Lead Analysis.(OverUsed metagame)

[Galileo]

Leads


You begin your battles with pokemon called "Leads". Leads are designed to beat each other using its Typing, Movepool, etc. The goal of every Lead is to set up Entry hazards, most commonly Stealth Rock.Leads are assigned to two categories. "Suicude Leads" and "Bulky Leads".



Suicude Leads

These Leads hold a Focus Sash, and use a move called Stealth Rock on the beggining of the match, then Explode or attack with the strong STAB moves.


Examples are...



Azelf

The most popular Suicude Lead, it almost always sets up Stealth Rocks and heavily damages the opposing lead using Explosion.Azelf is No. 2 in Lead usage(Smogon).The moveset for Lead Azelf:


Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 200 Atk/252 Spd/56 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Explosion
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Taunt/ Fire Blast

Taunt will disallow the opposing lead from using Stealth Rock, and with 115 Base Spd this move is going to be helpful. Psychic is your STAB move, and a rather filler choice. Explosion will OHKO or heavily damage most pokemon, while Stealth Rock is an obvious choice and the goal of this moveset. Fire Blast can be used, too, altough you are still walled by Heatran and Tyranitar. It will damage Metagross a bit, though. 200 Atk EVs will boost the power of Explosion and 252Spd, Naive Nature will maximize your Spd and make you outspeed most Pokemon in OU.

Take of note that Suicude Lead Azelf is beaten by Suicude Nape, as it will Fake Out and Fire Blast for a 2HKO.Metagross is also a problem, and it will 2HKO you with a combination of Meteor Mash and Bullet Punch.Take of note that your own Fire Blast will not OHKO it, as Metagross lead usually uses an Occa Berry.Aerodactyl will outspeed and 2HKO you with Stone Edge.Scarfed Jirachi will also 2HKO you with Iron Head.



Infernape

Another great Suicude Lead, it beats lots of other Leads.The Suicude Lead moveset may look gimmicky because it doesn't have Explosion, but it is truly effective.The Infernape Suicude lead set ...


Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 60 Atk/196 Spd/252 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Close Combat
- Fire Blast
- Fake Out
- Stealth Rock

This moveset is the reason why Metagross leads use Occa Berry. Stealth Rock is an obvious option, Fake Out will break Azelfs, Aerodactyls and Opposing Napes Sash, then OHKO them with the STABed 120 Base Power moves of choice. 196 Speed EVs will outspeed opposing Napes(Fake Out + Close Combat) and 252Sp.Atk EVs will make Fire Blast a fearsome move.60 EVs will boost the power of Close Combat.

The problems for this Lead are Occa Metagross, which will 2HKO with EQ + Bullet punch, Hippowdon Lead will also OHKO you with EQ and break your sash using SandStorm. Gyarados Leads completely wall you and smash you with a STAB Waterfall.



Roserade

Altough quite slow for a Suicude Lead(90 base spd), Roserade is brilliant. It can Sleep an opposing Lead with Sleep Powder, then set up the dangerous Toxic Spikes.The Roserade Suicude Lead set...


Roserade (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Toxic Spikes

Sleep Powder will sleep the opposing lead, and with a Focus Sash, you are assured to have one chance. While the opponent is asleep, you can set up Toxic Spikes, then attack with Leaf Storm which will inflict heavy amounts of damage. Hidden Power(Ground) will 2HKO LeadTran and it gives you nice coverage only resisted by Skarmory, Bronzong, Salamence and Dragonite.

Infernape counters Roserade by using Fake Out + Fire Blast, Scarfed Jirachi will 2HKO using Iron Head, Azelf with Taunt will also counter Roserade.



Aerodactyl

Aerodactyl has a high 130 base speed, and a Sandstorm immunity. Altough Metagross, Infernape and Jirachi beat it, Aerodactyl is still a viable lead as it has the 2nd fastest Taunt in the OU metagame.

Aerodactyl (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt

Taunt will stop every Lead from setting up Stealth Rock, which is a trade mark of this set. EQ and Stone Edge have amazing coverage. Stealth Rock is for helping the team.

Metagross 2HKOs with Meteor Mash + Bullet Punch, Infernape 2HKOs with Fake Out + Close Combat and Jirachi 2HKOs with Iron Head.



Bulky Leads

These Leads are in general hard to take down, while having decent attack/Sp.atk to OHKO/2HKO other Leads.



Metagross



Metagross is the most popular Lead of all, and that's because it beats alot of common Leads.Here is its moveset...


Metagross @ Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/236 Atk/8 Def/12 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- Stealth Rock

Stealth Rock is obvious. EQ will 2HKO opposing Metagross lead, which you will outspeed by one point, Infernape Lead and Heatran lead(without Shuca Berry). Meteor Mash will put Azelf and Aerodactyl into Bullet Punch OHKO range, and will do lots of damage even to walls.

Swampert is a good counter, as it will 2HKO with STAB EQ, Heatran works too, altough you need a Shuca Berry.



Jirachi

A great Anti-Lead, it tricks scarf on leads that use stealth rock first turn, then U-turn to give you an advantage. It of course sets up Rocks itself. Jirachi Anti-Lead Set...


Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 80 HP/252 Atk/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
- Trick
- U-turn

Iron head will 2HKO Suicude Leads as Azelf and Aerodactyl. You can Trick a Scarf to some bulkier Lead to destroy their walling cappabilities, then there's U-turn to scout for a Counter. Stealth Rock can be set up on the Free Switch, too.

Jirachi is 2HKOed by Lead Metagross(Earthquake), and Heatran will 2HKO it using Fire Blast and both do not really mind a Scarf that much.



Swampert

Swampert is really bulky, and deals with most of the Leads. It almost always sets up Stealth Rock and does some damage.Swampert Moveset...

Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Protect
- Stealth Rock

Avalanche + Earthquake give nice coverage, while Protect will make Explosion useless against you. And lol Stealth Rock.252HP Def and an Impish nature make you take Physical Hits really well.

Roserade will easily OHKO with LEaf Storm, Swampert can not do anythign against Bronzong, too.



Bronzong

Bronzong makes quite an useful Lead, as it is very bulky, and will sleep the opposing Lead with Hypnosis. Taunt causes it problems, but Gyro ball 2HKOs Azelf and Aerodactyl, the users of Taunt. The Moveset...


Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/86 Atk/80 Def/92 SDef
IVs: 0 Spd
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Hypnosis
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

Hypnosis will sleep an opposing Lead, causing an advantage from the start of the battle. Gyro Ball with 0 Spd IVs and a Speed Reducing Nature will inflict a lot of damage to Azelf and Aerodactyl, 2HKOing them both. EQ and Gyro Ball have great coverage, and Earthquake will 2HKO Magnezone which will try to trap you.

Infernape and Heatran are the best counters by far, Tricking a Scarf(Jirachi) works too.



Hippowdon

Hippowdon is probably the Bulkiest of Bulky Leads, and with Slack off it will stay in for a long time.

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/168 Def/88 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic

EQ inflicts huge amounts of damage even without EV investment, while Slack Off heals your HP along the way. Toxic will stall out most pokemon.

Roserade OHKOs Hippowdon with Leaf Storm, Aerodactyl can Taunt it while Hippo can't do anything against it.




Conclusion

Lead is a little metagame, where even the most gimmick Pokemon(Electrode, etc.) can be extremely useful and dangerous. Try to experiment alot, as you may even make the best lead ever.

[F L Y G O N]

damn, nice guide

but the best suicide lead to set up taunt, i think, is electrode

150 base speed ftw

[Galileo]

damn, nice guide

but the best suicide lead to set up taunt, i think, is electrode

150 base speed ftw

Thank you!

I wrote that aerodactyl is the "2nd best taunt abuser", the Fastest Taunt in OU is of course Electrode. :)

Altough its 140 speed, not 150 speed XD

[bartozio37]

Nice guide, but don't forget that pokes can have different move sets. For example: Metagross and bronzong can carry explosion, and azelf u-turn.

[Galileo]

Nice guide, but don't forget that pokes can have different move sets. For example: Metagross and bronzong can carry explosion, and azelf u-turn.

True, altough this guide is made so the people know about the most common leads and their most common movesets.

[Milos]

True, altough this guide is made so the people know about the most common leads and their most common movesets.

in that case, you should include fire blast on lead azelf. also roserade isnt exactly a suicide lead, its more of a classic status lead.

[Tony32]

I'll have to agree with milos on that one...Roserade isnt exactly a suicide lead...

[Galileo]

Roserade can not be a Bulky Lead, but the fact that after Sleeping the opposing pokemon, it sets up entry hazards , and that it wears Focus Sash makes it fit a bit more in Suicude Leads.

[111I111]

Nice guide dawg, out of all leads I'd have to say that Azelf is my favorite, very flexible and gets in and out to finish the job.

[Tony32]

Stop bumping up posts like this. Dont you see the date? Yea 2 months old. And galileo is Banned.

[Dimes]

Nice guide dawg, out of all leads I'd have to say that Azelf is my favorite, very flexible and gets in and out to finish the job.


Can you not read rofl? Considering that you said DAWG, I'll assume no.

*reports*

lolfail

[Inc0gnit0]

Your missing an entire dimension to leads. You have the passer leads. Pokes like ninjask, jolteon and smeargle that set up a speed or other count and pass it right off the bat. You also have DDleads which I've seen cause quite a surprise if not ready. Pokes like mence, gyarados, dragonite, etc. dragon dancing on the opponents opening stealth rock. Weather leads such as electrode are also commonplace (even though more in UU than OU I'll admit). In that category I also include trick room leads such as bronzong. A lead is an incredibly important aspect of your entire team. I've also made teams with secondary leads where the role of the first lead was to act as an anti-lead to most of the common leads of the metagame and then set up stealth rock/deal with their own stuff (forretress was usually my candidate) with this secondary pokemon. It all depends on your style and the movesets and candidates are as varied as the players that play this game. There was a time where all my leads had to have a grass move (worst comes to worst it was HP grass) because I was fed up with swampert leads XD.

[Tony32]

Your missing an entire dimension to leads. You have the passer leads. Pokes like ninjask, jolteon and smeargle that set up a speed or other count and pass it right off the bat. You also have DDleads which I've seen cause quite a surprise if not ready. Pokes like mence, gyarados, dragonite, etc. dragon dancing on the opponents opening stealth rock. Weather leads such as electrode are also commonplace (even though more in UU than OU I'll admit). In that category I also include trick room leads such as bronzong. A lead is an incredibly important aspect of your entire team. I've also made teams with secondary leads where the role of the first lead was to act as an anti-lead to most of the common leads of the metagame and then set up stealth rock/deal with their own stuff (forretress was usually my candidate) with this secondary pokemon. It all depends on your style and the movesets and candidates are as varied as the players that play this game. There was a time where all my leads had to have a grass move (worst comes to worst it was HP grass) because I was fed up with swampert leads XD.

First up, im not working on this, i guess i'll remake this when i get time. Second, what are you talking about DD leads? This is a lead analysis, honestly, i havent seen a lead DD mence/gyarados/nite in ages, it's pretty stupid to have a dragon dancer as a lead when they are usually late game sweepers. I guess i will make another one of these later, since there has been a burst of skarmory/foretress leads, also, bronzong is no where to be found in this metagame to be honest, im not saying he's not used but, i honestly hardly see him as a lead anymore, that's old school d/p hehe.

[Inc0gnit0]

well I did leave for like 3 months so maybe my understanding of the lead metagame is outdated XD

[bobphillip]

Uh Azelf Suicude leads usually run 252 SpeA 252 Spe and 4 Atk, no one really runs the spread that you mentioned

[Tony32]

ok guys, when i replied to this a day ago, i forgot that galileo made this about3 months ago, i thought this was my remake guide of this, haha, so i apologize to inco.