VGC 2018 Analysis Reservations

Carbonific

Carbonific

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VGC '18 Analysis Reservations​

Welcome to the VGC 2018 reservation thread, where you can reserve an analysis for a Pokemon in the format that you're knowledgeable about. These are pieces designed for players of all skills to learn about a specific Pokemon's place within the metagame. Please read the entire post before reserving a Pokemon, even if you've written an analysis for another format, as the process we go through here may be different than you're used to.

Important Resource Threads
If you're new to C&C process here on Smogon, please take some time to read through the resource threads below.

The C&C Process
The format being used this year, for the time being, is almost identical to the preview format that has been used in the Battle Spot Singles forum this past year. Analyses shall remain almost entirely composed of bullet points, but the usual sections in 'Moves', 'Set Details', 'Usage Tips', and 'Teammates' have been truncated into a single one. You'll still be briefly touching on the points that would've gone into those sections, but the focus shall be more on the first two in 'Moves' and 'Set Details. To clarify, here is the current Blacephalon analysis Theorymon wrote:

[OVERVIEW]

* Blacephalon is among the fastest usable Fire-types in VGC, and its access to Beast Boost and Heat Wave can allow it to sweep through weakened teams.

* Blacephalon has enough Special Attack to deal serious damage, even before a Beast Boost

* Ghost is a good secondary offensive typing that allows Blacephalon to hit Cresselia and Tapu Lele hard and avoid Fake Out, with the exception of Scrappy Kangaskhan's Fake Out.

* Blacephalon's defenses are pathetic, with most strong neutral hits at least 2HKOing it.

* Blacephalon has a poor offensive movepool that mostly limits it to Fire- and Ghost-type coverage in addition to a Hidden Power, so it'll almost always be walled by something.

* Blacephalon becomes much easier to handle when rain is up, which is fairly common in VGC.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

* With a Choice Scarf, Blacephalon will outspeed many prominent threats, such as Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Mega Salamence.

* Heat Wave is Blacephalon's spread move of choice. Mind Blown may be tempting, but it's extremely awkward to be locked into, since it 2HKOes Blacephalon and hits your teammate.

* Shadow Ball is Blacephalon's strongest Ghost-type attack, 2HKOing offensive Cresselia and being Blacephalon's strongest attack in the rain.

* Hidden Power Ice is hard to pass up, since it OHKOes offensive Landorus-T and Mega Salamence. Hidden Power Ground can be used to severely damage Heatran, but the move doesn't take advantage of Choice Scarf as well.

* Blacephalon will need a single target Fire-type attack to deal with Wide Guard. Flamethrower is the most reliable option, OHKOing Mega Metagross, but Fire Blast offers extreme power at the cost of accuracy.

* While Blacephalon can be used early-game to pressure certain leads, it often works best late-game where it can use Heat Wave to clean weakened teams or get a reliable Beast Boost.

* Pairing Blacephalon with sun support is a good idea, making its Fire-type STABs extremely powerful and Water-types more manageable. Mega Charizard Y is an easy option for this due to Drought, but manual users of Sunny Day such as Cresselia and Whimsicott can also work to surprise rain teams.

* Tapu Lele is another teammate to consider, since its Psychic Terrain blocks deadly Sucker Punches from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan, and it can scout for leading Choice Scarf Landorus-T for Blacephalon to target.

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Substitute / Flamethrower / Overheat
move 4: Protect
item: Ghostium Z / Life Orb / Firium Z
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

* Heat Wave is Blacephalon's most reliable spread attack.

* Shadow Ball hits Cresselia hard, especially if using Ghostium Z, and is also a good STAB to use if it's raining.

* Hidden Power Ice gets an OHKO on Mega Salamence and offensive Landorus-T, while Substitute helps Blacephalon against Sucker Punch. Flamethrower can also be used as a back-up Fire-type attack if Wide Guard is in play from the likes of Celesteela or Aegislash, while Overheat is a more powerful option for use with Firium Z.

* Protect allows Blacephalon to take advantage of its tendency to become the target of attacks.

* Ghostium Z allows Blacephalon to OHKO offensive Cresselia, and deal 81% minimum to specially defensive Cresselia.

* Life Orb is a reliable item for dealing extra damage, at the cost of the recoil making Blacephalon more vulnerable to weak priority attacks.

* Firium Z is also an acceptable option, especially if Overheat or Mind Blown is chosen as a secondary Fire-type attack, since Inferno Overdrive from these base moves will OHKO Mega Kangaskhan.

* Speed control of some sort is highly recommended for Blacephalon, since this helps it deal with common speedy Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Tailwind is a prime example of this, with plenty of possible users such as Mega Charizard Y, Suicune, and Mega Salamence. Icy Wind from the likes of Cresselia and Tapu Fini can also be useful.
Click to expand...
Notice that the 'Other Options' and 'Checks and Counters' sections have been cut entirely. This has all been done in the interest of getting analyses of as many Pokemon onsite as possible quickly.

The analysis template, therefore, is quite simply as follows:

[OVERVIEW]

* Generalize what the Pokemon does in the metagame and as a whole and why you should or shouldn't consider using it on your teams. See this thread for more tips.

[SET]
name:
move 1:
move 2:
move 3:
move 4:
item:
ability:
nature:
evs:

[SET COMMENTS]

* Describe what the moves on the set do, other aspects of the set such as what the EVs do and nature/item, how to use the Pokemon in question, and some teammates that would be a good idea to pair with this Pokemon.


Below is a walkthrough of the process involved in writing an analysis; It remains similar to last year:
  1. Reserve an analysis in this thread - Choose a Pokemon from the "Unreserved" list at the bottom of the OP in this thread that you feel confident writing about. Please check recent posts to ensure you don't reserve a Pokemon taken by somebody else, as recent reservations may not have been taken off of the unreserved list just yet. Afterwards, post in this thread to confirm your reservation.
  2. Post a WIP thread within 72 hours - Please do post this thread immediately, even if you haven't yet written anything, as it helps keep this thread up to date and makes your stake to a Pokemon clearer to other writers.
  3. Change to Quality Control - After you think your analysis has all the important points down, change the thread's tag to "Quality Control" and add "[QC: 0/2]" to its title. This opens it up to comments from other users and members of the QC team. When a member of the QC team comments on your analysis, please implement their suggestions completely and as soon as possible, updating the thread title to "1/2" and "2/2" accordingly.
  4. Change to GP - After receiving 2 QC checks, change the thread's tag to "Copyediting" and add "[GP: 0/1]" to the title. Then, post in the Grammar-Prose queue in order to have your analysis checked. You must implement full GP checks, but if you receive an AM check it's entirely up to your discretion as to your implementation.
  5. Change to Done - Change the thread's tag to "Done". You're finished! You should see your analysis on-site soon.

Rules and Notes
  • Anyone may reserve up to two Pokemon at a time. If you're a badgeholder, then you may reserve up to three.
  • Avoid editing your posts in this thread; double posting is fine. This is so that QC can receive alerts on changes.
  • Post here first when you reserve an analysis from the list, and again when you've completely finished with it.
  • Analyses showing minimal activity will be either scrapped or reassigned depending on the amount of progress.
    • If you'd like an extension for any stage of the C&C process please contact Carbonific with a reason.
  • Only reserve a Pokemon if you have knowledge of the metagame and of the Pokemon you'd like to write about.

Reservation List
High Priority

* Bisharp
* Celesteela (Revamp)
* Kommo-o (Previous attempt)
* Nihilego
* Milotic (Previous attempt)
* Politoed

Medium Priority

* Accelgor
* Araquanid
* Braviary
* Mega Scizor
* Mimikyu (Previous attempt)
* Whimsicott
* Xurkitree

Lower Priority

* Aerodactyl
* Drifblim
* Greninja
* Hitmontop
* Mega Gyarados
* Oranguru
* Smeargle
* Staraptor
* Togekiss

+ Any analysis previews you'd like to write out
The analyses here have been reserved, but haven't had a thread posted yet.

None!
The analyses here have an accompanying thread and are being written.

* Porygon2 (ansena)
* Mega Latias (Jashsmash)
* Hawlucha (Yuichii)
* Mega Gengar (Egor)
Completed skeleton analyses:

* Mega Charizard Y (Theorymon)
* Alolan Ninetales (Adamant Zoroark)
* Scrafty (Shivershaft)
* Kartana (Egor)
* Suicune (Mr.GX)
* Gothitelle (Shivershaft)
* Volcarona (Mr.GX)
* Incineroar (Adamant Zoroark)
* Breloom (lucariomaster2)
* Hydreigon (20mtrebu)
* Rotom-H (R-B-Y)
* Thundurus-T (Egor)
* Mega Camerupt (Egor)
* Amoonguss (xZorua)
* Manectric (ansena)
* Blacephalon (Theorymon)
* Alolan Marowak (ansena)
* Ludicolo (Theorymon)
* Rotom-W (R-B-Y)
* Mega Gardevoir (DMDW)
* Gastrodon (Luckyboy123)
* Zapdos (Egor)
* Raichu (DMDW)
* Kingdra (Carbonific + Heliodor)
* Mega Lopunny (Adamant Zoroark)
* Snorlax (Darkmalice)

Completed written analyses:

* Landorus-T

Completed analysis previews:

* Tapu Lele
* Naganadel
* Stakataka
* Aegislash
* Heatran
* Kangaskhan
* Salamence
* Tapu Fini
* Tapu Koko
* Celesteela
* Cresselia
* Ferrothorn
* Metagross
* Tyranitar
* Azumarill
* Mawile
* Pelipper
* Swampert
* Tapu Bulu
* Excadrill
* Venusaur
* Clefairy
* Conkeldurr
* Pheromosa
* Blaziken
 
Last edited:
Ullar

Ullar

card-carrying wife-guy
is a Smogon Discord Contributor
I would like to reserve Alolan Marowak, and (if allowed, I don't see it on the list) Charjabug. If the latter is less of a priority, I understand - I just want to 'stretch my wings', as it were.

e: I have posted a reasoning in the other thread.
 
Last edited:
Egor

Egor

нет, товарищ генерал, это вы даёте
is a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
RoAPL Champion
Can I reserve Kartana?
 
aasimursu3

aasimursu3

Kommo-o is not on the list, but considering it is much more relevant than quite a few mons in "unreserved" list (was 15th at usage in BS ladder Season 7), I believe it can be reserved?

Did Kommo-o in 2017, so it's time to do it in 2018 as well :P
 
ansena

ansena

Could I actually post both a P2 thread and marowak thread? I forgot that I already had a marowak one written up >_>
 
Lunar.

Lunar.

is a Social Media Contributoris a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributor
DPL Champion
I'll take zapdos/snorlax/amoonguss depending on if I can do one or more. If I can only do one I'd like zapdos.
 
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