Project Victim of the Week

[Aragorn the King]

Checks:

III Endure SD Salac Chomp
I Azumarill
Dugtrio
IV Defensive Mega Tyranitar
I Rotom-W
Ditto
Alomomola
Togekiss
III Mega Diancie
III Terrakion
I Scarf Latios


Counters:

IV Quagsire
I Landorus-T
Mega Slowbro
III Hippowdon
I Thick Fat Azumarill
II Mega Altaria
IV Rhyperior

You may vote for 1 check and 1 counter​

 

[blank]

check: scarf latios
counter: hippowdon

 

[Empo]

mega ttar
rhyperior

 

[Eclipse]

Check: Defensive M-Tyranitar
Counter: Mega Altaria

 

[Cheryl.]

Check: Mega Ttar
Counter: Hippowdon

 

[Random Passerby]

Check: Endure Salac Berry Garchomp
Counter Quagsire

 

[Jamel]

terrakion
mega altaria

 

[michaeloche]

Check: Mega Diancie
Counter: Hippowdon

 

[matthewc20090]

Mega diancie
Rhyperior

 

[InvisibleWater]

Terrakion

Quagsire

 

[TURBODERP]

Mega Tyranitar and Rhyperior

 

[WhimsicottIsBroken]

Mega Tyranitar
Quagsire

 

[MANNAT]

Azunarill and TF Azu lol

 

[The Quasar]

Check: Endure Salac Berry Garchomp
Counter Quagsire

 

[AAamen]

Terrakion,Mega TTar (only vote for one check)
Rhyperior

 

[Finnuck]

Check: Defensive Mega TTar
Counter: Thick fat Azumarill

 

[nameless90]

Rotom-W

Landorus-T

 

[Flygonial]

Check: Endure Salac Berry Garchomp
Counter: Rhyperior

 

[BuoyantLlama]

Check: Mega Diancie
Counter: Quagsire

 

[Aragorn the King]

Week 117:

Thanks for all the votes guys! The results are:

Offensive DD Mega Charizard X
Checks: Defensive Mega Tyranitar (False.) | Mega Diancie (InvisibleWater) | Ensure SD Salac Garchomp (CrystalRam)
Counters: Quagsire (Littlelucario) | Hippowdon (Empo) | Rhyperior (Infernal)

Week 118: Fly Dragonite

Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 Spe
Impish Nature
- Fly
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Substitute

e: oh also congrats to Littlelucario for making it into the hall of fame!!! :)​

 

[heritage]

Check

Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Roost

Kyurem-B takes little from unboosted Fly and can break through Multiscale and OHKO thanks to Teravolt. It also outspeeds Dragonite, meaning it's much harder to boost up with Dragon Dance or set up Substitute against it, and it certainly can't Roost-stall Ice Beam, because even with the Flying-type removed, Dragonite still takes a boat load from Ice Beam. Kyurem-B can eventually be worn down with Stealth Rock and Life Orb damage, and on top of that it might be difficult trying to find an appropriate time to Roost, making it only a solid offensive check.

Hide

0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kyurem-B: 126-148 (32.2 - 37.8%) -- 95.7% chance to 3HKO

+1 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kyurem-B: 187-222 (47.8 - 56.7%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO

not even calcing ice beam lol

 

[Infernal]

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 16 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Substitute
- Protect

This particular Suicune (originally posted here by Vinc2612) is a unique stop to Sub Fly Dragonite because it's able to use Protect when needed to guard itself against Fly and slowly waste the move's PP with the help of Pressure. Because Dragonite has no way to circumvent Suicune's ability to block Fly, it's literally unable to damage you. Dragonite's only options are to either 1. try and PP stall back by using any move bar Fly, or 2. switch. In the case Dragonite tries to PP stall back, it's going to lose the war because even though both Pokemon share the same PP total between their moves (88), Suicune has the upper hand thanks to Pressure. Should Dragonite switch after realizing it's going to end up being PP stalled, your opponent will then have to deal with a boosted Suicune under a Substitute, which isn't very easy to handle whatsoever.

The take home message here is simply this: Suicune will always be able to PP stall Dragonite and ultimately force it to Struggle in the end. Even in scenarios where Dragonite has theoretically acquired 6 DDs before Suicune enters the field, it's still going to end up being PP stalled because of Pressure and Protect to counteract Fly as explained earlier. As such, Suicune makes for a very solid answer to Sub Fly Dragonite and shows how problematic certain users of Protect can be for the set. Because of all these reasons, I would classify this Suicune as a counter here.

Replay to demonstrate. If you watch, you'll see Dragonite can do nothing to touch you. It's eventually PP stalled and falls to Struggle + Scald in the end while Suicune keeps a Sub up through the entire process.

 

[Empo]

Ampharos-Mega @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature
- Agility / Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast

Mega Ampharos is definitely a counter of this Dnite set, since the only move that Dragonite can use is fly ._. . Instead, Ampharos can hit hard Dragonite with Dragon pulse, and almost ohko it cuz of mold breaker! Agility can be useless for this Dnite so you can run volt switch too.

252+ SpA Mold Breaker Mega Ampharos Dragon Pulse vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite: 366-432 (95 - 112.2%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO

 

[SketchUp]

Counter

Cloyster @ Life Orb / Never-Melt Ice
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Shell Smash
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Hydro Pump

Cloyster is a pretty interesting check because it can always OHKO Dragonite, even if it is behind a subsitute and at full health at the same time. Because of Skill Link, Icicle Spear will always hit 5 times, enabling Cloyster to break past Dragonite's Multiscale easily. Cloyster will always survive a +1 Fly from Dragonite, so it can switch in on a Dragon Dance and either Shell Smash (don't do this if rocks are up because a +1 Fly does 70-82% after the defense drop from Shell Smash) or OHKO it with Icicle Spear.

Calcs:
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 68+ Def Multiscale Dragonite: 430-505 (111.6 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 68+ Def Dragonite: 860-1015 (223.3 - 263.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Cloyster: 76-90 (31.5 - 37.3%) -- 82% chance to 3HKO
+1 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Cloyster: 112-133 (46.4 - 55.1%) -- 69.1% chance to 2HKO
+1 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. -1 0 HP / 0 Def Cloyster: 168-198 (69.7 - 82.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[michaeloche]

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Flamethrower

Role: Soft Counter

Mega Manectric outspeeds +1 Dragonite, can abuse Intimidate if Dragonite is not behind a Substitute, and takes Fly with little trouble except when Dragonite has a bunch of boosts. At worst, HP Ice can break the Substitute if Multiscale is active. Without Multiscale active, though, HP Ice has a decent shot to KO Dragonite after breaking the sub, especially when aided by Stealth Rock.

calcs

-1 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 50-59 (17.7 - 20.9%) -- possible 5HKO
0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 75-88 (26.6 - 31.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
+1 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 111-132 (39.5 - 46.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+5 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 261-307 (92.8 - 109.2%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+6 0 Atk Dragonite Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 297-351 (105.6 - 124.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Mega Manectric Hidden Power Ice vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 136-160 (35.3 - 41.5%) -- 73.9% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Mega Manectric Hidden Power Ice vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite: 272-320 (70.6 - 83.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery, 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock