5th Gen Does Scrafty make the E4 too easy?

Ho-Oh

used Sacred Fire!
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    So there's just one Pokemon that can take down 3/4 (afaik) that is a Pokemon native to Unova, with its STABs. That Pokemon, is Scrafty. Crunch/High Jump Kick/Brick Break/Work Up or Dragon Dance, plus Moxie makes it really easy to beat the Elite Four (you only need Scrafty and one other and you can p much beat the main part of the E4). I noticed the first Pokemon Shauntal sends out is Cofagrigus, giving Scrafty, a physical Pokemon, the ability of Mummy. Could've this been an intentional thing by GF to stop Scrafty's Moxie sweep, or Jellicent's Cursed Body? Or even Krookodile's Intimidate? All of those seem to work against physical attackers and can't really do anything. Now think about the other person in the E4 - Marshal. He specialises in Fighting types. Generally his Pokemon are quite fast, and through giving Sawk Sturdy, it allows it to take Scrafty out easily.

    What I'm asking is, do you think the creators might've seen the potential issue with Scrafty, and possibly put all those road blocks in the way to stop it? Or do you think it's simply too good for the E4? Do you think anything else in Unova comes close to it in that aspect? Discuss!
     
    I would think it's more coincidence rather than anything, or just smart general planning rather than a specific plan against any one or few Pokemon, tbh. For instance, Cofagrigus' ability will hinder most Pokemon that hit it physically, not just Scrafty. It's just like that the 1/2 ability it'd normally have also helps it kill stuff better so it suffers a bit more compared to other Pokemon. Doesn't stop it hitting a lot though. It's more just a good ability, not a 'make it harder once they reach the E4! >:]' deal.

    Same with Sawk leading. Firstly, any fighting type is going in with an advantage over Scrafty, not just Sawk, given its typing, so I don't really follow that Sawk was specifically for it. It leading does make sense; usually the player's first Pokemon against the E4 is the strongest one they have, or the one they feel is most suited for the battle. Sawk's ability and hitting back hard combo deal is hence just in general suited for the usual approach.

    Also Dragon Dance needs to be bred so that's less of an overkill potential it has with the E4 in normal playthroughs. I'd also argue that for most E4s you only really need two Pokemon with enough training and a decent enough moveset between them to beat them; it's Pokemon after all, and one can always grind more (especially with the likes of the gift Lucky Egg here).
     
    If anything, Scrafty's double typing could make fighting with it harder than with comparables of regular types. Being Dark/Fight makes him weak to Fight/Psychic. He would be best employed in the Dark types, but is only good against Fight if it's much faster than anything thrown at it and can get a OHKO; otherwise, it might suffer a OHKO or be gone in 2-3 hits from various Pokémon.

    I'd say it's good to keep around as a backup, but I might prefer having six Pokémon in the E4 for the second round that are all their own individual types, and not paired typings. I might make an exception for something like Cobalion, which is Fight/Steel. My plan, regardless, is for what Alder brings to the battlefield.

    Cyclone
     
    CycloneGU said:
    If anything, Scrafty's double typing could make fighting with it harder than with comparables of regular types. Being Dark/Fight makes him weak to Fight/Psychic.
    Cyclone
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    No... the dark type negates psychics super effectiveness, as it doesn't affect Scrafty.

    I don't think Scrafty makes it too easy, as I had trouble even with him when I first faced the Elite Four. Caitlyn has focus blast on her Reuniclus, and air slash on her Sigalyph, and there are multiple other roadblocks that you mentioned. The elite four is designed to be able to put up a fight against super effective types, so having one pokemon that is super effective against 3 doesn't make a huge difference in my eyes.
     
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    I've never used Scrafty outside of my hall of Fame Challenge, but even when I used it then, I noticed it did very well compared to other Pokémon. However, I agree with Marcin in that I believe it was all just coincidental more than anything. Scrafty isn't too good for the E4, it's just a good Pokémon to use, personally I thought Whimsicott with Prankster and Lilligant with Sleep Powder an QD made the E4 easy.
     
    Ash493 said:
    I think Isshu Elite Four is somehow so easy that it can be sweeped by almost any Pokémon...
    I beat White 2 league by using Lucario only.
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    What about the White one? I know the parties differ between B/W and B2/W2, but the types generally remain the same. Iris will obviously be much different than Alder.

    Someday, the player should be made the Champion and required to return for challenges at the Pokémon League, increasing in difficulty; losing means you return to the same post-E4 state and must rechallenge to become Champion again.

    ...I think I'll make a thread about that idea.

    Cyclone
     
    I used Scrafty main game all the way to the E4. My Liepard did better than Scraft when I got to the E4. So no Scraft really didn't make it any easier.
     
    CycloneGU said:
    What about the White one? I know the parties differ between B/W and B2/W2, but the types generally remain the same. Iris will obviously be much different than Alder.
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    Pokémon are the same in BW and B2W2 but levels are pretty different =D
    B2W2 league is harder by 8 levels but still... it was fairy easy, even Iris was easy... well Ice Punch or Metronome Aura Sphere FTW =D
     
    Leveling up to get moves is sometimes easier in B2/W2 as moves are learned at earlier levels. However, that has to do with B2/W2, so I leave it at that since this isn't the B2/W2 forum. Scrafty doesn't seem to have any changes in its case.

    Cyclone
     
    Okay as of now we're dropping B2W2 related stuff n_n

    What @ Xander's post. Liepard did better? But... it can't beat dark types easily and it loses to Marshal and it's hard to level apparently! You sure Scrafty wasn't underlevelled? Because... it generally has no issues. o_O
     
    Scrafty is a great Pokemon to use against the Elite 4, but by no means does it make it easy. As people have mentioned, there are roadblocks that aim to stop a Scrafty sweep.

    I did use one Scrafty in my game and while it did a good job, I personally found myself using stronger Pokemon, such as Krookodile and Mienshao to get the job done.
     
    The Unova e4 was easier than any other e4. I think they got easier each generation, I feel like they even lowered the levels.
     
    Requility said:
    Okay as of now we're dropping B2W2 related stuff n_n

    What @ Xander's post. Liepard did better? But... it can't beat dark types easily and it loses to Marshal and it's hard to level apparently! You sure Scrafty wasn't underlevelled? Because... it generally has no issues. o_O
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    Not underleveled. Scrafty and Leipard were two of my higher leveled Pokemon. Scrafty was one-shotted against Grimsley, Caitlyn and Marshal when I used him against them. Leipard fairs a little better, usually sneaking an attack before them before falling. I had both since the start of the game.
     
    I think it just happens to have the right typing in the right place; it's not so much better as simply more convenient. There are other things that can do about as well, provided a tailored moveset. Mienshao (Fighting STAB/Acrobatics/Payback) immediately comes to mind. Xatu (Psychic/Night Shade) would be excellent as well; it's not like one is barred from trading before passing the league. And if one can breed it, Gothitelle with Dark Pulse from Lucario... you see, far more inconvenient than Scrafty, but it'll work.


    bobandbill said:
    I would think it's more coincidence rather than anything, or just smart general planning rather than a specific plan against any one or few Pokemon, tbh. For instance, Cofagrigus' ability will hinder most Pokemon that hit it physically, not just Scrafty.
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    Interestingly, it helps Archeops.
     
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    Um, absolutely! Like Cassino said, I think it just happens to have the right typing in the right place, though. I don't think that they went out of their way to make Scrafty an ace in the hole when you're battling the Elite Four. I think it was just a convenient Pokémon typing and the Elite Four just happened to have a majority of them share a weakness within those typings at the end of the day. Properly trained Scrafty can easily hold its own, especially if it has Moxie, but it can still easily be defeated if it's outsped. Especially during rematches.
     
    I had problems with the first attempt at E4 and Scrafty made is somuch simple, just got a good natured, well IV born one and learnt 2 STABs, Sword Dance and one lackluster move and... it just went. He did beat most of the enemy teams by going Speed EV training
     
    I have to say Scrafty makes the Elite Four easier to fight, thanks to a helpful Dark/Fighting type combo but some of the E4's Pokemon have moves and abilities that can stop a potential Scrafty sweep.
     
    Scrafty was pretty much the perfect Pokemon for the E4. I pretty much sweeped with it and didn't have to use the rest of my team much, though the Unova Eliete 4 was pretty easy to beat for the most part, Scrafty happens to have a very convenient typing for them. Though my Scrafty was higher leveled than most of my team and was one Id gotten in a trade, so it would level up faster and I also beat most of the gyms with it as well.
     
    Leavanny is pretty intense on it too.

    X-Scissor for Caitlin and Grimsley alone is pretty devastating considering its Attack.
     
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