7-star Tera Grass Serperior raid event (Sept. 20-22, 27-29)

doipy hooves

doipy hooves

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I think Azumarill takes this.

I actually feel like Contrary is actually kind of a nerf for Serperior in terms of peak threat level because it can't even use any of its varied boosting moves like Coil or Calm Mind even if it wanted to. In terms of moveset Serperior has literally no special options to hit Azumarill with other than Hyper Beam and Swift, and its physicals aren't that much more threatening.
 
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Why do i feel that all it will take is skill swap / gastro acid and then watch it be harmless

Edit: also Skeledirge very likely just shits on this? Sure you have to eat paralysis from Glare but other than that what's it going to do, Dragon Pulse to tickle you?
252+ SpA Tera Grass Serperior Dragon Pulse vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skeledirge: 62-73 (15 - 17.7%) -- possible 6HKO
252+ SpA Tera Grass Serperior Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skeledirge: 94-111 (22.8 - 26.9%) -- 39.8% chance to 4HKO

Meanwhile you straight up pepega on its face even at +0 ...
0 SpA Skeledirge Torch Song vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Tera Grass Serperior: 198-234 (68 - 80.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Turn 0 Shield to stop all that ability swap nonsense is like 90% happening.

A funny and more silly thing GF could do is give Serp Calm Mind & Giga Drain and Turn 0 it use Leaf Storm. People would think it had Leaf storm in it's normal moveset and try to get rid of it's ability only to then realize that Serp isn't even running Leaf Storm and it calm mind boost to high heaven.
 
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Imagine someone thinking they need to reverse that stat changes so they bring the Skill Swap user they brought for other 7 Star Raids... and then facepalming after realize the reason their Skill Swap user isn't working is because both Pokemon have Contrary.

More seriously, Galarian Weezing sounds like an easy win unless Serperior knows Gastro Acid for some reason.
 
Gastro Acid is, along with Glare, like the one tactic Serperior could do to be annoying and its gameplan is so basic you can make the honest play of just running the Ability Shield to counter it.

I'm guessing it'll be a timer based action.
 
Serperior's coverage is balls. I can totally see it running two Grass moves, perhaps Giga Drain or Energy Ball alongside Leaf Storm. Dragon Pulse is definitely a given. The hell would its last move be? Glare would be annoying af. Could perhaps use a physical move like Body Slam or Breaking Swipe. Really shocked they didn't go Tera Dragon or even Tera Fire + Tera Blast for this.

I can't see Skeledirge not being the #1 pick overall. All you really need is Torch Song, and Protect for the player stat reset turn (or just use Ability Shield + Slack Off to dodge potential Gastro Acid). Its other two moves are kinda filler, perhaps a stronger Fire move alongside Torch Song.

The scary moves for me are Taunt (again), Glare, and Gastro Acid.
 
Glare is tecnically "dodgeable" by running tera electric and saving a heal cheer for post-tera.
I don't really think it's worth it though. I think you can just... deal with the paralysis.

Also, I'm not even sure that'd matter. Usually the AI tends to go for speed lowering attacks only if you're faster, and there's no universe where Skeledirge is faster than Serperior.
 
Iron Tail is a plausible move for them to include here, at least giving it neutral damage against Azumarill and super effective against G-Weezing. As an added bonus, if someone does use Skill Swap or Neutralizing Gas to get rid of Contrary so that it nerfs itself to -6 with Leaf Storms in everyone's lane, the physical attack at least won't be affected by that.
 
SadisticMystic said:
Iron Tail is a plausible move for them to include here, at least giving it neutral damage against Azumarill and super effective against G-Weezing. As an added bonus, if someone does use Skill Swap or Neutralizing Gas to get rid of Contrary so that it nerfs itself to -6 with Leaf Storms in everyone's lane, the physical attack at least won't be affected by that.
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Leaf Storm is already super effective on Azumarill.
 
AztecCroc said:
Leaf Storm is already super effective on Azumarill.
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Quite sure anyone wanting to run Azumarill on this will use Sap Sipper.

SadisticMystic said:
Iron Tail is a plausible move for them to include here, at least giving it neutral damage against Azumarill and super effective against G-Weezing. As an added bonus, if someone does use Skill Swap or Neutralizing Gas to get rid of Contrary so that it nerfs itself to -6 with Leaf Storms in everyone's lane, the physical attack at least won't be affected by that.
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I wanted to make a counter point to this but man I underestimated how absolutely barren Serperior's movepool is once you take out Leaf Storm lol...

There's just... nothing else than Dragon and Grass moves.
And uuuh... I guess Knock Off, Aerial Ace and Swift :row:

Honestly I don't think they'll give it Iron Tail specifically for a given matchup, simply cause there's... nothing else to give.

Leaf Storm / Iron Tail / Dragon Pulse / Glare is just the only moveset I can even think of.

Could prolly have Taunt, Screens or Gastro Acid as extra moves but the movepool just isn't there lol
 
If they want to go the Leaf Storm spam route, they could start the battle with Knock Off and Gastro Acid. That sounds obnoxious and too specific to be actually chosen by Game Freak, but still in the realm of possibilities.

They could also take the stall route with Scale Shot + Mirror Coat. Scale Shot raises the defense while Mirror Coat invalidates any special attacker.

What is looking annoying is how either "too easy" or "too obnoxious" it will be. No in-between.
 
And I also don't really see Gastro Acid being used because Ability Shield is already a moderately common item to use in raid for mons that rely on their ability and can't afford that one turn of ability negation.

In the end I think that Unaware Skeledirge with Torch Song / Slack Off / Substitute / something and Ability Shield or Shell Bell probably just runs this over regardless of what moveset they opt for.
Similarly Sap Sipper Azumarill honestly, may be slower than your usual Huge Power route but still should eventually win (or alternatively provide strong enough support as well)
 
Chou Toshio said:
Delphox looks like it just goes NUTS.
-Skill Swap to steal Contrary
-Mystical Fire to Debuff Serperior (though it’ll be weakening itself probably)
-Overheat to boost with Contrary
-Sub to block Glare? Honestly whatever.
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Just run 76 in speed and you'll outspeed Serp by one. If Serp is +Speed natured, just change your nature to Timid and acquired same result. Now I'm hoping Delphox is a contender for this raid simply because I like making new raidmon.
 
RocketSurgery said:
Yeah, grass definitely feels like they were intending to do stellar tera to abuse contrary with tera blast and then remembered stellar raids aren't possible.
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I don't think gamefreak would want to give people stellar shards for free either.
Worldie said:
Also, I'm not even sure that'd matter. Usually the AI tends to go for speed lowering attacks only if you're faster, and there's no universe where Skeledirge is faster than Serperior.
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The AI loves to inflict status as a whole though regardless of its stats, as can be seen with the ally AI's tendency to spam it on shield.
Terimas said:
If Azumarill ends up being the popular choice, then Skill Swap Polteageist could once again be useful for providing defense drops with Weak Armor. Strength Sap could also be used to buff the Attack of your allies.
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A (competent) Azumarill should always be at +6 anyway so ideally it shouldn't need any extra attack boosts. If they don't have Belly Drum then they are probably a support or Huge Power in which case it doesn't really make a difference.
R_N said:
Gastro Acid is, along with Glare, like the one tactic Serperior could do to be annoying and its gameplan is so basic you can make the honest play of just running the Ability Shield to counter it.

I'm guessing it'll be a timer based action.
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I feel like if Gastro Acid happens it would have to be in the moveset for it to really matter, otherwise just hitting 1 random person that can just die to remove it feels like a non issue in the big picture. I feel like it would be an overly specific choice but there's nothing really better for it to do other than fast Taunt or something.
Vinc2612 said:
They could also take the stall route with Scale Shot + Mirror Coat. Scale Shot raises the defense while Mirror Coat invalidates any special attacker.
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I like this idea, this would be a funny Skeledirge stopper (until you go tera dark).
 
I suspect calm mind or coil on the main moveset will be likely. Serperior’s movepool is so terrible, and removing its ability (to boost by leaf storm) would cripple it so hard, that I fully expect it to have at least one spicy status move in its main moveset.

The AI is smart enough to not CM/coil/SD with Contrary. So the thinking might be for serperior to start boosting normally should its ability be suppressed.

Otherwise, I have no idea how this thing is going to fill a whole moveset.

Also, you can Doodle Contrary, and then the team can spam its own Contrary Overheat. Delphox skill swap (mentioned above) is a way to set it up yourself, but Grafaiai could lead to some funny team strats.
 
If no Gastro Acid

:SV/Mew:
Shell Bell
Tera Fire
252 SpD / 242 SpA / 16 Speed
Timid Nature

Flamethrower
Acid Spray
Struggle Bug
Skill Swap

If Gastro Acid

:SV/Skeledirge:
Ability Shield
Unaware
Tera Fire
252 SpD / 252 HP / 6 SpA
Calm Nature

Torch Song
Flamethrower
Sunny Day
Slack Off

Sleledirge seems easier while Mew seems faster. Also, I expect a turn 0 Leaf Storm. And if there is, Mew will have to fall once.

0+ SpA Contrary Tera Grass Serperior Leaf Storm over 2 turns vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Mew: 384-454 (112.6 - 133.1%) -- guaranteed KO in 2 turns

But if she doesn't have a turn 0 Leaf Storm, feel free to give him Overheat.
 
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Does Mold Breaker bypass Contrary? I.E. Can Mold Breaker Tinkaton make use of Skitter Smack?

Not that I expect that to be very practical, just curious.
 
Chou Toshio said:
Looks cool!
Probably Overheat > Flamethrower
Mystical Fire > Struggle Bug
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Mystical Fire isn't a TM in gen 9. Also I did say that Overheat is a good option so long as there's no turn 0 Leaf Storm.

Anyways, I don't know if it'll be viable, but I've got something for support.

:SV/Grumpig:
Leftovers
Ability doesn't matter
Tera Steel
252 SpD / 82 HP / 176 Speed
Timid Nature

Snarl
Mud Slap
Light Screen
Simple Beam

0+ SpA Serperior Leaf Storm vs. 82 HP / 252 SpD Grumpig: 90-106 (28 - 33%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

After using Simple Beam Leaf Storm will become a -4, and even if she chooses not to use it you still have Snarl for a -2 along with Mud Slap lowing accuracy by 2. You can also Simple Beam any allies (so long as they didn't use Skill Swap to gain Contrary) to make it quicker to buff them.
 
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