masquerain competative analysis

Masquerain is not your normal bug type. altho most bug types have falled down into the area of never to be used in competative battling, and sadly, masquerain seams to  have been one of them. it even faces compettion from other pokemon in this hole such as butterfree who has sleep powder to destroy a counter. however masquerain still has tis uses, an amazing ability in the form of intimidate and acsess to quiver dance can make this pokemon a real threat if it gets enuf boosts up. it has a good movepool to boot, masquerain can be dangerous and if you only give it a chance, you may find it being the perfect pokemon for your team!


Buzz Lightyear (offensive):
252 SP atk, 252 Speed, 4 def
item: life orb
ability: intimidate
nature: Modest/timid
move set: Quiver dance, bug buzz
Hydro pump, shadow ball/air slash/baton pass

this set aims to set up and sweep the foe's team. intimidate allows Masqurain to come in on phisicla attacks, hopefuly one locked into a resited move, such as scarfed Swak locked into close combat, and set up with quiver dance. after one or two quiver dances, not many things can outspeed this litlte bug, and it hits pretty dang hard. bug buzz is the main stab and it hits quite hard after some boosts and the life orb. hydro pump is a must, wreaking pokemon such as golurk and flareon who would laugh at masquerain's attacks otherwise. air slash cna be used in the last slot for a secondary stab attack, however it offers little exstra covrage, so shadow ball cna be used to hit ghost types like Aegislash and Misdrevious without having to use the un reliable hydro pump. air slash also allows this lil bug to get pass assult vest scrafty who would other wise be a good check. baton pass is a perfectly good move for the last slot, as it is hte main thing it has over other quiver dance users such as volcarona, allwoign it to pass its boosts along when tis weakened and continue the sweep.


Sticky web lead:
252 Sp atk, 252 Speed, 4 atk
item: focus sash
ability: intimidate
nature: timid/Naive
move set: sticky web, air slash
toxic/stun spore, u-turn/bug buzz

this set aims to set up sticky web to suppot the team. with this etry hazard up, any grounded foe that enters the feidl will have there speed lowered by one stage. this can turn potental checks to yorus weepers into nothign but prey! sticky wbe is clearly a must, air slash provides a solid stab attack and you might even get lucky with flinches as masquerain is decently fast. toxic cripples walls but stun spore cripples opposing sweepers, allowing this little bug to cripple the opponent before it gets defeated. u-turn provides momentum for the team but bug buzz alows masqurain to dela massave damage to common magic bounce users such as Espeon.

other options:
Masqurain has scald, however it dosent have the bulk to make use of it and it is completely outclassed by hydro pump on the offensive set. haze is an interesting support option, perventing masquerain form begin set up on, however most people will porbably just try to defeat it out right. masqurain can try a bulky moveset with subsitute, roost, scald, toxic, protect, and sticky web as support moves, but even with intimidate masqurain isn't very bulky so it should stick to the sets above. ice beam and energy ball are strong moves, but they offer no coverage then its other moves dont already cover. psych up is an interesting option, maybe letting it nab boosts form the foe, but masuerain is better off setting up itself. a dedicated baton pass set cna be used, but it dosent have the bulk and it is outclassed by other Pokemon such as Epseon and its own offensive set.

checks and counters:
masqurain can be suprisingly difficuly to take down if it gets one or two boosts up, but it isnt impossible. Quagsire makes a perfect check as it has unaware to ignore the boosts and it cna strike back with scald and recover off the damage taken. priortiy is deadly to masuerain. choice banded Staraptor can come in after one of its teammates die, and can wreak it with a stab quick attack. other priority users such as lucario or Arcanine with exstream speed can check masqurain with said priority move. blissy with its massave Hp stat and SP def can sponge hits and spam toxic wish and protect to wittle masquerian down. assult vest scrafty is also a good check, as it cna sponge hits and wreak it with a stab knock off.