D/P Kabutops

[RaikouLover]

Kabutops is a severely underrated pokemon, that is not getting any sort of use, and I feel the analysis needs a revision. Kabutops has many things going for it, such as a 50% special defense boost in sandstorm, and gamebreakingly awesome speed in rain. Therefore, it can fit on many teams. I am proposing that we revise the analysis to make it a more effective model.

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/kabutops

The first set is a minor revision in EVs:

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Stone-Edge
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Aqua Jet
item: Choice Band
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 20 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spe

Standard Choice Bander. The explanation really needs no revision, except for the fact that it reaches 280 speed to outrun Adamant Lucario and finish it off, as Kabutops resists its Extremespeed. Swift Swim is preferable over Battle Armor, as this can be used on a Rain Dance team, or can help your team combat Rain Dance teams, as it will outrun every pokemon in the game in the rain.

[SET]
Name: Swords Dancer
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Stone-Edge
move 4: Aqua Jet / X-Scissor
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 20 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This is a highly destructive set, similar in fashion to Swords Dance Lucario. After a single boost, most walls can be decimated with the help of Rain or a few layers of spikes. Water and Rock is excellent type coverage and both receive STAB. Aqua Jet can pick off a few frail sweepers outside of rain, but X-Scissor is a reliable way to destroy Celebi, Slowbro, and Starmie, if you fear Stone-Edge's fatal accuracy.</p>

Damage Calculations after a Swords Dance:

Waterfall vs. Standard Relaxed Bronzong 73-87%, (OHKO in rain)
Stone Edge vs. Standard Impish Skarmory 71-84%
Waterfall vs. Max HP Standard Impish Skarmory in Rain 84-100%
Stone Edge vs. Max HP Standard Relaxed Forretress 69-82%
Waterfall vs. Max HP Standard Relaxed Forretress in Rain 83-98%

Aqua Jet vs. 40 HP min Def Weavile 79-93%
Aqua Jet vs. 4 HP min Def Gengar 90-106%
Aqua Jet vs. 4 HP min Def Azelf 71-85%
Aqua Jet vs. 40 HP min Def Jolteon 84-95%

The second set is the main change. Kabutops has no time to set up Swords Dance AND Rain, and the set doesnt take into account what happens to it outside of rain. This model should be able to abuse both Sandstorm and Rain conditions.

 

[the Lexx]

I've been the swords dance set in OU for a while... it's rediculously powerful, only Salamence (not on the switch) and full health Swampert/Celebi stop you. Since you (should) be using Aqua Jet I find the power boost from Adamant is a lot better. I forget the EVs, I'll have to dig them up.

I was going to make a thread/RMT on this a while back but I kinda wanted to keep it secret =[

 

[Wayff]

Few things. First of all, Mysticwater, Leftovers, and Focus Sash all deserve a mention on the second set. Defensive Kabutops gets a mention somewhere. Rock Polish should be mentioned over Swords Dance for anyone that wants Speed over Attack for some reason. You could use a set like this. Rapid Spin, Rain Dance, Waterfall, Stone Edge. That allows you to give support to a Rain Dance team. Adamant definetly needs a mention. 56 HP/252 Atk/200 Spd is for Adamant. If you do use that, you can beat 245 Celebi by one point and hit it hard before it can use Grass Knot to kill you, assuming you're using this on a non-rain team. I'd give Brick Break a random mention too.

 

[RaikouLover]

Support sets are already listed. This is strictly the sweeping sets.

Originally Posted by Wayff
Adamant definetly needs a mention. 56 HP/252 Atk/200 Spd is for Adamant. If you do use that, you can beat 245 Celebi by one point and hit it hard before it can use Grass Knot to kill you, assuming you're using this on a non-rain team. I'd give Brick Break a random mention too.

Jolly is listed because there are a few things that outspeeding can really help. Adamant Swords Dance Lucario is a potent threat to any team, and you outrun it without any rain support, and can send it to the coffins. All it can do is E-S you for NVE damage. Also... Heracross is a massive threat that you will lose to with Adamant. You also can catch things like Mixmence off guard and OHKO with Stone-Edge.

Originally Posted by the Lexx
it's rediculously powerful, only Salamence (not on the switch) and full health Swampert/Celebi stop you. Since you (should) be using Aqua Jet I find the power boost from Adamant is a lot better. I forget the EVs, I'll have to dig them up.

Salamence will lose to Stone-Edge. Aqua Jet is not the primary sweeping move. It's played like Lucario. Waterfall and Stone-Edge should beat anything slower than you. Aqua Jet is merely for frail sweepers. Theoretically, Kabutops wants rain support, as it can smash everything to pieces with Waterfall.

 

[AJC]

you will generally lose to heracross anyways since heracross is likely scarfed 7 out of 10 times

and heracross can take a unboosted aqua jet from tops i forget how much but i know that it can live and will OHKO you back with close combat

 

[Cynthia]

I agree with the Kabutops analysis, it really doesn't have time to set up both SD and Rain Dance, perhaps just use SD on a Rain Dance team

The most effective Kabutops set is probably CB in rain though, the set almost actually works better in OU than in UU ( less bulky grasses, less Poliwrath/Quagsire usage.) The only OU Water/Rock resist is Breloom who can't take Waterfall or Stone Edge anyway due to mediocre defenses.

 

[RaikouLover]

I agree. Have any mods looked at this yet?

 

[Lee]

Thumbs up on the Swords Dance/Aqua Jet set. I've used it for a while and it's particularly potent for two reasons:

- Oddly enough Heatran (Earth Power) and Infernape (GK/CC) quite often come in for the revenge kill only to get blitzed by SD Aqua Jet.

- He plays so similarly to SDLuke and since most teams rely on Gliscor to counter SDLuke, they have little defense against Kab, who easily OHKO's Gliscor after a SD.

Aqua Jet needs to be a mainstay on the set rather than an option alongside X-Scissor. If X-Scissor really NEEDS to be an option (it only really hits Celebi significantly harder since Stone Edge hits nearly as hard on other Grasses/Psychics/Darks), it should go over Waterfall imo, but I'd rather it wasn't mentioned at all tbh.

Anyway, I'm happy to add it into the analysis if nobody has any objections but which one are we looking to replace? I'm thinking the Rock Polish/Swords Dance/Stone Edge/Waterfall set since there's no way Kabutops is ever gonna snatch two turns of setup with that atrocious typing and Aqua Jet has a similar effect to Rock Polish if you get my meaning. Seems like the most logical move. Any thoughts?

 

[Phuquoph]

Bear in mind that just because Kabutops works in OU, he is still an UU Pokemon. In UU, X-Scissor is not really worth a moveslot. Toxicroak, Poliwrath and Quagsire all resist his STAB moves. Because of that you're better off with Return or Aerial Ace on the CB set.

Agreeing with Lee about the Swords Dance set, Aqua Jet is too good to leave out. I tried both options, and whenever I used X-Scissor I was always wishing I had picked Aqua Jet instead. It just isn't useful enough, especially compared to Aqua Jet.

 

[RaikouLover]

I still think X-Scissor does deserve a mention, simply because it can be used on a Rain Team to great effect, as Surf will cause deadly damage to Kabutops coming from Starmie and Slowbro, if Stone-Edge misses. X-Scissor also helps finishing off Celebi if there is no time for a Swords Dance. I found no need for Aqua Jet when Kabutops is accompanied by rain support, simply because he already outruns everything. Aqua Jet has more merits if Kabutops is used outside of Rain Dance for reasons already stated. Therefore it still deserves a mention IMO. Maybe in other options?

As for the Choice Band set, I think the ability and EVs should be changed to what I listed. Any thoughts?

 

[Bologo]

I've used SD Kabutops for a long time with Mystic Water to give Aqua Jet a little more punch. This set is just deadly, and it's probably the best bet for Kabutops in OU.

It boasts the amazing niche of the strongest boostable Aqua Jet, and Water/Rock STAB is one of the best offensive STAB combos out there.

I personally don't even use Waterfall, and I use Brick Break in the last slot for Empoleon since he seems to be showing up more in my battles.

The great thing about SD Kabutops is that unlike a lot of other Water-types, he doesn't even need the Rain, despite Swift Swim. Remember, that he can work in Sandstorm as well, making him quite durable being a Rock-type and therefore getting a 50% special defense boost. I personally only run up to about 220 speed, max attack and then dump the rest in HP to allow Kabutops to take advantage of SS teams. He also gets the jump on a lot of SS teams since most members of them are weak to Water.

It's a great thing to know that this guy doesn't get Skarmory-fucked like many other physical attackers, and not even Cresselia-fucked since most of the time, people will run Kabutops with weather which screws Cresselia's Moonlight over, forcing her to Rest which allows Kabutops more time to set up and kill her easily with stuff like Stone Edge.

In short, I love SD Kabutops. :]

 

[Phuquoph]

Analysis has been updated. Read it for any mistakes or omissions.

Testing this thing was a lot of fun, especially in OU. It is surprisingly durable in Sandstorm, although still not always that easy to switch-in. SD/Stone Edge/Waterfall/Aqua Jet @ Mysticwater was especially good.

 

[RaikouLover]

Read it over. Looks good.

However the majority of the sets with the 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe spread are using Adamant. The nature should be Jolly with 236 Spe EVs to accomplish the 280 speed. If Adamant nature, the speed should be dropped down to 245 or 246, which would be 56 HP / 252 Atk / 200 Spe. I recommend the Choice Band and Swords Dance sets to use the Jolly Spread, with a mention of the Adamant spread in other options for the Swords Dancer. The Rain Dance and rock polish sets should use the Adamant spread.

 

[Aldaron]

this post is for jrrrrrrr's and Aldaron's purposes...

delete site represents OP