[W.I.P] Banette

[Helias]

It just wants to give you a hug...
[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Mega Evolution gives Banette a new lease on life</li>
<li>Mega-Banette gains a huge boost to attack and Prankster</li>
<li>Has access to Disable and Destiny Bond, making him annoying as fk</li>
<li>Very good offensive typing</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Terrible everything but Attack</li>
<li>Few good physical moves; movepool consists Normal-type, Dark-type and Ghost-type moves, plus Gunk Shot</li>
<li>Uses up your one Mega slot</li>
</ul>

[Set Recommendations]

<p>Although Banette is highly outclassed without its Mega Evolution, don't forget to take Insomnia as its ability, so you can switch into sleep-inducing moves freely before Mega Evolving.</p>

[Mega Evolution Recommendations and Play]

<p>Banette @ Banettite<br />
Ability: Prankster<br />
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Def<br />
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA><br />
- Substitute<br />
- Disable<br />
- Shadow Claw / Shadow Sneak<br />
- Destiny Bond</p>

<p>words</p>

<p>Banette @ Banettite<br />
Ability: Prankster<br />
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe<br />
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA><br />
- Taunt<br />
- Will-O-Wisp<br />
- Shadow Claw / Shadow Sneak<br />
- Destiny Bond</p>

<p>words</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>words</p>

 

[ShootingStarmie]

Mega Bannette needs a stall breaker set. Prankster Taunt + Will-O-Wisp and Destiny Bond are too good to pass up.

 

[pedro702]

just wondering what banete ability should be better before mega evolving insomnia, frisk or cursed body?

with insomnia you can switch into sleep moves and mega evolve, with frisk you know if your oponent is using a certain item and cursed body might get a instant disable.

im kinda leaning to insomnia wich garantees you dont get put to sleep before mega evolving.

 

[mdbtg]

Don't you want a usual Suicide Trick Room inducer with a Sash? That's been Banette's main niche for a while.

 

[twinArmageddons]

Having extensively tested and played Mega Banette, I concur that it absolutely NEEDS Sucker Punch/Shadow Sneak/Protect (in order of usefulness) over the attacking slots. The priority attacks allows it to revenge kill/ pick off weakened threats and safely get off a Mega Evolution, unlike Shadow Claw. Also, Mega Banette is free to run Protect over its attacking moves since it has priority Taunt/ Destiny Bond anyway.

 

[Helias]

just wondering what banete ability should be better before mega evolving insomnia, frisk or cursed body?

with insomnia you can switch into sleep moves and mega evolve, with frisk you know if your oponent is using a certain item and cursed body might get a instant disable.

im kinda leaning to insomnia wich garantees you dont get put to sleep before mega evolving.

Definitely Insomnia. Should probably mention that somewhere.

Don't you want a usual Suicide Trick Room inducer with a Sash? That's been Banette's main niche for a while.

Nope. The only reason Banette is useful in OU is because of its Mega Evolution.

Having extensively tested and played Mega Banette, I concur that it absolutely NEEDS Sucker Punch/Shadow Sneak/Protect (in order of usefulness) over the attacking slots. The priority attacks allows it to revenge kill/ pick off weakened threats and safely get off a Mega Evolution, unlike Shadow Claw. Also, Mega Banette is free to run Protect over its attacking moves since it has priority Taunt/ Destiny Bond anyway.

Good point. Slashing Shadow Sneak over Shadow Claw on both movesets.

 

[twinArmageddons]

Good point. Slashing Shadow Sneak over Shadow Claw on both movesets.

Sucker Punch should be the main slash, and if you want to use Mega Banette with a non-priority move, Phantom Force is the way to go (remove Shadow Claw). Since Mega Banette is fairly slow and enemies will mostly switch out in fear of Will-O-Wisp and Destiny Bond, the slow Phantom Force allows it to evade the switchin's next attack. If you run Phantom Force, 23 Speed EVs with a neutral nature is optimal to make you as slow as possible while outrunning standard Aegislash.

Also mention Charizard/ Talonflame as Counters as they are immune to Will-O-Wisp and Talonflame's Brave Bird/Acrobatics is faster than Mega Banette's Prankster.

Also mention that Protect turns Mega Banette into an awesome suicide revenge killer, as Banette is already hardpressed for an opening for Mega Evolution.

Move the stallbreaker set up, and mention a Shadow Ball/ Shadow Sneak/ Imprison/ Destiny Bond set to deal with (Mega)Gengar and Aegislash. It's gimmicky and niche, but at least deserves OO mention. Also, how viable is Disable on Mega Banette?

 

[pedro702]

I have been running this and i like it, i dont use shadow sneak or sucker punch becuase most of the time the oponent just switches out and sucker punch fails and shadow sneak power is really underwhelming imo


Banette @Banetite
Ability insomnia/Prankster
Adamant nature
Evs:160Hp 252Atk 96Speed
Shadow Claw
Destiny Bond
Substitute
WoW

the speed evs make sure it outspeeds uninvested base 86 speed pokemon so you can shadow claw before taking a hit, the hp evs make sure you can do 4 substitutes, substitute is amazing to predict status moves and lets you do a free shadow claw, still i think shadow sneak just doesnt hit hard enough to be the only atacking move, and shadow force just kills you because oponent switches to a dark type and you are dead really, i might change shadow claw to sucker punch since it goes well with substitute.

if you want a stall set without atacking power i think you are much better off with sableye wich can hold leftovers to do more susbstitutes, priority recover,taunt and substitute, banette needs to be the middle ground imo and have atacking power.

 

[twinArmageddons]

I have been running this and i like it, i dont use shadow sneak or sucker punch becuase most of the time the oponent just switches out and sucker punch fails and shadow sneak power is really underwhelming imo


Banette @Banetite
Ability insomnia/Prankster
Adamant nature
Evs:160Hp 252Atk 96Speed
Shadow Claw
Destiny Bond
Substitute
WoW

the speed evs make sure it outspeeds uninvested base 86 speed pokemon so you can shadow claw before taking a hit, the hp evs make sure you can do 4 substitutes, substitute is amazing to predict status moves and lets you do a free shadow claw, still i think shadow sneak just doesnt hit hard enough to be the only atacking move, and shadow force just kills you because oponent switches to a dark type and you are dead really, i might change shadow claw to sucker punch since it goes well with substitute.

if you want a stall set without atacking power i think you are much better off with sableye wich can hold leftovers to do more susbstitutes, priority recover,taunt and substitute, banette needs to be the middle ground imo and have atacking power.

The point of Sucker Punch is to hopefully revenge kill something so you can safely Mega Evolve, which Shadow Claw does not do. Actually, I do agree with you- Shadow Sneak sucks unless you're using an Imprison set. Also, about the speed creep, 48 EVs in Speed I feel should be the maximum amount to be able to Taunt things like Skarmory.

In the Cons section, mention that Mega Banette's lack of recovery aside from Pain Split means that hazards, status and weather wears it down VERY quickly.

Also emphasize entry hazards as great assistance to Mega Banette as it forces a LOT of switches. Likewise, also emphasize that Guignol here can check Mega Gengar REALLY well.

But most of all, emphasize priority Destiny Bond. If it wasn't for that, we'd all be using a Dark pokemon from a coal mine.

 

[pedro702]

The point of Sucker Punch is to hopefully revenge kill something so you can safely Mega Evolve, which Shadow Claw does not do. Actually, I do agree with you- Shadow Sneak sucks unless you're using an Imprison set. Also, about the speed creep, 48 EVs in Speed I feel should be the maximum amount to be able to Taunt things like Skarmory.

In the Cons section, mention that Mega Banette's lack of recovery aside from Pain Split means that hazards, status and weather wears it down VERY quickly.

Also emphasize entry hazards as great assistance to Mega Banette as it forces a LOT of switches. Likewise, also emphasize that Guignol here can check Mega Gengar REALLY well.

But most of all, emphasize priority Destiny Bond. If it wasn't for that, we'd all be using a Dark pokemon from a coal mine.

i run more speed so i can outspeed prankster klefi which wont invest in speed that much same for outspeeding the bulky scizors before they can bullet punch me among other things outspeeding base 86 pokemon lets you really hit alot of pokemons with shadow claw and cause some srs damage,i dont understand the sucker punch but i usualy just switch in against a wall or a pokemon afraid of shadow sneak/sucker punch and with my speed i usualy outspeed the walls and substitute or wow.

What prankster banette has over other pranksters is destiny bond and atacking power any moveset without any of this 2 is outclassed by sableye badly.

 

[gvmgvm40]

May I suggest running 204 speed with Jolly? Banette's defenses are pretty shitty anyway with or without investment, 64/75/83 is pretty bad. Instead, 204+ will let you outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and everything below.

 

[doughboy]

I'm not to sold on a stallbreaker style set just yet. First of all, Banette right now has no form of recovery outside of RestTalk because Pain Split comes from the 5th gen dream world. It doesn't even get Leftovers! So a stall team facing it could chip away at it nicely with special attacks, especially Scald. It is the same reason why I am wary of a Substitute set too, because it has no form of recovery to make more Substitutes or lessen the effect of Substitute damage adding up. This is something I thought up to deviate from those two:

Banette-Mega @ Banettite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Destiny Bond
- Thunder Wave
- Shadow Claw / Shadow Sneak
- Pursuit

IMO Prankster Thunder Wave is the superior status in the current metagame. There are just way too many powerful threats that could take advanatge of Will-o-Wisp to just switch in on you and take you out. This list includes Mega-Blaziken, Talonflame, Charizard X/Y, Substitute/Psong Mega Gengar, and Heatran. Thunder Wave is more inclined to challenge the fast offensive threats on both sides of the spectrum that are running rampant right now. So here is how this set works. You got a fast offensive threat in front of you and since you are Mega-Banette they know you are running Prankster Destiny Bond. Naturally, they won't attack you the first time around. At this point you use Thunder Wave to cripple said threat. Now that they are slower than you, you have the ability to fire off STAB Shadow Claws coming from base 165 Attack at them. And trust me they do sting against the offensive teams this thing will be used against.

252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Blaziken-Mega: 181-214 (59.93 - 70.86%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Genesect: 157-186 (55.47 - 65.72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Charizard-Y: 184-217 (61.95 - 73.06%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Charizard-X: 136-162 (45.79 - 54.54%) -- 53.91% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Rotom-W: 142-168 (46.86 - 55.44%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Lucario-Mega: 168-198 (59.57 - 70.21%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Switching in:
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Scizor: 151-178 (44.02 - 51.89%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 157-186 (43.85 - 51.95%) -- 69.53% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Even if they attack you instead of boosting up on a misprediction with Destiny Bond, you still have consolation in that their threat will be paralyzed and be pretty much useless and dead. Pursuit is on here to take out threats after you paralyzed them such as Mega-Gengar, Latias/Latios, and Starmie. Shadow Sneak can be used if you absolutely want to check Gengar without paralysis but it isn't worth the loss of power.

 

[pedro702]

I'm not to sold on a stallbreaker style set just yet. First of all, Banette right now has no form of recovery outside of RestTalk because Pain Split comes from the 5th gen dream world. It doesn't even get Leftovers! So a stall team facing it could chip away at it nicely with special attacks, especially Scald. It is the same reason why I am wary of a Substitute set too, because it has no form of recovery to make more Substitutes or lessen the effect of Substitute damage adding up. This is something I thought up to deviate from those two:

Banette-Mega @ Banettite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Destiny Bond
- Thunder Wave
- Shadow Claw / Shadow Sneak
- Pursuit

IMO Prankster Thunder Wave is the superior status in the current metagame. There are just way too many powerful threats that could take advanatge of Will-o-Wisp to just switch in on you and take you out. This list includes Mega-Blaziken, Talonflame, Charizard X/Y, Substitute/Psong Mega Gengar, and Heatran. Thunder Wave is more inclined to challenge the fast offensive threats on both sides of the spectrum that are running rampant right now. So here is how this set works. You got a fast offensive threat in front of you and since you are Mega-Banette they know you are running Prankster Destiny Bond. Naturally, they won't attack you the first time around. At this point you use Thunder Wave to cripple said threat. Now that they are slower than you, you have the ability to fire off STAB Shadow Claws coming from base 165 Attack at them. And trust me they do sting against the offensive teams this thing will be used against.

252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Blaziken-Mega: 181-214 (59.93 - 70.86%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Genesect: 157-186 (55.47 - 65.72%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Charizard-Y: 184-217 (61.95 - 73.06%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Charizard-X: 136-162 (45.79 - 54.54%) -- 53.91% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Rotom-W: 142-168 (46.86 - 55.44%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Lucario-Mega: 168-198 (59.57 - 70.21%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Switching in:
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Scizor: 151-178 (44.02 - 51.89%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Banette Shadow Claw vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 157-186 (43.85 - 51.95%) -- 69.53% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Even if they attack you instead of boosting up on a misprediction with Destiny Bond, you still have consolation in that their threat will be paralyzed and be pretty much useless and dead. Pursuit is on here to take out threats after you paralyzed them such as Mega-Gengar, Latias/Latios, and Starmie. Shadow Sneak can be used if you absolutely want to check Gengar without paralysis but it isn't worth the loss of power.

its all nice and stuff but bannete using shadow claw will be outspeeded badly and can he take a flare blitz from blaziken? same for any other of those 2kos? not really he will just get smashed the thing about substitute is you make sure sucker punch will hit and if needed you can drop your health so your easy to kill and use destiny bond, also T-wave might be good on paper but you will die right after you used it unless they get fully paralized and i dont see a point sacrificing a pokemon to use a thunder wave and if you can burn your oponent you will survive the phisical hit preety much all the time switch into something else and use destiny bond later.

Its like i just T-waved mega blaziken and i died right after by a flare blitz :S why wouldnt you use use destiny bond then? this happen for everyone on that list why paralize a charizard Y/X and die when you can just destiny bond?

 

[doughboy]

its all nice and stuff but bannete using shadow claw will be outspeeded badly and can he take a flare blitz from blaziken? same for any other of those 2kos? not really he will just get smashed the thing about substitute is you make sure sucker punch will hit and if needed you can drop your health so your easy to kill and use destiny bond, also T-wave might be good on paper but you will die right after you used it unless they get fully paralized and i dont see a point sacrificing a pokemon to use a thunder wave and if you can burn your oponent you will survive the phisical hit preety much all the time switch into something else and use destiny bond later.

Its like i just T-waved mega blaziken and i died right after by a flare blitz :S why wouldnt you use use destiny bond then? this happen for everyone on that list why paralize a charizard Y/X and die when you can just destiny bond?

Your missing the point. Yes Mega-Banette can get KO'ed by these Pokemon, but that is just it. No one is going to be so ready to hit Banette right off the bat exactly because of priority Destiny Bond and they know it has it. This creates the mindgame of gee should I risk taking out this Pokemon to get T'waved and get it out of the way or do I not attack so I don't die? No matter what option you chose, your not completely losing and crippling the opponent. You Destiny Bond and he doesn't attack, looks like you have a free turn to Thunder Wave. If you T-wave and the opposing Pokemon takes it out, you have succeed in neutralizing the threat and can revenge kill it safely.

 

[pedro702]

Your missing the point. Yes Mega-Banette can get KO'ed by these Pokemon, but that is just it. No one is going to be so ready to hit Banette right off the bat exactly because of priority Destiny Bond and they know it has it. This creates the mindgame of gee should I risk taking out this Pokemon to get T'waved and get it out of the way or do I not attack so I don't die? No matter what option you chose, your not completely losing and crippling the opponent. You Destiny Bond and he doesn't attack, looks like you have a free turn to Thunder Wave. If you T-wave and the opposing Pokemon takes it out, you have succeed in neutralizing the threat and can revenge kill it safely.

the turn you mega evolve doesnt have prankster activated so you will find it very hard to survive mega evolving, i started running sucker punch so i could either kill a weakned oponent or they wont atack me to mega evolve becuase its really hard to live the first turn especialy if you dont invest in hp like that set abode.