[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 11-12 points
**Overview**: Azelf is a fast attacker that takes advantage of its diverse movepool and balanced attacking stats to also be a strong revenge killer and offensive pivot. Although it is frail and often suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, its revenge killing capabilities more than make up for it, and it can fit on a variety of teams. However, its offensive stats can often be underwhelming against bulkier teams, and it is heavily reliant on coverage, making it difficult for it to hit multiple Pokemon effectively, especially Dark- and Steel-types.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Fast Pivot**: Having a Speed tier that allows it to outspeed and revenge kill many other fast Pokemon, Azelf is a viable revenge killer with or without a Choice Scarf. It can also use U-turn to pivot on incoming checks while dealing respectable damage.
**Offensive Utility**: Azelf has plenty of utility moves it can use to take advantage of its foes and incoming checks. It can use Encore on a slower foe, Thunder Wave to inhibit incoming checks, Trick to give foes a disruptive item, Stealth Rock to set up entry hazards, or pivot into its teammates, which can take advantage of the utility that Azelf provides.
**Sacrificial Lead**: Thanks to its high Speed and access to Stealth Rock, Azelf can serve as a sacrificial lead that can safely get entry hazards up and prevent them from being removed thanks to Explosion.
**Setup Sweeper**: Thanks to its access to Nasty Plot as well as Mystical Power, Azelf can sweep slower teams, though it can be difficult for it to set up due to its poor defensive stats.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Zen Headbutt, Psycho Cut, Mystical Power
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Taunt, Thunder Wave, U-turn, Light Screen, Reflect, Stealth Rock, Trick, Knock Off
**Coverage**: Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam, Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Iron Tail, Drain Punch, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Play Rough, Draining Kiss
Niche Moves
========
**Explosion**: Used most commonly on Focus Sash lead sets, Explosion can be used to deal massive damage while preventing foes from removing the Stealth Rock Azelf sets up. Even outside of lead sets, Explosion is a viable move thanks to Azelf's naturally high Attack.
**Future Sight**: Azelf benefits from pivoting around a lot, so forcing its foes into potentially unfavorable matchups to avoid the huge damage output Future Sight has can be an option.
**Endeavor**: An alternative to Explosion, Focus Sash sets can run Endeavor to do more reliable damage while keeping the option to set Stealth Rock up again.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Azelf functions best when it is able to switch the moves it uses, so an item like Expert Belt that allows it to do so while still putting out a lot of damage works well. Choice Specs and Choice Band are also both options, but they are far less viable.
**Choice Scarf**: Being able to revenge kill most fast Pokemon, Choice Scarf Azelf is a tried-and-true set. Choice Scarf can also be given to walls that want to switch in or slower checks with Trick to benefit it and its teammates.
**Focus Sash**: Due to Azelf's frailty, it almost always requires a Focus Sash on entry hazard lead sets to ensure Stealth Rock is set.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Azelf is usually KOed by even non-STAB super effective moves, so a resistance Berry can offset some KOs.
**Light Clay**: As one of the fastest dual screens setters, Azelf also has a niche of not being a common setter, meaning opponents are often caught off guard.
Tera
========
Azelf is a good Tera Captain, but it is not as reliant on it as other Pokemon, and it is outclassed by higher-tiered Tera Captains. It typically uses offensive Tera types such as Tera Electric to boost damage from its Electric-type coverage moves while also benefitting from its Ground immunity in Levitate and Tera Fairy to boost its Fairy-type coverage moves while shedding its Dark and Bug weaknesses. Despite that, Azelf functions just as well without being a Tera Captain, meaning that it is typically better to leave that slot open for Pokemon that take better advantage of it.
Draft Strategy
========
Azelf is an enabler for other Pokemon and works best on offensively-oriented drafts that can take advantage of Azelf's fairly unique role in a team. Fitting a speed tier that every team strives to have, Azelf can fit on many teams.
**Wallbreakers**: Thanks to its access to U-turn, Azelf pairs well with other wallbreakers such as Chi-Yu and Palafin that can handle its checks. It additionally benefits from wallbreakers that can also pivot, such as Meowscarada, Scizor, and Tornadus-T.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Azelf appreciates entry hazards, since it often struggles OHKOing foes without prior chip damage. Hazard setters like Great Tusk, Glimmora, and Iron Treads pair well with Azelf.
**Defensive Backbone**: Since Azelf is extremely frail, it appreciates being paired with bulky Pokemon that can take threatening hits, like Tornadus-T, Ting-Lu, and Gholdengo.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Pokemon / Priority**: Faster Pokemon like Meowscarada and Greninja can use U-turn and KO Azelf before it has the chance to do anything, while priority users like Scizor and Palafin can revenge kill Azelf with little to no prior chip damage.
**Walls**: Although Azelf has a plethora of coverage options available to it, the special alternatives are generally stronger or more reliable; however, it has a tough time breaking through Pokemon like Tinkaton and Scream Tail that can shrug off its special coverage while running a special set, forcing it to run physical coverage or Psyshock rather than other necessary moves.
**Steel-types**: While Azelf has Fighting- and Fire-type coverage, it often does not want to predict, especially on Choice sets, making it easy for Steel-types like Heatran and Gholdengo to effectively check it.
**Bulky Dark-types**: Even slower Dark-types such as Chi-Yu and Ting-Lu can usually shrug off Azelf's coverage for them and KO it back with their super effective Dark-type STAB moves.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 11-12 points
**Overview**: Azelf is a fast attacker that takes advantage of its diverse movepool and balanced attacking stats to also be a strong revenge killer and offensive pivot. Although it is frail and often suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, its revenge killing capabilities more than make up for it, and it can fit on a variety of teams. However, its offensive stats can often be underwhelming against bulkier teams, and it is heavily reliant on coverage, making it difficult for it to hit multiple Pokemon effectively, especially Dark- and Steel-types.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Fast Pivot**: Having a Speed tier that allows it to outspeed and revenge kill many other fast Pokemon, Azelf is a viable revenge killer with or without a Choice Scarf. It can also use U-turn to pivot on incoming checks while dealing respectable damage.
**Offensive Utility**: Azelf has plenty of utility moves it can use to take advantage of its foes and incoming checks. It can use Encore on a slower foe, Thunder Wave to inhibit incoming checks, Trick to give foes a disruptive item, Stealth Rock to set up entry hazards, or pivot into its teammates, which can take advantage of the utility that Azelf provides.
**Sacrificial Lead**: Thanks to its high Speed and access to Stealth Rock, Azelf can serve as a sacrificial lead that can safely get entry hazards up and prevent them from being removed thanks to Explosion.
**Setup Sweeper**: Thanks to its access to Nasty Plot as well as Mystical Power, Azelf can sweep slower teams, though it can be difficult for it to set up due to its poor defensive stats.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Zen Headbutt, Psycho Cut, Mystical Power
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Taunt, Thunder Wave, U-turn, Light Screen, Reflect, Stealth Rock, Trick, Knock Off
**Coverage**: Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam, Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Iron Tail, Drain Punch, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Play Rough, Draining Kiss
Niche Moves
========
**Explosion**: Used most commonly on Focus Sash lead sets, Explosion can be used to deal massive damage while preventing foes from removing the Stealth Rock Azelf sets up. Even outside of lead sets, Explosion is a viable move thanks to Azelf's naturally high Attack.
**Future Sight**: Azelf benefits from pivoting around a lot, so forcing its foes into potentially unfavorable matchups to avoid the huge damage output Future Sight has can be an option.
**Endeavor**: An alternative to Explosion, Focus Sash sets can run Endeavor to do more reliable damage while keeping the option to set Stealth Rock up again.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Azelf functions best when it is able to switch the moves it uses, so an item like Expert Belt that allows it to do so while still putting out a lot of damage works well. Choice Specs and Choice Band are also both options, but they are far less viable.
**Choice Scarf**: Being able to revenge kill most fast Pokemon, Choice Scarf Azelf is a tried-and-true set. Choice Scarf can also be given to walls that want to switch in or slower checks with Trick to benefit it and its teammates.
**Focus Sash**: Due to Azelf's frailty, it almost always requires a Focus Sash on entry hazard lead sets to ensure Stealth Rock is set.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Azelf is usually KOed by even non-STAB super effective moves, so a resistance Berry can offset some KOs.
**Light Clay**: As one of the fastest dual screens setters, Azelf also has a niche of not being a common setter, meaning opponents are often caught off guard.
Tera
========
Azelf is a good Tera Captain, but it is not as reliant on it as other Pokemon, and it is outclassed by higher-tiered Tera Captains. It typically uses offensive Tera types such as Tera Electric to boost damage from its Electric-type coverage moves while also benefitting from its Ground immunity in Levitate and Tera Fairy to boost its Fairy-type coverage moves while shedding its Dark and Bug weaknesses. Despite that, Azelf functions just as well without being a Tera Captain, meaning that it is typically better to leave that slot open for Pokemon that take better advantage of it.
Draft Strategy
========
Azelf is an enabler for other Pokemon and works best on offensively-oriented drafts that can take advantage of Azelf's fairly unique role in a team. Fitting a speed tier that every team strives to have, Azelf can fit on many teams.
**Wallbreakers**: Thanks to its access to U-turn, Azelf pairs well with other wallbreakers such as Chi-Yu and Palafin that can handle its checks. It additionally benefits from wallbreakers that can also pivot, such as Meowscarada, Scizor, and Tornadus-T.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Azelf appreciates entry hazards, since it often struggles OHKOing foes without prior chip damage. Hazard setters like Great Tusk, Glimmora, and Iron Treads pair well with Azelf.
**Defensive Backbone**: Since Azelf is extremely frail, it appreciates being paired with bulky Pokemon that can take threatening hits, like Tornadus-T, Ting-Lu, and Gholdengo.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Pokemon / Priority**: Faster Pokemon like Meowscarada and Greninja can use U-turn and KO Azelf before it has the chance to do anything, while priority users like Scizor and Palafin can revenge kill Azelf with little to no prior chip damage.
**Walls**: Although Azelf has a plethora of coverage options available to it, the special alternatives are generally stronger or more reliable; however, it has a tough time breaking through Pokemon like Tinkaton and Scream Tail that can shrug off its special coverage while running a special set, forcing it to run physical coverage or Psyshock rather than other necessary moves.
**Steel-types**: While Azelf has Fighting- and Fire-type coverage, it often does not want to predict, especially on Choice sets, making it easy for Steel-types like Heatran and Gholdengo to effectively check it.
**Bulky Dark-types**: Even slower Dark-types such as Chi-Yu and Ting-Lu can usually shrug off Azelf's coverage for them and KO it back with their super effective Dark-type STAB moves.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
