[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Modest
evs: 64 HP / 48 Def / 204 SpA / 56 SpD / 136 Spe
tera type: Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Offensive Empoleon is uniquely equipped to provide teams with a strong defensive and offensive presence given its natural bulk and exceptional coverage. Its Water / Steel typing and Special Defense is valuable in a metagame with strong Choice Scarf users such as Basculegion-F, Gardevoir, and Gengar threatening to use their strong STAB attacks to clean games. Surf is a reliable STAB option for Empoleon, as it hits a lot of the metagame for neutral damage. Ice Beam gives Empoleon coverage to hit Dragon- and Grass-types such as Cyclizar, Noivern, Salamence, and Amoonguss. Grass Knot hits Water-types like Basculegion-F and Slowbro while also giving it a means to damage Volcanion. Roost assures Empoleon can reliably recover throughout a game. Leftovers gives Empoleon even more longevity and offsets most entry hazard damage. Competitive is useful for getting a boost from Defog attempts, Intimidate Attack drops, and notably from Moonblast Special Attack drops, as Empoleon often switches into Fezandipiti and Gardevoir. Modest is used given Empoleon has great natural bulk without much investment, giving it more wallbreaking power without offsetting the defensive utility it has. The EV spread provided covers a few relevant defensive and offensive benchmarks. The defensive investments allow Empoleon to survive Hippowdon's Earthquake after taking Stealth Rock damage, Conkeldurr's Mach Punch after taking one layer of Spikes damage, Salamence's Earthquake after taking one layer of Spikes damage, and two Dark Pulses from +2 Modest Blastoise. Offensively, Empoleon threatens to 2HKO Assault Vest Cyclizar with Ice Beam after it takes Stealth Rock damage, 2HKO Slowbro with Grass Knot, and has a favorable roll to OHKO both Hippowdon and Palossand with Surf after they take Stealth Rock damage. The Speed investment allows Empoleon to outspeed Adamant Conkeldurr. Tera Fairy flips its Fighting weakness into a resistance while also making Electric- and Ground-type attacks neutral, allowing Empoleon to stay in against Krookodile and Thundurus if needed.
Offensive Empoleon fits on balance and bulky offense teams, as it pivots into many of the special attackers in the tier and provides an immediate offensive response. Strong Fighting- and Ground-types like Conkeldurr, Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Mienshao appreciate Empoleon switching into Fairy- and Water-type attacks, namely from Basculegion-F and Gardevoir. Offensive Empoleon fits well on teams that can use alternative entry hazard setters like Hippowdon and Jirachi so that it can maximize its offensive presence. Defensive teammates like Levitate Galarian Weezing and Noivern can switch into to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks while removing entry hazards and pivoting. Physical setup Pokemon like Swords Dance Mienshao, Okidogi, and Terrakion benefit from Empoleon being able to take on Slowbro and other bulky Water-types. Magnet Pull Magnezone can partner with Empoleon to trap and eliminate Steel-type Pokemon like opposing Empoleon and Jirachi, two of the better defensive checks to offensive Empoleon. Salamence is an excellent teammate for Empoleon, as it can threaten to hit most of the metagame with its excellent mixed offensive attacks and provide another bulky defensive presence with reliable recovery. Sticky Web setters like Araquanid and Galvantula can partner with and enable offensive Empoleon, as it outspeeds Adamant Overqwil, Adamant Okidogi, and Jolly Bisharp after they get slowed down.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/feen.231398/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
name: Offensive
move 1: Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Modest
evs: 64 HP / 48 Def / 204 SpA / 56 SpD / 136 Spe
tera type: Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Offensive Empoleon is uniquely equipped to provide teams with a strong defensive and offensive presence given its natural bulk and exceptional coverage. Its Water / Steel typing and Special Defense is valuable in a metagame with strong Choice Scarf users such as Basculegion-F, Gardevoir, and Gengar threatening to use their strong STAB attacks to clean games. Surf is a reliable STAB option for Empoleon, as it hits a lot of the metagame for neutral damage. Ice Beam gives Empoleon coverage to hit Dragon- and Grass-types such as Cyclizar, Noivern, Salamence, and Amoonguss. Grass Knot hits Water-types like Basculegion-F and Slowbro while also giving it a means to damage Volcanion. Roost assures Empoleon can reliably recover throughout a game. Leftovers gives Empoleon even more longevity and offsets most entry hazard damage. Competitive is useful for getting a boost from Defog attempts, Intimidate Attack drops, and notably from Moonblast Special Attack drops, as Empoleon often switches into Fezandipiti and Gardevoir. Modest is used given Empoleon has great natural bulk without much investment, giving it more wallbreaking power without offsetting the defensive utility it has. The EV spread provided covers a few relevant defensive and offensive benchmarks. The defensive investments allow Empoleon to survive Hippowdon's Earthquake after taking Stealth Rock damage, Conkeldurr's Mach Punch after taking one layer of Spikes damage, Salamence's Earthquake after taking one layer of Spikes damage, and two Dark Pulses from +2 Modest Blastoise. Offensively, Empoleon threatens to 2HKO Assault Vest Cyclizar with Ice Beam after it takes Stealth Rock damage, 2HKO Slowbro with Grass Knot, and has a favorable roll to OHKO both Hippowdon and Palossand with Surf after they take Stealth Rock damage. The Speed investment allows Empoleon to outspeed Adamant Conkeldurr. Tera Fairy flips its Fighting weakness into a resistance while also making Electric- and Ground-type attacks neutral, allowing Empoleon to stay in against Krookodile and Thundurus if needed.
Offensive Empoleon fits on balance and bulky offense teams, as it pivots into many of the special attackers in the tier and provides an immediate offensive response. Strong Fighting- and Ground-types like Conkeldurr, Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Mienshao appreciate Empoleon switching into Fairy- and Water-type attacks, namely from Basculegion-F and Gardevoir. Offensive Empoleon fits well on teams that can use alternative entry hazard setters like Hippowdon and Jirachi so that it can maximize its offensive presence. Defensive teammates like Levitate Galarian Weezing and Noivern can switch into to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks while removing entry hazards and pivoting. Physical setup Pokemon like Swords Dance Mienshao, Okidogi, and Terrakion benefit from Empoleon being able to take on Slowbro and other bulky Water-types. Magnet Pull Magnezone can partner with Empoleon to trap and eliminate Steel-type Pokemon like opposing Empoleon and Jirachi, two of the better defensive checks to offensive Empoleon. Salamence is an excellent teammate for Empoleon, as it can threaten to hit most of the metagame with its excellent mixed offensive attacks and provide another bulky defensive presence with reliable recovery. Sticky Web setters like Araquanid and Galvantula can partner with and enable offensive Empoleon, as it outspeeds Adamant Overqwil, Adamant Okidogi, and Jolly Bisharp after they get slowed down.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/feen.231398/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
