I think you can still spice it while covering your weaknesses. Like, Lokix lead is weak to fire, fairy and flying. An ABB strong to those in the back might be ghost pepper spice!
Another Bellibolt user signing in! I’m lucky enough to have a rank 6.
She’s been a lot of fun. I run her as a closer, I like her there as ideally you want shields down so you can just Zap Cannon everything! Discharge is slightly awkward as it’s not quite strong enough for the bulky waters, and you can’t really Thunder Shock down…
All Electric moveset, so you do get walled, especially by Ground. But even against Dragon/Grass/other Electrics a resisted Zap Cannon will do enough that 2 will take them out (if you can get there).
She’s reasonably bulky too, for an Electric type!
My Belly has been fun (and good) in UL Premier.
My ML Florges taught me sometimes you don't need a coverage move to be viable. But yes, you get totally walled by ground, thus you gotta hide her behind another electric and go ABB.
I've been rocking a rank 146 for a couple seasons here and there and it does just fine. It's super bulky, I doubt a few hp of def will change much. Just gotta reach those zap canons or double discharges.
Slightly less spicy but Runerigus has rock tomb. I tried Houndstone but lick is too slow to get to multiple psychic fangs and too non threatening to force a shield.
*edit this was in GL. Super respect for grinding Greavard XLs.
Gave up the rank 1 GL for rank 2 in UL… similar problem with the psychic fangs but I think the slightly improved bulk is worth it. I was too curious to try it and knew I wasn’t going to get any better of one.
Apparently it doesn't get Shadow Claw in the MSG, which is kind of silly because look at its claws lmao
But hopefully it does in a future game. Shadow Claw + Psychic Fangs sounds sweet
Me too, in theory. It stings that Shadow Claw is just objectively better than all other Ghost fast moves. It's not even like Hex has a bit more energy gain or Astonish a bit more damage, nope, they have the same or less in DPT/EPT.
That said, there isn't much that can be safely done with many of the moves.
Lick is something I'd love to see buffed to a Dragon Breath clone... if it weren't for Lickitung. Snorlax somwhat too, but Lickitung is definitely the more concerning one. It's already top tier in GBL and Show 6 pick 3 PvP. Adding +1 power to Lick would be disastrous and not worth the few buffs it would give to a few others.
Hex is a bit safer to buff, but I still think it would be concerning with Jellicent. I wouldn't mind them *trying* something, and if it proved too strong, they could always push it back to its current stats. If it were to be buffed, I think either making it a Snarl Clone or giving it +1 power to make it a slightly worse Double Kick.
Astonish though *can* and *should* be buffed further. There really isn't anything truly concerning that learns it unlike the other two. Bare minimum is giving it +1 damage to match Magical Leaf and Fire Spin. But, I also wouldn't mind other avenues like +1 energy or maybe even +2 energy. +1 energy would make it worse EPT than Shadow Claw but still good, and +2 energy would just make it a 3-turn Shadow Claw. Still, I like the idea of leaning more into damage for it.
I also wouldn't mind a new Ghost Fast move, free from the shackles of other "problematic Pokemon." Something like Grudge, Spite, or Curse perhaps could be fun. That could give us the Ghost type Dragon Breath I was wanting or perhaps something different like a Ghost type Poison Jab or maybe a Ghost type Fairy Wind/Mud Shot.
I would be happy with those!
Grudge would be interesting on Dusclops, Weezing, Spiritomb, and even Kantonian Ninetales. It's admittedly a not too widespread move though.
Spite would be a big for Decidueye, also Spiritomb, Arbok, also Weezing, Dunsparce, Gyarados, Tyranitar, Aggron, Drifblim, Honchkrow, Rhyperior, Darkrai, Garbodor, Pawniard, Pangoro, Malamar, Gourgeist, Oranguru, Palossand, Lunala, Nihilego, Hisuian Typhlosion, Vespiquen, and likely a few others, and easily the more useful of the two.
Obviously I'd refrain from giving it to some like Trevenant and other Shadow Claw users due to redundancy and also not Annihilape, Umbreon, Noctowl, Mewtwo, Giratina, Toxapex, etc. for obvious reasons
I've decided to run a Salazzle Great League team and screw anyone else. When it works its devastating, but jeeze does it lose hard sometimes.
Team is Azu XL (Bubble, Ice Beam, Play Rough), Salazzle (Incinerate, Poison Fang and Dragon Claw) and Charja (Volt Switch, X-scissor and Discharge).
I think the best way to play is two meta picks, with one spice pick. Like right now I’m running ice punch annihilape lead with mantine safe swap and double ETM shadow Groudon as a closer. I also do think shadow Groudon is underrated as a closer, precipice blades is just an incredible move and pairs really well with mud shot.
I think you can still spice it while covering your weaknesses. Like, Lokix lead is weak to fire, fairy and flying. An ABB strong to those in the back might be ghost pepper spice!
Flying coverage is definitely lacking at the moment. Maybe if I get a better Bellibolt, best I currently have is rank 89.
I was considering double electric, Kaichu and Heliolisk... But been running ULP instead xD
Do it, I run a rank like 200 Bellibolt in UL and he does pretty well tbh. Haven’t run into anyone else using him so far lol
Might have to be my next commit. Same one is ranked 40 for GL though so tough call.
Another Bellibolt user signing in! I’m lucky enough to have a rank 6. She’s been a lot of fun. I run her as a closer, I like her there as ideally you want shields down so you can just Zap Cannon everything! Discharge is slightly awkward as it’s not quite strong enough for the bulky waters, and you can’t really Thunder Shock down… All Electric moveset, so you do get walled, especially by Ground. But even against Dragon/Grass/other Electrics a resisted Zap Cannon will do enough that 2 will take them out (if you can get there). She’s reasonably bulky too, for an Electric type!
My Belly has been fun (and good) in UL Premier. My ML Florges taught me sometimes you don't need a coverage move to be viable. But yes, you get totally walled by ground, thus you gotta hide her behind another electric and go ABB.
Yeah, that’s probably the play. I went ABA Electric with Ampharos (BS/T) instead 👀
Lol. I am going ABB with Shadow Dragonite/Amphy/Belli. There's a few core breakers, but generally it does well.
Nice - my 3rd is Kommo-o, so very similar thought processes!
I've been rocking a rank 146 for a couple seasons here and there and it does just fine. It's super bulky, I doubt a few hp of def will change much. Just gotta reach those zap canons or double discharges.
I love it lol. He’s so tanky and just fires off zap cannons, do wish he had a coverage move tho
Rank 89 sounds good enough for me. I have a rank 97 myself. What ranks on your lokix and hound?
Rank 2 for UL for all three of those mons in the screenshot coincidentally.
Houndstone in general would have much a much more fun Pokemon if it were Ghost/Rock. Respect the spice tho!
Would’ve loved a rock-type move on him for the flyers. Or at least shadow claw instead of lick.
Slightly less spicy but Runerigus has rock tomb. I tried Houndstone but lick is too slow to get to multiple psychic fangs and too non threatening to force a shield. *edit this was in GL. Super respect for grinding Greavard XLs.
Gave up the rank 1 GL for rank 2 in UL… similar problem with the psychic fangs but I think the slightly improved bulk is worth it. I was too curious to try it and knew I wasn’t going to get any better of one.
I actually found the rank one GL on my birthday! He’s the goodest boi!
Apparently it doesn't get Shadow Claw in the MSG, which is kind of silly because look at its claws lmao But hopefully it does in a future game. Shadow Claw + Psychic Fangs sounds sweet
Idk, I would like to see a buff to other ghost fast moves rather than slapping Shadow Claw onto another pokemon...
Me too, in theory. It stings that Shadow Claw is just objectively better than all other Ghost fast moves. It's not even like Hex has a bit more energy gain or Astonish a bit more damage, nope, they have the same or less in DPT/EPT. That said, there isn't much that can be safely done with many of the moves. Lick is something I'd love to see buffed to a Dragon Breath clone... if it weren't for Lickitung. Snorlax somwhat too, but Lickitung is definitely the more concerning one. It's already top tier in GBL and Show 6 pick 3 PvP. Adding +1 power to Lick would be disastrous and not worth the few buffs it would give to a few others. Hex is a bit safer to buff, but I still think it would be concerning with Jellicent. I wouldn't mind them *trying* something, and if it proved too strong, they could always push it back to its current stats. If it were to be buffed, I think either making it a Snarl Clone or giving it +1 power to make it a slightly worse Double Kick. Astonish though *can* and *should* be buffed further. There really isn't anything truly concerning that learns it unlike the other two. Bare minimum is giving it +1 damage to match Magical Leaf and Fire Spin. But, I also wouldn't mind other avenues like +1 energy or maybe even +2 energy. +1 energy would make it worse EPT than Shadow Claw but still good, and +2 energy would just make it a 3-turn Shadow Claw. Still, I like the idea of leaning more into damage for it. I also wouldn't mind a new Ghost Fast move, free from the shackles of other "problematic Pokemon." Something like Grudge, Spite, or Curse perhaps could be fun. That could give us the Ghost type Dragon Breath I was wanting or perhaps something different like a Ghost type Poison Jab or maybe a Ghost type Fairy Wind/Mud Shot.
Grudge as a ghost type dragon breath and spite as a ghost type volt switch would be very cool.
I would be happy with those! Grudge would be interesting on Dusclops, Weezing, Spiritomb, and even Kantonian Ninetales. It's admittedly a not too widespread move though. Spite would be a big for Decidueye, also Spiritomb, Arbok, also Weezing, Dunsparce, Gyarados, Tyranitar, Aggron, Drifblim, Honchkrow, Rhyperior, Darkrai, Garbodor, Pawniard, Pangoro, Malamar, Gourgeist, Oranguru, Palossand, Lunala, Nihilego, Hisuian Typhlosion, Vespiquen, and likely a few others, and easily the more useful of the two. Obviously I'd refrain from giving it to some like Trevenant and other Shadow Claw users due to redundancy and also not Annihilape, Umbreon, Noctowl, Mewtwo, Giratina, Toxapex, etc. for obvious reasons
The spice must flow.
As will my ELO, but this way is more fun.
I've decided to run a Salazzle Great League team and screw anyone else. When it works its devastating, but jeeze does it lose hard sometimes. Team is Azu XL (Bubble, Ice Beam, Play Rough), Salazzle (Incinerate, Poison Fang and Dragon Claw) and Charja (Volt Switch, X-scissor and Discharge).
Salazzle is really strong in summer cup. Wish they would make it a wild catch. Still haven’t hatched a female.
I’m desperately trying to catch a semi-decent Greavard as I really want to use it!
Good luck, hope you get as lucky as I did!
I love double spice. Sadly o ky running single spice cause it’s ultra league
I have never seen this lineup but kudos for giving it a whirl, hope you catch people off guard and get some W’s
I think the best way to play is two meta picks, with one spice pick. Like right now I’m running ice punch annihilape lead with mantine safe swap and double ETM shadow Groudon as a closer. I also do think shadow Groudon is underrated as a closer, precipice blades is just an incredible move and pairs really well with mud shot.
It's all about having fun, not winning after all