Why is Chesnaught taboo in competitive?

Question

I've seen Chesnaught be ruled out of competitive so much...

...but why? Spiky Shield is wonderful, and Grass-Fighting isn't that bad of a type.

Comments

I think it's 'cos, except for it's Attack and Defense, terrible moves. And special Flying moves will murder it.

Answer 1

Why is Chestnught taboo in Competitive?

Pros: It has a nice typing offensively, hitting the likes of Bulky Waters and multiple Steel types, and even defensively, as its one of the few Pokemon to resist EdgeQuake. Bulletproof is a great ability that shrugs off the Sludge Bomb that seems to be growing in popularity and other moves like Focus Blast and Gyro Ball. It gets Leech Seed, Synthesis, Spikes, and Spiky Shield, all viable and very useful moves.

Cons: Breloom outclasses, not entirely, but it gets Mach Punch and Spore. Its abilities seem a bit more applicable with Poison Heal and Technician. The worst part about it (which is why you also are seeing less of Breloom) is Talonflame. Gale Wings Brave Bird will wreck it, but so can Flare Blitz and Acrobatics.

Just some sets of Chesnaught:

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Atk
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Hammer Arm
- Wood Hammer

I've been using this set lately and it has proven as a key defensive pivot. Spikes for hazards, Synthesis for healing and then Dual STAB Hammer Arm + Wood Hammer.

Chesnaught (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Spiky Shield
- Seed Bomb

This is your SubSeed set. Leech Seed saps health, Substitute + Spiky Shield stall out the health and Wood Hammer is your lone attack.
~From Mewderator

Chesnaught@ Choice Band
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 hp 252 atk 4 sdef
-Wood Hammer/Seed Bomb
-Hammer Arm/Power Up Punch
-Stone Edge
-Earthquake

This set is meant to abuse Chesnaught's base 107 attack. First you have a a choice between STAB attacks. Secondly, you can choose between a powerful fighting STAB or a weaker one for to set up later. EdgeQuake is the ultimate attacking duo, resisted by few.
~From Miror Bro

Anyway, I feel like you will see Chesnaught in UU and will fit there well. I honestly can't wait to see where it goes because it is a very interesting Pokemon. It'll never get a bye into OU with Talonflame roaming however.

Comments

If you want to counter Talonflame, make it learn Quick Guard.  If Talonflame is holding a choice item, it will be forced to miss and miss till you punk it out with stone edge.

Answer 2

Offensively it is outclassed by Breloom, another Grass-Fighting type. The one thing that both of these Pokemon share is their vulnerability to Talonflame who is very common on a lot of OU teams. The x4 weakness to Flying + Gale Wings priority is the death of Chesnaught.

But defensively it can be an excellent counter to Gengar, another very common Pokemon in OU. With it's hidden ability Bulletproof it is immune to attacks such as Focus Blast, Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb. All of which Gengar commonly runs. Chesnaught's best set is probably:

Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Trait: Bulletproof
Nature: Relaxed
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def

- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Spiky Shield
- Seed Bomb/Wood Hammer

You must look at Chesnaught as a defensive Pokemon as that's where it's only really competitively viable. However it does a good job as a wall and a stop to certain Gengar sets. Without Bulletproof though, Gliscor also outclasses Chesnaught defensively as it can Substitute + Protect while healing itself with Toxic Heal as it uses Toxic on you to slowly kill you. So unfortunately there is not a lot going for Chesnaught, plus Talonflame's typing annihilates Chesnaught and it is very common like I said.

And yes you are right, Grass-Fighting are wonderful typing and Spiky Shield is an awesome new move. But so many Pokemon do a better job offensively and defensively like they have done for Generations so there isn't a need to swap out the common walls such as Gliscor for Chesnaught.

Comments

I'd go for an Impish nature :P

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Turns in battle...
VS. Gengar
Turn 1. Gengar mega evolves and uses Substitute
               Chestnaught uses leech seed (no affect)
Turn 2. Gengar uses Toxic
               Chestnaught uses Substitute
Turn 3. Gengar uses Venoshock
               Chestnaught use wood hammer/seed bomb
Turn 4.
               Gengar uses Venoshock
                Chestnaught fainted

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Its sometimes a good wall against Gengar

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Seriously, instead of substitute Earthquake saved me so many times with Spiky Shield as a follow up move with hopefully Leech Seed in effect especially considering Chesnaught's priority is offence. For example, it saved me from a Mega Lucario with Ice Punch that obviously out sped me and Chesnaught won the match. Its a rare occurrence because Chesnaught use to always fail me with its abundance of weaknesses but ever since I thought out my tactics with it its been really reliable.

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Actually, Chesnaught is a far better counter to non-Mega Gengar, and Mega Gengar's insane ability has it banned pretty much everywhere. Normal Gengar's most common set is Shadow Ball/Sludge Bomb/Focus Blast or Thunderbolt/Taunt or Destiny Bond. Chesnaught is immune to or resists Gengar's direct attacks, is unharmed by Taunt, and if Gengar carries Destiny Bond, Chesnaught can stall out with Leech Seed and Spiky Shield.