Samurott Discussion

[Rakan]

Ok so I made sure there wasn't already a Samurott thread before posting this!

Samurott <3

Samurott is quite the underrated threat in RU. It boasts excellent coverage with both of its main sets, one of which is physically based and boosts with Swords Dance, while the other is specially based and possesses nice coverage with just three moves. Samurott possesses excellent offensive stats, which is why it can go either way. Base 70 Speed is a little slower than most people would like, but it gets the job done and is faster than a good portion of the RU metagame. So without further ado, here are the sets:

Samurott @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Adamant Nature | 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
-Swords Dance
-Waterfall
-Megahorn
-Aqua Jet

Swords Dance is easily Samurott's best set despite its slightly higher Special Attack. After a boost, Samurott is capable of OHKOing defensive Tangrowth with Megahorn, a feat which no other physical Water-type attacker can boast (Feraligatr). Waterfall is incredibly powerful after a boost, and wrecks most things that don't resist it with the exception of retarded shit like Cress and Uxie, both of which are smashed by Megahorn. Aqua Jet is an amazing move that has both priority and STAB, and allows Samurott to deal with faster opponents, and can usually take out the more frail ones such as Aerodactyl after a boost. The EVs are flexible, I use enough to hit 218 Speed, no idea why, and the HP EVs are a Leftovers number, because I hate the Life Orb recoil.

Samurott @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Modest Nature | 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
-Hydro Pump / Surf
-Ice Beam
-Grass Knot / Hidden Power Grass
-Taunt

This set is rarely seen, as the SD set is immensely powerful after a boost, and there are numerous Water-types in RU that seem like better candidates for a special attacker. The EV spread allows Samurott to outrun Adamant Aggron, but is nothing special, and can be tweaked to your liking. Hydro Pump hits really hard, especially with a Torrent boost. Ice Beam and Grass Knot cover most other threats, while Taunt prevents walls from healing, setting up, or using status.

Discuss!

man this thing shoulda gotten Shell Smash...

 

[TrollFreak]

I love Samurott, its ability to set up a SD and then put pressure on teams is unbelievable.

I use the same SD set, except that I tend to use Taunt over Aqua Jet, this way its easier to get more than 1 SD on pokemon such as Ferroseed, which can be the difference between KOing a pokemon or barely surviving.

And you're right, it needs Shell Smash...

 

[Full2Half]

ive used the SD set to much use, it really is good. netting me a late game sweep as my last poke in what could've easily been a 4-0 loss to me.

 

[rojoweather21]

As with anyone else I use the SD to raise the attack state, but to catch some people off guards I try to mix it up and put in surf for people with physically bulk Pokemon who think they can wall this Pokemon.

 

[spuds4ever]

I think in RU, samurott is out-classed by kabutops when it comes to SD sweeping, though, yes, it gets megahorn, but that's really the only thing going for it over the shellfish. Mixed is probably it's best chance at carving a niche out in RU. It can still serve as a decent wall breaker (still just theorymonning) as it has access to megahorn which makes the most common special wall, slowking, shiver in his shelder. As well as getting a very usable taunt.

 

[DittoCrow]

I think in RU, samurott is out-classed by kabutops when it comes to SD sweeping, though, yes, it gets megahorn, but that's really the only thing going for it over the shellfish. Mixed is probably it's best chance at carving a niche out in RU. It can still serve as a decent wall breaker (still just theorymonning) as it has access to megahorn which makes the most common special wall, slowking, shiver in his shelder. As well as getting a very usable taunt.

Actually, the best Water-type "SD sweeper" in RU is Feraligatr. Bulk and Torrent make it better than Kabutops as well as it not being weak to common Fighting and Ground moves. I could elaborate, but this thread isn't about Feraligatr. Megahorn actually makes a huge difference. +2 Megahorn does 54.1 - 64.04% to max HP/Def Ferroseed while Feraligatr and Kabutops can't do shit. +2 Megahorn also has a chance to OHKO Tangrowth (95.04 - 111.88%). If Tangrowth was more common, I would definitely use Samurott over Feraligatr but that's not the case. I haven't tried the special set yet but I still think Samurott is a good Pokemon in RU.

 

[BurningMan]

Feraligatr and Kabutops can't do shit.

Excepet that both have access to Super Power and can actually OHKO Ferroseed ;)

 

[spuds4ever]

Excepet that both have access to Super Power and can actually OHKO Ferroseed ;)

This. Much as I love feraligatr, I think kabutops has a much bigger advantage than either of the torrent two as he has SS and can abuse rain far better than either of them, as well as countering it, meaning he doesn't have to rely soley on aqua jet to hit first. Also, feraligatr and samurott don't have a great second STAB to work with offensively, though it can mean he does sometimes has a slightly harder time setting up. And feraligatr isn't really any bulkier than kabutops, 20 base hp over 5 extra defence doesn't really make a difference.

Anyway, I digress. I just think it's so much more useful to use his great attack AND special attack than just on one. Combine this with taunt and you have something very tricky to wall.

 

[Rakan]

Yea, a set of Hydro Pump / Ice Beam or Grass Knot / Megahorn / Taunt with max SpA and Speed investment looks good. I'll definitely try it out sometime.

 

[sandstreamftw]

rain abusing aside, feraligatr is the best physical water sweeper in ru becuz he isn't weak to fighting ground or 4 x weak to grass like kabutops plus he has access to superpower ice fang dragondance ice punch and may i say it earthquake one of the best coverage moves out there.

 

[Jaetheho]

isnt the special attacking samurott outclassed by np simiPour?

edit:wrong monkey

 

[Ningildo]

isnt the special attacking samurott outclassed by np simiPour?

edit:wrong monkey

It's more of a Stall breaker then an Special attacker.
And even so, Simipour is very frail. 75/63/63 defenses will do that.

Back on topic, the mere threat of a SD set makes the Stall breaker set shine.
Most people will send in a poke like Qwilfish or Cofagrigus the moment it gets in, at which point it can surprise the opponent with Taunt, force the pokemon out and is free to shoot off a strong Hydro Pump (or switch to a counter to Samurott's counter if you want to make your opponent even more paranoid).

You could also use Samurott along Feraligatr for a "double dragon" strategy, similar to Heracross and Pinsir in UU. Due to Samurott having Megahorn, Feraligatr doesn't have to worry about covering Grass types (and bulky Psychic types) and is free to use anything else besides Ice Punch.

 

[yOblo]

Ive been trying a mixed scarf set in NU with some decent success. Here it is:

Sammurott @ Choice Scarf
Naive / Rash
252 SpA / 228 Spe / 30 Atk
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Megahorn
-Waterfall

The speed is to outrun Swellow. Haven't really thought much on the EV's (especially in the case of the Rash nature), but it works pretty good as a revenge killer. Advice would be helpful.

 

[Scoopapa]

Leftovers is definitely worthwhile on the special set, since it has the potential to rack up many turns of recovery by forcing switches, utilizing Taunt, and subsequently slugging it out with the Taunted wall. Lefties still OHKOes some important targets after SR such as Rotom, Liligant, and Honchkrow, so it's not like you're super weak without LO. Samurott's bulk is decent enough to appreciate conserving health. Said bulk (and more power) definitely separates it from simipour. LO probably has certain targets that it is better for but Samurott becomes a lot more frail, which is dangerous for something so slow.