Venomoth [QC 1/3]

TheManlyLadybug

Banned deucer.
Status: Awaiting 2nd QC check
QC Checks: [Jukain] [---] [---]
GP Checks: [---] [---]

Overview
########

- Has a small, but valuable niche in OU, which is passing Quiver Dances to its teammates.
- Sleep Powder, one of Venomoth's keys to success, received new mechanics that hinder it. These include being blocked by Overcoat, being blocked by any Grass type, and the removal of sleep turn reset upon switch.
- Has 2 good abilities, Tinted Lens and Wonder Skin, to choose from. Wonder Skin is the better choice, though, as it gives it a 50% chance to completely ignore Taunt and all forms of status, which is certainly notable.
- Lackluster defenses sometimes make boosting up hard
- Decent 90 Special Attack, but it just doesn't cut it in OU.
- Okay Speed, can outspeed some threats
- Taunt bait
- Receives competition from Scolipede and Gorebyss as a QuickPasser

[When I write up the Overview in paragraph form, I'll list the Pros first and Cons last, or vice versa, instead of mixing them together]

QuickPass
#########
Name: QuickPass
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: Bug Buzz / Substitute
ability: Wonder Skin / Tinted Lens
item: Focus Sash
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe

Moves
======

- Quiver Dance is what lit the way for Venomoth's appearance in OU, and is valuable to Venomoth's success, boosting three stats at once.
- Baton Pass allows you to escape trouble and pass on boosts to a more capable sweeper.
- Sleep Powder provides valuable free turns, easing setup.
- Bug Buzz is to take out any threats to its team, and for Venomoth to take advantage of the boosts itself. It also prevents Venomoth from becoming helpless when Taunted.
- Substitute is very useful for protecting Venomoth and the recipient from status and incoming attacks
Set Details
========

- HP EVs give it some decent bulk
- Timid nature and Speed EVs are to tie with fully invested base 90s.
- Wonder Skin stops annoying support moves like Thunder Wave and Taunt cold 50% of the time, which, although not to be relied upon, can certainly come in handy.
- Focus Sash guarantees a Quiver Dance
- Tinted Lens is an option in order to deal solid damage by itself when passing the boosts would be detrimental to the recipient.

Usage Tips
==========

- Sleep Powder is crucial to this set's success, make full use of it.
- If possible, try to attain a Quiver Dance boost before using Sleep Powder, so that you are able to get 2 or more boosts.
- This set should be used as a QuickPasser

Team Options
============

- This set should only be used on a QuickPass team, a playstyle where you set up with big-time boosting moves and pass the boosts to Pokemon that can better take advantage of said boosts. Recipients include Thundurus, Thundurus-T, Keldeo, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Charizard Y, Landorus-I, offensive Aegislash, and Latios.
- Spinners and Defog users are much appreciated to remove Stealth Rock, which would otherwise make boosting up much harder and deactivate the Focus Sash.

Other Options
##########

- A Quiver Dance sweeping set with Sleep Powder, BB, Quiver Dance, and Psychic is an option. With Tinted Lens as its ability, Venomoth achieves perfect neutral coverage with just 2 attacks. However, Venomoth is mostly outclassed by Volcarona, as Volcarona has better bulk, power, movepool, and generally does the role of sweeping better than Venomoth.
- Sludge Bomb is an option to replace Bug Buzz, as it has some merit to it, like taking out certain Fairy types such as non-CM Clefable.
- Black Sludge offers passive recovery, but guaranteeing a boost is usually more helpful
- Disable

Checks And Counters
###############

- Flying priority from Talonflame and Mega Pinsir, and priority in general.
- Ditto copies Venomoth, allowing it to pass Quiver Dances to its teammates as well. Another thing to note is that most people probably won't prepare to counter their own Pokemon in case of Ditto, another reason why it is effective check.
- Bulky phazers such as Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Gyarados, Dragonite, Heatran, and the occasional Goodra can all take Bug Buzzes from Venomoth get rid of any boosts it has accumulated, messing up the opponent's game plan. Mandibuzz in particular can both Taunt and Whirlwind Venomoth, while being immune to Sleep Powder because of Overcoat's new mechanics.
- Taunt from foes such as Sableye, Deoxys-S, Tornadus, and Thundurus have the potential to completely shut down Venomoth. Only trouble is, Wonder Skin blocks Taunt half the time, so only use it if you wall Venomoth or can take a hit or two[like Tornadus or Thundurus].
- Bulky Grass-types with a secondary typing that makes it neutral to Bug Buzz such as Chesnaught and Mega Venusaur may not seem like a good option at first, but look closer, and you'll see why they are effective at neutering Venomoth. They both are immune to Sleep Powder, and each have a way of shutting it down, with Roar and Sleep Powder, respectively.
- Clefable and Quagsire don't care about the boosts thanks to Unaware and can respond accordingly.
 
Last edited:

TheManlyLadybug

Banned deucer.
Basically c/p the archived thread and fixed some formatting issues while adding a couple things here and there. The Usage Tips and Team Options might need a little beefing up.

It's great to be back writing an XY OU analysis :)

Alright, let's get to work!
 
I'd like to see a mention of Tinted Lens in Set Details in case for some reason you can't pass or passing would be detrimental to the Pokemon that would come in, so that you can actually to some decent damage yourself.
 

TheManlyLadybug

Banned deucer.
Tinted Lens is solid, but

(Agent Gibbs quote) "Wonder Skin > Tinted Lens, in my opinion. Tinted Lens isn't as good in OU since several solid Pokemon such as Charzard Y, Heatran, Skarmory, and Aegislash still resist Bug Buzz even with Tinted Lens. Besides, Venomoth isn't exactly going to be hitting all that hard with an uninvested base 90 SpA stat anyway. Meanwhile, Wonder Skin gives you a 50/50 chance to completely dodge moves like Taunt and Thunder Wave from stuff like Thundurus. It's not something to rely on, but seeing as how these kinds of moves can completely ruin Venomoth, stopping them cold 50% of the time is great."
Also, remember that Venomoth's job is to pass Quiver Dance boosts to its teammates, so personally I would rather stop Taunt and other crippling moves 50% of the time than get a boost to one move that I will most likely not get to take advantage of. I will, however, slash Tinted Lens in behind Wonder Skin.
 

ginganinja

It's all coming back to me now
is a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Mentioned Tinted Lens in Set Details for now. Still awaiting QC checks
O.k so there is / was a BP suspect discussion thread in OU, and the outcome of this impacts heavily on this mon, which is built around Baton Passing. Ergo, id rather not approve this, have you spend a few weekends writing it all up, and then have to reject it IF Baton Pass is banned / nerfed in a way that makes venomoth unviable. I highly recommend just waiting a little until an opinion has been reached.
 

CyclicCompound

is a bicycle person thing
is a Contributor Alumnus
Agreeing with Ginganinja, that's definitely a smart idea.

On the topic of Wonder Skin vs. Tinted Lens, both are situationally useful. I can't say for sure that one is concretely better than the other, and though I do personally prefer Wonder Skin, it's by no means the only viable choice. Keep both slashed for now, in my opinion.
 

alexwolf

lurks in the shadows
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
I don't think that whatever the decision of the council is Venomoth will be impacted much (unless Baton Pass gets banned but i don't think this is gonna happen), as its niche is not that of a member of full BP teams but that of a QD passer on offensive teams.
 
themanlyladybug said:
- Taunt, especially Prankster Taunt from foes such as Sableye, Klefki, or Thundurus, have the potential to completely shut down Venomoth. Only trouble is, Wonder Skin blocks Taunt half the time, so only use it if you wall Venomoth[like Klefki] or can take a hit or two[like Tornadus or Thundurus].
Klefki doesn't learn Taunt. :-P
Also, unaware users should be in C&C.
Prankster Taunt is still listed in grass type section in C&C even though Whimsicott was removed.
 

Srn

Water (Spirytus - 96%)
is an official Team Rateris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributor
OUPL Champion
would a poison move work on this
I guess it could, but bug buzz+Psychic+tinted lens gives you all the neutral coverage you really need if you were to invest in offensive options anyway.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top