Taking over from クレセリア and I copied most of his skeleton Note: This is not the set クレセリア posted.
[Overview]
name: Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 48 SpA / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Access to Spikes.
- Outclassed by Cacturne, but has a niche in being the only Spikes user with Bullet Seed because Bullet Seed is only legal with Sand Veil
- A good Sun Supporter.
- Maractus is slow, but it has enough speed to outspeed most Stealth Rock setters
- Very bland movepool.
name: Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 48 SpA / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Bullet Seed can OHKO Golem after 3 hits
- Grass Knot OHKOs most Golurk
- Supports its team with Spikes
- Sucker Punch is an unexpected priority move
- Can easily be knocked out before it gets a chance to set up.
- Very easily set-up on.
- EVs are for OHKOing Golurk with Grass Knot, and outspeeds Jolly Golem and OHKOs after 3 hits with Bullet Seed
- Hidden Power Ice can be used on this set to destroy Altaria, while Hidden Power Rock hits Charizard and Torkoal
- Can use Giga Drain for semi-reliable recovery, but Maractus won't be sticking around long at all.
- Good teammates include Haunter and Drifblim who can spinblock for Maractus. Some other good teammates include Golurk, who lures out Seismitoad and Jynx and finishes both with Sucker Punch and Grass Knot, respectively
- Endeavor can be a surprise once Focus Sash is in effect
- Max Speed + Naive can be a way to get around Taunt users but cannot reliably OHKO Golem or Golurk
- Water Absorb can bring back your Focus Sash
- A set with Sunny Day and Chlorophyll, making it the fastest Spiker in the tier which can also support its team with Sun
- Knock off can be used to support further but is usually not worth the moveslot
- Cotton Guard can be used to boost its defense to astounding levels, but it's still very frail on the special side
- A physical set consisting of Sucker Punch/Wood Hammer/Substitute/Drain Punch can be used, but it is entirely outclassed by Cacturne and it has a less than average Attack
- Finally, grasswhistle can be used, but the horrible 55% accuracy makes it not very usable on anything.
- Fire-Types such as Rapidash and Charizard roast it (pun intended)
- Flying-Types such as Swellow and Rotom-S also limit Maractus' potential
- Jynx, although it has to watch out for Sucker Punch
- Kangaskhan stops Maractus with Fake Out + Double-Edge
- Natu is a hard counter to Maractus and can easily stall out Maractus with Toxic and Night Shade
- Any Taunt user such as Skuntank, Misdreavus, or Mandibuzz puts an end to Maractus completely
- Torkoal and Armaldo, the NU spinners , both can destroy Maractus with their STABs and proceed to spin away your spikes, however it can defeat the other spinner, Wartortle.
- Its bulk is very frail even with investment, so most attackers severely dent it or OHKO it.
[Overview]
<p>Maractus is outclassed as a Grass-type in nearly every aspect. Roselia and Cacturne outclass it as a Spikes user, while Victreebel, Exeggutor, and most other Chlorophyll Pokemon outclass it as a sun sweeper. Its best niche is a utility Spikes setter that can defeat a few common leads, such as Golem and Seismitoad. Maractus is rather slow, though it is less hindering as it still outspeeds most common Stealth Rock users. With a bland movepool and low bulk, Maractus has little else to make it stand out and should stick to its small role.</p>
[SET]
name: Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Storm Drain
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 48 SpA / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set makes the best use of Maractus by using it as a lead against some common Stealth Rock setters. Spikes is the best support move Maractus has, and it usually has at least one opportunity to set up if you lead with Maractus. Bullet Seed is what differentiates this set from Cacturne, as Maractus I'd the only Grass-type in NU that can legally use it alongside Spikes. It allows Maractus to defeat Golem even through Sturdy, which is useful to prevent it from setting up Stealth Rock. Grass Knot is a more reliable STAB move that allows Maractus to OHKO Golurk and physically defensive Seismitoad before it can set up Stealth Rock. Sucker Punch provides useful priority, and helps damage Pokemon that Maractus can't outspeed.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maractus has poor bulk, so a Focus Sash is the best way to guarantee that Maractus survives at least one turn. The EVs allow Maractus to OHKO Golurk and outspeed Jolly Golem. Max Attack investment allows Maractus to have a good chance to OHKO utility Golem with three hits from Bullet Seed. Hidden Power Ice is a possible option as it allows Maractus to threaten the rare Altaria, while Hidden Power Rock lets it threaten Charizard and other Fire-types. Giga Drain can be used over Grass Knot as a reliable STAB move, but the lower power prevents it from OHKOing Golurk and Maractus is too frail to make the recovery meaningful. Endeavor is a viable move with Focus Sash, as Maractus is frail enough to be hit down to one HP most of the time. As Maractus aims to set up Spikes, Ghost-types, such as Haunter and Drifblim, are good teammates to prevent them from easily being removed by Rapid Spin. Golurk is a notable teammate as it lures out Seismitoad and Jynx for Maractus, allowing it to OHKO them with Grass Knot and Sucker Punch respectively. Rock-types, such as Golem and Regirock, are valuable teammates as they can handle Kangaskhan and the Fire- and Flying-types that threaten Maractus; as a bonus, they can also set up Stealth Rock to compliment the Spikes Maractus sets up. Charizard is a good teammate, as it appreciates Maractus's ability to defeat common Stealth Rock setters and Water-types; in return, Charizard can overpower Grass-types and several Taunt users, such as Serperior and Misdreavus.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Maractus can make use of Chlorophyll by setting up Sunny Day along with Spikes, making it the fastest Spikes user in the sun. Unfortunately, Maractus doesn't set up both moves very often due to its mediocre bulk, even with investment. Knock Off can be used to cripple certain Pokemon, but it isn't really worth the moveslot. Cotton Guard can patch up Maractus's poor Defense, but it is still vulnerable to special moves. A physically offensive set with Wood Hammer, Sucker Punch, Drain Punch, and Substitute can be used, but it is entirely outclassed by Cacturne and Maractus has mediocre Attack. GrassWhistle can cripple a Pokemon, but the horrible accuracy makes it unworthy of a moveslot most of the time.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>It isn't too hard to counter Maractus, and there are ways to stop it from setting up Spikes as well. Kangaskhan easily stops Maractus by using Fake Out to break its Focus Sash and then using Double Edge to finish it off. Natu completely walls Maractus and bounces back its Spikes, and doesn't take much damage even from Sucker Punch. Most Taunt users can stop Maractus from setting up Spikes, and many, such as Serperior, Skuntank, and Misdreavus, take little from any of its moves. Mandibuzz is notable as it can also Roost off any possible damage to basically ignore all of Maractus's moves. Rapid Spin users, such as Torkoal and Armaldo, can remove the Spikes Maractus sets up, though Maractus can defeat Wartortle. Jynx can use Lovely Kiss to prevent Maractus from setting up, though it has to be wary of Sucker Punch.</p>
<p>Maractus is frail and slow, so most offensive Pokemon have no trouble taking it out. Fire-types, such as Rapidash and Charizard, can easily defeat Maractus. Charizard even has a chance to prevent Maractus from setting up Spikes thanks to Air Slash's flinch chance. Flying-types, such as Swellow and Rotom-S, can also easily handle Maractus. Most Grass-types, such as Roselia and Tangela, wall Maractus and can hit it with a super effective move or put it to sleep. Any offensive Pokemon that can take a Sucker Punch has a good chance of 2HKOing Maractus and limiting the amount of Spikes it can set up.</p>
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