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[redorcagaming]

The Roost-Sword Toucannon set - Pokemon Battle Spot

Toucannon, the pissed off bird pokemon. Underwhelming stats, an average typing; you might be tempted to pass this guy by...while he’s not looking...at a slow and steady pace...but do so at your peril. With the right moveset, EVs and strategy this angry bird can become an absolute terror on the Battle Spot scene...                       (picture credit @mypasteluniverse)

(Credit Bulbapedia)

Two useful resistances, good attack, passable HP, but poor defences and disappointing speed mean Toucannon gives a less than great first impression. Don’t stop there, however, as it’s his movepool and ability is where things get interesting. Skill link, plus bullet seed and rock blast, give Toucannon a set of 125 base power, multiple hitting coverage moves. This along with beak blast, a great new signature move, brave bird, flame charge, swords dance, roost, tailwind, boomburst; give our angry friend a whole lot of versatility to play with.

The Roost-Sword Set

For this set we’re going to use Toucannon’s signature move and rare ability, skill link, to turn him into defensive tank with a powerful punch:

Toucannon @ Leftovers Ability: Skill Link EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe Impish Nature - Beak Blast - Bullet Seed - Swords Dance  - Roost 

- Impish nature (+Defence - Special Attack) because his low defence sat means he can’t go adamant and hope to tank anything.

- Ability: Skill Link (multi-hit moves alway hit 5 times) to turn Bullet Seed into a fantastic coverage move.

-Item: Leftovers (the holder regains 1/16th of their maximum HP at the end of the turn) for extra tanking abilities.

- EVs: 252 HP, 252 Defence, 4 Speed - this spread maximises Toucannon’s defence while the 4 speed EVs enable you to outspeed uninvested base 60 speed pokemon (of which there are many in gen 7)

Moveset:

- Beak Blast - This is where the set shines. Beak Blast heats up Toucannon’s beak at the start of the turn (priority) then hits with a flying-type base power of 100 at the end of the turn (-3 priority). If the opponent attacks Toucannon with a physical contact move during that turn then they become burned, which halves their attack and creates turn-based residual damage. Toucannon is the only pokemon who learns this move and the set is designed so that we can use it to its maximum potential.

- Bullet Seed - The choice here is Bullet Seed or Rock Blast, both having a huge base power of 125 with skill link, while breaking substitutes, disguises, focus sashes etc. For this set we’re going for Bullet Seed as it has a 100% accuracy (as opposed to Rock Blast’s 90%) and it covers Beak Blast’s rock weakness.

- Swords Dance - raises the user’s attack by two stages. We’re not investing any EVs in attack to ensure we’re as defensively solid as possible, which makes an attack boosting move crucial. After a boost or two, with Toucannon’s base 120 attack and skill link, you’re going to be able to carve through a multitude of opponents.

- Roost - restores the user’s HP by half of its maximum. With heavy defensive investment and a powerful burning move, this reliable recovery will turn you into a certified defensive tank.

Strategy:

The idea is you use Toucannon against a physical attacker, burn them with beak blast, then roost, swords dance and carve them to pieces with your strong base power attacks.

The great thing about Beak Blast is that you’re burning them while hitting them with a 100 base power STAB (same type attack bonus) attack. This means the opponent can’t stop it with taunt, they can’t stall around it as you’re hitting them hard every time and they can’t switch out easily as the switch in will get whacked instead. Even if they KO you, the burning happens as a priority whether you are able to attack them at the end of the turn or not, meaning they will be burned regardless. The one limitation is that that the opponent has to make contact to be burned, however, Toucannon as a flying type is immune to the game’s most common non contact physical move in earthquake. In all it’s an excellent move on a pokemon with an excellent ability and an excellent attack stat. This move alone is worth making a set around.

Calculations: 

Here’s how Toucannon weighs up against some of the meta game’s common heavy hitters:

vs Garchomp

One on one Toucannon is immune to earthquake and can Beak Blast and Roost if Garchomp goes for outrage. You will have to roost stall with leftovers until you have enough health to attack if you’re facing a rare rock slide Garchomp, however, all in all the odds are in your favour.

vs Mega Gyarados

Non-mega Gyarados dislikes being burned and yet is forced to attack you over dragon dance if you keep damaging him with Beak Blast. Meanwhile Mega Gyarados is 2HKOd by bullet seed without even a swords dance boost.

vs Mimikyu

Mimiku hates bullet seed as it strips through his disguise ability and any potential focus sash, and if he does try to attack you he can be burned with Beak Blast. With a Roost between you can 3HKO Mimikyu and come out near full health.

vs Mega Lucario

One on one Toucannon will go down to two Close Combats, even if you burn him on the second one, however, you’ll leave this broken mega pokemon with barely any HP left and an attack-cutting burn rendering him near useless.

vs Choice Band Tapu Bulu

If Bulu can hit a Stone-miss then he has a 18.8% to OHKO you, otherwise he’ll go down to two Beak Blasts. If he goes for any other move then you can burn, Roost and take him out.

Final Note

Try and avoid steel type pokemon as they resist both of Toucannon’s attacks, although it’s not the end of the world if you come up against one as with swords dance you can boost up quickly and still do some damage.

That’s the set, give it a try and have fun!

[redorcagaming]

The anti shenanigans Miltank set - Pokemon Battle Spot

So you want to enjoy battle spot, but you’re sick of all the toxic-stalling, minimizing, para-flinching battlers out there who take so much pleasure from making you mad. Well worry no longer because this cow's here to squash some trolls and drink some milk...

Starting with the pokemon, Miltank is a versatile beast with three excellent abilities:

- Thick Fat (takes half damage to fire and ice)

- Sap SIpper (immune grass moves and receives a +1 attack boost when hit by them)

- Scrappy (can hit ghosts with normal type moves)

Reasonable stats:

(credit bulbapedia)

And a solid normal typing:

The Set:

Four key moves make this pokemon a great status absorbing, attack boosting, minimize-busting nightmare:

Miltank @ Sitrus Berry Ability: Scrappy EVs: 252 HP / 252 Att / 4 Spe Impish Nature - Body Slam - Heal Bell - Milk Drink  - Curse  

- Body Slam

85 base power, normal type STAB (same type attack bonus), 30% chance to cause paralysis and if the opposing pokemon has used minimize its base power doubles and it always hits. This is a great offensive utility move that combined with Miltank’s Scrappy ability will hit everything (though you’ll have to boost a lot to hit rock and steel types well).

- Heal Bell

Removes status conditions from all of your pokemon - the best status removal move in the game and will ensure you can beat toxic stallers.

- Milk Drink

Restores 50% of maximum HP to the user. An excellent recovery move not affected by weather (like some others are) and only learnt by three pokemon.

- Curse

On non-ghost type pokemon this move raises attack by one stage, defence by one stage and decreases speed by one stage. The speed decrease is regrettable on a pokemon with a decent speed stat, however, the attack and defence buffs make it more than worth it.

 - Ability: Scrappy

As there is only one offensive move on our set we have to run the ability Scrappy so that Miltank can hit ghost type pokemon. This also key for our minimize-busting abilities as there are some ghost-type pokemon known to use minimize (Drifblim and Chandlure being two common examples) that Miltank wouldn’t be able to hit otherwise.

- The EV spread, nature and item:

252 EVs in HP gives Miltank enough bulk to tank initial hits along with the sitrus berry, which turns 2HKOs into 3HKOs ensuring you can get a curse then milk drink off. 252 EVs in attack are necessary as Miltank has only 80 base attack and even with curse boosts she is still too weak without it.4 EVs in speed allows her to outspeed other non-invested base 100 speed pokemon.

Impish nature (+defence - special attack) over Adamant because we’re investing no EVs in defence and so need the extra 10%.

The Calculations

You might be thinking, ‘But Miltank’s an NU pokemon, why would I use her?’ This is why:

You can switch into an outraging Garchomp, milk drink until he’s confused, curse up then squash him dead (body slam does 59.5-71% at +2 attack - outrage does 22.7 - 27.2% at +2 defence). An Outrage from Garchomp is just about one of the strongest neutral hits in the game and Miltank takes it as a 3HKO (three hit knock out). That’s the bulk we’re dealing with.

Another important calculation is how Miltank does against one of the game’s worst offenders for minimizing - Alolan Muk:

This calculation is based on a max attack Alolan Muk, which minimizing ones will rarely be as they usually concentrate more on defence. Even so we’re looking at 3HKOs - 4HKOs if only poison jab is run, and after a minimize Miltank’s attack doubles to 63.2-74.4%, which is a guaranteed 2HKO even before any curse boosts. 

One of the worst offenders for para-flinching in 6th Generation Pokemon was unfortunately Gyarados, who would paralyze you with thunder wave and then hammer waterfall until all the fun was drained out of the game; so let’s see how Miltank squares up against him:

Before any boosts we’re looking at 4HKOs from max attack adamant Gyarados, which gives plenty of chances to heal bell off the paralysis, milk drink some health and get in some curses - at +2 Miltank 2HKOs Gyarados and Gyarados does basically nothing to Miltank

For a final calculation let’s look at one of the worst offenders for toxic-stalling in the game...Gliscor:

A typical defensive Gliscor set struggles to 5HKO Miltank. Meanwhile Miltank heals off toxic and boosts up. Even if Gliscor uses swords dances to boost his attack, you can just curse up alongside him and he’ll never get to a level where he can take you down.

Final note

In order for this set to work you need a strong specially defensive wall in your team, as Miltank doesn’t have the best bulk on the special side and your opponent is going to want to switch in a special attacker once they’ve finished underestimating you. Goodra is a good choice; as is assault vest Reuniclus who will resist your fighting weakness and can pivot with its regenerator ability; as is assault vest Araquanid who again resists the fighting weakness and hits extremely hard with liquidation.   

Above all, give it a shot and have fun!

[redorcagaming]

How to use Guzzlord - Pokemon Battle Spot 3v3

The directors at Gamefreak slammed into the designers workshop one morning and declared with great bombast: ‘We shall have the apocalypse in Pokemon form!’ The designers looked at one another, each raised a sly eyebrow and then in unison with a voice more demonic than a snoring Primal Groudon they decreed, ‘It shall be done!’ And thus Guzzlord was born.

‘He shall have all the HP…all of it, muhahaha,’ went the first designer, ‘He shall have spikes literally everywhere,’ went the second designer, ‘He shall have terrible defences, just god awful,’ went the third designer who was perched under a bridge waiting for billy goats to pass by, ‘and a typing so bad the fairies will eat him alive,’ and so it was done.

Yes, we need to talk about Guzzlord. This rather beautiful pokemon has been widely swept aside in the competitive scene and it’s not his fault, he’s just two generations too late. With fairies left, right, center and back in 7th gen and with a speed that translates into an awkward waddle, there doesn’t seem to be a lot going for him. However, all is not lost. In the right battle environment, with the right ev spread and the right move-set this beast can become your best friend, rather than your worst liability.

(courtesy of bulbapedia)

The stats speak for themselves: astounding HP, terrible defences, poor speed and half-decent mixed attack. If you want him to tank anything you’ve got to invest in one of the defences; only invest in one and you’ll be killed in the other. At the same time his offences are going to struggle without investment themselves.

Six resistances and an immunity is actually pretty good at first glance; and it can be in the right circumstances. There are some problems though and the big fat elephant in the room is that x4 fairy weakness. How many psychic pokemon carry dazzling gleam? A lot. So there goes your psychic wall. How many fire pokemon carry a fighting move? More than you’d think. How many water pokemon carry an ice move…and on and on. Even the ghosts are fairies in this gen. So how do we use him?

Battle Spot 3v3 environment:

In 6v6 there’s too much that can switch into him and because of his speed, and with no access to priority, all it takes is one super effective move and he’s death fodder. 3v3 is a different story, however. Let’s first get this out there: 3v3 is not just a scaled down version of 6v6. The dynamics are different: team selection is critical as opposed to 6v6 where you just pick a starter; walls are more effective as there is less variety to break them down with; tactics shift when you only have three pokemon to worry about. Under this environment Guzzlord has much more opportunity to make an impact.

Advised set for 3v3:

You can only max out two stats and whatever you leave will make you vulnerable. With some pokemon you can drop a few evs here, dice a few evs over there, but not for Guzzlord. With his terrible defences and only passable offensives; Guzzlord’s an all or nothing kind of guy. But there is a way to have your cake and eat it too:

Guzzlord @ Assault Vest Ability: Beast Boost EVs: 252 Def / 4 SpD / 252 SpA Quiet Nature - Draco Meteor - Dark Pulse - Flamethrower  - Dragon Tail  

Explanation:

- No point putting any evs into his already massive HP as it’ll make very little difference to his bulk.

- Concentrating on Special Attack over Physical Attack means he’s not rendered useless by a burn, which is a concern for a pokemon who’s designed to sit there and glare at you while you throw the kitchen sink at him.

- Maxing out defence means you can use the Assault vest to patch up his special defence.

-Quiet nature (+Special Attack -Speed) means you can get more damage from Dragon Tail while having very little effect on your already slow speed tier.

- Running Dragon Tail means you aren’t set-up fodder once you use Draco Meteor (which gives you -2 special attack after use).

- Dark Pulse is necessary STAB move (Same Type Attack Bonus) and nothing is immune to it.

-Draco Meteor over Dragon Pulse because Dragon Pulse will not get you the kills you really need (Garchomp, Salamence, most other dragons in fact do not go down to dragon pulse, but will to Draco).

-Flamethrower for coverage as steel resists dragon, and to hit those x4 weaknesses (ferrothorn, scizor, kartana etc).

-Worth noting his ability beast boost is a great ability if you can get a kill (raises your highest stat by one stage excluding hp), though his low speed means your follow up attack opportunities will be somewhat limited.

Strategy

- This set is similar to one sometimes used on Snorlax, but often to poor effect. On Snorlax you have one immunity and no resistances, so when you get hit it will almost always be neutral or super effective (fighting). As a result if you boost both defences (one with assault vest), then you’re missing out on important bulk that Snorlax really needs; as such Snorlax can work much better as a specially defensive tank that avoids physical attacks (or the curse set). Guzzlord, however, has six resistances and one immunity, so boosting both defences can work much better allowing him to wall a greater number of pokemon on both defensive sides than he would with investment on just one side.

- With Draco Meteor and mixed bulk you can take one hit from any non-boosted dragon (except Mega Altaria) and have a decent chance of getting a one hit KO in return:

Vs Garchomp (choice scarf)

Vs Mega Salamence (Special)

Vs Kommo-o (mixed offensive)

In all three of these examples dragon pulse misses the ohko, which is why you need Draco.

- In situations where you have no super effective means you can still cause havoc with dragon tail:

Vs Mega Gyarados

Here you can get Draco Meteor damage and then dragon tail damage if they try to Dragon Dance (which they always do) shedding them of the boosts (if it hits).

- While his speed is bad, it’s worth noting that he underspeeds Aegislash and can ohko him with dark pulse while he’s in blade forme (2hko in shield form) - though steer clear of the annoying toxic stall aegislash who will outspeed and sub-toxic-king’s shield you to death (please stop using that god awful set).

Vs blade-forme Aegislash

- As a final note, look what happens against a Mega Gengar with Dazzling Gleam:

x4 effective Dazzling Gleam off Mega Gengar’s 170 base special attack does 60-70%. This guy has some bulk! Meanwhile Dark Pulse has a 62.5% chance to ohko.

- Obviously if your opponent has a plethora of fairies in their team then don’t bring Guzzlord, but the good thing about 3v3 is you don’t have to bring him if he’s not favourable. Also it’s worth noting that your opponent will most likely bring a fairy if they see him on your team sheet (if they have one), meaning you can use that knowledge and be ready with your fairy counter whether you bring Guzzlord or not.

Conclusion

Guzzlord can one-on-one a lot of prominent Battle Spot pokemon and with six resistances, one immunity and massive invested bulk he can do some decent walling too. Despite this Guzzlord remains a difficult pokemon to use in a meta game riddled with fairies, and should not be used by a novice trainer. In the right circumstance, with the right team predictions, he can fulfil a unique niche; just don’t expect him to be a key for all locks.