Let's rock.
QC: 0/2
GP: 0/1
Overview
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+ 130 Speed is blistering fast. Wow. Not much, if anything, can out-speed it without help.
+ 120 Special Attack is extremely formidable.
+ Movepool is enormous. Offensive options are plentiful, some decent support options.
+ Signature move in Paleo Wave is excellent, can hinder physical threats when switching in.
+ Two great abilities in Levitate and Technician, both can be used and abused.
- Mono-Rock is not great defensive typing, weak to many common threats.
- Defensive stats are below average, although not horrid.
- Weak to common priority moves such as Aqua Jet, Bullet Punch and Mach Punch.
- One-dimensional, as it relies on its Special Attack for big damage. Can be walled by certain threats.
Life Orb Attacker
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name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Paleo Wave
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Energy Ball
ability: Levitate
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moves
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- Paleo Wave is your STAB option and dishes out major damage. Can also lower Attack by one stage.
- Earth Power is for Heatran and Mollux, whom often run heavy SpD investment, as well as Krilowatt and Cyclohm.
- Fire Blast is for Steels that resist Rock, as well as Grass-types like Necturna, Malaconda, and Ferrothorn.
- Energy Ball nails bulky Water- and Ground-types for huge damage, most notably Colossoil, Mega Gyarados, Arghonaut and Rotom-W.
Set Details
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- Max Speed and Timid nature is fast.
- Max SpA investment for that excellent offensive presence.
- Life Orb allows it to hit as hard as possible while taking advantage of its expansive coverage.
- Levitate opens up opportunities for Stratagem to build synergy with its teammates.
Usage Tips
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- Levitate affords it the ability to switch into Ground attacks, as well as avoid Spikes damage, so take advantage of that.
- Thanks to its awesome movepool and speed, it's very easy to throw out moves and recover quickly if a mistake is made.
- Life Orb recoil diminishes its HP very quickly, so a hit-and-run strategy is very effective when using Stratagem. The less hits it takes, the better.
- Can be used as a great cleaner and revenger even without a Scarf.
- Priority is the number one issue with Stratagem, so beware of strong priority moves. Switch out.
Team Options
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- Stratagem is a great stand-alone Pokemon. Can plug into a wide variety of offensive team types.
- Weaknesses to Fighting, Water, Grass and Steel make Necturna (Sticky Web!), Mega Venusaur and Mollux decent Pokemon to pair with it. Can also mess around with common switch-ins to Stratagem.
- Offensive partners include the likes of Talonflame, Aegislash and Krilowatt. It can team up with a wide variety of offensive partners, however.
Technician
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name: Technician
move 1: Ancient Power
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Earth Power / Energy Ball
move 4: Hidden Power Flying / Vacuum Wave
ability: Technician
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moves
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- Ancient Power is boosted to 90 BP by Technician. Also has a 10% chance of increasing all stats. Watch out for low PP.
- Fire Blast " ".
- Earth Power " ".
- Energy Ball " ".
- Hidden Power Flying is boosted to 90 BP by Technician. This allows it to get past Mega Venusaur, Tomohawk, Arghonaut and other threats.
- Vacuum Wave gets a decent Tech boost to 60 BP and can be used as priority to nail revenge killers and avoid most Sucker Punch users.
Set Details
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- Max Speed and Timid nature is fast.
- Max SpA investment for that excellent offensive presence.
- Life Orb allows it to hit as hard as possible while taking advantage of its expansive coverage.
- Alternatively, Choice Specs is a decent option for this set, as it focuses on maximum damage output at the cost of flexibility.
- Technician is used to provide maximum damage potential for its STAB attack and specific coverage moves.
Usage Tips
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- Not too much different than the Levitate set in how it plays, but simply has higher damage output and can get past certain Pokemon the Levitate set cannot.
- Should use this set specifically for Hidden Power's coverage.
- Choice Specs is a good compliment with Technician, enabling Ancient Power to deal as much damage as possible without recoil. Scores useful KO's (SpD Heatran with Earth Power, Tomohawk after SR, etc.).
- If Choice Specs, must take care since you'll be locked into a move until you switch.
- Loss of Levitate results in a vulnerability to Spikes damage and less opportunities to switch in, so keep that in mind! Trades momentum for power gains.
Team Options
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- Again, this is a great stand-alone Pokemon.
- Plays much differently with its teammates than the Levitate set. Can't switch in on Ground moves for Aegislash and Mollux, for example.
- Still appreciates support from Pokemon who resist its weaknesses like Necturna and Venusaur.
- Now further appreciates Pokemon like Tomohawk and Skarmory.
- Offensive tandem with Talonflame just as powerful, if not moreso.
- Does lose out on potential/popular offensive partners with this build.
Other Options
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- Giga Drain can be used instead of Energy Ball for health recovery. However, notably less powerful.
- Hidden Power Ice for Garchomp and Landorus. Can be used for both sets.
- Trick is nice for Choice Specs sets, cripples normal switch-ins like Chansey, AV Colossoil.
- Calm Mind viable, very strong and can take some Special hits. However, often can't afford to take a hit from a free switch-in.
- Choice Scarf is an option, fastest revenge killer in the meta. However, often doesn't need the Speed and noticeably less strong.
Checks & Counters
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**Specially Defensive Bulk**: Chansey, Sylveon, Malaconda (kind of).
**Assault Vest Users**: Colossoil, Azumarill, Arghonaut, Conkeldurr
**Priority Attacks**: Aqua Jet, Mach Punch, Bullet Punch.
**Super Effective Moves**: Most SE moves kill it, lacks good bulk.
