Pokémon Houndoom

[dkkc19]

Which is why you use Nasty Plot instead.

Dark Pulse hits harder with Nasty Plot than with Solar Power. The only downside to Nasty Plot Houndoom, is that Houndoom is frail and it won't be easy to set up a Nasty Plot. While with Solar Power + Sun, you don't need to set up, and get almost as much power, along with a stronger Fire Blast and ability to use a devastating Solar Beam at the cost of losing some health each turn.

Having used both, as long as your enemy doesn't have Drizzle or Sandstream Pokemons, its easier to use Solar Power Houndoom. + The Sun is useful for weakening Water moves and I like being able to use Shiftry, who is very fun to use.

 

[dkkc19]

I'm finding Solar Power Houndoom easier to use in 3v3 Battles. I'm using Shiftry @ Life Orb, Ninetails @ Heat Rock and Mega Houndoom. In the sun, and after switching Houndoom into a fire attack (Which is sometimes easy to do as Shiftry lures in fire attacks) there are few who can survive a Fire Blast from Houndoom.

 

[Arca10]

Dark Pulse hits harder with Nasty Plot than with Solar Power. The only downside to Nasty Plot Houndoom, is that Houndoom is frail and it won't be easy to set up a Nasty Plot. While with Solar Power + Sun, you don't need to set up, and get almost as much power, along with a stronger Fire Blast and ability to use a devastating Solar Beam at the cost of losing some health each turn.

Having used both, as long as your enemy doesn't have Drizzle or Sandstream Pokemons, its easier to use Solar Power Houndoom. + The Sun is useful for weakening Water moves and I like being able to use Shiftry, who is very fun to use.

I think that the Nasty Plot set is more viable than a Sunny Day set in general. It fits into many more teams, and can still be used to great effect in a sun team (An effective +3 is basically gg if you have eliminated the opponent's powerful priority and scarfer(s)).

Here's a replay of mine showing Mega Houndoom putting in some work, although in UU. My first few turns were pretty weak, me underestimating Crobat's power and not expecting a scarf on it (is that a thing? This was my first or second UU game). The match is fairly slow until turn 36, when I switch Houndoom into my opponent's Entei's Sacred Fire. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-109174906

Edit: Removed mistake. Houndoom doesn't get Energy Ball. Not sure why I thought it did.

 

[L_Crow]

The flaw in M-Houndoom is in uu (the tier it currently resides) drought is banned. Making it hard to set up, any bulky pokemon that can learn sunny day and is a good partner?

 

[Arca10]

The flaw in M-Houndoom is in uu (the tier it currently resides) drought is banned. Making it hard to set up, any bulky pokemon that can learn sunny day and is a good partner?

Actually, uu has plethora of choiced fire types. Victini, Darmanitan, Entei, and Chandelure all commonly run choice items. It isn't too difficult to switch base Houndoom in and force a switch that way, nabbing a Flash Fire boost along the way. Unfortunately in OU, this is much harder, and there is a lot of powerful priority flying around. As well as very fast, hard hitters like Greninja just waiting to revenge kill. I think those factors actually make uu perfect for Mega Houndoom.

That said, there are plenty of bulky Pokemon that learn Sunny Day. Try finding one that baits things that Houndoom can force out. Although not bulky, Deoxys-S is a fine rain setter. Maybe it could do the same with Sunny Day for you.

 

[dkkc19]

Furfrou's bulk ain't that bad, has a great ability and good speed. I use it as backup sun setter in my team.

 

[TheQuickScopingCascoon]

mega doom should stay in uu it is best used in that teir and shiftry should also be uu because it is an AMAZING partner to mega doom in the fact that you lure in fire types to use a fire move switch out into non-mega evolved houndoom nab a flash fire boost mega evolve and destroy because mega doom gets AMAZING coverage moves also you don't need mega doom to use shiftry in uu he is way to good for nu because he gets sucker punch which is a stab 80 power priority move and shifry is decently fast and has a higher attack stat than nidoking which DOMINATES the uu teir I run a physical elemental punch and earthquake set with nidoking because his physical attack is like 30 more than his special also someone tell me if it is more worth it to run EQ or Poison Jab on physical Nidoking because EQ has amazing coverage and is stab but poison jab is also stab, gets boosted by sheer force and life orb EQ also gets affected by life orb every move does but sheer force... I don't know its a hard decision

 

[mikelos]

shiftry is on the mega rumor list as well

 

[TheQuickScopingCascoon]

shiftry is on the mega rumor list as well

yes that is true if he does in fact get a mega evolution he needs an ability that is a lot better the ones he has don't really benefit him well enough and they need to make him learn seed bomb and sucker punch by level up or egg moves. but I think 40 points will go into attack 20 into special attack 20 will go into speed and the other 20 points will go into defense and special defense making him a well rounded overall good pokemon to use if he is going to get a mega evo he should be in atleast uu

 

[Skankovich]

Houndoom also learns Energy Ball, which is exactly as strong as a Solarbeam in the sun after a Nasty Plot:

252 SpA Solar Power Mega Houndoom Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Eviolite Chansey in Sun: 96-114 (13.6 - 16.1%) -- possible 7HKO

+2 252 SpA Mega Houndoom Energy Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Eviolite Chansey: 96-114 (13.6 - 16.1%) -- possible 7HKO

I think that the Nasty Plot set is more viable than a Sunny Day set in general. It fits into many more teams, and can still be used to great effect in a sun team (An effective +3 is basically gg if you have eliminated the opponent's powerful priority and scarfer(s)).

Here's a replay of mine showing Mega Houndoom putting in some work, although in UU. My first few turns were pretty weak, me underestimating Crobat's power and not expecting a scarf on it (is that a thing? This was my first or second UU game). The match is fairly slow until turn 36, when I switch Houndoom into my opponent's Entei's Sacred Fire. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-109174906

I don't think Houndoom gets energy ball, so Solar Beam is a huge plus over the Nasty Plot set.

 

[Arca10]

I don't think Houndoom gets energy ball, so Solar Beam is a huge plus over the Nasty Plot set.

You're right. I meant to go back and fix that, but never got around to it. But I have fixed it now.

 

[Corphish]

Mega Houndoom is really cool mon, it's a shame the zard's got way better megas imo. I think two options that work really well are taunt and destiny bond. Taunt allows houndoom to set up a lot easier and makes dbond more reliable. Only problem is that you can't afford to run taunt dbond and nasty plot on the same set and giving up its awesome dual stabs is too much too ask.

 

[TheLazySnorlax]

Houndoom with his high special attaker,Nastly Plot and solar power is a fantastic sweeper.It can learn Destiny Bond?Uao!It kill evrithing!

 

[Random Passerby]

I feel the problem with Mega Houndoom is the huge opportunity cost because it prevents you from using the only viable Sun inducer in OU, Mega Charizard-Y. You might want to use Sunny Day or Nasty Plot but with its frailty, Mega Houndoom might not live long afterwards, especially with Stealth Rock factored in. The priority attacks flying around in OU does it no favours either.

Secondly, STAB Fire + Dark is good but it is walled by common threats such as Tyranitar (you can't touch it unless you run HP Fighting), Keldeo, Terrakion, Azumarill and Heatran.

Looking at its movepool, it does have interesting options like Taunt and Destiny Bond. Taunt on a frail Pokemon is usually a very bad idea but it can find uses against say, Chansey or Mega Venusaur. Destiny Bond can also help get rid of problematic Pokemon for you to sweep easier.

 

[0besity]

I was wondering if a bulky Mega Houndoom set would be viable.

Houndoom @ Houndoominite
Ability: Solar Power
Evs: 248 Hp / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will O Wisp
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse

Mega Houndoom possesses similar defensive stats to both Mega Charizard forms. Whilst it lacks reliable recovery, which the Charizard forms have in roost, it can run moves such as Taunt to stallbreak or Destiny Bond to threaten offensive Pokemon. Another advantage it has over the Charizard forms is a Dark-Type resistance; meaning it isn't as easily worn down by Sucker Punch and Knock Off. I couldn't decide whether to make it physically or specially defensive. I eventually chose physically defensive due to it allowing Mega Houndoom to survive against Mega Mawile and Bisharp for a little longer. Flamethrower can be run over Fire Blast, but it doesn't guarantee the OHKO on Mega Mawile.