General Corphish is a seriously underrated threat. Its ability Adaptability makes it one of the most powerful physically inclined Water types in Little Cup, and in addition to its great attack it has good bulk, and thanks to its pure Water typing isn't weak to any priority move. Gen 6 made an already good Pokémon even better: Crabhammer now has 100 power, giving Corphish an attack with an astonishing 200 base power. That's not all: Corphish also received STAB priority in Aqua Jet, which again thanks to Adaptability now hits as hard as an unSTABed Sucker Punch. While its base speed may be poor, it can increase it with Dragon Dance and with enough investment is still able to hit 14 Speed, meaning it outruns the unboosted metagame at +1. As great as all that sounds, Corphish still has a few problems. Its poor speed means most Choice Scarf users will still outrun it even at +1, and while its typing brings it only 2 weaknesses, it doesn't have many useful resistances either. It also struggles with Chinchou, and due to its 4 moveslot syndrome always misses out on beating something. Don't let that put you off using Corphish though - it is a very dangerous Pokémon, and with a bit of support it can run through teams with ease. Dragon Dance Corphish @ Eviolite / Life Orb Trait: Adaptability Jolly Nature (+Spd -SAtk) EV: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spd Dragon Dance Crabhammer Aqua Jet Superpower / Knock Off Dragon Dance is a great move for any physical sweeper, and Corphish is no exception. It fixes its lacklustre Speed and improves its already great Attack. Crabhammer is the main STAB, hitting for a nuclear 200 power. Anything that doesn't resist it is at worst 2HKOd at +1. Aqua Jet helps get the jump on opposing Choice Scarf users and bypasses opposing Sucker Punches. Choose the last move depending on what you'd rather hit harder. Superpower OHKOs Porygon and Ferroseed (the latter needs Corphish to be using a Life Orb to guarantee the OHKO), while Knock Off OHKOs Frillish after Stealth Rock and 2HKOs Slowpoke. The EVs take Corphish's Speed up to 14, meaning it outruns the unboosted metagame after using a Dragon Dance. The rest goes into Defence to help Corphish take priority moves a bit better. As for item, it comes down to whether you prefer Eviolite's bulk or Life Orb's power. If you use a Life Orb, remember to change Corphish's HP IV to 0 to reduce recoil to 1 HP per turn. Sticky Web and paralysis support is always helpful, while Wynaut can trap and kill faster Choice Scarf users like Bunnelby. Chinchou is a major problem for this set, able to survive any +1 attack and OHKO back with Thunderbolt. Ferroseed can switch into anything it does and either set up hazards, spam Thunder Wave or just KO it with Seed Bomb. Swords Dance Corphish @ Life Orb Trait: Adaptability Adamant Nature (+Atk -SAtk) EV: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 76 SDef / 156 Spd IV: 0 HP Swords Dance Aqua Jet Knock Off Superpower / Crabhammer While the Dragon Dance set is meant to sweep, the Swords Dance set is meant to smash holes into the opponent's team for something else to clear up later. Swords Dance takes Corphish's attack up to an excellent 36. Aqua Jet makes up for Corphish's poor speed, and at +2 OHKOs Choice Scarf Magnemite and Bunnelby. Knock Off OHKOs Frillish, Slowpoke and Honedge at +2. Superpower OHKOs Ferroseed at +2, while Crabhammer can be used if you just need a strong STAB. At +2 it still 2HKOs Ferroseed, to give you an idea of this set's power. The EVs let Corphish outrun 0 Speed Magnemite, with Attack maximised for optimum power and the rest is invested in the Defences to boost them another point. Since this set is all about the power, a Life Orb is the best item. Good teammates for this set are sweepers who would like certain hard to pass walls gone. Axew can sweep much more easily with Honedge down. Other Options You could drop a boosting move in place of another attack, but such a set doesn't really accomplish much the listed sets don't. Return could be used to 2HKO Croagunk at +1, but has little utility otherwise. X-Scissor and Rock Slide OHKO Shroomish and Vullaby respectively, but again neither are particularly useful beyond that and a neutral Crabhammer is more powerful than a X2 X-Scissor. A Choice Band set with Switcheroo could be used if you want Corphish to hit hard right off the bat. Waterfall could be used in place of Crabhammer, but that extra 40 power is too good to pass up. Lastly, Hone Claws can improve Attack and patch up Crabhammer's accuracy, but generally it's outclassed by Dragon Dance and Swords Dance. If you dislike Life Orb recoil, a Splash Plate can be used on either set to give Corphish's STABs similar power to Life Orb but with no recoil. Checks and Counters Croagunk is immune to Crabhammer while resisting Superpower and Knock Off, and it can whittle Corphish's health down with Drain Punch. Foongus OHKOs Evioliteless Corphish with Giga Drain, and can switch in on any set that hasn't boosted yet with no fear of a 2HKO. It will be 2HKOd by a +2 Crabhammer though, and still won't like taking a Knock Off. Slowpoke completely walls any Corphish that lacks Knock Off, and can 2HKO Evioliteless variants with Psychic. Ferroseed can do much the same to Corphish that lack Superpower, although it won't like losing its Eviolite one bit. Eviolite offensive Chinchou outruns and OHKOs with its Electric STABs, and isn't OHKOd by an unboosted Corphish.
Evilite best item. I would say that the "All Out Attacker" set doesn't need to be there, it's outclassed in most every manner by the SD set. I would say the SD set needs Crabhammer/Superpower as the last move and AJet, SD and Knock Off as must-haves. DD is OK as is though, because Crabhammer is much more useful for the DD set. Foongus still doesn't really want to take Knock Off. +2 196+ Atk Adaptability Corphish Aqua Jet vs. 36 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Misdreavus: 12-16 (52.1 - 69.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO. - This is sad +2 196+ Atk Life Orb Adaptability Corphish Aqua Jet vs. 36 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Misdreavus: 16-21 (69.5 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO - This is also sad, but I guess there's a CHANCE with SR! X-Scissor and Switcheroo for OO.
If you forgo Crabhammer, you have to use much weaker attacks which will greatly hinder Swords Dance Corphish in its primary role: Wallbreaking. And a neutral Crabhammer out damages a X2 Knock Off. I will mention X-Scissor in OO, but apart from Shroomish it's pretty much pointless. I'll mention Switcheroo with the Choice Band set. I'll relegate the All Out Attacker set to OO.
Crabhammer is somewhat pointless on many occasions with Corphish's low speed. Aqua Jet will be doing most of the work, I think Knock Off is more important to have just to hit things like Slowpoke. It's not terribly common that someone is going to be switching anything slow enough to crab hammer, but bulky enough to survive Aqua Jet into Corphish anyway, since most are OHKO'd by Knock Off or Superpower. Especially if you run LO. If you run Eviolite then Crabhammer is more useful.
Tell you what, I'll compromise. I'll slash Superpower, Knock Off and Crabhammer in the final 2 slots, is that OK?
OK Weavile, on your suggestions I've gone with Swords Dance, Aqua Jet, Knock Off, Crabhammer/Superpower for the Swords Dance set. Thanks for your help, I appreciate the feedback.
+2 196+ Atk Life Orb Corphish X-Scissor vs. 124 HP / 156+ Def Eviolite Foongus: 13-16 (52 - 64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO X-scissor doesn't OHKO foongus Rock slide and hone claws should get a mention in OO for hitting vullaby and making crabhammer more accurate. Yeah they both happen so suck otherwise but its OO for a reason.
Sorry for double post, but I wanted to bring this to the surface. Off the top of my head I can't think of any more changes/additions, so would the QC people mind having a look please? Thanks in advance.