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Starter Discussion & Thread

What is you favorite Sun & Moon starter?

  • Rowlet

    Votes: 467 43.2%
  • Litten

    Votes: 343 31.8%
  • Popplio

    Votes: 270 25.0%

  • Total voters
    1,080
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Not open for further replies.

LudaChris78

Well-Known Member
People are so down on Decidueye's speed stat (I admittedly was too initially) but I love the options and strategy that he brings to
the table. It's like an actual archer; you need to set up and strategize from a distance. Imagine in doubles starting with it and Primarina. Spirit shackle and protect/set up first turn. U turn/swords dance and then baton pass to a Kommo-o with sound proof while Primarina sets up perish song. Run sucker punch as well to make up for speed stat, or start with rimbombee and use speed swap on decidueye to get the fast sweeper we all wanted. We just have to let the gen play out to see all of the possibilities for our starters. They all seem like they can be good in their own way. Also, don't underestimate its HA long reach; not being affected by flame body/iron barns/rough skin/curse body/static/etc is a nice piece of mind.
 

Captain America X

Well-Known Member
Is Primarina better off running Torrent or its HA? HA seems only useful for Hyper Voice whereas it already has Surf/Sparkling Aria

Water type Hyper Voice would be a lot better than Surf considering it bypasses substitute and does not hit allies.And even though it is slightly weaker than Sparkling Aria it at-least does not heal the opponents burn and once again bypasses subsitute
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
Aurora Veil is for Ice types? Why do they insist to make Ice types defensive?
I don't think it was necessarily meant to make them defensive, but to help them live long enough to make use of their offensive abilities, to turn 1HKOs into 2 or 3HKOs, etc. It basically lessens their many weaknesses by halving the damage they take.

And technically any pokemon that doesn't mind Hail damage (like pokemon with Overcoat) could make use of the buffs Aurora Veil provides, you just need Mew or one of the Ice types that learns it to be on your team (and Hail to be active when you activate it of course).

People are so down on Decidueye's speed stat (I admittedly was too initially) but I love the options and strategy that he brings to
the table. It's like an actual archer; you need to set up and strategize from a distance. Imagine in doubles starting with it and Primarina. Spirit shackle and protect/set up first turn. U turn/swords dance and then baton pass to a Kommo-o with sound proof while Primarina sets up perish song. Run sucker punch as well to make up for speed stat, or start with rimbombee and use speed swap on decidueye to get the fast sweeper we all wanted. We just have to let the gen play out to see all of the possibilities for our starters. They all seem like they can be good in their own way. Also, don't underestimate its HA long reach; not being affected by flame body/iron barns/rough skin/curse body/static/etc is a nice piece of mind.
Indeed, anyone who's experienced the amount of damage taken from Rocky Helmet combos knows how effective taking advantage of contact moves can be.
 
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Alpacawhisperer

Pokemon master
Incineroar is really growing on me, and I'm excited to use it. Do you guys think he will be competitively viable? I know his HA is a must, but what moves would you give him. Btw, I'm in no way trying to make him a fast sweeper.
 
Incineroar is really growing on me, and I'm excited to use it. Do you guys think he will be competitively viable? I know his HA is a must, but what moves would you give him. Btw, I'm in no way trying to make him a fast sweeper.

Since the big cat has a solid attack stat you'd probably want to deck him with sucker punch and flare blitz (or fire punch, I dont know the movepool) for starters
 

Joltik-Kid

Careful? Where's the fun in that?
Since the big cat has a solid attack stat you'd probably want to deck him with sucker punch and flare blitz (or fire punch, I dont know the movepool) for starters
Doesn't get Sucker Punch... so it's best priority move is Fake Out
 

Aetius

Well-Known Member
Incineroar is really growing on me, and I'm excited to use it. Do you guys think he will be competitively viable? I know his HA is a must, but what moves would you give him. Btw, I'm in no way trying to make him a fast sweeper.

I was thinking of something like this.

Brave Incineroar (Trick Room Sweeper)

Obviously 31 IVs in all of the stats, except for speed.
252 EVs in HP (defenses aren't bad and make it a decent wall) and Attack +4 in a random stat.
The ability of choice must be Intimidate.
As for the moveset, I'd go with the following:

Flare Blitz
Darkest Lariat
Leech life (is the only reliable way for Incineroar to replenish his health, while using his high Attack)
Swords Dance (has the bulk to pull it off)

The given item has to be Life Orb.
 
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Nave

Well-Known Member
People are so down on Decidueye's speed stat (I admittedly was too initially) but I love the options and strategy that he brings to
the table. It's like an actual archer; you need to set up and strategize from a distance. Imagine in doubles starting with it and Primarina. Spirit shackle and protect/set up first turn. U turn/swords dance and then baton pass to a Kommo-o with sound proof while Primarina sets up perish song. Run sucker punch as well to make up for speed stat, or start with rimbombee and use speed swap on decidueye to get the fast sweeper we all wanted. We just have to let the gen play out to see all of the possibilities for our starters. They all seem like they can be good in their own way. Also, don't underestimate its HA long reach; not being affected by flame body/iron barns/rough skin/curse body/static/etc is a nice piece of mind.

Exactly, you also don't have to worry about Spiky Shield or King's Shield. So you can spam a lot easier against Pokémon that are very hard to do that against. Seems to go perfect with his lore too so I like it just for that.

Having Work Up, Double Team, Swords Dance, and Nasty Plot with Baton Pass is sweet too.

I was thinking of these three movesets:

Now You See Me Now You Don't
Item: Bright Powder
Ability: Long Reach
Nature: Modest

Grass Knot
Ominous Wind
Double Team/Nasty Plot
Baton Pass

Hedgewig
Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Long Reach
Nature: Adamant

Leaf Blade
Spirit Shackle
Brave Bird
U-Turn

Arrowl Flynn (After the late great Errol Flynn, the best Robin Hood)
Item: Left Overs
Ability: Long Reach
Nature: Jolly

Leaf Blade
Spirit Shackle
Confuse Ray
Sucker Punch
 

GLTSRY

Sorry not sorry for my smugness
Wait, Incineroar does NOT get Sucker Punch? The dirty fighting wrestler Pokemon does NOT get THE number 1 dirty fighting move? C'mon GF, you had 1 job...
 

SageofTruth

Greninja Assassin
Wait, Incineroar does NOT get Sucker Punch? The dirty fighting wrestler Pokemon does NOT get THE number 1 dirty fighting move? C'mon GF, you had 1 job...

With it's bulk and ability to boost and heal while doing damaage,, GF probably thought Sucker Punch was overkill. He could sword dance, leech life, and sucker punch things into oblivion.


I would even go with an assault vest set for late game. After widdling down all the opposing mons bring out this bulky son of a gun who only will only fear super effective his. He will also br able to just leach life some bulky waters that can really KO him to death. I am curious to what a Max HP Adamant set can survive or a nature that boosts defenses and lowers special attack.
 

knightwolf09

Well-Known Member
I feel like the fire starters just got shafted 3 times in a row. Gen 5 we had Emboar. Awesome attack and health, but not only has a bad repetitive typing, but also lacks the defenses to complement that health. Plus it was slow. Gen 6 we had Delphox. Good speed and special attack. Essential sweeper, but lacked a wide variety movepool and ability to match. Now we have Icineroar. Good bulk, health, attack, and defenses, but lacks speed especially since it used to be a speedster. It also has a very shallow movepool and can't hit with much outside it's typing, and can't really do much against it's common weaknesses. Though the Dark typing helps with that I guess. And even if it does learn Leech Life, it's still a bug type move, and many thing resist Bug type moves so it won't even hit them hard enough to get much health back. I feel like if they traded it's speed for special attack and at least gave him Thunder Punch or Sucker Punch, it would've would've been more decent.
 

2dtyplosion

Well-Known Member
I'm just worried that once pokemon bank is compatible that I won't be able to use any Alolan pokes online. A lot of these pokemon are gonna get destroyed by the speedy sweepers of the previous gens.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
I'm just worried that once pokemon bank is compatible that I won't be able to use any Alolan pokes online. A lot of these pokemon are gonna get destroyed by the speedy sweepers of the previous gens.
It will be interesting to see which of the ones will be able to utilize their bulk and new moves or abilities to make up for their lack of speed.
 

2dtyplosion

Well-Known Member
I feel like the fire starters just got shafted 3 times in a row. Gen 5 we had Emboar. Awesome attack and health, but not only has a bad repetitive typing, but also lacks the defenses to complement that health. Plus it was slow. Gen 6 we had Delphox. Good speed and special attack. Essential sweeper, but lacked a wide variety movepool and ability to match. Now we have Icineroar. Good bulk, health, attack, and defenses, but lacks speed especially since it used to be a speedster. It also has a very shallow movepool and can't hit with much outside it's typing, and can't really do much against it's common weaknesses. Though the Dark typing helps with that I guess. And even if it does learn Leech Life, it's still a bug type move, and many thing resist Bug type moves so it won't even hit them hard enough to get much health back. I feel like if they traded it's speed for special attack and at least gave him Thunder Punch or Sucker Punch, it would've would've been more decent.

You'd figure the "heel" pokemon would have sucker punch. Especially considering they take its speed away.
 

Chimchar15

Well-Known Member
Wait, Incineroar does NOT get Sucker Punch? The dirty fighting wrestler Pokemon does NOT get THE number 1 dirty fighting move? C'mon GF, you had 1 job...

This bothered me too but then I remembered that this is gamefreak we're talking about. They're the same people who didn't allow Charizard to learn Fly in red/blue/green, didn't have Emboar learn Fire Punch until B2W2 even though it's Black1 dex entry specifically states that "It can throw a fire punch by setting its fists on fire with its fiery chin."

I feel like the fire starters just got shafted 3 times in a row. Gen 5 we had Emboar. Awesome attack and health, but not only has a bad repetitive typing, but also lacks the defenses to complement that health. Plus it was slow. Gen 6 we had Delphox. Good speed and special attack. Essential sweeper, but lacked a wide variety movepool and ability to match. Now we have Icineroar. Good bulk, health, attack, and defenses, but lacks speed especially since it used to be a speedster. It also has a very shallow movepool and can't hit with much outside it's typing, and can't really do much against it's common weaknesses. Though the Dark typing helps with that I guess. And even if it does learn Leech Life, it's still a bug type move, and many thing resist Bug type moves so it won't even hit them hard enough to get much health back. I feel like if they traded it's speed for special attack and at least gave him Thunder Punch or Sucker Punch, it would've would've been more decent.

Honestly I get where you're coming from but I feel like it's too early to tell how viable he can really be. Usually with the third game/sequels adds move tutors which puts more moves in a Pokemon's moveset. Hopefully that includes sucker punch.
 
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