done maybe
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/gengar
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Gengar's combination of power and unpredictability make it a potent offensive threat. It has an excellent movepool backed up with great Speed and impressive Special Attack. Gengar’s immunity to the popular Ground- and Fighting-type attacks (and Normal-type ones too) allows it plenty of opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. Despite its immense power, Gengar does have its drawbacks. Its atrocious defensive stats means it will take massive damage from even neutral STAB attacks, while its weakness to Dark means it can be easily Pursuited by Tyranitar or Scizor if it isn’t careful. However, its frailty shouldn’t deter you from using Gengar—its wide range of powerful and disruptive moves make it a threat to even the best-prepared teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute Special
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hypnosis
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Since Gengar’s excellent type coverage forces a lot of switches, it can use Substitute to great effect. It helps deal with Tyranitar and Scizor, two of Gengar’s greatest nemeses, by scouting the switch and letting Gengar hit them with the appropriate 4x super effective attack. Substitute is especially important given the popularity of Scarf Tyranitar, which would otherwise be able to pick off Gengar with near impunity. It also allows Gengar to evade status such as Celebi and Blissey’s Thunder Wave. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar the unresisted Ghost / Fighting coverage, while Hidden Power Fire in the last slot grants a quick OHKO on Scizor and Forretress while giving it a way of hurting specially defensive Skarmory reliably.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Another option for the last slot is Hypnosis. With its unreliable 60% accuracy, it is a risky move to try and use on a standard Gengar set. However, Substitute effectively gives Gengar two shots at sleeping an opponent, and Hypnosis has a reasonable 84% chance to hit at least once out of two uses. Alternatively, you can play this Gengar just like the standard sweeper set but with Substitute, and so go with Thunderbolt in the last slot to get the super effective hit on bulky Waters and Gyarados.</p>
<p>Even without a specific boosting item, Gengar gets the KOs it needs to. Focus Blast OHKOes 252 HP Tyranitar after Stealth Rock damage. While specially defensive Tyranitar isn’t OHKOed, if Gengar gets a Substitute up, it has two chances to KO it instead of just one. Leftovers is preferred to heal HP lost from creating Substitutes and to ensure Gengar won’t lose obscenely high amounts of HP in a sandstorm. Wide Lens can be used to increase the accuracy of Hypnosis and Focus Blast.</p>
<p>This set has two distinct advantages over a similar set utilizing Substitute and Focus Punch. Even if it doesn’t get a free turn to create Substitute, it can use Focus Blast to kill Pokémon like Lucario, non-Scarf Heatran, and even non-Scarf Tyranitar; running an all-special set also eliminates the need to run Expert Belt and split offensive EVs.</p>
[SET]
name: MYSTICgar
move 1: Protect
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Protect allows Gengar to defeat most versions of the two Pokemon that give it the most difficulty in the Platinum metagame: Pursuit Tyranitar and Bullet Punch + Pursuit Scizor. After Gengar has switched in and Tyranitar or Scizor have then switched in as well, Gengar will first use Protect to see if Tyranitar or Scizor uses Pursuit. If either Pokemon uses Pursuit, Gengar will use the proper move to OHKO it. If neither Pokemon uses Pursuit, Gengar can safely switch out. Note that even with Protect, Gengar needs to remain wary of non-Choiced Scizor with Bullet Punch and Pursuit and Choice Scarf Tyranitar with Pursuit. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar perfect coverage, while Hidden Power Fire lets it OHKO Scizor that decide to Pursuit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Magnezone is a great partner for this set due to its ability to trap Choice Band Scizor attempting to Bullet Punch Gengar as well as Choice Scarf Jirachi aiming to Iron Head it. Additionallly, since this version of Gengar is such a good lure for its usual counters, having a Pokemon that benefits from having Pokemon like Scizor eliminated makes for a great partner. If Gengar lures out and eliminates Scizor, Pokemon like Latias can sweep easier, as one of its main counters has been eliminated. Latias also enjoys Tyranitar being significantly weakened or even eliminated by a super effective Focus Blast from Gengar. Other offensive Pokemon such as Salamence and Tyranitar can significantly benefit from Scizor’s death as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Pain Split
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Pain Split
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the release of HeartGold and SoulSilver came a new toy for Gengar to play with: Pain Split. By utilizing a combination of Substitute and Pain Split, Gengar becomes nearly impossible to wall, even by Blissey. Pain Split also allows Gengar to safely run Substitute and Life Orb at the same time, all the while taking damage from sandstorm and hail; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Gengar is also notorious for its ability to sweep, with its massive Special Attack stat and 110 base Speed. Although this set loses some super effective coverage due to the lack of attacking moveslots, Gengar still maintains perfect neutral coverage with the unresisted Fighting- and Ghost-type combination. A combination of base 130 Special Attack and high-powered moves ensures this Gengar is still a terrifying sweeper.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokémon it normally would not be able to, most notably Blissey. After Substitute and two Pain Splits (or one if sandstorm is in effect), Blissey's health will low enough so that Focus Blast is a 2HKO. This means that Blissey will be forced to constantly heal herself or risk being KOed. Pain Split has 32 PP, while Wish and Softboiled have 16, meaning that Gengar can easily stall Blissey out. If Blissey does not use a healing move to conserve PP, then she is at huge risk of being 2HKOed by Focus Blast. Finally, most Blissey are unable to break Gengar's Substitutes, meaning it can usually come out of the duel unscathed.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>One of the biggest drawbacks to using any Gengar set is how fragile it is. Gengar is OHKOed by a Choice Band Bullet Punch from Scizor, and takes a huge hit from a Choice Scarf Tyranitar's Pursuit, making it very hard for Gengar to sweep for long. The use of Substitute effectively solves this problem, though, as Gengar can provide itself with a safety blanket to switch out of harm's way without getting hit by Pursuit. Substitute also protects Gengar from nasty status effects, namely paralysis, which can immediately stop its sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep, by allowing it to scout the opponent's switch-in and attack appropriately. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how quickly Gengar ends up killing itself, but is mitigated by Pain Split.</p>
<p>Since Gengar does such a great job of luring in and beating Blissey, it is recommended that this set be paired up with Pokémon who are normally walled by Blissey but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokémon like offensive Suicune, Substitute + Agility Empoleon, offensive Starmie, and Heatran, among many others. Although this set can sweep on its own, the fact that it can also clear the way for other sweepers like this should be exploited to its fullest.</p>
<p>Due to Gengar's paper-thin defenses, it is usually very risky to switch it in on an attack; even though it packs impressive immunities, a misprediction can be enough to end Gengar's sweep before it begins. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokémon such as Heatran with Substitute. Gengar can come in safely on the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks Heatran lures; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokémon who have a Substitute up. As a bonus, Gengar does not have to worry about switching in on something like a Thunder Wave from Blissey when using this strategy, which is one of the biggest concerns when contemplating whether or not to switch Gengar in. This strategy can be used with other Pokémon who have similar weaknesses, like Tyranitar or Empoleon. Tyranitar in particular is recommended, as the sandstorm that it provides makes it significantly easier for Gengar to beat Blissey. For extra insurance against Blissey in worst-case scenarios, Toxic Spikes should be considered. As with any set utilizing Substitute, Toxic Spikes can prove to be even more potent than usual, forcing Pokémon to usually take two turns of damage minimum should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner for Swords Dance Lucario, as Gengar is almost guaranteed a free switch in against Gliscor, the premier Lucario counter. Gengar is immune to Ground-type attacks and Toxic, and boasts a 4x resistance to U-turn, meaning Gengar does not fear any of the common moves that Gliscor carries. Gengar can then start hitting hard every time someone relies on Gliscor to beat Lucario.</p>
<p>The ability to give all team archetypes trouble makes this one of the most useful Gengar sets. Offensive teams do not like facing fast and heavy hitters, and defensive teams do not like Pain Split, which keeps Gengar alive. Because of this, Substitute + Pain Split Gengar makes a great addition to any team.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Explosion
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb Gengar is a fearsome sweeper that has few true counters. With great Special Attack and Speed, great type coverage, as well as three immunities, Gengar is capable of dealing heavy damage to almost any team. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar complete type coverage and hit some of the metagame's top threats for super effective damage. Focus Blast always OHKOes max HP Tyranitar in sandstorm, 2HKOes most Snorlax, and always OHKOes min HP Heatran. Thunderbolt offers a quick OHKO against Gyarados and 2HKOes max HP Suicune. In the last slot, Hidden Power Fire can be used for its additional power against most Steel-types (most notably Scizor and Forretress), but running Hidden Power Fire forces Gengar to have an imperfect Speed IV which means it will almost always lose the speed tie against opposing Gengar and Latias. Finally, Explosion allows Gengar to go out with a bang and possibly defeat Blissey.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Without Hidden Power Fire, a lot of Steel-type Pokemon in the game - Scizor, Metagross, and Jirachi, to name a few - can come in on most of Gengar's attacks and threaten it with their STAB attacks. Metagross can easily dispatch it with Meteor Mash, while Jirachi can paralyze it with Thunder Wave or send it to oblivion with repeated hits with Iron Head. Scizor gets particular mention as it can take down Gengar with a swift Bullet Punch, or punish a fleeing one with Pursuit. However, without Explosion, Blissey can entirely wall this set, paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave, and even start weakening it with one of her special attacks. Choice Scarfed versions of Heatran can come in on Shadow Ball or get a Flash Fire boost from Hidden Power Fire and proceed to easily KO Gengar with Fire Blast.</p>
<p>40 Attack EVs and a Hasty nature (92 Attack EVs when using Timid nature) is an alternative when using Explosion since it allows Gengar to OHKO standard Blissey after Stealth Rock. Hypnosis could be used in the final slot, but its low accuracy makes it a high-risk high-reward option.</p>
<p>Since most of Gengar's counters are Steel-types, Magnezone makes for a great partner. Not only can it trap and take down Scizor, it can also utilize a set with Magnet Rise and Substitute to deal with both Metagross and Jirachi. Gengar is also immune to the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that are commonly directed at Magnezone, should you not want to run Magnet Rise. Ironically, a Scizor of your own can be of great help to Gengar, as it can slowly weaken Gengar's common counters with its ever-useful U-turn. Scizor can also come in on Blissey without really minding paralysis and then use Superpower for the OHKO or heavily damage a fleeing Blissey with Pursuit. Swampert can take on both Heatran and other Steel-types with STAB Earthquake and set up Stealth Rock.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Trick / Explosion
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although it seems odd to use a Choice Scarf on something as fast as Gengar, its stellar type coverage allows Choice Scarf Gengar to act as an effective revenge killer for many of OU’s most dangerous sweepers, including Salamence, Gyarados, and Tyranitar.</p>
<p>Shadow Ball gives Gengar its requisite STAB attack and allows it to revenge threats such as Scarf Rotom-A, Azelf, Starmie, and Latias. Focus Blast is primarily useful for Tyranitar and Heatran, but can deal decent damage to Snorlax in a pinch. Thunderbolt turns Gengar into a great revenge killer for Dragon Dance Gyarados. Finally, Hidden Power Ice provides more reliability against Dragon Dance Salamence, since Salamence needs to be moderately weakened for Shadow Ball to KO. Gengar can also use Trick to cripple bulkier Pokemon like Blissey and Snorlax, while Explosion allows it to revenge kill a large number of Pokemon with one move. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokemon that can easily deal with Choiced Gengar is Tyranitar. With Sandstorm bolstering its above average Special Defense stat, Tyranitar can easily come in on anything bar Focus Blast, and then end Gengar's sweep with Pursuit. Tyranitar, however, can be easily stopped by Swampert, while Gliscor also makes a very fine switch-in as it can take on most of Tyranitar's attacks and give it a heavy blow with Earthquake. Snorlax is in a similar boat with Tyranitar, as it can come in on Gengar with its respectable Special Defense and KO it with Pursuit.</p>
<p>Defensive Pokemon such Celebi, Jirachi, Suicune, and Cresselia can all come in on resisted hits and then start setting-up as they force Gengar to switch out. Celebi can paralyze one of your Pokemon, Jirachi and Suicune can start boosting their stats with Calm Mind, and Cresselia can set up both Reflect and Light Screen to weaken your attacks and help set-up for an eventual sweep. As such, having a Pokemon that can deal with such threats, such as a Suicune of your own, would be necessary. As they start setting-up, Suicune can set-up alongside of them, Roar them out, and then get ready to sweep their team. Suicune is also capable of taking the Steel-type moves that Gengar hates with ease, as it is resistant to them and has naturally high Defense.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Focus Punch
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Focus Punch
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hypnosis / Explosion
item: Expert Belt
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This mixed Substitute set allows Gengar to deal with many Pokémon that commonly switch into it, including Blissey, Scizor, and Snorlax. Substitute not only blocks status and eases prediction, but allows Gengar to Focus Punch without risk of being hit. Focus Punch 2HKOs Snorlax and even the most physically defensive Blissey after Stealth Rock, while OHKOing most Tyranitar. Even with split offensive EVs, Shadow Ball packs a hefty kick and is a reliable STAB. In the last slot, Hidden Power Fire lets Gengar dispatch Forretress and Scizor.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Focus Punch with the given EVs and item deals 63.29% - 74.81% to 0 HP / 252 Def Calm Blissey and 53.08% - 62.46% to 252 HP / 252 Bold Blissey, both a 2HKO even when factoring in Leftovers recovery (however, Bold Blissey can avoid the 2HKO with Protect). Focus Punch also deals 62.23% - 73.37% to min HP Heatran, meaning Stealth Rock followed by Focus Punch and Shadow Ball has a small chance of KOing. Hypnosis can be used in the last slot, since having a Substitute up gives Gengar an insurance policy in case Hypnosis’s accuracy lets it down. Explosion is also an option to go out with a bang; it deals more damage than normal due to the Attack investment.</p>
<p>Expert Belt is chosen over Leftovers for one main reason: it saves Gengar from having to transfer a significant amount of Special Attack EVs into Attack (because Blissey and Snorlax are hit super effectively by Focus Punch), which would significantly lower Shadow Ball's damage on common neutral threats like Salamence and Gyarados. The lack of any kind of recovery is a non-issue too because Gengar can switch in numerous times on one of its many immunities (hopefully only ever taking damage from Stealth Rock).</p>
<p>Although this set can be dangerous, it doesn't have the raw power that the standard set has. The bulky Pokemon mentioned earlier all fair well against this set, although they should to be wary of being put to sleep by Hypnosis. Additionally, this Gengar is helpless against threats that it needs to hit with Focus Punch if it can’t keep a Substitute up; these may include Blissey with Flamethrower or Ice Beam, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Snorlax with Crunch or Pursuit.</p>
[SET]
name: Ubers Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Gengar’s high Speed and useful typing make it a great Choice Scarfer in Ubers because of its ability to check many common threats and its immunities to types like Fighting, Normal, and Ground. Hidden Power Ice is used to eliminate threats such as Rayquaza, Garchomp, and Shaymin-S. Shadow Ball will be your main attacking move, as it hits Pokémon like Mewtwo, Latios, Latias, and Giratina super effectively and gains STAB. Focus Blast can hurt Darkrai and Lucario, both of which are outsped by Choice Scarf Gengar (unless Darkrai has a Choice Scarf of its own). Trick can be used as a last ditch effort, and only should be considered when Gengar is low on HP or if it is truly imperative to cripple an opposing wall, sweeper, or Wobbuffet.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Scarf Gengar does not need much support since it will mainly be picking off already weakened enemies. However, it will be as good as dead if you do not take precautions by eliminating your opponent’s Pursuit-users, most commonly Scizor, Tyranitar, and Metagross. Scizor can lured by a Mewtwo with Fire Blast, since most Mewtwo have Ice Beam and Aura Sphere and are quite vulnerable to Scizor. Metagross can be dealt with in a similar way. Tyranitar is always 2HKOed by an Aura Sphere from Mewtwo. Calm Mind RestTalk Kyogre can Calm Mind and Rest in the face of these threats and use its boosted Surf to eliminate them. The only Pokémon of Scizor, Metagross, and Tyranitar who can threaten Kyogre is Metagross with its Explosion. While this will end up with Kyogre being defeated, it is also a way (albeit slightly perverse) of getting rid of Metagross.</p>
<p>By having Gengar as a revenge killer who can revenge kill many of the Uber metagame’s most deadly sweepers, you can let other would-be revenge killers, such as Palkia or Dialga, take on other roles on your team, such as mixed sets. Also, by crippling Wobbuffet with Trick, you can prevent it from using its Encore + Counter/Mirror Coat combo, or stop it from setting up a sweeper. Similarly, by crippling a wall like Blissey with its Choice Scarf, Gengar can prevent it from doing its duties properly. It becomes much easier for Pokémon like Calm Mind Kyogre to sweep if Blissey can only use one move until it switches out. Gengar can also revenge kill Dragon-types like Garchomp and Rayquaza who are locked into Outrage. If you eliminate these threats, it will be much easier for a Dialga or a Rayquaza or Garchomp of your own to sweep, as they become much harder to revenge kill.</p>
[SET]
name: Ubers Life Orb
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Icy Wind
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Gengar’s function is twofold: it is a revenge killer who can switch moves, and it is a lure. Gengar can OHKO Rayquaza 100% of the time with Icy Wind, as long as Stealth Rock is down (about 80% of the time without). Icy Wind also has the beneficial side effect of lowering your opponent's Pokémon's Speed by 1 stage, which allows Gengar to outspeed all Pokémon who reach a Speed stat of 522 (including base 100s with a +Speed nature and a Choice Scarf). By using Hidden Power Fire, Gengar can eliminate Scizor, which is OHKOed by Hidden Power Fire even when the sun is not out; however, it is only a 2HKO in the rain. Metagross, on the other hand, is 2HKOed by a Hidden Power Fire with no weather (in the sun it has a small chance to OHKO, but its only a 3HKO in the rain). Tyranitar is also handled relatively easily, since there’s a 100% chance of an OHKO even when Tyranitar has maximum HP and Special Defense and a +SpD nature as long as there is Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Protect and Explosion are other possibilities for the set. Protect allows you to scout whether Metagross or Scizor are using Bullet Punch or Pursuit, which allows you to determine whether or not to stay in and use Hidden Power Fire. Explosion serves as a last ditch attempt to KO one of your opponent’s Pokémon; make sure to use a Hasty nature though. It will do tremendous damage to any Pokémon who is not immune or resistant to it (Blissey will be OHKOed, and max HP Kyogre and Ho-Oh will be OHKOed after they take Stealth Rock damage).</p>
<p>Since Gengar will be eliminating mainly Scizor and Tyranitar, it will be much easier for certain Pokémon to sweep or wall. Some Pokémon who will benefit from this are Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Lugia. A Calm Mind Mewtwo is normally stuck when facing Scizor, as Scizor resists Ice Beam and takes neutral damage from Aura Sphere (the two most common attacks) and can hit back for super effective damage with U-turn or Pursuit. Likewise, Nasty Plot Darkrai is usually in a pickle against Scizor unless the Sleep Clause is not activated or if Darkrai has near full health. Scizor can use U-turn or Superpower on it for super effective damage or Bullet Punch it for priority, as it is only truly threatened by a +2 Focus Blast (which also has a large chance of missing). Lugia can also play a much larger role in teams, whether it be sweeping or walling, after Tyranitar has been eliminated. Not only does Tyranitar deal huge amounts of damage to Lugia with Crunch, Stone Edge, or Pursuit, but it also brings the sandstorm, which chips away at Lugia’s health. It will be much easier to use Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Lugia after Gengar has done its job.</p>
[Team Options]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Gengar is a fast and destructive Pokemon, albeit very frail. Usually, any neutral STAB attack from the opponent can take out a big chunk of Gengar's health, and maybe even OHKO it. That said, Gengar tends to benefit from almost any Pokemon that can deal with or at least weaken its counters. Stealth Rock can also help Gengar secure some OHKOs or 2HKOs that would otherwise be hard to get. Gengar also has a great typing and one of the most useful abilities in the game - Levitate. Having an immunity to some of the most abundant moves in the game - Earthquake and Earth Power - means that Gengar generally tends to come in on its immunities rather than on resisted hits. This means that not only Gengar but also most of its Steel-type partners can benefit from its immunities to Ground- and Fighting-type moves.</p>
<p>As previously mentioned, most of Gengar's partners tend to be Steel-type Pokemon. Magnezone is one of Gengar's most beneficial partners as not only can it eliminate most Steel-types that give Gengar lots of trouble, but also resists Steel-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves that hit Gengar for super effective damage. Gengar is also immune to the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that Magnezone fears. Most of the aforementioned Steel-type Pokemon are great partners to Gengar as they can at least weaken most of its counters, possibly allowing an almost unhindered sweep.</p>
<p>On the offensive side of the game, Pokemon like Infernape and Salamence are great partners to Gengar, as they are fantastic wall-breakers that can severely cripple most of Gengar's counters. For example, Infernape can easily OHKO Tyranitar, Scizor, Blissey, and Snorlax. Scizor is also another great partner that can deal with most of the above Pokemon. Gengar and Pokemon like Latias have common counters, meaning that if one of them can at least weaken its counters, the other Pokemon can have a field day against the opponent's team.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>As with all offensive Pokémon, Gengar appreciates the additions of entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock and Spikes. Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A, Forretress, Dialga, and Groudon can work excellently as leads, and Groudon or Forretress can work well as general supporters throughout the match. If you are using a Fire move then you should consider including Groudon on your team, since Gengar’s Hidden Power Fire won’t OHKO Scizor in the rain. Groudon’s sun also cancels out sandstorm or hail, which means Gengar takes less recoil per turn.</p>
<p> Gengar will have problems facing special walls such as Blissey. Dialga or Palkia are both Pokémon who can break Blissey with powerful physical attacks; they are normally thought of as special attackers, so mixed versions can surprise Blissey with physical attacks. Groudon is also a good choice, as it can hit Blissey with Earthquake and absorb Thunder Waves that are aimed at Gengar; Gengar can absorb Toxics in return. Another possibility is to use the combination of Tickle Wobbuffet and a Pursuit user, such as Scizor or Tyranitar. By using Tickle four times, an Adamant Scizor with 100 Attack EVs and a Life Orb will OHKO Blissey as she switches out; Blissey must be Tickled twice for a Tyranitar with 56 Attack and a neutral nature to KO her while she switches out. Gengar will struggle to deal damage to defensive Kyogre, but any Palkia version with Outrage or Thunder can deal with Kyogre because of its 4x resistance to Water-type moves. Latias with Soul Dew and Grass Knot or Recover can deal with Kyogre as well.</p>
<p>Gengar has extremely poor defenses, especially by Ubers standards, so it will need a lot of defensive support. Since Gengar will be primarily used on offensive teams, Dialga, Palkia, Scizor, and Groudon can all provide for a strong defensive core while also maintaining a threatening offensive presence. Pursuit users can kill Gengar before it can switch to an appropriate counter. To combat them, Fire Blast Mewtwo can lure in Scizor and Metagross, while defensive Kyogre can beat Tyranitar with Surf. If Gengar can switch moves, then it can attempt to take out these threats by itself, but will have to predict the switch (and rain cannot be up if it’s using Hidden Power Fire).</p>
<p>The Pokémon who are most commonly paired with Tyranitar, Metagross, and Scizor are Garchomp, Lugia, Dialga, Kyogre, Palkia, and Darkrai. Lugia can completely stop Garchomp in its tracks by using Reflect and Ice Beam. Jirachi can also use Body Slam to paralyze Garchomp on the switch. Dialga can be revenge killed with Wobbuffet via Mirror Coat as well, but Choice Specs sets should be handled by a special wall or a bulky Steel-type such as Jirachi or Scizor. Kyogre is a fearsome monster, and the only two Pokémon who can reliably check it are Palkia and Latias. There is no true counter to Palkia, and it must either be revenge killed, or taken on a set-by-set basis; the most common set, the Choice Scarf, can be revenge killed by Wobbuffet. Finally, Darkrai can be dealt with by Scizor, who can use U-turn or Superpower, or Bullet Punch if Darkrai is weakened.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Sludge Bomb was left out of the main sets, as it offers rather poor type coverage despite being Gengar’s most powerful attack. Most Grass-types won't enjoy a hit from Shadow Ball (especially Celebi), and are unlikely to stay in on Gengar, as Gengar resists their main STAB. Gengar has Energy Ball and Giga Drain to hammer Swampert and Rhyperior, if either is a problem for your team. Psychic hurts Fighters more than Gengar's other attacks, but most of them won't enjoy boosted Shadow Balls, so it still remains a lesser option.</p>
<p>Mean Look can trap an opponent so you can Explode on them and Perish Song can phaze opponents. Mismagius is better than Gengar in this respect due to Mismagius' higher Special Defense, but Gengar can employ Hypnosis (and it also has more Speed than Mismagius). Taunt can prevent Blissey from firing off Thunder Wave and Toxic, allowing you to switch in your physical attackers without fearing status. Will-O-Wisp can hit Tyranitar and Scizor hoping to switch in, but is usually better left to the Rotom Appliances. Destiny Bond works well in place of Explosion if you are sure that Gengar will be KOed with the following attack.</p>
<p>Because of Gengar's plethora of attacks, Expert Belt is a fine option. It allows Gengar to hit harder, but without the 10% recoil that Life Orb inflicts. If you're playing under item clause, you can use Black Sludge over Leftovers.</p>
<p>347 beats max Speed Infernape, while maximizing your Speed gives you the chance to win the coin flip against opposing Gengar and Latias. 176 Speed EVs on Choice Scarf sets will outrun similarly-natured +1 Salamence, though max Speed is generally preferable to tie with other Choice Scarf Gengar and Latias. An Attack stat of 200 (Hasty or Naive nature, 136 EVs) is required to guarantee an OHKO on 252 HP / 252 Defense Bold Blissey with a Life Orb Explosion. Gengar can invest 72 EVs in Defense allowing it to always survive CB Scizor Bullet Punch assuming it has not taken any prior damage.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>Thunder or Energy Ball can be used to hit Kyogre and/or Groudon harder. However, Latias or Palkia can generally deal with Kyogre and Groudon better, although it still can be handy if your team does not have one of these two. Explosion is another possibility on the Choice Scarf set, as it provides a fast way to almost instantly take out a Pokémon (remember to use a Hasty nature in this case). Destiny Bond is a possibility, as you can eliminate specific counters to your other Pokémon as well as threaten any would-be counters to Gengar. Finally, Substitute is a possibility on the Life Orb set to aid in prediction, but will mean Gengar loses a lot of HP from Substitute + Life Orb.</p>
<p>A Choice Specs set is also possible, as Gengar has very good Special Attack and Speed stats. However, Gengar loses its ability to revenge kill as effectively (which is really its niche), and the role of Choice Specs user is better filled by by Mewtwo, Kyogre, Palkia, or Dialga.</p>
[Counters]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Anything with Pursuit will really ruin Gengar, especially Choiced variants, although Weavile and Tyranitar fear Focus Blast and Metagross won't enjoy a burn or repeated hits from Shadow Ball / Focus Blast (which can 2HKO with Choice Specs). If Tyranitar has 252 HP / 216 Special Defense and a Careful nature it will always survive Timid Gengar's Life Orb Focus Blast. Choice Scarf Tyranitar deals a minimum of 78.2% to a non-switching Gengar with Pursuit, which can mean a guaranteed KO with a bit of residual damage. Spiritomb has both Pursuit and Sucker Punch and plenty of Special Defense to absorb Gengar's attacks. Scizor also makes an excellent counter as it can deal with Gengar whether it stays in or switches out (with Bullet Punch and Pursuit respectively), but must beware of Hidden Power Fire.</p>
<p>Blissey does well against most sets; she can paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave or wear it down with whichever special attack she happens to carry. Blissey can be easily shut down by Tricking a Choice item onto her or with the Substitute + Pain Split set, and must always beware of Explosion. Snorlax with Crunch does a fine job, especially Sleep Talk versions as they can absorb Hypnosis. Snorlax can also put the hurt on Gengar by packing Pursuit. Beware of Focus Punch, Focus Blast, and Explosion though. Jirachi and Bronzong both do well with their high Special Defense and neutrality to most of Gengar's attacks. Heatran (especially Choice Scarf versions) can switch into everything barring a Fighting-type attack, and gets a boost from Hidden Power Fire. Even without a boost, Fire Blast will OHKO standard Gengar 100% of the time when accounting for Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Gengar's attacking power and incredible movepool mean that countering it is a rather daunting prospect. Thankfully, Gengar is incredibly fragile and most neutral attacks will at least score a 2HKO.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>Pursuit users give Gengar a lot of problems, especially Choice Scarf users, as they can OHKO Gengar even if it doesn’t switch out. The common Pursuit users in Ubers are Tyranitar, Scizor, and Metagross. Of these, Metagross is probably the most threatening, as Gengar can’t OHKO it even with a predicted super effective attack. Specially defensive Jirachi can paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave and wear it down with Iron Head while healing itself with Wish.</p>
<p>Kyogre can be a problem for Gengar, since it has high base HP and Special Defense stats. Without Explosion or Thunder, Gengar will not be able to deal with a Kyogre who has Calm Mind + Rest / Sleep Talk. Ho-Oh will take little damage from Gengar that lack Thunder or Explosion (note that Thunder only has 50% accuracy in the sun) and OHKO Gengar with Brave Bird or Sacred Fire.</p>
<p>Finally, Blissey will pose a large problem for Gengar unless it carries Explosion. Blissey is immune to Gengar’s STAB Shadow Ball, and it also takes pitiful damage from its other moves. Also, even when Gengar uses Explosion, it can be predicted with a switch to a Ghost-type. This will cause Gengar to basically kill itself while doing absolutely no damage.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/gengar
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Gengar's combination of power and unpredictability make it a potent offensive threat. It has an excellent movepool backed up with great Speed and impressive Special Attack. Gengar’s immunity to the popular Ground- and Fighting-type attacks (and Normal-type ones too) allows it plenty of opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. Despite its immense power, Gengar does have its drawbacks. Its atrocious defensive stats means it will take massive damage from even neutral STAB attacks, while its weakness to Dark means it can be easily Pursuited by Tyranitar or Scizor if it isn’t careful. However, its frailty shouldn’t deter you from using Gengar—its wide range of powerful and disruptive moves make it a threat to even the best-prepared teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute Special
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hypnosis
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Since Gengar’s excellent type coverage forces a lot of switches, it can use Substitute to great effect. It helps deal with Tyranitar and Scizor, two of Gengar’s greatest nemeses, by scouting the switch and letting Gengar hit them with the appropriate 4x super effective attack. Substitute is especially important given the popularity of Scarf Tyranitar, which would otherwise be able to pick off Gengar with near impunity. It also allows Gengar to evade status such as Celebi and Blissey’s Thunder Wave. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar the unresisted Ghost / Fighting coverage, while Hidden Power Fire in the last slot grants a quick OHKO on Scizor and Forretress while giving it a way of hurting specially defensive Skarmory reliably.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Another option for the last slot is Hypnosis. With its unreliable 60% accuracy, it is a risky move to try and use on a standard Gengar set. However, Substitute effectively gives Gengar two shots at sleeping an opponent, and Hypnosis has a reasonable 84% chance to hit at least once out of two uses. Alternatively, you can play this Gengar just like the standard sweeper set but with Substitute, and so go with Thunderbolt in the last slot to get the super effective hit on bulky Waters and Gyarados.</p>
<p>Even without a specific boosting item, Gengar gets the KOs it needs to. Focus Blast OHKOes 252 HP Tyranitar after Stealth Rock damage. While specially defensive Tyranitar isn’t OHKOed, if Gengar gets a Substitute up, it has two chances to KO it instead of just one. Leftovers is preferred to heal HP lost from creating Substitutes and to ensure Gengar won’t lose obscenely high amounts of HP in a sandstorm. Wide Lens can be used to increase the accuracy of Hypnosis and Focus Blast.</p>
<p>This set has two distinct advantages over a similar set utilizing Substitute and Focus Punch. Even if it doesn’t get a free turn to create Substitute, it can use Focus Blast to kill Pokémon like Lucario, non-Scarf Heatran, and even non-Scarf Tyranitar; running an all-special set also eliminates the need to run Expert Belt and split offensive EVs.</p>
[SET]
name: MYSTICgar
move 1: Protect
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Protect allows Gengar to defeat most versions of the two Pokemon that give it the most difficulty in the Platinum metagame: Pursuit Tyranitar and Bullet Punch + Pursuit Scizor. After Gengar has switched in and Tyranitar or Scizor have then switched in as well, Gengar will first use Protect to see if Tyranitar or Scizor uses Pursuit. If either Pokemon uses Pursuit, Gengar will use the proper move to OHKO it. If neither Pokemon uses Pursuit, Gengar can safely switch out. Note that even with Protect, Gengar needs to remain wary of non-Choiced Scizor with Bullet Punch and Pursuit and Choice Scarf Tyranitar with Pursuit. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar perfect coverage, while Hidden Power Fire lets it OHKO Scizor that decide to Pursuit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Magnezone is a great partner for this set due to its ability to trap Choice Band Scizor attempting to Bullet Punch Gengar as well as Choice Scarf Jirachi aiming to Iron Head it. Additionallly, since this version of Gengar is such a good lure for its usual counters, having a Pokemon that benefits from having Pokemon like Scizor eliminated makes for a great partner. If Gengar lures out and eliminates Scizor, Pokemon like Latias can sweep easier, as one of its main counters has been eliminated. Latias also enjoys Tyranitar being significantly weakened or even eliminated by a super effective Focus Blast from Gengar. Other offensive Pokemon such as Salamence and Tyranitar can significantly benefit from Scizor’s death as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Pain Split
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Pain Split
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the release of HeartGold and SoulSilver came a new toy for Gengar to play with: Pain Split. By utilizing a combination of Substitute and Pain Split, Gengar becomes nearly impossible to wall, even by Blissey. Pain Split also allows Gengar to safely run Substitute and Life Orb at the same time, all the while taking damage from sandstorm and hail; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Gengar is also notorious for its ability to sweep, with its massive Special Attack stat and 110 base Speed. Although this set loses some super effective coverage due to the lack of attacking moveslots, Gengar still maintains perfect neutral coverage with the unresisted Fighting- and Ghost-type combination. A combination of base 130 Special Attack and high-powered moves ensures this Gengar is still a terrifying sweeper.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokémon it normally would not be able to, most notably Blissey. After Substitute and two Pain Splits (or one if sandstorm is in effect), Blissey's health will low enough so that Focus Blast is a 2HKO. This means that Blissey will be forced to constantly heal herself or risk being KOed. Pain Split has 32 PP, while Wish and Softboiled have 16, meaning that Gengar can easily stall Blissey out. If Blissey does not use a healing move to conserve PP, then she is at huge risk of being 2HKOed by Focus Blast. Finally, most Blissey are unable to break Gengar's Substitutes, meaning it can usually come out of the duel unscathed.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>One of the biggest drawbacks to using any Gengar set is how fragile it is. Gengar is OHKOed by a Choice Band Bullet Punch from Scizor, and takes a huge hit from a Choice Scarf Tyranitar's Pursuit, making it very hard for Gengar to sweep for long. The use of Substitute effectively solves this problem, though, as Gengar can provide itself with a safety blanket to switch out of harm's way without getting hit by Pursuit. Substitute also protects Gengar from nasty status effects, namely paralysis, which can immediately stop its sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep, by allowing it to scout the opponent's switch-in and attack appropriately. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how quickly Gengar ends up killing itself, but is mitigated by Pain Split.</p>
<p>Since Gengar does such a great job of luring in and beating Blissey, it is recommended that this set be paired up with Pokémon who are normally walled by Blissey but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokémon like offensive Suicune, Substitute + Agility Empoleon, offensive Starmie, and Heatran, among many others. Although this set can sweep on its own, the fact that it can also clear the way for other sweepers like this should be exploited to its fullest.</p>
<p>Due to Gengar's paper-thin defenses, it is usually very risky to switch it in on an attack; even though it packs impressive immunities, a misprediction can be enough to end Gengar's sweep before it begins. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokémon such as Heatran with Substitute. Gengar can come in safely on the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks Heatran lures; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokémon who have a Substitute up. As a bonus, Gengar does not have to worry about switching in on something like a Thunder Wave from Blissey when using this strategy, which is one of the biggest concerns when contemplating whether or not to switch Gengar in. This strategy can be used with other Pokémon who have similar weaknesses, like Tyranitar or Empoleon. Tyranitar in particular is recommended, as the sandstorm that it provides makes it significantly easier for Gengar to beat Blissey. For extra insurance against Blissey in worst-case scenarios, Toxic Spikes should be considered. As with any set utilizing Substitute, Toxic Spikes can prove to be even more potent than usual, forcing Pokémon to usually take two turns of damage minimum should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner for Swords Dance Lucario, as Gengar is almost guaranteed a free switch in against Gliscor, the premier Lucario counter. Gengar is immune to Ground-type attacks and Toxic, and boasts a 4x resistance to U-turn, meaning Gengar does not fear any of the common moves that Gliscor carries. Gengar can then start hitting hard every time someone relies on Gliscor to beat Lucario.</p>
<p>The ability to give all team archetypes trouble makes this one of the most useful Gengar sets. Offensive teams do not like facing fast and heavy hitters, and defensive teams do not like Pain Split, which keeps Gengar alive. Because of this, Substitute + Pain Split Gengar makes a great addition to any team.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Explosion
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb Gengar is a fearsome sweeper that has few true counters. With great Special Attack and Speed, great type coverage, as well as three immunities, Gengar is capable of dealing heavy damage to almost any team. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give Gengar complete type coverage and hit some of the metagame's top threats for super effective damage. Focus Blast always OHKOes max HP Tyranitar in sandstorm, 2HKOes most Snorlax, and always OHKOes min HP Heatran. Thunderbolt offers a quick OHKO against Gyarados and 2HKOes max HP Suicune. In the last slot, Hidden Power Fire can be used for its additional power against most Steel-types (most notably Scizor and Forretress), but running Hidden Power Fire forces Gengar to have an imperfect Speed IV which means it will almost always lose the speed tie against opposing Gengar and Latias. Finally, Explosion allows Gengar to go out with a bang and possibly defeat Blissey.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Without Hidden Power Fire, a lot of Steel-type Pokemon in the game - Scizor, Metagross, and Jirachi, to name a few - can come in on most of Gengar's attacks and threaten it with their STAB attacks. Metagross can easily dispatch it with Meteor Mash, while Jirachi can paralyze it with Thunder Wave or send it to oblivion with repeated hits with Iron Head. Scizor gets particular mention as it can take down Gengar with a swift Bullet Punch, or punish a fleeing one with Pursuit. However, without Explosion, Blissey can entirely wall this set, paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave, and even start weakening it with one of her special attacks. Choice Scarfed versions of Heatran can come in on Shadow Ball or get a Flash Fire boost from Hidden Power Fire and proceed to easily KO Gengar with Fire Blast.</p>
<p>40 Attack EVs and a Hasty nature (92 Attack EVs when using Timid nature) is an alternative when using Explosion since it allows Gengar to OHKO standard Blissey after Stealth Rock. Hypnosis could be used in the final slot, but its low accuracy makes it a high-risk high-reward option.</p>
<p>Since most of Gengar's counters are Steel-types, Magnezone makes for a great partner. Not only can it trap and take down Scizor, it can also utilize a set with Magnet Rise and Substitute to deal with both Metagross and Jirachi. Gengar is also immune to the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that are commonly directed at Magnezone, should you not want to run Magnet Rise. Ironically, a Scizor of your own can be of great help to Gengar, as it can slowly weaken Gengar's common counters with its ever-useful U-turn. Scizor can also come in on Blissey without really minding paralysis and then use Superpower for the OHKO or heavily damage a fleeing Blissey with Pursuit. Swampert can take on both Heatran and other Steel-types with STAB Earthquake and set up Stealth Rock.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Trick / Explosion
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although it seems odd to use a Choice Scarf on something as fast as Gengar, its stellar type coverage allows Choice Scarf Gengar to act as an effective revenge killer for many of OU’s most dangerous sweepers, including Salamence, Gyarados, and Tyranitar.</p>
<p>Shadow Ball gives Gengar its requisite STAB attack and allows it to revenge threats such as Scarf Rotom-A, Azelf, Starmie, and Latias. Focus Blast is primarily useful for Tyranitar and Heatran, but can deal decent damage to Snorlax in a pinch. Thunderbolt turns Gengar into a great revenge killer for Dragon Dance Gyarados. Finally, Hidden Power Ice provides more reliability against Dragon Dance Salamence, since Salamence needs to be moderately weakened for Shadow Ball to KO. Gengar can also use Trick to cripple bulkier Pokemon like Blissey and Snorlax, while Explosion allows it to revenge kill a large number of Pokemon with one move. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokemon that can easily deal with Choiced Gengar is Tyranitar. With Sandstorm bolstering its above average Special Defense stat, Tyranitar can easily come in on anything bar Focus Blast, and then end Gengar's sweep with Pursuit. Tyranitar, however, can be easily stopped by Swampert, while Gliscor also makes a very fine switch-in as it can take on most of Tyranitar's attacks and give it a heavy blow with Earthquake. Snorlax is in a similar boat with Tyranitar, as it can come in on Gengar with its respectable Special Defense and KO it with Pursuit.</p>
<p>Defensive Pokemon such Celebi, Jirachi, Suicune, and Cresselia can all come in on resisted hits and then start setting-up as they force Gengar to switch out. Celebi can paralyze one of your Pokemon, Jirachi and Suicune can start boosting their stats with Calm Mind, and Cresselia can set up both Reflect and Light Screen to weaken your attacks and help set-up for an eventual sweep. As such, having a Pokemon that can deal with such threats, such as a Suicune of your own, would be necessary. As they start setting-up, Suicune can set-up alongside of them, Roar them out, and then get ready to sweep their team. Suicune is also capable of taking the Steel-type moves that Gengar hates with ease, as it is resistant to them and has naturally high Defense.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute + Focus Punch
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Focus Punch
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hypnosis / Explosion
item: Expert Belt
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This mixed Substitute set allows Gengar to deal with many Pokémon that commonly switch into it, including Blissey, Scizor, and Snorlax. Substitute not only blocks status and eases prediction, but allows Gengar to Focus Punch without risk of being hit. Focus Punch 2HKOs Snorlax and even the most physically defensive Blissey after Stealth Rock, while OHKOing most Tyranitar. Even with split offensive EVs, Shadow Ball packs a hefty kick and is a reliable STAB. In the last slot, Hidden Power Fire lets Gengar dispatch Forretress and Scizor.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Focus Punch with the given EVs and item deals 63.29% - 74.81% to 0 HP / 252 Def Calm Blissey and 53.08% - 62.46% to 252 HP / 252 Bold Blissey, both a 2HKO even when factoring in Leftovers recovery (however, Bold Blissey can avoid the 2HKO with Protect). Focus Punch also deals 62.23% - 73.37% to min HP Heatran, meaning Stealth Rock followed by Focus Punch and Shadow Ball has a small chance of KOing. Hypnosis can be used in the last slot, since having a Substitute up gives Gengar an insurance policy in case Hypnosis’s accuracy lets it down. Explosion is also an option to go out with a bang; it deals more damage than normal due to the Attack investment.</p>
<p>Expert Belt is chosen over Leftovers for one main reason: it saves Gengar from having to transfer a significant amount of Special Attack EVs into Attack (because Blissey and Snorlax are hit super effectively by Focus Punch), which would significantly lower Shadow Ball's damage on common neutral threats like Salamence and Gyarados. The lack of any kind of recovery is a non-issue too because Gengar can switch in numerous times on one of its many immunities (hopefully only ever taking damage from Stealth Rock).</p>
<p>Although this set can be dangerous, it doesn't have the raw power that the standard set has. The bulky Pokemon mentioned earlier all fair well against this set, although they should to be wary of being put to sleep by Hypnosis. Additionally, this Gengar is helpless against threats that it needs to hit with Focus Punch if it can’t keep a Substitute up; these may include Blissey with Flamethrower or Ice Beam, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Snorlax with Crunch or Pursuit.</p>
[SET]
name: Ubers Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Gengar’s high Speed and useful typing make it a great Choice Scarfer in Ubers because of its ability to check many common threats and its immunities to types like Fighting, Normal, and Ground. Hidden Power Ice is used to eliminate threats such as Rayquaza, Garchomp, and Shaymin-S. Shadow Ball will be your main attacking move, as it hits Pokémon like Mewtwo, Latios, Latias, and Giratina super effectively and gains STAB. Focus Blast can hurt Darkrai and Lucario, both of which are outsped by Choice Scarf Gengar (unless Darkrai has a Choice Scarf of its own). Trick can be used as a last ditch effort, and only should be considered when Gengar is low on HP or if it is truly imperative to cripple an opposing wall, sweeper, or Wobbuffet.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Scarf Gengar does not need much support since it will mainly be picking off already weakened enemies. However, it will be as good as dead if you do not take precautions by eliminating your opponent’s Pursuit-users, most commonly Scizor, Tyranitar, and Metagross. Scizor can lured by a Mewtwo with Fire Blast, since most Mewtwo have Ice Beam and Aura Sphere and are quite vulnerable to Scizor. Metagross can be dealt with in a similar way. Tyranitar is always 2HKOed by an Aura Sphere from Mewtwo. Calm Mind RestTalk Kyogre can Calm Mind and Rest in the face of these threats and use its boosted Surf to eliminate them. The only Pokémon of Scizor, Metagross, and Tyranitar who can threaten Kyogre is Metagross with its Explosion. While this will end up with Kyogre being defeated, it is also a way (albeit slightly perverse) of getting rid of Metagross.</p>
<p>By having Gengar as a revenge killer who can revenge kill many of the Uber metagame’s most deadly sweepers, you can let other would-be revenge killers, such as Palkia or Dialga, take on other roles on your team, such as mixed sets. Also, by crippling Wobbuffet with Trick, you can prevent it from using its Encore + Counter/Mirror Coat combo, or stop it from setting up a sweeper. Similarly, by crippling a wall like Blissey with its Choice Scarf, Gengar can prevent it from doing its duties properly. It becomes much easier for Pokémon like Calm Mind Kyogre to sweep if Blissey can only use one move until it switches out. Gengar can also revenge kill Dragon-types like Garchomp and Rayquaza who are locked into Outrage. If you eliminate these threats, it will be much easier for a Dialga or a Rayquaza or Garchomp of your own to sweep, as they become much harder to revenge kill.</p>
[SET]
name: Ubers Life Orb
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Icy Wind
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Gengar’s function is twofold: it is a revenge killer who can switch moves, and it is a lure. Gengar can OHKO Rayquaza 100% of the time with Icy Wind, as long as Stealth Rock is down (about 80% of the time without). Icy Wind also has the beneficial side effect of lowering your opponent's Pokémon's Speed by 1 stage, which allows Gengar to outspeed all Pokémon who reach a Speed stat of 522 (including base 100s with a +Speed nature and a Choice Scarf). By using Hidden Power Fire, Gengar can eliminate Scizor, which is OHKOed by Hidden Power Fire even when the sun is not out; however, it is only a 2HKO in the rain. Metagross, on the other hand, is 2HKOed by a Hidden Power Fire with no weather (in the sun it has a small chance to OHKO, but its only a 3HKO in the rain). Tyranitar is also handled relatively easily, since there’s a 100% chance of an OHKO even when Tyranitar has maximum HP and Special Defense and a +SpD nature as long as there is Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Protect and Explosion are other possibilities for the set. Protect allows you to scout whether Metagross or Scizor are using Bullet Punch or Pursuit, which allows you to determine whether or not to stay in and use Hidden Power Fire. Explosion serves as a last ditch attempt to KO one of your opponent’s Pokémon; make sure to use a Hasty nature though. It will do tremendous damage to any Pokémon who is not immune or resistant to it (Blissey will be OHKOed, and max HP Kyogre and Ho-Oh will be OHKOed after they take Stealth Rock damage).</p>
<p>Since Gengar will be eliminating mainly Scizor and Tyranitar, it will be much easier for certain Pokémon to sweep or wall. Some Pokémon who will benefit from this are Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Lugia. A Calm Mind Mewtwo is normally stuck when facing Scizor, as Scizor resists Ice Beam and takes neutral damage from Aura Sphere (the two most common attacks) and can hit back for super effective damage with U-turn or Pursuit. Likewise, Nasty Plot Darkrai is usually in a pickle against Scizor unless the Sleep Clause is not activated or if Darkrai has near full health. Scizor can use U-turn or Superpower on it for super effective damage or Bullet Punch it for priority, as it is only truly threatened by a +2 Focus Blast (which also has a large chance of missing). Lugia can also play a much larger role in teams, whether it be sweeping or walling, after Tyranitar has been eliminated. Not only does Tyranitar deal huge amounts of damage to Lugia with Crunch, Stone Edge, or Pursuit, but it also brings the sandstorm, which chips away at Lugia’s health. It will be much easier to use Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Lugia after Gengar has done its job.</p>
[Team Options]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Gengar is a fast and destructive Pokemon, albeit very frail. Usually, any neutral STAB attack from the opponent can take out a big chunk of Gengar's health, and maybe even OHKO it. That said, Gengar tends to benefit from almost any Pokemon that can deal with or at least weaken its counters. Stealth Rock can also help Gengar secure some OHKOs or 2HKOs that would otherwise be hard to get. Gengar also has a great typing and one of the most useful abilities in the game - Levitate. Having an immunity to some of the most abundant moves in the game - Earthquake and Earth Power - means that Gengar generally tends to come in on its immunities rather than on resisted hits. This means that not only Gengar but also most of its Steel-type partners can benefit from its immunities to Ground- and Fighting-type moves.</p>
<p>As previously mentioned, most of Gengar's partners tend to be Steel-type Pokemon. Magnezone is one of Gengar's most beneficial partners as not only can it eliminate most Steel-types that give Gengar lots of trouble, but also resists Steel-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves that hit Gengar for super effective damage. Gengar is also immune to the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that Magnezone fears. Most of the aforementioned Steel-type Pokemon are great partners to Gengar as they can at least weaken most of its counters, possibly allowing an almost unhindered sweep.</p>
<p>On the offensive side of the game, Pokemon like Infernape and Salamence are great partners to Gengar, as they are fantastic wall-breakers that can severely cripple most of Gengar's counters. For example, Infernape can easily OHKO Tyranitar, Scizor, Blissey, and Snorlax. Scizor is also another great partner that can deal with most of the above Pokemon. Gengar and Pokemon like Latias have common counters, meaning that if one of them can at least weaken its counters, the other Pokemon can have a field day against the opponent's team.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>As with all offensive Pokémon, Gengar appreciates the additions of entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock and Spikes. Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A, Forretress, Dialga, and Groudon can work excellently as leads, and Groudon or Forretress can work well as general supporters throughout the match. If you are using a Fire move then you should consider including Groudon on your team, since Gengar’s Hidden Power Fire won’t OHKO Scizor in the rain. Groudon’s sun also cancels out sandstorm or hail, which means Gengar takes less recoil per turn.</p>
<p> Gengar will have problems facing special walls such as Blissey. Dialga or Palkia are both Pokémon who can break Blissey with powerful physical attacks; they are normally thought of as special attackers, so mixed versions can surprise Blissey with physical attacks. Groudon is also a good choice, as it can hit Blissey with Earthquake and absorb Thunder Waves that are aimed at Gengar; Gengar can absorb Toxics in return. Another possibility is to use the combination of Tickle Wobbuffet and a Pursuit user, such as Scizor or Tyranitar. By using Tickle four times, an Adamant Scizor with 100 Attack EVs and a Life Orb will OHKO Blissey as she switches out; Blissey must be Tickled twice for a Tyranitar with 56 Attack and a neutral nature to KO her while she switches out. Gengar will struggle to deal damage to defensive Kyogre, but any Palkia version with Outrage or Thunder can deal with Kyogre because of its 4x resistance to Water-type moves. Latias with Soul Dew and Grass Knot or Recover can deal with Kyogre as well.</p>
<p>Gengar has extremely poor defenses, especially by Ubers standards, so it will need a lot of defensive support. Since Gengar will be primarily used on offensive teams, Dialga, Palkia, Scizor, and Groudon can all provide for a strong defensive core while also maintaining a threatening offensive presence. Pursuit users can kill Gengar before it can switch to an appropriate counter. To combat them, Fire Blast Mewtwo can lure in Scizor and Metagross, while defensive Kyogre can beat Tyranitar with Surf. If Gengar can switch moves, then it can attempt to take out these threats by itself, but will have to predict the switch (and rain cannot be up if it’s using Hidden Power Fire).</p>
<p>The Pokémon who are most commonly paired with Tyranitar, Metagross, and Scizor are Garchomp, Lugia, Dialga, Kyogre, Palkia, and Darkrai. Lugia can completely stop Garchomp in its tracks by using Reflect and Ice Beam. Jirachi can also use Body Slam to paralyze Garchomp on the switch. Dialga can be revenge killed with Wobbuffet via Mirror Coat as well, but Choice Specs sets should be handled by a special wall or a bulky Steel-type such as Jirachi or Scizor. Kyogre is a fearsome monster, and the only two Pokémon who can reliably check it are Palkia and Latias. There is no true counter to Palkia, and it must either be revenge killed, or taken on a set-by-set basis; the most common set, the Choice Scarf, can be revenge killed by Wobbuffet. Finally, Darkrai can be dealt with by Scizor, who can use U-turn or Superpower, or Bullet Punch if Darkrai is weakened.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Sludge Bomb was left out of the main sets, as it offers rather poor type coverage despite being Gengar’s most powerful attack. Most Grass-types won't enjoy a hit from Shadow Ball (especially Celebi), and are unlikely to stay in on Gengar, as Gengar resists their main STAB. Gengar has Energy Ball and Giga Drain to hammer Swampert and Rhyperior, if either is a problem for your team. Psychic hurts Fighters more than Gengar's other attacks, but most of them won't enjoy boosted Shadow Balls, so it still remains a lesser option.</p>
<p>Mean Look can trap an opponent so you can Explode on them and Perish Song can phaze opponents. Mismagius is better than Gengar in this respect due to Mismagius' higher Special Defense, but Gengar can employ Hypnosis (and it also has more Speed than Mismagius). Taunt can prevent Blissey from firing off Thunder Wave and Toxic, allowing you to switch in your physical attackers without fearing status. Will-O-Wisp can hit Tyranitar and Scizor hoping to switch in, but is usually better left to the Rotom Appliances. Destiny Bond works well in place of Explosion if you are sure that Gengar will be KOed with the following attack.</p>
<p>Because of Gengar's plethora of attacks, Expert Belt is a fine option. It allows Gengar to hit harder, but without the 10% recoil that Life Orb inflicts. If you're playing under item clause, you can use Black Sludge over Leftovers.</p>
<p>347 beats max Speed Infernape, while maximizing your Speed gives you the chance to win the coin flip against opposing Gengar and Latias. 176 Speed EVs on Choice Scarf sets will outrun similarly-natured +1 Salamence, though max Speed is generally preferable to tie with other Choice Scarf Gengar and Latias. An Attack stat of 200 (Hasty or Naive nature, 136 EVs) is required to guarantee an OHKO on 252 HP / 252 Defense Bold Blissey with a Life Orb Explosion. Gengar can invest 72 EVs in Defense allowing it to always survive CB Scizor Bullet Punch assuming it has not taken any prior damage.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>Thunder or Energy Ball can be used to hit Kyogre and/or Groudon harder. However, Latias or Palkia can generally deal with Kyogre and Groudon better, although it still can be handy if your team does not have one of these two. Explosion is another possibility on the Choice Scarf set, as it provides a fast way to almost instantly take out a Pokémon (remember to use a Hasty nature in this case). Destiny Bond is a possibility, as you can eliminate specific counters to your other Pokémon as well as threaten any would-be counters to Gengar. Finally, Substitute is a possibility on the Life Orb set to aid in prediction, but will mean Gengar loses a lot of HP from Substitute + Life Orb.</p>
<p>A Choice Specs set is also possible, as Gengar has very good Special Attack and Speed stats. However, Gengar loses its ability to revenge kill as effectively (which is really its niche), and the role of Choice Specs user is better filled by by Mewtwo, Kyogre, Palkia, or Dialga.</p>
[Counters]
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Anything with Pursuit will really ruin Gengar, especially Choiced variants, although Weavile and Tyranitar fear Focus Blast and Metagross won't enjoy a burn or repeated hits from Shadow Ball / Focus Blast (which can 2HKO with Choice Specs). If Tyranitar has 252 HP / 216 Special Defense and a Careful nature it will always survive Timid Gengar's Life Orb Focus Blast. Choice Scarf Tyranitar deals a minimum of 78.2% to a non-switching Gengar with Pursuit, which can mean a guaranteed KO with a bit of residual damage. Spiritomb has both Pursuit and Sucker Punch and plenty of Special Defense to absorb Gengar's attacks. Scizor also makes an excellent counter as it can deal with Gengar whether it stays in or switches out (with Bullet Punch and Pursuit respectively), but must beware of Hidden Power Fire.</p>
<p>Blissey does well against most sets; she can paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave or wear it down with whichever special attack she happens to carry. Blissey can be easily shut down by Tricking a Choice item onto her or with the Substitute + Pain Split set, and must always beware of Explosion. Snorlax with Crunch does a fine job, especially Sleep Talk versions as they can absorb Hypnosis. Snorlax can also put the hurt on Gengar by packing Pursuit. Beware of Focus Punch, Focus Blast, and Explosion though. Jirachi and Bronzong both do well with their high Special Defense and neutrality to most of Gengar's attacks. Heatran (especially Choice Scarf versions) can switch into everything barring a Fighting-type attack, and gets a boost from Hidden Power Fire. Even without a boost, Fire Blast will OHKO standard Gengar 100% of the time when accounting for Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Gengar's attacking power and incredible movepool mean that countering it is a rather daunting prospect. Thankfully, Gengar is incredibly fragile and most neutral attacks will at least score a 2HKO.</p>
<h4>Ubers</h4>
<p>Pursuit users give Gengar a lot of problems, especially Choice Scarf users, as they can OHKO Gengar even if it doesn’t switch out. The common Pursuit users in Ubers are Tyranitar, Scizor, and Metagross. Of these, Metagross is probably the most threatening, as Gengar can’t OHKO it even with a predicted super effective attack. Specially defensive Jirachi can paralyze Gengar with Thunder Wave and wear it down with Iron Head while healing itself with Wish.</p>
<p>Kyogre can be a problem for Gengar, since it has high base HP and Special Defense stats. Without Explosion or Thunder, Gengar will not be able to deal with a Kyogre who has Calm Mind + Rest / Sleep Talk. Ho-Oh will take little damage from Gengar that lack Thunder or Explosion (note that Thunder only has 50% accuracy in the sun) and OHKO Gengar with Brave Bird or Sacred Fire.</p>
<p>Finally, Blissey will pose a large problem for Gengar unless it carries Explosion. Blissey is immune to Gengar’s STAB Shadow Ball, and it also takes pitiful damage from its other moves. Also, even when Gengar uses Explosion, it can be predicted with a switch to a Ghost-type. This will cause Gengar to basically kill itself while doing absolutely no damage.</p>
