[Project] NFEs in PBL

[Martin]

For this project I am going to try something a little different. Instead of just discussing anything and everything which is good in PBL, I have decided that the setup of the format warrants discussion of this from a theoretical standpoint. What I mean by that is that we can look at stuff such as stats relative to their fully evolved counterparts and make comparisons based on info like that, in addition to being able to look at rare cases where they exceed their competition in one area or another--regardless of how niche that excess may be in standard play.

Posting Rules:

• Be respectful. Feel free to disagree about stuff, but please don't let this thread turn to AIDS over petty arguments.
• NFEs are the primary focus here. You can reference fully evolved 'mons, but don't let them take the spotlight.
• Anything else which is common sense really. Just follow site rules and make sure to stick with the thread's purpose.

Anyway yeah depending on this thread's activity and what Pokémon get covered it may end up being a kinda good resource for people who are looking for redrafts later on.
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Just going off of examples which I can think of off of the top of my head, my first contribution to this thread is going to be based around three Pokémon--one of which I have in my roster, and the other two who I do not.

Fletchinder
Abilities: Flame Body, Gale Wings
Evolution's abilities: Flame Body, Gale Wings
Base stats: 62 HP / 73 Atk / 55 Def / 56 SpA / 52 SpD / 84 Spe
Evolution's base stats: 78 HP / 81 Atk / 71 Def / 74 SpA / 69 SpD / 126 Spe
Notable movepool losses over evolution: Brave Bird, Bulk Up, Flare Blitz

Fletchinder is, imo, one of the better choices of NFE from a theoretical standpoint for a number of reasons. If you look at it's base stats, the losses aren't all that big aside from it's speed--with no other stats exceeding a 20 base-point loss. Most notably, it's firepower relative to Acro Talon is very similar, with it losing a mere 9 points in attack at level 50 when fully invested with a positive nature (18 points at level 100). Considering that Talonflame very rarely carries adamant in their respective tiers' play while Fletchinder commonly does, you will often find Fletchinder outdamaging Talonflame. In addition to this, due to it being a lower-tier pick and Talonflame being an OU pick, it means that you can effectively carry Talonflame without using an OU pick on it, provided that you don't mind the big speed drop too much. Evolutions with generally small changes in the majority of their stats are good choices in general imo, which is what makes me echo it with Fletchinder--especially considering that Fletch has priority on it's main STAB.

That said, Fletchinder isn't without cons. The speed difference is really, really big, meaning that it can often have a harder time running sets without speed investment due to moves such as Taunt and Will-O-Wisp not coming off of a naturally high base speed. In addition to this, due to lacking Brave Bird, it can't use Eviolite to take advantage of it's NFE status--meaning that the bulk drop cannot be remedied like it can with Pokémon such as Chansey, Porygon2, Magneton and Duosion without coming at a the cost of a large amount of power (Aerial Ace or unboosted Acrobatics) or useful priority on it's attack (Fly). It's coverage options consist of Steel Wing (nice for 4x weak 'mons but doesn't really hit anything else), Return (offers little beyond a neutral hit on Electric-types), U-turn (does this even count as coverage?) Natural Gift, special moves which do not benefit from Swords Dance such as Overheat and Fire Blast and very weak physical STAB moves such as Flame Charge.

Sneasel
Abilities: Inner Focus, Keen Eye, Pickpocket
Evolution's abilities: Pressure, Pickpocket
Base stats: 55 HP, 95 Atk, 55 Def, 35 SpA / 75 SpD / 115 Spe
Evolution's base stats: 70 HP / 120 Atk / 65 Def / 45 SpA / 85 SpD / 125 Spe
Notable movepool losses over evolution: N/A

Sneasel is literally a mini Weavile. With it's speed tier missing out on practically nothing notable (basically just Adamant Mega Lopunny) and it's only slight power drop (CB Sneasel is equally as strong as LO Weavile), you don't lose much by picking Sneasel over it's fully evolved counterpart. In addition, with it being RU, it takes a place in one of the hardest tiers to find anything good in (much less now that OU has stolen Tangrowth and both Shaymin and Slurpuff (the two drops which filled the lost slot) are banned, leaving enough Pokémon for 15 players to get 3 picks and the 16th to be left with 2. As such you are incredibly lucky if you are able to get it or one of a small number of good Pokémon in a tier which is very deprived of good Pokémon.

It suffers exactly the same flaws as Weavile so I won't bother going deep into this one lol. Just run it like you would Weavile and you'll be fine.

Magneton
Abilities: Magnet Pull, Sturdy, Analytic
Evolution's abilities: Magnet Pull, Sturdy, Analytic
Base stats: 50 HP / 60 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Evolution's base stats: 70 HP / 70 Atk / 115 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Notable movepool losses over evolution: Mirror Coat

Magneton is very much a no-brainer in terms of good picks. It's faster than Magnezone and it's power is almost identical. That said, the notable drop in bulk without Eviolite means that it obviously isn't as good as it's evolution, but with it taking an RU slot it may be woth preserving an OU Magnezone pick in favor of Magneton. In addition, it speed ties with adamant Mamoswine with max/timid after consideration of Hidden Power Fire, so that's a thing too.

 

[Nero112]

I personally think Rhydon with Eviolite deserves an honorable mention here as well. Capable of doing a solid amount of damage without recoil from the Rockhead ability to quite possibly going all out and going with the Reckless ability..though both of them are kind of lackluster in comparison to its Lightning Rod ability which makes Rhydon a solid switch in if any electric types or electric type attack carrying pokemon may come up. With everything BUT SPEED being a measly 10 point deficit from its evolved form Rhyperior, Rhydon can easily out tank Rhyperior and can bulk itself up further by using Curse to bolster its attack and defense stats at the cost of it speed. The only thing that its fully evolved counterpart may have over it is the Solid Rock ability but stat wise
Against a Rhydon with 558 defense (maxed out with beneficial nature and due to evolite) The attack will do between 176 and 208 damage..against a Rhyperior with 394 defense, (maxed out with beneficial nature) The attack will do between 248 and 292 damage. After solid rock is applied, it will be about 186 and 219 damage. so essentially it will take less damage from a 2x super effective attack as opposed to its fully evolved counter part taking practically the same amount after being dampened down to 1.5x. Rhydon has GREAT STAB abilities in stone edge and earthquake and can really become a monster of a damage dealer with its great attack stat and its solid defenses thanks to its base defense+eviolite

was a little sloppy with the numbering..i suck at posting..here is Rhydons base stats in comparison to Rhyperiors

Rhydon: HP: 105 Attack: 130 Defense: 120 Sp. Atk: 45 Sp. Def: 45 Speed: 40
Rhyperior: HP: 115 Attack: 140 Defense: 130 Sp. Atk: 55 Sp. Def: 55 Speed: 40

 

[notsoclutch]

^

 

[Martin]

I personally think Rhydon with Eviolite deserves an honorable mention here as well. Capable of doing a solid amount of damage without recoil from the Rockhead ability to quite possibly going all out and going with the Reckless ability..though both of them are kind of lackluster in comparison to its Lightning Rod ability which makes Rhydon a solid switch in if any electric types or electric type attack carrying pokemon may come up. With everything BUT SPEED being a measly 10 point deficit from its evolved form Rhyperior, Rhydon can easily out tank Rhyperior and can bulk itself up further by using Curse to bolster its attack and defense stats at the cost of it speed. The only thing that its fully evolved counterpart may have over it is the Solid Rock ability but stat wise
Against a Rhydon with 558 defense (maxed out with beneficial nature and due to evolite) The attack will do between 176 and 208 damage..against a Rhyperior with 394 defense, (maxed out with beneficial nature) The attack will do between 248 and 292 damage. After solid rock is applied, it will be about 186 and 219 damage. so essentially it will take less damage from a 2x super effective attack as opposed to its fully evolved counter part taking practically the same amount after being dampened down to 1.5x. Rhydon has GREAT STAB abilities in stone edge and earthquake and can really become a monster of a damage dealer with its great attack stat and its solid defenses thanks to its base defense+eviolite

was a little sloppy with the numbering..i suck at posting..here is Rhydons base stats in comparison to Rhyperiors

Rhydon: HP: 105 Attack: 130 Defense: 120 Sp. Atk: 45 Sp. Def: 45 Speed: 40
Rhyperior: HP: 115 Attack: 140 Defense: 130 Sp. Atk: 55 Sp. Def: 55 Speed: 40

All of it's abilities are useless. Lightningrod does nothing because it's immune to electric already, and it's recoil moves consist of Double Edge (completely useless on Rhydon) and nothing else. That said, Rhydon is definitely one of the better choices in the format because it is an NU pick--which is helpful considering how hard it is to get what you want in RU considering the tiny number of options--and it is definitely good for it basically being a mini Rhyperior. Losing out on Solid Rock and Sturdy sucks a lot though :/