PU Crustle

tondas · Feb 26, 2018

yogi · Mar 27, 2018

Hey. It's been a month and this is almost finished anyways, so could you get to this soon please?

tondas · Mar 27, 2018

yogibears said:
Hey. It's been a month and this is almost finished anyways, so could you get to this soon please?

I planned on getting this done in the next 48 hours, but I'm shooting for a couple hours from now

tondas · Mar 27, 2018

Apologies for the long wait but this is ready for qc!

asa · Mar 31, 2018

Tonda Gossa! said:
[OVERVIEW]

Crustle is a decent suicide lead for hazard offense teams with its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes.

In addition, Crustle packs nifty utility moves in Rock Blast (this is not exactly a utility move outside of breaking focus sashes and sturdy.) and Knock Off which are very effective against opposing leads.

Crustle has two helpful abilities that compliment its role as a hazard setter; Sturdy guarantees that it survives at least one attack, while Weak Armor lets it take advantage of physical attackers by being able to outspeed the majority of them after Weak Armor, an ability which grants Crustle +2 in Speed when hit with a physical attack. (how do these abilities compliment its role as a lead? also, i'd like this point to be higher, since it flows a bit better when coming right after 'Crustle is a decent suicide lead...')

Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier pokemon such as Carracosta and Leafeon.

Crustle is very slow, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Sableye and Alolan Persian. Special attackers in particular are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre special defense and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor.

Alongside these existing flaws, Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like shell smash or fully defensive.

Maybe something about how other leads like Aurorus give it competition due to their greater offensive presence.

[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage pokemon switching in.

Spikes are another hazard that damages grounded pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock.

Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers (possibly mention foes that have these removed.), which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing pokemon to secure KO's.

Rock Blast is a STAB move that simultaneously pressures Flying- type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna, and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Archeops, Leavanny and opposing Crustle.

Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move. (any downsides of doing so?)

Set Details
========

Max Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature lets Crustle hit leads and hazard removers as hard and as quickly as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb. (it isn't specifically for leads and hazard removers, it just maximizes its offensive presence.)

The items and abilities are tailored to however Crustle wants to get up hazards.

A Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers such as... by being able to outspeed most of them the following turn thanks to the speed boost Weak Armor provides. The physical defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get KO'd quickly and being able to pivot into another pokemon.

A Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus slower Taunt users.

Usage Tips
========

Crustle best sees play on hyper offense for its ability to chip away at teams to aid the rest of its team in sweeping. (move this down to team options and make it the first point.)

Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission is to get up as many hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated.

In team preview, evaluate whether or not Stealth Rock or Spikes are more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few fire-, flying-, ice- and bug- types (cut down on the examples.) will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground- types, Spikes are generally more useful. In any case, Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first since it hits pokemon of all types.

The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users, as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy Set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it and limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. (give specific examples of faster taunt users and phys attackers that can 2HKO it.)

In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from the opposing lead so that they can be revenge killed the following turn.

Team Options
========

An abundance of fast pokemon can utilize the chip damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes in order to secure KO's and successfully sweep, including Alolan Raichu, Floatzel, Pyroar and Lilligant.

Wallbreakers such as Magmortar and Stoutland appreciate multiple hazards being able to break walls. (reword this point, it doesn't read very well.)

Pokemon that force switches such as Kangaskhan and Eelektross are great for racking up hazard damage as well as their access to dual priority and wide coverage, respectively.

Ghost- type pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. In particular, Oricorio-G threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan, a common user of Rapid Spin, with a Supersonic Skystrike. (this last bit feels like filler, but that might just be me.)

Crustle will often be KO'd after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down.

Rapid Spinners such as Hitmonchan and Komala are desired forms of hazard removal for your team, as they do not remove your own Stealth Rock and Spikes. (hyper offense doesn't really need removal.)

Faster Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack and Speed. However, such a set is majorly outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to choice scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock.

Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully, and Crustle would rather be setting up hazards or attacking with its utility moves.

X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit leads like Defensive Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB are generally more useful.

Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes.

Red Card is an option that forces a switch on the opposing pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup.

Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and, once again, Carracosta, for its lack of a decent defensive ability and weakness to Stealth Rock.

Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option to surprise the likes of Gastrodon and Golem as well as chunking opposing leads like Regirock. However, it's still quite situational and should only be considered if your team absolutely needs the removal of pokemon such as Gastrodon.

Another Z-Move option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200BP (don't abbreviate Base Power) STAB move. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time.

Checks and Counters
=================== (the formatting here is off, it should be like **insert mon here**: words go here.)

**Fast Special Attackers**
Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Abomasnow and Floatzel which makes it difficult to set up any more than one hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers in general give Crustle varying degrees of annoyance; Gastrodon's Scald can potentially burn and mitigate Crustle's Sturdy/Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus' hail chip also bypass this, KO'ing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While they (implies more than one example, but only one example.) must fear Knock Off and the rare X-Scissor (drop the x-scissor mention, since it isn't on the main set.), Mesprit can trick Crustle's item for a choiced item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**
Faster Taunt users generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard, if none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with Will'O'Wisp. (something about mental herb needs to be here.)

**Priority**
If brought down to its Focus Sash or Sturdy, Crustle can easily be picked off with a priority move like Aqua Jet or Shadow Sneak, quickly halting its progress on hazard stacking.

**Hazard Removers**
Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thus making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is KO'd.

1/3.

tondas · Apr 3, 2018

changes implemented

yogi · Apr 21, 2018

Tonda Gossa! said:
[OVERVIEW]

Crustle is a decent suicide lead on hazard offense teams (just offensive teams in general. almost all offensive teams want some form of entry hazard down to break things like sturdy and focus sash) for its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes.

In addition, Crustle packs nifty moves in Rock Blast and Knock Off which are very effective against opposing leads. (give specific examples here. rock blast can smack archeops for example)

Crustle has two helpful abilities that solidify its role as a hazard setter; Sturdy guarantees that it survives at least one attack, while Weak Armor lets it take advantage of physical attackers by being able to outspeed the majority of them after Weak Armor, an ability which grants Crustle +2 in Speed when hit with a physical attack.

Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier pokemon such as Carracosta and Leafeon. (ok so i totally understand it with this set but i'd actually never really want to switch leafeon in on a crustle in case it has something like x-scissor)

Crustle is very slow, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Sableye and Alolan Persian. Special attackers in particular are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre special defense and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor. (speed isn't accountable when talking about sableye really)

Crustle faces competition as a hazard setter by pokemon such as Aurorus and Alolan Dugtrio, which can apply offensive pressure alongside setting up Stealth Rock. (replace alolan dugrio with smeargle. i think stealth rock alolan dugtrio sounds meh)

Alongside these existing flaws, Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like shell smash or fully defensive. (examples here too)

[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage pokemon switching in.

Spikes are another hazard that damages grounded pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock.

Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from pokemon like Gurdurr and Audino, which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing pokemon to secure KO's.

Rock Blast is a STAB move that simultaneously pressures Flying- type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna, and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Archeops, Leavanny and opposing Crustle.

Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move, but it lacks the ability to break though Sturdy and Focus Sash pokemon, and can be PP stalled by pokemon such as Substitute Articuno.

good

Set Details
========

Max Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature lets Crustle apply as much offensive pressure as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb.

The items and abilities are tailored to however Crustle wants to get up hazards.

A Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers like Pinsir and Golurk by being able to outspeed them the following turn thanks to the speed boost Weak Armor provides. The physical defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get KO'd quickly and being able to pivot into another pokemon.

A Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus slower Taunt users. (give a few examples here)

fine

Usage Tips
========

Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission (get to the chopper!) is to get up as many hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated. (examples please)

In team preview, evaluate whether or not Stealth Rock or Spikes are more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few fire- and flying- types will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground- types, Spikes are generally more useful. In any case, Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first since it hits pokemon of all types. (stealth rock should always be prioritised unless you're like facing mono ground or steel, so i'd stress that in the first sentence)

The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users, as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy Set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it such as Shiftry and Kabutops, which limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. (focus sash weak armour has to also work around sucker punch shiftry too, which becomes a 50/50)

In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from the opposing lead so that they can be revenge killed the following turn. (example. archeops is a great one)

Team Options
========

Crustle best sees play on hyper offense for its ability to chip away at teams. Thus, fast pokemon that can utilize the chip damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes in order to secure KO's and successfully sweep are ideal teammates, including Alolan Raichu, Floatzel, Pyroar and Lilligant.

Wallbreakers such as Magmortar and Stoutland are more potent when aided with hazard chip damage. (rip magmortar, expand this a little)

Pokemon such as Kangaskhan and Eelektross are great for forcing switches and racking up hazard damage by virtue of dual priority and wide coverage, respectively. (i wouldnt use eel with crustle. eel works better on bulkier teams while crustle is exclusive to hyper offensive teams)

Ghost- type pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. Oricorio-G is a notable example, as it threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan with a Supersonic Skystrike.

Crustle will often be KO'd after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down. (scarf primeape is able to mess teams up at +2, so specifically mention scarf here)

While not mandatory on more offense-oriented teams, users of Rapid Spin such as Hitmonchan and Komala keep Crustle's hazards on the field while removing the opponent's.

Fast Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog. (again, i'd almost never use alolan persian on ho, so something different would be better. you could even just keep pyroar as the only other fast taunter is archeops, and that may get banned soon)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack and Speed. However, such a set is majorly outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to Choice Scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock.

Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully, and Crustle would rather be setting up hazards or attacking with its utility moves.

X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit leads like Defensive Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB are generally more useful.

Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes.

Red Card is an option that forces a switch on the opposing pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup.

Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and, once again, Carracosta, for its lack of a decent defensive ability and weakness to Stealth Rock.

Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option to surprise the likes of Gastrodon and Golem as well as chunking opposing leads like Regirock.

Another Z-Move option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200 Base Power STAB move that helps soften bulkier leads for the rest of the team. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time.

However, do keep in mind that both of these options are overall very situational, and offensive teams prefer reserving a Z-Crystal for a more dedicated offensive pokemon.

this seems aight

Checks and Counters
===================

**Special Attackers**: Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Abomasnow and Floatzel which makes it difficult to set up any more than one hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers in general give Crustle varying degrees of annoyance; Gastrodon's Scald can potentially burn and mitigate Crustle's Sturdy/Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus's hail chip also bypass this, KO'ing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While it must fear Knock Off, Mesprit can trick Crustle's item for a choiced item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**: Faster Taunt users generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard, if none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with Will'O'Wisp. The Mental Herb set alleviates this issue somewhat, but versus the aforementioned faster Taunt users, Crustle can only set up one hazard before it's left vulnerable.

**Priority**: If brought down to its Focus Sash or Sturdy, Crustle can easily be picked off with a priority move like Aqua Jet or Shadow Sneak, quickly halting its progress on hazard stacking.

**Hazard Removers**: Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thereby making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is KO'd.
looks fine

Straightforward Pokemon, but a good job nonetheless. QC 2/3. Get this written up.

tondas · May 6, 2018

I decided to merge two sections from team options together and expand but besides that everything mentioned should be implemented.

5/7 edit: all mentions of archeops have been removed

MZ · May 8, 2018

Tonda Gossa! said:
[OVERVIEW] spacing
Crustle is a decent suicide lead on hyper offense teams for its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes id specifically throw in something like "some which most other mons can't do", just to get across that also having spikes is really the main niche this has. Additionally, Crustle packs nifty moves in Rock Blast and Knock Off which are very effective against opposing leads like Shuckle and Ferroseed. Crustle has two useful abilities that solidify its role as a hazard setter; Sturdy guarantees that it survives at least one attack, while Weak Armor lets it take advantage of physical attackers by being able to outspeed the majority of them after Weak Armor, an ability which grants Crustle +2 in Speed when hit with a physical attack explaining what they do < explaining why they're good, it's a small difference but would definitely improve the last sentence. However, Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier pokemon such as Carracosta and Alolan Sandslash. Crustle is also very slow and generally passive, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Misdreavus. Special attackers in particular are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre special defense and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor. Crustle faces competition as a hazard setter by pokemon such as Aurorus and Aggron, which can apply offensive pressure alongside setting up Stealth Rock. Lastly, alongside these existing flaws, Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like shell smash or fully defensive by pokemon like Carracosta and Regirock, respectively.

[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
======== spacing
Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage pokemon switching in. Spikes are another hazard that damages grounded pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock. Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from pokemon like Gurdurr and Audino, which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing pokemon to secure KO's. Rock Blast is a STAB move that simultaneously pressures Flying- type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna, and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Leavanny and opposing Crustle. Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move, but it lacks the ability to break though Sturdy and Focus Sash pokemon, and can be PP stalled by pokemon such as Substitute Articuno.

Set Details
======== spacing
Max Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature lets Crustle apply as much offensive pressure as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb. The items and abilities are tailored to however Crustle wants to get up hazards. A Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers like Pinsir and Golurk by being able to outspeed them the following turn thanks to the speed boost Weak Armor provides. The physical defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get KO'd quickly and being able to pivot into another pokemon. A Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus the aforementioned slower Taunt users.

Usage Tips
======== spacing
Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission is to get up as many hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated; Stealth Rock leads such as Lycanroc and Aggron will often carry Taunt. Also be cautious of Crustle's weakness to Stealth Rock, which can limit the number of times it can switch in if Stealth Rock is on the field. Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first since it hits pokemon of all types, but it's still important to evaluate whether or not Stealth Rock or Spikes are more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few fire- and flying- types will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground- types, Spikes are generally more useful.The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users, as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy Set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it such as Leafeon and Kabutops, which limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from leads like Lycanroc and Shuckle so that they can be revenge killed the following turn.

Team Options
======== spacing
Crustle best sees play on hyper offense for its ability to chip away and break down teams. Thus, setup sweepers and wallbreakers that enjoy Crustle's hazards are ideal teammates, including Alolan Raichu, Stouland, Pyroar and Lilligant. Ghost- type pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. Oricorio-G is a notable example, as it threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan with a Supersonic Skystrike. Crustle will often be KO'd after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down, and these pokemon also like having entry hazards up to secure KO's. While not mandatory on more offense-oriented teams, users of Rapid Spin like Hitmonchan and Komala alolaslash pls, less komala the better keep Crustle's hazards on the field while removing the opponent's. Fast Taunt users such as Floatzel and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============= spacing
Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack and Speed. However, such a set is majorly outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to Choice Scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock. Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully. Moreover, Crustle would usually rather be setting up hazards or attacking with its utility moves. X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit leads if u said "pokemon" this wouldn't be wrong, but specifying leads then mentioning alolan duggy is incorrect, either change leads or change the example like Defensive Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB are generally more useful. Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes. Red Card is an option that forces a switch on the opposing pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup. Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and, once again, Carracosta, for its lack of a decent defensive ability and weakness to Stealth Rock. Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option to surprise the likes of Gastrodon and Golem as well as chunking opposing leads like Carbink but it's otherwise really gimmicky. also probably drop the carbink mention, does nothing to it, really just for gastro. Another Z-Move option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200 Base Power STAB move that helps soften bulkier leads for the rest of the team. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time. However, do keep in mind that both of these options are overall very situational, and offensive teams prefer reserving a Z-Crystal for a more dedicated offensive pokemon.

Checks and Counters
===================
omg the spacing's right
**Special Attackers**: Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Abomasnow since u mention aboma later, id put somth else here and Floatzel which makes it difficult to set up any more than one hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers in general give Crustle varying degrees of annoyance; Gastrodon's Scald can potentially burn and mitigate Crustle's Sturdy/Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus's hail chip also bypass this, KO'ing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While it must fear Knock Off, Mesprit can trick Crustle's item for a choiced item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**: Faster Taunt users like Sableye and Alolan Persian generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard, if none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with Will'O'Wisp. The Mental Herb set alleviates this issue somewhat, but versus the aforementioned faster Taunt users, Crustle can only set up one hazard before it's left vulnerable.

**Priority**: If brought down to its Focus Sash or Sturdy, Crustle can easily be picked off with a priority move like Aqua Jet or Mach Punch, quickly halting its progress on setting up hazards. honestly I'd just delete this section. crustle isnt fast enough so that priority in particular checks it, this just feels wholly unnecessary

**Hazard Removers**: Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thereby making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is KO'd.

3/3

tondas · May 8, 2018

This is ready for GP.

Aaronboyer · May 10, 2018

You gave me an AM QC Check, I give you an AM GP Check

This is an Amateur GP Check, so only Implement What You Want
ADD REMOVE (COMMENTS)
There were a few spacing issues, so I would recommend you c/p this in the OP.

[OVERVIEW]

Crustle is a decent suicide lead on hyper offense teams for its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes, a feature lacking in most other lead pokemon Pokemon. Additionally, Crustle packs nifty moves in Rock Blast and Knock Off which are very effective against opposing leads like Shuckle and Ferroseed. Crustle has two useful abilities that solidify its role as a hazard setter, with Sturdy letting it survive at least one attack while Weak Armor lets it take advantage of physical attackers by receiving a speed boost when hit and being able to outspeed most of them and set up another hazard the following turn. However, Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier pokemon Pokemon such as Carracosta and Alolan Sandslash. Crustle is also very slow and generally passive, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Misdreavus. Special attackers,(AC) in particular,(AC) are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre special defense and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor. Crustle faces competition as a hazard setter by pokemon Pokemon such as Aurorus and Aggron, which can apply offensive pressure alongside setting up Stealth Rock. Lastly, alongside these existing flaws, Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like shell smash or fully defensive by pokemon Pokemon like Carracosta and Regirock, respectively.

[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage pokemon Pokemon switching in. Spikes are another hazard that damages grounded pokemon Pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock. Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from pokemon Pokemon like Gurdurr and Audino, which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing pokemon Pokemon to secure KO's. Rock Blast is a STAB move that simultaneously pressures Flying- type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna,(RC) and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Leavanny and opposing Crustle. Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move, but it lacks the ability to break though through Sturdy and Focus Sash pokemon Pokemon,(RC) and can be PP stalled by pokemon Pokemon such as Substitute Articuno.

Set Details
========

Max Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature lets Crustle apply as much offensive pressure as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb. The items and abilities are tailored to for,(AC) however,(AC) Crustle wants to get getting up hazards. A Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers like Pinsir and Golurk by being able to outspeed them the following turn thanks to the speed boost Weak Armor provides. The physical defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get KO'd quickly and being able to pivot into another pokemon Pokemon. A Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus the aforementioned slower Taunt users.

Usage Tips
========

Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission is to get up as many hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated; Stealth Rock leads such as Lycanroc and Aggron will often carry Taunt. Also be cautious of Crustle's weakness to Stealth Rock, which can limit the number of times it can switch in if Stealth Rock is on the field. Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first since it hits pokemon Pokemon of all types, but it's still important to evaluate whether or not Stealth Rock or Spikes are more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few fire- Fire- and flying- Flying-types will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground- types, Spikes are generally more useful. The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users, as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy Set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it such as Leafeon and Kabutops, which limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from leads like Lycanroc and Shuckle so that they can be revenge killed the following turn.

Team Options
========

Crustle best sees play on hyper offense for its ability to chip away and break down teams. Thus, setup sweepers and wallbreakers that enjoy Crustle's hazards are ideal teammates, including Alolan Raichu, Stouland, Pyroar,(AC) and Lilligant. Ghost- type Ghost-type pokemon Pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. Oricorio-G is a notable example, as it threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan with a Supersonic Skystrike. Crustle will often be KO'd after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down, and these pokemon Pokemon also like having entry hazards up to secure KO's. While not mandatory on more offense-oriented teams, users of Rapid Spin like Hitmonchan and Alolan Sandslash keep Crustle's hazards on the field while removing the opponent's. Fast Taunt users such as Floatzel and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack,(AC) and Speed. However, such a set is majorly outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to Choice Scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock. Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully. Moreover, Crustle would usually rather be setting up hazards or attacking with its utility moves. X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit pokemon Pokemon like Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB are generally more useful. Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes. Red Card is an option that forces a switch on the opposing pokemon Pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup. Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and, once again, Carracosta, for its lack of a decent defensive ability and weakness to Stealth Rock. Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option that can surprise and nab KO's on pokemon Pokemon like Gastrodon and Golem, but this comes at the cost of being gimmicky and situational. Another Z-Move option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200 Base Power STAB move that helps soften bulkier leads for the rest of the team. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time. However, this suffers similarly to Grassium Z for being gimmicky, and in general, offensive teams prefer reserving a Z-Crystal for a more dedicated offensive pokemon Pokemon, which is something both of these choices end up sacrificing.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Special Attackers**: Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Lilligant and Floatzel which makes it difficult to set up any more than one hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers,(AC) in general,(AC) give Crustle varying degrees of annoyance; Gastrodon's Scald can potentially burn and mitigate Crustle's Sturdy/Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus's hail chip also bypass this, KO'ing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While it must fear Knock Off, Mesprit can trick Crustle's item for a choiced choice item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup pokemon Pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**: Faster Taunt users like Sableye and Alolan Persian generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard, if none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with Will'O'Wisp. The Mental Herb set alleviates this issue somewhat, but versus the aforementioned faster Taunt users, Crustle can only set up one hazard before it's left vulnerable.

**Hazard Removers**: Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thereby making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is KO'd.

tondas · May 10, 2018

Hi Aaronboyer, didn't quite agree with the changes made to sentence two in set details, but besides that most of everything mentioned should be implemented. Good job bud

Fireflame · Jun 7, 2018

I'm gonna go ahead and say that this was one of the most well-written and detailed analysis of a suicide lead mon that I've ever read.

~~Remove~~ Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen

[OVERVIEW]

Crustle is a decent suicide lead on hyper offense teams thanks to its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes, a feature lacking in most other lead Pokemon. Additionally, Crustle packs nifty moves in Rock Blast and Knock Off,(AC) which are very effective against opposing leads like Shuckle and Ferroseed. Crustle has two useful abilities that solidify its role as an entry hazard setter, with Sturdy letting it survive at least one attack ~~while~~ and Weak Armor ~~lets~~ letting it take advantage of physical attackers by receiving a Speed boost when hit,(AC) allowing Crustle ~~and~~ ~~being able~~ to outspeed most of them and set up another hazard the following turn. However, Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier Pokemon such as Carracosta and Alolan Sandslash. Crustle is also very slow and generally passive, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Misdreavus. Special attackers in particular are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre special defense and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor. Crustle faces competition as a hazard setter by Pokemon such as Aurorus and Aggron, which can apply offensive pressure alongside setting up Stealth Rock. Lastly, ~~alongside these existing flaws~~,(RC) (you don't really need to say this, and this is automatically assumed, since it's not like Crustle can only have one weakness at a time) Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like a Shell Smash or sweeper and fully defensive wall by Pokemon like Carracosta and Regirock, respectively.

[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage Pokemon switching in. Spikes ~~are~~ is (the move is singular) another entry hazard that damages grounded Pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock. Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from Pokemon like Gurdurr and Audino, which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing Pokemon to secure ~~KO's~~ KOs. STAB Rock Blast ~~is a STAB move that simultaneously~~ pressures Flying-type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Leavanny and opposing Crustle. Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move, but it lacks the ability to break through Sturdy and Focus Sash Pokemon and can be PP stalled by Pokemon such as Substitute Articuno.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed investment with a Jolly nature lets Crustle apply as much offensive pressure as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb. The items and abilities are tailored to however Crustle wants to get up entry hazards. A Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers like Pinsir and Golurk by being able to outspeed them the following turn thanks to the Speed boost Weak Armor provides. The ~~physical~~ Defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get ~~KO'd~~ KOed quickly and being able to pivot into another Pokemon. A Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus ~~the aforementioned~~ slower Taunt users (give examples here, since they weren't aforementioned).

Usage Tips
========

Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission is to get up as many entry hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated; Stealth Rock leads such as Lycanroc and Aggron will often carry Taunt. Also,(AC) be cautious of Crustle's weakness to Stealth Rock, which can limit the number of times it can switch in if Stealth Rock is on the field. Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first,(AC) since it hits Pokemon of all types, but it's still important to evaluate whether ~~or not~~ Stealth Rock or Spikes ~~are~~ is more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few Fire- and Flying-types will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground-types, Spikes ~~are~~ is generally more useful. The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users (such as...?), as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it such as Leafeon and Kabutops, which limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from leads like Lycanroc and Shuckle so ~~that~~ they can be revenge killed the following turn.

Team Options
========

Crustle is best ~~sees play~~ used on hyper offense for its ability to chip away at and break down teams with its entry hazards (think it's good to specify because wallbreakers and stallbreakers can do the same thing you mentioned). Thus, setup sweepers and wallbreakers that enjoy Crustle's hazards are ideal teammates, including Alolan Raichu, Stouland, Pyroar, and Lilligant. Ghost-type Pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. Oricorio-G is a notable example, as it threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan with a Supersonic Skystrike. Crustle will often be ~~KO'd~~ KOed after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down, and these Pokemon also like having entry hazards up to secure ~~KO's~~ KOs. While not mandatory on more offense-oriented teams, users of Rapid Spin like Hitmonchan and Alolan Sandslash keep Crustle's hazards on the field while removing the opponent's. Fast Taunt users such as Floatzel and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack, and Speed. However, such a set is ~~majorly~~ very outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority,(AC) while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB coverage. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to Choice Scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock. Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully. Moreover, Crustle would usually rather be setting up entry hazards or attacking with its utility moves. X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit Pokemon like Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB moves are generally more useful. Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes. Red Card is an option that forces a one-time switch on the opposing Pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup. Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and,(RC) ~~once again~~,(RC) Carracosta, ~~for its lack of~~ as Crustle lacks a decent defensive ability and has a weakness to Stealth Rock. Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option that can surprise and nab ~~KO's~~ KOs on Pokemon like Gastrodon and Golem, but this comes at the cost of being gimmicky and situational. Another ~~Z-Move~~ option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200-(AH)Base Power STAB move that helps soften bulkier leads for the rest of the team. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time. However, this suffers similarly to Grassium Z for being gimmicky, and in general, offensive teams prefer reserving a Z-Crystal for a more dedicated offensive Pokemon, which is something both of these choices end up sacrificing.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Special Attackers**: Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Lilligant and Floatzel,(AC) which makes it difficult to set up any more than one entry hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers, in general, give Crustle varying degrees of annoyance. Lanturn's Scald can potentially burn and mitigate Crustle's ~~Sturdy/Focus Sash~~ Sturdy or Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus's hail chip damage also bypass this, KO'ing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While it must fear Knock Off, Mesprit can ~~trick~~ use Trick to swap Crustle's item for a Choice item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup Pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**: Faster Taunt users like Sableye and Alolan Persian generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard,(RC) if or none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with ~~Will'O'Wisp~~ Will-O-Wisp. The Mental Herb set alleviates this issue somewhat, but versus the aforementioned faster Taunt users, Crustle can only set up one hazard before it's left vulnerable.

**Hazard Removers**: Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thereby making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is ~~KO'd~~ KOed.

GP 1/2

tondas · Jun 7, 2018

implemented

Lumari · Jun 28, 2018

~~remove~~ add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2

[OVERVIEW]

Crustle is a decent suicide lead on hyper offense teams thanks to its ability to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes, a feature lacking in most other lead Pokemon. Additionally, Crustle packs nifty moves in Rock Blast and Knock Off, which are very effective against opposing leads like Shuckle and Ferroseed. Crustle has two useful abilities that solidify its role as an entry hazard setter, with Sturdy letting it survive at least one attack ~~while~~ and Weak Armor ~~lets~~ letting it take advantage of physical attackers by receiving a Speed boost when hit, allowing Crustle to outspeed most of them and set up another hazard the following turn. However, Crustle's selection of coverage moves is rather lacking, often making it setup fodder to bulkier Pokemon such as Carracosta and Alolan Sandslash. Crustle is also very slow and generally passive, which makes it vulnerable to Taunt users such as Alolan Persian and Misdreavus. Special attackers in particular are a pain for it, as Crustle has mediocre Special Defense, (AC) and special attacks do not activate Weak Armor. Crustle faces competition as a hazard setter by from Pokemon such as Aurorus and Aggron, which can apply offensive pressure alongside setting up Stealth Rock. Lastly, Crustle is quite one-dimensional and predictable, as it's outclassed in other roles like a Shell Smash sweeper and a fully defensive wall by Pokemon like Carracosta and Regirock, respectively.

[SET]
name: Entry Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Rock Blast / Stone Edge
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
ability: Weak Armor / Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an ideal move for any competitive team for its ability to damage Pokemon switching in. Spikes is another entry hazard that damages grounded Pokemon, can be stacked, and whittles at and pressure teams in tandem with Stealth Rock. Knock Off removes items such as Eviolite and Leftovers from Pokemon like Gurdurr and Audino, which, in conjunction with hazards, assists the rest of the team in wearing down opposing Pokemon to secure ~~KO's~~ KOs. STAB Rock Blast ~~simultaneously~~ both pressures Flying-type Defoggers like Oricorio-G and Swanna and breaks through Sturdy and Focus Sash leads such as Leavanny and opposing Crustle. Stone Edge can be used in place of Rock Blast for a more consistently powerful STAB move, but it lacks the ability to break through Sturdy and Focus Sash Pokemon and can be PP stalled by Pokemon such as Substitute Articuno.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed investment with a Jolly nature lets Crustle apply as much offensive pressure as possible while also outspeeding slower Taunt users such as Weezing and Spiritomb. The items and abilities are tailored to however Crustle wants to get up entry hazards. Focus Sash with Weak Armor allows Crustle to usually get up at least two hazards versus physical attackers like Pinsir and Golurk by being able to outspeed them the following turn thanks to the speed boost Weak Armor provides. The Defense drop is also helpful for having Crustle get KOed quickly and being able to pivot ~~into~~ in another Pokemon. Mental Herb with Sturdy gives Crustle an easier time setting up hazards, as Mental Herb nullifies one instance of Taunt and Encore, giving Crustle the ability to set up at least two hazards versus slower Taunt users such as Probopass.

Usage Tips
========

Crustle should be used as a suicide lead, as its mission is to get up as many entry hazards as possible. However, if one runs the Focus Sash variant of Crustle and the opposing team reveals or has an obvious Taunt user, it's often safe to not lead Crustle until said Taunt user is off the field or eliminated; Stealth Rock leads such as Lycanroc and Aggron will often carry Taunt. Also, be cautious of Crustle's weakness to Stealth Rock, which can limit the number of times it can switch in if Stealth Rock is on the field. Stealth Rock is usually the most important hazard to set up first, since it hits Pokemon of all types, but it's still important to evaluate whether Stealth Rock or Spikes is more valuable to set up first in the event that Crustle can only set up one form of hazards. For instance, a team with a few Fire- and Flying-types will not appreciate taking Stealth Rock damage. However, versus grounded offensive teams and bulky Fighting- and Ground-types, Spikes is generally more useful. The Focus Sash + Weak Armor set must be cautious of faster Taunt users such as Skuntank and Alolan Persian, as Crustle cannot get up hazards versus them. Likewise, the Mental Herb + Sturdy set has to watch out for attackers that can 2HKO it such as Leafeon and Kabutops, which limit the number of hazards it can successfully set up. In some instances, getting up every single hazard may not be necessary. It might be better to break Focus Sash or Sturdy from leads like Lycanroc and Shuckle so they can be revenge killed the following turn.

Team Options
========

Crustle is best used on hyper offense for its ability to chip away at and break down teams with its entry hazards. Thus, setup sweepers and wallbreakers that enjoy Crustle's hazards are ideal teammates, including Alolan Raichu, Stouland, Pyroar, and Lilligant. Ghost-type Pokemon that block Rapid Spin such as Oricorio-G and Haunter are useful for keeping Crustle's hazards up on the field. Oricorio-G is a notable example, as it threatens to OHKO Hitmonchan with Supersonic Skystrike. Crustle will often be KOed after hazards are set up, so deterrents of Defog such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Pawniard are good to switch into after Crustle goes down, and these Pokemon also like having entry hazards up to secure KOs. While not mandatory on more offense-oriented teams, users of Rapid Spin like Hitmonchan and Alolan Sandslash keep Crustle's hazards on the field while removing the opponent's. Fast Taunt users such as Floatzel and Pyroar prevent the opposing team from using Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Crustle can make use of Shell Smash, a potent boosting move that gives Crustle +2 in Attack, Special Attack, and Speed. However, such a set is very outclassed by Carracosta and Turtonator, as the former boasts a larger mixed movepool and priority, while the latter is much harder to wall with its near-unresisted dual STAB coverage. Crustle will also find itself susceptible to Choice Scarf revenge killers and priority, as it's weak to moves such as Aqua Jet and Accelerock. Counter is a nasty surprise for powerful physical attackers that can bring it Crustle down to low health, but this is often really hard to pull off successfully. Moreover, Crustle would usually rather be setting up entry hazards or attacking with its utility moves. X-Scissor and Earthquake are coverage moves that hit Pokemon like Mesprit and Alolan Dugtrio, although the utility brought from Knock Off and Rock STAB moves are generally more useful. Block is an interesting choice that allows Crustle to trap passive Pokemon and set up multiple layers of Spikes. Red Card is an option that forces a one-time switch on the opposing Pokemon when Crustle is attacked, giving Crustle another opportunity to set up hazards or get a favorable matchup. Crustle can act as a more defensive lead with a bulkier spread and Toxic to wear down opposing defensive leads such as Regirock and Carbink. However, this is usually outclassed by Regirock and Carracosta, (AC) as Crustle lacks a decent defensive ability and has a weakness to Stealth Rock. Grassium Z with Solar Beam is a niche option that can surprise and nab KOs on Pokemon like Gastrodon and Golem, but this comes at the cost of being gimmicky and situational. Another option is Rockium Z with Rock Wrecker to hit targets astronomically hard with a 200-Base Power STAB move that helps soften bulkier leads for the rest of the team. In addition, while unorthodox, Z-Stealth Rock bypasses Taunt users one time. However, this suffers similarly to Grassium Z for being gimmicky, and in general, offensive teams prefer reserving a Z-Crystal for a more dedicated offensive Pokemon, which is something both of these choices end up sacrificing.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Special Attackers**: Crustle has a mediocre Special Defense stat that leaves it vulnerable to faster special attackers such as Lilligant and Floatzel, which makes it difficult to set up any more than one entry hazard. To make matters worse, several special attackers, in general, ~~give~~ annoy Crustle to varying degrees ~~of annoyance~~. Lanturn's Scald can potentially burn Crustle and ~~mitigate Crustle's~~ negate its Sturdy or Focus Sash. Abomasnow and Aurorus's hail chip damage also bypass this, ~~KO'ing~~ KOing Crustle at the end of the turn if it is low enough. While it must fear Knock Off, Mesprit can use Trick to swap Crustle's item for a Choice item, which impairs its ability to set up hazards and makes it incredibly vulnerable to setup Pokemon.

**Fast Taunt Users**: Faster Taunt users like Sableye and Lycanroc generally limit Crustle to only being able to set up one hazard or none at all. Certain Taunt users such as Sableye can also burn it with Will-O-Wisp. The Mental Herb set alleviates this issue somewhat, but versus the aforementioned faster Taunt users, Crustle can only set up one hazard before it's left vulnerable.

**Hazard Removers**: Users of Rapid Spin and Defog such as Hitmonchan and Swanna can remove all of Crustle's hazards in one turn, thereby making its efforts worthless. Because of Crustle's hasty nature of stacking hazards, it's often impossible to get up hazards again in the likelihood that Crustle is KOed.

tondas · Jun 28, 2018

I reckon this is ready for upload!

asa · Jun 28, 2018

uploading

PU Crustle

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

yogi

I did not succumb...

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

asa

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

yogi

I did not succumb...

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

MZ

And now for something completely different

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

Aaronboyer

Something Worth Fighting For

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

Fireflame

Silksong when

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

Lumari

empty spaces

tondas

This hennessy is gonna be the death of me

asa

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