Resource Simple Questions, Simple Answers Thread

Is a clefable ban vote going to be on the radar, because I and many others think clefable should be banned. Clef should be banned because it invalidates too many other pokemon within ou.
 
Is a clefable ban vote going to be on the radar, because I and many others think clefable should be banned. Clef should be banned because it invalidates too many other pokemon within ou.
I know it is definitely being considered, though many feel that Dracovish (or one of the other major wallbreakers) is a more pressing issue. It's also possible that the DLC pack next month will influence the state of the metagame in a way that reprioritizes which mons are being considered for a suspect.
 
I made A NP Salazzle + Sub CM Primarina team, but it seems like a lot of teams like that exist already. So I wanna maybe try a cool alternative, maybe a Sub CM Keldeo. What would be a good EV spread for that, good Max Speed and Sp. Atk/HP or do I need to hit a certain speed tier, go max HP and put the rest in Sp. Atk?
 

Ruft

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I made A NP Salazzle + Sub CM Primarina team, but it seems like a lot of teams like that exist already. So I wanna maybe try a cool alternative, maybe a Sub CM Keldeo. What would be a good EV spread for that, good Max Speed and Sp. Atk/HP or do I need to hit a certain speed tier, go max HP and put the rest in Sp. Atk?
Sub CM Keldeo's standard spread is simply 252 SpA EVs and 252 Spe EVs with a Timid nature, which is the usual for a pretty fast Pokemon like Keldeo. Deviating from this doesn't really offer anything notable.
 
Are there match ups where you want to use yawn on hippo? And what alternate ev spreads (if any) are considered viable for hippo other then max physical def? Thanks in advance. :psyglad:
 
Are there match ups where you want to use yawn on hippo? And what alternate ev spreads (if any) are considered viable for hippo other then max physical def? Thanks in advance. :psyglad:
There really aren't any scenarios where you'd use yawn over whirlwind given that whirlwind does everything that yawn does but better; you can use it more frequently and also forces a switch immediately which basically makes yawn useless outside of some gimmicky shit. As for evs, there's probably a few out there but max defence already does the job the most consistently so there's no real need for any other spreads
 
What is the best way to get started and get better at SS OU?
I've been playing in tours in the OU room and laddering but I'm hoping there might be some other way which could end up being faster and better

(I've had a good amount of experience playing ORAS OU but quit due to irl commitments. I'd like to get back into competitive battling.)
 

Ruft

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What is the best way to get started and get better at SS OU?
I've been playing in tours in the OU room and laddering but I'm hoping there might be some other way which could end up being faster and better

(I've had a good amount of experience playing ORAS OU but quit due to irl commitments. I'd like to get back into competitive battling.)
The best way to improve is through playing, be it on the ladder or in tournaments (you can use sample teams if you don't have any and aren't ready to build yet). However, you can also learn a lot from watching top players play in tournaments. Additionally, you can read analyses in the Strategy Dex to get a better understanding of the metagame.

If you're looking for someone that can tutor you, take a look in Battling 101.
 
Dracovish is getting suspect tested so why isn't it S-ranked?
The viability ranking, as the name implies, ranks viability. Dracovish is getting suspected because it's unhealthy for the metagame. The two traits are not exactly the same.

Dracovish is an offensive and very linear Pokemon, so if the enemy team has something that can stop it from doing its thing, then its effectiveness is limited until its team mates take care of those things. Answers to it, like Seismitoad, physdef Ferrothorn, and physdef Toxapex, are very common, so it runs into this problem often.

However, the reason these things are so common (Ferro and Pex running physdef, Seismitoad... existing) is because if you don't run them, you get completely thrashed by it. And because there are very few Dracovish answers, it means that anyone trying to build a balance or stall team is pigeonholed into running at least one (usually more) of these few Pokemon to not immediately lose to Dracovish on team preview.

This is why Dracovish is getting suspect tested. Not because it's too good, but because it's too restraining.
 

Ruft

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what mons would fit and fill out a team currently consisting of only nasty plot togekiss and incineroar
These two Pokemon fit well on balance teams. Both of them are threatened by Rock-types like Terrakion, Tyranitar, and Rhyperior, and also struggle with Rotom-H. Partners like Seismitoad, Gastrodon, Kommo-o, Conkeldurr, and even Dracovish seem like good choices to cover them either defensively or offensively. Both of these Pokemon, as well as their potential partners, also appreciate Clefable to check threats like Hydreigon and Kyurem for instance, while Incineroar helps with Clefable's (and Togekiss's) potential weakness to Steel-types like Corviknight, Aegislash, Jirachi, and Bisharp. This should be a good push in the right direction for you to finish your team.
 
While I understand Clefable's positive traits (A good specially defensive wisher with the option to take a hit and Teleport for "perfect" Wishes, has Magic Guard) I don't get why it is not only No.1 but has an absurd usage % and people praising/cursing it everywhere.

So this is your chance to give someone your best, most inspired lecture about what makes Clefable so good?
 

Astra

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While I understand Clefable's positive traits (A good specially defensive wisher with the option to take a hit and Teleport for "perfect" Wishes, has Magic Guard) I don't get why it is not only No.1 but has an absurd usage % and people praising/cursing it everywhere.

So this is your chance to give someone your best, most inspired lecture about what makes Clefable so good?
You basically just summed it up yourself. The combination of being a pivot that always goes last, Wish support, Magic Guard, and just good bulk in general makes Clefable an ass to deal with. It just fits extremely well with most balance cores thanks to this, providing its defensive teammates with easy recovery without the risk of them switching in themselves and taking a hit. As a Pokemon itself, Clefable is just incredibly difficult to break through due to Magic Guard and Wish + Protect, meaning that you have to rely on direct damage rather than status and hazards to wear it down. In short, Clefable is popular due to its ability to fit easily on most team while providing extremely good Wish and pivot support that keeps it and its teammates alive for practically free sometimes.
 

Ruft

is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
OU Leader
While I understand Clefable's positive traits (A good specially defensive wisher with the option to take a hit and Teleport for "perfect" Wishes, has Magic Guard) I don't get why it is not only No.1 but has an absurd usage % and people praising/cursing it everywhere.

So this is your chance to give someone your best, most inspired lecture about what makes Clefable so good?
The fact that it can Wish pass without the target having to take a hit in the process means that essentially every member of the team has "reliable" recovery. Chip damage is far less important this generation because there tend to be many opportunities for Pokemon to be wished back up. Thanks to Magic Guard, Clefable itself can't get chipped by hazard or status damage at all, making it a perfect pivot. Add its great bulk and fantastic pure Fairy-typing to the equation, and Clefable can come in relatively safely on many common Pokemon to Wish pass, including but not limited to opposing WishPort Clefable, Seismitoad, Toxapex, Mandibuzz, most Ferrothorn, and non-Iron Head Corviknight (though it should be noted that its Leftovers getting knocked off makes it so that it is much less reliable in checking various offensive threats). In a game of balance with WishPort Clefable vs balance without, the player with WishPort Clefable will often be at a distinct advantage because their Pokemon can last much longer thanks to the 16 available Wishes. And in WishPort Clefable balance vs WishPort Clefable balance games, it often comes down to which player utilizes their 16 Wish PP in the smartest fashion. Teleport itself has great utility too, as you can safely bring in a Pokemon that can take advantage of the foe that's currently in or just came in.

Additionally, while WishPort is certainly the most influential one, it's far from the only set in Clefable's arsenal. Calm Mind Clefable has the ability to shred through many a team because its bulk, typing, and ability make it relatively hard to take down, and Magic Guard also allows it to amplify its damage output with Life Orb without the recoil side effect. Finally, its movepool is extremely wide, harboring a huge variety of utility moves to boot, including but not limited to Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Knock Off, Encore, Aromatherapy, and Trick, which are all very viable options.

Specially Defensive Clefable also has the inherent value of being one of the few Pokemon that can "reliably" check major threats like Dragapult, Hydreigon, Kyurem, as well as Kommo-o. Even the lesser seen physically defensive Clefable has great value as one of the few checks to threats like Zeraora, physically offensive Kommo-o, and even Conkeldurr if it runs some Speed.

It's the combination of all these traits that make Clefable dominant, and it's incredibly hard to justify dropping it unless you're building a very offensive team.
 
I have a question about Eiscue, but do not know if it is in OU. I know I sound stupid when I say this, but I'm also confused about this site's posting relevant areas. Could someone direct me to somewhere I could properly ask?
 

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