zzz...
x3 (Accidentalgreed) (Alexwolf) (BKC)
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x2 (pokemon0078 (over GCSChris' amcheck)) (Oglemi)
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Status: Done
Pucker up
[Overview]
<p>Omastar is capable of being a strong threat in OU thanks its impressive base 115 Special Attack and access to Shell Smash, but there's quite a bit holding it back. Foremost, the prominence of powerful threats such as Keldeo, Thundurus-T, Kyurem-B, Sheer Force Landorus, and Garchomp makes even switching in a difficult task for Omastar. To make things worse, even at +2 Speed, Omastar risks being outsped and revenge killed by every relevant Choice Scarf user in the tier. All of this, in addition to a lacking movepool, keeps Omastar at the bottom of the barrel, facing stiff competition with even Gorebyss. Omastar's saving grace lies in the flexibility it has fitting onto teams; thanks to its Rock typing and Dream World ability, Weak Armor, Omastar can find a comfy spot on many different offensive teams. Though Omastar matches up poorly with many key threats in OU, it's rare to come across a check to rain teams that can keep up constant offensive pressure. Working past Omastar's weaknesses will definitely come with a huge payoff; persevere and it will not disappoint.</p>
[SET]
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass
item: White Herb / Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim / Weak Armor
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set's aim is simple: use Shell Smash at the appropriate time and mow down any Pokemon unlucky enough to get in Omastar's way. Omastar's respectable defenses and threatening base 115 Special Attack help it achieve this, giving it numerous opportunities to set up. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Grass offer Omastar the best possible coverage, preventing Water resists from prematurely ending Omastar's sweep. The choice of Water-type STAB ultimately boils down to the plan for how Omastar is to be used; Surf is preferred for cleaning up and sweeping in general, while Hydro Pump gives Omastar greater wallbreaking potential. Likewise, Omastar's held item should reflect its intended purpose. White Herb preserves Omastar's defenses after a Shell Smash, making it much more reliable for sweeping. Life Orb, however, helps Omastar power through some major defensive threats, namely Ferrothorn and Chansey; with rain support, a boost from Shell Smash, and a Life Orb attached, Omastar can actually OHKO both with Hydro Pump. Regardless, Omastar will dish out massive damage after a boost, so make the choice that helps Omastar synergize best with its team.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Even with max Speed, Omastar is only capable of outspeeding everything up to and including Timid Choice Scarf Rotom-W—most of the common Choice Scarf users in OU are much faster. Due to this, a Modest nature is preferred so that Omastar can deal as much damage as possible while at least outspeeding Choice Scarf Heatran at +2. If Life Orb is being used or if Omastar's team would prefer it to outspeed as many threats as possible, then a Timid nature is still usable; just be aware that the loss of power is definitely noticeable and can be costly at times. On a related note, the recommended EV spread isn't very flexible. Though some EVs can be removed from Omastar's Speed stat and relegated to its defenses or HP (or both), the difference in damage taken is usually insignificant. It's generally better to outspeed as many threats as possible and at least Speed tie with opposing Omastar.</p>
<p>Another offensive option worth considering is Earth Power. Though it doesn't offer much coverage-wise, Earth Power gives Omastar a solid hit on Tentacruel and Keldeo as well as a guaranteed KO on Toxicroak. Depending on the support it's receiving, Omastar can change its Hidden Power type to one that allows it to break through certain Pokemon. Though Hidden Power is weak, the altered coverage can noticeably change Omastar's list of checks and counters. For example, with Hidden Power Fire, Omastar can quickly do away with Ferrothorn if rain isn't present. Omastar might have to sacrifice crucial coverage on Water-types, but proper team support can make this a non-issue. Something else worth noting is that this is the only instance in which Omastar is better off using a different EV spread; some Hidden Power types require Omastar to lower its Speed IV to 30, which unfortunately is just enough to knock Omastar down an entire Speed tier. Speaking of Speed, Swift Swim is preferred as Omastar's ability due to the utility it has against opposing rain teams; Weak Armor is a good alternative, though. Along with providing situational Speed boosts, Weak Armor allows Omastar to be used in conjunction with Drizzle, which boosts the power of its Water-type STAB to high levels.</p>
<p>Without rain backing it, Omastar absolutely loves Pokemon that can quickly do away with special walls. Therefore, lures such as Calm Mind Latios and Expert Belt Keldeo work very well alongside Omastar. If lures don't suit you, then there's always the option of using a strong physical attacker to scare away most specially defensive Pokemon. Tyranitar is a good example of such a Pokemon. Tyranitar keeps Celebi, Latias, and Chansey away long enough for Omastar to set up and can weaken many of Omastar's checks with its powerful Pursuit. While we're on this subject, Omastar synergizes well with sand teams in general. With Sand Stream support, Omastar gets a very handy Special Defense boost, giving it more chances to secure a sweep. In return, Omastar can check most of the team archetypes that give standard sand teams problems. On a lesser note, thanks to its 4x resistance to Fire, Omastar can find use on hail and even sun teams, but there are generally better options available. Omastar can be very dangerous if given a single turn to itself, so naturally Encore support from Wobbuffet can be of great benefit. In addition to providing Encore support, Wobbuffet can comfortably revenge kill most Choice Scarf users and shield Omastar from status with Safeguard. It's still very much possible to use Omastar on a 'classic' Rain Dance team. On such a team, Omastar can make very good use of its strong Water-type STAB and Swift Swim. Moreover, thanks to Shell Smash, Omastar makes weather control less of a priority for Rain Dance teams. It's very important to keep in mind that even with solid team support, whether or not Omastar will be of any use is reliant on how it's played. Take into account every possible stop to Omastar before attempting to sweep, as it will likely only have a single chance to do so.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Unlike most Pokemon introduced in RBY, Omastar's movepool is rather shallow, leaving it with very few viable options. Omastar can set Rain Dance up for itself and its team. This can be particularly useful when combating other weather starters; Ninetales, Tyranitar, and Hippowdon will fall to a rain-boosted Hydro Pump, though Abomasnow will require a bit of patience to take out. Like nearly every other Water-type, Omastar has access to Scald, but it is better off simply powering through the opposition with a noticeably stronger Surf or Hydro Pump. AncientPower is Omastar's only available Rock-type STAB aside from Hidden Power Rock, but its low PP and Base Power make it overall inferior to Ice Beam. Omastar can forgo Shell Smash for Rock Polish, as it is sometimes powerful enough to sweep without the Special Attack boost. The Special Attack boost from Shell Smash will be sorely missed, but Rock Polish comes with the benefit of retaining Omastar's good defenses without the need of a White Herb.</p>
<p>Speaking of Omastar's defensive capabilities, it's one of the few Pokemon with access to the entire triad of entry hazards, making a support set possible. Unfortunately, Omastar is a sitting duck when pit against most specially-bulky Pokemon, such as Tentacruel and Kyurem-B, harshly hampering the viability of such an option. Moreover, Omastar's low base Speed will likely leave its team with only a single layer of entry hazards up or none at all. If this isn't enough dissuasion, then be aware that Omastar's third ability, Shell Armor, can be used on a support set in place of Swift Swim or Weak Armor to prevent untimely critical hits. Knock Off might prove useful on a support set as well, but again, Omastar is much better off blasting Pokemon away with its powerful attacks than attempting to support its team. Omastar's options don't stretch too far beyond this point. Omastar has access to oddities such as Wring Out, numerous physical moves, and Seismic Toss, but it's best to veer away from this end of its movepool.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Omastar is a rather straightforward Pokemon, but due to its power, it can be difficult to stop if it gets set-up. Resilient special walls, such as Chansey, Slowking, and Ferrothorn, fare well under normal circumstances; however, they must be wary of switching in if multiple layers of entry hazards are present or rain is the current weather condition (or both). Specially defensive Jellicent is a superb answer to Omastar. Jellicent is immune to Hydro Pump, takes a pittance from Ice Beam, can survive a Shell Smash-boosted Hidden Power Grass, and can pound away at Omastar's lower Special Defense stat (although, Jellicent will need Energy Ball or Giga Drain to OHKO Omastar). If Omastar is without a Special Attack boost or sets up early in the game, most special sponges—Celebi in particular due to its Grass STAB—are solid checks to Omastar. Though the list of Pokemon that can outright wall Omastar is short, there are certainly reliable means of stopping it other than countering it.</p>
<p>Keep well in mind that even with the Speed boost provided by Shell Smash or Swift Swim, most Choice Scarf users—anything with base 87 Speed or higher, to be precise—can outspeed and revenge kill Omastar. In addition, Omastar's Rock typing leaves it vulnerable to many common priority attacks, particularly Breloom's Mach Punch; however, Omastar's base 125 Defense means that it must be noticeably weakened before falling to them. If all else fails, prediction can bring Omastar to its knees (tentacles?). Due to its low Speed and weaknesses to common attacking types, anything from a crafty double switch to a carefully timed attack will quickly bring Omastar down.</p>
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____________________________________
Status: Done
Pucker up
[Overview]
<p>Omastar is capable of being a strong threat in OU thanks its impressive base 115 Special Attack and access to Shell Smash, but there's quite a bit holding it back. Foremost, the prominence of powerful threats such as Keldeo, Thundurus-T, Kyurem-B, Sheer Force Landorus, and Garchomp makes even switching in a difficult task for Omastar. To make things worse, even at +2 Speed, Omastar risks being outsped and revenge killed by every relevant Choice Scarf user in the tier. All of this, in addition to a lacking movepool, keeps Omastar at the bottom of the barrel, facing stiff competition with even Gorebyss. Omastar's saving grace lies in the flexibility it has fitting onto teams; thanks to its Rock typing and Dream World ability, Weak Armor, Omastar can find a comfy spot on many different offensive teams. Though Omastar matches up poorly with many key threats in OU, it's rare to come across a check to rain teams that can keep up constant offensive pressure. Working past Omastar's weaknesses will definitely come with a huge payoff; persevere and it will not disappoint.</p>
[SET]
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Surf / Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass
item: White Herb / Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim / Weak Armor
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set's aim is simple: use Shell Smash at the appropriate time and mow down any Pokemon unlucky enough to get in Omastar's way. Omastar's respectable defenses and threatening base 115 Special Attack help it achieve this, giving it numerous opportunities to set up. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Grass offer Omastar the best possible coverage, preventing Water resists from prematurely ending Omastar's sweep. The choice of Water-type STAB ultimately boils down to the plan for how Omastar is to be used; Surf is preferred for cleaning up and sweeping in general, while Hydro Pump gives Omastar greater wallbreaking potential. Likewise, Omastar's held item should reflect its intended purpose. White Herb preserves Omastar's defenses after a Shell Smash, making it much more reliable for sweeping. Life Orb, however, helps Omastar power through some major defensive threats, namely Ferrothorn and Chansey; with rain support, a boost from Shell Smash, and a Life Orb attached, Omastar can actually OHKO both with Hydro Pump. Regardless, Omastar will dish out massive damage after a boost, so make the choice that helps Omastar synergize best with its team.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Even with max Speed, Omastar is only capable of outspeeding everything up to and including Timid Choice Scarf Rotom-W—most of the common Choice Scarf users in OU are much faster. Due to this, a Modest nature is preferred so that Omastar can deal as much damage as possible while at least outspeeding Choice Scarf Heatran at +2. If Life Orb is being used or if Omastar's team would prefer it to outspeed as many threats as possible, then a Timid nature is still usable; just be aware that the loss of power is definitely noticeable and can be costly at times. On a related note, the recommended EV spread isn't very flexible. Though some EVs can be removed from Omastar's Speed stat and relegated to its defenses or HP (or both), the difference in damage taken is usually insignificant. It's generally better to outspeed as many threats as possible and at least Speed tie with opposing Omastar.</p>
<p>Another offensive option worth considering is Earth Power. Though it doesn't offer much coverage-wise, Earth Power gives Omastar a solid hit on Tentacruel and Keldeo as well as a guaranteed KO on Toxicroak. Depending on the support it's receiving, Omastar can change its Hidden Power type to one that allows it to break through certain Pokemon. Though Hidden Power is weak, the altered coverage can noticeably change Omastar's list of checks and counters. For example, with Hidden Power Fire, Omastar can quickly do away with Ferrothorn if rain isn't present. Omastar might have to sacrifice crucial coverage on Water-types, but proper team support can make this a non-issue. Something else worth noting is that this is the only instance in which Omastar is better off using a different EV spread; some Hidden Power types require Omastar to lower its Speed IV to 30, which unfortunately is just enough to knock Omastar down an entire Speed tier. Speaking of Speed, Swift Swim is preferred as Omastar's ability due to the utility it has against opposing rain teams; Weak Armor is a good alternative, though. Along with providing situational Speed boosts, Weak Armor allows Omastar to be used in conjunction with Drizzle, which boosts the power of its Water-type STAB to high levels.</p>
<p>Without rain backing it, Omastar absolutely loves Pokemon that can quickly do away with special walls. Therefore, lures such as Calm Mind Latios and Expert Belt Keldeo work very well alongside Omastar. If lures don't suit you, then there's always the option of using a strong physical attacker to scare away most specially defensive Pokemon. Tyranitar is a good example of such a Pokemon. Tyranitar keeps Celebi, Latias, and Chansey away long enough for Omastar to set up and can weaken many of Omastar's checks with its powerful Pursuit. While we're on this subject, Omastar synergizes well with sand teams in general. With Sand Stream support, Omastar gets a very handy Special Defense boost, giving it more chances to secure a sweep. In return, Omastar can check most of the team archetypes that give standard sand teams problems. On a lesser note, thanks to its 4x resistance to Fire, Omastar can find use on hail and even sun teams, but there are generally better options available. Omastar can be very dangerous if given a single turn to itself, so naturally Encore support from Wobbuffet can be of great benefit. In addition to providing Encore support, Wobbuffet can comfortably revenge kill most Choice Scarf users and shield Omastar from status with Safeguard. It's still very much possible to use Omastar on a 'classic' Rain Dance team. On such a team, Omastar can make very good use of its strong Water-type STAB and Swift Swim. Moreover, thanks to Shell Smash, Omastar makes weather control less of a priority for Rain Dance teams. It's very important to keep in mind that even with solid team support, whether or not Omastar will be of any use is reliant on how it's played. Take into account every possible stop to Omastar before attempting to sweep, as it will likely only have a single chance to do so.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Unlike most Pokemon introduced in RBY, Omastar's movepool is rather shallow, leaving it with very few viable options. Omastar can set Rain Dance up for itself and its team. This can be particularly useful when combating other weather starters; Ninetales, Tyranitar, and Hippowdon will fall to a rain-boosted Hydro Pump, though Abomasnow will require a bit of patience to take out. Like nearly every other Water-type, Omastar has access to Scald, but it is better off simply powering through the opposition with a noticeably stronger Surf or Hydro Pump. AncientPower is Omastar's only available Rock-type STAB aside from Hidden Power Rock, but its low PP and Base Power make it overall inferior to Ice Beam. Omastar can forgo Shell Smash for Rock Polish, as it is sometimes powerful enough to sweep without the Special Attack boost. The Special Attack boost from Shell Smash will be sorely missed, but Rock Polish comes with the benefit of retaining Omastar's good defenses without the need of a White Herb.</p>
<p>Speaking of Omastar's defensive capabilities, it's one of the few Pokemon with access to the entire triad of entry hazards, making a support set possible. Unfortunately, Omastar is a sitting duck when pit against most specially-bulky Pokemon, such as Tentacruel and Kyurem-B, harshly hampering the viability of such an option. Moreover, Omastar's low base Speed will likely leave its team with only a single layer of entry hazards up or none at all. If this isn't enough dissuasion, then be aware that Omastar's third ability, Shell Armor, can be used on a support set in place of Swift Swim or Weak Armor to prevent untimely critical hits. Knock Off might prove useful on a support set as well, but again, Omastar is much better off blasting Pokemon away with its powerful attacks than attempting to support its team. Omastar's options don't stretch too far beyond this point. Omastar has access to oddities such as Wring Out, numerous physical moves, and Seismic Toss, but it's best to veer away from this end of its movepool.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Omastar is a rather straightforward Pokemon, but due to its power, it can be difficult to stop if it gets set-up. Resilient special walls, such as Chansey, Slowking, and Ferrothorn, fare well under normal circumstances; however, they must be wary of switching in if multiple layers of entry hazards are present or rain is the current weather condition (or both). Specially defensive Jellicent is a superb answer to Omastar. Jellicent is immune to Hydro Pump, takes a pittance from Ice Beam, can survive a Shell Smash-boosted Hidden Power Grass, and can pound away at Omastar's lower Special Defense stat (although, Jellicent will need Energy Ball or Giga Drain to OHKO Omastar). If Omastar is without a Special Attack boost or sets up early in the game, most special sponges—Celebi in particular due to its Grass STAB—are solid checks to Omastar. Though the list of Pokemon that can outright wall Omastar is short, there are certainly reliable means of stopping it other than countering it.</p>
<p>Keep well in mind that even with the Speed boost provided by Shell Smash or Swift Swim, most Choice Scarf users—anything with base 87 Speed or higher, to be precise—can outspeed and revenge kill Omastar. In addition, Omastar's Rock typing leaves it vulnerable to many common priority attacks, particularly Breloom's Mach Punch; however, Omastar's base 125 Defense means that it must be noticeably weakened before falling to them. If all else fails, prediction can bring Omastar to its knees (tentacles?). Due to its low Speed and weaknesses to common attacking types, anything from a crafty double switch to a carefully timed attack will quickly bring Omastar down.</p>
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[Overview]
[Other Options]
- The 'other' Gen I fossil Pokemon
- Gen V gave it Shell Smash and Breakable Armor, allowing it to function as a sweeper regardless of the weather
- Rock typing means that sand is pretty kind to it
- Swift Swim means that it's pretty kind to sand (i.e, use Omastar with Sand Stream support for the best results)
- Can be a notable a threat with Rain Dance (Swift Swim) or Drizzle (Breakable Armor) support
- Disappointingly low Speed stat before a Smash
- Disappointingly low Speed stat after a Smash (can be revenged by just about every single relevant Scarfer)
- Offensive movepool is dry
- Faces stiff competition with many other sweepers, Gorebyss in particular (remember: Breakable Armor and Rock typing vs Hydration and pure Water typing)
- Can sweep whole teams with the appropriate support, so working past its weaknesses will definitely pay off
- Simple: Shell Smash and sweep
- Acceptable enough defenses; even better under sand
- Surf vs Hydro Pump is a simple matter of accuracy vs power
- Ice Beam hits dragons, Celebi, Breloom, etc
- HP Grass is recommended due to Rotom-W being one resilient mofo
- HP Grass also hits Jellicent and Keldeo rather hard
- White Herb is recommended due to the lack of recoil and leftover bulk after a smash (i.e, doesn't need nearly as much support)
- Plus, Omastar hits hard enough
- LO is fine if you don't mind the defense drops / recoil
- As a testament to the power it brings; +2 Modest LO Hydro Pump does 85.79 - 101.98% to the standard Nattorei under rain
- This means that Omastar can potentially blast through its usual checks and counters with LO
- Resist berries can help Omastar set up a Shell Smash, but are almost inferior to the recommended items.
- Speaking of which, Modest + this spread his 396 after a boost, which is pretty much every non-Scarfed Pokemon in OU
- Timid is worth considering, though
- It hits 448 after one boost, assuming max Speed is being used, allowing Omastar to outspeed everything up to and including Choice Scarf Rotom-W
- Changing the Hidden Power type is alright if you're paranoid about specific threats
- HP Fire is notably useful for blasting Nattorei out of existence, even under rain
- Use HP Fire with Modest, LO, and Hydro Pump so you won't miss any notable KOs
- Earth Power is acceptable if you're willing to trade the coverage granted by Hidden Power for the ability to smack Tentacruel and Toxicroak (I really think that this is OO material. First of all, the only notable target that Earth Power hits is Tentacruel; Toxicroak only need to be weakened by 10%~ before Ice Beam becomes a guaranteed OHKO at +2 and STAB Surf is usually much more reliable. Retaining a solid hit on Keldeo is cool, I guess, but Scarf beats Omastar anyway so that's kinda negligible. I'm aware that Tentacruel is the biggest asshole ever under rain, but I have my doubts that none of Omastar's teammates will be able to consistently check / counter it).
- Swift Swim is highly recommended if Omastar is to be used as a 'check' to rain teams
- Breakable Armor is an acceptable alternative if you're using Omastar with Drizzle support / don't care about rain
- It's recommended that Omastar is used with max Speed when using Breakable Armor
- +3 Modest Omastar outspeeds base 108 Scarfers
- Ugh, LO numbers; adjust Omastar's EV / IV spread however you see fit
- Leftovers / Mystic Water / Lum Berry
- Offensive partners: CM Lum Latios (acts as a very good Nattoeri / specially defensive Jirachi / blob lure), Rotom-W, Sandslash (sand) (spin support, scares away specially defensive Pokemon in general, and greatly benefits from severely weakened / dead Rotom-W)
- Defensive partners: If it laughs at Breloom and / or Nattorei, then it's a fine defensive partner
- Passive compliments: Sand, paralysis, Wish / Encore support, Rain Dance
- Wobbufett can provide Encore support and excels at trapping Choice Scarfers, making him a superb partner for Omastar
- Other things beneficial to Omastar: U-turn / Volt Switch, entry hazards
[Other Options]
- Support set, but it sucks; if you're a brave soul, then don't forget to use Shell Armor
- Gets a special mention for being one of the few Pokemon with access to the entire triad of entry hazards
- Can set Rain Dance up for itself / team, but there are doubtlessly better Pokemon available for such a task
- Resist berries
- Substitute to make Omastar a bit more difficult to revenge, but it's hard to find a spot for it
- Ancientpower is its only Rock STAB aside from HP Rock, but it sucks
- lol it gets Seismic Toss, too
- Base 115 Special Attack + Shell Smash is hard to outright counter, but there are answers to Omastar available
- Blobs, Nattorei, Latias, specially defensive Celebi (latter two must be near full HP)
- Really slow; any Scarfer base 87+ with a powerful enough move can revenge it (e.g, Scarf Terrak)
- Priority will bring Omastar down p. quickly
