Sage
From the River To the Sea
[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]]
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]]
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