Escavalier (QC: 0/3)

Wandering Wobbuffet

formerly Based Honker


[OVERVIEW]
  • Performs as a bulky wallbreaker, tank, or wincon
  • Great 135 Attack stat
  • Respectable 70/105/105 bulk with one of the best defensive typings in the game
  • Overcoat allows it to switch into powder moves while swarm boosts megahorn's power to ridiculous levels
  • Steel typing gives it immunity to toxic making it a bit harder to wear down
  • Has access to powerful STAB with megahorn and utility with pursuit and knock off
  • Overcoat + typing makes it a great Venusaur check
  • Checks wallbreakers such as Meloetta and Hoopa and can trap them with Pursuit
  • Fits very well on balance and offensive playstyles
  • Suffers from a shallow movepool
  • Has terrible speed forcing it to sacrifice quite a bit of bulk in order to creep base 30s
  • Offensive typing isn't the greatest thing in the world
  • Has a crippling 4x fire weakness making prevalent fire types like houndoom threatening as well as fire type coverage such as druddigon's fire punch
  • Relies on wish support to stay healthy throughout the match

[SET]
name: PSHH Heracross
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Pursuit / Drill Run
move 4: Drill Run / Knock Off
item: Choice Band
ability: Overcoat / Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Megahorn is the go to move on this set severely damaging anything that doesn't resist it as well as frailer resists like aerodactyl
  • Iron head is a secondary STAB providing a way to nail fairies as well as having better accuracy and hits Megahorn resists like Fighting and Flying types neutrally
  • Pursuit provides utility trapping psychic types such as meloetta and hoopa
  • Drill run provides an option to hit steel types and fire types hard bar steelix having the ability to 2HKO registeel
  • Lastly knock off provides more utility being able to knock off leftovers from mons like alomomola thus making it very spammable

Set Details
========
  • Maximum attack investment plus a choice band makes escavalier as powerful as possible
  • 84 speed evs allow it to outspeed base 30s such as slowking
  • Rest it dumped into HP to maximize escavalier's good bulk
  • Overcoat provides an immunity to venusaur/tangrowth's sleep powder.
  • Swarm boosts megahorn's power to unbelievable levels when escavalier is low even boosting the ability to OHKO alomomola with rocks up

Usage Tips
========
  • Although Escavalier has decent bulk it should only be brought into resisted attacks
  • If Overcoat is ran Venusaur provides a pretty free switch
  • Knock Off is useful to annoy bulkier pokemon with only leftovers recovery like uxie and registeel and is very spammable if you don't know what will be brought out
  • Spamming megahorn can be extremely threatening to bulkier teams although it isn't recommended if the opponent has a mon that can take advantage such a Sub Bulk Up Braviary or Fletchinder unless you have a very reliable answer
  • Drill run can be used a bit recklessly if the opponent's best answer to megahorn is a steel type such as registeel
  • Pursuit can be used on expected switches to get off some additional chip damage
  • Avoid getting Knocked Off since the Choice Band is very important for Escavalier's power
  • Avoid burns unless you have a heal bell user

Team Options
========
  • Water types such as seismitoad pair well since they can take care of fire types and escavalier takes care of grass types in return. Seismitoad can also get up stealth rock weakening switchins. Setup sweepers such as scrafty and virizion also fit well since they appreciate fairy types gone and having the opposing team weakened.
  • Pokemon that take on Fletchinder well such Diancie and Rhyperior are very appreciated
  • Diancie in particular can heal burns and switch into fire types
  • Grass types such as Virizion and Venusaur help to beat physical walls like Alomomola especially if you're locked into Iron Head
  • Ground types can help beat steel types allowing Escavalier to more easily spam it's STABs although they have to watch out for drill run

[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Protect
move 4: Pursuit
item: Leftovers
ability: Overcoat
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 52 Atk / 208 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Megahorn is a powerful STAB doing good damage to stuff like tangrowth and meloetta
  • Iron head is a more reliable secondary STAB used to nail things like diancie
  • Protect is used to scout and gives another turn of lefties recovery
  • Pursuit allows escavalier to trap psychic types and get chip damage on other mons that will switch

Set Details
========
  • The HP/Spdef investment allows escavalier to avoid the 2hko from specs meloetta's focus blast after leftovers recovery, avoid the 2hko from lo jolteon's thunderbolt, and lo hoopa's shadow ball
  • The rest is dumped into attack with an adamant nature to make Escavalier hit as hard as possible
  • Overcoat should always be chosen in order to switch into powder moves as well as not take damage from Abomasnow's hail

Usage Tips
========
  • This Escavalier should be used as a bulky offensive pivot on more balanced team switching into various grass and psychic types
  • Protect can be a useful scouting move to see if something is carrying fire coverage
  • Pursuit should be used against something like a specs meloetta which has no reason to stay in

Team Options
========
  • Balance staples like alomomola and jellicent help out escavalier's fire weakness
  • Alomomola can also provide wish support keeping escavalier healthy
  • Dragon types like druddigon and flygon also resist fire and appreciate escavalier checking ice and fairy types

[SET]
name: SD RestTalk
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Rest
move 3: Sleep Talk
move 4: Megahorn
item: Leftovers
ability: Overcoat
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Rest+Sleep Talk allow Escavalier to absorb status and have longevity
  • Swords Dance allows Escavalier to boost it's attack to ridiculous levels
  • Megahorn provides decent neutral coverage against various defensive mons and at +6 is able to 2HKO most resists anyways

Set Details
========
  • Max HP/SpDef investment with a Careful nature allow Escavalier to take on Psychic types and Fairy types more easily
  • Overcoat provides Escavalier immunity to powder moves
  • Leftovers provides passive recovery

Usage Tips
========
  • Switch into Pokemon like Venusaur which can't do much to Escavalier and Swords Dance until you start to get worn down or statused
  • Then use the RestTalk combination to heal Escavalier back up again
  • Getting rid of Fire types and Taunt users is also important because they can prevent Escavalier from setting up

Team Options
========
  • Stealth Rock support is useful to prevent Fire types from repeatedly switching in
  • Spikes can further discourage switches
  • Checks to Fire types like Rhyperior or Alomomola pair well
  • Pokemon that pair well vs offense such as Fletchinder are also appreciated
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
  • Assault Vest is definitely an option to help increase Escavalier's SpDef however it makes Escavalier more prone to being worn down
  • Swords Dance + 3 Attacks has some use but is also prone to being worn down and requires some team support
  • Toxic cripples Alomomola but not useful otherwise

Checks and Counters
============

**Fire Types**: Fire types such as Delphox and Emboar can take advantage of Escavalier's 4x weakness to fire to OHKO it. However they can't switch into Escavalier too easily.

**Fire Type Coverage**: Pokemon that carry Fire type moves such as Druddigon and Sigilyph have to be scouted for. Otherwise your Escavalier will quite literally get roasted.

**Burns**: Burns from Scald or Will-o-Wisp severely cripple Escavalier. Generally try to avoid staying in against Pokemon that tend to carry these moves such as Jellicent and Alomomola.

**Powerful Attackers**: Pokemon such as Life Orb Medicham can do massive damage to Escavalier possibly even OHKOing with it's neutral attacks.

**Fletchinder**: Fletchinder resists all of Escavalier's moves except Knock Off and can burn it and start setting up. However Choice Banded Knock Off/Iron Head OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage.

**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Alomomola and Qwilfish can switch into Escavalier and Scald burn or set up spikes. However they both have to be wary of Choice Banded Megahorn or Drill Run respectively being able to 2HKO them.
 
Last edited:

eren

je suis d'ailleurs
Not QC but here's some things
  • Slash AV after CB on main set
  • Slash SD before Knock on Tank set
  • Update tank set EVS to 248 HP / 16 Atk / 12 Def / 232 SpD with an Adamant Nature (possible 84 speed for king)
  • Idk if sd RestTalk deserves a set but that's up to QC
 

phantom

Banned deucer.
i found a better spread for the tank set:

248 hp / 52 atk / 208 spd adamant

this allows escav to avoid the 2hko from specs meloetta's focus blast after leftovers recovery and it lets do it other things like avoid the 2hko from lo jolteon's thunderbolt and lo hoopa's shadow ball

idk what slurmz's spread does, if he wants to elaborate on that and it turns out to be better, we'll go with it, but for now i'd like the spread i posted to be the main one for tank. i don't really agree with much of his other changes though, so don't implement them.

speaking of the tank set, nothing should be slashed where pursuit is. pursuit is imperative so it actually does something when the things it checks are forced out as opposed to letting a wall or fire-type switch in for free. it's kind of do-nothing otherwise.
 
Hi.

[OVERVIEW]
  • Refer to how overcoat (not being effected by Sleep Powder) + typing makes it a great check to Venusaur
  • Also talk how it can check several wallbreakers like Meloetta and Hoopa
  • Refer to how it can also threaten these Pokemon because it can function as an effective Pursuit trapper
  • Add in how Escavalier is mainly used on Balance / Offense builds
SET 1 (Band)

[MOVES]
  • Talk about how Iron Head hits things that resist Megahorn like Fighting and Flying types, neutrally
  • Add on how Pursuit can trap Hoopa
[USAGE TIPS]
  • Even though Escavalier has great bulk it should mainly be switched in on resisted attacks
  • Talk about Overcoat variants can easily be switched in on Venusaur
  • Talk about how Knock Off also is very effective against bulkier Pokemon with only leftovers recovery like Registeel / Uxie, and is generably more spammable if you are unsure what Pokemon the opponent is going to; therefore being effective during early-game
  • Refer to how to not lock yourself into a move like Megahorn and KO a pokemon if they have a Pokemon like Fletchinder or Sub Bulk Up Braviary that can take advantage of this and set up, unless you have a sure check / counter
  • Also avoid getting choice band Knocked off because it is very beneficial to enhance Escav's power
  • avoid burns unless you have a heal beller available
[Team Options]
  • In particular, add in Pokemon that switch in to Fletchinder as it resists stab moves and risks chance of wisp, i.e; Diancie, Rhyperior
  • Diancie is also very helpful because it can heal burns, as well as switch into many fire type moves
  • Add grass types like Viriz, Venu as they help in beating bulky Phys walls like Bold Mola or switching in to if you are locked into iron head
  • Ground type Pokemon can help in beating Steel types so Escav is more free to spam STAB moves as it is locked into what move it chooses
Set 2 (Tank)

[Set Details]
  • Include Sleep Powder from Venusaur under Powder Moves
[Usage Tips]
  • Mention how Protect should be primarily used before switching to a check or counter to check for coverage, or to scout for the move they will use if they are choice locked, unless you suspect the Pokemon to set up
  • Under why protect is important, mention how it can be used to stop fighting types like Medicham and Hitmonlee from clicking HJK vs you, fearing recoil, or if not revealed it can be used to make them take recoil damage
  • Talk about avoiding Knock Off as leftovers is the only form of recovery on this set
  • Even though this is considered a Bulky Pivot it should mainly be switched in on weak / resisted moves
  • Mention avoiding status, primarily Burns although Paralysis can be troubling
[Team Options]
  • Again add Diancie because it provides Heal Bell support, a fletch check and a fire resist
  • This set is walled by Steel types therefore likes support from ground / fighting types (Ex: Virizion, Mega Camerupt, etc)
Set 3 (SD RestTalk)

[USAGE TIPS]
  • Talk about how you can switch against most Fairies (Aromatisse, Diancie, Togetic - unless u suspect it to carry fire Blast), Meloetta, Hoopa etc if at an high enough health
  • Do not start setting up and trying to clean up til checks / counters have been eliminated in mid-late game
  • Scout for fire STAB moves on Pokemon like Sigilyph (heat wave)
[Team Options]
  • Fletchinder switchs in like Diancie / Rhyp
  • Virizion / other Fightings helps get rid of Bulky Steels that can be annoying

also please check over your grammar / formatting so that in the future it's easier for gpers to read.

after this qc 1/3.
 

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