You're watching Brave Bird up the worst set on NDUbers.
[SET]
Offensive (Ho-Oh) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Atk / 56 SpD / 12 Spe OR 176 Atk / 172 Def / 160 Spe
Tera Type: Ground / Fire
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire / Flare Blitz
- Brave Bird / Earthquake
- Earthquake / Defog
- Toxic / Flame Charge / Defog / Thunder Wave
[SET COMMENTS]
- Sacred Fire and Brave Bird act as consistent, powerful STAB moves that are able to put out huge damage VS many threats in the tier like Necrozma Dusk Mane, letting Ho-Oh break down teams over the course of the game with repeated attacks as it pivots in and out of battle.
- Flare Blitz is an option over Sacred Fire for its higher power, more PP, and a lower chance to accidently burn Eternatus on teams with Paralysis support, or burning Mega Salamence, who may be able to use it to net a deadly boost to its Facade, the recoil can be quite detrimental to Ho-Oh staying in for longer periods of time however.
- Earthquake is a coverage option that allows Ho-Oh to hit Eternatus for far more damage than just its STABs would allow, having an extremely high roll to 2HKO even max specially defensive variants, while also being able to nail Primal Groudon much harder than any of its other moves. Defog may be considered if the team is still in need of a defogger, it does however give up a powerful means of pressuring the opponent and makes Ho-Oh much more reliant on teammates to break through Eternatus.
- The fourth moveslot is flexible and it depends on the team's needs, Toxic invalidates many checks such as support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Zygarde.
- Flame Charge can be used with an alternative spread of 176 Atk / 172 Def / 160 Spe with an adamant nature to avoid being OHKO'd by Zacian Crowned's Wild Charge at +1, and outspeed Marshadow at +1 Speed, as well as Adamant Necrozma Dusk Mane before any Flame Charge boosts.
- Thunder Wave is also a valid choice to allow Ho-Oh to more immediately slow down targets such as Eternatus, Mega Salamence, Arceus forms, and Palkia-O.
- The given primary EVs allow Ho-Oh avoid the 2HKO from a +1 Dynamax Cannon from Eternatus, and outspeed paralyzed Zacian-C, and while the rest is allocated in Attack to allow Ho-Oh to hit as hard as possible.
- Tera Ground is the primary option to allow Ho-Oh to OHKO Meteor Beam Eternatus, and making Earthquake far more threatening into Primal Groudon. Tera Ground also comes with the added benefit of removing Ho-Oh's weakness to Stealth Rock, thus making Ho-Oh far less afraid of losing its boots to Knock Off, which is especially notable when Defog is chosen.
- Tera Fire is also an option to boost Flare Blitz damage, and is the preferred option with the move, closing important gaps such as 2HKOing max HP support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock, and outright OHKOing offensive Necrozma-DM from full.
- Don't be afraid to switch Ho-Oh in on targets it's typically able to check like Specially Offensive Giratina-O, and Arceus-Fairy to force them out and start making progress.
Ho-Oh gains significant advantages from hazard stacking. In fact, although its damage output remains formidable, Brave Bird often fails to achieve certain benchmarks, such as securing a 2HKO against Bulky Calm Mind Primal Kyogre or Support Arceus formes without additional support. Which means it often finds itself on Bulky Offense teams that can consistently get up hazards, and maintain them throughout a game. - Offensive Stealth Rock or Spikes variants of Primal Groudon make for great teammates, being able to set up hazards for both itself and Ho-Oh, appreciating the many status Ho-Oh is capable of spreading to ease set up. Primal Kyogre also has great synergy with Ho-Oh offensively, greatly appreciating the heavy damage Ho-Oh is able to get on targets like Specially Defensive Eternatus and Primal Groudon so Primal Kyogre can blow massive holes into the opposing team, and vice versa.
- Zacian-C is a deadly partner, capable of sweeping entire teams with the prior damage Ho-Oh is able to get on many of its main checks such as Primal Groudon, and Coil Zygarde, while being able to put immense pressure on most variants of Defensive Necrozma-DM.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neonjolteonwasused.568778/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bobsican.434487/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/entrocefalo.399174/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/
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