Hariyama: Thick Fat or Sheer Force for a Scarf set?

Question

I can't decide. Hariyama has few good STAB moves that go with Sheer Force. I noticed STAB + Sheer Force Brick Break wasn't too far off from just a regular STAB Cross Chop. I like that since CC's accuracy is 80 while BB's accuracy is perfect. But then again, that's like the only good Sheer Force move on him. I think Thick Fat would be valuable to help kill Fire types.

Please help with my dilemma.

Comments

Is this competitive battling or ingame?

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Guts is always an option as well, and don't forget Close Combat, which works great with Guts for a hit and run sweeper.

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It's obvious the title confused answerers so I thought I'd change it for viewers who come across the article :P

Answer 1

Depends what set you want to run.

Thick Fat will complement a defensive Rest/ Talk set, which means Hariyama would be a phaser (so run Rest, Sleep Talk, Fore Palm and Whirlwind). You could also go defensive and run a Bulk Up set, then Rest for 2 turns and return to sweeping, or do Bulk Up, Rest, Sleep Talk, 1 move. Then again, if you did that, you might as well go for Guts since the Sleep Status will activate Guts.

I would actually suggest Guts over Sheer Force. You might not take damage from Life Orb if you had Sheer Force, but if you're burned then your entire set is useless. It's the same with Conkeldurr in OU. Both are so slow that they're prone to status moves.

Additionally, Guts increases attack by 50%, while Sheer Force only increases moves with secondary effect by 30% (ignoring the secondary effect). While you do get added Life Orb no recoil damage, Hariyama doesn't have a lot of great moves to use for Sheer Force. The only viable move is Rock Slide, the other moves either being too weak or special moves.

Brick Break's power does not increase from Sheer Force. See here, that's a list of all the moves that will benefit from Sheer Force.

If you ran a Guts moveset, there'll be wider options for Hariyama.

Hariyama @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk, 172 Sp. Def, 88 Speed
Close Combat
Fake Out
Stone Edge/ Thunder Punch
Bullet Punch

Watch out for Pokemon like Weezing, which will be able to Pain Split wall you.

Comments

You do take Life Orb damage w/ Sheer Force I'm pretty sure -_-

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You don't take Life Orb damage with Sheer Force if the move has a secondary effect. The secondary effect is ignored, as well as the Life Orb damage

http://www.smogon.com/bw/abilities/sheer_force - read up on Sheer Force. The Bulbapedia link to Sheer Force also says that moves w/ secondary effects don't cause Life Orb recoil.

Life Orb recoil only happens when you don't use a move with a secondary effect.

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The question was thick fat or sheer force -_- not guts or sheer force

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Guts > Thick Fat > Sheer Force.

I don't see why I wouldn't suggest a better option when there is one.

Answer 2

Ok my choice is sheer force by far. I say you can kill both ice types and fire types with sheer force rock slide you also have thunder fire or ice punch then there's iron head and life orb. the only time I would use thick fat is if you are weak to ice or fire types. on the other hand you could use fake out if you had thick fat.