Tank Dedenne?

[Zeta]

I want to raise a Dedenne, but it's lack of Special Fairy type moves and low attack for Play Rough means I can't use it offensively.

But I was thinking - it's got a bit of bulk. And it has six resistances and only two weaknesses - only one of which is especially common.

Can I put together a tank Dedenne?

Something like

* Parabolic Charge
* Charge Beam
* Rest
* Sleep Talk
* Leftovers

Basically have it constantly be asleep while boosting special attack and leeching HP?

 

[Enzap]

I think Dedenne would appreciate HP Ice more than Charge Beam. If the opponent had a Ground or bulky Dragon or Grass type then you would be forced to switch, which would negate any Special Attack gain anyway.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

If you're using Dedenne you're doing it wrong.

Don't use Dedenne as a tank, it's only decent stats are Speed (very very slightly above average at 101) and Sp Atk (at 81). You're best shot is a gimmicky set that abuses its good speed to spread Taunt-immune paralysis with Nuzzle and share it's crappy Abilities via Entrainment.

 

[AnybodyAgrees]

I tested this on Pokemon Showdown(Replace Charge Beam with Substitute. It's a lot more annoying). It gets beaten by Conkeldurr, but outsped a mega Gengar. This thing works like a charm on a Hazards team. Combine it with a physical wall, and you pretty much win if you can safely set up hazards.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

Um, what? Did you have Sticky web or something? Dedenne's got base 101 speed, MegaGar has base 130. Also, why would you use this in OU (i.e., the entire metagame right now)? It takes hits like a wet Kleenex even with max Sp Def investment. Such frail mons as Blaziken, Alakazam, Gengar, Starmie, and Charizard out-defend Dedenne in at least one stat and you certainly don't see them running tank sets.

 

[AnybodyAgrees]

I outsped it because he Scary Faced right onto my Espeon.

Why it can run a tank set? Probably because a) Only 1 weakness that's actually used as an offensive type ; b) Good tank move set. I'm not a good competitive battler, but the guy I was facing was probably even worse than me.(Only played a couple matches before testing out my own team.) ; c) I had every single hazard up, and his Cloyster(I don't think it even had Spin) was down. He was probably afraid to switch to something that could outpace its subs and healing, for fear of being out-stalled and letting poison kill him. d) Dedenne isn't as good as Dragonite at tanking, but ANY healing move + subs is good at stalling a few turns. The high speed helps as well.

I didn't come up with the idea, but it may have sparked the STALLING AGE. I predict, that in one year, most good competitive teams will have a poké that can stall out weather/screens(or brick break for the screens). Anything that can stall for 8 turns will be a huge factor in the metagame of next year.
So there. Feel free to criticize my prediction.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

XY metagame will be bulky offense with an emphasis on priority, I'm calling it. We can bet if you want.

And if you want to stall for a few turns, DO NOT use Dedenne. Use Ferrothorn. Or Umbreon, or Sylveon, or Skarmory, or Blissey, or anything with defensive stats that are higher than those of a piece of paper. Use Torkoal for all I care, it's better than Dedenne.

 

[AnybodyAgrees]

Pokebank OU (beta) replay: kh jadvzcca vs. Yoshi Lighthouse - Pokémon Showdown

Proof of concept. This fight was incredibly notable compared to the others. It happened while I was experimenting with walls + hazards. I was Yoshi Lighthouse.

By the way, the result of the "Walls + Hazards" was that Dragonite was by far the best staller I had.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

First, your Dragonite pretty much evaporated right there at the start, so not sure what you mean?
Second, that Talonflame swept half your 'stall' team with OHKOes. Priority, see.
Third, at the end there you got lucky with both parahax (I'm okay with this) and the fact that the opponent made some terrible plays (Why the hell was he using Crunch and Dark Pulse when he could have OHKOed with earthquake or easily taken you out with Shadow Ball?)

 

[AnybodyAgrees]

I meant that Dragonite was the best staller overall, not in that individual fight.

Also, Talonflame didn't have priority. It was just faster.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

All it's Flying moves. (like the Brave Bird it took your Greninja out with) have priority. I also meant to say Talonflame and Scizor, by itself Talonflame only got 2 kills. My point was that the priority users were there.