Is Houndstone Banned in VGC?

No, Houndstone is not currently banned in the Video Game Championships (VGC). However, its powerful Last Respects move and potential for snowballing strategies make it a consistently discussed Pokémon within the competitive community, and it is worth exploring the reasons why it could be considered a problematic pick and the arguments against a ban.

Houndstone’s Competitive Viability in VGC

Houndstone, a Ghost-type Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, boasts a unique ability, Sand Rush, which doubles its Speed in a Sandstorm. However, its true power lies in its signature move, Last Respects. This move’s base power increases by 50 for each fainted Pokémon in your party. This means Last Respects can quickly become an incredibly powerful, one-hit KO move as the battle progresses. This potential for exponential damage output is what places Houndstone on the radar for potential bans.

Why Houndstone is a Strong VGC Threat

• Last Respects Power: As previously mentioned, the scaling power of Last Respects is the primary concern. In a typical VGC match, where losing Pokémon is common, Last Respects can easily reach over 300 base power, obliterating almost anything that doesn’t resist it.
• Sand Rush Synergy: While not always the primary strategy, coupling Houndstone with a Sandstorm setter like Tyranitar or Hippowdon gives it unparalleled speed, allowing it to outspeed most of the VGC metagame and deliver devastating Last Respects attacks.
• Versatile Team Compositions: Houndstone can fit into various team archetypes, from dedicated Trick Room teams that mitigate its middling Speed stat to aggressive offense teams aiming to quickly faint allies and power up Last Respects.
• Unpredictability: While the core strategy is well-known, the timing of Last Respects and the specific targets Houndstone chooses can be difficult to predict, making it challenging for opponents to play around.

Arguments Against Banning Houndstone

Despite its power, several factors contribute to the argument against banning Houndstone:

• Vulnerability to Priority: Faster priority moves like Aqua Jet, Sucker Punch, and Extremespeed can easily knock out Houndstone before it can unleash a powered-up Last Respects.
• Ghost-Type Weaknesses: As a Ghost-type, Houndstone is vulnerable to Dark- and Ghost-type attacks, which are relatively common in the VGC metagame.
• Counterplay Options: Strategies like Protect, Wide Guard, and Focus Sash can help mitigate the impact of Last Respects. Furthermore, Taunt can prevent Houndstone from using setup moves like Protect. Pokémon with the ability Intimidate, such as Arcanine, can also weaken Houndstone’s Attack stat.
• Predictability: Ironically, while unpredictable in some ways, the core strategy of powering up Last Respects is well-known. Skilled players can often anticipate when Houndstone is likely to attack and position their Pokémon accordingly.
• Team Dependence: Houndstone’s effectiveness relies heavily on team composition and strategy. It’s not a standalone threat and requires specific support to reach its full potential. Its reliance on a few teammates fainting makes it a calculated gamble.

The VGC Ban List: A Constant Evolution

The VGC ban list isn’t static. It’s regularly reviewed and updated by the governing bodies (typically The Pokémon Company International) to ensure a balanced and competitive environment. Pokémon are usually banned due to overwhelming power, limited counterplay options, or the ability to create an unhealthy meta.

While Houndstone hasn’t been banned yet, its performance is continuously monitored. The competitive community constantly analyzes its usage rates, win rates, and impact on the metagame. If it consistently proves to be too dominant and limits team diversity, a ban could become a possibility in the future.

Historical Context: Past VGC Bans

To understand the potential for a Houndstone ban, it’s helpful to look at past examples. Pokémon like Groudon and Kyogre from earlier generations were banned due to their overwhelming power in their Primal Reversion forms. More recently, certain Dynamax strategies were restricted during the Sword and Shield era. These bans highlight the importance of maintaining a balanced and engaging competitive experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Houndstone in VGC

Here are 15 Frequently Asked Questions about Houndstone’s status and viability in VGC, offering a deeper dive into the concerns and counter-arguments surrounding this powerful Pokémon:

1. Why is Houndstone considered controversial in VGC? Its Last Respects move can become incredibly powerful, potentially OHKOing entire teams if enough teammates have fainted. This leads to snowballing strategies and a reliance on taking early losses.

2. What is Last Respects’ base power when all your Pokémon have fainted? If all five of your other Pokémon have fainted, Last Respects will have a base power of 250 (50 + (50 * 5)), making it incredibly devastating, before considering STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus).

3. Does the number of fainted Pokémon reset if Houndstone switches out? No, the boost to Last Respects’ power is permanent for the entire battle, regardless of whether Houndstone switches out or not.

4. What are the best counters to Houndstone? Fast priority moves, Dark- and Ghost-type attackers, Pokémon with the Intimidate ability, and strategies that disrupt its setup (like Taunt) are effective counters. Pokémon with Wide Guard and Protect are good at disrupting its attacks.

5. Is Sand Rush the only viable ability for Houndstone? While Sand Rush is a strong option, some players experiment with Fluffy, which halves damage from contact moves but doubles damage from Fire-type moves. This can make Houndstone more bulky in certain matchups, but the increased Fire-type weakness is a significant drawback.

6. What are some good teammates for Houndstone? Pokémon that can reliably set up Sandstorm (Tyranitar, Hippowdon), Pokémon that can strategically faint early to boost Last Respects (Focus Sash users, Pokémon with Self-Destruct/Explosion), and support Pokémon that provide redirection or speed control are good choices.

7. How does Trick Room affect Houndstone’s viability? Trick Room can drastically increase Houndstone’s effectiveness by allowing it to move first despite its relatively low Speed.

8. What is STAB, and how does it affect Last Respects? STAB stands for Same-Type Attack Bonus. Because Houndstone is a Ghost-type and Last Respects is a Ghost-type move, it receives a 50% damage boost.

9. What held items are commonly used on Houndstone? Choice Band (for increased Attack), Focus Sash (to survive a hit and guarantee at least one Last Respects), and Life Orb (for a general damage boost) are popular options.

10. Has Houndstone been banned in any other competitive formats? While Houndstone hasn’t been banned in VGC, its usage and power are likely being monitored in other formats like Smogon’s singles tiers, where its power is more prominent due to the single combatant setup. It may be banned in some fan-made or unofficial formats.

11. How does Houndstone fare against common VGC threats like Flutter Mane? Flutter Mane is a serious threat to Houndstone. It is faster, has high special attack, and can learn Shadow Ball, which is super effective against Houndstone. Houndstone would need to have a Sandstorm active and make use of a Choice Band to potentially OHKO back, which isn’t always reliable.

12. What role does prediction play when facing a Houndstone team? Prediction is crucial. Skilled players must anticipate when the Houndstone player will sacrifice Pokémon, when they’ll bring out Houndstone, and which target they’ll choose for Last Respects.

13. How does Terastallization affect Houndstone’s viability? Terastallization can significantly improve Houndstone’s matchups. Tera Ghost boosts Last Respects, while Tera Dark provides valuable offensive coverage against opposing Ghost-types. Tera Steel offers valuable defensive typing to improve its survivability.

14. Are there any specific VGC tournaments where Houndstone has dominated? While Houndstone hasn’t single-handedly dominated any major tournaments, it has consistently appeared on successful teams, showcasing its potential in the right hands and the right metagame.

15. What is the best strategy for dealing with a Last Respects from Houndstone? The most effective strategy is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Focus on disrupting the Houndstone player’s setup, targeting Houndstone with priority moves, and using Protect/Wide Guard to negate the damage. If Last Respects is inevitable, try to predict the target and position a bulky Pokémon or a Pokémon that resists Ghost-type moves in its path.