Appendix:F.E.A.R.

F.E.A.R. is a widely-known strategy used in competitive battling, often used as a last resort. A Pokémon with the ability to have the moveset below is called a F.E.A.R. Pokémon. This Pokémon is capable of defeating a full-HP opponent at virtually any level (most notably L.100) while itself is only at Lv.1 or 2. The most common Pokémon used for this strategy is a Rattata. F.E.A.R. generally stands for:

• Focus Sash
• Endeavor
• Attack (Quick Attack)
• Rattata

The strategy (and original profanity-laden term) was originally conceived on GameFAQs' Pokémon Diamond message board in early 2007.

How to use F.E.A.R.

After one of the player's Pokémon faints, the F.E.A.R. Pokémon can be sent out against an opponent's Pokémon with (preferably) full HP (though other situations will work, albeit possibly not as well). During the first turn, the F.E.A.R. Pokémon will use Endeavor, and the opponent will most likely use an offensive attack to try to defeat the F.E.A.R. Pokémon (assuming, of course, that the opponent isn't aware of this strategy). The F.E.A.R. Pokémon would indeed faint, if it were not holding the Focus Sash, which allows the user to hold on to 1 HP after a hit which would otherwise knock it out from max-HP. When the Pokémon uses Endeavor, the HP of the opponent's Pokémon will equal the HP of it's own (which is now, assuming Focus Sash triggered, equal to 1). During the following turn, the F.E.A.R. Pokémon can use Quick Attack to wipe out the remaining 1 HP of the opponent's Pokémon. Obviously, this strategy works only once per battle, seeing as Focus Sash will not work twice.

Countering F.E.A.R.

While an impressive strategy, F.E.A.R. is very widespread, making it next to useless, as many teams are able to counter it and players are aware of how it works and how to stop it from working. The following are six ways to counter the F.E.A.R. strategy:

• Knowledge: The simplest strategy and perhaps the most effective. If the opponent knows the F.E.A.R. strategy, they won't attack as needed for it to work (a damaging move), or they will switch out for a Pokémon immune to it or easily able to counter it. Besides the other three counters listed here, a player could switch out after the opponent's F.E.A.R. uses Endeavor, leaving it with 1 HP and another Pokémon to sweep the F.E.A.R. However, if the F.E.A.R.-using player predicts correctly, this problem can be solved using Pursuit.
• Ghost-types: As Ghost-types are immune to Normal- and Fighting-type attacks, Endeavor and Quick Attack are useless against them. It should be noted however, that a F.E.A.R. Kangaskhan with Scrappy will still be able to use Endeavor against a Ghost-type Pokémon.
• A Pokémon with Quick Attack, ExtremeSpeed, Sucker Punch, Ice Shard, or other automatic, first-hit effects: If the opponent uses an increased-priority move at the same time as the F.E.A.R. Pokémon does, the large difference in level will almost always result in the opponent's Pokémon landing the hit first, leaving your opponent with little HP, but leaving the F.E.A.R. player with one Pokémon down.
• A move that damages foes upon switching in (like Spikes or Stealth Rock) can cancel out the Focus Sash effect, thus causing the foe to be unable to withstand a one-hit KO. This only works if the F.E.A.R. Pokémon isn't released prior to that move.
• Moves, abilities, and statuses that deal damage every turn (like Sandstorm or Burn) can cancel out Focus Sash's effect. This can also work without using a turn if a Pokémon like Tyranitar, Hippowdon, or Abomasnow activate their abilities. (Note that F.E.A.R. Phanpy are immune to Sandstorm.)
• Embargo prevents the foe from using any item, in this case Focus Sash.
• Leftovers return some HP to the users Pokémon, and more than likely, more than the opposing F.E.A.R. can deal with its increased-priority move.
• F.E.A.R.: Ironically, a way to combat a F.E.A.R. Pokémon is having it face another F.E.A.R. Pokémon (or some other low-level Pokémon). Having roughly the same HP, both F.E.A.R.s would do little damage towards each other. It isn't, however, practical or useful to carry a F.E.A.R. Pokémon just for the sake of combating another F.E.A.R., as both Pokémon are about evenly-matched.

F.E.A.R.-capable Pokémon

#	Icon	Name	Priority move	Notes
019		Rattata	Quick Attack, Sucker Punch
056		Mankey	Vacuum Wave	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor and Vacuum Wave.
062		Poliwrath	Vacuum Wave	Cannot be obtained at level 1, Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Vacuum Wave.
084		Doduo	Quick Attack
115		Kangaskhan	Sucker Punch	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required to get Endeavor on a lv. 1 Kangaskhan that knows Sucker Punch.
151		Mew	Sucker Punch, Vacuum Wave	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required to get Endeavor, Sucker Punch, and Vacuum Wave, cannot be obtained at level 1.
220		Swinub	Ice Shard	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor.
222		Corsola	Sucker Punch	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Sucker Punch and Endeavor.
231		Phanpy	Ice Shard
235		Smeargle	Any priority move	Smeargle learns any move via Sketch, including Endeavor and any priority move.
237		Hitmontop	Quick Attack, Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, Sucker Punch	Cannot be obtained at level 1, Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Sucker Punch (and Endeavor at a lower level).
252		Treecko	Quick Attack
276		Taillow	Quick Attack
335		Zangoose	Quick Attack	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor.
390		Chimchar	Vacuum Wave	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor and Vacuum Wave.
396		Starly	Quick Attack
413		Wormadam	Sucker Punch	All forms, Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor and Sucker Punch, cannot be obtained at level 1.
427		Buneary	Quick Attack	Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor.
468		Togekiss	ExtremeSpeed	Cannot be obtained at Level 1, Pokémon Platinum move tutors required for Endeavor.
492		Shaymin	Quick Attack	Only learns Quick Attack in Sky Forme, and only learns Endeavor via move tutor in Land Forme. Cannot be obtained at level 1.

External Links

• A battle that ends with the F.E.A.R. strategy.