NU Inteleon

[Rabia]

[OVERVIEW]

Inteleon's incredible Speed tier and access to U-turn make it a decent revenge killer and pivot in NU, keeping fast threats like Salazzle, Talonflame, Tauros, and Starmie in check and preserving momentum against solid switch-ins like Vaporeon, Toxicroak, and Mantine. It's also faster than the two most prevalent Choice Scarf users in NU: Flygon and Rotom-C; this further cements its position as a reliable revenge killer. Inteleon is otherwise wholly outclassed by Starmie and Blastoise as an offensive Water-type. The former is a much more potent wallbreaker thanks to its coverage limiting defensive counterplay much more than Inteleon's does, whereas the latter is a much more effective late-game cleaner thanks to Shell Smash. Inteleon is also incapable of successfully revenge killing some very problematic offensive foes, namely Blastoise and Toxicroak, due to its lackluster damage output.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Torrent
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====

With its coverage moves, Inteleon can dissuade certain Water-resistant foes like Dhelmise, Starmie, and Dragalge from safely switching into it. Those that aren't threatened by its coverage are vulnerable to ceding momentum if U-turn is used. A Modest nature is preferred to Timid because the latter doesn't give any notable benchmarks other than outrunning Choice Scarf Heliolisk, whereas the former lets Inteleon OHKO Diancie and Tauros after Stealth Rock.

Inteleon is a Pokemon that finds itself on teams because of their need for its high Speed; it's not an option you'd teambuild around, rather one that functions as a glue Pokemon. It synergizes well with Pokemon like Toxicroak, Rotom-C, and Decidueye that appreciate being brought in against passive Water-types. In return, Inteleon is able to handle faster Fire-types like Salazzle and Talonflame that give these Pokemon trouble. If aiming to set up Inteleon for late-game success, pairing it with powerful wallbreakers like Choice Specs Sylveon, Dragalge, and Sirfetch'd is helpful.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Inteleon can use the combination of Focus Energy, Scope Lens, and Sniper to try and get by defensive answers with strong critical hits. It can also use Choice Specs to be a stronger wallbreaker while maintaining the ability to pivot with U-turn. These sets, however, face heavy competition from Kingdra and Starmie.

Checks and Counters
====

**Water-immune Pokemon**: Bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Mantine easily stomach Inteleon's coverage moves, although U-turn helps against them. Other Water-immune foes like Toxicroak and Heliolisk aren't as durable but still negate Hydro Pump's damage entirely and easily OHKO Inteleon.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Despite their lack of a resistance to Water, Pokemon like Copperajah, Sylveon, and Escavalier have enough natural special bulk to situationally handle Inteleon.

**Grass-types**: Although vulnerable to Inteleon's coverage, foes like Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Vileplume are good switch-ins to Hydro Pump and OHKO Inteleon in return. The former can also take advantage of Inteleon locking into Hydro Pump by setting up with Swords Dance.

**Dragon-types**: Dragalge, Guzzlord, and Goodra fear Ice Beam, but they can switch into Inteleon's other moves with ease.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Finchinator, 114198], [S1nn0hC0nfirm3d, 231074]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Milak, 262594]]

 

[Finchinator]

Inteleon's incredible Speed tier and access to U-turn make it a decent revenge killer and pivot in NU, keeping fast threats like Salazzle, Talonflame, and Starmie in check and preserving momentum against solid switch-ins like Vaporeon, Toxicroak, and Mantine.

I'd add a mention of Tauros with the first point; you KO it from pretty high and it is increasingly common in my experience.

A Modest nature is preferred to Timid because the latter doesn't give any notable benchmarks.

I'd also note bolstering damage output; you get the KO on Diancie and Tauros after rocks or Tyrantrum from full with the Modest nature.

Could throw in a mention of priority in C&C due to how fragile it is. Comfey, Absol, and Sirfetch'd do a number to it. However, the pool of Pokemon tis applies to is limited, so I'm fine either way.

1/2

e: i see both a decent amount on ladder, but that's really all of my sample size, so fair enough. ty

 

[Rabia]

I'd add a mention of Tauros with the first point; you KO it from pretty high and it is increasingly common in my experience.


I'd also note bolstering damage output; you get the KO on Diancie and Tauros after rocks or Tyrantrum from full with the Modest nature.

Could throw in a mention of priority in C&C due to how fragile it is. Comfey, Absol, and Sirfetch'd do a number to it. However, the pool of Pokemon tis applies to is limited, so I'm fine either way.

1/2

didn't do the priority point because Triage Comfey is super rare at the moment and I'd like to see Absol see a bit more usage before adding it into analyses

otherwise implemented tho

 

[S1nn0hC0nfirm3d]

Comments in Bold and Strikethrough

[OVERVIEW]

Inteleon's incredible Speed tier and access to U-turn make it a decent revenge killer and pivot in NU, keeping fast threats like Salazzle, Talonflame, Tauros, and Starmie in check and preserving momentum against solid switch-ins like Vaporeon, Toxicroak, and Mantine. (Mention that as a Choice Scarfer, it's faster than and can revenge kill some of the other popular picks for the role like Rotom-C and Flygon. This is the other niche worth mentioning imo given the current centralization around these two.) Inteleon is otherwise wholly outclassed by Starmie and Blastoise as an offensive Water-type. The former is a much more potent wallbreaker thanks to its coverage limiting defensive counterplay much more than Inteleon's does, whereas the latter is a much more effective late-game cleaner thanks to Shell Smash. Inteleon is also incapable of successfully revenge killing some very problematic offensive foes, namely Blastoise and Toxicroak, due to its lackluster damage output.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Torrent
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====

With its coverage moves, Inteleon can dissuade certain Water-resistant foes like Dhelmise, Decidueye Starmie (otherwise these examples would all be weak to Ice Beam and not justify Dark Pulse), and Dragalge from safely switching into it. Those that aren't threatened by its coverage are vulnerable to ceding momentum if U-turn is used. A Modest nature is preferred to Timid because the latter doesn't give any notable benchmarks (you might want to mention that it only outspeeds Choice Scarf Heliolisk, as that's the only benchmark where the Speed is worth it), whereas the former lets Inteleon OHKO Diancie and Tauros after Stealth Rock.

Inteleon is a Pokemon that finds itself on teams because of their need for its high Speed; it's not an option you'd teambuild around, rather one that functions as a glue Pokemon. It synergizes well with Pokemon like Toxicroak, Rotom-C, and Decidueye that appreciate being brought in against passive Water-types. In return, Inteleon is able to handle faster Fire-types like Salazzle and Talonflame that give these Pokemon trouble. If aiming to set up Inteleon for late-game success, pairing it with powerful wallbreakers like Choice Specs Sylveon, Dragalge, and Sirfetch'd is helpful.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Inteleon can use the combination of Focus Energy, Scope Lens, and Sniper to try and get by defensive answers with strong critical hits. It can also use Choice Specs to be a stronger wallbreaker while maintaining the ability to pivot with U-turn. These sets, however, face heavy competition from Kingdra and Starmie.

Checks and Counters
====

**Water-immune Pokemon**: Bulky Water-types like Vaporeon and Mantine easily stomach Inteleon's coverage moves, although U-turn helps against them. Other Water-immune foes like Toxicroak and Heliolisk aren't as durable but still negate Hydro Pump's damage entirely and easily OHKO Inteleon.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Despite their lack of a resistance to Water, Pokemon like Copperajah, Sylveon, and Escavalier have enough natural special bulk to situationally handle Inteleon.

**Grass-types**: Although vulnerable to Inteleon's coverage, foes like Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Vileplume are good switch-ins to Hydro Pump and OHKO Inteleon in return. The former can also take advantage of Inteleon locking into Hydro Pump by setting up with Swords Dance.

**Dragon-types**: Dragalge, Guzzlord, and Goodra fear Ice Beam, but they can switch into Inteleon's other moves with ease.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Finchinator, 114198], [S1nn0hC0nfirm3d, 231074]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]

QC 2/2!

 

[Milak]

1/1