Project the oras ru role comparison project

[Kableye]

approved by Molk and atomicllamas
credits to theorymon & molk for the op (edited a little bit)

The ORAS RU Role Comparison Project

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Have you ever pinpointed a Pokémon on one of your teams, where you find it's role to be extremely useful for your team, but wonder "man, if only there was a similar Pokémon that had more manageable flaws for my team"? If so, this is the thread for you! Believe it or not, there tend to be a lot more Pokémon that can achieve a certain role than you think, but often times, these Pokémon are obscure, or they may be common Pokémon using an unusual set, so the people who are looking for such a "role replacement" may end up never finding it!

This thread aims to fix that problem! The main goal of this thread is to highlight certain Pokémon sets, by comparing them to more common Pokémon who fulfill similar roles, both the advantages and the disadvantages! This way, people who feel like their team could use with some changes can get some tips from this thread, or if they are just making a team with certain roles in mind, they can be exposed to some Pokémon that deserve more usage! Also, don't worry if you can't think of any good examples, commenting on examples already mentioned to incite discussion is fine too!

Here's to get you guys started. Feel free to use the same format, since it gets right to the point, but if you feel the need to deviate a bit, that's fine too!
ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE!

Delphox as an offensive psychic type vs: Sigilyph

Delphox @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Grass Knot

Delphox's Advantages

1. Typing: The largest difference is a resistance to Fairy type attacks, meaning Delphox can soft check CB Granbull. Delphox also has a resistance to Ice, making it a check to both Mega-Glalie and Abomasnow, while Sigilyph can only check Abomasnow at full health and Mega-Glalie under the same conditions if it hasn't mega evolved yet.

2. STAB Fire Blast: The damage difference Delphox's Fire Blast has vs Sigilyph is expressed pretty clearly vs Pokemon like Steelix. Obviously the STAB Fire Blast OHKO's while Sigilyph barely 2hkos. Some other differences are Delphox's ability to OHKO Amoonguss w/o getting Spore'd. Fire Blast makes Delphox the stronger wallbreaker overall.

3. Blaze: At low health, Delphox is capable of dealing massive amounts of damage. Sets such as SubSalac or Choice Scarf can truly make use of this to sweep weakened teams.

4. Speed: 104 Speed reaches things Sigilyph can only hope to outspeed. One of those is M-Glalie, which is the largest reason in my opinion that one would use Delphox over Sigilyph. The other is Flygon, which offensive variants can be a huge issue for Sigilyph.

Delphox's disadvantages

1. Lack of Magic Guard: The hazard weakness limits the amount of times Delphox can come in, while Sigilyph can come in infinitely thanks to Magic Guard. Delphox needs hazard supporter to function properly, while Sigilyph cares very little. Delphox is also beaten by Toxic easier, meaning that it has a hard time actually beating stall on its own and instead only breaks it or cleans.

2. Typing: Flying / Psychic has a few advantages over Fire / Psychic, one being that it serves as a better Fighting resist. Sigilyph can actually switch-in on attackers like Choice Scarf Medicham, while Delphox cannot. The lack of a water weakness means that Sigilyph can hold its own vs Pokemon such as Slowking, which Delphox cannot.

3. Lack of Recovery: Roost puts Sigilyph at a great advantage over Delphox, giving it durability vs balance and stall. Sigilyph can 1v1 many stall teams when supported correctly thanks to Roost, while Delphox gets widdled down very easily and has to depend on Substitute.


Some other ideas include: Delphox vs Houndoom, any bulky water vs any bulky water, Meloetta vs Hoopa, Meloetta vs Sigilyph, Rhyperior vs Mega Steelix, Uxie vs Mesprit, Manectric vs Jolteon, Eelektross vs Manectric and many more! Feel free to do as many as you want (not all obviously O_O)

 

[Kableye]

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Delphox over Sigilyph

look up stupid
Rhyperior over Mega Steelix

Kableye
Tangrowth over Venusaur

Kableye
Aromatisse over Diancie

MrAldo
Jellicent over Alomomola

gorex
Kabutops over Samurott

Kableye
Aerodactyl over Tyrantrum

Kableye
Bronzong over Registeel

Miyami
Gallade over Medicham

Kableye
​

 

[Kableye]

Rhyperior as a bulky ground type vs: Mega Steelix

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 184 HP / 28 Atk / 200 SpD / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock / Toxic
s/o to EonX for the ev spread

Rhyperior's Advantages

1. Typing: Rock/Ground lets Rhyperior take on fire types as well as Flying types, Tyrantrum and Drapion. This lets it check Sigilyph, Houndoom, Delphox and Emboar while Steelix would just outright lose to these pokemon.

2. Speed: 40 Speed might not seem like a lot, but it's a really competitive speed tier. Slowking and Mega Steelix at base 30, Mega Camerupt (max speed) at base 20, all of these end up at about 116-140 in speed. With only 96 speed, Rhyperior can get the jump on Mega Camerupt. To outspeed even 20 Speed Rhyperior, Slowking and Mega Steelix have to take a lot of ev's out of bulk, so you shouldn't have to worry about either of those outspeeding either.

3. Item: Being a mega, Steelix is hindered by not having access to items such as Choice Band or Leftovers. Rhyperior can abuse these too the fullest, becoming a strong wall breaker or a gaining a little more durability on defensive sets.

4. Free Mega Slot: Rhyperior can be paired with Mega Glalie, Camerupt, etc. as it does not take up the mega slot.

5. Ice Punch: Solid Rock and Ice Punch both work together to make Rhyperior better vs the tier's most common defogger, Flygon.

Rhyperior's disadvantages

1. Greater Weakness to Hidden Power's: Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to both grass and water attacks, allowing Manectric, Delphox and Jolteon to take advantage of this with the right coverage. Steelix on the other hand shrugs off even super effective hidden powers.

2. Lack of Steel Typing: This is probably Rhyperior's biggest issue. While it is still a Tyrantrum hard check, Rhyperior hates taking even Outrage which is a comfortable 2hko from Choice Band variants (56.8 - 66.7%), so it still needs to be paired with a dragon resistance. It also becomes susceptible to Toxic. Steel typing covers more than Rock/Ground does in the current meta.

3. Ice Weakness: Rhyperior cannot check Ice types in the way Steelix can. Mega Glalie and Abomasnow both threaten it, and while Steelix is also threatened at least it lives every hit and deals massive damage back.

I'll edit this one in:
Tangrowth as an offensive grass type vs: Venusaur

Tangrowth @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 96 HP / 252 SpA / 160 Spe
Modest Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Knock Off

Tangrowth's Advantages

1. Typing: There's a few bonuses to being pure grass. One is a rare resistance to ground attacks so Tangrowth can comfortably come in on Steelix and Rhyperior without taking a massive chunk. It also checks physical Flygon better. Venusaur on the other hand takes a hefty chunk from each of these attackers and lacks a way to ohko Steelix. Tangrowth lacks a psychic weakness, meaning the only attack it fears from Slowking is Fire Blast and it checks physical Virizion.

2. Regenerator: By far one of the best abilities in this game, Regenerator allows Venusaur to repeatedly pivot into attacks with minimal damage and not wasting a turn like Synthesis would. It also opens up for sets like Assault Vest to be able to function.

3. Physical Bulk: Tangrowth's physical bulk is nothing to scoff at, even without investment. It lets it soft check many physical offensive Pokemon such as Medicham, Scrafty or Tyrantrum, things Venusaur can only dream of doing.

Tangrowth's disadvantages

1. Lack of Poison Typing: Pure grass is cool, but in many cases Grass / Poison is cooler. For one, Venusaur can absorb Toxic Spikes, which is very helpful for balance and stall. While Tangrowth has Sludge Bomb, it lacks the STAB and resistances Poison typing offers, meaning Aromatisse and Fire Blast Togetic can still beat it 1v1 under the right circumstances. Venusaur also becomes a target for Toxic.

2. Lesser Special Bulk: It's no secret, Tangrowth's special bulk sucks. Even neutral hits OHKO Tangrowth or get really close. Since nearly every Water type learns Ice Beam, this makes it a very poor check to special water types.

3. Lesser Speed: There is a huge sum of Pokemon Tangrowth's average 50 base speed misses out on. Venusaur has a way better speed tier, though not the best. It can revenge kill Exploud, Abomasnow and anything up to base 80. A notable mon that it actually lures out is Hoopa, who is OHKO'd by Knock Off.


Anyone can participate btw, I've had a few people ask me if its just me.

 

[MrAldo]

Aromatisse as a bulky fairy type vs: Diancie

Aromatisse @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy

Aromatisse's advantages

1. A way of recovery: Aromatisse has the notable trait of having both heal bell (aromatherapy, same thing) and wish which provides good role compression and makes the need of another wish passer (think alomomola) to sustain diancie unnecessary and having a way of recovery in order to keep checking what it is supposed to check is really nice.

2. Fighting resistance: Diancie being part rock/typing means it cant really switch on fighting types like hitmonlee, sawk and mainly scrafty since the rock princess is 4x weak to iron head. Aromatisse can check this mons much more efficiently virtue of its mono fairy typing resisting fighting types slaughter which are pretty dominant mons right now.

3. Better matchup against ground types like Flygon: Besides mega steelix (which still destroy both), aromatisse has a much easier time pivoting into most common ground types like seismitoad and rhyperior. Flygon is the most important one, being able to pivot easily on pretty much every variant. Another important of having mono fairy typing.

Aromatisse´s disadvantages

1. Better overall typing: Aromatisse can be setup bait for many notable threats in the form of fletchinder, delphox among others. Diancie has the ability to check all these mons and dissuade them to setting up with powerful rock STAB which can be pretty important since many balance teams are troubled with delphox in particular, hence why it is a staple on these type of teams

2. Less overall bulk: Diancie, while having a low hp stat, it sports fantastic 150 on both defensive stats meaning it doesnt need to invest on physical defense to surprise an impressive amount of hits and still sustain itself against a lot of physical mons. Aromatisse has to choose on what to invest and still can get very pressured having just a decent defense stat.

3. Lack of Earth Power: As insignificant as this may seem, having earth power is a really huge advantage over aromatisse meaning it is not worthless against mega steelix and giving diancie a nice degree of versatility to pull off other sets, not being as one dimensional as aromatisse.

4. Lack of Stealth Rock: Stealth rock being one of the most meta defining moves in the game (every metagame use it, etc, etc) having a mon that can provide these will having amazing defensive utility virtue of its typing is fantastic.

Problem with both aromatisse and diancie: They invite venusaur so take that into account!

Cheers!

 

[gorex]

Jellicent as a bulky water type vs: Alomomola

Jellicent @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Hex

Jellicent's advantages

1) Momentum: Jellicent has Recover as a move, which allows to recover 50% of health within one turn. This is better as it prevents opposing setup, like how Alomomola invites setup when it has to WishProtect, taking up two turns just to recover back to a healthy amount

2) Status: Jellicent has Will-O-Wisp which eases the job of crippling physical attackers with a burn rather than having to wait for Scald to burn the opponent, which might not happen during crucial moments. It can be put to advantage with Hex, which doubles in power when used on an opponent with status.

3) Taunt: Taunt helps Jellicent face off against possible opposing stall by limiting recovery options and status healing from moves such as Wish and Aromatherapy, whereby the only pokemon not affected by Taunt is Aromatisse

Jellicent's disadvantages

1) Wish: Alomomola has Wish which Jellicent doesn't. This allows it to help heal up teammates that might be low on health and really important in impacting the flow of the game. Although passing of a Wish often relies proper prediction, it helps in the constant preservation of the team in the long run, which puts it over Jellicent

2) Regenerator: With Regenerator, Alomomola is constantly able to see itself stay in the game by just a simple switch which allows it to recover 1/3 of its health, which can somewhat alleviate the pressure of entry hazards in wearing it down

3) HP: Due to Alomomola's high Health stat, it allows it to take hits more consistently and take them better due to the ability to run mixed bulk with such a high HP stat. Jellicent often finds the need to concentrate on either of its defense stats due to its lower HP and leave it susceptible to pokemon that hit on the other defensive stat.

 

[DTC]

Aromatisse as a bulky fairy type vs: Diancie

This is a good start, but there's two important things that need to be noted. Another disadvantage that should be added is Diancie has Stealth Rock, which many Diancie's carry as it is a pretty good Stealth Rock setter and has Moonblast to dissuade Flygon. Also, I would replace "role compression" with "recovery". Diancie has Heal Bell too, so the only thing Aromatisse has over Diancie for utility is Wish. Aromatisse Wish is not quite the same as Alomomola because it doesn't have Regenerator or the same massive HP, so it often has to spend time saving its own ass before it can spread Wishes and heal other Pokemon.

gorex, I don't know if you can really list recovery as an advantage Jellicent has over Alomomola, as even though Alomomola invites setup because it has to use Wish + Protect to recover instead of Recover, it also has Regenerator to recover back HP allowing it to not have to waste turns to recover some HP. In addition, Jellicent is actually slower than Alomomola by 5 base Speed points; the only reason Alomomola is generally slower is people tend to use a lot of Speed EVs on Jellicent. However, there are also people who run quite a few Speed EVs to outspeed Jellicent with Alomomola so it becomes a weird issue. For advantages, I'd just mention Status + Taunt (both of which are very big in and of itself) + better typing in most aspects because it gives Jellicent a Fighting- and Normal-type immunity as well as potentially a nice Ghost-type STAB in Hex. However, it's not totally a better typing because it leaves Jellicent vulnerable to common Dark-type moves like Pursuit and Knock Off.

 

[Kableye]

kabu is def one of my favorite pokemon to use in ru. team kabu for life!

Kabutops as an offensive water type vs: Samurott

Kabutops @ Lum Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor / Weak Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall / Sword Dance
- Rapid Spin / Swords Dance
Kabutops's Advantages

1. Typing: Rock resistance is really useful, and it makes Kabutops an excellent choice of offense. It compressed both the Fletchinder check and a hazard remover into one slot, something only Blastoise can match. Its a better switch-in to fire moves from Delphox and Emboar. Rock coverage is also vastly superior to the Bug coverage Samurott depends on.

2. Rapid Spin: Kabutops also stands out in that it can clear hazards on offensive teams. Its the best offensive Rapid Spinner in the tier by far and can even combine both the role of a wallbreaker and rapin spinner into one on a Swords Dance + Rapid Spin set.

3. Greater Speed: Kabutops is base 80 while Samurott is base 70. It can speed tie with Pokemon of the crowded base 80 speed tier such Venusaur, Medicham, Gallade and so on but also gets the jump on Hoopa and Tyrantrum.
Kabutops's disadvantages

1. Lack of Megahorn: While Rock coverage is vastly superior than Bug, Kabutops lacks a solid options to hit grass types. It's best way to break Tangrowth and Amoonguss is to swords dance on the switch and even then it needs chip damage to kill both with Stone Edge.

2. Only Physical: Kabutops is often limited to physical Rock / Water coverage, while Samurott can run both Swords Dance as well as a Special set that takes advantage of the ordinary switch-ins to Swords Dance coverage.

3. Rock Typing: While it has its pros, Rock typing is also very much a hindrance to Kabutops. In many cases it puts it in an awkward spot, its a water type that wants to beat ground types but because its a rock type it can't switch into them. The typing is one of Kabutops greatest strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Kableye]

I'll avoid double posting, I just want to put out a quick announcement.

ANNOUNCEMENT: to encourage people to post, I'm adding a hall of fame!! people who have a large amount of comparisons completed will earn a place in the hall of fame

Anyway another rock type, s/o to MrAldo for the idea
Aerodactyl as a fast offensive rock type vs: Choice Scarf Tyrantrum

Aerodactyl @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Pursuit / Wing Attack
- Roost
other moves: Ice Fang, Double-Edge, Aqua Tail, Fire Fang, Taunt, Fire Blast, Stealth Rock

Aerodactyl's Advantages

1. Typing: Flying typing helps Aerodactyl in a few ways. STAB Wing Attack (or Aerial Ace if you aren't cool) mostly helps Aerodactyl check Virizion from full, while Scarf Tyrantrum struggles to kill it without locking itself into Outrage or getting chip damage. Flying typing also offers a ground immunity. In most cases this isn't helpful since about every ground type switches into Aerodactyl, but it can help to pivot into Choice Band Rhyperior or other choiced ground types.

2. Not Choiced: Aerodactyl also does not need a Choice Scarf to reach its incredible speed tier of 130. It can switch-up moves while Tyrantrum has to select a move to lock itself, which mean trouble vs teams with resistances to every move it carries.

3. Coverage: Rock / Dragon / Fighting coverage is pretty decent, but there's a few things where Aerodactyl's greater coverage comes in handy against. An example of this is Rhyperior. Tyrantrum's Superpower only does 34.6 - 40.8% to Rhyperior, while Aerodactyl's Aqua Tail manages to 2hko Rhyperior (61.2 - 72%). Aerodactyl can also deal more damage to Bronzong with Fire coverage and stay in vs Steel types since its attack isn't lowered by its best coverage move like Tyrantrum.

4. Pursuit: The biggest reason to use Aerodactyl over Tyrantrum is Pursuit. Pursuit lets Aerodactyl take Sigilyph out, a huge threat to many teams. It also lets it pick off weakened Pokemon that are close to death to guarantee that can't return later.

Aerodactyl's disadvantages

1. Strength: Aerodactyl is overall weaker than Tyrantrum, a super effective Wing Attack is weaker than a Head Smash from Tyrantrum. While Tyrantrum only needs its resists taken out before it can sweep, Aerodactyl needs even Pokemon of average bulk like Mesprit weakened before it can sweep and depends more on super effective moves to deal its damage. Because of how weak it is, Steelix can still switch-in to super effective moves without fear, while Steelix has to fear a CB Superpower.

2. Frailty: Aerodactyl lacks the physical bulk that makes Tyrantrum so amazing. Priority moves from Hitmonlee, Absol, Glalie, Abomasnow and so much more outright OHKO Aerodactyl, while there isn't a single priority move in RU that can OHKO Tyrantrum. Aerodactyl also must maintain a high health in order to check Fletchinder, which is hard to do with a Stealth Rock weakness and Life Orb.

 

[Miyami~~]

/me throws hat in ring

Bronzong as a Defensive Rock Setter versus: Registeel

Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
- Toxic

Pros of Bronzong:

1) Typing
Bronzong's Steel/Psychic typing grants it an amazing nine resistances and an immunity to poison, allowing it to come in and soak up attacks. The Psychic typing also grants it a neutrality to Fighting instead of being weak to it like most steel types.

2) Levitate
Bronzong's ability, Levitate, gifts it an immunity to ground, allowing it to switch in safely on certain moves if needed.

Cons of Bronzong:

1) Typing
Unfortunately, the Steel/Psychic typing can be a bit of a hinderance. The added weakness to Ghost and especially Dark are a hinderance, since most fighting types carry Knock Off and Pursuit is decently common to trap Hoopa, Meloetta, Slowking, and Sigilyph. It also means Registeel has 1 more resistance than Bronzong.

2) Less Bulk
While it's not a Major Difference, Registeel's base 150 in both Defences and Base 80 in HP is larger than Bronzong's base 67 in HP and 116 in both Defences.

 

[Kableye]

rip prince, stop reading this and go listen to his music.
Gallade as an offensive fighting type vs: Medicham

Gallade @ Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance

Gallade's Advantages

1. Knock Off: Gallade's largest attraction over Medicham is Knock Off. Medicham struggles to break bulky psychic types like Uxie or Slowking, but Gallade can easily do this thanks to its Dark Coverage. Dark / Fighting gives Gallade perfect coverage over all of RU.

2. Swords Dance: Medicham is really strong, but its not strong enough to nail a lot of KO's it needs. Instead it pressures teams by coming in on Pokemon it actually can KO and weakening its switch-ins. Gallade on the other hand, has Swords Dance to give it the power it needs to KO Slowking, Uxie, Musharna and so on.

3. Higher Bulk: The greater bulk works beautifully with Swords Dance. Gallade can Swords Dance on special attackers like Slowking. There are very neutral special attackers that can OHKO Gallade, and even Pokemon that carry super effective moves fail to KO, such as Sigilyph. It also opens up opportunities for a Bulk Up set to become viable.

Gallade's disadvantages

1. Not as powerful: Gallade is weaker than Medicham, so its only real niche over Medicham are boosting sets. Even Choice Band Gallade is weaker than LO Medicham, while still wishing it can switch moves. Choice Scarf Medicham requires less damage on opposing team before sweeping and OHKO's the majority of offensive Pokemon.

2. Baton Pass: A lack of Baton Pass seriously cripples Gallade as a choice item user. Like Medicham, Gallade is completely walled by Spiritomb. Medicham has a 100% safe route out with Baton Pass, while Gallade is actually has to win the 50/50.

 

[Take Azelfie]

Manectric as an offensive Electric-type vs. Jolteon

Manectric @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower / Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Manectric's Advantages

1. Fire-type Coverage: Manectric has access to Flamethrower and Overheat means that Manectric can beat some Pokemon switching into its Electric-type attacks like Magneton, Mega Steelix, Venusaur. Most of the Pokemon that Flamethrower / Overheat hits or targets that Jolteon couldn't or could only hit with Hidden Power Ice.

2. Lightning Rod: Lightning Rod gives Manectric a Special Attack boost so it can punish Volt Switch or Thunder Wave better than Jolteon.

3. Switcheroo: If Manectric is using Choice Specs it can use Switcheroo to punish some bulkier Pokemon trying to come into Manectric's attacks such as Gastrodon.

Manectric's Disadvantage's

1. Less Speed: The main appeal from Jolteon's side is that it is able to outspeed many things Manectric couldn't. Scrafty at +1, Choice Scarf Emboar, Virizion, and Sneasel

2. One Sided: Manectric can't really run any other effective set, Jolteon on the other hand is able to use a SubPass set in order to take advantage of turns where the opponent decides to not attack Jolteon.