Hone Claws or Swords Dance for Hawlucha in Gen 7 OU?

Question

Hone Claws or Swords Dance for Hawlucha?
I know this question has already been asked, but this is a different Hawlucha Set, so here is the set:

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 57 HP / 252 Atk / 75 SpD / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Swords Dance/Hone Claws?
- Acrobatics
- Stone Edge

I'm hesitating whether to put Swords Dance or Hone Claws Hawlucha, Swords Dance is for Power and Hone Claws is for unreliable moves such as HJK and Stone Edge, so which is better? I'll also show the rest of the team:

Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 36 Def / 224 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 22 Spe
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock

Greninja-Ash (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Taunt

Ferrothorn @ Figy Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 129 Def / 129 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed

Any good answer will be helpful, thanks in advance :D

Comments

What battle format is this team for?
These EVs are inefficient -- take one HP EV off Hawlucha and put it in SpD. Don't bother with the last two EVs (e.g. 129 / 129 instead of 128 / 128), they don't do anything and they make your sets less readable.

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I am legit questioning why you have Hawlucha on a rain team in the first place and just what the hell is that Greninja moveset

Anyway, use swords dance. Hawlucha doesn't have that high of an attack stat. You want that added power more than anything. If you use hone claws, you will find yourself just falling short of kills that you should have had. Just don't use hone claws. It sucks

Also, go for hydro pump or surf on Greninja. Never ever use scald on it. On Koko, use thunder of thunderbolt. You're using it in rain. Use the rain and replace taunt and roost with dazzling gleam and hp ice

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Thank you for the answer, I will now play with swords dance. This team is for Gen 7 ou (sm ou)
About Greninjas moveset, Ice beam is for grass types, then I will play hydro now instead of scald, and hawlucha is a good counter for grass cores which can be annoying for the rain core.

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You could just use Tornadus Therian instead and abuse the rain further. Hawlucha's role as a sweeper is greatly outclassed because Greninja is literally the best pokemon in gen seven ou. Although I do understand ice beam. Scald was the questionable one because that is no Keldeo and even if it was, burns are no longer that threatening

Answer 1

Definitely Swords Dance

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Lucha needs every bit of power that it can get, seeing that it's low base 92 Attack hinders it somewhat. Keeping that in mind, going for Hone Claws when you can do Swords Dance would be pretty meh, as you miss on a lot.
The comes the fact that SD turns some 2HKO's into OHKO's, which is obviously required, especially when you get to see Lucha's not-so-good bulk.

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A few calcs

+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Magearna: 327-385 (108.6 - 127.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

As compared to,

+1 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Magearna: 246-289 (81.7 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

And then boom Magearna KO's you in return.

+2 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Swampert-Mega: 339-399 (99.4 - 117%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

Than,

+1 252+ Atk Hawlucha High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Swampert-Mega: 255-300 (74.7 - 87.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

And then the Swampert, which is usually seen on rain teams, OHKO's a weakened Lucha with Waterfall in return.

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So, I'd recommend that you do Swords Dance on it.

New set (changed EV's a bit):

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 36 SpD / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- Swords Dance
- High Jump Kick
- Roost / Stone Edge

Pretty self-explanatory. The last move is of choice, though, if you want to setup on things like Lando-T and Celesteela, you can do Roost, otherwise Stone Edge can also be done, but other than hitting Zapdos, it doesn't really do anything.

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Some last words,
As First Sinner pointed out, Lucha isn't that good on Rain Teams. It fits better on HO or Bulky Offense builds, where it can get some offensive and defensive supports, so that it's checks and counters are neutralised before it would start it's sweep.

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That's all, hope it helped!

Comments

Thank you

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Anytime

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thanks-