Are you aware of the Scarfer phenomenon? Rank can handle scarfers because it has bulk, Alakazam can't. And no hazard damage on Alakazam means little to nothing when most attacks can easily OHKO with or without the residual
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Reuniclus
- Thread starter Pratty
- Start date
Alakazam actually has 120 speed coupled with 135 Special Attack. That is simply amazing by the way.
My personal favorite set is a Timid Focus Sash one (I run it while using a sand team, usually). It really is a very good "in case shit happens" Pokemon as, really, you don't know what your opponent might be packing but you _do_ know that, regardless of what weather your opponent runs or what entry hazards he has, you'll be able to stop something from wrecking you (and maybe even go on to a sweep).
My personal favorite set is a Timid Focus Sash one (I run it while using a sand team, usually). It really is a very good "in case shit happens" Pokemon as, really, you don't know what your opponent might be packing but you _do_ know that, regardless of what weather your opponent runs or what entry hazards he has, you'll be able to stop something from wrecking you (and maybe even go on to a sweep).
"Who gives a fuck about Scarfed Pokemon" Thank you for destroying all legitimacy you might have once possessed, and making my debating far easier. I understand it is tempting to forgo logic when you point is being so torn to shreds, yet I would like all who view this thread to learn from the folly of this person.
Alakazam has 120 base Speed lol.
If you're reasoning for Alakazam having "meh" speed is that it can't outrun Choice Scarf Pokemon you need to double-take exactly what you're typing out. Scarf Pokemon are obviously going to be a problem for almost any Pokemon that can be outrun by another Pokemon with a Choice Scarf. Unless your name is Deoxys-S, you're not outrunning Choice Scarf users anytime soon.
I also like how you skipped over all my previous posts that asked for proof (i.e. Quagsire related ones).
EDIT: VV Oh whoops, yeah. Sorry about mucking up the Rankurusu discussion thread :X
If you're going to have a shitstorm about Alakazam, move it to the Alakazam thread.
Dude, the problem alakazam has with scarfers is that he lacks the bulk to take one of their "weak" (by most pokes terms) hits. Most other set-up sweepers can either outspeed scarfers (ie. DD, Agility, RP) or take their hits (Scizor, Roob, the like). Please use your mind
...You're the one who mentioned Alakazam.
I mentioned it because I was comparing the two. Now the conversation has nothing to do with Reuniclus.
Yes it does, you baby. Someone finds it funny to start saying Rank is a worse Alakazam, and that is so incredibly wrong we have taken it on ourselves to tear apart that notion so it won't be repeated.
Scizor and Roob hit most Pokemon very very hard, unless they are resistant or immune. Generally, one is not going to leave another Pokemon in an a Pokemon that obviously outspeeds it because it will die. A smart player will switch to a bulkier more defensive oriented Pokemon that can absorb the blow with ease (and generally have good synergy with the Pokemon that was just threatened by the Scarfed opposition). Also, generally, a smart player will not leave a Pokemon in on a priority move that is obviously going to kill it. Again, they will switch to one of the five other members that can actually handle that threat better.
Just because Alakazam does not have Rankurusu's bulk does:
1) Not make Magic Guard on Alakazam useless
2) Not mean Alakazam is not a speedy little bugger
3) Not mean Alakazam cannot hit like a truck
Alakazam cannot take hits because he has shitty defenses. Does that make him worse than Rankurusu? Maybe, maybe not, they're too different. Does that make Alakazam a shitty Pokemon? By all means no.
Alakazam has problems big whoop. I'd think most Pokemon outrun (Scarf or otherwise) by another Pokemon that can hit them super-effectively would have problems with those Pokemon too.
No one said this.
I'd say that Reuniclus and Alakazam are about even. Reuniclus can take hits, but relies on Trick Room for speed. Alakazam has more power and speed, but can't take a hit.
When all is said and done, the point remains that the people who are complaining about how Clus is killing stall teams are unaware that Zam can also do this, although which is superior depends upon the situation.
They are very similar and comparable, but neither one is better than the other in every situation. The point remains, however, that many of the situations in Standard are disadvantageous to Alakazam and Reuniclus can survive these situations.
When all is said and done, the point remains that the people who are complaining about how Clus is killing stall teams are unaware that Zam can also do this, although which is superior depends upon the situation.
They are very similar and comparable, but neither one is better than the other in every situation. The point remains, however, that many of the situations in Standard are disadvantageous to Alakazam and Reuniclus can survive these situations.
It definitely makes it worse. Alakazam sucks, please stop trying to defend it when it is so obviously outclassed. And you clearly did not understand my point about set-up sweepers. Zam doesn't boost his speed or bulk, and therefore will be easily revenged. Speaking to people like you is rapidly becoming tiresome. I don't enjoy explaining simple things to people just to have them misunderstand my explanation and continue the cycle
Zam doesn't need to boost his speed or bulk to be effective, he is already fast enough as is and any way to bulk him up would be pointless (because the defenses are just so terrible), that is not what he is built for nor should be used for. If that is what you're using him as you're using him very badly.
Lots of Pokemon have to worry about being outran, but that doesn't make them less effective just because they have different ways (or lack thereof) of dealing with the same problem. Alakazam however is fortunate that he can actually outrun generic switch-ins to Psychic type Pokemon like Tyranitar thanks to his 120 base speed.
Oh also:
They're too different to be compared as though they were the exact same Pokemon with a different stat spread. They each have the same typing and a similar movepool, but their dramatic difference in Base Stat Spread means that you won't be using them the exact same way. Meaning they serve different functions when being placed on teams.
What outclasses Alakazam as a Fast Special Sweeper that doesn't take damage from Life Orb and Entry Hazards? I'm dying to know. Unlike a Pokemon like Gengar, Alakazam can run both Substitute AND Life Orb without taking huge amounts of Passive Damage. Calm Mind + 3 attacks isn't that terrible either for the same reason. Guess what? Alakazam outruns Scarftar. Can Rankurusu do that? No. Does it care? No. But that's beside the point since it shows that Alakazam most certainly doesn't suck with Magic Guard. Stating points so arrogantly that aren't even true makes you seem obnoxious and petty and I suggest you stop. Noone is going to see you in a positive light if you continue to act like this. Can you move this argument to the Alakazam thread please? It has gone past the point when you're comparing Alakazam to Reuniclus.
..
You're fucking kidding me.
Alakazam is the frailest pokemon ever. It has Snorunt Defence. Not even Spinda Defence but Snorunt Defence.
Do you have any idea how bad that makes it from the get-go, especially with a rather modest 90 BP STAB move?
Rankurusu is great because it not only has power but because it has bulk. Who gives a crap about Recover, even Calm Mind on Alakazam when it can't actually use either? On Rankurusu though, Recover is like Restalk without the sleep; Calm Mind is great on such a bulky sweeper.
You made a crappy point that started a shitstorm and you fail at defending said point. Even worse, despite the fact that numerous people cited its bulk as the main reason that it's different, you just kept on going..
Anyway let's end off the zam talk here; it's irrelevant and I'd like this to get back to discussion of Rank:
On topic, where would HP Fire (to counter Scizor, apparently) fit into a moveset?
STOP MAKING ME REPEAT MYSELF! If you want to be a moron and ignore this once again, I don't even care. Things that get outpsed that set up usually can boost speed to outspeed the scarfers, or they can actually take the hit and retaliate. Please attempt to refute this and don't just repeat yourself
I think Focus Blast. Since most Tyranitar are deathly afraid of Focus Blast, they would naturally not switch in and HP Fire can catch Scizor off guard. It's also possible that HP Fire could be substituted for Shadow Ball since most Psychic types have a Steel sub typing and Ghost types are hit hard by Psycho Shock.
EDIT@Masterful:
ITS CALLED SUBSTITUTE. SUB ON THE SWITCH AND HIT THE SCARFER WHILE BEHIND A SUB. STOP MAKING CIRCULAR ARGUMENTS OR STOP POSTING.
That's where the issues start: Rankurusu, in every incarnation, suffers from a really bad case of four-moveslot syndrome. Even worse than Dragonite. Let's suppose we use a few sets:
CM/Recover/Psycho Shock/Focus Blast or HP Fighting, preference.
That's for the CM set. What would you want to replace? Focus Blast being replaced means that Tyranitar eats you for breakfast. Lol if you replace Psycho Shock, as you're screwed in that case by not even making use of his best toys for the set. CM could be removed, but you won't get enough power, and Recover is just too good to pass up. And on another note, if Scizor can get in without getting nailed on the switch, you still are going to get damaged badly, as there's no way in hell you're outspeeding Scizor unless it's paralyzed. Another set:
Trick Room/Shadow Ball/Focus Blast/Psychic or Psycho Shock
You could make an argument here to replace Shadow Ball, as outside of other Psychics you could use HP Fire to good effect, but then you'd need to rely on Focus Blast's painful accuracy. If Shadow Ball goes, Spiritomb and the Lati twins eat you for breakfast. That's nothing to say of other bulky Psychics, or even Metagross and Jirachi.
Overall, you could make a case for the Trick Room variant, but the CM set just doesn't have the room for it. Fighting gives much better coverage along Psychic. It's just too difficult to make room for it, so I'd personally use a lure to dispose of Scizor in any case. Tyranitar too, although Ranku can hold it's own against it. I've only shown some of the more "common" sets, although there are many others.
EDIT: iDunno, I doubt that. Even at the top of the ladder, I still had people swapping in Tyranitar on Rankurusu. I found it to where I just couldn't afford to give up HP Fighting (don't suggest to me to use Focus Blast, it's accuracy has caused so many crucial misses that cost me matches, I'd rather be able to KO most after a CM regardless with HP Fighting, which also helps for PP wars. The TR set needs FB though to deal with Tyranitar, there is no negotiating that.)
Reuniclus is better off not trying to counter Scizor, as it needs luck to do it. If Scizor uses Pursuit, you're dead from switching. If you stay to attack and he uses U-Turn, you're also screwed. So I simply wouldn't bother running HP Fire. As for the movelsot syndrome, that question is answered by your teamates. I for one run Shadow Ball/Psychic/CM/Recover. Why no Focus Blast? Because I have fighting moves on two other mon on my team, yet I have nothing to handle Psychic types, which was the whole point of Shadow Ball for me. Because Reuniclus is so slow anyway you're only going to hit your counters on the switch, and that's risky, not to mention the shaky accuracy in the first place. As a result, i just let my Conkeldurr handle the Steel and Dark types.
Rankurusu has reliable recovery and enough natural bulk to let it counter and set-up on stuff like Roopushin easily. Alakazam has excellent Spe and SpA that lets it function as a late-game cleaner. I think the only things the two share are their typing and ability. Other than that they should be treated as different Pokemon meant for different roles.
while this is true for the most part Rankurusu also can use a Trick Room Late Game Sweeper set that to great success since it just shreds through offensive teams. it is easy to set up thanks to his great natural Bulk (TR means you don't need to invest in Spe and can pump your HP) and opposed to Alakazam he can take most Priority hits and continue sweeping.
Lemme take this opportunity to say Reuniclus be BEASTIN! I luv this guy on my team. 1 of my 2 MVP. That said plenty of people have found ways to play around my Reuniclus. I don't think it's broken so long as you know what your doing when you face it.
That said this thing needs counters. Reuniclus is my favorite 5th gen and I've been having discussions on PO's Smogon server to try and give it counters to stay in OU. We've found that Scizor can be a counter to Reuniclus however it's not enough to say ou. Tyranitar cannot be a counter unless Reuniclus lacks Focus Blast. Latias cannot be a counter unless Reuniclus lacks Shadow Ball. However, in latias' case it can survive a shadow ball, trick a scarf to it, recover back it's health, and Calm Mind right along with it. Is Latias enough to be another counter given all these pros even though she has a glaring weakness to shadow ball?
That said this thing needs counters. Reuniclus is my favorite 5th gen and I've been having discussions on PO's Smogon server to try and give it counters to stay in OU. We've found that Scizor can be a counter to Reuniclus however it's not enough to say ou. Tyranitar cannot be a counter unless Reuniclus lacks Focus Blast. Latias cannot be a counter unless Reuniclus lacks Shadow Ball. However, in latias' case it can survive a shadow ball, trick a scarf to it, recover back it's health, and Calm Mind right along with it. Is Latias enough to be another counter given all these pros even though she has a glaring weakness to shadow ball?