QC: Ranger Mike + unfixable / Eevee General / Scyther NO Swiping
GP: Haund / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Gengar is a unique Pokemon in the STABmons metagame. Its Ghost / Poison typing and its ability, Levitate, provide it with resistances to three common types in Bug, Fairy, and Grass and immunities to three other types in Fighting, Normal, and Ground, making it a good switch-in to notable threats like Landorus-T and Excadrill. Its typing also allows it to have good neutral coverage with its STAB moves alone and perform as a switch-in to most Fake Out + Extreme Speed users; however, the prevalence of Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Mega Lopunny and Stoutland makes it more difficult for Gengar to stay on the field for long periods of time. Sadly, Gengar has terrible 60 / 60 / 75 bulk, meaning that it will get KOed from almost any neutral hit. Not only that, it is extremely predictable, as it will always either attack or use its utility move. Gengar's Speed tier isn't the most impressive in a metagame where priority and Choice Scarf users are common; however, base 110 Speed lets Gengar outspeed non-Choice Scarf Keldeo and Landorus-T, as well as unboosted Kyurem-B, and Speed tie with Latios and Latias. Additionally, Gengar has the ability to run a coverage move such as Focus Blast to take care of a plethora of Pokemon that resist its STAB moves. It can also run a utility move, giving it some variety depending on what its team needs. Overall, Gengar faces little to no competition thanks to the lack of any other offensive Ghost-types in the STABmons metagame.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball provides Gengar with good neutral coverage and gives it the ability to KO Mega Slowbro, Celebi, Espeon, and opposing Gengar. Sludge Wave, when used in tandem with Shadow Ball, gives Gengar solid neutral coverage and lets it KO opposing Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable and Serperior. Focus Blast lets Gengar hit Steel-, Dark-, Ice-, Rock-, and Normal-types such as Heatran, Bisharp, Weavile, Terrakion, and Porygon-Z super effectively, and it also covers the Pokemon that resist both Sludge Wave and Shadow Ball, such as Bisharp. Taunt prevents setup sweepers and entry hazard setters from doing their jobs successfully, whereas Will-O-Wisp lets Gengar cripple physical attackers.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs, along with a Timid nature, let Gengar hit as hard and move as fast as possible. Life Orb makes up for the lack of a Modest nature and further boosts Gengar's damage output. Levitate lets Gengar switch into Ground-type Pokemon, except for Excadrill. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Gengar in on Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Porygon-Z, Porygon2, and Ursaring. However, try to avoid Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Mega Lopunny and Stoutland, though, as they easily KO Gengar with those moves. Use Shadow Ball on the predicted switch in from Latios, Latias, and opposing Gengar. Avoid Choice Scarf users such as Terrakion and Hoopa-U, as they can easily KO Gengar with their STAB moves. Try to bring Gengar in on a safe switch because of how frail it is. Use Taunt to cripple defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and to prevent Pokemon such as Ferrothorn from setting up entry hazards. Use Will-O-Wisp on the predicted switches in from Choice Scarf Terrakion and Landorus-T, as well as from faster physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny, or just to cripple unboosted Kyurem-B and non-Choice Scarf Terrakion and Landorus-T. Spreading burns is also very helpful if you don't know what move to attack with on Gengar. If the opponent has a Pursuit trapper, don't leave Gengar on the field for too long until it has been taken care of, or else Gengar has to continuously pivot out to avoid it.
Team Options
========
Physical walls such as Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Heatran are able to switch into Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Mega Lopunny and Stoutland, and Gengar can switch into non-Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed in return. Entry hazard clearers such as Landorus-T, Excadrill, Latias, and Starmie help Gengar stay on the field longer. Conversely, entry hazard setters such as Klefki, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn give Gengar an easier time with KOing foes. Dark- and Bug-types such as Hoopa-U, Tyranitar, Weavile, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Scizor help Gengar take care of Psychic-types such as Latios, Latias, and Hoopa-U, as well as opposing Gengar. Fighting- and Fairy-types such as Terrakion and Mega Diancie take care of Dark-types such as Hoopa-U, Tyranitar, and Weavile; Terrakion can also be used to take care of non-Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Porygon-Z and Porygon2. Fake Out + Extreme Speed users such as Porygon-Z, Porygon2, Mega Lopunny, and Stoutland take care of Choice Scarf users such as Hoopa-U; Mega Lopunny also takes care of Mega Sableye with its Scrappy Fighting-type STAB moves. U-turn, Volt Switch, and Parting Shot users such as Mega Scizor, Magnezone, and Sableye help get Gengar in safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Scarf can be used over Life Orb to outpeed Latios, Latias, opposing Gengar, and slower Choice Scarf users such as Terrakion, but it causes Gengar's damage output to decrease by a significant amount, resulting in fewer KOs overall. Substitute can be used over Taunt to allow Gengar to live longer and to hit more Pokemon safely and to deal with Pursuit trappers more easily, but it causes Gengar's HP to go down crazily fast combined with Life Orb. Destiny Bond can also be used in the fourth moveslot to help Gengar deal with the Pokemon it has a hard time KOing otherwise. Pain Split can be used over Taunt to allow Gengar to live longer, but the health regained is sometimes too little to be significant, and Life Orb makes it hard for Gengar to live longer with Pain Split. Toxic Spikes can be used to support Gengar and its teammates by crippling bulky Pokemon to KO them more easily. Icy Wind deals some damage to weakened foes, gives Gengar a way to handle Landorus-T, and cripples faster Pokemon to let Gengar outspeed them the following turns. Disable can be used to cripple all-out attackers and bulky walls. A Hex set with moves such as Will-O-Wisp to make Hex stronger, either Sludge Wave or Sludge Bomb to poison the foes that are immune to Will-O-Wisp, and Focus Blast to take care of Pokemon that resist or are immune to either attacking move such as Bisharp can be used to form a stallbreaker set. With the Hex set, use either Black Sludge to regain HP to live longer or Spell Tag for an even stronger Hex, and an EV spread of 144 HP / 108 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe to increase Gengar's bulk significantly, which can be crucial for the set to perform well.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority**: Scrappy Fake Out + Extreme Speed Mega Lopunny and Stoutland, Water Shuriken Gyarados and Azumarill, Sucker Punch Tyranitar, Weavile, Hoopa-U, and Gale Wings Talonflame all easily KO Gengar without it getting a chance to damage them due to its mediocre bulk; however, all of them, bar Talonflame, must be wary of Will-O-Wisp to avoid being crippled.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Choice Scarf Hoopa-U, and Weavile all easily KO Gengar with their Dark-type STAB moves. Hoopa-U and Weavile also function as Pursuit trappers and easily trap and KO Gengar due to its frailty. However, all of them are crippled by Will-O-Wisp.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Faster offensive Pokemon such as Thundurus, Choice Scarf Hoopa-U, and Choice Scarf Terrakion all threaten Gengar with their strong STAB and coverage moves.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Mega Sableye, Mandibuzz, and Assault Vest Meloetta easily switch in on Gengar's moves and take care of it with their coverage. Meloetta is also immune to Gengar's Ghost-type STAB moves and takes little damage from its other moves.
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