[Skeleton]Houndoom

[PDC]

[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Mega-Houndoom is a huge step up from its original form. Adds bulky, speed, and a lot more attacking power.</li>
<li>Solar Power gives it a huge niche on Drought teams. Adds the extra power needed to really give it extra power.</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Still has a large amount of weaknesses. Being weak to Stealth Rock limits it greatly.</li>
<li>Doesn't fit on every team, and needs to be supported and specialized to be used to best effect. Most should be limited to Drought teams if it wants to be fully effective.</li>
</ul>

[Set Recommendations]

<p>Houndoom @ Houndoominite<br />
Ability: Solar Power<br />
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe <br />
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack)<br />
- Fire Blast<br />
- Dark Pulse<br />
- Hidden Power Ice / Solar Beam <br />
- Nasty Plot / Will-O-Wisp / Destiny Bond </p>

<p>is doge. needs ninetails to be used to full potential and strength. must be paired with something that brings sun to grant it full effectiveness. solar power turns this average quick sweeper to a strong and powerful one. pokemon that spin away hazards are crucial due to the huge amount of hazard weaknesses he has. starmie is a great candidate for pure spinning, sharing good offensive and defensive synergy. physically inclined wall breakers like dragonite, garchomp, and mamoswine are very helpful in breaking down special walls. mamoswine does a good job at checking dragons especially.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>under drought this guy is doge, but without it loses to things like specially bulky pokes and dragons depending on moves it runs. strong under sun but loses some power without it up / nasty plot. although pre-bank gifts it no heatran so it is a bit better for now.</p>

 

[ShootingStarmie]

I really think a physical set / mixed set could be put on here somewhere, as it has nice attack and access to Sucker Punch and Pursuit. Looks good so far man.

 

[PDC]

90 attack isn't very effective without a LO to boost it, and Solar Power doesn't do anything for it either. Priority is good, and I will consider the set, but I just don't feel it needs a set all on its own. Maybe a mixed set could work well, but its more like future OO material. I don't see a mixed set being very effective, Sucker Punch or Pursuit should just be slashes.

 

[inane_titter]

What are your thoughts on Modest vs. Timid?

 

[PDC]

Timid gives you much more speed which is especially needed on Houndoom.

more qc plz

 

[Ckarasu]

Houndoom @ Houndoominite
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack)
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Nasty Plot / HP Fighting

or

Houndoom @ Houndoominite
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack)
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball(?)
- Sludge Bomb / HP Fighting
- Nasty Plot

Suggested pure offensive set here. Nasty Plot can be used instead HP Fighting, but HP Fighting adds up to perfect coverage. With sun up, you deal absurd damage to so many pokemon, at the cost of some health. But, even out of Sun, Mega Houndoom can rely on its rock solid special attack and speed to sweep. TTar will be a counter to your sweep unless you have a boost. The second set is slightly different, but results in you losing to Azumarill in order to destroy TTar. One could run Shadow Ball instead of Dark Pulse, but you lose out on STAB.......

 

[ginganinja]

doge

QC APPROVED 1/3

 

[SOMALIA]

PDC Just a reminder that your preview has gotten an approval. Also please add some content to both the set comments and the checks & counters.

 

[Colonel M]

Wow
Such power
Tons of damage
Nice fire
Is doome.

I would recommend at least testing Sucker Punch. Priority really is Houndoom's best friend sometimes. Remember the Gengar douchebag? It could save your life.

 

[PDC]

ok, i'll try it out

 

[doughboy]

I know it recieves competition from Nasty Plot because it is a x1.5 boost with recoil vs x2 with none, but I think a Sunny Day set deserves some sort of mention.

Pros:
- Allows you to circumvent your two best counters: Tyranitar and Azumarill. Both involve using Sunny Day on the switch. Tyranitar's Sand boost is removed and is vulnerable to Solarbeam and Azumarill will be unable to revenge you with Aqua Jet weakened by Sunlight
- Main STAB is slightly stronger. A Fire Blast under sunlight has a 2.25x boost (1.5 * 1.5) while NP is only x2
- You can set up on / beat water types: Sunny Day + Mega-Evolution added bulk will give you the opportunity to set up on Water-types. You actually have the means to take them out with Solarbeam.

Cons:
- You now receive recoil. This can cut your sweep short and it can make you more prone to revenge killing.
- Coverage / Dark-STAB is weaker. This sucks because it can make it harder to break through some defensive targets.
- Sweep is limited to 5 turns. Nasty Plot can keep its boosts while Mega-Houndoom can not.

So Sunny Day does haves its niche, but I'm overall I say Nasty Plot is better.

Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 4 Def/ 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- SolarBeam
- Sunny Day

All I can think of for a mix set is this:

Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Solar Power
EVs: 252 Atk/ 4 SpA / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature
- Overheat
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Dark Pulse


But honestly I think if you really wanted to do a mix set, Life Orb Houndoom would be better. Mega-Houndoom does not get the speed increase on its first turn, the most important turn for a revengy-pursuit trapper like him. In addition, Life Orb Houndoom's physical attack is better because Mega Houndoom does not receive any attack boost. Life Orb Houndoom does have Sucker Punch to check faster threats. I don't even think there would be a speciall attack increase for Mega-Houndoom, because of mega doom using a +Spe nature / its only 30+ SpA more than normal houndoom.

Also it gets Destiny Bond. Destiny Bond + 115 speed will make for a nice combo.

 

[PDC]

played around with sucker punch, and i just found so little use for it. i suppose its more of a niche thing previous to the speed boost it receives though, so i guess i'll consider it.

 

[Svartwolf]

While i agree that a mixed set with pursuit and sucker punch is better left to life orb doom, i've found suckerpunch invaluable on mega hundoom, and have won me lots of games.

this is because i use doom on a non drought team (i think that ninetails isnt worth the effort) as a fast late game cleaner. I previously was using Nasty plot with fireblast, dark pulse and sludge bomb, but i found i never had time to nastyplot. now I use it as an improved hit and run doom and late game sweeper. maybe its because of how my team works, but against stuff like greninja, scarf rotom,s W, mega pinsirs with quick attack mega gengars, and alakazams, have literally turn otherwise losses in victories. while i certainly i plan my game around not having to use it, since i dont NP i have an extra attack i dont need and the surprise factor is still always great.