Analysis Day: How Good ARE The Stunfisks In PvP?

Howdy of us! Our subsequent Restricted Analysis Day is nearly right here, this time centred on each variations of STUNFISK! Clearly, Stunfisk is a reputation that’s WELL recognized in PvP by now, and when you might imagine all the things it’s good to about it (at the very least the Galarian model), let’s see if we will take this chance to spotlight some new-to-you data anyway!

However first, as per ordinary, our Backside Line Up Entrance…

B.L.U.F.

• Sure, Galarian Stunfisk actually IS price all of the hype in each Nice and Extremely Leagues… however you knew that already, proper?
• What chances are you’ll NOT know is that this can be a case the place high-rank IVs actually DO assist in Nice League, and Greatest Buddying for Extremely League sees some quick return on funding as effectively!
• Unovan Stunfisk performs otherwise however remains to be a strong possibility in Nice League Restricted metas, and is probably price a contemporary look in even Open play. It’s additionally respectable in Extremely League, however uh… use these XLs for Galarian at the start earlier than you get too cute with that.

Alright, now for the deeper dive.

STUNFISKS – Stats and Strikes

Stunfisk

FloorElectrical

Stunfisk (Galarian)

FloorMetal

Nice League Stats

Extremely League Stats

Yep, that’s proper for those who didn’t realize it already, each Stunfisks have the very same stats. And people stats are literally REALLY good. They’re each within the High 25 in Nice League by way of Whole Stat Product, which is principally how a lot a Pokemon’s mixture of stats they’ll squeeze in beneath a selected League’s CP restrict. For Nice League, clearly, meaning 1500 CP or much less. Out of the three stats every Pokemon has in GO — Assault, Protection, and HP — Assault is weighted probably the most closely, so issues with a excessive Assault stat will usually bump up towards 1500 CP with far much less bulk than issues just like the Stunfisks. Take, for instance, the intense case of Haunter. It has the precise spammy strikes to take advantage of its tremendous excessive Assault and might do plenty of good work earlier than its lack of bulk catches as much as it, however in the long run, its Whole Stat Product is an abysmal 1379. The Stunfisks have 2200, higher than issues like Protection Deoxys, Lugia, Tropius, Dewgong, Altaria, Dusclops, HYpno, and a ton of different famous beefy ‘mons. (Here’s where they sit, if you wish to see what else is round them.) Lengthy story brief: they’re a few of the bulkiest Pokemon round, and by stats alone, simply among the many finest Pokemon in PvP.

However they don’t sit on equal footing (finning? ) with regards to their typing. Each are half-Floor, however their subtyping takes them in two very completely different instructions from there.

Galarian Stunfisk is actually good in PvP for a lot of causes, however one massive one is that its subtyping is the most effective defensive typing within the franchise: Metal. By itself, Metal comes with solely three weaknesses (Preventing, Fireplace, Floor) and eleven resistances (Regular, Flying, Rock, Bug, Metal, Grass, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Fairy, and 2x Poison). Including in G-Fisk’s Floor typing provides on a double resistance to Electrical and additional resistance to Poison (now 3x!) and Rock, although it does make Grass and Ice now deal impartial, and provides an outright weak point to Water. Nonetheless, 4 weaknesses in comparison with 10 strong resistances is fairly darn good! Simply probably the greatest defensive-type combos on the market. Mixed with that prime bulk and stat product, you possibly can see why G-FIsk sits fairly in Nice League particularly.

Not a lot with OG Stunfisk, although. Its subtype is Electrical, which does resist Metal, Flying, and Electrical, and has however a single weak point (to Floor), however leaves Stunfisk with 4 weaknesses and solely 5 resistances. Maybe worse, these weaknesses are all fairly frequent (Water, Grass, Ice, and Floor), whereas lots of its resistances (Electrical, Rock, and Metal specifically) are far much less so. It instantly is deprived as in comparison with its Galarian cousin.

However that’s removed from insurmountable! Like I mentioned, if one thing as flimsy as Haunter could make a big effect in PvP, clearly strikes can overcome such flaws. Let’s see how that goes for these two!

Quick Strikes

• Each: Mud Shot – Floor sort, 1.5 DPT, 4.5 EPT, 1.0 CoolDown
• Unovan: Thunder Shock – Electrical sort, 1.5 DPT, 4.5 EPT, 1.0 CD
• Galarian: Metallic Claw – Metal sort, 2.5 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 1.0 CD

Usually, that is going to be Mud Shot for each of those two, although typically you’ll see Thunder Shock on Unovan Flatfish. They’ve the identical nice stats, although Mud Shot often wins out with its effectiveness profile (tremendous efficient vs Metal, Rock, Poison, Fireplace, and Electrical, resisted solely by Grass, Bug, Flying) as in comparison with Thunder Shock (tremendous efficient versus solely Water and Flying, and resisted by Grass, Electrical, Dragon, and Floor). However each strikes have precisely the identical low injury and excessive power technology, so even having the “flawed” one nonetheless permits Stunfisk to do what it does finest: spam out cost strikes like there’s no tomorrow.

Galarian Stunfisk is even simpler to type out, as Metallic Claw is a below-average transfer. You might on very uncommon event see it in Little League the place G-Fisk is allowed as a shock towards issues like Cottonee, however even there it’s nearly at all times Mud Shot and the excessive cost transfer strain it brings that can win out.

Talking of these cost strikes, they differ fairly extensively between the 2 Stunfisks, so right here I’ll break up issues up.

Cost Strikes, Unovan Stunfisk

• Muddy Water – Water sort, 35 injury, 35 power, 30% Probability: Lower Opponent Assault -1 Stage
• Mud Bomb – Floor sort, 55 injury, 40 power
• Discharge – Electrical sort, 65 injury, 45 power

The excellent news is that Unique Recipe Stunfisk is even spammier than its Galarian cousin, with Mud Bomb coming in quick, and even its most costly cost transfer, Discharge, coming on the similar velocity as G-Fisk’s commonplace quickest cost transfer at solely 45 power. The fairly apparent draw back, nonetheless, is missing any cost strikes with greater than Discharge’s 65 injury. Stunfisk will put on you down and apply super protect strain, however anybody that’s used it could actually inform you that it may be very irritating typically attempting to really end opponents off. Keep in mind that later.

For now, the opposite aspect of the pancake…

Cost Strikes, Galarian Stunfisk

• Muddy Water – Water sort, 35 injury, 35 power, 30% Probability: Lower Opponent Assault -1 Stage
• Rock Slide – Rock sort, 75 injury, 45 power
• Earthquake – Floor sort, 120 injury, 65 power
• Flash Cannon – Metal sort, 110 injury, 70 power

I suppose I ought to at the very least give a fast point out to Muddy Water, because it’s the one cost transfer shared by each Stunfisks. Neither of them ever really need it although, even with Water typically being helpful protection, as a result of it barely tickles most issues, and whereas its debuff might be good, it solely goes off much less a 3rd of the time, statistically talking. As soon as once more, within the wilds of Little League, you’ll typically see it on Galarian Stunfisk, as even a paltry 35 injury can really feel like rather a lot when all the things is at 500 CP or much less, however that’s about it. Additionally, you will typically see Flash Cannon there for its capacity to blow away Cottonee and others out of nowhere, however once more, principally nowhere else.

That leaves us with G-Fisk’s most well-known and by far most typical moveset: Rock Slide for baits and protection (particuarly towards Ice and Flying varieties), and a surprisingly quick and hard-to-predict Earthquake for the large closing energy that U-Fisk lacks. (Heck, even non-STAB Rock Slide on G-Fisk often solely offers 1-2 much less injury than STAB Discharge does for U-Fisk, for a similar power price… and that’s, once more, the MOST injury U-Fisk can put out without delay!)

Up to now, in all probability nothing you didn’t already know, proper? And chances are you’ll suppose all the things there may be to find out about their PvP efficiency too, however let’s see if ol’ JRE can nonetheless shock you…

GREAT LEAGUE

So the large matter is G-Fisk, after all, which is widely known as one of many best possible choices in Open Nice League (and ranked #2, for those who wanted any extra proof) and principally each Restricted format the place it’s permitted as effectively. Even one with very common to even poor PvP IVs (corresponding to ones with a ten IV flooring minimal such as you’ll discover throughout Stunfisk Restricted Analysis Day) put in a high overall performance in Nice League. It has flaws (as all the things does), sometimes dropping fairly exhausting to a gentle dose of Preventing, Water, or Floor injury, being iffy towards sure Ice (Walrein) and Grass (Venusaur, Trevenant, and so on.) varieties, and nowadays dropping even to sure Flyers (Pelipper and even Noctowl now that it could actually spring Shadow Ball on the proper time). However many different matchups with massive beefy opponents like Umbreon and Azumarill come proper all the way down to the wire… G-Fisk can cling in there with the most effective of them, and Earthquake proves itself a tremendous equalizer. Not simply Poisons and Fires and Rocks and Flyers and Electrics and Steels that G-Fisk wails on for tremendous efficient injury fall, nor issues that it resists alongside the way in which like Cresselia and Lickitung and Charmers and the like, however massive harmful stuff like Dunsparce, Shadow Victreebel, Froslass, Cofagrigus, and lots of others. If it doesn’t exhausting counter G-Fisk, it’s seemingly in for a tough time. Notably with high rank Galarian Stunfisk, which may add on wins like Walrein and Noctowl too! Equally, excessive rank G-Fisk tacks on Noctowl, Alolan Marowak, and the mirror match in 2v2 shielding (versus less ideal IVs). It might appear that one can largely set it and neglect it when you have a excessive rank G-Fisk you possibly can construct for Nice League.

Much less heralded is Unovan Stunfisk, which places up much less spectacular however nonetheless more than passable numbers in Nice League, notably with high rank IVs, with which it could actually tack on Umbreon and Noctowl. I believe it’s price noting that Thunder Shock beats Noctowl even with lower than ultimate IVs already (high rank does nonetheless add on Umbreon, as you’ll count on since Mud Shot and Thunder Shock are fully equal to one another in that matchup), and will get a slight nod general… although for my cash, I nonetheless choose Mud Shot and the additional injury it does versus Steels and Poisons and such. As I mentioned, although… no flawed reply!

As for variations between the 2, that’s fairly easy. G-Fisk has the general benefit, doing significantly better versus Psychics (like Cress), Dragons (like Altaria), Ices (like Froslass and Shadow Walrein), Charmers, Grasses, after which stuff like Lickitung and Lanturn, thanks largely to all its additional resistances. However OG Stunfisk does have one massive benefit of its personal: dealing with a wide selection of Preventing varieties that beat up on G-Fisk, together with Toxicroak, Obstagoon, and DDeoxys, in addition to Flyers that G-Fisk struggles to outrace like Charizard and Pelipper. Sure, G-Fisk is mostly “higher”, however in a number of Restricted metas (and/or the precise workforce in Open GL), Unovan Stunfisk is typically price a detailed look as effectively. Don’t neglect about it!

ULTRA LEAGUE

So to clear it up proper off the bat, both of these must be FULLY maxed to actually be at its finest in Extremely League. They don’t even clear 2450 CP at Degree 50, and don’t get to 2500 CP even when Greatest Buddied and pushed to Degree 51! (Extra on that later.)

So if nothing else, use this occasion to attempt to grind for XL Candies, as this can be a uncommon alternative to doubtlessly get a bunch in a short while interval. Sadly there is no such thing as a XL Sweet bonus or elevated odds (the one bonus is outwardly elevated shiny odds… c’mon, Niantic, throw us a bone right here!), however nonetheless, each caught is doubtlessly extra XL Sweet in your pocket for many who nonetheless want an UL Stunfisk.

And sure, it’s totally worth the grind. Galarian Stunfisk will not be omnipotent and meta-wrecking, nevertheless it IS completely a really, superb possibility in Open UL.. a Top 25 option, at the very least. (And it solely will get higher in Ultra Premier.) Principally what’s true in Nice League remains to be true right here… keep away from massive Waters, Fighters, just a few Grasses (Trevor and Venusaur), and a pair massive Shadow Clawers (Giratina-A and Cofagrigus), and a pair random Flyers (Gliscor and Talonflame, largely), and you need to in any other case be fairly free to roam. LOTS of Steels, Fairies, Poisons, Flyers, Psychics, Dragons, and others to choose on at this stage, and you’ll outbulk stuff like Umbreon, Snorlax, Giratina (with Dragon Breath), and even scary Gyarados and Protection Deoxys at this stage too. G-Fisk has some well-known holes in its armor, however there’s a LOT it could actually exploit for those who construct one as much as this stage.

And as they are saying… “in for a penny, in for a pound”. In case you’re going to push one as much as Degree 50, might as effectively go all the way in which by Greatest Buddying it and pushing it to Level 51, which provides on not solely the mirror match, however Altered Giratina with Shadow Claw and infrequently Jellicent too!

So, the justification for build up G-Fisk is actually there. What in regards to the unique pancake fish? Weeeeeellllll…

Particularly at Extremely League stage, it’s typically higher to have a giant cost transfer with closing energy than not. Some can get by with out that (see: Altered Giratina, Galvantula, Scizor, and so on.), however usually solely with a terrific defensive typing and/or extensively unresisted spam strikes. OG Stunfisk doesn’t actually have that. Floor injury clearly nonetheless has a spot, however Mud Bomb is simply too low powered to complete many issues off earlier than its fairly poor defensive typing catches as much as it. Resisting Electrical, Flying, Rock, and Metal are far much less related at UL stage than they’re in Nice League, and the weaknesses to Grass, Floor, Ice, and Water are FAR extra related and outweigh the nice. And in contrast to G-Fisk, not even pushing to Level 51 helps. (I imply, it DOES make Mud Shot Fisky a hair higher than Level 50, with new wins over Poliwrath and Jellicent, however uh… Thunder Shock already will get these anyway. ) Even in Ultra League Premier you barely break even so far as document goes. U-Fisk remains to be a high-quality weapon to have, sure, however price making that sort of dedicated grind to construct up? I assume when you have it left over AFTER constructing a Galarian model first, then certain, go for it. However I don’t know that I’d think about {that a} precedence. I assume I’ll level out that you just can underlevel a bit and be largely okay, simply don’t cheap out TOO much!

IN CONCLUSION

Particularly with all that’s happening within the recreation proper now, I fully perceive if you wish to take it simple this weekend and skip out on the Analysis Day Three Hour Tour. I actually have some residence initiatives I’ll seemingly spend the time catching up on as a substitute. However for those who DO enterprise out, questioning if the grind is price it, and simply HOW good the Tremendous Flatfish Bros actually are in PvP, hopefully this helps inform you. Good luck in your IV and XL hunt, of us!

Till subsequent time, you possibly can at all times discover me on Twitter with near-daily PvP evaluation nuggets or Patreon.

Good searching! Keep secure on the market, and catch you subsequent time, Pokéfriends!

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