Name: Zoroark
Stats: 70 / 110 / 70 / 140 / 100 / 110 (600 BST)
Typing: Dark / Ghost
Abilities: Illusion
Movepool Additions: +Earth Power, +Energy Ball, +Fire Blast, +Ice Beam, +Aura Sphere, +Vacuum Wave
Movepool Removals: None
Custom Elements: None
How does this fulfill the concept?: Zoroark packs a significantly better defensive typing, which, despite lacking useable resistances, packs decent neutral coverage, so Zoroark can just about hit anything for either neutral or super effective damage. Its defensive typing in Dark / Ghost lets it abuse Illusion with more reward, while its new coverage moves in Energy Ball, Earth Power, Fire Blast, and / or Ice Beam give it a sense of unpredictability, easily catching foes off guard. Its main flaw lies in its defensive typing; while Dark / Ghost only packs one weakness defensively, not to mention Zoroark's good special bulk, that one weakness is quite common; foes such as Smeargle and Whismicott, while they can't exactly KO it from full given Zoroark's special bulk, can hit it hard and land it in range of a KO from another powerful foe, while its typing packs no resistances defensively; combine this with its admittedly poor physical bulk and strong physical attackers such as Rapidash being extremely common, can easily break through Illusion.
Sample Sets:
Zoroark @ Choice Specs
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Earth Power / Fire Blast
Zoroark @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Earth Power / Fire Blast
Name: Rotom-F
Stats: 65 / 50 / 112 / 130 / 112 / 106 (570 BST)
Typing: Ice / Electric
Abilities: Levitate /
Adaptability
Movepool Additions: +Ice Beam, Energy Ball
Movepool Removals: -Will-O-Wisp
Custom Elements: None
How does this fulfill the concept?: Although Rotom-F still must contend with a Stealth Rock weakness and overall poor defensive typing, it can abuse BoltBeam to its fullest extent thanks to Adaptability-boosted STAB Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. It no longer has to rely on an inaccurate Ice-type move for STAB thanks to Ice Beam, while Energy Ball allows it to run Hidden Power Water for Rapidash or Salazzle or Hidden Power Fire for Bronzong, Pheromosa, and Avalugg instead of being forced to run Hidden Power Grass. While all of this does sound appealing, it still does own its fair share of flaws: It absolutely despises special walls, and it suffers quite a bit from its low HP stat undermining its otherwise good defenses, not to mention that its speed tier, while it lets it outspeed the aforementioned Swampert, Bronzong, and Tyrantrum, leaves it outsped by common meta staples such as Pheromosa and Rapidash, while its poor defensive typing only worsens this issue even further, although Choice Scarf variants don't have to deal with this issue as much.
Sample Sets:
Rotom-F @ Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Water
Rotom-F @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball
- Volt Switch
(obviously this is WIP while I edit this)