Delphox [QC 0/3] [Updating]

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
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Overview
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+ Very powerful; Fire-type is good offensively
+ Can cripple defensive switch-ins with Trick
+ Good Special Defense
+ Very few true switchins; many, like Slowking, have declined in usage

- Faces tough competition from other Fire-types
- Struggles to find a place compared to other powerful Psychic-types like Meloeta and Reuniclus
- Houndoom is almost a full stop to it now, forcing it to run mediocre Hidden Powers to hit it.

Choice Specs
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name: Choice Specs
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Grass Knot / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Switcheroo
ability: Blaze
item: Choice Specs
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

- Fire Blast is obligatory STAB, hits very hard
- Psychic other STAB; hits the likes of Rhyperior and PDef Mola harder than Psyshock
- Psyshock is an alternative to Psychic that hits specially defensive Pokemon, like Aromatisse and Lanturn, harder than Psychic.
- Grass Knot hits many Water- and Ground-types hard, OHKOing Rhyperior, Gastrodon, and Kabutops
- HP Ground hits Houndoom super effectively, cleanly OHKOing it
- Switcheroo cripples bulky walls such as non-mega Audino andCresselia by removing their recovery and forcing the into one move.

Set Details
========

- Max Speed to outpace base 100s such as Mega Glalie
- Special Attack + Specs to maximize damage output
- Blaze because you're holding an item and Magician doesn't do anything (emphasizing its uselessness!!!)

Usage Tips
========

- Breaks down Regen cores
- Comes in early game and can open holes in the opposing team, letting something like Mega Pidgeot clean up the opposing team
- Don't let Pursuit-trappers, such as Houndoom, Skuntank and Spiritomb, get any free switch-in; Pursuit immediately removes it from the match.
- If there is a Pursuit-trapper, make sure you don't KO anything unless it's more important to kill that than to preserve Delphox.

Team Options
========

- Entry hazard removal gives Delphox more longevity, letting it come in more during a match.
- Fast cleaners that appreciate wallbreaking, such as Mega Sceptile and Mega Pidgeot
- Dugtrio can take out Skuntank and Houndoom, letting it KO targets freely without fear of being Pursuit-trapped.
- Entry hazard support is appreciated; Omastar can lay SR and Spikes, letting this OHKO Spiritomb and Skuntank with Fire Blast if they switch in.

Other Options
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- SubCM
- Choice Scarf
- Switcheroo + Flame Orb / Will-o-Wisp
- Specially Defensive
- Power Herb + Solar Beam
- Mystical Fire

Checks & Counters
########

**Bulky Water-types**: Slowking is the best counter you'll get, as the Assault Vest set can take on almost anything Delphox can throw at it, and it can do massive damage with Scald, but it won't like being given a Choice item. Jellicent, Lanturn, and specially defensive Alomomola can also fulfill the same role. Be wary, though, that none of these Pokemon like switching into Switcheroo; Lantern also detests switching into Hidden Power Ground.

**Bulky Pokemon**: Specially defensive Meloetta, Druddigon, Miltank, and Cradily can all take any of Delphox's attacks and hurt it back. Meloetta can use Hyper Voice, Druddigon can use Dragon Claw, Outrage, Earthquake, or Sucker Punch, Miltank can paralyze Delphox, and Cradily can KO with Rock Slide after Stealth Rock and Life Orb damage. Carbink can switch into Delphox rather easily, stall it out with a combination of Toxic and Protect, and then take it out with Rock Slide. As before, none of these Pokemon like switching into Switcheroo.

**Faster Pokemon**: Dugtrio can trap Delphox and KO it with Earthquake. Speed Boost Sharpedo can easily revenge kill Delphox. Durant also outspeeds and KOes with Crunch or Rock Slide. Choice Scarf users such as Braviary can revenge kill Delphox.

**Pursuit Trappers**: Anything that uses Pursuit, such as Skuntank, Spiritomb, Houndoom, and occasionally Drapion, can KO it if it attempts to switch out; these Pokemon frequently carry Sucker Punch as well to hit Delphox if it stays in. Escavalier can even Pursuit-trap Delphox if it is locked into Psyshock or Grass Knot! Beware, however, that only Houndoom likes switching in; the others are all 2HKOed by Fire Blast, and even Houndoom is OHKOd by Hidden Power Ground after Stealth Rock damage.

**Residual Damage**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web all really hurt Delphox. Toxic damage also racks up rather quickly.
 
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Delphox now has access to Dazzling Gleam in ORAS and I feel it's a solid coverage option to at least warrant an OO mention
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
Tyrantrum: Psychic 100% ko. Dazzling Gleam, 100% KO as well;nice if you're using shock, i guess.

Druddigon: an extra about 14% to 236 HP. No real change to any koes, shock also 2hitkoes. Extra damage isn't nothing though

Zweilous:lol (not even smack talking, if its relevant you obviously rekt it and nothing else does, the actual relevance i will leave to someone else)

Unless zwei zwei suddenly becomes a huge threat, OO sounds good, i guess. Mention that it's especially nice alongside shock
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
is a Community Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
I'd like QC's opinion on whether SubCM and Choice Scarf are still viable. Right now I'm removing Choice Scarf and keeping SubCM, but the prevalence of Quagsire and Specially Defensive Alomomola may make the latter set sort of useless. Honestly, I can't see any reason to use Scarf Delphox over Scarf Moltres.

Also, which Hidden Power is the best om the Specs set to deal with Houndoom? HP Fighting, Rock, and Ground all hit it super effectively, but none of them really do much beyond killing Houndoom. Thanks ^^
 
Did some LO Foul Play calculations on Delphox's checks and counters just for fun.

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Slowking: 151-179 (38.4 - 45.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Jellicent: 143-169 (35.4 - 41.9%) -- 81.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Meloetta: 179-213 (44.3 - 52.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 252 HP / 152+ Def Cresselia: 83-99 (18.6 - 22.2%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery

Damn this really sucks... But even if it did do something, all these Pokemon can afford to use 0 Atk IVs anyway.

I'm guessing Dazzling Gleam is the most (or only) notable coverage move that the Kinniekins received... Does Shock Wave or Signal Beam work on anything notable?
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
is a Community Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Did some LO Foul Play calculations on Delphox's checks and counters just for fun.

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Slowking: 151-179 (38.4 - 45.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Jellicent: 143-169 (35.4 - 41.9%) -- 81.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Meloetta: 179-213 (44.3 - 52.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0- Atk Life Orb Delphox Foul Play vs. 252 HP / 152+ Def Cresselia: 83-99 (18.6 - 22.2%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery

Damn this really sucks... But even if it did do something, all these Pokemon can afford to use 0 Atk IVs anyway.

I'm guessing Dazzling Gleam is the most (or only) notable coverage move that the Kinniekins received... Does Shock Wave or Signal Beam work on anything notable?
Foul Play is really bad as those calcs show, haha; Jellicent gets hit harder by Specs Psychock, and Meloetta's probably hit harder by Specs Fire Blast once you factor in 0 EVs.

Other two do nothing (Mantine lol), adding Dazzling Gleam to OO.

Thank you, and welcome to Smogon! :D
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
is a Community Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
getting to this over the weekend, also going to implement what Meru said / comb through this again so please don't QC yet
 
You should mention it's weakness to many priority moves in the Checks and Counters.

Aqua Jet, Shadow Sneak, and Sucker Punch can give Delphox a pretty hard time considering how frail it is, and it can't really afford to tank any of the resisted ones if it is worn down from entry hazards.

Just my suggestion.
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
is a Community Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
You should mention it's weakness to many priority moves in the Checks and Counters.

Aqua Jet, Shadow Sneak, and Sucker Punch can give Delphox a pretty hard time considering how frail it is, and it can't really afford to tank any of the resisted ones if it is worn down from entry hazards.

Just my suggestion.
Yes, that's definitely something I'll consider adding, or at least throw in with Faster Pokemon. Thanks again! :p
 

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