the seventh cap revamp; this leaves only pyroak
Kitsunoh
-should the offensive set be divided into wall-breaker and life orb
-i need opinions on torment kitsunoh (no theory, I only want to hear from people who have tested it)
[SET]
name: Wispy Kit
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: ShadowStrike
move 4: Superpower
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly
ability: Limber
evs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This once underrated set has become the standard way to use Kitsunoh. There exist very few Pokemon that can handle Kitsunoh's attacks and also shrug off a burn. Normally, your opponent will have to let one of his bulky Pokemon take a burn just to force this Kitsunoh to switch out.</p>
<p>Switching in is not a difficult task for the Steel/Ghost fox, using its many resistances and immunities such as Ice, Rock and Fighting. As the opponent switches, use Substitute to scout the incoming Pokemon. The usual switch-ins will be bulky Water-, Steel-, or Ground-typed Pokemon, almost all of whom are highly susceptible to Will-O-Wisp. Burn them as they break your sub and proceed from there. In some cases, like a full-HP burned Skarmory, it's best to simply switch out. Other times, one can use Substitute repeatedly to allow the burn to take its toll, and possibly lower the Pokemon into the KO range of one of Kitsunoh's other attacks. A mid-health Swampert can almost always be beaten by this method. If you can stall it into about the 20% range, Kitsunoh can deliver the finishing blow with ShadowStrike.</p>
<p>ShadowStrike serves as Kitsunoh's reliable STAB attack. Superpower is recommended in the last slot as ShadowStrike and Superpower provide perfect neutral coverage. As this Kitsunoh doesn't switch around too much, Frisk is less useful; Limber is preferred and makes Kitsunoh an easy switch-in to various Thunder Waves, such as those of Blissey and Celebi. 16 HP EVs are recommended, as they put Kitsunoh at 305 HP; which means Leftovers heals one more HP per turn and allows Kitsunoh to make five Substitutes from full health (factoring Leftovers recovery).</p>
<p>Although the set presented here is generally considered the best, there are a couple of alternatives available. Toxic has higher accuracy than Will-O-Wisp, and is more crippling to some Pokemon, particularly certain Water-types like Vaporeon and Swampert. However, Steel-types like Skarmory will completely shut Kitsunoh down, and most non-Steel Pokemon that will be switching in to Kitsunoh will hate the cut to their Attack, such as Gyarados and Gliscor. Protect over Superpower could allow Kitsunoh to stall out longer to rack up burn damage, but being walled by Blissey is embarrassing, and Magnezone could trap you with little fear. Earthquake could be used over Superpower, but its coverage is generally inferior and is only really useful if you need to OHKO Heatran, Infernape and Magnezone.</p>
<p>This set is extremely difficult to counter. Generally, your opponent will be more than willing to let one of his walls be burned to get rid of Kitsunoh. A burned Swampert or Skarmory is much less effective at walling, so try to use a late-game sweeper or two that have a difficult time with them under ordinary circumstances. Salamence and Gyarados top this long list, as they both resist Fire and are immune to Ground. Agility Metagross also gets a special mention.</p>
<p>The one Pokemon that Wispy Kit ever needs to be genuinely worried about is Umbreon. If you accidentally use Will-O-Wisp on one, Synchronize will burn Kitsunoh as well, even if you have a Substitute. A burned Kitsunoh is doing negligible damage even to relatively frail Pokemon, to the point at which Kitsunoh doesn't pose any offensive threat outside of Will-O-Wisp. The best Pokemon for dealing with Umbreon are powerful Fighting-types, as well as Scizor and Flygon. Fighters like Lucario, Machamp and Heracross can force Umbreon out, even after a Curse. Scizor and Flygon can switch into Umbreon and break any Mean Look attempts with super effective U-turns. Flygon and Kitsunoh cover each other's weaknesses fantastically, while Scizor is more powerful and is better at taking advantage of burned walls.</p>
[SET]
name: Scarf Kit
move 1: ShadowStrike
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Ice Punch / Trick
move 4: Earthquake / Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Kitsunoh with a Choice Scarf is one of the best revenge killers in the game. Some of the common sweepers that it can check includes Dragon Dance Salamence, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Latias, Infernape, and Swords Dance Lucario. ShadowStrike acts as a strong and reliable STAB move and will put a sizable chunk into any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Thanks to its Steel/Ghost typing, Kitsunoh has very few problems switching in and out, so U-turn is greatly appreciated to scout the opponent while inflicting mild damage.</p>
<p>Courtesy of Kitsunoh's extensive movepool, the final two moves are a difficult choice to make. Ice Punch has great coverage and allows Kitsunoh to OHKO Salamence and Flygon, stopping any potential sweeps cold. It is also a great option for assorted Flying- and bulky Ground-typed Pokemon, like Togekiss, Zapdos, and Gliscor. On the other hand, Trick allows Kitsunoh to ditch its Choice Scarf on the opponent, potentially crippling it for the remainder of the battle. This also makes a great lead, as it can Trick various Stealth Rock users that normally don't have a problem absorbing an attack or two from Kitsunoh. The drawback is obviously that ShadowStrike will only do around 50% to Salamence, and can have problems with the aforementioned Flying-types (Grounds can often be dealt with via Trick). The choice between Superpower and Earthquake comes down to what you would prefer to beat. Earthquake has an excellent chance to 2HKO Metagross and Jirachi with Stealth Rock on the field, and will OHKO various threats such as Magnezone, Heatran, and Infernape. Superpower, on the other hand, allows Kitsunoh to OHKO Tyranitar and 2HKO Blissey. In general, Earthquake should be used with Ice Punch and Superpower should be used with Trick.</p>
<p>The choice of nature largely depends on whether or not you intend to use Trick. If you're not running it, Adamant is the preferred nature, as Choice Scarf Kitsunoh needs all the power it can get. Note however that you will be outsped by boosted +Speed base 100s like Jolly DD Salamence. If this is an issue, then Jolly is still very viable. Obviously, if you intend to Trick away your Scarf, you will want to run Jolly so as to retain your revenge killing abilities against as many threats as possible, such as Infernape and the base 100s. Limber is the preferred ability, unless you are using a Trick Lead, in which case Frisk becomes an excellent option to scout for various Berries and Choice items.</p>
<p>Probably the best partner for this set is Choice Scarf Flygon. Flygon resists Kitsunoh's two weaknesses, Fire and Ground, and vice-versa for Flygon's Ice and Dragon weaknesses. Between the two of them, all types except Water, Dark and Ghost are covered, and their ability to U-turn back and forth is not comparable to anything else in the Standard metagame. Outside of that, with U-turn chipping away at Kitsunoh's counters, hard-hitters that attract bulky Water-, Ground-, and Steel-typed Pokemon will make good partners for Kitsunoh. Gyarados covers Kitsunoh's weaknesses and can set up a Dragon Dance sweep if Kitsunoh has worn out their common counters. Strong Fighting Pokemon like Heracross and Machamp are also good choices, though they lack defensive synergy.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Kitsunoh
move 1: ShadowStrike
move 2: Taunt
move 3: U-turn / Ice Punch
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Limber
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is mainly intended to function as a wall-breaker, but it is also a competent late-game sweeper with the extra power granted by a Life Orb. A big part of what makes Kitsunoh capable of doing this is the fact that it is either resistant or immune to all of the common priority moves: Bullet Punch, Extremespeed, Ice Shard, Vacuum Wave, and Mach Punch. ShadowStrike's 50% chance of a defense drop is used to maximum effect on this set; it is difficult even for very bulky Pokemon to switch in without fear of a 2HKO or 3HKO. Taunt is really the crux of this set, as even the toughest walls like Skarmory can eventually be beaten by Kitsunoh if they aren't allowed to heal. Taunt + U-turn is a quite potent combo; it is great for keeping pressure on your opponent. Superpower is recommended in the last slot, as it is most useful against Blissey and Snorlax. However, the Ice Punch + Earthquake combination is also very viable.</p>
<p>The choice between Leftovers and Life Orb depends mostly on which moves you choose. Taunt and U-turn have slightly less-than-stellar synergy with Life Orb, so Leftovers is the primary option. However, Life Orb is still a solid choice, especially if you're running Ice Punch and Earthquake; this combination is much more likely to sweep a team late-game. If you are using any similar offensive set without Taunt, Life Orb normally becomes the superior choice.</p>
<p>As a 31 HP IV puts Kitsunoh at 301 HP, an IV of 29 HP is recommended if you are using Life Orb. This will round the Life Orb damage down, actually letting Kitsunoh survive longer. If you're running Leftovers instead, the EVs from the Wispy Kit set are probably best.</p>
<p>This set is played much more offensively than the others. Thus, it depends a little bit more on its team-mates. Taunt + U-turn variants should have Pokemon that can seriously threaten the common walls that switch into Kitsunoh without fearing their attacks. Celebi can switch into Water- and Ground-typed Pokemon and hit them with Grass Knot. Zapdos and Jolteon can use HP Ice on Ground-types, and have the additional bonus of scaring away Skarmory. Steel-types in general fear Fire, Ground and Fighting, so Pokemon like Lucario, Heatran and Infernape make great choices.</p>
<p>The Life Orb version is generally used more towards the late-game, and will normally require considerable support to ensure a successful sweep. Stealth Rock should be set up, and if possible, a layer or two of Spikes, as most of Kitsunoh's counters are not immune to Ground. Lures work very well with Life Orb Kitsunoh, so a Choice Specs Lucario or a mixed Metagross or Tyranitar could be used to clear Kitsunoh's path. If you intend to use Kitsunoh early, Wish support is recommended so that you don't take too much damage from attacks or Life Orb. Blissey tends to attract Fighting-typed moves, so it may be the best supporter in this regard.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Kitsunoh is used most often on offensive teams, and generally plays one of two roles: sweeper or sweeper's assistant. The latter is more common, as Kitsunoh is very good at inflicting small, gradual damage onto the various walls of the Overused metagame. The most common Pokemon that will switch into Kitsunoh are bulky Water-, Ground-, and Steel-types, so anything that has trouble with these Pokemon welcomes Kitsunoh onto their team. This actually includes the majority of the OU physical sweepers, such as Scizor, Salamence, Gyarados, Metagross, Lucario, Tyranitar, and a host of others. Tyranitar in particular is great to use alongside Kitsunoh, as Kitsunoh is immune to Sand Stream and it appreciates the passive damage. Speaking of passive damage, Kitsunoh greatly enjoys the assistance of Stealth Rock, and if possible Spikes, as early in the game as possible. A suicide lead is the quickest way of ensuring that those hazards are present, so Roserade, Smeargle, and Froslass make good choices for Spikes, while Azelf and Infernape will all but guarantee your team Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>Defensively, Kitsunoh has a wide range of resistances and immunities at the cost of only two weaknesses: Fire and Ground. Fortunately, several OU Pokemon resist this attack combination. Flygon stands out for its ability to form a U-turn pair with Kitsunoh. Gyarados and Salamence also stand out, as they are among the most deadly Pokemon in the metagame, particularly after Kitsunoh has worn holes into their counters and checks. Latias also resists Fire and Ground, but has little offensive synergy with Kitsunoh. However, Latias's Wish support can greatly increase Kitsunoh's lifespan, particularly if you are using a Life Orb. Blissey also makes a good Wisher, especially for Wispy Kit; burned walls won't be able to to much damage to Blissey, even with powerful physical attacks like Earthquake and Brave Bird.</p>
<p>A strategy that Choice Scarf Kitsunoh was once notorious for was Trick + Pursuit. Upon Tricking a Choice item onto a wall, Tyranitar would switch in (preferably on a Fire move) and chase it out with Pursuit. What sets Kitsunoh apart from other users of this strategy are two factors; firstly, Kitsunoh's two weaknesses are extremely easy types to take advantage of; and secondly, this strategy doesn't come with the usual drawbacks associated with using Choice Band Pursuit. As long as Kitsunoh is alive, your team will not be swept by any Lucario or Infernape, so you are free to Pursuit to your heart's content.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Kitsunoh, like many CAP Pokemon, enjoys a vast movepool. On the offensive side, Thunderpunch is a good option for hitting Flying- and Water-types, most notably Gyarados. Rock Slide is also a good choice, as it allows a super-effective hit on Flying-types without losing coverage on Salamence and Zapdos. Super Fang can be used to cut a Pokemon's HP in half, but in Kitsunoh's case, it is often just as effective to use ShadowStrike. Meteor Mash and Iron Head are both excellent STAB moves, but their type coverage is usually redundant with the main options. Low Kick can be used over Superpower on any set if the stat drops are undesirable, but Superpower hits much harder most of the time. Although Fake Out works well on Kitsunoh and has great synergy with U-turn, Ambipom is a stronger user of that set. A Liechi Berry Substitute + Flail set is mildly viable, albeit gimmicky.</p>
<p>Kitsunoh also has an excellent defensive / supporting movepool. Among these options, by far the most notable is Torment, which can cause major headaches for the opponent in tandem with Substitute. Pain Split is Kitsunoh's best form of healing, but it's difficult to find space on the moveset for such an unreliable move. Although Knock Off can remove an opponent's item, a burn is usually more crippling. Psycho Shift sounds good on paper; however, Kitsunoh is already immune to the two most common forms of status, so it sees little use. Yawn, Roar, and Perish Song are excellent phazing moves that Kitsunoh has access to, but that sort of thing is generally to be left to bulkier Pokemon.</p>
<p>Choice Band Kitsunoh is perfectly viable, but has few advantages over the Wispy Kit and Wall-breaker sets. Wide Lens may be used to boost the accuracy of Will-O-Wisp, ShadowStrike and possibly Meteor Mash.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Max Speed and a Jolly nature is almost a necessity on any Kitsunoh without a Choice Scarf. This guarantees that you at least tie with several major Pokemon, like Gengar, Latias, and other Kitsunoh. Even better, as many Gengar and Latias have begun using a 30 Speed IV for Hidden Power Fire, Kitsunoh will outspeed them the majority of the time. On sets with Leftovers, a small HP investment of 16 EVs (taken from Attack) is generally worth it for an extra point of recovery every turn. Conversely, Life Orb sets should use no HP EVs and a 29 IV to reduce the damage taken per turn. After HP has been dealt with, the rest of the EVs should go to Attack to ensure that Kitsunoh is as threatening as possible.</p>
[CAP Metagame]
<p>Kitsunoh's perfomance in the CAP metagame is hardly different at all from how it fares in standard OU. While Arghonaut appears to wall Kitsunoh, it is really just another Will-O-Wisp target and falls flat in the face of Torment. Kitsunoh is also a fantastic check to any Revenankh, with ShadowStrike easily 2HKOing. Pyroak is a serious issue for Wispy Kit; fortunately, Pyroak sees very little use. Defensive Cyclohm can get in the way if you haven't got Earthquake, thanks to Shield Dust preventing Defense drops. Other CAP Pokemon have no business with Kitsunoh, and Kitsunoh has no business with them, aside from perhaps Choice Scarfed revenge kills.</p>
<p>In a metagame in which Spikes can be found on every other team, Kitsunoh makes a quite good spin-blocker for offensive teams. It has the advantages of not “slowing down” the team, like Dusknoir; not being terribly frail, like Gengar, and not being Pursuit-weak like Rotom-a. Although Scizor's use is reduced in CAP, Kitsunoh remains useful by countering the increasing number of non-Dragon Dance Salamence.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>While it may be a stretch to call Kitsunoh “the ultimate scout”, it is definitely adept at forcing switches with its great resists and wide array of powerful attacks. Even Pokemon that resist its common moves won’t like having their Defense dropped by ShadowStrike, which leaves them vulnerable to other powerful attackers. With 110 Speed, Kitsunoh outpaces much of the metagame and is more than capable of forcing most foes into submission. Furthermore, it is not a glass cannon like many of its fast brethren like Gengar and Azelf, and is very capable of taking a hit when it has to. Kitsunoh is an asset to any team that is looking for a fast, hard-hitting attacker that forces switches and reveals team members. This kitten's got claws.</p>
<p>What is most interesting about Kitsunoh is that the primary set is one that was not even considered during the creation process, and that the ferocity of the set was only discovered months after Kitsunoh was introduced on the CAP server. While Kitsunoh was originally considered a “failure” by many of the playtesters, it has now become one of the very best CAP Pokemon. This is most certainly an interesting study of how a Pokemon or a metagame can evolve over time as we learn more about it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Unfortunately, to stop Wispy Kit, you will need to use either use Umbreon or allow one of your walls to be burned by Will-O-Wisp. With that in mind, Skarmory is the best counter, due to its resistance to Ghost and neutrality to everything else Kitsunoh has, barring the rare Thunderpunch. Forretress and Bronzong both have solid enough defenses to deal with Kitsunoh and take neutral damage at worst from its attacks. However, without Earthquake, they will generally find themselves doing insufficient damage. Metagross can normally handle an Earthquake or two and threaten to hit back with their own Earthquakes.</p>
<p>As Kitsunoh isn't that powerful, bulky Pokemon don't strictly have to resist Ghost to take it on. Swampert, Gyarados and Suicune (particularly any of those with Rest and Sleep Talk) make good answers to Wispy Kit. However, beware not to try to stall for too long, as ShadowStrike's Defense drops will help Kitsunoh significantly in this case. Ground-types are also good choices, such as Hippowdon and Gliscor. One ray of hope for any Pokemon attempting to counter Wispy Kit is the fact that Will-O-Wisp has a shaky 75% accuracy, so your Pokemon have a chance to come out of it in perfect health. All in all, the best counter for Wispy Kit is Aromatherapy.</p>
<p>Choice and Life Orb sets are much easier to handle, and are generally covered by the same Pokemon. The only concern for any of the previously mentioned Pokemon is Trick. Choice Kitsunoh is also extremely easy to revenge kill; Dugtrio and Magnezone can both trap it and deliver major damage the Earthquake or Thunderbolt. Tyranitar and Scizor can both take ShadowStrike and use Pursuit to get rid of Kitsunoh. Life Orb Kitsunoh will not be able to significantly damage the standard walls like Skarmory before the Life Orb recoil spells their doom.</p>
<p>The wall-breaking set may be difficult for stall teams to handle; offensive teams generally won't have a problem with it. Kitsunoh is not as bulky as its resistances may suggest; it has trouble even taking neutral attacks. Almost anything that outspeeds Kitsunoh can beat it, such as Choice Scarf Rotom-a, Heatran, and Flygon.</p>
Kitsunoh
-should the offensive set be divided into wall-breaker and life orb
-i need opinions on torment kitsunoh (no theory, I only want to hear from people who have tested it)
[SET]
name: Wispy Kit
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: ShadowStrike
move 4: Superpower
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly
ability: Limber
evs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This once underrated set has become the standard way to use Kitsunoh. There exist very few Pokemon that can handle Kitsunoh's attacks and also shrug off a burn. Normally, your opponent will have to let one of his bulky Pokemon take a burn just to force this Kitsunoh to switch out.</p>
<p>Switching in is not a difficult task for the Steel/Ghost fox, using its many resistances and immunities such as Ice, Rock and Fighting. As the opponent switches, use Substitute to scout the incoming Pokemon. The usual switch-ins will be bulky Water-, Steel-, or Ground-typed Pokemon, almost all of whom are highly susceptible to Will-O-Wisp. Burn them as they break your sub and proceed from there. In some cases, like a full-HP burned Skarmory, it's best to simply switch out. Other times, one can use Substitute repeatedly to allow the burn to take its toll, and possibly lower the Pokemon into the KO range of one of Kitsunoh's other attacks. A mid-health Swampert can almost always be beaten by this method. If you can stall it into about the 20% range, Kitsunoh can deliver the finishing blow with ShadowStrike.</p>
<p>ShadowStrike serves as Kitsunoh's reliable STAB attack. Superpower is recommended in the last slot as ShadowStrike and Superpower provide perfect neutral coverage. As this Kitsunoh doesn't switch around too much, Frisk is less useful; Limber is preferred and makes Kitsunoh an easy switch-in to various Thunder Waves, such as those of Blissey and Celebi. 16 HP EVs are recommended, as they put Kitsunoh at 305 HP; which means Leftovers heals one more HP per turn and allows Kitsunoh to make five Substitutes from full health (factoring Leftovers recovery).</p>
<p>Although the set presented here is generally considered the best, there are a couple of alternatives available. Toxic has higher accuracy than Will-O-Wisp, and is more crippling to some Pokemon, particularly certain Water-types like Vaporeon and Swampert. However, Steel-types like Skarmory will completely shut Kitsunoh down, and most non-Steel Pokemon that will be switching in to Kitsunoh will hate the cut to their Attack, such as Gyarados and Gliscor. Protect over Superpower could allow Kitsunoh to stall out longer to rack up burn damage, but being walled by Blissey is embarrassing, and Magnezone could trap you with little fear. Earthquake could be used over Superpower, but its coverage is generally inferior and is only really useful if you need to OHKO Heatran, Infernape and Magnezone.</p>
<p>This set is extremely difficult to counter. Generally, your opponent will be more than willing to let one of his walls be burned to get rid of Kitsunoh. A burned Swampert or Skarmory is much less effective at walling, so try to use a late-game sweeper or two that have a difficult time with them under ordinary circumstances. Salamence and Gyarados top this long list, as they both resist Fire and are immune to Ground. Agility Metagross also gets a special mention.</p>
<p>The one Pokemon that Wispy Kit ever needs to be genuinely worried about is Umbreon. If you accidentally use Will-O-Wisp on one, Synchronize will burn Kitsunoh as well, even if you have a Substitute. A burned Kitsunoh is doing negligible damage even to relatively frail Pokemon, to the point at which Kitsunoh doesn't pose any offensive threat outside of Will-O-Wisp. The best Pokemon for dealing with Umbreon are powerful Fighting-types, as well as Scizor and Flygon. Fighters like Lucario, Machamp and Heracross can force Umbreon out, even after a Curse. Scizor and Flygon can switch into Umbreon and break any Mean Look attempts with super effective U-turns. Flygon and Kitsunoh cover each other's weaknesses fantastically, while Scizor is more powerful and is better at taking advantage of burned walls.</p>
[SET]
name: Scarf Kit
move 1: ShadowStrike
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Ice Punch / Trick
move 4: Earthquake / Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Kitsunoh with a Choice Scarf is one of the best revenge killers in the game. Some of the common sweepers that it can check includes Dragon Dance Salamence, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Latias, Infernape, and Swords Dance Lucario. ShadowStrike acts as a strong and reliable STAB move and will put a sizable chunk into any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Thanks to its Steel/Ghost typing, Kitsunoh has very few problems switching in and out, so U-turn is greatly appreciated to scout the opponent while inflicting mild damage.</p>
<p>Courtesy of Kitsunoh's extensive movepool, the final two moves are a difficult choice to make. Ice Punch has great coverage and allows Kitsunoh to OHKO Salamence and Flygon, stopping any potential sweeps cold. It is also a great option for assorted Flying- and bulky Ground-typed Pokemon, like Togekiss, Zapdos, and Gliscor. On the other hand, Trick allows Kitsunoh to ditch its Choice Scarf on the opponent, potentially crippling it for the remainder of the battle. This also makes a great lead, as it can Trick various Stealth Rock users that normally don't have a problem absorbing an attack or two from Kitsunoh. The drawback is obviously that ShadowStrike will only do around 50% to Salamence, and can have problems with the aforementioned Flying-types (Grounds can often be dealt with via Trick). The choice between Superpower and Earthquake comes down to what you would prefer to beat. Earthquake has an excellent chance to 2HKO Metagross and Jirachi with Stealth Rock on the field, and will OHKO various threats such as Magnezone, Heatran, and Infernape. Superpower, on the other hand, allows Kitsunoh to OHKO Tyranitar and 2HKO Blissey. In general, Earthquake should be used with Ice Punch and Superpower should be used with Trick.</p>
<p>The choice of nature largely depends on whether or not you intend to use Trick. If you're not running it, Adamant is the preferred nature, as Choice Scarf Kitsunoh needs all the power it can get. Note however that you will be outsped by boosted +Speed base 100s like Jolly DD Salamence. If this is an issue, then Jolly is still very viable. Obviously, if you intend to Trick away your Scarf, you will want to run Jolly so as to retain your revenge killing abilities against as many threats as possible, such as Infernape and the base 100s. Limber is the preferred ability, unless you are using a Trick Lead, in which case Frisk becomes an excellent option to scout for various Berries and Choice items.</p>
<p>Probably the best partner for this set is Choice Scarf Flygon. Flygon resists Kitsunoh's two weaknesses, Fire and Ground, and vice-versa for Flygon's Ice and Dragon weaknesses. Between the two of them, all types except Water, Dark and Ghost are covered, and their ability to U-turn back and forth is not comparable to anything else in the Standard metagame. Outside of that, with U-turn chipping away at Kitsunoh's counters, hard-hitters that attract bulky Water-, Ground-, and Steel-typed Pokemon will make good partners for Kitsunoh. Gyarados covers Kitsunoh's weaknesses and can set up a Dragon Dance sweep if Kitsunoh has worn out their common counters. Strong Fighting Pokemon like Heracross and Machamp are also good choices, though they lack defensive synergy.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Kitsunoh
move 1: ShadowStrike
move 2: Taunt
move 3: U-turn / Ice Punch
move 4: Superpower / Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Limber
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is mainly intended to function as a wall-breaker, but it is also a competent late-game sweeper with the extra power granted by a Life Orb. A big part of what makes Kitsunoh capable of doing this is the fact that it is either resistant or immune to all of the common priority moves: Bullet Punch, Extremespeed, Ice Shard, Vacuum Wave, and Mach Punch. ShadowStrike's 50% chance of a defense drop is used to maximum effect on this set; it is difficult even for very bulky Pokemon to switch in without fear of a 2HKO or 3HKO. Taunt is really the crux of this set, as even the toughest walls like Skarmory can eventually be beaten by Kitsunoh if they aren't allowed to heal. Taunt + U-turn is a quite potent combo; it is great for keeping pressure on your opponent. Superpower is recommended in the last slot, as it is most useful against Blissey and Snorlax. However, the Ice Punch + Earthquake combination is also very viable.</p>
<p>The choice between Leftovers and Life Orb depends mostly on which moves you choose. Taunt and U-turn have slightly less-than-stellar synergy with Life Orb, so Leftovers is the primary option. However, Life Orb is still a solid choice, especially if you're running Ice Punch and Earthquake; this combination is much more likely to sweep a team late-game. If you are using any similar offensive set without Taunt, Life Orb normally becomes the superior choice.</p>
<p>As a 31 HP IV puts Kitsunoh at 301 HP, an IV of 29 HP is recommended if you are using Life Orb. This will round the Life Orb damage down, actually letting Kitsunoh survive longer. If you're running Leftovers instead, the EVs from the Wispy Kit set are probably best.</p>
<p>This set is played much more offensively than the others. Thus, it depends a little bit more on its team-mates. Taunt + U-turn variants should have Pokemon that can seriously threaten the common walls that switch into Kitsunoh without fearing their attacks. Celebi can switch into Water- and Ground-typed Pokemon and hit them with Grass Knot. Zapdos and Jolteon can use HP Ice on Ground-types, and have the additional bonus of scaring away Skarmory. Steel-types in general fear Fire, Ground and Fighting, so Pokemon like Lucario, Heatran and Infernape make great choices.</p>
<p>The Life Orb version is generally used more towards the late-game, and will normally require considerable support to ensure a successful sweep. Stealth Rock should be set up, and if possible, a layer or two of Spikes, as most of Kitsunoh's counters are not immune to Ground. Lures work very well with Life Orb Kitsunoh, so a Choice Specs Lucario or a mixed Metagross or Tyranitar could be used to clear Kitsunoh's path. If you intend to use Kitsunoh early, Wish support is recommended so that you don't take too much damage from attacks or Life Orb. Blissey tends to attract Fighting-typed moves, so it may be the best supporter in this regard.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Kitsunoh is used most often on offensive teams, and generally plays one of two roles: sweeper or sweeper's assistant. The latter is more common, as Kitsunoh is very good at inflicting small, gradual damage onto the various walls of the Overused metagame. The most common Pokemon that will switch into Kitsunoh are bulky Water-, Ground-, and Steel-types, so anything that has trouble with these Pokemon welcomes Kitsunoh onto their team. This actually includes the majority of the OU physical sweepers, such as Scizor, Salamence, Gyarados, Metagross, Lucario, Tyranitar, and a host of others. Tyranitar in particular is great to use alongside Kitsunoh, as Kitsunoh is immune to Sand Stream and it appreciates the passive damage. Speaking of passive damage, Kitsunoh greatly enjoys the assistance of Stealth Rock, and if possible Spikes, as early in the game as possible. A suicide lead is the quickest way of ensuring that those hazards are present, so Roserade, Smeargle, and Froslass make good choices for Spikes, while Azelf and Infernape will all but guarantee your team Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>Defensively, Kitsunoh has a wide range of resistances and immunities at the cost of only two weaknesses: Fire and Ground. Fortunately, several OU Pokemon resist this attack combination. Flygon stands out for its ability to form a U-turn pair with Kitsunoh. Gyarados and Salamence also stand out, as they are among the most deadly Pokemon in the metagame, particularly after Kitsunoh has worn holes into their counters and checks. Latias also resists Fire and Ground, but has little offensive synergy with Kitsunoh. However, Latias's Wish support can greatly increase Kitsunoh's lifespan, particularly if you are using a Life Orb. Blissey also makes a good Wisher, especially for Wispy Kit; burned walls won't be able to to much damage to Blissey, even with powerful physical attacks like Earthquake and Brave Bird.</p>
<p>A strategy that Choice Scarf Kitsunoh was once notorious for was Trick + Pursuit. Upon Tricking a Choice item onto a wall, Tyranitar would switch in (preferably on a Fire move) and chase it out with Pursuit. What sets Kitsunoh apart from other users of this strategy are two factors; firstly, Kitsunoh's two weaknesses are extremely easy types to take advantage of; and secondly, this strategy doesn't come with the usual drawbacks associated with using Choice Band Pursuit. As long as Kitsunoh is alive, your team will not be swept by any Lucario or Infernape, so you are free to Pursuit to your heart's content.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Kitsunoh, like many CAP Pokemon, enjoys a vast movepool. On the offensive side, Thunderpunch is a good option for hitting Flying- and Water-types, most notably Gyarados. Rock Slide is also a good choice, as it allows a super-effective hit on Flying-types without losing coverage on Salamence and Zapdos. Super Fang can be used to cut a Pokemon's HP in half, but in Kitsunoh's case, it is often just as effective to use ShadowStrike. Meteor Mash and Iron Head are both excellent STAB moves, but their type coverage is usually redundant with the main options. Low Kick can be used over Superpower on any set if the stat drops are undesirable, but Superpower hits much harder most of the time. Although Fake Out works well on Kitsunoh and has great synergy with U-turn, Ambipom is a stronger user of that set. A Liechi Berry Substitute + Flail set is mildly viable, albeit gimmicky.</p>
<p>Kitsunoh also has an excellent defensive / supporting movepool. Among these options, by far the most notable is Torment, which can cause major headaches for the opponent in tandem with Substitute. Pain Split is Kitsunoh's best form of healing, but it's difficult to find space on the moveset for such an unreliable move. Although Knock Off can remove an opponent's item, a burn is usually more crippling. Psycho Shift sounds good on paper; however, Kitsunoh is already immune to the two most common forms of status, so it sees little use. Yawn, Roar, and Perish Song are excellent phazing moves that Kitsunoh has access to, but that sort of thing is generally to be left to bulkier Pokemon.</p>
<p>Choice Band Kitsunoh is perfectly viable, but has few advantages over the Wispy Kit and Wall-breaker sets. Wide Lens may be used to boost the accuracy of Will-O-Wisp, ShadowStrike and possibly Meteor Mash.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Max Speed and a Jolly nature is almost a necessity on any Kitsunoh without a Choice Scarf. This guarantees that you at least tie with several major Pokemon, like Gengar, Latias, and other Kitsunoh. Even better, as many Gengar and Latias have begun using a 30 Speed IV for Hidden Power Fire, Kitsunoh will outspeed them the majority of the time. On sets with Leftovers, a small HP investment of 16 EVs (taken from Attack) is generally worth it for an extra point of recovery every turn. Conversely, Life Orb sets should use no HP EVs and a 29 IV to reduce the damage taken per turn. After HP has been dealt with, the rest of the EVs should go to Attack to ensure that Kitsunoh is as threatening as possible.</p>
[CAP Metagame]
<p>Kitsunoh's perfomance in the CAP metagame is hardly different at all from how it fares in standard OU. While Arghonaut appears to wall Kitsunoh, it is really just another Will-O-Wisp target and falls flat in the face of Torment. Kitsunoh is also a fantastic check to any Revenankh, with ShadowStrike easily 2HKOing. Pyroak is a serious issue for Wispy Kit; fortunately, Pyroak sees very little use. Defensive Cyclohm can get in the way if you haven't got Earthquake, thanks to Shield Dust preventing Defense drops. Other CAP Pokemon have no business with Kitsunoh, and Kitsunoh has no business with them, aside from perhaps Choice Scarfed revenge kills.</p>
<p>In a metagame in which Spikes can be found on every other team, Kitsunoh makes a quite good spin-blocker for offensive teams. It has the advantages of not “slowing down” the team, like Dusknoir; not being terribly frail, like Gengar, and not being Pursuit-weak like Rotom-a. Although Scizor's use is reduced in CAP, Kitsunoh remains useful by countering the increasing number of non-Dragon Dance Salamence.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>While it may be a stretch to call Kitsunoh “the ultimate scout”, it is definitely adept at forcing switches with its great resists and wide array of powerful attacks. Even Pokemon that resist its common moves won’t like having their Defense dropped by ShadowStrike, which leaves them vulnerable to other powerful attackers. With 110 Speed, Kitsunoh outpaces much of the metagame and is more than capable of forcing most foes into submission. Furthermore, it is not a glass cannon like many of its fast brethren like Gengar and Azelf, and is very capable of taking a hit when it has to. Kitsunoh is an asset to any team that is looking for a fast, hard-hitting attacker that forces switches and reveals team members. This kitten's got claws.</p>
<p>What is most interesting about Kitsunoh is that the primary set is one that was not even considered during the creation process, and that the ferocity of the set was only discovered months after Kitsunoh was introduced on the CAP server. While Kitsunoh was originally considered a “failure” by many of the playtesters, it has now become one of the very best CAP Pokemon. This is most certainly an interesting study of how a Pokemon or a metagame can evolve over time as we learn more about it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Unfortunately, to stop Wispy Kit, you will need to use either use Umbreon or allow one of your walls to be burned by Will-O-Wisp. With that in mind, Skarmory is the best counter, due to its resistance to Ghost and neutrality to everything else Kitsunoh has, barring the rare Thunderpunch. Forretress and Bronzong both have solid enough defenses to deal with Kitsunoh and take neutral damage at worst from its attacks. However, without Earthquake, they will generally find themselves doing insufficient damage. Metagross can normally handle an Earthquake or two and threaten to hit back with their own Earthquakes.</p>
<p>As Kitsunoh isn't that powerful, bulky Pokemon don't strictly have to resist Ghost to take it on. Swampert, Gyarados and Suicune (particularly any of those with Rest and Sleep Talk) make good answers to Wispy Kit. However, beware not to try to stall for too long, as ShadowStrike's Defense drops will help Kitsunoh significantly in this case. Ground-types are also good choices, such as Hippowdon and Gliscor. One ray of hope for any Pokemon attempting to counter Wispy Kit is the fact that Will-O-Wisp has a shaky 75% accuracy, so your Pokemon have a chance to come out of it in perfect health. All in all, the best counter for Wispy Kit is Aromatherapy.</p>
<p>Choice and Life Orb sets are much easier to handle, and are generally covered by the same Pokemon. The only concern for any of the previously mentioned Pokemon is Trick. Choice Kitsunoh is also extremely easy to revenge kill; Dugtrio and Magnezone can both trap it and deliver major damage the Earthquake or Thunderbolt. Tyranitar and Scizor can both take ShadowStrike and use Pursuit to get rid of Kitsunoh. Life Orb Kitsunoh will not be able to significantly damage the standard walls like Skarmory before the Life Orb recoil spells their doom.</p>
<p>The wall-breaking set may be difficult for stall teams to handle; offensive teams generally won't have a problem with it. Kitsunoh is not as bulky as its resistances may suggest; it has trouble even taking neutral attacks. Almost anything that outspeeds Kitsunoh can beat it, such as Choice Scarf Rotom-a, Heatran, and Flygon.</p>
