Gorebyss

[Richard Lynch]

I decided to expand on perhaps my favorite Water Pokemon of all time, the lovely Gorebyss. Anyways, the basic Gorebyss is the Baton passer:

Gorebyss @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SpDef, 6 Def
- Surf
- Iron Defense
- Amnesia
- Baton Pass

But me, I'm looking at her base 114 Special Attack, her ability (Swift Swim), and her bulky Defenses and thought I'd come up with a simple pure special sweeper version. That's where my interest comes into play. Here's what I think:

Gorebyss @ Leftovers/Petaya Berry
Modest Nature
EVs: 252 SpAtk, 252 Speed, 6 HP
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- HP[Electric]/Psychic/Shadow Ball
- Rain Dance

Rain Dance is obvious, and so is maxed Speed. With the terrible base 52 Speed, maxed Speed is helpful at a neutral nature (unless you're positive of the IVs and and your math) so that after Swift Swim activates, she can outrun anything at base 130 Speed, like Aerodactyl. The number to shoot for at least would be around 198.

Surf is basic STAB, Ice Beam + HP[Electric] makes her a mock Bolt-Beamer, and Rain Dance activates Swift Swim. But, on that note, I've been considering running something else with Rain Dance (such as Kingdra, who pulls it off with aplomb), and giving Gorebyss Choice Specs and an extra move. With a possible 539 Special Attack stat when counting in Choice Specs, she's looking to deal some damage. And with a possible 406 Speed stat AFTER Rain Dance, she outruns everything but Timid Electrode and Jolly Ninjask. I won't even mention the fact that's she's anything but frail. And with Rain Dance, you could easily pull off a backup sweeper with Thunder, the usual "Taboo" in the debate of Electric-type moves.

Has anyone else noticed just how effing awesome Gorebyss is?

 

[Samson]

i've thought of training one myself, rich.

but i dunno, that bad hp stat is a great waste for it. it still gets walled by special walls (hence the name xD) and that waste of a turn with Rain Dance is quite a shame for it to end up in just being walled anyway. other pokes like Kingdra can pull Rain Dance sweeping off as they have good coverage with STAB attacks and have Waterfall as a Rain Dance option for special wallers.

i'd much rather give it choice specs with max hp so that it can take out good chunks of life at a time.

 

[Toothache]

Gorebyss has always been one of my favourite Swift Swimmers, next to Kingdra. Don't forget to consider Damp Rock as an option if you want to set up a Thunder user.