The Inverse Battle ǝɯɐƃɐʇǝɯ

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Been playing this meta for a bit now and I have to say scarf Nidoking is a beast. Both poison and ground are fantastic STABs in this meta, and Nido has access to a load of coverage moves to top it off. It can also absorb/set tspikes, which makes it a nice choice for fighting stall teams.
 
After considering it for a while, watching battles, etc., I've added bans to Xerneas and Mewtwo. More bans might follow.
Arceus is unreleased, but it will remain banned in a month when we unban unreleased... It's redundant now, but will avoid possible mistakes when unbanning unreleased mons.
What about Yveltal? I keep seeing people say Yveltal is a legendary that's not as good as the others, but it's quite decent nonetheless. It has a 680BST that's higher than all the other pokemon allowed in Inverse, and it has a very nice 126hp, 131 attacking stats, and decent 99 speed. Yveltal also has a strong sucker punch priority boosted by STAB and dark aura resisted only by Ghost and Psychic. Furthermore, Dark+Flying gives it nearly perfect neutral coverage. Yveltal's really only big common weakness is a weakness to grass.
 

jas61292

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What about Yveltal? I keep seeing people say Yveltal is a legendary that's not as good as the others, but it's quite decent nonetheless. It has a 680BST that's higher than all the other pokemon allowed in Inverse, and it has a very nice 126hp, 131 attacking stats, and decent 99 speed. Yveltal also has a strong sucker punch priority boosted by STAB and dark aura resisted only by Ghost and Psychic. Furthermore, Dark+Flying gives it nearly perfect neutral coverage. Yveltal's really only big common weakness is a weakness to grass.
Yveltal is really good, sure, but honestly, I don't think it is one of the top Pokemon in the tier right now. Its significantly easier to play around than many of normal types out there. Weakness to ground hurts a lot, and frankly, its power is only "good" by the standards of this tier. With that said, Yveltal is a still very good Pokemon. I use it mixed offensively, and it can blast though a ton of stuff with special moves while having Sucker Punch to beat other prio users (who are everywhere). Not broken, imo, but definitely a top threat.

As for other top threats, I'm a big fan of Mega Pinsir right now. Bug/Fying is a very interesting type in this meta. A ton of great resists, but a ton of awful weaknesses. However, with the (double) Rock resist, it is easy to come in and out, and flying priority with Areialate Quick Attack is awesome to have. Bug is also a really awesome attacking type to have with some of the best super effective coverage in the game. Maybe not the top Pokemon in the game, but one of my favorite megas in the tier for sure.
 

Joim

Pixels matter
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It's not all about the stats, as we all know. Typing and abilities are very important in all metas. In an inverse metagame, most legendaries have a typing thought to be very good in the normal game which then becomes very bad in inverse.
 
It's not all about the stats, as we all know. Typing and abilities are very important in all metas. In an inverse metagame, most legendaries have a typing thought to be very good in the normal game which then becomes very bad in inverse.
I think I addressed that. Dark/Flying is decent defensively in inverse, really only fearing Ground and Grass. Offensively, Flying and Dark has really good coverage as well.
 
Similar to jas's post about Staraptor, Swellow is actually really good in Inverse. With disgustingly high Speed, decent Attack propelled to huge levels by Guts, Normal and Flying STABs (two of the best offensive types in this metagame), a ridiculously powerful 140 Base Power STAB with no drawbacks, a Stealth Rock resistance, STAB Normal-type priority, U-turn to get the hell out of dodge when necessary, and an immunity to paralysis once its Status Orb has been activated, you really can't go wrong with him. Drawbacks include its major frailty and the passive damage from Toxic/burn, but in comparison to all of the things working in Swellow's favor, this is practically unnoticeable! Obviously you're competing with Staraptor, but one of the hugest downsides of Swellow, its lack of Fighting-type coverage, is pretty much irrelevant in a tier where its main STAB is completely unresisted. The other good thing about Swellow over Staraptor is that it doesn't have to run a Choice item to deal major damage/outspeed everything. Overall, I highly recommend Swellow as a powerful and fast physical attacker!
 

jas61292

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As long as we are on the topic of normal type physical attackers, I just want to take a moment to sing the praises of Diggersby. Now I know I have seen a lot of people using stuff like CB or Agility Diggersby, and those are all decent sets, but nothing has been quite as impressive to me as this little gem:

Diggersby @ Chesto Berry
Huge Power
252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant
- Bulk Up
- Rest
- Return
- Quick Attack

Being a Normal-type, coverage is irrelevant, so that allows Diggersby to go with one power attack and one priority attack and be set on offense. The key here though is that it can set up numerous bulk ups to make it not only obscenely powerful, but hard to stop with opposing priority. It can set up on almost any wall, Resting when they think they have you cornered, and proceed to go on an absolute rampage. Once set up, it can get a surprising amount of full sweeps. This set is also very notable for being one of the only physical attackers in the game that not only can take on Avalugg, but loves facing it, as it is an opportunity for a free set up (baring the rare Roar Avalugg). Now obviously a lot of the charm of this set is the ability to set up on unsuspecting foes only to rest once they think you have been too greedy, and the more well known it is the less likely it is to work well. But this has worked so well I couldn't help but want to share it. Besides even without setup, Diggersby hits hard enough to merit a place on teams, so people can never be too comfortable when facing it and can't afford to just assume it is any one set.
 

Ash Borer

I've heard they're short of room in hell
pretty much every over hyped normal attacker is made moot by avalugg, for real, none of them have any chance of muscling past it.
 

Age of Kings

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Theorymoning here, I have not had the opportunity to make a theme yet but I'm really glad there's a ladder for this interesting battle style.

It may be gimmick, but Ion Deluge could see a use in this tier on Lanturn, Zebstrika, and Electivire. Ion Deluge converts all of that free running Normal STAB into useful effects for all of those Pokemon; I'm not sure if it's priority, so it may not be incredibly helpful for Lanturn.
 

jas61292

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pretty much every over hyped normal attacker is made moot by avalugg, for real, none of them have any chance of muscling past it.
Avalugg is good, but this is an overstatement. As I already said, BU Diggersby absolutely loves most Avalugg, as, baring roar, it can set up to +4,5 or 6 on it and proceed to do like 80% in one hit. Curse Snorlax is very similar in that regard. Not quite as strong, but can set up all over it. And, lets not forget anything with a special attack can break it pretty easily.

However, with that said, Avalugg is still wonderful. The more direct attackers are completely walled, and it is by far the best physical wall in the tier. Just don't want to go overboard with it. Its not invincible or anything.
 

Pikachuun

the entire waruda machine
As I already said, BU Diggersby absolutely loves most Avalugg, as, baring roar, it can set up to +4,5 or 6 on it and proceed to do like 80% in one hit.
Succesfully defeated Bulk Up Diggersby with Curse Gyro Ball Avalugg. Took 30% from diggersby's return; dealt over half with gyro ball.
 
Why is Ho-oh banned? I can see that SR doesn't stop him anymore but he's 4x weak to Grass and Bug both of which ressist both of it's STABs, it's weak to Fighting and neutral to Normal and Ground, it's only ressistant to rock, electric and water and doesn't even beat many common users of those moves 1v1 such as Galvantula, I can't see why he's banned when almost all other Ubers are ok
 

EV

Banned deucer.

From my last battle, I got the feeling Amoonguss is pretty good and it pulled its weight considerably. It has Grass and Poison STAB, which go great together, Regenerator, Spore, what more could you ask for?

Grass is great against Flying, Steel, Bug, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Dragon while Poison is great against Steel, Poison, Ground, Rock, and Ghost. It hits Diggersby, Scizor, Noivern, Yveltal, Staraptor, and more pretty hard even uninvested. It's only weak to Fighting, Grass (x4), Electric, and Water. I put Payback on mine for incoming Fighting-types.


I also think Protean Greninja is good, too. Return, U-turn, and Ice Beam all get STAB thanks for Protean and they're all solid moves in this metagame letting it hit anything and everything with Return, U-turning away, and Ice Beaming Avalugg if needed. Plus, Protean plays some nice mind games with opponents with Greninja's fast Speed because all of the sudden it's a different type and that move your opponent used to hit Water/Dark is resisted! For example, if you stay in on a Fire-type and use Ice Beam, you hit them super effectively and their Fire-attack is now resisted.


Lastly, Gengar is pretty slick as well. Ghost and Poison are awesome STABs. Shadow Ball hits all Normals really hard and you outspeed all of them bar Ambipom and Swellow I think. Sludge Bomb is just good all around. Psychic can help hit Psychics that resist Shadow Ball and Explosion is just kinda whatev if you want it. Besides, it still has DBond, Sub, and Disable and Levitate means you're still immune to Ground. It also hurts Yveltal badly with Shadow Ball while resisting Dark.
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
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They cover a total of 10 types.

Galvantla's Bug Buzz / Thunder combo covers 11 types (is this a thing yet?)
 
It's not all about the stats, as we all know. Typing and abilities are very important in all metas. In an inverse metagame, most legendaries have a typing thought to be very good in the normal game which then becomes very bad in inverse.
If anything Yveltal gets better in inverse. Dark/Flying gets very good coverage, while Dark Aura allows it to get ridiculous power for its dark-type moves on both offensive and defensive sets. Oblivion wing gives him ridiculous longetivity, and adding to that he no longer takes a nice 25% chunk when he switches in thanks to his resistance to SR and that he keeps his immunity to spikes (I don't think the flying-type spike/tspike/sticky web immunity is implemented in PS but from what I've heard flying types keep the spike immunity in-game.). Yveltal as it is only really has a grass weakness slightly holding him back, but even with that he's pretty much mandatory for any team to have since he can operate for both stall teams and offensive teams alike, the offensive version really only having 1 counter in Chansey.

Yveltal in my opinion is ruining the metagame and should just be banned.

EDIT: While I'm unsure if it should be banned Diggersby is also worth a look at.
 
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Cradily works surprisingly well in Inverse Battles, here's what I use:

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
- Energy Ball

Because of instant recovery, Stealth Rock, a great defensive typing, and a decent defensive ability in Storm Drain, Cradily works surprisingly well! With great mixed bulk, it can switch against threats such as Breloom and Greninja without fear! Some wall breakers such as Garchomp often find themselves being unable to do their job. Toxic is really important in this set, it's generally more reliable than Energy Ball against threats it's walling against, Stealth Rock allows it to support its team extremely reliably! It's worth noting that most Defog users and Rapid Spinners are weak to grass or fear Spa's *Cough* Avalugg, *Cough*, so Cradily has a really easy time throwing rocks and keeping it there. Recover allows Cradily to stay in the game for a long time provided you use the impenetrable plant wisely.
 
Cradily only has two weaknesses, but I'm not sure if it's a "great" defensive typing when it has a weakness to normal. Stealth rock also isn't that useful considering how fighting types and that kind aren't as common.

Here's just a quick calc I did using my own Swellow. A weakness to normal is a huge liability.
252 Atk Guts Swellow Facade (140) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Cradily: 378-446 (100.5 - 118.6%)
 
Cradily works surprisingly well in Inverse Battles, here's what I use:

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
- Energy Ball

Because of instant recovery, Stealth Rock, a great defensive typing, and a decent defensive ability in Storm Drain, Cradily works surprisingly well! With great mixed bulk, it can switch against threats such as Breloom and Greninja without fear! Some wall breakers such as Garchomp often find themselves being unable to do their job. Toxic is really important in this set, it's generally more reliable than Energy Ball against threats it's walling against, Stealth Rock allows it to support its team extremely reliably! It's worth noting that most Defog users and Rapid Spinners are weak to grass or fear Spa's *Cough* Avalugg, *Cough*, so Cradily has a really easy time throwing rocks and keeping it there. Recover allows Cradily to stay in the game for a long time provided you use the impenetrable plant wisely.
While Cradily has a niche, I think he's mostly outclassed as a mixed wall by Gogoat, who while being weak to water, boasts an immunity to grass thanks to sap sipper and a neutrality to normal. The lack of stealth rock isn't concerning seeing as you're really only hitting Diggersby for much damage and Gogoat gets access to leech seed which it can perfectly abuse seeing as Sap Sipper allows it to crush grass types. He also gets an instant recovery move like Cradily, meaning that the only sacrifice you really have to make is Stealth Rock.
 
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What I like about Cradily is that it's not weak to ground unlike other grass types, because of this, it can wall more threats such as scarf Nidoking and Tyranitar. Additionally, Gogoat's form of recovery is not as reliable as Cradily's, i'd say Cradily is better for dedicated stall teams overall. Cradily's weakness to normal is not good, for this reason, Avalugg support or whatnot really helps, Cradily should be used as an all purpose wall, its usefulness derives from its reliability as a mixed wall.

EDIT: Mewtwo-X/Y are all of a sudden allowed in inverse battles!?
EDIT2: Forgot Gogoat got Milk Drink.
 
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