QC: Finchinator / PK Gaming / p2
GP: CryoGyro
[OVERVIEW]
* Empoleon functions as a bulky Water-type with amazing entry hazard control through access to Defog and Stealth Rock.
* It has a decent supportive movepool with access to Knock Off, Yawn, and Roar.
* A solid Water / Steel defensive typing gives Empoleon 10 resistances (notably to Water, Steel, Fairy, Dragon and 4x to Ice) along with an immunity to Poison, which compliments its natural bulk.
* A lack of reliable recovery outside of Rest makes Empoleon susceptible to chip damage.
* Empoleon is very passive, relying on spreading status effects quite a bit along with entry hazard control and phazing to avoid being setup fodder.
* Empoleon's typing makes it easily trapped by popular Pokemon such as Dugtrio and Magnezone.
* It faces competition from other bulky Water-types with access to entry hazard removal such as Mantine, Tapu Fini, and Starmie due to its lack of reliable recovery, weakness to Ground, and neutrality to Fire.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Defog
move 3: Toxic / Stealth Rock
move 4: Roar / Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers / Shuca Berry
ability: Torrent
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is essential for its STAB chip damage and 30% chance to burn.
* Defog is also mandatory since it provides your team with a form of entry hazard removal.
* Stealth Rock can be used if your team requires some form of entry hazards.
* Toxic is another notable option to deal with Pokemon that don't mind Scald such as Latios, Slowbro, and Volcanion.
* Roar is another option that helps deal with set up sweepers such as Manaphy, Calm Mind Clefable, and Kartana that can take advantage of Empoleon's passivity.
* Knock Off is also a possibility as relatively safe option for Empoleon to attack with, as it will be able to cripple item-reliant switch-ins such as Tapu Fini, Ferrothorn, and Chansey.
Set Details
========
* Leftovers is essential, as it is Empoleon's only form of recovery.
* The EVs maximize Empoleon's already great Special Defense stat in order to take hits from special attackers such as Heatran, Latios, and Greninja better. 248 HP EVs instead of 252 EVs allow Empoleon to take less residual damag by putting it at 371 HP, which is not divisible by 8 or 16. The rest of the EVs are thrown into Defense for added bulk.
* An alternative defensive spread of 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 SpD with a Bold nature enables Empoleon to take Earthquakes from Landorus-T, Dugtrio, and Excadrill as well as Fighting-type STAB moves from Breloom, non-Substitue + Focus Punch Buzzwole, and Conkeldurr while still being able to utilize either Leftovers or a resistance Berry. However, be aware that Pheromosa has a chance to OHKO Empoleon with High Jump Kick even with full Defense investment.
* Shuca Berry along with the alternative defensive spread enables Empoleon to take an Earthquake from Choice Band Dugtrio, Landorus-T or Excadrill and KO back with a Torrent-boosted Scald.
* Torrent is chosen over Defiant because Empoleon would not benefit from the Attack boosts at all. Torrent also allows Empoleon to fire off empowered Scalds if it gets low on HP.
Usage Tips
========
* Switch into Dragon-, Water-, and Fairy-types such as Latias, Manaphy, and Clefable to set up Stealth Rock or Defog entry hazards away.
* Take advantage of Empoleon's natural bulk and multitude of resistances by using it as a defensive pivot into Pokemon such as Toxapex, Clefable, and Latios.
* Avoid Knock Off and burns because they annul the recovery from Leftovers.
* Beware of entry hazard stacking, since Empoleon has no form of recovery outside of Leftovers. Empoleon also appreciates having a high amount of HP at all times.
* Limit how often Empoleon's switches in, because it does not appreciate chip damage. If Empoleon racks up too much damage, it will be unable to Defog or set up entry hazards reliably.
* Be mindful of Taunt users such as Mew, Azelf, Tapu Fini, and Skarmory that can outspeed and cripple Empoleon.
* Even though Empoleon does resist Psychic and Flying, be wary of switching into certain Psychic- and Flying-types such as Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, Mega Metagross, and Tornadus-T since they typically carry some form of Fighting-type coverage.
* Use Roar on anticipated switch-ins or Pokemon that try to set up on Empoleon such as Calm Mind Tapu Lele and Suicune.
* Scald is the safest option if you are unsure of what move your opponent is going to make. Keep in mind that burn only deals 1/16th of the target's maximum HP; using Toxic over Scald can be a better option at times. The threat of a Scald burn also discourages physical attackers from switching in.
Team Options
========
* Hazard Haters - Pokemon that dislike entry hazards on the field such as Mega Pinsir, Weavile, and Thundurus appreciate having them removed, giving them more opportunities to switch in.
* Fire-types - Heatran and Mega Charizard X help check Grass-types such as Breloom, Serperior, and Ferrothorn that can take advantage of Empoleon quite easily. In return, Empoleon can check certain Water-types like Azumarill without Superpower, Manaphy, and Gyarados without Earthquake that hinder those Fire-types while being able to remove Stealth Rock from the field.
* Mega Venusaur - Mega Venusaur is a fantastic check to Electric-, Fighting- and Grass-types. Due to Thick Fat, it does not have to worry about taking much damage from coverage moves like Hidden Power Ice or Fire that they may carry. Empoleon helps Mega Venusaur by checking Psychic- and Flying-types that are not carrying Fighting-type coverage such as Latios, Latias, and Togekiss.
* Tapu Bulu - Grassy Terrain gives Empoleon practically double Leftovers recovery while decreasing the damage it takes from Ground-type attacks, and Tapu Bulu is a fantastic check to Water- and Ground-types. Empoleon can check certain Fire (to a lesser extent) and Steel-types for Tapu Bulu.
* Alolan Marowak - Alolan Marowak is another fantastic partner for Empoleon due to its ability to check Electric- (due to Lightning Rod), Grass-, Fighting- (those without random Rock or Ground coverage) and Fire-types by virtue of its Fire / Ghost typing. In return, Empoleon can check Water-types and remove entry hazards.
* Landorus-T - Landorus-T can easily U-turn out on Water-types that threaten it, such as Manaphy, Kingdra, and Pelipper into Empoleon, which can sponge up any incoming hits. Landorus-T also functions as a great Fighting-type check (bar Keldeo and Pheromosa) for Empoleon as long as they don't carry some form of Ice-type coverage, and checks Ground-types such as Garchomp and Excadrill that cannot touch it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Protect - Protect is a decent option, since Empoleon will be able to receive more Leftovers recovery while racking up burn or Toxic damage on the opponent. Empoleon is also then able to scout for Choiced-locked users such as Keldeo, Tyranitar, and Tapu Bulu.
* Yawn - It can be used to force switches unless the opponent chooses to let their Pokemon fall asleep. It's useful as a "pivoting" tool to switch another mon in safely.
* Ice Beam - It's a neutral coverage option that allows Empoleon to deal with Grass-type switch-ins such as Serperior and Amoonguss. However, you will be sacrificing utility for coverage.
* Flash Cannon - Even though Empoleon can check many Fairy-types, most do not mind Scald or its burns. Flash Cannon allows Empoleon to deal a good amount of damage to them. Like Ice Beam, you sacrifice Empoleon's utility for a secondary STAB move.
* Special Attacker - Choice Specs with 4 attacks or Agility with 3 attacks (Hydro Pump, Flash Cannon, and Grass Knot or Hidden Power Fire or Electric) are other options that take advantage of Empoleon's base 111 Special Attack stat. This set also functions as a lure to potential switch-ins such as Quagsire, Tapu Fini, and Amoonguss since wall the common defensive set.
* Icium-Z + Mist - This combination gives Empoleon a form of recovery since Z-Mist will heal Empoleon to full HP. It's not recommended because Z-Crystals are only able to be used once in battle, resulting in Empoleon no longer having a form of reliable recovery after its consumption.
* Chople Berry - Chople Berry in conjunction with the alternative defensive spread allows Empoleon to take a hit from Fighting-types such as Pheromosa and Buzzwole or Fighting-type coverage from Superpower Azumarill, Aura Sphere Magearna, and Focus Blast Tapu Lele in order to retaliate with a Torrent-boosted Scald that could either knock them out or burn them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Thundurus can force Empoleon out with Electric-type STAB moves or pivot out with Volt Switch on an anticipated switch. Pokemon like Xurkitree and Raikou can use Empoleon as set up bait.
**Fighting-types**: Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Bewear, and Keldeo can force Empoleon out with the threat of strong Fighting-type STAB moves. In addition, Fighting-types such as Bewear and Breloom can set up on Empoleon. However, these Pokemon bar Keldeo cannot switch in due to the threat of a Scald burn.
**Grass-types**: Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Serperior carrying Substitute easily wall Empoleon since they resist Empoleon's Scald and are immune to Toxic (Serperior naturally outspeeds and can go for Substitute) which enables them to do whatever they want. Other Grass-types such as Kartana and Tapu Bulu can also take advantage of Empoleon by setting up. However, Ferrothorn, Kartana, Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu must be wary of Scald burns.
**Tapu Fini**: Misty Surge messes up Empoleon, as it relies on the passive damage from status effects via Scald burns and Toxic, which cannot occur while Misty Terrain is up. Tapu Fini can also switch into Scald and Toxic freely while potentially being able to Defog its entry hazards away or cripple Empoleon with Taunt or Nature's Madness. However, Tapu Fini does have to be wary of the extremely rare offensive set.
**Trappers**: Magnezone can easily switch into a Scald or while Empoleon is setting/removing hazards and proceeds to knock Empoleon out with Thunderbolt. While Dugtrio cannot switch in, it can come in and revenge kill Empoleon with Earthquake.
**Bulky Mons with Recovery**: Chansey, Clefable, Toxapex, and Alomomola can chip away at Empoleon while being able to recover any HP lost with their respective recovery moves. Chansey and Clefable also don't mind status due to Heal Bell and Magic Guard, respectively.
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