[OVERVIEW]
Banette is a Pokemon blessed with Ghost-typing, which allows it to be one the incredibly rare spinblockers in PU. Banette also touts a great Attack stat, making it into a powerful wallbreaker and one of the best Pursuit Trappers in PU. This combination of Ghost-typing and a strong Pursuit gives Banette its niche: it comes in on Rapid Spin from something like Tentacool or an attempted Magic Bounce from Natu, and then punishes the hazard control switching out with Pursuit. Unfortunately, Banette's lackluster defenses and terrible movepool holds it back from achieving its full potential as a spinblocker or wallbreaker.
[SET]
name: Spinblocker
move 1: Shadow Claw
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Trick / Shadow Sneak / Return
move 4: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Return
item: Choice Band / Ghost Gem
ability: Frisk
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spd
[SET COMMENTS]
Shadow Claw is the preferred STAB option, and Pursuit is the crux of this set for trapping hazard control targets like Tentacool and Natu. The last two slots are highly customizable but end up feeling similar. Trick is the only solid choice recommended out of all of the options thanks to being useful for disabling walls like Bronzor or Audino, but only if Banette has a Choice Band for an item. Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak are both priority options, with the tradeoff being that Sucker Punch is stronger but Shadow Sneak doesn't rely on your opponent attacking to work. Return is one last option for a spammable attack with decent power that can hit common Normal-types like Stoutland, Audino, or Ursaring. While all of the options are interchangeable, the recommended set for most scenarios is Shadow Claw / Pursuit / Trick / Sucker Punch due to having the most utility and power available. Ghost Gem is also a good option for bluffing a Choice Band and hitting hard with Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak, but costs Banette a lot of power for Pursuit. Frisk is the chosen Ability for additional scouting that can come in handy, and 44 Speed EVs is just enough to outspeed uninvested base 70s such as Natu with the rest of the EVs thrown into HP for general bulk.
Banette is best utilized as a spinblocker, so teammates that set entry hazards such as Dwebble, Maractus, or Stunfisk are a must. Banette also struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type walls like Audino or Scraggy, so partners like Monferno or Torterra that can handle those walls is recommended. Banette also invites in a lot of Dark- and Normal-types, so Pokemon like Klang that can take a hit from those can also be key. Banette also has additional synergy with Fighting-types like Monferno or Machoke due to the fact that Banette is adept at getting rid of Psychic-types like Duosion or Beheeyem with either STAB or Pursuit that would threaten them otherwise while the Fighting-types at the same time beat the Normal-and Dark-types that usually dog Banette.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/akir.231726/]]
- Quality checked by: [[name, id], [name, id]]
- Grammar checked by: [[name, id]]
Banette is a Pokemon blessed with Ghost-typing, which allows it to be one the incredibly rare spinblockers in PU. Banette also touts a great Attack stat, making it into a powerful wallbreaker and one of the best Pursuit Trappers in PU. This combination of Ghost-typing and a strong Pursuit gives Banette its niche: it comes in on Rapid Spin from something like Tentacool or an attempted Magic Bounce from Natu, and then punishes the hazard control switching out with Pursuit. Unfortunately, Banette's lackluster defenses and terrible movepool holds it back from achieving its full potential as a spinblocker or wallbreaker.
[SET]
name: Spinblocker
move 1: Shadow Claw
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Trick / Shadow Sneak / Return
move 4: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Return
item: Choice Band / Ghost Gem
ability: Frisk
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spd
[SET COMMENTS]
Shadow Claw is the preferred STAB option, and Pursuit is the crux of this set for trapping hazard control targets like Tentacool and Natu. The last two slots are highly customizable but end up feeling similar. Trick is the only solid choice recommended out of all of the options thanks to being useful for disabling walls like Bronzor or Audino, but only if Banette has a Choice Band for an item. Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak are both priority options, with the tradeoff being that Sucker Punch is stronger but Shadow Sneak doesn't rely on your opponent attacking to work. Return is one last option for a spammable attack with decent power that can hit common Normal-types like Stoutland, Audino, or Ursaring. While all of the options are interchangeable, the recommended set for most scenarios is Shadow Claw / Pursuit / Trick / Sucker Punch due to having the most utility and power available. Ghost Gem is also a good option for bluffing a Choice Band and hitting hard with Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak, but costs Banette a lot of power for Pursuit. Frisk is the chosen Ability for additional scouting that can come in handy, and 44 Speed EVs is just enough to outspeed uninvested base 70s such as Natu with the rest of the EVs thrown into HP for general bulk.
Banette is best utilized as a spinblocker, so teammates that set entry hazards such as Dwebble, Maractus, or Stunfisk are a must. Banette also struggles to break through Normal- and Dark-type walls like Audino or Scraggy, so partners like Monferno or Torterra that can handle those walls is recommended. Banette also invites in a lot of Dark- and Normal-types, so Pokemon like Klang that can take a hit from those can also be key. Banette also has additional synergy with Fighting-types like Monferno or Machoke due to the fact that Banette is adept at getting rid of Psychic-types like Duosion or Beheeyem with either STAB or Pursuit that would threaten them otherwise while the Fighting-types at the same time beat the Normal-and Dark-types that usually dog Banette.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/akir.231726/]]
- Quality checked by: [[name, id], [name, id]]
- Grammar checked by: [[name, id]]
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