[OVERVIEW]
Meloetta is one of the most versatile Pokemon in RU due to its large movepool, allowing it to fulfill a myriad of roles such as a wallbreaker, Calm Mind user, and revenge killer. As a result, Meloetta finds its place on a lot of offensive teams. Meloetta also a has unique typing that grants it an immunity to Ghost-type attacks, a quality shared by no other Psychic-type, as well as a neutrality to Fighting-type attacks in spite of its Normal typing. It has solid stats all around with stellar Special Attack and Special Defense, as well as a decent Speed tier. However, Meloetta has a weakness to common Dark-type attacks such as Knock Off and Pursuit, with the former crippling it by removing its item and the latter allowing Drapion, Sneasel, and Houndoom to trap it. Despite its decent Speed tier, Meloetta is still outsped by many offensive threats such as Houndoom, Drapion, and Virizion, making it struggle against certain matchups.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: U-turn / Dazzling Gleam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyper Voice has great neutral coverage and has the added bonus of hitting Pokemon behind a Substitute. Psychic is a great secondary STAB move that hits Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Virizion super effectively and is the most powerful move Meloetta has on the set to hit Ghost-types with. Focus Blast has great coverage with Meloetta's STAB combination, allowing it to hit Steel- and Dark-types such as Mega Steelix, Bronzong, Escavalier, and Scrafty. U-turn is a great move for retaining momentum, allowing Meloetta to switch out of a check or counter for a teammate to take advantage of. Dazzling Gleam is mainly for hitting Spiritomb, but it has the added bonus of hitting Scrafty harder than Focus Blast. Grass Knot is another option to hit Rhyperior and Seismitoad while still scoring the 2HKO on both Spiritomb and Mega Steelix.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs plus a Timid nature allow Meloetta to outspeed as many Pokemon as possible, while maximum Special Attack EVs ensure that Meloetta hits as hard as possible. Choice Specs is the item of choice, as it significantly increases Meloetta's damage output, allowing Meloetta to wallbreak.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to bring Meloetta in safely with U-turn or Volt Switch or after a Pokemon has fainted. Make sure to predict the opponent's switch-in and use the appropriate attack to deal heavy damage. For example, if the opponent has a Steel-type on their team, use Focus Blast to catch them on the switch. Due to Meloetta's naturally high Special Defense, it is able to take powerful neutral hits such as Exploud's Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage if needed. Against more defensive teams, U-turn is great move to use early-game, as Meloetta tends to bait in Steel- and Dark-types and switching out against these Pokemon ensures Meloetta keeps offensive momentum. Be wary of Knock Off, as it deals significant damage to Meloetta, if not outright OHKOing it, and reduces Meloetta's damage output by removing its Choice Specs. Try to be cautious when using Psychic, as Dark-types can switch in after a Pokemon has fainted to Pursuit trap Meloetta.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Nasty Plot Houndoom and Dragon Dance Tyrantrum pair well with this set, as they appreciate Meloetta's ability to wallbreak. Houndoom is also a notable partner due to its ability to use Meloetta's most common switch-in, Spiritomb, as setup bait. Emboar is a great partner for this set, as it is able to check the Pokemon that this set tends to have issues with such as Drapion, Houndoom, Escavalier, and Spiritomb. Mega Steelix is another good partner, as it is able to take on Drapion and Escavalier while providing Meloetta with Stealth Rock support. Rotom-C and Jolteon also pair well with Meloetta, as both form a VoltTurn core with it, allowing them to switch into each other's checks and counters. Due to Meloetta's ability to force many switches, entry hazard support makes this set even more potent, so Spikes users such as Accelgor, Mega Glalie, and Qwilfish pair well with Meloetta. It is also worth noting that Qwilfish in particular pairs well, as it checks many physical attackers that threaten Meloetta, while in return Meloetta covers Qwilfish's weakness to Psychic-type attacks. Dugtrio is another great partner, as it is able to trap problematic Pokemon for Meloetta such as Houndoom and Drapion. Paralysis support from either Uxie or Druddigon helps Meloetta take on offensive teams much more easily, and both are also capable of setting up Stealth Rock to support Meloetta. Kricketune and Leavanny are also good partners, as they both provide Sticky Web support, which allows Meloetta to tear through offensive teams.
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb / Assault Vest
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyper Voice is a decently powerful move that has great neutral coverage and hits Pokemon behind a Substitute. Psychic is a great secondary STAB move that hits Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Virizion super effectively and is the most powerful move Meloetta has on the set to hit Ghost-types with. Psyshock is an alternative to hit special walls such as Aromatisse harder. Dazzling Gleam allows Meloetta to hit Spiritomb and Scrafty, the former of which walls Meloetta otherwise. Focus Blast rounds out Meloetta's coverage by hitting many Pokemon that otherwise wall this set such as Mega Steelix, Escavalier, Bronzong, and Houndoom. Grass Knot is another option to hit Seismitoad and Rhyperior very hard and score the 2HKO on both Spiritomb and Mega Steelix. However, Grass Knot should not be used with Assault Vest or Colbur Berry, as it then misses out on 2HKOing Spiritomb and Mega Steelix, making it an unviable option.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs plus a Timid nature allow Meloetta to outspeed as many Pokemon as possible, while maximum Special Attack EVs ensure Meloetta hits as hard as possible. Life Orb is used to boost the power of Meloetta's attacks significantly while enabling to it freely switch between its moves. Assault Vest is an alternative to have Meloetta act as a special tank that hits back decently hard, but it comes at a loss of power. Colbur Berry is another option to be able to take a Knock Off or avoid being trapped by Pursuit one time.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to bring Meloetta in safely with U-turn or Volt Switch or after a Pokemon has fainted. Because this set is able to freely switch moves, it is much less prediction-based, which allows it to make less risky moves. If the opponent has a Steel-type on their team, predict the switch in by using Focus Blast. Once no more Pokemon that resist Meloetta's STAB moves are present, use Hyper Voice and Psychic to deal heavy damage to the opposing team. Due to Meloetta's naturally high special bulk, it is able to take powerful neutral hits such as Exploud's Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage, and its Assault Vest, if you opt to run it, allows it to pivot into special attacks with more ease.
Team Options
========
Setup sweepers such as Nasty Plot Houndoom and Dragon Dance Tyrantrum pair well with this set, as they appreciate Meloetta's ability to wallbreak or switch into powerful special attacks when holding an Assault Vest. Houndoom is also a notable partner due to its ability to use Meloetta's most common switch-in, Spiritomb, as setup bait. Emboar makes for a great partner for this set, as it is able to check the Pokemon that this set tends to have issues with such as Drapion, Houndoom, Escavalier, and Spiritomb. Mega Steelix is another good partner, as it is able to take on Drapion and Escavalier while providing Meloetta with Stealth Rock support. Rotom-C and Jolteon also pair well with Meloetta, as both of them are capable of cleaning late-game and can bring in Meloetta safely with Volt Switch. Due to Meloetta forcing many switches, entry hazard support makes this set even more potent, making Spikes users such as Accelgor, Mega Glalie, and Qwilfish pair well with Meloetta. It is also worth noting that Qwilfish in particular pairs well, as it checks many physical attackers that threaten Meloetta, while in return Meloetta covers Qwilfish's weakness to Psychic-type attacks.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Psychic / Psyshock
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute allows Meloetta to avoid status moves such as Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Thunder Wave, as well as letting it survive a hit without taking heavy damage. Calm Mind boosts Meloetta's Special Attack and Special Defense, which makes it hit much harder and makes its Substitutes harder to break with special attacks. Psychic is the STAB move of choice, as it has good neutral coverage and lets Meloetta hit Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon very hard. It is also the only move on the set that is capable of hitting Jellicent. Psyshock is an alternative to hit special walls such as Aromatisse much harder and beat opposing Calm Mind users. Focus Blast has excellent coverage alongside Psychic or Psyshock, allowing Meloetta to hit Pokemon such as Mega Steelix, Scrafty, Excavalier, Drapion, Bronzong, and Houndoom.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP EVs significantly increase Meloetta's overall bulk and prevent its Substitutes from being broken by Seismic Toss. 16 Speed EVs plus a Timid nature allow Meloetta to outspeed important Pokemon such as Adamant Tyrantrum and Choice Specs Exploud. The rest of the EVs go into Defense to allow Meloetta to take physical attacks much better. Leftovers allows Meloetta to heal lost HP from Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Meloetta's versatility, it is able to force a lot of switches, providing turns to freely set up a Substitute or Calm Mind. Switching into passive defensive Pokemon such as Uxie, Amoonguss, and Alomomola generally works best for setting either Substitute or Calm Mind, but be wary of switching into any status moves, as poison and burn greatly hinder this set's effectiveness. Knock Off is a problem for this set, as even a weak Knock Off can break Meloetta's Substitute and the move removes its Leftovers if Meloetta is not behind a Substitute. Though Houndoom and Drapion do check this set very well, it is worth noting that if Meloetta is at +1 and behind a Substitute, it is able to take down both after Stealth Rock damage.
Team Options
========
Any grounded Poison-type such as Drapion or Qwilfish or entry hazard remover pairs well with Meloetta due to its ability to remove Toxic Spikes, which makes the set much less effective. Specially based Flygon works well with this set because it is able to take down problematic Steel- and Rock-types such as Escavalier and Rhyperior, as well as remove entry hazards from the field with Defog. Qwilfish is a great partner, as it absorbs Toxic Spikes and sets up Toxic Spikes of its own, allowing Meloetta to stall out Pokemon as it sets up Substitute and Calm Mind. Emboar is a great partner for this set, as it takes on Spiritomb, threatens Steel- and Rock-types, and lures in Pokemon that Meloetta can use as setup bait, such as Alomomola and Jellicent. Aromatisse is another great partner, as it freely switches into Spiritomb and threatens it with Moonblast while also providing Wish and Heal Bell support to keep Meloetta healthy and free of status. Alomomola pairs well with this set due to its ability to switch in on Pokemon that give this set problems, such as Durant, and heal Meloetta with Wish. Because Meloetta is forced out by faster Dark-types such as Houndoom and Drapion, pairing it with Hitmonlee works well because it threatens Houndoom with Mach Punch and is able to provide Rapid Spin support.
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Hyper Voice / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind is used to raise Meloetta's Special Attack to frightening levels, as well as to give it some additional special bulk. Hyper Voice has great neutral coverage, hits through a Pokemon's Substitute, and hits very hard after a Calm Mind boost. Psyshock is another option to hit specially defensive Pokemon and Amoonguss harder. Dazzling Gleam hits Scrafty and Spiritomb, which would wall Meloetta otherwise. Focus Blast rounds out Meloetta's coverage by allowing it to hit Mega Steelix, Escavalier, Bronzong, and Rhyperior.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow Meloetta to outspeed as many Pokemon as possible, while maximum Special Attack EVs enable it to hit as hard as possible. Life Orb is the item of choice, as it gives significant power boost to all of Meloetta's attacks while letting it freely switch moves, and in tandem with Calm Mind, it makes Meloetta hit very hard after a boost.
Usage Tips
========
Takes advantage of the switches Meloetta forces by setting up a Calm Mind. This set is best used as mid-game wallbreaker, punching holes in to the opponent's team for another Pokemon to clean late-game. Sometimes it is best to just use an attack for the appropriate switch-in and proceed to set up Calm Mind later to catch the opponent off-guard and break down their defensive Pokemon. If the opponent has a Steel-type to switch in, use Focus Blast on the switch to hit it very hard. Against more offensive teams, the Calm Mind boost is often not necessary, as Life Orb-boosted attacks hit most offensive Pokemon very hard.
Team Options
========
Emboar makes for a great partner for this set, as it is able to check the Pokemon that this set tends to have issues with such as Drapion, Houndoom, Escavalier, and Spiritomb. Mega Steelix is another good partner, as it is able to take on Drapion and Escavalier while providing Meloetta with Stealth Rock support. Rock Polish Tyrantrum pairs well with this set because Meloetta is capable of breaking past its checks and counters. For example, Meloetta is able to OHKO Mega Steelix with Focus Blast after a Calm Mind boost, opening up a chance for Tyrantrum to sweep. Choice Scarf users such as Tyrantrum, Flygon, and Rotom-C make for good teammates because they appreciate Meloetta's ability to weaken bulky Pokemon, allowing them to clean late-game. Entry hazard support is also very helpful; Stealth Rock Rhyperior makes for an especially great partner for its ability to check Houndoom and threaten it with both Earthquake and Stone Edge. Qwilfish is another decent partner, as it is able to switch in on physical attackers that prey on Meloetta's low Defense and support Meloetta with Spikes and Thunder Wave, while in return Meloetta is able to switch into Psychic-types that threaten Qwilfish. For offensive Spikes users, Mega Glalie and Accelgor pair well with Meloetta, but both provide no defensive synergy.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Focus Blast / Trick / U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyper Voice is has good neutral coverage and allows Meloetta to revenge kill Pokemon behind a Substitute, the main draw for using Choice Scarf Meloetta in the first place. Psychic allows Meloetta to revenge kill Pokemon such as Tyrantrum and Virizion. Dazzling Gleam hits Scrafty and Spiritomb super effectively. It is worth noting that Dazzling Gleam reliably revenge kills Scrafty, unlike Focus Blast, due to its perfect accuracy. Focus Blast is used to hit Mega Steelix, Escavalier, Houndoom, and Rhyperior. Trick allows Meloetta to cripple any walls that might want to switch in, such as Spiritomb and Aromatisse. U-turn is a great move for retaining momentum, allowing Meloetta to switch out of a check or counter for a teammate to take advantage of.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Meloetta to outspeed and revenge kill as many Pokemon as possible, as well as outspeed +1 Scrafty, one of the metagame's most threatening Pokemon. Maximum Special Attack EVs let it hit as hard as possible. A Choice Scarf allows it to revenge kill Choice Scarf Hitmonlee, Choice Scarf Rotom-C, and any other naturally faster Pokemon that outspeed Meloetta unboosted, such as Virizion and Flygon.
Usage Tips
========
Because Meloetta is holding a Choice Scarf, this set is to be played as a revenge killer or late-game cleaner. It is best to bring this set in after a Pokemon has fainted or via U-turn or Volt Switch, as bringing this set directly into an attack weakens it and makes it more prone to being picked off by priority. Use U-turn early-game to retain offensive momentum and to scout for any checks for another teammate to take advantage of. Use Trick against a wall such as Aromatisse or Spiritomb, as both are greatly hindered by it, though if there are Pokemon that Meloetta needs to keep its Choice Scarf in order to revenge kill, avoid using the move. Be wary of locking Meloetta into Psychic, as that opens up an opportunity for Meloetta to be trapped by Pursuit and causes it to be setup bait for Nasty Plot Houndoom.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that are able to take on Houndoom are needed, as this set is revenge killed by Sucker Punch and trapped by Pursuit; Hitmonlee is great choice, as it revenge kills Houndoom with Mach Punch, has Rapid Spin to get rid of entry hazards that wear Meloetta down, and is able to hit Mega Steelix, which gives this Meloetta set issues, very hard. Virizion is also a great partner for the same reasons as Hitmonlee, as it naturally outspeeds Houndoom and revenge kills with Close Combat or Focus Blast. Flygon is great partner, as it is able to take on Pokemon such as Houndoom, Drapion, Escavalier, and Rhyperior as well as keep entry hazards off the field with Defog. Emboar makes for a great partner for this set, as it is able to check Pokemon that give this set problems, such as Drapion, Houndoom, Escavalier, and Spiritomb. Entry hazard support is also helpful for this set, allowing Meloetta to clean late-game with ease. Spikes users such as Accelgor, Qwilfish, and Mega Glalie make for great partners. For Stealth Rock users, Seismitoad and Mega Steelix pair well with this set. Other wallbreakers such as Choice Band Emboar, Mega Camerupt, and Choice Band Tyrantrum also pair well with Meloetta, as they can all weaken the opponent's team for Meloetta to clean late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Relic Song can be used to change Meloetta into its Pirouette forme with a set consisting of Relic Song, Return, Close Combat, and Knock Off and an EV spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe plus a Jolly nature. A specially defensive set has some merits on Meloetta due to its great Special Defense and access to support moves such as Thunder Wave, Heal Bell, and Perish Song, but it tends to struggle due to it being easily Pursuit trapped. Work Up is an interesting option to utilize both of Meloetta's formes, though it is strapped for moveslots, limiting its effectiveness. Hyper Voice and Shadow Ball are alternative moves to use on Substitute + Calm Mind sets, but Psychic and Focus Blast have better coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Spiritomb**: Spiritomb is immune to both of Meloetta's STAB types, is immune to Focus Blast, and only takes neutral damage from Shadow Ball, though it must be wary of Dazzling Gleam. In return, Spiritomb is able to revenge kill Meloetta with Sucker Punch, Pursuit trap it, or set up Calm Mind.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Pokemon such as Bronzong fear nothing from Meloetta besides the rare Shadow Ball and can either use it to set up Stealth Rock or hit it with Gyro Ball. Assault Vest Escavalier can shrug off any of Meloetta's attacks and retaliate with STAB Megahorn.
**Dark-types**: Drapion is decent check to Meloetta, as it naturally outspeeds Meloetta and threatens it with STAB Knock Off, but it really dislikes taking a boosted Hyper Voice or Focus Blast. It also has Toxic Spikes, which greatly hampers Meloetta's Substitute + Calm Mind set. Houndoom is another good answer, as it is also capable of Pursuit trapping Meloetta, naturally outspeeds it, and threatens it with Dark Pulse.
**Faster Pokemon**: Many Pokemon are able to revenge kill Meloetta, such as Choice Scarf Flygon, Choice Scarf Braviary, Choice Scarf Hitmonlee, Sneasel, and Durant, but the latter two must be wary of its Choice Scarf set. Choice Scarf Flygon in particular is able to outspeed Meloetta regardless of its set and threaten it with U-turn.
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