Overview
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ThoughWhile the Ubers metagame is shifting more and more towards offense, Wobbuffet still stands ever ready to take ithem on. Wobbuffet luckily has access to just the right, albeit few, moves to have access to in order to fulfill its niche as a Shadow Tag user, with Counter and Mirror Coat to trap and defeat powerful attackers and, Choice Scarf users, and a rising threat in Mewtwo, or Encore and Safeguard to give sweepers opportunities to nabrecieve a boost. Also, Wobbuffet will also not fall so easily, as its immense bulk and HP stat allows it to survive relatively powerful hitattacks and retaliate with full force, and the lack of weather-boosted attacks makes Wobbuffet's job easier. However, although Wobbuffet provides a large amount of utility to offensive teams, it is not without its drawbacks. It may have large amouDespite its excellents of bulk, Wobbut itffet's Psychic typing doesn't have enough useful resistances to support it and leaves it vulnerable to Ghost- and Dark-types, which are currently rising in popularity of Ghost- and Dark-types. Also, as one would imagine, the type of movepool Wobbuffet has is extremely reliant on prediction; something that it cannot use easily against non-Choice locked Pokemon. In a different vein of Wobbuffet's sparse movepool, it also leaves Wobbuffet vulnerable to Taunt users like Yveltal and Thundurus. Wobbuffet also has to faces competition from its 2 other Shadow Tag bretheren:users such as Gothitelle and Mega Gengar. However, but Wobbuffet can do something that both Mega Gengar and Gothitelle cannot: trap and killdefeat Choice Scarf users. Despite thiits flaws, Wobbuffet remains an excellent team member to offensive teams, and expect it to disrupt teams and pave the way for a clean sweep if played correctly.
Oh No, It's Wobbuffet!
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name: derpOh No, It's Wobbuffet!
move 1: Counter
move 2: Mirror Coat
move 3: Encore
move 4: Safeguard
item: Leftovers
evs: 28 HP / 228 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
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Wobbuffet's overall movepool is sparse yet simple, making each moveslot option integral to how Wobbuffet operatefunctions. Counter and Mirror Coat are obvious staples, ands Wobbuffet would not be able to trap and defeat Choice Scarfed Pokemon users without them. Encore is also extremelyan important move, as it can lock the opponent into a useless move for, allowing a sweeper to come in and set up on it without repercussion. Safeguard is very useful as well, ands Wobbuffet can lock an an opponent into a status move and render it ineffective, gettallowing boostingfree setup opportunities for a sweeper much easier. Destiny Bond can be chosenused over Safeguard to ease prediction against offensive oppPokemonents, but youWobbuffet loses the ability for yourits team to set up on status moves, and Wobbuffet will often have to take a hit before using Destiny Bond due to its horrendous Speed.
Set Details
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The given EVs liste spread above letllows Wobbuffet takeo avoid being 2HKOed by Modest Kyogre's Water Spouts,(252+ SpA Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 28 HP / 252+ SpD Wobbuffet in Rain: 448-528 (84.8 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO Wobbuffet can only take one Water Spout before dying) while also gaining more Leftovers recovery with the 28 EVs invested into HP. This also allows Wobbuffet to take special hitattacks better as well. Another option for tThe EVs is to compound themspread can also be intovested in a specific Ddefensive stat to take on or KOcheck certain offensive threats, likePokemon, such as Blaziken or Ho-Oh forwhen investing in Defense, or Xerneas and Kyogre forwhen investing in Special Defense.
Usage Tips
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The main thing to do to increase Wobbuffet's success, is to is recoutmmended to seek out targets you wish to revenge kill, primarily to prevent mixed attackers to screw up cfrom playing around with Counter and Mirror Coat or possible Choice Band orand Choice Specs users tofrom destroy youfeating Wobbuffet. When this is able to occur, Choice Scarf users can be spotted, and therefore one has found Wobbuffet's target. If the opponent switches frequently, try to capitalize on this and bring in Wobbuffet on a predicted targetswitch to trap them. Sinc foe. Because Wobbuffet is specialized for its targets, using Encoringe on setup sweepers is the recommended option so that either y eitheyr get locked into a boosting moves or deal smalpitiful damage to your team. Encore unfHowever, Encortunately should be used with caution against possible Spikes users, as the continuous layers being added can cause great consequences to a team's longevity even with Defog users. As mentioned before, refrain from taking on Choice Band and Choice Specs users, in addition to sweepers that have already set up, asince Wobbuffet has no recovery outside of Leftovers and cannot take very powerful hitattacks at all.
Team Options
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The wholeonly reason to use Wobbuffet is to support sweepers wiby trapping and removing their countrappers. Luckily, there are severa lot of sweepers that lovebenefit from Wobbuffet's ability to trap, remove, or get setup opportunities from certain Pokemon. This includes but is not limited to Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Mega Mewtwo X, and Swords Dance Blaziken, whoich all find it difficult to gain boosts to sweep on their own. Sweepers likesuch as Mewtwo and Darkrai are also good team members to use with Wobbuffetmates, because their high base Speed leaves them prone to gettbeing revenge killed by Choice Scarf users, which Wobbuffet can dispatch. Also, a way to get Wobbuffet in Volt Swithout harm is VoltTch and U-turn users likesuch as Scizor orand Thundurus, can allow Wobbuffet to enter the battlefeild without harm cand ease switch predictions in order for Wobbuffet to trap its specified target. TAlthough Wobbuffet is much more suited for hyper- offensive teams, clerics on balanced teams likesuch as Xerneas, Sylveon, and Blissey can help Wobbuffet with status conditions and overall longevity to do whatallow it needs to doto fulfill its role. A very powerful core Wobbuffet can form is with Blaziken and Hidden Power Fire Geomancy Xerneas, as Wobbuffet can create multiple setup opportunities for both by locking the opponent into a resisted move with Encore or removing their usual checks and counters like Giratina or Klefki.
Other Options
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Wobbuffet has a very shallow movepool, therefore limiting its options. But, Wobbuffet can utilize Charm to weaken physical attackers combined with Encore for aand allow free setup opportunity, hies when combined with Encore. However, this leaves Wobbuffet open to attacks and Encore has wider utility. Tickle has the same objective as Charm and would replace Safeguard, but the Attack and Defense drops can be used in tandem with a Pursuit user, but t. This methodstrategy is gimmicky and as mentioned before, Encore can hit more targets than Tickle does. WheIn talking abouterms of items, Mental Herb can be used to protect Wobbuffet from Taunts, and can then let Wobbuffet do something for an extra turn. The primary problem is are that Mental Herb can only be used once, Wobbuffet loses Leftovers, and Wobbuffet can only retaliate against a select few Taunt users. Focus Sash on the other hand is extremely useful when dealing with powerful attackersPokemon that can OHKO Wobbuffet, which letallows Wobbuffet to KO attackers that it could not with Leftovers. Downsides of Focus Sash are, of course, the lack of passive recovery from Leftovers, andand an increase in the amount of entry hazard control must be increased in orderquired to maintain Wobbuffet's Focus Sash.
Checks and Counters
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Since Shadow Tag is a thing, bBy textbook definition, Wobbuffet has no true counters, as the opponent cannot switch out. But, there are some things to due to its ability, Shadow Tagainst it. Despite this, that canere are several ways to defeat it:
**Ghost-types**: Not only can Ghost-types likesuch as Mega Gengar, Giratina-O, and Ghost Arceus hit Wobbuffet for super- effective damage, but they can also ignore Counter and most importantly, ignore Shadow Tag, making Wobbuffet ineffective against them.
**Dark-types**: Most of the Dark-types in the tier like, including Dark Arceus, Darkrai, and Yveltal are specially oriented, which is troublesome for Wobbuffet, asince they are immune to Mirror Coat, lettallowing them to hit Wobbuffet hardfor super effective damage without repercussion.
**U-turn / Volt Switch**: Like theSimilar to Ghost-types, Volt Switch users likesuch as Thundurus and Zekrom in addition to swell as U-turn users likesuch as Scizor and Genesect can ignore Shadow Tag's mechanics and can switch into somethinga Pokemon that can KO Wobbuffet if needed.
**Taunt**: Most Taunt users in the tier like, including Mega Gengar, Mewtwo, and Thundurus, prevent Wobbuffet from using Encore and locking them into a move tohat can turn them into setup fodder. However, Wobbuffet can still damage them with Mirror Coat or Counter.
**Residual Damage**: Because of Wobbuffet's lack of reliable recovery, means of residual damage likesuch as burns, poison, sand, hail, or entry hazards can wear down Wobbuffet very fast, to the point where it can be KOed.
**Pursuit users**: TAlthough rare, Pursuit users likesuch as Tyranitar, Aegislash, and Scizor can come in and revenge kill Wobbuffet after it has claimed a victim. But, Wobbuffet can predict the Pursuit, by staying in and retaliateing with Counter, but this is a risky situation since most Pursuit users can hit Wobbuffet for super- effectively damage.
**Phazing moves**: This situation is uncommon in the fact that Encore stops Whirlwind and Roar, Dragon Tail users likesuch as Giratina-O, Groudon, and Palkia can take advantage of being Encored, and phaze out Wobbuffet out. Afterwards, the opponent can switch as they see fit until Wobbuffet returns again.
**Shed Shell**: Shed Shell users likesuch as Blissey can also ignore Shadow Tag, and can therefore switch out with impunity. ButHowever, Pokemostn that use Shed Shell users are rare, making this situation very uncommon.
