[Overview]
<p>Ditto has been doing the same thing since its inception: transforming into its opponent.
With Imposter
allows, Ditto
is able (allows sounded redundant with "allowing" later in the sentence) to copy the oppo
sin
g Poke
mon
and it
s stat boosts almost flawlessly without wasting a turn setting up, allowing it
to revenge kill
Pokemon (Pokemon was vague here imo) set-up sweepers, such as Shell Smash Gorebyss, Fraxure, Sawsbuck, and Shell Smash Carracosta. With a Choice Scarf attached, Ditto is guaranteed to outspeed those same offensive threats. Unfortunately, Ditto cannot copy the HP stat of its opponent, making it frailer than its target in most situations, as Ditto's fully invested HP stat is only equivalent to an uninvested
base 79 HP stat.
Due to havingBecause it needs to carry a Choice Scarf, Ditto will always be limited to one type of move. As a result, Ditto has difficulty beating most setup sweepers, including Bulk Up Gurdurr and Braviary; Swords Dance Scolipede and Samurott;
and Calm Mind Serperior and Musharna, making it an
an inferior revenge-killer, the one job it can actually do. This also makes it difficult for Ditto to pull its weight against defensively oriented teams, as its power is in the hands of the opponent and the opponent can often plow through it. While Ditto can work, it's far too situational to fit on most teams, as there are too many revenge killers in NU that can do its job more reliably.</p>
[SET]
name: Doppelganger
move 1: Transform
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Imposter
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 3 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Using a Choice Scarf, Ditto will be guaranteed to outspeed almost every offensive threat that it comes into contact with. The only reason Transform is there is because Ditto needs to have a move; otherwise, it is completely useless. Despite how it might seem, Ditto isn't just limited to being a revenge killer. Thanks to Imposter, when Ditto transforms, it is able to attain knowledge of the opponent
'(add apostrophe)s moveset
, t. This information can prove to be invaluable when dealing with unpredictable Pokemon
,(AC) such as Golurk, Eelektross, and Samurott. In some cases, Ditto can even use moves like Rapid Spin, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Aromatherapy to its advantage, thus supporting its teammates. Often
(remove space)times, Ditto's frailty makes it difficult for it to switch into a setup sweeper and take advantage of its boost, so wise prediction is necessary on your part to get it in safely. Even if Ditto does get the chance, do keep in mind
,(remove comma) that setup sweepers are rather uncommon in NU
,;(comma -> semicolon) even most offensive teams simply limit themselves to one.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>There are two things Ditto does not copy from the opponent
, —(insert em dash)HP and IVs. HP is maximized for this reason. When transforming into an opponent that possess Hidden Power, the above IVs give Ditto Hidden Power Grass, the most useful for defeating Water-types
that often carry Hidden Power,(AC) such as Gorebyss and Samurott, though it does leave Ditto to be setup bait to Sap Sipper and Grass-type Pokemon. Ditto can also change the IVs to 3 Atk / 30 SpA / 3 Spe to attain Hidden Power Electric
,(remove comma) so that it can reliably revenge kill Mantine and Charizard; however, Ground-types such as Golem will be able to do whatever they please against Ditto if it gets locked into it.</p>
<p>Ditto will often be switching in and out through
out the course of the match, so Poison-types such as Skuntank and Garbodor pair well with Ditto in
order to absorb
ing Toxic Spikes. Ditto pairs well with offensively orientated teams for two reasons.
OneFirst, Ditto will be able to switch in
easily to Pokemon who are immune to their own attacks
,(AC) such as Zebstrika and Sawsbuck
, giving its offensive team a ha. Second
(this sounded super awkward to me, and it's sort of fluff anyways, so I'd personally prefer it if it were cut)
y bulwark from time to time. Two, Ditto cannot transform when a Pokemon is behind a Substitute, so
,(remove comma) offensive teammates
, such as Primeape and Ludicolo
, can put enough pressure on the opposition to the point where they will not be able to set up a Substitute.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Choice Scarf is the only viable item on Ditto, as it guarantees that it can outspeed setup sweepers. No other item can possibly replace the utility that Choice Scarf provides.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Ditto is such a quirky Pokemon that there really is nothing that "counters" it in the traditional sense. The best way to "counter" Ditto is to stop it from taking advantage of your team's entry hazard setter or setup sweeper, which
at times can be cumbersome
at times. The best way for offensive teams to deal with Ditto is for their setup sweeper to run
a Substitute, as Ditto will not be able to transform when its target is behind one. Without a Substitute, it is too risky to use offensively orientated boosting moves. For balanced or stall teams, it is difficult to stop Ditto from coming in and taking advantage of your entry hazard setter or Rapid Spin user; however, Ditto will often be switching in and out throughout the course of the match, so
,(remove comma) setting up Stealth Rock at the beginning will
do well inhelp to wear
ing it down. Something to keep in mind is that when Ditto transforms, you know what moves it carries, so intelligent maneuvering and a little guesswork will help you defeat it. Unburden Pokemon
like, such as Drifblim
, also deal well with Ditto, as Ditto will be unable to outspeed them because it does not copy its opponents' boosts from
the abilit
iesy. The most efficient way to combat Ditto starts before the beginning of the match
. S; so long as your team has proper defensive synergy, Ditto will only be a minor nuisance.</p>
