Bidoof
[Overview]
<p>While, at first sight, Bidoof may seem far from an imposing threat, do not be fooled by his poor stats. With an amazing ability in Simple, which allows it to set up with twice the speed of other sweepers, Bidoof can be a very powerful sweeper if played correctly. With team support and cautious play, Bidoof can sweep a team. Without it, Bidoof will only be a waste of space on your team.</p>
[Set]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Quick Attack
move 3: Return
move 4: Aqua Tail / Hidden Power Fire
item: Eviolite
ability:Simple
nature: Adamant / Brave
evs: 204 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def
[Set Comments]
<p>This set utilizes Curse to its maximum potential to deal as much damage to the opponent as possible. With just one Curse, Bidoof gets to 30 Attack and 22 Defense, which are quite intimidating stats indeed. STAB Quick Attack is a must due to Curse lowering Bidoof's already-pitiful Speed, as its priority will remedy the Speed loss. While Return does not have priority, it is very strong after a Curse, and even Pokemon who resist it will be hit hard. The final slot can be filled by either Aqua Tail or Hidden Power Fire. With Aqua Tail, Bidoof gains the ability to hit Ground-type Pokemon for super effective damage and to strike Ghost-types neutrally. With Hidden Power Fire, Bidoof can avoid being walled by Ferroseed, as with a Brave Nature and no investment, it is still a 100% 2HKO on it.</p>
<p>The hardest part of playing Bidoof is finding a free turn during which you can set up. Outside of Pokemon such as Slowpoke or Dwebble, who still may be able to poison Bidoof with Toxic, Bidoof's main option is to set up on a Pokemon that is either asleep or has been encored into an unthreatening move.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs maximize its HP and Attack, and the rest allow it to take physical hits a bit better. Ferroseed can easily take any hits thrown at it by Bidoof if it carries Aqua Tail over Superpower, so pairing Bidoof with Magnemite allows Magnemite to trap and KO Ferroseed, clearing the way for Bidoof to sweep. If Bidoof instead opts for Superpower over Aqua Tail, Ghost-types such as Misdreavus can easily switch in on Bidoof and set up on it. For this reason, carrying a powerful counter to Ghost-types, such as Houndour or Stunky, can reliably take out these Pokemon, leaving Bidoof free to sweep. Also, no matter what Bidoof runs, it will be completely walled by Frillish, so packing a Pokemon such as Scraggy, who can easily set up on Frillish, is a good idea. Since Bidoof relies so heavily on sleep or Encore support, Pokemon such as Gastly and Cottonee, who can either put a Pokemon to sleep or Encore it into a useless move, make fantastic teammates for Bidoof. In terms of move selection, Bidoof can also run Double-Edge over return if more power is desired, but the added recoil lowers Bidoof's survivability significantly.</p>
[Set]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Charge Beam
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Oran Berry
ability: Simple
nature: Modest
evs: 204 HP / 40 Def / 240 SpA
[Set Comments]
<p>This set focuses on boosting Bidoof’s Special Attack, and hitting the opponents hard with powerful moves that offer a wide range of coverage. Charge Beam has a 70% (63% when factoring in accuracy) chance of boosting Bidoof's Special Attack from 14 to 28, more than enough to allow it to wreak havoc from there. Thunderbolt hits Mantyke and other Water-type Pokemon for good damage, Ice Beam defeats Dragon-type Pokemon such as Dratini, and Hidden Power Fighting allows it to hit Steel-types such as Magnemite and Ferroseed for super effective damage.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Bidoof's HP and Special Attack stat and give it one extra Defense point. Oran Berry is used as Charge Beam will not always boost Bidoof's Special Attack, and Oran Berry gives it more chances to try and set up. Also, once Bidoof is set up, with the coverage offered by its moves, it becomes extremely hard to wall it.</p>
<p>Even after a +2 Special Attack boost from Charge Beam, Bidoof fails to 2HKO Ferroseed with Hidden Power Fighting, who can Leech Seed and Protect and stall out Bidoof. Also, without any Speed investment, strong Fighting-type Pokemon such as Meditite or Scraggy can deal huge damage to Bidoof with their STAB Fighting-type move of choice, and in Meditite's case, can OHKO it. For this reason, carrying Pokemon such as Misdreavus and Timburr, who can counter Meditite and Scraggy, respectively, is very useful for clearing the way for Bidoof to sweep.</p>
[Set]
name: Baton Pass Receiver
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Return
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Aqua Tail / Hidden Power
item: Oran Berry
ability: Simple
nature: Jolly
evs: 44 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 188 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>Thanks to Simple, Bidoof doubles all the stat boosts that it gets, including those Baton Passed to it, turning Bidoof into a terrifying Baton Pass receiver. Note that stat drops are doubled too, so Intimidate will lower Bidoof's Attack by two when Baton Passed. Therefore, Gligar is the perfect Baton Passer to Bidoof because of Hyper Cutter, which prevents Intimidate from taking effect, as well as having the bulk to set up. Gligar has access to both Swords Dance and Agility, and if each move if used once, Bidoof will have +4 Attack and +4 Speed upon receiving the Baton Pass, which allows it to easily sweep through many teams. Substitute allows Bidoof to scout for dangerous moves, and once it's behind a Substitute, Bidoof is almost impossible to take out. Return is a powerful STAB attack that can KO almost every Pokemon that does not resist or have an immunity to it. Quick Attack has priority, and allows Bidoof to finish off opposing priority users such as Croagunk or Timburr, provided they've been weakened enough. There are two options in the 4th slot. Aqua Tail allows Bidoof to deal super effective damage to Ground- and Rock-type Pokemon, most notably Gligar, and Hidden Power Fire is a 2HKO on Ferroseed, who otherwise walls Bidoof completely.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Oran Berry is used so Bidoof has an easier time setting up a Substitute, and allows it to stay around longer. After one Swords Dance and Agility boost, Bidoof reaches 42 Attack and 39 Speed, and can easily demolish teams. The EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed, and boosts its HP and Defense stat by one point, allowing it to take hits more easily. Dual screen support is greatly appreciated, allowing Gligar to set up much more easily, while helping reduce the damage taken when Bidoof is sent in. For that Water Absorb Frillish completely wall this set, so Pokemon such as Scraggy, who can set up on Frillish quite easily, make excellent partners for Bidoof.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Unfortunately, Bidoof's sparse movepool does not offer a great deal of options. Superpower can be used on the Unaware set to hit Steel- and Rock-types, most notably Ferroseed, for super effective damage. Rock Smash is also viable, as it doesn't drop Bidoof's stats, but its pitiful 40 Base Power means that, even after a boost, it will be doing very little damage. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple opposing Pokemon's Speed, allowing Bidoof to bypass its own poor Speed stat. Shadow Ball is usable on the Special Attacker set for the super effective hit on Ghost-type Pokemon such as Misdreavus, but it offers little in the way of coverage, otherwise. Bidoof's second ability, Unaware, can allow it so serve as a sort of check to set up sweepers such as Swords Dance Gligar and Dragon Dance Dratini. However, Bidoof's poor defensive stats, along with the fact that it loses to one of the most common set up sweepers, Scraggy, make it largely outclassed by Wooper in that role.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Powerful Fighting-types such as Meditite, Timburr, and Scraggy are the most common counters to Bidoof, as they can outspeed it and deal punishing damage with their STAB move of choice. Ferroseed and Frillish wall most Bidoof sets with ease, and, in Ferroseed's case, can set up entry hazards on it. Powerful special attackers such as Misdreavus and Carvanha serve as a checks to any set other than Baton Pass Receiver, as they can easily outspeed Bidoof and hit it on its weaker Special Defense stat. Priority attackers such as Timburr and Croagunk counter both the Baton Pass Receiver and Special Attacker sets, as they can likely survive a Quick Attack and KO with their super effective priority. Also, Croagunk counters the Curse set, as it can outspeed Bidoof's Quick Attack and KO with Vacuum Wave.</p>
