Mavis
Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]
Through a combination of Imposter and Choice Scarf, Ditto can turn the tables on a plethora of dangerous setup sweepers, like Barbaracle, Virizion, and Salazzle. Ditto functions well as an offense revenge killer, since after copying one of the opponent's powerful Pokemon, they will usually lack effective switch-ins to it, allowing Ditto to claim one or two KOs before it's forced out. In addition to this, Ditto's ability to refresh its PP indefinitely by switching in and out can be used to PP stall defensive teams, and it can also copy enemy moves as well as utility moves like Heal Bell or Defog for its team's benefit against such teams. However, Ditto does not copy the enemy's HP stat and therefore can only be switched in if predicting an attack that the target Pokemon resists, such as Salazzle's Sludge Bomb, as a pathetic base 48 HP often means it can be severely damaged or outright KOed without good prediction. Despite the move being rather uncommon in RU with the exception of Raikou, Imposter is blocked by Substitute, meaning Ditto can often fail to beat Substitute sweepers. Additionally, Ditto can struggle versus balance, as even if it copies something theoretically dangerous, the enemy team will usually have a sturdy defensive answer. The potential entry hazard stacking nature of these teams can also give Ditto trouble.
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Transform
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Imposter
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
ivs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Transform is Ditto's only move.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf is chosen as the necessary item so Ditto doesn't have to rely on Speed ties to beat its chosen targets. If the opponent is also holding a Choice Scarf, it results in a Speed tie. The defensive investment helps in the rare Ditto mirror matchup by minimizing opposing Ditto's Struggle damage. Imposter gives Ditto its entire niche, allowing it to transform into the opposing Pokemon immediately upon switching in. The chosen IVs are used for Hidden Power Ground, helping Ditto revenge kill Salazzle. However, depending on the chosen target, IVs can be changed, like Hidden Power Fire for Roserade, but this relies on the opponent carrying Hidden Power.
Usage Tips
========
Ditto's primary purpose is to revenge kill boosted setup sweepers like Salazzle, Virizion, and Ninetales. By far the safest way to use Ditto is to bring it in after a teammate falls and click the appropriate move for the situation. Bringing it in with slow pivots is also helpful, as Ditto only gets a maximum of five chances to come in if you restrict yourself to only switching it in after one of its teammates faints. Predicting a move that will be not very effective against whatever Ditto transforms into, like Virizion's Leaf Blade, is also a good way to get it in safely. Do not switch Ditto in on Pokemon whose STAB moves are neutral or super effective to themselves, as Ditto will easily be KOed if it tries thanks to its low HP. The opponent will most likely assume Ditto will always be locked into one move courtesy of Choice Scarf, so they may try to play around it by switching appropriately. It is advised to scout what possible moves your opponent may make and predict accordingly. Foes with too big of a difference in base HP, most notably Snorlax, are very difficult for Ditto to take on effectively. Against defensive teams, Ditto can infinitely copy foes' PP by switching in and out, therefore able to turn the tables by using their own Heal Bell, Defog, and Recover to benefit its own team and stall out the PP of opposing teams that rely on residual damage to win. Ditto can also be used for scouting purposes, able to check for surprise coverage moves such as Zen Headbutt on Virizion and Rock Slide on Passimian. Great care should be taken to keep Ditto away from Knock Off and Trick users, as Ditto loses most of its value if its Choice Scarf is removed. For instance, switching in on Passimian's Knock Off may seem appealing due to Passimian's Dark resistance, but Ditto should always attempt to keep its Choice Scarf as long as it can. Ditto should also be kept away from Toxic, as it massively cuts into its ability to switch in and do its job, in tandem with possibly taking entry hazard damage.
Team Options
========
Ditto fits well on balance and offense teams in need of a versatile revenge killer, notably ones carrying Fighting-types to deal with Snorlax and Bewear, both of which Ditto has difficulty beating. These teams also struggle with very bulky teams, so Ditto's ability to infinitely copy their utility moves is beneficial to helping its team beat those sorts of opposing Pokemon. Cleric support from the likes of Florges, Diancie, and Vaporeon is great for keeping Ditto's health up and keeping it free of status. Pokemon that are hard to break through without setup also make for good partners, such as Mandibuzz and Cresselia, due to Ditto's ability to punish setup. Entry hazard removal is also very good alongside Ditto, making sure it doesn't take any unnecessary damage. Donphan, Mandibuzz, Mega Blastoise, and Flygon can all take on the entry hazard-clearing role. Grounded Poison-types, like Nidoqueen and Roserade, can be used as well to clear the field of Toxic Spikes more easily. Pokemon that can switch in on Knock Off and Trick make good partners, namely Fighting-type Z-Crystal users that don't mind Knock Off, like Bewear, Toxicroak, and Virizion.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Other Hidden Power types can be used instead to try to eliminate specific threats. Hidden Power Ice can be run in order to lure in and KO Noivern if copied off something like Ninetales, and Hidden Power Fire can be used to beat Roserade. However, these are very specific instances and are usually not worth giving up the Salazzle-beating property of Hidden Power Ground.
Checks and Counters
========
**Substitute Users**: Substitute blocks Imposter, making Ditto completely useless against setup threats that carry it, most notably Raikou.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Pokemon that can boost their defensive stats along with their offensive ones can use Ditto as setup fodder, like Espeon, Snorlax, Sigilyph, and Necrozma.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Due to holding a Choice Scarf itself, Ditto will end up forcing a Speed tie between itself and the foe. They can also switch in if they are faster than whatever Ditto has already transformed into.
**Item Removal and Paralysis**: Removal of Ditto’s Choice Scarf via Knock Off from common users of the move like Passimian, Mandibuzz, and Donphan prevents Ditto from doing its job, as it's reliant on its Choice Scarf to outspeed whatever it transforms into. Paralysis will also hinder this, preventing it from outspeeding any foe whatsoever.
**Residual Damage**: Ditto hates having to take entry hazard damage as it switches in, with Toxic Spikes being especially detrimental to its longevity.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[bkdrew, 469610]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zizalith, 410251], [MrAldo, 227521], [phantom, 180300]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
Through a combination of Imposter and Choice Scarf, Ditto can turn the tables on a plethora of dangerous setup sweepers, like Barbaracle, Virizion, and Salazzle. Ditto functions well as an offense revenge killer, since after copying one of the opponent's powerful Pokemon, they will usually lack effective switch-ins to it, allowing Ditto to claim one or two KOs before it's forced out. In addition to this, Ditto's ability to refresh its PP indefinitely by switching in and out can be used to PP stall defensive teams, and it can also copy enemy moves as well as utility moves like Heal Bell or Defog for its team's benefit against such teams. However, Ditto does not copy the enemy's HP stat and therefore can only be switched in if predicting an attack that the target Pokemon resists, such as Salazzle's Sludge Bomb, as a pathetic base 48 HP often means it can be severely damaged or outright KOed without good prediction. Despite the move being rather uncommon in RU with the exception of Raikou, Imposter is blocked by Substitute, meaning Ditto can often fail to beat Substitute sweepers. Additionally, Ditto can struggle versus balance, as even if it copies something theoretically dangerous, the enemy team will usually have a sturdy defensive answer. The potential entry hazard stacking nature of these teams can also give Ditto trouble.
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Transform
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Imposter
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
ivs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Transform is Ditto's only move.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf is chosen as the necessary item so Ditto doesn't have to rely on Speed ties to beat its chosen targets. If the opponent is also holding a Choice Scarf, it results in a Speed tie. The defensive investment helps in the rare Ditto mirror matchup by minimizing opposing Ditto's Struggle damage. Imposter gives Ditto its entire niche, allowing it to transform into the opposing Pokemon immediately upon switching in. The chosen IVs are used for Hidden Power Ground, helping Ditto revenge kill Salazzle. However, depending on the chosen target, IVs can be changed, like Hidden Power Fire for Roserade, but this relies on the opponent carrying Hidden Power.
Usage Tips
========
Ditto's primary purpose is to revenge kill boosted setup sweepers like Salazzle, Virizion, and Ninetales. By far the safest way to use Ditto is to bring it in after a teammate falls and click the appropriate move for the situation. Bringing it in with slow pivots is also helpful, as Ditto only gets a maximum of five chances to come in if you restrict yourself to only switching it in after one of its teammates faints. Predicting a move that will be not very effective against whatever Ditto transforms into, like Virizion's Leaf Blade, is also a good way to get it in safely. Do not switch Ditto in on Pokemon whose STAB moves are neutral or super effective to themselves, as Ditto will easily be KOed if it tries thanks to its low HP. The opponent will most likely assume Ditto will always be locked into one move courtesy of Choice Scarf, so they may try to play around it by switching appropriately. It is advised to scout what possible moves your opponent may make and predict accordingly. Foes with too big of a difference in base HP, most notably Snorlax, are very difficult for Ditto to take on effectively. Against defensive teams, Ditto can infinitely copy foes' PP by switching in and out, therefore able to turn the tables by using their own Heal Bell, Defog, and Recover to benefit its own team and stall out the PP of opposing teams that rely on residual damage to win. Ditto can also be used for scouting purposes, able to check for surprise coverage moves such as Zen Headbutt on Virizion and Rock Slide on Passimian. Great care should be taken to keep Ditto away from Knock Off and Trick users, as Ditto loses most of its value if its Choice Scarf is removed. For instance, switching in on Passimian's Knock Off may seem appealing due to Passimian's Dark resistance, but Ditto should always attempt to keep its Choice Scarf as long as it can. Ditto should also be kept away from Toxic, as it massively cuts into its ability to switch in and do its job, in tandem with possibly taking entry hazard damage.
Team Options
========
Ditto fits well on balance and offense teams in need of a versatile revenge killer, notably ones carrying Fighting-types to deal with Snorlax and Bewear, both of which Ditto has difficulty beating. These teams also struggle with very bulky teams, so Ditto's ability to infinitely copy their utility moves is beneficial to helping its team beat those sorts of opposing Pokemon. Cleric support from the likes of Florges, Diancie, and Vaporeon is great for keeping Ditto's health up and keeping it free of status. Pokemon that are hard to break through without setup also make for good partners, such as Mandibuzz and Cresselia, due to Ditto's ability to punish setup. Entry hazard removal is also very good alongside Ditto, making sure it doesn't take any unnecessary damage. Donphan, Mandibuzz, Mega Blastoise, and Flygon can all take on the entry hazard-clearing role. Grounded Poison-types, like Nidoqueen and Roserade, can be used as well to clear the field of Toxic Spikes more easily. Pokemon that can switch in on Knock Off and Trick make good partners, namely Fighting-type Z-Crystal users that don't mind Knock Off, like Bewear, Toxicroak, and Virizion.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Other Hidden Power types can be used instead to try to eliminate specific threats. Hidden Power Ice can be run in order to lure in and KO Noivern if copied off something like Ninetales, and Hidden Power Fire can be used to beat Roserade. However, these are very specific instances and are usually not worth giving up the Salazzle-beating property of Hidden Power Ground.
Checks and Counters
========
**Substitute Users**: Substitute blocks Imposter, making Ditto completely useless against setup threats that carry it, most notably Raikou.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Pokemon that can boost their defensive stats along with their offensive ones can use Ditto as setup fodder, like Espeon, Snorlax, Sigilyph, and Necrozma.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Due to holding a Choice Scarf itself, Ditto will end up forcing a Speed tie between itself and the foe. They can also switch in if they are faster than whatever Ditto has already transformed into.
**Item Removal and Paralysis**: Removal of Ditto’s Choice Scarf via Knock Off from common users of the move like Passimian, Mandibuzz, and Donphan prevents Ditto from doing its job, as it's reliant on its Choice Scarf to outspeed whatever it transforms into. Paralysis will also hinder this, preventing it from outspeeding any foe whatsoever.
**Residual Damage**: Ditto hates having to take entry hazard damage as it switches in, with Toxic Spikes being especially detrimental to its longevity.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[bkdrew, 469610]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zizalith, 410251], [MrAldo, 227521], [phantom, 180300]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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