Metagame Spotlight Series - Session #1

Would you like to have analyses for different tiers? If so, which ones?

  • Total voters
    9
Professor Palutena

Professor Palutena

The Queen
Member
Hey everyone. Welcome to the Metagame spotlights. Let me explain what these are.

At random intervals, I, or someone with my permission, will post a Pokemon, and a small analysis about it. Posters are encouraged to provide their own analysis on the Pokemon, as well as respond to others comments in a friendly way. Think of this as the Theorymon Exercises, or Pokemon of the Week.

Metagame Spotlights can be divided into two parts:

The first is the theory or lab aspect. This is all about analyzing the Pokemon on paper, This part has been touched on above. Its your own analysis and responses. We should all be good at these, so I shouldn't have to explain.

The second part is the fun part, the battle aspect. Players are encouraged to post a name of one of their fresh alt accounts, as well as the Pokemon that the current spotlight is on (Do note that a fresh alt is required for each new spotlight). The players are required to provide picture proof (use the Print Screen button) of their ladder ranks. Whoever reaches the highest on the ladder, both in terms of rank and in points, will get their name in the hall of fame, as well as their points obtained.
Notice: Posting of your alt is required before posting pictures of ladder results. You are welcome to post as many pictures as you please.

This should be fun. I hope you enjoy.


Spotlight #1
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Virizion's typing and stats give allow it to fill in an anti-weather role, as it resists common attacking types on both Rain and Sand teams. Access to Calm Mind, Swords Dance and Work Up keep Virizion unpredictable, and it performs all of the roles well. Its also capable of running a supporting Dual Screens set, as well as being able of utilizing other supporting moves in Toxic, Roar and Taunt. Its counters in Latias, Latios, Reuniclus and Tornadus obviously keep Virizion from doing too much.

So, what do you have to say about Virizion?


Hall of Fame
[btable]
[tr][td]Spotlight[/td][td]Pokemon[/td][td]Start Post[/td][td]End Post[/td][td]Highest Ladder Rank[/td][td]Highest Ladder Points[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]#1[/td][td]Virizion[/td][td]1[/td][td]TBA[/td][td]TBA[/td][td]TBA[/td][/tr]
[/btable]
 
I'd like to point out that Virizion may have a fairly common check: Terrakion. If both are unboosted and Jolly + 252 Spe, either could KO the other with Leaf Blade and/or Close Combat, hitting for weakness and low Def, respectively. But Scarf Terrakion or RPed ones could quickly end Virizion and start sweeping. For that reason, plus having good type synergy, Scarf Starmie may be a good partner for it. Only Virizion's Flying and Starmie's Ghost weaknesses are uncovered, and a Steel-type such as Heatran or Skarmory can remedy that. In particular, I think a Scarfmie-OffenTran-SD/Work Up Virizion core could open up a fair amount of sweeps for Dragons like MoxieMence or ESpeed Dragonite, at which point Starmie can forego the Scarf for a Life Orb and tack Rapid Spin on itself to relieve the Dragon of its fear of SR. Most (if not all, sans Deo-D) hazard setters are taken out by this core, and Toxic Spikes is torn off by Heatran switching in.

~AoH
 
Virizion is very underrated in OU. On the offensive side, it's stats may seem lackluster, with 90 in Attack and Special Attack. However, combined with great bulk and a variety of boosting moves, such as Calm Mind, Swords Dance, and Work Up, Virizion can be scary when it gets a few boosts up. It's speed isn't too shabby either, being able to outspeed common threats in OU such as Salamence, Lucario, Jirachi, and Landorus to name a few. Virizion has all the tools to be a potent offensive sweeper.

On the defensive side, Virizion is nothing to sneeze at either. With a respectable 91 HP/72 defence and a monstrous 129 Special Defence, Virizion's bulk is on par with Latias'. Her typing and offensive capabilities often lure in pokemon such as Lati@s, Volcarona, and other bulky sweepers, just to get nailed by a Toxic. It also has access to the dual screens, although it will have some competition with pokemon such as Latias in that department.

This may seem to be Virizion's game, with great offensive typing, good bulk, and a wide movepool. However, Virizion has some hard counters in OU that prove to be a problem. 4x Flying weakness means pokemon such as Tornadus will have an easy time switching into one of Vizi's STABs and OHKO with Hurricane. Latias and Reuniclus have the bulk to take any of Virizion's attacks and hit back hard with a STAB Psychic. The Lati twins get a special mention as they resist pretty much any Virizion can throw at them and set up boosts.
 
Virizion gets a very special mention because it is one of the few Pokemon that can handle Rain Stall based teams virtually on its own without sacrificing itself to other playing styles. Grass/Fighting gives it solid neutrality with its attacks and it can boost up rather quickly with Swords Dance making Pokemon that handle fighting types weary to switch in, such as Gliscor and Tentacruel, no longer solid switches since they cannot deal enough damage fast enough. Lum Berry maybe the ideal item for this role so it can either 1. Switch into Toxic Spikes; 2. Set up in front of a Scald / WoW user (AKA ROTOM-W!), or a Jirachi Body Slam to ignore the status and make its turn completely irrelevant. Life Orb may give that directly extra damage but this status effects are completely crippling and losing 10% of its health each turn makes it even more difficult. Breloom may share the same typing, Swords Dance, and even higher attack but its Virizion's excellent speed that separates it in this regard.
 
PokeBeach server would be nice, but there's little laddering activity there.

Our ban list is identical to Smogon's (unlike the beta server which has unbanned Thundurus >.<), so Smogon ladder would be acceptable.
 
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