Community POTW #37

[Silvershark]

Web Support
Nature:Timid
Ability: Unerve
Item: Brightpowder/Razor Fang/King's Rock
EV's : 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Hp

Attacks:
Electroweb
Struggle Bug
Volt Switch
Spider Web / Thunder Wave / Sucker Punch / Bug Buzz / Energy Ball

This is a support set for slowing down sweepers. With Unerve active you don't have to worry about any pesky berries activating while you use Electroweb and Struggle Bug cut down on on your opponents Speed and Sp. Attack. Volt Switch lets you pull out when things start to get hairy. Spider Web is there to stop the enevitable switch that would come from lowering your opponents stats, but alternatetively you could go with Thunder Wave to catch the next pokemon on the switch. You could also go with Sucker punch for priority, or Bug Buzz/Energy Ball for smashing power. Given Galvantula's frail defenses, the occasional miss/flinch brought on by Brightpowder/Razor Fang are nice, but should not be heavily relied on. This set really works wonders in Doubles/Triples due to Electroweb and Struggle Bug striking multiple foes, Spiderweb trapping opposing poke's that would try to escape (Ex. DrizzleToed), and an unexpected flinch on one of those foes brought on by Razor Fang/King's Rock is always welcome.

 

[Aurath8]

Galvantula stands out among the generic Electric types for several reasons. It has dual type, quite rare among electrics and it doesn't have to choose between Hiidden Power Grass or Ice thanks to Bug Buzz. In fact it can run both types with Energy Ball. On top of that it gets a unique ability in Compundeyes making it the only pokemon to get accurate Thunders outside of Rain and accuracy boosts. Unnerve is pretty useless by the way, it counters SubSalac sets and helps against resistance berry users like Yachechomp but that's about it. Its typing means it's not weak to Ground thanks to it's Bug typing(but it gains Fire and Rock weaknesses in the process) Where it doesn't do to well is power. 98 Spatk isn't phenominal, but with Thunder and a good movepool it has it's place in the lower tiers.



Choice
Galvantula @ Choice Specs/Scarf
Timid
Compundeyes
252 Spd/252 Spatk/ 4 HP
-Thunder
-Bug Buzz
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power (Ice)/Hidden Power (Fire)/Volt Switch

With a great 108 Speed stat and good spatk, Galvantula is crying out for a choice set.
Thunder is a hugely powerful move that now has 91% accuracy with Compundeyes. Bug Buzz is your other STAB and pairs pretty well, taking out Grass types etc. Energy Ball does a decent job against ground types like Gastrodon who eat your Thunder for breakfast. HP (Ice) hits Dragons and more importantly, Gliscor. HP Fire is for Ferrothorn basically. Volt Switch can be used for scouting but bear in mind you can't use it on Ground types.

 

[LokiTheGengar]

Ah, Galvantula- I've been waiting for this one. A unique typing and some decent stats (and a sweet design) give us a pretty beastly bug. I do have to knock him for a bit of a limited movepool, though.

Just your standard special sweeper
Galvantula@Life Orb/Choice Specs
Modest 252SpAtt/252Spd/4HP
Compoundeyes

-Thunder
-Bug Buzz
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power(Ice/Fire)

So, basic is the name of this set. Thunder is STAB and enjoys a bit of a boost from Compoundeyes, Bug Buzz is a decent attacking move, Energy ball hits Swampert and other bulky ground-types. Hidden power is split between ice for dragons/Gliscor and fire for Ferrothorn, Foretress, and Scizor.

 

[The Imposter]

Ah, yes, I have discovered a potential Galvy.

SUCKAH PAWNCH!
Galvantula@Focus Sash
Compoundeyes
Lonely (+Atk, -Def)
176 Atk/80 SpA/252 Spe
Sucker Punch
Bug Buzz
Thunder
Energy Ball/Hidden Power [Ice]

This set is an incredible gimmick. Latios can easily revenge kill any Galvantula with ease, so this set remedies this. Remember when I said that Galvantula had a horrible Attack? Well, his Sucker Punch, with 176 EVs and a Lonely nature, only barely 2HKOs Latios and fails to OHKO Gengar, two of the frailest Pokemon weak to Dark in OU. But, it is his only form of priority. The rest of the set is standard.

 

[ultimatedarkrai]

Ah, yes, I have discovered a potential Galvy.

SUCKAH PAWNCH!
Galvantula@Focus Sash
Compoundeyes
Lonely (+Atk, -Def)
176 Atk/80 SpA/252 Spe
Sucker Punch
Bug Buzz
Thunder
Energy Ball/Hidden Power [Ice]

This set is an incredible gimmick. Latios can easily revenge kill any Galvantula with ease, so this set remedies this. Remember when I said that Galvantula had a horrible Attack? Well, his Sucker Punch, with 176 EVs and a Lonely nature, only barely 2HKOs Latios and fails to OHKO Gengar, two of the frailest Pokemon weak to Dark in OU. But, it is his only form of priority. The rest of the set is standard.

why do you even put it on there then, you even admit it barely 2HKOs latios/gengar...

 

[Ðew™]

Arachnophobic Yet?
Timid (+spd, -atk)
Compoundeyes
Item: Choice Scarf
252 sp atk/252 spd/4 hp
~Bug Buzz
~Thunder/Electro Ball/Thunderbolt
~Energy Ball
~Hp [Ice]
Bug Buzz is its main STAB at a nice 90 base power and is for the complete and utter domination of any psychic-type or dark-type in the OU. Thunder does great period, in and out of rain, and can be your most powerful STAB. Compoundeyes effectively raises its accuracy to 100%. Electro ball is there because you're pretty much gonna outrun everything in OU anyway with max speed and a focus sash, so why not take advantage? Energy ball is to cover rocks and grounds that think they can switch in, while hp[ice] is for the haxorus that switches in.

 

[Kraleck]

More than meets the Compoundeyes...
Galvantula's Compoundeyes and learnable Moves combined with great offensive stats scream "Sweeper." However, consider a few other Moves: Screech, Toxic, Gastro Acid, and Swagger. Yes, Galvantula can be a great Annoyer-with-Thunder. Slap a few supports like that on and your opponent will be like "WTF!?!?!"

Swagger + Screech on a non-Physical-Attacker will slow down Annoyers and Special Attackers alike. With a lucky 30% from Thunder, you have access to Para-fusion to screw with their heads.

Gastro Acid shuts down Soundproof (for Bug Buzz) and Lightningrod and Volt Absorb (for Thunder). Getting past these Abilities lets your STAB hit hard like they should.

Toxic is great because you can guarantee a hit on non-Steel, non-Poison Types with Compoundeyes. Pokemon without Abilities like Immunity, Magic Bounce, Magic Guard, or Poison Heal have to deal with chipping HP. Just be wary of Guts, Toxic Boost, Synchronize, Marvel Scale, and Quick Feet.

Overall, a great design. The drawbacks? You have the same defenses as Manectric with a weakness to Rock (and, therefore, Stealth Rock). In fact, Manectric has very similar Speed (slightly lower Base by 3 points) and higher Base Sp.Atk (by 8 points), plus access to Signal Beam and Discharge to mimic Galvantula adequately. I think we may have been cheated somehow...

Galvantula has another impressive ability - it outspeeds all but 2 Ground Types (Dugtrio and Arceus), giving it pseudo-BoltBeam via the Thunder + Hidden Power (Ice) combo to stop Ground from walling it all day. Non-DW Zebstrika and Jolteon have to rely on non-STAB Flame Charge and Hidden Power (Fire/Rock), respectively, to block Thunder and send a vicious reply.

Aside from those 4 Pokemon, Galvantula has to beware of Harsh Sun - Thunder still gets its accuracy cut during a Sunny Day or Drought. Drought-tales can switch in and screw with your "Signature Move" for the rest of the battle.

Sandstorm will also wreck you - strengthening the Sp.Def of Rock Types attempting to slow-play you. Probopass, Cradily, and Tyranitar are among the worst of these offenders, not caring about you being faster if they can pull a soak-and-smash tactic.

Rain is, by far, the safest bet. Aside from the Electric VS Water advantage and guaranteed Thunder hit, Hidden Power (Water) gets a power boost, adding an alternative to both HP (Ice) and Compoundeyes via Drizzle-toed.

 

[vince9409]

What about this?

Galvantula @ either sp. att or speed boost berry
Ability: Compoundeyes

Moves:
Thunder
Bug buzz
Disable
Substitute

Thunder and bug buzzes are obvious. But then you have... disable and substitute? yes, it can be quite effective when used properly. first turn you set up a sub (Be sure to have max speed) and then the oppenent can do three things:

Use an attacking move, which should be super effective on you. The next turn you disable it, because your sub took the damage.

Use a status move. doesn't affect your sub, so a free turn for you.

Stat up. In that case, just smash some Thunders in and you should be fine against anything except grounds and maybe blisseys/chanseys.

I was just going to train one! yay

 

[WeatherEffectRain]

^I agree with SubDisable being a thought in lower tiers. But in OU he'll DIE like when you don't predict correctly with Gengar.

 

[The Imposter]

why do you even put it on there then, you even admit it barely 2HKOs latios/gengar...

Because, if it wields a Sash and no entry hazards are on the field, than it will go like this.

Galvantula used Sucker Punch!
Latios used Attack! Galvantula held on with its Focus Sash!

Now, if they want to finish it off, they might get cocky. So Sucker Punch will then KO.

 

[chanseychansey77]

^Nah, it'd be better like this:

Latios/Gengar (respectively) used Attack! Galvantula held on with its Focus Sash!

Galvantula used Bug Buzz/Thunder!

Other Guy: You're mincemeat! Latios/Gengar, use-

Galvantula used Sucker Punch!

Latios/Gengar fainted.

Other Guy: YOU HACKING HACKER YOU! "Ragequits"

Hopefully that last part doesn't happen too much, but I think it has potential. I wouldn't mind using a set like that... Though I would have to have a Rapid Spinner.

 

[Del Mundo]

Joltik can be very useful in Little Cup because of Unerve. It blocks the use of Oran Berries. Not as great stats as Galvantula, but it has the same awesome movepool.

 

[twcopal]

i might be alittle late to respoond to this...

Overview



[

Spiders don't bite. They destroy.
Ability: Compoundeyes
Nature: Jolly
Signal Beam
Thunder
Energy Ball
Agility
EVs: 252 Special Attack, 252 health, 4 speed
Signal Beam takes out Psychics (Plus gives STAB). Thunder can take out everything now that it can hit. Energy Ball kills pesky Water and Ground types. Need some Speed? Then Agility is here for you!

NO. Jolly lowers special attack, Therefore terrible choice. Signal beam isshould be replaced with bug buzz. And if your running an agility set i would say up SP atk, considering galvantula needs to hit just a weee bit harder. Wheres your item? and why are u giving galvantula hp, give it speed evs!!!

 

[NMx13]

Galvantula

ScarfSpider
-Thunder
-Hp Ice
-Volt Switch
-Bug Buzz/Toxic
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Compoundeyes
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Hp/ 252 SpA/ 252 Speed

 

[ClefairyRox]

Galvantula! Man, that's a cool name! A combination of galvanometer (a device that measure electric current) and tarantula! Besides the name, this spider has a few things going for it. It has a unique typing (Bug/Electric) great base 108 Speed, abilities that gel well with its movepool, and a good enough base 97 Sp. Attack, not to mention an absolutely adorable pre-evolution. Joltik is just soooo cute! All of these factors (well, minus the bit about Joltik) make Galvantula a pretty darn good Special Sweeper.

Of Galvantula's abilities, Compoundeyes is arguably the best. It increases the accuracy of its moves by 30%. The main reason is Thunder. Normally, Thunder is unreliable (except in rain) with a shaky 70% accuracy. With the boost from Compoundeyes, though, the accuracy increases to 91%, which is pretty dang reliable for a move with base 120 power! This really helps since Galvantula has inferior Sp. Attack to a number of other Electric types, such as Jolteon and Thunderus.

Unnerve is pretty useless, since Berries usually aren't used in standard play. In Little Cup though, where Oran Berries are everywhere, Unnerve is valuable.

Swarm gives a 50% boost to Bug attacks when Galvantula has less than a third of its HP remaining. Unfortunately, Galvantula is so frail, it can only get about one or two uses out of it before it goes down. And besides, this ability isn't available yet.

Galvantula unfortunately suffers the Electric curse of a poor movepool. Alongside an Electric attack (usually Thunder), it will almost always be running Bug Buzz for additional STAB and Energy Ball for coverage. Aside from that, it really has only Hidden Power or Volt Switch to turn to for a final Sp. Attack. However, I've found that players like to use Sucker Punch as a final move. Galvantula is fast but there are faster Pokemon and priority users, and Sucker Punch can knock em down a bit before the spider goes down. Galvantula's Attack stat (base 77) is far from impressive, but it can do some decent damage to faster, defensively weak Pokemon, especially Psychic types.

Galvantula's supportive movepool is actually not too bad. It gets Thunder Wave, like basically every Electric type, and Disable which ruins Choiced Pokemon and forces switches. It can throw up a Light Screen, although there are better users of that move. It can use Agility to increase its Speed, or Charge Beam to increase its Sp. Attack. Its signature move, Electroweb, works as an Electric type Icy Wind, useful in Doubles and Triples.

Countering Galvantula: The spider may not have a big movepool, but its coverage is impressive. Ground types are immune to Thunder, but they hate Energy Ball. Steels resist Bug Buzz and Energy Ball, but most are hurt badly by Thunder. Also, any counters will hate to be paralyzed by Thunder or Thunder Wave. Chansey and Blissey are probably the safest switch-ins. They are famous Special Sponges, and they can shrug off almost anything Galvantula can hit them with, and with Natural Cure, they don't have to worry about paralysis. Look out for Sp. Defense drops from Bug Buzz, though.

Revenge killing is very effective. This spider may be fast, but there are a lot of faster Pokemon. Galvantula is vulnerable to all priority moves as well. Despite resisting Mach Punch and Bullet Punch, its frail enough to still take a good chunk of damage. Be wary of Sucker Punch, though.

One more thing: Galvantula is vulnerable to all forms of passive damage, especially Stealth Rock. Since many run Life Orbs, all the damage added together can make it take itself out,

Overall, Galvantula is a solid choice. It's fairly predictable due to its shallow movepool, but it's good at what it does. Life Orb or Specs boosted Thunders hurt like CRAZY. Do not underestimate this bug, no matter what.

 

[The Imposter]

Joltik can be very useful in Little Cup because of Unerve. It blocks the use of Oran Berries. Not as great stats as Galvantula, but it has the same awesome movepool.

Joltik is hideously outclassed by other Bugs and Electrics in LC. Sure, it gets Unnerve, but several other Pokemon get it through the DW. Jolty also doesn't get Thunder.

 

[ultimatedarkrai]

jolty isnt as good as people say it is in LC, its outclassed

 

[WeatherEffectRain]

^SSSLLLLOOOOOWWWWWW

I'd probably givde another statement but not playing LC and probably never doing so makes it become redundant. Follow?

Anyways, I'd figure I'd go ahead and say that Galvantula's only saving grace is Thunder. And it's design, but even then, Thunder makes it an only possible choice in RU, even. It might be OK in RU, though, I'm not sure. Might try it out sometime, but I don't fight alot in RU either, so meh...

 

[pikadon92]

Give Galvantula Hyper Beam.

Galvantula @ Petaya Berry/Leftovers/Life Orb
Modest/Timid Nature
Ability: Unnerve/Swarm
-Electro Ball
-Agility/Thunderwave
-Subsitute
-Bug Buzz/Energy Ball/Hidden Pwer Ice

While Hyper Beam sucks on any pokemon, Galvantula has a great alternative move: Electro Ball. After one agility, its BP should reach at least 80 if galvantula is able to outspeed without the boost. After another, it should reach between 120-150. Thunderwave is an option too depending whether it affects electro ball too, with its BP reaching 150, if not 120.

Paralysis ruins galvantula, and as does toxic and sleep. Subsitute should solve this problem.

Finnally, the fouth slot is for coverage. Bug Buzz is an alternative STAB that could work well with swarm, while energy ball and HP Ice hits super effective on any ground type that are immune to electro ball.

For now, for items, I chose petaya berry as it goes well with sub, swarm and bug buzz. Without the latter, leftovers or life orb is its only choice. Either you try to recover from sub, or you get a further boost for even more HP deducted.

 

[Blue Harvest]

Give Galvantula Hyper Beam.

Galvantula @ Petaya Berry/Leftovers/Life Orb
Modest/Timid Nature
Ability: Unnerve/Swarm
-Electro Ball
-Agility/Thunderwave
-Subsitute
-Bug Buzz/Energy Ball/Hidden Pwer Ice

While Hyper Beam sucks on any pokemon, Galvantula has a great alternative move: Electro Ball. After one agility, its BP should reach at least 80 if galvantula is able to outspeed without the boost. After another, it should reach between 120-150. Thunderwave is an option too depending whether it affects electro ball too, with its BP reaching 150, if not 120.

Paralysis ruins galvantula, and as does toxic and sleep. Subsitute should solve this problem.

Finnally, the fouth slot is for coverage. Bug Buzz is an alternative STAB that could work well with swarm, while energy ball and HP Ice hits super effective on any ground type that are immune to electro ball.

For now, for items, I chose petaya berry as it goes well with sub, swarm and bug buzz. Without the latter, leftovers or life orb is its only choice. Either you try to recover from sub, or you get a further boost for even more HP deducted.

So you spend one turn powering up to.. 80? Two getting 150? That's horrible. Just use Thunder.