Fletchling

[Mystearica Aura]

#661 - Fletchling

Type: Normal / Flying

Base Stats: 45 HP | 50 Atk | 43 Def | 40 SAtk | 38 SDef | 62 Spe
LC Base Stats (at Level 5): 21 HP | 11 Atk | 10 Def | 10 SAtk | 10 SDef | 12 Spe

Abilities:
Big Pecks: It's Defense cannot be lowered.
Gale Wings: All Flying-type moves have their speed priority increased by 1.

Level-Up Movepool:
Lv.1 - Tackle
Lv.1 - Growl
Lv.6 - Quick Attack
Lv.10 - Peck
Lv.13 - Agility
Lv.16 - Flail
Lv.21 - Roost
Lv.25 - Razor Wind
Lv.29 - Natural Gift
Lv.34 - Flame Charge
Lv.39 - Acrobatics
Lv.41 - Me First
Lv.45 - TailWind
Lv.48 - Steel Wing

TM & HM Compatibility:
TM06 - Toxic
TM10 - Hidden Power
TM11 - Sunny Day
TM12 - Taunt
TM17 - Protect
TM19 - Roost
TM21 - Frustration
TM27 - Return
TM32 - Double Team
TM40 - Aerial Ace
TM42 - Facade
TM43 - Flame Charge
TM44 - Rest
TM45 - Attract
TM46 - Thief
TM48 - Round
TM50 - OverHeat
TM51 - Steel Wing
TM62 - Acrobatics
TM75 - Swords Dance
TM87 - Swagger
TM88 - Sleep Talk
TM89 - U-Turn
TM90 - Substitute
TM100 - Confide
HM02 - Fly

Known Egg Moves
Quick Guard
Snatch
TailWind

When looking at Fletchling's typing, stats and movepool, nothing really stands out for the little bird. However, it's true potential lies in it's ability, Gale Wings, which boosts the priority of all Flying-type moves by 1, basically giving Fletchling a 110 Base Power priority move to play with. However, not only do damaging attacks get their priority boosted, status moves do too! Meaning that Fletchling also has access to priority Roosts to recover health before the opponent can attack. Add decent movepool options to the ecuation, and you have a nasty little bird able to revenge kill most of the tier!
Fletchling doesn't come without it's flaws, though. Firstly, it has a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, meaning it won't be able to switch in and out of the battlefield unharmed, at least not without the required support. Also, it has paper-thin defenses, which make it an easy target for faster priority users. It's Attack stat isn't amazing, either, so Fletchling won't be sweeping any team without previous set up, as many Pokémon can wall it. Finally, as the bird's only (competitively-wise, at least) niche is attacking with priority Flying-type moves, it is quite predictable and easy to play around.
All in all, Fletchling is a great Pokémon with a unique niche. So, if you are willing to play him with the right amount of support he deserves, you won't be disappointed!

Potential Movesets:

Dancing Robin
Fletchling Flying Gem
Ability: Gale Wings
- OverHeat / Steel Wing / Return
- Acrobatics
- Swords Dance
- Roost
Naughty/Adamant Nature
EVs: 196 Atk | 180 Spe | 116 SAtk or Def/SDef

This is the set I've been using in PS, and has proven to be quite effective. Wait for a chance to switch in and set up, and I can assure the tiny robin will make some huge holes on the opposing team. A +2 Acrobatics is nothing to laugh at, even if resisted, and can pack quite a punch when factoring Flying Gem into the ecuation. You'll mostly be using Swords Dance + Acrobatics, however, Roost is there for keeping Fletchling as healthy as possible while the other move is a filler. Do note that Fletchling can be OHKOed by many Pokémon, so only use Roost when that isn't the case. OverHeat is for Steel-types while Steel Wing is for Rock-types and Return has STAB. The first is a one-use high-powered special move while the others are more reliable physical moves which takes advantage of Swords Dance boosts. The Nature & EV Spread options mostly relate to the decition between those. Take into account that if you chose OverHeat, you will be walled by Rock-types; if you choose Steel Wing, you will be walled by Electric & Steel-types; and if you choose Return, you will be walled by Rock & Steel-types.
Personally, I prefer running this set with OverHeat.
Here are some calculations:

• 116 SAtk Fletchling's OverHeat Vs. 164 HP / 148 SDef Eviolite Ferroseed: 20-24 (86.95 - 104.34%) - 6.25% chance to OHKO

• 116 SpA Fletchling's OverHeat vs. 156 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Magnemite: 12-16 (57.14 - 76.19%) - guaranteed 2HKO

(+2 Acrobatics + OverHeat knocks both of them out, making them unreliable switch-ins)

What do you think? Feel free to propose/comment/discuss!

 

[apt-get]

fletchling is underwhelming this gen because there's no flying gem in XY (the only gem available is normal gem), and pokebank doesn't transfer items, meaning its best set is a SD return normal gem acrobatics one, which is kinda weird

 

[Phemeto]

Plus with the popularity of Durable Smashers, Tirtouga Aqua Jet is just going to cut through this thing like paper. Well everything will cut through it without too much trouble really. And since it cant use the Acrobatics/Gem, it really has nothing going for it that Murkrow cant happily do better.

 

[Unowninator]

Wow, this thing doesn't even learn Brave Bird. How disappointing. Looks like it's either going to have to either resort to Fly/Aerial Axe, or hold nothing.

 

[Rowan]

Wow, this thing doesn't even learn Brave Bird. How disappointing. Looks like it's either going to have to either resort to Fly/Aerial Axe, or hold nothing.

Fly is useless and Aerial Ace is always outclassed by Acrobatics since the difference between 60BP and 55BP is like nothing and there is a chance that Fletchling will lose its item. I think a Berry Juice with Acrobatics set is probably best for Fletchling.

 

[Unowninator]

Fly is useless and Aerial Ace is always outclassed by Acrobatics since the difference between 60BP and 55BP is like nothing and there is a chance that Fletchling will lose its item.

I know they suck. That was my point.

 

[Pen Ink]

Fletchling @ Berry Juice
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 16 Def / 196 SAtk / 20 Spd
Naughty Nature
- Acrobatics
- Overheat
- Swords Dance
- Return / Hidden Power [Grass]

okay so I use a bulkier set because you don't really need speed. honestly if you can't just spam acrobatics when you set up you're better off just not setting up. berry juice + a bit of bulk lets it get past stupid priority. i've been using return lately in case i get to set up and berry juice doesn't break but hidden power grass actually is pretty useful to break tirtouga. overheat should always be run cause it destroys ferrothorn and the ever-hyped honedge. 13 speed is actually pretty good since most of the time you just spam acrobatics lol. roost is pretty useless since fletchling will find barely any chances to heal and is frail as fuck anyways. the nice thing note about this set is that with at least 76 hp / 16 def you can live lo ice shard from a -1 sneasel, which is pretty fucking huge in the grand scheme of things because berry juice will just heal you back up and then you just smash shit. berry juice easily outclasses flying gem because it makes set-up like 100% easier.

but yea fletchling wrecks shit. i use it alongside defog + sr gligar which works fantastically and i just use an offensive core of sneasel + meditite to break shit until i can just send out fletchling. growlithe / ponyta make the best partners to shut down sneasel.

i'm honestly in love with this pokemon and it's going to be a gigantic threat, especially if sneasel gets banned. its best checks are basically sneasel, snover, and like magnemite which still gets wrecked by overheat while the former two are ohko'd by +2 acrobatics.

 

[gali]

Fletchling @ Focus Sash
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 180 Spd / 16 Def / 116 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Return
- Overheat

Focus Sash is superior to Berry Juice on Fletchling on almost every circumstance. Fletchling is just too frail to make use of the juice, as it is usually OHKOed before it can get consumed. With a sash, however, it basically gets a free Swords Dance while simultaneously boosting Acrobatics' power. Of course, this only works if you manage to keep Stealth Rock off the field, but that isn't too hard in the hyper-offensive meta right now.

 

[kingmidas]

Fletchling @ Focus Sash
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 180 Spd / 16 Def / 116 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Return
- Overheat

Focus Sash is superior to Berry Juice on Fletchling on almost every circumstance. Fletchling is just too frail to make use of the juice, as it is usually OHKOed before it can get consumed. With a sash, however, it basically gets a free Swords Dance while simultaneously boosting Acrobatics' power. Of course, this only works if you manage to keep Stealth Rock off the field, but that isn't too hard in the hyper-offensive meta right now.

Berry juice is still the superior option because focus sash puts you at pretty much a 5-6 disadvantage since you can't switch in on anything bar a slower u-turn/volt switch. Also its true that it has weak bulk, so why run focus sash, which puts it at instant ice shard kill range from sneasel, which with berry juice you can avoid with smart play in what you let it hit.

 

[Pen Ink]

also why is anyone running speed when you really just want to smash shit with acrobatics? berry juice allows fletchling to hopefully come out unscathed and you really just want to spam acrobatics or overheat when you really need too. speed does nothing for fletchling since you dont outrun anything significant with 16 speed. 13 is plenty.

 

[Unowninator]

also why is anyone running speed when you really just want to smash shit with acrobatics? berry juice allows fletchling to hopefully come out unscathed and you really just want to spam acrobatics or overheat when you really need too. speed does nothing for fletchling since you dont outrun anything significant with 16 speed. 13 is plenty.

Overheat doesn't get priority, and even if it did, you'd still want it to outspeed other priority users, like those w/ Sucker Punch or Aqua Jet.

 

[Pen Ink]

Overheat doesn't get priority, and even if it did, you'd still want it to outspeed other priority users, like those
w/ Sucker Punch or Aqua Jet.

overheat is coverage against ferroseed and honedge. you outspeed both.

what significant priority user is fletching going to outspeed with 15 speed?

 

[Unowninator]

overheat is coverage against ferroseed and honedge. you outspeed both.

what significant priority user is fletching going to outspeed with 15 speed?

Well I'm still learning LC, so I don't know how popular they are, but my research shows the EVs help Fletchling outspeed uninvested Murkrow, max speed Snover, and Cottonee. It also outspeeds Jolly Aron and Magnemite, both of which have a quadrouple resistance to Flying attacks.

 

[Pen Ink]

Well I'm still learning LC, so I don't know how popular they are, but my research shows the EVs help Fletchling outspeed uninvested Murkrow, max speed Snover, and Cottonee. It also outspeeds Jolly Aron and Magnemite, both of which have a quadrouple resistance to Flying attacks.

uninvested murkrow will never happen, max speed snover is extremely rare (doesnt ohko with ice shard anyways) and cottonee is non-existenent.

aron isnt used nor should you set up fletchling when the opponent still has aron. mag much the same as aron.

 

[Shouting]

Out speeding Magnemite is pretty big, as Acrobatics followed by an Overheat KOs Berry Juice Magnemite. Since they never run HP EVs for Sturdy + Berry Juice, they almost always have speed EVs. I personally would use at least 15 speed for magnemite but I guess its preference.

 

[prem]

so now that we know its not getting lfying gem anytime soon we should recognize its harder to use fletchling and cry on the inside

 

[Pen Ink]

BJ is a lot better imo

 

[prem]

well i havent tested it i was mostly just saying there wont be flying gem anytime soon i still needa test fletchling one day

 

[The Quasar]

I can just try it, it's an simple idea for a good final sweeper.

Fletchling@Normal Gem
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 52 SDef / 180 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Quick Attack
- Acrobatics
- Tailwind
- (Filler - could be Return, Roost, Steel Wings, Substitute, U-turn)

The idea is able to attack with priority (so he can switch in, except vs OHKO moves or another fast priority), consuming his gem. Then STAB Acrobatics with priority could be crushing. But also Tailwind for supporting teammates, and eventually Roost would have the same priority. Return is a good choice for last slot, however other options are also playable.