Gen 1 Raticate (NU) [GP 2/2]

[Sabelette]

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB moves, and immense coverage allowing it to 2HKO or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest available Pokemon, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops, and its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise. Thanks to Super Fang combined with Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate 2HKOes Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can allow it to sweep or help enable sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler. STAB Body Slam deals excellent damage and is incredibly difficult to switch into, as opponents have to fear Super Fang obliterating their bulky Rock- or Normal-types. Raticate's main issues are its horrid bulk, fear of Counter, and near inability to function if paralyzed.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only required move, as it finishes off dangerous foes such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65% HP. Raticate then chooses from three of four moves. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into in general, and Body Slam + Hyper Beam also KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to fish for paralysis to maintain its Speed advantage while still 2HKOing it easily. Super Fang is a common component of Raticate's strategy, making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types, Clefable, and Wigglytuff. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOes Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Even if Super Fang Raticate can't get the KO, its teammates probably will. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move, 2HKOing Golem. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler, and Thunderbolt twice followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower foes where possible and look for safe opportunities to get in on valuable targets lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to leave the foe in KO range of Hyper Beam or Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one foe and then take paralysis in order to damage Mr. Mime or Clefable. Raticate baits switches due to its reliance on KOing with Hyper Beam, meaning Body Slam and Super Fang can punish pivots. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or it can come in after an ally puts a foe to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to a fast attacker, whether that's Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, which can switch into Thunder Wave and help check Charizard, and paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable, which let Raticate defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may be customized to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially freezing; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Charizard and Ninetales outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though missing might get them 2HKOed. Fire Blast's burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual.

**Paralysis**: Raticate cannot bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them; the vast majority of NU 2HKOes it.

**Counter**: Because Raticate relies on Hyper Beam and often uses Super Fang, Counter will usually threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, the Raticate user risks massive damage to their switch-in. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise in particular nearly always carrying it. Raticate can potentially exploit Counter attempts with Thunderbolt, however, especially against Charizard and Blastoise.

[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/togkey.400664/
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/

 

[juoean]

said id write notes here about raticate's various options re which move to drop, regardless of what is decided re main set slashes other options etc

~ body slam gives raticate a very favorable 1v1 matchup against mr. mime, as rat has a 30% chance to keep the speed advantage despite twave and ofc 2hko with slam beam as u noted. otherwise, mr mime has very decent chances to just beat raticate outright between super fang's accuracy, full paralysis, and psychic's crit ohko chance. if mr. mime didnt exist, a move like blizzard would be reasonable-ish for the purpose u noted @ covering predicted switchins to hyper beam / an alternative finishing move, but obviously blizzard's damage on mime is horrendous, doesn't even put it in hyper beam range.
in many cases maybe rat doesnt rly want to take the mime mu on like that since it means taking twave but its mr. mime, you may not have a better option and body slam rat has a very good mime mu, only clef/wiggly have better mime mus. so i think the mime mu should be specified regarding reason(s) to run body slam.
and of course, the paralysis chance vs not-clef/wiggly/fearow is valuable. in particular body slam might be clicked vs charizard to prevent it from safely setting up swords dance. bubblebeam is also an option for that but paralysis > speed drop obviously and body slam also does more damage to zard unless raticate gets burned.

~ thunderbolt 3hkos kabutops, and just misses the 3hko on blastoise but eg puts stoise in hbeam range after 2 thunderbolts (or a crit thunderbolt) while avoiding counter. in general i really don't like framing everything in terms of calcs after a super fang, one bc i dont think fang is mandatory and two bc even if it were mandatory, its not like fang is a move u click every single time u use rat. if u just click fang every time u are losing out on raticate's high crit rate, secondary effects, and also relying on a 90% accurate move unnecessarily. if mr. mime has been paralyzed, tbolt raticate might be your best kabutops revenge killer for example. [switching to raticate in stoise vs stoise isnt even out of the question, as neither bslam nor stoss damage makes much of a difference on raticate in most cases, ofc make sure u dont switch into surf. this is prob too specific to be worth mentioning in the analysis @ stoise but im j putting it here as an example.]
i do not rly think thunder is worth mentioning, although i have never tried it but i don't really see why you ever would. your chance of critting one of two tbolts is about the same as hitting thunder twice, for example. and thunder is way worse vs stoise which is the most important matchup that you want tbolt for, avoiding counter, (almost always) 3hkoing with tbolt tbolt hbeam, and usually 2hkoing if tbolt crits into hbeam. vs kabutops your 2hko chances are obv better with tbolt than thunder.

~ super fang is really j for 1 clefable/wiggly, 2 if it is needed for specific calcs ie is the only move that puts opposing mon in hbeam range, or 3 against normal resists if you lack appropriate coverage. otherwise u do not want to click fang bc it can't crit and it has poor accuracy, clicking either bslam or super effective coverage is preferred, and nothing can really switch into raticate anyway so covering switchins isn't rly a concern. only exception is maybe if you aren't running body slam, then u may be more reliant on fang as you lack any spammable damaging move.

~ blizzard loses the guaranteed 2hko / crit ohko on golem, but it provides an alternative finishing move against certain mons like nidoking and charizard, also provides a crit ohko chance against fearow without hyper beam fishing. blizzard also can provide protection from fire blast burns in the charizard matchup, both for preventing charizard from freely setting up on burned raticate and making raticate not deadweight if burned if used alongside tbolt.
~ on the other hand, bubblebeam's speed drop chance vs charizard may be preferred, especially if raticate is not running body slam as that otherwise leaves raticate without good chances to prevent charizard from just going to +4 in front of it and then sweeping.
(if u run neither of those moves, u instead have to fang twice vs golem and hope that is sufficient to trade it off.)

 

[Sabelette]

Made a ton of updates, ready for QC feedback

 

[Togkey]

AMQC, change what you like I am still noob

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB, and immense coverage allowing it to 2 or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage helps to threaten Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops who would normally come in to wall it I would really drive home the fact that Raticate is a Normal-type that can threaten Rock-types here. Thanks to Super Fang combined with either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This damage output can be utilized to sweep or to help sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler to do their job. Despite Raticate’s frailty and Super Fang’s unreliability Is Super Fang so unreliable that it's worth mentioning? I think Raticate's reliance on needing 1 turn to Super Fang is way more detrimental, its immense damage output renders it an effective choice for many teams.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Super Fang / Thunderbolt
move 4: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
I feel like Super Fang and Body Slam should be the slashed moves. Raticate really need Thunderbolt and Blizzard / Bubble Beam (also worth slashing Blizzard) to break through Water- and Rock-types, if Raticate is meant to be a breaker on a team as opposed to a sweeper, I think Body Slam is very droppable while Raticate's coverage is not.

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Body Slam and Hyper Beam are standard moves for Raticate, only rarely replaced due to their immense damage. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into, and Body Slam + Hyper Beam KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime to maintain its Speed advantage before finishing it off. Hyper Beam is Raticate's most damaging move against non-Rock-types, dealing a minimum of 39% to its even the bulkiest foes and finishing off a variety of dangerous opponents such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65%, respectively damage calcs feel a bit superfluous to me, I feel like just mentioning that Super Fang into Hyper Beam has insanely high odds to KO all of these like you do later in the paragraph gets the point across without so many numbers, the 39% in particular doesn't seem to have a name behind it either unless I'm reading this wrong or you were just speaking generally. Super Fang is a common key I think a large portion of Raticate's viability is purely from SFang guaranteeing to do 50% to anything regardless of bulk or resists component of Raticate’s strategy, allowing it to bring any target down to 50% HP instantly and making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler and two Thunderbolts followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while also dodging a lethal Counter. This allows Raticate to both dodge a lethal Counter from Blastoise and to potentially 2HKO any of these foes with a critical hit. is Blizzard really not worth mentioning in the main overview at all? I thought it was but thinking about it now I can't really think of anything it does better besides being Blizzard.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower opponents where possible, and look for safe opportunities to get in on a valuable target lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one opponent and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a Mr. Mime or Clefable. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or come in after putting an opponent to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to a sweep, whether from Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, who can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard, as well as paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable. I'd add a bit about how Raticate's ability to force insane damage on Golem, Blastoise, and Kabutops in particular is really great for back SD Zard and maybe Fearow but that may be my Fearow-loving bias.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarnantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both of these Fire-types outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual and only able to Super Fang for the rest of the match.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them, as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate's viability hinges on Super Fang, Counter will always threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, this leaves a teammate open to being KOed as well. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise being by far the most common Counter user in NU.

**Rock-types**: Both Rock-types conditionally check Raticate. Firstly, both can switch into Hyper Beam to freely counterattack Raticate as it recharges. Golem's Earthquake and Kabutops’s Slash both 2HKO Raticate, though Slash occasionally fails to do so. If Raticate lacks Bubble Beam it is ineffective against Golem, while lacking Thunderbolt or Thunder makes breaking through Kabutops extremely difficult. This is a really big 'if', given Raticate's main niche is it can hit Golem as a Normal-type, would be better to mention that Raticate has to Super Fang them on the switchin to beat them 1v1.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

would appreciate constructive criticism on my constructive criticism

 

[nicole7735]

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB, and immense coverage allowing it to 2 or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage helps to threaten Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops who would normally come in to wall it. Thanks to Super Fang combined with either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can be utilized to sweep or to help sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler to do their job. Despite Raticate’s frailty and Super Fang’s unreliability, its immense damage output renders it an effective choice for many teams.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Super Fang / Thunderbolt
move 4: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
Agree with Togkey that Thunderbolt and a move to hit Golem are mandatory on Rat as it leaves it unnecessarily walled by common mons while gaining little in return

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Body Slam and Hyper Beam are standard moves for Raticate, only rarely replaced due to their immense damage. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into, and Body Slam + Hyper Beam KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime to maintain its Speed advantage before finishing it off. Hyper Beam is Raticate's most damaging move against non-Rock-types, dealing a minimum of 39% to its even the bulkiest foes and finishing off a variety of dangerous opponents such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65%, respectively. Super Fang is a common component of Raticate’s strategy, allowing it to bring any target down to 50% HP instantly and making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler and two Thunderbolts followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise. This allows Raticate to both dodge a lethal Counter from Blastoise and to potentially 2HKO any of these foes with a critical hit.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower opponents where possible, and look for safe opportunities to get in on a valuable target lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one opponent and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a Mr. Mime or Clefable. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or come in after putting an opponent to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to a sweep, whether from Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, who can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard, as well as paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarnantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both of these Fire-types outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual and only able to Super Fang for the rest of the match.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them, as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate's viability hinges on Super Fang, Counter will always threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, this leaves a teammate open to being KOed as well. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise being by far the most common Counter user in NU.

**Rock-types**: Both Rock-types conditionally check Raticate. Firstly, both can switch into Hyper Beam to freely counterattack Raticate as it recharges. Golem's Earthquake and Kabutops’s Slash both 2HKO Raticate, though Slash occasionally fails to do so. If Raticate lacks Bubble Beam it is ineffective against Golem, while lacking Thunderbolt or Thunder makes breaking through Kabutops extremely difficult. Again agree with Togkey here, a Raticate walled by rock types is just a bad Raticate and I would never drop these moves

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

Generally agree with Togkey's comments here, other than Super Fang which I think is very droppable but I understand it's a matter of personal preference, everything else is good. QC 1/2

 

[Sabelette]

Togkey nicole7735 implemented but please take a second look and lmk if that looks good for QC 1/2!

 

[MrSoup]

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB, and immense coverage allowing it to 2 or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops while its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise that outspeed the tier's premiere Normal-type, Clefable. Thanks to Super Fang combined with either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can be utilized to sweep or to help sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler to do their job. Despite Raticate’s frailty and reliance on Super Fang to break foes one-on-one, its immense damage output renders it an effective choice for many teams. Maybe mention its ability to spread paralysis as a STAB slam user?

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only forced move for Raticate, as this is its most damaging move (careful with repetition) and what allows it to secure most 2HKOs, finishing off a variety of dangerous opponents such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65%, respectively. Beyond this, Raticate essentially has three moveslots and four main options. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into, and Body Slam + Hyper Beam KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime to maintain its Speed advantage after a Thunder Wave before finishing it off. Super Fang is a common component of Raticate’s strategy, allowing it to bring any target down to 50% HP instantly and making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types Fang is largely for the tiers other normal types imo. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler and two Thunderbolts followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower opponents where possible, and look for safe opportunities to get in on a valuable target lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one opponent and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a Mr. Mime or Clefable. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or come in after putting an opponent to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to a sweep, whether from Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, who can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard, as well as paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable. Might do well to describe how Raticate is one of the few Pokemon in the tier to actually sometimes force switches because of Fang + Beam, often causing mind games and allowing the Rat user to slam on switches, etc

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both of these Fire-types outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual and only able to Super Fang for the rest of the match.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them, as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate's viability hinges on Super Fang slight nit-pick but this is a little counter intuitive to when you say that hyper beam is the only mandatory move, Counter will always threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, this leaves a teammate open to being KOed as well. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise being by far the most common Counter user in NU.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[Togkey, 400664], [nicole7735, 593847]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

There's not much to change here, great analysis. qc 2/2

 

[Sabelette]

Implemented, GP Team

 

[Clas]

Seems like nobody on GP is covering right now, so AMGP!

Add Remove Comment

TIL Golem is NU

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier and acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB, and immense coverage allowing it to 2HKO or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, moved outspeeding Most notably, it outspeeds Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops, and its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise. Thanks to Super Fang combined with and either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can allow it to sweep or help enable sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler. STAB Body Slam deals excellent damage and is incredibly difficult to switch into, as opponents have to fear a potential Super Fang obliterating their bulky Rock- or Normal-types. Raticate's main issues are its horrid bulk, fear of Counter, and near inability to function if paralyzed. moved Despite Raticate’s frailty, fear of Counter, and near-inability to function if Paralyzed, its immense damage output and high speed renders it an effective choice for many teams.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang Super Fang / Thunderbolt super fang is described as its second biggest boon, make sure its actually on the displayed set when copied

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only forced move for Raticate, as this allows it to secure most 2HKOs, finishing off a variety of dangerous foes such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65% HP, respectively. Beyond this, Raticate can fit three out of four main moveset options clarity. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into; Body Slam + Hyper Beam also KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime before finishing it off and allowing Raticate to outspeed despite Mr. Mime's Thunder Wave. Alternatively, Super Fang is a common component of Raticate’s strategy, making switches incredibly risky, (AC) even for Rock-types, Clefable, and Wigglytuff. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check weakening opponents for Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Alternatively, Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler, and two Thunderbolts followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower foes where possible and look for safe opportunities to get in on valuable targets lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam Bubble Beam for Golem, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one foe and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a Mr. Mime or Clefable. Raticate baits switches due to its reliance on Hyper Beam to seal KOes, allowing prediction with Body Slam or Super Fang to punish attempts to stop the bleeding. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users note to gpers that fire spin is the only viable pivot move in nu, all other pivot moves are on pu or below mons if you are willing to risk a miss, (RC) or it can come in after an ally puts a foe to sleep the accuracy difference is negligible. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to being cleaned by a fast attacker, whether this ends up being Raticate such as itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, which can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard, as well as paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarnantees guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit due to its abysmal accuracy. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, Golem, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two, (AC) sometimes 2HKOing Golem, (AC) and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO moved.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both of these Fire-types obv, fluff outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual and only able to use Super Fang and, sometimes, its Special coverage for the rest of the match.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them, as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate relies on Hyper Beam and often uses Super Fang, Counter will usually threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, the Raticate user risks a massive Counter landing on their switch-in. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise in particular nearly always carrying it. Raticate can potentially exploit Counter attempts with Thunderbolt its Special coverage, however, especially against Charizard or Blastoise with Thunderbolt.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[Togkey, 400664], [nicole7735, 593847], [MrSoup, 375193]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[Sabelette]

I appreciate the amcheck, so I wanna take the opportunity to give some feedback! Hope this is helpful and you continue to amcheck. Comments will be bolded and green. In short this is a good start but try to reel in the urge to rearrange and reword content! It's really tricky - that was my biggest pitfall when I was amchecking, so don't be discouraged by it! I went ahead and implemented several suggestions.

Amcheck check

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier and acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB, and immense coverage allowing it to 2HKO or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, moved outspeeding Most notably, it outspeeds (try not to move things if unnecessary; preserving the author's style is important and this was ok as it was) Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops, and its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise. Thanks to Super Fang combined with and (I think this is borderline between style and flow but its fine) either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can allow it to sweep or help enable sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler. STAB Body Slam deals excellent damage and is incredibly difficult to switch into, as opponents have to fear a potential Super Fang obliterating their bulky Rock- or Normal-types. Raticate's main issues are its horrid bulk, fear of Counter, and near inability to function if paralyzed. moved Despite Raticate’s frailty, fear of Counter, and near-inability to function if Paralyzed, its immense damage output and high speed renders it an effective choice for many teams. (again I don't think rearranging this is strictly needed; also "paralyzed" isn't capitalized)

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang Super Fang / Thunderbolt super fang is described as its second biggest boon, make sure its actually on the displayed set when copied (this is good to point out in a comment but is really a QC question, not GP; I'm not sure there's really a better way to talk about this specific mon and set but I'll look at how things are written in the set comments)

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only forced move for Raticate, as this allows it to secure most 2HKOs, finishing off a variety of dangerous foes such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65% HP, (this is probably good for clarity) respectively. Beyond this, Raticate can fit three out of four main moveset options clarity (i don't think this actually improves clarity, readers can see the set right above and the phrasing gets clunky). Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into; Body Slam + Hyper Beam also KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime before finishing it off and allowing Raticate to outspeed despite Mr. Mime's (this is very redundant, Mr. Mime was already mentioned twice in this sentence) Thunder Wave. Alternatively, Super Fang is a common component of Raticate’s strategy, making switches incredibly risky, (AC) (a comma isn't needed here because this is a restrictive clause) even for Rock-types, Clefable, and Wigglytuff. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check weakening opponents for (foes, not opponents, and I think there's a slight nuance here; Pokemon like Blastoise that would otherwise happily click Counter on Super Fang might lose the game to a Zard sweep if they do this, but it's fine) Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Alternatively, (I don't think these "alternatively" uses are necessary, the paragraph starts by introducing that you have 4 moves and only 3 slots) Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler, and two Thunderbolts followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower foes where possible and look for safe opportunities to get in on valuable targets lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam Bubble Beam for Golem, (this is another debatable change for flow, I think just "or Bubble Beam" would have been fine) or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one foe and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a Mr. Mime or Clefable. Raticate baits switches due to its reliance on Hyper Beam to seal KOes, allowing prediction with Body Slam or Super Fang to punish attempts to stop the bleeding. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users note to gpers that fire spin is the only viable pivot move in nu, all other pivot moves are on pu or below mons if you are willing to risk a miss, (RC) or it can come in after an ally puts a foe to sleep the accuracy difference is negligible. (I think this is fair in a vacuum but sleep is far more rewarding than spin; most pokemon with spin don't even run it) Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to being cleaned by a fast attacker, whether this ends up being Raticate such as (just "whether" here is probably better) itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, which can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard, as well as paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarnantees guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit due to its abysmal accuracy. (I think this borders on dex info) Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, Golem, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two, (AC) sometimes 2HKOing Golem, (AC) and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO moved. (I understand the concern with brevity but you end up misrepresenting something important by changing "usually misses the 2HKO" to "sometimes 2HKOing" and the Golem matchup is incredibly important, moreso than these other three combined)

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both of these Fire-types obv, fluff (agree but I think removing "of these" works better) outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual and only able to use Super Fang and, sometimes, its Special coverage (good change but this is a job for QC, so make it a comment instead) for the rest of the match.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them, as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate relies on Hyper Beam and often uses Super Fang, Counter will usually threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, the Raticate user risks a massive Counter landing on their switch-in. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise in particular nearly always carrying it. Raticate can potentially exploit Counter attempts with Thunderbolt its Special coverage, however, especially against Charizard or Blastoise with Thunderbolt. (this adds more words to say the same thing, Raticate is not dodging Counter with Bubble Beam. If you're not sure it's always ok to ask in a comment, and if it involves a content change always ask if you are not a QC member)

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[Togkey, 400664], [nicole7735, 593847], [MrSoup, 375193]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[CryoGyro]

GP 1/2

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB moves, and immense coverage allowing it to 2HKO or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest available Pokemon in the tier, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops, and its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise. Thanks to Super Fang combined with either Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate is able to score 2HKOs on 2HKOes Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can allow it to sweep or help enable sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler. STAB Body Slam deals excellent damage and is incredibly difficult to switch into, as opponents have to fear a potential Super Fang obliterating their bulky Rock- or Normal-types. Raticate's main issues are its horrid bulk, fear of Counter, and near inability to function if paralyzed. Despite Raticate’s frailty, its immense damage output renders it an effective choice for many teams.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only forced move for Raticate, as this allows it to secure most 2HKOs, finishing required move, as it finishes off a variety of dangerous foes such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65% HP, respectively. Beyond this, Raticate can fit three out of four main options. Raticate then chooses from three of four moves. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into; Body Slam + Hyper Beam also KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime before finishing it off and allowing Raticate to outspeed despite Thunder Wave. Super Fang is a common component of Raticate’s strategy, making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types, Clefable, and Wigglytuff. Aside from leaving foes too weak to check Raticate’s teammates, this also leaves many Pokemon in range of Raticate’s STAB Hyper Beam. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOs Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Even if Super Fang Raticate can't get the KO, its teammates probably will. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move, (comma) 2HKOing Golem. for Raticate, allowing it to 2HKO Golem with Super Fang + Bubble Beam or simply 2 consecutive Bubble Beams. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler, and two Thunderbolts Thunderbolt twice followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower foes where possible and look for safe opportunities to get in on valuable targets lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to halve the target’s HP, usually leaving it in range of Hyper Beam or, in Golem’s case, Bubble Beam leave the foe in KO range of Hyper Beam or Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one foe and then take paralysis in order to continue attacking into a damage Mr. Mime or Clefable. Raticate baits switches due to its reliance on KOing with Hyper Beam, (comma) meaning Body Slam and Super Fang can punish pivots to seal KOes, allowing prediction with Body Slam or Super Fang to punish attempts to stop the bleeding. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or it can come in after an ally puts a foe to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to being cleaned by a fast attacker, whether Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, which can potentially switch into an incoming Thunder Wave to protect it or help to check Charizard switch into Thunder Wave and help check Charizard, as well as and paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable, (comma) which let that can pave the way for Raticate to defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may wish to customize its set be customized to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially landing a freeze freezing; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Both Fire-types Charizard and Ninetales outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though on a miss they may be left vulnerable to a 2HKO missing might get them 2HKOed. Fire Blast’s burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual by removing its strongest attacks.

**Paralysis**: Raticate becomes unable to cannot bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them,; (semi) the vast majority of NU 2HKOes it as the vast majority of the tier is capable of 2HKOing Raticate.

**Counter Users**: Because Raticate relies on Hyper Beam and often uses Super Fang, Counter will usually threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, the Raticate user risks a massive Counter landing on massive damage to their switch-in. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise in particular nearly always carrying it. Raticate can potentially exploit Counter attempts with Thunderbolt, however, especially against Charizard or and Blastoise.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sabelette, 583793]]
- Quality checked by: [[Togkey, 400664], [nicole7735, 593847], [MrSoup, 375193]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[Sabelette]

Implemented, ty!

 

[P Squared]

GP 2/2
add comment

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Raticate acts as a fast revenge killer and wallbreaker in RBY NU, with Super Fang, Normal-type STAB moves, and immense coverage allowing it to 2HKO or 3HKO most of the tier. Raticate is one of the fastest available Pokemon, outspeeding Mr. Mime and Venomoth while only being outsped by Charizard, Ninetales, and the rare Electrode. Raticate's diverse coverage threatens Pokemon like Golem and Kabutops, and its sheer Speed allows it to threaten revenge kills against foes like Mr. Mime and Blastoise. Thanks to Super Fang combined with Hyper Beam or a coverage move, Raticate 2HKOes Pokemon like Venomoth, Mr. Mime, Golem, and even potentially Charizard. This can allow it to sweep or help enable sweepers like Charizard, Kabutops, and Kingler. STAB Body Slam deals excellent damage and is incredibly difficult to switch into, as opponents have to fear Super Fang obliterating their bulky Rock- or Normal-types. Raticate's main issues are its horrid bulk, fear of Counter, and near inability to function if paralyzed.

[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Beam
move 2: Body Slam / Super Fang
move 3: Bubble Beam / Thunderbolt
move 4: Thunderbolt / Super Fang

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Hyper Beam is the only required move, as it finishes off dangerous foes such as Clefable, Venomoth, and Mr. Mime from 44%, 56%, and 65% HP. Raticate then chooses from three of four moves. Body Slam's paralysis chance makes Raticate difficult to switch into; Body Slam + Hyper Beam also KOes Mr. Mime, allowing Raticate to potentially paralyze Mr. Mime before finishing it off and allowing Raticate to outspeed despite Thunder Wave. (the ordering of that sentence doesn't work for me... the combo KOes Mr. Mime, raticate paralyzes Mr. Mime, raticate finishes Mr. Mime off, raticate outspeeds Mr. Mime? would prefer if it had a more logical progression) Super Fang is a common component of Raticate's (curly apostrophe) strategy, making switches incredibly risky even for Rock-types, Clefable, and Wigglytuff. The Super Fang + Hyper Beam combination notably 2HKOes Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute, sometimes 2HKOes Charizard and Nidoking, and rarely can even 2HKO Clefable. Even if Super Fang Raticate can't get the KO, its teammates probably will. Bubble Beam is the ideal coverage move, 2HKOing Golem. Thunderbolt 3HKOes Kabutops and Kingler, and Thunderbolt twice followed by Hyper Beam is enough to defeat Blastoise while avoiding a lethal Counter.

Raticate's strategy is simple: revenge kill weakened, slower foes where possible and look for safe opportunities to get in on valuable targets lacking Thunder Wave. Once in, Raticate can use Super Fang to leave the foe in KO range of Hyper Beam or Bubble Beam, or it can use Body Slam to deal heavy damage and punish switches. It can also potentially revenge kill one foe and then take paralysis in order to damage Mr. Mime or Clefable. Raticate baits switches due to its reliance on KOing with Hyper Beam, meaning Body Slam and Super Fang can punish pivots. Due to Raticate's low bulk, switching in is quite difficult; it can benefit from Fire Spin users if you are willing to risk a miss, or it can come in after an ally puts a foe to sleep. Raticate is ideally used on highly offensive teams that seek to leave the opposing team weakened and open to a fast attacker, whether that's Raticate itself or a teammate such as Mr. Mime or Charizard. Helpful teammates for Raticate include Golem, which can switch into Thunder Wave and help check Charizard, and paralysis spreaders like Mr. Mime and Clefable, which let Raticate defeat bulky foes such as Blastoise and opposing Clefable.

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

Raticate has abundant coverage but lacks the stats to back it up; however, it may be customized to check threats that the rest of its team cannot safely handle. Thunder guarantees a 2HKO on Kingler but misses crucial ranges against other Water-types and is usually not better than simply hoping for a critical hit. Blizzard deals heavy damage to Fearow, Exeggcute, and Nidoking, usually 2HKOing the first two and 3HKOing Nidoking while potentially freezing; it also still deals heavy damage to Golem but usually misses the 2HKO.

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

**Charizard and Ninetales**: Charizard and Ninetales outspeed Raticate and 2HKO it with Fire Blast, though missing might get them 2HKOed. Fire Blast's (curly apostrophe) burn chance also threatens to leave Raticate ineffectual.

**Paralysis**: Raticate cannot bully its foes when it is slower than them, and its frailty shines through when it has to take hits before dealing them; the vast majority of NU 2HKOes it.

**Counter**: Because Raticate relies on Hyper Beam and often uses Super Fang, Counter will usually threaten a retaliatory KO. Furthermore, if a Counter user switches in on Raticate and forces it out, the Raticate user risks massive damage to their switch-in. Potential Counter users include Charizard, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blastoise, and Primeape, with Blastoise in particular nearly always carrying it. Raticate can potentially exploit Counter attempts with Thunderbolt, however, especially against Charizard and Blastoise.

[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/togkey.400664/
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/

GP Team done