Pokémon Coalossal

[NealIRC]

There's actually a TR for Power Gem in the game, Coalossal just can't learn it for some reason. It really is just generally better off running Flare Blitz + Stone Edge + Earthquake if going for an attacking set to make up for it's poor Attack with good coverage and high Base Power...

Intimidate is a problem, but your Rock STAB having only 60BP is much more of a problem if trying to go for KOs.

Ah yes, I forgot about that. Hopefully a Rock Wrecker tutor would do.

With base 80 being so low for Attack and Sp A, is it even worth giving it any EVs for either of them? Then you can have a Coalossal that can utilize the best of both physical and special attacks.

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Btw, the Smogon page has a Flame Body Coalossal with Will-o-Wisp. Well here's the thing, once an opposing target is burned via Flame Body, then that makes your Will-o-Wisp move useless, a wasted 4-slot syndrome. Or, once a target is burned via Will-o-wisp, then that makes the Flame Body ability useless. (Is stuff like this common among Smogon entries or wha). Wouldn't a Steam Engine ability be better if it knows Will-o-wisp and to some extent, Scald?

 

[readytolose]

Btw, the Smogon page has a Flame Body Coalossal with Will-o-Wisp. Well here's the thing, once an opposing target is burned via Flame Body, then that makes your Will-o-Wisp move useless, a wasted 4-slot syndrome. Or, once a target is burned via Will-o-wisp, then that makes the Flame Body ability useless. (Is stuff like this common among Smogon entries or wha). Wouldn't a Steam Engine ability be better if it knows Will-o-wisp and to some extent, Scald?

Hi, I was the one who wrote Coalossal's current Smogon analysis. Flame Body is probably the most useful because you can occasionally get a burn on an opponent without having to do an attack, which is a definite advantage, because then you wouldn't have to spend a turn going for Will-O-Wisp. Since Flame Body is not a guaranteed chance and only works on Pokemon using contact moves, Will-O-Wisp is not a wasted moveslot, since you can use it in situations were Flame Body doesn't activate. This also lets you do stuff like throw Coalossal out into a foe you predict to use something like U-turn, and potentially get a burn on them before they switch out. All of this is more useful than Steam Engine, which can grant you extra speed, but since Coalossal is a primarily defensive Pokemon it doesn't really get much use out of the extra speed. It also requires you to be hit by a Fire or Water move which can be tough to do, especially since most Water moves deal a lot of damage or outright just kill Coalossal. So yeah, hopefully this explains why Flame Body is generally the better ability :)

 

[NealIRC]

(Is stuff like this common among Smogon entries or wha).

Well, I can probably answer my own question now, sort of (on the topic of moves that do the same as a pokemon's ability in the Smogon entries).

I noticed Alolan Ninetales has the Snow Warning ability, as well as the move Hail. And the hold item that makes Hail lasts 8 turns instead of 5.

In that case, there's probably an entry on Smogon for a pokemon that brings in Sandstorm as an ability, as well as also having the move Sandstorm, etc.

Or a pokemon with the ability, Intimidate, but also knows a move that lowers the opponent's Attack.

I'll just have to conclude, this community is a different religion for me to begin with, heh.

 

[Ruft]

Well, I can probably answer my own question now, sort of (on the topic of moves that do the same as a pokemon's ability in the Smogon entries).

I noticed Alolan Ninetales has the Snow Warning ability, as well as the move Hail. And the hold item that makes Hail lasts 8 turns instead of 5.

In that case, there's probably an entry on Smogon for a pokemon that brings in Sandstorm as an ability, as well as also having the move Sandstorm, etc.

Or a pokemon with the ability, Intimidate, but also knows a move that lowers the opponent's Attack.

I'll just have to conclude, this community is a different religion for me to begin with, heh.

Flame Body just happens to be Coalossal's best ability in OU since landing a free burn on a physical Pokemon is always great. Will-O-Wisp is infinitely more reliable though because it doesn't rely on a 30% roll after a contact move so it's definitely worth running.

The main point of using Alolan Ninetales is setting Aurora Veil which you can only do under hail. The reason for running the move Hail despite having Snow Warning is to use it on the turn opposing weather setters like Tyranitar or Mega Charizard Y come in to change the weather back to hail allowing you to set Aurora Veil regardless. Light Clay makes Aurora Veil last longer, not hail, that would be Icy Rock.

Generally there's always specific reasoning for situations like the ones you describe. You won't find a Pokemon running both Sand Stream and Sandstorm since there's no specific reason to like for Aurora Veil. You'll have a hard time finding a Pokemon with both Intimidate and an Attack lowering move too unless it just happens to be the secondary effect of one of its attacks, e.g., Mawile with Intimidate and Play Rough.