OverviewPidgeot is cool, but Dodrio and Fearow just way outclass him. Not only do they have better stats in Attack and Speed, but they also have Drill Peck, whereas all Pidgeot has is Hidden Power Flying or Aerial Ace. Still, it's cool for a NU Choice Band user.
Choice Band Pidgeot. Use it in NU only, use Fearow if you're playing UU, and use Swellow or Dodrio for OU. Still, it has its uses. Double-Edge recommended for that extra kick. Alternately, you can use Hidden Power Flying with Steel Wing in the third slot.
This version does less damage on switches, but eases the prediction. The most common way to counter a Choice Bander is to switch in a good resistance, for example Sudowoodo or Misdreavus. If you're not sure which of these they will switch in, use Substitute. Whatever they switched in, it will be damaged, though not as badly as if you had used the right move on the switch with a Choice Band. Recommended for newer players that are unsure of their prediction skills. Double-Edge is a bad idea with Substitute since you'll lose too much HP in the process. Other OptionsSteel Wing hits Solrock and Lunatone hard in UU, it can go over Hidden Power. If you do this, make sure to change Aerial Ace to Hidden Power Flying for more power. Quick Attack can finish off weak Pokémon. Air Cutter can be used for the high Critical Hit ratio, to help against Pokémon that boost their Defense. Quick Attack stops Flailers / Reversalers, although Pidgeot can switch into neither. You can, however, abuse chain switching by switching to a Ghost to take the Flail / Reversal, then to Pidgeot as they Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Ghost, and then Quick Attack them. Thief is always cool for standard play if you're using Pidgeot there, for stealing Leftovers or Choice Band for your own use. It's one of the few things Pidgeot will pull off with success there. Toxic is a good move to toy around with, in standard you will find too many Steels switching in, it will have more success in UU and NU play. FeatherDance sharply reduces Attack, it can be a great hinder to Tyranitar in standard, Solrock and Gligar in UU and Sudowoodo and Mawile in NU. Mirror Move is novelty and will rarely ever work, due to certain game mechanics. Unfortunately, the move has to actually hit Pidgeot to be Mirror Moved, so you can't switch in Pidgeot on an Earthquake from Rhydon, Golem, Tyranitar or any other Earthquaker that's weak to Ground itself, and Mirror Move away, nor can Mirror Move a missed Rock Slide against Aerodactyl, or really anything useful. EVsNo need to stray from the EVs given. If you want to tie speed with other Pidgeot, max out Speed and Attack, putting 4 EVs in HP. The EVs given will make you faster than Adamant Raticate, Modest Plusle / Minun, and +Speed Illumise / Volbeat. If you use Adamant, just max out your Speed and Attack. Checks and CountersIn UU, Solrock, Lunatone, Aggron and Golem can take a STAB Flying or Normal hit. Steel Wing can be really problematic for the former two, though, and Aggron cannot take Hidden Power Ground or Fighting at all. Manectric and Lanturn counter Pidgeot the same way in UU as Jolteon and friends do in standard. Shedinja is immune to anything except Flying moves, which is its ultimate demise. Gligar, Walrein, Politoed and Slowking take on the Substitute version easily. Quagsire can be rather unfriendly with Counter, Ice Beam, or Hidden Power Rock. In NU, Mawile, Nosepass, and Sudowoodo don't take much damage from anything, not even Hidden Power Ground or Steel Wing. Dewgong, Pelipper, and Wailord can stand non-Choice Band Pidgeot for a while and Ice Beam it in the face. Whiscash does fine as well with Rock Slide, Hidden Power Rock, Ice Beam, or even Spark. |
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