Glalie [QC 3/3]

[Overview]

<p>Glalie is an unspectacular pure Ice-type, with a barren movepool. On top of this, it faces solid competition from the likes of Jynx, Glaceon, Lapras, Regice and even Articuno for the position of an Ice-type on your team. However, Glalie does find itself with a small niche within the NU teir, as the fastest Spiker. Combined with access to Taunt, Glalie is one of the more reliable pokemon for early Spikes in NU</p>

[SET]
Name: Lead Spiker
Move 1: Spikes
Move 2: Taunt
Move 3: Ice Fang
Move 4: Explosion/Crunch
Item: Focus Sash/Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Jolly
EV's: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP

[Set Comments]
<p>Glalie is one of the few pokemon who, despite the advent of team preveiw, still works best as a dedicated lead. Just don't expect it to do much else with this set. With Base 80 speed, it's actually the fastest Spiker within NU. It can also shut down most other Spikes and Toxic Spikes users, by using Taunt, although there are several faster Stealth Rock users, such as Pinsir and Miltank.<p>

When it comes to the last moveslot, Crunch gives Glalie an out against Mespirit, so it's not complete setup bait. If things don't go your way, the best thing Glalie can do is go out with a bang, namely, Explosion, because, if you can't get Spikes up, you'll be doing more damage with Explosion than you would with anything else Glalie could do.</p>

<p>While Sash is the preferred item, Life Orb is an option if you want a stronger Explosion. Glalie has just enough bulk to take most non-super effective hits.</p>


[Additional Comments]
<p>You could choose to use a special-based lead set with Ice Beam and Hidden Power, but Explosion's raw power, combined with Glalie's general short lifespan makes a physical-based set more attractive.</p>

<p>This set requires little help from it's teammates, as it is designed to provide early-game support. Instead, pair Glalie up with pokemon who appreciate Spikes support, or can switch in on Fighting, Rock, Steel or Fire-type attacks. Offensive Mespirit variants are good candidates for a Fighting switch-in, while bulky offensive waters such as Samuwott and Gorybyss are excellent switch-ins to Fire-types. </p>

[Set]
Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Ice Fang/Avalanche
Move 2: Explosion
Move 3: Ice Shard
Move 4: Earthquake
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Jolly
EV's: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def

[Set Comments]
<p>Choice Banded Glalie is pretty much NU's only option for a physical Ice-type, outside of Piloswine. Unlike Piloswine however, Glalie actually has some speed, in fact, a respectable amount, Base 80 is enough to outspeed most of NU's more defensive pokemon, Explosion is a powerful last-ditch attack, and Piloswine's typing, while giving it two excellent STABS, is pretty horrendous in terms of taking hits within NU, being weak to Grass and Water while doing little to mitigate the existing weaknesses the Ice type has.</p>

<p>Ice Fang and Avalanche provide two different STABs for two different situations, one where you're slower, and one when you're faster. Use them depending on what you want to take on. Ice Shard is priority, and therefor always useful. Explosion is, again, the most powerful option you have avaliable to you. Earthquake is a rather useful coverage move, especially against the ever-present Magmortar. Ice and Ground make a potent combination.</p>

<p>This set primarily works as a lure, using prediction to unleash a powerful attack on an unsuspecting switch-in, or it can be used as a revenge killer with Ice Shard. </p>

[Additional Comments]
<p>On speed-based sets, Crunch could replace any of the moves to score hits on Ghost-types such as Misdrevus, who may switch in expecting Explosion. On slower sets, Payback can be used instead. If your set utilises both Payback and Avalanche, it is adviseable to use a Brave Nature and 252 HP EV's so as to decrease speed and increase bulk on both sides.</p>

<p>CB Glalie is one of the best ways to check DD Altaria in the teir, being able to revenge kill it with Ice Shard, and outspeeding +0 Altaria. It's also a pretty good lure for Magmortar with Earthquake. This set also a good partner for Samuwott or Gorybyss, because few Grass-types would want to stay in against Glalie, while Fire-types are lured out to exploit Glalie's weakness.</p>

[Checks and Counters]
<p>The lead set is pretty difficult to hard counter, as it's sole aim is to get up Spikes, and it can Explode on faster, frail Taunters. Support Mespirit is the best bet for stopping Glalie cold as it can outspeed and Taunt, but it won't like repeated Ice Fangs, or Explosion. </p>

<p>Choice Banded sets are usually put down with ease by bulky waters, such as Samuwott, although except for Frillsh, they all will not appreciate a CB Explosion. Sawk is also a very good check, due to a combination of Sturdy and threatening with Close Combat or Stone Edge. </p>

<p>While Glalie lacks 100% hard counters, it's stopped by a lot of pokemon, although Glalie will usually acheive setting up Spikes, or dealing some decent damage in the process if it predicts well with the Band set. Stealth Rock is a massive limiting factor in Glalie's ability to switch in and out, Spikes and Toxic Spikes also shorten it's lifespan.</p>
 

Endorfins

Your Worst Nightmare
is a Contributor Alumnus
why do the sets have special defense investment?
speed should be written as Spe and the EV spread should look like 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
 

destinyunknown

Banned deucer.
Lol, what is this o.o

First, there are no leads in this generation. Glalie should be used with Ice Body under the hail, outside it there are better spikers.

In my opinion, first set should be something of the like:

Glalie@Leftovers
Move 1: Spikes
Move 2: Protect
Move 3: Taunt/Toxic
Move 4: Ice Beam
Ability: Ice Body

The evs not sure, maxing Hp and then some speed to outspeed something needed and the rest just in defenses.

Explosion is lol, as it is Choice Band set.
 

Endorfins

Your Worst Nightmare
is a Contributor Alumnus
^thats the way to go

The choice band set just looks... terrible. You know a set sucks if ice fang is your main STAB move and the speed investment is counter productive with avalanche. Ice shard sucks with no dragons to kill and explosion sucks this gen. Definitely remove the choice band set

@destiny
There is no instant hail in nu so unless your using the move hail then ice body is useless.
 
ok SO

I have actually used Glalie extensively, it does in fact make an excellent lead. What you have right now is pretty close - Focus Sash needs to be the primary item and Jolly the primary nature. Life Orb should actually go in AC imo since you're just leading with it and LO is often counterproductive to what you need to do. In the AC of both sets, place teammates who work well with Glalie so you're AC isn't completely empty. On that note please keep your analysis in a skeleton until the tiering shifts occur.

Also i don't really think the CB set has much merit considering a) it's movepool is incredibly shitty and b) it's stats just aren't good enough to abuse it. Put it in OO.

Once all these changes are made consider this QC APPROVED 1/3
 

breh

強いだね
CB could actually be OK. yeah it's kind of meh in terms of a lot of things, but something like Ice Shard / Spikes / EQ / Explosion might work. CB spikes may seem like a bad idea, but it's not as awful as one might think. strong ice shard is actually kind of neat, considering that it hits SE on a lot of threats (not particularly threats to hail teams but still).

of course, that's all theorymon; if anybody wants to test that, feel free.

don't run speed; run HP. glalie is under base 85 so just give up at that point.
 
Lol, what is this o.o

First, there are no leads in this generation. Glalie should be used with Ice Body under the hail, outside it there are better spikers.

In my opinion, first set should be something of the like:

Glalie@Leftovers
Move 1: Spikes
Move 2: Protect
Move 3: Taunt/Toxic
Move 4: Ice Beam
Ability: Ice Body

The evs not sure, maxing Hp and then some speed to outspeed something needed and the rest just in defenses.

Explosion is lol, as it is Choice Band set.
There are leads this generation, especially within NU. Roselia and Scolipede are both used almost excluseivly as leads, and as Glalie is SR weak, and a Spiker, as well as pretty bad in general, leading is about all it can do.

Not to mention the combination of Explosion, Taunt and Spikes actually makes him a decent lead. That set is if ou want him to spike, and the only way Glalie is going to do that reliably is as a suicide lead.

Ice Body is pretty pointless on Glalie. If you want Ice Body, use Walrein. Inner Focus at least prevents something like Fake-Out Persian from flinching you on a lead set. Although I guess I could add a Hail-stall set, seeing as Taunt is an advantage Walrein dosen't have.

Also, while currently in NU, Snover is likly to go up to RU when the teirs change, as Blizzspam is getting more and more popular there.

Explosion is not lol. It is Glalie's best option at dealing damage. Let's face it, it's not going to be lasting long with it's 80/80/80 defenses, and a Base 250 attack, even with Base 80 Atk, is still going to hurt.

You have to remember as well, Glalie probobly isn't switching in afterwards on a lead set. Explosion is simply to do something with Glalie's remaining life, instead of letting it fall to Stealth Rock, or damage on a switch-in.

Choice Band Glalie is more of a lure, as well as a revenge killer with Ice Shard. It can lure in Klingklang, and revenge kill Altaria. It can also lure in things like Slowking if it's using Crunch. CB Explosion dents pretty much anything. It's not useless, it's just... Glalie is not spectacular.


I'll add a HailStall set, in case Snover remains in NU. Also, Speed is needed on the Lead set. Otherwise, you can't taunt neutral natured Klingklang before he uses Gear Shift.

As for CB, I'll look into it some more.

- EDIT: Something came up before I could finish updates -
 

destinyunknown

Banned deucer.
@Happy endorfins: Snover is NU so Hail exists here. Unless it has rose to RU, but I don't think it has happened.

I will like to say that hail stalling is not really Glalie's best use, because walrein vastly outclasses it. However, the point I see in using Protect+Ice Body is how easy is setting up 3 layers of spikes with the 12'5% of recovery each turn, and his good defenses 80/80/80. I used Protect/Spikes/Ice Beam/ and Toxic*Taunt (last is filler mostly) in RU some time ago with some success, and I almost always achieve to get the 3 layers up. I'm not sure of what Qc checks think about it, but the set to go in hail is Protect/Spikes/Ice Beam/filler

As a final nitpick, Dragon Dance altaria is not such a common threat and there are a lot of checks to it ( any rock type mostly ).
 
Don't put a hail stall set: There are so many better stallers out there and you are basically 100% outclassed by Walrein who is bulkier in every way possible. I can't think of any niche that Glalie has in that regard.
 
What in the hell is the second set? It's got 3 moves, called stall with attacking sweeper evs, has cb with no attacking moves, and you comment on the set as though it had moves it doesn't.
 
What in the hell is the second set? It's got 3 moves, called stall with attacking sweeper evs, has cb with no attacking moves, and you comment on the set as though it had moves it doesn't.
My last post says that I had to leave before I could finish my edit.

I basically copy-pasted the previous set for the outline, and was updateing it when something came up.

Finishing edits now.
 
Yea the hail stall set is terrible, would never use it over Walrein, or even Ice Body Glaceon who is much more powerful and abuses it better.
 
Don't put a hail stall set: There are so many better stallers out there and you are basically 100% outclassed by Walrein who is bulkier in every way possible. I can't think of any niche that Glalie has in that regard.
Firstly, what's stopping you from having two Hail stallers?

Secondly, Glalie has Taunt, meaning he can't be Phazed out, and others cannot set up on him. He also has Disable, which means he can punish choiced sets. While he's no Gengar [He IS an Ice-type], it can be useful, especially on a team full of Ice-types. Admittedly, Walrein is generally better, but Glalie has those niches, and I've made it clear that without those niches, he's outclassed.

Bulk dosen't matter *that* much when you're alternateing between Sub and Protect every turn. If anything, Glalie's speed could be an advantage in that regard, as he can set up a sub before slower foes can attack, or before slower taunters/walls that carry Toxic.
 
I'd like to see logs of Glalie being a useful hail staller before I approve it

and I don't mean a few, I mean at least 5 logs that show Glalie's effectiveness in good battles, not against some noob.
 

tennisace

not quite too old for this, apparently
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Hail stall is now completely irrelevant with Snover banned. Just get rid of the set and update the OP
 
I run a similar set to the lead, and it does really well whenever its used, even outside of NU.

Icy Wind
Spikes
Explosion
Hidden Power (Grass)
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 8 HP 56 Def 196 S.Atk 48 S.Def 200 Speed
IVs:30 Atk, S.Atk

Use Icy Wind right off the bat to cut the opponents lead poke's speed in half. Live any attack they throw at him with his Sash, and then with their speed cut in half, Glalie pretty much always goes first the next turn, so you can spikes on the switch, or attack if you feel it necessary.
 
- Removed Hail Stall set and relevant comments.

When I playtested the Hail Stall set thoroughly, I did get quite a few free setups, and crippled teams from using Disable. There are quite a lot of banded/scarfed mons in NU. However, I never really got to face anyone good, and I'm not a stall player, so kept misplaying. It was certainly niche, but not useless.

Zombie, that set is pretty irrelevant for the NU teir, IMO, except as a gimmick. The speed is required to outspeed Adamant Klingklang and prevent it from setting up on you, and HP [Grass] is pretty useless. Icy Wind is niche, and does admittedly have use, but it's generally inferior to Ice Beam, especially against the likes of common NU leads, like Roselia.
 
Admittedly, Ice Wind could actually have a mention in OO as a neat little attack to surprise a lead before you either attack or Explode (anti-lead isn't that good at all though). Also please change the thread name to QC 1/3 :O
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
You really need to expand the analysis. It's really bareboned. Two sentences are definately not enough for the AC.
 
I don't really understand why Piloswine is more laughable than Glalie as a physical ice type considering it has better physical bulk (even without eviolite), power, a reliable STAB move that has over 65 BP, and a secondary STAB move. If anything you should be selling Glalie's few perks over Piloswine, notably its higher speed and Explosion.
 
I don't really understand why Piloswine is more laughable than Glalie as a physical ice type considering it has better physical bulk (even without eviolite), power, a reliable STAB move that has over 65 BP, and a secondary STAB move. If anything you should be selling Glalie's few perks over Piloswine, notably its higher speed and Explosion.
Piloswine's horrible speed is quite a large factor, and the Ground-typing gives Piloswine two more massive weaknesses, while only fixing the Rock weakness of the Ice-Type.

Grass and Water are fairly common within NU, with threats such as Exeggutour, Gorybyss and Samuwott.

This all combined makes Piloswine almost impossible to switch in, as very few pokemon in the teir can't hit it hard [And his bulk isn't anything to write home about]. At least Glalie, if he has to switch in, can outspeed some pokemon.

Anyway, I expanded the analysis. The problem with Glalie is there's not really a lot to actually say. He's not got much else of a movepool to speak about, and sets such as the Lead Spiker are pretty cut and dry when it comes to team support.
 

shnen

שוני
is a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
ice shard deserves a mention in the AC of the first set, as I have used it and found it to be very handy, much more so then ice fang
also urgh the set comments of Cb makes me want to vomit, talk about comma splicing
 

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