http://www.smogon.com/dex/gs/pokemon/exeggutor/
Modified version of the original revamp posted by Barbows who utilised bones provided by Lavos
Jellicent is allowing me to take over this analysis.
[OVERVIEW]
With a very high Special Attack stat, solid STAB attacks, dangerous status moves, and a powerful Explosion, Exeggutor is easily one of the most threatening Pokemon in GSC OverUsed. While it will rarely sweep a team by itself, it often plays a key role in dismantling the opposing team's defenses through its ability to incapacitate or trade for crucial targets. On the defensive side, Exeggutor can serve as a check to threatening sweepers like Vaporeon, Marowak, and Machamp thanks to its resistances to their powerful STAB attacks. Unfortunately for Exeggutor, a lot of OU Pokemon run coverage moves that hit it hard, so you should time its entry onto the battlefield carefully to ensure it isn't forced to use Explosion too quickly.
[SET]
name: Standard Explosion
move 1: Sleep Powder / Stun Spore
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Giga Drain / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
First, pick your status move of choice—opponents won't want to risk a Pokemon without Sleep Talk taking Sleep Powder, so using Stun Spore can be an excellent way to paralyze sleep absorbers such as Zapdos, potentially setting up another sweeper or sleep move user on your team for success. However, Sleep Powder is of course very powerful and is an easy choice if your team lacks another sleep move user. Psychic is Exeggutor's main attacking move, dealing solid damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it and even potentially threatening Snorlax with its chance to drop Special Defense. Giga Drain threatens Water-types and gives Exeggutor a chance against Tyranitar, healing off Crunch or Fire Blast damage and preventing it from trapping Exeggutor with Pursuit. On the other hand, Hidden Power Fire disintegrates Forretress and dents Skarmory, which walls the Giga Drain set, although dropping Giga Drain makes Pursuit Tyranitar much more dangerous and comes at the cost of 25 HP, 2 Attack points and 6 Defense points due to DV requirements. Rounding off the set is Explosion, which can secure OHKOs on most Pokemon that don't resist it (Suicune, one of the most physically bulky Pokemon in the tier, takes up to 92% from Exeggutor's Explosion), making switching into Exeggutor quite risky at any point in the game.
This Exeggutor set is one of the best enablers in the tier, handily setting up Machamp, Marowak, Charizard, or Tentacruel for a potential sweep with its Stun Spore on Raikou and Zapdos or removing said Electric-types for Vaporeon with its Explosion. It can be used as a lead to begin spreading status immediately or even attempt to take something out with its Explosion on turn one. While it is more of an offensive Pokemon, it can also be put to use as a check against Machamp (although it should be noted that Machamp Speed ties Exeggutor and can have Hidden Power Bug), Vaporeon, Marowak, Rhydon, or Steelix and find ways to wreak havoc from there. A well-played Explosion Exeggutor can literally blow through an opponent's defenses, leaving them open to a wide variety of possible threats.
[SET]
name: Leech Seed
move 1: Stun Spore
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Substitute / Explosion
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
This set can be a one-man army against some teams when coupled with Spikes support. The classic combination of Substitute and Leech Seed enables Exeggutor to stay in against even Pokemon that hit it super effectively, thanks to the Speed drop from Stun Spore ensuring Exeggutor can always put up Substitute first. While Leech Seed in GSC only deals damage immediately after the seeded Pokemon attacks rather than at end-of-turn, it still forces switches like nobody's business. Very little can take repeated hits from Exeggutor's Psychic while also losing an eighth of their HP per turn from Leech Seed, so theoretically, Exeggutor can freely spread its Stun Spore across the enemy team as the opponent helplessly tries to run Exeggutor out of PP, all the while taking significant residual damage. Exeggutor can also drop Substitute for Explosion, potentially catching a crucial Pokemon by surprise and also raising Exeggutor's utility significantly in the event something goes wrong.
In terms of teammates, because this Exeggutor is one of the most effective paralysis spreaders in the tier, slow but powerful sweepers such as Machamp and Marowak or Belly Drum users such as Snorlax and Charizard make excellent choices.
There are good reasons this is not Exeggutor's main set, however. Phazers that aren't hit hard by Psychic, such as Steelix, Skarmory, and Tyranitar, can put an end to its antics even if it has a Substitute up. This can be a problem, since Exeggutor sometimes struggles to find a good opportunity to come back in. Spikers and spinners like Forretress and Starmie may also be eager to take advantage of Exeggutor's lack of coverage to gain an advantage in the Spikes game, particularly if they are supported by Heal Bell users that can undo all of Exeggutor's hard work such as Blissey and Miltank.
[Other Options]
A four attacks set is viable, where the status move is forgone in favor of maximum coverage, but dropping a status move is likely to lower Exeggutor's utility overall. Exeggutor is also a decent Thief user, often being able to take Zapdos's Leftovers, which makes 3HKOing it with Psychic possible. Just make sure Exeggutor has no item when using it, of course.
If you'd rather spread as much status as possible, you can forgo a coverage move on the standard set and go double status, taking advantage of your opponent's likely assumption that you will be using a coverage move to land status on something that isn't expecting it. However, having Psychic and Explosion as Exeggutor's only attacking moves means that you are highly likely to run into a Pokemon that resists all of its attacks, such as Steelix, Tyranitar, or Skarmory.
Synthesis and Moonlight are possible options for the last slot on the Leech Seed set. They allow Exeggutor to play a more defensive role and stick around longer, although they are both illegal with Explosion.
[Checks and Counters]
In terms of switching into Exeggutor, RestTalk users tend to be the best options due to their ability to sponge status-inflicting moves. Common ones include Zapdos, Snorlax, and Suicune. Do keep in mind that all of them fear Explosion, so beware of possible mind games such as Explosion on the switch. Baiting the Explosion is also possible, of course, and most Pokemon that resist Normal, such as Skarmory and Tyranitar, can take one rather well. Skarmory is also capable of pulling off a Sleep Talk set that can completely shut down non-Hidden Power Fire Exeggutor. Other notable Explosion mitigators include Reflect Raikou and Charm Umbreon. Umbreon also takes little damage from Exeggutor’s other attacks, outspeeds it, and has Pursuit, albeit a rather weak one. Stronger Pursuit users in the tier are Tyranitar and Houndoom, although Houndoom tends to fear status a lot and Tyranitar must play mind games against Giga Drain Exeggutor. Toxic from Umbreon, Suicune, or Snorlax can also significantly reduce Exeggutor's longevity and force it to use Explosion predictably or risk not getting it off at all. Jynx is a terror for Exeggutor to face, resisting Psychic and completely blocking status moves and Giga Drain with its Substitutes, but it loses much of its effectiveness if Exeggutor lands status on it on the switch. Lastly, Forretress with Hidden Power Bug or Toxic can switch in and threaten Exeggutor lacking Hidden Power Fire, although it must beware of status.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Earthworm,15210], [Barbows,299239]]
- Quality checked by: [[neomon,408904],[Lavos,129513]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack,232216], [CryoGyro,331519]]
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