[SET]
Chien-Pao @ Choice Band
Ability: Sword of Ruin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Crunch
- Sacred Sword / Sucker Punch
- Ice Shard / Sucker Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high offensive stats, strong STAB combination, and access to priority moves, Choice Band Chien-Pao is one of the metagame's deadliest wallbreakers and revenge killers. On top of possessing a valuable Speed tier to threaten and chase out common tier staples like Roaring Moon, Meowscarada, and Iron Boulder, it has the immediate power to 2HKO would-be checks like physically defensive Manaphy, Corviknight, and Skarmory after Stealth Rock, even Fluffy variants of the latter two thanks to Icicle Crash's non-contact nature. Sacred Sword nails Kingambit, Cobalion, and opposing Chien-Pao super effectively and pressures Steel-types like Empoleon, Heatran, and Iron Treads harder. Either priority moves allows Chien-Pao to revenge kill faster and boosted threats like Latios, Sandy Shocks, and Hisuian Electrode, with Ice Shard also handling foes like Roaring Moon, Great Tusk, and Meowscarada, while Sucker Punch targets non-Psychic Surge Deoxys-S, Gholdengo, and Volcarona hard at the cost of being more punishable for being locked into.
Chien-Pao fits well on bulky offense and offense teams. it loves being paired with slow pivots like abc that not only can bring it in safely into the field, but also switch into and check foes like abc that can otherwise threaten it out. corv in particular also remove hazards to mitigate chien-pao's weakness to entry hazards, esp rocks. its own hazards from teammates like are also beneficial to put foes like abc into its ko range. special breakers like moth etc can complement it by taking care of physical walls like abc, with chienpao dealing with abc for them in return. late-game cleaners like abc can sweep late-game more easily once chien-pao has weakened the opposition.
defensive pivots, switches into things and brings it in safely
special breakers, puts pressure on physical walls (so they dont come in click roost and id and win)
late game cleaners
hazard control (setters and removers) cause this cat hates rocks
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.102/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Adaptability can be used on non-Sacred Sword sets to still obtain a similar power boost while allowing Chien Pao's teammates like Choice Scarf Roaring Moon or Swords Dance Ceruledge to run the ability instead at the cost of being more vulnerable to other Sword of Ruin users like opposing Chien-Pao. it doesn't reveal its ability right away, unlike SoR, but not sure if it's relevant? Lash Out is an option on the Choice Band set to immediately dent Intimidate users like Corviknight and Skarmory on the switch. Psychic Fangs is another option for Choice Band variants to punish Zamazenta on the switch harder, potentially 2HKO a would-be check in physically defensive Primarina after Stealth Rock, and remove dual screens set by foes like Regieleki, letting its team matchup better against dual screens hyper offense teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
physical walls: primarina, intim metal birds
revenge killers: zama, psysurge deoS, slither wing, and scarfers like abc (just dont get too low into shard/sucker range)
entry hazards: Cb sets gets screwed by hazards, especially rocks
Chien-Pao @ Choice Band
Ability: Sword of Ruin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Crunch
- Sacred Sword / Sucker Punch
- Ice Shard / Sucker Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high offensive stats, strong STAB combination, and access to priority moves, Choice Band Chien-Pao is one of the metagame's deadliest wallbreakers and revenge killers. On top of possessing a valuable Speed tier to threaten and chase out common tier staples like Roaring Moon, Meowscarada, and Iron Boulder, it has the immediate power to 2HKO would-be checks like physically defensive Manaphy, Corviknight, and Skarmory after Stealth Rock, even Fluffy variants of the latter two thanks to Icicle Crash's non-contact nature. Sacred Sword nails Kingambit, Cobalion, and opposing Chien-Pao super effectively and pressures Steel-types like Empoleon, Heatran, and Iron Treads harder. Either priority moves allows Chien-Pao to revenge kill faster and boosted threats like Latios, Sandy Shocks, and Hisuian Electrode, with Ice Shard also handling foes like Roaring Moon, Great Tusk, and Meowscarada, while Sucker Punch targets non-Psychic Surge Deoxys-S, Gholdengo, and Volcarona hard at the cost of being more punishable for being locked into.
Chien-Pao fits well on bulky offense and offense teams. it loves being paired with slow pivots like abc that not only can bring it in safely into the field, but also switch into and check foes like abc that can otherwise threaten it out. corv in particular also remove hazards to mitigate chien-pao's weakness to entry hazards, esp rocks. its own hazards from teammates like are also beneficial to put foes like abc into its ko range. special breakers like moth etc can complement it by taking care of physical walls like abc, with chienpao dealing with abc for them in return. late-game cleaners like abc can sweep late-game more easily once chien-pao has weakened the opposition.
defensive pivots, switches into things and brings it in safely
special breakers, puts pressure on physical walls (so they dont come in click roost and id and win)
late game cleaners
hazard control (setters and removers) cause this cat hates rocks
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.102/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Adaptability can be used on non-Sacred Sword sets to still obtain a similar power boost while allowing Chien Pao's teammates like Choice Scarf Roaring Moon or Swords Dance Ceruledge to run the ability instead at the cost of being more vulnerable to other Sword of Ruin users like opposing Chien-Pao. it doesn't reveal its ability right away, unlike SoR, but not sure if it's relevant? Lash Out is an option on the Choice Band set to immediately dent Intimidate users like Corviknight and Skarmory on the switch. Psychic Fangs is another option for Choice Band variants to punish Zamazenta on the switch harder, potentially 2HKO a would-be check in physically defensive Primarina after Stealth Rock, and remove dual screens set by foes like Regieleki, letting its team matchup better against dual screens hyper offense teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
physical walls: primarina, intim metal birds
revenge killers: zama, psysurge deoS, slither wing, and scarfers like abc (just dont get too low into shard/sucker range)
entry hazards: Cb sets gets screwed by hazards, especially rocks
Last edited:
