Fearow
Feb 22, 2012 22:12:02 GMT -8
Post by Zilch on Feb 22, 2012 22:12:02 GMT -8
General
HP: 333
Attack: 278
Defense: 228
Speed: 298
Special: 220
Critical: ~19.5%
Type: Normal/Flying
Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock
Neutrals: Normal, Fire, Water, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Psychic, Ghost
Resistances: Grass, Bug
Immunities: Ground
Tier: NU
Movepool: Agility, Bide, Double Team, Double-Edge, Drill Peck, Fly, Fury Attack, Growl, Hyper Beam, Leer, Mimic, Mirror Move, Peck, Quick Attack, Rage, Razor Wind, Rest, Sky Attack, Sonicboom, Substitute, Swift, Take Down, Toxic, Tri Attack, Whirlwind
Bold indicates a STAB move
Italics indicates a move that is not obtainable in a pure RBY environment
Overview
Catchable at Route 22 immediately after obtaining your first Poké Balls, Spearow was an amazing Pokemon to use to blitz through the early part of the game if you didn't pick Charmander, walloping Bugs and Oddishes like nobody's business.
Unfortunately, Fearow, his evolution, received quite the short end of the stick. While he has decent enough stats and moves, he is inferior in every way to Dodrio*. Mirror Move over Body Slam? No, thanks! Fearow should not be used in BL and OU where Dodrio can do everything he can and more. However, in UU and NU, Fearow can score some points for you as a physical sweeper. Just watch out for Rocks and Electrics!
*Fearow does have 10 more HP than Dodrio, and they have equal Speed. That's it.
Usage (UU/NU only)
Agility
Double-Edge
Drill Peck
Hyper Beam
This is your standard physical sweeper Fearow set, and the one I find works the best. It's very similar to Dodrio's set, but with Double-Edge over Body Slam. I shouldn't need to explain the attacks too much: Double-Edge hits hard, Drill Peck to hit Grass, Bug, and Fighting types and Gastly (or if you're worried about D-E recoil or Counter), and Hyper Beam is a finishing move. In UU, this set has slightly more attacking power than Raticate, though Raticate's better as a whole due to Super Fang, Bubblebeam/Blizzard and the fact that he doesn't have that annoying Ice weakness against the Amnesia users. Still, if you want to add an extra physical punch to your game, or if you don't like Raticate for some reason, Fearow can fit in nicely. Just keep him for late game stuff, and to pressure Tangela, Venomoth and Poliwrath.
In the NU metagame, Fearow can plow through many of the NFEs who inhabit the tier, with the notable exception of Rhyhorn (or Geodude). A single Hyper Beam does 82-97% to Staryu and is a guaranteed OHKO against Abra, not to mention that Fearow is faster than both of them. Unless you can set up Lickitung/Scyther or get mad criticals with Aerodactyl, physical sweepers in NU don't get any better than Fearow. You just need to take out or sufficiently weaken Fearow's counters with the rest of your team.
I find Agility to be the most useful supporting move in Fearow's arsenal simply because it provides him to get a means around paralysis, which gets annoying quickly as one of Fearow's redeeming qualities in UU and NU is his Speed.
As for other options, Mirror Move could be a useful gimmick by switching in on an Earthquake and sending it back, though Mirror Move fails automatically if the opponent switches. It's a bit too risky and situational for my tastes. Mimic can also net you something nice, but like Mirror Move, it's risky, especially considering that Fearow's a bit on the frail side and you'd want him to keep attacking. You can't really afford to Mimic something useless and take damage on the same turn. Still, it's nice to Mimic Sleep Powder or Explosion. Use it if it suits you.
Counters (UU/NU only)
In UU, Fearow's main counter is Graveler, for obvious reasons. Aside from him, Kabutops is also there to resist Fearow's moves, and Electabuzz is faster and packs STAB Thunderbolt. Dewgong also takes Fearow's attacks rather well and can dish out heavy Ice Beam damage in return. Porygon, while uncommon in UU, can use Thunder Wave, hit Fearow with Blizzard while he uses Agility, then spam Recover until Fearow FPs.
In NU, every Rock type around will beat Fearow in a one-on-one. Rhyhorn and Onix hit hard with Rock Slide (though, amusingly enough, the best Onix can do without criticals is a 3HKO), Omastar counters with Blizzard, and Aerodactyl does whatever he feels like. Electrode also enjoys Electabuzz's advantages over the bird, and bulky Magneton is a good choice, as well. Wigglytuff can also cause Fearow some problems, especially if she packs Counter and catches him off guard.
HP: 333
Attack: 278
Defense: 228
Speed: 298
Special: 220
Critical: ~19.5%
Type: Normal/Flying
Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock
Neutrals: Normal, Fire, Water, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Psychic, Ghost
Resistances: Grass, Bug
Immunities: Ground
Tier: NU
Movepool: Agility, Bide, Double Team, Double-Edge, Drill Peck, Fly, Fury Attack, Growl, Hyper Beam, Leer, Mimic, Mirror Move, Peck, Quick Attack, Rage, Razor Wind, Rest, Sky Attack, Sonicboom, Substitute, Swift, Take Down, Toxic, Tri Attack, Whirlwind
Bold indicates a STAB move
Italics indicates a move that is not obtainable in a pure RBY environment
Overview
Catchable at Route 22 immediately after obtaining your first Poké Balls, Spearow was an amazing Pokemon to use to blitz through the early part of the game if you didn't pick Charmander, walloping Bugs and Oddishes like nobody's business.
Unfortunately, Fearow, his evolution, received quite the short end of the stick. While he has decent enough stats and moves, he is inferior in every way to Dodrio*. Mirror Move over Body Slam? No, thanks! Fearow should not be used in BL and OU where Dodrio can do everything he can and more. However, in UU and NU, Fearow can score some points for you as a physical sweeper. Just watch out for Rocks and Electrics!
*Fearow does have 10 more HP than Dodrio, and they have equal Speed. That's it.
Usage (UU/NU only)
Agility
Double-Edge
Drill Peck
Hyper Beam
This is your standard physical sweeper Fearow set, and the one I find works the best. It's very similar to Dodrio's set, but with Double-Edge over Body Slam. I shouldn't need to explain the attacks too much: Double-Edge hits hard, Drill Peck to hit Grass, Bug, and Fighting types and Gastly (or if you're worried about D-E recoil or Counter), and Hyper Beam is a finishing move. In UU, this set has slightly more attacking power than Raticate, though Raticate's better as a whole due to Super Fang, Bubblebeam/Blizzard and the fact that he doesn't have that annoying Ice weakness against the Amnesia users. Still, if you want to add an extra physical punch to your game, or if you don't like Raticate for some reason, Fearow can fit in nicely. Just keep him for late game stuff, and to pressure Tangela, Venomoth and Poliwrath.
In the NU metagame, Fearow can plow through many of the NFEs who inhabit the tier, with the notable exception of Rhyhorn (or Geodude). A single Hyper Beam does 82-97% to Staryu and is a guaranteed OHKO against Abra, not to mention that Fearow is faster than both of them. Unless you can set up Lickitung/Scyther or get mad criticals with Aerodactyl, physical sweepers in NU don't get any better than Fearow. You just need to take out or sufficiently weaken Fearow's counters with the rest of your team.
I find Agility to be the most useful supporting move in Fearow's arsenal simply because it provides him to get a means around paralysis, which gets annoying quickly as one of Fearow's redeeming qualities in UU and NU is his Speed.
As for other options, Mirror Move could be a useful gimmick by switching in on an Earthquake and sending it back, though Mirror Move fails automatically if the opponent switches. It's a bit too risky and situational for my tastes. Mimic can also net you something nice, but like Mirror Move, it's risky, especially considering that Fearow's a bit on the frail side and you'd want him to keep attacking. You can't really afford to Mimic something useless and take damage on the same turn. Still, it's nice to Mimic Sleep Powder or Explosion. Use it if it suits you.
Counters (UU/NU only)
In UU, Fearow's main counter is Graveler, for obvious reasons. Aside from him, Kabutops is also there to resist Fearow's moves, and Electabuzz is faster and packs STAB Thunderbolt. Dewgong also takes Fearow's attacks rather well and can dish out heavy Ice Beam damage in return. Porygon, while uncommon in UU, can use Thunder Wave, hit Fearow with Blizzard while he uses Agility, then spam Recover until Fearow FPs.
In NU, every Rock type around will beat Fearow in a one-on-one. Rhyhorn and Onix hit hard with Rock Slide (though, amusingly enough, the best Onix can do without criticals is a 3HKO), Omastar counters with Blizzard, and Aerodactyl does whatever he feels like. Electrode also enjoys Electabuzz's advantages over the bird, and bulky Magneton is a good choice, as well. Wigglytuff can also cause Fearow some problems, especially if she packs Counter and catches him off guard.