The main thought I'm having on this article is to show what mons have been significantly improved due to the Knock Off buff. Pokemon include:
Mienshao
Crawdaunt
Tangrowth
Absol
Escavalier
As a show of how I would go through it:
Escavalier:
Escavalier has been a lucky soul this generation, obtaining the buff to Knock Off and Drill Run, letting it be a potent threat in the metagame with a strong 135 base attack stat to dominate switch ins. Not many Pokemon like to come in on a Choice Banded Knock Off, and it's solid 70/105/105 bulk is not laughable either.
Escavalier @ Choice Band
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Brave Nature
- Drill Run
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
The Set
Escavalier will do extreme damage with max attack and a Choice Band. Bug and Steel STABS are very nice, being able to hit a lot of metagame threats neutral or super-effective (minus Zapdos and a few other Pokemon) but the two STABS are quite mighty. Swarm can even let Megahorn excel to a even stronger power, able to dominate threats with as much as a poke from it. Escavalier now gets Drill Run as an egg move, letting it hit switches that would resist it's STABs (Toxicroak for one) for super-effective damage. And of course, Knock Off.
How Knock Off Plays A Part
Knock Off lets Escavalier hit switches much more freely (because nothing likes to lose it's items, other than Hawlucha.) Plus, a Knock Off is brutal anyway coming off the attack stat of Escavalier. It helps it utilize Choice Band better by not having as many switches.
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 115-136 (27.3 - 32.3%) -- 61.2% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Cofagrigus: 260-306 (81.2 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Cofagrigus: 198-234 (61.8 - 73.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 242-286 (61.4 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 237-279 (33.6 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
I imagine the next issue is almost done, so this probably would be better to do for next issue.
Mienshao
Crawdaunt
Tangrowth
Absol
Escavalier
As a show of how I would go through it:
Escavalier:
Escavalier has been a lucky soul this generation, obtaining the buff to Knock Off and Drill Run, letting it be a potent threat in the metagame with a strong 135 base attack stat to dominate switch ins. Not many Pokemon like to come in on a Choice Banded Knock Off, and it's solid 70/105/105 bulk is not laughable either.
Escavalier @ Choice Band
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Brave Nature
- Drill Run
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
The Set
Escavalier will do extreme damage with max attack and a Choice Band. Bug and Steel STABS are very nice, being able to hit a lot of metagame threats neutral or super-effective (minus Zapdos and a few other Pokemon) but the two STABS are quite mighty. Swarm can even let Megahorn excel to a even stronger power, able to dominate threats with as much as a poke from it. Escavalier now gets Drill Run as an egg move, letting it hit switches that would resist it's STABs (Toxicroak for one) for super-effective damage. And of course, Knock Off.
How Knock Off Plays A Part
Knock Off lets Escavalier hit switches much more freely (because nothing likes to lose it's items, other than Hawlucha.) Plus, a Knock Off is brutal anyway coming off the attack stat of Escavalier. It helps it utilize Choice Band better by not having as many switches.
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 115-136 (27.3 - 32.3%) -- 61.2% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Cofagrigus: 260-306 (81.2 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Cofagrigus: 198-234 (61.8 - 73.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 242-286 (61.4 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 237-279 (33.6 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
I imagine the next issue is almost done, so this probably would be better to do for next issue.