Lately I have been experimenting with methods to get Houndoom to become a viable part of the OU metagame and I realized he has a lot of gimmics such as will-o-wisp/sucker-punch/Nasty Plot/pursuit, and a whole bunch of other things that other pokemon seem to do better. I decided that Houndoom is too slow and fragile to spread status or have time to nasty plot in OU. With many better pursuit users I decided the best option for Houndoom would be a lead, and it has worked surprisingly well in today's metagame. Below I will outline how I deal with many common leads.
Still trying to work out EV's but sweeper ones will do for now.
Houndoom @ Focus Sash Early Bird?
4 HP / 252 SPA / 252 SPE
Fire Blast
Sucker Punch
Hp Fighting/Ground
Counter
This build forces a lot of leads to choose between hurting Houndoom or getting rocks up.
How I counter top OU Leads:
Roserade: Fire Blast, Sleep powder isn't so scary either
Metagross: Fire Blast + Sucker punch beats it.
Machamp: Counter :)
Azelf: Again, Fire Blast + Sucker punch wins the day.
Jirachi: Fire Blast + Sucker punch kills it assuming it doesn't flinch you.
Tyranitar: Counter will kill it for a kamikaze when sandstorm finishes you off.
Infernape: Switch out. Fake out breaks your sash and thus your strategy.
Aerodactyl: Hard to predict. You can counter/sucker punch for the kill but Taunt and Stealth rock users will figure you out.
Bronzong - Fire Blast with Sucker punch kills all Bronzong who decide to attack turn 2 and who aren't carrying Occa berry or leftovers. The ladder dies most of the time, while the former is dealt with through 2 fire blasts. This strategy beats trick room users as well through spamming fire blast.
Hippowdon - Fire blast 2hkos if it decides to stealth rock and isn't the Stockpile variant. Counter an earthquake to kamikaze as sandstorm will take you out.
Swampert - Counter kills it if it earthquakes. The odd ones who know surf will kill you if they use it. If you have poor prediction just switch out and at worst have him set up stealth rock.
Ninjask - Fire blast wrecks it if it doesn't Sub or protect, but we know it will. Just spam fire blast until it switches out. Fortunately if it passes speed you can still get a hit on the recipient since your sash is left untouched.
Heatran - Hp Ground can possibly OHKO and always 2HKO whether they're using Shuca Berry or not, and you're faster than the lead variant. Plus Heatran has to choose whether to attack Houndoom or get stealth rock off. If it attacks you still beat it. If it stealth rocks then you'll beat it cleanly.
Gengar - Fire blast on turn one (Don't suckerpunch incase it subs). Fireblast can OHKO and Sucker Punch will finish off any that stay in to attack on turn 2.
Gyarados - Counter kills it if it thinks it can rock you on turn 1. Switching out is a good idea as it can set up on you.
Yanmega - Fire Blast breaks sash and sucker punch finishes it off.
Ambipom - Retreat because it will beat you.
Smeargle - Fire Blast OHKO's if it tricks or something. Spore puts you out of commission but just take it.
These were the most common leads I could find so sorry if I left something out. Still, the leads that cleanly beat houndoom are:
Infernape
Swampert
Ambipom
Aerodactyl
Tyranitar
DD Gyarados can wreck or set up on all these leads so it is a choice partner for Houndoom leads. Also ALL the leads that seem to rock houndoom are physical based and thus vulnerable to intimidate. Aerodactyl deals about half Gyarados' health after intimidate and is KO'd in return, while TTar will be killed by Waterfall after Houndoom hits it with HP Ground.
Other problematic leads would be:
Gyarados
Smeargle
Resttalk Machamp can come in and beat both leads assuming it has Thunderpunch.
Before I get too carried away and this becomes a RMT, what do you guys think of Houndoom as a lead? I have met a fair amount of success with it recently and want to know if it's actually viable in OU as a lead. It doesn't mind Heatran switching in to activate flash fire as Heatran will break its sash with Earth Power and be OHKO'd by HP Ground.
Try it before you knock it please. It's doing well for me though the choice between HP fighting/ground is tough, since I'm seeing many TTar leads, and hitting them harder would be nice.
If someone can tell me how to hide all that information I would appreciate it since I am new to forums and am aware how sloppy this must look.
Still trying to work out EV's but sweeper ones will do for now.
Houndoom @ Focus Sash Early Bird?
4 HP / 252 SPA / 252 SPE
Fire Blast
Sucker Punch
Hp Fighting/Ground
Counter
This build forces a lot of leads to choose between hurting Houndoom or getting rocks up.
How I counter top OU Leads:
Roserade: Fire Blast, Sleep powder isn't so scary either
Metagross: Fire Blast + Sucker punch beats it.
Machamp: Counter :)
Azelf: Again, Fire Blast + Sucker punch wins the day.
Jirachi: Fire Blast + Sucker punch kills it assuming it doesn't flinch you.
Tyranitar: Counter will kill it for a kamikaze when sandstorm finishes you off.
Infernape: Switch out. Fake out breaks your sash and thus your strategy.
Aerodactyl: Hard to predict. You can counter/sucker punch for the kill but Taunt and Stealth rock users will figure you out.
Bronzong - Fire Blast with Sucker punch kills all Bronzong who decide to attack turn 2 and who aren't carrying Occa berry or leftovers. The ladder dies most of the time, while the former is dealt with through 2 fire blasts. This strategy beats trick room users as well through spamming fire blast.
Hippowdon - Fire blast 2hkos if it decides to stealth rock and isn't the Stockpile variant. Counter an earthquake to kamikaze as sandstorm will take you out.
Swampert - Counter kills it if it earthquakes. The odd ones who know surf will kill you if they use it. If you have poor prediction just switch out and at worst have him set up stealth rock.
Ninjask - Fire blast wrecks it if it doesn't Sub or protect, but we know it will. Just spam fire blast until it switches out. Fortunately if it passes speed you can still get a hit on the recipient since your sash is left untouched.
Heatran - Hp Ground can possibly OHKO and always 2HKO whether they're using Shuca Berry or not, and you're faster than the lead variant. Plus Heatran has to choose whether to attack Houndoom or get stealth rock off. If it attacks you still beat it. If it stealth rocks then you'll beat it cleanly.
Gengar - Fire blast on turn one (Don't suckerpunch incase it subs). Fireblast can OHKO and Sucker Punch will finish off any that stay in to attack on turn 2.
Gyarados - Counter kills it if it thinks it can rock you on turn 1. Switching out is a good idea as it can set up on you.
Yanmega - Fire Blast breaks sash and sucker punch finishes it off.
Ambipom - Retreat because it will beat you.
Smeargle - Fire Blast OHKO's if it tricks or something. Spore puts you out of commission but just take it.
These were the most common leads I could find so sorry if I left something out. Still, the leads that cleanly beat houndoom are:
Infernape
Swampert
Ambipom
Aerodactyl
Tyranitar
DD Gyarados can wreck or set up on all these leads so it is a choice partner for Houndoom leads. Also ALL the leads that seem to rock houndoom are physical based and thus vulnerable to intimidate. Aerodactyl deals about half Gyarados' health after intimidate and is KO'd in return, while TTar will be killed by Waterfall after Houndoom hits it with HP Ground.
Other problematic leads would be:
Gyarados
Smeargle
Resttalk Machamp can come in and beat both leads assuming it has Thunderpunch.
Before I get too carried away and this becomes a RMT, what do you guys think of Houndoom as a lead? I have met a fair amount of success with it recently and want to know if it's actually viable in OU as a lead. It doesn't mind Heatran switching in to activate flash fire as Heatran will break its sash with Earth Power and be OHKO'd by HP Ground.
Try it before you knock it please. It's doing well for me though the choice between HP fighting/ground is tough, since I'm seeing many TTar leads, and hitting them harder would be nice.
If someone can tell me how to hide all that information I would appreciate it since I am new to forums and am aware how sloppy this must look.