speedy bug is speedy
http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/scolipede.3511712/
http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/scolipede-offensive.3506180/
QC: The DragonKnight / AM / Trinitrotoluene
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / antemortem
[OVERVIEW]
Scolipede's claim to fame lies within its amazing ability, Speed Boost. Thanks to its ability to quickly gather boosts, Scolipede is one of the premier Baton Passers in the OU tier. It also boasts a threatening offensive set and can be used as an entry hazard setting lead as well, as it has access to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Scolipede's flaws stem from its otherwise mediocre stats, as nothing outside of its Speed is particularly noteworthy. Additionally, it is easily worn down due to its vulnerability to almost every sort of residual damage.
[SET]
name: QuickPass
move 1: Protect
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Swords Dance / Iron Defense
item: Mental Herb / Black Sludge
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 240 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Protect and Substitute help Scolipede stall turns in order to gain Speed boosts. Protect allows Scolipede to steal turns from faster Pokemon, allowing it to outpace them next turn, while Substitute buffers Scolipede from status and attacks from slower Pokemon. Baton Pass allows Scolipede to pass all of its accumulated buffs to a teammate. The choice between Swords Dance and Iron Defense depends on what kind of Pokemon you intend to pass to. Physical attackers appreciate the attack boost granted by Swords Dance, while special attackers and setup sweepers enjoy the additional bulk and protection from revenge killing that Iron Defense provides.
Set Details
========
Mental Herb allows Scolipede to ignore Encore or Taunt once, which allows it to set up on Pokemon such as Mew or escape from priority Taunts from Thundurus or Whimsicott. Alternatively, Black Sludge grants Scolipede a form of recovery, increasing its survivability and giving it a greater chance of being able to set up multiple times throughout a match. The EV spread allows Scolipede to outspeed Pokemon with a base 110 Speed and a positive nature, while the remaining EVs are placed in its HP in order to maximize its bulk. While using Iron Defense, a set with max HP and Defense, along with a Bold nature, can be used to greatly increase Scolipede’s bulk, allowing it to take hits such as Mega Charizard X's Flare Blitz after an Iron Defense. Be wary of fast Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Alakazam, which can outrun Scolipede at +1 and deal significant damage, Encore it, or Taunt it. Choice Scarf users such as Latios and Jirachi can also outspeed and threaten Scolipede with a Psychic move or Trick.
Usage Tips
========
Scolipede's purpose is to pass boosts to teammates, allowing the recipient to sweep the opposing team. As with any other setup Pokemon, make sure that the intended recipient's checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened before attempting to set up for a sweep. Alternating between Protect and Substitute will allow Scolipede to set up on just about any Pokemon. However, it's best to try setting up on a passive Pokemon, such as Chansey or Ferrothorn without Gyro Ball, that can allow Scolipede to keep its Substitutes up and use Swords Dance or Iron Defense. Once Scolipede has gained enough boosts and it is safe to do so, Baton Pass into the recipient. Ideally, you want to minimize the amount of damage Scolipede needs to take before and during setup. Try to keep the field free of entry hazards, and avoid switching Scolipede into attacks or status moves if possible.
Team Options
========
Scolipede needs to be paired with a recipient in order to take full advantage of its boosting capabilities. Swords Dance synergizes well with powerful physical attackers, such as Mega Charizard X, Garchomp, and Gyarados. Iron Defense is preferable if the recipient is a special attacker, such as Mega Diancie or Mega Gardevoir. Iron Defense also works to help setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Espeon, Tail Glow Manaphy, Swords Dance Terrakion, and Swords Dance Diggersby get their own boosts. Dual screen support makes setting up far easier, so Azelf makes for an excellent teammate. In a similar vein, Memento support from Latios or Whimsicott can allow Scolipede to take advantage of an foe’s weakened offenses.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
move 3: Poison Jab / Rock Slide
move 4: Protect / Swords Dance / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Megahorn is Scolipede's most powerful STAB attack. Aqua Tail provides coverage on most bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon, while providing excellent neutral coverage in conjunction with Megahorn. Earthquake provides a guaranteed OHKO on Heatran and maintains good coverage. Poison Jab provides a reliable secondary STAB move and provides coverage on Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Clefable. Rock Slide allows you to hit Flying-types such as Talonflame and Thundurus as they switch in. Protect allows Scolipede to waste a turn in order to allow Speed boost to activate, saving it from being hit by faster threats before it can gain Speed. Swords Dance allows Scolipede to boost its Attack. When using Swords Dance, run Poison Jab and Aqua Tail alongside Megahorn for maximum coverage. Finally, Baton Pass allows Scolipede to pass its Speed boosts to a teammate.
Set Details
========
An Adamant nature and maximum Attack investment allows Scolipede to hit as hard as possible, while maximum Speed investment allows it to outrun neutral base 100s without a boost and the entire unboosted metagame after a boost. A Jolly nature outruns positive-natured base 110s before a boost, while also managing to outrun Kabutops and Kingdra in the rain after one. However, the loss in power is significant, as Scolipede greatly appreciates the boost in power that an Adamant nature brings. Swords Dance is recommended on sets using Jolly, as it can alleviate the power loss from not running an Adamant nature. Additionally, sets running Swords Dance won't have space to use Protect as well, which means you'll want Scolipede to be as fast as possible before boosting. A Life Orb helps Scolipede hit harder than it would normally be able to. An HP IV of 29 minimizes the amount of damage Scolipede takes from Life Orb, giving it greater longevity.
Usage Tips
========
This set excels at cleaning up weakened teams, thanks to its incredible Speed. It's important that before Scolipede is sent out, its checks and counters have been dealt with appropriately, with revenge killers out of the way and defensive checks sufficiently weakened. Avoid sending Scolipede out before this is done, as this protects it from being worn down before it can sweep.
Team Options
========
Scolipede needs its checks and counters sufficiently weakened before it can sweep, so Pokemon that can wear them down and pressure them, such as Keldeo, Crawdaunt, and Azumarill, make for excellent partners. Scolipede also appreciates residual damage wearing out the opposing team, so entry hazard support is important. Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Tyranitar all make good partners, as they make for effective users of Stealth Rock. Given Scolipede's weakness to entry hazards, a method of removal is also an excellent idea. Excadrill and Starmie can Rapid Spin entry hazards away while maintaining an offensive presence. Latias is able to Defog and can also use Healing Wish in order to allow Scolipede to play more aggressively during the early-game. Scolipede's Speed boosting abilities allow it to avoid most forms of revenge killing, but it is still susceptible to priority attacks, particularly Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Talonflame's Brave Bird. Pokemon that can manage them, such as Hippowdon and Rotom-W, make for excellent teammates.
[SET]
name: Spiker Lead
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic Spikes
move 3: Endeavor
move 4: Megahorn / Pin Missile
item: Focus Sash
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Spikes and Toxic Spikes serve the same purpose; to help break down the opposing team as quickly as possible. Endeavor serves to set an opponent down to a single hit point after taking a hit, as thanks to Speed Boost and Scolipede's uninvested defenses, you'll be able to outrun nearly everything and severely weaken an opponent. Megahorn is easily Scolipede's strongest STAB move, but Pin Missile is able to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes, notably having a 50% chance to OHKO lead Azelf sets. Poison Jab is another option that both provides STAB and gives Scolipede the ability to threaten Mega Diancie, which can otherwise wall Scolipede and prevent it from setting up hazards. Baton Pass is another option to consider, as it allows Scolipede to pass any accumulated Speed boosts to a teammate.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment allows Scolipede to outrun and set up on as many threats as possible, while the rest is put into Attack in order to hit things as hard as possible. The defensive stats are minimized in order to take as much damage as possible, allowing Scolipede to reliably weaken opponents with Endeavor after being brought down to 1 HP thanks to Focus Sash.
Usage Tips
========
Typically, Scolipede will want to lead off against an opposing team in order to get up entry hazards early and prevent its Focus Sash from being broken by opposing entry hazards. Prioritize which kind of spikes you want to set up first based on the opposing team. If there are certain Pokemon that need to be weakened in order to accomplish your win condition, pick the spikes that affect them the most. This set is prone to being Taunted or having its entry hazards bounced back by Magic Bouncers, so avoid trying to set up in front of common users of Taunt.
Team Options
========
This particular Scolipede set functions best on offensive teams, where the heavy entry hazard support helps out in breaking down opposing defensive cores. Partners that can defeat Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie are neccessary, as they prevent Scolipede from doing its job. Talonflame, Mega Gardevoir, and Sylveon are able to deal with Mega Sableye, while Mega Diancie struggles with Scizor, Mega Metagross, and Assault Vest Azumarill. Defiant users such as Bisharp and Thundurus can punish opponents for using Defog to clear the spikes away, while Gengar and Mega Sableye are both able to block attempts to use Rapid Spin to remove them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Substitute can be used on the offensive set to dodge status, stall for Speed Boosts, or prevent attempts to revenge kill, but thanks to a vulnerability to most residual damage and Life Orb recoil, Scolipede usually can't afford to sacrifice more health than it needs to.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Talonflame and Mega Pinsir**: Thanks to their access to powerful super effective priority, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir are able to revenge kill Scolipede regardless of how many Speed Boosts it has.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: The offensive set is unable to break through most physically defensive walls, such as Mega Scizor, Hippowdon, and Skarmory. These Pokemon are able to set up on or KO Scolipede at their leisure.
**Phazers**: Users of Whirlwind or Roar, such as Skarmory and Hippowdon, are able to force QuickPass Scolipede out through Substitute and Protect, preventing it from successfully passing its boosts to a teammate. This also forces Scolipede to take additional entry hazard damage if it is forced in early in the game.
**Magic Bounce**: Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye are both able to bounce the lead set's entry hazards onto Scolipede's side of the field, rendering it useless.
**Taunt users**: Fast Taunt users such as Tornadus-T, Mega Alakazam, and Azelf can prevent the lead set from setting any entry hazards. Additionally, if the QuickPass set lacks its Mental Herb, a priority Taunt from Thundurus can stop Scolipede in its tracks.
**Ground-types**: Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor can take a few hits from Scolipede and force it out.
**Status**: Scolipede's amazing Speed is completely ruined by paralysis. Additionally, a burn ruins any sort of offensive presense Scolipede may have and wears it out very quickly.
**Residual Damage**: Outside of poison, Scolipede is affected by every form of residual damage. This makes it very easy to wear out over the length of a match.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon faster than Scolipede, such as Raikou, Tornadus-T, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Alakazam, can put a serious dent in it if they can get inside before Scolipede gets Speed boosts. When not running a nature that increases Speed, Choice Scarf Pokemon, such as Latios and Keldeo, are able to outrun Scolipede even after a boost.
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