Analysis GP Queue

Ren

i swore lips were made for lies
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
[QC 3/3]

Tapu Koko


Overview
With access to two pivoting moves, Electric Surge and a good typing, Tapu Koko has carved itself a large niche as one of Mix and Mega's best revenge killers and pivots. Electric Surge, Tapu Koko's signature ability, activates Electric Terrain which grants it and all other grounded Pokemon a 1.5x boost on their Electric type attacks. In addition, Tapu Koko has access to U-Turn and Volt Switch which allows it to function as an effective pivot. Despite its shallow movepool, it has what it needs to function well and its offensive stats allow it to function as an effective revenge killer. Finally, its stellar offensive typing allows it to force out common metagame threats such as Weavile, Suicune and Pinsirite Genesect. However, it struggles with dominating forces in the current metagame such as Primal Groudon and Zapdos. In addition, upon Mega Evolving it loses Electric Surge, which can be a huge advantage in battle.

Lucarionite

Tapu Koko @ Lucarionite
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam / Grass Knot
- Nature's Madness

Set Comments

Moves

Volt Switch is a move which allows Tapu Koko to pivot out of any non Ground type switchins, gaining momentum for the team. Thunderbolt hits ridiculously hard with the Adaptability boost gained by Lucarionite and the boost provided by the Electric Terrain. Dazzling Gleam is a secondary move designed to hit the Grass types, Dragon types and Ground types that Thunderbolt cannot handle. Grass Knot can be used to hit Primal Groudon and Arceus for more consistent damage, but the Fairy STAB would be lost. Nature's Madness punishes switchins like Primal Groudon and other Ground types by halving their HP, putting them at a range where they are easier to deal with.

Set Details

Maximum investment in Speed allows Tapu Koko to outspeed unboosted Pokemon such as Glalitite Weavile, Absolite Tapu Lele, Metagrossite Kartana and Absolite Manaphy. Special Attack is also maximized in order to hit as hard as possible. Lucarionite boosts Tapu Koko's base Special Attack to 120, also gifting it with Adaptability which changes the STAB multiplier from 1.5x to 2x. Electric Surge is a great pre-mega ability as it summons Electric Terrain, which provides a 1.5x boost to Tapu Koko's Electric type attacks.

Usage Tips

Identifying threats on the opponent's team such as Primal Groudon and using double switches to bring in your check can turn the game in your favor. In addition, you can also use Nature's Madness to soften the threats to a level where Tapu Koko can handle them. Preserving your answers to defensive threats such as Cresselia and Blissey will serve you well in the long run, since both Pokemon wall and can set up on Tapu Koko due to its relatively low damage output compared to other metagame threats. Knowing when to Mega Evolve is key as well, since upon Mega Evolving Tapu Koko loses its ability to summon Electric Terrain. Despite the small advantage provided by Electric Terrain, however, situations where you will not Mega Evolve are rare. Use Nature's Madness liberally early on in the game in order to cripple the opponent's team, as the whole team will likely become easier to handle at lower HP values.

Team Options

Tapu Koko appreciates being partnered with Primal Groudon checks such as Arceus-Water or Golisopod. Golisopod in particular helps Tapu Koko in the matchup versus Primal Groudon due to forcing a switch from the Primal Groudon user. Checks to Cresselia such as Golisopod, Darkrai and Hoopa-U are appreciated due to Tapu Koko doing negligible damage to it and having to switch out of the battle in favor of a partner capable of forcing Cresselia out. Mega Gengar could be an option to Perish Trap Sablenite Blissey, which Tapu Koko otherwise struggles to beat. Checks to Red Orb Raikou such as Primal Groudon work well in tandem with Tapu Koko due to Red Orb Raikou walling both of Tapu Koko's STABs with no difficulty and Primal Groudon forcing it out. However, Primal Groudon can be forced out as well due to having no recovery and the damage from Raikou's Weather Ball dealing a significant amount of damage. Hazard removers such as Zapdos and defensive Arceus formes carrying Defog are appreciated so that Tapu Koko isn't worn down from pivoting too much. Hazard setters such as Terrakion and Primal Groudon work well due to compensating for Tapu Koko's low offensive stats.

Pinsirite

Tapu Koko @ Pinsirite
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- U-Turn
- Quick Attack
- Wild Charge / Nature's Madness

Set Comments

Moves


Return is the main move that the player will be spamming. It provides a strong Flying STAB attack for Tapu Koko and doesn't have the recoil that Wild Charge does, allowing for Tapu Koko to stay longer on the field without fainting itself due to recoil damage. Quick Attack is a priority Aerilate-boosted STAB attack which allows Tapu Koko to revenge kill weakened opponents. It can also net a surprise KO on Pheromosa. U-Turn allows the player to pivot out of any switchins, gaining momentum. Wild Charge is the Electric STAB move of choice, hitting things that don't resist it for a hefty amount of damage when Electric Terrain is up and Tapu Koko hasn't Mega Evolved, such as Suicune. Nature's Madness can be run over Wild Charge as it is useful for crippling switchins to Tapu Koko such as Zapdos, but you lose your Electric STAB which makes it more difficult to handle Absolite Manaphy and Sablenite Suicune.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature are used to outspeed as much as possible. The Pokemon that are outsped include Absolite Manaphy, Lucarionite Keldeo and Salamencite Gyarados. 252 Attack EVs allow Tapu Koko to take advantage of its Attack stat after it has Mega Evolved. Pinsirite gives Tapu Koko the Flying type and Aerilate, allowing Tapu Koko to abuse its decent pre-mega Attack stat of 110 due to having a Physical Normal option in Frustration.

Usage Tips

Bring Tapu Koko in when you can force switches with it such as on Keldeo, Golisopod, and Pinsirite Genesect. This allows you to maintain momentum in the battle and respond to Pokemon that threaten Tapu Koko without having to spend a turn on switching out. It is also important to consider when you will Mega. Electric Surge is a useful ability for Tapu Koko, so timing the moment that you will Mega is important. However, it is less important on the Pinsirite set as Return is a more spammable attack than Wild Charge upon Mega Evolving. In addition, if you choose to forgo Wild Charge in favor of Nature's Madness, you can completely ignore preserving Electric Surge. When there is a Zapdos on the field, be sure to preserve your answer to it. Tapu Koko cannot 2HKO Zapdos regardless of what it does. When your opponent has Suicune, do not Mega until it is off the field. If Tapu Koko has Mega Evolved, it only 3HKOs Sablenite Suicune due to Electric Terrain not boosting Wild Charge. However, if Tapu Koko hasn't Mega Evolved, it easily 2HKOs Sablenite Suicune despite its lower attack, provided Electric Terrain is still active.

Team Options

Golisopod makes for a good partner due to being able to force threats out like Primal Groudon and Cresselia, as the two Pokemon take any attack Tapu Koko can throw at them and KO back using Stone Edge or set up, respectively. However, the defensive synergy isn't good due to both Pokemon being weak to Stealth Rock. Using Pokemon that carry Toxic such as Blissey help in the matchup against Venusaurite Zapdos. Primal Groudon helps in breaking past Red Orb Raikou due to coming onto both of its STABs and KOing back with a STAB Ground Attack. However, it can be forced out as Raikou does a hefty amount of damage with Weather Ball. As Tapu Koko is now weak to Stealth Rock, it greatly appreciates hazard removal such as Zapdos or defensive Arceus formes that carry Defog. Mega Gengar functions well in tandem with Tapu Koko as it Perish traps many of the threats Tapu Koko cannot break past, such as Blissey. Hazard setters such as Terrakion function well with Tapu Koko due to being able to soften up opposing threats such as Zapdos and Weavile and thus discourage excessive swtching, which makes up for Tapu Koko's relatively subpar offensive stats and bulk. Tapu Koko's U-Turn also helps in maintaining pressure versus teams that use Zapdos so that an opportunity to Defog is missed. Finally, Pokemon with similar checks and counters such as Kartana and Genesect put more pressure on the opponent in regards to keeping their answer alive.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Taunt can be run on both sets, but often times it ends up being more of a hindrance than a benefit as on the Lucarionite set, Nature's Madness is better for weakening answers to Koko while on the Pinsirite set, you are either missing out on the priority, the strong Flying STAB, the Electric STAB or the pivoting move. In addition, Taunt doesn't hit most of what it is meant to anyways since a lot of defensive threats in the tier carry Sablenite, which provides Magic Bounce. Absolite can be run for the extra speed plus Magic Bounce, but the extra speed doesn't necessarily matter as Lucarionite Pheromosa still outspeeds it. Calm Mind is an option that can be run on the Lucarionite set but Tapu Koko would sorely miss any of the other moves, which means there is less room for Calm Mind. Roost can be run on either set, but the problem with it is Tapu Koko requires all four moves on both sets to function and it gives your opponent a free turn.

Checks and Counters

*Ground types: Ground types such as Gliscor, Primal Groudon and Hippowdon wall Tapu Koko with no struggle whatsoever. Primal Groudon is naturally bulky enough to take all of Tapu Koko's attacks and KO back with Precipice Blades/Earthquake. Stone Edge variants aren't deterred by Pinsirite Tapu Koko either. The same goes for Gliscor and Hippowdon - Hippowdon is somewhat more difficult to deal with due to having access to reliable recovery in Slack Off.
*Mixed Walls: Tapu Koko struggles with Pokemon that are naturally bulky on both sides of the spectrum such as Cresselia, Magearna and Blissey. Sablenite Cresselia walls Tapu Koko completely, with the most damaging attack being Nature's Madness on the Lucarionite set. The opponent will have to misplay in order for Tapu Koko to 1v1 Cresselia. Sablenite Blissey walls Tapu Koko and is capable of Toxic stalling it out or even just clicking Seismic Toss. Tapu Koko can do nothing to Sablenite Blissey. Magearna is able to force Tapu Koko to pivot out and gain momentum with Volt Switch, forcing you into an unfavorable situation.
*Red Orb Raikou: Red Orb Raikou walls both Tapu Koko sets due to its Electric/Fire typing. It is also able to return a Weather Ball which consistently OHKOs Lucarionite Tapu Koko after Stealth Rock and has a high chance to OHKO Pinsirite Tapu Koko after Rocks.
*Flying Resists: Flying resists such as Arceus-Rock wall the Pinsirite set due to Frustration being the main attack of choice. Zapdos in particular deserves a special mention due to its ability to wall both sets.
*Faster Attackers: Tapu Koko isn't very bulky, so faster attackers such as Pheromosa and Absolite Darkrai with Sludge Bomb can do incredible damage to and possibly KO Tapu Koko,
Tapu Koko in Mix and Mega is ready for GP~
 
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nv I'll be taking Arceus ghost now; also, please remove Kyurem-B from analysis list.
E: QC [2/2] GP [1/1]

Overview

Arceus-Ghost's great defensive typing lets it check top metagame picks such as Pheromosa and leaves it with few exploitable weaknesses; its high defensive stats give it many chances to set up or recover health. Arceus-Ghost's great movepool lets it run multiple sets effectively, which means that it partners well with other physical sweepers thanks to its ability to destroy walls with the powerful Neverending Nightmare. Arceus-Ghost also has a decent Speed tier that lets it outspeed many unboosted threats. However, a reliance on multi-turn and single-use moves leaves the offensive set extremely vulnerable to skilled predictions, and its lack of multiple solid resistances prevents it from having any truly great matchups.

Swords Dance
Arceus-Ghost @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shadow Force
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake

Set Comments

Moves

Shadow Force is Arceus-Ghost's most powerful STAB move, hitting anything that doesn't resist for solid damage on the second turn and boosting Neverending Nightmare to an amazing 190 Base Power. Neverending Nightmare is Arceus-Ghost's most powerful attack, allowing it to KO bulky Pokemon such as Zapdos and Ghost-resistant Pokemon such as offensive Yveltal at +2. Swords Dance boosts Arceus-Ghost's Attack, allowing it to deal heavy damage to the entire metagame, and Extreme Speed picks off weakened or frail threats such as Pheromosa while letting Arceus-Ghost chip Pokemon such as Genesect and Dragonite. Earthquake hits Primal Groudon and deals decent damage to most Normal-type Pokemon. Brick Break is an alternate option to hit Pokemon such as Blissey harder but has less overall use.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature allow Arceus-Ghost to Speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outpace many slower threats such as Hoopa-U, Lucarionite Tapu Lele, and Pinsirite Genesect. 252 Attack EVs maximize Arceus-Ghost's damage output and ensure it hits as hard as possible. 4 Defense EVs ensure that Genesect's Download boosts its Special Attack, decreasing the damage dealt by its Extreme Speed, and Ghostium Z allows Arceus-Ghost to turn Shadow Force into a powerful Neverending Nightmare with which it can wallbreak.

Usage Tips

Be careful when using Neverending Nightmare, as it has only 1 PP and is required for Arceus-Ghost to take on walls such as Zapdos. While Arceus-Ghost is an excellent Pheromosa check, be cautious switching it in, as it can be easily worn down by U-turn and entry hazards. Keep Arceus-Ghost from taking chip damage wherever possible, as while it is bulky, it needs all the setup opportunities it can get. It is generally efficacious to save Arceus-Ghost for the late-game so it can pull a clean sweep, but if you have other sweepers available, do not hesitate to use Arceus-Ghost to break holes in the opponent's team. When feasible, remove Normal-type Pokemon before attempting to sweep, as they can block Neverending Nightmare and take advantage of Shadow Force's charge turn to cripple Arceus-Ghost.

Team Options

Mega Gengar is a great teammate for Arceus-Ghost, as it can trap and KO annoying Normal-type Pokemon such as Blissey. Attackers that appreciate Arceus-Ghost checking Pheromosa, such as Kartana and Manaphy, also enjoy having it as a partner; in return, they can wear down bulky walls. Fairy-type Pokemon like Xerneas and Tapu Lele are handy to take on bulky Dark-type Pokemon, especially Yveltal and Mandibuzz, that try to wall Arceus-Ghost. Status clearers and absorbers, such as Blissey and Manaphy, pair well with Arceus-Ghost to discourage and cure burns. Other physical attackers such as Dragonite are helpful to wear down shared checks and counters such as Mandibuzz.

Support Arceus
Arceus-Ghost @ Spooky Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Judgment
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
- Defog / Focus Blast

Set Comments

Moves

Judgment is Arceus-Ghost's most powerful special STAB move, dealing decent damage to most of the metagame. Recover restores Arceus-Ghost's HP, keeping it healthy throughout the match to check Pokemon such as Dragonite and Extreme Killer Arceus. Will-O-Wisp allows Arceus-Ghost to cripple physical attackers such as Garchomp and Lucario, preventing them from taking out Arceus-Ghost with their powerful attacks. Toxic, meanwhile, puts foes on a timer and allows Arceus-Ghost to take on other support Arceus forms. Defog removes entry hazards from the field, allowing Arceus-Ghost's teammates to freely pivot and preserving Multiscale on Dragonite or Lugia, while Focus Blast allows Arceus-Ghost to hit the Normal-type Pokemon such as Extreme Killer Arceus that are immune to Judgment as well dealing more damage to Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon.

Set Details

248 HP EVs alongside 244 Defense EVs and a Bold nature improve Arceus-Ghost's defensive prowess, allowing it to wall most physical attackers; the HP investment also provides a status and entry hazards number. Defense investment is used over Special Defense to better let Arceus-Ghost check common attackers such as Dragonite. 16 Speed EVs allow Arceus-Ghost to outspeed fully invested neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon, particularly Primal Groudon.

Usage Tips

In the early-game, Arceus-Ghost should attempt to spread status as much as possible to wear down the opposing teams and hopefully cripple switch-ins before they Mega Evolve with Sablenite and obtain Magic Bounce. Use this Pokemon to aggressively switch and remove entry hazards, as it beats most setters and has difficulty switching in on the Pokemon it wants to check with them up. Once Arceus-Ghost's type is revealed, it acts as a deterrent for High Jump Kick throughout the game, so it may be advantageous not to bring it in on Pheromosa and thus avoid losing momentum to U-turn. While Arceus-Ghost is weak to Dark-type attacks, access to Will-O-Wisp allows it to cripple most Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Muk, so it doesn't need to greatly fear them coming in. Judgment can OHKO some frail attackers, particularly Kartana and Pheromosa, so don't bother crippling them with Will-O-Wisp.

Team Options

Dark-type switch-ins such as Mandibuzz and Togekiss are handy to prevent them from knocking out Arceus-Ghost; Alolan Muk is particularly useful due to its ability to trap Hoopa-U with Pursuit. Status answers such as Blissey and Togekiss are helpful to increase Arceus-Ghost's longevity and punish Toxic spam. Ghost-type answers such as Alolan Muk and Blissey are handy to take on Pokemon such as Lunala and offensive Arceus-Ghost for this set, as they hit it for massive damage. Fighting-type Pokemon such as Terrakion and Keldeo pair well with Arceus-Ghost, as it struggles greatly with Blissey.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Stealth Rock may be run over Defog on the support set should entry hazard removal be available elsewhere, but Stealth Rock setters are generally more common than Defoggers. A Calm Mind set with Judgment and Recover can be used as a sweeper thanks to the excellent coverage granted by Ghost- and Fighting-type attacks, but it hits little super effectively. Ice Beam on the support set may be used to better check Dragonite, while Recover may be run on the offensive set to allow for more setup opportunities, but the loss of coverage or priority is a major downside. Spooky Plate on the Swords Dance set allows for another Z-Move on the team, but there are few other viable users and Arceus-Ghost greatly appreciates the extra power. Shadow Claw over Shadow Force is a niche option to prevent the foe from pivoting between immunities, but the loss of power is extremely noticeable in wallbreaking and Neverending Nightmare. Stone Edge is an option on the Swords Dance set to hit Mandibuzz and Yveltal, but does not beat either without Stealth Rock or chip damage and is thus suboptimal.

Checks and Counters

Normal-type Pokemon: Normal-type Pokemon such as Arceus are immune to Shadow Force, Judgment, and Neverending Nightmare, restricting Arceus-Ghost to weaker coverage options. In particular, Shadow Force's charge turn allows them to either gain a free turn or switch in without needing prediction.

Dark-type Pokemon: Dark-type Pokemon such as Yveltal and Mandibuzz resist Arceus-Ghost's STAB moves, allowing them to switch in and use their powerful Dark-type STAB moves to KO Arceus-Ghost. Some of them can be taken out by a +2 Neverending Nightmare, however, so they must be careful.

Faster Attackers: Faster Pokemon not vulnerable to Extreme Speed such as Mega Gengar, Tapu Lele, and Kartana can move before weakened Arceus-Ghost and take it out before it can react. While they cannot switch in and chip damage is often required to KO, they cut short Arceus-Ghost's sweep with no counterplay bar switching.

Bulky Walls: Extremely bulky neutral walls such as Skarmory, Zapdos, and Hippowdon can live even +2 attacks and either phaze or status Arceus-Ghost. The defensive set often cannot touch them as well, and the common Sablenite will reflect its status. Should they not carry that or not have Mega Evolved, however, they must beware Toxic or Will-O-Wisp, and some will fall prey to the sheer power of offensive sets.

Status: Status cripples Arceus-Ghost, preventing it from doing its job. A burn on the offensive set prevents it from KOing any answers, while Toxic puts both sets on a timer and damages their effectiveness. Paralysis, meanwhile, ruins the excellent Speed tier Arceus-Ghost possesses and prevents it from reliably recovering off health.
Kris this is ready for upload
 
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Alolan Marowak in Sketchmons is ready for GP
Alolan-Marowak,
QC [3/3]

Overview


Alolan-Marowak has good offensive typing combined with a well-endowed STAB movepool, making it a feared threat in the metagame. Though it owns a seemingly mediocre stat line, Marowak's signature item, the Thick Club, brings Marowak-Alola's already respectable Base Attack of 80 to boast a huge Base Attack of around 209. Alolan-Marowak carries two useful abilities in Rock Head and Lightning Rod, where Rock Head gives recoil-free 120 BP STAB Flare Blitz and Lightning Rod provides an electric immunity; Alolan-Marowak makes players think twice before choosing an electric-type move. Immune to Extreme Speed from non-ate users, Alolan-Marowak can also be immune to Alolan-Golem Extreme Speed with Lightning Rod, and resists Refrigerate and Pixilate. Its typing in combination with the Lightning Rod ability also grants Marowak-Alola a useful set of resistances (Fire, Grass, Bug, Ice, Fairy, Poison, Steel) and immunities (Normal, Fighting, Electric), which allows it to beat many common threats such as Tapu Koko, Porygon-Z, and Kartana. A positive side effect of Marowak's Ghost typing is that it cannot be trapped by Dugtrio, who would otherwise outspeed and easily kill. however, Knock Off is particularly crippling to Alolan-Marowak dealing super-effective damage and knocking off its Thick Club, rendering it nearly useless. Despite its nuclear attack, when unboosted, Marowak-Alola's speed is too low to outspeed many things in the meta, making it susceptible to super-effective coverage moves and revenge killing. Poor Special bulk and weak to common coverage types such as Ground, Rock, Water, Dark, and Ghost make it a liability or setup fodder for many teams. Alolan-Marowak is weak to entry hazards, most notably Stealth Rock, which will do 25% damage on each switch-in, and as Marowak has no recovery this cannot be made up.

Shift Gear Sweeper
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Shadow Bone
- Shift Gear

Moves

Flare Blitz is Alolan-Marowak's primary STAB attack, and when boosted can hit like a truck and still be easily spammable. Bonemerang, the Marowak evolution line's signature move, has the same BP as Earthquake with the unique ability to break substitutes at the cost of some accuracy. Shadow Bone is Marowak-Alola's secondary STAB move, its signature Ghost-type physical move that is useful for fire resists and those weak to Ghost. Shift Gear is arguably the best boosting move currently allowed in Sketchmons, boosting Attack by one stage and Speed by two with each use. Repeated uses of Shift Gear can help make up for Alolan-Marowak's poor base Speed stat.

Set Details

248 HP gives Alolan-Marowak an odd base HP stat, which will allow it to switch into Stealth Rock 5 times instead of 4. 252 Attack gives Alolan-Marowak the highest Attack possible to ensure that every attack hits hard. Rock Head allows for 120 BP Flare Blitz which can be used often without the fear of recoil damage. Thick Club doubles Alolan-Marowak's attack which gives it an astronomically high base of approximately 209.

V-Create Powerhouse
Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Jolly Nature
- V-Create
- Bonemerang
- Shadow Bone
- Swords Dance / Stealth Rock / Will-o-Wisp

Moves
V-Create is now Alolan-Marowak's primary STAB attack of 180 BP, however has the drawback of making Alolan-Marowak even more frail. Bonemerang, the Marowak evolution line's signiture move, has the same BP as Earthquake with the unique ability to break subsititutes at the cost of some accuracy. Shadow Bone is Marowak-Alola's secondary STAB move, its signiture Ghost-type physical move that is useful for fire resists and those weak to Ghost. Swords Dance can allow for Marowak-Alola to wallbreak with V-Create. Stealth Rock can be used as an entry hazard if you lead with Alolan-Marowak, as opponents often switch to a fire resist, giving free rocks. Will-O-Wisp can be used to halve a foe's Attack and wear down enemies since V-Create cannot burn.

Set Details

248 HP gives Alolan-Marowak an odd base HP stat, which will allow it to switch into Stealth Rock 5 times instead of 4. 252 Attack and Adamant nature gives Alolan-Marowak the most attacking presence to ensure that every attack hits hard. Lightning Rod gives an electric immunity to compliment the other defensive typing perks of Alolan-Marowak. Thick Club doubles Alolan-Marowak's attack which gives it an astronomical base of 209.

Usage Tips
Alolan-Marowak has surprising versatility in the fact that it can be used as a wallbreaker, a lead, and a sweeper, depending on the set and playstyle. The thing that makes it such a good wallbreaker is Alolan-Marowak's massive attack stat, which allows it to break all but the toughest physical walls. Using Alolan-Marowak as a lead allows it to often set rocks or use a switch as setup fodder, due to many Pokemon not being able to handle the sheer power of it. After setting up, Alolan-Marowak can send huge waves of power if it has set up enough, making it difficult to revenge kill due to its typing and its only weakness is being outspeeded. Keep Stealth Rock off the field whenever possible so that Alolan-Marowak can take as many hits as possible as it carries no recovery, not even in the form of leftovers as the item slot should be taken by the Thick Club. It also requires caution when switching in as switching into Knock Off can cripple it beyond repair.

Team Options

Alolan-Marowak can work surprisingly well independently as an attacker thanks to its good offensive typing, Thick Club-boosted Attack, and effective movepool, but is complimented by any strong Special attacker to help it defeat the opponent's defensive core. Alolan-Marowak always appreciates Hazard removers due to the rock weakness factoring in Stealth Rock. Some options could include Skarmory, Tapu Fini, Mantine, and Pheromosa, due to non-shared weaknesses. Specially Bulky Pokemon that resist Alolan-Marowak's weaknesses are useful for switching into when a fast Special attacker comes in. A good option is Mantine, which can soak up Water and Ground type attacks while Marowak can take Electric type attacks if it uses the ability Lightning Rod. Other options could include but are not limited to Virizion, (Mega) Gyarados, and Keldo. Dark-types, Fairy-types, and Fighting-types can also be of use to Alolan-Marowak as they resist Alolan-Marowak's most typically found weakness in Dark. They can also switch into potential Knock-Off's without taking much damage.


Strategy Comments

Other Options

Running an 248 HP / 16 Atk / 112 SpD / 132 Spe EV spread is useful for being able to take more hits on switch in, and 132 Speed EV's give Marowak-Alola a jump over defensive Pokemon like Clefable and Impostor Chansey, as well as outspeeding Alolan-Golem, Gumshoos, and others. Running 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD EV's will allow Alolan-Marowak to live longer if a more unconventional support moveset was used. Alolan-Marowak could have a niche on Trick Room teams because of its slow speed. Extreme Speed is also a viable option, making Marowak-Alola a potent revenge killer and wallbreaker.

Checks and Counters

Dark-types, Knock Off, and Pursuit users: Pursuit can be deadly for Alolan-Marowak as it constantly has to switch out if it is not boosted enough to outspeed and kill a threat. Notable users could include Tyranitar, Weavile, Absol, and Muk-Alola. Knock off can either kill Alolan-Marowak or render it impotent as it does super-effective damage and knocks off its Thick Club.

Guzzlord and Hydreigon: Guzzlord resists and eats up both of Alolan-Marowak's STAB attacks with Dark/Dragon typing and impressive 223/53 physical bulk. Also a threat because either can sketch Pursuit to completely beat Alolan-Marowak. Hydreigon also shares the STAB resistances and can use Alolan-Marowak as setup fodder.

Bulky Water-types: Bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini have little trouble with Alolan-Marowak's moves, and can quickly dispose of Marowak-Alola with STAB Water-type moves.

Physically Bulky Ground-types: Ground types with Physical Bulk can usually take a Flare Blitz if not boosted enough and then threaten Alolan-Marowak with STAB sketched Ground moves such as Thousand Arrows or Thousand Waves. Some notable users are Mudsdale, Landorus-Therian, and Gliscor.
 

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Alolan Marowak in Sketchmons is ready for GP
No... it isn't. I'm not sure how QC didn't catch this, but there should be a Usage Tips and Team Options for both sets. Please add those in and have a QC member look over them before putting this into GP.

E: Also, please look over the GP standards before sending this into GP. There are many things that you've done that are easily avoidable, such as:
  • Alolan Pokemon should be worded as "Alolan Pokemon", not "Pokemon-Alola" or "Alolan-Pokemon"
  • V-create and U-turn have lowercase letters after their hyphens
  • Mega Pokemon should be referred to as Mega Pokemon, not Pokemon-Mega or Mega-Pokemon. If you're listing the regular and Mega formes in the same list, do it as "Pokemon, Mega Pokemon X, Mega Pokemon Y, Other Pokemon"
  • Will-O-Wisp, not Will-o-Wisp
 
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No... it isn't. I'm not sure how QC didn't catch this, but there should be a Usage Tips and Team Options for both sets. Please add those in and have a QC member look over them before putting this into GP.

E: Also, please look over the GP standards before sending this into GP. There are many things that you've done that are easily avoidable, such as:
  • Alolan Pokemon should be worded as "Alolan Pokemon", not "Pokemon-Alola" or "Alolan-Pokemon"
  • V-create and U-turn have lowercase letters after their hyphens
  • Mega Pokemon should be referred to as Mega Pokemon, not Pokemon-Mega or Mega-Pokemon. If you're listing the regular and Mega formes in the same list, do it as "Pokemon, Mega Pokemon X, Mega Pokemon Y, Other Pokemon"
  • Will-O-Wisp, not Will-o-Wisp
Will make those edits when im on a computer.

Uh, why would i need team options and usage tips for both sets when they are practically the same? I listed multiple uses which apply to both sets, as well as team options. If the sets were in drastically different uses, I would give those for both sets. The only reason I listed it as two sets rather than alternate moves in a single set is simply because of sketchmons mechanics and depending on the sketched move one whole set would be better than another. I can't speak for the QC team themselves but I would assume they thought the same.
 
Will make those edits when im on a computer.

Uh, why would i need team options and usage tips for both sets when they are practically the same? I listed multiple uses which apply to both sets, as well as team options. If the sets were in drastically different uses, I would give those for both sets. The only reason I listed it as two sets rather than alternate moves in a single set is simply because of sketchmons mechanics and depending on the sketched move one whole set would be better than another. I can't speak for the QC team themselves but I would assume they thought the same.
Isn't Shift Gear banned anyway?

I'm not Sketchmons QC, but from my experience in Monotype, if your sets are so similar that their usage tips and team options are literally identical, then you don't have two sets. You should merge them into one and use slashes. At any rate, it looks like Shift Gear was a sweeper, while V-create is a wallbreaker that can provide utility. I don't see any way these two should have had identical sections.
 

Sobi

Banned deucer.
Sketchmons Tapu Lele GP 1/1

Friendly reminder: can you please link the exact post to your analysis (like the above post) when posting here? Thanks!

(and Kris - when updating the queue, don't link to the post in this thread, but rather the link to the analysis. Saves me from searching for the analysis 9_9)
 
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Kris, I have finally made this analysis in an uploadable state. EDIT: Changes implemented.
QC [3/3] GC (1/1)
Togekiss​
Overview:

Togekiss has a very diverse movepool, including diversity in both offensive and status moves, which in turn, allows for both an impressive neutral coverage and a wide variety of support roles. It also a solid typing in Fairy / Flying, giving it an important immunity to Ground and many resistances, including one to Fighting. In addition, it can become Fairy / Fire with a Water immunity thanks to a Red Orb, turning it into a big stallbreaker with a resistance to Ice.
Base 120 Special Attack guarantees that Togekiss will not be extremely passive when attacking. 85/95/115 bulk pre-Mega Evolving is enough to make sure Togekiss takes at least one hit, and most often two, allowing it to effectively be a supporter. Togekiss will always be weak to Rock-types, meaning Archeops and Terrakion will always stop it due to its base 80 speed. Electric types easily break Togekiss's natural Flying type, making Sablenite Togekiss a momentum sink against Tapu Koko and other fast Volt Switch users.


Sablenite Support

Togekiss @ Sablenite
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP/8 Def/252 SpDef
Calm Nature
- Dazzling Gleam / Air Slash
- Roost
- Toxic / Thunder Wave
- Defog / Heal Bell


Move Details:

Dazzling Gleam is Togekiss's primary STAB move, hitting Dragon-, Dark-, and Fighting-types super effectively from a base 140 Special Attack.. Air Slash is Togekiss's secondary STAB to complement Thunder Wave, but it is otherwise not great compared to Dazzling Gleam. It is a moderately powerful Flying-type attack, hitting Bug- and Grass-types for SE damage, while hitting Fire types neutrally. However, Dazzling Gleam is the better attack most of the time.
Recovery is also important here, and the best choice is Roost, healing half of Togekiss's health. Toxic wears down bulkier threats that Togekiss cannot handle on its own. Alternatively, Thunder Wave helps slow down Pokémon found on offense offense such as Mimikyu, Cobalion, and Dragonite. Thunder Wave can be used well alongside the Air Slash flinch chance, or to make teammates such as Magearna and Gliscor faster than opposing sweepers. Defog is an important support move, removing entry hazards when needed. Heal Bell is very nice support for the whole team, ridding them of their status, with Togekiss being one of the best users.

Set Details:

Sablenite increases Togekiss's bulk by 50 for both defenses, skyrocketing its bulk to 85/145/165 upon Mega Evolving with Sablenite, leaving it free to use the great amount of support options it has to offer. The EVs are set up to maximize special bulk, which lets it take on support Arceus formes, Hoopa-U, and Keldeo extremely well. A Bold nature with 252 Defense EVs is just as viable, however, letting it take on Dragonite, Garchomp, and physical Arceus formes (among other physical attackers) far better.

Usage Tips:
This set is best used reactively, being switched in on incoming Fighting-, Ground-, or Dragon-type moves, and using that opportunity to Mega Evolve. Then Togekiss should either poison or simply attack the opponent, depending on the situation. Togekiss is typically bulky enough to also take several attacks, especially the side that it's invested in. After Mega Evolving, you can also use Togekiss's Magic Bounce to freely switch in on incoming Toxics, punishing the user heavily. Regardless of investment, Togekiss cannot handle Glalitite users, so don't leave it in against them unless you have to. It also struggles against Electric-types.

Team Options:

Heal Bell support is appreciated by a number of physical sweepers, including Gyarados, Terrakion and Weavile, who simply cannot function when statused. Togekiss appreciates Electric-resistant teammates, meaning Primal Groudon serves as a good partner. Primal Groudon also hates Toxic Spikes, along with other entry hazards, and benefits from having a hazard bouncer that can also remove them. Ground types such as Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Garchomp can take Rock and Electric attacks, and usually force out the attacker. While anything weak to Stealth Rock also stacks weaknesses with Togekiss, Weavile and other speedy sweepers like not having to deal with chip damage every time they come in. Pivots appreciate this quality of Togekiss especially, as they can fall back on Togekiss when needed.
Steel-types such as Magearna and Arceus-Steel provide Togekiss with an important Ice switch-in, blunting the blows from threats such as Weavile and Kyurem. Excadrill in particular has a great type to deal with all of Togekiss's weaknesses and can take them out with either an Iron Head or an Earthquake. However, do be wary that it is not meant to be a wall for Togekiss, as a wise prediction can severely hurt it.



Red Orb Support

Togekiss @ Red Orb
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP/8 Def/252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Morning Sun / Roost
- Dazzling Gleam / Toxic
- Heal Bell / Defog

Move Details:

Flamethrower is reliable a STAB move that will serve as Togekiss's primary attacking move under most conditions. Recovery depends on preference: Morning Sun heals more in Desolate Land, but Roost has more PP and is more reliable in rain. While Dazzling Gleam can be used as another STAB source, the slot can also be filled with Toxic is a good move to wear down bulky walls, especially Primal Groudon, but both move benefit Togekiss greatly in hampering an opposing team. Heal Bell restores the status of the whole team, which is incredibly valuable for keeping it healthy. Defog removes pesky entry hazards from your side of the field. Thunder Wave can also be used in the third or fourth slot to slow down fast attackers that Togekiss and its teammates might struggle with otherwise.

Set Details:

Red Orb Togekiss can assume a more supportive role on a team, as 85 / 115/ 115 bulk, along with the unique Fire / Fairy typing, gives it opportunities to wall Golisopod without coverage, Manaphy, and Weavile, all of which are threats to many teams. Togekiss also gains a newfound Fire typing, which, when coupled with Desolate Land, allows Togekiss to wall both Water- and Ice-types with ease and removes a weakness to Electric, allowing Togekiss to support the team better against them. The EVs are made to maximize Special Defense, which is better for taking on opposing Red Orb users and special Arceus formes, while still having enough natural bulk to shrug off Weavile.
A physically defensive variant can also be used but cannot withstand powerful special attackers like Tapu Koko and Raikou anymore, in exchange for withstanding some-ate sweepers better.

Usage Tips:
Thanks to being a Desolate Land Fire-type and having good defenses, Togekiss can shrug off weaker Ice- and all Water-type attacks, which gives Togekiss an opportunity to use Nasty Plot to inflict major damage to the foe, support the team by disrupting the opponent's efforts to inflict status on the team.
Like most Red Orb Pokémon, be wary of any Blue Orb Pokémon switching in. In such cases, Dazzling Gleam will dent a good chunk of the neutral ones, so that's often the go-to option.
If Togekiss's HP will be 40% or lower, you should heal with Morning Sun or Roost to sustain Togekiss longer.
Togekiss is an ideal switch to Golisopod, Keldeo, and Manaphy thanks to the Red Orb, in addition to other Blue Orb threats like Primal Kyogre. As such, you can use this as a Water-type counter. Red Orb Togekiss also scares out Blue Orb Steel-types such as Skarmory and Scizor, so use this to force them out.
Togekiss functions as more of a check than a counter to Blue Orb Water-types, as they can simply switch back in and summon their rain. As such, Blue Orb users are best worn down by Dazzling Gleam.

Team Options:
Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Garchomp remain very good choices to absorb Rock-type attacks and retaliate. They also appreciate the shield from opposing Water-types such as Manaphy, as well as the easy guard against Weavile.
Blue Orb Steel-types such as Skarmory and Scizor help nullify Togekiss's Fairy weakness, and can form a Red Orb + Blue Orb core with Togekiss, allowing it to wall both kinds of weather users with ease, potentially giving your team the upper hand. Red Orb Togekiss likes having Giratina-O as a teammate, among other Primal Groudon answers. Giratina-O can also Defog away Stealth Rocks, which would otherwise hurt Togekiss significantly.
Both Zygarde and Dragonite appreciate Togekiss countering Weavile greatly, but beware that they share a Rock weakness with Togekiss, which can potentially cause issues.

Other Options:
Togekiss can also hold Salamencite, which complements it rather well, allowing it to focus on either speedy or bulky offense with a set of Nasty Plot /Hyper Voice /Dazzling Gleam / Roost, although it can be used to support the team.
Nasty Plot is an option if you wish to go for a more offensive role with Togekiss. You should shift EVs from Special Defense into Special Attack and run a Modest Nature if you decide to run Nasty Plot, particularly on a Red Orb set.
As a result, Togekiss becomes a very strong and bulky attacker. Seismic Toss provides consistent damage on a Sablenite set, which can be beneficial against certain threats such as Cresselia. Aura Sphere, Shadow Ball, and Flamethrower can also be used on the Sablenite supporting set to remove a counter from play, such as Heatran with Aura Sphere, offensive Celesteela and other Fighting neutral Steel-types with Flamethrower, and Gengar with Shadow Ball. While Roost is more reliable, Wish allows Togekiss to help a weakened member. Protect complements Wish nicely, which allows guaranteed healing. Encore can be used on any support set to discourage sweepers from setting up in front of Togekiss. Tailwind can help set up a sweep for a teammate, but it requires either another attacking move or support move to be sacrificed, which is undesirable.



Checks and counters:
Blue Orb users Blue Orb Steel-types such as Skarmory and Scizor do very well against all Togekiss variants, blocking Flamethrower and then attacking Togekiss with their Steel attack of choice. Primal Kyogre can either force Togekiss to switch or KO it with a combination of Calm Mind and Thunder. Red Orb variants are obviously forced out.

Poison-types Poison-types can easily switch in on Dazzling Gleam and Toxic, but they need to be careful of Thunder Wave, Air Slash, and Flamethrower on the Red Orb variants.
Of these, Nihilego is the best at countering Togekiss, as even a +2 Flamethrower or Solar Beam from Red Orb variants merely dents it, while it 2HKOes Togekiss at worst with Power Gem or Sludge Bomb.
Toxapex can poison Red Orb variants and stall them out with ease, but Sablenite variants need to be worn down.

Primal Groudon Primal Groudon does well against all Togekiss variants, particularly if it runs Swords Dance, hitting all of them with Stone Edge and having the option to use Ground moves against Red Orb variants.

Steel-types Sablenite Togekiss has trouble against Steel-types, such as Excadrill and Metagross, who can switch in on Togekiss's STAB moves, and retaliate with a steel attack. They do fear Flamethrower, however.

Heatran Heatran serves as a hard counter to all Togekiss variants, taking little damage from everything besides Aura Sphere, outspeeding all three, and taking them down with Flash Cannon; it can also deal heavy damage to Red Orb Togekiss with Earth Power.

Rock-types All Togekiss variants are OHKOed by strong Rock-type attacks such as Terrakion and Archeops's Stone Edge, but some of them struggle switching in against Dazzling Gleam.

Electric-Types Electric-types such as Raikou and Tapu Koko have no problem forcing out Sablenite Togekiss, but they struggle against specially defensive Red Orb variants. Raikou can get around this with Calm Mind, however.
 
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Kris, I have finally made this analysis in an uploadable state. Please check the Vensaurite passage in Other Options quickly to make sure it isn't too awkward, and then everything will be covered.
No, it is not. QC has rejected Venusaurite from an analysis mention, as you very well know from our convo on PS! Do not go behind QC's back like this again; if you think it should be included, convince us.

Kris please do not upload this until Zephyr Dragon Lord has removed this or convinced QC.
 

Sobi

Banned deucer.
Kris, I have finally made this analysis in an uploadable state. EDIT: Removed that section. Let's pretend that never happened..
I can still see some errors there that I caught - please implement my check carefully. Also, for the Checks and Counters section, I removed the squared brackets on purpose; they shouldn't be there, and a colon should come after the tag. And remove any random line breaks please :x
 
I can still see some errors there that I caught - please implement my check carefully. Also, for the Checks and Counters section, I removed the squared brackets on purpose; they shouldn't be there, and a colon should come after the tag. And remove any random line breaks please :x
I'll continue implementation now.... Also, yeah. Those line breaks are there to ease reading, but I can easily remove them.

EDIT: Line breaks and brackets removed. Now for those last few words...
EDIT 2: Fixed some words, and made a bit of wording a bit clearer. I think that's everything, but I might be wrong...
 
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Funbot28

Banned deucer.
Hey idk if this is the right place but just wanted to notify that we should probably remove the mentions of the recent banned things (ie: Fluffy, Kyu-B, Dnite to name a few) from the posted AAA analyses.
 

lost heros

Meme Master
1v1 Gyarados-mega is ready for GP
Yo, give me gyara

QC 3/3 GP 0/1

Overview
Gyarados-Mega is one of the most dominating forces in the metagame. Gyarados-Mega has access to two abilities in-battle that can be used to overwhelm the opponent. Intimidate lowers physical attackers damage output from Kyurem-B and Charizard-Mega-X. Mold breaker ignores defensive abilities like Dragonite's Multiscale or Donphan's Sturdy. Intimidate as well as its high Defense and Special Defense allows it withstand powerful attacks from the majority of the tier allowing it to set-up crucial Dragon Dances. This high bulk allows it to prevent many OHKOs, which translates into increased speed and attack to easily KO back. Gyararados-Mega has two very beneficial typings. Water/Flying is weak to electric and rock, and Water/Dark is weak to Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass. This allows Gyarados-Mega to potentially avoid super effective, Bug-, Fairy-, Fighting-, Grass-, and Rock-Type moves. Offensively, its great attack stat of 155 is one of the highest in the whole game and it has access to many strong moves STAB and coverage moves that could hit most every pokemon for neutral and super effective damage. Switching coverage moves to interact with the current ladder allows Gyarados-Mega to consistently defeat majority of the other team. Finally, the Prankster ability doesn't affect dark types allowing Gyarados-Mega to not be affected by Whimsicott's leech seed, and Sableye's Will-o-wisp. However, Gyarados-Mega desperately wants to run more than 4 moves to include it's coverage moves alongside its STAB moves, and with a relatively low base speed of 81, Gyarados-Mega heavily relies on Dragon Dance to boost its speed to respectable levels.

Dragon Dance
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Def / 88 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Crunch / Taunt / Earthquake

Moves
Dragon Dance is required to boost speed to outpace faster pokemon like Charizard, as well as boost damage to break through walls like Deoxys-Defense. Waterfall hits rock-, ground-, and fire-type pokemon such as Donphan and Crustle. Outrage hits Dragons like Dragonite and Charizard-Mega X. Crunch hits Psychic-Types like Deoxys-D and Slowbro-Mega. Taunt targets Stall pokemon like Deoxys-D, Slowbro, and Venusaur-Mega. With so many options, Gyarados can provide support to any team based on the counters they have to watch out for.

Set Details
252 Attack and Adamant nature maximizes Gyarados-Mega's damage output, allowing it to KO most everything at +0 or +1. 88 speed investment outspeeds base 100s such as both Charizards and Choice Band Victini after 1 Dragon Dance. The bulk avoids a 2HKO from a Naive Choice Scarf Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt and a 2HKO from a Charizard-Mega-X's Outrage. This Gyarados if it has not Mega Evolved can also survive two Solar Beams from a Timid Charizard-Mega-Y


Usage Tips
Most of the time, Gyarados-Mega should choose to Dragon Dance turn 1. This almost always give Gyarados-Mega the power and speed to kill a target on the subsequent turn. A +1 Gyarados-Mega can KO either Charizard, Kyurem-B, and Dragonite with Outrage, an offensive Donphan and Crustle with Waterfall, as well as 2HKO a Deoxys-D and Slowbro-Mega even after recovery with Crunch. However, it is often best not Mega Evolve turn 1 to avoid potentially Super Effective Grass-, Fighting-, or Fairy-type attacks. This can come from Charizard-Mega-Y's Solar Beam, Sawk's Close Combat, or Mimikyu's Twinkle Tackle. When attempting to secure a KO, Gyarados should Mega Evolve to do the necessary damage to it's opponent. Send in Gyarados-Mega on a predicted Charizard, Dragonite, Garchomp, or Choice Scarf Kyurem-B as Outrage makes quick work of these pokemon. With Waterfall, Gyarados-Mega can also handle Golem, Nihilego, and other rock- and ground-type pokemon. With just Taunt, Gyarados can stop Crustle's Shell Smash and respond with a Waterfall or Crunch. If Gyarados-Mega is running Taunt and Crunch, you can send it out on Stall Pokemon like Deoxys-D and Slowbro-Mega. Make sure to avoid Choice Specs Magearna and Electrium Z Tapu Koko as they are very problematic for Gyarados-Mega being able to OHKO regardless of whether or not Gyarados Mega Evolves.

Team Options
Choice Scarf Genesect to break fast pokemon, or Fairy- and Grass-type Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Venusaur-Mega. Genesect appreciates Gyarados-Mega's ability to threaten both Charizards. Specially Defensive pokemon like Aegislash and Deoxys-D can help counter Mageanra and Tapu Lele. They can also beat some strong Choiced Pokemon like Kyurem-B. A well-designed set can even win against Choice Scarf Porygon-Z and Greninja. Charizard-Mega-X and Charizard-Mega-Y appreciate Gyarados-Mega's ability to handle Rock- and Ground-type pokemon. The Charizards can similarly help beat Will-o-Wisp users, Grass-types, and Steel-Type Pokemon like Sableye-Mega, Kartana, Magearna, and Celesteela. Magearna can also be useful against Dark-types like Umbreon and Fairy-types like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Landorus-I and other Ground-types can make up for a Gyarados-Mega that lacks Earthquake and can easily counter Tapu Koko.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Earthquake is a strong move to hit Steel-types, especially those who rely on sturdy such as Magnezone and Aggron. Substitute blocks status and charm and can be used instead of taunt as a way to defeat stall pokemon that depend on it. Stone Edge can be used to hurt Flying-type pokemon like Defensive Charizard-Mega-Y. Bounce can be used to hit Fighting-Type and Bug-type pokemon, although it's less popular. A 104/196/100/0/8/100 Adamant spread sacrifices some attacking power for more bulk and out-speeding Garchomp after a Dragon Dance. 252 Attack and 252 Speed with an Adamant nature is a more dedicated fast attacker outspeeding base 126 pokemon after Dragon Dance.


Checks and Counters
Attack-lowering Moves and Burns
: Charm, its Z-variants, and burns are very problematic for Gyarados-Mega. Umbreon and Sableye-Mega use these moves to neuter physical attacks from Gyarados-Mega and then heal off damage. Carrying Taunt can help remedy this check.
Stall pokemon: If Gyarados-Mega doesn't carry taunt or is bypassed with a Z-move many stall Pokémon can whittle and recover Gyarados-mega. Venusaur-Mega is great at whittling with Leech Seed and Toxapex can use Z-Toxic to raise defense.
Bulky Grass Types: Venusaur-Mega and Ferrothorn easily resist Gyarados-Mega's Waterfall and can take a neutral Crunch or Outrage making it very difficult for Gyarados-Mega to defeat them.
Powerful Electric-Types and strong Electric Coverage: Electrium-Z Tapu Koko, Xurkitree, Magnezone, as well as pokemon that carry powerful electric coverage can defeat Gyarados-Mega. Carrying Earthquake can help beat Magnezone and Choice Scarf Xurkitree.
Physically Bulky Offensive Pokemon: Pokemon like Metagross-Mega and Pinsir-Mega can withstand Gyarados-Mega's attack if they invest in bulk and don't afford Gyarados-Mega the opportunity to set-up. Kartana can similarly overwhelm Gyarados-Mega without investing in bulk.
Fairy-Types: A strong Fairy-Type can OHKO Gyarados-Mega and regular Gyarados if it doesn't Mega Evolve. Choice Specs Magearna can use Fleur Cannon to KO Gyarados. Tapu Fini and Primarina also can perform very well using Moonblast.
Powerful Special Pokemon: Pokémon with a strong special attack and special moves like Porygon-Z and Greninja can overcome Gyarados-Mega's bulk to KO it.
 

Sobi

Banned deucer.
balanced hackmons ash-greninja gp 1/1
[old] mix and mega togekiss gp 1/1

oo and lets keep unnecessary posts to a minimum to prevent clutter!
 
Last edited:
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dhelmise

everything is embarrassing
is a Site Content Manageris a Battle Simulator Administratoris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Programmeris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Top Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Social Media Head
balanced hackmons ash-greninja gp 1/1
[old] mix and mega togekiss gp 1/1

oo and lets keep unnecessary posts to a minimum to prevent clutter!
Let's not minimod!

It doesn't matter that they post stuff in here Sobi, it doesn't affect the outcome of this project at all, so it doesn't really matter.
 
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dhelmise

everything is embarrassing
is a Site Content Manageris a Battle Simulator Administratoris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Programmeris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Top Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Social Media Head
Hey idk if this is the right place but just wanted to notify that we should probably remove the mentions of the recent banned things (ie: Fluffy, Kyu-B, Dnite to name a few) from the posted AAA analyses.
I'll speak to the QC teams to address these things, thanks for pointing it out.
 

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