Crucibelle QC: [1/3]

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snake

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Credit to the late NitrousAcid for the template.

[OVERVIEW]

  • Mega Crucibelle has a solid base 135 attack as well a great base 114 speed stat which allows Crucibelle to become a very potent attacker.
  • Has access to excellent attacking moves including Head Smash, Gunk Shot, Wood Hammer, Low Kick and U-Turn.
  • Mega Crucibelle can find plenty of opportunities to boost using Coil thanks to its offensive presence and decent special bulk and its ability, Magic Guard. This allows Crucibelle to become an incredibely potent late game sweeper.
  • Can switch in on hazards without taking any damage due to Magic Guard giving it much better longevity when compared to most other wallbreakers.
  • Unique typing in Poison and Rock allows to act as a decent check to many common Fairy-, Fire-, Flying-, and Poison-type Pokemon such as Talonflame, Mollux, Pyroak, and Clefable.
  • Doesn’t have to rely on Crucibellite to be viable; Crucibelle can serve as an excellent pivot with Regenerator, run Choice Band and Choice Scarf well, and can cripple defensive Pokemon with Trick.
  • Crucibelle’s typing is a bit of a double-edged sword as it leaves it very susceptible to many common attacking types such as Steel, Psychic, Water, and a crippling 4x weakness to Ground, which lets Landorus-T, Jirachi, Scizor, and Mega Metagross check it.
  • Crucibelle can be revenge killed quite easily due to its low Defense stat and weakness to common priority attacks like Aqua Jet from Pokemon such as Azumarill and Crawdaunt as well as Bullet Punch from Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Scizor.
  • In order to deal large amounts of damage, Crucibelle and Mega Crucibelle has to rely on hitting Head Smash and Gunk Shot, which have low accuracy. This can be mitigated by Coil.

[SET]
name: Coil
move 1: Coil
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Gunk Shot
move 4: Wood Hammer / U-turn
Item: Crucibellite
Ability: Regenerator
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Coil allows Crucibelle to fire off +1 attacks with improved accuracy as well provide a nice Defense boost which allows Crucibelle to survive against some opposing revenge killers' attacks, even after some prior damage, such as Azumarill and Crawdaunt's Aqua Jet and Mega Metagross and Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch as well as Pokemon who naturally outspeed such as Mega Lopunny's High Jump Kick. Because Mega Crucibelle can boost with Crucibelle while being able to destroy Clefable and Quagsire, two prominent Unaware users, it has a fairly good match up against stall teams.
  • Head Smash and Gunk Shot are Crucibelle’s STAB attacks, and the additional power and accuracy Coil provides allows Crucibelle to safely blow holes in or clean up against weakened teams. +1 Head Smash can guarantee 2HKOs on Cyclohm and Skarmory while securing OHKOs on a significant portion on the rest of the meta, including defensive Tomohawk after Stealth Rock damage.
  • Wood Hammer is Crucibelle's best coverage move that hits Rotom-W, Quagsire, Arghonaut, Hippowdon and Slowbro.
  • U-turn allows Mega Crucibelle to act as a better offensive pivot early game, take advantage of Regenerator optimally in base forme, and can lure in Steel-types for partners to dispatch.
  • Low Kick is an option if you want to hit Ferrothorn, Naviathan, Bisharp and Magnezone, but pivoting into a partner is usually a better idea.

Set Details
========
  • 252 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature make Mega Crucibelle as fast as possible.
  • Full investment in Attack allows Mega Crucibelle to hit as hard as it can.
  • 4 HP EVs allows Crucibelle to have an HP value divisible by 3, healing one more point of HP via Regnerator while in base forme.
  • Regenerator can be quite useful for Coil Mega Crucibelle as this set thrives in the end game. Crucibelle threaten out opposing mons, can be kept healthy via Regenerator and, then Mega Evolve when you want to sweep with Coil.
  • Magic Guard most importantly nullifies Head Smash and Wood Hammer recoil, but it also ignores contact damage and residual damage from burn and Leech Seed.
Usage Tips
========
  • Coil Mega Crucibelle is most effective once its checks and counters are weakened or removed. Defensive Tomohawk and defensive Landorus-T are most important, as they can use Haze and Intimidate respectively to remove Mega Crucibelle's Attack boost.
  • While one Coil boost is required to start a consistent sweep, the threat of a second Defense boost against certain weaker defensive Pokemon can force the opponent into awkward positions.
  • Keep Crucibelle healthy with Regenerator at the start of the game, as this enables Crucibelle to get off Coils at the end of the game more easily. Crucibelle can threaten out its attackers due to the threat of Mega Evolving, but it can use U-turn instead.
  • Using U-turn early-game can lure in Steel-type checks, allowing a teammate such as Life Orb Tomohawk or Magnezone to eliminate them.
  • If Crucibelle cannot find an opportunity to set up Coil or does not need to set up Coil, do not be afraid to use its powerful STAB moves.
  • Try to get Crucibelle in against Pokemon it can easily set up on such as Chansey, Clefable, Tornadus-T and Mollux.
Team Options
========
  • Magnezone can remove Steel-type checks such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn; whereas Pursuit users like Choice Band Scizor, Colossoil and Tyranitar can remove Jirachi and Scarf Latios which can otherwise check and revenge kill respectively. Strong Grass-, Ice-, Water-, Fire-, Fighting- and Ground-type attacks also put massive pressure on opposing Crucibelle checks.
  • Powerful revenge killers severely hamper Mega Crucibelle's ability to sweep. Pokemon such as Stratagem, Syclant, Mega Aerodactyl, Choice Scarf Volkraken, Jirachi and Latios are all example of Pokemon that can revenge kill Crucibelle. Assault Vest Colossoil, Skarmory and Arghonaut can all serve as checks against some of these Pokemon.
  • Status healers, either through Healing Wish or Heal Bell, such as Jirachi, Latias, Clefable, Cyclohm make excellent teammates for Crucibelle. A burned or paralyzed Crucibelle is almost useless as Crucibelle completely relies on its speed and attack.

[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: U-Turn / Low Kick
move 4: Wood Hammer / Stealth Rock / Low Kick
item: Crucibellite
Ability: Regenerator
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Head Smash is Mega Crucibelle's primary STAB attack which is capable of OHKOing top metagame threats such as Latios, Pyroak, Mollux and Aurumoth while also having no recoil thanks to Magic Guard. Even checks that resist Rock-type attacks such as Kitsunoh, Mega Metagross and Jirachi can have problems switching in multiple times against Head Smash.
  • Gunk Shot provides Crucibelle with a powerful secondary STAB attack and allows it take care of Fairy- and Grass-type Pokemon such as Mega Gardevoir, Clefable, Malaconda and Serperior.
  • U-Turn allows Mega Crucibelle to keep momentum going and pivot out against strong physical walls such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, and Landorus-T.
  • Wood Hammer lets Mega Crucibelle hit bulky Water- and Ground-types for super effective damage which can score a guaranteed OHKO on uninvested Colossoil, 2HKOs on Rotom-W and Krilowatt and, with a bit of prior damage, 2HKOs on max defence Arghonaut and Mixed Hippowdon
  • Low Kick is an option over Wood Hammer or U-Turn if you want to hit Bisharp, Naviathan and Ferrothorn for super effective damage and Mega Metagross for neutral damage. Low Kick notably deals the same damage to Colossoil as Wood Hammer. However, it leaves Crucibelle helpless against Rotom-W and Ground-types.
  • Stealth Rock can be run alongside U-turn if no other teammate can run it. U-turn lets it switch out of Tomohawk, a common spinner, which walls it.

Set Details
========
  • 252 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature let Crucibelle outspeed Pokemon like Serperior, Keldeo, Latios, and Diancie.
  • 252 Attack EVs investment lets it hit as hard as possible.
  • 4 HP EVs allows Crucibelle to hit a Regenerator number.
  • Regenerator allows Crucibelle to pivot early on and bluff a Choice Scarf set and heal off residual damage like Stealth Rock and Rocky Helmet damage.
  • Magic Guard allows Mega Crucibelle to ignore contact damage, recoil damage, Leech Seed, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and burn damage.

Usage Tips
========
  • Crucibelle should stay delay its Mega Evolution and check Pokemon like Talonflame and Mollux early on, force them out, and gain momentum with U-turn. Staying healthy with Regenerator and then mega evolving when near full health is optimal.
  • However, if there's something that outspeeds base Crucibelle such as Latios or Serperior, Crucibelle should mega evolve to be able to check them adequately.
  • Getting Crucibelle in can sometimes be tricky due to to its weakness to common attacking types but against Pokemon like Mollux, Clefable, Talonflame, Mega Pidgeot, Tornadus-T, and Mega Venusaur, Crucibelle can generally get in pretty safely; though it does have to be wary of burns, paralysis, Ground-type coverage, and U-Turn.
  • Well timed double switches or safe switches from Volt Switch or U-Turn also enable Mega Crucibelle to put much more pressure on the opposing team. Mega Crucibelle can use its own U-turn to switch out of bad match ups such as against Landorus-T.
  • Early game, if U-turn is run, it should be used to chip down its checks until its STAB moves or coverage moves can KO its checks and counters.
  • U-Turn also is excellent at gaining momentum and can be used without taking residual damage from common Rocky Helmet users such as Garchomp and Tomohawk as well as Ferrothorn’s Iron Barbs.
  • Mega Crucibelle is not a perfect Clefable switch-in, as Thunder Wave cripples its above average speed.
Team Options
========
  • This Crucibelle fits very well onto offensive VoltTurn teams. This is due to its access to U-Turn and high base Attack and Speed stats as well as its ability, Magic Guard, taking away hazard damage which plagues VoltTurn as they require a lot of switching.
  • Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Jirachi, Tornadus-T, and Mega Scizor can all provide powerful cores with Mega Crucibelle with Volt Switch and U-Turn, allowing them to switch between each other while dealing damage and maintaining momentum. Parting Shot Kerfluffle can stand on a VoltTurn core as well, softening blows for Mega Crucibelle.
  • Pokemon that can threaten common Ground-, Water-, and Steel-type Pokemon make excellent teammates for Crucibelle. Rotom-W, Tomohawk, and Serperior can all fill this role.
  • Magnezone can trap and remove Steel-types that check and counter Crucibelle such as Ferrothorn, Naviathan, Klefki, Skarmory and Mega Scizor. This alleviates the need to run Low Kick.
  • Healing Wish users such as Jirachi, Tomohawk and Latias can all heal status ailments that Crucibelle may have gained through Pokemon such as Mollux, Pyroak and common Thunder Wave users as well fully healing allowing Crucibelle to switch in more times
  • Pursuit users like Bisharp, Colossoil, Weavile, and Scizor can all remove and weaken common checks, such as Jirachi, Kitsunoh, and Mega Metagross.
  • Pokemon that can clear away strong physically bulky Pokemon such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, Slowbro, and Skarmory are also appreciated. Example of these are Offensive Tomohawk, Thundurus, Syclant, and Volcanion.
  • Heal Bell and Aromatherapy users such as Cyclohm, Chansey and Clefable can get rid of nasty burn and paralysis which otherwise severely cripple Mega Crucibelle's stats, hampering its ability to sweep effectively.


[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: U-Turn
move 4: Trick
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Head Smash provides Crucibelle with a powerful STAB option, dealing massive damage to even those who resist. However, the recoil damage can pile up even with Regenerator so Stone Edge is a weaker but safer alternative.
  • Gunk Shot provides a secondary STAB option and allows Crucibelle to threaten Fairy and Grass-type Pokemon.
  • U-Turn allows Crucibelle to maintain momentum for the team as well as get chip damage on checks.
  • Trick can cripple a defensive Pokemon by forcing it into a Choice lock.
  • Low Kick can help Crucibelle get past Steel-types; whereas Wood Hammer is for coverage against bulky Water- and Ground-types. However, Low Kick's power is variable, making it weak against many targets. Wood Hammer's recoil can stack with Head Smash's massive recoil, which can overload Regenerator's healing. In addition, both of these moves are unSTABbed.

Set Details
========
  • 252 Speed EVs, a Jolly Nature, and Choice Scarf allow Crucibelle to act as a solid revenge killer to many common threats such as Mega Pinsir, Tornadus-T, Kerfluffle, Syclant, set up sweepers like +1 Mega Charizard X and +1 Aurumoth, and Choice Scarf users such as Kyurem-B and Volkraken
  • 252 Attack EVs allow Crucibelle to hit hard with its STAB moves.
  • 4 HP EVs allows Crucibelle to maximize Regenerator recovery.
  • Regenerator allows Crucibelle to shrug off weak attacks by switching out or using U-turn.

Usage Tips
========
  • Choice Scarf Crucibelle is best used as a revenge killer as its combination of powerful STAB attacks and Speed allows it to take out a far portion of the metagame, especially after prior damage has been dealt.
  • Due to Crucibelles weakness to common attacking types, it can often be hard to switch Crucibelle in safely which can sometimes turn Crucibelle obsolete. Well timed double switches as well as safe switches from Volt Switch or U-Turn can help to alleviate this problem.
  • Crucibelle can come in against common Fairy-types such as Clefable and Kerfluffle as well as Fire-types such as Mollux and Pyroak, and Flying-types such as Talonflame and Tornadus-T. However, it needs to be careful of status inflictions such as Thunder Wave from Clefable, and Lava Plume burns from Mollux and Pyroak.
  • Early game, Crucibelle should force switches and use U-turn to bluff another set: it has the exact same damage output as Crucibellite sets. This also keeps Crucibelle's health up.
  • Crucibelle can use one of its STAB options to deal damage, attempt catch the opponent off guard with a coverage move, or use U-turn to keep up momentum.
  • Trick should be used against defensive teams or balance backbones. Common switch-ins such as Tomohawk and Cyclohm do not like a Choice Scarf. However, Crucibelle should save its Choice Scarf if it needs to KO a speedy Pokemon such as Scarf Volkraken.

Team Options

========
  • Choice Scarf Crucibelle can get guarantee revenge kills against +1 Mega Charizard and +1 Aurumoth provided that Head Smash hits. While Choice Scarf Garchomp can achieve the same goal, Crucibelle's access to U-turn, Regenerator, and Trick allows it to check Talonflame more effectively, stay healthy, and gain some traction against defensive teams.
  • Crucibelle fits in very well with U-Turn and Volt Switch users such as Jirachi, Mega Manectric, and Syclant to maintain momentum and put offensive pressure on the opposing team. Slower users such as Rotom-W and Scizor are especially good for as they allow Crucibelle to get in safely. Parting Shot Kerfluffle is also a good teammate.
  • Ground-, Water-, Psychic- and Steel-type moves all deal super effective damage and users of these moves can therefore force Crucibelle out. Rotom can switch in well against Water-, Ground-, and Steel-type moves thanks to its typing, stats and ability. Jirachi can provide useful resistances to Psychic- and Steel-type attacks. Serperior and Mega Venusaur can put pressure on Water- and Ground-types.
  • Trappers such as Magnezone can trap and remove some Steel-type checks such as Mega Scizor and Skarmory, and Pursuit trappers such as Choice Band Scizor, Tyranitar, and Weavile can deal serious damage to Jirachi, Kitsunoh and Latios as well as getting damage on other checks.
  • Pokemon that can clear away strong physical walls such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, Mega Slowbro and Skarmory are also appreciated. Example of these are Offensive Tomohawk, Kerfluffle, Thundurus, Syclant, and Volcanion.
  • Healing Wish and Heal Bell users, such as Latias, Tomohawk, Clefable, and Cyclohm rid Crucibelle of nasty burns and paralysis.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
  • Rock Polish boosts Crucibelle's speed to ridiculous heights and allows it to take on many Pokemon that would normally be able to revenge kill it. A spread of 252 Atk / 68 Def / 188 Speed and Adamant Nature will ensure that Crucibelle outspeeds max speed Kyurem-B before a boost and that Mega Crucibelle outspeeds offensive Landorus-T and 232 Speed Aurumoth before a boost. After Rock Polish, Mega Crucibelle outspeeds all common Choice Scarf and Swift Swim abusers. Full attack investment and a boosting nature maximize its damage output, and the remaining EVs are invested in Defense to better take on priority attackers. With 68 Defense EVs, Mega Crucibelle can avoid the OHKO from Banded Azumarill and Crawdaunt's Aqua Jet as well as max attack Adamant Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch.
  • Crucibelle can run a Choice Band to hit harder than +0 Mega Crucibelle, which allows it to bust holes in stall teams, but it is easily trapped by Dugtrio, stalled out by defensive Roost Tomohawk, and crippled once its Choice Band is Tricked away.
  • A suicide lead set consisting of moves like Explosion, Stealth Rocks and Toxic Spikes with Mold Breaker could be warranted on some Hyper Offensive teams but with hazard clearance more easy to come by in CAP and a general bias towards bulky offense teams you would more often than not be at a disadvantage.
  • Zen Headbutt is Crucibelle's best option to hit Fidgit and Revenankh, however Crucibelle does miss out on much more versatile coverage moves such as Low Kick and Wood Hammer.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Steel-types**: Common Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Bisharp, Naviathan, Magnezone, Klefki, Excadrill and can all be answers to Crucibelle, especially if Crucibelle is lacking Low Kick. Ferrothorn, Bisharp, Magnezone, Excadrill and can all threaten to KO with their Steel-type STAB attacks. Calm Mind Naviathan and Klefki and can all threaten to cripple with Scald burns and paralysis respectively. Mega Metagross, Jirachi and Kitsunoh deserve special mention as they are immune to or resist most of the attacks Crucibelle often uses as well as being able to cripple Crucibelle. Mega Metagross also cannot be hit with Trick, has Bullet Punch to revenge Crucibellite and Scarf variants, and can use Meteor Mash, Zen Headbutt, or Earthquake as Crucibelle mega evolves. However, Steel-types that lack reliable recovery can be worn down quickly.

**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Hippowdon, defensive Landorus-T, and physically defensive Gliscor can all serve as great checks to Mega Crucibelle. They can either heal off damage, threaten to KO, lower Attack, or set up hazards once they are in against Mega Crucibelle. Colossoil with 20 EVs in Defense is barely able to survive a Wood Hammer or Low Kick from Mega Crucibelle and KO back with Earthquake. Defensive Garchomp is a solid counter to Crucibelle as it can in on Crucibelle's attacks with relative ease (severely punishing base Crucibelle with Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet in the process) and threaten to OHKO with Earthquake. Quagsire can ignore Coil boosts and recover damage, but it must be wary of Wood Hammer.

**Physical Walls**: Very sturdy physical walls such as Tomohawk, Cyclohm, and Mega Slowbro can all switch in against Crucibelle and proceed to heal off damage and threaten Crucibelle out. However, barring Haze from Prankster Tomohawk, they struggle against Coil Mega Crucibelle, and they all struggle against Choice Band variants.

**Fast Attackers**: Pokemon that carry super effective attacks and are faster than Crucibelle or Mega Cruciblle can threaten and force it out. Examples include common Choice Scarf users such as Volkraken, Jirachi, Keldeo, Latios, and Landorus-T as well as naturally faster Pokemon like Stratagem, Syclant, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Aerodactyl. Many of these cannot switch into Crucibelle's attacks, however.

**Powerful Priority Attackers**: Azumarill and Crawdaunt can threaten with Aqua Jet while Mega Metagross, Mega Medicham, Mega Scizor, and Choice Band Scizor can pressure Crucibelle with Bullet Punch.

**Status**: If Crucibelle or Mega Crucibelle is burned or paralyzed, it is near on useless as all of its offensive sets rely on its speed and power to be viable. Since it is often trying to switch in against Fire- and Fairy-type Pokemon, Pokemon such as Pyroak, Mollux, Heatran, Talonflame can all threaten to burn with Lava Plume or Will-O-Wisp; whereas Clefable can paralyze with Thunder Wave on the switch.
 
Last edited:
I'm gonna reply what I've said in the Nitrous Acid's analyse:

Among the "Checks and Counters", you can maybe put "Defensive Fighting Type" or something like that and talk about Revenankh, who resist both Crucibelle's STAB, can place Bulk Up in front of him and/or OHKO him with Earthquake (even if Choice Banded does a lot of damage to Revenankh). Arghonaut deserves a mention too since he ignores Coil thanks to Unaware and can, with lucky roll, 2HKO Crucibelle with Aqua Jet. As you said, Arghonaut full PV/Def can take two Wood Hammer from Mega Crucibelle. You've already explained the case of Tomohawk among the "Physical Walls", so maybe you can put both Revenankh and Arghonaut in this section, even if their goal often aren't to wall physical sweepers.
 

LucarioOfLegends

Master Procraster
is a CAP Contributor
snake_rattler said:
-Low Kick is an option over Wood Hammer or U-Turn if you want to hit Bisharp, Naviathan and Ferrothorn for super effective damage and Mega Metagross for neutral damage. Low Kick notably deals the deal damage to Colossoil as Wood Hammer.
What does "deals the deal damage" mean? Is it a hidden easter egg to Deal or No Deal? Is it referencing HeaL? Or was the brain just ahead of the fingers? The world may never know...
 

snake

is a Community Leaderis a Top CAP Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
CAP Co-Leader
What does "deals the deal damage" mean? Is it a hidden easter egg to Deal or No Deal? Is it referencing HeaL? Or was the brain just ahead of the fingers? The world may never know...
It's...uh...not supposed to read "deals the same damage" at all...
 
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