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DPPt/HGSS New special attacker
- Thread starter Nim
- Start date
Grass or Water special attackers....the most obvious choices, for both speed and decent power, are Starmie for Water and, as you yourself mentioned, Sceptile for Grass. Sceptile is slightly quicker and slightly more powerful than Starmie, and also gets an ability that aids its power (Overgrow,) but Starmie's coverage vastly outstrips that of Sceptile, and it also gets a lot of very handy support and status moves such as Thunder Wave, Confuse Ray, Recover and Rapid Spin.
Ruko
Bearded Trout Warrior
This might not be what you're looking for since Shaymin is banned in some places, and not at all easy to get to if you didn't have access to the wifi event a while back, but it's the best grass-type attacker I know of. Bulky, Fast and Powerful all balanced into one package.
Shaymin @ Choice Scarf
Modest Nature
Natural Cure
-Seed Flare
-Air Slash [Tutor in Platinum while Sky Forme]
-Earth Power
EVs: 136 HP, 252 Sp. Atk, 116 Speed
The choice scarf requires some prediction skills, but there aren't many pokemon safe from seed flare. The better side of this set is that several pokemon think they're safe [Blissey for instance] when they really aren't.
EVs allow for you to outspeed pokemon up to base 130 speed as well as beat Heatran to the punch even if it has a choice scarf. You can sacrifice HP EVs for more speed if you feel the need.
Seed Flare is the primary focus here, sporting 180 power after STAB and a 40% chance to not just reduce your opponent's special defense, but halve it. Special walls without an outright resistance to grass won't be alive for very long.
Air Slash will cover fellow grass types and also combos with choice scarf well due to the flinch chance.
Earth Power will threaten fire and steel types that may switch in.
If you're willing/capable of getting a good hidden power on Shaymin, then it'll probably be the best for the last slot. If not, then the next best choices are Rest, Grasswhistle and Sleep Talk. You won't find many chances to use any of these, but it's better to have even a slim chance at getting use out of a move than taking only three attacks into battle ;P
Rest might help Shaymin stay alive longer, and combos well with natural cure. Send Shaymin in on either a helpless opponent or anything else you know will switch away and use rest. Switch Shaymin out and the sleep will be cured by its ability.
Sleep Talk allows Shaymin to absorb sleep even better than just with natural cure alone. You'll be forced into a switch after you wake up, but otherwise a decent choice.
Grasswhistle high risk and high return. 55% accuracy isn't worth using in my opinion, but Shaymin does have enough bulk to live through basic attacks even if it misses the first go.
Shaymin @ Choice Scarf
Modest Nature
Natural Cure
-Seed Flare
-Air Slash [Tutor in Platinum while Sky Forme]
-Earth Power
EVs: 136 HP, 252 Sp. Atk, 116 Speed
The choice scarf requires some prediction skills, but there aren't many pokemon safe from seed flare. The better side of this set is that several pokemon think they're safe [Blissey for instance] when they really aren't.
EVs allow for you to outspeed pokemon up to base 130 speed as well as beat Heatran to the punch even if it has a choice scarf. You can sacrifice HP EVs for more speed if you feel the need.
Seed Flare is the primary focus here, sporting 180 power after STAB and a 40% chance to not just reduce your opponent's special defense, but halve it. Special walls without an outright resistance to grass won't be alive for very long.
Air Slash will cover fellow grass types and also combos with choice scarf well due to the flinch chance.
Earth Power will threaten fire and steel types that may switch in.
If you're willing/capable of getting a good hidden power on Shaymin, then it'll probably be the best for the last slot. If not, then the next best choices are Rest, Grasswhistle and Sleep Talk. You won't find many chances to use any of these, but it's better to have even a slim chance at getting use out of a move than taking only three attacks into battle ;P
Rest might help Shaymin stay alive longer, and combos well with natural cure. Send Shaymin in on either a helpless opponent or anything else you know will switch away and use rest. Switch Shaymin out and the sleep will be cured by its ability.
Sleep Talk allows Shaymin to absorb sleep even better than just with natural cure alone. You'll be forced into a switch after you wake up, but otherwise a decent choice.
Grasswhistle high risk and high return. 55% accuracy isn't worth using in my opinion, but Shaymin does have enough bulk to live through basic attacks even if it misses the first go.
I have no idea how I managed to overlook Shaymin, but...yeah, Shaymin is also very much viable. I'd say it's better than Sceptile overall, but I wouldn't consider it to be better than Starmie since Starmie's versatility and superior coverage is more beneficial overall than Shaymin's bulkiness would be, but that's just me.
Depends on what type out of the two you need most - if Grass is more beneficial to you than Water, I'd go with Shaymin over Starmie regardless.
Depends on what type out of the two you need most - if Grass is more beneficial to you than Water, I'd go with Shaymin over Starmie regardless.
Ruko
Bearded Trout Warrior
Basically what he said XD
It's largely whether your team needs grass or water more between the two. Shaymin has the ability to tear through special walls thanks to Seed Flare, but lacks the speed [barring choice scarf] and coverage Starmie has.
Starmie has more versatility and boltbeam coverage in addition to it's STAB. Starmie can also use rapid spin, as well as the same access to Natural Cure that Shaymin has, just less survivability overall.
It's largely whether your team needs grass or water more between the two. Shaymin has the ability to tear through special walls thanks to Seed Flare, but lacks the speed [barring choice scarf] and coverage Starmie has.
Starmie has more versatility and boltbeam coverage in addition to it's STAB. Starmie can also use rapid spin, as well as the same access to Natural Cure that Shaymin has, just less survivability overall.