n10siT
Hoopa can do anything!
[OVERVIEW]
Hoopa-U is a very unique Pokemon. With its absurd offensive stats and ability to break Protect for both itself and its partner with either of its signature STAB moves, Hoopa-U's niche as an offensive powerhouse is one many teams can put to use. Thanks to its good special bulk, Hoopa-U does well in a specially oriented metagame. However, a select number of flaws hold Hoopa-U back from being a dominant Pokemon. Its pitiful physical bulk leaves it open to being knocked out by almost any strong single-target physical attack, especially the very common U-turn. Furthermore, a middling Speed tier means Hoopa-U needs speed control support to function as effectively as possible, and when providing that support itself, it is generally outclassed as an offensive Trick Room setter by Pokemon like Diancie. Finally, it is outclassed as a Dark-type by Incineroar, which also happens to be Hoopa-U's number one counter. With its access to Intimidate, Knock Off, and U-turn and its very high usage rate, most teams will naturally have a strong Hoopa-U counter. With the right support, Hoopa-U can be a very threatening offensive presence, but it requires a considerable amount of support to do so.
[SET]
name: Mixed Offensive Cleaner
move 1: Hyperspace Fury
move 2: Hyperspace Hole
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Magician
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 HP / 156 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyperspace Fury is Hoopa-U's main STAB attack and usually its strongest move. It covers opposing Psychic-types like Mew and Mega Metagross and Ghost-types like Aegislash. Hyperspace Hole is Hoopa-U's special STAB attack, hitting Poison-type targets like Amoonguss or Fighting-type targets like Kommo-o. Both of these moves have the unique property of breaking Protect, the most important move in DOU play. After an opponent is hit by either move, Hoopa-U's ally will be able to hit that target as well, provided Hoopa-U attacked first. This effect also applies to opposing Wide Guard. Both Hyperspace moves also bypass Substitute, which is commonly seen on Pokemon like Kartana and Volcanion. Gunk Shot is a great coverage move for Hoopa, as it allows Hoopa-U to hit the Fairy-type Island Guardians for big damage. Protect is very important on Hoopa-U, as preserving its health whenever possible is best. It can be used to stall out opposing weather or speed control, or to shield Hoopa-U from damage while the partner deals with the threat.
Set Details
========
Using maximum Speed EVs with a boosting nature ensures Hoopa-U will outspeed as many foes as possible, namely any Tapu Bulu not holding a Choice Scarf and any Landorus-T not using a nature that boosts Speed. Hasty is preferred over Naive, as Hoopa-U's Defense is already very low, so there's not much harm in lowering it with the nature. The HP EVs allow Hoopa-U to survive a Gigavolt Havoc from Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain. The rest of the EVs are placed into Attack to boost the power of Hoopa-U's physical attacks. A Life Orb best fits Hoopa-U's goal of breaking through teams with various strong attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Hoopa-U works best when it is saved for mid- or late-game, after its checks and counters have been removed or at least significantly weakened. With Hoopa-U's poor speed, it will perform best if it is supported by Tailwind or Icy Wind users. Furthermore, Hoopa-U has a very tough time switching in on physical attacks, and its health should be preserved whenever possible; good opportunities to get Hoopa-U on the field are following a KO or coming off a slow U-turn. Hoopa-U is mainly used to remove the checks for your late-game sweepers or other offensive Pokemon. For example, Hoopa-U can remove Aegislash for Mega Metagross or Kommo-o for Zygarde. Since Hoopa-U essentially prevents your opponent from using Protect (as they run the risk of losing serious momentum if Hoopa-U breaks it), it makes reading their moves significantly easier. If an opposing Pokemon like Aegislash is threatened by Hyperspace Fury, it is basically forced to switch if it does not want to be knocked out.
Team Options
========
Speed control users like Tailwind Zapdos and Icy Wind Tapu Fini are a must for Hoopa-U, as they allow Hoopa-U to apply lots of pressure without worrying about being outsped. Any team with Hoopa-U has to be mindful that it will be knocked out by almost any opposing U-turn, which is a fairly common move. Thus, partners that deal with common opposing U-turn users, such as Genesect, Incineroar, and Landorus-T, are a necessity. Good options for this role include Tapu Fini and Scrafty. Hoopa-U is walled by virtually every Dark-type aside from opposing Hoopa-U, so multiple checks for opposing Incineroar, Scrafty, and Tyranitar are needed. Offensive options like Landorus-T, Kommo-o, and even Fightinium Z Focus Blast Tapu Lele can perform this role by threatening large damage on opposing Dark-types, while defensive options like Tapu Fini can succeed here as well by taking their hits with ease. Stealth Rock Landorus-T is an excellent teammate to hurt the Incineroar switch-ins as well as weaken opposing foes slightly to put them in the range of Hoopa-U's powerful attacks.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room
move 1: Hyperspace Fury
move 2: Hyperspace Hole
move 3: Trick Room
move 4: Protect
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Magician
nature: Brave
evs: 192 HP / 212 Atk / 104 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyperspace Fury is Hoopa-U's main attack and the move it will want to click most often. It covers opposing Psychic-types like Bronzong and Cresselia and opposing Ghost-types like Aegislash. Hyperspace Hole is Hoopa-U's special STAB attack, hitting Poison-type targets like Amoonguss, which is a very good Trick Room check, or Fighting-type targets like Kommo-o. Both of these moves have the unique property of breaking Protect, which is especially valuable in Trick Room, as opponents want to use the move to stall out Trick Room turns. The Hyperspace moves also bypass Substitute, which some Pokemon will use to try mitigating the amount of damage they would be taking while Trick Room is up. Trick Room allows Hoopa-U and its slower teammates to move first for four turns, which can really turn the tables on any team that relies on the Speed of its Pokemon. Protect allows Hoopa-U to shield itself from damage while its partner handles a threat, or to stall out opposing field conditions.
Set Details
========
A Brave nature is used to lower Hoopa-U's Speed for Trick Room as well as power up Hyperspace Fury. Hoopa-U can also run 0 IVs in Speed to ensure it is even faster in Trick Room. The given HP and Defense EVs allow Hoopa-U to survive a U-turn from Choice Scarf Victini or an Overheat from Mega Charizard Y in sun. The remaining EVs are placed into Attack to boost the power of Hyperspace Fury. Sitrus Berry is used to indirectly improve Hoopa-U's bulk by allowing it to survive a double target if necessary; oftentimes Hoopa-U will take about 60% damage from both opponents, so Sitrus Berry can prevent those attacks from knocking it out. Sitrus Berry is also useful with Magician, as after it activates, Hoopa-U will be able to steal opposing Pokemon's items.
Usage Tips
========
Hoopa-U is usually at its best when it is not the lead Trick Room setter, regardless of whether the team needs Trick Room set up to function. If the team is reliant on Trick Room, a bulkier and more defensive setter is usually a better lead. If Trick Room is not vital to the team's success, it is preferable to wait until the optimal time to set Trick Room presents itself, usually in front of opposing speed control or with the appropriate supporting teammate. Hoopa-U punishes any team that wants to use Protect often, but it works especially well when Trick Room is up, as one of the main ways opposing teams want to stall out Trick Room turns is by using Protect a lot. Hoopa-U essentially prevents opposing teams from doing so, so the opponent has to rely on making defensive switches, which is punishable by making an offensive switch at the same time or by getting off a powerful double target. Keep in mind that firing off Hyperspace Fury will lower Hoopa-U's Defense; however, once Trick Room is set, Hoopa-U is a lot less worried about its Defense stat. Hoopa-U will have a very tough time setting Trick Room if there is no support beside it, such as a Fake Out or redirection user, as the opponent can generally just double target Hoopa-U to prevent its setup. To work around this, try to get Hoopa-U and a supportive Pokemon in as Trick Room is running out so you're immediately ready to set Trick Room again.
Team Options
========
Hoopa-U benefits a lot from a Fake Out partner like Scrafty. Fake Out will make setting up Trick Room easier, as it can stop an incoming target or an attack that could knock out Hoopa-U. Scrafty has the added benefit of threatening opposing Dark-types like Incineroar and Tyranitar, both of which wall Hoopa-U. Any team that is reliant on Trick Room will need a defensive setter to pair with Hoopa-U like Diancie or Porygon2. Diancie is an especially good option, as it has a fantastic matchup versus Incineroar and other opposing Dark-types. Amoonguss can also provide a lot of support for Hoopa-U, as it can redirect moves that would stop Trick Room, as well as spread fast Spores while Trick Room is active. Any team with Hoopa-U will need multiple checks for opposing Dark-types like Incineroar, Scrafty, and Tyranitar. Landorus-T, Scrafty, Tapu Fini, and Mega Camerupt are all good options that have the added benefit of being able to function effectively in Trick Room. Hoopa-U will not be able to do much damage to any of the Island Guardians, except for Tapu Lele, so a Poison-type like Amoonguss or a Steel-type like Bronzong or Stakataka can shore up that matchup considerably.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Blast along with Fightinium Z can give Hoopa-U a way to deal with opposing Dark-types like Incineroar and Tyranitar that would otherwise wall it. It is usable over Gunk Shot on offensive sets or Protect or Hyperspace Hole on Trick Room sets. Hidden Power Ice, along with 84 Special Attack EVs, allows Life Orb Hoopa-U to get the OHKO on opposing Zygarde. However, Gunk Shot is generally better coverage than both of these options. Choice Scarf can be used over Life Orb on offensive sets to make up for Hoopa-U's poor Speed, but being unable to switch moves can really hurt Hoopa-U's offensive presence, and Protect is a vital move for preserving Hoopa-U's health. A Terrain Seed such as Misty or Psychic Seed can be run over Sitrus Berry on Trick Room sets to boost Hoopa-U's Special Defense. This has the added benefit of letting Magician activate immediately, but the recovery of Sitrus Berry is usually more reliable for setting up Trick Room.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Common Dark-types like Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Scrafty all wall Hoopa-U and threaten large amounts of damage with strong physical moves. They only need to fear the rare Fightinium Z with Focus Blast.
**Fairy-types**: Any set without Gunk Shot cannot do very much damage to Fairy-types like the omnipresent Island Guardians, and they all threaten large amounts of damage on Hoopa.
**Intimidate**: Incineroar and Landorus-T can leave Hoopa-U reliant on its weaker Hyperspace Hole to do damage, with Incineroar switching into Hoopa-U virtually any time it wants to.
**Opposing Speed Control**: Hoopa-U's middling speed tier leaves it reliant on its own speed control to perform at its best, so opposing Tailwind or Trick Room can leave Hoopa-U wide open to getting knocked out thanks to its frailty and render it unable to fire off its extremely strong attacks.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[n10sit, 267148]]
- Earlier versions by: [[talkingtree, 232101]]
- Quality checked by: [[talkingtree, 232101], [MajorBowman, 188164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [talkingtree, 232101]]
Hoopa-U is a very unique Pokemon. With its absurd offensive stats and ability to break Protect for both itself and its partner with either of its signature STAB moves, Hoopa-U's niche as an offensive powerhouse is one many teams can put to use. Thanks to its good special bulk, Hoopa-U does well in a specially oriented metagame. However, a select number of flaws hold Hoopa-U back from being a dominant Pokemon. Its pitiful physical bulk leaves it open to being knocked out by almost any strong single-target physical attack, especially the very common U-turn. Furthermore, a middling Speed tier means Hoopa-U needs speed control support to function as effectively as possible, and when providing that support itself, it is generally outclassed as an offensive Trick Room setter by Pokemon like Diancie. Finally, it is outclassed as a Dark-type by Incineroar, which also happens to be Hoopa-U's number one counter. With its access to Intimidate, Knock Off, and U-turn and its very high usage rate, most teams will naturally have a strong Hoopa-U counter. With the right support, Hoopa-U can be a very threatening offensive presence, but it requires a considerable amount of support to do so.
[SET]
name: Mixed Offensive Cleaner
move 1: Hyperspace Fury
move 2: Hyperspace Hole
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Magician
nature: Hasty
evs: 100 HP / 156 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyperspace Fury is Hoopa-U's main STAB attack and usually its strongest move. It covers opposing Psychic-types like Mew and Mega Metagross and Ghost-types like Aegislash. Hyperspace Hole is Hoopa-U's special STAB attack, hitting Poison-type targets like Amoonguss or Fighting-type targets like Kommo-o. Both of these moves have the unique property of breaking Protect, the most important move in DOU play. After an opponent is hit by either move, Hoopa-U's ally will be able to hit that target as well, provided Hoopa-U attacked first. This effect also applies to opposing Wide Guard. Both Hyperspace moves also bypass Substitute, which is commonly seen on Pokemon like Kartana and Volcanion. Gunk Shot is a great coverage move for Hoopa, as it allows Hoopa-U to hit the Fairy-type Island Guardians for big damage. Protect is very important on Hoopa-U, as preserving its health whenever possible is best. It can be used to stall out opposing weather or speed control, or to shield Hoopa-U from damage while the partner deals with the threat.
Set Details
========
Using maximum Speed EVs with a boosting nature ensures Hoopa-U will outspeed as many foes as possible, namely any Tapu Bulu not holding a Choice Scarf and any Landorus-T not using a nature that boosts Speed. Hasty is preferred over Naive, as Hoopa-U's Defense is already very low, so there's not much harm in lowering it with the nature. The HP EVs allow Hoopa-U to survive a Gigavolt Havoc from Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain. The rest of the EVs are placed into Attack to boost the power of Hoopa-U's physical attacks. A Life Orb best fits Hoopa-U's goal of breaking through teams with various strong attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Hoopa-U works best when it is saved for mid- or late-game, after its checks and counters have been removed or at least significantly weakened. With Hoopa-U's poor speed, it will perform best if it is supported by Tailwind or Icy Wind users. Furthermore, Hoopa-U has a very tough time switching in on physical attacks, and its health should be preserved whenever possible; good opportunities to get Hoopa-U on the field are following a KO or coming off a slow U-turn. Hoopa-U is mainly used to remove the checks for your late-game sweepers or other offensive Pokemon. For example, Hoopa-U can remove Aegislash for Mega Metagross or Kommo-o for Zygarde. Since Hoopa-U essentially prevents your opponent from using Protect (as they run the risk of losing serious momentum if Hoopa-U breaks it), it makes reading their moves significantly easier. If an opposing Pokemon like Aegislash is threatened by Hyperspace Fury, it is basically forced to switch if it does not want to be knocked out.
Team Options
========
Speed control users like Tailwind Zapdos and Icy Wind Tapu Fini are a must for Hoopa-U, as they allow Hoopa-U to apply lots of pressure without worrying about being outsped. Any team with Hoopa-U has to be mindful that it will be knocked out by almost any opposing U-turn, which is a fairly common move. Thus, partners that deal with common opposing U-turn users, such as Genesect, Incineroar, and Landorus-T, are a necessity. Good options for this role include Tapu Fini and Scrafty. Hoopa-U is walled by virtually every Dark-type aside from opposing Hoopa-U, so multiple checks for opposing Incineroar, Scrafty, and Tyranitar are needed. Offensive options like Landorus-T, Kommo-o, and even Fightinium Z Focus Blast Tapu Lele can perform this role by threatening large damage on opposing Dark-types, while defensive options like Tapu Fini can succeed here as well by taking their hits with ease. Stealth Rock Landorus-T is an excellent teammate to hurt the Incineroar switch-ins as well as weaken opposing foes slightly to put them in the range of Hoopa-U's powerful attacks.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room
move 1: Hyperspace Fury
move 2: Hyperspace Hole
move 3: Trick Room
move 4: Protect
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Magician
nature: Brave
evs: 192 HP / 212 Atk / 104 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyperspace Fury is Hoopa-U's main attack and the move it will want to click most often. It covers opposing Psychic-types like Bronzong and Cresselia and opposing Ghost-types like Aegislash. Hyperspace Hole is Hoopa-U's special STAB attack, hitting Poison-type targets like Amoonguss, which is a very good Trick Room check, or Fighting-type targets like Kommo-o. Both of these moves have the unique property of breaking Protect, which is especially valuable in Trick Room, as opponents want to use the move to stall out Trick Room turns. The Hyperspace moves also bypass Substitute, which some Pokemon will use to try mitigating the amount of damage they would be taking while Trick Room is up. Trick Room allows Hoopa-U and its slower teammates to move first for four turns, which can really turn the tables on any team that relies on the Speed of its Pokemon. Protect allows Hoopa-U to shield itself from damage while its partner handles a threat, or to stall out opposing field conditions.
Set Details
========
A Brave nature is used to lower Hoopa-U's Speed for Trick Room as well as power up Hyperspace Fury. Hoopa-U can also run 0 IVs in Speed to ensure it is even faster in Trick Room. The given HP and Defense EVs allow Hoopa-U to survive a U-turn from Choice Scarf Victini or an Overheat from Mega Charizard Y in sun. The remaining EVs are placed into Attack to boost the power of Hyperspace Fury. Sitrus Berry is used to indirectly improve Hoopa-U's bulk by allowing it to survive a double target if necessary; oftentimes Hoopa-U will take about 60% damage from both opponents, so Sitrus Berry can prevent those attacks from knocking it out. Sitrus Berry is also useful with Magician, as after it activates, Hoopa-U will be able to steal opposing Pokemon's items.
Usage Tips
========
Hoopa-U is usually at its best when it is not the lead Trick Room setter, regardless of whether the team needs Trick Room set up to function. If the team is reliant on Trick Room, a bulkier and more defensive setter is usually a better lead. If Trick Room is not vital to the team's success, it is preferable to wait until the optimal time to set Trick Room presents itself, usually in front of opposing speed control or with the appropriate supporting teammate. Hoopa-U punishes any team that wants to use Protect often, but it works especially well when Trick Room is up, as one of the main ways opposing teams want to stall out Trick Room turns is by using Protect a lot. Hoopa-U essentially prevents opposing teams from doing so, so the opponent has to rely on making defensive switches, which is punishable by making an offensive switch at the same time or by getting off a powerful double target. Keep in mind that firing off Hyperspace Fury will lower Hoopa-U's Defense; however, once Trick Room is set, Hoopa-U is a lot less worried about its Defense stat. Hoopa-U will have a very tough time setting Trick Room if there is no support beside it, such as a Fake Out or redirection user, as the opponent can generally just double target Hoopa-U to prevent its setup. To work around this, try to get Hoopa-U and a supportive Pokemon in as Trick Room is running out so you're immediately ready to set Trick Room again.
Team Options
========
Hoopa-U benefits a lot from a Fake Out partner like Scrafty. Fake Out will make setting up Trick Room easier, as it can stop an incoming target or an attack that could knock out Hoopa-U. Scrafty has the added benefit of threatening opposing Dark-types like Incineroar and Tyranitar, both of which wall Hoopa-U. Any team that is reliant on Trick Room will need a defensive setter to pair with Hoopa-U like Diancie or Porygon2. Diancie is an especially good option, as it has a fantastic matchup versus Incineroar and other opposing Dark-types. Amoonguss can also provide a lot of support for Hoopa-U, as it can redirect moves that would stop Trick Room, as well as spread fast Spores while Trick Room is active. Any team with Hoopa-U will need multiple checks for opposing Dark-types like Incineroar, Scrafty, and Tyranitar. Landorus-T, Scrafty, Tapu Fini, and Mega Camerupt are all good options that have the added benefit of being able to function effectively in Trick Room. Hoopa-U will not be able to do much damage to any of the Island Guardians, except for Tapu Lele, so a Poison-type like Amoonguss or a Steel-type like Bronzong or Stakataka can shore up that matchup considerably.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Blast along with Fightinium Z can give Hoopa-U a way to deal with opposing Dark-types like Incineroar and Tyranitar that would otherwise wall it. It is usable over Gunk Shot on offensive sets or Protect or Hyperspace Hole on Trick Room sets. Hidden Power Ice, along with 84 Special Attack EVs, allows Life Orb Hoopa-U to get the OHKO on opposing Zygarde. However, Gunk Shot is generally better coverage than both of these options. Choice Scarf can be used over Life Orb on offensive sets to make up for Hoopa-U's poor Speed, but being unable to switch moves can really hurt Hoopa-U's offensive presence, and Protect is a vital move for preserving Hoopa-U's health. A Terrain Seed such as Misty or Psychic Seed can be run over Sitrus Berry on Trick Room sets to boost Hoopa-U's Special Defense. This has the added benefit of letting Magician activate immediately, but the recovery of Sitrus Berry is usually more reliable for setting up Trick Room.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Common Dark-types like Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Scrafty all wall Hoopa-U and threaten large amounts of damage with strong physical moves. They only need to fear the rare Fightinium Z with Focus Blast.
**Fairy-types**: Any set without Gunk Shot cannot do very much damage to Fairy-types like the omnipresent Island Guardians, and they all threaten large amounts of damage on Hoopa.
**Intimidate**: Incineroar and Landorus-T can leave Hoopa-U reliant on its weaker Hyperspace Hole to do damage, with Incineroar switching into Hoopa-U virtually any time it wants to.
**Opposing Speed Control**: Hoopa-U's middling speed tier leaves it reliant on its own speed control to perform at its best, so opposing Tailwind or Trick Room can leave Hoopa-U wide open to getting knocked out thanks to its frailty and render it unable to fire off its extremely strong attacks.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[n10sit, 267148]]
- Earlier versions by: [[talkingtree, 232101]]
- Quality checked by: [[talkingtree, 232101], [MajorBowman, 188164]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [talkingtree, 232101]]
Last edited: