Competitive Single Rates - READ FIRST POST

[KillerDraco]

But if the enemy is truant, I can shell smash when it's goofing around and protect every other turn against their attacks.

Again, there's nothing to stop them from switching as soon as you use Entrainment. Especially since the turn after you use Entrainment, it's obvious that YOU will switch, since Durant would otherwise be stuck in a Truant downtime turn. In which case, Smeargle's a sitting duck. It's a gimmick and it won't work on actual players, only on in-game opponents who don't switch.

[Ghosts of the Forums]

How about this set?

Drifblim @Flying Gem
Adamant
Unburden
252atk 252spe
-Acrobatics
-Will o Wisp
-Baton Pass
-Destiny Bond

Oh btw is this the standard? I'm too lazy to check it myself.

[Eaglehawk]

Cresselia@Leftovers
Bold/Levitate
248 HP/196 Def/60 Sp.Att
-Ice Beam
-Lunar Dance/Thunder Wave
-Psyshock/Psychic
-Moonlight

I crafted this set a few weeks ago when I was having a discussion about Landorus-I. Lando is really dominant at every phase in the game and can rip apart Stall and Offense alike around mid- to late-game. Cresselia is probably the best counter to it because of her resistance/immunity to Ground and Fighting as well as her ability to take lol% damage from Hidden Power Ice. I then thought, "Hey, why not put her on a Offense team?" This is the result.

This Cresselia is meant to be used on an Sun Offense team as a defensive pivot. Why a defensive pivot? It can pretty much switch into most attacks for a minimal amount of damage (An Outrage from a Haxorus does about 30% iirc). Furthermore, Moonlight under the sun heals for 2/3 of your total health, which allows it to sufficiently tank hits. The EVs guarantee an OHKO on Landorus-T (again IIRC. If you plug this into your calc and see that this is wrong, please point it out). The HP and Def EVs give it sufficient bulk to tank many Fighting and Dragon attacks. The two attacking moves gives me strong offensive choices over two of the most prominent offensive types in the metagame: Fighting and Dragon. Ice Beam murders most Dragons after 1-2 switch-ins with Stealth Rock as well as dumping on both Landos. Psychic and Psyshock are just purely QOL choices. Psychic hits stuff harder and allows you to potentially OHKO Conkeldurr (not that it matters but oh well). Psyshock gives you a slight edge over a sufficiently weakened Blissey while still allowing you to 2HKO most Fighting types in OU. Lunar Dance and Thunder Wave are really just based on your preference. Thunder Wave gives Cresselia a more active support role in battle by paralyzing your opponent's pokemon, giving yours a better advantage and higher chance of sweeping. Healing Wish forces her to just play as a pure pivot that can heal up a really weakened sweeper on your team (great for slightly reckless players).

[hellothisismuffin]

Volcarona @ Silver Powder/ Life orb
Modest Nature
252 Sp Atk/ 252 Sp Def/4 Spd
Flame body
- Will o wisp/ Toxic
- Whirlwind
- Fiery Dance
- Calm Mind/ Quiver Dance

Modest Nature compliments Special Attack giving Fiery Dance hella damage combined with STAB and Calm Mind/ Quiver Dance. Will o Wisp/ Toxic and Whirlwind to spread Poison/ Burn through out the enemy team

[ChaosBlizzard]

How about this set?

Drifblim @Flying Gem
Adamant
Unburden
252atk 252spe
-Acrobatics
-Will o Wisp
-Baton Pass
-Destiny Bond

Oh btw is this the standard? I'm too lazy to check it myself.

Yeah, that's about 90% the standard. The standard has less speed (200, putting the extra 56 in defense) and uses Substitute instead of Baton Pass to avoid getting Sucker Punched. What is your rationale for Baton Pass?

[Eaglehawk]

Volcarona @ Silver Powder/ Life orb
Modest Nature
252 Sp Atk/ 252 Sp Def/4 Spd
Flame body
- Will o wisp/ Toxic
- Whirlwind
- Fiery Dance
- Calm Mind/ Quiver Dance

Modest Nature compliments Special Attack giving Fiery Dance hella damage combined with STAB and Calm Mind/ Quiver Dance. Will o Wisp/ Toxic and Whirlwind to spread Poison/ Burn through out the enemy team

>Silverpowder
>No Bug-Type moves
>You for real?

Okay, to be completely honest, this set accomplishes absolutely nothing. You're throwing hybrid roles on Volca for no apparent reason.

#1: The status moves and Whirlwind are useless. No way in God's loving name is Volcarona supposed to be used like a Support pokemon. Furthermore, it sucks at this job. With an EV spread like the one you posted, Volcarona literally has the defense of a wet sack and can't spread status effectively. Furthermore, there are many other pokemon that are better at spreading status than Volcarona.

#2: Quiver Dance > Calm Mind. Quiver Dance is basically Calm Mind with a +1 Speed.

#3: Don't make him go hybrid roles because Volcarona sucks at that. He is a sweeper and only a sweeper.

[cheeselord]

^ To sum it up briefly, Volcarona does one job well, and that's to set up against special attackers then sweep. There is no point in making him bulkier or running willow wisp or whatever, because you will not be staying in against physical attackers. One stone edge from literally anything will kill you plus any strong stab move is likely to 2HKO you at least. You will stay in against things such as alakazam and gengar, who you can set up against and then OHKO after a few quiver dances. calm mind is 100% useless as quiver dance is literally the same thing with a speed boost., As boring as it sounds just run the standard set with max special attack and speed, quiver dance, flamethrower/fiery dance, bug buzz and psychic or HP ice or something and a life orb for the item. Nothing else is really viable.

Yeah, that's about 90% the standard. The standard has less speed (200, putting the extra 56 in defense) and uses Substitute instead of Baton Pass to avoid getting Sucker Punched. What is your rationale for Baton Pass?

I imagine baton pass is to pass on the speed boost from unburden, but I'm not sure if that actually works since unburden doesn't give a regular 1 or 2 stage buff.

[KillerDraco]

I imagine baton pass is to pass on the speed boost from unburden, but I'm not sure if that actually works since unburden doesn't give a regular 1 or 2 stage buff.

Your doubt is well founded, as it doesn't actually work. The speed boost from Unburden cannot be Baton Passed.