Haunter (GSC UU)

Sage

From the River To the Sea
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[OVERVIEW]
Haunter is one of the stronger offensive threats in GSC UU, with very good Special Attack, great coverage options in Psychic and Thunder, and access to rare moves like Thief and Explosion that let it circumvent some of its checks. It has enough Speed to outpace all of the bulkier Pokemon commonly seen, as well as being able to use its Ghost typing to check the threatening Granbull. However, there are a number of shortcomings that stop it from being a more consistent wallbreaker. Its pitiful bulk leaves it either 2HKOed or 3HKOed by most neutral hits, and common Ground- and Psychic-types like Nidoqueen, Piloswine, and Slowbro threaten to OHKO it with their super effective STAB moves. It also often needs to use Explosion in order to break other teams and give partners opportunities to make progress, leading to Haunter being somewhat difficult to use to its full potential. Lastly, while its Speed tier of 95 is solid, it is outsped by numerous other offensive Pokemon including Scyther, Dodrio, Electabuzz, and Kadabra, the last of which can OHKO it.

[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Hypnosis / Thief
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / No Item

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Haunter is blessed with a myriad of useful attacks to make up for its lackluster offensive typing. Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, potentially 2HKOing it with Spikes damage or a Special Defense drop. Thunder hits most of the tier's Water- and Flying-types hard, including Slowbro, Slowking, Scyther, Dodrio, and Gyarados. It can also inflict paralysis on some bulkier switch-ins like Hypno and Chansey. Haunter can make a very effective lead, with both Thief and Hypnosis crippling the foe early. It matches up against Qwilfish well, usually scaring it out from staying in to set up Spikes, and you can either put something to sleep or get an early-game Thief off on your opponent's Haunter switch-in. Thief is a great way for Haunter to support its team by taking Leftovers from one of the opposing tanks, with the aforementioned Hypno, Chansey, and Slowbro all being great targets for this. However, Hypnosis helps more when facing offensive teams and gives Haunter more free turns to attack. It also makes it risky for Haunter checks without Sleep Talk to switch in, which reduces the number of counters it has to a handful of Pokemon. Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno after Spikes damage while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos. It can also be used as an emergency button versus threats that have gotten out of hand like Swords Dance Pinsir and Victreebel. However, if Haunter is being depended on as a stop to Curse Granbull, it is wise to preserve it.

Team Options
========

Spikes are the best thing to help Haunter break opposing teams, so Qwilfish is an almost mandatory partner. Once Qwilfish sets up Spikes, Haunter can block Rapid Spin for it in return. While Blastoise, the most common spinner, has a small chance to 2HKO Haunter, it is slower and threatened by both Thunder and Explosion, letting Haunter switch into it safely at least once if it is healthy. Baton Pass teams are well equipped to enjoy Haunter's utility as well, as it can use its unique attributes to keep Spikes up, put something to sleep with Hypnosis, and use Explosion to give free setup opportunities. Pokemon that can take advantage of bulky Psychic-types like Scyther and Pinsir can potentially get free turns of setup after Haunter forces said Psychic-types to Rest. Haunter commonly runs the same offensive coverage as Mr. Mime and can lure in Pokemon that would also wall Mr. Mime to eliminate them with Explosion. Many strong Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Granbull appreciate Haunter stealing Leftovers or using Explosion on checks they have in common like Hypno, Magneton, and Slowking. Other fast offensive threats like Electabuzz and Dodrio will appreciate Haunter's early-game wallbreaking to help them clean weakened teams.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but it is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover. It can also be run over Hypnosis or Thief if you want to take greater advantage of Haunter's ability to force trades. Haze can be useful as an emergency button versus sweepers that get out of hand, while Perish Song can also be used to force them out and win last Pokemon scenarios. Mean Look can be used in conjunction with Explosion, Perish Song, or Destiny Bond in order to give Haunter a way to trap and KO a foe, but it has to give up the utility of a status move or Thief to do so. Haunter also has other niche coverage options. Shadow Ball provides a way to hit the frailer Psychic-types like Kadabra and Mr. Mime even off Haunter's pitiful Attack stat, Giga Drain hits Omastar and Quagsire, while Hidden Power Ice nails Jumpluff and Gligar.

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

**Electric-types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switch-ins to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton may be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switch-ins to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but it does have the advantange of being faster and 2HKOing Haunter while also being able to trap it with Pursuit. Lanturn is another solid option that can safely come in and threaten it with its STAB moves or Thunder Wave.

**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can safely switch into Haunter at least once barring Explosion, with Hypno being the best choice for something with longevity. Kadabra with Recover doesn't fear anything except paralysis from Thunder, and Mr. Mime can force Haunter out as well, but both do have to be careful about the rare Shadow Ball. Slowking very slightly risks a 2HKO from Thunder but can otherwise come in and threaten an OHKO. Explosion can deter most of these switch-ins, but it comes at the cost of Haunter's life.

**Ground-types**: Some of the tier's Ground-types can make an effective Haunter check, with Piloswine being the bulkiest option available. It is also commonly carrying Sleep Talk, which makes Hypnosis less of an issue for it. Quagsire can force Haunter out and threaten to set up a Belly Drum. Nidoqueen has to fear Psychic, but it can come in on Thunder when healthy and forces the player to make predictions.

**Bellossom and Jumpluff**: Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can paralyze it or put it to sleep, while Jumpluff's higher Speed lets it use Encore against Haunter to prevent Explosion as well. However, they must both be wary of Hypnosis and paralysis from Thunder, which can prevent them from effectively doing their job.

**Faster Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO it, but they fear paralysis from Thunder and can only deal with an already weakened Haunter. The less common Electrode resists Thunder while 2HKOing Haunter in return.

**Chansey**: Chansey can sit on basically everything Haunter has and even takes an Explosion from full health. It can then proceed to either support its team or threaten Haunter with Thunder Wave. However, Chansey usually can't KO Haunter itself, as Haunter is immune to Present and Seismic Toss; furthermore, Chansey must be wary of being put to sleep with Hypnosis and used as setup bait by one of Haunter's teammates.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sage, 192277]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Diophantine, 370164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
-Thief / Hypnosis
-Psychic
-Thunder
-Explosion
Item: none / Leftovers
I think Hypnosis deserves first slash here, it's a very powerful weapon with a lot of potential utility. If this is done then Leftovers should also be first.
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, at least forcing a Moonlight and potentially 2HKOing with a Special Defense drop.
This is pretty good already but to nitpick I think the end of the sentence leaves the possible damage roll range too vague. This is a move that can potentially 2HKO after Spikes, and if it fails and Haunter gets OHKOed by EQ, will often still allow a revenge kill that is "guaranteed" because Nidoqueen won't live Spikes damage next time it tries to come in. So the danger of switching into Haunter's Psychic is worth emphasising.

Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno with a spike, while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos.
I think you should add a "however, if Haunter is being depended on for countering Granbull, ..." bit here because this often turns exploding into a bad idea.

Team Options
========
Haunter can also block Rapid Spin from Blastoise if Qwilfish ends up being knocked out.
I'd remove or replace "if qwilfish ends up being knocked out", since it can do this regardless.


I would mention its synergy with baton pass teams here.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Haunter can make a very effective lead, with both Thief and Hypnosis crippling your opponent early. It matches up against Qwilfish well, usually scaring it out from staying in to Spike, and you can either put something to sleep or get an early game Thief on your opponent's Haunter switch in. Play Haunter aggressively, but don't make too risky moves without knowing the opponent's team. If Haunter is healthy and has either come with or stolen Leftovers, it can always switch into Blastoise at least once. If you're using an offensive team it's often worth it to lose some of Haunter's health in order to keep the Spike up, Thunder will scare out Blastoise and potentially give you a chance to Explode on a crucial wall. That being said, It's wise to wait on Exploding even versus a good target in case there is something else Haunter needs to break for you to win. Try and fully scout your opponent's team thanks to Hypnosis and Thief forcing switches.
We have usually been putting this kind of thing in set comments. It may be best to try to incorporate it into there. Otherwise you could include these as "Usage Tips" maybe.

Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover.
Haunter has many more viable options. Some include Haze, Mean Look, Perish Song, Shadow Ball (for hitting Mr. Mime and Kadabra), Giga Drain, and HP Ice. I think all of these are viable, and there are also potential others like Substitute, Swagger, Confuse Ray, Spite, and Nightmare which are significantly less convincing but still potentially useful.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-Types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switches to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder, and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton maybe be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switches to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in and lacks recovery, but is faster and 2hkoes and still gets at least two chances to come in.
Electabuzz has been undersold a bit here imo, it is very likely to be able to come in more than twice. I'd also add Lanturn here.

**Psychic-Types**: Kadabra with Recover doesn't fear anything except Thunder Paralysis, and Mr. Mime can force Haunter out as well.
I'd add "except for the rare Shadow Ball" for these two.

**Faster Offensive Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO, while Jumpluff can cripple it with Stun Spore or Sleep Powder and tank any hit from hit.
These all risk paralysis from Thunder and the former two especially don't want to take Thunder at all. I don't think Jumpluff belongs under this heading either, but it works against Haunter well enough to go somewhere.


Pokemon like Piloswine, Chansey, Quagsire and Bellossom haven't been mentioned in here and should be. Arcanine and Shuckle also counter it pretty hard but I won't complain if they aren't included.




I'd mention somewhere in the analysis that Haunter is really good against non-HP Ground Pinsir and Victreebel. This is a great niche for it since Pinsir in particular has few counters.



Overall I think you've done a good job! I will check again after you've responded or implemented these suggestions.
 
Last edited:

Sage

From the River To the Sea
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I think Hypnosis deserves first slash here, it's a very powerful weapon with a lot of potential utility. If this is done then Leftovers should also be first.
This is pretty good already but to nitpick I think the end of the sentence leaves the possible damage roll range too vague. This is a move that can potentially 2HKO after Spikes, and if it fails and Haunter gets OHKOed by EQ, will often still allow a revenge kill that is "guaranteed" because Nidoqueen won't live Spikes damage next time it tries to come in. So the danger of switching into Haunter's Psychic is worth emphasising.

I think you should add a "however, if Haunter is being depended on for countering Granbull, ..." bit here because this often turns exploding into a bad idea.

I'd remove or replace "if qwilfish ends up being knocked out", since it can do this regardless.


I would mention its synergy with baton pass teams here.

We have usually been putting this kind of thing in set comments. It may be best to try to incorporate it into there. Otherwise you could include these as "Usage Tips" maybe.

Haunter has many more viable options. Some include Haze, Mean Look, Perish Song, Shadow Ball (for hitting Mr. Mime and Kadabra), Giga Drain, and HP Ice. I think all of these are viable, and there are also potential others like Substitute, Swagger, Confuse Ray, Spite, and Nightmare which are significantly less convincing but still potentially useful.

Electabuzz has been undersold a bit here imo, it is very likely to be able to come in more than twice. I'd also add Lanturn here.

I'd add "except for the rare Shadow Ball" for these two.

These all risk paralysis from Thunder and the former two especially don't want to take Thunder at all. I don't think Jumpluff belongs under this heading either, but it works against Haunter well enough to go somewhere.


Pokemon like Piloswine, Chansey, Quagsire and Bellossom haven't been mentioned in here and should be. Arcanine and Shuckle also counter it pretty hard but I won't complain if they aren't included.




I'd mention somewhere in the analysis that Haunter is really good against non-HP Ground Pinsir and Victreebel. This is a great niche for it since Pinsir in particular has few counters.



Overall I think you've done a good job! I will check again after you've responded or implemented these suggestions.
implemented
 
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, potentially 2HKOing with Spikes or even a Special Defense Drop. This often lets Haunter favorably trade with Nidoqueen because it will be too weak to switch into Spikes the next time it comes in.
I think my suggestion might have been too much here actually, the second sentence doesn't seem necessary now that the 2HKO chance is mentioned. Sorry.. I think you can also get rid of "even".

Thunder hits most of the tier's Water-types hard, including Slowbro, Slowking, and Gyarados.
It might be worthwhile to make it Water- and Flying-types and add Scyther and Dodrio here.
Hypnosis helps more when facing offensive teams and at giving Haunter more free turns to attack.
Maybe mention that it reduces the pool of safe checks to only the few RestTalkers that aren't weak to one of Haunter's attacks.

Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno with a spike, while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos.
Explosion is also very useful as a fall back strategy against certain Pokemon, maybe that could be added. I also think the first part could be reworded. I wouldn't treat this as simply a value adding move, I would treat it as a core part of Haunter's set that can be used to take out a crucial target.

Team Options
========
Spikes are the best thing to help Haunter break opposing teams, so Qwilfish is an almost mandatory partner. Haunter can also block Rapid Spin from Blastoise.
I'd personally tie this second sentence back into being a good partner for Qwilfish explicitly.
Baton Pass teams are well equipped to enjoy Haunter's spinblocking as well, and it can use Hypnosis and Explosion to give setup opportunities.
In my opinion it's not the spinblocking that Haunter is valuable for, it's more the ability to put the opponent at an immediate disadvantage with its utility options and set up a free entry in a favourable matchup for a Baton Pass user through Explosion.

Many strong pokemon like Nidoqueen and Granbull can appreciate Haunter stealing Leftovers or Exploding on tanks like Hypno and Chansey.
The wording can be improved a bit here. I would say Hypno, Slowking, and Magneton since Chansey doesn't check these two well. I would also call them "checks they have in common" rather than tanks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover.
In addition to being an Explosion alternative I would also mention the option of using it over Haunter's utility move.

Mean Look should be added here and mentioned in conjunction with Perish Song, Explosion, and Destiny Bond.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-Types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switches to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder, and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton maybe be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switches to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but does have the advtange in being faster and 2hkoing Haunter. Lanturn is another solid option that can safely come in.
I realised that Electabuzz's Pursuit also needs mentioning here. Also, please add something like ", absorb Hypnosis easily, and threaten Haunter with its STAB attacks" for Lanturn.

**Grass-Types**: Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can Paralyze or Sleep it, while Jumpluff's higher speed lets it Encore Haunter to prevent Explosion as well.
Add that they fear status from Hypnosis and Thunder. Also, I would change this from Grass-types to "Bellossom and Jumpluff" to avoid the implication that Victreebel might do well.

**Faster Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO, but they fear Paralysis from Thunder and can only deal with an already weakened Haunter. The less common Electrode resists Thunder while 2HKOing, and Crobat can still pick off a weakened Haunter.
If you aren't gonna mention Arcanine and Shuckle then Crobat is definitely not worthy of a mention.

**Chansey**: Chansey can sit on basically everything Haunter has and even takes an Explosion from full health. It can then procede to either support its own team or threaten Haunter with Thunder Wave. However, Chansey can't KO Haunter itself as it is immune to Present, Seismic Toss, and Counter.
It's not completely impossible for Chansey to run a special attack, so I'd put something like "usually".

QC 1/2 once implemented.
 

Diophantine

Banned deucer.
Haunter can also block Rapid Spin from Blastoise.
I think you should elaborate slightly on this matchup. These calcs might help.
Blastoise Surf vs. Haunter: 132-156 (45 - 53.2%) -- 32% chance to 2HKO
Haunter Thunder vs. Blastoise: 185-218 (51.2 - 60.3%) -- 92% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Haunter Explosion vs. Blastoise: 239-281 (66.2 - 77.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

lectabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but does have the advtange in being faster and 2hkoing Haunter.
I think Pursuit is a worthy mention here.

Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can Paralyze or Sleep it, while Jumpluff's higher speed lets it Encore Haunter to prevent Explosion as well.
I think it's worth mentioning that these two Pokemon hate status, and so switching into a Hypnosis or onto a Thunder paralysis can be troublesome. Personally I'm not too sure about labelling Jumpluff as a counter as it fulfil its role if paralyzed.

However, Chansey can't KO Haunter itself as it is immune to Present, Seismic Toss, and Counter.
Would also mention Hypnosis here.

Good work overall. Once these are implemented, consider it QC'd 2/2. If you have any questions let me know
 

Century Express

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Late to the party, but I'd nitpick Haunter usually shares the same offensive coverage of Mr. Mime, and for this reason alone, it does a god job luring key Special-walls (e: Hypno or Ampharos) for Mr. Mime via Explosion / Thief, this can be expanded on Team Options. Also agree with @ Mean Look + Explosion / Destiny Bond combo, very underrated pick.
 

deetah

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GP 1/2


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[OVERVIEW]
Haunter is one of the stronger offensive threats in GSC UU, with a very good Special Attack, great coverage options in Psychic and Thunder, and access to unique moves like Thief and Explosion that let it circumvent some of its checks like Thief and Explosion. It has enough Speed to outpace all of the bulkier Pokemon commonly seen, as well as being able to use its Ghost-typing Ghost typing to check the threatening Granbull. However, there are a number of shortcomings it faces from being a more consistent wallbreaker. It's Its pitiful bulk leaves it either 2HKOed or 3HKOed by most neutral hits, and common Ground-(AH) and Psychic-types like Nidoqueen, Piloswine, and Slowbro threaten to OHKO it with their STAB super effective STAB moves. It also often needs to use Explosion in order to break other teams and allow give partners opportunities to make progress, leading to Haunter being somewhat difficult to use to its full potential. Lastly, while its Speed tier of 95 is solid, it still is outsped by numerous other offensive Pokemon including Scyther, Dodrio, Electabuzz, and Kadabra, the latter of which can OHKO it.

[SET]
name: Offensive Utility (Remove the hyphens in front of the moves)
move 1:
Hypnosis / Thief
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / none

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Haunter is blessed with a myriad of useful attacks to make up for its lackluster offensive typing. Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, potentially 2HKOing with Spikes or a Special Defense drop. Thunder hits most of the tier's Water- and Flying-types hard, including Slowbro, Slowking, Scyther, Dodrio, and Gyarados. It can also manage to spread paralysis on some of the bulkier switchins switch-ins to Haunter like Hypno and Chansey. Haunter can make a very effective lead, with both Thief and Hypnosis crippling your opponent the foe early. It matches up against Qwilfish well, usually scaring it out from otherwise staying in to set up Spikes, and you can either put something to sleep or get an early-(AH)game Thief off on your opponent's Haunter switch-(AH)in. Thief is a great way for Haunter to support its team by taking Leftovers from one of the opposing tanks, with the aforementioned Hypno, Chansey, and Slowbro all being great targets for this. Hypnosis helps more when facing offensive teams and at giving gives Haunter more free turns to attack, reducing the safe switchins to Sleep Talk users opponent's chances of safely bringing in a Sleep Talk user that resists both Psychic and Thunder like Magneton. Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno with a spike, after Spikes damage while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos. It can also be used as an emergency button versus threats that have gotten out of hand like a Swords Dance Pinsir or Victreebel. However, if Haunter is being depended on as a stop to Curse Granbull, then it is wise to preserve it.

Team Options
========

Spikes are the best thing to help Haunter break opposing teams, so Qwilfish is an almost mandatory partner. Once Qwilfish sets up Spikes, (AC) Haunter can block Rapid Spin in return for it in return. While Blastoise has a small chance to 2HKO Haunter, it is slower and threatened by both Thunder and Explosion, giving you at least one safe switch in if Haunter is healthy. Baton Pass teams are well equipped to enjoy Haunter's utility as well, and as it can use its unique attributes to keep Spikes up, put something to sleep with Hypnosis, and use Explosion to give free setup opportunities. Pokemon that can take advantage of bulky Psychic-types like Scyther and Pinsir will be able to get free turns of setup after Haunter either forces them to Rest or brings them in on double switches. Haunter commonly runs the same offensive coverage as Mr. Mime, (RC) and can lure in Pokemon that would also wall Mr. Mime to use Explosion on them. Many strong Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Granbull can appreciate Haunter stealing Leftovers or Exploding using Explosion on checks they have in common like Hypno, Magneton, and Slowking. Other fast offensive threats like Electabuzz and Dodrio will appreciate Haunter's early-game wallbreaking to clean weakened teams.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but it is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover. It can also be run over Hypnosis or Thief if you want to emphasize Haunter's ability to force trades. Haze can be useful as an emergency button versus sweepers that get out of hand, while Perish Song can also be used to force them out and win last Pokemon scenarios. Mean Look can be used in conjunction with Explosion, Perish Song, or Destiny Bond in order to give Haunter a guaranteed way to trap and KO an opponent a foe, but it has to give up the utility of a status move or Thief to do so. Haunter also has other niche coverage options. Shadow Ball provides a way to hit the frailer Psychic-types like Kadabra and Mr. Mime even off of its pitiful Attack stat, Giga Drain hits Omastar and Quagsire, while Hidden Power Ice nails Jumpluff and Gligar.

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

**Electric-types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switches to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder, (RC) and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton maybe may be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switches to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but it does have the advantange in of being faster and 2hkoing 2HKOing Haunter, (RC) while also being able to trap it with Pursuit. Lanturn is another solid option that can safely come in and can threaten it with its STAB moves or Thunder Wave.

**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can safely switch into Haunter at least once barring Explosion, with Hypno being the best choice for something with longevity. Kadabra with Recover doesn't fear anything except paralysis from Thunder Paralysis, and Mr. Mime can force Haunter out as wellm well, (AC) but both do have to be careful about the rare Shadow Ball. Slowking risks a very slight 2HKO from Thunder, (RC) but otherwise comes in and threatens an OHKO. Explosion can deter most of these switch-ins, but only at the cost of Haunter's life.

**Ground-types**: Some of the tier's Ground-types can make an effective Haunter check, with Piloswine being the bulkiest option available. It is also commonly carrying Sleep Talk, (AC) which makes Hypnosis less of an issue for it. Quagsire can both force Haunter out and use it as an opportunity to set up a Belly Drum. Nidoqueen has to fear Psychic, but it can come in on Thunder when healthy and forces the Haunter users player to make predictions.

**Bellossom and Jumpluff**: Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can paralyze it or Sleep put it to sleep, while Jumpluff's higher Speed lets it use Encore against Haunter to prevent Explosion as well. They both must be wary of Hypnosis or paralysis from Thunder, (AC) Paralysis preventing them from effectively doing their job.

**Faster Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO, but they fear paralysis from Thunder and can only deal with an already weakened Haunter. The less common Electrode resists Thunder while 2HKOing in return.

**Chansey**: Chansey can sit on basically everything Haunter has and even takes an Explosion from full health. It can then procede to either support its own team or threaten Haunter with Thunder Wave. However, Chansey usually can't KO Haunter itself, (AC) as it is immune to Present, Seismic Toss, and Counter; (SC) and Chansey must be wary of being put to sleep with Hypnosis and being used as setup bait by one of Haunter's teammates.

*[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sage, 192277]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Diophantine, 370164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
 

Sage

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View attachment 202615

[OVERVIEW]
Haunter is one of the stronger offensive threats in GSC UU, with a very good Special Attack, great coverage options in Psychic and Thunder, and access to unique moves like Thief and Explosion that let it circumvent some of its checks like Thief and Explosion. It has enough Speed to outpace all of the bulkier Pokemon commonly seen, as well as being able to use its Ghost-typing Ghost typing to check the threatening Granbull. However, there are a number of shortcomings it faces from being a more consistent wallbreaker. It's Its pitiful bulk leaves it either 2HKOed or 3HKOed by most neutral hits, and common Ground-(AH) and Psychic-types like Nidoqueen, Piloswine, and Slowbro threaten to OHKO it with their STAB super effective STAB moves. It also often needs to use Explosion in order to break other teams and allow give partners opportunities to make progress, leading to Haunter being somewhat difficult to use to its full potential. Lastly, while its Speed tier of 95 is solid, it still is outsped by numerous other offensive Pokemon including Scyther, Dodrio, Electabuzz, and Kadabra, the latter of which can OHKO it.

[SET]
name: Offensive Utility (Remove the hyphens in front of the moves)
move 1:
Hypnosis / Thief
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / none

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Haunter is blessed with a myriad of useful attacks to make up for its lackluster offensive typing. Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, potentially 2HKOing with Spikes or a Special Defense drop. Thunder hits most of the tier's Water- and Flying-types hard, including Slowbro, Slowking, Scyther, Dodrio, and Gyarados. It can also manage to spread paralysis on some of the bulkier switchins switch-ins to Haunter like Hypno and Chansey. Haunter can make a very effective lead, with both Thief and Hypnosis crippling your opponent the foe early. It matches up against Qwilfish well, usually scaring it out from otherwise staying in to set up Spikes, and you can either put something to sleep or get an early-(AH)game Thief off on your opponent's Haunter switch-(AH)in. Thief is a great way for Haunter to support its team by taking Leftovers from one of the opposing tanks, with the aforementioned Hypno, Chansey, and Slowbro all being great targets for this. Hypnosis helps more when facing offensive teams and at giving gives Haunter more free turns to attack, reducing the safe switchins to Sleep Talk users opponent's chances of safely bringing in a Sleep Talk user that resists both Psychic and Thunder like Magneton. Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno with a spike, after Spikes damage while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos. It can also be used as an emergency button versus threats that have gotten out of hand like a Swords Dance Pinsir or Victreebel. However, if Haunter is being depended on as a stop to Curse Granbull, then it is wise to preserve it.

Team Options
========

Spikes are the best thing to help Haunter break opposing teams, so Qwilfish is an almost mandatory partner. Once Qwilfish sets up Spikes, (AC) Haunter can block Rapid Spin in return for it in return. While Blastoise has a small chance to 2HKO Haunter, it is slower and threatened by both Thunder and Explosion, giving you at least one safe switch in if Haunter is healthy. Baton Pass teams are well equipped to enjoy Haunter's utility as well, and as it can use its unique attributes to keep Spikes up, put something to sleep with Hypnosis, and use Explosion to give free setup opportunities. Pokemon that can take advantage of bulky Psychic-types like Scyther and Pinsir will be able to get free turns of setup after Haunter either forces them to Rest or brings them in on double switches. Haunter commonly runs the same offensive coverage as Mr. Mime, (RC) and can lure in Pokemon that would also wall Mr. Mime to use Explosion on them. Many strong Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Granbull can appreciate Haunter stealing Leftovers or Exploding using Explosion on checks they have in common like Hypno, Magneton, and Slowking. Other fast offensive threats like Electabuzz and Dodrio will appreciate Haunter's early-game wallbreaking to clean weakened teams.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but it is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover. It can also be run over Hypnosis or Thief if you want to emphasize Haunter's ability to force trades. Haze can be useful as an emergency button versus sweepers that get out of hand, while Perish Song can also be used to force them out and win last Pokemon scenarios. Mean Look can be used in conjunction with Explosion, Perish Song, or Destiny Bond in order to give Haunter a guaranteed way to trap and KO an opponent a foe, but it has to give up the utility of a status move or Thief to do so. Haunter also has other niche coverage options. Shadow Ball provides a way to hit the frailer Psychic-types like Kadabra and Mr. Mime even off of its pitiful Attack stat, Giga Drain hits Omastar and Quagsire, while Hidden Power Ice nails Jumpluff and Gligar.

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

**Electric-types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switches to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder, (RC) and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton maybe may be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switches to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but it does have the advantange in of being faster and 2hkoing 2HKOing Haunter, (RC) while also being able to trap it with Pursuit. Lanturn is another solid option that can safely come in and can threaten it with its STAB moves or Thunder Wave.

**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can safely switch into Haunter at least once barring Explosion, with Hypno being the best choice for something with longevity. Kadabra with Recover doesn't fear anything except paralysis from Thunder Paralysis, and Mr. Mime can force Haunter out as wellm well, (AC) but both do have to be careful about the rare Shadow Ball. Slowking risks a very slight 2HKO from Thunder, (RC) but otherwise comes in and threatens an OHKO. Explosion can deter most of these switch-ins, but only at the cost of Haunter's life.

**Ground-types**: Some of the tier's Ground-types can make an effective Haunter check, with Piloswine being the bulkiest option available. It is also commonly carrying Sleep Talk, (AC) which makes Hypnosis less of an issue for it. Quagsire can both force Haunter out and use it as an opportunity to set up a Belly Drum. Nidoqueen has to fear Psychic, but it can come in on Thunder when healthy and forces the Haunter users player to make predictions.

**Bellossom and Jumpluff**: Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can paralyze it or Sleep put it to sleep, while Jumpluff's higher Speed lets it use Encore against Haunter to prevent Explosion as well. They both must be wary of Hypnosis or paralysis from Thunder, (AC) Paralysis preventing them from effectively doing their job.

**Faster Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO, but they fear paralysis from Thunder and can only deal with an already weakened Haunter. The less common Electrode resists Thunder while 2HKOing in return.

**Chansey**: Chansey can sit on basically everything Haunter has and even takes an Explosion from full health. It can then procede to either support its own team or threaten Haunter with Thunder Wave. However, Chansey usually can't KO Haunter itself, (AC) as it is immune to Present, Seismic Toss, and Counter; (SC) and Chansey must be wary of being put to sleep with Hypnosis and being used as setup bait by one of Haunter's teammates.

*[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sage, 192277]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Diophantine, 370164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
done ty, Haunter can run no item with Thief so I kept Leftovers / none for now, asked GPers what the proper way to write that is

e: this is solved, No Item
 
Last edited:

Lumari

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remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]
Haunter is one of the stronger offensive threats in GSC UU, with very good Special Attack, great coverage options in Psychic and Thunder, and access to unique rare moves like Thief and Explosion that let it circumvent some of its checks. It has enough Speed to outpace all of the bulkier Pokemon commonly seen, as well as being able to use its Ghost typing to check the threatening Granbull. However, there are a number of shortcomings that stop it faces from being a more consistent wallbreaker. Its pitiful bulk leaves it either 2HKOed or 3HKOed by most neutral hits, and common Ground- and Psychic-types like Nidoqueen, Piloswine, and Slowbro threaten to OHKO it with their super effective STAB moves. It also often needs to use Explosion in order to break other teams and give partners opportunities to make progress, leading to Haunter being somewhat difficult to use to its full potential. Lastly, while its Speed tier of 95 is solid, it still is outsped by numerous other offensive Pokemon including Scyther, Dodrio, Electabuzz, and Kadabra, the latter of which can OHKO it.

[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Hypnosis / Thief
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers / No Item

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Haunter is blessed with a myriad of useful attacks to make up for its lackluster offensive typing. Psychic is crucial for being Haunter's strongest option versus Nidoqueen, potentially 2HKOing it with Spikes damage or a Special Defense drop. Thunder hits most of the tier's Water- and Flying-types hard, including Slowbro, Slowking, Scyther, Dodrio, and Gyarados. It can also manage to spread paralysis on some of the bulkier switch-ins to Haunter like Hypno and Chansey. Haunter can make a very effective lead, with both Thief and Hypnosis crippling the foe early. It matches up against Qwilfish well, usually scaring it out from otherwise staying in to set up Spikes, and you can either put something to sleep or get an early-game Thief off on your opponent's Haunter switch-in. Thief is a great way for Haunter to support its team by taking Leftovers from one of the opposing tanks, with the aforementioned Hypno, Chansey, and Slowbro all being great targets for this. However, Hypnosis helps more when facing offensive teams and dgives gives Haunter more free turns to attack, reducing the opponent's chances of safely bringing in a Sleep Talk user that resists both Psychic and Thunder like Magneton. Explosion is a way to get some more value out of Haunter if it either can't break through the opposing team or is low on health, threatening to OHKO Chansey and Hypno after Spikes damage while also doing big damage to Nidoqueen and Ampharos. It can also be used as an emergency button versus threats that have gotten out of hand like a Swords Dance Pinsir or and Victreebel. However, if Haunter is being depended on as a stop to Curse Granbull, then it is wise to preserve it.

Team Options
========

Spikes are the best thing to help Haunter break opposing teams, so Qwilfish is an almost mandatory partner. Once Qwilfish sets up Spikes, Haunter can block Rapid Spin for it in return. While Blastoise has a small chance to 2HKO Haunter, it is slower and threatened by both Thunder and Explosion, giving you letting Haunter switch into it safely at least once safe switch in if Haunter it is healthy. Baton Pass teams are well equipped to enjoy Haunter's utility as well, das as it can use its unique attributes to keep Spikes up, put something to sleep with Hypnosis, and use Explosion to give free setup opportunities. Pokemon that can take advantage of bulky Psychic-types like Scyther and Pinsir will be able to get free turns of setup after Haunter either forces them to Rest or brings them in on double switches. Haunter commonly runs the same offensive coverage as Mr. Mime and can lure in Pokemon that would also wall Mr. Mime to use Explosion on them. Many strong Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Granbull appreciate Haunter stealing Leftovers or using Explosion on checks they have in common like Hypno, Magneton, and Slowking. Other fast offensive threats like Electabuzz and Dodrio will appreciate Haunter's early-game wallbreaking to clean weakened teams.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Destiny Bond is an alternative to Explosion that doesn't KO Haunter immediately if you predict incorrectly, but it is relatively easy to play against once it has been revealed and can give opposing walls like Chansey free turns to recover. It can also be run over Hypnosis or Thief if you want to emphasize take greater advantage of Haunter's ability to force trades. Haze can be useful as an emergency button versus sweepers that get out of hand, while Perish Song can also be used to force them out and win last Pokemon scenarios. Mean Look can be used in conjunction with Explosion, Perish Song, or Destiny Bond in order to give Haunter a guaranteed way to trap and KO a foe, but it has to give up the utility of a status move or Thief to do so. Haunter also has other niche coverage options. Shadow Ball provides a way to hit the frailer Psychic-types like Kadabra and Mr. Mime even off of its Haunter's pitiful Attack stat, Giga Drain hits Omastar and Quagsire, while Hidden Power Ice nails Jumpluff and Gligar.

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

**Electric-types**: Ampharos is one of the sturdiest switches switch-ins to Haunter, taking little from Psychic and Thunder and being able to either set Light Screen or threaten Haunter with its own Thunder. Magneton may be less sturdy than Ampharos overall, but it resists both Psychic and Explosion, making it one of the safest switches switch-in to Haunter overall. Electabuzz has a little bit more trouble switching in, but it does have the advantange of being faster and 2HKOing Haunter while also being able to trap it with Pursuit. Lanturn is another solid option that can safely come in and threaten it with its STAB moves or Thunder Wave.

**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can safely switch into Haunter at least once barring Explosion, with Hypno being the best choice for something with longevity. Kadabra with Recover doesn't fear anything except paralysis from Thunder, and Mr. Mime can force Haunter out as well, but both do have to be careful about the rare Shadow Ball. Slowking very slightly risks a very slight 2HKO from Thunder but otherwise comes in safely and threatens an OHKO. Explosion can deter most of these switch-ins, but only it comes at the cost of Haunter's life.

**Ground-types**: Some of the tier's Ground-types can make an effective Haunter check, with Piloswine being the bulkiest option available. It is also commonly carrying Sleep Talk, which makes Hypnosis less of an issue for it. Quagsire can both force Haunter out and use it as an opportunity to set up a Belly Drum. Nidoqueen has to fear Psychic, but it can come in on Thunder when healthy and forces the player to make predictions.

**Bellossom and Jumpluff**: Bellossom and Jumpluff have both the bulk and recovery to switch into Haunter consistently. Both can paralyze it or put it to sleep, while Jumpluff's higher Speed lets it use Encore against Haunter to prevent Explosion as well. They both must be wary of Hypnosis or paralysis from Thunder, preventing them from effectively doing their job.

**Faster Threats**: While Haunter is by no means slow, there are still a good number of potential revenge killers it won't be able to take more than one hit from. Scyther and Dodrio both 2HKO it, but they fear paralysis from Thunder and can only deal with an already weakened Haunter. The less common Electrode resists Thunder while 2HKOing Haunter in return.

**Chansey**: Chansey can sit on basically everything Haunter has and even takes an Explosion from full health. It can then procede proceed to either support its own team or threaten Haunter with Thunder Wave. However, Chansey usually can't KO Haunter itself, as it Haunter is immune to Present, Seismic Toss, and Counter; furthermore, Chansey must be wary of being put to sleep with Hypnosis and used as setup bait by one of Haunter's teammates.

*[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sage, 192277]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Diophantine, 370164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Deetah, 297659], [, ]]
 

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