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View Full Version : Cacturne Analysis



i am cool
09-24-2008, 12:45 AM
http://www.arkeis.com/images/pokemonfactory/cacturne.png

One of the few pokes that can really use sand veil, aside from the cheap **** called chomp, basically this cactus will annoy the **** out of everyone......


Sub SD @ Bright Powder
ability: sand veil
evs: 252 spe/ 252 atk/ 6 hp
nature: adamant
- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Sword Dance
- Substitute


This set is seen on chomp in ou and on toxicroak to some extent in uu, although toxicroak isn't that reliant on hax, but basically move wise it's like sub sd toxicroak move wise, and hax reliant wise like chomp, so basically the same plan of sub sd garchomp, keep subbing until your opponent misses or doesn't break your sub and then starts sweeping with your moves, sucker punch is for one heck of a priority move, while focus punch is to hit those pokes that don't want to hit you and set up their own defenses while you sd.



Leesh Seed @ leftovers
ability: sand veil
evs: 204 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Spe
nature: adamant
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Leech Seed


This set will probably annoy the heck out of your opponent, substitute, then leash seed to recover a minimum of 18% health(thanks to lefty's and leash seed's minimum of 12% recovery) then use your moves accordingly, focus punch when hiding behind a sub or if your opponent doesn't attack you for some strange reason even behind the sub, and then sand veil hax messes up your opponent like hell, this set is really annoying to take down and if it set's up a sub then you pretty much can't touch it since there’s also sand veil hax if your using this in ou.



Focus Sash Counter @ Focus Sash
ability: sand veil
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: adamant
- Swords Dance
- Counter
- Sucker Punch
- Seed Bomb


Basically this should be a lead to avoid stealth rock's since they will ruin your whole strategy, basically counter a physical move, then if you predict the poke to not attack you, you sd, then counter or if it's a special sweeper use the appropriate stab move, killing at least 1 your opponent’s pokes, and maybe 2 of your opponent's pokes, seed bomb and sucker punch are as mentioned above for 2 stab 80 BP(without stab) moves, this set will basically be really devastating for your opponent and works even better in ou.


Choice Specs Cactus @ Choice Specs
ability: sand veil
evs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: modest
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Energy Ball
- Hidden Power Fire


Cacturne has an impressive 115 base sp.atk stat so it's good if you use it and use it well since cacturne also has good sp.atk moves, Grass knot for stab and to almost ko a ttar and a ko on a milotic and 70%damage on gyarados, while energy ball is for those light weighted foes like vaporeon, hp fire is for those steels whilst 2hkoing bronzong and koing skarmory, dark pulse is for a stab move and also kos gar, while focus blast is for a sure ko on ttar and for good type coverage especially hurting dark type's who dare switch on the amazing cactus.


Cb Cactus @ Choice Band
ability: sand veil
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant
- Sucker Punch
- Focus Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Payback / Return



Not much comment here, cacturne has an impressive 115 base atk stat so use it to it's full potential, payback is 150 BP factoring stab on the incomer, or 150 base power on a foe hitting you, seed bomb has a 120 bp also factoring stab, while focus punch hurt's hell out of anything that's switching in, especially some dark type's, sucker punch is for a priority move that also has a 120 bp again factoring stab, and return is filler just like pay back.


Destiny @ Salac berry
ability: sand veil
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: jolly
- Endure
- Destiny Bond
- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch / Spikes


This set has a potential of koing 1-2 of your opponent's pokes, it's very handy to ko a poke that's giving your team a lot of trouble, although sand veil can mess you up, because if you endure while they miss then they will a) set up or b) hit you again and you have to pray that the 50% chance of endure working goes for your favor, endure as mentioned above to endure a hit activating salac which make's you practically faster than everything, from there you can dbond, or if you expect a switch just focus punch, sucker punch is for a stab priority move while spikes is so you can do something if your opponent is setting up.


Toxic Stall @ leftovers
ability: sand veil
evs: 252 hp/ 252 spe/ 6 def
nature: jolly
- toxic
- leesh seed
- substitute
- protect


This is a somewhat gimmicky set but is very affective under ss, keep subbing until they either don't break the sub or they miss, after that you leesh seed, making your opponent loose like 18% health if he's not a steel/rock/ground type or 6% health if it's a grass type, then with toxic your opponent is pretty much suffering a lot, this surprisingly isn't scared of mixape, since it will be loosing 50% health each turn so basically, yeah, and then after those things happen you protect to increase all the damage going on, making you very annoying and almost impossible to take down once set up, it's a shame cacturne is kind of slow.



Other Options: other than the one's I outlined everything becomes stupid and not competitive battling worthy.


Evs: you should probably stick with the ones given.


Opinion: I always wondered why this **** isn't bl/ou, he's pretty annoying to take down, can hit quite powerfully, has one of the best ability's in the game, and can also play as an annoying pokemon to take down, still it's probably his slowness which make's people back away from him, but in uu he's really affective and he's one of those few uu pokes that can "work" in ou.


Counters:


OU: Skarmory takes physical sets easily, but won't enjoy switching into Focus Blast or Hidden Power Fire from the Choice Specs set. Heracross shrugs off everything barring Hidden Power Flying (Choice Specs Hidden Power Fire and Choice Band Return will 2HKO). Heatran, Lucario, Breloom, Infernape, and Blaziken resist both STAB moves, but take care not to switch them into a Focus Punch. Gliscor and Weezing both do well against physical sets, but switching into Choice Specs boosted attacks will hurt. Blissey handles the Choice Specs sets quite easily, but is quickly destroyed by Focus Punch or boosted physical attacks. Salamence gets in easily on physical sets, and thanks to Intimidate doesn't fear being taken down by Sucker Punch. He can switch in easily on most of the attacks on the Choice Specs set too, although Dark Pulse will 2HKO, and Hidden Power Ice is an easy OHKO.



UU: Toxicroak is the best counter you will find in UU, resisting most of Cacturne's attacks. Torkoal can handle physical sets, but loses to special attacking sets, as Dark Pulse can nearly OHKO. Aggron and his Rock/Steel comrades wall any set without a Fighting attack, although a Choice Specs Grass Knot can OHKO them. Hitmontop has Intimidate to soak up Seed Bomb, Payback, Sucker Punch, and Focus Punch, high Special Defense to take the special sets and Fake Out to bypass Focus Sash/Counter. He can then finish Cacturne with his STAB attacks. Honchkrow can get in on both STAB moves and easily kill Cacturne with Drill Peck, but beware of switching into Focus Punch/Blast, and watch out for Counter or Destiny Bond. Pinsir can easily handle Seed Bomb and Focus Punch, but a Swords Dance Sucker Punch can OHKO, as can a CB Payback on the switch.



Since Cacturne often relies on Sucker Punch, sending in something to set up a Substitute will let you kill him off without fearing a hit.