Strategy Analysis: Choice Banders

[Aeroblacktyl]

Btw, Carl and I were the first people to ever use CBteams, except too many of y'all are newbs and only started coming on NB the past 4-5 months. Back on IRC, while it was popular to battle on the bots, me and Carl basically came out with a team layout that had 3 cb'ers, Magneton, Vaporeon and another random poke, yet we never get any credict, sheesh. Also back on the bots, I used a CBArmaldo in standard play, in the slot of Donphan, and well, with the same attack as CBCross/Adamant, it hurtted a lot of shit.

 

[X-Act]

Crobat is a good CBer in BL as well.

 

[chaos952]

^ Just bumped a 3-month old thread...

Anyways, CBArmaldo is awesome. Rock Slide 3HKOs Skarmory, and HP Bug hurts.

 

[obi]

Double-Edge as an option in the fourth slot of Salamence. On Heracross, I see Focus Punch as more required, and Brick Break the optional move.

 

[gene]

Maybe add a section on choice banders in ubers: on metagross say that you need to add a lot of hp and sdef, groudon is a nice choice bander in ubers as is rayquaza and even shedinja

 

[Jibaku]

I would like to see Fury Swipes as an option on Slaking provided you have Magneton. Iron Tail is never a bad idea on Gligar, to hit Solrock switch-ins.

Uber Banders
Rayquaza @ Choice Band
Trait: Air Lock
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Atk / 4 Def / 28 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Extremespeed
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide
This thing is quite monstrous. Guaranteed to survive a non-CH max SA HP Ice from an Exeggutor, and 2 Max Adamant CBRayquaza Extremespeeds, while also dishing out a massive amount of damage

Groudon @ Choice Band
Trait: Drought
EVs: 48 HP / 236 Atk / 224 SDef
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide
- Overheat/Body Slam
without Jolly, Groudon isn't that fast, so speed won't really be that useful on it. Guaranteed to survive a Modest max SA Soul Dew Latios Ice Beam. Although 220 SDef/ 240 Atk would have worked, it is a sad truth that HP Bug lowers your SDef DV by 1.

Deoxys-F @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 6 SDef
- Extremespeed
- Rock Slide
- Shadow Ball
- Superpower
OK, Psycho boost isn't here because many stuff resists it.

Ho-oh @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 24 HP / 232 Atk / 252 SDef
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Shadow Ball
- Sacred Fire
- Earthquake
Ok, with the spread, it survives a 399 SAtk Kyogre's Surf, and if you have caught it on the switch with HP Fly/EQ, then you can get rid of it before it wrecks stuff.

Shedinja @ Choice Band
Trait: Wonder Guard
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 6 Whatever
- Shadow Ball
- Silver Wind
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Baton Pass/Toxic/Aerial Ace
Sheddy. Not Uber, but whatever. Toxic can catch stuff offguard, and Aerial Ace is complete filler. BP is comedy. HP Rock can catch Ho-Oh, and Shadow Ball/Silver Wind is STAB

Lugia @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Aeroblast
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Recover/Hidden Power [Rock](EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd) /Ancientpower/Light Screen
This guy is dangerous. Last slot is up to you, whether you want a staying CBer or supporter/CB combo or hit Ho-Oh.

 

[ToP]

Groudon @ Leftovers

Lugia @ Leftovers

 

[gene]

ghost is really imo better as it hits a common lugia switch-in.

also trying to survive (attack) is dumb you will not always be at 100% :/

 

[Jibaku]

Error fixed
But also, its never bad to try to survive a move (Ho-oh can get in on CB EQs to keep it at 100% via prediction, Groudon can go against Latios if they are switched in at the same time)

 

[obi]

That is especially the case for starter Groudon (for sunny teams), to counter starter Latios.

HP Ghost fails to OHKO Exeggutor.

 

[Flub]

You forgot CB regirock.

Regirock @ Choice Band
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 56 Def / 200 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Rock Slide
- Rollout/Focus Punch


I like rollout a lot if you find yourself switching into a snorelax or something. With increasing attack, even high-defense pokemon feel the heat. 5th turn rollout kills skarmory.

 

[BB64]

Got off my ass and added uber banders; I also added Doom Desire on Jirachi since I was impressed by Obi's article on DD/FS. Maybe I'll add CBrock and CBArmaldo later, but seriously, there are better pseudo-OU/BL Banders and neither are weird Choice Banders like Jirachi/Claydol.

 

[gene]

Eggy isn't that common anymore and Lugia is a very common switch in for Groudon, HP bug will do about 25% while HP ghost will hit it for 50%, so imo it is more useful right now and deserves to be added as an option at least.

 

[Jibaku]

Just predict Lugia switch-ins and use Rock Slide instead

 

[Raikou21]

Needs more mention of Gyarados in unusual CBanders.

 

[Yosuke]

Gyarados doesn't sound unusual at all personally. Good attack and good stats all around.

 

[Steeler]

Flygon should be included in the analysis.

 

[Akatsuki_Itachi]

Isn't Arcanine a choice bander aswell?

Arcanine (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 106 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spd
Naughty Nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Extremespeed
- Overheat
- Aerial Ace

 

[mmartin]

No CB Hitmonlee in UU? It is amazingly powerful, OHKOs a lot.

Hitmonlee
@Choice Band
- Hi Jump Kick/Brick Break
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake/HP Ghost/Mach Punch/Focus Punch
- Earthquake/HP Ghost/Mach Punch
Though HP Ghost doesn't really do much in UU.

 

[Jibaku]

You can add alternate Choice Banding Rayquaza EVs if you want
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd
Use this if you have a Kyogre on your team. Kyogre can stop Eggy without suffering a lot of damage, letting Rayquaza sweep without having to switch it into Eggy's HP Ice. Outspeeds max Speed Adamant Groudon and Kyogre, although most max Speeds are at Jolly.

 

[thecrazylazyguy]

Swampert deserves a mention 525 attack with this spread with the ability to still counter Salamence and Ttar. Hydropump can go over Focus punch or Hpbug. Really suprises celebis who try to leech seed on the first turn. Can survive most HPgrasses too. This is my favorite CBer and I think it should get more use.
Swampert (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Atk / 64 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Focus Punch
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide