With the ability to switch into many walls and tanks, especially Grass-types, and its general bulkiness on the special side, this Togekiss can become an immediate threat to any team without Zapdos or Rotom-A. The EVs given provide you with enough Speed to outrun Adamant Tyranitar so that it does not spoil your fun. Blissey or Snorlax won't be stopping you either, since after two Nasty Plots Togekiss can 2HKO Blissey with ease by using Air Slash, hopefully flinching, and then finishing it off with an Aura Sphere. Togekiss' ability to take hits is what makes this set useful; it takes a powerful, STABed super effective attack to shoot down this paper plane. It can survive a Choice Banded Ice Shard from a max Attack Mamoswine even after Stealth Rock is down and OHKO back with a Nasty Plotted Aura Sphere. Leftovers keeps Togekiss healthier in the long run, but Lum Berry can stop the Paralysis or Toxic that could end your sweep.
Serene Grace is definitely not wasted on a Pokémon such as Togekiss. Air Slash's already high 30% flinch rate doubles, and combined with Thunder Wave this set can be hell for an opponent to take out as they will have a mere 30% chance of attacking. Thunder Wave guarantees paralysis, but invites Ground-types and Pokémon with Volt Absorb or Motor Drive to switch in. Giving a free boost to Pokémon such as Jolteon or Electivire cannot be a good idea, and many of the aforementioned Pokémon that would benefit from Thunder Wave won't enjoy paralysis at all, so Body Slam with its 60% paralysis is an acceptable replacement. Aura Sphere can help against Rock- and Steel-types, or you can use Nasty Plot to increase your chances of sweeping. Substitute is also a good option to scout for full paralysis and provide protection against status. Note that it's impossible for Body Slam and Nasty Plot to be used on the same set, as Body Slam must be obtained from a third generation move tutor, while Nasty Plot is a fourth generation egg move. Secret Power (assuming it is used either on Wi-Fi or a battle simulator and not PBR) is a decent alternative to Body Slam in this case; although you are usually best off just sticking to Thunder Wave.
There are normally two ways to take down Togekiss without losing several Pokémon. The first way is by switching in a Pokémon that doesn't mind taking attacks from Togekiss and doesn't mind being flinched several times. The second way is to send in something faster while also predicting and avoiding the paralysis or using something immune. This set is quite effective at dealing with the latter, because a large number of the speedy Pokémon that opponents might send in, like Electivire or Jolteon, will be worn down quickly by repeated attacks and certainly won't expect to be flinched. Air Slash is an obvious move choice due to its secondary flinching effect. It's even more of a necessity on this set because it can even flinch other Choice Scarfers, which is a huge advantage. Aura Sphere provides excellent secondary coverage and hits both Rock- and Steel-types super effectively, while Fire Blast helps against many Steel-types that are neutral to Fighting. Flamethrower is a possibility over Fire Blast, but it isn't recommended: without a Special Attack boost, Togekiss really needs the extra punch. The final slot is quite variable. Tri Attack does the most damage to the majority of Electric-types after factoring Fire Blast's accuracy into the equation, 2HKOing Jolteon and Electivire if you're using a Modest nature with a small chance otherwise. It also benefits from Serene Grace, carrying a 40% chance of inflicting freeze, burn, or paralysis. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice is your strongest option against both Zapdos (who is 2HKOed with Stealth Rock up on the field) and Salamence, whom you may be able to outspeed after a single Dragon Dance if Togekiss has a Timid nature. Trick is a great option to screw over any wall. It is interesting to note that besides Zapdos or Rotom-Appliance, almost every counter for Togekiss is crippled by a Choice Scarf. The most notable reason to use Trick is that it allows Togekiss to beat Blissey, which is a pain for any Togekiss to face, because the only way to beat her normally is to flinch her to death, which is very unreliable.
Togekiss' ability to support the team is amplified when it has the moves Encore and Wish in its arsenal. The strategy is to come in on a setup or support move and Encore it, likely forcing a switch. While Togekiss is out it can also Encore faster Pokémon, which requires lots of prediction but can have huge payoffs. These situations allow Togekiss to assist the team by setting up Wish and then proceeding to pass it to a counter for the current opposing Pokémon while not having to worry about being taken out. If one chooses not to Wish, it's possible to simply abuse the free turn to paralyze an incoming Pokémon with either Body Slam or Thunder Wave. It can also allow one of your sweepers to come in unharmed, set up, and cause havoc for your opponent. Roost is an option over Wish if none of Togekiss' teammates are Rapid Spinners, as Stealth Rock damage can really pile up on it. However, Roost greatly cuts down on Togekiss' ability to support the team, meaning that Wish is preferable for this particular set. Air Slash and Aura Sphere allow for a neutral hit on every single Pokémon, barring Zapdos and Rotom. Air Slash, a powerful STAB attack, can also help Togekiss to keep some Wish recovery for itself due to the 60% flinch chance on slower Pokémon. Aura Sphere is not a requirement though as this Togekiss is not meant to sweep, reducing the need for type coverage. Body Slam or Thunder Wave can take its spot to paralyze incoming Pokémon, as mentioned earlier. The choice depends on whether the team has more of a problem with speedy Ghosts such as Gengar, or Pokémon immune to Electric-type moves such as Jolteon or Electivire. The EV spread on this set is a lot speedier compared to a majority of Togekiss' sets. A quick Togekiss allows for much easier Encoring, which is why so many Speed EVs are required. 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allows Togekiss to have 280 Speed, outspeeding an Adamant Lucario. This lets Togekiss come in on the unsuspecting Lucario as it Swords Dances, and leaves it Encored. It will then be forced to switch, or be 2HKOed with either of Togekiss' attacks. 252 HP EVs and 20 Defense EVs allow for its maximum defensive capabilities after reaching 280 Speed. This lets it come in and perform its strategy several times, due to its high survivability.
Togekiss is a member of a very small group of Pokémon in that it is not only able to learn the rare Nasty Plot, but is also able to Baton Pass it. The use of this set should be clear: boost with Nasty Plot and Air Slash your enemies, Roosting as required. If a threat appears, pass the boosts to an appropriate sweeper. If you want to take a safer route, you can simply Baton Pass a Substitute to scout what your opponent is using to counter Togekiss and essentially switch for free. Either way, Encore is a very useful move on a Baton Passer and Togekiss is no exception. Its two immunities, solid defenses, above average Speed and a couple of useful resistances provide it ample opportunity to Encore a harmless move so that Togekiss can set up. Agility Porygon-Z and Lucario are fine choices to pass the Special Attack boosts to. Special based Electivire can work very effectively, especially if you pass when your opponent throws a Thunder Wave or other Electric attack at Togekiss. Wish can be used to make Togekiss even more of a team player, but he will be worn down more quickly without the instant recovery provided by Roost.
Air Slash is still your main form of offense here and while he may not be that swift, he has enough Speed to beat a lot of defensive Pokémon, so you can still get some use out of that 60% flinch rate. Aura Sphere and Flamethrower provide coverage against Rock- and Steel-types. Tri Attack hits most Electric-types harder than anything else on the set and has a 40% chance of burning, freezing or paralyzing your opponent. Shadow Ball helps to wear down Cresselia and Dusknoir and takes down Rotom in one hit. Hyper Beam has plenty of power, but use it wisely or you may give your opponent the opportunity to set up.
The element of surprise is this set’s trump card. While an ExtremeSpeed off of a mediocre Attack stat of 218 may not seem like much at all, Hustle and Life Orb will boost the power to acceptable levels. The other moves are fairly intuitive in that they eliminate most of Togekiss's switch-ins. A Life Orb boosted Aura Sphere 2HKOes both Tyranitar and Heatran. Flamethrower will OHKO Scizor, Skarmory (with Stealth Rock), and Forretress while also 2HKOing Jirachi and Celebi. Shadow Ball, on the other hand, OHKOes Gengar with Stealth Rock while 2HKOing the majority of Dusknoir that you see. Roost helps Togekiss recover its health after Life Orb recoil and other indirect damage takes its toll. Hidden Power Rock followed by ExtremeSpeed will KO Zapdos, Gyarados, and Salamence with Stealth Rock down regardless of Intimidate. The given EVs are tailored to allow Togekiss a Speed advantage on Adamant Tyranitar. The Attack EVs are to boost ExtremeSpeed's power, while the remaining EVs are put to boost Togekiss’s Special Attack. If outpacing Adamant Tyranitar is not necessary, throw the Speed EVs into Special Attack. A Naughty nature provides a balance of defenses, while a Lonely nature helps Togekiss maintain its sky-high Special Defense stat. ExtremeSpeed Damage CalculationsTo show the usefulness of ExtremeSpeed on switch-ins defensively weak and also on those faster than Togekiss, here are an assortment of damage calculations using the given EVs. With the exclusion of Blissey, these calculations assume that the Pokémon has a neutral nature in Defense.
However, it should be noted that due to Hustle reducing the accuracy of the physical attacks it boosts, the expected OHKOs and 2HKOs shown above will only occur 80% and 64% of the time, respectively.
While Togekiss is often used as a sweeper, it may also be employed as an exceptional lead. Togekiss can make use of its extremely annoying Air Slash, which, in conjunction with Serene Grace, ensures a 60% flinch rate and the demise of many common leads to start the battle in your favor. Thunder Wave provides a solution to its poor Speed, allowing it to use Air Slash or Fire Blast before the opponent can counterattack. The second move slot is entirely up to the user's personal preference. Roost is a reliable option for durability and can keep Togekiss around until the end of the match if needed, while Encore is an excellent choice for locking common leads into Stealth Rock, thus forcing a switch. Encore can really help you start the match off with the upper hand, especially if you can predict after using it, and Thunder Wave on the switch. However, Togekiss is Taunt-bait due to its low Speed so the usage of Encore might be slightly limited. ExtremeSpeed is an option for finishing off Focus Sashed leads, and if you really need priority then it can be useful as it receives STAB, though Encore and Roost are more viable options. Togekiss can make use of its overall bulkiness to shrug off many attacks from common leads, while paralyzing them and proceeding to KO with the appropriate move. Togekiss can use Flamethrower to 3HKO a standard Metagross holding an Occa Berry, and Fire Blast to 2HKO. In return, Metagross' Meteor Mash can only 2HKO if it gets an Attack raise. Fire Blast is recommended over Flamethrower to ensure Metagross will be KOed before it can use Explosion. However, Flamethrower is useful if accuracy is an issue. The EV spread is to ensure Togekiss can survive as long as possible against physical leads. 252 Defense EVs is necessary to take all of the hits it can, giving it time to Roost off damage. Common leads either outspeed or do not invest in Speed at all, so there is no reason to invest EVs in Speed. The 96 Special Attack EVs give Togekiss a respectable stat of 330, and allow it to 4HKO leads such as Hippowdon and Swampert. Togekiss can stand as an excellent Pokemon on its own, but combined with others that support its weaknesses, it is superb. Jolteon and Electivire can switch in to absorb super effective Electric attacks aimed at Togekiss. Tyranitar, one of Togekiss' main counters, can come in and scare Togekiss, while setting up a possible Dragon Dance or just inflicting massive damage with its STAB attacks. Togekiss is also hammered by super effective Stone Edges, particularly by Aerodactyl, Gyarados, and the aforementioned Tyranitar. A Choice Scarf Flygon with Stone Edge can scare all of these away, but has a tough time switching in due to its frailness. Gliscor is a very reliable switch in to take on these threats, but keep it away from Gyarados. Fast Pokemon that utilize Ice-typed moves can come in on Togekiss and inflict heavy damage, so bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon or Suicune are great choices. Other OptionsTogekiss has a gigantic movepool, so you've got a myriad of options to choose from here. Yawn can sleep a counter, or force a switch. Charm cripples physical attackers, although Reflect is arguably a better choice. Speaking of screens, Togekiss can also set up Light Screen. Safeguard prevents Blissey and Cresselia hitting him with Thunder Wave. It should be noted, however, that 44 Speed EVs is required to outspeed minimum Speed Cresselia if you decide to use Safeguard. Grass Knot destroys most Water- and Ground-types, although it's hard to find a moveslot for it. AncientPower hits Zapdos, although you'll only come out on top if the stat boost kicks in as Zapdos switches in. Baton Pass is an option on Choice sets (especially on the Scarf set) for scouting. Metronome (item) can be used on the flinch set to benefit Air Slash, but Sandstorm will wear you down much faster as you are losing Leftovers, forcing you to Roost more often and lose the accumulated boosts. Counter is always good for a surprise against physical attackers, especially since two of the types Togekiss is weak to (Ice and Electric) tend to lack high-power physical attacks; Weavile's Ice Punch will almost always fail to OHKO a 252 HP Togekiss if Weavile is without a Choice Band. Be wary of using Counter on a set that relies on paralysis, though, as an opponent failing to act at the wrong time could ruin the surprise. EVsFor the Baton Pass set, you can invest in Speed to get off a pass before taking a hit, or leave his Speed untouched if you'd prefer to have Togekiss take a hit, rather than the recipient of the boosts. 244 Speed outruns Jolly Tyranitar and beats max Speed Magnezone by four points. 270 allows Togekiss to outrun Adamant Heracross, while 280 will beat Modest/Adamant Lucario. Max out HP, with any remaining EVs in either of the defensive stats. The Flinch abusing set should have maxed out HP first. After which you can either pour everything else into defenses or Special Attack. Special Attack EVs aren't as necessary if you're also using Nasty Plot. The Choice Specs set also benefits from Speed investment, after setting that, max out Special Attack with the leftover EVs in HP. Max Speed and Special Attack is generally the best option on the Scarf set. Modest nature nets you several 2HKOs that you wouldn't get otherwise, including Jolteon, Electivire, and Bronzong, while Timid ensures you outspeed +nature base 130 Pokémon like Aerodactyl and Jolteon in addition to Scarf Heracross. OpinionTogetic evolved from total obscurity to complete celebrity in the transition to Diamond and Pearl. Whether he is providing support from passing Special Attack boosts or Wish, paralyzing everything in sight or sweeping through teams, Togekiss is a solid choice on any team. CountersBoth Thunder Wave and Toxic mess up the standard flincher set badly. Blissey and Cresselia are two of the best choices for this job, as both of them take rather insignificant damage from Togekiss's attacks and can recover off damage with ease. Despite being a UU Pokémon, a specially defensive Lanturn makes a great choice thanks to its Flying resistance and Volt Absorb. Lanturn takes minimal damage from Air Slash, can permanently stop a Togekiss sweep with Thunder Wave and can hit Togekiss hard with a STAB super effective Thunderbolt. Zapdos resists both of Togekiss's central attacks and can smack it around with STAB Electric attacks or just ruin it with Thunder Wave. A Rest-Talk Zapdos would be ideal for this job; Zapdos has a higher base Speed than Togekiss and variants that rely on flinching rarely invest in Speed thanks to the presence of Thunder Wave, so Zapdos will outspeed Togekiss while asleep and doesn't need to worry about being flinched or Togekiss Roosting before Zapdos can use Thunderbolt. Rotom-A is in the same boat as Zapdos resistance-wise while commonly carrying attacks such as Discharge. Bronzong takes a pittance of damage from Air Slash and taking a Thunder Wave means that Gyro Ball's power will increase dramatically. Dragonite's Inner Focus ability prevents flinching and it can take several Air Slashes, but paralysis is crippling to Dragonite. One other method of countering Togekiss is switching in Pokémon that are faster than Togekiss and immune to Thunder Wave, such as Electivire and Jolteon (or by using other fast Pokémon and simply predicting an attack other than Thunder Wave). This generally works well, though it's somewhat of a temporary solution as most of them can be worn down over time. The Choice Specs and Scarf sets are countered in much the same way as the standard set—Pokémon with enough durability to laugh off Togekiss's offense work well, provided they aren't weak to any of Togekiss's attacks (Blissey is, of course, an exception to the rule as even a Specs Aura Sphere fails to 2HKO). Mixed Togekiss should be handled with caution. A bulky Ghost-type, such as Rotom-A, can handle any set lacking Shadow Ball. Lacking Flamethrower allows Pokémon such as Scizor and Metagross handle Togekiss easier, although Aura Sphere still hurts. Lacking Hidden Power Rock allows Pokémon such as Salamence, Zapdos, and Gyarados have an easier time facing against Togekiss. Salamence and Gyarados have the benefit of Intimidate, while Zapdos and Salamence have Roost to recover the lost damage. |
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