Gen 1 Persian (OU Revamp) READY

Peasounay

Peasounay

[OVERVIEW]

Persian carves out a niche in RBY OU thanks to its ability to consistently land critical hits with Slash. Slash bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through Reflect Snorlax. Its solid special coverage ensures that it's only fully walled by Gengar and is able to handle potential answers to Normal-types, such as Rhydon and Cloyster. Persian’s impressive Speed allows it to outspeed Tauros and tie with Starmie, making it an effective revenge killer. It also grants Persian a strong 22.46% critical hit rate. Tauros and Persian form a devastating offensive duo that's tough to handle, as absorbing their combined damage becomes a significant challenge.

Despite its offensive potential, Persian is not a replacement for the rampaging bull, Tauros, which partly explains why it has never achieved true OU prominence. Persian is significantly less bulky, often getting 2HKOed by many attacks that Tauros can typically survive. Due to this weakness, Persian is often forced out by Thunder Wave users, such as Alakazam and Starmie. This lack of defensive utility is a key weakness, as Persian cannot afford to switch into any attacks, making it hard to get onto the field safely. Furthermore, since Persian is almost always paired with Tauros, this creates a team with two Pokemon that do not want to take hits, leading to a lack of space for defensive tools.

Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped. In contrast, Tauros can deal nearly as much damage with Body Slam, but also has the potential to score critical hits and inflict paralysis, giving it higher overall potential in terms of both damage and utility. Persian demands sharp prediction and aggressive play to make the most of its strengths, but when used effectively, it can be very rewarding, particularly against more defensive strategies.

[SET]
name: Slash
move 1: Slash
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Bubble Beam
move 4: Thunderbolt / Growl / Hyper Beam

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

Slash is the main reason Persian is viable, effectively ignoring Reflect thanks to its near-guaranteed critical hit rate. Body Slam is crucial against Reflect Snorlax: after two hits with Slash, the third will only KO 6.5% of the time, and Snorlax can simply Rest, undoing your progress. However, Persian can fish for a critical hit with Body Slam to secure the KO, as Snorlax can’t afford to skip Rest. Additionally, Body Slam can fish for paralysis when Starmie switches in, potentially crippling it. Bubble Beam allows Persian to 2HKO Rhydon, and its Speed drop chance can occasionally help against faster switch-ins like Alakazam and Starmie, forcing them into a tricky situation.

For the 4th move, Thunderbolt 3HKOes Cloyster and Slowbro, giving Persian a fighting chance against them. It also can critically hit Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure, and it is a way to chip away at Gengar if it is asleep or at low HP. Growl gives Persian a way to handle Tauros. Persian is 2HKO’d by Body Slam + Hyper Beam, but using Growl on the Hyper Beam turn prevents the KO unless Tauros critically hits, allowing Persian to retaliate with Slash and take it down. However, this tactic is somewhat predictable, and if the opponent anticipates it, they could simply use Body Slam instead. Still, Growl is enough to put Tauros in an awkward position in a matchup that is otherwise unfavorable for Persian. Growl can also be useful against Hyper Beam Snorlax depending on its remaining HP and helps prevent a Self-Destruct OHKO. Additionally, it can reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon, which is particularly useful against Starmie.

Hyper Beam, meanwhile, allows Persian to finish off Pokemon like Starmie, Victreebel, and Chansey after Slash and provides a slight damage boost to secure KOs where Slash would otherwise fall short. It’s also a viable option for a final stand in a tight spot, with Persian’s critical hit rate giving it a chance to turn the tables in critical moments.

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

Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing Persian to land the move for free. Just like Growl, it can also allow to reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves. Thunder, on the other hand, 2HKOes Cloyster and deals more damage to Starmie than Thunderbolt, but its accuracy and reliability leave much to be desired, making it a less consistent option overall.

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

Gengar: Persian can't fight Gengar at all, possessing only its special coverage to have even a hope in doing so. Even Thunder only has a vague chance to 5HKO it, so Persian is often forced out while giving Gengar free rein to use an uncontested Hypnosis or force damage onto Persian's teammates. Ideally, Gengar should be accounted for and dispatched before even revealing Persian.

Paralysis: Persian can't handle paralysis, which makes its lack of bulk much more apparent and easier to exploit. Worse still, being paralyzed completely diminishes Persian's potential to revenge kill, making it little more than food for opposing Snorlax and Tauros. Many Pokemon, like Exeggutor, Zapdos, and Cloyster, can even 2HKO it with little consequence when it's paralyzed.

Starmie: Starmie is capable of stomaching Slash + Hyper Beam and Speed ties with Persian, which, combined with its access to Thunder Wave, makes it very capable of downing the cat. Persian is capable of winning against a paralyzed Starmie, but it will often rely on full paralysis to win if Starmie is at full HP.

Tauros: Without Growl shenanigans, Tauros can 2HKO Persian with Body Slam + Hyper Beam, while Persian can only threaten it with Slash followed by a critical hit from Hyper Beam.

Snorlax: Snorlax with Hyper Beam can take on Persian, as it 2HKOes with Body Slam followed by Hyper Beam, and it has the bulk necessary to withstand Persian’s attacks. It just needs to be cautious of a potential Growl.

Exeggutor: With its fantastic bulk, Exeggutor can win against Persian one-on-one, threatening it with Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, or a 2HKO from Psychic. However, it will take massive damage in the process, often being forced to use Explosion much sooner than usual.

Counter: Counter is a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. If Persian revenge kills something, Chansey can easily come in and threaten Thunder Wave, forcing Persian to switch out to avoid paralysis. This allows Chansey to use Counter on the incoming Pokemon, dealing significant damage and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.

Rhydon: While it is 2HKOed by Bubble Beam, Rhydon is capable of threatening Persian, as it 2HKOes Persian with Earthquake and resists Slash. Due to it effectively forcing Persian to use Bubble Beam, it can pivot to a specially bulky Pokemon like Alakazam to switch in with relative impunity unless a Speed drop occurs. Ergo, defeating Rhydon with Bubble Beam can actually be quite difficult, so Bubble Beam should be seen as a way to encourage it to switch out and force Slash damage onto the opposing team.

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Peasounay said:
This makes Slash a high-damage move that bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through common physical walls like Reflect Snorlax and Chansey.
Click to expand...
I don't think it's accurate to call Reflect Chansey 'common' anymore; Reflect Snorlax is so much more relevant that I think it makes sense to only mention him, especially in the introduction (where we should aim to trim non-essential details)

Peasounay said:
For the 4th move, Thunderbolt gives Persian a fighting chance against Cloyster and Slowbro by 3HKOing them. It also has the added benefit of being able to crit against Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure.
Click to expand...
I would also mention it gives Persian a tool to at least deal a little bit of damage low HP / sleeping Gengars, there are situations where not being completely stonewalled is useful.

Peasounay said:
Snorlax: A Snorlax from full health can take on Persian with its powerful moves, Body Slam and Hyper Beam, or even Self-Destruct if necessary. It just needs to be cautious of an eventual Growl.
Click to expand...
I would reword this to be Hyper Beam Snorlax specifically. Your run of the mill no HB RefLax is exactly what Persian wants to go against, and the 1 for 1 with Self-Destruct is a pretty decent scenario for Persian all things considered, so I think it's exclusively HBLax that really has a positive match up here (and maybe Counter if you want to spare a mention for it - maybe its own paragraph? Chansey with the Counter revengekill is annoying too, and TWave to threaten if Persian chooses to stay)

This is high quality otherwise, make the changes suggested but otherwise QC 1/2
 
Amaranth said:
I don't think it's accurate to call Reflect Chansey 'common' anymore; Reflect Snorlax is so much more relevant that I think it makes sense to only mention him, especially in the introduction (where we should aim to trim non-essential details)


I would also mention it gives Persian a tool to at least deal a little bit of damage low HP / sleeping Gengars, there are situations where not being completely stonewalled is useful.


I would reword this to be Hyper Beam Snorlax specifically. Your run of the mill no HB RefLax is exactly what Persian wants to go against, and the 1 for 1 with Self-Destruct is a pretty decent scenario for Persian all things considered, so I think it's exclusively HBLax that really has a positive match up here (and maybe Counter if you want to spare a mention for it - maybe its own paragraph? Chansey with the Counter revengekill is annoying too, and TWave to threaten if Persian chooses to stay)

This is high quality otherwise, make the changes suggested but otherwise QC 1/2
Click to expand...

Thanks, changes are implemented.

Previous: This makes Slash a high-damage move that bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through common physical walls like Reflect Snorlax and Chansey.
Current: This makes Slash a high-damage move that bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through Reflect Snorlax.

Previous: For the 4th move, Thunderbolt gives Persian a fighting chance against Cloyster and Slowbro by 3HKOing them. It also has the added benefit of being able to crit against Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure.
Current: For the 4th move, Thunderbolt gives Persian a fighting chance against Cloyster and Slowbro by 3HKOing them. It also has the added benefit of being able to crit against Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure. It is also a way to chip away at Gengar, whether it is asleep or at low HP.

Previous: Snorlax: A Snorlax from full health can take on Persian with its powerful moves, Body Slam and Hyper Beam, or even Self-Destruct if necessary. It just needs to be cautious of an eventual Growl.
Current: Snorlax: Snorlax with Hyper Beam can take on Persian because it 2HKOs with Body Slam followed by Hyper Beam, and it has the bulk necessary to withstand Persian’s attacks in the process. It just needs to be cautious of an eventual Growl.

New addition: Counter: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. Chansey, in particular, can even use Counter against Persian when it switches out after revenge-killing something, dealing damage to the incoming Pokemon and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.
 
Just here to do a quick QC 2/2, I have some GP comments I'll save for that stage.
Peasounay said:
Finally, although Slash is a strong move, it always crits by design, meaning Persian can’t achieve additional critical hits like Tauros can with Body Slam, which can also paralyze opponents.
Click to expand...
I understand what you're saying here, but I think this may be confusing to a newer player, who may read this and think "why would always critically hitting be bad" and misunderstand your point, which is that Persian's output is consistent but can't achieve the same peaks as Tauros and also lacks secondary effects. I think the language like "additional critical hits" is a little harder to track, I might say something like "While Slash is strong, Tauros's Body Slam does nearly as much damage even without a critical hit, and it has higher potential since it can critically hit and inflict paralysis."
Peasounay said:
Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing you to get it off for free. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves.
Click to expand...
Do you think it's worth noting Screech's paralysis reapplication? It's a better setup for allied Pokemon like Tauros/Snorlax against things like Starmie or Zapdos than Growl is, of course, even if you lose out on the 1v1 matchups that Growl gives Persian odds in. I do think it belongs here in OO and not on the main set but I'm curious if you think that use ever comes into play.
Peasounay said:
Counter: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. Chansey, in particular, can even use Counter against Persian when it switches out after revenge-killing something, dealing damage to the incoming Pokemon and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what this Counter mechanic has to do with Chansey specifically, as Snorlax can do it too. If you note specific aspects of Chansey, like "it threatens Thunder Wave, making Persian want to switch out" that make its Counter more likely to land, that would probably help clarify for readers.
 
Sabelette said:
Just here to do a quick QC 2/2, I have some GP comments I'll save for that stage.

I understand what you're saying here, but I think this may be confusing to a newer player, who may read this and think "why would always critically hitting be bad" and misunderstand your point, which is that Persian's output is consistent but can't achieve the same peaks as Tauros and also lacks secondary effects. I think the language like "additional critical hits" is a little harder to track, I might say something like "While Slash is strong, Tauros's Body Slam does nearly as much damage even without a critical hit, and it has higher potential since it can critically hit and inflict paralysis."

Do you think it's worth noting Screech's paralysis reapplication? It's a better setup for allied Pokemon like Tauros/Snorlax against things like Starmie or Zapdos than Growl is, of course, even if you lose out on the 1v1 matchups that Growl gives Persian odds in. I do think it belongs here in OO and not on the main set but I'm curious if you think that use ever comes into play.

I'm not sure what this Counter mechanic has to do with Chansey specifically, as Snorlax can do it too. If you note specific aspects of Chansey, like "it threatens Thunder Wave, making Persian want to switch out" that make its Counter more likely to land, that would probably help clarify for readers.
Click to expand...

Thanks, implemented the changes

Old: Finally, although Slash is a strong move, it always crits by design, meaning Persian can’t achieve additional critical hits like Tauros can with Body Slam, which can also paralyze opponents. As a result, Persian’s attacks are slightly less rewarding than Tauros’s, lacking both the additional crit potential and the utility of paralysis.
New: Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped. In contrast, Tauros can deal nearly as much damage with Body Slam, but also has the potential to score critical hits and inflict paralysis, giving it higher overall potential in terms of both damage and utility.

Old: Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing you to get it off for free. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves.
New: Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing you to get it off for free. Just like Growl, it can also allow you to apply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves.

Old: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. Chansey, in particular, can even use Counter against Persian when it switches out after revenge-killing something, dealing damage to the incoming Pokemon and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.
New: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. If Persian just revenge-killed something, Chansey can easily come in and threaten Thunder Wave, forcing Persian to switch out to avoid paralysis. This allows Chansey to use Counter on the incoming Pokemon, dealing significant damage and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.

I noted Screech's paralysis reapplication because it's also mentionned for Growl. I don't think Screeching for a teammate is relevant. Snorlax and Tauros are often dead in the situations where you might want to Screech. It's generally a bad move because all it does is forcing switches, which makes it hard for you to utilize it for damage. You're usually just creating mindgames with it. I'll leave at what's currently in the analysis.
 
"However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves."

I think this is superfluous as it can be said of any alt move. As long as it is in other options, or it's in secondary spot in the moveset, that is clear.

" Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped."

Bikeshedding probably, but I like constant instead of capped.

Also, if you can slap the word distribution in there I feel that would be huge. Because we would be transmitting that in addition to the Expected Value of the damage being lower than a Tauros Body Slam due to lack of crits, we are specifying that the damage distribution profile is constant and lacks peaks, which would have been helfpul in some situations were you are losing. Does this distinction make sense?

I feel this ties in to Hyper Beam, which is basically a Slash with lower EV but a bimodal distribution of damages with Modes below and above that of Slash, which again, makes it useful for losing situations. Body Slam to some extent also fills this role, in that half damage + para can be worth more than Slash damage.

I feel any wording is fine btw, don't wanna nitpick, just wanted to add my 2 cents, and confirm that this is a very relevant persian concept.

P.S: Just read the bit about Body Slam being useful vs Reflax, in this case the slight damage increase of crit BS vs Slash is also relevant. interesting.
 
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On another note, Tauros v persian is a very common last mon matchup. Who is more likely to win the 1v1 with each set?

Slash - HyperBeam
Growl - Slash
Growl - Slash - Hbeam


Pretty sure Screech is never useful in this situation. (perhaps with the exception of paralyzed persian with bubble beam shannaenigans.)


For me personally, the appeal of Growl is to beat the Tauros matchup, but I have a feeling it doesn't have much of an impact on the matchup considering tauros crit chance.
 
Totomimi said:
"However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves."

I think this is superfluous as it can be said of any alt move. As long as it is in other options, or it's in secondary spot in the moveset, that is clear.

" Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped."

Bikeshedding probably, but I like constant instead of capped.

Also, if you can slap the word distribution in there I feel that would be huge. Because we would be transmitting that in addition to the Expected Value of the damage being lower than a Tauros Body Slam due to lack of crits, we are specifying that the damage distribution profile is constant and lacks peaks, which would have been helfpul in some situations were you are losing. Does this distinction make sense?

I feel this ties in to Hyper Beam, which is basically a Slash with lower EV but a bimodal distribution of damages with Modes below and above that of Slash, which again, makes it useful for losing situations. Body Slam to some extent also fills this role, in that half damage + para can be worth more than Slash damage.

I feel any wording is fine btw, don't wanna nitpick, just wanted to add my 2 cents, and confirm that this is a very relevant persian concept.

P.S: Just read the bit about Body Slam being useful vs Reflax, in this case the slight damage increase of crit BS vs Slash is also relevant. interesting.
Click to expand...
Totomimi said:
On another note, Tauros v persian is a very common last mon matchup. Who is more likely to win the 1v1 with each set?

Slash - HyperBeam
Growl - Slash
Growl - Slash - Hbeam


Pretty sure Screech is never useful in this situation. (perhaps with the exception of paralyzed persian with bubble beam shannaenigans.)


For me personally, the appeal of Growl is to beat the Tauros matchup, but I have a feeling it doesn't have much of an impact on the matchup considering tauros crit chance.
Click to expand...

Hello, while your passion for RBY is appreciated, this is an analysis in progress and not really a place for random questions on matchups. If you feel you’re skilled and experienced enough at the metagame in question to be a member of the QC team you can always message the leaders of a team and ask to be added as a QC member or if it would be ok to provide amateur QC notes. In the meantime just to keep the process streamlined it would be best to ask questions in the RBY SQSA thread or discord rather than on the analysis.
 
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[OVERVIEW]

Persian carves out a niche in RBY OU thanks to its ability to consistently land critical hits with Slash. This makes Slash a high-damage move that bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through Reflect Snorlax. Its solid special coverage ensures that it's only fully walled by Gengar, (RC) while still being and is able to handle potential Normal-type answers to Normal-types, (AC) such as Rhydon and Cloyster, (RC) while also having a 22.46% crit rate. (RP) . (AP) crit rate is more general instead of specifically mattering for special coverage so i moved this bit Persian’s impressive Speed allows it to outspeed Tauros and tie with Starmie, making it an effective revenge killer. When paired with Tauros, the king of the tier, (RC) It also grants Persian a strong 22.46% critical hit rate. Tauros and Persian forms form a devastating offensive duo that's tough to handle, as absorbing their combined damage becomes a significant challenge.

Despite its offensive potential, Persian is not a replacement for the rampaging bull, Tauros, which partly explains why it has never achieved true OU prominence. Persian’s is significantly lower bulk makes it much more fragile less bulky, often this basically just said "Persian is fragile because it's fragile" so removed the redundancy getting 2HKO’d 2HKOed by many attacks that Tauros can typically gets 3HKO’d by survive. Due to this weakness, Persian is often forced out by Thunder Wave users, (AC) such as Alakazam and Starmie. This lack of defensive utility is a key weakness, as Persian cannot afford to switch into any attacks, making it hard to get onto the field safely. Furthermore, since Persian is often almost always optional but I think it goes well with your earlier points paired with Tauros, this creates a team with two Pokemon you don't that do not want taking to take hits with, leading to a lack of space for defensive tools. I think this gets across the teambuilder limitation a bit more clearly

Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped. In contrast, Tauros can deal nearly as much damage with Body Slam, but it also has the potential to score critical hits and inflict paralysis, giving it higher overall potential in terms of both damage and utility. Persian demands sharp prediction and aggressive play to make the most of its strengths, but when used effectively, it can be very rewarding, particularly against more defensive strategies.

[SET]
name: Slash
move 1: Slash
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Bubble Beam
move 4: Thunderbolt / Growl / Hyper Beam

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

Slash is the main reason Persian is viable, effectively ignoring Reflect thanks to its near-guaranteed critical hit rate. Body Slam is crucial against Reflect Snorlax: after two Slashes hits with Slash, the third won’t usually will only KO (a 3HKO is only a 6.5% chance) of the time, and Snorlax can simply Rest, undoing your progress. In this scenario However, you need to Persian can fish for a critical hit with Body Slam to secure the KO, as Snorlax can’t afford to skip Rest, (RC) giving you a safe window to try. Additionally, Body Slam can be useful fish for fishing for paralysis when Starmie switches in, potentially crippling it. Bubble Beam allows Persian to 2HKO Rhydon, and its Speed drop chance can occasionally help against faster switch-ins like Alakazam and Starmie, forcing them into a tricky situation.

For the 4th move, Thunderbolt gives 3HKOes Cloyster and Slowbro, giving Persian a fighting chance against Cloyster and Slowbro by 3HKOing them. It also has the added benefit of being able to crit against can critically hit Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure. (RP) It, (AC) and it is also a way to chip away at Gengar, (RC) whether if it is asleep or at low HP. Growl gives Persian a way to handle Tauros. Since Persian is 2HKO’d 2HKOed by Body Slam + Hyper Beam, (AC) but from Tauros, (RC) using Growl on the Hyper Beam turn prevents an instant the KO (unless Tauros crits) critically hits, allowing you Persian to retaliate with two Slashes Slash and take it down. However, this tactic is somewhat predictable, and if your the opponent anticipates it, they could simply use Body Slam instead, (RC) creating a mindgame. Still, Growl is enough to put Tauros in an awkward position in a matchup that is otherwise unfavorable for Persian. Growl can also be useful against Hyper Beam Snorlax depending on its remaining HP and helps prevent a Self-Destruct OHKO. Additionally, it can help you apply reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon, which is particularly useful against Starmie.

Hyper Beam, meanwhile, allows Persian to finish off Pokemon like Starmie, Victreebel, and Chansey after a Slash and provides a slight 3-4% damage boost to secure KOs where Slash would otherwise fall short. It’s also a viable option for a final stand in a tight spot, with Persian’s critical hit rate giving you it a chance to turn the tables in critical moments.

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

Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing you Persian to get it off land the move for free. Just like Growl, it can also allow you to apply reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves. Thunder, on the other hand, 2HKOes Cloyster and deals more damage to Starmie than Thunderbolt, but its accuracy and reliability leave much to be desired, making it a less consistent option overall.

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

Gengar: Persian can't fight Gengar at all, possessing only its special coverage to have even a hope in doing so. Even Thunder only has a vague chance to 5HKO it, so Persian is often forced out while giving Gengar free rein to use an uncontested Hypnosis or force damage onto your team Persian's teammates. Ideally, Gengar should be accounted for and dispatched before even revealing Persian.

Paralysis: Persian can't handle paralysis, which makes its lack of bulk much more apparent and easier to exploit. Worse still, being paralyzed completely diminishes Persian's potential to revenge kill, making it little more than food for opposing Snorlax and Tauros. Many Pokemon, like Exeggutor, Zapdos, and Cloyster, possess strong attacks that can even 2HKO it with little consequence when it's paralyzed.

Starmie: Starmie is capable of stomaching Slash + Hyper Beam while and Speed tying ties with Persian, which, on top of combined with its access to Thunder Wave, makes it very capable of downing the cat. Persian is capable of winning against a paralyzed Starmie, but it will often rely on full paralysis to win from if Starmie is at full HP.

Tauros: Without Growl shenanigans, Tauros can 2HKO Persian with Body Slam + Hyper Beam, with while Persian can only being able to threaten it with a Slash and followed by a critical hit from Hyper Beam.

Snorlax: Snorlax with Hyper Beam can take on Persian, (AC) as because it 2HKOs 2HKOes with Body Slam followed by Hyper Beam, and it has the bulk necessary to withstand Persian’s attacks in the process. It just needs to be cautious of an eventual a potential Growl.

Exeggutor: With its fantastic bulk, Exeggutor can win against Persian one-on-one, threatening it with Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, or a 2HKO from Psychic. However, it will take massive damage in the process, often being forced to use Explosion much sooner than usual.

Counter: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. If Persian just revenge-killed revenge kills something, Chansey can easily come in and threaten Thunder Wave, forcing Persian to switch out to avoid paralysis. This allows Chansey to use Counter on the incoming Pokemon, dealing significant damage and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.

Rhydon: While it is 2HKOed by Bubble Beam, Rhydon is capable of threatening Persian, as it can 2HKO 2HKOes Persian with Earthquake while resisting and resists Slash. Due to it effectively forcing Persian to use Bubble Beam, it can pivot to a specially bulky Pokemon like Alakazam to switch in with relative impunity unless a Speed drop occurs. Ergo, defeating Rhydon with Bubble Beam can actually be quite difficult, so Bubble Beam should be seen as a way to encourage it to switch out and force Slash damage onto the opposing team.

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Sabelette said:
GP 1/1 GP Team done

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[OVERVIEW]

Persian carves out a niche in RBY OU thanks to its ability to consistently land critical hits with Slash. This makes Slash a high-damage move that bypasses Reflect, allowing it to break through Reflect Snorlax. Its solid special coverage ensures that it's only fully walled by Gengar, (RC) while still being and is able to handle potential Normal-type answers to Normal-types, (AC) such as Rhydon and Cloyster, (RC) while also having a 22.46% crit rate. (RP) . (AP) crit rate is more general instead of specifically mattering for special coverage so i moved this bit Persian’s impressive Speed allows it to outspeed Tauros and tie with Starmie, making it an effective revenge killer. When paired with Tauros, the king of the tier, (RC) It also grants Persian a strong 22.46% critical hit rate. Tauros and Persian forms form a devastating offensive duo that's tough to handle, as absorbing their combined damage becomes a significant challenge.

Despite its offensive potential, Persian is not a replacement for the rampaging bull, Tauros, which partly explains why it has never achieved true OU prominence. Persian’s is significantly lower bulk makes it much more fragile less bulky, often this basically just said "Persian is fragile because it's fragile" so removed the redundancy getting 2HKO’d 2HKOed by many attacks that Tauros can typically gets 3HKO’d by survive. Due to this weakness, Persian is often forced out by Thunder Wave users, (AC) such as Alakazam and Starmie. This lack of defensive utility is a key weakness, as Persian cannot afford to switch into any attacks, making it hard to get onto the field safely. Furthermore, since Persian is often almost always optional but I think it goes well with your earlier points paired with Tauros, this creates a team with two Pokemon you don't that do not want taking to take hits with, leading to a lack of space for defensive tools. I think this gets across the teambuilder limitation a bit more clearly

Finally, although Slash is a strong move and always lands a critical hit by design, this means Persian's damage output with Slash is capped. In contrast, Tauros can deal nearly as much damage with Body Slam, but it also has the potential to score critical hits and inflict paralysis, giving it higher overall potential in terms of both damage and utility. Persian demands sharp prediction and aggressive play to make the most of its strengths, but when used effectively, it can be very rewarding, particularly against more defensive strategies.

[SET]
name: Slash
move 1: Slash
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Bubble Beam
move 4: Thunderbolt / Growl / Hyper Beam

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

Slash is the main reason Persian is viable, effectively ignoring Reflect thanks to its near-guaranteed critical hit rate. Body Slam is crucial against Reflect Snorlax: after two Slashes hits with Slash, the third won’t usually will only KO (a 3HKO is only a 6.5% chance) of the time, and Snorlax can simply Rest, undoing your progress. In this scenario However, you need to Persian can fish for a critical hit with Body Slam to secure the KO, as Snorlax can’t afford to skip Rest, (RC) giving you a safe window to try. Additionally, Body Slam can be useful fish for fishing for paralysis when Starmie switches in, potentially crippling it. Bubble Beam allows Persian to 2HKO Rhydon, and its Speed drop chance can occasionally help against faster switch-ins like Alakazam and Starmie, forcing them into a tricky situation.

For the 4th move, Thunderbolt gives 3HKOes Cloyster and Slowbro, giving Persian a fighting chance against Cloyster and Slowbro by 3HKOing them. It also has the added benefit of being able to crit against can critically hit Starmie, unlike Slash, providing Persian more offensive pressure. (RP) It, (AC) and it is also a way to chip away at Gengar, (RC) whether if it is asleep or at low HP. Growl gives Persian a way to handle Tauros. Since Persian is 2HKO’d 2HKOed by Body Slam + Hyper Beam, (AC) but from Tauros, (RC) using Growl on the Hyper Beam turn prevents an instant the KO (unless Tauros crits) critically hits, allowing you Persian to retaliate with two Slashes Slash and take it down. However, this tactic is somewhat predictable, and if your the opponent anticipates it, they could simply use Body Slam instead, (RC) creating a mindgame. Still, Growl is enough to put Tauros in an awkward position in a matchup that is otherwise unfavorable for Persian. Growl can also be useful against Hyper Beam Snorlax depending on its remaining HP and helps prevent a Self-Destruct OHKO. Additionally, it can help you apply reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon, which is particularly useful against Starmie.

Hyper Beam, meanwhile, allows Persian to finish off Pokemon like Starmie, Victreebel, and Chansey after a Slash and provides a slight 3-4% damage boost to secure KOs where Slash would otherwise fall short. It’s also a viable option for a final stand in a tight spot, with Persian’s critical hit rate giving you it a chance to turn the tables in critical moments.

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

Persian’s other options are not very interesting. Screech can be used alongside Hyper Beam to OHKO Pokemon like Starmie, creating mind games and encouraging switches. It also offers a helpful way to check for Counter from Chansey and Snorlax, potentially allowing you Persian to get it off land the move for free. Just like Growl, it can also allow you to apply reapply a Speed drop to a paralyzed Pokemon. However, running Screech means sacrificing too many of Persian's essential moves. Thunder, on the other hand, 2HKOes Cloyster and deals more damage to Starmie than Thunderbolt, but its accuracy and reliability leave much to be desired, making it a less consistent option overall.

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

Gengar: Persian can't fight Gengar at all, possessing only its special coverage to have even a hope in doing so. Even Thunder only has a vague chance to 5HKO it, so Persian is often forced out while giving Gengar free rein to use an uncontested Hypnosis or force damage onto your team Persian's teammates. Ideally, Gengar should be accounted for and dispatched before even revealing Persian.

Paralysis: Persian can't handle paralysis, which makes its lack of bulk much more apparent and easier to exploit. Worse still, being paralyzed completely diminishes Persian's potential to revenge kill, making it little more than food for opposing Snorlax and Tauros. Many Pokemon, like Exeggutor, Zapdos, and Cloyster, possess strong attacks that can even 2HKO it with little consequence when it's paralyzed.

Starmie: Starmie is capable of stomaching Slash + Hyper Beam while and Speed tying ties with Persian, which, on top of combined with its access to Thunder Wave, makes it very capable of downing the cat. Persian is capable of winning against a paralyzed Starmie, but it will often rely on full paralysis to win from if Starmie is at full HP.

Tauros: Without Growl shenanigans, Tauros can 2HKO Persian with Body Slam + Hyper Beam, with while Persian can only being able to threaten it with a Slash and followed by a critical hit from Hyper Beam.

Snorlax: Snorlax with Hyper Beam can take on Persian, (AC) as because it 2HKOs 2HKOes with Body Slam followed by Hyper Beam, and it has the bulk necessary to withstand Persian’s attacks in the process. It just needs to be cautious of an eventual a potential Growl.

Exeggutor: With its fantastic bulk, Exeggutor can win against Persian one-on-one, threatening it with Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, or a 2HKO from Psychic. However, it will take massive damage in the process, often being forced to use Explosion much sooner than usual.

Counter: Counter is also a major annoyance for Persian because it doesn’t have an efficient way to scout for it. This makes Snorlax and Chansey with Counter tough for Persian to handle. If Persian just revenge-killed revenge kills something, Chansey can easily come in and threaten Thunder Wave, forcing Persian to switch out to avoid paralysis. This allows Chansey to use Counter on the incoming Pokemon, dealing significant damage and putting the Persian player in a tough spot.

Rhydon: While it is 2HKOed by Bubble Beam, Rhydon is capable of threatening Persian, as it can 2HKO 2HKOes Persian with Earthquake while resisting and resists Slash. Due to it effectively forcing Persian to use Bubble Beam, it can pivot to a specially bulky Pokemon like Alakazam to switch in with relative impunity unless a Speed drop occurs. Ergo, defeating Rhydon with Bubble Beam can actually be quite difficult, so Bubble Beam should be seen as a way to encourage it to switch out and force Slash damage onto the opposing team.

[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/peasounay.285172/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/236353
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/amaranth.265630/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
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Thank you very much, I've implemented the changes.

GP Team the analysis is ready
 
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