The name is pretty unnecessary, and isn't "something that would go on the site". Also a lot of fluff like the Joey references, grammar mistakes, and saying motherfucker a few times. Finally, its not formatted correctly, but I'm guessing you're getting to that. If you just follow the formatting better, and try to keep the talk competitive this will be a much better analysis, as the actual contents alright.
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Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
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Congrats to the winners of the 2023 Smog Awards!
Other OU Teambuilding
- Thread starter trc
- Start date
- Status
Hey everyone. I recently just updated this fully. I would just like to apologize to everyone for taking this long; I put it off for a second and I averted myself from the ever-growing amount of fantastic write-ups you guys are doing. It will not happen again. Now that that's out of the way, well done and thank you to everyone who has contributed thus far. I look forward to seeing what you will do next. My next lot of work to do is to remove Mega Lucario and Genesect mentions.
TheEpicBro The current Mega Banette write-up needs correct formatting and more detailed explanations. If you want to have it included, please make a new post with your update, or I will have to assign it to another user.
AA-j None of your write-ups have enough detail, or are of sufficient quality. I will give you a chance to post another one that is of the same standard as the ones in the OP, otherwise I will have to ask you to not write anymore.
To all contributors out there, we need to start beefing up some of the categories. Here are some things that I am specifically looking for, you may reserve them if you want to write them up.
TheEpicBro The current Mega Banette write-up needs correct formatting and more detailed explanations. If you want to have it included, please make a new post with your update, or I will have to assign it to another user.
AA-j None of your write-ups have enough detail, or are of sufficient quality. I will give you a chance to post another one that is of the same standard as the ones in the OP, otherwise I will have to ask you to not write anymore.
To all contributors out there, we need to start beefing up some of the categories. Here are some things that I am specifically looking for, you may reserve them if you want to write them up.
- Tank Mega Charizard X
- Hazard Lead Deoxys-S
- Hazard Lead Froslass
- Substitute + Toxic Aegislash (not sure which category this should be)
- Specially Defensive Azumarill
Physical Wall Zapdos- Support Espeon [Baton Pass]
- Shaymin [Life Orb]
- Physical Wall Cresselia
- Special Sweeper Landorus [Calm Mind]
- Tank Raikou [Assault Vest]
- Physical Sweeper Barbaracle
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I'll fix up Tank Megazard X
Kabutops is mine.
Aaron's Aron
A concussion update in my info tab
I would not mind doing the Shaymin (Life Orb) write-up. I don't really know anything about Shaymin, but I think it would be interesting to learn about it. I will reserve it. Thank you TRC for letting us reserve stuff :)
Aaron's Aron
A concussion update in my info tab
And yes I am aware my Rotom-Wash write-up needs finishing. I will finish that tonight, so no worries!
I'll take Wallbreaker Exploud. Should have it done by the end of the weekend.
Aaron's Aron
A concussion update in my info tab
This is not relevant to the thread, but I like your signature LoDart210! I feel that day is looming over the horizon though...
Since TRC. said the Mega Garchomp post (post #25) was garbage, I will we be doing this now. As probably the only user of using Mega Garchomp frequently, moonbase Your set should only use Sand Veil because the hax / accuracy issues that let Garchomp come in without damage is definitely worth it over some lame Rough Skin where normal Garchomp isn't the bulkiest thing out there without investment. Sand Veil gives it a chance against powerful moves for which Garchomp can avoid. For example, Hydro Pump only has 60% accuracy against normal Garchomp and Hi Jump Kick only has 68%% accuracy (this is ridiculous when you come in on Mega Medicham. Also, your EV spread is really lacking. 16 SpA is rather underwhelming. There are only 3 spreads that Mega Garchomp should be using. 224 Atk / 32 SpA / 252 Spe, 176 Atk / 96 SpA / 252 Spe, or 180 Atk / 252 SpA / 80 Spe (all with Naughty Nature btw). The first gives Earthquake the most power, being able to muscle past even the most Physically Defensive variants of Venusaur with Earthquake. The second gives up more Attack (EQ and Stone Edge still hit like a truck tbh), but it can 2HKO Landorus-T while doing around 60% damage iirc to Hippowdon and Rotom-W. The final spread is probably the one going on-site and is ridiculous. You still have enough speed to outpace neutral-nature Base 70s, but Draco Meteor hits extremely hard. Also, in the "What It Does" section, you can elaborate more.
Garchomp @ Garchompite
Trait: Sand Veil --> Sand Force
EVs: 180 Atk / 252 SpA / 80 Spe
Naughty Nature (+Atk, - SpD)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Stone Edge / Substitute / Stealth Rock
Role: Wallbreaker
What It Does: Mega Garchomp is often ignored due to the decrease in speed it gains turn 2 after Mega Evolution making it widely ignored, however, it becomes the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier being able 2HKO the whole metagame in the sand. However, do not let the support required by sand fool you as Hippowdon and Tyranitar are very good pokemon and are not dead-weight due to their great stats unlike Politoed and Ninetales. To demonstrate Mega Garchomp's unbeilievable power, it 2HKOes some of the best physical walls used in OU such as Slowbro and Mega Venusaur. Unlike other Dragon-types in OU, Garchomp is the only PKMN in OU 4x weak to Ice to live Mamoswine's Ice Shard meaning it can barely live and OHKO with Stone Edge. Another scenario to demonstrate Mega Garchomp's ability to tank and OHKO back is Azumarill. It can survive a +6 Aqua Jet and OHKO back with Earthquake in the sand. Even with only Stealth Rock damage, Azumarill is OHKOed by Earthquake. Mega Garchomp's role of wallbreaker is usually kept down to Earthquake. However, its base form remains to be a powerful force to lure in Skarmory. Garchomp commonly lures in Skarmory and Mega Scizor meaning that it can MEvo on them and OHKO said with a powerful Fire Blast from its very good Base 120 Special Attack stat (after Stealth Rock). Another example of Garchomp's luring capabilities is against Landorus-T. With correct prediction, you can MEvo and 2HKO Landorus-T with Draco Meteor (62.8 - 74%). Draco Meteor also has its merits against a weakened Rotom-W thinking ti can switch in and burn Mega Garchomp (62.5 - 74%). The last slot is used for everything that hard walls Mega Garchomp. Stone Edge completely destroys Togekiss without Defensive investment, demolishes Zapdos, crushes Rotom-H (also does a lot to Rotom-W), tears apart Mega Charizard Y (+Talonflame), and last but not least, beats Mandibuzz. However, if Mega Garchomp wants to take full advantage of the switches it forces to ease prediction, Substitute can be used as it lets you safely 2HKO walls that carry super-effective coverage against Mega Garchomp -- think Slowbro, and lets it have use against Offensive teams which is something Mega Garchomp struggles with. If one desperately needs Stealth Rock, it can be used as well, but the utility provided by Substitute and the coverage provided by Stone Edge means that it should be only used if one cannot find use on another PKMN for it. The part that Mega Garchomp creates free turns should not be ignored. Overall, Mega Garchomp is the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier (better than Aegislash) and can completely turn Stall Teams in the Wrecking Ball (6-0s most variants in sand) that Garchomp wants them to be.
Good Teammates: Since Garchomp and its MEvo need sand to function properly, Tyranitar and/or Hippowdon are mandatory. There ability to set-up sand lets Mega Garchomp completely decimate walls and gives regular Garchomp a nice evasion boost. Tyranitar's ability to remove Lati@s which usually come in on Mega Garchomp for the revenge kill makes it one of its best partners. It takes Ice Beams and Hidden Power [Ice]s really well too and the Scarf set can surprise kill PKMN which check Mega Garchomp such as regular Garchomp and Kyurem-B. Rotom-W is a really good teammate as well as it has very good synergy with Mega Garchomp while also beating Greninja which the standard Mega Garchomp / Tyranitar / Keldeo core cannot beat in addition to being able to come in on Mamoswine with ease and burn it with Will-O-Wisp making it no longer a threat for the landshark. Speaking of Keldeo, it is a very great teammate to pair with it as it can also beat Greninja while also spreading burns with its very powerful Scalds. Burns also complement Mega Garchomp's fantastic 108 / 115 physical bulk.
What Counters It: There are none! The closest you can come to is Physically Defensive (252 / 252+) Mega Venusaur, but even it is 2HKOed by Sand Force Earthquake, so it cannot switch-in (yes, Sandstorm damage adds up). It can come in and use Giga Drain, however, it will still be 3HKOed despite its attempts. Hippowdon can try Slack Off stall EQs PP, but a combination of Draco Meteor + Earthquake means even it cannot switch in directly. The best idea is to check Mega Garchomp, but its great bulk can make them a liability and Mega Garchomp completely wrecks stall teams meaning that they should depend on Mega Venusaur's Sleep Powder / Ammonguss's Spore to beat it.
Any Additional Info: Mega Garchomp can use Flamethrower for more reliable accuracy, but note it can't OHKO Skarmory after Stealth Rock. A faster Mega Garchomp can be used
Garchomp @ Garchompite
Trait: Sand Veil --> Sand Force
EVs: 180 Atk / 252 SpA / 80 Spe
Naughty Nature (+Atk, - SpD)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Stone Edge / Substitute / Stealth Rock
Role: Wallbreaker
What It Does: Mega Garchomp is often ignored due to the decrease in speed it gains turn 2 after Mega Evolution making it widely ignored, however, it becomes the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier being able 2HKO the whole metagame in the sand. However, do not let the support required by sand fool you as Hippowdon and Tyranitar are very good pokemon and are not dead-weight due to their great stats unlike Politoed and Ninetales. To demonstrate Mega Garchomp's unbeilievable power, it 2HKOes some of the best physical walls used in OU such as Slowbro and Mega Venusaur. Unlike other Dragon-types in OU, Garchomp is the only PKMN in OU 4x weak to Ice to live Mamoswine's Ice Shard meaning it can barely live and OHKO with Stone Edge. Another scenario to demonstrate Mega Garchomp's ability to tank and OHKO back is Azumarill. It can survive a +6 Aqua Jet and OHKO back with Earthquake in the sand. Even with only Stealth Rock damage, Azumarill is OHKOed by Earthquake. Mega Garchomp's role of wallbreaker is usually kept down to Earthquake. However, its base form remains to be a powerful force to lure in Skarmory. Garchomp commonly lures in Skarmory and Mega Scizor meaning that it can MEvo on them and OHKO said with a powerful Fire Blast from its very good Base 120 Special Attack stat (after Stealth Rock). Another example of Garchomp's luring capabilities is against Landorus-T. With correct prediction, you can MEvo and 2HKO Landorus-T with Draco Meteor (62.8 - 74%). Draco Meteor also has its merits against a weakened Rotom-W thinking ti can switch in and burn Mega Garchomp (62.5 - 74%). The last slot is used for everything that hard walls Mega Garchomp. Stone Edge completely destroys Togekiss without Defensive investment, demolishes Zapdos, crushes Rotom-H (also does a lot to Rotom-W), tears apart Mega Charizard Y (+Talonflame), and last but not least, beats Mandibuzz. However, if Mega Garchomp wants to take full advantage of the switches it forces to ease prediction, Substitute can be used as it lets you safely 2HKO walls that carry super-effective coverage against Mega Garchomp -- think Slowbro, and lets it have use against Offensive teams which is something Mega Garchomp struggles with. If one desperately needs Stealth Rock, it can be used as well, but the utility provided by Substitute and the coverage provided by Stone Edge means that it should be only used if one cannot find use on another PKMN for it. The part that Mega Garchomp creates free turns should not be ignored. Overall, Mega Garchomp is the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier (better than Aegislash) and can completely turn Stall Teams in the Wrecking Ball (6-0s most variants in sand) that Garchomp wants them to be.
Good Teammates: Since Garchomp and its MEvo need sand to function properly, Tyranitar and/or Hippowdon are mandatory. There ability to set-up sand lets Mega Garchomp completely decimate walls and gives regular Garchomp a nice evasion boost. Tyranitar's ability to remove Lati@s which usually come in on Mega Garchomp for the revenge kill makes it one of its best partners. It takes Ice Beams and Hidden Power [Ice]s really well too and the Scarf set can surprise kill PKMN which check Mega Garchomp such as regular Garchomp and Kyurem-B. Rotom-W is a really good teammate as well as it has very good synergy with Mega Garchomp while also beating Greninja which the standard Mega Garchomp / Tyranitar / Keldeo core cannot beat in addition to being able to come in on Mamoswine with ease and burn it with Will-O-Wisp making it no longer a threat for the landshark. Speaking of Keldeo, it is a very great teammate to pair with it as it can also beat Greninja while also spreading burns with its very powerful Scalds. Burns also complement Mega Garchomp's fantastic 108 / 115 physical bulk.
What Counters It: There are none! The closest you can come to is Physically Defensive (252 / 252+) Mega Venusaur, but even it is 2HKOed by Sand Force Earthquake, so it cannot switch-in (yes, Sandstorm damage adds up). It can come in and use Giga Drain, however, it will still be 3HKOed despite its attempts. Hippowdon can try Slack Off stall EQs PP, but a combination of Draco Meteor + Earthquake means even it cannot switch in directly. The best idea is to check Mega Garchomp, but its great bulk can make them a liability and Mega Garchomp completely wrecks stall teams meaning that they should depend on Mega Venusaur's Sleep Powder / Ammonguss's Spore to beat it.
Any Additional Info: Mega Garchomp can use Flamethrower for more reliable accuracy, but note it can't OHKO Skarmory after Stealth Rock. A faster Mega Garchomp can be used
Kabutops done. I also did my favorite Kingdra set.
Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet / Low Kick / Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Role: Physical Sweeper
What It Does: Kabutops is an absolute nightmare under rain. Its speed is doubled due to its ability, Swift Swim; under rain, it is faster than Deoxys-S. It is also not weak to any priority with the exception of Mach Punch. If it gets a chance to use Swords Dance there's often very little the opposing team can do to stop it, with its +2 Life Orb and rain boosted Waterfalls OHKOing things as bulky as Skarmory, and its secondary STAB in Rock giving it great coverage for anything that resists water. Kabutops' speed and raw power make it almost impossible to stop in rain, and it is a top choice for rain teams.
Good Teammates: Kabutops is a top choice for rain teams, but rain teams only. Without rain, Kabutops is a very mediocre Pokemon. Politoed is the centerpiece of most rain teams, with its ability in Drizzle instantly giving eight turns of rain with Damp Rock. Rain can also be summoned manually with Rain Dance; Tornadus is a great rain setter, with its speed and ability in Prankster guaranteeing rain to fall, and with its 100% accurate Hurricanes giving it good offensive power. Deoxys-S is also a great choice, having both Stealth Rock and Rain Dance, and the blazing speed to set them up reliably.
What Counters It: Ferrothorn is the bane of nearly all swift swimmers, Kabutops included. It resists Kabutops' STABs and can OHKO back with power whip, or just stall it out. If Kabutops ever wants to break past Ferrothorn, it must run Low Kick, which means it can't run the ever useful Aqua Jet. Chesnaught, while not as common as Ferrothorn, has little trouble switching in to Kabutops.
Breloom is a common counter, resisting both of its STABs and OHKOing with its powerful Technician Mach Punch, but a combination of Waterfall and Aqua Jet can take out most Brelooms with a bit of prior damage. Keldeo can also counter, but must be at absolutely full health to do so.
Some other things, such as Storm Drain Gastrodon and Dry Skin Toxicroak, are also able to counter Kabutops, but they are a rare sight.
Any Additional Info: Kabutops has access to Rapid Spin, allowing it to remove hazards. Hazard control can be hard to fit in on a rain team, so Rapid Spin can be a good choice if you absolutely need it.
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dragon Pulse
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Surf / Ice Beam
Role: Special Sweeper
What It Does: Kingdra is a premier swift swimmer, outspeeding the entire metagame with its effective 538 speed. Its rain boosted, Choice Specs Hydro Pumps hit unbelievably hard, even off of its fairly modest 95 base special attack; they are capable of OHKOing nearly the entire metagame, and 2HKOing all but the bulkiest of resistant Pokemon. Its secondary STAB in Dragon gives it nearly flawless coverage, and the only things that resist its STABs are Azumarill, Empoleon, and Ferrothorn. Dragon Pulse is a reliable secondary STAB, and hits a bit harder than a resisted Hydro Pump. Draco Meteor is useful when you need something gone right now, but the -2 SpA forces you out. Kingdra's speed and incredible power make it a menace that can tear teams apart.
Good Teammates: Kingdra is a top choice for a rain team, but pretty much just. Without rain, Kingdra is a fairly mediocre Pokemon. Politoed is the centerpiece of most rain teams, with its ability in Drizzle instantly giving eight turns of rain with Damp Rock. Rain can also be summoned manually with Rain Dance; Tornadus is a great rain setter, with its speed and ability in Prankster guaranteeing rain to fall, and with its 100% accurate Hurricanes giving it good offensive power. Deoxys-S is also a great choice, having both Stealth Rock and Rain Dance, and the blazing speed to set them up reliably.
What Counters It: Handling Kingdra's unmatched speed and devastating power in rain can be difficult. The power of its Hydro Pumps are hard to exaggerate, and they allow Kingdra to power its way through many resistant Pokemon. Kingdra is also fairly bulky with 75/95/95 defenses and a unique typing, which makes it neutral or resistant to all forms of priority and leaves it with only two weaknesses.
However, it is possible to counter. Blissey and Chansey, the bane of all special attackers, have no trouble walling Kingdra, and are the most reliable counters to Kingdra. Specially defensive Mega Venusaur resists Hydro Pump and is 3HKOed at best by Dragon Pulse, and it can heal itself with Giga Drain while damaging Kingdra. Physically defensive Mega Venusaur risks being 2HKOed by Dragon Pulse, however. Ferrothorn is 3HKOed at best with some investment, and can paralyze Kingdra with Thunder Wave, ending its sweep. It can also use Leech Seed on Kingdra, extending its longevity further.
Azumarill is 2HKOed by Hydro Pump, but Assault Vest turns that into a 3HKO, and Azumarill can OHKO back with Play Rough. Empoleon, while uncommon, does not have much of an issue taking on Kingdra.
Any Additional Info: Kingdra can use Life Orb to switch attacks and become even harder to check, but this reduces its power and compromises its bulk. Kingdra's attack is identical to its special attack, which allows it to run a physical or mixed set; while Waterfall is much weaker than Hydro Pump, Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance and Outrage. Yawn is an interesting move on Kingdra, though inadvisable with Specs: Kingdra can use Yawn when a counter comes in, possibly giving a teammate a chance to set up after Kingdra is KOed.
Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet / Low Kick / Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Role: Physical Sweeper
What It Does: Kabutops is an absolute nightmare under rain. Its speed is doubled due to its ability, Swift Swim; under rain, it is faster than Deoxys-S. It is also not weak to any priority with the exception of Mach Punch. If it gets a chance to use Swords Dance there's often very little the opposing team can do to stop it, with its +2 Life Orb and rain boosted Waterfalls OHKOing things as bulky as Skarmory, and its secondary STAB in Rock giving it great coverage for anything that resists water. Kabutops' speed and raw power make it almost impossible to stop in rain, and it is a top choice for rain teams.
Good Teammates: Kabutops is a top choice for rain teams, but rain teams only. Without rain, Kabutops is a very mediocre Pokemon. Politoed is the centerpiece of most rain teams, with its ability in Drizzle instantly giving eight turns of rain with Damp Rock. Rain can also be summoned manually with Rain Dance; Tornadus is a great rain setter, with its speed and ability in Prankster guaranteeing rain to fall, and with its 100% accurate Hurricanes giving it good offensive power. Deoxys-S is also a great choice, having both Stealth Rock and Rain Dance, and the blazing speed to set them up reliably.
What Counters It: Ferrothorn is the bane of nearly all swift swimmers, Kabutops included. It resists Kabutops' STABs and can OHKO back with power whip, or just stall it out. If Kabutops ever wants to break past Ferrothorn, it must run Low Kick, which means it can't run the ever useful Aqua Jet. Chesnaught, while not as common as Ferrothorn, has little trouble switching in to Kabutops.
Breloom is a common counter, resisting both of its STABs and OHKOing with its powerful Technician Mach Punch, but a combination of Waterfall and Aqua Jet can take out most Brelooms with a bit of prior damage. Keldeo can also counter, but must be at absolutely full health to do so.
Some other things, such as Storm Drain Gastrodon and Dry Skin Toxicroak, are also able to counter Kabutops, but they are a rare sight.
Any Additional Info: Kabutops has access to Rapid Spin, allowing it to remove hazards. Hazard control can be hard to fit in on a rain team, so Rapid Spin can be a good choice if you absolutely need it.
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dragon Pulse
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Surf / Ice Beam
Role: Special Sweeper
What It Does: Kingdra is a premier swift swimmer, outspeeding the entire metagame with its effective 538 speed. Its rain boosted, Choice Specs Hydro Pumps hit unbelievably hard, even off of its fairly modest 95 base special attack; they are capable of OHKOing nearly the entire metagame, and 2HKOing all but the bulkiest of resistant Pokemon. Its secondary STAB in Dragon gives it nearly flawless coverage, and the only things that resist its STABs are Azumarill, Empoleon, and Ferrothorn. Dragon Pulse is a reliable secondary STAB, and hits a bit harder than a resisted Hydro Pump. Draco Meteor is useful when you need something gone right now, but the -2 SpA forces you out. Kingdra's speed and incredible power make it a menace that can tear teams apart.
Good Teammates: Kingdra is a top choice for a rain team, but pretty much just. Without rain, Kingdra is a fairly mediocre Pokemon. Politoed is the centerpiece of most rain teams, with its ability in Drizzle instantly giving eight turns of rain with Damp Rock. Rain can also be summoned manually with Rain Dance; Tornadus is a great rain setter, with its speed and ability in Prankster guaranteeing rain to fall, and with its 100% accurate Hurricanes giving it good offensive power. Deoxys-S is also a great choice, having both Stealth Rock and Rain Dance, and the blazing speed to set them up reliably.
What Counters It: Handling Kingdra's unmatched speed and devastating power in rain can be difficult. The power of its Hydro Pumps are hard to exaggerate, and they allow Kingdra to power its way through many resistant Pokemon. Kingdra is also fairly bulky with 75/95/95 defenses and a unique typing, which makes it neutral or resistant to all forms of priority and leaves it with only two weaknesses.
However, it is possible to counter. Blissey and Chansey, the bane of all special attackers, have no trouble walling Kingdra, and are the most reliable counters to Kingdra. Specially defensive Mega Venusaur resists Hydro Pump and is 3HKOed at best by Dragon Pulse, and it can heal itself with Giga Drain while damaging Kingdra. Physically defensive Mega Venusaur risks being 2HKOed by Dragon Pulse, however. Ferrothorn is 3HKOed at best with some investment, and can paralyze Kingdra with Thunder Wave, ending its sweep. It can also use Leech Seed on Kingdra, extending its longevity further.
Azumarill is 2HKOed by Hydro Pump, but Assault Vest turns that into a 3HKO, and Azumarill can OHKO back with Play Rough. Empoleon, while uncommon, does not have much of an issue taking on Kingdra.
Any Additional Info: Kingdra can use Life Orb to switch attacks and become even harder to check, but this reduces its power and compromises its bulk. Kingdra's attack is identical to its special attack, which allows it to run a physical or mixed set; while Waterfall is much weaker than Hydro Pump, Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance and Outrage. Yawn is an interesting move on Kingdra, though inadvisable with Specs: Kingdra can use Yawn when a counter comes in, possibly giving a teammate a chance to set up after Kingdra is KOed.
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Sergeant Spooky Great job! Formatting was correct, grammar and spelling was good, you included a sprite to save me the work, everything was correct metagame wise, and you even took the initiative to write Kingdra as well. These turned out very pleasant to read, and I'd be very happy if you kept contributing to this project :]
The formatting of the set needs to be exactly the same as say, Seargeant spooky's. Additionally, your writing isn't up to par with the rest of the written work by many of the other users. Just look and see what I mean. It lacks a clear sense of direction, it isn't in a logical order, you don't fully describe the purpose of each move, and the grammar isn't up to standard. If you can repost it at an acceptable quality, I will let you take barbaracle, otherwise, I will reassign Mega Banette or possibly take it myself.
IMO its best set is Voice/Shock/HP Ground or Focus Blast/Wisp, which I'd probably put under Wall Breaker or support.
I see. I use Substitute instead of HP Ground/Focus Blast but yeah, imo MegaGardevoir is a very potent and often unprepared for threat that should be seen/used more.
Exploud @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Boomburst
- Overheat / Flamethrower
- Focus Blast
- Surf
Role: Wallbreaker
What It Does: In Generation 5 NU, Exploud currently has 1% usage and sits at D- on the NU viability rankings. However in Generation 6, Exploud received a small buff to special defense, alongside one enormous gift in the form of STAB Boomburst, a 140 base power attack with no drawbacks. This attack combines perfectly with Exploud's hidden ability Scrappy, allowing it to hit Ghost type pokemon with its STAB, and the change to Gen. 6 mechanics allow sound-based moves to hit through Substitutes too. Exploud was previously reliant on Hyper Voice's base 90 power, which off of Base 91 special attack, left it well behind acceptable OU power levels, but now with a base 140 STAB move, it's able to function as a very dangerous wallbreaker in the OU tier.
Factoring in STAB, Boomburst has an effective power of 210, so that although Exploud, like many other normal types, has access to a very wide special movepool, coverage is only used to hit certain Rock and Steel pokemon that both resist Boomburst and take super effective damage from a coverage move. For this reason, Choice Specs is the best item, as Boomburst will be the move that you opt for at least 90% of the time. Life Orb is an inferior option, as Exploud needs Boomburst to be as strong as possible, plus Life Orb recoil makes it far easier to revenge kill, while Silk Scarf both removes important OHKOs and 2HKOs from Boomburst, and severely weakens its coverage options, leaving it potentially outclassed by Pokemon like Nidoking. With Choice Specs, Boomburst is powerful enough to 2HKO any frailer Steel or Rock pokemon, like standard Bisharp and Scizor that choose to switch in. For coverage, Fire moves like Overheat or Flamethrower are great for Aegislash, Scizor and Ferrothorn, while fighting moves are super effective against both Rock and Steel types, so despite its inaccuracy, Focus Blast is useful. Surf hits Rock type pokemon super effectively with 100% accuracy, so it is chosen in the 4th slot. Ice Beam is not necessary, as it's unable to OHKO Dragonite through Multiscale, while Specs Boomburst already has over a 50% chance of OHKOing Max HP Landorus-T, and picks up guaranteed OHKOs on standard Gliscor and Landorus.
Exploud has 68 base speed, but as common OU pokemon that sit at a slightly higher speed tier, such as Heatran, Rotom-Wash and Mega-Venusaur do not run many Speed EVs, and pokemon at slightly lower speed tiers tend not to run speed investment either, there's no need to lose out on power by using a Timid nature over a Modest one.
What Counters It: Exploud has average bulk, is fairly slow and lacks priority, so it's vulnerable to revenge killing. Banded Talonflame and Life Orb Breloom's Mach Punch can both OHKO it at 100%, but at full health however, it can survive Mach Punch from Assault Vest Conkeldurr, and attacks like Life Orb Bisharp's Sucker Punch and anything from Life Orb Greninja, although Exploud will be OHKOed by most fighting attacks or by extremely powerful STAB attacks. Note that frailer offensive pokemon, including many offensive Mega Pokemon like Mega Charizard-X and Mega Pinsir cannot switch directly into Boomburst.
Switching a specially defensive wall into Exploud without an Assault Vest is very risky, as outside of Blissey, Chansey and Goodra (with full investment in HP and special defense), no other slow special walls can take two unresisted Boombursts without an Assault Vest, as even Sylveon and Mega-Venusaur can potentially be 2HKOed by Specs Boomburst. Assault Vest users like Tyranitar laugh at Boomburst, but can be 2HKOed by Focus Blast on the switch.
Soundproof pokemon are rare, but full baton pass teams will often carry Mr. Mime, who is immune to Boomburst.
Good Teammates: The pink blobs Chansey (and Blissey) counter Exploud, so a counter to them is necessary, as well as a pokemon that can deal with Steel and Rock types who resist Boomburst, such as Tyranitar, Heatran and Ferrothorn. Terrakion can easily dispose of all of these pokemon, and is a great teammate. Exploud shouldn't be switched directly into attacks, so to give it additional opportunities to switch in, a slow U-Turn or Volt Switch from a pokemon like Scizor is an option.
Exploud can be run with Sticky Web or Baton Pass support, or under Trick Room (removes the EVs from speed, put them into HP, reduce the speed IVs to 0 and change the nature to Quiet), but it's not fast enough to outspeed every pokemon with Sticky Web, nor is it slow enough under Trick Room to 'outslow' threats like Conkeldurr, and so shouldn't be the sole option as a sweeper for either team.
Any Additional Info: Scrappy + Boomburst is the only niche Exploud has in OU, so make sure it's the optimal choice of wallbreaker for your team. Boomburst is almost always the safest and best move to select.
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Can I reserve hazard lead Froslass as a do not use analysis? With the re-entry of deoxys s into OU, and the introduction of defog, I see very little reason to use it at all anymore.
I also noticed on Banded Terrakion, X-Sizzor and Quick Attack were listed for the last move slot. I believe Iron Head should also be slashed as it allows Terrakion to get KO's against slightly weakened Clefable and Sylveon. It's also more reliable than stone edge accuracy wise.
252 Atk Choice Band Terrakion Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Clefable: 338-398 (85.7 - 101%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Terrakion Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 196+ Def Sylveon: 260-308 (65.9 - 78.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
I also noticed on Banded Terrakion, X-Sizzor and Quick Attack were listed for the last move slot. I believe Iron Head should also be slashed as it allows Terrakion to get KO's against slightly weakened Clefable and Sylveon. It's also more reliable than stone edge accuracy wise.
252 Atk Choice Band Terrakion Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Clefable: 338-398 (85.7 - 101%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Terrakion Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 196+ Def Sylveon: 260-308 (65.9 - 78.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
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Fourth Inversion Good job. I've changed the set around a bit as per the analysis, but it is very minor. Nice clear writing as well.
rachet67 I like Froslass. With a fast Destiny Bond, it differs itself from Deoxys-S as being a suicide lead that does not effectively start the game essentially at 5-6. Deoxys-S can run offensive moves, but it misses out on Spikes so it isn't really the same. I'd like a Froslass entry that emphasises Destiny Bond and the ability to beat opposing Deo-S leads with Shadow Ball while they Taunt you.
rachet67 I like Froslass. With a fast Destiny Bond, it differs itself from Deoxys-S as being a suicide lead that does not effectively start the game essentially at 5-6. Deoxys-S can run offensive moves, but it misses out on Spikes so it isn't really the same. I'd like a Froslass entry that emphasises Destiny Bond and the ability to beat opposing Deo-S leads with Shadow Ball while they Taunt you.
Deoxys-S does receive spikes.
My only problem with destiny bond is that its relatively easy to work around and extremely predictable, at least for players who have been around for a while. For a Froslass encounter with deoxys-s, there are two common senarios considering Doexys-S attacks (which is a good idea considering hazards can always be cleared later with defog/rapid spin):
1) Deoxys-S uses Psycho boost and brings Froslass down to focus sash or fire punch to bring it down to low health. Froslass taunts or gets one layer of spikes down. Doexys forces a Froslass out that is weak enough to be KO'd by stealth rock, or KO's.
2) Deoxys-S uses Psycho boost and brings Froslass down to focus sash or fire punch to bring it down to low health. Froslass uses shadow ball, and either OHKO's deoxys or brings it down to focus sash. If doexys is still alive it can KO Froslass. If it is KO'd by shadow ball, a revenge killer can easily come in and force the Froslass out (that again, will be KO'd by stealth rock) or KO it.
In neither situation, is Froslass able to get more than a layer of spikes (and none if it goes for shadow ball), nor is the Froslass user at an advantage.
I'm probably not the guy to write a why to use Froslass entry. Sure it's usable, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it for most teams, as its niche is pretty small. I would like to write up the defog latios set though.
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rachet67 I know Deoxys-S has Spikes. Of course it does. I was saying that Deoxys-S can't KO a foe and use Spikes, as it needs SR and Taunt / Magic Coat at the very least if running Spikes, not giving enough room for an attack that would be a substitute to Destiny Bond. Also, I specifically said that Froslass beats hazard Deoxys-S, not offensive Deoxys-S, so I really don't get what you are saying.
Hazard Lead Deoxys often runs either fire punch, super power, or psycho boost. In addition, its really hard to tell exactly what set a deoxys-s is, especially if Froslass is encountering it as a lead. Anyways, I don't think that Deoxys-S is that great of a Froslass counter anyways. There are a multitude of pokemon that can get around destiny bond, and smart playing can achieve the same effect (such as leading with rotom-w and volt switching to a revenge killer). Froslass is currently ranked C- (second to worst rank) in the viability thread for many of the reasons I outlined. With a niche as small is Froslass', I don't see why new players should be recommended to use it, as that seems to go against the point of the thread (though it is yours and you can do what you want).
I also hold a similar opinion to giving Exploud (which wan't even ranked after it was discussed) a 'use this' analysis.
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