[COMPLETED] Banette

[Alter]

/ --
Banette | #354

[BW2 Smogon | Serebii | Bulbapedia]​

--------------------------------
Status: Completed
QC Approvals: [ShootingStarmie] | [dragonuser] | [BKC]
GP Checks: [GatoDelFuego]
--------------------------------

[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Its unique access to Prankster, Destiny Bond, and Taunt allow Mega Banette to completely shut down setup sweepers.</li>
<li>Banette has a bunch of useful support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a titanic Attack stat.</li>
<li>Steel-types losing their resistance to Ghost makes Ghost a much more effective offensive typing.</li>
<li>It has the ability to spinblock on both offensive and defensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Prankster does not activate on the turn of Mega Evolution.</li>
<li>Banette is extremely easy to wear down due to its lack of recovery.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a poor stat distribution which limits its usability as a utility Pokemon.</li>
<li>It has tough competition as a Ghost-type from Gengar and Aegislash when spinblocking for offensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Mega Evolution Recommendations]

<p>name: Support<br />
move 1: Destiny Bond<br />
move 2: Taunt<br />
move 3: Will-O-Wisp<br />
move 4: Knock Off / Shadow Claw<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD<br />
nature: Careful</p>

<p>Mega Banette is gifted with being the only Pokemon with a combination of Prankster and Destiny Bond in its arsenal. In conjunction with Taunt, these moves allow Mega Banette to shut down the large majority of setup sweepers. This set takes a more defensive role in ensuring that all setup sweepers are kept in check and allows it to work as an excellent fail-safe. Taunt forces opponents to attack Mega Banette so that it can pull off a successful Destiny Bond and prevents it from being crippled by status moves such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave. Will-O-Wisp gives Mega Banette the ability to impede most physical attackers, while also gaining a useful priority boost from Prankster. Outside of its status moves, Mega Banette's surprisingly high base Attack stat can be used with Knock Off to deal damage as well as getting rid of opponents' items. Shadow Claw may also be used to wear down opponents; it still hits hard despite the lack of investment.</p>

<p>Although Frisk can be replaced with the more situational Insomnia, being able to scout other Pokemon's items before Banette Mega Evolves gives the user knowledge of what set the opponent is using, and is generally the better choice. The EV distribution is designed to get the most out of Mega Banette's special and physical bulk at the same time. Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers. Notably, the given EV spread makes Mega Banette bulky enough to escape a OHKO from Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse after Stealth Rock. Because Mega Banette is at risk of being OHKOed before it use able to use a Prankster-boosted Destiny Bond, Protect is a usable option in the last slot.</p>

<p>Good teammates for Mega Banette are those that can restore its health. Sylveon has access to Wish and covers Mega Banette's Dark-type weakness. Other team members that appreciate Banette are those that are easy to set up on. For instance, Forretress can stack entry hazards freely and opponents that would otherwise be inclined to set up on it are deterred by Mega Banette's Prankster Destiny Bond. Pokemon that can learn Volt Switch and U-turn can also allow Mega Banette to jump into the fray without hassle; for this reason, Rotom-W and Scizor can be ideal partners.</p>

<p>name: Offensive<br />
move 1: Phantom Force<br />
move 2: Sucker Punch<br />
move 3: Destiny Bond<br />
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def<br />
ivs: 0 Spe
nature: Brave</p>

<p>At first glance it may seem inappropriate to use such an offensive set on a Pokemon gifted with Mega Banette's movepool and Prankster; this set takes advantage of Mega Banette's overlooked Attack stat. Phantom Force and Sucker Punch are key parts of the offensive side of the set, as together, they form an excellent one-two punch. Destiny Bond works efficiently in tandem with this combination, allowing Mega Banette to chain KOs and play mindgames with the opponent. With Sucker Punch making an appearance on the set, Taunt can be used to force opponents into either being taken down by a priority attack or a potential Destiny Bond. Will-O-Wisp is also an option in this slot so that Mega Banette can retain some of the utility from its support set.</p>

<p>A Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs are used to obtain the slowest Speed possible so that Phantom Force will ideally go last. This is ideal so that any switch-ins will end up being hit by Mega Banette last. Having Mega Evolved on a Phantom Force turn, Prankster will be in full effect once Mega Banette has attacked, so it can move first next turn. Moreover, minimum Speed allows Mega Banette to be slower than Brave Tyranitar but simultaneously faster than a minimum speed Aegislash so that it can use Will-O-Wisp or Destiny Bond first. Maximum Attack investment is important so that Mega Banette can deal as much damage as possible with its two main moves: Phantom Force and Sucker Punch.</p>

<p>Because this set struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type Pokemon, it greatly appreciates support from Fighting-types. Lucario is an excellent teammate, as it can dismantle the aforementioned Pokemon, while at the same time being a good offensive partner. Rotom-W is also a superb teammate as it can safely bring in Banette with Volt Switch and check opposing Talonflame.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Even though it's not hard to wear down Mega Banette through repeated attacks, having something that can outright counter it is more difficult due to its unique traits. Talonflame is a notable counter to Banette, being able to bypass its priority Destiny Bond with priority of its own and having an immunity to burn. However, Talonflame cannot switch into Mega Banette's Phantom Force with ease. </p>

<p>Most Dark-type Pokemon are good checks to Mega Banette as well. Specifically, Mega Absol can reflect any Will-O-Wisp attempts with Magic Bounce and can hit Banette with its super effective STAB. Tyranitar and Hydreigon are other alternatives to tackling Mega Banette. In spite of this, each fear being taken down alongside Mega Banette through Destiny Bond and Tyranitar does not enjoy being burnt by Will-O-Wisp.</p>

 

[Unowninator]

So I just looked up Banette on serebii, and I was wondering if any of these moves are worth mentioning:
-Disable
-Pain Split (transfer required)
-Cotton Guard (event move; transfer required; can't have egg moves with it)
-Magic Room (apparently, this move no longer has negative priority, so Prankster will make it go first)
-Grudge (I know it gets Destiny Bond, but if it used against the right Pokemon & the right move, it could become set-up bait).

 

[Alter]

So I just looked up Banette on serebii, and I was wondering if any of these moves are worth mentioning:
-Disable
-Pain Split (transfer required)
-Cotton Guard (event move; transfer required; can't have egg moves with it)
-Magic Room (apparently, this move no longer has negative priority, so Prankster will make it go first)
-Grudge (I know it gets Destiny Bond, but if it used against the right Pokemon & the right move, it could become set-up bait).

1) Disable isn't really all that useful as other Pokemon pull it off better as losing out on Lefties (and ergo Substitute) is too detrimental. It's better off running taunt / dbond
2 / 3) I'm going to mention any transfer moves as this preview is for pre-Pokebank. Moreover, Cotton Guard is pretty pointless when it has Will-O-Wisp and is overall a bad move.
4) Magic Room would be useful.... if it stopped mega evolutions. I really see no point in running this move over its more important options. edit: magic room is also a bw2 tutor move
5) You pretty much explained yourself why Grudge is so useless. Taunt + Destiny Bond do everything Grudge wish it could.

 

[SOMALIA]

Looks good. I've seen the second set in action and it didn't disappoint.

The EVs don't need changing(unless you plan to go mixed with TBolt on the second set (but that isn't worth it as you can Wow Gyra and Skarm), you are frail as is and the way to go is what you have already done.

I don't think that I have used this enough to stamp it myself so other QC members who have more experience can check this.

 

[Alter]

Bump! This is now ready for QC to look at. :)

 

[ShootingStarmie]

We've talked on IRC about a few changes, which we both agreed on so

Q/C APPROVED 1/3

Nice one man :]

 

[dragonuser]

Add a little specificity to partners and

 

[Alter]

Implemented both QC checks and wrote up the preview. This is now ready for a third QC check.

 

[Super Mario Bro]

evs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def<br />
nature: Impish</p>

This is an inefficient EV spread. 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpDef with a Careful Nature achieves strictly better stats; 1 more point in Defense and 5 more in Special Defense.

 

[Alter]

This is an inefficient EV spread. 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpDef with a Careful Nature achieves strictly better stats; 1 more point in Defense and 5 more in Special Defense.

Thanks dude! I'll definitely use this spread.

 

[BKC]

approved 3/3

 

[P2X7]

Amateur check below:
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[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Its unique access to Prankster, Destiny Bond and Taunt allow Mega Banette to completely shut down set up(Get rid of the space between "set" and "up"; you don't need it.) sweepers.</li>
<li>Banette has a bunch of useful support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a titanic Attack stat.</li>
<li>Steel-types losing their resistance to Ghost makes Ghost a much more effective offensive typing.</li>
<li>It has the ability to spinblock on both offensive and defensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Banette is extremely easy to wear down due to its lack of recovery.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a poor stat distribution which limits its usability as a utility Pokemon.</li>
<li>It takes up the team's Mega Evolution slot.</li>
<li>It has tough competition as a Ghost-type from Gengar and Aegislash when spinblocking for offensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Mega Evolution Recommendations]

<p>name: Support<br />
move 1: Destiny Bond<br />
move 2: Taunt<br />
move 3: Will-O-Wisp<br />
move 4: Shadow Claw<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpD<br />
nature: Careful</p>

<p>Mega Banette is gifted with being the only Pokemon with a combination of Prankster and Destiny Bond in its arsenal. In conjunction with Taunt, these moves allow Mega Banette to shut down the large majority of set up(I'm pretty sure you don't need a space between "set up" here either)sweepers. This set takes a more defensive role in ensuring that all boosting setup sweepers are kept in check and allows it can to work as an excellent fail-safe. Taunt forces opponents to attack Mega Banette so that it can pull off a successful Destiny Bond and prevents it from being crippled by status moves such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave from crippling it(That bit is mostly personal preference; feel free to ignore it.). Will-O-Wisp gives Mega Banette the ability to lock down most physical attackers, while also gaining a useful priority boost from Prankster. Outside of its status moves, Mega Banette's surprisingly high base Attack stat can be used with Shadow Claw to wear down opponents; it still hits hard despite the lack of investment. (You should probably move this following part to AC.) Protect is a usable option over Will-O-Wisp so that Mega Banette can gain the Prankster boost from Destiny Bond before being OHKOed.</p>

<p>Although Frisk can be replaced with the more situational Insomnia, being able to scout other Pokemon's items before Banette Mega Evolves gives the user knowledge of what set the opponent is using, and is generally the better choice(That appeared to be the point that you were making, so I added that.). Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better, while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers.</p>

<p>Good teammates for Mega Banette are those that can restore its health. Namely, Sylveon has access to Wish and covers Mega Banette's Dark-type weakness. Other team members that appreciate Banette are those that are easy to set up on. For instance, Forretress can stack up hazards freely, and opponents that would otherwise be inclined to set up on it are deterred by Mega Banette's Prankster Destiny Bond. Pokemon that can learn Volt-Switch(Volt Switch is not hyphenated, so replace that with a space.) and U-turn can also allow Mega Banette to jump into the fray without hassle.; Ffor this reason, Rotom-Wash and Scizor can be ideal partners.</p>

<p>name: Offensive<br />
move 1: Phantom Force<br />
move 2: Sucker Punch<br />
move 3: Destiny Bond<br />
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def<br />
ivs: 0 Spe
nature: Brave</p>

<p>At first glance it may seem inappropriate to use such an offensive set on a Pokemon gifted with Mega Banette's movepool and Prankster; however, this set takes advantage of Mega Banette's overlooked Attack stat. Phantom Force and Sucker Punch are key parts of the offensive side of the set., as tTogether, they form an excellent one-two punch. Destiny Bond works efficiently in tandem with this combination, allowing Mega Banette to chain kills KOs (This is just personal preference, as I've personally never liked using "kill" over "KO", so feel free to ignore this/the above change, as that part is personal preference as well.) and play mind games with the opponent. With Sucker Punch making an appearance on the set, Taunt can be used to force opponents into either being taken down by a priority attack or a potential Destiny Bond.; however, Will-O-Wisp is also an option in this slot so that Mega Banette can retain some of the utility from its support set.</p>

<p>A Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs are used to obtain the slowest Speed possible so that Phantom Force will ideally go last. This is ideal so that any switch-ins will end up being hit by Mega Banette last. Having Prankster after a Mega Evolution makes up for the Speed drop so that Mega Banette will end up going first or last when it wants to. Moreover, minimum Speed allows Mega Banette to be slower than Brave Tyranitar but simultaneously faster than a minimum speed Aegislash so that it can use Will-O-Wisp or Destiny Bond first. Maximum Attack is important so that Mega Banette can deal as much damage as possible with its two main moves: Phantom Force and Sucker Punch.</p>

<p>Because this set struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type Pokemon, it greatly appreciates support from Fighting-types. Lucario is an excellent teammate, as it which can dismantle the aforementioned Pokemon, while at the same time being a good offensive partner. Rotom-Wash is also a superb teammate, as it can safely bring in Banette with Volt-Switch(Replace that hyphen with a space.) and check opposing Talonflame.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Even though it's not hard to wear down Mega Banette through repeated attacks, having something that can outright counter it is more difficult due to its unique traits. Talonflame is a notable counter to Banette, being able to bypass its priority Destiny Bond with priority of its own and having an immunity to burn.; hHowever, Talonflame cannot switch into Mega Banette's Phantom Force with ease. </p>

<p>Most Dark-type Pokemon are good checks to Mega Banette as well. Specifically, Mega Absol can reflect any Will-O-Wisp attempts with Magic Bounce and can hit Banette with its super effective STAB. Tyranitar and Hydreigon are other alternatives to tackling Mega Banette; in spite of this, each fear being taken down alongside Mega Banette through Destiny Bond.</p>

Comments

Taunt forces opponents to attack Mega Banette so that it can pull off a successful Destiny Bond and prevents status moves such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave from crippling it.​

Maybe mention something more about Taunt's utility against defensive Pokemon than what you said?

Tyranitar and Hydreigon are other alternatives to tackling Mega Banette

You might want to mention something about how Will-O-Wisp affects Tyranitar's ability to defeat Mega Banette, as burn prevents non-Choice Band Tyranitar from OHKOing either set, and also prevents Choice Band Tyranitar from securing an OHKO on the first set.

 

[Alter]

Implemented most of the amcheck. The only area that I didn't agree with was you adding a lot of semicolons. Thanks!

 

[Cshadow]

I'm not exactly super amazing at this kind of thing, so please take what I say with a grain of salt.

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Banette is extremely easy to wear down due to its lack of recovery.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a poor stat distribution which limits its usability as a utility Pokemon.</li>
<li>It takes up the team's Mega Evolution slot.</li>
<li>It has tough competition as a Ghost-type from Gengar and Aegislash when spinblocking for offensive teams.</li>
</ul>

Due to Mega Evolution mechanics, Prankster cannot be used the turn Banette Mega Evolves. I'm actually kind of surprised this isn't mentioned somewhere in the cons section given that it's a huge blow Mega Banette's viability. I would put it over the fourth bullet, as whether or not Mega Banette is worth the Mega Slot is probably a conclusion that's best left to the reader to draw for themselves, rather than passively implied without mentioning any Mega Evolutions that should be used over Mega Banette (which is kind of hard to do given Mega Banette's role - Prankster Destiny Bond leaves it outclassed by absolutely nothing; Mega Gengar is probably the closest parallel you can draw).

<p>name: Support<br />
move 1: Destiny Bond<br />
move 2: Taunt<br />
move 3: Will-O-Wisp<br />
move 4: Shadow Claw<br />

I don't know if Shadow Claw is the most efficient attacking move for Banette to run on this set. Yes, it is a physical Ghost-Type move with STAB, but all it does is injure whatever your opponent happens to switch in (which is nice, but not his primary function - being able to deal damage is just a bonus, and any attack he uses is going to hurt, if only a little bit, thanks to his massive attack stat). With Destiny Bond, Taunt, and the threat of Will-O-Wisp all forcing switches, I think Knock-Off is the better go-to option over Shadow Claw since it gives Banette another means of crippling the opponent's Pokemon.

ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpD<br />
nature: Careful</p>

<p>Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better, while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers. Protect is a usable option over Will-O-Wisp so that Mega Banette can gain the Prankster boost from Destiny Bond before being OHKOed.</p>

The first sentence seems to imply that the EV spread listed actually accomplishes something in regards to keeping Banette alive - yet there's no mention of which attacks he now takes better as a result. The next sentence even says that Banette is still at risk of being OHKOed without Protect (though it too does not mention as to what by - strong, neutral, STAB attacks, maybe?). I'm not suggesting that Raggedy Ann over here has the best defenses in the world, or even acceptable defenses, I'm just saying that it seems kind of silly to say that you have maximized Banette's defenses as best as possible, only to say that you haven't actually geared it towards surviving anything.

For example, a spread of 252 HP/ 40 DEF/ 216 SpD and a Careful nature allows Mega Banette to guarantee that it survives against Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse after Stealth Rock damage, giving Mega Banette just enough time to allow Prankster Destiny Bond to kick in:
252 SpA Life Orb Greninja Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 216+ SpD (custom): 242-289 (72.89 - 87.04%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Meanwhile, a spread of 252 HP/ 164 DEF/ 92 SpD and a Careful nature allows Mega Banette to avoid a 2HKO from Assault Vest Tyranitar's Crunch, after burning it, while also factoring in Stealth Rock and Sandstorm damage:
0 Atk burned Tyranitar Crunch vs. 252 HP / 164 Def (custom): 115-136 (34.63 - 40.96%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and weather.

I wouldn't know if the spreads I've just listed are more efficient than the one you're using without a lot of damage calculations to compare it to, nor am I suggesting that you use them, rather, I might recommend maybe changing what you've written slightly:

<p>Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better, while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers. Protect is a usable option over Will-O-Wisp so that Mega Banette can gain the Prankster boost from Destiny Bond before being OHKOed.</p>

To:

<p>The ev distribution is designed to get the most out of Mega Banette's special and physical bulk. In spite of this however, Mega Banette is still at risk of being OHKOed before it is able to use a Prankster-boosted Destiny Bond. Because of that, Protect can be used over Will-O-Wisp or Taunt to guarantee that Mega Banette is able to make use of Prankster before it gets the stuffing beat out of it<p>

Or something.

 

[Alter]

Good input. I was unaware that Banette had access to Knock Off (it flew right over my head). While I definitely agree with it being the main slash, I'll allow for QC to add anything before this goes straight into GP for obvious reasons. I also edited the EV spread. The last one simply made up for my nature error (I think I put +Def, -Atk instead of +SDef) which SMB corrected; however, I like the 252 HP / 40 Def spread more. This should probably also go through QC first as well. I've also briefly changed the set comments akin to what Cshadow proposed. Thanks! :)

 

[Fundance]

I think that bit about Talonflame switching in on Phantom Force should be re-evaluated a little. If Talonflame switches in on the first turn (disappearing) it has very little to fear on the attacking turn if it's running bulk up. If it's switching in on the attacking turn, then yeah, it applies...

Talonflame is such a pain. The only thing you can really do to immediately threaten it is Thunder Wave, which might put it in a slightly less favorable priority speed tier.

 

[Alter]

Fundance: ((For reference in comparison: 252+ Atk Mega Banette Phantom Force vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Talonflame: 211-249 (71.04 - 83.83%) -- guaranteed 2HKO))

Bulk Up sets hate being Taunted and still take a large amount of damage from Phantom Force nonetheless. In the scenario you mentioned, Talonflame still takes 40.28 - 47.42% after a Bulk Up and then can be locked down with Taunt + Destiny Bond, forcing the entire match-up into a game of guesswork. While Talonflame is an excellent check, the viable sets still hate taking damage from Mega Banette. Thanks for raising that point up, though.

edit: to clarify, I will possibly make a mention of this if QC agree.

 

[ShoCk-]

Hey! New user here,

How do you feel about Shadow Sneak instead of knock-off/Shadow claw? Is it worth it to have an offensive move thats got STAB Priority on M-Banette with his high base attack? or not worth having over Knock-Off/Shadowclaw?

I'm new to competitive Pokemon so enlighten me! :)

 

[silfan]

I think Shadow Sneak is not a good move to pair with Destiny Bond.
Basically, after you cast Destiny Bond, you actually want to move later than the enemy in the next turn, so:
1. If the enemy KO you, you still have D-Bond's buff and take them down together with you
2. If they decide to switch out or buff, you can actually deal decent damage with STAB Shadow Claw/Phantom Force or cripple them by knocking off their item, instead of a 40 bp moves which does nothing else

 

[GatoDelFuego]

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[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Its unique access to Prankster, Destiny Bond, (AC) and Taunt allow Mega Banette to completely shut down setup sweepers.</li>
<li>Banette has a bunch of useful support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a titanic Attack stat.</li>
<li>Steel-types losing their resistance to Ghost makes Ghost a much more effective offensive typing.</li>
<li>It has the ability to spinblock on both offensive and defensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Banette is extremely easy to wear down due to its lack of recovery.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a poor stat distribution which limits its usability as a utility Pokemon.</li>
<li>Prankster does not activate on the turn of Mega Evolution..</li>
<li>It has tough competition as a Ghost-type from Gengar and Aegislash when spinblocking for offensive teams.</li>
</ul>

[Mega Evolution Recommendations]

<p>name: Support<br />
move 1: Destiny Bond<br />
move 2: Taunt<br />
move 3: Will-O-Wisp<br />
move 4: Knock Off / Shadow Claw<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD<br />
nature: Careful</p>

<p>Mega Banette is gifted with being the only Pokemon with a combination of Prankster and Destiny Bond in its arsenal. In conjunction with Taunt, these moves allow Mega Banette to shut down the large majority of setup sweepers. This set takes a more defensive role in ensuring that all setup sweepers are kept in check and allows it to work as an excellent fail-safe. Taunt forces opponents to attack Mega Banette so that it can pull off a successful Destiny Bond and prevents it from being crippled by status moves such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave. Will-O-Wisp gives Mega Banette the ability to lock down most physical attackers, while also gaining a useful priority boost from Prankster. Outside of its status moves, Mega Banette's surprisingly high base Attack stat can be used with Knock Off to deal damage as well as getting rid of opponents' items. Shadow Claw may also be used to wear down opponents; it still hits hard despite the lack of investment.</p>

<p>Although Frisk can be replaced with the more situational Insomnia, being able to scout other Pokemon's items before Banette Mega Evolves gives the user knowledge of what set the opponent is using, and is generally the better choice. The EV distribution is designed to get the most out of Mega Banette's special and physical bulk at the same time. Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better, (RC) while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers. Because Mega Banette is at risk of being OHKOed before it use able to use a Prankster-boosted Destiny Bond, Protect is a usable option over Will-O-Wisp.</p>

<p>Good teammates for Mega Banette are those that can restore its health. Namely, Sylveon has access to Wish and covers Mega Banette's Dark-type weakness. Other team members that appreciate Banette are those that are easy to set up on. For instance, Forretress can stack up entry hazards freely and opponents that would otherwise be inclined to set up on it are deterred by Mega Banette's Prankster Destiny Bond. Pokemon that can learn Volt Switch and U-turn can also allow Mega Banette to jump into the fray without hassle; for this reason, Rotom-W and Scizor can be ideal partners.</p>

<p>name: Offensive<br />
move 1: Phantom Force<br />
move 2: Sucker Punch<br />
move 3: Destiny Bond<br />
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def<br />
ivs: 0 Spe
nature: Brave</p>

<p>At first glance it may seem inappropriate to use such an offensive set on a Pokemon gifted with Mega Banette's movepool and Prankster; however, this set takes advantage of Mega Banette's overlooked Attack stat. Phantom Force and Sucker Punch are key parts of the offensive side of the set, as together, they form an excellent one-two punch. Destiny Bond works efficiently in tandem with this combination, allowing Mega Banette to chain KOs and play mindgames with the opponent. With Sucker Punch making an appearance on the set, Taunt can be used to force opponents into either being taken down by a priority attack or a potential Destiny Bond. Will-O-Wisp is also an option in this slot so that Mega Banette can retain some of the utility from its support set.</p>

<p>A Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs are used to obtain the slowest Speed possible so that Phantom Force will ideally go last. This is ideal so that any switch-ins will end up being hit by Mega Banette last. Having Mega Evolved on a Phantom Force turn, Prankster will be in full effect once Mega Banette has attacked, so it can move first next turn. Having Prankster after a Mega Evolution makes up for the Speed drop so that Mega Banette will end up going first or last when it wants to. Moreover, minimum Speed allows Mega Banette to be slower than Brave Tyranitar but simultaneously faster than a minimum speed Aegislash so that it can use Will-O-Wisp or Destiny Bond first. Maximum Attack investment is important so that Mega Banette can deal as much damage as possible with its two main moves: Phantom Force and Sucker Punch.</p>

<p>Because this set struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type Pokemon, it greatly appreciates support from Fighting-types. Lucario is an excellent teammate, as it can dismantle the aforementioned Pokemon, while at the same time being a good offensive partner. Rotom-W is also a superb teammate as it can safely bring in Banette with Volt Switch and check opposing Talonflame.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Even though it's not hard to wear down Mega Banette through repeated attacks, having something that can outright counter it is more difficult due to its unique traits. Talonflame is a notable counter to Banette, being able to bypass its priority Destiny Bond with priority of its own and having an immunity to burn. However, Talonflame cannot switch into Mega Banette's Phantom Force with ease. </p>

<p>Most Dark-type Pokemon are good checks to Mega Banette as well. Specifically, Mega Absol can reflect any Will-O-Wisp attempts with Magic Bounce and can hit Banette with its super effective STAB. Tyranitar and Hydreigon are other alternatives to tackling Mega Banette. In spite of this, each fear being taken down alongside Mega Banette through Destiny Bond and Tyranitar does not enjoy being burnt by Will-O-Wisp.</p>

Just remember that semicolons shouldn't be followed by conjunctions.

1/1

 

[Cshadow]

I guess it couldn't hurt to add my two cents again. Here's a more in-depth criticism of the analysis. I'm not a GP person, though, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

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Suggested removal.
Suggested addition (don't take this literally, though - it's more of a content suggestion).
Commentary.

[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Its unique access to Prankster, Destiny Bond and Taunt allow Mega Banette to completely shut down setup sweepers.</li>
<li>Banette has a bunch of useful support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.</li>
<li>Mega Banette is the only Pokemon with the Prankster ability that has access to Destiny Bond, Taunt, Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp.</li>
<li>This unique combination of useful support moves allows Mega Banette to completely shut down a wide variety of Pokemon.</li>

I don't agree with the way you have phrased the first two lines. Mega Banette's access to Destiny Bond, Taunt, Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp allows it to shut down a wide variety of Pokemon - not just set-up sweepers; walls/tanks/support Pokemon like Forretress, Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Chansey, Blissey, and even Klefki (while Foul Play does hurt, Will-O-Wisp mitigates this issue somewhat), to name a few, are all shut down by Taunt (and Will-O-Wisp). With that said, Destiny Bond, Taunt, Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp are literally the extent of his viable, Prankster-compatible support move pool. I don't know if I would say that four moves constitutes the use of the words "a bunch".

Because of that, I recommend modifying the first two lines. I think it would be more efficient to introduce the analysis by defining just what makes Mega Banette unique and worthy of consideration, and then explaining what those moves allow it to do accomplish.

<li>Mega Banette has a titanic Attack stat.</li>
<li>Steel-types losing their resistance to Ghost makes Ghost a much more effective offensive typing.</li>
<li>It has the ability to spinblock on both offensive and defensive teams.</li>
<li>Mega Banette's titanic Attack stat is complemented by a great STAB made more effective by the loss of Steel type's Ghost resistance.</li>
<li>Prankster and the ability to block Rapid Spin give Mega Banette lots of flexibility, making it easy to fit onto teams of all types.<li>
</ul>

There's no reason the first two lines couldn't have been merged together, I don't think. I also don't think the last point is strong enough all on its own - every Ghost blocks Rapid Spin. It might seem redundant to mention Prankster again, though, given that it was the focus of the first two lines, but I don't think you can really under stress just how valuable Prankster is when the primary reason for using Mega Banette in the first place is because of priority Destiny Bond.

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Prankster does not activate on the turn of Mega Evolution..</li>
<li>Mega Banette is unable to utilize Prankster the turn it Mega Evolves because in-game mechanics determine the turn order prior to Mega Evolving.</li>

This should be listed first because of how absolutely crippling it is to Mega Banette's viability. You should also explain to the reader why that is, so they aren't walking away from the analysis asking too many questions.

<li>Banette is extremely easy to wear down due to its lack of recovery.</li>
<li>Mega Banette has a poor stat distribution which limits its usability as a utility Pokemon.</li>
<li>Banette and Mega Banette's poor defenses, lack of recovery, and susceptibility to all form of entry hazards quickly wear it out.</li>

These two sentences encompass the same point - there's no reason not to merge them, I don't think. I'm not exactly an expert on how Smogon's process works, though, so forgive me if I am wrong by thinking they should be merged together.

<li>It has tough competition as a Ghost-type from Gengar and Aegislash when spinblocking for offensive teams.</li>
<li>It faces competition from Mega Gengar, who boasts a useful base form, Shadow Tag, a better offensive move pool, in tandem with a fast Destiny Bond.</li>
</ul>

Mega Banette and Aegislash do not even remotely fulfill the same function - how could they possibly be in competition with each other? Mega Gengar is the better parallel to draw, I think; his base form doesn't suck, he's got Shadow Tag (making him an excellent revenge killer), a better offensive move pool, and can also fire off fast Destiny Bonds, meaning that like Mega Banette, he is capable of paving the way for sweepers and cleaners. Except, you know, better.

[Mega Evolution Recommendations]

<p>name: Support<br />
move 1: Destiny Bond<br />
move 2: Taunt<br />
move 3: Will-O-Wisp<br />
move 4: Knock Off / Shadow Claw Thunder Wave<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD<br />
nature: Careful</p>

<p>Mega Banette is gifted with being the only Pokemon with a combination of Prankster and Destiny Bond in its arsenal. In conjunction with Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, these moves allow Mega Banette is able to take on a supporting role, shutting down the a large majority number of setup sweepers [Among others?]. This set takes a more defensive role in ensuring that all setup sweepers are kept in check and allows it to work as an excellent fail-safe. [I think it would be a good idea to refrain from making blanket statements like this unless it can be objectively proven that Mega Banette screws over all set-up sweepers; I'm pretty sure he'd struggle taking down someone like Swords Dance Lucario given that the most likely scenario is him switching into the Swords Dance, only to be taken out by Bullet Punch before you can fire off Destiny Bond. Talonflame comes to mind, too] Taunt forces opponents to attack Mega Banette so that it can pull off a successful Destiny Bond and prevents it from being crippled by status moves such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave. Will-O-Wisp gives Mega Banette the ability to lock down most physical attackers, while also gaining a useful priority boost from Prankster. [This isn't true and also redundant - Mega Banette can't "lock down" physical sweepers like Sableye can because he doesn't have access to recovery - he's gonna die from being attacked over and over again, even by burned Pokemon. Also, the Prankster boost doesn't need to be reiterated, I don't think] Outside of its status moves, Mega Banette's surprisingly high base Attack stat can be used with Knock Off takes advantage of Mega Banette's ability to force switches, giving it another way to cripple the opponent while also dealing damage as well as getting rid of opponents' items. Thunder Wave can be used over Knock Off to paralyze fast opponent's that are indifferent to the burn, but this may leave him vulnerable to faster Prankster users with access to Taunt, like Whimsicott. Shadow Claw may also be used in the last slot, having a higher base power than Knock Off after STAB, but has no real utility outside of inflicting damage. may also to wear down opponents; it still hits hard despite the lack of investment.</p>

• I think Thunder Wave should be the primary slash after Knock Off given that it has more utility than Shadow Claw, and it only leaves him weak to Whimsicott as far as Taunt susceptibility goes.
• Taunt/Will-O-Wisp/Destiny Bond shuts down more than just set-up sweepers - does it not deserve a mention?

<p>Although Frisk can be replaced with the more situational Insomnia, being able to scout other Pokemon's items before Banette Mega Evolves gives the user knowledge of what set the opponent is using, and is generally the better choice. The EV distribution is designed to get the most out of Mega Banette's special and physical bulk at the same time. Enough investment is placed in Mega Banette's special bulk so that it can take specially based hits better, while using Will-O-Wisp and some Defense investment to help against physical attackers. 252 HP / 236 SpD and a Careful nature makes Mega Banette just bulky enough on the special side to escape a 2HKO from Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse after Stealth Rock, which can give Mega Banette an opportunity to take advantage of Prankster before dying. The remaining EVs were thrown into his defense to help against physical attackers. Because However, Mega Banette is still at risk of being OHKOed before it use able to use a Prankster-boosted Destiny Bond, making Protect is a usable viable option over Will-O-Wisp in the last slot.</p>

• I think what the EVs accomplish should be mentioned.
• I don't think it should be suggested that something be used over Will-O-Wisp - half of Mega Banette's utility comes from being able to use Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers. Again, Whimsicott is the only other OU viable Prankster Pokemon that could Taunt him before he does anything, and Destiny Bond/Taunt/Will-O-Wisp/Protect is infinitely more useful than Destiny Bond/Taunt/Protect/Knock Off, despite not having an attacking move.

<p>Good teammates for Mega Banette are those that can restore its health. Namely, Sylveon has access to Wish and covers Mega Banette's Dark-type weakness. Other team members that appreciate Banette are those that are easy to set up on. For instance, Forretress can stack up hazards freely and opponents that would otherwise be inclined to set up on it are deterred by Mega Banette's Prankster Destiny Bond. Pokemon that can learn Volt-Switch and U-turn can also allow Mega Banette to jump into the fray without hassle; for this reason, Rotom-W and Scizor can be ideal partners.</p>

Mega Banette may not be as efficient as Mega Gengar is at removing specific threats from the opponent's team, but set-up sweepers could potentially benefit from the removal of an obstacle (even if it's not guaranteed). I think that might be worth mentioning somewhere.

<p>name: Offensive<br />
move 1: Phantom Force<br />
move 2: Sucker Punch<br />
move 3: Destiny Bond<br />
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp<br />
ability: Frisk<br />
item: Banettite<br />
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def<br />
ivs: 0 7 Spe
nature: Brave</p>

I don't know if this is something Mega Banette should be worrying about, but, with 0 Ivs in Spe, Mega Banette becomes slower than Gourgiest-S, meaning that a Gourgiest-S Shadow Sneak could potentially nail you before you are able to fire off Will-O-Wisp, and also renders Sucker Punch ineffective. By running a Spe IV of 7, you outrun it by one point, and avoid this scenario.

I am referring to the heaviest/slowest Gourgiest, of course. If I wasn't clear, I mean. I don't know which "-" to use.

<p>At first glance it may seem inappropriate to use such an offensive set on a Pokemon gifted with Mega Banette's movepool and Prankster; however, this set takes advantage of Mega Banette's overlooked Attack stat. Phantom Force and Sucker Punch are key parts of the offensive side of the set, as together, they form an excellent one-two punch. Destiny Bond works efficiently in tandem with this combination, allowing Mega Banette to chain KOs and play mind games with the opponent. With Sucker Punch making an appearance on the set, Taunt can be used to force opponents into either being taken down by a priority attack or a potential Destiny Bond. Will-O-Wisp is also an option in this slot so that Mega Banette can retain some of the utility from its support set.</p>

<p>A Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs are used to obtain the slowest Speed possible so that Phantom Force will ideally go last. This is ideal so that any switch-ins will end up being hit by Mega Banette last. Having Prankster after a Mega Evolution makes up for the Speed drop so that Mega Banette will end up going first or last when it wants to. Moreover, minimum Speed allows Mega Banette to be slower than Brave Tyranitar but simultaneously faster than a minimum speed Aegislash so that it can use Will-O-Wisp or Destiny Bond first. Maximum Attack is important so that Mega Banette can deal as much damage as possible with its two main moves: Phantom Force and Sucker Punch.</p>

<p>Because this set struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type Pokemon, it greatly appreciates support from Fighting-types. Lucario is an excellent teammate, as it can dismantle the aforementioned Pokemon, while at the same time being a good offensive partner. Rotom-W is also a superb teammate as it can safely bring in Banette with Volt Switch and check opposing Talonflame.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Even though it's not hard to wear down Mega Banette through repeated attacks, having something that can outright counter it is more difficult due to its unique traits. Talonflame is a notable counter to Banette, being able to bypass its priority Destiny Bond with priority of its own and having an immunity to burn; however, Talonflame cannot switch into Mega Banette's Phantom Force with ease. </p>

<p>Most Dark-type Pokemon are good checks to Mega Banette as well. Specifically, Mega Absol can reflect any Will-O-Wisp attempts with Magic Bounce and can hit Banette with its super effective STAB. Tyranitar and Hydreigon are other alternatives to tackling Mega Banette; in spite of this, each fear being taken down alongside Mega Banette through Destiny Bond and Tyranitar does not enjoy being burnt by Will-O-Wisp.</p>

 

[Alter]

Implemented GP check. Thanks GatoDelFuego!

I also made some of the changes recommended by Cshadow. To be more specific, I mentioned what the EV spread accomplished as well as a few more minor things. Initially I was intrigued by Shadow Sneak / Sucker Punch as the main attacking move on the Support set. However, I agree Silfan's reasoning more and, therefore, Shadow Claw will be used over them. I still don't like Thunder Wave in the first set as much in that slot but if you can convince QC to make this change then I am also fine with that.

I did not mention having a Speed IV of 7 as that falls under speed creeping. Essentially if I put that then people could start editing the amount of EVs/IVs on that specific Pokemon as well. This is why going max/min speed is best for analyses even if it's not the 'best' in a practical, subjective sense.

Cshadow: The function that I was referring to that both Aegislash and Mega Banette compete for is that of the role of an offensive spin blocker on HO teams.

Thanks all. This should be complete now.

 

[Cshadow]

You have a second period on your third bullet that needs to be removed~

I also still think the third bullet should be the first one since the entire reason to use Mega Banette is because of Prankster, and not having it the turn he mega evolves really, really sucks. But I am just being nit-picky now.

Good work and all that~

 

[Enguarde]

Notably, the given EV spread makes Mega Banette bulky enough to escape a 2HKO from life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse after Stealth Rock.

I believe this is meant to be OHKO?

 

[Alter]

Ugh, I shouldn't have edited that in when I was so tired. Thanks Enguarde!