This was made about 4 years ago, so it's very outdated. I'm hoping to update it. UPDATING. PLEASE IGNORE ALL ERRORS FOR NOW What is a counter? Spoiler *A counter is a Pokemon that can safely switch into the opposing Pokemon and be able to defeat it in return. The above is a definition of a hard counter. Very few Pokemon can hard counter threats such as Choice Band Dragonite, since there aren't many Pokemon at all to switch into a Choice Banded STAB Outrage, and if they do, they still aren't safe from a Choice Banded Earthquake or Fire Punch. However, with good predictions and strategy, players can learn to safely switch into threats and be able to counter the opposing Pokemon. For example, say your counter or to be precise, check, to Choice Band Scizor is Magnezone. But Magnezone can't take a Superpower from Scizor. So you want to trap Scizor by forcing it to use a common move like Bullet Punch. In this case, even though Magnezone is not a safe switch-in to Choice Band Scizor, it can still reliably switch into one of Scizor's most commonly used moves (Bullet Punch) and defeat it in return. Thus, Magnezone can be regarded as a check to Choice Band Scizor, but not a hard counter. So for this guide, I will not only mention hard counters, but also checks and reliable counters as well. What is a reliable counter or check? Spoiler *A reliable counter or check is a Pokemon that can switch into the opposing Pokemon's most commonly used move and be able to defeat it in return. This Pokemon should be able to do one of the following: - Switch into the opposing Pokemon's most commonly used move and defeat it in return. - Can stall the opposing Pokemon indefinitely using its recovery options either forcing it out or healing enough that the stalling Pokemon can alternate between recovery and attacking. - Can cripple this Pokemon with a permanent status move without risking a OHKO. - Can set up, use hazards, weather, or otherwise inhibit an opponent's strategy without risking a 2HKO. -------------------------------- Key: *Pokemon is highlighted Red. *Ability of the Pokemon is in Violet. *Item that the Pokemon stems its power on is in and Green. *Commonly used moves are colored Orange *Moves/Items inside [brackets] are the moves that the counter Pokemon cannot resist well and should be taken into suspicion when in battle. *Pokemon + (move), meaning that that Pokemon must have the given move or ability to be a viable counter. * An asterisk (*) next to the countering Pokemon denotes that the Pokemon is weak to Stealth Rock, and may inhibit its ability to counter in game. Thus, having a Pokemon with Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce ability is suggested. Heatran -- Flash Fire -- Choice Scarf / Shuca Berry / Leftovers / Choice Specs / Passho Berry / Life Orb -- Fire Blast, Earth Power, Explosion, HP Electric, Stealth Rock, Will-O-Wisp, Dragon Pulse, Roar, Lava Plume, Protect, HP Grass, Substitute, Torment, Toxic Spoiler Starmie [HP Electric/Grass] Tyranitar (Earthquake/Superpower) - [Earth Power/WoW] Gyarados* (HP Electric/WoW) Flygon [HP Ice/Dragon Pulse/WoW] Dragonite* [HP Ice/Dragon Pulse/WoW] Blissey [Explosion] Suicune [HP Grass/Electric] Swampert [HP Grass/WoW] Kingdra [Dragon Pulse/WoW] Aerodactyl* [HP Ice/WoW] Vaporeon [HP Grass/Electric] Snorlax (Earthquake) - [WoW] Kingdra [Dragon Pulse] Togekiss* Starmie -- Natural Cure -- Leftovers / Life Orb / Choice Scarf -- Hydro Pump, Thunderbolt, Recover, Rapid Spin, Surf, Ice Beam, Trick Spoiler Tyranitar (Choice Scarf) - [Hydro Pump/Surf] Jirachi (BULK + Wish + Protect) - [Hydro Pump] Scizor (Choice Scarf) - [Hydro Pump/Surf] Blissey Celebi (Choice Scarf) - [Ice Beam] Shaymin [Ice Beam] Kingdra Roserade Snorlax Abomasnow Jirachi -- Serene Grace -- Leftovers / Choice Scarf / Expert Belt -- Calm Mind, Thunderbolt, Psychic, HP Ground, Wish, Grass Knot, Ice Punch, Trick, U-turn, Iron Head, Fire Punch, Substitute, Thunder, Icy Wind, Body Slam Spoiler Heatran [HP Ground] Scizor [Fire Punch] Flygon [Ice Punch] Rotom-W [Calm Mind] Blissey [Iron Head / Substitute + Calm Mind] Metagross Celebi [U-turn] Zapdos* [Ice Punch] Rotom-H [Calm Mind] Gliscor [Ice Punch/Icy Wind/Psychic] Swampert [Grass Knot] Shaymin [Calm Mind/U-turn] Magnezone [HP Ground] Bronzong [Fire Punch] Hippowdon [Grass Knot] Raikou [Calm Mind] UPDATE MARK Tyranitar Leftovers/Choice Band/Life Orb Spoiler Bronzong [Fire Punch/CB Crunch] Swampert Gliscor Skarmory [CB Stone Edge] Forretress [CB Stone Edge/Fire Punch] Machamp [CB Earthquake] Hippowdon [Ice Beam] Donphan Rhyperior Flygon Gyarados Spoiler Suicune + HP Elec Vaporeon + HP Elec Starmie + very bulky Cresselia + Charge Beam Porygon2 Scizor Life Orb/Leftovers/Choice Band Spoiler Heatran [Superpower/Brick Break] Gyarados Zapdos Skarmory Dusknoir [Pursuit] Tentacruel Magnezone [Superpower/Brick Break] Hippowdon Donphan Rotom-W Infernape Life Orb Spoiler Gyarados [Thunderpunch] Zapdos [Stone Edge] Suicune [Grass Knot] Vaporeon [Grass Knot] Starmie [Grass Knot] Togekiss Cresselia Tentacruel [Grass Knot] Kingdra Latias Breloom Dragonite Gengar Spoiler Choice Scarf/Life Orb Heatran [Focus Blast] Blissey [Explosion/Focus Punch] Scizor [HP Fire] Bronzong Swampert [Energy Ball] Togekiss [Thunderbolt] Jirachi Snorlax + Crunch/Pursuit [Focus Blast] Spiritomb Suicune Leftovers/Life Orb Spoiler Zapdos [CM] Celebi [Ice Beam] Snorlax + CB Shaymin/-S Starmie + Tbolt [CM] Azelf Celebi Leftovers Spoiler Heatran [Earth Power] Gengar [Psychic] Metagross [Earth Power] Scizor [HP Fire] Tyranitar [Grass Knot] Zapdos + Heat Wave [Calm Mind] Togekiss Heracross [Psychic] Yanmega Jirachi [Earth Power] Spiritomb Zapdos Leftovers/Choice Scarf Spoiler Blissey + Toxic Tyranitar Swampert [HP Grass] Cresselia + CM Snorlax Rhyperior Blissey Metagross Leftovers/Choice Band/Life Orb Spoiler Heatran [Earthquake] Scizor Bronzong + Earthquake Zapdos Swampert Suicune [Thunderpunch] Gliscor [Ice Punch] Forretress + Earthquake Skarmory Hippowdon Donphan Skarmory Lucario Life Orb Spoiler Gyarados Zapdos Gliscor [Ice Punch] Dusknoir [Crunch] Hippowdon Rotom-H Machamp Gliscor Shaymin Roserade Forretress Swampert Leftovers Spoiler Gyarados [Stone Edge] Celebi Shaymin/-S Suicune Vaporeon Milotic Starmie Cresselia + CM Kingdra Magnezone Bronzong Leftovers Spoiler Heatran [Earthquake] Gyarados Scizor Zapdos Celebi + Leech Seed Swampert Suicune Vaporeon Aerodactyl Hippowdon Dugtrio Tentacruel Raikou Jolteon Snorlax Abomasnow Empoleon Froslass Vaporeon Leftovers Spoiler Blissey + Toxic Zapdos [Toxic/Ice Beam] Celebi [Ice Beam] Shaymin/-S [Ice Beam] Starmie Cresselia + CM [Toxic] Snorlax Kingdra Mamoswine Weavile Choice Band/Life Orb Spoiler Heatran + Choice Scarf Gyarados Metagross Scizor Bronzong Swampert Suicune Vaporeon Forretress Skarmory Jirachi Milotic Links: - http://pokecheats.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-10985.html - http://pokecheats.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-11395.html - Gen 3 OU (will be revamping this next) - http://pokecheats.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-13256.html
reserving this post Most commonly used leads: 1. Azelf 2. Heatran 3. Machamp 4. Starmie 5. Aerodactyl 6. Jirachi 7. Gliscor 8. Infernape 9. Metagross 10. Roserade 11. Tyranitar 12. Swampert 13. Hippowdon 14. Skarmory 15. Forretress Stealth Rock Supporters: 1. Azelf 2. Heatran 3. Aerodactyl 4. Infernape 5. Metagross 6. Skarmory 7. Swampert 8. Gliscor 9. Forretress 10. Bronzong 11. Hippowdon 12. Mamoswine 13. Donphan 14. Celebi 15. Tyranitar 16. Jirachi 17. Blissey 18. Empoleon Rapid Spinners: 1. Starmie 2. Forretress 3. Tentacruel 4. Donphan 5. Hitmontop Spin Blockers (Ghosts) 1. Gengar 2. Rotom-W / Rotom-H / Rotom-F 3. Froslass 4. Dusknoir 5. Spiritomb