A Fast PvP Evaluation on Palossand

Certainly one of my favourite designs, PALOSSAND, has lastly arrived in GO! How does it look in PvP? I'll attempt to hold at present's evaluation brief and candy (properly, for me!) at present, beginning with our Backside Line Up Entrance:

B.L.U.F.

• Palossand is a greater Golurk. Largely. However uh… nonetheless extra of a Restricted meta piece than Open meta.
• It has respectable potential in Nice League with baiting after which organising massive closing strikes.
• Extremely League Palossand runs higher with each closers, however nonetheless appears like extra of a Cup possibility than something.
• I DO suggest grabbing one for Nice League, and should you discover a respectable candidate for Extremely (noting that it's an XL hog), maintain onto it as a possible long-term mission.

PALOSSAND Stats and Strikes

Palossand

GhostFloor

Nice League Stats

Extremely League Stats

So Paulo (gonna name it Paulo all through this text, simply FYI!) has an uncommon however not fully distinctive typing. Ghost/Floor is a decently complementary typing, with 4 double resistances (Electrical, Preventing, Regular, and Poison) and one-stage resistances to Rock and Bug. Conversely, it's weak to the conventional Ghost stuff (Darkish and Ghost) and Floor stuff (Water, Grass, Ice), however at the least none of these are two-stage vulnerabilities.

As in comparison with fellow Grounded Ghost GOLURK, Palossand has significantly better stats, usually recognizing 25ish Protection and roughly 10 extra HP, at the price of having about 20 much less Assault than Golurk. That's a great factor in PvP, with Paulo's stats (Assault and general bulk) being near well-known issues like Nidoqueen, Vigoroth, Clefable, and Pidgeot… issues that aren't tanks, per se, however definitely have confirmed cumbersome sufficient to hold round in protracted battles.

I stated I'd hold this brief, so let's transfer on to… properly, the strikes!

Quick Strikes

• Mud Shot – Floor sort, 1.5 DPT, 4.5 EPT, 1.0 CoolDown
• Astonish – Ghost sort, 1.67 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 1.5 CD

Say it with me, people: “Astonish buff when, Niantic? C'mon, now. It stays, by far, one of many worst quick strikes within the recreation. Don't use it!

Golurk runs off of Mud Slap, the sluggish and plodding Floor quick transfer. (3.67 DPT, 2.67 EPT) Already now we have an enormous distinction right here, as Paulo does low harm however good points excessive vitality with Mud Shot. Whereas Golurk (throughout its restricted intervals of success) beats issues down with quick transfer harm, clearly Palossand is already separating itself by specializing in cost transfer strain as an alternative.

So how about them cost strikes?

Cost Strikes

• Sand Tomb – Floor sort, 25 harm, 40 vitality, Reduces Opponent Protection -1 Stage
• Earth Energy – Floor sort, 90 harm, 55 vitality, 10% Probability: Scale back Opponent Protection -1 Stage
• Shadow Ball – Ghost sort, 100 harm, 55 vitality

Let's hold this actually easy: one bait transfer (Sand Tomb) with that units the opponent up for larger harm later whether or not they protect or not, after which two closers with Earth Energy and Shadow Ball. On this case, it truly is that straightforward.

After all, which two you select is a bit much less easy, however nonetheless not unhealthy. Let's simply dive proper into the numbers!

GREAT LEAGUE

Prepared for some wonderful, blow-your-mind evaluation? Nicely, what I've to start out off is… very a lot not that, sorry.

Typically my job can turn into very straightforward. Like on this case, the place I simply must throw up the sims for Sand Tomb/Earth Power versus Sand Tomb/Shadow Ball, after which be aware how Shadow Ball beats issues the place it's tremendous efficient (Jellicent, Froslass, Medicham, Cofagrigus, Trevenant) or Earth Energy is resisted and Shadow Ball shouldn't be (Skarmory), and that Earth Energy is barely higher when it's tremendous efficient and Shadow Ball shouldn't be (Lanturn, Dunsparce), and I can just about simply go lounge by the pool with a mai tai. (Or… uh… chilled Dr Pepper as an alternative, since there are typically youngsters round my pool.) Okay, evaluation over!

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Okay, not fairly. I gotta burn by extra characters than that! That is friggin' long-winded JRE we're speaking about right here. I received a popularity to maintain up!

So I'll additional level out that Shadow Ball is much more dominant over Earth Power in 2v2 shielding, with wins once more versus Jellicent, Medicham, Skarmory, and Cofagrius, although not Trevenant this time, and Shadow Ball OR Earth Energy can topple fragile Froslass. Earth Energy's solely standout win in 2s is Galarian Stunfisk, which is wins working away… although Shadow Ball can ALSO sneak away with a win even there (although leaving Paulo with lower than 10 HP, which is certainly a a lot sweatier situation!).

And THEN I can level out that with shields down, it's Earth Power that takes the crown for as soon as from Shadow Ball, getting distinctive wins versus Drapion, Dunsprace, Alolan Sandslash, Scrafty, and Toxapex, whereas Shadow Ball's solely distinctive win is Medicham once more.

What does all of it imply? I feel Sand Tomb/Shadow Ball is the best way to go in Nice League, although there my be metas that desire Earth Energy. Finally this can be educational, although, because the winrate caps out on the unsuitable aspect of fifty%, and there are clearly a whole lot of Waters and Grasses and Ices at this degree that prey on Palossand's sandy aspect. We're in all probability taking a look at a Restricted/Cup sort right here, although hey, if Golurk has been capable of make a bit of noise in codecs like that, I don't see why Paulo doesn't have that potential too! Seize one should you like collaborating in Cups.

Oh! And since I do know somebody out there may be questioning, you actually don't wish to run both closers at this degree, I don't assume… the baiting of Sand Tomb is important for issues like Medicham, Froslass, Trevenant, Skarmory, and Shadow Allure Alolan Ninetales, the place Palossand is ready to beat them in any respect. Going straight for again to again closers (each of which value 55 vitality, keep in mind) is simply too sluggish in lots of circumstances.

Totally different story, nevertheless, in Extremely League….

ULTRA LEAGUE

Right here, you do usually need both closing moves, I feel. Sand Tomb simply doesn't do practically as a lot for you on this League of upper HP and longer battles. Particularly, leaving out Shadow Ball leaves you principally unable to cope with issues like Buzzwole and Trevenant, and leaving out Earth Energy leaves you on the unsuitable aspect of battles versus issues like Drapion, Dubwool, Alolan Sandslash, Scrafty, Aurorus, and Empoleon. Operating each closers simply provides Paulo its biggest potential.

That stated… we're as soon as once more means on the unsuitable aspect of a 50% winrate, even with shields down. Yuck. Sure, there ARE some good names in that win column, like Galarian Stunfisk and Registeel (resisting Regi's Zap Cannon AND Focus Blast is a fairly large deal) and naturally different massive title Steels, plus notable Fighters and Poisons and such. Nevertheless it's a shorter checklist than you wish to see, and there are plenty of other Ground types that do all that Paulo can do and far more on prime of it. Additionally take into account that Palossand sometimes must be pushed very excessive into XL territory to even attain 2500 CP, and albeit, it doesn't actually appear price it.

RUNERIGUS…?

Sure, I simply plumb forgot to incorporate comparisons to Runerigus as I initially supposed. Can I blame it on a case of the Mondays?

Getting access to Shadow Claw alongside Sand Tomb/Shadow Ball clearly provides Runie some benefits, and it performs higher general in Great and Ultra Leagues. That being stated… in conditions/metas the place you wish to emphasize Floor harm, Runerigus simply can't do it, with low harm Sand Tomb being its solely Floor transfer. This will handstring it in uncomfortable methods versus Rock and particularly Metal varieties (as anybody that's run Runerigus can inform you), and whereas it's higher general, there should be Restricted metas that desire Palossand. I nonetheless suggest getting it should you can in the course of the occasion.

WHAT COULD MAKE PALOSSAND BETTER?

It wouldn't be laborious, truly. Earthquake works properly with Mud Shot, after all, and could be an instantaneous improve, particularly in Extremely League. It doesn't study Shadow Claw in MSG, however it could possibly study Hex, which might be so-so however at the least give it different choices. Or simply, you understand, buff Astonish, ya cowards! And it learns some fascinating Rock, Grass, and different protection strikes that may at the least combine issues up a bit within the Cups the place it Paulo might present up. However actually… simply give it Earthquake. That would go a great distance.

Alright, that's it for at present! Till subsequent time, you may at all times discover me on Twitter with near-daily PvP evaluation nuggets or Patreon.

Good looking throughout this Seaside Week occasion, people! Do keep secure on the market, and catch you subsequent time, Pokéfriends!

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