Format Discussion Pokemon Sword & Shield Random Battle Sets

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A Cake Wearing A Hat

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I would like to talk about... Lickilicky.

I just got, in a fight, a banded Lickilicky (knock off, explosion, body slam, EQ) with Oblivious. I noticed it after my opponent used Taunt on it.

Oblivious is obviously fantastic on SD or Support Lickilicky sets. However, on a banded set? Its only use is against Lopunny, the sole Cute Charm carrier in randbats. I noticed it was the only ability that Lickilicky can get.

Forgive me if I mix things up (don't remember if abilities are always generated before or after the movesets), but to my understanding, certain abilities can be associated with a specific moveset or previously generated teammates (i.e. sand rush on excadrill if a teammate generated before it has sand stream, or if it has a rock type move).

Given that, there would be zero reason to not have Own Tempo over Oblivious for banded sets. Both block intimidate, and Own Tempo has the benefits of preventing confusing, which is far more likely to happen (hurricane, strange steam, dynamic punch, water pulse, gmax smite...) than infatuation from lopunny.

Cloud Nine could also be more useful, preventing Lickilicky from being outsped by opponents whose speed is boosted by weather if it lands a paralysis with Body Slam, being hit less from weather boosted moves, etc. But I think Own Tempo is overall a better choice because of its double utility (blocking intimidate and preventing confusion).
Oblivious can be rejected with no status moves. This will, however, cause Cloud Nine to (sometimes) generate instead, directly announcing to any knowledgeable opponent that lickilicky is guaranteed to be banded. I am not sure if this downside is worth the benefit of any ability change in this scenario.
 

SparksBlade

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Oblivious can be rejected with no status moves. This will, however, cause Cloud Nine to (sometimes) generate instead, directly announcing to any knowledgeable opponent that lickilicky is guaranteed to be banded. I am not sure if this downside is worth the benefit of any ability change in this scenario.
I will take a more useful ability that reveals my set over a less useful ability to keep my opp guessing whether my licki is banded (which will also be revealed after no lefties etc anyway)
 

Tarrembeau

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Thing is cloud nine isn't useful at all most of the time, while revealing choice band instantly is pretty detrimental
 

SparksBlade

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After licki doesn't show lefties everyone will assume it's banded so there's really very little reason to try to hide it. Also cloud nine is so useful against all mons that dynamax to set weather that gives them a speed and damage boost which isn't uncommon at all.
 

Celever

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Yeah Cloud Nine is a great ability; it's a shame every Pokémon with it has one that's better, or at least better suited to its role. But Lickilicky is a great opportunity of actually introducing the ability to rands, and as previously mentioned Lickilicky cannot bluff being non-Band for long. Frankly, in high-level play you just think "wow that did more than I thought", calc it, and realise it's Band, even if lack of lefties doesn't give it away e.g. if it's still at full HP.

I'd almost say Cloud Nine should be preferred over Own Tempo on Band sets if we had that choice. As is, having the option of either is just as good.
 
Oblivious can be rejected with no status moves. This will, however, cause Cloud Nine to (sometimes) generate instead, directly announcing to any knowledgeable opponent that lickilicky is guaranteed to be banded. I am not sure if this downside is worth the benefit of any ability change in this scenario.
Makes sense. Has to do with the ability "viability rankings" I guess, and Own Tempo being ranked lower than Cloud Nine?

I do agree that revealing a banded set can be a downside in certain situations. Kind of like when you could spot a Zoroark or a mega-evolution back in the days simply by looking at the level. Obviously, as stated, it can't bluff for long (just one turn), but that's enough to lure a taunt, or a switch to a non-expecting foe.

Would definitely be cool though to finally have that ability (besides Ray) in a meta where weather can be very important. One example I can think of is how, under the rain, and baring any "hax", Kingdra can 2HKO Licki (LO pump is 54.4%-64.4%), but without rain, banded Licki gets the edge in 2 turns after Kingdra one single LO recoil (or rocks/spikes), as Body Slam does (44.3%-52.5%), with the possibility of getting a para. Same is true for Ludiculo. With its natural bulk, it also serves as a way to waste 1-2 turns of weather, too. And I could probably name a bunch of other utility.

Either way, I'm fine with status quo - it's a change that would only affect one Pokémon, in the end, and which would be useful only situationaly.
 
Similar story of getting a Ice Punch/Brick Break/Hidden Power Ice/Shadow Sneak Marshadow. I question Brick Break but overall I agree with Rarycaris on Spectral Thief. Unresisted STAB and the move don't work.
 

Clementine

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Similar story of getting a Ice Punch/Brick Break/Hidden Power Ice/Shadow Sneak Marshadow. I question Brick Break but overall I agree with Rarycaris on Spectral Thief. Unresisted STAB and the move don't work.
This probably wasn't Random Battle considering Marshadow can't roll Hidden Power Ice nor Brick Break in regular Random Battle.
 
can crabhammer please be forced on crawdaunt, CC isn't really needed when your stabs are probably gonna be stronger anyway and getting aqua jet as your only water stab on DD isn't the best
 
Why does Focus Energy Inteleon not have Snipe Shot? It has a high crit ratio which makes it always crit after Focus Energy+Scope Lens, whereas Surf only has a 50% chance to crit. It also ignores Storm Drain which is useful against Gastrodon and Cradily
 
Why does Focus Energy Inteleon not have Snipe Shot? It has a high crit ratio which makes it always crit after Focus Energy+Scope Lens, whereas Surf only has a 50% chance to crit. It also ignores Storm Drain which is useful against Gastrodon and Cradily
Surf has a stronger base power, and it will always land as a critical hit after using Focus Energy. It is not 50%; it will be 100%.

With regards to your second point, Inteleon would prefer to use +10 BP stronger STAB regularly, and Ice Beam is meant for Cradily anyway:


Lvl 80 84 SpA Sniper Inteleon-Gmax Ice Beam vs. Lvl 86 84 HP / 84 SpD Cradily on a critical hit: 252-297 (87.5 - 103.1%) -- 25% chance to OHKO.

Furthermore, G-max Hydrosnipe ignores any and all abilities including Storm Drain, and it obliterates both Cradily and Gastrodon very easily.


Lvl 80 84 SpA Sniper Inteleon-Gmax G-Max Hydrosnipe vs. Lvl 84 84 HP / 84 SpD Gastrodon on a critical hit: 414-487 (127.7 - 150.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO


Lvl 80 84 SpA Sniper Inteleon-Gmax G-Max Hydrosnipe vs. Lvl 86 84 HP / 84 SpD Cradily on a critical hit: 330-391 (114.5 - 135.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
 

Celever

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Klefki needs twave more often than it needs toxic. I dont know what toxic does except allow it to take down opponents (not that well either, its similar to giving a low attack monster that doesnt heal and has low defenses toxic). Prankster twave is much better than prankster toxic.
Toxic is better than Thunder Wave against many archetypes that like to switch into Klefki, namely setup sweepers. It's also important when using Klefki's defensive attributes, i.e. immunity to Toxic as Klefki can do something against opposing walls besides getting chipped down by Scald or Seismic Toss or something. Both are better than the other one depending on matchup, so keeping both is for the best.
 
Toxic is better than Thunder Wave against many archetypes that like to switch into Klefki, namely setup sweepers. It's also important when using Klefki's defensive attributes, i.e. immunity to Toxic as Klefki can do something against opposing walls besides getting chipped down by Scald or Seismic Toss or something. Both are better than the other one depending on matchup, so keeping both is for the best.
idk what u r switching into klefki, i switch steel types into it
 
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Starting in gen 8, Regigigas can finally learn rest! Can we get some random battles sets with rest on Regigigas? Regigigas is already quite bulky, so rest and sleep talk can really help it "get its act together."

Regiggas could function as bulky support pokemon with rest. Here are some suggested sets:
https://pokepast.es/96522291fdff4e9c

These sets could help Regigigas by improving its coverage, and also help it survive longer in the battle.
 
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Type null (Null) has 2 sets one with sleep talk the other with pay back. Pay back's utility is to threaten ghost switch ins, but this set with payback makes it weak to many match ups and become a dmax or non dmax set up fodder.

If the utility is to punish ghost switch ins then this set can exist at a much lower rate than the much more powerful set (sleep talk set).

Idk what the current ratios of the sets are but it would be better if the pay back is seen less than current as its really bad against a lot of things and only useful against ghost.

Tbh in competitive game play at high ladder how many of us really do fear the payback set when we release a ghost? If our ghost mon takes damage it only confirms i can set up on this fool and sweep
 
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