taken over from dragonboy52 here
It's not like I can't swim. I just like my inner tube.
[Overview]
<p>Floatzel might seem like a colorful, cheery Pokemon, but he has little to boast about, even in the depths of NU. With a blistering base 115 Speed, he is tied for the title of fastest Water-type Pokemon in the game (second if you count Water Arceus), but said Speed is all that's competitively outstanding about him. He does have a usable Attack stat, good offensive typing, decent coverage in Dark-, Ice-, and Fighting-type moves, as well as priority in Aqua Jet, but his mediocre defenses are a letdown. He is, however, seemingly perfectly built for a Choice Band set, and can make good use of Bulk Up too, though he faces competition from Samurott in this aspect. Finally, he receives Rain Dance, with which he can abuse his ability, Swift Swim, to outspeed just about everything in the game.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Return / Ice Punch
move 4: Aqua Jet / Switcheroo
item: Choice Band
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As previously mentioned, Choice Band is probably the set Floatzel can best pull off. The premise behind this set is simple: Floatzel has good Speed, but only mediocre power, and his STAB has excellent neutral coverage, making a Choice item a natural pick for him. Waterfall is the chosen STAB move for its combination of power and reliability, and hits all Pokemon, bar Grass-, Dragon-, and other Water-types, for neutral damage. Crunch decimates bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Misdreavus and Jynx, respectively, the latter of whom might switch in looking to sponge a Water-type attack and gain a free set-up turn. Return has great neutral coverage alongside Floatzel's Water-type STAB, whereas Ice Punch hits Grass- and Dragon-types, who resist Waterfall. However, one should note that Crunch and Return both already 2HKO Exeggutor, one of the most common Grass-types. Aqua Jet lets Floatzel revenge kill weakened boosting sweepers and bypass Sucker Punch Absol; alternatively, Floatzel can elect to Switcheroo his Choice item to cripple walls, most notably Tangela. Note, however, that Switcheroo and Ice Punch are illegal together.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>EVs are the standard sweeper fare—Attack and Speed are maximized to let Floatzel hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly lets him outspeed the monkey trio, Tauros, Rapidash, and Kadabra, and tie with maximum Speed Cinccino. However, as Adamant Floatzel still outpaces the base 100 Speed tier, it is the preferred option for greater power, especially since Aqua Jet hits many of these Pokemon for huge damage. If forgoing Aqua Jet, one might also wish to consider using a Choice Scarf, along with an Adamant nature, but Floatzel is generally fast enough that this is not needed.</p>
<p>In terms of teammates, Grass-types have good synergy with Floatzel; good choices include Tangela and Leafeon. Floatzel also appreciates teammates that lay entry hazards in order to rack up damage on switching foes, as opponents will likely switch around to Pokemon that resist Floatzel's chosen move. Torterra can set up Stealth Rock reliably, Cacturne can lay Spikes, and Misdreavus makes a good spinblocker. Floatzel himself will also likely be switching around quite a bit, and will therefore appreciate a Rapid Spin user of your own, such as Cryogonal.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bulk Up is the better of the two boosting moves that Floatzel receives. While it increases both Floatzel's Attack and Defense, the former boost is the one that Floatzel takes advantage of more, as his great Speed and mediocre defenses lend him to a more offensive approach to Bulk Up. Waterfall has great neutral coverage, and is Floatzel's chosen STAB move for its power and perfect accuracy. Crunch and Ice Punch grant him more coverage, hitting bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, and Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Water-type moves, respectively. As an alternative, Baton Pass lets a teammate take advantage of Floatzel's boosts if he is faced with a foe he cannot break through alone; this also prevents Floatzel from being completely useless should he be afflicted with status, especially if he is burnt.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Jolly is the preferred nature here for more Speed, as Bulk Up raises Attack; however, Adamant can still be used for greater power. The EV spread is standard for a physical sweeper. Leftovers and a more defensive EV spread can be used for more survivability, but Life Orb and offensive investment is typically preferred to take full advantage of Floatzel's excellent Speed. If taking a bulky route, though, at least 132 Speed EVs should be maintained, so that Floatzel outspeeds maximum Speed Rotom-A. Substitute can be used over a coverage move to prevent status, as both burn and poison cut Floatzel's sweep short. However, it should be noted that Floatzel is generally outclassed in the role of as a mono-attacking Baton Passer.</p>
<p>Again, bulky Grass-types, such as Torterra, Leafeon, and Tangela, make good teammates; the former can make good use of Bulk Up boosts too. Specially defensive Camerupt synergizes well with Floatzel and your chosen Grass-type to form a solid Fire / Water / Grass core; he can also provide Stealth Rock and burn support to assist Floatzel in setting up and sweeping.</p>
[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Damp Rock / Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rain Dance is arguably Floatzel's best set-up move; it summons rain, which boosts the power of Floatzel's STAB Waterfall, and raises his Speed to dizzying heights. Don't fret about this strategy possibly being too niche—this Floatzel can be used both in or out of a dedicated rain team. Aside from Waterfall, which is a natural choice as it is incredibly powerful in rain, Crunch and Ice Punch provide Floatzel with standard—and the best possible—coverage. With Crunch hitting bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively, and Ice Punch destroying Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Waterfall, the combination of Water / Dark / Ice moves hits the entire NU tier for at least neutral damage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to the Swift Swim boost, Floatzel in the rain outspeeds virtually every other Pokemon, whether or not they use a Choice Scarf; as such, one might wonder about the need for Speed EVs at all. However, the listed spread is the slowest Floatzel should drop to, so as to outspeed maximum Speed non-Choice Scarf Rotom-A outside of rain. Aside from this, the EV spread and choice of nature are largely self-explanatory: Attack is maximized with 252 EVs and an Adamant nature, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for maximal bulk. Damp Rock extends the duration of rain from 5 to 8 turns, ensuring that Floatzel's sweep won't be cut short prematurely, but Life Orb is an option if you're certain to finish the sweep in five turns—Floatzel certainly appreciates the added power, and the loss in bulk isn't very significant.</p>
<p>Ice Beam can be used with a Rash nature to target Tangela's weaker Special Defense, but this isn't really necessary, especially on a dedicated rain team, as Gorebyss and other special attackers are better candidates to fill this role. Speaking of teammates, Pokemon that can abuse the rain are natural partners: the likes of Gorebyss, Huntail, Golduck, and Armaldo are the best options. As mentioned above, Floatzel does not need to be run on a dedicated rain team; however, one should ensure that, at the very least, Floatzel's teammates are not too hampered by the rain should he faint before the rain turns are up.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Among Floatzel's most tempting coverage options that are not listed above include Brick Break and Low Kick, but all relevant Steel-types are hit hard by Waterfall, especially if in rain. He receives Pursuit and Payback, but Crunch is more useful considering Floatzel's excellent Speed stat. Toxic is quite a novel choice, but it could be useful as bulky Water-types are common switch-ins to Floatzel. However, unlike Sawk, Floatzel will lose quite a bit of coverage if forgoing one of his coverage moves. Taunt is viable too as Floatzel is one of the fastest users of it, but Samurott is bulkier and therefore makes for a better stallbreaker. Aside from Bulk Up and Substitute, Floatzel can also Baton Pass Agility and Aqua Ring, but there are better passers of the former, namely Ninjask, and the latter is largely not useful outside of Baton Pass chains, which have their own issues. Floatzel's Dream World ability, Water Veil, is perhaps best abused with a combination of Flame Orb + Switcheroo, but doing so requires Floatzel to forgo both a moveslot and an item for only situational benefits, and at any rate, bulky Water-types are more hampered by Toxic. Note also that Water Veil is illegal with DPP-exclusive moves, most notably Ice Punch, Low Kick, and Sleep Talk. Finally, Floatzel can run a mixed set; Ice Beam is particularly useful to break through bulky Grass-types, such as Tangela, Leafeon, and Torterra, who tend to be more physically defensive.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Playing against Choice Band Floatzel takes some prediction as he packs quite a bit of power; however, both Choice Band and Bulk Up Floatzel can usually be revenge killed with little trouble. Zebstrika outspeeds Floatzel, and most Choice Scarf users, especially ones not weak to Water-type moves, such as Rotom-S and Jynx, do well in this role. All variants of Floatzel without Aqua Jet or Bulk Up boosts—Rain Dance Floatzel in particular—must also watch out for Absol, whose Sucker Punch bypasses Floatzel's enormous Speed stat. Bulky Water- and Grass-types fare well in terms of walling him; for instance, Alomomola has stellar Defense to take hits, and Tangela walls all but mixed Ice Beam variants and Bulk Up ones with too many boosts. Conversely, Unaware Quagsire laughs at Bulk Up Floatzel no matter how many boosts he's racked up. Status in general cripples Floatzel: burn cuts his damage output in half, Toxic greatly shortens his lifespan, and paralysis takes away his best asset: his Speed.</p>
It's not like I can't swim. I just like my inner tube.
[Overview]
<p>Floatzel might seem like a colorful, cheery Pokemon, but he has little to boast about, even in the depths of NU. With a blistering base 115 Speed, he is tied for the title of fastest Water-type Pokemon in the game (second if you count Water Arceus), but said Speed is all that's competitively outstanding about him. He does have a usable Attack stat, good offensive typing, decent coverage in Dark-, Ice-, and Fighting-type moves, as well as priority in Aqua Jet, but his mediocre defenses are a letdown. He is, however, seemingly perfectly built for a Choice Band set, and can make good use of Bulk Up too, though he faces competition from Samurott in this aspect. Finally, he receives Rain Dance, with which he can abuse his ability, Swift Swim, to outspeed just about everything in the game.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Return / Ice Punch
move 4: Aqua Jet / Switcheroo
item: Choice Band
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As previously mentioned, Choice Band is probably the set Floatzel can best pull off. The premise behind this set is simple: Floatzel has good Speed, but only mediocre power, and his STAB has excellent neutral coverage, making a Choice item a natural pick for him. Waterfall is the chosen STAB move for its combination of power and reliability, and hits all Pokemon, bar Grass-, Dragon-, and other Water-types, for neutral damage. Crunch decimates bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Misdreavus and Jynx, respectively, the latter of whom might switch in looking to sponge a Water-type attack and gain a free set-up turn. Return has great neutral coverage alongside Floatzel's Water-type STAB, whereas Ice Punch hits Grass- and Dragon-types, who resist Waterfall. However, one should note that Crunch and Return both already 2HKO Exeggutor, one of the most common Grass-types. Aqua Jet lets Floatzel revenge kill weakened boosting sweepers and bypass Sucker Punch Absol; alternatively, Floatzel can elect to Switcheroo his Choice item to cripple walls, most notably Tangela. Note, however, that Switcheroo and Ice Punch are illegal together.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>EVs are the standard sweeper fare—Attack and Speed are maximized to let Floatzel hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly lets him outspeed the monkey trio, Tauros, Rapidash, and Kadabra, and tie with maximum Speed Cinccino. However, as Adamant Floatzel still outpaces the base 100 Speed tier, it is the preferred option for greater power, especially since Aqua Jet hits many of these Pokemon for huge damage. If forgoing Aqua Jet, one might also wish to consider using a Choice Scarf, along with an Adamant nature, but Floatzel is generally fast enough that this is not needed.</p>
<p>In terms of teammates, Grass-types have good synergy with Floatzel; good choices include Tangela and Leafeon. Floatzel also appreciates teammates that lay entry hazards in order to rack up damage on switching foes, as opponents will likely switch around to Pokemon that resist Floatzel's chosen move. Torterra can set up Stealth Rock reliably, Cacturne can lay Spikes, and Misdreavus makes a good spinblocker. Floatzel himself will also likely be switching around quite a bit, and will therefore appreciate a Rapid Spin user of your own, such as Cryogonal.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bulk Up is the better of the two boosting moves that Floatzel receives. While it increases both Floatzel's Attack and Defense, the former boost is the one that Floatzel takes advantage of more, as his great Speed and mediocre defenses lend him to a more offensive approach to Bulk Up. Waterfall has great neutral coverage, and is Floatzel's chosen STAB move for its power and perfect accuracy. Crunch and Ice Punch grant him more coverage, hitting bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, and Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Water-type moves, respectively. As an alternative, Baton Pass lets a teammate take advantage of Floatzel's boosts if he is faced with a foe he cannot break through alone; this also prevents Floatzel from being completely useless should he be afflicted with status, especially if he is burnt.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Jolly is the preferred nature here for more Speed, as Bulk Up raises Attack; however, Adamant can still be used for greater power. The EV spread is standard for a physical sweeper. Leftovers and a more defensive EV spread can be used for more survivability, but Life Orb and offensive investment is typically preferred to take full advantage of Floatzel's excellent Speed. If taking a bulky route, though, at least 132 Speed EVs should be maintained, so that Floatzel outspeeds maximum Speed Rotom-A. Substitute can be used over a coverage move to prevent status, as both burn and poison cut Floatzel's sweep short. However, it should be noted that Floatzel is generally outclassed in the role of as a mono-attacking Baton Passer.</p>
<p>Again, bulky Grass-types, such as Torterra, Leafeon, and Tangela, make good teammates; the former can make good use of Bulk Up boosts too. Specially defensive Camerupt synergizes well with Floatzel and your chosen Grass-type to form a solid Fire / Water / Grass core; he can also provide Stealth Rock and burn support to assist Floatzel in setting up and sweeping.</p>
[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Damp Rock / Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rain Dance is arguably Floatzel's best set-up move; it summons rain, which boosts the power of Floatzel's STAB Waterfall, and raises his Speed to dizzying heights. Don't fret about this strategy possibly being too niche—this Floatzel can be used both in or out of a dedicated rain team. Aside from Waterfall, which is a natural choice as it is incredibly powerful in rain, Crunch and Ice Punch provide Floatzel with standard—and the best possible—coverage. With Crunch hitting bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively, and Ice Punch destroying Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Waterfall, the combination of Water / Dark / Ice moves hits the entire NU tier for at least neutral damage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to the Swift Swim boost, Floatzel in the rain outspeeds virtually every other Pokemon, whether or not they use a Choice Scarf; as such, one might wonder about the need for Speed EVs at all. However, the listed spread is the slowest Floatzel should drop to, so as to outspeed maximum Speed non-Choice Scarf Rotom-A outside of rain. Aside from this, the EV spread and choice of nature are largely self-explanatory: Attack is maximized with 252 EVs and an Adamant nature, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for maximal bulk. Damp Rock extends the duration of rain from 5 to 8 turns, ensuring that Floatzel's sweep won't be cut short prematurely, but Life Orb is an option if you're certain to finish the sweep in five turns—Floatzel certainly appreciates the added power, and the loss in bulk isn't very significant.</p>
<p>Ice Beam can be used with a Rash nature to target Tangela's weaker Special Defense, but this isn't really necessary, especially on a dedicated rain team, as Gorebyss and other special attackers are better candidates to fill this role. Speaking of teammates, Pokemon that can abuse the rain are natural partners: the likes of Gorebyss, Huntail, Golduck, and Armaldo are the best options. As mentioned above, Floatzel does not need to be run on a dedicated rain team; however, one should ensure that, at the very least, Floatzel's teammates are not too hampered by the rain should he faint before the rain turns are up.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Among Floatzel's most tempting coverage options that are not listed above include Brick Break and Low Kick, but all relevant Steel-types are hit hard by Waterfall, especially if in rain. He receives Pursuit and Payback, but Crunch is more useful considering Floatzel's excellent Speed stat. Toxic is quite a novel choice, but it could be useful as bulky Water-types are common switch-ins to Floatzel. However, unlike Sawk, Floatzel will lose quite a bit of coverage if forgoing one of his coverage moves. Taunt is viable too as Floatzel is one of the fastest users of it, but Samurott is bulkier and therefore makes for a better stallbreaker. Aside from Bulk Up and Substitute, Floatzel can also Baton Pass Agility and Aqua Ring, but there are better passers of the former, namely Ninjask, and the latter is largely not useful outside of Baton Pass chains, which have their own issues. Floatzel's Dream World ability, Water Veil, is perhaps best abused with a combination of Flame Orb + Switcheroo, but doing so requires Floatzel to forgo both a moveslot and an item for only situational benefits, and at any rate, bulky Water-types are more hampered by Toxic. Note also that Water Veil is illegal with DPP-exclusive moves, most notably Ice Punch, Low Kick, and Sleep Talk. Finally, Floatzel can run a mixed set; Ice Beam is particularly useful to break through bulky Grass-types, such as Tangela, Leafeon, and Torterra, who tend to be more physically defensive.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Playing against Choice Band Floatzel takes some prediction as he packs quite a bit of power; however, both Choice Band and Bulk Up Floatzel can usually be revenge killed with little trouble. Zebstrika outspeeds Floatzel, and most Choice Scarf users, especially ones not weak to Water-type moves, such as Rotom-S and Jynx, do well in this role. All variants of Floatzel without Aqua Jet or Bulk Up boosts—Rain Dance Floatzel in particular—must also watch out for Absol, whose Sucker Punch bypasses Floatzel's enormous Speed stat. Bulky Water- and Grass-types fare well in terms of walling him; for instance, Alomomola has stellar Defense to take hits, and Tangela walls all but mixed Ice Beam variants and Bulk Up ones with too many boosts. Conversely, Unaware Quagsire laughs at Bulk Up Floatzel no matter how many boosts he's racked up. Status in general cripples Floatzel: burn cuts his damage output in half, Toxic greatly shortens his lifespan, and paralysis takes away his best asset: his Speed.</p>
