Is there any use of a Choiced non-attacking move?

Question

Today, me being me, I decided to use a Choice Scarfed Amoongus, so that I will atleast put one opponent to sleep.
I quickly realised I was being stupid. So, I started wondering if I was the only person who did something like that. One thought led to another, and here I am

So, my question is, is there any niche or use for a Choiced Non-Attacking move, or is it only used by Noobs or people who have had a Brain Fade?

Comments

Well, scarf Lando and Fini can someetimes fit defog because of the switches they can force. Blacephalon and Fini can also use trick to cripple their own answeres

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What format/rules are you asking about?

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any competitive format

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Sometimes Specs Ash Greninja runs Spikes to punish its checks in National Dex. Scarf Latias can use Healing Wish to give a setup sweeper a second chance at sweeping. In Gen 8 PU, Toxic can be run on Scarf Togedemaru to cripple certain switchins like Vikavolt rather than pivoting out against them. Honestly, non attacking moves are used on choiced sets for the utility they provide.

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yes, scarf yve sometimes runs toxic in usum ag, scarf xerneas only runs moonblast and other moves are aromatherapy/twave/defog. scarf ray can run exotic moves like toxic, and the same with marsh. band/scarf hooh runs sometimes fog and almost always toxic in the same tier. this is to persuade its checks to come in and put them on a death timer, and clean them more easily with any of its moves later in the game. this also lets the mon act as a support to the team w moves like aroma etc.
in gen 7 pure hackmons, gengar-m runs scarf moongeist/trick/shell smash/searing shot as a lure. in gen 6 pure hackmons, youll see loads of trick + choiced mons. in gen 8 ag, shadowrex sometimes runs nasty plot on the trick-choice set, and aroma is almost mandatory on that.
this totally depends on what team youre making, format, and mon.
i was looking at choice items on google and got this, totally random.

Answer 1

Choiced Pokemon (especially Scarf sets) do not always require full coverage of 4 moves, so they can always fit some utility in status moves, such as Defog, Healing Wish, Trick, Stealth Rock, Aromatherapy, Toxic etc. etc.

It always comes down depending on what's a Pokemon's role is on the team to show its moves. For example, Choice Scarf Landorus-T can fit Defog on its set, so can Tapu Fini and also go for Trick to cripple walls like Blissey just like how First Sinner said. While it may sound awkward to use status move with a Choiced item, with a bit of prediction and easy force switch-ins you can pull out a Defog/Aromatherapy, etc. etc.

For example, if a Calyrex-Shadow is facing a Necro DM, then it's obvious that the opponent would switch out their NDM to a Yveltal, etc. At this moment, you could use Aromatherapy to cure your party or even Trick your Choice item to the defensive Pokemon as it's an obvious switch-in.

Here's the set for Choiced Calyrex-S for example:

Calyrex-Shadow @ Choice Scarf / Specs
Ability: As One (Spectrier)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aromatherapy / Haze / Nasty Plot
- Trick
- Astral Barrage
- Psyshock

A Scarf Calyrex-S is not going on full out coverage, it's a revenge killer that can also cripple Defensive walls with Trick. Henceforth, it carries maximum two status moves and the rest other are two STABs as it doesn't need to kill a Yveltal easily it won't run something like Draining Kiss.

Choice Scarf sets of any Pokemon are more likely to carry status move compared to Band/Specs, as the latter might need more coverage than utility. However, they can run some kind of status move, like Thunder Wave on Scarf Xerneas, Toxic on Ho-Oh, etc. exactly what Assault and Manectric said.

There's also lures with Choice Scarf set, for example Gengar in OU carries dual STABs, but also has Trick + Nasty Plot so to surprise its counters.

Today, me being me, I decided to use a Choice Scarfed Amoongus, so that I will atleast put one opponent to sleep.

Defensive Pokemon carrying Choice-d item is not non-existent, as seen in the case of Tapu Fini. But, it's having access to Trick and Defog is why it runs Choice Scarf, not the same case as Amoonguss. For it, being choice locked to Spore or any move is downright bad, also its Spe is pretty mediocre already.

Hope this helps!

Comments

So basically only scarfed Pokes run status?

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No, Scarfed mons are more likely to, but that doesn't mean Band and Specs don't.

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Thanks a lot