~ NOCTOWL never fails at catching prey in darkness. This POKéMON owes its success to its superior vision that allows it to see in minimal light, and to its soft, supple wings that make no sound in flight. ~ Ruby/ Sapphire
~When it needs to think, it rotates its head 180 degrees to sharpen its intellectual power. ~ Soul Silver
Noctowl @ Flame Orb / Metronome
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 80 HP / 200 Def / 8 SpD / 124 Spe
Bold / Timid Nature
- Roost / Defog
- Tailwind / Magic Coat
- Psycho Shift / Psych Up
- Mirror Move / Hyper Beam / Hyper Voice
Noctowl is an interesting field version of a Normal/ Flying type. It has good options for utility moves but Noctowl's stats leave much to be desired. This EV spread uses a balanced allocation to give Noctowl enough defenses and HP to use its utility moves effectively. As such, it makes a great utility support lead or an anti-leader. The move set can also be tailored, as you may prefer a utilities Doubles Noctowl. I find that this general set requires careful prediction; a high risk, high rewards Pokemon.
Roost will allow Noctowl to heal off some of the damage it will take as a lead. Large HP pool means better Roost regeneration. *Defog will allow you to remove troublesome obstacles that can pose a problem for the team. Of course, switching in to Stealth Rocks to do this will harm Noctowl's longevity. Tailwind is a great support move Noctowl can use to gain a Speed advantage over other Pokemon. This helps when needing to affect turn orders for your team. Alternatively, the priority granted by Magic Coat can prevent other leads from using Taunt or other status while allowing you to defensively affect turn orders. Psycho Shift is useful for removing any status you may inevitably incur although Noctowl can does make an effective wielder of Flame Orb. Passing Burns to Pokemon may break their offensive momentum. Psych Up can also be used in combination with Psycho Shift to copy defensive or speed boosts and pass debilitating status effects. Noctowl can also use Mirror Move to turn an opponents moves against it by hitting it with its own STAB or a move its weak against. If it isn't effective, the move will be boosted by the ability Tinted Lens. This pairing of bulk and utility makes Noctowl one of the most effective Mirror Move users. If you need power Hyper Beam gets STAB, but requires a secondary charging turn. However, if you prefer longevity, Hyper Voice** has good PP and power.
