Persian, The Classy Cat Pokémon. It has a high opinion of itself, although not to the same extent as the Alolan Persian. It’s quite difficult to make friends with this Pokémon. It has a violent temperament. It will attack anything that looks it in the eye. Its sharp claws inflict deep wounds.
Overview
On this week's adventure our heroes from the Pokémon of the Week staff bring you a special report from inside Team Rocket's very own secret headquarters. That's right we'll be talking about the Viridian City Gym Leader's and Team Rocket Boss' favorite pet Pokémon, give it up for Persian! It's really fast for its format topping out at Base 115 speed, and it has access to the Technician ability and fantastic offensive movepool. Its defenses and bulk are terrible though, so in singles formats it functions mostly as a glass cannon / late game sweeper. It does have a lot of support moves to play around with too though like Taunt, Fake Out, Knock Off and so many others..but we're gonna get out of here before any Team Rocket Grunts wise up and spot us.
Positives
+ High Base 115 Speed
+ Since it's a pure normal type it only has one major weakness which is fighting moves
+ Has a great ability in Technician and a great movepool to take advantage of it like Swift, Icy Wind, Shockwave, and Water Pulse
Negatives
- the rest of its stats aren't that great ranging from Base 60 to Base 70
Abilities
Limber: The Pokémon cannot be Paralysed while having this ability. It's a nice ability, but it's really niche and Technician is way more useful.
Technician: Moves with a base power of 60 or less are boosted in power by 50%. This is your most consistent ability, and it provides a nice offensive boost on top of that so Technician should always be your ability of choice on regular Persian.
Hidden Ability: (Available through transfer)
Unnerve: The opponent Pokémon will never use their held Berry while the Pokémon is in battle. Opponents in S.O.S. Battles are more likely to call for help. It's useful, but again it's only useful in certain situations. You want to use Technician.
Movesets
Giovanni's Pet
- Hyper Voice
- Hidden Power Ghost
- Water Pulse
- Nasty Plot
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs and Nature:
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
Hyper Voice is your main Stab, and will allow you to deal out good neutral damage to most things as well as hit through substitute. Swift can also be used to as it has the same power with Technician and never misses as well. Hidden Power Ghost provides strong coverage against the likes of Gourgeist and Mr. Mime. Water Pulse provides good coverage against things like Golem and Piloswine. Last but not least is Nasty Plot to help boost Persian's special attacks whenever you can get one in.
Other Options
- Thunderbolt: An alternate coverage option if your team has trouble with Water Types. You could also use Shock Wave as well since they have the same Power thanks to Technician, but you lose out on the potential paralysis chance.
- Icy Wind: Another alternate coverage option. Comes with the added bonus of lowering your enemy's speed.
- Taunt : a Fast Taunter/Anti Lead like Persian can be useful on any team, but other 'mons in lower singles formats can perform that role better and it can't afford to sacrifice a moveslot for it
Countering Persian
Well you won't need to call those meddling twerps and their Pikachu to cross off Persian. There's any of a number of ways given how frail it's. Fighting Types like Poliwrath can take pretty much any unboosted attack our boss' Persian can dish out and KO it. Then there's common's Choice Scarf users like Rotom F and and fast 'mons like Zebstrika that are even faster than Persian and can KO it with ease because of how frail its defenses are. It'll have trouble going up against any Special Wall too like Regice that'll wear you down and take advantage of Persian's frailty.
Alolan Persian, The Classy Cat Pokémon. Its round face and smooth coat—softer than the most high-class velvet—have made this a very popular Pokémon in Alola. It looks down on everyone other than itself. Its preferred tactics are sucker punches and blindside attacks.
Overview
Well Persian was one of the other lucky few that received a region exclusive forme, and a cute fat head to go along with it. I mean real talk I can't decide if it's hilarious or adorable, but I seriously love Alolan Persian. It's definitely an improvement from Giovanni's pet. It comes with a brand new Dark Type instead of Normal, and brand new ability called Fur Coat which helps bridge part of the gap in its frail defenses by halving the damage of all physical Moves. Fur Coat is seriously a godsend. It does come with a lot more weakness though now that it's not just a pure boring Normal Type from Kanto anymore, so you'll need to watch out for Bug and Fairy Types in addition to the same old Fighting Types.
Positives
+ New Dark Typing which is a much better Stab than Normal
+ Awesome New Fur Coat Ability which halves the damage of all physical moves on our friend Persian
+ Higher Special Attack, it's still not great but every bit helps
+ Same Great Base 115 Speed
Negatives
- it's still hella frail and wishes it had more power. Although Fur Coat helps bridge the gap ALOT
- has some extra weaknesses to in addition to Fighting Type now thanks to its new typing
- lacks reliable recovery moves
Abilities
Fur Coat: Halves the damage from physical moves onto this Pokémon. It's a great ability for a Pure Dark Type, and allows Persian to function in a team support role instead of just a glass cannon.
Technician: Moves with a base power of 60 or less are boosted in power by 50%. It's just as good on Alolan Persian as it's on regular Kanto Persian, but Alola Persian prefers to act in a more supportive role than just all out offense so Fur Coat is what you should take most of the time.
Hidden Ability: (Available)
Rattled: Speed is raised by one stage when the Pokémon is hit by a Bug-type, Ghost-type or Dark-type move. A Speed boost would be nice if Persian needed it, but in most cases it doesn't. At least not more than it needs Fur Coat.
Movesets
Garfield and Friends
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Foul Play
- Parting Shot
Item Attached: Darkinium Z
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
Taunt is there to shut down your enemy's bulky walls like Umbreon, and make it easier for you and your squad to whittle down their HP. Toxic is there to wear down your enemy's team, and it's the only thing you really do to Kommo-o who will walk all over you otherwise and is immune to the effects of your Parting Shot because of its Soundproof ability. Foul Play is your Stab and your only attack on this set, and will allow you to hit physical attackers hard. Last but not least is Parting Shot which allows you to lower your enemies offensive prowess and switch out, and if you activate Darkinium Z with it you'll be able to heal one of your squadmates to full health one time as well.
Other Options
- Assault Vest: If you choose to strap an Assault Vest over Alolan Persian's Fur Coat it'll make it much more effective Tank, but you'll have to lose all your support moves and Z Parting Shot is Alolan Persian's main selling point so overall I don't recommend using Assault Vest.
- U-turn: Some 'mons like Kommo-o are immune to its Parting Shot because of its Soundproof ability, so U-turn COULD be used as an alternate pivot instead but you'd have to get rid of Toxic or Taunt and those support moves are way more helpful to your team than U-turn is going to be.
VGC, Double, & Triple Battle Options
Persian was typically nowhere to be found in past VGC seasons, but Sun and Moon gifted Giovanni's pet with a new Alolan form. Alolan Persian comes with a different typing and a great ability. With an amazing support movepool, Alolan Persian has had good success on many teams in VGC 2017 so far. A fast Fake Out and a variety of ways to disrupt opposing Pokemon makes Alolan Persian a top choice to support your team.
Fat Cat
-Fake Out
-Foul Play
-Parting Shot
-Taunt / Snarl
Item Attached: Mago Berry
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs and Nature:
28 HP / 64 Def / 164 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly / Timid Nature
Fur Coat is a great defensive ability that makes Persian very bulky on the physical side. Max speed with a Timid or Jolly nature ensures that Persian outspeeds Modest Tapu Koko. A Timid nature is preferred if running Snarl to do a little more damage, but Jolly is an option if you do not and want your Fake Out to do a little more damage. Mago Berry (or any other "pinch" berry that heals 50% and will not confuse your Pokemon) can greatly increase the cat's longevity, giving it even more turns to disrupt. The defensive EVs on this set ensures that Persian can live a spread-damage Dazzling Gleam from Timid Life Orb Tapu Koko, and that Sacred Sword from Jolly Kartana at -1 attack is a 4HKO, thanks to the Mago Berry.
Fake Out is one of Alolan Persian's biggest selling points as a support Pokemon. Foul Play does big damage against strong physical type attackers, and is great since it does not require Persian to invest in any attack. Parting Shot is a great support move, lowering a target's attack and special attack by one stage each, which increases your team's ability to take attacks, and give your team momentum with what you switch in. Taunt can stop Trick Room or other setup strategies, while Snarl lowers both opponents' special attack by one.
Other Options & Team Ideas
-Darkinium Z can pair with a few moves in Persian's arsenal, but Parting Shot is the most common one used. Z-Parting Shot will fully heal the Pokemon who switches in after Persian uses the move.
-Roseli Berry and Assault Vest are two lessor used items for Alolan Persian, but can allow it to take a fairy-type attack from Tapu Koko or Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, among other attacks.
-Feint breaks Protect and can pick off Pokemon at low HP or who have survived on a Focus Sash.
-Quash is a very good support move to help slower teammates and make the target attack last.
-Snatch is especially great for stealing Tailwinds from Pokemon like Drifblim or Mandibuzz.
-Charm lowers the target's attack by two stages, severely hindering physical attackers.
-Roar can ruin setup Pokemon like Evoboost Eevee, and prevent Trick Room from Pokemon who may be holding a Mental Herb and are immune to your first Taunt.
-Protect is still the best move in doubles to keep Pokemon safe from damage, stall out speed control, or weaken Z-moves, but it may be tough to fit on Persian's set.
-Toxic can weak down bulky Pokemon like Porygon2 over time.
-Flatter is an interesting gimmick to use on your own Tapu Fini with its Misty Terrain active, but unfortunately it only raises special attack by 1 stage (unlike Swagger, which raises attack by two stages).
-Trick Room teams appreciate Alolan Persian's fast Fake Out to help Trick Room go up. Parting Shot (whether the Z version or not) can then help a sweeper cleanly switch in on an opponent at lowered attack.
-Any other setup Pokemon appreciate the Fake Out support, and Fake Out can disrupt opposing setups too. Pokemon that setup with moves like Calm Mind or Curse especially appreciate the support from Persian with moves like Parting Shot and Snarl to make them even bulkier.
-Psychic Terrain can prevent Persian from using Fake Out, so terrain control can be useful.
-Intimidate support, especially from Arcanine, works great to increase you team's bulk. Persian can use Parting Shot into a teammate with Intimidate, lowering the opponent's attack by two stages and gaining momentum.
Countering Alolan Persian
Well it's got a fat head and a new Type, but Alolan Persian isn't anymore invincible than its cousin from the Kanto Region. Kommo-o will be your biggest headache in life because it's ability Soundproof neutralizes your Parting Shot and it's part Fighting Type on top of that and can turn around and KO you out of the match. There's not much you can really do if you go up against that except use Toxic and switch in another squadmate to wear it down. Then there's pesky Fairy Types, and most of them are special oritented so your Fur Coat won't help you out against them and Alolan Persian is just as frail as Kanto Persian and with Dark Type it'll be crushed by Fairy Types like Diancie and Gardevoir. Emboar and Heracross will really bruise you up to with their Fighting Moves even if you're using Fur Coat and take you down. There's many others, but those are the most common ones. Good luck.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Evolve Meowth (Blue, Green)
Trade from Green or Blue (Red/Yellow)
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Evolve Meowth (Emerald)
Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen/Emerald/XD (Ruby/Sapphire)
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Bond Bridge, Canyon Entrance, Cape Brink, Five Isle Meadow, Kindle Road, Ruin Valley, Seavault Canyon, Treasure Beach, Water Path
Colosseum/XD:
Evolve Meowth (XD)
Trade from FireRed/LeafGreen/Emerald (Colosseum)
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Meowth
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Route 7, Cerulean Cave (SoulSilver)
Trade from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum/SoulSilver (HeartGold)
Black/White:
Trade from Black 2/White 2
Black 2/White 2:
Evolve Meowth
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Mirage Island
Sun/Moon:
Evolve Meowth
Animé Appearences
