What did I sign myself up for…? There’s only two mentions of Deoxys-D… WHATEVER, MAN.
What I’m changing: Removing mentions of Deoxys-D, updating some sets, tentatively adding my LO 4 Attack set.
Azelf
[Overview]
<p> Azelf, the avatar of willpower. It is said that Azelf gave humans the determination to face life’s difficulties. Befitting such a description, Azelf is a force to be reckoned with, boasting tremendous dual base 125 attacking stats and base 115 speed, among the fastest Pokemon of UU. Being a Psychic type, Azelf also wields a vast and impressive supporting movepool, from setting up weather to dual screens. However, there are some obstacles that halt even the Willpower Pokemon; revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Flygon and Heracross, naturally faster Pokemon like Weavile and Sceptile, and priority attackers including Azumarill and Hitmontop all put a dampener on Azelf’s plans, preying on Azelf’s poor defenses. Moreover, some walls such as Dusclops, Porygon2, and Snorlax have little to fear from Azelf. However, if your find your own will to win lacking, try out Azelf; he wasn’t OU last gen for kicks!</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic/Psyshock
move 3: Flamethrower
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb/Expert Belt
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn/Trick
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Light Clay
nature: Jolly/Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Weather Starter
move 1: Rain Dance/Sunny Day
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Taunt
move 4: U-turn
item: Damp Rock/Heat Rock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
And now my own set which I’m really excited to put up. It’s done wonders for me.
[SET]
name: LO 4 Attacks
move 1: Psychic/Psyshock
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Fire Blast/Flamethrower
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Why this set deserves to be on-site:
Additional Comments:
Teammates and Counters:
[Other Options]
Azelf has an equally powerful 125 base Attack, so a fully physical set, like the Choice Band set, is possible, but he has no way to boost his attack outside of a Choice Band or Baton Pass.
Specs is available for a powerful hit-and-run attacker, but he’s very frail, and the prospect of being locked into Psychic on Weavile is very risky.
[Checks and Counters]
If I missed something or made a horrible mistake in how I'm doing this, PLEASE let me know. I've made a set or two, but this is the first revamp I've ever done.
What I’m changing: Removing mentions of Deoxys-D, updating some sets, tentatively adding my LO 4 Attack set.
Azelf
[Overview]
<p> Azelf, the avatar of willpower. It is said that Azelf gave humans the determination to face life’s difficulties. Befitting such a description, Azelf is a force to be reckoned with, boasting tremendous dual base 125 attacking stats and base 115 speed, among the fastest Pokemon of UU. Being a Psychic type, Azelf also wields a vast and impressive supporting movepool, from setting up weather to dual screens. However, there are some obstacles that halt even the Willpower Pokemon; revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Flygon and Heracross, naturally faster Pokemon like Weavile and Sceptile, and priority attackers including Azumarill and Hitmontop all put a dampener on Azelf’s plans, preying on Azelf’s poor defenses. Moreover, some walls such as Dusclops, Porygon2, and Snorlax have little to fear from Azelf. However, if your find your own will to win lacking, try out Azelf; he wasn’t OU last gen for kicks!</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic/Psyshock
move 3: Flamethrower
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb/Expert Belt
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Azelf’s best sweeping set, hits a devastating 698 Special Attack after one boost.
- On the inclusion of Expert Belt: while Azelf’s SE coverage with the listed moves are less than stellar, there are lots of options to make that coverage much better (HP Fighting/Ice, Thunderbolt), and a +2 Azelf is nothing to be trifled with in the first place. LO is still the preferred option, but Expert Belt is also viable, much more so if you play Azelf as a clean-up sweeper.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn/Trick
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Same ol’ same ol’: Revenge killing, wall crippling (via Trick), maybe a bit of wall breaking.
- Watch out for locking yourself into Zen Headbutt if they’re packing a Dark-type with Pursuit.
[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Light Clay
nature: Jolly/Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Best dual screener in the game after Deoxys-S.
- Consider substituting U-turn in over Taunt or Stealth Rock (with a Jolly nature, of course) to avoid being too much taunt bait.
- Watch out for any Pokemon w/Pursuit and Brick Break. Losing your screener AND your screens is no bueno.
[SET]
name: Weather Starter
move 1: Rain Dance/Sunny Day
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Taunt
move 4: U-turn
item: Damp Rock/Heat Rock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- A fine lead for offensive rain/sun teams.
- Could also be used as a weather breaker against sand/opposing weather teams.
- U-turn to avoid being Taunt bait, max speed to abuse Taunts of your own.
And now my own set which I’m really excited to put up. It’s done wonders for me.
[SET]
name: LO 4 Attacks
move 1: Psychic/Psyshock
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Fire Blast/Flamethrower
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Why this set deserves to be on-site:
- Excellent clean-up sweeper, battering weakened teams into submission.
- Shadow Ball seems weird, but there are a lot of Ghosts and Psychics that don’t like taking them.
- Fire Blast gets the nod over Flamethrower because it has a high chance at OHKOing offensive Shaymin, whereas Shaymin has zero trouble OHKOing with Seed Flare.
Additional Comments:
- Grass Knot drills the heavy Water-types of UU.
- If Fire Blast misses too much for you/the power isn’t an issue, use Flamethrower, but there is a big power difference.
- Hidden Power is cool and all, but without boosting, the power is really lacking unless you’re consistently hitting with X4 SE very often.
Teammates and Counters:
- Fighting-types. Good lord, Fighting-types. If Weavile or Houndoom switches in on the revenge or on a predicted Psychic/Psyshock, you probably just lost Azelf. Technitop is especially powerful, as he doesn’t care about Ice Shard unless it’s boosted and Mach Punch will annihilate Dark-types.
- Hazards really help Azelf get his kills. Empoleon resists Dark, Bug, and Ghost, has access to Stealth Rocks, and can also spread burn around with Scald, crippling Pursuiters and Toxic walls, stalling them out and giving Azelf room to sweep.
[Other Options]
Azelf has an equally powerful 125 base Attack, so a fully physical set, like the Choice Band set, is possible, but he has no way to boost his attack outside of a Choice Band or Baton Pass.
Specs is available for a powerful hit-and-run attacker, but he’s very frail, and the prospect of being locked into Psychic on Weavile is very risky.
[Checks and Counters]
- I’ve said it a million times already, but Dark-types, especially Weavile and Houndoom. They’re immune to Azelf’s STAB Psychic attacks, and pack Pursuit and other powerful Dark-type attacks to shut him down. Weavile is naturally faster and can Pursuit or Night Slash to destroy Azelf, and Houndoom has access to Sucker Punch, psyching you out.
- Yanmega will usually have Speed Boost, and always OHKOs with Bug Buzz, assuming 252 SpA EVs.
- Snorlax fears nothing but boosted Psyshocks, and has Rest, Whirlwind, Body Slam for paralysis, and Crunch to shut down Azelf.
- P2 can weather just about anything but boosted Hidden Power Fighting and can paralyze, set up Trick Room to use Azelf’s speed against it, or KO with BoltBeam or Tri Attack.
- Victini can take anything but Shadow Ball, is commonly scarfed, and is liable to KO something with V-Create unless you have something that can absorb it/resists it.
If I missed something or made a horrible mistake in how I'm doing this, PLEASE let me know. I've made a set or two, but this is the first revamp I've ever done.