Simple Q&A Thread

Mix Sp.Def Tyranitar is generally a good check to most Dragonite sets. SS negates Multi Scale (and the rain supporting Mix rain nite) and you can then OHKO with either Ice Beam or Stone Edge. It can also take anything Dragonite throws at it apart from fighting moves and DD LO EQ both are uncommon to say the least. Plus it doesn't give a crap about Paralysis as its slow already. Also the defensive DD Roost set cant OHKO it with anything even after a boost apart from with (exceedingly rare) fighting moves, even +1 40 Atk ev EQ wont OHKO because its that weak and a bad set in general.

Sp.Def Hippowdon works in a similar vein and can live two consecutive LO Draco Meteors and Slack Off all the damage, it also doesn't give a crap about fighting moves unlike Tyranitar. It can also live DD LO boosted Outrages and deal massive damage back with Ice Fang or just simply Roar if Dragonite thinks its remotely threatening to anything with Def evs with the silly DD Roost set. Really the only Hippow fears is the CB set to be honest.

Skarmory also does excellently against most of its sets and Sp.Def Skarm can live a LO Draco Meteor and then a consecutive -2 Fire Blast and Roost. Only fire moves really touch it, same with Ferrothorn. Evo Stone P2 and Dusclops IIRC can take everything bar CB Outrages and Balloon steel types such as Heatran as useful as checks. Heatran also walls it totally with its Balloon intact or if Nite Decides to use DD/Fire Punch/<not eq>.

Revenging and checking it i find works better though i.e send in Scizor or a various steel (or one of the above Pokes) to check it at first and then use a faster scarfer like Landorus or Terrakion to outspeed and KO it if it decides to be funny. Scarf Haxorus can also outspeed any set and OHKO it through Multi Scale thanks to Mold Breaker.

Plus Mamoswine is better than Weavile this metagame. Weavile is walled by anything with Def evs and is SR weak. Not a good combo. Neither can switch in at all but will stop Nite from sweeping you if played well. Mamoswine also poops on Sub Parashuffle Nite as its immune to T-Wave and can bypass Multi Scale with Icicle Spear (really: really useful, if it hits 3 times twice in a row, with SR up CB Icicle Spear has a chance to 2hko Phys def Skarmory [!!!])

Also you should get SR up early to break Multi Scale.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Quick question, does King's Rock combo with Serene Grace?
(I feel like it's no, but I'm just double checking.)

Snaggle P. said:

Quick question, does King's Rock combo with Serene Grace?
(I feel like it's no, but I'm just double checking.)

Click to expand...

No it doesnt. It only affects moves that dont flinch opponents.

Im not very good at team building so I would appreciate some advice and ev spreads. I want to make a gravity team since they fit that balanced playstyle I have. I wanted to start with Dusclops since I always enjoyed the fighting immunity ghosts have any he is a ghost that can use gravity. Seeing as I have a ghost might as well put a spiker seeing as how I always enjoyed spikes.

I came up with this so far

Tentacruel (M) @ Red Card
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Blizzard
- Hydro Pump
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes

Dusclops (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Gravity
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Night Shade

I was wondering if anyone could give me a bulkier spread that still nets the key ko's (if possible) when using hydro pump and Blizzard. The real question however is I need a ground check and I don't know which pokemon has the most synergy with these two pokemon. I was thinking a grass type to check the ground but when I think of the OU grass pokemon I think of pokemon like breloom who aren't that bulky =/. Any help?

Kittyipawd said:

Im not very good at team building so I would appreciate some advice and ev spreads. I want to make a gravity team since they fit that balanced playstyle I have. I wanted to start with Dusclops since I always enjoyed the fighting immunity ghosts have any he is a ghost that can use gravity. Seeing as I have a ghost might as well put a spiker seeing as how I always enjoyed spikes.

I came up with this so far

Tentacruel (M) @ Red Card
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Blizzard
- Hydro Pump
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes

Dusclops (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Gravity
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Night Shade

I was wondering if anyone could give me a bulkier spread that still nets the key ko's (if possible) when using hydro pump and Blizzard. The real question however is I need a ground check and I don't know which pokemon has the most synergy with these two pokemon. I was thinking a grass type to check the ground but when I think of the OU grass pokemon I think of pokemon like breloom who aren't that bulky =/. Any help?

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Despite its rather average physical Defense, Virizion has enough bulk to take Earthquakes:
-Calm Mind
-Giga Drain
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power (Ice)
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Leftovers

Or
-Swords Dance
-Leaf Blade
-Close Combat
-Hidden Power (Ice)/Stone Edge
Nature: Hasty/Naive/Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SAtk/252 Spe or 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Leftovers

Ferrothorn help?

So it turns out I need a Turtwig from 4th gen to breed both Stealth Rock and Leech Seed, which I don't have. I need entry hazards, so I went with the SR Ferroseed, but it screws up my moveset plans.

I was gonna chuck a Rocky Helmet on there and spam residual damage, but I now have no reliable recovery method.

Alternative movesets involving either JUST SR or JUST Leech Seed?

Use the Simple Q&A sticky for these types of questions next time. It doesn't really deserve its own thread ;x. I'll move it there now.

Eh, thanks, I wasn't sure where it'd go and I figured since it was a competitive moveset...^^;

A Question About My Hydreigon

So I recently got into this competitive battling thing a while ago, training pokemon to KO others. I have recently got into a little problem concerning my pseudo-legend of my team, Hydreigon.

Nature: Quiet (+ SpA, - Spee)

EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA

Moveset:
Draco Metor- Obvious Choice, I'm trying to take advantage for it's 125 sp. Attack.
Outrage- Hydreigon also has a good Attack base stat. This is just in case I don't want to waste Hydreigon's special attack (what happens after every time Draco Metor is used successfully). It is also a good choice to sweep pokemon with low defenses in my opinion.
Acrobatics- In my opinion I think it fits my Hydreigon very well. (I'll explain it's purpose later)
Dark Pulse- Another move I thought would be excellent. And due to the fact he is a dark-type, I decided that Hydreigon would need a dark type move as well.

Held Item of choice: (open for suggestions) White Herb

Basic Strategy: With a white herb in effect, I can freely use Draco Metor without having to worry about my Hydreigon's Sp.Attack going down the drain. Also, once I use the white herb, Acrobatics will dubble in power, providing a legitimate threat to any fighting or bug type which is Hydreigons natural elemental weakness. Dark Pulse and Outrage were picked because I feel like both moves, combined with Hydreigon's stats, can almost KO, or at least cause immense damage to the opponent.

So what do you think, how can I improve, or am I ready to battle?

AlphaMightyena said:

So I recently got into this competitive battling thing a while ago, training pokemon to KO others. I have recently got into a little problem concerning my pseudo-legend of my team, Hydreigon.

Nature: Quiet (+ SpA, - Spee)

EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA

Moveset:
Draco Metor- Obvious Choice, I'm trying to take advantage for it's 125 sp. Attack.
Outrage- Hydreigon also has a good Attack base stat. This is just in case I don't want to waste Hydreigon's special attack (what happens after every time Draco Metor is used successfully). It is also a good choice to sweep pokemon with low defenses in my opinion.
Acrobatics- In my opinion I think it fits my Hydreigon very well. (I'll explain it's purpose later)
Dark Pulse- Another move I thought would be excellent. And due to the fact he is a dark-type, I decided that Hydreigon would need a dark type move as well.

Held Item of choice: (open for suggestions) White Herb

Basic Strategy: With a white herb in effect, I can freely use Draco Metor without having to worry about my Hydreigon's Sp.Attack going down the drain. Also, once I use the white herb, Acrobatics will dubble in power, providing a legitimate threat to any fighting or bug type which is Hydreigons natural elemental weakness. Dark Pulse and Outrage were picked because I feel like both moves, combined with Hydreigon's stats, can almost KO, or at least cause immense damage to the opponent.

So what do you think, how can I improve, or am I ready to battle?

Click to expand...

I don't this Hydreigon is suited competitively because:
-A Quiet nature takes away from its decent Speed
-It's completely walled by Steel Pokemon (it lacks Fire Blast or Focus Blast and even Surf). Hydreigon has a wide offensive movepool to take advantage of:
-Draco Meteor
-Dark Pulse/Dragon Pulse
-Fire Blast/Flamethrower
-Focus Blast/U-turn
Nature: Modest
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Choice Specs

or
-Draco Meteor
-Fire Blast/Flamethrower
-Focus Blast
-U-turn
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Scarf

If you want a mixed attacker, try this:
-Draco Meteor
-Crunch
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast
Nature: Hasty/Naive
EVs: 252 Atk/64 SAtk/192 Spe or 64 Atk/252 SAtk/192 Spe
Item: Life Orb

does acrobatics get the no item boost if flying gem is used since the item is used up?

kingofbluesteel said:

does acrobatics get the no item boost if flying gem is used since the item is used up?

Click to expand...

Yes. The no item power boost is applied after Flying Gem is used up. Some calcs:

55 (Acrobatics' base power) x 1.5 (STAB) x 1.5 (Flying Gem boost) x 2 (Acrobatics no item boost) = 247.5 BP

in competive play who stands a better chance of working empoleon or blastoise?

i have had trouble deciding my shuckle's moveset. It currently has:
Attack: 53
Defense: 584
SP.Atk: 32
SP.Def: 486
Speed: 34

My lead pokemon is a Gardevoir that has trick room so i wanted to abuse the low speed and shuckle's ability to learn "Power Trick" which would switch the attack and defense stat of shuckle.

My current moveset is:
Earthquake
Rest
Power Trick
Stone Edge

I just wanted suggestions on weather this strategy would be viable or ways to improve it.

schmittyboy said:

i have had trouble deciding my shuckle's moveset. It currently has:
Attack: 53
Defense: 584
SP.Atk: 32
SP.Def: 486
Speed: 34

My lead pokemon is a Gardevoir that has trick room so i wanted to abuse the low speed and shuckle's ability to learn "Power Trick" which would switch the attack and defense stat of shuckle.

My current moveset is:
Earthquake
Rest
Power Trick
Stone Edge

I just wanted suggestions on weather this strategy would be viable or ways to improve it.

Click to expand...

Simply put no it wouldnt work. Shuckle's defenses become pathetic after that plus you are better using something that doesn't take as much effort to destroy teams like Terrakion, Tyranitar if you want a rock type that destroys things. Hell even Rhyperior does a better job.

Shuckle should be used defensively in a sandstorm with Aromatherapy/Heal Bell support to rid it of Rest, even then its not very good and outclassed in OU. It should only be used in the lower tiers (READ: nu)

Shuckle @ Leftovers
248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Rest
- Encore
- Toxic
- Knock Off / Stealth Rock / Protect / Wrap

Rest is your only healing move. Encore stops things setting up on you by locking them in thus giving you a free switch to something else. Toxic to poison stuff as its your only form of offense really. Last slot is really a filler, Knock off to remove items, SR for a bit for team support. Protect helps stall for poison damage and gives you some lefties recovery and helps with scouting. Wrap is a filler really to do something whilst you are toxic stalling. Oh also use Rapid Spin support too or you get crippled by Stealth Rock.

Either way its not a very good Pokemon at all and others do its job better so id suggest not using it as it takes FAR too much team support for small payoff. There is a reason its "Never Used". Plus its weak to one of the most common moves in the game i.e Stealth Rock, cant do anything once Taunted, easy as heck to set up Spikes on and the list just goes on and on.

hey guys
can someone tell me how or if black and white
can do lv 100 battles plz
and if not how are battles done
on this website (mostly)

kingofbluesteel said:

in competive play who stands a better chance of working empoleon or blastoise?

Click to expand...

Think about what each Pokemon does primarily before you use it. In that case, Blastoise is a utility defensive Rapid Spinner (useful when your team is weak to entry hazards; it also has Foresight to guarantee Rapid Spin), while Empoleon can support the team by setting up Stealth Rock. Empoleon can also sweep late game with Agility + 3 attacks (Surf/Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Grass Knot). Both Pokemon can phaze with Dragon Tail or Roar, respectively. In other words, which Pokemon is more effective depends on what your team needs.