Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
64
|
- |
269 |
332 |
- |
| Atk |
115
|
239 |
266 |
329 |
361 |
| Def |
65
|
149 |
166 |
229 |
251 |
| SpA |
83
|
181 |
202 |
265 |
291 |
| SpD |
63
|
145 |
162 |
225 |
247 |
| Spe |
65
|
149 |
166 |
229 |
251 |
Knock Off and attack whenever possible, but it's also fun to Burn things. Insomnia can really mess up with some Pokémon, and is an easy switch-in. Unfortunately, this can't be done often with Banette as you can see its defenses are lacking. This is more of an anti-tank Pokémon; if you want to counter Sleep inducers, Hypno is probably the safer bet.
Choice Bander Set. Its top two attacking moves are self-explanatory. It has such a bad movepool, though, that even Double-Edge doesn't damage anything more than the other moves, other than the Normal / Flying types and Girafarig. Will-O-Wisp hurts them more, anyway. Hyper Beam and Destiny Bond are both suicide moves, Wisp actually does something to Salamence in OU, or Toxic can be used to wear down bulky Waters like Milotic and Swampert.
This set works well in UU, and it can catch things off guard. Banette is immune to Quick Attack / Mach Punch, so running Salac Berry should bring no worries. Hit / Burn what you can, and then when you think your run is over, Endure and proceed to Destiny Bond that now slower sweeper or wall.
This set is to be used in the uber metagame. Shadow Ball 2HKOs Latias, Latios, Mewtwo, and the like. Knock Off lets you do something to the most common switch ins, Kyogre, Forretress, and Blissey. Toxic or Will-O-Wisp depends on what kind of team you are using it on. A team that really has Groudon troubles will appreciate the Will-O-Wisp support, whereas a stall time will rather have you adding to the pool of Pokémon being Toxiced. Snatch lets Banette heal itself by Snatching things like Blissey Softboiled, Aromatherapy, and Lugia Recover. If you use Toxic on Blissey as it comes in, you can then Knock Off to make Toxic that much deadlier (if their team isn't Toxiced, they won't use Aromatherapy yet if they know what they're doing), and then when you predict Softboiled, use Snatch. This will heal you from the Toxic damage you will have likely taken by staying on Blissey. If you have some Spikes down, you can kill Blissey by stealing its Aromatherapy or Softboiled, putting it into a range of health where Spikes will do enough to kill it if it tries to switch in again.
Other Options
Substitute completely screws up Venusaur, and Subbing your way to Salac Berry is always a good option on a Pokémon immune to all forms of Quick Attack. Grudge can screw any other Pokémon once it's about to get KOed. Thunderbolt easily kills Skarmory and Gyarados. Skill Swapping something that really wants to Rest is situational, but priceless.
EVs
Banette's Attack will have to be maxed out and should have an Adamant nature. You'll want a bit of Speed on this thing, usually, as well, because you don't want it taking a hit from what it's supposed to be killing. For the third set, max Speed and Attack with either Jolly or Adamant can work depending what you want to outspeed after a Salac boost. Jolly can outspeed basically everything in UU except base 125 Speed Pokémon and above, but you lose the Attack power.
Opinion
It can switch in on a sleep-inflicting move like Sleep Powder; more often than not this will cause a switch, so Banette can get in a couple hits, a Will-o-Wisp or a Knock Off. Despite that low Speed and mediocre defenses, Banette is a good UU Ghost, with its decent attack.
Counters
Standard: Just about any bulky Water can handle Banette, most likely Milotic who can really use the burn and easily able to Rest or Recover off anything. Defensively, Skarmory and Weezing could do fine, but they will not like Burn at all unless they have Rest, so it's not really smart to switch those in as a -12.5% (before Leftovers) each turn will definitely hinder them.
UU: Not as many things in UU can switch into it, but Blastoise, Walrein, and Politoed can hold their own quite well. Meganium can also switch into it, although it can't do anything right back at Banette directly. Gligar and Golem could take a few hits, but again, watch out for that Burn. Muk locks Knock Off with Sticky Hold, and has decent defenses to take Shadow Balls and Hidden Power Fightings, but unless it has Rest or manages to get up a Substitute, it won't like taking Will-O-Wisp.
