[OVERVIEW]
Although Ninetales is an uncommon lead in RBY NU, it crucially outspeeds Mr. Mime and keeps Venomoth out of the battle. Along with its straightforward assets in Speed and STAB Fire Blast, it has Confuse Ray to harass most other leads and Fire Spin to pivot or chip away at slower Pokemon in a pinch. Its special bulk allows it to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Mime, Clefable, and the rare Electrode, and the threat of Body Slam paralysis makes it difficult for these foes to switch out. Ninetales lacks Charizard's dreaded weaknesses to Thunderbolt and Blizzard, allowing it to better face special attackers and ensuring its lead advantage against Mr. Mime. Using Blastoise to check Ninetales will quickly leave it too worn down to check other threats, and it may even be subject to Fire Spin if burned.
Unfortunately, Ninetales is held back by a variety of weaknesses. Though pure Fire is a type with advantages, it leaves Ninetales weak to Charizard's Earthquake. Ninetales lacks a consistent way to stop Charizard and Kabutops from setting up, being forced to switch or fish for paralysis and confusion against deadly foes that can easily KO it or set up with Swords Dance. As Charizard is a common lead, leading Ninetales can immediately put a team on the back foot. Kabutops, Blastoise, and Seadra are capable of switching into Ninetales, albeit at risk of burn or paralysis, and Ninetales's poor coverage leaves it helpless once they do. Confuse Ray and Fire Spin are unreliable at best; they may fully prevent a foe from acting or do absolutely nothing, and they become borderline useless when Ninetales is paralyzed. Ninetales's reliance on luck is baked into all its options, but even moderate luck allows it to frustrate opponents and spread enough damage to enable its teammates.
[SET]
name: Lead Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Confuse Ray
move 4: Fire Spin
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Fire Blast is Ninetales's primary damaging move, nearly OHKOing Venomoth and dealing good damage to neutral targets—it 2HKOes Mr. Mime and Electrode fairly often and 3HKOes Clefable and Nidoking. Body Slam can paralyze Fire- and Water-types as they switch in and is also a solid option against Mr. Mime. Confuse Ray can be used independently or with paralysis to harass slower foes and is a passable, low-risk option to cover switches. Fire Spin can be used to pivot or to chip down foes that can otherwise take Fire Blast.
Ninetales generally only fits onto teams as a lead, as Moltres's sheer power and bulk make it more effective as a mid-game wallbreaker. Ninetales seeks to chip down and inflict status onto multiple foes if possible, creating opportunities for teammates such as Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Swords Dance users to sweep later. Good teammates for Ninetales include Water-type Swords Dance users such as Kingler and Kabutops to help check the ubiquitous Blastoise. Ninetales also benefits from status spreaders disabling checks and enabling parafusion. Venomoth can put Water-types to sleep and fish for paralysis as the opponent switches, while Mr. Mime and Clefable can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. If Ninetales survives the early game, it can return later to take advantage of paralyzed foes or even sweep with Fire Blast. Charizard and Ninetales share checks and are usually the fastest Pokemon in a game, so they may overwhelm opposing Water-, Fire-, and Rock-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ninetales's other options are limited in utility. Hyper Beam can provide the extra bit of damage needed to finish off Charizard and Blastoise but does little in most matchups. Toxic can replace Body Slam for use in conjunction with Fire Spin, but this is worsened by Ninetales's inability to consistently trap Charizard and may end up simply blocking more impactful status conditions. Rest looks appealing at first, potentially using parafusion as a chance to heal, but it provides free setup turns for Swords Dance users and free entry for threats like Golem and Nidoking. Substitute may also look interesting to take advantage of Confuse Ray, but Ninetales simply cannot afford the moveslot, and Substitute fails to block Thunder Wave anyway.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Charizard**: Charizard Speed ties and 2HKOes Ninetales with Earthquake 15% of the time even before accounting for its high critical hit rate. While Charizard fears paralysis, Ninetales's Body Slam is an unreliable way to inflict it and risks losing the game to a Swords Dance set.
**Rock-types**: Kabutops is practically immune to Ninetales's attacks—Fire Blast is an 8HKO—and burns do almost nothing to hinder it, forcing Ninetales to switch out or gamble on Fire Spin and Confuse Ray. Golem fears receiving a burn, but it is only 4HKOed by Fire Blast and can nearly OHKO in return if not burned.
**Water-types**: Aside from Kingler, which risks a 3HKO from Fire Blast, all Water-types serve as effective Ninetales checks. Blastoise is only 5HKOed by Fire Blast and can 2HKO in return with Surf or make a safe prediction with Body Slam or Seismic Toss due to its bulk. Seadra, similarly, is almost never 4HKOed by Fire Blast, 2HKOing with Surf in return.
**Paralysis**: A paralyzed Ninetales finds itself outsped and heavily damaged by most foes and unable to use Confuse Ray and Fire Spin effectively. Fire Blast becomes even less accurate, leaving Ninetales with little to do but hope to land one or two more hits before being KOed.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nicole7735.593847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mrsoup.375193/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/p-squared.168392/
Although Ninetales is an uncommon lead in RBY NU, it crucially outspeeds Mr. Mime and keeps Venomoth out of the battle. Along with its straightforward assets in Speed and STAB Fire Blast, it has Confuse Ray to harass most other leads and Fire Spin to pivot or chip away at slower Pokemon in a pinch. Its special bulk allows it to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Mime, Clefable, and the rare Electrode, and the threat of Body Slam paralysis makes it difficult for these foes to switch out. Ninetales lacks Charizard's dreaded weaknesses to Thunderbolt and Blizzard, allowing it to better face special attackers and ensuring its lead advantage against Mr. Mime. Using Blastoise to check Ninetales will quickly leave it too worn down to check other threats, and it may even be subject to Fire Spin if burned.
Unfortunately, Ninetales is held back by a variety of weaknesses. Though pure Fire is a type with advantages, it leaves Ninetales weak to Charizard's Earthquake. Ninetales lacks a consistent way to stop Charizard and Kabutops from setting up, being forced to switch or fish for paralysis and confusion against deadly foes that can easily KO it or set up with Swords Dance. As Charizard is a common lead, leading Ninetales can immediately put a team on the back foot. Kabutops, Blastoise, and Seadra are capable of switching into Ninetales, albeit at risk of burn or paralysis, and Ninetales's poor coverage leaves it helpless once they do. Confuse Ray and Fire Spin are unreliable at best; they may fully prevent a foe from acting or do absolutely nothing, and they become borderline useless when Ninetales is paralyzed. Ninetales's reliance on luck is baked into all its options, but even moderate luck allows it to frustrate opponents and spread enough damage to enable its teammates.
[SET]
name: Lead Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Confuse Ray
move 4: Fire Spin
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Fire Blast is Ninetales's primary damaging move, nearly OHKOing Venomoth and dealing good damage to neutral targets—it 2HKOes Mr. Mime and Electrode fairly often and 3HKOes Clefable and Nidoking. Body Slam can paralyze Fire- and Water-types as they switch in and is also a solid option against Mr. Mime. Confuse Ray can be used independently or with paralysis to harass slower foes and is a passable, low-risk option to cover switches. Fire Spin can be used to pivot or to chip down foes that can otherwise take Fire Blast.
Ninetales generally only fits onto teams as a lead, as Moltres's sheer power and bulk make it more effective as a mid-game wallbreaker. Ninetales seeks to chip down and inflict status onto multiple foes if possible, creating opportunities for teammates such as Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Swords Dance users to sweep later. Good teammates for Ninetales include Water-type Swords Dance users such as Kingler and Kabutops to help check the ubiquitous Blastoise. Ninetales also benefits from status spreaders disabling checks and enabling parafusion. Venomoth can put Water-types to sleep and fish for paralysis as the opponent switches, while Mr. Mime and Clefable can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. If Ninetales survives the early game, it can return later to take advantage of paralyzed foes or even sweep with Fire Blast. Charizard and Ninetales share checks and are usually the fastest Pokemon in a game, so they may overwhelm opposing Water-, Fire-, and Rock-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ninetales's other options are limited in utility. Hyper Beam can provide the extra bit of damage needed to finish off Charizard and Blastoise but does little in most matchups. Toxic can replace Body Slam for use in conjunction with Fire Spin, but this is worsened by Ninetales's inability to consistently trap Charizard and may end up simply blocking more impactful status conditions. Rest looks appealing at first, potentially using parafusion as a chance to heal, but it provides free setup turns for Swords Dance users and free entry for threats like Golem and Nidoking. Substitute may also look interesting to take advantage of Confuse Ray, but Ninetales simply cannot afford the moveslot, and Substitute fails to block Thunder Wave anyway.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Charizard**: Charizard Speed ties and 2HKOes Ninetales with Earthquake 15% of the time even before accounting for its high critical hit rate. While Charizard fears paralysis, Ninetales's Body Slam is an unreliable way to inflict it and risks losing the game to a Swords Dance set.
**Rock-types**: Kabutops is practically immune to Ninetales's attacks—Fire Blast is an 8HKO—and burns do almost nothing to hinder it, forcing Ninetales to switch out or gamble on Fire Spin and Confuse Ray. Golem fears receiving a burn, but it is only 4HKOed by Fire Blast and can nearly OHKO in return if not burned.
**Water-types**: Aside from Kingler, which risks a 3HKO from Fire Blast, all Water-types serve as effective Ninetales checks. Blastoise is only 5HKOed by Fire Blast and can 2HKO in return with Surf or make a safe prediction with Body Slam or Seismic Toss due to its bulk. Seadra, similarly, is almost never 4HKOed by Fire Blast, 2HKOing with Surf in return.
**Paralysis**: A paralyzed Ninetales finds itself outsped and heavily damaged by most foes and unable to use Confuse Ray and Fire Spin effectively. Fire Blast becomes even less accurate, leaving Ninetales with little to do but hope to land one or two more hits before being KOed.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nicole7735.593847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mrsoup.375193/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/p-squared.168392/
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