QC: Steve Angello / Tokyo Tom / TheEnder
GP: GatoDelFuego / SM979
Overview
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By virtue of its great typing, Empoleon is able to check popular Dragon-, Fairy-, and Water-types such as Latios, Mega Altaria, and Manaphy. Access to both Stealth Rock and Defog is also very useful as Empoleon provides great entry hazard control in one teamslot, and it is one of the few Defog users with a resistance to Stealth Rock. However, Empoleon is somewhat passive; it often just sits there hoping for a Scald burn and phazing the foe. It also loses to some of the Pokemon it is supposed to check, such as Clefable, in a last Pokemon situation. Weaknesses to common offensive types in Fighting, Ground, and Electric also hold Empoleon back a little because Pokemon often carry coverage that hit it super effectively. Finally, no reliable recovery and low Speed means Empoleon is worn down pretty easily and cannot keep checking threats the whole game without Wish support.
Specially Defensive
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name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Roar
move 3: Toxic / Stealth Rock
move 4: Defog / Stealth Rock
ability: Torrent
item: Leftovers / Chople Berry
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
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Scald has a 30% chance to burn the foe, making physical attackers hesitant to switch in. Roar phazes out setup sweepers such as Manaphy and Clefable that would otherwise set up on Empoleon despite the type disadvantage. Toxic helps in actually defeating Pokemon such as Latios that Empoleon walls but cannot deal a lot of damage against with Scald. Defog removes all entry hazards from the field, which is useful for teammates such as Talonflame and Mega Pinsir that are weak to them. Stealth Rock can be used over either Toxic or Defog depending on what your team needs. Protect grants Empoleon additional Leftovers recovery, racks up poison and burn damage, and can scout moves from Choice-locked Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Keldeo. Knock Off cripples common switch-ins such as Chansey and Ferrothorn, and gives Empoleon a way to deal a lot of damage against some of the Pokemon it walls, such as Latios and Starmie. Yawn can force switches because the opponent does not want their Pokemon asleep, makes Empoleon not a sitting duck against Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and last-Pokemon Clefable's, and grants setup opportunities for teammates.
Set Details
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The given EV spread maximizes Empoleon's special bulk so it can effectively wall a lot of threatening Pokemon in OU, such as Latios, Latias, Sylveon, and Mega Altaria. An alternative EV spread of 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 SpD with a Bold nature can be used, as it enables Empoleon to live an Earthquake from Landorus-T and a Thunderbolt from Mega Manectric and hit them back with a Torrent-boosted Scald. Torrent is used as Defiant is completely useless, because Empoleon uses no physical attacks, and it can power up Empoleon's Scald in a pinch. Leftovers grants Empoleon passive recovery so it is harder to wear down. Chople Berry is an option as it helps Empoleon against Pokemon such as Mega Gardevoir, Terrakion, Keldeo, and Gengar by reducing the amount of damage taken from a Fighting-type attack for a turn.
Usage Tips
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Switch Empoleon in against Dragon-, Fairy-, and Water-type Pokemon such as Latios, Sylveon, and Manaphy, and set up Stealth Rock or use Defog against them. Empoleon works best as a defensive pivot, switching into common Pokemon such as non-Superpower Azumarill, Heatran, and Clefable, and forcing them out. Empoleon also does great against rain teams as it can check non-Low Kick Kabutops, Omastar, and Kingdra. It is important to avoid Knock Off and burns, because Empoleon has no reliable recovery and is thus not very hard to wear down. It is also favorable to not let the opponent stack too much layers of Spikes, as Empoleon is already worn down easily. Just clicking Scald is almost never a bad idea, as the 30% chance to burn is very useful in wearing the opponent down and crippling physical attackers that might try to switch in.
Team Options
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Clerics, especially Clefable as it has the best type synergy with Empoleon, are great teammates because they can keep Empoleon healthy with Wish and Heal Bell. Pokemon such as Talonflame and Victini appreciate Empoleon's ability to remove Stealth Rock and other entry hazards. Fire- and Grass-types such as Talonflame and Amoonguss can form a Fire / Water / Grass core together with Empoleon that covers each other's weaknesses very well. Similarly, Dragon- and Fairy-types such as Garchomp and Clefable can form a Dragon / Fairy / Steel core together with Empoleon that also covers each other's weaknesses very well. Empoleon also forms a good core with with Tangrowth and Zapdos as they have great type synergy. Empoleon and Landorus cover each other's weaknesses perfectly and can form a core together. Landorus can also set up on most of what forces Empoleon out, such as Landorus-T and Terrakion.
Other Options
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A Choice Specs set with the moves Hydro Pump, Flash Cannon, Grass Knot, and either Hidden Power Fire or Ice Beam hits very hard and can bluff the standard defensive set. Empoleon can be a suicide lead with Focus Sash to take advantage of Torrent to fire off powerful Hydro Pumps. It can also get surprise KOs against Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Excadrill, and act as an emergency check to Pokemon such as Mega Altaria with Flash Cannon. Agility and Substitute together with a Petaya Berry make Empoleon a decent sweeper, but one that is lacking in coverage. A physically offensive set with Defiant and Swords Dance can possibly sweep with boosted Aqua Jets, but is weak without a boost and just generally an inferior Defiant user. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-types such as Clefairy and Sylveon that Empoleon walls decently hard, but most of the time Empoleon is better off just using Roar as Calm Mind Clefable sets up on it and Sylveon will often switch out of Empoleon anyway. Icy Wind can slow down the foe for another teammate to defeat it.
Checks & Counters
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**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Raikou, Rotom-W, and Thundurus hit Empoleon for super effective damage with their STAB attacks. They do not like poison, however, as Electric-types are often relied upon to defeat Flying-types such as Talonflame and Mega Pinsir that often accompany Empoleon.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Mega Gallade can easily take care of Empoleon with their STAB moves, and set up a Swords Dance or Calm Mind as Empoleon switches out. Assault Vest Conkeldurr can also switch in on anything Empoleon can do and defeat it.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Breloom wall Empoleon and can do whatever they want against it.
**Trappers**: Magnezone does a very good job at switching into and defeating Empoleon with a STAB Thunderbolt. Dugtrio cannot switch in but can still defeat Empoleon with Earthquake, and Gothitelle can hit Empoleon very hard with Thunderbolt if it carries the move.
**Chansey**: Due to its massive HP and Special Defense, Chansey can switch in without fear against any Empoleon lacking Knock Off and defeat Empoleon with Seismic Toss.
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