"If a man harbors any fear, it makes him land lord to a ghost"
[OVERVIEW]
name: Bloody Mary
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Psyshock/ Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Magician
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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[SET]
name: Casper
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Psyshock / Nasty Plot
move 4: Substitute / Nasty Plot
item: Salac Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Magician
ivs: 30 HP
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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Checks and Counters
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**Pursuit Trappers**: This is Hoopa's number one threat. Pursuit trappers can ensure that Hoopa does nothing for the entirety of the match. Common trappers to look out for are Krookodile, Mega Aerodactyl, and Honchkrow.
**Faster Physical Attackers**: A lot of faster physical attackers can knock out hoopa in one hit with their stab attacks. The ones that can't usually have some type of coverage that can kill off Hoopa.
**Opposing hazards**: Hoopa has no reliable recovery and; therefore, gets worn down by entry hazards plus life orb pretty easily. This limits the amount of hits Hoopa gets off before it runs out of HP.
**Common Special Attackers**: Pokemon like Hydreigon and Chandelure are very splashable and used on a great amount of teams. These special attackers can out speed and KO Hoopa as well as switch into a predicted attack.
**Special Walls**: Although Hoopa can run Nasty Plot and Psyshock, Special walls like Gligar and Mandibuzz can come in and kill Hoopa off with Knock off. If you aren't running Nasty Plot or Psyshock, most special walls can take hits from Hoopa and heal up accordingly.
**Doublade**: This pokemon can come in on any of Hoopa's attacks, barring shadow ball, and kill it off with priority shadow sneak. Doublade can ruin a Nasty Plot salac berry sweep.
[OVERVIEW]
- An extremely high special attack stat makes Hoopa a fantastic wall breaker.
- Access to Nasty Plot allows Hoopa to be an effective set up sweeper.
- Great special bulk that allows Hoopa to set up on certain pokemon.
- Bad typing and defense leaves Hoopa easily revenge killed.
- Typing allows Hoopa to come in safely on common bulky set up sweepers.
- A low speed stat for a revenge killer but Hoopa has good enough speed to be an effective wall breaker.
name: Bloody Mary
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Psyshock/ Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Magician
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
- Trick room allows Hoopa to sweep faster teams and out-speed its revenge killers.
- Shadow Ball is stab that hits bulky psychic types and other ghost types.
- Psyshock is to break through some specially defensive walls. Psychic is a nice alternative providing a more powerful stab.
- Focus Blast hits dark and steel types that can kill you off. Energy Ball provides a sure KO on Krookodile. It also makes Hoopa a great water type switch in.
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- Max HP and no speed is a very good alternative. It lacks the revenge killer aspects of max speed but provides a more ensured late game clean.
- Life Orb increases Hoopa's ability to take out threats in one hit. This conserves trick room turns and makes it so the opposing pokemon don't have a chance to hit back.
- The EVs make Hoopa not entirely dependent on trick room support. Hoopa can be effective without it and with it.
- Magician is not useful in this set unless you want to run a berry to help you sweep.
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- Use Hoopa as a revenge killer and a wall breaker against slow teams. Use trick room against faster teams like hyper offense. Trick room can be hard to set up at times. Try to set it up on the switch or on a weaker attacking pokemon.
- Hyper Offence appreciates the strong cleaner that Hoopa is known for. Both Hoopa and a hyper offense team benefit each other. Hyper offense wears down the opposing team making the Hoopa clean up a lot easier.
- Trick room teams can be greatly benefited by Hoopa's insane power and special bulk. Generally TR teams lack offensive Trick Room setters and Hoopa excels at this role.
- Be weary of pursuit trappers. Trick room is your key out. Make sure you have it set up if you want to knock out a pokemon without being knock out the following turn.
- Know what you are faster and slower than. This lack of knowledge can cause you to set up trick room on a slower pokemon allowing them to hit you twice and potentially knocking you out.
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- Hazard leads, such as Froslass, Azelf, and Infernape, all work great with Hoopa. They induce chip damage on the opposing team making the Hoopp clean more viable.
- Sticky web users are still great even with the trick room option. Other hazards such as spikes and stealth rocks can ensure KOs on opposing pokemon.
- Hail, leech seed, and status spread widdle down opposing pokemon so Hoopa can sweep easier under Trick room or not.
- Other trick room abusers can benefit from Hoopa such as Pangoro and Escavelier.
- Heavy special attackers constantly put pressure on the opposing special walls which wears them down for an easier trick room sweep.
[SET]
name: Casper
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Psyshock / Nasty Plot
move 4: Substitute / Nasty Plot
item: Salac Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Magician
ivs: 30 HP
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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- Nasty Plot gives Hoopa more power to effectively knock out common walls such as Empoleon, Florges, and Umbreon. Nasty Plot can be replaced for the sake of coverage. Thunderbolt hits Mandibuzz and steel types without the fear of missing. Energy Ball on timid Hoopa can get a surprise kill on Mega Swampert and can hit Krookodile without the fear of missing.
- Substitute helps with the risky predictions Hoopa is forced into. It also ensures safety when setting up on pokemon like Blissey.
- Shadow Ball is Hoopa's main stab that allows perfect coverage coupled with Focus Blast. Psyshock is still a great option allowing Hoopa to break down special walls with less boosts.
- Focus Blast is our coverage move that help immensely with taking out bulky walls such as Porygon2 and dark types like Umbreon.
Set Details
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- Salac Berry allows Hoopa to out-speed common revenge killers once it is consumed. This, however, can be swapped out for Life Orb or Leftovers depending on power output or survivability.
- Dark Types, such as Krookodile and Mandibuzz, work as great team mates as the offensive and defensive typings work great together to break walls and take hits.
- The EV spread, with timid, ensures that you will get a boost after three subs from Salac Berry and will have the speed of 393, which outspeeds Adament Mega Beedrill. Modest should be used with Life Orb or Leftovers as the speed increase from salac is not enough to be a consistent sweeper.
- Magician is a toss up on how effective it can be. Salac Berry allows this ability to be used to possibly steal leftovers from your opponent. Unfortunately, its not rare to steal items like choice scarf, black sludge, and life orbs which all limit Hoopa's ability to sweep.
Usage Tips
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- When using salac berry, it is important to conserve Hoopa's hp until an opportunity opens up for Hoopa to come in and sweep, however, if Hoopa has Life Orb or Leftovers, it can switch into things much easier and revenge kill or wall break.
- Hyper offense, bulky offense, and balance can all appreciate a wall breaker such as Hoopa, especially when it can nasty plot on stall teams.
- Do not start killing things with Hoopa until the opposing pursuit trappers are gone. Substitute allows a bit of a guard in this matter since you can use sub on the switch and kill with a move or switch out without dying to pursuit.
- Hoopa can set up on a number of pokemon in the meta. Be cautious of these pokemon as they could have coverage for Hoopa such as knock off or shadow ball.
Team Options
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- Sticky Web users support Hoopa's bad speed and allows it to possibly sweep without the salac berry boost. Hoopa also blocks rapid spinners that want to get rid of the sticky web. This is the same deal with spike stacking and other entry hazards.
- Memento, Trick, and Screens all allow Hoopa to set up much easier.
- Offensive fighting types build a nice offensive core with Hoopa. These fighting types can switch into dark attacks and fire off stab attacks. A lot of pokemon that switch into fighting types don't want to take a hit from Hoopa (Nidoqueen, Reuniclus, Doublade).
- Knock off spammers can be useful considering the wrong item stolen with Magician on a sweep can be the death of Hoopa.
- Pokemon with colbur berry such as Meloetta, Slowking, and Chandelure, can lure a knock off or a pursuit and knock out the opposition with the right move. This can make Hoopa no longer fear the pursuit trap.
Other Options
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- Timid can be a nice option since it out speeds common max speed no nature base 80's.
- No speed trick room can be conserved and used as a cleaner. This can be a safer alternative to fast trick room.
- Petaya Berry over Salac Berry can hurt stall more.
- Focus Sash allows you a surprise kill on pursuit trappers and steals their item.
- Choice Scarf provides instant speed.
- Choice Specs provides massive power without the self life orb damage.
- Trick is a valuable option on choiced sets.
- Thunder Wave punishes certain switches and allows Hoopa to out-speed and kill.
- Hidden Power Fighting is a safer but less effective fighting move.
- Destiny Bond can be helpful with sucker punch predictions.
- Taunt can prevent defogging away sticky web.
- Calm mind can be a valuable option so Hoopa can set up on special attackers easier.
- Reflect and Light Screen is a nice support option.
- Physical moves like Drain Punch and Gunk Shot are decent options because of Hoopa's 110 base attack.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit Trappers**: This is Hoopa's number one threat. Pursuit trappers can ensure that Hoopa does nothing for the entirety of the match. Common trappers to look out for are Krookodile, Mega Aerodactyl, and Honchkrow.
**Faster Physical Attackers**: A lot of faster physical attackers can knock out hoopa in one hit with their stab attacks. The ones that can't usually have some type of coverage that can kill off Hoopa.
**Opposing hazards**: Hoopa has no reliable recovery and; therefore, gets worn down by entry hazards plus life orb pretty easily. This limits the amount of hits Hoopa gets off before it runs out of HP.
**Common Special Attackers**: Pokemon like Hydreigon and Chandelure are very splashable and used on a great amount of teams. These special attackers can out speed and KO Hoopa as well as switch into a predicted attack.
**Special Walls**: Although Hoopa can run Nasty Plot and Psyshock, Special walls like Gligar and Mandibuzz can come in and kill Hoopa off with Knock off. If you aren't running Nasty Plot or Psyshock, most special walls can take hits from Hoopa and heal up accordingly.
**Doublade**: This pokemon can come in on any of Hoopa's attacks, barring shadow ball, and kill it off with priority shadow sneak. Doublade can ruin a Nasty Plot salac berry sweep.
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