Gen 1 Kangaskhan [QC 2/2] [GP 2/2]

[Plague von Karma]

Will likely have some outdated takes as I last used this like 2 years ago, spoke with Amaranth before posting.

[OVERVIEW]

Kangaskhan is often labelled as a "second Tauros", and while Tauros is usually a better Normal-type attacker, Kangaskhan is not unusable and this label belies how differently it can act in practice. Kangaskhan is much more expendable during a game, fulfilling tasks that are normally too risky for the king of RBY OU. When compared with Tauros, Kangaskhan has some unique moves that make it more effective for this role as well, although they can be difficult to fit onto a set. For instance, Counter helps it oppose Normal-type attackers, and Mega Kick 2HKOes Chansey. Furthermore, Kangaskhan has formidable defensive bulk, which makes it more effective at switching into Body Slam, which cannot paralyze it.

However, Kangakhan's hefty Normal-type competition does make it redundant on most teams. It has awful Special, completely failing to take strong neutral hits from Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, and Zapdos. Consequently, it's very challenging to switch Kangaskhan in against a lot of the tier, as one wrong move can mean significant damage; it often requires a double switch. Worse still, its Speed is just below what would be desirable to sweep, which makes it very reliant on extensive paralysis support to face these strong, fast special attackers. Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche when used alongside it, forming a strong wallbreaking core.

[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Surf

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Body Slam is Kangaskhan's main STAB move, spreading paralysis and ensuring that nothing can switch in for free. A STAB Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan should never be underestimated, KOing most Pokemon from around 65%, including Chansey and Jolteon. Plus, it can KO Alakazam if it's taken minimal chip damage. Earthquake 2HKOes Gengar and Jolteon, but it also helps with scouting for Counter users like Chansey and Snorlax. Surf prevents Rhydon from walling Kangaskhan, 2HKOing it. It should be noted that Kangaskhan takes middling damage from Rhydon's Body Slam and can't be paralyzed by it, making it a very valuable point of entry.

Despite Kangaskhan's "second Tauros" title, it should not be forgotten that it is both a mid-game utility attacker—think Snorlax—and a capable revenge killer, particularly against paralyzed teams. Once Kangaskhan has safely entered the field, it's challenging to switch into due to its coverage and the threat of paralysis from Body Slam, so scouting with the latter should be its main aim. Kangaskhan is very capable of scouting for Counter users thanks to its coverage, so it's good to be patient and settle for Earthquake against Pokemon that carry it, such as Chansey. Remember that Kangaskhan is extremely specially frail, so it should ideally only fight special attackers if they are paralyzed. Even then, it will rely heavily on being eased in through double switches and Explosions, but it can use Counter to exploit its own teammates' Explosions.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Kangaskhan's fourth moveslot is the most flexible, and it has a movepool to make use of it. Substitute is an interesting option to relieve prediction because Kangaskhan's HP gives it 103 HP Substitutes, just like Rhydon. This makes Kangaskhan a difficult adversary for Chansey, forcing it to use Seismic Toss twice to break its Substitute. However, Kangaskhan is vulnerable to paralysis throughout these interactions due to Substitute not blocking status in RBY, so it should only be attempted if Chansey is already paralyzed as well. Mega Kick is a valid option for 2HKOing Chansey, Starmie, and Tauros, but it can be difficult to fit into a set, and a miss often leads to Kangaskhan's demise. Rock Slide is another tempting option, allowing Kangaskhan to 2HKO Articuno and Jynx as well as 3HKO Zapdos 47.1% of the time, but it is very matchup-reliant. Thunderbolt is another valid option strictly for beating Cloyster, with two hits putting it in KO range for Hyper Beam. Alternatively, Thunder can 2HKO it after Body Slam.

Kangaskhan is capable of using Counter to check Snorlax and Tauros, making them liable to KO themselves if they use Body Slam. Counter also lets Kangaskhan switch in on Hyper Beam, take it very well, and KO the user while it recharges. However, Kangaskhan's exploitable Special makes it deceptively difficult to find situations where Counter can be used. For instance, Kangaskhan is one of the few Pokemon where it's optimal for Tauros to use Blizzard instead of Body Slam before using Hyper Beam. Kangaskhan even takes relatively high damage from Ice Beam Snorlax. With the two most relevant targets for Kangaskhan's Counter being fully capable of scouting for it, it requires patience to pull off.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Strong Special Attacks**: The main reason Kangaskhan doesn't see much high-level usage is because of how awful its Special is. Many Pokemon in RBY OU, including Cloyster, Exeggutor, Starmie, Alakazam, and more, will 2HKO it with their STAB moves. However, few of these Pokemon appreciate switching into Body Slam, as getting paralyzed or critically hit could let Kangaskhan subsequently blast them away with Hyper Beam. Bulkier special attackers like Slowbro and Lapras don't mind Hyper Beam much, though, and can often muscle past Kangaskhan with their STAB moves. Zapdos deserves a special mention for being immune to Earthquake and threatening a 2HKO with Thunderbolt.

**Paralysis**: While Kangaskhan loves facing paralyzed Pokemon, this also means it wants to avoid paralysis itself. Ergo, Kangaskhan will often find itself being forced out by paralysis inducers like Jolteon, Zapdos, Alakazam, and Chansey, at least if it can't KO them first. If Kangaskhan is paralyzed, it becomes significantly more vulnerable to 2HKOs from special attackers like Exeggutor and Lapras. Ideally, Kangaskhan should only get paralyzed if it's a do-or-die situation.

**Tauros Checks**: Due to the dominance of Tauros in RBY OU, the tier is already well-equipped for dealing with Kangaskhan. Cloyster has amazing physical bulk, which makes it difficult for Kangaskhan to break past. Even Thunder is only a 3HKO, while Cloyster has an 84.7% chance to 2HKO in return with Blizzard and can recover the damage with Rest. However, Cloyster dislikes switching into Body Slam due to the potential paralysis making it difficult for it to utilize Clamp later on. To Kangaskhan's credit, it's capable of breaking past Cloyster with Thunderbolt or Thunder, although this isn't reliable. Slowbro possesses the physical bulk to trade blows with Kangaskhan, effortlessly paralyze it with Thunder Wave, and get Amnesia boosts on it. However, a Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan will KO it from 44.2% on a maximum damage roll, so it can be a high-variance matchup. Reflect Snorlax is another thorn in Kangaskhan's side, shrugging off anything thrown at it and forcing Kangaskhan out. Kangaskhan can try to use Counter on Body Slam, but this is somewhat predictable. Exeggutor can stomach most attacks from Kangaskhan and 2HKO with Psychic in return. Finally, Starmie is faster than Kangaskhan, can paralyze it, and 2HKOes with its special move of choice.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[Amaranth, 265630], [Enigami, 233818]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]

 

[Amaranth]

Kangaskhan has some unique traits over it which makes it more effective earlier into the game. For instance, Kangaskhan has access to Counter for opposing Normal-type attackers and Surf for Rhydon.

Surf isn't any more effective than Blizzard vs. Rhydon tbh, they're both 2HKOs. The real reason it's better early on is that it's a Tauros that you don't need to keep for lategame, and counter sometimes lol

Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche.

The intention is correct but I feel like it's important to clarify that the niche isn't over Tauros but alongside it; it might be confusing for noobs otherwise

**Cloyster and Slowbro**:

I feel like this whole paragraph should be called 'Tauros checks' lol. The biggest problem with Kang is that the tier is already equipped to deal with Snorlax and Tauros, and so every team has a bunch of Body Slam + Hyper Beam checks just kinda lying around. Reflect Snorlax, Cloyster, Eggy, Starmie, the whole lot. Slowbro too.

---

Honestly I want to give this a second read through later when I have more of my attention available as my first read was kinda hasty, but feel free to implement this for now and I'll go back to this to catch more things / give the stamp later

 

[Plague von Karma]

feel free to implement this for now

Did this! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Amaranth]

Plus, it can KO Alakazam if it's taken any amount of damage.

Technically untrue! "It can KO Alakazam after minimal chip" or something is probably better

Even then, it will rely heavily on being eased in through double switches and explosions, the latter of which it can exploit with Counter if it can force a Pokemon out.

The whole counter/explosion thing can be shortened, people either know or don't know what you're talking about here, so just give it a quick nod and move on imo - something like "...and explosions, the latter of which it can even exploit with the Counter interaction". People who know the interaction will understand the implicit "if it can force a pokemon out" anyway, and people who don't know the interaction have their confusion immediately clarified by the mention of a specific counter interaction which they do not know

That's all I got, QC 1/2

 

[Plague von Karma]

QC 1/2

Implemented this! I took your Counter thing and shortened it further; "the latter of which it can exploit with Counter" seems to do the job fine.

 

[Enigami]

Surf isn't any more effective than Blizzard vs. Rhydon tbh, they're both 2HKOs.

Kangaskhan Blizzard vs. Rhydon: 165-194 (39.9 - 46.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Kangaskhan Surf vs. Rhydon: 262-308 (63.4 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Say what? Not sure where you got that idea.

Surf is absolutely needed for the 2HKO on Rhydon. Blizzard is so weak Kangaskhan isn't clicking it against anything that isn't GolDon except in a Hail Mary freeze play. Even if Blizzard was a 2HKO, Surf would still probably be preferred over it for its reliability. All it does is ups the odds of Surf-less Kangaskhan 3HKOing Rhydon from 40% to 89.5% (due to Blizzards 10.5% miss chance). Drop Blizzard, put Surf back in its place. Blizzard is 89.5% accuracy, so the odds of it hitting Rhydon 3 times is only 71.6%. Blizzard always KOs after 2 minimum roll Earthquakes, so it needs to be mentioned that you only want to use Blizzard once if Blizzard gets mentioned at all.

Kangaskhan Blizzard vs. Rhydon: 165-194 (39.9 - 46.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO (after 2 minimum roll Earthquakes)


Thunderbolt or perhaps Thunder deserves an OO mention:
Kangaskhan Body Slam vs. Cloyster: 59-70 (19.4 - 23.1%) -- possible 5HKO
Kangaskhan Thunderbolt vs. Cloyster: 91-108 (30 - 35.6%) -- 31.9% chance to 3HKO
Kangaskhan Thunder vs. Cloyster: 115-136 (37.9 - 44.8%) -- 78.8% chance to 2HKO (after minimum roll Body Slam)
Kangaskhan Hyper Beam vs. Cloyster: 102-121 (33.6 - 39.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

The 31.9% chance to 3HKO is also a little misleading because Hyper Beam hits a bit harder than Thunderbolt and will usually KO Cloyster after two midroll Thunderbolts. It is strictly an anti-Cloyster option, as only Slowbro takes (marginally) more damage from Thunderbolt than Body Slam, but being able to 3HKO Cloyster and prevent it from getting away with Rest seems well worth a move slot. As for Thunder, if Cloyster switches into Kangaskhan's Body Slam, Kangaskhan can KO it with two Thunders, and Kangaskhan moves first, so the part about Cloyster being a check to Kangaskhan should be less dismissive about what Electric Kangaskhan can do to break through it.


Despite Counter being considered a major upside... is it really? Tauros does more damage with Blizzard (or Fire Blast, which utterly ruins Kangaskhan with a burn) than Body Slam and doesn't need to click Body Slam against Kangaskhan at all, Hyper Beam-less Snorlax can still 4HKO with a mix of Body Slams and 2-3 Earthquakes or Ice Beams depending on how high the rolls are, and most of the time Hyper Beam Snorlax can 3HKO with Body Slam + EQ / IB + Hyper Beam. This means Kangaskhans' main targets of Counter aren't too concerned with clicking a Normal move, unlike they would be against Chansey or Snorlax. They can comfortably scout for Counter atleast once, with the scouting move often being one that can freeze or burn Kangaskhan. Kangaskhan is likely to struggle to get usage out of Counter against an opponent that knows they have other options than Body Slam with their Tauros or Snorlax against Kangaskhan.

Rock Slide is another tempting option, allowing Kangaskhan to 2HKO Articuno and Jynx, as well as 3HKO Zapdos 47.1% of the time. However, outside of these matchups, it generally isn't relevant, making Kangaskhan more matchup-reliant.

I think that's a typo? Seems like you meant to write Rock Slide there.

 

[Amaranth]

Kangaskhan Blizzard vs. Rhydon: 165-194 (39.9 - 46.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Kangaskhan Surf vs. Rhydon: 262-308 (63.4 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Say what? Not sure where you got that idea.

I was referring to Tauros Blizzard lol, the original paragraph mentions Surf as something "unique over Tauros" because it 2HKOs Rhydon as if that isn't something that Tauros can already do

 

[Enigami]

I was referring to Tauros Blizzard lol, the original paragraph mentions Surf as something "unique over Tauros" because it 2HKOs Rhydon as if that isn't something that Tauros can already do

Ah, that makes sense. The way it read, it looked like you were talking about Kangaskhan. I think Plague von Karma read it that way too, because Blizzard is what is currently slashed with Counter and not Surf.

 

[Plague von Karma]

Ah, that makes sense. The way it read, it looked like you were talking about Kangaskhan. I think Plague von Karma read it that way too, because Blizzard is what is currently slashed with Counter and not Surf.

Yep, I did!

Also, I believe I addressed the stuff you had to say, wanna reread?

 

[Enigami]

Yep, I did!

Also, I believe I addressed the stuff you had to say, wanna reread?

Looks good, can't think of anything else to add. QC 2/2

 

[Adeleine]

Add/Fix Remove Comment
(AC)/(RC): Add/Remove Comma

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Kangaskhan is often labelled as a "second Tauros", and while this is correct in the sense that it's outclassed, it doesn't mean Kangaskhan is unusable. Due to how differently it Tauros is usually a better Normal-type attacker, Kangaskhan is not unusable and this label belies how differently it can act in practice, however, the title is arguably misleading. Kangaskhan is much more expendable during a game, fulfilling tasks that would normally be seen as are normally too risky for the king of RBY OU. When compared with its fellow Safari Zone denizen, Kangaskhan has some unique traits over it which makes moves that make it more effective for this role as well, (AC) although they can be difficult to fit onto a set. For instance, Kangaskhan has access to Counter for opposing Counter helps it oppose Normal-type attackers and Mega Kick for 2HKOing 2HKOes Chansey. Furthermore, Kangaskhan has formidable defensive bulk, which makes it more effective at switching into Body Slam, staving off the spread of paralysis. Overall, while Kangaskhan has undoubtedly earned the moniker of "second Tauros", there is more meaning to it than meets the eye. which cannot paralyze it.

However, Kangaskhan is faced with very hefty Normal-type competition, so it can be seen as a redundant pick Kangakhan's hefty Normal-type competition does make it redundant (if you wanted it less harsh, you could replace "most teams" with "many teams" or smth else) on most teams. Additionally, Kangaskhan has awful Special, completely failing to take strong neutral hits from Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, and Zapdos at all. Consequently, it's very challenging to switch Kangaskhan in against a lot of the tier, as one wrong move can mean significant damage. Ergo, it often requires a double switch to bring Kangaskhan in safely. Worse still, its Speed is just below what would be desirable to sweep, which causes it to be makes it very reliant on extensive paralysis support to face up to these strong, fast special attackers. Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche when used alongside it.

[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Surf

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Body Slam is Kangaskhan's main STAB move, setting up paralysis for itself and ensuring that nothing can switch in for free. A STAB Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan should never be underestimated, KOing most Pokemon from around 65%, including Chansey and Jolteon. Plus, it can KO Alakazam if it's taken minimal chip damage. Earthquake 2HKOes Gengar and Jolteon, but it also helps with scouting for opposing Counter users like Chansey and Snorlax. Surf prevents Rhydon from walling Kangaskhan, which gets 2HKOed. 2HKOing it. It should be noted that Kangaskhan takes middling damage from Rhydon's Body Slam while being immune to paralysis, so this gives it and can't be paralyzed by it, giving it a very valuable point of entry.

It should be remembered that despite its title, Kangaskhan is suitable for mid-game situations, which makes it more like Snorlax in practice at times. However, Kangaskhan is very capable of revenge killing as well, especially against paralyzed teams, and this strength should never be forgotten. Despite Kangaskhan's "second Tauros" title, it should not be forgotten that it is both a mid-game utility attacker—think Snorlax—and a capable revenge killer, particularly against paralyzed teams. (lmk if anything about this restructure you're not vibing) Once Kangaskhan has safely entered the field, it's challenging to switch into due to its coverage and the threat of paralysis from Body Slam, so scouting with the latter should be its main aim. As aforementioned, Kangaskhan is very capable of checking scouting for Counter users thanks to its coverage, so it's good to be patient and settle for Earthquake against Pokemon that carry it, such as Chansey. Remember that Kangaskhan is extremely frail on the special side specially, so it should ideally only fight special attackers if they are paralyzed. Even then, it will rely heavily on being eased in through double switches and explosions, the latter of which it can even exploit with Counter. Explosions, but it can use Counter to exploit its own teammates' Explosions.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Kangaskhan's fourth moveslot (was "move slot") is the most flexible, and this kangaroo has a suitable it has a movepool to make use of it. Substitute is an interesting option to relieve prediction (RC) as because Kangaskhan's HP gives it 103 HP (remove hyphen) Substitutes, just like Rhydon. This also makes Kangaskhan a difficult adversary for Chansey, forcing it to use Seismic Toss twice to break its Substitute. However, Kangaskhan is vulnerable to paralysis throughout these interactions due to Substitute not blocking status in RBY, so it should only be attempted if Chansey is already paralyzed as well. Mega Kick is a valid option for 2HKOing Chansey, Starmie, (AC) and Tauros, but it can be difficult to fit into a set, and a miss can often leads to Kangaskhan's demise. Rock Slide is another tempting option, allowing Kangaskhan to 2HKO Articuno and Jynx (RC) as well as 3HKO Zapdos 47.1% of the time, but this it is very matchup-reliant. Thunderbolt is another valid option strictly for beating Cloyster, which after two hits puts with two hits putting it in range for Hyper Beam. Alternatively, Thunder can 2HKO it after Body Slam.

Kangaskhan's is capable of using Counter to check Snorlax and Tauros, making them liable to KO themselves if they use their own Body Slam. This also gives Kangaskhan the opportunity to Counter also lets Kangaskhan switch in on Hyper Beam, take it very well, and subsequently KO the opposing user while it recharges. However, it's Kangaskhan's exploitable Special makes it deceptively difficult to find situations where this Counter can be used. For instance, Kangaskhan is one of the few Pokemon where it's optimal for Tauros to use Blizzard against instead of Body Slam (or is this eq? idk) before using Hyper Beam. It even takes relatively high damage from Ice Beam Snorlax. Overall, With the two most relevant targets for Kangaskhan's Counter are being fully capable of scouting for it, and as such, it requires patience to pull off.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Strong Special Attacks**: The main reason Kangaskhan doesn't see much high-level usage is because of how awful its Special is. Many Pokemon in RBY OU, (AC) including Cloyster, Exeggutor, Starmie, Alakazam, and more, will 2HKO it with their STABs; this includes Pokemon like Cloyster, Exeggutor, Starmie, Alakazam and more. STAB moves. However, few of these Pokemon appreciate switching into Body Slam, as getting paralyzed or struck with a critical hit could lead to them being subsequently blasted away by critically hit could let Kangaskhan subsequently blast them away with Hyper Beam. Bulkier special attackers like Slowbro and Lapras don't mind Hyper Beam too much, (AC) though, and can often muscle past Kangaskhan with their STAB moves. Zapdos deserves a special mention for being immune to Earthquake and threatening a 2HKO with Thunderbolt.

**Paralysis**: While Kangaskhan loves facing paralyzed Pokemon, this also means it wants to avoid paralysis itself. Ergo, Kangaskhan will often find itself being forced out by paralysis inducers like Jolteon, Zapdos, Alakazam, (AC) and Chansey, at least if it can't KO them first. If Kangaskhan is paralyzed, it becomes significantly more vulnerable to 2HKOs from Pokemon like Exeggutor and Lapras (RC) whose that deal massively damage with their special attacks deal massive damage. Ideally, Kangaskhan should only get paralyzed if it's a do-or-die situation.

**Tauros Checks**: Due to the dominance of Tauros in RBY OU, the tier is already well-equipped for dealing with Kangaskhan. Cloyster has amazing physical bulk, which makes it difficult for Kangaskhan to break past it. Even if it uses something like Thunder, it's Thunder is only a 3HKO, while Cloyster has an 84.7% chance to 2HKO in return with Blizzard and can Rest the damage off recover the damage with Rest. However, Cloyster dislikes switching into Body Slam due to the potential for getting paralyzed, which makes paralysis making it difficult for it to utilize Clamp later on. To Kangaskhan's credit, it's capable of breaking past Cloyster if it uses Thunderbolt or Thunder as its chosen coverage, though it with Thunderbolt or Thunder, although this isn't reliable. Slowbro possesses the physical bulk to trade blows with Kangaskhan, effortlessly paralyzing paralyze it with Thunder Wave, (AC) and getting Amnesia boosts on it. However, a Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan will KO it from 44.2% on a maximum damage roll, so it can be a high-variance matchup. Reflect Snorlax is another thorn in Kangaskhan's side, shrugging off anything thrown at it and forcing Kangaskhan out. Kangaskhan can try to use Counter on Body Slam, but this is somewhat predictable. Exeggutor can stomach most attacks from Kangaskhan and 2HKO with Psychic in return. Finally, Starmie is faster than Kangaskhan, can paralyze it, (AC) and 2HKOes with its special move of choice.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[Amaranth, 265630], [Enigami, 233818]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [, ]]

1/2

 

[Plague von Karma]

Welcome to Rainbow Cliffs, mate!

Implemented! The restructure was fine. I appreciate the way you went about the "second Tauros" bit in the Overview as it reads so much better now, hahaha.

 

[CryoGyro]

GP 2/2

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Kangaskhan is often labelled as a "second Tauros", and while Tauros is usually a better Normal-type attacker, Kangaskhan is not unusable and this label belies how differently it can act in practice. Kangaskhan is much more expendable during a game, fulfilling tasks that are normally too risky for the king of RBY OU. When compared with its fellow Safari Zone denizen Tauros, (i get that old gens are laxer on the writing but this is REALLY pushing it) Kangaskhan has some unique moves that make it more effective for this role as well, although they can be difficult to fit onto a set. For instance, Counter helps it oppose Normal-type attackers, (comma) and Mega Kick 2HKOes Chansey. Furthermore, Kangaskhan has formidable defensive bulk, which makes it more effective at switching into Body Slam, which cannot paralyze it.

However, Kangakhan's hefty Normal-type competition does make it redundant on most teams. Additionally, Kangaskhan It has awful Special, completely failing to take strong neutral hits from Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, and Zapdos. Consequently, it's very challenging to switch Kangaskhan in against a lot of the tier, as one wrong move can mean significant damage.; (semi) Ergo, it often requires a double switch. Worse still, its Speed is just below what would be desirable to sweep, which makes it very reliant on extensive paralysis support to face these strong, fast special attackers. Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche when used alongside it. (i feel that you haven't clearly elaborated on how they work well together)

[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Surf

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Body Slam is Kangaskhan's main STAB move, setting up spreading paralysis for itself and ensuring that nothing can switch in for free. A STAB Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan should never be underestimated, KOing most Pokemon from around 65%, including Chansey and Jolteon. Plus, it can KO Alakazam if it's taken minimal chip damage. Earthquake 2HKOes Gengar and Jolteon, but it also helps with scouting for Counter users like Chansey and Snorlax. Surf prevents Rhydon from walling Kangaskhan, 2HKOing it. It should be noted that Kangaskhan takes middling damage from Rhydon's Body Slam and can't be paralyzed by it, giving making it a very valuable point of entry.

Despite Kangaskhan's "second Tauros" title, it should not be forgotten that it is both a mid-game utility attacker—think Snorlax—and a capable revenge killer, particularly against paralyzed teams. Once Kangaskhan has safely entered the field, it's challenging to switch into due to its coverage and the threat of paralysis from Body Slam, so scouting with the latter should be its main aim. As mentioned, Kangaskhan is very capable of scouting for Counter users thanks to its coverage, so it's good to be patient and settle for Earthquake against Pokemon that carry it, such as Chansey. Remember that Kangaskhan is extremely frail specially frail, so it should ideally only fight special attackers if they are paralyzed. Even then, it will rely heavily on being eased in through double switches and Explosions, but it can use Counter to exploit its own teammates' Explosions.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Kangaskhan's fourth moveslot is the most flexible, and it has a movepool to make use of it. Substitute is an interesting option to relieve prediction because Kangaskhan's HP gives it 103 HP Substitutes, just like Rhydon. This makes Kangaskhan a difficult adversary for Chansey, forcing it to use Seismic Toss twice to break its Substitute. However, Kangaskhan is vulnerable to paralysis throughout these interactions due to Substitute not blocking status in RBY, so it should only be attempted if Chansey is already paralyzed as well. Mega Kick is a valid option for 2HKOing Chansey, Starmie, and Tauros, but it can be difficult to fit into a set, and a miss often leads to Kangaskhan's demise. Rock Slide is another tempting option, allowing Kangaskhan to 2HKO Articuno and Jynx as well as 3HKO Zapdos 47.1% of the time, but it is very matchup-reliant. Thunderbolt is another valid option strictly for beating Cloyster, with two hits putting it in KO range for Hyper Beam. Alternatively, Thunder can 2HKO it after Body Slam.

Kangaskhan is capable of using Counter (wait, why is it the first move you mention in the overview if it's OO?) to check Snorlax and Tauros, making them liable to KO themselves if they use their own Body Slam. Counter also lets Kangaskhan switch in on Hyper Beam, take it very well, and subsequently KO the user while it recharges. However, Kangaskhan's exploitable Special makes it deceptively difficult to find situations where Counter can be used. For instance, Kangaskhan is one of the few Pokemon where it's optimal for Tauros to use Blizzard instead of Body Slam before using Hyper Beam. It Kangaskhan even takes relatively high damage from Ice Beam Snorlax. With the two most relevant targets for Kangaskhan's Counter being fully capable of scouting for it, it requires patience to pull off.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Strong Special Attacks**: The main reason Kangaskhan doesn't see much high-level usage is because of how awful its Special is. Many Pokemon in RBY OU, including Cloyster, Exeggutor, Starmie, Alakazam, and more, will 2HKO it with their STAB moves. However, few of these Pokemon appreciate switching into Body Slam, as getting paralyzed or critically hit could let Kangaskhan subsequently blast them away with Hyper Beam. Bulkier special attackers like Slowbro and Lapras don't mind Hyper Beam too much, though, and can often muscle past Kangaskhan with their STAB moves. Zapdos deserves a special mention for being immune to Earthquake and threatening a 2HKO with Thunderbolt.

**Paralysis**: While Kangaskhan loves facing paralyzed Pokemon, this also means it wants to avoid paralysis itself. Ergo, Kangaskhan will often find itself being forced out by paralysis inducers like Jolteon, Zapdos, Alakazam, and Chansey, at least if it can't KO them first. If Kangaskhan is paralyzed, it becomes significantly more vulnerable to 2HKOs from Pokemon special attackers like Exeggutor and Lapras that deal massively damage with their special attacks. Ideally, Kangaskhan should only get paralyzed if it's a do-or-die situation.

**Tauros Checks**: Due to the dominance of Tauros in RBY OU, the tier is already well-equipped for dealing with Kangaskhan. Cloyster has amazing physical bulk, which makes it difficult for Kangaskhan to break past it. Even Thunder is only a 3HKO, while Cloyster has an 84.7% chance to 2HKO in return with Blizzard and can recover the damage with Rest. However, Cloyster dislikes switching into Body Slam due to the potential paralysis making it difficult for it to utilize Clamp later on. To Kangaskhan's credit, it's capable of breaking past Cloyster with Thunderbolt or Thunder, although this isn't reliable. Slowbro possesses the physical bulk to trade blows with Kangaskhan, effortlessly paralyze it with Thunder Wave, and get Amnesia boosts on it. However, a Hyper Beam from Kangaskhan will KO it from 44.2% on a maximum damage roll, so it can be a high-variance matchup. Reflect Snorlax is another thorn in Kangaskhan's side, shrugging off anything thrown at it and forcing Kangaskhan out. Kangaskhan can try to use Counter on Body Slam, but this is somewhat predictable. Exeggutor can stomach most attacks from Kangaskhan and 2HKO with Psychic in return. Finally, Starmie is faster than Kangaskhan, can paralyze it, and 2HKOes with its special move of choice.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[Amaranth, 265630], [Enigami, 233818]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [, ]]

 

[Plague von Karma]

Implemented, a few comments.

Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche when used alongside it. (i feel that you haven't clearly elaborated on how they work well together)

I changed that bit to this, which should satisfy your query with the overview and everything in mind. This is generally Kangaskhan's purpose, anyway.

Overall, while Kangaskhan is not a replacement for Tauros by any stretch of the imagination, it retains a small niche when used alongside it, forming a strong wallbreaking core.

--

Kangaskhan is capable of using Counter (wait, why is it the first move you mention in the overview if it's OO?) to check Snorlax and Tauros,

The Overview mentions two OOs that notably distinguish Kangaskhan over Tauros, emphasizing its more customizable nature.

When compared with Tauros, Kangaskhan has some unique moves that make it more effective for this role as well, although they can be difficult to fit onto a set. For instance, Counter helps it oppose Normal-type attackers, and Mega Kick 2HKOes Chansey.

Surf has no effective difference in-context, as it's got the same purpose as Tauros Blizzard: 2HKOing Rhydon. As you'll see from Enigami's comments in this thread, despite its potential upsides, Counter isn't really something we should put on the main set;

Despite Counter being considered a major upside... is it really? Tauros does more damage with Blizzard (or Fire Blast, which utterly ruins Kangaskhan with a burn) than Body Slam and doesn't need to click Body Slam against Kangaskhan at all, Hyper Beam-less Snorlax can still 4HKO with a mix of Body Slams and 2-3 Earthquakes or Ice Beams depending on how high the rolls are, and most of the time Hyper Beam Snorlax can 3HKO with Body Slam + EQ / IB + Hyper Beam. This means Kangaskhans' main targets of Counter aren't too concerned with clicking a Normal move, unlike they would be against Chansey or Snorlax. They can comfortably scout for Counter atleast once, with the scouting move often being one that can freeze or burn Kangaskhan. Kangaskhan is likely to struggle to get usage out of Counter against an opponent that knows they have other options than Body Slam with their Tauros or Snorlax against Kangaskhan.

Since you said GP 2/2, I'll upload this, but nag me if there are still issues.