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Zoroark

Well, Zoroark, whether detected or not, is still a powerful special sweeper if it gets 1 or 2 Nasty Plots.. it's all about trying to find the right composition.

Has anyone tried using a level 1 endeavor rattata or a bidoof with it? Obviously, not meant for winning -at least, I think-, but think about the LULZ.

-Go Bidoof!-
Opponent: "Oh, a Bidoof? WTF? What is this I don't even-"
 
Another great pokemon I think Zoroark would pair well with is Slaking. You can catch the opponent off-guard when he/she sees what looks like a potential free turn...when it's not.

Useful moves they share:
Pursuit
Night Slash
Sucker Punch
(Because Zoro gets STAB and Slaking doesn't, the power from those moves would be close to equal.)
Flamethrower
Focus Blast (Hammer Arm/Focus Punch>Focus Blast factoring in attack difference, anyways)
Aerial Ace
Hone Claws (This, Bulk Up and Cheer Up are the only ways Slaking can boost attack)
Giga Impact (there you really do give the opponent a free turn...)
The only problem I see is that both are weak to Fighting moves. If your opponent is smart enough, they'll send in something like Roobushin or Machamp and clobber it almost instantly.
Well, Zoroark, whether detected or not, is still a powerful special sweeper if it gets 1 or 2 Nasty Plots.. it's all about trying to find the right composition.

Has anyone tried using a level 1 endeavor rattata or a bidoof with it? Obviously, not meant for winning -at least, I think-, but think about the LULZ.

-Go Bidoof!-
Opponent: "Oh, a Bidoof? WTF? What is this I don't even-"
I can most definitely see the look in the opponent's face when that happens.
 
But in real game mechanics, i think that having a heracross would be great, since of the rising metagame counters to a bug/fighting would usually be a psychic pokemon or skarmory, and If illusionwolf ran flamethrower and DP, then it could definitely kill those..


now....what can it do against fire?

I was also thinking of a blaziken or infernape, blaziken being the cooler one, of course, but the only problem would be that it would be a dead giveaway due to stealth rocks. That might not be a bad thing, considering that one could simply go on Nasty Plot if it ran Nasty Plot as well, but just the fact that illusion is given away so early in the switch is.....


I think I'll stick with trolling pokemon. A Magikarp running nasty plot. Clearly, it has evil intentions...
 
I was also thinking of a blaziken or infernape, blaziken being the cooler one, of course, but the only problem would be that it would be a dead giveaway due to stealth rocks. That might not be a bad thing, considering that one could simply go on Nasty Plot if it ran Nasty Plot as well, but just the fact that illusion is given away so early in the switch is.....


I think I'll stick with trolling pokemon. A Magikarp running nasty plot. Clearly, it has evil intentions...

Both Fire/Fighting pokemon take Neutral Damage to Stealth Rock upon entering, the same as Zoroark.

However, if using Blaziken as you're cover, set up fast, as the opponent's gonna notice after one turn of no Speed Boost.

Magikarp w/ Nasty Plot...Are you TRYING to bring our doom?
 
Has anyone tried using a level 1 endeavor rattata or a bidoof with it? Obviously, not meant for winning -at least, I think-, but think about the LULZ.

-Go Bidoof!-
Opponent: "Oh, a Bidoof? WTF? What is this I don't even-"
Confirmed Illusion allows Zoroark\Zorua to appear to be the last Pokemon in the party, right down to the nickname and PokeBall, but NOT the level. The illusion fades when Zoroark\Zorua (but not a Substitute) is hit by a damaging attack, not when hit by indirect damage such as entry hazards or Sandstorm or when hit by Destiny Bond. The last Pokemon in the party may change during battle, however, and the Illusion will change accordingly. Causes Trace\Transform\Eccentric to fail if the illusion is active. (Slipperjeans, SupremeDirt, Squid Ninja, Cerozero, MeroMero, Setsuna, jumpluff, aziki, Death Phenomeno)
 
But in real game mechanics, i think that having a heracross would be great, since of the rising metagame counters to a bug/fighting would usually be a psychic pokemon or skarmory, and If illusionwolf ran flamethrower and DP, then it could definitely kill those..


now....what can it do against fire?

I was also thinking of a blaziken or infernape, blaziken being the cooler one, of course, but the only problem would be that it would be a dead giveaway due to stealth rocks. That might not be a bad thing, considering that one could simply go on Nasty Plot if it ran Nasty Plot as well, but just the fact that illusion is given away so early in the switch is.....


I think I'll stick with trolling pokemon. A Magikarp running nasty plot. Clearly, it has evil intentions...

Stealth Rock is neutral on both Blaziken and Zoroark.
Problem would be when it doesn't get the Speed Boost :P
 
Actually, something that I've done today was using Zoroark as a lead pokemon, but using a Sableye as the last pokemon. Because Sableye is a pokemon that always puts the opponent in an awkward spot, seeing as how it has mischevious heart, and a wide movepool that can abuse it throughly, and seeing as how it has no weaknesses, Sableye is able to put the opponent in, (like I have said before), awkward spots.

Combined with a Zoroark lead, which would not take damage from stealth rocks or anything, this could seriously mess up a person's gameplay if they do not see it coming.

they will not see it coming
 
Yeah. I was excited for it at first, but in all honesty, I can't use Zoroark now that Smogon insists on Team Preview in all metagames. It's just not worth it to try and bluff when they're absolutely positive you have Zoroark and will naturally be more wary of it throughout the match. Also, considering his low defenses, inability to switch in on anything if he wants to keep that Illusion going, and the fact that weather teams run over basically everything, Zoroark buffing is about as audacious a strategy as GyaraVire right now.

Go compare his level of usage now to PO's Dream World OU. Being able to see the other guy's team really makes all the difference.
 
I find the best way to use Zoroark is to use it as just that, a Zoroark. Use the Scarf or Specs or even LO set to do the damage you need. If you manage to pull off a successful illusion, that's fine. It shouldn't be your main goal, though, because if it is, you won't get consistent results.
 
even if there's team preview, your opponent's stuck playing guessing games as to whether or not it's really zoroark or not. I actually like to put in fake leads and what nots in my wifi games, so that I can change them around and throw the opponent off.

IS IT ACTUALLY AN EREFUUN, IS IT GOING TO TAUNT? IS IT GOING TO PROTECT?

maybe it's actually a ZOROARK.
 
I find the best way to use Zoroark is to use it as just that, a Zoroark. Use the Scarf or Specs or even LO set to do the damage you need. If you manage to pull off a successful illusion, that's fine. It shouldn't be your main goal, though, because if it is, you won't get consistent results.

Unfortunately, Zoroark has an absolutely HORRIBLE typing this generation and its defenses are worse than Lucario's. Even though its SpA/Atk/Spe are stellar it's just a wee bit too frail...

Even Choice Scarf won't be helping against priority, which is nothing short of rampant. Zoroark's a pretty cool Pokemon, but I can't help but feel that its main role in the game is to troll people by mimicking stuff...
 
I can't help but feel that its main role in the game is to troll people by mimicking stuff...

You mean, like Evo Stone Kakuna or Baton Pass receiver Bibarel?

Even so, I've seen Zoroark able to remove a great deal of threats, at least the psychic ones. Once psychic threats are dealed with, I find that a lot of physical fighters don't have much to deal with. I've always killed an alakazam that way.
 
True story.

I feel as if a bulky Zoroark would be the most effectve with a defensive EV set like 252Def/252/SpDef/4HP with a Timid Nature or something.
 
But then it would still die to any decently powerful hits (especially with all the strong fighting-types this gen), and it wouldn't have any meaningful offensive presence. Stick to what it does well.
 
If you're using NP, then you're not using it right. Zoroak doesn't have enough speed or bulk to really sweep, and there are better stall breakers. Zoroak's purpose is to sucker-punch (not the actual move) your opponent's best check to your sweeper.
 
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