sanguine
friendly fire
[OVERVIEW]
Hoopa's good offensive typing, ability to outspeed most defensive Pokemon, and massive Special Attack stat give it the tools to seriously bust holes in opposing teams. This is bolstered by its access to Nasty Plot and All-Out Pummeling, which further increases Hoopa's wallbreaking potential and allows it to muscle past would-be checks such as Alolan Muk and Blissey with ease after some mild chip damage. Hoopa also boasts impressive 80 / 130 special bulk, allowing it to take on the likes of Latias and Suicune. However, Hoopa's greatest strength, its Ghost / Psychic typing, is also its greatest weakness, giving it a 4x weakness to Pursuit, thus limiting its matchup versus offensively inclined teams. In addition, Hoopa's poor Speed and Defense stats leave it forced out by common physical attackers, such as Cobalion and Infernape. Finally, Hoopa faces stiff competition as an offensive Ghost-type from the likes of Chandelure and Gengar, which offer better Speed and utility than Hoopa. Other Psychic-types like Celebi, Latias, and Starmie also offer better Speed and utility and less vulnerability to Pursuit trapping. Hoopa's ability, Magician, also is useless in every situation.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast / Substitute
move 4: Substitute / Psyshock
item: Fightinium Z / Ghostium Z
ability: Magician
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot boosts Hoopa's Special Attack, allowing it to break common cores. Shadow Ball is its main attack, hitting most of the tier for neutral damage, as well as becoming immensely powerful when used with Ghostium Z. Focus Blast has great neutral coverage in conjunction with Shadow Ball, hitting frailer Ghost-type resists for large amounts of damage, and with Fightinium Z, Hoopa can break defensive Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Umbreon after minimal prior damage, as well as Blissey. Substitute gives safer setup opportunities and prevents Hoopa from being worn down by status conditions, and it can be used on a free turn or on a forced switch. Alternatively, Psyshock is Hoopa's best Psychic-type STAB attack, hitting threats with moderate special bulk such as Sylveon and Tentacruel harder than any other attack.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Special Attack and a Modest nature give Hoopa as much power and breaking potential as possible. 252 Speed EVs let Hoopa outspeed threats such as Scizor, Crawdaunt, and most defensive Pokemon such as Mantine and defensive Togekiss. 4 Special Defense EVs are used so unboosted Suicune never breaks Hoopa's Substitute. A Timid nature can be used to outspeed Primarina and Breloom, but since at +2, Modest Hoopa has a 50% chance to OHKO Alolan Muk after Stealth Rock and a Nasty Plot boost, Modest is the preferred option. Fightinium Z is the more viable item option, allowing Hoopa to muscle past common checks to Psychic-types such as Alolan Muk and Blissey. Ghostium Z allows Hoopa to severely dent neutral switch-ins with its excellent power and break defensive cores more readily at the cost of being unable to KO Alolan Muk and Blissey reliably.
Usage Tips
========
Do not try to set up until Pursuit trappers like Choice Band Scizor are have been weakened and faster Pokemon like Hydreigon have been KOed. Take advantage of Hoopa's good special bulk by using Pokemon such as -2 Latias, bulky Water-types, and resisted attackers as setup fodder. Additionally, forcing switches also gives free setup opportunities. Use Hoopa's Ghost typing to block Rapid Spin from weaker spinners such as Tentacruel, but not offensive ones like Mega Blastoise and Starmie, which can overpower Hoopa quite easily, and use Substitute on weaker or resisted special attackers like Suicune, as this can help alleviate pressure from incoming Pursuit trappers, as well as avoid being hit by a potentially damaging status effect. Try to keep Hoopa healthy versus bulkier teams, as its power to break through walls such as Mega Aggron, Alomomola, and Blissey is extremely useful. Steel-types such as Cobalion and Scizor also are good targets of the Z-Move if opposing Dark-types have been chipped down or KOed. Never-Ending Nightmare should be used as soon as opposing Dark-types are heavily damaged, as most teams do not have switch-ins to it. Due to Hoopa's lack of recovery and need to set Substitute, try to pivot into it in via U-turn, Volt Switch, or a sacrifice.
Team Options
========
Hoopa fares well on offensive builds that appreciate its wallbreaking capacity. Klefki makes an excellent partner, as it can set entry hazards to weaken checks, as well as slow down faster teams with Thunder Wave to ease a sweep, and in return, Hoopa can block Rapid Spin. Stealth Rock setters such as Nihilego, Krookodile, and Gliscor also weaken checks and appreciate Hoopa's spinblocking. Other powerful special attackers like Latias, Mega Manectric, and Serperior enjoy Hoopa's ability to break past common checks such as Blissey and Alolan Muk. Checks to Dark-types, such as Swampert, and Cobalion, help Hoopa by alleviating offensive pressure on it, provided you play aggressively. Fast Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Hydreigon can help make up for Hoopa's lack of Speed. Hazard removers such as Tentacruel, Gliscor, and Crobat are good teammates because Hoopa is less effective once it has taken residual damage. Wallbreakers such as Infernape and Scizor appreciate Hoopa's ability to weaken defensive Pokemon that they struggle with. Pokemon that resist Dark- or Ghost-type attacks such as Krookodile and Bewear make good teammates due to their ability to take hits such as Knock Off from Gliscor and Shadow Ball from Gengar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Taunt can be used over Substitute or Psyshock to cripple defensive Pokemon such as Alomomola and Blissey, but Hoopa can already set Substitute on most of these anyway, so it's generally not worth it. A spread with 252 HP and 252 Special Attack with a Quiet nature can be used on Trick Room teams, but Cofagrigus is generally better due to its superior bulk. Hoopa has wide coverage options, such as Grass Knot and Thunderbolt, but Ghost / Fighting / Psychic coverage hits the whole metagame for neutral damage already.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Hoopa's 4x weakness to Pursuit leaves it easily revenge killed by Pokemon such as Krookodile and Mega Aerodactyl, but they cannot switch directly into Hoopa.
**Physical Attackers**: Hoopa's low physical bulk leaves it KOed by stronger threats such as Choice Band Infernape and Terrakion, though they cannot switch in.
**Dark-types**: Hoopa's 4x weakness to Dark-type moves such as Knock Off and Dark Pulse leave it easily picked off by the likes of Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo, though they can't come in directly.
**Ghost-types**: Hoopa is easily revenge killed by Ghost-types such as Gengar, Chandelure, and Shadow Sneak Doublade, as well as Alolan Marowak if Trick Room is up. None of these can directly switch in, however.
Hoopa's good offensive typing, ability to outspeed most defensive Pokemon, and massive Special Attack stat give it the tools to seriously bust holes in opposing teams. This is bolstered by its access to Nasty Plot and All-Out Pummeling, which further increases Hoopa's wallbreaking potential and allows it to muscle past would-be checks such as Alolan Muk and Blissey with ease after some mild chip damage. Hoopa also boasts impressive 80 / 130 special bulk, allowing it to take on the likes of Latias and Suicune. However, Hoopa's greatest strength, its Ghost / Psychic typing, is also its greatest weakness, giving it a 4x weakness to Pursuit, thus limiting its matchup versus offensively inclined teams. In addition, Hoopa's poor Speed and Defense stats leave it forced out by common physical attackers, such as Cobalion and Infernape. Finally, Hoopa faces stiff competition as an offensive Ghost-type from the likes of Chandelure and Gengar, which offer better Speed and utility than Hoopa. Other Psychic-types like Celebi, Latias, and Starmie also offer better Speed and utility and less vulnerability to Pursuit trapping. Hoopa's ability, Magician, also is useless in every situation.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Focus Blast / Substitute
move 4: Substitute / Psyshock
item: Fightinium Z / Ghostium Z
ability: Magician
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot boosts Hoopa's Special Attack, allowing it to break common cores. Shadow Ball is its main attack, hitting most of the tier for neutral damage, as well as becoming immensely powerful when used with Ghostium Z. Focus Blast has great neutral coverage in conjunction with Shadow Ball, hitting frailer Ghost-type resists for large amounts of damage, and with Fightinium Z, Hoopa can break defensive Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Umbreon after minimal prior damage, as well as Blissey. Substitute gives safer setup opportunities and prevents Hoopa from being worn down by status conditions, and it can be used on a free turn or on a forced switch. Alternatively, Psyshock is Hoopa's best Psychic-type STAB attack, hitting threats with moderate special bulk such as Sylveon and Tentacruel harder than any other attack.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Special Attack and a Modest nature give Hoopa as much power and breaking potential as possible. 252 Speed EVs let Hoopa outspeed threats such as Scizor, Crawdaunt, and most defensive Pokemon such as Mantine and defensive Togekiss. 4 Special Defense EVs are used so unboosted Suicune never breaks Hoopa's Substitute. A Timid nature can be used to outspeed Primarina and Breloom, but since at +2, Modest Hoopa has a 50% chance to OHKO Alolan Muk after Stealth Rock and a Nasty Plot boost, Modest is the preferred option. Fightinium Z is the more viable item option, allowing Hoopa to muscle past common checks to Psychic-types such as Alolan Muk and Blissey. Ghostium Z allows Hoopa to severely dent neutral switch-ins with its excellent power and break defensive cores more readily at the cost of being unable to KO Alolan Muk and Blissey reliably.
Usage Tips
========
Do not try to set up until Pursuit trappers like Choice Band Scizor are have been weakened and faster Pokemon like Hydreigon have been KOed. Take advantage of Hoopa's good special bulk by using Pokemon such as -2 Latias, bulky Water-types, and resisted attackers as setup fodder. Additionally, forcing switches also gives free setup opportunities. Use Hoopa's Ghost typing to block Rapid Spin from weaker spinners such as Tentacruel, but not offensive ones like Mega Blastoise and Starmie, which can overpower Hoopa quite easily, and use Substitute on weaker or resisted special attackers like Suicune, as this can help alleviate pressure from incoming Pursuit trappers, as well as avoid being hit by a potentially damaging status effect. Try to keep Hoopa healthy versus bulkier teams, as its power to break through walls such as Mega Aggron, Alomomola, and Blissey is extremely useful. Steel-types such as Cobalion and Scizor also are good targets of the Z-Move if opposing Dark-types have been chipped down or KOed. Never-Ending Nightmare should be used as soon as opposing Dark-types are heavily damaged, as most teams do not have switch-ins to it. Due to Hoopa's lack of recovery and need to set Substitute, try to pivot into it in via U-turn, Volt Switch, or a sacrifice.
Team Options
========
Hoopa fares well on offensive builds that appreciate its wallbreaking capacity. Klefki makes an excellent partner, as it can set entry hazards to weaken checks, as well as slow down faster teams with Thunder Wave to ease a sweep, and in return, Hoopa can block Rapid Spin. Stealth Rock setters such as Nihilego, Krookodile, and Gliscor also weaken checks and appreciate Hoopa's spinblocking. Other powerful special attackers like Latias, Mega Manectric, and Serperior enjoy Hoopa's ability to break past common checks such as Blissey and Alolan Muk. Checks to Dark-types, such as Swampert, and Cobalion, help Hoopa by alleviating offensive pressure on it, provided you play aggressively. Fast Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Hydreigon can help make up for Hoopa's lack of Speed. Hazard removers such as Tentacruel, Gliscor, and Crobat are good teammates because Hoopa is less effective once it has taken residual damage. Wallbreakers such as Infernape and Scizor appreciate Hoopa's ability to weaken defensive Pokemon that they struggle with. Pokemon that resist Dark- or Ghost-type attacks such as Krookodile and Bewear make good teammates due to their ability to take hits such as Knock Off from Gliscor and Shadow Ball from Gengar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Taunt can be used over Substitute or Psyshock to cripple defensive Pokemon such as Alomomola and Blissey, but Hoopa can already set Substitute on most of these anyway, so it's generally not worth it. A spread with 252 HP and 252 Special Attack with a Quiet nature can be used on Trick Room teams, but Cofagrigus is generally better due to its superior bulk. Hoopa has wide coverage options, such as Grass Knot and Thunderbolt, but Ghost / Fighting / Psychic coverage hits the whole metagame for neutral damage already.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Hoopa's 4x weakness to Pursuit leaves it easily revenge killed by Pokemon such as Krookodile and Mega Aerodactyl, but they cannot switch directly into Hoopa.
**Physical Attackers**: Hoopa's low physical bulk leaves it KOed by stronger threats such as Choice Band Infernape and Terrakion, though they cannot switch in.
**Dark-types**: Hoopa's 4x weakness to Dark-type moves such as Knock Off and Dark Pulse leave it easily picked off by the likes of Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo, though they can't come in directly.
**Ghost-types**: Hoopa is easily revenge killed by Ghost-types such as Gengar, Chandelure, and Shadow Sneak Doublade, as well as Alolan Marowak if Trick Room is up. None of these can directly switch in, however.
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