counter play is primarina and corv
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AAA Almost Any Ability
- Thread starter LordBox
- Start date
+1 252 Atk Adaptability Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Primarina: 169-199 (46.4 - 54.6%) -- 64.5% chance to 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Adaptability Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 182-216 (45.6 - 54.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Say it again?
Ig max defence regen Prim can handle it, lemme grab it and put it on all my teams so I don’t instantly lose to this guy…
Oh nvm it loses to SD serene grace
Chien Pao is definitely difficult to answer, i rate it scarier than others seem to as well
Checks: Regenerator
: 
(especially with physdef ev's), some variants of 
*
Some sturdier checks would be: Intimidate +
/
, 
<- run physdef body press
Offensive checks:
Additionally if it is choice banded you can mitigate it with stealth rocks + a solid ice resist like any of the waters/steel above,
, etc.
Technicially 
but this mon hasnt been good since like 2023
Serene Grace is scary but is generally not good with its inconsistency + power issues (you HAVE to SD + flinch to make up for the gap) ; getting flinched on your regenerator mon isnt the most end of the world and most teams will have a faster mon to revenge it (but may potentially lose to its priority).
Beware CHIEN MAO
Checks: Regenerator
: (especially with physdef ev's), some variants of *Some sturdier checks would be: Intimidate +
/ , <- run physdef body pressOffensive checks:
Additionally if it is choice banded you can mitigate it with stealth rocks + a solid ice resist like any of the waters/steel above,
, etc. but this mon hasnt been good since like 2023Serene Grace is scary but is generally not good with its inconsistency + power issues (you HAVE to SD + flinch to make up for the gap) ; getting flinched on your regenerator mon isnt the most end of the world and most teams will have a faster mon to revenge it (but may potentially lose to its priority).
Beware CHIEN MAO
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Alright, that’s way more helpful than just “sKiLL iSsUe” that’s often thrown at such argumentsChien Pao is definitely difficult to answer, i rate it scarier than others seem to as well
Checks: Regenerator
Some sturdier checks would be: Intimidate +
Offensive checks:
Additionally if it is choice banded you can mitigate it with stealth rocks + a solid ice resist like any of the waters/steel above,
Technicially
Serene Grace is scary but is generally not good with its inconsistency + power issues (you HAVE to SD + flinch to make up for the gap) ; getting flinched on your regenerator mon isnt the most end of the world and most teams will have a faster mon to revenge it (but may potentially lose to its priority).
Beware CHIEN MAO
Thanks!
Btw I made this SFLO Chien Pao team, I don’t think it’s that good but it worked!
Chien-Pao @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Crunch
- Swords Dance
- Ice Shard
Cacturne @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Spikes
- Destiny Bond
- Knock Off
- Endeavor
Veluza @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Scrappy
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Final Gambit
Pecharunt @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Earth Eater
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Malignant Chain
- Shadow Ball
- Parting Shot
- Recover
Iron Treads @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Well-Baked Body
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Hadron Engine
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Thunderbolt
- Trick
Been almost 5 days since I posted this, and I’m still convinced that stupid leopard is broken, maybe I think this way bcz I almost never play anything other than HO and Chien Pao rips HO to shreds, but idk man, I have no convincing power
If everyone thinks it’s fine then it’s probably fine
i think pao's kind of polarizing because it tears a new one into any team that isn't very prepared for it, but its definitely something that can be countered. intim corv, regen prim, zama, regen hands, etc. there's definitely ways to beat it, its just if you don't have those you kinda get 6-0'd
I agree with all these checks, but Iron Hands is definitely a fraud,
252 Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Iron Hands: 244-288 (47.6 - 56.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
It literally has to run max defence to even be a switch in, and even then it can get flinch haxed or bowled over by SD sets
the way to deal with pao depends of the set, which is one of it's issues (I find the mon really really strong and underrated, mainly bc it's hard to build around it) :
- if it's boots SD, it lacks raw power, doesn't threaten too much OHKO's, and even at +2 most regen mons can handle a hit (hands, manaphy, primarina) and a few other things (zama is faster and you can play the 50/50 between SD and Crash right away, intim corv, full hp scream tail..)
- if banded, you want to check its move with your regen mon and then have a secondary dark / ice check (depending on the regen mon). It's ok to take 50-60% with your manaphy / hands if you can regen it if you're able to keep rocks up (so you want to run like Hands + Heatran, Manaphy + Zamazenta or fluffy corv, stuff like that)
though at any time SD can win if it flinches you and that's probably the most frustrating thing about Pao lol it always has 30% of beating you even if you played perfectly (Serene Grace is not so good bc you just dont do damage to ice resists, bug obviously if you roll bad rng it is what it is just run covert cloak intim corv lol)
also the strongest set considering what I said is imo SD LO Adamant, it has absurd rolls on would be checks-soft checks though its the hardest to build around because you really need to have rocks off and to be able to weaken a bit opposite corv / mana but if you're able to you basically smoke everything (+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 468-551 (91.5 - 107.8%) -- 50% chance to OHKO, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Manaphy: 339-399 (83.9 - 98.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Primarina: 320-376 (87.9 - 103.2%) -- 25% chance to OHKO, +1 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 261-308 (65.4 - 77.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Chien-Pao Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Zamazenta: 156-185 (48 - 56.9%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO)
anyway ban deo-s this is a real stupid mon how is it even legal "ah rip it has the right set and I can't revenge kill it too bad!" we banned Genesect for less than that (free my boy)
- if it's boots SD, it lacks raw power, doesn't threaten too much OHKO's, and even at +2 most regen mons can handle a hit (hands, manaphy, primarina) and a few other things (zama is faster and you can play the 50/50 between SD and Crash right away, intim corv, full hp scream tail..)
- if banded, you want to check its move with your regen mon and then have a secondary dark / ice check (depending on the regen mon). It's ok to take 50-60% with your manaphy / hands if you can regen it if you're able to keep rocks up (so you want to run like Hands + Heatran, Manaphy + Zamazenta or fluffy corv, stuff like that)
though at any time SD can win if it flinches you and that's probably the most frustrating thing about Pao lol it always has 30% of beating you even if you played perfectly (Serene Grace is not so good bc you just dont do damage to ice resists, bug obviously if you roll bad rng it is what it is just run covert cloak intim corv lol)
also the strongest set considering what I said is imo SD LO Adamant, it has absurd rolls on would be checks-soft checks though its the hardest to build around because you really need to have rocks off and to be able to weaken a bit opposite corv / mana but if you're able to you basically smoke everything (+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 468-551 (91.5 - 107.8%) -- 50% chance to OHKO, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Manaphy: 339-399 (83.9 - 98.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Primarina: 320-376 (87.9 - 103.2%) -- 25% chance to OHKO, +1 252+ Atk Life Orb Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 261-308 (65.4 - 77.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery, +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Chien-Pao Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Zamazenta: 156-185 (48 - 56.9%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO)
anyway ban deo-s this is a real stupid mon how is it even legal "ah rip it has the right set and I can't revenge kill it too bad!" we banned Genesect for less than that (free my boy)
i really like hoopa so I'm gonna make a essay about it here
I think hoopa is extremely overlooked in AAA, the only recognized set (and thats barely even recognized) it has for AAA is a prankster destiny bond set thats outdone by Pecharunt and even Gardevoir. And thats just disappointing. Its good to see sflo (Sheer force + life orb) sets growing in popularity after i used it as well as popular youtuber Draco Lord but theres still immense potential being ignored just because hoopa is a lesser hoopa-unbound.
Out of all the Pokemon in AAA it has the highest special attack. It also has spammable ghost stab and fighting type coverage. Roaring Moon is its main Enemy, but it's far from impossible to beat with hoopa on its own. the fact that hoopa has fighting coverage on both the physical side and the special side helps a lot. Focus punch + substitute is a possible option on hoopa, you could substitute on the obvious switch to moon and then click focus punch(or don't run substitute and click raw focus punch on the switch). Either way after focus punch no matter your nature or evs roaring moon can no longer switch into any move that isn't psychic type. Focus punch also hits Goodra on the switch for huge damage as well, putting it in shadow ball range as well. Most of the mons that usually switch into hoopa get hit stupid by focus punch.
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 403-476 (114.8 - 135.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Goodra-Hisui: 304-359 (83.5 - 98.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 60 HP / 0 Def Kingambit: 520-614 (146 - 172.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Hoopa isn't a pokemon where you have to put a lot of effort into supporting it and then get very little in return, it's very strong if built around and used correctly. At times its a win condition on its own with a Sflo set paired with self trick room, running over whats left of any team it runs into after it comes in on a special attacker. Sflo isn't the only set (though its probably the most well known), theres also psy terrain sets (psysurge as the ability or psyterrain from a teammate). Sflo hits very hard, but specs expanding force hits even harder (stupidly hard). It has no switch-ins, none that aren't dark type.
Hoopa-base is probaby the strongest wall breaker in AAA as of now, anything it doesnt power through with just expanding force it powers through with focus blast/punch, even with no ability it still does stupid amounts of damage with specs, and that opens alot of oppurtunitys for speed boosting abilities like Chlrorophyll.
Past the wallbreaker sets theres also utility sets, although weak and offering little reward. Prankster dbond sets were the first ones discovered but they werent even used to their full potential, showdown usage set runs psyshock, shadow ball, focus blast, and dbond, despite the fact that hoopa has access to dual screens, thunder wave, and taunt for when its not clicking destiny bond.
Finally theres one more type of set that hoopa could run (its not the last set though). And that type of set is bulky offensive. Hoopa has pretty bad physical defense and every single pokemon at or above A+ in the viability rankings can hit it for super effective damage so these sets are probably the worst of all of them, doesnt mean theyre horrible tho. Assualt vest hoopa tanks most special attacks thrown at it, while getting consistest, decent damage on anything it happens to be able to sit infront of, focus punch is an option on almost any set due to only needing to use a single move slot for it to be effective. Hadron engine can make up for the lack of special attack boosting items or moves, and wish support makes up for the lack of recovery.
In summary hoopa is very stupid (in a good way), turns stall into free elo, and you cant tell what set it is until it starts doing its thing.
The Super Shiest Shoopa Sets These are all the sets i could muster up that do something unique, some are definitely better than others
I think hoopa is extremely overlooked in AAA, the only recognized set (and thats barely even recognized) it has for AAA is a prankster destiny bond set thats outdone by Pecharunt and even Gardevoir. And thats just disappointing. Its good to see sflo (Sheer force + life orb) sets growing in popularity after i used it as well as popular youtuber Draco Lord but theres still immense potential being ignored just because hoopa is a lesser hoopa-unbound.
Out of all the Pokemon in AAA it has the highest special attack. It also has spammable ghost stab and fighting type coverage. Roaring Moon is its main Enemy, but it's far from impossible to beat with hoopa on its own. the fact that hoopa has fighting coverage on both the physical side and the special side helps a lot. Focus punch + substitute is a possible option on hoopa, you could substitute on the obvious switch to moon and then click focus punch
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 403-476 (114.8 - 135.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Goodra-Hisui: 304-359 (83.5 - 98.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Life Orb Hoopa Focus Punch (150 BP) vs. 60 HP / 0 Def Kingambit: 520-614 (146 - 172.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Hoopa isn't a pokemon where you have to put a lot of effort into supporting it and then get very little in return, it's very strong if built around and used correctly. At times its a win condition on its own with a Sflo set paired with self trick room, running over whats left of any team it runs into after it comes in on a special attacker. Sflo isn't the only set (though its probably the most well known), theres also psy terrain sets (psysurge as the ability or psyterrain from a teammate). Sflo hits very hard, but specs expanding force hits even harder (stupidly hard). It has no switch-ins, none that aren't dark type.
- 252+ SpA Choice Specs Tinted Lens Hoopa Expanding Force (156 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Gholdengo in Psychic Terrain: 502-592 (159.3 - 187.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 252+ SpA Choice Specs Tinted Lens Hoopa Expanding Force (156 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Goodra-Hisui in Psychic Terrain: 168-198 (46.1 - 54.3%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO
- 252+ SpA Choice Specs Tinted Lens Hoopa Expanding Force (156 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Latios in Psychic Terrain: 426-504 (141.5 - 167.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 252+ SpA Choice Specs Hoopa Expanding Force (156 BP) vs. 4 HP / 252+ SpD Blissey in Psychic Terrain: 271-321 (41.5 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Hoopa-base is probaby the strongest wall breaker in AAA as of now, anything it doesnt power through with just expanding force it powers through with focus blast/punch, even with no ability it still does stupid amounts of damage with specs, and that opens alot of oppurtunitys for speed boosting abilities like Chlrorophyll.
Past the wallbreaker sets theres also utility sets, although weak and offering little reward. Prankster dbond sets were the first ones discovered but they werent even used to their full potential, showdown usage set runs psyshock, shadow ball, focus blast, and dbond, despite the fact that hoopa has access to dual screens, thunder wave, and taunt for when its not clicking destiny bond.
Finally theres one more type of set that hoopa could run (its not the last set though). And that type of set is bulky offensive. Hoopa has pretty bad physical defense and every single pokemon at or above A+ in the viability rankings can hit it for super effective damage so these sets are probably the worst of all of them, doesnt mean theyre horrible tho. Assualt vest hoopa tanks most special attacks thrown at it, while getting consistest, decent damage on anything it happens to be able to sit infront of, focus punch is an option on almost any set due to only needing to use a single move slot for it to be effective. Hadron engine can make up for the lack of special attack boosting items or moves, and wish support makes up for the lack of recovery.
In summary hoopa is very stupid (in a good way), turns stall into free elo, and you cant tell what set it is until it starts doing its thing.
The Super Shiest Shoopa Sets These are all the sets i could muster up that do something unique, some are definitely better than others
DRACO LORD???
I personally think Hoopa is overlooked bcz of the Roaring Moon factor, the fact that mon’s on half the teams makes it life really difficult
Also the fact that all 3 common RegenVest mons run Knock off too is not making things better
oh hey draco lol
hopefully the focus punch tech should help beat moon but i haven't been able to actually test it yet, regen vest mons with knock are a big problem for sets that aren't expanding force, you'd want teammates that could come in and beat those safely. Maybe water absorb tusk? Threatens goodra out, walls manaphy, and ohkos moon unless they were bluffing regen and it was actually fluffy moon. Primarina isn't a problem for hoopa so great tusk doesnt have to worry about that. Rocky helmet also punishes moon for clicking uturn or knock.
Edit: after a few games ive also realized hoopa is very bad into teams with large amounts of physical attackers/little special attackers. Against teams like those hoopa doesnt get many oppurtunitys to come in and fire off super strong psychic attacks, and it does pretty bad overall. The best way to "get around" this is by having teammates that are good into physical attackers, pokemon like zamazenta, fluffy tusk, pech, they all help beat the physical attackers that hoopa hates so much
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I’ve been loving running surge surfer on it. No one is prepared for a fast hoopa. Super underrated mon
ok scrap that hoopa is bad into teams with lots of physical attackers and it needs defensive teammates, just slap that stuff on ho hazard stack and watch it go ham
Edit: this thing is a wild card first it was good on ho now its good on bulky hazard stack what the hec
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I might have an issue on my end, but I think this is linked to the Deo-S HO team. If I'm wrong or somebody's already pointed this out, pretend this never happened as I die of embarrassment.
