[SET]
Hoopa-Unbound @ Choice Scarf
Name: Choice Scarf (Dark)
Ability: Magician
EVs: 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt / Trick
[SET DETAILS]
Choice Scarf Hoopa-U is an amazing option on Dark teams thanks to its great Attack stat. Knock Off allows Hoopa-U to not only remove items from foes like Alolan Muk and Articuno but also takes out threats like Choice Specs Flutter Mane. Drain Punch deals with Dark-, Normal-, Steel-, and Ice-types like Greninja, Blissey, Hisuian Goodra, and Chien-Pao, while Psychic cleans up Poison- and Fighting-types like Galarian Weezing, Okidogi, mixed attacker Iron Valiant, Zamazenta, and Choice Specs Keldeo. Thunderbolt is a great coverage move, handling Flying- and Water-types like Skarmory, Corviknight, and Gyarados. Trick can be run over Thunderbolt to Choice-lock foes like Calm Mind Primarina, Ting-Lu, and Archaludon; however, without Thunderbolt Hoopa-U cannot reliably deal with Skarmory, which can then wall it. The given EV spread allows Hoopa-U to survive a Moonblast from Choice Scarf Flutter Mane and retaliate back with Knock Off. Its special bulk is also notable, allowing it to trade blows with the likes of Iron Valiant and Ursaluna-B.
Swords Dance Chien-Pao is an amazing teammate for Hoopa-U, as it is able to deal with Dragon-, Ground-, and Flying-types like Dragonite, Enamorus, and Clodsire with Icicle Crash and Ice Shard. Swords Dance Kingambit provides a Fairy neutrality while also being a great wincon, taking out a plethora of foes for Hoopa-U with Sucker Punch at +2 and with five Supreme Overlord boosts. Alolan Muk is a great special wall, easing the Fairy matchup thanks to its Poison typing while dealing with Primarina and Hatterene with Poison Jab. Choice Scarf Meowscarada deals with Water-, Ground- and Fighting-types like Urshifu-R, Quagsire, and Choice Scarf Iron Valiant with Flower Trick and Play Rough. Choice Specs Greninja covers a lot of matchups thanks to Protean, notably taking out the Ogerpon formes, Hatterene, and the Landorus formes with Sludge Wave and Ice Beam. Sableye provides a Fighting immunity while also weakening physical threats like Excadrill, Sneasler, and Choice Scarf Great Tusk with Will-O-Wisp. Sableye can also use Encore on setup sweepers like Zamazenta and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave so Hoopa-U can outspeed faster threats. Mandibuzz provides entry hazard removal for Hoopa-U with Defog and slow pivoting with U-turn. Mandibuzz also checks Swords Dance sweepers like Ogerpon-H and Scizor with Foul Play. It's also worth mentioning that Mandibuzz provides a Ground immunity, which allows it to come in on Choice Scarf Great Tusk's Headlong Rush for Hoopa-U. Ting-Lu is a great wall that can lay down hazards with Stealth Rock and Spikes, which chip down threats like Iron Valiant and Zamazenta. Ting-Lu also handles Steel-types like non-Air Balloon Heatran and Hisuian Goodra with Earthquake and phazes setup sweepers like Swords Dance Garchomp and Dragon Dance Dragonite with Whirlwind. Hydreigon also sets hazards with Stealth Rock while taking out Dragon-types like Archaludon with Draco Meteor. In return, Hoopa-U deals with Skarmory, Galarian Weezing, and Iron Valiant for its teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dark
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Gunk Shot is great for threatening Fairy- and Grass-types like Primarina, Hatterene, and the Ogerpon formes. Focus Blast is another option to OHKO Archaludon, but its low accuracy is unappealing. Destiny Bond is a weird catch-all move that notably lets you trade with IronPress Zamazenta, but it is very unreliable.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vertigo.543620/
Last edited:
