Project The Next Best Thing

[The Quasar]

Sorry for little delay, Omastar42 is the winner with his Bulky Koffing set. Next best thing is "entertained" Houndour

Posting sets deadline: 10th April 4 PM EST

 

[cityfolk]

Houndour @ Berry Juice
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpA / 116 SpD / 156 Spe
Calm Nature
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thief

Bulky BJ + Thief Houndour. Early Bird lets it wake up from sleep early. 15 Speed allows it to outspeed the crowded 14 speed tier. It has Will-o-Wisp to cripple switchins like Mienfoo and Pancham (altho not Timburr). BJ + Thief gives it some utility in removing walls eviolites (i.e spritzee and porygon). Fire Blast and Dark Pulse give it two strong STABs, and it's STAB combo is only resisted by Carvanha (lol) and Deino.

 

[kingmidas]

Houndour @ Berry Juice
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpA / 116 SpD / 156 Spe
Calm Nature
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thief

Bulky BJ + Thief Houndour. Early Bird lets it wake up from sleep early.

What do the evs accomplish? You trade the ability to nuke teams for gaining barely noticeable differences aside from doing a psuedo knock off once, doesn't seem like its that great, since the low spa adds a lot more checks. Its slower than pawniard and cannot properly check if SR is up, which is one of the best parts about bulky houndour. A set can't go without a description or else theres no reason for it to be up.
Onto my set:

Houndour @ Chople Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpA / 236 Spe
Naive Nature
- Fire Blast
- Counter
- Sucker Punch
- Dark Pulse

Chople counter houndour is a way of eliminating unsuspecting fighting types (abra and gastly) and still hitting decently hard, as a neutral example of power:
116 SpA Houndour Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 36 SpD Eviolite Mienfoo: 10-13 (47.6 - 61.9%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO
(10, 10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13)
So if you're willing to risk the speed tie it can't even switch in. Here are some calcs of the power of chople houndour defensively.

calcs

0 Atk Mienfoo Drain Punch vs. 0 HP / 116 Def Chople Berry Houndour: 12-15 (63.1 - 78.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 15) counter will always OHKO.

196 Atk Timburr Drain Punch vs. 0 HP / 116 Def Chople Berry Houndour: 13-16 (68.4 - 84.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16) Counter always OHKOs.

196 Atk Timburr Mach Punch vs. 0 HP / 116 Def Chople Berry Houndour: 7-9 (36.8 - 47.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 9) Counter does enough to KO after a fire blast

116 SpA Houndour Fire Blast vs. 76 HP / 156 SpD Eviolite Timburr: 10-13 (40 - 52%) -- 56.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(10, 10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13)

200 SpA Life Orb Gastly Hidden Power Fighting vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Chople Berry Houndour: 13-16 (68.4 - 84.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 16) Sludge bomb ohkos but if they don't know you're chople you can surprise them. Just a calc of power.

240 SpA Life Orb Abra Hidden Power Fighting vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Chople Berry Houndour: 13-16 (68.4 - 84.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 16)

 

[cityfolk]

What do the evs accomplish? You trade the ability to nuke teams for gaining barely noticeable differences aside from doing a psuedo knock off once, doesn't seem like its that great, since the low spa adds a lot more checks. Its slower than pawniard and cannot properly check if SR is up, which is one of the best parts about bulky houndour. A set can't go without a description or else theres no reason for it to be up.

The EV's give it 21/12/14 bulk without eviolite, and 156 Speed EV's allow it to reach 15 speed to outspeed all 14 speed mons and tie with 15 speed (Adamant) Pawniard, although that wasn't exactly what I had in mind when making this set but whatever.

 

[sam-testings]

reserving life orb set.
edit: IM SORRY I DONT KNOW THAT HOUNDOOR HAS A "CONVENTIONAL SET"

 

[Holiday]

reserving life orb set.

You realize the The Next Big Thing is to come up with new, innovative sets for the given pokemon. The life Orb set is neither of those lol.

 

[Svalkenaeres]

Houndour @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Endure
- Flame Charge / Fire Fang
- Sucker Punch
- Reversal

Ok well it's pretty shitty, but with a good support, probably this thing can work in late game. But tbh, there is not a lot of others good sets (I don't like Sunny Day Houndour, Ponyta seems often better.)
Endure actives your berry, and then you have just to spam Sucker Punch. Without dark resistance, it's really powerful.
Reversal is also pretty funny :

+1 196 Atk Houndour Reversal (150 BP) vs. 236 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Porygon: 22-26 (84.6 - 100%) -- 50% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

A lot of bulky fighting are beaten. Only for fun teams. But it could be interesting.

 

[Shrug]

@ Life Orb (as an aside whoever put "Life Orb" as their forum name and thus is nearly highlighted every time i try to type that needs to change it)
Trait: Early Bird
Evs: 36 Atk / 196 SpA / 236 Spe; 0 HP Ivs to drop to 19
Nature: Hasty
- Sunny Day
- Solarbeam
- Fire Blast
- Sucker Punch

Once there existed a small boy who trained in Hoenn with his Chinchou. His grandfather, a wise old man, knew that it was a cold world out there - full of strife and hostile users of competitive pokemon websites. He told his grandson, "son, with your chinchou, you should be able to stop all the fighting-types that populate the dangerous little cup ladder", and he was correct, for a while. Ponytas, rumored to have the highest BST in all of LC, were handled; Vulpixes were donked. However, an unforeseen threat arrived to ruin the little boy's day: SunnyBeam Houndour. This thing is niiiiiice, pop up a Sunny Day when you're safe vs something, then fire off a strong boosted Fire Blast or a charge-free Solarbeam. Sucker is there to beat cute stuff that tries to outrun, such as Gastly. Fast and powerful on both sides, Defense dropped because you shouldn't take physical damage. Early Bird is good if you dont like pory and want a decent Foongus switchin, flash fire can be used if you don't care about Pory and want everything to cry.

 

[Oma]

If you don't know what a Pokemon typically runs, be sure to check out the Smogon Strategy Pokedex to find out!
Houndour @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 196 SpA / 40 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Flame Charge

Nasty Plot is a cool boosting move that can boost Houndour's special attack to +2, giving it insane wallbreaking power. Fire Blast and Dark Pulse are nearly unresisted coverage, hitting everything for neutral damage except Carvanha, Deino, and Houndour itself. Early Bird is used to stop duck from ruining your fun. Flame Charge gets Houndour to +1 in speed, which can help it sweep late game against faster teams. (Houndour will rarely get both a Flame Charge and a Nasty Plot up, pick which one will help beat the opposing team easier.)

calcs

+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Fire Blast vs. 236 HP / 76+ SpD Eviolite Porygon: 21-27 (80.7 - 103.8%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Fire Blast vs. 196 HP / 196 SpD Eviolite Mienfoo: 25-31 (108.6 - 134.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Fire Blast vs. 212 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Spritzee: 25-31 (92.5 - 114.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Dark Pulse vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Chinchou: 32-39 (128 - 156%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Fire Blast vs. 116 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Vullaby: 25-31 (100 - 124%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 196 SpA Life Orb Houndour Fire Blast vs. 212 HP / 20 SpD Eviolite Hippopotas: 32-39 (123 - 150%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Fiend]

Houndour @ Power Herb
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Atk / 196 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Thief
- SolarBeam
- Sucker Punch
- Fire Blast​

This is the Destroyer of Worlds, the Hero of Time, the 5th Dog-Horseman of the Apocalypse, the Hero of Gotham, the Bringer of Light, the Bane of Evil, Killer of Death, Champion of the Frozen Wastes, Commander of the Horde, Bringer of Nightfall, the Chosen Jedi, Protector of the Helpless, Guardian of the Gates of Hell, Knight of Legends, the Master of Tearing Through Walls.

You'll be hard pressed to switch into houndour normally, with Solarbeam amplifying this ability two fold. Pseudo Knock Off is created by the use of Solarbeam, as is the distinct absence of Chinchou. Solarbeam puts a solid dent into anything, which is particularly useful once you look at the 17 speed Houndour possesses. Walls such as Spritzee fail to counter or revenge this set, while Porygon is forced to T wave. Ferro is of course beaten too, making this a great but niche partner to many sweepers, particularly Shellder.

 

[The Quasar]

It's time to vote (until 19th April, 4 PM EST), sorry for little delay.

cityfolk's Bulky + BJ set

kingmidas's Chople Counter set

Svalkenaeres's Liechi Reversal set

Shrug's Lo SunnyBeam set

Omastar's NP set

Fiend Hound's Power Herb set

I want to thanks everyone for your partecipation, I like your sets too.

 

[Fiend]

Nasty Plot can legit sweep teams, so Oma's.

 

[Berks]

"son, with your chinchou, you should be able to stop all the fighting-types that populate the dangerous little cup ladder"

Let's go Shrug

 

[sparktrain]

Fiend Hound

 

[Merritt]

Omastar42

 

[Aerow]

Fiend Hound

is a nerd

 

[zf]

Fiend Hound

 

[Melon]

Fiend Hound

 

[Oma]

kingmidas
Gotta love the damage reduction berries

 

[antemortem]

Fiend Hound is bad but I love the idea of Power Herb Houndour

 

[The Quasar]

Fiend Hound is the winner with his Power Herb Houndour set. Next best thing is "The Last Imperator" Tyrunt

Posting sets deadline: 26th April 4 PM EST

 

[Yagura]

Tyrunt @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 204 Atk / 60 Def / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 23 HP
- Rock Polish
- Dragon Claw
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Dragon Dance can seem to be a solid boosting move but tbh Rock Polish can be also a solid boosting move for late game cleaning as it lets it outspeed a lot of its scarfed revenge killers such as Pawniard, Chinchou, Mienfoo and more.. Dragon Claw and Stone Edge are STABs and EQ is for Steel-types, and tbh I don't see +1 Attack Tyrunt being more powerful than +0..

 

[antemortem]

Tyrunt @ Eviolite / Berry Juice
Ability: Strong Jaw
Level: 5
EVs: 156 HP / 204 Atk / 76 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Curse
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake / Brick Break
- Crunch

I just like the very idea of a slow, powerful monster getting the chance to become somewhat tanky and destructive under Trick Room. With Eviolite, CurseRunt, at +1, takes between 50-60% from standard Pawn's unboosted Iron Head and can retaliate with Earthquake, not fearing a KO from Sucker Punch unless both Iron Head and Sucker were boosted. If it runs Berry Juice, Earthquake has a high chance of killing Pawn the turn after recovery, but it fears the Sucker turn 3 if it doesn't kill. It can run Brick Break, alternatively, but the coverage otherwise is meager and Tyrunt will want Earthquake to hit the likes of Chinchou, which doesn't OHKO Tyrunt with Hydro Pump. Crunch is good in the last slot to take advantage of Strong Jaw and hit Psychic- and Ghost-types more reliably than Dragon Claw (for instance, Dragon Claw doesn't OHKO Scarf Gothita, but Crunch does).

this is real rough, just taking a shot in the dark since I don't believe I've done one of these myself before. :]

 

[Merritt]

Tyrunt @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Strong Jaw
Level: 5
EVs: 52 HP / 204 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head / Poison Fang
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Crunch

Does Tyrunt hit 14 speed? Yes? Does it have at least somewhat decent attacking stats? Yesa. Slap a scarf on that thing.

After Scarf, Tyrunt outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame, even without a +Spe nature. This lets it run a full 19 attack, and smash holes in the opponent's team. The EVs are to give it 14 speed and 19 attack, with the remainder poured into HP. Earthquake provides incredibly useful coverage with Rock-type STAB, with Stone Edge preferred for its increased power. Iron Head and Poison Fang hit fairies very hard who switch in to threaten out an anticipated Dragon Dance or to absorb a Dragon-type attack. Iron Head and Poison Fang have exactly equal power after Strong Jaw, with Iron Head slashed first simply because of the flinch chance. Poison Fang has a nice chance to toxic the target, which can be helpful at times, and hits Cottonee much harder, along with other grass types. Crunch is chosen over Dragon-type STAB since it hits as hard as Dragon Claw due to Strong Jaw and has significantly better coverage, destroying Psychics and Ghosts.

Fire Fang is an option over Crunch, since it hits Ferrothorn very hard, but provides largely redundant coverage, especially with Poison Fang.

 

[Berks]

Does Tyrunt hit 14 speed? Yes? Does it have at least somewhat decent attacking stats? Yesa. Slap a scarf on that thing.

(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ
I'll put one in you nerds and dammit Merritt no Outrage smh this is an outrage if there ever was one