ADV 50 Analysis - Castform

    Castform
    Type: Normal
    Stats: 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70
    Abilities: Forecast

    Castform-Rainy
    Type: Water

    Castform-Snowy
    Type: Ice

    Castform-Sunny
    Type: Fire

    Introduction

    Although Castform has quite low stats across the board, its unique weather-oriented nature gives it a niche as an offensive Pokemon on weather-based teams. Weather Ball gives it STAB in all weathers besides Sandstorm, but does have the real downside that when the weather is clear, it is virtually useless. In spite of its mediocre Special Attack stat, its strong attacks such as Weather Ball, Thunder, and Solar Beam nonetheless enable it to hit reasonably hard.

    Sets

    Rain

    Castform @ Leftovers
    Ability: Forecast
    EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
    Timid Nature
    - Rain Dance
    - Weather Ball
    - Thunder
    - Ice Beam

    Set Details

    Rain Dance lets it support itself - making itself and Weather Ball Water-type, as well as making Thunder's accuracy perfect - as well as teammates, such as Swift Swim Huntail. Thunder and Ice Beam together give it near-perfect coverage, missing out only on Lanturn, and enable it to more effectively damage Water- and Grass-types (as well as the Water-type resistant Altaria). Castform provides an excellent check to Sun-based teams, as it becomes a Fire-type - resisting Fire and Grass-type attacks - in the Sun, complete with Fire-type STAB in Weather Ball. The EVs simply maximise speed and power. Running fewer speed EVs - for example, hitting a benchmark enabling it to only outspeeding certain variants of Meganium, Golduck, Nidoqueen, or Scizor is an option, if you are unconcerned about speed tieing against other Castform.

    Sun

    Castform @ Leftovers
    Ability: Forecast
    EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
    Timid Nature
    - Sunny Day
    - Fire Blast
    - Thunderbolt / Solar Beam
    - Ice Beam / Solar Beam

    Set Details

    Castform in the sun lacks any good move to handle Fire-types, but can hit any other possible answer to it with a coverage move. As such, partners such as Shiftry, which can lure Fire-types, make great teammates. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam hit two prominent Fire resists, namely Mantine and Altaria. Mantine and Altaria are excellent checks to Sun-based teams in general, making Castform's ability to hurt them a significant upside. If the team Castform is used on is particularly good at removing one of these two Pokemon before Castform comes in, Solar Beam can be used to improve Castform's coverage and exploit the sun further. Thunderbolt also enables Castform to hit Water-types in the rain. Fire Blast is its STAB option in the sun; it is stronger than Flamethrower or Weather Ball, although less accurate, and unlike Weather Ball is a Fire-type move whatever the weather. Of course, choosing a weaker, more accurate STAB move is a viable option here. As per the previous set, the EVs simply maximise speed and power, and running fewer Speed EVs is an option if one is unconcerned about speed tieing against other Castform.

    Other Options

    A hail-based set could function self-sufficiently - Weather Ball (in Hail), or alternatively Ice Beam, and Thunderbolt have perfect coverage in ADV 50, notwithstanding Lanturn - giving it a free moveslot to use on a utility move such as Thunder Wave, or a move such as Fire Blast, which can be used to prevent Forretress from spiking up against it. Weather Ball or Ice Beam are recommended over Blizzard, as Blizzard does not have perfect accuracy in hail until generation 4. Note also that a hail-based Castform set also faces competition with Glalie, which has higher base stats in every stat, although lacks as strong an Electric-type attack, the ability to run both a Fire-type and Electric-type attack on the same set, and lacks Thunder Wave. Thunderbolt is an option over Thunder on the rain-based set, as it is more accurate outside of rain. As Castform practically must run a weather-based set, no other viable options present themselves, although niche moves such as Thief or Toxic could merit brief consideration.

    Checks and Counters

    Castform's best answers depend entirely on its set - however, it's variant can often be easily scouted out by considering its teammates, as they often will be Pokemon which can take advantage of the weather Castform utilises too. The rain-based set struggles most with Lanturn and Meganium, whilst the sun-based set struggles mightily with Fire-types, as well as Altaria or Mantine, depending on the set. Secondarily, reasonably bulky special tanks with fairly neutral typings, such as Muk and Clefable, can act as a solid check to Castform. Thirdly, stalling weather turns, forcing Castform to revert to its normal form, or exploiting the turn often required to set the weather conditions, provide significant vulnerabilities which can be exploited in order to adequately check Castform. Offensive checks, which can hit it super-effectively (depending of course upon Castform's set) can check Castform also.

	Analysis written by Disaster Area