Ducklett (BW2 Revamp) [QC: 3/3] [GP: 2/2]

Electrolyte

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blarajan oh
20:52 blarajan ok then do w/e you want i don't care
20:52 blarajan pull up an analysis if you want
20:52 Electrolyte yeah
20:52 blarajan it's not like anyone did ducklett
20:52 Electrolyte haha
20:52 Electrolyte I do want to do Ducklett
20:53 Electrolyte but I want to make a better spread first
20:53 Electrolyte do some more testing


Primary QC Checks: [2/2] [Hawkstar, Charmander]
Secondary QC Check: [1/1] [iss]
GP Checks: [2/2] [GatoDelFuego, jumpluff]

NOTES:
~I've removed the SubRoost set and the Choice Specs set from the current analysis and am replacing them with a bulky Rain Dance set. Ducklett's niche should be a solid check to both Sand and Hail, because of its ability to KO both inducers and set Rain.
~If any QC members feel a previous set should be written up, I will consider it. However, I feel as if SubRoost is outclassed by Murkrow, and I also feel as if Specs is slow, frail, and too weak.
~POSSIBLE INCLUSION OF FEATHERDANCE SET
~PATCHING UP RAIN DANCE SET
~WRITING

~FINISHED



[OVERVIEW]

<p>When compared to other powerhouses or defensive tanks that share similar traits to Ducklett, such as Murkrow, Chinchou, or even Mantyke, Ducklett seems helplessly outclassed, sporting neither outstanding offensive stats nor a considerable amount of bulk. However, it does have some key traits that distinguish it from its other Flying- or Water-types. One of these is its good typing, which gives it some helpful resistances to Fighting, Ground, and Bug. Its typing also grants it an uncommon neutrality to Ice and Grass, making it a decent check to the ever present Snover. It also has a fair support movepool and usable stats, letting it support its team as either a bulky physical tank or an anti-weather support Pokemon. Additionally, it boasts access to the coveted Roost, a recovery move other walls only wish they had. Still, it has a crippling 4x weakness to Electric and 2x weakness to Stealth Rock, making it tough for Ducklett to switch in and support its team with FeatherDance or Rain Dance when needed. It's also fairly slow, weak, and not outstandingly bulky, so it cannot stand up to some of the tier's stronger attackers. Its niche is very specific--unless your team desperately needs a weather counter or a good Fighting-type check, Ducklett may be outclassed. However, it does fill a few specific niches, and it fills them well.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky FeatherDance
move 1: FeatherDance
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Roost
move 4: Surf / Air Slash
item: Eviolite
ability: Big Pecks
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 116 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to utilize Ducklett's useful resistances to Bug-, Water-, and most of all, Fighting-type attacks as well as its fair defensive bulk in order to make it a physical tank. FeatherDance is what makes this set successful, stopping all physical attackers that can't hit it super effectively by halving the damage of their attacks. It can then stall its opponent with Toxic, all the while effortlessly sponging its opponents' weakened attacks. Should Ducklett's health fall too low, it can recover with Roost. Roost also lets Ducklett shrug off Stealth Rock and residual damage and in general makes it last much longer. The last slot is reserved for an attacking move. Surf hits Drilbur and Hippopotas hard, nailing the former for an OHKO and the latter for a 2HKO. Air Slash, on the other hand, is used for Snover, OHKOingafter a bit of residual damage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's bulk, giving it nice mixed defenses. Max HP and Special Defense are used so that Ducklett can take hits that it cannot weaken with FeatherDance. 4 Special Attack EVs are all it needs to raise its Special Attack by a point, letting Ducklett OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf. The little boost in power also lets Ducklett OHKO Snover after some residual damage, such as Stealth Rock or Spikes. The rest is all stashed into defenses to give Ducklett good defensive bulk so that it can tank the physical moves it will be handling. In terms of ability, this set should use Big Pecks, which allows Ducklett to escape Defense drops from Scraggy's Crunch. Hydration is quite useless, as rain is very rare in Little Cup. Extra Special Attack can be invested to give Ducklett some extra power, but the only notable difference is that Snover is OHKOed more reliably, and the cost is a lot of extra bulk.</p>

<p>Because Ducklett needs to be able to switch in repeatedly, it appreciates Rapid Spin support to keep Stealth Rock off the field, as it makes it susceptible to some common 2HKOs. Drilbur gets a mention here as it is also immune to Electric-type moves and can take Rock-type attacks fairly well. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric and enjoys the weakening of opposing physical sweepers. It also has access to Heal Bell, which Ducklett really appreciates to help it erase any status it is inflicted with. Ferroseed is another awesome partner that has perfect synergy with Ducklett. It walls Electric-, Rock-, and Steel-types and can even set entry hazards to damage opponents that are forced out by Ducklett. It benefits from Ducklett's ability to wall Fire- and Fighting-types too.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Surf
move 3: Hurricane / Air Slash
move 4: Rest / Roost
item: Eviolite
ability: Hydration
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 4 SAtk / 196 Def / 116 SDef

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Ducklett's potential to support with Rain Dance and tanking abilities. As hail and sand are so common, the ability to change the weather to rain is very unique and can often be a game changer against unexpecting foes. Under rain, Ducklett's fair defenses coupled with Eviolite, its immunity to status through Hydration, and its access to reliable, full recovery in Rest make it a very solid tank. It can utilize its resistances as well to sponge a variety of attacks and shrug them off with Rest. It is not a "sitting duck"--although its Special Attack stat is not high, it is enough to nab some crucial KOs with a rain-boosted Surf against Pokemon such as Snover, Mienfoo, Drilbur, and Hippopotas. Surf and Hurricane have decent coverage together, and the confusion chance can definitely aid Ducklett and its team members. Hurricane nets the OHKO on Snover as well as Mienfoo after some prior damage and hits Grass- and Water-types that resist Surf. Air Slash can also be used instead of Hurricane for more accuracy outside of Rain, but there is a notable difference in power, and it does miss out on the OHKO against Mienfoo and Snover. Rest should be used on the last slot for instant, reliable recovery with no drawbacks under rain, as Hydration heals off the sleep by the end of the turn. Roost is another option for the last slot for reliable recovery outside of rain should Ducklett not want to rely on rain too much.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's HP and Defense, and 116 Special Defense EVs along with a Calm nature give Ducklett good special bulk and balanced defenses. The Eviolite gives Ducklett even more bulk, and Hydration lets Ducklett become immune to status in the rain. The 4 Special Attack EVs allow Ducklett to OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf, while powering up Hurricane. Ducklett can use Scald instead of Surf on the second slot for the burn chance, but it loses the ability to reliably take out Hippopotas and Drilbur outside of rain. A Damp Rock can also be used to make the rain last longer, but this sacrifices a lot of bulk.</p>

<p>In terms of partners, Ducklett likes to be paired with spinners and/or hazard setters, as it forces switches but suffers because of Stealth Rock. Drilbur is a nice partner, as it resists Rock and is immune to Electric and can KO Magnemite and Chinchou, two Pokemon that can OHKO and wall Ducklett. Grass-types are also effective partners. Ferroseed is a great partner because it has perfect synergy with Ducklett and can set up entry hazards. It also appreciates the rain, as it helps weaken Fire-type moves. Pokemon that can take advantage of the rain can also be great partners. For example, Anorith can grab a Speed boost in the rain, as well as spin away Stealth Rock. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric-type moves and can wall Magnemite and Chinchou. It also receives a nice power boost from rain.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>Ducklett does not have many other viable options up its sleeve due to its sparse movepool. However, a SubRoost set can be used with Toxic as an attempt to Toxic stall, but it is outclassed by Murkrow, which has better speed, power, and access to Prankster.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Almost all Electric- and Water-types are solid answers to Ducklett, which usually never carries coverage further than its STABs. Chinchou is probably the best answer to Ducklett, as it resists both of Ducklett's STABs and can OHKO with Volt Switch. Magnemite is another great Electric-type check, as it can also OHKO with Volt Switch and has the bulk to take a Scald even in the rain. Rock-types can come in on anything but Surf and OHKO with their STAB moves as well. Bulky Eviolite Lileep is a great example, as it is immune to Scald and only takes around 27% from Hurricane, Ducklett's strongest attack. Pokemon with Taunt or Encore annoy Ducklett, as it relies on support moves and rain in order to function effectively. Bulky Misdreavus is a great counter, as it can shut Ducklett down with Taunt and 3HKO with Shadow Ball.</p>
 

iss

let's play bw lc!
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if you use "crux" you will be burned

Really would like to see some calcs, feels a bit weak tbh considering that every team has Staryu/Chinchou/Misdreavus that can come in easily (especially with 0 SpA EVs) and Thunderbolt for the kill. Also, a FeatherDance set is pretty cool- Ducklett is actually one of the best Fighting-type counters in the game with FeatherDance/Toxic/Air Slash/Roost. It was one of the biggest Scraggy counters back in the day, and probably still is viable in some form.
 

Electrolyte

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4 SpA Ducklett Scald vs. 132 HP / 100 SpD Eviolite Hippopotas: 12-14 (48 - 56%) -- 12.11% chance to 2HKO
4 SpA Ducklett Scald vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Drilbur: 18-24 (81.81 - 109.09%) -- 6.25% chance to OHKO
4 SpA Ducklett Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Snover: 30-36 (136.36 - 163.63%) -- guaranteed OHKO
4 SpA Ducklett Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 36 SpD Eviolite Mienfoo: 14-20 (66.66 - 95.23%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 SpA Ducklett Hurricane vs. 124 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Foongus: 14-20 (56 - 80%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

With 4 SpA evs, Ducklett hits 11 SpA- which allows it to 2HKO most things weak to its STABs. (Under Rain, a lot of these 2HKOs turn into OHKOs. Though it may seem as if just barely OHKO'ing pokemon like Drilbur or Snover is shaky, the problem with Ducklett is that these damage rolls don't really change until Ducklett hits 13 SpA- which requires 176 evs, and rips out a lot of its bulk, at the cost of really only securing the OHKO and 2HKO against Drilbur and Hippo, respectively. Besides this, at the mere sight of both of them, Ducklett should Rain Dance anyway, and then go for the Scald, which will allow it to secure the OHKO / 2HKO.

What bulk do I speak of? Here are some defensive calcs:
It completely walls Bulky Mienfoo, whose strongest move is Payback.
156 Atk Mienfoo Payback (50 BP) vs. 180 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Ducklett: 4-5 (16 - 20%) -- possible 5HKO
240 SpA Abra Psychic vs. 180 HP / 116+ SpD Eviolite Ducklett: 9-12 (36 - 48%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
184 SpA Snover Blizzard vs. 180 HP / 116+ SpD Eviolite Ducklett: 9-12 (36 - 48%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Lileep AncientPower vs. 180 HP / 116+ SpD Eviolite Ducklett: 8-12 (32 - 48%) -- 61.55% chance to 3HKO
240 SpA Misdreavus Shadow Ball vs. 180 HP / 116+ SpD Eviolite Ducklett: 7-10 (28 - 40%) -- 96.68% chance to 3HKO
240 Atk Life Orb Murkrow Drill Peck vs. 180 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Ducklett: 9-13 (36 - 52%) -- 11.33% chance to 2HKO

So yeah, it has quite a lot of bulk. It can also burn things with Scald, and stall them with Rest. It has an immunity to status, which makes it really tough to take down too.



As for a possible FeatherDance set, I will consider / test it. What I really think this analysis should focus on is Ducklett's ability to counter fighting types and counter weather, since pretty much everything else it is able to do is outclassed by something else. FeatherDance + Status seems like a great combo, however. I'll try it out.
 

iss

let's play bw lc!
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The main problem with your calcs is that almost all of those attacks are 2HKOs after Stealth Rock. Furthermore, it is outclassed by Mantyke outside of Hydration, and you have to set up Rain Dance and then a slow Rest, at which point you're 3HKOed anyways even without Stealth Rock. FeatherDance is its main niche, and it has to be used to really be worth it.
 
4 SpA Ducklett Scald vs. 132 HP / 100 SpD Eviolite Hippopotas: 12-14 (48 - 56%) -- 12.11% chance to 2HKO
4 SpA Ducklett Scald vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Drilbur: 18-24 (81.81 - 109.09%) -- 6.25% chance to OHKO.
Ducklett is meant to help fight sand, so if Scald is usually not a 2HKO on Hippo and Surf is always a 2HKO, use only Surf imo. Just unslash Scald and mention it in AC or something.

Surf on Hippopotas: 56.00% - 72.00%

Also, Surf takes your chances of OHKOing Drilbur from a horrible 6.25% to 74.36% (and it always OHKOs with Spikes) [90.91% - 118.18%]

Idk, just a thought
 

Electrolyte

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http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/lc12200856

Ok, so that's a legit log for iss's FeatherDance set, and it seems to work decently. It effectively stalled Timburr down, though a better set than mine could be used. I used a spread of 20 HP / 176 SAtk / 196 Def / 116 SDef Calm Nature, which hits 13 SpA so it can OHKO Snover with Air Slash. The rest is put into bulk. I used Feather Dance / Surf / ASlash / Roost, and it seems to work decently well. Perhaps squeeze Toxic in there somewhere? idk

Took Charmander's suggestion of making Surf the primary second slot.
 

Electrolyte

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I've added iss's FeatherDance set, and added mentions of such a set in the intro and counter / checks section.

Anything else?
 

Celestavian

Smooth
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In the FeatherDance set, you first say that Surf 2HKOes Drilbur, but then in additional comments you say it's an OHKO. Which is it?

Remove all mentions of using Choice Specs. Choice Specs/Band is bad on pretty much everything in the tier, especially Ducklett. It makes it set-up bait for the likes of Lileep, Chinchou, Tirtouga, etc. depending on what it locks itself into, and is generally just too weak.

Pretty good otherwise.

[qc]1/2[/qc]
 

GatoDelFuego

The Antimonymph of the Internet
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REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS

[OVERVIEW]

<p>When compared to other powerhouses or defensive tanks that share similar traits to Ducklett, (AC) such as Murkrow, Chinchou, (AC) or even Mantyke, Ducklett seems helplessly outclassed, sporting neither outstanding offensive stats nor a considerable amount of bulk. However, it does have some key traits that distinguishes it from its other Flying-type or Water-types bretheren. One of these is its good typing, which gives it some helpful resistances to Fighting, Ground, and Bug. Its typing also grants it an uncommon neutrality to Ice and Grass, making it a decent check to the ever-present Snover. It also has a fair support movepool and useable stats, letting it support its team as either a bulky physical tank or an anti-weather support pokemon. It also has access to the coveted Roost, a recovery move other walls only wish they had. Still, it has a crippling x4 weakness to Electric and x2 weakness to Stealth Rock, making it tough for Ducklett to switch in and support its team with FeatherDance or Rain Dance when needed. It's also fairly slow, weak, and not outstandingly bulky, so it can not stand in the face of some of the tier's stronger attackers. Its niche is very specific&mdash;unless your team desperately needs a weather counter or a good Fighting-type check, Ducklett may be outclassed. However, it does fill a few specific niches, and it fills them well.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky FeatherDance
move 1: FeatherDance
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Roost
move 4: Surf / Air Slash
item: Eviolite
ability: Big Pecks
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 116 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to utilize Ducklett's useful resistances to Bug-, Water-, and most of all, Fighting-type attacks as well as its fair defensive bulk in order to make it a physical tank. FeatherDance is what makes this set successful, preventing stopping all physical attackers that can't hit it super effectively from successfully getting past it by halving the damage of their attacks. It can then stall its opponent with Toxic, all the while effortlessly sponging its opponents' weakened attacks. When used in conjunction with FeatherDance, the opponent will not be able to get past Ducklett and will find themselves losing HP quickly due to Toxic. Should Ducklett's health fall too low, it can recover with Roost, which should be used in the second slot for reliable recovery that makes Ducklett last longer. It Roost also lets it Ducklett shrug off Stealth Rock damage and residual damage, (RC) and in general makes it last much longer. The last slot is reserved for an attacking move. Surf hits Drilbur and Hippopotas hard, nailing the former for an OHKO and the latter for a 2HKO. Air Slash, on the other hand, is saved a silver bullet for Snover, OHKOing as it is a solid OHKO after a bit of residual damage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's bulk, giving it a nice mixed defenses spread in order to be able to tank hits from all spectrums. Max HP and Special Defense are used so that Ducklett can take hits that it cannot weaken with FeatherDance. 4 Special Attack EVs are all it needs to raise its Special Attack by a point, letting Ducklett OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf. The little boost in power also lets Ducklett OHKO Snover after some residual damage, such as Stealth Rock or Spikes. The rest is all stashed into Defensive to give Ducklett good defensive bulk so that it can tank the physical moves it will be handling. In terms of ability; this set should use Big Pecks, which allows Ducklett to escape Defense drops from Scraggy's Crunch. Hydration is quite useless, as since Rain is very rare in Little Cup. Extra Special Attack can be invested to give Ducklett's attack some extra power, however but the only notable difference is that Snover is OHKOed with more reliability, and the cost is a lot of extra bulk.</p>

<p>Because Ducklett needs to be able to switch in repeatedly, it appreciates Rapid Spin support to keep Stealth Rock off the field, as it makes it susceptible to some common 2HKOs. Drilbur gets a mention here as it is also immune to Electric-type moves and can take Rock-type attacks fairly well. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric and appreciates the weakening of opposing physical sweepers. It also has access to Heal Bell, (AC) which Ducklett really appreciates to help it erase any status it is inflicted with. Ferroseed is another awesome partner that has perfect synergy with Ducklett. It walls Electric-, Rock-, (AC) and Steel-types and can even set entry hazards to damage opponents that are forced out by Ducklett. It appreciates Ducklett's ability to wall Fire- and Fighting-types too.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Surf
move 3: Hurricane / Air Slash
move 4: Rest / Roost
item: Eviolite
ability: Hydration
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 4 SAtk / 196 Def / 116 SDef

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Ducklett's potential of supporting its team with Rain Dance and tanking abilities acting as a bulky Water-type tank. Since As hail and sand are so common, the ability to change the weather to rain is very unique and can often be a game changer against unexpecting foes. Under rain, Ducklett's fair defenses when coupled with Eviolite, (AC) as well as its immunity to status through Hydration, (AC) and its access to reliable, full recovery in Rest make it a very solid tank. It can utilize its resistances as well to sponge a variety of attacks and shrug them off with Rest. It is not a "sitting duck" either&mdash;although its Special Attack stat is not high, it is enough to nab some crucial KOs with a rain-boosted Surf against Pokemon like such as Snover, Mienfoo, Drilbur, and Hippopotas, and when its Surf is boosted by Rain, it can hit many things quite hard. Surf and Hurricane have decent coverage together, and the confusion chance can definitely aid itself Ducklett and its team members. Surf lets Ducklett OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippo in Sand and OHKO both in Rain. Hurricane nets the OHKO on Snover as well as an OHKO on Mienfoo after some prior damage, (RC) and also hits Grass- and Water-types that resist Surf. Air Slash can also be used instead of Hurricane for more accuracy outside of Rain, however, but there is a notable difference in power, and it does miss out on the OHKO to Mienfoo and Snover. Rest should be used on the last slot for instant, reliable recovery with no drawbacks under rain, since as Hydration heals off the sleep by the end of the turn. Roost is another option for the last slot for reliable recovery outside of rain should Ducklett not want to rely on its weather too much too, and can be used instead of Rest so Ducklett can function well outside of Rain too.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's HP and Defense stats, and 116 Special Defense EVs along with a Calm nature give Ducklett good special bulk and balanced defenses. The Eviolite gives Ducklett even more bulk, and Hydration lets Ducklett become immune to status in the Rain. The 4 Special Attack EVs allow Ducklett to OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf, and while powering up its Hurricane too. Ducklett can use Scald instead of Surf on the second slot for the burn chance, but it loses the ability to reliably 2HKO and OHKO take out Hippopotas and Drilbur outside of rain. A Damp Rock can also be used instead of an eviolite to make the Rain last longer- however, but this sacrifices a lot of bulk that only an eviolite can provide. In terms of partners, Ducklett likes to be paired with spinners and/or entry hazard setters, (AC) as it forces switches but doesn't appreciate Stealth Rock. Drilbur is a nice partner, (AC) as it resists Rock and is immune to Electric and can KO Magnemite and Chinchou, two Pokemon that can OHKO and wall Ducklett. Grass-types are also, in general, great partners. Ferroseed is a great partner as it has perfect synergy with Ducklett and can set up entry hazards. It also appreciates the rain, as it helps weaken Fire type moves. Pokemon that can take advantage of the quick rain can also be great partners. Anorith can take advantage of the rain and grab a Speed boost as well as spin away Stealth Rock. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric-type moves and can wall Magnemite and Chinchou. It also receives a nice power boost from the rain.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>Ducklett does not have many other viable options up its sleeve due to its because it has a sparse movepool. However, a SubRoost set can be used with Toxic as an attempt to Toxic stall, however, but it is may be outclassed by Murkrow, who which has better speed, power, and even access to Prankster priority.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Almost all Electric- and Water-types are solid answers to Ducklett, which usually never carries coverage further than its STABs. They can also KO Ducklett with super effective attacks. Chinchou is probably the best answer to Ducklett as it resists both of Ducklett's STABs and can OHKO with Volt Switch. Magnemite is another great Electric-type check as it can also OHKO with Volt Switch, (RC) and has the bulk to take a Scald even in the rain. Rock-types can come in on anything but Surf and OHKO with their STAB moves as well, but some have to watch out for Surf. Bulky Eviolite Lileep is a great example, as it is immune to Scald and only takes around 27% from Hurricane, Ducklett's strongest attack. Pokemon with Taunt or Encore annoy Ducklett, as it relies on support moves and rain in order to function effectively. Bulky Misdreavus is a great counter, as it can shut Ducklett down with Taunt and 3HKO with Shadow Ball.</p>


rain isn't capitalized :>
Be sure not to forget serial commas, also!
[gp]1/2[/gp]
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
Am I the only one who feels that this is a tad fluffy?

Edit: Guess not, Gato was just more direct about it
 
[OVERVIEW]

<p>When compared to other powerhouses or defensive tanks that share similar traits to Ducklett, such as Murkrow, Chinchou, or even Mantyke, Ducklett seems helplessly outclassed, sporting neither outstanding offensive stats nor a considerable amount of bulk. However, it does have some key traits that distinguish it from its other Flying- or Water-types. One of these is its good typing, which gives it some helpful resistances to Fighting, Ground, and Bug. Its typing also grants it an uncommon neutrality to Ice and Grass, making it a decent check to the ever present Snover. It also has a fair support movepool and useable usable stats, letting it support its team as either a bulky physical tank or an anti-weather support Pokemon. It also Additionally, it boasts (improving flow) access to the coveted Roost, a recovery move other walls only wish they had. Still, it has a crippling x4 4x weakness to Electric and x2 2x weakness to Stealth Rock, making it tough for Ducklett to switch in and support its team with FeatherDance or Rain Dance when needed. It's also fairly slow, weak, and not outstandingly bulky, so it cannot (no space) stand in the face of (maybe replace 'in the face of' with 'up to'?) some of the tier's stronger attackers. Its niche is very specific&mdash;unless your team desperately needs a weather counter or a good Fighting-type check, Ducklett may be outclassed. However, it does fill a few specific niches, and it fills them well.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky FeatherDance
move 1: FeatherDance
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Roost
move 4: Surf / Air Slash
item: Eviolite
ability: Big Pecks
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 116 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to utilize Ducklett's useful resistances to Bug-, Water-, and most of all, Fighting-type attacks as well as its fair defensive bulk in order to make it a physical tank. FeatherDance is what makes this set successful, stopping all physical attackers that can't hit it super effectively by halving the damage of their attacks. It can then stall its opponent with Toxic, all the while effortlessly sponging its opponents' weakened attacks. Should Ducklett's health fall too low, it can recover with Roost. Roost also lets Ducklett shrug off Stealth Rock and residual damage and in general makes it last much longer. The last slot is reserved for an attacking move. Surf hits Drilbur and Hippopotas hard, nailing the former for an OHKO and the latter for a 2HKO. Air Slash, on the other hand, is saved used for Snover, OHKOingafter a bit of residual damage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's bulk, giving it nice mixed defenses. Max HP and Special Defense are used so that Ducklett can take hits that it cannot weaken with FeatherDance. 4 Special Attack EVs are all it needs to raise its Special Attack by a point, letting Ducklett OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf. The little boost in power also lets Ducklett OHKO Snover after some residual damage, such as Stealth Rock or Spikes. The rest is all stashed into Defensive defenses to give Ducklett good defensive bulk so that it can tank the physical moves it will be handling. In terms of ability;, this set should use Big Pecks, which allows Ducklett to escape Defense drops from Scraggy's Crunch. Hydration is quite useless, as rain is very rare in Little Cup. Extra Special Attack can be invested to give Ducklett some extra power, but the only notable difference is that Snover is OHKOed more reliably, and the cost is a lot of extra bulk.</p>

<p>Because Ducklett needs to be able to switch in repeatedly, it appreciates Rapid Spin support to keep Stealth Rock off the field, as it makes it susceptible to some common 2HKOs. Drilbur gets a mention here as it is also immune to Electric-type moves and can take Rock-type attacks fairly well. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric and appreciates enjoys (repetition cluster) the weakening of opposing physical sweepers. It also has access to Heal Bell, which Ducklett really appreciates to help it erase any status it is inflicted with. Ferroseed is another awesome partner that has perfect synergy with Ducklett. It walls Electric-, Rock-, and Steel-types and can even set entry hazards to damage opponents that are forced out by Ducklett. It appreciates benefits from (repetition cluster) Ducklett's ability to wall Fire- and Fighting-types too.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Surf
move 3: Hurricane / Air Slash
move 4: Rest / Roost
item: Eviolite
ability: Hydration
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 4 SAtk / 196 Def / 116 SDef

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Ducklett's potential of supporting its team supportive potential (if you don't like this change then at least change 'of supporting' to 'to support'~) with Rain Dance and tanking abilities. As hail and sand are so common, the ability to change the weather to rain is very unique and can often be a game changer against unexpecting foes. Under rain, Ducklett's fair defenses coupled with Eviolite,n (space)[/b] its immunity to status through Hydration, and its access to reliable, full recovery in Rest make it a very solid tank. It can utilize its resistances as well to sponge a variety of attacks and shrug them off with Rest. It is not a "sitting duck"&mdash;although its Special Attack stat is not high, it is enough to nab some crucial KOs with a rain-boosted Surf against Pokemon such as Snover, Mienfoo, Drilbur, and Hippopotas. Surf and Hurricane have decent coverage together, and the confusion chance can definitely aid Ducklett and its team members. Hurricane nets the OHKO on Snover as well as Mienfoo after some prior damage and hits Grass- and Water-types that resist Surf. Air Slash can also be used instead of Hurricane for more accuracy outside of rain, but there is a notable difference in power, and it does miss out on the OHKO to against Mienfoo and Snover. Rest should be used on the last slot for instant, reliable recovery with no drawbacks under rain, as Hydration heals off the sleep by the end of the turn. Roost is another option for the last slot for reliable recovery outside of rain should Ducklett not want to rely on rain too much.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread maximizes Ducklett's HP and Defense, and 116 Special Defense EVs along with a Calm nature give Ducklett good special bulk and balanced defenses. The Eviolite gives Ducklett even more bulk, and Hydration lets Ducklett become immune to status in the rain. The 4 Special Attack EVs allow Ducklett to OHKO Drilbur and 2HKO Hippopotas with Surf, while powering up Hurricane. Ducklett can use Scald instead of Surf on the second slot for the burn chance, but it loses the ability to reliably take out Hippopotas and Drilbur outside of rain. A Damp Rock can also be used to make the rain last longer, but this sacrifices a lot of bulk.</p> (new paragraph)

<p>
In terms of partners, Ducklett likes to be paired with spinners and/or hazard setters, as it forces switches but doesn't appreciate suffers because of (repetition cluster) Stealth Rock. Drilbur is a nice partner, as it resists Rock and is immune to Electric and can KO Magnemite and Chinchou, two Pokemon that can OHKO and wall Ducklett. Grass-types are also great effective (repetition) partners. Ferroseed is a great partner as because it has perfect synergy with Ducklett and can set up entry hazards. It also appreciates the rain, as it helps weaken Fire-type (hyphen) moves. Pokemon that can take advantage of the rain can also be great partners. For example, (flow) Anorith can take advantage of the rain and (redundant) grab a Speed boost in the rain, as well as spin away Stealth Rock. Chinchou is another great partner as it is immune to Electric-type moves and can wall Magnemite and Chinchou. It also receives a nice power boost from rain.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>Ducklett does not have many other viable options up its sleeve due to its sparse movepool. However, a SubRoost set can be used with Toxic as an attempt to Toxic stall, but it is outclassed by Murkrow, which has better speed, power, and access to Prankster.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Almost all Electric- and Water-types are solid answers to Ducklett, which usually never carries coverage further than its STABs. Chinchou is probably the best answer to Ducklett, as it resists both of Ducklett's STABs and can OHKO with Volt Switch. Magnemite is another great Electric-type check, as it can also OHKO with Volt Switch and has the bulk to take a Scald even in the rain. Rock-types can come in on anything but Surf and OHKO with their STAB moves as well. Bulky Eviolite Lileep is a great example, as it is immune to Scald and only takes around 27% from Hurricane, Ducklett's strongest attack. Pokemon with Taunt or Encore annoy Ducklett, as it relies on support moves and rain in order to function effectively. Bulky Misdreavus is a great counter, as it can shut Ducklett down with Taunt and 3HKO with Shadow Ball.</p>
[gp]2/2~[/gp]
 

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