Serperior

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trc

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Overview
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  • One of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, at base 113 Speed.
  • Reasonably expansive movepool allows it to carry out a number of roles.
  • These include a Calm Mind sweeper, a Swords Dance sweeper, a Coil sweeper, a dual screener, and a parashuffler.
  • Overgrow is quite helpful on all of its sets.
  • Unfortunately weak without a boost from either Calm Mind, Swords Dance, or Coil.
  • While it has a good overall movepool, it has few great coverage moves for its offensive sets.

Calm Mind
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name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Substitute / Taunt
ability: Overgrow
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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  • Calm Mind is Serperior's boosting move of choice for this special set.
  • Giga Drain is the chosen STAB move. It is fairy strong and offers recovery through its draining effect.
    • Leaf Storm can be used in its place for the extra power, and Calm Mind can raise the boosts it drops, but it really isn't worth it because it makes it much harder for Serperior to sweep.
    • Energy Ball is an odd medium; it is stronger than Giga Drain and doesn't drop Special Attack like Leaf Storm. However, the lack of recovery generally makes Energy Ball inferior to Giga Drain.
  • Hidden Power Rock is the preferred Hidden power type as it hits Scyther, Chatot, Flareon, Ninetales, Heatmor, and a number of other Bug-, Flying-, and Fire-types super effectively.
    • Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Roselia and other bulky Grass-types like Tangela and Gourgeist-S, but it leaves Serperior walled by Fire-types, especially Flash Fire ones.
    • Hidden Power Ice targets the same Flying-types as Hidden Power Rock, such as Scyther, Chatot, and Dodrio, while getting a stronger hit on Altaria and hitting Fraxure and Zweilous super effectively.
  • Substitute is used to aid against status moves from common users like Lickilicky and Gourgeist-S, as well as shielding Serperior from the burn chance of Scald from Poliwrath, Pelipper, and other bulky Water-types. It also helps Serperior to get into Overgrow range in order to get a stronger hit on foes. Additionally, it prevents offensive phazing via Poliwrath's Circle Throw.
  • However, if the cutting of health is unappealing, Taunt works similarly in preventing direct status moves, while also being helpful against hazard leads, setup attackers, and phazers with Roar and Whirlwind.

Set Details
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  • The EV spread and nature are remarkably obvious. Bear in mind Hidden Power Rock and Hidden Power Fire lower the Speed IV by one.
  • Life Orb may seem odd, but it grants Serperior much-needed power while enabling it to Substitute into Overgrow range easier. Giga Drain also helps regain lost HP.
  • Leftovers is definitely viable, but it makes Serperior a lot weaker.

Usage Tips
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  • Serperior usually sets up Calm Mind on Pokemon it forces it with the threat of Giga Drain. Such examples include Carracosta, Barbaracle, Basculin, and Golem.
  • Substitute can be setup on Pokemon with status moves, such as Lickilicky and Gourgeist-S. Taunt works similarly.
  • Another way of using Substitute is on forced switches, where the opponent may switch to a faster attacker, such as say, Choice Scarf Scyther on a Giga Drain. By using Substitute, Serperior is free to use Hidden Power Rock as Scyther breaks the Substitute.
  • When you know the foe will not be KOed by Giga Drain from whatever health it is at, Serperior can use Substitute until it gets into range of Overgrow (33.3% of its HP or lower), and can then fire off a powerful Giga Drain. At this point, neutral Giga Drain does more damage than a 2x super effective Hidden Power Rock, and resisted Giga Drain does more damage than a neutral Hidden Power Rock, when Serperior is in Overgrow range of course.

Team Options
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  • Serperior struggles with fast Flying-types, as well as Fire-types which can often wall this set, and especially Steel-types such as Metang and Klang. Grass-types such as Roselia are also problematic, depending on the coverage. Carracosta is a magnificent partner; its defensive set (complemented by its additional Rock typing) allows it to magnificently check Flying-types, Bug-types, and Fire-types. Barbaracle is similar in this regard, and both of the two and break holes early game with their Shell Smash sets, perfect for Serperior to clean up afterwards. Grass-types and Steel-types become problematic, and the addition of a Fire-type is great to aid against those opponents. Flareon, Ninetales, and Camerupt are all solid choices. Additionally, this makes a Fire / Water / Grass core, renowned for its synergy.
  • All teams require Stealth Rock, especially ones with late-game sweepers. What makes Serperior different in this aspect as to have a mention of it? The fact that Serperior's main checks are Bug-, Flying-, and Fire-types, all of which are weak to Stealth Rock. Having the aid of a Stealth Rock setter such as Piloswine or Golem is immensely useful in wearing down Serperior's checks.
  • Most late-game sweepers like Serperior (it is important to clarify that Serperior is a late-game sweeper; it doesn't have the immediate power to break walls like other sweepers such as Shell Smash Barbaracle, it requires checks to be weakened rather heavily) immensely appreciate early-game wallbreaking from strong wallbreakers, to soften up the opposing Pokemon for Serperior's sweep. Examples of common wallbreakers that fit well with Serperior synergistically include Flareon, Basculin, Kadabra, and Sneasel. Bouffalant gets a special mention as it can switch into the various Grass-types Serperior has trouble against, such as Roselia.

Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Substitute / Taunt
ability: Overgrow
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
  • Swords Dance is arguably Serperior's best physical boosting move, and provides a larger boost to Serperior's Attack than Calm Mind does to its Special Attack.
  • Leaf Blade is Serperior's standard STAB move, with good power and 100% accuracy.
  • Knock Off offers great neutral coverage against Pokemon that resist Leaf Blade, such as Flareon, Heatmor, Scyther, Chatot, Dodrio, and Metang, while also crippling Klang for teammates.
  • Substitute offers protection against status, and aids against Pokemon attempting to revenge kill it.
  • Taunt is similar in that it offers status protection, but it has other advantages, such as stopping Roar / Whirlwind, Taunting other Taunters such as Misdreavus, and stopping other Pokemon from setting up.

Set Details
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  • The EV spread is pretty obvious for a physical sweeper, and Jolly is chosen because Serperior wants to preserve its great Speed.
  • Leftovers is preferred as this set is different from Calm Mind in that its main STAB move doesn't provide recovery, and the boost to the offensive stat is larger.
  • Life Orb is still an option though, and it works nicely for Subbing into Overgrow range.

Usage Tips
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  • Setup Swords Dance on Pokemon that Serperior threatens out, such as Carracosta and Barbaracle.
  • Early-game, it may be more beneficial to Knock Off than to setup, especially against stall teams which will typically switch Pokemon in that rely on their Leftovers to check various threats.

Team Options
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  • Rock Polish Regice is a great partner because it elicits the sacrificing of Choice Scarf Rotom-F to Trick so that it cannot revenge Serperior with Blizzard. They can both be played with one sweeper early-game and one late-game, depending on the Pokemon on the other team. They have different checks and counters, and they beat both of the others checks and counters, for example, Regice beats Tangela and Bouffalant, while Serperior lures in Metang and Lickilicky.

Coil
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name: Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Substitute / Aqua Tail / Taunt
ability: Overgrow
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
  • Coil is an interesting boosting move for physical sets, boosting Serperior's Attack, Defense, and accuracy, but the former by only one stage, eschewing the larger Attack boost of Swords Dance in exchange for the other boosts.
  • This lends itself to the set being a slower, bulkier booster than the Swords Dance set.
  • Leaf Blade is Serperior's strong, reliable STAB move.
  • Knock Off provides pretty good neutral coverage; not much resists both Leaf Blade and Knock Off. It also removes the items of switch-ins. With Knock Off, Serperior can hit otherwise counters like Metang, while also being able to at least neutrally hit Chatot, Scyther, Flareon, and other Pokemon that resist Leaf Blade.
  • Substitute is preferred in the last slot; it is always used with Leftovers and aids against status. SubCoil is nice because Serperior can setup on many physical attackers that struggle to break its Substitutes.
  • Aqua Tail is also a nice option, as Coil makes it 100% accurate, and it hits Flareon, Heatmor, Camerupt, and non-Passho Berry Ninetales much harder than Knock Off does. Life Orb is an option when using Aqua Tail.
  • Taunt prevents status moves from being used against Serperior (like Substitute does), while also stopping phazers. Either item is fine here.
    • Alternatively, Synthesis allows Serperior to gain back health lost setting up. Coil + Synthesis is a viable combination as Serperior is a slower booster with Coil, and can often setup many boosts against weaker physical Pokemon. Synthesis enables it to setup Coils and recover back to a reasonable state of health, making revenge killing attempts harder.

Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Dual Screens
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name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
ability: Overgrow
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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  • This dual screens set has the goal of setting up both screens in order to enhance the bulk of teammate setup sweepers, especially frail ones that have trouble finding setup opportunities in normal play. It is different from other dual screeners in that it has great Speed and therefore a fast Taunt, something Meowstic-M can't boast.
  • Reflect is obviously the screen that halves the damage from physical attacks.
  • Likewise, Light Screen works exactly the same but for special attacks instead.
  • Taunt is one of Serperior's greatest advantages over other dual screeners, preventing opposing setup, other Taunts, and opposing entry hazards.
  • Giga Drain gives Serperior one STAB move, but Leaf Storm does more when used in a suicidal fashion.

Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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  • Setup sweepers that benefit from the support of dual screens to open up more setup opportunities. These include Belly Drum Linoone, Shell Smash Carracosta, Shell Smash Barbaracle, Nasty Plot Raichu, Nasty Plot Ninetales, Swords Dance Sneasel, and Swords Dance Scyther, possibly more than one or two on the same team, but that leads to a very hyper offensive team. Usually, they will be paired with wallbreakers as well.
  • These teams appreciate fast entry hazards to help their sweepers, and common examples include Glalie and Garbodor, both of which can get off many entry hazards from the lead slot suicidally. Both also have Explosion to wear down a random foe.

Parashuffler
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name: Parashuffler
move 1: Glare
move 2: Dragon Tail
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Giga Drain / Taunt
ability: Overgrow
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid / Jolly

Moves
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  • This set is designed to cripple an opponents team by paralyzing the opponents Pokemon to make them slower, phaze them out with Dragon Tail, and remove their items with Knock Off.
  • Glare is the paralysis move used, and it is handy in that it can affect Ground-types.
  • Dragon Tail is an offensive phazing move, which is pretty good because it means that Serperior can't be stopped cold by Taunt users if it isn't using Taunt itself.
  • Knock Off cripples switch-ins by removing their items, making them much less effective defensively (usually Serperior elicits defensive answers).
  • Giga Drain offers a STAB and recovery move. Taunt can be used to protect against other Taunt users as well as status users, and in general helps more against stallier teams.

Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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  • Gastro Acid to hit Sap Sipper Bouffalant on the switch in, and then hit it with a Giga Drain right after.
  • Leech Seed, and by extension, SubSeed, are reasonable sets, but they exacerbate Serperior's own weaknesses to Sap Sipper Pokemon.
  • Toxic has its uses to trouble Serperior answers like Tangela, Zweilous, and Lickilicky.
  • Sunny Day + Solar Beam + Hidden Power Fire can lure in Tangela and Roselia.
  • Iron Tail is a physical option that hits Articuno.
  • Mirror Coat is interesting on anti-lead sets, thought Taunt usually stops Sticky Web just fine.
  • Dragon Pulse hits Zweilous and Altaria on Calm Mind sets.
  • Outrage is similar, but for physical sets.

Checks & Counters
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  • Bouffalant
  • Sawsbuck (Sap Sipper)
  • If CM lacking HP Rock:
    • Flareon
    • Ninetales
    • Heatmor
    • Magmar
    • Chatot
  • Other Serperior
  • If CM lacking HP Fire:
    • Roselia
    • Tangela
    • Serperior with HP Fire
  • Zweilous
  • Metang (non-Knock Off)
  • Klang (crippled by Knock Off)
  • Revenge Killers:
    • Choice Scarf Scyther
    • Choice Scarf Dodrio
    • Choice Scarf Tauros
    • Sneasel
Checks and Counters: Sap Sipper / Fire-types / Grass-types / Steel-types / Phazers / Revenge Killers.
 
Last edited:
Hmm, I'm not finished with this skeleton yet, but I'd like some input on a couple of things. I'll tag Punchshroom since he's knowledgeable of BW NU, and the QC team will likely look at this anyway. I want to ask:
  • Coil and Swords Dance's movesets are annoying, there are plenty of options for two viable sets, but I'm not sure on what they should be. Aqua Tail, Taunt, Substitute, Synthesis, possibly even Return are options for the final moves, assuming Coil / Leaf Blade / Knock Off.
  • Has anyone used a bulky spread on Coil? The main spread should be max / max+, but a bulky spread seems viable when combined with Synthesis in the last slot. Any ideas on what one could be?
 
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I'll be honest, I'm not too sure if I am sold on Coil; the reason Calm Mind can afford boosting so slowly is because it can use boosted Giga Drains to keep its health high while making good use of its SpD boosts. Coil has no such luxury, and I think Swords Dance is the better way to go for physical Serperior if it wants to quickly get work done.
 
I've used offensive Coil, I really liked the accurate Aqua Tail, but most importantly, the Defense boost which aided me a lot more than I expected, the same way Calm Mind helped against special attackers, which is why I thought offensive Coil was rather outclassed by SD, but a specially bulky variant with Synthesis could slowly boost as well.
 
Offensive Coil is decent for the other stat boosts alone, but a bulky Coil set with Synthesis only seems more iffy to me, since it has no room for moves to prevent status and phasing with (Sub / Taunt) to make up for the slow boosting. Oh, and Synthesis Snivy is only available via an event that forces it to be a Hardy nature. FUCK BULBAPEDIA

Edit: TRC still no, the primary reason I am skeptical about bulky Synthesis Coil Serperior still stands, especially given its new susceptibility to burns, and going mono-Grass to counter status moves is also a bad idea.

I'm not opposed to keeping Coil, just move it down below SD imo.
 
Last edited:
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Punchshroom said:
Offensive Coil is decent for the other stat boosts alone, but a bulky Coil set with Synthesis only seems more iffy to me, since it has no room for moves to prevent status with (Sub / Taunt) to make up for the slow boosting. Oh, and Synthesis Snivy is only available via an event that forces it to be a Hardy nature.

I'm not opposed to keeping Coil, just move it down below SD imo.
Click to expand...
Synthesis is available via BW2 Move Tutor. Does this change your opinion of the set in any way?
 
Btw, mention in the CM set that Substitute can block damaging phasing from Circle Throw Poliwrath and Throh, while Taunt stops regular phasing.
 
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