Mega Blastoise [GP: 0/1]

[Kreme]

[OVERVIEW]

* Great overall stats allow it to function effectively as a bulky wallbreaker that isn't too easily outsped, which is why Blastoise is a big threat towards balance teams.
* One of the few offensive Rapid Spin users in the tier, effectively performing the role due to access to Dark Pulse that is boosted by Mega Launcher, dissuading Ghost-types from attempting to block Rapid Spin.
* Unfortunately, Blastoise is unable to get past a majority of the special walls in the tier, such as Mantine, Blissey and specially defensive variants of Clefable.
* Blastoise is also easily overwhelmed by offensive Pokemon due to its lack of solid recovery and tendency of switching into entry hazards.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spinner
move 1: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Aura Sphere / Ice Beam
item: Blastoisinite
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Modest
evs: 60 HP / 252 SpA / 196 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

*Hydro Pump is Blastoise's strongest attack, allowing it to damage foes as much as possible, notably being able to 2HKO Clefable. It is quite inaccurate, however.
*Scald is a weaker option that provides perfect accuracy and a chance to Burn the opposing Pokemon.
*Water Pulse is slightly stronger than Scald, has perfect accuracy, and has a chance to confuse the foe.
*Rapid Spin removes entry hazards thus ensuring Blastoise's teammates won't be worn down.
*Dark Pulse provides good coverage in tandem with Blastoise's STAB attack of choice and is boosted by Mega Launcher, ensuring good damage output despite not being a STAB attack.
*Aura Sphere allows Mega Blastoise to hit Steel- and Dark-types, such as Empoleon and Hydreigon, respectively, for super effective damage while also providing good neutral coverage.
*Ice Beam allows Mega Blastoise to hit Grass- and Flying-types for super effective damage, specifically 2HKOing Amoonguss, Tsareena, and Togekiss, as all other Grass- and Flying-types are hit by Mega Blastoise's other moves hard enough or are not very common.

Set Details
========

*The given EVs and nature ensure Mega Blastoise has the maximum damage output while still having decent bulk and outspeeding up to Timid Primarina and Adamant Bisharp.
*Blastoisinite is used in order to Mega Evolve Blastoise.
*Rain Dish is the chosen ability, as Torrent is mostly useless and Rain Dish has the potential to recover some of Blastoise's HP should it switch-in pre-Mega Evolution while Rain is present.

Usage Tips
========

*Be sure to Mega Evolve Blastoise as soon as possible, as its Mega Forme has a significant increase in bulk while its pre-Mega Evolution forme doesn't provide any good benefit to dissuade Mega Evolving it.
*Best used on bulky offense teams as a Rapid Spin user with wallbreaking capabilities, so ensure it is kept healthy if its ability to remove entry hazards is necessary.
*Should it be needed as a check to threats, such as Entei and Gliscor, ensure it is kept as healthy as possible to ensure it can perform that role as well.
*Blastoise forces many switches due to being able to tank strong hits well while retaliating with strong attacks, so be sure to abuse that and double-switch when appropriate. For example, if you bring in a healthy Blastoise against a Krookodile, a Pokemon that cannot outright OHKO Blastoise but is OHKOed by it, the opponent will most likely switch into their Blastoise check. Be sure to use this opportunity to switch into a teammate that can pressure the opponent.

Team Options
========

*Wish users, such as Clefable, make for good partners, as they can keep Blastoise healthy throughout the course of a match.
*Entry hazard setters, such as Cobalion and Klefki, make for good teammates, as Blastoise can wallbreak easier with their support.
*Ground-types, such as Gliscor and Nidoqueen, make for great partners, as they not only have an immunity to Electric-type attacks, but also usually have access to Stealth Rock.
*Sweepers, such as Calm Mind Latias and Swords Dance Bisharp, benefit from Blastoise's ability to wallbreak effectively, making them good Blastoise partners.
*Pokemon that resist Grass-type attacks, such as Talonflame and Bisharp, also make for good Blastoise teammates, as they can switch into Grass-type attacks that hit Blastoise for super effective damage.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

*A defensive set is an option but is generally outclassed by other bulky Water-types in this regard due to the inability to hold Leftovers and lacking solid recovery options.
*Water Spout can be used, as it is great nuke that abuses Blastoise's ability to force many switches when it is healthy, but takes up a moveslot and is quite inconsistent.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Special Walls**: Special walls, such as Blissey and Mantine, can easily tank any of Blastoise's attacks and proceed to wear it down.

**Grass-types**: Grass-type Pokemon, such as Celebi and Roserade, can deal heavy damage to Blastoise with their STAB attacks and resist Blastoise's STAB attacks. However, they have to be wary of Ice Beam.

**Electric-types**: Blastoise is weak to Electric-type attacks, making Electric-type Pokemon, such as Raikou and Magneton, good Blastoise checks.

**Primarina**: Primarina can easily beat Blastoise 1v1, as it resists all of Blastoise's attacks and 2HKOes it with a Specs-boosted Moonblast.

**Powerful Faster Attackers**: Pokemon that outspeed Blastoise and have great immediate damage output, such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Life Orb Hydreigon, can easily deal a lot of damage to Blastoise, potentially deterring it from using Rapid Spin, as it has to choose between either removing entry hazards or attempting to KO these Pokemon.

 

[dodmen]

In the intro, say that it struggles heavily with special walls such as Blissey, Mantine, and specially defensive variants of Clefable. Also add that it can get easily overwhelmed by offensive Pokemon, which can make it difficult to both spin and fire off attacks. At the beginning, add that it can be an incredibly difficult Pokemon for balance teams to deal with.

Moves: specify that Hydro Pump 2HKOs Clefable, while no other move can. Hydro Pump is also good for getting maximum damage on stuff like Conkeldurr, Scizor, and Klefki. For Ice Beam, say that it's essentially only used to 2HKO Amoonguss, Tsareena, and Togekiss, as all other Grass and Flying types are hit harder by other moves or are very uncommon. Specify some Aura Sphere targets too: there's Hydreigon, Kyurem, Keldeo, Empoleon, Mega Sharpedo, Bisharp, Cobalion, and Blissey.

Add a Timid spread in Set Details to outspeed positive base 70s - useful for Bisharp, Volcanion, Decidueye, Nidoqueen, and slower variants of Togekiss.

Water Spout to OO.

Checks and Counters: add a section for faster powerful attackers like Specs Keldeo and LO Hydreigon since they can tank most hits from Blastoise and hit it extremely hard, possibly deterring it from spinning. QC 1/3 after this.

 

[Kreme]

In the intro, say that it struggles heavily with special walls such as Blissey, Mantine, and specially defensive variants of Clefable. Also add that it can get easily overwhelmed by offensive Pokemon, which can make it difficult to both spin and fire off attacks. At the beginning, add that it can be an incredibly difficult Pokemon for balance teams to deal with.

Moves: specify that Hydro Pump 2HKOs Clefable, while no other move can. Hydro Pump is also good for getting maximum damage on stuff like Conkeldurr, Scizor, and Klefki. For Ice Beam, say that it's essentially only used to 2HKO Amoonguss, Tsareena, and Togekiss, as all other Grass and Flying types are hit harder by other moves or are very uncommon. Specify some Aura Sphere targets too: there's Hydreigon, Kyurem, Keldeo, Empoleon, Mega Sharpedo, Bisharp, Cobalion, and Blissey.

Add a Timid spread in Set Details to outspeed positive base 70s - useful for Bisharp, Volcanion, Decidueye, Nidoqueen, and slower variants of Togekiss.

Water Spout to OO.

Checks and Counters: add a section for faster powerful attackers like Specs Keldeo and LO Hydreigon since they can tank most hits from Blastoise and hit it extremely hard, possibly deterring it from spinning. QC 1/3 after this.

Should've done this. Let me know if I screwed up anywhere.

 

[Bouff]

i think water pulse should go from a slash to just a mention. hpumps damage output and scald burns are both more important than the chance to confuse and i dont think water pulse accomplishes anything that scald doesnt power wise

dont mention either sylveon and umbreon in team options for wish - both are pretty hard to justify using over clefable, so just replace them for clef.

qc 2/3

 

[Ark]

Grass-resists need to be added to Team Options. Reword OO as those points are not full sentences right now.

Everything else has been said, well done. QC 3/3.

 

[Punchshroom]

*Dark Pulse provides good coverage in tandem with Blastoise's STAB attack of choice and is boosted by Mega Launcher, ensuring good damage output despite not being a STAB attack.
*Aura Sphere allows Mega Blastoise to hit Steel- and Dark-types, such as Empoleon and Hydreigon, respectively, for super effective damage while also providing good neutral coverage.

- Dark Pulse's description is sorely lacking since this can be applied to Aura Sphere as well while not telling us why Dark Pulse is chosen, much less why it is important enough to be given its own moveslot. No mention of hitting Latias, Celebi, Mew, and Slowbro harder or anything.
- You can mention Aura Sphere allowing Mega Blastoise to check Mega Sharpedo in a pinch.

 

[Lemonade]

Usage Tips
========

*Be sure to Mega Evolve Blastoise as soon as possible, as its Mega Forme has a significant increase in bulk while its pre-Mega Evolution forme doesn't provide any good benefit to dissuade Mega Evolving it.
*Best used on bulky offense teams as a Rapid Spin user with wallbreaking capabilities, so ensure it is kept healthy if its ability to remove entry hazards is necessary.
*Should it be needed as a check to threats, ensure it is kept as healthy as possible to ensure it can perform that role as well. Provide examples of threats.
*Blastoise forces many switches due to being able to tank strong hits well while retaliating with strong attacks, so be sure to abuse that and double-switch when appropriate. Provide an example situation where you want to double switch and also why you want to double switch.

 

[Kreme]

Updating this today if / when some people get back to me.

Usage Tips
========

*Be sure to Mega Evolve Blastoise as soon as possible, as its Mega Forme has a significant increase in bulk while its pre-Mega Evolution forme doesn't provide any good benefit to dissuade Mega Evolving it.
*Best used on bulky offense teams as a Rapid Spin user with wallbreaking capabilities, so ensure it is kept healthy if its ability to remove entry hazards is necessary.
*Should it be needed as a check to threats, ensure it is kept as healthy as possible to ensure it can perform that role as well. Provide examples of threats.
*Blastoise forces many switches due to being able to tank strong hits well while retaliating with strong attacks, so be sure to abuse that and double-switch when appropriate. Provide an example situation where you want to double switch and also why you want to double switch.

About the second half of that I'm just removing the bullet point if the situation example is necessary. It's too specific and doesn't apply to all cases if so. The general statement itself is fine but specifically speaking the amount of factors that play into it require a replay or sth to demonstrate properly, imo.

 

[Lemonade]

I mean as someone who hasn't played UU, I have little idea (yet) what switches Blastoise can force (besides basic type chart things and Pokemon mentioned in Moves, but maybe usage tips should stand alone) and what hits it can tank, and if I were more inexperienced, I might not even know what double switching is, let alone why it's advantageous. I don't think it makes sense to give general advice if the specific situations require a ton of conditions to be met; in that case someone reading the analysis can't really make use of the advice right? Another way to think of it is I can just say "Use move x when appropriate", "switch in to the opponent's moves when appropriate." It's too generic. Like, the statement is good, but the people who understand what you mean and can figure it out aren't the main target audience.

What about like "For example, if you bring Blastoise in vs. _, a Pokemon that _, the opponent will very likely switch to their Blastoise check. Use is opportunity to (double) switch to a teammate that can pressure the opponent." Importantly, it illustrates why you want to double switch and how to do so. The last bit is still a bit vague, but anyone who knows the type chart can kind of figure out what checks Blastoise and what pressures a particular Pokémon. Don't know how accurate it is though.

You have access to the IS thread right? This is a good discussion point to bring up there.

 

[Kreme]

I mean as someone who hasn't played UU, I have little idea (yet) what switches Blastoise can force (besides basic type chart things and Pokemon mentioned in Moves, but maybe usage tips should stand alone) and what hits it can tank, and if I were more inexperienced, I might not even know what double switching is, let alone why it's advantageous. I don't think it makes sense to give general advice if the specific situations require a ton of conditions to be met; in that case someone reading the analysis can't really make use of the advice right? Another way to think of it is I can just say "Use move x when appropriate", "switch in to the opponent's moves when appropriate." It's too generic. Like, the statement is good, but the people who understand what you mean and can figure it out aren't the main target audience.

What about like "For example, if you bring Blastoise in vs. _, a Pokemon that _, the opponent will very likely switch to their Blastoise check. Use is opportunity to (double) switch to a teammate that can pressure the opponent." Importantly, it illustrates why you want to double switch and how to do so. The last bit is still a bit vague, but anyone who knows the type chart can kind of figure out what checks Blastoise and what pressures a particular Pokémon. Don't know how accurate it is though.

You have access to the IS thread right? This is a good discussion point to bring up there.

Sorry this took so long; stuff came up irl which made me more hesitant to do a lot of things in general but upon coming back to this I'm probably going to implement the example thing; can't completely remember why I was against it in the first place and rereading everything it makes sense to just include it regardless since forcing switches is a big part of Blastoise's repertoire. Also don't really like starting discussion myself for the most part so probably going to pass bringing it up on IS :x