STATUS: This is currently in process.
Hariyama
[Overview]
<p>Hariyama was a decent, yet underrated offensive and defensive threat in its previous generations, consequently landing itself in the territories of the underused. With proper team support, it worked wonders in both balanced and stall-oriented teams. However, with the addition of nine new fully-evolved Fighting-types this generation, Hariyama sadly struggles to establish a niche amongst his Fighting brethren. Not only does Hariyama face competition with its old rivals, but it also copes with three ones for defensive roles: Roopushin, Nageki, and Zuruzukin. Roopushin, with its higher Attack and access to STAB Mach Punch, especially limits Hariyama’s options. In a generation where priority moves are stressed and power creep lurks at every corner, this sumo wrestler may not be your first choice as a defensive fighting-type. A good word to describe Hariyama is ‘flawed’.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Hariyama differentiates from most of its fellow Fighting-types with its fantastic bulk (based on HP). Because of its high HP and Attack, Hariyama can even afford to invest in its defenses to become more of a tank. Unlike Roopushin, Hariyama has access to the elemental punches, Close Combat, Whirlwind, and a more defensively oriented ability: Thick Fat. With the combination of Guts, a status orb, and Fake Out, he even stands out as a dangerous anti-lead, with the convenient benefit of Team Preview. His disadvantages lie in its depressingly low speed, relatively “low” defenses, and lack of good priority moves. These faults limit Hariyama to overspecific roles, making him moderately easy to predict once one of his moves have been revealed. Despite the disadvantages, Hariyama’s bulk and typing allows it to be a substantial, long-living threat to opposing teams before going down. If Hariyama is not an inferior Roopushin, then it should be good to go.</p>
[SET]
Name: Guts Lead
Move 1: Fake Out
Move 2: Close Combat
Move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
Move 4: Payback
Item: Toxic Orb / Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk / 178 SpD / 80 Spe
Thank you to ShinyAzelf for Lead Hariyama, and to RaikouLover for inspiring a beautiful set.
Set Comments
Additional Comments
Teammates and Counters
[Optional Changes]
<p>In the Dream World, Hariyama receives Encourage for its alternate ability. Encourage boosts attacks with certain secondary by 30% (essentially a free Life Orb boost), with the cost of losing those secondary attacks. Though Encourage does not boost Close Combat or Stone Edge, it certainly boosts Hariyama’s signature Force Palm along with Rock Slide, Poison Jab, and other moves. </p>
<p>However, it should be noted that if Encourage is used, Hariyama will miss out on the elemental punches and other moves from generation IV. Encourage Hariyama also faces competition with other Encourage users, most of which can abuse this ability far more offensively than him. Encourage, overall, is inferior to Thick Fat and Guts, both of which Hariyama can abuse rather well.</p>
Hariyama
[Overview]
<p>Hariyama was a decent, yet underrated offensive and defensive threat in its previous generations, consequently landing itself in the territories of the underused. With proper team support, it worked wonders in both balanced and stall-oriented teams. However, with the addition of nine new fully-evolved Fighting-types this generation, Hariyama sadly struggles to establish a niche amongst his Fighting brethren. Not only does Hariyama face competition with its old rivals, but it also copes with three ones for defensive roles: Roopushin, Nageki, and Zuruzukin. Roopushin, with its higher Attack and access to STAB Mach Punch, especially limits Hariyama’s options. In a generation where priority moves are stressed and power creep lurks at every corner, this sumo wrestler may not be your first choice as a defensive fighting-type. A good word to describe Hariyama is ‘flawed’.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Hariyama differentiates from most of its fellow Fighting-types with its fantastic bulk (based on HP). Because of its high HP and Attack, Hariyama can even afford to invest in its defenses to become more of a tank. Unlike Roopushin, Hariyama has access to the elemental punches, Close Combat, Whirlwind, and a more defensively oriented ability: Thick Fat. With the combination of Guts, a status orb, and Fake Out, he even stands out as a dangerous anti-lead, with the convenient benefit of Team Preview. His disadvantages lie in its depressingly low speed, relatively “low” defenses, and lack of good priority moves. These faults limit Hariyama to overspecific roles, making him moderately easy to predict once one of his moves have been revealed. Despite the disadvantages, Hariyama’s bulk and typing allows it to be a substantial, long-living threat to opposing teams before going down. If Hariyama is not an inferior Roopushin, then it should be good to go.</p>
[SET]
Name: Guts Lead
Move 1: Fake Out
Move 2: Close Combat
Move 3: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
Move 4: Payback
Item: Toxic Orb / Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk / 178 SpD / 80 Spe
Thank you to ShinyAzelf for Lead Hariyama, and to RaikouLover for inspiring a beautiful set.
Set Comments
- A fantastic Ubers Anti-Lead, capable of defeating nearly any lead that tries to cripple, attack, or set up on it.
- Hariyama is extremely bulky, so it can survive nearly any hit from common leads and come up on top. By using Fake Out + the appropriate attacking move, Hariyama can 2HKO those leads before it gets defeated.
- A Guts-boosted attack after Fake Out damage will KO multiple leads, such as Azelf, lead Darkrai, Dialga, Forretress, Borotosuru, Roserade, Smeargle, Agirudaa, MultiScale Dragonite, Deoxys-S, some Deoxys-A, and even Timid Choice Scarf Kyogre (Close Combat has a high chance to OHKO). Zoroark is also revealed after you use Fake Out.
- By utilizing a status Orb, Hariyama can also prevent other statuses from crippling it, such as sleep-inducing moves from Darkrai, Roserade, Breloom, and Smeargle. After one turn of Fake out, the Orb will activate, activating Guts and preventing other statuses from reaching Hariyama
- Did I mention Guts STAB Close Combat is crazy?
- Unlike Attacking move + Priority leads, Hariyama utilizes the opposite order so he can activate Guts upon Fake Out and induce pressure on the opposing lead ("Should I use Stealth Rock, Taunt this guy, or try OHKOing him?"). This limits the amount of entry hazards the opponent can set up and if the opponent chooses to use an attack or support move instead, the opponent could be at a disadvantage.
Additional Comments
- The choice of status orb is up to the user. It should be noted that Toxic Orb’s damage will accumulate over time, whereas burn damage is consistent. If you’re planning to switch out every now and then, go with Toxic Orb because it takes less damage. Otherwise, go with Flame Orb to go all-out
- Hariyama largely depends on your playstyle. You can either stay in after beating a lead and continue to smack through a team, or you can preserve Hariyama just in case you need a powerful attack. This thing even OHKOs Scizor if you find a need to get rid of it
- Ice Punch if you want a more secure way of getting rid of Flying-type leads like Randurosu and Aerodactyl. Stone Edge can be used if you’re paranoid of Gyarados, and it’s still a pretty strong option against Flying-type leads
- EVs are tailored to outspeed Machamp leads and Colonel M’s Tyranitar lead. The Special Defense EVs allow Hariyama to better survive Timid Kyogre Water Spout and unboosted Timid Azelf Psychic.
Teammates and Counters
- Since Hariyama’s purpose is to pretty much defeat any lead it sees, a teammate with entry hazards is definitely needed.
- General hard hitters are recommended since Hariyama can almost smack through at least a third of a team.
- In general, Hariyama can fit onto almost any team since it defeats many leads and smack through Pokemon that dare come after the lead.
- With a status orb and no form of recovery, Hariyama WILL wear down, despite its bulk. Pokemon with Substitute or Protect is especially big trouble.
- After a Close Combat, some Pokemon can KO Hariyama before it can get another hit in, so be weary
- Despite investment in Special Defense, Deoxys-A with Psycho Boost OHKOs Hariyama. Hariyama defeats Deoxys-A if it doesn't have a Psychic-type move, but if so, have a pivot for those moves. This goes for Mewtwo as well.
- Modest Kyogre with Choice Scarf also OHKOs Hariyama
- Giratina-O cannot survive two Paybacks, but is generally fast and powerful enough to screw Hariyama up
- This Hariyama doesn’t like Ghost-type leads since they’re immune to Fake Out and sets up on Hariyama at least once.
- Hariyama CANNOT fight against Shaymin-S except for breaking the sash.
- Hariyama CAN 2HKO Hippowdon if Close Combat does <50% damage, but if Close Combat doesn’t make it, Hippowdon stalls Hariyama out with Slack Off.
- Someone with the ability to significantly damage Cresselia and Deoxys-D is VERY much appreciated since both can recover against Payback and stall out Orb damage
- Hariyama has trouble against bulky Psychic- and Flying- and Water- types. A pivot for Mewtwo, Lugia, Suicune, and friends are necessary to beat them before they set up on you.
- As a Lead, Hariyama needs someone who can set up entry hazards in his place
- Hariyama also appreciates pivots for Metagross, Crobat, Infernape, Groudon, and Deoxys-A, leads who “beat” him
- If Hariyama’s up against Psychic- or Flying-type lead with an obvious STAB move on them, go to a Steel-type like Bronzong and Metagross and Natorrei
[Optional Changes]
- Any of Hariyama’s other elemental punches can be used for more coverage. Payback + Choice fighting move already offers enough coverage, though. Plus, the power of elemental punches other than Ice Punch is rather lackluster unless you’re completely offensive.
- Counter’s a good surprise in case you’re up against an obvious physically offensive opponent. Loses its surprise value if you make the wrong move, though.
- Toxic can be used alongside Hariyama’s bulk and cripple physical walls.
- All-out offensive sets are avaiable, but has competition alongside other Physical Fighting-types.
- Hariyama can also use a defensive set with Thick Fat to differentiate himself from Roopushin. However, Hariyama will have to sacrifice attacking power jsut to survive attacks from Uber Pokemon.
- Close Combat's always a nasty surprise on Defensive sets, but defense drops may force it to switch
- As always, Facade should be avoided on Guts users because of redundant coverage.
- Not too many Pokemon can safely KO Hariyama due to his bulk. However, Hariyama's defenses are only cushioned by his massive HP stat, so the trick is to keep battering him.
- Since Hariyama has a lack of recovery, he can't survive for very long. It will take more than a few powerful attacks to take it down, but he will.
- If Hariyama isn't specially defensive, a few mentions will take it down in one hit, such as Kyogre Water Spout, Alakazam Psychic, Dialga Draco Meteor, etc. Note that only a few notably powerful special attacks will OHKO Hariyama in the lead position.
- Desukan takes care of Hariyama quite well due to Mummy, high Defense, and a convenient Will-o-Wisp to cripple Thick Fat Hariyama.
<p>In the Dream World, Hariyama receives Encourage for its alternate ability. Encourage boosts attacks with certain secondary by 30% (essentially a free Life Orb boost), with the cost of losing those secondary attacks. Though Encourage does not boost Close Combat or Stone Edge, it certainly boosts Hariyama’s signature Force Palm along with Rock Slide, Poison Jab, and other moves. </p>
<p>However, it should be noted that if Encourage is used, Hariyama will miss out on the elemental punches and other moves from generation IV. Encourage Hariyama also faces competition with other Encourage users, most of which can abuse this ability far more offensively than him. Encourage, overall, is inferior to Thick Fat and Guts, both of which Hariyama can abuse rather well.</p>