[OVERVIEW]
Banette is generally outdone as a physical attacking Ghost-type by Drifblim, which has a secondary STAB move and can sweep with Unburden, and Dusknoir, which has better coverage and more bulk. However, Banette has a slight niche with its increased power and ability to go mixed to lure common Ghost-type checks such as Vullaby. Additionally, Banette has a nice support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off, but it has poor physical coverage with just Ghost-, Dark-, and Poison-type attacks. Its low bulk and mediocre Speed mean it is easily revenge killed, and though it does have access to priority in Sucker Punch, it is not boosted by STAB and therefore is not strong enough to KO fast attackers.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Shadow Claw
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Knock Off / Hidden Power Fighting / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naughty
evs: 248 Atk / 40 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Claw is Banette's strongest STAB move, dealing heavy damage when boosted by Life Orb. Sucker Punch provides Banette with priority, is used over Shadow Sneak for its power, and allows it to deal damage to Normal-types and to pick off any weakened foes. Dazzling Gleam lands a 2HKO on Vullaby after Stealth Rock damage, a common switch-in to Banette, and gives Banette a way to hit Dark-types such as Cacturne. Knock Off cripples Eviolite users such as Tangela and any wall that switches into Banette; Hidden Power Fighting is an option to OHKO Pawniard and deal heavy damage to Probopass; and Will-O-Wisp can wear down walls and severely weaken physical attackers such as Relicanth and Golem. If Hidden Power Fighting is used, Thunderbolt is an option over Dazzling Gleam, as this combination maintains coverage on Vullaby and other Dark-types while also hitting bulky Water-types such as Pelipper and Prinplup hard. Pursuit could be used in the last slot to trap Psychic-type Pokemon such as Grumpig or weakened Pokemon fearing Sucker Punch.
Set Details
========
40 EVs in Special Attack guarantee a 2HKO on Vullaby with Dazzling Gleam after Stealth Rock damage. 220 EVs in Speed let Banette outspeed Pawniard, and the rest goes in Attack to maximize damage from Shadow Claw and Sucker Punch. Life Orb is used because Banette needs the boost in power to deal significant damage, and a Naughty nature gives Banette the necessary boost in Attack without compromising damage from Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Fighting. Insomnia is used to give Banette an immunity to sleep-inducing moves such as Sleep Powder from Jumpluff.
Usage Tips
========
Banette should be used to weaken walls early- and mid-game or to revenge kill fast threats throughout the game. Spamming utility moves such as Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp is an effective strategy to weaken the enemy team for a sweeper or late-game cleaner. Banette should try to avoid taking hits when entering the battle, so it is best brought in to revenge kill or on a predicted non-damaging move. Try to delay revealing Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Fighting to surprise the opponent; however, be aware that Dazzling Gleam has to be used on a predicted switch to Vullaby for it to be 2HKOed.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Monferno and Huntail pair well with Banette, as it can wear down walls to allow them to sweep. The former particularly likes Banette's ability to take out Psychic-types, so it is an excellent partner to Pursuit Banette. Entry hazard-stacking Pokemon such as Quilladin and Smeargle also pair well with Banette, as it can be used as an offensive spinblocker. Since Banette lacks a huge amount of power, stronger wallbreakers such as Stoutland and Leafeon are appreciated to help Banette wallbreak.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Banette has a long list of alternate utility moves it could run, including Thunder Wave, Taunt, and Destiny Bond, but it doesn't really have room for them. Banette's strongest Ghost-type STAB move, Phantom Force, could be used, but it gives the opponent a free turn, and Shadow Sneak is an alternative to Sucker Punch that will hit the target regardless of the move they use, but it is weaker. A Choice Band set with Trick could be run, but Banette wouldn't be hitting much harder, and locking it into one move could make it setup fodder. Banette's other two abilities, Cursed Body and Frisk, could be used to potentially disable a foe's move and as a way to determine foes' sets through their held item, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: As Banette is very frail and slow, faster Pokemon can easily outpace it and KO it with their respective moves, such as Simipour, Monferno, and Rotom-F, though they have to be healthy enough to take a Sucker Punch. Faster priority users such as Floatzel and Murkrow can revenge kill a weakened Banette without worrying about Sucker Punch.
**Defensive Pokemon**: Bulky Pokemon such as Tangela, Clefairy, and Relicanth take little damage from Shadow Claw and can use it as setup fodder; however, the former two are crippled by Knock Off and the latter by Will-O-Wisp.
**Normal-types**: Stoutland and Ursaring are immune to Shadow Claw, do not mind getting burned, and have enough bulk to easily take a Sucker Punch. Audino completely walls Banette, can recover any lost damage, and can wear it down with Knock Off.
**Status**: Banette is crippled greatly by all forms of status and is much easier to take down once afflicted, so common status spreaders such as Prinplup and Stunfisk make good checks.
Banette is generally outdone as a physical attacking Ghost-type by Drifblim, which has a secondary STAB move and can sweep with Unburden, and Dusknoir, which has better coverage and more bulk. However, Banette has a slight niche with its increased power and ability to go mixed to lure common Ghost-type checks such as Vullaby. Additionally, Banette has a nice support movepool with moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off, but it has poor physical coverage with just Ghost-, Dark-, and Poison-type attacks. Its low bulk and mediocre Speed mean it is easily revenge killed, and though it does have access to priority in Sucker Punch, it is not boosted by STAB and therefore is not strong enough to KO fast attackers.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Shadow Claw
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Knock Off / Hidden Power Fighting / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naughty
evs: 248 Atk / 40 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Claw is Banette's strongest STAB move, dealing heavy damage when boosted by Life Orb. Sucker Punch provides Banette with priority, is used over Shadow Sneak for its power, and allows it to deal damage to Normal-types and to pick off any weakened foes. Dazzling Gleam lands a 2HKO on Vullaby after Stealth Rock damage, a common switch-in to Banette, and gives Banette a way to hit Dark-types such as Cacturne. Knock Off cripples Eviolite users such as Tangela and any wall that switches into Banette; Hidden Power Fighting is an option to OHKO Pawniard and deal heavy damage to Probopass; and Will-O-Wisp can wear down walls and severely weaken physical attackers such as Relicanth and Golem. If Hidden Power Fighting is used, Thunderbolt is an option over Dazzling Gleam, as this combination maintains coverage on Vullaby and other Dark-types while also hitting bulky Water-types such as Pelipper and Prinplup hard. Pursuit could be used in the last slot to trap Psychic-type Pokemon such as Grumpig or weakened Pokemon fearing Sucker Punch.
Set Details
========
40 EVs in Special Attack guarantee a 2HKO on Vullaby with Dazzling Gleam after Stealth Rock damage. 220 EVs in Speed let Banette outspeed Pawniard, and the rest goes in Attack to maximize damage from Shadow Claw and Sucker Punch. Life Orb is used because Banette needs the boost in power to deal significant damage, and a Naughty nature gives Banette the necessary boost in Attack without compromising damage from Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Fighting. Insomnia is used to give Banette an immunity to sleep-inducing moves such as Sleep Powder from Jumpluff.
Usage Tips
========
Banette should be used to weaken walls early- and mid-game or to revenge kill fast threats throughout the game. Spamming utility moves such as Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp is an effective strategy to weaken the enemy team for a sweeper or late-game cleaner. Banette should try to avoid taking hits when entering the battle, so it is best brought in to revenge kill or on a predicted non-damaging move. Try to delay revealing Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Fighting to surprise the opponent; however, be aware that Dazzling Gleam has to be used on a predicted switch to Vullaby for it to be 2HKOed.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Monferno and Huntail pair well with Banette, as it can wear down walls to allow them to sweep. The former particularly likes Banette's ability to take out Psychic-types, so it is an excellent partner to Pursuit Banette. Entry hazard-stacking Pokemon such as Quilladin and Smeargle also pair well with Banette, as it can be used as an offensive spinblocker. Since Banette lacks a huge amount of power, stronger wallbreakers such as Stoutland and Leafeon are appreciated to help Banette wallbreak.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Banette has a long list of alternate utility moves it could run, including Thunder Wave, Taunt, and Destiny Bond, but it doesn't really have room for them. Banette's strongest Ghost-type STAB move, Phantom Force, could be used, but it gives the opponent a free turn, and Shadow Sneak is an alternative to Sucker Punch that will hit the target regardless of the move they use, but it is weaker. A Choice Band set with Trick could be run, but Banette wouldn't be hitting much harder, and locking it into one move could make it setup fodder. Banette's other two abilities, Cursed Body and Frisk, could be used to potentially disable a foe's move and as a way to determine foes' sets through their held item, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: As Banette is very frail and slow, faster Pokemon can easily outpace it and KO it with their respective moves, such as Simipour, Monferno, and Rotom-F, though they have to be healthy enough to take a Sucker Punch. Faster priority users such as Floatzel and Murkrow can revenge kill a weakened Banette without worrying about Sucker Punch.
**Defensive Pokemon**: Bulky Pokemon such as Tangela, Clefairy, and Relicanth take little damage from Shadow Claw and can use it as setup fodder; however, the former two are crippled by Knock Off and the latter by Will-O-Wisp.
**Normal-types**: Stoutland and Ursaring are immune to Shadow Claw, do not mind getting burned, and have enough bulk to easily take a Sucker Punch. Audino completely walls Banette, can recover any lost damage, and can wear it down with Knock Off.
**Status**: Banette is crippled greatly by all forms of status and is much easier to take down once afflicted, so common status spreaders such as Prinplup and Stunfisk make good checks.
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