I've only seen one thread on the pokemon itself but I've had some chances to test out a team on the chinese version of DP Netbattle and Empoleon is my favorite pokemon to date. Not only is it a penguin...but it's a steel penguin. This is just full of badassery. Now, I don't know how to link you to a picture or whatever...but I'll put out the EVs and the moveset then explain what it is used for.
Now this is the Empoleon that I use on my team and it's under the assumption that item clause is in effect (which, imo, it should be).
Modest Empoleon (Courage) @ Shell Bell
HP - 372
Atk - 187
Def - 250
SpAtk - 283
SpDef - 260
Spd - 160
EVs
HP - 252
Def - 152
SpDef - 90
Spd - 16
Moveset
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- (Filler) Grass Knot/Stealth Rock/Toxic/Sleep Talk
- Rest
Now, the biggest threats one can immediately think of to this pokemon would be Magnezone and Dugtrio. At least, you would think so. But, since most of these pokemon are used to try and get in as soon as possible with the thought of a OHKO or whatever, in mind, neither of them can beat Empoleon one on one at full health (as a torrented hydro pump kills Magnezone if it takes a hit on the switch and a non-torrented hydro-pump, ice beam, flash cannon or grass knot kill dugtrio) and only Magnezone can really switch in on it predicting an ice beam over a hydro pump it's not like it really has to be that afraid of either of those pokemon, more cautious than anything. This depends a lot on the player and their ability to effectively use a pokemon.
That said, lets look at what it is good for. A normal resist, which is always good to have. A rock resist. Your classic bulky water with resistances to many new types such as poison, psychic, flying, bug, neutral against grass and fire so no more need to fear Venusaur. Fighting, Earthquake and Thunderbolt kind of put it back a bit, so predicting the wrong move can really hurt, but, again, that depends on the player not on the pokemon.
Now lets look at why I have his special attack so high. First, it's good to deal damage. The more damage the better especially paired with shell bell. This is also partly to deter its counters (at least in magnezone and dugtrio) most people don't like taking a stab hydro pump (assuming it doesn't miss) on something it is neutral against even. The shell bell is used as something of a makeshift leftovers because of item clause but I think, if used properly, it can heal more than leftovers, even.
Lets look at what resists water: grass, water, ice, dragon
And what resists ice: water, ice, steel, fire.
And grass: steel, poison, fire, grass, bug, dragon
Water is super effective against: ground, rock, fire.
Ice is super effective against: ground, rock, flying, dragon.
Grass is super effective against: water, ground, rock.
The only point to using Grass Knot or Flash Cannon would be to avoid being walled by other waters or ice pokemon. I would personally choose grass knot since it isn't resisted by ice and is super effective on waters. That said, each of the attacks covers the others resisted types. So nothing can really "safely" switch in to avoid damage from one move so they probably want to move to something neutral. Either way, if they chance it and get bitten you gain more life than normal, if not and you hit something that isn't snorlax/blissey/somethingwithabnormalspdef you are getting at least as much as leftovers while super effective hits give much more (that's a given).
These are some of the most common typings in the current metagame and could be in the future...that said, shell bell could be put to good use on this pokemon (rest is always there, too).
So this is how I would use Empoleon. I've sort of made a version of my DP team on the regular netbattle (with swampert replacing empoleon and skarm over the physical wall I chose) and it's pretty successful. But we'll see what happens. Tell me what you think.
Now this is the Empoleon that I use on my team and it's under the assumption that item clause is in effect (which, imo, it should be).
Modest Empoleon (Courage) @ Shell Bell
HP - 372
Atk - 187
Def - 250
SpAtk - 283
SpDef - 260
Spd - 160
EVs
HP - 252
Def - 152
SpDef - 90
Spd - 16
Moveset
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- (Filler) Grass Knot/Stealth Rock/Toxic/Sleep Talk
- Rest
Now, the biggest threats one can immediately think of to this pokemon would be Magnezone and Dugtrio. At least, you would think so. But, since most of these pokemon are used to try and get in as soon as possible with the thought of a OHKO or whatever, in mind, neither of them can beat Empoleon one on one at full health (as a torrented hydro pump kills Magnezone if it takes a hit on the switch and a non-torrented hydro-pump, ice beam, flash cannon or grass knot kill dugtrio) and only Magnezone can really switch in on it predicting an ice beam over a hydro pump it's not like it really has to be that afraid of either of those pokemon, more cautious than anything. This depends a lot on the player and their ability to effectively use a pokemon.
That said, lets look at what it is good for. A normal resist, which is always good to have. A rock resist. Your classic bulky water with resistances to many new types such as poison, psychic, flying, bug, neutral against grass and fire so no more need to fear Venusaur. Fighting, Earthquake and Thunderbolt kind of put it back a bit, so predicting the wrong move can really hurt, but, again, that depends on the player not on the pokemon.
Now lets look at why I have his special attack so high. First, it's good to deal damage. The more damage the better especially paired with shell bell. This is also partly to deter its counters (at least in magnezone and dugtrio) most people don't like taking a stab hydro pump (assuming it doesn't miss) on something it is neutral against even. The shell bell is used as something of a makeshift leftovers because of item clause but I think, if used properly, it can heal more than leftovers, even.
Lets look at what resists water: grass, water, ice, dragon
And what resists ice: water, ice, steel, fire.
And grass: steel, poison, fire, grass, bug, dragon
Water is super effective against: ground, rock, fire.
Ice is super effective against: ground, rock, flying, dragon.
Grass is super effective against: water, ground, rock.
The only point to using Grass Knot or Flash Cannon would be to avoid being walled by other waters or ice pokemon. I would personally choose grass knot since it isn't resisted by ice and is super effective on waters. That said, each of the attacks covers the others resisted types. So nothing can really "safely" switch in to avoid damage from one move so they probably want to move to something neutral. Either way, if they chance it and get bitten you gain more life than normal, if not and you hit something that isn't snorlax/blissey/somethingwithabnormalspdef you are getting at least as much as leftovers while super effective hits give much more (that's a given).
These are some of the most common typings in the current metagame and could be in the future...that said, shell bell could be put to good use on this pokemon (rest is always there, too).
So this is how I would use Empoleon. I've sort of made a version of my DP team on the regular netbattle (with swampert replacing empoleon and skarm over the physical wall I chose) and it's pretty successful. But we'll see what happens. Tell me what you think.
