Articuno (OU) QC 2/2 GP 2/2

[Diophantine]

[OVERVIEW]

Although Articuno may not have nearly as much influence over the metagame as its Electric-type sibling Zapdos, like many other UUBL Pokemon it still finds a small niche in OU. While it may not have the best defensive typing or movepool, Articuno still avoids taking damage from Spikes, has decent defensive stats, and is able to reliably absorb sleep from all of the metagame's sleep spreaders besides Snorlax. Articuno faces fierce competition in the form of its fellow legendary Pokemon Suicune. Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno while having a resistance to Fire, a neutrality to Rock, the ability to threaten back Rock-types with super effective damage, and a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can check more Pokemon than Articuno. This can make it difficult to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in longer, drawn-out battles, and STAB Ice Beam makes it harder for RestTalk Zapdos to take Toxic, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno anyways. While generally left out in the cold in terms of usage, the king of Seafoam Islands has just enough useful defensive traits that it retains viability in OU.

[SET]
name: Blue Bird (RestTalk / Phazer)
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk / Roar
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]

Set Description
=========

As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Nidoking, and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is effective as a designated sleep absorber. Alternatively, Roar can be used over Sleep Talk to make Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon and allow Articuno to pressure Pokemon that it has poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. Ice Beam provides some offensive utility coming off a Special Attack stat that isn't too bad. A 10% chance to freeze should never be underestimated, either. Toxic is used to weaken incoming Pokemon that can beat Articuno one-on-one, such as Raikou, Snorlax, and Tyranitar. It can also be used to buy some time against sweepers like Vaporeon by forcing them to use Rest and wear down enemy Cloyster in an attempt to win the all-important Spikes war. Reflect may also be used to provide some defensive support for Articuno's teammates and help Articuno against the many Explosion users in the metagame.

Team Options
========

Because Articuno generally plays a supportive role and can be taken advantage of by a lot of common metagame threats, it works best when supporting defensive teams. Pokemon that do not mind stomaching a Thunder from the likes of Zapdos, such as Raikou and Blissey, cover Articuno's weakness to Electric-type attacks.

Articuno's shallow movepool means that Forretress, which has an immunity to Toxic and a resistance to Ice, can freely switch into Articuno and proceed to remove Spikes. Hence, Ghost-type Pokemon that can block Rapid Spin and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage to lure Forretress make good partners for Articuno.

Articuno's big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into them can cover the frosty bird's weakness. Golem, Rhydon, and Nidoking can all do this, but they must be careful of other moves that may threaten them. Skarmory is a blanket check to physical attacks and can sometimes fill this role as well. Miltank's fast Growl and Umbreon's Charm mean that both Pokemon can help out in an emergency, especially when supported by Reflect from Articuno. Suicune can also be used as a partner to Articuno, as if one caries Roar and the other has RestTalk, they can cover a lot of threats together. They both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well thanks to its Spikes immunity making it harder to wear down.

Pursuit support from Umbreon helps Articuno out against Starmie, which Articuno is otherwise passive against and can only hope to poison or freeze. Pursuit support can also help out in the Gengar matchup, which can be difficult for Articuno if it has to switch into Thunder.

Speaking of Starmie, it too makes a good partner for Articuno thanks to its effectiveness against Machamp, Rhydon, and Charizard.

Offensively, Articuno's most effective teammates are those that aim to win in the long term, such as Forretress through its use of Spikes, Snorlax with a STAB attack and two coverage moves, and Belly Drum Snorlax. The status inflictions Articuno provides can give these teammates the opportunities they need to switch in and make a long-lasting impact on the game.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hidden Power Fire can be used to stop Forretress from getting a free switch into Articuno while also giving Articuno a move to break Jynx's Substitute, but giving up one of the main options on the set makes Articuno worse off against everything else. If you wish to compromise Articuno's ability to absorb sleep status, you could use Toxic alongside Reflect and drop Sleep Talk. This would give Articuno a better matchup against Snorlax, but by doing so it trades reliability against sleep inducers Articuno normally checks. Blizzard can be used for more power, which can OHKO Pokemon such as Rhydon, Marowak, Exeggutor, and Nidoking, though the latter two require prior Spikes damage, and Articuno generally does well against them with Ice Beam anyway. Blizzard's low PP and accuracy also makes Ice Beam the better option, though the PP issue can be supplemented with Sleep Talk.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Rock-type attacks**: Pokemon with Rock-type attacks such as Machamp and Tyranitar threaten Articuno with super effective damage.

**Forretress**: As said before, Forretress can freely switch into Articuno and can proceed to remove Spikes or set them up. However, it does always run the risk of being frozen by Ice Beam.

**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Raikou can freely switch into Articuno and threaten it out with an Electric-type attack or begin shuffling Articuno's team with Roar, but it must be careful of Articuno using Toxic to hit it on the switch. Snorlax with Rest counters Articuno in a similar fashion with its hard-hitting Normal-type attacks. Blissey shrugs off Ice Beam and has Heal Bell to undo the freeze and poison that Articuno can spread.

**Water-types**: Tentacruel is safe from all attacks that Articuno can throw at it and can either set up with Substitute or Swords Dance or take advantage of the free turn to remove Spikes with Rapid Spin. Cloyster and Starmie do not fear Ice Beam and can Rapid Spin—or use Toxic, Explosion, or Spikes in Cloyster's case—in retaliation, but they lack an immunity to Toxic. Vaporeon can set up Growth boosts against Articuno, and although Toxic may force it to use Rest, Sleep Talk variants will not mind this too much.

**Sleep Talk Users**: Pokemon that run Sleep Talk with Rest and do not fear Ice Beam such as Umbreon, Snorlax, Heracross, and Suicune can switch into Articuno and not worry about being inflicted with Toxic.

**Fire-type Pokemon**: Entei, Typhlosion, Charizard, and Moltres can all switch into Articuno and threaten it with Fire Blast. Moltres in particular typically runs RestTalk, and so doesn't fear Toxic.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Diophantine, 370164]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Fear, 2005]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [deetah, 297659]]

 

[Earthworm]

[OVERVIEW]

Although Articuno may not have nearly as much influence over the metagame as its Electric-type sibling Zapdos, like many other UUBL Pokemon it still finds a niche and hence some viability. While it may not have the best defensive typing or movepool, it still avoids taking damage from Spikes, has decent defensive stats, and is able to reliably absorb Sleep status from all of the metagame’s Sleep spreaders besides Snorlax. While generally left out in the cold in terms of usage, the king of Seafoam Islands has a niche that allows it to retain viability in the OU tier.

I think it would be appropriate to bring up a comparison with Suicune here, because honestly it can be difficult to justify using the bird over the dog. I also think the overview should be a bit more negative about Articuno's viability, because its niche is very small. It has big disadvantages against Pokemon with Rock coverage (a LOT of huge threats) compared to Suicune and only a marginally better Nidoking matchup. Whether it is better against Jynx is highly debatable as well. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in ultra-long games and the STAB Ice Beam makes it harder to take Toxic with RestTalk Zapdos, which can make things tricky, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno.

[SET]
name: Sleep Talk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
Item: Leftovers

I am not sure yet on this being Articuno's best bet. I think Roar is a worthy consideration for a main slot over Sleep Talk since it makes it harder to use as setup fodder, but not going to suggest that it should change right now as I am still trying to figure out its strengths.

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Gengar and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is a designated Sleep absorber. Ice Beam provides some offensive utility coming off a Special Attack stat that isn’t too shabby. A 10% chance to freeze should never be underestimated either. Toxic is used to weaken incoming Pokemon which can beat Articuno one-on-one such as Raikou, Snorlax and Tyranitar.

It would be appropriate to mention Cloyster as a Toxic target.

Team Options
========

Because Articuno is threatened by a lot of the common metagame threats, and because it generally plays a supportive role, it works best when supporting defensive teams.

I would outright say it can be taken advantage of by many Pokemon as a reason for this.

Articuno’s shallow movepool means that Forretress - who has an immunity to Poison and a resistance to Ice - can freely switch into it which can proceed to remove Spikes. Hence, Pokemon with a good matchup against Forretress, like Ghost-type Pokemon and Pokemon with Fire-type attacks, make good partners for Articuno.

I don't think this entirely makes sense. I think you'll need to mention that Ghost-types are used for spinblocking if Articuno has Spikes support. Pokemon with Fire moves don't really help unless Forretress is staying in against them, so if you want to include it then it should be as a lure or whatever. Perhaps a spinner like Starmie would be appropriate to list too, since it also helps vs Machamp and Ground-types.

Articuno’s big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into those with Rock-type attacks can cover the frosty bird’s weakness. Golem, Rhydon and Nidoking can all do this, but must be careful of other moves that the threatening Pokemon has.

The inclusion of these seems somewhat questionable but I will think on whether there might be builds where these work with Articuno.

Checks and Counters
===================

Pokemon with Rock-type attacks such as Rhydon, Marowak, Machamp and Tyranitar all threaten Articuno with heavy super effective damage. However, thanks to Articuno’s speed, Rhydon and Marowak must be healthy, or else they risk being taken out by an Ice Beam.

I don't think Rhydon and Marowak belong in this section.

Raikou can freely switch into Articuno and threaten it out with an Electric-type attack or begin shuffling Articuno’s team with Roar, but it must be careful of Articuno using Toxic as it anticipates it to switch in.

I think Snorlax can fit into this category (bulky Pokemon with Rest that threaten Articuno).

Vap and Moltres are missing.

I realise this check is kind of lacking but rest assured I am trying to experiment with Articuno and will hopefully be able to provide a more assertive opinion once I've used it more.

 

[Diophantine]

I think it would be appropriate to bring up a comparison with Suicune here, because honestly it can be difficult to justify using the bird over the dog. I also think the overview should be a bit more negative about Articuno's viability, because its niche is very small. It has big disadvantages against Pokemon with Rock coverage (a LOT of huge threats) compared to Suicune and only a marginally better Nidoking matchup. Whether it is better against Jynx is highly debatable as well. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in ultra-long games and the STAB Ice Beam makes it harder to take Toxic with RestTalk Zapdos, which can make things tricky, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno.

I am not sure yet on this being Articuno's best bet. I think Roar is a worthy consideration for a main slot over Sleep Talk since it makes it harder to use as setup fodder, but not going to suggest that it should change right now as I am still trying to figure out its strengths.
It would be appropriate to mention Cloyster as a Toxic target.

I would outright say it can be taken advantage of by many Pokemon as a reason for this.

I don't think this entirely makes sense. I think you'll need to mention that Ghost-types are used for spinblocking if Articuno has Spikes support. Pokemon with Fire moves don't really help unless Forretress is staying in against them, so if you want to include it then it should be as a lure or whatever. Perhaps a spinner like Starmie would be appropriate to list too, since it also helps vs Machamp and Ground-types.

The inclusion of these seems somewhat questionable but I will think on whether there might be builds where these work with Articuno.


I don't think Rhydon and Marowak belong in this section.

I think Snorlax can fit into this category (bulky Pokemon with Rest that threaten Articuno).

Vap and Moltres are missing.

I realise this check is kind of lacking but rest assured I am trying to experiment with Articuno and will hopefully be able to provide a more assertive opinion once I've used it more.

Implemented changes. This is a tricky one.

 

[Earthworm]

Articuno faces fierce competition in the form of its fellow legendary Pokemon Suicune. Unlike Suicune, Articuno obviously faces a big disadvantage with its weakness to Rock-type attacks, which many Pokemon in the tier, such as Marowak, Tyranitar and Machamp, typically use, while Articuno boasts only a slightly better Nidoking matchup.

Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno (Sleep absorber and Toxic spreading tank) but resists Fire, is neutral to Rock, and has a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can function as a check to way more Pokemon. This can make it really hard to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. I think you could go into slightly more detail about why Articuno is competing with Suicune.

[SET]
name: Sleep Talk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
Item: Leftovers

I think Roar should be slashed with Sleep Talk. It makes Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon, and it means Articuno can pressure Pokemon that it has poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. I'd also put Ice Beam and Toxic as move 1 and 2 if that matters.

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Gengar and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is a designated Sleep absorber.

I don't think Gengar is really safe, there is a high chance you will come out the loser if it uses an Electric move on the switch. Nidoking should probably be in here though.

Team Options
========

Articuno’s big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into those with Rock-type attacks can cover the frosty bird’s weakness.

Suicune can probably be added here. If one is a phazer and the other is RestTalk they can cover a lot of threats together, they both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well.

Pursuit support from Umbreon helps Articuno out against Starmie, who it is otherwise passive against and can only hope to Poison or freeze.

It also potentially helps against Gengar, which Articuno is not as safe against.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
If you wish to compromise Articuno’s ability to absorb Sleep status, you could use Toxic alongside Reflect and drop Sleep Talk. This would give Articuno a better matchup against Snorlax, but by doing so it loses its niche.

I don't like the implication that Articuno loses "its niche" here because I think there are other uses for it besides being a designated sleep taker. Instead I would just say it trades off reliability against the sleep inducers it normally checks.

Whirlwind can be used to stop Vaporeon from freely setting up and can be used to shuffle the foe’s team, which can help rack up passive damage from Spikes and give the user momentum.

I would also say it helps prevent the opponent from containing the spread of Toxic by repeatedly switching to an already poisoned Pokemon that has Rest. However this will be in the main set rather than here unless there are objections.

However, there are many other viable phazers such as Raikou, Skarmory, Golem and Rhydon.

I don't think this is necessary to mention. Articuno does have some relatively unique benefits as a phazer (although it competes with Suicune).

Checks and Counters
===================

**Forretress** As said before, Forretress can freely switch into Articuno, which can proceed to remove Spikes. It must be careful of a stray Hidden Power Fire, though.

Articuno's play against Forretress might be to spam Ice Beam for the 6-8HKO and freeze chance. That may be worth briefly mentioning here. Unsure if HP Fire is worth mentioning but I guess it's okay.

**Fire-type Pokemon** Entei, Typhlosion and Moltres can all safely switch into Articuno and threaten it with some red hot Fire Blasts.

Definitely add Charizard in here, and also mention that Moltres often has RestTalk which means it doesn't fear Toxic as much whereas it would be very bad for the others to come in on Toxic.


I also think Blissey should be added to specially bulky Pokemon and Heal Bell mentioned as a useful answer to Articuno's Toxic spreading and potential Ice Beam freezes. Although it probably can't KO Articuno itself.

 

[Diophantine]

Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno (Sleep absorber and Toxic spreading tank) but resists Fire, is neutral to Rock, and has a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can function as a check to way more Pokemon. This can make it really hard to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. I think you could go into slightly more detail about why Articuno is competing with Suicune.

I think Roar should be slashed with Sleep Talk. It makes Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon, and it means Articuno can pressure Pokemon that it has poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. I'd also put Ice Beam and Toxic as move 1 and 2 if that matters.
I don't think Gengar is really safe, there is a high chance you will come out the loser if it uses an Electric move on the switch. Nidoking should probably be in here though.

Suicune can probably be added here. If one is a phazer and the other is RestTalk they can cover a lot of threats together, they both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well.

It also potentially helps against Gengar, which Articuno is not as safe against.

I don't like the implication that Articuno loses "its niche" here because I think there are other uses for it besides being a designated sleep taker. Instead I would just say it trades off reliability against the sleep inducers it normally checks.

I would also say it helps prevent the opponent from containing the spread of Toxic by repeatedly switching to an already poisoned Pokemon that has Rest. However this will be in the main set rather than here unless there are objections.
I don't think this is necessary to mention. Articuno does have some relatively unique benefits as a phazer (although it competes with Suicune).
Articuno's play against Forretress might be to spam Ice Beam for the 6-8HKO and freeze chance. That may be worth briefly mentioning here. Unsure if HP Fire is worth mentioning but I guess it's okay.

Definitely add Charizard in here, and also mention that Moltres often has RestTalk which means it doesn't fear Toxic as much whereas it would be very bad for the others to come in on Toxic.


I also think Blissey should be added to specially bulky Pokemon and Heal Bell mentioned as a useful answer to Articuno's Toxic spreading and potential Ice Beam freezes. Although it probably can't KO Articuno itself.

Done thanks. Anything else worth mentioning?

 

[Earthworm]

Done thanks. Anything else worth mentioning?

Articuno also does not fear Umbreon or Misdreavus so it can be used to deal with Mean Look.

I think this might be left over from when Whirlwind was in OO. This can be taken out and then this is QC 1/2.

 

[Fear]

Hidden Power Fire can be used to stop Forretress from getting a free switch into Articuno, but giving up one of the main options makes Articuno worse off against everything else.

You can mention that Hidden Power Fire also hits Jynx for Super Effective, since you will switch into her Lovely Kiss often when using Articuno.

The Analysis is pretty much ready QC 2/2

 

[Diophantine]

You can mention that Hidden Power Fire also hits Jynx for Super Effective, since you will switch into her Lovely Kiss often when using Articuno.

The Analysis is pretty much ready QC 2/2

Done, but mentioned specifically that it breaks Jynx's sub (since Ice Beam will in 2, and Toxic is ineffective against it). Thank you. Ready to GP now.

 

[Astra]

add remove (comments)

gaming

[OVERVIEW]
Although Articuno may not have nearly as much influence over the metagame as its Electric-type sibling Zapdos, like many other UUBL Pokemon it still finds a small niche, (RC) and hence some viability in OU. While it may not have the best defensive typing or movepool, it Articuno still avoids taking damage from Spikes, has decent defensive stats, and is able to reliably absorb sleep status from all of the metagame’s sleep spreaders besides Snorlax. Articuno faces fierce competition in the form of its fellow legendary Pokemon Suicune. Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno but resists Fire, is neutral to Rock (and can threaten back with Super Effective damage), and has while having a resistance to Fire, a neutrality to Rock, the ability to threaten back Rock-types with super effective damage, and a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can function as a check to more Pokemon than Articuno. This can make it difficult to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in longer, drawn-out battles, and the STAB Ice Beam makes it harder for RestTalk Zapdos to take Toxic, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno anyways. While generally left out in the cold in terms of usage, the king of Seafoam Islands has a niche that allows it to retain viability in the OU tier. (this is kinda the same thing you said in the beginning, maybe try to summarize its specific niche it has since you haven't really mentioned that)

[SET]
name: Blue Bird (put in parentheses what the official name of the set would be, which i would assume is RestTalk)
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk / Roar
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
Item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Nidoking, (AC) and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is a designated sleep absorber. Alternatively, Roar can be used over Sleep Talk to make Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon and allow Articuno to pressure Pokemon that it has badly poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. Ice Beam provides some offensive utility coming off a Special Attack stat that isn’t too shabby ("too shabby" might be a tad too informal imo). A 10% chance to freeze should never be underestimated, (AC) either. Toxic is used to weaken incoming Pokemon which that can beat Articuno one-on-one, (AC) such as Raikou, Snorlax, (AC) and Tyranitar. It can also be used to buy some time against sweepers like Vaporeon by forcing them to use Rest, (RC) and wear down enemy Cloyster in an attempt to win the all-important Spikes war. Reflect may also be used to provide some defensive support for Articuno’s teammates, (RC) and help Articuno against the many Explosion users in the metagame. Roar makes Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon, and it means Articuno can pressure Pokemon that it has poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest.

Team Options
========

Because Articuno generally plays a supportive role and can be taken advantage of by a lot of the common metagame threats, (RC) and because it generally plays a supportive role, it works best when supporting defensive teams. Pokemon that do not mind stomaching a Thunder (maybe mention some pokemon that would use thunder), such as Raikou and Blissey, cover Articuno’s obvious weakness to Electric-type attacks.

Articuno’s shallow movepool means that Forretress who, (AC) which has an immunity to Poison Toxic and a resistance to Ice, (AC) can freely switch into it which can Articuno and proceed to remove Spikes. Hence, Ghost-type Pokemon that can block Rapid Spin, (RC) and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage to lure in Forretress, (RC) make good partners for Articuno.

Articuno’s big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into those with Rock-type attacks them can cover the frosty bird’s weakness. Golem, Rhydon, (AC) and Nidoking can all do this, but they must be careful of other moves that the threatening Pokemon has that may threaten them. Skarmory is a blanket check to physical attacks, (RC) and can sometimes fill this role as well. Miltank’s fast Growl and Umbreon’s Charm mean that they both Pokemon can help out in an emergency, especially when supported by Reflect from Articuno. Suicune can also be used as a partner to Articuno. If, (AC) as if one caries has Roar, (RC) and the other has RestTalk, they can cover a lot of threats together. They both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well.

Pursuit support from Umbreon helps Articuno out against Starmie, who it which Articuno is otherwise passive against and can only hope to badly poison or freeze. Pursuit support can also help out in the Gengar matchup, which can be difficultt for Articuno if it has to switch into Thunders.

Speaking of Starmie, it too makes a good partner for Articuno thanks to its effectiveness against Machamp, Rhydon, (AC) and Marowak.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hidden Power Fire can be used to stop Forretress from getting a free switch into Articuno, (RC) while also giving Articuno a move to break Jynx's Substitute, but giving up one of the main options on the set makes Articuno worse off against everything else. If you wish to compromise Articuno’s ability to absorb sleep status, you could use Toxic alongside Reflect and drop Sleep Talk. This would give Articuno a better matchup against Snorlax, but by doing so it trades reliability against the sleep inducers it Articuno normally checks. Blizzard can be used for more power, which can deal an OHKO against Pokemon such as Rhydon, Marowak, Exeggutor, (AC) and Nidoking, though the latter two require prior Spikes damage, (AC) and Articuno with Ice beam generally does well against them with Ice Beam anyway. Blizzard’s low PP and accuracy deters this also makes Ice Beam the better option, though the PP issue can be supplemented with Sleep Talk.

Checks and Counters (remember to add the colons)
===================

**Rock-type Attacks**: Pokemon with Rock-type attacks such as Machamp and Tyranitar threaten Articuno with heavy super effective damage.

**Forretress**: As said before, Forretress can freely switch into Articuno, which and can proceed to remove Spikes or set them up. However, it does always run the risk of being frozen by an Ice Beam.

**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Raikou can freely switch into Articuno and threaten it out with an Electric-type attack or begin shuffling Articuno’s team with Roar, but it must be careful of Articuno using Toxic as it anticipates it Articuno to switch in (assuming this is what you meant). Snorlax with Rest similarly counters Articuno in a similar fashion with its hard hitting Normal-type attacks. Blissey shrugs off Ice Beams and has Heal Bell to undo the freeze and poison that Articuno can spread.

**Water-types**: Tentacruel is safe from all attacks that Articuno can throw at it and can either set up with Substitute or Swords Dance, (RC) or abuse take advantage of the free turn to Rapid Spin Spikes away remove Spikes with Rapid Spin. Cloyster and Starmie do not fear Ice Beam and can Rapid Spin—or Toxic, Explode use Explosion (or self destruct, whatever it uses), or set up Spikes in Cloyster’s case—in retaliation, but they lack an immunity to Toxic. Vaporeon also resists Ice Beam, and although Toxic may force it to use Rest, Sleep Talk variants will not mind this too much.

**Sleep Talk Users** Pokemon that run Sleep Talk and do not fear Ice Beam such as Umbreon, Snorlax, Heracross, Piloswine, (AC) and Suicune can switch into Articuno and not worry about being caught with a inflicted with Toxic.

**Fire-type Pokemon** Entei, Typhlosion, Charizard, (AC) and Moltres can all safely switch into Articuno and threaten it with Fire Blast. Moltres in particular typically runs RestTalk, and so doesn't fear Toxic.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Diophantine, 370164]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [,]]
- Grammar checked by: [[,], [, ]]

1/2

 

[Diophantine]

add remove (comments)

gaming

[OVERVIEW]
Although Articuno may not have nearly as much influence over the metagame as its Electric-type sibling Zapdos, like many other UUBL Pokemon it still finds a small niche, (RC) and hence some viability in OU. While it may not have the best defensive typing or movepool, it Articuno still avoids taking damage from Spikes, has decent defensive stats, and is able to reliably absorb sleep status from all of the metagame’s sleep spreaders besides Snorlax. Articuno faces fierce competition in the form of its fellow legendary Pokemon Suicune. Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno but resists Fire, is neutral to Rock (and can threaten back with Super Effective damage), and has while having a resistance to Fire, a neutrality to Rock, the ability to threaten back Rock-types with super effective damage, and a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can function as a check to more Pokemon than Articuno. This can make it difficult to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in longer, drawn-out battles, and the STAB Ice Beam makes it harder for RestTalk Zapdos to take Toxic, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno anyways. While generally left out in the cold in terms of usage, the king of Seafoam Islands has a niche that allows it to retain viability in the OU tier. (this is kinda the same thing you said in the beginning, maybe try to summarize its specific niche it has since you haven't really mentioned that)

[SET]
name: Blue Bird (put in parentheses what the official name of the set would be, which i would assume is RestTalk)
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk / Roar
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
Item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Nidoking, (AC) and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is a designated sleep absorber. Alternatively, Roar can be used over Sleep Talk to make Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon and allow Articuno to pressure Pokemon that it has badly poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. Ice Beam provides some offensive utility coming off a Special Attack stat that isn’t too shabby ("too shabby" might be a tad too informal imo). A 10% chance to freeze should never be underestimated, (AC) either. Toxic is used to weaken incoming Pokemon which that can beat Articuno one-on-one, (AC) such as Raikou, Snorlax, (AC) and Tyranitar. It can also be used to buy some time against sweepers like Vaporeon by forcing them to use Rest, (RC) and wear down enemy Cloyster in an attempt to win the all-important Spikes war. Reflect may also be used to provide some defensive support for Articuno’s teammates, (RC) and help Articuno against the many Explosion users in the metagame. Roar makes Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon, and it means Articuno can pressure Pokemon that it has poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest.

Team Options
========

Because Articuno generally plays a supportive role and can be taken advantage of by a lot of the common metagame threats, (RC) and because it generally plays a supportive role, it works best when supporting defensive teams. Pokemon that do not mind stomaching a Thunder (maybe mention some pokemon that would use thunder), such as Raikou and Blissey, cover Articuno’s obvious weakness to Electric-type attacks.

Articuno’s shallow movepool means that Forretress who, (AC) which has an immunity to Poison Toxic and a resistance to Ice, (AC) can freely switch into it which can Articuno and proceed to remove Spikes. Hence, Ghost-type Pokemon that can block Rapid Spin, (RC) and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage to lure in Forretress, (RC) make good partners for Articuno.

Articuno’s big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into those with Rock-type attacks them can cover the frosty bird’s weakness. Golem, Rhydon, (AC) and Nidoking can all do this, but they must be careful of other moves that the threatening Pokemon has that may threaten them. Skarmory is a blanket check to physical attacks, (RC) and can sometimes fill this role as well. Miltank’s fast Growl and Umbreon’s Charm mean that they both Pokemon can help out in an emergency, especially when supported by Reflect from Articuno. Suicune can also be used as a partner to Articuno. If, (AC) as if one caries has Roar, (RC) and the other has RestTalk, they can cover a lot of threats together. They both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well.

Pursuit support from Umbreon helps Articuno out against Starmie, who it which Articuno is otherwise passive against and can only hope to badly poison or freeze. Pursuit support can also help out in the Gengar matchup, which can be difficultt for Articuno if it has to switch into Thunders.

Speaking of Starmie, it too makes a good partner for Articuno thanks to its effectiveness against Machamp, Rhydon, (AC) and Marowak.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hidden Power Fire can be used to stop Forretress from getting a free switch into Articuno, (RC) while also giving Articuno a move to break Jynx's Substitute, but giving up one of the main options on the set makes Articuno worse off against everything else. If you wish to compromise Articuno’s ability to absorb sleep status, you could use Toxic alongside Reflect and drop Sleep Talk. This would give Articuno a better matchup against Snorlax, but by doing so it trades reliability against the sleep inducers it Articuno normally checks. Blizzard can be used for more power, which can deal an OHKO against Pokemon such as Rhydon, Marowak, Exeggutor, (AC) and Nidoking, though the latter two require prior Spikes damage, (AC) and Articuno with Ice beam generally does well against them with Ice Beam anyway. Blizzard’s low PP and accuracy deters this also makes Ice Beam the better option, though the PP issue can be supplemented with Sleep Talk.

Checks and Counters (remember to add the colons)
===================

**Rock-type Attacks**: Pokemon with Rock-type attacks such as Machamp and Tyranitar threaten Articuno with heavy super effective damage.

**Forretress**: As said before, Forretress can freely switch into Articuno, which and can proceed to remove Spikes or set them up. However, it does always run the risk of being frozen by an Ice Beam.

**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Raikou can freely switch into Articuno and threaten it out with an Electric-type attack or begin shuffling Articuno’s team with Roar, but it must be careful of Articuno using Toxic as it anticipates it Articuno to switch in (assuming this is what you meant). Snorlax with Rest similarly counters Articuno in a similar fashion with its hard hitting Normal-type attacks. Blissey shrugs off Ice Beams and has Heal Bell to undo the freeze and poison that Articuno can spread.

**Water-types**: Tentacruel is safe from all attacks that Articuno can throw at it and can either set up with Substitute or Swords Dance, (RC) or abuse take advantage of the free turn to Rapid Spin Spikes away remove Spikes with Rapid Spin. Cloyster and Starmie do not fear Ice Beam and can Rapid Spin—or Toxic, Explode use Explosion (or self destruct, whatever it uses), or set up Spikes in Cloyster’s case—in retaliation, but they lack an immunity to Toxic. Vaporeon also resists Ice Beam, and although Toxic may force it to use Rest, Sleep Talk variants will not mind this too much.

**Sleep Talk Users** Pokemon that run Sleep Talk and do not fear Ice Beam such as Umbreon, Snorlax, Heracross, Piloswine, (AC) and Suicune can switch into Articuno and not worry about being caught with a inflicted with Toxic.

**Fire-type Pokemon** Entei, Typhlosion, Charizard, (AC) and Moltres can all safely switch into Articuno and threaten it with Fire Blast. Moltres in particular typically runs RestTalk, and so doesn't fear Toxic.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Diophantine, 370164]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [,]]
- Grammar checked by: [[,], [, ]]

1/2
View attachment 257862

Done thanks xx

 

[deetah]

Add Remove Comments (RC) = Remove Comma
Most of this check is just changing curly apostrophes ( ’ ) to the ASCII ones ( ' ). ASCII apostrophes have to be used because of how the curly ones mess with the dex formatting. Also, don't forget to add Fear in the credits as the second QC.

GP 2/2

Articuno

[OVERVIEW]

Although Articuno may not have nearly as much influence over the metagame as its Electric-type sibling Zapdos, like many other UUBL Pokemon it still finds a small niche in OU. While it may not have the best defensive typing or movepool, Articuno still avoids taking damage from Spikes, has decent defensive stats, and is able to reliably absorb sleep from all of the metagame’s metagame's (Use ASCII apostrophes) sleep spreaders besides Snorlax. Articuno faces fierce competition in the form of its fellow legendary Pokemon Suicune. Suicune performs the exact same roles as Articuno while having a resistance to Fire, a neutrality to Rock, the ability to threaten back Rock-types with super effective damage, and a typing with generally superior offensive coverage, which means it can check more Pokemon than Articuno. This can make it difficult to fit Articuno on teams without introducing weaknesses to Pokemon like Charizard and Machamp. Spikes immunity does give it an edge in longer, drawn-out battles, and STAB Ice Beam makes it harder for RestTalk Zapdos to take Toxic, but most teams have a Rest Snorlax to wall Articuno anyways. While generally left out in the cold in terms of usage, the king of Seafoam Islands has a niche that allows it to retain viability in OU.

[SET]
name: Blue Bird (RestTalk / Phazer)
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk / Roar
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Toxic / Reflect
Item: item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

As Articuno can safely switch in on Jynx, Exeggutor, Nidoking, and Blissey, Sleep Talk and Rest make a lot of sense to ensure that Articuno is a designated sleep absorber. Alternatively, Roar can be used over Sleep Talk to make Articuno harder to set up on for Snorlax and Vaporeon and allow Articuno to pressure Pokemon that it has badly poisoned and stop them from switching in and using Rest. Ice Beam provides some offensive utility coming off a Special Attack stat that isn’t isn't too bad. A 10% chance to freeze should never be underestimated, either. Toxic is used to weaken incoming Pokemon that can beat Articuno one-on-one, such as Raikou, Snorlax, and Tyranitar. It can also be used to buy some time against sweepers like Vaporeon by forcing them to use Rest and wear down enemy Cloyster in an attempt to win the all-important Spikes war. Reflect may also be used to provide some defensive support for Articuno’s Articuno's teammates, (RC) and help Articuno against the many Explosion users in the metagame.

Team Options
========

Because Articuno generally plays a supportive role and can be taken advantage of by a lot of common metagame threats, it works best when supporting defensive teams. Pokemon that do not mind stomaching a Thunder from the likes of Zapdos and (and???), such as Raikou and Blissey, cover Articuno’s Articuno's weakness to Electric-type attacks.

Articuno’s Articuno's shallow movepool means that Forretress, which has an immunity to Toxic and a resistance to Ice, can freely switch into Articuno and proceed to remove Spikes. Hence, Ghost-type Pokemon that can block Rapid Spin and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage to lure Forretress make good partners for Articuno.

Articuno’s Articuno's big weakness to Rock-type attacks means that Pokemon that can safely switch into them can cover the frosty bird’s bird's weakness. Golem, Rhydon, and Nidoking can all do this, but they must be careful of other moves that may threaten them. Skarmory is a blanket check to physical attacks and can sometimes fill this role as well. Miltank’s Miltank's fast Growl and Umbreon’s Umbreon's Charm mean that both Pokemon can help out in an emergency, especially when supported by Reflect from Articuno. Suicune can also be used as a partner to Articuno, as if one caries Roar and the other has RestTalk, they can cover a lot of threats together. They both spread poison effectively, and Articuno can take Explosion for Suicune reasonably well.

Pursuit support from Umbreon helps Articuno out against Starmie, which Articuno is otherwise passive against and can only hope to badly poison or freeze it. Pursuit support can also help out in the Gengar matchup, which can be difficult for Articuno if it has to switch into Thunder.

Speaking of Starmie, it too makes a good partner for Articuno thanks to its effectiveness against Machamp, Rhydon, and Marowak.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Hidden Power Fire can be used to stop Forretress from getting a free switch into Articuno while also giving Articuno a move to break Jynx's Substitute, but giving up one of the main options on the set makes Articuno worse off against everything else. If you wish to compromise Articuno’s Articuno's ability to absorb sleep status, you could use Toxic alongside Reflect and drop Sleep Talk. This would give Articuno a better matchup against Snorlax, but by doing so it trades reliability against sleep inducers Articuno normally checks. Blizzard can be used for more power, which can OHKO Pokemon such as Rhydon, Marowak, Exeggutor, and Nidoking, though the latter two require prior Spikes damage, and Articuno generally does well against them with Ice Beam anyway. Blizzard’s Blizzard's low PP and accuracy also makes Ice Beam the better option, though the PP issue can be supplemented with Sleep Talk.

Checks and Counters (Add colons after each bolded part)
===================

**Rock-type attacks**: Pokemon with Rock-type attacks such as Machamp and Tyranitar threaten Articuno with super effective damage.

**Forretress**: As said before, Forretress can freely switch into Articuno and can proceed to remove Spikes or set them up. However, it does always run the risk of being frozen by Ice Beam.

**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Raikou can freely switch into Articuno and threaten it out with an Electric-type attack or begin shuffling Articuno’s Articuno's team with Roar, but it must be careful of Articuno using Toxic as it anticipates it to switch in. Snorlax with Rest counters Articuno in a similar fashion with its hard hitting Normal-type attacks. Blissey shrugs off Ice Beam and has Heal Bell to undo the freeze and poison that Articuno can spread.

**Water-types**: Tentacruel is safe from all attacks that Articuno can throw at it and can either set up with Substitute or Swords Dance or take advantage of the free turn to remove Spikes with Rapid Spin. Cloyster and Starmie do not fear Ice Beam and can Rapid Spin—or Toxic, use Explosion or Self-Destruct, or set up Spikes in Cloyster’s Cloyster's case— in retaliation, but they lack an immunity to Toxic. Vaporeon also resists Ice Beam, and although Toxic may force it to use Rest, Sleep Talk variants will not mind this too much.

**Sleep Talk Users**: Pokemon that run Sleep Talk and do not fear Ice Beam such as Umbreon, Snorlax, Heracross, Piloswine, and Suicune can switch into Articuno and not worry about being inflicted with Toxic.

**Fire-type Pokemon**: Entei, Typhlosion, Charizard, and Moltres can all safely switch into Articuno and threaten it with Fire Blast. Moltres in particular typically runs RestTalk, and so doesn't fear Toxic.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Diophantine, 370164]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [,]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [, ]]

 

[Diophantine]

All done! Thanks everybody!

 

[Earthworm]

Uploaded.