[Overview]
<p>In general, when people point out useless Pokemon, one of the first ones people mention is Vanilluxe. Vanilluxe has about as many useful moves as Klinklang; that is, barely enough to put a moveset together. However, despite the bad movepool that Vanilluxe has, he does receive one or two good moves. His typing is a blessing and a curse. As an Ice-type, Vanilluxe enjoys a poweful offensive STAB, but at the same time, suffers defensively due to his many weaknesses. Vanilluxe has some usable stats, such as a high base 110 Special Attack and decent base 85 and 95 Defense and Special Defense, respectively. But all things considered, Vanilluxe is a terrible Pokemon and cannot just be thrown into any team. However, he can perform his job well when the adequate team support is provided.</p>
[SET]
name: Autotomize
move 1: Autotomize
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Ground
item: Life Orb
nature: Modest
evs: 44 HP / 252 SpA / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Because of Vanilluxe's rather lacking movepool, there seems to be no reason to use him over another hail sweeper such as Glaceon or Rotom-F. However, Vanilluxe has a niche by having access to Autotomize. After using Autotomize, Vanilluxe is able to outspeed everything up to Choice-Scarf equipped Pokemon with a base 101 Speed. Blizzard serves as Vanilluxe's STAB move of choice, and is also his strongest attack. Blizzard is used over Ice Beam because this set should never be used outside of hail. Flash Cannon is primarily used to hit Cryogonal super effectively, who would otherwise wall Vanilluxe. However, due to Cryogonal's high Special Defense, Flash Cannon may not even 2HKO without prior Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Ground fills the last slot because it provides coverage on Pokemon such as Magneton and Lanturn, who resist all of Vanilluxe's other attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb should always be used on this set; it grants a power boost and, when used in tandem with Ice Body and hail, only causes a net loss in Vanilluxe's HP of 3.75% damage. A Modest nature with the given EV spread is optimal, providing maximum power for Vanilluxe while still allowing him to outspeed Pokemon with base 100 Speed and a Choice Scarf by one point. This set can also be used on a sun or rain team with some success. If that's the case, Blizzard should be replaced by Ice Beam, and Flash Cannon with Weather Ball.</p>
<p>Snover makes an excellent teammate for Vanilluxe, bringing about the everlasting hail which both restores his health and makes Blizzard 100% accurate. Vanilluxe will usually only get one chance to set up and sweep, so he appreciates having specially defensive walls being eliminated completely, or at least broken down to the point where a Blizzard can finish them off. Magmortar resists Vanilluxe's Fire-type weakness and can run a mixed set to break down specially defensive walls to allow Vanilluxe to sweep. Rotom-F is also very powerful, enjoys hail that is usually provided on a team that includes Vanilluxe, and can break down most walls, but the number of weaknesses it shares with Vanilluxe must be taken into account. Porygon-Z is an effective wall-breaker, but shares Vanilluxe's Fighting-type weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Blizzard
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Ground
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 252 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Vanilluxe can be a decent revenge killer. With a base 110 Special Attack and base 79 Speed, he can outspeed many threats and strike them with a powerful Blizzard. Blizzard is his strongest move and can eliminate much of the metagame that doesn't resist it, especially after the opposition is slightly weakened. Ice Beam is an option if this set is not being used in hail. Flash Cannon hits Cryogonal, who resists or is immune to the rest of this set. Hidden Power Ground is in the last moveslot in order to get the most neutral coverage possible.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Timid nature is used alongside the given EV spread in order to outspeed every Pokemon with less than than all base 80 Speed equipped with a Choice Scarf. A Choice Scarf allows him to outrun all of the unboosted metagame except Accelgor. Snover is again a necessary teammate. However, if for some odd reason Vanilluxe is not being used with hail support but with either rain or sun support, then Weather Ball should be used over Blizzard.</p>
<p>Because of Vanilluxe's reliance on Snover as a teammate, it takes a lot of team support to cover up the weaknesses that the team will share. Bulky Water-types are good teammates, resisting the Fire-type moves aimed at Snover and Vanilluxe. Quagsire is a good example, as he resists Rock- and Fire-type moves and has his Grass-type weakness covered by Snover. Claydol resists the Fighting-type moves aimed at Snover and Vanilluxe and packs Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock and keep Vanilluxe healthy. Claydol can also set up Stealth Rock to slowly wear down Vanilluxe's counters and possibly lead to a sweep with Vanilluxe.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Vanilluxe is like Klinklang in this respect: neither of them have very extensive "Other Options". Explosion would be interesting on Vanilluxe to let it go out with a bang, but it got nerfed with the advent of BW. A stalling set using Ice Body with Substitute and Protect is useful, but is substantially outclassed by Walrein. Taunt is a useful move on any Pokemon, but with his numerous list of weaknesses, Vanilluxe generally never wants to get hit. A combination of Acid Armor and Mirror Coat could work, but is highly gimmicky, and shouldn't be used. Frost Breath is only recommended if seeing the words "It's a Critical Hit!" brings joy to your heart. Water Pulse provides little further coverage beyond what Hidden Power Ground, Blizzard, and Flash Cannon supply, and is quite weak thanks to its low Base Power. Vanilluxe can run an all-out attacker set with 4 attacks and a Life Orb as well as Ice Shard or Icicle Spear coming off a decent Attack stat.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Faster Fire-types such as Entei or Moltres can outspeed and sublimate him with their powerful STAB attacks. Archeops outspeeds him and packs a STAB Stone Edge to get rid of the ice cream cone. Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan have decent Special Defense and can retaliate with a powerful Hi Jump Kick or Close Combat. Hariyama can do one better, packing Thick Fat to resist Blizzard and massive HP to tank all other hits Vanilluxe might throw his way. Munchlax also has Thick Fat, massive HP, Special Defense, and is able to use the Eviolite to wall Vanilluxe to death. Cryogonal resists Blizzard and is immune to Hidden Power Ground, but should watch out for Flash Cannon. If it avoids Flash Cannon, Cryogonal can stall out Vanilluxe with a combination of Toxic and Recover. Alomomola or most other bulky Water-types take practically no damage from Vanilluxe's attacks and can stall him out, or even set up on him. In addition, priority, especially in the form of Mach Punch, cuts Vanilluxe's life short.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Vanilluxe gets Weak Armor from the Dream World, which will be useful after it's released because Vanilluxe usually can't survive more than one physical attack, and enjoys Speed boosts to make him fast enough to outspeed most everything in the tier.</p>
<p>In general, when people point out useless Pokemon, one of the first ones people mention is Vanilluxe. Vanilluxe has about as many useful moves as Klinklang; that is, barely enough to put a moveset together. However, despite the bad movepool that Vanilluxe has, he does receive one or two good moves. His typing is a blessing and a curse. As an Ice-type, Vanilluxe enjoys a poweful offensive STAB, but at the same time, suffers defensively due to his many weaknesses. Vanilluxe has some usable stats, such as a high base 110 Special Attack and decent base 85 and 95 Defense and Special Defense, respectively. But all things considered, Vanilluxe is a terrible Pokemon and cannot just be thrown into any team. However, he can perform his job well when the adequate team support is provided.</p>
[SET]
name: Autotomize
move 1: Autotomize
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Ground
item: Life Orb
nature: Modest
evs: 44 HP / 252 SpA / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Because of Vanilluxe's rather lacking movepool, there seems to be no reason to use him over another hail sweeper such as Glaceon or Rotom-F. However, Vanilluxe has a niche by having access to Autotomize. After using Autotomize, Vanilluxe is able to outspeed everything up to Choice-Scarf equipped Pokemon with a base 101 Speed. Blizzard serves as Vanilluxe's STAB move of choice, and is also his strongest attack. Blizzard is used over Ice Beam because this set should never be used outside of hail. Flash Cannon is primarily used to hit Cryogonal super effectively, who would otherwise wall Vanilluxe. However, due to Cryogonal's high Special Defense, Flash Cannon may not even 2HKO without prior Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Ground fills the last slot because it provides coverage on Pokemon such as Magneton and Lanturn, who resist all of Vanilluxe's other attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb should always be used on this set; it grants a power boost and, when used in tandem with Ice Body and hail, only causes a net loss in Vanilluxe's HP of 3.75% damage. A Modest nature with the given EV spread is optimal, providing maximum power for Vanilluxe while still allowing him to outspeed Pokemon with base 100 Speed and a Choice Scarf by one point. This set can also be used on a sun or rain team with some success. If that's the case, Blizzard should be replaced by Ice Beam, and Flash Cannon with Weather Ball.</p>
<p>Snover makes an excellent teammate for Vanilluxe, bringing about the everlasting hail which both restores his health and makes Blizzard 100% accurate. Vanilluxe will usually only get one chance to set up and sweep, so he appreciates having specially defensive walls being eliminated completely, or at least broken down to the point where a Blizzard can finish them off. Magmortar resists Vanilluxe's Fire-type weakness and can run a mixed set to break down specially defensive walls to allow Vanilluxe to sweep. Rotom-F is also very powerful, enjoys hail that is usually provided on a team that includes Vanilluxe, and can break down most walls, but the number of weaknesses it shares with Vanilluxe must be taken into account. Porygon-Z is an effective wall-breaker, but shares Vanilluxe's Fighting-type weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Blizzard
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Ground
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 36 HP / 252 SpA / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Vanilluxe can be a decent revenge killer. With a base 110 Special Attack and base 79 Speed, he can outspeed many threats and strike them with a powerful Blizzard. Blizzard is his strongest move and can eliminate much of the metagame that doesn't resist it, especially after the opposition is slightly weakened. Ice Beam is an option if this set is not being used in hail. Flash Cannon hits Cryogonal, who resists or is immune to the rest of this set. Hidden Power Ground is in the last moveslot in order to get the most neutral coverage possible.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Timid nature is used alongside the given EV spread in order to outspeed every Pokemon with less than than all base 80 Speed equipped with a Choice Scarf. A Choice Scarf allows him to outrun all of the unboosted metagame except Accelgor. Snover is again a necessary teammate. However, if for some odd reason Vanilluxe is not being used with hail support but with either rain or sun support, then Weather Ball should be used over Blizzard.</p>
<p>Because of Vanilluxe's reliance on Snover as a teammate, it takes a lot of team support to cover up the weaknesses that the team will share. Bulky Water-types are good teammates, resisting the Fire-type moves aimed at Snover and Vanilluxe. Quagsire is a good example, as he resists Rock- and Fire-type moves and has his Grass-type weakness covered by Snover. Claydol resists the Fighting-type moves aimed at Snover and Vanilluxe and packs Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock and keep Vanilluxe healthy. Claydol can also set up Stealth Rock to slowly wear down Vanilluxe's counters and possibly lead to a sweep with Vanilluxe.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Vanilluxe is like Klinklang in this respect: neither of them have very extensive "Other Options". Explosion would be interesting on Vanilluxe to let it go out with a bang, but it got nerfed with the advent of BW. A stalling set using Ice Body with Substitute and Protect is useful, but is substantially outclassed by Walrein. Taunt is a useful move on any Pokemon, but with his numerous list of weaknesses, Vanilluxe generally never wants to get hit. A combination of Acid Armor and Mirror Coat could work, but is highly gimmicky, and shouldn't be used. Frost Breath is only recommended if seeing the words "It's a Critical Hit!" brings joy to your heart. Water Pulse provides little further coverage beyond what Hidden Power Ground, Blizzard, and Flash Cannon supply, and is quite weak thanks to its low Base Power. Vanilluxe can run an all-out attacker set with 4 attacks and a Life Orb as well as Ice Shard or Icicle Spear coming off a decent Attack stat.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Faster Fire-types such as Entei or Moltres can outspeed and sublimate him with their powerful STAB attacks. Archeops outspeeds him and packs a STAB Stone Edge to get rid of the ice cream cone. Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan have decent Special Defense and can retaliate with a powerful Hi Jump Kick or Close Combat. Hariyama can do one better, packing Thick Fat to resist Blizzard and massive HP to tank all other hits Vanilluxe might throw his way. Munchlax also has Thick Fat, massive HP, Special Defense, and is able to use the Eviolite to wall Vanilluxe to death. Cryogonal resists Blizzard and is immune to Hidden Power Ground, but should watch out for Flash Cannon. If it avoids Flash Cannon, Cryogonal can stall out Vanilluxe with a combination of Toxic and Recover. Alomomola or most other bulky Water-types take practically no damage from Vanilluxe's attacks and can stall him out, or even set up on him. In addition, priority, especially in the form of Mach Punch, cuts Vanilluxe's life short.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Vanilluxe gets Weak Armor from the Dream World, which will be useful after it's released because Vanilluxe usually can't survive more than one physical attack, and enjoys Speed boosts to make him fast enough to outspeed most everything in the tier.</p>
