Competitive Battling Spotlight #21: New Pokemon Ability Releases

     

          Starting September 28, 2011 (tomorrow), the new Spooky Manor Pokemon Dream World Expansion will become active, allowing for the ability to obtain a whole range of new Pokemon with their Hidden Abilities, as well as new furniture and items for your Dream House.

        The reason this is important from a competitive standpoint is that several Pokemon to be released in this wave include Magic Guard Abra, Gluttony Spoink, and Volbeat, Illumise and Sableye all with Prankster (among many others). This means that a lot of fearsome threats are to be added into the mix of the lower tiers, such as RU and UU, and since this is the first major and noteworthy addition from the Dream World into the Competitive Battling scene, it will be extremely interesting to see how these things play out against some of today's top tier threats.

Here are some interesting sets that might be prominent in the new metagame. Please keep in mind that at this moment I am not sure where each of these will end up tier-wise, so these are rather rough, but still quite useful, sets:

            Prankster Sableye

            252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp.Def

            Impish @ Leftovers

            -Taunt

            -Will O Wisp

            -Recover

            -Knock Off/Toxic/Sucker Punch

Sableye with Prankster is one of the most anticipated Pokemon to be released due to its excellent ability, and unique typing and movepool that allow it to easily come to occupy a special niche in the metagame in the coming months. While none of its stats are even above average, with max HP, max Defense and Will O Wisp, it can serve to wall a great portion of physical threats, such as Excadrill, Toxicroak, Dragonite, etc, crippling them before they are able to do much damage. The fact that Sableye’s typing grants it no weaknesses is also an enormous benefit on a support set like this one, as only the most deadly of offenders will be able to do it in.

Other noteworthy moves at Sab’s command include Taunt, Recover and even Trick, all of which give it an astounding edge over today’s most common Prankster abusers. For more fun with Prankster, you may fill the last slot of this set with Trick, and equip Sableye with an Iron Ball (or Macho Brace) instead of Leftovers. This will allow you to cripple other fast threats, namely Fire types that can’t be burned with WoW and Special Attackers that Sableye would not otherwise wall. Additionally, as a Ghost type Sableye fills the role of an excellent Spin Blocker on the likes of both offensive and defensive teams that rely heavily on entry hazards to diminish threats. Overall, this is one Pokemon that is sure to skyrocket in usage due to its new toy. Be sure to look out for Sableye’s debut in the lower (and perhaps even upper) tiers, and be sure to be prepared for it as well.

Volbeat Prankster

252 HP/252 Sp.Def/4 Spe

Careful @ Leftovers

-Substitute

-Tail Glow

-Baton Pass

- Confuse Ray/U-Turn/ Roost

Volbeat also has access to Prankster now, and, like Sableye, fills a completely new niche in the metagame for its unique movepool. Priority Sub is something not commonly seen, except on Thundurus and Whimsicott, but it serves a vital function on this set due to the remaining moves. Additionally, Volbeat also has access to priority Tail Glow, allowing for a quick +3 in certain situations. And while Beat’s Special Attack is one of the most awful ever conceived, being the only Prankster abuser with access to Baton Pass gives it an automatic Green Card into the land of success. If used correctly, this set can be extremely deadly, as Volbeat need only utilize one or two turns of setup, after which the Baton Pass is essentially guaranteed. This is an excellent support spread that can vastly benefit nearly any Special Attacker in the entire game, bulky or speedy. You better get your Taunters ready for this one, lest you be swept by a +6 Reuniclus behind a Sub!!!!!

Magic Guard Alakazam

252 Sp.Atk/4 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Timid @ Life Orb or Focus Sash

-Psychic

-Shadow Ball

-Focus Blast

-Psyshock/Guard Split/Recover 

My personal favorite of all the new DW Pokemon released in this mix, Magic Guard Alakazam is the long awaited key to redemption for this old wizard-thing. I mean, seriously, how beautiful is this?! Zam is one of the fastest Pokemon in UU right now, boasting 120 Speed, and with an endlessly complementary base 130 Special Attack, is essentially the epitome of an offensive threat. This, coupled with a movepool that almost always yields perfect coverage, creates a deadly threat now immune to entry hazards and residual damage from the likes of Poison, Burn or Leech Seed. This is almost a perfect offensive threat, in that it can come in all day without fear of losing health from SR/Spikes and blast away at an opponent’s weakened mons. As Life Orb will now no longer sap 10% of Zam’s health, you need only ensure he not be slapped by faster threats and priority. If you can ensure this simple task is done, you’ve got yourself a god of a Pokemon just waiting to obliterate cowering threats.

A good item for MGZam is definitely Life Orb, as it optimizes damage output with the excellent coverage to back it up. Likewise, a Focus Sash variant may be employed, as without fear of hazard damage, you can save it for later and still have your Sash intact if at full health. Additionally, Choice Scarf is a wondrous option for such a Pokemon as Alakazam, if you want a deadly revenge killer at your command.

As of right now, Alakazam sits comfortably in the top percentage of RU monsters, but I think Magic Guard is just the gift to send it packing straight to UU, or perhaps, dare I dream it, OU.

Honorable Mentions:
The following Pokemon also have decently notable tools attained from Spooky Mansion, though not as amazing as the previously mentioned threats.

   Meowth (Persian)- Unnerve; A fast offense/support Pokemon with the ability to cripple Berry holders like Kingdra, Exeggutor, and anything else that employs the Resto strategy. This could come in handy.

Mr. Mime- Technician; Technician is always a great ability for anything with even considerable offensive potential, and I think Mime can use it to its advantage. While primed as a decent Baton Passer for its inability to be roared away with Soundproof, I think a uniquely offensive spread can be attempted to reasonable success with moves like Charge Beam, Icy Wind and Magical Leaf getting nice boosts.

Snubbull (Granbull)- Rattled; The bulldogs are never really seen in any of the tiers, but I think Rattled is a nice little addition to their repertoire. With a nice +1 Speed boost upon being hit by a Dark or Bug type move, this could be an interesting way to attempt to get a sweep going in the lower tiers.

Smoochum (Jynx)- Hydration for Smoochum (Dry Skin for Jynx); Jynx is easily an overlooked offensive threat due in part to her weakness to Stealth Rock and middling Speed. Dry Skin doesn’t make her too much better, but it does slightly allow her to mirror Toxicroak’s success with it as an offensive sweeper. Still, bad defensive typing and no priority means this probably won’t be as prominent on an OU rain team, but it deserves the crown now as Jynx’s most viable ability.

Spoink (Grumpig)- Gluttony; I could be wrong in saying that the pinch berries (Petaya, Salac, etc) have yet to be released, but if I am not than this mention is a little bit irrelevant. Still, once Grumpig can get its hands on a Salac Berry, it shall definitely become a reasonable offensive threat in RU. 

It will be quite interesting to see how any of these novelties will impact the metagame, but I think the changes will start once these new Pokemon are implemented into their respective tiers.

Happy Battling! 

~Scarecrow

Competitive Battling Spotlight #20: New Pokemon Ten, Gigalith

A truly monolithic new monster.

Compressed Pokemon

H.P.: 85

Attk: 135

Def.: 130

Sp.A: 60

Sp.D: 70

Spe: 25

Abilities: Sturdy: This Pokemon will survive any hit (with at least 1HP) if at full health. Because Sturdy got a welcomed buff this generation, it now plays out far better on both Offensive and Defensive wielders. Gigalith is no different, and with nice stats can play either of those roles with the sanctity of having a built-in Focus Sash, Gigalith becomes a prime threat in any of the current tiers.

Sand Force (DW): Attacks of the Ground, Rock, and Steel types are boosted in power by 33% in a Sandstorm. This ability can actually help Gigalith out a lot more than some might think. With natural bulk and a lot of HP and Sp.Def investment, Lith will be easily able to survive hits and fire back with extremely powerful STAB and coverage moves. I think Sand Force will be an excellent addition to the Choice Band set once it gets released.

Analysis:        

Prior to the release of Black and White, when the hubbub for certain new monsters (anyone remember Prankster Volbeat or the insane amount of Whimsicott being used??) was a bit skewed, Gigalith was looked at by most as a welcomed addition to the spot of Offensive lead. It had all the right qualities; a high Attack stat, good Defense, Sturdy, and of course, Stealth Rock (at the time people had though SR had died off). Fast forward nearly a year and you have Gigalith posted far below the cutoff point for even RU, forgotten by those who once loved it. The reason for this is that things like Donphan and Rhyperior quickly edged it out in the bulky Stealth Rock department, while Terrakion (and Rhyperior again) were exceptionally better in terms of Offense.

           

            But this doesn’t completely spell doom for the monolithic behemoth of a stone, as Gigalith has come to fill a special niche in today’s metagame with its power, precise ease at setting up Stealth Rock, and ability to Explode, should the need arise. 

Potential Sets:  

1     1. GigaLead

252 HP/252 Atk/4 Def

Adamant @ Leftovers or Wide Lens

-Stealth Rock

- Stone Edge

-Earthquake

-Explosion/Toxic/Rock Blast

         With a great amount of Physical Bulk, natural offensive prowess and a built-in Focus Sash, Gigalith is primed for the spot of Lead on any team type. With Sturdy it is guaranteed to get up Stealth Rocks, except maybe against the likes of Abomasnow and fast Taunters, both of which can be disposed of with ideal Team Support. Lith also maxes out at 405 Attack, giving a powerful punch to the pseudo perfect EdgeQuake coverage combo. The last moveslot may be filled with any of the provided Attacks, each of which benefits Gigalith in particular scenarios. Explosion, despite its decrease in Power this generation, is ideal with 405 Attack to effectively blast holes in weakened Offensive threats, and is also great to use against Bulky opposition, as it allows you a free switch into an appropriate counter. Toxic is another good move on Gigalith, as it can damage any Non-Steel/Non-Poison type switch-in and give you the upper hand in the long run. Lastly, Rock Blast is to break Substitutes that might otherwise give your opponent an edge for setting up and sweeping your team. It is also much more accurate than Stone Edge and can demolish a lot of noteworthy RU threats like Yanmega, Venomoth and Entei.

            As far as Item choice goes, Leftovers is for added longevity, and acts nicely with Sturdy, while if that is not your concern Wide Lens may be equipped to boost Stone Edge’s accuracy to a decent 88%.

            Overall, Gigalith has the stats and moves to work as an effective lead, and its typing, stat spread, and unique defensive ability in Sturdy guarantee that it is not outclassed by anything in the upper tiers, making it a great surprise lead for OU and UU.

 

1    2. GraviLith

252 HP/252 Atk/4 Def

Adamant @ Leftovers or Wide Lens

-Gravity 

- Stone Edge

-Earthquake

-Toxic/Rock Blast

            This may not be the most standard set by any means, as Gravity is one of the most non-standard moves in existence, but its benefits for Gigalith and teammates can prove to be extremely valuable if used correctly. Blatantly put, Gravity lasts for five turns and has many effects that can exploit and ruin the opposing team, such as:

(1) grounding Flying types and Levitators, which makes them susceptible to Ground type attacks, as well as Spikes and Toxic Spikes [holders of Air Balloon are also susceptible];
(2) preventing the use of the moves Bounce, Fly, Jump Kick, Hi Jump Kick, and Magnet Rise;
(3) decreasing the Evasion of all Pokemon in battle by two [2] stages. This is essentially a 1.667% increase in Accuracy, meaning moves with 60% Base Power and higher will hit 100% of the time.

      

        It is easy to see where Gigalith comes into play with these benefits, both as an Offensive and Defensive threat. Offensively, with 135 base Attack power and two very outstanding coverage moves, Lith can hit everything that is not a dedicated Physical wall for very high amounts of damage since Earthquake will now hit everything in the game, and Stone Edge will hit 100% of the time on things that resist EQ. Notable RU threats like Yanmega, Entei and Venomoth will be much easier to dispose of with a never-missing Stone Edge, just as Defensive beasts (Gligar and Claydol, Bronzong and Skarmory in OU) will be more maneuverable with the fear of being hit by a powerful Quake. The Accuracy boost to Toxic is also quite noteworthy, as it allows you to diminish other rather bulky foes like Cresselia and Quagsire without the annoying 20 % chance of a miss.

            Overall, Gravity Gigalith looks like a fearsome warrior on paper, but it is not all Stones and Quakes for the Craggy monster. Though Sturdy and very usable bulk help Giga to live a hit from most things and set up Gravity indefinitely, other powerful monsters, or fast Taunters can find themselves easily outstepping Lith before he can do much at all. For this reason, it is a great idea to pair this set with strategically placed partners in your team, such as other Gravity users and/or hazard support so that you can fully make use of the fact that everything (bar Poisons and Magic Guards) will be damaged by Spikes and T-Spikes. Considerable teammates that can also utilize Gravity include Alakazam and Porygon-Z on the Offensive side, and Clefable and Dusknoir on Defense. Scolipede, Ferroseed and Drapion will gladly fill the role of Hazard support.

2    3. Of Sandstone

252 HP/4 Atk/252 Sp.Def  OR 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Sp.Def

Careful OR Adamant @ Smooth Rock

-Sandstorm

-Stone Edge

-Earthquake

-Toxic/Explosion

            The second best Sand Rush abuser (Stoutland) lies quite dormant in RU. But though no Auto-Sand support is present in the tier, Gigalith has an amazing amount of assets to make use as an effective Sandstormer, bolstering the capabilities of appropriately selected teammates. With the ability to live any hit when at full health, you are guaranteed to set up an eight-turn Sand with Smooth Rock equipped. Explosion is to decimate anything that then stands in your way, and also for scouting purposes so that you may get a free switch into just about anything at the cost of Giga’s life. EdgeQuake is for….well, you know.

            Though the Hippos, T-tar, Excadrill, and Landorus reside in the upper tiers, the possibility of making a dominant Sand team in RU is very real, with Sand lovers like Stoutland, Durant, Krookodile and Cacturne for excellent Offensive potential. Also on the Defensive side of things, a myriad of beasts including Claydol, Clefable, Mandibuzz (with Overcoat), Ferroseed, Rhyperior, Crustle and Rhydon [the latter 3 of which garner an astounding 50% bonus to their Special Defense] can all make wondrous use of the Storm and work well to form solid cores for more Defensive teams. A lot of these Pokemon are even capable of setting up Sandstorm as well, so you can have a nice backup should Gigalith fall or your initial Sandstorm should falter.

            In terms of EV spread, an ideal one would be Max HP and Max Sp.Def with a Careful nature, so that you can more optimally abuse Sandstorm once it’s up. Alternatively, Max Defense may be attained, though Lith hits very high Defense without any investment. Furthermore, if you’d like to play more offensively, a standard spread of 252 Attack with Adamant nature is ideal.

3    4.  BandedLith

252 HP/252 Atk/4 Def

Adamant @ Choice Band

-Stone Edge

-Earthquake

- Return

- Rock Blast/Explosion/Heavy Slam

By now, you should be annoyed with what I have to say about Gigalith, but a Choice Band set is effective for abusing this monster’s mountain-high Attack stat, good coverage options, and of course, Sturdy. The outright power and coverage of this set also serve to make a great anti-lead in both RU, and also in UU where things like Frosslass and Nidoqueen are common. The motives of a CB Pokemon remain true here, as dishing out disastrous attacks and hitting surprise switch-ins anchor this set as being extremely reliable, scoring notable 3HKOs on dedicated Physical walls like Max Defense Cress and even Cofagrigus. And while this may not be something exceptional to boast about, there still remains a possibility of landing a Critical Hit with that STAB Stone Edge.

The usual two-move coverage scheme returns here as always, with a number of notable options to back it up. First off, Return adds a decent means of hitting typical resists of EdgeQuake, and with base 102 power should hit a lot of things quite hard. Rock Blast is nice to prevent the opponent from setting up a Substitute, and has a chance of hitting harder than Stone Edge at the 5-turn max. Explosion is another great move choice that works well against powerful foes once Sturdy has been activated. Lastly, Heavy Slam is an interesting choice as it acts similarly to Grass Knot in that the opponent’s weight affects how powerful of a move it will be. This could be beneficial against lighter opponents and adds significant coverage as well.

Because Gigalith is slow, it lacks a convincing amount of purpose for use when considered against super-powerhouses Honchkrow and, especially, Rhyperior for employment of Choice Bander on a team. This is likely because, despite the fact that Lith has an astounding Attack stat, there remains a certain lack of additional factors that make him a particularly superb Band abuser. Blatantly put, he is “just another Rock type” and has nothing entirely worth note when compared to things like Rhyperior, Archeops, and even Golem.

Despite these shortcomings, Gigalith does make great use of its ability and is a great surprise player against teams who would normally expect a Standard Lead set and can add the very beneficial element of surprise to your roster, potentially giving you a slight edge over the opposing team. Use Gigalith, as with anyting, for its assets, and because these are unique in of themselves, it is hard to say he is outclassed by anything upon more in-depth consideration.

         Competitive Usability: 7 out of 10  

        Gigalith's design didn't stand out too much to me when I first saw it. In fact, I didn't even think it was a final-stage evolution, I thought it still had a couple more to go through to reach its highest state of awesomeness.  Its shiny sprite is pretty awesome, resembling some sort of crystal rock formation, but otherwise, I think the whole scheme is a bit sub-par. 

        

        Aesthetic Design: 7 out of 10

 

RMT #2: Standard OU Team; “In the Desert”

In the Desert

In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said: "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter - bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane

Here is my second Rate My Team for this site. I must say, I am a lot more experienced with the 5th generation metagame than I was way back when I posted the first one, and for that reason I think this is a much more solid team. However, that is not to say that it is in any way perfect; I am still aware that there are some necessary improvements to be made, and I think there are still a lot of exploitable flaws present. But that is why I am posting this here, so that you can all help me make this team better, and can hopefully learn from my team building process and the Pokemon sets I use. This is an OU team, a very standard one at that, and I think it’s safe to say that OU is currently my favorite of all the tiers. I’ve tried a fair bit of RU, and even a little UU, but nothing really requires as much quick thinking and strategy as I feel OU does. But that’s just latent opinion that will probably change in a month or two.
As you will also notice, this is a very standard Sand team. Now, before you think to yourself, “Oh great, just another one of those. How boring and uncreative”, I’d like you to consider that the current OU metagame, rampant as it is with Weather teams of all forms and types, has come to need this abundance for its own stability. In other words, because there is one particular type of Weather, it is necessary to have another in order to efficiently counter it. This means that threats like Excadrill, Venusaur and Thundurus won’t entirely demolish the entire metagame in their respective Weather as long as there is another Weather type able to counter it. That is not to say, however, that Weather is the only thing capable of countering other Weather, but it is one of the few. Of course, this then makes it a cut-throat game of Last Weather Standing, but that just makes it all the more fun in my opinion.

So let’s get to the team.

Po @ Leftovers
252 HP/4 Def/252 Sp.Def, Careful
-Stealth Rock
-Ice Fang
-Superpower
-Earthquake

The foundation of this team was Hippowdon, as I knew Tyranitar is the most used Sand summoner (the most used Weather summoner in general), and wanted to experiment with a team of two auto-Sand abusers. I figured this would give me a nice advantage in keeping Sand on the field, since it is the only auto-weather with two fully evolved Pokemon able to instigate it. This means that most other weather teams would only have one means of getting up their Sun, Rain or Hail, and once I dispose of that Mon, as long as Hippo or T-Tar are still alive, I can win the Weather war. So now came time to think of a set. I knew Hippo has amazing bulk overall, but I had never once seen a max Sp.Def variant used. I wanted to try one out, and the results were wonderful. I could take hits from Choice Specs Latios and set up my Rocks indefinitely. I was also able to dapple with other common leads such as bulky or Scarfed Rotom-W, and all other Weather summoners bar Specs Politoed. This was excellent, since Hippowdon’s main use on this team is to set up Sand, lay down Stealth Rock, then die. In that sense it is more of a suicide lead, since I have Tar to ensure I get up Sand in the end.

The moveset is as odd as the EV spread, in that it plays a little bit like an offensive variant. EQ is for obvious STAB, and is useful in taking down some notable threats, while Superpower adds decent coverage and power. Ice Fang is for the likes of Latios and Gliscor, so that I can threaten them much more effectively, and since they usually don’t expect it. I used to run Slack Off in its place, but found that the recovery wasn’t as necessary as the coverage, since this plays out more like a suicide lead anyway.


Even out of dreams, the Sandman will find you.

Sandman @ Leftovers
252 HP/128 Sp.Atk/128 Sp.Def, Quiet
-Pursuit
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
-Flamethrower

Hippowdon’s Partner in crime, Tyranitar, is my secondary means of setting up Sandstorm, and my primary means of taking most Special hits from less powerful threats. The set and spread may seem unorthodox like Hippo’s set, but I’ve found Tar can take hits pretty nicely and dish out a reasonably powerful, well-covered move in the process. The reason I chose Quiet and some Special Attack investment was because I wanted it to deal as much damage as possible while still being able to absorb some attacks. Thunderbolt is here for coverage, and to hit certain unsuspecting Pokemon like Politoed or Gyarados, and the rest of the set is pretty standard.

n the Sand, T-tar hits a monstrous 402 Special Defense which, coupled with a naturally high 404 HP and decent 256 Defense, allows it to take hits reasonably well. I’m also not too concerned about the lack of physical Defense, as I have something to take care of that. Tyranitar is great on this team, not only for Sand Stream, but because it can rid me of annoyingly efficient threats like Ferrothorn, Forretress, Starmie, Latios and Latias, to name a few.


He may look slow, but what goes on in that mind, you may never want to figure out.

Savant @ Leftovers
252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp.Def, Bold
-Toxic
-Slack Off
-Scald
-Fire Blast

One of the best Physical Walls in the game at the moment, I chose Slowbro for its natural ability to take powerful hits, usable Tanking potential, and uniquely excellent ability Regenerator that further increases its longevity, and thereby shortens my concern with Physical threats like Excadrill, Conkeldurr or Dragonite, all of which would otherwise threaten my team. The EVs here are standard, unlike a few other sets on this team, and I’m proud with the outcome. Slowbro is growing as one of my favorite Pokemon of 5th generation, and for good reason.

The moveset is reasonably standard as well. Scald, with its high Burn rate, only increases Slowbro’s wondrous walling capabilities, Fire Blast is for Skarm, Ferro and Forre (though all of these don’t like the Burn rate of Scald either) and Toxic and Slack Off are for bulkier threats and to Stall out other things, respectively and together. While Toxic seems nice, though, I find myself rarely ever needing to use it, and wonder whether there is another move I can replace it with that I might have generally overseen. It is necessary, though, in taking down the occasional Gastrodon if one of my sweepers is unable to. Overall, Slowbro is a hugely key member of this team, for it deals with certain Monsters and team types that no other member could.

“Why do I act like I made this when I so obviously had another hand?” –Mandala, by Circa Survive

Mandala @ Leftovers
108 HP/148 Atk/100 Sp.Atk/56 Sp.Def/96 Spe, Lonely
-Iron Head
-Fire Punch
-Thunder Wave
-Hidden Power Ice

An interesting, yet key member to this team, this rather unconventional Jirachi set fills several roles at once. With the given EVs, it is bulky enough to take hits, dish out some powerful Iron Heads that work brilliantly in tandem with the T-Wave hax, and can even outspeed and KO common Gliscor and Dragonite sets, neither of which ever expect an oncoming HP Ice. Because spreads like Sp.Def Wall Rachi, SubCM Rachi, and even ScarfRachi are more commonly seen today, this little guy becomes my secret weapon, scoring notable KOs on Pokemon that would otherwise win against it, which forces my opponent into a minor state of confusion, giving me an immediate upper hand. Paraflinch hax is as annoying and prominent as ever on this set, and it really helps me out in the long run against threats who rely on Speed to win their side of the battle. This is a very viable Jirachi set, and is recommended if you want to try something new. Courtesy of Faladran.

Now, let’s get to the Offense of the team.

Anyone Got a Broom???

Terra Force @ Choice Band
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Quick Attack
-Stone Edge
-Close Combat
-X-Scissor

Perfect power, monstrous Speed, an overall intimidating glare. What do these three qualities have in common? They are all rocked hard by Choice Banded Terrakion. This set is amazing. Nearly everything in OU is taken down by at the very least two of these moves, meaning that if I can predict a Gliscor or Skarmory switch (as these are two, if not the two most common Physical Walls in OU), I can hit them with a Stone Edge or Close Combat, respectively, and ensure they lose their Wall on the next turn. After that, Terrakion is free to demolish the remainder of the opponent’s team, or I can send in Excadrill for an assured sweep. These two Offensive mons work great together, and I’ve had a few late game sweeps with just Terrakion alone. As if the brute force of its attacks weren’t enough glory to gloat over, its 108 Speed allows it to attack before a humongous chunk of the metagame, netting easy OHKOs on faster, frailer threats. Do not underestimate the Force.

“Bulldozer, run right over us” -Bulldozer, by Cold War Kids

This Pokemon is named after one of my favorite songs at the moment, as I found it fitting for what Excadrill is capable of in the OU scene. Because it is by far the best Sand Sweeper in the game, and even one of the best Weather Sweepers at that, I’ve found many opportunities with this guy to open up sweeps for my team. I’ve chosen an Adamant nature for maximum power before and after Swords Dance, and with an insane 550 Speed in a Sandstorm, Excadrill is easily capable of outspeeding just about anything it comes up against.

Strictly in regards to the set, I employed the use of Air Balloon so that I can switch in on opposing Excadrill that doesn’t hold a Balloon itself, or even a Haxorus locked into Earthquake (which has happened more time than you’d expect). Swords Dance is the icing on the cake of a Pokemon with massive Offensive potential, and Rock Slide and EQ are for great powerful coverage and STAB, respectively. In quite a bold play on my part, I have forgone the additional coverage of X-Scissor and even Brick Break for the ability to relinquish opposing hazards that may have been placed on my side of the field. This is very important since, although nothing on my team fears Stealth Rock, layers of Spikes and especially Toxic Spikes can really stack up against my monsters and wear them down before I can make an impact. Because Excadrill 4x resists Stealth Rock, is immune to Toxic Spikes, and evades Spikes due to Air Balloon, it is a nearly perfect Rapid Spinner, and therefore an extremely efficient member of this squad. In addition to that, its Offensive prowess only helps it as a Spinner; a boosted Rock Slide or STAB EQ is capable of demolishing OU’s most common Spin Blockers, Jellicent and Gengar.

There is no doubt that Excadrill fits very nicely into this team as a whole. I know he and Sand teams really go hand in hand, but that is because In the Desert is where he is at his best. I am aware there are probably several holes to be patched in this squadron of creatures, and so I hope you may be able to help me to perfect it. I also really hope that you can take something from this team, and even try it, or some of the Pokemon on it ,out yourself. All of these sets are extremely viable, and a lot of them will not be expected by your opponent. Just be sure to bring your Go-Goggles if you don’t want to try Sand out yourself.

Click HERE to see a replay of this team in action!

A couple key points about this battle:
1. I led with Slowbro because I figured it was the best thing to be paired up against Dugtrio. I figured he’d lead with Dugtrio because he’d want to trap and kill
one of my two Sand Streamers right away.
2. The disgustingly brutal combination of Excadrill and Terrakion works at its best here.
3. I did end up winning the match, though that part is not shown. I remember being anxious once I knew that he had Ninetails and Volcarona left, as two Stone
Edge hits in a row would win me the match, but a miss would cost me dearly.
Hope you enjoyed this post! Leave feedback, Please!
~Scarecrow~

Pokemon Black and White: Complete TMHM List

Here I've compiled a complete list of every single TM and HM in Black and White, and where and how you get each. I thought this might be quite useful for in-game training since a lot of these Technical Machines are scattered wildly about Unova, and some are pretty difficult to find. I hope this helps!

**Use CTRL + F to search for whichever Attack name or TM number you are looking for**

Here is the list:

TM01 Hone Claws- Cold Storage, from Zinzolin of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM02 Dragon Claw- Victory Road (by Blackbelt Tyrone, go upward)
TM03 Psyshock- Giant Chasm (Forest part before entering Kyurem’s cave)
TM04 Calm Mind- Relic Castle, from Ryoku of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM05 Roar- Route 10 (north of Ace Trainer Johan, on ledge)
TM06 Toxic- Route 17 (upward, past Fisherman Lydon)
TM07 Hail- Mistralton City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM08 Bulk Up- Route 14, from Giallo of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM09 Venoshock- Route 15 (requires Strength)
TM10 Hidden Power- Gift from Prof. Juniper (after showing you’ve seen 110 Pkmn)
TM11 Sunny Day- Mistralton City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM12 Taunt- Victory Road (2F, outside)
TM13 Ice Beam- Giant Chasm (Forest part before entering Kyurem’s cave)
TM14 Blizzard- Icirrus City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM15 Hyper Beam- Shopping Mall Nine, Route 9 (Middle Section, Right Cashier)
TM16 Light Screen- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM17 Protect- Gift from Prof. Juniper (after showing you’ve seen 60 Pkmn)
TM18 Rain Dance- Mistralton City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM19 Telekenesis- Route 18 (northernmost part of Route)
TM20 Safeguard- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM21 Frustration- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM22 Solarbeam- Pinwheel Forest (go right near bridge)
TM23 Smack Down- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM24 Thunderbolt- P2 Laboratory
TM25 Thunder- Icirrus City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM26 Earthquake- Relic Castle (1F)
TM27 Return- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM28 Dig- Route 4 (Gift from Worker in the northern rest house)
TM29 Psychic- Route 13 (on a cliff, requires Strength)
TM30 Shadow Ball- Relic Castle (B2F)
TM31 Brick Break- Icirrus City (Gift from Old Lady in Pokemon Center)
TM32 Double Team- Route 18, from Rood of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM33 Reflect- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM34 Sludge Wave- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM35 Flamethrower- Abundant Shrine (west, near entrance of house)
TM36 Sludge Bomb- Route 8 (north-east of Pokemon Ranger)
TM37 Sandstorm- Mistralton City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM38 Fire Blast- Icirrus City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM39 Rock Tomb- Desert Resort (near a Pokemon Ranger, go down)
TM40 Aerial Ace- Mistralton City (south end of runway, must talk to boy in house above Pkmn Center after defeating Skyla first)
TM41 Torment- Route 4 (northwest of Worker Shelby)
TM42 Façade- Route 8 (Gift from Parasol Lady)
TM43 Flame Charge- Tubeline Bridge (Gift from Battle Girl)
TM44 Rest- Castelia City (11th floor of building on Castelia Street, Gift from Hiker)
TM45 Attract- Castelia City (Gift from girl on 47th floor of building just before entrance to Route 4)
TM46 Thief- Wellspring Cave
TM47 Low Sweep- Wellspring Cave
TM48 Round- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM49 Echoed Voice- Nimbasa City (Gift from woman in Musical Hall)
TM50 Overheat- Route 11 (requires Waterfall)
TM51 Ally Switch- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM52 Focus Blast- Wellspring Cave (B1F)
TM53 Energy Ball- Route 12 (near Breeder Ethel)
TM54 False Swipe- Gift from Prof. Juniper (after showing you’ve seen 25 Pkmn)
TM55 Scald- Cold Storage (near entrance)
TM56 Fling- Upon entering Route 9 from Tubeline Bridge
TM57 Charge Beam- Route 7 (Gift from girl near entrance from Mistralton)
TM58 Sky Drop- Mistralton City (by cargo Airplanes)
TM59 Incinerate- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM60 Quash- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM61 Will-O-Wisp- Celestial Tower (2F)
TM62 Acrobatics- Gift from Skyla (after defeat)
TM63 Embargo- Dragonspiral Tower (outside entrance, where bridge and water meet (requires Surf)
TM64 Explosion- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM65 Shadow Claw- Celestial Tower (4F)
TM66 Payback- Route 16 (requires Strength)
TM67 Retaliate- Gift from Lenora (after defeat)
TM68 Giga Impact- Shopping Mall Nine, Route 9 (Middle Section, Right Cashier)
TM69 Rock Polish- Chargestone Cave, gift from Bronius of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM70 Flash- Castelia City (Gift from man behind dumpster on Narrow Street)
TM71 Stone Edge- Challenger’s Cave in Route 9 (B2F)
TM72 Volt Switch- Gift from Elesa (after defeat)
TM73 Thunder Wave- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM74 Gyro Ball- Nimbasa City (purchase from Poke Mart)
TM75 Swords Dance- Dreamyard, gift from Gorm of the Seven Sages (after defeating N @ Pkmn League)
TM76 Struggle Bug- Gift from Burgh (after defeat)
TM77 Psych Up- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM78 Bulldoze- Gift from Clay (after defeat)
TM79 Frost Breath- Gift from Brycen (after defeat)
TM80 Rock Slide- Mistralton Cave on Route 6 (2F)
TM81 X-Scissor- Route 7 (eastward, near Harlequin Pat)
TM82 Dragon Tail- Gift from Drayden or Iris (after defeat)
TM83 Work Up- Gift from Chili, Cress, or Cilan (after defeat)
TM84 Poison Jab- Route 6 (requires Surf)
TM85 Dream Eater- Dreamyard
TM86 Grass Knot- Pinwheel Forest (east of Pokemon Ranger Miguel)
TM87 Swagger- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM88 Pluck- Battle Subway (purchase with BP)
TM89 U-Turn- Route 13 (Gift from girl after returning all 3 Wingull grams)
TM90 Substitute- Twist Mountain (northern cave, in Winter only)
TM91 Flash Cannon- Twist Mountain (bottom-most cave, near Ice Rock)
TM92 Trick Room- Abundant Shrine (by Landorus’s Shrine)
TM93 Wild Charge- Victory Road (outside, western)
TM94 Rock Smash- Gift from woman before the entrance of Pinwheel Forest
TM95 Snarl- Event Exclusive move, not yet released

HM01 Cut- Striaton City (Gift from Fennel after defeating Gym Leader)
HM02 Fly- Given after beating Bianca in Driftveil City
HM03 Surf- Entrance of Twist Mountain (Gift from Alder after defeating Cheren)
HM04 Strength- Nimbasa City (Gift from man in building northwest of Pkmn Center)
HM05 Waterfall- Western edge of Route 18
HM06 Dive- Undella Town (Gift from a girl outside of one of the houses)

It is also interesting to note that HMs in Black and White do not require a particular Gym Badge before they can be used. This means that once you get Fly or Cut, etc, you are able to use it even without beating the next Gym Leader.

I hope this list helps! Let me know if I've made any errors, or leave comments, etc below.

Competitive Battling Spotlight #19: New Pokemon Nine, Volcarona

The King of all Moths. 

Sun Pokemon

Tier: OU (as of January 2012) 

H.P.: 85

Attk: 60

Def.: 65

Sp.A: 135

Sp.D: 105

Spe: 100

Abilities: Flame Body: Really the only choice Volcarona has for an ability at the moment. Though much less capable of taking physical hits than special, the 30% burn chance is welcome on anything that might otherwise threaten Volc with a powerful Physical move.

Swarm: Probably a better ability for Volcarona in comparison with Flame Body, Swarm allows the power of its STAB Bug moves to be boosted if at lower health. This will definitely come in handy, but unfortunately it has yet to be released through the Dream World, so Flame Body is the one for now.

            Volcarona is today’s hottest Bug-type [literally], becoming arguably the best Special Attacking Bug since Speed Boost Yanmega of last generation. With a perfectly unique typing, overall legendary-esque stats, and an exclusive array of moves, this new fire moth shines as a wondrous new sweeper in the Black and White metagame. 

            In overviewing Volc’s innumerable assets, one cannot help but notice its immensely powerful 135 base Special Attack stat, alone capable of making Volcarona a top-tier threat. This, partnered alongside a very above average Speed and excellent Special bulk, makes it very easy for this Pokemon to effectively utilize team support and solid prediction skills to take out unsuspecting opposition. However, if these aren’t enough to have you crying over Volcarona yet, wait till you hear the rest of the good news. This Pokemon loves to dance. Flamenco, ballet, you name it. Not cool enough for you? Well then, take into consideration its two favorite dance moves, Quiver Dance and Fiery Dance, and you’ve got yourself a dusty sungod just waiting to demolish things. Quiver Dance, one of the most powerful boosting moves in the entire game now, and definitely one of the best new boosters added in gen 5, gives a +1 raise to Volca’s Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed stats; it’s three highest. That is essentially a Special variation of Dragon Dance, fused with Calm Mind. After one Dance, this hot moth is capable of outpacing a huge portion of the metagame that is not itself boosted, and blasting apart Specially weak teams with its impeccable STAB moves. You are in extreme danger if you let this thing set up on you.

            But that’s not all. Its other Dance move, Fiery Dance, is no less threatening. A slightly weaker STAB in comparison with Flamethrower and Fire Blast, this 80 Base Power tango has a high chance of boosting Volcarona’s Special Attack to even greater heights [an additional +1]. When used after a Quiver Dance or two, Volc can have a reliable means of receiving continual Sp.Atk raises, while already sitting at a rather untouchable Speed stat, meaning little to nothing will be able to survive its flaming wrath. Though its coverage is limited, with a fair amount of boosts, you’ll soon forget that “Not very effective” means the target should be taking less damage!

            There is, however, an enormous detriment to the perfection of this winged beast. Though “limited coverage” is easily compensated for, you may notice that both of Volcarona’s typings share a common weakness; to the Rock type. This means that everyone’s favorite entry hazard, and therefore all its users, becomes Volcarona’s arch nemesis. In short, Volca will be losing a whopping 50% of its health upon switching into a field plagued by Stealth Rock, even further limiting its sweeping potential. This means that hazard removal/prevention is ideal when using Volcarona on a team, lest you be limited to only two switch-ins per match; not nearly enough to breeze through the opposing team.

Potential Sets:

1. Standard Sweeper

252 Sp.Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Timid @ Life Orb/Leftovers

-Quiver Dance

-Fiery Dance/Flamethrower/Fire Blast

-Bug Buzz

-Hidden Power Ground/HP Grass/Solarbeam

            This is probably the most commonly used Volcarona set. Outright, this spread hits 369 Special Attack and 328 Speed, making it a dangerous threat even without any Quiver boosts. However, after a Dance, Volcarona’s stats hit massive heights, making it easily one of the most deadly forces to reckon with in OU. A little reminiscent of DD Mence in 4^th gen, albeit a Special version of it, this Quiver Dance set becomes all the more devastating the more boosts are acquired. In terms of moveset, the two most important STAB moves are used here, though Fiery Dance may be traded for a more powerful counterpart if you feel the need. The last slot is taken by a Hidden Power of your choice. Ground is the best bet, allowing Volcarona to hit mon that would otherwise completely wall it, such as Heatran, Infernape, and Terrakion, for SE damage, though Grass takes care of Swampert and the increasingly popular Gastrodon, as well as other Water types. If used on a Sun team (which fully optimizes Volcarona’s usability), Solarbeam may also be added into the mix for a powerful no-charge offensive. 

2. Bulky Sweeper

248 HP/252 Def/8 Sp.Def

Bold or Modest @ Leftovers

-Morning Sun

-Quiver Dance

-Fiery Dance

-Bug Buzz

            It may appear odd to emphasize on Volcarona’s lesser defensive side, but with a rather good 85 HP stat and even usable 65 Defense, as well as Flame Body chance, this can shape Volc into a rather tough to take down offensive tank of sorts. Morning Sun is its best means of recovery, so use it wisely. The remaining three moves are obvious.

            As said before, Volcarona functions even better in the Sun, and this set is no different; Morning Sun essentially restores 2/3 of Volc’s health in a Drought, as opposed to restoring only ½ health in normal circumstances and ¼ in Rain or Sand. If you are still skeptical of the viability of this set due to a lacking physical Defense stat, consider that the investment will allow you to take hits you would not normally be able to take, in which case you may proceed to set up a Quiver Dance and recover off the damage. After a few Dances, Volc should be at high enough Speed and power to handle anything that stands in its way.

            *You may notice the EV spread requires 248 HP EVs and 8 Special Defense. The reason 252 HP is avoided here is because of the fact that Volcarona, being 4x weak to Stealth Rocks, will take an even 50% damage upon switching into SR. With 248 HP EVs invested, 373 HP is reached, which means that 186 HP (approximately half of its health) will be lost upon switching in. This leaves Volc with 187 remaining HP, enough to allow it to switch in one additional time.

3. SpecsCarona

252 Sp.Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Timid @ Choice Specs

-Fiery Dance/Flamethrower/Fire Blast 

-Bug Buzz

-HP Ground/HP Grass

- Hurricane/Solarbeam/U-Turn

            Even though Volcarona has one of the mightiest Special Attack stats in the OU metagame, a Choice Specs is rarely, if ever, seen. This may be due to the fact that one Quiver Dance alone gives it the equivalent of a Choice Specs and Choice Scarf boost, meaning it might not see too much of a need to be locked into one move only. Another reason for this may also be Volcarona’s Stealth Rock weakness. With Specs, it loses out on potential recovery from Leftovers or Morning Sun, meaning its switch-in capabilities are inalterably confined here. For these reasons, Rapid Spin support is almost a necessity with this set, as it will allow Volcarona to flourish more completely, and with its already high Speed, it can function as a late-game sweeper/moderately fast revenge killer with its powerful movepool.

            Fiery Dance is awesome to have on this set, especially due to the fact that many opponents will suspect you to be a standard QD set, and perhaps attempt to Taunt you. This means you can fire off a Dance, possibly receive an additional +1 Special Attack, and continue to wreck whatever else your opponent sends in to counter you. I personally like this set all the more because of its unpredictability, and it can score a few notable kills that Volcarona might not otherwise see through.

4. VolcaResto

160 HP/252 Sp.Atk/96 Spe

Modest @ Chesto Berry

-Rest

-Quiver Dance

-Fiery Dance

-Bug Buzz

            Because of its excellent stat spread and exceptional boosting move in Quiver Dance, Volcarona is an ideal user of the Chesto-Resto strategy, where it boosts up as much as conceivably possible, then proceeds to recover off ALL acquitted damage and status inflictions with a Rest. By being asleep with Rest, Volc’s Chesto Berry will then activate, immediately waking it up and allowing for it to either continue setting up, or begin to sweep.

            The given EVs to this set provide maximum offensive power, along with as much bulk as possible, with a Speed stat (260) capable of  outspeeding notable things like Gliscor, Skarmory,  and even Scizor, so that you are then able to act accordingly. This also outspeeds Special Wall Jirachi, who might otherwise be scared out due to a prospective Fiery Dance or burn rate from Flame Body. I would try to get this set in mid to late game, when you already know a majority of the opponent’s sets, and have possibly idealized your position by removing certain threats. This way, you will know what you are up against precisely, and can effectively attack or setup while your opponent worries about how to handle you. Obviously, removal and/or prevention of Stealth Rocks is needed for this set, as otherwise Volcarona’s setup and sweep capabilities will be diminished greatly, and you will very unlikely get up even one QD. Another threat to this set is opposing Sleep moves (Spore, Sleep Powder, etc) and fast Taunters. The former, while rare, is quite predictable, and is probably better to use something else on your team as Sleep Fodder, lest Volcarona’s Chesto Berry be used prematurely. As for the fast Taunters, the majority of these (bar some Prankser users) are typically very fragile, and can thereby be dealt with by another one of your team members.

5. Choice Scarf

252 Sp.Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Timid or Modest @ Choice Scarf

-Fiery Dance/Flamethrower/Fire Blast 

-Bug Buzz

-HP Ground/HP Grass

- Hurricane/Solarbeam/U-Turn

            This set shouldn’t need too much explanation, as it functions as a quicker version of the Specs set. Fiery Dance is the most optimal move here, as by boosting Volcarona’s Sp.Atk, in tandem with the Choice Scarf Speed increase, you may turn into an excellent Revenge/Sweeper, as long as certain things like Heatran and Dragonite are out of the way. Otherwise, if you can deal with those two, and anything else that walls the set (particularly Fiery Dance), you can have a great time disposing of your opponents in a quick, probably painful, manner.

            Conclusion: There really is nothing quite like Volcarona. It cannot be compared to other Quiver Dancers, as it very easily outclasses them. Its role in the new metagame as one of the most dominant Special Sweepers remains strong, and although it retains one of the most crippling entry-hazard weaknesses in the entire game (weak to all 3 types of hazards!) its pros very easily outweigh the cons, and its generous enough movepool and required team support are ideal in overcoming these. You could say it is one of the most blessed Pokemon in BW OU, possessing several tools that allow it to follow through with its flaming wrath of destruction. Volcarona is overall a solid threat in the current metagame, and will likely remain so for a very long time to come.

Competitive Usability: 8.5 out of 10 

I think Volcarona is pretty cool as far as design goes. As a new Bug-type threat it is generally original, and though we’ve seen several Moth Pokemon before now, its unique secondary Fire typing really does shine through an orange and red fade of the wings. I also like the contrast presented in the light blue sides of its underbody, and the shimmering diamond-blue eyes that seem to pierce coldly into the hearts of its opponents, while the rest of it burns radiantly around. I like this Pokemon’s design, even though I feel a little worn out in the whole Moth department.  

Aesthetic Design: 8 out of 10

 

Competitive Battling Spotlight #18: New Pokemon Eight

A Badass amongst Baddasses in the new Metagame. 

Cavern Pokemon 

 Tier: OU (as of January 2012) 

H.P.: 91

Attk: 129

Def.: 90

Sp.A: 72

Sp.D: 90

Spe: 108

 

Abilities:

Justified: A quite unique ability, Justified comes with the added benefit of boosting Terrakion’s astounding Attack stat after being hit by a Dark type move. The problem with this, however, is that not too many Pokemon in OU abuse Dark moves, or even carry them frequently, for that matter. With two of the most notable Dark move wielders being Tyranitar with Pursuit and Toxicroak with Sucker Punch, Terrakion will find it difficult to abuse Justified at all. This does not render this abilitiy useless, though. If you see an opening through which you can predict an oncoming Crunch, all the more power to you. But it goes without saying that even without a +1 Justified boost, Terrakion has more than enough power to deal damage in the current metagame.

Analysis: 

Terrakion is the epitome of an offensive sweeper, boasting a sky-high Attack stat, complimented very nicely by a base 108 Speed. Alongside that, it has excellent bulk that allows it to take neutral hits well, and come in to take next-to-no damage from Stealth Rock.

            Its movepool does nothing but further promote Terrakion’s excellent offensive capability, as with two moves to boost its already monstrous offensive stats to even higher heights, as well as two of the most powerful offensive STAB moves that yield near-perfect coverage, this is one Pokemon that unquestionably rocks (pun intended) the new metagame to its very foundations, and can easily dent teams that don’t make appropriate adjustments for its greatness.

            But Terrakion is not without its share of flaws. While it resists 6 of the 17 types, it is weak to 6 more. These weaknesses include ever-common Ground type attacks and not so common (but still deadly) Psychic and Grass attacks, as well as a Weakness to Water, Fighting and Steel types (3 very common types of Priority moves) and really limit the already godly potential of this earthly beast. However, if you are able to predict well, and can employ helpful teammates to bring out the best in Terrakion, you will find yourself greatly pleased with this awesome force. With that being said, should you ever face one, do not panic and try to exploit its weaknesses, so as to play around it accordingly.

Potential sets:

1. Rock Band

252 Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Jolly @ Choice Band

- Quick Attack/Earthquake/Retaliate

-Stone Edge

-X-Scissor

- Close Combat

            Welcome one of the hardest hitting, probably most effective abusers of Choice Band in the OU tier. With 108 Speed, Terrakion is able to outpace and KO many standard threats that could threaten the rest of your team, and for that reason this set is an excellent Wall Breaker that allows for the setup of other teammates to sweep after certain Mons like Blissey, Gliscor and Ferrothorn have been blasted out of the way. It is important to consider, also, what this set draws in. If your opponent knows you are Banded, they are less likely to switch in something like Ferrothorn or Jellicent, and instead might try to outdo you by sending in Gliscor or Skarmory, two very popular Terrakion switchins. If you can predict this well enough, you are sure to get the upper hand, as a Banded Stone Edge is capable of hitting Gliscor for over half of its health! (max damage calc). That means that after two or three turns (if they try to Protect stall), your opponent will be missing their physical wall, paving the way for one of your other sweepers, or even Terrakion itself) to dispose of the remaining opposition. Skarmory meets a similar fate, with less Hit Points than Gliscor, and a less reliable means of recovery. Some outright things that threaten this set are definitely going to be faster, more powerful monsters. In the Sand (which is probably one of the best team types to use Terrakion on, as it benefits greatly from the Sp.Def boost), Excadrill can come in on the locked Stone Edge or X-Scissor and basically get a free Swords Dance off. Also, Starmie and Latios can be sent in on a resisted CC, or even on a free switch after you’ve killed something, and proceed to abuse Terrakion as they will. For this reason, Tyranitar, while an obvious pair with Terrak, is great for picking off the latter two Psychic types with a Pursuit. Conkeldurr is also great in tandem with this set, as it can dispose of Excadrill and any other fast, non-Psychic threats.

            The moveset is standard here, with the obvious STAB and X-Scissor for additional coverage, but the top slot is more of a grab-bag of options. Quick Attack is nice, as it adds some needed priority for picking off weaker threats, and also reshapes this set into a rather powerful Revenge Killer, but EQ adds even more coverage potential, and is a more reliable bet against the likes of Jellicent since Stone Edge has such shaky accuracy. It is also the best thing to take Jirachi down with. Lastly, Retaliate furthers the notion of Revenge Killer, though with the risk of being hit by opposing priority first. If sent in after the death of a teammate, Terrakion will be working with a 140 base Power move. Added in with CB, well, that’s quite a lot of damage to be taken.

2. Double Dancer

252 Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Jolly/Adamant @ Life Orb or Leftovers

-Swords Dance

-Rock Polish

-Close Combat

-Stone Edge

            Terrakion as a setup sweeper is perhaps even more deadly than its Banded variant, though at the cost of a turn of setup. Swords Dance and Rock Polish may seem odd in conjunction on the same moveset, but with near-perfect coverage in just its STAB moves, Terrakion will grandly welcome the opportunity to set up either of its already phenomenal offensive stats. Furthermore, with such a great typing that just screams power, Terrak will find it only far too easy to force switches and get up a free +2 boost. As with any standard set, prediction is the key to setting up for a sweep. My advice for this set would be to know your opponent’s team, and try to learn their play style before getting Terrakion in. Once this is done, prediction will be very easy, and will mean the difference between setting up a Rock Polish on an oncoming Starmie and KOing it with Stone Edge, and going for CC on a Blissey that proceeds to switch into Gliscor or Jellicent. Simply put, if you know your opponent’s team, this set will be very easy, and very successful, to use.

3. Rockin that Scarf!

252 Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Jolly/Adamant @ Choice Scarf

-Close Combat

-Stone Edge

-X-Scissor

- Earthquake/Quick Attack /Retaliate

            Not so different than the Choice Band set, Scarfed Terrakion is perfect for stopping some of Terrakion’s nemeses like Infernape, Lati@s, Deoxys-S and Starmie, who would otherwise move faster than the Rocky Beast (Infern. would Speed tie) and KO with a powerful STAB. With Jolly you hit 519 and 357 Attack, perfect for stomping on weakened foes. The last moveslot is again up for grabs and should be decided upon accordingly.

4. Air Balloon

252 Atk/6 Sp.Def/252 Spe

Jolly @ Air Balloon

-Close Combat  

-Stone Edge  

-X-Scissor/Rock Polish/Swords Dance/Substitute  

-Rock Polish/Swords Dance/Substitute/X-Scissor

A peculiar, but no less usable, set, with Air Balloon Terrak is allowed to more easily switch in, particularly on predicted Ground moves, and either set up or attack. This set becomes an excellent counter to Excadrill, who would otherwise run all over Terrakion’s hide. The idea here is simple; switch in on a predicted EQ or Swords Dance, or after something of yours has died, then proceed to demolish face with a STAB SE Close Combat.

The core of this set is the offensive prowess of CC and Edge-Scissor, but the last slot can be used to further stir up some trouble. Should you switch in on an Earthquake, you will then have an opportunity to set up, should you wish to do so. Rock Polish guarantees you outspeed Cadrill, making you the fastest thing in the Sand, capable of thrashing many top-tier threats. Swords Dance and Substitute are other great options to abuse Air Balloon with, but should not be used against Excadrill, as it will outspeed you initially and KO you immediately after you set up. These can be abused, however, against slower things like Heatran or Landorus.

**WARNING: Beware if your opponent’s Excadrill has Brick Break, as this can easily ruin your chances with it.

Conclusion: Terrakion is without a doubt one of the best offensive Pokemon to be introduced in Black and White. With its near-unstoppable STAB combination and its high stats all across the board, this is one beast you’d do well not to second guess. In short, it is a machine designed specifically for the ideal of ripping holes in weakened (and even not-so-weakened) teams, and is even capable of destroying its few counters, with the right amount of prediction and team support. Terrakion is a must for beginners and experienced trainers alike.

Competitive Usability: 9.5 out of 10 

Its design didn’t really catch my eye to begin with, to be honest. It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a Rock type, big, bulky, and boasting of an angry sneer, but I think the fact that it is a quadruped dual Fighting type makes it unique. It’s definitely monstrous, and just by glancing at it you already know it’s to be a competitive threat. But honestly I wasn’t swept off my feet. I like it, (the fact that it’s amazing in competitive play only bolsters that), but it’s not one of my favorites in the design category.

Aesthetic Design: 8 out of 10

Competitive Battling Spotlight #17: New Pokemon Seven

 An ideally unique Bug-type; perhaps one of the most memorable of all.

EleSpider Pokemon

H.P.: 70

Attk: 77

Def.: 60

Sp.A: 97

Sp.D: 60

Spe: 108

 

Where it stands: RU Top 20 [#16] (as of July 2011)

Analysis:

Introduced in Black and White, Galvantula is easily one of the most unique designs bestowed upon us to refresh our hopes for originality. Bug and Flying types? Boring. Electric rodents? Getting old. Instead, this awesome spider-guy combines two very exceptional typings and brings them together for a very new take on Bug Pokemon. Defensively, several of Galvantula’s would-be weaknesses from the two typings alone are nullified, providing for neutral damage taken from Flying and Ground type attacks that might have otherwise takencc it down. Of course, though this allows for a reasonable amount of switch-in potential (combined with four resistances to rather common types), Galvy is anything but a bulky bug, and should be utilized with reasonable caution. It is also, very tragically, weak to Stealth Rock, so Spin support is very nice to consider on a team with this exceptional offensive threat.

            With that, there is something that makes up for the Electro Spider’s limited bulk: his wondrous Speed stat. Boasting one of the fastest stats in the entire grouping of RU, Galvantula commands total attention on two of its most popular sets; Specs and Life Orb, as each have their own share of great advantages. What’s more, one of the few things that can outpace Galvy, the 120 base Speed Forest Gecko (Sceptile), really doesn’t threaten it too much, as some of the most common moves on a Sceptile set (Leaf Storm, Focus Blast) are resisted and answered back with a STAB SE Bug Buzz. Speaking of Super Effective STABs, Galvantula hits every one of the current top five (Mega, Cress, Krow, Pedo, Blastoise) for Super Effective damage from one of its two STABs, making it easily one of the most underrated monsters in its tier.

            But the greatness doesn’t stop there! Though Vantula has quite a limited movepool, its great amount of assets seem to quickly make up for its flaws. Firstly, 97 Sp. Atk and 108 Speed together make an excellent revenge killer/Specs runner/late-game clean-upper, and its combination of STAB is only resisted by Rhyperior and Steelix in RU! As if that weren’t enough, its ability Compoundeyes boosts the accuracy of all its moves by 30%, making its most powerful attack in Thunder (one of the most powerful in all of RU) hit a superb 93% accuracy. That’s more than Overheat! Again, with Bug Buzz and Hidden Power Ice or Fire for coverage, Galvantula is sure to tear the new metagame to shreds. It has no means of boosting its stats, bar Agility, but I think that only further proves to us that this Electric Web-slinger was built for a Choice item. Cross its web at your own risk!

Abilities:

Compoundeyes: No doubt Galvantula’s greatest ability, this exclusive Bug-type trait helps Galv more than it’s probably helped any of its other wielders to date! The reason? A welcomed accuracy boost to STAB Thunder. No questions asked, this is a defining ability for Galvantula and really should be the only thing to use for its offensive sets.

Unnerve: This ability can prove to be very useful in only very rare circumstances. While this could greatly subdue your opponent’s Harvest Exeggutor or Lum Berry Kingdra, the odds of running into a Berry wielder these days are few and far between. Compoundeyes is superior to this one, since Galvantula is much more tailored for obliterating things with lightning bolts than preventing them from eating their favorite fruit.

Swarm: The unreleased Dream World addition. Swarm could come in great handy on a Focus Sash or Substitute set, as it allows for Vantula’s STAB Bug Buzz to be driven by a little more oomph, but again, as this has yet to be released, and as an accurate Thunder is much more likely to KO something than a boosted bug move, I think it’s only obvious which is the better end of the deal here.

Potential Sets:

1. Choice Specs Spider

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid @ Choice Specs

-Volt Switch

-Thunder

-Bug Buzz

-Hidden Power Ice/HP Fire

            A true winner of a set, this is definitely my favorite of Galvantula’s. With Specs, 439 Special Attack is attained, as well as a blistering 346 Speed. This, coupled with excellent coverage and STAB moves, makes Galvantula one of the deadliest scouters/power hitters in RU. Volt Switch is to get initiative and momentum going as you predict switches, while secondary STAB in Thunder is for…well, you know. Bug Buzz is another great addition to this set, and hits most of the things that Thunder can’t, and Hidden Power is to round off the coverage perfectly! Ice is preferred for that pseudo Bolt/Beam, though Fire can further threaten things like Durant and Amoonguss.

2. ElectroLegs!

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid or Modest @ Choice Scarf

-Volt Switch/Electro Ball/Discharge

-Thunder/Electro Ball/Discharge

-Bug Buzz

-Hidden Power Ice/HP Fire

            With a Timid nature and a Choice Scarf equipped, Galvantula will be spinning webs so fast, your opponent won’t know what hit ‘em! At first glance, this set is identical to the Specs variant, and for good reason. It can do everything from the previous set, but with a tradeoff of power for speed. If you so wish, one of the Electric-type STABs may be replaced for Electro Ball, a gimmicky anti-Gyro Ball that hits for more power the slower the opponent. This means that if used correctly, Galvantula can be wielding a 150 base power move, before STAB! Thunder’s 30% paralyze rate helps wondrously with this, but if you fear a rare miss, Discharge may also be employed for less power, but equally successful paralysis. This set is perfect for outspeeding quick monsters, and can outpace and OHKO RU’s two most threatening Speed Boosters Yanmega and Sharpedo if they manage to get to +1. The last two moveslots are standard, and the Hidden Powers again must be chosen with care. With 519 Speed, Galvy will be faster than, and able to KO, Scarf Krookodile and +2 Rock Polish Golurk, while HP Fire is essential for outspeeding and threatening Venomoth after a Quiver Dance.

3. GalvantuLifeOrb

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid @ Life Orb

-Energy Ball/Volt Switch/Charge Beam

-Thunder

-Bug Buzz

-Hidden Power Ice/HP Fire

Vastly similar to the previous two sets, this one relinquishes a bit of Speed or Power for the ability to switch moves at will. The last three slots are identical to the previous versions, but the first one may be changed around a bit. Energy Ball is nice for hitting bulky/powerful things that would normally wall Vantula, such as Rhyperior, Steelix and Gastrodon, and Volt Switch optimizes scouting just like a Choice variant. Charge Beam, on the other hand, may be used with good prediction skills to potentially become a deadly setup sweeper capable of outspeeding and KOing a very large portion of the tier after only one or two boosts.

4. Galvagility

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Modest @ Life Orb

-Agility  

-Thunder

-Bug Buzz/Hidden Power Ice/HP Fire

-Hidden Power Ice/HP Fire/Substitute

Not much needs to be explained here. This Agility set allows Galvantula to run a Modest nature, giving it a much needed Sp. Atk boost with Life orb. Substite can be used in any of the last two moveslots for an even greater advantage on switches and for a more difficult way to take Galvy down.

5. Sub + Disable

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid @ Leftovers/Life Orb

-Substitute 

-Disable 

-Thunder

-Bug Buzz/Hidden Power Ice 

            A fun variation on Gengar’s Sub/Disable set. While Galvantula may do this to a lesser extent than Gar (it’s slower, less powerful and has no immunities), it still has the Speed to make it proportionally ideal for the job in its current tier, as well as the coverage to knock out notable threats. The idea is simple here: send in Galvy on something like Tinted Lens Yanmega or Blastoise, etc, force a switch, and then proceed to Sub up. Once the appropriate Counter/Check comes in, you’re free to either attack, or Disable its choice of move to break your Sub. After that, you will have a much easier time walling it and can whittle its HP down from there. Disable also works well with Galvantula’s high Speed, as it allows you to prevent opponents from setting up, spamming a powerful/annoying move, or laying down multiple layers of entry hazards.

6. Subport-ish Spider

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid @ Leftovers/Life Orb 

-Substitute/Charge Beam

-Discharge/Agility

-Electro Ball 

-Bug Buzz/HP Ice/Energy Ball  

My own personal creation, the idea of this set is to destroy the opponent’s sanity while upping the power of Electro Ball. There are many ways to go about doing this. Firstly, you may try a combination of Sub and Discharge, which with the 30% paralysis rate should have your opponent slowing down in no time. Also, Agility may be used if 30% is too low of a rate for you, as after +2 Speed, anything with 173 Speed and below will be hit by a 150 base power Electro Ball! Additionally, Charge Beam may be used in place of Substitute, as it allows for an even more disastrous boost to Electro Ball once the opponent is much slower than you. The last slot again is for coverage. Bug Buzz and HP Ice are standard, but if you’re running Substitute, Energy Ball may be used, lest you be walled entirely by a Ground-type like Perior or Gastro.

7. Down Came the Rain, and Helped the Spider Out!

6 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe

Timid @ Damp Rock/Focus Sash/Life Orb

-Rain Dance

-Volt Switch

-Thunder

-Bug Buzz/Hidden Power Ice/Energy Ball  

Another one of my own ideas, the Itsy Bitsy Spider returns here, this time not washed out from the Rain, but aided by it. Rain Support Galvantula is so promising and unconventional, mainly because it can set up a Dance, then proceed to abuse it with its STAB. In Rain, Thunder will never miss, adding a huge bonus to the 180 Base Power behemoth of a move. Volt Switch is to scout, and so that you may switch out to something else that can effectively abuse Rain. Notable partners for this set are Ferroseed, Omastar, Kabutops, Ludicolo, Gorebyss, Sharpedo and Poliwrath, just to name a few. The last slot, as always, is for coverage. 

Conclusion:  Galvantula is a Pokemon that has grown on me. It caught my eye at the beginning of 5th Gen, and has held fast ever since. While Bugs are generally frowned upon for their lack of worthy coverage and weakness to Stealth Rock, Galvantula turns the tables in its favor with its supreme number of assets, making it one of the best Bugs of RU. Its unique typing, beautiful ability and potential to run a Choice set quite effectively make it a force to be reckoned with in any tier. I would recommend using Galvantula on one of your teams. You won't be sorry. 

Competitive Usability: 8.5 out of 10 

          As much as I like Galvantula as a competitive Pokemon, its awesome design and cool coloration do nothing but help my sympathies toward it. Sure, we've seen a Spider Pokemon done before (albeit quite poorly), but Galvantula is very nicely done in that it offers a refreshing appeal to Bug and Electric-type Pokemon alike. It might have even become one of my favorites from Black and White! 

Aesthetic Design: 9 out of 10