Empoleon
Overview
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+ Many Resistances with its interesting typing.
+ On a balanced team, Empoleon is one of the few checks to Greninja (Barring Low Kick).
+ Solid Special Bulk.
+ Access to support moves such as Stealth Rock, Roar, and Defog.
+ Great Special Attack.
+ One of the very few Defog users that also resists Stealth Rock.
+ Decent supporter, which is its primary role.
- Common weaknesses that hinder its potential as a special support Pokemon.
- Lack of reliable recovery makes it easy to wear down.
- Low Speed.
Utility
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Name: Utility
Move 1: Defog / Stealth Rock
Move 2: Toxic / Stealth Rock
Move 3: Scald
Move 4: Roar
Ability: Torrent
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Df / 252 SpD
Nature: Calm
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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Checks & Counters
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**Fighting Types**, particularly Conkeldurr, Keldeo, and Heracross, are a nightmare for Empoleon. Conkeldurr and Heracross can use status conditions to their advantage, and hit Empoleon with a super effective STAB Physical Move to KO it with ease. Keldeo can use its Secret Sword to easily KO Empoleon.
**Trappers**, most notably Magnezone and Dugtrio, make good counters to Empoleon because they can hit Empoleon hard, and Empoleon can't do anything about it.
**Taunt** makes Empoleon almost completely useless.
**Bulky Grass Types** such as Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur are unable to be attacked by Empoleon barring a 30% chance burn (Also both happen to be immune to Toxic).
Overview
########
+ Many Resistances with its interesting typing.
+ On a balanced team, Empoleon is one of the few checks to Greninja (Barring Low Kick).
+ Solid Special Bulk.
+ Access to support moves such as Stealth Rock, Roar, and Defog.
+ Great Special Attack.
+ One of the very few Defog users that also resists Stealth Rock.
+ Decent supporter, which is its primary role.
- Common weaknesses that hinder its potential as a special support Pokemon.
- Lack of reliable recovery makes it easy to wear down.
- Low Speed.
Utility
########
Name: Utility
Move 1: Defog / Stealth Rock
Move 2: Toxic / Stealth Rock
Move 3: Scald
Move 4: Roar
Ability: Torrent
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Df / 252 SpD
Nature: Calm
Moves
========
- Defog is present to remove hazards and screens for the rest of your team.
- Decent Stealth Rock setter, as it beats Latias and Latios when they're barring Thunderbolt, prevents Excadrill from switching in due to the threat of a Scald, and does well against other Defog users such as Mandibuzz, Mega Scizor, Togekiss, and Skarmory.
- Stealth Rock is good when your team doesn't have a Pokemon to set up Stealth Rock already, and it gives Pokemon such as Thundurus, Charizard, Pinsir, and Dragonite a tough time switching into it.
- Toxic is there to cripple walls, limit the time a sweeper can last, and generally deal a ton of damage.
- Scald is a decent STAB move that has a chance to burn the opponent, making their physical attacks rather weak.
- Roar is good to prevent Wish passing, and continously rack up Stealth Rock damage. It also stops set up sweepers such as Tail Glow Manaphy, Dragon Dance Mega Gyarados, Calm Mind Mega Slowbro, Calm Mind Clefable, and Calm Mind Mega Latias.
Set Details
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- A Calm nature, as well as a Max Special Defence and HP investment makes Empoleon a complete special wall, making it able to live a Thunderbolt from a Thundurus, and a Thunderbolt from a Latios.
- If one runs Defog, their only available ability is Torrent since Defiant was not available in Generation 4, which is the only generation in which Empoleon can get Defog.
- Leftovers is useful for gaining back entry hazard damage, and stalling out the opponent with Toxic and/or Scald.
- One has the option to use a 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Empoleon Spread, which can really help Empoleon with Pokemon such as Azumarill, Talonflame, Mega Altaria, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Aerodactyl. It is also known to easily take a Low Kick from a Greninja, making Empoleon a monstrous check to it.
Usage Tips
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- Empoleon can often switch in due to its massive amount of resistances (Including but not limited to Ice, Rock, Bug, Psychic, Flying, Dragon, and Fairy) as well as its decent bulk, therefore it can often set up Rocks and/or Defog them away.
- Empoleon works well as a pivot when Attackers with little coverage over it such as Greninja, Gyarados (barring Earthquake), Azumarill (barring Superpower), Scizor (also barring Superpower), and Manaphy are on the field.
- Scald can be used often, crippling many foes and casually lowering their HP.
- Try to avoid Knock Off users and Will-O-Wisp users, as Empoleon has no reliable recovery moves.
- Use Roar often to rack up Stealth Rock Damage.
- One can often Double Switch, as Empoleon forces a lot of Pokemon to switch out. For instance, as Empoleon forces Conkeldurr out with a high frequency, one can double switch into a Pokemon such as Latias or Clefable, who counter Conkeldurr quite well.
Team Options
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- Latias' access to Healing Wish, as well as its resistances to Electric and Fighting, and its immunity to Ground makes it a solid companion of Empoleon's. Empoleon also works well with Latias because Empoleon resists Dragon, Fairy, Bug, and Ice.
- Clefable and Sylveon are known as slightly better Wish Users, and they also happen to resist Fighting, which can really assist Empoleon.
- As Empoleon forces a lot of switches, Pokemon that benefit from Double Switches could work very well with Empoleon.
- Gliscor and Landorus-Therian are good teammates for Empoleon, as they can both take Physical Attacks, and they resist or are immune to all of Empoleon's weaknesses.
Other Options
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- Protect can be used with Toxic to stall the opponent and get Leftovers Recovery, but this set is ultimately outclassed by others such as Sylveon, and Gliscor.
- Toxic can be replaced with another Attacking move, such as Ice Beam or Flash Cannon, but overall Toxic will do more damage and Toxic has the ability to break walls.
- Choice Specs may sound like a decent idea considering Empoleon's diverse movepool with options like Flash Cannon, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and even Signal Beam, but it ultimately just doesn't land well enough, and many other Pokemon do this job better. However, it can still OHKO Physically Defensive Clefable with Flash Cannon, it can 2HKO Specially Defensive Heatran with Surf, it can 2HKO A Physically Defensive Slowbro and a Physically Defensive Suicune with Grass Knot, and it can 2HKO most Dragons with Ice Beam.
- Knock Off can be used to add more utility to Empoleon. However, many other Pokemon do the job better and Scald is generally a better option.
Checks & Counters
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**Fighting Types**, particularly Conkeldurr, Keldeo, and Heracross, are a nightmare for Empoleon. Conkeldurr and Heracross can use status conditions to their advantage, and hit Empoleon with a super effective STAB Physical Move to KO it with ease. Keldeo can use its Secret Sword to easily KO Empoleon.
**Trappers**, most notably Magnezone and Dugtrio, make good counters to Empoleon because they can hit Empoleon hard, and Empoleon can't do anything about it.
**Taunt** makes Empoleon almost completely useless.
**Bulky Grass Types** such as Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur are unable to be attacked by Empoleon barring a 30% chance burn (Also both happen to be immune to Toxic).
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