|
-
Hustle
- Physical moves do 50% more damage at the cost of 20% accuracy. Increases wild encounter rate with higher level Pokemon.
-
Serene Grace
- This Pokemon's secondary effect chances are doubled.
-
Super Luck
- Critical hit rate is boosted by one stage.
|
Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
85
|
- |
311 |
374 |
- |
| Atk |
50
|
122 |
136 |
199 |
218 |
| Def |
95
|
203 |
226 |
289 |
317 |
| SpA |
120
|
248 |
276 |
339 |
372 |
| SpD |
115
|
239 |
266 |
329 |
361 |
| Spe |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
Overview
Togekiss, along with many of its DPP OU peers, has descended from grace (no pun intended) due to the numerous new threats introduced in the generation shift. As the OU metagame struggled to achieve stability, Togekiss was passed up in favor of Pokemon more suited to combat current threats, ranging from now-banned threats such as Thundurus to today's mainstays, namely Dragonite and Rotom-W. Coupled with a Stealth Rock weakness and competition with the omnipresent Jirachi as a support Pokemon, its usage dwindled as a result.
Sad endings aside, Togekiss fortunately finds a more welcoming home in the UU tier, where it has less room for failure and more potential for destruction. Even after the generation shift, Togekiss still has an accumulation of good competitive traits, consisting of high Special Attack, decent speed, amazing defenses, and a unique ability that few others can take advantage of so well: Serene Grace. Despite its docile presence (both aesthetically and competitively) and flaws, Togekiss has the potential to completely turn games around with its helpful support sets and equally dangerous offensive sets. Looking at its list of options, it isn't a stretch to say that Togekiss is one of the most versatile and unpredictable threats to exist in UU. More often than not, Togekiss's sheer versatility will leave one side of the battlefield victorious, and the other shamefully in tatters in a storm of feathers and waves of thunder.
What Togekiss lacks in the Speed department is made up for by its ability to support its team by tanking hits and crippling the opposition with paralysis. Unlike other similar defensive Pokemon, however, it has a unique way of providing some decent offensive pressure; when paralyzed and hit with Air Slash, the foe will only have a 30% chance of productive movement because of the increased flinch chance. In addition to being extremely difficult to play around, Togekiss's access to instant recovery to shrug off damage also makes it ridiculously hard to take down. After successfully paralyzing a Pokemon, Togekiss can also choose between switching to another counter against an incoming hit, healing off damage with Roost, or flinching the paralyzed Pokemon down to KO range.
Togekiss has a choice of two paralysis-inducing moves, but Thunder Wave is usually the more reliable option for crippling a more specialized list of Pokemon in UU. When using Thunder Wave, Togekiss's only major concern is against Pokemon who absorb Electric-type attacks, an area where Body Slam has the upper hand. As for the last slot, Aura Sphere gives Togekiss overall neutral coverage against all but Zapdos. It also hits Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon super effectively, making Togekiss much harder to wall. Nasty Plot, however, has most use in endgame sweeping. After paralyzing or eliminating all of its counters, Togekiss can use Nasty Plot to make Air Slash even stronger, making itself an incredibly self-sufficient attacker if it manages to avoid Toxic or paralysis.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Since Togekiss aims to sponge attacks and paralyze as many opponents as possible, its stats should be oriented towards bulk. A Calm nature, along with maximum HP and 200 EVs in Special Defense, turns Togekiss into an incredible special sponge, taking pittance from Milotic's Ice Beam and Chandelure's unboosted Fire-type attacks. The rest of the EVs are put into Defense, allowing Togekiss to survive standard Kingdra's +1 Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a turn of Leftovers. Special Attack investment is not necessary due to this set's defensive nature and ability to take down foes with Air Slash. Alternatively, Togekiss can become physically defensive simply by relocating its EVs to Defense and changing its nature to Bold.
A Pokemon so focused on paralyzing foes should obviously be paired with teammates who require paralysis support. Such teammates include slow powerhouses, especially those who have problems taking faster super effective attacks. Chandelure and Rhyperior are prime examples of this; when provided with paralysis support, both can use this opportunity to completely destroy teams without having to worry about being taken out beforehand. Defensively speaking, Rhyperior, again, is a good teammate to sponge incoming Rock- and Electric-type moves, while Togekiss in return can brush off Ground- and Grass-type attacks aimed at Rhyperior. Ideally, some of Togekiss's teammates should be able to benefit from paralysis while being able to complement it defensively. To further debilitate the opposing team, entry hazards are generally beneficial particularly considering Togekiss's ability to force switches. Examples of Pokemon that can easily provide entry hazard support are Claydol (who conveniently has Rapid Spin) and Roserade (preferably one with Spikes rather than Toxic Spikes for obvious reasons).
Togekiss's decent Speed and attacking capabilities practically demand the use of Choice Scarf. With Choice Scarf, Togekiss reaches a Speed of 426, allowing it to revenge kill base 130 Speed Pokemon, as well as slower threats with a Speed boost. The main appeal of this set, however, is the ability to flinch foes continually with Air Slash, a task made immediately easier by Choice Scarf. Faster foes that expect to face a slower, more defensive Togekiss may be forced to switch out, taking extra entry hazard damage, or suffer multiple Air Slashes. To make matters even worse for the opponent, Togekiss also has access to Trick, which, when used correctly, can severely cripple the likes of Porygon2, Empoleon, and other defensive Pokemon.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
To round off the set, Aura Sphere completes coverage by hitting Pokemon who resist Air Slash neutrally (with the exception of Zapdos), while Fire Blast scorches a harder blow on Electric- and Steel-types. Flamethrower is an alternative, but hitting as hard as possible should be Togekiss's main priority. A set like this may also seem obvious with Choice Specs, but without paralysis support, Togekiss lacks the Speed to muscle through faster threats, and Nasty Plot is generally a better option.
Thanks to Togekiss's boosted Speed and ability to flinch unwanted foes to death, it can be placed on offensive teams requiring a reliable revenge killer. Good prediction and the correct move can usually bypass Togekiss's common switch-ins. Regardless, Togekiss will need backup from alternative offensive teammates, preferably ones that can fend off special walls and counters that resist Air Slash. Given that this Togekiss will be switching in and out often, Rapid Spin support is also highly advised. Due to their great defensive and offensive prowess, the likes of Hitmontop and Blastoise are top picks for this role.
This is arguably one of the best Togekiss sets, taking advantage of most of its great qualities, including access to Nasty Plot, a decent defensive typing in conjunction with great defenses, and a dangerous weapon in the combination of Air Slash and Serene Grace. Another is the fact that Togekiss, as a Nasty Plot sweeper, defies the usual culture of Nasty Plot sweeping; instead of setting up with offensive sweeping in mind, this Togekiss aims to accumulate multiple boosts while staying comparatively healthy throughout the match. This strategy is comparable to those of Calm Mind users, but boasts advantages of a faster Special Attack boost and access to recovery via Roost and Heal Bell. After acquiring a boost or more, Togekiss will have little problems literally slashing through various types of teams thanks to its bulk and the high flinch chance of its boosted STAB Air Slash.
Togekiss's overall role depends entirely on its final move. First of all, Heal Bell is primary in the last slot simply because of its overall benefit: healing the entire team of status. The efficiency of Heal Bell is amplified by the fact that special walls, such as Snorlax and Milotic, are so common in the metagame. By utilizing Heal Bell, Togekiss can bypass attempts to stop it with status while setting up. From there, it can proceed to flinch its counters multiple times, thereby forcing them to do little else besides attempting to recover or use status again. This, however, leaves Togekiss with a single Flying-type move, which isn't all bad considering Air Slash's high flinch chance and great coverage. If the limited coverage is a concern, Aura Sphere can be used in place of Heal Bell for near-perfect coverage with Air Slash.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Rest assured that the low investment in Special Attack will be patched up with Nasty Plot; therefore, investing in any relevant stat other than Special Attack is advised. Since Togekiss should be built defensively, maximum EV investment in HP is mandatory for general bulk. The amount of Speed EVs and choice of nature, however, are up to preference, as both are factors in how Togekiss fares against certain foes. Maximum Speed, with either nature, is the main option to be less susceptible to slower foes (such as Calm Roserade and unboosted Adamant Kingdra) and revenge killing from faster foes. Otherwise, the EVs can be modified to outrun a specific speed tier, while the remaining can be put into either Special Attack or Special Defense.
Given Togekiss's ability to recover and set up flexibly, Air Slash is usually its only attacking move. Because of this, Electric- and Rock-type foes, especially Raikou, Zapdos, and Rhyperior, should first be eliminated or crippled before attempting to sweep. Threatening these Pokemon outright with obvious counters would only force them out, only to have them return later. Instead, using lures or offensive teammates with the correct coverage move is a better way of eliminating these threats. Another way to assist Togekiss's sweep is by providing it with paralysis support, allowing it to bypass its counters with the 'paraflinch' strategy. The combination of paralysis and Air Slash flinching greatly reduces a foe's chance of moving, making Togekiss one of the most difficult defensive sweepers for any opponent to counter. Lastly, Rapid Spin support, preferably from the likes of defensive Pokemon such as Blastoise, is highly recommended to keep Stealth Rock at bay. Magic Bounce support is less helpful because the only the only fully evolved user of the ability is Xatu, who shares many weaknesses with Togekiss.
A Nasty Plot set focused entirely on offense is a natural possibility due to Togekiss's initially high Special Attack and decent Speed. Unlike its defensive counterpart, which functions mainly on attaining multiple boosts and healing to be effective, this variant becomes an extremely threatening wallbreaker and sweeper with Life Orb and one turn of setup. For instance, after the boost, Togekiss can OHKO all bar specially defensive variants of Zapdos with Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. The few Pokemon that can take boosted hits are also at risk of being flinched with Air Slash, enabling Togekiss to weaken its target a bit before going for the KO. Additionally, Togekiss is still formidably bulky despite being more offensive, so it can still find opportunities to set up or attack immediately if necessary.
The first three moveslots have specific mentioned purposes, but only the last slot depends on preference. Roost can be used to recover from any damage or recoil Togekiss may have taken previously, while Aura Sphere rounds off Togekiss's coverage by hitting Pokemon with the Rock / Ground typing super effectively. Keep in mind that if Togekiss uses Aura Sphere, it won't last very long considering its only decent Speed and weakness to Stealth Rock. Choose which move corresponds with your team best.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Special Attack is the only stat that needs a specific amount of investment; 80 EVs, with a Timid nature, are enough to ensure an OHKO on Zapdos with Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. After this, simply maximize Speed and pour the rest into HP so Togekiss can tie with opposing base 80 Pokemon and gain a considerable amount of bulk. Maximum Speed investment is also important to get the jump on specific neutral-natured Pokemon with a greater base Speed, such as Kingdra, Heracross, and Roserade. Alternatively, a Modest nature is best utilized with a spread of 70 HP / 252 SpA / 186 Spe, which maximizes its Special Attack and allows it to outrun neutral base 70 Pokemon. In turn, Togekiss becomes frailer and slower, so keep in mind the trade-offs of each spread.
As powerful as Togekiss is with this set, it still runs into problems defeating users of Rock- and Electric-type moves. These problems, however, are less of an issue because of Togekiss's increased offense, so typical counters such as Zapdos and Registeel may be KOed swiftly. Since Togekiss can lure and break through such opponents, teammates that had problems with them would appreciate their removal. For instance, with the absence of such dedicated walls, Dragon Dance Kingdra and Swords Dance Cobalion can easily set up and sweep after Togekiss is finished. Team support in the form of paralysis and entry hazards is always welcome, since, even with investment, Togekiss isn't the fastest or most powerful attacker around.
Physically-offensive Togekiss has been long-forgotten ever since the combination of Hustle and ExtremeSpeed was deemed a gimmick. This generation, "HustleKiss" has a chance to become less obscure thanks to the advent of its new boosting move, Work Up, which boosts both attack stats at once. Although Togekiss's abysmal base 50 Attack stat may initially seem underwhelming, ExtremeSpeed becomes deceivingly powerful after the boosts, scoring KOes on many common UU Pokemon. Even checks waiting to take advantage of Togekiss's normally slow Speed, such as Raikou and Zapdos, are nearly OHKOed, a possibility that becomes real with just Stealth Rock damage. When Togekiss isn't using ExtremeSpeed, it can also function specially with Air Slash, which deals decent damage due to the Special Attack boost and investment. The lack of Serene Grace, however, lessens this move's effectiveness. In the last slot, Togekiss can choose between Roost for recovery from recoil and damage, or Aura Sphere for additional coverage against Steel- and Rock-types. Although Drain Punch may seem like a mere comedy mention (due to a lack of certain body parts), it is an actually viable compromise between the Roost's recovery and Aura Sphere's coverage.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The following calculations illustrate the efficiency of this Togekiss:
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 4/0 Raikou: 91.6% - 107.8%
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 4/0 Heracross: 97.7% - 115.2%
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 4/0 Flygon: 93% - 110%
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 4/0 Rotom-H: 90.9% - 107.1%
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 4/0 Victini: 68% - 80.4% (OHKO with Stealth Rock)
- +1 ExtremeSpeed vs. 248/0 Zapdos: 82.6% - 97.5% (OHKO with Stealth Rock)
To get the most out of ExtremeSpeed, Togekiss's Attack must first be maximized with an Attack-boosting nature. The nature and the rest of the EVs comes down to preference; if Togekiss is required to attack specially, you may consider investing significantly in its Special Attack with a Brave nature. Bear in mind, however, that this compromises Togekiss's ability to outspeed certain walls. Also note that running Hustle means forgoing Serene Grace's boost to Air Slash, making special attacking much more difficult. If such factors don't appeal to you, Togekiss can afford to invest in HP or Speed with either a Naughty or Lonely nature for bulk or the ability to outspeed more Pokemon respectively.
Because of this Togekiss's low Speed, lack of bulk, and reliance on Life Orb (in addition to a Stealth Rock weakness), it requires considerable support to be able to pull off its sweep. However, since this set is such a rarity in UU, Togekiss can afford to set up at least one time and make its mark before fainting. As shown previously, Togekiss is able to lure and take out a number of common sweepers in UU with the help of Stealth Rock damage. Therefore, if any of your Pokemon have trouble with faster threats, Togekiss can be counted on to eliminate them. This kind of Togekiss should be placed on an offensive team that functions on stacking sweepers together so each attacker has little issue combating counters. The main opponents Togekiss itself will have trouble bypassing are bulky attackers that are immune or resistant to ExtremeSpeed, prime suspects being Mismagius, Chandelure, and Cobalion. Since these foes are Steel- or Ghost-type, users of Fire- and Dark-type attacks, such as Houndoom and Arcanine, should suffice against them.
Other Options
Togekiss has plenty of other neat competitive options, so it's not just limited to its standard supporting or sweeping sets. Rather than boost its offenses with Nasty Plot or Work Up, it can utilize simple three-attack sets with Roost to threaten its usual checks and counters. Togekiss's most notable coverage options include Grass Knot, for bulky Ground- and Water-types, and specific Hidden Powers. If Togekiss does opt to use Hidden Power, Ground is generally the best option for hitting opposing Electric-, Steel-, and Fire-type Pokemon.
As for support moves, Baton Pass is certainly a viable and unexpected option on Togekiss, given its good bulk, access to recovery, and offensive potential after a Nasty Plot boost. On an offensive set, Baton Pass can be used to pass the boosts to a recipient (special mentions go to Nidoking, Cobalion, and Chandelure) if Togekiss is met with a troublesome foe. Togekiss also has access to Encore, which, if used successfully, can lock slower Pokemon into a support move and give Togekiss more opportunities to cripple other foes. Light Screen, Reflect, and Wish are worthy of mention for further supporting the team with temporary defensive boosts or recovery, but Togekiss generally should invest its time in paralyzing foes and recovering.
Checks and Counters
Unless Togekiss invests significantly in bulk, it won't be too difficult to defeat due to its Stealth Rock weakness and only decent Speed and initial bulk. Even if the opposing team lacks a solid counter, a strong attack, such as Victini's V-create or Chandelure's Overheat, should take even the bulkiest sets down with prior damage. Furthermore, Electric-types will prove to be a headache for any Togekiss due to their resistance to Air Slash and ability to threaten with their STAB attacks. Slower ones, however, are threatened by the more offensive sets, so a faster Electric-type, such as an offensive Zapdos or Raikou, will usually be the best way to check it immediately. Rock-types also sport a resistance to Togekiss's STAB attacks and super effective STAB moves of their own, making them near-flawless counters if Togekiss lacks Aura Sphere or Grass Knot. Defensively-oriented sets can be dealt with by using status or disrupting moves such as Encore and Taunt, disabling Togekiss's efforts to heal or set up at all. Such solutions are futile, however, if Togekiss has Heal Bell, paralyzes that counter, or manages to accumulate enough Special Attack boosts to pose an offensive threat.
