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i am cool
04-10-2009, 07:48 PM
http://www.teamuber.net/forum/showthread.php?t=556&highlight=Azelf

Done by kuja20
Azelf:

http://www.arkeis.com/images/pokemonfactory/azelf.png

Summary:

Azelf:

Most Used Azelf Set:

Generally, Azelf is run as a suicide lead. It helps its team mates sweep easier since their counters get weakened once Stealth Rock is set up and can take out an opposing Pokemon with Explosion. Azelf can be used late game, but in general you will see the Suicide Azelf set.

Usual Counters:

Heatran is the perfect counter for Azelf (ones that are not packing Hidden Power Ground). It resists Psychic and Explosion, absorbs Flamethrower with Flash Fire, and is 4x resistant to Hidden Power Ice and Grass Knot; while Thunderbolt just bounces off it as it does pathetic damage even from Choice Specs Azelf.

Blissey and Cresselia both shrug off Azelf's hits well and can cripple it with Thunder Wave; although both of them absolutely despise Trick. Snorlax can soak up hits sensibly well and has access to Body Slam, Crunch, Pursuit, and Yawn to kill, cripple, and/or injure Azelf. Again, Snorlax must be wary of Trick.

If Azelf is being used as a lead, and it’s met with a Tyranitar lead, then it will only be able to set up Stealth Rock before dying to a Pursuit…

Better yet, Spiritomb does a fantastic job seeing as Psychic, Hidden Power Fighting and Explosion don’t even hit it, while it retaliates with throwing some STAB Dark or Ghost attack which will spell Azelf’s doom.

Azelf Is Used On:

Suicide Azelf is usually run on offensive teams because it can set up Stealth Rock which are very valuable to some tough sweepers since they have an easier time sweeping once Stealth Rock are set up as they weaken a counter. Other sweeper sets are obviously going to be found on offensive teams as well. Dual Screen Azelf is also run on offensive teams to help survivability of the team.

In Depth:

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifSuicide Azelf@ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 216 Spe / 40 Atk
Nature: Mild (+SpA, -Def) Or Rash (+SpA, -SpD)

- Explosion / U-turn
- Psychic
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast / Taunt / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ground / Flamethrower /
Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball / Psychic

This set is meant to support your team mates more than anything else. Set up Stealth Rock, try to hit your opponent with one of your Physical / Special attacks and then Explode, hence the name Suicide Azelf. The first move on this set should be Explosion, but if you aren’t fond of an Exploding pixie, U-turn is a viable option to get the hell out of there when the going gets tough and it’s nice for scouting. Psychic is really a must for STAB.

Stealth Rock should be the first thing Azelf does, get them out and Azelf is just there for decoration after that. As for the filler, it is up to what fits your team the best. Hidden Power Ice for the Dragons (Salamence and Dragonite mainly), Hidden Power Ground for Heatran, Thunderbolt for Waters, Flamethower for Steels and Bugs…Taunt can also work if you’re willing to shut down the slower Stealth Rockers such as Hippowdon and Bronzong. Grass Knot and Shadow Ball deserve a mention as they can help with Ground / Water-types and Psychic types, respectively.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifPlot Azelf@ Life Orb / Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)

- Nasty Plot
- Psychic
- Flamethrower / Hidden Power Ice
- Thunderbolt / Grass Knot / Hidden Power Fighting

This is one of the more standard and well known sets for Azelf. A Nasty Plot or 2 will destroy the majority of things in its path. Psychic is for STAB. Move slot 3 and 4 are dependent on personal preference. In move slot 3, you should primarily choose Flamethrower, but as an option Hidden Power Ice can be paired with Thunderbolt for Bolt Beam Coverage. Thunderbolt is nice to destroy Gyarados. Grass Knot is nice for dispatching Swampert. Hidden Power Fighting is for Tyranitar mainly and Weavile, though Weavile can be hit powerfully by flamethrower on the switch.

Life Orb gives Azelf's moves a bit of a kick. Focus Sash to get a Nasty Plot in easily, or if Azelf is being used a lead. As for EVs, they are basic, but if you feel you do not need all that Speed use this EV spread: 252 SpA / 216 Spe / 42 HP. This allows Azelf to outrun Gengar and other 350 Speed Pokemon. A neat bonus for 301 HP is that it will take 4 Seismic Tosses to finish it rather than 3. If you go with Hidden Power Fighting then 220 Speed EVs are needed.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifDual Screen Azelf@ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -Sp.Att)

- Stealth Rock / Taunt
- Explosion
- Reflect
- Light Screen

The concept of this set is pretty simple: Lead with this Azelf set in hopes of guaranteeing one of your tough sweepers (Scizor for example) to have an easier time sweeping once Light Screen and / or Reflect are set up. Gliscor is a great asset to this set as with it you can simply: Reflect, Light Screen, Explode, go to Gliscor to set up with Rock Polish and / or Sword Dance, Baton Pass the boosts to Metagross and prepare for a full-fledged sweep!

Light Clay is the obvious Item choice here, since it prolongs the duration of Light Screen and Reflect. Taunt stops enemy set uppers, while Stealth Rock can destroy Focus Sashers and it also adds more residual damage to the field to further weaken the opponent’s Pokemon.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifScarf Azelf@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 220 Spe / 40 Atk
Nature: Hasty (+Spe, -Def) Or Naive (+Spe, -SpD)

- U-turn / Explosion
- Psychic
- Flamethrower / Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ground / Trick
- Grass Knot / Thunderbolt / Trick

This is a personal favorite: Scarfed Azelf. Designed to outrun Choice Scarf Gengar and other Pokemon that use Choice Scarf just to outrun Azelf and other fast Pokemon. 220 Speed EVs bring its Speed stat to 352, which is 528 with Choice Scarf, a Timid max Speed Gengar's Speed stat is 350, meaning 525 with Choice Scarf, so thats going to be a nasty shock for said Gengar, seeing an Azelf outspeeding it. 252 EVs in SpA to give Azelf’s moves more power, and the extra non used EVs go into Attack to give U-turn and Explosion more firepower.

Its moveset is variable depending on what you really need to kill the most. U-turn for scouting, Explosion for an easy kill (generally), and Psychic for a STAB attack that will usually hurt a lot of Pokemon. The next 2 slots are for personal choice. Flamethrower and Grass Knot offer decent coverage against Steels and Swampert who can otherwise ruin your day. Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice present really nice coverage and will hurt anything not named Magnezone. Heatran likes to think of itself as a fantastic Azelf counter, so shock it with a predicted Hidden Power Ground and let yourself have the last laugh. Trick can be used here if you want to Trick your Choice Scarf onto a Special wall such as Blissey to ruin it.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifSpecs Azelf@ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)

- Psychic
- Thunderbolt / Grass Knot
- Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ground
- Flamethower

Unlike the Scarf set, it’s better to have full Special coverage, so all 4 moves can be used for attacking. You can choose to give Azelf 252 EVs in SpA and Speed, but you could drop the Speed to 352 (216 Speed EVs), if you are content with just outrunning Gengar.

Not much to say here, as with most Azelf sets, the movepool is pretty nice (Ice Beam would’ve been nice though.). Psychic for ye olde STAB, Thunderbolt will take out Gyarados, Grass Knot if Swampert is your pet peeve. Hidden Power Ice for the popular Dragons which will all be outran if they lack a speed boost, while Hidden Power Ground is for Heatran. Flamethrower is to combat Steel and Bug-types who are not hit by any other move(such as Forretress, Scizor, and Shedinja.)

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifPhysical Azelf@ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA) Or Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)

- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch / Trick / Explosion
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch / Trick / U-turn

Azelf’s Special movepool might be better than its Physical movepool, but its Attack stat is nothing to laugh about, so a Physical set is still notable to mention, since it hits hard and can tear through teams. Ice Punch covers Dragon and Grass-types such as Celebi, Salamence and Dragonite. Fire Punch scores a 2HKO on Metagross and Bronzong if Azelf is using an Adamant Nature.

Thunder Punch helps with bulky Waters such as Vaporeon, Suicune and Milotic, since it 2HKOs them all, while it scores an OHKO on Gyarados even after factoring in Intimidate. Zen Headbutt should be your primary attack, easily defeating many Pokemon especially Blissey whom is 2HKOed by it. A Choice Banded Explosion will easily score an OHKO on anything that isn’t a Ghost-type, doing 70% damage minimum to the most defensive of Bronzong’s. U-turn is for scouting and getting the hell out of there, while Trick is to be used against walls who are not 2HKOed by any of Azelf’s moves, such as Snorlax.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifMix Azelf 1@ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 36 Atk / 252 SpA / 220 Spe
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD) or Hasty (+Spe, -Def)

- Explosion
- Psychic
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot / U-turn

This is the first variation of mix Azelf, being one of the best Mixed sweepers in the Over Used metagame. Flamethrower 2HKOs most Steel-types and OHKOs some, Psychic is for STAB, Explosion is to be used to defeat Blissey, Grass Knot is for Tyranitar whom is 2HKOed by it, while U-turn is to scout opponent’s switch ins and for getting the hell out of there. Basically, this set shouldn’t be used to sweep; rather, to weaken the opponent’s walls to allow one of your team mates to have an easier time sweeping.
http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_azelf.gifMix Azelf 2@ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 120 Atk / 252 Spe / 136 SpA
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD) or Hasty (+Spe, -Def)

- Grass Knot
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Flamethrower

Ice Punch destroys Dragons and Grass-types, Zen Headbutt 2HKOs Blissey with Stealth Rock damage, Grass Knot OHKOs Swampert, and Flamethrower is for that Grass / Fire combo when used alongside Grass Knot, and it also kills off Skarmory and Forretress and various other Steel-types. With this set you’ll get near excellent coverage but you should still be wary of Heatran switch ins. Remember to never attempt a sweep with Mix Azelf, since it’s only meant to weaken your opponent’s walls allowing your team mates to have an easier time sweeping.

Other Options:

It can learn Light Screen and Calm Mind, as well as Thunder Wave and Toxic. So you could make a different sort of Support Azelf using these moves and just cripple the opponent.

Opinion:

Azelf can accomplish many roles, but its fragility usually lets it down. Although, that shouldn’t let you from using such a dangerous sweeper who can accomplish many things in a battle.

mosers15
04-12-2009, 08:38 PM
alright this is checked.