Gengar (Analysis)

Celestavian

Smooth
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[Overview]

<p>Gengar is one of only two famed OU veterans that have been OU for all five generations. It owes this to its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats, immunities to Ground-, Normal-, and Fighting-type attacks and to the poison status, as well as a concise movepool that grew with each passing generation. This generation, the only thing it gained was a 100% accurate Disable, as well as Dream World-exclusive competition from Chandelure. Gengar is now perhaps best known for its SubDisable set, with which it can dismantle many Fighting-types, be they the old favorites Lucario and Infernape, or new introductions such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr. In Dream World, however, Gengar's Pursuit weakness is compounded by its ability to be trapped and OHKOed by Choice Scarf Chandelure if it isn't wielding a Choice Scarf itself. Both these threats cripple Gengar, but it is still very useful in the Dream World metagame.</p>

[SET]
name: SubDisable
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Disable
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast / Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is one of the most common for Gengar in BW, and for good reason. It can put a stop to many slower Pokemon, including almost every Fighting-type in the game; the one notable exception is Scrafty, who commonly has both Crunch and Ice Punch to hit Gengar with. Substitute blocks status and acts as a pseudo-Protect against slower opponents, allowing you to scout their move and then Disable it. It also blocks Leech Seed and Thunder Wave, and eases prediction if the opponent should switch out. Disable is the crux of the set, neutering anything that has only one move capable of hitting Gengar and forcing Choice-locked Pokemon to switch. With hazards on the field, the immense amount of switching this set causes quickly whittles down the opponent's team.</p>

<p>Shadow Ball is required to prevent Gengar from becoming Taunt bait, against opponents such as Jellicent and Deoxys-S. The last slot has two main options: Focus Blast puts a more offensive spin on the set, by preventing Steel-types—who are immune to Toxic Spikes—from walling Gengar. Alternatively, Pain Split gives Gengar some more longevity. Neither option can defeat Chansey, but as Chansey can do literally nothing to Gengar when the latter is hiding behind a Substitute, this is mitigated somewhat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Depending on what secondary option you choose in the fourth slot, Gengar will have issues with certain Pokemon. Tyranitar can destroy Gengar if it lacks Focus Blast and doesn't have a Substitute up; it doesn't particularly mind Disable either, as it has two powerful STAB moves to hit Gengar with. Pain Split doesn't work very well against anything with a low HP stat, such as Rotom-W. It also can't do lethal damage, meaning the Normal-types that are immune to Shadow Ball cannot be KOed by Gengar at all. Either way, anything with more than one move to use against Gengar and a resistance to Shadow Ball can easily take it on. In addition, Roar and Whirlwind ignore Substitute and can't be Disabled unless the move was used the turn before and dragged Gengar into the battle. Fighting-types make excellent partners to take out Steel- and Dark-types, with Terrakion being a good example. Terrakion hates other Fighting-types, as well as Psychic- and Ghost-types, which Gengar can defeat with ease. In return, Terrakion can set up with Swords Dance or Rock Polish and sweep. Rotom-W also makes a good teammate as it can either fry or drown common phazers such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Heatran with the appropriate STAB move.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Trick
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gengar's excellent offensive stats also allow it to successfully run a Choice Scarf set, with the Speed boost of Choice Scarf allowing it to dash past everything up to and including +2 Adamant Dragon Dance Dragonite. Shadow Ball is the obvious STAB move of choice, as it allows Gengar to surprise the dreaded Chandelure and OHKO it before it can even move. Focus Blast is the next most important move, granting Gengar perfect neutral coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Chansey, and Excadrill for super effective damage. Unfortunately, Gengar doesn't even come close to scoring a 2HKO on Chansey or Blissey with Focus Blast, and also misses the OHKO on specially defensive variants of Tyranitar, so a strong physical Fighting-type, such as Terrakion, is an excellent partner.</p>

<p>Trick is an excellent move in Gengar's arsenal and is its only true weapon against Chansey and other powerful special walls. By handing them an unwanted Choice Scarf, they are crippled for the rest of the match and become easy setup bait for the correct Pokemon. The final slot is a toss-up since Gengar already boasts perfect coverage with its first two attacks. Hidden Power Fire seems redundant with Focus Blast in Gengar's repertoire, but Gengar can use it to ambush and destroy Choice Scarf Genesect, while achieving a slightly more powerful and much more accurate hit on Ferrothorn. Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Dragonite if Multiscale is broken, and also hits Garchomp and Salamence for 4x super effective damage. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Gengar to strike Water-type foes for more damage than Shadow Ball. While this comes in especially handy against rain teams, it is usually a lesser option compared to Gengar's other moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Chandelure seems like it would outclass Gengar in the role of a Choice Scarf user, especially since it boasts a higher Special Attack set, a much better offensive dual STAB combo, and the Shadow Tag ability. It is also far easier to put on a team than Gengar as it doesn't have to worry about predicting switches. However, Gengar is far from outclassed as it has a much higher Speed stat, and its Special Attack stat isn't that much worse than Chandelure's. In addition, Choice Scarf Gengar can surprise and eliminate enemy Chandelure without fail, as long as it is not trapped while locked into a move besides Shadow Ball. It is also far less bothered by hazards, being neutral to Stealth Rock and entirely immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Furthermore, Gengar has Focus Blast and Trick, two moves that turn Chandelure green with envy. However, Gengar cannot guarantee that the opponent will not switch out to a counter, so your choice between the two depends on which better fits your team: Gengar's better Speed and offensive movepool versus Chandelure's trapping ability and weakness to entry hazards.</p>

<p>Destiny Bond is an interesting move, as Gengar's massive Speed stat allows it to practically guarantee a kill, but it requires that Gengar forgo a coverage move. Use it only if you feel Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide enough coverage.</p>

<p>Gengar highly appreciates strong physical Fighting-types as partners due to its weakness to Pursuit and inability to muscle past some dedicated special walls. Terrakion is one of the best choices, as it gains an Attack boost from Dark-type moves—besides Pursuit—that are aimed at Gengar, while Gengar can switch in on Ground- and Fighting-type moves that Terrakion hates. They share a weakness to Psychic-type moves, however, and Scizor can OHKO both with Bullet Punch, so a Steel-type such as defensive Heatran will help. By eliminating Genesect and Chandelure, as well as physical walls such as Gliscor and Skarmory, Choice Scarf Gengar can open up holes for Swords Dance Garchomp to sweep, as the former two can commonly outspeed it and OHKO it with Ice-type moves, while the latter Pokemon can take its hits with relative ease. Choice Scarf Gengar blows away Jellicent, as well as Latios and Latias after some residual damage, allowing Calm Mind Keldeo to rip apart the opposing team. Keldeo also doesn't mind Gengar's inability to deal with Chansey, as Keldeo has Secret Sword to destroy it.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Pain Split
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses less on team support and hit-and-run tactics, and instead tries to clean up on its own. Life Orb Gengar is a fantastic late-game sweeper, especially after priority users such as Scizor are removed. Shadow Ball is on the set as it is Gengar's best STAB option, while Focus Blast gives it all-important perfect offensive coverage in two moves, and helps it to get past most Steel-types that resist Shadow Ball, such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, who are both 2HKOed with Stealth Rock. With the Life Orb boost, Latios is now always OHKOed by Shadow Ball even before Stealth Rock, while 252/252+ Tyranitar has an excellent chance to be OHKOed by Focus Blast with Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>The last two slots largely consist of filler options, which can be changed to suit your team's needs. Thunderbolt is excellent for achieving the OHKO on Skarmory with Stealth Rock, as well as hitting Water-types not named Jellicent or Slowbro harder than Shadow Ball. For example, the standard 248/8 Vaporeon is never 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, but Thunderbolt always KOes it even without hazards. Hidden Power Fire knocks out Scizor, Forretress, and Genesect in one hit, and Ferrothron in two. It does, however, lower Gengar's Speed IV by one point, causing it to always be outsped by dangerous threats such as Latios and opposing Gengar. Hidden Power Ice stops Dragon-types cold, OHKOing even 252/252+ Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage 100% of the time. Pain Split allows Gengar to heal off some of the Life Orb damage it has accrued if you feel the first three slots provide enough coverage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Sucker Punch users, Scizor, and Azumarill can all OHKO Gengar before it can move; the same applies to Choice Scarf users such as Latios and Chandelure. Tyranitar can Pursuit these latter threats to death, but the sandstorm it summons reduces Gengar's already short lifespan even further. A bulky Water-type such as Vaporeon resists both Bullet Punch and Aqua Jet, and takes no damage from Sucker Punch as it switches in. Vaporeon can also pass Wishes to Gengar, and burn Scizor and Azumarill with Scald. This Gengar variant performs best as a late-game sweeper, but it can remove threats such as Mew and Reuniclus after residual damage mid-game to allow Fighting-type sweepers an easier time at ending the game.</p>

<p>Thunder can replace any move on the set if you have rain support. Its 30% paralysis chance and immense power are both very welcome—in fact, it hits just as hard as Gengar's STAB Shadow Ball on an opponent neutral to both. Sludge Bomb is a secondary STAB option that can annihilate Breloom and Serperior, but its poor coverage makes it a niche move that should only be given the nod if either of those two Grass-types trouble you. Substitute and Destiny Bond are both usable over some of Gengar's less important coverage moves, with Substitute easing prediction and Destiny Bond giving Gengar a way to destroy any Pokemon at the cost of its own life.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Gengar's competitive movepool isn't very large, and most of its usable options are already listed. It gets Hypnosis and Will-O-Wisp to inflict status, but neither move is very accurate, and both are better left to bulkier Pokemon that can afford to miss. Focus Punch was an option on Gengar sets in past generations as a way to defeat Blissey and Chansey, but now that Explosion has been nerfed, running a physical move on Gengar is not recommended at all due to its awful Attack stat. Taunt can be used on the SubDisable set over Focus Blast or Pain Split to stop Gengar from being setup bait against Pokemon it cannot touch, such as Scrafty. Energy Ball hits Water / Ground types where Thunderbolt can't, but hits virtually all other Water-types for less damage. A lead set with Focus Sash and Destiny Bond is almost guaranteed a KO, but is useless if it is not in the lead spot and enemy hazards go up.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Gengar boasts excellent coverage and a very short list of counters, but as it is weak to Pursuit and can be annihilated by Choice Scarf Chandelure, it can still find it hard to stick around. Scizor is the Pursuit user that bothers Gengar the most, as it plays a deadly mindgame with Gengar that the latter can rarely win: Bullet Punch OHKOes Gengar if it stays in, and Pursuit OHKOes if it switches out. Only if Gengar is carrying Hidden Power Fire and is gutsy enough to use it on a predicted Pursuit can it bring down Scizor. Tyranitar, on the other hand, fears Focus Blast, but as long as it is running enough Special Defense or the move misses, it can OHKO with Pursuit regardless of whether Gengar stays in or not. Choice Scarf Chandelure, of course, can trap and pick off any variant not carrying a Choice Scarf of its own. In a pinch, Latios can survive one non-Life Orb Shadow Ball and banish Gengar from existence with either Draco Meteor or Psyshock. Choice Scarf users in general give Gengar issues, as it is too frail to take a hit from Pokemon such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and other powerful Pokemon it would normally outspeed.</p>
 
Just a quick nitpick for the opening sentence, gengar and starmie are they only pokemon to be ou all five generations, other pokemon have been ou for their entire existance.
Fuck Auto correct took me an hour to write that post
 
No SubSplit set?

It's one of Gengar's best sets in my opinion. I'd personally argue that it's the best Gengar set due to how predictable SubDisable is, but that's another discussion.

Anyway, I think a SubSplit set should be written. From my use of Gengar, I've used both SubSplit and SubDisable, and I personally found SubSplit to be the better of the two sets. I'm not really sure what Pain Split is doing on the SubDisable set, either. Mono-Ghost coverage is pretty bad IMO, since you'll get walled by Normal, Steel, and Dark-type Pokemon. Focus Blast should be a must on any Gengar set.

I'm not completely sure about the Choice set, since with the general popularity of Scizor, it's not very difficult to beat. I haven't tried it though, so I'll try it out then get back to you on that.

On the LO attacker, I'd deslash Sludge Bomb since Poison attacks are terrible in OU, and put Hidden Power Fire wherever Hidden Power Ice is mentioned. I've never really liked HP Ice on Gengar, since using Ice-type attacks are better left to the waters and Ice Shard users, and I think HP Fire is the superior choice to beat Scizor, assuming you predict correctly.
 
I would use Black Sludge instead of Leftovers in case a bulky pokemon tricks you like rotom-w

It's pretty standardized not to use Black Sludge for everything on analyses... Reason being: The opponent can still Trick back Black Sludge to a non-Poison-type teammate, which is even more detrimental because the Poison-type is already crippled by a Choice item and the teammate might be handicapped by Black Sludge.

Just to note: you missed out the <p></p> tags around each paragraphs, just like sirndpt :P
 
No SubSplit set?

It's one of Gengar's best sets in my opinion. I'd personally argue that it's the best Gengar set due to how predictable SubDisable is, but that's another discussion.

Anyway, I think a SubSplit set should be written. From my use of Gengar, I've used both SubSplit and SubDisable, and I personally found SubSplit to be the better of the two sets. I'm not really sure what Pain Split is doing on the SubDisable set, either. Mono-Ghost coverage is pretty bad IMO, since you'll get walled by Normal, Steel, and Dark-type Pokemon. Focus Blast should be a must on any Gengar set.

I'm not completely sure about the Choice set, since with the general popularity of Scizor, it's not very difficult to beat. I haven't tried it though, so I'll try it out then get back to you on that.

On the LO attacker, I'd deslash Sludge Bomb since Poison attacks are terrible in OU, and put Hidden Power Fire wherever Hidden Power Ice is mentioned. I've never really liked HP Ice on Gengar, since using Ice-type attacks are better left to the waters and Ice Shard users, and I think HP Fire is the superior choice to beat Scizor, assuming you predict correctly.

I'll add that then. I forgot about it.

The choice set works, trust me. I've used it to great success over the past year in BW and it works as an excellent Chandelure lure.

There's one problem with HP Fire on any set besides the Scarf set, and that's the Speed IV of 30 that HP Fire requires. This puts Gengar under other Gengar, Latios, and Latias. All three can OHKO Gengar, so that's why I didn't put it in.

Sludge Bomb is an option because it's something else I've used with good results. It sounds bad on paper, and sometimes it is, but that 30% chance to poison and the slight extra power can make it a worthwhile option if you want.
 
Overview
  • Change that last line from "dropping out of OU" (this could be confusing for some) and replace it with something along the lines of "still has its uses" or something like that
Sub Disable Gengar
  • Deoxys-S is a more relevant Taunter than Azelf
Choice Gengar
  • Deslash Choice Specs. I really can't see any reason to use Specs Gengar over something like Specs Latios.
  • AC: Add Destiny Bond
Life Orb Attacker Gengar
  • Deslash Sludge Bomb as it's quite situational. Replace both instances with HP Fire for reliably hitting Ferrothorn, nailing Genesect on the switch-in,etc.
  • Highlight that the dual coverage of Ghost / Fighting is the biggest draw to using this set.
  • AC: Expand on this a bit
  • AC: Add Thunder if using rain support.
  • AC: Add Sludge Bomb, mentioning that it hits Breloom and Serperior, etc.
  • AC: Add Destiny Bond and Substitute
Other Options
  • This is good
Checks and Counters
  • As pokemon0078 said, highlight Choice Scarf users, as well as priority, and mention Gengar's frailty.
I'm quite pleased that there's so little that needs fixing here. Once these changes are made:
APPROVED
 
[Overview]

<p>Gengar is one of theonly two famed OU veterans, along with Starmie, that have been OU for as long as they have been available across all five generations. It owes this to its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats, three immunities to Ground-, Normal-, and Fighting-type attacks as well as an immunitynd to the poison status, ands well as a concise movepool that grew with each passing generation. This generation, however, the only thing it gained was a 100% accurate Disable, as well as Dream World-exclusive competition from Chandelure. However, it also gained a ton of new Fighting-types to dismantle with its disruptive SubDisable set, such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr, as well asGengar is perhaps best known for its SubDisable set, with which it can dismantle many Fighting-types, be they the old favorites such as Lucario and Infernape, with each carrying only one common move that can hit Gengar for enough damage to break its frail Substitutes.or new introductions such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr. In Dream World, however, Gengar's Pursuit weakness andis compounded by its ability to be trapped and OHKOed by Choice Scarf Chandelure if it isn't wielding a Choice Scarf itself both. Both these threats cripple Gengar, but it is still very useful in the Dream World metagame.</p>

[SET]
name: SubDisable
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Disable
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast / Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is one of the most common for Gengar in BW, and for good reason. It can put a stop to many slower Pokemon, including almost every Fighting-type in the game, with one notable exception being Scrafty, who commonly has both Crunch and Ice Punch to hit it with <is scrafty a really significant threat in DW? if not, i think this bit can be removed>. Substitute blocks status and acts as a pseudo-Protect against slower opponents, allowing you to scout their move and then use Disable on it. It also blocks Leech Seed and Thunder Wave, and eases prediction if the opponent is forcedshould switch out. Disable is the crux of the set, neutering anything that has only one move capable of hitting Gengar and outright forcing out Choiccompletely neutering Choice-locked Pokemon. With hazards on the field, the immense amount of switching this set causes quickly whittles down the opponent's team. </p>

<p>
Shadow Ball is required to prevent Gengar from becoming Taunt bait (which goes through Substitute), against opponents such as Jellicent and Deoxys-S. The last slot is up for grabs, with: Focus Blast puttings a more offensive spin on the set and, by preventing Steel-types—who are immune to Toxic Spikes—from walling Gengar. Alternatively, Pain Split givinges Gengar some more longevity. Neither option can defeat Chansey, but as Chansey can do literally do nothing to Gengar when it is hiding behind a Sub sostitute, this is mitigated somewhat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]


<p>
Depending on what secondary option you choose in the fourth slot, Gengar will have issues with certain Pokemon. Tyranitar can destroy Gengar if it lacks Focus Blast and doesn't have a Substitute up, while both of Tyranitar's two STAB moves can prevent it from being neutered by Disable. Focus Blast also prevents Steel-types from walling Gengar, especially since they are immune to Toxic Spikes. Pain Split doesn't work very well against anything with a low HP stat, such as Rotom-W. It also can't do lethal damage, meaning the Normal-types that are immune to Shadow Ball cannot be KOed by Gengar at all. Either way, anything with more than one move to use against Gengar orand a resistance to Shadow Ball can easily take it on. In addition, Roar and Whirlwind ignore Substitute and can't be Disabled unless the move was used the turn before and dragged Gengar into the battle. Fighting-types make excellent partners to take out Steel- and Dark-types, with Terrakion being a good example. ItTerrakion hates other Fighting-types, as well as Psychic- and Ghost-types, which Gengar can defeat with ease. In return, Terrakion can set up with Swords Dance and/or Rock Polish and sweep. Rotom-W can either fry or drown common phazers, such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Heatran.and Heatran, with an Electric STAB move and Hydro Pump respectively.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Trick
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gengar's excellent offensive stats also allow it to run a successfully run a Choice Scarf set, with the Speed boost of Choice Scarf allowing it to dash past everything up to and including +2 Adamant Dragon Dance Dragonite. Shadow Ball is the obvious STAB move of choice, as it allowings Gengar to surprise the dreaded Chandelure and OHKO it before it can even move. Focus Blast is the next most important move, granting it perfect neutral coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Chansey, and Excadrill for super effective damage. Unfortunately, Gengar doesn't even come close to scoring a 2HKO on Chansey or Blissey with Focus Blast, whileand also missinges the OHKO on specially defensive variants of Tyranitar, so a strong, physical Fighting-type, such as Terrakion works well as a partner. , is an excellent partner.</p>

<p>
Trick is an excellent move in Gengar's arsenal and is its only true weapon against Chansey and other powerful special walls. By handing them an unwanted Choice Scarf, they are crippled for the rest of the match and become easy set-up bait for the correct Pokemon. The final slot is a toss-up since Gengar already boasts perfect coverage inwith its first two moveslotattacks. Hidden Power Fire seems redundant with Focus Blast in its repertoire, but Gengar can use it to ambush and destroy Choice Scarf Genesect, while achieving a slightly more powerful and infinitelymuch more accurate hit on Ferrothorn. Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Dragonite if Multiscale is broken, as well as hittingnd also hits Garchomp and Salamence for 4x super effective damage. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Gengar to strike Water-type foes for more damage than Shadow Ball, which. While this comes in especially comes in handy against rain teams, but it is usually a lesser option compared to itGengar's other moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Chandelure seems like it would outclass Gengar in the role of a Choice Scarf Gengauser, especially since it boasts a higher Special Attack set, a much better offensive dual STAB combo, and the infamous Shadow Tag ability. It is also far easier to put on a team than Gengar sinceas it doesn't have to worry about predicting switches. However, Gengar is far from outclassed. Gengar has a much higher Speed stat, and aits Special Attack stat that isn't that much worse than Chandelure's. In addition, Choice Scarf Gengar can surprise and eliminate enemy Chandelure without fail, as long as it is not trapped while locked into a move besides Shadow Ball. It is also far less bothered by hazards, being neutral to Stealth Rock and entirely immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. It alsoFurthermore, Gengar has Focus Blast and Trick, two moves that turn Chandelure green with envy. However, Gengar can'not guarantee that the opponent will not switch out to a counter, so your choice between the two depends on whetherich better fits your team: Gengar's increased Speed and differing offensive movepool are more appropriate for your team than, or Chandelure's trapping abillity and hazard weakness.</p>

<p>Destiny Bond is an interesting move, as Gengar's massive Speed stat allows it to practically guarantee a kill, but it requires that Gengar forgo a coverage move. Use it only if you feel Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide enough coverage.</p>

<p>
Gengar most appreciates strong physical Fighting-types as partners the most due to its weakness to Pursuit and inability to muscle past some dedicated special walls. Terrakion is one of the best choices, sinceas it gains an Attack boost from Dark-type moves besides Pursuit that are aimed at Gengar, while Gengar can switch in on Ground- and Fighting-type moves that Terrakion hates. They share a weakness to Psychic-type moves, however, and Scizor can OHKO both with Bullet Punch, so carrying a Steel-type to switch in on those attacks, such as a defensive Heatran set, helps outwill help. By eliminating Genesect and Chandelure, as well as some physical walls such as Gliscor and Skarmory, Choice Scarf Gengar can open up holes for Swords Dance Garchomp to sweep, sinceas the former two can commonly carry fast Ice-type moves tooutspeed it and destroy it with Ice-type moves, while the latter Pokemon can take its hits with relative ease. Choice Scarf Gengar blows away Latios and Latias withJellicent, as well as Latios and Latias after some residual damage, which allowsing Calm Mind Keldeo to rip apart the opposing team, especially since Jellicent is disposed of as well. It. Keldeo also doesn't mind Gengar's inability to deal with Chansey, since itas Keldeo has Secret Sword to destroy it. Destiny Bond is an interesting move, allowing Gengar to practically guarantee a kill with its massive Speed stat, but it takes a coverage move away. Use it only if you feel Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide enough coverage.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Pain Split
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses less on team support and hit-and-run tactics, and instead focuses on trying to clean up on its own. Gengar with a Life Orb sweeps late-game very wellLife Orb Gengar is a fantastic late-game sweeper, especially after priority users such as Scizor are removed. Shadow Ball is on the set as its best STAB option, just like in the last two sets.while Focus Blast gives it all-important perfect offensive coverage in two moves, and helps it to get past most Steel-types that resist Shadow Ball, such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, who are both 2HKOed with Stealth Rock. With athe Life Orb attachedboost, Latios is now always OHKOed by Shadow Ball withouteven before Stealth Rock, while 252/252+ Tyranitar has an excellent chance to be OHKOed by Focus Blast with Stealth Rock.

</p>

<p>
The last two slots lare forgely consist of filler options that, which can be changed based aroundto suit your team's needs. Thunderbolt is excellent for achieving the OHKO on Skarmory with Stealth Rock, as well as hitting Water-types not named Jellicent or Slowbro harder than Shadow Ball. For example, the standard 248/8 Vaporeon is never 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, but Thunderbolt always doesKOes it even without hazards. Hidden Power Fire knocks out Scizor, Forretress, and Genesect in one hit, and Ferrothron in two. It does, however, lower Gengar's Speed IV by one point, causing it to always be outsped by dangerous threats such as Latios and opposing Gengar. Hidden Power Ice stops Dragons cold, OHKOing all of the Dragon-types 4x weak to it (up to and including—even 252/252+ Dragonite) with—after Stealth Rock updamage 100% of the time. Pain Split allows Gengar to heal off some of the Life Orb damage it has accrued if you feel the first three slots provide enough coverage.</p>


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Sucker Punch users, Scizor, and Azumarill can all OHKO Gengar before it can move, along with; the same applies to Choice Scarf users such as Latios and Chandelure. Tyranitar can Pursuit both of thosethese latter threats to death, but the sandstorm it summons cuts down Gengar'sreduces Gengar's already short lifespan even further. A bulky Water-type such as Vaporeon resists both Bullet Punch and Aqua Jet, while takingand takes no damage from Sucker Punch on the switch -in. Vaporeon can also pass Wishes to Gengar, and burn Scizor and Azumarill with Scald. This Gengar variant performs best as a late-game sweeper, but it can remove threats likesuch as Mew and Reuniclus withafter residual damage mid-game to allow Fighting-type sweepers an easier time at ending the game. </p>

<p>
Thunder can replace any move on the set if you have rain support. Its 30% paralysis chance is very welcome, as well as the fact thatand immense power are both very welcome—in fact, it hits just as hard as Gengar's STAB Shadow Ball on an opponent neutral to both. Sludge Bomb is a secondary STAB option that can annihilate Breloom and Serperior, but its poor coverage makes it a niche move that should only be given the nod if either of those two Grass-types trouble you. Substitute and Destiny Bond are both usable over some of Gengar's less important coverage moves, with Substitute easing prediction and Destiny Bond giving Gengar a way to destroy any Pokemon at the cost of its own life.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Gengar's viablcompetitive movepool isn't very large, and most of its usable options are already listed. It gets Hypnosis and Will-O-Wisp to inflict status, but neither move is very accurate, and both are better left to bulkier Pokemon that can afford to miss. Focus Punch is a move that was an option on Gengar sets in past generations as a way to defeat Blissey and Chansey, but now that Explosion has been nerfed, running a physical move on Gengar at all is not recommended at all <why?>. Taunt can be used on the SubDisable set over Focus Blast or Pain Split to stop Gengar from being set-up bait against Pokemon it cannot touch, such as Scrafty. Energy Ball hits Water / Ground -types where Thunderbolt can't, but hits basically everyvirtually all other Water-types for less damage. A lead set with Focus Sash and Destiny Bond is almost guaranteed a KO, but is useless if it is not in the lead withspot and enemy hazards go up.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Gengar boasts excellent coverage and a very short list of counters list, but with aas it is weakness to Pursuit and the ability tocan be annihilated by Chandelure if it is sloweroice Scarf Chandelure, Gengar can still find it hard to stayick around. Scizor is the Pursuit user that bothers itGengar the most, as it plays a deadly mindgame with Gengar that itthe latter can rarely win.: Bullet Punch OHKOes Gengar if it stays in, and Pursuit OHKOes if it switches out. Only if Gengar is carrying Hidden Power Fire, and is gutsy enough guts to use it on a predicted Pursuit, can it bring down Scizor. Tyranitar, on the other hand, hafears Focus Blast to fear, but as long as it is running enough Special Defense or evades the move misses, it can OHKO with Pursuit regardless of ifwhether Gengar stays in or not. Choice Scarf Chandelure, of course, can trap and blow awaypick off any variant not carrying a Choice Scarf of its own. Latios, in a pinch, can live throughIn a pinch, Latios can survive one non-Life Orb Shadow Ball and banish Gengar from existence with either Draco Meteor or Psyshock. Choice Scarf users in general give Gengar issues, as it is too frail to take a hit from Pokemon such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and other powerful Pokemon it would normally outspeed.

gpstamp


also imo the Life Orb attacker's last two moves are a bit.. messy. might some of them be better off deslashed instead?

[Overview]

<p>Gengar is one of only two famed OU veterans that have been OU for all five generations. It owes this to its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats, immunities to Ground-, Normal-, and Fighting-type attacks and to the poison status, as well as a concise movepool that grew with each passing generation. This generation, the only thing it gained was a 100% accurate Disable, as well as Dream World-exclusive competition from Chandelure. Gengar is perhaps best known for its SubDisable set, with which it can dismantle many Fighting-types, be they the old favorites Lucario and Infernape, or new introductions such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr. In Dream World, however, Gengar's Pursuit weakness is compounded by its ability to be trapped and OHKOed by Choice Scarf Chandelure if it isn't wielding a Choice Scarf itself. Both these threats cripple Gengar, but it is still very useful in the Dream World metagame.</p>

[SET]
name: SubDisable
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Disable
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast / Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is one of the most common for Gengar in BW, and for good reason. It can put a stop to many slower Pokemon, including almost every Fighting-type in the game, with one notable exception being Scrafty, who commonly has both Crunch and Ice Punch to hit it with <is scrafty a really significant threat in DW? if not, i think this bit can be removed>. Substitute blocks status and acts as a pseudo-Protect against slower opponents, allowing you to scout their move and then Disable it. It also blocks Leech Seed and Thunder Wave, and eases prediction if the opponent should switch out. Disable is the crux of the set, neutering anything that has only one move capable of hitting Gengar and completely neutering Choice-locked Pokemon. With hazards on the field, the immense amount of switching this set causes quickly whittles down the opponent's team.</p>

<p>Shadow Ball is required to prevent Gengar from becoming Taunt bait, against opponents such as Jellicent and Deoxys-S. The last slot is up for grabs: Focus Blast puts a more offensive spin on the set, by preventing Steel-types—who are immune to Toxic Spikes—from walling Gengar. Alternatively, Pain Split gives Gengar some more longevity. Neither option can defeat Chansey, but as Chansey can do literally nothing to Gengar when it is hiding behind a Substitute, this is mitigated somewhat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Depending on what secondary option you choose in the fourth slot, Gengar will have issues with certain Pokemon. Tyranitar can destroy Gengar if it lacks Focus Blast and doesn't have a Substitute up, while Tyranitar's two STAB moves prevent it from being neutered by Disable. Pain Split doesn't work very well against anything with a low HP stat, such as Rotom-W. It also can't do lethal damage, meaning the Normal-types that are immune to Shadow Ball cannot be KOed by Gengar at all. Either way, anything with more than one move to use against Gengar and a resistance to Shadow Ball can easily take it on. In addition, Roar and Whirlwind ignore Substitute and can't be Disabled unless the move was used the turn before and dragged Gengar into the battle. Fighting-types make excellent partners to take out Steel- and Dark-types, with Terrakion being a good example. Terrakion hates other Fighting-types, as well as Psychic- and Ghost-types, which Gengar can defeat with ease. In return, Terrakion can set up with Swords Dance or Rock Polish and sweep. Rotom-W can either fry or drown common phazers, such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Heatran, with an Electric STAB move and Hydro Pump respectively.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Trick
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gengar's excellent offensive stats also allow it to successfully run a Choice Scarf set, with the Speed boost of Choice Scarf allowing it to dash past everything up to and including +2 Adamant Dragon Dance Dragonite. Shadow Ball is the obvious STAB move of choice, as it allows Gengar to surprise the dreaded Chandelure and OHKO it before it can even move. Focus Blast is the next most important move, granting it perfect neutral coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Chansey, and Excadrill for super effective damage. Unfortunately, Gengar doesn't even come close to scoring a 2HKO on Chansey or Blissey with Focus Blast, and also misses the OHKO on specially defensive variants of Tyranitar, so a strong physical Fighting-type, such as Terrakion, is an excellent partner.</p>

<p>Trick is an excellent move in Gengar's arsenal and is its only true weapon against Chansey and other powerful special walls. By handing them an unwanted Choice Scarf, they are crippled for the rest of the match and become easy setup bait for the correct Pokemon. The final slot is a toss-up since Gengar already boasts perfect coverage with its first two attacks. Hidden Power Fire seems redundant with Focus Blast in its repertoire, but Gengar can use it to ambush and destroy Choice Scarf Genesect, while achieving a slightly more powerful and much more accurate hit on Ferrothorn. Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Dragonite if Multiscale is broken, and also hits Garchomp and Salamence for 4x super effective damage. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Gengar to strike Water-type foes for more damage than Shadow Ball. While this comes in especially handy against rain teams, it is usually a lesser option compared to Gengar's other moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Chandelure seems like it would outclass Gengar in the role of a Choice Scarf user, especially since it boasts a higher Special Attack set, a much better offensive dual STAB combo, and the Shadow Tag ability. It is also far easier to put on a team than Gengar as it doesn't have to worry about predicting switches. However, Gengar is far from outclassed. Gengar has a much higher Speed stat, and its Special Attack stat isn't that much worse than Chandelure's. In addition, Choice Scarf Gengar can surprise and eliminate enemy Chandelure without fail, as long as it is not trapped while locked into a move besides Shadow Ball. It is also far less bothered by hazards, being neutral to Stealth Rock and entirely immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Furthermore, Gengar has Focus Blast and Trick, two moves that turn Chandelure green with envy. However, Gengar cannot guarantee that the opponent will not switch out to a counter, so your choice between the two depends on which better fits your team: Gengar's increased Speed and offensive movepool, or Chandelure's trapping ability and hazard weakness.</p>

<p>Destiny Bond is an interesting move, as Gengar's massive Speed stat allows it to practically guarantee a kill, but it requires that Gengar forgo a coverage move. Use it only if you feel Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide enough coverage.</p>

<p>Gengar most appreciates strong physical Fighting-types as partners due to its weakness to Pursuit and inability to muscle past some dedicated special walls. Terrakion is one of the best choices, as it gains an Attack boost from Dark-type moves—besides Pursuit—that are aimed at Gengar, while Gengar can switch in on Ground- and Fighting-type moves that Terrakion hates. They share a weakness to Psychic-type moves, however, and Scizor can OHKO both with Bullet Punch, so a Steel-type such as defensive Heatran will help. By eliminating Genesect and Chandelure, as well as physical walls such as Gliscor and Skarmory, Choice Scarf Gengar can open up holes for Swords Dance Garchomp to sweep, as the former two can commonly outspeed it and destroy it with Ice-type moves, while the latter Pokemon can take its hits with relative ease. Choice Scarf Gengar blows away Jellicent, as well as Latios and Latias after some residual damage, allowing Calm Mind Keldeo to rip apart the opposing team. Keldeo also doesn't mind Gengar's inability to deal with Chansey, as Keldeo has Secret Sword to destroy it.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Pain Split
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses less on team support and hit-and-run tactics, and instead focuses on trying to clean up on its own. Life Orb Gengar is a fantastic late-game sweeper, especially after priority users such as Scizor are removed. Shadow Ball is on the set as its best STAB option, while Focus Blast gives it all-important perfect offensive coverage in two moves, and helps it to get past most Steel-types that resist Shadow Ball, such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, who are both 2HKOed with Stealth Rock. With the Life Orb boost, Latios is now always OHKOed by Shadow Ball even before Stealth Rock, while 252/252+ Tyranitar has an excellent chance to be OHKOed by Focus Blast with Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>The last two slots largely consist of filler options, which can be changed to suit your team's needs. Thunderbolt is excellent for achieving the OHKO on Skarmory with Stealth Rock, as well as hitting Water-types not named Jellicent or Slowbro harder than Shadow Ball. For example, the standard 248/8 Vaporeon is never 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, but Thunderbolt always KOes it even without hazards. Hidden Power Fire knocks out Scizor, Forretress, and Genesect in one hit, and Ferrothron in two. It does, however, lower Gengar's Speed IV by one point, causing it to always be outsped by dangerous threats such as Latios and opposing Gengar. Hidden Power Ice stops Dragons cold, OHKOing all of the Dragon-types 4x weak to it—even 252/252+ Dragonite—after Stealth Rock damage 100% of the time. Pain Split allows Gengar to heal off some of the Life Orb damage it has accrued if you feel the first three slots provide enough coverage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Sucker Punch users, Scizor, and Azumarill can all OHKO Gengar before it can move; the same applies to Choice Scarf users such as Latios and Chandelure. Tyranitar can Pursuit these latter threats to death, but the sandstorm it summons reduces Gengar's already short lifespan even further. A bulky Water-type such as Vaporeon resists both Bullet Punch and Aqua Jet, and takes no damage from Sucker Punch on the switch-in. Vaporeon can also pass Wishes to Gengar, and burn Scizor and Azumarill with Scald. This Gengar variant performs best as a late-game sweeper, but it can remove threats such as Mew and Reuniclus after residual damage mid-game to allow Fighting-type sweepers an easier time at ending the game.</p>

<p>Thunder can replace any move on the set if you have rain support. Its 30% paralysis chance and immense power are both very welcome—in fact, it hits just as hard as Gengar's STAB Shadow Ball on an opponent neutral to both. Sludge Bomb is a secondary STAB option that can annihilate Breloom and Serperior, but its poor coverage makes it a niche move that should only be given the nod if either of those two Grass-types trouble you. Substitute and Destiny Bond are both usable over some of Gengar's less important coverage moves, with Substitute easing prediction and Destiny Bond giving Gengar a way to destroy any Pokemon at the cost of its own life.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Gengar's competitive movepool isn't very large, and most of its usable options are already listed. It gets Hypnosis and Will-O-Wisp to inflict status, but neither move is very accurate, and both are better left to bulkier Pokemon that can afford to miss. Focus Punch was an option on Gengar sets in past generations as a way to defeat Blissey and Chansey, but now that Explosion has been nerfed, running a physical move on Gengar is not recommended at all <why? (sort of optional though)>. Taunt can be used on the SubDisable set over Focus Blast or Pain Split to stop Gengar from being setup bait against Pokemon it cannot touch, such as Scrafty. Energy Ball hits Water / Ground-types where Thunderbolt can't, but hits virtually all other Water-types for less damage. A lead set with Focus Sash and Destiny Bond is almost guaranteed a KO, but is useless if it is not in the lead spot and enemy hazards go up.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Gengar boasts excellent coverage and a very short list of counters, but as it is weak to Pursuit and can be annihilated by Choice Scarf Chandelure, Gengar can still find it hard to stick around. Scizor is the Pursuit user that bothers Gengar the most, as it plays a deadly mindgame with Gengar that the latter can rarely win: Bullet Punch OHKOes Gengar if it stays in, and Pursuit OHKOes if it switches out. Only if Gengar is carrying Hidden Power Fire and is gutsy enough to use it on a predicted Pursuit can it bring down Scizor. Tyranitar, on the other hand, fears Focus Blast, but as long as it is running enough Special Defense or the move misses, it can OHKO with Pursuit regardless of whether Gengar stays in or not. Choice Scarf Chandelure, of course, can trap and pick off any variant not carrying a Choice Scarf of its own. In a pinch, Latios can survive one non-Life Orb Shadow Ball and banish Gengar from existence with either Draco Meteor or Psyshock. Choice Scarf users in general give Gengar issues, as it is too frail to take a hit from Pokemon such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and other powerful Pokemon it would normally outspeed.
 
Deletions
Additions / Corrections
Comments


[Overview]

<p>Gengar is one of only two famed OU veterans that have been OU for all five generations. It owes this to its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats, immunities to Ground-, Normal-, and Fighting-type attacks and to the poison status, as well as a concise movepool that grew with each passing generation. This generation, the only thing it gained was a 100% accurate Disable, as well as Dream World-exclusive competition from Chandelure. Gengar is now perhaps best known for its SubDisable set, with which it can dismantle many Fighting-types, be they the old favorites Lucario and Infernape, or new introductions such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr. In Dream World, however, Gengar's Pursuit weakness is compounded by its ability to be trapped and OHKOed by Choice Scarf Chandelure if it isn't wielding a Choice Scarf itself. Both these threats cripple Gengar, but it is still very useful in the Dream World metagame.</p>

[SET]
name: SubDisable
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Disable
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Focus Blast / Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is one of the most common for Gengar in BW, and for good reason. It can put a stop to many slower Pokemon, including almost every Fighting-type in the game; the with one notable exception being is Scrafty, who commonly has both Crunch and Ice Punch to hit it Gengar with. (I split this sentence into two to make it easier for readers to comprehend all of the information) Substitute blocks status and acts as a pseudo-Protect against slower opponents, allowing you to scout their move and then Disable it. It also blocks Leech Seed and Thunder Wave, and eases prediction if the opponent should switch out. Disable is the crux of the set, neutering anything that has only one move capable of hitting Gengar and completely neutering forcing Choice-locked Pokemon opponents to switch. With hazards on the field, the immense amount of switching this set causes quickly whittles down the opponent's team.</p>

<p>Shadow Ball is required to prevent Gengar from becoming Taunt bait, against opponents such as Jellicent and Deoxys-S. The last slot is up for grabs has two main options: Focus Blast puts a more offensive spin on the set, by preventing Steel-types—who are immune to Toxic Spikes—from walling Gengar. Alternatively, Pain Split gives Gengar some more longevity. Neither option can defeat Chansey, but as Chansey can do literally nothing to Gengar when it the latter is hiding behind a Substitute, this is mitigated somewhat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Depending on what secondary option you choose in the fourth slot, Gengar will have issues with certain Pokemon. Tyranitar can destroy Gengar if it lacks Focus Blast and doesn't have a Substitute up; it doesn't particularly mind Disable either, as it has two powerful STAB moves to hit Gengar with while Tyranitar's two STAB moves prevent it from being neutered by Disable. Pain Split doesn't work very well against anything with a low HP stat, such as Rotom-W. It also can't do lethal damage, meaning the Normal-types that are immune to Shadow Ball cannot be KOed by Gengar at all. Either way, anything with more than one move to use against Gengar and a resistance to Shadow Ball can easily take it on. In addition, Roar and Whirlwind ignore Substitute and can't be Disabled unless the move was used the turn before and dragged Gengar into the battle. Fighting-types make excellent partners to take out Steel- and Dark-types, with Terrakion being a good example. Terrakion hates other Fighting-types, as well as Psychic- and Ghost-types, which Gengar can defeat with ease. In return, Terrakion can set up with Swords Dance or Rock Polish and sweep. Rotom-W too makes a good teammate, as it can either fry or drown common phazers, such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Heatran, with the appropriate STAB move an Electric STAB move and Hydro Pump respectively.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Trick
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Gengar's excellent offensive stats also allow it to successfully run a Choice Scarf set, with the Speed boost of Choice Scarf allowing it to dash past everything up to and including +2 Adamant Dragon Dance Dragonite. Shadow Ball is the obvious STAB move of choice, as it allows Gengar to surprise the dreaded Chandelure and OHKO it before it can even move. Focus Blast is the next most important move, granting it Gengar perfect neutral coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Chansey, and Excadrill for super effective damage. Unfortunately, Gengar doesn't even come close to scoring a 2HKO on Chansey or Blissey with Focus Blast, and also misses the OHKO on specially defensive variants of Tyranitar, so a strong physical Fighting-type, such as Terrakion, is an excellent partner.</p>

<p>Trick is an excellent move in Gengar's arsenal and is its only true weapon against Chansey and other powerful special walls. By handing them an unwanted Choice Scarf, they are crippled for the rest of the match and become easy setup bait for the correct Pokemon. The final slot is a toss-up since Gengar already boasts perfect coverage with its first two attacks. Hidden Power Fire seems redundant with Focus Blast in its Gengar's repertoire, but Gengar can use it to ambush and destroy Choice Scarf Genesect, while achieving a slightly more powerful and much more accurate hit on Ferrothorn. Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Dragonite if Multiscale is broken, and also hits Garchomp and Salamence for 4x super effective damage. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Gengar to strike Water-type foes for more damage than Shadow Ball. While this comes in especially handy against rain teams, it is usually a lesser option compared to Gengar's other moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Chandelure seems like it would outclass Gengar in the role of a Choice Scarf user, especially since it boasts a higher Special Attack set, a much better offensive dual STAB combo, and the Shadow Tag ability. It is also far easier to put on a team than Gengar as it doesn't have to worry about predicting switches. However, Gengar is far from outclassed. Gengar as it has a much higher Speed stat, and its Special Attack stat isn't that much worse than Chandelure's. In addition, Choice Scarf Gengar can surprise and eliminate enemy Chandelure without fail, as long as it is not trapped while locked into a move besides Shadow Ball. It is also far less bothered by hazards, being neutral to Stealth Rock and entirely immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Furthermore, Gengar has Focus Blast and Trick, two moves that turn Chandelure green with envy. However, Gengar cannot guarantee that the opponent will not switch out to a counter, so your choice between the two depends on which better fits your team: Gengar's increased better Speed and offensive movepool, or versus Chandelure's trapping ability and hazard weakness to entry hazards.</p>

<p>Destiny Bond is an interesting move, as Gengar's massive Speed stat allows it to practically guarantee a kill, but it requires that Gengar forgo a coverage move. Use it only if you feel Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide enough coverage.</p>

<p>Gengar most highly appreciates strong physical Fighting-types as partners due to its weakness to Pursuit and inability to muscle past some dedicated special walls. Terrakion is one of the best choices, as it gains an Attack boost from Dark-type moves—besides Pursuit—that are aimed at Gengar, while Gengar can switch in on Ground- and Fighting-type moves that Terrakion hates. They share a weakness to Psychic-type moves, however, and Scizor can OHKO both with Bullet Punch, so a Steel-type such as defensive Heatran will help. By eliminating Genesect and Chandelure, as well as physical walls such as Gliscor and Skarmory, Choice Scarf Gengar can open up holes for Swords Dance Garchomp to sweep, as the former two can commonly outspeed it and destroy it OHKO with Ice-type moves, while the latter Pokemon can take its hits with relative ease. Choice Scarf Gengar blows away Jellicent, as well as Latios and Latias after some residual damage, allowing Calm Mind Keldeo to rip apart the opposing team. Keldeo also doesn't mind Gengar's inability to deal with Chansey, as Keldeo has Secret Sword to destroy it.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire / Pain Split
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses less on team support and hit-and-run tactics, and instead focuses on tries to clean up on its own. Life Orb Gengar is a fantastic late-game sweeper, especially after priority users such as Scizor are removed. Shadow Ball is on the set as it is Gengar's best STAB option, while Focus Blast gives it all-important perfect offensive coverage in two moves, and helps it to get past most Steel-types that resist Shadow Ball, such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, who are both 2HKOed with Stealth Rock. With the Life Orb boost, Latios is now always OHKOed by Shadow Ball even before Stealth Rock, while 252/252+ Tyranitar has an excellent chance to be OHKOed by Focus Blast with Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>The last two slots largely consist of filler options, which can be changed to suit your team's needs. Thunderbolt is excellent for achieving the OHKO on Skarmory with Stealth Rock, as well as hitting Water-types not named Jellicent or Slowbro harder than Shadow Ball. For example, the standard 248/8 Vaporeon is never 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, but Thunderbolt always KOes it even without hazards. Hidden Power Fire knocks out Scizor, Forretress, and Genesect in one hit, and Ferrothron in two. It does, however, lower Gengar's Speed IV by one point, causing it to always be outsped by dangerous threats such as Latios and opposing Gengar. Hidden Power Ice stops Dragon-types cold, OHKOing all of the Dragon-types 4x weak to it—even 252/252+ Dragoniteafter Stealth Rock damage 100% of the time. Pain Split allows Gengar to heal off some of the Life Orb damage it has accrued if you feel the first three slots provide enough coverage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Sucker Punch users, Scizor, and Azumarill can all OHKO Gengar before it can move; the same applies to Choice Scarf users such as Latios and Chandelure. Tyranitar can Pursuit these latter threats to death, but the sandstorm it summons reduces Gengar's already short lifespan even further. A bulky Water-type such as Vaporeon resists both Bullet Punch and Aqua Jet, and takes no damage from Sucker Punch on the switch-in as it switches in. Vaporeon can also pass Wishes to Gengar, and burn Scizor and Azumarill with Scald. This Gengar variant performs best as a late-game sweeper, but it can remove threats such as Mew and Reuniclus after residual damage mid-game to allow Fighting-type sweepers an easier time at ending the game.</p>

<p>Thunder can replace any move on the set if you have rain support. Its 30% paralysis chance and immense power are both very welcome—in fact, it hits just as hard as Gengar's STAB Shadow Ball on an opponent neutral to both. Sludge Bomb is a secondary STAB option that can annihilate Breloom and Serperior, but its poor coverage makes it a niche move that should only be given the nod if either of those two Grass-types trouble you. Substitute and Destiny Bond are both usable over some of Gengar's less important coverage moves, with Substitute easing prediction and Destiny Bond giving Gengar a way to destroy any Pokemon at the cost of its own life.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Gengar's competitive movepool isn't very large, and most of its usable options are already listed. It gets Hypnosis and Will-O-Wisp to inflict status, but neither move is very accurate, and both are better left to bulkier Pokemon that can afford to miss. Focus Punch was an option on Gengar sets in past generations as a way to defeat Blissey and Chansey, but now that Explosion has been nerfed, running a physical move on Gengar is not recommended at all due to its awful Attack stat. Taunt can be used on the SubDisable set over Focus Blast or Pain Split to stop Gengar from being setup bait against Pokemon it cannot touch, such as Scrafty. Energy Ball hits Water / Ground types where Thunderbolt can't, but hits virtually all other Water-types for less damage. A lead set with Focus Sash and Destiny Bond is almost guaranteed a KO, but is useless if it is not in the lead spot and enemy hazards go up.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Gengar boasts excellent coverage and a very short list of counters, but as it is weak to Pursuit and can be annihilated by Choice Scarf Chandelure, Gengar it can still find it hard to stick around. Scizor is the Pursuit user that bothers Gengar the most, as it plays a deadly mindgame with Gengar that the latter can rarely win: Bullet Punch OHKOes Gengar if it stays in, and Pursuit OHKOes if it switches out. Only if Gengar is carrying Hidden Power Fire and is gutsy enough to use it on a predicted Pursuit can it bring down Scizor. Tyranitar, on the other hand, fears Focus Blast, but as long as it is running enough Special Defense or the move misses, it can OHKO with Pursuit regardless of whether Gengar stays in or not. Choice Scarf Chandelure, of course, can trap and pick off any variant not carrying a Choice Scarf of its own. In a pinch, Latios can survive one non-Life Orb Shadow Ball and banish Gengar from existence with either Draco Meteor or Psyshock. Choice Scarf users in general give Gengar issues, as it is too frail to take a hit from Pokemon such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and other powerful Pokemon it would normally outspeed.</p>

contrib_gp.png


GP 2 / 2
 
Gengar is one of only two famed OU veterans that have been OU for all five generations.

Nice bit of trivia.

Irritating that you don't sidebar and tell us who the other mon is, though.
 
Since we are still allowed to post here, will there be a dedicated thread for afterthoughts?

Arguably, Disable and Pain Split should be two sets, but it works. In any case, I think Pain Split needs to be slashed with Disable, or at least mentioned as an option over Disable. Right now the SubDisable set mentions Pain Split, but glosses over the fact that Gengar can beat Blissey and, with a smidge of luck, Chansey (but eh), which is quite the feat and great for special attackers ie Chandelure, Genesect, etc. As LuZ mentioned as well, it isn't the wisest to be dancing around with mono-Ghost coverage.
 
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