Wobbuffet (Analysis)




[Overview]

<p>At first glance, Wobbuffet seems to be horrible due to having a movepool consisting of literally 8 moves and horrendous stats in everything but HP. However, Wobbuffet has the ability Shadow Tag, which turns it into a serious threat. Wobbuffet's movepool also complements its ability perfectly, consisting of moves such as Encore, Mirror Coat, and Counter, allowing Wobbuffet to almost always guarantee a KO or a free setup for a teammate. Wobbuffet's stats are actually a bit of a blessing, as its enormous HP and bad defenses make Counter and Mirror Coat hit for tons of damage. Wobbuffet even gets Tickle to round out its Shadow Tag-abusing movepool.</p>

<p>Sadly, Wobbuffet has to contend with problems both new and old in the 5th generation. Wobbuffet still lacks any form of recovery, which is unfortunate because it's hit by every entry hazard and all forms of damaging weather. Wobbuffet is also severely crippled by Taunt, often being rendered helpless while the opponent sets up. Perhaps the most debilitating problem is the nerf Encore received in this generation, only lasting 3 turns instead of 4-8 turns, making the already low PP of Encore even more of a problem. The general power of attacks has also increased dramatically, cutting short the number of times Wobbuffet can switch in and knock out the opponent. Despite these flaws, Wobbuffet remains a dangerous threat which every team should watch out for.</p>

[Set]
name: Oh, no! It's Wobbuffet!
move 1: Encore
move 2: Counter
move 3: Mirror Coat
move 4: Tickle / Safeguard
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 200 Def / 56 SpD / 252 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>The idea behind this set is simple: switch in on a resisted hit from a Choice user or after it has killed something, and use either Mirror Coat if it's a special attacker, or Counter if it's a physical attacker to KO them. Wobbuffet can also switch in on a support move from a slower wall such as Hippowdon or Blissey and lock them into that move with Encore, and then either stall them out of that move's PP or provide a free turn for a teammate to set up. Non-Choiced attackers are handled much in the same way, Encore being used to lock them into a move to let a teammate switch in and take advantage, or let Wobbuffet KO with Counter or Mirror Coat. The last move is a toss up between Tickle and Safeguard. Tickle works best when paired with a Pursuit user, ensuring that the Pokemon will not just switch out for free. Safeguard offers status protection, but Wobbuffet's low Speed makes it likely it'll be inflicted with status before Safeguard can be used. Nevertheless, it can help with providing the rest of the team protection from status.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EVs seem completely wasteful, but they actually serve an important purpose. The Speed EVs allow Wobbuffet to outspeed the plethora of slow walls running around like Blissey, Chansey, Hippowdon, Bronzong, and Quagsire, and slow setup sweepers such as Conkeldurr, and render them set-up bait for other Pokemon on your team. The rest of the EVs are put into Defense and Special Defense due to Wobbuffet's already excellent HP not needing any investment.</p>

<p>If you feel that surviving more attacks is more important than outspeeding Pokemon, you can shift the Speed EVs into one of the defenses, give Wobbuffet a Calm or Bold nature depending on which defense you put 252 EVs in, add 228 EVs to the other defensive stat, and then 28 EVs into HP to obtain a Leftovers number. This will allow Wobbuffet to take repeated assaults from attackers such as Reuniculus and Conkeldurr, and walls such as Bronzong and Hippowdon. If you decide to do this, drop Tickle for Safeguard because Tickle loses a lot of usefulness due to Wobbuffet being outsped by many more Pokemon.</p>

<p>Because of Wobbuffet's ability to ruin walls and KO Choice Scarf users and priority users, sweepers pair up incredibly well with Wobbuffet. Swords Dance Landorus enjoys having Choice Scarf users and Azumarill taken out so it can attempt a clean sweep. Excadrill is in the same vein, enjoying being rid of priority users such as Conkeldurr and Azumarill. The plethora of special attackers love having Blissey and Chansey either dead or with no means of recovery. Wobbuffet suffers from having no recovery, so pairing him up with either Blissey or Chansey to pass a Wish is a great idea, and Wobbuffet can even switch in on the Fighting-type moves that both fat blobs attract, while they can switch in with impunity on the Ghost-type moves Wobbuffet attracts with impunity. Forretress also makes a great partner for Wobbuffet, spinning away the entry hazards that destroy Wobbuffet.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Wobbuffet's other options are the amazing moves Splash, Charm, and Destiny Bond. Splash is complete and utter garbage, Destiny Bond sucks due to Wobbuffet's horrendous Speed, and Charm is outclassed by Tickle.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>In order for something to be a counter, it must be able to switch in. Unless the Pokemon in question has Shed Shell, Baton Pass, U-turn, Volt Switch, or Shadow Tag, it won't be able to switch out of Wobbuffet, meaning that technically, Wobbuffet doesn't have any real counters. However, there are various things that can pummel Wobbuffet regardless. Taunt makes Wobbuffet cry, allowing the opponent to easily set up while Wobbuffet is forced to switch out. U-turn is a huge problem for Wobbuffet, hitting for super effective damage while letting the U-turn user escape from Wobbuffet. However, unless the U-turn user switches to a Ghost-type, the switch-in will get mauled by Counter. Dark-types using special attacks will decimate Wobbuffet, being immune to Mirror Coat due to their typing, and the same goes for Ghost-types using physical moves. And, despite Wobbuffet's ridiculous bulk, there's a good number of Pokemon who can simply 2HKO Wobbuffet if it dares to switch in on them.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Wobbuffet receives Telepathy from Dream World. Telepathy is complete garbage compared to Shadow Tag, which is what makes Wobbuffet usable. However, not everything is bad for Wobbuffet in Dream World. Custap Berry is allowed in Dream World, so Wobbuffet can run Custap + Destiny Bond for an almost ensured KO.</p>
 

shrang

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Two cents:

- Mention speed investment on Wobbuffet. While I think it really reduces Wobb's efficiency, fast Wobbs can Encore Blissey or something like and force them to Softboiled over and over, for example. Wobb can do stuff like outspeed minimum Speed Politoed, which can get very annoying.
Extremely powerful attackers can simply OHKO Wobbuffet.
:
- Dude, almost nothing OHKO Wobbuffet unless you're like +1 Volcanora using Bug Buzz or something. Timid Specs Palkia does not guarantee an OHKO in the rain using Hydro Pump, to give you an idea of Wobb's bulk. I think you mean 2HKO before Wobb can do anything.
 
- Mention speed investment on Wobbuffet. While I think it really reduces Wobb's efficiency, fast Wobbs can Encore Blissey or something like and force them to Softboiled over and over, for example. Wobb can do stuff like outspeed minimum Speed Politoed, which can get very annoying.
I completely agree that Speed on Wobbuffet needs to be mentioned.

A bulky set is more useful against teams that are fast, allowing for chances for Encoring/CounterCoating, whereas a fast set (max Speed) is better against teams with slower, bulkier stat-uppers, where you often won't be missing that bulk at all thanks to Encoring stat-up moves. The latter is also really useful when paired with a Pursuit user.

181 Speed is not shabby and outspeeds stuff like Calm Mind Reuniclus, allowing for repeated Encore/Tickles so that it can be Pursuited with ease. Other examples of Pursuit targets are Chansey/Blissey (catching her on Softboiled will ruin its day), Conkeldurr locked into a Fighting attack, defensive Empoleon, and slow Tyranitar stuck on SR. Some of these may not be OHKOed by something like Scizor's CB Pursuit at -6 Def, but they take such a hefty chunk that they are often worthless. It also outspeeds some cool stuff like min Speed Skarmory, Politoed, and Scizor, which can aid your late-game strategies. It is helpful to get a quick Safeguard off and before Wobbuffet faints, so something like Blaziken can run riot in the last few turns with more ease, without stuff like Prankster Thunder Wave Thunderus then coming in and ruining the sweep.

However, that means you have to sacrifice one of your defensive stats, a decision which is pretty much dependant to the team, but is something that is a major downpoint. The EV spread is very much personal preference, but it is one of the biggest decisions you have to make when using Wobbuffet.

Also, when written up, I'd probably point out that Encore's low PP is far more noticeable with the 3-turn nerf, and it is now extremely important to try and avoid using it until necessary.
 

Moo

Professor
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IIrc, the previous author has already written up the analysis. You could save yourself time if you used his old analysis and worked on it.
 
I would very likely have just completely re-wrote it to fit my style, so I thought it would have been much easier to just put it into a skeleton, get it approved, and then write it out.
 
I wouldn't write off Charm, as it allows Wobb to weaken Encored threats more quickly, which is very important due to Encore's reduced length of effect. At the very least mention that it allows set-up on physical attackers far more quickly than Tickle does, and consequently with less loss of health.

Mention that Baton Passers escape Wobb with absolutely no trouble, as well as that U-Turners and Volt Switchers can screw Wobb over effortlessly, Scizor in particular, if paired with a Ghost- or Dark-type respectively.
 
I think it should be mentioned that telepathy wobbuffet might be viable in OU doubles. Since this would mean no shadow tag, telepathy Wobbuffet might not be banned. Telepathy would be usefull in doubles, while adding excellent support and maybe some KOs as well. It could also wok in triple battles too.
Anyways i think its worth a mention, if not a set. (Yes im new to posting here but im not a new battler hahaha)
 
Telepathy is not garbage in double battles and triple battles and if it gets banned to ubers, this could be its ticket out.
 
I'd mention Wobb provides an excellent way to get rid of choiced weather-inducers, letting you set up your own weather. A sun team could use wobb to get rid of politoed/tyranitar for example.
 
I used Mental Herb Wobbuffet lead to great success. If they Taunt you can Encore and switch to VoltChange user, UTurn user, Espeon, or Xatu. If they setup hazards, it will be Encored and reflected by Espeon or Xatu.
 

Seven Deadly Sins

~hallelujah~
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le sigh

This absolutely NEEDS a mention of TimidWobb, maybe even having it as the first slash. Timid Wobbuffet hits 180 speed, which outspeeds such notable opponents as Hippowdon, Jellicent, Skarmory, SDef Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, etc. If you come in on a wall using a recovery move and they don't have Protect, you can instantly just Encore it, and by using Encore-move-move-repeat 5 times, the wall will now be entirely out of Roost / Slack Off / Recover PP. This is the most threatening thing that Wobbuffet can do in this metagame, since it doesn't need a hell of a lot of defensive EVs to pull countercoat shenanigans, but it needs speed to Encore walls successfully.

I'm not sure where to put the defensive EVs. Personally, I went with 200 Def and 56 SDef, but really, it's up to what you want Wobbuffet to take hits from.
 
Telepathy is not garbage in double battles and triple battles and if it gets banned to ubers, this could be its ticket out.
Doesn't Wobbuffet lose a lot of its effectiveness without Shadow Tag? Attackers will just switch out, and there are more effective Encore-users. I don't see the point of using Wobbuffet without Shadow Tag.
 
Also, I feel like Charm is as viable as Tickle (if not more than.) It can cripple a physical sweeper that Wobbuffet doesn't want to handle, and can help another team member to set up with more ease. Using it for this is less circumstantial than using Tickle to counter Ghosts/Psychics with Pursuit.
 
Also, I feel like Charm is as viable as Tickle (if not more than.) It can cripple a physical sweeper that Wobbuffet doesn't want to handle, and can help another team member to set up with more ease. Using it for this is less circumstantial than using Tickle to counter Ghosts/Psychics with Pursuit.
Tickle is also an event only move, so if you're testing a set for wifi, charm is much easier to obtain.
 

Bloo

Banned deucer.
Please update this thread. SDS QCed this in April; your last update was on March 20th, it is now May. I'd hate to take this away for inactivity again, but I'll be forced to if you don't actively cater to this thread.
 
Sorry about that Bloo. I'll be sure to not forgot about this again. Anyway, added changes. Need QC checks please.
 

Delta 2777

Machampion
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Ok SevenDeadlySins and I are COLLIDING with our opinions on whether there should be a bulkier set in addition to Timid Wobb. We (I) may decide to add the extra set but for the sake of getting this done,

QC Approved (3/3)

At least be sure to give a major mention to a bulkier spread. At least a paragraph.
 
Wobbuffet's movepool also compliments his movepool perfectly
Something's wrong there. Dunno which one of the movepools should have ability written over it, but one of them sure needs to.
 

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