tennisace
not quite too old for this, apparently
Original: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1061816#post1061816
With all the revisions, this needs a change. I'm going to post my edit soon once I look at statistics and all that, but some major changes are coming.
Disclaimer: This is for people who have been on the server and actually TESTED it, not pure theorymon.
[SET]
name: Tail Glow Sweeper
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Earth Power / Hidden Power Fire
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a very threatening set. Put 114 Special Attack and 115 Speed together with great offensive typing, and throw in arguably one of the best stat-up moves in the game, and this is the result. Tail Glow, Ice Beam, and Bug Buzz form the core of the set, boosting Syclant's Special Attack to sky high levels.</p>
<p>The last slot is best occupied by Earth Power, which deals with threats like Infernape, Tentacruel, non-scarf Heatran, and Lucario. However, Hidden Power Fire is an equally viable option, though you lose some coverage while using it. It will completely annihilate Scizor and Forretress, and leave a large dent in Bronzong. Blizzard is another option over Mountaineer with Compoundeyes, boosting it's accuracy to around 91%, or with Hail support, making it's accuracy nearly perfect. Be aware that while using Compoundeyes, you take 50% from Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin support is strongly advised if you want to live.</p>
<p>Focus Sash is the best option for an item, as it allows you to get in one more hit before dying to something like a Stratagem Paleo Wave or Scizor Bullet Punch. However, with Sandstorm teams running amok, Life Orb is useful for the extra power it provides, albeit with the negative side effect of losing 16.25% of your health in Sandstorm.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Ice Shard / Ice Punch
move 4: Brick Break
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is the physical equivalant of the Tail Glow set, with slightly higher Attack than Special Attack at base 116. However, it has slightly worse coverage. X-Scissor and Ice Shard are your main STAB attacks, and are particularly effective at eliminating most of Syclant's main switch-ins, due to their higher Special Defense on average. Ice Punch is a good option over Ice Shard if you want more power in exchange for the loss of priority.</p>
<p>The last slot is best occupied by Brick Break, allowing it to hammer most Steel-types harder than it's other attacks. However, Shadow Claw is an option to hit Revenankh for Super Effective damage, as well as Aerial Ace. Dig is an option if you're in need of a ground move on Syclant, but the two turn charge-up is quite undesireable. As for the item, Focus Sash is once again the main option, with Life Orb as an option. Mountaineer is compeletely recommended over Compoundeyes due to all the moves being 100% accurate.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Hidden Power Fire/ Air Slash
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set has the ability to do massage damage to most of the OU metagame, provided you predict right. Bug Buzz, Ice Beam, Earth Power provide excellent coverage on most of the OU metagame, with a few exceptions. Hidden Power Fire can work in the last slot to hit Steel-type Pokemon (save Heatran), but Air Slash can demolish Revenankh and other Syclant. If you wish, you can use a Modest nature and a Choice Scarf with the same set to become a better revenge killer, but you lose a significant amount of power doing so. Mountaineer is the preferred option for the ability once again, so Syclant can switch in more.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A Choice Band Set can be put together to surprise Syclant's counters who are usually special based, however it's not that great and is outclassed by the Swords Dance set. U-turn can be used for scouting on choice sets, since most of it's counters can be trapped with either Dugtrio or Magnezone. Night Slash, Crunch, and Shadow Claw are specific options to hit Psychic-types and Ghost-types. However, the low base power is slightly off-putting. Rock Slide is an option to deal with other Bug-types and Ice-types, as is Fire Fang. Counter can be abused with Focus Sash to get rid of a pesky threat like Tyranitar or Scizor, sacrificing yourself in the process. Return can be used for neutral coverage, but is generally inferior to anything else Syclant has.</p>
[EVs]
<p>EVing Syclant is quite simple. Just put 252 EVs in Speed, and then 252 EVs in whatever attack stat you're using. It's futile to go mixed, as it doesn't allow Syclant to OHKO anything notable.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Syclant can tear through some of D/P's prestige walls, but is extremely high maintenance. Its typing is a mixed bag. It has two wonderful STABs for an offensive Poke, but is hindered by a horrible SR weakness, and two glaring 4x weaknesses. Mountaineer takes care of this, but leaves it using a weaker STAB. If you can keep Syclant in good condition then it will be a great asset to your team.</p>
<p>In order to survive, Syclant relies on its extremely powerful and accurate STAB moves and its impunity to Stealth Rock. Taking either one of these away will weaken it significantly. If it is running the Compound Eyes ability, an opponent that can use Stealth Rock and prevent them from being spun away will stop Syclant in its tracks. If Syclant is using Abomasnow's hail for 100% Acc Blizzard then your own weather changer will hinder it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Scizor is Syclant's best counter, only fearing the rare Hidden Power Fire, and OHKOing with Bullet Punch with or without a Swords Dance. Scarf Heatran can also dispatch of Syclant quite easily, toasting it to a crisp with any of its Fire-type moves; Stratagem works the same way and can outspeed Syclant and OHKO with any Rock-type move. Tyranitar can easily survive a Bug Buzz and OHKO with Stone Edge; Bronzong and Forretress can survive an attack and OHKO with Gyro Ball. Machamp can survive most attacks and OHKO with Stone Edge. Blissey can shut down any special-based Syclant with it's amazing defenses. As far as general counters go, Bulky Water-types do a good job of shutting it down and setting up on it, particularly CM Cune.</p>
With all the revisions, this needs a change. I'm going to post my edit soon once I look at statistics and all that, but some major changes are coming.
Disclaimer: This is for people who have been on the server and actually TESTED it, not pure theorymon.
[SET]
name: Tail Glow Sweeper
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Earth Power / Hidden Power Fire
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a very threatening set. Put 114 Special Attack and 115 Speed together with great offensive typing, and throw in arguably one of the best stat-up moves in the game, and this is the result. Tail Glow, Ice Beam, and Bug Buzz form the core of the set, boosting Syclant's Special Attack to sky high levels.</p>
<p>The last slot is best occupied by Earth Power, which deals with threats like Infernape, Tentacruel, non-scarf Heatran, and Lucario. However, Hidden Power Fire is an equally viable option, though you lose some coverage while using it. It will completely annihilate Scizor and Forretress, and leave a large dent in Bronzong. Blizzard is another option over Mountaineer with Compoundeyes, boosting it's accuracy to around 91%, or with Hail support, making it's accuracy nearly perfect. Be aware that while using Compoundeyes, you take 50% from Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin support is strongly advised if you want to live.</p>
<p>Focus Sash is the best option for an item, as it allows you to get in one more hit before dying to something like a Stratagem Paleo Wave or Scizor Bullet Punch. However, with Sandstorm teams running amok, Life Orb is useful for the extra power it provides, albeit with the negative side effect of losing 16.25% of your health in Sandstorm.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Ice Shard / Ice Punch
move 4: Brick Break
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is the physical equivalant of the Tail Glow set, with slightly higher Attack than Special Attack at base 116. However, it has slightly worse coverage. X-Scissor and Ice Shard are your main STAB attacks, and are particularly effective at eliminating most of Syclant's main switch-ins, due to their higher Special Defense on average. Ice Punch is a good option over Ice Shard if you want more power in exchange for the loss of priority.</p>
<p>The last slot is best occupied by Brick Break, allowing it to hammer most Steel-types harder than it's other attacks. However, Shadow Claw is an option to hit Revenankh for Super Effective damage, as well as Aerial Ace. Dig is an option if you're in need of a ground move on Syclant, but the two turn charge-up is quite undesireable. As for the item, Focus Sash is once again the main option, with Life Orb as an option. Mountaineer is compeletely recommended over Compoundeyes due to all the moves being 100% accurate.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Hidden Power Fire/ Air Slash
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Mountaineer
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set has the ability to do massage damage to most of the OU metagame, provided you predict right. Bug Buzz, Ice Beam, Earth Power provide excellent coverage on most of the OU metagame, with a few exceptions. Hidden Power Fire can work in the last slot to hit Steel-type Pokemon (save Heatran), but Air Slash can demolish Revenankh and other Syclant. If you wish, you can use a Modest nature and a Choice Scarf with the same set to become a better revenge killer, but you lose a significant amount of power doing so. Mountaineer is the preferred option for the ability once again, so Syclant can switch in more.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A Choice Band Set can be put together to surprise Syclant's counters who are usually special based, however it's not that great and is outclassed by the Swords Dance set. U-turn can be used for scouting on choice sets, since most of it's counters can be trapped with either Dugtrio or Magnezone. Night Slash, Crunch, and Shadow Claw are specific options to hit Psychic-types and Ghost-types. However, the low base power is slightly off-putting. Rock Slide is an option to deal with other Bug-types and Ice-types, as is Fire Fang. Counter can be abused with Focus Sash to get rid of a pesky threat like Tyranitar or Scizor, sacrificing yourself in the process. Return can be used for neutral coverage, but is generally inferior to anything else Syclant has.</p>
[EVs]
<p>EVing Syclant is quite simple. Just put 252 EVs in Speed, and then 252 EVs in whatever attack stat you're using. It's futile to go mixed, as it doesn't allow Syclant to OHKO anything notable.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Syclant can tear through some of D/P's prestige walls, but is extremely high maintenance. Its typing is a mixed bag. It has two wonderful STABs for an offensive Poke, but is hindered by a horrible SR weakness, and two glaring 4x weaknesses. Mountaineer takes care of this, but leaves it using a weaker STAB. If you can keep Syclant in good condition then it will be a great asset to your team.</p>
<p>In order to survive, Syclant relies on its extremely powerful and accurate STAB moves and its impunity to Stealth Rock. Taking either one of these away will weaken it significantly. If it is running the Compound Eyes ability, an opponent that can use Stealth Rock and prevent them from being spun away will stop Syclant in its tracks. If Syclant is using Abomasnow's hail for 100% Acc Blizzard then your own weather changer will hinder it.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Scizor is Syclant's best counter, only fearing the rare Hidden Power Fire, and OHKOing with Bullet Punch with or without a Swords Dance. Scarf Heatran can also dispatch of Syclant quite easily, toasting it to a crisp with any of its Fire-type moves; Stratagem works the same way and can outspeed Syclant and OHKO with any Rock-type move. Tyranitar can easily survive a Bug Buzz and OHKO with Stone Edge; Bronzong and Forretress can survive an attack and OHKO with Gyro Ball. Machamp can survive most attacks and OHKO with Stone Edge. Blissey can shut down any special-based Syclant with it's amazing defenses. As far as general counters go, Bulky Water-types do a good job of shutting it down and setting up on it, particularly CM Cune.</p>