[OVERVIEW]
Ice
========
* Alolan Ninetales is the only Pokemon with access to both Snow Warning and Aurora Veil, making it a useful addition to any Ice-type team.
* Alolan Ninetales' Fairy-typing allows it to act as an offensive check to Fighting-types while being immune to Dragon-type coverage. It can also check Mega Sableye which is a huge threat to Ice-type teams.
* Due to the unique speed tier in which it resides, it can outspeed common Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Terrakion.
* However despite having a great Speed stat, it has below-par Special Attack and lacks the raw power to threaten many foes.
* Access to Freeze-Dry, allows it to check Water-types that are troublesome for Ice-type teams such as Swampert and Gastrodon.
* Thanks to Snow Warning, it can also check Water-types with Swift Swim such as Kingdra and Seismitoad.
* However, a limited movepool restricts Alolan Ninetales' to the sole role of setting Aurora Veil, making it predictable and easy to counter-play.
* While it's typing makes it neutral to Fighting-type coverage, it also makes it 4x weak to Steel-type coverage, while retaining a weakness to Rock-type and Fire-type coverage and gaining an entire new weakness in Poison-type coverage.
[SET]
name: Offensive Aurora Veil (Ice)
move 1: Aurora Veil
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Blizzard / Encore
item: Light Clay
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Aurora Veil is the cornerstone of the set, allowing it to set up Dual Screens in 1 turn, while Hail is active.
* Moonblast is strong Fairy-type STAB that allows it to check Fighting-types such as Keldeo, Buzzwole and Heracross as well as Mega-Sableye.
* Freeze-Dry is Ice-type STAB that is used over Blizzard, to check troublesome Water-types such as Mantine, Kingdra and Gyarados.
* Hidden Power Fire is an option which prevents Alolan Ninetales from being walled by Steel-types.
* Blizzard is another option to make use of perfect accuracy in Hail and as a stronger Ice-type STAB.
* Encore is an option to punish hazard setters such as Spikes Ferrothorn and set-up sweepers such as Dragon Dance Gyarados by locking them into status moves, providing set-up opportunities for teammates such as Shell Smash Cloyster. It can also discourage stall by locking foes into status moves such as Rest, Protect and Leech Seed.
Set Details
========
* Snow Warning is the chosen ability over Snow Cloak to set Hail on switch-in and allow Alolan Ninetales to set Aurora Veil.
* Light Clay is used to extend the duration of Aurora Veil from 5 turns to 8, outlasting the 5 turns of Hail from Snow Warning.
* Maximum EV investment in Speed with a Timid nature allows it to best use its high speed tier to easily set-up Aurora Veil and outspeed threats such as Keldeo and Terrakion. Maximum SpA investment allows it to hit as hard as possible.
Usage Tips
========
* Alolan Ninetales should be used to set Aurora Veil and Hail early-game, against common hazard-setting leads such as Swampert and Cradily.
* However Alolan Ninetales should not be used as a suicide lead and will need to switch regularly, especially when facing opposing teams dependent on weather. A noteworthy example of this is would be a Ground-type team with a core of Sandstream Hippowdown and Sand Rush Excadrill.
* Being strategic when setting Aurora Veil is essential, especially when facing opposing teams with common users of Defog such as Mantine, Tapu Fini, Skarmory and Zapdos.
* However, variants with Encore can lock these Pokemon into Defog forcing a hard switch and giving Alolan Ninetales a free attack on the switch-in or a free pivot to a teammate such as Shell Smash Cloyster.
* For Ice-type teams built around Slush Rush Alolan SandSlash and Beartic, it's important to keep Alolan Ninetales as healthy as possible with strategic switches.
* As such, switching-in on attacks should be avoided at all costs, especially physical attacks due to it's lackluster bulk and lack of reliable recovery.
* Foes such as Swift Swim Kingdra and Seismitoad as well as Pelipper, play important roles on opposing teams while being easy targets for Alolan Ninetales to dispose of, due to Freeze-Dry and Snow Warning.
Team Options
========
* Avalugg with Rocky Helmet, makes a great teammate for Alolan Ninetales, being able to switch-in on numerous physical attacks such as Scizor's Bullet Punch. Avalugg also provides important utility in Rapid Spin which Alolan Ninetales greatly appreciates because it needs to switch often. Avalugg also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to remove Mega Sableye which prevents Rapid Spin when opposing Dark-type teams.
* Kyurem-Black is another great option to support Alolan Ninetales, with mixed SpA-based variants being able to check Mega Scizor with Babiri Berry and Hidden Power Fire, while ignoring Heatran's Flash Fire and breaking its Air Balloon. Similarly, it can also check Thick Fat Mega Venusaur, Sturdy Magnezone / Forretress and Levitate Rotom-Wash / Rotom-Heat with coverage moves like STAB Ice Beam and Earth Power, all thanks to Teravolt. Ice Beam also allows it to 2HKO Skarmory while Hidden Power Fire can be used to 2HKO Ferrothorn. Kyurem-Black also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to safely switch-in on Dragon-type attacks aimed at it.
* Mamoswine pairs very well with Alolan Ninetales, being able to use STAB Ground-type coverage such as Earthquake to remove Poison-types like Nihilego and Alolan Muk, Steel-types such as Heatran and Magearna and Fire-types such as Victini and Alolan Marowak.
* Piloswine similarly makes a useful teammate, with the main difference of being the better option for the team's Stealth Rock setter due to Eviolite. It also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales making this job easier by setting-up Aurora Veil. The increased bulk and Thick Fat also allows it to check Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona with Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge.
* Walrein and Lapras are other good options to help Alolan Ninetales by being able to remove Scizor with Hidden Power Fire while taking neutral damage from Bullet Punch thanks to their typing. They also make Heatran think twice about switching-in on a predicted Hidden Power Fire due to their STAB Water-type moves.
* Alolan Sandslash pairs well with Alolan Ninetales due to it's immunity to Poison-type coverage and Slush Rush ability. It also has access to Rapid Spin, to keep hazards such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes off the field, making it easier for Alolan Ninetales to switch freely. Conversely, Alolan Ninetales ability to check Fighting-types is greatly appreciated by Alolan Sandslash.
* Cloyster is another notable teammate for Alolan Ninetales, greatly appreciating the protection afforded by Aurora Veil on variants that are Shell Smash sweepers. Cloyster greatly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to remove bulky Water-types such as Swampert and Alomomola.
* Mega Glalie also has a lot to offer Alolan Ninetales, being able to check Celesteela, Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur. Access to Spikes also helps greatly when facing Steel-type teams where Alolan Ninetales struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice
--------
* Icy Rock can be used over Light Clay to extend the duration of Hail instead, which Hyper Offense teams built around Slush Rush would appreciate. However, Hail can be easily reset by common weather setters on other teams such as Drizzle Pelipper, Sandstream Hippowdon and Drought Torkoal. An extended duration of Aurora Veil is also more valuable overall, thus making Light Clay the more reliable option.
* Nasty Plot is an optional move that can be used to boost Alolan Ninetales' lackluster Special Attack, especially against foes of the stall archetype such as Toxapex and Alomomola.
Checks and Counters
===================
Ice
--------
**Scizor / Mega Scizor**: The biggest threats to any Ice-type team, able to OHKO Alolan Ninetales with priority STAB Bullet Punch. Access to reliable recovery in Roost as well as Swords Dance also means that it can freely set-up on Alolan Ninetales and threaten all of its teammates on variants without Hidden Power Fire.
**Heatran** : Due to it's typing and bulk, Heatran freely switches in on Alolan Ninetales and beats it with STAB Fire-type or Steel-type moves, all the while having Stealth Rock utility.
**Steel-types**: While they need to be mindful of variants with Hidden Power Fire, many common Steel-types such as Cobalion, Ferrothorn and Magearna easily OHKO Alolan Ninetales in a 1v1 scenario with their Steel-type STAB moves of Iron Head, Gyro Ball and Flash Cannon respectively.
**Torkoal** : Torkoal is a huge threat to Alolan Ninetales due to it's typing, bulk, Drought and access to Stealth Rocks. It easily prevents Aurora Veil from being set-up and threatens Alolan Ninetales with sun boosted Fire-type STAB moves such as Lava Plume.
**Fire-types**: Due to their typing, common Fire-type Pokemon such as Victini and Volcanion can freely switch-in on Alolan Ninetales and OHKO with Fire-type STAB moves.
**Poison-types**: Foes such as Nihilego, Alolan Muk and Mega Venusaur take minimal damage from it's viable moves and can check it with Poison-type STAB moves.
**Tyranitar**: Due to the Sandstorm support it provides to its teammates and Rock-type STAB moves, Tyranitar is a huge threat to Alolan Ninetales. It can freely switch-in due to it's bulk and boosted SpD in sand while also blocking Auora Veil from being set-up.
**Rock-types**: Pokemon such as Golem-Alola and Rhyperior can easily check Alolan Ninetales with their Rock-type STAB moves such as Stone Edge.
**Chansey**: Chansey can freely switch-in due to it's formidable bulk and even stall out Nasty Plot variants with Toxic and Seismic Toss. However Chansey must be mindful of variants with Encore in tandem with a teammate such as Shell Smash Cloyster.
**Faster Pokemon**: While it does sit in a useful speed tier, faster Pokemon such as Gengar and Salazzle can easily check Alolan Ninetales with their STAB Poison-type and Fire-type moves.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is a major hindrance to Alolan Ninetales as it needs to switch often but loses 25% health if Stealth Rocks are on the field.
Ice
========
* Alolan Ninetales is the only Pokemon with access to both Snow Warning and Aurora Veil, making it a useful addition to any Ice-type team.
* Alolan Ninetales' Fairy-typing allows it to act as an offensive check to Fighting-types while being immune to Dragon-type coverage. It can also check Mega Sableye which is a huge threat to Ice-type teams.
* Due to the unique speed tier in which it resides, it can outspeed common Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Terrakion.
* However despite having a great Speed stat, it has below-par Special Attack and lacks the raw power to threaten many foes.
* Access to Freeze-Dry, allows it to check Water-types that are troublesome for Ice-type teams such as Swampert and Gastrodon.
* Thanks to Snow Warning, it can also check Water-types with Swift Swim such as Kingdra and Seismitoad.
* However, a limited movepool restricts Alolan Ninetales' to the sole role of setting Aurora Veil, making it predictable and easy to counter-play.
* While it's typing makes it neutral to Fighting-type coverage, it also makes it 4x weak to Steel-type coverage, while retaining a weakness to Rock-type and Fire-type coverage and gaining an entire new weakness in Poison-type coverage.
[SET]
name: Offensive Aurora Veil (Ice)
move 1: Aurora Veil
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Blizzard / Encore
item: Light Clay
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Aurora Veil is the cornerstone of the set, allowing it to set up Dual Screens in 1 turn, while Hail is active.
* Moonblast is strong Fairy-type STAB that allows it to check Fighting-types such as Keldeo, Buzzwole and Heracross as well as Mega-Sableye.
* Freeze-Dry is Ice-type STAB that is used over Blizzard, to check troublesome Water-types such as Mantine, Kingdra and Gyarados.
* Hidden Power Fire is an option which prevents Alolan Ninetales from being walled by Steel-types.
* Blizzard is another option to make use of perfect accuracy in Hail and as a stronger Ice-type STAB.
* Encore is an option to punish hazard setters such as Spikes Ferrothorn and set-up sweepers such as Dragon Dance Gyarados by locking them into status moves, providing set-up opportunities for teammates such as Shell Smash Cloyster. It can also discourage stall by locking foes into status moves such as Rest, Protect and Leech Seed.
Set Details
========
* Snow Warning is the chosen ability over Snow Cloak to set Hail on switch-in and allow Alolan Ninetales to set Aurora Veil.
* Light Clay is used to extend the duration of Aurora Veil from 5 turns to 8, outlasting the 5 turns of Hail from Snow Warning.
* Maximum EV investment in Speed with a Timid nature allows it to best use its high speed tier to easily set-up Aurora Veil and outspeed threats such as Keldeo and Terrakion. Maximum SpA investment allows it to hit as hard as possible.
Usage Tips
========
* Alolan Ninetales should be used to set Aurora Veil and Hail early-game, against common hazard-setting leads such as Swampert and Cradily.
* However Alolan Ninetales should not be used as a suicide lead and will need to switch regularly, especially when facing opposing teams dependent on weather. A noteworthy example of this is would be a Ground-type team with a core of Sandstream Hippowdown and Sand Rush Excadrill.
* Being strategic when setting Aurora Veil is essential, especially when facing opposing teams with common users of Defog such as Mantine, Tapu Fini, Skarmory and Zapdos.
* However, variants with Encore can lock these Pokemon into Defog forcing a hard switch and giving Alolan Ninetales a free attack on the switch-in or a free pivot to a teammate such as Shell Smash Cloyster.
* For Ice-type teams built around Slush Rush Alolan SandSlash and Beartic, it's important to keep Alolan Ninetales as healthy as possible with strategic switches.
* As such, switching-in on attacks should be avoided at all costs, especially physical attacks due to it's lackluster bulk and lack of reliable recovery.
* Foes such as Swift Swim Kingdra and Seismitoad as well as Pelipper, play important roles on opposing teams while being easy targets for Alolan Ninetales to dispose of, due to Freeze-Dry and Snow Warning.
Team Options
========
* Avalugg with Rocky Helmet, makes a great teammate for Alolan Ninetales, being able to switch-in on numerous physical attacks such as Scizor's Bullet Punch. Avalugg also provides important utility in Rapid Spin which Alolan Ninetales greatly appreciates because it needs to switch often. Avalugg also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to remove Mega Sableye which prevents Rapid Spin when opposing Dark-type teams.
* Kyurem-Black is another great option to support Alolan Ninetales, with mixed SpA-based variants being able to check Mega Scizor with Babiri Berry and Hidden Power Fire, while ignoring Heatran's Flash Fire and breaking its Air Balloon. Similarly, it can also check Thick Fat Mega Venusaur, Sturdy Magnezone / Forretress and Levitate Rotom-Wash / Rotom-Heat with coverage moves like STAB Ice Beam and Earth Power, all thanks to Teravolt. Ice Beam also allows it to 2HKO Skarmory while Hidden Power Fire can be used to 2HKO Ferrothorn. Kyurem-Black also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to safely switch-in on Dragon-type attacks aimed at it.
* Mamoswine pairs very well with Alolan Ninetales, being able to use STAB Ground-type coverage such as Earthquake to remove Poison-types like Nihilego and Alolan Muk, Steel-types such as Heatran and Magearna and Fire-types such as Victini and Alolan Marowak.
* Piloswine similarly makes a useful teammate, with the main difference of being the better option for the team's Stealth Rock setter due to Eviolite. It also highly appreciates Alolan Ninetales making this job easier by setting-up Aurora Veil. The increased bulk and Thick Fat also allows it to check Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona with Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge.
* Walrein and Lapras are other good options to help Alolan Ninetales by being able to remove Scizor with Hidden Power Fire while taking neutral damage from Bullet Punch thanks to their typing. They also make Heatran think twice about switching-in on a predicted Hidden Power Fire due to their STAB Water-type moves.
* Alolan Sandslash pairs well with Alolan Ninetales due to it's immunity to Poison-type coverage and Slush Rush ability. It also has access to Rapid Spin, to keep hazards such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes off the field, making it easier for Alolan Ninetales to switch freely. Conversely, Alolan Ninetales ability to check Fighting-types is greatly appreciated by Alolan Sandslash.
* Cloyster is another notable teammate for Alolan Ninetales, greatly appreciating the protection afforded by Aurora Veil on variants that are Shell Smash sweepers. Cloyster greatly appreciates Alolan Ninetales ability to remove bulky Water-types such as Swampert and Alomomola.
* Mega Glalie also has a lot to offer Alolan Ninetales, being able to check Celesteela, Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur. Access to Spikes also helps greatly when facing Steel-type teams where Alolan Ninetales struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice
--------
* Icy Rock can be used over Light Clay to extend the duration of Hail instead, which Hyper Offense teams built around Slush Rush would appreciate. However, Hail can be easily reset by common weather setters on other teams such as Drizzle Pelipper, Sandstream Hippowdon and Drought Torkoal. An extended duration of Aurora Veil is also more valuable overall, thus making Light Clay the more reliable option.
* Nasty Plot is an optional move that can be used to boost Alolan Ninetales' lackluster Special Attack, especially against foes of the stall archetype such as Toxapex and Alomomola.
Checks and Counters
===================
Ice
--------
**Scizor / Mega Scizor**: The biggest threats to any Ice-type team, able to OHKO Alolan Ninetales with priority STAB Bullet Punch. Access to reliable recovery in Roost as well as Swords Dance also means that it can freely set-up on Alolan Ninetales and threaten all of its teammates on variants without Hidden Power Fire.
**Heatran** : Due to it's typing and bulk, Heatran freely switches in on Alolan Ninetales and beats it with STAB Fire-type or Steel-type moves, all the while having Stealth Rock utility.
**Steel-types**: While they need to be mindful of variants with Hidden Power Fire, many common Steel-types such as Cobalion, Ferrothorn and Magearna easily OHKO Alolan Ninetales in a 1v1 scenario with their Steel-type STAB moves of Iron Head, Gyro Ball and Flash Cannon respectively.
**Torkoal** : Torkoal is a huge threat to Alolan Ninetales due to it's typing, bulk, Drought and access to Stealth Rocks. It easily prevents Aurora Veil from being set-up and threatens Alolan Ninetales with sun boosted Fire-type STAB moves such as Lava Plume.
**Fire-types**: Due to their typing, common Fire-type Pokemon such as Victini and Volcanion can freely switch-in on Alolan Ninetales and OHKO with Fire-type STAB moves.
**Poison-types**: Foes such as Nihilego, Alolan Muk and Mega Venusaur take minimal damage from it's viable moves and can check it with Poison-type STAB moves.
**Tyranitar**: Due to the Sandstorm support it provides to its teammates and Rock-type STAB moves, Tyranitar is a huge threat to Alolan Ninetales. It can freely switch-in due to it's bulk and boosted SpD in sand while also blocking Auora Veil from being set-up.
**Rock-types**: Pokemon such as Golem-Alola and Rhyperior can easily check Alolan Ninetales with their Rock-type STAB moves such as Stone Edge.
**Chansey**: Chansey can freely switch-in due to it's formidable bulk and even stall out Nasty Plot variants with Toxic and Seismic Toss. However Chansey must be mindful of variants with Encore in tandem with a teammate such as Shell Smash Cloyster.
**Faster Pokemon**: While it does sit in a useful speed tier, faster Pokemon such as Gengar and Salazzle can easily check Alolan Ninetales with their STAB Poison-type and Fire-type moves.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is a major hindrance to Alolan Ninetales as it needs to switch often but loses 25% health if Stealth Rocks are on the field.
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