Survey: Base 180 Attack OP?

[Smileycorp]

In the creation of a ROM hack I decided to create a fighting type legendary. It is primarily based around punching. Would it be overpowered if it had Iron Fist and base attack 180?

 

[Danny0317]

Yes. Most definitely, that is too strong, in my opinion.

 

[Blah]

Well, if it was like giga impact or focus punch, or if it had a hard condition before it's usable, I think it's OK. If it's like a 180 power tackle then it'd be OP.

You can throttle it by reducing PP to a very low amount or giving it recoil plus another condition. There's plenty of ways to balance something like that out. Maybe the Pokemon is like a slow and gets 1 shot easy. If it seems OP to you, you can always tone down the power.

 

[Squeetz]

In the creation of a ROM hack I decided to create a fighting type legendary. It is primarily based around punching. Would it be overpowered if it had Iron Fist and base attack 180?

Well there's Mega Mewtwo X with 190 base attack. Although he may seem like a monster, he's held back by the lackluster power in his physical movepool (having to resort to Low kick/Drain punch and Zen headbutt for STAB moves) Now, if he had iron fist instead of Steadfast, he would be a little scarier.
Keep in mind that this is a legendary + a mega, so it'd be wise for you to balance out your legend accordingly.
Just take a look at Mega Heracross. He has a base 185 Atk, but is held back by his speed and bad defensive typing.
Now, see how the mons I mentioned with attack in that range are all megas? Except Deoxys-attack, but he's a "balanced" legend due to his piss poor defenses.


How you want to balance your mon is all up to you, and if you want to make it broken with 700+ BST then go for it, but I don't think that would be very fun to battle.

 

[CynicalUnicorn]

Now, see how the mons I mentioned with attack in that range are all megas? Except Deoxys-attack, but he's a "balanced" legend due to his piss poor defenses.

Don't forget Mega friggin' Rayquaza! The only Pokemon to be banned from Gen VI Ubers by Smogon because it's that OP. Unlike Deoxys-A, its defenses are usable. Not great, but good enough to survive more than half a hit.

Generally speaking, Pokemon with a particularly high attack stat are either A) slow but able to tank physical/special hits while dying to special/physical hits or B) faster than average but with practically no bulk. If neither A nor B are true, then they have crippling abilities (poor Regigigas...) or are box art legendaries, but even those guys have limits.

Extreme examples of A include Pokemon like Rhyperior with a 4x weakness to two common special types (Grass and Water, though the Solid Rock ability helps out) combined with a low special defense, and a classic example of B is Alakazam with practically zero physical defense, decent special defense, but no HP to make use of it.

 

[Smileycorp]

Hmm, so I guess it would be balanced as it has a resonable def stat but low speed, HP and special def. But maybe more could be done as still a bulk up or powerup punch would buff the attack enough to ohko anything. It probably doesn't help that it learns bulletpunch.

 

[AlejaKaiser]

Hmm, I think you could balance it more. If had Bulletpunch, doesnt mind if its slow. 150-160? Its a bit weak but still strong.