Cobalion
[Overview]
<p>Cobalion's Steel / Fighting typing makes it unique amongst its Fighting-type brethren in the UU tier. 10 resistances, a 4x resistance to Stealth Rock, and an immunity to Toxic Spikes make it easy for Cobalion to enter the field and do what it's supposed to do. It has 90 base Attack and Special Attack to utilize and has moves to boost both of them. Cobalion also has a high base 108 Speed, making it one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, and a superb 129 base Defense means it can take physical hits with ease. Though Cobalion has positive sides to it, it also has downsides. It has a shallow movepool, and being a Steel-type makes it weak to the common Fighting-, Ground-, and Fire-type moves in the tier. But don't let that stop you from using Cobalion. Cobalion's considerable physical bulk, excellent Speed stat, and the ability to boost its already decent offenses make it a fierce competitor in the UU metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
Move 4: Taunt / X-Scissor
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set's purpose is quite obvious. Come in on one of the many resistances Cobalion has and start setting up. Although it's not absolutely necessary, coming in on a Dark-type move will give you an extra boost to your Attack stat thanks to its ability, Justified. Close Combat is used as your main attacking move. Stone Edge is a very good compliment to Close Combat to hit those pesky bulky Flying-type Pokemon you may run into, such as Zapdos and Altaria hard. It also hits Victini, who resists Cobalion's STAB move, really hard. The last move is up to your own preference. Taunt stops Chansey and Slowbro from healing up and Dusclops from burning you with Will-O-Wisp. It also stops other Taunt users who you should outspeed, and it stops other Pokemon from setting up as well. X-Scissor is there to take care of Psychic-type Pokemon, especially Slowbro. A Bold 252 HP and 252 Def Slowbro is only 3HKOed by Stone Edge after one Swords Dance. X-Scissor helps to quickly dispose of it if you're afraid of getting burned by its Scald.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>If you want, you can opt to use Sacred Sword over Close Combat; it doesn't lower your defenses, and it also ignores any stat boosts your opponent may have under their belt. It works well against Curse users such as Snorlax and Quagsire. Iron Head is a good compliment to Close Combat and Stone Edge. It gives you a secondary STAB move and takes care of Nidoqueen, Nidoking, and Golurk, who all resist Close Combat and Stone Edge. Hidden Power Ice destroys Gligar, who completly walls you otherwise. Use a Naive nature if you opt for that. Substitute can give some extra protection while setting up. If you want, you could opt to use an Adamant nature to give Cobalion some extra power. If you want a +Atk nature with Hidden Power Ice, go with a Naughty nature. For a little more bulk, an EV spread of 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe works. With a Jolly nature, you still outspeed positive base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Victini and Mew, and with an Adamant nature, you still outspeed neutral base 100 Speed Pokemon. The choice of item is pretty obvious. Leftovers helps Cobalion to stay in longer while Life Orb helps Cobalion score some extra KOs due to the power boost. You can also opt to use Air Balloon to be immune to Ground-type moves, but the listed items are generally better.</p>
<p>There are several things that can make Cobalion's time on the field a little easier. Screen support, especially Light Screen, can help Cobalion, as its Special Defense isn't that good. Uxie and Cresselia are very good at setting up screens and they both compliment Cobalion greatly, as they resist both the Fighting- and Ground-type moves that Cobalion is weak to. Entry hazards can help score some KOs. Froslass, Roserade, and Deoxys-D are good spikers; Roserade can also set up Toxic Spikes, while Deoxys-D can set up Stealth Rock. All three resist the super effective Fighting-type moves directed at Cobalion. Uxie can also set up Stealth Rock besides screens. One big threat to Cobalion is Victini and its V-create. Flash Fire Pokemon such as Arcanine and Houndoom can help take that hit. Flying-type Pokemon such as Zapdos and Altaria are good teammates to Cobalion, as they can take super effective Fighting- and Ground-type moves directed at Cobalion.</p>
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ghost
move 4: Taunt / Substitute / Flash Cannon
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set plays similarly to the above set, but focuses on sweeping using special attacks instead. Calm Mind is paticulary good, as it boosts Cobalion's low Special Defense at the same time. However, Focus Blast is, sadly, the only special Fighting move Cobalion has at its disposal, and its shaky accuracy can be troublesome. The choice of Hidden Power depends on what you want to hit hard. Hidden Power Ice destroys Pokemon such as Gligar, Nidoqueen, Nidoking, and other Ground- and Flying-type Pokemon who resists your STAB move. Hidden Power Ghost, however, takes care of your other worst enemy, Slowbro, disposing of him quickly while also hitting Victini and Ghost-type Pokemon hard. Your last slot depends on what you need for your team. Taunt stops other Taunt users as you are faster than them, while also stopping other Pokemon from setting up. Taunt also stops Chansey and Slowbro from healing and prevents status effects being inflicted. Substitute works well with Focus Blast as it gives extra protection should you miss with it. It also protects you from status. Flash Cannon is there for a secondary STAB move. It also hit several Pokemon harder than Hidden Power Ghost, if you would opt for that, such as Nidoqueen and Nidoking.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>You can opt to use Hidden Power Fighting over Focus Blast for more PP and accuracy, but you lose both power and coverage if you do. If you want, similarly to the above set, you can option to use a Modest nature for more power. The EV spread can be altered the same way as for the above set to give Cobalion some bulk with a spread of 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe. You still outspeed positive 100 base Speed Pokemon such as Victini and Mew with a Timid Nature, and neutral base 100 Speed Pokemon with Modest.</p>
<p>The IVs listed above are for Hidden Power Ice. If you use Hidden Power Ghost, go with 30 Def / 30 SpD IVs. The choice of item is the same as for the above set. Leftovers is to keep Cobalion alive as long as possible, and works great with Substitute, while Life Orb gives you more power, which can be nice with Calm Mind's lower boost. Air Balloon can be used here as well to avoid being hit by super effective Ground-type moves often directed at Cobalion.</p>
<p>Unlike the above set, screen support isn't as necessary this time, as Cobalion is already boosting its low Special Defense, but it can help when Cobalion is about to set up. Uxie and Cresselia are again the prime screeners, as they resist both Fighting- and Ground-type moves that Cobalion is weak to. Entry hazards help even more now when the boost isn't as high. Froslass, Roserade, and Deoxys-D, again, can set up hazards, which work very well with Cobalion, as they resist Fighting-type moves. Roserade can also set up Toxic Spikes, while Deoxys can set up Stealth Rock. Uxie can set up Stealth Rock besides screens. Flash Fire Pokemon such as Houndoom and Arcanine help take Victini's V-create, and Flying-type Pokemon such Zapdos and Altaria can take those super effective Fighting-and Ground-type moves directed at Cobalion.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Cobalion has access to Quick Attack to finish of weaker opponents, and Double Kick to break through Substitutes. Other physical moves at its disposal includes Retaliate, Return, Aerial Ace, and Poison Jab. Aerial Ace hits Heracross really hard, but the listed moves are much better. In the support department, Cobalion has access to Toxic, Thunder Wave, Reflect, and Safeguard. It can utilize a physical defensive set with the above moves in conjunction with its high base Defense and Metal Burst. However, its only form of recovery is Rest. Cobalion also has Work Up if you want to try a mixed attacking set, but it's not recommended. You could also use a Choice Specs set, but it's far inferior to the above sets.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Slowbro, Slowbro, Slowbro. It resists both of Cobalion STAB moves and is really hard for Cobalion to take down. As stated above, Stone Edge only 3HKOes Slowbro with one Swords Dance boost. However, it needs to be careful of X-Scissor. Bulky Ghost-type Pokemon such as Dusclops and Spiritomb can come in on a resisted Fighting-type move and cripple Cobalion with Will-O-Wisp. Choice Band Dugtrio can trap and OHKO Cobalion with a STAB Earthquake. Nidoqueen resists Close Combat, Focus Blast, and Stone Edge but needs to be careful if Cobalion is packing Hidden Power Ice. The same goes for Nidoking. Gallade also resists the mentioned moves. It even takes Focus Blast better thanks to its higher Special Defense, but it needs to watch out for Hidden Power Ghost. Victini resists both of Cobalion STAB moves and can KO it with V-create, but it needs to watch out for Hidden Power Ghost and Stone Edge. Celebi can come in and cripple Cobalion with Thunder Wave. It resists both of its Fighting-type moves and Stone Edge, but needs to watch out for Hidden Power and X-Scissor. Unaware Quagsire ingnores Cobalion's stat boosts, can survive some hits, and KO it with STAB Earthquake.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Cobalion doesn't get a Dream World ability.</p>
