DOU: On Choice Attackers throughout the Generations

By Memoric. Released: 2019/11/11.
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DOU Choice Attackers artwork

Art by MamOwOswine.

Introduction

Protect is widely touted as the DOU tier's most invaluable move, one that makes teams so distinctively Doubles at a glance of an importable. Shielding users from everything but a few status moves, it is a key tool in DOU play, as it grants players flexibility when it comes to positioning. Most attackers in doubles play are generally required to carry Protect in their kit, as its universality is simply too good to pass up; however, sometimes, simply being a typical attacker isn't enough. What if instead of versatility in defensive maneuvers, your Pokémon can have offensive capabilities they'd never achieve otherwise—more Speed to outrun threats they'd normally get punished by, or more power to crush foes at no cost to health?

What if you were given the choice?

On the Choice Item vs. Protect

Ironically, being pro-Choice in Smogon Doubles involves eschewing the use of protection; nevertheless, such items are functional to equip onto Pokémon, as they unlock different dimensions to their game. No longer bound to the mundane patterns of a typical hitter in DOU, they can leverage their improved offensive prowess for a different kind of tactical versatility. However, this comes at the cost of running Protect effectively, as being Choice-locked to the move would simply be a pitiful affair. Still, Smogon Doubles has had its fair share of prominent Choice attackers throughout its history, with some even reigning supreme as that generation's top dog like Choice Scarf Landorus-T in XY. It would be fair to say that Choice items have made a significant mark on metagames throughout the tier's storied existence.

As mentioned, running Choice items come at a significant opportunity cost: the ability to Protect. Thus, it is vital to weigh the benefits of running Choice against the costs—can this Pokémon get away with not being able to run Protect? Is the increased power or Speed something that will be more to my advantage in the long run? Running Choice items is a conscious decision towards a specific end; it is recognizing the fact that a Pokémon is much more effective for a team when it can outrun and pin down specific threats or when it can shatter foes with overwhelming force without the need for setup or Life Orb. Simply, it is knowing that the added utility or power is preferred over the flexibility that Protect brings.

Choice Attackers, in Practice

Choice attackers typically bear one of these two characteristics: they have wide coverage or they're powerful stats-wise. Now without the ability to switch moves, it will prove key for these attackers to be able to get away with relying on a single move; some of the more notable ones such as Zygarde can get away with spamming one move at a time, as resistances are not too common, while others like Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele can simply not care about the type chart and dent anything that comes in through sheer power. While getting the jump on faster foes and having amped-up power are two different things altogether, these varied Choice attackers follow the same principle in that they'll be relying on a single move at a time, making access to moves that cover a plethora of threats by themselves all the more beneficial.

Intuitively, access to pivot moves in U-turn and Volt Switch is quite a boon to Choice attackers. These moves allow these attackers to bail out while at the same time reaping the benefits of the respective Choice item essentially free of charge. They also provide plays for predicted switches or when securing KOs, which is handy for preventing a Pokémon from being caught out of position against a threat that it can't hit. However, access to these moves isn't necessary to be an effective Choice attacker; around half of the Pokémon prominently featured later on in this article don't, while one of them, despite having access, occasionally eschews it altogether. These Choice attackers can still utilize their strong neutral coverage or immense power to finesse ordinarily shaky matchups; Choice Band and Choice Specs users, in particular, get more neutral matchups in practice, with the boost in damage output allowing them to blow past resisting foes with less worry and thus giving them fewer reasons to bail.

At the core of it all, the use of Choice attackers is a skills test. It's something that requires foresight, both in the teambuilder and during the battle itself; it's recognizing ahead of time that what a Choice item brings to the table is much more viable than any kind of versatility that Protect can bring, and dealing with any consequences. The nature of being locked into a certain move entails predictability after the first hit; in an environment where decisions hinge on a number of variables, the Choice attacker being a constant can make decisions much more straightforward than they should be. At times, the fact that a slot on the field, with a not-so-bulky attacker, has no means of defending itself, can ultimately prove to be fatal. While the use of Choice items brings its own set of advantages, it can also be much more punishing with mistakes; with the player being complicit to this, it is then up to them to maximize the returns of such an investment. Ultimately, the use of Choice items is a game of knowing what to click and when.

Choice Band and Choice Specs

Emphasizing power above all else, users of Choice Band and Choice Specs put a premium on being able to surgically dismantle opposing teams. From Kyurem-B and its ability to destroy anything it touches, to Tapu Koko and the way it dissects teams as it comes in and out, these Choice users are simply powerhouses that take full advantage of the jacked-up power. Often, they rely on the combination of a strong STAB move and their boosted offensive stat to decimate foes; with them being Choiced, they prefer to have strong neutral coverage in just their STAB attacks alone, as they do not have the luxury of switching to a coverage move on a need basis.

For them, the best defense is a stalwart offense—they are able to circumvent the need for Protect by just destroying threats entirely, stifling any attempts to hit them outright. However, this is limited to their ability to get off their attacks, as they can easily become prey to a faster foe; with them not having Protect, the slot that they are in is essentially eating a hefty blow if ever they get caught out of position. Thus, it is important to put positioning to a premium when it comes to these hitters, supporting them with speed control or a partner that can check problematic foes.

Kyurem-B (BW)

Kyurem-Black

Already toting a massive base 170 Attack, Kyurem-B becomes such a pulverizing force when equipped with a Choice Band that it is widely regarded as BW DOU's top threat to watch out for. Dragon-type attacks in Gen 5 are nearly unresisted, with Fairy-type Pokémon yet to be introduced. Even more, Kyurem-B can still make Steel-types look like twigs despite them resisting Dragon, as it is capable of 2HKOing even Heatran and Scizor. The only things it has to watch out for are Intimidate users and faster foes such as Latios. As Kyurem-B resides at a middling Speed tier, it has to watch out for threats that can pin it down and prevent it from getting off a hit; thus, one of the better ways to support it is through speed control from the likes of Thundurus and Tailwind Latios.

Emphasizing raw power, Kyurem-B makes stellar use of Choice Band, as it allows it to invalidate anything it touches, even if it resists its attacks. The combination of stats, great neutral coverage, and a powerful move make Kyurem-B a prime Choice Band wielder. It doesn't have to rely much on coverage moves, as Outrage alone gets the job done; Dragon Claw is only for avoiding getting locked onto the field, Fusion Bolt is for getting around Steel-types and reaching for KOs on specific threats such as Jellicent, and Ice Beam is purely for Landorus-T. In a nutshell, Choice Band Kyurem-B's Outrage is basically BW DOU's delete button.

Talonflame (XY)

Talonflame

Fly as ever, Talonflame is one of XY DOU's strongest and most versatile attackers. Its signature ability in Gale Wings allows it to almost always go first when smashing foes with Brave Bird, giving it plenty of situational usefulness. On demand, it's capable of revenge killing, cleaning up a weakened foe, or pinning down a looming threat—all of these, regardless of field conditions. Flying is a great typing offensively with few relevant resisting threats, and Talonflame can always rely on Flare Blitz to get around them and others; among top threats that resist both Flying and Fire, Heatran is the only one that can reliably eat Talonflame's hits, with Mega Diancie held back by its paltry Defense. However, Landorus-T's omnipresence means that teams pretty much always have a way of stifling Talonflame's assault, which is significant, as it only already has a mere base 81 Attack to work with.

While a typical Life Orb set can allow Talonflame to be flexible, equipping it with a Choice Band can instead pave the way for an all-out avian offensive. With a Choice Band on, it can instead trade off the Life Orb recoil and the ability to switch moves for a higher boost to its Attack, which can help nab KOs at ranges Talonflame would never achieve otherwise (as well as mitigate Intimidate more). As Talonflame really needs just Brave Bird, which gives stellar neutral coverage by itself, and the sole relevant target for Flare Blitz is bulky Thundurus, investing on Speed is practically unnecessary; the given set instead boosts Talonflame's bulk, which allows it to keep attacking for longer and makes it comfortable eating some hits it wouldn't be able to otherwise. With Choice Band Talonflame, there is solace in knowing that a powerful hit will be coming its way to a foe of your choosing, inevitably and regardless of whatever tricks with speed control they may try.

Tapu Koko (SM)

Tapu Koko

Tapu Koko is widely considered as one of SM DOU's best attackers, boasting an electrifying combination of offensive prowess and Speed that makes it capable of pinning down nearly every threat in the metagame. Possessing great neutral coverage and being boosted by Tapu Koko's own Electric Terrain, its Electric-type moves are capable of smashing anything they hit; in conjunction with its base 130 Speed, which allows it to outrun nearly the entire unboosted metagame, Tapu Koko is feared as a Pokémon that always applies pressure every time it's on the field. If it's not taking out foes out of the picture, Tapu Koko often bails out with a strong Volt Switch that always leaves foes ripe for picking off at a later point in a match. The utility its Speed brings is ultimately what makes Tapu Koko a dominant force, as it can essentially pick the battles it wants to fight and cheat itself out of the ones it doesn't.

While typical Life Orb and Electrium Z sets have the luxury of protecting themselves as they consider whether to use Thunderbolt or Volt Switch out of the field, having a Choice Specs instead simplifies the entire dance entirely—it becomes either Thunderbolt when something is in range or Volt Switch when nothing is, all while every hit is amplified to a point that it's easier for Tapu Koko to mop up the next time it comes in. The increased damage also makes it more adept at nabbing KOs and avoiding any damage entirely, also enabling it to clean up with Dazzling Gleam late-game. Choice Specs allows Tapu Koko to eschew the recoil from Life Orb and the relative weakness of normal attacks from a Z set; instead, Tapu Koko only really has to give up Protect for the raw destructive power. Sure, it'll miss out on some defensive plays occasionally, but considering how Tapu Koko's Speed often makes it the aggressor, Protect is something it can comfortably live without.

Zygarde (SM)

Zygarde

By itself, Zygarde redefined the definition of the term "Ground resistance", thanks to its signature move Thousand Arrows, a Ground-type attack that actually hits Flying-types or foes with Levitate. Zygarde was always regarded as a respectable threat in DOU purely by the fact that it can do consistent damage regardless of matchup, with its spread Thousand Arrows essentially resisted by merely a few in the metagame. The move constantly allows Zygarde to start a party every time it's on the field; both of its prominent sets, Dragon Dance and Choice Band, hinge on the fact that they're boosting Thousand Arrows, which in turn makes Zygarde much more capable of putting opposing teams to the ground.

Both Dragon Dance and Choice Band sets are slow and methodical in their own right, leveraging Zygarde's bulk and ability to hit most foes to its advantage. Where they differ, however, is in the ends; while Dragon Dance aims to end a game outright, Choice Band instead focuses on making Zygarde a piece that systematically wears down and breaks the opposing squad. Choice Band takes full advantage of the fact that Zygarde solely needs Thousand Arrows, a spread attack with near-perfect neutral coverage, to get its job done; its other moves are purely situational and only a complement to Zygarde's role. If it's an opposing Pokémon, it will get hit and it will sting; the math is pretty simple with Choice Band Zygarde, a clicker's wet dream.

Choice Scarf

With more of a focus on finesse, Choice Scarf users utilize the additional Speed to complement their already capable toolkit in order to provide a unique brand of utility that's hard to come by. They have more of an emphasis on checking foes rather than acting as wincons; Choice Scarf users are handy for making opposing attackers put out of position, as they can easily find themselves KOed and rendered a non-factor. Choice Scarf users often have either a colorful moveset that can threaten to KO a multitude of relevant metagame threats at will or high power in their STAB moves that leverages their inherent nature of being a fast attacker—the best of the best have both. In addition to access to pivot moves, these are what essentially makes these Pokémon "make sense" as Choice Scarf users, to the point that it would be fair to scout for them.

Choice Scarf users leverage their Speed in a very supportive role, with the inability to use damage-related items putting a ceiling on their ability to be a primary attacker. These Pokémon are typically utility-minded picks in building teams, though there are key nuances to the Pokémon themselves that will be discussed later. As they are known to be typical users of Choice Scarf, there is a unique dynamic when playing with them; the Choice Scarf is in itself an expectation, as the item has seen prominence with the users featured below. The mere threat of a Choice Scarf can force out foes and is in itself something that can be capitalized on, and using Choice Scarf on a reasonable Pokémon that's not popularly known to run it, such as Tapu Bulu, can at times be a fruitful decision, especially in a best-of-one tournament scenario.

As an aside, BW DOU has no featured Choice Scarf user here. While they do exist, their usage is not as notable as the ones featured; this is because of the popularity of Thundurus and rain in the metagame, both of which makes them difficult to use. In addition, there are tricks to finding out whether or not a Pokémon is guaranteed to have Choice Scarf or not even if it hasn't made a move yet; the most textbook of these is checking the ability activation messages. At lead, for example, it can be good to check whether a Tapu Koko's Electric Surge goes before a Landorus-T's Intimidate, a Tapu Lele's Psychic Surge, or a Genesect's Download as they normally should; these abilities go by order of Speed, revealing a key bit of info from the get-go, and if something looks out of the ordinary, the possibility of Choice Scarf should be considered.

Landorus (XY, SM)

Landorus-Therian

(XY)

  • Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
  • Ability: Intimidate
  • EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
  • Adamant Nature
  • - Earthquake
  • - Rock Slide
  • - U-turn
  • - Superpower

(SM)

  • Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
  • Ability: Intimidate
  • EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
  • Modest / Timid Nature
  • - Earth Power
  • - U-turn
  • - Hidden Power Ice / Stealth Rock
  • - Stone Edge / Stealth Rock / Defog

The top dog in XY and a nifty utility pick in SM, Landorus-T has consistently enjoyed prominence throughout Smogon Doubles's history. Intimidate, undisputedly the best ability in DOU play, allows Landorus-T to shine with whatever set it wishes, providing it with universal utility that guarantees it'll have an impact in every battle. Landorus-T also has nifty defensive stats, typing that grants it decent defensive usefulness, and access to U-turn—putting it all together ultimately cements Landorus-T's identity as the end-all, be-all pivot in the two metagames it's in. This is, of course, not even mentioning yet its titanic base 145 Attack and offensive Ground typing, which has great coverage by itself; as a package, Landorus-T is a Pokémon that simply has no holes, an omnipresent force in both the XY and SM metagames.

Its Choice Scarf set in both metagames maximizes Landorus-T's ability to pivot to its fullest, offensively; the one lackluster aspect of Landorus-T's game, its base 91 Speed, gets patched up, making it now free to threaten foes off the rip. The XY variant can freely rely on its Ground-type STAB attack at times, with Earthquake off its Attack stat often doing quite a number; its coverage moves are there to pin more specific targets, with Rock Slide handy for the likes of Thundurus and Mega Charizard Y and Superpower for hitting Mega Kangaskhan hard. This set is more freewheeling in nature, capitalizing on Landorus-T's dominant qualities to put foes at bay; the SM incarnation, however, is more of a metagame-driven innovation. Its opting to a special set instead is motivated by Intimidate's omnipresence and Hidden Power Ice's coverage, and the set itself was made to target specific relevant threats in the metagame such as Mega Metagross, Tapu Koko, and Mega Manectric. Nevertheless, the key principle in using Landorus-T is still kept: proc Intimidate, check what needs to be checked, and U-turn out.

Tapu Lele (SM)

Tapu Lele

With a base 135 Special Attack and Psychic-type STAB move boosted by the Psychic Terrain it itself brings, Tapu Lele is one of SM DOU's most destructive forces. Both a strong attacker and a key player in the Terrain war, Tapu Lele is a powerful offensive piece that brings notable utility for its squad, most notably the prevention of Fake Out hitting it or its grounded teammates. Right off the bat, it can dish out punishing blows, as its offensive presence goes through the roof; even when its Psychic Terrain gets dispelled, opponents will easily find out that its attacks still sting. As an attacker, its one fatal flaw was its mere base 95 Speed, which, with its average defenses, leaves it open to one too many foe and simple enough to check offensively.

Though it is important to note that Tapu Lele has transitioned to a regular Taunt attacker role over time, a way that it has historically used to get around its Speed weakness is equipping a Choice Scarf. As a Choice Scarf user, Tapu Lele is now much more free to decimate faster foes, with the likes of Tapu Koko, Mega Manectric, and Mega Salamence now prey to a destructive hit to the dome; the added Speed does its job to allow Tapu Lele to get the jump on foes, which ultimately masks its defenses. In addition, the fact that it can solely rely on Psychic to do its job plays well in using Choice Scarf, as the inability to switch moves is not so missed; the other moves become relegated to effectively coverage moves for picking off specific foes, denting predicted switch-ins, or, in Dazzling Gleam's case, cleaning up a weakened opposition. Nature's Madness can be a handy tool once in a while to break down fat foes and targets that resist Tapu Lele's STAB attacks, combining well with other attacking teammates such as Deoxys-A and Mega Swampert. Overall, when Steel-types like Mega Metagross are taken out of the picture, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele can easily crumble a team to submission.

Genesect (XY, SM)

Genesect

(XY)

  • Genesect @ Choice Scarf
  • Ability: Download
  • EVs: 252 Atk / 64 SpA / 192 Spe
  • Naive Nature
  • - U-turn
  • - Iron Head
  • - Ice Beam
  • - Explosion

(SM)

  • Genesect @ Choice Scarf
  • Ability: Download
  • EVs: 164 Atk / 92 SpA / 252 Spe
  • Hasty Nature
  • - U-turn
  • - Iron Head
  • - Ice Beam
  • - Flamethrower / Gunk Shot

Nothing screams "Choice Scarfer" more than Genesect does—even when it gets used in BW DOU and up to now, Choice Scarf has always been the crux of Genesect's success. With access to a plethora of coverage moves, an ability in Download that gives it a boost every time it comes in, and STAB on the pivotal U-turn, Genesect is the complete package of what a Choice Scarf user should be. Indeed, its primary job has constantly been to keep in check the faster foes in the metagames it sees use in, from Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Mega Diancie, and Mega Gengar in XY to Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and +1 Zygarde in SM. Though bulkier, non-Choice Scarf sets have seen use in SM, Choice Scarf is typically the item attributed to Genesect the most; it's plenty adept at the job, being able to snipe specific threats as well as deal significant damage with STAB U-turn, which at the same time allows a Genesect player to keep momentum on their own side.

Its movepool is strikingly colorful, making it highly customizable depending on the relevant targets; Ice Beam is typically a mainstay simply due to how many notable threats are weak to it. The SM variant runs Flamethrower to hit Mega Metagross and Kartana, though occasionally it runs Gunk Shot to smash Alolan Guardians; the XY set, meanwhile, prefers Explosion on the last slot instead, as other coverage moves are unnecessary. Iron Head is a general-purpose STAB move for hammering foes in general, and U-turn allows Genesect to both maintain momentum as well as dish significant damage in one go. All of these attacks can find themselves boosted by Download, which adds all the more to Genesect's lethality. As a Choice Scarf user, Genesect maximizes all possibilities; it either destroys something with a coverage move or it pops something with U-turn, with both plays possibly boosted by Download. Either way, Genesect can find itself a winner with the possibly boosted hits it gets to dish.

Honorable Mentions

Of course, the Pokémon listed above are not the only relevant Choice users around; throughout Smogon Doubles, they have been the ones that represented Choice items the most, but they aren't the only ones that have tried them on. The ones listed below have seen their share of usage with a particular Choice item but just haven't made the cut to be featured in length above.

Choice Band and Choice Specs

Sylveon Sylveon is a notable Choice Specs user in XY, especially in conjunction with Mega Kangaskhan. Its Hyper Voice is capable of doing quite a number to a host of teams in the metagame, though it's held back by its mediocre Speed and Defense.

Tyrantar Tyranitar, at one point, ran Choice Band often enough in SM, during the time before USUM and Intimidate Incineroar and when Mega Gengar was still around. Now, though, the omnipresence of Intimidate and the rise of Mega Metagross makes using Tyranitar trickier.

Choice Scarf

Victini Victini is a particularly notable Choice Scarf user in XY and SM, even worthy of a feature above. Aside from its powerful V-create, what sets it apart is its Final Gambit; in combination with its base 100 HP and with a bit of EV investment, Victini can essentially delete anything it wants out of the game, making a battle a 5v5 that is often to its trainer's advantage, as they dictate which foe goes and when.

Tapu Bulu Tapu Bulu can utilize its powerful Grassy Surge-boosted Wood Hammer off base 130 Attack to obliterate anything it touches; plenty of horrible matchups (Mega Metagross, Incineroar, Mega Salamence) as well as the omnipresence of Intimidate make this set difficult to use, however.

Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B can make a dandy Choice Scarf user in XY, as it has great coverage, high offensive stats, and a Speed stat that allows it to get the jump on Choice Scarf Landorus-T. The presence of Fairy-types and Thundurus, though, stifles any presence that it may carry.

Tyranitar Tyranitar can make for a decent Choice Scarf user in BW, as it can then get the jump on base 110 Speed foes, effectively making it capable of hitting Latios, Volcarona, and Tornadus before they can move. Its Speed is a bit lacking still, though, and a Choice Scarf would necessitate full investment on Speed, compromising its ability to stay alive immensely.

Politoed Politoed often doesn't have much to do in BW after it sets rain in an unopposed weather war. Might as well make the most of it! It can run Choice Scarf in XY and SM as well, though this will compromise its longevity; this is important, as weather is non-permanent in these generations.

In Closing

Using Choice items is a commitment. As typical attackers in DOU are able to make full use of their versatility and access to Protect, Choice item users instead bring the extremes in returns when it comes to decisionmaking—a return that both takes full advantage of what the Pokémon is and unlocks what a Pokémon may never be able to do otherwise. There is victory in flexibility, for sure, and there equally is victory in the tactical advantages the Choice items offer. The use of Choice items is one way of building in Doubles that has stood the test of time and even evolved as time went on—now, on whether or not you should use these items, the Choice is yours.

HTML by Ryota Mitarai.
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