Houndoom @Houndoomite
Flash Fire (Solar Power)
Timid 4HP/252SpAtk/252Spd
- Nasty Plot
- Flamethrower
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
This set has worked rather well for me, giving me a few openings I can use as a safe switch out. Florges can set up, as well as pass wish on to him at a later time. Florges provides oodles of team support, given the proper playing. Although she is outclassed by Sylveon, it still works. He doesn't rely fully on team support either. He acts as quite the threat even before going mega, providing you with an ever prevalent Fire switch for any weaker to fire mons such as Ferrothorn or even Froslass.
Flamethrower and Dark Pulse are both obvious choices due to STAB. Nasty Plot for predicting a switch with free set up, and Sludge Bomb to catch our new Fairy overlords off guard. This set provides enough support just from the presence of such a pokemon, that it fits well into most teams as a solid Fire Type. Solar Power is very nice, and if you can use it, go for it. It is not at all necessary to use every battle, and it leaves your opponent constantly guessing when you are going to try to set up for such a strategy.
Additional moves that would be notably useful with Houndoom would definitely be Destiny Bond, Sucker Punch, HP Ice/Ground, and even the useful Solarbeam. All of these moves provide him with a sort of coverage he doesn't have otherwise, and all should be noted as being useful given a certain situation. IMO, Sucker Punch would be fun to run on a Naive/Hasty set with the last 4 EV's into Atk rather than HP.
Overall, a semi-useful pokemon has been given a gift of complete unpredictability, and obscene power. Houndoom is going to make a hard splash this gen, and I think we won't be done talking about him for a while.
Flash Fire (Solar Power)
Timid 4HP/252SpAtk/252Spd
- Nasty Plot
- Flamethrower
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
This set has worked rather well for me, giving me a few openings I can use as a safe switch out. Florges can set up, as well as pass wish on to him at a later time. Florges provides oodles of team support, given the proper playing. Although she is outclassed by Sylveon, it still works. He doesn't rely fully on team support either. He acts as quite the threat even before going mega, providing you with an ever prevalent Fire switch for any weaker to fire mons such as Ferrothorn or even Froslass.
Flamethrower and Dark Pulse are both obvious choices due to STAB. Nasty Plot for predicting a switch with free set up, and Sludge Bomb to catch our new Fairy overlords off guard. This set provides enough support just from the presence of such a pokemon, that it fits well into most teams as a solid Fire Type. Solar Power is very nice, and if you can use it, go for it. It is not at all necessary to use every battle, and it leaves your opponent constantly guessing when you are going to try to set up for such a strategy.
Additional moves that would be notably useful with Houndoom would definitely be Destiny Bond, Sucker Punch, HP Ice/Ground, and even the useful Solarbeam. All of these moves provide him with a sort of coverage he doesn't have otherwise, and all should be noted as being useful given a certain situation. IMO, Sucker Punch would be fun to run on a Naive/Hasty set with the last 4 EV's into Atk rather than HP.
Overall, a semi-useful pokemon has been given a gift of complete unpredictability, and obscene power. Houndoom is going to make a hard splash this gen, and I think we won't be done talking about him for a while.