The Dark Crystal: Why Suicune Can Be A Nightmare

Type: Water

Base Stats
HP: 100
Attack: 75
Defense: 115
Sp. Attack: 90
Sp. Def: 115
Speed: 85


Abilities
Pressure: The Pokémon raises the foe’s PP usage.

The version mascot of Pokémon Crystal is not to be taken lightly. With almost unrivaled mixed defenses, a phenomenal typing both offensively and defensively, Suicune is a Pokémon one should always be prepared for. And yet, you may ask yourself, why does a Pokémon so good sit in the Underused tier? The answer is quite simple: Manaphy. Manaphy has better speed, Special Attack, a more useful ability in Hydration, and can make use of almost all of the same strategies. Since Manaphy, the King of the Seas, has fallen out of Ubers and into the Overused tier this generation, you might also ask “why use Suicune at all?” Well, I would argue that while slightly outclassed offensively, Suicune plays the role of the bulky sweeper much better than Manaphy. There is only one set that the Aurora Pokémon can pull off in Overused without being totally overshadowed, and if you choose to run this set, it should definitely be considered for a role on your team. Let's take a look.

(Calm) Mind Over Matter
Suicune
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Defense, 252 HP, 4 Special Defense
Scald
Rest
Sleep Talk
Calm Mind

The main goal of this set is to either switch into something you resist or utilize a free switch-in and begin using Calm Mind. The main appeal of Suicune - its natural mixed bulk - shows itself here. Maximum investment in Defense allows Suicune to take hits like a champion and become extremely bulky after one Calm Mind, and after a second, it becomes incredibly difficult to stop. Thundurus, one of the premier Electric-type special attackers this generation does not even score a 3KO on Suicune with Thunderbolt once Suicune has two Calm Minds. On the physical side, it is especially hard to take down as its bulk is backed by the high burn rate from Scald, which can cripple any physical attacker willing to go head-to-head with the Aurora Pokémon. However, Suicune's bulk has one fatal problem, that being it has no reliable recovery and must rely on Rest to heal itself. But, Suicune is one of the few Pokémon truly capable of relying entirely on Rest for recovery. Once it has a few Calm Minds under its belt, it can easily outlast the three turns of sleep while using Sleep Talk to gain extra boosts or deal nasty damage with Scald.

One of the lovely aspects of this set is that is does not require a lot of team support. It carries its own recovery, does not require clerical support (Rest deals with paralysis, poison and burns), and is bulky enough to ward off some of the most dangerous Pokémon once it has started to boost. However, as this is a mono attacking set, there are some Pokémon who will wall you no matter how beefy Suicune gets, regardless of boosts or circumstance - basically, anything with an immunity to Water-type attacks. Jellicent, while mostly having lost its niche in Overused as a bulky spin blocker, is still a perfectly viable Pokémon, and can block Scald with Water Absorb and Toxic you, resulting in a stalemate. The same can be said about Vaporeon. However, the most dangerous of all with its Water immunity is Gastrodon. Carrying its own reliable recovery, and receiving a Special Attack boost from every Water-type attack thanks to Storm Drain, Suicune simply cannot afford to stay in on the sea slug.

Unaware Clefable and Quagsire can use their abilities and reliable recovery to stall out Suicune, although this will be more difficult if they get burned. If using a Calm Mind-abusing Clefable, it can also ignore Suicune’s Special Defense boosts and hit back hard with STAB Moonblast. Quagsire is… not so lucky.

Additionally, while Suicune's high defensive stats and threat of burns mostly prevent this, you should also look out for powerful physical attacking Pokémon that hit Suicune for super-effective damage. While not the most dangerous of Pokémon, Conkeldurr, especially the Guts/Assault Vest set analyzed by Jayden Silver here, can cause Suicune problems. The Scald burn only serves to power it up, and the Assault Vest protects it from serious damage. Include the ability to Knock Off its Leftovers and sap Suicune's high HP stat with Drain Punch, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great Suicune counter.

Anyway, I hope this has convinced that you that the Aurora Pokémon is every bit as wonderful as the legends have told you. There are other ways to use Suicune, but they are generally outclassed by this set, as unsupported, base 85 Speed and 90 Special Attack are a bit underwhelming, and you’ll have trouble dealing any significant damage and outspeeding important threats.

- Alltheginjoints

Braviary, the Crushing Eagle: Let’s Hear It For America!

Type: Normal/Flying

Base Stats
HP: 100
Attack: 123
Defense: 75
Sp. Attack: 57
Sp. Defense: 75
Speed: 80


Abilities
Keen Eye: Prevents the Pokémon from losing accuracy.
Sheer Force: Attacks gain power, but lose their secondary effect.
Defiant (Hidden Ability): As its stats are lowered, its Attack increases.

To all of those in the United States, you know that today is Memorial Day, where we thank all of the soldiers who fought, or have fought, for the freedom we know and love today.  In celebration, we’ll be covering the Freedom Pokémon, Braviary (not really - it’s actually called the Valiant Pokémon) and give a big old shout out to ‘Murica!

Just take a look at this majestic beast.  Imagine a huge eagle soaring through the sky and tearing apart its competition with sharp, pointy claws of freedom.  That is Braviary, and it’s here to kick some democracy into the Pokémon world.

It has a couple of things going for it, but unfortunately, is outclassed by other Normal/Flying types out there, such as Staraptor and Swellow.  Staraptor hits faster and just as hard, while Swellow has blistering speed to get the jump on its foes.  Braviary, while toting an impressive 123 base Attack stat, lacks the speed necessary to really make it in the higher tiers.  However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t viable in lower tiers.  In NeverUsed, it is one of the most fearsome sweepers available, with one of the most powerful attack stats available.  100/75/75 defensive stats aren’t terrible, either, and it has some utility as a bulky bird.

One of the biggest things Braviary has going for it is the ability to learn Superpower.  Unlike other Normal/Flying birdies, Braviary can get around Rock and Steel types by running Fighting-type coverage.  More impressively, it can back it up with its beastly Attack stat.  But, unfortunately for our flying freedom mascot, Staraptor outclasses it in almost every way in higher tiers, and will probably only see action in Underused, Rarely Used, and Never Used.  That doesn’t mean we can’t teach those punk-birds a lesson in freedom, though!

Bulky Bird
Braviary
Hold Item: Leftovers
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense
Brave Bird
Substitute
Roost
Bulk Up

This set is all about durability. This would probably only work in lower tiers.  Set up a Substitute, then start using Bulk Up and Roosting off damage dealt to you.  Then hit back hard with Brave Bird.  Fully defensive investment allows it to take hits while setting up, but keep in mind that 75 base Special Defense will only get you so far, even with maximum investment.  It’s highly likely that something with even a respectable Special Attack stat and STAB will break through your Substitute and put a stop to Braviary’s setup.

In order to keep this from happening, you want Pokémon that can stop standard attacks that will be aimed at Braviary, such as Thunderbolt and Ice Beam.  Assault Vest Lanturn is a great choice for this, as it will take hits like that all day.  However, keep in mind it can’t really do much back, as its Special Attack stat leaves much to be desired.

Operation Soaring Eagle
Braviary
Hold Item: Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Brave Bird
Crush Claw
Superpower
Bulk Up/Rock Slide/U-Turn

This one takes advantage of the Sheer Force/Life Orb combo that Braviary has access to.  Brave Bird is the STAB of choice, while Crush Claw is chosen over Return for the lack of Life Orb recoil while only being about five points shy of max-power Return.  Superpower nails Steel and Rock-type switch-ins hoping to avoid the sheer force of America’s wrath.

The last slot is up to you - Rock Slide also gets a Sheer Force boost, while U-Turn can be used for scouting, or you can set up with Bulk Up.  This set also probably won’t work in higher tiers due to the prevalence of faster threats that will outspeed and OHKO you.

Even at maximum Speed, Braviary is sure to get outsped by a lot of other threats.  Pokémon that can handle its weaknesses will go a long way toward keeping ‘Murica alive.  You can even use Sticky Web and Stealth Rock support from Shuckle, who can take a couple hits and ensure that you get the hazards down.  This will bring out the best in Braviary, and will let it get a couple of hits in before going down.

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave Bird
Braviary
Hold Item: Choice Scarf/Choice Band/Focus Sash
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Brave Bird
Return
Superpower
U-Turn

The choice between Choice Scarf and Choice Band is entirely up to you.  Do you want to hit hard or hit fast?  The same goes for the choice between Jolly and Adamant - more speed vs more power.  The Focus Sash is there for higher tiers in the event you just want a sacrificial Pokémon who can deal a ton of damage with just one attack.  Obviously, that attack here is Brave Bird, and it will hit something really hard before freedom falls to the ground.

Pokémon that can eliminate faster threats are imperative to this set’s success.  Stealth Rock and Sticky Web support are also greatly appreciated, as Braviary needs all the help it can get if it wants to impact the metagame in any significant way.

Unfortunately for our freedom-loving friend, it just lacks the speed to really function well in the higher tiers, where everything is hyper-offensive and will likely outspeed and outdamage it.  It was a valiant effort by Nintendo to make a Pokémon that was different from its other Normal/Flying brethren, but others simply have better niches in their respective metagames.  Swellow can utilize Guts and the status orbs with STAB Facade, backed by its blistering Speed to wreck faces, and Staraptor is probably the most phenomenal Normal/Flying-type to ever exist with a great balance of Speed, power, and great utility for its abilities.

Braviary, however, will always be one of my favorite HM slaves in-game, being able to use Fly, Rock Smash, and Strength, all while doing some decent damage in the event I need it to.  Give it a shot sometime, and let your opponents fear the wrath of ‘Murica (maybe)!

Assault Vest Conkeldurr: JaydenSilver's Take On the Fighting Clown

Base Stats
HP: 105
Attack: 140
Defense: 95
Special Attack: 55
Special Defense: 65
Speed: 45

Abilities
Guts: Boosts attack if there is a status problem.
Sheer Force: Attacks gain power, but lose their secondary effect.
Iron Fist (Hidden Ability): Boosts the power of punching moves.

Conkeldurr has been a beast in Overused since its release in Gen 5. It had two common sets last generation. One was a Life Orb set that used all punching moves with either Iron Fist or Sheer Force for the extra damage, depending on preference. The second one was a Bulk Up set that made use of Leftovers and a much-improved Drain Punch, which now restores much more HP than it did in previous generations. So, what has our Fighting construction worker-clown got up its sleeve in Gen 6? It’s no water-squirting flower, I’ll give you that!

Its relatively the same as last generation in terms of movepool usage, but has suffered a little due to the less dominant coverage Fighting-type attacks have this generation, thanks to those Fairy-type rascals floating around the metagame. The truth of the matter is that Conkeldurr isn’t the sweeper people want him to be, and the days of Bulking Up and sweeping with priority Mach Punch are gone. However, he comes in use as an anti-lead as well as a utility Pokémon that hits hard and can survive long enough to make an impact on the game.

Ever Been Punched By A Clown? It’s Hysterical!
Conkeldurr
Hold Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Attack, 4 Special Defense
Drain Punch
Mach Punch
Ice Punch/Fire Punch
Knock Off

This set is great in the current Gen 6 Smogon Overused metagame. Guts allows you to stay in on Pokémon that would otherwise scare you away with Will-o-Wisp, namely Rotom-W and Sableye, and hit back more powerfully and, to their horror, unaffected. Assault Vest may seem like a strange choice at first, especially with no investment in Special Defense, but the boost it provides gives it the ability to survive certain moves and OHKO back. For example, it survives Psychic from Sheer Force/Life Orb Landorus and OHKOs back with Ice Punch:

252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Conkeldurr: 148-177 (69.8 - 83.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Conkeldurr Ice Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Landorus: 220-260 (133.3 - 157.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

However, it is important to note that there is a chance, depending on how much bulk Landorus has invested in, that it won’t OHKO, but it will leave him low enough that Mach Punch can finish him off.

Your first move is Drain Punch, which is your primary STAB. This move hits hard even when resisted, and gives Conkeldurr the recovery it needs to stick around trade blows for a while. Mach Punch is a priority STAB that gives Conkeldurr the speed it desperately needs to finish off faster prey, or get one last smack when you know it’s going to faint. This move hits hard despite its 40 base power, and can quickly get rid of troublesome Pokémon such as Greninja, Excadrill, and Bisharp.

Whether you want to use Ice Punch and Fire Punch is up to preference - Ice punch gives much better coverage and is the better move on the set, giving you many more OHKOs on a predicted switch in, like the ever-popular Dragon-types that invest the Overused tier. Fire Punch gives you the ability to not be utter setup material for Pinsir and still gives semi-good coverage for the set. Knock Off rounds the set off with its great momentum-building and utility. Thanks to the power boost it was granted in the sixth generation, it is much more viable on the set, and a great tool to cripple your opponent’s Pokémon by ridding them of their items.

I have been using this Conkeldurr for a couple of months now and found out that I lead with it almost exclusively. It counters some of the most popular leads in the metagame. It can tank attacks from Rotom-W and still win the battle with a combination of Drain Punch and Knock Off. It doesn’t need to fear Will-o-Wisp thanks to Guts. It is important to note that this is the most rewarding lead against the washing machine of doom, but also risky because if it is a rare Trick-Scarf set your Conkeldurr is neutered for the rest of the battle. However, if it isn’t, they lose their Rotom, or retreat with Volt Switch and you get a free Knock Off. The other popular leads that Conkeldurr forces out are Tyranitar, Mamoswine, and Greninja, all of which are destroyed by either Mach punch or Drain Punch. You have to use Mach Punch on Greninja - otherwise, Protean will activate and you will lose super effective coverage (though the ninja frog isn’t terribly bulky anyway).

One of the great things about this set is that even if your opponent doesn’t Will-o-Wisp right away because they afraid of Guts, after the first turn when Flame Orb doesn’t activate (they will assume you are running Flame Orb with Guts) they will assume you are using an Iron Fist variant. This is why it is important to keep it alive - to harass the enemy team for as long as possible.

Some Pokémon that are good against Conkeldurr and can cause problems for it are Azumarill and Mega Pinsir. Both of these Pokémon can switch in and resist all of its movepool while setting up on it. As a player, you have to predict this switch-in and switch out to your Azumarill/Pinsir counter, as they can potentially ruin Conkeldurr’s laughing spree.

A great teammate for our pillars-of-doom-wielding clown is physically-defensive Zapdos. Zapdos can switch into either of the two and resist all of their moves (except Azumarill’s Play Rough and and Aqua Jet, which it still survives). Zapdos will almost always force out every Pinsir and Azumarill you encounter due to their fear of Thunderbolt or Discharge. If they don’t, then no worries - you can survive and OHKO them back. Another popular counter form our friend is the legendary twins Latios and Latias, both being able to one shot our fighter with Psyshock. A good teammate that helps with this problem is Aegislash, able to tank their attacks and OHKO back with STAB Shadow Ball.
     
Conkeldurr is a great Fighting type that can provide your team with a variety of utility and a very powerful punch. If you ever end up facing me on Smogon’s Pokémon Showdown, depending on my team, I like to nickname my Conkeldurr either Bozo or Falcon Punch. Both are hopefully self-evident as to why. A large part of this set’s success is prediction and familiarity with the metagame, so if you are new to competitive Pokémon I suggest a more traditional all-out-attacker set, such as the following:

Seriously, Who Swings Pillars Around?
Conkeldurr
Hold Item: Life Orb
Ability: Guts/Sheer Force/Iron Fist
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Attack, 4 Special Defense
Drain Punch
Earthquake
Knock Off/Stone Edge
Ice Punch/Fire Punch/ThunderPunch

This particular set just focuses on doing as much damage as possible before going down. Drain Punch is the primary STAB and allows it to compensate for Life Orb recoil. Earthquake is for standard coverage on common threats, such as Aegislash (to get around King’s Shield) and other Pokémon weak to it. Knock Off is for spectacular utility, while Stone Edge forms the famous, yet shaky, Edge-Quake combo, and allows you to hit Flying types hard. The last slot is up to preference - Ice Punch for the plethora of dragons that plague Overused (i.e. Garchomp, Dragonite), Fire Punch is for Skarmory, Scizor, and other Steel types, and ThunderPunch is almost exclusively for Gyarados (thought it does hit Azumarill and Pinsir, both common counters, super-effectively). You can choose to run any of its available abilities, but Guts is recommended in order to absorb status and boost your attacking power.

The bulletproof-vested clown Conkeldurr, if mastered, can be extremely rewarding, and can outright win games for you because your opponent just loses too much off of him. Even counters can turn into OHKOs if not executed properly. An example is if my opponent leads with Rotom-W, it Volt Switches into Latios, and I use Knock Off. Latios is now gone, along with a central figure in my opponent’s offensive presence. One down and five to go.

Another common situation I find myself in is when an opponent’s Azumarill switches into a Knock Off. It takes little damage but loses its Sitrus Berry or Choice Band. I immediately switch into Zapdos. It has either done one of two things: Belly Drummed anyway, or used Play Rough. Belly Drum is actually the best-case scenario, since then it has to use Aqua Jet if it wants to deal any damage at all. Physically-defensive Zapdos can tank the hit and OHKO back with Thunderbolt. An unboosted Play Rough will hurt, bringing a full HP Zapdos to around 30% HP. At this point they will almost always try to finish you off with Aqua Jet, but it’s simply not strong enough, and you wipe out their aqua rabbit with a nuclear-powered Thunderbolt.

Now what did Conkeldurr do in this situation? He didn’t really kill the Azumarill. Shouldn’t all the credit go to Zapdos? Well in the long scheme of the battle, your Conkeldurr just tempted one of their sweepers into essentially committing suicide while staying at full HP, now with one less counter on the opposing team. That puts you in a very advantageous position for the rest of the fight. Conkeldurr excels at wearing down opponents, scaring them away, and creating momentum for your team. Are you looking for Fighting-type coverage, but already have a sweeper or two? Well look, no further - this dynamic clown has what you need.

Signing off for now,

Jayden Silver

The Inverse Sword: Aegislash Slices Up Season Four

Base Stats
Shield Forme/Blade Forme
HP: 60/60
Attack: 50/150
Defense: 150/50
Sp. Attack: 50/150
Sp. Defense: 150/50
Speed: 60/60

Abilities
Stance Change: The Pokémon changes forme depending on how it battles.

Aegislash, along with Talonflame and Greninja, remains one of the most popular new Pokémon to be released in the sixth generation, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a ghostly animated sword and shield. That’s pretty cool. Ever since I laid eyes on this thing I knew it would be great in battle, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Aegislash has the ability Stance Change, which lets it alter its form during battle. As it turns out, this form change also inverts its stats: Shield Forme has high Defense and Special Defense, while Blade Forme has crazy Attack and Special Attack. Aegislash is capable of using its great signature move, King’s Shield, to change formes at will during battle. This move not only protects it from all damaging moves during the turn, but also applies a -2 Attack drop to anything trying to hit it with a contact move. Due to its stats and ability to potentially shift formes multiple times in battle, the phantom blade has the potential for a lot of different playing styles.

By far the most common set that I used to run into was this one:

Be My Sword and Shield!
Aegislash
Hold Item: Leftovers/Air Balloon
Ability: Stance Change
Nature: Brave
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Attack, 4 Defense/Special Defense
King’s Shield
Swords Dance
Shadow Sneak
Sacred Sword

Between Ghost and Fighting-type coverage, Aegislash was able to boost up all day in Shield-forme and Slash the opponent to ribbons. This set is what most people anticipate Aegislash to be, but is stopped pretty quickly with appropriate prediction and status application. Also worth noting is that Shadow Sneak has a low base 40 power (60 after STAB), which isn’t going to do much to anything that resists it, even with Swords Dance boosts. Its item could have been just about anything - Leftovers allowed it to recover a little HP while boosting, while Air Balloon protected it from the vicious Earthquakes that were destined to be aimed at it (Earthquake isn’t a contact move, and also hits it super-effectively).

Its HP is the one thing that holds it back from being a super-tank at a paltry 60, which limits its hit-taking ability. However, don’t let that be too much of a downer, because 150 Defense and Special Defense is a lot. Backed by its phenomenal Steel/Ghost typing, Aegislash has a ton of handy resistances, including immunities to Normal, Fighting, and Poison.

At least, that would normally be the case. This, unfortunately, is not so for an Inverse Battle.

Losing out on several of its immunities hurts Aegislash’s chances of stopping various common threats in the Inverse metagame, including Talonflame and Mega Kangaskhan, while neither of them particularly enjoy taking the -2 to their Attack stat from King’s Shield. Kangaskhan generally doesn’t care about that -2, since it can just destroy the Inverse Sword from its STAB Return, now that Aegislash is no longer immune to its rage.

Ironically, the Steel type becomes the weakest type defensively in an Inverse Battle, with a whopping total of 11 weaknesses. This works spectacularly alongside the hold item Weakness Policy, which provides Aegislash with a +2 boost to both Attack and Special Attack when hit by a super-effective attack (with so many weaknesses, Aegislash is basically guaranteed to get the boost), and with huge defenses in Shield Forme, you can count on it to survive an unboosted attack at least once, barring any quad-weaknesses (Normal, Fighting) coming off of full power and STAB.

Aegislash is still a nasty threat that should be prepared for, as its versatility is something to be feared. Your opponent will be wary of it as well, and will likely edge around the playing field in order to determine what set you’re running before attacking. Here are two of my favorites:

The Ghostly Broken Mirror
Aegislash
Hold Item: Weakness Policy
Ability: Stance Change
Nature: Brave/Quiet
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Attack/252 Special Attack, 4 Sp. Attack/4 Attack
King’s Shield
Shadow Ball
Flash Cannon
Shadow Sneak

The idea of this one is pretty simple. This is a lead Aegislash. Depending on what your opponent leads with, you either need to use King’s Shield to protect yourself from getting obliterated by a quad-weakness and scout, or attack if you predict a switch. Since you are running minimum speed, you’ll go last on the next turn, probably taking a super-effective hit and activating the Weakness Policy. Then it’s a matter of sweeping via prediction, which can be tricky business, but extremely rewarding. The EVs are there for whatever you decide to do with it - if you run Brave, you want 252 Attack, while a Quiet nature would require the 252 Special Attack EVs for maximum damage output. Ultimately, it depends on what you want Aegislash to hit harder with. I recommend maximum Attack, since Shadow Sneak isn’t that strong and could use the boost, but it’ll still hit like a truck regardless of whether you invest in it or not.

Good partners for this Aegislash set consist of things that can take advantage of the holes the ghostly sword punches in the opposing team. This includes setup sweepers such as a Dragon Dancing Salamence or Gyarados, or a Choice Band wielder, like Garchomp. Talonflame is also a great wielder of the Choice Band with its priority Brave Bird.

Mega Kangaskhan is definitely the biggest counter to this Aegislash set, but with good enough prediction, you can force it to take a King’s Shield Attack drop, tank a Return, and OHKO back with Shadow Ball.

-2 252 Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Return vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Shield: 126-150 (75.4 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

+2 0 SpA Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Mega Kangaskhan: 254-302 (141.1 - 167.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

The Ghost Train Cometh
Aegislash
Hold Item: Weakness Policy
Ability: Stance Change
Nature: Naughty/Lonely, or Rash/Mild
EVs: 252 Attack/Special Attack, 252 HP, 4 Attack/Special Attack
Autotomize
Shadow Claw/Shadow Ball
Shadow Sneak
Iron Head/Sacred Sword/Flash Cannon

Rather than relying heavily on prediction, such as the prior set, this one aims to outright sweep the opposing team. This set also works best as a lead, using Autotomize right off the bat, not caring what the opponent throws at you (since Aegislash is likely to force switches, or at least tank a super-effective hit). Afterward, it can sweep with mixed attacking boosts and stats.

Out of the choices listed above, you want at least one STAB. Ghost is the better offensive one, even in an Inverse Battle, due to its impressive neutral coverage. Fighting-type Sacred Sword can be used for nearly perfect offensive coverage, or you could run a secondary STAB in Iron Head or Flash Cannon.

Even at +2, Aegislash isn’t particularly fast, so you might want to find a way to incorporate Sticky Web or Tailwind support into your team. Galvantula is a reliable setter of Sticky Web with the Focus Sash, and Talonflame can use Tailwind as a last-ditch effort to support its teammates.

This set could also work as a late-game sweeper, after faster or more deadly threats have been eliminated. Just be careful of faster priority users (cough*TALONFLAME*cough) that can hit you for super-effective damage.

The nature for this set depends largely on whether you want to invest in Attack or Special Attack, and which defense you want to be weaker.  Honestly, any neutral hit in Blade-forme will probably put an end to the sword's sweep, so defenses don't matter - especially since you're not using King's Shield to revert to Shield-forme.

The Indestructible Aegis Lives On
Aegislash
Hold Item: Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Stance Change
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Defense
King’s Shield
Shadow Ball/Shadow Sneak/Flash Cannon
Destiny Bond
Toxic/Iron Defense

Just like the legendary Greek shield it is named after this Aegislash set is made to tank hits as well as possible. Defensive investment isn’t necessary, as King’s Shield will lower the Attack of anything trying to hit you with contact moves. Rather than trying to deal as much damage as possible like the other sets, this one aims to whittle away at the foe as much as possible before going down itself.

Toxic is there to prevent enemies from setting up on you for too long. King’s Shield is for stalling out foes. Destiny Bond is there for a last-ditch effort of taking down a dangerous foe (such as Mega Kangaskhan - it’s probably not expecting you to run Destiny Bond!). Choose one attack to prevent you from being Taunt bait, and go to town.

This set could also probably run a Rest/Sleep Talk set with Leftovers to optimize recovery, but you might accidentally use an attack and leave yourself vulnerable in Blade Forme with pitiful defenses. Due to this, you could run full support, but you would be leaving yourself wide-open to Taunt. It should be mentioned, though, that Taunt is only really used on leads in the Battle Spot, such as Whimsicott, Talonflame, Aerodactyl, and Mandibuzz.

As for counters, you really need to know what set Aegislash is running before you can successfully counter it. Unfortunately, if it’s not setting up on you, it’s probably mixed, and will be more difficult to stop. Scout with a Pokémon that knows Protect in order to find out what set it’s using. If it Swords Dances, it’s the standard set and is far easier to deal with. Status can really ruin its day, such as a well-timed burn, or maybe even Toxic, now that it’s not immune to it.

Some Pokémon have priority attacks that are now super-effective against Aegislash. Talonflame’s Brave Bird hits it super-effectively, as well as Mega Pinsir’s Quick Attack.

Another thing you might try to use is a physically bulky Pokémon with the Assault Vest - that way, you’ll be on the offensive and defensive at the same time while fighting Aegislash. Unfortunately, counters for Aegislash are few and far between, as Ghost still retains its spectacular neutral coverage, which is augmented by its secondary STAB, Steel.

There are several Pokémon that resist both of Aegislash’s STAB attacks, such as Gardevoir, Froslass, and Chandelure, but none of them really want to take a boosted Sacred Sword. However, something they can do is slap it with a Will-o-Wisp burn to mitigate the amount of physical damage the haunted sword can inflict. This, combined with maximum physical EV investment allows them to take several hits from Aegislash.

If you can strike it while it's in Blade-forme, just about any strong neutral hit with STAB will take it out. The problem is getting it into Blade-forme without it destroying your entire team! If used well, Aegislash can rip opposing teams to shreds. All it takes is some good prediction for the Inverse Sword to be used well.

- J.

Battle Spot Season Five and Six Rules Announced

The Season Five and Season Six rules were announced last week for the Special Battles on the Battle Spot.

Season Five: Season Five is built to look like the battle system as seen in the first generation of games.  These will be single battle style with restrictions placed on hold items.  Which ones?  All of them!  This season is all about your skill at team building and synergy without the disruption caused by hold items.  You may use all six of your Pokémon in this season, and starts on July 15th 2014.

Season Six: Season Six is a standard double battle, but the Battle Spot will block the top 12 Pokémon used in the Double Battle Seasons 1-4, and from the first half of Season Five.  Without the top tier threats, what will you use to secure victory in this limited metagame?

Stay tuned for more information regarding The Battle Spot via SplashAttack's Battle Spot page!

- J.

GOJIRA! Alltheginjoint's Study of Godzilla-Like Pokémon

Gojira!

A Study of Godzilla-Like Pokémon
by Alltheginjoints

I've been a fan of the Godzilla franchise since I bought a copy of the original 1954 movie from a garage sale for two dollars when I was 4. I loved that movie. I loved all of them. And with Godzilla (Edwards 2014) stomping into theaters today, we at SplashAttack want to take a quick look at which Pokémon look or act like Godzilla and how to use them in battle. I want to look at quite a few of them so let's not waste any time!

Groudon

Base Stats

HP: 100

Attack: 150

Defense: 140

Special Attack: 100

Special Def: 90

Speed: 90

Without a doubt, the Pokémon most like the King of the Monsters is Groudon. Standing 3.5 meters (11'6”) tall and weighing 950 kilos (more than 2000 lbs) Groudon is one of the most impressive Pokémon ever created. As the first, and most reliable, Pokémon with Drought in the game, Groudon is scary when used as a utility team-player and downright terrifying when used as a sweeper. Those are generally the two best ways to use Groudon, so let's take a quick look at them both.

Utility King

Groudon

Hold item: Leftovers

Nature: Impish

EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 Attack

Stealth Rock

Earthquake

Dragon Tail/Roar

Thunder Wave

Groudon is one of the most reliable Stealth Rock setters in the game thanks to its nearly unparalleled physical bulk and ability to hit hard without investment. Once Stealth Rock is set up you can spread paralysis, which can help slower Pokémon such as Palkia prepare for a sweep, or utilize the rocks to rack up residual damage by shuffling around opponents with Dragon Tail or Roar. The choice between Roar and Dragon Tail is not one to take lightly. Dragon Tail lands additional damage on your opponent on the switch-out but will fail if they carry the move Substitute, or if Xerneas rears its ugly, horned head. Roar, on the other hand, does not deal damage, but will phase through Substitutes and Protect. Roar can also be Taunted. The choice is yours. And, of course, Earthquake is a high powered, reliable STAB move that hits like a truck off of Groudon's 150 base Attack. Although, usually an inferior option, Stone Edge is another option to take care of Ho-Oh.

Sweeper-don

Groudon

Hold Item: Life orb

Nature: Jolly

EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP

Rock Polish

Earthquake

Stone Edge

Swords Dance/Overheat

The only thing that actually holds Groudon back as a sweeper is his 90 base Speed, which is no lower than many others in the Ubers tier (i.e. Dialga, Ho-Oh, Kyogre) but unfortunately is no faster either. This is patched up nicely with Rock Polish, giving Groudon a +2 boost to its Speed in one turn. Once boosted, the Continent Pokémon is free to start a sweep. Earthquake is there as Groudon's best STAB move. Stone Edge completes the EdgeQuake combo for nearly unresisted coverage on the whole tier. For the last spot, it really depends on the needs of your team. Overheat utilizes Groudon's unremarkable (but usable) 100 base Special Attack and Dought support to destroy any Grass or Steel type that would otherwise stand in Groudon's way (I'm looking at you, Ferrothorn and Skarmory). Alternately, you can attempt a Double Dancing set with Swords Dance. With +2 in both Attack and Speed, there is little to stop Groudon from going on a Tokyo-destroying rampage.

Tyranitar

I've already written an article about Mega-Tyranitar, but I can't ignore the tyrant king when writing an article that's Godzilla-related. So, here's another set, completely free. While the other set was a bulky mixed-attacking Mega set, this one’s a normal Tyranitar set that capitalizes on Tyranitar's most undervalued stat - its Special Defense. What a lot of people don't realize is that Tyranitar has the capability to be the bulkiest special wall in the game, and can take down top threats to boot. Let's take a look:

The Tyrant King of the Monsters

Tyranitar

Hold Item: Assault Vest

Nature: Careful

EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp. Defense, 4 Defense

Stone Edge

Crunch/Pursuit

Ice Beam/Thunderbolt

Earthquake/Superpower/Iron Head

The moveset is nothing special. Just the usual Tyranitar fare. Stone Edge is a high-powered STAB meant for taking down Mega Charizard-Y, and while this set does not invest in Defense, it can be used to defeat Talonflame if necessary. Crunch and Pursuit are for taking on Latios, Latias, and Espeon. Ice Beam is to take down the usual Tyranitar switch-ins, although Thunderbolt is for Skarmory if you have expect a lot of that one. It can also be used to defeat Greninja, although Stone Edge will tear through its poor defenses regardless. And the last move, as usual, depends on what you want to take down. Earthquake is for Heatran, Superpower for expected Bisharp switch-ins, and Iron Head for any Fairy that decides to cross your path.

Aggron

Base Stats

HP: 70

Attack: 110

Defense: 180

Special Attack: 60

Special Defense: 60

Speed: 50

Oh man. Aggron is a personal favorite of mine. Probably my favorite Pokémon to come out of the third generation, I am absolutely in love with this steel-clad dinosaur. While not the best Pokémon in the world, there are several fun ways to play this Pokémon, but I want to focus on one in particular - making full use of Aggron's STAB, no recoil, Head Smash.

Choice Set

Aggron

Hold Item: Choice Band/Choice Scarf

Nature: Jolly, Adamant

EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP

Head Smash

Heavy Slam

Earthquake

Fire Punch/Ice Punch

I am going to be perfectly frank about this - there may be four moves listed, but there is only one that matters. Head Smash is the only reason to use this set. A STAB Head Smash will lay waste to anything that does not resist it. If you get a good switch in, you can go to town, and smash almost anything into smithereens. For this exact reason, I prefer to use Choice Band, but if Aggron's 50 base Speed leaves you too vulnerable, switch to Jolly nature and go Choice Scarf. The other moves are for coverage, but where’s the fun in that?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy using any of these Pokémon, and enjoy the new Godzilla film as much as I did!

Signing off for now,

- Alltheginjoints

DANGERZONE: Why Magnezone Rocks

Base Stats
HP: 70
Attack: 70
Defense: 115
Sp. Attack: 130
Sp. Def: 90
Speed: 60

Magnet Pull: Prevents Steel-type Pokémon from escaping.
Sturdy: The Pokémon is protected against 1-hit KO attacks.
Analytic (Hidden Ability): If you are last to attack, the move becomes more powerful.

I don't know a lot of people who would say Magnezone is one of their favorite Pokémon. And honestly, I don't blame them. It's weird looking, very slow - especially compared to other Electric types - and does not seem to offer much that other potential teammates cannot do. But Magnezone is actually one of my favorite Pokémon. It really is. Magnezone has consistently been one of the most reliable Pokémon I've ever used and I rarely make a team without it. Now, if you'll indulge me with some of your time, I am going to explain why Magnezone rocks.

Get Ready For The...
The main appeal of Magnezone is in its semi-unique ability Magnet Pull which prevents any Steel-type from switching out while Magnezone is in play. When you combine this with its incredibly high 130 base Sp. Attack and great dual STAB moves Magnezone can work as a great, arguably the best, killer of defensive Steel types. Additionally, Magnezone packs a great degree of natural bulk with an its 70/115/90 defensive stats and some very cool resistances from its spectacular Steel typing. Unfortunately for Magnezone, the only three types that do hit it for super-effective damage are the three most common attacking types in the game - Fighting, Ground, and Fire - but the vast majority of the Pokémon Magnezone will be going up against either don't carry one of these attacking types, or will be destroyed before they can use them. Ultimately, when played smart Magnezone will leave your opponent crippled and in a tight stop for the rest of the match. Let's take a look at the set I run.

Magnezone
Hold Item: Choice Specs
Nature: Modest
EVs: 160 HP/168 Sp. Attack/ 180 Speed
Flash Cannon
Thunderbolt
Volt Switch
Hidden Power Fire/Grass/Ice/Ground

When holding Choice Specs, Magnezone's Special attack reaches scary-high levels, achieving a OHKO or 2HKO on anything that does not resist one of its STAB moves. The EV spread is made to maximize Magnezone's bulk while still allowing it to hit like a truck. The Speed EVs might seem strangely high but they are there to allow Magnezone to outspeed Heatran and Mega-Scizor, both common opponents that would cause the Magnet Pokémon trouble otherwise.

The main attacking moves on this set are Flash Cannon and Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt will be your main tool to defeat Skarmory and will leave a huge dent in any Pokémon that doesn’t resist it. Flash Cannon is a powerful tool that can be used to defeat any number of Fairies running around the tier right now. As Magnezone resists their STAB move, it has many opportunities to switch in and take them out. While many Fairy types have a high Special Defense stat, Magnezone is still capable of scoring a OHKO on many of them, including Clefable, even after it has used Calm Mind. In fact, Magnezone being immune to paralysis, carrying a x4 resistance to Air Slash, and being able to outspeed and OHKO with either STAB move, Magnezone is currently the best Togekiss counter in the game (although any user should watch out for the rare Aura Sphere or Fire Blast).

Volt Switch is to help play mind games with your opponents. If you predict a switch in you can Volt Switch out and, backed by the Choice Specs, take a nasty chunk of HP with you. Additionally, one of the more fun things to do with it is against Heatran. Heatran cannot switch out and you use the Volt Switch to outspeed, damage and switch into a counter before they can leave a scratch on you.

The biggest decision to make when building your Magnezone is your Hidden Power type. Or, in other words, what you need your Magnezone to take out. Each of the above HP types has a very specific purpose and you should think carefully about which one you want. HP Fire is for Ferrothorn, and is the one I run. If Ferrothorn is a Pokemon who gives you trouble, then HP-Fire is the way to lay waste to it every time. In fact, worst case scenario, you switch into Leech Seed and then they use Protect.  That is only an inconvenience. Magnezone still comes out on top. HP-Ground is for Heatran. Let's say the aforementioned mind games with Heatran aren't for you. Well, HP-Ground is to trap and KO all defensive Heatrans on the spot. If it runs an Air Balloon you just start with Volt Switch and KO it next time you encounter it. Additionally, it is the best tool to defeat opposing Magnezone. The last two HP types are more about prediction than trapping and slaying Steel-types. If you choose to run HP-Ice for a pseudo-BoltBeam combo, it is because you anticipate a lot of Ground-type switch-ins, particularly Landorus (either forme), Gliscor, and Garchomp. All of these come in on predicted Electric-type moves and HP-Ice will destroy (or close to) all of those on the switch, putting you are a serious advantage. Similarly, Gastrodon and Quagsire are both common switch-ins as they resist both of its STABs. Likewise, HP Grass will make your adversary immediately regret the decision. Due note that, should you not run HP-Ice, you can still deal a large chunk of damage with Flash Cannon to any of those Ground types, but you cannot do the same to Gastrodon or Quagsire.

Magnezone is not a sweeper. However, it is a very strong team player, and there are many allies that it plays well with. Dragon Dance (DD) Dragonite is a phenomenal teammate for Magnezone, the most common set being  DD, Dragon Claw, Extreme Speed and Earthquake/Fire Punch. Depending on which coverage move you choose to run, Dragonite could struggle to muscle its way past Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Heatran. What Magnezone can do is defeat any of these Pokemon needed and allow Dragonite to sweep unhindered. The same goes for other setup sweepers, such as Mega-Pinsir, Gyarados, Charizard-X, or Scizor. In additional to this role, Magnezone plays great on defensively-inclined teams and it can demolish a lot of the tougher walls that they struggle to power through.

Wielding the Choice Specs, Magnezone can be a tough Pokemon to switch into. However, there are several Pokemon you should look out for. Any faster Pokemon that carries Earthquake or Earth Power can scare Magnezone out, the most common ones being both formes of Landorus, Gliscor, Garchomp, Excadrill, and Mamoswine. Again though, none of these will want to switch into a STAB Flash Cannon. However, the absolute worst of these is Dugtrio. While the thought of being hit by Earthquake is enough to make Magnezone run in fear, Dugtrio allows no such mercy. The three-pronged mole traps Magnezone right where it stands (er...floats?) and will outspeed, attack and destroy Magnezone every time. Even if it switches into Flash Cannon, many carry Focus Sash and will live to accomplish its goal regardless. Another enemy of the magnet is Blissey and Chansey. There's not much to say about the pink blobs except that they absorb any attack with ease. And don't bother considering HP-Fighting, as it simply does not hit hard enough to be consequential.

In short, if you play Magnezone to its strengths it will not disappoint you, and maybe it will someday be one of your favorite Pokemon, too.  I hope this has been informative.

Signing off for now,

- Alltheginjoints

Genghis Khan : Just When You Thought Mega-Kangaskhan Couldn't Be More Broken...

Base Stats/Mega Stats
HP: 105
Attack: 95/125
Defense: 80/100
Sp. Attack: 40/60
Sp. Defense: 80/100
Speed: 90/100

Early Bird: The Pokémon awakens quickly from sleep.
Scrappy: Enables moves to hit Ghost-type foes.
Inner Focus (Dream World): The Pokémon is protected from flinching.

Ah, the glorious Mega-Mom in all of her demonic glory.  With the advent of Mega-Evolutions, the competitive scene was staged to change quite a bit for the X/Y generation.  Pokémon that were previously underused due to poor stats (Manectric, Houndoom, Mawile) or due to poor typing (Charizard, Venusaur) finally got an ace in the hole, and many of them saw increases in usage.  However, Nintendo couldn’t possibly prepare themselves for the way that Mega-Kangaskhan would change the competitive metagame.

Normal Kangaskhan is nothing special.  It has a wide variety of moves at its disposal and pretty decent bulk with 105 HP, 80 Defense, and 80 Sp. Defense, but these traits aren’t anything special.  It has decent physical attacking power at base 95, and it is pretty quick with 90 Speed, but there are faster, more powerful sweepers out there to use.  In fact, it wasn’t until Kangaskhan received a Mega Evolution that it saw much use at all, particularly in Smogon’s Overused tier.

And damn, did this thing rip the Overused tier apart.  Upon Mega Evolution, Kangaskhan lets her baby out of the pouch to join the fight with her newfound ability, Parental Bond.  This lets Mega Mom hit twice with every attack that she uses, with the second hit coming at half-damage.  However, what really scared some players was that this ability also applied stat boosts from attacking moves twice, as well (we’re looking at you, Power-up Punch).  With Power-up Punch, Mega-Khan is able to get a free Swords Dance boost while dealing damage.  Additionally, Parental Bond means that even opponents with a Focus Sash or a Substitute up can’t stand a chance against the maternal monster, who will proceed to rip through both like a wet paper bag.  To put it in perspective, a +2 Return from Mega Mom can potentially 2KO max HP, max Defense Skarmory, one of the most durable and popular physical walls in Overused.  It’s no wonder that Kangaskhanite was banished to the Ubers tier.

However, the Battle Spot is not nearly as balanced of a metagame as Smogon’s Pokémon Showdown.  Many common threats that have long since been banned by Smogon (Thundurus-T Lucarionite, Kangaskhanite, Gengarite) are present in the Battle Spot, making it a fairly centralized metagame.  Most good teams you encounter will probably run a Mega-Khan, and a counter to it.  It’s that good.

In normal Battle Spot, it’s not too difficult to work around, provided it runs Sucker Punch (which it almost always does).  Most Ghost-types can avoid half of its moveset, and as long as they resist or are immune to Earthquake, Mega Kangaskhan can’t touch them unless you do something dumb like attack with it before burning it with Will-o-Wisp. I personally like to use physically defensive Sub-Sitrus Trevanent, who can tank any hit from Kangaskhan barring Fire Punch, Ice Punch, or Crunch, and burn it with Will-o-Wisp, effectively neutering Kangaskhan for the rest of the match.  Sub-Disable Gengar is another popular counter, disabling Sucker Punch and destroying it with Focus Blast or STAB Sludge Wave.  It also helps that it is immune to the other moves it is most likely to carry (Return, Power-up Punch, Earthquake, Fake Out, etc).

Unfortunately, these options do not stop this monster in an Inverse Battle, where nothing is immune to Normal type attacks and it is super-effective against it’s most common switch-ins.  Additionally, considering Mega Kangaskhan’s exceptional bulk, lack of weaknesses barring Ghost, and access to Sucker Punch, it can be very difficult to counter.  This is the set in question:

Kangaskhan
Hold Item: Kangaskhanite
Ability: Inner Focus/Parental Bond
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP
Return
Power-up Punch
Fake Out
Sucker Punch/Crunch

Look familiar?  That’s because it’s almost the exact same as the standard OU set (before it got banned).  Return is your standard STAB which hits everything for at least neutral damage, as absolutely nothing resists it in an Inverse Battle, and your go-to attack of choice.  Power-up Punch allows you to boost your attack when forcing a switch, as nothing is immune to Fighting-type attacks anymore.  Due to this, you no longer need to use Scrappy pre-Mega Evolution and can go for Inner Focus to put an end to those Fake Out users, or even Early Bird for absorbing random Spores or Sleep Powders from other common threats like Breloom and Vivillon.  This is assuming you haven’t Mega-Evolved yet, as your ability changes upon Mega-Evolution.

Without the need to run Earthquake to hit Rock and Steel-type switch-ins, Mega-Kangaskhan has the option to run Fake Out in addition to its much more powerful STAB, Return.  The last slot is largely up to preference.  Crunch can be used to make Azumarill take itself out with Belly Drum, or Sucker Punch can be used to keep it from attacking you in the first place, at the cost of valuable power points.  Either way, it’s a dangerous gamble, as a max Attack Azumarill with Aqua Jet is gonna hurt, regardless of what eats it.

Talonflame (another common priority abuser) would normally be a good choice to check Mega-Kangaskhan, but it lacks the brute power that it takes to stop it in its tracks, and will likely go down itself before KOing it.  Brave Bird comes close to knocking it out, but Mega-Kangaskhan will survive with ~20% of its HP if hit at full health.  Though Talonflame can’t faint it on its own, the brave bird (hehe) can rest easy knowing that it has made it easier for its teammates to KO it, at least.

Conventional means are lacking in number for taking out Mega-Khan, but you can greatly reduce its sweeping power by crippling it with a burn or paralysis.  You can put it to sleep, too, but this is only a temporary fix.  The only counters for Mega-Khan in an Inverse Battle are risky ones that could very well be taken out themselves.  Max Special Attack Gengar can revenge kill it, or come in on a Sucker Punch. It can then target its new weakness with a STAB Shadow Ball.  To put it in perspective:

252+ SpA Life Orb Gengar Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Kangaskhan: 198-234 (110 - 130%) -- guaranteed OHKO

It is also a guaranteed OHKO on max HP Kangaskhan, though most Mega-Mom’s you’ll encounter on the Battle Spot will invest fully in Attack and Speed, and run a Jolly nature.  Mega Gengar, another common mega evolution seen on the Battle Spot, has an even easier time one-shotting the beast:

252+ SpA Mega Gengar Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Kangaskhan: 182-216 (101.1 - 120%) -- guaranteed OHKO

That’s without Life Orb recoil, too, and you get an insane speed boost and a sweet ability in Shadow Tag, to boot.  Just watch out for both Return and Power-up Punch, as both will knock our favorite Overused ghost into the next afterlife (particularly Power-up Punch, as Gengar is now x4 weak to it).

Another Ghost that could potentially have some viability is Aegislash, who (like Gengar) is massively weak to almost all of Mega-Khan’s attack choices.  However, unlike Gengar, Aegislash has great defenses and a secret weapon - King’s Shield.  Using this great defensive move, Aegislash can effectively neuter Mega-Kanga’s Attack boosts from Power-up Punch.  At -2, Mega-Kanga will still 2KO Aegislash with Return.  However, if it is coming in to avenge a fallen comrade, and it is holding the Weakness Policy item, it can King’s Shield the first turn with certainty (all of the attacks Mega-Khan is likely to use against it will make contact) and lower it’s attack.  Then, the next turn, it can whip a nuclear-powered Shadow Ball or Shadow Sneak at its foe.

Similarly, Whimsicott can come in after a Sucker Punch, Encore it, and then watch it squirm (or switch out, which is the more likely option).

Another option you have is to throw the Rocky Helmet on something with Rough Skin or Iron Barbs and feed it to the angry mother.  Garchomp is probably the best choice for this, as Ferrothorn has gained a new weakness to Normal from its Steel-typing.  The damage racks up, and although you’ll likely lose your Garchomp or Ferrothorn, at least you’ll knock the mother goddess into a potential KO range (from, say, Talonflame).

Basically, anything that takes neutral damage with a respectable Defense stat might have a shot at taking down Mega-Khan, as residual damage will take its toll eventually.  Even something like Rocky Helmet Mandibuzz might have a shot, as it tanks hits from Mega-Mom and Roosts off the damage.  However, you don’t want to take that kind of risk in the Battle Spot, where battles last an extremely short time and one slip-up could spell doom for you.

Mega-Khan can probably take out entire teams by itself if left unchecked, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't need any help once in a while.  Dual screens will be able to lengthen its lifespan considerably and make it incredibly difficult to stop.  A fun choice for this is Klefki, who can also paralyze the opposition with Prankster Thunder Wave.  Just don’t be one of those people who abuse the Swag-Play combo (Swagger/Foul Play).  That shit’s annoying.

A great teammate for Mega-Kangaskhan could be anything that resists Ghost in the new metagame, and can use Wish.  Bulky Espeon immediately comes to mind with its great ability, Magic Bounce, and good Special Defense.  Espeon can set up screens, use Wish to heal its allies, and reflect nasty statuses targeted at the maternal monster.

Overall, Mega-Kangaskhan is (in my opinion) the Pokémon who benefited most from its new Mega-Evolution.  Pokémon like Lucario and Tyranitar were great on their own, but a new toy to play with was just what Mega-Kangaskhan needed to get its head back in the game.  What are you opinions on Mega-Kangaskhan, or the Inverse Battle metagame as a whole?  Let me know in the comments!

Inverse Battle Type Chart

Inverse Battle Type Chart

Here we have a type chart for the Battle Spot's Special battles in Season Four, where the type chart is completely reversed.  There are a couple of interesting trends: Dragon is still a prominent attacking type, as is Ghost, with very few types resisting both of them.  What's interesting is the difference in the functionality of the Steel type.  While it used to be a very resistant type, it now has 11 weaknesses!  However, it now has valuable resistances in Fire, Ground, and Fighting.

Take a look at the Normal type.  Nothing resists it.  Imagine how much chaos Mega Kangaskhan will unleash (not like it doesn't in the first place...)

Keep your eyes peeled for more interesting information concerning Season Four and everything else Pokémon!

- J.

The Tyrant King: A Different Take on Tyranitar

Stats/Mega Stats
HP: 100
Attack: 134/164
Defense: 110/150
Sp. Attack: 95/95
Sp. Defense: 100/120
Speed: 61/71

Abilities

Sand Stream: This Pokémon summons a sandstorm in battle.

Welcome to SplashAttack! I'm Alltheginjoints and I play the defensive game primarily. In the spotlight today is my bulky mixed Tyranitar set which I have aptly named Mega-Tankitar. Most of the Tyranitars that I've come across this generation, particularly with the advent of mega evolutions, have been Dragon Dance or other all out attacking sets. While these sets are very strong and have merit (A Mega Tyranitar with one Dragon Dance under its belt can 2HKO a fully defensive Skarmory with Crunch) I feel they under utilize Mega Tyranitar's most attractive characteristics, notably its combination of a high attack and great mixed defenses.

The focus of this set is absorb as many hits from strong attackers as possible and OHKO or 2HKO back in return. The King's dual type of Rock/Dark bring with it 7 weaknesses to common attacking types - Fairy, Water, Grass, Ground, Fighting, Bug in addition to the less common Steel - but do not let that deceive you. Mega Tyranitar's good HP stat of 100 combined with it's impressive 150/120 defensive stats allow it to take even super effective hits with little cost. This dinosaur also summons a five-turn sand storm each time it switches in thanks to its ability Sand Stream. This negates enemy Leftovers recovery, defeats Pokemon that have Focus Sash and provides an invaluable boost to its own Special Defense.

While it has several weaknesses, it does carry import resistances in Fire, Flying, Dark, Ghost, and Normal, including a Psychic immunity. These resistances allow it to come in on some of the most popular OU Pokémon including Talonflame, the Lati-twins, Charizard-Y and even Aegislash. If Tyranitar has already Mega-evolved it can switch into a Charizard using Fire Blast, survive an additional Focus Blast and retaliate with Stone Edge, which is quite the feat. Keeping all this in mind, let's take a look at the nitty-gritty aspects of this set.

Tyranitar
Hold Item: Tyranitarite
Nature: Sassy/Careful nature
EVs: 252HP/156Def/100Sp. Def
Crunch/Pursuit
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Ice Beam/Stealth Rock/Fire Blast


The EV spread listed is mainly to maximize its mixed walling capabilities and ability to switch into attacks and hit back hard. A great example of how well this takes hits is that it can take less than 50% from Aegislash's Sacred Sword, a marvelous feat considering it hits for x4, and OHKO in return with the appropriate move. Crunch is to deal with Defog-carrying Latios or Latias, or you can opt to carry Pursuit if punishing them on the switch out is more your style. Tyranitar can switch into any of their sets with impunity as, even from a Life Orb-boosted Latios, Tyranitar will take no more than 25% from Draco Meteor or Surf.

Stone Edge is the primary attacking move on this set, as it can take out Talonflame and hurt most tough Pokémon on the switch in, being both STAB-boosted and backed by Mega T-tar's 164 base attack. Theoretically, Rock Slide could be used if you are genuinely afraid of missing at that crucial moment, but because this set does not invest in attack it won't hit nearly as hard as you want it to, making it an inferior choice in most cases. Earthquake is used for destroying all Heatran and Bisharp switch-ins and is generally a reliable move to use for those low HP kills - plus it gives you the option to hit Aegislash without activating King's Shield.

Ice Beam is the last move on this set and the sole reason to run a Sassy nature over a Careful nature. The most common switch-ins to Tyranitar are Gliscor and Landorus-T, both of which are heavily punished by exploiting their x4 weakness to Ice type attacks and their weaker Special Defenses. If you not worried about either of those, you can run Fire Blast to hurt Ferrothorn and Skarmory, or switch to the Careful nature to run Stealth Rock.

When building a team with a bulky Tyranitar set, here are some other Pokémon to keep in mind. Tyranitar's largest problem as a tank is its lack of recovery. By running the Mega Stone you obviously forfeit Leftovers recovery, and while the tyrant can take a hit like a champion, these attacks will leave their toll on the dinosaur over the course of a long battle. The best thing you can do to solve this problem is to pair Tyranitar with a sturdy Wish Passer/Cleric. While the most obvious candidate is Blissey or Chansey, as they can pass Wishes larger than anyone else in the game, they have the same weakness to Fighting that Tyranitar has. The Pokémon I prefer to use for the tyrant’s partner is Specially Defensive Clefable (set to come at a later date) as, with its Fairy typing, it can absorb the Fighting and Bug type moves so commonly directed at Tyranitar. It can pass fairly large wishes and can use Aromatherapy if the tyrant king’s attack is crippled by burn, or if it finds itself on the wrong end of an unfortunate status move.

Because Tyranitar summons sandstorm on the switch-in, you should consider other Pokémon who benefit from the sandstorm when building your team. A fantastic example is Excadrill, who can use the sandstorm to sweep with a Sand Rush set or use a Mold Breaker-Rapid Spin set to remove the hazards Tyranitar dislikes so much. For similar reasons, Donphan is a fun Pokémon to play with. Another great teammate is Skarmory, who is immune to the sandstorm and enjoys the residual damage on opponents. It can also switch into every Earthquake aimed at Tyranitar.

Pokémon to look out for: Tyranitar's number 1 enemy this generation is Conkeldurr. All the investment you put into bulk does nothing to stop the stone-wielding ape from stealing all of Tyranitar's HP with Drain Punch. Technician Breloom can always Mach Punch its way right through its powerful defenses and threaten to put an ally to sleep on the switch-out. As mentioned earlier, Landorus-T and Gliscor threaten with Earthquake, but will be cautious on the switch-in because of Ice Beam. Azumarill won't switch into any of Tyranitar's moves, but if it gets free switch-ins, it can force the tyrant out and use the opportunity to set up a Belly Drum, which even the mighty Tyrant King cannot withstand.

Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! I hope you take a look at this set and you can find some use for it.

- Alltheginjoints