Which Electivire set to use? [VGC 2015]?

Question

Preppin' a new team to test at my local Pokémon League next season, centered around Electivire. Ironically, he's the one I have the most trouble deciding on a set with. I've narrowed the field to (in order of preference):

Choice Scarf for speed.
Choice Band for power.
Lum Berry for free Swagger boosts.

The item will also determine his ability. Choice Scarf will come with Vital Spirit, while any other move will come with Motor Drive.

Here is his build:

Electivire@ ???
Motor Drive / Vital Spirit | Adamant
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Low Kick
- Ice Punch
- Wild Charge
- Earthquake / Rock Slide / Protect (Lum Berry)

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The rest of the team is as follows.

@ Assault Vest | Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, filler
@ Safety Goggles | Overheat, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Protect
@ Sitrus Berry | Thunder Wave, Safeguard, Swagger, Foul Play
@ Venusaurite | Sludeg Bomb, Energy Ball, Synthesis, Protect
@ Focus Sash | Knock Off, Icicle Crash, Fake Out, Ice Shard

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Please offer feedback for my poor, confused Electivire!

Comments

imo Choice Scarf, you wanna be outspeeding Hydra and base 100s-110s whenever possible.

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I would normally go Choice Scarf without a second thought, but I do have the ability to abuse Motor Drive with Rotom and Klefki.

Answer 1

K nevermind my comment over there, here's a more analyzed reply :D.

I'm gonna say try out Life Orb / Expert Belt (first choice), Choice Band (second choice) or Lum Berry (least choice) Electivire, with Motor Drive. Here's why I think that might work:

• Klefki's got priority T-Wave which gives you a speed boost; although it takes a turn for it to come into effect
• Weavile's pretty fast and does what Electivire normally doesn't; take care of Hydra and Lando-T when not Intimidated
• You have speed control in Milotic's Icy Wind, so if things go wrong (i.e you don't manage Motor Drive) you can still manage one Icy Wind for Electivire
• More physical power if LO or Band is opted
• Lum Berry does about the same thing as Vital Spirit; but Lum takes care of burn as well
• The most common sleep inducing moves are Spore and Sleep Powder; both moves being ineffective against Rotom-H and Venusaur
• Choice Scarf gives a 50% increase to speed, which is a 1.5x boost, but takes away your choice in moves which holds back a versatile Pokemon like Electivire. Motor Drive gives you the same 1.5x boost, but allows you to choose moves. It takes a turn, but if you manage that turn you're golden.
• 95 base speed is still decent, it doesn't outspeed most sweepers but is still capable of outspeeding slower walls (faster 'mons as well with Icy Wind)
• Many base 100s and 110s also don't run max speed, so that can help you guess their stances if they outspeed you or not. If yes it's safe to assume offensive spread, if not then it's always a bulky one. This can ease up predictions
• The power to eat up T-Waves and T-bolts from 'mons and profit from it is just too nice to skip on

Things to keep in mind though,

This boost will be lost that minute you switch out. And you might find yourself switching out Electivire because Intimidate almost neutralizes any threat it can offer. Milotic can help, but you can only have one Pokemon out alongside Electivire (which would usually be Klefki or Rotom-H for the Motor Drive). Especially if Lum is opted.

If you end up opting the offensive choices you are also left open to Dark Void Smeargle (now I don't know how common that is on Battle Spot but I assume it's still around). Subsequently if you take Lum, then you cannot KO Lando-T with Ice Punch and several 'mons with Low Kick (Hydra, Kanga and Heatran being among them). This I cannot decide as I don't know how common things are on the Battle Spot sooooooo you might wanna trial around a bit.

The Klefki + Electivire lead is threatened by Lando-T and Garchomp (which I think is common...?), but I doubt your opponent will lead with it when you have a Milotic.

Welp this wall of tho, hopefully you found it helpful in some manner though :).

Comments

Ahhh snap I was too slow xD.

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Thanks a mil! I just have a few things to point out (forgive me, I like playing the devil's advocate).

• I'll probably go for Expert Belt. Klefki has Safeguard to stop Burns and Smeargle. I'll try Lum Berry too, just in case I can't successfully Safeguard + Swagger.

• Correct me if I'm wrong, but at +1 Electivire outspeeds Adamant Scarfed Landorus? That was why I doubted the Scarf at first.

• Electivire + Milotic is actually the core I based the team around; Milotic scares off Intimidate, checks Ground types and offers speed control. Electivire can switch into Electric attacks and Ice Punch Grass-types.

• DV Smeargle is evil O.O

• Garchomp isn't that common anymore, being utterly outclassed by Landorus as a Ground-type and Hydreigon as a Dragon-type.

Thanks again for the answer!

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Ah ok. Forgive me I don't have any Battle Spot experience yet xD. And yes +1 Electivire outspeeds all Lando variants, but it's still not a great idea leaving it in cuz some still run Yache Berry / extra bulky spreads.

Answer 2

Rotom should probably have Discharge instead so it doesn't have to direct T-bolt onto Electervire.

I wouldn't go for Assault Vest on Milotic, just because your moveset choices are really limited. I think it might be better to go for Cresselia instead for more bulk & she can learn Icy Wind too.

Ultimately, Lum Berry is probably a good idea because of Electervire being physical based, do it can cure burn/ confusion. If you don't want a 1 use item, then Expert Belt is viable too.

Ability: Motor Drive
Earthquake
Wild Charge
Rock Slide
Ice Punch

I wouldn't go for Low Kick because damage is too situational.

Comments

Thanks for the feedback!

Milotic has Assault Vest because it turns 252+ Thundurus' Thunderbolt into a 3HKO and lets her shrug off Mega Venusaur. I also won't be replacing her anytime soon due to her excellent synergy with Electivire. Speaking of which, Low Kick handles Kangaskhan, Heatran, Hydreigon, and Terrakion all in a 2HKO. I was thinking of Cross Chop as an alternative, sacrificing accuracy for power?