Revamp go!
Status: Upload time?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/honchkrow
[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. It is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunities to Earthquake and sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well. Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; its low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that Honchkrow has a Stealth Rock weakness limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability make it a decent choice on most OU teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower / Heat Wave
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types who wall its main STAB moves simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon who may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything who doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier, who can otherwise switch into Honchkrow with relatively little fear; it also OHKOes Tyranitar. Heat Wave can be used instead to hit Scizor, Foretress, and Skarmory, who otherwise wall you. If you do run Heat Wave, then you should run a nature that doesn't lower your Special Attack. As far as abilities go, Insomnia is preferred for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.</p>
<p>Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to reliably restore its health; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interests to use Super Luck to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again by something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. Donphan can also make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow commonly attracts. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.</p>
<p>Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon, building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down.</p>
[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow's weak point has always been its poor Speed, but set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of 396, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.</p>
<p>Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck; when combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon who may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until it is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack heading for Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.</p>
[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 20% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. You can also use Expert Belt if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.</p>
<p>With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having paralysis support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one who you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come in on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack destined for Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch into almost any attack that Honchkrow attracts and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>One of the main things that limits Honchkrow’s ability to sweep is its weakness to Stealth Rock. For this reason, using a Rapid Spinner can be very helpful. Starmie makes a solid choice on any offensive team thanks to its plethora of useful resistances and special attacking prowess. Donphan makes a great choice on a balance team, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type attacks and a resistance to Rock-type attacks. Donphan can also use Ice Shard to revenge-kill Dragon Dance Salamence, who can otherwise use Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch as an opportunity to stack some free Dragon Dance boosts.</p>
<p>Like any offensive Pokemon, Honchkrow greatly appreciates having entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important, as it allows Honchkrow to achieve several KOs that it ordinarily could not. Spikes support can also be good to have in order to further punish opponents who switch in on Honchkrow. Skarmory can be a solid choice for providing Spikes support thanks to its ability to easily get up multiple layers of Spikes against common physical attackers like Scizor and Tyranitar. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and force them to take more damage from Spikes upon switching in. Swampert makes for a good choice when it comes to providing Stealth Rock support, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type moves and a resistance to Rock-type moves. It is also a very solid means of countering Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Gyarados, both of whom can set up on Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch with relative ease.</p>
<p>Since Honchkrow is by no means a fast Pokemon, paralysis support is always an option. Celebi stands out due to its all-around great defensive stats and resistance to Electric-type moves. Dual screens support can be important in helping Honchkrow switch in. If Honchkrow is utilizing a Nasty Plot set, then having dual screens support will make it all the more easy for Honchkrow to accumulate Special Attack boosts. Cresselia is a good choice for providing dual screens support, thanks to her high defensive stats and ability to use Thunder Wave. Bronzong is an option as well, as it has great defensive synergy with Honchkrow; it resists Rock- and Ice-type moves, and can counter Dragon Dance Salamence well.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Honchkrow has quite a wide movepool, and as such, quite a few other moves are viable. Honchkrow can use Psychic on the Nasty Plot set as a means of hitting Machamp and Infernape, but if you’re really looking to smash these Pokemon, you are probably better off just using Brave Bird and making it a mixed attacker. Speaking of a mixed attacker, Honchkrow’s wide movepool means that a mixed attacking set is quite viable. It will often fall short to other mixed attackers like Infernape, however, and as such you are probably better off running one of the sets listed here. Icy Wind is an interesting choice that often comes off as gimmicky, but is actually quite decent; it will lower the Speed of the Pokemon who switches in, which means that Honchkrow will attack first the next turn. This is no joke, as it means that Honchkrow can move before Pokemon like Infernape and Latias who switch in on an Icy Wind and attack them with a STAB Brave Bird. Another interesting thing that Honchkrow can do is Perish Trapping; it is one of the few Pokemon to have acces to both Perish Song and Mean Look as well as a reliable recovery move. When attempting to Perish Trap, Honchkrow’s frailness will often let it down, but with proper team support it can be an interesting and effective surprise for your opponent. Taunt can be used, but Honchkrow struggles to find a proper opportunity to use it.</p>
<p>Honchkrow will more often than not be running a 252 / 252 EV spread. The physical attacker set runs 252 Attack EVs and 252 Speed EVs for obvious reasons. The Nasty Plot set utilizes a 252 SpA / 252 Spe EV spread so that it can outpace as many threats as possible while still packing plenty of power. The Choice Scarf set is about as creative as Honchkrow’s EV spreads are going to get; it utilizes a 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe EV spread. 248 Speed EVs are (along with a Speed boosting nature) the maximum amount of Speed EVs Choice Scarf Honchkrow needs to use in order to always outspeed positive natured Base 130 Speed Pokemon like Jolteon and Aerodactyl.</p>
[Counters]
<p>While Honchkrow can check a great deal of Pokemon, it is also countered by many common Pokemon in the OU environment. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch and use Bullet Punch to OHKO Honchkrow 100% of the time after Stealth Rock damage. Scizor must be careful to not switch into a Brave Bird or Heat Wave, however, as Brave Bird deals hefty damage, while Heat Wave OHKOes. Skarmory can counter all Honchkrow sets well that don’t pack Heat Wave, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a free opportunity to set up Spikes. Bulky Steel-type Pokemon can handle Honchkrow quite well, provided that Honchkrow lacks Heat Wave. Jirachi can switch in on Honchkrow and start spamming Iron Head or accumulating Calm Minds. Metagross can easily switch into Brave Bird or Sucker Punch, and proceed to set up an Agility. Bronzong can handle all of Honchkrow’s attacks very well, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a chance to set up dual screens for its team. Overall, any Pokemon who is bulky enough to take a powerful hit and retaliate back will probably be able to overcome Honchkrow, as its poor defenses mean that it will fold up after taking a few hits.</p>
Status: Upload time?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/honchkrow
[Overview]
<p>Honchkrow is a very welcome evolution from its pre-evolved form, Murkrow. It is a ridiculously powerful physical attacker, and has access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the game. When you combine this with access to a powerful Brave Bird and a usable base 71 Speed stat, you have quite the sweeper on your hands. While Honchkrow’s frailness is somewhat of a letdown, its immunities to Earthquake and sleep-inducing moves like Hypnosis means that it won’t be short on opportunities to switch in and cause some damage. Honchkrow can also run a Nasty Plot set. Honchkrow’s rather disappointing Speed can easily be remedied by slapping a Choice Scarf on Honchkrow as well. Honchkrow does have its fair share of problems, however; its low defensive stats are a problem, and the fact that Honchkrow has a Stealth Rock weakness limits its chances to switch in. Honchkrow's Sucker Punch can also be used as an opportunity for threats to set up, such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados. Honchkrow's Scizor problems do it no favors, as it is basically completely shut down by Scizor's Bullet Punch. Overall, however, Honchkrow’s powerful STAB attacks and gross unpredictability make it a decent choice on most OU teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Sucker Punch
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Superpower / Heat Wave
move 4: Pursuit / Roost / Night Slash
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Insomnia
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the standard Honchkrow set. Honchkrow has two very good STAB moves to abuse in Sucker Punch and Brave Bird, and the fact that it can use Superpower to hit Steel-types who wall its main STAB moves simply adds to the fun. Sucker Punch is useful for hitting any Pokemon who may try to attack Honchkrow, and deals huge damage to anything who doesn’t resist it. Brave Bird is an immensely powerful STAB attack that will dent anything that doesn’t resist it. Superpower complements Brave Bird and Sucker Punch nicely, dealing huge amounts of damage to the common Steel-type Pokemon in the OU tier, who can otherwise switch into Honchkrow with relatively little fear; it also OHKOes Tyranitar. Heat Wave can be used instead to hit Scizor, Foretress, and Skarmory, who otherwise wall you. If you do run Heat Wave, then you should run a nature that doesn't lower your Special Attack. As far as abilities go, Insomnia is preferred for blocking sleep, but Super Luck could be used if you choose to use Night Slash in the final slot.</p>
<p>Honchkrow has a few viable options for the last slot. Pursuit is arguably the best choice as it allows Honchkrow to trap and KO common Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in the OU tier, such as Rotom-A and Latias. However, Roost is another good alternative, as it allows Honchkrow to reliably restore its health; just beware of Roosting on an incoming Earthquake. Night Slash can be used as a secondary source of Dark-type STAB and a more powerful alternative to Pursuit, but if you are planning on running Night Slash, then it is probably in your best interests to use Super Luck to take advantage of Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate. Honchkrow can also utilize a Choice Band, but being locked into Sucker Punch is unfavorable, and the type coverage provided by Honchkrow’s two STAB attacks is too good to pass up.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In a sense, Honchkrow is a hit-and-run type of Pokemon. It generally will not stay in for more than three turns, as it mainly comes in and attacks once or twice before being forced out again by something like a Bullet Punch from Scizor. The fact that Honchkrow will be doing so much switching leaves it even more vulnerable to Stealth Rock. Rapid Spin support is necessary to increase its longevity. Life Orb Rapid Spin Starmie can be a good partner for this reason, as it can not only keep up the offensive momentum, but it can easily remove any entry hazards that your opponent gets up. While Starmie does share a weakness to Electric-type moves with Honchkrow, it resists the Ice-type moves that Honchkrow is weak to, and brings several key resistances to the table that Honchkrow lacks. Donphan can also make a good choice, as it can easily switch in on Rock- and Electric-type attacks that Honchkrow commonly attracts. Overall, Starmie makes a better partner on a more offensively-minded team, while Donphan is a better Rapid Spin user on a balanced team.</p>
<p>Since Honchkrow has a habit of causing switches, Stealth Rock and Spikes support are useful to have. Swampert is a good choice for providing Stealth Rock, as it has access to Roar, which it can effectively use to force out opposing Pokemon, building up residual damage. Swampert can also sponge Scizor’s Bullet Punch with relative ease, which otherwise does quite a number on fragile Honchkrow. As far as providing Spikes support goes, Skarmory can do a good job, as it can get up Spikes early in the match fairly easily. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and rack up more residual damage from any entry hazards laid down.</p>
[SET]
name: ScarfKrow
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Night Slash
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Heat Wave / Pursuit / Sucker Punch
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Super Luck
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Honchkrow's weak point has always been its poor Speed, but set aims to remedy that problem by having Honchkrow utilize a Choice Scarf. With a Choice Scarf attached, Honchkrow reaches a Speed stat of 396, allowing it to outspeed all common OU Pokemon that aren’t holding a Choice Scarf themselves. This turns Honchkrow into a very speedy, powerful, and effective revenge killer, being able to take out huge threats such as Calm Mind Latias and Dragon Dance Tyranitar.</p>
<p>Brave Bird is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on any set, and allows it to KO many bulky Pokemon. Night Slash is better than Sucker Punch on this set as priority is less needed. Night Slash also lets Honchkrow take advantage of Super Luck; when combined with Night Slash’s already-high critical hit rate, you will be scoring many critical hits on your opponent’s Pokemon, and they will have a tough time switching in. Superpower is used in the third slot as a means of hitting Normal- and Steel-types. Heat Wave is the premier option in the final moveslot, as it OHKOes Scizor switch-ins; it also allows Honchkrow to deal heavy damage to Skarmory, who otherwise walls this set with complete ease and can freely switch in on Honchkrow to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Pursuit can also be used, however, to trap Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon who may attempt to switch out of Honchkrow. Sucker Punch can also be used if you would like Honchkrow to retain its abilities to revenge kill Speed-boosting threats like Dragon Dance Salamence.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Much like the previous set, Choice Scarf Honchkrow has huge problems with Stealth Rock, as it can chip away Honchkrow’s health very quickly until it is simply unable to switch in at all. The same Pokemon who can make good partners for the previous set can make good partners for this set. Offensive Rapid Spin Starmie is a good partner for Honchkrow, as it can easily use Rapid Spin to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock. Starmie’s special attacking prowess allows you to keep the offensive momentum, and its host of resistances allow you to switch it in with relative ease, especially on an expected Ice-type attack heading for Honchkrow. Donphan makes a good partner on a more balanced team, thanks to its resistances to Electric- and Rock-type moves, and its ability to hit Rapid Spin blockers with a very powerful Assurance. Taunt leads can help prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock, but they are generally more unreliable than a Rapid Spin user. Good choices for Taunt leads include Azelf, Aerodactyl, and Gliscor, as they can all easily Taunt the opponent early in the match with their high Speed stats and then proceed to set up Stealth Rock themselves.</p>
[SET]
name: Big Boss
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Superpower
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Insomnia
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Honchkrow set attempts to turn Honchkrow into an all-out sweeper. Be warned, however: this version of Honchkrow is not something that you can just throw onto any old team. It needs proper team support in order to be truly effective. Nasty Plot allows Honchkrow to boost its Special Attack by two stages in just one turn; this essentially means that after just one turn of set up, Honchkrow will have a sky-high Special Attack stat of 618. Dark Pulse is Honchkrow’s best STAB move on this set. Not only does it deal hefty damage to anything that doesn’t resist it, but it also comes with a neat 20% flinch rate, which can be useful in some situations. Heat Wave is used so that Honchkrow can hit Steel-type Pokemon where it hurts. Even with no Nasty Plot boost, it will still OHKO Scizor and Forretress easily, as well as deal monstrous damage to Metagross and Skarmory. Superpower is used so that Honchkrow has a means of hitting Blissey, Snorlax, and Heatran, who all otherwise wall this set with ease. Life Orb is the preferred item choice as it allows Honchkrow’s attacks to have some kick behind them. You can also use Expert Belt if the recoil from Life Orb is unappealing, however. Overall, Life Orb is generally the better item choice, as the 30% damage increase that it provides to all of Honchkrow’s attacks is quite noticeable, especially when compared to the 20% damage increase that Expert Belt offers (and even then, only on super effective attacks).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Much like other Honchkrow sets, this set struggles with Stealth Rock. As such, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must. Starmie makes for a very good partner on offensive teams, as its host of resistances and powerful special attacks aid Honchkrow greatly. Donphan is a great choice for a balanced team, as it can not only use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rock, but also set up Stealth Rock of its own to aid Honchkrow in its sweep. Having a Taunt user on your team can also aid in the fight against Stealth Rock; Gliscor, Aerodactyl, and Azelf all make good choices for this. Their high Speed stats allow them to quickly Taunt the opponent, and then they can all proceed to set up Stealth Rock of their own, which greatly helps Honchkrow in its attempted sweep.</p>
<p>With a lot of team support, this set can really shine; having Rapid Spin support is recommended, but there are several other ways that your team can support Honchkrow in its attempts to set up a Nasty Plot. Honchkrow isn’t exactly the fastest Pokemon around, and as such having paralysis support can be fantastic. There are several Pokemon who can use paralysis-inducing moves effectively; the one who you pick depends on which Pokemon you believe fits your team best. Dual screen support can also go a long way towards allowing Honchkrow to sweep. Bronzong can be a good partner for this reason, as it can easily come in on a resisted Ice- or Rock-type attack destined for Honchkrow and then proceed to set up dual screens. Cresselia is another worthy candidate, as her amazing defensive stats allow her to easily switch into almost any attack that Honchkrow attracts and set up dual screens for the team to enjoy.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>One of the main things that limits Honchkrow’s ability to sweep is its weakness to Stealth Rock. For this reason, using a Rapid Spinner can be very helpful. Starmie makes a solid choice on any offensive team thanks to its plethora of useful resistances and special attacking prowess. Donphan makes a great choice on a balance team, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type attacks and a resistance to Rock-type attacks. Donphan can also use Ice Shard to revenge-kill Dragon Dance Salamence, who can otherwise use Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch as an opportunity to stack some free Dragon Dance boosts.</p>
<p>Like any offensive Pokemon, Honchkrow greatly appreciates having entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important, as it allows Honchkrow to achieve several KOs that it ordinarily could not. Spikes support can also be good to have in order to further punish opponents who switch in on Honchkrow. Skarmory can be a solid choice for providing Spikes support thanks to its ability to easily get up multiple layers of Spikes against common physical attackers like Scizor and Tyranitar. Skarmory can also use Whirlwind to phaze out opponents and force them to take more damage from Spikes upon switching in. Swampert makes for a good choice when it comes to providing Stealth Rock support, as it packs an immunity to Electric-type moves and a resistance to Rock-type moves. It is also a very solid means of countering Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Gyarados, both of whom can set up on Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch with relative ease.</p>
<p>Since Honchkrow is by no means a fast Pokemon, paralysis support is always an option. Celebi stands out due to its all-around great defensive stats and resistance to Electric-type moves. Dual screens support can be important in helping Honchkrow switch in. If Honchkrow is utilizing a Nasty Plot set, then having dual screens support will make it all the more easy for Honchkrow to accumulate Special Attack boosts. Cresselia is a good choice for providing dual screens support, thanks to her high defensive stats and ability to use Thunder Wave. Bronzong is an option as well, as it has great defensive synergy with Honchkrow; it resists Rock- and Ice-type moves, and can counter Dragon Dance Salamence well.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Honchkrow has quite a wide movepool, and as such, quite a few other moves are viable. Honchkrow can use Psychic on the Nasty Plot set as a means of hitting Machamp and Infernape, but if you’re really looking to smash these Pokemon, you are probably better off just using Brave Bird and making it a mixed attacker. Speaking of a mixed attacker, Honchkrow’s wide movepool means that a mixed attacking set is quite viable. It will often fall short to other mixed attackers like Infernape, however, and as such you are probably better off running one of the sets listed here. Icy Wind is an interesting choice that often comes off as gimmicky, but is actually quite decent; it will lower the Speed of the Pokemon who switches in, which means that Honchkrow will attack first the next turn. This is no joke, as it means that Honchkrow can move before Pokemon like Infernape and Latias who switch in on an Icy Wind and attack them with a STAB Brave Bird. Another interesting thing that Honchkrow can do is Perish Trapping; it is one of the few Pokemon to have acces to both Perish Song and Mean Look as well as a reliable recovery move. When attempting to Perish Trap, Honchkrow’s frailness will often let it down, but with proper team support it can be an interesting and effective surprise for your opponent. Taunt can be used, but Honchkrow struggles to find a proper opportunity to use it.</p>
<p>Honchkrow will more often than not be running a 252 / 252 EV spread. The physical attacker set runs 252 Attack EVs and 252 Speed EVs for obvious reasons. The Nasty Plot set utilizes a 252 SpA / 252 Spe EV spread so that it can outpace as many threats as possible while still packing plenty of power. The Choice Scarf set is about as creative as Honchkrow’s EV spreads are going to get; it utilizes a 252 Atk / 8 SpA / 248 Spe EV spread. 248 Speed EVs are (along with a Speed boosting nature) the maximum amount of Speed EVs Choice Scarf Honchkrow needs to use in order to always outspeed positive natured Base 130 Speed Pokemon like Jolteon and Aerodactyl.</p>
[Counters]
<p>While Honchkrow can check a great deal of Pokemon, it is also countered by many common Pokemon in the OU environment. Choice Band Scizor can easily switch into Honchkrow’s Sucker Punch and use Bullet Punch to OHKO Honchkrow 100% of the time after Stealth Rock damage. Scizor must be careful to not switch into a Brave Bird or Heat Wave, however, as Brave Bird deals hefty damage, while Heat Wave OHKOes. Skarmory can counter all Honchkrow sets well that don’t pack Heat Wave, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a free opportunity to set up Spikes. Bulky Steel-type Pokemon can handle Honchkrow quite well, provided that Honchkrow lacks Heat Wave. Jirachi can switch in on Honchkrow and start spamming Iron Head or accumulating Calm Minds. Metagross can easily switch into Brave Bird or Sucker Punch, and proceed to set up an Agility. Bronzong can handle all of Honchkrow’s attacks very well, and can use the turn Honchkrow switches out as a chance to set up dual screens for its team. Overall, any Pokemon who is bulky enough to take a powerful hit and retaliate back will probably be able to overcome Honchkrow, as its poor defenses mean that it will fold up after taking a few hits.</p>
