The Little Cup Handbook™ Chapter Three: SMASHING

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Written by
Berks

Illustrated by
Rocket Grunt, h_n_g_m_n & FellFromtheSky

The Flying Press
October 12th, 2016

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Introduction Page

Smashing: in more ways than one, it's a desirable endgame. Here on Smogon, our version of smashing is a little bit different! Shell Smash is one of the most powerful boosting moves in the game, as it doubles your Pokémon's Attack, Special Attack, and Speed, all at the incredibly low price of one stage drops to both its defensive stats. Using the move can turn your workaday Water-type into a seismic sea wave of a threat, so it's no wonder that Smashers are such potent Pokémon! Play the game right, and you should be setting up the perfect Smash in no time ... ;)

Welcome to the Little Cup Handbook, where you'll learn about a few interesting LC Pokémon and how they stack up! You'll get vital statistics such as common sets and metagame matchups, as well as some neat tidbits of info that you didn't even know you wanted to know! And with that, as they say on smogon.com, neutral luck to you!

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| 27 | Tirtouga | 6.836% | Species: Prototurtle Pokémon |

Overview

With its excellent defensive stats, you wouldn't necessarily expect Tirtouga to be such an offensive behemoth. However, those excellent defensive stats and two great abilities in Solid Rock and Sturdy make Tirtouga one of the easiest-to-set-up Shell Smashers out there. Access to priority in Aqua Jet, two solid STAB attacks in Stone Edge and Waterfall, and astounding coverage in Zen Headbutt help increase Tirtouga's versatility and effectiveness as a sweeper. In effect, fighting a Tirtouga is like walking into a Whole Foods Market: you'll have a general idea of what you're up against, but you may never know exactly what you'll find until it's too much to handle.

Meta Matchup

In a metagame dominated by Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon, you'd think Tirtouga would struggle to perform. However, Tirtouga prides itself on passionately smashing every expectation, and it finds effectiveness in setting up a Shell Smash on almost anything. Solid Rock and Sturdy allow Tirtouga to set up on Pokémon such as Chinchou and Mienfoo, and though that's not necessarily recommended, it can prove pivotal. Of course, Tirtouga still struggles against bulky Grass- and Water-type Pokémon such as Ferroseed and Slowpoke, and its low Speed can leave it outsped by common Choice Scarf users such as Chinchou and Gastly. Overall, Tirtouga holds up well as a Shell Smash sweeper.

Common Sets

  Sturdy Shell Smash

Tirtouga @ Berry Juice

Level: 5

Ability: Sturdy

EVs: 212 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Shell Smash

- Waterfall

- Stone Edge / Zen Headbutt

- Zen Headbutt / Aqua Jet

  Solid Rock Shell Smash

Tirtouga @ Eviolite

Level: 5

Ability: Solid Rock

EVs: 4 HP / 132 Atk / 92 Def / 76 SpD / 180 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Shell Smash

- Waterfall

- Stone Edge / Zen Headbutt

- Zen Headbutt / Aqua Jet

Combat Tips

The most effective way to take on a Tirtouga is to create situations in which Tirtouga can't set up a Shell Smash. Sturdy sets struggle with Stealth Rock and other entry hazards, and Solid Tock sets lack the longevity of Berry Juice, so setting entry hazards and using Knock Off are good ways to cripple Tirtouga. If you hadn't guessed it yet, Ferroseed is as close as it comes to being a perfect counter to Tirtouga; it sets entry hazards, it resists both of Tirtouga's STAB attacks and most of its coverage moves, and its Bullet Seed can KO Tirtouga through both Sturdy and Solid Rock. If you tend to run more offense-oriented squads, you'll find Tirtouga-beaters in Croagunk, Timburr, and other users of strong priority that don't fear a +2 Aqua Jet.

Usage Tips

Just like with other sweepers, your job is to create an optimal situation under which Tirtouga can set up a Shell Smash. Make every effort to keep entry hazards off of your side of the field, as they can break Sturdy and hinder the longevity of Solid Rock sets. Pairing Tirtouga with Gothita is also an effective strategy, as Gothita can trap and remove troublesome Pokémon such as Ferroseed and Chinchou. Overall, just play smart with Tirtouga in the same way you'd play with any other sweeper: remove its checks, give it a place to set up, and take that W!

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| 31 | Shellder | 5.439% | Species: Bivalve Pokémon |

Overview

Riding a wave of recent popularity, Shellder is perhaps the most threatening Shell Smash Sweeper. One can set up a Shellder against some of the tier's top threats, such as Mienfoo, with incredible ease—and that's not even where the Shellder wave stops! Access to Skill Link allows Shellder to viably run moves like Icicle Spear and Rock Blast, which help it take advantage of the unique roll mechanics present in Little Cup. Access to these unique moves alone makes Shellder tougher to take out than your average Smasher! Add priority, Water STAB, and excellent Defense onto all that, and you've got yourself one heck of a sweeper!

Meta Matchup

Shellder has found itself in an increasingly friendly metagame these past few months. Since the only real reliable answers to Shellder are Steel-type Pokémon, it reaps enormous benefits from Diglett's presence in the tier. As is typical of the top Water-types in LC, Sheller doesn't struggle with any weaknesses so glaring that they are not easily remedied by its potential teammates; for example, Shellder's Grassophobia can be held at bay by its good friend Foongus! Shellder excels at setting up on physical attackers thanks to its excellent Defense stat, and it just so happens that Little Cup is filled to the brim with physical attackers! These metagame trends make Shellder a more potent pick than perhaps it has ever been!

Common Sets

  Shell Smash Sweeper

Shellder @ Eviolite

Level: 5

Ability: Skill Link

EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Shell Smash

- Rock Blast

- Icicle Spear

- Ice Shard / Razor Shell

  Choice Scarf Attacker

Shellder @ Choice Scarf

Level: 5

Ability: Skill Link

EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Icicle Spear

- Rock Blast

- Razor Shell

- Ice Shard / Rapid Spin

Combat Tips

Would you like to automatically lose to Shellder? No?

Do. Not. Let. Your. Steel. Type. Die.

Of course, there are other ways to prevent a Shellder sweep, but keeping your resident Steel-type healthy is by far the most convenient method. Common Steel-type Pokémon such as Pawniard and Magnemite can hold their own against even a set-up Shellder unless they are severely weakened; however, this can become an issue when facing a Shellder + Diglett team! There are other Pokémon capable of stopping a Shellder as well; these are mostly limited to incredibly bulky Pokémon such as Porygon and Spritzee. Keeping those bulky Pokémon healthy is a good way to stop a set-up Shellder, but sometimes you can stop it from setting up from the get-go. For example, running Taunt on your Mienfoo will prevent Shellder from setting up on it. Essentially, the key to playing against Shellder is either never letting it set up or preserving its few checks until it's on a rampage.

Usage Tips

Finding a good time to set up a Shell Smash is a major key to successfully using Shellder. This time usually comes against physical attackers that Shellder threatens, such as Fletchling, Archen, and Diglett. Shellder can also find the time to set up against Pokémon like Mienfoo and Onix provided they aren't running Taunt. After you manage to set Shellder up, all you need to do is click attacks and pray you hit all your Rock Blasts.

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| 37 | Omanyte | 4.432% | Species: Spiral Pokémon |

Overview

Don't let a hopelessly outdated meme lull you into a false sense of security: Lord Helix is taking on Little Cup with a vengeance! Omanyte is the prototypical Shell Smash sweeper with nothing up its sleeve; it gets in, Smashes, and hopefully wins the game. While Omanyte has been gaining popularity recently as an offensive entry hazard setter, its bread and butter remains its excellent Shell Smash set, which is special for its balance between ease of setting up and ease of sweeping. Essentially, Omanyte is the "happy middle" of Shell Smash users: it's easier to set up than Clamperl, sweeps better than Tirtouga, and isn't whatever Shellder is.

Meta Matchup

Omanyte excels in a trapper-heavy metagame; some of its most common checks become useless in the face of Gothita, and Diglett can provide a timely Memento to ease Omanyte's setup. While its incredible power and good Speed following a Shell Smash make Omanyte a force to reckon with, it suffers from a lack of priority attacks, leaving it vulnerable to staples such as Pawniard, Timburr, and Croagunk. Getting those checks out of the way is often more difficult than it seems, but Omanyte's strength can still force your opponent into some sticky situations. It's very threatening and very scary to play against!

Common Sets

  Shell Smash Sweeper

Omanyte @ Eviolite

Level: 5

Ability: Shell Armor

EVs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe

Modest Nature

- Shell Smash

- Hydro Pump

- Ice Beam

- Earth Power

Combat Tips

Not a lot can withstand the absurd power of a +2 Hydro Pump. Like most other Shell Smash sweepers, a lot of fighting Omanyte revolves around keeping it at +0. Offense teams shouldn't have too many issues with this; hitting Omanyte with even a strong neutral attack is usually enough to put it in range of common priority attacks. Fighting Omanyte from a defensive standpoint is trickier, but extremely bulky Pokémon such as Spritzee and Ferroseed can do a good job of taking on even a set-up Omanyte.

Usage Tips

Memento is your friend, and its users happen to have excellent synergy with Omanyte. Cottonee in particular brings in the Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon that Omanyte can set up on. Really, though, using Omanyte is very simple and very easy: use Memento, bring out Omanyte, click Shell Smash, and pray you hit all your Hydro Pumps!

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| 58 | Clamperl | 2.372% | Species: Bivalve Pokémon |

Overview

When Little Cup players talk about glass cannons, they tend to bring up Pokémon like Abra and Gastly. How can they forget Clamperl, the epitome of "hit hard or die trying"? Well, to put it bluntly, Abra and Gastly are the good glass cannons. Clamperl struggles mightily to set up without the additional bulk of Eviolite, leaving it as the ultimate high-risk, high-reward Pokémon—if you somehow manage to set up, you've essentially won the match.

Meta Matchup

Clamperl struggles to be effective in such an offensive metagame, which is largely due to its signature item, Deep Sea Tooth. Holding a Deep Sea Tooth is a double-edged sword for Clamperl; on one hand, it boosts Clamperl's Special Attack to truly astronomical levels, but it also means Clamperl cannot hold an Eviolite, leaving it frail and difficult to set up. If you somehow do manage to set it up, you're left with an Eviolite-less Clamperl at -1 defenses; it's difficult to overstate just how ridiculously frail this is. For example, Fletchling has a 100% chance to KO Clamperl after Stealth Rock, a feat it can't even accomplish against the Flying-weak Foongus. Simply put, Clamperl cannot stay alive long enough to be effective in a metagame so full of priority and powerful attackers.

Common Sets

  SLAM CLAM (Shell Smash Sweeper)

Clamperl @ Deep Sea Tooth

Level: 5

Ability: Shell Armor

EVs: 248 SpA / 76 SpD / 184 Spe

Modest Nature

- Shell Smash

- Surf

- Ice Beam

- Substitute / Hidden Power Grass

Combat Tips

Now, more than with any of the previous Pokémon, your goal is to stop a setup. Stopping Clamperl is more life and death than with any other Shell Smash user, so it's necessary to respect it at. all. costs.

Either that, or just Knock Off its Deep Sea Tooth or KO it with any moderately powerful move. Priority also completely shuts down Clamperl outside of Sucker Punch, which Clamperl can evade via Substitute. In case you were wondering, using Fletchling happens to be one of the easiest ways to chowder this clam. It's not really that tough.

Usage Tips

If you're gonna use a Clamperl, be prepared to pull out all the stops! You'll want trappers, you'll want Memento, and you'll need a surefire stop to Fletchling. Using Clamperl is the most straightforward out of all the Shell Smash users—the real trick is getting it set up. This usually occurs against Pokémon like a Mementoed Larvesta. I'd also advise liberal use of Substitute: use it against Ferroseed and Porygon as the try to paralyze your pearls or use it to beat out that pesky Pawniard's Sucker Punch, for a few examples. Good luck; you're gonna need it!

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That concludes Chapter Three of the Little Cup Handbook! We here in the LC community hope you have a real nifty time using all the tips, tricks, and trivia you picked up from this chapter of the Handbook. Don't forget to try out the tier, and be on the lookout for the next chapter when it gets released via our publisher, Smogon's Flying Press!

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