NFE Choice Scarf (Trumbeak) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Rock Blast / Bullet Seed
---------------------
Optional Move(s):
- Brick Break
Optional Item(s):
- Eviolite
Optional Ability:
- Keen Eye
Optional EV/IV(s):
- 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe (Adamant)
---------------------
Overview: Trumbeak acts as a decent wallbreaker in the tier. It has access to Swords Dance, good coverage, and a reasonably good Speed stat. However, it is frail and, therefore, difficult to set up. As a Choice Scarf user, it faces competition from Staravia and Rufflet. Both the aforementioned threats hit harder. However, Trumbeak has superior coverage and Knock Off.
---------------------
Swords Dance Fly Z: Swords Dance boosts Trumbeak's Attack. Brave Bird hits Fighting- and Grass-types such as Monferno, Roselia, Servine, Gloom, and Machoke for super effective damage and hits frail neutral targets hard. Flyinium Z Supersonic Skystrike is a recoil-less nuke and hits hard, especially when boosted. Knock Off hits Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Duosion, Misdreavus, Dusclops, and Metang hard and also removes Eviolite from bulky walls such as Clefairy, Mareanie, and Ferroseed. Bullet Seed works well in conjunction with Skill Link to hit Ground- and Water-types such as Prinplup, Krokorok, Marshtomp, and Wartortle hard. Flame Charge hits Steel-types such as Ferroseed and Pawniard for reasonable damage but also boosts Trumbeak's speed, letting it outspeed offensive threats such as unboosted Electabuzz, Frogadier, Haunter, and Kadabra. Gunk Shot hits Fairy-types such as Clefairy and Togetic hard.
---------------------
Choice Scarf: The Choice Scarf Trumbeak set outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame, most notably fast frail offensive threats like Electabuzz, Frogadier, Haunter, and Kadabra. U-turn gets good momentum and chip damage on forced switch-ins. Rock Blast hits Flying-types such as Togetic, Staravia, and Rufflet for decent damage and OHKOs Focus Sash Kadabra.
---------------------
Checks and Counters: Bulky Steel-types such as Pawniard, Klang, and Lairon can comfortably tank a hit from Trumbeak and threaten it in return or set up on it. Choice Scarf Electabuzz, Frogadier, Haunter, and Kadabra can easily revenge kill Trumbeak, although they do not appreciate switching into it. Trumbeak is very frail; it can only set up on a select few Pokemon in the meta such as Clefairy or on forced switch-ins. Trumbeak is also very susceptible to being worn down by Stealth Rock and Brave Bird recoil, limiting its effectiveness as a wallbreaker.
=====================
