True, but how common are the moves that lower stats? I've seen a million more crits then I have seen stat lowering moves.
IIRC, it's best physical STAB is flame wheel, so it's only going to be physical if it's a curse tank, who can just restore the drop (most intimidaters are physical attackers).
How common are those again? I've never had to fight a pokemon using Memento or Tickle once yet, and I've only seen acid spray used once.
I know of a few people who go through unconventional sets and make them work. Memento is rare, but likely from a few of those that can. Tickle is one I've seen used, by a Cradily user, to simultaneously act as an alternative to Barrier and drop the opponent's Defense.
The Moves I mentioned before were just off the top of my head, anyway:
-Charm may come up from a Prankster-cott, plus Screech, Metal Sound, and Fake Tears are unusual options. I've seen quite a bit of them used as alternates to buffs when the Pokemon being sent out is expected to fall quickly (generally to set the next Pokemon up for a revenge KO).
-You may simply get unlucky when switching into an Iron Tail, Crunch, Crush Claw, Struggle Bug, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Bug Buzz, Energy Ball, Aurora Beam, Flash Cannon, or Focus Blast. The possibility of a Crit is the least of your worries if your stats take a hit as well.
-Speed debuff Moves are the best-case scenario due to Gyro Ball and Trick Room, but half of the damaging ones carry a Type advantage. You'd only see Bulldoze, Rock Tomb, or Icy Wind among the Speed debuff Moves, anyway, though, so don't expect them.
The point I was making was that debuffs are more of a guarantee than Critical Hits. If you spend time using defensive buffs, only then do you really have to worry about Crits.
Since a strong hit or two without a Crit can (and likely will) down Torkoal, Shell Armor is nothing to write home about. Remember that Torkoal has Base 70 HP and Sp.Def -- think along the lines of Sudowoodo, Crustle, Steelix, and Gliscor on Special Walling, minus their better Speed stats and supportive Abilities. One Surf, Muddy Water, Earth Power, Power Gem, or capable Special Attacker spells disaster for Torkoal and the player if it gets trapped between a weakened supporter and the threat in its face.
