Delibird (Full Revamp)+

Not the largest job in the world, but there were a few things that needed working on. First of all the Analysis was based around a non-existant NU metagame, so I re-wrote the counters and other parts to make it more UU centric. It also gained Seed Bomb and Signal Beam which provide better coverage. I embellished some of Opinions and a little of Other Options. So a full Revamp as most parts needed a little editing, but more too major:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/delibird


[SET]
name: Choice Bander
move 1: Aerial Ace
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Ice Shard
move 4: Ice Punch / Seed Bomb
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Delibird has terrible stats and its Attack is no exception. However, the Santa bird has a little trick in its bag in the form of Hustle. With this ability, the power of its physical attacks are boosted at the cost of their accuracy. By using Aerial Ace, you get to enjoy the Attack boost while still retaining the ability to always hit your opponent. Focus Punch hits the Rocks and Steels who are resistant to Flying attacks. Ice Shard is useful against opponents to make up for Delibird's average Speed and those that try to use Flail, Reversal, or Endeavor sets. Ice Punch provides a stronger STAB than Ice Shard, but Seed Bomb will allow you to hit bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Gastrodon and Blastoise. Sleep Talk is an interesting option that can also be used in the last slot to absorb sleep attacks from foes like Venomoth. If you prefer the power that an Adamant Nature provides, you may use that as an option. However, be aware that you will lose the ability to outspeed +Speed base 70s such as Luxray and Poliwrath, and you will also lose the chance to tie with other +Speed base 75s such as Absol and Kingler.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Water Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
item: Choice Specs
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Its special movepool is even worse than its physical, but Delibird does have higher Special Attack than Attack without Hustle, and Vital Spirit is a very useful ability. Ice-type moves will obviously be your main mode of attacking. Ice Beam is the more consistent choice, but when using Delibird you may find you need the extra power that Blizzard brings to the table. Signal Beam will allow you to hit Grumpig and Hypno harder, who will otherwise wall this set. Water Pulse hits Ninetales and Flareon who can switch in freely on any other move. Hidden Power Grass is effective against Water-types except for Mantine who will shrug it off easily, if you are intent on hitting Mantine hard use Hidden Power Electric.

[SET]
name: Counter Sash
move 1: Counter
move 2: Thief
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Seismic Toss
item: Focus Sash
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Hasty
evs: 168 HP / 88 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Using Counter with Focus Sash attached is a fairly effective strategy for Pokémon that can't take a physical hit. Predict a powerful physical attack coming from your opponent, survive it with Focus Sash, and Counter it back for the KO. If the next opponent that shows up is slower than you, try to steal its item before you go down. If the enemy is faster, hit it with a Quick Attack (note that Counter and Ice Shard on the same set is illegal). Seismic Toss is just there for basic damage. Note that it is necessary to have Rapid Spin or anti-Stealth Rock support to pull this off, either that or lead with this set.</p>

[Other Options]
<p>Some Pokémon with bad stats have good movepools, but this isn't the case with Delibird. It can learn Rapid Spin but it happens to be the worst spinner out there since it loses 50% of its health from Stealth Rock simply by switching in. Quick Attack is a priority option over Ice Shard if you prefer to hit those annoying Fire-types a little harder. Brick Break requires less prediction than Focus Punch, but it also has only half the power. Toxic is a generic option and can be used on any of the sets to inflict some status. Icy Wind can be used on a predicted switch-in to lower your opponents’ Speed and aid in countering it.</p>

[EVs]
<p>Delibird can't take a hit at all, so simply max out its Attack or Special Attack and Speed. The Counter set needs enough EVs for 273 HP which can OHKO a max HP Wailord. Give it max Speed so it can still do something after using Counter. Make sure Delibird's HP is odd so it can survive two switch-ins into Stealth Rock.</p>

[Opinion]
<p>It has bad stats, a poor movepool and a type combo that gives it many weaknesses to common attacks. A 4x weakness to Stealth Rock makes matters even worse, especially seeing as Rapid Spin would have been one of its greater assets. Throughout the UU metagame you will find that Delibird is easily countered and any job you want Delibird to do will probably be done better by something else. If you are running the Choice sets ensure that you have solid Rapid Spin or anti Stealth Rock support to ensure that Delibird can come in and fire off hits. Delibird is currently hoping that an NU tier will be formed in order to have any chance of competing competitively. In short, there is almost always a better choice out there then Delibird.</p>

[Counters]
<p>As far as UU Pokemon go, Blastoise makes an excellent counter. It doesn’t fear any of Delibird’s attacks, besides perhaps a Specs Hidden Power Grass, and can KO back with ease. The same premise also holds for Dewgong. Fire-types such as Ninetales and Flareon can switch in on anything barring Water Pulse and set up. Stealth Rock will also ruin Delibird, forcing it to take a full half of its health upon switching in. In short, Delibird has bad defenses and mediocre attacks. With its poor type coverage, low Speed and poor Defenses, almost anything can switch in on an attack that isn’t super effective (barring perhaps Deoxys-A,) and KO back with a neutral attack.</p>
 
Fixed the Deoxys-A part. Most of the "Delibird is terrible" stuff came from the original analysis, and seeing as the smogon Delibird page is there to advise people the best use of Delibird i think it does its job to be honest. Delibird is terrible.
 

Venom

red eyes no visine
is a Team Rater Alumnus
Good change of Hidden Power Electric to Grass, this way you will be hitting all bulky waters regardless of typing. Is there any reason why the Choice Band does not have Quick Attack? People may think its a pretty mediocre move on something that has a very low Attack, but with a Choice Band you reach a good attack stat, possibly for some "revenge killing" or to finish off something, unless I'm missing something here.

[Counters]
<p>As far as UU Pokemon go, Blastoise makes an excellent counter, it doesn’t fear any of Delibird’s attacks, besides perhaps a Specs Hidden Power Electric and can KO back with ease. The same premise also holds for Dewgong. Fire-types such as Ninetales and Flareon can switch in on anything barring Hidden Power Water and set up. In short, Delibird has bad defenses and mediocre attacks. With its poor type coverage, low Speed and poor Defenses, almost anything can switch in on an attack that isn’t super effective (barring perhaps Deoxys-A,) and KO back with an attack that isn't super effective.</p>
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Delibird has terrible stats and its Attack is no exception. However, the Santa bird has a little trick in its bag in the form of Hustle. With this ability, the power of its physical attacks are boosted at the cost of their accuracy. By using Aerial Ace, you get to enjoy the Attack boost while still retaining the ability to always hit your opponent. Focus Punch hits the Rocks and Steels who are resistant to Flying attacks. Ice Shard is useful against opponents that try to use Flail, Reversal, or Endeavor sets. Ice Punch provides a stronger STAB than Ice Shard, but Seed Bomb will allow you to hit bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Gastrodon and Blastoise. Sleep Talk is an interesting move that can also be used in the last slot to absorb Sleep attacks from foes like Venomoth.</p>
 
Should Adamant be mentioned on the Choice Band set? Even with Hustle you'll want all the power you can muster; what are you outspeeding and KOing that makes Jolly more viable?
 

Venom

red eyes no visine
is a Team Rater Alumnus
right, an Ice Shard may be doing a better job at the priority attacking role, I though maybe Quick Attack could help against Fire-types, then again its not supposed to be staying in to Fire types
 
Venom you have a point, I'll put QA in other Options as after all it is a priority option that provides different coverage, just like Scizor can use QA if it want to hit Infernape.

EDIT: Made the nessecary changes

@Evil Mario looking at the Speed Tiers there are a few things, but I shall mention it in set comments. I guess basically Hustle + CB is quite a lot any (by Delibirds Standards), enough for Jolly to be the preferred Nature anyway.
 

macle

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[Other Options]
<p>Some Pokémon with bad stats have good movepools, but this isn't the case with Delibird. It can learn Rapid Spin but it happens to be the worst spinner out there since it loses 50% of its health from Stealth Rock simply by switching in. Quick Attack is a priority option of Ice Shard if you prefer to hit those annoying Fire-types a little harder. Brick Break requires less prediction than Focus Punch, but it also has only half the power. Toxic is a generic option and can be used on any of the sets to inflict some status. Icy Wind can be used on a predicted switch-in to lower your opponents’ Speed and aid in countering it.</p>
Changes in bold.
 
146 Attack does not 2HKO Steelix anywhere in this universe. Maybe you mean Bastiodon or Probopass. Aggron is not always 2HKO'd by Focus Punch though, so that could be pointed out if you like to. Good job for the rest...
 
Venom you have a point, I'll put QA in other Options as after all it is a priority option that provides different coverage, just like Scizor can use QA if it want to hit Infernape.

EDIT: Made the nessecary changes

@Evil Mario looking at the Speed Tiers there are a few things, but I shall mention it in set comments. I guess basically Hustle + CB is quite a lot any (by Delibirds Standards), enough for Jolly to be the preferred Nature anyway.
I was just mentioning it because half the moveset doesn't rely on speed. Focus Punch pretty much has to be on a switch, and Ice Shard ignores speed altogether. Although he risk falling behind a few bulky waters, they'll have to have a fair bit of speed investment.
 
Good Point, fixing now!
Running some calcs, I've found Aggron is always 2HKO'd by Water Pulse (Ice Beam does better vs Steelix obv), so maybe slashing WP over Focus punch rather than over the important signal beam is worth it... I do not know how many damages Water Pulse is going to deal to the likes of Bastiodon/Probopass though.
 
after thinking about it I agree with you, in fact I would go as far as to say that Focus Punch is the inferior Option so I am going to put Water Pulse first with Focus Punch slashed. Thanks for the heads up!
 
Not the largest job in the world, but there were a few things that needed working on. First of all the Analysis was based around a non-existant NU metagame, so I re-wrote the counters and other parts to make it more UU centric. It also gained Seed Bomb and Signal Beam which provide better coverage. I embellished some of Opinions and a little of Other Options. So a full Revamp as most parts needed a little editing, but more too major:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/delibird


[SET]
name: Choice Bander
move 1: Aerial Ace
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Ice Shard
move 4: Ice Punch / Seed Bomb
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Delibird has terrible stats and its Attack is no exception. However, the Santa bird has a little trick in its bag in the form of Hustle. With this ability, the power of its physical attacks are boosted at the cost of their accuracy. By using Aerial Ace, you get to enjoy the Attack boost while still retaining the ability to always hit your opponent. Focus Punch hits the Rocks and Steels who are resistant to Flying attacks. Ice Shard is useful against opponents that try to use Flail, Reversal, or Endeavor sets. Ice Punch provides a stronger STAB than Ice Shard, but Seed Bomb will allow you to hit bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Gastrodon and Blastoise. Sleep Talk is an interesting option (mostly preferance, sounds better) that can also be used in the last slot to absorb Sleep attacks from foes like Venomoth. If you prefer the power that an Adamant Nature provides, you may use that as an option. However, be aware that you will lose the ability to outspeed +Speed base 70s such as Luxray and Poliwrath, and you will also lose the chance to tie with other +Speed base 75s such as Absol and Kingler.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Water Pulse / Focus Punch
item: Choice Specs
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Hasty
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Its special movepool is even worse than its physical, but Delibird does have higher Special Attack than Attack without Hustle, and Vital Spirit is a very useful ability. Ice (Ice? Like, the type?) will obviously be your main mode of attacking. Ice Beam is the more consistent choice, but when using Delibird you may find you need the extra power that Blizzard brings to the table. Water Pulse hits Ninetales and Flareon, but Signal Beam will allow you to hit Grumpig and Hypno harder (why are you acting like the two moves are contending against eachother?They aren't even in the same slot.), who will otherwise wall this ( took out "special") set. Hidden Power Grass is effective against Water-types and Focus Punch can 2HKO the likes of Bastiodon, Aggron, and Probopass.</p>

[SET]
name: Counter Sash
move 1: Counter
move 2: Thief
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Seismic Toss
item: Focus Sash
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Hasty
evs: 168 HP / 88 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Using Counter with Focus Sash attached is a fairly effective strategy for Pokémon that can't take a physical hit. Predict a powerful physical attack coming from your opponent, survive it with Focus Sash, and Counter it back for the KO. If the next opponent that shows up is slower than you, try to steal its item before you go down. If the enemy is faster, hit it with a Quick Attack (note that Counter and Ice Shard on the same set is illegal). Seismic Toss is just there for basic damage. Note that it is necessary to have Rapid Spin or anti-Stealth Rock support to pull this off, either that or lead with this set. (lol setting high standards leading with this set)</p>

[Other Options]
<p>Some Pokémon with bad stats have good movepools, but this isn't the case with Delibird. It can learn Rapid Spin but it happens to be the worst spinner out there since it loses 50% of its health from Stealth Rock simply by switching in. Quick Attack is a priority move over Ice Shard if you prefer to hit those annoying Fire-types a little harder. Brick Break requires less prediction than Focus Punch, but it also has only half the power. Toxic is a generic option and can be used on any of the sets to inflict some status. Icy Wind can be used on a predicted switch-in to lower your opponents’ Speed and aid in countering it.</p>

[EVs]
<p>Delibird can't take a hit at all, so simply max out its Attack or Special Attack and Speed. The Counter set needs enough EVs for 273 HP which can OHKO a max HP Wailord. Give it max Speed so it can still do something after using Counter. Make sure Delibird's HP is odd so it can survive two switch-ins into Stealth Rock.</p>

[Opinion]
<p>It has bad stats, a poor movepool and a type combo that gives it many weaknesses to common attacks. A 4x weakness to Stealth Rock makes matters even worse, especially seeing as Rapid Spin would have been one of its greater assets. Throughout the UU metagame you will find that Delibird is easily countered and any job you want Delibird to do will probably be done better by something else. Delibird is currently hoping that an NU tier will be formed in order to have any chance of competing competitively.(not sure if this is supposed to be here, but hey :P)</p>

[Counters]
<p>As far as UU Pokemon go, Blastoise makes an excellent counter. It doesn’t fear any of Delibird’s attacks, besides perhaps a Specs Hidden (that seems like it should be in brackets)Power Electric and can KO back with ease. The same premise also holds for Dewgong. Fire-types such as Ninetales and Flareon can switch in on anything barring Hidden Power Water (...you mean Water Pulse?) and set up. In short, Delibird has bad defenses and mediocre attacks. With its poor type coverage, low Speed and poor Defenses, almost anything can switch in on an attack that isn’t super effective (barring perhaps Deoxys-A) and KO back with a neutral attack.</p>
Oooh. Delibird is really bad, isn't it? Anyway, just read through my suggestions and such.
 
Thanks, the NU bit was just maintaining a light hopefulness who anyone using Delibird will probably posess anyway. I felt that two commas was enough to separate the hidden power electric (which I have now changed to Grass) brackets seemed a little extreme. I also removed Focus Punch entirely from the Specs set, it seems the only thing that its really needed for is Clefable, which it wont do much to anyway. Specs + 252 SpA EVs Water Pulse will do enough to Probopass, Bastiodon etc... who arent _amazingly_ common anyway...

anyone care to argue with that?
 
Minor nitpick: Since youre omitting Focus Punch, you should probably change Hasty to Timid in the Choice Specs set, and allocate the 4 Atk EVs to HP, Def or SpDef.
 

Arcticblast

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You can't make the whole Opinion section negative. It got much-needed additions from Platinum (What other non-Snover/Abomasnow can use grass moves?)
 
Opinion is there for a reason, to explain whether you think the Pokemon is competitvly viable, the original writer and I both tend to agree that it is not amazingly competitvley viable. I have outlined the importance of Seed Bomb in the original set, but it does not seem something that is worthy of "opinion" if it is already highlighted in Set Comments, I do see what you mean but I don't want the analysis to give people false hope that Delibird is the answer to all of their problems.

Stealth Bump so that this gets more viewing
 
You might want to recommend using Spin support on the Choice sets in the Opinion or something, as Delibird is getting raped by SR every switch-in.
 
Seems a little odd to repeat it in both Sets, I'll stick a mention in Opinion and Counters, thanks for the heads up
 

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