-Rattata-

F.E.A.R. (Freaky Evil Annoying Rodent) Moveset: Item: Focus Sash

-Endeavor
-Quick Attack

Note: MUST BE LEVEL 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s the deal. Arceus (or some other random powerful lv. 100 Pokemon) attacks with Judgement (or some other random powerful, boosted, EV’d attack). Focus Sash prevents a knockout, and you use Endeavor. Arceus (or the other random Pokemon) is now at 1 HP. Then use Quick Attack for the knockout.

It’s not fool-proof, because these things can destroy your (freaky) evil (annoying) plot.

-Set-Level battles (like lv. 50 all, etc.)
-Double Battles (while you’re trying to Endeavor one, the other will take you down after the Focus Sash is used up.)
-A faster Quick Attack variant (eg. Weavile’s Ice Shard, or a level-100’s Quick Attack, which has priority over Rattata’s)
-Switching out (FEAR is a one-use set, ya know?)
-Protect or Detect (Ditto above)
-GHOST TYPES!!!!!!!!!!!! (neither one of your attacks affects them!)

However, it can still prove to be a useful one-use suicide, kamakaze-type Pokemon, and can even take down Blisseys or Arceuses. And the whole team will fall after the core is taken down, so predict correctly and bring the Freaky Evil Annoying Rodent in the house! Just make sure the Ghostbusters are around.

Well, see you next time for another Special Featured Pokemon, then a Steel-hard, mysterious Pokemon who stars in two movies (so far!)!

-Empoleon-

Attack: Item: Leftovers/Choice Specs/Choice Scarf

Favors: Sp. Attack, Speed

-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Brine
-Grass Knot

Defense Set One: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Sp. Defense

-Surf
-Stealth Rock/Toxic
-Roar/Protect
-Grass Knot/Ice Beam/
-Aqua Ring

Defense Set Two: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Sp. Defense

-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Surf
-Ice Beam

Status: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Sp. Defense

-Yawn
-Surf
-Protect
-Toxic

Statistical: Item: Leftovers

Favors: Speed, Sp. Attack

-Agility
-Ice Beam
-Surf
-Grass Knot

As you can see, Empoleon is a more defensive Pokemon due to its typing. Out of 17 types, it is resistant to 11 of them! The problem is, it’s weak to a few very common attack types: Ground (Earthquake), Fighting (Close Combat or HP Fighting), and Electric (Thunderbolt). And unfortunately, those types are three of the best types for sweepers. But that’s not even the main letdown. Although Empoleon should be a defensive Pokemon, it has a very, very limited defensive movepool, with only two recovery moves: Aqua Ring and Rest. Both of which have significant letdowns: Aqua Ring is just like Leftovers and heals you slowly, and Rest makes you fall asleep for two turns. Despite all of that, Empoleon is a pretty good BL Pokemon nonetheless, and shouldn’t be underestimated. Like I said earlier, Empoleon is good at defense. You can try a combo of Aqua Ring + Toxic + Protect + Surf + Protect + Surf (and on and on), do Stealth Rock and Roar, or use Rest-Talk on the defensive options. Grass Knot is good for battling other Water-types, who resist Surf and Ice Beam. On the offensive side, it should have Surf, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and Agility to raise its low Speed, or Brine to finish off damaged Pokemon easier.

And there you have it for the popular penguin Pokemon! What will the next Featured Pokemon be? Only time will tell… See you next time!

-Stantler-

Attack: Item: Choice Band or Choice Scarf or Muscle Band

Favors: Attack, Speed

-Return
-Bite
-Earthquake
-Zen Headbutt

Defense: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Defense

-Stomp
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Bite

Status: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Defense

-Stomp
-Thunder Wave/Hypnosis
-Confuse Ray/Hypnosis
-Bite

Statistical: Item: Leftovers

Favors: HP, Defense

-Reflect
-Light Screen
-Stomp
-Bite

When I use Stantler, I find that the Status set works best for me, because Stantler has access to three great status moves. And why Stomp on most defensive movesets? Because of the 30% flinch percentage. Especially on the Status moveset, if you paralyze (25% chance of not attacking), then confuse (50% chance of not attacking), then Stomp (30% chance of not attacking) your opponent, they will not be able to attack (unless confusion wears off). However, I don’t think any competitive battler wouldn’t see that coming, so don’t be surprised if they switch. The good thing is that this makes Stantler a good Pseudo-Hazer, because any stats they’ve raised are set back to normal when they switch. That is, with the exception of Reflect and Light Screen, which the Statistical set just happens to have. And I haven’t even started talking about an offensive Stantler yet! As Stantler is very versatile, it can easily be a sweeper with a Choice item equipped. Return with full happiness is its most powerful STAB option, and Zen Headbutt can take care of threatening Fighting types, while Earthquake decimates Steel-types who resist all its other moves. Bite is there for a super-effective hit on Ghost-types, but you could replace it with a more powerful option if you wish.

Overall, Stantler is a versatile Pokemon that is suited to almost any task. Its weakness? It has very low stats, despite an exceptional movepool, and can usually be OHKO’d or 2HKO’d. It also cannot do all that much damage compared to other Pokemon in the UU tier, which is unfortunate, because if it had higher stats it could fit in in BL, or even be suited for OU!

That wraps up this Featured Pokemon, and happy really really really belated holidays to you all!

-Infernape-

Attack:

Physical Set: Item: Muscle Band or Life Orb or Choice Band

Favors: Attack, Speed

-Flare Blitz (level-up) or Blaze Kick (Egg Move)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Stone Edge (TM) or Rock Slide (TM)
-Thunderpunch (Egg Move) or Mach Punch (level-up)

Special Set: Item: Wise Glasses or Life Orb or Wide Specs or Choice Specs

Favors: Sp. Attack, Speed

-Flamethrower (TM) or Fire Blast (TM)
-Focus Blast (TM)
-Grass Knot (TM)
-Ice-Type Hidden Power (TM)

Defense: Item: Focus Sash

Favors: Attack, Speed, HP/Defense/Sp. Defense

-Blaze Kick (Egg Move)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Bulk Up (TM)
-Slack Off (Monferno level-up)

Status: Item: Focus Sash or Light Ball

Favors: Speed, Attack

-Blaze Kick (Egg Move)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Torment (TM) or Fling (TM)
-Will-o-wisp (TM)

Statistical:

Physical: Item: Focus Sash

Favors: Speed, Attack

-Swords Dance (TM)
-Blaze Kick (Egg Move) or Flare Blitz (level-up)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Stone Edge (TM) or Rock Slide (TM)

As you can plainly see, the attack sets are best. DON’T EVEN TRY the Defensive one. I was forced to type it out because I must reccomend a set for every one of these, and unfortunately because of Infernape’s diverse ability to be able to sweep in both Physical and Special attacks I have had to make two or more sets on most of the sections (one for Attack, one for Sp. Attack, but my preferred is Attack because of Close Combat over Focus Blast), so I had to do TWO for Defense Infernape. *shudders* Warning: DO NOT TRY THAT AT HOME!! or anywhere else for that matter… Statistical also performs quite nicely here. However, Status is almost at bad as Defense! (FYI, the reason it can be holding a Light Ball is if you want to Fling it at your opponent to paralyze it) If you want a Status or Defensive Pokemon, look no further than Blissey, Bronzong or Skarmory, or Torterra or Bronzong out of the Featured Pokemon that I have done so far.

-Torterra-

Attack: Item: Choice Band or Choice Scarf

Favors: Attack, Speed, HP

-Earthquake (level-up)
-Wood Hammer (move Tutor) or Seed Bomb (Egg Move)
-Stone Edge (TM) or Rock Slide (TM)
-Superpower (Egg Move) or Crunch (level-up)

Defense: Item: Leftovers

Favors: Attack, Defense, HP

-Earthquake (level-up)
-Wood Hammer (Move Tutor) or Seed Bomb (Egg Move) or Rock Slide (TM)
-Stealth Rock (TM)
-Leech Seed (level-up) or Synthesis (level-up)

Statistical: Item: Leftovers or Life Orb

Favors: Attack, Speed

-Earthquake (level-up)
-Wood Hammer (Move Tutor) or Seed Bomb (Egg Move)
-Rock Slide (TM) or Stone Edge (TM)
-Rock Polish (TM) or Swords Dance (TM) or Reflect (TM) or Light Screen (TM)

Status: Item: Leftovers

Favors: Attack/HP, Defense, Speed

-Earthquake (level-up)
-Wood Hammer (Move Tutor) or Seed Bomb (Egg Move)
-Toxic (TM)
-Double Team (TM) or Reflect (TM) or Light Screen (TM) or Stone Edge (TM) or Rock Slide (TM)

My favorite out of these sets is the Defense set. If you use Leech Seed first and then Stealth Rock, you will force a lot of switches to escape from Leech Seed. And it just so happens that the Pokemon that resist Stealth Rock are Water, Ground and Rock types – all of which are pummeled by Wood Hammer or Seed Bomb. However, if a fast sweeper like Infernape switches into Stealth Rock, it will do an average amount of damage but yet Infernape can go first and use Flamethrower (a Special Attack – too bad for Torterra).

The Attack and Status sets can also work well, but I’d still reccomend Defense.

That wraps up our Featured Pokemon entry for now, but be sure to check back for Torterra’s popular archrival’s entry!

-Kyogre-

Attack: Item: Choice Scarf OR Choice Specs

-Water Spout (level-up)
-Surf (HM)
-Thunder (TM)
-Ice Beam (TM)

Defense: Item: Leftovers/Lum Berry

-Surf (HM) OR Water Spout (level-up)
-Ice Beam (TM) OR Thunder (TM)
-Rest (level-up)
-Sleep Talk (TM)

Statistical: Item: Leftovers

-Surf (HM)
-Ice Beam (TM) OR Substitute
-Calm Mind (level-up)
-Thunder (TM) OR Substitute

Status: Item: Leftovers

-Surf (HM)
-Toxic(TM)
-Ice Beam (TM)
-Thunder (TM)

In my opinion, Attack Kyogre performs the best. Surf is its STAB, Ice Beam is there to take down Dragons and Grass-types, and Thunder is playing off of its ability to boost its accuracy to 100% instead of a measly 75%. But why Water Spout? You can abuse Water Spout at high HP, and it will overpower Surf when it’s at 65% HP remaining or more. For Defense Kyogre, keep sweeping the best you can until you need to Rest the damage off. For Statistical, use Calm Mind as much as you can, then sweep. You could also ‘Substitute’ either Ice Beam or Thunder for Substitute if you want. For the final moveset, Status. First use Thunder Wave to hinder them, then Swagger to make it a 25% chance of them actually attacking, and a 50% chance of hurting themself. And finally, use the move of your choice: Ice Beam or Surf. If you have a feeling they’ll switch out (this is why Thunder Wave is first), just use Thunder Wave again and paralyze their next Pokemon. Two down, four to go! And if they decide to risk it, Swagger them. The only problem with this is the fact that Kyogre can be relatively slow and suceptible to a quick physical Salamence, Garchomp, etc., so I would go with Attack.

And there you have it! Keep a lookout for the next Featured Pokemon (hint: a popular Grass-and-Ground type)! Goodbye for now!

-Bronzong-

Attack: Item: Metronome

-Gyro Ball (level-up)
-Trick Room (TM)
-Earthquake (TM)
-Hypnosis (level-up)

Defense:

Set One: Item: Leftovers

-Gyro Ball (level-up)
-Stealth Rock (TM)
-Hypnosis (level-up)
-Reflect (TM) OR Light Screen (TM)

Set Two: Item: Leftovers

-Rest (TM)
-Sleep Talk (TM)
-Gyro Ball (level-up)
-Hypnosis (level-up) OR Earthquake (TM)

Statistical:

Set One: Item: Leftovers or Lum Berry

-Calm Mind (TM)
-Block (level-up)
-Ice-type Hidden Power (TM)
-Rest (TM)

Set Two: Item: Leftovers or Lum Berry

-Light Screen (TM)
-Reflect (TM)
-Rest (TM)
-Gyro Ball (level-up) OR Earthquake (TM)

Status: Item: Leftovers

-Toxic (TM)
-Light Screen (TM)
-Reflect (TM)
-Psychic (TM)

As you can see, Bronzong is not the best attacker (as mentioned above), but excels in defensive, statistical and even status conditional fighting. I highly reccomend this Pokemon, Skarmory, or Blissey to fill any of these roles, but Bronzong has only one weakness: Fire, which makes it resistant to many attacks. Also something to mention is that Gyro Ball powers up the slower you are and the faster your opponent is. You might think that Trick Room will greatly power down Gyro Ball, but Gyro Ball works only on the actual stat and does not take Trick Room into consideration! That means that it will have the same amount of power, but you’ll probably get to attack first!

That wraps up the Pokemon Strategy section for now, so stay tuned for next time!

-Giratina-

Offensive:

Attack: Life Orb or Choice Band

-Shadow Claw (level-up) or Shadow Force (level-up)
-Dragon Claw (TM)
-Earthquake (TM)
-Fire-type Hidden Power (TM)

Special Attack: Life Orb or Choice Specs

-Shadow Ball (TM)
-Dragon Pulse (TM) or Draco Meteor (Granny Wilma w/full Friendship)
-Hidden Power (Fire-type) (TM)
-Aura Sphere (level-up)

Defensive: Item: Leftovers

-Rest (TM)
-Sleep Talk (TM)
-Will-o-Wisp (TM)
-Dragon Claw (TM) OR Dragon Pulse (TM)

Statistical: Item: Leftovers

-Calm Mind (TM)
-Rest (TM)
-Sleep Talk (TM) OR Will-O-Wisp (TM)
-Dragon Pulse (TM)

Status: Item: Leftovers

-Will-o-Wisp (TM)
-Toxic (TM)
-Roar (TM)
-Dragon Claw (TM)

Actually, Giratina, although it looks more like a Sp. Attacker, is better at defense, although it is generally a well-rounded Pokemon that can be used in all of the ways above quite capably. Really: it can handle them all reasonably well, though it excels at using Will-o-Wisp to lower an opponent’s Attack, plus do damage every turn. Pair that with Rest-Talk and its high Defense and you’ve got an awesome Physical Wall! So look around and choose the style that suits your needs. I hope you like the special addition/edition to/of Pokemon Strategy’s Ultimate Strategy page!
_||_
Happy Halloween! ( ^_^ )
————-

Shdowgroudon’s Note:

Also, thank you to Wurmple/Sir Wurmple for reminding me that Shadow Force is a physical attack! Whoops… Again, thanks a bunch!

-Lucario-

Offensive:

Attack: Item: Life Orb or Choice Band

-Swords Dance (TM)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Extremespeed (level-up)
-Stone Edge (TM)

Sp. Attack: Item: Expert Belt or Choice Specs

-Aura Sphere (level-up)
-Dark Pulse (Move Tutor)
-Dragon Pulse (level-up) OR Ice-type Hidden Power (TM)
-Vaccuum Wave (Riolu Egg Move)

Defensive: Item: Leftovers or Focus Sash

-Substitute (TM)
-Bulk Up (TM)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Rock Slide (TM)

Statistical: Item: Leftovers or Salac Berry

-Substitute (TM)
-Swords Dance (TM)
-Close Combat (level-up)
-Stone Edge (TM)

Status: Item: Leftovers or Salac Berry

-Thunder Wave (TM)
-Substitute (TM)
-Dragon Pulse (level-up)
-Aura Sphere (level-up)

Again, the first two sets are the ones that makes the cut best, as Lucario just isn’t the defensive type. If you can’t fit them in, then try Statistical instead, because although not the best choice, it stands a better chance with Substitute and Salac Berry, which will raise its lowish Speed. But if Lucario – even the first sets – go down in one shot, eg. Earthquake, Fire Blast or another Close Combat, don’t be surprised. Again, Lucario is not the defensive type: it’s the kamikaze type.

Well, until next time!