B+UP Issue #5

Writer: Fusion
Editor: Terradude
Art: Diddgery

Pokemon Pick: Magnezone



So I was actually going to review Rotom here earlier. Then it turned out that it's actually banned in official Nintendo tournaments. So I'm going to go with one of the next best Electric-types.

Typing: Steel/Electric is quite the defensive typing. Twelve resistances and one immunity. There's a 4x Ground weakness and Fire and Fighting weaknesses, but it's a lot a better than the Rock/Steel typing that Aggron and Bastiodon get.

Stats: Magnezone loses a bit of speed in evolving from Magneton, but gets in return a nice 115 physical defense and 90 special defense, in addition to 130 special attack.

Moves: For Electric-type special moves, you've got your choice of Thunderbolt, Thunder, Shock Wave, Discharge, Charge Beam, or Zap Cannon. Unfortunately, outside of this rather redundant lineup, the rest of Magnezone's options for special moves are a bit lacking. You've got Flash Cannon and Signal Beam, and that's all you've really got apart from Hidden Power. If you roll the dice with Hidden Power and get Fire, it's incredibly useful combined with Magnet Pull for taking out rival Steel-types. For support, you've got Barrier, Light Screen, Iron Defense, and Thunder Wave. Magnet Rise can eliminate Magnezone's Ground weakness, but it comes at the cost of losing Magnet Pull.

Ability: Sturdy is absolutely worthless, since nobody uses instant-KO moves in serious competition. The ability to use here is Magnet Pull; it's not quite Arena Trap or Shadow Tag, but with Steel-types increasingly popular, the ability to trap them is a good check on their power.

Summary: With the rise of Steel-types in popularity since partway through this generation, Magnezone makes an excellent counter.



Fail of the Week: Pachirisu



It seems that every generation has to have an Electric-type merchandising whore. Originally it was Pikachu, then Pichu, then Plusle and Minun. It's been given heavy exposure in the anime (along with Dawn's legs, but that's as far as I'm going on the subject). And, like the rest of the mascot characters, Pachirisu sucks. Who knew?

Typing: It's mono-Electric, three resistances and one weakness.

Stats: Pachirisu's stat distribution has the usual problem of "not a single stat over 100", and combines it odd distribution. It looks like it should be geared towards defense, with 70 defense and 90 special defense. However, it also has 95 speed, which is more common with offensive attackers. Pachirisu is however completely incapable of offense, with only 45 attack and special attack.

Moves: If you want to go with physical attacks, you have Thunderpunch, Return, Seed Bomb, U-Turn and Flail. On the special side, you have Thunderbolt, Thunder, Discharge, or Charge Beam for Electric attacks, and Grass Knot. You also have the option of Magnet Rise, Thunder Wave, and Endure. Pachirisu gets the HP-halving Super Fang, but since the addition of the Battle Frontier move tutors in HG/SS, so many better Pokémon get it.

Abilities: Run Away and Pickup are of no competitive use, although Pickup may be useful on the field for getting evolution stones and Rare Candies.

Summary: Pachirisu is another in a line of cutesy Electrics that can't actually fight worth a damn. If you want both adorable and ass-kicking, there's Togekiss.



Moves You Can Use: Grass Knot

Prior to Generation IV, Grass wasn't really used as an offensive type. Most Grass moves lacked power compared to other types, or were hard to set up; the most popular Grass-type move wasn't an attack, but Leech Seed. Leaf Blade and Razor Leaf have become a lot more common since then, but since the physical-special move split, the special attacking Grass-types needed something new. And they got it.

Grass Knot is a special attack that increases in power based on the opponent's weight. Consider that Grass is usually used against Rock and Water types, which generally have a lot of bulk. Against the majority of Pokémon it will have at least 60 base power. Against a lot of juicy stuff weak to Grass like Mamoswine and Tyranitar, it can have as much power as Solarbeam – without the charge time.

The best part? It's not only the exclusive domain of Grass types. A lot of Normal and Psychic types get it, including Alakazam, Clefable, Togekiss, and Slowbro, among others.



Next week, B+UP looks at two separate evolutions of a Pokémon, one that succeeds and one that doesn't.

Electivire > Magnezone.

Magnezone?

Apparently, mah Pokemanz is a lot rustier than I thought.

When did pachirisu look like Chucky Finster?

Nah bra. Electivire can't trap Steel types - something incredibly useful in OU play.

Ice punch. GG.

Think you meant Fire Punch there Chris, Ice Punch is Not Very Effective.
And even then, most steel types would either tank it, or switch out.
At least Magnezone stops one of those options.

Also it's a fucking UFO.

Actually I meant Cross Chop. I had just woken up. XD

Scizor defies your Cross Chop, sir.

Actually, if it weren't for Platinum, Electivire would probably still have the Electric throne. The thing is that a) Scizor suddenly becoming godly meant countering Steels became more important in the metagame and b) Rotom also became totally awesome (Heat Rotom also totally wrecks Scizor, by the way).

If it's any consolation, Electivire will win or at least tie in a fight against Magnezone; Motor Drive eats up Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave, Electivire doesn't care about Hidden Power or Flash Cannon, and that pretty much leaves Magnezone with exploding.

Elective is made to put a gaping hole in your opponent's team or just sweep entirely. Sometimes I'll lure people in with him and when they let loose a ground-type or pokemon that knows Earthquake I'll switch into Togekiss and start flinching 'em.