Ditto [QC: 1/2]

[orch]

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Transform
move 2:
move 3:
move 4:
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Imposter
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Choice Scarf Ditto is a revenge killer and utility pokemon. It is able to copy most pokemon except for Ditto or any Pokemon behind a Substitute along with their status boosts and threaten them directly with Choice Scarf. Ditto is also notable for being able to copy support Pokemon in order to utilize moves such as Stealth Rock, Defog, and Aromatherapy. Ditto can fit on all team archetypes to blanket check any offensive threat and simultaneously providing utility options against stall teams. In short, Ditto is able to fulfill many important roles in one pokemon slot and generally function as the glue for teams.

An important mechanic to be aware of is that Ditto does not copy your target's HP base stats, therefore Ditto will usually be substantially less bulky than your target. In a similar vein, Ditto cannot Dynamax. Try to avoid switching Ditto directly in the battlefield and especially into targets that can Dynamax to overcome Ditto, and prioritize revenge killing, switching into immunities, and pivoting. Opponents will attempt to "imposter-proof" their team via Substitute Zacian-C and Balloon Excadrill. So, it is important to have Quagsire or Necrozoma-Dusk-Mane to deal with the imposter-proofed Zacian-C sets. Teammates such as Corviknight, Rotom-Water, and Skarmory can deal with Balloon Excadrill. Toxic spikes Eternatus is also a difficult opponent, since Toxic spikes will always poison Ditto, and Ditto cannot absorb Toxic spikes even as a poison type. Therefore, it is recommended to have your own Eternatus on your team to absorb Toxic spikes. Choice Specs Gothitelle is an useful teammate to trap and remove Toxic spikes Eternatus. Grimmsnarl is problematic for Ditto, since Ditto struggles to defeat its targets after Grimmsnarl sets up the screens. Mandibuzz is a team option that will allow you to beat Grimmsnarl by providing untauntable Defog to ensure that screens cannot go up at all and provides pivoting opportunities. Pivots such as Blissey, Chansey, Corviknight, Kingdra, Rotom-Water, and Mandibuzz are excellent partners to pivot your Ditto into battlefield safely.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[orch, 195690]]
- Quality checked by: [[Minority, 222996], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]

 

[Minority]

Gonna nitpick details / prose since the set is boilerplate and to help reduce GP work.

Choice Scarf Ditto is a revenge killer and utility pokemon. It is able to copy any pokemon along with their status boosts and threaten them directly with Choice Scarf.

Ditto cannot copy any Pokemon as it cannot copy Ditto or any Pokemon behind a Substitute. I would also merge this sentence with the first.

It is able to copy utility moves such as Defog, Aromatheraphy, Stealth Rock, and so on and use it against your opponent.

Beginning of this sentence is redundant with the previous sentence, so reword. I would phrase this along the lines of "Ditto is also notable for being able to copy support Pokemon in order to utilize moves such as Stealth Rock, Defog, and Aromatherapy."

Balanced teams appreciate Ditto's ability to blanket check any offensive threat and simultaneously providing utility options against stall teams.

Ditto can fit on all basic team archetypes and all of them do so to use Ditto as a blanket RKer and support Pokemon. The second half of this sentence is redundant with the previous information, so if this sentence is kept I would play up the fact that Ditto can fit on a variety of team archetypes.

Ditto should be sent out against a Zacian-C that have successfully fainted your pokemon to revenge kill.

This is needlessly specific and obvious. Also, the point that Ditto is a revenge killer has already been established. This is also not the appropriate paragraph to discuss how Ditto should be played.

It is able to switch into Eternatus using Flamethrower directly and threaten with a Dynamax Cannon. It is able to copy opposing Corviknight and Defog for you. It is able to copy opposing Skarmory and Spikes for you.

Critique of the previous sentence also applies here.

Ditto is a very open-ended pokemon.

This is just to vague to bring any substantial meaning to a reader. There are meaningful and eloquent ways to briefly describe Ditto's overall function as a teambuilding gluemon.

Whenever you think that your opponent is using a move that will be beneficial for your team, send out Ditto and use that move.

Again, this is too obvious to be worth mentioning, and is in the wrong part of the analysis. Your first paragraph should focus on describing the general attributes of Ditto, and the second should discuss the details of how it needs to be played, what teammates it works best with, and any other important but specific information.

The most important thing about Ditto is that it cannot copy targets behind Substitute.

I already mentioned that this should be brought up in the first sentence.

Therefore, you must be vigilant for a potential Substitute sweeper such as Substitute Eternatus and Zacian-C and have additional checks for these situations.

This usage tip is a bit too vague, I assume you mean that teams which rely on Ditto to help check Eternatus and Zacian-C need to ensure that it cannot setup Substitute.

The other important mechanic to be aware of is that Ditto does not copy your target's HP base stats. Therefore, Ditto will usually be substantially less bulky than your target. For example, Zacian-C's Quick Attack can become lethal for Ditto, but not for the opposing Zacian-C.

This is important to mention in this paragraph, but this idea needs to be trimmed down to a single sentence instead of taking up three.

Protect is also a troublesome move for Ditto. Since Ditto is locked in, your opponent will always be able to gain information and react to it.

Both of these points are obvious and go without saying. I would only mention that Ditto struggles with Protect if you have specific users to mention.

Ditto is an incredibly versatile pokemon and it is excellent with any teammates. The biggest threat for Ditto is substitute, therefore it is recommended to have bulky and hard hitting teammates such as Necrozoma-Dusk-Mane to tank a hit and break substitute to pave a way for revenge killing.

Ditto is a gluemon so clearly it works with a number of things, but there need to be more depth here with a more extensive list of worthwhile teammate suggestions.

Implement these changes and I'll stamp.

 

[orch]

Gonna nitpick details / prose since the set is boilerplate and to help reduce GP work.


Ditto cannot copy any Pokemon as it cannot copy Ditto or any Pokemon behind a Substitute. I would also merge this sentence with the first.

Beginning of this sentence is redundant with the previous sentence, so reword. I would phrase this along the lines of "Ditto is also notable for being able to copy support Pokemon in order to utilize moves such as Stealth Rock, Defog, and Aromatherapy."

Ditto can fit on all basic team archetypes and all of them do so to use Ditto as a blanket RKer and support Pokemon. The second half of this sentence is redundant with the previous information, so if this sentence is kept I would play up the fact that Ditto can fit on a variety of team archetypes.

This is needlessly specific and obvious. Also, the point that Ditto is a revenge killer has already been established. This is also not the appropriate paragraph to discuss how Ditto should be played.

Critique of the previous sentence also applies here.

This is just to vague to bring any substantial meaning to a reader. There are meaningful and eloquent ways to briefly describe Ditto's overall function as a teambuilding gluemon.

Again, this is too obvious to be worth mentioning, and is in the wrong part of the analysis. Your first paragraph should focus on describing the general attributes of Ditto, and the second should discuss the details of how it needs to be played, what teammates it works best with, and any other important but specific information.

I already mentioned that this should be brought up in the first sentence.

This usage tip is a bit too vague, I assume you mean that teams which rely on Ditto to help check Eternatus and Zacian-C need to ensure that it cannot setup Substitute.

This is important to mention in this paragraph, but this idea needs to be trimmed down to a single sentence instead of taking up three.

Both of these points are obvious and go without saying. I would only mention that Ditto struggles with Protect if you have specific users to mention.

Ditto is a gluemon so clearly it works with a number of things, but there need to be more depth here with a more extensive list of worthwhile teammate suggestions.

Implement these changes and I'll stamp.

Implemented

 

[Minority]

QC: 1/2

 

[Inspirited]

Ditto actually can transform into a Ditto (on showdown at least), it just can't copy any Pokemon that has already transformed. This is why that niche scenario of Ditto on Ditto is very dependent on Speed as one Ditto will only have 5 PP thanks to either being faster or winning a Speed tie and the other will have all 16 Transforms. Relaxed and 0 Spe IVs should probably be suggested because of this rather silly little interaction. even if this interaction is a showdown bug, it is still beneficial to be the slower Ditto taking Struggle recoil.

 

[orch]

Ditto actually can transform into a Ditto (on showdown at least), it just can't copy any Pokemon that has already transformed. This is why that niche scenario of Ditto on Ditto is very dependent on Speed as one Ditto will only have 5 PP thanks to either being faster or winning a Speed tie and the other will have all 16 Transforms. Relaxed and 0 Spe IVs should probably be suggested because of this rather silly little interaction. even if this interaction is a showdown bug, it is still beneficial to be the slower Ditto taking Struggle recoil.

Implemented.

Also added a remark about screens match up based on feedback from Manaphy in discord and recommended defog xatu as teammate. Let me know if you have further feedback about this:

Grimmsnarl is problematic for Ditto, since Ditto struggle to defeat its targets after Grimmsnarl sets up the screens. Defog Xatu is a team option that will allow you to beat Grimmsnarl by providing untauntable Defog to ensure that screens cannot go up at all and provides pivoting opportunities.

 

[Manaphy]

Opponents will attempt to "imposter-proof" their team via Substitute Zacian-C and Balloon Excadrill.
Adding on to this:

Substitute Zacian is not commonly run so I would avoid mentioning it.

So, it is important to have Quagsire or Necrozoma-Dusk-Mane to deal with the imposter-proofed Zacian-C sets. Teammates such as Corviknight, Rotom-Water, and Skarmory can deal with Balloon Excadrill.

I think this is needlessly specific, and if you remove the Sub Zacian mention it doesn’t make sense. I think a more general statement would be useful, such as “Opponents may try to “imposter-proof” their team with Pokemon like Air Balloon Excadrill or Haban Berry Zekrom. It is important that Ditto is not your sole check to such powerful sweepers”.

will stamp after checking changes

 

[Nayrz]

orch bumping incase you missed the above