[SET]
name: Glare
move 1: Glare
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Tera Blast / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Synthesis / Dragon Pulse
item: Leftovers
ability: Contrary
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Electric / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high Speed and plethora of move choices, Serperior cements itself as a strong utility Pokemon. Glare is a powerful option that can cripple common switch-ins to Serperior like Tornadus-T and Latios. When combined with Contrary, Leaf Storm allows Serperior to threaten foes by launching a powerful STAB attack that also boosts its power at the same time. Tera Blast provides Serperior with a strong, customizable coverage option; Tera Blast Electric nails foes like Tornadus-T and Mandibuzz while providing neutral coverage against Zapdos, Tinkaton, Metagross, and Scizor. Tera Blast Fire deals super effective damage to the aforementioned Steel-types as well as other foes such as Lokix and Zarude while also hitting Thundurus-T for meaningful damage. In addition, even without Tera, Tera Blast can act as strong enough neutral coverage against several foes that resist Leaf Storm. Alternatively, Dragon Pulse bolsters Serperior's coverage without the need for Tera, allowing it to hit foes such as Latios and Hydrapple for meaningful damage. Synthesis allows Serperior to restore its health in order to stick around longer, improving its longevity and helping it against more passive foes such as Slowking and Rotom-W. Knock Off and Substitute are also options to further cripple foes that Serperior has paralyzed and to take advantage of the switches it can force with Leaf Storm, respectively, but are generally not preferable due to being overall more prediction-reliant and less consistently useful than Synthesis. Leftovers increases Serperior's longevity and allows it to take advantage of the extra turns generated by paralysis while also being able to generate more setup opportunities for itself with Leaf Storm. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can be used to improve Serperior's matchups against foes such as Excadrill and Ogerpon-C but further underscores Serperior's lack of immediate power. Tera Electric is used to provide a resistance to Flying, greatly improving Serperior's matchup against Zapdos and Tornadus-T, while also removing Serperior's weakness to Bug and giving it an additional resistance to Steel, making it less vulnerable to Scizor and Lokix. It also offers a handy immunity to paralysis, making Serperior safer against foes like Slowking, Rotom-W, and Cobalion. Tera Fire allows Serperior to offensively threaten foes it would otherwise be helpless against, such as Scizor and Tinkaton, but should be used with caution, as it does miss out on many of the notable benefits of Tera Electric while also making Serperior weak to Stealth Rock and more vulnerable to revenge killing attempts from Azumarill and Greninja.
Glare Serperior fits best on offensive teams with slow and strong wallbreakers that can take advantage of its ability to spread paralysis, such as Mamoswine, Okidogi, and Hoopa-U. In addition, Serperior can soften up checks to these Pokemon such as Toxapex with Leaf Storm and can also clean out weakened foes after these wallbreakers have blown holes in the opposing team. These wallbreakers can also remove problematic foes such as Hydrapple that can shrug off Serperior's attacks with ease and are not overly threatened by paralysis. Tornadus-T also makes for an excellent partner, as it is able to check Latios, Greninja, and Hydrapple and can assist Serperior by pivoting it in against targets like Rhyperior and Slowking with U-turn or harassing its paralysis targets with Knock Off. Many Stealth Rock setters, such as Cobalion and Rhyperior, also greatly appreciate Serperior's ability to slow down their checks and give them more chances to set up the hazard, with the latter also appreciating Serperior's ability to threaten Excadrill. In return, Serperior appreciates the chip damage from Stealth Rock making its Contrary-boosted attacks even more potent and punishing Assault Vest Tornadus-T, which it notably struggles against. The aforementioned Cobalion, as well as Pokemon such as Zapdos and Okidogi, also provides a defensive out to revenge killers such as Lokix and Scizor. Skeledirge is also an extreme nuisance, as Serperior can not break it at all, so teammates that can handle it such as Greninja and Hoopa-U are appreciated. Serperior notably struggles with the tier's multitude of Flying-types without Tera, especially Zapdos, so checks to them such as Ogerpon-C, Thundurus-T, and the aforementioned Rhyperior are greatly appreciated, with Serperior softening up their checks in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gulch.617840/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
name: Glare
move 1: Glare
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Tera Blast / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Synthesis / Dragon Pulse
item: Leftovers
ability: Contrary
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Electric / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high Speed and plethora of move choices, Serperior cements itself as a strong utility Pokemon. Glare is a powerful option that can cripple common switch-ins to Serperior like Tornadus-T and Latios. When combined with Contrary, Leaf Storm allows Serperior to threaten foes by launching a powerful STAB attack that also boosts its power at the same time. Tera Blast provides Serperior with a strong, customizable coverage option; Tera Blast Electric nails foes like Tornadus-T and Mandibuzz while providing neutral coverage against Zapdos, Tinkaton, Metagross, and Scizor. Tera Blast Fire deals super effective damage to the aforementioned Steel-types as well as other foes such as Lokix and Zarude while also hitting Thundurus-T for meaningful damage. In addition, even without Tera, Tera Blast can act as strong enough neutral coverage against several foes that resist Leaf Storm. Alternatively, Dragon Pulse bolsters Serperior's coverage without the need for Tera, allowing it to hit foes such as Latios and Hydrapple for meaningful damage. Synthesis allows Serperior to restore its health in order to stick around longer, improving its longevity and helping it against more passive foes such as Slowking and Rotom-W. Knock Off and Substitute are also options to further cripple foes that Serperior has paralyzed and to take advantage of the switches it can force with Leaf Storm, respectively, but are generally not preferable due to being overall more prediction-reliant and less consistently useful than Synthesis. Leftovers increases Serperior's longevity and allows it to take advantage of the extra turns generated by paralysis while also being able to generate more setup opportunities for itself with Leaf Storm. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe can be used to improve Serperior's matchups against foes such as Excadrill and Ogerpon-C but further underscores Serperior's lack of immediate power. Tera Electric is used to provide a resistance to Flying, greatly improving Serperior's matchup against Zapdos and Tornadus-T, while also removing Serperior's weakness to Bug and giving it an additional resistance to Steel, making it less vulnerable to Scizor and Lokix. It also offers a handy immunity to paralysis, making Serperior safer against foes like Slowking, Rotom-W, and Cobalion. Tera Fire allows Serperior to offensively threaten foes it would otherwise be helpless against, such as Scizor and Tinkaton, but should be used with caution, as it does miss out on many of the notable benefits of Tera Electric while also making Serperior weak to Stealth Rock and more vulnerable to revenge killing attempts from Azumarill and Greninja.
Glare Serperior fits best on offensive teams with slow and strong wallbreakers that can take advantage of its ability to spread paralysis, such as Mamoswine, Okidogi, and Hoopa-U. In addition, Serperior can soften up checks to these Pokemon such as Toxapex with Leaf Storm and can also clean out weakened foes after these wallbreakers have blown holes in the opposing team. These wallbreakers can also remove problematic foes such as Hydrapple that can shrug off Serperior's attacks with ease and are not overly threatened by paralysis. Tornadus-T also makes for an excellent partner, as it is able to check Latios, Greninja, and Hydrapple and can assist Serperior by pivoting it in against targets like Rhyperior and Slowking with U-turn or harassing its paralysis targets with Knock Off. Many Stealth Rock setters, such as Cobalion and Rhyperior, also greatly appreciate Serperior's ability to slow down their checks and give them more chances to set up the hazard, with the latter also appreciating Serperior's ability to threaten Excadrill. In return, Serperior appreciates the chip damage from Stealth Rock making its Contrary-boosted attacks even more potent and punishing Assault Vest Tornadus-T, which it notably struggles against. The aforementioned Cobalion, as well as Pokemon such as Zapdos and Okidogi, also provides a defensive out to revenge killers such as Lokix and Scizor. Skeledirge is also an extreme nuisance, as Serperior can not break it at all, so teammates that can handle it such as Greninja and Hoopa-U are appreciated. Serperior notably struggles with the tier's multitude of Flying-types without Tera, especially Zapdos, so checks to them such as Ogerpon-C, Thundurus-T, and the aforementioned Rhyperior are greatly appreciated, with Serperior softening up their checks in return.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gulch.617840/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
