DP Palkia

[Colonel M]

Analysis: http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/palkia

Re-writing the SubPunch set. This could use a little help and it seems quite viable for a set. I've taken note that you MUST have 364 Attack in order to OHKO Blissey so for that reason we need a Brave nature. I've added everything else and did what I could. I could use some help with EV adjusting and maybe considering options if you can.

[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Surf / Spacial Rend
move 4: Spacial Rend / Fire Blast
item: Expert Belt
nature: Hasty
EVs: 156 HP / 100 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Palkia can easily take advantage of Substitute with a metagame that is thriving with status-inflicting moves. The combination of Substitute and Focus Punch help Palkia arrange to beat some of its counters including the number one threat: Blissey. With Expert Belt and the given EVs Focus Punch OHKO 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey with no problems whatsoever. What makes this set even more devastating is it can 2HKO Kyogre and Dialga provided they aren't investing in both HP and Defense too much. Surf or Fire Blast is whether you prefer to play this set in the rain or in the sun. If you prefer the rain you have better options here as you can abuse both STABs with relative ease. The sun gives Palkia more abuse of Fire Blast as the sun gives it a pseudo-STAB move and combining Spacial Rend with it offers perfect coverage. It also gives you a better advantage against Steel and Grass-types that would normally shrug off Palkia's STAB Surfs.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute + Bulk Up
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
item: Salac Berry
nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bulk Up Palkia is definitely inferior to Bulk Up Dialga when it comes to Bulk Up plus Rest and Sleep Talk; however, Palkia has more Speed to take advantage of Substitute and the ability to use both of his STAB moves. Given that in mind the setup is simple. First use Substitute to block any status aimed at you then follow up with Bulk Ups. Dragon Claw and Aqua Tail allow Palkia to tear through with his STAB moves but Aqua Tail can be replaced with Earthquake to damage severely Dialga and Kyogre. Salac Berry is the prime option here to take advantage of obtaining more Speed once you've used Substitute three times. You can also use Lustrous Orb or Leftovers if you feel that Palkia needs more of an edge or some recovery each turn.</p>

 

[twash]

It also hurts on Kyogre and Dialga, and will 2HKO both of them.

Spacial Rend can be paired with Fire Blast, as Focus Punch will destroy any Heatran that dare to switch into the resisting attacks.

The item choice is relatively simple. Leftovers is the preffered option, as it allows you to repeated use Substitute.

Also spelt Spacial Rend wrong in the last paragraph, you spelt it as Spatial Rend.

I am also a bit unsure on the first line..
"Substitute on Palkia is quite valuable when you're aimed against common status moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Toxic, and Thunder Wave." It will generally be slower in Ubers due to the nature, and this makes it sound like you should put up a Substitute when faced with a Pokémon that could learn a status move. I think "Substitute on Palkia is quite valuable, as it guards you from status moves, such as Will-O-Wisp, Toxic, and Thunder Wave".

Just a few errors, nice edit though (:

EDIT: Congratz on 1k :)

 

[Colonel M]

Picked up those fixed. Thanks Twash Man

 

[User 12783]

I think SubPunch should actually be added. In the Ubers environment it is like the WiFi metagame. Blissey is running wild, with unorthodox moves such as Toxic. It can also help it beat many opposing threats such as Dialga, and other Pokemon, like Rayquaza, and Giratina (dent it at least some what). It also can defeat faster threats, and easily dispatch Darkrai, a very potent threat in the Uber metagame with Nasty Plot now.

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Substitute on Palkia is quite valuable, as it guards you from status moves, such as Will-O-Wisp, Toxic, and Thunder Wave. With this set your goal, is to set up a Substitute and then retaliate with an attack. It is also quite useful thanks to not only its ability, Pressure, but also to give him a use outside of the rain. The EVs given here guarantee an OHKO on 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey with Focus Punch which is the main reason to use this set. It also severely dents Kyogre and Dialga, allowing it to 2HKO both of them. Surf is a good attack when pairing him with Kyogre but make sure that you use Spacial Rend and not Fire Blast as it is ineffective in the rain. Spacial Rend can be also paired with Fire Blast (if the rain is not active), as Focus Punch will destroy any Heatran that dares to switch into the Fire Blast / Spacial Rend combination of attacks. It also can be useful against Shedinja as Fire Blast will easily scare it into its grave since Will-O-Wisp will be futile thanks to Substitute.</p>

<p>As for the item choice it becomes quite simple. Leftovers is the preferred option here as it helps you maintain the ability to re-use Substitute. However the option of Lustrous Orb is available if you choose to use the combination of Surf and Spacial Rend together but keep in mind that you will have to be careful using Substitute.</p>

Omitted it some unnecessary parts such as "shadowy shell" as that isn't really needed. An analysis should be to the point and just contain a lot information organized in a specific way so that it can flow easily by using transitional phrases, and by using a well developed vocabulary. It should be written like any research paper but is just shorter.

 

[Colonel M]

Reminder: put this thing into a grammar check as well and carefully look over the spelling check.

Thanks for the suggestions Sikh. Added everything mentioned in there as well.

EDIT: I'd like to point out this post back in the old thread by Great Sage as it's made me wonder a few things...

This set doesn't deal with Palkia's main counters in Ubers. Grass Arceus is probably the best one, and it hardly suffers anything from a pitiful Dragon Claw or Spacial Rend, or even Flamethrower, from either Palkia's inferior Attack stat or its superior Special Attack stat made inferior. Latias also only stands a 3/13 chance of being OHKOed by Dragon Claw with Jibaku's standard of 333 HP and 216 Defense. The standard Palkia has potential to severely damage anything in the game, but this set squanders that potential. An unexpected moveset doesn't equate to a good or useful moveset. Further, a Brave nature destroys one of Palkia's main advantages, its 100 base Speed. With a Brave nature, it is outrun by every Uber.

 

[jrrrrrrr]

Just a few quick fixes:

You spelled Spacial wrong in the moveset (move3)

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Substitute on Palkia is quite valuable, as it guards you from status moves, such as Will-O-Wisp, Toxic, and Thunder Wave. With this set your goal is to set up a Substitute and then retaliate with an attack. It is also quite useful thanks to not only its ability, Pressure, but also to give him a use outside of the rain. The EVs given here garuntee an OHKO on 651 HP / 119 Def Blissey with Focus Punch which is the main reason (removed "alone") to use this set. It also severely dents Kyogre and Dialga, allowing it to 2HKO both of them. Surf is a good attack when pairing him with Kyogre, but make sure that you use Spacial Rend and not Fire Blast as it is ineffective in the rain. Spacial Rend can be also paired with Fire Blast, as Focus Punch will destroy any Heatran that dares to switch into resisted attacks if the rain is absent. It also can be useful against Shedinja as Fire Blast will easily scare it into its grave since Will-O-Wisp will be futile thanks to Substitute.</p>

Is Heatran even used in Ubers? I don't think that mentioning it in the comments is really necessary, since even if Heatran was used there, it certainly isn't much of a Palkia counter (Palkia 4x resists one of its STABs, 2x resists the other and has an SE STAB move against it and is faster).

Also, I think some Speed EVs would be extremely beneficial on this set. I know that Palkia outspeeds most of the Ubers in terms of base Speed, but removing that Speed is taking away one of Palkia's greatest assets. Has anyone even playtested this set? I'm sure there is a better EV spread out there. All of that SpAtk really isn't necessary imo.

 

[Colonel M]

You could probably cut down on that Special Attack but I'm not sure about the Speed EVs. I think Aldaron used it so I wish he'd come here and propose some better EVs. What I did was basically look at how much Attack EVs were needed to OHKO and it required a +Attack nature. I have no problem if someone requests a better EV spread. Also I'll get onto those problems showed in j7r's post.

I had a talk with Maniaclyrasist and he agrees with me that we should wait until the Platinum changes come into the effect of the analysis because Outrage can 2HKO Blissey as well without such an accursed spread and such. It's up to everyone else but I'd rather hold this off.

 

[umbarsc]

I've played against this set, and I agree that it can be quite deadly. However, I like the idea of Dragon Claw/Outrage on this set to take out Lati@s, as well as giving it perfect coverage with Dragon/Fighting. It really depends if we're trying for a generic special attacker with a fighting attack, or if we're looking for a more physical build.

Also, a minor note, but I don't believe Focus Punch 2HKOs bulky Kyogre.

Also, I don't see why it needs to run a -Speed nature when it could just run a Hasty nature like every other set.

 

[Janenmori]

I just want to say that I have used this set in tandem with Kyogre to great success. This thing is a true beast, and that is especially true when it has a Sub to hide behind AND both offensive stats to abuse while not losing defensive capabilities. And a question: Why Fire Blast if it only takes down the occasional Shedinja?

 

[User 12783]

Answer to the question: It's not the main option because of this sad fact. Steels run rampant in Ubers, but they can be taken care of with Surf but by using Fire Blast, you may be able to take them out in one hit. Shedinja can easily be taken care of by Toxic Spikes or SR as well.

 

[Colonel M]

I'm pondering about this (I'm sorry this peer edit is taking so long but I sort of like perfection when it at least comes to a set) and I'm stumped. Hasty seems to be the best of natures right now and I'd just use Expert Belt and do calcs that way. Another suggestion by Maniac that I recall from the other day was Life Orb and Focus Punch. Give me a day or two on this one and I'll fix it asap. Sorry guys and gals.

 

[moomoonerd]

<p>The item choice is quite simple. Leftovers is the preferred option here as it helps you maintain the ability to re-use Substitute. However, the option of Lustrous Orb is available if you choose to use the combination of Surf and Spacial Rend together, but keep in mind that you will have to be careful using Substitute.</p>

Fixed awkward moving and added some commas. Also, I don't see why Lustrous Orb is only an option when Spacial Rend is combined with Surf but not when combined with Fire Blast. I'm guessing that wasn't intended, but if there is a reason I think it should be explained.

 

[Colonel M]

Fixed the SubPunch set. It seems that Expert Belt is the best way to go when you consider Focus Punch and Substitute as well as a +Speed nature. I've also added a Substitute + Bulk Up set that I would like to see replaced over the current Bulk Up set. I can re-word the second set if you'd like me to.

 

[umbarsc]

On the Sub + Bulk Up set, I think that Salac Berry should be an option, even the primary option, as it allows it to sweep more effectively than Leftovers or Lustrous Orb. Also, I would proabably use a more offensive EV spread, as even after a Bulk Up most of the same things will be able to break your Subs as before.

On another note, Palkia doesn't learn Waterfall.

Dragon Claw and Waterfall allow Palkia to tear through with his STAB moves but Waterfall can be replaced with Earthquake to damage severely Dialga and Kyogre.

"severely damage" or "damage Dialga and Kyogre severely", not "damage severely". Kyogre takes more damage from Dragon Claw than Earthquake, so Earthquake is really just for Dialga.

 

[Articanus]

You say that Focus Punch is an advantage for using BU Palkia over Dialga when the move isn't even listed as an option on the set.

 

[Colonel M]

Fixed those. Sorry about that I did mean Aqua Tail but for some reason mentioned Waterfall.

 

[Aldaron]

When can this go up?

 

[Havak]

I think this is ready now to be honest, I'd upload but I'd rather wait for Colonel M's judgement.

 

[Colonel M]

These both can go up right now. I'll fix what Mekkah just posted and it can be thrown into the Peer Edit Archive once it's all set in stone. Done and done.

 

[Colonel M]

Updated on the site and ready to be put into the peer edit archive.