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While I was agreeing with the "always has been" part of that post, in the current metagame Flying STAB is still great (Venusaur is still #1, remember?). Electric STAB also isnt good in the current metagame, because chances are it's coming from a mediocre pokemon, who is Dugtrio weak.
So? Venusaur is hit by both common flyers much harder by Facade and Fire Blast. Sure Brave Bird does more damage to Venusaur, but Facade kills it just the same (minus the HP loss)
Lol everything in the metagame is Dugtrio weak. I'd watch out what you switch Dugtrio in because a sub or HP ice will kilk you. Stick to revenge killing.
Agreeing that Flying is a hot commodity on offensive Pokémon and always has been. Of course nobody is saying that Flying breaks everything by itself, but neither does any other type. Electric is a great offensive type too, but at this point the UU Electrics just aren't that powerful and walls can take them simply with their bulk. Raikou simply had the necessary "muscle" to make its STAB work. On the other hand, with Flying and the primary Flying users, you pretty much have to resist it or you're going to be in trouble. It didn't help before that the premier Flying threats had Fighting moves. Not to mention Flying is so easy to support because of the "common common" weaknesses that its resistances have.
Hell, I've been using Murkrow and it's been doing a lot better than I'd hoped. Obviously, I'm considering replacements all the time, but I think I need more time to pick the correct replacement. (lol HP Grass Swellow?) ATM, though, I haven't needed to replace it.
I have to say the sub pain split Will O Wisp Tbolt rotom is so difficult to take down as its typical counters all get screwed by that set lol. Plus he has a great speed stat.
When I run stall, I almost always run a Hitmontop and an Arcanine. As long as you don't completely fuck up against Sleep Powder (DO NOT SWITCH ARCANINE DIRECTLY INTO VENUSAUR AAAA (BAN ME PLEASE)S), Venusaur is always beaten. Hitmontop is great against opposing stall and teams with Absol, and also gives you that great dual-intimidate to threaten all physical sweepers.
Here are my impressions of the metagame so far. Due to the lack of easy spikes, frequent switching and abusing resistances/immunities is key to success, since you're no longer losing ~40% for doing so. My most successful team currently is one which has 7 immunities and numerous other resistances, for instance, which I abuse to create favorable match-ups and double switching opportunities. Stall is still as consistent as ever, but I don't think it beats out bulky offense in this metagame...at least, I haven't had any significant problems with it. Hyper Offense is not doing very well at all. I'm really confused about the recent upsurge in rain dance teams as well, because the metagame has moved away from fast/frail things like Swellow/Duggy/Raikou/Lass etc and move more towards bulkier attackers (like Leafeon for instance) which rain has issues with. Not to mention the absolutely absurd amounts of Toxicroak everywhere. Odd time for rain to make a resurgence. Oh and I've noticed a sharp reduction in Rhyperior and Milotic for some odd reason...milotic's drop might be because teams need omastar/cloyster to spike and don't have room for another bulky water, but I have no idea why I haven't seen any rhyperiors at all.
I think it's the ladder resetting and everyone wanting to play short games to climb the ladder easily, and Rain lets you do that (You either win or lose quickly).
Anyway, who loves Choice Specs Houndoom?? Fire Blast after a Flash Fire boost (Which isn't all that hard to get, with Stall Pokes like Weezing running around) is absolutely sexy. It does 40.86% - 48.22% to standard Chansey, which is a 65% chance to 2HKO after SR IF Chansey happens to be holding Shed Shell for Duggy. If not, just chip down Chansey to around 70% beforehand (Or just have SR and a layer of Spikes up). It does about the same to Milotic.
I've been using Raichu @ Focus Sash with a moveset of Tbolt/HP Ice/Focus Punch/NP in the lead position, just to fuck with all the Cloyster/Omastar out there. It's been working decently, even if it's not a powerhouse sweeper it forces those spikers out immediately. And if the opposing lead is an Ambipom or something, it can save its sash and revenge something later. You can probably stick Encore on there over Plot or FP if you want to dick with set-uppers more reliably.
Example of effectiveness of Raichu lead:
Rules: Ladder Match, Sleep Clause, Freeze Clause, OHKO Clause, Evasion Clause, Species Clause, Strict Damage Clause
uragg. sent out Raichu (lvl 100 Raichu ?).
Cecelia sent out Absol (lvl 100 Absol ?).
Raichu is tightening its focus!
Absol used Swords Dance.
Absol's attack was sharply raised.
Raichu used Focus Punch.
It's super effective!
Absol lost 100% of its health.
Cecelia's Absol fainted.
---
Cecelia has left the room.
uragg. wins!
Lol yeah. I think he was predicting Raichu to switch or something like that because Absol would pretty much murder Raichu if he decided to stay in. Teaches kids not to overpredict so early in the game!!
Agreeing that Flying is a hot commodity on offensive Pokémon and always has been. Of course nobody is saying that Flying breaks everything by itself, but neither does any other type. Electric is a great offensive type too, but at this point the UU Electrics just aren't that powerful and walls can take them simply with their bulk. Raikou simply had the necessary "muscle" to make its STAB work. On the other hand, with Flying and the primary Flying users, you pretty much have to resist it or you're going to be in trouble. It didn't help before that the premier Flying threats had Fighting moves. Not to mention Flying is so easy to support because of the "common common" weaknesses that its resistances have.
I actually disagree there. What defensive pokemon outright walls Ampharos or NP Raichu (after the boosts) the electric types are fortunate enough to beat Registeel when need be with Focus Blast
and the only pokemon that *walls them* are grass types. Leafeon and Tangrowth get mauled by HP Ice while Venusaur is your best hope against them and you better hope it's specially defensive. (even then 2+ HP ice from Raichu is a 2HKO)
Do I think Electrics rape this metagame? Yes and no. We don't have any capable electric types other than Rotom. (Raichu/Ampharos/etc simply pokemon to use for fun alternative) Raichu is far to frail and Ampharos is far to slow. Raikou had the best of both worlds (and a stat booster) and that's why he dominated.
Edit: Erm, why would you use Absol as lead? Anyway if you wanted to screw with Absol, Nasty plot on the predicted sucker punch and Encore as he wastes it's PP.
Although, Raichu as a lead wants HP grass / Grass Knot to beat out Rhyperior as a lead. It isn't very good as a lead though...
I've used Rotom extensively over the past few weeks, and it's really a great addition to any team thanks to its great typing and resistances. I absolutely love the Specs set. It gains superb coverage with just Thunderbolt + Shadow Ball, and packs a truckload of power, more than most walls expect. And tricking a Specs onto walls like Registeel and Chansey is just hilarious. Also, CB Spiritomb coming in expecting to get an easy kill? Try taking a Will-O-Wisp to the face.
I've used Rotom extensively over the past few weeks, and it's really a great addition to any team thanks to its great typing and resistances. I absolutely love the Specs set. It gains superb coverage with just Thunderbolt + Shadow Ball, and packs a truckload of power, more than most walls expect. And tricking a Specs onto walls like Registeel and Chansey is just hilarious. Also, CB Spiritomb coming in expecting to get an easy kill? Try taking a Will-O-Wisp to the face.
Exactly. In fact, Rotom is also the BEST spin blocker in the whole damn tier. Running the WoW restalk set means you beat out every spinner. Yes even Hitmontop isn't going to beat you.
I haven't used the specs set but it looks good on paper.
Hitmontop can just Foresight spin and Claydol has immunity to Tbolt and eventually beats Rotom with Shadow Ball. I find Rotom the best spinblocker as well, but when paired with another Ghost.
Hitmontop can just Foresight spin and Claydol has immunity to Tbolt and eventually beats Rotom with Shadow Ball. I find Rotom the best spinblocker as well, but when paired with another Ghost.
I think the main reason Trick Choice Rotom is the best spin blocker is because it has trick. If you switch into Hitmontop and it uses Foresight, you can trick Specs/Scarf into it and then set up Stealth Rock again and be able to block Spin with impunity since it cannot Foresight + Rapid Spin. If it switches out, well, that gives you a chance to send out an anti-spin Pokemon such as Moltres or Scyther that will OHKO most spinners.
Hitmontop can just Foresight spin and Claydol has immunity to Tbolt and eventually beats Rotom with Shadow Ball. I find Rotom the best spinblocker as well, but when paired with another Ghost.
Actually Hitmontop still loses. Rotom WoW's you as you foresight and Discharge to bring you dangerously low. And that's IF it's the trick specs. Claydol destroys you but if it's trickspecs you lose outright.
That's why I replied to the WoW RestTalk set that you mentioned, not Trick Specs.... Hitmontop will be coming in and, if all hazards are down, he'll start at 68% damage; which allows him to get far of being 2HKOed by Rotom's Discharge (not even factoring Leftovers), so even if Top misspredicts hazards are still as good as gone.
You guys know that Mismagius has better overall defenses (and better stats offensivly too), do you?
The only thing Rotom holds as an advantage compared to Mismagius is his superior typing and Stab-Thunderbolt.
If you dont need any of this "advantages" i highly recommend to use Mismagius as an spinblocker.
That's why I replied to the WoW RestTalk set that you mentioned, not Trick Specs.... Hitmontop will be coming in and, if all hazards are down, he'll start at 68% damage; which allows him to get far of being 2HKOed by Rotom's Discharge (not even factoring Leftovers), so even if Top misspredicts hazards are still as good as gone.
Yeah I guess you have a point. I just don't like getting Hitmontop burned just to spin hazards away. WoW alone should deter you but I guess to each one's own.
You guys know that Mismagius has better overall defenses (and better stats offensivly too), do you?
The only thing Rotom holds as an advantage compared to Mismagius is his superior typing and Stab-Thunderbolt.
If you dont need any of this "advantages" i highly recommend to use Mismagius as an spinblocker.
Moltres Air Slash vs Rotom: 39.7% - 47.1%
Moltres Air Slash vs Mismagius: 57.3% - 67.6%
Rotom Thunderbolt vs Moltres: 89.7% - 105.3% (almost guaranteed after 1 LO attack)
Mismagius Thunderbolt vs Moltres: 63.6% - 75.4%
This matters for an offensive team more than any stat advantages. There are various other things like being able to revenge kill Feraligatr and beating Swellow.
Didnt i make this clear enough? My bad, i'll try to explain it better:
If you can forego Rotom advantages over Missy you should use Missy - most likely stall teams who have much better answers to the mentioned threats.
And why would you switch a ghost into Moltres, when you can just send out your Bulky Water/Chansey/*insertMoltresCounterhere*?
I also thought we didnt speak about the ability to revenge-kill certain threats, but about the spin-blocking capabilities of some ghosts. So i only adressed the spin-blocking qualities of Rotom/Mismagius.
If you're gonna use one spinblocker only I also find Mismagius to be the best option. Taunt + WoW gives hell to other stall teams and stops all spinners cold (as long as you don't go stupid on Donphan), shuts Clefable down, stops RestTalking shit to setup all over you; has better speed, which means outspeeding trouble stuff like Venusaur is more viable among other things.
I think, Rotom is probably the superior choice on offensive teams, but Taunt/WoW Mismagius is an absolute beast on stall. I don't think that Mismagius really fits offense. To me it seems that it would make you lose a lot of momentum.
No, actually, it is one of the best ghosts on offense partly because of its outstanding special defense and ability to hit like a truck after NP. People like to use the bulky NP user. That's where they go wrong. I think NP + LO + 3 attacks is the better set (is it on-site?). Once it gets an NP it KOs Milotic with Thunderbolt and does a ton of damage to everything else with Shadow Ball. I've found that once it sets up and Chansey and Registeel are gone (thank you Dugtrio), it tears teams apart making them resort to Sucker Punch and other revenge killing techniques. That's fine with me, though, since I can just send something else in for free.
Still, people need to realize Haunter's potential. It's been a key partner for Mismagius on the team I'm using now luring out those sucker punch users and sleeping them like it doesn't even care.
