Approved OU Spotlight : Weavile

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Albacore

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So basically, Weavile gained a massive surge in popularity and viability over the last month or so, and pretty much definitively replaced Mamoswine as OU's go-to offensive Ice type (and will probably officially be OU by the time the next tier shifts come by). So, I think the timing is right to make an OU spotlight on Weavile, why it's good, what metagame trends caused its rise in popularity and what sets are the most popular.

Introduction

  • Wasn't really used in XY
  • Gained a bit of popularity in ORAS thanks to its access to Icicle Crash
  • Rode metagame trends such as the increase in popularity of bulky Psyshic and Grass types, Garchomp, Torn-T and Altaria, and the slight decline of Keldeo.
  • Is now one of the top threats in OU.

Weavile’s qualities

  • Amazing speed
  • Good power
  • Solid coverage
  • Access to Knock Off to cripple swicthins
  • Acess to Purusit to trap Psyshics and SD to sweep bulkier teams

Playing with Weavile

Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jollly Nature
- Knock Off
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick / Pursuit / Swords Dance

  • Life Orb gives Weavile a necessary power boost
  • Ability is completely irrelevant: Pressure watses one of the opponent's PP while Pickpocket helps in the incredibly rare scenario where Weavile gets Knocked Off and hits something with Low Kick.
  • Offensive EVs becuase this is a purely offensive Pokemon
  • Jolly nature to outspeed Torn-T and speed tie with opposing Weavile
  • Knock Off is an amazing move, good power, cripples checks, extremely spammable.
  • Icicle Crash isa powerful ice STAB with a strong chance of clinching the opponent
  • Ice Shard revenge kills a range of threats such as +1 Altaria, Scarf Lando-T, Scarf Garchomp, weakened +1 XZard, and weakened Lopunny
  • Low Kick hits Steel-types like Heatran and Ferrothorn, and Dark types like Bisharp, Tyranitar and opposing Weavile.
  • Pursuit is useful on teams that are weak to Latios, Starmie and other Psychics since it enables Weavile to trap them
  • Swords Dance is very risky due to Weavile's nonexistent bulk, but if it forces a switch and sets up, it can be extremely threatening and can OHKO Pokemon with Knock Off it would otherwise not have been able to 2HKO like Heatran or Manaphy.

Playing against Weavile

  • Weavile is incredibly frail, so after attackers like Mega Manectric and mega Lopunny and priority users like Talonflame or Conkeldurr can take care of it, as long as they do not fear Ice Shard too much.
  • Water types like Keldeo, Manaphy, Gyarados, Quagsire, Alomomola and to a lesser extent are usually good checks, but tend to be crippled by Knock Off (with the exception of Mega Gyarados).
  • Fairies like Azumarill or Clefable can deal with it as long as they aren't hit too hard by Icicle Crash.
  • Mega Scizor is the best Weavile counter there is, other Steel types like Skarmory or Ferrothorn are decent checks but most fear Low Kick.
  • Simply preventing it from switcing in isn't too hard given Weavile's awful bulk, this is acheved even more easily if Stealth Rocks are up

Fitting Weavile on your team

  • Fits very well on HO teams, or balanced teams with VoltTurn support
  • Appreciates the support of a hazard remover
  • Also enjoys something to check Water types like Keldeo and Azumarill, so a Grass type like Celebi or Serperior, or an Electric type like Rotom-W or Mega Manectirc works decently. Electric types are particularly good partners since they handle Steel types qute well.
  • The Pursuit varaint works well in conjunction with Pokemon that are weak to Psyshics like Keldeo or Alakazam.
  • Magnezone is a good partner since it gets rid of Scizor, Skarmory and Ferrothorn, checks Water types and Fairies quite well, and provides Volt Switch support

Get out there!

  • random closing phrase
 
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Valmanway

My jimmies remain unrustled
is a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Yeah, I think Weavile's gotten enough popularity recently to get a Spotlight. I'm fine with approving this as well.
 
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