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Hello, my name is Blaguard (sort of), and I'm and Assault Vest addict.
It started with standard things, like Metagross and Tyranitar, but then my love for the Assault Vest reached such heights that I was using it on nearly every team. I began to look for more and more creative ways to use the Assault Vest, and soon I found I was using Pokemon in ways they had never been intended, or ways they hadn't been used in a generation.
I am here to share some of my Assault Vest love with you. These are the sets @phenix and I have worked on and used to at least some degree of success. Feel free to leave your own Assault Vest experiences below.
First the "standard" users:
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
This was the Tyranitar on my VGC Trick Room team, but it works well in singles also. The sheer special bulk you get with sand and the vest lets you take special hits like a beast, and the attack investment is enough to KO a lot of threats. Earthquake is Earthquake, and Rock Slide is good STAB that hits both opponents in doubles, and I still run it in singles due to Stone Edge's bad accuracy. Pursuit can be subbed for Crunch if you prefer, but I like hitting frail ghosts and psychics on the swap (especially effective in doubles). Fire Blast provides good coverage on steels that are 4x weak and various grass types, but Ice Beam also works to kill things like Garchomp and Salamence once Trick Room is up.
Metagross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Bullet Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
Metagross' base form has always been a favorite of mine, and it's even more useful now that if can bluff a mega. The vest compliments its natural physical bulk and lets it take down special attackers that would otherwise make it retreat or face a KO, such as Greninja, Gengar, Landorus, and the Lati twins. The attacks are pretty straightforward, but the set can be adjusted to include an elemental punch if your team needs electric or ice coverage, but personally I think these moves give the best combination of STAB and coverage, plus priority to pick off some weakened threats.
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Mach Punch
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Once upon a time Conkeldurr had a few sets that got tossed around. Now it's pretty much just this one. Assault Vest compliment's Conkeldurr's great HP and above average Defense, giving it a new level of bulk. The moves are pretty standard, Mach Punch for weakened sweepers, Drain Punch for staying power, Ice Punch and Knock off because they're awesome. The real option for this set is the ability; personally I run Guts to soak up status and boost your offense to somehow greater than it was before, but Iron Fist could work as well, just avoid burns or run a cleric. Sheer Force is cool to boost Rock Slide, but you lose out on Drain Punch, so I'd say it's not worth it.
Now the weird sets, but I promise they work.
Latios @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
Assault Vest Latios is the first "weird" set we've put to use, and so far it's been one of the most successful. While you lose out on power from a Life Orb, you gain special bulk that surpasses Latias, while still keeping Latios' offense. In fact, this variant can tank an Ice Beam from a Greninja (one of the most common Latios revenge killers) and KO back with Dragon Pulse given some prior damage. You could even run Draco Meteor to guarantee a KO after Life Orb recoil, but you lose out on staying power. This bulky Latios also beats non-sash Gengar, as well as opposing Latios/Latias, and even has a 93.7% chance to live AV Goodra's Draco Meteor, with a 53% chance to 2-shot with Psyshock. Beyond your STABs, Latios gets a good little pool of coverage, so pick what best suits your team. Besides Thunderbolt and Surf you have access to Ice Beam, Shadow Ball, and Hidden Power Fire/Fighting, so go with whatever coverage your team is lacking.
Clefable @ Assault Vest
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
This one's a little more out there, but it's been fairly effective. Clefable with Unaware is an excellent answer to common boosters such as Dragonite, Mega Latias, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Sableye, with the vest letting you take less from the latter three. Calm Mind means nothing to the spiny pink moon-blob, as you can swap into their weak STABs and hit them with your amazing pool of coverage. Moonblast kills Latias and Sableye, Thunderbolt for Slowbro, and Ice Beam for Dragonite, with Flamethrower for the steel types that want to switch in to you. Just watch out for Psyshocks, but you'll still take those fairly well due to the megas being completely unboosted.
Gyarados @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Dragon Tail
Why does this work? I don't know, but I love it. Intimidate is wonderful to let you switch into physical attackers (most notably fighting and steel types) and soak up their STAB moves while nailing them or a switch-in with your solid coverage moves. Stone Edge can be put in this set as well, but again, that accuracy will most likely let you down. Dragon Tail is actually the key to this set, making Gyarados a perfect Weakness Policy Dragonite counter. Switch in on the Dragon Dance (or an attack before they boost) for the Intimidate. They'll either boost again or hit you, and either way you'll take it like a champ and Dragon Tail, which activates the Weakness Policy while simultaneously phazing them out, leaving your opponent with an itemless Dragonite (evil laughter ensues). This Gyarados doesn't appreciate Stealth Rock or status though, so spin and cleric support would be appreciated.
It started with standard things, like Metagross and Tyranitar, but then my love for the Assault Vest reached such heights that I was using it on nearly every team. I began to look for more and more creative ways to use the Assault Vest, and soon I found I was using Pokemon in ways they had never been intended, or ways they hadn't been used in a generation.
I am here to share some of my Assault Vest love with you. These are the sets @phenix and I have worked on and used to at least some degree of success. Feel free to leave your own Assault Vest experiences below.
First the "standard" users:
Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
This was the Tyranitar on my VGC Trick Room team, but it works well in singles also. The sheer special bulk you get with sand and the vest lets you take special hits like a beast, and the attack investment is enough to KO a lot of threats. Earthquake is Earthquake, and Rock Slide is good STAB that hits both opponents in doubles, and I still run it in singles due to Stone Edge's bad accuracy. Pursuit can be subbed for Crunch if you prefer, but I like hitting frail ghosts and psychics on the swap (especially effective in doubles). Fire Blast provides good coverage on steels that are 4x weak and various grass types, but Ice Beam also works to kill things like Garchomp and Salamence once Trick Room is up.
Metagross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Bullet Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
Metagross' base form has always been a favorite of mine, and it's even more useful now that if can bluff a mega. The vest compliments its natural physical bulk and lets it take down special attackers that would otherwise make it retreat or face a KO, such as Greninja, Gengar, Landorus, and the Lati twins. The attacks are pretty straightforward, but the set can be adjusted to include an elemental punch if your team needs electric or ice coverage, but personally I think these moves give the best combination of STAB and coverage, plus priority to pick off some weakened threats.
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Mach Punch
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Once upon a time Conkeldurr had a few sets that got tossed around. Now it's pretty much just this one. Assault Vest compliment's Conkeldurr's great HP and above average Defense, giving it a new level of bulk. The moves are pretty standard, Mach Punch for weakened sweepers, Drain Punch for staying power, Ice Punch and Knock off because they're awesome. The real option for this set is the ability; personally I run Guts to soak up status and boost your offense to somehow greater than it was before, but Iron Fist could work as well, just avoid burns or run a cleric. Sheer Force is cool to boost Rock Slide, but you lose out on Drain Punch, so I'd say it's not worth it.
Now the weird sets, but I promise they work.
Latios @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
Assault Vest Latios is the first "weird" set we've put to use, and so far it's been one of the most successful. While you lose out on power from a Life Orb, you gain special bulk that surpasses Latias, while still keeping Latios' offense. In fact, this variant can tank an Ice Beam from a Greninja (one of the most common Latios revenge killers) and KO back with Dragon Pulse given some prior damage. You could even run Draco Meteor to guarantee a KO after Life Orb recoil, but you lose out on staying power. This bulky Latios also beats non-sash Gengar, as well as opposing Latios/Latias, and even has a 93.7% chance to live AV Goodra's Draco Meteor, with a 53% chance to 2-shot with Psyshock. Beyond your STABs, Latios gets a good little pool of coverage, so pick what best suits your team. Besides Thunderbolt and Surf you have access to Ice Beam, Shadow Ball, and Hidden Power Fire/Fighting, so go with whatever coverage your team is lacking.
Clefable @ Assault Vest
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
This one's a little more out there, but it's been fairly effective. Clefable with Unaware is an excellent answer to common boosters such as Dragonite, Mega Latias, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Sableye, with the vest letting you take less from the latter three. Calm Mind means nothing to the spiny pink moon-blob, as you can swap into their weak STABs and hit them with your amazing pool of coverage. Moonblast kills Latias and Sableye, Thunderbolt for Slowbro, and Ice Beam for Dragonite, with Flamethrower for the steel types that want to switch in to you. Just watch out for Psyshocks, but you'll still take those fairly well due to the megas being completely unboosted.
Gyarados @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Dragon Tail
Why does this work? I don't know, but I love it. Intimidate is wonderful to let you switch into physical attackers (most notably fighting and steel types) and soak up their STAB moves while nailing them or a switch-in with your solid coverage moves. Stone Edge can be put in this set as well, but again, that accuracy will most likely let you down. Dragon Tail is actually the key to this set, making Gyarados a perfect Weakness Policy Dragonite counter. Switch in on the Dragon Dance (or an attack before they boost) for the Intimidate. They'll either boost again or hit you, and either way you'll take it like a champ and Dragon Tail, which activates the Weakness Policy while simultaneously phazing them out, leaving your opponent with an itemless Dragonite (evil laughter ensues). This Gyarados doesn't appreciate Stealth Rock or status though, so spin and cleric support would be appreciated.
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