D/P Choice Scarf Slaking .

[kd24]

I find this to be much more common then Choice Band Slaking, and it worked very nice when I used him in OU.

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/slaking

[SET]
Name: Choice Scarf
Move 1: Earthquake
Move 2: Ice Punch
Move 3: ThunderPunch / Return
Move 4: Pursuit / Shadow Claw
Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 120 Def / 136 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Slaking has gargantuan Attack, his 100 Base Speed can not be ignored. After equipping a Choice Scarf, Slaking outpaces every single threat, barring Ninjask and Deoxys-S. Slaking's huge Attack score and large movepool allows it to function extremely well as a revenge killer.</p>

<p>Pursuit is a great way to catch Pokemon such as Azelf and Gengar off guard, as it is guaranteed to OHKO if they switch. If you feel that there is no reason to risk not OHKOing, Shadow Claw will OHKO both of them. Earthquake will easily take out Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Heatran, who can cause serious problems if left alive. Ice Punch will take out Roserade, Salamence, and Zapdos, all of whom are very common. The choice between Return and ThunderPunch is rather difficult as both have their merits. ThunderPunch will easily OHKO Gyarados and help deal with Skarmory. Return provides a strong, reliable STAB attack and is a great way to finish off any weakened foes lategame.</p>

<p>An Adamant Nature with 136 EVs in Speed allows you a Speed stat that outpaces Choice Scarf Heracross. 252 Attack EVs give Slaking more power and allows many more OHKOs. 120 Defense EVs allow Slaking to survive a +2 Outrage from Garchomp as well as let him fare better against Tyranitar and Gyarados.</p>

<p>If you feel confident in your prediction, Focus Punch makes a great option for denting Bronzong, the most common counter to Slaking.</p>

--------------------------------------------

 

[Goodbar]

Like you said, Fire Punch is only useful for Bronzong for the most part, and only being able to 3HKO it, it is probably not a staple on this set. Likewise Thunderpunch only is useful for gyarados and I guess Skarmory; if you had return, you could hit all other SE Pokemon harder than Thunderpunch. I'd think a STAB move would come in handy. Though this is just theorymon, I haven't used much of Slaking, but consider those points. Maybe:
Move 1: Earthquake
Move 2: Ice Punch
Move 3: Thunderpunch / Fire Punch / Return
Move 4: Pursuit / Shadow Claw

 

[Morm]

You have a spelling error.

"Fire Punch will only 2HKO Bronzong, meaning it will take 3 turns (factoring in Traunt)"
it is supposed to be Truant.

 

[umbarsc]

In other words, Fire Punch is useless. Bronzong will have ample time to Hypnosis, Stealth Rock, and switch. You'll lose to Bronzong anyways, so don't focus this on being an anti-lead, focus this on being a lead.

I personally feel that Return in irreplaceable on this set. You'll want a generic STAB move when you're not hitting specific targets with super-effective attacks.

 

[kd24]

fixed spelling error. The problem with Return is that it really doesnt kill anything without that choice band and this is meant to kill the most common leads.

ThunderPunch / Fire Punch would probably be a good option as ThunderPunch is mainly for Gyarados, and Fire Punch is mainly for Mamoswine and Bronzong.

 

[Stellar]

Return definitely should be an option or at least mentioned somewhere in other options. Earthquake needs to be a main option. So at least something like:
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Thunderpunch / Fire Punch
- Pursuit / Shadow Claw

Mention Focus Punch somewhere in other options.

Last sentence of first paragraph needs rewording.
"Slaking's huge Attack score and large movepool allow it to function well as an anti-lead."
What you had before was a bit confusing and full of word-fluff.

I would just go with "as it is guaranteed to OHKO them if they switch."

There should be a comma between Bronzong and but in the second paragraph.

I would take out "if you are willing to risk it."

Change Earthquake will also provide to Earthquake also provides.

Change will defeat to defeats.

Change you to Slaking in the first sentence of the third paragraph.

I would take out "and you think you can deal with it later". Thats redundant if it isn't too much of a problem.

You need a comma after hard in the last sentence.

This analysis was definitely written better than your others, so good job on that.

 

[kd24]

alright fixing the set up to have

- thunderpunch / return
- ice punch
- earthquake
- pursuit / shadow claw

I will mention focus punch in a small paragraph.


edit: fixed all mistakes and redid the moveset with all of stellars suggestions. It should look better now. Any more suggestions?

 

[Havak]

I have to agree that Slaking without a STAB Normal-type move seems wrong, I can see why you want that set, but Bronzong is going to do what it needs to do anyway.

Thunderpunch should be ThunderPunch.

 

[jrrrrrrr]

Slaking without a Normal-type move only seems wrong because some of us are still stuck in Advance. :(

Even though this goes against the general rule of thumb, I don't really see the need for a STAB move on Slaking. Normal-type moves just aren't as good as they used to be. Just as an aside to show how worthless these moves have become, I'll point out that Blissey, Togekiss and Snorlax are the only Normal-types in OU, and only one of those three will ever be using a Normal-type move (except the rare Tri Attack Togekiss). Now compare that to the 5 pokemon out of the top 10 in usage that resist or are immune to Normal and you will see why I am rambling on about this. 160 Base Attack is more than enough to cover the lack of STAB, especially when you consider how many Steels, Ghosts and Rocks are running around in the Sandstorm based OU metagame.

Slaking has always been a prediction heavy pokemon anyways, and since you will likely never be using the Normal move on Slaking I honestly don't see the need for it as a mandatory option. More often than not when you bring Slaking in, you are going to be using EQ, Fire Punch or Pursuit. I think its place over ThunderPunch is perfectly fine as it is right now.

 

[Phuquoph]

This isn't that good as a lead really. Bronzong can still put you to sleep, Hippo can still set up Stealth Rock then Slack Off damage, Roserade still puts you to sleep since leads ones almost always have Focus Sash. Scarf or Sash Gengar is also a problem. Earthquake will never OHKO Tyranitar either.

You should look at it as a good, bulky revenge killer. I agree with jrrrrr about Return not being a necessity here. Earthquake/Ice Punch/ThunderPunch/Shadow Claw gives the best coverage for taking out sweepers.

 

[kd24]

Should I market it as a lead revenge killer then? Or just label it as a sole revenge killer in general?

 

[maddog]

Make it into a revenge killer. I used a bulky Choice Scarf Slaking as a utility counter to several pokes on my One Type Tour team. It worked rather well, as most people don't expect him to be able to take a hit from Garchomp and finish him off with Ice Punch. Here was the set and EV spread I used.

I used Return/ Ice Punch/ Hammer Arm/ ThunderPunch on it, but after reading this I might want to change the set to what Phuqouph had.

The EV spread I used was this: 108 HP/ 114 Atk/ 252 Def/ 36 Spe with an Adamant nature. It allowed me to take physical hits as well as possible, while still having enough attack to 1hko Bulky Gyarados, without Intimidate. It still has a good chance to KO the Gyarados with Intimidate, provided Gyarados switched into Stealth Rock. It also 1hkos Garchomp with Ice Punch (i'm not sure about with Yache Berry though). 32 Speed EVs with a Choice Scarf puts it at 367 Speed, beating Starmie and Gengar. This was my all pupose physical stopper, and my answer to Subless Garchomp, Gyarados, Tyranitar, and a bunch of other things.

 

[Phuquoph]

If you've got Return/Ice Punch/Hammer Arm/ThunderPunch all you really lose coverage on is Gengar (the punches do like 70% I think) and Metagross/Jirachi. It all comes down to what you want Slaking to kill.

I would use less Speed too. Ninjask usually has Protect, and Deoxys can't OHKO with Superpower. 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe outruns most Scarf Heracross, and you can survive a +2 Outrage from Garchomp.

 

[kd24]

will update changes in a little while.

edit: everything phuquoph said has been done although I must ask if your ev spread was meant for an adamant nature or if I should keep using Jolly.

 

[darkie]

That's adamant if it's outrunning most scarf heracross.

 

[kd24]

hmm alright Im changing the nature to adamant with jolly as a second option.

 

[cim]

Terrible idea, I think. Everyone will switch out of Slaking anyway, so there's no reason not to run a Choice Band really. It's not like he needs to outspeed anything anyway, he's bulky as hell for the rare Pokémon that stays in.

Dropping STAB Return on Slaking is insanely ridiculous. I'm not even sure why you'd even run Ice Punch. Just for Garchomp? But "omg 5 of the top ten resist normal lol" isn't a reason to do it. Normal isn't the best coverage, but STAB Return isn't by any means bad. Especially with Slaking's attack, it'd still do a decent amount of damage (with a Choice Band) to anything.

 

[kd24]

Ice Punch will hit Roserade, Salamence, Garchomp, ect. for ohkos as well as combos perfectly with earthquake and thunderpunch. And the set works fine because usually the opponent will try to finish off slaking with their higher speed and you can surprise and kill them. then just revenge kill lategame or dent a switch-in.

 

[cim]

Roserade takes more from Return. Remember, Base Power is what matters, not "It's super effective" being on screen. This is why Brick Break and Rock Slide aren't good options on any Slaking.

 

[kd24]

But that exactly is why Return isnt that great of an option =/

Return is absolutly shut cold by every steel, ghost, and rock type in ou. Ice Punch can seriously dent most of these incase you end up missing your prediction.

slaking vs. roserade. you have return on your set so you use that. they switch to gengar you have to switch.

OR

slaking vs. roserade. you have ice punch, they switch to gengar predicting return or earthquake and take 75% from ice punch.

its little things like that, combined with ice punchs amazing type coverage with earthquake and thunderpunch, which make it a superior option.

 

[junior]

<p>An Adamant Nature with 136 EVs in Speed allows you a Speed stat that outpaces Choice Scarf Heracross. Slaking wants to have maximum Attack, therefore 252 Attack EVs are needed. 120 HP EVs allow Slaking to survive a +2 Outrage from Garchomp.</p>

Redundancy in one sentence is not good looking and makes it awkward.

<p>If you feel confident in your prediction, Focus Punch makes a great option for taking out Blissey as well as taking out the bulkiest of Tyranitars.</p>

Remove this. Blissey is NEVER switching into Slaking, and I can guarantee you that so the mention of Focus Punch isn't needed. Earthquake deals with TTars well enough.

Otherwise it looks fine. Return should be prioritised over Thunderpunch imo, afterall, Thunderpunch is only hitting two notable things while Return hits many for insane damage. Unlike the others, I would use Return over Thunderpunch.

 

[Wayff]

I edited some Grammar stuff etc. Also, Return shouldn't be an option, because yeah, most leads don't get hit by Return.

<p>Although Slaking has gargantuan Attack; his 100 Base Speed cannot be ignored. After equipping a Choice Scarf, Slaking outpaces every single threat, barring Ninjask, Deoxys-S, and faster Choice Scarf Pokemon. Slaking's huge Attack score and large movepool allows it to function extremely well as a revenge killer.</p>

<p>Pursuit is a great way to catch Pokemon such as Azelf and Gengar off guard, as it is guaranteed to OHKO if they switch. If you feel that there is no reason to risk not OHKOing, Shadow Claw will OHKO both of them. Earthquake will easily take out Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Heatran, who can cause serious problems if left alive. Ice Punch will take out Roserade, Dragons, and Flyers, all of whom are very common.</p>

<p>An Adamant Nature with 136 EVs in Speed allows you a Speed stat that outpaces Choice Scarf Heracross. Slaking wants to maximize Attack as much as possible, therefore 252 Attack EVs are needed. 120 HP EVs allow Slaking to survive a +2 Outrage from Garchomp.</p>

(What nature, Jolly or Adamant? Or both?)

 

[jrrrrrrr]

Also, Return shouldn't be an option, because yeah, most leads don't get hit by Return.

Return should definitely be an option (probably the main option for move 3, with ThunderPunch as a slash), but I was just pointing out that it isn't really a *mandatory* move. Unlike the current "suicide lead" trend would have people believe, sometimes your lead can be useful AFTER the first 3 turns of a match too!! Slaking is bulky enough to be able to afford hitting into a resistance once or twice.

 

[maddog]

Is there any reason to put those EVs in HP? It would be far more effective in the defenses, since Slaking's base HP is so freaken high. I would move those 120 HP EVs to defense, considering Slaking is meant to take on Tyranitar, Garchomp and Gyarados; and those EVs would serve a better puporse there.

 

[Phuquoph]

I suggested HP because it covers both defenses. However, you are right that Slaking will usually be taking physical hits, rather than special. Putting them in Defense makes a big difference as to how much damage it takes from Garchomp, Gyarados, etc.