Good Movesets and Items for Gardevoir and Araquanid?

[CodeCass]

Just a disclaimer: I really don't like using Smogon at all.

 

So story-wise I'm heading back to the Coral Ward after defeating El's Ditto-Arceus, just FYI. 

 

I'm trying to figure out good movesets for my Gardevoir and Araquanid. Also could use some help determining optimal abilities and/or held items. I'm aware my options are fairly limited when it comes to TMs as well. But any and all help is greatly appreciated! Also, yes, I know they are under-leveled. I'm currently in the midst of level-grinding! 

 

My Gardevoir is currently:

 

Gardevoir "Alustriel" Lvl 52

Ability: Telepathy

- Moonblast

- Psychic

- Magical Leaf

- Wish

 

I feel like Magical Leaf and Wish could be swapped for something better. Also not sure if her ability is the best, or what held-item to give her!

 

 

Now for Araquanid:

 

Araquanid "Bell" Lvl 42

Ability: Water Bubble

- Bubblebeam

- Leech Life

- Crunch

- Bug Bite

 

I really want to use this guy as my main water type. I'm assuming Liquidation will be an obvious choice, and I'm under the impression Water Bubble is godlike. Not sure about good items or other moves though to make the most out of this buggy boi. 

 

 

Thanks so much for any and all help folks! I greatly appreciate it! 

[Celeby]

Chnge Ability Gardevoir in Trace, is better. For the moveset, is good cuz have great STABs and Magical Leaf for coverage. Probably Calm Mind > Wish

 

For Araquanid is ok, Liquidation learn maybe on lv.57

EDIT: And also Lunge by lv.45 > Bug Bite if you want

Edited June 7, 2018 by Celeby

[Angelkitsune]

yes give araquanid physical moves because its special attack suck also i suggest giving it poison jab you can get the tm in teknite cave in the desert 

 

for gardevoir i agree make sure she/he has calm mind and maybe give it charge beam or light screen d=====(￣▽￣*)b

 

also check their IVs and make sure to maximize their EV stats

 

ALSO i always give my gardevoir twisted spoon or fairy plate depends on who im battling thats how i OHTK almaria with just my gardevoir

（。＾▽＾）

 

ps: where can you get araquanid?

Edited June 7, 2018 by Angelkitsune

[St0mpa]

For araquanid once you get to 57 liquidation should replace bubble beam and at level 45 lunge should replace bug bite but other than that it is alright.

 

for gardevoir you should try to change the ability to trace as it is a much more versitile ability. for moves calm mind over wish can be good or if you already have alot of grass coverage in the rest of your team calm mind over magical leaf and keep wish so that you can use it to heal as you buff up. another option is misty terrain which you need to use the move relearner for but can sometimes be very useful in disrupting gym teams that use/rely on specific terrain. as for items it depends on what moveset you are using if you go for the more offensive moves then an item that can buff the damage can be nice or if you use the terrain an amplified rock is almost necessary.

[HUEnd]

Araquanid is alright. I'd personally use Sticky Web over Bug bite due Leech Life being a better option for Araqua, increasing its durability on the field and Liquidation -> Bubblebeam as you already stated.

 

You might also enjoy a special attacker Araquanid, as Water Bubble makes it a damn hard-hitter.

Spoiler

Araquagod:
Ability: Water Bubble duh

Item: Choice Specs Life Orb,Splash Plate or Mystical Water/Leftovers (depends if you're leaning towards utility or raw damage, respectively.  Splash Plate and Mystical Water are great options if you're planning to spam your water move and the recoil seems unappealing)

- Surf/Scald (same as above: Raw power vs utility);

 

- Sticky Web (gotta have dem hazardz).

- Frost Breath/Icy Wind/Toxic (guaranteed crit vs utility on lowering your enemy's speed);

 

- Hidden Power Fire/Giga Drain/Mirror Coat (coverage-wise: Giga Drain is a superior option, but HP Fire may net some heavy damage on foes with 4x weaknesses. Mirror Coat rekts a opposing special attacker that does not pack enough power to one-shoot araquagod. The fourth slot relies on what you need the most.);

 

27 minutes ago, Angelkitsune said:

yes give araquanid physical moves because its special attack suck [...]

I mean...it's a 70 base attack vs 50 base sp.attack. It doesn't make that much of a difference when Water Bubble exists and you're using Araquanid as a all-out attacker, as shown here.

 

Now, for Gardevoir, I'd go for Calm Mind -> Wish and Shadow Ball Healing Wish, Memento or even Misty Terrain -> Magical Leaf for some sick setup and utility, respectively. Trace is usually a better ability than Telepathy, but that also depends on the format you play the most.

[CodeCass]

So @HUEnd, you'd recommend using Surf instead of Liquidation on Araquanid?

[Autumn Zephyr]

I'd say that Surf is only better if you're already dedicated to using a Special set, since you already have the stats and other moves set up at that point. Otherwise, Liquidation trades 5 BP for being run off of araquanid's naturally higher Attack stat and a 20% chance to lower the target's Defense stat if they survive, which can help ensure that one of the next attacks will get the kill.

 

The Bug slot is important as well, because while it doesn't get the Water Bubble boost, it does improve araquanid's survivability (Leech Life by healing the spider, Lunge by lowering the target's Attack stat and thereby buffering what is otherwise its lower defensive stat). Both can be a big deal on a species who's most reliable form of healing is Aqua Ring!

 

Honestly, it doesn't really matter too much what the third (coverage) slot is. Both of araquanid's good Physical coverage moves (Crunch and Poison Jab) have overlap with Bug's SE spread, so which one you use should be determined on whether your team as a whole is more scared of Fairies or Ghosts. 

 

As mentioned several times before me, Sticky Web can be a friggin' godsend in many a situation, especially since many fast opponents also hit like a runaway train through Tourmaline Desert. It is important to note, however, that Sticky Web is *exclusively* an Egg Move for araquanid, so you'll have to train up a whole new giant bubble spider if you decide to use this particular attack. if you don't want to do that, than feel free to use Mirror Coat instead- that attacks power is based off of the enemies' Special Attack rather than your own, so it can put in some work, It doers require a fair bit of prediction to pull off properly, though, so be careful when using it.

[CodeCass]

@Autumn Zephyr Well luckily I'm not overly opposed to training up a new spider if need be. I've got Dark type moves covered with Crunch and Foul Play on a few other of my teammates. So really when it boils down to it, would you suggest going with [Liquidation, Lunge, Leech Life, Sticky Web] or [Liquidation, Lunge, Leech Life, Poison Jab]? And will Liquidation be enough to cover what will essentially be my only water type move in the party?

 

[HUEnd]

@CodeCass if you're planning to run a special attacker set, yes. Otherwise, stick with Liquidation, as Autumn Zephyr just stated.

For a physical Araquanid, I'd go for: Liquidation/Leech Life/Sticky Web/Toxic, Mirror Coat, Lunge, Wide Guard -> any coverage or utility that suits you and your team better

#EDIT: Liquidation is pretty much all you need for a STAB, unless some other mon that you're running really need some water coverage to beat certain checks and counters.

 

Also, I definitely lean towards a special set over the physical one on Reborn because of the field effects, specifically, Glitch Field.

Edited June 7, 2018 by HUEnd

[Autumn Zephyr]

I mean, I don't have any Waters on my own team (or my Rujev one, or Black and Black 2 ones, or the one in Insurgence, or all but one of the many Diamond ones, for that matter... I may have a problem here, now that I think about it) and have mostly been doing just fine thus far, so I guess so. If you think of araquanid as more of a support pokemon with a singular, particularly potent offensive option rather than a primary attacker, you should be able to get solid mileage out of it. At least, that's how I handle using my own Sticky Web users, and everyone has their own playstyles. 

 

I feel like that outside of one particularly significant fight, the Glitch Field doesn't happen quite often enough to build a pokemon specifically around it for in-game. It would be awesome to have around on a Glitch-centric wifi team, though, even if the method for triggering it if the match doesn't start on that particular field is hilariously unoptimal!

[Higan]

Spider Web is US/UM egg move for Araquanid so you won't be able to get it now...

[St0mpa]

Quotes aren't working for me rn but @Higan it is also a level up move if you had checked.

[Higan]

Ah, I see it now. Sorry for spreading false information!

Edited June 9, 2018 by Higan