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Mewtwo Raid (September 1-17) + Lead Up Events (Aug 9, Aug 18)
- Thread starter R_N
- Start date
Well in that case I guess Unaware won't be an option because I looked up a list with Unaware mons and I'm pretty sure Clefable is one the, if not only, few that could help against Mewtwo. And very few of them are even obtainable in the 1st place, those being Dondozo, the Fuecoco line, and the Wooper Family. And the Wooper family has it the worst. What if he has either Energy Ball or Grass Knot? See ya Quagsire. And Clodsire? ... No.
And that's not even getting into the possibility of Psychic Terrain being in his moveset. Guess we just gotta pray he doesn't spam Nasty Plot/Calm Mind like crazy. Otherwise the battle may as well be unwinnable at that point.
0- SpA Mewtwo Psystrike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clodsire: 278-330 (59.9 - 71.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
And that's not even getting into the possibility of Psychic Terrain being in his moveset. Guess we just gotta pray he doesn't spam Nasty Plot/Calm Mind like crazy. Otherwise the battle may as well be unwinnable at that point.
Eh, a spam of nasty plot / calm mind would just prompt usage of clear smoggers.
I doubt grass knot will be in its moveset, so gastrodon may be workable with.
And besides, supporting mons are very likely to be spamming Snarl anyway.
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Well, Clefable will be available for the last 4 days of the Mewtwo event... :P
I was thinking Roaring Moon since he has higher defensive stats than Hydreigon, except Phys Def, on top of the Roost Hydreigon lacks, but I'm not so sure only gaining +1 Atk with Dragon Dance will do much, seems too slow and for a legendary Pokemon you don't want to be slow. Especially since you're gonna want to trade some of that Atk investment for HP to deal with Aura Sphere. Won't be much saving you from Focus Blast though, assuming it hits of course.
I might be cooking, but there is a set that might handle Mewtwo:
Moltres-Galar @ Shell Bell
Ability: Berserk
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Wrath
- Nasty Plot
- Tailwind
- Taunt
This bad bird has the necessary tools to handle Mewtwo.
Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Light Screen
- Recover
- Snarl
- Helping Hand / Thunder Wave
This set more focuses on helping its allies.
If there is anything I can do to improve these sets, please let me know.
Moltres-Galar @ Shell Bell
Ability: Berserk
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Wrath
- Nasty Plot
- Tailwind
- Taunt
This bad bird has the necessary tools to handle Mewtwo.
- It has high Special Defense and HP for an offensive mon.
- Since Moltres-Galar can't outspeed Mewtwo with Max Speed (unless Timid Nature), Tailwind can be used instead to allow Moltres-Galar to outspeed Mewtwo (for 4 turns). This means that Moltres can invests its IVs into its special defense to make itself more bulky.
- Nasty Plot + Berserk would allow it to accrue multiple boosts.
- Taunt can be used to stop Mewtwo setting up (e.g Psychic Terrain, Nasty Plot, Amnesia)
Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Light Screen
- Recover
- Snarl
- Helping Hand / Thunder Wave
This set more focuses on helping its allies.
- Light Screen helps its allies take on Special Attacks, which is further helped by its Snarl attack.
- Recover can help with its longevity.
- The fourth move can be depending on the player's choice. Helping Hand increases its allies attacks, whilst Thunder Wave can slow down Mewtwo (only works out of shield).
If there is anything I can do to improve these sets, please let me know.
Has anyone considered Scream Tail? If Mewtwo doesn't carry Shadow Ball (which is possible but would be mean given they're pushing Mew), Scream Tail takes 1/2 from Tera Psystrike and 1/4 from Focus Blast Coverage,
Scream Tail @ Leftovers
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Psychic (probably irrelevant)
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Light Screen
- Howl/Fake Tears
- Noble Roar
- Helping Hand / Thunder Wave / Calm Mind / Wish / Misty Terrain
Major issue with a lot of its support not working while Shield is up, but Howl gives a way to buff Physical members during it or boost them back after a Wipe (Permanent unlike having to maintain Helping Hand), can debuff offensive or defensive, and the Typing/Bulk helps to not fold during a Cleanse time while re-establishing things. Misty Terrain mentioned on the fringe to remove Psychic Terrain if it's used and the team lacks resistors/immunities.
Scream Tail @ Leftovers
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Psychic (probably irrelevant)
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Light Screen
- Howl/Fake Tears
- Noble Roar
- Helping Hand / Thunder Wave / Calm Mind / Wish / Misty Terrain
Major issue with a lot of its support not working while Shield is up, but Howl gives a way to buff Physical members during it or boost them back after a Wipe (Permanent unlike having to maintain Helping Hand), can debuff offensive or defensive, and the Typing/Bulk helps to not fold during a Cleanse time while re-establishing things. Misty Terrain mentioned on the fringe to remove Psychic Terrain if it's used and the team lacks resistors/immunities.
I mean again if it comes relatively late in the battle you should be tera'd up. If your Mew isn't tera'd or has died, they could easily see it as a punishment for
I can't see them forgoing the ability to hit Ghosts SE just because they want you to use Mew.
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 SpA / 172 SpD / 84 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Calm Mind / Light Screen / Snarl
- Recover
- Judgment
I’m intrigued about Arceus-Dark. Yes, it has a Fighting-weakness, but you have 120/120 special bulk, and access to ways to boost your SpDef, not to mention other teammates that’ll be running debuff moves, as well:
0+ SpA Tera Psychic Mewtwo Focus Blast vs. +1 0 HP / 172 SpD Arceus-Dark: 136-162 (35.6 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0+ SpA Tera Psychic Mewtwo Aura Sphere vs. +1 0 HP / 172 SpD Arceus-Dark: 92-110 (24.1 - 28.8%) -- 98.4% chance to 4HKO
252+ SpA Dread Plate Tera Dark Arceus-Dark Judgment vs. -6 0 HP / 0 SpD Tera Psychic Mewtwo: 2364-2784 (19.1 - 22.5% of 35x hp boss) -- possible 5HKO
Personally, I think it’ll opt to run Aura Sphere over Focus Blast since it’s way more reliable, on-brand, and can’t be stopped by accuracy debuffs like Mud-Slap, but even Focus Blast can be halted with Arceus’s wide range of support moves.
You can go for a self-sufficient offensive set with CM, or a more team-supporting build with Light Screen or Snarl. Either way, you’ll be doing tremendous damage with Acid Spray and Tera Dark-boosted, Dread Plate-boosted Judgment. This allows Arceus-Dark to play an offensive support role. You could make a case for Arceus-Ghost or Bug to offset the Fighting weakness, but it’ll opt to use (potentially Psyshic Terrain-boosted) Psystrike vs you, which you can’t stop with Calm Mind.
That being said, if Mewtwo opens the raid (t0) with Nasty Plot AND it has Focus Blast, you’re kinda screwed without heavy support, which is why I also have an alternative:
Arceus-Psychic @ Mind Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 112 HP / 60 SpA / 252 SpD / 84 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Calm Mind
- Dark Pulse
- Recover
A safer, but not as powerful way to go about it would be to set up with Arceus-Psychic, then Tera Dark when the time is right. You resist Psychic and Fighting, and Shadow Ball bounces off compared to Focus Blast:
0+ SpA Tera Psychic Mewtwo Shadow Ball vs. +1 112 HP / 252 SpD Arceus-Psychic: 88-104 (21.5 - 25.4%) -- 0.1% chance to 4HKO
+2 0+ SpA Tera Psychic Mewtwo Shadow Ball vs. +1 112 HP / 252 SpD Arceus-Psychic: 172-204 (42 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Arceus-Psychic @ Mind Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SpD / 84 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Light Screen
- Snarl
- Recover
You could also go for a pure support build that combines phenomenal utility and longevity with Recover.
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An interesting tech for Hydreigon reported in Discord by TLPenn is that bringing a faster mon with Clear Amulet will bait Hydreigon into only spamming Scary Face.
I tried it out by going in with Miraidon who should be a prime Dragon Pulse target normally and it worked out pretty well. It did use Dragon Pulse once after Nasty Plot, but didn't do it again after I used another Charge and after the buff reset so maybe it just stopped seeing the kill as a priority.
I tried it out by going in with Miraidon who should be a prime Dragon Pulse target normally and it worked out pretty well. It did use Dragon Pulse once after Nasty Plot, but didn't do it again after I used another Charge and after the buff reset so maybe it just stopped seeing the kill as a priority.
How much damage did the Nasty Plot Dragon Pulse do (or would have done) to a still-Dragon Miraidon? Perhaps it needs to kill in a certain number of hits before it prioritizes damage over trying for stats/status?
It did about 1/3rd of my HP at +2, but my Charge went off before he got to select his attack so maybe the AI preferred the 3HKO against +1 Miraidon when it was selecting a move for that turn.
+2 Lvl 75 0 SpA Hydreigon Dragon Pulse vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Miraidon: 224-266 (55.4 - 65.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 Lvl 75 0 SpA Hydreigon Dragon Pulse vs. +1 252 HP / 0 SpD Miraidon: 152-180 (37.6 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 Lvl 75 0 SpA Hydreigon Dragon Pulse vs. +2 252 HP / 0 SpD Miraidon: 114-134 (28.2 - 33.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
+2 Lvl 75 0 SpA Hydreigon Dragon Pulse vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tera Electric Miraidon: 112-133 (27.7 - 32.9%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
I have been using Mirror Armor Corviknight against any Hydreigon weak to Drill Peck or Iron Head, just because Corv isn’t weak to any of Hydreigon’s moves. And discovered that Hydreigon continuously spams Scary Face against Corv! It also uses Snarl once or twice, which is even better! It never uses Dark Pulse, which is what I would assume is its best move vs Corv. And, interestingly, when my Corviknight tera’s Steel, I assume it’s gonna hit it with SE Earth Power, but it only does a NVE Dragon Pulse one time, and then goes back to Scary Face spam. I haven’t paid much attention to the moves, so maybe my recollection is inexact. But my experience with Mirror Armor seems to be consistent with this Clear Amulet tech.
EDIT: Just tested further with a Clear Amulet Iron Moth against Hydreigon. Even though Earth Power would be 4x SE against Fire/Poison Moth -- Hydreigon literally spams nothing but Scary Face against Moth, except for the scripted Snarls it throws out relatively early in the battle. In four or five battles with Moth, I was able to freely Acid Spray and Fiery Dance to my hearts content and barely took a scratch from Hydreigon!
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Is it time for funnybird? Probably not.
Will I try funnybird anyways? Definitely yes.
Funnybird (Espathra) @ Shell Bell
Ability: Opportunist
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpD / 204 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lumina Crash
- Tera Blast
- Light Screen
- Roost
The last move has a few options to try but Roost seemed to help wait for a Focus miss after the boost/ability clear pulse. It only does 1/15 vs Mewtwo if Opportunist is never activated which definitely isn't great. Not worth it in the slightest but I will definitely try. This definitely isn't just worse Mew / Arceus (it is).
As for the Mewtwo in general, I think there is a distinct chance it comes with Taunt or a scripted Safeguard. There is just a lot it can do. I would hate to be the one to decide what moves it can use.
Will I try funnybird anyways? Definitely yes.
Funnybird (Espathra) @ Shell Bell
Ability: Opportunist
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpD / 204 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lumina Crash
- Tera Blast
- Light Screen
- Roost
The last move has a few options to try but Roost seemed to help wait for a Focus miss after the boost/ability clear pulse. It only does 1/15 vs Mewtwo if Opportunist is never activated which definitely isn't great. Not worth it in the slightest but I will definitely try. This definitely isn't just worse Mew / Arceus (it is).
As for the Mewtwo in general, I think there is a distinct chance it comes with Taunt or a scripted Safeguard. There is just a lot it can do. I would hate to be the one to decide what moves it can use.
I tried a Corviknight against a Normal Hydreigon and it never used Scary Face even once. It was constantly doing Dragon Pulse & Dark Pulse, which were hitting harder & harder since it was doing nasty plot in the background.
My Corviknight is Jolly at 195 Speed, I think. Which makes it faster than all 5* Hydreigons, I think. The key seems to be that when Hydreigon is slower, it seems to spam Scary Face until it is faster, except for the scripted moves and occasional random moves. When I use fast mons (well, faster than Hydreigon), it uses Scary Face relentlessly and sometimes exclusively.
I think this is an old behavior of NPC/AI controlled Pokemon going back multiple generations. It is most noticeable in battle facilities. Whenever opposing Pokemon are slower, but know a move that lowers speed like Icy Wind or Electroweb, they usually just spam it until they are faster. I'm somewhat surprised that it still seems to be the standard behavior for this gen as well. I wonder when GameFreak will give the computer controlled Pokemon and Trainers a much needed intelligence upgrade.
Probably when they decide that they don't want players to enjoy the games anymore.I wonder when GameFreak will give the computer controlled Pokemon and Trainers a much needed intelligence upgrade.
I will never stop reiterating how absolutely awful the generic Pokemon player is.
If you've been playing raids online, you know what I mean.
Was in a Tera Poison Hydreigon raid and a player kept trying to use Earthquake with their Hippowdon.
People aren't just bad at the game. They can't read, either.
To be fair, most of them are probably young kids, in some cases they might even be younger than you're thinking. My wife is a bit younger than me and she first started playing Pokemon in Gen I when she was only 5 years old and could barely read. I'm am more than certain that she was not the only one in that situation, and if it could happen back in 1998 then is most certainly can also happen in 2023.
The big thing that Pokemon has had that has makes it so successful is that it has been able to continue getting newer, younger blood into the fanbase consistently, something many other similarly aged and older franchises(hell, even many younger franchises) have never been able to accomplish, to the point they have no choice but to change things up to more heavily appeal to their grown-up original audience because they weren't grabbing the attention of kids enough to keep the target demographic the same as it started as.
Honestly I think the AI could probably use a few tweaks here and there (primarily in how it handles variable power moves, which has been a long standing issue) but I don't think they'd bother updating it to the degree some people want
Even in more ""adult"" RPGs the AI is rarely that complex/smart and it gets the job across fine if they do something like focus on a status while prioritizing weakness or damage. There's little reason to bother otherwise.
Edge cases like raid AI hyper prioritizing speed drops aren't likely to crop up a lot, anyway (& personally I think predictable AI to abuse is fine...) since the game isn't designed around facing a pokemon that takes more than 2 turns to kill most of the time.
e: Also rest assured there's grown adults who Do Not Understand things in games at all. most people are like this, I'd wager!
Even in more ""adult"" RPGs the AI is rarely that complex/smart and it gets the job across fine if they do something like focus on a status while prioritizing weakness or damage. There's little reason to bother otherwise.
Edge cases like raid AI hyper prioritizing speed drops aren't likely to crop up a lot, anyway (& personally I think predictable AI to abuse is fine...) since the game isn't designed around facing a pokemon that takes more than 2 turns to kill most of the time.
e: Also rest assured there's grown adults who Do Not Understand things in games at all. most people are like this, I'd wager!