I reserved Stantler in the UU Reservation thread, and was added to the list. Apologies for delayed posting. Be kind, first update.
-Removed Parafusion set because it didn't do enough damage, plus in general there are better users out there with more durability such as Lanturn.
-Removed Double Status set because there are better and faster users of it like Venemoth with Sleep Powder and Tinted Lens.
-Removed Stantler's Double Screen set, since many Pokemon like Uxie, Mespirit do it better; additionally Yawn can be used by Uxie to make up for Stantler's Hypnosis.
-Removed Stantler's Deer of Choice due to it being outclassed by better Pokemon like Tauros, Arcanine, etc. Hypnosis is not reliable enough to make up for its low Attack, and ..Sucker Punch is too unreliable in general. Zen Headbutt is barely stronger than Return when super effective.
* Added Offensive Gravity set
* Added a Gravity Support set
[Overview]
<p> Most people note Stantler as a weaker Tauros, however, Stantler's wide move pool coupled with decent mixed offenses, allow it to fill certain niches within the UU tier that Tauros wish it had, such as fitting into Gravity, and Trick Room teams, spreading Paralysis, and overall providing something for everyone.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/stantler
[SET]
name: Grounded Reindeer
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Hypnosis / Megahorn / Thunder
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Return
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
<p>Beyond just the obvious Intimidate support, Stantler can work as a lead due to its decent speed, power, and unpredictability; chances are your foe hasn't faced a Stantler. Counters like Rhyperior need to watch out for Energy Ball, enemy Claydol coming in to Rapid Spin away your entry hazards must be wary of a powerful Megahorn. Beyond unpredictability, this set flourishes with what it uses- Gravity. Suddenly Earthquake can hit Rotom, Moltres, and Weezing, now Thunder can handle threats like Poliwrath, Swellow, and Cloyster, and most importantly Hypnosis can be used with precise accuracy. With Gravity, Stantler becomes an offensive, supportive, and even defensive team player with a wide array of options available.</p>
Additional Comments
<p>A Jolly Nature and 252 Speed EVs will let Stantler tie with Nidoking, Toxicroak, outpace Modest Moltres and Rotom [hindered by Gravity], and 95 base Speeders like Arcanine. Max Attack is for high damage output, with the remaining 4 EVs in either Defense or Special Attack depending on your choice for the second move slot. Energy Ball, and Psychic, are both other options to take out Rhyperior, Kabutops, Omastar, Venemoth, Weezing, Venasaur, etc. Thunderwave could also be an option in slot 2 if one doesn't want to rely on Thunder's 30% paralysis chance, although it would be a shame not to abuse Gravity's accuracy boosting effects for Hypnosis or a better coverage attack, and honestly it is better used in the support set.</p>
Teammates and Counters
<p>Since Gravity naturally encourages Earthquake and entry hazard users, Pokemon like Nidoqueen, who have access to STAB Earthquake, Toxic Spikes, and handy fighting resistances work well with Stantler. Earthquake sweepers like Dugtrio also work well as not only does Earthquake hit all foes, but now Arena Trap affects all Pokemon as well, ensuring you can trap, and KO a foe. Keep in mind, Stantler's Gravity also boosts any inaccurate moves such as Fire Blast, & Stone Edge, ensuring support is mutual. Other entry hazard users like Qwilfish can add to the fighting resist roster while being able to Explode on immediate threats. Drapion also pairs well because it not only sets up Toxic Spikes, but it can Whirlwind foes away to spread entry hazard damage, and it can threaten foes like Taunt Mismagius with Dark STAB moves.
<p>Rapid Spinners like Claydol can also Explode, take advantage of its STAB Earthquake / Earth Power, and handle fighting type attacks with its sturdy defenses, especially after taking Stantler's Intimidate into account.
Finally, due to Gravity encouraging the use of entry hazards like Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, a Ghost type like Rotom would be a great ally, not only because it blocks Rapid Spin, but also because it can block Fighting-type moves from the likes of Hitmontop, and Poliwrath, that counter Stantler and threaten them back with either a W-o-w or Thunder, both of which are further backed by Gravity's accuracy boost. Additionally, when Gravity is not in effect, Rotom can take advantage of Levitate, allowing it to play on both highly-focused Gravity teams, and teams that have just one or two users of it.</p>
<p>Counters include those with a powerful Fighting move, although Intimidate does help to mitigate physical damage. A Fighting type like Primeape is a prime example of a counter, as speed, Vital Spirit, and typing allow it to come in on Gravity and Megahorn or Hypnosis easily. Fast Taunt leads like Mismagius and Ambipom can stop Stantler from using Gravity (and Hypnosis) or just directly attack Stantler. Mismagious is especially noteworthy as without Gravity it is immune to both Stantler's Return and Earthquake. Mach Punch Technitop, and Nasty Plot Toxicroak with Vacuum Wave counter Stantler as well, but both must be wary of switching into Hypnosis and Earthquake respectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Ground Support
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Hypnosis
move 3: Roar
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Earth Plate
nature: Impish
evs: 200 HP / 56 Atk / 252 Def
Set Comments
<p>This set is designed to be used in the mid-game, after Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock have been used. The Gravity will do multiple things, it will ensures that Stantler's only attack hits every Pokemon besides Shedinja (killed by entry hazards), entry hazards hit Flying and Levitating Pokemon, and it gives Hypnosis an accuracy boost. Gravity can also prevent foes from using certain moves such as Magneton or Aggron using Magnet Rise, Hitmonlee using Hi Jump Kick, etc.</p>
Additional Comments
<p>Earthquake plays a significant role in the choice of attack as it allows Stantler to hit the Poison and Steel Pokemon immune to Toxic Spikes for super effective damage; additionally it hits Rock Pokemon that think they can come in on a predicted Return. I tailored the HP EVs to get a Stealth Rock ( and Leftovers) number. Additionally, if you have Wish support, you can forgo Leftovers use an Earth Plate; this allows Stantler to do more damage, while maintaining a strong investment in its Defenses. Keep in mind Earth Plate is an option due to Earthquake being Stantler's only attack, and it wont cost Stantler precious HP like Life Orb would. Investing 252 EVs Attack would make Stantler's Attack 289 without a boosting nature, while the EVs above make Stantler's Attack 239, and a 20% boost to Stantler's Earthquake effectively makes Stantler's damage output as if it were 286. Overall, with Earth Plate you would have 3 less Attack than max Attack Stantler, making it a solid choice for an item if you feel you can do without Leftovers, again provided you have Wish support.</p>
Team Options
<p>Ideal teammates are those that can provide either entry hazard support, or pack a powerful Earthquake or Earth Power to take advantage of Gravity. Nidoqueen is an excellent example as she provides Toxic Spikes, and can use her STAB Ground move of choice, resists Stantler's only weakness, and can use lower accuracy moves like Fire Blast, Super Fang, Stone Edge, etc. to her full advantage (and invest less in offense, and more in defense). Fast sweeping teammates that can clean-up weakened foes, after taking entry hazard damage, also work well on this team such as Swellow, and Alakazam. Fast sweepers that can take full advantage of Gravity, like Dugtrio, or Sceptile (Grasswhistle, Focus Blast, Leaf Storm) can make the most of their sweep, while hitting hard and fast.</p>
<p>The best teammates besides the late-game sweeper, and Stantler himself include strong defensive Pokemon that can stall and rack up damage, and/or re-activate Gravity. Such partners like Dusclops, and Claydol can help compensate for Stantler's fighting weakness, while Spin blocking, and Rapid Spinning respectively while also being able to set up a Gravity of their own. Porygon2 has a great mix of offense and defense, as Trace can allow it to come in on Flash Fire Arcanine, Volt Absorb Lanturn, Water Absorb Quagsire, and Levitate Claydol on their STAB moves without fear, additionally Porygon2 has Recover and Gravity to stick around for a long time, just be aware that it adds to the fighting weakness.</p>
Other Options
<p>Supportive options like Thunderwave, Light Screen, Reflect, and even Magic Coat are options, giving Stantler more to do when it cannot attack, but are better left to a Support Stantler. Me First can work depending on the situation, such as an Rhyperior using Earthquake, but it is highly situational because the same Rhyperior may choose to Rock Polish first, making the attack useless. Sucker Punch can be used to stop faster Psychic types like Alakazam from sweeping your team, but are better left for Pokemon who have more room in their movepool and higher offensive stats. Energy Ball is a realistic option and can be used for common threats like Kabutops, Rhyperior, Omastar, Quagsire, etc. Shadow Ball can be used for Ghost types like Mismagious who isn't threatened by much else, but probably wont hurt enough to be worth it. </p>
Counters
<p>Users of Close Combat, Superpower, and other powerful Fighting moves like Machoke's Dynamic Punch can threaten Stantler quickly. Mismagious can also threaten Stantler even if it is packing Sucker Punch or Shadow Ball, as Substitute and enough Calm Minds can prevent them from causing enough damage. Anything with a STAB Vacuum Wave or Mach Punch, can threaten Stantler, while Scarf Fighting Pokemon like Blaziken can also outspeed and threaten Stantler.</p>
Set Deserves to be on-site because:
- Only Gravity user with Intimidate; Speed and offenses allow it to go on the offensive (Physical, or Mixed), taking advantage of Gravity with moves like Megahorn, Earthquake, and Thunder. *Combined, Stantler can force a switch [Intimidate] and cause an immediate threat.
-Gravity combined with its wide support move pool allows Stantler to use moves like Hypnosis, and Disable without fail, and can work well with either ability (Intimidate for survivability, or Frisk for determining the foe's item and possible move set).
- Stantler can also use support outside of Gravity- Dual-Screen support, Thunderwave, and Trick Room, allowing it to cover multiple roles simultaneously if needed.
-Removed Parafusion set because it didn't do enough damage, plus in general there are better users out there with more durability such as Lanturn.
-Removed Double Status set because there are better and faster users of it like Venemoth with Sleep Powder and Tinted Lens.
-Removed Stantler's Double Screen set, since many Pokemon like Uxie, Mespirit do it better; additionally Yawn can be used by Uxie to make up for Stantler's Hypnosis.
-Removed Stantler's Deer of Choice due to it being outclassed by better Pokemon like Tauros, Arcanine, etc. Hypnosis is not reliable enough to make up for its low Attack, and ..Sucker Punch is too unreliable in general. Zen Headbutt is barely stronger than Return when super effective.
* Added Offensive Gravity set
* Added a Gravity Support set
[Overview]
<p> Most people note Stantler as a weaker Tauros, however, Stantler's wide move pool coupled with decent mixed offenses, allow it to fill certain niches within the UU tier that Tauros wish it had, such as fitting into Gravity, and Trick Room teams, spreading Paralysis, and overall providing something for everyone.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/stantler
[SET]
name: Grounded Reindeer
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Hypnosis / Megahorn / Thunder
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Return
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
<p>Beyond just the obvious Intimidate support, Stantler can work as a lead due to its decent speed, power, and unpredictability; chances are your foe hasn't faced a Stantler. Counters like Rhyperior need to watch out for Energy Ball, enemy Claydol coming in to Rapid Spin away your entry hazards must be wary of a powerful Megahorn. Beyond unpredictability, this set flourishes with what it uses- Gravity. Suddenly Earthquake can hit Rotom, Moltres, and Weezing, now Thunder can handle threats like Poliwrath, Swellow, and Cloyster, and most importantly Hypnosis can be used with precise accuracy. With Gravity, Stantler becomes an offensive, supportive, and even defensive team player with a wide array of options available.</p>
Additional Comments
<p>A Jolly Nature and 252 Speed EVs will let Stantler tie with Nidoking, Toxicroak, outpace Modest Moltres and Rotom [hindered by Gravity], and 95 base Speeders like Arcanine. Max Attack is for high damage output, with the remaining 4 EVs in either Defense or Special Attack depending on your choice for the second move slot. Energy Ball, and Psychic, are both other options to take out Rhyperior, Kabutops, Omastar, Venemoth, Weezing, Venasaur, etc. Thunderwave could also be an option in slot 2 if one doesn't want to rely on Thunder's 30% paralysis chance, although it would be a shame not to abuse Gravity's accuracy boosting effects for Hypnosis or a better coverage attack, and honestly it is better used in the support set.</p>
Teammates and Counters
<p>Since Gravity naturally encourages Earthquake and entry hazard users, Pokemon like Nidoqueen, who have access to STAB Earthquake, Toxic Spikes, and handy fighting resistances work well with Stantler. Earthquake sweepers like Dugtrio also work well as not only does Earthquake hit all foes, but now Arena Trap affects all Pokemon as well, ensuring you can trap, and KO a foe. Keep in mind, Stantler's Gravity also boosts any inaccurate moves such as Fire Blast, & Stone Edge, ensuring support is mutual. Other entry hazard users like Qwilfish can add to the fighting resist roster while being able to Explode on immediate threats. Drapion also pairs well because it not only sets up Toxic Spikes, but it can Whirlwind foes away to spread entry hazard damage, and it can threaten foes like Taunt Mismagius with Dark STAB moves.
<p>Rapid Spinners like Claydol can also Explode, take advantage of its STAB Earthquake / Earth Power, and handle fighting type attacks with its sturdy defenses, especially after taking Stantler's Intimidate into account.
Finally, due to Gravity encouraging the use of entry hazards like Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, a Ghost type like Rotom would be a great ally, not only because it blocks Rapid Spin, but also because it can block Fighting-type moves from the likes of Hitmontop, and Poliwrath, that counter Stantler and threaten them back with either a W-o-w or Thunder, both of which are further backed by Gravity's accuracy boost. Additionally, when Gravity is not in effect, Rotom can take advantage of Levitate, allowing it to play on both highly-focused Gravity teams, and teams that have just one or two users of it.</p>
<p>Counters include those with a powerful Fighting move, although Intimidate does help to mitigate physical damage. A Fighting type like Primeape is a prime example of a counter, as speed, Vital Spirit, and typing allow it to come in on Gravity and Megahorn or Hypnosis easily. Fast Taunt leads like Mismagius and Ambipom can stop Stantler from using Gravity (and Hypnosis) or just directly attack Stantler. Mismagious is especially noteworthy as without Gravity it is immune to both Stantler's Return and Earthquake. Mach Punch Technitop, and Nasty Plot Toxicroak with Vacuum Wave counter Stantler as well, but both must be wary of switching into Hypnosis and Earthquake respectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Ground Support
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Hypnosis
move 3: Roar
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers / Earth Plate
nature: Impish
evs: 200 HP / 56 Atk / 252 Def
Set Comments
<p>This set is designed to be used in the mid-game, after Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock have been used. The Gravity will do multiple things, it will ensures that Stantler's only attack hits every Pokemon besides Shedinja (killed by entry hazards), entry hazards hit Flying and Levitating Pokemon, and it gives Hypnosis an accuracy boost. Gravity can also prevent foes from using certain moves such as Magneton or Aggron using Magnet Rise, Hitmonlee using Hi Jump Kick, etc.</p>
Additional Comments
<p>Earthquake plays a significant role in the choice of attack as it allows Stantler to hit the Poison and Steel Pokemon immune to Toxic Spikes for super effective damage; additionally it hits Rock Pokemon that think they can come in on a predicted Return. I tailored the HP EVs to get a Stealth Rock ( and Leftovers) number. Additionally, if you have Wish support, you can forgo Leftovers use an Earth Plate; this allows Stantler to do more damage, while maintaining a strong investment in its Defenses. Keep in mind Earth Plate is an option due to Earthquake being Stantler's only attack, and it wont cost Stantler precious HP like Life Orb would. Investing 252 EVs Attack would make Stantler's Attack 289 without a boosting nature, while the EVs above make Stantler's Attack 239, and a 20% boost to Stantler's Earthquake effectively makes Stantler's damage output as if it were 286. Overall, with Earth Plate you would have 3 less Attack than max Attack Stantler, making it a solid choice for an item if you feel you can do without Leftovers, again provided you have Wish support.</p>
Team Options
<p>Ideal teammates are those that can provide either entry hazard support, or pack a powerful Earthquake or Earth Power to take advantage of Gravity. Nidoqueen is an excellent example as she provides Toxic Spikes, and can use her STAB Ground move of choice, resists Stantler's only weakness, and can use lower accuracy moves like Fire Blast, Super Fang, Stone Edge, etc. to her full advantage (and invest less in offense, and more in defense). Fast sweeping teammates that can clean-up weakened foes, after taking entry hazard damage, also work well on this team such as Swellow, and Alakazam. Fast sweepers that can take full advantage of Gravity, like Dugtrio, or Sceptile (Grasswhistle, Focus Blast, Leaf Storm) can make the most of their sweep, while hitting hard and fast.</p>
<p>The best teammates besides the late-game sweeper, and Stantler himself include strong defensive Pokemon that can stall and rack up damage, and/or re-activate Gravity. Such partners like Dusclops, and Claydol can help compensate for Stantler's fighting weakness, while Spin blocking, and Rapid Spinning respectively while also being able to set up a Gravity of their own. Porygon2 has a great mix of offense and defense, as Trace can allow it to come in on Flash Fire Arcanine, Volt Absorb Lanturn, Water Absorb Quagsire, and Levitate Claydol on their STAB moves without fear, additionally Porygon2 has Recover and Gravity to stick around for a long time, just be aware that it adds to the fighting weakness.</p>
Other Options
<p>Supportive options like Thunderwave, Light Screen, Reflect, and even Magic Coat are options, giving Stantler more to do when it cannot attack, but are better left to a Support Stantler. Me First can work depending on the situation, such as an Rhyperior using Earthquake, but it is highly situational because the same Rhyperior may choose to Rock Polish first, making the attack useless. Sucker Punch can be used to stop faster Psychic types like Alakazam from sweeping your team, but are better left for Pokemon who have more room in their movepool and higher offensive stats. Energy Ball is a realistic option and can be used for common threats like Kabutops, Rhyperior, Omastar, Quagsire, etc. Shadow Ball can be used for Ghost types like Mismagious who isn't threatened by much else, but probably wont hurt enough to be worth it. </p>
Counters
<p>Users of Close Combat, Superpower, and other powerful Fighting moves like Machoke's Dynamic Punch can threaten Stantler quickly. Mismagious can also threaten Stantler even if it is packing Sucker Punch or Shadow Ball, as Substitute and enough Calm Minds can prevent them from causing enough damage. Anything with a STAB Vacuum Wave or Mach Punch, can threaten Stantler, while Scarf Fighting Pokemon like Blaziken can also outspeed and threaten Stantler.</p>
- Only Gravity user with Intimidate; Speed and offenses allow it to go on the offensive (Physical, or Mixed), taking advantage of Gravity with moves like Megahorn, Earthquake, and Thunder. *Combined, Stantler can force a switch [Intimidate] and cause an immediate threat.
-Gravity combined with its wide support move pool allows Stantler to use moves like Hypnosis, and Disable without fail, and can work well with either ability (Intimidate for survivability, or Frisk for determining the foe's item and possible move set).
- Stantler can also use support outside of Gravity- Dual-Screen support, Thunderwave, and Trick Room, allowing it to cover multiple roles simultaneously if needed.
