Pokémon Galvantula

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I still have not seen one good defog set. Every decent poke with access to it suffers from 4-move syndrome. Until that happens, I am not worried about defog.
 
Yeah, the best Defog user in pre-Pokebank is... Mandibuzz. The next best option is Crobat. Later on when Pokebank is released, things like Skarmory will start sporting it, but until then, you basically have to rely on Rapid Spin for entry hazard control.
 
Thanks for the input, Im still breeding for this so I havent got to test it yet. So say we just run the set with compound eyes and swap thunder for bug buzz.
 
Hmm...here's a question: what's the viability of disable on galvantula? It is pretty fast, and it's been demonstrated that the move can be quite nasty in the right hands. Hmm...perhaps one could find an alternative by looking for more supportive options, though it could very well mean the loss of his compoundeyes thunder, which might not be worth it. Surprised to learn that gal doesn't get u-turn. seems like a silly oversight. would be nice for his coverage. Thunder wave and light screen are also moves lurking in his pool, as is rain dance, so he has a few different niches that he might be able to fill on a team.
 
The other option can be helpful, or more accurately in this case, is almost never helpful. The main option is always helpful. The protocol should be obvious.
Whatever makes you feel better, as I cannot change your feel of the situation. But at a logical standpoint, this is not completely truthful.

Having this one move and ability gone on Galvantula does not render him useless, he still has opportunities with his movepool. He can still be a pivot with Volt-Swith, and still be useful as a Sticky Web user. As most I've seen tend to do with him. Another thing, his main option has most definitely changed to what I have listed, as a Sticky Web user.
 
IDK if anyone talked about this yet, but here are some points that are wrong with Shydreigon's analysis:
1) Thunder doesn't have 100% accuracy. And it's not 95% either. Compound eyes increases accuracy by x130%, not +30%. So the accuracy of thunder would actually be 70 + (70 x 0.3) = 91. 91% accuracy is still pretty good though.
2) Assault vest is a horrible item for Galvantula. Not only can you not use sticky web (the move that significantly improves Galvantula), but it is unnecessary. Galvantula is so frail that giving it assault vest will just let it live for maybe one more turn. Or, you could give it specs or scarf to let it do more damage and potentially KO the opponent's pokemon before you get squashed.
3) Infestation is a bad move for Galvantula. Infestation is really only good for tanks who can stay alive long enough to trap something before they die.
In the "Trap 'Em and Zap 'Em" set it says:
This set aims to give Galv just a little more bulk with Assault Vest and give it a specific/very situational job. The purpose is to have Sticky Web up, switch in on a special attack you know you can survive thanks to Assault Vest, and use Infestation to trap a fool. Then depending on whether or not you can take them out yourself, Volt Switch out to someone who can. Thunder will do more damage but will only give you electric attacking coverage, while Bug Buzz will give you more coverage. Use Compoundeyes for Thunder and Swarm for Bug Buzz.
This makes NO SENSE. First, you'd never get sticky web up with an Assault Vest. Then, this set tells you to switch in on a special attack. If you do somehow live that hit and manage to use infestation the next turn, the opponent would just kill you right after that. So all you did was switch in a healthy Galvantula, then use a weak base 20 bug attack, then DIE. The residual damage from trapping doesn't even occur because you fainted! I think the misconception was that the opponent wouldn't be able to move after you trap them with infestation, but trapping moves like wrap and clamp only did that in Gen I! (Also, the apostrophe in 'Em replaces the "Th". No idea why you would spell it Em')
4) Why would you give it 4HP EV's? That just means it can switch in one less time when stealth rocks are up.
 
Is sticky web all galvantula is good for? Because I really am starting to like specs + volt-switch galvantula to gain momentum and as a late game sweeper and paired with galvantulas awesome ability Compound Eyes Thunder has about 97% accuracy to either punch holes in teams/late game sweep. Does anyone else NOT use galvantula for sticky web? :3
 
Sticky web isn't all it's good for but it really is the big thing to consider when adding it to a team. It has nice STABs in Thunder and Bug Buzz and it has nice offensive stats.

The biggest problem imo for Galvantula sweeping is it's weakness to Flying, making Talonflame an instant-counter.
 
Sticky web isn't all it's good for but it really is the big thing to consider when adding it to a team. It has nice STABs in Thunder and Bug Buzz and it has nice offensive stats.

The biggest problem imo for Galvantula sweeping is it's weakness to Flying, making Talonflame an instant-counter.
It's not weak to Flying, but loses to either STAB regardless.
 
Sticky web isn't all it's good for but it really is the big thing to consider when adding it to a team. It has nice STABs in Thunder and Bug Buzz and it has nice offensive stats.

The biggest problem imo for Galvantula sweeping is it's weakness to Flying, making Talonflame an instant-counter.
It's neutral to Flying ._. Sash Galvantula will kill any Talonflame with Thunder that try to "counter" it as you're saying. Without Life Orb/CB it doesn't even OHKO.
 
Really? Whoops :P

Still, I was addressing sweeping with Specs. Focus Sash is really the only way I can see Galvantula not caring about Talonflame.
Or does Brave Bird (with Sharp Beak or Life Orb) not OHKO?

And then you're hoping that Galvantula hasn't taken any damage at all so that your sash stays intact.
Either way, I see Talonflame as being a major limiting factor for Galvantula sweeping.
 
The Bug Booster set is crap. If you aren't using Sticky Web then don't use Galvantula. Galvantula is Sticky Web and vice versa. Without Sticky Web it is severely outclassed. Swarm is also a bad option. CE Thunder makes it somewhat ignore its average SpA and let it hit pretty hard, so Swarm is mediocre. Also, you cannot use Sticky Web with Assault Vest.

EDIT: Slash Focus Sash as an item on the "Bug Zapper". Gaur teed Sticky Web is really god, and not being able to get up Sticky Web pretty much makes you playing with 5 Pokemon which sucks and is a bad disadvantage.
 
Tell me what you think of this set. I think it's pretty viable in OU...

Galvantula Leftovers
Trait: Unnerve/Swarm
Nature: Timid
::Sticky Web
::Thunder Wave
::Bug Buzz
::Volt Switch
248 HP/8 SpA/252 Spe

A fast support set. His goal is to set up Sticky Web and spread TWave, and subsequently turn momentum your way for a powerful sweeper to come in and start cleaning up mid-game. Volt Switch is a nice momentum-turning move, and is probably more useful than Thunder for this support role (albeit Thunder is still strong enough on this set to OHKO Talonflame), but it is viable if you don't want to use Volt Switch for whatever reason... Bug Buzz kills off his easiest counter - Espeon, since Magic Bounce would stop him from setting up. Luckily, it's usually easy to predict the switch to an Espeon and you can predict a good time to use Bug Buzz, but if you predict wrong you can still ake a hit and safely VSwitch out. Anyways, the moves you're using are 100% accurate (correct me if that's wrong) so Unnerve would kinda be more useful, but then again so could Swarm, depends. Not many berry users so Swarm would be better.

252 Atk Life Orb Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 281-331 (81.6 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Espeon Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 198-234 (57.5 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Espeon Psychic vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Galvantula: 220-261 (63.9 - 75.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 81-96 (23.5 - 27.9%) -- possible 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 162-192 (47 - 55.8%) -- 21.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
I'm honestly curious as to what kind of hits you think he can live.

And Espeon isn't the easiest counter. Excadrill is, switching in, threatening you with your demise, being immune to Twave and capable of spinning away your hazards. You also can't volt out of him either.
 
Pretty sure Espeon is also nearly nonexistent.

Antonius the Great said:
Bug Buzz kills off his easiest counter - Espeon, since Magic Bounce would stop him from setting up. Luckily, it's usually easy to predict the switch to an Espeon and you can predict a good time to use Bug Buzz, but if you predict wrong you can still ake a hit and safely VSwitch out.
Assuming you aren't actually the grandmaster of prediction, Bug Buzz won't 1HKO Espeon - or anything really... except noobdos. Not investing in Special Attack is a mistake, especially if the main purpose of the set is to get Sticky Web up. Despite the presence of Defog on 90% of teams, you shouldn't go into it thinking that you're going to be able to set up Sticky Web as many times as possible.

8 SpA Galvantula Bug Buzz vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Espeon: 200-236 (73.5 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
8 SpA Galvantula Bug Buzz vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Espeon: 200-236 (73.5 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
^I'm aware it doesn't OHKO Espeon. I tested it. It 2HKOS, but if you get it on the switch it'll be done since it can't OHKO you. The prediction of an Espeon switch is always so easy and if they lead with one just to prevent Sticky Web, it survives one hit to Volt Switch out. It's all good.

He just barely lives through these hits, but keep in mind this guy is a lead. He'll really only be taking one before turning out, bar Excadrill and other Ground-types which he'd need to switch out of normally (I did include a calc for Excadrill though)

252 SpA Espeon Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 198-234 (57.7 - 68.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Espeon Psychic vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Galvantula: 222-262 (64.7 - 76.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 280-330 (81.6 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Technician Mega Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 181-213 (52.7 - 62%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Adaptability Mega Lucario Close Combat vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 215-253 (62.6 - 73.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Galvantula: 187-222 (54.5 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Tornadus-T Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Galvantula: 313-370 (91.2 - 107.8%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
0 SpA Deoxys-S Psycho Boost vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Galvantula: 219-258 (63.8 - 75.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

His goal is really just to survive these hits if he needs to and switch out, only because things like Espeon and Mega Lucario out speed him and would otherwise OHKO him. Excadrill has presented problems like you said. I always switch to Togekiss for Excadrill, for Fire Blast and the EQ immunity. The goal is to get the Web up and hopefully be able to get a TWave in. A TWave on something faster will ensure you get up a Web and Paralysis thanks to his HP investment taking more than one hit, so it gives him a little more purpose than just setting up Sticky Web. If I'm dedicating a Team Slot for this thing it better be as useful as possible.... If that didn't make sense, I mean that since TWave slows them down, you'd be able to get up a Web if you TWave first and possibly even get to Volt Switch out if parahax are on your side.
The main reason, and the only reason I thought of this set, was because I hate dead weight. I really have a problem with dedicating a party slot to a suicide lead, and this guy is okay enough to not need to become complete dead weight. If it was something like Froslass that would be different, but Galv's typing makes it work out well. Let's also be completely honest... What is this thing going to sweep? Anything that is faster than it will OHKO it without a problem and it still can't deal with a lot of problems after investment, notably Excadrill and Landorus (both forms).

Anyways, I don't see the logic in saying "Not investing in Special Attack is a mistake, especially if the main purpose of the set is to get Sticky Web up." lol Sticky Web is not an Attack move, it is a hazard. Tell me if I'm wrong, but higher Special Attack doesn't make a hazard better, does it? It doesn't get a hazard out faster, does it? It doesn't make the hazard more effective, does it? As far as I'm concerned if his main purpose is getting a Web up then he is not a sweeper, he is a utility, and should be treated as such.
 

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Atrocious... But unexpected. And sometimes the crazy unexpected shit can win you a match.Although it'd be nice if abilities didn't straight up broadcast themselves.

"HEY LOOK UNNERVE!"

"Great, time to switch out my Skarmory"
Skarmory has to switch the fuck out when facing Galvantula anyway, so yeah.

Also, I haven't really used Galvantula, but I've used Smeargle and it was pretty great for setting up Sticky Web, it can also sleep a Pokemon, set up SR, AND somewhat beat most defoggers that are slower; by Exploding. Since Defog fails if theres no target. After Exploding it should be easy to OHKO said defoggers.

It is also a pretty good Aegislash switch in since it's immune to both Shadow Ball and Sneak, and if the opponent doesn't have any Pokemon sleeping, it can also sleep the Aegislash. :p
 
Is there anyway to outspeed and KO a Focus Sash Galvantula turn one (bearing in mind most users use them recklessly)? I'm trying to play a Baton Pass team, and the logistics of passing to a defogger with Sticky Web in play is awkward to say the least as every time you Baton Pass to a new pokemon they get -1 speed (yes you can Magic Bounce/Coat the Sticky Web onto their side, but that's why most Galvantula teams have a rapid spinner - even then they aren't getting those cumulative -1 boosts like you).

The only things I could think of were scarf Haxorus who doesn't quite get there with Dual Chop:

252+ Atk Mold Breaker Haxorus Dual Chop (2 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 240-284 (85.4 - 101%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO

Or something like scarf Heracross Rock Blast, but even then that's pretty shaky (if 3 hits land you get 87.5% chance of an OHKO, however 37.5% of the time you only get 2 hits - overall the odds of the OHKO with the moves 90% accuracy in the first place are 52.0%, which as gambles go is pretty crap).

A scarf Cloyster could also do the trick, but that would be a pretty ridiculous thing to use. Is Ambipom really the only viable alternative, either CB Double Hit or LO Fake Out (min 57%) then U-Turn (min 44%)? Seems like an non-ideal solution.
 
A fast Taunt or Fake Out poke is best for the job you're describing. Or a scarfed sleeper like Roserade.

Alternatively you could lead with an offensive spinner like Excadrill/Starmie, Earthquake/Hydro Pump down to Focus Sash then finish it off with Rapid Spin.
 
Is there anyway to outspeed and KO a Focus Sash Galvantula turn one (bearing in mind most users use them recklessly)? I'm trying to play a Baton Pass team, and the logistics of passing to a defogger with Sticky Web in play is awkward to say the least as every time you Baton Pass to a new pokemon they get -1 speed (yes you can Magic Bounce/Coat the Sticky Web onto their side, but that's why most Galvantula teams have a rapid spinner - even then they aren't getting those cumulative -1 boosts like you).

The only things I could think of were scarf Haxorus who doesn't quite get there with Dual Chop:

252+ Atk Mold Breaker Haxorus Dual Chop (2 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Galvantula: 240-284 (85.4 - 101%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO

Or something like scarf Heracross Rock Blast, but even then that's pretty shaky (if 3 hits land you get 87.5% chance of an OHKO, however 37.5% of the time you only get 2 hits - overall the odds of the OHKO with the moves 90% accuracy in the first place are 52.0%, which as gambles go is pretty crap).

A scarf Cloyster could also do the trick, but that would be a pretty ridiculous thing to use. Is Ambipom really the only viable alternative, either CB Double Hit or LO Fake Out (min 57%) then U-Turn (min 44%)? Seems like an non-ideal solution.
Use a real playstyle, son. How about dat? Baton pass is for those who can't build actual teams.
 
Does Gastro Acid remove the abilities entirely for the duration of the match or can it be undone by switching out? Removing certain abilities (Gale Wings, Mold Breaker, Sand Stream) seems like a good support move
 
A fast Taunt or Fake Out poke is best for the job you're describing. Or a scarfed sleeper like Roserade.

Alternatively you could lead with an offensive spinner like Excadrill/Starmie, Earthquake/Hydro Pump down to Focus Sash then finish it off with Rapid Spin.
That's true, I don't know why I didn't think of a fast Taunt.
 
Use a real playstyle, son. How about dat? Baton pass is for those who can't build actual teams.
Shots fired. However the statement is sort of incorrect because Baton Pass, when executed properly, makes for a very interesting battle. Easily beaten by a pHazer, perhaps. Poorly built BP teams, yeah, they're easy pickings. A BP team that's considered the threats can be quite threatening. Having a Magic Bounce Espeon (or rofl Soundproof Mr.Mime) as a stopgap to phasing moves is a common tactic if the BP user thought about it. Realistically BP needs to play as bulky offense, with Taunt scattered on the team, a Fairy to soak up loose Dragon Tails, and a Ghost (Drifblim) who laughs at the uncommon Circle Throw.

Badly, hastily constructed Baton Pass teams are not good. The same can be said for any team. I would not discount any one playstyle as a bad playstyle, and I wouldn't say BP teams aren't "real" teams. As much planning, if not more, goes into BP teams as a single turn could spell their doom. It's a more ambitious and risky playstyle for sure, and foolhardy BP teams lose every time-- careful players are rewarded.

I don't even BP.
 
Use a real playstyle, son. How about dat? Baton pass is for those who can't build actual teams.
Or they like pulling some hilarity. Saw a replay of a team that didn't rely on a big snowball so much as it relied on pivoting off of a NP/Pass Togekiss. Was interesting to watch because it wasn't the typical "try to roll a ton of boosts into a big chain" that BP players have a bad habit of falling into.
 
I've been using this set as either a lead or even as a mid game sweeper and have had a lot of success with it.

Galvantula @ focus sash
Timid 252speed/252spA/4spD
Ability: compound eyes
Sticky web
Bug buzz
Energy ball
Thunder

The ev set allows him to to sweep if he can enter at a decent time, but when I lead off I can at the minimum get the sticky web off and take a dent out of the opponents lead. It's fast enough to out speed most things, and the compound eyes thunder AWESOME. Energy ball works good for coverage. Being as frail as he is, I much prefer it to giga drain.
 
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