Which of the Water-Type starters is better for competitive use?
Which of the Water-Type starters is the best for competitive use?
-Blastoise(Kanto)-Feraligatr(Johto)-Swampert(Hoenn)-Empoleon(Sinnoh)-Samurott(Unova)
Pleaselog inorregisterto add a comment.
All of these starters have their own competitive use, and none of them is really better competitively. Tierwise, Empoleon, Swampert, and Blastoise are all in UU, Feraligatr in RU, while poor Samurott resides in NU. I’ll give an overview of all the 5 Pokemon.
Moveset:
Physically Defensive
Blastoise (M) @ LeftoversTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDefBold Nature (+Def, -Atk)- Scald- Ice Beam- Rapid Spin- Roar / Dragon Tail
Moveset:
Swords Dance:
Dragon Dance:
Feraligatr (F) @ Life OrbTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpdJolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)- Dragon Dance- Ice Punch- Waterfall- Earthquake
100 / 110 / 90 / 85 / 90 / 60
Ah, Swampert. One of the bulky waters. Boasting an immunity to Electric, and having a single Grass weakness, it is pretty good typewise. It has pretty decent defenses: 100 base HP, and 90 in both defenses. It usually runs a tank set with Stealth Rock, which can help out teammates by landing some vital KOs. It can also phaze, backed with it’s bulk and access to Roar, building up on Hazard damage. Swampert is no slouch offensively either: it’s base 110 Attack stat hits hard, especially with it’s STABs and access to Ice Punch. Choice Band variants are seen, and Curse sets with Avalanche are used, as Avalanche doubles in power when Swampert is last, and Curse lowers Speed.
Moveset:
Tank:
Swampert (M) @ LeftoversTrait: TorrentEVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 DefAdamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)- Stealth Rock- Waterfall- Earthquake- Roar / Ice Punch / Toxic
Choice Band:
Swampert (M) @ Choice BandTrait: TorrentEVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 DefAdamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)- Ice Punch- Waterfall- Earthquake- Superpower / Stone Edge
Curse:
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers / Rindo BerryTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 DefBrave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)- Curse- Waterfall- Earthquake- Avalanche
Empoleon’s Steel typing grants in many resistances. Empoleon is primarily used as a Special wall in UU, due to it’s better Special bulk. It’s often seen setting hazards down in the form of Stealth Rock, and crippling through burning with Scald, and phazing with Roar, racking up hazard damage. Empoleon might be running SubPetaya set, which consists of Substituting and using Agility. When the Sub usage hits 25% of your HP, Petaya Berry activates, which gives Empoleon a Special Attack boost, making it deadly. Also, some variants of Empoleon might run an Agility set.
Moveset:
Specially Defensive:
Empoleon (F) @ LeftoversTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDefCalm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)- Scald- Ice Beam- Stealth Rock- Roar
SubPetaya:
Empoleon (F) @ Petaya BerryTrait: TorrentEVs: 12 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 240 SpdModest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)- Substitute- Agility- Scald- Ice Beam
Agility:
Empoleon (F) @ Life OrbTrait: TorrentEVs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 24 SDef / 192 SpdModest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)- Agility- Surf- Ice Beam- Grass Knot
95 / 100 / 85 / 108 / 70 / 70
Samurott sits in the lowest tier: NU. Doesn’t mean it’s necessarily worthless. it has very impressive base 100 Attack and 108 SAtk. It’s Speed it quite low, however. Most Samurott run a Swords Dance set, while others run a simple Special Life Orb set.
Moveset:
Swords Dance:
Samurott (M) @ Life OrbTrait: TorrentEVs: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 SpdAdamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)- Swords Dance- Aqua Jet- Waterfall- X-Scissor
Special Attacker:
Samurott (M) @ Life OrbTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 SpdModest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)- Hydro Pump / Surf- Ice Beam- Grass Knot- Taunt
In conclusion, all of these starters play different roles in the metagame, and have different strengths and weaknesses. If one had to stand out, I would I useSwampertandEmpoleon, due to their offensive and defensive capabilities.
All movesets are credit toSmogon.
Go with SWAMPERT. The starter Pokemon with the highest stats. Weakness to only one type and has a great and big move pool.
Use this Moveset.
Swampert @ LeftoversTrait: TorrentEVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpDAdament(+AtK,-SpA)
Ice punchHammer armWaterfallEarthquake
Curse Sweeping Swampert is BAWS STATUS.
Swampert(F) @ Life Orb/Rindo BerryTrait: TorrentImpish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)EVs: 252 HP/ 160 SDef/ 48 Atk- Waterfall- Earthquake- Avalanche- Curse
A couple Curses turns Swampy into a nigh unbreakable wall, after which STAB Waterfall F’s stuff up. Avalanche pretty much rapes common Grass type switch ins, who may try to use Grass Knot to put the hurt on it. Rindo Berry lets it rely on its Bulk to Tank Grass hits and retaliate. Earthquake os STAB and has great neutral coverage the only resistant type, Flying being swiftly dispatched by Avalanche. Oooohhhhh yeah buddy!
