Okay, I rearranged things to match the new concise format and added Toxic Spikes to team options. I think this is good to get on-site now. Sorry it took me so long to update this.
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Gengar (Gen 4, Sub + Pain Split)*
- Thread starter Philip7086
- Start date
i took the liberty of doing this
[SET]
name: Sub + 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 Heart Gold and Soul Silver 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 with 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, as it can easily just heal itself back to high health; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Of course, Gengar is notorious for its ability to sweep, with its massive Special Attack stat and base Speed of 110. Although this set loses some super effective coverage due to the lack of attacking move slots, Gengar still maintains perfect neutral coverage with the unresisted Fighting- and Ghost-type combination. The fact that both Shadow Ball and Focus Blast have an effective Base Power of 120 (thanks to STAB on Shadow Ball), coupled with Gengar’s base Special Attack stat of 130, makes Gengar just as effective of a special sweeper as ever, while maintaining more survivability and the ability to break walls better thanks to Pain Split.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon he 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 constantly need to be healing herself after each Pain Split, or else risk being KOed. This is where Pain Split’s 32 PP comes into play: Blissey can only heal herself 16 times from Wish or Softboiled, meaning that you can easily stall those moves 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 do not carry an attacking move that can break Gengar’s Substitute, meaning Gengar 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 Tyranitar's Choice Scarf 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 Gengar’s sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep by allowing it to scout which Pokemon the opponent switches in before deciding what to attack it with. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how fast Gengar ends up killing itself, but with Pain Split, this becomes a nonissue.</p>
<p>Since Gengar does such a great job of luring and beating Blissey, it is recommended that this set be paired up with Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. These include Pokemon 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 into an attack; even though it packs impressive immunities, a wrong prediction can end Gengar’s life before it sees any action. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokemon such as Heatran with Substitute. Because Heatran draws in Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, Gengar can come in safely while Heatran switches out from behind a Substitute; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokemon who have a Substitute up. As a bonus, Gengar does not have to worry switching into 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 Pokemon who have similar weaknesses, like Tyranitar or Empoleon. Tyranitar in particular is recommended, as the sandstorm that he provides makes it significantly easier for Gengar to beat Blissey. For extra assurance 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
name: Sub + 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 Heart Gold and Soul Silver 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 with 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, as it can easily just heal itself back to high health; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Of course, Gengar is notorious for its ability to sweep, with its massive Special Attack stat and base Speed of 110. Although this set loses some super effective coverage due to the lack of attacking move slots, Gengar still maintains perfect neutral coverage with the unresisted Fighting- and Ghost-type combination. The fact that both Shadow Ball and Focus Blast have an effective Base Power of 120 (thanks to STAB on Shadow Ball), coupled with Gengar’s base Special Attack stat of 130, makes Gengar just as effective of a special sweeper as ever, while maintaining more survivability and the ability to break walls better thanks to Pain Split.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon he 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 constantly need to be healing herself after each Pain Split, or else risk being KOed. This is where Pain Split’s 32 PP comes into play: Blissey can only heal herself 16 times from Wish or Softboiled, meaning that you can easily stall those moves 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 do not carry an attacking move that can break Gengar’s Substitute, meaning Gengar 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 Tyranitar's Choice Scarf 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 Gengar’s sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep by allowing it to scout which Pokemon the opponent switches in before deciding what to attack it with. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how fast Gengar ends up killing itself, but with Pain Split, this becomes a nonissue.</p>
<p>Since Gengar does such a great job of luring and beating Blissey, it is recommended that this set be paired up with Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. These include Pokemon 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 into an attack; even though it packs impressive immunities, a wrong prediction can end Gengar’s life before it sees any action. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokemon such as Heatran with Substitute. Because Heatran draws in Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, Gengar can come in safely while Heatran switches out from behind a Substitute; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokemon who have a Substitute up. As a bonus, Gengar does not have to worry switching into 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 Pokemon who have similar weaknesses, like Tyranitar or Empoleon. Tyranitar in particular is recommended, as the sandstorm that he provides makes it significantly easier for Gengar to beat Blissey. For extra assurance 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
This has already been grammar checked by a lot of users, but what the hell, I'll see if I can find anything...anyway I LOVE this set, tried it out recently and it completely overwhelmed me. Content-wise, to be honest the second paragraph seems too long to me considering all you are doing in it is explaining in thorough detail how this set beats Blissey, so if you could shorten it up that'd be pretty swell. ;)
Changes in blue
Removals in red
[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 Heart Gold and Soul Silver 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, as it can easily just heal itself back to high health; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Of course, Gengar is 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. Combine the fact that both Shadow Ball and Focus Blast have an effective Base Power of 120 (thanks to STAB on Shadow Ball) and that Gengar has a base Special Attack stat of 130, and Gengar makes just as effective of a special sweeper as ever, while maintaining more survivability and the ability to break walls more easily thanks to Pain Split.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon 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 constantly need to be healing herself after each Pain Split or risk being KOed. This is where Pain Split’s 32 PP comes into play; Blissey can only heal herself 16 times with Wish or Softboiled, meaning that Gengar can easily stall those moves 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 do not carry an attacking move that can break Gengar’s Substitute, meaning Gengar 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 Gengar’s sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep by allowing it to scout which Pokemon the opponent switches in before deciding what to attack it with. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how quickly Gengar ends up killing itself, but with Pain Split, this becomes a nonissue.</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 Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokemon 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 wrong prediction can end Gengar’s life before it sees any action. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokemon such as Heatran with Substitute. Because Heatran draws in Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, Gengar can come in safely while Heatran switches out from behind a Substitute; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
Changes in blue
Removals in red
[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 Heart Gold and Soul Silver 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, as it can easily just heal itself back to high health; in fact, taking so much residual damage only increases the amount of HP that Gengar sucks away from its opponents. Of course, Gengar is 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. Combine the fact that both Shadow Ball and Focus Blast have an effective Base Power of 120 (thanks to STAB on Shadow Ball) and that Gengar has a base Special Attack stat of 130, and Gengar makes just as effective of a special sweeper as ever, while maintaining more survivability and the ability to break walls more easily thanks to Pain Split.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon 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 constantly need to be healing herself after each Pain Split or risk being KOed. This is where Pain Split’s 32 PP comes into play; Blissey can only heal herself 16 times with Wish or Softboiled, meaning that Gengar can easily stall those moves 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 do not carry an attacking move that can break Gengar’s Substitute, meaning Gengar 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 Gengar’s sweep. Substitute also eases the prediction required for Gengar to effectively sweep by allowing it to scout which Pokemon the opponent switches in before deciding what to attack it with. The combination of Substitute and Life Orb is generally not recommended due to how quickly Gengar ends up killing itself, but with Pain Split, this becomes a nonissue.</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 Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokemon 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 wrong prediction can end Gengar’s life before it sees any action. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch in for Gengar by using Pokemon such as Heatran with Substitute. Because Heatran draws in Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, Gengar can come in safely while Heatran switches out from behind a Substitute; people generally do not try to predict switch-ins against Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
just quoted laxe's edits
[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 ensure this Gengar is still a terrifying sweeper.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon 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 Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokemon 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 befor eit begins. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch-in for Gengar by using Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
Tried to concise a tiny bit. Your sets and writing are as wonderfu las ever, phil :3
[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 ensure this Gengar is still a terrifying sweeper.</p>
<p>The combination of Substitute and Pain Split allows Gengar to take out Pokemon 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 Pokemon who are normally walled by Blissey, but do a fantastic job at sweeping otherwise. This includes Pokemon 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 befor eit begins. However, there are ways to “guarantee” a safe switch-in for Gengar by using Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon to usually take two turns of damage minimum, should you choose to attack then switch out.</p>
<p>Gengar also makes a great partner in crime 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>
Tried to concise a tiny bit. Your sets and writing are as wonderfu las ever, phil :3