Spiritomb (Analysis)

Don Honchkrorleone

Don Honchkrorleone

Happy Qwilfish the nightmare
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Fixed. And still waiting approval.

QC approved: (Bloo) (Setsuna) (wilson46)
QC rejected: (Seven Deadly Sins) () ()
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2njatd1.gif

Spiritomb


[Overview]
  • With all these new powerful Ghost-, Psychic- and Fighting-types, it's no wonder that Spiritomb would find a comfortable niche in the metagame.
  • Wonderful Ghost + Dark typing grants no weakness, neutrality to Pursuit, Crunch, Payback and Shadow Ball, and immunity to Return, Close Combat, Hi Jump Kick, Mach Punch, Psychic and Psyshock, among others dangerous moves.
  • Good 108 defenses, while a not-so-good 50 HP means that Pain Split will heal him a good amount of HP
  • No weakness doesn't mean that he's Highlander. Strong hits still either take a large chunk of his HP or kill him.
  • While immunity to Psychic, Fighting and Normal is good, he only resists Poison, limiting his tankish capacities.

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk / Hidden Power Fighting
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
  • This set is Spiritomb's best shot in OU, being the perfect counter to most kinds of Reuniclus, most notably the Calm Mind variant.
  • Access to Calm Mind coupled with a reliable Defense stat can turn him into a very bulky sweeper.
  • Dark Puse is preferred over Shadow Ball because nothing is immune to Dark (yet some Pokemon with Justified as their ability have their Attack boosted when hit by a Dark-type move).
  • Rest and Sleep Talk increase Spiritomb's survivability. Hidden Power Fighting can, however, replace Sleep Talk for a super effective hit on Tyranitar, Heatran and Scrafty.

[Additional Comments]

  • A Bold nature with 252 EVs in both HP and Defense grants Spiritomb max suvivability against most of the unboosted physical moves, with the leftover going to Special Defense. Alternatively, if you want a more offensive Spiritomb, you can run a Modest nature with the Special Defense or Defense Evs in the Special Attack.
  • Pain Split can replace Rest as a more "reliable" way of recovery. Choosing Pain Split also forces Spiritomb to drop Sleep Talk, allowing Spiritomb to have a wonderful Dark + Fighting combo, resisted only by Heracross and Toxicroak.
  • Shadow Ball is a viable option over Dark Pulse, but it can only be chosen if Pain Split is also selected, because Normal-types are immune to Ghost.
  • As any special attacker Pokemon, Blissey and Chansey stop this set cold. Other special tanks that can hit Spiritomb hard such as Tyranitar also threatens this set. Fighting-types such as Conkeldurr, Machamp, Hitmontop and Lucario are good partners to this kind of Spiritomb because they can destroy the aforementioned special walls with their powerful Fighting-type moves, while Spiritomb gets rid of the Ghosts and Psychics that scary the aforementioned Pokemon. Hitmontop gets an special mention because he can remove Toxic Spikes and the other entry hazards with Rapid Spin.
  • While entry hazards murder Spiritomb, they also help him. Forretress can set up all three and can also use Rapid Spin to blow the entry hazards away. If Spiritomb is using Rest, clerics are good to have in the team. Good clerics include Celebi, Shaymin, Blissey and Chansey.
[Optional Changes]
  • A defensive set with Will-O-Wisp / Taunt / Pain Split / Sucker Punch or Pursuit with a Careful Nature is viable.
  • Spiritomb has a bunch of interesting moves that are worth to be mentioned.
  • Hypnosis is very useful for crippling some walls and sweepers, but its accuracy is a major letdown.
  • Psychic can be used to take down Fighting and Poison-types.
  • Confuse Ray is annoying, but very, very unreliable.
  • Spite is funny to use with Pressure and probably Protect.
  • A "TormenTomb" set inspired at the "TormenTran" with Torment and Substitute as well as other moves set can be used, and it's very hard to take down.
  • A Choice Band set with Pursuit / Shadow Sneak / Sucker Punch / Trick, albeit walled by Steels, can prove effective.
  • Likewise, a Choice Specs set with Dark Pulse / Hidden Power Fighting / Psychic / Trick is also effective.
  • Snarl can be used with Pursuit to force switches.
  • Memento is a highly unorthodox move, but Spiritomb is too slow to pull it of.
  • Spiritomb is also too slow to use Imprison, Destiny Bond and Grudge.
  • However, Spiritomb also learns Quash, with can help to use the aforementioned moves.
  • Nasty Plot is appealing, but Calm Mind is usually better because of Spiritomb's defensive nature.
  • Spiritomb has access to Icy Wind, Water Pulse and Silver Wind, but the Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball + Hidden Power Fighting combo is usually better.
[Checks and counters]
  • Kangaskhan and Miltank are the best Spiritomb checks if they are running Scrappy, allowing them to hit Spiritomb super effectively with a powerful Hammer Arm or other kind of Fighting-type move. They don't like Will-O-Wisp, however.
  • No weakness doesn't mean invincibility. A lot of extremely powerful pokémon with amazing powerful moves like Choice Band Darmanitan, Choice Band Haxorus can all OHKO Spiritomb with a strong Flare Blitz and Outrage respectively.
  • Other pokémon that had achieved a lot of boosts can also destroy Spiritomb, such as Swords Dance Haxorus, Swords Dance Excadrill and Shell Smash Cloyster.
  • For special sets, Blissey and Chansey can wall Spiritomb all day and use Toxic if necessary. Occasional Pain Split and Taunt are extremely annoying, however.
  • Harmful status such as burn and poison also manhandles all Spiritomb without Rest.
[Dream World]
  • Spiritomb gets Infiltrator from Dream World, with is a pretty useless ability in such defensive pokémon like Spiritomb, and Pressure is better anyway. However, with Infiltrator, Spiritomb becomes the best counter in the game for Dual Screener Psychics such as Azelf, Cresselia and Reuniclus. Infiltrator also bypasses Safeguard.
 
Just a quick Suggestion running 252Hp and 252Def on the CalmMinder would be more effective than the set you're using. Even with those Defences Spiritomb can't do much with out the Hp. and maybe add Rest as a slash after Pain Split, as Pain Split can be unreliable.
 
SilentRevolver said:
Just a quick Suggestion running 252Hp and 252Def on the CalmMinder would be more effective than the set you're using. Even with those Defences Spiritomb can't do much with out the Hp. and maybe add Rest as a slash after Pain Split, as Pain Split can be unreliable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion I'm busy now putting one of my other analysis in formal mode. Tomorrow, or even today if I finish that, I'll add your suggestions.
 
Evs: 244 HP / 48 Atk / 216 SpA
Click to expand...

You need to explain why these EVs are what they are. For example, why does it has 244 HP EVs when it is a mixed attacker, which would normally warrant all of its EVs being placed in Atk and SpA (and Spe on most other Pokemon)? Is it to survive or not be 2HKOed by a particular attack? Also given that, why 48 Atk / 216 SpA as opposed to 12 Atk / 252 SpA?
 
Darkmalice said:
You need to explain why these EVs are what they are. For example, why does it has 244 HP EVs when it is a mixed attacker, which would normally warrant all of its EVs being placed in Atk and SpA (and Spe on most other Pokemon)? Is it to survive or not be 2HKOed by a particular attack? Also given that, why 48 Atk / 216 SpA as opposed to 12 Atk / 252 SpA?
Click to expand...
Holy God, I forgot it. In fact I was doing it at the same time I was putting other analysis in formal way. Thanks a lot.
 
I really think there should be a Choice Band set. Choice Band Pursuit and Shadow Sneak hurt a lot from this thing. Sucker Punch also can deal a ton of damage with a Choice Band, but that can be set up bait. Spiritomb gets Trick which can be used to remove the Choice Band as well.
 
sax king said:
I really think there should be a Choice Band set. Choice Band Pursuit and Shadow Sneak hurt a lot from this thing. Sucker Punch also can deal a ton of damage with a Choice Band, but that can be set up bait. Spiritomb gets Trick which can be used to remove the Choice Band as well.
Click to expand...
Good point. I'll add it. If no one likes, I'll move it to OC.

EDIT: After some tests, I've realized that Choice Band Spiritomb isn't that worth, and gives a lot of Steels a good opportunity to set up. Yet it's effective. I'll put in OC.
 
I'd mention that Spiritomb is a good Deoxys-A counter.

LO 252 SpA Thunderbolt/Ice Beam does 45.1% - 53.2%, and that's the strongest attack you'll be taking.

It also packs handy immunities to Extremespeed, Superpower, and Psycho Boost, which get thrown around a ton, and Spiritomb easily OHKOs back with Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, or Pursuit, even with no investment in attack.
 
Paradox said:
I'd mention that Spiritomb is a good Deoxys-A counter.

LO 252 SpA Thunderbolt/Ice Beam does 45.1% - 53.2%, and that's the strongest attack you'll be taking.

It also packs handy immunities to Extremespeed, Superpower, and Psycho Boost, which get thrown around a ton, and Spiritomb easily OHKOs back with Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, or Pursuit, even with no investment in attack.
Click to expand...
Gee, I forgot to post it. It also can counter Deoxys-S. Thank you.
 
Is Will-O-Wisp an option on the CroTomb set (which could have its name changed to "Sleep Talk") ? I find it REALLY useful for hitting and crippling spinners see especially: Dory.
 
Sir Azelf said:
Is Will-O-Wisp an option on the CroTomb set (which could have its name changed to "Sleep Talk") ? I find it REALLY useful for hitting and crippling spinners see especially: Dory.
Click to expand...
Changes made, but I've put WoW as second option because its accuracy is far from desirable and is a call for Heatran an Houndoom.

Anything else?
 
Pressure is still better and DW Spiritomb hasn't been released yet, but I'll add in DW section.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I forgot about the release. And yes, agree with the preference to pressure.

By the way, what would you think about the move postpone on it? The first thing that comes to mind is Postpone/Destiny Bond, but I feel it is predictable. Destiny Bond gets the most juice of postpone with pain split coming in second place. Maybe it's best served as a gimmick?
 
az20 said:
Oh yeah, I forgot about the release. And yes, agree with the preference to pressure.

By the way, what would you think about the move postpone on it? The first thing that comes to mind is Postpone/Destiny Bond, but I feel it is predictable. Destiny Bond gets the most juice of postpone with pain split coming in second place. Maybe it's best served as a gimmick?
Click to expand...
Postpone is... yeah, gimmicky. Using it with Destiny Bond, Memento and even Grudge. This strategy costs two moveslots. But an option is an option, I'll mention Postpone in OC.
 
While the interest in the current topic appears to have ended, I feel I must express my desire to continue the discussion; hence I shall raise this thread's position on the page in the hopes that others may notice it.

^Bump. Seriously, it's already February 2nd and no one touched here since Christmas. And sorry about the double post.
 
Bloo and I just talked this over, and we have decided to keep just one set, the following:


[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk / Hidden Power Fighting
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Bold
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

This is the set that pretty much grants Spiritomb the ability to have a spot in the OU tier, as it functions as a perfect counter to CM Reuniclus which is huge. HP Fighting is an option over Sleep Talk if the user prefers to have something to hit Normal-types, Heatran, and Tyranitar for super-effective damage. On AC, it should be also mentioned that using Pain Split instead of Rest along with HP Fighting in the last slot is a very viable option too.

I'll approve of this thread as soon as these changes are implemented.
 
Setsuna and I talked it over and agreed on the changes outlined in his post. I'll give you an approval once they're made!
 
I think that the Tank set should be kept. I've got

Careful @ leftovers
252HP/120Atk/132SpD
Taunt
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split
Sucker Punch

You would not believe how much this fucks people over. I love it. It's a solid wall, on both ends of the spectrum despite no Def investment. It sponges hits, taunts, and just fucks things over with Sucker Punch, which does a surprising amount of damage on 120 EVs, I could probably bump it up a bit more but I can't be bothered with calcs, not much stops this tbh
 
As a note, if a general defensive set is going to be mentioned here, please mention that Spiritomb would rather refer being specially defensive rather than invest fortuitously in Defense. This allows Spiritomb to check a wider variety of threats with the help of Will-o-Wisp, and better take attacks from the likes of Jellicent and Starmie.
 
Tomb is the undisputed #1 Reuniclus counter... and not much else. It gets beaten by a horrifying amount of the metagame, and it doesn't really have what it takes to compete in OU.

QC REJECTED 1/3
 
I'm approving this. I think walling Reuniclus cold is enough of a niche to warrant an OU analysis for Spiritomb. I've used Spiritomb before on a few of my teams to great success, and while it isn't the most spectacular Pokemon out there, I do think it has its uses; it came in handy during several instances when I used it!

QC APPROVED (1/3)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top