[OVERVIEW]
Houndour is one of LC's premier wallbreakers with a STAB combination resisted only by the frail Carvanha, opposing Houndour, and the largely unviable Deino. As a result, only a handful of Pokemon are able to switch into Houndour and even less can manage to more than once. STAB Sucker Punch helps Houndour fend off quicker foes as well, helping to augment its only okay Speed. Houndour's typing is quite lackluster defensively, however, as not only is Houndour weak to the ever-common Fighting-, Water-, and Ground-types in the tier, but it is also frail. This means Houndour is frequently forced out if it cannot KO what is in front of it, which is particularly bad because Houndour is weak to Stealth Rock. It also suffers from being weak to Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave, all quite common priority moves.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Flame Charge / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Naive
evs: 36 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast is Houndour's most powerful attack, 2HKOing everything that does not resist Fire. Its raw power makes it preferable over Flamethrower, which often fails to secure the same 2HKOs and OHKOs. Dark Pulse is a far more reliable STAB move and Houndour's best option for a special Dark-type STAB move; Dark Pulse 2HKOs certain Pokemon that resist Fire such as Staryu, Slowpoke, and usually even Ponyta as well, and it is very spammable. Sucker Punch helps Houndour handle faster Pokemon seeking to abuse its mediocre Speed and abysmal defenses to revenge kill it. Flame Charge allows Houndour to trouble teams lacking super effective priority and again helps offset Houndour's average Speed and helps it outspeed Doduo, Gastly, and most Choice Scarf users. Pursuit is another option to give Houndour more defensive utility, reliably trapping spinblockers for Staryu and Drilbur.
Set Details
========
Life Orb is the item of choice to make Houndour hit incredibly hard while retaining the flexibility of switching moves. HP IVs are lowered to 9 in order to allow Houndour to hit 19 HP and take less Life Orb recoil. Flash Fire allows Houndour to potentially take advantage of opposing offensive Fire-types, such as Ponyta packing Flame Charge as its fourth move. Flash Fire also makes opposing Pumpkaboo hesitant about using Will-O-Wisp, potentially punishing the play. The EV spread aims to make Houndour hit hard and fast, hence the heavy investment into Speed and Special Attack. A Naive nature is used so Houndour can check Pawniard better by outspeeding it and taking less from Sucker Punch while keeping both its Attack and Special Attack as high as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Houndour best switches in after one of its teammates has been KOed or via a slow U-turn or Volt Switch. Generally, Houndour should avoid switching in on most Pokemon. Some exceptions can be made to Pumpkaboo, Pawniard, and Ponyta, as Houndour is able to check these Pokemon by the virtue of its Dark / Fire typing and access to Flash Fire, yet Houndour can still only switch in once or twice. Outside of these three Pokemon, Houndour should almost never be switched into play. Additionally, Houndour should only be brought into play when it is capable of KOing the opposing Pokemon. Typically, Houndour aims to take advantage of passive Pokemon, such as Pumpkaboo, Foongus, or Ferroseed, to fire off its powerful attacks or get off a Flame Charge to outspeed the opponent's team. If Pursuit is being used, Houndour should switch directly into Pumpkaboo in order to threaten it with Fire Blast and Pursuit trap it.
Team Options
========
Houndour appreciates entry hazard removal from the likes of Staryu or Drillbur, as otherwise it struggles to be nearly as effective when Stealth Rock is up. Pursuit variants of Houndour can trap spinblockers for Staryu and Drilbur too, allowing them to better perform their role. Knock Off users are great teammates as well, softening up teams by removing Eviolites and making Houndour that much harder to handle. Dark-types in general appreciate Houndour's raw power and ability to remove their shared checks, making Pawniard, Vullaby, and Scraggy decent partners for Houndour. Fighting-type checks such as Snubbull, Foongus, and Cottonee are almost mandatory due to Houndour's weakness to Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave. The latter two options are especially great as they function as a check to Water-types, which also force out Houndour. Offensive Water-types enjoy Houndour's ability to completely break down opposing bulky Water- and Grass-types, opening the game up for themselves frequently. Similarly, Snivy makes a great partner due to deterring Sticky Web, checking Water-types, and forming a very deadly wallbreaking core. Snivy handles the Ground- and Water-types Houndour struggles with, while Houndour is able to check the Steel- and Grass-types which trouble Snivy. Additionally, Snivy's Glare can help Houndour against quicker teams by slowing them down. Slow pivots with U-turn, such as Mienfoo, or Volt Switch, such as Chinchou, help to switch away from the faster Pokemon that threaten Houndour out, giving Houndour opportunities to come back in safely to fire off its powerful attacks.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Destiny Bond / Snarl
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Naive Nature
evs: 36 Def / 196 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast hits hard and is Houndour's most powerful attack. Dark Pulse is good for cleaning up teams late-game and revenge killing neutral targets due to its accuracy. Pursuit allows Houndour to trap Abra, Gastly, and Pumpkaboo, which are irksome threats to many teams. Destiny Bond is an emergency button for when a sweeper gets out of hand. Destiny Bond is especially useful when Houndour is paired with another Dark-type, as it can often remove a shared counter. Snarl hits Gastly and Abra behind Substitute, making Houndour a more reliable check to them, although it isn't very powerful.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment makes Houndour able to check Choice Scarf Pawniard and Speed tie with Jolly Choice Scarf Mienfoo. The Speed investment coupled with a Choice Scarf turns Houndour into a great revenge killer, outspeeding most setup sweepers such as Scraggy at +1. Maximum Special Attack investment makes Houndour as powerful as possible, maximizing how effectively it can revenge kill Pokemon or sweep teams late-game. A Naive nature plus 36 Defense EVs allows Houndour to check Life Orb Pawniard while not weakening its Pursuit. The leftover EVs are invested into Special Defense, as their placement in Attack does not affect Pursuit's rolls, and it can help offset the Special Defense lost from a Naive nature. Flash Fire can be utilized to switch into Will-O-Wisp and Fire-types in general.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Houndour is a great revenge killer and is usually best used as such. Houndour should avoid switching into attacks, as it is woefully frail. However, it can clean late-game when opposing priority users are removed and teams are aptly weakened with well-placed Knock Offs and hazards. Due to Houndour's naturally high Special Attack and Speed with a Choice Scarf, it is still hard to switch into. Destiny Bond allows Houndour to remove a would-be check or stop a setup sweeper dead in its tracks, though it can be a little predictable.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters makes Choice Scarf Houndour especially hard to handle due to its high Speed and powerful STAB moves; with hazards on the field, even Pokemon that resist its attacks can only switch in once. Foongus, Cottonee, and Snubbull help maintain momentum, checking the threatening Fighting-types that easily switch into a Houndour Choice-locked into Dark Pulse. The former two also help handle the Water-types that switch into Fire Blast handily. Snivy is a more offensive Water-type counter that appreciates Houndour's ability to trap Gastly and Abra. The duo can wallbreak for one another as well due to sharing similar checks, making them a rather threatening pair. Staryu helps keep hazards off the field, allowing Houndour to check Pokemon throughout the match, while Houndour can trap spinblockers for Staryu. Dark-types as a whole, especially Vullaby, Pawniard, and Scraggy, appreciate Choice Scarf Houndour's ability to cripple checks with powerful STAB attacks or Destiny Bond, and they are good at using Knock Off on key bulky Pokemon such as Mienfoo. Slow pivots with access to Volt Switch, namely Chinchou, or U-turn, such as Mienfoo and the aforementioned Vullaby, are able to generally sponge attacks from Pokemon that Houndour lures in.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A fully physical set might seem appealing for a stronger Sucker Punch, yet it is unviable due to Fire Fang being far too weak to pick up key OHKOs and 2HKOs. Z-Sunny Day sets with Firium Z are technically viable options but are better done by the faster and bulkier Ponyta. Similarly, Nasty Plot sets can completely sweep slower teams, but it is pretty bad outside that specific matchup and seldom worthwhile. It is also rather hard to safely set up a Nasty Plot due to Houndour's middling bulk. Beat Up is a cool alternative to Snarl, but at least 3 of your Pokemon need to be alive, and the benefit is largely nonexistent. Crunch can be somewhat viable in an effort to lure and KO Munchlax on the Life Orb set, but it is otherwise worse than Dark Pulse and requires more EVs to be invested in Attack. Early Bird is a viable alternative ability that's useful for switching into Spores and Sleep Powder, but it relies on getting early wakes to excel. Using Early Bird also has the downside of losing to opposing Flash Fire Houndour and no longer being powered up by Pumpkaboo and Ponyta's Fire-type attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Super Effective Priority**: Houndour is frail enough to be KOed from full HP by Timburr's Mach Punch or Carvanha's Aqua Jet, and Houndour has little counterplay against this, often forcing it out. These priority users struggle to switch in, however.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon that resist one of Houndour's STAB options can switch in, though only on the resisted attack. Specially defensive Berry Juice Pokemon are able to counter once, with the exception of Munchlax which persistently counters, but it must beware potentially switching into Life Orb Flame Charge and then finished off with one of Houndour's STAB moves. Other common bulky Pokemon that can check Houndour include Mareanie, Mudbray, and Spritzee, although the latter can't hit back for much damage.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Houndour's only okay Speed, a good number of Pokemon are able to revenge kill it, assuming they are at full health. For example, defensive Staryu is able to switch into Life Orb Houndour and KO back, though only one time unless it can successfully use Recover. Choice Scarf Mienfoo is a reliable check to Houndour as well due to it resisting Sucker Punch, though it cannot switch in. Choice Scarf Chinchou can also check Houndour rather well but only if it is outside of Sucker Punch KO range.
Houndour is one of LC's premier wallbreakers with a STAB combination resisted only by the frail Carvanha, opposing Houndour, and the largely unviable Deino. As a result, only a handful of Pokemon are able to switch into Houndour and even less can manage to more than once. STAB Sucker Punch helps Houndour fend off quicker foes as well, helping to augment its only okay Speed. Houndour's typing is quite lackluster defensively, however, as not only is Houndour weak to the ever-common Fighting-, Water-, and Ground-types in the tier, but it is also frail. This means Houndour is frequently forced out if it cannot KO what is in front of it, which is particularly bad because Houndour is weak to Stealth Rock. It also suffers from being weak to Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave, all quite common priority moves.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Flame Charge / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Naive
evs: 36 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast is Houndour's most powerful attack, 2HKOing everything that does not resist Fire. Its raw power makes it preferable over Flamethrower, which often fails to secure the same 2HKOs and OHKOs. Dark Pulse is a far more reliable STAB move and Houndour's best option for a special Dark-type STAB move; Dark Pulse 2HKOs certain Pokemon that resist Fire such as Staryu, Slowpoke, and usually even Ponyta as well, and it is very spammable. Sucker Punch helps Houndour handle faster Pokemon seeking to abuse its mediocre Speed and abysmal defenses to revenge kill it. Flame Charge allows Houndour to trouble teams lacking super effective priority and again helps offset Houndour's average Speed and helps it outspeed Doduo, Gastly, and most Choice Scarf users. Pursuit is another option to give Houndour more defensive utility, reliably trapping spinblockers for Staryu and Drilbur.
Set Details
========
Life Orb is the item of choice to make Houndour hit incredibly hard while retaining the flexibility of switching moves. HP IVs are lowered to 9 in order to allow Houndour to hit 19 HP and take less Life Orb recoil. Flash Fire allows Houndour to potentially take advantage of opposing offensive Fire-types, such as Ponyta packing Flame Charge as its fourth move. Flash Fire also makes opposing Pumpkaboo hesitant about using Will-O-Wisp, potentially punishing the play. The EV spread aims to make Houndour hit hard and fast, hence the heavy investment into Speed and Special Attack. A Naive nature is used so Houndour can check Pawniard better by outspeeding it and taking less from Sucker Punch while keeping both its Attack and Special Attack as high as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Houndour best switches in after one of its teammates has been KOed or via a slow U-turn or Volt Switch. Generally, Houndour should avoid switching in on most Pokemon. Some exceptions can be made to Pumpkaboo, Pawniard, and Ponyta, as Houndour is able to check these Pokemon by the virtue of its Dark / Fire typing and access to Flash Fire, yet Houndour can still only switch in once or twice. Outside of these three Pokemon, Houndour should almost never be switched into play. Additionally, Houndour should only be brought into play when it is capable of KOing the opposing Pokemon. Typically, Houndour aims to take advantage of passive Pokemon, such as Pumpkaboo, Foongus, or Ferroseed, to fire off its powerful attacks or get off a Flame Charge to outspeed the opponent's team. If Pursuit is being used, Houndour should switch directly into Pumpkaboo in order to threaten it with Fire Blast and Pursuit trap it.
Team Options
========
Houndour appreciates entry hazard removal from the likes of Staryu or Drillbur, as otherwise it struggles to be nearly as effective when Stealth Rock is up. Pursuit variants of Houndour can trap spinblockers for Staryu and Drilbur too, allowing them to better perform their role. Knock Off users are great teammates as well, softening up teams by removing Eviolites and making Houndour that much harder to handle. Dark-types in general appreciate Houndour's raw power and ability to remove their shared checks, making Pawniard, Vullaby, and Scraggy decent partners for Houndour. Fighting-type checks such as Snubbull, Foongus, and Cottonee are almost mandatory due to Houndour's weakness to Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave. The latter two options are especially great as they function as a check to Water-types, which also force out Houndour. Offensive Water-types enjoy Houndour's ability to completely break down opposing bulky Water- and Grass-types, opening the game up for themselves frequently. Similarly, Snivy makes a great partner due to deterring Sticky Web, checking Water-types, and forming a very deadly wallbreaking core. Snivy handles the Ground- and Water-types Houndour struggles with, while Houndour is able to check the Steel- and Grass-types which trouble Snivy. Additionally, Snivy's Glare can help Houndour against quicker teams by slowing them down. Slow pivots with U-turn, such as Mienfoo, or Volt Switch, such as Chinchou, help to switch away from the faster Pokemon that threaten Houndour out, giving Houndour opportunities to come back in safely to fire off its powerful attacks.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Destiny Bond / Snarl
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Naive Nature
evs: 36 Def / 196 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast hits hard and is Houndour's most powerful attack. Dark Pulse is good for cleaning up teams late-game and revenge killing neutral targets due to its accuracy. Pursuit allows Houndour to trap Abra, Gastly, and Pumpkaboo, which are irksome threats to many teams. Destiny Bond is an emergency button for when a sweeper gets out of hand. Destiny Bond is especially useful when Houndour is paired with another Dark-type, as it can often remove a shared counter. Snarl hits Gastly and Abra behind Substitute, making Houndour a more reliable check to them, although it isn't very powerful.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment makes Houndour able to check Choice Scarf Pawniard and Speed tie with Jolly Choice Scarf Mienfoo. The Speed investment coupled with a Choice Scarf turns Houndour into a great revenge killer, outspeeding most setup sweepers such as Scraggy at +1. Maximum Special Attack investment makes Houndour as powerful as possible, maximizing how effectively it can revenge kill Pokemon or sweep teams late-game. A Naive nature plus 36 Defense EVs allows Houndour to check Life Orb Pawniard while not weakening its Pursuit. The leftover EVs are invested into Special Defense, as their placement in Attack does not affect Pursuit's rolls, and it can help offset the Special Defense lost from a Naive nature. Flash Fire can be utilized to switch into Will-O-Wisp and Fire-types in general.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Houndour is a great revenge killer and is usually best used as such. Houndour should avoid switching into attacks, as it is woefully frail. However, it can clean late-game when opposing priority users are removed and teams are aptly weakened with well-placed Knock Offs and hazards. Due to Houndour's naturally high Special Attack and Speed with a Choice Scarf, it is still hard to switch into. Destiny Bond allows Houndour to remove a would-be check or stop a setup sweeper dead in its tracks, though it can be a little predictable.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters makes Choice Scarf Houndour especially hard to handle due to its high Speed and powerful STAB moves; with hazards on the field, even Pokemon that resist its attacks can only switch in once. Foongus, Cottonee, and Snubbull help maintain momentum, checking the threatening Fighting-types that easily switch into a Houndour Choice-locked into Dark Pulse. The former two also help handle the Water-types that switch into Fire Blast handily. Snivy is a more offensive Water-type counter that appreciates Houndour's ability to trap Gastly and Abra. The duo can wallbreak for one another as well due to sharing similar checks, making them a rather threatening pair. Staryu helps keep hazards off the field, allowing Houndour to check Pokemon throughout the match, while Houndour can trap spinblockers for Staryu. Dark-types as a whole, especially Vullaby, Pawniard, and Scraggy, appreciate Choice Scarf Houndour's ability to cripple checks with powerful STAB attacks or Destiny Bond, and they are good at using Knock Off on key bulky Pokemon such as Mienfoo. Slow pivots with access to Volt Switch, namely Chinchou, or U-turn, such as Mienfoo and the aforementioned Vullaby, are able to generally sponge attacks from Pokemon that Houndour lures in.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A fully physical set might seem appealing for a stronger Sucker Punch, yet it is unviable due to Fire Fang being far too weak to pick up key OHKOs and 2HKOs. Z-Sunny Day sets with Firium Z are technically viable options but are better done by the faster and bulkier Ponyta. Similarly, Nasty Plot sets can completely sweep slower teams, but it is pretty bad outside that specific matchup and seldom worthwhile. It is also rather hard to safely set up a Nasty Plot due to Houndour's middling bulk. Beat Up is a cool alternative to Snarl, but at least 3 of your Pokemon need to be alive, and the benefit is largely nonexistent. Crunch can be somewhat viable in an effort to lure and KO Munchlax on the Life Orb set, but it is otherwise worse than Dark Pulse and requires more EVs to be invested in Attack. Early Bird is a viable alternative ability that's useful for switching into Spores and Sleep Powder, but it relies on getting early wakes to excel. Using Early Bird also has the downside of losing to opposing Flash Fire Houndour and no longer being powered up by Pumpkaboo and Ponyta's Fire-type attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Super Effective Priority**: Houndour is frail enough to be KOed from full HP by Timburr's Mach Punch or Carvanha's Aqua Jet, and Houndour has little counterplay against this, often forcing it out. These priority users struggle to switch in, however.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon that resist one of Houndour's STAB options can switch in, though only on the resisted attack. Specially defensive Berry Juice Pokemon are able to counter once, with the exception of Munchlax which persistently counters, but it must beware potentially switching into Life Orb Flame Charge and then finished off with one of Houndour's STAB moves. Other common bulky Pokemon that can check Houndour include Mareanie, Mudbray, and Spritzee, although the latter can't hit back for much damage.
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Houndour's only okay Speed, a good number of Pokemon are able to revenge kill it, assuming they are at full health. For example, defensive Staryu is able to switch into Life Orb Houndour and KO back, though only one time unless it can successfully use Recover. Choice Scarf Mienfoo is a reliable check to Houndour as well due to it resisting Sucker Punch, though it cannot switch in. Choice Scarf Chinchou can also check Houndour rather well but only if it is outside of Sucker Punch KO range.
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