How effective is a Mean Look/Perish Song strategy?

Question

I've seen people using Mean Look/Perish Song strategies and I wanted to know if this is a worthwhile strategy. Also, what would be the best Pokemon to use for a strategy like this?

Thank so much!

Answer 1

It's gimmicky. It won't work on anything with something like U-Turn or Volt Switch. If you use Mean Look on something and your Pokemon gets Roared or Whirlwind out, Mean Look's effects no longer remain. If you use a Pokemon that doesn't have the ability to stall, Mean Look will end after your Pokemon faints.

Also, if your Pokemon is slow, it'll be susceptible to Taunt, which means it can't set up Mean Look & Perish Song successfully.

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Having said that, the best user of this strategy is Prankster Murkrow.

Murkrow @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 Sp. Def
Nature: Impish
-Substitute
-Mean Look
-Perish Song
-Roost/ Foul Play

Because Murkrow has Prankster, it can set up a Substitute and use Perish Song and Mean Look without taking hits (as long as you predict well).

However, this set will only once during a battle unless you can replenish Murkrow's health. Cutting its health and putting in a substitute is draining, and will deplete most of Murkrow's HP.

This set is also susceptible to Taunt as well.

Comments

Thanks. I like running gimmicky things, so I might try out the set you wrote.
Thanks for such a thorough response!

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A problem I see is that Murkrow has horrible stats, so another Pokémon could kill it before Mean Look and Perish Song are used.  But if it survives past that point with enough HP you could pull it off.

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I should've given an Eviolite Murkrow set; it does decently if it's holding Eviolite.