Gangsta Spongebob
"Mama I'm a Criminal" - Badass Smoking Caterpillar
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Aerial Ace
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Quick Attack / Double-Edge / Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Band Delibird's power and diverse movepool make it an effective wallbreaker, while its immunity to Spikes makes it hard to wear down, unlike Aipom. As Hustle is used to augment Delibird's power, Aerial Ace is Delibird's primary STAB attack, as it ignores Hustle's accuracy lowering effect while maintaining the power boost. Ice Beam targets Ground-types such as Rhyhorn and Cubone. Hidden Power Fighting targets other Rock- and Steel-types such as Nosepass and Magnemite, and it notably 2HKOes Lileep. Delibird's last moveslot is very flexible; Quick Attack lets Delibird pick off faster threats such as Aipom and Elekid. Alternatively, Double-Edge is Delibird's strongest attack against neutral targets, threatening OHKOes on foes such as Seaking. Rapid Spin is another alternative, letting Delibird clear Spikes for its team, though it cannot do this long-term, and it can miss due to Hustle.
Choice Band Delibird best fits on offense and balance teams looking for a powerful wallbreaker. Delibird struggles against Aipom and Taillow, which can outspeed and OHKO it, so physically defensive Rock- and Steel-types such as Lileep, Nosepass, and Magnemite make great partners. Due to its Choice Band, Delibird is very easily taken advantage of by Rock- and Steel-types themselves, so checks to them are appreciated. Special wallbreakers such as Chinchou and Castform can break past them for Delibird, while bulky Poison-types such as Dustox and Koffing handle Lileep. Another special attacker, Agility Growlithe, greatly appreciates Delibird chipping its targets and removing Spikes. Koffing is also notable for its ability to wall Rhyhorn, something that can seriously punish a Choice-locked Delbird. Delibird is outsped and OHKOed by Elekid and Staryu, so special walls such as Dustox and Delcatty make great partners. Due to its access to Rapid Spin and immunity to Spikes, Delibird is a usable but unreliable spinner on Spikes-weak teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Punch lets Delibird break through Rock- and Steel-types with ease, but a Choice-locked Focus Punch is very exploitable, while a non-Choice Band Focus Punch fails to OHKO Lileep and bulkier Rhyhorn spreads. Body Slam lets Delibird fish for paralysis, though its lower power makes it generally not worth it compared to Double-Edge and Hidden Power targeting relevant foes (remove comma) or the utility that Rapid Spin provides. Salac Berry allows Delibird to bypass its Speed issues with Substitute, though such a set struggles due to its all-or-nothing nature.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster threats**: Faster foes such as Elekid, Staryu, Aipom, and Taillow can outspeed and OHKO Delibird. While they cannot naturally outspeed Delibird, weather attackers such as Seaking and Sunflora and Speed-boosting setup sweepers such as Bagon and Growlithe can outspeed and OHKO Delibird in weather or after setting up. However, none of these threats can switch into Delibird, and many can be picked off by Quick Attack when weakened.
**Rock-types**: Delibird's 4x weakness to Rock leaves it OHKOed by practically every Rock Slide user in the tier, while many Rock-types such as Lileep, Rhyhorn, and Nosepass can tank even a super effective attack from Delibird.
**Bulky attackers**: While they cannot switch in, bulky foes like Delcatty and Castform can beat Delibird one-on-one due to its poor defensive profile. Growlithe deserves a special mention, as its ability weakens all of Delibird's attacks except Ice Beam, which it resists, and it can OHKO Delibird with its Fire-type STAB moves and even set up on it with Agility. However, it must be wary of switching into Hidden Power Ground and Choice Band Double-Edge, which still do considerable damage.
**Status**: Toxic and burn from threats such as Koffing wear down Delibird very quickly, with the latter also neutering all its attacks except Ice Beam. Paralysis leaves Delibird outsped by the entire tier, making it easily removed due to its poor defensive typing and lackluster defensive stats. However, Delibird can take advantage of status users by setting up a Substitute.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beatsblack.479897/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
name: Choice Band
move 1: Aerial Ace
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Quick Attack / Double-Edge / Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Band Delibird's power and diverse movepool make it an effective wallbreaker, while its immunity to Spikes makes it hard to wear down, unlike Aipom. As Hustle is used to augment Delibird's power, Aerial Ace is Delibird's primary STAB attack, as it ignores Hustle's accuracy lowering effect while maintaining the power boost. Ice Beam targets Ground-types such as Rhyhorn and Cubone. Hidden Power Fighting targets other Rock- and Steel-types such as Nosepass and Magnemite, and it notably 2HKOes Lileep. Delibird's last moveslot is very flexible; Quick Attack lets Delibird pick off faster threats such as Aipom and Elekid. Alternatively, Double-Edge is Delibird's strongest attack against neutral targets, threatening OHKOes on foes such as Seaking. Rapid Spin is another alternative, letting Delibird clear Spikes for its team, though it cannot do this long-term, and it can miss due to Hustle.
Choice Band Delibird best fits on offense and balance teams looking for a powerful wallbreaker. Delibird struggles against Aipom and Taillow, which can outspeed and OHKO it, so physically defensive Rock- and Steel-types such as Lileep, Nosepass, and Magnemite make great partners. Due to its Choice Band, Delibird is very easily taken advantage of by Rock- and Steel-types themselves, so checks to them are appreciated. Special wallbreakers such as Chinchou and Castform can break past them for Delibird, while bulky Poison-types such as Dustox and Koffing handle Lileep. Another special attacker, Agility Growlithe, greatly appreciates Delibird chipping its targets and removing Spikes. Koffing is also notable for its ability to wall Rhyhorn, something that can seriously punish a Choice-locked Delbird. Delibird is outsped and OHKOed by Elekid and Staryu, so special walls such as Dustox and Delcatty make great partners. Due to its access to Rapid Spin and immunity to Spikes, Delibird is a usable but unreliable spinner on Spikes-weak teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Focus Punch lets Delibird break through Rock- and Steel-types with ease, but a Choice-locked Focus Punch is very exploitable, while a non-Choice Band Focus Punch fails to OHKO Lileep and bulkier Rhyhorn spreads. Body Slam lets Delibird fish for paralysis, though its lower power makes it generally not worth it compared to Double-Edge and Hidden Power targeting relevant foes (remove comma) or the utility that Rapid Spin provides. Salac Berry allows Delibird to bypass its Speed issues with Substitute, though such a set struggles due to its all-or-nothing nature.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster threats**: Faster foes such as Elekid, Staryu, Aipom, and Taillow can outspeed and OHKO Delibird. While they cannot naturally outspeed Delibird, weather attackers such as Seaking and Sunflora and Speed-boosting setup sweepers such as Bagon and Growlithe can outspeed and OHKO Delibird in weather or after setting up. However, none of these threats can switch into Delibird, and many can be picked off by Quick Attack when weakened.
**Rock-types**: Delibird's 4x weakness to Rock leaves it OHKOed by practically every Rock Slide user in the tier, while many Rock-types such as Lileep, Rhyhorn, and Nosepass can tank even a super effective attack from Delibird.
**Bulky attackers**: While they cannot switch in, bulky foes like Delcatty and Castform can beat Delibird one-on-one due to its poor defensive profile. Growlithe deserves a special mention, as its ability weakens all of Delibird's attacks except Ice Beam, which it resists, and it can OHKO Delibird with its Fire-type STAB moves and even set up on it with Agility. However, it must be wary of switching into Hidden Power Ground and Choice Band Double-Edge, which still do considerable damage.
**Status**: Toxic and burn from threats such as Koffing wear down Delibird very quickly, with the latter also neutering all its attacks except Ice Beam. Paralysis leaves Delibird outsped by the entire tier, making it easily removed due to its poor defensive typing and lackluster defensive stats. However, Delibird can take advantage of status users by setting up a Substitute.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beatsblack.479897/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tea-guzzler.577920/
Last edited: