I'm going to put this as cogently as I can until I run out of patience: Arena Trap should be banned in ADV OU. I came to this conclusion while trying to find a viable Pursuit build that wasn't Tyranitar.
The reason Tyranitar is the only good Pursuit user is the same reason why a half dozen UU/BLs aren't viable in OU: Arena Trap/Dugtrio. I'll get into those later, so keep this point in mind as I go. First, consider the following:
Smeargle. It can learn any combination of moves, which could potentially make it one of the most diverse and interesting mons in the format. Let's say I'm leading with Smeargle and you're leading with Dugtrio. What can the jack of all trades Smeargle do in this situation? Not much it turns out.
Smeargle @ Salac Berry
Level: 100
Adamant Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 80 HP / 176 Atk / 252 Spe
- Endure
- Flail
This set can survive the earthquake with Endure, and revenge kill with Flail. Only works if you don't switch out on turn 2. Which you will. You'll switch into Tyranitar, Flail will do ~20%, and sand knocks Smeargle out. So that set was pointless. Let's try again.
Smeargle @ Leftovers
Level: 100
Jolly Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 220 HP / 224 Def
- Baton Pass/Roar
This set survives earthquake (if it doesn't crit), but Flail wouldn't be able to get the KO if you don't switch (into Tyranitar), and a Salac Berry wouldn't get Smeargles speed over 272, so the best it can do is escape on less than 50 HP, or Roar. The battle is effectively a 6 vs. 5 as of turn 2. Next.
Smeargle @ Leftovers
Level: 100
Jolly Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 220 HP / 224 Def
- Counter
This set KOs your Dugtrio at the cost of my Smeargle because you switched into Tyranitar on turn 2 and sand got me. Or you crit and Smeargle didn't even get that far.
I kept mentioning Tyranitar and sand in the above examples because sand tends to go up in the first few turns. Here's one final example, this time from the mid game.
Smeargle
Level: 100
Hardy Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
- Spore
- Spikes/Rapid Spin/Heal Bell/Recover/Haze/Psych Up
- Substitute
- Baton Pass/Roar
I was trying sets like this out, using Smeargle as glue. This is obviously how Smeargle was meant to be used, and it can be quite effective, unless you have Dugtrio. This Smeargle looks for opportunities to Spore something slow like Skarmory so it can set/clean spikes, treat burns, etc. Neat tech. Powerful if used correctly. Completely ruined by Dugtrio. It's turn 8 and I've just Spore'd Skarmory. I'm getting ready to spin some spikes away, but what if you have Dugtrio? Either the momentum I just gained is lost as I waste time putting up a Substitute just in case you have Dugtrio in your pocket, or I risk it to save a turn. And then you send Dugtrio out. Smeargle came in on two layers of spikes and sand is up. Smeargle is good as dead. Even if I did get the sub up, Dugtrio coming in either forces Smeargle out before it can spin or it can sacrifice itself for the spin/heal.
There are unfavorable matchups, sure. But Dugtrio invalidates WAY too many strategies and potential techniques that it's clearly anticompetitive. Banning it in ADV OU would open up the format in numerous ways. Way in the beginning, I mentioned that I was searching for a good alternative to Pursuit Tyranitar, as it is currently the only viable option in OU. I tried some interesting things with Houndoom (Thief/Pursuit, fun stuff!). But any opponent with Dugtrio in their pocket gets the privilege of turning the 6 vs. 6 into a 6 vs. 5 if you brought a Houndoom. And not just Houndoom. Raikou has no business being UUBL. With 115 SpA, 115 Spe, and access to move sets like Calm Mind + Thunderbolt + Thunder Wave + Crunch, Raikou is the stuff of Suicune's nightmares. This point is rather significant because one variant of Suicune or another can make trouble for most teams. So why is Suicune OU, and Raikou UU?
Obviously the answer to the above question is Dugtrio. What does Jolteon have that Raikou doesn't? Baton Pass, and enough speed to escape the triple stacked turtle-heading turd: Dugtrio. And why does Diglett get to have two friends with it in its Pokeball anyway? Everyone else is alone in theirs. I hate them. My neighbor used to stuff his garden hose into the mole hills in his yard and drown them all. I would gladly do the same to Dugtrio. I'd catch 5 of them in a raccoon cage and dunk the whole thing into a trash can full of water and saunter lazily back into the house.
Wait, where was I? Oh, right. Why is Magneton OU? Because it takes up 1/6 of your team space, and quite handily deals with one other popular OU mon (Skarmory, obviously). If Skarmory weren't a factor, nobody would ever see Magneton again. Fair trade. No complaints against Magneton. I will note that it gets deleted by Dugtrio the moment after it fulfills it's role, and there is nothing you can do about it. Hey look its Zapdos, the other electric type in OU, and what do you know, it is immune to Dugtrio's Shenanigans. What a coincidence. Two fire types in OU, and guess what? They both fly. Blaziken languishes in UU while Charizard menaces Skarmory and Blissey with Fire Blast and Focus Punch. Charizard, with its 84 Atk and 109 SpA does what Blaziken (120 Atk, 110 SpA, not to mention STAB fighting) can only dream of. Poor Blaziken. Had he been born in gen4 or later he'd get to go outside and play, since, and I feel the need to reiterate and emphasize this: DUGTRIO IS BANNED IN EVERY GEN AFTER 3. And it's well past time to do the same in ADV.
Here's a Pursuit Metagross concept I was working on.
Metagross @ Salac Berry
Level: 100
Adamant Nature
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 52 Atk / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Endure
Once again, Dugtrio gets to have undue and totally out of proportion influence on its design. When Dugtrio gets banned, I'll be able to use Leftovers instead of the Salac Berry, Psychic to replace Meteor Mash, and I'll lose Endure in favor of HP Fire. Earthquake is for Magneton. Yet more evidence that Dugtrio's influence on the tier is completely out of proportion. Ban it, straight away. Please. Whoever's in charge here: ban Dugtrio as soon as you can arrange it. The tier will thank you for it. Justice for Houndoom. Free Blaziken from his troglodyte captors.
Don't forget to ban Dugtrio at your earliest convenience. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Have a good day, and remember to ban Dugtrio ASAP.
The reason Tyranitar is the only good Pursuit user is the same reason why a half dozen UU/BLs aren't viable in OU: Arena Trap/Dugtrio. I'll get into those later, so keep this point in mind as I go. First, consider the following:
Smeargle. It can learn any combination of moves, which could potentially make it one of the most diverse and interesting mons in the format. Let's say I'm leading with Smeargle and you're leading with Dugtrio. What can the jack of all trades Smeargle do in this situation? Not much it turns out.
Smeargle @ Salac Berry
Level: 100
Adamant Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 80 HP / 176 Atk / 252 Spe
- Endure
- Flail
This set can survive the earthquake with Endure, and revenge kill with Flail. Only works if you don't switch out on turn 2. Which you will. You'll switch into Tyranitar, Flail will do ~20%, and sand knocks Smeargle out. So that set was pointless. Let's try again.
Smeargle @ Leftovers
Level: 100
Jolly Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 220 HP / 224 Def
- Baton Pass/Roar
This set survives earthquake (if it doesn't crit), but Flail wouldn't be able to get the KO if you don't switch (into Tyranitar), and a Salac Berry wouldn't get Smeargles speed over 272, so the best it can do is escape on less than 50 HP, or Roar. The battle is effectively a 6 vs. 5 as of turn 2. Next.
Smeargle @ Leftovers
Level: 100
Jolly Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 220 HP / 224 Def
- Counter
This set KOs your Dugtrio at the cost of my Smeargle because you switched into Tyranitar on turn 2 and sand got me. Or you crit and Smeargle didn't even get that far.
I kept mentioning Tyranitar and sand in the above examples because sand tends to go up in the first few turns. Here's one final example, this time from the mid game.
Smeargle
Level: 100
Hardy Nature
Ability: Own Tempo
- Spore
- Spikes/Rapid Spin/Heal Bell/Recover/Haze/Psych Up
- Substitute
- Baton Pass/Roar
I was trying sets like this out, using Smeargle as glue. This is obviously how Smeargle was meant to be used, and it can be quite effective, unless you have Dugtrio. This Smeargle looks for opportunities to Spore something slow like Skarmory so it can set/clean spikes, treat burns, etc. Neat tech. Powerful if used correctly. Completely ruined by Dugtrio. It's turn 8 and I've just Spore'd Skarmory. I'm getting ready to spin some spikes away, but what if you have Dugtrio? Either the momentum I just gained is lost as I waste time putting up a Substitute just in case you have Dugtrio in your pocket, or I risk it to save a turn. And then you send Dugtrio out. Smeargle came in on two layers of spikes and sand is up. Smeargle is good as dead. Even if I did get the sub up, Dugtrio coming in either forces Smeargle out before it can spin or it can sacrifice itself for the spin/heal.
There are unfavorable matchups, sure. But Dugtrio invalidates WAY too many strategies and potential techniques that it's clearly anticompetitive. Banning it in ADV OU would open up the format in numerous ways. Way in the beginning, I mentioned that I was searching for a good alternative to Pursuit Tyranitar, as it is currently the only viable option in OU. I tried some interesting things with Houndoom (Thief/Pursuit, fun stuff!). But any opponent with Dugtrio in their pocket gets the privilege of turning the 6 vs. 6 into a 6 vs. 5 if you brought a Houndoom. And not just Houndoom. Raikou has no business being UUBL. With 115 SpA, 115 Spe, and access to move sets like Calm Mind + Thunderbolt + Thunder Wave + Crunch, Raikou is the stuff of Suicune's nightmares. This point is rather significant because one variant of Suicune or another can make trouble for most teams. So why is Suicune OU, and Raikou UU?
Obviously the answer to the above question is Dugtrio. What does Jolteon have that Raikou doesn't? Baton Pass, and enough speed to escape the triple stacked turtle-heading turd: Dugtrio. And why does Diglett get to have two friends with it in its Pokeball anyway? Everyone else is alone in theirs. I hate them. My neighbor used to stuff his garden hose into the mole hills in his yard and drown them all. I would gladly do the same to Dugtrio. I'd catch 5 of them in a raccoon cage and dunk the whole thing into a trash can full of water and saunter lazily back into the house.
Wait, where was I? Oh, right. Why is Magneton OU? Because it takes up 1/6 of your team space, and quite handily deals with one other popular OU mon (Skarmory, obviously). If Skarmory weren't a factor, nobody would ever see Magneton again. Fair trade. No complaints against Magneton. I will note that it gets deleted by Dugtrio the moment after it fulfills it's role, and there is nothing you can do about it. Hey look its Zapdos, the other electric type in OU, and what do you know, it is immune to Dugtrio's Shenanigans. What a coincidence. Two fire types in OU, and guess what? They both fly. Blaziken languishes in UU while Charizard menaces Skarmory and Blissey with Fire Blast and Focus Punch. Charizard, with its 84 Atk and 109 SpA does what Blaziken (120 Atk, 110 SpA, not to mention STAB fighting) can only dream of. Poor Blaziken. Had he been born in gen4 or later he'd get to go outside and play, since, and I feel the need to reiterate and emphasize this: DUGTRIO IS BANNED IN EVERY GEN AFTER 3. And it's well past time to do the same in ADV.
Here's a Pursuit Metagross concept I was working on.
Metagross @ Salac Berry
Level: 100
Adamant Nature
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 52 Atk / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Endure
Once again, Dugtrio gets to have undue and totally out of proportion influence on its design. When Dugtrio gets banned, I'll be able to use Leftovers instead of the Salac Berry, Psychic to replace Meteor Mash, and I'll lose Endure in favor of HP Fire. Earthquake is for Magneton. Yet more evidence that Dugtrio's influence on the tier is completely out of proportion. Ban it, straight away. Please. Whoever's in charge here: ban Dugtrio as soon as you can arrange it. The tier will thank you for it. Justice for Houndoom. Free Blaziken from his troglodyte captors.
Don't forget to ban Dugtrio at your earliest convenience. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Have a good day, and remember to ban Dugtrio ASAP.
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