[OVERVIEW]
- Because of its high Attack stat, access to good coverage moves in Earthquake and Crunch allowing it to threaten typical Normal-type checks like Regirock and Misdreavus (missy is not a "typical" normal-type check. it loses to a large portion of the relevant ones via kang / stout / drampa / zang / audino), and ability to generate momentum with U-turn, Gumshoos manages to stand out as a niche wallbreaker that can potentially pose a threat to unprepared teams. (there's no need for tons of specifications of moves and intended targets as the next section makes it obvious enough that citing it here would essentially be fluff, which is counterintuitive towards transitioning to the new writing standards. most relevant normal-types have the coverage to deal with resists/immunities anyway, so you're not adding anything new here. I would just say that Gumshoos' coverage has good target compression against resists and immunities while also highlighting U-turn's utility, as those are Gumshoos' distinguishing factors)
- Stakeout, Gumshoos's ability, enables it to easily break through bulkier Pokemon like Gurdurr, Weezing, and Spiritomb as they switch in, which is particularly useful due to number of switches that Gumshoos can force.
- However, Gumshoos's bulk is rather average, which gives it poor defensive presence when combined with its typing providing no resistances and only one immunity. Gumshoos's low Speed is problematic as well, since this makes revenge killing it easier and limits its matchup against offensive teams.
- Gumshoos also faces tight competition from other Normal-types such as Kangaskhan, which has a good matchup against offense because of its higher Speed, good bulk, and access to dual priority, can more reliably break Normal-type checks with its Power-Up Punch set, and ability in Scrappy (major run-on sentence here); Stoutland, which more consistently threatens balance teams, has Scrappy similarly to Kangaskhan, and boasts better Speed and bulk; and Zangoose, which is much faster, has priority in Quick Attack, can take proper advantage of its good coverage, and also become a greater threat almost instantly with Swords Dance and Toxic Boost (i'd remove zangoose for now, it's "better" but it's not as relevant as the other two right now which are the main ones taking the majority of slots for physical normal-type attackers) (try to limit the info presented when comparing to other normals. what you have comes across as spoon-feeding the reader when it could have been condensed. i would just say they have better bulk, priority options, faster, more consistently threatening vs offensive/balance, and an ability that covers an otherwise immunity, easing prediction.)
- Gumshoos is reliant on Choice Band for most of its power, meaning that it has to predict more often than it would like to, which doesn't pair well with how easily common offensive Pokemon like Aggron, Omastar, and Oricorio-G can exploit it after it KOes a foe or if it mispredicts. (this is a pointlessly nitpicky bullet point for a "flaw", especially since stoutland uses choice band too and "reliance on it" is not something we point out to my knowledge. i would just condense this point among why it's outclassed since scrappy = less prediction reliant)
On another note, I'd recommend prefacing this and/or ending this more negatively, it's UR and grossly outclassed after all. It only has a couple of small niches over its brethren.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Return
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Crunch /
Facade OO, maximizing coverage is non-negotiable rn. getting walled by anything is suboptimal given the limited opportunities to wallbreak, and the fact that the most prominent wisp users are ghost-types nowadays
item: Choice Band
ability: Stakeout
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Earthquake provides Gumshoos with super effective coverage for bulky Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon like Regirock, Omastar,
Probopass not meta-relevant, and Aggron. Earthquake also hits Qwilfish and Skuntank without triggering Rocky Helmet and Aftermath, respectively, and is the most powerful move that Gumshoos can hit Pokemon like Spiritomb and Sableye with, OHKOing them both after Stealth Rock damage if they attempt to directly switch in because of Stakeout.
- U-turn gives Gumshoos the ability to pivot out of unfavorable matchups, making it slightly less reliant on prediction and allowing it to generate momentum for its teammates.
- Crunch rounds out Gumshoos's coverage, enabling it to threaten Ghost-types like Froslass, Oricorio-G, Golurk, and Jellicent. why are froslass and golurk Crunch targets, esp with Colbur Golurk being practically standard? EQ 2hkos both of those, or OHKO when factoring the Stakeout boost.
- Alternatively, Facade can be used as a secondary STAB move that allows Gumshoos to take advantage of otherwise problematic status conditions, especially burns. Opting for Facade leaves Gumshoos unable to actively threaten most Ghost-types, however.
Set Details
========
- Stakeout doubles an attack's damage output if the opposing Pokemon switches out on the same turn, which pairs well with Gumshoos's ability to force many switches, allowing it to OHKO bulky Pokemon like Weezing and Spiritomb after Stealth Rock if they switch directly into Return and Earthquake, respectively.
Usage Tips
========
- Since Gumshoos lacks the bulk and resistances required to switch directly into most attacks, it should only switch in after a teammate has been KOed, through the use of a pivoting move like U-turn, Volt Switch, or Parting Shot, or when it predicts a wall that it can capitalize on like Clefairy to switch in.
- In order to make the most of Gumshoos and pave the way for it to more reliably spam Return, try to predict Normal-type checks such as Aggron and Gourgeist-XL to switch in and surprise them with the appropriate coverage move.
- Employ a hit-and-run strategy with Gumshoos while its presence is valuable by switching out after dishing out a heavy hit against faster teams, as doing so can allow it to repeatedly apply pressure to the opposing team. This bullet point is so generic and obvious considering gumshoos' slow, glass cannon nature that has already been highlighted enough throughout the analysis. what exactly are you adding here?
- Although Gumshoos can use Facade which should be removed, it should typically avoid status conditions to the best of its ability, as the residual damage dealt combined with potential entry hazard and Rocky Helmet damage makes it much easier to wear down.
U-turn should be touched upon more. Gum's unique with it, since it has the moveset to punish most switch ins and as such doesn't really "need" to use in the sense that something that walls it completely is coming in. It's more of something to click in 50/50 situations as a way not to lose momentum entirely in uncertain situations.
Team Options
========
- Because Gumshoos's only means of dealing with Ghost-types is Crunch only certain ones, not all, it appreciates being paired with Pursuit trappers that can remove them, such as Skuntank and Spiritomb.
Depending on the Skuntank set, it can further support Gumshoos by putting Regirock on a timer with Toxic it's not actively referenced on its analysis so there isn't much for the reader to go off of other than just randomly putting it on an existing set. why not briefly mention the special set luring otherwise mutual checks like aggron, or killing ghost-types that'd otherwise stay in to burn skunk (missy/lass)? that's a much better example than just toxic'ing something anyway. obv this section would have to change to just dark-types in general tho, rather than specifically pursuit or making it easier for Gumshoos to switch out by clearing the field with Defog. On the other hand, Spiritomb can more reliably check Fighting-types like Primeape and wear them as well as Weezing down with Psychic.
- Entry hazard support from Pokemon like Mesprit, Froslass, and Qwilfish is nice to have, as the chip damage wears down Gumshoos's switch-ins and enables it to reliably KO Pokemon like
Weezing and Gurdurr with Stakeout-boosted Return (weezing dies to the stakeout boost with or without prior dmg). Mesprit can additionally get Gumshoos in safely with U-turn and provide Healing Wish support in case it ends up being heavily damaged, while the latter two can whittle away at physically bulky Pokemon like Mudsdale as well as pressure removers and opposing setters with Taunt. Froslass's Ghost typing also allows it to spinblock, and all three examples can check Fighting-types. i'd just change this section to fighting-type checks, with a secondary mention the 3 here have in setting up hazards (this also opens up for a weezing mention). basically, the concept of "hazards make offensive pokemon more threatening" is getting bland at this point (and is obvious to any average reader), while gum should have a direct section of checks to fighters anyway
- Pairing Gumshoos with pivots such as Mesprit already mentioned mesprit and what it can do, redundant, Silvally-Dragon, Lanturn, and Scyther is ideal, as it can complete a VoltTurn core and make safely switching in and breaking through opposing teams easier. The former three are also capable of baiting in specially bulky Pokemon like Clefairy and opposing Lanturn, which can potentially allow Gumshoos to force a switch and fire off a powerful attack.
Although Gumshoos is capable of threatening most physically bulky Pokemon, pairing it with strong special attackers such as Aurorus, Lilligant, and Haunter is smart, as they can more reliably pressure Pokemon like Mudsdale and Tangela without relying on purely on their ability or prediction. In return, Gumshoos can deal massive damage to specially defensive Pokemon like Altaria and Assault Vest Crabominable.- Pokemon that need physically bulky foes worn down or eliminated in order to clean or sweep, such as Primeape as well as Swords Dance variants of Scyther and Lycanroc no need to specify, that's their main set anyway and scyther generally likes this regardless of the set, like having Gumshoos as a partner, since together they can easily overwhelm most physical walls.
Lots of parts here do come across as overwritten and rambly, hence the strikethrough. The info is good otherwise.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Using a Jolly nature allows Gumshoos to outspeed Pokemon like defensive Mesprit (def mes is pretty flexible spread-wise, so i prob wouldn't really mention this one), Altaria, and Adamant Aggron, though opting for Jolly sacrifices a noticeable amount of power and prevents it from guaranteeing the OHKO on Pokemon like Sableye as they switch in.
- Because Gumshoos isn't particularly fast even with maximum Speed investment, investing in HP is an option to increase Gumshoos's mixed bulk,
as this enables it to take hits and wallbreak more reliably. Doing so can also make Gumshoos less easy to revenge kill with Pokemon such as Scyther if it's healthy enough.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Offensive Pressure**: Because of Gumshoos's poor Speed and defensive presence, pressuring and forcing it out with faster wallbreakers such as Mesprit, Kangaskhan, and Stoutland is rather easy.
**Fighting-types**: Although they cannot safely switch in, Primeape and Hitmonchan outspeed and OHKO Gumshoos with their respective STAB moves, while Gurdurr has the bulk to stomach an unboosted Return and take it out with Drain Punch.
**Ghost-types**: Froslass, Jellicent, Oricorio-G, and Misdreavus only fear taking a Crunch from Gumshoos due to their immunity to its STAB moves, with the latter two also being immune to Earthquake
this is disingenuous, only sensu/missy strictly fear crunch while the others are interchangeable between stakeout eq/crunch. Spiritomb and Sableye are also annoying due to their neutrality to Crunch and access to Prankster Will-O-Wisp in the case of the latter, though they can't switch into Earthquake. However, note that the presence of a Ghost-type may cause Gumshoos to try and predict their switch in, which may backfire and lead to it being forced out.
**Rock-types**: Similarly, Rock-types such as Aggron, Omastar, and Lycanroc are only threatened by Earthquake and can easily force Gumshoos out if it locks into any other move. The latter two examples can also use Gumshoos as setup fodder if it doesn't lock into Earthquake, though Lycanroc's frailty prevents it from exploiting Gumshoos's STAB moves as easily as Omastar does.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[allstarapology, 400292]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
