What's even more frustrating is that a ton of pokemon LOSE speed upon evolution, meaning that it was a deliberate decision to make everything slow.
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Grubbin, Charjabug, Vikavolt Discussion
- Thread starter Nexus
- Start date
And most of these new Pokemon's had the potential to be great too.
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This is what I don't understand. Charjabug is a Cacoon he should in fact be slower then Grubbin but Vikavolt can't and shouldn't come out slower
Same with Fire cat, his speed could have stayed the same as Torracat's. There is no reason for him to get slower
This time around they tried to make everyone tanky even types that suck defensively
Ok, so it learns Agility, hilariously enough. Timid Vikavolt hits 406 Speed after one Agility, outspeeding +1 Neutral base 85 Pokémon such as Kingdra.
How relevant is that in OU/UU?
How relevant is that in OU/UU?
Not by much. It's basically a weaker Mega Ampharos on all accounts. Maybe the ability to hold an item can change that though
Definitely not weaker since Life Orb/Choice Specs give it a substantial boost, and not to mention it doesn't take up a mega slot. Unfortunately unlike Mega Amp or Escavalier(a very similar Pokemon) it just doesn't have the defenses to complement it's slow speed. Highly doubt this sees UU play RU at most.
Hmm well if he's still not very good even after an agility then I guess they really did just make him for trick room/speed swap shenanigans in doubles. Oh well.
I agree with this.
Its stats are comparable to Rampardos.
145 of its highest offense versus 165 for Rampardos. 77/90/75 bulk versus 97/60/50. 43 Speed versus 58.
0 SpA Mew Psychic vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rampardos: 169-199 (50.4 - 59.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Mew Psychic vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Vikavolt: 123-145 (41.6 - 49.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Mew Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Rampardos: 114-135 (34 - 40.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Mew Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Vikavolt: 84-99 (28.4 - 33.5%) -- 0.1% chance to 3HKO
It looks like Vikavolt will be a little bulkier, but obviously weaker on offense.
Its typing is arguably better than Rampardos' given that it's almost guaranteed to take a hit, and its ability does allow it free switches. However, it doesn't get Sheer Force. For all the people talking about Agility, Rampardos gets Rock Polish, but that hardly ever gets used unless it's carrying a sash. Honestly, I don't think it's different enough from Rampardos to be played substantially differently, and Rampardos is PU.
I really had high hopes for this thing, but it looks like it's a dud.
Edit: It's actually even worse for PU-Vikavolt than it looks. Below are all of the A-Rank Viablilty PU mons which Rampardos outspeeds and Vikavolt doesn't. I didn't bother looking beyond that.
Cacturne
Golem
Regirock/ice/steel
Relicanth
Mawile
Gourgeist XL
Metang
Audino
Crustle
Dusknoir
Quilladin
Ursaring
Even assuming they had the same damage potential, the difference between 43 and 58 speed is huge. Vikavolt will struggle.
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One is special and another is physical, meaning it will have different threats and unlike rampardos, ground won't be one of them for switchin. I don't see the comparison between the two, its like comparing hydreigon and haxorus.
I feel like vikavolt wil just be like another dragalge, but with different typing and STABs and ground immunity to be a damaging nuke, additionally it gets volt switch making it able to gain momentum unlike dragalge.
Why would it get quiver dance......it's not a dancing Pokemon nor is it a butterfly/moth like bug....
Why don't you check the last page where I showed that Vikavolt outspeeds and OHKO a majority of the OU tier after an agility? Nothing with 145 SpAtk dual STAB is going to be RU. Have some sense.
What about Mega Camerupt?
Well, Megas are held to different standards. You give up too much for running Camerupt in higher tiers. Vikavolt is also fast enough to actually outspeed things at +2.
I'm telling you Agility sets will be good.
I'm sad it doesn't learn Parobolic Charge.
Probably the only redeeming merit of Agility sets is that Vikavolt can run Life Orb, unlike Mega Ampharos, which means its overall damage output is greater. Just sucks it can't outpace standard speed boosters at +2 with that pitiful base speed. I'd probably run 3 Attacks + Roost with as much HP investment as possible while running enough speed to hit base 50's. Solid low tier poke but wish it was better suited for high tier play
Incineroar kind of reminds me of Machamp. I think the reason why the hymanoid-like Pokémon are so slow is because they stand on two leg and are bulky and muscular. When you think of a real life mid-heavyweight wrestler, they really don't run fast at all, but instead they are really strong and their upper body is muscular enough to take hits instead. I went through a pretty weird explanation on this, but I think that's it lol. However, Vikavolt's case is indeed pure BS from Game Freak.
I'm sad that nothing learns Parabolic Charge that didn't already learn it before.
Come on, GF, just put it on at least one bulky Mon.
First thing I thought when I saw Vikavolt's stats was slow, powerful Volt Switch. It has some potential to be a solid offensive pivot like Mega Ampharos. The problem is that it has quite a few weaknesses that prevent it from checking quite a few key Pokemon and its bulk isn't spectacular. Stealth Rock weakness also stinks if it's going to be a pivot. On the bright side, it's got a Spikes immunity, it's a free switch-in to Ferrothorn and Gliscor(needs HP Ice to retaliate of course) and checks non-HP Fire Serperior and Magnezone decently for current gen OU mons. For current gen UU mons, it checks Mega Aggron, Doublade, Cobalion and Rotom-C pretty well and can beat a +1 Reuniclus one-on-one pretty easily, especially with a Z-move Bug Buzz.
This is the set I'm seeing it use:
Vikavolt @ Bugium Z / Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 112 SpA / 148 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power Ice
- Energy Ball / Thunderbolt
Outspeeds bulky Tyranitar, Clefable, Empoleon, Porygon2 and others. Max HP to have some sort of defensive utility.
Agility can probably also work, but also probably not in OU. Trick Room's probably gonna love this thing, though that's mainly for Doubles probably.
Vikavolt is a disappointment as this thread has already hammered in, but I think it will probably be an RU mon that's workable in UU and maybe workable in OU at best. Being slower than freaking Grubbin is really a disgrace though lol.
This is the set I'm seeing it use:
Vikavolt @ Bugium Z / Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 112 SpA / 148 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power Ice
- Energy Ball / Thunderbolt
Outspeeds bulky Tyranitar, Clefable, Empoleon, Porygon2 and others. Max HP to have some sort of defensive utility.
Agility can probably also work, but also probably not in OU. Trick Room's probably gonna love this thing, though that's mainly for Doubles probably.
Vikavolt is a disappointment as this thread has already hammered in, but I think it will probably be an RU mon that's workable in UU and maybe workable in OU at best. Being slower than freaking Grubbin is really a disgrace though lol.
I feel like this is another case (and there seem to be a lot of these) where we might just need to wait on making final judgements til the games come out and we get used to the meta.
Then you lose the only reason to use this over galvantula or dragalge (slow nuker)
Levitate - being able to switch into things is what really saves this from straight PU. Otherwise specs galvantula pretty much does damage, actually has a speed tier that's relevant, and offers utility in sticky web.
I don't think even speed boost would save it.
What tier are you talking about here? In the lower tiers it may work but many of you are overestimating it. Its a slower, less bulky, weaker Mega Ampharos with a worse defensive typing. Sure, it won't take up a Mega slot but that honestly doesn't matter much when it has so much against it. You can run an Agility set but it can at most survive one hit before dying to something faster or with priority. The fact that it can hold an item is irrelevant when it will likely have to be holding a Focus Sash in the first place to function. The unfortunate reality is that its speed holds it back way too much. I can only see it ever performing well in a Trick Room team, and even then there are better options.
