This is a guide to various niche tools which are not mentioned in articles in Smogon, or other articles in GSC OU Knowledge Sharing.
In this guide, I only introduce the parts that I think it has the potential to be of practical use in OU games.
Moves
PerishTrap
Counter / Mirror Coat
Nightmare
Pain Split
Swagger
Sand Storm
Future Sight
Items
Quick Claw
Mint Berry
King's Rock
Status adjustment
HP 16n - 16n+7
Attack Lowered
In this guide, I only introduce the parts that I think it has the potential to be of practical use in OU games.
Moves 
PerishTrap
PerishTrap is a strategy particularly favored by Misdreavus and Gengar, in which you use Mean Look to prevent the Perish Song count from being reset by Switching out, and then use defensive Moves to earn Perish Song counts, allowing you to unilaterally defeat the opponent's Pokemon.
When using this strategy, and when countering it, there are two playing teckniques you should keep in mind, so I explain them here.
(For a more specific Moveset, see Nowadays Spikes War)
First, if your opponent's PerishTraper uses Perish Song without using Mean Look, the established playing is to immediately switch out to reset the Perish Song count.
Even if your opponent's PerishTraper uses Mean Look on the next Turn, the Perish Song count will not be reset, and even if it uses Perish Song on the following Turn, the counter for your opponent's PerishTraper will not be reset, so your opponent's PerishTraper will be forced to switch out, giving you an advantage.
Conversely, if you want to use Perish Trap, you need to remember that the established playing is to use Mean Look first.
Second, You should know that Perish Song will force your opponent to switch out heavily.
This is especially useful for temporarily avoiding checning with passive Pokemon which don't have a strong Attack Move, allowing you to land a strong Attack Move on a soft target.
This is an advantage you can get with or without combining it with Mean Look.
For example, this is an NC2000 example though, Turn 9-14 of this replay may be helpful.
In Turn 12, instead of cournering Zee's Misdreavus with Mean Look, I (chio) predicted switching out to Starmie and used Zap Cannon, and at this Turn my Misdreavus was unable to switch out due to Mean Look, so I was switched to Snorlax on Turn 13 with existing Perish Song count, forcing me to make a risky switch out on Turn 14.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2nc2000-2039...
(By the way, it is common for PerishTrapper to check the opponent's PerishTrapper, and it is also common for PerishTrapper to Mean Look at each other and faint)
Finally, you need to know that Perish Song can be extremely violent in situations where your opponent has only one Pokemon left (this means that it can't switch out to reset the Perish Song count).
At least in NC2000, a common development is to go from 3 vs 2 situation to 2 vs 1 with Explosion, then use Perish Song to end the game.
When using this strategy, and when countering it, there are two playing teckniques you should keep in mind, so I explain them here.
(For a more specific Moveset, see Nowadays Spikes War)
First, if your opponent's PerishTraper uses Perish Song without using Mean Look, the established playing is to immediately switch out to reset the Perish Song count.
Even if your opponent's PerishTraper uses Mean Look on the next Turn, the Perish Song count will not be reset, and even if it uses Perish Song on the following Turn, the counter for your opponent's PerishTraper will not be reset, so your opponent's PerishTraper will be forced to switch out, giving you an advantage.
Conversely, if you want to use Perish Trap, you need to remember that the established playing is to use Mean Look first.
Second, You should know that Perish Song will force your opponent to switch out heavily.
This is especially useful for temporarily avoiding checning with passive Pokemon which don't have a strong Attack Move, allowing you to land a strong Attack Move on a soft target.
This is an advantage you can get with or without combining it with Mean Look.
For example, this is an NC2000 example though, Turn 9-14 of this replay may be helpful.
In Turn 12, instead of cournering Zee's Misdreavus with Mean Look, I (chio) predicted switching out to Starmie and used Zap Cannon, and at this Turn my Misdreavus was unable to switch out due to Mean Look, so I was switched to Snorlax on Turn 13 with existing Perish Song count, forcing me to make a risky switch out on Turn 14.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2nc2000-2039...
(By the way, it is common for PerishTrapper to check the opponent's PerishTrapper, and it is also common for PerishTrapper to Mean Look at each other and faint)
Finally, you need to know that Perish Song can be extremely violent in situations where your opponent has only one Pokemon left (this means that it can't switch out to reset the Perish Song count).
At least in NC2000, a common development is to go from 3 vs 2 situation to 2 vs 1 with Explosion, then use Perish Song to end the game.
Counter / Mirror Coat
Counter / Mirror Coat is often used as a surprise, but if used without much thought, it will not be very effective. It also has some not knowable usages.
Below are some notes on how to use Counter / Mirror Coat more effectively.
Below are some notes on how to use Counter / Mirror Coat more effectively.
- Used as a counter for established playing
- For example, Snorlax's Double-Edge against Jynx can be outsmarted with Counter, and Electric's Thunder against Suicune can be outsmarted with Mirror Coat.
- Some players are wary of these (being cautious even if it temporarily is not able to gain maximum advantage), but against those who aren't they can be really effective.
- The important thing is to knock them down once you've done it, as in these examples. Don't give them a chance to recover with Rest etc.
- Lower Defense / Special EVs / IVs if necessary
- For example, Nidoking may lower its Special EVs / IVs in order to defeat Hidden Power Ice Zapdos with just Counter.
- Even without lowering EVs / IVs, it is possible to defeat it with "Hidden Power Ice, Ice Beam -> Hidden Power Ice, Counter". However, since this is a development which is often waried, the above methods are sometimes used to make it less likely to be waried.
- Triggering PP Stall to force using Attack Move
- This is specifically a technique that Double-Edge / Curse / Counter / Soft-Boiled Blissey uses to defeat Curse Snorlax. Even if Snorlax uses a Move like Rest to avoiding getting Counter, Counter has 32 PP, so Rest alone is not enough PP and Blissey can simply continue to use Counter to counter Snorlax.
- However, this example is usually countered by switching to Normal Resist against Blissey. So, this is effective where you are in limited situation which is mainly the end game.
- Using as a counter to Phasing
- Counter / Mirror Coat has the same Priority as Roar / Whirlwind, so if your Pokemon is slower than your opponent's Pokemon, you can use Counter / Mirror Coat to avoid being switched out by Roar / Whirlwind. This works even if your Pokemon is in Sleep.
- This is an especially useful technique for Double-Edge / Curse / Counter / Rest Snorlax.
- Using in combination with Encore
- A good technique is to use Counter / Mirror Coat first and then Encore if your opponent uses a Move other than an Attack Move to be cautious. This is efficient especially in 1 vs 1 situation.
- This can be used with Pokemon like Clefable and Mr. Mime.
Nightmare
This is a good counter to Rest, and is a move that Substitute Starmie in particular often uses to defeat Snorlax and Zapdos.
On the other hand, if a Pokemon has a high enough Special Defense, even if it has Sleeptalk it will be effective to intentionally not use it, and instead wake up every two turns to force the opponent to use Nightmare again which means interrupting the onslaught with Attack Move.
A concrete example of this would be Snorlax against Surf Starmie.
If Snorlax plays in this way, Starmie will only have about a 2% chance of defeating Snorlax in one attempt between the turn Snorlax using Rest and the turn it using Rest again.
In the actual game, Turn 55-76 in the replay below is understandable example.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen2o...
However, Snorlax can also be defeated with Nightmare if additional conditions are like below.
On the other hand, if a Pokemon has a high enough Special Defense, even if it has Sleeptalk it will be effective to intentionally not use it, and instead wake up every two turns to force the opponent to use Nightmare again which means interrupting the onslaught with Attack Move.
A concrete example of this would be Snorlax against Surf Starmie.
If Snorlax plays in this way, Starmie will only have about a 2% chance of defeating Snorlax in one attempt between the turn Snorlax using Rest and the turn it using Rest again.
In the actual game, Turn 55-76 in the replay below is understandable example.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen2o...
However, Snorlax can also be defeated with Nightmare if additional conditions are like below.
- Combining with another Move such as Counfuse Ray
- For this reason, in Japanese NC2000 it is used in Movesets such as Surf / Confuse Ray / Nightmare / Substitute.
- Thief Snorlax's Leftovers with another Pokemon
- Players who (presumably) understand this issue use it in combination with Thief.
- Using it on Pokemon with higher Special Attack such as Jynx
- Jynx's Ice Beam has about 12% chance of defeating Snorlax in one attempt, but Starmie and Jynx have different roles and cannot be repleaced for each other simply. This also creates other problems if you are dropping Psychic, such as Jynx being checked by Cloyster.
Pain Split
Pain Split is a Move that Misdreavus (etc) can use, and like Recover, it allows you to recover HP without becoming Sleep. Also, unlike Resttalk, it only requires one move space.
This can also be used to support the other Pokemon by reducing your opponent's Pokemon's HP.
However, this move has the problem that if your opponent uses a Pokemon which intentionally keeps its HP low and uses it as a Misdreavus checker, your Misdreavus's HP won't recover as well.
(Zapdos is often the best fit for this role)
And the problem with this is that it depends on your opponent knowing about this kind of play, and if it do, there's little you can do to outsmart it.
This can also be used to support the other Pokemon by reducing your opponent's Pokemon's HP.
However, this move has the problem that if your opponent uses a Pokemon which intentionally keeps its HP low and uses it as a Misdreavus checker, your Misdreavus's HP won't recover as well.
(Zapdos is often the best fit for this role)
And the problem with this is that it depends on your opponent knowing about this kind of play, and if it do, there's little you can do to outsmart it.
Swagger
Swagger has the characteristic that it is a Confuse Move that many Pokemon can access.
However, you will need to deal with Pokemon which attack stage has increased.
In addition, knowledge of using Swagger has been accumulating since the early 00s in Japanese NC2000.
I've posted knowledge on Smogon Forums, so please read it.
The following post describes the team I built for testing when discussing whether it bans Swagger or not, and reports on the results of the test.
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/swagger-in-g...
And to understand the basic structure of that team, you need to understand the basic knowledge described in the following post about NC2000.
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/differences-...
By the way, the sentence of "Occasionally, some players use Swagger with Level 55 Zapdos, Level 55 Raikou and Level 55 Moltres without Substitute(with Leftovers) and/or Misdreavus, but this is an advanced set" means that the way of usage of Swagger is to defeat Snorlax with predicting the Turn which Snorlax uses Rest etc in where chip damage is needed to defeat Snorlax, and defeat Special Pokemon with a preparatory predicted game plan.
However, you will need to deal with Pokemon which attack stage has increased.
In addition, knowledge of using Swagger has been accumulating since the early 00s in Japanese NC2000.
I've posted knowledge on Smogon Forums, so please read it.
The following post describes the team I built for testing when discussing whether it bans Swagger or not, and reports on the results of the test.
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/swagger-in-g...
And to understand the basic structure of that team, you need to understand the basic knowledge described in the following post about NC2000.
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/differences-...
By the way, the sentence of "Occasionally, some players use Swagger with Level 55 Zapdos, Level 55 Raikou and Level 55 Moltres without Substitute(with Leftovers) and/or Misdreavus, but this is an advanced set" means that the way of usage of Swagger is to defeat Snorlax with predicting the Turn which Snorlax uses Rest etc in where chip damage is needed to defeat Snorlax, and defeat Special Pokemon with a preparatory predicted game plan.
Sand Storm
Unlike Sunny Days and Rain Dance, it can boost Attack Moves of a wide range of Types.
For example, you can use this to defeat Snorlax with Tyranitar (used with Rock Slide or conbination of Crunch + Dynamic Punch) or Nidoking as shown below.
Pokemon other than Rock, Ground, and Steel Types like Zapdos can also utilize this, but be aware that the opponent's Pokemon may utilize it.
Usage except simply enhancing Attack Moves is the below.
It is important to note that Sand Storm continues for 5 turns, but the last Turn can not inflict any damage, and unlike Sunny Days and Rain Dance, using Sand Storm while it is still continue does not reset the left Turns of Sand Storm.
For example, you can use this to defeat Snorlax with Tyranitar (used with Rock Slide or conbination of Crunch + Dynamic Punch) or Nidoking as shown below.
Tyranitar Rock Slide vs. Snorlax: 130-153 (24.8 - 29.2%) -- 50.4% chance to 3HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
Tyranitar Crunch vs. -1 Snorlax: 120-142 (22.9 - 27.1%) -- 0.1% chance to 3HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
Tyranitar Dynamic Punch vs. +2 Snorlax: 117-138 (22.3 - 26.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
Nidoking Earthquake vs. Snorlax: 133-157 (25.4 - 30%) -- 80.8% chance to 3HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
Pokemon other than Rock, Ground, and Steel Types like Zapdos can also utilize this, but be aware that the opponent's Pokemon may utilize it.
Usage except simply enhancing Attack Moves is the below.
- Using Roar or Whirlwind will inflict damage on the Pokemon which is forced to switch in. If there is a Pokemon hiding with extremely decreased HP, this may defeat it. This can be a wincon especially when you're in stalemate in Stall Team's game.
- The damage dealt by Sand Storm cannot be prevented by Substitute and Protect, so this is another feature that can potentially be used effectively.
- It can be used to prevent exchanging via Destiny Bond.
- It can be useful to halve the recovery amount of Morning Sun / Synthesis / Moon Light.
It is important to note that Sand Storm continues for 5 turns, but the last Turn can not inflict any damage, and unlike Sunny Days and Rain Dance, using Sand Storm while it is still continue does not reset the left Turns of Sand Storm.
Future Sight
This is a Move that inflicts subsidiary damage, just like Spikes and Toxic.
Unlike Spikes and Toxic, Future Sight must be used each time, but it has the advantage that there is no way to nullify it, like Rapid Spin against Spikes or Rest / Heal Bell against Toxic.
It is also similar to Pursuit in the sense that it can deal damage to Pokemon other than the checker of the Move's user.
It is the possible that this is violent when combined with Phazer.
If you use Future Sight and switch to Phazer the next Turn, then use Roar / Whirlwind the Turn after that, the Pokemon you were forced to switch in will take the damage of Future Sight.
This can defeat a Pokemon with decreased HP, and this can be a wincon especially when you're in stalemate in Stall Team's game.
The problem is that there are only a few Pokemon which can access to Future Sight.
For Stall Team, Psychic / Future Sight / Sleeptalk / Rest Hypno is probably the most decent.
(Alakazam might be better though)
This can act as a decoy against Gengar's Explosion, check Machamp, and help check Jynx and Nidoking, all important roles for Stall Team.
For Offense Team, Psychic / Drill Peck / Future Sight / Thief Xatu is probably the most decent.
This allows for potential aggressive play against teams which hire Golem, Steelix, Machamp, etc. It's also worth noting that this makes it easier to hire Raikou instead of Zapdos.
Unlike Spikes and Toxic, Future Sight must be used each time, but it has the advantage that there is no way to nullify it, like Rapid Spin against Spikes or Rest / Heal Bell against Toxic.
It is also similar to Pursuit in the sense that it can deal damage to Pokemon other than the checker of the Move's user.
It is the possible that this is violent when combined with Phazer.
If you use Future Sight and switch to Phazer the next Turn, then use Roar / Whirlwind the Turn after that, the Pokemon you were forced to switch in will take the damage of Future Sight.
This can defeat a Pokemon with decreased HP, and this can be a wincon especially when you're in stalemate in Stall Team's game.
The problem is that there are only a few Pokemon which can access to Future Sight.
For Stall Team, Psychic / Future Sight / Sleeptalk / Rest Hypno is probably the most decent.
(Alakazam might be better though)
This can act as a decoy against Gengar's Explosion, check Machamp, and help check Jynx and Nidoking, all important roles for Stall Team.
For Offense Team, Psychic / Drill Peck / Future Sight / Thief Xatu is probably the most decent.
This allows for potential aggressive play against teams which hire Golem, Steelix, Machamp, etc. It's also worth noting that this makes it easier to hire Raikou instead of Zapdos.
Items
Quick Claw
This is one of the viable item for Belly Drum Charizard.
It improves the matchup against Zapdos, and gives you a chance to defeat it if your opponent switches to Raikou or Gengar in prediction of Belly Drum.
If you use Hyper Beam instead of Rock Slide (which has a chance to OHKO Snorlax at +6), you also have a chance to defeat it if it switches to Starmie.
By the way, in Japanese NC2000, there are cases where Double-Edge / Earthquake / Curse / Self-Destruct Snorlax and Sleep Powder / Psychic / Leech Seed or Hidden Power (Bug or Grass) or Giga Drain / Explosion Exeggutor use Quick Claw, and I think it is effective to a certain extent in OU too, but in OU where fierce Spikes War is prolifrated, it is probably not worth dropping Leftovers.
It improves the matchup against Zapdos, and gives you a chance to defeat it if your opponent switches to Raikou or Gengar in prediction of Belly Drum.
If you use Hyper Beam instead of Rock Slide (which has a chance to OHKO Snorlax at +6), you also have a chance to defeat it if it switches to Starmie.
By the way, in Japanese NC2000, there are cases where Double-Edge / Earthquake / Curse / Self-Destruct Snorlax and Sleep Powder / Psychic / Leech Seed or Hidden Power (Bug or Grass) or Giga Drain / Explosion Exeggutor use Quick Claw, and I think it is effective to a certain extent in OU too, but in OU where fierce Spikes War is prolifrated, it is probably not worth dropping Leftovers.
Mint Berry
This could be useful as a specialized counter against Lovely Kiss Thief Jynx.
Mint Berry punishes both Lovely Kiss and Thief, and unlike Miracle Berry, it can't even predict moves like Toxic to get back into being able to utilize Thief again.
It also doesn't make it a completely useless item if a Pokemon which has Rest has it.
For example, I've been self-testing with the following very specific team.
https://pokepast.es/8c7d0d8f691f6e6f
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-23055801...
Mint Berry punishes both Lovely Kiss and Thief, and unlike Miracle Berry, it can't even predict moves like Toxic to get back into being able to utilize Thief again.
It also doesn't make it a completely useless item if a Pokemon which has Rest has it.
For example, I've been self-testing with the following very specific team.
https://pokepast.es/8c7d0d8f691f6e6f
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-23055801...
King's Rock
I had considered using King's Rock as an item to counter Seismic Toss Heracross's Thief.
For more details, see the 2024/02/07 section on the following page.
https://seesaawiki.jp/pbs-thread/d/Pokemon%20Showd...
For more details, see the 2024/02/07 section on the following page.
https://seesaawiki.jp/pbs-thread/d/Pokemon%20Showd...
Status adjustment
HP 16n - 16n+7
By adjusting HP EVs and setting HP from 16n to 16n+7, Spikes' damage can be fully recovered with two Leftovers.
This can be utilized with Resttalk moveset. If HP is 100% at Sleep count 1, even if Rest is drawn by Sleeptalk, Rest will fail and the Sleep count will not be reset. You can then hope easily that another Move will be drawn.
To make it easier to understand, I make this situation in the self-testplay. Turn 10 in the replay below is the situation it is hoping for.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-20715019...
For example, Vaporeon can be expected to improve its matchup against Snorlax.
Such cases do occur in actual games, for example Turn 39 in the game below.
(HP has not been adjusted in this game. In this game, I should have used Sleeptalk even if it had the probability that my Sleep count was reset.)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-20664667...
This could potentially be used not only with Vaporeon, but also with Pokemon like Heracross.
This can be utilized with Resttalk moveset. If HP is 100% at Sleep count 1, even if Rest is drawn by Sleeptalk, Rest will fail and the Sleep count will not be reset. You can then hope easily that another Move will be drawn.
To make it easier to understand, I make this situation in the self-testplay. Turn 10 in the replay below is the situation it is hoping for.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-20715019...
For example, Vaporeon can be expected to improve its matchup against Snorlax.
Such cases do occur in actual games, for example Turn 39 in the game below.
(HP has not been adjusted in this game. In this game, I should have used Sleeptalk even if it had the probability that my Sleep count was reset.)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen2ou-20664667...
This could potentially be used not only with Vaporeon, but also with Pokemon like Heracross.
Attack Lowered
Attack EVs / IVs may be lowered by Pokemon which are not expected to use Physical Attack Moves including Struggle in order to reduce damage from Confuse.
Also, IVs may be lowered to make a Pokemon female in order to use or counter Attract.
When making this adjustment, it is necessary to be careful of the following.
(There is a difference between the original values in GSC and the values on Pokepaste (which is twice the original values in GSC). The original values in GSC are listed here.)
Also, IVs may be lowered to make a Pokemon female in order to use or counter Attract.
When making this adjustment, it is necessary to be careful of the following.
(There is a difference between the original values in GSC and the values on Pokepaste (which is twice the original values in GSC). The original values in GSC are listed here.)
- Attack IVs should be at least 1, otherwise the GSC mechanism will lower your HP IVs.
- When using Hidden Power, lower your Attack IVs by 4. If you don't do this, the typing of Hidden Power may change or the Power may decrease.
- In the list below, 3 ♀ : 1 ♂ Pokemon can use female with Hidden Power of Power 70. Also, 1 ♀ : 7 ♂ Pokemon cannot use female with Special Type Hidden Power, even if you can accept Power 50.
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