Project Victim of the Week | [Old]

[Jordy]

Checks: Tangrowth (this is literally a counter because Weakness Policy doesn't run Outrage ever) and Mamoswine
Counters: Mega Slowbro and Mega Scizor

 

[Mellow]

Checks: Mega Latios & Mamoswine
Counters: Mega Scizor and Quagsire

 

[Flame from Heaven]

Check: Mega Latios and Mamoswine
Counter: Curse Mega Scizor and Quagsire.

 

[Beraldo]

Check: Tangrowth and Mamoswine
Counter: Mega Slowbro and Quagsire

 

[Heart Doom]

Check: Clefable and Weavile
Counter: Mega Slowbro and Buzzwole

 

[BR-Skpmn]

Checks : scarf greninja and mamoswine
Counter: curse mega scizor

 

[Geobody]

Check: Scarf Greninja and M-Latios
Counter: Mega Slowbro

 

[vso]

Checks: Mega Latios
Counters: Curse Scizor, Mega Slowbro

personally, i thought that ferrothorn deserved to be submitted as its very common and a huge reason why groundz is considered better than weakness policy.

 

[curiosity]

My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
​

Thank you everyone for voting this week! Unfortunately, I must remind everyone to read the list of submissions when voting! There's no point in voting for something that doesn't exist, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt by not making it clear, my bad. Anyways, I apologise for my delay once again, I've had some family issues involving the horrendous Japanese weather, so please bear with me. This week's winners were Jordy with his Mega Latios and Geobody with his/her Curse Scizor! Your submissions will be added shortly.

Times Like These - Foo Fighters

set

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic

This week's victim is Heatran! Heatran, in my opinion is undisputedly the best 'mon in the current meta, due to the many fantastic qualities it possesses. While i've made a pretty dated post on Heatran in the past summarising its abilities, here's a generalised rundown on why it's so amazing:
Heatran is the quintessential balance breaker of the tier, as it possesses the ability to singlehandedly break through balance builds, but also has the ability to easily break past its own checks (including gliscor, zygarde and gastrodon) with minimal effort.

Submissions are due by Friday the 13th.
Happy Posting!​

 

[Jordy]

[insert literally whatever Gliscor set you want to use]

Gliscor can switch into practically any Heatran set that is not Modest z-move, considering this is Utility Heatran that should be fine. This is possible thanks to its Ground typing, Speed, and Poison Heal. You should however, make sure to scout for z-moves as they're very hard to handle for Gliscor, excluding Groundium Z.

e: check btw​

 

[Flame from Heaven]

Gastrodon as a check.

Gastrodon-East @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Recover
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Gastrodon can switch into just about any Heatran set, only fearing Bloom Doom and the rare Toxic. It can then threaten Heatran with its STAB attacks. Ma sure to scout for Bloom Doom and Toxic as getting lured by those can cost you the game if paired with something like Ash Greninja.

 

[1_TrickPhony]

Alakazam @ Alakazite as a Check

Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Recover
- Hidden Power Fire/Calm Mind

A lot of people are catching on to this trend, but the more that heatran sees play, the more M-Zam should be used as a potent response.

There are two main paths that Zam can and should take. One is the HP-Fire route, as now Zam can fire off 90BP HP fires, which can torch many potential switch ins, particularly AV or SpD Tapu Bulu, Mag, Celesteela, M-Sci you name it. The other is calm mind, which Zam can get free calm minds off in the face of heatran, but really needs zone support to take care of the steels that don't care about focus blast that much.

 

[david0895]

Tapu Fini as a counter

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Scald

Tapu Fini is able to handle both of Magma Storm and Toxic due to its typing and ability that negates status.
In return, it can 3HKO Heatran with Nature's Madness and Scald (2HKO with rocks).

calcs

4 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 54-64 (15.7 - 18.6%) -- 37.9% chance to 4HKO after Stealth Rock, Leftovers recovery, and trapping damage

0 SpA Tapu Fini Scald vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 158-188 (40.9 - 48.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

 

[Mellow]

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 200 HP / 112 Atk / 196 SpD
Careful Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Dragon Dance
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

SpDef RestTalk Zygarde as a counter. This thing is the best Heatran counter in the tier. It only fears HP Ice which is both rare and not on your set. Magma does 2, you can switch into Heatran repeatedly thanks to insane bulk, resisting Magma Storm, Leftovers passive recovery and Rest to get rid of Toxic. Heatran is just setup fodder for this set.

 

[Beraldo]

reserving Greninja

 

[Jucherz]

Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Protect
- Recover

Mega Sableye as a check. Mega Sableye can take on Heatran's utility set pretty well, it bounces back taunt and toxic and Magma Storm 3HKOs, which means Sableye can recover or waste Magma Storm PP with protect. It doesn't do much back, but it can slowly chip Heatran down with Knock Off. Also it can't be trapped.

 

[Heart Doom]

Quaguisire

 

[vso]

Latios-Mega @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 16 HP / 240 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Earthquake
- Recover

Check
Mega Latios is one of the best Heatran checks rn. While it dislikes eating a Toxic, it has formidable offensive presence and the ability to 2hko every heatran set. It is the single best Mega in the tier and the only thing that it really has to fear is the occasional Steelium Z set.

 

[Egor]

Garchomp as a counter

Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Swords Dance

Garchomp is 4HKOed from every utility Heatran move and OHKOs Heatran with Earthquake. Garchomp fears only Toxic, which wears it down and doesn't allow Garchomp to consistently punishing Defog users and setting up Stealth Rock.

Calcs

4 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 78-92 (21.7 - 25.6%) -- 1.6% chance to 3HKO after trapping damage

4 SpA Heatran Earth Power vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 93-110 (25.9 - 30.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

252 Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 624-736 (161.6 - 190.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Steel With It]

Pelipper @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Hurricane
- Surf / Ice Beam / Knock Off
- U-Turn

Defensive Peli can be played around with Taunt + Toxic due to how weak it is even in rain, but offensive Peli doesn't care about Tran's stalling shenanigans and easily counters; Tran only 4HKOs with Magma Storm and is OHKO'd several times over in return. And that's before we get to the MegaPert and/or Kingdra waiting in the back.

Calcs

4 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Pelipper in Rain: 45-53 (17.2 - 20.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after trapping damage
252+ SpA Choice Specs Pelipper Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran in Rain: 678-800 (175.6 - 207.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Pelipper Surf vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran in Rain: 558-656 (144.5 - 169.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Martin]

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Poison] / Icy Wind

Keldeo resists Magma Storm and forces Tran out with its combo of high Spe+dangerous STABs. HP Poison is super nice vs BuluTran whereas Icy Wind 2HKOs Mega Latios. Either way tho Toxapex is a big bastard so yeah make sure u carry a lure for it alongside Keld so that Keld actually stands a remote chance of breaking something.

 

[superstrike66]

3 attacks + roost Charizard Mega-X

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Roost

This is pretty simple. Zard comes in, not worying about any of Tran's if healthy (earth power is a 2HKO), and can OHKO Tran with Earthquake. The only thing that hurts Zard in the long run is toxic, but as long as you swtich every 1-2 turns and roost alot, you should be fine.

calcs:

252 Atk Charizard-Mega-X Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 416-492 (107.7 - 127.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

4 SpA Heatran Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Charizard-Mega-X: 186-220 (62.6 - 74%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[curiosity]

Times Like These - Foo Fighters

Thank you everyone for your patience and for another week of excellent submissions! This week i've recategorised some of the submissions, seeing as a fair few have been categorised incorrectly. That being said, here are this week's nominees:

== Checks ==
==@

==
-- Gliscor by Jordy --
==@

==
-- Mega Latios by vso --
==

@

==
-- Charizard X by superstrike66 --
==

@

==
-- Garchomp by Egor --
edit:
==

@ ==
-- Keldeo by Martin --
==

@

==
-- Pelipper by Steel With It --

==Counters==
==

@

==
-- Gastrodon by Flame from Heaven --
==

@

==
-- Mega Alakazam by 1_TrickPhony --
==

@

==
-- Tapu Fini by david0895 --
==

@

==
-- Zygarde by mellowyellowhd --


​

Voting will end sunday!

Checks:and

Counters:

and

 

[Jordy]

Checks: Mega Latios and Charizard X
Counters: Gastrodon and Mega Alakazam

 

[Taptricity]

Checks: Gliscor and Charizard X
Counters: Tapu Fini and Mega Alakazam