Overview With good speed and great Attack, Anoirth is a Pokémon to watch out for. No one trick pony, Anorith can run multiple sets well: it can set up Stealth Rock, Rapid Spin away other entry hazards, wall break using Swords Dance, sweep with Rock Polish and revenge kill with a Choice Scarf. STAB X-Scissor gives it a niche over other physical attackers: it allows it to blow straight through Slowpoke, a Pokémon that stops many physical attackers cold. However, Anorith is held back by a few flaws. While its typing is good offensively, defensively it's weak to Stealth Rock while only having 2 resistances to Normal and Poison moves, neither of which are particularly common. It also has trouble with bulky Fighting types, and unfortunately Mienfoo and Meditite are extremely common. Nonetheless, with the right support Anorith will earn its place on your team. Support Anorith @ Eviolite Trait: Battle Armour Jolly Nature (+Spd -SAtk) EV: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spd Stealth Rock Rock Blast Knock Off / X-Scissor Rapid Spin This set is designed to set up Stealth Rock and spin other hazards away; Anorith's good speed means it can set up the hazards easily enough, while its great attack prevents it being set up fodder. Rock Blast is the STAB move, and is chosen for its ability to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes. Knock Off is extremely useful in Little Cup, and also deters Spinblockers from switching in. However, X-Scissor can be used as a reliable STAB - it also 2HKOs Slowpoke. The EVs maximise speed and attack, with the leftovers in defence. Eviolite is used to improve Anorith's bulk, enabling it to set up hazards more easily. This set fits well on offensive teams, who pack sweepers and wall breakers who appreciate the extra KOs Stealth Rock will bring them. Swords Dance Anorith @ Life Orb Trait: Battle Armor Adamant Nature (+Atk -SAtk)/ Jolly Nature (+Spd -SAtk) EV: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spd IV: 0 HP Swords Dance X-Scissor Rock Slide/ Rock Blast Knock Off/ Brick Break / Aerial Ace Anorith already has great Attack; however, Swords Dance takes its attack up to an impressive 40 with an Adamant nature. X-Scissor is your most reliable STAB, and anything that doesn't resist it is at worst 2HKOd at +2. As for the secondary STAB, it comes down to whether you prefer the consistent power and flinch chance of Rock Slide or breaking Substitutes and Focus Sashes, while hitting for a potential 125 power. Knock Off is generally the best move in the last slot so you can smash through Bronzor and Honedge, who'd otherwise wall you. However, Brick Break OHKOs Magnemite and defensive Porygon at +2, while Rock Blast needs to hit 4 times to guarantee the KO without hazards. Aerial Ace OHKOs Mienfoo, Croagunk and Timburr at +2, all Pokémon who could otherwise beat this set - however, you will then be walled by Steel types. The EVs maximise power and take its speed up to 17, enabling it to outrun max speed Adamant Mienfoo and Modest Chinchou. However, a Jolly nature can be used if you need to outrun Scarfless variations of those Pokémon. Since this set is all about the power, Life Orb is the best item. 0 HP IVs take its HP below 20, thus reducing Life Orb recoil to 1 HP per turn. The best partners for this set are sweepers who appreciate having walls weakened or removed. Dragon Dance Corphish will be far more dangerous once Ferroseed is gone. Rock Polish Anorith @ Life Orb Trait: Battle Armor Adamant Nature (+Atk -SAtk) EV: 236 Atk / 116 Def / 156 Spd IV: 0 HP Rock Polish X-Scissor Rock Slide/ Rock Blast Knock Off/ Brick Break While the Swords Dance set is supposed to clear the way for another sweeper, Rock Polish Anorith is meant to sweep itself. After using Rock Polish, Anorith's speed sits at 32, enabling it to outrun Choice Scarf Pokémon with 20 speed. X-Scissor is your main STAB; again Rock Slide is more reliable while Rock Blast breaks Substitutes and can have higher power. Knock Off is generally the best option to OHKO Misdreavus after Stealth Rock. Brick Break can be used to 2HKO Ferroseed. The EVs give Anorith 16 speed, enabling it to outrun Choice Scarf 20 speed Pokémon at +2. Attack is maximised for optimum power, with the rest in defence to help cushion Anorith from physical priority moves. Life Orb is chosen as the item, since this set needs the extra power. 0 HP IVs reduce recoil to 1HP per turn. Choice Scarf Anorith @ Choice Scarf Trait: Battle Armor Jolly Nature (+Spd -SAtk) EV: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spd X-Scissor Rock Slide/ Rock Blast Knock Off Brick Break/ Double-Edge Anorith has the speed and power to successfully pull off a Choice Scarf set. It has the advantage of outrunning +2 Timid Clamperl. X-Scissor is again your reliable STAB. As for secondary STAB, again it comes down to Rock Slide's reliability vs Rock Blast's huge potential power. Knock Off hurts Bronzor and Misdreavus, and can also remove Eviolites making it easier for your teammates to sweep later. Brick Break 2HKOs Magnemite and Ferroseed while Double-Edge 2HKOs defensive Mienfoo and Croagunk. The EVs simply maximise speed and power. Other Options A Choice Band set is possible, but the Swords Dance set is a superior wall breaker since it can switch moves. Anorith can run both Swords Dance and Rock Polish in one set, but Anorith needs all the coverage it can get on offensive sets, otherwise it's too easily walled. If hazards aren't a problem for your team, you could forgo Rapid Spin on the Support set for another attack. Go with either Knock Off or X-Scissor if you do that. An all out attacker set with Life Orb can be run, but again the Swords Dance set is generally a better wall breaker since it's much more powerful after a boost. And lastly, if you're running Anorith on a Rain Dance team, Swift Swim can be used with Aqua Jet for a pseudo STAB priority move. Otherwise though, stick with the listed sets. Checks and Counters Ferroseed checks all but the Swords Dance set well, able to OHKO most of the time after Stealth Rock with Iron Head while only fearing a +2 Brick Break or X-Scissor. Defensive Mienfoo stops the Choice Scarf and Rock Polish sets in their tracks, but will be 2HKOd by a +2 X-Scissor and has to be careful switching in on the Support set for fear of Knock Off. Croagunk only fears a boosted Aerial Ace and can whittle Anorith's health down with Vacuum Wave, but it still needs to be careful switching in in case of Knock Off. Misdreavus outruns and can cripple with Will-O-Wisp, but a Life Orb boosted Knock Off will OHKO after Stealth Rock so it has to be careful switching in. Eviolite Meditite can switch in on an unboosted Anorith with no fear of a OHKO and 2HKO Anorith back with Fake Out and Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock. Timburr can 2HKO an unboosted Anorith with Drain Punch, but will be 2HKOd by a +2 Brick Break or Rock Blast that hits 3 times. Bulky Magnemite can beat most sets that lack Brick Break one on one, but can be OHKOd by a +2 Knock Off. Corphish can easily revenge kill with an Adaptability boosted Aqua Jet, and if it's using an Eviolite it can switch in on unboosted Anorith without being OHKOd as well
Without STAB Aqua Jet is extremely weak. It does no meaningful damage to anything it hits neutrally, and Anorith simply can't fit it in. I'll mention it in OO though.
-You might wanna slash X-Scissor along with Knock Off in the Support set. -Mention how Swift Swim is another competitive ability in OO and that it's not that good.
AAce is certainly worth a mention on the SD set, just because of these: (Baring in mind you outspeed all 3) +2 236 Atk Life Orb Anorith Aerial Ace vs. 252 HP / 160 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 23-29 (95.8 - 120.8%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO (And that's bulkier than any Mienfoo you're ever gonna see) +2 236 Atk Life Orb Anorith Aerial Ace vs. 252 HP / 76 Def Eviolite Timburr: 23-29 (85.1 - 107.4%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO (Bulkier than average) +2 236 Atk Life Orb Anorith Aerial Ace vs. 212 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Croagunk: 29-34 (120.8 - 141.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO Mienfoo, Croagunk and Timburr being three of Anorith's most common switch-ins, if you're using it as a hole-punch, this is certainly a hole worth punching.
Bump. OK, I can't think of anything else to add, so would the QC people mind having a look please? Thanks in advance.
Before I forget you could mention aqua jet in tandem with swift swim for pseudo STAB in OO Otherwise this looks done (Approve)
OK, now written in full, awaiting the Grammar Patrol. Oh, and how do I change the opening tag with the new format? I clicked on More Options, but that didn't give me a way to edit the title.