QC Stamps: 2/2 [Diana] [ShinyAzelf]
GP Checks: 2/2 [ElDino] [NixHex]
[Overview]
<p>At a first glance, Spinarak looks like a really bad Pokemon. However, it actually has some good things that make it viable. First of all, Spinarak learns some decent moves that can deal major damage to unsuspecting opponents. Its Attack stat isn't that bad, but the rest of Spinarak's attributes are nothing to brag about. Swarm, Spinarak's ability, can be useful in some cases, but most of the time it will faint before it reaches the activation zone. Overall, Spinarak is not a bad Pokemon, but others outclass it, making it less viable in the metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Boosting Sweeper
move 1: Agility
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Bug Bite
move 4: Poison Jab / Cross Poison
item: Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Sniper
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
ivs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If Spinarak gets the chance to use Agility even once, it will reach 24 Speed, outspeeding the majority of Little Cup Pokemon. Night Slash hits Ghost-types such as Gastly super effectively. Bug Bite is a great STAB attack that has more power than Twineddle, steals a berry from the opposing Pokemon, and decimates any Grass-, Psychic-, or Dark-type Pokemon. Poison Jab or Cross Poison can be used in the fourth slot. Poison Jab deals more damage and has a chance of inflicting poison, and while Cross Poison has slightly less base power, it has a higher chance of getting a critical hit. If Cross Poison is used, Sniper is the preferred ability, as a critical hit will deal three times as much damage. 0 HP IVs are given so that Spinarak only takes one point of damage from the Life Orb recoil instead of two.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p> Spinarak could use a Jolly nature, but the drop in power is never welcome, especially when Spinarak can already reach 24 Speed with just one Agility. Spinarak could also use Sucker Punch, but it is a little less reliable when opposing Pokemon, such as Slowpoke, uses a healing move like Slack Off. Chinchou is a good partner, as it resists the Fire-type attacks that deal super effective damage to Spinarak, and can KO Fire-types with a STAB Hydro Pump. Staryu and Tentacool resist Fire-type attacks, and can effectively use Rapid Spin, making them good teammates for Spinarak too. Houndour also pairs well because it can absorb any Fire-type attacks aimed at Spinarak with its ability, Flash Fire, and can then deal huge damage with a boosted STAB Fire Blast. Ferroseed counters this set with ease; it can both set up entry hazards and tank Spinarak's attacks with ease.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Spinarak's movepool is not vast, but it does get a couple of other decent moves. Psychic, Signal Beam, and Sludge Bomb are all very powerful special attacks, but Spinarak's Special Attack is too low, and it would not benefit from using such attacks. It does learn Toxic Spikes, but it wouldn't be able to use it twice because of its awful defenses. Bounce could be used against the very common Scraggy and Mienfoo, but it is only useful as they switch in, since both Pokemon beat Spinarak one on one. Bug Bite is a STAB move that also allows Spinarak to steal the opponents berry, and still hits Grass- and Dark-types hard. A Baton Pass set could be used, as Spinarak gets Agility and Hone Claws, meaning that whoever receives the boosts may be able to do some decent damage. Dig could be used to hit the Steel-types that counter Spinarak, but the opponent could easily switch out to a Pokemon that is immune to the move. Disable could work, but Spinarak generally wouldn't last long enough to get a chance to use it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p> Fire-types in general can easily OHKO Spinarak with one of their Fire-type attacks. Dwebble can set up on Spinarak, whether it be with entry hazards or the rare Shell Smash set. Aron and Cranidos can KO Spinarak with their STAB Head Smash. Stealth Rock can wear down Spinarak every time it switches in, causing it to lose 25% of its health. Ferroseed is immune to or resists all of Spinarak's moves except for Twineedle, which will not do much damage because of Spinarak's average Attack stat. Frillish and Duskull can both take a hit from Night Slash and then burn Spinarak with Will-O-Wisp, making Spinarak take damage every turn and cutting Spinarak's Attack stat in half.</p>
GP Checks: 2/2 [ElDino] [NixHex]
[Overview]
<p>At a first glance, Spinarak looks like a really bad Pokemon. However, it actually has some good things that make it viable. First of all, Spinarak learns some decent moves that can deal major damage to unsuspecting opponents. Its Attack stat isn't that bad, but the rest of Spinarak's attributes are nothing to brag about. Swarm, Spinarak's ability, can be useful in some cases, but most of the time it will faint before it reaches the activation zone. Overall, Spinarak is not a bad Pokemon, but others outclass it, making it less viable in the metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Boosting Sweeper
move 1: Agility
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Bug Bite
move 4: Poison Jab / Cross Poison
item: Life Orb
ability: Swarm / Sniper
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
ivs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If Spinarak gets the chance to use Agility even once, it will reach 24 Speed, outspeeding the majority of Little Cup Pokemon. Night Slash hits Ghost-types such as Gastly super effectively. Bug Bite is a great STAB attack that has more power than Twineddle, steals a berry from the opposing Pokemon, and decimates any Grass-, Psychic-, or Dark-type Pokemon. Poison Jab or Cross Poison can be used in the fourth slot. Poison Jab deals more damage and has a chance of inflicting poison, and while Cross Poison has slightly less base power, it has a higher chance of getting a critical hit. If Cross Poison is used, Sniper is the preferred ability, as a critical hit will deal three times as much damage. 0 HP IVs are given so that Spinarak only takes one point of damage from the Life Orb recoil instead of two.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p> Spinarak could use a Jolly nature, but the drop in power is never welcome, especially when Spinarak can already reach 24 Speed with just one Agility. Spinarak could also use Sucker Punch, but it is a little less reliable when opposing Pokemon, such as Slowpoke, uses a healing move like Slack Off. Chinchou is a good partner, as it resists the Fire-type attacks that deal super effective damage to Spinarak, and can KO Fire-types with a STAB Hydro Pump. Staryu and Tentacool resist Fire-type attacks, and can effectively use Rapid Spin, making them good teammates for Spinarak too. Houndour also pairs well because it can absorb any Fire-type attacks aimed at Spinarak with its ability, Flash Fire, and can then deal huge damage with a boosted STAB Fire Blast. Ferroseed counters this set with ease; it can both set up entry hazards and tank Spinarak's attacks with ease.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Spinarak's movepool is not vast, but it does get a couple of other decent moves. Psychic, Signal Beam, and Sludge Bomb are all very powerful special attacks, but Spinarak's Special Attack is too low, and it would not benefit from using such attacks. It does learn Toxic Spikes, but it wouldn't be able to use it twice because of its awful defenses. Bounce could be used against the very common Scraggy and Mienfoo, but it is only useful as they switch in, since both Pokemon beat Spinarak one on one. Bug Bite is a STAB move that also allows Spinarak to steal the opponents berry, and still hits Grass- and Dark-types hard. A Baton Pass set could be used, as Spinarak gets Agility and Hone Claws, meaning that whoever receives the boosts may be able to do some decent damage. Dig could be used to hit the Steel-types that counter Spinarak, but the opponent could easily switch out to a Pokemon that is immune to the move. Disable could work, but Spinarak generally wouldn't last long enough to get a chance to use it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p> Fire-types in general can easily OHKO Spinarak with one of their Fire-type attacks. Dwebble can set up on Spinarak, whether it be with entry hazards or the rare Shell Smash set. Aron and Cranidos can KO Spinarak with their STAB Head Smash. Stealth Rock can wear down Spinarak every time it switches in, causing it to lose 25% of its health. Ferroseed is immune to or resists all of Spinarak's moves except for Twineedle, which will not do much damage because of Spinarak's average Attack stat. Frillish and Duskull can both take a hit from Night Slash and then burn Spinarak with Will-O-Wisp, making Spinarak take damage every turn and cutting Spinarak's Attack stat in half.</p>
