The Art of Platifail

[Samson]

The following consists of Pokemanz who I could never use before, but with the new additions to Platinum, I see them for something more than Brock's stew ingredients.

NOTE: This may or may not be a RMT. You choose and I'll judge you on how fail you are at Platifail.

Delibird @ Choice Band/Life Orb/(Sky/Ice/Meadow) Plate
Jolly/Adamant Nature
Vital Spirit/Hustle
252 ATK/252 SPD/4 LOL
-Ice Punch
-Pluck/Aerial Ace/Ice Shard
-Seed Bomb/Ice Shard
-Brick Break/Fling/Ice Shard

This is DeliBand... LOL... ok ok, let's try that again. Vital Sprit is a great choice for absorbing sleep from oh-so-common grass types in the lower tiers who really don't have much else to do. Hustle is great for the power, although the accuracy drop isn't too nice (which is why Aerial Ace would be a better option in this case). 305 atk w/ CB is bad but still does HARD damage to grass types and manages to hit Gastrodon/Quagsire for a near OHKO w/ Seed Bomb. Life Orb is the better option w/ Hustle and the Plates are there just in case you have a primal need for 90 BP Dark attack while boosting the damage on one of your attacks. Ice Shard is still an option for getting the KO on faster opponents.

Arbok @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Intimidate
252 ATK/224 SPD/32 DEF
-Earthquake/Fire Fang
-Aqua Tail
-Seed Bomb
-Gunk Shot/Crunch/Rock Slide/Ice Fang

The highlight here: Aqua Tail. Arbok now has the ability to scare out what it threatens w/ EQ and hit the switch-in with a great covering move. Seed Bomb takes care of stalling bulky waters who used to giggle at Arbok's attempts. The Speed EVs help Arbok outspeed Jolly Sandlash (don't underestimate that thing) and the remaining Defense EVs help Arbok switch into nuetral physical attacks and take some priority moves slightly better.

Chatot @ Life Orb/Focus Sash/Talisman of Endless Fail
Timid/Naive Nature
252 SP ATK/252 SPD/4 HP? i dunno lol
-Hyper Voice
-Heat Wave
-Encore/Taunt/Substitute
-Nasty Plot/Sunny Day/U-turn

Heat Wave takes it from Complete to Moderate Fail status. Chatot's speed allows it to be a reliable Encore agent, giving it the time to NP up, put up some Mr. Golden Sun or make a U-Turn out of battle predicting a switch. Nothing too new on this pathetic excuse of a bird but at least now it can pose a threat to a couple more foes.

Spinda @ Focus Sash
Brave Nature
252 ATK/252 DEF/4 HP
-Fake Out
-Trick Room
-Hypnosis/SuckerPunch/Ice Punch/Thunderpunch
-Encore/SuckerPunch/Ice Punch/Thunderpunch

Lead Panda is sooo kewl. Gets first hit, uses Trick Room, and depending on the opponent's move, you either Encore, attack and let it faint so that a beneficiary of Trick Room can come in or put the foe to sleep. The Defense EVs are for foe priority hits.

Dunsparce @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
252 ATK/252 HP/4 DEF
-Return/Facade
-Earthquake/Rock Slide
-Aqua Tail
-Zen Headbutt/Sleep Talk

Pretty self-explanatory, I guess. It's practically paralyzed/asleep already, why not make it your primary non-Burn status absorber w/ Facade + Sleep Talk? Thing can take/give a hit every once in a while.

Raticate @ Life Orb/Flame Orb/Choice Band
Jolly Nature
Guts
252 ATK/252 SPD/4 FANG
-Return/Facade
-Suckerpunch/Crunch
-Flame Wheel/Substitute
-Swords Dance/Protect/Zen Headbutt

Meh, I know. Suckerpunch just gives it an edge, doncha think? Also, Zen Headbutt gives it a bit gusto as a CBer, drawing in fighters and OHKOing them.

Pidgeot @ Choice Scarf
Naughty Nature
228 ATK/64 SP ATK/216 SPD
-Brave Bird
-U-Turn
-Heat Wave
-Return

I should rename this thing TEH FINNISER! Practical scarf set that uses Heat Wave as a viable option.

 

[Archer]

Okay Samson, you've got 7 pokemon there.... I'll just assume Delibird is a joke... Keep Arbok alive or Bastiodon will be a pain. Eh, not too great with NU.

 

[.]

Band that Pidgeot, and use SD / Facade / Crunch / Me First or Flame Whell on that Raticate with a Toxic Orb. There, solid.

 

[Samson]

yes, the team does have 7 pokemon because... well, it's not a team XD

these are just sets that i plan on using as soon as i form teams. i'll eventually fit them in somewhere. i just wanted to see if there were any other usages of them that someone else sees that i didn't myself.

speaking of which, Vance: is Toxic Orb the better option? i always wondered if there was any difference between the two. i just seem to prefer a Chinese Horoscope to Master Splinter.

 

[.]

yes, the team does have 7 pokemon because... well, it's not a team XD

these are just sets that i plan on using as soon as i form teams. i'll eventually fit them in somewhere. i just wanted to see if there were any other usages of them that someone else sees that i didn't myself.

speaking of which, Vance: is Toxic Orb the better option? i always wondered if there was any difference between the two. i just seem to prefer a Chinese Horoscope to Master Splinter.

Considering Raticate is going to usually switch out after a few turns since there will be something to wall it, taking little damage (Toxic) in a few turns is superior to taking a lot of damage in a few turns.

Hustle on Delibird. Always.

 

[Archer]

If you run Swords Dance, then Flame is better, otherwise, if you intend to be in for less than 4 Turns, Toxic is better. It's to do with the damage increase; Toxic starts lower and is doing more by turn 3.

...Rate My... Cluster?

 

[Samson]

i believe the correct answer is Fail. Rate My Fail.

about Raticate: i think i'm going to stick with Flame Orb and i'm absolutely sure i want to keep Suckerpunch. after a SD, Raticate does a bit more than 60% to common resistances, primeape and toxicroak being a concern. i REALLY like Me First over Flame Wheel, tho. dunno why i never thought of it. should be fun to use against golem and stuffz.

hmm i think i might try CB Pidgeot if the scarf set just ain't cutting it.

even though i KNOW Hustle is the much better option for Delibird, the main focus is for it to come in on the likes of butterfree, parasect, smeargle and jumpluff who are unquestionably going to try for sleep and just fire away. pluck is amazing against smeargle who is most likely carrying salac berry, hitting 180 power w/ STAB. i know that Delibird will die off fast but getting that extra satisfaction of killing someone else's strategy is oh so great. in that case, i'd rather run a lame CB set than a life orb Hustle set that might actually get around to doing in a couple pokes it wasn't meant to.