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Resource Simple Questions, Simple Answers Thread
- Thread starter ironwater
- Start date
Can choice specs raging bolt be viable? It looks like a great pivot with decent bulk and volt switch, and choice specs Draco meteor hits many ground types hard like Great Tusk, Lando-T, Gliscor and Clodsire. It also has utility in Thunderclap, which can be more effective with the choice specs boost. In rain, it can also use weather ball to really threaten ground types. So why isn’t it used more often?
Simple, ground types. Being forced out by a very common type because you can't hit it is bad. Even if you have weather ball, which is restricted to sun or rain teams, ground types still mean you can't spam your electric type moves, which is the biggest selling point of specs bolt. Even thunderclap, which may look nice, is bad on specs sets since they can easily use a status move, such as boosting moves or status inflicting moves until you either have to switch out or run out of pp, which is extremely unideal. Having to predict the ground type switching in on draco is alright, but other than that its not too good.
Simply put, raging bolt wants to switch up moves and with only one calm mind boost and booster sp.Attack boost, you are already outdamaging specs. Maybe it could work on specific teams, but its simply not too good.
Wouldn’t specs Draco meteor OHKO landorus-t, great tusk, gliscor and 2HKO Clodsire?
Yes, but that is something that normal bolt can do. But again, booster sp.attack at +1 outdamages specs damage on everything except clodsire, who can't take two draco meteors from bolt regardless due to unaware ignoring the stat drops from draco.
252+ SpA Protosynthesis Raging Bolt Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 379-447 (99.2 - 117%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Protosynthesis Raging Bolt Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 568-670 (148.6 - 175.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Raging Bolt Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 438-516 (114.6 - 135%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Besides, normal draco is more than enough. The switch out potential of specs is not enough to outway the move lock effect of specs. Plus, the main advantage of specs which is the damage output, is less first up then calm mind bolt. It simply isn't worth the constant damage specs can provide. If bolt has to switch out, it still normally hits hard.
Sorry, forgot to mention that the specs raging bolt is not a breaker, it mainly spams volt switch while threatening most ground types in the tier, ensuring they can’t safely block its volt switch, so it guarantees momentum and looks to be a good pivot. Clarifying why I think it is good.
j0nathan
formerly trainer_j0nathan
You can definitely think that, but the playerbase seems to think that other sets are better. BE or Leftovers sets allow bolt to set up and change moves. Specs still has a niche so you can definitely use it if it fits on your team. :)
(Data for March)
generally speaking, what archetypes does grasspon fit best on? it looks really cool but im not sure exactly what i should be pairing it with
Usually Bulky BO / Balance structures. You usually see it a lot with hazard setters like Gliscor, Clefable, Garganacl, Ting-Lu. Often times these teams opt to not run hazard control like Rapid Spin Great Tusk or Court Change Cinderace, and instead opt to run Heavy-Duty Boots on most of the team including Ogerpon and other partners like Dragapult and Gholdengo.
Here are a few replays from this year's SPL and OST with it
Punny vs mncmt
myjava vs xavgb
Ho3nConfirm3d vs Akalli
Trosko vs Kushalos 
Antonazz vs RubybloodYou can also check Ladder's usage stats and SPL's usage stats, both of which show common Ogerpon teammates.
probably, but its rarer cause focus blast isn't exactly the most spammable move and it is only a 10% chance
Hard to lock in due to the fact that they can enable things -- spammable moves make choice items better, which permits the occasional choice dragapult or ghold on offense. other things like priority can be a failsafe when boosted by choiced power, too, like rillaboom and dnite. other things like utility (hwish) from enamorus can work, too. but realistically you should not try to force a choice user, but only use if it naturally fits from your position
It comes down to the team build and the user in question. HO as a playstyle relishes heavily in beatdown and applying constant pressure so the opponent stays on the backfoot rather than relying on a defensive backbone to turn things around. Choice Items in this respect can be very "go big or go home," as the lock can be exploitable depending on the mon, but the added Speed/Power can allow a spammable move to be even harder to stop and thus reduce what CAN exploit it in the first place.
Dragapult's Specs set was a good example, as while Pult isn't a massive powerhouse without Specs, Shadow Ball's easy neutrality and Pult's high speed made it tricky to switch in and take 2 Shadow Balls without potentially crippling the mon in question, so even if they take Dragapult out they might have something else weakened enough for BE Valiant or Kingambit to get through where they couldn't before.
Finch covered it more concisely than I did but to try and extend his point, consider what your team does and what the options, including Choice users, do to compliment it. If your team has a lot of Wallbreakers but struggles with cleaning up teams or revenge killing, Banded Rillaboom might be good for Grassy Glide to clean up weakened members (so Grass resistance is less of a problem) while having things like its U-Turn to position or Wood Hammer to break itself, the latter also benefitting from the Choice Band and Terrain Boost.
Choice Items don't really have an offensive style they don't fit as a rule, so much as being a lot more risk/reward to consider how they fit to the team you've built or how to build around them as starting points.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2100203853
So on turn 6, I broke sash with Earthquake. Can anyone explain why they were able to use it again a few turns later?
So on turn 6, I broke sash with Earthquake. Can anyone explain why they were able to use it again a few turns later?
j0nathan
formerly trainer_j0nathan
Sash only breaks when the holder gets hit by a move that would OHKO him.
Showdown tells you when you break a sash.
"The opposing Ceruledge hung on using its Focus Sash!"
You don’t truly exhaust the item unless it goes down to 1HP and lives because of it, so recovery to full can make it still a factor, which showed in this one
You’d probably want to ask that here: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/sqsa-natdex-other-tiers-edition.3711328/
Shows everyone can post for me. Have you scrolled to the bottom of the page to find the box to post?
Hello,
I am new to Showdown! and would like to learn how to properly play competitive. All tips are appreciated :)
Best,
Stanczyk
I am new to Showdown! and would like to learn how to properly play competitive. All tips are appreciated :)
Best,
Stanczyk
I am by no means an expert, after spending a good amount of time on vgc I’m trying to play some actual singles.
I would say that teambuilding is probably the hardest aspect of pokemon, so using other pre-made teams and learning to battle first could be a good idea. Youtubers are always a great resource.
Again, I’m not an expert so take this lightly.
I would say that teambuilding is probably the hardest aspect of pokemon, so using other pre-made teams and learning to battle first could be a good idea. Youtubers are always a great resource.
Again, I’m not an expert so take this lightly.
DaRotomMachine
I COULD BE BANNED!
There are sample teams that you can get advanatage of, as well as the RMT section where you ca perhaps steal some teams that good players post on there