Honchkrow (Update)*

Snorlaxe · Mar 13, 2010

Revamp go!

Status: Upload time?

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/honchkrow

[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. It is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunities to Earthquake and sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well. Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; its low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that Honchkrow has a Stealth Rock weakness limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability make it a decent choice on most OU teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower / Heat Wave
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types who wall its main STAB moves simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon who may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything who doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier, who can otherwise switch into Honchkrow with relatively little fear; it also OHKOes Tyranitar. Heat Wave can be used instead to hit Scizor, Foretress, and Skarmory, who otherwise wall you. If you do run Heat Wave, then you should run a nature that doesn't lower your Special Attack. As far as abilities go, Insomnia is preferred for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.

Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to reliably restore its health; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interests to use Super Luck to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again by something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. Donphan can also make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow commonly attracts. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.

Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon, building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down.

[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Honchkrow's weak point has always been its poor Speed, but set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of 396, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.

Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck; when combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon who may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until it is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack heading for Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.

[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 20% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. You can also use Expert Belt if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.

With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having paralysis support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one who you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come in on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack destined for Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch into almost any attack that Honchkrow attracts and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy.

[Team Options]

One of the main things that limits Honchkrow’s ability to sweep is its weakness to Stealth Rock. For this reason, using a Rapid Spinner can be very helpful. Starmie makes a solid choice on any offensive team thanks to its plethora of useful resistances and special attacking prowess. Donphan makes a great choice on a balance team, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type attacks and a resistance to Rock-type attacks. Donphan can also use Ice Shard to revenge-kill Dragon Dance Salamence, who can otherwise use Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch as an opportunity to stack some free Dragon Dance boosts.

Like any offensive Pokemon, Honchkrow greatly appreciates having entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important, as it allows Honchkrow to achieve several KOs that it ordinarily could not. Spikes support can also be good to have in order to further punish opponents who switch in on Honchkrow. Skarmory can be a solid choice for providing Spikes support thanks to its ability to easily get up multiple layers of Spikes against common physical attackers like Scizor and Tyranitar. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and force them to take more damage from Spikes upon switching in. Swampert makes for a good choice when it comes to providing Stealth Rock support, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type moves and a resistance to Rock-type moves. It is also a very solid means of countering Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Gyarados, both of whom can set up on Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch with relative ease.

Since Honchkrow is by no means a fast Pokemon, paralysis support is always an option. Celebi stands out due to its all-around great defensive stats and resistance to Electric-type moves. Dual screens support can be important in helping Honchkrow switch in. If Honchkrow is utilizing a Nasty Plot set, then having dual screens support will make it all the more easy for Honchkrow to accumulate Special Attack boosts. Cresselia is a good choice for providing dual screens support, thanks to her high defensive stats and ability to use Thunder Wave. Bronzong is an option as well, as it has great defensive synergy with Honchkrow; it resists Rock- and Ice-type moves, and can counter Dragon Dance Salamence well.

[Optional Changes]

Honchkrow has quite a wide movepool, and as such, quite a few other moves are viable. Honchkrow can use Psychic on the Nasty Plot set as a means of hitting Machamp and Infernape, but if you’re really looking to smash these Pokemon, you are probably better off just using Brave Bird and making it a mixed attacker. Speaking of a mixed attacker, Honchkrow’s wide movepool means that a mixed attacking set is quite viable. It will often fall short to other mixed attackers like Infernape, however, and as such you are probably better off running one of the sets listed here. Icy Wind is an interesting choice that often comes off as gimmicky, but is actually quite decent; it will lower the Speed of the Pokemon who switches in, which means that Honchkrow will attack first the next turn. This is no joke, as it means that Honchkrow can move before Pokemon like Infernape and Latias who switch in on an Icy Wind and attack them with a STAB Brave Bird. Another interesting thing that Honchkrow can do is Perish Trapping; it is one of the few Pokemon to have acces to both Perish Song and Mean Look as well as a reliable recovery move. When attempting to Perish Trap, Honchkrow’s frailness will often let it down, but with proper team support it can be an interesting and effective surprise for your opponent. Taunt can be used, but Honchkrow struggles to find a proper opportunity to use it.

Honchkrow will more often than not be running a 252 / 252 EV spread. The physical attacker set runs 252 Attack EVs and 252 Speed EVs for obvious reasons. The Nasty Plot set utilizes a 252 SpA / 252 Spe EV spread so that it can outpace as many threats as possible while still packing plenty of power. The Choice Scarf set is about as creative as Honchkrow’s EV spreads are going to get; it utilizes a 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe EV spread. 248 Speed EVs are (along with a Speed boosting nature) the maximum amount of Speed EVs Choice Scarf Honchkrow needs to use in order to always outspeed positive natured Base 130 Speed Pokemon like Jolteon and Aerodactyl.

[Counters]

While Honchkrow can check a great deal of Pokemon, it is also countered by many common Pokemon in the OU environment. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch and use Bullet Punch to OHKO Honchkrow 100% of the time after Stealth Rock damage. Scizor must be careful to not switch into a Brave Bird or Heat Wave, however, as Brave Bird deals hefty damage, while Heat Wave OHKOes. Skarmory can counter all Honchkrow sets well that don’t pack Heat Wave, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a free opportunity to set up Spikes. Bulky Steel-type Pokemon can handle Honchkrow quite well, provided that Honchkrow lacks Heat Wave. Jirachi can switch in on Honchkrow and start spamming Iron Head or accumulating Calm Minds. Metagross can easily switch into Brave Bird or Sucker Punch, and proceed to set up an Agility. Bronzong can handle all of Honchkrow’s attacks very well, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a chance to set up dual screens for its team. Overall, any Pokemon who is bulky enough to take a powerful hit and retaliate back will probably be able to overcome Honchkrow, as its poor defenses mean that it will fold up after taking a few hits.

jumpluff · Mar 13, 2010

Snorlaxe said:
So basically the old analysis for Honchkrow sucked really bad. Not only were there about 100 grammatical mistakes in it, but the content was horrible. So here's a revamp! Just so everyone knows, I rewrote everything. :P

THIS ANALYSIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. However, feel free to grammar check whatever I currently have here.

Have done:
~ Overview
~ Physical Attacker
~ Choice Scarf
~ Big Boss (Nasty Plot)

To do:
~ Team Options
~ Other Options
~ Counters
~ Mixed Set?

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/honchkrow

[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution to its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. Honchkrow is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a monstrously powerful Brave Bird and a decent base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the powerful sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunity to the ever-popular Earthquake and immunity to sleep inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it certainly won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow also has the ability to run a mixed set with access to Nasty Plot as well as a very usable base 105 Special Attack stat. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well. Overall, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability makes it a solid choice on any OU team.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types that wall its main STAB simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon that may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything that doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Honchkrow’s Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird is so powerful that even without Stealth Rock support it 2HKOes max HP / max Defense Swampert 100% of the time. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier,which can otherwise switch in on Honchkrow with relatively little fear. Honchkrow’s Superpower will also always OHKO Blissey and Snorlax switch-ins (Stealth Rock is needed to secure the latter). Insomnia is the preferred ability for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO the common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, like Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to restore 50% of its health. Honchkrow can easily use Roost when the opponent switches out, which isn’t an uncommon scenario as the prospect of Honchkrow’s STAB Sucker Punch tends to cause a lot of switches; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interests to use Super Luck as Honchkrow’s ability to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate i'd still rather use insomnia to absorb sleep. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.

In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run kind of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again at the prospect of something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor or an Ice Shard from Mamoswine. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. With damage taken from Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks on the switch-in, Honchkrow operates on a short timer. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. It can also outspeed and deal heavy damage with an STAB Hydro Pump to all common spin blockers. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. If Starmie isn’t your cup of tea, Donphan can make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that are commonly aimed at Honchkrow. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.

Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Aside from racking up residual damage on opponents, Stealth Rock also secures several important OHKOes for Honchkrow. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it packs resistances to Ice- and Ground-type attacks. Swampert has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon , building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid. Smeargle can also do well with Honchkrow when used as a suicide Spikes lead, as it can almost always get at least two layers of Spikes up in the first few turns of a match without fail. The main problem with Smeargle is that it will often be KOed earlier in the match than you would like, meaning that Honchkrow now only has five Pokemon on its team.

[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

In the past, Honchkrow has always been bashed for its poor Speed. This set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of almost 400, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.

Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck. When combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in on Honchkrow. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon that may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until the Big Boss Pokemon is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack directed at Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a solid Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.

[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 30% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Foretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. Expert Belt can also be used if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock will strip away 25% of Honchkrow’s health upon switching in; this is a huge problem, as it will really limit the number of times that Honchkrow can come in and attempt to sweep. When combined with Life Orb recoil, Honchkrow will often be KOed much earlier than you would like. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Donphan also packs resistances to Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow is weak to. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.

With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is basically a necessity, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having Thunder Wave support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use Thunder Wave effectively; the one that you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screens support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Honchkrow’s defenses aren’t very good at all, and so the only time it will have a chance to set up a Nasty Plot is while the opposing Pokemon switches out. Dual screens can allow Honchkrow to set up against any neutral and resisted attacks without much worry. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack aimed and Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch in on almost any attack aimed at Honchkrow and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy. If you’re looking to really go overboard supporting Honchkrow, having a Pokemon to Baton Pass a Substitute and Agility can be a really cool idea. Gliscor can do this quite well with its solid defensive stats; the same holds true for Zapdos.

i'll finish the rest and go through more vigorously later, its too cold right now to conentrqate -.-

Snorlaxe · Mar 13, 2010

Edited those in, thank you pluff<3

Cherub Agent · Mar 14, 2010

nice writeup, but Swampert DOESN'T pack resistances to ice and ground

Snorlaxe · Mar 14, 2010

Oops, my bad...had a brain fart. Thank you for catching that! :P

Itsuki · Mar 15, 2010

Changes
Comments

[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution to its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. Honchkrow is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a monstrously powerful Brave Bird and a decent base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the powerful sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunity to the ever-popular Earthquake and immunity to sleep inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it certainly won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow also has the ability to run a mixed set with access to Nasty Plot as well as a very usable base 105 Special Attack stat. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well. Overall, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability makes it a solid choice on any OU team.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types that wall its main STAB simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon that may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything that doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Honchkrow’s Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird is so powerful that even without Stealth Rock support, it 2HKOes max HP / max Defense Swampert 100% of the time. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier,(space) which can otherwise switch in on Honchkrow with relatively little fear. Honchkrow’s Superpower will also always OHKO Blissey and Snorlax switch-ins (Stealth Rock is needed to secure the latter). Insomnia is the preferred ability for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO the common Ghost-and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to restore 50% of its health. Honchkrow can easily use Roost when the opponent switches out, which isn’t an uncommon scenario as the prospect of Honchkrow’s STAB Sucker Punch tends to cause a lot of switches; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interest(Removed) to use Super Luck as Honchkrow’s ability to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.

In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again at the prospect of something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor or an Ice Shard from Mamoswine. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. With damage taken from Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks on the switch-in, Honchkrow operates on a short timer. Rapid Spin support is recommended (To me it seems like Stealth Rock is needed so recommended fits well in my opinion) to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as not only can it keep up an offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. It can also outspeed and deal heavy damage with a STAB Hydro Pump to all common spin blockers. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. If Starmie isn’t your cup of tea, Donphan can make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that are commonly aimed at Honchkrow. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.

Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Aside from racking up residual damage on opponents, Stealth Rock also secures several important OHKOes for Honchkrow. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon, building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on (Removed fragile) (I think the reader can already infer this through the paragraph) Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down. Smeargle can also do well with Honchkrow when used as a suicide Spikes lead, as it can almost always get at least two layers of Spikes up in the first few turns of a match without fail. The main problem with Smeargle is that it will often be KOed earlier in the match than you would like, meaning that Honchkrow now only has five Pokemon on its team.

[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

In the past, Honchkrow has always been ridiculed for its poor Speed. This set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of almost 400, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.

Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck. When combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, there is a chance you will be scoring many critical hits making it difficult for the opponent to switch in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon that may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until the Big Boss Pokemon is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards (Removed) (It seems pretty understandable). Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack directed at Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a (Removed) Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.

[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618 (Maybe add something about Life Orb making it much higher?). Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 30% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. Expert Belt can also be used if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock will strip away 25% of Honchkrow’s health upon switching in; this is a huge problem, as it will really limit the number of times that Honchkrow can come in and attempt to sweep. When combined with Life Orb recoil, Honchkrow will often be KOed much earlier than you would like. As such, Rapid Spin support is extremely welcome. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Donphan also packs resistances to Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow is weak to. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.

With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having paralysis (Paralysis brings alternative means to the table) support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one that you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen(Removed) (Unsure whether its called Dual Screens support or Dual Screen support, but I think its the latter) support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Honchkrow’s defenses aren’t very good (Removed), and so the only time it will have a chance to set up a Nasty Plot is while the opposing Pokemon switches out. Dual screens can allow Honchkrow to set up against any neutral and resisted attacks without much worry. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack aimed and Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch in on almost any attack aimed at Honchkrow and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy. If you’re looking to really go overboard supporting Honchkrow, having a Pokemon to Baton Pass a Substitute and Agility can be a good (To me "really cool" seems out of place) idea. Gliscor can do this quite well with its solid defensive stats; the same holds true for Zapdos. (I think mentioning the weaknesses they share would be good)

This was my first grammar check so I'm not confident with the changes I made, but I tried my best. I understand its still in progress but hope I helped!

I enjoyed reading the analysis, good job!

obi · Mar 15, 2010

One of the things that should probably be changed is the overview (which is all I read so far). Currently, it tries to sell the set instead of explain it. It focuses only on Honchkrow's strengths, and exaggerates those. An analysis does not have the goal of convincing people to use something, it has the goal of accurately explaining the strengths and weakness. The overview should give you a good idea of how well it performs in the relevant tier.

Negator · Mar 15, 2010

Snorlaxe said:
[SET]
name: Big Boss

[SET COMMENTS]

but it also comes with a neat 30% flinch rate,

DP Flinch rate is just 20%

Snorlaxe · Mar 16, 2010

Thanks everyone, I'm sick right now so I probably won't be on much today, but I should be better by tomorrow so I'll edit in the changes then. ;)

Bologo · Mar 16, 2010

Although you're not done the Optional Changes part yet, I think a mention of Honchkrow's Perish Trapping abilities could be mentioned in it. While it's not the best Perish Trapper out there, it's unique in that it's the only one of the bunch to get Perish Song + Trapping move + Reliable Recovery move. Optional changes at best though.

Snorlaxe · Mar 16, 2010

Thanks for the suggestion Bologo, I wasn't even aware that Honchkrow got Perish Song. Anyway I'm feeling better now so I'm editing in the changes up to this point~

I have strep throat so I'm going to be home sick tomorrow as well, so depending on how I feel I'll see if I can get more of this done. :]

Snorlaxe · Mar 20, 2010

Alright, I've finished writing Team Options and have added it to the analysis. Expect Optional Changes and Counters sometime today or tomorrow.

This has only received a few grammar checks, so if anyone would be willing to look over this again I would appreciate it, especially the new stuff. ;)

Blue_Tornado · Mar 20, 2010

obi said:
One of the things that should probably be changed is the overview (which is all I read so far). Currently, it tries to sell the set instead of explain it. It focuses only on Honchkrow's strengths, and exaggerates those. An analysis does not have the goal of convincing people to use something, it has the goal of accurately explaining the strengths and weakness. The overview should give you a good idea of how well it performs in the relevant tier.

I think you should give this more attention. I completely agree with Obi - you're not trying to sell a product here. You should be honest with anything you say, and when I say that, I mean you can't go on blabbering about how Honch's a solid addition to any OU team when this isn't true. Name his disadvantages and balance them out with his advantages to make it a good overview.

Snorlaxe · Mar 20, 2010

Okay, I tried a bit harder to de-hype the overview. Does it seem more impartial to you now?

Fuzznip · Mar 21, 2010

Snorlaxe said:
[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. Honchkrow is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a monstrously powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunity to the ever-popular Earthquake and immunity to sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it certainly won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow also has the ability to run a mixed set due to Nasty Plot and a great base 105 Special Attack stat. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well.

Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; Honchkrow's low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that Honchkrow has a Stealth Rock weakness greatly limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for several common threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow also has a tough time dealing with stall teams, as they can easily use support moves while Honchkrow fruitlessly Sucker Punches [I don't know about that. Heat Wave vs Skarmory... Brave Bird vs Blissey... You won't be fruitlessly spamming Sucker Punch against supporters.]. Many common Pokemon on stall teams can use Honchkrow as set up fodder, such as Hippowdon and Skarmory [Heat Wave.]. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability makes it a decent [I wouldn't say that it's a solid choice to be honest.] choice on most OU teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types that wall its main STAB simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon that may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything that doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Honchkrow’s Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird is so powerful that even without Stealth Rock support it 2HKOes max HP / max Defense Swampert 100% of the time. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier, which can otherwise switch in on Honchkrow with relatively little fear. Honchkrow’s Superpower will also always OHKO Blissey and Snorlax switch-ins (Stealth Rock is needed to secure the latter). Insomnia is the preferred ability for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.

Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO the common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to restore 50% of its health. Honchkrow can easily use Roost when the opponent switches out, which isn’t an uncommon scenario as the prospect of Honchkrow’s STAB Sucker Punch tends to cause a lot of switches; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interest to use Super Luck to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again at the prospect of something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor or an Ice Shard from Mamoswine. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. With damage taken from Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks on the switch-in, Honchkrow operates on a short timer. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. It can also outspeed and deal heavy damage with a STAB Hydro Pump to all common Spin blockers. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. If Starmie isn’t your cup of tea, Donphan can make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that are commonly aimed at Honchkrow. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.

Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Aside from racking up residual damage on opponents, Stealth Rock also secures several important OHKOs for Honchkrow. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon, building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down. Smeargle can also do well with Honchkrow when used as a suicide Spikes lead, as it can almost always get at least two layers of Spikes up in the first few turns of a match without fail. The main problem with Smeargle is that it will often be KOed earlier in the match than you would like, meaning that Honchkrow now only has five Pokemon on its team [Smeargle is a suicide lead... is it not?].

[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Honchkrow has always been ridiculed for its poor Speed, but this set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of 396, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.

Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck; when combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon that may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until it is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack directed at Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.

[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 20% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. Expert Belt can also be used if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks) [Remove the Expert Belt mention. There really isn't a lot of Pokemon weak to Honchkrow's STAB, and Heat Wave/Superpower are only used in specific situations.].

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock will strip away 25% of Honchkrow’s health upon switching in; this is a huge problem, as it will really limit the number of times that Honchkrow can come in and attempt to sweep. When combined with Life Orb recoil, Honchkrow will often be KOed much earlier than you would like. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Donphan also packs resistances to Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow is weak to. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.

With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such, having paralysis support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one that you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Honchkrow’s defenses aren’t very good, and so the only time it will have a chance to set up a Nasty Plot is while the opposing Pokemon switches out. Dual screens can allow Honchkrow to set up against any neutral and resisted attacks without much worry. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack aimed at Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch in on almost any attack aimed at Honchkrow and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy. If you’re looking to really go overboard supporting Honchkrow, having a Pokemon to Baton Pass a Substitute and Agility can be a really cool idea. Gliscor can do this quite well with its solid defensive stats; the same holds true for Zapdos.

[Team Options]

One of the main things that limits Honchkrow’s ability to sweep is its weakness to Stealth Rock. The fact that 25% of its health will be stripped away upon switching in is a problem, as it means that the overall number of times Honchkrow can come in and cause damage is lowered. Between Life Orb recoil, Stealth Rock, and other forms of residual damage, Honchkrow’s longevity will take a huge dive, even if you are running Roost. For this reason, using a Rapid Spinner can be very helpful. Starmie makes a solid choice on any offensive team thanks to its plethora of useful resistances and special attacking prowess. Donphan makes a great choice on a balance team, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type attacks and a resistance to Rock-type attacks. Donphan can also use Ice Shard to revenge-kill Dragon Dance Salamence, who can otherwise use Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch as an opportunity to stack some free Dragon Dance boosts.

Like any offensive Pokemon, Honchkrow greatly appreciates having entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important, as it allows Honchkrow to achieve several KOs that it ordinarily would not be able to. It also penalizes the opposing Pokemon from switching out of Honchkrow; this is helpful, as Honchkrow’s powerful STAB boosted Sucker Punch will often force out many a Pokemon, especially ones locked into a move due to a Choice item. Spikes support can also be good to have in order to further punish opponents who switch in on Honchkrow. Skarmory can be a solid choice for providing Spikes support thanks to its ability to easily get up multiple layers of Spikes against common physical attackers like Scizor and Tyranitar. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and force them to take more damage from Spikes upon switching in. Swampert makes for a good choice when it comes to providing Stealth Rock support, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type moves and a resistance to Rock-type moves. It is also a very solid means of countering Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Gyarados, both of whom can set up on Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch with relative ease.

Since Honchkrow is by no means a fast Pokemon, paralysis support is always an option. Celebi stands out due to its all-around great defensive stats and resistance to Electric-type moves. Celebi is also a solid check to Gyarados, who can set up on Honchkrow. Dual screens support can be important in helping Honchkrow switch in. If Honchkrow is utilizing a Nasty Plot set, then having dual screens support will make it all the more easy for Honchkrow to accumulate Special Attack boosts. Cresselia is a good choice for providing dual screens support, thanks to her high defensive stats and ability to use Thunder Wave. Bronzong is an option as well, as it has great defensive synergy with Honchkrow; it resists Rock- and Ice-type moves, and can switch in on most unboosted Electric-type moves with little fear and hit the user of said move with its powerful Earthquake.

Very nice job, Snorlaxe. My only concern with this analysis is that your ' marks are rather different. You are using ’ marks. Perhaps change them? Also, you tend to be very verbose with areas throughout the analysis. Some of the stuff you explain can be done in shorter sentences. You should probably watch out for that, as we want our analyses to be as concise as possible and straight to the point.

Snorlaxe · Mar 21, 2010

Hey, thanks Fuzzers. I've decided to keep the mention of Expert Belt in the Nasty Plot set, however, as I've found it useful for bluffing a Choice item and then setting up on something that thinks Honchkrow is Choice-locked.

Snorlaxe · Mar 21, 2010

My edit button isn't working (again :/ ), but I thought I would let everyone know that I've finished with Optional Changes.

iruchii · Mar 29, 2010

[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. Honchkrow is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a monstrously powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunity to the ever-popular Earthquake and immunity to sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it certainly won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow also has the ability to run a mixed set due to Nasty Plot and a great base 105 Special Attack stat. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well.

Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; Honchkrow's low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that Honchkrow has a Stealth Rock weakness greatly limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for several common threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow also has a tough time dealing with stall teams, as they can easily use support moves while Honchkrow fruitlessly Sucker Punches. Many common Pokemon on stall and semi-stall teams can use Honchkrow as set up fodder, such as Hippowdon and Choice Scarf Tyranitar. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability make it a decent choice on most OU teams.

Just a nitpick I guess, but your Overview could do with some less repetition. The article is nice though, good job.

frogbandit · Apr 6, 2010

changes in bold
removals in red

Snorlaxe said:
[Overview]

Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. It is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a monstrously powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunity to the ever-popular Earthquake and immunity to sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it certainly won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow also has the ability to run a mixed set due to Nasty Plot and a great base 105 Special Attack stat. A rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well.

Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; its low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that it has a Stealth Rock weakness greatly limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for several common threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow also has a tough time dealing with stall teams, as they can easily use support moves while Honchkrow fruitlessly Sucker Punches. Many common Pokemon on stall and semi-stall teams can use Honchkrow as set up fodder, such as Hippowdon and Choice Scarf Tyranitar. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability make it a decent choice on most OU teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types that wall its main STABs simply adds to the fun (sounds a little awkward). Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon that may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything that doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. (repetitive) Honchkrow’s Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird is so powerful that even without Stealth Rock support it 2HKOes max HP / max Defense Swampert 100% of the time. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier, who can otherwise switch in on Honchkrow with relatively little fear. Honchkrow’s Superpower will also always OHKO Blissey and Snorlax switch-ins, though Stealth Rock is needed to secure the latter. Insomnia is the preferred ability for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.

Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO the common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to restore 50% of its health reliably. Honchkrow can easily use Roost when the opponent switches out, which isn’t an uncommon scenario as the prospect of Honchkrow’s STAB Sucker Punch tends to cause a lot of switches; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interest to use Super Luck to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again by something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor or an Ice Shard from Mamoswine. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. With damage taken from Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks on the switch-in, Honchkrow operates on a short timer. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but also easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. It can also outspeed and deal heavy damage with a STAB Hydro Pump to all common Spin blockers. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. If Starmie isn’t your cup of tea (too colloquial), Donphan can make a good alternative, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that are commonly aimed at Honchkrow. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.

Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Aside from racking up residual damage on opponents, Stealth Rock also secures several important OHKOs for Honchkrow. Swampert is a good choice for utilizing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon and build up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite some damage to fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down. Smeargle can also do well with Honchkrow when used as a suicide Spikes lead, as it can almost always get at least two layers of Spikes up in the first few turns of a match without fail. The main problem with Smeargle is that it will often be KOed earlier in the match than you would like, meaning that Honchkrow will have one less teamate.

[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Honchkrow has always been ridiculed for its poor Speed, but this set aims to remedy that problem by utilizing a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of 396, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.

Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. It also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck; when combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins. It also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon that may attempt to switch out from Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its ability to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until it is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a great partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack directed at Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.

[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 20% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts (too colloquial). Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it gives Honchkrow’s attacks some kick behind them. Expert Belt can also be used if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock will strip away 25% of Honchkrow’s health upon switching in; this is a huge problem, as it will really limit the number of times that Honchkrow can come in and attempt to sweep. When combined with Life Orb recoil, Honchkrow will often be KOed much earlier than you would like. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Donphan also packs resistances to Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow is weak to. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly shut down the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.

With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having paralysis support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one that you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Honchkrow’s defenses aren’t very good, and so usually the only time it will have a chance to set up a Nasty Plot is while the opposing Pokemon switches out. Dual screens can allow Honchkrow to set up against any neutral and resisted attacks without much worry. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack aimed at Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch in on almost any attack aimed at Honchkrow and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy. If you’re looking to really go overboard in supporting Honchkrow, having a Pokemon to Baton Pass a Substitute and Agility can be a good idea. Gliscor and Zapdos can do this quite well with their solid defensive stats.

I'm a fan of the new names, btw :P

Snorlaxe · Apr 13, 2010

ughgughgugh guys I'm sorry for neglecting this analysis for so long...sometime today or tomorrow I plan on editing this to make it more concise, adding Counters (which I still have to type), and adding iruchi and frogbandit's changes.

Thanks guys, sorry for completely forgetting about this analysis, and yeah more to come today or tomorrow I hope ;P

EDIT: I've added counters, and am now going through the analysis to concise it some more...

twash · Apr 14, 2010

I question the use of Superpower on the first set. You say it is for hitting Steel-types, but the only common Steel-types that really fear Superpower instead of Heat Wave are Heatran and Empoleon. I almost always run Heat Wave over Superpower as a deterrent to stall (Skarmory and Forretress), as well as helping against low HP Bronzong, defensive Jirachi, Scizor, and maybe even Metagross if you predict correctly on the switch.

Snorlaxe · Apr 15, 2010

I've found Superpower useful simply for bashing Heatran who otherwise walls you quite easily, but Heat Wave is good as well for the reasons you stated. I think that I'll give Heat Wave a slash with Superpower on the first set, then. Thanks for your input! :)

TorterraTaco · Apr 17, 2010

[Counters]

While Honchkrow can check a great deal of Pokemon, it is also countered by many common Pokemon in the OU environment. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch in on Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch and use Bullet Punch to OHKO Honchkrow 100% of the time after Stealth Rock damage. Scizor must be careful to not switch in on a Brave Bird or Heat Wave, however, as Brave Bird deals hefty damage, while Heat Wave OHKOes. Skarmory can counter all Honchkrow sets well that don’t pack Heat Wave, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a free opportunity to set up Spikes. Bulky Steel-type Pokemon can handle Honchkrow quite well, provided that Honchkrow lacks Heat Wave. Jirachi can switch in on Honchkrow and start spamming Iron Head or accumulating Calm Minds. Metagross can easily switch in on Brave Bird or Sucker Punch, and proceed to set up an Agility. Bronzong can handle all of Honchkrow’s attacks very well, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a chance to set up dual screens for its team. Overall, any Pokemon who is bulky enough to take a powerful hit and retaliate back will probably be able to overcome Honchkrow, as its poor defenses mean that it will fold up after taking a few hits.

just some prose stuff. overall gj

Snorlaxe · Apr 17, 2010

Hey TT, nice to see you've found your way onto Smogon! I'll edit that stuff in now, thanks.

Anyway I think that this is done now, so if anyone wants to look over this one final time or whatever then go ahead...other than that, I think it's ready to upload! :)

bojangles · Apr 17, 2010

Uploaded.

Honchkrow (Update)*

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