[SET]
Special Attacker (Exploud) @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
Exploud's good Special Attack and colorful coverage make it a decent wallbreaker in BW ZU. Surf threatens Rock-types that resist Hyper Voice like Solrock, Lairon, and Graveler, easily threatening to KO them or bring Graveler down to Sturdy. Fire Blast obliterates Wormadam-S, which is otherwise an excellent check to Normal-types, and easily OHKOes Pawniard; Fire Blast also 2HKOes Meganium, a common special wall that isn't 2HKOed by Hyper Voice. Focus Blast 2HKOes Clefairy, which is otherwise one of the best special walls in BW ZU, and can even 3HKO mixed wall Munchlax. Scrappy makes Exploud's STAB-boosted Hyper Voice unable to be taken advantage of by Ghost-types like Frillish, Lampent, and Gastly, making it especially spammable. A Modest nature maximizes Exploud's power and still enables it to outspeed defensive Pokemon. A Life Orb lets Exploud maximize its coverage options. Choice Specs leans into Exploud's spammable STAB Hyper Voice, threatening more KOs, such as against offensive Shelgon after Stealth Rock damage, and it lacks the drawback of recoil damage that can leave Exploud more easily revenge killed.
Exploud fits balance teams as a slower wallbreaker that appreciates support from pivots. Persian is an excellent partner for Exploud, luring in defensive Pokemon like Solrock, Wormadam-S, and Lairon for Exploud to destroy using its coverage. Exploud threatening Persian's checks better enables Persian to clean up weakened teams. Persian can also U-turn more freely given Exploud pressures the aforementioned Stealth Rock setters. Lopunny similarly lures in defensive Pokemon, and it brings additional utility like Thunder Wave and Healing Wish to mitigate Exploud's low Speed and poor bulk, respectively. Exploud's lacking defensive profile means it struggles to switch in easily, so it thrives with support from pivots such as Emolga and Mienfoo. Fast offensive Pokemon like Simisear, Mr. Mime, and Raichu excel at cleaning up weakened teams that Exploud punched holes into, and they compensate for its middling Speed against revenge killers. Choice Scarf users like Grumpig and Glaceon can threaten common fast revenge killers like Persian and Emolga, and they benefit from Exploud softening up special walls like Clefairy and Munchlax. Lairon and Graveler are great defensive answers to Emolga and Persian for Exploud, and the support they offer with Stealth Rock makes Exploud more punishing to switch around. Exploud is slower than Jolly Mienfoo, so it appreciates support from checks to it like Muk and Arbok, both of which appreciate Exploud pressuring physically defensive Pokemon like Solrock, Hippopotas, and Graveler. Pokemon like Meganium and Grumpig can stomach special Fighting-type coverage moves that threaten Exploud.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed set taps into Exploud's solid special coverage to beat Wormadam-S and Lairon and still allows it to dent specially defensive Pokemon like Clefairy and Muk with STAB Return. However, not fully investing in one of Exploud's attacking stats makes it less effective as a wallbreaker, as physically defensive Clefairy, Hippopotas, and Vibrava will wall Exploud. Work Up might seem interesting to power up Exploud's moves and make it an even more effective wallbreaker with the flexibility to switch between its moves, but its defensive vulnerability creates few windows to set up and leaves it vulnerable to revenge killers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Exploud's underwhelming bulk and middling Speed leave it prone to being revenge killed by everything from Persian and Emolga to Glaceon and Kingler. Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage like Mr. Mime, Grumpig, and Simisear can threaten to OHKO Exploud, and Jolly Mienfoo sets can do the same.
**Special Walls**: Depending on its set, Exploud may be unable to 2HKO Clefairy, and losing its power-boosting item to Knock Off will leave it more easily walled. Clefairy can heal off damage Exploud inflicts, is only threatened by Focus Blast and Choice Band Return, and may slow Exploud down further with Thunder Wave. Other special walls like Munchlax, Hypno, and Grumpig do well against Exploud's special attacking set, but they struggle to handle the power of its Choice Band set.
**Steel- and Rock-types**: Lairon, Solrock, and Wormadam-S deter Choice Band Exploud from spamming Return, though they are hit hard by its coverage moves and can be surprised by the specially offensive set.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Special Attacker (Exploud) @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
Exploud's good Special Attack and colorful coverage make it a decent wallbreaker in BW ZU. Surf threatens Rock-types that resist Hyper Voice like Solrock, Lairon, and Graveler, easily threatening to KO them or bring Graveler down to Sturdy. Fire Blast obliterates Wormadam-S, which is otherwise an excellent check to Normal-types, and easily OHKOes Pawniard; Fire Blast also 2HKOes Meganium, a common special wall that isn't 2HKOed by Hyper Voice. Focus Blast 2HKOes Clefairy, which is otherwise one of the best special walls in BW ZU, and can even 3HKO mixed wall Munchlax. Scrappy makes Exploud's STAB-boosted Hyper Voice unable to be taken advantage of by Ghost-types like Frillish, Lampent, and Gastly, making it especially spammable. A Modest nature maximizes Exploud's power and still enables it to outspeed defensive Pokemon. A Life Orb lets Exploud maximize its coverage options. Choice Specs leans into Exploud's spammable STAB Hyper Voice, threatening more KOs, such as against offensive Shelgon after Stealth Rock damage, and it lacks the drawback of recoil damage that can leave Exploud more easily revenge killed.
Exploud fits balance teams as a slower wallbreaker that appreciates support from pivots. Persian is an excellent partner for Exploud, luring in defensive Pokemon like Solrock, Wormadam-S, and Lairon for Exploud to destroy using its coverage. Exploud threatening Persian's checks better enables Persian to clean up weakened teams. Persian can also U-turn more freely given Exploud pressures the aforementioned Stealth Rock setters. Lopunny similarly lures in defensive Pokemon, and it brings additional utility like Thunder Wave and Healing Wish to mitigate Exploud's low Speed and poor bulk, respectively. Exploud's lacking defensive profile means it struggles to switch in easily, so it thrives with support from pivots such as Emolga and Mienfoo. Fast offensive Pokemon like Simisear, Mr. Mime, and Raichu excel at cleaning up weakened teams that Exploud punched holes into, and they compensate for its middling Speed against revenge killers. Choice Scarf users like Grumpig and Glaceon can threaten common fast revenge killers like Persian and Emolga, and they benefit from Exploud softening up special walls like Clefairy and Munchlax. Lairon and Graveler are great defensive answers to Emolga and Persian for Exploud, and the support they offer with Stealth Rock makes Exploud more punishing to switch around. Exploud is slower than Jolly Mienfoo, so it appreciates support from checks to it like Muk and Arbok, both of which appreciate Exploud pressuring physically defensive Pokemon like Solrock, Hippopotas, and Graveler. Pokemon like Meganium and Grumpig can stomach special Fighting-type coverage moves that threaten Exploud.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed set taps into Exploud's solid special coverage to beat Wormadam-S and Lairon and still allows it to dent specially defensive Pokemon like Clefairy and Muk with STAB Return. However, not fully investing in one of Exploud's attacking stats makes it less effective as a wallbreaker, as physically defensive Clefairy, Hippopotas, and Vibrava will wall Exploud. Work Up might seem interesting to power up Exploud's moves and make it an even more effective wallbreaker with the flexibility to switch between its moves, but its defensive vulnerability creates few windows to set up and leaves it vulnerable to revenge killers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Exploud's underwhelming bulk and middling Speed leave it prone to being revenge killed by everything from Persian and Emolga to Glaceon and Kingler. Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage like Mr. Mime, Grumpig, and Simisear can threaten to OHKO Exploud, and Jolly Mienfoo sets can do the same.
**Special Walls**: Depending on its set, Exploud may be unable to 2HKO Clefairy, and losing its power-boosting item to Knock Off will leave it more easily walled. Clefairy can heal off damage Exploud inflicts, is only threatened by Focus Blast and Choice Band Return, and may slow Exploud down further with Thunder Wave. Other special walls like Munchlax, Hypno, and Grumpig do well against Exploud's special attacking set, but they struggle to handle the power of its Choice Band set.
**Steel- and Rock-types**: Lairon, Solrock, and Wormadam-S deter Choice Band Exploud from spamming Return, though they are hit hard by its coverage moves and can be surprised by the specially offensive set.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Last edited:
