QC: Arikado, Eonx, Spirit
GP: Lemonade, The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Ninetales is a threatening wallbreaker thanks to its Drought ability and access to Nasty Plot. It also gets Solar beam to beat Water- and Rock-types and Psyshock for Kommo-o and Dragalge. Also, Drought combined with its good special bulk makes Ninetales more effective against Water-types than any of its competitors. However, while Ninetales has decent Speed, it still is vulnerable to faster attackers such as Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Flygon, which can revenge kill it. Ninetales also faces stiff competition from similar attackers like Salazzle, which can also utilize Nasty Plot and has better Speed, better Special Attack, and a secondary type for coverage. With respect to weather setting, Torkoal is preferred for its access to Stealth Rock and Explosion and because it finds more opportunities to switch in than Ninetales.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Wallbreaker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Firium Z / Grassium Z
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot boosts Ninetales's Special Attack enough to OHKO the vast majority of Pokemon. Fire Blast is Ninetales's main and most powerful attack. It alone is able to threaten a KO against anything that doesn't resist Fire. Solar Beam greatly complements this by giving Ninetales almost all the needed coverage to hit Rock- and Water-type Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Milotic, and Slowking. Lastly, Psyshock gives coverage against Kommo-o and Dragalge, both of which need prior damage before being 2HKOed.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack and Speed EVs maximize Ninetales's damage output and speed. With a Timid nature, Ninetales can Speed tie with maximum Speed Shaymin and Mega Glalie. The remaining 4 EVs are put into Special Defense, Ninetales's higher defensive stat. Firium Z gives Ninetales the ability to break past defensive walls and open the way for a teammate to sweep. Notable KOs with Inferno Overdrive include Nidoqueen, Gardevoir, and Gligar after Stealth Rock damage and, if Ninetales is at +2, Kommo-o, Cresselia, Umbreon, Gluttony Snorlax, Reuniclus, Moltres, and Rotom-H. Grassium Z is another option, as it grants Ninetales the ability to break past Gigalith, Diancie, and Assault Vest Slowking with a +2 boosted Bloom Doom.
Usage Tips
========
Do not directly switch Ninetales into any neutral attacks, as that will hinder its ability to set up at a later point. Only attempt to set up against Pokemon that can't hurt Ninetales like Fairy-types such as Florges and Comfey and weaker Grass-types such as Chesnaught and Roserade. Ninetales can also use passive walls like Registeel and Umbreon as setup fodder, but watch out for status like Toxic or Thunder Wave. Before all this you need to make sure answers like Thick Fat Snorlax, Gigalith, and Goodra are removed before attempting to sweep. Also look for the possibility of Haze users, specifically Mantine, which could stop Ninetales in its tracks. Having your own Stealth Rock or Spikes on the field greatly improves Ninetales's ability to wallbreak. Finally, utilizing slow U-turn or Volt Switch users gives you more opportunities to safely come in and set up.
Team Options
========
Ninetales works best on offensive and balance-oriented teams that can provide additional offensive presence or momentum gain. Pokemon such as Rotom-H can use Volt Switch, Choice lock walls with Trick, or burn Ninetales's most prominent answers. Choice Scarf Flygon can be a worthy partner for its ability to beat Gigalith and Goodra, and Flygon also has access to U-turn to pivot out of its bulkier counters, which Ninetales can then use as setup fodder. Shaymin can also synergize greatly, as it's able to check Gigalith and Diancie whereas Ninetales can use most of Shaymin's walls in Registeel, Umbreon and Cresselia as setup fodder. Furthermore, a Choice Scarf set can provide much-appreciated Healing Wish support. Victreebel can also be considered for its ability to check Diancie and take advantage of Sun using its Chlorophyll ability. It should be noted, however, that Victreebel won't be able to reliably take advantage of this weather condition, so making those turns count is important. Complementary wallbreakers include Heracross and Gardevoir, which pressure any wall that could stop Ninetales. Additionally, Choice Scarf Gardevoir is capable of proving Healing Wish support. Rhyperior and Gigalith both provide Stealth Rock and also deal with faster attackers like Swellow and Aerodactyl. Lastly, having entry hazard removal makes it harder to whittle down Ninetales. Ideal users such as Gligar, Donphan, and Dhelmise can fulfill this need and beat Gigalith and Diancie, two common Stealth Rock users. In addition, Gligar provides slow U-turn support.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge could be used to increase Ninetales's Speed to become more threatening against offense, but this would be at the cost of Nasty Plot or Psyshock. Will-O-Wisp over Psyshock is another option, which can catch physical attackers, specifically Goodra and Gigalith. However, this makes Ninetales more vulnerable against Dragalge and Kommo-o. Life Orb can be utilized to increase instant damage without removing Ninetales's ability to set up but will at the same time wear Ninetales down, decreasing its ability to set up. A Heat Rock set can be used to support sun teams, but that would limit Ninetales's ability to wallbreak, and setting sun is overall done better by Torkoal. One may consider using Choice Specs, but it is compleatly inferior to Life Orb, as it removes Ninetales's ability to utilize Nasty Plot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Tanks**: Pokemon with high Special Defense and a Fire resistance like Goodra and Thick Fat Snorlax take any of Ninetales's moves and can in return heavily damage or outright KO it. Mantine with Haze can also wall Ninetales by stalling out sun and preventing it from setting up. Without Haze, however, Mantine is setup fodder. Lastly, Assault Vest Slowking can check Ninetales using Future Sight and Scald but has to look out for Grassium Z variants.
**Faster Attackers**: Because of Ninetales's limited Speed, faster attackers such as Aerodactyl, Swellow, Noivern, and common Choice Scarf users such as Flygon can check or revenge kill it after Stealth Rock damage.
**Rock-types**: Specially defensive Diancie can take a +2 Solar Beam and retaliate with Diamond Storm. Gigalith is specifically worrisome, as it removes sun with Sand Stream and increases its own Special Defense simultaneously. Both of these still have to look out for a +2 Doom Bloom, however, as that will OHKO.
**Residual Damage and Status**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, paralysis, and even Toxic all can hinder Ninetales ability to set up and sweep. Because of this walls like Registeel and Cresselia become riskier to use as setup fodder.
GP: Lemonade, The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Ninetales is a threatening wallbreaker thanks to its Drought ability and access to Nasty Plot. It also gets Solar beam to beat Water- and Rock-types and Psyshock for Kommo-o and Dragalge. Also, Drought combined with its good special bulk makes Ninetales more effective against Water-types than any of its competitors. However, while Ninetales has decent Speed, it still is vulnerable to faster attackers such as Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Flygon, which can revenge kill it. Ninetales also faces stiff competition from similar attackers like Salazzle, which can also utilize Nasty Plot and has better Speed, better Special Attack, and a secondary type for coverage. With respect to weather setting, Torkoal is preferred for its access to Stealth Rock and Explosion and because it finds more opportunities to switch in than Ninetales.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Wallbreaker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Firium Z / Grassium Z
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot boosts Ninetales's Special Attack enough to OHKO the vast majority of Pokemon. Fire Blast is Ninetales's main and most powerful attack. It alone is able to threaten a KO against anything that doesn't resist Fire. Solar Beam greatly complements this by giving Ninetales almost all the needed coverage to hit Rock- and Water-type Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Milotic, and Slowking. Lastly, Psyshock gives coverage against Kommo-o and Dragalge, both of which need prior damage before being 2HKOed.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack and Speed EVs maximize Ninetales's damage output and speed. With a Timid nature, Ninetales can Speed tie with maximum Speed Shaymin and Mega Glalie. The remaining 4 EVs are put into Special Defense, Ninetales's higher defensive stat. Firium Z gives Ninetales the ability to break past defensive walls and open the way for a teammate to sweep. Notable KOs with Inferno Overdrive include Nidoqueen, Gardevoir, and Gligar after Stealth Rock damage and, if Ninetales is at +2, Kommo-o, Cresselia, Umbreon, Gluttony Snorlax, Reuniclus, Moltres, and Rotom-H. Grassium Z is another option, as it grants Ninetales the ability to break past Gigalith, Diancie, and Assault Vest Slowking with a +2 boosted Bloom Doom.
Usage Tips
========
Do not directly switch Ninetales into any neutral attacks, as that will hinder its ability to set up at a later point. Only attempt to set up against Pokemon that can't hurt Ninetales like Fairy-types such as Florges and Comfey and weaker Grass-types such as Chesnaught and Roserade. Ninetales can also use passive walls like Registeel and Umbreon as setup fodder, but watch out for status like Toxic or Thunder Wave. Before all this you need to make sure answers like Thick Fat Snorlax, Gigalith, and Goodra are removed before attempting to sweep. Also look for the possibility of Haze users, specifically Mantine, which could stop Ninetales in its tracks. Having your own Stealth Rock or Spikes on the field greatly improves Ninetales's ability to wallbreak. Finally, utilizing slow U-turn or Volt Switch users gives you more opportunities to safely come in and set up.
Team Options
========
Ninetales works best on offensive and balance-oriented teams that can provide additional offensive presence or momentum gain. Pokemon such as Rotom-H can use Volt Switch, Choice lock walls with Trick, or burn Ninetales's most prominent answers. Choice Scarf Flygon can be a worthy partner for its ability to beat Gigalith and Goodra, and Flygon also has access to U-turn to pivot out of its bulkier counters, which Ninetales can then use as setup fodder. Shaymin can also synergize greatly, as it's able to check Gigalith and Diancie whereas Ninetales can use most of Shaymin's walls in Registeel, Umbreon and Cresselia as setup fodder. Furthermore, a Choice Scarf set can provide much-appreciated Healing Wish support. Victreebel can also be considered for its ability to check Diancie and take advantage of Sun using its Chlorophyll ability. It should be noted, however, that Victreebel won't be able to reliably take advantage of this weather condition, so making those turns count is important. Complementary wallbreakers include Heracross and Gardevoir, which pressure any wall that could stop Ninetales. Additionally, Choice Scarf Gardevoir is capable of proving Healing Wish support. Rhyperior and Gigalith both provide Stealth Rock and also deal with faster attackers like Swellow and Aerodactyl. Lastly, having entry hazard removal makes it harder to whittle down Ninetales. Ideal users such as Gligar, Donphan, and Dhelmise can fulfill this need and beat Gigalith and Diancie, two common Stealth Rock users. In addition, Gligar provides slow U-turn support.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge could be used to increase Ninetales's Speed to become more threatening against offense, but this would be at the cost of Nasty Plot or Psyshock. Will-O-Wisp over Psyshock is another option, which can catch physical attackers, specifically Goodra and Gigalith. However, this makes Ninetales more vulnerable against Dragalge and Kommo-o. Life Orb can be utilized to increase instant damage without removing Ninetales's ability to set up but will at the same time wear Ninetales down, decreasing its ability to set up. A Heat Rock set can be used to support sun teams, but that would limit Ninetales's ability to wallbreak, and setting sun is overall done better by Torkoal. One may consider using Choice Specs, but it is compleatly inferior to Life Orb, as it removes Ninetales's ability to utilize Nasty Plot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Tanks**: Pokemon with high Special Defense and a Fire resistance like Goodra and Thick Fat Snorlax take any of Ninetales's moves and can in return heavily damage or outright KO it. Mantine with Haze can also wall Ninetales by stalling out sun and preventing it from setting up. Without Haze, however, Mantine is setup fodder. Lastly, Assault Vest Slowking can check Ninetales using Future Sight and Scald but has to look out for Grassium Z variants.
**Faster Attackers**: Because of Ninetales's limited Speed, faster attackers such as Aerodactyl, Swellow, Noivern, and common Choice Scarf users such as Flygon can check or revenge kill it after Stealth Rock damage.
**Rock-types**: Specially defensive Diancie can take a +2 Solar Beam and retaliate with Diamond Storm. Gigalith is specifically worrisome, as it removes sun with Sand Stream and increases its own Special Defense simultaneously. Both of these still have to look out for a +2 Doom Bloom, however, as that will OHKO.
**Residual Damage and Status**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, paralysis, and even Toxic all can hinder Ninetales ability to set up and sweep. Because of this walls like Registeel and Cresselia become riskier to use as setup fodder.
Last edited: