Dewpider, Araquanid Discussion

[MrCookiepants]

I never doubted you, Araquanid.

So yeah, anyway. This Pokemon is really weird. Liquidation is so powerful that using other moves (even bug STAB) is nearly pointless. Leech Life is only stronger on something that is either immune or 4x resists water.

Aqua Jet would have been huge. Sticky Web would have given it utility. The fact that it doesn't learn those two moves is the biggest disappointment of gen 7 for me. All it can really do is spam Liquidation.

 

[UltiMario]

I'd honestly say a bulky attacking set with both Liquidation and Scald is likely the most viable. You can run -spe since it doesn't matter anyways, and you get (burning) special azumarill waterfalls on one end and physical keldeo hydros on the other, kinda depending on how you invest.

It'll be hard for non-water resists to deal with Araquanid in lower tiers, that's for sure.

 

[yetanotherperson]

The ability is crazy good, too bad that the stats aren't. Still, the 255 power Liquidations (factoring in Water Bubble and STAB) is nothing to scoff at, even if coming from a base 70 atk. It also enjoys being able to switch in to WoWs, Scalds and Heatran's Lava Plumes all day (with its immunity to burn and high SpDef). BTW, WBubble's Fire damage reduction is 0.5x (at least according to my tests). Maybe this piece of info should be added to the OP.

 

[ExXIII]

The stats are good enough. What he lacks is utility moves.

 

[Pignot]

252+ Atk Choice Band Water Bubble Araquanid Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 93-109 (54 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Is something wrong with my calc????

EDIT: By the way, I am so glad didn't give +20 HP to Skarmory like they did to Mantine. They did have basically opposite stats before. Phew!

 

[Ash Borer]

252+ Atk Choice Band Water Bubble Araquanid Liquidation vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 93-109 (54 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Is something wrong with my calc????

nope, blows right though 'em

 

[Sochlo]

What a rollercoaster of emotions. Makes me wonder if there are other hidden mechanics we haven't found yet.

 

[Schmedly]

I don't know much about little cup so I might be talking out of my ass, but Dewpider seems like it has potential there.
With max investment and a positive nature, either of its offences can reach 14, which functionally give 28 when using a water move. For reference, that's equivalent to a base 163. 38/52/72 bulk is also decent by LC standards. It's typing is also good defensively, especially with the added fire resistance and burn immunity. Its biggest problem is its terrible speed and the fact that it only gets the damage boost on water moves. I could see this set working:

Dewpider @ Eviolite/Berry Juice
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 212 HP / 20 Def / 196 Spa / 20 SpD / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Substitute/Infestation
- Hidden Power Fighting/Substitute


It could also pull off physical sets. Also can I just admire how nice it's stat distribution is? Almost no EV went to waste making this.

The main issue is Fletchling and its priority Acrobatics, although you could put this on a Psychic Terrain team with stuff like Abra for Dark coverage.

 

[pkmn-taicho321]

The main issue is Fletchling and its priority Acrobatics, although you could put this on a Psychic Terrain team with stuff like Abra for Dark coverage.

But Gale Wings only works at full health now? Or is SR not an issue in LC?

Imagine this thing in rain? Fire will do literally nothing to it and it's going to be drowning everything.

 

[Bombkirby]

The ability is crazy good, too bad that the stats aren't.

If you were a game designer you wouldn't give something with super high stats an ability that almost tripled its damage on a common Pokemon.

 

[AJC]

yeah this is what keeping this water spider from being totally busted is the low actual base offensives no aqua jet and slow speed.

if water bubble was on something like gyarados or floatzel that would be hilariously borked.

 

[Azery]

If this thing got Sticky Web it'd be amazing. As it stands it's really interesting though. Nice to see Bug types getting hecka good mons this gen.

 

[ExXIII]

On the Choice Band set, there is literally no other good move than Liquidation and Leech Life.
Every other moves, even Scald on a Skarmory for example, would damage less.
So, I don't see the options besides that.

Well, Poison Jab and Crunch for a few 'mons, okay.

 

[Groudon ex]

On the Choice Band set, there is literally no other good move than Liquidation and Leech Life.
Every other moves, even Scald on a Skarmory for example, would damage less.
So, I don't see the options besides that.

Poison Jab is a decent coverage move which does more damage than Liquidation to stuff like Tapu Bulu and Azumarill.
The last moveslot is basically filler; I'd probably give it something like Sleep Talk or Toxic.

Anyway, no doubt CB Araquanid is going to be a threat in the lower tiers but it'll struggle to make much of an impression in OU because of its low speed and lack of priority. It'll face too much competition as a wall breaker from Azumarill and Crawdaunt which have much stronger secondary STAB moves, Aqua Jet and the ability to boost their stats. Araquanid will have much more going for it in Doubles, where it can pass on its ability to a teammate using Entrainment.

 

[Bombkirby]

Poison Jab is a decent coverage move which does more damage than Liquidation to stuff like Tapu Bulu and Azumarill.
The last moveslot is basically filler; I'd probably give it something like Sleep Talk or Toxic.

Anyway, no doubt CB Araquanid is going to be a threat in the lower tiers but it'll struggle to make much of an impression in OU because of its low speed and lack of priority. It'll face too much competition as a wall breaker from Azumarill and Crawdaunt which have much stronger secondary STAB moves, Aqua Jet and the ability to boost their stats. Araquanid will have much more going for it in Doubles, where it can pass on its ability to a teammate using Entrainment.

Not like it needs to be OU. Azumarill already does his niche but with any physical move instead of any water move. And with belly drum and with priority.

A lower tier placement is perfectly fine if you want a similarly slow heavy hitting water type in other metagames

 

[Swaggy-G]

The main issue is Fletchling and its priority Acrobatics, although you could put this on a Psychic Terrain team with stuff like Abra for Dark coverage.

Fletchling is dead buddy.

 

[PimpParasect]

If you were a game designer you wouldn't give something with super high stats an ability that almost tripled its damage on a common Pokemon.

http://www.pokemonrubysapphire.com/_ui/img/_en/october/art/mega_rayquaza.png

Gamefreak is a great game designing company.


I'm really hyped for Araquanid though. One thing it does have going for it over Azumaril is access to toxic and mirror coat to really fuck with counters and it has a burn immunity, and not shut down by a random scald or lava plume burn. I can say it might be more versatile too since it's bulky enough to run stallier sub sets, resttalk looks hella strong, mixed/lure sets look annoying to predict, and a possible means of recovery in leech life. Stealth Rocks is its only downfall. It'll be a strong natural stall breaker..

Like seriously what can stall even do to this guy? They can't even shut it down with burns.

This is the best thing stall has and even toxic can fuck it over:

252+ Atk Choice Band Araquanid Leech Life vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 72-86 (35.8 - 42.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

 

[Azery]

http://www.pokemonrubysapphire.com/_ui/img/_en/october/art/mega_rayquaza.png

Gamefreak is a great game designing company.


I'm really hyped for Araquanid though. One thing it does have going for it over Azumaril is access to toxic and mirror coat to really fuck with counters and it has a burn immunity, and not shut down by a random scald or lava plume burn. I can say it might be more versatile too since it's bulky enough to run stallier sub sets, resttalk looks hella strong, mixed/lure sets look annoying to predict, and a possible means of recovery in leech life. Stealth Rocks is its only downfall. I'll be a strong natural stall breaker..

Like seriously what can stall even do to this guy? They can't even shut it down with burns.

This is the best thing stall has and even toxic can fuck it over:

252+ Atk Choice Band Araquanid Leech Life vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 72-86 (35.8 - 42.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Preeeettttyyy sure Mega Ray was intentionally designed to be busted as fuck.

 

[Bombkirby]

http://www.pokemonrubysapphire.com/_ui/img/_en/october/art/mega_rayquaza.png

Gamefreak is a great game designing company.


I'm really hyped for Araquanid though. One thing it does have going for it over Azumaril is access to toxic and mirror coat to really fuck with counters and it has a burn immunity, and not shut down by a random scald or lava plume burn. I can say it might be more versatile too since it's bulky enough to run stallier sub sets, resttalk looks hella strong, mixed/lure sets look annoying to predict, and a possible means of recovery in leech life. Stealth Rocks is its only downfall. It'll be a strong natural stall breaker..

Like seriously what can stall even do to this guy? They can't even shut it down with burns.

This is the best thing stall has and even toxic can fuck it over:

252+ Atk Choice Band Araquanid Leech Life vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 72-86 (35.8 - 42.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Legendaries are a "common Pokemon"? (My exact words)

There is a fine difference between a boss-level Pokemon and a common thing you fight over and over in the campaign.

 

[Araquanid]

I just want y'all to KNOW that while y'all were calling this thing a "shitmon" I was out on page two making sets for PU. Guess we know who's really loyal

Lol, I'm glad that this thing isn't mediocre whatever though. I can't wait to try out this set in doubles:

Bunny (Araquanid) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Careful Nature
- Liquidation
- Leech Life
- Wide Guard
- Entrainment

EVs intended to balance out Araquanid's defense with its special defense, and obviously buff up its HP. Leftovers because Araquanid's recovery is limited as is and it'll rarely be using Leech Life; and passive HP recovery is very useful for something that's constantly Wide Guarding. Entrainment allows Araquanid to pass on its insanely useful Water Bubble to allies that can use it. Liquidation is Araquanid's main attacking move, obviously, and now that we know Water Bubble doubles Water moves Araquanid's offensive presence is no longer usually an issue. Leech Life is the least useful move on this set and could most easily be replaced with Protect, but Leech Life also provides Araquanid with a second form of recovery. Leech Life also allows Araquanid to hit Water Absorbers/Storm Drainers and 4x water resists like Kingdra and especially Ludicolo.

I intend this set to be a Wide Guarder who can stay on the field for relatively long periods of time, although without Protect on this set that may be difficult. Wide Guard does block Discharge and Rock Slide, although Thunderbolt is still common. Entrainment gives Araquanid second utility and fits easily on the set. The ability to Entrainment makes Araquanid a very powerful ally, actually. This strategy may become easily predicted and even easily countered, though.

 

[Tonguetyd]

If it only had some more speed, you could run Z-Rain Dance to boost your speed and raise the damage of Liquidation to absurd levels. Oh well.

 

[Swaggy-G]

If it only had some more speed, you could run Z-Rain Dance to boost your speed and raise the damage of Liquidation to absurd levels. Oh well.

Let's see. With max investment and a positive nature, it reaches a speed of 201. With the Z-rain dance boost, that's 301. This would allow it to outspeed any neutral natured base 100, and positive natured base 87. It's decent? It could potentially be very good against slower teams, or with sticky web support. Also, considering how slow most Alola mons are, it could see some use in VGC17.

 

[gvmgvm40]

Like seriously what can stall even do to this guy? They can't even shut it down with burns.

This is the best thing stall has and even toxic can fuck it over:

252+ Atk Choice Band Araquanid Leech Life vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 72-86 (35.8 - 42.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Toxapex has 50/152/142 defenses and Recover + Regenerator, plus it resists Water/Bug/Poison, so that looks like a hard counter there. Granted it can't deal too much damage back, but it'll eventually whittle Araquanid down with Toxic and chip damage.

 

[PimpParasect]

Toxapex has 50/152/142 defenses and Recover + Regenerator, plus it resists Water/Bug/Poison, so that looks like a hard counter there. Granted it can't deal too much damage back, but it'll eventually whittle Araquanid down with Toxic and chip damage.

What about rest talk/sub sets?

Its a good check nonetheless.

 

[Swaggy-G]

Toxapex has 50/152/142 defenses and Recover + Regenerator, plus it resists Water/Bug/Poison, so that looks like a hard counter there. Granted it can't deal too much damage back, but it'll eventually whittle Araquanid down with Toxic and chip damage.

Yeah, I think most things that resist water are gonna be bad for Araquanid. It can't hit very hard outside of water moves, so it's not gonna much unless one of its coverage is super effective. It's also pretty slow, but that can somewhat fixed by Z-Rain Dance (see my post a few posts above). That burn immunity is very nice though. I think Araquanid is mostly gonna be used as a bulky attacker that can also double as a stallbreaker against things that don't resist water.