User blog:BarrelRoller/Ratatta

Okay, I noticed many people hate Ratatta, but it can actually be rough on Little Cup, of you are a good strategy thinker (or you read up on smogon)(I did the latter because I am too lazy)

Rattata has improved quite a bit in Black and White. Most notably it has received Hustle as a Dream World ability, along with several new moves such as Wild Charge and Retaliate. Though still hindered by its frailty, Rattata can now be considered a threat, which is a major step up from the last generation.

Let's see, Ratatta has Guts as an available ability right?

Moveset	EVs ~ Facade ~ Sucker Punch/Quick Attack ~ Flame Wheel ~ Protect / Wild Charge / U-turn 36 HP / 228 Atk / 180 Spe

Item: Toxic Orb / Flame Orb

Ability: Guts

Nature: Jolly

Facade is this moveset's main STAB move; once Rattata is inflicted with a status condition, its base power doubles, allowing Rattata to KO Pokemon it might otherwise struggle against. Sucker Punch is a very handy move, as it not only gives Rattata good coverage, but also allows Rattata to attack first. Flame Wheel allows Rattata to hit Pokemon such as Ferroseed hard, while Protect can be used as to ensure the activation of the orb, activating Rattata's full power Facade. Wild Charge can damage several of Rattata's checks, for instance Kabuto, Tirtouga, and Omanyte, yet U-turn can also be extremely helpful to Rattata. If you do choose to run U-turn, carrying a Rapid Spin user also becomes important to get rid of entry hazards, which will limit Rattata.

Instead of Sucker Punch, Rattata can use STAB Quick Attack as a priority move. Though Quick Attack is more reliable, it is less powerful and offers inferior coverage, and as such, it is not the primary option. Given Rattata's frailty, it will often have to switch out to avoid being KOed. Thus, to prevent Rattata from being worn down, a Rapid Spin user such as Squirtle is recommended. Aside from this, having Stealth Rock support from Pokemon such as Bronzor, Dwebble, and Ferroseed is helpful. Priority moves such as Fake Out, ExtremeSpeed, and Mach Punch can swiftly eliminate Rattata, so having a Ghost-type teammate can be very useful. Pokemon such as Diglett and Wynaut also make good teammates, as they can counter Croagunk, a major threat to Rattata.