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1 vote
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Sorry for the barrage of Floatzel questions, but I was wondering. I never seem to flinch with Waterfall. This is for the Battle Tree, by the way.

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Flinching is just pure luck
Me too, that's why i aways choose liquidation/aqua tail in the last generation and aqua tail instead of waterfall in older generations when a pokemon can learn at least both. However if the chance of flinch would be at least  40 or 50 without any things that stack, i'l would use it if the pokemon was faster.

 (Most people use watterfall, because is "fashionable", have a "reputation" of being good, between quotes. They mimic what others say is good, bad, right, wrong and are doing.)

 To really know what move works best for what you want to do, you'l have to forget the opinions and just understand how the  move works, if you understand how it works, you'l automatic know what situation it apply best. You want to use a move that can get stack with a secundary effect? This effect will happen more than less with the stacks? You just want to inflict more damage using one move instead of hitting twice or more times? With the stab the move would be able to defeat more foes with one hit? In wich situation flinch would be indispensable?

 Every move has his own strenghts and there are no better when it comes to this, you just have to choose the one who have the atributes for your particular strategy. Every strategy has a move that works best than the other.  Only you know what you want to do exaclly. You want to use a move that makes the target flinch? Or you want to have a move that do more damage? A move that debuf the foes defense? What you gonna do if the secundary effects apply? You'le face particular enemies, or you'l face any? The secundary effect you are expecting is part of your strategy to create a particular combo?
That's very true, thank you. :)

2 Answers

3 votes
 
Best answer

I personally don’t like relying on luck, as it often backfires when you can just do more damage than have a small chance of hax. People use Sheer Force Pokémon all the time for this very reason. Liquidation has a 20% chance to drop defense, and Waterfall has a 30% chance to flinch (Helix716 is wrong it isn’t 20%). Liquidation has 5 more BP than Waterfall. Let’s go over the pros and cons of both

Liquidation
- 5 more Base Power
- 20% chance to get a defense drop

Waterfall
- 30% chance to flinch

Also, I disagree with Helix716 that defense drops don’t matter. They certainly aren’t viable, but I think the defense drop can come in clutch at moments in a battle. I know flinches are better than defense drops, but flinches rely more on its chance to flinch than to OHKO withthat extra 5 base damage.

Conclusion - Everybody has a different opinion on the matter (I think Liquidation is better) and you must make your own personal assessment from the information provided

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Thank you. I wasn't sure of the statistics for Liquidation as far as decreasing Defense goes.
I find your answer very helpful EvilTwineedle, because you always give statistics and useful advice. :)
2 votes

Waterfall.
Because 20% chances of flinching can be useful sometimes. I have never seen liquidation to lower anything. Lowering defense is not necessary, because opponent can switch out to another Pokemon.

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Liquidation is stronger. Do you know the chance of liquidation increasing the chance of a KO?