[Monotype/Steel] Excadrill [QC: 0/3][GP: 0/2]


[QC: 0/3] x / x / x
[GP: 0/2] x / x​
[OVERVIEW]

**Steel**

~ Excadrill acts as one of the best revenge killers for steel, with its high base attack and decent speed when equipped with a choice scarf, allowing it to outspeed and check multiple threats to the team, such as infernape, Volcanion, Mega Charizard Y, and choice scarf Magnezone.
+ It sports a fantastic ground/steel typing for monotype steel, allowing it to check various attackers that threaten the team. The typing also allows it to have multiple resistances to most moves due to it part steel. For example, it resists powerful hits such as Draco meteor from Life Orb Latios and Hyper Voice from Mega Gardevoir. Most importantly, however, it is immune to electric type moves, which can threaten other steel types.
+ When equipped with a choice scarf, it can outspeed almost the entire portion of the unboosted metagame, outpacing even mega alakazam.
+ Mold Breaker also allows it to hit Pokemon through levitate and sturdy, such as Rotom-W, which would otherwise wall it.
+ Excadrill helps immensely in the steel vs fire and steel vs electric matchup.
+ Excadrill is an excellent rapid spinner, allowing it to remove hazards such as spikes and sticky web for the team. Most importantly, it's ground/steel typing means it is barely affected by stealth rock, as it only takes 3% from it, further boosting Excadrill's reliability in this role.
+ Excadrill also has a high HP stat, allowing it to take most neutral hits.


~ However, Excadrill is not without its drawbacks.
- It is weak to the ground, fire, and fighting type attacks that threaten steel, and also has relatively low bulk outside of its HP stat.
- Furthermore, it can be easily revenge killed by faster choice scarf users, such as victini's v-create and terrakion's close combat, all which have a higher base speed stat.
- It's weakness to the common scald that haunts physical attackers do not help it either.
- Excadrill's weakness to common priority moves such as Breloom's Mach Punch and Azumarill's Aqua Jet do not help it out, as they will threaten it.
- It also is crippled by common Will-o-Wisp users such as mew and sableye, and gets walled by common bulky water and flying type pokemon like slowbro and skarmory.
~ All in all, Excadrill is still a fantastic asset to a monotype steel team, as it can check the threats that steel types hate, and serve as a great revenge killer in the monotype metagame.

[SET]
name: The Mole (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

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

~ Earthquake allows Excadrill to hit electric and fire types such as Mega Manectric and Entei.
~ Iron Head is mainly to hit fairy types such as clefable, and also has a decent 30% chance to flinch.
~ Rock Slide is used for coverage, hitting flying types such as Mega Charizard(Y) and Zapdos, and also has a decent 30% chance to flinch.
~ Rapid Spin provides a way to remove pesky entry hazards such as sticky web and spikes for the team without removing your own hazards.

Set Details
========

~ Max investment into attack and speed allow Excadrill to be as fast and strong as possible.
~ A jolly nature is used to outspeed positive natured base 80 choice scarf users such as Gardevoir and Hoopa-Unbound.
~ Choice Scarf allows Excadrill to outspeed key threats such as mega charizard y and infernape and revenge kill them, as well as outspeed almost all of the unboosted metagame up to Mega Alakazam.
~ Mold Breaker is used to ignore abilities such as levitate, allowing it to hit Weezing and Rotom-Wash with Earthquake.

Usage Tips
========

~ Excadrill is best used as a revenge killer against Pokemon it threatens, so it is best to sack a teammate or bring it in via volt switch or u-turn from another Pokemon, such as Magnezone and Jirachi, since it has relatively low bulk when uninvested defensively.
~ It can also be brought in against a predicted volt switch, or against Pokemon it walls, like support cobalion and toxic zapdos, two sets that don't hit Excadrill with sufficient coverage.
~ Excadrill should not be staying in against Pokemon that outspeed and OHKO it, such as choice scarf victini and choice scarf terrakion.
~ Excadrill should also switch out against Pokemon that wall it such as slowbro and Skarmory.
~ Excadrill should not stay in against super effective priority moves such as Azumarill's Aqua jet and breloom's Mach punch(only exception is infernape).
~ Be careful only to use rapid spin when your is threatened by spikes or sticky web, as locking your choice scarf Excadrill into rapid spin is almost equivalent to doing no damage at all.
~ Only use rapid spin on a Pokemon Excadrill threatens, such as toxic Zapdos, and if the hazards present on your side of the field are detrimental to your team(ex: sticky web, spikes).
~ Due Excadrill's high HP stat it can take one or two neutral hits, but be wary as these moves can wear it down quickly.
~ Be careful not to let Excadrill take too much damage if the opponent has an infernape, since infernape's mach punch can kill a weakened Excadrill, which is one of the best checks to infernape.
~ Do not use Excadrill to check infernape if it's sash is still intact, use another Pokemon on your team to break its focus sash(if it isn't already broken), then revenge kill with Excadrill.
~ Excadrill can sweep through certain teams that are weak to its stab moves once it's checks and counters have been weakened. For example, it can sweep electric type teams once Zapdos and thundurus have been removed.
~ When facing the fire and electric type matchup, be wary of spamming earthquake, as both types have Pokemon immune to the attack. Rather, if you predict correctly with rock slide, you can nab an OHKO on Mega Charizard(Y) or a 2HKO on Zapdos.

Team Options
========

~ Excadrill best fits on balance and hyper-offensive steel archetypes.
~ It appreciates Pokemon that can switch in on the weaknesses it has, and ones that gets rid of its checks and counters.
~ Specially defensive Heatran can absorb fire type attacks, especially will-o-wisp, aimed at Excadrill, while defensive Skarmory can take on ground type and fighting type attacks, which it is immune to the former if not under gravity. Heatran cripples fire types with earth power, stone edge, or toxic. Skarmory can brave bird, roost stall, or even set up hazards on fighting and ground types.
~ Heatran and Skarmory can set up stealth rock, and Skarmory can even set spikes, helping Excadrill revenge kill Pokemon easier since they will be weakened from the hazards.
~ Doublade and jirachi can also be used to check fighting type attackers due to their typing. Doublade in particular is immune to fighting types moves.
~ Doublade can set up with swords dance on most fighting types that threaten Excadrill like Mega Medicham or hit them with a stab shadow claw/iron head, while jirachi can threaten them with a stab psychic attack, such as heart stamp.
~ Jirachi can also help bring Excadrill on the field with a u-turn, especially if it's a slow supportive set.
~ Ferrothorn and magnezone are also good partners, dismantling the water types that threaten Excadrill with either power whip or volt switch. Ferrothorn can also weaken opponents with the combo of leech seed and protect.
~ Magnezone in particular has good synergy with Excadrill, able to volt switch it in safely as well as hit the physical side of the spectrum, and bulky flying and water types. Excadrill is able to threaten the bulky electric types that wall Magnezone like Zapdos and special walls such as chansey.
~ Mega Scizor and Bisharp appreciate Excadrill's ability to weaken teams, so that they can sweep later with a combo of swords dance + bullet punch or swords dance + sucker punch.
~ Mega Scizor in particular appreciates Excadrill since Excadrill gets rid of the fire and electric types that threaten it. It can also check certain fighting and ground Pokemon such as mega lopunny and gliscor, although a bit less reliable at this job than Skarmory.
~ Excadrill helps all of these Pokemon in turn by threatening electric and fire types with its stab earthquake.

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

~ X-Scissor can be used on Excadrill, but it doesn't hit the Pokemon it targets, such as slowbro, for any significant damage without a power boosting item.
~ Choice Band and Life Orb are options as an item, but then Excadrill loses its ability to outspeed a large portion of the unboosted metagame, and also loses the ability to check certain threats a steel team faces, such as Mega Charizard(Y) and Infernape.
~ Swords Dance is an option to boost Excadrill's attack, but without choice scarf it will be outspeeded and revenge killed quite easily.

Checks and Counters
========

**Bulky Water Pokemon**: Bulky water pokemon such as slowbro and alomomola completely wall Excadrill, not taking much from any of its attacks and hitting it back with scald.

**Bulky Flying Pokemon**: Bulky flying Pokemon such as Mandibuzz and Skarmory are immune to earthquake and don't take much from rock slide or iron head. Gliscor and Lando-T also counter Excadrill, as the former heals off any damage with poison heal, while the latter lowers its attack so it can tank it's moves. Mandibuzz can then use foul play, Skarmory can stall out Excadrill or set up hazards, and gliscor and Landorus-T can hit with earthquake. Landorus-T in particular can use Excadrill as a way to gain momentum with u-turn.

**Ground types**: Ground type Pokemon such as Hippowdon and defensive Garchomp counter Excadrill, as they don't take much damage from its stab attacks, while other ground types check it by living a hit then retaliating with a super-effective attack.

**Fighting type Pokemon**: Fighting type Pokemon like Mega Gallade check Excadrill by living a hit and then hitting it with a super effective STAB move.

**Extremely Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with immense amounts of defense, such as Eviolite Porygon-2 can switch into an attack and heal off the damage, then retaliate with foul play.

**Faster Choice Scarf Users**: Faster choice scarf Pokemon such as victini and terrakion can revenge kill Excadrill with a super-effective move, like v-create and close combat.

**Priority Moves**: Priority moves such as Azumarill's Aqua Jet and Breloom's Mach Punch target the water and fighting weakness Excadrill has, and can hit it before Excadrill can do anything in return.

**Lures**: Excadrill has to watch out for lures from the types it threatens, such as Shuca Berry nidoqueen and heat wave Zapdos. Shuca Berry nidoqueen will be able to live an earthquake and KO a weakened Excadrill in turn with earth power, and Zapdos can hit Excadrill on the switch with a heat wave, 2HKOing it.

**Burns**: Will-O-Wisp from the likes of mew and sableye will significantly reduce Excadrill's damage output, leaving it little offensive presence. Scald is also notorious for this, as it can hit Excadrill for both super effective damage and a chance to burn.
 
Last edited:

Vid

Our life is what our thoughts make it
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Overview
  • Talk about Mold Breaker and what the ability is useful against (Rotom-W)
  • be specific with speed stat
  • Talk about Excadrill being a Rapid Spinner
  • Talk about some of threats Excadrill checks such as Charizard-Y and Magnezone with a Choice Scarf
  • Talk about common users of Mach Punch and Aqua Jet such as Breloom and Azumarill
  • Provide examples of Water and Flying Pokemon that wall Excadrill because I can provide examples of some that don't
  • Provide examples of Wil-o-Wisp users that Excadrill doesn't like
  • Say what moves Victini and Terrakion use to OHKO Excadrill
  • Talk about how Excadrill has a High HP stat enabling it to take neutral hits
  • Talk about why steel ground typing is good
[SET]
name: The Mole (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

Moves
  • Talk about Earthquake and Iron Head separately
  • For Earthquake talk about how it deals with Electric and Fire types and provides examples
  • Iron Head is mainly for Fairy types such as Clefable and Mention the flinch chance
  • Mention Flinch chance for Rock Slide
  • Mention how Rapid Spin doesn't remove your own hazards
Set Details
  • An adamant nature can be opted for more firepower, however. One example of this is that an adamant natured Excadrill has around a 90% chance to 2HKO Mew after Stealth Rock with earthquake, compared to a jolly natured Excadrill's 20% chance.(No Psychic user isn't switching in Slowbro on Excadrill)
  • Give specific examples of what Choice Scarf outspeeds
  • Mega Latias is not a good example as it only does 35-40%
  • Add with the move you can hit those Pokemon with under Mold Breaker section
Usage Tips
  • Provides examples of what is doing U-turning and Volt Switch
Not going to even Touch Usage Tips anymore it needs to be rewriten so many things are missing
Team Options
  • Mention how can set up Spikes Skarmroy and Stealth Rock Heatran
  • Mention how Doublade is immune to Fighting Moves
  • Go more in depth on what Ferrothorn and Magnzeone do
  • Where is Mega Scizor and Bisharp?(Didin't go in depth on this either but it neeeds to be rewritten)
Others Options
  • Swords Dance should be mentioned
Checks and Counters
  • Gliscor and Lando-T should be mentioned under Flying types
  • **Pre-Mega Gyarados**: Pre-Mega Gyarados can switch into any of Excadrill's attacks thanks to intimidate, and depending whether it's choice-locked into Earthquake or Rock Slide, it stays as its base form or mega evolves. The base form is immune to earthquake and its mega form takes neutral damage from rock slide. Then it can proceed to setup on Excadrill.This is a bit too complicated as I don't really know but I just don't like it
  • Go more in-depth in this section I don't see any details about how XYZ Pokemon is a counter or check
  • **Extremely Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with immense amounts of defense, such as Eviolite Porygon-2 and defensive Avalugg can switch into an attack and heal off the damage, then retaliate with foul play or Avalanche.
  • Talk about what moves they use to OHKO Excadrill
  • Talk about what can burn it
  • Knock Off and Trick aren't really checks and counters
Originally I was planning on fixing everything but there is way too much to fix (it would be 2 posts if I did everything)
QC 1/3 Rejected
 

scpinion

Life > Monotype... unfortunately :)
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Rage.Spam.Quit. you're welcome to re-submit this for another QC member to check. Please address iVid's comments above before doing that, though.

You should also check out this Google doc for some help with what to consider in each section.

If you choose to re-submit, please post once you've updated everything so the QC team knows! :)
 
I'm not really sure whether we should go forward with this. I don't remember what this looked like before Vid's check, but it's still not really up to par even after how much he tried to fix. There are a lot of unnecessary details that don't actually matter, such as taking 3% from Stealth Rock or outspeeding Mega Alakazam, and just wrong lines, such as apparently threatening walls. I also see a significant amount of repetition, especially of those unnecessary details. You make one point and repeat it multiple times throughout the analysis. For example, Zapdos shows up in my Find 8 times for some reason. Sure, Excadrill beats Zapdos, but it doesn't need to be repeated over and over.

I'm looking at how much Vid did, how much I have here, and how much I still think needs to be fixed. It worries me that the QC team might end up writing this analysis. That's not our job. I want to work with you to make this analysis good, but it's going to take a lot. Implement the check, try to do some review on your own beyond what I have here, and then tag me to take another look.

Overview:
- Drop the reasoning for the Ground / Steel typing line. This isn't a reason to use or not use Excadrill. The whole Steel team can resist those moves.
- Instead, bring up the Ground typing for the first line, where you say that its Ground typing helps it check those specific threats (Fire- and Electric-types)
- You can add that it has nice coverage in Rock Slide to hit threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Thundurus.
- Outpacing Mega Alakazam isn't a big deal. Remove. Add in Mega Lopunny or something instead. HO teams won't have Skarmory to tank its High Jump Kicks.
- You mention typing too much. Don't need to bring up its matchup vs Fire or Electric again.
- You bring up typing again. On a Steel team, being extra resistant to Stealth Rock is pretty pointless. Drop it.
- Don't need to explain that as a Steel-type, it's weak to Steel-type attacks.
- Too much detail on its bulk. Just say it has pretty average bulk in spite of its high HP stat if you want.
- Everything is weak to Scald. Remove.
- I'd drop the Will-o-Wisp thing. It's really not an Excadrill thing so much as a physical attacker thing.

Moves:
- Excadrill's strongest attack is Earthquake, thanks to it getting STAB and having high BP. It's not just used for its great coverage.
- Iron Head is more reliable STAB. Hitting Fairy-types is not worth mentioning when Steel steamrollers Fairy anyway.

Set Details:
- Change Mega Alakazam to Mega Lopunny.

Usage Tips:
- I wouldn't say "wall" for Excadrill in regards to for exapmle Cobalion and Zapdos. These are more examples of Pokemon that can't harm Excadrill.
~ Excadrill should not be staying in against Pokemon that outspeed and OHKO it, such as choice scarf victini and choice scarf terrakion.
~ Excadrill should also switch out against Pokemon that wall it such as slowbro and Skarmory.
~ Excadrill should not stay in against super effective priority moves such as Azumarill's Aqua jet and breloom's Mach punch(only exception is infernape).
- is pretty unnecessarily long. Just say that Excadrill is easily forced out due to its low bulk and power combined with its unimpressive Speed.
~ Be careful only to use rapid spin when your is threatened by spikes or sticky web, as locking your choice scarf Excadrill into rapid spin is almost equivalent to doing no damage at all.
~ Only use rapid spin on a Pokemon Excadrill threatens, such as toxic Zapdos, and if the hazards present on your side of the field are detrimental to your team(ex: sticky web, spikes).
- is unnecessarily long again. Simply say that one should be careful when using Rapid Spin, as it's a huge momentum loss and Excadrill's lack of substantial bulk makes it difficult to safely pull off.
- Don't mention the whole Infernape thing. That's too specific when Excadrill isn't supposed to be a dedicated check to Infernape.
- Instead of specifying the Electric and Fire matchups for being careful with Earthquake, just say that Excadrill should take advantage of its Rock Slide coverage to take out Flying-types that try to switch into it.
- Also, Excadrill is a pretty nice cleaner. It doesn't need to have super effective STAB to sweep. So just don't say certain teams.

Team Options:
- Heatran in general can switch into Fire-type attacks, not just the specially defensive set.
- Note that Skarmory appreciates Excadrill taking out Electric-types that threaten it.
- Excadrill won't be weakening any teams for Mega Scizor or Bisharp to take advantage of. It's not a wallbreaker.
- The #1 reason to use Magnezone as a teammate for Excadrill is its ability to trap Skarmory. You must mention Magnet Pull because that's literally most of why you're using them together.
- Also, Excadrill won't be breaking Chansey. It has way too little damage to do that, and similarly it won't really even be breaking many special walls, such as Mew, if it doesn't have the right super effective coverage. So just don't say that.

Other Options:
- Actually, can we remove all of these. First, X-scissor is useless. Like you said, it doesn't even break Slowbro. Earthquake is just fine anyway, since Mold Breaker allows Excadrill to hit Latios.
- Choice Band and Life Orb are completely awful. Excadrill is way too slow, lacks priority, and has no bulk. It can't use these sets correctly. Steel doesn't need it as a wallbreaker. Unlike Ground, Steel has no way to viably set up sand.
- For the same reason as above, Swords Dance is useless. Excadrill is way too slow to use it correctly.
- The only Other Option I can see being even barely viable is Toxic. It lets Excadrill cripple most of its switch-ins. Of course, Excadrill lacks the moveslots, as it loves the coverage Rock Slide brings and part of its niche is acting as a Rapid Spin.

Checks and Counters:
- Remove lures. Those aren't Excadrlll lures, anyway.
- Group faster Choice Scarf users and priority moves into "Revenge Killers".
 
Rage.Spam.Quit.

This is being reassigned due to quality issues. Please PM myself or any of the Monotype QC team if you have further interest in learning Monotype, but currently this is unacceptable.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top