Weakness Policy and Doubles

[sarysa]

...who is a good candidate?

In my match, I used Togekiss, and it did a decent amount of damage before it was put down. Then after the match, someone told me I'm wrong for putting it on a defensively built mon. That said, I've had a lot of overall success with it because of these philosophies:
- Whoever uses Weakness Policy needs to be slow enough to surprise the enemy, and Togekiss is middle-speed which means it's usually outsped, inside and outside of a trick room.
- The user needs to be frequently targeted by non-STAB attacks. Rock is very commonly used by non-STAB users as is Ice.
- The user must not have an easily exploited 4x weakness. (sorry Dragonite, even with Multiscale you're too risky because of doubles)
- The user must survive two hits in a single round, one being on their weakness.
- Being capable of multi-target attacks is a plus.

A defensive run Togekiss can do this, since Initimidate addiction is forcing people into building Special-heavy teams. It's unlikely to face two Physical attackers. From my PSS experience, I've been within the 1-20 HP range too often (maybe 20-25% of the time) when this thing kicks to just go 50% offense, 50% defense. (I'm curious as to others' opinions on the offense vs. defense issue) It also holds up well to middle-of-the-road Special attackers. (obviously biggest threats are Mega Ampharos (165spatk, geez) and Tyranitar (STAB rock, and high attack), or a Mega Scizor that outspeeds you (a defensive Togekiss won't be OHKOed by bullet punch))

With all that said, Weakness Policy is an interesting item but I'd imagine it to be harder to pull off with most mons in doubles because of the need for a decent tank with natural teeth. (like Togekiss' base 120 spatk) What are peoples' thoughts?

 

[BlankZero]

Aegislash can pull it off with Automize and a Mixed set.

 

[sarysa]

Aegislash can pull it off with Automize and a Mixed set.

That's pretty interesting. It would work against you if you got sucked into a Trick Room, though. (which are everywhere, btw...)

In general it seems like Weakness Policy was almost made for Aegislash, but it depends a lot on the element of surprise. Aegislash's movesets are predictable and fairly easy to make good switches against. Depending on who is on the field...it's unlikely that a seasoned player would Sucker Punch it first round (since so many start with Swords Dance, or as you said, Automize right away) but if common Earthquake users are around (and their setup is good) it might make sense to just attack right away -- take the Earthquake as shield and then surprise them with the boosted attack as a blade.

With that in mind, I wonder if it would be prudent to have a WP Aegislash with just King's Shield as a status move, and the usual Shadow Sneak + Sacred Sword, but also toss in a special move for extra coverage? (plus a plan B if you get burnt)

 

[BlankZero]

I personally like HP Ice for coverage, with Sacred Sword and Shadow Ball. You lose priority, but gain a higher BP STAB and lose your weakness to Burns by going mixed.

 

[Kyreth]

Also, note that Weakness Policy can be triggered by an attack from one of your own Pokemon in Doubles. Fire off a spread move that does the job from a faster Pokemon, then let the WP'd Pokemon cut loose in turn. Aegislash loves this in Shield Form- I often have one of my other Pokemon Earthquake the field, then let it follow up with a +2 Sacred Sword/Shadow Ball.

 

[AnuEnki]

I have been using jt with goodra with great success with everyone running Ice beam and goodra being special bulky

 

[porygon3]

almost every dragonite i've seen so far (both in smogon doubles and vgc) has had weakness policy. it seems to work pretty well with multiscale, though i've only been hitting it with rock slide usually instead of ice moves. that said, they never do much else before dying to another rock slide or whatever soon after, so maybe he isn't a good user of it after all especially vs anything ice

 

[youngjake93]

almost every dragonite i've seen so far (both in smogon doubles and vgc) has had weakness policy. it seems to work pretty well with multiscale, though i've only been hitting it with rock slide usually instead of ice moves. that said, they never do much else before dying to another rock slide or whatever soon after, so maybe he isn't a good user of it after all especially vs anything ice

Pokebank Weakness Policy Dnite has a pretty scary Extremespeed. And it can go mixed if it wants, Dnite has the movepool.

 

[bearcanine]

This is very gimicky but... Simple Swoobat could take a SE hit after a Calm Mind boost. +6 Sp Atk and +2 Sp Def in one turn if you pull it off. Fake Out, Trick Room, double-teaming, or physical hits would ruin his day though.

 

[noobcubed]

This is very gimicky but... Simple Swoobat could take a SE hit after a Calm Mind boost. +6 Sp Atk and +2 Sp Def in one turn if you pull it off. Fake Out, Trick Room, double-teaming, or physical hits would ruin his day though.

Even getting a Calm Mind boost is going to be nigh-on impossible, since Swoobat is so frail. There's a reason that sat unloved in the depths of NU and that's because how difficult getting that boost is nearly impossible, even with only one opponent and opponents that are much weaker than in OU.

What about Gourgeist, he has a fair few weaknesses but probably enough bulk to get away with an Trick Room set. Take an SE hit as you set Trick Room and you're good to go.

EDIT: actually, maybe not. He isn't as bulky as I thought, I still can't remember stats and stuff of the new Pokes.
Maybe Jellicent could make use of this item if it didn't require taking a (big) hit to activate. Otherwise it could have a pretty powerful Water Spout while retaining natural bulk.

Oh, one last gimmick for you: Weakness Policy Bisharp with a partner with Bulldoze :) + 4 Atk in one turn. It's like Terracott all over again.

 

[everybody]

Oh, one last gimmick for you: Weakness Policy Bisharp with a partner with Bulldoze :) + 4 Atk in one turn. It's like Terracott all over again.

Defiant won't activate if your partner lowers your stats... therefore you are just at a +2. But bulldoze to activate weakness policy sounds nice.

 

[noobcubed]

Defiant won't activate if your partner lowers your stats... therefore you are just at a +2. But bulldoze to activate weakness policy sounds nice.

Surely not... you didn't actually try out my suggestion did you?

EDIT: just checked this on Bulbapedia - this is correct.

 

[everybody]

Surely not... you didn't actually try out my suggestion did you?

no i didn't. I just remembered serebii said it doesn't work on self-inflicted stats or drops from allies.

 

[Mymom234]

I feel like drifblim could abuse this well, using unburden and a teammate with knock off. That way, it wouldn't take too much damage, you'd be guaranteed both an unburden boost and a weakness policy boost, and your partner wouldn't waste a move slot.

I don't know if the knock off or the weakness policy would activate first, though.

 

[Trigunner]

I feel like drifblim could abuse this well, using unburden and a teammate with knock off. That way, it wouldn't take too much damage, you'd be guaranteed both an unburden boost and a weakness policy boost, and your partner wouldn't waste a move slot.

I don't know if the knock off or the weakness policy would activate first, though.

Knock Off got a buff this generation, it's base power was pushed from 20 to 65 and it now deals double damage if the target holds an item. So Drifblim would take quite some damage.

 

[noobcubed]

I feel like drifblim could abuse this well, using unburden and a teammate with knock off. That way, it wouldn't take too much damage, you'd be guaranteed both an unburden boost and a weakness policy boost, and your partner wouldn't waste a move slot.

I don't know if the knock off or the weakness policy would activate first, though.

Why do you need to use Knock Off? Any super-effective move on any Unburden user would do the trick.

That said I don't think there's an Unburden user bulky enough to pull this off. The closest thing would probably be Endure/Reversal Hitmonlee, which is gimmicky enough already.

 

[Toquill]

I've been using Tyranitar. It has 7 weaknesses and great bulk to abuse it, it also gets a great Special movepool so it can abuse both stat increases with a mixed set.

 

[noobcubed]

Talking about Assault Vest, someone mentioned Rhyperior in the that thread and it got me thinking how cool Weakness Policy Rhyperior would be, as Solid Rock is the best ability an abuser could possibly have. In sand, with investment in Special Defense, it will even take non-STAB Water- and Grass-type moves, as well as shrugging off Earthquakes in its sleep.

 

[Kyreth]

If you're going to "button up" with Aegislash, Weakness Policy works surprisingly well in Doubles. Having it Dance on turn 1 while you lob a Bulldoze at the field with it's partner means it's -1 speed (like it cares) and +4 ATK with minimal damage taken. Cue smashing things with +4 S. Sneak/+4 Sacred Sword. Bonus: You can play mind games with King's Shield for good measure as the response to you going +4 is often "throw everything you have at Aegislash", giving you a free turn to hit them again with Bulldoze/attack of choice and two already-slowed opponents, while Aegislash doesn't give a care about another AoE as it's protecting itself.