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View Full Version : Cacturne Analysis Revamp.



i am cool
04-25-2009, 11:28 AM
Cacturne:

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

Summary:

Most Used Cacturne Set:

Cacturne usually abuses the combination of Sucker Punch, Focus Punch, Swords Dance, and Substitute. With this set, not only does Cacturne get amazing coverage and a useful STAB option, but it also gets the option to boost its attacking stat and the option to protect itself from harmful status such as a Burn or even Paralysis.

Usual Counters:

OU: Physical walls such as Skarmory, Forretress, Bronzong etc. can easily take on any Physical set, but they won’t like repeated hits from Focus Punch, while Choice Specs Focus Blasts and Hidden Power Fire are a pain to them. Blissey, Snorlax, and Regice effortlessly handle Choice Specs sets, but Focus Punch will put a huge dent in them. Cresselia can switch-in on any of Cacturne’s moves, Physical or Special, from Choice Band Seed Bomb to Choice Specs Focus Blast, but Choice Specs Dark Pulse is a pain.

UU: Toxicroak is capable of switching in on nearly all Cacturne’s moves, bar Choice Specs Hidden Power Ground which will OHKO Toxicroak. Steelix can survive a Focus Punch and retaliate with either Stone Edge or Gyro Ball. Rock / Steel-types are also in the same boat but fear a predicted Focus Punch.

Types of Teams Cacturne Is Used On:

Cacturne can habitually be found on Sandstorm teams. This is because its Ability, Sand Veil, makes it truly shine as a sweeper since it helps it avoid powerful moves under the Sandstorm weather effect.

In Depth:

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifSub SD@ Bright Powder / Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 6 HP
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)

- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Substitute

This set is purely reliant on prediction as the combination of Focus Punch and Sucker Punch needs a lot of prediction to pull off effectively. Substitute eases the prediction required on this set as you can use Focus Punch much more easily, and it also aids Cacturne avoid harmful status such as Paralysis or even a Burn. Swords Dance gives Cacturne a way to boost his average Attack stat, while Sucker Punch gives Cacturne a priority move and a STAB option.

Note: This Cacturne set works best in the Over Used environment. This is because in OU there’s a permanent Sandstorm to accompany Cacturne’s Ability, Sand Veil. However, in the Under Used metagame this set can still be used but it will function less effectively.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifLeech Seed@ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 204 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Spe
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)

- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Leech Seed

This set will annoy your opponent since it abuses the combination of Sand Veil, Substitute, and Leech Seed. First, use Substitute, then Leech Seed to recover a minimum of 18% health (thanks to Leftovers’ 6% health recovery and Leech Seed's minimum of 12% recovery), then use your moves accordingly; Focus Punch when hiding behind the Substitute and it also hurts stuff such as Aggron, or use your priority move, Sucker Punch, to take on fragile sweepers such as Gengar and Azelf (in the Over Used environment), or Swellow (in the Under Used metagame).

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifFocus Sash Counter@ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)

- Swords Dance
- Counter
- Sucker Punch
- Seed Bomb

This should be used as a lead to avoid Stealth Rock since it will ruin your whole strategy. Counter a Physical move, then if you predict that your next opponent won’t attack you, you Swords Dance. This set will kill at least one of your opponent’s Pokémon, and maybe two if you play conservatively. Seed Bomb and Sucker Punch are used because they’re two STAB options who complement this set in terms of type coverage.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifChoice Specs Cactus@ Choice Specs
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)

- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Energy Ball
- Hidden Power Fire

Cacturne has an impressive 115 base Special Attack stat, making this set a recommended option, as not only does it defeat its common switch-ins whom expect it to be using the Choice Band set, but it also has an impressively large amount of powerful Special moves. Grass Knot for a powerful STAB option and it also dents Tyranitar pretty badly (Grass Knot has a chance of OHKOing Tyranitar with Stealth Rock down), nearly scores an OHKO on Milotic, and deals 70% damage to Gyarados. Energy Ball is for those light weighted foes such as Vaporeon.

Hidden Power Fire is for those Steels and it 2HKOs Bronzong and OHKOs Skarmory, while Dark Pulse is for a STAB move that OHKOs Gengar. Focus Blast is for an OHKO on Tyranitar if Grass Knot’s small rate of an OHKO isn’t pleasing you, and it gets good type coverage. In addition, Focus Blast hurts Dark-types who dare switch on the amazing cactus.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifChoice Band Cactus@ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)

- Sucker Punch
- Focus Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Payback / Return

Payback is a 100 BP STAB move on a switch-in, or 100 Base Power on a foe hitting you, it also hits a variety of opponents such as Alakazam, Hypno etc. pretty hard. Seed Bomb is the usual STAB option that hurts Water-types, while Focus Punch damages anything that's switching in, especially Dark-types. Sucker Punch is for a useful priority move that will aid you in some situations where you face fast yet fragile sweepers, while Return is mostly filler.

http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_cacturne.gifDestiny@ Salac Berry
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)

- Endure
- Destiny Bond
- Focus Punch
- Sucker Punch / Spikes

Endure a hit that you know will OHKO you, then retaliate on the second turn by using Destiny Bond. This set, though, dislikes the abundant amount of entry hazards in the Over Used environment; hence the Under Used environment is where it works best, or you can use it with a Rapid Spinner in the Over Used metagame. Spikes are used to support your teammates a little bit, while Sucker Punch is a useful priority move. Focus Punch works if you have good prediction, but pulling off a successful Focus Punch without Substitute is generally a hard task to accomplish.

Other Options:

Brick Break can be a marvelous replacement for Focus Punch; Drain Punch can also work for health recovery. However, both of the aforementioned substitutions offer less power than Focus Punch, but they can be used if you don’t like to predict.

Opinion:

Generally, Cacturne can be a huge threat in both the Over Used and Under Used environment. Sadly, its poor Speed is what makes people shy away from using it, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less effective than people make it out to be.