Romo_Owens
Young Money
- 126
- Posts
- 17
- Years
- Seen Sep 26, 2008
Time for my weekly Pokemon Spotlight:
2nd Pokemon of the Week: Abomasnow
![[PokeCommunity.com] Pokemon Of the Week](https://pokemon-safari.com/sitio/pokedex/sugi_dex/460.png "[PokeCommunity.com] Pokemon Of the Week")
Overview
Abomasnow is a great example of a pokemon that can really mess up your strategy if you're not familiar with it or are unprepared to deal with it.
The new Snow monster has been an under-achiever in the 4th generation so far. And for a good reason. It's offensive stats are mediocre, it's speed is abysmal, and it's typing; at grass and ice leaves it open to 7 weaknesses including a 400% to fire.
It's not all that bad though. It can perform in a decent fashion with Choice Scarf, has a managable movepool, and has offensive stats that can still scare some teams. After all, ice does have great type coverage.
Although those pros aren't even close to be able to pull it out of the UU enviornment, it can still be considered a threat that you have to be prepared to counter.
Trait
Snow Warning: It's only trait, but not necessarily that bad. Like Tyranitar, Hippowdon, Kyogre and Groudon, Abomasnow summons a weather effect as soon as it enters the Battle. However, Abomasnow, while its in play is possibly the only pokemon that can make use of the hail. Unlike Sandstorms, rain and Sunny days, Hail only helps ice types.
Movesets
Special Sweeper
-Blizzard
-Grass knot/Energy Ball
-Substitute
-Focus Blast/Hidden Power [Ground]
Items attached: Choice Scarf/Life Orb
Ability: Snow Warning
Evs and Nature:
evs: 252 sp. atk/252 spd/4 hp
Modest nature (+sp.atk, -atk), Timid nature (+spd/-atk)
A very good way to go with Abomasnow. Abomasnow can reach 283 Special attack, and with an STAB boosted Blizzard, Abomasnow can really pack a punch. Hail-Blizzard really is the heart and sole of this set because with it, Blizzard has 100% accuracy.
The Grass attacks are a split choice. Grass knot takes out Blastoise, Swampert, Hippowdon, Golem and Rhydon, but is limited to Dugtrio and Vaporeon.
Subsitute Boasts Abomasnow somewhat Bulky HP.
Focus Blast and Hidden Power [Ground] take out Steel types that oppose Abomasnow such as Steelix.
Physical Sweeper
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch/Avalanche
-Wood Hammer/Seed Bomb
-Swords Dance/Rock Slide
Items attached: Choice Scarf/Life Orb/Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
Evs and Natures
EVs: 252 atk/252spd/4hp
Adamant nature (+atk, -sp.atk) Jolly nature (+spd, -sp.atk)
Although this set doesn't utilize Snow Warning as well as the special sweeper, Abomasnow has a fantastic physical movepool.
You have a lot of choice to take too. Swords Dance skyrockets your Attack from a possible 283 to a gigantic 546. However, Abomasnow doesn't even have adequate speed for the NU enviornment let alone the UU. You may have to use a choice scarf instead of SD.
Earthquake has great type coverage and takes out a lot of Pokemon that have STAB attacks on Abomasnow that Ice and Grass don't (Steelix, Drapion, Arcainine/Flareon/Magmotar, and Ninetails).
Wood Hammer and seed bomb are Abomasnow's only viable physical options. Wood Hammer has significantly better power but the recoil is pretty unattractive. Seed bomb is a balanced option.
Ice punch is a well balanced STAB ice attack.
If you use the Swords Dance set however, chances are that you're slower than your opponent anyway so you might as well use Avalanche instead of Ice punch.
EVs and Nature
Abomasnows EVs are very straight forward. Do what you can with it's speed and max out whatever attack you're using. Very obviously a 252/252 split.
Depending on what moveset you like there's 4 natures you can use:
Modest (+sp.atk,-atk) Timid (+spd, -atk) Adamant (+atk, -sp.atk) and Jolly (+spd, -sp.atk)
Other Options
Brick Break, Leech seed, Growth, Grass Whistle, Ice Shard, Hidden Power [Fire], Ingrain, Ice Beam
Brick Break has Great Type Coverage.
Leech Seed recovers Abomasnows HP while damaging the opponent. Althouggh Ingrain has it's advantages, because when Ingrained Abomasnow can't escape, it is inferior to Leech Seed.
Growth raises Sp.atk by one stage but because it's only one stage it's hardly worth the move slot.
Grass whistle puts the opponent to sleep but is very innacurate.
Ice Shard puts a physical, weak answer to Abomasnows horrible speed.
Hidden Power [Fire] although has other uses, is mainly to take out Scizor. It's not that common of a Pokemon anyway so it's hard to justify it's use.
Finally, Ice Beam, although a great well balanced attack, Snow Warning gives Abomasnow justification to use Blizzard, leaving it's only down side to be it's PP.
Countering Abomasnow
Ugh. Where do I start?
Scizor resists both of Abomasnows STAB moves, can take anything Abomasnow can throw at it and attack with an easy X-Scissor or 2.
Aggron and Probopass resists ice and can handle grass attacks but needs to watch out for Earthquake, Hidden Power [Ground] or Focus Blast.
Also without HP [ground], Earthquake or Rock slide, Magmotar, Ninetails, Flareon, Camerupt, Rapidash, Arcainine, Blaziken, and Typhlosion walk all over it.
Drapion is faster than Abomasnow and can potentially OHKO it with a strong poison attack.
Pidgeot, Swellow, Crobat, Staraptor, Altaria, and Fearow are all fast enough to run in with a quick Brave Bird or Drill Peck ad OHKO it the better hope they attack first or OHKO it though because a blizzard, Ice Punch or Avalanche will easily knock them out.
Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Primeape, Hitmontop, Hariyama and Macamp all have strong STAB fighting attacks to easily take out Abomasnow in one blow and are buky anough to suck in anyhting it can throw at them.
Abomasnow has no business in the Standard enviornment, but if it decides to show it's face it will be easily stopped and KO'd by Metagross, Bronzong, Skarmory, Gallade, Weavile, or Infernape.
Although Abomansnow has potential to be a firece opponent, it is pretty easy to fight. Get in a strong supper effective hit (and believe me, there a lot) before it attacks. A heck of a lot of Pokemon are faster than Abomasnow and have Super Effective attacks. It's a little more complicated with choice Scarf however.
2nd Pokemon of the Week: Abomasnow
Overview
Abomasnow is a great example of a pokemon that can really mess up your strategy if you're not familiar with it or are unprepared to deal with it.
The new Snow monster has been an under-achiever in the 4th generation so far. And for a good reason. It's offensive stats are mediocre, it's speed is abysmal, and it's typing; at grass and ice leaves it open to 7 weaknesses including a 400% to fire.
It's not all that bad though. It can perform in a decent fashion with Choice Scarf, has a managable movepool, and has offensive stats that can still scare some teams. After all, ice does have great type coverage.
Although those pros aren't even close to be able to pull it out of the UU enviornment, it can still be considered a threat that you have to be prepared to counter.
Trait
Snow Warning: It's only trait, but not necessarily that bad. Like Tyranitar, Hippowdon, Kyogre and Groudon, Abomasnow summons a weather effect as soon as it enters the Battle. However, Abomasnow, while its in play is possibly the only pokemon that can make use of the hail. Unlike Sandstorms, rain and Sunny days, Hail only helps ice types.
Movesets
Special Sweeper
-Blizzard
-Grass knot/Energy Ball
-Substitute
-Focus Blast/Hidden Power [Ground]
Items attached: Choice Scarf/Life Orb
Ability: Snow Warning
Evs and Nature:
evs: 252 sp. atk/252 spd/4 hp
Modest nature (+sp.atk, -atk), Timid nature (+spd/-atk)
A very good way to go with Abomasnow. Abomasnow can reach 283 Special attack, and with an STAB boosted Blizzard, Abomasnow can really pack a punch. Hail-Blizzard really is the heart and sole of this set because with it, Blizzard has 100% accuracy.
The Grass attacks are a split choice. Grass knot takes out Blastoise, Swampert, Hippowdon, Golem and Rhydon, but is limited to Dugtrio and Vaporeon.
Subsitute Boasts Abomasnow somewhat Bulky HP.
Focus Blast and Hidden Power [Ground] take out Steel types that oppose Abomasnow such as Steelix.
Physical Sweeper
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch/Avalanche
-Wood Hammer/Seed Bomb
-Swords Dance/Rock Slide
Items attached: Choice Scarf/Life Orb/Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
Evs and Natures
EVs: 252 atk/252spd/4hp
Adamant nature (+atk, -sp.atk) Jolly nature (+spd, -sp.atk)
Although this set doesn't utilize Snow Warning as well as the special sweeper, Abomasnow has a fantastic physical movepool.
You have a lot of choice to take too. Swords Dance skyrockets your Attack from a possible 283 to a gigantic 546. However, Abomasnow doesn't even have adequate speed for the NU enviornment let alone the UU. You may have to use a choice scarf instead of SD.
Earthquake has great type coverage and takes out a lot of Pokemon that have STAB attacks on Abomasnow that Ice and Grass don't (Steelix, Drapion, Arcainine/Flareon/Magmotar, and Ninetails).
Wood Hammer and seed bomb are Abomasnow's only viable physical options. Wood Hammer has significantly better power but the recoil is pretty unattractive. Seed bomb is a balanced option.
Ice punch is a well balanced STAB ice attack.
If you use the Swords Dance set however, chances are that you're slower than your opponent anyway so you might as well use Avalanche instead of Ice punch.
EVs and Nature
Abomasnows EVs are very straight forward. Do what you can with it's speed and max out whatever attack you're using. Very obviously a 252/252 split.
Depending on what moveset you like there's 4 natures you can use:
Modest (+sp.atk,-atk) Timid (+spd, -atk) Adamant (+atk, -sp.atk) and Jolly (+spd, -sp.atk)
Other Options
Brick Break, Leech seed, Growth, Grass Whistle, Ice Shard, Hidden Power [Fire], Ingrain, Ice Beam
Brick Break has Great Type Coverage.
Leech Seed recovers Abomasnows HP while damaging the opponent. Althouggh Ingrain has it's advantages, because when Ingrained Abomasnow can't escape, it is inferior to Leech Seed.
Growth raises Sp.atk by one stage but because it's only one stage it's hardly worth the move slot.
Grass whistle puts the opponent to sleep but is very innacurate.
Ice Shard puts a physical, weak answer to Abomasnows horrible speed.
Hidden Power [Fire] although has other uses, is mainly to take out Scizor. It's not that common of a Pokemon anyway so it's hard to justify it's use.
Finally, Ice Beam, although a great well balanced attack, Snow Warning gives Abomasnow justification to use Blizzard, leaving it's only down side to be it's PP.
Countering Abomasnow
Ugh. Where do I start?
Scizor resists both of Abomasnows STAB moves, can take anything Abomasnow can throw at it and attack with an easy X-Scissor or 2.
Aggron and Probopass resists ice and can handle grass attacks but needs to watch out for Earthquake, Hidden Power [Ground] or Focus Blast.
Also without HP [ground], Earthquake or Rock slide, Magmotar, Ninetails, Flareon, Camerupt, Rapidash, Arcainine, Blaziken, and Typhlosion walk all over it.
Drapion is faster than Abomasnow and can potentially OHKO it with a strong poison attack.
Pidgeot, Swellow, Crobat, Staraptor, Altaria, and Fearow are all fast enough to run in with a quick Brave Bird or Drill Peck ad OHKO it the better hope they attack first or OHKO it though because a blizzard, Ice Punch or Avalanche will easily knock them out.
Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Primeape, Hitmontop, Hariyama and Macamp all have strong STAB fighting attacks to easily take out Abomasnow in one blow and are buky anough to suck in anyhting it can throw at them.
Abomasnow has no business in the Standard enviornment, but if it decides to show it's face it will be easily stopped and KO'd by Metagross, Bronzong, Skarmory, Gallade, Weavile, or Infernape.
Although Abomansnow has potential to be a firece opponent, it is pretty easy to fight. Get in a strong supper effective hit (and believe me, there a lot) before it attacks. A heck of a lot of Pokemon are faster than Abomasnow and have Super Effective attacks. It's a little more complicated with choice Scarf however.
