[OVERVIEW]
* Cloyster's access to Shell Smash makes it a threatening late game sweeper and wallbreaker thanks to its ability to boost both Attack and Speed by two stages.
* Cloyster has a good offensive typing as well as access to a multi-hit STAB move in Icicle Spear paired with Skill Link, amplifying Cloyster's sweeping capabilities.
* A base 180 Defense gives it some setup opportunities; however, a very poor defensive typing, abysmal Special Defense, and Shell Smash weakening both its defensive stats make it harder to find set up opportunities in comparison to other setup sweepers such as Cobalion.
* Mediocre offensive base stats and below average Speed make Shell Smash boosts essential; otherwise, it lacks the power and speed needed to be overly threatening.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Explosion / Rock Blast
item: Normalium Z / Life Orb
ability: Skill Link
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Shell Smash is a fantastic setup move for Cloyster to utilize, boosting its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed by two stages; however, it lowers both its defensive stats in the process.
* STAB Icicle Spear reaches 125 Base Power with Skill Link, and it being a Multi-hit move also allows Cloyster to break through potential Focus Sash users.
* Hydro Pump is a secondary STAB that can be used to break past Steel-types such as Cobalion.
* Explosion can be used as a one-time attack to remove some of its checks and counters to benefit other team members. A Breakneck Blitz can KO frail Pokemon that resist its main STAB moves without Cloyster KOing itself.
* Rock Blast can be used as an alternative coverage option to Explosion that doesn't involve sacrificing Cloyster, hitting Pokemon such as Volcanion.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack investment to guarantee that Cloyster hits as hard as possible with it's main attacking move Icicle Spear.
* Maximum Speed means that Cloyster outspeeds all of the unboosted metagame and Choice Scarf users up to base 110 Speed after a Shell Smash
* A Naive nature and 4 Special Attack EVs mean that Hydro Pump hits as hard as possible without giving up any power for Explosion and Icicle Spear. Alternatively, 40 evs can be moved from Attack to Special Attack to guarantee a KO on Cobalion with Hydro Pump after one layer of Spikes damage.
* Skill Link is the preferred ability, as it allows Cloyster to use Icicle Spear most effectively.
* Normalium Z can allow Cloyster to use Breakneck Blitz to knock out weaker Water-types such as Keldeo, Primarina, and Tentacruel after a Shell Smash boost without Cloyster sacrificing itself, as well as being able to dent bulkier Pokemon such as Clefable, Starmie, and Mega Blastoise.
* Life Orb can be used to increase the damage output for Cloyster; however, the residual damage can be detrimental to its sweeping capabilities.
* Focus Sash can be used to guarantee a Shell Smash if entry hazards are off the field; however, it makes Cloyster more vulnerable to priority attacks.
Usage Tips
========
* Cloyster's poor defensive typing and lack of significant bulk can make setting up particularly challenging. Therefore, finding adequate set-up opportunities can be a difficult and patient process.
* Against more offensive teams, Cloyster can be brought in against physical attackers that are choice locked into a move that doesn't deal significant damage, giving Cloyster a chance to set-up.
* Cloyster can find easier set up opportunities against bulkier teams, however, it finds it much more difficult to guarantee a sweep due to being walled by many staples on defensive teams such as Alomomola or Unaware Clefable. Explosion can put a huge dent into these Pokemon allowing other team-mates to revenge kill them.
Team Options
========
* Generally, Cloyster is used on more offensive teams as a wallbreaker or cleaner.
* Entry hazard removers are vital to ensure that Cloyster is at the maximum possible health to set up a Shell Smash. Latias covers the Electric-, Grass-, and Fighting-type weaknesses Cloyser has and can remove entry hazards easily. Tsareena is another good option, as it can Rapid Spin, keeping your hazards on the field to aid in Cloyster's wallbreaking and sweeping potential.
* Due to Cloyster struggling to switch into attacks, it appreciates U-turn and Volt Switch users to generate free switches to set up. Raikou, Tsareena, and Forretress are all good users of Volt Switch and U-turn, and the latter two can both remove entry hazards simultaneously.
* Entry hazard setters such as Azelf, Froslass, and Roserade are good partners as Cloyster appreciates the residual damage to guarantee KOs on Pokemon such as Mew.
* Explosion can be used to significantly weaken Pokemon such as Suicune and Alomomola, which can help other strong physical attackers such as Entei and Scizor affect the game
* Alolan Ninetails and Klefki can be used to set up Aurora Veil and dual screens, respectively, aiding Cloyster's attempt to set up a Shell Smash due to the reduced damage it would take.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Cloyster can use a Focus Sash in tandem with Shell Smash to guarantee a boost, assuming there are no entry hazards on the field. However, the lack of power and the prominence of entry hazards, priority, and sandstorm make this inferior to Normalium Z and Life Orb.
* White Herb, Kings Rock, and Lum Berry can be used as alternative options for the Shell Smash set; however, they are more situational than Normalium Z and Life Orb.
* With a support movepool consisting of Rapid Spin, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, a defensive set can be used, but it is significantly outclassed by Forretress and Tentacruel.
* A Choice Scarf set can be used as a way to surprise more offensive teams; however, it lacks the power and speed to be effective against the majority of teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: Suicune, Alomomola, and Empoleon have little trouble with Cloyster, as +2 Rock Blast does not do enough to cause trouble for them, while they are able to potentially burn Cloyster with Scald. Breakneck Blitz + Explosion can knock them out at +2, but Cloyster is sacrificed in the process.
**Unaware Users**: Clefable and Quagsire both avoid the 2HKO from Cloyster and ignore any potential boosts. Both take significant damage from Explosion but can recover off the damage fairly easily.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types that can live a +2 Hydro Pump such as Scizor can revenge kill Cloyster after having its defenses weakened.
**Priority Users**: After a Shell Smash, Cloyster can be easily picked off by priority, especially if it has been brought down to its Focus Sash. Lucario, Conkeldurr, and Infernape in particular have little problem dealing with Cloyster with their respective priority moves.
**Special Attackers**: Cloyster's incredibly low base 45 Special Defence means that even the weakest of special attackers can easily stop Cloyster from being able to set up.
**Fast Choice Scarf Users**: Pokemon with base 110 Speed or higher holding a Choice Scarf can outspeed and pick off Cloyster, as they are faster than Cloyster even with the Shell Smash boost.
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