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-
Water Absorb
- Heals 25% HP when hit by a Water-type attack.
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Cursed Body
- The wielder has a 30% chance to disable any move that hits it.
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Damp
- Prevents the use of Selfdestruct or Explosion. Prevents Aftermath from doing damage.
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Level 5 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
100
|
- |
26 |
29 |
- |
| Atk |
60
|
10 |
12 |
15 |
16 |
| Def |
70
|
11 |
13 |
16 |
17 |
| SpA |
85
|
13 |
15 |
18 |
19 |
| SpD |
105
|
15 |
17 |
20 |
22 |
| Spe |
60
|
10 |
12 |
15 |
16 |
Overview
If facial hair is any indication of a Pokemon's viability, it should come as no surprise that Jellicent frequently finds a spot on teams. However, Jellicent has more than just supreme stubble to back it up, including fantastic Special Defense and HP stats, reasonable physical bulk, reliable recovery, and a unique typing. Jellicent's typing is certainly one aspect that distinguishes it from the norm: not only can it stand as a bulky Water-type, but it can use its Ghost typing to fill the small gap last generation's Rotom formes left in our hearts. It also allows Jellicent to take on the myriad of new Fighting-type Pokemon, and effectively cripple them by inducing status, such as a burn.
Offensively, Jellicent has a few things going for it. It has a decent Special Attack stat that can be used to fire off STAB Water-type moves in the rain for passable damage. While its Speed may initially appear to be lackluster, it isn't terrible for a defensive Pokemon, and Jellicent can outrun and Taunt many defensive threats, including Blissey, Forretress, and Hippowdon. Unfortunately, the "Floating Pokemon" is grounded; Jellicent will often have to rely on Recover because it takes full damage from entry hazards. This includes the largely threatening Toxic Spikes, which, just like Toxic, can greatly hinder Jellicent from doing its job.
Jellicent's typing is arguably its most endearing quality, and allows it to be a fabulous switch-in to a variety of threats. Jirachi (especially with Body Slam) will be hard pressed to do much of anything, Heatran will be forced out, and Choice-locked Azumarill will often even heal Jellicent if it has Water Absorb. Jellicent also serves as a fine answer to Politoed, who will be able to do little more than give Jellicent that signature dumb stare. The choice between Surf and Scald is one between more power and crippling a potential check as they switch in. Either move synergizes well with Will-O-Wisp, as Fire-types will not want to come in on Jellicent, and a burn crippling the opponent's Attack complements Jellicent's Special Defense well. If burning the opponent isn't a priority for Jellicent because of Scald's 30% chance or you need a move to cover threats such as Latios, then Toxic is a viable alternative. It also allows Jellicent to much more quickly defeat opposing Jellicent.
Recover is one of Jellicent's most important moves, as it would be on any defensive Pokemon. Thanks to Jellicent's high Special Defense, it is capable of stalling out Draco Meteor from Latios, Latias, or Dragonite using Recover. The final moveslot goes to Taunt, allowing Jellicent to wear down slower Pokemon who rely on a recovery move, including Slowbro, Blissey, Vaporeon, Quagsire, and Hippowdon. The EV spread is relatively simple; 44 Speed EVs allow Jellicent to outspeed and burn Choice Band Scizor, while the rest maximize bulk with emphasis on Jellicent's weaker Defense stat. 248 HP EVs allow Jellicent to take less damage from Spikes.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Bold is the primary nature, as it works well with the EV spread and makes Jellicent more reliable in handling Landorus. However, a Calm nature could be used as it cushions Jellicent from Draco Meteors to a greater extent. If Skarmory is a problem, 84 Speed EVs allow Jellicent to outspeed and Taunt minimum Speed Skarmory. If the team has a reliable answer to most physical moves, Jellicent could invest in Special Defense rather than Defense, but this is not recommended as the cons outweigh the pros. Finally, the ability slot is up for grabs. Water Absorb is a great all-around ability, especially if members of the team often lure in a Water-type attack. It also allows Jellicent to switch into Scald, which could otherwise potentially burn Jellicent and greatly hinder its usefulness. Cursed Body has more situational uses, but is still viable. For example, choice-locked users will typically be unable to do much to the combination of Cursed Body + Recover, and Calm Mind Reuniclus will often be beaten one-on-one.
Toxic may make more sense over Will-O-Wisp on a dedicated stall team, but it is generally the lesser option and may not work well with Scald. It also means that Jellicent will have no way of handling stronger physical attackers and will lose every day of the week. Ice Beam could be used over Taunt to hit Gliscor harder while also scaring away Grass-type switch-ins such as Virizion or Breloom. Shadow Ball hits Psychic and Ghost types, notably Starmie and opposing Jellicent, harder than Surf or Scald will, and is an option in that respect, especially on a dedicated rain team where another offensive Water-type move is redundant. Hex could be used over Shadow Ball if Jellicent finds a lot of time to inflict status upon the opponent.
This set works well for teams that need a reliable spinblocker, as Jellicent can take most of them on with relative ease. Ferrothorn makes a good teammate in that regard, as it can lure in Fighting- and Fire-type moves while setting up hazards that Jellicent can protect. Jellicent also does well taking out Fire- and Water-type Pokemon, so teammates that enjoy the removal of such types, such as Skarmory and Scizor, would be well off with Jellicent as a partner. It should be kept in mind how offensively weak this Jellicent is, because if Jellicent isn't using a coverage move like Energy Ball or Ice Beam, it is badly walled by Water-types or Grass-types, respectively. A strong Dragon-type, such as Dragonite, can usually handle both of these strong defense-types and Jellicent can in return resist Ice-type attacks directed at them. Blissey and Snorlax make good teammates defensively, as they can lure in Fighting-type attacks while boasting an immunity to Ghost-type attacks. Hydreigon is in a similar position; Jellicent serves as a good answer to most of the Pokemon that would threaten it.
It is important to note that this set, with the right prediction, can shut down Tyranitar and Ferrothorn with the combination of Will-O-Wisp and Taunt. If such a switch-in is predicted, it is wise to use Will-O-Wisp to prevent Crunch or Power Whip from doing too much damage, and then using Taunt to prevent the inevitable Stealth Rock or Spikes.
Jellicent's typing and stat distribution make it an excellent special wall. This set's niche is for a more concentrated form of stall, as this set's primary objective is to tank hits, inflict status, and slowly wear the opponent down. This set is extremely viable over other walls such as Blissey and Chansey because of Jellicent's arguably better typing, dual STAB, and the ability to spinblock against nearly every Rapid Spin user. To add to that, Jellicent has a great ability in Water Absorb, which provides it with valuable recovery whenever it is hit with a Water-type move.
Scald provides a strong, special STAB attack and a chance for a nasty status affliction. Recover allows Jellicent to survive much longer in tandem with Leftovers, and is a necessity for this set. The choice between Toxic and Will-O-Wisp is one based on preference. Toxic allows Jellicent to stall out dangerous threats faster than Will-O-Wisp, but doesn't give the Attack drop which enables Jellicent to stay in on physical threats. Toxic is the preferred option because it hits Volcarona (a dangerous special threat), and absorbing physical attacks is not this set's goal. The fourth moveslot is a toss-up between Shadow Ball and Ice Beam, although Shadow Ball is generally better due to its ability to hit Latias, Latios, and Celebi much harder than Ice Beam. It also provides super effective coverage on Alakazam, Gengar, and other Jellicent, while hitting Dragon-types neutrally. Ice Beam can be used for coverage against Dragonite, Salamence, and Grass-types, however, if one wishes.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The EV spread allows for maximum special bulk, with the 36 Defense EVs guaranteeing that Starmie's Psyshock will never 2HKO Jellicent. In addition to the moves already listed, Jellicent has several other attacking options. Surf can be used for a higher damage output, although it doesn't score any additional KOs and loses a helpful chance to inflict status. Energy Ball can hit both Gastrodon and Quagsire super effectively while still mainting good coverage alongside Scald. Night Shade can be used in place of Shadow Ball for consistent damage, although Blissey and Chansey are immune to it. Compounding upon the aforementioned offensive options, Jellicent can be tweaked for a more defensive niche too. Jellicent can reliably set up Trick Room to help teammates, although this is relatively gimmicky because there are superior offensive options for such a role. Taunt and more Speed EVs can be used to mimic the Utility Counter set, although it involves taking Special Defense away, which is not recommended. Jellicent can also use its Cursed Body ability to disable an opponent's move. Finally, Jellicent can add more EVs in Defense to increase its overall bulk. 60 Defense EVs avoid the 2HKO from Mixed Infernape's Stone Edge and 140 allow Jellicent to live after taking two Stone Edges from Scarf Terrakion.
Excellent teammates for this set are ones that lay down hazards while resisting Jellicent's weaknesses. Examples of these are Ferrothorn, Heatran, Celebi, and Skarmory. This set also enjoys teammates that can get rid of Pursuit users such as Scizor and Tyranitar; these include one's own Scizor, Magnezone, and Terrakion. Gliscor also makes a great teammate because it can tank physical hits that Jellicent cannot while the two also cover each other's weaknesses quite well. Common counters to this set include Pokemon that abuse Substitute to avoid status, as well as Pursuit users. Jellicent can counteract these problems by carrying the proper coverage moves against key Pokemon.
If you ever thought Jellicent was just a bulky Water-type that happened to be able to block Rapid Spin, think again. While its stats do not immediately show it, if you dig deeper and examine Jellicent's movepool and the Pokemon that tend to switch into it, it's quite clear that Jellicent can be a surprisingly effective lure and wallbreaker. The biggest catch behind a Choice Specs set is Jellicent's access to the precious Water Spout (which is barely seen on any Pokemon outside of the mighty Kyogre), as well as STAB Shadow Ball, which tends to hit its common switch-ins, such as Latias and Celebi, for super effective damage. Powered by Politoed's rain, Jellicent's Water Spout reaches an astounding 337 Base Power, rivaling the damage output of Choice Specs Palkia's Hydro Pump. Between Water Spout and Shadow Ball, it is difficult to find a Pokemon that can stomach Jellicent's assaults.
Below are just a number of damage calculations that demonstrate Jellicent's power. All calculations involving Water Spout assume rainy weather (unless stated otherwise), and Jellicent's HP is at 100%:
- Water Spout vs 4 HP / 252 SpD Calm Blissey: 40.81% - 48.29%
- Water Spout vs 112 HP / 0 SpD Rotom-W: 79.18% - 93.31%
- Water Spout vs 4 HP / 0 SpD Latios: 68.54% - 81.13%
- Water Spout vs 252 HP / 208 SpD Ferrothorn: 47.44% - 55.97%
- Water Spout vs 0 HP / 0 SpD Virizion: 56.04% - 65.94%
- Water Spout vs 252 HP / 0 SpD Reuniclus: 121.70% - 143.16%
- Water Spout vs 28 HP / 252 SpD Calm Wobbuffet: 85.23% - 100.57%
- Water Spout vs 252 HP / 192 SpD Sassy Tyranitar (Sand): 75.74% - 89.60%
- Water Spout vs 252 HP / 92 SpD Ninetales (Sun): 78.86% - 93.14%
- Shadow Ball vs 252 HP / 0 SpD Latias: 70.88% - 84.07%
- Shadow Ball vs 220 HP / 0 SpD Celebi: 80.81% - 95.96%
As seen above, with some entry hazard support, Jellicent can OHKO or 2HKO most Pokemon in the metagame. In the third slot, Jellicent can utilize a secondary Water STAB attack to fall back on when its HP gets low. Surf is the most reliable option, while Hydro Pump is still immensely powerful in the rain at the cost of accuracy. Scald can be used for the burn chance, but it is generally not preferred, as the lack of power seems counterproductive on a wallbreaking lure.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The last slot is optional. Ice Beam allows Jellicent to hit Dragonite, which can be very problematic if it is at full HP (due to Multiscale), Virizion, and other Grass-types for super effective damage. Energy Ball, on the other hand, deals 4x effective damage against Gastrodon, which is immune to Water Spout and has enough Special Defense to take on Shadow Ball and Recover off the damage; it also hits Vaporeon harder than Shadow Ball does.
The EV spread is used so Jellicent outspeeds minimum Speed Skarmory and swiftly OHKOes it with Water Spout before it can set up hazards (if Sturdy is not active). A Modest nature and max Special Attack are for maximum damage output, while the remaining EVs go into HP for bulk. Water Absorb is obviously the preferred ability, as it can allow Jellicent to recover off hazard damage, thus powering up Water Spout.
As shown by the damage calculations, Jellicent highly appreciates entry hazard support. With a layer of Stealth Rock and Spikes, Jellicent can 2HKO Blissey in the rain with full powered Water Spouts, while with Stealth Rock alone, it can 2HKO Ferrothorn and Rotom-W most of the time. A Ferrothorn of your own is Jellicent's best friend, as it resists all of the Water- / Ghost-type's weaknesses and easily sets up multiple layers of entry hazards. Jellicent can block Rapid Spin to further put pressure on the opponent. However, entry hazards on Jellicent's side of the field greatly cuts its effectiveness, as they reduce Water Spout's power. Donphan is a decent partner that has good synergy with Jellicent and Ferrothorn, and can set up Stealth Rock while spinning away entry hazards. Starmie is a great offensive Rapid Spinner to use alongside Jellicent, as it can spin away entry hazards while Jellicent lures in Starmie's counters and deals heavy damage to them. Fast Taunt users, Espeon, and Xatu are also good teammates, as they can prevent entry hazards from going up in the first place.
Obviously, Politoed is a great friend of Jellicent's, as it provides endless rain for Jellicent to spam Water Spout with. Blissey is also a fantastic partner, as it is immune to opposing Shadow Balls, can take Thunderbolts and Giga Drains with absolute ease, and can pass giant Wishes to heal Jellicent. In return, Jellicent can switch into Fighting-type attacks that are aimed at Blissey. Latias, Celebi, and Virizion can easily switch into Electric- and Grass-type attacks aimed at Jellicent. As mentioned before, Dragonite can be a very problematic Pokemon to deal with if Stealth Rock is not up, as Multiscale allows it to tank Water Spout and potentially Ice Beam with a lot of Special Defense investment. It can then use its powerful Dragon-type STAB to heavily damage Jellicent. Jirachi, Bronzong, and Skarmory are all excellent checks to Dragonite.
Other Options
Pain Split is a less reliable method of recovery that can damage the opponent, but Recover is generally the safer option. Hydro Pump has higher power than Surf and Scald, but its low PP and accuracy mean Jellicent won't be able to tank for very long. Energy Ball or Hidden Power Electric can be used to deal with Water-types, the latter of which allows Jellicent to take on the otherwise problematic Gyarados. Hidden Power Fire could be used to hit Forretress or Ferrothorn, but Will-O-Wisp and Taunt are usually enough to keep them at bay. Night Shade allows Jellicent to hit more consistently, like Blissey with Seismic Toss, and also means it can break some Substitutes that would otherwise be unbreakable. Lastly, Jellicent can set up Trick Room on a team built around said strategy.
Checks and Counters
Grass-types can usually switch in to Jellicent without being threatened. Celebi and Shaymin both have Natural Cure, so they don't care about Will-O-Wisp or a burn from Scald. If Breloom is able to activate its Toxic Orb, it can often threaten Jellicent. However, it must beware of Hex or Ice Beam because of its low Special Defense. Virizion can't shrug off a burn like the other three can, but will fare very well against more offensive Jellicent as it can switch into most of its moves with relative ease and force Jellicent out with Giga Drain.
Rotom-W can deal quite a bit of damage to Jellicent, and it resists Surf and Scald. Jolteon can also be a threat if it can switch in at the right time or come in to revenge kill. Choice Band Tyranitar puts Jellicent in a checkmate position, as it can use Pursuit if Jellicent is predicted to flee. Ferrothorn also can threaten with Power Whip. However, both of these Pokemon must watch out for an aptly-timed burn. Latias is typically manageable, but should it have Calm Mind and Refresh, it will be able to set up. Sun is a huge inconvenience to Jellicent, as it not only weakens its STAB move of choice, but limits its ability to take on threats such as Volcarona and Venusaur.
