DPP Slowbro (Choice Specs)

vashta

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Slowbro gets Trick which works well with Choice Specs. This is my first contribution to Smogon, don't be too harsh! Thanks to Twash for helping.

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Surf
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Trick
move 4: Fire Blast / Ice Beam / Slack Off
item: Choice Specs
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Modest
EVs: 212 HP / 44 Def / 252 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Slowbro can use Trick to cripple many of its common switch-ins, such as Blissey and Scizor. Scizor will hate Choice Specs as it may lose power and the chance to utilize Swords Dance, and Blissey will just generally despise being locked into a specific move, losing much of her walling ability.</p>

<p>Surf is a reliable STAB move that will hit threatening Pokémon such as Tyranitar and the occasional Rhyperior for high damage. Psychic is also another good STAB move as it still hits Heracross and Water-types who resist all other moves. The combination of Surf + Ice Beam + Psychic also provides great coverage, hitting everything in the OU tier except Empoleon and Starmie for neutral damage. Fire Blast is also a possible option for Slowbro. Provided Stealth Rock is in play, Fire Blast will OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Heracross, OHKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Bold Celebi, OHKO 252 HP / 252 SpD Adamant Scizor, and OHKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Adamant Metagross. Flamethrower is a viable option in place of Fire Blast as it is more accurate, though the loss in power loses that ability to OHKO the aforementioned Pokémon except Heracross and Scizor who will still fall. Ice Beam smashes through Dragon-types. However, Slack Off may be used, especially as Slowbro no longer has Leftovers, so is even more vulnerable to residual damage. Hidden Power Electric can be used for those Water-types and Gyarados for super effective, however they usually won't be doing too much back to Slowbro in return, making Psychic possibly the superior option in this case as it can 2HKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Gyarados with Choice Specs.</p>

<p>212 HP and 44 Def EVs give some bulk to Slowbro as no Speed is needed, and 252 SpA EVs max out Slowbro's Special Attack stat. It also means that Slowbro with Choice Specs can 2HKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Tyranitar with Surf and has a 2 in 3 chance to OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Tyranitar after Stealth Rock damage.</p>
 

Arcticblast

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Unless they're insanely overpowered (I look Deoxys straight in the eye), Choice users tend to like max attacking stats. Cool set, though. You should also put Fire Blast as a slash.
 

vashta

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Unless they're insanely overpowered (I look Deoxys straight in the eye), Choice users tend to like max attacking stats. Cool set, though. You should also put Fire Blast as a slash.
Edited the EVs. I'll be considering Fire Blast as a possibility, though I won't be adding that so soon.
 

Arcticblast

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Fire Blast screws over lots of Pokemon. It hits SE against a relatively large portion of the OU metagame, but doesn't do much to others. In UU, it does that to Abomasnow, Shiftry, Roserade, Shaymin, Toxicroak... The list goes on, also facing the same problems that it does in OU. In my opinion, it deserves mention somewhere in the set.

Make sure to gear it toward OU, or the mods might lock the thread.
 

Stellar

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I really think this doesn't deserve its own set. I tried this out once and it performed horribly. Other options at best.
 
<p>212 HP and 44 Def EVs give some bulk to Slowbro as no Speed is needed, and 252 SpA EVs max out Slowbro's SpA stat. It also means that Slowbro can OHKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Tyranitar with Surf.</p>
Actually, factoring in Sand Stream, Tyranitar takes 70-83% damage from Choice Specs Surf.
 

Caelum

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Is there any reason to not just max out HP?
Technically the spread they are showing maximizes Slowbro's physical defensive abilities. That said, by switching to just a 252 HP / 4 Def spread you are only 1.2% less physically defensive; however, you are 2.6% more specially defensive. Unless there is something specific it survives (which I highly doubt it does especially with Stealth Rock in play) then just max HP is the way to go.
 

Havak

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I like this, and it's pretty well done to be honest.

I'd remove the word 'any' before Gyarados though, it isn't needed.
 
No mention of Psychic? Why would you leave out STAB on a Choice set? It fulfills the "consistent damage argument." Hidden Power Electric is really only for Gyarados, who really doesn't beat Slowbro anyway. I think Psychic + Life Orb damage + Stealth Rock will OHKO IIRC?
 
No mention of Psychic? Why would you leave out STAB on a Choice set? It fulfills the "consistent damage argument." Hidden Power Electric is really only for Gyarados, who really doesn't beat Slowbro anyway. I think Psychic + Life Orb damage + Stealth Rock will OHKO IIRC?
You've got Surf, which also gets STAB. HP Electric hurts other bulky waters like Vaporeon too. Psychic tends to have poor coverage.
 
Surf + Psychic + Ice Beam hits everything except Slowbro, Empoleon, Starmie and Shedinja for neutral damage. Those also happen to be his 3 strongest most reliable options. How is that poor coverage again? Psychic is only hitting Water Pokemon for 5 less base power, has a 10% chance of lowering Special Defense and also theres that "oh I mispredicted.." factor. Psychic is going to be hitting even NVE pokemon nearly as hard as a neutrally effective 70 BP Hidden Power. Anything else they both hit neutral, Psychic is nearly twice as strong. So I fail to see how thats "poor coverage." Also, why no mention of Fire Blast / Flamethrower? Surf / Psychic / Fire Blast is also VERY good coverage also and it removes Empoleon from that list.
 

Bass

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I personally think Fire Blast and Psychic deserve a small mention in the set comments. With 252 HP / 4 Def, Max Attack Adamant Heracross does 97.97% - 115.74% with Megahorn, which is an 87% chance of OHKOing without Stealth Rock, and a 100% chance if just sand stream is present. Surf never OHKOes Heracross, even with Stealth Rock or Sandstorm factored in (73.51% - 86.75%), so it can basically come right in on any of your attacks and force it out. Consequently, Psychic and Fire Blast both have a 100% chance of OHKOing the standard Heracross. In the same vein, Fire Blast is also your best option against Scizor.
 

Colonel M

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If this was me (and only if it was me) I'd sooner add Fire Blast than Psychic. I understand Psychic is a good STAB option, but Fire Blast is putting more Pokemon in trouble: in particular Scizor and Heracross. If you don't slash them in, I agree with Bass and simply give them both a small mention in the SET COMMENTS.
 
Sorry, I was editing my post when you guys posted... but..

Surf / Psychic / Fire Blast actually is the best coverage IMO. Thats two moves Heracross can't come in on, and it hits everything except Starmie and Slowbro for neutral damage. Those are also your most powerful attacks, with Fire Blast being the weakest at 120 BP. Screw set comments, that should probably be the set.
 
Golden_Togekiss, you haven't factored in STAB. Factor in STAB, and it's an OHKO.

I'm with Bass and Colonel M on the Psychic / Fire Blast situation.
 

Caelum

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If you are making the case for Fire Blast being for Heracross, Flamethrower is always better due to superior accuracy and the fact both with OHKO with Stealth Rock down (and Flamethrower will OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Heracross more often than Fire Blast will due to accuracy). You should be making the case for Fire Blast based on the ability to OHKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Bold Celebi after Stealth Rock and 252 HP Adamant Metagross whereas Flamethrower will not.

Those would be the reasons to use Fire Blast - not Heracross.

Edit: If we decide to add this someone mine as well do the corresponding Slowking set.
 

vashta

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After finally re-testing them on the set, I've decided to add Fire Blast as possible options for the set - Flamethrower will get a mention also. As too will Psychic. It seems logical.
 
Just a little thing, I would change it to: Provided Stealth Rock is in play, Fire Blast will OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpD Heracross, 252 HP / 0 SpD Bold Celebi, 252 HP / 0 SpD Scizor, and 252 HP / 0 SpD Adamant Metagross.

Just makes it a little less repetitive. GJ dude :)
 
<p>212 HP and 44 Def EVs give some bulk to Slowbro as no Speed is needed, and 252 SpA EVs max out Slowbro's SpA stat. It also means that Slowbro can OHKO 252 HP / 0 SpD Tyranitar with Surf.</p>
252 HP Tyranitar takes 70 - 83% from Surf with Sand Stream's Special Defense boost.

Remember to input Sand Stream into the damage calculator.
 

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