Battle Spot Singles: Tfw Minimize Clefable?!

[PumpedAaron]

Kangaskhan @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Return
- Power-Up Punch
- Sucker Punch

As someone who loves muscles, I always try to play a typically fast sweeper with some unexpected bulk if I can get away with it ;). You'll see that on Talonflame, too. Fake Out can help scout, Power-Up Punch can help sweep. Its all pretty standard stuff we've seen for years, haven't we?

Talonflame @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance

Why is Thundurus so important in BSS? Because of this bird! Once again, we've got some moderate bulk investment, and a lot less speed, but that's what Gale Wings is for. Swords Dance and Roost help me YOMI Sucker Punchers and Aegislash into submission!

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
- Rock Tomb

"Boku no babyyy!!" This guy was #1 in the Rating Battles stats last year, and for good reason. Swords Dance provides potential win conditions/sweeps, Rock Tomb provides excellent speed control for my somewhat slow Kang, and especially slow Champ. I could possibly try Dragon Claw instead of Outrage, but the damage would be too weak. I feel confident that Outrage is my best choice for Dragon STAB.

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD / 220 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Superpower
- U-turn

Shoutouts to Theorymon and flargananddingle for donating to me a flawless IV'd Lando-T! As a more-often Doubles/Triples player, I can attest to Landorus' power, and he's great in Singles, too. Intimidate disruption and U-Turn allow me to do some valuable scouting and pivoting. I get to see if my opponent switches, what move they're trying to use, whatever :P!

Isamu Akai (Clefable) @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 12 SpA / 72 SpD
Bold Nature
- Cosmic Power
- Stored Power
- Minimize
- Moonlight


Straight Outta Kanto. Having only achieved a mild portion of my potential in Kanto Classic, I'm taking Minimize Clefable straight outta Kanto and into BS Singles for a mean Revenge on life! Since Clefable base stats are higher in Sp. Def than Def. I figured adding more investment on Def with the Nature and the EVs was a good idea.

Aaron (Machamp) @ White Herb
Ability: Guts
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 148 Atk / 24 Def / 100 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off

"I sure do love muscles ;)." I love Machamp in a big, throbbing way. Bigger than the ESRB will allow in Pokemon games so far. Also, secret Guts Champ! Now I can absorb Toxic, Wisp, T-Wave (when I'm lucky) and use my Synergy Burst attack-boosted moves! Bulk Up is so I can play YOMI with Aegislash, and potentially sweep if certain checks/counter have been previously defeated.

My current goal with this team is to reach extremely high in the BS Singles Showdown ladder, my current minor goal is 1500, and I'm at about 1412 I think. I don't have much time on my hands to play on 3DS enough, with all the animations and whatever, but I'll be playing on that somehow someway...

 

[Omastar68]

Why 132 Spe on Kang? It reaches 137 Spe mega, which isn't really a benchmark, Spe tying high Spe base 85s, which aren't really a thing(and if they were you'd want 8 more Spe to be faster than them.) You could drop Spe to only outspeed max Spe base 70s, the next relevant benchmark. Or you could go even lower since max Spe base 70s aren't too threatening to Kang, I'm sure Breloom will expect you to be faster and switch/use Mach Punch instead of Spore.

Double-Edge is typically preferred over Return, and Facade is really nice too since Kang attracts burns and paralysis. Return is probably OK for the lack of recoil, but you wanna make sure the things that you can't beat due to the lesser damage can be handled by something else.

Do you not know the rule that EVs should be divisible by 4 but not right at level 50 for stats at have an odd(perfect) IV? This means Talon should be 204 HP and 52 Spe. Same Spe, but one more point of HP(actually since you're investing a lot in HP and none in defenses I think you wanna take 8 EVs out of HP and put 4 in each defense.) That gives you 153 Spe at level 50, which is just enough for High Spe Base 100s, which are a pretty relevant benchmark(though if you benefit significantly from putting those EVs in bulk then do that instead. No Spe still outspeeds max Spe base 80s.)

Does the added bulk on your Talon make setting up an SD fairly easy? I was using an SD Talon but decided to replace it since I never had an opportunity to set up, even if I could take a hit as I set up I'd just die to BB recoil.

Outrage is definitely Chomp's best STAB move(92.76% run it.) I agree with Rock Tomb as well, however I don't agree with Rocky Helmet as the item. Your Chomp isn't a bulky one, so it won't be getting much Helmet damage on stuff, especially as Chomp attracts ice moves(the majority of which don't make contact.) That's why it's not really a good item on Chomp, and usage stats reflect this(only 2.9% run Helmet.) My favorite item on Chomp is Lum Berry(partial to Choice Band as well, tho I don't think that's what you'd want,) and I think that's work better.

Landog seems like a weird pick as another 4x ice weak mon. Again the EVs seem off with flawless IVs(which you say it has.) Don't really get Superpower over Knock Off, tho I guess neither are moves you want to get locked into anyways so might as well use the stronger one. If getting locked in proves an issue, I think it'd be reasonable to make Landog your Helmet user, tho it does have the same problem here as Chomp of drawing ice attacks.

Interesting Clefable. I ran one a while ago with very different moves, and a Calm nature with a little more SpD investment to narrowly live MeGar's Sludge Bomb, though more physical bulk is probably better. Having to set up a lot can be tough though, and you have to hope you don't see Taunt, Roar, or Whirlwind.

That is a very peculiar Machamp, tho not necessarily bad. I like Machamp and nommed it in the Singles Viability Thread, tho I did stress 100% accurate Dynamichpunch which is its main niche. For a Guts set...why not Conkeldurr? Unless you really need that tiny bit of extra Spe. Btw, if you use this on cart you'll be the only White Herb Machamp(WE is not seen on any Champ according to usage stats.)

Good job on your rating...I've barely ever been higher than that and certainly not recently. Anyways, hope this helps and I didn't sound too harsh or anything, since that can happen.

 

[cant say]

I feel like this team has massive problems with Mega Salamence, Sylveon and Thundurus, just to name a few. I also wouldn't want to run into too many bulky Water-types like Rotom-W, Suicune and Azumarill. Since all of those are insanely popular I'm not really sure how you've made it to the 1400s on PS (apart from it not being a great ladder), but I'd imagine the cart ladder would give you some trouble. Have you faced many of these things? If so, how do you play against them?

You have a lot of offense on this team and no real defense at all. I would probably try out a bulky Talonflame, specially defensive would probably be best. Lum Berry with Brave Bird, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp and Roost is what you want. It also gives you a switchin for the defensive Pokemon that wanna wall / Toxic your Clefable.

I think Focus Sash Garchomp would work much better for you. I get the appeal of Rocky Helmet + Rough Skin but on an offensive build you aren't gonna get heaps out of it.

I know you have a hard-on for Machamp but the way you have it set up you may as well use Conkeldurr. I think you should either use Dynamicpunch on 'Champ and utilise his niche or consider dropping him for something that can handle the threats I mentioned earlier.

Finally, a bunch of your EVs are wonky for Battle Spot, the best way to make sure they're efficient is to set your mon's levels to 50 in the PS teambuilder and then use the sliders for making the EV spreads. Remember, with a perfect IV your EVs for that stat should be divisible by 4 but not 8. Only when a stat has a 30 IV should they be divisible by 8.

 

[PumpedAaron]

I see cant say. Well, the first thing I'll try is setting the PS mons to lvl 50, and then trying to adjust for EVs, they all need to be divisible by 8, right?

As for move and item changes, I'd prefer to keep what I have now, and just fix the EVs atm.

Also, I see what you mean about the bulky waters, if they happen to be quite liberal with it. I can handle a Suicune or Azumarill here and there, but Politoed + waters can beat me pretty effectively.

Just tested it out today, and I nearly got 1500, but then dropped big. Can Garchomp run a bulkier EV spread? I think I should do that to take advantage of Rocky Helmet more.

 

[Omastar68]

I see cant say. Well, the first thing I'll try is setting the PS mons to lvl 50, and then trying to adjust for EVs, they all need to be divisible by 8, right?

As for move and item changes, I'd prefer to keep what I have now, and just fix the EVs atm.

EVs are a great place to start. I take lots of time making fancy EV spreads. The first big thing is looking for any relevant Spe benchmarks.

For instance, your Lando has 208 Spe factoring in the Scarf. I'm guessing the benchmark you used is High Spe Scarf Rotoms, which are 207 Spe so you're faster. But why not add more Spe for High Spe Scarf Exca? I doubt it'll cost much bulk, though if it does lose you something keep Spe as is, maybe even lower it a bit since High Spe Scarf Rotoms aren't at common, and Landog probably won't b doing very much to them anyways.

56 Spe on Talon is clearly for High Spe base 100s, but are those even that common? I think you could get away with running no Spe EVs for a nominal boost to bulk.

Looking for Spe benchmarks is way easier than running a whole bunch of calcs, so I'll leave you with that.

And yes the EVs should be divisible by 4 but not 8 for a stat with an odd IV, which is normally the case since if you're investing in a stat you almost always want a perfect(odd) IV-the exception is some HP users but you've got none of that.

 

[PumpedAaron]

So, after giving it some thought, I'm going to replace one of the Groundies with Rotom or Aegislash, I see what Can't Say meant about the bulky waters. Right now, I believe I replaced Garchomp.