Kojondo

[Deck Knight]

Status: Done. Have aded in graphs regarding 670s and their ilk.

Kojondo

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[Overview]

• Impressive mixed offenses and speed.
• Excellent movepool and abilities for scouting and anti-lead capabilities.
• Kojondo's weaknesses are to rare attacking types so it works well with other scouting Pokemon.
• Unlike most fighting types, Kojondo's sets almost always employ a move that can switch it out so it has less need of ghost-stopping support.
• Can Baton Pass Swords Dance, Bulk Up, and / or Calm Mind.
• Hi Jump Kick is an excellent overall Fighting STAB but not quite as safe as Close Combat.
• Glass cannon defenses.
• Stuck in the "speed void" between Base 100s and Base 108s.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Hi Jump Kick
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Me First
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Regeneration
nature: Naive
evs: 220 Atk / 56 SpA / 232 Spe

Set Comments:

• 125 Base Atk, 95 Base SpA, and 105 Base Spe makes Kojondo an ideal scout and revenge killer against large numbers of other Choice Pokemon.
• Resists Stealth Rock and has little to fear from other hazards because of Regeneration.
• Easily revenge kills scarved or +1 Dragon types locked into Outrage with Me First.
• SpA EVs allow it to OHKO Gengar with Me First Shadow Ball on max damage, or nearly guaranteed with SR or previous Life Orb damage.
• Speed EVs set to outspeed Jolly Scarf Garchomp.
• OHKO's Offensive DDGyarados after SR with Stone Edge.
• Exceptions: Scarved Latios and Latias with a Speed boosting nature can outrun Me First.

Additional Comments:

• Choice Band lacks the speed to abuse Me First effectively but does absurd damage with physical attacks
• Payback can be used over Me First (especially with Choice Band), in which case EVs should be shifted to 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe and Jolly.

Teammates and Counters:

• Additional scouting Pokemon that use different attack types are supremely helpful to Kojondo. Jirachi is most notable for resisting Kojondo's weaknesses. A Zapdos with Volt Change fulfills a similar role, but can be a special offensive threat as well.
• Strong offensive pokemon that bait Dragons into using Outrage instead of continuing to stat-up are also ideal, as Kojondo can dispatch any Outraging Dragon without difficulty.
• Strong Pursuit users like Tyranitar and Scizor to help clear the path for Kojondo to use Hi Jump Kick, a truly devastating move despite its accuracy flaw and crash drawback.
• Kojondo's high speed is an excellent buffer against Pokemon like Gyarados, Zapdos, and Salamence, but it still needs Stealth Rock support in order to maintain crucial KOs on these Pokemon. Bronzong can fulfil this role quite well, although support Metagross is less setup fodder for these particular threats.
• Skarmory, Gliscor, Desukan, and Dusknoir are full stops to the Scarf set, but they each must worry about whatever Kojondo pivots to. Skarmory is notably less effective if you opt for Choice Band, as Hi Jump Kick cleanly 2HKOs without hazard assistance.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Hi Jump Kick
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Regeneration
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:

• Regeneration makes Kojondo one of the few Pokemon capable of running fairly weak tactical attacks on a Life Orb set without suffering greatly from the consequences. It can repeatedly come in on Stealth Rock, attack swiftly with Fake Out, and U-turn away all without a net loss in HP thanks to its ability.
• Hi Jump Kick provides a high powered STAB option that can 2HKO even Skarmory if it switches in with Stealth Rock down.
• Stone Edge rounds out the set, dispatching every common set of bulky fliers like Salamence, Gyarados, and Zapdos except the most focused physically defensive ones after factoring in SR.

Additional Comments:

• Unlike many Fighting types, Kojondo does not possess Earthquake so it's supplemental offensive movepool is fairly shallow.
• Payback can catch a crafty Ghost-type on the switchin but is generally inferior to Stone Edge's more consistent Base Power and coverage.
• Dig and Bounce are both suspect in their own ways, while Aerial Ace lacks power.
• In truth the best option for an alternative to Stone Edge may be to go with a Naive nature and a Hidden Power of your choice. Hidden Power Fire has its charms now that the Bug/Steel combination runs rampant, and Hidden Power Ice is a more reliable way to deal with those pesky winged Dragons and Gliscor.

Teammates and Counters:

• Other scouting Pokemon like Jirachi and Volt Change Zapdos are again using because this set comes in and out so often and has somewhat limited coverage.
• Heatran is perhaps the best partner for Kojondo as it punishes the defensive Ghost types very effectively and can set up Stealth Rock, a crucial contributing factor to this set's effectiveness.
• Gliscor, Desukan, and Dusknoir are the best available counters to the Life Orb set. They can take each attack and either Roost it off or retaliate with a Burn. Dusknoir's Pressure also eats away at Stone Edge quickly, and it is immune to Fake Out. It must watch out for the pivot on U-turn however, as Pokemon with Guts and Flash Fire are in much greater abundance. Desukan is perhaps the most dangerous, as if Kojondo U-turns it will lose Regeneration to Mummy.

[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Swords Dance / Bulk Up / Calm Mind
move 3: Hi Jump Kick / Aura Sphere
move 4: Payback
item: Leftovers
ability: Regeneration
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 240 HP / 36 Atk / 232 Spe

Set Comments:

• Bulkier set that uses Baton Pass with a booster of your choice.
• Payback OHKO's Scarf Shanderaa (or one that switches in) after SR and adresses Ghosts generally. It also has near-perfect coverage with Fighting.

Additional Comments:

• Taunt can be used over Payback to prevent the boosts from being phazed away.
• Substitute can be used over Payback in the case of Overhead Throw/Dragon Tail. Bulk Up is the most effective with Substitute, but still worthless against Dragon Tail Dragonite (the unSTABbed Dragon Tails are safe).

Teammates and Counters:

• Any recipients that can boost their speed make excellent partners for Kojondo.
• Zapdos is particularly notable in that it can use Agility and continue a Baton Pass chain later.
• Metagross, in addition to resisting Kojondo's weaknesses, is a fearsome Swords Dance or Bulk Up recipient that can Body Purge itself some speed and avoid stat drops from Intimidate.
• Calm Mind recipients come to mind less immediately, but physically defensive Zapdos definitely qualifies, as does Magnezone and even Vaporeon, who can absorb any Boiling Water attempting to burn Kojondo.
• Counters are dependent largely on what Kojondo is boosting.
• Swords Dance is the easiest to exploit from both ends of the spectrum, with Skarmory threatening a Brave Bird OHKO or a Whirlwind, and Starmie threatening a OHKO with Life Orb Hydro Pump.
• Bulk Up makes it difficult for Skarmory, while Calm Mind forces Starmie to use Psychic, an entirely unlikely response.
• Generally speaking the counter has to either be faster and have extremely strong attacks that can OHKO Kojondo or they have to be fairly defensive slower pokemon that can phaze Kojondo out.
• Fast Taunt users are imperiled as even with no investment, boosted Hi Jump Kick or Aura Sphere are going to do large amounts of damage.

[SET]
name: Anti-Lead
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Brick Break / Hi Jump Kick
item: Focus Sash
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Set Comments:

• Adamant because most leads are too fast even for Jolly Base 105, Adamant nets a crucial Fake Out + U-turn KO on Azelf.
• Slower Stealth rock leads get afflicted by Taunt.
• Brick Break 2HKOs a majority of fragile Stealth Rock leads and renders DS leads impotent. Alternatively Hi Jump Kick can cleanly 2HKO Lead Metagross and OHKO Aerodactyl after Fake Out breaks its Sash.

Additional comments:

• Inner Focus is useful for Fake Out leads, but Regeneration is still viable if you expect to take small amounts of damage (from say Machamp Bullet Punch) and come back with your health fully intact later.

Teammates and Counters:

• Kojondo doesn't have any hazards for itself so it needs a good partner to set them up. Bronzong is again an excellent partner for setting up Stealth Rock and for resisting Kojondo's weaknesses, however support Metagross is still less likely to be set-up bait for these threats.
• Ghost types can help it deal with more troublesome leads like Machamp. Dusknoir is of particular interest since it can also avoid Payback's boosted damage and Burn Machamp.
• Desukan does the same, but as a bonus it can take away Machamp's No Guard. When choosing between the two remember that Dusknoir is more all-purpose and has a much deeper movepool, while Desukan has much greater physical defensive prowess and a more disruptive ability.

[Team Options]

• Tyranitar is an excellent because Regeneration heals off all but the most extreme hazard and sandstorm damage. Tyranitar resists Kojondo's weaknesses and it can specifically address Psychic- and Ghost-type walls and defensive Flying-types like Zapdos.
• Stealth Rock is crucial to many of the important damage numbers on the Life Orb set, and so if you are playing Kojondo you should always have Stealth Rock support and a spinblocker waiting in the wings.
• Heatran is a particularly effective Stealth Rock user that also drives defensive Ghost-types away like the plague. It also resists Psychic and Flying as well as possessing a plethora of other common attack types. Kojondo's low defense means it will probably be fielding many nuetral attacks.
• Magnezone also resists Kojondo's weaknesses and traps the common Skarmory. Additionally it can threaten other defensive flying types, and is especially effective when used with transitional attacks like U-turn and Baton Pass to scout out an opponent's switch.
• Kojondo hates paralysis and burn, so Heal Bell or Aromatherapy support help keep it in good switching condition.
• Kyogre and Groudon are excellent partners for Kojondo, as they enjoy safe switchins as much as possible. Kyogre can use it to fire off immensely powerful Water Spouts, while Groudon heads off Doryuuzu sweeps just by entering.

[Optional Changes]

• Kojondo can also Baton Pass Cheer Up, but most pokemon enjoy the other boosters more.
• Low Kick is generally outclassed on most of Kojondo's sets, especially with all the weight-reducing nonsense going around.
• Kojondo's useful special movepool is uninspiring, consisting of Aura Sphere, Focus Blast, Grass Knot, and Hidden Power. Me First is too niche as a standin really.

[Counters]

• Dusknoir can come in on any of Kojondo's moves and threaten it with a burn or exploit its poor defenses. Desukan operates in the same fashion, but if it comes in on U-turn it can remove Regeneration's benefit.
• Skarmory can come in on any Kojondo set except Choice Band or Life Orb and set up hazards or threaten with Brave Bird. It must be careful though because even 252 HP /252 Def Impish Skarmory takes a minimum of 35% from a Jolly Kojondo Hi Jump Kick.
• Gliscor easily Roosts off all of Kojondo's important moves, however it is too slow to Taunt the Baton Pass set before it can pass the boosts on. Gliscor will also be entirely ineffective if Kojondo is using Hidden Power Ice.
• Giratina and Giratina-o wall Kojondo completely, as even Me First Outrage does not guarantee a OHKO without Stealth Rock.

[Dream World]

• Reckless makes Hi Jump Kick better, and nothing else.
• Regeneration is much better for the Choice and Baton Pass sets, while Inner Focus is best on the lead. Reckless is simply outclassed on Kojondo's useful differentiating sets. Fighting is a crowded field moreso than ever.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

Everything looks good, except the first two sets need the set-specific "Teammates & Counters" sections in them.

 

[Great Sage]

I thought about a Life Orb set with Jolly, 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe, and Fake Out / U-turn / Hi Jump Kick / Payback (or Stone Edge). Kojondo is really good at sniping at the opponent's team and then U-turning out, and it doesn't care much about entry hazards or Life Orb recoil since it has Regeneration. The damage output from Life Orb Kojondo is surprisingly high, so it can chip away at opponents really quickly.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

Fixed some spacing errors, but otherwise this looks wonderful. Marking it as done, great job!