Rotom-S (New Analysis)

[Caelum]

I guess someone has to do it ...

[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Trick
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Offensive Rotom-S can be quite an effective sweeper with its unique typing allowing it to switch in on quite a few threats. Notably, Rotom-S is one of the better Heracross counters since it can switch into Heracross's STAB attacks with impunity and OHKO with Air Slash, if one opts for Choice Specs, or OHKO on average with Stealth Rock, if one opts for Choice Scarf.</p>

<p>Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball are rather obvious moves for STAB, and Shadow Ball is necessary to combat Jolteon and Electivire. Air Slash is Rotom-S's exclusive move and allows it to take on Breloom, Heracross, and Infernape. The final slot depends on what you want to hit. Hidden Power Ice is your best option against Shaymin-S and Salamence, whereas Hidden Power Grass allows you to take on Swampert. Trick is also a very good option, although because of its exclusive move restriction necessitating the use of Shadow Ball the other Rotom forms are best used for Trick.</p>

<p>Both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf are viable options on offensive Rotom-S and it comes down to whether your team needs power or speed. With a Timid nature Rotom-S is able to outrun base 85 Speed Pokemon, notably Kingdra and Heracross. With a Choice Scarf equipped Rotom-S will outrun all unboosted Pokemon, sans Deoxys-S and Ninjask. A Timid nature is always recommended because of Rotom-S's ability to outrun Jolly Heracross. As with any Choice user, exchanging for Life Orb is viable as well.</p>

[SET]
name: Parafusion
move 1: Discharge / Thunder Wave
move 2: Confuse Ray
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 40 SpA / 216 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is taking advantage of Rotom-S's access to annoying moves, such as Thunder Wave and Confuse Ray, coupled with Air Slash's 30% chance to flinch. Discharge is also a very good option in place of Thunder Wave. Discharge has a decent 30% chance of causing paralysis while still having an offensive option. Once paralysis and confusion have set in, your opponent will only be able to attack three-eighths of the time. Add in Air Slash's flinch rate and you have yourself quite an annoying Pokemon. Shadow Ball is the final option for STAB and it prevents Electivire, Jolteon, and Rhyperior from walling you entirely.</p>

<p>The given EVs are such that Rotom-S outruns maximum Speed, Adamant Gyarados allowing you to hit it with a Thunder Wave or Discharge before it can attack. The remaining EVs were placed in HP for overall survivability and then Special Attack.</p>

<p>An alternate option here is to drop Confuse Ray entirely and run a more sweeper oriented set by shifting the EVs to Special Attack and Speed and running Discharge / Air Slash / Shadow Ball and then either Hidden Power Ground or Hidden Power Ice in the final slot.</p>

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Discharge / Shadow Ball
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Air Slash
item: Leftovers
nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>One set that nearly every Rotom-appliance can run, a basic Rest-Talk set. Rotom-S is naturally bulky and has unique typing and Rest-Talk helps with its survivability. Additionally, Rotom-S makes an excellent counter to many sleep inducers such as Breloom, Yanmega, and Crobat. Discharge is for STAB and is the best option for paralysis. Shadow Ball is also usable as a STAB option to counter Gengar, but generally Discharge is your best option. Will-O-Wisp is your final option and is great for crippling physical attackers such as Metagross and Tyranitar who may be tempted to switch in. Air Slash is also a decent option since Rotom-S can easily absorb sleep from Breloom and threaten it with Air Slash.</p>

<p>The EVs provide equal defenses to allow Rotom-S to take hits from both ends of the spectrum.</p>

[SET]
name: Boosting Sweeper
move 1: Charge Beam
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting / Thunderbolt
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 64 HP / 232 SpA / 212 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although one of the lesser used options, Charge Beam allows Rotom-S to attack while having a large chance to boost its already high Special Attack. When combined with Substitute, Rotom-S is even more capable of setting up on Blissey, a Pokemon that would normally wall a special attacking Rotom-S set. Seismic Toss has no effect on Rotom-S and Flamethrower / Ice Beam do not break Rotom-S's Substitutes due to the slight HP investment. Substitute also allows Rotom-S to block any Thunder Wave or Toxic that Blissey might launch at it. Shadow Ball is Rotom-S's main form of attack once it has received boosts from Charge Beam, capable of 3HKOing even 252 HP / 96 SpD Sassy Bronzong after a single boost. Hidden Power Fighting allows Rotom-S to take on incoming Tyranitar hoping to munch down on the wily ghost. After six boosts, Rotom-S is capable of 2HKOing even 0 HP / 176 SpD Calm Blissey (the bulkiest Blissey that Rotom will likely encounter) with either Hidden Power Fighting or Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is also Rotom-S's best form of attack against Scizor.</p>

<p>As previously mentioned, 64 HP EVs allow Rotom-S's Substitutes to withstand any attack that Blissey is likely to use, as well as allowing Rotom-S to form three Substitutes in sand and five in normal weather. A Timid Nature and 212 EVs allows Rotom-S to outspeed neutral-natured Mamoswine and Lucario. Using 212 Speed EVs also allows Rotom-S to reach a bonus point. 236 Special Attack EVs allow Rotom-S to almost always 2HKO even 0 HP / 176 SpD Calm Blissey with Hidden Power Fighting or Thunderbolt after six boosts. Rotom-S also has a 38% chance of 2HKOing 252 HP / 252 SpD Careful Tyranitar in Sandstorm after a single boost with Hidden Power Fighting, a definite 2HKO if Tyranitar switches into Stealth Rock.</p>


[Other Options]
<p>Rotom-S can make use of dual screens; however, Rotom-W or Rotom-C are superior in making use of them since they can actually threaten Tyranitar once Reflect is in place with Hydro Pump or Leaf Storm, respectively. Similarly, Rotom-S can also use the Rain Dance and Thunder combination, but again Rotom-W does this better because Hydro Pump gains a boost in the rain. Hidden Power Ground is a usable option for Heatran and Magnezone.</p>

[EVs]
<p>Generally you'll want to EV Rotom-S offensively as its other forms perform best with more defensive options. However, if you desire to use a defensive set such as the Rest-Talk set you'll want to maximize HP and then split your defenses roughly evenly to combat both ends of the offensive spectrum. Feel free to distribute your EVs to survive specific attacks though.</p>

[Opinion]
<p>Unfortunately for Rotom-S it was stricken with arguably the poorest exclusive move of the Rotom family, Air Slash, so its not likely to be the most popular choice amongst players should they opt to make use of one of the Rotoms. That said, the move that cursed Rotom-S to inferiority can also be viewed as a saving grace. Rotom-S is one of the best counters to Heracross, Breloom, and Machamp and can outrun each of them and OHKO or 2HKO with Air Slash. Rotom-S can also function as a great annoyer by making use of parafusion and Air Slash's 30% flinch rate. Although Rotom-S is largely outclassed by its other forms, it still has a few unique options that players should keep in mind when building a team.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Blissey counters virtually any set, although it will dislike being Tricked a Choice item. Slaking, Snorlax, and Tyranitar can switch in with relative ease and Pursuit Rotom-S, although none of them will enjoy receiving a Choice Specs or being hit with a Will-O-Wisp. Choice Specs Tyranitar is arguably the best switch in with its high Special Defense and it isn't fazed by Will-O-Wisp or Trick. Jolteon can switch into the Choice set with relative ease, with its immunity to electric attacks and resistances to Air Slash, and fire off Shadow Balls of its own. Furthermore, Jolteon doesn't particularly mind receiving a Choice item. Electivire is in a similar boat, although if its physical based it won't enjoy Choice Specs or Will-O-Wisp. Calm Zapdos can switch in on anything and either Pressure stall Rotom-S or wear it down with Thunderbolts or Heat Waves. Calm Mind Raikou and Jirachi can both use Rotom-S as set up fodder as long as they avoid Trick. Heatran and Magnezone can switch in on just about anything, excluding the incredibly rare Hidden Power Ground, and beat Rotom-S down. If Rotom-S opts against using Air Slash on the Rest-Talk set, Heracross can switch in on Will-O-Wisp for a Guts boost. Choice Scarf Gengar can revenge kill any variant of Rotom-S, but it can't switch in on Shadow Ball.</p>

 

[Great Sage]

I can't help but think that some set with Discharge and Air Slash might be useful. Still posing an offensive threat while paralyzing fairly often can come in handy at times.

 

[jumpluff]

Reserving. Will work on now since apparently all the Rotoms get there own page.

Suppose to be Rotom-S, WIP, I'll post when I've completed it.

[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Trick
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Offensive Rotom-s can be quite an effective sweeper with its unique typing allowing it to switch in on quite a few threats. Notably, Rotom-s is one of the better Heracross counters since it can switch into Heracross's STAB attacks with impunity and OHKO with Air Slash, if one opts for Choice Specs, or OHKO on average with Stealth Rock, if one opts for Choice Scarf.</p>

<p>Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball are rather obvious moves for STAB, and Shadow Ball is necessary to combat Jolteon and Electivire. Air Slash is Rotom-S's exclusive move and allows it to take on Breloom, Heracross, and Infernape. The final slot is depends on what you want to hit. Hidden Power Ice is your best option against Zapdos, Shaymin-S, and Salamence, whereas Hidden Power Grass allows you to take on Swampert. Trick is also a very good option, although because of its exclusive move restriction necessitating the use of Shadow Ball the other Rotom forms are best used for Trick.</p>

<p>Both Choice Specs and Choice Scarf are viable options on offensive Rotom-s and it comes down to whether your team needs power or speed. With a Timid nature Rotom-S is able to outrun base 85 Speed Pokemon, notably Kingdra and Heracross. With a Choice Scarf equipped Rotom-S will outrun all unboosted Pokemon, sans Deoxys-S and Ninjask. A Timid nature is always recommended because of Rotom-S's ability to outrun Jolly Heracross. As with any Choice user, exchanging for Life Orb is viable as well.</p>

[SET]
name: Parafusion
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Confuse Ray
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 40 SpA / 216 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is taking advantage of Rotom-S's access to annoying moves, such as Thunder Wave and Confuse Ray, coupled with Air Slash's 30% chance to flinch. Once Thunder Wave and Confuse Ray have been used the opponent will only be able to attack three-eighths of the time. Add in Air Slash's flinch rate and you have yourself quite an annoying Pokemon. Shadow Ball is the final option for STAB and it prevents Electivire, Jolteon, and Rhyperior from walling you entirely.</p>

<p>The given EVs are such that Rotom-S outruns maximum Speed, Adamant Gyarados allowing you to hit it with a Thunder Wave before it can attack. The remaining EVs were placed in HP for overall survivability and then Special Attack.</p>

[Other Options]
<p>Rotom-C can make use of dual screens; however, Rotom-W is superior in making use of them since it can actually threaten Tyranitar with Hydro Pump once Reflect is in place. Similarly, Rotom-C can also use the Rain Dance and Thunder combination, but again, Rotom-W does this better because Hydro Pump gains a boost in the rain. </p>

also rotom-c -> rotom-s right?

 

[Caelum]

I can't help but think that some set with Discharge and Air Slash might be useful. Still posing an offensive threat while paralyzing fairly often can come in handy at times.

Good point. I'm going to slash it in alongside Thunder Wave. Plus, the use of Confuse Ray could buy more time for paralysis to kick in.

@ Chiki, I'll make those changes

 

[Colonel M]

Hm, I guess a RestTalk set doesn't do horrible. In theory it means Breloom isn't going to enjoy using Spore on something that has Air Slash alongside it. Discharge or Shadow Ball would work as the second attacking move, probably Discharge being the best option here (paraflinch).

I actually like the Parafusion + Flinch rate from Air Slash. It's surely no "Togetic" but the Confusion is the key to the set. Discharge is what I feel to be better than Thunder Wave in general. Rotom really needs that third attack when Shadow Ball and Air Slash aren't cutting it.

 

[Caelum]

Yeah. I'm going to keep T-Wave as option alongside Discharge. Most of the sets are done better by Rotom-W because of Hydro Pump not making Shadow Ball as necessary so you can forgo it. I'd argue that it does the DS set better as well.

I'll throw in a Rest-Talk set since they work identical, mine if I take the base wording of yours and just rephrase it a bit?

 

[Colonel M]

Sure, go ahead.

 

[Caelum]

First initial draft complete, can I get some feedback / additions / comments ^_^.

 

[Colonel M]

As for Other Options: maybe a couple of Hidden Powers need mention. Ground for Heatran (though that's really pushing it) and Fire for Scizor and friends. Although note that Fire is shadowed by Rotom-H's Overheat. Looks great otherwise.

I might leech on some of those counters. I forgot about Magnezone and Calm Mind users being good threats against Rotom-W and Rotom-F.

 

[Caelum]

I'll include HP Ground but HP Fire is so inferior to Overheat that Rotom-H has and Rotom-H can then use another Hidden Power I don't think there is any reason to include it.

 

[Colonel M]

Yeah you're probably right. At least Ground hits the vast majority of Steel-types.

 

[Caelum]

Should Charge Beam be mentioned in Other Options?

 

[Colonel M]

Yeah I'd give it a mention if only as an alternative to boost his Special Attack.

 

[Caelum]

done CM. Any other set / options whatever you have in mind?

 

[Colonel M]

I think you're all set Caelum. Not much more that I can see that should be included anyways. I'll let others look into this.

Originally what I had in mind was even if it was outclassed slightly by another form I would still mention it. But now looking at it from this perspective I'm more inclined to do them similair to this. So I might have to re-evaluate a few sets that I have in mind in my Analysis. Otherwise looks good. Great job.

Also we might have to look at Stellar's new set shown Here.

 

[Caelum]

Yeah, I like Stellar's set. Should every Rotom analysis just have it C+P'd ? I'm feeling lazy and don't want to rewrite what Stellar wrote.

 

[jumpluff]

Yeah, I like Stellar's set. Should every Rotom analysis just have it C+P'd ? I'm feeling lazy and don't want to rewrite what Stellar wrote.

There's no reason to rewrite it anyway. *points at the Plusle/Minun analyses* Stellar's write-up is pretty good anyway~

 

[Colonel M]

I think every Rotom but Frost should use it. In theory Frost Rotom should be used in Hail teams (Blizzard is really shaky in accuracy outside of Hail) and even with Spin Rotom you get the comedy of it because no one expects it. I think I might add it in the Frost Rotom anyways because it gives him another reason to work outside of Hail and despite how shaky that accuracy can be it has an advantage over it's other "formes".

 

[Farewell]

You should mention Thunderbolt deals nearly the same damage to Machamp / Nuetral Pokemon as Air Slash does when Super Effective *meaning it is best to use Air Slash when using Discharge as the strongest move.

Air Slash also owns Cacturne, Shiftry *something neither Shadow Ball nor Thunderbolt can do.