http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/houndoom
[Overview]
<p>Although Houndoom does have two immunities that help it switch in, its weakness to Stealth Rock can wear it down rather quickly. Don’t let this fool you though as Houndoom can live long enough to completely terrorize the UU metagame. Houndoom’s Speed will be its downfall in many cases; however, keeping Houndoom in reserve until the opponent’s speed demons are gone will give you a clear chance to sweep.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Taunt / Sucker Punch / Beat Up
item: Life Orb / Leftovers / Passho Berry
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Houndoom's base 110 Special Attack makes it the most powerful Nasty Plot user in UU, and if you plan on using Houndoom, this set is arguably the most effective. The threat of strong Fire-type attacks combined with Houndoom's Fire- and Psychic-type immunities can force switches that allow you to have a free turn to set up Nasty Plot.</p>
<p>To give an example of just how powerful a Nasty Plot Fire Blast is with a Flash Fire boost and Life Orb, it can 2HKO Calm 252 SpD Chansey 100% of the time, something almost unheard of in UU. If you don't wish to rely on Fire Blast's 85% accuracy, Flamethrower is a much safer option, but you will lose significant power with the change. Dark Pulse provides Houndoom with a strong 100% accurate secondary STAB attack that can take out Pokémon resistant to Fire Blast, such as Slowbro, and has a chance to flinch. Taunt or Sucker Punch can complement Fire Blast and Dark Pulse well, allowing Houndoom to take advantage of faster opponents with a powerful boosted priority move, or shut down a wall. Beat Up can be used with Houndoom's reasonable Attack, and becomes a strong STAB multiple hit move that can catch your opponent off guard. If the opposing team is slower needs to rely on Milotic to force Houndoom out, Passho Berry can also be considered in the item slot.
[Additional Comments]
<p>Houndoom's biggest issue is its Speed stat, which allows it to be easily revenge killed by faster Pokémon. With its frailness and Life Orb, Houndoom will have trouble surviving. Houndoom will generally want to max Speed to avoid losing to other Pokémon with base 95 Speed, but with Houndoom's frailness, it isn't best to rely on winning too many Speed ties.</p>
<p>Nasty Plot Houndoom works extremely well with Encore users, such as Shuckle and Clefable, who can provide Houndoom with a free turn of set up. Houndoom also works well with Grass- and Bug-types who can lure in Fire-type attacks. Dry Skin Toxicroak is a great Pokémon as well, absorbing Water-type attacks for Houndoom while Houndoom absorbs Fire- and Psychic-type attacks thrown at Toxicroak. Both must be wary of Earthquake, though. Houndoom must be wary of Mantine too, as it can generally survive all of Houndoom's attacks. However, after Stealth Rock damage and Nasty Plot, Dark Pulse can give Mantine trouble. Dugtrio can revenge kill Houndoom as it can easily switch into Houndoom as it uses Nasty Plot, and can finish Houndoom with Earthquake. Dugtrio also has a chance at survival if you attack instead of setting up, depending on the item you use; An unboosted Life Orb Flamethrower will always OHKO Dugtrio, while a Leftovers Dark Pulse will not.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Hasty / Naive
EVs: 96 Atk / 196 SpA / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although this set carries almost the same moves as the Nasty Plot set, its real value comes in its ability to deal with common counters and continue a sweep. As a powerful but fragile sweeper, Houndoom can easily be revenge killed by the likes of faster Pokemon such as Dugtrio, Alakazam, Mismagius, and Moltres. This set attempts to remedy that problem with a moveslot dedicated exclusively to Sucker Punch, a powerful Dark-type priority attack that stops the aforementioned threats in their tracks. Sucker Punch easily OHKOes Alakazam and Mismagius, and does 93.4% - 110.4% against Dugtrio, a high chance of OHKOing and even higher factoring in Stealth Rock. It also does 38.6% - 45.8% to Moltres, which, with Stealth Rock, can potentially do 96% damage. </p>
<p>Again, the combination of Fire Blast and Dark Pulse allow Houndoom to hit everything for neutral or super effective damage, only resisted by Poliwrath, Blaziken, Hariyama, and opposing Houndoom in UU. Fire Blast is a great option for Houndoom to dent many holes in opponents because of the STAB and high power. STAB Dark Pulse can also do serious damage, and the chance to flinch is always a plus.</p>
[Additional Comments]
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[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Flying / Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Pursuit / Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Mild / Modest
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Houndoom's biggest issue is a Speed stat that is only decent at best. On a sweeper like Houndoom, this is a big setback. Choice Scarf eliminates this "weakness" and can also give Houndoom some surprise kills on faster Pokémon.</p>
<p>Fire Blast is a great option like always, but Overheat may prove successful as well. Overheat has better accuracy than Fire Blast and 20 more Base Power, but has the disadvantage of a -2 Special Attack drop after one use. The reason it has merit on this set is that this Houndoom is meant to hit and run. However, if you wish to sweep with Houndoom late game, Fire Blast is the better option.</p>
<p>Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Flying are the same as always, covering anything Fire Blast does not. Dark Pulse is even more effective on this set than before, as the flinch rate will be a constant threat to your opponent. The last slot can go to Flamethrower or Pursuit, both of which are viable. Pursuit is great for removing Ghost-types and can be a smart way to wear down obvious switch-ins, while Flamethrower provides 100% accuracy and runs off Houndoom's much higher Special Attack.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Houndoom's counters have remained the same in this set, although relying on faster Pokémon to revenge kill is not as viable anymore. With no Life Orb or Choice Specs, Houndoom will have an extremely hard time being able to take down bulky Water-types, such as Milotic, and strong special walls, such as Hariyama and Chansey. To help deal with these threats, strong Grass-types can be helpful. Swellow and Toxicroak are also good partners for Houndoom, as the former can OHKO Chansey and specially defensive Hariyama with Brave Bird while the latter can absorb Water-type attacks and OHKO Chansey with Cross Chop. Toxicroak's weakness to Fire can also draw Fire-type attacks in for Houndoom, giving it a Flash Fire boost. Since Houndoom will be constantly switching out and in, Stealth Rock damage will rack up quickly, scraping off 25% health each time, so it's best to use a Rapid Spinner to blow away the rocks. Claydol is an excellent option, as it resists Houndoom's weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, and can also set up Stealth Rock. Once Houndoom has finished off one of the opponent's Pokémon, Dugtrio can switch in on Houndoom if it's locked into a move that Dugtrio isn't threatened with, and can easily eliminate it with Earthquake.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Overheat / Fire Blast
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Flying
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Houndoom equipped with Choice Specs makes an extremely threatening Pokémon, scoring massive amounts of damage with its powerful STAB moves. Choice Specs allow Houndoom to reach a respectable 478 SpA stat while maintaining a decent base 95 Speed.</p>
<p>Overheat is your primary choice as it can severely dent Pokémon that don’t resist it, but the side-effect is that it makes Houndoom switch out a lot, which is not necessarily good due to its Stealth Rock weakness. Fire Blast allows Houndoom to stay in play longer and still do severe damage, but loses some power and accuracy. Dark Pulse is Houndoom’s secondary STAB, and has the potential to flinch, which Houndoom can benefit from greatly. Hidden Power Flying is recommended as it allows Houndoom not to be completely walled by Pokémon that resist Houndoom's STAB moves such as Hariyama and Poliwrath. The last move slot is mainly used as filler, so Flamethrower is your best option to ensure kills since Fire Blast has a risky accuracy.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>Flash Fire is the best ability for this set as it makes your STAB Fire-type moves even scarier. If Houndoom is able to get in a Flash Fire boost, Fire Blast is powerful enough to have a 35% chance at 2HKOing max SpD Chansey, meaning anything that is defensively weaker then Chansey and doesn't resist Fire Blast will definitely have a hard time combating Houndoom.</p>
<p>As always, being locked into a move allows many counters to come in and absorb the predicted hit. Milotic, Slowbro, and Poliwrath absorb Houndoom’s Fire moves with ease, so it’s best to take them out as soon as possible. Venusaur is an excellent choice at scaring them off, as it resists their STAB Water-attacks. Chansey can wall Houndoom if it's unable to achieve a Flash Fire boost, not to mention the low PP Fire Blast has, so removing Chansey from the field early is recommended. Strong Fighting-types can eliminate Chansey with ease, threatening it with their powerful attacks. Hariyama is a fine choice; with Guts, Chansey will think twice before crippling it and watch for a reasonably powerful Force Palm. Once again, Stealth Rock becomes Houndoom's worst enemy, so packing a Rapid Spinner is definitely recommended. This is when Claydol fits the perfect bill, being resistant to Houndoom's Fighting- and Ground-type weaknesses, having decent bulk, and being able to set up its own Stealth Rock. Once again, Dugtrio becomes a threat once it switches in safely, as it can easily use Earthquake to destroy Houndoom. It is best to try and remove Dugtrio from the playing field before switching Houndoom in.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Crunch / Sucker Punch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Thunder Fang
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
EVs: 252 Atk / 76 SpA / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Houndoom also has a respectable base 90 Attack, along with one attack Arcanine does not have: Pursuit. With Pursuit, Houndoom can actually use a mixed attacking set to some extent, which is especially helpful for teams who need a way to eliminate Ghost-types for their Rapid Spinners.</p>
<p>Overheat is still extremely strong and should be used as this set is geared more for the physical side. Crunch is a great move that can lower Defense and help defeat Slowbro, as well as Fire-types. However, Sucker Punch gives Houndoom much needed priority, and it has the same base power as Dark Pulse. It does require more prediction, though, and if you do use it, you may be interested in using Taunt over Thunder Fang in the last slot. Pursuit is the real reason to use this set, being able to knock switching Ghost-types, such as Mismagius and Rotom, into oblivion. Thunder Fang is for bulky Water-types and also has a nasty flinch and paralysis chance.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>180 Speed EVs allow Houndoom to outspeed Adamant Toxicroak and attempt to OHKO with Overheat, which is a decent amount of Speed for this set to function properly.</p>
<p>This Houndoom should only be used on teams looking for a huge surprise element as well as a decent mixed attacker. This set can beat Chansey however, assuming Crunch eventually gets a Defense drop. Houndoom's luck is that its main physical STAB Dark-type attacks are mostly walled by Steel-types that its other STAB, Overheat, can eliminate. This set enjoys support from Stealth Rock and Spikes, as well as Rapid Spinners who can eliminate Stealth Rock after Houndoom eliminates Ghost-types. Also, this set doesn't necessarily have to worry about Dugtrio putting an end to it. Sucker Punch will always OHKO Dugtrio, assuming it's not running any Defense or HP EVs, which can give Houndoom and your whole team in general a much easier time.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Since Stealth Rock damage is harsh towards Houndoom, it would definitely need a reliable Rapid Spinner to blow away the brutal entry hazard. Claydol is by far the best Rapid Spinner to pair up with Houndoom, since it resists Houndoom's weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, while having decent bulk to set up Stealth Rock afterwards.</p>
<p>Houndoom should always be paired with a strong Grass-type, usually Venusaur or Sceptile. Not only do these Grass-types lure in Fire-type attacks to activate Flash Fire, but they also eliminate the bulky Water-types that Houndoom cannot deal with, like Milotic. Sceptile can also wear down Chansey down a lot with Substitute and Leech Seed. Strong Fighting-types such as Toxicroak and Hariyama are also great choices, being able to take down Chansey with ease, meaning that Chansey can no longer sponge Houndoom's attacks. Swellow also works well, knocking out Hariyama, Poliwrath, and Chansey relatively easily, and also has an immunity to Ground-type attacks.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Houndoom can go for a defensive set with Will-O-Wisp, Roar, and Taunt in its moveset. However, Houndoom is so frail that physical attacks will still most likely finish it even after a Will-O-Wisp. If you need a great way to eliminate Ghost-types who can block your Rapid Spin, Choice Band Houndoom could work, being able to fire off STAB Pursuit and Sucker Punch to take out Ghost-types. However, Houndoom’s Attack is much lower than its Special Attack, therefore it should be avoided. Additionally, a lead Houndoom set can be used, utilizing Counter, Sucker Punch, and Taunt/Protect effectively.</p>
<p>Houndoom also has access to the popular Endure + Reversal combo, and it can be quite surprising. Psych Up acts as a decent way to copy stat changes from your opponent, although with Houndoom's frailty, it's much harder to successfully achieve this. Houndoom can become quite threatening by using Sunny Day and SolarBeam, as it now has a chance to definitely hurt bulky Water-types like Milotic. Beat Up and Iron Tail can also be used with Houndoom's workable base 90 Attack stat, as Beat Up becomes a strong multiple hit move and Iron Tail a reasonable answer to Rock-types. Hidden Power Flying can be used on the Nasty Plot sets if your team needs a check to Hariyama.</p>
<p>Houndoom should usually stick to maxing out Speed and Special Attack to tie with other Pokémon such as Arcanine and Jynx. 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe allows Houndoom to survive three Seismic Tosses which can help when taking on Chansey. However, 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe with a Mild nature for the Choice Scarf set allows Houndoom to outspeed Choice Scarf Pokémon with a base Speed of 85, such as Pinsir.<p>
[Counters]
<p>When it comes to countering Houndoom, Hariyama is one of the best choices. With Thick Fat, Hariyama is resistant to both of Houndoom’s STAB attacks. Its overall bulk and access to super effective STAB moves allow it to fend off Houndoom with ease, but it does take hard damage from the unexpected Hidden Power Flying. Specially defensive Hitmontop can switch in on Houndoom and KO it with Mach Punch.</p>
<p>Chansey will generally beat Houndoom all the time, shrugging off unboosted Fire Blasts and 3HKOing Houndoom with Seismic Toss. Altaria also resists Fire Blast, giving it a great opportunity to set up Dragon Dance and OHKO with Earthquake.</p>
<p>Poliwrath’s unique typing also allows it to resist both of Houndoom’s STAB attacks, but it fears Hidden Power Flying. Specially defensive variants have a shot at survival assuming Houndoom doesn't have Nasty Plot under its belt, which allows Poliwrath to score an OHKO with Waterfall. Other bulky Water-types such as Mantine and Milotic can defeat Houndoom as well. Milotic can put it to sleep with Hypnosis, outstall it with Toxic and Recover, or just outright OHKO it with Surf. Kabutops and Azumarill can easily switch in on Fire Blast and threaten Houndoom with Aqua Jet.</p>
<p>Regirock also has to the bulk to also withstand a boosted Dark Pulse, and can OHKO with Stone Edge. Shuckle can Encore Nasty Plots, allowing you to get in a free switch-in, or can use Toxic to cripple Houndoom and finish it off. Dugtrio, although not necessarily a counter, can easily revenge kill Houndoom with Earthquake.</p>
