Sunday
God Bless Nintys Incompetence :*)
I'm treating this just like a proper peer review analysis, so feel free to point out every mistake you see (expecially spelling / grammer, though I did run it through spellcheck). Counters is the main section that needs work. Since last time I added a Rest Vs Moonlight section to avoid cluttering the set comments, although recommendations of which one to use on each specific set are still present.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Shadow Punch / Shadow Sneak
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Rest
item: Leftovers
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Revenankh can easily come in on its many resists and immunities, and this takes advantage of the switches it causes. Bulk Up makes it all but impregnable to physical attacks, as well as boosting its already decent attack stat to make it an even greater threat. It has two of the best STABs in the game, Fighting and Ghost, that hit everything for at least neutral, thus it is advised to stick to these moves for offense. Rest+Shed Skin is the favoured method of healing as Status, one of the major issues with this kind of Defencive Stat-upping, is no longer an issue.
[SET]
name: Three Attacks / Life Orb
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Shadow Punch / Shadow Sneak
move 3: Power Whip / Ice Punch
move 4: Rest / Moonlight
item: Life Orb
ability: Shed Skin / Air Lock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set has advantages over the Bulk Up set in the extra move slot, giving much better coverage and making it more of a immediate threat. STAB again provides a reasonable form of offense, even without stat upping. The final move can either be Ice Punch to deal with Dragons or Power Whip to take down Bulky Grassers and Bulky Waters. Knock Off could also be an option to help this less durable Revenankh against Choice wielders, by crippling them of their much needed Item. Sleep Talk is not recommended in the third spot mainly thanks to Shed Skin, and as the extra moveslot is a critical advantage this set has over the Bulk Up set.
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Punch
move 2: Mach Punch / Brick Break
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Power Whip
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
A generic Choice set. Hammer Arm is no longer an option as its Speed drop is unwelcome, so the less powerful Brick Break is present. If you are running a Choice Band then Mach Punch becomes the preferable Fighting STAB, as its priority becomes a great asset on such a slow Pokemon. Ice Punch covers Dragons, and Power Whip deals with Bulky Waters and Bulky Grounds. The options on the left side should be paired with a Choice Band, and the rightmost options with a Scarf. The main advantage Revenankh has against other Choice Pokemon is that Shed Skin means status no longer permanently cripple it.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Ice / Moonlight
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 Hp / 252 SAtk / 6 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
After a Nasty Plot Revenankhs Special Attack can reach 502, not insignifigant in anyones books. D/Ps main Special wall, Blissey, can do little in retaliation except Thunder Wave (which Shed Skin could eventually heal) and is 2HKOed by Focus Blast after a Nasty Plot. This set gets the jump on many of the usual Revenenkh counters, who tend to favour Defense. It will not, however, help you against opponents who counter Revenankh by means of resisting its STAB attacks. You can use the fourth slot to cover your weaknesses with Hidden Power, or use Moonlight to heal. Be careful Revenankh does not turn into a weaker version of the Bulk Up set, as it utilizes almost exactly the same typed moves.
[Moonlight Vs. Rest]
On most of the tanking sets both Rest+Shed Skin and Moonlight+Air Lock are valid options. Both have their equal pros and cons. With Rest, Revenankh is protected from status and can heal 100% of it's HP instantly. It also has a 51% chance of waking up earlier than usual thanks to Shed Skin. Moonlight on the other hand has the benefit of not spending a possible two turns sitting there doing nothing, possibly giving the opponent an opportunity to set up on you. Air Lock also prevents Sandstorm of Hail from wearing you down.
[Other Options]
Sleep Talk can be used on any set that includes Rest, but with Shed Skin Revenankh has a 51% chance of waking up early so it won't see much use. Note that Shed Skin cures status at the end of a turn, however, so there is no chance of using Sleep Talk and wasting a turn due to waking up. Knock Off and Taunt are great utility moves which can be used to stop enemy tanks, stat-uppers and Choice users respectivly. Substitute and Focus Punch can be used if you want an alternate way to protect yourself from status as well as a stronger Fighting attack, but it saps Revanankh of the HP it so dearly relies on.
[EVs]
When using Bulk Up, SpD should be a priority. Careful, 252 Hp EVs and 136 Sdef EVs should provide you with adequate coverage. Max At could also be used to OHKO Gengar and Azelf with Shadow Sneak after a Bulk Up. On any other defensive set more EVs should be invested into Def. Maximum HP should not be tampered with as it reaches optimal Leftovers recovery. 128 Atk EVs could be invested to 1HKO Blissey with Hammer Arm after a Bulk Up. Alternatively, Careful Revenankh needs 160 Spe EVs to outrun 4 Spe Blissey after a Hammer Arm, but Blissey isn't much of a threat to Ravenankh. 44 Speed EVs can be invested to outspeed 0 EV Skarmory, which can be useful to Taunt it before it can set up, but Revenankh can't do much in return without Bulk Up. Offensive sets should just max Speed and their attacking stat of choice.
[Opinion]
Revenankh is a very solid choice as a tank. Two excellent forms of healing, the best STABs in the game, and the ability to boost both its offense and it's defense at the same time with Bulk Up makes it a formidable opponent if not dealt with swiftly. If Revenankh is not carrying Bulk Up it is signifigantly less threatening in the long run, but short term could easily cripple most Pokemon with Knock Off or get an unexpected kill with Ice Punch or Power Whip. Choice sets have the ability to land a few surprise kills, but as with all Choice sets they require prediction to work effectivly.
[Counters]
Bulky Posion type Pokemon stand a good chance against Revenankh, resisting Fighting and most taking little from Shadow Punch. Vileplume, Venusaur and Crobat can all put Revenankh to sleep, and all but Crobat can sap his health with Leech Seed. Drapion can set up Swords Dance or Toxic Spikes and Whirlwind away any Bulk Ups, and Weezing can WoW any Moonlight versions. That being said if any of these get Taunted on the switch in the tables could turn very quickly. Any bulky Flying type, expecially those Normal types who are immune to Shadow Punch like Togekiss or Staraptor can come in easily and threaten with a STAB Flying attack. Yanmega has a 4x resist to Fighting, takes little from an unboosted Shadow Punch, and attacks on Revenankhs weaker side with Air Slash or a speedy Hypnosis. Many other bulky Flying-types work effectively as well, including Gyarados (who often carries Taunt and has a higher base Speed than Revenankh as well) and Zapdos. Jirachi can threaten with STAB Psychic attacks on both sides of the spectrum, and it's typing means it is not weak to any of Revenankh's STABs. Celebi takes less then 50% from Shadow Punch even after Revenankh has used Bulk Up, and can threaten to 2HKO with Psychic or use Leech Seed to sap Revenankh of its health. More defensive Ground or Water types take little from anything Revenankh can throw at them except for Power Whip.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Shadow Punch / Shadow Sneak
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Rest
item: Leftovers
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Revenankh can easily come in on its many resists and immunities, and this takes advantage of the switches it causes. Bulk Up makes it all but impregnable to physical attacks, as well as boosting its already decent attack stat to make it an even greater threat. It has two of the best STABs in the game, Fighting and Ghost, that hit everything for at least neutral, thus it is advised to stick to these moves for offense. Rest+Shed Skin is the favoured method of healing as Status, one of the major issues with this kind of Defencive Stat-upping, is no longer an issue.
[SET]
name: Three Attacks / Life Orb
move 1: Hammer Arm
move 2: Shadow Punch / Shadow Sneak
move 3: Power Whip / Ice Punch
move 4: Rest / Moonlight
item: Life Orb
ability: Shed Skin / Air Lock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set has advantages over the Bulk Up set in the extra move slot, giving much better coverage and making it more of a immediate threat. STAB again provides a reasonable form of offense, even without stat upping. The final move can either be Ice Punch to deal with Dragons or Power Whip to take down Bulky Grassers and Bulky Waters. Knock Off could also be an option to help this less durable Revenankh against Choice wielders, by crippling them of their much needed Item. Sleep Talk is not recommended in the third spot mainly thanks to Shed Skin, and as the extra moveslot is a critical advantage this set has over the Bulk Up set.
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Punch
move 2: Mach Punch / Brick Break
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Power Whip
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
ability: Shed Skin
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
A generic Choice set. Hammer Arm is no longer an option as its Speed drop is unwelcome, so the less powerful Brick Break is present. If you are running a Choice Band then Mach Punch becomes the preferable Fighting STAB, as its priority becomes a great asset on such a slow Pokemon. Ice Punch covers Dragons, and Power Whip deals with Bulky Waters and Bulky Grounds. The options on the left side should be paired with a Choice Band, and the rightmost options with a Scarf. The main advantage Revenankh has against other Choice Pokemon is that Shed Skin means status no longer permanently cripple it.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Ice / Moonlight
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 Hp / 252 SAtk / 6 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
After a Nasty Plot Revenankhs Special Attack can reach 502, not insignifigant in anyones books. D/Ps main Special wall, Blissey, can do little in retaliation except Thunder Wave (which Shed Skin could eventually heal) and is 2HKOed by Focus Blast after a Nasty Plot. This set gets the jump on many of the usual Revenenkh counters, who tend to favour Defense. It will not, however, help you against opponents who counter Revenankh by means of resisting its STAB attacks. You can use the fourth slot to cover your weaknesses with Hidden Power, or use Moonlight to heal. Be careful Revenankh does not turn into a weaker version of the Bulk Up set, as it utilizes almost exactly the same typed moves.
[Moonlight Vs. Rest]
On most of the tanking sets both Rest+Shed Skin and Moonlight+Air Lock are valid options. Both have their equal pros and cons. With Rest, Revenankh is protected from status and can heal 100% of it's HP instantly. It also has a 51% chance of waking up earlier than usual thanks to Shed Skin. Moonlight on the other hand has the benefit of not spending a possible two turns sitting there doing nothing, possibly giving the opponent an opportunity to set up on you. Air Lock also prevents Sandstorm of Hail from wearing you down.
[Other Options]
Sleep Talk can be used on any set that includes Rest, but with Shed Skin Revenankh has a 51% chance of waking up early so it won't see much use. Note that Shed Skin cures status at the end of a turn, however, so there is no chance of using Sleep Talk and wasting a turn due to waking up. Knock Off and Taunt are great utility moves which can be used to stop enemy tanks, stat-uppers and Choice users respectivly. Substitute and Focus Punch can be used if you want an alternate way to protect yourself from status as well as a stronger Fighting attack, but it saps Revanankh of the HP it so dearly relies on.
[EVs]
When using Bulk Up, SpD should be a priority. Careful, 252 Hp EVs and 136 Sdef EVs should provide you with adequate coverage. Max At could also be used to OHKO Gengar and Azelf with Shadow Sneak after a Bulk Up. On any other defensive set more EVs should be invested into Def. Maximum HP should not be tampered with as it reaches optimal Leftovers recovery. 128 Atk EVs could be invested to 1HKO Blissey with Hammer Arm after a Bulk Up. Alternatively, Careful Revenankh needs 160 Spe EVs to outrun 4 Spe Blissey after a Hammer Arm, but Blissey isn't much of a threat to Ravenankh. 44 Speed EVs can be invested to outspeed 0 EV Skarmory, which can be useful to Taunt it before it can set up, but Revenankh can't do much in return without Bulk Up. Offensive sets should just max Speed and their attacking stat of choice.
[Opinion]
Revenankh is a very solid choice as a tank. Two excellent forms of healing, the best STABs in the game, and the ability to boost both its offense and it's defense at the same time with Bulk Up makes it a formidable opponent if not dealt with swiftly. If Revenankh is not carrying Bulk Up it is signifigantly less threatening in the long run, but short term could easily cripple most Pokemon with Knock Off or get an unexpected kill with Ice Punch or Power Whip. Choice sets have the ability to land a few surprise kills, but as with all Choice sets they require prediction to work effectivly.
[Counters]
Bulky Posion type Pokemon stand a good chance against Revenankh, resisting Fighting and most taking little from Shadow Punch. Vileplume, Venusaur and Crobat can all put Revenankh to sleep, and all but Crobat can sap his health with Leech Seed. Drapion can set up Swords Dance or Toxic Spikes and Whirlwind away any Bulk Ups, and Weezing can WoW any Moonlight versions. That being said if any of these get Taunted on the switch in the tables could turn very quickly. Any bulky Flying type, expecially those Normal types who are immune to Shadow Punch like Togekiss or Staraptor can come in easily and threaten with a STAB Flying attack. Yanmega has a 4x resist to Fighting, takes little from an unboosted Shadow Punch, and attacks on Revenankhs weaker side with Air Slash or a speedy Hypnosis. Many other bulky Flying-types work effectively as well, including Gyarados (who often carries Taunt and has a higher base Speed than Revenankh as well) and Zapdos. Jirachi can threaten with STAB Psychic attacks on both sides of the spectrum, and it's typing means it is not weak to any of Revenankh's STABs. Celebi takes less then 50% from Shadow Punch even after Revenankh has used Bulk Up, and can threaten to 2HKO with Psychic or use Leech Seed to sap Revenankh of its health. More defensive Ground or Water types take little from anything Revenankh can throw at them except for Power Whip.