LGPE OU Gengar

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Cynara

Banned deucer.
1598676404346.png

[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is the only viable Ghost-type that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool that includes a powerful STAB move combination, coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, and utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good Speed tier, outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos. Despite this, Gengar is rather frail, making it difficult to safely get in throughout matches; it is only able to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and attacks it resists or is immune to. Its lack of also makes Gengar susceptible to revenge killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, and Starmie. Common Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados can also give Gengar trouble, but they fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, being resisted by very few Pokemon and capable of 2HKOing common Pokemon such as Mew and Rhydon. Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move, capable of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock and dealing respectable damage to many Pokemon that are immune to Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-S, and Mega Kangaskhan. Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage, allowing it to hit Alolan Muk harder and deal super effective damage to common Water-types such as Poliwrath and Mega Gyarados. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados. Substitute eases prediction and can be used against sacrificial switch-ins to hinder future revenge killing attempts. Substitute also allows Gengar to deal with Mega Venusaur much more easily. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option, landing a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem while also 2HKOing Sandslash and providing Gengar with some form of recovery to increase its longevity. A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos and function most effectively in its wallbreaker role.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely; the best ways to get Gengar in are through predicted double switches, teammates fainting, passive foes, attacks that Gengar resists or is immune to, and momentum gained from U-turn and Teleport. Gengar is usually best utilized early- or mid-game to wallbreak and open up the door for your wincons. Gengar is best used to fire off attacks to maximize its wallbreaking capabilities, denting the opposing team and taking advantage of its limited switch-in options. Use Will-O-Wisp if you anticipate the opponent switching into one of Gengar's main checks, such as Alolan Muk, to cripple it. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to burn them head-on; examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax, which can still easily 2HKO Gengar with Earthquake even after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself on offensively oriented teams with dedicated wincons; Agility Dragonite is a great example, as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to it such as support Mew and Melmetal. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and provide a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos provides great utility for Gengar, being able to set Reflect to help mitigate its frailty and pivot it in safely with U-turn. Zapdos is also a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner with good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks available while also checking Ground-types, Melmetal, and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur that Poliwrath naturally struggles against.

Mew sets Stealth Rock early-game and provides safe switches in via U-turn to increase Gengar's effectiveness as a wallbreaker; Scald Mew supports Gengar particularly well because it can threaten Ground-types, notably OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster than it, and checks Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos. Alolan Muk provides a much-needed check to Mega Alakazam and deals with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain; however, it and Gengar are both vulnerable to Ground-types, so additional support against them is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt denies setup, prevents Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shuts down Chansey as a special wall. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear dual screens, but has terrible damage output against any other target, making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar and OHKO it with super effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados easily scare out Gengar by threatening to OHKO it with Crunch; however, they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is up. Alolan Persian outspeeds Gengar and 2HKOes it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash, and Golem threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set Stealth Rock; however, they all have to watch out for Will-O-Wisp and can't really switch into Shadow Ball either. A burned Rhydon is still able to OHKO Gengar after Stealth Rock damage, though. Nidoqueen is only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and easily beats Gengar one-on-one, even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk the Speed tie to knock it out with Earthquake.

**Bulky Normal-types**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb and OHKOes Gengar with Earthquake or 2HKOes it when burned, but it dislikes being poisoned, as it decreases its longevity. Status effects boost the power of its Facade, though, which can be problematic for Gengar's teammates. Chansey is able to easily sponge Gengar's attacks and cripple it with Thunder Wave, but it has no direct method of dealing damage to it and is completely shut down by Taunt.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Eve, 375272]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [Milak, 262594]]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
AM check owo
View attachment 272196
[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is one of the few viable Ghost-type Pokemon that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and versatile movepool including a STAB Combination of Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, and coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Will-O-Wisp. I understand what you're saying here, cuz wisp is a reason why its hard to switch into, but I feel like wisp still is not technically "coverage", so this sentence wouldn't mind a rewording. Gengar also has a good speed tier capable of outspeeding up to Timid Ninetales-Alola, This is not a benchmark that readily springs to mind for most people, as Alolan Ninetails is not an OU pokemon, just really emphasize that it outspeeds base 100s, which you do later on. (also if you're going to keep it, say Alolan Ninetails>Ninetails-Alola) but most importantly Mew, Charizard and Zapdos. Despite this; Gengar is rather frail and this makes it difficult to safely get Gengar in throughout matches, only being to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon or resisted attacksAnd immunities! You have 2 and are immune to toxic, so its worth a mention. Furthermore, due to its lack of bulk, this makes Gengar susceptible to revenge-killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill and Offensive StarmieJust say Starmie imo, furthermoreI wont be GPing much but you JUST used furthermore. Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are capable of easily dealing with it. This could be reworded somehow but I'm not sure how, I just feel like "easily dealing with it" does not convey the struggle they have to switch in fearing wisp

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos; and to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role. Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB moveSludge bomb is stronger with a better 2nd effect, but ig you go on to mention that shadow ball has better typing? Just think about what to put here, you might be right tho, which is only resisted by Dark-type Pokemon, while Normal-Types are immune which make it difficult to switch intoI understand you're saying that only 2 types take shadow ball, and that makes it difficult to switch into, but the sentence says "while Normal-Types are immune which make it difficult to switch into" and it reads rlly weirdly. . Shadow Ball hits Psychic-Type Pokemon such as Starmie and Mew for Super-Effective damage and is able to 2HKO Pokemon such as Rhydon and Golem, while also being able to reasonably 3HKO Melmetal and Nidoqueen. Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move and also has a 30% chance to spread poison status, Sludge Bomb has more key resistances in the metagame but is capable of hitting Pokemon that would otherwise be immune to Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-Starter and Mega Kangaskhan. Sludge Bomb also hits Fairy-typesJust say clef lol for Super-effective damage and also has the merit of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock and is capable of 3HKOing Mega Venusaur.

Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage and is the most versatile coverage option available to GengarVersatile is kinda weird here, maybe just say that it's gengar's best coverage option?, allowing it to deal Super-effective damage to common Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath, but more importantly 2HKOing Mega Gyarados mega gyara does not care for such arbitrary things as type effectiveness, it should be specified that rocks need to be up for you to even have a chance at 2HKOing . Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar with a burn, such as Alolan Muk, which resists its STAB combination. But can also be used to punish Physical attackers such as Mega Gyarados, Rhydon and Sandslash that may switch in. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option to land a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, while also 2HKOing Sandslash and also providing Gengar with some passivenot rlly passive, you gotta click the healing move to heal recovery that increases its longevity.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely, the best way to get Gengar in, is on predicted double switches, after a Pokemon has fainted, into passive Pokemon or resisted Or immune! attacks, or via U-turn or Teleport in order to gain the most momentum. Gengar is usually best utilised in the early or mid game to wallbreak for teams winning conditions. Gengar is best off firing off attacks to maximise its wallbreaking capabilities and dent the opposing team,Gengar has limited defensive switch in options. One may consider clicking Will-O-Wisp if they anticipate the opponent will switch into one of Gengar's main checks such as Alolan Muk to cripple them. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to status them head on with Will-O-Wisp, examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax which are still capable of easily 2HKOing Gengar with Earthquake, after a burn. This section has the most gp issues so far, not covering that tho. Content looks good unless theres something i'm forgetting, consider mentioning being careful with wisp, defensive Mew, Zapdos, or Chansey can be a bitch for some teams to deal with when they are burned.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself it offensively orientated teams with defined win conditions; Agility Dragonite is a great example as it appreciates threaten and weaken common checks to Dragonite such as Support Mew and Melmetal, providing Dragonite with more opportunities to setup and sweep. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and also provide a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos stands out as a good partner for Gengar due to the utility it provides such as being able to set Reflect to help mitigate Gengars frailty, and U-turn to switch Gengar in safely. Zapdos is also able to provide a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner which provides good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks while also taking checking Ground-Types, Melmetal and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew, switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur which Poliwrath naturally struggles against. dummy long sentence here.

Variants of Mew areIt's implied that not all Mews run SR, just say mew able to set Stealth Rock in the early game to increase effectiveness of how Gengar functions as a wallbreaker, Scald Mew in particular fits the role ideally, due to the utility it provides, being able to threaten Ground-types, while also OHKOing Rhydon and GolemThis sounds more like just, reasons rocks mew is good, rather than directly supporting gengar. These ground types are what gengar is great at 2HKOing on the switch.. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support and cripple faster Pokemon with Paralysis, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster, Melmetal is also able to provide a check to Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos for Melmetal. Alolan Muk is able to provide a much needed check to Mega Alakazam and lure Mega drain is standard and has been for a while. Just say "deal with" not lure. Rhydon and Golem with Mega Drain, however due to both their typing this can leave the team open to a ground weakness, so additional support against Ground-types Liiiike? This is a good segue to mention starmie, which deals with ground types and pressures Gengar checks with its special presence is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt is able to deny setup from Pokemon or prevent Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shut down Chansey as a special wall. Psychic can be considered to allow Gengar to 2HKO unsuspecting Nidoqueen or Nidoking, however it has little use outside of this role and requires Gengar to either drop the utility of Will-O-Wisp or weaken its coverage by replacing Thunderbolt. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear the foe's screens such as Reflect, Brick Break has poorIn the words of a wise woman, "poor doesn't really express just how bad it is" damage output against any other targets aside from Chansey making it a very niche option. Unsure if its even worth a mention on Chansey. I might be wrong, so if I am ignore me, but I think taunt+ghost type COMPLETELY shuts down Chansey, meaning you can just sludge it to death.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill and Offensive Starmie are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar OHKO it with Super-effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are simply able to scare out Gengar threatening to OHKO them with Crunch, however they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt mega gyara does not care for such arbitrary things as type effectiveness. again mention that rocks are needed to give this move a chance to 2hko :p . Alolan Persian variants such as Nasty Plot are able to simply outspeed Gengar and 2HKO it with Dark Pulse.
Just say, "Alolan Persian are also able to simply outspeed gengar and 2HKO it with Foul Play" or something similar.


**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash and Golem can threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set up Stealth Rock, however they have to watch out for burns from Will-O-Wisp. Burned Rhydon is able to OHKO Gengar after 1 round of Stealth Rock damage. Nidoqueen is 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and is easily able to beat Gengar in the 1v1 even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain coverage on Gengar. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk a speed-tie against Gengar and knock it out with Earthquake, but it also has to be wary of a burn. Up to you to mention cuz its already been mentioned, but all of these pokemon except nidoqueen are easily 2hkod by shadow ball.

**Snorlax**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb, but dislikes being PoisonedNot exactly true, although the longevity loss sucks, poison is pretty cool with snorlax cuz it doubles the power of his STAB, AND allows him to click his coverage like EQ, but is able to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake and 2HKO if it receives a burn status, status also boosts the power of Facade which can be problematic for Gengar's team members.

**Mew**: Mew is able to OHKO Gengar with Psychic so caution must be taken when dealing with Mew, it is important to scout Mew for Psychic before hastily sending in Gengar to deal with it.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
I probably missed a lot of stuff and I didn't try to correct grammar spelling or formatting at all, but hopefully you'll find this helpful for the content side of things.
 
Last edited:

Lily

wouldn't that be fine, dear
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UU Leader
anyone remember spookshire
add remove comments

View attachment 272196
[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is one of the few the only viable Ghost-type Pokemon that the metagame has to offer (no real reason to use alolan marowak ever unfortunately), being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool including a STAB Combination of Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, and coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, in addition with access to utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good speed tier capable of outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard and Zapdos. Despite this; Gengar is rather frail and this makes it difficult to safely get Gengar in throughout matches, only being to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and resisted attacks. or immunities. Furthermore, due to its lack of bulk, this makes Gengar susceptible to revenge-killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill and Starmie, furthermore Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are capable of dealing with Gengar, but fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute (for now, if qc 2 disagrees that's fine but i think sub is excellent in this slot personally)
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos; and to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role. Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, which is only resisted by Dark-type Pokemon, while Normal-Types are immune due to these traits this makes Shadow Ball difficult to switch into. Shadow Ball hits Psychic-Type Pokemon such as Starmie and Mew for Super-Effective damage and is able to 2HKO Pokemon such as Rhydon and Golem, while also being able to reasonably 3HKO Melmetal and Nidoqueen. i think you can condense this, we don't rly need 4 lines on why its main stab move is used Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move and also has a 30% chance to spread poison status, Sludge Bomb has more key resistances is more widely resisted in the metagame (or something along these lines - atm it sounds like sludge bomb resists an attack which is uh not possible given it's a move and not a pokemon) but is capable of hitting Pokemon that would otherwise be immune to Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-Starter and Mega Kangaskhan. Sludge Bomb also hits Fairy-types for Super-effective damage and also has the merit of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock and is capable of 3HKOing Mega Venusaur.

Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage and is the best coverage option available to Gengar, allowing it to deal Super-effective damage to common Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath, but more importantly 2HKOing Mega Gyarados after Stealth Rock. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar with a burn, such as Alolan Muk which resists its STAB combination. But can also be used to punish Physical attackers such as Mega Gyarados, Rhydon and Sandslash that may switch in. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option to land a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, while also 2HKOing Sandslash and also providing Gengar with some form of recovery via attacking which increases its longevity.

this info is all correct, but it's wayyyy too long rly, i think you need to cut out the most basic parts. don't rly need to say shadow ball's se against psychics for example. cut this down a little bit and i'll lyk if it's good once i go back over it. also add stuff abt sub

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely, the best way to get Gengar in, is on predicted double switches, after a Pokemon has fainted, into passive Pokemon, resisted / immune attacks, or via U-turn or Teleport in order to gain the most momentum. Gengar is usually best utilised in the early or mid game to wallbreak for teams winning conditions. Gengar is best off firing off attacks to maximise its wallbreaking capabilities and dent the opposing team,Gengar has limited defensive switch in options. One may consider clicking Will-O-Wisp if they anticipate the opponent will switch into one of Gengar's main checks such as Alolan Muk to cripple them. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to status them head on with Will-O-Wisp, examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax which are still capable of easily 2HKOing Gengar with Earthquake, after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself it offensively orientated teams with defined win conditions; Agility Dragonite is a great example as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to Dragonite such as Support Mew and Melmetal, providing Dragonite with more opportunities to setup and sweep. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and also provide a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos stands out as a good partner for Gengar due to the utility it provides such as being able to set Reflect to help mitigate Gengars frailty, and U-turn to switch Gengar in safely. Zapdos is also able to provide a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner which provides good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks while also taking checking Ground-Types, Melmetal and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew, switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur which Poliwrath naturally struggles against.

Mew is able to set Stealth Rock in the early game to increase the effectiveness of how Gengar functions as a wallbreaker, Scald Mew in particular fits the role ideally, due to the utility it provides, being able to threaten Ground-types, while also OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. (these mons are ground types) Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support and cripple faster Pokemon with Paralysis, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster, Melmetal is also able to provide a check to Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos for Melmetal. Alolan Muk is able to provide a much needed check to Mega Alakazam and deal with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain, however due to both Alolan Muk's and Gengar's typing this can leave the team open to a ground weakness, so additional support against Ground-types is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt is able to deny setup from Pokemon or prevent Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shut down Chansey as a special wall. Psychic can be considered to allow Gengar to 2HKO unsuspecting Nidoqueen or Nidoking, however it has little use outside of this role and requires Gengar to either drop the utility of Will-O-Wisp or worsen its coverage by replacing Thunderbolt. i cannot think of a single situation where i'd be like "dang i rly need to 2hko nidoqueen on the switch" and nidoking is already 2hkod by shadow ball after rocks so i'd remove this one, won't strike it thru in case the rest of qc wants it kept Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear the foe's screens such as Reflect, Brick Break has terrible damage output against any other targets aside from Chansey making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar OHKO it with Super-effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are simply able to scare out Gengar threatening to OHKO them with Crunch, however they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is on the opponents field. Alolan Persian is simply able outspeed Gengar and 2HKO it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash and Golem can threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set up Stealth Rock, however they have to watch out for burns from Will-O-Wisp. Burned Rhydon is able to OHKO Gengar after 1 round of Stealth Rock damage. Nidoqueen is 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and is easily able to beat Gengar in the 1v1 even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain coverage on Gengar. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk a speed-tie against Gengar and knock it out with Earthquake, but it also has to be wary of a burn. clarify that these mons cant rly switch into it bc this is somewhat misleading

**Snorlax**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb, but dislikes being poisoned as it decreases it longevitity, but is able to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake, ort 2HKO if it receives a burn status. Status also boosts the power of Facade which can be problematic for Gengar's team members. add a chansey mention here and just make this "bulky Normal-types" - it can't directly threaten gengar but twave is a bitch

**Mew**: Mew is able to OHKO Gengar with Psychic so caution must be taken when dealing with Mew, it is important to scout Mew for Psychic before hastily sending in Gengar to deal with it. slower, weak to ghost. it can live one from full but this isn't rly it.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
QC 1/3, be sure to proof read this please!! there are a lot of grammatical slip ups that i didn't point out but you'll prob see em once you read through
 

Eve

Bzzt!
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sorry for the delay ;;
add remove comments
View attachment 272196
[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is the only viable Ghost-type Pokemon that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool including a powerful STAB Combination of Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, and coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, in addition with access to and utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good speed tier capable of outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard and Zapdos. Despite this; Gengar is rather frail and this makes it difficult to safely get Gengar in throughout matches, only being able to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and resisted attacks. or immunities. Furthermore, due to its lack of bulk, this makes Gengar susceptible to revenge-killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill and Starmie, . furthermore Common Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are capable of dealing with can also give Gengar trouble, but fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos; and to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role. Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, which is only resisted by Dark-type Pokemon, while Normal-Types are immune due to these traits this makes Shadow Ball difficult to switch into. Shadow Ball is able to 2HKO Pokemon such as Rhydon and Golem, while also being able to reasonably 3HKO Melmetal and Nidoqueen being resisted by very few Pokemon and capable of 2HKOing common Pokemon such as Mew and Rhydon. Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move, capable of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock, and also has a 30% chance to spread poison status, Sludge Bomb is more widely resisted in the metagame but is capable of hitting Pokemon that would otherwise be immune to deals respectable damage to many Pokemon that wall Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-Starter, and Mega Kangaskhan. Sludge Bomb also hits Fairy-types for Super-effective damage and also has the merit of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock and is capable of 3HKOing Mega Venusaur. Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage, allowing it to deal more damage to Alolan Muk and deal Super-effective damage to common Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath, and Mega Gyarados. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar, such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados, with a burn, such as Alolan Muk which resists its STAB combination. But can also be used to punish Physical attackers such as Mega Gyarados, Rhydon and Sandslash that may switch in. Substitute eases prediction, and can take advantage of sacrificial switches in order to hinder revenge killing attempts scout for potential sack fodders, as revengekilling is a common way that teams deal with Gengar. Substitute also allows Gengar to deal with Mega Venusaur much easier. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option to land a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, while also 2HKOing Sandslash and also providing Gengar with some form of recovery via attacking which increases its longevity. A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos; and to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely, the best way to get Gengar in, is on predicted double switches, after a Pokemon has fainted, into passive Pokemon, resisted / immune attacks, or via U-turn or Teleport in order to gain the most momentum. Gengar is usually best utilised in the early or mid game to wallbreak for teams winning conditions. Gengar is best off firing off attacks to maximise its wallbreaking capabilities and dent the opposing team,Gengar has limited defensive switch in options. One may consider clicking Will-O-Wisp if they anticipate the opponent will switch into one of Gengar's main checks such as Alolan Muk to cripple them. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to status them head on with Will-O-Wisp, examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax which are still capable of easily 2HKOing Gengar with Earthquake, after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself it offensively orientated teams with defined win conditions; Agility Dragonite is a great example as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to Dragonite such as Support Mew and Melmetal, providing Dragonite with more opportunities to setup and sweep. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and also provide a crucial check to Mega Alakazam. Zapdos stands out as a good partner for Gengar due to the utility it provides such as being able to set Reflect to help mitigate Gengars frailty, and U-turn to switch Gengar in safely. Zapdos is also able to provide a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner which provides good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks while also taking checking Ground-Types, Melmetal and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew, and switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur which Poliwrath naturally struggles against. Mew is able to set Stealth Rock in the early game and provide safe switch-ins via U-turn to increase the effectiveness of how Gengar functions as a wallbreaker, Scald Mew in particular fits the role ideally, due to the utility it provides, being able to threaten Ground-types, and notably OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support and cripple faster Pokemon with Paralysis, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster, Melmetal is also able to provide a check to Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos for Melmetal. Alolan Muk is able to provide a much needed check to Mega Alakazam and deal with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain, however due to both Alolan Muk's and Gengar's typing this can leave the team open to a ground weakness, so additional support against Ground-types is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt is able to deny setup from Pokemon or prevent Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shut down Chansey as a special wall. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear the foe's screens such as Reflect, Brick Break has terrible damage output against any other targets aside from Chansey making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar OHKO it with Super-effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are simply able to scare out Gengar threatening to OHKO them with Crunch, however they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is on the opponents field. Alolan Persian is simply able outspeed Gengar and 2HKO it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash and Golem can threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set up Stealth Rock, however they all have to watch out for burns from Will-O-Wisp and can't really switch into Shadow Ball either. Burned Rhydon is able to OHKO Gengar after 1 round of Stealth Rock damage. Nidoqueen is 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and is easily able to beat Gengar in the 1v1 even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain coverage on Gengar. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk a speed-tie against Gengar and knock it out with Earthquake.

**Bulky Normal-types**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb, but dislikes being poisoned as it decreases it longevitity, but is able to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake, or 2HKO if it receives a burn status. Status also boosts the power of Facade which can be problematic for Gengar's team members. Chansey is able to easily sponge Gengar's attacks and is able to cripple Gengar with Thunder Wave, but has no direct method of dealing damage to it, and is completely shut down by Taunt.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[lilburr Lilburr, 481709 ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
2/3 boop
 
Last edited:

Adeleine

after committing a dangerous crime
is a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
AM GP :)
Add/Fix Remove Comment
(AC)/(RC): Add/Remove Comma
(AH): Add Hyphen
(RS): Remove Semicolon
(RCS): Replace Comma with Semicolon
(RSC): Replace Semicolon with Comma

[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is the only viable Ghost-type Pokemon that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool including a powerful STAB Combination, move combination, coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, and utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good speed tier capable of Speed tier(AC), outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard(AC), and Zapdos. Despite this(RSC), Gengar is rather frail(AC), and this makes it difficult to safely get Gengar in throughout matches, only being matches; it is only able to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and resisted attacks. or immunities. Furthermore, due to its lack of bulk, this makes Gengar attacks it resists or is immune to. This lacking bulk also makes Gengar susceptible to revenge-killing revenge killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill(AC), and Starmie. Common Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados can also give Gengar trouble, but they fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, being resisted by very few Pokemon and capable of 2HKOing common Pokemon such as Mew and Rhydon. (removed extra space) Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move, (removed extra space) capable of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock, and deals respectable damage to many Pokemon that wall Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-Starter , Eevee-S, and Mega Kangaskhan. Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage, allowing it to deal more damage to better hit Alolan Muk and deal Super-effective super effective damage to common Water-type Pokemon such as Poliwrath(RC), and Mega Gyarados. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar(RC), such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados(RC), with a burn. Substitute eases prediction(RC), and can take advantage of sacrificial switches in order be used against sacrificial switch-ins to hinder future revenge killing attempts. (removed extra space) Substitute also allows Gengar to deal with Mega Venusaur much easier. more easily. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option to land(AC), landing a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, while also 2HKOing Sandslash and also providing Gengar with some form of recovery via attacking which increases to increase its longevity. A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos(RS); and (if there is a separate reason Timid makes Gengar a better wallbreaker, you should mention it) to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely(RCS); the best ways to get Gengar in(RC), is on are using predicted double switches, after a Pokemon has fainted, into passive Pokemon, resisted / immune attacks, or via U-turn or Teleport in order to gain the most momentum. teammates fainting, passive foes, attacks that Gengar resists or is immune to, and momentum-gaining U-turns and Teleports. (I assume "after a Pokemon has fainted" means teammates. Also, make sure you're fine with "momentum-gaining" where/as I used it) Gengar is usually best utilized (American spelling) in the early or mid game early- or mid-game to wallbreak for teams winning conditions. your wincons. Gengar is best off firing off attacks to maximize (American spelling) its wallbreaking capabilities and dent(AC), denting the opposing team(RC),Gengar has limited defensive switch in options. One may consider clicking and taking advantage of its limited switch-in options. Use Will-O-Wisp if they you anticipate the opponent will switch into one of Gengar's main checks(AC), such as Alolan Muk(AC), to cripple them. it. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to status them head on with Will-O-Wisp, burn them head-on; examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax(AC), which are still capable of easily 2HKOing can still easily 2HKO Gengar with Earthquake(RC), after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself it offensively orientated on offense-oriented teams with defined win conditions; dedicated wincons; Agility Dragonite is a great example(AC), as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to Dragonite it such as Support Mew and Melmetal(RC), providing Dragonite with more opportunities to setup and sweep. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and also provide provides a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos stands out as a good partner for Gengar due to the utility it provides such as provides great utility for Gengar(AC), being able to set Reflect to help mitigate Gengars frailty, and U-turn to switch Gengar in safely. its frailty and pivot it in safely with U-turn. Zapdos is also able to provide a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner which provides with good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks available while also checking Ground-types, (capitalization) Melmetal(AC), and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur which that Poliwrath naturally struggles against.

Mew is able to set sets Stealth Rock in the early(AH)-game and provides safe switch-ins switches in via U-turn to increase the effectiveness of how Gengar functions Gengar's effectiveness as a wallbreaker(RCS); Scald Mew in particular fits the role ideally due to the utility it provides, being able to supports Gengar particularly well because it can threaten Ground-types and(AC), notably OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support and cripple faster Pokemon with Paralysis, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster, Melmetal is also able to provide a check to faster than it, and checks Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return(AC), Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos for Melmetal. Alolan Muk is able to provide provides a much(AH)-needed check to Mega Alakazam and deals with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain(RCS); however due to both Alolan Muk's and Gengar's typing this can leave the team open to a ground weakness, so(AC), it and Gengar are both vulnerable to Ground-types, so additional support against Ground-types them is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt is able to deny setup from Pokemon or prevents denies setup, prevents Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shuts down Chansey as a special wall. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear the foe's screens such as Reflect, Brick Break dual screens, but has terrible damage output against any other targets aside from Chansey(AC), making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar and OHKO it with Super-effective super effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados are simply able to easily scare out Gengar by threatening to OHKO them it with Crunch(RCS); however(AC), they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp(AC), and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is on the opponents field. up. Alolan Persian is simply able outspeed outspeeds Gengar and 2HKOes it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash(AC), and Golem can threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set up Stealth Rock(RCS); however(AC), they all have to watch out for burns from Will-O-Wisp and can't really switch into Shadow Ball either. (capitalization) Burned Rhydon is still able to OHKO Gengar after 1 round of Stealth Rock damage(AC), though. Nidoqueen is only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and is easily able to beat Gengar in the 1v1 easily beats Gengar one-on-one(AC), even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain coverage on Gengar. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk a speed-tie against Gengar and the Speed tie to knock it out with Earthquake.

**Bulky Normal-types**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb and OHKOes Gengar with Earthquake(AC), or 2HKOes when burned, but dislikes being poisoned(AC), as it decreases it longevitity, but is able to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake, or 2HKO if it receives a burn status. Status also boosts its longevity. Status does boost the power of its Facade(AC), though(AC), which can be problematic for Gengar's team members. Chansey is able to easily sponge Gengar's attacks and is able to cripple Gengar cripple it with Thunder Wave, but has no direct method of dealing damage to it, and is completely shut down by Taunt.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709],(removed extra space) [Eve, 375272], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
 

Astra

talk to me nice
is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Community Leader Alumnus
add remove (comments)
[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is the only viable Ghost-type Pokemon that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool including that include a powerful STAB move combination, coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, and utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good Speed tier, outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos. Despite this, Gengar is rather frail, and this makes making it difficult to safely get in throughout matches; it is only able to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and attacks it resists or is immune to. This lacking bulk also makes Gengar susceptible to revenge killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, and Starmie. Common Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados can also give Gengar trouble, but they fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, being resisted by very few Pokemon and capable of 2HKOing common Pokemon such as Mew and Rhydon. Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move, capable of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock, and deals respectable damage to many Pokemon that wall Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-S, and Mega Kangaskhan. Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage, allowing it to better hit Alolan Muk and deal super effective damage to common Water-types Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Mega Gyarados. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados. Substitute eases prediction and can be used against sacrificial switch-ins to hinder future revenge killing attempts. Substitute also allows Gengar to deal with Mega Venusaur much more easily. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option, landing a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem, (RC) while also 2HKOing Sandslash and providing Gengar with some form of recovery to increase its longevity. A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos to function most effectively in its wallbreaker role.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely; the best ways to get Gengar in are using predicted double switches, teammates fainting, passive foes, attacks that Gengar resists or is immune to, and momentum-gaining U-turns and Teleports. Gengar is usually best utilized in the early- or mid-game to wallbreak for your wincons. Gengar is best off firing off attacks to maximize its wallbreaking capabilities, denting the opposing team and taking advantage of its limited switch-in options. Use Will-O-Wisp if you anticipate the opponent will switch into one of Gengar's main checks, such as Alolan Muk, to cripple it. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to burn them head-on; examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax, which can still easily 2HKO Gengar with Earthquake after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself on offense-oriented teams with dedicated wincons; Agility Dragonite is a great example, as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to it such as Support Mew and Melmetal.. (removed extra period) Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and provides a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos provides great utility for Gengar, being able to set Reflect to help mitigate its frailty and pivot it in safely with U-turn. Zapdos is also a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner with good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks available while also checking Ground-types, Melmetal, and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur that Poliwrath naturally struggles against.

Mew sets Stealth Rock in the early-game and provides safe switches in via U-turn to increase Gengar's effectiveness as a wallbreaker; Scald Mew supports Gengar particularly well because it can threaten Ground-types, notably OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster than it, and checks Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos. Alolan Muk provides a much-needed check to Mega Alakazam and deals with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain; however, it and Gengar are both vulnerable to Ground-types, so additional support against them is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt denies setup, prevents Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shuts down Chansey as a special wall. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear (fixed spacing) dual screens, but has terrible damage output against any other target, making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar and OHKO it with super effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados easily scare out Gengar by threatening to OHKO it with Crunch; however, they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is up. Alolan Persian outspeeds Gengar and 2HKOes it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash, and Golem threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set up Stealth Rock; however, they all have to watch out for Will-O-Wisp and can't really switch into Shadow Ball either. Burned Rhydon is still able to OHKO Gengar after Stealth Rock damage, though. Nidoqueen is only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and easily beats Gengar one-on-one, even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk the Speed tie to knock it out with Earthquake.

**Bulky Normal-types**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb and OHKOes Gengar with Earthquake(AC), (removed comma and leftover marking from amcheck) or 2HKOes when burned, but dislikes being poisoned, as it decreases its longevity. Status does boost the power of its Facade, though, which can be problematic for Gengar's team members. Chansey is able to easily sponge Gengar's attacks and cripple it with Thunder Wave, but it has no direct method of dealing damage to it, (RC) and is completely shut down by Taunt.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Eve, 375272]] (fixed spacing between the two names)
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
1/2 :blobthumbsup:
Estronic-GP-small.gif
 

Milak

Stoïque fierté
is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Staff Alumnus
Add
Remove (RC=Remove comma)
GP 2/2
:blobthumbsup:
[OVERVIEW]

Gengar is the only viable Ghost-type that the metagame has to offer, being difficult to switch into due to its high Special Attack stat and expansive movepool that include includes a powerful STAB move combination, coverage moves such as Thunderbolt and Mega Drain, and utility moves such as Will-O-Wisp. Gengar also has a good Speed tier, outspeeding up to Timid Alolan Ninetales, but most importantly Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos. Despite this, Gengar is rather frail, making it difficult to safely get in throughout matches; it is only able to switch in on somewhat passive Pokemon and attacks it resists or is immune to. This lacking Its lack of bulk also makes Gengar susceptible to revenge killing from faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, and Starmie. Common Dark-types such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados can also give Gengar trouble, but they fear Will-O-Wisp.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute
item: No Item
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Information
========

Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move, being resisted by very few Pokemon and capable of 2HKOing common Pokemon such as Mew and Rhydon. Sludge Bomb is Gengar's strongest STAB move, capable of 2HKOing Zapdos after Stealth Rock,(RC) and deals and dealing respectable damage to many Pokemon that wall are immune to Shadow Ball such as Snorlax, Eevee-S, and Mega Kangaskhan. Thunderbolt rounds off Gengar's coverage, allowing it to better hit Alolan Muk harder and deal super effective damage to common Water-types such as Poliwrath and Mega Gyarados. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple solid checks to Gengar such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados. Substitute eases prediction and can be used against sacrificial switch-ins to hinder future revenge killing attempts. Substitute also allows Gengar to deal with Mega Venusaur much more easily. Mega Drain can be considered as a coverage option, landing a surprise OHKO on Rhydon and Golem while also 2HKOing Sandslash and providing Gengar with some form of recovery to increase its longevity. A Timid nature is crucial for Gengar to outspeed Mew, Charizard, and Zapdos to and function most effectively in its wallbreaker role.

Usage Tips
========

Gengar is rather frail and can be somewhat difficult to bring in safely; the best ways to get Gengar in are using through predicted double switches, teammates fainting, passive foes, attacks that Gengar resists or is immune to, and momentum-gaining U-turns and Teleports gained from U-turn and Teleport. Gengar is usually best utilized early- or mid-game to wallbreak and open up the door for your wincons. Gengar is best off firing off used to fire off attacks to maximize its wallbreaking capabilities, denting the opposing team and taking advantage of its limited switch-in options. Use Will-O-Wisp if you anticipate the opponent will switch switching into one of Gengar's main checks, such as Alolan Muk, to cripple it. It is advised for Gengar to switch out of stronger physical attackers instead of trying to burn them head-on; examples include Nidoqueen and Snorlax, which can still easily 2HKO Gengar with Earthquake even after a burn.

Team Options
========

Due to Gengar's role as a wallbreaker, it usually finds itself on offense-oriented offensively oriented teams with dedicated wincons; Agility Dragonite is a great example, as it appreciates Gengar's ability to threaten and weaken common checks to it such as Support support Mew and Melmetal. Mega Gyarados can also function as a late-game cleaner and provides provide a crucial check to Mega Alakazam.

Zapdos provides great utility for Gengar, being able to set Reflect to help mitigate its frailty and pivot it in safely with U-turn. Zapdos is also a check to Mega Gyarados and Melmetal. Poliwrath stands out as a partner with good defensive synergy, being one of the best Mega Gyarados checks available while also checking Ground-types, Melmetal, and Snorlax for Gengar; in return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and switch into Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur that Poliwrath naturally struggles against.

Mew sets Stealth Rock early-game and provides safe switches in via U-turn to increase Gengar's effectiveness as a wallbreaker; Scald Mew supports Gengar particularly well because it can threaten Ground-types, notably OHKOing Rhydon and Golem. Melmetal is able to provide Thunder Wave support, making it easier for Gengar to pick off frail Pokemon that would usually be faster than it, and checks Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. In return, Gengar is able to offensively deal with Mew and Zapdos. Alolan Muk provides a much-needed check to Mega Alakazam and deals with Rhydon and Golem due to Mega Drain; however, it and Gengar are both vulnerable to Ground-types, so additional support against them is strongly appreciated.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Taunt denies setup, prevents Gengar from being crippled by status moves, and completely shuts down Chansey as a special wall. Brick Break can also be considered to land a surprise 2HKO on Chansey and clear dual screens, but it has terrible damage output against any other target, making it a very niche option.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Beedrill are examples of Pokemon that are able to simply outspeed Gengar and OHKO it with super effective moves.

**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados easily scare out Gengar by threatening to OHKO it with Crunch; however, they risk a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Mega Gyarados is unable to switch into Thunderbolt if Stealth Rock is up. Alolan Persian outspeeds Gengar and 2HKOes it with Dark Pulse or Foul Play.

**Ground-types**: Rhydon, Nidoqueen, Sandslash, and Golem threaten to OHKO Gengar with Earthquake or take advantage of it to set Stealth Rock; however, they all have to watch out for Will-O-Wisp and can't really switch into Shadow Ball either. Burned A burned Rhydon is still able to OHKO Gengar after Stealth Rock damage, though. Nidoqueen is only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball and easily beats Gengar one-on-one, even with a burn. Both Golem and Rhydon have to be cautious of Mega Drain. Alolan Dugtrio can pick off a weakened Gengar with Sucker Punch or risk the Speed tie to knock it out with Earthquake.

**Bulky Normal-types**: Snorlax in particular takes little damage from Sludge Bomb and OHKOes Gengar with Earthquake or 2HKOes it when burned, but it dislikes being poisoned, as it decreases its longevity. Status does effects boost the power of its Facade, though, which can be problematic for Gengar's team members teammates. Chansey is able to easily sponge Gengar's attacks and cripple it with Thunder Wave, but it has no direct method of dealing damage to it and is completely shut down by Taunt.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Cynara, 224455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Eve, 375272]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [Milak, 262594]]

 
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