Swanna

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

Well another Water/Flying type. While this swan isn't going to take OU by storm, it has a few perks about it that may let it be used in the lower tiers.

P.S: All the Pokemon I wanted to take such as Chillachino and Nattorei are already taken, and Swanna is one of the few Pokemon not yet taken, so yeah... I will have to be quicker next time.

Weak to: Electric (4x), Rock
Resists: Water, Fighting, Steel, Bug, Fire
Immune to: Ground

Abilities:
1) Keen Eye
2) Pidgeon Breast (Prevents Defense from being lowered)
3) Hydration [Dream World]

Base Stats:
HP: 75
Atk: 87
Def: 63
Sp Atk: 87
Sp Def: 63
Speed: 98

Notable level up moves: Air Slash, Brave Bird, Roost, Rain Dance, Windstorm, Aqua Ring, FeatherDance, Tailwind.

Notable TM/HM moves: Boiling Water, Surf, Substitute, Hidden Power, Ice Beam.

Windstorm: 120 base power, 70% accurate Flying type move that has perfect accuracy in rain, and 30% chance to confuse.

Here are some movesets:


Ability: Hydration
Held Item: Life Orb
Nature: Timid / Modest
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 252 Spe
~ Rain Dance / Tailwind
~ Surf
~ Windstorm
~ Hidden Power [Grass]

Well, with Hydration it won't have to worry about being paralyzed. If partnered with Politoed, forgo Rain Dance with Tailwind to double speed for 4 turns. Surf and Windstorm will do a lot of damage, and only misses out neutral coverage on Lanturn and Empoleon. The last move is for coverage against Lanturn, the only thing in the lower tiers that resists Water + Flying.

Ability: Hydration
Held Item: Life Orb
Nature: Naive / Hasty
EVs: 76 Atk, 180 Sp Atk, 252 Spe
~ Brave Bird
~ Surf
~ Windstorm
~ Roost

Attemtping a mixed attacking set. Roost is suggested as the last option to heal off Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil. Brave Bird should only be used on special walls. As mentioned before, the only thing that resists Water + Flying is Lanturn and Empoleon

Ability: Hydration
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Timid / Modest
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Sp Atk, 252 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Roost
~ Boiling Water
~ Windstorm

Excuse the EV spread, if there is a better one please let me know. While Swanna isn't a tank by any means, it does have Windstorm with the confusion chance that allows it to set up Substitute and Roost, and Boiling Water also can burn to allow it to last longer.

So there you have Swanna, not exactly the most mind-blowing Pokemon, but should be decent enough in the lower tiers.

 

[Wichu]

You might want to list its base Speed as well ;)

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

You might want to list its base Speed as well ;)

Oh yeah sorry about that, I missed it.

 

[Forsety]

Gamefreak Employee1: So we made Pelipper crappy, now how do we make it worse?
Gamefreak Employee2: We could take Pelipper strip it of most of its moveset and give it worse stats and a speed which is just short of being decent?
Gamefreak Employee1: Genius!

But yeah, thats how I pretty much feel about it :/

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

Gamefreak Employee1: So we made Pelipper crappy, now how do we make it worse?
Gamefreak Employee2: We could take Pelipper strip it of most of its moveset and give it worse stats and a speed which is just short of being decent?
Gamefreak Employee1: Genius!

But yeah, thats how I pretty much feel about it :/

Yeah, but at least it can have mixed attacking stats and the fairly exclusive Windstorm with Hydration. Worse stats? I wouldn't say that, except for Defense, but it was never meant to be a wall, and besides it does have 5 resistances and an immunity.

 

[yiran]

It'd be useful if you listed the pokemon's moveset.

You really shouldn't be lazy. You know what, I made a thread on Rotom-W with 3 movesets and like 20 line explanations but it got deleted due to there already being one. And I made another on Goruugo but it was taken too. I suck );

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

It'd be useful if you listed the pokemon's moveset.

You really shouldn't be lazy. You know what, I made a thread on Rotom-W with 3 movesets and like 20 line explanations but it got deleted due to there already being one. And I made another on Goruugo but it was taken too. I suck );

I have only listed notable moves since stupid moves like Water Gun and Gust are a waste of space.

 

[yiran]

Oh sorry, didn't see those.

Anyways, I see Swanna similar to how I see Pelipper. I'm the type that tries to find a unique niche for all pokemon over it's counterpart. Let's see:

Swanna sports better offensive stats.
Pelipper sports better defensive stats, especially Defense.
Swanna doesn't learn Hydro Pump.
Pelipper has a better support movepool (Mist, Submersion, etc)

Swanna should go attacking, while Pelipper should go supporting/physical walling.

Now back to Swanna;

Special or Physical?

Special:
Surf, Windstorm, Hidden Power, Boiling Water

Physical:
Brave Bird, Return

Obviously its special movepool is better. No sense trying to make this guy mixed either.
Hydration is always the best ability choice, no exceptions.

Not enough move variety to use Specs. Better off going Life Orb, and Roost to recover off the recoil.

Yea, that's it. Now, Hidden power time;

Water/Flying Resists

Water: Water, Grass (negated), Dragon, Water Absorb
Flying: Electric, Rock (negated) , Steel

Pokemon that resist the types (discluding stuff like Dialga of course)

Lanturn, Empoleon;

Wait, that's actually awesome coverage. Guess the best Hidden Power would be Ground here.

 

[conway]

Oh sorry, didn't see those.

Anyways, I see Swanna similar to how I see Pelipper. I'm the type that tries to find a unique niche for all pokemon over it's counterpart. Let's see:

Swanna sports better offensive stats.
Pelipper sports better defensive stats, especially Defense.
Swanna doesn't learn Hydro Pump.
Pelipper has a better support movepool (Mist, Submersion, etc)

Swanna should go attacking, while Pelipper should go supporting/physical walling.

Now back to Swanna;

Special or Physical?

Special:
Surf, Windstorm, Hidden Power, Boiling Water

Physical:
Brave Bird, Return

Obviously its special movepool is better. No sense trying to make this guy mixed either.
Hydration is always the best ability choice, no exceptions.

Not enough move variety to use Specs. Better off going Life Orb, and Roost to recover off the recoil.

Yea, that's it. Now, Hidden power time;

Water/Flying Resists

Water: Water, Grass (negated), Dragon, Water Absorb
Flying: Electric, Rock (negated) , Steel

Pokemon that resist the types (discluding stuff like Dialga of course)

Lanturn, Empoleon;

Wait, that's actually awesome coverage. Guess the best Hidden Power would be Ground here.

You're forgetting Ice Beam.

 

[Donny Mae.]

Here are some movesets:


Ability: Hydration
Held Item: Life Orb
Nature: Timid / Modest
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 252 Spe
~ Rain Dance / Tailwind
~ Surf
~ Windstorm
~ Hidden Power [Grass]

If HP grass is for coverage against lanturn, wouldn't HP ground be a better option?

 

[Raikaria]

Swanna is about 10x better than Pelliper.

Swanna has a good typing, and some bulk going for it. It's got good STABS, and attacking stats to hit respectably from either side.

In fact, you could have a Multi-purpose Swanna like this:

Swanna @ Leftovers
[EV's and Nature Undecided]
Surf/Boiling Water [AKA: Water STAB of choice]
Windstorm/Air Slash/Brave Bird [AKA: Flying STAB of choice]
Roost
FeatherDance

Not only can it deal a decent blow, but it's also capable of being a physical tank, as any physical attacker which takes a FeatherDance isn't going to be OHKO'ing Swanna, unless it's using a physical Electric attack. Most things won't even be 2HKO'ing.

Swanna certainly has potential in UU, respectable attacking stats, good STABS, recovery, Gyarados typing, and Featherdance. Sure, it's got a bad movepool, but it's still certainly decent, never going to be OU material, but it'll be significantly above the bottom of the barrel.

 

[yiran]

Oh yes. Ice Beam may now be a viable option on a Specs set. But it only provides more Super Effective hits; it does nothing against helping hitting the resistances (unless you're planning to use Swanna against Dialga, which is covered).

HP Ground is the best choice. End of Story. Sure it can't hit flyers, but you have Ice Beam.

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

Oh yes. Ice Beam may now be a viable option on a Specs set. But it only provides more Super Effective hits; it does nothing against helping hitting the resistances (unless you're planning to use Swanna against Dialga, which is covered).

HP Ground is the best choice. End of Story. Sure it can't hit flyers, but you have Ice Beam.

What is Swanna going up against DIALGA in the first place? Isn't he supposed to be banished to Ubers, where Swanna has no business in?

EDIT: Oops never mind, we all start WITHOUT a banlist. Kinda dumb if you ask me, certain Pokemon like Arceus, Mewtwo, Kyogre, Groudon etc. are obviously Ubers, why bother testing them, I personally find it a waste of time.

 

[yiran]

What is Swanna going up against DIALGA in the first place? Isn't he supposed to be banished to Ubers, where Swanna has no business in?

EDIT: Oops never mind, we all start WITHOUT a banlist. Kinda dumb if you ask me, certain Pokemon like Arceus, Mewtwo, Kyogre, Groudon etc. are obviously Ubers, why bother testing them, I personally find it a waste of time.

Umm No, I meant like if you are stupid enough to send Swanna against Dialga. Should of made it clearer...

And about the ban list:
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79694

 

[Jayceja]

Ive had quite a bit of fun in-game with leftovers+aqua ring+roost with fly/dive for the battle subway etc.
of course that doesnt work so well since in competitive battling it lets your opponent swap to a resisting pokemon

but yea, its a real pitty it doesnt get waterfall to let it properly go physical, especially with brave bird, hydration+rest is always notable though

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

Ive had quite a bit of fun in-game with leftovers+aqua ring+roost with fly/dive for the battle subway etc.
of course that doesnt work so well since in competitive battling it lets your opponent swap to a resisting pokemon

but yea, its a real pitty it doesnt get waterfall to let it properly go physical, especially with brave bird, hydration+rest is always notable though

It wouldn't make sense for a swan to go up waterfalls anyways, so yeah. Your strategy can work but it is only gimmicky at best like you said.

 

[EonFriend]

Hmm, Swanna seems to be able to pull off a Choice Specs set due to non-weakness to all priority moves and resistance to most, that decent speed level, above-average special attack and fine special movepool. A set like Surf, Windstorm, Ice Beam and Hidden Power Ground has perfect coverage and can hit many many targets super effectively. Hydration is a pretty sweet ability too, she can switch in on status moves that way as well. Choice Scarf seems appealing in order to revenge that 97 base speed pure Dragon type (I think it is Ononokusu) and many other threats. Scarf and Specs are what I suggest since Swanna can use all 4 coverage moves in one set in that way and pack some great power or blitzing speed.

 

[The 1 and Only Lady Gaga]

Hmm, Swanna seems to be able to pull off a Choice Specs set due to non-weakness to all priority moves and resistance to most, that decent speed level, above-average special attack and fine special movepool. A set like Surf, Windstorm, Ice Beam and Hidden Power Ground has perfect coverage and can hit many many targets super effectively. Hydration is a pretty sweet ability too, she can switch in on status moves that way as well. Choice Scarf seems appealing in order to revenge that 97 base speed pure Dragon type (I think it is Ononokusu) and many other threats. Scarf and Specs are what I suggest since Swanna can use all 4 coverage moves in one set in that way and pack some great power or blitzing speed.

Yeah, Water + Flying and Ground + Ice are some of the best attacking combinations, and Swanna has access to it. She is going to be a decent contender in the lower tiers, and with Rain support she's even better because paralysis won't cripple her.

 

[Sceats]

What reasons are there for the main set to be running hp grass> over rest? The hit on lanturn and the new rotom w doesent seem worth it compared to one turn complete healing.

 

[yiran]

Rest makes you sleep.
...
And I just realized from your post that HP Ground doesn't hit Rotom-W. Shoot.
Well, I guess HP Grass is best maybe, providing super effective on Lanturn and Rotom-W, while still hitting Empoleon (which is not expected to be common)

 

[rocky505]

You put Brave bird twice on notable moves by Level up. If this thing could learn Ice beam it would be a bit better.

 

[Monozu]

You put Brave bird twice on notable moves by Level up. If this thing could learn Ice beam it would be a bit better.

It can learn Ice Beam.

 

[rocky505]

Then why is it not in it's notable TM/HM list?

 

[SJCrew]

Swanna would probably be best off going mixed. Brave Bird was an incredible move last gen and singlehandedly decided the fate of Honchkrow's tiering. It can generally OHKO Grass sweepers and 2HKO Grass sweepers with a neutral nature and no investment, so I doubt it'll be needing a lot of Attack EVs. Speed should be just enough to outpace base 95s.

That Rain set looks pretty deadly too, I suppose. It can take the place of maybe Gorebyss or Omastar on Rain teams easily. As long as it's firing off powerful STAB Flying moves, UU is going to have immense problems with it.

@ Rocky: That will need to be fixed by the OP, but rest assured, Swanna learns it.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/581.shtml

 

[LudwiG]

Swanna @ leftovers
jolly nature
252 speed, 252 atk
Substitute
Dive
roost/protect/toxic/return
roost/protect/toxic/return

The idea of this set is to set up a sub to be "safe" and use leftovers to stay alive. Dive over fly because a pokémon using fly can be hit by skyupercut and more importantly thunder. thunder will for certain break the sub. A pokémon that uses diva can on the other hand only be hit by surf. This moves are used in this set bacuase it will give you another turn of leftovers recovery. I used a fearow with about the same set back in gen 4 and it did surprisongly well, so don't underestimate it. Such a high level of recovery, combinated with a sub means that it won't go down easily.
A base 98 speed means that it can speed tie with sazandora, and outspeed ononokuso.
protect will give you more recovery.
Toxic will give help you were down your opponent (toixc spike support is to be prefered tho, since there last slots are semi-important)
Return will give a good coverage, and is therefor prefered over other psychical moves (brave bird gives too much recoil and it doesn't have the stats to go mixed effectivly without scarf).
Roost is a reliable recovery move that will help in stalling and surviving.

Combinating roost and protect will make it very passive and is therefore not to prefer, but is by no means bad.