Underrated threats

[Farfan]

Mix Virizion... Close Combat / Giga Drain / HP Ice / Work Up.

 

[~Sam~]

^i hate that guy! he screws my rain team over

Specs Hydregon is a beast i love using him. He is amazing in subway.

 

[Ice Blue Dragon]

I can never seem to see specs Hydregon coming, when it comes in my air ballon heatran, I over predict and keep it in on focus blast.

 

[Kalslaffin]

Speaking of Slowbro, I've been having success with good old-fashioned CroCune. It also got an upgrade this generation with Scald, which helps it take more physical hits after burning opponents. Having Rest also lets it absorb other statuses. It also has better defensive stats, defensive typing, and more base speed than Slwobro. Pressure can also annoy your opponents. Given the higher number of mons with an immunity to Water and more phazing moves like Dragon Tail, however, it still has its ricks and is definitely best saved for the later stages of the game.

Well most of us don't use things like pokesav or want to soft reset in front of Suicune for a couple weeks praying for a bold nature with good IVs. Also, as for a defensive wall I like Slowbros typing a little better for the fighting resistance and Slack off over rest. I know Suicune is essentially immune to status and Slowbro is very weak to it, but I still like using Slowbro on my team instead, mainly because I don't have access to a Suicune because the synchronizing natures on stand still legendaries doesn't work till 5th gen.

 

[Clubinhand]

I've messing with a modest/rash (+sp.atk/-sp.d) draco plate hydregion, with earthquake or eath power for heatran. It doing just a lot better then I excepted. Draco plate bluffs specs really well and I feel one of hydregion's main selling points as great pokemon is his excellent move pool coverage with just wanting to hit really hard. Not getting pursuit traped like latios, is always a plus. The only dragon you want/can to be outspeeding is haxorus, and he's normally adamant.

 

[kaiser soze]

Well most of us don't use things like pokesav or want to soft reset in front of Suicune for a couple weeks praying for a bold nature with good IVs. Also, as for a defensive wall I like Slowbros typing a little better for the fighting resistance and Slack off over rest. I know Suicune is essentially immune to status and Slowbro is very weak to it, but I still like using Slowbro on my team instead, mainly because I don't have access to a Suicune because the synchronizing natures on stand still legendaries doesn't work till 5th gen.

- Most competitive players use PO anyway
- RNG abuse

 

[orangezilla]

Tanagrowth. I never used one myself, but I started seeing it more the higher I climbed the ladder. It's was pretty annoying, especially with regenerator.I usually just see DDnite, it's much more popular. I've only fought bandnite maybe three or four times.

tangrowth is a good pokemon, especially with regenerator. its jsut hes not aimed greatly towards the metagame. eg he takes physical hits like a complete boss and gyarados is not problem but anything special and hes gone. he has better physical defences than skarmory, single grass typing makes it pale in comparison. regenerator, great ability especially for a semi wall, with sandstorm as common as it is though and his inability to switch into common types, it certainly weakens his use.

personally id say omastar, immunity to sandstorm + hes a less good cloyster with the bonus of being completely unexpected

 

[Pichu47]

It's got to be magikarp. Jk, It's scarfed darmanitan. I've only met a couple of teams with him, and he beasts. A lot of teams are like, i has Rotom-W, i don't need no more water resistances. But, Darmanitan 2HKO's most variants, besides the 252 hp 252 def bold with leftovers. He also slices through sun teams, and most teams in general.

 

[Soperman]

I can list some:
Kyurem

Kyurem isn't really that great in a metagame where fighting types are so common. Mach Punch or Vacuum Wave destroy it with it's Defenses, and it has poor speed.
Infernape utterly destroys him.

Bulk Up Machamp could be used more often imo. It can tank its way through teams, and I've used him to completely annihilate teams.

 

[Dragonicwari]

Just tried out a nu team. The match was pretty even (ended with my gardevoir killing his hitmonchan with psychic, lucky end for me) but I think Luxray could be a good mixed/physical sweeper, what do you guys think?

Edit: I was losing by a poke or two until Luxray came in, tying it, he doesn't seem to bad

 

[Vandslaux]

Huh? Band Nite is used all the time. All the power of Band Salamence but with added bonus of Extremespeed and near immunity to being wiped out in one hit.

Lucario seems to be underrated. LO + 4 attacks is nearly impossible for most teams to safely switch in on especially with most Gliscor not running as much speed now.

I see DD way, way more often than Band.

 

[Pichu47]

Here's a fun set to use.

Lucario@Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 252 speed 252 atk 4 hp
Ability: Steadfast/Justified

1. Swords Dance
2. Close Combat
3. Extremespeed
4. Bullet Pawnch

This set is mostly used for the priority moves, with Close Combat to pick off slower opponents.

 

[destructo]

Sableye can be useful against stall teams. A special defense ev spread is best as priority wilo-o-wisp cuts down physical attackers

 

[Zachmac]

Sableye can be useful against stall teams. A special defense ev spread is best as priority wilo-o-wisp cuts down physical attackers

It's overrated, if anything.

Sure, it can mess with stall, but why not use Jellicent, or any other stall breaker that can do something else? Not much on a stall team will be out speeding the standard Jellicent anyway. Gliscor can wall a lot of the metagame, and stop stall. Substitute/Calm Mind Jirachi can set up on stall, or most walls at that matter, can sweep.

 

[garchompmaster29]

I see DD way, way more often than Band.

DD is more common, but band nite is everywhere as well. Especially on smogon wifi (the tier with the strongest player base).


Dugtrio I don't see very often. It is an excellent asset to offensive rain teams, as it can remove the likes of ttar and ninetails with almost 100% consistency. Perma rain = a win in many cases.

Sub + DD + Bounce bulky gyarados is a SCARY threat that not nearly enough people use. I've seen some, and when in the hands of a good player, you better watch out, especially if its in the rain. That thing can wreck stall, screw over a genesect expecting a DD and not a sub, brake through would-be grass type walls, stop status, and later on, set up for the finishing blow.

 

[ashsinnoh]

I disagree. Terrible HP and special defense, and it's defense won't be winning it any metals. A fighting weakness doesn't help either, and it can't force very many swap outs. It'll have too much difficulty setting up.

It's also outclassed by Gyarados, as it has more bulk. Sure, adaptability means more damage, but Gyarados will find a million more opportunities to set up, and potentially do more damage with moxie. It can also be bulky with intimidate.Don't you mean tanking? Sweeping hits hard and fast, tanking is taking hits, then doing a lot of damage in return.

Well it was never mentioned that this is only OU underrated threads. And DD Crawdaunt can pose a big thread if get's time to boost. Also Adaptability is what makes him huge thread. 2xSTAB Waterfall and Crunch are somehow scary. Bad speed though.

 

[Zachmac]

Well it was never mentioned that this is only OU underrated threads. And DD Crawdaunt can pose a big thread if get's time to boost. Also Adaptability is what makes him huge thread. 2xSTAB Waterfall and Crunch are somehow scary. Bad speed though.

But it isn't a threat because it never gets the time to boost. When I say those defenses are terrible, I mean they're terrible. On top of that, it's low speed and defenses mean that nearly anything holding a choice scarf can revenge kill it with ease.

Dragonite, Bulky Gyarados, and Bulky Salamence all get their boost by setting up with their huge defenses. Haxorus, Offensive gyarados, and offensive salamence do it by forcing swap outs, or setting up on weak attackers. Cradaunt can't do either. While it has the attack to force some swap outs, it doesn't have the speed and defenses. Sure, it will get a chance every now and then, but that won't make it common.

 

[garchompmaster29]

But it isn't a threat because it never gets the time to boost. When I say those defenses are terrible, I mean they're terrible. On top of that, it's low speed and defenses mean that nearly anything holding a choice scarf can revenge kill it with ease.

Dragonite, Bulky Gyarados, and Bulky Salamence all get their boost by setting up with their huge defenses. Haxorus, Offensive gyarados, and offensive salamence do it by forcing swap outs, or setting up on weak attackers. Cradaunt can't do either. While it has the attack to force some swap outs, it doesn't have the speed and defenses. Sure, it will get a chance every now and then, but that won't make it common.

I agree mostly with what you say, only difference is that Crawdaunt can most certainly force out threats. Adaptibility + STAB water fall coming off 120 base attack stat is something to be scared of, and in rain, its crushingly powerful.

His biggest problem is that even if he is jolly and has a DD under his belt, he can't even outspeed positive natured 108's (terrakion, virizion, infernape, etc). Furthermore as Zachmac said, he deosn't have enough bulk to take any strong STAB attack, and therefore can't really set up.

Now an interesting crawdaunt set would be taunt, waterfall/crabhammer, crunch, superpower wall breaking set. He has the ablity to crush slower walls and stall in this way with ridiculously high-powered STAB attacks, especially in the rain.

 

[redcharzard]

Destructo has a point though, salamence in the area of mixed attacking, and is not seen very much anymore. Mence may be outclassed by Dnite in a Ddance set, but mence is the far greater mixed attacker.

Timid nature max speed and s.atk scarfmence with draco meteor, hydro pump and fire blast(soon to be replaced with flamethrower.) I used it to take out a latios and a Haxorus with 2 consecutive draco meteors. Hydro pump decimates Heatran and flame thrower decimates everything the first two don't kill in one hit(excluding eviolite holders and blissy/chancy.)

 

[orangezilla]

But it isn't a threat because it never gets the time to boost. When I say those defenses are terrible, I mean they're terrible. On top of that, it's low speed and defenses mean that nearly anything holding a choice scarf can revenge kill it with ease.

thats why hes only really used in trick room