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By Generation_X
#110745 So just for kicks I decided to do a Smogon-style competitive analysis for a Pixelmon Pokemon every week. I'll be using a RNG to determine what I analyze so it could be utterly anything in Pixelmon. If I roll a NFE Pokemon I'll just use its fully evolved form.

[center]This week we have...

Image

Hypno!
Type: Psychic
Base stats: 85/73/70/73/115/67

Okay, I'm not gonna lie to you, Hypno isn't great. He's mostly outclassed by Alakazam and Starmie. The only reason you'd really want to use him is his access to Nasty Plot, which allows him to instantly double his mediocre Special attack and start lopping chunks off of your opponent's team. Hypno's also got an impressive base 115 Special Defense that lets him take a hit or two on the Special side. However that's basically where the good news ends. While his physical movepool is impressive his Attack is god awful and he lacks access to Sword's Dance. Speaking of Attack, his physical Defense is one step above Azelf's. And speaking of Azelf, guess what he has that Hypno doesn't? Speed. Hypno's low base 67 Speed leaves him easily outpaced by many common attackers, most of which should have no problem dismantling the pedophile hypnotherapist thing with powerful physical attacks.

Nasty Plot
Hypno @ Choice Specs (Leftovers when Choice items are fixed)
Nature: Modest
252 HP, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Sp. Def
-Psyshock
-Focus Blast
-Shadow Ball
-Nasty Plot

This is really the only set that Hypno should ever be running, because while he has a few other options, they're all horribly outclassed by something else. Even this set is something you can kiss goodbye when Azelf pokes his nose into Pixelmon. Psyshock is a sturdy STAB attack that screws over special walls like Blissey by hitting them on their weaker Defense, and basically makes you a pseudo mixed Sweeper. Focus Blast hits Dark and Steel types that wall your STAB, and Shadow Ball hits opposing Psychic types like Alakazam and Slowbro, who otherwise sit there and laugh at Hypno all day long. Nasty Plot is the crux of the set, turning his Special Attack from paltry to potent in a single turn.

Checking Hypno is usually as simple as outspeeding it and hitting it with a moderately powered physical move. Choice Band Aerodactyl has a 81.3% chance to OHKO with Crunch or a 43.8% chance to OHKO with Stone Edge. Dragonite can survive a +2 Psyshock, set up Dragon Dance, and then OHKO with Dragon Claw and Roost off the damage. Scyther can come in and utterly decimate Hypno with X-Scissor or steal momentum with U-Turn. After some prior damage your options only widen as things like Gengar, Dugtrio, and Flygon deal huge numbers to Hypno, although they can't take a hit themselves.[/center]

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By Some Body
#110753 Some Pixelmon-related nitpicks.
Generation_X wrote:While his physical movepool is impressive

Hypno's physical movepool is Zen Headbutt/Return/Brick Break/Thief/nothing else, which isn't even impressive.

Generation_X wrote:Speaking of Attack, his physical Defense is one step above Azelf's

You do mention it later, but Azelf isn't in Pixelmon yet so comparing Hypno to it isn't too useful. Azelf has the same Defense as Hypno anyway.

Generation_X wrote:special walls like Blissey

Blissey isn't in Pixelmon. Chansey is as close as you'll get to it, but Eviolite doesn't exist here.

Generation_X wrote:steal momentum with U-Turn

U-turn isn't working yet.
By Generation_X
#110756 Azelf just happened to be on my mind cause that's what I think of whenever I see "Nasty Plot sweeper". Thanks for informing me about U-Turn though, wasn't aware of that. And as I understand Hypno does have some other options such as the elemental Punches but I'm not sure if those are tutor moves or not. Hypno is not something I can truthfully say I've ever used in any serious manner, and I'm not very experienced him.

His physical bulk is actually slightly better than Azelf's, while they have the same Defense he has a slightly higher base HP.
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By Some Body
#110758 The elemental punches can be gotten as either egg moves or tutor moves, neither of which are available. I don't blame you for not using Hypno; I agree it's not very good.

I didn't realize you meant physical bulk when you said physical defense; you're right on that point then.
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