Misdreavus (OU Revamp) [Done]

Based on a Lavos's skeleton and fleshed out by me.

[OVERVIEW]
Misdreavus is the only pure Ghost-type available in GSC OU, which gives it an immediate niche. Its typing grants it a coveted Normal immunity, allowing it to pivot in on a predicted Explosion as well as check most Snorlax variants and prevent Starmie from using Rapid Spin much more reliably than Gengar. Moreover, Misdreavus has many tricks up its sleeve thanks to its movepool. Its Perish Trap set is one of the main reasons why so many teams pack a phazer, and these still have to worry about the Disruptor set, which can badly cripple them.

Nonetheless, Misdreavus has its fair share of drawbacks. Its stats are pretty subpar, it lacks immediate firepower, and it is frail, which means it can be quickly overwhelmed by most offensive powerhouses without doing anything significant beforehand. Misdreavus also needs to watch out for Pursuit and faces competition from Gengar, which is much more immediately threatening and is immune to Toxic, a move commonly used by Cloyster and Forretress, two Pokemon you typically want to check with your Ghost-type.

[SET]
name: Disruptor
move 1: Thunder
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Thief / Protect / Hypnosis / Confuse Ray
move 4: Pain Split / Rest
item: No item / Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set aims to use Misdreavus's typing and movepool to their full potential by making it a spinblocker, a check to mono-attacking and all-out attacking variants of Snorlax, and a general annoyance due to its myriad of moves with which to cripple the foe. Thunder is Misdreavus's main attack and hits Cloyster, Starmie, and Forretress hard, making it a much more reliable spinblocker as well as an occasional paralysis spreader. Toxic is Misdreavus's best way to hinder the foe by putting it on a timer, eventually forcing it to heal with Rest if it even carries it. Moreover, it can be spammed more freely than Thief and Hypnosis throughout the match, since it it is always effective and cannot trigger Sleep Clause. Toxic can also stack with the loss of Leftovers and gives Misdreavus some bite.

Thief is great at opening a hole in the opponent's gameplan, because unlike status moves, it will permanently hinder RestTalk users like Zapdos and Raikou. It will also cripple just about any Pokemon that isn't a Thief user itself by stealing their Leftovers or power-boosting items like Thick Club in the case of Marowak. It's especially effective when used alongside Toxic, since it will wear down the foe even quicker. Just make sure Misdreavus isn't carrying any item when using it. Alternatively, Protect lets Misdreavus slowly regain its health with Leftovers and allows you to scout your opponent's moves while the foe's health keeps decreasing because of Toxic. This is especially effective against threats like Pursuit Tyranitar and Roar Raikou. Another option is Hypnosis, which can put unsuspecting Pokemon to sleep. This can be very rewarding, since RestTalk users are generally not initial switch-ins to Misdreavus due to the fear of the Perish Trap set. Keep in mind that the low accuracy can ruin the surprise factor, though. Confuse Ray is also very threatening for a poisoned foe to deal with, and confusion cripples just about any Pokemon, making Misdreavus potentially very annoying to deal with and to eliminate. In the last slot, Pain Split gives Misdreavus instant recovery and potentially another way to cut down the opposing Pokemon's HP, but it's unreliable and can be played around. Rest, on the other hand, cures Toxic that Misdreavus is likely to take when switching into Cloyster and Forretress, at the cost of putting it to sleep for two turns.

There are also some alternative options available depending on what you need or want to do with Misdreavus. Psychic, which is sometimes used over Thunder, allows it to check Machamp and to a lesser extent Heracross more easily, as well as punishing Nidoking, which would switch into Misdreavus almost fearlessly otherwise. Destiny Bond, on the other hand, forgoes recovery options and tries to trick the opponent into giving up a key Pokemon of theirs for what appeared to be a free KO. It can also serve as an emergency button against threats like Belly Drum Snorlax and Vaporeon.

Team Options
========
Misdreavus fits extremely well on Spikes-focused teams alongside Cloyster or Forretress due to its ability to spinblock and to further wear down the foe with Thief and Toxic. These forms of residual damage are even more effective when exploited by a phazer like Skarmory, which fares well against Earthquake variants of Curse and Belly Drum Snorlax, as well as Raikou, which is also offensively threatening on its own. Furthermore, both of these are suited to deal with hard hitters that give trouble to Misdreavus; Marowak can be handled by Skarmory and Zapdos can be handled by Raikou. Misdreavus itself is especially susceptible to Pursuit users like Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom. Thus, Pokemon that can take advantage of Pursuit users like Machamp, Heracross, and Vaporeon make good teammates; the last two in particular are sometimes able to use the likes of Nidoking, as well as Steelix in the case of Vaporeon, as setup fodder, two Pokemon that Misdreavus may be unable to significantly threaten depending on its moveset. This Misdreavus variant has the potential to mess with just about any Pokemon, but it is lacking in ways to eliminate Rest users by itself. That's why packing something that appreciates common Rest users being asleep like Belly Drum Snorlax or Tentacruel is a good idea. Finally, Misdreavus's effectiveness is hampered if it is poisoned, paralyzed, or asleep. Therefore, clerics like Miltank and Blissey are welcome, especially if Misdreavus lacks Rest.

[SET]
name: Perish Trapper
move 1: Mean Look
move 2: Perish Song
move 3: Protect
move 4: Confuse Ray / Thunder
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set initially brought Misdreavus to OU, which sees Misdreavus trading most of its disrupting and defensive capabilities as well as its reliability as a spinblocker for a more immediately threatening approach. Mean Look and Perish Song used in tandem will put the opposing Pokemon on an inescapable timer, unless said Pokemon happens to be a phazer or can eliminate Misdreavus quickly enough. Protect stalls out the opponent's attempts to get rid of Misdreavus or to phaze it while the countdown gets closer to zero. There are plenty of options for the last moveslot, but Confuse Ray is recommended, since it's Misdreavus's best bet against phazers and most hard hitters in general, although Thunder is still something to consider, since it invalidates Skarmory as an answer and allows Misdreavus to remain as an effective spinblocker. On the final turn of Perish Song, Misdreavus can choose to either switch out and give the opposing Pokemon one shot at your team or stay in and trade one for one once it has outlived its usefulness.

Team Options
========
Despite the presence of Confuse Ray, phazers like Tyranitar, Steelix, Skarmory, Raikou, and Suicune remain answers to this set. Therefore, Pokemon that can cripple them like Lovely Kiss or all-out attacking variants of Snorlax make good partners. In return, Misdreavus will most likely find opportunities against opposing Snorlax, Machamp, and Miltank, something that your own Snorlax will appreciate. Although its effectiveness as a spinblocker is significantly reduced if it lacks Thunder, Misdreavus can still exploit its Ghost typing if paired with Cloyster or Forretress. Paralysis in conjunction with Confuse Ray can further frustrate attempts to phaze Misdreavus, so teammates such as Raikou, Zapdos, Stun Spore Exeggutor, and Body Slam Snorlax can be useful for the paralysis they can inflict on various targets. Toxic users like Forretress, Skarmory, and Suicune are essential alongside the Thunder variant, as being poisoned will force Roar Raikou to use Rest and give Misdreavus a crucial opportunity. Additionally, this variant of Misdreavus still fears Pursuit users and status ailments, so Machamp, Heracross, Vaporeon, Miltank, and Blissey remain effective teammates.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Perish Song is usable without Mean Look to back it up, as it allows Misdreavus to force any Curse variants of Snorlax out and can serve as a counter to Baton Pass strategies. Attract can be used over Confuse Ray as there is no chance of the foe snapping out of it early, but you lose the ability to buy time against Zapdos, Raikou, Suicune, and Pokemon with the same gender. Mean Look has its own merits on a non-Perish Song set, especially when moves uncharacteristic of a Mean Look set such as Toxic are revealed first. Once it has trapped the foe, it can force it to stay on the field while suffering from residual damage or PP stall it. However, this set is stopped cold by phazers like Steelix once revealed and Mean Look takes up a valuable moveslot. Growl is another way to handle Curse sweepers like Snorlax, Machamp, and Heracross without having to worry about taking a boosted hit in return, although it doesn't have much merit otherwise. Sleep Talk can be considered if using Rest, but Misdreavus is strapped enough for moveslots as it is.

Checks and Counters
========
**Phazers**: Due to the fear of losing a Pokemon to the Perish Trap set, most initial switch-ins to Misdreavus are phazers, but there’s always a slim chance that Misdreavus can manage to get a KO anyway via multiple confusion turns and Protect stalling. Tyranitar and Steelix in particular really want to avoid Thief, since they rarely carry Rest, and Leftovers is their only form of recovery.

**Pursuit Users**: Pursuit users including Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom all threaten both variants of Misdreavus, especially the disruptor set, since it struggles to outpace the damage from Pursuit with Toxic and Thunder. The Perish Trap set also has a hard time fleeing on the last turn of the countdown and will generally be at least extremely damaged after taking a full-powered Pursuit. Toxic Misdreavus with Protect can typically stall long enough if the foe is simply using Pursuit over and over, but potentially taking a devastating Crunch can ruin this strategy. Houndoom is particularly problematic as it outspeeds Misdreavus and usually has both Crunch and Pursuit. Tyranitar is also capable of running Crunch alongside Pursuit for Misdreavus, but must drop another coverage move to do so.

**RestTalk Users**: Due to its lack of offensive presence, the disruptor variant faces a wall each time a RestTalk user shows up, as such foes don't mind status and only have to be wary about a well-timed Destiny Bond if they're slower; however, any Pokemon asleep is very vulnerable to the Perish Trap set.

**Immediately Powerful Pokemon**: Pokemon like Marowak, Rhydon, and Charcoal Moltres pose a unique threat to Perish Song Misdreavus as they are so powerful that they can 2HKO it without any prior setup, meaning they can potentially switch in against full health Misdreavus as it uses Mean Look, not bother phazing it, and still emerge the victor. If Misdreavus decides to attempt the Perish Song anyway, it would need to rely on the 50% chance of Protect working twice in a row. The disruptor variant can threaten all of them with Toxic, Marowak with Thief, and Moltres with Thunder. Thunder Zapdos can also threaten a 2HKO on Misdreavus, but is slightly more likely to come out the loser due to Thunder's poor accuracy and a closer damage roll.

**Status**: Unless it has Rest, any kind of status is a major problem for Misdreavus and should be avoided whenever possible. A poisoned or burned Misdreavus with the Perish Trap set will be much more easily 2HKOed or Pursuit trapped, and a paralyzed Misdreavus is unable to KO foes with Destiny Bond and risks becoming fully paralyzed at inopportune moments.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Wenderz, 331114], [Lavos, 129513]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Lavos, 129513]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Mafeking, 122460]]
 
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Tagging Lavos in order to check slashes on the first set. Besides, I've seen on others GSC OU revamps threads that entirely rewriting some on-site analysis was deemed unnecessary by some people, as some of these were still pretty accurate and relevant. In the case of Misdreavus though, I think that a complete revamp is necessary since the on-site analysis is completely focused on the PerishTrap variant which was considered as the standard and only viable set back in the day, which is no longer the case. While I could have just written the Disrupter set and changed the Intro and the C&C section, I judged that most paragraphs on the current on-site analysis were unnecessary. Overall, these are my reasons to make a full revamp.
 
Wenderz

After about a 45 min long discussion with several other SPL players and GSC veterans in which there was a lot of disagreement, we have reached some sort of consensus on some aspects of what should be slashed and what sets would be best to include. (Note that I am giving my own biased interpretation of this "consensus". If you ask someone else they will almost certainly think some other set is better.)

Set 1:
Thunder
Toxic
Thief / Hypnosis / Confuse Ray
Pain Split / Rest
+ mention Destiny Bond*, Psychic, Protect in the set description only.

This is my minimalist approach to this set. The main consensus between those I was talking to was that the set should be Thunder / Toxic / Healing move / Filler move that tries to cripple things. Confuse Ray is missing from the current set but is very powerful, especially against status-afflicted opponents, and deserves a spot on the set. DBond and Psychic are fairly self-explanatory, and you have already explained them pretty well. Protect is used to regain Leftovers as you have noted, but some other more specific use cases are against a poisoned Tyranitar trying to Pursuit you, and against a Roar Raikou trying to wear down your team (taking Spikes and regaining two Leftovers results in a net loss of 0 HP and can waste Raikou's PP). *If you were going to include any extra moves on the set DBond is probably the one I'd be most convinced about.

Some additional moves that were brought up are Attract, Perish Song, Mean Look, Growl, and Sleep Talk. These are all at least somewhat usable on set 1, but I would relegate most of them to OO due to their more limited use cases.

Also, at least Thunder should be slashed on with CRay on the PTrap set. Attract can just remain a mention in my opinion.

I think this is overall a well-written analysis, and with the set changes / move mentions I think it will be ready for GP/upload.
 
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Thanks for the insights and kind words!

I implemented all the changes and I'll consider this analysis GP ready by now, but if someone still wants to share its opinion, feel free to.
 
Thanks for the insights and kind words!

I implemented all the changes and I'll consider this analysis GP ready by now, but if someone still wants to share its opinion, feel free to.
Looks good.

Just a few more minor nitpicks:
Machamp, Heracross or Vaporeon make good teamates, the two latter in particular are able to use the likes of Nidoking and Steelix as set-up fodders
This could probably be made more clear so that it can't be interpreted as Heracross being able to set up on Steelix.
Here's the set that initially brought Misdreavus to OU, with which Misdreavus trades most of its disrupting and defensive capabilities as well as its reliability as a spinblocker with a more immediatly threatening approach, allowing it to be even more effective against Snorlax.
The last bit after the comma seems kind of tacked on, and doesn't explain why or in what circumstances it is better against Snorlax (which is arguably important since the other set will be better in some circumstances). I think the sentence would be better without "allowing it to be even more effective against Snorlax".
Despite the presence of Confuse Ray, phazers like Tyranitar, Steelix, Skarmory, Raikou and Suicune remain the usual answers to this set, if Misdreavus doesn't manage to stay on the field.
I don't understand the last part of this sentence. It can probably be removed as well.

EDIT: The above changes have been made -- this is QC approved as far as I am concerned.
 
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deetah

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Amcheck, feel free to implement what you want from this. A few things to note here, remember that foe should be used when referring to the opposing Pokemon, and opponent refers to the opposing battler. Also, the word "intoxicated" should not be used to refer to a Pokemon that is poisoned. Intoxicated basically means drunk, so use the word poisoned instead for future analyses. Add Remove Comments (AC) = Add Comma (RC) = Remove Comma (AP) = Add Period (AA) = Add Apostrophe (AS) = Add Space
Based on a Lavos's skeleton and fleshed out by me.

[OVERVIEW]

Misdreavus is the only pure Ghost-type available in GSC OU, which gives it an immediate niche. Indeed, this Its typing grants it a coveted Normal immunity, allowing it to pivot on a predicted Explosion as well as checking most Snorlax variants and preventing Starmie from using Rapid Spin much more reliably than Gengar. Moreover, Misdreavus has many tricks under up its sleeve (The term is generally "up its sleeve" which is why I changed that, though that's a bit nitpicky) thanks to its movepool: (Remove colon, AP). its Its Perish Trap set is one of the main reasons why so many teams pack a phazer, (RC) (AP). and these still have to worry about the Disrupter set. (The final part of this sentence doesn't really add much to the paragraph nor provide much information)

Nonetheless, Misdreavus has its fair share of drawbacks. Its stats are pretty subpar overall, it lacks immediate firepower, (AC) and is frail, which means it can be quickly overwhelmed by most offensive powerhouses without doing anything significant beforehand. Misdreavus also needs to watch out for Pursuit and faces competition from Gengar, which is much more immediately threatening and doesn't care about is immune to Toxic, a move commonly used by Cloyster and Forretress, two Pokemon you typically want to check with your Ghost-type.

[SET]

Set 1: Disrupter
Item: None / Leftovers
Move 1: Thunder
Move 2: Toxic
Move 3: Thief / Hypnosis / Confuse Ray
Move 4: Pain Split / Rest

This set aims to exploit Misdreavus's typing and movepool to its full potential by making it a spinblocker, a check to Mono-Attack and All-Out Attacker variants of Snorlax, (AC) and a general annoyance due to its myriad of moves allowing it to cripple its opponent the foe. Thunder is your Misdreavus's main attacking tool and is recommended to hit hits Cloyster, Starmie, (AC) and Forretress hard, making Misdreavus it a much more reliable spinblocker and occasionnaly a the occasional paralysis spreader. Toxic is however Misdreavus's best way to hinder its opponent the foe by forcing it to heal with Rest or putting it on a timer, (AC) eventually forcing it to heal with Rest. Moreover, it can be spammed more freely than Thief and Hypnosis throughout the match since it doesn't need have any requirements nor trigger the Sleep Clause.
Toxic can also compounds on with the lack of Leftovers and gives Misdreavus some bite.
(New paragraph when you start analyzing Thief)
Thief is great at opening a hole in the opponent's gameplan, because unlike statues status moves it will permanentely permanently hinder Restalk RestTalk users like Zapdos and Raikou. (AP) as well as It will also cripple just about any Pokemon which that isn't a Thief user itself by stealing their Leftovers or power-boosting items like Thick Club in the case of Marowak. It's especially effective when used alongside Toxic since it will wear down the opponent foe even quicker. Just make sure you're not carrying any item when using it. Hypnosis, on the other hand, can put an unaware Pokemon asleep, which can be very rewarding since Restalk RestTalk users are generally not initial switch-ins to Misdreavus due to the fear of the Perish Trap set. Keep in mind that the low accuracy can ruin the surprise factor though. Confuse Ray is also very threatening on an intoxicated opponent and for a poisoned foe to deal with as confusion cripples just about any Pokemon, making Misdreavus potentially very annoying to deal with and to eliminate.
(New paragraph when you start analyzing Pain Split)
In the last slot, Pain Split gives you Misdreavus instant recovery and potentially another way to cut down the opposing Pokemon's HP, but it's unreliable and can be played around by your opponent. You won't have to worry about that if you're using Rest, which also Rest, on the other hand, cures Toxic that Misdreavus is likely to take when switching on into Cloyster and Forretress, at the cost of putting it them asleep for two turns. There are several options available depending on what you need or want to do with Misdreavus. Psychic allows you it to check Machamp and to a lesser extent Heracross more easily, as well as punishing Nidoking that would come on switch into Misdreavus almost fearlessly otherwise. Destiny Bond, on the other hand, foregoes recovery options and tries to trick the opponent into giving up a key Pokemon of theirs for what appeared to be a free kill. It can also serve as an emergency button against threats like Belly Drum Snorlax and Vaporeon. Finally, Protect lets you slowly regaining your Misdreavus slowly regain its health with Leftovers and allows you to scout your opponent's moves while its the foe's health keeps decreasing because of Toxic. This is especially effective against threats like Tyranitar and Roar Raikou. (I broke up this paragraph because it was huge and a bit overwhelming to read over, so breaking it up into smaller portions should help)

Misdreavus fits extremely well on Spikes-focused teams alongside Cloyster and Forretress due to its ability to spinblock and to further wear down its opponent the foe with Thief or Toxic. These forms of residual damages are even more effective when exploited by a phazer like Skarmory, which fairs well against Earthquake variants of Curse and Belly Drum Snorlax, and as well as Raikou, which is also offensively threatening on its own. Furthermore, both of these are suited to deal with hard hitters that give trouble to Misdreavus, like Marowak and Zapdos, respectively. Misdreavus itself is especially susceptile susceptible to Pursuit users like Tyranitar, Umbreon, (AC) and Houndoom. Thus, Pokemon that can take advantage of most of them like Machamp, Heracross, (AC) or Vaporeon make good teamates teammates, the two latter last two in particular are able to use the likes of Nidoking and also Steelix in the case of Vaporeon as set-up fodders, two Pokemon that Misdreavus may be unable to significantly threaten depending on its moveset. This Misdreavus's variant has the potential to mess with just about any Pokemon, but it doesn't have any way to eliminate Rest users alone other than a well-timed Destiny Bond. That's why packing something that appreciates common Rest users being asleep like Curse Snorlax or Tentacruel is a good idea. Finally, Misdreavus's effectiveness is hampered if it is intoxicated, paralysed poisoned, paralyzed, (AC) or asleep. Therefore, clerics like Miltank or Blissey are welcome, especially since the added defensive presence they provide further helps Misdreavus.

[SET]

Set 2: Perish Trapper
Item: Leftovers
Move 1: Protect
Move 2: Mean Look
Move 3: Perish Song
Move 4: Confuse Ray / Thunder

Here's the set that This set initially brought Misdreavus to OU, with which Misdreavus trades most of its disrupting and defensive capabilities as well as its reliability as a spinblocker with a more immediatly immediately threatening approach. Indeed, Mean Look and Perish Song used in tandem will put the opposing Pokemon on an inescapable timer, unless the said Pokemon happens to be a phazer or something that can eliminate Misdreavus quickly enough, but that last option requires Misdreavus to be weakened beforehand. However, Protect is there to stall out the opponent's attempts to get rid of Misdreavus or to phaze it away while the countdown gets closer to zero. There is a are plenty of options for the last moveslot, but Confuse Ray is the recommended one since it's Misdreavus's best bet against phazers and most hard hitters in general, although Thunder is still something to consider since it invalidates Skarmory as an answer and allows Misdreavus to remain as an effective spinblocker. On the final turn of Perish Song, Misdreavus can choose to either switch out and give the enemy opposing Pokemon one shot at your team, or stay in and trade one for one once it has outlived its usefulness.

Despite the presence of Confuse Ray, phazers like Tyranitar, Steelix, Skarmory, Raikou, (AC) and Suicune remain as the usual answers to this set. Therefore, Pokemon that can lure and cripple most of them like Lovely Kiss or All-Out Attacker variants of Snorlax make good partners. In return, Misdreavus will most likely find opportunities against opposing Snorlax, Machamp, (AC) and Miltank, something that your own Snorlax will appreciate. Although its effectiveness as a spinblocker is significantly reduced by the potential lack of Thunder, Misdreavus's Ghost typing is still something to exploit if paired with Cloyster or Forretress. Besides, this variant of Misdreavus still fears Pursuit users and statues status, hence Machamp, Heracross, Vaporeon, Miltank, (AC) and Blissey remain teamates as teammates of choice for the same reasons as the former set.

[Other Options]

Perish Song is perfectly usable without Mean Look to back it up as it allows Misdreavus to force any Curse variants of Snorlax out and can serve as an emergancy button and as a counter to Baton Pass strategies. Attract can be used on stall teams since it has far more PP than Confuse Ray, but you lose the ability to buy time against the common Legends, Zapdos, Raikou, (AC) and Suicune, (AC) and Pokemon with the same gender. Mean Look has its own merits on a non Perish (AS) Trap set, especially when paired with Toxic, Confuse Ray, (AC) or even Destiny Bond, as it can forces the opponent foe to stay on the field while suffering from residual damages, but it's (AA) often stopped cold by Steelix and is limited by 4MSS because of other moves that tend to be a better choice. Growl is another way to handle Curse sweepers like Snorlax, Machamp, (AC) and Heracross without having to worry about taking a boosted hit like you would if you're using Perish Song for this matter in return, although it doesn't have much merit otherwise. Sleep Talk can be considered if using Rest, but Misdreavus is scratched enough for moveslots as it is.

[Checks & Counters]

Due to the fear of losing a Pokemon to the Perish (AS) Trap set, most initial switch-ins to Misdreavus are phazers, but there’s always a slim chance that Missy manages Misdreavus can manage to get a KO anyways via multiple confusion turns and Protect stalling, (RC) (AP). and Tyranitar and Steelix in particular really want to avoid Thief, since they rarely carry Rest and Leftovers is their only form of Recovery. Pursuit users including Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom all threaten both versions of Misdreavus, especially the Disrupter set since it usually cannot cripple them fast enough, (RC) (AP). but the The Perish (AS) Trap set also has an hard time fleeing on the last turn of the countdown and will generally be at least extremely damaged after taking a full-powered Pursuit. Due to its lack of offensive presence, the Disrupter variant faces a wall each time a Restalk RestTalk user shows up, as it doesn't mind statues status and the only thing it has to be wary about is a well-timed Destiny Bond if it is slower, but any Pokemon asleep is very vulnerable to the Perish (AS) Trap set. In the same vein, Misdreavus's lack of immediate power leaves it unable to directly threaten some powerhouses like Marowak, although this one needs to watch out for Thief or Destiny Bond, since its main tools, Toxic and Perish Song, to deafeat an enemy, Toxic and Perish Song, require a time that it won't always have. Moreover, the necessity to find multiple turns to bring down the opposing Pokemon means that Misdreavus needs to stay healthy and able to move quickly, which means it needs to stay away from any kind of statues status to execute its task properly.
 

Lumari

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[OVERVIEW]

Misdreavus is the only pure Ghost-type available in GSC OU, which gives it an immediate niche. Its typing grants it a coveted Normal immunity, allowing it to pivot on a predicted Explosion as well as check most Snorlax variants and prevent Starmie from using Rapid Spin much more reliably than Gengar. Moreover, Misdreavus has many tricks up its sleeve thanks to its movepool. Its Perish Trap set is one of the main reasons why so many teams pack a phazer, and these still have to worry about the Disrupter Disruptor set, (AC) which can badly cripple them.

Nonetheless, Misdreavus has its fair share of drawbacks. Its stats are pretty subpar, it lacks immediate firepower, and it is frail, which means it can be quickly overwhelmed by most offensive powerhouses without doing anything significant beforehand. Misdreavus also needs to watch out for Pursuit and faces competition from Gengar, which is much more immediately threatening and is immune to Toxic, a move commonly used by Cloyster and Forretress, two Pokemon you typically want to check with your Ghost-type.

[SET]
Set 1: Disrupter
Item: None / Leftovers

name: Disruptor
m
ove 1: Thunder
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Thief / Hypnosis / Confuse Ray
move 4: Pain Split / Rest
item: No item / Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]

This set aims to exploit use Misdreavus's typing and movepool to its their full potential by making it a spinblocker, a check to mono-attacking and all-out Attacker attacking variants of Snorlax, and a general annoyance due to its myriad of moves allowing it with which to cripple the foe. Thunder is Misdreavus's main attack and hits Cloyster, Starmie, and Forretress hard, making it a much more reliable spinblocker and the as well as an occasional paralysis spreader. Toxic is Misdreavus's best way to hinder the foe by putting it on a timer, eventually forcing it to heal with Rest if it even carries it. Moreover, it can be spammed more freely than Thief and Hypnosis throughout the match, (AC) since it doesn't have any requirements nor it is always effective and cannot trigger the Sleep Clause. Toxic can also compound stack with the lack loss of Leftovers and gives Misdreavus some bite.

Thief is great at opening a hole in the opponent's gameplan, because unlike status moves, (AC) it will permanently hinder RestTalk users like Zapdos and Raikou. It will also cripple just about any Pokemon that isn't a Thief user itself by stealing their Leftovers or power-boosting items like Thick Club in the case of Marowak. It's especially effective when used alongside Toxic, (AC) since it will wear down the foe even quicker. Just make sure you're not carrying any item when using it. Hypnosis, on the other hand, can put unaware Pokemon asleep to sleep, which can be very rewarding, (AC) since RestTalk users are generally not initial switch-ins to Misdreavus due to the fear of the Perish Trap set. Keep in mind that the low accuracy can ruin the surprise factor, (AC) though. Confuse Ray is also very threatening for a poisoned foe to deal with, (AC) as confusion cripples just about any Pokemon, making Misdreavus potentially very annoying to deal with and to eliminate.

In the last slot, Pain Split gives Misdreavus instant recovery and potentially another way to cut down the opposing Pokemon's HP, but it's unreliable and can be played around by your opponent. Rest, on the other hand, cures Toxic that Misdreavus is likely to take when switching into Cloyster and Forretress, at the cost of putting it asleep for two turns. There are several options available depending on what you need or want to do with Misdreavus. Psychic allows it to check Machamp and to a lesser extent Heracross more easily, as well as punishing Nidoking, (AC) that which would switch into Misdreavus almost fearlessly otherwise. Destiny Bond, on the other hand, foregoes recovery options and tries to trick the opponent into giving up a key Pokemon of theirs for what appeared to be a free kill KO. It can also serve as an emergency button against threats like Belly Drum Snorlax and Vaporeon. Finally, Protect lets Misdreavus slowly regain its health with Leftovers and allows you to scout your opponent's moves while the foe's health keeps decreasing because of Toxic. This is especially effective against threats like Tyranitar and Roar Raikou.

Misdreavus fits extremely well on Spikes-focused teams alongside Cloyster and Forretress due to its ability to spinblock and to further wear down the foe with Thief or Toxic. These forms of residual damage are even more effective when exploited by a phazer like Skarmory, which fairs fares well against Earthquake variants of Curse and Belly Drum Snorlax, as well as Raikou, which is also offensively threatening on its own. Furthermore, both of these are suited to deal with hard hitters that give trouble to Misdreavus, like Marowak for Snorlax and Zapdos for Raikou, respectively. Misdreavus itself is especially susceptible to Pursuit users like Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom. Thus, Pokemon that can take advantage of most of them like Machamp, Heracross, or and Vaporeon make good teammates; (SC) the last two in particular are able to use the likes of Nidoking, (AC) and also as well as Steelix in the case of Vaporeon, (AC) as set-up setup fodder, two Pokemon that Misdreavus may be unable to significantly threaten depending on its moveset. This Misdreavus's Misdreavus variant has the potential to mess with just about any Pokemon, but it doesn't have any way to eliminate Rest users alone other than a well-timed Destiny Bond. That's why packing something that appreciates common Rest users being asleep like Curse Snorlax or Tentacruel is a good idea. Finally, Misdreavus's effectiveness is hampered if it is poisoned, paralyzed, (AC) or asleep. Therefore, clerics like Miltank or and Blissey are welcome, especially since the added defensive presence they provide further helps Misdreavus.

[SET]
Set 2 name: Perish Trapper
Item: Leftovers
move 1: Protect
move 2: Mean Look
move 3: Perish Song
move 4: Confuse Ray / Thunder
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]

This set initially brought Misdreavus to OU, with which sees Misdreavus trades trading most of its disrupting and defensive capabilities as well as its reliability as a spinblocker with a more immediately threatening approach. Mean Look and Perish Song used in tandem will put the opposing Pokemon on an inescapable timer, unless the said Pokemon happens to be a phazer or something that can eliminate Misdreavus quickly enough, but that last option requires Misdreavus to be weakened beforehand. However, Furthermore, Protect is there to stalls out the opponent's attempts to get rid of Misdreavus or to phaze it away while the countdown gets closer to zero. There are plenty of options for the last moveslot, but Confuse Ray is recommended, (AC) since it's Misdreavus's best bet against phazers and most hard hitters in general, although Thunder is still something to consider, (AC) since it invalidates Skarmory as an answer and allows Misdreavus to remain as an effective spinblocker. On the final turn of Perish Song, Misdreavus can choose to either switch out and give the opposing Pokemon one shot at your team (RC) or stay in and trade one for one once it has outlived its usefulness.

Despite the presence of Confuse Ray, phazers like Tyranitar, Steelix, Skarmory, Raikou, and Suicune remain as the usual answers to this set. Therefore, Pokemon that can cripple most of them like Lovely Kiss or all-out Attacker attacking variants of Snorlax make good partners. In return, Misdreavus will most likely find opportunities against opposing Snorlax, Machamp, and Miltank, something that your own Snorlax will appreciate. Although its effectiveness as a spinblocker is significantly reduced by the potential lack of Thunder, Misdreavus's can still exploit its Ghost typing is still something to exploit if paired with Cloyster or Forretress. Besides, this variant of Misdreavus still fears Pursuit users and statues (wut), hence so Machamp, Heracross, Vaporeon, Miltank, and Blissey remain effective teammates as teammates of choice for the same reasons as the former set.

[Other Options]
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

Perish Song is perfectly usable without Mean Look to back it up, (AC) as it allows Misdreavus to force any Curse variants of Snorlax out and can serve as a counter to Baton Pass strategies. Attract can be used on stall teams, (AC) since it has far more PP than Confuse Ray, but you lose the ability to buy time against the common Legends, Zapdos, Raikou, Suicune, and Pokemon with the same gender. Mean Look has its own merits on a non-Perish (AH) Trap set, especially when paired with Toxic, Confuse Ray, or even Destiny Bond, as it can force the foe to stay on the field while suffering from residual damage, but it's often stopped cold by Steelix and is limited because of other moves that tend to be a better choice. Growl is another way to handle Curse sweepers like Snorlax, Machamp, and Heracross without having to worry about taking a boosted hit in return, although it doesn't have much merit otherwise. Sleep Talk can be considered if using Rest, but Misdreavus is scratched strapped enough for moveslots as it is.

[Checks & Counters]
Checks and Counters
========

Due to the fear of losing a Pokemon to the Perish Trap set, most initial switch-ins to Misdreavus are phazers, but there’s always a slim chance that Misdreavus can manage to get a KO anyways via multiple confusion turns and Protect stalling. Tyranitar and Steelix in particular really want to avoid Thief, since they rarely carry Rest, (AC) and Leftovers is their only form of recovery. Pursuit users including Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom all threaten both versions variants of Misdreavus, especially the Disrupter disruptor set, (AC) since it usually cannot cripple them fast enough. The Perish Trap set also has a hard time fleeing on the last turn of the countdown and will generally be at least extremely damaged after taking a full-powered Pursuit. Due to its lack of offensive presence, the Disrupter disruptor variant faces a wall each time a RestTalk user shows up, as it doesn't such foes don't mind status and the only thing it has only have to be wary about is a well-timed Destiny Bond if it is they're slower; (SC) but however, any Pokemon asleep is very vulnerable to the Perish Trap set. Misdreavus's lack of immediate power leaves it unable to directly threaten some powerhouses like Marowak, although this one needs to watch out for Thief or Destiny Bond, since its main tools, Toxic and Perish Song, require a time to work, that which it won't always have. Moreover, the necessity to find multiple turns to bring down the opposing Pokemon means that Misdreavus needs to stay healthy and able to move quickly, which means it needs to stay away from any kind of status to execute its task properly.
 

Mafeking

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[OVERVIEW]

Misdreavus is the only pure Ghost-type available in GSC OU, which gives it an immediate niche. Its typing grants it a coveted Normal immunity, allowing it to pivot in on a predicted Explosion as well as check most Snorlax variants and prevent Starmie from using Rapid Spin much more reliably than Gengar. Moreover, Misdreavus has many tricks up its sleeve thanks to its movepool. Its Perish Trap set is one of the main reasons why so many teams pack a phazer, and these still have to worry about the Disruptor set, which can badly cripple them.

Nonetheless, Misdreavus has its fair share of drawbacks. Its stats are pretty subpar, it lacks immediate firepower, and it is frail, which means it can be quickly overwhelmed by most offensive powerhouses without doing anything significant beforehand. Misdreavus also needs to watch out for Pursuit and faces competition from Gengar, which is much more immediately threatening and is immune to Toxic, a move commonly used by Cloyster and Forretress, two Pokemon you typically want to check with your Ghost-type.

[SET]
name: Disruptor
move 1: Thunder
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Thief / Hypnosis / Confuse Ray
move 4: Pain Split / Rest
item: No item / Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This set aims to use Misdreavus's typing and movepool to their full potential by making it a spinblocker, a check to mono-attacking and all-out attacking variants of Snorlax, and a general annoyance due to its myriad of moves with which to cripple the foe. Thunder is Misdreavus's main attack and hits Cloyster, Starmie, and Forretress hard, making it a much more reliable spinblocker as well as an occasional paralysis spreader. Toxic is Misdreavus's best way to hinder the foe by putting it on a timer, eventually forcing it to heal with Rest if it even carries it. Moreover, it can be spammed more freely than Thief and Hypnosis throughout the match, since it it is always effective and cannot trigger Sleep Clause. Toxic can also stack with the loss of Leftovers and gives Misdreavus some bite.

Thief is great at opening a hole in the opponent's gameplan, because unlike status moves, it will permanently hinder RestTalk users like Zapdos and Raikou. It will also cripple just about any Pokemon that isn't a Thief user itself by stealing their Leftovers or power-boosting items like Thick Club in the case of Marowak. It's especially effective when used alongside Toxic, since it will wear down the foe even quicker. Just make sure you're not Misdreavus isn't carrying any item when using it. Hypnosis, on the other hand, can put unaware Pokemon to sleep, which can be very rewarding, since RestTalk users are generally not initial switch-ins to Misdreavus due to the fear of the Perish Trap set. Keep in mind that the low accuracy can ruin the surprise factor, though. Confuse Ray is also very threatening for a poisoned foe to deal with, as confusion cripples just about any Pokemon, making Misdreavus potentially very annoying to deal with and to eliminate.

In the last slot, Pain Split gives Misdreavus instant recovery and potentially another way to cut down the opposing Pokemon's HP, but it's unreliable and can be played around. Rest, on the other hand, cures Toxic that Misdreavus is likely to take when switching into Cloyster and Forretress, at the cost of putting it asleep to sleep for two turns. There are several alternative options available depending on what you need or want to do with Misdreavus. Psychic allows it to check Machamp and to a lesser extent Heracross more easily, as well as punishing Nidoking, which would switch into Misdreavus almost fearlessly otherwise. Destiny Bond, on the other hand, foregoes recovery options and tries to trick the opponent into giving up a key Pokemon of theirs for what appeared to be a free KO. It can also serve as an emergency button against threats like Belly Drum Snorlax and Vaporeon. Finally, Protect lets Misdreavus slowly regain its health with Leftovers and allows you to scout your opponent's moves while the foe's health keeps decreasing because of Toxic. This is especially effective against threats like Tyranitar and Roar Raikou.

Team Options
========

Misdreavus fits extremely well on Spikes-focused teams alongside Cloyster and Forretress due to its ability to spinblock and to further wear down the foe with Thief or Toxic. These forms of residual damage are even more effective when exploited by a phazer like Skarmory, which fares well against Earthquake variants of Curse and Belly Drum Snorlax, as well as Raikou, which is also offensively threatening on its own. Furthermore, both of these are suited to deal with hard hitters that give trouble to Misdreavus, like Marowak for Skarmory and Zapdos for Raikou. Misdreavus itself is especially susceptible to Pursuit users like Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom. Thus, Pokemon that can take advantage of most of them like Machamp, Heracross, and Vaporeon make good teammates; the last two in particular are able to use the likes of Nidoking, as well as Steelix in the case of Vaporeon, as setup fodder, two Pokemon that Misdreavus may be unable to significantly threaten depending on its moveset. This Misdreavus variant has the potential to mess with just about any Pokemon, but it doesn't have any way to eliminate Rest users alone other than a well-timed Destiny Bond. That's why packing something that appreciates common Rest users being asleep like Curse Snorlax or Tentacruel is a good idea. Finally, Misdreavus's effectiveness is hampered if it is poisoned, paralyzed, or asleep. Therefore, clerics like Miltank and Blissey are welcome, especially since the added defensive presence they provide further helps Misdreavus.

[SET]
name: Perish Trapper
move 1: Protect
move 2: Mean Look
move 3: Perish Song
move 4: Confuse Ray / Thunder
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This set initially brought Misdreavus to OU, which sees Misdreavus trading most of its disrupting and defensive capabilities as well as its reliability as a spinblocker with a more immediately threatening approach. Mean Look and Perish Song used in tandem will put the opposing Pokemon on an inescapable timer, unless said Pokemon happens to be a phazer or can eliminate Misdreavus quickly enough, but that last option requires Misdreavus to be weakened beforehand. Furthermore, Protect stalls out the opponent's attempts to get rid of Misdreavus or to phaze it while the countdown gets closer to zero. There are plenty of options for the last moveslot, but Confuse Ray is recommended, since it's Misdreavus's best bet against phazers and most hard hitters in general, although Thunder is still something to consider, since it invalidates Skarmory as an answer and allows Misdreavus to remain as an effective spinblocker. On the final turn of Perish Song, Misdreavus can choose to either switch out and give the opposing Pokemon one shot at your team or stay in and trade one for one once it has outlived its usefulness.

Team Options
========

Despite the presence of Confuse Ray, phazers like Tyranitar, Steelix, Skarmory, Raikou, and Suicune remain answers to this set. Therefore, Pokemon that can cripple most of them like Lovely Kiss or all-out attacking variants of Snorlax make good partners. In return, Misdreavus will most likely find opportunities against opposing Snorlax, Machamp, and Miltank, something that your own Snorlax will appreciate. Although its effectiveness as a spinblocker is significantly reduced by the potential lack of Thunder, Misdreavus can still exploit its Ghost typing if paired with Cloyster or Forretress. Besides Additionally, this variant of Misdreavus still fears Pursuit users and status ailments, so Machamp, Heracross, Vaporeon, Miltank, and Blissey remain effective teammates.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Perish Song is perfectly usable without Mean Look to back it up, as it allows Misdreavus to force any Curse variants of Snorlax out and can serve as a counter to Baton Pass strategies. Attract can be used on stall teams, since it has far more PP than Confuse Ray, but you lose the ability to buy time against Zapdos, Raikou, Suicune, and Pokemon with the same gender. Mean Look has its own merits on a non-Perish Trap set, especially when paired with Toxic, Confuse Ray, or even Destiny Bond, as it can force the foe to stay on the field while suffering from residual damage, but it's often stopped cold by Steelix and is limited because other moves tend to be a better choice. Growl is another way to handle Curse sweepers like Snorlax, Machamp, and Heracross without having to worry about taking a boosted hit in return, although it doesn't have much merit otherwise. Sleep Talk can be considered if using Rest, but Misdreavus is strapped enough for moveslots as it is.

Checks and Counters
========
Due to the fear of losing a Pokemon to the Perish Trap set, most initial switch-ins to Misdreavus are phazers, but there’s always a slim chance that Misdreavus can manage to get a KO anyways via multiple confusion turns and Protect stalling. Tyranitar and Steelix in particular really want to avoid Thief, since they rarely carry Rest, and Leftovers is their only form of recovery. Pursuit users including Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Houndoom all threaten both variants of Misdreavus, especially the disruptor set, since it usually cannot cripple them fast enough. The Perish Trap set also has a hard time fleeing on the last turn of the countdown and will generally be at least extremely damaged after taking a full-powered Pursuit. Due to its lack of offensive presence, the disruptor variant faces a wall each time a RestTalk user shows up, as such foes don't mind status and only have to be wary about a well-timed Destiny Bond if they're slower; however, any Pokemon asleep is very vulnerable to the Perish Trap set. Misdreavus's lack of immediate power leaves it unable to directly threaten some powerhouses like Marowak, although this one needs to watch out for Thief or Destiny Bond, since its main tools, Toxic and Perish Song, require time to work, which it won't always have. Moreover, the necessity to find multiple turns to bring down the opposing Pokemon means that Misdreavus needs to stay healthy and able to move quickly, which means it needs to stay away from any kind of status to execute its task properly.

Pretty much nothing to say here considering deetah and TDP already looked at this. GP 2/2.

GPDva.gif
 
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