Shengeki no Swoobat (AKA Attack on Swoobat (AAKA Swoobat Ban Vote))
"On that day, Alphabet Cup received a grim reminder..."
I never, never, never thought Swoobat would have to be suspected, ever. The analyses I've seen recently simply prove something must be done. Swoobat is breaking down walls and needs to be stopped. However, they have one weak point:
the back of the neck they are almost powerless against priority. If Swoobat has a chance to set up, there is no telling what he can do.
Actually, there is some telling. We have a calc.
+4 252+ SpA Swoobat Stored Power (260 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Cresselia: 295-348 (66.4 - 78.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(This is a RESIST. I'm sorry. But what.)
+4 252+ SpA Swoobat Stored Power (260 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Regice: 283-334 (77.7 - 91.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Its Stored Power even ends Asaault Vest Regice. Yeah. (Granted, it can use Secret Sword in this case to nab a clean 1HKO always...)
+4 252+ SpA Swoobat Stored Power (260 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Eviolite Chansey: 459-540 (65.1 - 76.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
This is max SpDef Chansey, the bulkiest thing in the game (iirc). It takes a huge chunk from one blast. Again, Secret Sword 1HKOs always.
Studying the above calcs, and with the prior knowledge that this Swoobat carries Stored Power and Secret Sword, the only safe switchin options are limited to;
-Sableye
-Spiritomb
-Max Defense Drapion
-Max Defense Malamar
-Eren Jaeger
(I'll stop making SnK jokes now)
I could find precious little else. Malamar and Drapion are shaky if predicted, as they cannot take two Secret Swords. It's safe to say, though, not many of these will be your top choice on a team.
Oh and Swoobat has Spore. Nightie-night, everything except Sableye who needs to Spore it itself. But if you haven't removed Sableye or Spiritomb before sweeping with Swoobat you crazy.
So... How do we take it down? Priority. It's safe to say that Swoobat is as frail as a Ming vase. However, that doesn't make taking it down any easy task. Only a few things can definitively smash it:
-Banded Talonflame
-Banded Mamoswine's Ice Shard
-Bullet Punch Banded Scizor
-Sucker Punch from most offensive mons (get lucky)
This is pretty much all I could find to 1HKO it at +0 Defenses. If Rocks are up, things are easier. And if it used Sash, you have -2 defenses, which means basically any priority destroy it. We aren't considering, however, the fact it can run 252Def/252+SpA and be fine, it's got great speed as it is. Or Reflect support.
Other ways of neutering it include:
-Topsy-Turvy Thundurus/Tornadus
-Haze Murkrow
-Power Swap Purrloin
-Scarf Imposter Ditto
But that's about it (off the top of my head, maybe there's better out there?)
With all this considered, here is a final quick analysis of the bat.
Pros:
-With Simple, Swoobat's Shell Smash gives it shocking tripled Attack, Special Attack, and Speed.
-Swoobat's 390 BP (after STAB) Stored Power, off tripled Base 77 Special Attack, is strong enough to, at most, 1HKO or 2HKO anything in the metagame which isn't Dark.
-For everything Dark, there's Secret Sword-- only defensive Malamar and Drapion take it relatively well, and they are still 2HKOed.
-Spore allows it to shut down anything attempting to use Sucker Punch, as well as punishing threats such as Sableye and Spiritomb, who usually wall it.
Cons:
-Frail. Just as it can 2HKO anything, anything can effortlessly 2HKO or 1HKO it back.
-Attacking it as it Shell Smashes will leave enough of a dent in it to be easily revenge killed.
-Priority destroys the bat, provided it isn't Sucker Punch which it can play around.
-Its two item choices are White Herb and Focus Sash. One leaves it with pathetic defenses after a Smash while the other can leave Swoobat open to a 1HKO.
Having considered all this, it is time to vote!
To vote, reply to the thread with one of the following options in bold:
Swoobers (Swoobat is raised to Alphabet Cup Ubers, banning it from standard Alphabet Cup.)
No Bat-Ban (Swoobat remains in standard Alphabet Cup.)
Voting closes on Sunday 9th Feb, 11pm GMT (roughly three days from now). Majority rules.
