Honchkrow (Update)

supermarth64

Here I stand in the light of day
is a Contributor Alumnus
SDS did QC for Honchkrow, so update time!

Update: Removed Scarf set, SR weak + can't come in on much except for EQs unlike Scarftar, which has resistances + bulk. Also being locked into Sucker Punch sucks.
Removed NP set, too slow, would much rather just start throwing off Brave Birds.
Deslashed Choice Band, freedom of Life Orb was a LOT better.



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

Status: Done.

iboedit: UPLOADED

[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow was a much-needed evolution over his pre-evolved form, Murkrow. With base 125 Attack and strong STAB moves, Honchkrow can be a force to be reckoned with. This, combined with one of the strongest priority moves in the game, Sucker Punch, makes Honchkrow a dangerous offensive threat. However, what holds him back are his nasty Stealth Rock weakness, low defenses, and lack of moves to switch in on. Honchkrow is extremely weak to Scizor, as he is OHKOed by Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, Honchkrow takes quite a bit of prediction to use, due to the mind games caused by Sucker Punch. However, with proper support, Honchkrow can be a huge threat to the opposing team.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow can pull off a very simple yet effective Life Orb set, due to his sheer power and type coverage. STAB Brave Bird hits extremely hard, capable of 2HKOing Swampert. Sucker Punch allows Honchkrow to bypass his low Speed and hit faster Pokémon before they have a chance to strike back. Many faster Pokémon, such as Jolteon and Aerodactyl, have low defenses, meaning they'll be decimated by Sucker Punch. Both Superpower and Heat Wave strike the Pokémon who resist Honchkrow's STAB moves. For example, Superpower hits Tyranitar and Heatran, while Heat Wave prevents Forretress and Skarmory from setting up entry hazards. It also hits Scizor and Metagross, although Scizor can strike first with Bullet Punch and Metagross can survive one Heat Wave and KO Honchkrow back with Meteor Mash.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Night Slash can also be used over either Superpower or Heat Wave in order to hit Rotom-A, who can wall this entire set if it has Will-O-Wisp. Roost is a viable alternative over one of those two moves in order for Honchkrow to heal off any residual damage from Stealth Rock, Life Orb, and Brave Bird. Pursuit can also be used to finish off a weakened enemy should it choose to switch out. If running any move over Heat Wave, an Adamant nature is more useful. However, replacing one or both of the last two moves means giving up type coverage, which isn't recommended.</p>

<p>A Naughty nature is used to hit as hard as possible without sacrificing Honchkrow's Special Attack. Additionally, it helps if Honchkrow has to take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and also cushions him against physical priority moves. Max Speed EVs allow Honchkrow to outspeed Naive non-Choice Scarf Magnezone, while a Naughty nature also secures the 2HKO on Skarmory with Heat Wave. Either ability may work, as Honchkrow can only really come in on Breloom's Spore and Roserade's Sleep Powder if he has Insomnia. Super Luck can help if you're feeling lucky, and combines well with Night Slash's high critical hit ratio should you use it.</p>

<p>Honchkrow is weak to Stealth Rock, and with Life Orb and Brave Bird factored in, the passive damage really hurts him his longevity. Therefore, a Rapid Spinner would be helpful to pair with Honchkrow. Starmie is a great choice, as it keeps up the offensive tempo and also resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Honchkrow can also take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and begin retaliating. Another useful partner is Magnezone, who can help Honchkrow defensively, as it resists all three of Honchkrow's weaknesses. It can also set up Substitute on Scizor's Bullet Punch and KO him with either Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Honchkrow is also immune to any Ground-type moves that might be directed at Magnezone.</p>

<p>If Superpower is to be replaced by either Night Slash or Roost, then Swampert is a good choice to check Heatran and Tyranitar. Swampert can set up Stealth Rock for Honchkrow, as well as lure in Breloom, whom Insomnia Honchkrow can freely switch into his Spore. Swampert also resists Scizor's Bullet Punch. If Heat Wave is replaced, then Heatran is a good partner for Honchkrow to scare away Skarmory and Forretress. Honchkrow can also come in on Ground-type moves directed towards Heatran.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Honchkrow really hates residual damage, so a teammate who can remove Stealth Rock for him is extremely helpful. Starmie is a good choice because it keeps the pressure on the opposing team due to its wide type coverage. Additionally, Starmie resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Magnezone is also a great partner for Honchkrow, as it can trap and KO Scizor with Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire, and also resists Honchkrow's three weaknesses. In turn, Honchkrow can come in on a predicted Earthquake or Earth Power targeted at Magnezone.</p>

<p>Honchkrow also appreciates Stealth Rock because it facilitates Honchkrow's sweep. Swampert is a great choice to set it up, as he can check Choice Scarf Tyranitar, resists Scizor's Bullet Punch, and is immune to Electric-type moves. Skarmory is also a good choice because he can set up Spikes on Scizor's Bullet Punch. Due to Honchkrow's low Speed, paralysis support is helpful. Celebi resists Honchkrow's Electric-type weakness and can also use Thunder Wave to slow down the opposing team.</p>

<p>One dangerous drawback of using Honchkrow is the mind-games that result from Sucker Punch. If you predict incorrectly, the opponent could end up with a Dragon Dance or Calm Mind, or even freely set up Substitute. Therefore, general revenge-killers like Choice Scarf Jirachi and Flygon are helpful in case you mispredict. Additionally, bulky Pokémon like Swampert and Suicune can help against these threats.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Due to Honchkrow's wide movepool, a Choice Scarf set can be useful to him. Choice Scarf bypasses Honchkrow's low base Speed and lets him strike potentially first with a quick Brave Bird. However, his Stealth Rock weakness and lack of useful resistances prevents him from switching frequently. Additionally, being locked into Sucker Punch can be dangerous, as it can easily turn Honchkrow into set-up fodder.</p>

<p>Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set with Dark Pulse and Heat Wave, along with Superpower to hit Blissey, but Honchkrow's viability is limited by his low Speed and weakness to the omnipresent priority attacks and Choice Scarf users. Honchkrow also has access to both Perish Song and Mean Look, but his low defenses make Perish Trapping unviable.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Honchkrow really has problems with opposing Pokémon who resist Sucker Punch and are faster than him. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Sucker Punch and OHKO Honchkrow with Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Jirachi can outspeed Honchkrow and Iron Head for the 2HKO, while Choice Scarf Tyranitar resists Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave, and can strike Honchkrow back with Stone Edge. Metagross can survive one Heat Wave from Honchkrow and retaliate back with Meteor Mash. Substitute Gengar can force Honchkrow into a Sucker Punch mind-game and strike him from behind a Substitute with Focus Blast.</p>

<p>Honchkrow's biggest enemy is residual damage, though. Stealth Rock, sandstorm, and recoil damage from Brave Bird and Life Orb all significantly decrease Honchkrow's lifespan.</p>
 

Super Mario Bro

All we ever look for
I think Drill Peck should be slashed on the Life Orb set because, with double recoil (Brave Bird and Life Orb), Honchkrow's health drains way too quickly. Its stealth rock weakness does not help at all.
 

Super Mario Bro

All we ever look for
Why would someone use Honchkrow other than a good switch in to spore? Drill Peck already OHKOs Breloom and Machamp. Brave Bird is powerful but Honchkrow hasn't really accomplished much if recoil knocks it into KO range by stealth rock the next time it switches in.
 

Ice-eyes

Simper Fi
Honchkrow isn't a gimmicky, niche sleep absorber. It's a powerful wallbreaker with a strong Sucker Punch, capable of rampaging through teams. It really needs as much power as possible to do that and longevity isn't a particularly important concern.
 

Seven Deadly Sins

~hallelujah~
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
It's not even good at absorbing sleep. When it switches into anything that runs a sleep move anywhere near commonly, it's pretty much fucked, because let's take a look at the things that would possibly sleep Honchkrow:

Spore:

Breloom- Yeah, this is "the big one", and it's also fairly piss-poor. No smart Breloom user blindly sleeps whatever comes in, and that means that he's throwing down a Substitute as Honchkrow comes in staring slack-jawed at a doll, facing down the barrel of a Focus Punch. Sure, "prediction hijinks", but at the end of the day, Honch is not doing it in terms of dealing with Breloom.

Smeargle- Really, what are you doing dealing with Smeargle? Sure you might switch in as Smeargle whiffs a spore, but then he's just going to do what he pleases and throw down entry hazards, set up and pass whatever, or worst case scenario he's a bellypasser and he decides to Sub, and then you're royally screwed.

Hypnosis:

Bronzong- "ok". Honch can at least do something about this one, but it's still looking at either dealing with screens up, a potential Explosion, or just getting outright 2HKOed by Gyro Ball or HP Ice.

Gengar- Again, like Breloom, a smart Gengar is Substituting on the switch, and getting caught against Gengar with your pants down is a one way ticket on the pain train. Hypnosis is only carried on like 10% of Gengar, with a 60% chance of hit.

Sleep Powder:

Roserade: You're slower, and that means Roserade gets to TSpike twice for free while you screw around losing 20% of your HP killing a suicide lead, or failing to kill said suicide lead while it gets 1 layer of TSpikes down. (or Spikes, whatever)

Yup, I think that about covers it. Honchkrow does so badly against every Sleep-inducing Pokemon that trying to use it as a counter to Sleep is like trying to use Duct Tape to seal a leaky boat. Sure it works if you apply it in the right conditions, but the only time you need it is in the "wrong conditions" where it just doesn't work like it seems like it should.
 

Super Mario Bro

All we ever look for
I have one more concern -- Why is Naughty the only option on the LO set? With Naive, he gets past the crucial 244 mark. For a so-called "wall breaker", he definitely needs all the speed he can get.

...I would like to know why someone would use this over TyraniBoah. Priority, sure, but anyone with a brain could see sucker punch coming from a mile away.
 
Grammar-Prose Check 1/2:
orange for prose edits
blue for spelling/grammar edits
comments in green
[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow was a much-needed evolution over his pre-evolved form, Murkrow. With base 125 Attack and strong STAB moves, Honchkrow can be a force to be reckoned with. This, combined with one of the strongest priority moves in the game, Sucker Punch, makes Honchkrow a dangerous offensive threat. However, what holds him back are his nasty Stealth Rock weakness, low defenses, and lack of moves to switch in on. Honchkrow is extremely weak to Scizor, as he is OHKOed by Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, Honchkrow takes quite a bit of prediction to use, due to the mind games caused by Sucker Punch. However, with proper support, Honchkrow can be a huge threat to the opposing team.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow can pull off a very simple but effective Life Orb set, due to his sheer power and type coverage. Brave Bird hits extremely hard, capable of 2HKOing Swampert. Sucker Punch allows Honchkrow to bypass his low Speed and hit faster Pokémon before they have a chance to strike back. Many faster Pokémon, such as Starmie and Gengar, have low defenses, which means that they'll be decimated by Sucker Punch. Both Superpower and Heat Wave strike the Steel-type Pokémon that resist Honchkrow's STAB moves. Superpower hits Tyranitar and Heatran, while Heat Wave prevents Forretress and Skarmory from setting up entry hazards. It also hits Scizor and Metagross, although Scizor can strike first with Bullet Punch and Metagross can survive one Heat Wave and KO back with Meteor Mash.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Night Slash can also be used over either Superpower or Heat Wave in order to hit Rotom-A, who can wall this entire set if it has Will-O-Wisp. Roost is a viable alternative over those two moves in order for Honchkrow to heal off any residual damage from Stealth Rock, Life Orb, or Brave Bird. However, replacing a move means giving up coverage, and replacing both moves isn't recommended.</p>

<p>A Naughty nature is used to hit as hard as possible without sacrificing Honchkrow's Special Attack. Additionally, it helps if Honchkrow has to take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and also cushions Honchkrow against physical priority moves. Max Speed EVs allow Honchkrow to outspeed Naive non-Choice Scarf Magnezone, while a Naughty nature also secures the 2HKO on Skarmory with Heat Wave. Either ability may work, as Honchkrow can only really come in on Breloom's Spore and Roserade's Sleep Powder if he has Insomnia. Super Luck can help if you're feeling lucky, and combines well with Night Slash's high critical hit ratio.</p>

<p>Honchkrow is weak to Stealth Rock, and with Life Orb and Brave Bird taken into account, passive damage really hurts him. Therefore, a Rapid Spinner would be helpful to pair with Honchkrow. Starmie is a great choice, as it keeps up the offensive tempo and also resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Honchkrow can also take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and begin retaliating. Furthermore, Magnezone can help Honchkrow defensively, as it resists all three of Honchkrow's weaknesses. It can also set up Substitute on Scizor's Bullet Punch and KO him with either Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Honchkrow also is immune to any Ground-type moves that might be directed at Magnezone.</p>

<p>If Superpower is to be replaced by either Night Slash or Roost, then Swampert is a good choice to check Heatran and Tyranitar. Swampert can set up Stealth Rock for Honchkrow, as well as lure in Breloom, whom Insomnia Honchkrow can freely switch into. Swampert also resists Scizor's Bullet Punch. If Heat Wave is replaced, then Heatran is a good partner for Honchkrow, to scare away Skarmory and Forretress. Honchkrow can once again come in on Ground-type moves directed towards Heatran, while Starmie would be a much more important partner due to the entry hazards that are accumulated.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Honchkrow really hates residual damage, so a teammate that can remove Stealth Rock for him is extremely helpful. Starmie is a good choice because it keeps the pressure on the opposing team due to its wide type coverage. Additionally, Starmie resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Magnezone is also a great partner for Honchkrow, as it can trap and KO Scizor with Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire, and also resists Honchkrow's three weaknesses. Honchkrow can also come in on Earthquake or Earth Power targeted at Magnezone.</p>

<p>Honchkrow also appreciates Stealth Rock, because it facilitates Honchkrow's sweep. Swampert is a great choice to set up Stealth Rock, as it can check Choice Scarf Tyranitar, resists Scizor's Bullet Punch, and is immune to Electric-type moves. Skarmory is also a good choice because he can set up Spikes on Scizor's Bullet Punch. Due to Honchkrow's low Speed, paralysis support is helpful. Celebi resists Honchkrow's Electric-type weakness and can also use Thunder Wave to slow down the opposing team.</p>

<p>One dangerous drawback of using Honchkrow is the mind games that result from Sucker Punch. If you predict incorrectly, the opponent could end up with a Dragon Dance or Calm Mind. Therefore, general revenge killers like Choice Scarf Jirachi and Flygon are helpful in case you mispredict. Additionally, bulky Pokémon like Swampert and Suicune can also help against these threats.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Due to Honchkrow's wide movepool, a Choice Scarf set can be useful for him. Choice Scarf bypasses Honchkrow's low base Speed and lets him strike first with a quick Brave Bird. However, his Stealth Rock weakness and lack of useful resistances prevents him from switching frequently. Additionally, being locked into Sucker Punch can be dangerous, as it can easily turn Honchkrow into set-up fodder.</p>

<p>Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set with Dark Pulse and Heat Wave, along with Superpower to hit Blissey, but Honchkrow's viability is limited by his low Speed and weakness to the omnipresent Scizor. Any Choice Scarf Pokémon like Jirachi or Flygon will easily outspeed and KO Honchkrow, while Scizor can just Bullet Punch Honchkrow for the KO.</p>

<p>Icy Wind can be used as a more gimmicky option, as it'll slow down the opposing Pokémon enough for Honchkrow to strike back first with a Brave Bird or another move. Honchkrow also has access to both Perish Song and Mean Look, but his low defenses make Perish Trapping unviable.</p>

[I would remove Icy Wind as an option; it just seems too gimmicky to be even remotely effective.]

[Counters]
<p>Honchkrow really has problems with opposing Pokémon that resist Sucker Punch and are faster than him. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Sucker Punch and OHKO Honchkrow with Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Jirachi can outspeed Honchkrow and Iron Head for the 2HKO, while Choice Scarf Tyranitar resists Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave, and can strike Honchkrow back with Stone Edge. Metagross can survive one Heat Wave from Honchkrow and KO back with Meteor Mash. Substitute Gengar can force Honchkrow into a Sucker Punch mind game and strike at him behind a Substitute with Focus Blast.</p>

<p>Honchkrow's biggest enemy is residual damage. Stealth Rock, sandstorm, and recoil damage from Brave Bird and Life Orb all significantly decrease Honchkrow's lifespan.</p>
Nice analysis, just a few things: When describing moves, don't put an indefinite article ("a" or "an") in front of them. For example, "Metagross can strike back with Meteor Mash," NOT "Metagross can strike back with a Meteor Mash." I didn't correct any gender-related errors, as the gender issue hasn't reached a resolution yet. I'll edit gender corrections in once it's ironed out. Good job!

 
I have one more concern -- Why is Naughty the only option on the LO set? With Naive, he gets past the crucial 244 mark. For a so-called "wall breaker", he definitely needs all the speed he can get.

...I would like to know why someone would use this over TyraniBoah. Priority, sure, but anyone with a brain could see sucker punch coming from a mile away.
What's so important between 241 and 265 that you can beat that's worth giving up a huge chunk of attacking power for? It's not like any Tyranitar runs Jolly unless they're Scarfed. You beat out defensive Celebi and Rotom-A(who the analysis even says you lose to without Night Slash if it has WoW) but that's about it, unless I'm really missing something here.
 

Super Mario Bro

All we ever look for
What's so important between 241 and 265 that you can beat that's worth giving up a huge chunk of attacking power for? It's not like any Tyranitar runs Jolly unless they're Scarfed. You beat out defensive Celebi and Rotom-A(who the analysis even says you lose to without Night Slash if it has WoW) but that's about it, unless I'm really missing something here.
Lots of Pokemon hang out at around the 244 mark (Defensive Celebi, Zapdos, Dragonite, Rotom, etc.). The extra speed may be worth it in some cases over the extra power.
 

supermarth64

Here I stand in the light of day
is a Contributor Alumnus
Breloom: 5.8% run Superpower, which is the key point of the Facade set. Breloom at that speed isn't common enough.
Metagross: 9.4% run Jolly, 16% run max Speed EVs. Plus Metagross can eat a Heat Wave.
Skarmory: Lol no.
Gyarados: Gyarados, thinking that it's faster, DDs thinking you'll Sucker Punch. Brave Bird it anyway.
Dragonite: Isn't that common enough (but with Mence's ban, it will be). Honchkrow still needs the power it can get.
Gallade: Jolly is better on it, which outspeeds Naive Honchkrow also.
Mamoswine: Ice Shard. Sucker Punch doesn't KO.
Togekiss: Fastkiss is rare, as many don't run max Speed.
Heatran: Naive is better and more common.
Mismagius: Non-existant.
Tyranitar: Jolly max is only on DD set, which won't set up in front of Honchkrow due to fear from Superpower. It can still Stone Edge but then it hasn't set up a DD, meaning it's a lot less threatening.
Celebi: Stays in and... Thunder Waves you while it gets OHKOed back. A smart Celebi player wouldn't give up his Celebi just for a paralyzed Honchkrow.
Zapdos: You're not beating it.
Rotom: You outspeed defensive Rotom and KO with Night Slash (if you have it), while Sucker Punch KOes Scarf Rotom.
 
NOT GP, I'm just bored so I figured what the hell.

[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow is a much-needed evolution over his pre-evolved form, Murkrow. With base 125 Attack and some strong STAB moves, Honchkrow can be a force to be reckoned with. Combine this with one of the strongest priority moves in the game by means of Sucker Punch, and Honchkrow is hitting hard (maybe something like "... Honchkrow is a hard hitter" 'hitting hard' sounds akward imo). However, what is holding him back is his nasty Stealth Rock weakness, low defenses, and lack of moves to switch in on. Furthermore, Honchkrow is extremely weak to Scizor, as he is OHKOed by Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Honchkrow takes quite a bit of prediction to use due to the Sucker Punch mindgames, as well. (two scentences starting off with "furthermore" looks bad) However, with proper support, Honchkrow can be a huge threat to the opposing team.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow can pull off a very simple but effective Life Orb set due to his sheer power and type coverage. Brave Bird hits extremely hard, capable of 2HKOing Swampert. Sucker Punch allows Honchkrow to bypass his low Speed (stat (?)) and hit faster Pokémon before they can strike. Many faster Pokémon have low defenses like Starmie and Gengar, which means that they'll be decimated by Sucker Punch. Both Superpower and Heat Wave strike the Steel-type Pokémon that resist both Brave Bird and Sucker Punch. Superpower hits Tyranitar and Heatran, while Heat Wave prevents Forretress and Skarmory from setting up entry hazards. It also hits Scizor and Metagross, although Scizor can strike first with a Bullet Punch and Metagross can survive one Heat Wave and KO back with Meteor Mash.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Night Slash can also be used over either Superpower or Heat Wave in order to hit Rotom-A, who can wall this entire set if it has Will-O-Wisp. Roost can also be used over those two moves in order for Honchkrow to heal off any Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and Brave Bird damage. However, replacing a move means giving up coverage, and replacing both moves isn't recommended.</p>

<p>A Naughty nature is used to hit as hard as possible without sacrificing Honchkrow's Special Attack. Additionally, it helps if Honchkrow has to take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and also prevents Honchkrow from taking more damage from priority moves. Max Speed EVs allow Honchkrow to outspeed Naive non-Choice Scarf Magnezone, while a Naughty nature also secures the 2HKO on Skarmory with Heat Wave. Either ability may work, as Honchkrow can only really come in on Breloom's Spore and Roserade's Sleep Powder if he has Insomnia. Super Luck can help if you're feeling lucky and are using it with Night Slash for the added critical hit rate.</p>

<p>Honchkrow is weak to Stealth Rock and needs all the help he can get to prevent recoil damage from taking himself down. Therefore, a Rapid Spinner would be helpful to pair with Honchkrow. Starmie is a great choice, as it keeps up the offensive tempo and also resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Honchkrow can also take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and begin retaliating the opposing team. Furthermore, Magnezone can help with Honchkrow's weaknesses, as it resists all three of Honchkrow's weaknesses. It can also set up a Substitute on Scizor's Bullet Punch and KO him with either Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Honchkrow also is immune to any Ground-type moves that might be directed at Magnezone.</p>

<p>If Superpower is to be replaced by either Night Slash or Roost, then Swampert is a good choice to check Heatran and Tyranitar. Swampert can also set up Stealth Rock for Honchkrow and also lures in Breloom, meaning that Insomnia Honchkrow can come in on a Spore or Seed Bomb. Swampert also resists Scizor's Bullet Punch. If Heat Wave is replaced, then Heatran is a good partner for Honchkrow to scare away Skarmory and Forretress. Honchkrow can once again come in on Ground-type moves directed towards Heatran, while Starmie would be a much more important partner due to the entry hazards that are accumulated.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Honchkrow really hates residual damage, so a teammate that can remove Stealth Rock for him is extremely helpful. Starmie is a good choice because it keeps the pressure on the opposing team due to its wide type coverage and can also get in a Rapid Spin. Additionally, Starmie resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Magnezone is also really helpful for Honchkrow as it can trap and KO Scizor with Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire and also resists Honchkrow's three weaknesses. Honchkrow can also come in on Earthquakes or Earth Powers targeted at Magnezone.</p>

<p>Honchkrow also appreciates Stealth Rock being set up because it makes it harder for the opposing team to check Honchkrow. Swampert is a great choice to set up Stealth Rock, as it can check Choice Scarf Tyranitar, resists Scizor's Bullet Punch, and is immune to Electric-type moves. Skarmory is also a good choice because he can set up Spikes on Scizor's Bullet Punch. Due to Honchkrow's low Speed, paralysis support is helpful. Celebi resists Honchkrow's Electric-type weakness and can also use Thunder Wave to slow down the opposing team.</p>

<p>One dangerous part about Honchkrow is the Sucker Punch mindgames. If you predict incorrectly, the opponent could end up with a Dragon Dance or Calm Mind. Therefore, general revenge killers like Choice Scarf Jirachi and Flygon are helpful in case you mispredict. Additionally, bulky Pokémon like Swampert and Suicune can also help against these threats.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Due to Honchkrow's wide movepool, a Choice Scarf set can be useful for him. Choice Scarf bypasses Honchkrow's low base Speed and lets him strike first with a quick Brave Bird. However, a Stealth Rock weakness means that he's not coming in and out that many times, while the lack of useful resistances makes it harder for him to come in. Additionally, being locked into Sucker Punch can be dangerous, as it's basically free setup for any sweeper. Pursuit is also an option, as it can be used to trap things like Scarf Rotom-A locked into Shadow Ball, Azelf locked into Pyschic, or more frail Pkokemon like Flygon who are stuck in Earthquake.</p>

<p>Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set with Dark Pulse and Heat Wave along with Superpower to hit Blissey, but the problem is Honchkrow's low Speed and the omnipresent Scizor weakness. Any Choice Scarf Pokémon like Jirachi or Flygon will easily outspeed and KO Honchkrow, while Scizor can just Bullet Punch Honchkrow for the KO.</p>

<p>Icy Wind can be used as a more gimmicky option, as it'll slow down the opposing Pokémon enough for Honchkrow to strike back first with a Brave Bird or another move. Honchkrow also has access to both Perish Song and Mean Look, but his low defenses make Perish Trapping unviable.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Honchkrow really has problems with opposing Pokémon that resist Sucker Punch and are faster than him. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Sucker Punch or come in on a revenge kill and OHKO Honchkrow with Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Jirachi can outspeed Honchkrow and Iron Head for the 2HKO, while Choice Scarf Tyranitar resists Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave and can strike Honchkrow back with a Stone Edge. Metagross can survive one Heat Wave from Honchkrow and KO back with a Meteor Mash. Substitute Gengar can force Honchkrow into a Sucker Punch mindgame and strike at him behind a Substitute with Focus Blast.</p>

<p>Honchkrow's biggest enemy is residual damage. If Stealth Rock and sandstorm are both on the field, then those two along with Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil damage will quickly take down Honchkrow.</p>


that was all i could find. i would say something about an annoyer set, but sds would rant and rave about how its not a good idea even though screech + pursuit is p cool.
 
Hello!

Grammar-Prose Check 2 of 2.

[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow was a much-needed evolution over his pre-evolved form, Murkrow. With base 125 Attack and strong STAB moves, Honchkrow can be a force to be reckoned with. This, combined with one of the strongest priority moves in the game, Sucker Punch, makes Honchkrow a dangerous offensive threat. However, what holds him back are his nasty Stealth Rock weakness, low defenses, and lack of moves to switch in on. Honchkrow is extremely weak to Scizor, as he is OHKOed by Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, Honchkrow takes quite a bit of prediction to use, due to the mind games caused by Sucker Punch. However, with proper support, Honchkrow can be a huge threat to the opposing team.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow can pull off a very simple yet effective Life Orb set, due to his sheer power and type coverage. STAB Brave Bird hits extremely hard, capable of 2HKOing Swampert. Sucker Punch allows Honchkrow to bypass his low Speed and hit faster Pokémon before they have a chance to strike back. Many faster Pokémon, such as Jolteon and Aerodactyl (Gengar and Starmie are gonna die no matter what to Sucker Punch), have low defenses, meaning they'll be decimated by Sucker Punch. Both Superpower and Heat Wave strike the Pokémon who resist Honchkrow's STAB moves. For example, Superpower hits Tyranitar and Heatran, while Heat Wave prevents Forretress and Skarmory from setting up entry hazards. It also hits Scizor and Metagross, although Scizor can strike first with Bullet Punch and Metagross can survive one Heat Wave and KO Honchkrow back with Meteor Mash.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Night Slash can also be used over either Superpower or Heat Wave in order to hit Rotom-A, who can wall this entire set if it has Will-O-Wisp. Roost is a viable alternative over one of those two moves in order for Honchkrow to heal off any residual damage from Stealth Rock, Life Orb, and Brave Bird. Pursuit can also be used to finish off a weakened enemy should it choose to switch out. If running any move over Heat Wave, an Adamant nature is more useful. However, replacing one or both of the last two moves means giving up type coverage, which isn't recommended.</p>

<p>A Naughty nature is used to hit as hard as possible without sacrificing Honchkrow's Special Attack. Additionally, it helps if Honchkrow has to take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and also cushions him against physical priority moves. Max Speed EVs allow Honchkrow to outspeed Naive non-Choice Scarf Magnezone, while a Naughty nature also secures the 2HKO on Skarmory with Heat Wave. Either ability may work, as Honchkrow can only really come in on Breloom's Spore and Roserade's Sleep Powder if he has Insomnia. Super Luck can help if you're feeling lucky, and combines well with Night Slash's high critical hit ratio should you use it.</p>

<p>Honchkrow is weak to Stealth Rock, and with Life Orb and Brave Bird factored in, the passive damage really hurts his longevity. Therefore, a Rapid Spinner would be helpful to pair with Honchkrow. Starmie is a great choice, as it keeps up the offensive tempo and also resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Honchkrow can also take a Crunch or Pursuit from Choice Scarf Tyranitar and begin retaliating. Another useful partner is Magnezone, who can help Honchkrow defensively, as it resists all three of Honchkrow's weaknesses. It can also set up Substitute on Scizor's Bullet Punch and KO him with either Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Honchkrow is also immune to any Ground-type moves that might be directed at Magnezone.</p>

<p>If Superpower is to be replaced by either Night Slash or Roost, then Swampert is a good choice to check Heatran and Tyranitar. Swampert can set up Stealth Rock for Honchkrow, as well as lure in Breloom, whom Insomnia Honchkrow can freely switch into his Spore. Swampert also resists Scizor's Bullet Punch. If Heat Wave is replaced, then Heatran is a good partner for Honchkrow to scare away Skarmory and Forretress. Honchkrow can, just like with Magnezone, come in on Ground-type moves directed towards Heatran. [You don't need to mention Starmie again because you already stated a Spinner is needed.]</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Honchkrow really hates residual damage, so a teammate who can remove Stealth Rock for him is extremely helpful. Starmie is a good choice because it keeps the pressure on the opposing team due to its wide type coverage. Additionally, Starmie resists Honchkrow's Ice-type weakness. Magnezone is also a great partner for Honchkrow, as it can trap and KO Scizor with Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire, and also resists Honchkrow's three weaknesses. In turn, Honchkrow can come in on a predicted Earthquake or Earth Power targeted at Magnezone.</p>

<p>Honchkrow also appreciates Stealth Rock because it facilitates Honchkrow's sweep. Swampert is a great choice to set it up, as he can check Choice Scarf Tyranitar, resists Scizor's Bullet Punch, and is immune to Electric-type moves. Skarmory is also a good choice because he can set up Spikes on Scizor's Bullet Punch. Due to Honchkrow's low Speed, paralysis support is helpful. Celebi resists Honchkrow's Electric-type weakness and can also use Thunder Wave to slow down the opposing team.</p>

<p>One dangerous drawback of using Honchkrow is the mind-games that result from Sucker Punch. If you predict incorrectly, the opponent could end up with a Dragon Dance or Calm Mind, or even freely set up Substitute. Therefore, general revenge-killers like Choice Scarf Jirachi and Flygon are helpful in case you mispredict. Additionally, bulky Pokémon like Swampert and Suicune can help against these threats.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Due to Honchkrow's wide movepool, a Choice Scarf set can be useful to him. Choice Scarf bypasses Honchkrow's low base Speed and lets him potentially strike first with a quick Brave Bird. However, his Stealth Rock weakness and lack of useful resistances prevents him from switching frequently. Additionally, being locked into Sucker Punch can be dangerous, as it can easily turn Honchkrow into set-up fodder.</p>

<p>Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set with Dark Pulse and Heat Wave, along with Superpower to hit Blissey, but Honchkrow's viability is limited by his low Speed and weakness to the omnipresent priority attacks and Choice Scarf users. Honchkrow also has access to both Perish Song and Mean Look, but his low defenses make Perish Trapping unviable.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Honchkrow really has problems with opposing Pokémon who resist Sucker Punch and are faster than him. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Sucker Punch and OHKO Honchkrow with Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Jirachi can outspeed Honchkrow and Iron Head for the 2HKO, while Choice Scarf Tyranitar resists Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave, and can strike Honchkrow back with Stone Edge. Metagross can survive one Heat Wave from Honchkrow and retaliate with Meteor Mash. Substitute Gengar can force Honchkrow into a Sucker Punch mind-game and strike him from behind a Substitute with Focus Blast.</p>

<p>Honchkrow's biggest enemy is residual damage, though. Stealth Rock, sandstorm, and recoil damage from Brave Bird and Life Orb all significantly decrease Honchkrow's lifespan.</p>
Great work supermarth, there wasn't any big problems with this analysis.

 

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