Anorith
Code:
QC: Shiny Azelf, Elevator Music [B][2/2]
[/B]GP: Zystral, Calm Pokemaster, Snorlaxe [B][3/3][/B][Overview]
<p>With high Speed and wonderful Attack by Little Cup standards, and access to boosting moves such as Rock Polish and Swords Dance, Anorith makes a wonderful physical sweeper. Though it doesn't have too many options outside of it STAB attacks, it compensates with its useful support options. Anorith does have its flaws, though. Its typing leaves a lot to be desired, giving it weaknesses to common Water-type attacks. Anorith will also find it difficult to take priority attacks from the likes of Croagunk. Still, with the right team support, Anorith can tear through opposing teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Fast Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Rapid Spin / Knock Off
item: Focus Sash / Eviolite
nature: Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Anorith's excellent Speed and access to Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin makes it a fantastic supporter. Rock Blast is a great STAB move, as it allows Anorith to break through the opposing Pokemon's Substitute or Focus Sash. Brick Break gets great coverage with Rock Blast, and also breaks the opponent's dual screens. The last attack is up to personal preference: Rapid Spin lets Anorith remove the opponent's entry hazards, while Knock Off allows it to cripple walls holding Eviolite, making it easier for a teammate to sweep.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Focus Sash should be used if Anorith only wants to accomplish one thing, such as setting up Stealth Rock, while Eviolite gives Anorith more bulk and allows it to support its team for a longer time. A Jolly nature is a must, as Anorith wants as much Speed as possible. The EV spread maximizes Anorith's Attack and Speed, allowing it to pose a threat as well as outpace as many opposing Pokemon as possible. Anorith hits 18 Speed with a Jolly nature, meaning it can safely set up Stealth Rock. Anorith is also crippled by burn and paralysis, so dropping a support option and running Substitute to block status and stop Cottonee is a viable idea. An Adamant nature can be used to make Anorith more dangerous offensively, but Jolly is almost always the better option. Anorith can also run a bulkier EV spread of 156 HP / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe, but this would necessitate the lowering of Anorith's Attack, which is not advised. Mixed Sweepers such as Elekid and Houndour are good teammates to this set. This set gives them a good setup which may make it easier for them to sweep and increase the chances of OHKOes.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Rock Slide / Rock Blast
move 4: Brick Break
item: Life Orb / Eviolite
nature: Adamant
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Anorith hits 34 Speed after a single Rock Polish, allowing it to outspeed every Choice Scarf user in Little Cup. Anorith also has a respectable 20 Attack, making it a dangerous offensive threat and allowing it to break apart offensive teams. X-Scissor is Anorith's primary STAB attack, hitting Psychic- and Grass-types hard. Rock Blast and Rock Slide are both great secondary STAB options. While Rock Blast can break Substitutes, Rock Slide has a constant damage output and is more reliable. Brick Break provides excellent neutral coverage, hitting the Steel-types who resist Anorith's other moves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb can be used if you want to boost Anorith's already impressive Attack, and Eviolite can be used if you wish for Anorith to survive longer. The leftover EVs are thrown into Defense to help Anorith take most priority moves better. If you are more concerned with Anorith's survival then you are with it outspeeding the rest of the metagame, a more defensive EV spread can be used. A spread of 156 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD gives Anorith much more bulk while only sacrificing some Speed. Even with no Speed EVs, Anorith still reaches 28 Speed after a Rock Polish, which is enough to outspeed Scarf users with 18 Speed. A Jolly nature is usable, but is superfluous beyond the fact that it allows Anorith to outspeed Drilbur in a sandstorm.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Rock Slide / Rock Blast
move 4: Brick Break
item: Life Orb / Eviolite
nature: Adamant / Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>After a Swords Dance, Anorith reaches an impressive 40 Attack with an Adamant nature. Unlike the previous set, this set focuses on boosting Anorith's Attack and breaking through defensive teams. Once again, X-Scissor is Anorith's main STAB option, dealing massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it after a Swords Dance boost. Rock Slide and Rock Blast are options for a secondary STAB move, having decent coverage with X-Scissor. Brick Break rounds off Anorith's moveset, decimating Steel-types who sponge Anorith's other moves. There are two options for an item. While Life Orb jacks up the power of Anorith's Attacks and makes it harder to wall, Eviolite gives it more bulk and makes it easier for Anorith to set up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is very simple, maximizing Anorith's Attack and Speed. The remaining 36 EVs are invested in Defense to give Anorith one more point in that stat, but they can be placed in HP or Special Defense too. A Jolly nature can be used as well, allowing Anorith to outspeed other Pokemon with 18 Speed, such as Gastly. This set also needs some team support to be effective. Scarf users such as Chinchou, as well as priority users such as Croagunk and Timburr, will walk all over this set regardless of how many boosts Anorith has acquired. Therefore, Wynaut makes a fantastic teammate for Anorith, as it can trap and revenge kill most priority users and Pokemon wielding a Choice Scarf with ease. With Encore, Wynaut and Cottonee can also help Anorith set up easily. Support from entry hazards and Rapid Spin also makes it easier for Anorith to sweep, as it has a Stealth Rock weakness and appreciates the opponent getting weakened by entry hazards. Tentacool and Ferroseed aid Anorith in this regard, as they can remove and set up entry hazards with ease, though the latter doesn't pack Rapid Spin.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Rock Slide / Rock Blast
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Double-Edge
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band
nature: Adamant / Jolly
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Anorith has both the Attack and Speed to effectively run a Choice set. Reaching 18 Speed without a Choice Scarf, Anorith makes an excellent Scarf user, outspeeding all unboosted Pokemon as well as some slower Scarf users such as Rufflet. Due to its excellent Speed, Anorith also makes a great Choice Band user, as it can hit very hard while still outspeeding many threats. Unfortunately, Anorith's movepool is pretty small, meaning it doesn't have too many options to work with. Rock Slide should be used if you prefer reliability, while Rock Blast is the better option if being able to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes is preferred. X-Scissor provides another strong STAB option, destroying Grass- and Psychic-types with ease. Brick Break provides excellent neutral coverage along with Anorith's other attacks, taking out the Steel-types who resist Anorith's other moves. Double-Edge is pretty much the only other physical option Anorith has, and is mainly used as a filler despite providing redundant coverage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Anorith's Attack and Speed, allowing it to hit as hard and fast as possible. This set also needs some team support to function well. Anorith's weakness to priority means that a priority user of your own, such as Dratini or Timburr, makes an excellent teammate for Anorith. Since this set has no way of boosting its stats, defensive Pokemon such as Bronzor will wall it easily, meaning Anorith will appreciate the support of a mixed attacker, such as Shellder, who can dispose of both of the aforementioned threats easily.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Anorith's movepool is shallow, meaning it has few other options it can use. Substitute can be used to guard against status, and also allows Anorith to survive priority attacks it wouldn't otherwise. Anorith can also run both Rock Polish and Swords Dance on the same set, as it gets decent coverage with just Brick Break and a STAB Rock-type move. However, Anorith already finds it difficult to set up, so running two boosting moves will be risky.</p>
[Checks & Counters]
<p>Despite having high Speed and Attack, Anorith is relatively easy to counter. Walls such as Bronzor are Anorith's prime counters, as they can take most of its attacks with ease and threaten it in return with their STAB attacks. However, the former must be wary of Hidden Power Ice, and the latter has trouble taking a boosted X-Scissor. Although rare, Golett resists or is immune to every attack Anorith commonly uses and can smack it with its STAB attacks, 2HKOing at the very least. However, it can't take Hidden Power Ice. Cottonee can shut down Anorith completely if it switches in safely. Priority users can exploit Anorith's poor defenses and take it down swiftly.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Anorith gets Swift Swim from the Dream World. However, rain is the only weather in Little Cup that cannot be set up by an ability. It is also difficult to maintain due to the weather that the common Snover and Hippopotas summon upon switching in. Still, Anorith is the only Swift Swim user which is not a Water-type, making it a solid choice for most rain teams.</p>
