Moveset Help & Other Questions

[Onicon]

That is not disputable but since it is a question about breeding we assumed that the questioner needed all options covered. Because it is possible to remember any move from the initial movelist indefinitely you might as well fill the space.

We agree, Fire Punch and especially Low Kick are strong moves but they are not obtainable in XY and also illegal in VGC. The questioner didn't specify in which region this Aron is going ot be born so we assumed XY because the breeding is the easiest in this generation.

 

[BadPokemon]

Could this set of Noivern work in the OU metagame?

Noivern
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Frisk
Moveset: Switchiroo, Air Slash, Boomburst, Flamethrower
Nature: ?

Do I need a positive speed nature or a positive special attack nature? I know it's fast, but what if it faces a hp ice jolteon, scarfer , or fellow noivern? But, it's base 97 special attack is pretty lackluster.

Is frisk+Switchiroo viable? I would use it to cripple physical sweepers with life orb, or walls.

I'm not using dragon pulse because Boomburst deals more damage than it, even after STAB. And it's coupled with Skarmory, who can deal with dragons no problem.

 

[Nah]

Could this set of Noivern work in the OU metagame?

Noivern
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Frisk
Moveset: Switchiroo, Air Slash, Boomburst, Flamethrower
Nature: ?

Do I need a positive speed nature or a positive special attack nature? I know it's fast, but what if it faces a hp ice jolteon, scarfer , or fellow noivern? But, it's base 97 special attack is pretty lackluster.

Is frisk+Switchiroo viable? I would use it to cripple physical sweepers with life orb, or walls.

I'm not using dragon pulse because Boomburst deals more damage than it, even after STAB. And it's coupled with Skarmory, who can deal with dragons no problem.

Specs Noivern is one of the more common Noivern sets, and its certainly usable. While 97 base Sp.Attack isn't amazing, it needs a +Speed nature to make sure it outspeeds Jolteons, Greninjas, and Noiverns. If its fails to outspeed those things, its screwed. The Choice Specs give it the extra power it needs. You'll also wanna swap Air Slash with Draco Meteor. Boomburst and Flamethrower hit Grass, Bug, and Fighting types hard enough, and Grass and Bug types usually won't stay in on Noivern anyway. Draco Meteor allows it to deal with Ghost and Rock types, who wall Boomburst (and Flamethrower), while obliterating most opposing Dragons (Skarm's not THAT safe against Dragons).

 

[BadPokemon]

Specs Noivern is one of the more common Noivern sets, and its certainly usable. While 97 base Sp.Attack isn't amazing, it needs a +Speed nature to make sure it outspeeds Jolteons, Greninjas, and Noiverns. If its fails to outspeed those things, its screwed. The Choice Specs give it the extra power it needs. You'll also wanna swap Air Slash with Draco Meteor. Boomburst and Flamethrower hit Grass, Bug, and Fighting types hard enough, and Grass and Bug types usually won't stay in on Noivern anyway. Draco Meteor allows it to deal with Ghost and Rock types, who wall Boomburst (and Flamethrower), while obliterating most opposing Dragons (Skarm's not THAT safe against Dragons).

But Draco Meteor doesn't have 100% accuracy, and I need flying type STAB. Plus I go down -2 after each move. I could only stay in one turn. Does the frisk and Switchiroo still work? What about dragon pulse?

 

[Nah]

But Draco Meteor doesn't have 100% accuracy, and I need flying type STAB. Plus I go down -2 after each move. I could only stay in one turn. Does the frisk and Switchiroo still work? What about dragon pulse?

Air Slash doesn't have 100% accuracy either. Flying STAB is really only useful on a limited number of Pokemon, like Talonflame or Mega Pinsir, for example. Those 2 have the stats, moves, abilities, etc to make Flying STAB work. Noivern can basically cover what Flying does with its other moves, while Flamethrower and Boomburst hit what Draco Meteor can't, more or less. If you really really need Flying STAB, have another Pokemon do it. Skarmory gets Brave Bird, btw.

Normally I would say use Dragon Pulse over Draco Meteor, but Noivern really needs the extra power, even with Specs. The Sp.Attack drop isn't so bad because Specs Noivern is meant to be a hit and run type of Pokemon anyway. People will probably switch in something that Noivern doesn't like after your attack anyway.

You can use Frisk with Switcheroo. It allows you to see if you should use Switcheroo first or just go right to attacking, as well as preventing yourself from crippling your own Noivern with the opponent's item.

 

[BadPokemon]

Air Slash doesn't have 100% accuracy either. Flying STAB is really only useful on a limited number of Pokemon, like Talonflame or Mega Pinsir, for example. Those 2 have the stats, moves, abilities, etc to make Flying STAB work. Noivern can basically cover what Flying does with its other moves, while Flamethrower and Boomburst hit what Draco Meteor can't, more or less. If you really really need Flying STAB, have another Pokemon do it. Skarmory gets Brave Bird, btw.

Normally I would say use Dragon Pulse over Draco Meteor, but Noivern really needs the extra power, even with Specs. The Sp.Attack drop isn't so bad because Specs Noivern is meant to be a hit and run type of Pokemon anyway. People will probably switch in something that Noivern doesn't like after your attack anyway.

You can use Frisk with Switcheroo. It allows you to see if you should use Switcheroo first or just go right to attacking, as well as preventing yourself from crippling your own Noivern with the opponent's item.

Awesome! Thanks for the help! I'll run roost, brave bird, roar, and spikes on my skarmory (it's my defensive wall). For noivern I'll run Switchiroo (not common), Boomburst, flamethrower, and Draco meteor. I like that set a lot.

Can you answer another question please? Could I run Infernape (last in party) paired with Zoroark? The Zoroark can pose as infernape by running swords dance and u-turn. I can switch in Zoroark on a grass, normal, bug, rock, etc. then set up swords dance as the opponent brings in a psychic or ghost type. Next I obliterate it with night slash or sucker punch. If I don't like the match up, I can u-turn into one of my walls. No one suspects it's Zoroark (it holds the focus sash).

Btw, my lead is skarmory.

 

[Nah]

Can you answer another question please? Could I run Infernape (last in party) paired with Zoroark? The Zoroark can pose as infernape by running swords dance and u-turn. I can switch in Zoroark on a grass, normal, bug, rock, etc. then set up swords dance as the opponent brings in a psychic or ghost type. Next I obliterate it with night slash or sucker punch. If I don't like the match up, I can u-turn into one of my walls. No one suspects it's Zoroark (it holds the focus sash).

I'm not sure that would work so well. Infernape and Zoroark are both rather frail, and Infernape is also weak to Flying, Water, and Ground. The opponent could just use one of those types instead (which are very common types that Zoroark doesn't resist) or even just hit it with a neutral attack. Bulky pokes won't mind staying in either. It especially won't work if you're not switching in Zoroark after a KO (or leading with it), due to its frailty and Illusion wearing off when it gets hit.

 

[BadPokemon]

I'm not sure that would work so well. Infernape and Zoroark are both rather frail, and Infernape is also weak to Flying, Water, and Ground. The opponent could just use one of those types instead (which are very common types that Zoroark doesn't resist) or even just hit it with a neutral attack. Bulky pokes won't mind staying in either. It especially won't work if you're not switching in Zoroark after a KO (or leading with it), due to its frailty and Illusion wearing off when it gets hit.

My team is tentacruel, infernape, mega venusaur, skarmory, and noivern. I need a physical dark type for coverage (severe psychic weakness). What pokemkn should I use that is a physical dark type, but with good coverage?

 

[Nah]

My team is tentacruel, infernape, mega venusaur, skarmory, and noivern. I need a physical dark type for coverage (severe psychic weakness). What pokemkn should I use that is a physical dark type, but with good coverage?

Bisharp and Tyranitar are pretty good. You could also swap Tentacruel with Starmie or Mandibuzz.

 

[Managrimm]

Thanks for the Aron info, guys! I am indeed breeding it in this gen (or trading for it). I'm not sure if my friend intends to megaevolve it since he has so many other Pokemon that are intended as megas already so I'll keep that stuff in mind. Thanks again!

 

[PlatinumDude]

My team is tentacruel, infernape, mega venusaur, skarmory, and noivern. I need a physical dark type for coverage (severe psychic weakness). What pokemkn should I use that is a physical dark type, but with good coverage?

Just to add to the Noivern discussion, but it shouldn't use Boomburst ever. It's strong sure, but it lacks coverage and is redundant with Noivern's Dragon STAB:
-Draco Meteor
-Flamethrower
-Focus Blast
-Switcheroo/Hurricane/U-turn
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Frisk/Infiltrator

Recommended sets for the Pokemon you mentioned (I agree with replacing Tentacruel; it's just too mediocre):

Infernape:
-Fire Blast/Flare Blitz
-Close Combat
-Thunder Punch
-Mach Punch/Hidden Power (Ice)/Grass Knot
Nature: Hasty/Naive
EVs: 168 Atk/88 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Expert Belt
Ability: Iron Fist

Mega Venusaur:
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Sleep Powder/Leech Seed/Earthquake
-Synthesis
Nature: Bold/Relaxed
EVs: 240 HP/252 Def/16 Spe
Item: Venusaurite

or
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Hidden Power (Fire)
-Synthesis/Leech Seed
Nature: Modest
EVs: 240 HP/252 SAtk/16 Spe
Item: Venusaurite

Skarmory:
-Whirlwind
-Roost
-Stealth Rock/Spikes/Brave Bird
-Defog/Brave Bird
Nature: Bold/Impish
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef or 252 HP/16 Def/240 SDef
Item: Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy

Bisharp and Tyranitar are pretty good. You could also swap Tentacruel with Starmie or Mandibuzz.

To add, sets for each of what Zekrom mentioned:

Bisharp:
-Sucker Punch
-Iron Head
-Knock Off
-Pursuit/Swords Dance
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Dread Plate/Black Glasses/Life Orb
Ability: Defiant

Tyranitar:
-Stone Edge
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Earthquake/Ice Punch
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe (Jolly) or 180 HP/252 Atk/76 Spe (Adamant)
Item: Choice Scarf (Jolly)/Choice Band (Adamant)
Ability: Sand Stream

or
-Crunch
-Stone Edge/Ice Beam
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock/Fire Blast
Nature: Impish/Relaxed
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream

 

[BadPokemon]

Bisharp and Tyranitar are pretty good. You could also swap Tentacruel with Starmie or Mandibuzz.

I like bisharp... But I'll have a fire weakness between skarmory and bisharp. I like tentacruel because of black sludge, and it offers amazing support. But, if I run bisharp, I can open up a moveslot on tentacruel (it ran knock off), and I can run knock off on bisharp. I won't use Tyranitar because of sandstorm and it's OU. I'm running an OU team, but it is like OU of the OU, if you know what I mean.

Edit: I don't have black or white/black 2 or white 2. How about scarfed krookadile with moxie?

 

[PlatinumDude]

I like bisharp... But I'll have a fire weakness between skarmory and bisharp. I like tentacruel because of black sludge, and it offers amazing support. But, if I run bisharp, I can open up a moveslot on tentacruel (it ran knock off), and I can run knock off on bisharp. I won't use Tyranitar because of sandstorm and it's OU. I'm running an OU team, but it is like OU of the OU, if you know what I mean.

Edit: I don't have black or white/black 2 or white 2. How about scarfed krookadile with moxie?

Sand Stream only lasts for 5 turns, like regular Sandstorm, so Sand Stream isn't much of an issue.

Life Orb Krookodile is better because of the freedom of switching moves; being locked into Earthquake when there are still Fliers/Levitators is a problem.

 

[BadPokemon]

Sand Stream only lasts for 5 turns, like regular Sandstorm, so Sand Stream isn't much of an issue.

Life Orb Krookodile is better because of the freedom of switching moves; being locked into Earthquake when there are still Fliers/Levitators is a problem.

I was thinking knock off, but ok. Krookadile needs the extra speed. Should I run intimidate, with adamant nature, max attack and max hp? I don't think krookadile gets sucker punch, either. If I so run the life orb set, should I run the choice band on infernape instead of life orb?

 

[Nah]

I was thinking knock off, but ok. Krookadile needs the extra speed. Should I run intimidate, with adamant nature, max attack and max hp? I don't think krookadile gets sucker punch, either. If I so run the life orb set, should I run the choice band on infernape instead of life orb?

Life Orb Krookodile runs the same stuff as Scarf Krookodile, just without the Scarf:

-Krookodile w/Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Earthquake, Stone Edge, Knock Off, Pursuit

You can run Choice band Infernape with something like this:

-Infernape w/Choice Band
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Blaze/Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Moves: Flare Blitz, Thunder Punch/Mach Punch, U-Turn, Close Combat

You can still run Mixape without a Life Orb. Just use an Expert Belt instead.

-Infernape w/Expert Belt
Nature: Hasty/Naive
Ability: Blaze/Iron Fist
EVs: 180 Attack, 76 Sp.Attack, 252 Speed
Moves: Flare Blitz/Fire Blast, Close Combat, Thunder Punch, Hidden Power Ice/Grass Knot/Mach Punch

 

[BadPokemon]

Life Orb Krookodile runs the same stuff as Scarf Krookodile, just without the Scarf:

-Krookodile w/Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Earthquake, Stone Edge, Knock Off, Pursuit

You can run Choice band Infernape with something like this:

-Infernape w/Choice Band
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Blaze/Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Moves: Flare Blitz, Thunder Punch/Mach Punch, U-Turn, Close Combat

You can still run Mixape without a Life Orb. Just use an Expert Belt instead.

-Infernape w/Expert Belt
Nature: Hasty/Naive
Ability: Blaze/Iron Fist
EVs: 180 Attack, 76 Sp.Attack, 252 Speed
Moves: Flare Blitz/Fire Blast, Close Combat, Thunder Punch, Hidden Power Ice/Grass Knot/Mach Punch

I don't like the recoil unless I have recovery. How about:
Infernape
Ability: iron fist
Nature: jolly
Moveset: Mach punch, thunder punch, fire punch (base power of ninety after iron fist), and u-turn

Fire punch can still hit like a truck with choice band, but without the recoil. Should I run expert belt instead to hit water types with thunder punch and the other moves with super effective damage?

 

[Nah]

I don't like the recoil unless I have recovery. How about:
Infernape
Ability: iron fist
Nature: jolly
Moveset: Mach punch, thunder punch, fire punch (base power of ninety after iron fist), and u-turn

Fire punch can still hit like a truck with choice band, but without the recoil. Should I run expert belt instead to hit water types with thunder punch and the other moves with super effective damage?

You can run Fire Punch instead of Flare Blitz if the recoil bugs you that much. You'll have to keep the Choice Band on though, since Fire Punch is still a fair bit weaker than Flare Blitz:

Fire Punch: 75BPx1.2Iron Fistx1.5STAB=135
Flare Blitz: 120BPx1.5STAB=180
Difference of 45 power, which is significant.

Expert Belt works a bit better on mixed Infernape because of the somewhat wider coverage it has. Also, Infernape needs Close Combat on all its sets; powerful Fighting STAB is not something to pass up.

 

[BadPokemon]

You can run Fire Punch instead of Flare Blitz if the recoil bugs you that much. You'll have to keep the Choice Band on though, since Fire Punch is still a fair bit weaker than Flare Blitz:

Fire Punch: 75BPx1.2Iron Fistx1.5STAB=135
Flare Blitz: 120BPx1.5STAB=180
Difference of 45 power, which is significant.

Expert Belt works a bit better on mixed Infernape because of the somewhat wider coverage it has. Also, Infernape needs Close Combat on all its sets; powerful Fighting STAB is not something to pass up.

I prefer close combat on focus sashed pokemon because of the defense drop. However, now that I think about it, infernape has bad defenses anyway. So close combat instead of Mach punch or u-turn?

 

[PlatinumDude]

I prefer close combat on focus sashed pokemon because of the defense drop. However, now that I think about it, infernape has bad defenses anyway. So close combat instead of Mach punch or u-turn?

Yes; the power increase is most helpful.

Also, I don't think Choice Band Infernape is worth the trouble; Infernape really appreciates being able to switch moves to deal with the appropriate threats without being forced out. Also, Flare Blitz recoil will wear it down fast.

 

[BadPokemon]

Yes; the power increase is most helpful.

Also, I don't think Choice Band Infernape is worth the trouble; Infernape really appreciates being able to switch moves to deal with the appropriate threats without being forced out. Also, Flare Blitz recoil will wear it down fast.

My team has been following a hit and run stragety between noivern, infernape, and krookodile. I have a LOT of recovery on my walls (I have 3). I think the choice band will be good on infernape.