Bulky Excadrill (Analysis) (GP 2/2)

Finally, Jibaku posted his opinion. I think Defensive Excadrill should be added, I used it too for a long time and it did really well. Besides Groudon, stall actually lacks something to take out Defensive Excadrill quickly, Giratina-O loses in rain. Lugia can't touch defensive Excadrill LOL

I think some Defense EVs are worth it on the Defensive set because it helps Excadrill avoid a 2HKO from Scarf Zekrom's Outrage, since Excadrill can come in on Zekrom this might be worth a mention. Keep in mind without Attack EVs, Ferrothorn, Groudon, Kyogre will annoy Excadrill much more :(

Jibaku forgotten Excadrill beats Steel Arceus since even with Will-O-Wisp, Excadrill can set up to +6 and rip Arceus apart. Excadrill also doesn't loses outright to Ho-Oh unlike Forry or Tenta :P
 
Defensive Excadrill is certainly worth an analysis. It fills many valuable niches for rain teams in particular, many of them being vital. It beats most Dialga, Zekrom and Giratina-O whilst providng a very handy electric immunity. It's ability to spin is much more reliable than that of most other common spinners, and just keeping it above 60% health almost guarentees a spin.
 
So I tried out the Defensive set and it performs far better than it looks on paper much like Gliscor. I opted for Jibaku's second spread since i found it more useful and Sand is difficult to keep up and Terrakion is rather rare anyway. I'll post more stuff later after some more testing.
 
I just noticed this in excadrill's analysis:

Excadrill is a phenomenal Pokemon, and the only reason it isn't banned is because it has weaknesses that can be exploited and there still exist Pokemon that can beat it.
 
Just a couple of nitpicks.
You named the bulky set swords dance...
And there is no slash between rapid spin and swords dance on the bulky set.
 
Personally, I would actually put the Shadow Claw slash in on Rock Slide for Bulky Excadrill. Whenever I used Bulky Excadrill, I felt that Swords Dance was something it should always have so it can still deal a decent amount of damage to more defensive stuff like Ferrothorn. I would also like you to mention in the overview that Excadrill in Ubers is quite different than it was when it was allowed in OU, as in its usually a bulky offensive rapid spinner (but can still sweep in the sand)
 
Just here to say that you should mention Mold Breaker, sandstorm is almost nowhere so it can be better to use it for Gira-O/Ti@s. Also, why are you talking about +2 Shadow Claw when you slashed Shadow Claw and Swords Dance on the same moveslot ?
 
I think the sand spread should be

136 HP / 152 SDef / 220 Spe with a Jolly nature

this means that Excadrill will outspeed Timid Choice Scarf Darkrai in sand, im not sure about the other 2, but the speed is very cruicial, as it outspeeds Timid Choice Scarf Shaymin-S, I'm not sure about the other EVs, as I don't know if you want power or the ability to always be 3HKOd by Timid Darkrai's Dark Pulse before a NP. The other EVs i really need help with.
 
On the Sand SD set you wrote "It is also resistant to all forms of entry hazards." <- Assuming Air Balloon.


js, you need only 216 Speed EVs along with Jolly Nature to outrun Scarf Skymin, and I think that should be AC at best.
 
This is marked as DONE but the first set is still in bullets. It would be cool to get this on site soonish since Excadrill still has an OU analysis despite being Uber.
 
Giratina is actually a decent counter to Excadrill, unless Will-O-Wisp misses too much. Since the main set is Bulky Swords Dance, a +2 Earthquake can't even 2HKO Giratina, while a burn will screw Excadrill up.

Giratina-O, although loses to Bulky Excadrill outside of the sun, it beats Offensive Excadrill without Shadow Claw. If Giratina-O chooses to use Earthquake, it becomes one of the best checks to Excadrill.

Cresselia is rare but she can wall Offensive Excadrill with Reflect.

Grass Arceus resists Earthquake, and can crush Excadrill with Ice Beam
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Ice Beam tickles Bulky Excadrill. Should be Fire Blast or Flamethrower, assuming it isn't raining which Judgment does more damage otherwise.
 
I'm sorry for sitting on this. I was busy these past 2-3 days with school and shit but lets forget excuses ! I've finally got that done and do we get QC checks now ? Or do we directly GP ? Personally, I'd like QC members to go through it so that we can be sure that I left nothing out.
 
I thought this has gone through QC already o_0. Just one or two nitpicks:

However, this mole is extremely frail and will not be taking a hit anytime soon, weaknesses to common Water-, Ground-, and Fire-type further compounding this problem.
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and then we have "Bulky Excadrill as the main set? Sounds kind of contradictory to me. Maybe something like "while Excadrill's bulk is usable, do not expect it to take very hard hits for you, especially with his Water-, Ground-, and Fire-type weaknesses".

Other than that, it looks fine, if you want it:

QC approved (1/3)
 
Yes I know that QC is already done, but maybe mention at least in OO Choice Band ? With this good attack and good enough movepool, it could work. Also, unlike Offensive Swords Dance it doesn't rely as much on speed, as you may use one of resistances to switch in and fire off attack. Or even mention Sand Force (with bulkier spread with enough speed EVs to outspeed minimum 90's) and how it overpowers Groudon EQ, which is something with Sandstorm support and it still hurts without it. And surprise factor is always nice.

And

Since Excadrill absolutely needs sandstorm to sweep, Tyranitar is a necessity.
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I would also mention Hippowdon, especially when he has almost done Uber analyses.
 
I know this is done already, but in the Dream World section you should say Mold Breaker is a lot more useful than sand rush and sand force on the bulky set once it is release, instead of saying it is inferior. Speaking of sand force, I think it deserve a mention in the bulky set, sandstorm is rare in uber, but in the situation where your opponent is using it, I think both abilities are equally useful since sometimes you may prefer the power. It is not like Excadrill need the speed to sweep anyway.
 
Deletions
Additions / Corrections
Comments

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Although the Uber tier has some incredibly powerful Ground-type tanks and sweepers such as Groudon and Garchomp, this newcomer mole cannot be easily overlooked. With a frightening high (base 135 is hardly high by Ubers standards) 135 base Attack and an ability which doubles its decent base 88 Speed in sandstorm, Excadrill is a terrifying sweeper. Swords Dance is the icing on the cake, pumping and pumps Excadrill's already high Attack stat to insane levels. It has the perfect typing for a sweeper too, being immune to both Thunder Wave and Toxic while being resistant to resistingStealth Rock. Its concise movepool comprises of all it needs to sweep and also allows it to act as a decent offensive Rapid Spin user. While Excadrill's bulk is usable, do not expect it to take very hard hits for you, especially with his its Water-, Ground-, and Fire-type weaknesses. Furthermore, sandstorm is rather hard to maintain in Ubers due to the ubiquity of Kyogre and Groudon. In spite of all this, one would do well not to underestimate our little mole.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Excadrill
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Rock Slide / Shadow Claw
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Adamant
evs: 176 HP / 60 Atk / 252 SpD / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>I know you're thinking that this is probably an April Fool's joke or something of that sort, but it isn't. Bulky Excadrill is quite the viable Pokemon in Ubers, and most players will agree that it is quite more useful than its more offensive variant. Although, Excadrill might seem terribly unsuited to the role of a bulky spinner, it has some extremely subtle qualities that help it perform well in its thisrole. First off, comes its incredible typing that gives it an immunity to both Toxic and Thunder Wave as well as a lovely Dragon-type resistance. In a metagame where Dragon-types are everywhere, this can be incredibly useful. Apart from that, Excadrill is surprisingly bulky and though its Defense might seem lackluster, its special bulk is greater than that of Forretress who is popularly used as a Rapid Spinner in Ubers. Lastly, it is an effective check to Pokemon who give most teams nightmares, such Bulk Up Dialga, Giratina-O, and Dark Arceus.</p>

<p>Furthermore, Excadrill is probably the only Rapid Spin user in Ubers capable of giving stall nightmares since no Pokemon on a standard Stall team apart from Groudon can really beat Excadrill it. Giratina-O, the most popularly commonly used spinblocker, actually loses to Excadrill since Hidden Fire will not even 3HKO Excadrill in rain, while Shadow Claw can 2HKO. Rapid Spin is the primary option since Bulky Excadrill aims to be a dedicated spinner (this is obvious) while Earthquake, Rock Slide and Shadow Claw are excellent attacking options is the obligatory STAB, hitting many threats hard off the bat. Swords Dance can help in certain situations, and even leads to a the occasional sweep. Shadow Claw as mentioned makes Excadrill an excellent check to Giratina-O, but Rock Slide also makes a viable option for the last moveslot with its better coverage; Excadrill's excellent offenses also allow it to bag easy Rapid Spins since nothing likes taking a boosted Rock Slide in the face.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV set may spread might look like the coefficients on the binomial theorem, but the main purpose is to balance out Excadrill's defenses. The leftover EVs are distributed into put mainly in Attack, with the tiny investment in and just enough Speed serving to outspeed uninvested base 90 Speed Pokemon like base 90s such as Kyogre lacking investment in Speed. This EV spread is mainly for use on rain teams, but if you want to use Excadrill on a sand team, an EV spread of 64 HP / 252 SpD / 192 Spe can work as well; it It has enough Speed to outspeed Choice Scarf Terrakion, and the rest of the EVs are placed in bulk.</p>

<p>It must be noted that Excadrill is not meant to be used like the standard Uber. It has a distinctive niche and fills that particular niche quite well. Excadrill fills the role of a crucial offensive Rapid Spin user on a rain team. Though, Excadrill really likes the Sand boost to its Speed under sand, but it has good synergy on a rain team thanks to its Thunder immunity and ability to spin away entry hazards consistently. The rain also diminishes Excadrill's Fire-type weakness, and allowing it to walk all over Giratina-O lacking Earthquake. Excadrill also destroys Bulk Up Dialga as well as most Palkia and Zekrom variants, which can be a menace to most rain teams. Since Groudon can just laughs at all Excadrill can do and crushes it with Earthquake, Kyogre is extremely helpful since it scares off Groudon with its powerful Water-type moves. Grass Arceus is also helpful since it can check both Groudon and Kyogre. Latias can easily stomach a Water Spout from Kyogre, and is also immune to Earthquake; After a Calm Mind, Dragon Pulse will inflict a massive amount of damage on Groudon Dragon Pulse wrecks Groudon after a Calm Mind. Apart from these, most offensive Pokemon commonly used on rain teams enjoy Excadrill's spinning prowess, especially Choice Scarf users like such as Palkia, since they can keep flitting in and out of battle.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Shadow Claw / Rapid Spin
item: Life Orb / Air Balloon
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>After a Swords Dance, Excadrill reaches a mammoth 738 Attack with a Jolly nature, or it reaches a frightening 810 with Adamant. Thanks to its excellent ability, Excadrill's Speed doubles in sandstorm, allowing it to outspeed every non-Scarfed Pokemon in the game other than Deoxys-S. If using a Jolly nature, Excadrill hits 604 Speed, while with Adamant, it sits at an impressive 550 Speed, still enough to outspeed Deoxys-S, the fastest unboosted Pokemon in the game.</p>

<p>A +2 STAB Earthquake will dent anything not resisting it, and even Support Groudon takes a hefty 61.6% - 72.8% from Jolly Excadrill, making it a sure 2HKO. Rock Slide hits all Pokemon resistant to Ground-type moves, with the notable exception of Skarmory and Bronzong. The last move is mainly filler and depends on what Excadrill wants to hit. Shadow Claw will easily 2HKO Giratina-O, who otherwise can check Excadrill quite well, as Rock Slide will never 2HKO without Stealth Rock. X-Scissor does nice damage to Mewtwo and other Psychic-types such as Deoxys-S. Excadrill is probably the best offensive Rapid Spin user, and can Spin away hazards easily. It is also resistant to all forms of entry hazards Rapid Spin can also go in the last slot, as Excadrill makes a fantastic offensive Rapid Spin user; it resist Stealth Rock, and with Air Balloon, it is also immune to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread is meant to maximize Excadrill's Attack and Speed, while the leftover EVs are put in HP. Air Balloon allows Excadrill to switch into Choice-locked Ground-type attacks and set up a Swords Dance on the switch. On the other hand, Life Orb grants Excadrill a significant amount of power at the cost of 10% recoil damage. However, it must be noted that Excadrill can only 2HKO Groudon with a boosted Earthquake if equipped with a Life Orb. Adamant is the preferred nature, since it allows Excadrill to do insane amounts of damage after only a single Swords Dance. However, while using Air Balloon, Jolly is the preferred nature since Excadrill loses those important KOs without Life Orb anyways. X-Scissor can also be used to check Grass Arceus and Psychic-types such as Mewtwo and Deoxys-S, but its use is pretty situational.</p>

<p>Since Excadrill absolutely needs sandstorm to sweep, Tyranitar is a necessity. It sets up the precious sandstorm, and when equipped with a Choice Band, it can check quite a lot of Pokemon such as Giratina-O thanks to its fantastic Dark-type STAB. Grass Arceus can check Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, and Ground Arceus easily, and therefore makes a good teammate. Lastly, Stealth Rock support is much desired, since it allows Excadrill to OHKO 252 / 0 Kyogre after a boost. Lugia also fails to check Excadrill, only because of Stealth Rock. Deoxys-S can set up Stealth Rock reliably with it blazing Speed. Tyranitar can also set up Stealth Rock reliably.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>Excadrill has a rather shallow movepool, so it doesn't have many viable options outside of the ones mentioned. X-Scissor can be used over Shadow Claw to get a harder hit on Psychic-types and Grass Arceus, but Excadrill loses precious coverage against Giratina-O. Toxic can also be used to cripple walls such as Lugia who laugh at most of Excadrill's moves.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>There are quite a few Pokemon who can check Excadrill. Skarmory can wall Excadrill with ease, as it is immune to Earthquake and laughs at Excadrill's other moves. Skamory It can then Roost off the damage if required, or can even phaze out Excadrill with Whirlwind. Bold Lugia can check Excadrill provided Stealth Rock are off the field. Bold Lugia is also the better choice since Excadrill will be outpacing Timid Lugia most of the time. Giratina can just burn Excadrill and phaze it out, while it taking pittance from even boosted Earthquakes. Gliscor can completely wall the mole thanks to Poison Heal, excellent physical bulk, and immunity to Earthquake. Cresselia is rare, but it can stop offensive variants of Excadrill with Reflect.</p>

<p>Offensive Kyogre or Groudon with enough investment in Speed can switch in and remove the sandstorm from play, thus negating Excadrill's Sand Rush ability. Then They can then proceed to destroy Excadrill with Surf or Earthquake, respectively. Rayquaza ignores Sand Rush thanks to Air Lock, and can OHKO Excadrill with Fire Blast. Grass Arceus resists Earthquake, and can crush Excadrill with Judgment. Fighting or Ground Arceus can live one boosted Earthquake and destroy Excadrill with Judgment Fighting, Grass, and Ground Arceus can survive a boosted Earthquake, and destroy Excadrill with Judgement. Defensive Normal Arceus, though rare, survives any attack from Excadrill, and can burn neuterit with Will-O-Wisp.</p>

[DREAM WORLD]

<p>Excadrill gets Mold Breaker via Dream World, which ensures that its attacks hit in spite of abilities. This means that Levitate users such as Bronzong can no longer wall Excadrill. Unfortunately, its utility stops there, as Excadrill is unable to fully utilize this excellent ability due to its sub-par 88 base Speed, which leaves Excadrill it prone to being outpaced and KOed by every offensive force in the tier.</p>

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GP 1 / 2
 
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