Fearow

Don Honchkrorleone

Happy Qwilfish the nightmare
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Due to be my 3rd favorite pokémon, discuss whatever you want (about him). Sorry if there is another post with this name, but I couldn't find any.


Fearow #023
Type: Normal/Flying
Gender Ratio: 50:50
Egg Group: Flying
Stats: 65 HP/90 Atk/65 Def/61 Sp.Atk/61 Sp.Def/100 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye: Prevents the foe from lowering its Accuracy.
Sniper (DW): Critical hits wil do 3x more damage than 2x.

Moves:
New ones in Italic

Lv.-: Pluck
Lv.-: Peck
Lv.-: Growl
Lv.-: Leer
Lv.-: Fury Attack
Lv.5: Leer
Lv.9: Fury Attack
Lv.13: Pursuit
Lv.17: Aerial Ace
Lv.23: Mirror Move
Lv.29: Agility
Lv.35: Assurance
Lv.41: Roost
Lv.47: Drill Peck
Lv.53: Drill Liner (Ground physical 85BP, 10PP, 90% Hit, high Critical Hit ratio)


TMs
TM06: Toxic
TM10: Hidden Power
TM11: Sunny Day
TM15: Hyper Beam
TM17: Protect
TM18: Rain Dance
TM21: Frustration
TM27: Return
TM32: Double Team
TM40: Aerial Ace
TM42: Facade
TM44: Rest
TM45: Attract
TM46: Thief
TM48: Troll (Normal special, 60BP, 15PP, 100% hit, increases power if the ally has)
TM49: Echo Voice (Normal special, 40BP, 15PP, 100% hit, Power raises if used constantly)
TM54: False Swipe
TM68: Giga Impact
TM83: Cheer Up (Normal status, Never misses, 30PP, raises Atk and Sp.Atk)
TM87: Swagger
TM88: Pluck
TM89: U-Turn
TM90: Substitute
HM02: Fly


Breeding:
Faint Attack
Quick Attack
Tri Attack
Sky Attack
Scary Face
Astonish
Whirlwind
Uproar
FeatherDance
Steel Wing
Razor Wind


GenIV and III only:
Endure
Secret Power
Captivate
Sleep Talk
Natural Gift
Air Cutter
Heat Wave
Defog
Ominous Wind
Mud-Slap
Snore
Swift
Twister
Tailwind
Baton Pass
Double-Edge
Mimic


Overview:

For generations, Fearow has been always overshadowed by stronger physical early birds (Dodrio, Swellow, Staraptor and even Pidgeot). He didn't have something good to separate them bar Pidgeot (Drill Peck is Better than Aerial Ace), and then came GenIV and gave the powerful Brave Bird to all these pokémon... except Fearow. He even lost physical HP that he and his counterparts used to use. Like its conterparts , barring Staraptor, he was unable to learn anything that could take more than 10% of the HP of a Steel-type. That good 90 Atk and 100 Spe was wasted in the depths of NU. To have an idea, not even Falkner used it.

Now, GenV has brought the new Wargle, that sports Superpower as well Encourage to manhandle Steels. There is also Kenhoru, with sports good offenses and bulk. For all these birds except Staraptor and Wargle, GenV gave absolutely nothing to dent with that plaged Steels... except Fearow. Not only Normal/Flying, but other Flyings such as Crobat, Honchkrow and Skarmory lost valuable moves that can lower their utility. This is where Fearow comes. Let's see, what is the most desirable attack for a physical sweeper? Earthquake. well, Fearow didn't get Earthquake (yet), but got something good, not as good as EQ, but good anyway. A move called Drill Liner that is a Ground-type move with 80BP, 90 Accuracy and high Critical Hit ratio! Good thing to someone that didn't have a way to hit even Rock-types for decent damage. Also, add Drill Liner's high CH ratio with Fearow newest sexy ability, Sniper, that turn Critical Hits 3x stronger. Probably will continue being outclassed by Staraptor and Wargle, but what about the others? Well... Sit and cry, Dodrio and Swellow, while a stupid Steel like Mawile or Bastiodon, or a dumb Rock like Golem or Suddowoodo wall you! Mwahahahahaha!

Possible movesets I can Remember now.

Revenge! Revenge! Mwahahahaha!

@Choice Band/Choice Scarf
Adamant Nature/Jolly Nature
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe

~ Drill Peck
~ Return
~ Drill Liner
~ U-Turn/Assurance

Fearow's main set was always a CBer, and now it has toys to play around. Drill Peck is weaker than Brave Bird, but doesn't cause recoil and is the stongest Flying move bar Sky Attack or Fly, which are a shit. Return is a strong and useful Stab move. This moveset is like a lot of birds, so let's vary a bit. Drill Liner is a slightly weak Earthquake, and is GF " sorry about screwing you for 14 years so take this and be happy. Next gen you'll earn Flare Blitz (lol)" gift. The last move is trickier, but U-Turn is preferred as you will be scouting your opponent's team. Assurance is only for hit Ghosts that are immune to Drill Liner and take low damage from Drill Peck (Rotom). Can work Scarfed too, but the power drop will be significative.

Being happy about the misfortune of the others is called Schadenfreude

@Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe

~ Cheer up
~ Drill Peck
~ Drill Liner
~ Substitute/Return

Raise your good but quite mediocre 90 base Atk with Cheer Up (your Sp.Atk too, but 55 base sucks, a lot) and proceed humiliating some birds that used to ovrshadow you in the past (hello, Dodrio and Swellow). Drill Peck is STAB and Drill Liner is a moderately strong Ground move in the hands (or wings) of a bird that has a barren movepool. Substitute is preferred on the last slot as it can give you some free turns and Ground + Flying is actually a good combo (the things that resists both are things that Fearow really souldn't face), but you can also use Return for extra coverage.

Mixing up the lovely bird, by Donny Mae.

@ Life Orb
Mild Nature
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 4 HP/48 Atk/252 spec A/204 Spe

~ Cheer up
~ Drill Peck/Return
~ Heat Wave
~ Return/Hidden Power Electric/Grass

Okay, so basically, you get Fearow in on something it scares out, like Butterfree ( O.o ) then proceed to stat up with Cheer Up as your opponent switches to their steel type. Then, hit them with a boosted Heat wave, which deals ~90% To max hp/spec defence Steelix. Hidden Power Grass wrecks Quagsire and Gastrodon, who could survive a +1 Drill Peck (they take roughly 50%-60% each) and K.O with Ice Beam/Punch. Hidden Power Electric can take on Mantine and Swan, and will definely k.o both after SR damage. Return is Powerful STAB, but you're better off abusing your boosted Special Attack or using Drill Peck in most cases.

The Evs were for maximum Special Attack, The ability to switch in to SR four times, still maintain a decent speed and the rest went into attack.

Subing and Roosting, by Cooky

@ Life Orb
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Evs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Return / Drill Peck
~ Drill Liner
~ Roost

Simply come in on one of the many Grass types littering NU or a choiced Ground or Ghost move and set up a sub. Normal / Ground and Flying / Ground both give decent coverage and Fearow can hit fairly hard. I'd reccomend a Jolly nature because his 100 base speed is high for NU standards and should be abused, however Adamant can be used if you appreciate more power. Fearow has the rare luxury of learning Roost via level up, not TM, so it is fully compatible with Sniper, its purpose being to help offset the residual damage of Substituting and LO.

Cheering the attack and the speed, by DrunkRaccoon

@ Salac Berry
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4HP / 252Attack / 252 Speed
~Substitute
~Cheer Up
~Drill Peck/Return
~Drill Liner

I made this a sub/berry set because the main problem I saw with Cooky's set is that Fearow will generally struggle to roost up after the sub is broken. The main idea is to get a sub up against a wall with no attacks that hit Fearow SE and proceed to cheer up if there was no switch on the turn when the sub was made, avoiding misprediction, or attacking if there was a switch which can likely be 2HKOd. Adamant nature is almost always preferred over Jolly, because with it Fearow outspeeds Max Speed Electrode and almost every common scarf poke of 4th Gen. NU(only scarf Manectric can outspeed it). Flying/Ground provides better coverage than Normal/Ground in NU, since it's only resisted by Rotom, Electric/Flying, Skarmory, Rock/Flying and Shibirudon. In NU that will probably be perfect coverage, unless Rotom drops to NU. Normal/Ground on the other hand cannot hit Drifblim, Rotom and Shedinja for ANY damage(It's also resisted by all typings mentioned with Ground/Flying). Flying also provides much better SE coverage combined with Ground.

Feel free to discuss, post movesets and admins, to close if there's something wrong.

Next analysis: Honchkrow.
 
Like you fearow was the only normal/flying pokemon I ever used in battles. Farfetchd is my favorite but gamefreak seems to have given up all hope in making him better. Drill Liner while not nearly as good as eq will defineatly help him shine a lot
 
He is able to pass cheer up effectivly which is pretty sweet

jolly 252Atk/4Hp/252Spe
@life orb

-cheer up
-baton pass
-drill peck
-ground liner/return
 
Fearow is the only Pokémon that really seems to be grateful with Drill Liner (the other Pokémon that learn this move have a better option in Earthquake) and having something for use against Steel types is always useful.
 

Don Honchkrorleone

Happy Qwilfish the nightmare
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
He is able to pass cheer up effectivly which is pretty sweet

jolly 252Atk/4Hp/252Spe
sniper
@life orb

-cheer up
-baton pass
-drill peck
-ground liner/return
Good set, but Sniper is illegal with Drill Liner (Colloseum or XD, I don't remember well). Stick with Keen Eye, so.
 
Did you just call Mawile stupid
Did you :|

To make this post somewhat relevant, you put 85BP in your note for Drill Liner in the list of level-up moves, while it's supposed to be 80. Probably a typo.
 
Good set, but Sniper is illegal with Drill Liner (Colloseum or XD, I don't remember well). Stick with Keen Eye, so.
Err, I think you mean Baton Pass...Drill Liner is a 5th Gen level-up move, so...

Also, iirc Fearow has always outclassed Pidgeot (80 base attack and 91 base speed ftl...), and is arguably better than Kenhorou even without Drill Liner, since the new bird's good a terrible movepool.
 
Fearow has just become my favorite Normal/Flying Pokemon. Thank you for this analysis which demonstrates how crafty Fearow truly is! (It's a shame that the graceful Pidgeot didn't receive anything new, however)
 
Why is Sniper illegal with Drill Liner?
It's not. Sniper + Baton Pass is illegal because he only gets that from Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness, and only Fearow from the dream world get sniper. Drill Liner + Baton Pass is legal, though.
 
It's good that Fearow got some new toys, but it is still outclassed by Skarmory and Staraptor
gogo Swords Dance Skarmory!

Oh shit it's a Steel pokemon

Moral of the story: Fearow is a better sweeper than Skarmory.

Also, Choiced Fearow wants Pursuit slashed in the last slot.
 
Does Dodrio get Drill Liner?

Fearow just became a serious threat in the lower tiers o:

CB Fearow 85 BP Ground Psychical move vs. SD Mawile - 89.5% - 105.9%
vs. Wall Probopass - 106.2% - 125.9%
vs. Physical Wall Steelix w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 129.4% - 152.5%
vs. Tank Registeel w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 138.5% - 163.2%
vs. Tank Regirock w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 107.7% - 126.9%

Success...
 
Hehe...I remember starting the Fearow discussion for 4th gen.

I love how it gained Drill Liner. I wish Seaking had gained it too. I hope it becomes a future move tutor move.
 
It will be in the lower tiers. However, now, the tiers are actually more balanced because of the pokemon becoming more competitively viable making it not necessarily a bad thing
 

Manaphy

Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am family guy
is a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributor
I gotta admit, Sniper is sexy with that High Critical Hit rate.

Still kinda outclassed by Wargle though..
 
I doubt Wargle will be in the same tier listing as Fearow tough...

Fearow seems very hopeful for the lower tiers. While Wargle seems he'd function far better in the higher tiers.
 
Have you thought about Lansat Berry? It's the pinch Berry for the Critical Hit-ratio. Substitute to Lansat range, and then sweep.
 
I like that idea. That would set Fearow above the likes of Staraptor and Dodrio who outclass Fearow due to Brave Bird.
 

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