Overview
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With its astounding base 150 Attack, good base 115 Speed after Mega Evolving, access to a great boosting move in Swords Dance, powerful STAB moves in Knock Off and Sucker Punch, and the ability to bounce back status and entry hazards with Magic Bounce, Absol is a very dangerous threat if played right. It shuts down suicide leads such as Froslass and Azelf, forcing the latter to use Explosion prematurely should it want to have an effect on the battle. However, Absol has terrible 65 / 60 / 60 defenses, making it very susceptible to priority such as Extreme Speed and Mach Punch. It also has mediocre Speed on the turn it Mega Evolves, usually forcing it to use Sucker Punch if it's facing a faster threat. It also can't run Play Rough in conjunction with Knock Off, forcing it to use Superpower, a move with inferior coverage in comparison to Play Rough and a bad side effect in stat drops. Finally, it is revenge killed very easily by common Choice Scarf users such as Krookodile and Hydreigon. However, Absol's flaws are mitigated by its positive aspects, and it is one of the definitive sweepers in the current metagame.
Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Superpower
ability: Justified
item: Absolite
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
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Absol finds many opportunities to use Swords Dance to boost its already massive Attack due to its ability to force out common Pokemon such as Victini, Blissey, and Sableye. Sucker Punch is Absol's main STAB move, as it deals massive damage to faster Pokemon. Knock Off is a more reliable STAB move, crippling Pokemon reliant on their item and having good coverage as well. Superpower is used to hit Dark- and Steel-types, such as Hydreigon and Krookodile lacking Choice Scarf, as well as Lucario, opposing Absol, and Empoleon.
Set Details
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252 Speed EVs allow Absol to outspeed many non-Choice Scarfed threats, while 252 Attack EVs give Absol extra firepower, and 4 Special Defense EVs give Download users an unwelcome Attack boost. Absolite is vital, as regular Absol is not viable in UU. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed otherwise faster Pokemon, such as non-Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao and Froslass, which can switch in and OHKO Absol. You can use an Adamant nature for even more firepower, because Absol is already very fast and can use Sucker Punch to hit anything faster.
Usage Tips
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While a Swords Dance-boosted Mega Absol is hard to stop, it finds priority quite threatening, so it is recommended that Mega Absol be used as a mid- or late-game sweeper, after its teammates have disposed of any priority users; or as a wallbreaker, taking advantage of its low defenses to cause massive damage, faint, and give a free switch-in to your sweeper or another teammate to finish the threat off.
Team Options
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Mega Absol appreciates entry hazard support, as the extra damage assists it in picking off weakened walls. Forretress can set up on most walls that cause trouble for Absol, including Florges, Mega Aggron, and Aromatisse. Roserade also works well, as it can force out the aforementioned Fairy-types, cripple most switch-ins with Sleep Powder, and set up hazards with relative ease. Nidoking and Nidoqueen are excellent offensive partners to Absol, beating the Steel- and Fairy- types that check it and resisting Fighting- and Bug-type moves, while Absol destroys Psychic-types such as Cresselia. A bulky Volt Switch or U-Turn user, such as defensive Rotom-H, can take a hit from the opponent and immediately switch safely into Absol.
Other Options
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Mega Absol can make good use of a mixed set due to its nice base 115 Special Attack and access to Fire Blast, which nails switch-ins such as Forretress. However, such a set is generally inferior due to the lack of a boosting move and the fact that Mega Absol is better off using its massive base 150 Attack as well as the sheer power and utility of Knock Off. Iron Tail can be used against Florges and Aromatisse, but relying on 75% accuracy is a tad risky, and it's only reliable against Aromatisse on the switch. Baton Pass can be used to pass the Swords Dance boosts just before Absol faints, and Magic Bounce ensures that Absol cannot be Roared out. Will-O-Wisp adds a surprise factor to Absol, as it's an uncommon move that can cripple opposing physical attackers, but seeing as Absol has a serious case of four-moveslot syndrome, Will-O-Wisp just isn't worth a coveted moveslot. Play Rough is a good coverage move, but it forces Absol to give up Knock Off, so it's not really worth using.
Checks & Counters
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**Fairy-types**: Fairy-type Pokemon such as Florges, Granbull, and Aromatisse resist both Absol's STAB moves and Superpower. However, they must be wary of being hit by Iron Tail on the switch.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users that resist to Sucker Punch, such as Hydreigon and Krookodile, can tank even a +2 Sucker Punch and KO Absol with their powerful STAB moves. Focus Sash Alakazam also gets a mention, as it can survive any hit and KO with Dazzling Gleam.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically defensive Pokemon, such as Arcanine, Swampert, Mega Aggron, physically defensive Mega Ampharos, and Hippowdon, can all tank Mega Absol's hits and threaten it out with their strong STAB moves. Mega Aggron in particular is one of the best switch-ins to Mega Absol, thanks to its massive Defense.
**Fighting-types** Fighting-types such as Machamp resist Absol's STAB moves and can force it out with their own powerful STAB moves.
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With its astounding base 150 Attack, good base 115 Speed after Mega Evolving, access to a great boosting move in Swords Dance, powerful STAB moves in Knock Off and Sucker Punch, and the ability to bounce back status and entry hazards with Magic Bounce, Absol is a very dangerous threat if played right. It shuts down suicide leads such as Froslass and Azelf, forcing the latter to use Explosion prematurely should it want to have an effect on the battle. However, Absol has terrible 65 / 60 / 60 defenses, making it very susceptible to priority such as Extreme Speed and Mach Punch. It also has mediocre Speed on the turn it Mega Evolves, usually forcing it to use Sucker Punch if it's facing a faster threat. It also can't run Play Rough in conjunction with Knock Off, forcing it to use Superpower, a move with inferior coverage in comparison to Play Rough and a bad side effect in stat drops. Finally, it is revenge killed very easily by common Choice Scarf users such as Krookodile and Hydreigon. However, Absol's flaws are mitigated by its positive aspects, and it is one of the definitive sweepers in the current metagame.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Superpower
ability: Justified
item: Absolite
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
Absol finds many opportunities to use Swords Dance to boost its already massive Attack due to its ability to force out common Pokemon such as Victini, Blissey, and Sableye. Sucker Punch is Absol's main STAB move, as it deals massive damage to faster Pokemon. Knock Off is a more reliable STAB move, crippling Pokemon reliant on their item and having good coverage as well. Superpower is used to hit Dark- and Steel-types, such as Hydreigon and Krookodile lacking Choice Scarf, as well as Lucario, opposing Absol, and Empoleon.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs allow Absol to outspeed many non-Choice Scarfed threats, while 252 Attack EVs give Absol extra firepower, and 4 Special Defense EVs give Download users an unwelcome Attack boost. Absolite is vital, as regular Absol is not viable in UU. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed otherwise faster Pokemon, such as non-Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao and Froslass, which can switch in and OHKO Absol. You can use an Adamant nature for even more firepower, because Absol is already very fast and can use Sucker Punch to hit anything faster.
Usage Tips
========
While a Swords Dance-boosted Mega Absol is hard to stop, it finds priority quite threatening, so it is recommended that Mega Absol be used as a mid- or late-game sweeper, after its teammates have disposed of any priority users; or as a wallbreaker, taking advantage of its low defenses to cause massive damage, faint, and give a free switch-in to your sweeper or another teammate to finish the threat off.
Team Options
========
Mega Absol appreciates entry hazard support, as the extra damage assists it in picking off weakened walls. Forretress can set up on most walls that cause trouble for Absol, including Florges, Mega Aggron, and Aromatisse. Roserade also works well, as it can force out the aforementioned Fairy-types, cripple most switch-ins with Sleep Powder, and set up hazards with relative ease. Nidoking and Nidoqueen are excellent offensive partners to Absol, beating the Steel- and Fairy- types that check it and resisting Fighting- and Bug-type moves, while Absol destroys Psychic-types such as Cresselia. A bulky Volt Switch or U-Turn user, such as defensive Rotom-H, can take a hit from the opponent and immediately switch safely into Absol.
Other Options
########
Mega Absol can make good use of a mixed set due to its nice base 115 Special Attack and access to Fire Blast, which nails switch-ins such as Forretress. However, such a set is generally inferior due to the lack of a boosting move and the fact that Mega Absol is better off using its massive base 150 Attack as well as the sheer power and utility of Knock Off. Iron Tail can be used against Florges and Aromatisse, but relying on 75% accuracy is a tad risky, and it's only reliable against Aromatisse on the switch. Baton Pass can be used to pass the Swords Dance boosts just before Absol faints, and Magic Bounce ensures that Absol cannot be Roared out. Will-O-Wisp adds a surprise factor to Absol, as it's an uncommon move that can cripple opposing physical attackers, but seeing as Absol has a serious case of four-moveslot syndrome, Will-O-Wisp just isn't worth a coveted moveslot. Play Rough is a good coverage move, but it forces Absol to give up Knock Off, so it's not really worth using.
Checks & Counters
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**Fairy-types**: Fairy-type Pokemon such as Florges, Granbull, and Aromatisse resist both Absol's STAB moves and Superpower. However, they must be wary of being hit by Iron Tail on the switch.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users that resist to Sucker Punch, such as Hydreigon and Krookodile, can tank even a +2 Sucker Punch and KO Absol with their powerful STAB moves. Focus Sash Alakazam also gets a mention, as it can survive any hit and KO with Dazzling Gleam.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically defensive Pokemon, such as Arcanine, Swampert, Mega Aggron, physically defensive Mega Ampharos, and Hippowdon, can all tank Mega Absol's hits and threaten it out with their strong STAB moves. Mega Aggron in particular is one of the best switch-ins to Mega Absol, thanks to its massive Defense.
**Fighting-types** Fighting-types such as Machamp resist Absol's STAB moves and can force it out with their own powerful STAB moves.
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