Move Infestation (and trapping moves in general)

[pectus_Umbra]

Huh. So, here's something annoying. Attempting to sate my curiosity about possibly trapping excadrill, find out that NONE of the trapping moves are on the damage calculator, nor are the items that alter those moves :l.

Anyway, currently looking into ghosts that can infest-trap excadrill as a means to kill off enemy spinner. list is fairly short in this regard. still, with the ability to burn, block spin, and trap it, so long as there's a way to keep hp up, you can grind it down.

EDIT: My mistake, does have magma storm. still, not super helpful in this circumstance. Is a bit of an oversight.

 

[Zaprong]

I don't know if anyone have mentioned this set before, but I think an EvioTangela may work. I have read that Tangrowth can learn Infestation, so I think Tangela can too.

Tangela
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Calm OR Bold
Ability: Leaf Guard/Regenerator
Moves:
-Infestation
-Synthesis
-Sleep Powder
-Giga Drain/Ancient Power.
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SP. DEF. OR 252 HP, 252 DEF.

I think trapping a physical attacker is a great idea if you run a Bold nature, Calm would be more flexible if you really really hate mixed sweepers. Put them to sleep with Sleep Powder, and Recover with Synthesis. Giga Drain is if you really really think you need HP while damaging, specially in the Calm Set (Since hits will hurt in both sides, you want to synthesis and then recover the little HP that couldn't Synthesis Recover in the turn). Or Ancient Power, Boosting your defenses and special attack is always nice, specially if you are trapping something, sad the boost isn't really that common. Do note, Leaf Guard can be used on Sun teams, but since this guy is stalling, it won't see much benefit. Regenerator is for those /Special/ Surprises and need to switch out to keep healthy (At least in the Bold Set, I don't Think Calm Set needs much assistance with Regenerator as it tanks them better and can recover with Synthesis anyway.)

I donno the exact Calcs but I think this set is pretty interesting to use.

 

[Spotred]

Anyway, currently looking into ghosts that can infest-trap excadrill as a means to kill off enemy spinner. list is fairly short in this regard. still, with the ability to burn, block spin, and trap it, so long as there's a way to keep hp up, you can grind it down.

Well I actually might have the mon for you, as I was testing Mega Banette with Destiny Bond I found out that Infestation is in the movepool. So that might actually be able to trap spinners quite nicely!

Banette @ Banettenite
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Insomnia / Frisk

- Shadow Sneak
- Infestation
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond

I'm testing it right now for other purposes, but reading your post it might fit your niche(?).

 

[Spotred]

I have been using Weezing too as an Infestation trapper, and it has blown my mind away. It always pulls the weight for the team

I would swap out protect for flamethrower so steels aren't as big as an issue (esp. ferrothorn, forretress, scizor), but then again it depends on your team lineup.

I can agree on that one; it's absolutely amazing in the right situations. Tested out the Flamethrower instead of Protect and it's slightly better in most situations. Only time I miss protect is when i barely win the fight - which in the protect scenario would be a healthier outcome. Though the pros against the common wallers; Venusaur and Ferrothorn is just too good to ignore! Thanks for sharing the set!

 

[S0L1D G0LD]

I can agree on that one; it's absolutely amazing in the right situations. Tested out the Flamethrower instead of Protect and it's slightly better in most situations. Only time I miss protect is when i barely win the fight - which in the protect scenario would be a healthier outcome. Though the pros against the common wallers; Venusaur and Ferrothorn is just too good to ignore! Thanks for sharing the set!

Except for one problem. Venusaur will probably be most often mega evolving, in which case it becomes neutral to fire. Granted, it can't do much back, but it can take some hits pretty well.

 

[Spotred]

Except for one problem. Venusaur will probably be most often mega evolving, in which case it becomes neutral to fire. Granted, it can't do much back, but it can take some hits pretty well.

Yes that's true. Though it's still better than the protect in this scenario - I believe(?). Unless the Sludge Bomb / Gigia Drain hits harder, in that case protect can give you some health between assaults, I'm not sure about the math here.

I've actually been breeding a special wall Bronzong just because I hate Mega Venusaur so much... Looking forward to test him a bit more.

 

[S0L1D G0LD]

Yes that's true. Though it's still better than the protect in this scenario - I believe(?). Unless the Sludge Bomb / Gigia Drain hits harder, in that case protect can give you some health between assaults, I'm not sure about the math here.

I've actually been breeding a special wall Bronzong just because I hate Mega Venusaur so much... Looking forward to test him a bit more.

No investment, neutral nature.

0 SpA Mega Venusaur Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Weezing: 77-91 (23 - 27.2%) -- possible 5HKO after Black Sludge recovery
(77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 81, 83, 84, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)

4 SpA Weezing Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 52-62 (14.2 - 17%) -- possible 6HKO
(52, 52, 52, 54, 54, 54, 56, 56, 56, 58, 58, 58, 60, 60, 60, 62)

Invested in satk, positive nature.

252+ SpA Mega Venusaur Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Weezing: 103-122 (30.8 - 36.5%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Black Sludge recovery
(103, 105, 105, 107, 108, 109, 111, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122)

4 SpA Weezing Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 60-72 (16.4 - 19.7%) -- possible 6HKO
(60, 60, 62, 62, 64, 64, 64, 66, 66, 66, 68, 68, 68, 70, 70, 72)

Bearing in mind that weezing is using fire blast here, which is stronger then flamethrower. You'd just e better off using sludge bomb.

 

[Spotred]

No investment, neutral nature.

0 SpA Mega Venusaur Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Weezing: 77-91 (23 - 27.2%) -- possible 5HKO after Black Sludge recovery
(77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 81, 83, 84, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)

4 SpA Weezing Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 52-62 (14.2 - 17%) -- possible 6HKO
(52, 52, 52, 54, 54, 54, 56, 56, 56, 58, 58, 58, 60, 60, 60, 62)

Invested in satk, positive nature.

252+ SpA Mega Venusaur Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Weezing: 103-122 (30.8 - 36.5%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Black Sludge recovery
(103, 105, 105, 107, 108, 109, 111, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122)

4 SpA Weezing Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 60-72 (16.4 - 19.7%) -- possible 6HKO
(60, 60, 62, 62, 64, 64, 64, 66, 66, 66, 68, 68, 68, 70, 70, 72)

Bearing in mind that weezing is using fire blast here, which is stronger then flamethrower. You'd just e better off using sludge bomb.

Cool, thanks for the number crunching! I might've been a bit unclear, din't mean that Weezing should be running Sludge Bomb - If that's what you meant with the last sentence.

Anyways Mega Venusaur is winning this scenario regardless if it just use Sludge Bomb all the way it seems. Though if it setups before that WoW and Infestation might work in Weezings favor, not sure. It's a bad situation for this strategy, hehe.

 

[ensurdagen]

Why isn't there a huge amount of talk about Magma Storm Heatran :/.

Accuracy was increased to 75% last gen But base power is down from 120 - 100 this gen.

I feel like TormentTran with Magma Storm could be a huge threat (in certain situations atleast.)

A 75% accuracy trapping move from Heatran is pretty lame. Ground/fighting coverage moves are common, and if magma storm misses your opponent is free to do whatever they want in response. Lava plume is scary for anything but a fire type to switch into due to the high burn chance, I don't think it's a good idea to run a STAB that misses as much as Focus Blast and has limited extra utility. I don't know what you're even planning to trap with heatran, it lacks recovery beyond rest. The power nerf is the nail in Magma Storm's coffin, if the weather nerf wasn't already, because fire blast is now clearly better for attacking. Infestation on a pokemon with better recovery, like Gastrodon, is far more useful than WoW+magma storm on Heatran--even then, why not just use toxic and outstall them later after forcing the switch?

 

[pectus_Umbra]

Well I actually might have the mon for you, as I was testing Mega Banette with Destiny Bond I found out that Infestation is in the movepool. So that might actually be able to trap spinners quite nicely!

Banette @ Banettenite
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Insomnia / Frisk

- Shadow Sneak
- Infestation
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond

I'm testing it right now for other purposes, but reading your post it might fit your niche(?).

ah, thanks, I actually found out about a similar thing in the banette thread. I knew it got infestation, but didn't include it in my original list due to looking at tankier options first. still, might be worth considering.

 

[JDAP]

I have had a look, but I couldn't seem to find this bit of information about infestation and the other partially trapping moves;


What happens when the pokemon who used infestation switches out, manually or with U-turn/volt switch/baton pass? I haven't seen anything that says the trapping effect goes away, but I assume it does since otherwise you could just trap something and switch in to something that can set up on it easily.

 

[CyclicCompound]

I have had a look, but I couldn't seem to find this bit of information about infestation and the other partially trapping moves;


What happens when the pokemon who used infestation switches out, manually or with U-turn/volt switch/baton pass? I haven't seen anything that says the trapping effect goes away, but I assume it does since otherwise you could just trap something and switch in to something that can set up on it easily.

In Gen VI, the trapping effect wears off.

However, in Gen I~IV, the trapping effect of other moves did not wear off. Strategies involving Umbreon with Mean Look and Baton Pass were actually quite viable, so theoretically if Infestation existed back then it would probably be used similarly.

 

[Lazyboy0337]

Huh. So, here's something annoying. Attempting to sate my curiosity about possibly trapping excadrill, find out that NONE of the trapping moves are on the damage calculator, nor are the items that alter those moves :l.

Anyway, currently looking into ghosts that can infest-trap excadrill as a means to kill off enemy spinner. list is fairly short in this regard. still, with the ability to burn, block spin, and trap it, so long as there's a way to keep hp up, you can grind it down.

EDIT: My mistake, does have magma storm. still, not super helpful in this circumstance. Is a bit of an oversight.

Dusclops/Dusknoir learn Infestation/Will o Wisp and can take hits.

 

[supraaural]

I use Binding Band Gastrodon against my friends when we battle to trap their walls and wear them down while i spam recover.

Bold Gastrodon@Binding Band
252hp, 252def, 4sp.atk
-Infestation
-Toxic
-Recover
-Scald

Also, if you can get a burn off from scald on a physical attacker, you can use infestation to trap whatever it is you burned and spam recover. I find trapping moves to be most useful for trapping things that are already statused with poison or burn. I've used this set against things like Chansey/Blissey, Milotic, Swampert, Physical Aegislash etc. This set gets destroyed by anything with Substitute though, cause Gastrodon probably won't be able to break a sub with a single scald, unless they're weak to water.

 

[ainnanov]

My first time posting... Sorry for any mistakes...

Has there been a mention of Cradily?

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain/Suction Cups
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Calm Nature
- Infestation
- Recover
- Stockpile/Barrier
- Giga Drain/Amnesia

I usually start out with Stockpile then Recover then Infestation. Then proceed to increase defenses more as the turns progresses. Storm Drain works as a switch into incoming water attacks which boosts Giga Drain. Suction Cups on the other hand works better for Barrier + Amnesia to prevent phazing since more boosts are involved because it gets you to +6 defenses while Stockpile only gets you to +3. I haven't tried it out with Barrier + Amnesia but I believe it gives you options and higher boosts quickly depending if the opponent is a special or physical attacker.

 

[Jameswilliams]

I've been using tentacruel for a while. With liquid ooze you can stall out even ferrothorn:

Tentacruel @ black sludge
ability = liquid ooze (can use clear body but you dont really need your attack stats)
Calm/Bold Nature

Toxic
Infestation
Barrier
Protect

252 HP 252 spdef (or maybe it was split between defences...)

Barrier works wonders for maintaining your tank regardless of the opponent. Only concern is being roared out, which sucks.
One barrier and your def matches your spdef. Toxic never misses (even on pokemon that are flying, lol)
Its a useful setup. Also, switch into any pokemon you know is about to leech seed/drain punch.

The most entertaining use for this is to wall an yveltal by someone who loves to use oblivion wing...

 

[Impractical]

Quagsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Infestation
- Toxic
- Recover
- Stockpile
I really love this set, it can trap and kill setup sweepers very quickly while boosting defenses. It does have a few flaws though, i.e being taunt bait, steel types/poison types, etc.

 

[elitesalamander]

my quagsire runs
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Careful Relaxed
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover
- Infestation
it eats anything physical for breakfast and can deal with a lot of special attackers as well. Mega Heracross and facade guts Pokemon being the only physical attackers that can break through with out hax (also with earthquake it becomes a hard counter to all Aegislash sets)

 

[jpw234]

Not sure if this has been posted, but IMO the best user of Infestation, by far, is Mew.

Mew @ Leftovers
EVs/Nature: Customizable based on what you need it to handle
- Will-o-Wisp
- Taunt
- Roost
- Infestation

Fantastic stallbreaker, still useful against offense. Beats SkarmBliss(Chans), beats Mega-Venu, beats any offensive pokemon that can't 2HKO it or boost.

Mega-Venusaur is also very good with Bind:
Venusaur @ Venusaurite
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 160 SpD
Careful Nature
- Synthesis
- Leech Seed
- Knock Off
- Bind

There's plenty of stuff that switches into M-Venu with the intent not to kill it, but to set up in some fashion, or "cripple" it with Burn/Paralysis/etc. This stops that. Examples include Heatran, Thundurus, Conkeldurr, etc.

 

[jbtc10]

Not sure if this has been posted, but IMO the best user of Infestation, by far, is Mew.

Mew @ Leftovers
EVs/Nature: Customizable based on what you need it to handle
- Will-o-Wisp
- Taunt
- Roost
- Infestation

Fantastic stallbreaker, still useful against offense. Beats SkarmBliss(Chans), beats Mega-Venu, beats any offensive pokemon that can't 2HKO it or boost.

I've been using this exact set as well (well, Softboiled over Roost to be pedantic) and I agree; it has been the best Infestation trapper I've used so far. It's basically just an extension of the Taunt + Wisp Mew that has been floating around for a while now, with Infestation tacked on because it makes the set even better at what it does, not to mention the new things it brings to the table like being able to trap something, cripple it with Wisp and/or Taunt, then use the free switch initiative to go into a sweeper and get a free boost.

 

[Hidious]

Honestly, I haven't seen any good user of this move yet on the OU or UU ladders. Every viable pokemon that gets it is better off going with something else. It's a cool move,but against a competent opponent almost every time you'll be trapping something you will probably have to switch out of. It's not something you'd add to a move set if you want to reliably win. Moves like pursuit and magma storm are much better trapping moves because the former checkmates switch outs and the latter does decent damage. Even then, heatran is almost always better off going with a different set than his trapping one. I'm curious to know how often this move is used in the arsenal of more experienced and skilled players.

 

[Rosen]

I haven't found any pokemon with enough bulk to abuse it. But there are a few potential users that come to mind. For instance, if Foretress manages to use it on something it walls, it can use the opportunity to set up. The butterflies can use it in the same vein to set up quiver dances, but sleep powder it probably a better choice.

Cradily.

 

[DestinyBond385]

Something else to note: Infestation, despite being special, makes contact. I'm not sure if this has been said, but it could activate Flame Body or Static...something to keep in mind. Also, binding band takes 1/6 HP per turn versus 1/8 normally.

 

[LoDart210]

Someone brought up tormentran in the creative set thread and I think he/she is right. Tormentran could make a comeback.

Tormentran is a defensive heatran whose move set looks like this

-magma storm
- protect
- toxic/will o wisp
- torment

The idea is to catch a switch with torment, protect against the SE attack, and then trap them with magma storm, using the status of choice to whittle down the opponent.

I think it's a great stall breaker, as well as being able to break down sweepers with coverage moves for heatran.

 

[Epic_Wolf]

I am loving using Cradily at the moment

Item: Binding Band
Hp- 252
defense- 128
se. def- 128
Bold nature

Toxic
Infestation
Stockpile
Recover

This Pokemon has done amazingly well for me as a wall/trapper. Boost defense with stockpile and recover. use infestation to trap while toxic kills them. it does well as long as you keep it away from toxics from other mons.
The binding band as well as toxic puts defending Pokemon on a very short life span
Between suction cups and storm drain, storm drain allows Cradily to switch in against water moves, whilst suction cups protect it from phasing