erisia
Innovative new design!
Should be called Simisoak.
[Overview]
<p>Despite its appearance and reputation, Simipour is actually a very effective offensive Pokemon in NU, putting teams under pressure with its incredible Speed, great coverage, and ability to boost its good Special Attack stat with Nasty Plot. Sadly, it lives under the shadow of Gorebyss, who is the more popular Water-type booster in the tier because of its access to Shell Smash, better Special Attack, and a good enough Defense stat to take priority hits. However, Simipour is still perfectly usable, and can distinguish itself from Gorebyss through the use of coverage moves, such as Grass Knot and Focus Blast, which Gorebyss doesn't have access to. Furthermore, Simipour can be used alongside Gorebyss on a pseudo-double Dragon team, in which one Pokemon to soften up the opponent's checks enough so that the other can attempt a full sweep, just like Salamence + Rayquaza in Ubers, and Heracross + Pinsir in UU. Unlike Gorebyss, Simipour also makes a good Choice-item user, and thus is a better option if you're looking for a potent revenge killer on your team. All in all, whilst Simipour has its disadvantages, it certainly doesn't Simisuck.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
ability: Gluttony
nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Simipour's excellent speed, great coverage, and access to STAB Hydro Pump combine to make it a particularly good user of Nasty Plot, as it can threaten to sweep an unprepared opponent after a single boost once Choice Scarf users and faster threats, such as Swellow, are removed. Very few walls can take repeated boosted attacks from Simipour, as those that resist Hydro Pump, such as Altaria and Lapras, are hit extremely hard by Ice Beam and Grass Knot, respectively. This fantastic coverage means many teams are only able to check Simipour with a faster offensive Pokemon or a Sucker Punch user, such as Absol. Simipour can hence keep constant pressure on the opponent, forcing them to make predictable moves to check it, which allows you to out-maneuver them effectively. Hydro Pump is a superior STAB attack to Surf as Simipour's base 98 Special Attack is slightly underwhelming. This is especially important if Simipour attacks early in the game instead of boosting, because Surf simply won't have enough power. Ice Beam provides coverage against the various Grass- and Dragon-type Pokemon that resist Hydro Pump, and is especially helpful against the rising threat of Water Absorb Cacturne, which is a hard counter to Simipour otherwise. Meanwhile, Grass Knot allows Simipour to hit bulky Water-type Pokemon for decent damage, being particularly effective against Lapras, who would otherwise take its attacks with ease.</p>
<p>Although Simipour remains an excellent offensive threat, the main reason why it sees low usage in the metagame is that Gorebyss largely fulfils the same roles on many teams, while being much easier to use due to the ridiculous boosting capabilities that Shell Smash provides. However, it is worth noting that Simipour can outspeed many offensive opponents without any boosts, while Gorebyss is more or less forced to boost its Speed before it can deal with them effectively. This means that Simipour can simply be used in the early-game to wallop opponents with STAB Hydro Pump and super effective coverage moves, and does not have to boost until its checks are removed in the mid-game. Furthermore, this makes the combination of Simipour + Gorebyss very effective on hyper offensive teams, as Simipour can soften up the checks for Gorebyss before the latter attempts a sweep of its own. The offensive pressure that both of these sweepers can place on teams can often be overwhelming, unless the opponent prepares specific lures and checks for your Water-type Pokemon in advance.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward; Simipour needs as much power and Speed as it can get to sweep effectively. Not maximizing Special Attack and Speed would be selling its advantages short, especially as Simipour is so frail that investment in bulk will not save it from many specific KOs. Likewise, Life Orb is the primary item because of the extra power it provides. In terms of alternative attacking options, Simipour can use Surf as its STAB instead of Hydro Pump; while the power drop can be noticeable against defensive teams, Hydro Pump's imperfect accuracy can ruin a sweep. Overall, this makes Surf the more reliable option against offensive teams, but as Gorebyss is more effective in this respect, Hydro Pump is given the nod for its ability to soften up Gorebyss's checks as much as possible before Gorebyss attempts a sweep. Hidden Power Grass can also be used over Grass Knot, as it hits lighter opponents, such as Quagsire and Alomomola, ever-so-slightly harder, but the power loss against Lapras can be unappealing as it is one of the few bulky Water-types that can directly threaten to KO Simipour in return, and the former are already hit fairly hard anyways due to Quagsire's neutrality to Hydro Pump and Alomomola's shockingly poor Special Defense. Focus Blast is another offensive option, but doesn't actually hit a lot of opponents in the tier harder than either Hydro Pump or Grass Knot, and its low accuracy has a significant chance of screwing up Simipour's sweep. It does, however, deal more damage to Cryogonal, who can otherwise survive a STAB Hydro Pump and Toxic Simipour, greatly shortening the length of Simipour's sweep.</p>
<p>If you're not so concerned about Simipour being walled by Water-types, then you can run several support options over Grass Knot in the fourth moveslot, to improve Simipour's chances of setting up. Substitute can be used to block status, such as Thunder Wave from Mesprit and Spore from Amoonguss, letting Simipour set up Nasty Plots against them with little fear of being crippled. Substitute also provides Simipour with a defense against priority attackers, such as Cacturne and Absol, who would otherwise easily revenge kill the frail Simipour. Taunt can also be used as it is a reliable precaution against status users, and also prevents opponents from setting up Calm Minds, Substitutes, or entry hazards alongside Simipour, further reducing your opponent's options in dealing with Simipour. As Simipour outspeeds almost every wall in the tier, these measures are particularly effectively against defensive teams.</p>
<p>Even though Simipour is often used as a second-string attacker alongside Gorebyss, both of these Pokemon still appreciate certain forms of team support. Entry hazards are useful for breaking Focus Sashes and deactivating the Sturdy ability, which could save the likes of Sawk from certain death and allow them to threaten your sweepers, as well as limiting your opponent's ability to switch around in attempts to block your attacks and stall for Life Orb damage. Cacturne is particularly useful for this role as it can deal extremely well with the bulky Water-types that stand a chance of weathering Simipour's assaults, provide Spikes to stack residual damage, and even use Encore to provide Simipour and Gorebyss with setup opportunities. Likewise, Mesprit can provide Simipour with Stealth Rock support to break the Focus Sashes of Pokemon who are unaffected by Spikes, such as Haunter, while also being able to provide Rain Dance support. The Simipour + Gorebyss combo is especially devastating in rain, as Gorebyss now has the Speed to deal with offensive threats without boosting, and the power bonus it provides to both of their STABs is exceptional. With this in mind, good rain setters include Mesprit, who can also get Simipour in safely by using a slow U-turn, and Electrode, who can wear down bulky Water-types significantly with its Volt Switch and make them easier to break through.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Gluttony
nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a Choice item equipped, Simipour changes roles completely, turning from a wallbreaker or setup sweeper into a potent revenge killer, and turning from Gorebyss's second-in-command into a standalone threat. Choice Simipour retains the excellent coverage of its Nasty Plot set while also having room for a fourth attacking move. Focus Blast is used primarily for its ability to hit Cryogonal hard as it attempts to switch in, and also provides a stronger hit against specially defensive Normal-types such as Licklicky, who can survive an unboosted Hydro Pump. Simipour naturally outspeeds most opponents in the tier, meaning that even Choice Specs variants make excellent revenge killers. Opponents such as Magmortar, Sawk, and Rotom-S cannot hope to outspeed it without using a Choice Scarf, and are thus revenge killed fairly easily once Simipour gets in. When using Choice Specs, Simipour has the advantage of hitting harder initially than the Nasty Plot set, while still retaining its excellent Speed tier and not taking any residual damage, meaning it can clean up weakened teams more effectively in the late-game, and it can sweep offensive teams much more easily than an unboosted Gorebyss.<p>
<p>On the other hand, a Simipour equipped with a Choice Scarf becomes one of the fastest threats in the entire metagame, outspeeding almost all other Choice Scarf users and threatening most of them—as well as many other threats, namely Swellow, Tauros, Rapidash and boosted Altaria—with a powerful STAB Hydro Pump. Though less effective against defensive teams, Choice Scarf Simipour can halt or severely shorten the sweep of many offensive Pokemon due to its ridiculous Speed and ability to OHKO with Hydro Pump or super effective coverage moves. In fact, the only offensive checks that can deal reliably with Choice Scarf Simipour effectively are priority attackers. Jynx deserves a special mention as it takes almost no damage from all of Simipour's common moves, and therefore doesn't need to outspeed Simipour to beat it. While these sets don't have to be used alongside Gorebyss and aren't outclassed by it at all, Gorebyss does appreciate Choice Simipour's ability to revenge kill fast opponents that could otherwise interrupt its boosting attempts.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Just like the Nasty Plot set, Simipour wants to fully invest in its Special Attack and Speed stats to hit as hard and as fast as possible, as it will likely take considerable damage if it fails to KO the foe. Although a Pokemon at Simipour's Speed tier would elect to run a Timid nature in OU, this isn't actually necessary in the NU metagame, as Simipour is able to outspeed even the faster offensive threats, namely Timid Magmortar, Jolly Sawk, and Timid Rotom-S, with a Modest nature. The only threats that Simipour becomes more vulnerable to by running a Modest nature are Haunter and Jynx, the latter of which is a hard counter to non-boosting Simipour anyways. Therefore, unless your team has problems dealing with Haunter, using a Modest nature on Simipour is the way to go thanks to the extra power it provides, which is especially important when using a Choice Scarf. In terms of team support, Choice Simipour appreciates entry hazard support more so than Nasty Plot variants do, as it forces more switches as the opponent attempts to block Simipour's attacks. Entry hazards increase the damage output of the Choice Scarf set as well. Choice Simipour also appreciates Rapid Spin support, as it will be switching in and out of battle many times throughout matches and it is unfortunately vulnerable to both Spikes and Stealth Rock. Although neither of these hazards particularly cripple Simipour, they can eventually wear it down as it attempts to fulfil its revenge killing role in the late game. Torkoal is a good candidate for this, as it can use both Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock to support Simipour, while also dealing with Cacturne and Absol excellently thanks to its excellent Defense stat and STAB Lava Plume.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Simipour also has a good Attack stat, but doesn't really secure a lot of extra coverage when using physical attacks, and as they are coming off of an uninvested stat, they will usually be significantly weaker than their special counterparts. Waterfall is completely inferior to Hydro Pump due to its lower Base Power and the greater prevalence of physical walls, such as Regirock. Acrobatics is an interesting option, but requires the use of a Flying Gem to be useful, and lacks overall purpose whilst preventing Simipour from running a Life Orb or Choice item to boost its other moves or Speed. Rock Slide is a notable exception, as when run with a Naive nature, it grants Simipour the ability to OHKO offensive Jynx and Cryogonal, which are otherwise two excellent checks. However, it achieves nothing apart from this, and is thus generally an inferior option over Simipour's special coverage moves. Likewise, Simipour also has access to Hone Claws and Work Up to boost its Attack stat, but these sets will always be inferior to the Nasty Plot set due to the latter's faster boosting capability, more powerful attacking options, and better coverage.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>As Simipour will most likely be using Grass-type coverage moves in this metagame, Mantine makes an unexpected counter. It heals from Hydro Pump, tanks neutral Grass Knot and Ice Beam with ease due to its titanic Special Defense, and resists Focus Blast. In the meantime, it can simply stall Simipour out with Rest, Sleep Talk, and Toxic, or with repeated Hidden Power Flying. Jynx also makes a particularly good response to all Simipour that lack Rock Slide, as it also heals if hit by Hydro Pump, resists Ice Beam, and takes paltry damage from Grass Knot. Jynx is a more useful offensive check as Timid variants can outspeed Modest Simipour, and can set up with moves such as Calm Mind and Nasty Plot, as well as put Simipour to sleep with Lovely Kiss. If you lack these specific responses, powerful Sucker Punch users, such as Absol and Cacturne, can be useful in halting Simipour's sweep too; the latter is also able to switch into Hydro Pump and Grass Knot. Choice Scarf users can take down the Nasty Plot set fairly easily, but are in turn eliminated by Choice Scarf Simipour, so you must make sure to determine which set Simipour is running before attempting to stop it via this method.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Simipour benefits significantly from the Dream World, gaining access to the Torrent ability. This provides Simipour with an insane power boost to its Hydro Pump should it be reduced to below 33% health, which is easily done due to its poor defenses, good Speed, and access to Substitute. Once Torrent is released, Simipour's Substitute + Nasty Plot set will be significantly improved, as not only does it gain access to a more powerful STAB, but it can also be utilized with a Salac Berry, letting Simipour outspeed every opponent in the metagame whilst still hitting like a truck, and not taking any recoil damage at all whilst it sweeps. In essence, this may well elevate Simipour to Gorebyss's level of attacking prowess and beyond, making the combination of the two even more devastating.</p>
[Overview]
<p>Despite its appearance and reputation, Simipour is actually a very effective offensive Pokemon in NU, putting teams under pressure with its incredible Speed, great coverage, and ability to boost its good Special Attack stat with Nasty Plot. Sadly, it lives under the shadow of Gorebyss, who is the more popular Water-type booster in the tier because of its access to Shell Smash, better Special Attack, and a good enough Defense stat to take priority hits. However, Simipour is still perfectly usable, and can distinguish itself from Gorebyss through the use of coverage moves, such as Grass Knot and Focus Blast, which Gorebyss doesn't have access to. Furthermore, Simipour can be used alongside Gorebyss on a pseudo-double Dragon team, in which one Pokemon to soften up the opponent's checks enough so that the other can attempt a full sweep, just like Salamence + Rayquaza in Ubers, and Heracross + Pinsir in UU. Unlike Gorebyss, Simipour also makes a good Choice-item user, and thus is a better option if you're looking for a potent revenge killer on your team. All in all, whilst Simipour has its disadvantages, it certainly doesn't Simisuck.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
ability: Gluttony
nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Simipour's excellent speed, great coverage, and access to STAB Hydro Pump combine to make it a particularly good user of Nasty Plot, as it can threaten to sweep an unprepared opponent after a single boost once Choice Scarf users and faster threats, such as Swellow, are removed. Very few walls can take repeated boosted attacks from Simipour, as those that resist Hydro Pump, such as Altaria and Lapras, are hit extremely hard by Ice Beam and Grass Knot, respectively. This fantastic coverage means many teams are only able to check Simipour with a faster offensive Pokemon or a Sucker Punch user, such as Absol. Simipour can hence keep constant pressure on the opponent, forcing them to make predictable moves to check it, which allows you to out-maneuver them effectively. Hydro Pump is a superior STAB attack to Surf as Simipour's base 98 Special Attack is slightly underwhelming. This is especially important if Simipour attacks early in the game instead of boosting, because Surf simply won't have enough power. Ice Beam provides coverage against the various Grass- and Dragon-type Pokemon that resist Hydro Pump, and is especially helpful against the rising threat of Water Absorb Cacturne, which is a hard counter to Simipour otherwise. Meanwhile, Grass Knot allows Simipour to hit bulky Water-type Pokemon for decent damage, being particularly effective against Lapras, who would otherwise take its attacks with ease.</p>
<p>Although Simipour remains an excellent offensive threat, the main reason why it sees low usage in the metagame is that Gorebyss largely fulfils the same roles on many teams, while being much easier to use due to the ridiculous boosting capabilities that Shell Smash provides. However, it is worth noting that Simipour can outspeed many offensive opponents without any boosts, while Gorebyss is more or less forced to boost its Speed before it can deal with them effectively. This means that Simipour can simply be used in the early-game to wallop opponents with STAB Hydro Pump and super effective coverage moves, and does not have to boost until its checks are removed in the mid-game. Furthermore, this makes the combination of Simipour + Gorebyss very effective on hyper offensive teams, as Simipour can soften up the checks for Gorebyss before the latter attempts a sweep of its own. The offensive pressure that both of these sweepers can place on teams can often be overwhelming, unless the opponent prepares specific lures and checks for your Water-type Pokemon in advance.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward; Simipour needs as much power and Speed as it can get to sweep effectively. Not maximizing Special Attack and Speed would be selling its advantages short, especially as Simipour is so frail that investment in bulk will not save it from many specific KOs. Likewise, Life Orb is the primary item because of the extra power it provides. In terms of alternative attacking options, Simipour can use Surf as its STAB instead of Hydro Pump; while the power drop can be noticeable against defensive teams, Hydro Pump's imperfect accuracy can ruin a sweep. Overall, this makes Surf the more reliable option against offensive teams, but as Gorebyss is more effective in this respect, Hydro Pump is given the nod for its ability to soften up Gorebyss's checks as much as possible before Gorebyss attempts a sweep. Hidden Power Grass can also be used over Grass Knot, as it hits lighter opponents, such as Quagsire and Alomomola, ever-so-slightly harder, but the power loss against Lapras can be unappealing as it is one of the few bulky Water-types that can directly threaten to KO Simipour in return, and the former are already hit fairly hard anyways due to Quagsire's neutrality to Hydro Pump and Alomomola's shockingly poor Special Defense. Focus Blast is another offensive option, but doesn't actually hit a lot of opponents in the tier harder than either Hydro Pump or Grass Knot, and its low accuracy has a significant chance of screwing up Simipour's sweep. It does, however, deal more damage to Cryogonal, who can otherwise survive a STAB Hydro Pump and Toxic Simipour, greatly shortening the length of Simipour's sweep.</p>
<p>If you're not so concerned about Simipour being walled by Water-types, then you can run several support options over Grass Knot in the fourth moveslot, to improve Simipour's chances of setting up. Substitute can be used to block status, such as Thunder Wave from Mesprit and Spore from Amoonguss, letting Simipour set up Nasty Plots against them with little fear of being crippled. Substitute also provides Simipour with a defense against priority attackers, such as Cacturne and Absol, who would otherwise easily revenge kill the frail Simipour. Taunt can also be used as it is a reliable precaution against status users, and also prevents opponents from setting up Calm Minds, Substitutes, or entry hazards alongside Simipour, further reducing your opponent's options in dealing with Simipour. As Simipour outspeeds almost every wall in the tier, these measures are particularly effectively against defensive teams.</p>
<p>Even though Simipour is often used as a second-string attacker alongside Gorebyss, both of these Pokemon still appreciate certain forms of team support. Entry hazards are useful for breaking Focus Sashes and deactivating the Sturdy ability, which could save the likes of Sawk from certain death and allow them to threaten your sweepers, as well as limiting your opponent's ability to switch around in attempts to block your attacks and stall for Life Orb damage. Cacturne is particularly useful for this role as it can deal extremely well with the bulky Water-types that stand a chance of weathering Simipour's assaults, provide Spikes to stack residual damage, and even use Encore to provide Simipour and Gorebyss with setup opportunities. Likewise, Mesprit can provide Simipour with Stealth Rock support to break the Focus Sashes of Pokemon who are unaffected by Spikes, such as Haunter, while also being able to provide Rain Dance support. The Simipour + Gorebyss combo is especially devastating in rain, as Gorebyss now has the Speed to deal with offensive threats without boosting, and the power bonus it provides to both of their STABs is exceptional. With this in mind, good rain setters include Mesprit, who can also get Simipour in safely by using a slow U-turn, and Electrode, who can wear down bulky Water-types significantly with its Volt Switch and make them easier to break through.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Gluttony
nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With a Choice item equipped, Simipour changes roles completely, turning from a wallbreaker or setup sweeper into a potent revenge killer, and turning from Gorebyss's second-in-command into a standalone threat. Choice Simipour retains the excellent coverage of its Nasty Plot set while also having room for a fourth attacking move. Focus Blast is used primarily for its ability to hit Cryogonal hard as it attempts to switch in, and also provides a stronger hit against specially defensive Normal-types such as Licklicky, who can survive an unboosted Hydro Pump. Simipour naturally outspeeds most opponents in the tier, meaning that even Choice Specs variants make excellent revenge killers. Opponents such as Magmortar, Sawk, and Rotom-S cannot hope to outspeed it without using a Choice Scarf, and are thus revenge killed fairly easily once Simipour gets in. When using Choice Specs, Simipour has the advantage of hitting harder initially than the Nasty Plot set, while still retaining its excellent Speed tier and not taking any residual damage, meaning it can clean up weakened teams more effectively in the late-game, and it can sweep offensive teams much more easily than an unboosted Gorebyss.<p>
<p>On the other hand, a Simipour equipped with a Choice Scarf becomes one of the fastest threats in the entire metagame, outspeeding almost all other Choice Scarf users and threatening most of them—as well as many other threats, namely Swellow, Tauros, Rapidash and boosted Altaria—with a powerful STAB Hydro Pump. Though less effective against defensive teams, Choice Scarf Simipour can halt or severely shorten the sweep of many offensive Pokemon due to its ridiculous Speed and ability to OHKO with Hydro Pump or super effective coverage moves. In fact, the only offensive checks that can deal reliably with Choice Scarf Simipour effectively are priority attackers. Jynx deserves a special mention as it takes almost no damage from all of Simipour's common moves, and therefore doesn't need to outspeed Simipour to beat it. While these sets don't have to be used alongside Gorebyss and aren't outclassed by it at all, Gorebyss does appreciate Choice Simipour's ability to revenge kill fast opponents that could otherwise interrupt its boosting attempts.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Just like the Nasty Plot set, Simipour wants to fully invest in its Special Attack and Speed stats to hit as hard and as fast as possible, as it will likely take considerable damage if it fails to KO the foe. Although a Pokemon at Simipour's Speed tier would elect to run a Timid nature in OU, this isn't actually necessary in the NU metagame, as Simipour is able to outspeed even the faster offensive threats, namely Timid Magmortar, Jolly Sawk, and Timid Rotom-S, with a Modest nature. The only threats that Simipour becomes more vulnerable to by running a Modest nature are Haunter and Jynx, the latter of which is a hard counter to non-boosting Simipour anyways. Therefore, unless your team has problems dealing with Haunter, using a Modest nature on Simipour is the way to go thanks to the extra power it provides, which is especially important when using a Choice Scarf. In terms of team support, Choice Simipour appreciates entry hazard support more so than Nasty Plot variants do, as it forces more switches as the opponent attempts to block Simipour's attacks. Entry hazards increase the damage output of the Choice Scarf set as well. Choice Simipour also appreciates Rapid Spin support, as it will be switching in and out of battle many times throughout matches and it is unfortunately vulnerable to both Spikes and Stealth Rock. Although neither of these hazards particularly cripple Simipour, they can eventually wear it down as it attempts to fulfil its revenge killing role in the late game. Torkoal is a good candidate for this, as it can use both Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock to support Simipour, while also dealing with Cacturne and Absol excellently thanks to its excellent Defense stat and STAB Lava Plume.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Simipour also has a good Attack stat, but doesn't really secure a lot of extra coverage when using physical attacks, and as they are coming off of an uninvested stat, they will usually be significantly weaker than their special counterparts. Waterfall is completely inferior to Hydro Pump due to its lower Base Power and the greater prevalence of physical walls, such as Regirock. Acrobatics is an interesting option, but requires the use of a Flying Gem to be useful, and lacks overall purpose whilst preventing Simipour from running a Life Orb or Choice item to boost its other moves or Speed. Rock Slide is a notable exception, as when run with a Naive nature, it grants Simipour the ability to OHKO offensive Jynx and Cryogonal, which are otherwise two excellent checks. However, it achieves nothing apart from this, and is thus generally an inferior option over Simipour's special coverage moves. Likewise, Simipour also has access to Hone Claws and Work Up to boost its Attack stat, but these sets will always be inferior to the Nasty Plot set due to the latter's faster boosting capability, more powerful attacking options, and better coverage.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>As Simipour will most likely be using Grass-type coverage moves in this metagame, Mantine makes an unexpected counter. It heals from Hydro Pump, tanks neutral Grass Knot and Ice Beam with ease due to its titanic Special Defense, and resists Focus Blast. In the meantime, it can simply stall Simipour out with Rest, Sleep Talk, and Toxic, or with repeated Hidden Power Flying. Jynx also makes a particularly good response to all Simipour that lack Rock Slide, as it also heals if hit by Hydro Pump, resists Ice Beam, and takes paltry damage from Grass Knot. Jynx is a more useful offensive check as Timid variants can outspeed Modest Simipour, and can set up with moves such as Calm Mind and Nasty Plot, as well as put Simipour to sleep with Lovely Kiss. If you lack these specific responses, powerful Sucker Punch users, such as Absol and Cacturne, can be useful in halting Simipour's sweep too; the latter is also able to switch into Hydro Pump and Grass Knot. Choice Scarf users can take down the Nasty Plot set fairly easily, but are in turn eliminated by Choice Scarf Simipour, so you must make sure to determine which set Simipour is running before attempting to stop it via this method.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Simipour benefits significantly from the Dream World, gaining access to the Torrent ability. This provides Simipour with an insane power boost to its Hydro Pump should it be reduced to below 33% health, which is easily done due to its poor defenses, good Speed, and access to Substitute. Once Torrent is released, Simipour's Substitute + Nasty Plot set will be significantly improved, as not only does it gain access to a more powerful STAB, but it can also be utilized with a Salac Berry, letting Simipour outspeed every opponent in the metagame whilst still hitting like a truck, and not taking any recoil damage at all whilst it sweeps. In essence, this may well elevate Simipour to Gorebyss's level of attacking prowess and beyond, making the combination of the two even more devastating.</p>