HI BACONBAGON
die
qc x / x / x
gp x / x
[OVERVIEW]
+Unique and great typing offensively
+neutral to fairy
+great spa / speed tier
+Nice Coverage able to hit Steel and Fairy types
-Frail
-Typing gives it weaknesses to water and ground which are threats to dark teams
-Doesn't make use of its ability
Dark
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[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Sludge Bomb
item: Houndoominite
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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- Nasty Plot boosts Mega Houndoom special attack allowing it to hit hardly the foe, helping its team against matchups such as Fairy, Grass, Steel.
- Fire Blast is the premium STAB move on Mega Houndoom allowing it to deal significant damage to Pokemon that don't resist the move, it helps against Steel, and Bug.
- Flamethrower is another option for better accuracy but the power loss is easily noticeable.
- Dark Pulse is the second STAB move on Mega Houndoom allowing it to hit Pokemon that resists Fire Blast such as Rock- and Water- types.
- Sludge Bomb is a nice coverage move allowing it to specifically hit Fairy-types which are problematic to dark teams.
Set Details
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- 252 Spa and Speed w/ Timid maximize Mega Houndoom capabilities of outspeeding a lot of threats and deal a good number of damage to them
- Flash Fire is used prior mega evolution to sponge fire moves fired at mega houndoom while also giving it a boost, but the boost doesn't last when mega evolving.
Usage Tips
========
- Keep Houndoom and do not mega evolve it if your team has a weakness to fire attacks as it can sponge them
- Don't switch in houndoom on anything else though it's too frail and cannot take a hit most of the times
- Don't set up Nasty Plot before its checks are eliminated because most of the times it will be too weakened to set up Nasty Plot again
- Mega Houndoom can act as a nice special hard hitter without Nasty Plot
- Against Steel and Bug teams try to keep Mega Houndoom healthy as both are hard matchup to dark and Mega Houndoom is really helpful
Team Options
========
- Mandibuzz is a good option as it can sponge physical attacks that are directed toward Mega Houndoom
- Sableye acts as a good Fighting attacks sponge and weaken the foe thanks to Will-o-Wisp
- Crawdaunt is able to beat most specially defensive Pokemon that troubles Mega Houndoom such as Tyranitar and Chansey while Mega Houndoom defeats Grass types Pokemon that can take on Crawdaunt
- Tyranitar can cripple the foe with Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave allowing Mega Houndoom to shine better
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dark
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- Sucker Punch can come in hand instead of Sludge Bomb to pick off faster and weakened foes
- Destiny Bond can be used thanks to Mega Houndoom speed when facing a foe that is guaranteed living a hit and OHKOing Mega Houndoom such as Keldeo and Tyranitar
Checks and Counters
===================
Dark
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**Fighting-types**: Most Fighting-type Pokemon are able to sponge Houndoom hits since most of them have a secondary typing to resist its Fire-type moves such as Keldeo and Terrakion while hitting Houndoom back super effectively. Though, slower Fighting-type Pokemon that are weak to Fire-type attacks such as Cobalion falls in front of Mega Houndoom.
**Specially Defensive wall**: Specially defensive oriented Pokemon such as Chansey gives Mega Houndoom a hard time to go through if they have Toxic or any other attacking move that hurts it. If such moves aren't present Mega Houndoom can usually break through with Nasty Plot.
**Tyranitar**: Tyranitar is able to sponge any move that Mega Houndoom has to offer due its typing in Rock / Dark and retaliate with Stone Edge OHKOing it.
**Bulky Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon**: Due to its typing Mega Houndoom is weak to these three types plus it isn't much bulky so any Pokemon that has such effective coverage and is able to sponge an attack threatens Mega Houndoom.
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