After remembering the final battle in Pokemon Colosseum the other day, I've decided to dump competitive singles and make it my mission to achieve viable status for Slaking in the doubles meta.
For those unfamiliar, the final boss of Colosseum sends out a high level Slowking and Slaking as his leads, and the first thing he does is get the Slowking to use Skill Swap on the adjacent Slaking. His Slaking then proceeds to wreck the players shit with Earthquake after Earthquake, making revives almost a necessity. This strategy might not have the same viability in the competitive meta, especially in Gen 6, but seeing an opponent completely devastated by this behemoth is a rapturous experience, and I want to find out the most effective way to do it.
The first priority by a mile is getting rid of the absolute trash tier ability, Traunt, and this is best done at the start of a match where you can choose 2 pokes to send in. Looking at the list of Pokemon that can learn Skill Swap, not only does it present the opportunity to get rid of the ability, but turn it into a strength too. The obvious candidates for this are:
Kecleon - Protean
Drifblim - Unburden
Swoobat - Simple
Sigilyph - Tinted Lens
Kecleon's Protean is obviously a fantastic offensive ability, and gives it fantastic offensive presence. The problem is Kecleon's speed is a pathetic 40, made even worse by the fact that even with a choice scarf and max speed, it will still move after a jolly maxed speed Slaking, meaning it has to wait until turn 2 to utilize Protean, a huge loss of time in doubles. The obvious solution is to change Slaking's nature to Adamant, and lower his speed to the maximum required to move after the choice scarfed Kecleon.
>>25536488
(cont) I've found this to be a pretty solid pairing so far, and just when you think the Kecleon has fulfilled his role as a suicide partner, you realize it actually has pretty decent bulk, and provided it gets to move in turn 2, you can Skill Swap the Traunt onto the opponents pokemon; preferably a slower one so they're neutralized next turn.
Drifblim's Unburden is an interesting option, because it provides Slaking some very useful speed to complement his dynamite attack. I'm not really sure what's more viable between a Sitrus Berry or Chesto/Rest for Slaking at this point, however should it be Chesto/Rest, his speed EVs would need to be at a sweet spot where he'd move 3rd/4th on the recovery turn, then proceeding to outspeed several threats with the 50% speed boost.
Simple is also an interesting option, but seems difficult to execute or utilize effectively. Slaking doesn't have any speed boosting buffs, so all he can really do is boost attack.
Tinted Lens would give Slaking one hell of a Return if you know what I mean. Slap on a Choice Band and there won't be many Pokemon that can tank a Return, save for physical walls.
Other interesting options include Harvest, which provide great survivability with Sitrus or Chesto/Rest. There's also the option of running a more defensively built Slacking with Prankster and nice support moves like Encore, Taunt, Quash, and Yawn, although there are probably better options than Slaking for this.
Another option is to not use Skill Swap at all, but Worry Seed instead. This might actually be viable to run with Whimscott, because there are a lot of scrubs in doubles who send their scarfed Breloom out right away to spam Spore, and they'd never even begin to imagine it backfiring in that situation.
/autism
Anyway, are there any other potentially decent strategies? I know Slaking will probably never be a top tier pokemon, but I still want to find the most effective way possible of using him.
What about hazing
How about BPing Ingrain onto it then Skill Swapping? You have to worry about Phasing.
As for partners? Sylveon with Pixelate maybe?
>>25536488
I thought of doing something similar by having whimsicott use worry seed on slaking, as you said at >>25536494, but now I'm thinking skill swapping unburden onto slaking and then have it attack with a normal move while holding normal gem would be pretty interesting. Besides the obvious slaking/skill swap user, have you put much thought into who else you want to have for support?
Skill Swap with Trace Gardevoir then mega evolve it on the next turn. Slaking Traces some ability and Gardevoir gets rid of Truant.
gimmick strategies that rely on changing abilities will always be shit, they are more consistent in triples though
>>25537164
That's pretty smart
In vcg 16 you can use two legendaries, so maybe run a skill swap mewtwo and mega evolve it the next turn.
Also you can use delphox and skill swap magician, and then use a normal gem on slaking so that he can steal some Item when he hits with return
>>25537164
>mega evolve it on the next turn
But Gardevoir would be loafing around.
At that point, couldn't you do the same thing with Alakazam?
Skill Swap Magic Guard to your Slaking, then Mega Evolve to get rid of Traunt and Trace something new.
Here's some thoughts.
Spinda lets you swap on Contrary, which makes Hammer Arm an amazing option.
In a similar vein, Starmie can pass on Analytic. Hammer Arm then makes it easy to ensure the 30% boost.
I'd also think about Swoobat - Unaware, since you're certainly giving the other guy plenty of time to set up, and having a Slaking makes your general strategy pretty obvious.
Why Skill Swap when you can use Entrainment?
>Chlorophyll Lilligant and Sunny Day Slaking
>Moxie Pyroar
>Suction Cups Octillery
>>25537330
Would it? It would be it's first turn of having Truant so wouldn't it be able to move?
And do we know if you can't mega evolve a pokemon that is slacking off?
>>25537164
Worry Seed and Gastro Acid are also viable
Worry Seed Whimsicott, Venusaur, Ferrothorn and Sceptile
Gastro Acid Amoonguss, Serperior and Galvantula
>>25537164
>>25537330
I would use Diancie for this situation
>slaking gets Clear Body which is useful against intimidate shit
>Diancie mega evolves
>can give slaking Magic Bounce if you have trouble against burn and other status
>>25537431
>>25537330
>>25537164
>>25537895
All wrong.
Skill swap kecleon, protean slaking. Enjoy.
entrainment
you could get:
>cheek pouch from dedenne
>unburden from hawlucha
>limber or scrappy from lopunny
>hustle from durant
>moxie from pyroar
there are more options, but the mons I listed are faster than slaking so you can give it a useful ability before it attacks
>>25537910
or you know medicham
What about Starmie with Analytic?
>>25537956
>entrainment
Entrainment changes the target's Ability to match the user's. The effect lasts until the target is switched out or the battle ends. Entrainment will not work if the target has the Ability Trace, Truant, Multitype, Flower Gift, Imposter, Zen Mode, or Stance Change.
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Entrainment_(move)
>>25537956
>>25537431
Entertainment doesn't work on Slaking
No idea about Doubles but something I did in singles was have Cofagrigus take a hit from something, switch into Slaking and use Pursuit.
>>25536488
What is the most efficient way of shutting down a strategic like this? To focus fire the slaking or the skill swapper?
>>25536488
>the final boss of Colosseum sends out a high level Slowking and Slaking as his leads
actually Colosseum bosses send out different leads depending on who your leads are.
Also the AI in Colosseum legit cheats (as in they basically their turn happens after yours, so if you use an item to cure a status, they will apply the status again, but if you don, thtne they will normally attack), but that also makes it fun and challenging as well. the only time they don't cheat is when you switch into another Pokemon.
>>25537972
Medicham doesn't learn skill swap
Slaking + Alakazam worked the best for me. Magic Guard + Life Orb + Slaking's high attack stat and decent speed = great
>>25536488
>Prankster Worry Seed Whimsicott
Ah yes, the "I play singles and will wreck doubles with OP discovery" persona.
OP, please go to the VGC 2016 ladder in showdown,please try this outdated shit strat and report your ELO after a few games.
Bet you cant make it into 1300 at least.
There's too many things faster at sweeping.
>Xerneas
>Groudon
>Kangaskhan
>Smeargle
>kyogre
Go back to playing your stupid stealth rocks bullshit
>>25541246
Intimidate shuts this down so hard.
Mega Mence and lando-T shit on this
This will forever be the best normal type.
>>25541851
Not if you use Diancie
>tfw Diancie is banned frim VGC but Mega Fug isn't
>>25541834
>Xerneas
>Groudon
>Kyogre
>In VGC
>In Rated Online Battles
>>25536488
>For those unfamiliar, the final boss of Colosseum sends out a high level Slowking and Slaking as his leads, and the first thing he does is get the Slowking to use Skill Swap on the adjacent Slaking.
No, OP. In Colleseum, the AI chooses their opening Pokemon somewhat at random (although I believe your leads factor into the choice). He'll always use his Tyranitar last, but his lead Pokemon could be any of his other five. It's actually fairly rare that he leads with Slaking and Slowking.
Trust me, I fought the guy like 20 times last week trying to get the damn Tyranitar before deciding to just abuse the Master Ball glitch.
>>25541246
fake-out pretty much fucks over any slaking strat
>>25541246
Taunt the Skill Swapper.
>>25541834
This.
Maybe if it was Smogon Doubles OU, with all those big hitters banned, then it might be viable. But, SDOU is such an unloved format, practically no one even plays it.
Also, remember, VGC is a format of disruptions. From Fake Outs to Rage Powder/Follow Me, it will be hard to ensure something like this to work.
Think of it like this, you are basically giving your Slaking a set up move that you HAVE to use. If the enemy is able to stop you from setting up, your automatically down a Pokemon.
Other Pokemon that follow this same vein, set up sweepers, are usually better and much more independent. PGroudon doesn't NEED to Rock Polish to get shit done, for example.
Speaking of PGroudon, Slaking isn't even the strongest in the environment. Primal Groundon has 20 more base attack, and much more useful/powerful moves at its disposal, not to mention 2 immunities (thanks to super-drought). Not to mention Mega Mawile and Mega Medicham, both of who reach 330+ attack while Slaking only manages to get to 233 at max attack.
Literally the only thing that Slaking has going for it is its huge bulk. 150/100/65 is pretty damn hard to kill, especially from the physical side. But, in an environment where you can be focus fired by huge attackers, that bulk isn't going to help you much.
In fact, if they gave Slaking Illuminate (or any other "does nothing" ability), I would go as far as saying Slaking would not make many waves as a powerful physical attacker.
>>25541926
http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/the-2016-video-game-championship-format-has-been-announced/
>Teams may have no more than two of the following Pokémon: Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde.
>>25541926
>he doesn't know
I'm sorry anon.
>>25536494
>>25537161
according to bulba, Worry Seed does not affect pokemon with Truant
>>25541834
good thing those 5 pokemon are on every single team
gee what a good and varied meta
>>25542203
You can't have Kyogre, Groudon and Xerneas on the same team.
You drop Kyogre for Megamence.
>>25542228
>Dropping Kyogre
It was one 7/8 of the Japan top 8 teams. If anything, you drop Xerneas.
I have been using slaking in doubles since it first became a thing, and I have been doing so with success
I'm not about to contribute to your little think tank here. Figure out your own sets, its exactly this kind of group think behavior that ruins the game
>>25537379
>I'd also think about Swoobat - Unaware, since you're certainly giving the other guy plenty of time to set up, and having a Slaking makes your general strategy pretty obvious.
This actually makes sense considering how many people set up right away. Using any kind of Slaking set up, the last thing you want to see is a Terrakion alongside a Weavile/Whimscott, but Unaware would counter that completely.
>>25541246
Fake Out and Taunt cause problems.
>>25541851
Not as much as you'd think. Even with Burn, Protean Slaking can hit very hard, and it's further rectified when running Chesto/Rest.
>>25542268
>>25542268
>sharing strategies
>groupthink
you must be real fun at parties anon
>>25542268
>me and my shadow walk alone
>>25536494
>>25537161
>>25542193
Can confirm. Simple Beam doesn't either. You'll need Skill Swap or Gastro Acid.
Sit back bitches, and prepare to be amazed.Have Slaking use Power-Up Punch on a Ring Target Cofagrigus.
>>25536488
>>25536494
Just fucking use Mega Kangaskhan instead of wasting 5 mons to make a shitty gimmick out of a meme pokemon
>>25542990
You're still wasting a turn for little actual benefit. At the end of turn 1, you have a 350 attack Normal type and a weakened Confagrigus with essentially no item.
Not only that, you have to be wary of normal disruptive tactics, like Fake Out, Follow Me, Rage Powder etc.
Conversely, at the end of turn one, you can have something like MScizor, PGroudon or MMawile set up, to a much higher extent and with better typing. You are also not dependent on having a specific partner.
Used this gimmick a bit on showdown.
My favourite is Espeon and Magic Bounce to make Slaking status immune.
Espeon also gets helping hand and kills fighting types that threaten Slaking.
>>25543082
Nigga who said anything about turn 1? Let Slaking come out whenever it wants, then swap the partner for Cofagrigus after you've already selected PUP. Don't wave a neon sign advertising your next move.
Slaking is super predictable, yes. Which means you have a pretty good idea of how your opponent will try to handle it. That puts you in a position of power if you're not too stupid to make a basic read.
Been playing the Smogon meta with Swoobat a bit and I'm starting to think it might be the best Slaking partner. Unaware is great for countering teams that set up right away and Swoobat has a great support movepool with access to Tailwind, Helping Hand, Thunder Wave, Magic Coat, Taunt and Super Fang. 114 base speed also means it can afford to use Skill Swap on the second turn provided the opponent doesn't set up.
>>25542990
>Ring Target Cofagrigus
Might I interesting you in the ghost of spooky shuffles?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCov5hQ4BW4
>>25536488
I do the same thing with Skill Swap, except I use Alakazam. Then I Mega evolve Alakzam so it gets Trace and Traces an ability that isn't bad.
OP you forgot that Smeargle can learn Skill Swap. Then you could have a Slaking with Moxie.
>>25543800
I mean Moody, going way to fast right now.
>>25543558
Swoobat:
Skill Swap - Tailwind - Taunt - Helping Hand
Slaking:
Return - Earthquake - Ice Punch - Protect
Good shit.
Here's a good one: Mew. Use Skill Swap then Transform into the adjacent Slaking.
Smeargle
Into the 1400s with this:
Deoxys-Attack @ Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 92 Atk / 208 SpA / 208 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Superpower
- Protect
Swoobat (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Skill Swap
- Tailwind
- Taunt
- Helping Hand
Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Explosion
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
Slaking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Truant
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake
- Return
- Protect
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spe
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thunderbolt
- Hydro Pump
- Confuse Ray
Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP / 200 Atk / 52 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Protect
- Diamond Storm
- Dazzling Gleam
- Earth Power
>>25542081
why would such a thing be done
