Endeavor Rampardos, everyone.

futuresuperstar

I did not see mention of Endeavor anywhere in the analysis section for Rampardos, so I decided to post a little variation to the typical dinosaur.

Rampardos @ Focus Sash
Adamant, Mold Breaker, 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Endeavor

It is quite simple, and remarkably similar to the standard Rock Polish set. I have found that leading with this Rampardos is the most effective way to abuse its ability. Firstly, use Rock Polish. Most enemies will either switch to their counter or hit you with a strong move that activates your sash. Now, you will out-speed most everything. Begin your killing spree with Stone Edge or Earthquake. Only use the attacking moves if you know that you can easily OHKO the opponent. Most counters for Rampardos are either faster and fragile enemies that can easily out-speed and dispatch you -- solved by Rock Polish -- or very sturdy tanks. If you cannot OHKO the enemy after the sash has been activated, simply Endeavor. You will cripple their counter, leaving it with a single hit point as you die. Also, you will not die to Sandstorm, since you are part-Rock. The only weather that will disrupt you is Hail.

Normally, you can take down or weaken the enemy before even having to use Endeavor. But, nothing is more satisfying than using Endeavor on that pesky Hippowdon, Swampert, Forretress, or Cresselia thinking that it can easily wall you. Now, one of their main walls is crippled, you can bring out more potent sweepers and mess with their team further.

The counters to this set are faster status inflictors -- paralysis and sleep, in particular. Burn is not too bad, since you can still easily use Endeavor at low HP. Substitute blocks Endeavor, so that can suck. Priority moves wreck it as well. However, once you are at 1 HP and faster than the enemy after Rock Polish, you are essentially guaranteed to cripple something.

Leading with this also really messes up opposing strategies. Without status or substitute, most opposing strategies are ruined. It immediately gives you the upper-hand in the battle, even if you do not get to attack even once. And, in most cases, you will at least dent something with Earthquake or Stone Edge before using Endeavor.

Well, I won't be able to respond to any critiques for awhile, since I have to go for awhile and deal with life, but lend your suggestions, please.
 
my main problem is that you're mainly just looking at getting one kill, if that many. a lot of teams are using priority moves now, due to garchomp, mainly. that's an easy revenge kill unless you've already taken that poke out. you should probably also fear gliscor, as for one thing, sand veil could screw with you, and even if you get the endeavor off, it can roost it off next turn.

however, i do commend the interesting idea for endeavor. i just think that rampardos is a glass cannon. i've always wanted to use one, but i just know how fast and offensive the game is right now.
 
Loetke, dude, after a Rock Polish, not even Electrode can outspeed this Rampardos, so there's no way 120 basers will! This obviously has the most potential when teamed up with a Pokemon that can rip through a squad that has lost it's physical wall. Could lead to some interesting match-ups.

I guess this could have a lot more potential if you were feeling very gutsy. After Rock Polish activates, use Endeavor straight away. There's a chance the opponent will go straight to the likes of Hippodown, hoping to take an easy Stone Edge. If you Endeavor him on the switch, the opponent is in a lot of shit.

My other suggestion is Jolly. Obviously sounds stupid on paper as after a Rock Polish, that's just overkill. However Adamant enforces his status as a one-trick pony. Lets say after the Sash has activated, the opponent goes straight to a common priority move user like Donphan or Breloom. You'd switch Rampardos out. A Pokemon on 1HP with 215 Speed isn't anywhere near as threatening as a Pokemon on 1HP with 236 Speed. At 236, Tyranitar and his dozens of cronies who run 222 to outspeed him suddenly become easy targets (note: Bulky Gyara, Claydol and loads more - 222 is such a good number to hit). Other things like quick Magnezone and Scizor are destroyed.

Might not be worth the loss in power, but I GUARANTEE there will be situations when you think "I wish I ran Jolly!"
 
I went back and looked at what I was trying to say, and now I can't even remember. Thanks beer. Gonna go delete that post now.
 
Ok, thing is lets take my new Weavile lead for example.

Weavile@ Focus sash
Adamant
252 atk/252Spd/4hP

Fake Out
Sword dance
Ice Shard
Brick Break

Ok so if you were battling me, i'd use Fake out. Already, your Sash is negated, thus rendering rampardos near useless as what you want it to do.Then Brick break kills you. Or wecan say, I brick Break first. Then I use ice shard,my priority move and finish off your 1 HP. Sword dance also works too, thogh not quite as effectively. Any way, Prioity moves kill it, and anything like fake out kills it.
 
Flash_gearz said:
Ok, thing is lets take my new Weavile lead for example.

Weavile@ Focus sash
Adamant
252 atk/252Spd/4hP

Fake Out
Sword dance
Ice Shard
Brick Break

Ok so if you were battling me, i'd use Fake out. Already, your Sash is negated, thus rendering rampardos near useless as what you want it to do.Then Brick break kills you. Or wecan say, I brick Break first. Then I use ice shard,my priority move and finish off your 1 HP. Sword dance also works too, thogh not quite as effectively. Any way, Prioity moves kill it, and anything like fake out kills it.
Click to expand...

Doesn't that go for most things using focus sash?
 
But that rampados is one of those that are really hurt by losing focus sash. I mean, My Weavile doesn't need focus sash. It woud like it, so it can SD, but desn't need it.
 
Flash_gearz said:
But that rampados is one of those that are really hurt by losing focus sash. I mean, My Weavile doesn't need focus sash. It woud like it, so it can SD, but desn't need it.
Click to expand...

Yeah but things like Infernape would outspeed it, hit it and it resists both of Weavile's attacks besides Fake Out (which is one use per turn anyways) and yeah. I don't like that spread but meh. It's just like one of those sets in that "Counter Thread"
 
igottjam said:
Yeah but things like Infernape would outspeed it, hit it and it resists both of Weavile's attacks besides Fake Out (which is one use per turn anyways) and yeah. I don't like that spread but meh. It's just like one of those sets in that "Counter Thread"
Click to expand...

What? Weavile outspeeds Infernape, by alot, gets a sword dance, then owns Infernap with Brick break.
 
Does not like Scarf Garchomp, who thanks to 1-upping in mirrors frequently runs close to max speed (440 ~ 454 range). Bringing down Cresselia to 1 hp is pretty cool though.
 
I think this would work even better with Sandstorm, specially against walls that have had their Leftovers knocked off, and against stuff that doesn't have Lefties.
 
Swimrunner said:
Does not like Scarf Garchomp, who thanks to 1-upping in mirrors frequently runs close to max speed (440 ~ 454 range). Bringing down Cresselia to 1 hp is pretty cool though.
Click to expand...
Now you see, this is what I don't understand. How does this set prevent Cresselia from walling it? If the opponent has Cress with Thunder Wave/Reflect they will almost certainly bring it out against this. Endeavor wouldn't do shit as Rampardos will not have been damaged, and will soon be crippled if they decide to stay in. The only way Rampardos will be taking out an incoming Cresselia is to adopt a Choice Band set, but then you'd still have problems with Hippowdon, who would also be certain to switch in first turn and thus you'd have no chance of killing it. Only crippling it before dying (talking about Endeavor set here).

Could work as a physical wall breaker I guess in some situations, but it certainly will not be breaking down Cresselia.

EDIT: Just realized Endeavor only has 8 PP. What is stopping Hippowdon from stalling out Endeavor with Slack Off after Earthquaking it down to 1HP?
 
Flash_gearz said:
Ok, thing is lets take my new Weavile lead for example.

Weavile@ Focus sash
Adamant
252 atk/252Spd/4hP

Fake Out
Sword dance
Ice Shard
Brick Break

Ok so if you were battling me, i'd use Fake out. Already, your Sash is negated, thus rendering rampardos near useless as what you want it to do.Then Brick break kills you. Or wecan say, I brick Break first. Then I use ice shard,my priority move and finish off your 1 HP. Sword dance also works too, thogh not quite as effectively. Any way, Prioity moves kill it, and anything like fake out kills it.
Click to expand...
Or he could risk it and use endeavor on first turn, and if you use brick break your at 1 hp....
 
Flash_gearz said:
Ok, thing is lets take my new Weavile lead for example.

Weavile@ Focus sash
Adamant
252 atk/252Spd/4hP

Fake Out
Sword dance
Ice Shard
Brick Break

Ok so if you were battling me, i'd use Fake out. Already, your Sash is negated, thus rendering rampardos near useless as what you want it to do.Then Brick break kills you. Or wecan say, I brick Break first. Then I use ice shard,my priority move and finish off your 1 HP. Sword dance also works too, thogh not quite as effectively. Any way, Prioity moves kill it, and anything like fake out kills it.
Click to expand...

Brick Break is not going to OHKO Rampardos. Do remember that it has 97 Base HP, and even though 60 Base def doesn't scream awesome, Rampardos can take one UnSTABBED attack on just about anything before fainting. FO + Brick Break Can 2HKO Rampardos if Brick Break scores max damage, but on average Rampardos survives with no defensive investment.

Granted you could finish it up with Ice Shard after a Rock Polish, but that set seems absurdedly unbalanced. You have no power move.
 
Endeavour and Endrevving both fail now, with the advent of Aqua Jet Azumarill(whom no one has really appreciated yet :( ) and Ice Shard Mamoswine, they will both be ruined.
 
Might work but beacuse of the popularity of stealth rock releasing the power of focus sash seems mostly impossible.
 
Hmm, if only Rampardos had a priority move, then I could see Endeavor on Rampardos working more often...
*thinks back to the time he saw Marriland in a WiFi battle KO a L100 Empoleon with a L1 Rattata with Sash, Endeavor, and Quick Attack; lol good times...

I keep thinking Endeavor is only good on Pokes with priority moves.
*does some investigative work
Heyyy, Donphan could pull it off! Endeavor+Ice Shard, huh? Huh????

Okay, I'm overreacting...
 
CardsOfTheHeart said:
Hmm, if only Rampardos had a priority move, then I could see Endeavor on Rampardos working more often...
*thinks back to the time he saw Marriland in a WiFi battle KO a L100 Empoleon with a L1 Rattata with Sash, Endeavor, and Quick Attack; lol good times...

I keep thinking Endeavor is only good on Pokes with priority moves.
*does some investigative work
Heyyy, Donphan could pull it off! Endeavor+Ice Shard, huh? Huh????

Okay, I'm overreacting...
Click to expand...

Well, Donphan's defense is too good for anything to OHKO it, and no one expects Donphan to stay in against special attacks, and therefore Sash wont really be activated enough. If you can activate it, nothing like it. You have taken out at least one poke(if they switch and you Endeavour again woot!).
 
Flash_gearz said:
Ok, thing is lets take my new Weavile lead for example.

Weavile@ Focus sash
Adamant
252 atk/252Spd/4hP

Fake Out
Sword dance
Ice Shard
Brick Break

Ok so if you were battling me, i'd use Fake out. Already, your Sash is negated, thus rendering rampardos near useless as what you want it to do.Then Brick break kills you. Or wecan say, I brick Break first. Then I use ice shard,my priority move and finish off your 1 HP. Sword dance also works too, thogh not quite as effectively. Any way, Prioity moves kill it, and anything like fake out kills it.
Click to expand...

In before Jumpman: Pokemon beats Pokemon with move. That Weavile seems overspecialized at beating this particular Rampardos because honestly, why else would you forego its best STAB moves and Aerial Ace for not one but four moves that are otherwise filler in the standard Night Slash/Ice Punch/Pursuit/filler deal?
 
I didn't know Cresselia walled Rampardos. I honestly thought I'd be scared out of my ass if I switched in Cresselia against a 400+ attack monster that can Swords Dance and hit me with a 100 BP STAB move, and if sandstorm is in play lol I'd definitely be shitting out of my ass if I was trying to use Cresselia to do that.
 
I thought about this the other day when looking at some pokemon for future teams. However, my thought process was to abuse Head Smash to essentially kamikaze on anything and everything; do damage and improve Endeavor at the same time. I see no reason as to why Endeavor should be used as the central focus of this set. To me it's a bonus that you can use after 50% recoil kicks in. This pokemon won't last long with a turn of setup and bad defenses anyway so you might as well output as much damage as possible. With speed and its attack you're going to want to go damaging moves first and alternative damage second. I'd probably be so bold as to use Leichi Berry (or lol Life Orb) instead of the Focus Sash (I'd probably even toy with Endure over Earthquake) and I definitely would not lead with this. The strategy behind this has mid-game written all over it once you've seen some of what your opponent can throw at you.
 
Aeroblacktyl said:
I didn't know Cresselia walled Rampardos. I honestly thought I'd be scared out of my ass if I switched in Cresselia against a 400+ attack monster that can Swords Dance and hit me with a 100 BP STAB move, and if sandstorm is in play lol I'd definitely be shitting out of my ass if I was trying to use Cresselia to do that.
Click to expand...
Quite right, Cresselia ought to be frightened of Rampardos, but given that most people's mentality when using it is 'Rock Polish/Sash or die' that isn't the case. I've never heard from anyone considering the use of Swords Dance on it, and have only seen Choice Band mentioned in the Analysis.

Now that you mention it, a Focus Sash/Swords Dance set up with Avalanche could be useful for players who are constantly frustrated by bulky Grounds switching in and walling it. This would have an advantage over Endeavor in the fact that it actually kills the Pokemon. After the kill you'd essentially be dead weight (providing that they bring in something faster), but there would be nothing to stop you switching out for another possible hit later. Whether you get that chance or not, surely it would be better than merely leaving the opponent at 1HP before dying.
 
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