It looks pretty fast without Unburden too. It's faster than Thundurus & can also have Limber so it can't be hit w/ priority Thunder Wave. I'd think that this would warrant a mention.
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Hawlucha
- Thread starter Magnemite
- Start date
Since Unburden is the best thing about Hawlucha, I really don't think it's worth running Limber. Additionally, the set runs Adamant because the extra Speed Jolly gives is irrelevant after Unburden has been activated, so it doesn't actually outspeed Thundurus before Unburden.
And yes, I was planning on toning down the overview a bit. I'm also going to add a bit more about Hawlucha itself to the overview, as it's kind of lacking in that department right now.
Edit: Is this better?
Last edited:
I'd say you should definitely put some hazard users in Team Options, both Spikes and SR. Spikes does a really good job wearing down walls like Unaware Clefable and Hippowdon while SR is one of the easiest and/or effortless ways to take out both Talonflame and Thundurus.
Also Bisharp's already there as a recommended teammate.
Also Bisharp's already there as a recommended teammate.
Agreed! Like Lucario and pretty much any setup sweeper, some entry hazard support goes a long way, no matter how small:
Hippowdon:
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha Sky Attack vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Hippowdon: 343-405 (81.6 - 96.4%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after 1 layer of Spikes
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Hippowdon: 319-376 (75.9 - 89.5%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO after 1 layer of Spikes
Phys Defensive Rhyperior:
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 330-391 (76 - 90%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after 1 layer of Spikes
Thundurus:
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Thundurus: 208-246 (69.3 - 82%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Thundurus: 246-290 (82 - 96.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Bulky Charizard-X:
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Charizard X: 285-336 (79.1 - 93.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Landorus-T after Intimidate (Rock Polish or Scarf variants):
+1 252+ Atk Hawlucha Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Landorus-T: 255-301 (79.6 - 94%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Lead Deoxys-D:
+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Deoxys-D: 205-243 (67.4 - 79.9%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes
So yeah it appreciates hazards like any old sweeper, especially since it's kinda weaker than your typical SDer.
It may be worth noting that it beats VenuTran, the most common stall core. Yes, some other stall Pokemon laugh at it, but I'm not sure if being countered by stall is fit for the overview if it reliably beats two of the most common stallers. Clefable and Quaggles both laugh at it, though.
An important distinction to make is that while Hawlucha can beat certain stall Pokemon 1-on-1 it will never, ever, ever beat a stall team. 2 or 3 Pokemon stall cores have largely diminished since teams tend to focus a lot more on whole team synergy, meaning Heatran and Mega Venusuar will almost certainly be used alongside Pokemon that easily stop Hawlucha.
Fair point. I just didn't think stall teams were necessary to be put in the Overview when they aren't what Hawlucha has the most trouble with. Hawlucha can clean up stall teams fine, as long as Clefable and Quagsire are down on HP. Obviously this needs a lot of support, but it isn't impossible, like removing all of Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame is. Offensive teams are very difficult to work around, and it's only possible for Hawlucha to garner more than one kill if all, and I mean all, of its counters have been 100% disposed of.
Against double Unaware stall teams that run Zapdos as their Defogger, Hawlucha is literally walled by half the team, even at +2. I'd say that this is pretty significant, especially since Hawlucha has trouble breaking though walls in general, even if they don't hard counter it. Examples include Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Slowbro. Compared to something like Pinsir, which is only countered by one mon on any given stall team, I'd say Hawlucha's trouble with stall is definitely overview-worthy.
Ash Borer Tesung is the overview better now?
Yeah, although nothing stall particularly loves taking on hawkucha, as it 2hkoes skarm at +2/, hippo can do nothing to it besides whirlwind or possibly toxic at best, and quaggy and clef can barely switchin, and prior damage and they are 2jkoed by sky attack + acro. And zapdos is rare on stall
Fair enough on Quagsire and Hippo, but Zapdos, Clefable, and Skarmory can all OHKO it (Skarmory has about a 50% chance to OHKO at full health). I'll change it to say that Hawlucha has a bit of trouble breaking through stall but it can still threaten it.
I realize it's not too important, but just for the sake of mentioning it on a fast Pokemon that's BL that doesn't have that many options, mention Life Orb in Other Options, as Hawlucha is very fast with a decent attack stat to make use of it, but is usually overshadowed by more powerful alternatives.
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Overview
########
Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority, as it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock, unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se, but the metagame is simply extremely unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Shouldn't you list its positive points before its negatives? Or at least every other written up analysis does that.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks. High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, but it comes with a nasty side effect of taking recoil damage when missing. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden,(AC) as it is Hawlucha's strongest attack and is quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden activates. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active,(AC) even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, and Terrakion,(RC)etc before Unburden and OHKO them with Sky Attack, but the Speed is entirely unnecessary once Unburden has been activated and Hawlucha needs all the power it can get it order to sweep since its base Attack is rather low.
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into Pokemon that threaten Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick,(RC) such as Chansey and Heatran, as using High Jump Kick against a Protect user is risky and often creates 50/50s.
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha, as it can help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier,(AC) and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of theother biggest threats to Hawlucha. Thundurus, Manectric, and Raikou are good offensive checks to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir,(AC) and in addition, the latter two are also good answers to Thundurus. Excadrill can check Thundurus, Aegislash, and Clefable, while also softening up physical walls such as Hippowdon for Hawlucha. Heatran has great defensive synergy with Hawlucha, can set up Stealth Rock to give it an easier time sweeping, and is a great switch-in to Aegislash, Talonflame, and Unaware Clefable.
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it isinconsistent unreliable and only works against unsuspecting players. Hawlucha can also run a Life Orb set; however,(AC) the lack of strong Flying-type STAB and the large amount of competition from superior options such as Terrakion make it a poor option overall.
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, great bulk, and King's Shield. It can also set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is not even 2HKOed byeven a boosted Hawlucha's STAB moves and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
########
Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority, as it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock, unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se, but the metagame is simply extremely unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Shouldn't you list its positive points before its negatives? Or at least every other written up analysis does that.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks. High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, but it comes with a nasty side effect of taking recoil damage when missing. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden,(AC) as it is Hawlucha's strongest attack and is quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden activates. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active,(AC) even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, and Terrakion,(RC)
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into Pokemon that threaten Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick,(RC) such as Chansey and Heatran, as using High Jump Kick against a Protect user is risky and often creates 50/50s.
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha, as it can help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier,(AC) and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of the
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it is
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, great bulk, and King's Shield. It can also set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is not even 2HKOed by
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
Hey man, nice work here, there are however some parts that I would like to comment 'em.
You just said that hawlucha can use swords dance on predicted switch , well okay, but isn't the thing too much "general" so to say? What if the opponents brings a faster threat like I don't know, Thundurus? Wouldn't that made the momentum you had the turn before useless? I would say it is better to remove this part on "usage tips" remember, newcomers mostly read analysis, it's better to be specific, you can't just use swords dance on Hawlucha any times you have a positive momentum in a battle.
While pursuit is surely a great deal on this pokemon, choice scarf tyranitar isn't really the best teammate to it, not only do they share a fairy weakness, 'tar is locked, meaning that aegislash can simply wear him down with king's shield and sacred sword, on the other hand, assault vest bisharp might be a better 'mate, considering that sucker punch won't be affected by aegi signature move, our favorite robot (is it? lol) is also a splendid check to Latias, and Latios, frankly, even better than tyranitar, considering he is part steel, of course I know that you already cited Bisharp, problem is, Bisharp is much better than scarf tyranitar for Hawlucha, making him a... lesser choice not really worth the mention.
Heatran is most surely a great teammate for Hawlucha, they cover each other quite well, but heatran cannot switch so easily against aegislash, due to sacred sword, you should point that.
Same for Thundurus, Excadrill checks it only if he's the assault vest version, otherwise focus blast literally kills him.
And last but not least, sd+lum berry should get an OO mention, having the ability to switch, or set up on common status attacks like spore, WOW, etc, activating unburden then is invaluable, coupled with swords dance, even more.
You just said that hawlucha can use swords dance on predicted switch , well okay, but isn't the thing too much "general" so to say? What if the opponents brings a faster threat like I don't know, Thundurus? Wouldn't that made the momentum you had the turn before useless? I would say it is better to remove this part on "usage tips" remember, newcomers mostly read analysis, it's better to be specific, you can't just use swords dance on Hawlucha any times you have a positive momentum in a battle.
While pursuit is surely a great deal on this pokemon, choice scarf tyranitar isn't really the best teammate to it, not only do they share a fairy weakness, 'tar is locked, meaning that aegislash can simply wear him down with king's shield and sacred sword, on the other hand, assault vest bisharp might be a better 'mate, considering that sucker punch won't be affected by aegi signature move, our favorite robot (is it? lol) is also a splendid check to Latias, and Latios, frankly, even better than tyranitar, considering he is part steel, of course I know that you already cited Bisharp, problem is, Bisharp is much better than scarf tyranitar for Hawlucha, making him a... lesser choice not really worth the mention.
Heatran is most surely a great teammate for Hawlucha, they cover each other quite well, but heatran cannot switch so easily against aegislash, due to sacred sword, you should point that.
Same for Thundurus, Excadrill checks it only if he's the assault vest version, otherwise focus blast literally kills him.
And last but not least, sd+lum berry should get an OO mention, having the ability to switch, or set up on common status attacks like spore, WOW, etc, activating unburden then is invaluable, coupled with swords dance, even more.
Keep Choice Scarf Tyranitar in there. No, it's not as good as removing Aegislash specifically—but Bisharp is FAR worse at taking out Latios, Latias, Thundurus, Talonflame, and Mega Pinsir. Tyranitar is still an incredibly important asset.
Also the problem with Lum Berry is that you not only need it for Unburden's speed, but Acrobatics' power. I'd rather not encourage its use because of that, especially considering that Hawlucha is frail enough that most opponents will go straight for an attacking move.
Also the problem with Lum Berry is that you not only need it for Unburden's speed, but Acrobatics' power. I'd rather not encourage its use because of that, especially considering that Hawlucha is frail enough that most opponents will go straight for an attacking move.
In the very next sentence, I mention to refrain from setting up unless its checks and counters have been removed, so it's fine.
Again, I mention that it can't trap Aegislash as reliably. However, it beats quite a few other checks to Hawlucha such as Pinsir, Talonflame, and Thundurus, which makes it a good partner. Also the fact that it shares a Fairy weakness with Hawlucha is pretty irrelevant.
Since Aegislash will be spamming Shadow Ball more often than not, Heatran is a good switch-into it. There really aren't any Pokemon in the game that can switch into every good Aegislash set without being crippled anyway. Scarf Exca easily beats Thundurus, and not all of them run Focus Blast.
CC already covered this.
normal colors and stuffs
gpgpgp 1/2
EDIT: shit, amchecky above...I'll merge if you can't Magnemite
Overview
########
Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority, as; it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock,(RC) unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se,; (comma splice, shame on your family) the metagame is [simply extremely] (pick one, doesn't flow with both. take out extremely imo, you've been emphasizing that a lot already) unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support though, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks.,while (for the sake of flow) High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, but though it comes with a nasty side effect. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden. It and is Hawlucha's strongest attack and is (redundant) quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, Terrakion, etc and some others before Unburden and OHKO them with Sky Attack, but the Speed is entirely unnecessary once Unburden has been activated,(AC) and Hawlucha needs all the power it can get it order to sweep since its base aAttack is rather low.
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into Pokemon that threaten Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick, such as Chansey and Heatran, as using High Jump Kick against a Protect user is risky and often creates 50/50s. (goes without saying imo)
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha,(RC) as it can help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of the other biggest threats to Hawlucha. Thundurus, Manectric, and Raikou are also good offensive checks to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir. The latter two are also good answers to Thundurus. Excadrill can check Thundurus, Aegislash, and Clefable, while also softening up physical walls such as Hippowdon for Hawlucha. Heatran has great defensive synergy with Hawlucha, can set up Stealth Rock to give it an easier time sweeping, and is a great switch-in to Aegislash, Talonflame, and Unaware Clefable.
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it is inconsistent and only works against unsuspecting players. Hawlucha can run a Life Orb set,; however, the lack of strong Flying-type STAB and large amount of competition from superior options such as Terrakion make it a poor option overall.
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, great bulk, and Kings Shield. It can set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is not 2HKOed by even a boosted Hawlucha's STAB moves and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
########
Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority, as; it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock,(RC) unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se,; (comma splice, shame on your family) the metagame is [simply extremely] (pick one, doesn't flow with both. take out extremely imo, you've been emphasizing that a lot already) unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support though, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks.,while (for the sake of flow) High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, but though it comes with a nasty side effect. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden. It and is Hawlucha's strongest attack and is (redundant) quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, Terrakion, etc and some others before Unburden and OHKO them with Sky Attack, but the Speed is entirely unnecessary once Unburden has been activated,(AC) and Hawlucha needs all the power it can get it order to sweep since its base aAttack is rather low.
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into Pokemon that threaten Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick, such as Chansey and Heatran, as using High Jump Kick against a Protect user is risky and often creates 50/50s. (goes without saying imo)
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha,(RC) as it can help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of the other biggest threats to Hawlucha. Thundurus, Manectric, and Raikou are also good offensive checks to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir. The latter two are also good answers to Thundurus. Excadrill can check Thundurus, Aegislash, and Clefable, while also softening up physical walls such as Hippowdon for Hawlucha. Heatran has great defensive synergy with Hawlucha, can set up Stealth Rock to give it an easier time sweeping, and is a great switch-in to Aegislash, Talonflame, and Unaware Clefable.
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it is inconsistent and only works against unsuspecting players. Hawlucha can run a Life Orb set,; however, the lack of strong Flying-type STAB and large amount of competition from superior options such as Terrakion make it a poor option overall.
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, great bulk, and Kings Shield. It can set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is not 2HKOed by even a boosted Hawlucha's STAB moves and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
EDIT: shit, amchecky above...I'll merge if you can't Magnemite
Deletions
Additions / Corrections
Comments
GP 2 / 2
Additions / Corrections
Comments
Overview
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Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority; it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se; the metagame is simply extremely unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support though, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks, while High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, though it comes with a nasty side effect of causing recoil damage when it misses. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden and is quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, Terrakion, and Gengar before Unburden and OHKO them with Sky Attack, but the Speed is entirely unnecessary once Unburden has been activated, and Hawlucha needs all the power it can get it order to sweep since its base Attack is rather low.
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into a Pokemon that threatens Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick, (add comma) such as Chansey and Heatran.
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha as it can to help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of the other biggest threats to Hawlucha. Thundurus, Manectric, and Raikou are also good offensive checks to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, and in addition, the latter two are also good answers to Thundurus. Excadrill can check Thundurus, Aegislash, and Clefable, (remove comma) while also softening up physical walls such as Hippowdon for Hawlucha. Heatran has great defensive synergy with Hawlucha, can set up Stealth Rock to give it an easier time sweeping, and is a great switch-in to Aegislash, Talonflame, and Unaware Clefable.
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it is unreliable and only works against unsuspecting players. Hawlucha can run a Life Orb set; however, the lack of strong Flying-type STAB and large amount of competition from superior options such as Terrakion make it a poor option overall.
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, bulk, and King's Shield. It can set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Thanks to its typing, Zapdos is not 2HKOed by even a boosted Hawlucha's STAB moves and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
########
Sadly, Hawlucha has numerous flaws that prevent it from making much of an impact in the OU metagame. The most crippling problem with Hawlucha is that it is countered or checked by some of the best and most common Pokemon in the tier, namely Aegislash, Thundurus, and Talonflame. On top of this, Hawlucha is heavily outclassed by other sweepers, particularly Mega Pinsir, and it cannot break through most defensive cores without a ton of support. However, Hawlucha does have its advantages. Unlike most sweepers in OU, Hawlucha is not reliant on priority; it outspeeds everything in the entire game after Unburden has been activated. It also has a crucial neutrality to Stealth Rock unlike Mega Pinsir. Hawlucha is not a bad Pokemon per se; the metagame is simply extremely unkind to it. If it is provided with adequate support though, Hawlucha is quite capable of pulling its weight in battle.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Sky Attack
ability: Unburden
item: Power Herb
evs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance gives Hawlucha the power it needs to threaten defensive Pokemon and also lets it sweep severely weakened teams. Acrobatics is Hawlucha's main STAB option since it is decently powerful and has no drawbacks, while High Jump Kick is used for Fighting-type STAB, though it comes with a nasty side effect of causing recoil damage when it misses. Sky Attack is used alongside Power Herb to activate Unburden and is quite powerful, OHKOing Pokemon such as Garchomp at +2.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Hawlucha to outspeed Garchomp before Unburden. Adamant is the nature of choice because Hawlucha outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame with Unburden active even without a Speed boosting nature. Jolly can be used to outspeed Latios, Latias, Keldeo, Terrakion, and Gengar before Unburden and OHKO them with Sky Attack, but the Speed is entirely unnecessary once Unburden has been activated, and Hawlucha needs all the power it can get it order to sweep since its base Attack is rather low.
Usage Tips
========
Use Swords Dance on a predicted switch or against a Pokemon that cannot threaten Hawlucha. Refrain from setting up or using Sky Attack until Hawlucha's checks and counters have been removed or severely weakened, since Hawlucha will rarely get more than one chance to sweep because of the one-time use nature of Unburden. If you get Hawlucha in early-game, the best option is generally to either double switch into a Pokemon that threatens Hawlucha's counters or spam High Jump Kick if your opponent lacks a Ghost-type. Be wary of Protect users, especially ones that are weak to High Jump Kick, (add comma) such as Chansey and Heatran.
Team Options
========
Pursuit support is almost mandatory for Hawlucha as it can to help remove its biggest counter, Aegislash. Bisharp is the best answer to Aegislash in the tier and can easily come in and trap it. While Choice Scarf Tyranitar can't Pursuit trap Aegislash as easily as Bisharp can, it is great against Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, two of the other biggest threats to Hawlucha. Thundurus, Manectric, and Raikou are also good offensive checks to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, and in addition, the latter two are also good answers to Thundurus. Excadrill can check Thundurus, Aegislash, and Clefable, (remove comma) while also softening up physical walls such as Hippowdon for Hawlucha. Heatran has great defensive synergy with Hawlucha, can set up Stealth Rock to give it an easier time sweeping, and is a great switch-in to Aegislash, Talonflame, and Unaware Clefable.
Other Options
########
Hawlucha can use a Baton Pass set with Substitute and Swords Dance in order to lure in Aegislash and give boosts to teammates such as Bisharp or Diggersby, but such a set is rarely worth the teamslot. Hawlucha can use Fling and a Dread Plate to OHKO Aegislash at +2, but if Aegislash uses King's Shield, the item is still lost, so it is unreliable and only works against unsuspecting players. Hawlucha can run a Life Orb set; however, the lack of strong Flying-type STAB and large amount of competition from superior options such as Terrakion make it a poor option overall.
Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Aegislash hard walls Hawlucha thanks to its great typing, bulk, and King's Shield. It can set up Substitutes on Hawlucha or hit it hard with Shadow Ball. However, it must be wary of the gimmicky Fling.
**Thundurus**: Thundurus resists Hawlucha's STAB moves and can stop its sweep with priority Thunder Wave or simply OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Priority**: Hawlucha lacks priority of any kind, so opposing priority users make great checks to it. In particular, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir can OHKO Hawlucha with Brave Bird and Quick Attack, respectively.
**Zapdos**: Thanks to its typing, Zapdos is not 2HKOed by even a boosted Hawlucha's STAB moves and can OHKO it with Thunderbolt.
**Physical walls**: While not perfect stops to Hawlucha, physical walls such as Hippowdon and Skarmory can usually take a STAB move at +2 and phaze it out.
GP 2 / 2
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