Good point. This is assuming they play it safe and go for priority due to paralysis
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XY Suspect Testing Round 1 np: Michael Jackson - (extreme)Speed Demon (READ POST #1278)
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Good point. This is assuming they play it safe and go for priority due to paralysis
It doesn't matter how you can interfere with Genesect, if you can't switch into it, you won't get the chance. Since Genesect is frequntly on VoltTurn teams who love hazards, you also can't assume you will have Hazards and Genesect won't. And VoltTurn loves hazards because it naturally forces switches. Your posts before pretty strongly implied you like stall, so you'll often have good hazard control and healing on most to all of your team members. On more offensive playstyles where life orb and choice items are common, they don't have the luxury.
You've also mentioned "against a conservative player" a lot. Conservative is predictable. Normally, this doesn't make a difference. Blissey can switch into a defensive Rotom-W with impunity, because blissey is a counter to defensive Rotom-w. All the Rotom-W can do is volt switch back out into something that threatens blissey. By contrast, there are very few things that can switch in to Gene without some fear. ferrothorn and chomp can switch in to punish U-Turns, but either are cooked or deep frozen by appropriate coverage. The prediction argument does go both ways, but Genesect has a quiet numbers advantage. Let's say there's a 50% chance Gene Turns out into... say Lando-T, and a 50% chance it flamethrowers. Bliss is in, and it has the same chances of either switching into Rocky helmet Ferrothorn or staying and T-Waving. Option 1: (25%) Genesect flamethrowers and blissey cripples it. Full benefit to the Blissey player. Option 2: (25%. They're all going to be 25, so I'm just going to stop putting this) Blissey stays and Gene U-Turns. Bliss eats a ton of damage, and Lando-T is free to set up a swords dance/rock polish and knock a hole in your team (I know SD is uncommon, but I've used it and it can mash through a large portion of a defensive team and boost further on predicted protects). Heavy damage inflicted not only to Bliss, but potentially it's team. Option 3: Genesect Flamethrowers, Bliss switches. Ferrothorn is now dead, and the genesect player has gotten a completely free KO and taken out an important team member, possibly the only thing preventing a sweep (plus the primary hazard setter in this instance). Option 4: Genesect turns, Ferrothorn comes in. The damage on Ferrothorn is likely to be small, but significant, considering it can only heal with Leech Seed now. Genesect loses 1/4 of it's health (3/8 in total if rocks are up), and Landorus-T comes in. Or it doesn't. The genesect player knows what you have out, and has switch initiative, so he/she can switch into whatever can Ko or set up on Ferrothorn best. In this option, either the teams break even, or much more likely there's at least a narrow edge to Genesect.
In summary, 50% chance the defending team gets a member crippled/Ko'd, 25% chance Genesect is crippled, 25% chance Genesect's team gains momentum and chip damage in exchange for 3/8 of Genesect's HP. I freely admit this example is highly simplified. The defending team has other possible switch ins; but one is more likely than the others. Blissey can softboiled to ease prediction, but then Gene gets switch initiative anyway. This is just the numbers in the most basic form. What's the difference between this and another VoltTurner... say Rotom-W? Rotom-W has a number of counters. Mostly Grass types and Gastrodon whom you can bring into any move without too much worry. While it's true that Genesect can't easily hit fire types, fire is a poor defensive typing (even without rocks), leaving a dearth of fire types in OU (last generation many ended up in RU). Six made the Ou Viability Ranking, and if we count Rotom-H (despite the fact that Rotom-W's spammable STAB+dissuasion to ground switch ins outclasses it) That's seven. Now we can scratch Talonflame, Megazard-Y and Megazard-X unless the latter has Megaevolved previously because they can't switch in to T-Bolt. Ape is shaky, because with either a special defense reducing nature, one switch in to rocks or a prior U-Turn (boosted or no) it's 2HKO'd by unboosted Thunderbolt. That leaves three OU viable hard counters to Genesect's special scarf set: Heatran, Rotom-H and Entei (+1 possibly for an already Mega-evo'd charizard-X, which is a good lead matchup against Genesect).
This (motions arms wildly) is the point. Genesect has numerous checks and things that hinder it, but very few hard counters. If you don't carry one of these counters, you cannot consistently stop it from doing it's job. You can heavily check it to make it difficult to do it's job, but that essentially comes down to prediction, which I've shown Genesect naturally has (at least some) edge in. Photofluid showed some (only introduced recently and mostly ignored) damage calcs showing what Genesect could do with... so-so prediction a few pages back. He (sorry if it's she, I can't tell from your name) attempted to illustrate that Genesect's power lacked on neutral hits, only managing 3-6HKOs. What I got out of it is that Genesect can cause considerable damage to things with little to no reliable healing in exchange for it's momentum. Walls wouldn't mind this, but they're the things most likely to come in, making it irrelevent. In the case you have multiple walls that resist each other's weaknesses, you're using a stall/defensive team, which doesn't help those of us in the offensive side of the metagame.
I'm not trying to make it sound like Genesect is perfect/unbeatable. Genesect also isn't likely to 6-0 somone unless they honestly shout out every move before they make it (in which case, Genesect was unneccesary). Most threats can cause considerable damage to a team not carrying a counter, but these threats often have more than four OU viable counters. Keldeo was something that fit that bill, except running into a counter would force it out and lose momentum. Genesect can U-Turn out and gain momentum from it's counters. that is the purpose of voltTurn, which is highly irritating to face, but not broken until handed to something so hard to counter as Genesect. Another difference is that Genesect is not a sweeper. every check to it bar pursuit and hazards is dependant on it staying in. A sweeper forced out is checked, a Genesect forced out is simply waiting.
aw man, don't go bannin' my signature 'mon! Mega-lucario can devastate unprepared teams, but I'm still surprised about the amount of butthurt users bitching about him in this thread. There's several hard counters to luke depending on which set you're running, and even a handful for both (scarfed talonflame for instance, priority brave bird is basically a guaranteed OHKO)
That might just be the worst idea for a set ever
Mega Lucario sweeps teams regardless of being prepared or unprepared. The fact that you have to guess which set it is as you switch to a "counter" already puts you at a disadvantage when you guess wrong.
Please name me these "hard counters".
and lol at Scarfed Talonflame. Who honestly uses that?
No Talonflame would ever be Choice Scarfed, ever. CB and w/e the flying plate is called are really the only possible non-BU Talonflame items, seeing as people are starting to realise that even with Roost, LO is bad.
Assuming Stealth Rock: Aegislash and Assault Vest Azumarill are the only things I know of that can counter both special and physical M-Lucario. That's it, I don't think there's a third. And they both lose almost all their health (~90%) in doing so.
counter you mean that it can enter in a fighting/steel attack and kill mega luc in the next turn ? scarfed chandelure
A counter is something that can switch in on any attack, either outspeed or take a second hit and phase out/KO. Chandelure is sort of an obvious switch-in, so it could likely be switching into a Crunch or Dark Pulse, which will KO. The only real means of guarenteeing Chandy can get in safely is letting something die to Luke and trying to revenge kill it. This makes it a check rather than a counter.
I've been using gene for a while now, and discussing it enough and I have come to a conclusion, I want it to stay in OU. YOu know what I say to the fact that genesect is capable of forcing switches and u-turning out to gain momentum; so what? Part of Genesect's ban argument is that it "easily gains momentum". Who cares?
Being able to consistently force switches and u-turn out is neither overpowered, nor unique to Genesect. There are a ridiculous number of pokemon in the OU tier that are well capable of acting as a pivot, or offensive momentum gainer like Genesect. Landorus-therian is a premier U-turn user, it forces switches all day with intimidate, typing, offensive presence, whatever. ROtom-wash's viability depends on volt switch and creates switch advantage 10 times a game, its far from broken. Scizor's u-turn is on average as strong as Gene's. Why is it that in the hands on Genesect u-turn is considered too good? Bug is an atrocious offensive type, there are countless 4x resists to in the tier, and exponetially more 2x resists, with only a small handful of weaknesses to the move. Without a band Gene's u-turn is weak, and with a Band it is slow.
Despite the fact that Gene's u-turn just isnt that strong, and despite the fact that there are a plethora of Volt switching a u-turning pokemon in the tier that mindlessly gain switch advantage in a lot of places Gene cant getting switch advantage doesn't break the game. Switch advantage can be conducive to victory, but doesnt really do all that much to assure it now does it. If you gain switch advantage it isnt as if any of your pokemon may come in, simply a check to what you have gotten advantage on. IT just.. is a bit one sided but doesnt create free turns like you think it would. If your opponent has no way to switch into one of your sweepers or wall breakers or what have you their team is probably bad, or the sweeper youre using is too strong.
Scarf gene is weak, Band/Specs Gene is slow (and dependent on the right boost to actually do work), LO gene gives up unpredictability, they're all potentially walled, u-turn is not something exclusive nor game breaking. The boosting sweeper sets are just garbage, sorry, physical gene has embarassingly bad coverage any kind of bulky water or fire type laughs at it, and special sweeping gene just doesnt hit hard enough, and can be walled too, considering it has really bad STAB and can only get so much out of the remaining slots it has for coverage. This is a pokemon with a enough flaws to be kept in OU imo. Thesea re my thoughts on Gene ty for reading.
Being able to consistently force switches and u-turn out is neither overpowered, nor unique to Genesect. There are a ridiculous number of pokemon in the OU tier that are well capable of acting as a pivot, or offensive momentum gainer like Genesect. Landorus-therian is a premier U-turn user, it forces switches all day with intimidate, typing, offensive presence, whatever. ROtom-wash's viability depends on volt switch and creates switch advantage 10 times a game, its far from broken. Scizor's u-turn is on average as strong as Gene's. Why is it that in the hands on Genesect u-turn is considered too good? Bug is an atrocious offensive type, there are countless 4x resists to in the tier, and exponetially more 2x resists, with only a small handful of weaknesses to the move. Without a band Gene's u-turn is weak, and with a Band it is slow.
Despite the fact that Gene's u-turn just isnt that strong, and despite the fact that there are a plethora of Volt switching a u-turning pokemon in the tier that mindlessly gain switch advantage in a lot of places Gene cant getting switch advantage doesn't break the game. Switch advantage can be conducive to victory, but doesnt really do all that much to assure it now does it. If you gain switch advantage it isnt as if any of your pokemon may come in, simply a check to what you have gotten advantage on. IT just.. is a bit one sided but doesnt create free turns like you think it would. If your opponent has no way to switch into one of your sweepers or wall breakers or what have you their team is probably bad, or the sweeper youre using is too strong.
Scarf gene is weak, Band/Specs Gene is slow (and dependent on the right boost to actually do work), LO gene gives up unpredictability, they're all potentially walled, u-turn is not something exclusive nor game breaking. The boosting sweeper sets are just garbage, sorry, physical gene has embarassingly bad coverage any kind of bulky water or fire type laughs at it, and special sweeping gene just doesnt hit hard enough, and can be walled too, considering it has really bad STAB and can only get so much out of the remaining slots it has for coverage. This is a pokemon with a enough flaws to be kept in OU imo. Thesea re my thoughts on Gene ty for reading.
I dont think there is a counter to MegaLuke unfortunately...especially after it boosts with SD or NP. Aegis and Meta (for example) resist the STAB moves but get wrecked by a Crunch/Dark Pulse. Mega-Venasaur could probably be the only real counter as it is not 2HKO'd except by an already boosted Mega-Luke (whether it be special or physical). Outside of that however I dont think anything else can actually take a hit the same way.
So Mega-Venasaur as counter....any else? Doubt it
So Mega-Venasaur as counter....any else? Doubt it
Yea, something seems off with the Suspect Ladder. I have a pretty good record on Suspect, yet it is difficult to accumulate points when there are so many low point players. That is not to imply that they are unskilled, but rather that everyone else seems to be having trouble climbing the ladder too.
Is there a chance that the point requirement will be lowered for Suspect ladder only?
Is there a chance that the point requirement will be lowered for Suspect ladder only?
I meant banded, I always get those two mixed up.
As what I have mentioned several times, on a scarf set, the burden of prediction lies on BOTH side, one extremely stupid move that people usually make is that people tend to switch out to a resoundingly safer choice whenever they risk being force out, like when they have Ferrothorn against Genesect. And they bring this idea in the analysis. In reality, is the Genesect really gonna fire out that deadly flamethrower? Probably not. So stay in and watch Genesect U-turn while seeding the switch in is also a viable choice. Assuming Genesect has equal chance of pressing each of the four buttons(while in reality, U-turn is used the most), you only has 1/4 chance to get kill. And outside that you are likely at an advantage, as you should not care about ice beam/tbolt either.
For the kami trio, there is one huge advantage you are missing, they don't need a scarf to do the offensive pivot job effectively, making them immensely less risky during the phrase of decision making.
Mega Manectric hit hard enough, Overheat outdamage flamethrower of Genesect even with download boost, and both are going to switch out afterward anyway. The major advantage though, is that Mega Mane has more switch in chance with intimidate.
What Genesect takes, as I said before, is at a very extreme approach of offensive pivot, it sacrifices so much things, SE reliant due to not having high BP moves and unSTABed, scarf reliant due to sub par speed, etc. Others generally have the room to squeeze in some utility, like thundurus-I. I mentioned them just because they are already the closest thing we have when compared to the uniqueness of Genesect.
Offensive pivot strategy is itself a strategy to be built a team around. Like the double dragon in the uber, yes, offensive volttuners are not mutual exclusive, but you do select multiple of them among the pool to form your own voltturn core.
Also, usage does not describe the problem, people are just too lazy to test out every single pivot and find the fittest but instead blindly picks the one which receives most hypes.
Other sets are possible ban reasons, which I agree, but I do want to see some solid analysis before I can conclude if they are uber-worthy or not. At least from my point of view, I am still seeing them inferior due to the sub par speed of Genesect. The need of team support also reveals it quickly and there are little surprise factors involved.
One side note, pivot-centric teams also hate EH more than they like it, they can already deal damage by just voltturning and frequent switching is what they like, and EH discourages both side to do so.
To quickly sum up, you are perhaps missing my point of the analysis, which is if, Genesect is locked into the wrong move, it gives away one free turn to their switch in, or in an even worse case, their standing member can take the hit and don't switch, you actually give out two turns due to the needed switch out in the turn afterward. Even if U-turn is used, if the opponent on the field don't switch and don't take major damage from it, which is often consider its stupid coverage, you also give away a pseudo-free-turn, especially when your U-turn is not getting the download boost.
One quick example, if your opponent just KO one of your teammate and Genesect switch out to revenge, do you U-turn or use your coverage move? If you use your coverage and they switch, you are locked into the wrong move and lose momentum. If you U-turn out and they stay, than holy crap you will probably lose another member. Note that if you are not getting a scarf this is not even possible due to your speed.
Also, concerning the problem of checks and counters, it is important to know that fast offensive pivots do not have checks and counters to begin with, because what they are expected is just to do constant switching in order to get a favourable match-up, and predictions are more important in most cases. The only reason they may actually constrain teambuilding is because less abled players tend to play like a machine and prefer to deal with them with brainproof counters. We ban out almost every single viable offensive pivot in the last generation (though there exists other reasons, like overly spammable thunder/hurricane/SF EQ), which I hope I won't see again in this generation, assuming the players are getting better in terms of making in-game tactical decision.
One side note, a very wrong concept about Genesect is how its download ability functions. It is important to know that instead of giving Genesect a free boost, it just bearly compensates the lack of STAB on its common special move, which also happen to have low BP(90, not 110 like fire burst from Dragonite/Garchomp), and this pseudo STAB is not always there either. Also, in the case of SG set up, +2 is also inferior to +1 STAB (2* vs 2.25*). Of course, this can create the issue of abusing it with its STAB, but by far I am not seeing how steel/bug STAB coverage is creating any trouble.
One more point, Genesect, and so as other offensive pivots, SHOULD be overall at the advantageous side, or else the gambit is simply unfair because Genesect occupies your own team slots, not that of your opponent.
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Double post because I don't want to edit the text wall above.
Some words to the anti-Genesect-ban posters.
Bulky fire is probably not a good argument as the only very viable bulky fire in the meta is Heatran, perhaps things will change after the release of that water/fire guy but it is unlikely for it to absorb Tbolt well.
Another possible example would be Ninetail, though I am not an experienced sun player so I am not going to talk much about it.
Some words to the anti-Genesect-ban posters.
Bulky fire is probably not a good argument as the only very viable bulky fire in the meta is Heatran, perhaps things will change after the release of that water/fire guy but it is unlikely for it to absorb Tbolt well.
Another possible example would be Ninetail, though I am not an experienced sun player so I am not going to talk much about it.
Charizard is very good at dealing with almost anything Gene can throw at it. ROtom-H is also a nifty little counter. Talonflame, Infernape, Victini, and Moltres are lesser, but still very good at dealing with a lot of what Gene dishes out, and they're very viable pokemon.
You are probably missing out the term "bulky" = =, and btw, you generally don't use Megas as supports(the low usage of Bannete, sigh) at least for now. So Charizard is kinda out of question.
For Rotom-H, while I kinda like it, I am still not very sure about its viability against Rotom-W. One huge reason is that we happen to have more burn absorber than we initially imagine. Fire type absorber also happen to be a bad choice because our major WoW distributor can also fire hydro pump on your face.
Anyway my initial argument is checks do not matter so I am not going to spend time on it.
And guess what all of these nifty little counters share in common? A crippling SR weakness. All Gene has to do is smack them with a U-Turn (which does a sizable amount of damage itself) and then send in a teammate, which will be facing a weakened opponent. Rotom-H for example takes 25% from SR and then:
+1 4 Atk Genesect U-turn vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Rotom-H: 63-74 (20.7 - 24.3%)
Then your switch-in will be forcing it out once again for even more residual damage. I feel like a lot of the anti-ban stuff about Genesect discounts the offensive pressure that amazing coverage combined with U-Turn puts on an opponent. Nothing else comes close (and that's why Scizor/Rotom/etc are terrible comparisons). Genesect is not risky to use; in fact, it's much less risky than most other Choice users. Gene is on a completely different level and other voltturn Pokemon simply don't compare... (and this is discounting all of Gene's other sets, such as EB or Rock Polish/Shift Gear are all viable in their own right).
I've read a lot of posts that claim Genesect isn't "broken". Well, what is "broken" then? Does something need to 2HKO the entire tier to be "broken" (ala MegaLuke)? Genesect doesn't fit into the traditional description of a sweeper (unless it's running SG/RP), or support. Genesect has an intangible, an "X-factor", whatever you want to call it. It has tons of variety, it's difficult to pin down, and it racks up residual damage and momentum incredibly easy. It also helps that it's very powerful (seriously, Download-boosted 120 Atk/SpA is not weak) and has decent bulk and a great typing. And again, different sets will have different counters, and there are few Pokemon that reliably counter all of them (Heatran, Rotom, etc). Even against them, U-Turn allows you to escape your counter while wearing them down with residual damage, keeping up momentum until they're into KO range. Gene is just too good at what it does.
Everything you named can't continuously switch into Genesect with SR so that reduces their effectiveness as a check, but props on bringing up Rotom-H as a counter people keep overlooking that.
+1 252 SpA Genesect Thunderbolt vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Moltres: 318-376 (98.7 - 116.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Genesect Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Moltres: 159-188 (49.3 - 58.3%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Genesect Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Charizard: 107-126 (35.9 - 42.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (No boost included, will still KO due to choice scarf)
252 SpA Genesect Thunderbolt vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Charizard: 214-252 (71.8 - 84.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Genesect Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Infernape: 123-145 (41.9 - 49.4%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Genesect Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Victini: 93-110 (27.2 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Genesect Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Talonflame: 126-149 (42.2 - 50%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
They're not reliable ways to deal with Genesect at all.
I hate how people completely skips all the arguments made beforehand.
Pressure: Mental pressure far greater than Statistical pressure if you also put things like probabilities into the calculation
Risk compared to other choice users?: What choice users do we used to have? Scarf Outrage, Spec Draco Meteor, Spec Hydro Pump in rain, Spec Fire Burst in sun, Band Sand Force EQ, all with STAB, all of them hits like a truck even when resisted, not to even mention about their respective coverage move.
Also, 120 base stat with download is great, only 90BP moves without STAB is not.
Genesect does move people out of their comfort zone in terms of playstyle, but that does not necessarily mean it is overpowered.
Isn't it unhealthy for the Metagame to bring pokemon in higher tiers just to "counter" one specifiec pokemon?
I don't want to say that Moltres or Rotom-H are bad pokemon, but everyone should already know why those pokemon aren't really viable for OU. To use Rotom-H, you have to take it over Rotom-W which is a really good high rank pokemon just because it benefics through its typ combination from the stat distribution and ability.
Moltres, aside being extremely weak to SR, it won't want to switch in into a possible T-Bolt or even take an Ice Beam. Though, a physically based set might have trouble, but even those run usually a good special coverage move to make up for the lack of coverage, not to mention Moltres doesn't like Choice Banded Espeed after taking enough damage.
In other words, Heatran still seems to be the most reliable choice, just because it threatens more pokemon, has better coverage and typing compare to other fire typs. Even though, Moltres and Rotom-H can't be trapped by Dugtrio, which is a really good partner for Genesect (ironicly barely anyone is using it right now), unlike Heatran without an balloon.
I don't want to say that Moltres or Rotom-H are bad pokemon, but everyone should already know why those pokemon aren't really viable for OU. To use Rotom-H, you have to take it over Rotom-W which is a really good high rank pokemon just because it benefics through its typ combination from the stat distribution and ability.
Moltres, aside being extremely weak to SR, it won't want to switch in into a possible T-Bolt or even take an Ice Beam. Though, a physically based set might have trouble, but even those run usually a good special coverage move to make up for the lack of coverage, not to mention Moltres doesn't like Choice Banded Espeed after taking enough damage.
In other words, Heatran still seems to be the most reliable choice, just because it threatens more pokemon, has better coverage and typing compare to other fire typs. Even though, Moltres and Rotom-H can't be trapped by Dugtrio, which is a really good partner for Genesect (ironicly barely anyone is using it right now), unlike Heatran without an balloon.
There isn't a 25% chance of the Ferrothorn dying unless the Genesect user is actually a banana, and U-Turning out of it if you don't have something else to handle Ferrothorn (like Celebi) is a terrible idea. Going for the kill when the opponent expects a momentum grab is an incredibly viable strategy that has nabbed me an opening 6-5 in a great number of matches (and left me on the bad end in a few...). just because prediction works both ways doesn't mean you can stake any claim that every option is viable, or anywhere near equally likely.
As far as the Kami trio, their coverage options are pretty laughable compared to Genesect. torny and Thundy have to rely on Focus miss, and while lando gets edgequake, it's only barely above average speed for the tier. If you go for the stronger Landorus-T, you're much slower. mega Manectric also doesn't get any coverage moves other than fire moves and Hidden Power. Meanwhile, Genesect's fire/ice/electric/bug hits 10 of the 18 pure types super effectively (including relatively common water, dragon, steel, grass, psychic and dark types) and everything bar Rotom-H for neutral damage, and you seem to be forgetting that scarf genesect is a revenge killer first and a pivot second. In this aspect, comparing the kami trio is irrelevent because they are too slow to revenge kill reliably.
I understood what your calcs were trying to get across and saw something else relevent you were either ignoring, or hadn't noticed. All competitive play is about risk VS reward. The risks of leaving a Latios in on a Genesect are enormous, which makes the risk of flamethrowering against it in case the Ferrothorn comes in relatively small. Especially so if the Genesect hasn't given any indication of wanting to do anything but U-Turn. In this scenario, one of genesect's moves is always safe (relatively), U-turn. For the other player, however, one move will always result in one poke either being KO'd or heavily dented, while the other varies between scoring some chip damage on both sides or actually taking down the genesect. Like I said before: 25% chance of killing it, 50% chance of losing something, 25% chance of giving it momentum. there's only a 1 in 4 chance of the Genesect user not coming out ahead. Are you willing to risk 3 mons to get Genesect?
But all that is irrelevant if you have a hard counter. Ie, something that can safely switch into any of it's moves. Pivots are not only capable of giving team mates switch ins, the best have deadly STAB and/or coverage moves. If you think just because Torny-t is being used as a pivot means you don't need something that can absorb Heat Wave, Hurricane and Focus Blast, you've got a rude awakening coming. Having one of the four hard counters to Genesect is the only way to Guarentee it can't kill or cripple one of your team members. Some things have no counters, but these things tend to be easily checked (like Hydriegon). Something with no checks or counters is unbeatable by the definitions of checks and counters. to say pivots don't have them is silly.
I reiterate: Genesect is a revenge killer. That is it's job, that is the foremost thing it does for it's team. It should not be U-Turning against a dangerous poke that has already KO'd one of your own unless the Poke is bug weak and low on health. Losing momentum is worth a chance to do it's job. If you called a plumber because the toilet was broken, you wouldn't want them immediately looking at your sink.
Lack of STAB and low base power aren't a problem; Genesect is not a bludgeon like chomp and d-nite. It is a tactical strike, like the cut of a scalpel. It looks to revenge kill weakened offensive things and surprise kill incoming walls weak to it's attacks. Oftentimes the correct boost is irrelevent. If you expect a certain switch-in and need the special attack boost to 2hko but don't get it, it's not like it's a problem. Just use the boosted U-Turn and try to bring Genesect in on something else later.
The thing that worries me is not Genesect's momentum building or revenge killing capability; it's the combination of it's inherent prediction advantage and lack of really solid, Viable counters. the only real ones I know of (as I said before) are Heatran, Entei, Rotom-H and Megazard X.
Genesect can be used as risky or as conservatively one wants, and the rewards and risks are commensurate with the way it is played, at least theoretically.
I will acknowledge that Genesect can force a really sharp (and very sound) game, with its almost impeccable coverage, in almost any situation once its checks have been removed. This ability to force a game at an accelerated pace can make it "uncompetitive" in the OU metagame. Genesect may not be able to do this alone, but he can be used in conjunction with brute force wallbreakers to one shot anything its opponent team is not prepared. (Brute force wallbreakers are not coverage wallbreakers such as Sub Kyu-B who is specialized to destroy common stall cores using its multiple typing and ability to hit mixed and special, typically a Fire Water Grass core). They used to obliterate pawn structure through sheer force. In this case, Genesect's pivot partners are not a protective pawn structure, but they are offered in very aggressive gambits.
It is much easier to use than other Choice Scarf users solely because it has possesses threat to generate momentum, although at a non-trivial cost such as Rocky Helmet and hazard damage, and superior coverage options. Still, this does not make Genesect easy to use; a sharp game can often be a game with symmetrical risk/reward profiles although the psychological edge is often immensely in favor of Genesect's user. This psychological edge can be eroded, but not eliminated, by understanding the risk/reward profiles of the various gambits Genesect can force.
I guess that is why I feel in love with [Scarf] Genesect with I first tried it out. It perfectly fits my playing style. I really do not like bludgeons like Chomp or D-Nite. I do not want to prevail through sheer force or gambling (or using the Alehkine's Gun of Mega Pinsir and Talonflame). Genesect's ability and movepool together take the gambling and sheer force out of Choice items if it is played conservatively. And I believe that is the most positive aspect of Genesect.
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