Right, I have some pokes on my team, with some moves that I really don't get to use that often. The thing I really need to know here is which of the listed moves will be better, or if there's another move that would fill that slot better (i don't want changes in EVs, natures and such, the role of the poke remains the same).
Basically I just need my pokemons movesets optimized.
The pokemon in quesion will be as follows:
Donphan
Hariyama
Registeel
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Speed
Nature: Adamant
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Assurance (move in question, potential replacement - Stone Edge)
Right, so this is my lead poke. It's basically there to set up stealth rocks and switch out for the late-game.
Earthquake is for obvious STAB, so no reason to talk too much on that one.
Ice Shard is mostly for flying leads or picking off weakened flying/grass types.
Assurance is for ghost and psychic types, especially levitating psychics such as Uxie and Mesprit, but also for ghosts such as Mismagius.
What I basically want to know here, is Assurance preferable over Stone Edge? The only way i can see Assurance being better, is if a Psychic type switches in on it after you have rocks up, but that just doesn't happen that much i find.
Also, i feel like i'll have a better shot against flyers with the combo of Stone Edge/Ice Shard, while still being able to hit ghosts and levitating psychics quite hard if needed.
Hariyama @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 128 Def / 128 Special Def
Nature: Adamant
- Fake Out
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch (Move in question, possible replacement - Payback)
So this guy is one of my late game sweepers. He can easily come in and pick of weakened pokes with Fake Out + Bullet Punch, and rip holes in all but ghosts with Facade + Close Combat.
Fake Out is there mostly to get Toxic going, and to just get a bit of free damage on later switch-ins.
Facade hits everything that resists Close Combat, extremely hard. It's also a nice choice to have, if you're certain that Facade can take out something that you'd normally use Close Combat for. It just saves you that def/Sp. Def drop.
Close Combat is the obvious STAB move, chosen over Brick Break, Cross Chop and Force Palm because of the accuracy and power.
Bullet Punch is as mentioned the move in question. It IS nice for picking off pokes combined with Fake Out, but it doesn't really happen often enough to warrant the moveslot. Besides, i already have 2 other pokes with prio moves so it's not really that important. Also, it doesn't have a shot in hell to kill a ghost type, which just counter my Hari completely.
Hence me wondering about swapping BP with Payback. Just to be able to hit those Ghosts and Psychics on the switch and then make me able to sweep on. I'm not choosing to replace Facade, since Hari really needs to one-shot everything he gets a shot at, and he wont do that to a flying/poison type with Payback.
Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Sp. Def
Nature: Careful
- Toxic
- Thunder Wave
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch (Move in question, possible replacement - Iron Head)
Ahh registeel, how I love you. This guy is my wall for everything, but mostly specials. He's a double status one, which really has served me well, as he stops any setup sweepers from staying in. He's also jsut great for taking down any wall really, since he can't be poisoned himself, and his great defenses + lefties keep him in long enough for most walls to die.
Toxic is his main damage source. Its stops any setup poke that can get poisoned from staying in, helps kill bulky pokes, and just works really well with Registeels longevity.
Thunder Wave is for the fast but weak pokes. It lets my heavy hitters come in and destroy those who would otherwise outspeed them, and it gives me an alternate status for various Steel/poison types.
Earthquake is for previously mentioned Steel/Poison types, that cant be hit by Toxic. Also, very few things resist it, so it's just good for extra damage in general.
Ice Punch is the move in question. The reason this Registeel has Ice Punch, is that he was actually made for OU back before Garchomp (and later Salamence) went to Uber. Almost everything had to have an ice move, but now there are almost no dragons left, and i'm now using him for UU (with even less dragons).
The move i'm thinking of using instead is Iron Head. Still hits Altaria and flyers with only a 30 power drop, but just also hits everthing else that much harder. I already have several other pokes with ice type moves, so this one doesn't really need it anymore. On this one, do tell me if you have an alternative that is even better than Iron Head, as it was the first thing on my mind TBH.
I know that was a lot =) But you don't have to answer them all. 1 or 2 is fine (would love 3 though ^^).