Project The Next Best Thing (New thread is newer)

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I winned.

I'm probably going to shut this thread down until the release of ORAS + tier shifts (which should happen with in the week) and I will reopen it a week or two after ORAS is out and implemented on the server.

I'm going to leave this open in the mean time so feel free to discuss past set winners found here. Or just let me know on IRC or in this thread if you want there to be one last stage of this before the end of XY.
 
boltsandbombers said:
I feel like dragalge is really one dimensional now that it has adaptability, you just slap a choice specs or LO on it and 4 attacks, it's pretty hard to stray away from that.
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I disagree, Dragalge isn't all about offense. With a good defensive typing and resistance to common attacking types such as Water, Fire, and Electric (not to mention access to Toxic Spikes), Dragalge also makes for a good Specially defensive wall or Assault Vest user. Although its main set in ORAS will no doubt be offensive Choice Specs, that doesn't mean that we can't theorymon other potential sets for Dragalge, especially since it has these other traits that make it nowhere near as one-dimensional as you're portraying it to be.
 
boltsandbombers said:
I feel like dragalge is really one dimensional now that it has adaptability, you just slap a choice specs or LO on it and 4 attacks, it's pretty hard to stray away from that.
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Idk the haze set is p cool, it has support moves, solid SpDef and typing. I feel like it has a good movepool to have some interesting sets outside of the predictable standard.
 
don't forget that adaptability doesn't boost its specially based moves only. it can run an interesting choice band set, it can implement options such as gunk shot into its supportive movesets (also, who doesn't like an adaptability-boosted dragon tail???), and it can also make use of its really interesting coverage, which includes really weird stuff such as shadow ball and thunderbolt. i mean, it's nothing special in comparison to the gods of versatility (a.k.a. mew, but if you want a ru example then there is meloetta), but it's not really the one dimensional pokemon some people make it out to be
 
Pearl. said:
don't forget that adaptability doesn't boost its specially based moves only. it can run an interesting choice band set, it can implement options such as gunk shot into its supportive movesets (also, who doesn't like an adaptability-boosted dragon tail???), and it can also make use of its really interesting coverage, which includes really weird stuff such as shadow ball and thunderbolt. i mean, it's nothing special in comparison to the gods of versatility (a.k.a. mew, but if you want a ru example then there is meloetta), but it's not really the one dimensional pokemon some people make it out to be
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To add on to this, everyone is just blinded by the shiny new toy of Adaptability Draco Meteor. There are plenty of other good sets that have been run besides the unique ones Pearl mentioned (CB Dragalge w0t?.?)
Toxic Spikes
Dragalge @ Black Sludge
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD or 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature / Calm Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Dragon Tail
- Scald

Draco Plate
Dragalge @ Draco Plate
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Sludge Bomb
- Focus Blast
- Haze
 
Thank you for all to showing to based boltsandbombers that King Alge is a threat that doesn't have to drop Dracos with Specs :3
 
Pearl. said:
don't forget that adaptability doesn't boost its specially based moves only. it can run an interesting choice band set, it can implement options such as gunk shot into its supportive movesets (also, who doesn't like an adaptability-boosted dragon tail???), and it can also make use of its really interesting coverage, which includes really weird stuff such as shadow ball and thunderbolt. i mean, it's nothing special in comparison to the gods of versatility (a.k.a. mew, but if you want a ru example then there is meloetta), but it's not really the one dimensional pokemon some people make it out to be
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Shadow Ball is an interesting/situational tool I've been playing around with on LO dragalge. It's Dragalge's best means of dealing damage to Doublade, which is an ever-present threat. Shadow Ball can also be used on a lure set with Expert Belt/Draco Plate/Assault Vest, where opposing Doublade tries to set up and SD, thinking you're locked into Sludge Bomb, at which point you 2HKO with shadow ball
 
migzoo said:
Shadow Ball is an interesting/situational tool I've been playing around with on LO dragalge. It's Dragalge's best means of dealing damage to Doublade, which is an ever-present threat. Shadow Ball can also be used on a lure set with Expert Belt/Draco Plate/Assault Vest, where opposing Doublade tries to set up and SD, thinking you're locked into Sludge Bomb, at which point you 2HKO with shadow ball
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migz I think you forgot something
252+ SpA Life Orb Adaptability Dragalge Draco Meteor vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Doublade: 194-229 (62.1 - 73.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Is like a 90% chance to 2HKO if rocks are up.
252+ SpA Life Orb Dragalge Hidden Power Fire vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Doublade: 179-213 (57.3 - 68.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Okay, I'm starting this back up rn.

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The first subject is Houndoom. Please only submit sets for Regular Houndoom, as it's mega evolution is almost undoubtedly leaving RU before this round ends.

You have ~3 days n_n
 
Not as good as the standard sets, but I think Pursuit Houndoom could have some use:

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse

Houndoom's typing and ability grants it two very useful immunities, Psychic and Fire. This means Houndoom can revenge kill two common choice users, Delphox (ok not so common with Houndoom running around), Meloetta and Moltres. While without investment Pursuit only does about 35.2 - 41.7% to Moltres, Meloetta takes a decent 75% - 88%. This leaves only enough for Meloetta to take two switch-ins of stealth rocks, none if its already taken damage. This can be helpful to support Pokemon that can't handle Specs or even Scarf Meloetta too well, like Doublade.
 
Houndoom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Destiny Bond

Houndoom's great speed tier makes it a decent anti-lead pokemon. Taunt can prevent opponent to set up hazards or recover hp. Wow cripples houndoom's common switch ins such as rhyperior. D.bond work perfectly with taunt allowing houndoom to net a KO. Unlike banette-m savior dog doesn't need a turn to move first thanks to its neutrally high speed and doesn't suck your mega slot.
 
I mean I guess you could call it physical set but.

Houndoom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flame Charge
- Reversal
- Sucker Punch
- Destiny Bond

It's really more of a reversal spam set. Set up Flane Charges so you outspeed it all. Once you're knocked down to sash, bring out a 200 BP reversal to lay waste to opposition. Sucker Punch stops weakened pokemon that have priority and for Ghost types tryna get cheeky. Destiny Bond isn't used all that much, but it's kinda like "None of my moves can kill and there's no priority" ie Aromatisse using Moonblast. Pretty cool suicide/Kamikaze set.
 
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Alright, time to go for this:

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 40 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
- Crunch

This is what I feel regular Houndoom should be running. Houndoom's main job is to be an offensive answer to Psychic-types in general. Sucker Punch and Pursuit combine to put most Psychics in a checkmate position, no matter what they decide to do. Fire Blast is still there for a strong STAB option to handle Gligar, Steels, and Grasses. Crunch is the best option in the last slot to allow Houndoom to threaten bulky Psychics that think they can get around Sucker Punch and Pursuit by setting up. As nothing else noteworthy sits at the base 95 Speed range, 40 EVs are taken out of Speed and moved to Special Attack to give Fire Blast a little extra pop to it. Here's what the Attack investment for Houndoom can do:

252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Meloetta: 330-390 (96.4 - 114%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock. (Pursuit does the same if Melo switches out)
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Delphox: 174-205 (59.7 - 70.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO. (that's without switching out. dead either way)
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Crunch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Moltres: 144-172 (44.8 - 53.5%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock (dead after rocks and LO)
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Slowking: 320-377 (81.4 - 95.9%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock.
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Reuniclus: 229-273 (54 - 64.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery. Hope it has Focus Blast.
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Crunch vs. 252 HP / 172+ Def Cresselia: 179-213 (40.3 - 47.9%) -- 6.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. (one Defense drop, and it's done)
40 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Gligar: 165-195 (49.5 - 58.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock. Still a clean 2HKO if you catch it on the switch.
40 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 96 SpD Amoonguss: 374-439 (86.5 - 101.6%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. (Still pretty safe)
40 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Bronzong: 226-268 (66.8 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery.
252 Atk Life Orb Houndoom Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Bronzong: 234-276 (69.2 - 81.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery.
40 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 190-226 (52.1 - 62%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. (Unfortunate, but...)
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 226-268 (62 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. (You can't OHKO with max SpA anyway)
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Dark Pulse vs. 104 HP / 156 SpD Alomomola: 216-255 (43.4 - 51.3%) -- 60.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. (Chances aren't in your favor to break this thing even with max SpA, so i don't think you're hurting too much)
 
Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot

Rather than attempt to sweep, this set attempts to break opposing Special walls such as Slowking and Aromatisse. With the amount of switches that Houndoom forces, it finds it easy to set up a Substitute, protecting it from status moves and some weaker attacks. This allows Houndoom to set up safely, as the opposing Pokemon is forced to waste a turn breaking the Substitute. At +2 and backed by a Life Orb, Houndoom is able to 2HKO every defensive Pokemon in RU, bar Carbink and Zweilous. This makes it an excellent Pokemon to partner with a cleaner such as Sharpedo, as once Houndoom has broken down these walls, Sharpedo can easily sweep what's left.
 
Thought I would just try out for this since it seems really cool, and here's my set (don't blame me if it is bad, as i said, just trying):

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Solar Beam

This set works really well against stall teams if played right and being able to set up sun. It deals a lot of damage to majority of the mons in RU, with certain exceptions being Druddigon and some others. It 2HKOs and OHKOs a lot of the walls in the tier with relative ease, once again, if sun is up. I do know that this set is relatively different, but it stallbreaks so well, and it can open up holes for a late game cleaner like a scarfer or a Mega Lopunny to just clean late game. Now, let's move on to some calcs against the respective walls in RU

Against Stall Mons
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Solar Beam vs. 104 HP / 156 SpD Alomomola: 432-510 (86.9 - 102.6%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Aromatisse in Sun: 343-406 (84.4 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Cresselia in Sun: 250-294 (56.3 - 66.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gastrodon: 712-842 (167.1 - 197.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Eviolite Golbat in Sun: 183-216 (51.8 - 61.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Dark Pulse vs. 248 HP / 172+ SpD Jellicent: 226-268 (56 - 66.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Solid Rock Rhyperior: 468-554 (107.8 - 127.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Dark Pulse vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Assault Vest Slowking: 187-221 (47.5 - 56.2%) -- 83.2% chance to 2HKO

Against Druddigon (thought I would include this to back up my point)
252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Druddigon in Sun: 121-143 (33.7 - 39.9%) -- 28.8% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

I know that was a lot of calcs right there, but I feel that it shows how this set can break down walls pretty well if set up right with the given opportunity. I know there was an analysis posted with this in XY, but that was for UU and with Houndoomnite. If this isn't accepted (I am pretty new to the general idea of this thread and am not sure how exactly it works), feel free to notify me and delete this post
 
Houndoom @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Pursuit

Choice Scarf Houndoom!!1! Outspeed Dugtrio trying to trap Houndoom and bop it, 100% revenge kill weakened Psychic-types, clean up late-game, outspeed slower scarfers trying to revenge kill Houndoom, and... I can't think of much else lol. Pursuit can just KO anything that's weakened enough I guess. It's weak to Stealth Rock and Mach Punch, which sucks but w/e. Give it Defog/Rapid Spin support and pair it with a wallbreaker or something. Poison Jab Hitmonlee can lure in Aromatisse for Houndoom and Houndoom wrecks Amoonguss and Weezing for Hitmonlee.
 
To be honest this is kinda weird since we don't have any official "standard" Houndoom sets in C&C so some of the sets might lend themselves to leaving the "Next" out of "The Next Best Thing" (not that it's necessarily wrong). Anyway, I'd like to present this set:

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Flame Charge

This is a modified version of UU's Mega Houndoom set with EonX's speed investment. It's basically a Double Dancing set using Flame Charge primarily to boost speed to open up sweeps versus offensive teams, while Nasty Plot punches holes in defensive ones. After a Flame Charge, it can outspeed every common Scarfer bar Delphox (who can't really touch Doom anyway), as well as the entire unboosted metagame. The only thing that can really beat him is priority, and admittedly, it beats this set pretty hard, so make sure they die before attempting a sweep. Also, That said, between Flame Charge and Nasty Plot, Houndoom can create opportunities to sweep both offensive and defensive teams alike.

Will edit calcs in later.
 
MicfiJasan said:
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dunno if it's worth it to run atk evs just for flame charge tbh i'd rather speed creep

also, here's my set:

houndoom.gif


Houndoom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD
- Taunt
- Counter
- Destiny Bond
- Offensive Move (could be Fire Blast, Dark Pulse, Reversal, whatever you want)

bitch houndoom, taunt some mons, counter whatever tries to attack you if it does physical damage and destiny bond once you're done. offensive move means that you can actually finish shit on your own. desperately requires hazard removal cause of sash. use it to lure stuff that stops your main mons from cleaning up. ridiculously gimmicky, but i wasn't able to come up with anything else so yeah
 
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