Metagame SV OU Metagame Discussion

[Rootb]

nah, i’ve seen multiple people express similar thoughts before, and i have to say: it’s nonsense. what you want from a (good) item is a consistent & reliable boon - not just the chance at benefitting from the item. this is because, whenever an item such as covert cloak isn’t procd, you essentially have no item whatsoever. thus, there is a huge opportunity cost in simply running cloak as is.

Boots and Cloak are exactly as effective against the move they're intended to be used against - 100% reduction in effect is 100% reduction in effect. Boots are additionally useful against 3 other moves, while cloak is additionally effective against a much wider variety; albeit not at 100% chance per turn.

Unfortunately, outside of Sludge Wave, very few of them can directly lower your HP by 12.5% the turn you enter, so it's clearly impossible to say if it's doing anything powerful or not.

 

[Piplz]

covert cloak is a genuinely terrible item & nobody would ever use it were it not for garg. to assert otherwise is to huff weapons-grade copium. like seriously, should garg go, nobody, and i mean NOBODY will ever use that item again.

I agree that noone would ever use that item if garg was to go (at least for now), but is that truly because the item is awful, or simply because it provides invisible power?

There are countless, countless examples of items, characters, builds etc in many different games providing invisible power and being consistently underrated by players for that very reason. Not just 'bad' players - players of all skill levels, as evidenced even in very developed esports like League for example (aura items back then before they got nerfed). There's no reason to believe Pokemon would be any exception - we've seen time and time again less than optimal strategies remain extremely popular for various reasons (ie: Jolteon syndrome)

Personally I think the item is *extremely* underrated if anything. The argument that it doesn't provide a 'consistent' boon isn't one. Boots provide no benefits vs no hazards yet still provide a value. Clef/some other wall eventually falling to a stray freeze (which is bound to happen if you repeatedly switch into Ice Beams or Freeze-Drys) or shadow ball SpDef drop was a very common occurence last gen - in fact if clef was around I could easily see an unaware+boots vs magic guard+cloak debate, especially with all the new viable unaware users around.

 

[1LDK]

Alright so im getting kinda tired of having to rotate beetween " is broken" " is broken" and " is broken" so i wanna post a different question for you all, have you guys been having fun with lower tier mons? and what have you been using? Whoever reads whatever im saying knows that i like to use Sylveon as a wishpasser who checks special variants of valiant, and can hold herself in combat, Donphan when Cyclizar was still on the tier was insanely comfy, i also wanna try [TRADE SECRET] in rain due to its decent ofensive typing

 

[tigers jaw]

Boots and Cloak are exactly as effective against the move they're intended to be used against - 100% reduction in effect is 100% reduction in effect. Boots are additionally useful against 3 other moves, while cloak is additionally effective against a much wider variety.

Unfortunately, outside of Sludge Wave, very few of them can directly lower your HP by 12.5% the turn you enter, so it's clearly impossible to say if it's doing anything powerful or not.

the difference between boots & cloak is that benefit of boots is consistent whilst that of cloak is dependent upon variance. yes, they are equally effective in their jobs when they do them, but boots always provides value, whereas cloak does not. your “100%” really translates to “the 10-30% of times that i get hit by a move with a secondary effect”, with the 90-70% of the time leaving you essentially itemless, suffering huge opportunity cost.

Piplz nah read this, it is just legit a bad item

 

[Komodo_Drogo]

Guys, we're talking about current ou, not what could potentially come. Please stop using mons that aren't available to try to justify the usage of covert cloak. The valid arguments I've seen are the predictable tera, and that there are checks such as meowscarada, and gholdengo. The rng prevention argument is just plain ridiculous, it's been said multiple times that even you're not 100% sure it's actually stopping the rng from occurring, so it can't realistically be used as a point for it's usage, compared to something like nuzzle which it obviously deals with. Continuing on, rng has been a contributing factor for mons getting banned before so I'm a little confused about the point rng blockage is supposed to make, especially when it's currently being used as an argument against chien pao, specifically the defense drop from crunch and potential flinches from icicle crash.

 

[ayevon]

Comparisons between boots, leftovers, and other items and covert cloak are mostly silly. You're using covert cloak to actively invalidate another pokemon. whereas other items are have more passive benefits that are broadly applicable. Boots may invalidate life orb garchomp's spikes for the pokemon you use them on, but it does nothing to actually eliviate the problem of switching into garchomp. If your frame of reference is that items should always be this passive, broadly applicable, benefit to the user, of course things like boots and leftovers are going to unmatched in their utility. I have a team with heavy duty boots Great Tusk, specifically for hyper offense teams that can pressure tusk by making doubles. Is heavy duty boots a particularly good item in vacuum on Great Tusk? Not really, in the majority of scenarios leftovers is vastly superior on a bulky spinner that lacks recovery and is 4x resistant to rocks. It's just an item that gives me the most benefit vs a common opposing team structure, and I'd rather eat the opportunity cost of being slightly worse vs other teams to give myself a better chance vs hazard stack HO. Covert cloak benefits you massively in a Garganacl matchup, while the opportunity cost vs other teams is slightly higher. As I side in a previous post, a single item slot is an extremely low opportunity cost. In a 1v1 vacuum, things like toxapex and corviknight etc. have much better chances vs things like scarf gholdengo or specs dragapult shadow balls, or AOA chien pao crunch with covert cloak than they do leftovers. Again, it's still quite possible that Garg is banworthy even given all this, but the idea that covert cloak is just too high opportunity cost is weapons-grade copium.

 

[Athyestic]

Alright so im getting kinda tired of having to rotate beetween " is broken" " is broken" and " is broken" so i wanna post a different question for you all, have you guys been having fun with lower tier mons? and what have you been using? Whoever reads whatever im saying knows that i like to use Sylveon as a wishpasser who checks special variants of valiant, and can hold herself in combat, Donphan when Cyclizar was still on the tier was insanely comfy, i also wanna try [TRADE SECRET] in rain due to its decent ofensive typing

the goat
absolutely nothing switches into specs draco bar defensive gholdengo (and spdef corv and like av iron treads i guess??) and the fairies (all of which bar tinkaton die to sludge bomb)
nothing too meta defining but the playstyle of actually just clicking draco with reckless abandon is so much fun you've gotta give it a try

 

[DaddyBuzzwole]

drinking game: every time someone posts a factually false statement trying to ban garga, take a shot

covert cloak doesn't block alcohol poisoning (trust me, i checked) so i'm going to skip this one

 

[Venduria]

the goat
absolutely nothing switches into specs draco bar defensive gholdengo (and spdef corv and like av iron treads i guess??) and the fairies (all of which bar tinkaton die to sludge bomb)
nothing too meta defining but the playstyle of actually just clicking draco with reckless abandon is so much fun you've gotta give it a try

As the local Dragalge stan, I approve this message. I posted this elsewhere as well but I've had a ton of fun with Copycat Vaporeon too.

 

[YataGarasu]

Guys, we're talking about current ou, not what could potentially come. Please stop using mons that aren't available to try to justify the usage of covert cloak. The valid arguments I've seen are the predictable tera, and that there are checks such as meowscarada, and gholdengo. The rng prevention argument is just plain ridiculous, it's been said multiple times that even you're not 100% sure it's actually stopping the rng from occurring, so it can't realistically be used as a point for it's usage, compared to something like nuzzle which it obviously deals with. Continuing on, rng has been a contributing factor for mons getting banned before so I'm a little confused about the point rng blockage is supposed to make, especially when it's currently being used as an argument against chien pao, specifically the defense drop from crunch and potential flinches from icicle crash.

I think that's a misunderstanding of the defense of cloak. Cloak is primarily meant for Pokemon that are slow and or somewhat bulky. It stops RNG such as flinchhax, parahax, trapping moves, stat drops, status affliction that are secondary effects from moves. Which can be a life saver.

In regards to Chien Pao, it can allow certain variant Pokémon that survive IC to not flinch and return KO (Brute Bonnet was an example I used earlier) Chien Pao isn't awful because Crunch defense drops or because of flinch from IC. That's a straw man or absurd claim. Chien Pao is considered broken because Tera Dark 2HKO's nearly the entire metagame, or 1HKOs after applying hazards which are not so easily removed this gen let alone it has priority the speed to outpriority other priority users and beat them so even that's not a safe option. Some of the mons that can survive to return fire can't even break Pao which limits what you MUST have to beat Chien quite often outside of niche crap. Again First Impression Haxorus, Fighting tera Brute Bonnet, and other such concepts.

To fast hyper offensive mon teams, sure cloak is worthless. Most of your mons are either KOing constantly or being KO'd so the gains is meager, but to bulkier, slower mons who can take a hit, it can be a life saver. IH vs. Chien Pao hoping to not get flinchhax and return fire with Drain Punch or CC.

RNG is constantly a part of Pokemon, switch mind games are still somewhat reliant on luck, cloak merely makes certain match ups easier or more likely to end on a favorable position. That's it. It's not a cure all it just diminishes certain risk factors.

Alright so im getting kinda tired of having to rotate beetween " is broken" " is broken" and " is broken" so i wanna post a different question for you all, have you guys been having fun with lower tier mons? and what have you been using? Whoever reads whatever im saying knows that i like to use Sylveon as a wishpasser who checks special variants of valiant, and can hold herself in combat, Donphan when Cyclizar was still on the tier was insanely comfy, i also wanna try [TRADE SECRET] in rain due to its decent ofensive typing

Muk~ Ghost tera, 2HKO's Gholdengo and shreads other ghosts/psychics other than Dirge, also allows 2HKO on Iron moth with Shadow Sneak. haha. Gunk shot nuke is amazing 2HKO's Dondozo even. Drain Punch 1HKO's King Gambit, and easily destroys fairies hopes and dreams.

Haxorus ~ Fire/Bug tera. First impression KO's Pao, to be honest I'm surprised it's not at least UU or UU BL. Old toy syndrome? EQ rips Gholden, Pex, and terrorizes Garg. CC as well. Outrage is a hilarious nuke on non-steel/fairy remnents of a team mid game.

Staraptor: Pretty solid in general though hates running into Gholdengo.

Rotom - Mow- Easily handles Dondozo, and general Rotom Wash options.

I'm thinking of trying to run Zorua but thats a WIP atm.

 

[Morkal]

Klawf

"Klawf appears to be based on various species of crabs with hair-like bristles on their bodies, such as the horsehair crab (which has an orange-brown coloration), the velvet crab (a species found in the Mediterranean Sea), or the Chinese mitten crab (an invasive species in Europe). It may also derive inspiration from rock climbing." - Bulbapedia

"Crabcore shall rise again with Klawf at the helm." - Morkal

Crabcore

BASE STATS	MIN - MAX STAT RANGE
HP: 70	250 - 344
Attack: 100	184 - 328
Defense: 115	211 - 361
Sp. Atk: 35	67 - 185
Sp. Def: 55	103 - 229
Speed: 75	139 - 273

Abilities:
Anger Shell, Shell Armor | HA: Regenerator

Notable Physical + Utility Moves:
Body Slam, Brick Break, Crabhammer, Endeavor, High Horsepower, Knock Off, Protect, Rock Blast, Rock Slide, Rock Tomb, Stealth Rock, Stomping Tantrum, Stone Edge, Substitute, Swords Dance, Tera Blast, Trailblaze, X-Scissor​

(To those I talked to about this on Showdown, I'm sorry that this took longer than I said it would; it took a while for me to optimize the EVs for Klawf to work properly in OU).

Klawf - The madlad, the legend, the rock crab who probably listened to Attack Attack! and Asking Alexandria this morning, Klawf has unfortunately been ignored by most competitive players this generation despite some handy tools and tech. So why would you run Klawf when there are clearly better Stealth Rock setters in the tier, such as Garganacl, Clodsire, and Glimmora? The truth is, Klawf's OU niche isn't meant to compete with any of those Pokemon; it's meant to complement one of them on a team. While this may seem counter-intuitive, it actually allows multiple Pokemon even more breathing room to expand their moveset with a unique tech option. So let's dive into the rock crab's unique place in OU in yet another massive niche Pokemon post.

Disclaimer: To make Klawf work, it should generally be paired with a Pokemon that usually sets Stealth Rock for your team. This is where the bulk of its niche comes from, and it can feel rather underwhelming if your team is not specifically built to take advantage of this combination. Please use it with caution, especially if you're shaky with general damage ranges; it is NOT an easily splashable Pokemon but can provide consistently strong and game-winning results if you play to its strengths.

Summarized Advantages of Klawf
This is a "too long, didn't read" bullet point list for people who don't want to read through the whole post and want a quick understanding of Klawf's OU benefits.​

• Klawf is the only Pokemon in the entire metagame with the unique combination of Regenerator and Stealth Rock, allowing it a specific type of longevity that doesn't require taking up a move slot for something like Recover.
• In addition, the combination of Stealth Rock and Regenerator + Knock Off puts undue pressure on your opponent's spinners and team cores, allowing you additional opportunities to get particular Pokemon in or get specific strategies going and giving your own teambuilding some breathing room due to its excellent role compression.
• Klawf's pure Rock type gives it crucial resistances to Fire, Normal, Flying, and Poison-type attacks. This typing, combined with its solid Defense stat and usable HP stat along with Regenerator, gives it more longevity than one would expect from a Pokemon with a seemingly lacking base stat total of 450 (provided you work around its lackluster Special Defense).
• Klawf's offensive and utility movepool is flexible, meaning that depending on your team's specific needs, you can apply different tech options to your Klawf to fit multiple archetypes, including Balance, Stall, and Hyper Offense.
• Klawf's base 75 Speed is speedy for a physically defensive Rock-type, allowing it to outspeed some unexpected threats with proper EV investment.
• Klawf's STAB Rock Blast with Loaded Dice as an item allows Klawf to successfully handle certain Focus Sash and Substitute Pokemon while hitting unexpectedly hard for a Pokemon without Attack investment.
• Tera Ghost allows Klawf to bait Fighting-type attacks in the mid-late game, allowing Klawf to take down frail Pokemon such as Chien-Pao or set up Rocks on a Pokemon that Klawf would otherwise not want to stay in on, adding a little unpredictability to its main Regenerock set.

Klawf Regenerock Utility

Klawf @ Loaded Dice
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Protect
- Rock Blast​

Klawf's specific utility lies in its ability to weave in and out of combat, setting Stealth Rock and chipping opponents while simultaneously healing without an item or move. Regenerator consistently allows you to reset Rocks if they've been spun away thanks to the HP recovery it provides Klawf, in addition to the additional defensive utility. This playstyle puts additional pressure on your opponent's team core composition, provided you predict against physical attackers correctly. Let's talk about the EVs first; 76 HP and 212 Defense EVs hit particular damage thresholds that allow Klawf to avoid OHKOs and 2HKOs from various critical threats (including with opposing Stealth Rock chip in multiple cases).

Physical Defense Damage Calculations

Super Effective Hits:

252+ Atk Kingambit Iron Head vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 218-260 (72.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Meowscarada Flower Trick vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf on a critical hit: 228-270 (76 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Quaquaval Aqua Step vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 186-218 (62 - 72.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Dragonite Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 182-216 (60.6 - 72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 222-262 (74 - 87.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Iron Treads Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 218-260 (72.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 242-288 (80.6 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Baxcalibur Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 176-208 (58.6 - 69.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Great Tusk Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 204-240 (68 - 80%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Ting-Lu Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 174-206 (58 - 68.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 184-218 (61.3 - 72.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 274-324 (91.3 - 108%) -- 50% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Ceruledge Close Combat vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 190-224 (63.3 - 74.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 Atk Iron Valiant Close Combat vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 240-284 (80 - 94.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Def Dondozo Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 132-156 (44 - 52%) -- 13.3% chance to 2HKO
4 Def Garganacl Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 108-128 (36 - 42.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 4 Def Garganacl Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 214-254 (71.3 - 84.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (+2 Iron Defense)

Super Effective Priority Hits:

252+ Atk Choice Band Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 240-284 (80 - 94.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Technician Breloom Mach Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 146-174 (48.6 - 58%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Aqua Jet vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 176-210 (58.6 - 70%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Neutral Hits:

252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 108-127 (36 - 42.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Meowscarada Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Kingambit Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 96-114 (32 - 38%) -- 93.2% chance to 3HKO

252 Atk Baxcalibur Icicle Crash vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 112-133 (37.3 - 44.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Protean Meowscarada U-turn vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Crunch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 133-157 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Iron Fist Pawmot Thunder Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 100-118 (33.3 - 39.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

252+ Atk Choice Band Dragapult Dragon Darts (2 hits) vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 188-224 (62.6 - 74.6%) -- approx. 2HKO
252+ Atk Kingambit Kowtow Cleave vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 117-138 (39 - 46%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
200+ Atk Choice Band Iron Hands Wild Charge vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 183-216 (61 - 72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Hatterene Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 84-99 (28 - 33%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

Resisted Hits:

252+ Atk Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 36-43 (12 - 14.3%) -- possible 7HKO (If Klawf is at full health, the absolute MAX Adamant Dragonite can do with a non-critical hit combination of Earthquake and Extremespeed is 86.3%. The lowest possible damage that can be done with that combination is 72.6%).
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Acrobatics (55 BP) vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 30-36 (10 - 12%) -- possible 9HKO
252 Atk Ceruledge Bitter Blade vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 53-63 (17.6 - 21%) -- possible 5HKO
0 Atk Corviknight Brave Bird vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 42-51 (14 - 17%) -- possible 6HKO
164 Atk Cinderace Pyro Ball vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 63-74 (21 - 24.6%) -- guaranteed 5HKO​

As you can see, Klawf can withstand a hit or three consistently. With Regenerator, this allows Klawf to be a more favorable switch-in (or to stay in on a switch-in) for numerous Pokemon that it otherwise wouldn't be able to deal with. This additional unexpected turn can provide key momentum for not only your next teammate but would allow you to get up Stealth Rocks or Knock Off an opposing item that you otherwise wouldn't be able to at that moment. So you're likely wondering, "Okay, I see Klawf's physically defensive utility, but what's with the HP EVs, and how can I get around Klawf's middling Special Defense?" The EVs allow Klawf to live some unexpected hits from powerful Special Attackers in the tier. In some of these cases, Klawf can outspeed and either set up Rocks, OHKO or at least heavily damage with STAB Rock Blast or Knock Off their item, crippling them for the rest of the match.

Special Defense Damage Calculations

Super Effective Hits:

0 SpA Volcarona Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 226-268 (75.3 - 89.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Amoonguss Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 228-270 (76 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Neutral Hits:

252 SpA Iron Valiant Moonblast vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 237-280 (79 - 93.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Valiant Thunderbolt vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 150-177 (50 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 62-73 (20.6 - 24.3%) -- guaranteed 5HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 92-109 (30.6 - 36.3%) -- 56.5% chance to 3HKO

8 SpA Skeledirge Hex (65 BP) vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 124-147 (41.3 - 49%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
4 SpA Gholdengo Hex (65 BP) vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 145-172 (48.3 - 57.3%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO

0 SpA Hatterene Draining Kiss vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Rotom-Wash Volt Switch vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 127-151 (42.3 - 50.3%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO

Resisted Hits:

252 SpA Iron Moth Flamethrower vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 126-148 (42 - 49.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Flamethrower vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 99-116 (33 - 38.6%) -- 99.8% chance to 3HKO

0 SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 90-106 (30 - 35.3%) -- 25% chance to 3HKO
8 SpA Skeledirge Torch Song vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 76-90 (25.3 - 30%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
8 SpA Torkoal Lava Plume vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf in Sun: 92-108 (30.6 - 36%) -- 50.1% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Iron Moth Sludge Wave vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 132-156 (44 - 52%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO​

Now that we've talked about its defensive capabilities, let's talk about how Klawf's offensive capabilities (even without investment) are quite potent. Rock Blast acts as Klawf's go-to STAB with Loaded Dice to ensure at least four hits (sometimes five) and works better with this specific set due to its utility as a move + the STAB bonus. Rock Blast has the same accuracy as Rock Slide yet is more powerful with the assured four hits while reaching the same power as Stone Edge with five hits. Additionally, Rock Blast can break both Focus Sash and Substitute Pokemon while providing additional damage or OHKOing them, thanks to the multi-hitting move style. You'd be surprised as to just how much damage Rock Blast Klawf can dish out consistently with 0 Attack and a neutral nature. Of course, Knock-Off's utility is always helpful, but what's surprising is how its damage output is situationally useful and can chunk some common Pokemon in the Meta, even frustrating threats like Defensive Gholdengo.

Rock Blast Damage Calculations

Super Effective Hits:

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 264-320 (74.5 - 90.3%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 330-400 (93.2 - 112.9%) -- approx. 93.8% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 264-320 (90.7 - 109.9%) -- approx. 50% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 330-400 (113.4 - 137.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Chien-Pao: 264-320 (87.7 - 106.3%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Chien-Pao: 330-400 (109.6 - 132.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Cinderace: 272-336 (84.7 - 104.6%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Cinderace: 340-420 (105.9 - 130.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 144 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 112-136 (31.1 - 37.8%) -- approx. 91.4% chance to 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 144 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 140-170 (38.9 - 47.3%) -- approx. 3HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Moth: 336-392 (111.6 - 130.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 224-272 (54.5 - 66.1%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 280-340 (68.1 - 82.7%) -- approx. 2HKO (Assured OHKO with Stealth Rock chip, provided you've Knocked Off Heavy-Duty Boots)

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 248 HP / 108 Def Volcarona: 528-640 (141.5 - 171.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Neutral Hits:

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 116 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 132-160 (35.6 - 43.2%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 116 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 165-200 (44.5 - 54%) -- approx. 25.4% chance to 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 136-168 (42.9 - 52.9%) -- approx. 6.6% chance to 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 170-210 (53.6 - 66.2%) -- approx. 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Grimmsnarl: 156-184 (39.5 - 46.7%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Grimmsnarl: 195-230 (49.4 - 58.3%) -- approx. 99.6% chance to 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Meowscarada: 148-180 (50.5 - 61.4%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Meowscarada: 185-225 (63.1 - 76.7%) -- approx. 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 144-172 (41 - 49%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 180-215 (51.2 - 61.2%) -- approx. 2HKO

Knock-Off Damage Calculations

0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 170-200 (48 - 56.4%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gholdengo: 104-124 (27.5 - 32.8%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 140-166 (34 - 40.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 178-210 (56.1 - 66.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO​

Additionally, Protect eases the burden of prediction against quite a few Pokemon. This allows you to scout rare tech options on particular Pokemon and helps with mind games and switch prediction. So now we've talked about Klawf's Offensive and Defensive capabilities; what about its utility and speed? With 220 EVs in Speed and a Jolly nature, Klawf reaches a respectable 265 Speed. You may be thinking that 265 Speed from 220 EVs + Jolly isn't much of a speed benchmark compared to some of OU's behemoths; however, it becomes a lot more impressive for a defensive Pokemon in Klawf's position as Klawf consistently outspeeds the following -

Klawf Always Outspeeds (Excluding

):
Amoonguss, Azumarill, Breloom, Clodsire, Corviknight, Dondozo, Dragonite (Any Set Not Running 252 EVs + Jolly Nature), Garganacl, Grimmsnarl, Hatterene, Iron Hands, Kingambit, Scizor, Skeledirge, Ting-Lu, Torkoal, Toxapex.

Klawf Outspeeds Specific Sets:
Ceruledge (Bulk Up), Gholdengo (Nasty Plot Defensive), Quaquaval (Bulk Up), Rotom-Wash (Defensive), Baxcalibur (Defensive sets with less than 124 Speed EVs with a Positive Speed Nature or less than 220 Speed EVs with a Neutral Nature)​

Klawf can additionally turn a faster Pokemon's speed against it by Terastallizing into Tera Ghost. Tera Ghost provides Klawf with a far superior typing that gives it a critical immunity to Fighting-type moves (along with a situational yet nifty Normal immunity) and resistances to Bug and Poison type attacks. It also does away with Klawf's frustrating weaknesses to Water, Ground, Grass, Steel, and the previously mentioned Fighting-type attacks. This can allow Klawf to live some unexpectedly powerful moves that it wouldn't have been able to with its pure Rock typing, and also allows it to no longer fear specific threats that relied on its typing remaining pure Rock, such as Breloom. Klawf's best partners are Stealth Rock setters, who have an additional free moveslot for different set variants thanks to Klawf handling Stealth Rock duties. From my testing, I've found that some of the best partners for Klawf are Clodsire, Garchomp, Garganacl, Glimmora, Kingambit, and Ting-Lu.

Conclusion

Klawf is a Pokemon that can be hard to use at times, but if you build your team well, it can help your synergistic cores feel a bit of breathing room in OU's chaotic yet somewhat still-centralized meta. Regenerator + Stealth Rock and Knock Off with Loaded Dice and STAB Rock Blast is something no other Pokemon can do. While it may seem like a very niche choice, it's been one of the most valuable Pokemon on a variety of my teams in different playstyles. So what are you waiting for? Give Klawf a try today!

Post Edits + Next Possible Niche OU Pokepicks

Edit #1: Grammatical fixes + added some additional information context + some likely candidates that I've been testing that I'll eventually make a post for here in the same style as the Klawf post

Niche OU Pokepicks (Currently in testing phase) -

There are others as well, but until I'm farther along in testing/I'm more confident in their niche, I won't be mentioning them.

 

[Lobby Eeveee]

Alright so im getting kinda tired of having to rotate beetween " is broken" " is broken" and " is broken" so i wanna post a different question for you all, have you guys been having fun with lower tier mons? and what have you been using? Whoever reads whatever im saying knows that i like to use Sylveon as a wishpasser who checks special variants of valiant, and can hold herself in combat, Donphan when Cyclizar was still on the tier was insanely comfy, i also wanna try [TRADE SECRET] in rain due to its decent ofensive typing

I’m using specs Salamence on my rain teams

 

[Venduria]

Klawf

"Klawf appears to be based on various species of crabs with hair-like bristles on their bodies, such as the horsehair crab (which has an orange-brown coloration), the velvet crab (a species found in the Mediterranean Sea), or the Chinese mitten crab (an invasive species in Europe). It may also derive inspiration from rock climbing." - Bulbapedia

"Crabcore shall rise again with Klawf at the helm." - Morkal

Crabcore

BASE STATS	MIN - MAX STAT RANGE
HP: 70	250 - 344
Attack: 100	184 - 328
Defense: 115	211 - 361
Sp. Atk: 35	67 - 185
Sp. Def: 55	103 - 229
Speed: 75	139 - 273

Abilities:
Anger Shell, Shell Armor | HA: Regenerator

Notable Physical + Utility Moves:
Body Slam, Brick Break, Crabhammer, Endeavor, High Horsepower, Knock Off, Protect, Rock Blast, Rock Slide, Rock Tomb, Stealth Rock, Stomping Tantrum, Stone Edge, Substitute, Swords Dance, Tera Blast, Trailblaze, X-Scissor​

(To those I talked to about this on Showdown, I'm sorry that this took longer than I said it would; it took a while for me to optimize the EVs for Klawf to work properly in OU).

Klawf - The madlad, the legend, the rock crab who probably listened to Attack Attack! and Asking Alexandria this morning, Klawf has unfortunately been ignored by most competitive players this generation despite some handy tools and tech. So why would you run Klawf when there are clearly better Stealth Rock setters in the tier, such as Garganacl, Clodsire, and Glimmora? The truth is, Klawf's OU niche isn't meant to compete with any of those Pokemon; it's meant to complement one of them on a team. While this may seem counter-intuitive, it actually allows multiple Pokemon even more breathing room to expand their moveset with a unique tech option. So let's dive into the rock crab's unique place in OU in yet another massive niche Pokemon post.

Disclaimer: To make Klawf work, it should generally be paired with a Pokemon that usually sets Stealth Rock for your team. This is where the bulk of its niche comes from, and it can feel rather underwhelming if your team is not specifically built to take advantage of this combination. Please use it with caution, especially if you're shaky with general damage ranges; it is NOT an easily splashable Pokemon but can provide consistently strong and game-winning results if you play to its strengths.

Summarized Advantages of Klawf
This is a "too long, didn't read" bullet point list for people who don't want to read through the whole post and want a quick understanding of Klawf's OU benefits.​

• Klawf is the only Pokemon in the entire metagame with the unique combination of Regenerator and Stealth Rock, allowing it a specific type of longevity that doesn't require taking up a move slot for something like Recover.
• In addition, the combination of Stealth Rock and Regenerator + Knock Off puts undue pressure on your opponent's spinners and team cores, allowing you additional opportunities to get particular Pokemon in or get specific strategies going and giving your own teambuilding some breathing room due to its excellent role compression.
• Klawf's pure Rock type gives it crucial resistances to Fire, Normal, Flying, and Poison-type attacks. This typing, combined with its solid Defense stat and usable HP stat along with Regenerator, gives it more longevity than one would expect from a Pokemon with a seemingly lacking base stat total of 450 (provided you work around its lackluster Special Defense).
• Klawf's offensive and utility movepool is flexible, meaning that depending on your team's specific needs, you can apply different tech options to your Klawf to fit multiple archetypes, including Balance, Stall, and Hyper Offense.
• Klawf's base 75 Speed is speedy for a physically defensive Rock-type, allowing it to outspeed some unexpected threats with proper EV investment.
• Klawf's STAB Rock Blast with Loaded Dice as an item allows Klawf to successfully handle certain Focus Sash and Substitute Pokemon while hitting unexpectedly hard for a Pokemon without Attack investment.
• Tera Ghost allows Klawf to bait Fighting-type attacks in the mid-late game, allowing Klawf to take down frail Pokemon such as Chien-Pao or set up Rocks on a Pokemon that Klawf would otherwise not want to stay in on, adding a little unpredictability to its main Regenerock set.

Klawf Regenerock Utility

Klawf @ Loaded Dice
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Protect
- Rock Blast​

Klawf's specific utility lies in its ability to weave in and out of combat, resetting Rocks and chipping opponents while simultaneously healing without an item or move. Regenerator consistently allows you to reset Rocks if they've been spun away thanks to the HP recovery it provides Klawf. This playstyle puts additional pressure on your opponent's team core composition, provided you predict against physical attackers correctly. Let's talk about the EVs first; 76 HP and 212 Defense EVs hit particular damage thresholds that allow Klawf to avoid OHKOs and 2HKOs from various critical threats (including with opposing Stealth Rock chip in multiple cases).

Physical Defense Damage Calculations
View attachment 484981
View attachment 484978

Super Effective Hits:

252+ Atk Kingambit Iron Head vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 218-260 (72.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Meowscarada Flower Trick vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf on a critical hit: 228-270 (76 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Quaquaval Aqua Step vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 186-218 (62 - 72.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Dragonite Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 182-216 (60.6 - 72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 222-262 (74 - 87.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Iron Treads Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 218-260 (72.6 - 86.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 242-288 (80.6 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Baxcalibur Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 176-208 (58.6 - 69.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Great Tusk Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 204-240 (68 - 80%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Ting-Lu Earthquake vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 174-206 (58 - 68.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 184-218 (61.3 - 72.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sacred Sword vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 274-324 (91.3 - 108%) -- 50% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Ceruledge Close Combat vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 190-224 (63.3 - 74.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 Atk Iron Valiant Close Combat vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 240-284 (80 - 94.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Def Dondozo Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 132-156 (44 - 52%) -- 13.3% chance to 2HKO
4 Def Garganacl Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 108-128 (36 - 42.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 4 Def Garganacl Body Press vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 214-254 (71.3 - 84.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (+2 Iron Defense)

Super Effective Priority Hits:

252+ Atk Choice Band Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 240-284 (80 - 94.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Technician Breloom Mach Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 146-174 (48.6 - 58%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Aqua Jet vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 176-210 (58.6 - 70%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Neutral Hits:

252 Atk Sword of Ruin Chien-Pao Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 108-127 (36 - 42.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Meowscarada Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Kingambit Sucker Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 96-114 (32 - 38%) -- 93.2% chance to 3HKO

252 Atk Baxcalibur Icicle Crash vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 112-133 (37.3 - 44.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Protean Meowscarada U-turn vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Crunch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 133-157 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Iron Fist Pawmot Thunder Punch vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 100-118 (33.3 - 39.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

252+ Atk Choice Band Dragapult Dragon Darts (2 hits) vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 188-224 (62.6 - 74.6%) -- approx. 2HKO
252+ Atk Kingambit Kowtow Cleave vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 117-138 (39 - 46%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
200+ Atk Choice Band Iron Hands Wild Charge vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 183-216 (61 - 72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Hatterene Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 84-99 (28 - 33%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

Resisted Hits:

252+ Atk Dragonite Extreme Speed vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 36-43 (12 - 14.3%) -- possible 7HKO (If Klawf is at full health, the absolute MAX Adamant Dragonite can do with a non-critical hit combination of Earthquake and Extremespeed is 86.3%. The lowest possible damage that can be done with that combination is 72.6%).
252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Acrobatics (55 BP) vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 30-36 (10 - 12%) -- possible 9HKO
252 Atk Ceruledge Bitter Blade vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 53-63 (17.6 - 21%) -- possible 5HKO
0 Atk Corviknight Brave Bird vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 42-51 (14 - 17%) -- possible 6HKO
164 Atk Cinderace Pyro Ball vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 63-74 (21 - 24.6%) -- guaranteed 5HKO​

As you can see, Klawf can withstand a hit or three consistently. With Regenerator, this allows Klawf to be a more favorable switch-in (or to stay in on a switch-in) for numerous Pokemon that it otherwise wouldn't be able to deal with. This additional unexpected turn can provide key momentum for not only your next teammate but would allow you to get up Stealth Rocks or Knock Off an opposing item that you otherwise wouldn't be able to at that moment. So you're likely wondering, "Okay, I see Klawf's physically defensive utility, but what's with the HP EVs, and how can I get around Klawf's middling Special Defense?" The EVs allow Klawf to live some unexpected hits from powerful Special Attackers in the tier. In some of these cases, Klawf can outspeed and either set up Rocks, OHKO or at least heavily damage with STAB Rock Blast or Knock Off their item, crippling them for the rest of the match.

Special Defense Damage Calculations
View attachment 484981
View attachment 484978

Super Effective Hits:

0 SpA Volcarona Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 226-268 (75.3 - 89.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Amoonguss Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 228-270 (76 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Neutral Hits:

252 SpA Iron Valiant Moonblast vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 237-280 (79 - 93.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Valiant Thunderbolt vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 150-177 (50 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 62-73 (20.6 - 24.3%) -- guaranteed 5HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Psyshock vs. 76 HP / 212 Def Klawf: 92-109 (30.6 - 36.3%) -- 56.5% chance to 3HKO

8 SpA Skeledirge Hex (65 BP) vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 124-147 (41.3 - 49%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
4 SpA Gholdengo Hex (65 BP) vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 145-172 (48.3 - 57.3%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO

0 SpA Hatterene Draining Kiss vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 114-135 (38 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Rotom-Wash Volt Switch vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 127-151 (42.3 - 50.3%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO

Resisted Hits:

252 SpA Iron Moth Flamethrower vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 126-148 (42 - 49.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Flamethrower vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 99-116 (33 - 38.6%) -- 99.8% chance to 3HKO

0 SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 90-106 (30 - 35.3%) -- 25% chance to 3HKO
8 SpA Skeledirge Torch Song vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 76-90 (25.3 - 30%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
8 SpA Torkoal Lava Plume vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf in Sun: 92-108 (30.6 - 36%) -- 50.1% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Iron Moth Sludge Wave vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Klawf: 132-156 (44 - 52%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO​

Now that we've talked about its defensive capabilities, let's talk about how Klawf's offensive capabilities (even without investment) are quite potent. Rock Blast acts as Klawf's go-to STAB with Loaded Dice to ensure at least four hits (sometimes five). It has the same accuracy as Rock Slide but is more powerful and can break both Focus Sash and Substitute Pokemon while providing additional damage or OHKOing them, thanks to Rock Blasts' multi-hitting move style; you'd be surprised as to just how much damage Rock Blast Klawf can dish out consistently. Of course, Knock-Off's utility is always helpful, but what's surprising is how its damage output is situationally useful and can chunk some common Pokemon in the Meta, even frustrating threats like Defensive Gholdengo.

Rock Blast Damage Calculations
View attachment 484979
Super Effective Hits:

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 264-320 (74.5 - 90.3%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 330-400 (93.2 - 112.9%) -- approx. 93.8% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 264-320 (90.7 - 109.9%) -- approx. 50% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 330-400 (113.4 - 137.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Chien-Pao: 264-320 (87.7 - 106.3%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Chien-Pao: 330-400 (109.6 - 132.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Cinderace: 272-336 (84.7 - 104.6%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Cinderace: 340-420 (105.9 - 130.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 144 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 112-136 (31.1 - 37.8%) -- approx. 91.4% chance to 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 144 HP / 0 Def Multiscale Dragonite: 140-170 (38.9 - 47.3%) -- approx. 3HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Iron Moth: 336-392 (111.6 - 130.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 224-272 (54.5 - 66.1%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 280-340 (68.1 - 82.7%) -- approx. 2HKO (Assured OHKO with Stealth Rock chip, provided you've Knocked Off Heavy-Duty Boots)

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 248 HP / 108 Def Volcarona: 528-640 (141.5 - 171.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Neutral Hits:

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 116 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 132-160 (35.6 - 43.2%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 116 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 165-200 (44.5 - 54%) -- approx. 25.4% chance to 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 136-168 (42.9 - 52.9%) -- approx. 6.6% chance to 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 170-210 (53.6 - 66.2%) -- approx. 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Grimmsnarl: 156-184 (39.5 - 46.7%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Grimmsnarl: 195-230 (49.4 - 58.3%) -- approx. 99.6% chance to 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Meowscarada: 148-180 (50.5 - 61.4%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Meowscarada: 185-225 (63.1 - 76.7%) -- approx. 2HKO

0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (4 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 144-172 (41 - 49%) -- approx. 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Roaring Moon: 180-215 (51.2 - 61.2%) -- approx. 2HKO

Knock-Off Damage Calculations

0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ceruledge: 170-200 (48 - 56.4%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gholdengo: 104-124 (27.5 - 32.8%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Skeledirge: 140-166 (34 - 40.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Klawf Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 178-210 (56.1 - 66.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO​

Additionally, Protect eases the burden of prediction against quite a few Pokemon. This allows you to scout rare tech options on particular Pokemon and helps with mind games and switch prediction. So now we've talked about Klawf's Offensive and Defensive capabilities; what about its utility and speed? With 220 EVs in Speed and a Jolly nature, Klawf reaches a respectable 265 Speed. 265 Speed from 220 EVs + Jolly might not seem like much of a speed benchmark until you realize Klawf outspeeds the following -

Klawf Always Outspeeds (Excluding View attachment 484989):
Amoonguss, Azumarill, Breloom, Clodsire, Corviknight, Dondozo, Dragonite (Any Set Not Running 252 EVs + Jolly Nature), Garganacl, Grimmsnarl, Hatterene, Iron Hands, Kingambit, Scizor, Skeledirge, Ting-Lu, Torkoal, Toxapex.

Klawf Outspeeds Specific Sets:
Ceruledge (Bulk Up), Gholdengo (Nasty Plot Defensive), Quaquaval (Bulk Up), Rotom-Wash (Defensive), Baxcalibur (Defensive sets with less than 124 Speed EVs with a Positive Speed Nature or less than 220 Speed EVs with a Neutral Nature)​

Klawf can additionally turn a faster Pokemon's speed against it by Terastallizing into Tera Ghost. Tera Ghost provides Klawf with a far superior typing that gives it a critical immunity to Fighting-type moves (along with a situational yet nifty Normal immunity) and resistances to Bug and Poison type attacks. It also does away with Klawf's frustrating weaknesses to Water, Ground, Grass, Steel, and the previously mentioned Fighting-type attacks. This can allow Klawf to live some unexpectedly powerful moves that it wouldn't have been able to with its pure Rock typing, and also allows it to no longer fear specific threats that relied on its typing remaining pure Rock, such as Breloom. Klawf's best partners are Stealth Rock setters, who have an additional free moveslot for different set variants thanks to Klawf handling Stealth Rock duties. From my testing, I've found that some of the best partners for Klawf are Clodsire, Garchomp, Garganacl, Glimmora, Kingambit, and Ting-Lu.

Conclusion
View attachment 484993​

Klawf is a Pokemon that can be hard to use at times, but if you build your team well, it can help your synergistic cores feel a bit of breathing room in OU's chaotic yet somewhat still-centralized meta. Regenerator + Stealth Rock and Knock Off with Loaded Dice and STAB Rock Blast is something no other Pokemon can do. While it may seem like a very niche choice, it's been one of the most valuable Pokemon on a variety of my teams in different playstyles. So what are you waiting for? Give Klawf a try today!

Much love for the crab. I caught a shiny in Violet so I tried to make Anger Shell Weakness Policy work... until I realized Anger Shell raises and lowers stats by only one stage. If it was a Shell Smash equivalent boost this mon could have been really interesting, but alas that set is verifiably Klawful.

 

[XtheGAMEmaster]

Hi, new forums user here! Nice to meet you all!

Guys, we're talking about current ou, not what could potentially come. Please stop using mons that aren't available to try to justify the usage of covert cloak. The valid arguments I've seen are the predictable tera, and that there are checks such as meowscarada, and gholdengo. The rng prevention argument is just plain ridiculous, it's been said multiple times that even you're not 100% sure it's actually stopping the rng from occurring, so it can't realistically be used as a point for it's usage, compared to something like nuzzle which it obviously deals with. Continuing on, rng has been a contributing factor for mons getting banned before so I'm a little confused about the point rng blockage is supposed to make, especially when it's currently being used as an argument against chien pao, specifically the defense drop from crunch and potential flinches from icicle crash.

From my own personal experience, Covert Cloak seems to have a lot more usage than just covering for the Garg matchup- It’s a much more specific use than something like Leftovers or Heavy Duty Boots, and sees the most play BECAUSE of that matchup, but it isn’t the sole reason the item can be inherently good. Saying the opportunity cost is higher vs Leftovers or HDB may also be true, but doesn’t lessen Covert Cloak’s OWN value because of what it offers.

In older gens, you wouldn’t say Lum Berry is a bad item because “all it does is stop burns from Scald"- Because in those gens, Scald was common, relevant to take into account, and Lum Berry is useful even outside the Scald matchup because it can get value by stopping stray status caused by other moves too, like Toxic, Thunderbolt’s Paralysis, or Ice Beam’s Freeze. Even when the opponent doesn’t bring a move that directly apply status OR Scald, chances are they carry a move that has can afflict status as a secondary effect that Lum Berry still gives value against. If the opponent’s secondary effects never proced, or they never used a status move, sure, Lum Berry was a wasted item slot. But in almost every game, you can’t guarantee that you’ll avoid stray status, which is why the item is still useful.

In Covert Cloak’s case, Garg is Scald- it might be the FIRST reason you consider using the item over something else, but when you look at all the other attacks your mons are taking, you might find that the item is giving you more value than you’d expect, especially on slower or bulkier mons. Sure, if you had a perfect game and those secondary effects never came into effect, you could have used a more effective item, but there’s no way to guarantee that. And sometimes, all a Mon needs to succeed is to be able to avoid hax altogether instead of needing Leftovers or HDB- Such as Bulky Gholdengo or Toxapex. (And unlike a Lum Berry, Covert Cloak has more than a one-time use!)

Klawf @ Loaded Dice
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Protect
- Rock Blast​

this Klawf set is my new dad

In all seriousness, this is extremely well put together, love seeing Regenerator putting in work. I’ll be sure to try using this later!

 

[Athyestic]

Hi, new forums user here! Nice to meet you all!

Hello!

this Klawf set is my new dad

...what happened to your old one

 

[XtheGAMEmaster]

...what happened to your old one

He's fine! I just have two dads now and one of them is Klawf

 

[Morkal]

Much love for the crab. I caught a shiny in Violet so I tried to make Anger Shell Weakness Policy work... until I realized Anger Shell raises and lowers stats by only one stage. If it was a Shell Smash equivalent boost this mon could have been really interesting, but alas that set is verifiably Klawful.

Anger Shell interested me at first as well, but the -1 defensive drops and 50% lost health requirement for just +1 offenses really didn't appeal to me despite the possibilities I could somewhat kinda see for its potential usage in that role, so I ended up working with its defensive and utility profile + Regenerator. Veluza's Fillet Away kinda interests me more in the "drop 50% but get stat boosts out the wazoo" niche, and even then, I've been having trouble getting that to work x-x

...what happened to your old one

He's fine! I just have two dads now and one of them is Klawf

We are witnessing the real-time documentation and notation of the Klawf bloodline; praise be to the rock crab

 

[Ctann]

if only covert cloak could block the effects of klawfs knock off

I mean a covert cloak would have prevented hatterene from 6-0ing this team, or it could have given the sweeping hatterene immunity to the nuzzle and crunch defense drop.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-1776584413-xhrkqqoidlfz9lez6xna94wyszhfdgtpw

In this second replay, with the same crappy gholdengo weak team, a toxapex cancels hatterene ability to make progress, thanks to the cloak!

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-1771354746-67xere7kmzjdtwhhpzxut204d8c8x7vpw

in the rematch against the previous person, hatterene is once again unable to make progress vs toxapex

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-1771349623-cjp48ar1z6ug8xx99a6gh14nu1lvjtkpw

So it’s useful against more than garganacl

—

please excuse the replays being lower than 1800s, I’ve been having fun with the team, but it’s very weak to the two most common Pokémon in OU, as well as glimmora/hazard spam in general. Happy to build a proper team and paste higher quality replays if it helps :)

 

[Ryolain]

Comparisons between boots, leftovers, and other items and covert cloak are mostly silly. You're using covert cloak to actively invalidate another pokemon. whereas other items are have more passive benefits that are broadly applicable. Boots may invalidate life orb garchomp's spikes for the pokemon you use them on, but it does nothing to actually eliviate the problem of switching into garchomp. If your frame of reference is that items should always be this passive, broadly applicable, benefit to the user, of course things like boots and leftovers are going to unmatched in their utility. I have a team with heavy duty boots Great Tusk, specifically for hyper offense teams that can pressure tusk by making doubles. Is heavy duty boots a particularly good item in vacuum on Great Tusk? Not really, in the majority of scenarios leftovers is vastly superior on a bulky spinner that lacks recovery and is 4x resistant to rocks. It's just an item that gives me the most benefit vs a common opposing team structure, and I'd rather eat the opportunity cost of being slightly worse vs other teams to give myself a better chance vs hazard stack HO. Covert cloak benefits you massively in a Garganacl matchup, while the opportunity cost vs other teams is slightly higher. As I side in a previous post, a single item slot is an extremely low opportunity cost. In a 1v1 vacuum, things like toxapex and corviknight etc. have much better chances vs things like scarf gholdengo or specs dragapult shadow balls, or AOA chien pao crunch with covert cloak than they do leftovers. Again, it's still quite possible that Garg is banworthy even given all this, but the idea that covert cloak is just too high opportunity cost is weapons-grade copium.

Reiterating what I’ve said before on this top: confirmation bias plays a huge role in CC discourse. Not just in the sense that you can’t see when CC blocked hax, but it’s very easy to assume that any item whose effect you can actively see did something useful. However, just because you got some Lefties recovery or didn’t take hazards damage or got your 1.3x LO damage boost doesn’t necessarily mean that item choice actually made a difference in the battle and that you wouldn’t have won anyway just based on the matchup and how you played. This isn’t a MOBA where you can get MVP if you heal or block the most damage, all that matters is if your opponent’s Pokémon faint before yours, so if you would’ve won even without those 3 turns of Lefties recovery then Lefties was not a useful item for you in that battle.

That all being said, if Garg goes I think CC usage will absolutely drop, but I think it will retain a spot in the meta especially for particularly risk-averse players. IMO it’s overall a pretty good anti-power creep option in a game where defensive mons are constantly being stretched thinner to check more offensive threats and one unlucky roll can be all it takes to let something punch a hole through your team (especially since a lot of people also rely on Garg itself as a status absorber, a role that will be even harder to fill if Gholdengo goes too).

 

[Vrin]

I don't see why Covert Cloak Toxapex to decisively handle most Garganacl variants is seen as an extreme teambuilding compromise, but Shed Shell Toxapex in previous generations to kinda-sorta deal with Heatran was viewed more as a "cool tech". Not to equate Garganacl to Heatran (any direct comparisons between the two of them are obviously incredible stretches), but running an item to better the matchup versus a specific threat is not exactly a new thing, nor is it actually necessary to beat Garganacl; it's just a way that teams which would otherwise lose to Garganacl can significantly bolster their matchup. Similarly, in ADV, Spikes "forces" one to run a Spinner if their team can't deal with Spikes pressure, but most players would agree that Spikes are a positive influence on the the ADV metagame overall — and plenty of teams can handle Spikes without needing a Spinner (e.g. consider a mixed offense team or a superman team or whatever), just as many SV OU teams can handle Garganacl without needing to dedicate an item slot to it. Hell, sacrificing an item slot on an already-good Pokemon like Gholdengo, Corviknight, Hatterene, Toxapex, or Amoonguss feels like much less of a burden than being forced to run a suboptimal Pokemon just because it gets Spin.

If your team handles Garganacl naturally (say with Regenerator cores or unconventional wallbreakers or whatever), you don't need Cloak; if it doesn't, you can run Cloak to patch up that flaw. This dynamic does not seem unhealthy to me by itself; if anything, I think one could argue it incentivizes good teambuilding, in that it rewards players for recognizing a potential flaw in their team and accounting for it by compromising on item slots, or alternatively a player can benefit from running a specific structure by having an item slot freed up. It adds "crunchiness" to the teambuilding process, a type of "texture" that Faiygens often lack — teambuilding since the Defog buff has often ended up just being "smack 6 vaguely-synergistic goodstuff mons together", with none of the flavour that having to run shitmons like ADV Claydol or BW Politoed or whatever adds; perhaps this is why the Cloak feels jarring, since it's forcing a "suboptimal" item when we've had multiple generations of just being able to smack together 6 Pokemon that are A+ viability on their own merits without putting any meaningful thought into matchup spread. But really, Garganacl does not feel particularly warping in the teambuilder to me, and the compromises one has to make to deal with it don't really feel more stringent than any other threat right now.

Garganacl is perhaps unhealthy for other reasons, but "forcing Cloak usage" feels like a big stretch, as to me, that premise is neither true nor an undue burden. If anything, being a top-tier mon that you can just decide in the builder "I basically never lose to this" with a small teambuilding compromise feels like a sign of a healthy threat to me, rather than something like Chien-Pao that can get around all but the most dedicated answers with a well-timed flinch or Tera.

——

That said, I don't like this "Covert Cloak is actually a good item, trust me guys" narrative. People wouldn't be running Cloak if not for Garg. That much is very obvious. It can be helpful in other situations, yes, but that's clearly not why people run it. Still, dedicating an item to handle a threat is not really that far outside the bounds of reasonable counterplay — I mean, people ran Passho Volcarona back in the day.

 

[Ctann]

Vrin you nailed it, it’s basically an item that’s used for garganacl weak teams, that doesn’t require a big investment or team redesign.

keep in mind, the argument isn’t that “oh cloak is actually a good item”, it’s more that “oh, it actually has utility outside of the matchup with garganacl”

long story short if garganacl were broken, it would be a fairy type rather than rock type!

 

[Rootb]

Similarly, in ADV, Spikes "forces" one to run a Spinner if their team can't deal with Spikes pressure, but most players would agree that Spikes are a positive influence on the the ADV metagame overall — and plenty of teams can handle Spikes without needing a Spinner (e.g. consider a mixed offense team or a superman team or whatever), just as many SV OU teams can handle Garganacl without needing to dedicate an item slot to it.

If your team handles Garganacl naturally (say with Regenerator cores or unconventional wallbreakers or whatever), you don't need Cloak; if it doesn't, you can run Cloak to patch up that flaw. This dynamic does not seem unhealthy to me by itself; if anything, I think one could argue it incentivizes good teambuilding, in that it rewards players for recognizing a potential flaw in their team and accounting for it by compromising on item slots, or alternatively a player can benefit from running a specific structure by having an item slot freed up. It adds "crunchiness" to the teambuilding process, a type of "texture" that Faiygens often lack — teambuilding since the Defog buff has often ended up just being "smack 6 vaguely-synergistic goodstuff mons together", with none of the flavour that having to run shitmons like ADV Claydol or BW Politoed or whatever adds; perhaps this is why the Cloak feels jarring, since it's forcing a "suboptimal" item when we've had multiple generations of just being able to smack together 6 Pokemon that are A+ viability on their own merits without putting any meaningful thought into matchup spread.

I'd actually like to touch on the Spikes comparison a bit, since entry hazards are absolutely a core feature of comp at this point. Something i've seen a lot is this phenomenon where people will see a Garg switch in, switch in on a Salt Cure, then immediately pivot out, having done nothing but taken chip damage in the process.

Or, even worse? After switching in, they attack into a protect, and then switch out into a second Salt Cure! In either of these cases, Covert Cloak would have absolutely have changed the dynamic, but also.. isn't this just juggling into entry hazards? It's something that players should know not to do, telegraphed by a mon they've definitely seen before.

 

[Ctann]

I hope 1600s isn’t too low to be taken seriously, tho this is the first game I had after quickly putting together a Slowking team together.

excuse the stupid things, like forgetting that garganacl resists ghost haha

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-1776654410

no covert cloak, still dealt with garganacl fine.

 

[Alternator]

Alright so im getting kinda tired of having to rotate beetween " is broken" " is broken" and " is broken" so i wanna post a different question for you all, have you guys been having fun with lower tier mons? and what have you been using? Whoever reads whatever im saying knows that i like to use Sylveon as a wishpasser who checks special variants of valiant, and can hold herself in combat, Donphan when Cyclizar was still on the tier was insanely comfy, i also wanna try [TRADE SECRET] in rain due to its decent ofensive typing

Defensive Talonflame does great work, though it is not going to stop a banded Chien-Pao:

252 Atk Choice Band Sword of Ruin Tera Dark Chien-Pao Crunch vs. 252 HP / 204 Def Talonflame: 340-400 (94.4 - 111.1%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO

Any other physical attacker has to contend with Will-o-Wisp and Flame Body. Tera-fire to avoid burns is a thing, but the assorted fire types with an OU presence are all special attackers. You can even handle Quaquaval on a double switch:

252 Atk burned Quaquaval Aqua Step vs. 252 HP / 204 Def Talonflame: 127-151 (35.2 - 41.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Talonflame Air Slash vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Quaquaval: 162-192 (52 - 61.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and burn damage

Tera doesn't change things:

252 Atk burned Tera Water Quaquaval Aqua Step vs. 252 HP / 204 Def Talonflame: 170-202 (47.2 - 56.1%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO

You outspeed even 252+ Quaq with no investment, so the duck is burned before it can attack and you can predict from there.

Flamethrower / Will-O-Wisp / Roost / (Defog or Air Slash) with Tera Normal. You can chunk Gholdengo if it tries to block defogs with Flamethrower, reliably beating every set except the defensive one (though you'll need to spend your terastalization versus scarf, if they click Shadow Ball) assuming both start at full health.

Pair this with something that reliably handles Chien-Pao and Talonflame can serve you well.

 

[1LDK]

Slowking team together.

Oh boy, i wanna talk about now
did you guys know that in the Lugia movie he wants some pants?
why is this important, because he is ready to wall a ton of the special spectrum, altough FS is not as spammable as gen 8, a well timed one alongside a bad joke means that (thanks to the new snow) your no longer taking chip AND still able to benefit from it, now, is shit, dont use it, you know what is not shit? broken mons that can already put insane preasure on the go, like Specs and etc, a few weeks ago, 2 teams on the RMT showed that with a better cast to support, slowking can really go (one of them being this one, and the other one being this one) if chien pao gets banned, slowking is gonna explode in popularity as a mon who can pivot, apply preassure, reduce presure with tools like Chilling Water, Flamethrower and Thunder Wave, reliable recovery in slack off + regenerator and being able to wall specs greninja not locked into dark pulse