yogi
I did not succumb...
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[OVERVIEW]
Gourgeist, while overshadowed by its XL forme as a defensive pivot, is able to carve out a niche as Z-Move user thanks to its good Speed tier that allows it to outspeed the unboosted metagame after a Z-Trick-or-Treat, bar Ninjask and Electrode. Z-Trick-or-Treat also gives it a considerable amount of bulk and increased Attack, though it's still quite lackluster compared to that of other setup sweepers. Even though Gourgeist struggles as a defensive pivot, it's still able to wall foes like Primeape due to its Ghost / Grass typing. While Gourgeist has quite a shallow physical movepool, with its lack of a strong Ghost-type STAB move other than Phantom Force meaning it has to put up with the charge turn, it just about gets by with attacks like Return, Seed Bomb, Shadow Sneak, and Rock Slide.
[SET]
name: Z-Trick-or-Treat
move 1: Trick-or-Treat
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Phantom Force
move 4: Shadow Sneak / Return
item: Ghostium Z
ability: Frisk
nature: Adamant
evs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 160 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Z-Trick-or-Treat boosts all of Gourgeist's stats apart from HP while also adding Ghost typing to the foe. Seed Bomb is Gourgeist's best Grass-type STAB attack and can be used freely, unlike Gourgeist's main Ghost-type STAB move. Phantom Force is the preferred Ghost-type STAB move, but the fact that it takes a turn to charge means that it is easily exploited by foes, especially Normal-types. Shadow Sneak is an alternative, albeit weaker STAB move that doesn't require a turn to chargeand gives Gourgeist priority against fast Choice Scarf users like Jynx. Alternatively, Return allows Gourgeist to hit Pokemon like Skuntank harder and gives it almost perfect neutral coverage. Rock Slide is an option to hit Fire-types, like Magmortar and Pyroar.
Set Details
========
Ghostium Z is 100% required for this set to function, as without it Gourgeist isn't able to use Z-Trick-or-Treat. Running 160 Speed EVs ensures it outspeeds all of the unboosted tier apart from Electrode and Ninjask, both of which can do little to Gourgeist, with the rest in HP for additional bulk. Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature ensures Gourgeist is doing as much damage as possible. Frisk is not a very useful ability when used on this Gourgeist set, as it will not be pivoting in to try and wall something, but it's the best ability Gourgeist has access to due to it already being immune to most forms of sleep-inducing moves. Frisk still has some utility in being able to scout the foe's item.
Usage Tips
========
Gourgeist should only really be used late-game, when your opponent's team is weakened and ready to be swept, as using it early-game would generally put you at a significant disadvantage versus anything that's not offense. It should attempt to set up on something that's ineffective against it, like Primeape or Torterra, and shouldn't try to boost against special attackers. Gourgeist appreciates being pivoted in by slow U-turn or Volt Switch usersso that it doesn't receive any damage before being able to boost. Even though at +1 Gourgeist outspeeds almost all of the metagame, it is still slower than almost every Choice Scarf user, so it should only use its Z-Move once these faster threats like Choice Scarf Pyroar are dealt with. The same goes for strong physical walls such as Miltank, which should be either KOed or sufficiently weakened.
Team Options
========
Gourgeist, even at +1 Attack, is often still very weak, so it appreciates entry hazard stackers such as Weezing and Ferroseed to help deal chip damage on the opponent's Pokemon. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn from teammates like Lanturn and defensive Mesprit helps Gourgeist get in for free. Lanturn additionally has great defensive synergy with Gourgeist, as it resists both Fire and Flying and offers Heal Bell support. Mesprit is also able to both set Stealth Rock and act as the team's Fighting switch-in. Toxic Spikes absorbers like Qwilfish and Skuntank greatly help during the match, as Toxic Spikes cripple Gourgeist and limit its sweeping potential; Qwilfish is also able to lay its own hazards and Skuntank can both trap foes with Pursuit and remove all hazards with Defog. Powerful wallbreakers like Magmortar and Zangoose are able to weaken the opponent's team enough for Gourgeist to potentially sweep later on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gourgeist can run Jolly over Adamant, allowing it to outspeed threats such as Choice Scarf Mesprit and Choice Scarf Passimian; however, it really needs all the extra Attack it can get from an Adamant nature. Fire Blast with a Naughty Nature is a niche option, able to hit Pokemon like Shiftry and mainly Ferroseed, but it doesn't offer much besides that. Explosion is a potential move in the last slot, allowing for a powerful nuke. A defensive set is possible but is noticeably worse in comparison to Gourgeist-XL due to its lesser bulk, meaning things like Hitmonchan, which Gourgeist-XL counters, can 2HKO it after Stealth Rock chip damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Walls**: Gourgeist, even at +1, struggles to break bulky physical walls like Weezing and Miltank, both of which have ways of crippling it with Miltank is also being able to recover versus it.
**Grass-Resistant Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Drampa, Ferroseed, and Oricorio-E are all able to reliably check Gourgeist, even when it is boosted. Drampa is the most notable, as depending on whether it has Sap Sipper it's either immune or resistant to Gourgeist's STAB moves.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Pyroar and Jynx are able to revenge kill Gourgeist, though Jynx needs prior chip damage and must be wary of Shadow Sneak variants.
**Dark-types**: Shiftry, Skuntank, and Absol are all able to easily check Gourgeist with their STAB Dark-type moves, with Skuntank being able to wall most variants as well. They struggle versus Gourgeist if it's boosted, however, and have to rely on Sucker Punch to take it out.
**Status**: Poison from Toxic Spikes, paralysis, and burn greatly limit Gourgeist's ability to sweep and put it on a timer due to it not having any reliable recovery on this set or any way to remove status.
[OVERVIEW]
Gourgeist, while overshadowed by its XL forme as a defensive pivot, is able to carve out a niche as Z-Move user thanks to its good Speed tier that allows it to outspeed the unboosted metagame after a Z-Trick-or-Treat, bar Ninjask and Electrode. Z-Trick-or-Treat also gives it a considerable amount of bulk and increased Attack, though it's still quite lackluster compared to that of other setup sweepers. Even though Gourgeist struggles as a defensive pivot, it's still able to wall foes like Primeape due to its Ghost / Grass typing. While Gourgeist has quite a shallow physical movepool, with its lack of a strong Ghost-type STAB move other than Phantom Force meaning it has to put up with the charge turn, it just about gets by with attacks like Return, Seed Bomb, Shadow Sneak, and Rock Slide.
[SET]
name: Z-Trick-or-Treat
move 1: Trick-or-Treat
move 2: Seed Bomb
move 3: Phantom Force
move 4: Shadow Sneak / Return
item: Ghostium Z
ability: Frisk
nature: Adamant
evs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 160 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Z-Trick-or-Treat boosts all of Gourgeist's stats apart from HP while also adding Ghost typing to the foe. Seed Bomb is Gourgeist's best Grass-type STAB attack and can be used freely, unlike Gourgeist's main Ghost-type STAB move. Phantom Force is the preferred Ghost-type STAB move, but the fact that it takes a turn to charge means that it is easily exploited by foes, especially Normal-types. Shadow Sneak is an alternative, albeit weaker STAB move that doesn't require a turn to chargeand gives Gourgeist priority against fast Choice Scarf users like Jynx. Alternatively, Return allows Gourgeist to hit Pokemon like Skuntank harder and gives it almost perfect neutral coverage. Rock Slide is an option to hit Fire-types, like Magmortar and Pyroar.
Set Details
========
Ghostium Z is 100% required for this set to function, as without it Gourgeist isn't able to use Z-Trick-or-Treat. Running 160 Speed EVs ensures it outspeeds all of the unboosted tier apart from Electrode and Ninjask, both of which can do little to Gourgeist, with the rest in HP for additional bulk. Maximum Attack with an Adamant nature ensures Gourgeist is doing as much damage as possible. Frisk is not a very useful ability when used on this Gourgeist set, as it will not be pivoting in to try and wall something, but it's the best ability Gourgeist has access to due to it already being immune to most forms of sleep-inducing moves. Frisk still has some utility in being able to scout the foe's item.
Usage Tips
========
Gourgeist should only really be used late-game, when your opponent's team is weakened and ready to be swept, as using it early-game would generally put you at a significant disadvantage versus anything that's not offense. It should attempt to set up on something that's ineffective against it, like Primeape or Torterra, and shouldn't try to boost against special attackers. Gourgeist appreciates being pivoted in by slow U-turn or Volt Switch usersso that it doesn't receive any damage before being able to boost. Even though at +1 Gourgeist outspeeds almost all of the metagame, it is still slower than almost every Choice Scarf user, so it should only use its Z-Move once these faster threats like Choice Scarf Pyroar are dealt with. The same goes for strong physical walls such as Miltank, which should be either KOed or sufficiently weakened.
Team Options
========
Gourgeist, even at +1 Attack, is often still very weak, so it appreciates entry hazard stackers such as Weezing and Ferroseed to help deal chip damage on the opponent's Pokemon. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn from teammates like Lanturn and defensive Mesprit helps Gourgeist get in for free. Lanturn additionally has great defensive synergy with Gourgeist, as it resists both Fire and Flying and offers Heal Bell support. Mesprit is also able to both set Stealth Rock and act as the team's Fighting switch-in. Toxic Spikes absorbers like Qwilfish and Skuntank greatly help during the match, as Toxic Spikes cripple Gourgeist and limit its sweeping potential; Qwilfish is also able to lay its own hazards and Skuntank can both trap foes with Pursuit and remove all hazards with Defog. Powerful wallbreakers like Magmortar and Zangoose are able to weaken the opponent's team enough for Gourgeist to potentially sweep later on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gourgeist can run Jolly over Adamant, allowing it to outspeed threats such as Choice Scarf Mesprit and Choice Scarf Passimian; however, it really needs all the extra Attack it can get from an Adamant nature. Fire Blast with a Naughty Nature is a niche option, able to hit Pokemon like Shiftry and mainly Ferroseed, but it doesn't offer much besides that. Explosion is a potential move in the last slot, allowing for a powerful nuke. A defensive set is possible but is noticeably worse in comparison to Gourgeist-XL due to its lesser bulk, meaning things like Hitmonchan, which Gourgeist-XL counters, can 2HKO it after Stealth Rock chip damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Walls**: Gourgeist, even at +1, struggles to break bulky physical walls like Weezing and Miltank, both of which have ways of crippling it with Miltank is also being able to recover versus it.
**Grass-Resistant Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Drampa, Ferroseed, and Oricorio-E are all able to reliably check Gourgeist, even when it is boosted. Drampa is the most notable, as depending on whether it has Sap Sipper it's either immune or resistant to Gourgeist's STAB moves.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Pyroar and Jynx are able to revenge kill Gourgeist, though Jynx needs prior chip damage and must be wary of Shadow Sneak variants.
**Dark-types**: Shiftry, Skuntank, and Absol are all able to easily check Gourgeist with their STAB Dark-type moves, with Skuntank being able to wall most variants as well. They struggle versus Gourgeist if it's boosted, however, and have to rely on Sucker Punch to take it out.
**Status**: Poison from Toxic Spikes, paralysis, and burn greatly limit Gourgeist's ability to sweep and put it on a timer due to it not having any reliable recovery on this set or any way to remove status.
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