Accuracy-lowering moves

[LucasBM]

Hey, everybody!

I have been wondering about the usefulness of accuracy-lowering moves in RBY.

As you may know, we have 4 accuracy-lowering moves in RBY: Smokescreen, Sand-Attaack, Flash and Kinesis. They all work the same, except for their own accuracy: 100%, 100%, 70% and 80%, respectivelly.

The Pokémon that learn these moves are, as following:

SPOILER: Click to show

Smokescreen:
-> Magmar
-> Seadra
-> Weezing

Sand-Attack:
-> Jolteon
-> Dugtrio
-> Farfetch'd
-> Flareon
-> Pidgeot
-> Sandslash
-> Vaporeon

Flash:
-> Mewtwo
-> Mew
-> Alakazam
-> Chansey
-> Slowbro
-> Starmie
-> Zapdos
-> Jolteon
-> Hypno
-> Clefable
-> Raichu
-> Butterfree
-> Electabuzz
-> Electrode
-> Magneton
-> Mr. Mime
-> Porygon
-> Wigglytuff

Kinesis:
-> Alakazam

The lowering-accuracy effect works according to the pattern below:

Stage Percentage
0 100%
-1 75%
-2 60%
-3 50%
-4 43%
-5 38%
-6 33%

So guys, what do you think? I suppose Flash's accuracy is too low to make the move useful. I have seen Zam's kinesis used to trouble Exeggutor's Sleep Powder, but I don't think that Kinesis alone helps gaining momentum.

On Smoekescreen I can barely have an opinion cause I don't really use the pokémon that learn it.

On Sand-Attack, I suppose it has some value on Dugtrio due to his lack of moves and frailty, but I can't picture an objective scenario for it to work. I don't think it would be useful on Jolteon, as his moveset is so versatile and covers most stuff that Joltie will be facing anyway.

I have no opinion on the lesser pokémon.

Any thoughts?

Ah, and if anyone wants to do some math to prove a point, I am willing to help.

[jorgen]

Alakazam is probably the only one with a worthwhile accuracy-reduction move, as it messes up Eggs and Slowbros and Snorlaxen that otherwise love to switch into Zam and chip away at Lapras or Snorlax switch-ins. Even then, Kinesis only has 85% accuracy and the first use only reduces accuracy from 3/3 to 3/4 of its original value, so it's not the most reliable way for Alakazam to screw with its switch-ins.

I suppose Dugtrio and Jolteon could find decent use for Sand-Attack, as they're both fast enough and have precious little else to do with their movepools (Jolteon's movepool is actually pretty bad, Pin Missile and Double-Kick are pretty atrocious coverage moves and it's not the best user of Thunder Wave either, whereas Dugtrio's is pretty unquestionably bad). I'd say, then, that High Speed is probably the defining factor behind a good Acc-reducer, as it allows you to lower their accuracy before they can get a hit off on you (bonus points for using it to stop Sleep moves or an Explosion from hitting you).

[Isa]

I think Dugtrio is the only Pokémon with the move slot to spare to actually run Sand-Attack (or any other move) when we're talking OU-viable Pokémon. I'd also use it on Seadra in NU, but that's something else. Dugtrio can run something like EQ/RSlide/BSlam/Sand Attack with some degree of success.

With regards to Jolteon: Even though Pin Missile is shaky, it's still absurdly good versus Exeggutor and if you drop it you have no good damaging moves. Double Kick is equally important, with the ability to deal 60% to Chansey should you get a CH, you're not sending her in with an entirely confident feeling in your gut. Even though it may seem poor, Double Kick also deals 30% to Golem and Rhydon if you crit. While it is obviously not enough for you to feel good enough to stay in, it means that they die to BSlam+Blizzard or EQ+EQ from Tauros now. Thunder Wave is important in the late game (which is when Jolteon is most likely to be seen as the Rocks are hopefully gone by then), as it gives you the ability to paralyze Tauros.

[jorgen]

No Slash on your Duggy set? I mean Duggy has a high crit rate without it, but still, reliable damage on Egg is a pretty good thing when you're playing hit-and-run with Dug (unless the point of Sand-Attack is to stay in and play for crits).

[magic9mushroom]

Kinesis Zam can be useful because it allows you to ease switch-outs. Bringing Snorlax into Chansey directly is going to get it Thunder Waved, but doing it after hitting Chansey with Kinesis a few times might not. Likewise, it stops Eggy or Lax from just booming on Zam, and it sabotages Slowbro's setup, making it the only Zam that isn't hard-countered by Slowbro (SToss Zam can do okay, but if it's paralysed it'll eventually FP and allow Bro to set up).

Smokescreen and Sand-Attack are better moves, but nothing that learns them is anywhere near as stally as Zam, so those mons can't make as good use of them. Flash is probably just a bit too inaccurate.

[Dre]

Well stosszam forces bro to rest so you can set up a switch, but yeah in a straight 1v1 it doesnt have good odds.