Fearow

As my name has fearow in my username, I feel obligated to post something in this thread.

Besides Drill Liner and Sniper, I really can't add much to this discussion except that I'm really happy that Fearow gets better coverage without Hidden Power! If Fearow got Guts, it would be a superior Swellow, but he seems to have his own niche with Drill Liner. I could see Fearow as a good baton pass receiver, coming in on an opponent's EQ or ghost attack.
 
But Seaking is now immune to eletric thanks to LightiningRod.

True, but it still hits Electrics and other types harder than Waterfall though. Not like Seaking has any better moves anyway. lol

But other Pokes would love it too. Rapidash and Shubarugo (Bug/Steel knight) would have loved it. Would be a nice option for Absol as well; although it's quite weaker than Superpower, it doesn't suffer the stat drops and has a high crit rate which works nicely with Super Luck. (Absol has a scythe so I doubt it would even get it anyway, only mentioned it cause it does get Megahorn).
 
Fearow (with Keen Eye) can be traferred over with HGSS Heatwave, which can work well with Cheer Up and Life Orb backing it up... How? Well Steels usually have a weaker Sp.D. Stat so Heatwave can hit them from their Sp.D. stat to do more damage.

If you Baton Pass Focus Energy/Lansat Berry to a Scope Lens Fearow Drill Liner Critical hits 50% of the time.
 
Pidgeot and Swellow would kill for Drill Liner. I wonder if this means Fearow will be breaking 100+ in future usage stats...
 
I think the Cheer Up set is very effective and could make Fearow one of the most used birds out there. Sniper abuse is pretty haxxy at best but Drill Liner is the perfect move to abuse it. It's an awesome move in general and I love that Fearow gets this new toy to work with.
 
I think the Cheer Up set is very effective and could make Fearow one of the most used birds out there. Sniper abuse is pretty haxxy at best but Drill Liner is the perfect move to abuse it. It's an awesome move in general and I love that Fearow gets this new toy to work with.
Why would you use a mixed Fearow if Pidgeot, Noctowl and Kenhorou do it much better?
 
Fearow was also a favourite of mine in RBY :D

It's nice to see he finally has something to distinguish himself from the other birds!
 
For the cheer up set, maybe you should use Heat Wave as well, maybe just run a mixed set?

Fearow @ Life Orb
Mild Nature
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 4 HP/48 Atk/252 spec A/204 Spe

~ Cheer up
~ Drill Peck/Return
~ Heat Wave
~ Return/Hidden Power Electric/Grass

Okay, so basically, you get Fearow in on something it scares out, like Butterfree ( O.o ) then proceed to stat up with Cheer Up as your opponent switches to their steel type. Then, hit them with a boosted Heat wave, which deals ~90% To max hp/spec defence Steelix. Hidden Power Grass wrecks Quagsire and Gastrodon, who could survive a +1 Drill Peck (they take roughly 50%-60% each) and K.O with Ice Beam/Punch. Hidden Power Electric can take on Mantine and Swan, and will definely k.o both after SR damage. Return is Powerful STAB, but you're better off abusing your boosted Special Attack or using Drill Peck in most cases.

The Evs were for maximum Special Attack, The ability to switch in to SR four times, still maintain a decent speed and the rest went into attack.
 
This was a pleasant surprise, seeing that Fearow now actually gets a good Ground move. Maybe it's GF's way of making up for the fact that it's lost HP ground as a physical ground move. Either way, Fearow's definitely been improved this time around.

Now if only Dodrio got Drill Liner...
 
Sure, it's a boost, but is it enough? Fearow needed Brave Bird bad to pose a threat to Milotic, Slowbro, and Weezing.

Not to mention that relying on a critical hit to kill Steelix before it Gyro Balls you to death isn't exactly reliable.

I'll stick with Dodrio.
 

Don Honchkrorleone

Happy Qwilfish the nightmare
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Sure, it's a boost, but is it enough? Fearow needed Brave Bird bad to pose a threat to Milotic, Slowbro, and Weezing.

Not to mention that relying on a critical hit to kill Steelix before it Gyro Balls you to death isn't exactly reliable.

I'll stick with Dodrio.
But Dodrio doesn't learn it, for Fearow's hapiness.
 
Sure, it's a boost, but is it enough? Fearow needed Brave Bird bad to pose a threat to Milotic, Slowbro, and Weezing.

Not to mention that relying on a critical hit to kill Steelix before it Gyro Balls you to death isn't exactly reliable.

I'll stick with Dodrio.
Dodrio's even worse off than Fearow. It doesn't get Drill Liner.
 
Pretty much agreeing with all the positiveness around here.
Loving the idea of a Ground move on a Flying type
 
I'm happy that Fearow finally got something to maim Rocks, Steels and Electrics with. Pidgeot is sure to be outclassed this generation (I don't care if Fearow doesn't have Brave Bird).
 
I dunno, I'm actually going to have to give Pidgeot the edge here. Pidgeot has the option to go mixed with Cheer Up and Heat Wave, and has a much stronger STAB in Brave Bird/Windstorm.
 

Cooky

Banned deucer.
Does Dodrio get Drill Liner?

Fearow just became a serious threat in the lower tiers o:

CB Fearow 85 BP Ground Psychical move vs. SD Mawile - 89.5% - 105.9%
vs. Wall Probopass - 106.2% - 125.9%
vs. Physical Wall Steelix w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 129.4% - 152.5%
vs. Tank Registeel w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 138.5% - 163.2%
vs. Tank Regirock w/ Sniper boosted Critical Hit - 107.7% - 126.9%

Success...
For a start Drill Liner is an 80 BP, 95% accuracy move according to Serebii.
Secondly why on earth would you assume a critical hit.. the odds are 12.5% with Drill Liner, so basically a little over 1 in 10. Also being stuck in a choiced ground move begs for a levitator/flying type to switch in and set up.

CB Drill Liner vs.
252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy Steelix - 31.6% - 37.3%
252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy Registeel - 39.6% - 46.7%
252 HP / 36 Def / 220 SpD Careful Regirock - 30.8% - 36.3%

Not a single 2HKO assuming SR and leftovers, although those pokemon are all UU and Fearow generally resides in the NU tier which has significantly fewer walls.

I think that a Sub/LO set with roost and two coverage attacks would be fairly effective if paired with a Rapid Spinner (Basically a replacement Staraptor minus Intimidate and Close Combat).

Fearow @ Life Orb
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Evs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Return / Drill Peck
~ Drill Liner
~ Roost

Simply come in on one of the many Grass types littering NU or a choiced Ground or Ghost move and set up a sub. Normal / Ground and Flying / Ground both give decent coverage and Fearow can hit fairly hard. I'd reccomend a Jolly nature because his 100 base speed is high for NU standards and should be abused, however Adamant can be used if you appreciate more power. Fearow has the rare luxury of learning Roost via level up, not TM, so it is fully compatible with Sniper, its purpose being to help offset the residual damage of Substituting and LO.
 
Fearow @ Life Orb
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Evs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Return / Drill Peck
~ Drill Liner
~ Roost
I like the above set and it inspired me to make a sub set.
Fearow @ Salac Berry
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4HP / 252Attack / 252 Speed
~Substitute
~Cheer Up
~Drill Peck/Return
~Drill Liner

I made this a sub/berry set because the main problem I saw with Cooky's set is that Fearow will generally struggle to roost up after the sub is broken. The main idea is to get a sub up against a wall with no attacks that hit Fearow SE and proceed to cheer up if there was no switch on the turn when the sub was made, avoiding misprediction, or attacking if there was a switch which can likely be 2HKOd. Adamant nature is almost always preferred over Jolly, because with it Fearow outspeeds Max Speed Electrode and almost every common scarf poke of 4th Gen. NU(only scarf Manectric can outspeed it). Flying/Ground provides better coverage than Normal/Ground in NU, since it's only resisted by Rotom, Electric/Flying, Skarmory, Rock/Flying and Shibirudon. In NU that will probably be perfect coverage, unless Rotom drops to NU. Normal/Ground on the other hand cannot hit Drifblim, Rotom and Shedinja for ANY damage(It's also resisted by all typings mentioned with Ground/Flying). Flying also provides much better SE coverage combined with Ground.
Anyways that's my set:p
 

Don Honchkrorleone

Happy Qwilfish the nightmare
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Fearow @ Life Orb
Mild Nature
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 4 HP/48 Atk/252 spec A/204 Spe

~ Cheer up
~ Drill Peck/Return
~ Heat Wave
~ Return/Hidden Power Electric/Grass

Okay, so basically, you get Fearow in on something it scares out, like Butterfree ( O.o ) then proceed to stat up with Cheer Up as your opponent switches to their steel type. Then, hit them with a boosted Heat wave, which deals ~90% To max hp/spec defence Steelix. Hidden Power Grass wrecks Quagsire and Gastrodon, who could survive a +1 Drill Peck (they take roughly 50%-60% each) and K.O with Ice Beam/Punch. Hidden Power Electric can take on Mantine and Swan, and will definely k.o both after SR damage. Return is Powerful STAB, but you're better off abusing your boosted Special Attack or using Drill Peck in most cases.

The Evs were for maximum Special Attack, The ability to switch in to SR four times, still maintain a decent speed and the rest went into attack.
Fearow @ Life Orb
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Evs: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Return / Drill Peck
~ Drill Liner
~ Roost

Simply come in on one of the many Grass types littering NU or a choiced Ground or Ghost move and set up a sub. Normal / Ground and Flying / Ground both give decent coverage and Fearow can hit fairly hard. I'd reccomend a Jolly nature because his 100 base speed is high for NU standards and should be abused, however Adamant can be used if you appreciate more power. Fearow has the rare luxury of learning Roost via level up, not TM, so it is fully compatible with Sniper, its purpose being to help offset the residual damage of Substituting and LO. .
.Fearow @ Salac Berry
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4HP / 252Attack / 252 Speed
~Substitute
~Cheer Up
~Drill Peck/Return
~Drill Liner

I made this a sub/berry set because the main problem I saw with Cooky's set is that Fearow will generally struggle to roost up after the sub is broken. The main idea is to get a sub up against a wall with no attacks that hit Fearow SE and proceed to cheer up if there was no switch on the turn when the sub was made, avoiding misprediction, or attacking if there was a switch which can likely be 2HKOd. Adamant nature is almost always preferred over Jolly, because with it Fearow outspeeds Max Speed Electrode and almost every common scarf poke of 4th Gen. NU(only scarf Manectric can outspeed it). Flying/Ground provides better coverage than Normal/Ground in NU, since it's only resisted by Rotom, Electric/Flying, Skarmory, Rock/Flying and Shibirudon. In NU that will probably be perfect coverage, unless Rotom drops to NU. Normal/Ground on the other hand cannot hit Drifblim, Rotom and Shedinja for ANY damage(It's also resisted by all typings mentioned with Ground/Flying). Flying also provides much better SE coverage combined with Ground.
Thanks for all this sets. I'll add them in OP.
 
People use focus punch so whats wrong with sky attack behind a sub? High crit rare attack, that also could flinch opponent, and gains STAB. People run SubPunch... Fearow can run SubAttack!!! Wewt!!!!

Oh and 12.5% is 1 in 8... As 12.5 is half of 25, aka a quarter.
 

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