All right I got permission from Zeb to do this so FIRST ANALYSIS EVER WOOOOO!!!
Ms. Dreavus
[Overview]
<p>With the transition to BW came the Eviolite, and because of it, many Pokemon were forever changed. Misdreavus is a prime example of this, as when equipped with an Eviolite, its lackluster defenses rise to impressive levels, and when combined with a fantastic defensive typing and ability, it is a formidable defensive threat in NU. Combine that with an excellent support movepool, a satisfactory offensive movepool, and the ability to spinblock, and you can see why Misdreavus is one of the most viable Pokémon in the tier. Its main niche in the metagame is that of a bulky supporter and spinblocker, but Misdreavus can easily become an unexpected offensive threat as well. Spikes-stacking is a very powerful strategy in NU, which only heightens Misdreavus's usefulness. Sadly, though, Misdreavus's great bulk is severely hindered by its lack of reliable recovery (it can't even utilize Leftovers), and is prone to being worn down. Still, none can perform Misdreavus's job quite as efficiently.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility Counter
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Shadow Ball / Foul Play
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt / Heal Bell / Perish Song
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the most common Misdreavus set you'll see in the metagame, and for good reason. With the moves above, Misdreavus can put a stop to some of the biggest threats in the tier, including Sawk, Primeape, Scolipede, Musharna, and Swords Dance Samurott. This Misdreavus can perform several roles on a team at once, from a wall to a supporter to a stallbreaker, freeing up room for extra teammates. Its typing and Levitate really benefit this set as well, as it really appreciates an immunity to Spikes and a neutrality to Stealth Rock when switching in. Even so, Misdreavus can't switch in excessively as its lack of reliable recovery make it prone to being worn down, and cannot take too much pressure from the opposing team as a result. Nevertheless, Misdreavus still gets the job done as long as you play it conservatively.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp is a great move for Misdreavus, shutting down nearly every physical attacker in the tier and further enhancing its defensive capabilities. Shadow Ball is a reliable STAB attack with decent power and a nice potential Special Defense drop, which makes it the main option for the second slot. Foul Play, on the other hand, punishes Swords Dance users as well as Pokemon that would normally get a free switch into Misdreavus, such as Swellow and Zangoose. This makes it an option for the attacking move on this set, but do note that it's not nearly as reliable as Shadow Ball. Pain Split, the third move, is Misdreavus's only form of recovery outside of the undesirable Rest, and it works decently with its relatively low HP stat. The last moveslot depends on your team's needs; Taunt is an excellent move for shutting down setup Pokemon and walls, and protecting Misdreavus against status. Heal Bell also provides protection against status, and unlike Taunt, it even provides insurance against things like Scald burns; Heal Bell also supports Misdreavus's team. Do note that the best partners for Misdreavus have access to Heal Bell anyway, so it's generally not preferred. Finally, Perish Song gets a mention on full stall teams as it can be invaluable for dealing with the last Pokemon on the field when you can't shuffle around your opponent's team anymore.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread allows Misdreavus to outspeed Adamant Rampardos, and focuses on physical bulk, both because Misdreavus's typing is much more suited for tanking physical hits due to its immunities and because it gives it good all-around defenses. A specially defensive spread is viable, but there are better Pokemon suited for this role and it doesn't bring out Misdreavus's best potential. With a physically defensive spread, Misdreavus is also capable of easily beating anything slower than it that hates being burned or Taunted, including the various Stealth Rock leads inhabiting the tier such as Golem, Piloswine, Regirock and Metang. Misdreavus can also use various other moves in the first slot such as Toxic or Thunder Wave, but Will-O-Wisp has the most utility overall and really helps it take more hits.</p>
<p>Because Misdreavus lacks reliable recovery, a Wish passer is highly recommended to help make up for that. Lickilicky and Audino are outstanding partners that fill this role, as they both carry Wish and Heal Bell (freeing Misdreavus up to use another move in the fourth slot) and they have excellent defensive synergy with it. This set tends to force many switches, and when that's combined with the ability to spinblock, entry hazards work extremely well with Misdreavus. Ironically, some of the best entry hazard setters for Misdreavus are the ones it scares out; Golem, Piloswine, Regirock and Metang can set up Stealth Rock, they all have decent synergy with it, and can beat many of Misdreavus's counters, such as Skuntank, Swellow and Zangoose (provided it doesn't run Foul Play for the latter two). This Misdreavus works well on many different teams due to the prevalence of the threats it's able to stop, and will always do well if played correctly.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
item: Eviolite
nature: Timid
evs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes the exact opposite role of the first set, being an offensive sweeper rather than a defensive wall, and is capable of defeating or at least severely denting Misdreavus's normal counters. For that reason, this set is viable, and it's surprisingly threatening as well, with Nasty Plot turning Misdreavus's below-average Special Attack of 269 all the way up to 538 in a single turn.</p>
<p>Shadow Ball is Misdreavus's strongest and most reliable STAB, with good power, perfect accuracy and a decent chance to lower the opposing Pokemon's Special Defense. The main coverage move, Thunderbolt, is probably the biggest surprise to the opponent when they see it; it OHKOes Swellow with no boosts and 2HKOes Skuntank with a single boost and Stealth Rock support, something Misdreavus would never dream of doing otherwise. Hidden Power Fighting, on the other hand, gives Misdreavus perfect neutral coverage against threats like Sawsbuck and a way to hit pure Normal-types harder, but do note that it makes for weak coverage against Normal- / Flying-types. Therefore, Thunderbolt is preferred. Finally, the two moves in the fourth slot are down to your team's needs; Taunt eases setup, protects Misdreavus from status, and lets Misdreavus break down special walls such as Lickilicky and Altaria, but Will-O-Wisp provides a much more reliable way for breaking down Skuntank, and lets Misdreavus support her team, even with an offensive set. This set plays a completely different role with completely different counters than the defensive set, and as a result proves to be an effective lure as most people just automatically expect the defensive set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This variant of Misdreavus appreciates Wish support even more than the defensive one, as it loses out on a lot of bulk and longevity with an offensive set. Lickilicky and Audino prove again to be great candidates with Wish and Heal Bell, and provide great type synergy with Misdreavus. Swords Dance Lickilicky can even come together with it to make an effective offensive core, although it can't provide Wish support. The EV spread outspeeds positive-natured base 80s, maximizes power, and the rest just goes into bulk, as Misdreavus's excellent typing and passable bulk helps it set up. Maximum Speed investment can be used, but Misdreavus isn't really outspeeding anything notable as the most common Pokemon that hits Misdreavus's Speed tier is Sawk, which usually runs an Adamant nature. A bulkier spread can be used as well, but Misdreavus really appreciates being able to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Braviary, Gardevoir and Drifblim. Substitute is a viable move in the last slot to ease setup in a similar fashion to Taunt, but causes Misdreavus to wear itself down much too quickly. Pain Split is another option to recover lost health, but Misdreavus rarely gets an opportunity to do this and would usually like to spend that time doing something else. This set supports its team in a much different way than the defensive set; it punches holes in the opposing team for another sweeper to come in and clean up. Do note that this set is not meant to sweep entire teams— it just softens them up.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Misdreavus has many other options it can utilize, but can't always bring each one to its fullest potential. A defensive Calm Mind set similar to the Nasty Plot set is viable and can easily set up against stall, but stall is rare in NU, so this is not advised. Besides, the Nasty Plot set can set up on stall as well and is a much more immediate threat. Magic Coat can be used to bounce back status moves, but requires good prediction to work and is thus much riskier than Taunt. A set with Curse, Taunt and Pain Split can turn Misdreavus into a dedicated stallbreaker, but is rather gimmicky and the 50% health loss from Curse is undesirable and can put Misdreavus at severe risk. A RestTalk set with Will-O-Wisp and Foul Play could work and make a good sleep fodder for Jynx, but loses far too much utility over the standard defensive set to work, and RestTalk is an unreliable strategy. Destiny Bond could potentially work, but requires Misdreavus to die to function, wasting its amazing longevity. If you're looking for a frail Ghost with Destiny Bond, use Haunter instead. Finally, Rain Dance, Sunny Day and Trick Room could work on their respective teams, but there are better Pokemon for the job.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Checks and counters for Misdreavus are completely different for each set, and thus almost nothing is a complete "counter." Skuntank can usually do well against both sets, but must watch out for Will-O-Wisp and boosted Thunderbolts. Swellow and Zangoose can beat most defensive variants with ease and Swellow can even use Pursuit on the switch, but will quickly fall to Foul Play or Thunderbolt, while Will-O-Wisp cripples Zangoose if it has not activated its Toxic Orb yet. Charizard can switch in on Will-O-Wisp and deal loads of damage with Fire Blast, but hates switching in on attacks with its massive Stealth Rock weakness. Bulky attackers (primarily special ones), such as Regice and Choice Specs Altaria, can do well against Misdreavus as they aren't crippled by Will-O-Wisp, can wear it down, and don't mind taking an attack or two. Special attackers in general can usually deal a ton of damage to Misdreavus, examples being Samurott, Ludicolo, and Jynx, but the frailer ones must be careful when switching in. Nasty Plot Shiftry gets a special mention as it laughs at anything Misdreavus throws at it, sans a boosted Hidden Power Fighting, and can fire back a Dark Pulse. Offensive spinners, such as Swords Dance Armaldo and Shell Smash Torkoal, can get past Misdreavus and get to spin, but if it Taunts them before they can set up, they will always lose. Trick and Knock Off users can remove Misdreavus's Eviolite, heavily crippling it. Residual damage, whether it be from Stealth Rock, U-turn, or status, also severely limits its ability to check the opposing team. However, it's very important to note that entry hazards can punish almost every one of these methods listed, so keep that in mind when both facing and using Misdreavus.</p>
Ms. Dreavus
[Overview]
name: Utility Counter
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Shadow Ball / Foul Play
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt / Heal Bell / Perish Song
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
SET COMMENTS]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
item: Eviolite
nature: Timid
evs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Initially underwhelming stats
- Surprisingly amazing bulk w/ Eviolite and great typing/ability
- Great movepool w/ choice support moves (WoW, Taunt, Heal Bell)
- Can go on the offensive route with Nasty Plot
- Spinblocks, and is great at it
- Only form of recovery are Rest/Pain Split
- Competition from Golurk, Haunter, Drifblim, etc. as a spinblocker
- However, much more versatile than all its competition, and its utility should not be ignored
name: Utility Counter
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Shadow Ball / Foul Play
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt / Heal Bell / Perish Song
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
SET COMMENTS]
- With the right moves, Missy can easily put a stop to many top threats such as Sawk, Primeape, Scolipede, Musharna and SD Samurott
- Can perform several roles on a team at once (wall, stallbreaker, supporter)
- Immunity to Spikes/neutrality to SR really helps it, but it still can't continuously switch in because of lack of reliable recovery/Leftovers
- WoW shuts down almost every physical attacker in the meta
- Shadow Ball is a reliable STAB with a decent potential SpDef drop, but Foul Play can smack around Swords Dancers and things that expect a free switch into you (Swellow, Zangoose)
- Pain Split only form of recovery, works okay with a relatively low HP stat
- Taunt is an excellent move to shut down setup Pokémon/walls and provide protection against status, but Heal Bell heals Scald burns and whatnot and supports the entire team
- Best partners for Missy have Heal Bell anyway, so Taunt is generally preferred
- Perish Song gets a mention on full stall teams as it can be invaluable when dealing with that last mon on the field
- Wish support helps make up for Missy's lack of recovery
- Lickilicky/Audino stand out as they carry Wish, Heal Bell (so Missy doesn't have to), and have great synergy w/ her
- EV spread outspeeds Rampardos, and the rest goes into Defense because of its superior defensive typing/gives it nice all-around bulk
- Able to beat anything slower that hates being burned/Taunted (Metang, Regirock, Piloswine, Golem)
- SpDef spread is viable, but there are better mons for the job
- Toxic/T-wave viable in the first slot, but WoW has more utility overall
- Forces many switches + is able to spinblock, so hazards work extremely well w/ it
- Piloswine, Golem, Regirock, and Metang can set up SR, have decent synergy, and deals with many of Missy's counters (Skuntank, Swellow, Zangoose) with its STABs
- Missy has much less trouble dealing w/ Swellow/Zangoose if it runs Foul Play
- Works on many teams because of the prevalence of the threats it beats, and will always do well if played right
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
item: Eviolite
nature: Timid
evs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Takes the exact opposite role of its defensive counterpart
- Defeats/dents many normal counters
- Nasty Plot brings Missy's below-average SAtk into surprisingly threatening levels in a single turn, from 269 to 538
- Shadow Ball is your best STAB, with decent power, perfect accuracy and a nice potential SpDef drop
- Thunderbolt OHKOes Swellow w/o any boosts and 2HKOes Skuntank after one boost and SR support, and helps against bulky Waters like Alomomola and Samurott
- HP Fighting provides perfect coverage against threats like Sawsbuck, but deals pitiful damage to Normal-Flyings
- Taunt makes setup easier, and helps break down walls like Lickilicky and Altaria, but Willo can catch stuff like Skuntank on the switch-in and lets set-up and team support possible, even for an offensive set
- Has a completely different role with completely different counters than the defensive set, and is an effective lure b/c most people expect the defensive set
- Plays the role of both a sweeper and a spinblocker that doesn't lose offensive momentum
- Appreciates Wish support even more than the first set because it loses out on so much bulk and longevity
- Lickilicky is once again a great partner w/ Wish + Heal Bell, and even SD Lickilicky can come together with Missy to form an effective bulky offensive core
- EV spread outspeeds max Speed positive base 80s, maximizes power and the rest goes into bulk
- More EVs can go into Speed, but max Speed doesn't really help outspeed anything notable (Sawk usually runs Adamant these days)
- More EVs can go into bulk too, but Missy really likes being able to outspeed non-Scarfed Braviary, Gardevoir and Drifblim
- Substitute is viable in the last slot, but Missy wears itself down way too quickly
- Pain Split also gets a mention when Missy gets low on health, but it's hard to find an opportunity to Pain Split with an offensive set and it usually wants to take that turn to do something else
- Supports its team in a different way than the defensive set, punching holes in the opposing team for something to come in and clean up
- A set w/ Calm Mind and more defensive EVs can easily set up against stall, but stall is increasingly rare in NU and thus this is inferior to NP
- Magic Coat can be used to bounce back status moves, but is far inferior to Taunt
- Curse can be combined w/ Taunt + Pain Split to make Missy a dedicated stallbreaker, but is somewhat gimmicky and the health loss from Curse can put her at severe risk
- A set w/ RestTalk, Foul Play and Willo could work, but loses a lot of utility over the standard defensive set
- Destiny Bond can work, but requires Missy to die to work, can be played around easily with the wrong prediction, and is far outclassed by Haunter
- Rain Dance and Sunny Day can support weather sweepers, but she has better things to be doing
- Finally, Trick Room can be used, but she's a tad too fast to be abusing it
- Checks and counters are very different for both sets
- Skuntank does well against both, but must watch out for WoW and boosted T-bolts
- For the defensive set, Swellow/Zangoose beat most variants easily, and Swellow can even Pursuit on the switch, but must watch out for Foul Play
- Also, Zangoose can't switch into WoW if it hasn't activated its Toxic Orb yet
- Charizard can switch in on Willo and easily KO with Fire Blast, however, it does not like switching into any attacks, especially after SR
- For offensive sets, anything that can take hits and dish them right back can perform well, such as Regice and Choice Specs Altaria
- Offensive spinners, such as Shell Smash Torkoal and SD + Lum Berry Armaldo, do well against both sets, but Torkoal must Smash as Missy switches in or it will always lose
- However, almost everything just listed is weak to SR or hazards in general, and hazards go well with her, so keep that in mind
- Trick/Knock Off remove Eviolite and make Missy much easier to take down
<p>With the transition to BW came the Eviolite, and because of it, many Pokemon were forever changed. Misdreavus is a prime example of this, as when equipped with an Eviolite, its lackluster defenses rise to impressive levels, and when combined with a fantastic defensive typing and ability, it is a formidable defensive threat in NU. Combine that with an excellent support movepool, a satisfactory offensive movepool, and the ability to spinblock, and you can see why Misdreavus is one of the most viable Pokémon in the tier. Its main niche in the metagame is that of a bulky supporter and spinblocker, but Misdreavus can easily become an unexpected offensive threat as well. Spikes-stacking is a very powerful strategy in NU, which only heightens Misdreavus's usefulness. Sadly, though, Misdreavus's great bulk is severely hindered by its lack of reliable recovery (it can't even utilize Leftovers), and is prone to being worn down. Still, none can perform Misdreavus's job quite as efficiently.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility Counter
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Shadow Ball / Foul Play
move 3: Pain Split
move 4: Taunt / Heal Bell / Perish Song
item: Eviolite
ability: Levitate
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the most common Misdreavus set you'll see in the metagame, and for good reason. With the moves above, Misdreavus can put a stop to some of the biggest threats in the tier, including Sawk, Primeape, Scolipede, Musharna, and Swords Dance Samurott. This Misdreavus can perform several roles on a team at once, from a wall to a supporter to a stallbreaker, freeing up room for extra teammates. Its typing and Levitate really benefit this set as well, as it really appreciates an immunity to Spikes and a neutrality to Stealth Rock when switching in. Even so, Misdreavus can't switch in excessively as its lack of reliable recovery make it prone to being worn down, and cannot take too much pressure from the opposing team as a result. Nevertheless, Misdreavus still gets the job done as long as you play it conservatively.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp is a great move for Misdreavus, shutting down nearly every physical attacker in the tier and further enhancing its defensive capabilities. Shadow Ball is a reliable STAB attack with decent power and a nice potential Special Defense drop, which makes it the main option for the second slot. Foul Play, on the other hand, punishes Swords Dance users as well as Pokemon that would normally get a free switch into Misdreavus, such as Swellow and Zangoose. This makes it an option for the attacking move on this set, but do note that it's not nearly as reliable as Shadow Ball. Pain Split, the third move, is Misdreavus's only form of recovery outside of the undesirable Rest, and it works decently with its relatively low HP stat. The last moveslot depends on your team's needs; Taunt is an excellent move for shutting down setup Pokemon and walls, and protecting Misdreavus against status. Heal Bell also provides protection against status, and unlike Taunt, it even provides insurance against things like Scald burns; Heal Bell also supports Misdreavus's team. Do note that the best partners for Misdreavus have access to Heal Bell anyway, so it's generally not preferred. Finally, Perish Song gets a mention on full stall teams as it can be invaluable for dealing with the last Pokemon on the field when you can't shuffle around your opponent's team anymore.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread allows Misdreavus to outspeed Adamant Rampardos, and focuses on physical bulk, both because Misdreavus's typing is much more suited for tanking physical hits due to its immunities and because it gives it good all-around defenses. A specially defensive spread is viable, but there are better Pokemon suited for this role and it doesn't bring out Misdreavus's best potential. With a physically defensive spread, Misdreavus is also capable of easily beating anything slower than it that hates being burned or Taunted, including the various Stealth Rock leads inhabiting the tier such as Golem, Piloswine, Regirock and Metang. Misdreavus can also use various other moves in the first slot such as Toxic or Thunder Wave, but Will-O-Wisp has the most utility overall and really helps it take more hits.</p>
<p>Because Misdreavus lacks reliable recovery, a Wish passer is highly recommended to help make up for that. Lickilicky and Audino are outstanding partners that fill this role, as they both carry Wish and Heal Bell (freeing Misdreavus up to use another move in the fourth slot) and they have excellent defensive synergy with it. This set tends to force many switches, and when that's combined with the ability to spinblock, entry hazards work extremely well with Misdreavus. Ironically, some of the best entry hazard setters for Misdreavus are the ones it scares out; Golem, Piloswine, Regirock and Metang can set up Stealth Rock, they all have decent synergy with it, and can beat many of Misdreavus's counters, such as Skuntank, Swellow and Zangoose (provided it doesn't run Foul Play for the latter two). This Misdreavus works well on many different teams due to the prevalence of the threats it's able to stop, and will always do well if played correctly.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
item: Eviolite
nature: Timid
evs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes the exact opposite role of the first set, being an offensive sweeper rather than a defensive wall, and is capable of defeating or at least severely denting Misdreavus's normal counters. For that reason, this set is viable, and it's surprisingly threatening as well, with Nasty Plot turning Misdreavus's below-average Special Attack of 269 all the way up to 538 in a single turn.</p>
<p>Shadow Ball is Misdreavus's strongest and most reliable STAB, with good power, perfect accuracy and a decent chance to lower the opposing Pokemon's Special Defense. The main coverage move, Thunderbolt, is probably the biggest surprise to the opponent when they see it; it OHKOes Swellow with no boosts and 2HKOes Skuntank with a single boost and Stealth Rock support, something Misdreavus would never dream of doing otherwise. Hidden Power Fighting, on the other hand, gives Misdreavus perfect neutral coverage against threats like Sawsbuck and a way to hit pure Normal-types harder, but do note that it makes for weak coverage against Normal- / Flying-types. Therefore, Thunderbolt is preferred. Finally, the two moves in the fourth slot are down to your team's needs; Taunt eases setup, protects Misdreavus from status, and lets Misdreavus break down special walls such as Lickilicky and Altaria, but Will-O-Wisp provides a much more reliable way for breaking down Skuntank, and lets Misdreavus support her team, even with an offensive set. This set plays a completely different role with completely different counters than the defensive set, and as a result proves to be an effective lure as most people just automatically expect the defensive set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This variant of Misdreavus appreciates Wish support even more than the defensive one, as it loses out on a lot of bulk and longevity with an offensive set. Lickilicky and Audino prove again to be great candidates with Wish and Heal Bell, and provide great type synergy with Misdreavus. Swords Dance Lickilicky can even come together with it to make an effective offensive core, although it can't provide Wish support. The EV spread outspeeds positive-natured base 80s, maximizes power, and the rest just goes into bulk, as Misdreavus's excellent typing and passable bulk helps it set up. Maximum Speed investment can be used, but Misdreavus isn't really outspeeding anything notable as the most common Pokemon that hits Misdreavus's Speed tier is Sawk, which usually runs an Adamant nature. A bulkier spread can be used as well, but Misdreavus really appreciates being able to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Braviary, Gardevoir and Drifblim. Substitute is a viable move in the last slot to ease setup in a similar fashion to Taunt, but causes Misdreavus to wear itself down much too quickly. Pain Split is another option to recover lost health, but Misdreavus rarely gets an opportunity to do this and would usually like to spend that time doing something else. This set supports its team in a much different way than the defensive set; it punches holes in the opposing team for another sweeper to come in and clean up. Do note that this set is not meant to sweep entire teams— it just softens them up.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Misdreavus has many other options it can utilize, but can't always bring each one to its fullest potential. A defensive Calm Mind set similar to the Nasty Plot set is viable and can easily set up against stall, but stall is rare in NU, so this is not advised. Besides, the Nasty Plot set can set up on stall as well and is a much more immediate threat. Magic Coat can be used to bounce back status moves, but requires good prediction to work and is thus much riskier than Taunt. A set with Curse, Taunt and Pain Split can turn Misdreavus into a dedicated stallbreaker, but is rather gimmicky and the 50% health loss from Curse is undesirable and can put Misdreavus at severe risk. A RestTalk set with Will-O-Wisp and Foul Play could work and make a good sleep fodder for Jynx, but loses far too much utility over the standard defensive set to work, and RestTalk is an unreliable strategy. Destiny Bond could potentially work, but requires Misdreavus to die to function, wasting its amazing longevity. If you're looking for a frail Ghost with Destiny Bond, use Haunter instead. Finally, Rain Dance, Sunny Day and Trick Room could work on their respective teams, but there are better Pokemon for the job.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Checks and counters for Misdreavus are completely different for each set, and thus almost nothing is a complete "counter." Skuntank can usually do well against both sets, but must watch out for Will-O-Wisp and boosted Thunderbolts. Swellow and Zangoose can beat most defensive variants with ease and Swellow can even use Pursuit on the switch, but will quickly fall to Foul Play or Thunderbolt, while Will-O-Wisp cripples Zangoose if it has not activated its Toxic Orb yet. Charizard can switch in on Will-O-Wisp and deal loads of damage with Fire Blast, but hates switching in on attacks with its massive Stealth Rock weakness. Bulky attackers (primarily special ones), such as Regice and Choice Specs Altaria, can do well against Misdreavus as they aren't crippled by Will-O-Wisp, can wear it down, and don't mind taking an attack or two. Special attackers in general can usually deal a ton of damage to Misdreavus, examples being Samurott, Ludicolo, and Jynx, but the frailer ones must be careful when switching in. Nasty Plot Shiftry gets a special mention as it laughs at anything Misdreavus throws at it, sans a boosted Hidden Power Fighting, and can fire back a Dark Pulse. Offensive spinners, such as Swords Dance Armaldo and Shell Smash Torkoal, can get past Misdreavus and get to spin, but if it Taunts them before they can set up, they will always lose. Trick and Knock Off users can remove Misdreavus's Eviolite, heavily crippling it. Residual damage, whether it be from Stealth Rock, U-turn, or status, also severely limits its ability to check the opposing team. However, it's very important to note that entry hazards can punish almost every one of these methods listed, so keep that in mind when both facing and using Misdreavus.</p>
