The difference between a Counter, Check, Revenge Killer and Lure

[calum]

Reno, I noticed you made a Guide Section

If this is worthy enough, maybe possibly it could go in there.

Lately, I have noticed that many people have bee referring to one pokemon as a counter to an other, when all it really does is check or revenge the certain pokemon. In this guide I hope to explain clearly the difference between a counter, check, revenge killer and lure.

In this current metagame, which is very offensive, most teams generally rely on checks to stop potentially dangerous threats.


Counters

Firstly counters. In sppf people believe a counter is a pokemon that can beat a certain pokemon. For example, some people believe that Weavile combined with Ice Shard "counters" Salamence, but really it does not. Weavile acts as a revenge killer. A counter is a Pokemon that can switch into another Pokemon with little to no risk to it's well-being. This said Counter can either KO that pokemon before it, itself, get KOed or force that Pokemon out. Counters are often very defensive, and in this current metagame it is generally safer to go with Checks and Revenge Killers. Though if your team has an extreme weakness to one pokemon, a counter is the best way to go. You do not want to have a team consisting of all counters, as normally these teams will be too concerned with countering, that they will lose the power to hit hard offensively and to take hits well. I am not saying that these teams are bad, but most of the time they do not work. Some threats in the OU metagame, are so hard to stop they are often deemed impossible to counter. For example Salamence is the hardest threat in OU to counter. That is why checks are so important. People say Cresselia can counter all forms of Salamence, but this truthfully is not the case. It cannot always Yache versions or CB Versions. But those are hardly ever seen these days. Though it still earns the name of the best Salamence counter.

Examples of Counters:

>>>
Gliscor is a great Heracross counter, as it resists both STABs and Stone Edge, coupled with it's extremely high base defence, beating practically every set.

Gliscor can switch in whilst Hera fires off a CBCloseCombat / Megahorn or Stone Edge, SDs / Bulks Ups or uses a weak Scarf move.
It can then proceed to 2HKO with Earthquake or 1HKO with Aerial Ace. It can outspeed and Roost up if Gliscor received a crit as well, or to grant a resistance to Stone Edge.

Remember this can only be done with a heavy defensive investment, as say a 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP Gliscor will not be able to take repeated Stone Edges.


Another Example is Vaporeon with HP Electric / Roar being a Gyarados counter:

>>>
Vaporeon, with a heavy defence and HP investment can counter Gyarados. Whilst Gyarados usually DDes or on the odd occasion set up a Sub, or jsut blatantly attack, Vaporeon can switch in. Vaporeon is immune to Gyarados' STAB and can hit back with a 4x Super Effective HP Electric, usually 2HKOing, while Gyarados can only manage a 3-4HKO with Stone Edge / Earthquake. Vaporeon can also Roar the Gyarados, effectively countering it. This is extremely dangerous for Gyarados, as the omnipresent Stealth Rocks always stripping off 25 % in every switch in.


Checks

A check is the fundamental way to stop threats in todays metagame. A check is a pokemon who switches into another pokemon to effectively "check" to see what that Pokemon will do. You can then determine what set that Pokemon is running and then stop it. Depending on what that pokemon does then and there, you may be able to stop it. Checks are very important to offensive teams as they can stop potentially dangerous threats without investing to heavily in the defences.


Examples of Checks:

>>>
Lucario is a Tyranitar Check.
Lucario is a Tyranitar Check, because it has a 4x resist to both of TTar's STAB moves, but cannot really switch into anything else TTar offers, thus being deemed a check. As long as you predict a Stone Edge / Crunch / Pursuit / Dark Pulse you should be fine. If Lucario then survives that hit, it can then fire off a Close Combat etc to see what Tyranitar will do next.

>>>
Another Example is Suicune being an Infernape Check.
Suicune, with it's great base defences can switch into most Infernape. It can normally switch into Infernape with ease, though it is not a true counter as a Nasty Plotted Grass Knot hurts extremely bad. Though any Infernape outside of that Suicune can beat.

So when Suicune switches into Infernape, it will generally do a number of things:
Sword Dance up / Nasty Plot up / Fire (no pun intended) off a STAB move or use another move from it's large movepool.
If Infernape does anything bar Nasty Plot, Suicune will be safe, but if Nape does use NP, Suicune could be in serious trouble. In this case Suicune should switch, and if the Infernape switches, uses CC or HP Ice, you now know Suicune can counter Infernape later on in the game.



Revenge Killer

A revenge killer is probably the easiest to understand. A revenge killer is a pokemon that switches in after one of your opponent's pokemon has fainted one of your own. The job of a revenge killer is to stop this pokemon in it's tracks. There are three types of revenge killers:

- Priority Users
- Scarfed Pokemon
- Trapping Pokemon

Revenge Killers are very important to offensive teams, as they are usually the only way for these teams to stop threats.

Examples of Revenge Killers:


Priority Moves:

>>>
Weavile can revenge kill Salamence with a priority move in the name of Ice Shard, after Salamence has effectively made a kill.

Opponent's Salamence used Outrage
Calum's Magikarp fainted
Calum switched in Weavile
Weavile used Ice Shard
Salamence fainted.

Scarfed Pokemon:

>>>
My Scarfed Starmie can effectively stop Gyarados after it has KOed one of my pokemon, even after a Dragon Dance.

Opponent's Gyarados used Dragon Dance
Calum's Metagross used Meteor Mash
Opponent's Gyarados used Earthquake
Calum's Metagross fainted

Calum switched in Starmie
Starmie used Thunderbolt
Opponent's Gyarados fainted

Trappers:

The final type of revenge killer is a trapper, who switches in and traps the opponent, to guarantee the KO. These are Dugtrio, Magnezone and any Pursuit user.

>>>
Scizor used Pursuit
Calum's Latias fainted

Calum switched in Magnezone
Magnezone used HP Fire
Scizor fainted



Lures

A lure is a pokemon that lures out another and then unexpectantly kills it, to make your late game sweeper sweep easier.

Example of Lure


>>> = Easy sweep for
Tyraniboah pairs fantastically with Lucario to beat it's number one threat. In this case Gliscor. Gliscor is also a great way to stop Tyranitar, so that would obviously switch in

Calum's Tyranitar used Substitute
Opponent switched in Gliscor

( I expected the Gliscor switch, so now I can beat the Gliscor without it OHKOing me with Earthquake)

Gliscor used Earthquake
Tyranitar's Substitue faded
Tyranitar used Ice Beam
Gliscor Fainted

Lucario sweeps.

Now Gliscor is out of the way, the opponent has no way to stop Lucario.



That is the end of my guide. Now hopefully you can understand the differences.

[Awesome A]

Vaporeon is a horrible Gyarados counter, though.

It takes 91.82 damage from two Earthquakes and SR damage, so yes, it kills the Gyarados, but the Vaporeon is screwed. That's also assuming no prior damage =/

And ScarfStarmie is more than a Gyarados revenge killer. I'd put it under check =P lol

But other than that, great job!

[calum]

Thanks for that Awesome A.

Yeah, Vappy is a poor Gyarados counter, but it still counters I guess.
I couldnt think of a better one that wasnt scarfed

Yeah ScarfStarmie is a check, actually probably a counter as it outruns after DD anyways.