PU Cacturne

uploaded -zard


[OVERVIEW]

Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame as a strong offensive Spikes setter. High base offensive stats allow Cacturne to wallbreak, and Water Absorb and Cacturne's ability to use Spikes are the main features that set it apart from Shiftry, which would mostly outclass it otherwise. Water Absorb notably allows Cacturne to come in on passive Water-type Pokemon such as Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns. Also, Cacturne's offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing Stealth Rock setters such as Regirock, Palossand, and Bronzor. However, its subpar defensive stats make Cacturne very vulnerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. Cacturne also has an awful base 55 Speed tier, meaning it is outsped by a lot of offensive Pokemon like Magmortar and Abomasnow; this also means it is very reliant on Sucker Punch to hit faster threats. Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can also hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak and set up Spikes.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes allows Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and helps Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores more easily. Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit opposing Grass-resistant Pokemon neutrally, especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar, which are able to take Energy Ball really well. Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against frailer attackers that outspeed it, as Cacturne's really low Speed leaves it easily outsped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. Energy Ball is Cacturne's secondary STAB move, which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and pressures Dark-resistant Pokemon such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used to let Cacturne recover some of the health that it loses to Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and fast as possible to effectively wallbreak. A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturne's Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weakened. Mild is also chosen over Rash, since it allows Cacturne to switch into special attackers such as Gastrodon and Palossand more easily. A Life Orb is used to further increase the power of Cacturne's attacks; the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it, since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway. Water Absorb allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Lanturn and defensive Carracosta, heal up by 25%, and proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks against teams without reliable switch-ins or to break down opposing specially defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch-ins to it such as Throh and Type: Null because the Spikes can pressure them the next time they switch in. Spikes are also useful for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch due to its ability, Water Absorb. Double switching can also allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage. Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch-ins such as Drampa and Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations where the opponent has good Dark-resistant Pokemon like Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Gurdurr.

Team Options
========

Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners, as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape. Togedemaru is a notable partner, as it can switch in on Flying-type attacks, and it can also pivot with U-turn on Electric-immune Pokemon such as Gastrodon, Lanturn, and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntank resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and can Defog away Spikes. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate Cacturne's Spikes support and its ability to break down specially defensive tanks. Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem, and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne, as Cacturne can switch into bulky Water-types like Gastrodon. Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow, which threaten Cacturne, whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy. Other Fire-type checks, most notably Lanturn, make for good partners, as Lanturn also provide a slow Volt Switch to give Cacturne wallbreaking opportunities without the need to take damage. Defensive Mesprit offers a good switch-in to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan; Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Swords Dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch, and Superpower can be used, but Shiftry is better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off. A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Assault Vest Hitmonchan, but this comes at the cost of a significant drop in power that affects Cacturne's wallbreaking capabilities. Spiky Shield is an option if your team already has a Spikes or Toxic Spikes setter such as Ferroseed or Weezing, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank as well as Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage, but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off. Nasty Plot is an option to break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy, but this means that Cacturne would have no room to use Spikes. A physically based set with Stomping Tantrum can be used to allow Cacturne to hit Skuntank for super effective damage, but it doesn't offer much else outside of that.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr, and Throh are all examples of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill it with their respective STAB moves. Other Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn, as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and beat it one-on-one with Seismic Toss or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that heavily invest in Special Defense such as Type: Null, Altaria, and Cradily can switch into any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threatens Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away Spikes that Cacturne may have got up, as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster Attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can easily get revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol, and Kangaskhan.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

yogi

I did not succumb...
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[OVERVIEW]

  • Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spike setter.
  • High base Attack and Special Attack combined with Cacturnes ability to use Spikes allow it to wallbreak pretty well and these features also set it apart from Shiftry, who would mostly outclasses it otherwise. (I know it is explained below, but water absorb is also what separates it from shiftry)
  • Water Absorb is a nice ability as it means Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-Type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns.
  • Subpar defensive stats means Cacturne is very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general.
  • Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak. (I think it mainly hinders its ability to keep spikes down, so i'd definitely add that)
I'm unsure where to mention this, but being an offensive spiker with a good match up versus almost every other stealth rock setter is really nice (e.g. mesprit, golem, carracosta, regirock)

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

  • Spikes allow Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they help Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores easier.
  • Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit the opposing Poison-, Grass-, Fire-, Steel-, Dragon-, and Flying-types neutrally, which all resist Energy Ball. (name a few examples here, mainly grass and fire)
  • Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against faster attackers, which is good because of Cacturne's low Speed. (name a few that it's able to hit, such as frail pokemon. it also stops it from being deadweight versus offensive teams)
  • Energy Ball is Cacturnes other STAB move which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressure Dark-type resists such as Clefairy, Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. (i'd remove clefairy from this because it takes no damage from hazards when it switches in and cacturne can only do 41% maximum with energy ball)
  • I'd be hard-pressed to mention giga drain here as a weaker alternative to energy ball that somewhat mitigates the recoil caused by life orb

Set Details
========

  • Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to wallbreak effectively.
  • 4 EVs in Attack with a Mild nature ensure that Cacturne's Sucker Punch is stronger, while also allowing Cacturne to hit harder on the special side. (i'd mention mild in the bullet point above and then talk about the fact it doesn't drop attack as a follow on, just because it's more relevant to mention mild when talking about special attack)
  • A Life Orb is used to further increase the power of Cacturne's attacks. Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway.
  • Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn or Gastrodon and proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes. (also heals it which is nice) (mention other defensive waters, like carracosta)

Usage Tips
========

  • Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks to break down opposing specifically defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. (i'd mention that the former would have to be on the switch)
  • Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch ins such as Throh or Type: Null, since the Spikes can pressure them next time they switch in. (switch-ins to what? is this continuing on from the first point, if so then neither are hitmonchan switch-ins; I'm confused x_x)
  • Spikes are also nice for putting things like Scarf Primeape and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. (you're gonna need a LOT of chip to put primeape any where near sucker punch range, so use a pokemon that doesn't resist as an example)
  • Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves gives Cacturne a free switch in because of its Water Absorb ability. (hmm, i'd say it's better to pivot in on more defensive water-types, as offensive ones like floatzel and poliwrath both have coverage to hit it after outspeeding)
  • Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Primeape can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. (I'd mention that slow volt-turn is ideal as it really doesn't want to take a hit, but primeape is able to pivot on things like sableye and weezing to give cacturne chance to break them)
  • Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch ins such as Drampa or Assault Vest Magmortar.
  • On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations were the opponent has good Dark-type resists like Clefairy or Assault Vest Hitmonchan. (again, not so sure about clefairy being here)
kind of feel like the last two points could be combined and reworded. right now they seem like something you'd see in moves not usage tips. mentioning about predicting switches
Team Options
========

  • Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape.
  • Togedemaru is a notable partner as it cam switch in on Flying-type attacks but also, it can pivot with U-turn on electric immunities such as Gastrodon, Lanturn and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities.
  • Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr, Piloswine and Regirock are good partners because Skuntank is able to reist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and Defog away Spikes. (remove regirock in my opinion, I feel that even though it is a good skuntank resist (especially for the physical set) a team would rather have something like the aforementioned piloswine or mesprit to accommodate for it)
  • Late game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Jynx and Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Spikes support and Cacturnes ability to break down special walls. (i'm not sold on saying special walls, because then I think things like clefairy, type: null, etc. so I think maybe special tanks?)
  • Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne as Cacturne can switch in on bulky Water-types like Lanturn and Gastrodon.
  • assault vest hitmonchan can take fire- and ice-type attacks along with spinning
  • mesprit gives a very good fighting resist, healing wish and slow u-turn

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

  • A Swords dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch and Superpower can be used but Shiftry is generally better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB moves in Knock Off and Leaf Blade. (really big nit-pick, but swords dance and leaf blade aren't technically legal on shiftry (even if showdown says they are))
  • A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn and Assault Vest Hitmonchan. (poliwrath too)
  • Spiky Shield is a cool option if your team already has a Spike or Toxic Spike setter such as Qwifish, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G.
  • A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off.
  • Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy but this Cacturne is easily revenge killed due to its low Speed and lack of priority.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr and Throh are all example of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill with their respective STAB moves. Also, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and reply with their super effective STAB attacks in Dazzling Gleam and Moonblast or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially defensive walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side such as Type: Null, Altaria and Cradily are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threaten Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab, Sludge Bomb and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage. (just remove mention of sludge bomb)

**Faster attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol and Kangaskhan. (looks good)
Looks good bud! QC 1/3
 
Last edited:
Implemented and removed Pilo mentions. Also i think i'm good to carry on with this since idt Cacturne's moves and such will change in USUM right?
 

TJ

Banned deucer.
is the Smogon Tour Season 34 Championis a Past SPL Championis a Two-Time Past SCL Champion


[OVERVIEW]

  • Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spike setter.
  • High base offensive stats and Water Absorb combined with Cacturnes ability to use Spikes allow it to wallbreak pretty well and these features also set it apart from Shiftry, who would mostly outclasses it otherwise.
  • Water Absorb is a nice ability as it means Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-Type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns.
  • Cacturnes offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing stealth rockers such as Regirock, Golurk and Bronzor.
  • Subpar defensive stats means Cacturne is very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general.
  • Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak.
  • (Would mention something about its Speed tier makes it reliant on sucker punch when it wants to hit faster foes.)

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

  • Spikes allow Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they help Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores easier.
  • Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit the opposing Poison-, Grass-, Fire-, Steel-, Dragon-, and Flying-types neutrally, which all resist Energy Ball. Especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar who are able to take Energy Ball really well.
  • Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against faster attackers, which is good because Cacturne's low Speed leaves it out-sped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar.
  • Energy Ball is Cacturnes other STAB move which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressure Dark-type resists such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. (true but its kinda weak vs AV Hitmonchan and the latter will just click mach punch anyway.)
  • Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to recover some of the health back that it takes from Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

  • Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to wallbreak effectively.
  • A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturnes Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weaker as it doesn't drop Cacturnes Attack stat.
  • A Life Orb is used to further increase the power Cacturne's attacks. Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway.
  • Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn and Defensive Carracosta, heal up by 25% as it can proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

  • Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks to break down opposing specifically defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar.
  • Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch ins to it such as Throh or Type: Null, since the Spikes can pressure them next time they switch in.
  • Spikes are also nice for putting things Pokemon like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. (maybe expand on the sucker punch since its nice for rking faster foes in general)
  • Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch in due to its Water Absorb ability.
  • Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Primeape can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. (This is a team option) (something like "getting cacturne in on a double switch is an effective way to get it on the feild" is a usage tip)
  • Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch ins such as Drampa or Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations were the opponent has good Dark-type resists like Assault Vest Hitmonchan or Gurdurr.
  • (Maybe add something like "avoid bringing in cac even on resisted attacks because its defense is mediocre")
Team Options
========

  • Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape.
  • Togedemaru is a notable partner as it can switch in on Flying-type attacks (from what?) but also, it can pivot with U-turn on electric immunities such as Gastrodon, Lanturn and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. (Its worth saying u-turn gets cac in safely too)
  • Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and Defog away Spikes.
  • Late game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Jynx and Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Spikes support and Cacturnes ability to break down specially defensive tanks. (like?)
  • Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne as Cacturne can switch in on bulky Water-types like Lanturn and Gastrodon. (Would remove Lanturn here just because you have mentioned it a lot above and also because Lycanroc has no problem beating down Lanturn)
  • Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow who threaten Cacturne whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy.
  • Defensive Mesprit offers a good resist to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan and Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.
  • (Spike support from Qwilfish is appreciated as it makes wallbreaking easier. this is also mainly just defensive partners, I know you mentioned choice Scarf jynx/ pyroar but can you add something that can break through cacturne's checks?)
  • (I would add the team option point you had in usage tips here)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

  • A Swords Dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch and Superpower can be used but Shiftry is generally better at this due to its higher base Speed Tier and better STAB move in Knock Off.
  • A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath and Assault Vest Hitmonchan. (Mention the drawback to hasty nature. Maybe something like golem isnt too common)
  • Spiky Shield is a cool option if your team already has a Spike or Toxic Spike setter such as Qwifish, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. (What is the drawback to this?)
  • A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, Normal- and Steel-types (What Normal-, and Steel-types?) for decent neutral or super effective damage but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off.
  • Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy but this Cacturne is easily revenge killed due to its low Speed and lack of priority.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr and Throh are all example of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill with their respective STAB moves. Also, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch. (primeape takes a decent amount from sucker so mainly just passimian. but this is still good)

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and reply with their super effective STAB attacks in Dazzling Gleam and Moonblast or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled. (Togetic can also remove cacturne's spikes)

**Specially defensive walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side such as Type: Null, Altaria and Cradily are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threaten Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol and Kangaskhan.
am check
 

MZ

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[OVERVIEW]

  • Cacturne finds its niche nah this thing still blows in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spike setter.
  • High base offensive stats and Water Absorb combined with Cacturnes ability to use Spikes allow it to wallbreak pretty well and these features also set it apart from Shiftry, who would mostly outclasses it otherwise.
  • Water Absorb is a nice ability as it means Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-Type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns.
  • Cacturnes offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing stealth rockers such as Regirock, Golurk and Bronzor.
  • Subpar defensive stats means Cacturne is very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. really need to mention the godawful speed tier alongside this, probably worse than just the bulk
  • Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

  • Spikes allow Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they help Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores easier.
  • Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit the opposing Poison-, Grass-, Fire-, Steel-, Dragon-, and Flying-types o.0 at that point just say grass resists neutrally, which all resist Energy Ball. Especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar who are able to take Energy Ball really well.
  • Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against faster attackers, which is good because Cacturne's low Speed leaves it out-sped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. this is written in a way where it feels like cac isnt obnoxiously slow (only a few really fast things like jynx and pyroar beat it is the implication). could easily be fixed in writeup but ye
  • Energy Ball is Cacturnes other STAB move which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressure Dark-type resists such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr.
  • Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to recover some of the health back that it takes from Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

  • Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to wallbreak effectively.
  • A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturnes Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weaker as it doesn't drop Cacturnes Attack stat.
  • A Life Orb is used to further increase the power Cacturne's attacks. Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway.
  • Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn and Defensive Carracosta, heal up by 25% as it can proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

  • Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks to break down opposing specifically defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. specifically when ur facing teams without more reliable switchins. because like, that's what spikes is for like u say below. the distinction with "be a wallbreaker unless they have a hard counter then be a spiker" is really good but it should be made really clear
  • Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch ins to it such as Throh or Type: Null, since the Spikes can pressure them next time they switch in.
  • Spikes are also nice for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch.
  • Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch in due to its Water Absorb ability.
  • Double switching can allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage.
  • Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch ins such as Drampa or Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations were the opponent has good Dark-type resists like Assault Vest Hitmonchan or Gurdurr.
Team Options
========

  • Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape.
  • Togedemaru is a notable partner as it cam switch in on Flying-type attacks but also, it can pivot with U-turn on electric immunities such as Gastrodon, Lanturn and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities.
  • Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat ...no can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free.
  • Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and Defog away Spikes.
  • Late game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Jynx and Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Spikes support and Cacturnes ability to break down specially defensive tanks. scarf jynx isnt much of a cleaner imo, it can but somth else would really go here better
  • Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne as Cacturne can switch in on bulky Water-types like Gastrodon.
  • Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow who threaten Cacturne whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy.
  • Defensive Mesprit offers a good resist to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan and Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

  • A Swords dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch and Superpower can be used but Shiftry is generally better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off.
  • A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath and Assault Vest Hitmonchan.
  • Spiky Shield is a cool option if your team already has a Spike or Toxic Spike setter such as Qwifish, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G.
  • A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off.
  • Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy but this Cacturne is easily revenge killed due to its low Speed and lack of priority.
i would add this set but physically based with stomping tantrum, it's not the worst thing u could run just bc skunk

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr and Throh are all example of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill with their respective STAB moves. Also, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and reply with their super effective STAB attacks in Dazzling Gleam and Moonblast or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled. gleam toge is ass, it should run stoss. stoss also beats cac, just not like how it's described

**Specially defensive walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side such as Type: Null, Altaria and Cradily are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threaten Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol and Kangaskhan.
qcstamp.gif
2/3
 

ManOfMany

I can make anything real
is a Tiering Contributor


[OVERVIEW]

Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spike setter. High base offensive stats and Water Absorb combined with Cacturnes ability to use Spikes allow it to wallbreak pretty well and these features also set it apart from Shiftry, who would mostly outclasses it otherwise. Water Absorb is a nice ability as it means Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-Type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns. Cacturnes offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing stealth rockers such as Regirock, Palossand and Bronzor. Subpar defensive stats means Cacturne is very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. Cacturne also has an awful base 55 Speed tier meaning it is outsped by a lot of offensive Pokemon in the tier like Magmortar and Abomasnow. Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak.

you never mentioned Sucker Punch in the overview (it's not a big deal cause of the nerf and lack of Atk investment but should probably be noted)

The content of the Overview is great, just try to work on sentence flow a bit so it doesn't sound like you are listing disjointed facts.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes allow Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they help Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores easier. Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit opposing Grass-type resists neutrally, especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar who are able to take Energy Ball really well. Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against frailer attackers that outspeed it, which is good because Cacturne's really low Speed leaves it easily out-sped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. Energy Ball is Cacturnes other STAB move which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressure Dark-type resists such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to recover some of the health back that it takes from Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to wallbreak effectively. A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturnes Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weaker as it doesn't drop Cacturnes Attack stat. explain why Mild over Rash
A Life Orb is used to further increase the power Cacturne's attacks. Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway. Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn and Defensive Carracosta, heal up by 25% as it can proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks against teams without reliable switchins, or to break down opposing specifically defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch ins to it such as Throh or Type: Null, since the Spikes can pressure them next time they switch in. Spikes are also nice for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch in due to its Water Absorb ability. Double switching can allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage. Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch ins such as Drampa or Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations were the opponent has good Dark-type resists like Assault Vest Hitmonchan or Gurdurr.

Team Options
========

Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape. Togedemaru is a notable partner as it cam switch in on Flying-type attacks but also, it can pivot with U-turn on electric immunities such as Gastrodon, Lanturn and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and Defog away Spikes. Late game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Spikes support and Cacturnes ability to break down specially defensive tanks. Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne as Cacturne can switch in on bulky Water-types like Gastrodon. Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow who threaten Cacturne whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy. mention other fire resists (or tie that in to a previous sentence) Defensive Mesprit offers a good resist to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan and Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Swords dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch and Superpower can be used but Shiftry is generally better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off. A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath and Assault Vest Hitmonchan. but it's a significant drop in power
Spiky Shield is a cool option if your team already has a Spike or Toxic Spike setter such as Qwifish, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off. Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy but this Cacturne is easily revenge killed due to its low Speed and lack of priority (wouldn't this set still be running Sucker?). A physically based set with Stomping Tantrum can be used to allow Cacturne to hit Skuntank for super effective damage but it doesn't offer much else outside of that.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr and Throh are all example of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill with their respective STAB moves. Also, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and win 1v1 with Seismic Toss or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially defensive walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side such as Type: Null, Altaria and Cradily are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resist both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threaten Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol and Kangaskhan.
3/3
 
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[OVERVIEW]

Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spikes setter. High base offensive stats that allowitCacturne to wallbreak, Water Absorb and Cacturne's ability to use Spikes are the its main features that set it apart from Shiftry, whowhich would mostly outclasses it otherwise. Water Absorb is a nice abilityas because it means allows Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-Type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon, and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns. Also, Cacturnes offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing Stealth Rock setters such as Regirock, Palossand, and Bronzor. Its subpar defensive stats means thatmake Cacturne is very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. Cacturne also has an awful base 55 Speed tier meaning it is outsped by a lot of offensive Pokemon in the tier like Magmortar and Abomasnow.; T this also means it is very reliant on Sucker Punch to hit faster threats. Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak and set up Spikes.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes allow Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they also help Cacturne and its teammates to break down defensive cores easier. Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit opposing Grass-type resists neutrally, especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar who are able to take Energy Ball really well. Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against frailer attackers that outspeed it, which is good because Cacturne's really low Speed leaves it easily out-sped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. Energy Ball is Cacturnes othersecondary STAB move which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressure Dark-type resists such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to recover some of the health back that it takes from Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to possible to effectively wallbreak effectively. A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturnes Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weaker ned as because, it doesn't drop Cacturnes Attack stat. Mild is also chosen over Rash since it allows Cacturne to switch in on into special attackers such as Gastrodon and Palossand easier. A Life Orb is used to further increase the power of Cacturne's attacks; Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway. Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn, and Defensive Carracosta, heal up by 25% as it can proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks against teams without reliable switch-ins, or to break down opposing specifically defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch-ins to it such as Throh or Type: Null, since because, the Spikes can pressure them the next time they switch in. Spikes are also nice useful for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch in due to its Water Absorbability, Water Absorb. Double switching can allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage. Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch-ins such as Drampa or Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations where the opponent has good Dark-type resists like Assault Vest Hitmonchan or Gurdurr.

Team Options
========

Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape. Togedemaru is a notable partner as it cam can switch in on Flying-type attacks but also, it can also pivot with U-turn on electric immunities such as Gastrodon, Lanturn, and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntankis able toresists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and can Defog away Spikes. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Cacturne's Spikes support and Cacturnes its ability to break down specially defensive tanks. Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem, and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne as Cacturne can switch in on into bulky Water-types like Gastrodon. Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow who threaten Cacturne whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy. Other Fire-type checks, most notably Lanturn, makes for a good partner as it can also provides slow volt switches to give Cacturne wallbreaking opportunities without the need to take damage. Defensive Mesprit offers a good resist to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan and ; Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Swords dance Dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch, and Superpower can be used but Shiftry is usually better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off. A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath and Assault Vest Hitmonchan but this comes at the cost of a signifcant significant drop in power that affects Cacturne's wallbreaking capabilities. Spiky Shield is a cool option if your team already has a Spikes or Toxic Spikes setter such as Qwifish, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turn turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off. Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy but this means that Cacturne would have no room to use Spikes. A physically based set with Stomping Tantrum can be used to allow Cacturne to hit Skuntank for super effective damage but it doesn't offer much else outside of that.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr, and Throh are all examples of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill it with their respective STAB moves. Also, Other Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and win 1v1 with Seismic Toss or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side such as Type: Null, Altaria, and Cradily are able to switch can switch in on into any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threatens Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster Attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily get revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol, and Kangaskhan.
 

autumn

only i will remain
is a Site Content Manageris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
C&C Leader
removing the mentions because i'm nice

try to read and understand my comments, and anyone i the gp discord will be wlling to further clarify common gramamr mistakes and help you to understand it better

GP 1/2

Jordy add remove
me add remove comments
[OVERVIEW]

Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being a strong offensive Spikes setter. High base offensive stats that allowitCacturne to wallbreak, Water Absorb and Cacturne's ability to use Spikes are the its (keep the) main features that set it apart from Shiftry, whowhich (yes, pokemon aren't referred to as who) would mostly outclasses it otherwise. Water Absorb is a nice abilityas because it means allows (phrases like this are considered filler because they don't add anything useful to the analysis) Cacturne is able to come in on passive Water-type Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Gastrodon, and Lanturn Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns. Also, Cacturnes Cacturne's (when its possessive, so like Cacturne's typing, use an apostrophe before the s) offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing Stealth Rock setters such as Regirock, Palossand, and Bronzor. Its subpar defensive stats means thatmake Cacturne is (optional) very vunerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. Cacturne also has an awful base 55 Speed tier, (AC) meaning it is outsped by a lot of offensive Pokemon in the tier like Magmortar and Abomasnow.; T this also means it is very reliant on Sucker Punch to hit faster threats. Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak and set up Spikes.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes allows Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and they also (keep and) helps Cacturne and its teammates to (unneeded) break down defensive cores easier more easily. Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit opposing Grass-type resists Grass-resistant Pokemon (a resist isn't an adjective so it can't be used this way) neutrally, especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar, (AC) which who are able to take Energy Ball really well. Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against frailer attackers that outspeed it, which is good because as Cacturne's really low Speed leaves it easily out-sped outsped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. Energy Ball is Cacturnes Cacturne's othersecondary STAB move, (AC) which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and it can pressures Dark-type resists Dark-resistant Pokemon such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to recover some of the health back that it takes from Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and as fast as it can to allow it to possible to effectively wallbreak effectively. A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturnes Cacturne's Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weakerned as because, (don't add a comma here) it doesn't drop Cacturnes Cacturne's Attack stat. Mild is also chosen over Rash, (AC) since it allows Cacturne to switch in on into special attackers such as Gastrodon and Palossand easier more easily. A Life Orb is used to further increase the power of Cacturne's attacks; Also, the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it, (AC) since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway. Water Absorb is a good ability that allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Qwilfish, Lanturn, Lanturn and defensive (playstyles such as offense/balance/stall and sets such as defensive/offensive/bulky aren't capitalised) Carracosta, (RC) and heal up by 25%, (AC) as it can proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks against teams without reliable switch-ins, (RC) or to break down opposing specifically specially defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch-ins to it such as Throh or and Type: Null, since because the Spikes can pressure them the next time they switch in. Spikes are also nice useful (yes, phrases like nice/useful etc are too filler for analyses) for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch in switch-in due to its Water Absorbability, Water Absorb. Double switching can allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage. Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch-ins such as Drampa or and Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations where the opponent has good Dark-type resists Dark-resistant Pokemon like Assault Vest Hitmonchan or and Gurdurr.

Team Options
========

Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners, (AC) as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape. Togedemaru is a notable partner, (AC)as it cam can switch in on Flying-type attacks, (AC) but also, and it can also pivot with U-turn on electric immunities Electric-immune Pokemon (same with resists not being an adjective) such as Gastrodon, Lanturn, and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntankis able to resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and can Defog away Spikes. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate the Cacturne's Spikes support and Cacturnes its ability to break down specially defensive tanks. Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem, and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne, (AC) as Cacturne can switch in on into bulky Water-types like Gastrodon. Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow, (AC) which who threaten Cacturne, (AC) whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy. Other Fire-type checks, most notably Lanturn, makes for a good partner make for good partners, (AC) as Lanturn it can also provides slow volt switches provide a slow Volt Switch to give Cacturne wallbreaking opportunities without the need to take damage. Defensive Mesprit offers a good resist switch-in to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan and ; Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Swords dance Dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch, and Superpower can be used, (AC) but Shiftry is usually (content change, only add if this reflets the meta) better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off. A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath, (AC) and Assault Vest Hitmonchan, (AC) but this comes at the cost of a signifcant significant drop in power that affects Cacturne's wallbreaking capabilities. Spiky Shield is an cool option if your team already has a Spikes or Toxic Spikes setter such as Qwifish, (give another example, and if there isn't one axe this sentence) as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and can put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-Turnturn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank, (RC) as well as Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage, (AC) but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off. Nasty Plot is an option to further break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy, (AC) but this means that Cacturne would have no room to use Spikes. A physically based set with Stomping Tantrum can be used to allow Cacturne to hit Skuntank for super effective damage, (AC) but it doesn't offer much else outside of that.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr, and Throh are all examples of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill it with their respective STAB moves. Also, Other Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn, (AC) as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are both able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and win 1v1 beat it one-on-one with Seismic Toss or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that are heavily invested on the specially defensive side heavily invest in Special Defense (there are no sides) such as Type: Null, Altaria, and Cradily are able to switch can switch in on into any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, (RC) while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank is able to resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threatens Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away any Spikes that Cacturne may have got up, (AC) as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster Attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can be easily get revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol, and Kangaskhan.
 
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Lumari

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GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Cacturne finds its niche in the PU metagame by being as a strong offensive Spikes setter. High base offensive stats allow Cacturne to wallbreak, and Water Absorb and Cacturne's ability to use Spikes are the main features that set it apart from Shiftry, which would mostly outclass it otherwise. Water Absorb notably allows Cacturne to come in on passive Water-type Pokemon such as Gastrodon and Lanturn without fearing Scald burns. Also, Cacturne's offensive typing allows it to threaten a lot of opposing Stealth Rock setters such as Regirock, Palossand, and Bronzor. However, its subpar defensive stats make Cacturne very vunerable vulnerable to any type of super effective hit or any strong attack in general. Cacturne also has an awful base 55 Speed tier, meaning it is outsped by a lot of offensive Pokemon in the tier like Magmortar and Abomasnow; this also means it is very reliant on Sucker Punch to hit faster threats. Its inability to hit Skuntank for a lot of damage can also hinder its ability to effectively wallbreak and set up Spikes.

[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Energy Ball / Giga Drain
item: Life Orb
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Spikes allows Cacturne to pressure the opposing team with passive damage and helps Cacturne and its teammates break down defensive cores more easily. Dark Pulse provides a reliable STAB move with good neutral coverage that is able to hit opposing Grass-resistant Pokemon neutrally, especially Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Assault Vest Magmortar, which are able to take Energy Ball really well. Sucker Punch gives Cacturne some form of priority against frailer attackers that outspeed it, as Cacturne's really low Speed leaves it easily outsped by Pokemon like Jynx and Pyroar. Energy Ball is Cacturne's secondary STAB move, which hits slightly harder than Dark Pulse and pressures Dark-resistant Pokemon such as Hitmonchan and Gurdurr. Although weaker, Giga Drain can be used so that Cacturne is able to to let Cacturne recover some of the health back that it takes from loses to Life Orb recoil.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used so that Cacturne can hit as hard and fast as possible to effectively wallbreak. A Mild nature is used to increase Cacturne's Special Attack and ensure that its Sucker Punch isn't weakened because it doesn't drop Cacturne's Attack stat. Mild is also chosen over Rash, since it allows Cacturne to switch into special attackers such as Gastrodon and Palossand more easily. A Life Orb is used to further increase the power of Cacturne's attacks; the recoil damage isn't too detrimental for it, since Cacturne doesn't like taking hits anyway. Water Absorb allows Cacturne to switch in on predicted Water-type attacks from Pokemon such as Lanturn and defensive Carracosta, (AC) and heal up by 25%, as it can and proceed to attack the foe or set up Spikes.

Usage Tips
========

Cacturne should be used for firing off powerful attacks against teams without reliable switch-ins or to break down opposing specially defensive Pokemon such as Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Assault Vest Magmortar. Cacturne should set up Spikes against teams that have reliable switch-ins to it such as Throh and Type: Null because the Spikes can pressure them the next time they switch in. Spikes are also useful for putting faster threats like Lilligant and Pyroar into KO range of Sucker Punch. Bringing Cacturne in on predicted Water-type moves from defensive Water-types like Carracosta and Gastrodon gives Cacturne a free switch-in due to its ability, Water Absorb. Double switching can also allow Cacturne to come in for free so it can avoid taking unnecessary damage. Use Dark Pulse if the opponent has good Grass-type switch-ins such as Drampa and Assault Vest Magmortar. On the other hand, use Energy Ball in situations where the opponent has good Dark-resistant Pokemon like Assault Vest Hitmonchan and Gurdurr.

Team Options
========

Pokemon such as Weezing and Palossand are good partners, as they can switch in on Fighting-type attacks as well as U-turn from Primeape. Togedemaru is a notable partner, (AC) (keep comma, remove comment) as it can switch in on Flying-type attacks, and it can also pivot with U-turn on Electric-immune Pokemon(space)such as Gastrodon, Lanturn, and Palossand to give Cacturne good wallbreaking opportunities. Slow Volt Switch and U-turn support from Pokemon such as Eelektross and Volbeat can also allow Cacturne to switch in for free. Pokemon that can switch into Skuntank well like Gurdurr and Golem are good partners because Skuntank resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and can Defog away Spikes. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Pyroar appreciate Cacturne's Spikes support and its ability to break down specially defensive tanks. Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Golem, and Lycanroc pair well with Cacturne, as Cacturne can switch into bulky Water-types like Gastrodon. Assault Vest Hitmonchan is able to take on Fire- and Ice-types such as Pyroar and Abomasnow, which threaten Cacturne, whilst also offering good utility in Rapid Spin to keep Cacturne healthy. Other Fire-type checks, most notably Lanturn, make for good partners, as Lanturn also provide a slow Volt Switch to give Cacturne wallbreaking opportunities without the need to take damage. Defensive Mesprit offers a good switch-in to Fighting-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Hitmonchan; Mesprit can also provide a slow U-turn for momentum or heal Cacturne back up to full health with Healing Wish.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Swords Dance set with Seed Bomb, Sucker Punch, and Superpower can be used, but Shiftry is better at this due to its higher base Speed and better STAB move in Knock Off. A Hasty nature can be used to always outspeed Pokemon such as Adamant Golurk as well as most Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Assault Vest Hitmonchan, but this comes at the cost of a significant drop in power that affects Cacturne's wallbreaking capabilities. Spiky Shield is an option if your team already has a Spikes or Toxic Spikes setter such as Ferroseed or Weezing, as in combination with other entry hazards, the chip damage from Spiky Shield can rack up pretty quickly and put foes in KO range of Sucker Punch. This also lets Cacturne scout for moves such as U-turn from Choice-locked Pokemon like Primeape and Oricorio-G. A full wallbreaking set with Focus Blast over Spikes can be used to hit Skuntank as well as Normal- and Steel-types for decent neutral or super effective damage, but Shiftry can also pull this off with a better base Speed and better STAB attacks such as Leaf Storm and Knock Off. Nasty Plot is an option to break through specially defensive walls like Clefairy, but this means that Cacturne would have no room to use Spikes. A physically based set with Stomping Tantrum can be used to allow Cacturne to hit Skuntank for super effective damage, but it doesn't offer much else outside of that.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Fighting-types**: Hitmonchan, Gurdurr, and Throh are all examples of Fighting-type Pokemon that are able to take a hit from Cacturne and revenge kill it with their respective STAB moves. Other Fighting-type Pokemon such as Primeape and Passimian are able to outspeed Cacturne and KO it with Close Combat or U-turn, as they don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.

**Fairy-types**: Specially bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic and Clefairy are able to switch in on any of Cacturne's attacks and beat it one-on-one with Seismic Toss or just heal off any damage with Roost and Soft-Boiled.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that heavily invest in Special Defense such as Type: Null, Altaria, and Cradily can switch into any of Cacturne's attacks well enough and heal off the damage, while also being able to threaten Cacturne back due to Cacturne's poor defensive stats.

**Skuntank**: Skuntank resists both of Cacturne's STAB moves and threatens Cacturne back with super effective attacks like Poison Jab and Fire Blast. Skuntank is also able to Defog away Spikes that Cacturne may have got up, as it doesn't have to worry about being hit for too much damage.

**Faster Attackers**: Due to Cacturne's low base Speed stat and subpar defensive stats, it can easily get revenge killed by faster Pokemon that don't take enough damage from Sucker Punch, such as Abomasnow, Absol, and Kangaskhan.
 
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