Pokemon of the Month - January 2014 - Smeargle

About Smeargle
A special fluid oozes from the tip of its tail. It paints the fluid everywhere to mark its territory. Over 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found. The color of the mysterious fluid secreted from its tail is predetermined for each Smeargle. Once it becomes an adult, it has a tendency to let its comrades plant footprints on its back.

Interesting Facts
- It can learn any move other than struggle and chatter
- It is the only Pokemon to not be confused from outrage thanks to having the ability no tempo
- Only Pokemon to learn the same move by level up more than 4 times
- Smeargle has the lowest base stat total of all Pokemon not part of an evolutionary line.

Smeargle's Stats
HP - 55
Attack - 20
Defense - 35
Sp.atk - 20
Sp.def - 35
Speed - 75

Abilities
Own Tempo - Prevents Confusion
Technician - Any move with a base power of 60 or lower gets a 50% power boost
Moody (HA) - Raises a random stat by 2 stages and lowers a different random stat by 1

Smeargle in Compeitive Battling
Truly a Jack of all Trades. It can learns almost every single move in the game but isn't very good at using most of it thanks to it's poor stats. It's abilities are great either. Own tempo helps but could be better, smeargle doesn't have nearly good enough attacking stats to abuse technician, and moody is banned from competitive play. If your using smeargle it's either doing one of two things setting up hazards or baton passing. While bad at most things these it does these two things quite well. Just give it a focus sash and spore (100% accurate sleep move) and let it set up while your opponent is sleeping or switching out. Things will be harder for smeargle this gen since spore no longer affects grass types but there are plenty of other things to set up on and smeargle got a few new toys like sticky web that make it worth using.

Example Movesets

Smeargle

Example Movesets

Hazard Paint
Smeargle - Focus Sash
Ability - Own Tempo
Nature - Jolly/Timid
Evs - 80 HP / 96 Def / 80 SpD / 252 Spe
Spore
Taunt/Endeavor
Stealth Rock/Sticky Web/Spikes/Toxic Spikes
Stealth Rock/Sticky Web/Spikes/Toxic Spikes

Evs and nature maxmizes smeargle's bulk while also making it as fast as it can. As I mentioned before you take an attack with focus sash and then put your opponent to sleep using spore so you can set up. Taunt is for other leads so that they can't set up either or defog you. You can also use endeavor to make use of your focus sash and make it much easier for you next poke to knock them out. Then just choose your combination of hazards you want to set up. What ever you feel best suites your team. The only one I really wouldn't recommend is toxic spikes thanks to the increase of poison usage due to the new fairy type. The only reason I really put it on here was because it is a hazard.

Passing Artistic Talent
Smeargle - Focus Sash
Ability - Own Tempo
Nature - Jolly/Timid
Evs - 80 HP / 96 Def / 80 SpD / 252 Spe
Spore
Shell Smash
Baton Pass
Ingrain/Taunt

This is the baton passing set. Basically spore and evs are for the same reason as the last set. Shell Smash is the best move for passing despite lowering defenses. Some say you can use geomancy with a power herb but you loose out on focus sash and will be lucky to survive a hit without it. You can try a different boosting move but in the end shell smash is the best. Baton pass gives the boosts to your next pokemon. Ingrain can also be passed to your pokemon to help recover health and keep you from being phazed. You can also use taunt to keep yourself from being phazed and keep your opponent from setting up.

Quote :

Shell Smash is the best move for passing despite lowering attack.

No it doesn't... lowers defence and special defence... raises attack 2 stages.

Typo   

Thanks for catching that.