LC Alolan Meowth

Gummy

Gummy

...three, smiles go for miles!
taken over from fiend, who took it over from viper! approved by op on discord
original thread + the first 2 QC checks here: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/alolan-meowth-qc-1-3-gp-0-2.3593453/

qc: rowan / xayah / hilomilo
gp: lotiasite / fireflame

[OVERVIEW]

Alolan Meowth may seem hampered by its mediocre stats, but it has blazing Speed and access to Parting Shot, making it the fastest user of the move. It is also the fastest unboosted Dark-type in the tier, allowing it to lure in Pokemon like Spritzee and Timburr before using Parting Shot to bring in another teammate. Darkinium Z can turn Parting Shot into Z-Parting Shot, allowing Alolan Meowth to not only lower the foe's stats but also heal a teammate coming in, making it an excellent one-time pivot. Technician boosts the power of Alolan Meowth's main coverage move, Hidden Power Fighting, and Nasty Plot boosts its offensive prowess. However, Alolan Meowth is hampered by its fragility, subpar damage output, and lackluster movepool. While it helps get teammates into play, it is difficult to get into play itself and faces competition from other Dark-types like Nasty Plot Vullaby due to their better bulk and offensive presence.

[SET]
name: Z-Parting Shot
move 1: Parting Shot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Thunderbolt
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Parting Shot allows Alolan Meowth to pivot around, keeping up momentum and lowering the foe's offensive stats, while Z-Parting Shot can be used to fully heal a crucial teammate. Dark Pulse is Alolan Meowth's strongest STAB attack, OHKOing Gastly and 2HKOing Slowpoke, and Hidden Power Fighting provides decent coverage alongside Dark Pulse, hitting Dark-types super effectively and Fighting-types neutrally. Hidden Power Fighting also gets a nice boost in power from Technician. Taunt allows Alolan Meowth to prevent the use of status moves, stopping the likes of Dwebble and Surskit from setting up entry hazards and Pokemon that may use Alolan Meowth as setup bait, such as Timburr and Vullaby. Thunderbolt allows Alolan Meowth to have some offensive presence in the face of most Fairy-types and bulky Water-types like Mareanie, and it hits Vullaby as well.

Set Details
=========

200 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Alolan Meowth to hit its maximum Speed, outspeeding Pokemon like Doduo and Gastly. 200 Special Attack EVs give Alolan Meowth usable offensive presence, and Technician brings Hidden Power Fighting to a Base Power of 90. Darkinium Z gives access to Z-Parting Shot. The leftover EVs are invested into HP and Special Defense to make Alolan Meowth slightly bulkier.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth should be played in a hit-and-run manner, using Parting Shot when it can to keep up momentum. Z-Parting Shot should be used when a crucial teammate, such as a setup sweeper, needs its HP recovered. Parting Shot's ability to drop the foe's stats can give room for a teammate like Shellder or Scraggy to set up and sweep. If no teammates particularly need Z-Parting Shot but Alolan Meowth is about to faint, Dark Pulse can be turned into Black Hole Eclipse, which can be used as a last resort due to its damage output. Note that Z-Parting Shot only fully recovers HP and does not heal status conditions or restore PP. Z-Parting Shot also gives the opportunity for a teammate to wallbreak early-game, then come back to clean up after a heal. Be sure to use Taunt on a predicted status move, like Spore from Foongus or Stealth Rock from Onix. Since Alolan Meowth is frail, get it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch instead of switching it directly into attacks.

Team Options
==========

Sturdy Fighting-type checks are necessary. Snubbull is a good example, as it is able to keep up offensive momentum while benefiting from Z-Parting Shot. Shellder and Tirtouga can utilize Parting Shot to set up Shell Smash. Poison Jab Timburr can lure in and remove Fairy-types for Alolan Meowth, and it can also take advantage of Parting Shot's momentum and Z-Parting Shot's recovery. Fairy-type checks such as Foongus and Pawniard can ward off the Fairy-types that Alolan Meowth is vulnerable to with their Poison- and Steel-type STAB attacks.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Thunderbolt / Parting Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
ivs: 19 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Nasty Plot is used to set up in order to sweep an enemy team when counters are gone. STAB Dark Pulse OHKOes Slowpoke after Stealth Rock at +2 Special Attack. Technician-boosted Hidden Power Fighting hits Pawniard especially hard, as well as other Dark-types like Scraggy and Carvanha. Thunderbolt is Alolan Meowth's best third coverage option, hitting Fairy-types like Spritzee neutrally and having a nifty, though extremely unreliable, paralysis chance. Thunderbolt also hits Vullaby as well as bulky Water-types like Mareanie. Parting Shot allows Alolan Meowth to pivot when it's in danger and weakens the foe's offenses, but it makes it harder to sweep.

Set Details
=========

19 HP IVs allow Alolan Meowth to take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Maximum Speed is needed to outspeed threatening wallbreakers like Doduo and Gastly. Technician powers up Hidden Power Fighting, and Life Orb raises Alolan Meowth's offensive presence. 40 Special Defense EVs make Alolan Meowth less vulnerable to Croagunk's Vacuum Wave and resisted special attacks.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth's Dark Pulse and coverage moves can be used early-game to weaken switch-ins and its own checks. Hidden Power Fighting should be used to hit Dark- and Steel-types hard. As Pawniard gains +3 Attack from switching into Parting Shot, try to use Hidden Power Fighting on its switch in to avoid catastrophe. Nasty Plot should be used on forced switches, such as against Gastly and Pumpkaboo-XL, to try and sweep. It can also be used against setup bait like Slowpoke. Try not to switch Alolan Meowth directly into attacks, as it is quite frail. Instead, try to get it in safely with a slow pivot teammate.

Team Options
==========

Poison Jab Timburr helps lure in and weaken Spritzee and Cottonee, which Alolan Meowth struggles with. VoltTurn users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can be used to keep up momentum and get Alolan Meowth in play. Croagunk and Foongus also beat Timburr, Mienfoo, and Spritzee, which wall Alolan Meowth. Cottonee handles most Fighting-types well enough and can use Memento for setup opportunities. Diglett with Groundium Z can pick off unsuspecting Timburr; Diglett is also able to trap and remove Cottonee with Sludge Bomb and has access to Memento for even more support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Due to Technician, Alolan Meowth is able to have a 90-Base Power coverage option in Hidden Power of any type except for Fairy or Normal. Hidden Power Poison is one of the most appealing options, OHKOing Cottonee and 2HKOing Spritzee after Stealth Rock. However, this forces Alolan Meowth to use Thunderbolt to hit Pawniard, making it less than ideal. Hidden Power Ground still hits Pawniard, KOing it after a Nasty Plot boost and hitting Alolan Grimer as well. Hidden Power Flying can hit Mienfoo and Timburr hard on the switch but again makes Pawniard a problem. Physical Alolan Meowth sets can be somewhat appealing but are far weaker than their special counterparts and are generally done better by regular Meowth. Aerial Ace can hit Fighting-types and Cottonee, but it is weak and only a 2HKO on these Pokemon. Hypnosis can be handy to induce sleep on switch-ins, but its accuracy makes it incredibly risky, since if Alolan Meowth misses, it will be in a bad spot due to its fragility. Fake Out is another choice, as priority never hurts, but Alolan Meowth doesn't have the room to run it. Again, regular Meowth is a far better Fake Out user.

Checks and Counters
===========

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Mienfoo and Timburr resist Alolan Meowth's Dark Pulse and can deal a lot of damage back to it with their STAB moves. Croagunk resists both Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, so Alolan Meowth can only really touch it if running Thunderbolt.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Cottonee and Snubbull do not care about any of Alolan Meowth's attacks. They resist Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, which makes them very good switch-ins to Alolan Meowth, although some fear the pivot out into a trapper or counter. Spritzee, in particular, can take even a boosted Thunderbolt without issue and avoid Taunt thanks to Aroma Veil.

**Specially Defensive Tanks**: Pokemon like Munchlax and Alolan Grimer can switch into Alolan Meowth's special attacks fairly well and retaliate with strong STAB moves. Vullaby can also prove to be a nuisance if Thunderbolt is not used.

**Priority Users**: Alolan Meowth is very frail, so strong priority moves like Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave really hurt it.
 
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Overview
* You never really directly mention Nasty Plot here, which I think is pretty important. Find a way to fit it in, and say that it gives Alolan Meowth a decent amount of versatility alongside Parting Shot.
* You also need to reference Z-Parting Shot. That's one of the main perks that comes with using Alolan Meowth, so it's pretty important that you say it's a thing and then tell us what exactly it does.

SET: Z-Parting Shot

Moves
* You need to tell us more about what Parting Shot does. It is true that it generates momentum, but it also lowers both offensive stats of foes, so make sure to say that.
* When talking about Z-Parting Shot, specify that it fully heals a teammate.
* Give examples of common Pokemon hit hard by Dark Pulse.
* Make sure to mention that Hidden Power Fighting receives a boost from Technician.
* I think you should be a little more broad when talking about Taunt. To better generalize Taunt's use, say something like "Taunt allows Alolan Meowth to prevent the use of status moves, stopping the likes of Dwebble and Surskit from setting entry hazards and Pokemon that may use Alolan Meowth as setup bait, such as Timburr and Vullaby, from setting up."
* Also add that Thunderbolt hits bulky Water-types hard.

Usage Tips
* What exactly is a crucial teammate? Since that doesn't make much sense, I'd say a setup sweeper or potential late-game cleaner when talking about healing a teammate with Z-Parting Shot.
* 'Parting Shot's ability to drop the foe's stats can give room for a teammate to sweep' - say 'set up and sweep' and give examples of relevant Pokemon that fit this criteria.
* I wouldn't say 'in a pinch' when talking about appropriate times to use Blackhole Eclipse (btw call it that instead of Z-Dark Pulse). Instead, actually give good examples of scenarios in which you should use it. (if the usual target of Z-Parting Shot doesn't need their health restored and Alolan Meowth is about to faint)
* Say here that it should be noted that Z-Parting Shot doesn't recover status ailments.
* Say that with Z-Parting Shot, a teammate can wallbreak earlier on in the match then clean up later upon having their health restored.
* Talk about using Taunt here. Say that it should be used upon predicting that a foe is about to set up or lay hazards down, and give examples of mons that do those things.

Team Options
* Don't say Fighting-type counters, since there really are none. Just refer to them as checks.
* 'Foongus and Pawniard can deal with Fairy-types as well.' - I don't like the way this is worded. Say 'Fairy-type checks such as' then give examples, and then expand the sentence from there. It just seems that Foongus and Pawniard are the only means of dealing with Fairy-types the way you wrote it.

SET: NASTY PLOT

Moves
* Nasty Plot needs to be mentioned first here, as it's mentioned first in the set.
* Go more in depth about Dark Pulse. Give examples of some relevant Pokemon it hits hard after a boost.
* Hidden Power Fighting should also be talked about more beyond just hitting Pawniard hard. Give more examples of Dark-types, and say that it hits Dark-types.
* Saying that Thunderbolt hits Fighting-types neutrally isn't very useful information, as Hidden Power Fighting hits them neutrally as well. Just say that it hits Fairy-types neutrally, hits bulky Water-types super effectively, and hits Vullaby hard as well. Give examples of Fairy- and Water-types (don't use Slowpoke because its hit by Dark Pulse already).
* Say that Parting Shot can pivot Alolan Meowth out of dangerous situations.

Usage Tips
* Pawniard gains +2 from switching into Parting Shot, so change that.
* Also say that Nasty Plot can be used against targets that can't do much damage to Alolan Meowth, like Pumpkaboo-XL or Slowpoke.
* Say something about not directly switching Alolan Meowth into attacks and instead with pivot support or after a teammate has fainted (i'm lazy and forgot if i said this above, but if not do that in your other usage tips section)

Team Options
* Remove Pawniard with Steelium Z mentions. It doesn't usually use Steelium Z anyway, and would lose against Timburr regardless due to Mach Punch.

Other Options
* Remove the Rain Dance/Sunny Day mentions.

Checks and Counters
* Specifically mention Croagunk in the Fighting-type section. Say it resists Hidden Power Fighting, which allows it to wall Alolan Meowth unless it uses Thunderbolt.
* Change Spritzee in the Fairy-type line to 'Cottonee and Snubbull' and proceed to give Spritzee a specific mention (why I'm having you remove it). Spritzee needs to be mentioned specifically because it sponges even boosted Thunderbolts and is immune to Taunt by virtue of Aroma Veil.
* 'Priority users must be removed for an Alolan Meowth sweep to happen' - remove this sentence, it isn't necessary in this section.

This is a lot to implement, so please make sure all of it's been implemented, then give yourself 3/3.
 
It's definitely been at least a year since I did an amcheck! Luckily, this was pretty well done so there wasn't too much that needed to be changed.

ADD
REMOVE
(COMMENTS)

[OVERVIEW]

Alolan Meowth may seem hampered by its mediocre stats, but it has blazing Speed and access to Parting Shot, making it the fastest user of the move. It is also the fastest unboosted Dark-type in the tier, allowing it to lure in Pokemon like Spritzee and Timburr before using Parting Shot to bring in another teammate. Darkinium Z can turn Parting Shot into Z-Parting Shot, allowing Alolan Meowth to not only lower the foe's stats, but heal a teammate coming in, making it an excellent one-time pivot. Technician also boosts the power of Alolan Meowth's main coverage move, Hidden Power Fighting, and Nasty Plot boosts its offensive prowess. However, Meowth-Alola Alolan Meowth (stick to using "Alolan Meowth" for all of this, as that is the accepted form) is indeed hampered by its fragility, subpar damage output, and lackluster movepool. While it helps get teammates into play, it is difficult to get into play itself, and faces competition from other Dark-types like Nasty Plot Vullaby due to better bulk and more offensive presence.

[SET]
name: Z-Parting Shot
move 1: Parting Shot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power [Fighting] (no brackets should be used around Hidden Power typings)
move 4: Taunt / Thunderbolt
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Parting Shot allows for Alolan Meowth to pivot around, keeping up momentum and lowering the foe's offensive stats, while Z-Parting Shot can be used to fully heal a crucial teammate. Dark Pulse is Alolan Meowth's strongest STAB attack, hitting Gastly for an OHKO and Slowpoke for a 2HKO, while Hidden Power Fighting provides decent coverage alongside Dark Pulse, hitting Dark-types super(+space)effectively and Fighting-types neutrally. Hidden Power Fighting also gets a nice boost in power from Technician. Taunt allows Alolan Meowth to prevent the use of status moves, stopping the likes of Dwebble and Surskit from setting entry hazards and Pokemon that may use Alolan Meowth as setup bait, such as Timburr and Vullaby, from setting up. Thunderbolt allows Alolan Meowth to have some offensive presence in the face of most Fairy-types and bulky Water-types like Mareanie,(-comma) and it hits Vullaby as well.

Set Details
=========

200 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Alolan Meowth to hit its maximum Speed, outspeeding Pokemon like Doduo and Gastly. 200 Special Attack EVs give Alolan Meowth useable offensive presence, and Technician brings Hidden Power Fighting to a Base Power of 90. Darkinium Z gives access to Z-Parting Shot. The leftover EVs are invested into HP and Special Defense to make Alolan Meowth slightly bulkier.

Usage Tips
=========

Meowth should be played in a hit and run manner, using Parting Shot when it can to keep up momentum. Z-Parting Shot should be used when a crucial teammate, such as a setup sweeper, needs its HP recovered. Parting Shot's ability to drop the foe's stats can give room for a teammate like Shellder or Scraggy to set up and sweep. If no teammates particularly need Z-Parting Shot but Alolan Meowth is about to faint, Dark Pulse can be turned into Blackhole Hole Eclipse, which can be used as a nuke last resort (generally, "nuke" is too informal to be used in analyses as far as I know; if you can come up with a better word of your own choice to replace it with though, that'd be cool too) due to its damage output. Note that Z-Parting Shot only fully recovers HP and does not heal status conditions or restore PP. Z-Parting Shot also gives the opportunity for a teammate to wallbreak early-game(+hyphen), then come back to clean up after a heal. Be sure to use Taunt on a predicted status move, like Spore from Foongus or Stealth Rock from Onix. Since Alolan Meowth is frail, get it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch instead of switching it directly into attacks.

Team Options
==========

Sturdy Fighting-type checks are necessary. Snubbull is a good example, as it is able to keep up offensive momentum while benefiting from Z-Parting Shot. Shellder and Tirtouga can utilize Parting Shot to set up Shell Smash. Poison Jab Timburr can lure and remove Fairy-types for Alolan Meowth. Timburr is also able to take advantage of Parting Shot's momentum and Z-Parting Shot's recovery. Fairy-type checks such as Foongus and Pawniard can ward off Fairy-types that Alolan Meowth is weak to with their Poison- and Steel-type STAB attacks.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power [Fighting]
move 4: Thunderbolt / Parting Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
ivs: 19 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Nasty Plot is used for to set up in order to sweep an enemy team when counters are gone. Dark Pulse is a special STAB attack, OHKOing Slowpoke after Stealth Rock at +2 Special Attack. Hidden Power Fighting is Technician boosted, hitting Pawniard especially hard, as well as other Dark-types like Scraggy and Carvanha. Thunderbolt is Alolan Meowth's best 3rd third coverage option, hitting Fairy-types like Spritzee neutrally and has having a nifty,(+comma) though extremely unreliable,(+comma) paralysis chance. Thunderbolt hits Vullaby as well, which is extremely helpful, and as bulky Water-types like Mareanie. Parting Shot allows for Alolan Meowth to pivot when it's in danger and weakens the opponent's offenses, but makes it harder to sweep.

Set Details
=========

HP IVs should be decreased to 19, allowing Alolan Meowth to take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Maximum Speed is hit needed to outspeed threatening wallbreakers like Doduo and Gastly. Technician powers up Hidden Power Fighting, while Life Orb raises Alolan Meowth's offensive presence. Special Defense EVs make Alolan Meowth less vulnerable to Croagunk's Vacuum Wave and resisted special attacks.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth's Dark Pulse and coverage can be used early-game(+hyphen) to weaken switch-ins(+hyphen) and its own checks. Hidden Power Fighting should be used to hit Dark- and Steel-types hard. As Pawniard gains +2 Attack from switching into Parting Shot, try to use Hidden Power Fighting on it on the switch in to avoid catastrophe. Nasty Plot should be used on forced switches, such as against Gastly or Pumpkaboo-XL, to try and sweep. It can also be used against set-up bait like Slowpoke. Try not to switch Alolan Meowth directly into attacks, as it is quite frail. Instead, try to get it in safely with a slow pivot teammate.

Team Options
==========

Poison Jab Timburr helps lure in and weaken Spritzee and Cottonee, which Alolan Meowth struggles with. VoltTurn users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can be used to keep up momentum and get Alolan Meowth in play. Croagunk and Foongus also beat Timburr, Mienfoo, and Spritzee, which wall Alolan Meowth. Cottonee handles most Fighting-types well enough and can use Memento for set-up opportunities. Diglett with Groundium Z can pick off unsuspecting Timburr; Diglett is also able to trap and remove Cottonee with Sludge Bomb and has access to Memento for even more support.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Due to Technician, Alolan Meowth is able to have a 90 Base Power coverage option in Hidden Power of any type it would like except for Fairy. Hidden Power Poison is one of the most appealing options, OHKOing Cottonee and 2HKOing Spritzee after Stealth Rock. However, this forces Alolan Meowth to use Thunderbolt to hit Pawniard, making it less than ideal. Hidden Power Ground still hits Pawniard, KOing after a Nasty Plot boost and hitting Alolan Grimer as well. Hidden Power Flying can hit Mienfoo and Timburr hard on the switch in, but again makes Pawniard a problem. Physical Alolan Meowth sets can be somewhat appealing, but are far weaker than its their special counterparts. Physical sets are generally done better by regular Meowth. Aerial Ace can hit Fighting-types and Cottonee, but it is weak and only a 2HKO. Hypnosis can be handy to be a induce sleep on switch-ins to sleep (if this was meant to be interpreted in a different way, feel free to ignore this edit), but its accuracy makes it incredibly risky, since if Alolan Meowth misses it will be in a bad spot due to its fragility. Fake Out is another choice as priority never hurts, but Alolan Meowth doesn't have the room to run it. Again, regular Meowth is a far better Fake Out user.

Checks and Counters
===========

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Mienfoo and Timburr resist Alolan Meowth's STAB attacks and can deal a lot of damage back to it with the STAB moves that they carry. Croagunk resists both Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, so Alolan Meowth can only really touch it if it has Thunderbolt.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Cottonee and Snubbull do not care about any of Alolan Meowth’'s(-curled apostrophe, +reg apostrophe) attacks. They resist Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, which makes them a very good switch-in to Alolan Meowth, although some fear the pivot out into a trapper or counter. Spritzee, in particular, can take even a boosted Thunderbolt without issue and avoid Taunt thanks to Aroma Veil.

**Specially Defensive Tanks**: Pokemon like Munchlax and Alolan Grimer can switch into Meowth’'s(-curled apostrophe, +reg apostrophe) special attacks fairly well and retaliate back with strong STAB moves. Vullaby can also prove to be a nuisance if Thunderbolt is not used.

**Priority Users**: Alolan Meowth is very frail, so strong priority moves like Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, Vacuum Wave, and more really hurt Alolan Meowth.
Feel free to implement what you'd like from it, though I'm definitely a bit rusty. :)
 
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[OVERVIEW]

Alolan Meowth may seem hampered by its mediocre stats, but it has blazing Speed and access to Parting Shot, making it the fastest user of the move. It is also the fastest unboosted Dark-type in the tier, allowing it to lure in Pokemon like Spritzee and Timburr before using Parting Shot to bring in another teammate. Darkinium Z can turn Parting Shot into Z-Parting Shot, allowing Alolan Meowth to not only lower the foe's stats, but also heal a teammate coming in, making it an excellent one-time pivot. Technician also boosts the power of Alolan Meowth's main coverage move, Hidden Power Fighting, and Nasty Plot boosts its offensive prowess. However, Alolan Meowth is indeed hampered by its fragility, subpar damage output, and lackluster movepool. While it helps get teammates into play, it is difficult to get into play itself, (RC) and faces competition from other Dark-types like Nasty Plot Vullaby due to their better bulk and more offensive presence.

[SET]
name: Z-Parting Shot
move 1: Parting Shot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Thunderbolt
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Parting Shot allows for Alolan Meowth to pivot around, keeping up momentum and lowering the foe's offensive stats, while Z-Parting Shot can be used to fully heal a crucial teammate. Dark Pulse is Alolan Meowth's strongest STAB attack, hitting Gastly for an OHKO and Slowpoke for a 2HKO OHKOing Gastly and 2HKOing Slowpoke, while and Hidden Power Fighting provides decent coverage alongside Dark Pulse, hitting Dark-types super effectively and Fighting-types neutrally. Hidden Power Fighting also gets a nice boost in power from Technician. Taunt allows Alolan Meowth to prevent the use of status moves, stopping the likes of Dwebble and Surskit from setting up entry hazards and Pokemon that may use Alolan Meowth as setup bait, such as Timburr and Vullaby. Thunderbolt allows Alolan Meowth to have some offensive presence in the face of most Fairy-types and bulky Water-types like Mareanie and hits Vullaby as well.

Set Details
=========

200 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Alolan Meowth to hit its maximum Speed, outspeeding Pokemon like Doduo and Gastly. 200 Special Attack EVs give Alolan Meowth a usable offensive presence, and Technician brings Hidden Power Fighting to a Base Power of 90. Darkinium Z gives access to Z-Parting Shot. The leftover EVs are invested into HP and Special Defense to make Alolan Meowth slightly bulkier.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth should be played in a hit-and-run (AH) manner, using Parting Shot when it can to keep up momentum. Z-Parting Shot should be used when a crucial teammate, such as a setup sweeper, needs its HP recovered. Parting Shot's ability to drop the foe's stats can give room for a teammate like Shellder or Scraggy to set up and sweep. If no teammates particularly need Z-Parting Shot but Alolan Meowth is about to faint, Dark Pulse can be turned into Black Hole Eclipse, which can be used as a last resort due to its damage output. Note that Z-Parting Shot only fully recovers HP and does not heal status conditions or restore PP. Z-Parting Shot also gives the opportunity for a teammate to wallbreak early-game, then come back to clean up after a heal. Be sure to use Taunt on a predicted status move, like Spore from Foongus or Stealth Rock from Onix. Since Alolan Meowth is frail, get it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch instead of switching it directly into attacks.

Team Options
==========

Sturdy Fighting-type checks are necessary. Snubbull is a good example, as it is able to keep up offensive momentum while benefiting from Z-Parting Shot. Shellder and Tirtouga can utilize Parting Shot to set up Shell Smash. Poison Jab Timburr can lure in and remove Fairy-types for Alolan Meowth. Timburr is also able to, (AC) and it can also take advantage of Parting Shot's momentum and Z-Parting Shot's recovery. Fairy-type checks such as Foongus and Pawniard can ward off the Fairy-types that Alolan Meowth is weak vulnerable to with their Poison- and Steel-type STAB attacks.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Thunderbolt / Parting Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
ivs: 19 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Nasty Plot is used to set up in order to sweep an enemy team when counters are gone. Dark Pulse is a special STAB attack, OHKOing Slowpoke after Stealth Rock at +2 Special Attack. Hidden Power Fighting is Technician-(AH)boosted, hitting Hidden Power Fighting hits Pawniard especially hard, as well as other Dark-types like Scraggy and Carvanha. Thunderbolt is Alolan Meowth's best third (second?) coverage option, hitting Fairy-types like Spritzee neutrally and having a nifty, though extremely unreliable, paralysis chance. Thunderbolt also hits Vullaby as well as bulky Water-types like Mareanie. Parting Shot allows for Alolan Meowth to pivot when it's in danger and weakens the opponent's foe's offenses, but it makes it harder to sweep.

Set Details
=========

HP IVs should be decreased to 19, allowing 19 HP IVs allow Alolan Meowth to take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Maximum Speed is needed to outspeed threatening wallbreakers like Doduo and Gastly. Technician powers up Hidden Power Fighting, while and Life Orb raises Alolan Meowth's offensive presence. 40 Special Defense EVs make Alolan Meowth less vulnerable to Croagunk's Vacuum Wave and resisted special attacks.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth's Dark Pulse and coverage moves can be used early-game to weaken switch-ins and its own checks. Hidden Power Fighting should be used to hit Dark- and Steel-types hard. As Pawniard gains +2 Attack from switching into Parting Shot (technically, it gains +1), try to use Hidden Power Fighting on it on the switch in to avoid catastrophe. Nasty Plot should be used on forced switches, such as against Gastly or and Pumpkaboo-XL, to try and sweep. It can also be used against setup (RH) bait like Slowpoke. Try not to switch Alolan Meowth directly into attacks, as it is quite frail. Instead, try to get it in safely with a slow pivot teammate.

Team Options
==========

Poison Jab Timburr helps lure in and weaken Spritzee and Cottonee, which Alolan Meowth struggles with. VoltTurn users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can be used to keep up momentum and get Alolan Meowth in play. Croagunk and Foongus also beat Timburr, Mienfoo, and Spritzee, which wall Alolan Meowth. Cottonee handles most Fighting-types well enough and can use Memento for setup (RH) opportunities. Diglett with Groundium Z can pick off unsuspecting Timburr; Diglett is also able to trap and remove Cottonee with Sludge Bomb and has access to Memento for even more support.
(remove line break)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Due to Technician, Alolan Meowth is able to have a 90-Base Power (AH) coverage option in Hidden Power of any type except for Fairy (and normal). Hidden Power Poison is one of the most appealing options, OHKOing Cottonee and 2HKOing Spritzee after Stealth Rock. However, this forces Alolan Meowth to use Thunderbolt to hit Pawniard, making it less than ideal. Hidden Power Ground still hits Pawniard, KOing it after a Nasty Plot boost and hitting Alolan Grimer as well. Hidden Power Flying can hit Mienfoo and Timburr hard on the switch in, (RC) but again makes Pawniard a problem. Physical Alolan Meowth sets can be somewhat appealing, (RC) but are far weaker than their special counterparts. Physical sets and are generally done better by regular Meowth. Aerial Ace can hit Fighting-types and Cottonee, but it is weak and only a 2HKO (on what?). Hypnosis can be handy to induce sleep on switch-ins, but its accuracy makes it incredibly risky, since if Alolan Meowth misses it will be in a bad spot due to its fragility. Fake Out is another choice, (AC) as priority never hurts, but Alolan Meowth doesn't have the room to run it. Again, regular Meowth is a far better Fake Out user.

Checks and Counters
===========

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Mienfoo and Timburr resist Alolan Meowth's STAB attacks and can deal a lot of damage back to it with the STAB moves that they carry. Croagunk resists both Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, so Alolan Meowth can only really touch it if it has running ("it" is pretty obvious here, but it kept changing) Thunderbolt.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Cottonee and Snubbull do not care about any of Alolan Meowth's attacks. They resist Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, which makes them a very good switch-in to Alolan Meowth, although some fear the pivot out into a trapper or counter. Spritzee, in particular, can take even a boosted Thunderbolt without issue and avoid Taunt thanks to Aroma Veil.

**Specially Defensive Tanks**: Pokemon like Munchlax and Alolan Grimer can switch into Alolan Meowth's special attacks fairly well and retaliate back with strong STAB moves. Vullaby can also prove to be a nuisance if Thunderbolt is not used.

**Priority Users**: Alolan Meowth is very frail, so strong priority moves like Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave, and more really hurt Alolan Meowth.
good check gme :]
 
Thanks for the check, this is ready for 2/2. Also, I think Pawniard actually gets +3 from switching into Parting Shot, because its Attack gets lowered once which boosts it to +1, then its Special Attack is lowered which gives it +2.
 
Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

Alolan Meowth may seem hampered by its mediocre stats, but it has blazing Speed and access to Parting Shot, making it the fastest user of the move. It is also the fastest unboosted Dark-type in the tier, allowing it to lure in Pokemon like Spritzee and Timburr before using Parting Shot to bring in another teammate. Darkinium Z can turn Parting Shot into Z-Parting Shot, allowing Alolan Meowth to not only lower the foe's stats,(RC) but also heal a teammate coming in, making it an excellent one-time pivot. Technician also boosts the power of Alolan Meowth's main coverage move, Hidden Power Fighting, and Nasty Plot boosts its offensive prowess. However, Alolan Meowth is hampered by its fragility, subpar damage output, and lackluster movepool. While it helps get teammates into play, it is difficult to get into play itself and faces competition from other Dark-types like Nasty Plot Vullaby due to their better bulk and offensive presence.

[SET]
name: Z-Parting Shot
move 1: Parting Shot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Thunderbolt
item: Darkinium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Parting Shot allows Alolan Meowth to pivot around, keeping up momentum and lowering the foe's offensive stats, while Z-Parting Shot can be used to fully heal a crucial teammate. Dark Pulse is Alolan Meowth's strongest STAB attack, OHKOing Gastly and 2HKOing Slowpoke, and Hidden Power Fighting provides decent coverage alongside Dark Pulse, hitting Dark-types super effectively and Fighting-types neutrally. Hidden Power Fighting also gets a nice boost in power from Technician. Taunt allows Alolan Meowth to prevent the use of status moves, stopping the likes of Dwebble and Surskit from setting up entry hazards and Pokemon that may use Alolan Meowth as setup bait, such as Timburr and Vullaby. Thunderbolt allows Alolan Meowth to have some offensive presence in the face of most Fairy-types and bulky Water-types like Mareanie,(AC) and it hits Vullaby as well.

Set Details
=========

200 Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Alolan Meowth to hit its maximum Speed, outspeeding Pokemon like Doduo and Gastly. 200 Special Attack EVs give Alolan Meowth a usable offensive presence (offensive presence isn't really something that can be quantified), and Technician brings Hidden Power Fighting to a Base Power of 90. Darkinium Z gives access to Z-Parting Shot. The leftover EVs are invested into HP and Special Defense to make Alolan Meowth slightly bulkier.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth should be played in a hit-and-run manner, using Parting Shot when it can to keep up momentum. Z-Parting Shot should be used when a crucial teammate, such as a setup sweeper, needs its HP recovered. Parting Shot's ability to drop the foe's stats can give room for a teammate like Shellder or Scraggy to set up and sweep. If no teammates particularly need Z-Parting Shot but Alolan Meowth is about to faint, Dark Pulse can be turned into Black Hole Eclipse, which can be used as a last resort due to its damage output. Note that Z-Parting Shot only fully recovers HP and does not heal status conditions or restore PP. Z-Parting Shot also gives the opportunity for a teammate to wallbreak early-game, then come back to clean up after a heal. Be sure to use Taunt on a predicted status move, like Spore from Foongus or Stealth Rock from Onix. Since Alolan Meowth is frail, get it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch instead of switching it directly into attacks.

Team Options
==========

Sturdy Fighting-type checks are necessary. Snubbull is a good example, as it is able to keep up offensive momentum while benefiting from Z-Parting Shot. Shellder and Tirtouga can utilize Parting Shot to set up Shell Smash. Poison Jab Timburr can lure in and remove Fairy-types for Alolan Meowth, and it can also take advantage of Parting Shot's momentum and Z-Parting Shot's recovery. Fairy-type checks such as Foongus and Pawniard can ward off the Fairy-types that Alolan Meowth is vulnerable to with their Poison- and Steel-type STAB attacks.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Thunderbolt / Parting Shot
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Timid
evs: 200 SpA / 40 SpD / 200 Spe
ivs: 19 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========

Nasty Plot is used to set up in order to sweep an enemy team when counters are gone. STAB Dark Pulse is a special STAB attack,(RC) OHKOing (this is dex info) OHKOes Slowpoke after Stealth Rock at +2 Special Attack. Technician-boosted Hidden Power Fighting hits Pawniard especially hard, as well as other Dark-types like Scraggy and Carvanha. Thunderbolt is Alolan Meowth's best third coverage option, hitting Fairy-types like Spritzee neutrally and having a nifty, though extremely unreliable, paralysis chance. Thunderbolt also hits Vullaby as well as bulky Water-types like Mareanie. Parting Shot allows Alolan Meowth to pivot when it's in danger and weakens the foe's offenses, but it makes it harder to sweep.

Set Details
=========

19 HP IVs allow Alolan Meowth to take only 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Maximum Speed is needed to outspeed threatening wallbreakers like Doduo and Gastly. Technician powers up Hidden Power Fighting, and Life Orb raises Alolan Meowth's offensive presence. 40 Special Defense EVs make Alolan Meowth less vulnerable to Croagunk's Vacuum Wave and resisted special attacks.

Usage Tips
=========

Alolan Meowth's Dark Pulse and coverage moves can be used early-game to weaken switch-ins and its own checks. Hidden Power Fighting should be used to hit Dark- and Steel-types hard. As Pawniard gains +3 Attack from switching into Parting Shot, try to use Hidden Power Fighting on it on the its switch in to avoid catastrophe. Nasty Plot should be used on forced switches, such as against Gastly and Pumpkaboo-XL, to try and sweep. It can also be used against setup bait like Slowpoke. Try not to switch Alolan Meowth directly into attacks, as it is quite frail. Instead, try to get it in safely with a slow pivot teammate.

Team Options
==========

Poison Jab Timburr helps lure in and weaken Spritzee and Cottonee, which Alolan Meowth struggles with. VoltTurn users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can be used to keep up momentum and get Alolan Meowth in play. Croagunk and Foongus also beat Timburr, Mienfoo, and Spritzee, which wall Alolan Meowth. Cottonee handles most Fighting-types well enough and can use Memento for setup opportunities. Diglett with Groundium Z can pick off unsuspecting Timburr; Diglett is also able to trap and remove Cottonee with Sludge Bomb and has access to Memento for even more support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Due to Technician, Alolan Meowth is able to have a 90-Base Power (AH) (remove the "(AH)") coverage option in Hidden Power of any type except for Fairy or Normal. Hidden Power Poison is one of the most appealing options, OHKOing Cottonee and 2HKOing Spritzee after Stealth Rock. However, this forces Alolan Meowth to use Thunderbolt to hit Pawniard, making it less than ideal. Hidden Power Ground still hits Pawniard, KOing it after a Nasty Plot boost and hitting Alolan Grimer as well. Hidden Power Flying can hit Mienfoo and Timburr hard on the switch in but again makes Pawniard a problem. Physical Alolan Meowth sets can be somewhat appealing but are far weaker than their special counterparts and are generally done better by regular Meowth. Aerial Ace can hit Fighting-types and Cottonee, but it is weak and only a 2HKO on these Pokemon. Hypnosis can be handy to induce sleep on switch-ins, but its accuracy makes it incredibly risky, since if Alolan Meowth misses,(AC) it will be in a bad spot due to its fragility. Fake Out is another choice, as priority never hurts, but Alolan Meowth doesn't have the room to run it. Again, regular Meowth is a far better Fake Out user.

Checks and Counters
===========

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Mienfoo and Timburr resist Alolan Meowth's STAB attacks Dark Pulse (Dark Pulse is the only offensive STAB move mentioned) and can deal a lot of damage back to it with the their STAB moves that they carry. Croagunk resists both Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, so Alolan Meowth can only really touch it if running Thunderbolt.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Cottonee and Snubbull do not care about any of Alolan Meowth's attacks. They resist Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, which makes them a very good switch-ins to Alolan Meowth, although some fear the pivot out into a trapper or counter. Spritzee, in particular, can take even a boosted Thunderbolt without issue and avoid Taunt thanks to Aroma Veil.

**Specially Defensive Tanks**: Pokemon like Munchlax and Alolan Grimer can switch into Alolan Meowth's special attacks fairly well and retaliate with strong STAB moves. Vullaby can also prove to be a nuisance if Thunderbolt is not used.

**Priority Users**: Alolan Meowth is very frail, so strong priority moves like Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave really hurt Alolan Meowth it.
GP 2/2
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