Resource Simple Questions, Simple Answers Thread

[SLDR]

Hey what is the viable rillazone magnezone set?

Magnezone @ Chople Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 Def / 116 SpA / 140 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic

chople + grassy terrain makes it easier to dispose of melmetal, whereas toxic can be used to hit buzzwole and tangrowth since it can stay in on both, especially in grassy terrain. toxic also helps magnezone itself against ground types, its mortal enemies. this set is better than specs at supporting rilla because ferrothorn and melmetal are nuisances to sd rillaboom without fighting coverage. also, toxic + chople does very well vs hail archetypes. speed is for uninvested heatran, max defense is for body press damage and rest in spatk to hit corviknight as hard as possible. corvi doesn't die from full hp but between rocks, knock offs and predicted chip with helmet users on its uturn, it's not that hard to bring it down to magnezone range.

 

[ToxaWrecks]

K thanks

 

[ausma]

Depends if you want to get Ferrothorn, or definitely kill corv and don't just leave it at like 10%- usually it's the former so
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic/Substitute/Teleport
if you dont care about ferro

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Toxic

Just as a heads up ToxaWrecks, you should only really have Toxic on Choice Specs Magnezone if you have literally no other way to apply pressure to Swampert, Quagsire, and Gastrodon, but truthfully that is not hard at all since bulky Ground-types are a really huge Toxic target in the current metagame, and it's not at all an uncommon or difficult move to fit onto your teams.

If you're running Choice Specs Magnezone without the dedicated intent of trapping, you will probably want Analytic over Magnet Pull. SpDef Landorus-T and Hippowdon are cleanly 2HKOed by Analytic Flash Cannon on the switch-in into regular Flash Cannon (especially with hazards to reinforce it), and if the opposing Landorus-T is max SpDef you will be always outpacing it to then follow up for a knock out. However Magnet Pull is definitely more than fine especially if you're running Rillaboom alongside it, though as I said Toxic isn't really the only viable option (if optimal) and I would generally discourage it if you have a couple Toxic users on your team as is.

To actually answer the question, if you're running Electric Terrain, for sure run Rising Voltage in your last slot which cleanly 2HKOes Ferrothorn, but otherwise I think you get a lot more value out of Steel Beam which can also provide kamikaze momentum for ally wallbreakers if Magnezone is already moderately chipped and if it's fulfilled its purpose as a wallbreaker otherwise. Everything else is fine

 

[ToxaWrecks]

Just as a heads up ToxaWrecks, you should only really have Toxic on Choice Specs Magnezone if you have literally no other way to apply pressure to Swampert, Quagsire, and Gastrodon, but truthfully that is not hard at all since bulky Ground-types are a really huge Toxic target in the current metagame, and it's not at all an uncommon or difficult move to fit onto your teams.

If you're running Choice Specs Magnezone without the dedicated intent of trapping, you will probably want Analytic over Magnet Pull. SpDef Landorus-T and Hippowdon are cleanly 2HKOed by Analytic Flash Cannon on the switch-in into regular Flash Cannon (especially with hazards to reinforce it), and if the opposing Landorus-T is max SpDef you will be always outpacing it to then follow up for a knock out. However Magnet Pull is definitely more than fine especially if you're running Rillaboom alongside it, though as I said Toxic isn't really the only viable option (if optimal) and I would generally discourage it if you have a couple Toxic users on your team as is.

To actually answer the question, if you're running Electric Terrain, for sure run Rising Voltage in your last slot which cleanly 2HKOes Ferrothorn, but otherwise I think you get a lot more value out of Steel Beam which can also provide kamikaze momentum for ally wallbreakers if Magnezone is already moderately chipped and if it's fulfilled its purpose as a wallbreaker otherwise. Everything else is fine

Would you say running this set would be good on a rain rillazone team but thunder instead.
Magnezone @ Chople Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 Def / 116 SpA / 140 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic

 

[AM]

There is no point to use Thunder on Magnezone, the power increase is not worth the trade off of missing. Mag isn't even that useful for rain and neither is Rilla. Better to make a structure that isnt rain and Rilla/Mag combined.

 

[ToxaWrecks]

There is no point to use Thunder on Magnezone, the power increase is not worth the trade off of missing. Mag isn't even that useful for rain and neither is Rilla. Better to make a structure that isnt rain and Rilla/Mag combined.

I thought it would be nice to live fire moves on rilla and magnezone.wasnt sure.

 

[658Greninja]

I’m trying to get past low ladder but I keep getting cheesed by surprise sets like Cosmic Power Clef, Scarf Heattom, and random Latias. How do I avoid cheese?

 

[ironwater]

I’m trying to get past low ladder but I keep getting cheesed by surprise sets like Cosmic Power Clef, Scarf Heattom, and random Latias. How do I avoid cheese?

"Cheese" can mean a lot of different things and I think the main issue is that in low ladder, you'll be facing a lot of uncommon sets, not because people want to use them to lure things but rather because they don't know the metagame well enough and use suboptimal sets and/or Pokemon. The best way to climb low ladder is to use a solid team as most of these "cheese teams" will struggle against the biggest metagame threats like Heatran, Urshifu-R and Dragapult for instance. Capitalize on the fact that most teams there don't have a reliable switch-ins to those. Also, try to scout for sets and the way your opponent plays when you can. Gaining information about your opponent when you don't know their level (because there is a huge level difference between players there) is always great. Don't try to over anticipate when you feel that your opponent is a beginner.

I think you will be able to win most games in low ladder if you are using a decent team (sample teams can be a good start if you struggle with building) and play rationally, with logical plays and if you remain aware that the opponent may not use the more common sets. Now, sometimes you'll get catch off-guard by something unexpected, but you should be able to bring the game back against a rather mediocre team if you avoid doing risky plays like risking a win condition or a Pokemon you need to win the game.

It's hard to give general advices so I don't know if this helps much. Something you can try to do when you lose to someone and feel like you got "cheesed" is to rewatch the game and ask yourself, could I have done something to avoid getting cheesed by this set, did I react well when I saw it was not the set I expected, and so on.

 

[glava222]

to add to the thing mentioned above, playing styles like HO can help a lot, as those styles are often the ones setting the tempo of the game, so you can force the opponent to answer your "cheese" instead of you having to worry about what they are going to do. IMO trying to answer such threats is much easier offensively(send out something faster that hits hard) rather than defensively(figure out how many switch ins you got before you have to start sacking things, guess what move they are going to use and switch in appropriately, what must be kept healthy to check stuff...), and so against low ladder players you are better off being the aggressor and forcing them to play defensively(which, being low ladder they will probably botch). Another bonus of offensive play is that you oftentimes don't have to guess which cheese the opponent is bringing since you can outoffense all of it, for example if some nutso is bringing a tyrantrum, you dont have to guess which set it is since pult can outspeed and OHKO all of them with draco. Such teams also have a more linear playstyle than something like balance, which can also ease decision making a lot.

 

[Contrary Servine]

Sets and spreads for defensive Tapu Bulu?

 

[SLDR]

Sets and spreads for defensive Tapu Bulu?

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/swsh-ou-spread-compendium.3686375/page-2#post-8898327

I always use one of these two variations. I guess attack EVs can go to defense and/or speed, depending on your team.

Sets, either bulky SD like the example given, or tapu's signature taunt+nature's madness with horn leech and synthesis. leech seed and toxic are viable moves, especially with close combat+horn leech, to surprise common switchins

 

[Fopo]

What set and spread does defensive Defog Dragonite usually run? I saw it on the role compendium and it looks pretty interesting as a defensive defogger that beats Heatran and Urshifu.

 

[airfare]

What set and spread does defensive Defog Dragonite usually run? I saw it on the role compendium and it looks pretty interesting as a defensive defogger that beats Heatran and Urshifu.

Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Defog

generally same as the heal bell sets with the optional coverage of flame/dwb/whatever else you need depending on defensive priorities. max defense lets u check grasses/zera/watershifu/other physical attackers decently well since volcarona and heatran are the two main special threats you'll be switching into, and you can beat them without any spdef investment.

as for the viability of defog itself, i'm personally a hater just because of how susceptible it is to a heatran or lando's toxic, ruining its defensive utility for the rest of the game. it can defog on tran somewhat well i guess. but there's the set

 

[glava222]

What set and spread does defensive Defog Dragonite usually run? I saw it on the role compendium and it looks pretty interesting as a defensive defogger that beats Heatran and Urshifu.

Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Level: 100
Sassy Nature
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
- Roost
- Flamethrower
- Defog
- Earthquake

I'm actually of the opinion that specially defensive spreads are currently better for dragonite, since a lot of the things that dragonite checks on the physical end carry knock off, which you don't really want to switch into. To add to that even fully SpD dragonite can escape most relevant 2HKOs from physical attackers it wants to check:
252 Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Dragonite: 154-183 (39.8 - 47.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Surging Strikes (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Dragonite on a critical hit: 144-171 (37.3 - 44.3%) -- approx. 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Dragonite: 153-180 (39.6 - 46.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+3 252 Atk Life Orb Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 230-271 (59.5 - 70.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (this is the strongest kartana can hit you if you brought it in to RK after it got both SD and beast boost, and flamethrower ohkoes in return)

also I think that people don't even understand how tanky spdef nite is(with multiscale intact its actually fatter than regular blissey sets). It can take some insane hits: for example specs lele moonblast is on an unfavorable roll to even break multiscale if you roost, which means you can scout it easily if it comes in on you while you are full hp:
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 168-198 (43.5 - 51.2%) -- 5.9% chance to 2HKO
it can even guaranteed live a freeze dry from modest specs kyurem, and possibly even survive ice beam:
252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Freeze-Dry vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 270-320 (69.9 - 82.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Kyurem Ice Beam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Multiscale Dragonite: 350-414 (90.6 - 107.2%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
so you can guess it easily walls some nasty special attackers like volcanion,torn-t,zone,blacephalon...

TLDR: specially defensive dnite can still check a lot of the physical threats if reasonably healthy, but also just eats up special hits like there is no tomorrow

 

[Finchinator]

Hello! I have a few questions regarding Name Changes:

1. What exactly are the repercussions of a Profile Lock? Will our Accounts on Showdown also be locked? Is there a resource where I can find the implications of a Profile Lock?

2. Will Custom Titles showing our previous name be removed after a certain time period?

3. How do we contact Super Moderators/Admins to remove our lock? Do we simply ask in the name change thread?

4. For the 100 Posts rule, is it only our Messages, or does it include Profile Posts as well?

Apologies if these questions are a little dim, and thank you for answering them.

I would check here and that subforum as a whole; this thread is here specifically for OU related discussion.

 

[ToxaWrecks]

What are the best sets right now?

 

[Finchinator]

What are the best sets right now?

AV is easily the best set

 

[ToxaWrecks]

AV is easily the best set

Ok thanks

 

[malomyotismon]

With the new found power of hail, we have a new dynamic dou of nintails alola and arctozolt. I was wonder through are any other slush rush users viable alongside them.

 

[Finchinator]

With the new found power of hail, we have a new dynamic dou of nintails alola and arctozolt. I was wonder through are any other slush rush users viable alongside them.

Sandslash-A has been used on the ladder, but it’s pretty ineffective.

 

[malomyotismon]

Sandslash-A has been used on the ladder, but it’s pretty ineffective.

What about arctovish?

 

[Finchinator]

What about arctovish?

Never seen it personally.

 

[ironwater]

What about arctovish?

In theory Arctovish is similar to Arctozolt, trading just an Electric STAB for a Water one. However, one is extremely hard to deal with while the other one is rather mediocre, and that's because Electric + Ice is a godlike dual STAB (the famous bolt beam combo) while Water + Ice is not that good. Thus while Arctozolt is almost impossible to wall, Arctovish struggles against most bulky Water types even with Freeze Dry. I don't think it can't work, but most of the time you rather use your Hail turns with Arctozolt. A Arctozolt + Arctovish Hail could be something to try, but don't expect Vish to put the same work than Zolt. Also yeah I never saw it on a game yet.

 

[malomyotismon]

In theory Arctovish is similar to Arctozolt, trading just an Electric STAB for a Water one. However, one is extremely hard to deal with while the other one is rather mediocre, and that's because Electric + Ice is a godlike dual STAB (the famous bolt beam combo) while Water + Ice is not that good. Thus while Arctozolt is almost impossible to wall, Arctovish struggles against most bulky Water types even with Freeze Dry. I don't think it can't work, but most of the time you rather use your Hail turns with Arctozolt. A Arctozolt + Arctovish Hail could be something to try, but don't expect Vish to put the same work than Zolt. Also yeah I never saw it on a game yet.

Indeed it was only in the even of running both as punishing hail sweepers, but you are right, its why i assumed urishfu is a better choice for hail teams despite chip and no speed boost its just far more flexable with additional stab. Still i felt it nice to ask to see others views and experiencies.

 

[astroshagger]

Are there any clear advantages to Roost > Recover OR Recover > Roost on Lati@s?