor enough that it's not really worth the extra clutter/explanation.

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

CoolStoryBrobat
I need to bring up the whole Black Sludge over Leftovers issue.

The analysis specifically references why Black Sludge is superior, but as demonstrated above, the logic in this is flawed. I'm not necessarily saying that Leftovers should replace Black Sludge here, but I think that it should at least remove the erroneous reasoning as to why it's superior to Leftovers and simply say something like "Black Sludge is used for passive recovery".

I was kind of thinking about this argument but I had it fixed in my mind that prediction often goes two ways and the opponent may not even have a safe opportunity to use Trick a second time in some matches. But I can fix this since it is a valid point. Would that also mean slashing Leftovers with Black Sludge, too?

 

[Shroomisaur]

CoolStoryBrobat
I need to bring up the whole Black Sludge over Leftovers issue.

The analysis specifically references why Black Sludge is superior, but as demonstrated above, the logic in this is flawed. I'm not necessarily saying that Leftovers should replace Black Sludge here, but I think that it should at least remove the erroneous reasoning as to why it's superior to Leftovers and simply say something like "Black Sludge is used for passive recovery".

This info you posted is out of date and not really true. I've previously read a consensus that showed why Black Sludge is better than Lefties on any Poison-type (here's the thread by Eo Ut Mortus: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/black-sludge.3470127/ ), and I'm not sure why the old Black Sludge page hasn't been updated. Either way, the difference is minor so yes a simple "Black Sludge = recovery" blurb would be fine.

 

[Seth Vilo]

This lil guy needs the Genesect mention removed. That last point to stop Download could probably just be dumped into Attack.

 

[thatgirl]

I think Poison Fang should get a mention, at least in OO. Despite it's low base power, 50% toxic poison rate on an attack sounds pretty cool.

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

This lil guy needs the Genesect mention removed. That last point to stop Download could probably just be dumped into Attack.

That, I'm definitely gonna get to, it hit me a while ago after the Genesect ban but I never got around to it. Thanks for reminding me.

I think Poison Fang should get a mention, at least in OO. Despite it's low base power, 50% toxic poison rate on an attack sounds pretty cool.

Well the thing with Poison Fang, it doesn't offer you any significantly better coverage against anything other than a few Fairies who you still can't get any solid kills on. And Toxic has a 100% poison rate compared to Toxic's 50%, which can sometimes make a big difference. It's understandable that having the Toxic poison + free damage + not being stopped by Taunt would boost Poison Fang's value, but the unreliability of it compared to Toxic can be that much more costly, in my opinion.

 

[Aragorn the King]

I feel like Infiltrator Haze now deserves a mention as an okay way to kill/frustrate Baton Pass chains. It's still mauled by stored power, but it resists Hyper Voice, and so can Haze on any Pokemon other than Espeon, namely Sylveon and Scolipede.

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

I feel like Infiltrator Haze now deserves a mention as an okay way to kill/frustrate Baton Pass chains. It's still mauled by stored power, but it resists Hyper Voice, and so can Haze on any Pokemon other than Espeon, namely Sylveon and Scolipede.

I thought Haze went around subs already? Either way you still can Haze Espeon since it affects all mons on the field, and thus can't be affected by Magic Bounce.

 

[Aragorn the King]

I thought Haze went around subs already? Either way you still can Haze Espeon since it affects all mons on the field, and thus can't be affected by Magic Bounce.

I know magic bounce doesn't reflect Haze. I was just saying you shouldn't try to check Espeon with Haze, as Stored Power will maul you.

Oh, and you're right about the Substitute thing. Oh well. Infiltrator is still a cool ability though.

 

[craymond727]

Mentions of Jirachi and Forretress should be removed correct? And was Barbaracle given an analysis?

 

[craymond727]

while its ability Infiltrator allows it to hit foes behind Substitutes, such as Gengar, Scolipede, and Trevenant.

while still allowing Crobat to OHKO Trevenant and Alakazam and 2HKO Greninja, specially defensive Tentacruel

Grass-type Pokemon such as Breloom, Trevenant, Venusaur, Celebi, Conkeldurr, and Lucario with Brave Bird

examples include Heatran, Magnezone, Jirachi, Skarmory, Aegislash, Klefki, and Bisharp.

Remove mentions of above Pokemon. (Unless I'm incorrect, and in which case I apologize in advance)

 

[CoolStoryBrobat]

Remove mentions of above Pokemon. (Unless I'm incorrect, and in which case I apologize in advance)

Every one of those mons may have fallen to UU but they're still OU viable and have analyses, if I'm not mistaken. I mean take a look at Crobat itself

 

[Aragorn the King]

Every one of those mons may have fallen to UU but they're still OU viable and have analyses, if I'm not mistaken. I mean take a look at Crobat itself

Craymond is right. All mentions of rejected Pokemon have to be removed. Crobat wasn't rejected, but Jirachi, Trevenant, and Tentacruel were.

Remove mentions of above Pokemon. (Unless I'm incorrect, and in which case I apologize in advance)

Barbaracle does have one. But the others were rejected, so you're right.

EDIT: Barb was rejected too.

 

[Swamp Link]

Hi, I know this analysis has been done for a while, and I and the others appreciate your work; this is about the Pokemon, not you.

Crobat isn't that good in OU. It offers a lot of utility, but it is weak and doesn't threaten many things, and those that it does have a lot of other Pokemon that can do the same. We've been talking about this for a while, and its utility alone isn't enough. In games where that utility of Defog and Taunt is not needed, its often dead weight, and there's a lot of stallbreakers, Crobat isn't very needed for that. The main problem is that it's too weak, and it's not especially bulky. Crobat is easy to replace on most teams, which isn't a good sign for its viability. It just doesn't offer enough outside of a fast Defog.

QC Rejected 1/3

 

[Unowninator]

Toxic now has perfect accuracy when used by Crobat

Is this part really necessary in the analysis? I mean, if it were Will-o-wisp, or had an accuracy of 70 - 85 accuracy, I'd definitely agree, but it's accuracy is pretty high & reliable.

 

[Seth Vilo]

Is this part really necessary in the analysis? I mean, if it were Will-o-wisp, or had an accuracy of 70 - 85 accuracy, I'd definitely agree, but it's accuracy is pretty high & reliable.

I think it's more that it's the nifty new mechanics of Gen VI that he's making sure people know. The whole "Poison-types never ever miss with Toxic, no matter what" thing.

 

[Jukain]

qc reject 2/3

 

[Ash Borer]

sorry I see no reason to use crobat. rject 3/3.