Celestavian
Smooth
[Overview]
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Sub + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Shadow Ball / Shock Wave
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
ability: Magic Guard
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[Other Options]
[Checks and Counters]
- Abra hit the Dream World jackpot, getting Magic Guard
- This ability allows Abra to revenge kill almost anything with a Focus Sash set, especially all the Fighting-types running around the tier
- It also takes away Life Orb recoil, giving Abra's massive Special Attack stat a nice boost
- With SR up it can threaten the entire tier
- These benefits are offset by its terrible defenses
- Weak to Sucker Punch, the most common priority in LC
- As long as you keep Abra away from Dark-types and faster stuff, it will pick opposing teams apart
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Abra's most common set
- Magic Guard + Focus Sash means the only attacks capable of OHKOing Abra are multi-hit attacks such as Rock Blast
- This means that it can safely kill faster threats it OHKOes and slower ones that it can 2HKO
- Psychic is used over Psyshock because there are fewer special walls than physical walls in LC
- Psychic OHKOes all the Fighting-types in the tier besides Scraggy and specially defensive Timburr
- Shadow Ball 2HKOes Misdreavus and Frillish while being able to hit other Psychic-types such as Slowpoke
- Hidden Power Fighting provides perfect coverage while letting Abra hit Steel-types such as Pawniard
- Protect keeps Abra's Focus Sash intact against Fake Out users and lets Abra scout the opponent's response to Abra
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Max Speed and Special Attack to make the most of Abra's stats
- Always run Timid; Modest is not a good idea ever even though the extra power is tantalizing
- Abra needs a lot less support than your average Sash user, making it a great fit on most teams
- Dark-types are Abra's worst nightmare, so pack checks to Murkrow and Pawniard
- Abra can't beat Misdreavus without winning a speed tie, so a more consistent Misdreavus check such as Porygon can work well
- Pawniard also makes a good partner, since Abra takes out the Fighting-types that give him trouble while checking Murkrow
- Knock Off users such as Mienfoo or Vullaby synergize well with Abra, giving it a huge boost in power against Eviolite-less opponents
[SET]
name: Sub + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Shadow Ball / Shock Wave
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
ability: Magic Guard
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Abra forces a lot of switches, which this set takes advantage of
- By setting up a Substitute on a forced switch, Abra can safely wreak havoc with Life Orb-boosted attacks
- Psychic is now capable of 2HKOing some special walls with SR that it couldn't beat before, such as Chinchou
- Shadow Ball is mainly there for opposing Psychic-types, since Misdreavus and Frillish are still not OHKOed by it
- Shock Wave can be used over Shadow Ball to OHKO Murkrow after SR while still hitting Slowpoke, but loses out on opposing Psychics
- Hidden Power Fighting rounds out the coverage, 2HKOing the standard sets of Lickitung, Porygon, and Lileep out of sand, some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the metagame
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Same sweeper EVs here too
- This set has less trouble with Dark-types since it can set up a Sub and KO Murkrow and Pawniard with the correct moves
- Shellder, Dwebble, and Ferroseed become main threats with their multi-hit moves
- Taunt Misdreavus prevents all three from setting up while being able to take an unboosted hit or two
- Stunky is still able to trouble Abra since it has no weakness to Abra's moves, so having a bulky Fighting-type like Timburr or Mienfoo will cover it
- Really, really likes Knock Off and hazard support, since its LO boosted attacks will hit even harder with them
[Other Options]
- SubCM set is viable but hard to pull off
- Choice Scarf or Specs could work with Trick to cripple walls
- It also learns Encore, Taunt, and even Knock Off, but those are better used on bulkier Pokemon
[Checks and Counters]
- Murkrow hard counters almost every set, fearing only the uncommon LO Shock Wave
- Pawniard can Sucker Punch it too, but not as well since it dies to HP Fighting if Abra's sash is intact
- Misdreavus speed ties Abra and isn't OHKOed by any of its moves
- Bulky Pokemon such as Porygon and Lileep can take the Sash set's attacks with ease and cripple or KO Abra, but fall to the LO set
- Anything faster, such as Drilbur and scarf users, are usually able to OHKO Abra
[Overview]
<p>With access to one of the best abilities in the game, Magic Guard, Abra is immune to residual damage. This gives Abra potent revenge killing power as it can not be OHKOed under most circumstances while holding a Focus Sash. Magic Guard also prevents Life Orb recoil, making Abra the best Life Orb user in the metagame and a very powerful force when in the right hands. Combine all this with Fighting-types seeing use on almost every team, and Abra becomes a massive offensive threat that can 2HKO almost the entire metagame. Unfortunately for Abra, its pitiful defenses means that almost anything can knock it out in one hit. This includes Sucker Punch, the most common priority move in the metagame, as well as attacks from faster Pokemon such as Sand Rush Drilbur. By keeping Abra away from Dark-types and faster opponents, it will be free to smash the opposing team.</p>
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is Abra's most effective and most common set, utilizing its revenge killing abilities to the fullest. The Focus Sash + Magic Guard combination means that only multi-hit moves, such as Icicle Spear, are capable of KOing Abra in one turn. Entry hazards, weather damage, and status effects are the bane of other Focus Sash users as the residual damage breaks the Sash, but Abra has no such problems, making it arguably the best Focus Sash user in the metagame. Psychic serves as Abra's main STAB, and with Abra's huge Special Attack, it packs quite a punch. Shadow Ball hits opposing Ghost-types harder than Psychic and allows Abra to hit other Psychic-types, such as Slowpoke, super effectively. Hidden Power Fighting lets Abra hurt Steel-types, especially Pawniard, whose lethal Sucker Punch can be mitigated with Focus Sash. It's also Abra's only attack that's effective at all against Murkrow and Vullaby, but without super effective damage, you are better off switching out. Protect rounds out the set by keeping Abra's Focus Sash intact against Fake Out users such as Mienfoo and Croagunk. It also allows Abra to scout its opponentfor surprise attacks, such as Choice Scarf Mienfoo's U-turn, that would otherwise knock Abra out.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The listed EV spread maximizes Abra's Speed and Special Attack while being adjusted for Hidden Power Fighting's IV drop. There is no use in investing in Abra's defenses, as without an Eviolite, it is too frail to take any hits. With such a high Special Attack stat, one might be tempted to use Modest to make Abra even more powerful, but this is a bad idea as Abra needs all the Speed it can get. Because Abra doesn't mind hazard damage, it needs little support to work well, making it excellent glue to a team. That said, Abra really appreciates a switch-in to Dark-types. In addition, Misdreavus beats Abra half of the time due to Speed ties, so a sturdier check such as Porygon can be used if Misdreavus troubles Abra's team. As for offensive partners, Pawniard can check SubRoost Murkrow, and in return, Abra defeats the Fighting-types that demolish Pawniard. Mienfoo also works well, using Knock Off to remove Eviolites from bulky opponents for Abra's powerful Psychic's to finish off.</p>
[SET]
name: Sub + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Shadow Ball / Shock Wave
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
ability: Magic Guard
evs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Abra's Focus Sash set can force a lot of switches, something which this set benefits heavily from. By setting up a Substitute on a predicted switch, Abra gains the ability to attack with impunity on the next turn. With a recoil-free Life Orb powering up its attacks, a free turn from behind a Substitute can be all Abra needs to snowball out of control. Psychic packs a ton of power with the boost from Life Orb. For example, a non-Life Orb boosted Psychic can sometimes fail to OHKO specially defensive Timburr, but Timburr stands no chance with Life Orb factored in. Shadow Ball also gains more power, but it still doesn't OHKO anything it needs to, such as Misdreavus and Slowpoke; because of this, Shock Wave is usable over Shadow Ball. Psychic already 2HKOes Misdreavus while Shock Wave nails Slowpoke and Frillish for 2HKOes. However, Shock Wave's main target is Murkrow, which is OHKOed by it after Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Fighting gains a superb boost in power as well, earning 2HKOes on very important targets after Stealth Rock, such as Porygon, Lickitung, and Lileep outside of sandstorm.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to the Substitute, opposing Dark-types become much less threatening as Abra has ways to OHKO them from behind its Substitute. Instead, Abra has to fear Pokemon that carry Substitute-piercing multi-hit moves, such as Shellder, Dwebble, and Ferroseed. Misdreavus makes an excellent teammate here, as it can use Taunt to prevent all three from setting up either Shell Smash or entry hazards and then attack them. This Abra really loves Knock Off support from the likes of Mienfoo or Vullaby. By ridding the opposing team of their Eviolites, there is nothing in the metagame that can avoid a 2HKO from Abra.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Abra's movepool does have a few other gems that it can use. A Substitute + Calm Mind set with a Life Orb is viable, making Abra impossible to wall after a Calm Mind or two. However, it is very hard to set up with, and any Dark-types on the opposing team will prevent Abra from setting up at all. Charge Beam is usable over Shock Wave on the Sub + 3 Attacks set, but it is not capable of OHKOing Eviolite Murkrow after Stealth Rock damage and has a 10% chance to miss; However, netting a Special Attack boost with it can be devastating to the opposing team. Abra's support movepool includes Encore, Taunt, Thunder Wave, and even Knock Off, but Abra is far too frail to put these moves to use. The only feasible support set for Abra would be a dual screens set using Encore to get a free turn to set up. With Abra's massive Speed, it is easy to set up both screens, but Abra will still be quite frail if it is holding Light Clay to extend the time that dual screens are up.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Sucker Punch users can bypass Abra's Speed advantage and either ruin its Focus Sash or outright KO it. Of course, most of these Pokemon happen to be Dark-types, which also boast an immunity to Abra's STAB, forcing it out easily. Misdreavus is not OHKOed by anything Abra can throw at it and has STAB Shadow Ball with which it can demolish Abra. Without a Life Orb, Abra's attacks can't 2HKO most bulky special walls such as Porygon, Chinchou, and Lileep, and even with it the last two can still withstand two Psychics or Hidden Powers at full health. Anything that is faster than Abra is usually able to KO it as well. Examples include Sand Rush Drilbur, Choice Scarf Mienfoo, and +1 Scraggy. Even slower Pokemon can likely OHKO Abra once its Focus Sash is gone. as long as they can take a Psychic without fainting.</p>
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