Hey people, CyclicCompound with Magnemite, TRC., and The Mega Lotad here bringing everyone the next Pokemon of the Week!
The XY OU Pokemon of the Week is an (obviously) weekly project in the Overused forum. The idea originated from when we were reading many of the discussion threads, often the discussion is a bit lacking in the content department. Our goal here to is to highlight a threat in the metagame that isn't as well known, or isn't used as much as it should be, and provide a concise amount of information about that Pokemon; this will encourage creativity during teambuilding, and it will also provide an instant wealth of knowledge about that particular threat. This will hopefully be more helpful to the massive influx of new players in the OU subforum and promote better discussion within the individual threads. In this thread though, the main point of discussion should be about experiences with that particular Pokemon and the sets featured, and how it has helped in some way during your battling. Niche sets and gimmicks can be mentioned as well, but bear in mind that this thread is mainly an informative source of knowledge through what is written in the OP; discussion is not its main focus, though it is most certainly allowed. we need to make this point clear. Think of this like an article introducing you to a new threat that you can use; and try it out! Oh yeah, you can also VM one of us what you think the next POTW should be, bearing in mind that they will be on lesser-used threats, such as Chesnaught, Krookodile, or Cofagrigus.
Remember, in order to be Pokemon of the Week, a Pokemon must be in a tier below OU (Including BL), based on the new 1760 stats.
This week's Pokemon of the Week is Rotom-H.
Type: Electric / Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Introduction
Rotom-H's unique typing alongside its extremely helpful ability Levitate give it a huge niche in being able to counter some of the tier's top threats. Mega Charizard Y, Thundurus, Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Ferrothorn all struggle to get past it. Dual Fire and Electric STABS mean Pokemon like Aegislash, Excadrill, and Gyarados are unable to switch in, mitigating their ability to hit Rotom-H. Thanks to Will-O-Wisp, Rotom-H has a very easy time defending itself from physical attackers, often forcing them out in the process. Volt Switch picks up momentum from the switches Rotom-H can force, making Rotom-H a valuable asset to offensive and defensive teams alike. Whereas defensive Rotom-H sets are the most common due to capitalizing on Rotom-H's impressive defensive repertoire, offensive sets utilizing Choice Scarf as an item are also viable, packing an equally impactful Overheat, Volt Switch, and Trick. Overall, Rotom-H has lots of qualities that let it shine, even in a metagame largely influenced by its more popular brother Rotom-W.
Rotom-H's biggest downfall is its Stealth Rock weakness, severely hampering its defensive and offensive performance unless hazards can be taken care of. Certain Pokemon, such as Mold Breaker Excadrill and Gyarados, don't care about Levitate and can slam Rotom-H with a 4x super effective Earthquake. Apart from these two points, Rotom-H's other cons lie within its comparison to two other OU Pokemon that hold very similar roles: Rotom-W and Heatran. Rotom-W boasts a Stealth Rock neutrality as well as only a weakness to much-less-commonly seen Grass-type moves. Heatran, on the other hand, has an equally impressive typing but a much more thorough support movepool consisting of moves like Lava Plume, Roar, and Stealth Rock. Although Rotom-H certainly has valid niches that allow it to stand out amongst these two comparisons, it often finds itself under heavy scrutiny.
What to try:
Rotom-H @ Leftovers / Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Will-o-Wisp
- Pain Split / Rest
This set fully takes advantage of Rotom-H's rather awesome defensive typing and ability, sponging attacks from the likes of Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, Scizor, Mega Pinsir and other similar attackers, safely switching in with its increased bulk and neat set of resistances. Although it is not invested in special attack, its powerful Overheat and momentum-grabbing Volt Switch are still serious deterrents to many attackers, which help give Rotom-H serious leverage in a tier where defensive Pokemon are always at risk of being a free switch-in. As a further method of deterring opponents from switching in, Will-o-Wisp exists to deter even the most threatening Pokemon to Rotom-H in the tier, particularly Tyranitar, who can switch in on any other move but is extremely crippled when burnt. Finally, Pain Split is Rotom-H's primary method of healing, working somewhat reliably in tandem with Rotom-H's low base HP. Rest, on the other hand, is essentially a new life for Rotom-H provided it's still in possession of its Chesto Berry, and is a great asset against teams that might use Toxic as their primary method of dealing with Rotom-H. However, the pseudo-one-time use of Rest can make it a risky option if Rotom-H is ever required to heal more than once. Rotom-H's EVs and nature are tailored here to make a more physically defensive set; however, a specially defensive set with a Calm nature and 252 EVs in Special Defense instead of Defense is completely viable as well, should Rotom-H be needed for its ability to check special attackers like Mega Charizard Y and Thundurus more frequently. Leftovers goes with Pain Split, while Chesto Berry allows Rotom-H to use Rest as if it were a Full Restore.
Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
- Trick / Thunderbolt
This set takes a different approach to the first; it is not intended to wall threatening Pokemon, but rather, to threaten or revenge kill them. Overheat is the only Fire-type STAB move that Rotom-H can use, and it is thus mandatory. It is powerful, and though it forces Rotom-H out afterwards, this comes naturally as part of its role. Volt Switch is immensely important, as it always provides momentum in addition to damage, allowing Rotom-H to force out Electric-weak enemies, Volt Switch on the opponents Rotom-H counter, and then bring in its own counter for the foes current Pokemon. Hidden Power Ice allows Rotom-H to revenge kill the various Pokemon in the tier that are 4x weak to it, including Landorus-T and Dragonite. However, if its modest power is unappealing, Thunderbolt can take its place as a more consistent STAB move to use against Pokemon with recovery. An oft-seen move on Choice Scarf Pokemon, Trick is used to cripple the many defensive checks to Rotom-H, Pokemon that can wall it easily, such as Chansey. The EVs are remarkably simple, they maximize the two most important stats for Rotom-H when fulfilling this role. The Timid nature allows Rotom-H to outspeed Choice Scarf Adamant Excadrill, so it can safely revenge kill it with Overheat without fear of being obliterated by its Mold Breaker Earthquake. It is most often preferred to use Volt Switch early-game to swing momentum into your favour, allowing you to keep up an offensive pace.
What else can you try?
There is the option of a Choice Specs set, which is almost equivalent to the Choice Scarf set, despite the different role it takes. It aims to punch holes into the opponents team with the powerful Overheat, while also being able to pivot frequently in and out of battle with the use of Volt Switch. However, the extra power of Rotom-H's moves is generally not worth it due to the downsides of being locked into its main STAB moves. While this is the case for the Choice Scarf set as well, that set offers a lot more to a team than a set with Choice Specs does. Another role that Rotom-H could possibly carry out, is that of a sun setter, to be paired with the likes of Mega Houndoom and Venusaur. Its Volt Switch allows it to threaten the normally troublesome Water-types that resist the sun-boosted STAB attacks of these teams. Rotom-H can also attempt to utilize the effects of a number of unique moves, including Electroweb, Hex, and Electro Ball,but they are often inconsistent, unreliable, and not worth the moveslot.
Good Partners for this Pokemon:
Being a Fire-type Pokemon, it suffers from an unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, which is annoying as Rotom-H frequently switches in and out of battle. Therefore, the support of a Rapid Spin or Defog user is essential. Latios and Latias can both use Defog, and they also resist Water-types moves. Tyranitar is also problematic, so an answer to it such as Keldeo is highly recommended. VoltTurn users form powerful cores with Rotom-H, with some examples being Landorus-T and Scizor. Finally, Pokemon that attract the attacks that Rotom-H resists are great, as they allow Rotom-H to retaliate with its Overheat, or keep up momentum with Volt Switch.
Playing against Rotom-H: Checks and Counters
As Rotom-H isn't the most powerful attacker, it is incredibly easy to wall it with the likes of Chansey and Sylveon. Though they dislike Trick, there is nothing Rotom-H can do to them offensively. Many fast attackers can KO the defensive set with ease, such as Tyranitar, Greninja, and Keldeo. Another thing to watch out for is Excadrill, as it can use its Mold Breaker Earthquake to bypass Levitate, KOing it with ease. Mega Charizard X can set up Dragon Dances on Rotom-H's attacks as well as Will-o-Wisps, and it can potentially sweep Rotom-H's team. Finally, the defensive set is bait for Taunt, as it is often can't hurt common Taunt users, such as Gliscor.
There we go, that's the twelfth Pokemon of the Week! Let us know whether this has helped you at all, and your results of testing this Rotom-H set on the ladder. Also, don't forget to let us know via VM what Pokemon you want to see next. All opinions are welcome, as well as opinions about the Pokemon of the Week format and any ideas you want to see implemented, as well as questions for us about either Rotom-H or POTW itself. Go out there and try Rotom-H now, and we'll see you next time!
The XY OU Pokemon of the Week is an (obviously) weekly project in the Overused forum. The idea originated from when we were reading many of the discussion threads, often the discussion is a bit lacking in the content department. Our goal here to is to highlight a threat in the metagame that isn't as well known, or isn't used as much as it should be, and provide a concise amount of information about that Pokemon; this will encourage creativity during teambuilding, and it will also provide an instant wealth of knowledge about that particular threat. This will hopefully be more helpful to the massive influx of new players in the OU subforum and promote better discussion within the individual threads. In this thread though, the main point of discussion should be about experiences with that particular Pokemon and the sets featured, and how it has helped in some way during your battling. Niche sets and gimmicks can be mentioned as well, but bear in mind that this thread is mainly an informative source of knowledge through what is written in the OP; discussion is not its main focus, though it is most certainly allowed. we need to make this point clear. Think of this like an article introducing you to a new threat that you can use; and try it out! Oh yeah, you can also VM one of us what you think the next POTW should be, bearing in mind that they will be on lesser-used threats, such as Chesnaught, Krookodile, or Cofagrigus.
Remember, in order to be Pokemon of the Week, a Pokemon must be in a tier below OU (Including BL), based on the new 1760 stats.
This week's Pokemon of the Week is Rotom-H.
Type: Electric / Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Introduction
Rotom-H's unique typing alongside its extremely helpful ability Levitate give it a huge niche in being able to counter some of the tier's top threats. Mega Charizard Y, Thundurus, Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Ferrothorn all struggle to get past it. Dual Fire and Electric STABS mean Pokemon like Aegislash, Excadrill, and Gyarados are unable to switch in, mitigating their ability to hit Rotom-H. Thanks to Will-O-Wisp, Rotom-H has a very easy time defending itself from physical attackers, often forcing them out in the process. Volt Switch picks up momentum from the switches Rotom-H can force, making Rotom-H a valuable asset to offensive and defensive teams alike. Whereas defensive Rotom-H sets are the most common due to capitalizing on Rotom-H's impressive defensive repertoire, offensive sets utilizing Choice Scarf as an item are also viable, packing an equally impactful Overheat, Volt Switch, and Trick. Overall, Rotom-H has lots of qualities that let it shine, even in a metagame largely influenced by its more popular brother Rotom-W.
Rotom-H's biggest downfall is its Stealth Rock weakness, severely hampering its defensive and offensive performance unless hazards can be taken care of. Certain Pokemon, such as Mold Breaker Excadrill and Gyarados, don't care about Levitate and can slam Rotom-H with a 4x super effective Earthquake. Apart from these two points, Rotom-H's other cons lie within its comparison to two other OU Pokemon that hold very similar roles: Rotom-W and Heatran. Rotom-W boasts a Stealth Rock neutrality as well as only a weakness to much-less-commonly seen Grass-type moves. Heatran, on the other hand, has an equally impressive typing but a much more thorough support movepool consisting of moves like Lava Plume, Roar, and Stealth Rock. Although Rotom-H certainly has valid niches that allow it to stand out amongst these two comparisons, it often finds itself under heavy scrutiny.
What to try:
Rotom-H @ Leftovers / Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Will-o-Wisp
- Pain Split / Rest
This set fully takes advantage of Rotom-H's rather awesome defensive typing and ability, sponging attacks from the likes of Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, Scizor, Mega Pinsir and other similar attackers, safely switching in with its increased bulk and neat set of resistances. Although it is not invested in special attack, its powerful Overheat and momentum-grabbing Volt Switch are still serious deterrents to many attackers, which help give Rotom-H serious leverage in a tier where defensive Pokemon are always at risk of being a free switch-in. As a further method of deterring opponents from switching in, Will-o-Wisp exists to deter even the most threatening Pokemon to Rotom-H in the tier, particularly Tyranitar, who can switch in on any other move but is extremely crippled when burnt. Finally, Pain Split is Rotom-H's primary method of healing, working somewhat reliably in tandem with Rotom-H's low base HP. Rest, on the other hand, is essentially a new life for Rotom-H provided it's still in possession of its Chesto Berry, and is a great asset against teams that might use Toxic as their primary method of dealing with Rotom-H. However, the pseudo-one-time use of Rest can make it a risky option if Rotom-H is ever required to heal more than once. Rotom-H's EVs and nature are tailored here to make a more physically defensive set; however, a specially defensive set with a Calm nature and 252 EVs in Special Defense instead of Defense is completely viable as well, should Rotom-H be needed for its ability to check special attackers like Mega Charizard Y and Thundurus more frequently. Leftovers goes with Pain Split, while Chesto Berry allows Rotom-H to use Rest as if it were a Full Restore.
Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice / Thunderbolt
- Trick / Thunderbolt
This set takes a different approach to the first; it is not intended to wall threatening Pokemon, but rather, to threaten or revenge kill them. Overheat is the only Fire-type STAB move that Rotom-H can use, and it is thus mandatory. It is powerful, and though it forces Rotom-H out afterwards, this comes naturally as part of its role. Volt Switch is immensely important, as it always provides momentum in addition to damage, allowing Rotom-H to force out Electric-weak enemies, Volt Switch on the opponents Rotom-H counter, and then bring in its own counter for the foes current Pokemon. Hidden Power Ice allows Rotom-H to revenge kill the various Pokemon in the tier that are 4x weak to it, including Landorus-T and Dragonite. However, if its modest power is unappealing, Thunderbolt can take its place as a more consistent STAB move to use against Pokemon with recovery. An oft-seen move on Choice Scarf Pokemon, Trick is used to cripple the many defensive checks to Rotom-H, Pokemon that can wall it easily, such as Chansey. The EVs are remarkably simple, they maximize the two most important stats for Rotom-H when fulfilling this role. The Timid nature allows Rotom-H to outspeed Choice Scarf Adamant Excadrill, so it can safely revenge kill it with Overheat without fear of being obliterated by its Mold Breaker Earthquake. It is most often preferred to use Volt Switch early-game to swing momentum into your favour, allowing you to keep up an offensive pace.
What else can you try?
There is the option of a Choice Specs set, which is almost equivalent to the Choice Scarf set, despite the different role it takes. It aims to punch holes into the opponents team with the powerful Overheat, while also being able to pivot frequently in and out of battle with the use of Volt Switch. However, the extra power of Rotom-H's moves is generally not worth it due to the downsides of being locked into its main STAB moves. While this is the case for the Choice Scarf set as well, that set offers a lot more to a team than a set with Choice Specs does. Another role that Rotom-H could possibly carry out, is that of a sun setter, to be paired with the likes of Mega Houndoom and Venusaur. Its Volt Switch allows it to threaten the normally troublesome Water-types that resist the sun-boosted STAB attacks of these teams. Rotom-H can also attempt to utilize the effects of a number of unique moves, including Electroweb, Hex, and Electro Ball,but they are often inconsistent, unreliable, and not worth the moveslot.
Good Partners for this Pokemon:
Being a Fire-type Pokemon, it suffers from an unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, which is annoying as Rotom-H frequently switches in and out of battle. Therefore, the support of a Rapid Spin or Defog user is essential. Latios and Latias can both use Defog, and they also resist Water-types moves. Tyranitar is also problematic, so an answer to it such as Keldeo is highly recommended. VoltTurn users form powerful cores with Rotom-H, with some examples being Landorus-T and Scizor. Finally, Pokemon that attract the attacks that Rotom-H resists are great, as they allow Rotom-H to retaliate with its Overheat, or keep up momentum with Volt Switch.
Playing against Rotom-H: Checks and Counters
As Rotom-H isn't the most powerful attacker, it is incredibly easy to wall it with the likes of Chansey and Sylveon. Though they dislike Trick, there is nothing Rotom-H can do to them offensively. Many fast attackers can KO the defensive set with ease, such as Tyranitar, Greninja, and Keldeo. Another thing to watch out for is Excadrill, as it can use its Mold Breaker Earthquake to bypass Levitate, KOing it with ease. Mega Charizard X can set up Dragon Dances on Rotom-H's attacks as well as Will-o-Wisps, and it can potentially sweep Rotom-H's team. Finally, the defensive set is bait for Taunt, as it is often can't hurt common Taunt users, such as Gliscor.
There we go, that's the twelfth Pokemon of the Week! Let us know whether this has helped you at all, and your results of testing this Rotom-H set on the ladder. Also, don't forget to let us know via VM what Pokemon you want to see next. All opinions are welcome, as well as opinions about the Pokemon of the Week format and any ideas you want to see implemented, as well as questions for us about either Rotom-H or POTW itself. Go out there and try Rotom-H now, and we'll see you next time!
Pokemon of the Week #1: Staraptor
Pokemon of the Week #2: Krookodile
Pokemon of the Week #3: Suicune
Pokemon of the Week #4: Reuniclus
Pokemon of the Week #5: Diggersby
Pokemon of the Week #6: Kyurem-B
Pokemon of the Week #7: Manaphy
Pokemon of the Week #8: Hippowdon
Pokemon of the Week #9: Donphan (April Fools!)
Pokemon of the Week #10: Kabutops
Pokemon of the Week #11: Gothitelle
Pokemon of the Week #2: Krookodile
Pokemon of the Week #3: Suicune
Pokemon of the Week #4: Reuniclus
Pokemon of the Week #5: Diggersby
Pokemon of the Week #6: Kyurem-B
Pokemon of the Week #7: Manaphy
Pokemon of the Week #8: Hippowdon
Pokemon of the Week #9: Donphan (April Fools!)
Pokemon of the Week #10: Kabutops
Pokemon of the Week #11: Gothitelle
