Approved by Level 51, OP (mostly) stolen from Mazz, Art by Tyranitards
I for one, along with many others I'm sure, feel as though there is some untapped power within the Doubles environment. There is substantial evidence for this idea in the form of one commonality for most tiers, Doubles included: there always seems to be one or more new-fangled, hyped up sets that weren't originally main-stay or seen as "viable" by the community, but somehow has taken the metagame by storm. This can be seen in DPP OU (with Special Lucario transitioning to SD Lucario, Heatran eventually running items other than Choice Scarf, and the influx of ChestoRest Kingdra) in ADV (with the vaunted TyraniBoah now becoming almost an urban myth in comparison to Special and DD Tyranitar, and the increasing popularity of SupeRachi) and in BW OU (with the advent of SubSalac Terrakion, SubDisable Gengar, and ChestoRest Volcarona). Yes, some of these sets may have been found early on with respect to the creation of the tier or fairly recently, the point is, though, that there seems to be an endless supply of effective and potent sets out there yet to be discovered, especially factoring in metagame swings and the possible tier shifts. The purpose of this project will be to systematically subject each and every Doubles Pokemon to a collective body of research in an attempt to uncover these "hidden gems", so to speak, and hopefully spark some creativity throughout the Doubles community.
The Process:
Each week, I will choose a different Doubles Pokemon, sometimes chosen by random, sometimes chosen by curiosity, of which participants will try to personally create a new set for that is not already on-site or in the process of being put on-site. If an analysis isn't currently being written, please use common sense when making a nomination. Participants will be given 5 days to create their set, with discussion about the particular sets being promoted throughout, and on the 6th and 7th day of the week, a vote will be held to choose which user's set represented the most creative and simultaneously competitively viable set to utilize in the current Doubles metagame. Once the votes are tallied and a winner is crowned, the set will be archived in the OP and the process will start all over again for the next Pokemon specimen. If your sets continually win, you could potentially win yourself a Community Contributor Badge nomination.
What are we looking for?:
Specifically, I want to stress the importance of the balance between creativity and viability when picking a set to post for the Pokemon in question. There's a very fine line between a "creative" set and a "gimmick", and this project is not meant to produce gimmicks, rather emphasize the ability to think outside the box when using a specific Pokemon in order to maximize it's potential. Having said that, I would also like to deviate from simple one move / item changes. For example, using Lum Berry over Life Orb on an SD Virizion does nothing to show any untapped potential Virizion has because we already have a basic understanding of what SD Virizion is and does, it's just now better at dealing with status and has less power. The same goes for using Iron Head over Stone Edge on SD Cobalion, it doesn't yield productive discussion or results for the project. I am looking for sets that test what we think we know about checks or counters, so-called standards, and what it means to be viable. Maybe a particular option for a Pokemon looks inferior at first glance for that particular Pokemon, but dig deeper and try and find what it might mean in the big picture, for the entire team.
This Week's Test Subject:
The Next Best Thing...
What is this?:I for one, along with many others I'm sure, feel as though there is some untapped power within the Doubles environment. There is substantial evidence for this idea in the form of one commonality for most tiers, Doubles included: there always seems to be one or more new-fangled, hyped up sets that weren't originally main-stay or seen as "viable" by the community, but somehow has taken the metagame by storm. This can be seen in DPP OU (with Special Lucario transitioning to SD Lucario, Heatran eventually running items other than Choice Scarf, and the influx of ChestoRest Kingdra) in ADV (with the vaunted TyraniBoah now becoming almost an urban myth in comparison to Special and DD Tyranitar, and the increasing popularity of SupeRachi) and in BW OU (with the advent of SubSalac Terrakion, SubDisable Gengar, and ChestoRest Volcarona). Yes, some of these sets may have been found early on with respect to the creation of the tier or fairly recently, the point is, though, that there seems to be an endless supply of effective and potent sets out there yet to be discovered, especially factoring in metagame swings and the possible tier shifts. The purpose of this project will be to systematically subject each and every Doubles Pokemon to a collective body of research in an attempt to uncover these "hidden gems", so to speak, and hopefully spark some creativity throughout the Doubles community.
The Process:
Each week, I will choose a different Doubles Pokemon, sometimes chosen by random, sometimes chosen by curiosity, of which participants will try to personally create a new set for that is not already on-site or in the process of being put on-site. If an analysis isn't currently being written, please use common sense when making a nomination. Participants will be given 5 days to create their set, with discussion about the particular sets being promoted throughout, and on the 6th and 7th day of the week, a vote will be held to choose which user's set represented the most creative and simultaneously competitively viable set to utilize in the current Doubles metagame. Once the votes are tallied and a winner is crowned, the set will be archived in the OP and the process will start all over again for the next Pokemon specimen. If your sets continually win, you could potentially win yourself a Community Contributor Badge nomination.
What are we looking for?:
Specifically, I want to stress the importance of the balance between creativity and viability when picking a set to post for the Pokemon in question. There's a very fine line between a "creative" set and a "gimmick", and this project is not meant to produce gimmicks, rather emphasize the ability to think outside the box when using a specific Pokemon in order to maximize it's potential. Having said that, I would also like to deviate from simple one move / item changes. For example, using Lum Berry over Life Orb on an SD Virizion does nothing to show any untapped potential Virizion has because we already have a basic understanding of what SD Virizion is and does, it's just now better at dealing with status and has less power. The same goes for using Iron Head over Stone Edge on SD Cobalion, it doesn't yield productive discussion or results for the project. I am looking for sets that test what we think we know about checks or counters, so-called standards, and what it means to be viable. Maybe a particular option for a Pokemon looks inferior at first glance for that particular Pokemon, but dig deeper and try and find what it might mean in the big picture, for the entire team.
This Week's Test Subject:
Currently none :[
Thundurus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
Aegislash @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 0 Spd
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- King's Shield
Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Memento
- Protect
Togekiss @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 68 SpD
Calm Nature
- Encore
- Tailwind
- Air Slash
- Follow Me
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sunny Day
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
Heatran @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Protect
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bug Bite
- Bullet Punch
- Tailwind
- Protect
Klefki @ Occa Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 232 HP / 44 Atk / 76 Def / 148 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Light Screen
- Safeguard
- Play Rough
- Thunder Wave
Jirachi @ Metal Coat
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 8 HP / 140 Def / 252 SpA / 108 Spe
Modest Nature
- Doom Desire
- Psychic
- Hidden Power Ground
- Protect
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 240 HP / 36 Atk / 128 Def / 104 SpD
Impish Nature
- Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Aromatisse @ Choice Specs
Ability: Healer
EVs: 156 HP / 100 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 0 Spe
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Psyshock
Hydreigon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 88 Def / 60 SpA / 124 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Protect
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Def / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Protect
Cresselia (F) @ Expert Belt / Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SpA / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ice Beam
- Sunny Day
Whimsicott @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Energy Ball
- Tailwind
- Protect
Tornadus (M) @ Sky Plate
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 176 HP / 152 Def / 156 SpD / 24 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Taunt
- Protect
- Torment
Garchomp @ Garchompite
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 200 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Substitute
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
Politoed @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 152 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpA / 88 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power Grass
- Psychic / Hiddern Power Grass
Talonflame @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 100 Def / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Guard
- Tailwind
- Brave Bird
- Will-O-Wisp
Thundurus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
Aegislash @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 0 Spd
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- King's Shield
Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Memento
- Protect
Togekiss @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 68 SpD
Calm Nature
- Encore
- Tailwind
- Air Slash
- Follow Me
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sunny Day
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
Heatran @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Protect
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bug Bite
- Bullet Punch
- Tailwind
- Protect
Klefki @ Occa Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 232 HP / 44 Atk / 76 Def / 148 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Light Screen
- Safeguard
- Play Rough
- Thunder Wave
Jirachi @ Metal Coat
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 8 HP / 140 Def / 252 SpA / 108 Spe
Modest Nature
- Doom Desire
- Psychic
- Hidden Power Ground
- Protect
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 240 HP / 36 Atk / 128 Def / 104 SpD
Impish Nature
- Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Aromatisse @ Choice Specs
Ability: Healer
EVs: 156 HP / 100 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 0 Spe
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Psyshock
Hydreigon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 88 Def / 60 SpA / 124 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Protect
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Def / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Protect
Cresselia (F) @ Expert Belt / Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SpA / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ice Beam
- Sunny Day
Whimsicott @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Energy Ball
- Tailwind
- Protect
Tornadus (M) @ Sky Plate
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 176 HP / 152 Def / 156 SpD / 24 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Taunt
- Protect
- Torment
Garchomp @ Garchompite
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 200 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Substitute
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
Politoed @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 152 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpA / 88 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power Grass
- Psychic / Hiddern Power Grass
Talonflame @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 100 Def / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Guard
- Tailwind
- Brave Bird
- Will-O-Wisp
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