DC
Kpop Main, No Brain
[OVERVIEW]
Speed Boost Carvanha can quickly outpace almost any threat and punch holes with powerful STAB attacks. With a nice STAB combination and Psychic Fangs for almost everything not hit by it, Carvanha can be a significant offensive threat. Its shortcomings are subpar defenses, a rather niche role, and no means to boost damage output. The prevalence of Grookey, Timburr, and Focus Sash Abra limits Carvanha's usefulness in the tier.
[SET]
name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Liquidation
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Psychic Fangs
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 Atk / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Liquidation and Crunch provide nearly universal coverage. Liquidation has a chance to lower Defense, which can force bulkier switch-ins out. Psychic Fangs takes care of Fighting-types like Mienfoo and common Poison-types such as Foongus, Koffing, and Mareanie. Protect ensures that Carvanha will almost always get a Speed boost and can be used to stall out attacks such as High Jump Kick and Grassy Glide.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack ensure that Carvanha can do as much damage as possible. The leftover EVs into Special Defense keep Download Porygon from gaining a Special Attack boost. Life Orb substantially improves damage output. 9 HP IVs give Carvanha 19 HP, causing it to lose only 1 HP per turn from Life Orb.
Usage Tips
========
Carvanha's low defenses limit its chances to switch in, so it benefits greatly from pivots and lures. It operates best when switched in to revenge kill and when its checks have been worn down. Once Pokemon like Mienfoo and Spritzee have been weakened and lost items to Knock Off, Carvanha can quickly become overwhelming. Even if Carvanha is unable to pull off a sweep, it will put holes in the opponent's defensive backbone for another sweeper to exploit.
Team Options
========
Thanks to Carvanha's pretty good coverage, there aren't many Pokemon that can switch in freely. Ferroseed is probably the biggest threat to Carvanha thanks to strong defenses and typing. As such, it benefits from teammates like Ponyta and Timburr. Knock Off is a great asset on teammates for beating Sturdy + Berry Juice users like Onix and Magnemite. Ferroseed is a good teammate for weakening Water-types like Staryu, taking advantage of Spritzee, spreading status, and setting entry hazards. Carvanha is very susceptible to priority attacks from the likes of Grookey and Timburr. Ponyta and Koffing are good counters to them and can help keep up the offensive pressure that Carvanha thrives on. Trapinch is able to trap Grookey and Ferroseed, although Ferroseed should be weakened first. Pivots like Mienfoo and Larvesta help make up for its poor defenses and are generally good team options.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Waterfall is is a useable STAB move for its flinch chance. Carvanha can attempt a special set with Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Dark Pulse, which makes it slightly better against Pawniard. However, it is largely outclassed by Staryu and Wingull. Aqua Jet allows Carvanha to finish off weakened priority users such as Timburr and Pawniard. Destiny Bond has merit, especially when paired with Focus Sash to take down an opponent's counter. This works well when removing shared checks to other offensive threats like Shellder. Carvanha can fill a pivot role with Flip Turn instead of Psychic Fangs, which has excellent synergy with trappers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority**: Even weaker priority moves can be threatening to Carvanha. Timburr's Mach Punch, Grookey's Grassy Glide, and the rarer Croagunk's Vacuum Wave pose serious threats, and their users should be removed before attempting to sweep. However, Protect can be used to block First Impression and Fake Out.
**Grass-types**: Ferroseed's defenses and typing allow it to shrug off Carvanha's attacks and easily dispose of it or set entry hazards. Foongus is similar to Ferroseed but must take caution against Psychic Fangs, which it cannot take without Eviolite. Grookey isn't bothered by Aqua Jet and can hit Carvanha with Grassy Glide. Protect can stall out the last turn of Grassy Terrain, however.
**SturdyJuice**: Onix, Magnemite, and Dwebble are threats to Carvanha with Sturdy and Berry Juice—Magnemite especially so with Recycle. While all of them take significant damage from Carvanha's attacks, they will be able to hit back and remove Carvanha. Their threat is mitigated if they lose Berry Juice.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash users can take a hit from Carvanha and KO back; Abra is the most common user and runs Energy Ball or Dazzling Gleam.
**Fighting-types**: Eviolite Timburr has the bulk to withstand Psychic Fangs from full HP and take Aqua Jet well. Scraggy gets an opportunity to set up and overwhelm Carvanha. Mienfoo is a threat as well, but Protect can turn the tables against High Jump Kick variants, which are then vulnerable to Liquidation or Psychic Fangs.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[alan, 43880], [DC,449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[DC, 449990], [zizalith, 410251], [San Tomas, 255030]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]
Speed Boost Carvanha can quickly outpace almost any threat and punch holes with powerful STAB attacks. With a nice STAB combination and Psychic Fangs for almost everything not hit by it, Carvanha can be a significant offensive threat. Its shortcomings are subpar defenses, a rather niche role, and no means to boost damage output. The prevalence of Grookey, Timburr, and Focus Sash Abra limits Carvanha's usefulness in the tier.
[SET]
name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Liquidation
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Psychic Fangs
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 Atk / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
ivs: 9 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Liquidation and Crunch provide nearly universal coverage. Liquidation has a chance to lower Defense, which can force bulkier switch-ins out. Psychic Fangs takes care of Fighting-types like Mienfoo and common Poison-types such as Foongus, Koffing, and Mareanie. Protect ensures that Carvanha will almost always get a Speed boost and can be used to stall out attacks such as High Jump Kick and Grassy Glide.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack ensure that Carvanha can do as much damage as possible. The leftover EVs into Special Defense keep Download Porygon from gaining a Special Attack boost. Life Orb substantially improves damage output. 9 HP IVs give Carvanha 19 HP, causing it to lose only 1 HP per turn from Life Orb.
Usage Tips
========
Carvanha's low defenses limit its chances to switch in, so it benefits greatly from pivots and lures. It operates best when switched in to revenge kill and when its checks have been worn down. Once Pokemon like Mienfoo and Spritzee have been weakened and lost items to Knock Off, Carvanha can quickly become overwhelming. Even if Carvanha is unable to pull off a sweep, it will put holes in the opponent's defensive backbone for another sweeper to exploit.
Team Options
========
Thanks to Carvanha's pretty good coverage, there aren't many Pokemon that can switch in freely. Ferroseed is probably the biggest threat to Carvanha thanks to strong defenses and typing. As such, it benefits from teammates like Ponyta and Timburr. Knock Off is a great asset on teammates for beating Sturdy + Berry Juice users like Onix and Magnemite. Ferroseed is a good teammate for weakening Water-types like Staryu, taking advantage of Spritzee, spreading status, and setting entry hazards. Carvanha is very susceptible to priority attacks from the likes of Grookey and Timburr. Ponyta and Koffing are good counters to them and can help keep up the offensive pressure that Carvanha thrives on. Trapinch is able to trap Grookey and Ferroseed, although Ferroseed should be weakened first. Pivots like Mienfoo and Larvesta help make up for its poor defenses and are generally good team options.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Waterfall is is a useable STAB move for its flinch chance. Carvanha can attempt a special set with Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Dark Pulse, which makes it slightly better against Pawniard. However, it is largely outclassed by Staryu and Wingull. Aqua Jet allows Carvanha to finish off weakened priority users such as Timburr and Pawniard. Destiny Bond has merit, especially when paired with Focus Sash to take down an opponent's counter. This works well when removing shared checks to other offensive threats like Shellder. Carvanha can fill a pivot role with Flip Turn instead of Psychic Fangs, which has excellent synergy with trappers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority**: Even weaker priority moves can be threatening to Carvanha. Timburr's Mach Punch, Grookey's Grassy Glide, and the rarer Croagunk's Vacuum Wave pose serious threats, and their users should be removed before attempting to sweep. However, Protect can be used to block First Impression and Fake Out.
**Grass-types**: Ferroseed's defenses and typing allow it to shrug off Carvanha's attacks and easily dispose of it or set entry hazards. Foongus is similar to Ferroseed but must take caution against Psychic Fangs, which it cannot take without Eviolite. Grookey isn't bothered by Aqua Jet and can hit Carvanha with Grassy Glide. Protect can stall out the last turn of Grassy Terrain, however.
**SturdyJuice**: Onix, Magnemite, and Dwebble are threats to Carvanha with Sturdy and Berry Juice—Magnemite especially so with Recycle. While all of them take significant damage from Carvanha's attacks, they will be able to hit back and remove Carvanha. Their threat is mitigated if they lose Berry Juice.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash users can take a hit from Carvanha and KO back; Abra is the most common user and runs Energy Ball or Dazzling Gleam.
**Fighting-types**: Eviolite Timburr has the bulk to withstand Psychic Fangs from full HP and take Aqua Jet well. Scraggy gets an opportunity to set up and overwhelm Carvanha. Mienfoo is a threat as well, but Protect can turn the tables against High Jump Kick variants, which are then vulnerable to Liquidation or Psychic Fangs.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[alan, 43880], [DC,449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[DC, 449990], [zizalith, 410251], [San Tomas, 255030]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]
Last edited: