TPM

May 11 2009, 10:08 PM

[SET]
name: Choice (Choice Specs is definitely viable)
move 1: Ice Beam (Removed Blizzard, Set comments is good enough for hail team mentions)
move 2: Hidden Power Fighting
move 3: Trick
move 4: Shadow Ball / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
evs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Possessing a powerful 19 Special Attack stat and 16 Speed, Choice Scarf complements Smoochum very nicely. Ice Beam is Smoochum's prime source of damage, and Hidden Power Fighting provides good coverage, hitting Munchlax, Dark-types (namely Houndour), and Steel-types super effectively. Trick is mainly here to cripple the likes of Bronzor, who would otherwise render this set completely useless. Shadow Ball is here to hit the odd Slowpoke and Spoink for super effective damage, and is Smootchum's hardest hitting move on Bronzor. Psychic is an option as a general STAB move, hitting the odd Poison-type (namely Croagunk) super effectively.</p>

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[SET]
name: SubSmooch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Salac Berry
evs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Behind a Substitute Smoochum can become a huge threat, basically giving Smootchum a free turn. Combine this with the Speed boost a Salac Berry can provide, and Smoochum can wreak havoc.</p>

<p>Substitute helps Smoochum get into Salac Berry range, and blocks status as well. Substitute also helps to protect you from priority attacks, which would otherwise shut this set down. Ice and Fighting-type attacks provide the best coverage Smoochum can get in two moves, resisted only by Slowpoke, Spoink and Tentacool. Calm Mind boosts your already great Special Attack, and makes you more likely to sweep.</p>

<p>With Calm Mind boosting your Special Attack, a Modest Nature isn’t really needed, and Timid becomes a more viable option, allowing Smoochum to outspeed Pokemon who reach 16 unboosted Speed, after Smoochum's Salac Berry is activated.</p>

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[OTHER OPTIONS]
<p> Smoochum has no other notable special-attacking options, however it does have a few interesting support options. It possesses both Light Screen and Reflect allowing for a Dual Screen set, however it should be noted that Smoochum has horrible physical defense making this kind of set rather unviable. Smoochum also has access to Wish, allowing it to support its teammates by healing them. Also, thanks to her horrible physical bulk most physical attacks can OHKO her making a Counter set potentially deadly. It could even make use of this strategy as a lead, using Fake-Out to break Sashes. </p>

<p>With Snover on your team, Blizzard is a very nice option over Ice Beam, providing a nice power boost while remaining perfectly accurate.</p>

[EVs]
<p>You only need to maximize Speed and Special Attack, both of which requiring 236 EVs. The sets generally use Hidden Power Fighting which requires you lowering your Speed and Special Attack IVs, so you need to add 4 EVs into both of those stats. Unfortunately doing this means you are leaving no room for raising your other stats.</p>

[OPINION]
<p>Between its decent Speed and great Special Attack Smoochum can be quite a force to reckoned with, however Smoochum has a severe case of an inferiority complex. With Abra being able to run all of the sets that Smoochum can, but also possessing higher stats, Abra always seems like the better of thr two. Despite this it still a very potent force, its Ice Beam denting anything that doesn’t resist it.</p>

[COUNTERS]
<p> Munchlax takes virtually all of Smoochum’s attacks with barely a mark (barring a boosted Hidden Power Fighting), and can OHKO Smoochum as well with Pursuit. Bronzor is also able to take its attack relatively easily, with its resistance to both of Smoochum's STAB attacks. Both of the afformentioned Pokemon need to be cautioned about Trick, which really lowers both of their walling abilities.</p>

<p>Walls aside, Smoochum is very succeptible to priority, in turn making it easily revenge killed. Houndour is the best revenge killer, resisting Ice Beam and being immune to Psychic, as well as being able to OHKO with Sucker Punch and making Smoochum scared to switch with Pursuit. Many other Pokemon are able to do similar things, such as Diglett with Sucker Punch, and many Pokemon with a strong Bullet Punch. Gastly and Misdreavus are both faster than Smoochum, and can easily KO with Shadow Ball, or even Shadow Sneak.</p>

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Hidden Power Fighting pairs very nicely with Ice Beam, hitting Dark-types, Steel-types and Munchlax super-effectively.

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Hidden Power Fighting pairs very nicely with Ice Beam, hitting Houndour, Carvanha, and Magnemite, who would otherwise resist all your attacks, hard.