[OVERVIEW]
Serperior's ability Contrary allows it to abuse Leaf Storm giving it a +2 in Special Attack and acts as a niche to any other move or ability that lowers its stats. This means that Serperior can set up and attack at the same time. It has a great base 113 Speed allowing it to outspeed many Pokemon such as Garchomp, Gengar, and unboosted threats. However, Serperior has a shallow specially offensive movepool limiting itself into using Hidden Power. Its offensive stats is quite low unless it gets a boost in Special Attack from Leaf Storm. Serperior has great potential to sweep teams after one boost, hitting every Pokemon in the Battle Spot metagame hard, which can be nice as a late-game sweeper. Serperior has mediocre bulk and threats such as Talonflame, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Blaziken can muscle through it. Overall, Serperior has a niche in being the best non-mega Special Grass-type due to its wide range in movepool, Contrary, and Speed.
[SET]
name: Contrary
move1: Leaf Storm
move2: Dragon Pulse
move3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground
move4: Glare / Taunt
item: Focus Sash
evs: 248 SpA / 12 SpD / 248 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Leaf Storm is Serperior's main STAB attack and gives it a +2 boost in Special Attack. Dragon Pulse gives it coverage against Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Mega Salamence, and Dragonite. Hidden Power Fire gives coverage against Grass-, Ice-, and Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Glalie, and Bisharp. Hidden Power Ground targets Fire-types that wall Serperior's attacks such as Heatran. Glare can be used to paralyze sweepers, thus crippling them. Taunt can be used to prevent foes from setting up and status moves.
Set Details
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248 Speed 248 Special Attack and 12 Special Defense for Hidden Power Fire. If Hidden Power Ground should be used, then 8 EVs toward Special Defense and have 252 Speed. Focus Sash is the preferred item because there are many threats that hit hard. Talonflame can OHKO Serperior with STAB Brave Bird or Flare Blitz. It gives Serperior more flexibility against fast Pokemon and priority users. Life Orb can be used to 2HKO Cresselia and OHKOes Mega Salamence at +2 Special Attack with its respective attacks. Timid is preferred, allowing Serperior to outspeed a lot of threats such as Garchomp, Mega Gengar, and Mega Kangaskhan before they Mega Evolve. Contrary should always be used as the preferred ability because of stat lowering moves giving it a boost instead. Meadow Plate offers a nice midway between Focus Sash and Life Orb and still has a chance in 2HKOing Cresselia and Porygon2.
Usage Tips
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Bring Serperior in on a Pokemon that can KO it with a Leaf Storm. This can keep your Focus Sash safe and preserve it. Don't bring Serperior in on a priority user because they can use status moves to cripple it. Even though Serperior has decent bulk, it shouldn't be taking too many hits, especially from super effective attacks, not to mention it doesn't have any recovery moves outside of Giga Drain and Leech Seed. Serperior can use Glare to paralyze foes that outspeeds it such as Greninja and Mega Salamence. When dealing with a Pokemon it can 2HKO, it is recommended to use Glare and then attack with Leaf Storm. It is also wise to use Serperior against bulky Pokemon as they can be a nice setup fodder. Serperior also does better as a late-game wallbreaker. It is best not to choose Serperior to be in the battle if your opponent has Greninja or Blaziken.
Team Options
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Gyarados can help soften physical attacks with the use of Intimidate, allowing Serperior to set up better and take another hit or two. Suicune, Slowbro, and Mega Slowbro can tank many physical attackers and can get rid of Fire-types with their STAB move such as Talonflame and Mega Blaziken. Timing Mega Charizard Y's Drought ability allows Serperior to OHKO Mega Mawile at +2 Hidden Power Fire. Offensive / defensive Porygon2 can wall Greninja's attacks. Mega Kangaskhan can clear the field of threats due to its ability, Parental Bond and its nice offensive stats. This is important because Mega Kangaskhan can get rid of common threats to Serperior such as Talonflame. Mega Charizard Y can hit Bug- and Steel-types for super effective damage such as Scizor and Aegislash. Garchomp can be used with Choice Scarf against Mega Gengar, allowing it to outspeed and OHKO it with its STAB Ground-type move. Stealth Rock is appreciated as well in helping to break Focus Sash users so that Serperior can sweep teams better. U-turn / Volt Switch support from Pokemon such as Mega Manectric, Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Scizor can help get Serperior in the field against a weakened foe. Rotom-W can be very useful against Talonflame because its Water / Electric typing resists its STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Hydro Pump or Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Giga Drain allows Serperior to recover HP, providing longevity. Hidden Power Rock targets Fire- and Flying-types such as Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame for super effective damage. Synthesis can recover half of Serperior's HP. Reflect can be used to soften the damage from physical attackers, allowing Serperior to set up more with Leaf Storm. Light Screen allows Serperior to take special attacks better. Substitute works great with Leech Seed, but Serperior loses out on coverage moves such as Dragon Pulse and Hidden Power. Leech Seed allows Serperior get passive damage each turn and regains a little HP. Rocky Helmet deals passive damage against physical attackers, which works very well with Reflect. Knock Off is a good utility move in getting rid of item-reliant Pokemon. Choice Specs allows Serperior to hit harder with Leaf Storm, but locks it to the move.
Checks & Counters
===================
**Mega Kangaskhan**: Mega Kangaskhan has Parental Bonding, this means that it can break Serperior's Focus Sash with Fake Out, and then KO it next turn with any of its other moves.
*Fire-types*: Fire-types such as Talonflame, Mega Charizard X, and Heatran can OHKO Serperior with their STAB moves. Talonflame can outspeed Serperior and beat it easily. Both need to watch out for Hidden Power Rock. Heatran can wall Serperior if it doesn't carry Hidden Power Ground.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Dragonite, Garchomp, and Mega Salamence can all defeat Serperior if it's not at +2 Special Attack from Leaf Storm already. This makes Serperior's Dragon Pulse become a 2HKO, excluding Dragonite because of its ability Multiscale. Dragonite can then set up on Serperior with Dragon Dance. Choice Scarf Garchomp can 2HKO Serperior with Fire Blast and Mega Salamence can OHKO Serperior with a Aerialite-boosted Normal-type move such as Return.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Aegislash and Mega Mawile resists Serperior's STAB move along with Dragon Pulse. Aegislash can get a boost from Weakness Policy if hit by Hidden Power Fire or Ground while under its Shield Stance and KO it with its STAB moves. Not to mention it gets priority in Shadow Sneak with a +2 boost from Weakness Policy. Mega Mawile can already have Swords Dance set up and KO Serperior with Sucker Punch.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar resists Serperior's STAB moves and OHKO it with its STAB Poison-type moves. It also outspeeds Serperior as well as trapping it with Shadow Tag.
**Ice-types**: Focus Sash Mamoswine can use Icicle Crash on Serperior, breaking its Focus Sash and finish it off next turn with Ice Shard. Cloyster can KO Serperior with Skill Link Icicle Spear while using Focus Sash.
**Bug-types**: Mega Pinsir walls Serperior's STAB Leaf Storm and can 2HKO it with Aerialite Quick Attack, while Return OHKOes it. Scizor resists both Leaf Storm and Dragon Pulse. Both need to watch out for Hidden Power Fire, as Scizor is 4x weak to Fire-type moves.
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