Houndoom & Early Bird

gabriel

gabriel

I was wondering if Early Bird could be an acceptable trait for Houndoom.

Since it's not the standard, you can catch people off guard, in example, switch on Gengar's hypnosis, and while it switches to a Physical sweeper, I use WoW, wake up and burn the sweeper.

Or I can switch on Breloom's spore and OHKO it while it tries to use Focus Punch.

Well, that's the best I can think. Early Bird is not a good trait, specially on something as frail as Houndoom, but it can be surprising.

And Flash Fire, while better, is not SO good, since most OU things that pack a fire move can also OHKO Houdoom (Salamence, Garchomp, Infernape, Heatran...)

How about it? Is Early Bird all that bad, or does it deserve some love?
 
gabriel said:
I was wondering if Early Bird could be an acceptable trait for Houndoom.

Since it's not the standard, you can catch people off guard, in example, switch on Gengar's hypnosis, and while it switches to a Physical sweeper, I use WoW, wake up and burn the sweeper.

Or I can switch on Breloom's spore and OHKO it while it tries to use Focus Punch.

Well, that's the best I can think. Early Bird is not a good trait, specially on something as frail as Houndoom, but it can be surprising.

And Flash Fire, while better, is not SO good, since most OU things that pack a fire move can also OHKO Houdoom (Salamence, Garchomp, Infernape, Heatran...)

How about it? Is Early Bird all that bad, or does it deserve some love?
Click to expand...

Although it is worth mentioning for surprise attacks on Standards, the Flash Fire trait is primarily for Choice Item users (which Salamence usually is), so they will lock themselves into a useless move.
 
Actually, I don't think Early Bird is a bad trait at all, and can be used. What I think is bad is Houndoom. The poor thing. I have loved it ever since I saw it, simply for it's looks, and you know how well shallow love works out.
 
Even though it's not guaranteed to wake up next turn, it's still a 1/3 chance or so(IIRC)... But, it's very luck-based and situational. I like your ideas, and I definately agree that Flash Fire isn't all that much better... But good luck if you want to try to pull that off.

Might be better on a Pokémon with Snatch so it can Snatch Rest then wake up quickly. That would be somewhat surprising, IMO.
 
Unfortunately, Rest on Houndoom is not a good idea. Snatching Rest isn't good either.

About the Choice Item thing: Unless it's a choicer Hetran, I don't see the point of letting a Flamethrower Mence against a Houndoom that can Wow, use HP Ice or Set up while taking a small damage.

And IIRC, Early Bird halves the amount of turns that you'd spend sleeping, so, if you would spend only 1 turn sleeping, you wake instantly.

I'm still in doubt if an Early Bird Doom will be worthy, haven't you guys ever had an experience with Houndoom you would like to share?
 
no early bird isnt worth it
hypnosis is the most accurate sleep move besides spore and dark room (whichever darkrai's special move is)
both of which are virtually only used on those pokemon (besides smeargle)
it is also psychic, so they wouldn't use it on houndoom anyway
it is a dark type, which is immune
flash fire is a whole lot better
but of course theres sleep powder and singbliss
i dont know
you shouldnt have houndoomout on blissey, and tangrowth shouldnt be up against a houndoom
 
nihilus said:
no early bird isnt worth it
hypnosis is the most accurate sleep move besides spore and dark room (whichever darkrai's special move is)
both of which are virtually only used on those pokemon (besides smeargle)
it is also psychic, so they wouldn't use it on houndoom anyway
it is a dark type, which is immune
flash fire is a whole lot better
but of course theres sleep powder and singbliss
i dont know
you shouldnt have houndoomout on blissey, and tangrowth shouldnt be up against a houndoom
Click to expand...

What are you babbling about? Dark doesn't grant immunity to Hypnosis, and the hypothetical situation is if a Gengar uses Hypnosis on Houndoom while it's switching in. The occasional Beat Up often allows Houndoom to 2HKO Blissey, while waking up early helps Houndoom switch in more effectively on Tangrowth.
 
gabriel said:
And IIRC, Early Bird halves the amount of turns that you'd spend sleeping, so, if you would spend only 1 turn sleeping, you wake instantly.
Click to expand...
There's no way to only spend one turn sleeping, as it's randomized from 2 to 6 turns. Rest is 3, counting the turn to rest on, and IIRC that means an Early Bird will sleep for two (counting the turn it rests on), which means you can't attack the next turn.

Sleep is guaranteed to stop you from attacking for at least one turn unless you have sleep talk, even if you have Early Bird. (IIRC)
 
use Early Bird only to catch opponents off-guard, but then again that would be a shame if you were forced to train up two Houndooms. oh well, i like the thought but still believe that Flash Fire is more beneficial.
 
Boa1891 said:
There's no way to only spend one turn sleeping, as it's randomized from 2 to 6 turns. Rest is 3, counting the turn to rest on, and IIRC that means an Early Bird will sleep for two (counting the turn it rests on), which means you can't attack the next turn.

Sleep is guaranteed to stop you from attacking for at least one turn unless you have sleep talk, even if you have Early Bird. (IIRC)
Click to expand...

Not really, on advance, if Houndoom is takes a Sleep Powder on the switch, it can wake up on the next turn, without spending a single turn sleeping.

It'll happen if Houndoom were supposed to spend only one turn sleeping, and 1/2 = 0.5* rounded down = 0, no turns sleeping. I've done it on Adv, and I think it works the same way on DP.

Using rest, it'll spend one turn sleeping, because 2/2 = 1 lol

So Early Bird Doom is a major threat to Sleepers (mostly Grass or Psychic types) as it can switch on sleep powder/hypnosis and surprisingly OHKO next turn. You need to be lucky, tough.
 
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