First, you're right that I'm only talking about Scarf. I can't remember the last time I saw Ground-Z, frankly. Maybe it is great and there's a reason that no one else mentions it when talking about Krookodile or lists it on the Smogon page for Krook
First - yeah you're right that none of these mons counter Krook. That wasn't my point, I was commenting that they're good situational checks. You're taking prediction for granted here. Obviously, sending Terrakion or Klefki in on EQ is risky and if you mispredict it'll cost you - but spamming EQ lets a ton of other threats (mentioned here) into play as well. Krook spamming Knock Off grants your team a layer of spikes or Terrakion an attack boost. Same for Moltres vs. Stone Edge - obviously a KO, but if you send Fly-Z Moltres in on Knock Off you take 40% max and enjoy a 30% chance of burning Krook and crippling it for the rest of the match. If you predict Moltres and click Stone Edge, you're going to be disappointed when Rak, opposing Krook, Klef, Hippowdon, Swampert, etc. come in for free. Scarf is cool, but lock-in comes at a cost.
Overall, you're not being very charitable at all this section - it's important in a fair discussion to take peoples arguments in the best possible light. You're doing the opposite. The point of this section is that when not using Pursuit, Krook has some hard choices to make about what move to use because tons of common mons resist its 3 attacking types. My comment before was that almost all of the new mons that have started to see usage in UU lately resist one or more of Krook's attacks and can safely come in, depending on their set, on a correct prediction.
Some disembodied calcs:
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Aerodactyl-Mega: 114-135 (37.8 - 44.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (obviously not ideal, but workable with Aqua Tail or on a Roost set)
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Sharpedo: 99-117 (35.2 - 41.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (also obviously not ideal, but workable with Liquidation)
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Moltres: 109-129 (33.9 - 40.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (this one is bad for Krook)
Regarding your first sentence, I can only believe you're trying to be sarcastic or funny or something. Pursuit against healthy targets is a gamble. I'll outline an example with Dragon-Z Latias below, but it stands for things like Starmie or Reuinclus, who eat 40BP Pursuits as well:
As for other points - I'm not saying these mons are 100% better than Krook or that they totally outclass it, I'm saying that they compete for the role of Pursuit trapper, and there are definitely good reasons to use them instead of Krook on some teams. I personally think A-Muk is amazing right now, particularly with Gliscor leaving the tier and with the recent influx of Psychic types.
To reiterate: considering mons that are weak to Pursuit: Latias/Starmie/Reuniclus/FB Gengar/Sub Chandy/etc
Krook dies to everything if it switches in on the wrong move. So does Aerodactyl. But all things the same, Aero enjoys a high speed tier, a higher attack stat, a wider movepool, a resistance to Knock Off, a nice ability, plus it can Pursuit all of them just as well as Krook. So Aero doesn't outclass Krook, but it does compete for that role.
Muk switches in on all of the above mons, including Starmie/Lati (contrary to your claim, see calcs below). Muk lives Reuniclus' Focus Blasts, Fight-Z or not, while doing the same amount of damage with Knock Off as Krook, Muk eats Fire Blast from Chandy, Muk eats Focus Blast from Gengar. So, to be blunt, you're just super wrong here. A-Muk is way more defensive against common Psychic types than Krook and can switch in on a ton of these sets with only the fear of getting cheesed (though I do think it dies to +1 Sub/Fire-Z Chandelure). Obviously it has flaws, but I'm pointing out that it has advantages over Krook as well and it competes with (not outclasses) Krook for a spot on teams that want a Pursuit user.
Absol's obviously shit, I pointed that out too.
Signal Beam Mane is more common than you claim.
My point, again, is that as a Pursuit user Krook relies on doubling or revenge killing much more than A-Muk does and that it's oversold in that department.
Again, (scarf) Krook isn't bad in any way, but it is being overhyped/oversold in a way really similar to Terrakion. I just don't see it as being on the same level as M-Aero, Toge, or Sharpedo. I do see it on the same level as M-Altaria or Cobalion. Psychic/Flying types are already becoming less amazing with M-Venu leaving and mons like M-Aggron coming back. Dark types are becoming less useful as Fighting types and Fairy types come back from eternal fear of Sludge Bomb. I 100% agreed that Krook was A+ in the M-Venusaur meta, but the game is changing a lot right now. Even mons like Swampert or Hippowdon are suddenly a lot better and they check the hell out of Krook.
Terrakion hasn't rose to A+ yet (and it shouldn't), so I'm not sure why you bring it up here. Of course Terrakion can come in if Krook pursuits one of its teammates, however it can't switch into Krook at all unless it predicts a Dark-type move. You can apply this to any locked mon whos STAB lets in another mon, so why hold this against Krookodile? Togekiss doesn't appreciate its item being removed (especially since its Rocks weak) unless its Fightinium and can't switch into Stone Edge either. I'm not sure why you'd even remotely consider Aerodactyl a Krookodile switch in at all. If anything, its vice versa. Knock Off does a solid 40% to any Aerodactyl switching in, not to mention Stealth Rock. It can't switch into the aforementioned Stone Edge. Hydreigon's most common set, Choice Scarf, is heavily reliant on its item as well, so switching it into Knock is a lost cause. Kommo-O can't switch into EQ, Klefki can't switch into EQ, Moltres can't switch into Stone Edge, Heracross hates getting its Flame Orb Knocked Off, and Sharpedo can't switch into EQ (in fact, Krookodile can soft check non-Liquidation and revenge +1 Adamant Shark). Yes, you mentioned this for Krookodile's Scarf set, but you talk like Scarf is the only set. Groundium Rocks is also a viable set that's criminally underrated and bops all of the mons that you just mentioned that could normally take advantage of a locked Krook.
First - yeah you're right that none of these mons counter Krook. That wasn't my point, I was commenting that they're good situational checks. You're taking prediction for granted here. Obviously, sending Terrakion or Klefki in on EQ is risky and if you mispredict it'll cost you - but spamming EQ lets a ton of other threats (mentioned here) into play as well. Krook spamming Knock Off grants your team a layer of spikes or Terrakion an attack boost. Same for Moltres vs. Stone Edge - obviously a KO, but if you send Fly-Z Moltres in on Knock Off you take 40% max and enjoy a 30% chance of burning Krook and crippling it for the rest of the match. If you predict Moltres and click Stone Edge, you're going to be disappointed when Rak, opposing Krook, Klef, Hippowdon, Swampert, etc. come in for free. Scarf is cool, but lock-in comes at a cost.
Overall, you're not being very charitable at all this section - it's important in a fair discussion to take peoples arguments in the best possible light. You're doing the opposite. The point of this section is that when not using Pursuit, Krook has some hard choices to make about what move to use because tons of common mons resist its 3 attacking types. My comment before was that almost all of the new mons that have started to see usage in UU lately resist one or more of Krook's attacks and can safely come in, depending on their set, on a correct prediction.
Some disembodied calcs:
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Aerodactyl-Mega: 114-135 (37.8 - 44.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (obviously not ideal, but workable with Aqua Tail or on a Roost set)
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Sharpedo: 99-117 (35.2 - 41.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (also obviously not ideal, but workable with Liquidation)
252 Atk Krookodile Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Moltres: 109-129 (33.9 - 40.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO (this one is bad for Krook)
I'm not sure why Scarf Pursuiters have to "gamble" and "give up momentum". If anything, it provides more good than bad. Eliminating a single Pokemon with little risk and high reward is why so many high-level players consider it broken (not to mention how many mons it can invalidate in a game). All of the mons you mentioned that Krookodile "competes" with (Aerodactyl, Muk) have some of the same faults that you mentioned against Krookodile. Aerodactyl can't switch into any of the mons you mentioned and Reuniclus can even beat it if its not a niche set like Crunch. Muk gets chipped easily as well by hazards/repeated switch ins to mons it can't Pursuit (since Muk teams seem to rely on it to beat everything special), and loses to Dragonium Latias and Waterium Z Starmie on the switch. Absol is so bad that i'm astonished you even brought it up honestly and Krookodile is leaps and bounds better, Scarf or not. Signal Beam Mane is very niche as well.
Regarding your first sentence, I can only believe you're trying to be sarcastic or funny or something. Pursuit against healthy targets is a gamble. I'll outline an example with Dragon-Z Latias below, but it stands for things like Starmie or Reuinclus, who eat 40BP Pursuits as well:
Lets assume it's a 1v1, and you've safely gotten your Krookodile into play. If i click Pursuit on M-Latias, there are two scenarios:
252 Atk Krookodile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latias: 134-158 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 17.2% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Krookodile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latias: 266-314 (88 - 103.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
The gamble the player makes is that they will switch out their Latias - if they stay in, however:
252 SpA Latias Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Krookodile: 253-298 (76.4 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Krookodile: 379-447 (114.5 - 135%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
So the Krook user really has to read their opponent and gamble that they've read right, otherwise it could cost them their Krook. If they instead use Knock Off, then M-Altaria or Terrakion or whatever comes in for free. Also, against Dragon-Z, Krook can't OHKO with Knock Off so in a pure 1v1 it always loses.
252 Atk Krookodile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latias: 134-158 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 17.2% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Krookodile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latias: 266-314 (88 - 103.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
The gamble the player makes is that they will switch out their Latias - if they stay in, however:
252 SpA Latias Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Krookodile: 253-298 (76.4 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Krookodile: 379-447 (114.5 - 135%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
So the Krook user really has to read their opponent and gamble that they've read right, otherwise it could cost them their Krook. If they instead use Knock Off, then M-Altaria or Terrakion or whatever comes in for free. Also, against Dragon-Z, Krook can't OHKO with Knock Off so in a pure 1v1 it always loses.
As for other points - I'm not saying these mons are 100% better than Krook or that they totally outclass it, I'm saying that they compete for the role of Pursuit trapper, and there are definitely good reasons to use them instead of Krook on some teams. I personally think A-Muk is amazing right now, particularly with Gliscor leaving the tier and with the recent influx of Psychic types.
To reiterate: considering mons that are weak to Pursuit: Latias/Starmie/Reuniclus/FB Gengar/Sub Chandy/etc
Krook dies to everything if it switches in on the wrong move. So does Aerodactyl. But all things the same, Aero enjoys a high speed tier, a higher attack stat, a wider movepool, a resistance to Knock Off, a nice ability, plus it can Pursuit all of them just as well as Krook. So Aero doesn't outclass Krook, but it does compete for that role.
Muk switches in on all of the above mons, including Starmie/Lati (contrary to your claim, see calcs below). Muk lives Reuniclus' Focus Blasts, Fight-Z or not, while doing the same amount of damage with Knock Off as Krook, Muk eats Fire Blast from Chandy, Muk eats Focus Blast from Gengar. So, to be blunt, you're just super wrong here. A-Muk is way more defensive against common Psychic types than Krook and can switch in on a ton of these sets with only the fear of getting cheesed (though I do think it dies to +1 Sub/Fire-Z Chandelure). Obviously it has flaws, but I'm pointing out that it has advantages over Krook as well and it competes with (not outclasses) Krook for a spot on teams that want a Pursuit user.
Absol's obviously shit, I pointed that out too.
Signal Beam Mane is more common than you claim.
My point, again, is that as a Pursuit user Krook relies on doubling or revenge killing much more than A-Muk does and that it's oversold in that department.
I'm not sure which Muk we're talking about, but because there are a few sets, but Muk eats attacks from Lati and can poison/cripple/kill it with Pursuit or Knock Off in a manner similar to Krook, minus the speed:
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 172-204 (41.6 - 49.3%) -- 82.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 258-304 (62.4 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 160-189 (45.5 - 53.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 237-280 (67.5 - 79.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
So Muk lives Latias in the 1v1 regardless of what Latias does when Muk switches in. Obviously with chip, things are different. As far as Water-Z Starmie goes, I don't see that as often as LO but I'll show you that you're wrong in both cases:
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 118-141 (28.5 - 34.1%) -- 99.1% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 201-237 (48.6 - 57.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 153-183 (37 - 44.3%) -- 2.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 184-217 (52.4 - 61.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 109-130 (31 - 37%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 142-169 (40.4 - 48.1%) -- 62.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 172-204 (41.6 - 49.3%) -- 82.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 258-304 (62.4 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 160-189 (45.5 - 53.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Latias Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 237-280 (67.5 - 79.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
So Muk lives Latias in the 1v1 regardless of what Latias does when Muk switches in. Obviously with chip, things are different. As far as Water-Z Starmie goes, I don't see that as often as LO but I'll show you that you're wrong in both cases:
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 118-141 (28.5 - 34.1%) -- 99.1% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 201-237 (48.6 - 57.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 153-183 (37 - 44.3%) -- 2.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 184-217 (52.4 - 61.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 109-130 (31 - 37%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Analytic Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 180 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 142-169 (40.4 - 48.1%) -- 62.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Again, (scarf) Krook isn't bad in any way, but it is being overhyped/oversold in a way really similar to Terrakion. I just don't see it as being on the same level as M-Aero, Toge, or Sharpedo. I do see it on the same level as M-Altaria or Cobalion. Psychic/Flying types are already becoming less amazing with M-Venu leaving and mons like M-Aggron coming back. Dark types are becoming less useful as Fighting types and Fairy types come back from eternal fear of Sludge Bomb. I 100% agreed that Krook was A+ in the M-Venusaur meta, but the game is changing a lot right now. Even mons like Swampert or Hippowdon are suddenly a lot better and they check the hell out of Krook.