Such an elegant bug~
(QC: 3/3)
[From: WhiteDMist | tennisace | Dat Blast]
(GP: 0/2)
[From: piikachuu | Rohail]
<p>Leavanny's typing is very uncommon, with its dual STABs hitting the premier walls of NU, such as Musharna, Tangela, and Alomomola, for super effective damage. It has a nice Attack stat with some fun moves to play with. Unfortunately, its Speed falls just short of the 95 Speed tier, being outsped by Jynx and Haunter. Leavanny also has an unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, stripping away 25% of its health every time it switches in. Leavanny's bulk isn't the best and leaves much to be desired. Its typing is a dual-edged sword; while it provides great resistances to common Fighting-, Grass-, Water-, Ground-, and Electric-types, it also provides unfortunate weaknesses to Fire, Flying, Ice, and Rock. Despite all these flaws, Leavanny can provide substantial team support.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Life Orb
ability: Swarm
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set capitalizes on Leavanny's typing and movepool, using its most useful moves in its arsenal as well as possible. It is mandatory for Leavanny to have STAB moves, as that is one of the few reasons to use it at all. Leavanny is usually attacking straight away since it does not want to waste turns when checks and counters are still in play—which is very often the case. Synthesis heals off any entry hazard damage taken, while also mitigating the damage done by Life Orb. Synthesis is also particularly useful, as it becomes a shield from Sucker Punch, which Leavanny can survive from any Pokemon in the tier at full health. Heal Bell is great for team support and also removes any status that gives Leavanny trouble. Synthesis, in conjunction with Heal Bell, allows Leavanny to beat various walls such as Alomomola and Wartortle, among various other Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Jolly is crucial to outspeed base 90 Speed tier Pokemon, such as Zangoose, who is OHKOed after Stealth Rock. Life Orb is required for maximum damage output, scoring the OHKO on Golurk, Zangoose, and Ludicolo, while achieving the 2HKO on Alomomola and Musharna. Swords Dance can help muscle past walls such as Musharna and Alomomola before they can heal, but Leavanny is easily revenge killed and it won't be staying around long enough anyway. Swarm is Leavanny's other ability, but is as situational as Chlorophyll, which is more effective in general. Magic Coat is an option to bounce back entry hazards and status, but Heal Bell keeps status away and is not as difficult to predict; however, Magic Coat Leavanny is a solid check to Prankster users such as Riolu and Liepard. Carracosta is a great teammate as Leavanny and Carracosta cover each others weaknesses almost perfectly, and Carracosta can also set up Stealth Rock for Leavanny. Leavanny appreciates a teammate that can absorb Toxic Spikes, such as Skuntank, which can also Pursuit trap Misdreavus and Haunter, both of which give Leavanny trouble. Torkoal is an option as a spinner to start forming a Fire / Water / Grass core and take on all the Fire- and Bug-type attacks aimed at Leavanny. RestTalk Regice is a great partner as it can stop rain teams and Articuno and Vileplume, Pokemon Leavanny struggles with, while Leavanny can remove its sleep status with Heal Bell. Eelektross makes for a good partner to muscle through Mandibuzz, as well as other Flying-types that Leavanny cannot beat. Another partner that works well is Misdreavus, as it can spinblock and Taunt any Stealth Rock leads.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Leavanny has access to Baton Pass, but it is severely outclassed by Scolipede, Sawsbuck, and Leafeon as a Baton Passer. Sunny Day is an option to take advantage of Chlorophyll, but then it has to give up a moveslot and will just be a lot weaker to Fire-type moves. Leavanny also has access to dual screens, but Serperior outclasses it as it has access to Taunt, better Speed and bulk, and a lack of a Stealth Rock weakness. Calm Mind is an option if you opt for a special or Baton Pass set, but Musharna outclasses it in every way. Giga Drain is a recovery option, but it is very weak and Synthesis is more reliable. A Mind Reader and GrassWhistle combo looks good on paper, but is very gimmicky, difficult to set up, and Leavanny is better off attacking or supporting its team with Heal Bell. Leavanny can opt for a full attacking set, but it isn't very useful and is easily worn down. Shadow Claw is one of Leavanny's few other physical moves worth considering, as it hits Misdreavus and Drifblim for nice damage. Return is another option to knock out Charizard after Stealth Rock. Finally, a special set could work as it has access to many special moves such as Air Slash, Bug Buzz, Energy Ball, and Leaf Storm, but it has a very low Special Attack, so they will not be doing much.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Poison-types, such as Garbodor, Golbat, and Scolipede, take absolutely nothing from any of Leavanny's moves, even if they are boosted. Fire-types literally incinerate it to pieces and take nothing from either of its STABs. Flying-types put a halt to Leavanny, especially Mandibuzz and Braviary. Leavanny is hard walled by Steel-types, as it has no moves to effectively hit them at all. Any Pokemon that has base 93 Speed or above ruins its day and can easily kill it off, as it is very frail, leaving it open to being revenge killed. Taunt makes it so it cannot heal or remove status, making it much less useful. Leavanny's Stealth Rock weakness is also a burden, as it loses 25% of its HP just for switching, however Synthesis somewhat makes up for this.</p>
[Overview]
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- An uncommon typing in Bug and Grass.
- Decent speed.
- Above average attack.
- Nice resistances in Fighting, Grass, Water, Ground, and Electric, which are common types in NU
- Stealth Rock strips away 25% health every time it switches in.
- Outspeed by the two prominent fire-types, Charizard and Rapidash, and it just falls short of the important 95 Speed Tier.
- Small movepool.
- Very frail, meaning it will only survive resisted hits.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- This set capitalizes on Leavanny's movepool and typing and is Leavanny's best bet.
- Mandatory Dual STAB; the reason to use Leavanny.
- Leavanny is usually attacking straight away since it does not want to waste turns when counters and checks are still into play - which is very often the case.
- Synthesis to set up defensively and to recover damage from hazards, it also can be used to avoid Sucker Punch, further strengthened by the fact that Leavanny lives all unboosted Sucker Punches residing in NU if at maximum health, which is useful, causing the second Sucker Punch not to kill Leavanny.
- The last move is reserved to aid your team, Heal Bell to cure status when facing a variety of walls.
- Synthesis and Heal Bell combined with Leavanny's STABs can be used to stall and kill Alomomola, Wartortle, and a myriad of support variants of Pokémon. Leavanny 2HKO's most of them.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Jolly is crucial to outspeed things sitting at base 85 and base 90 speed. Zangoose deserves a special mention here as this EV-spread allows you to outspeed and OHKO Zangoose after Stealth Rock.
- Life Orb is obvious, even with a semi-defensive approach. Crucial OHKO's, on Golurk, Zangoose and Ludicolo, and 2HKO's, on Alomomola and Musharna, are just too important to pass up, and Life Orb is required to reach this damage output.
- Swords Dance can help muscle past walls such as Musharna and Alomomola, but Leavanny is easily revenge killed and it won't be staying around long, it just isn't worth it.
- Swarm can be used, but like with Chlorophyll, it is a tad situational as you rarely get any use out of them. Chlorophyll, however, provides a much larger bonus when it finally kicks in.
- Magic Coat can be used to bounce back Status and other annoying things like Roar, but is usually inferior to Heal Bell. But if you feel you can do without, Magic Coat is a solid replacement.
- Magic Coat Leavanny is a solid check to a variety of Prankster abusers, like Liepard and Riolu which is a nice bonus.
- Note that Magic Coat is not reliable against hazard setters, as most hazard setters hit Leavanny for a huge chunk of damage, that is, if they don't outright OHKO it. Garbodor has a tendency to attempt to set up hazards on Leavanny, though, but staying in for the Magic Coat to bounce back those Spikes is a big risk because Gunk Shot OHKO's Leavanny.
- Defensive Carracosta is a great teammate as Leavanny and Carracosta cover each others weaknesses almost perfectly. Carracosta can also set up Rocks for Leavanny.
- Leavanny appreciates a teammate that can absorb Toxic Spikes, such as Skuntank, who can also Pursuit trap Misdreavus and Haunter, who both give Leavanny trouble.
- Torkoal can also work as a spinner, and can form a Grass-Fire-Water core with Carracosta. It can also deal with things which trouble Leavanny and tank Bug- and Fire attacks for Leavanny. Be wary as you slow down your team though, which can be unfavourable.
- RestTalk Regice (helps dealing with Rain Teams, Articuno and Vileplume, things Leavanny struggles with, as well as Leavanny being capable of using Heal Bell to wake up Regice)
- Support Misdreavus is a great teammates for Leavanny, as it can spinblock and Taunt SR leads.
- Fighting-Types make exceptional partners for there ability to beat Steel-Types and Mandibuzz.
- A Baton Pass set could be utilized, but it is harshly outclassed by the likes of leafeon, Sawsbuck, and Scolipede.
- Sunny Day can be used to make use of Chlorophyll, but then it has to give up a moveslot, and will just be all the more weak to Fire-Types.
- It has access to Dual Screens, but it is mostly outclassed by Serperior, who has better speed, bulk, and Taunt.
- Calm Mind is usable on any Baton Pass set, but it is hopelessly outclassed by Musharna.
- Giga Drain can be used on any support set for the added recovery, but it is very weak.
- A Mind Reader + GrassWhistle combo looks good on paper, but in battle it is very hard to set up, and Leavanny needs the time it has to do it's work, plus it isn't very bulky.
- An All-Out attacker set is possible, but Leavanny hates switching and it isn't very powerful without boosts.
- A move worth consideration is Shadow Claw, which can be used if you want to catch Haunter and Drifblim as well as deal slightly more damage to Misdreavus.
- Return can be used if you want to kill Charizard after Rocks on the switch in, but it doesn't really get good coverage otherwise.
- Poison-Types take absolutely nothing from Leavanny, and most like Garbodor, Golbat, and Scolipede wall it entirely, even with boosts.
- Fire-Types such as Charizard and Rapidash can easily defeat Leavanny, and take nothing from it's STAB attacks.
- Flying-Types such as Mandibuzz and Braviary also put a halt to Leavanny.
- Steel-Types ruin Leavanny's day, completely walling anything it throws at it.
- Anything with more than 92 Speed can usually Knock Out Leavanny, as it has as much bulk as a wet piece of paper.
- Taunt prevents Leavanny from setting up, rendering it not as powerful.
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