Tapu Koko [QC 1.5/2] (writing)

Arcticblast

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[OVERVIEW]

Undoubtedly the most punk rock of all Pokemon, Tapu Koko's loud and intense effects on the Doubles OU metagame cannot be ignored: its high Speed stat, Electric typing, and immense power through Electric Surge make it one of the most potent offensive threats around, dropping wicked Thunderbolts onto anything that doesn't resist them. On top of its power, Electric Terrain's sleep immunity has essentially removed Amoonguss, one of its biggest theoretical counters, from the game, leaving Koko free to run over the many teams lacking a sturdy Electric check. This Electric typing additionally makes it one of the premier answers to the two former Ubers, Mega Salamence and Shaymin-Sky, because it can outspeed and OHKO them. Unfortunately, Tapu Koko is a rather linear Pokemon, and the good things end here. Tapu Koko's damage output is heavily reliant on Electric Terrain, as a 95 base Special Attack is pitifully low for an offensive Pokemon, almost to the point of making its only Fairy STAB, Dazzling Gleam, even weaker than it already is. It is also incredibly frail, often taking half HP or even more from not very effective moves and simply fainting to strong neutral hits. ...

- punk rock as hell but the kind of punk rock that doesn't hate its home town
- one of the most metagame-defining Pokemon around
- fast
- Electric Terrain makes it hit really hard and also provides a team-wide Sleep immunity while active
- Electric/Fairy typing makes it a good check to Mega Salamence and Skymin, two Pokemon who were just too good without it around
- frail little shit
- hits like a bitch without Electric Terrain
- also hits like a bitch when not using Electric moves

[SET]
name: Tapu Kimo
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Volt Switch / Taunt
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt is powerful and difficult to switch into with Electric Terrain; this is the move you're probably using the most
- Dazzling Gleam, while much weaker, gives you a relatively strong spread STAB move that hits Pokemon such as Salamence and Hoopa-Unbound hard
- Protect lets Tapu Koko dodge powerful attacks headed its way and do all the other wonderful things Protect does, like stall out field conditions - but use it wisely, you use up a turn of Electric Terrain!
- Hidden Power Ice donks Lando-T, Zygarde, Salamence, and Shaymin-S but is kinda useless otherwise
- Volt Switch gives you a strong move that you can use to scout switches or get another Pokemon in easily
- Taunt stops the opponent from threatening setups, including stat boosting moves and speed control like Tailwind or Trick Room
- teams that run both Tapu Koko and Tapu Fini can use a unique set of Nature Power, Volt Switch, Hidden Power Ice, and Protect; Nature Power transforms into Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain and Moonblast in Misty Terrain, giving Tapu Koko a strong STAB option in both terrains (Moonblast is a straight upgrade over Dazzling Gleam anyway) but it can be disabled by Taunt

Set Details
========
- Life Orb makes total sense on a fast Pokemon that looks to hit hard with its attacks
- the EVs complement this goal; max Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature enable it to move first and hit as hard as possible
- it's important to keep max Speed, as this lets you speed tie with Mega Gengar, Aerodactyl, and opposing Tapu Koko

Usage Tips
========
- click Thunderbolt!
- Tapu Koko's blazing Speed lets it just drop Thunderbolts all over the battlefield. Because Electric is such a strong typing, many Pokemon will opt not to stay in against it, for fear of taking heavy damage
- Protect when Tapu Koko is immediately threatened, letting its partner soften up whatever is on the other side to put it into Thunderbolt's KO range
- moves that aren't Thunderbolt are honestly situational at best
- Dazzling Gleam is a good move to use when Koko or its partner can possibly pick up two KOs, or when you're staring down a Hydreigon or Scrafty - Thunderbolt will always do more damage to each target unless it's resisted; if Thunderbolt is resisted and Dazzling Gleam is super effective (ex: Kyurem-Black) or Dazzling Gleam is 4x effective (example: Scrafty), Gleam will do more
- Hidden Power Ice snipes down Pokemon 4x weak to Ice but you won't use it much otherwise!
- Tapu Koko is effective at almost all stages of the game, whether it's keeping Mega Mence at bay through the early game or cleaning up lategame

Team Options
========
- Tapu Koko is actually quite splashable; while it requires some team support, it's a strong standalone Pokemon as well
- it appreciates teammates that can stop Scarf Landorus-T more than anything else; this can be achieved through Wide Guard users like Celesteela, Tailwind users such as Shaymin-S or Suicune, or just outright killing it with bulky Waters or Kyurem-B
- Pokemon that wield Ice coverage are good partners, as they can hit every Electric resist or Ground type hard - Kyurem-B is again a strong partner, but this is not a necessary element
- Tapu Koko's ability to smash the crap out of bulky Waters and Flying-types enables the Pokemon they normally wall to go crazy, such as Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Mega Charizard Y
- Mega Salamence, Heatran, Tyranitar, and other Pokemon that can use consistent spread moves are also great partners, clearing the way for Koko to drop Thunderbolt on everything lategame (or vice versa, using Koko's damage to sweep themselves)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Assault Vest is an excellent item on Tapu Koko thanks to Nature Power and Sky Drop, trading power for bulk and utility; this set is niche, however, and neither of those moves are appealing on Life Orb sets
- Focus Sash is a good alternative to the Life Orb set if you're looking to trade a little power for added safety
- Thunder Wave and Rain Dance can be useful support moves on the right team, if you're willing to give up a coverage move (especially on Sash sets)
- Grass Knot can be used as well, although it only hits a narrow range of Pokemon that are incredibly weak to it and already rather rare (Gastrodon, Swampert, Rhyperior, etc.)
- Tapu Koko can use its base 115 Attack to cosplay a bird and run a physical or mixed set; however, its physical movepool consists of U-turn and a bunch of recoil moves (Brave Bird and Wild Charge), making its reign of terror short-lived. It does get Z-Mirror Move but that requires a ton of support
- Tapu Koko fits well on rain teams, where it can trade out Thunderbolt for the almighty Thunder
- Electrium Z, Fairium Z, and Tapunium Z are all effective Z-crystals should you choose to run one; Electrium Z is by far the most ruinous, whereas Fairium Z gives a strong Fairy move and Tapunium a 75% HP chunk

Checks and Counters
===================

**Electric Resists and Atypical Immunities**: while rare, Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Rotom-Heat can easily switch into Tapu Koko and essentially wall it completely, likewise, Pokemon such as Thundurus-T and Alolan Marowak take no damage from Thunderbolt and can threaten back with super effective coverage moves

**Faster Ground Types**: while most meta Ground types take massive damage from HP Ice, if they outspeed they'll usually OHKO with their STAB; examples: Scarf Landorus-T, Dragon Dance Zygarde (after a boost)

**Trick Room**: going last is basically a death sentence for Tapu Koko because of its frailty; beware of Hoopa-Unbound, who can both set Trick Room and tear you apart with Hyperspace Hole should you dare to Taunt it

**Assault Vest Users and Pokemon with high Special Defense**: very bulky Pokemon like Assault Vest Tyranitar and bulky Mega Kangaskhan laugh off everything Tapu Koko can throw at it except for Nature's Madness, while AV Lando-T or Volcanion can bait Koko into attacking, live a hit, and do massive damage in return
 
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Arcticblast

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I added Assault Vest because I've heard people are actually using it; if you guys don't think it deserves a set I will remove it (and try to hold back the tears in my eyes as my favorite set is dashed from the annals of Smogon history forever)

this should be ready for QC checks now!
 

Laga

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Team Options first set
"- Pokemon that can use consistent spread moves are also great partners, clearing the way for Koko to drop Thunderbolt on everything lategame (or vice versa, using Koko's damage to sweep themselves)"
add in a specific mention ("such as") of mixmence and heatran (especially sub). they are the best at utlizing both of these concepts.

2nd set
"- Dazzling Gleam is not included because it might as well do zero damage without Life Orb"
I don't think u need to elaborate on this. Shouldn't have to explain when you've said multiple times how AV is more focused on support and bulk than dmg.


I trust you can lay aside your mediocre wit when actually writing this up. The skeleton is very extensive, especially considering how bland (yet effective) koko naturally is. Get this written up :]

stole this [1/2] stamp from some other dude
 

Arcticblast

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Team Options first set
"- Pokemon that can use consistent spread moves are also great partners, clearing the way for Koko to drop Thunderbolt on everything lategame (or vice versa, using Koko's damage to sweep themselves)"
add in a specific mention ("such as") of mixmence and heatran (especially sub). they are the best at utlizing both of these concepts.
mentioned Mence, Heatran (should I mention Subtran specifically?), and Tyranitar; might add a mention of Tyranitar and other Psychic resist/immunes elsewhere for checking Tapu Lele as well
2nd set
"- Dazzling Gleam is not included because it might as well do zero damage without Life Orb"
I don't think u need to elaborate on this. Shouldn't have to explain when you've said multiple times how AV is more focused on support and bulk than dmg.
line removed. you're right it's kind of extraneous
I trust you can lay aside your mediocre wit when actually writing this up. The skeleton is very extensive, especially considering how bland (yet effective) koko naturally is. Get this written up :]
rude :(

waiting for an official verdict from talkingtree and Memoric on the AV set because I know at least one of them + kamikaze didn't think AV was worth putting on as a set; basically looking for QC check 1.5 if that's cool
 

talkingtree

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After a long discussion, we've decided that at least for now, AV should be high OO. In many cases it's outclassed by AV Thundurus-T, it's not getting a ton of use, and without Life Orb its damage output is incredibly disappointing. If we later decide to include AV as an additional set, I'll PM you and let you know so that you can write it if you'd be interested. For writeup, feel free to include a full sentence or two about AV as a set, what moves it would run, and the draws of such a set.

Sorry for the wait, go ahead and write this up!
 

Pocket

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From what I've seen in matches the second slashes should move up before the first slash imo (HP Ice + Volt Switch > Dazzling Gleam + HP Ice). Being able to pivot with Volt Switch is big.

- Assault Vest is an excellent item on Tapu Koko thanks to Nature Power Madness and Sky Drop, trading power for bulk and utility; this set is niche, however, and neither of those moves are appealing on Life Orb sets
A quick typo

When you are mentioning Nature Power, you should also mention Normalium Z for Gigavolt Havoc / Twinkle Tackle

I personally think AV deserves its own set - I think since February AV Tapu Koko has popped up a couple of times with success.

I would remove OO mention of Focus Sash; increased usage of sand and SR makes it not worth the loss of power. Tapu Koko is also surprisingly bulky for a sweeper mon.
I would give Choice Specs an OO mention instead; gives Tapu Koko the much needed extra kick.
 

talkingtree

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Arctic asked me to give him until the end of the day Saturday, it is now Sunday. This is being moved and locked, anyone who wants to pick up this analysis can feel free to do so and will be provided this thread.
 

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