Houndoom Issue

[Pitcher]

Hello everybody, I'm currently breeding Timid Houndours for my team in D/P but I have a few thoughts I'd like some comments on. Since the physical/special split, Houndoom loses strength in Pursuit now that it is a physical move and his highest stat is his special attack.

I would love to use Pursuit on him but I don't know if it's worth it without boosting his attack. Also, if I did use Pursuit, I'd probably want to switch away from Timid. Below are the movesets I plan on using and I'm thinking of making him my starter since he hits a lot the pokemon in the Starter thread.

Houndoom@Leftovers
Trait: Early Bird
-Protect
-Flamethrower
-Dark Pulse
-HP Grass

Houndoom@Power Herb
Trait: Early Bird
-Protect
-Flamethrower
-Dark Pulse
-Solarbeam

Early Bird is for all the Hypnosis going around, Protect is for Azelf's Explosion and scouting CB, AS, and AG attacks and Solarbeam/HP Grass is mostly for surprise and to hit Swampert.

I'd like to hear people's thoughts on Pursuit on Houndoom, my movesets, and hopefully some help with his EVs. I'm not sure how much speed he will need as a starter.

Thanks in advance,
Adam.

 

[Misty]

I would always use Flash Fire on Houndoom - being immune to Fire and being powered up by it makes Houndoom really awesome and potentially much easier to get in.

You can use McGraw's Adherence Scarf design, or the old Sunny Day sets. Powerful Herb is dumb - I would just use HP Grass (guaranteed massive damage on Swampert).

 

[Protege]

If youre worried about hypnosis, use a sleep talker (heracross, milotic, etc) to counter that. Flash fire > early bird. Id much rather bring him in on a WoW with Flash fire than wake up 1 turn early.

And 90 base attack isnt bad to use pursuit but Id still rather use Ttar, weavile, heracross).

Im not sure hes all that great as a starter. For instance, he cant do a damn thing to Infernape.

 

[Mekkah]

Breeding HP Grass is a pain, I wouldn't get started on that. Just use Will-o-Wisp for Swampert, Tyranitar and their ilk. 300 Speed would be good since it beats Salamence, you won't beat Gengar either way, or max Speed Gachomp for that matter. I find him a little too easily trapped by Dugtrio to give away so early though.