'Kay, I really wanted to do Togekiss, and Setsuna locked the other Togekiss thread and gave me the "go". Thank you!
Status: Done
QC Approvals: (3/3) (Thanks, PK Gaming!) And Bloo and Iconic.
GP Approvals: (2/2) (NatGeo) (wekhter :D)
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Togekiss
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Togekiss is a prime example of traditionalism. While the fifth generation brought about many new competitors and toys to play with, Togekiss remains unchanged. Last generation it maintained a unique niche in the OU tier by taking on various effective roles. Without specific super-effective STAB attacks, Togekiss was and always will be deceptively hard to take down. Togekiss's infamous STAB Air Slash is also surprisingly effective in OU, where it has generally good coverage, with the only common type resisting it being the Steel-type. Furthermore, Togekiss's offensive power is augmented by Nasty Plot, in which Togekiss can become an extremely efficient sweeper and stallbreaker. With remarkable defenses (especially its Special Defense), decent typing, an exceptional ability in Serene Grace, and fantastic Special Attack, Togekiss is still a very real offensive and defensive threat.</p>
<p>However, Togekiss does have some rather agitating disadvantages to consider as well. Due to its Flying-typing, Togekiss loses 25% of its health when it switches into Stealth Rock, lessening its natural bulk. Moreover, a low base Speed stat of 80 barely grants Togekiss any favors in a metagame infested with speedier threats. Given the large amount of faster competitors, Togekiss will require some support to defeat them, mainly paralysis support, which actually helps Togekiss dramatically in more ways than one. It will often be worn down by Stealth Rock, status, and faster attackers such as Thundurus, limiting its presence on the battlefield. With minimal support, however, Togekiss will certainly make a huge, albeit annoying, impact in the metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Paralysis Abuse
move 1: Body Slam / Thunder Wave
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Flamethrower / Aura Sphere / Nasty Plot
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Togekiss, being one of last generation's original "parahax" abusers, can take advantage of its excellent support options, good bulk, and marvelous ability, Serene Grace, to incapacitate the opposing team. With an instant recovery move and significant investment in both HP and Special Defense, Togekiss can brush off many special attacks with ease while providing helpful support by easily inducing paralysis. However, this is not Togekiss's main draw; the combination of Air Slash and Serene Grace allows Togekiss to fence off many foes, posing a decent offensive presence. With Air Slash's increased 60% flinch rate paired with paralysis, the opposing Pokemon is left with just a 30% chance of successfully moving. Togekiss can choose between flinching an opponent to death, or whittling it down to KO range for another teammate. The latter strategy also allows Togekiss to conserve Air Slash PP as well, in case of an emergency.</p>
<p>Togekiss's main function here is to paralyze as many opponents as possible, meaning that either Thunder Wave or Body Slam is the crux of this set. Air Slash is also a main move, allowing Togekiss to continually batter paralyzed threats with ease. In the third slot, Flamethrower is the primary option to provide a good buffer against some Steel-types, especially Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Jirachi. Aura Sphere is another good option to complete Togekiss's coverage, hitting Rock- and Steel-types for super effective damage. Aura Sphere also hits Tyranitar effectively, an inevitably significant threat to go up against. Nasty Plot is an odd, yet viable option, allowing Togekiss to boost its Special Attack to more than usable levels while taking advantage of its access to paralysis. Keep in mind that Togekiss's primary purpose is to paralyze its opponents, and a Nasty Plot sweep should only be attempted when its counters have been crippled or eliminated, since Togekiss relies on only one move in this case. Finally, the last slot is given to Roost for reliable recovery. Roost's side effect also allows Togekiss to set up in front of originally super effective attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The choice of the paralysis-inducing move is up to the user. Unlike other support Pokemon such as Latias and Celebi, Togekiss has the liberty of effectively utilizing Body Slam, courtesy of Serene Grace. This move allows Togekiss a high change of paralyzing a different variety of foes. Thanks to Togekiss's bulk, it has more than enough time to abuse Body Slam, which has a constant 60% chance to paralyze the opponent. Thunder Wave is a perfectly acceptable alternative if one personally finds Body Slam unreliable. If one chooses Thunder Wave, Togekiss gains the benefit of a perfectly accurate paralysis move and the ability to cripple Ghost-types as well. Keep in mind that if Thunder Wave is chosen, Togekiss misses out on paralyzing certain foes, particularly Ground-types and Pokemon with Volt Absorb.</p>
<p>Maximum HP and Special Defense investment, along with a Calm Nature, are chosen to maximize Togekiss's bulk on the special side. With this spread, standard Life Orb Starmie can only manage 39.6% - 47.1% with Ice Beam or Thunderbolt to Togekiss, while similar attacks are just as easily sponged off with Roost. No Speed investment is actually necessary due to Togekiss's paralysis-inducing move, and because Body Slam is being used only for paralysis, there is no need to be concerned about Attack either. Alternatively, a spread of 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD with a Bold nature is acceptable if Togekiss desires more physical bulk. With this spread, Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch will never 2HKO Togekiss after Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Because Togekiss provides good support in paralysis, Pokemon that previously had issues concerning Speed make fine teammates, particularly Choice Band or Specs users like Haxorus, Dragonite, Bouffalant, Chandelure, and Kingdra, all of whom can easily annihilate most of the opposing team with wallbreaking attacks while not having to worry about being revenge killed thanks to the paralysis provided. Jirachi also stands out as a fantastic teammate, who also provides paralysis support, with the added benefit of Serene Grace Iron Head to flinch the opponent. Defensively speaking, Jirachi can easily switch into the Ice- and Rock-type attacks aimed at Togekiss, while Togekiss is immune to the Ground-type attacks constantly thrown at Jirachi. Ferrothorn handily sets up entry hazards while sponging Togekiss's Electric- and Rock-type weaknesses. Teammates that can somehow keep Stealth Rock out of the field, including Rapid Spin Starmie or Excadrill and Magic Bounce Espeon, are rather appreciated as well, to further preserve Togekiss's health.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Aura Sphere / Heal Bell
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 252 HP / 36 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Togekiss sports the great bulk, Special Attack, and access to a good recovery move necessary to become a deceptively dangerous sweeper and stallbreaker. After a Nasty Plot boost, sufficiently weakened or crippled teams will be hard-pressed to fight back, especially when Togekiss can also vex many opponents with Air Slash's high flinch chance. With this in mind, a boosted Air Slash may even 2HKO or 3HKO those who resist it, giving Togekiss ample time to recover with its good bulk, Leftovers, and Roost. Notably, Togekiss's typing also allows it to survive many super effective attacks by setting up on them with Roost.</p>
<p>In the third slot, Togekiss can choose between coverage or a healing option. Aura Sphere is mainly reserved for Tyranitar, whose popularity and ability to threaten with Stone Edge makes it the primary option. Specifically, Aura Sphere also completes Togekiss's coverage with Air Slash, with the combination of the two moves being only resisted by Zapdos and Thundurus. With Heal Bell, Togekiss is able to set up in front of defensively-oriented opponents, particularly important OU status users like Blissey, Chansey, Jellicent, and Ferrothorn. This allows Togekiss to potentially defeat most stall teams single-handedly and support the team by healing off its teammates' statuses, granting Togekiss marvelous offensive and supportive team traits.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum HP is invested in Togekiss to increase its already high HP stat and boost its general bulk. With at least 192 HP EVs, Togekiss can set up in front of common Pokemon and attacks, especially Ice Beam from most bulky Water-types. 220 Speed EVs, along with a neutral nature, allow Togekiss to outspeed Modest Heatran, with the leftover EVs put into Special Attack. However, this is not completely necessary. If so desired, a maximum HP and Speed investment with the player's choice of a Timid or Modest nature allows Togekiss to outrun a wider variety of opponents. The lack of investment in Special Attack doesn't actually harm Togekiss either, as 36 Special Attack EVs only actually give a negligible six Special Attack points, and Togekiss can easily fix up its stat with Nasty Plot. The Speed investment can also be lowered to further increase Togekiss's Special Attack, provided its faster checks and counters have been eliminated or paralyzed.</p>
<p>Although Togekiss invests significantly in Speed, there is unfortunately a large number of Pokemon that can revenge kill it due to its base 80 Speed. Togekiss must beware of Electric-type foes, who can 2HKO Togekiss easily with STAB attacks. Another dangerous factor to be wary of is residual damage from Stealth Rock, Toxic poison, burn, sandstorm, and hail. Also, if Togekiss completely forgoes Aura Sphere for Heal Bell, it will have to find an alternate way to dispose of Rock-, Electric-, and Steel-type Pokemon. Particularly, Togekiss's worst enemies are Zapdos and Thundurus, both of whom resist the combination of Aura Sphere and Air Slash, and can cause problems with STAB Electric-type attacks or paralysis.</p>
<p>One of Togekiss's greatest assets in the Nasty Plot set is the ability to take advantage of slower foes, flinching them to death with a boosted Air Slash. Paralysis support is extremely recommended so Togekiss can bypass faster opponents and use a "parahax" strategy of its own. Again, Serene Grace Air Slash, factored with paralysis support, leaves the opponent only able to move successfully 30% of the time; therefore, as Togekiss isn't very fast on its own, paralysis support from the likes of Dragonite, Jirachi, Thundurus, and other utility Pokemon helps dramatically. As usual, a way to keep Stealth Rock off the field is recommended to preserve Togekiss's health. Excadrill is the best Rapid Spin user in this case, as it nicely compliments Togekiss defensively, and may check the Electric-types Togekiss constantly worries about. Certain Dragon- and Ground-type Pokemon, such as Latias, Latios, Haxorus, Gliscor, and Landorus, are able to counter Electric-types in ways of their own, but all must beware of the common Hidden Power Ice. In any case, eliminating Electric-types in general is an absolute priority. If Togekiss isn't using Heal Bell, it is susceptible to status, so a Guts abuser like Heracross or Conkeldurr does well to absorb burn and Toxic status.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Aura Sphere / Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 192 HP / 80 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Togekiss, when using Nasty Plot, is utilized primarily defensively, this set allows Togekiss to more specifically exploit its fantastic Special Attack stat. It may seem like a waste to squander Togekiss's good natural bulk, however, with the provided options, Togekiss is still able to withstand many attacks, while being able to pack more of a punch than similar offensive sets. Once Togekiss acquires a Nasty Plot boost, it is able to 2HKO every Pokemon in OU. Even Blissey and Chansey, the two premier special walls of OU, can be shut down by the appropriate combination of Air Slash and Aura Sphere.</p>
<p>Nasty Plot boosts Togekiss's already high Special Attack to very threatening numbers after one turn of set up. Air Slash, as always, is a given on this set due to reliable STAB and a consistent 60% flinch rate, courtesy of Serene Grace. Against paralyzed or slower opponents, Air Slash's flinch rate also allows Togekiss to secure lost KOs. Fire Blast is used to cover the foes that resist Air Slash, specifically Jirachi, Bronzong, and some Electric-types. After one Nasty Plot boost with Life Orb, Fire Blast OHKOes many of Togekiss's usual counters, dealing upwards of 80% to standard physically defensive Zapdos. Any Pokemon frailer than this Zapdos, especially Thundurus and some Rotom formes, are inevitably OHKOed.</p>
<p>In the final slot, Aura Sphere is the main option to pick off Tyranitar and Heatran, both of whom otherwise wall Togekiss and are very significant threats. Roost can alternatively be used as a means of healing off damage caused by Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread and nature are highly specialized for this kind of set. With Life Orb and Stealth Rock support, only 80 Special Attack EVs are required to specifically OHKO 252 HP Zapdos and Gliscor with the right attack. 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature are required to outrun neutral base 90 Pokemon such as Roserade and Lucario. The remaining EVs are placed in HP to increase Togekiss's general bulk, giving the user a fairly robust, offensive attacker. Some HP EVs can be relocated to Special Attack in order to grant Togekiss more immediate power without a Nasty Plot boost.</p>
<p>Stealth Rock support is basically a necessity to complement this type of Togekiss. Without Stealth Rock on the opponent's side of the field, Togekiss would otherwise miss out on some key KOs, such as on 252 HP Zapdos. To keep up offensive momentum, an offensive user of Stealth Rock like Infernape, Ferrothorn, or Azelf does a great job of swiftly setting up and attacking. Defensively, Metagross can also set up Stealth Rock easily while maintaining an offensive presence of its own. Because Togekiss will take residual damage from its Life Orb, Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce support is highly recommended to keep Togekiss as healthy as possible from Stealth Rock damage. Like the defensive Nasty Plot set, Togekiss will generally have trouble bypassing Electric-type Pokemon, making some Ground- and Dragon-type Pokemon optimal teammates. Finally, paralysis support, as always, is a massively helpful option to consider when using the not-so-fast Togekiss. As an added bonus, when Togekiss uses Air Slash on a paralyzed foe, it only has a 30% chance of successfully moving, giving Togekiss time to Roost or attack further.</p>
[OTHER OPTIONS]
<p>While Togekiss's most viable options have been listed, it still has a good number of tricks up its wing. A set consisting of Baton Pass, Nasty Plot, and two main options can be used to aid another special attacker in its sweep. Taking Togekiss's good bulk and ability to abuse the boost into account, it is often not hard to Baton Pass Nasty Plot boosts. In this department, Togekiss has some competition, mainly in Baton Pass Gorebyss. Another notable support option is Encore, which forces slower opponents, like Reuniclus and Ferrothorn, to struggle while Togekiss sets up. Without paralysis support though, Togekiss finds itself rarely using Encore effectively. Togekiss also has access to Light Screen and Reflect, which are decent alternatives on a paralysis set. To differentiate itself from other dual screen users, such as Bronzong or Mew, Togekiss has a niche in its Normal / Flying typing, though its Stealth Rock weakness is rather unfortunate.</p>
<p>Togekiss can entirely forgo setting up for all-out offensive sets. Choice Scarf is usually a constructive way of fixing up its Speed, and, in reminiscence of Choice Scarf Jirachi, can weaken its foes by continually flinching them with Air Slash. Choice Specs may also be used to frighten slower opponents and put "oomph" into an already potent Air Slash without prior set up. Paralysis support is urgently needed to actually flinch a wider range of foes, though. Additionally, a set with three attacks, Roost, and significant Special Attack investment allows Togekiss to surprise and eliminate its normal counters. Finally, Togekiss can use an entirely unusual mixed Work Up and Hustle set (with ExtremeSpeed) to completely surprise the opponent. The main reasons why these sets aren't too practical are because of Togekiss's Stealth Rock weakness and its average Speed. While Togekiss is still naturally bulky and hard-hitting, it can find itself being defeated faster than usually should without significant defensive investment.</p>
<p>As for other offensive options, Togekiss has just a few. Grass Knot can more easily eliminate Ground- and Water-types without relying on flinch chances. In Drizzle conditions, Water Pulse is reasonable for its power boost in Rain and increased 60% chance of confusing the foe after Serene Grace, which functions rather beautifully with accompanying paralysis. Togekiss may also run a Hidden Power to swiftly defeat certain foes, preferably Dragon-types. In this case, Hidden Power Ice is usually the best choice for all-around coverage. Ominous Wind, Ancient Power, and Silver Wind are nice novelty options to boost all stats; however, their effects, despite being doubled by Serene Grace, still have a low 20% chance of occurring. As a word of note, Air Slash, Aura Sphere, and Fire Blast all already provide perfect coverage, and with Nasty Plot, Togekiss can usually bypass many Pokemon using Air Slash. Therefore, one may expect to find some coverage options redundant.</p>
[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]
<p>Due to Togekiss's relatively average Speed and easily exploitable weaknesses, it is only moderately difficult to counter it. However, all checks and counters should be very aware of the threat of paralysis or a powerful attack waiting in the wings. With a resistance to Air Slash and neutrality to Aura Sphere, Electric-type Pokemon such as Jolteon, Raikou, and some Rotom appliances are generally the best checks and counters. In particular, Zapdos and Thundurus resist the combination of Air Slash and Aura Sphere and make short work of Togekiss with STAB Electric-type attacks, among other things. Jirachi, with its superior Speed and the ability to set up multiple Calm Minds or paralyze Togekiss, is also a moderately solid counter if Togekiss lacks a Fire-type move to hit it super effectively. Bronzong, sharing the same typing with Jirachi, sponges Togekiss's Aura Sphere fairly well and retaliates with Gyro Ball, while not minding paralysis or Air Slash much.</p>
<p>One of Togekiss's biggest hindrances is its Stealth Rock weakness, which instantly strips 25% off of Togekiss's health upon entering the battlefield. Any status also cripples any variant of Togekiss in some way. When paralyzed, Togekiss is more susceptible to revenge killing, even in front of other paralyzed foes, while being burned or badly poisoned means Togekiss's life span has been given an expiration date. Without paralysis support, there are many possibilities of revenge killing Togekiss as well. If having successfully avoided paralysis, Landorus, Terrakion, Mienshao, and others can take Togekiss out with a powerful super effective move.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>Super Luck increases the critical hit rate of all attacking moves. While Super Luck fits in with Togekiss's "lucky" nature, compared to Togekiss's signature Serene Grace (a major reason to use Togekiss in the first place), it is very much inferior. With Super Luck, the chance to score a critical hit is lower than the chance to score a flinch with Air Slash and Serene Grace. With this in mind, two Air Slashes with Serene Grace does about the same damage as one with a critical hit. Overall, Togekiss simply has to use Serene Grace to better fulfill its duties.</p>
Status: Done
QC Approvals: (3/3) (Thanks, PK Gaming!) And Bloo and Iconic.
GP Approvals: (2/2) (NatGeo) (wekhter :D)
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Togekiss
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Togekiss is a prime example of traditionalism. While the fifth generation brought about many new competitors and toys to play with, Togekiss remains unchanged. Last generation it maintained a unique niche in the OU tier by taking on various effective roles. Without specific super-effective STAB attacks, Togekiss was and always will be deceptively hard to take down. Togekiss's infamous STAB Air Slash is also surprisingly effective in OU, where it has generally good coverage, with the only common type resisting it being the Steel-type. Furthermore, Togekiss's offensive power is augmented by Nasty Plot, in which Togekiss can become an extremely efficient sweeper and stallbreaker. With remarkable defenses (especially its Special Defense), decent typing, an exceptional ability in Serene Grace, and fantastic Special Attack, Togekiss is still a very real offensive and defensive threat.</p>
<p>However, Togekiss does have some rather agitating disadvantages to consider as well. Due to its Flying-typing, Togekiss loses 25% of its health when it switches into Stealth Rock, lessening its natural bulk. Moreover, a low base Speed stat of 80 barely grants Togekiss any favors in a metagame infested with speedier threats. Given the large amount of faster competitors, Togekiss will require some support to defeat them, mainly paralysis support, which actually helps Togekiss dramatically in more ways than one. It will often be worn down by Stealth Rock, status, and faster attackers such as Thundurus, limiting its presence on the battlefield. With minimal support, however, Togekiss will certainly make a huge, albeit annoying, impact in the metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Paralysis Abuse
move 1: Body Slam / Thunder Wave
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Flamethrower / Aura Sphere / Nasty Plot
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Togekiss, being one of last generation's original "parahax" abusers, can take advantage of its excellent support options, good bulk, and marvelous ability, Serene Grace, to incapacitate the opposing team. With an instant recovery move and significant investment in both HP and Special Defense, Togekiss can brush off many special attacks with ease while providing helpful support by easily inducing paralysis. However, this is not Togekiss's main draw; the combination of Air Slash and Serene Grace allows Togekiss to fence off many foes, posing a decent offensive presence. With Air Slash's increased 60% flinch rate paired with paralysis, the opposing Pokemon is left with just a 30% chance of successfully moving. Togekiss can choose between flinching an opponent to death, or whittling it down to KO range for another teammate. The latter strategy also allows Togekiss to conserve Air Slash PP as well, in case of an emergency.</p>
<p>Togekiss's main function here is to paralyze as many opponents as possible, meaning that either Thunder Wave or Body Slam is the crux of this set. Air Slash is also a main move, allowing Togekiss to continually batter paralyzed threats with ease. In the third slot, Flamethrower is the primary option to provide a good buffer against some Steel-types, especially Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Jirachi. Aura Sphere is another good option to complete Togekiss's coverage, hitting Rock- and Steel-types for super effective damage. Aura Sphere also hits Tyranitar effectively, an inevitably significant threat to go up against. Nasty Plot is an odd, yet viable option, allowing Togekiss to boost its Special Attack to more than usable levels while taking advantage of its access to paralysis. Keep in mind that Togekiss's primary purpose is to paralyze its opponents, and a Nasty Plot sweep should only be attempted when its counters have been crippled or eliminated, since Togekiss relies on only one move in this case. Finally, the last slot is given to Roost for reliable recovery. Roost's side effect also allows Togekiss to set up in front of originally super effective attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The choice of the paralysis-inducing move is up to the user. Unlike other support Pokemon such as Latias and Celebi, Togekiss has the liberty of effectively utilizing Body Slam, courtesy of Serene Grace. This move allows Togekiss a high change of paralyzing a different variety of foes. Thanks to Togekiss's bulk, it has more than enough time to abuse Body Slam, which has a constant 60% chance to paralyze the opponent. Thunder Wave is a perfectly acceptable alternative if one personally finds Body Slam unreliable. If one chooses Thunder Wave, Togekiss gains the benefit of a perfectly accurate paralysis move and the ability to cripple Ghost-types as well. Keep in mind that if Thunder Wave is chosen, Togekiss misses out on paralyzing certain foes, particularly Ground-types and Pokemon with Volt Absorb.</p>
<p>Maximum HP and Special Defense investment, along with a Calm Nature, are chosen to maximize Togekiss's bulk on the special side. With this spread, standard Life Orb Starmie can only manage 39.6% - 47.1% with Ice Beam or Thunderbolt to Togekiss, while similar attacks are just as easily sponged off with Roost. No Speed investment is actually necessary due to Togekiss's paralysis-inducing move, and because Body Slam is being used only for paralysis, there is no need to be concerned about Attack either. Alternatively, a spread of 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD with a Bold nature is acceptable if Togekiss desires more physical bulk. With this spread, Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch will never 2HKO Togekiss after Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Because Togekiss provides good support in paralysis, Pokemon that previously had issues concerning Speed make fine teammates, particularly Choice Band or Specs users like Haxorus, Dragonite, Bouffalant, Chandelure, and Kingdra, all of whom can easily annihilate most of the opposing team with wallbreaking attacks while not having to worry about being revenge killed thanks to the paralysis provided. Jirachi also stands out as a fantastic teammate, who also provides paralysis support, with the added benefit of Serene Grace Iron Head to flinch the opponent. Defensively speaking, Jirachi can easily switch into the Ice- and Rock-type attacks aimed at Togekiss, while Togekiss is immune to the Ground-type attacks constantly thrown at Jirachi. Ferrothorn handily sets up entry hazards while sponging Togekiss's Electric- and Rock-type weaknesses. Teammates that can somehow keep Stealth Rock out of the field, including Rapid Spin Starmie or Excadrill and Magic Bounce Espeon, are rather appreciated as well, to further preserve Togekiss's health.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Aura Sphere / Heal Bell
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
nature: Modest
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 252 HP / 36 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Togekiss sports the great bulk, Special Attack, and access to a good recovery move necessary to become a deceptively dangerous sweeper and stallbreaker. After a Nasty Plot boost, sufficiently weakened or crippled teams will be hard-pressed to fight back, especially when Togekiss can also vex many opponents with Air Slash's high flinch chance. With this in mind, a boosted Air Slash may even 2HKO or 3HKO those who resist it, giving Togekiss ample time to recover with its good bulk, Leftovers, and Roost. Notably, Togekiss's typing also allows it to survive many super effective attacks by setting up on them with Roost.</p>
<p>In the third slot, Togekiss can choose between coverage or a healing option. Aura Sphere is mainly reserved for Tyranitar, whose popularity and ability to threaten with Stone Edge makes it the primary option. Specifically, Aura Sphere also completes Togekiss's coverage with Air Slash, with the combination of the two moves being only resisted by Zapdos and Thundurus. With Heal Bell, Togekiss is able to set up in front of defensively-oriented opponents, particularly important OU status users like Blissey, Chansey, Jellicent, and Ferrothorn. This allows Togekiss to potentially defeat most stall teams single-handedly and support the team by healing off its teammates' statuses, granting Togekiss marvelous offensive and supportive team traits.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum HP is invested in Togekiss to increase its already high HP stat and boost its general bulk. With at least 192 HP EVs, Togekiss can set up in front of common Pokemon and attacks, especially Ice Beam from most bulky Water-types. 220 Speed EVs, along with a neutral nature, allow Togekiss to outspeed Modest Heatran, with the leftover EVs put into Special Attack. However, this is not completely necessary. If so desired, a maximum HP and Speed investment with the player's choice of a Timid or Modest nature allows Togekiss to outrun a wider variety of opponents. The lack of investment in Special Attack doesn't actually harm Togekiss either, as 36 Special Attack EVs only actually give a negligible six Special Attack points, and Togekiss can easily fix up its stat with Nasty Plot. The Speed investment can also be lowered to further increase Togekiss's Special Attack, provided its faster checks and counters have been eliminated or paralyzed.</p>
<p>Although Togekiss invests significantly in Speed, there is unfortunately a large number of Pokemon that can revenge kill it due to its base 80 Speed. Togekiss must beware of Electric-type foes, who can 2HKO Togekiss easily with STAB attacks. Another dangerous factor to be wary of is residual damage from Stealth Rock, Toxic poison, burn, sandstorm, and hail. Also, if Togekiss completely forgoes Aura Sphere for Heal Bell, it will have to find an alternate way to dispose of Rock-, Electric-, and Steel-type Pokemon. Particularly, Togekiss's worst enemies are Zapdos and Thundurus, both of whom resist the combination of Aura Sphere and Air Slash, and can cause problems with STAB Electric-type attacks or paralysis.</p>
<p>One of Togekiss's greatest assets in the Nasty Plot set is the ability to take advantage of slower foes, flinching them to death with a boosted Air Slash. Paralysis support is extremely recommended so Togekiss can bypass faster opponents and use a "parahax" strategy of its own. Again, Serene Grace Air Slash, factored with paralysis support, leaves the opponent only able to move successfully 30% of the time; therefore, as Togekiss isn't very fast on its own, paralysis support from the likes of Dragonite, Jirachi, Thundurus, and other utility Pokemon helps dramatically. As usual, a way to keep Stealth Rock off the field is recommended to preserve Togekiss's health. Excadrill is the best Rapid Spin user in this case, as it nicely compliments Togekiss defensively, and may check the Electric-types Togekiss constantly worries about. Certain Dragon- and Ground-type Pokemon, such as Latias, Latios, Haxorus, Gliscor, and Landorus, are able to counter Electric-types in ways of their own, but all must beware of the common Hidden Power Ice. In any case, eliminating Electric-types in general is an absolute priority. If Togekiss isn't using Heal Bell, it is susceptible to status, so a Guts abuser like Heracross or Conkeldurr does well to absorb burn and Toxic status.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Aura Sphere / Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
ability: Serene Grace
evs: 192 HP / 80 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Togekiss, when using Nasty Plot, is utilized primarily defensively, this set allows Togekiss to more specifically exploit its fantastic Special Attack stat. It may seem like a waste to squander Togekiss's good natural bulk, however, with the provided options, Togekiss is still able to withstand many attacks, while being able to pack more of a punch than similar offensive sets. Once Togekiss acquires a Nasty Plot boost, it is able to 2HKO every Pokemon in OU. Even Blissey and Chansey, the two premier special walls of OU, can be shut down by the appropriate combination of Air Slash and Aura Sphere.</p>
<p>Nasty Plot boosts Togekiss's already high Special Attack to very threatening numbers after one turn of set up. Air Slash, as always, is a given on this set due to reliable STAB and a consistent 60% flinch rate, courtesy of Serene Grace. Against paralyzed or slower opponents, Air Slash's flinch rate also allows Togekiss to secure lost KOs. Fire Blast is used to cover the foes that resist Air Slash, specifically Jirachi, Bronzong, and some Electric-types. After one Nasty Plot boost with Life Orb, Fire Blast OHKOes many of Togekiss's usual counters, dealing upwards of 80% to standard physically defensive Zapdos. Any Pokemon frailer than this Zapdos, especially Thundurus and some Rotom formes, are inevitably OHKOed.</p>
<p>In the final slot, Aura Sphere is the main option to pick off Tyranitar and Heatran, both of whom otherwise wall Togekiss and are very significant threats. Roost can alternatively be used as a means of healing off damage caused by Life Orb, Stealth Rock, and attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread and nature are highly specialized for this kind of set. With Life Orb and Stealth Rock support, only 80 Special Attack EVs are required to specifically OHKO 252 HP Zapdos and Gliscor with the right attack. 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature are required to outrun neutral base 90 Pokemon such as Roserade and Lucario. The remaining EVs are placed in HP to increase Togekiss's general bulk, giving the user a fairly robust, offensive attacker. Some HP EVs can be relocated to Special Attack in order to grant Togekiss more immediate power without a Nasty Plot boost.</p>
<p>Stealth Rock support is basically a necessity to complement this type of Togekiss. Without Stealth Rock on the opponent's side of the field, Togekiss would otherwise miss out on some key KOs, such as on 252 HP Zapdos. To keep up offensive momentum, an offensive user of Stealth Rock like Infernape, Ferrothorn, or Azelf does a great job of swiftly setting up and attacking. Defensively, Metagross can also set up Stealth Rock easily while maintaining an offensive presence of its own. Because Togekiss will take residual damage from its Life Orb, Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce support is highly recommended to keep Togekiss as healthy as possible from Stealth Rock damage. Like the defensive Nasty Plot set, Togekiss will generally have trouble bypassing Electric-type Pokemon, making some Ground- and Dragon-type Pokemon optimal teammates. Finally, paralysis support, as always, is a massively helpful option to consider when using the not-so-fast Togekiss. As an added bonus, when Togekiss uses Air Slash on a paralyzed foe, it only has a 30% chance of successfully moving, giving Togekiss time to Roost or attack further.</p>
[OTHER OPTIONS]
<p>While Togekiss's most viable options have been listed, it still has a good number of tricks up its wing. A set consisting of Baton Pass, Nasty Plot, and two main options can be used to aid another special attacker in its sweep. Taking Togekiss's good bulk and ability to abuse the boost into account, it is often not hard to Baton Pass Nasty Plot boosts. In this department, Togekiss has some competition, mainly in Baton Pass Gorebyss. Another notable support option is Encore, which forces slower opponents, like Reuniclus and Ferrothorn, to struggle while Togekiss sets up. Without paralysis support though, Togekiss finds itself rarely using Encore effectively. Togekiss also has access to Light Screen and Reflect, which are decent alternatives on a paralysis set. To differentiate itself from other dual screen users, such as Bronzong or Mew, Togekiss has a niche in its Normal / Flying typing, though its Stealth Rock weakness is rather unfortunate.</p>
<p>Togekiss can entirely forgo setting up for all-out offensive sets. Choice Scarf is usually a constructive way of fixing up its Speed, and, in reminiscence of Choice Scarf Jirachi, can weaken its foes by continually flinching them with Air Slash. Choice Specs may also be used to frighten slower opponents and put "oomph" into an already potent Air Slash without prior set up. Paralysis support is urgently needed to actually flinch a wider range of foes, though. Additionally, a set with three attacks, Roost, and significant Special Attack investment allows Togekiss to surprise and eliminate its normal counters. Finally, Togekiss can use an entirely unusual mixed Work Up and Hustle set (with ExtremeSpeed) to completely surprise the opponent. The main reasons why these sets aren't too practical are because of Togekiss's Stealth Rock weakness and its average Speed. While Togekiss is still naturally bulky and hard-hitting, it can find itself being defeated faster than usually should without significant defensive investment.</p>
<p>As for other offensive options, Togekiss has just a few. Grass Knot can more easily eliminate Ground- and Water-types without relying on flinch chances. In Drizzle conditions, Water Pulse is reasonable for its power boost in Rain and increased 60% chance of confusing the foe after Serene Grace, which functions rather beautifully with accompanying paralysis. Togekiss may also run a Hidden Power to swiftly defeat certain foes, preferably Dragon-types. In this case, Hidden Power Ice is usually the best choice for all-around coverage. Ominous Wind, Ancient Power, and Silver Wind are nice novelty options to boost all stats; however, their effects, despite being doubled by Serene Grace, still have a low 20% chance of occurring. As a word of note, Air Slash, Aura Sphere, and Fire Blast all already provide perfect coverage, and with Nasty Plot, Togekiss can usually bypass many Pokemon using Air Slash. Therefore, one may expect to find some coverage options redundant.</p>
[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]
<p>Due to Togekiss's relatively average Speed and easily exploitable weaknesses, it is only moderately difficult to counter it. However, all checks and counters should be very aware of the threat of paralysis or a powerful attack waiting in the wings. With a resistance to Air Slash and neutrality to Aura Sphere, Electric-type Pokemon such as Jolteon, Raikou, and some Rotom appliances are generally the best checks and counters. In particular, Zapdos and Thundurus resist the combination of Air Slash and Aura Sphere and make short work of Togekiss with STAB Electric-type attacks, among other things. Jirachi, with its superior Speed and the ability to set up multiple Calm Minds or paralyze Togekiss, is also a moderately solid counter if Togekiss lacks a Fire-type move to hit it super effectively. Bronzong, sharing the same typing with Jirachi, sponges Togekiss's Aura Sphere fairly well and retaliates with Gyro Ball, while not minding paralysis or Air Slash much.</p>
<p>One of Togekiss's biggest hindrances is its Stealth Rock weakness, which instantly strips 25% off of Togekiss's health upon entering the battlefield. Any status also cripples any variant of Togekiss in some way. When paralyzed, Togekiss is more susceptible to revenge killing, even in front of other paralyzed foes, while being burned or badly poisoned means Togekiss's life span has been given an expiration date. Without paralysis support, there are many possibilities of revenge killing Togekiss as well. If having successfully avoided paralysis, Landorus, Terrakion, Mienshao, and others can take Togekiss out with a powerful super effective move.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>Super Luck increases the critical hit rate of all attacking moves. While Super Luck fits in with Togekiss's "lucky" nature, compared to Togekiss's signature Serene Grace (a major reason to use Togekiss in the first place), it is very much inferior. With Super Luck, the chance to score a critical hit is lower than the chance to score a flinch with Air Slash and Serene Grace. With this in mind, two Air Slashes with Serene Grace does about the same damage as one with a critical hit. Overall, Togekiss simply has to use Serene Grace to better fulfill its duties.</p>
