Halloween season is at all times a busy time in Pokémon GO, and this 12 months is not any completely different. The first a part of the Halloween Occasion is already right here, and we now have our token all-new Pokémon that goes with it! Let's try our Backside Line Up Entrance after which get into the nitty gritty particulars.
B.L.U.F.
- Houndstone (and pre-evolution Greavard) is the brand new chase Pokémon, debuting in Timed Analysis and three-star raids. And sure, each include some use in PvP, which we'll discover intimately under!
- Briefly, nonetheless, Houndstone comes with a low-ish win share in Nice League, however WHAT it beats carries much more weight than mere numbers. Many prime meta choices fall earlier than it, and I do suggest making an attempt to get one prepped for GL use.
- Extremely League Houndstone is okay, with a more healthy win share that features some prime choices there as properly. (Even Altered Giratina, which is not any small feat!) Should you discover a near-hundo, see for those who can grind sufficient XLs to make this a future mission.
- There are different good spawns to hunt for too, like Phantump, Zubat, Drifloon and others. A few of these are reasonably uncommon outdoors of occasions like this, so don't miss out!
Now let's get into an in depth take a look at our latest Ghost debuting throughout this occasion.
HOUNDSTONE Stats and Strikes
Houndstone
Ghost
Nice League Stats
| Assault | Protection | HP |
|---|---|---|
| 121 (118 Excessive Stat Product) |
131 (132 Excessive Stat Product) |
117 (121 Excessive Stat Product) |
(Highest Stat Product IVs: 1-14-15, 1500 CP, Stage 22.5)
Extremely League Stats
| Assault | Protection | HP |
|---|---|---|
| 155 (153 Excessive Stat Product) |
170 (171 Excessive Stat Product) |
152 (156 Excessive Stat Product) |
(Highest Stat Product IVs: 0-14-15, 2500 CP, Stage 46)
Stats-wise, Houndstone is among the many greatest Ghosts have to supply. It's even a bit bulkier than Sableye, and actually trails solely Drifblim, Dusclops, Runerigus/Cofagrigus, Jellicent, and Alolan Marowak (and Altered Giratina, in Extremely League) amongst prime meta choices. Not improbable bulk or something, however definitely above common. Outdoors of Ghosts, shut comps embrace Victini, Florges, Mew, Zweilous, Crustle, and Galarian Weezing.
Mono-type Ghosts are comparatively uncommon in PvP… good ones, a minimum of. In order a reminder, they're weak solely to Darkish and different Ghost harm, and resist fairly a bit: Poison, Combating, and Bug, and a reasonably well-known 2x resistance to Regular harm. (See: Physique Slam, most of all.)
In the long run, I feel Houndstone will “really feel” cumbersome, particularly for a Ghost.
Anyway, sufficient rambling on that. Let's get to its movekit.
FAST MOVES
- Lick – Ghost sort, 3.0 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 0.5 CoolDown
- Chunk – Darkish sort, 4.0 DPT, 2.0 EPT, 0.5 CD
There ARE metas the place Chunk applies some good strain, so I received't say you'll by no means need it. However Lick will get STAB (making it higher right here than it's on the various Regular varieties that run it) and is a pleasant Water Gun/Bug Chunk/Deal with clone. Nothing significantly particular (particularly in comparison with, say, Shadow Claw), however completely nice as a quick transfer. And it's in all probability one of the best Ghost-type quick transfer it may get in GO based mostly on what it may well and can't study in MSG (it by no means learns Shadow Claw, as an illustration). It CAN study issues like Mud Shot and significantly thematic Snarl in MSG, so perhaps sooner or later, however for now we'll take what we've bought.
CHARGE MOVES
- Psychic Fangs – Psychic sort, 40 harm, 35 power, Decreases Opponent Protection -1 Stage
- Dig – Floor sort, 80 harm, 50 power
- Shadow Ball – Ghost sort, 100 harm, 55 power
In some methods, it is a near-perfect moveset. Psychic Fangs is great for baiting and protect strain (particularly for the reason that opponent is aware of that letting the opposite two closing-power cost strikes might be lethal), and ratching up the strain that comes with regular Lick harm. Dig is now a legit good protection transfer, answering principally all onerous Ghost counters with large impartial (or higher!) harm. And Shadow Ball wants no introduction: it's probably the greatest general beatsticks within the sport. The 50+ power of the latter two is a little bit troubling with Houndstone producing, at greatest, solely the typical 3.0 Power Per Flip, nevertheless it's quick sufficient for Lickitung to succeed in Energy Whip (additionally 50 power), for Slowbro to succeed in Psychic or Ice Beam (55 power), and for Tapu Fini to succeed in Moonblast (60 power) in significant spots, as only a few significant examples. Certain, it could be good to have one thing like 45-energy Crunch (which Houndstone can study outdoors of GO), however contemplating Niantic may have simply gone with issues like Shadow Sneak, Night time Shade, or Poltergeist as an alternative, I feel I'm principally counting our blessings right here.
How's that each one look when put collectively? Let's see!
GREAT LEAGUE
So I'll begin by simply stating that the general win share is not encouraging, and for full disclosure (I'm FAR from good!), my very own initial, gut reaction lamented this. However upon additional assessment, this may occasionally very properly be a case of high quality over easy amount.
Have a look at what it DOES beat, and take into account how large these names are on the Play!Pokémon circuit and, certainly, in Open Nice League. Medicham. Galarian Stunfisk. Bastiodon and Registeel. (Maybe THE foremost cause I like to recommend Dig over Shadow Ball.). Dewgong. Lanturn (Dig FTW once more versus the Spark model.) Trevenant. Azumarill. Froslass. Protection Deoxys. After which others like Toxicroak, Vigoroth, Cofagrigus, and Shadow Quagsire. Or you may run Shadow Ball instead of Dig, and when you drop Regi, Basti, Dewgong, and Spark Lanturn, you achieve Gligar, Mantine, and Cresselia as an alternative. Virtually all of these are a Who's Who of the present prime meta choices. So whereas no, a sub-40% win share in opposition to the “core” Nice League choices will not be nice, WHAT it beats is definitely fairly vital.
Additionally price consideration: versus the entirety of Great League, the one meta Ghosts it can't beat in 1v1 shielding are Sableye, Runerigus, Jellicent, and (situationally) Alolan Marowak. That might be fairly vital in a Ghost-heavy Cup. And hey, we now have a type of developing on the finish of this week: Halloween Cup! And wouldn't you understand it, Houndstone seems to be plenty viable there, although with Dig being my recommended closer because of having a legit shot at beating #1 Halloween Cup star Carbink. Woof!
ULTRA LEAGUE
Sure, Houndstone can come to play at this level too, although now it a lot prefers Shadow Ball, and requires an honest quantity of XL sweet. (“Common” IVs are within the Stage 44-45 vary, and #1 IVs must be pushed to Stage 46.) Notice that you simply CAN preserve it as little as Level 42 with the right IVs and nonetheless beat the very same record of issues too, a listing that features all meta Psychic varieties, all meta Fairies however Galarian Weezing and Tapu Fini, and in addition Altered Giratina, Trevenant, Venusaur, Nidoqueen, Empoleon, Charizard, Alolan Sandslash (even with Shadow Claw), Golisopod, Escavalier, Scizor, all Fighters however Scrafty, Bewear, and Lucario, and rather more past. Possibly it received't get away in Open, however in a minimum of Restricted metas in Extremely League? I don't see why somebody couldn't discover success with it. Should you discover, like an 8-15-15 or one thing, grasp on to it, grind a number of XL candies, and grasp onto it as a possible future mission.
GREAVARD…?
Greavard
Ghost
Houndstone's pre-evo Greavard is reasonably just like Houndstone, simply smaller. Decently cumbersome, identical moveset, decent performance (in Little League, after all). It additionally takes down some large names like Bronzor, Seel, Chansey, Vulpix, Barboach, Wooper, Chinchou, Onix, Drifloon, Skorupi, Shelmet, Wynaut, even Vullaby! And well-liked developed choices like Galarian Stunfisk, Toxicroak, Nidoqueen, Vigoroth, Altaria, and Skarmory, for codecs the place developed issues are allowed. Do you have to discover a respectable one for Little League, certain, grasp onto it. You by no means know!
OTHER WEENIES TO GRIND FOR
…wait, that didn't come out fairly proper. This can be a youngsters' present!
Different Halloween Pokémon to grind for in Half 1 of this occasion embrace:
Zubat
Poison
Golbat
Poison
- ZUBAT has continued use in Little League, however the true prize is Great League GOLBAT (which actually advantages from excessive rank IVs, so look ahead to these). And it's ranked #2 in Halloween Cup, behind solely Carbink!
Drifblim
Ghost
- Whereas it has dropped a bit from its lofitiest heights, DRIFBLIM definitely stays a meta possibility that's helpful a minimum of in Restricted metas, together with in Ultra League. If nothing else, all of the Drifloons round will make for a great XL grinding alternative.
Trevenant
GhostGrass
- TREVENANT‘s star has additionally fallen a bit with the nerf to Seed Bomb, however solely a lot. It stays extremely aggressive in Great and Ultra League play. And oh my Arceus, its shiny is simply sick. It's nonetheless a precedence goal, however particularly that pasty white, red-leafed model. Go go go!
Palossand
FloorGhost
- PALOSSAND stays merely okay, nevertheless it's one of many rarer spawns round, so it is a good alternative to get that final little bit of sweet to make one. I nonetheless suppose there's sufficient potential there for a breakout. Possibly only one extra transfer tweak away….
Runerigus
FloorGhost
- I don't usually stump for hatching (as I've grown to detest taking part in that sport simply to have my coronary heart ripped out again and again), however GALARIAN YAMASK is out there in 7k eggs, and RUNERIGUS is price constructing for those who haven't but gotten round to it, as principally a greater Palossand. It handles itself significantly properly in Halloween Cup. Simply sayin'.
IN SUMMATION….
There are some fairly good issues to hunt for throughout this occasion, not least of them being the brand new Greavard. Houndstone seems to be like a great way to deal with many top-of-the-meta Pokémon in Nice League and is price constructing immediately, and is my prime suggestion to scoop up. Understand that it's additionally going to be accessible throughout the second a part of the Halloween Occasion (beginning October twenty sixth), although is barely confirmed in Subject Analysis then.
Alright, gonna wrap it up there. The occasion is upon us! So till subsequent time (Halloween Cup evaluation, which shall be JRE evaluation article #495!), you may at all times discover me on Twitter with common evaluation nuggets or Patreon, for those who're feeling additional beneficiant.
Good looking (and researching), people! Do keep protected on the market, and catch you subsequent time, Pokéfriends!
The put up A PvP Evaluation on Houndstone and Greavard ( and Halloween Occasion: Half 1) appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.
