Overview
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Elgyem has a great ability in Analytic, which gives it a 30% boost to its attacks if it moves last, complementing its high Special Attack and low Speed quite nicely. Elgyem also sports solid 55 / 55 / 55 defenses and access to reliable recovery, which gives it good longevity with Eviolite. Its main flaw lies in its defensive typing; it doesn't have many opportunities to switch in due to it only having two resistances, and it has unfortunate weaknesses to the moves Knock Off, Pursuit, and U-turn.
Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Recover
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Thunderbolt / Energy Ball / Thunder Wave
ability: Analytic
item: Eviolite
evs: 160 Def / 160 SpA / 160 SpD
nature: Modest
Moves
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Psychic is Elgyem's most powerful STAB move, heavily damaging any faster targets that don't resist it and easily OHKOing the many bulky Fighting-types of the metagame. Recover keeps Elgyem healthy, as it will almost certainly be taking hits before it moves. Hidden Power Fighting smacks Dark-types that may try to switch into Psychic such as Pawniard, Scraggy, and Houndour. Thunderbolt hits Flying- and Water-types, such as Archen, Vullaby, and Slowpoke hard. Energy Ball can be used for better coverage versus Ground-types such as Drilbur and Hippopotas, as well as OHKOing Berry Juice Chinchou and Eviolite Tirtouga after Stealth Rock damage. Thunder Wave is another option which cripples opposing setup sweepers and faster Pokemon.
Set Details
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The EV spread and nature let Elgyem hit 14 in each defensive stat with the rest put into Special Attack to increase its damage output while accounting for Hidden Power Fighting's IV drop. Eviolite boosts Elgyem's bulk; it won't need Berry Juice, as it has access to reliable recovery. Analytic pairs nicely with Elgyem's low Speed, giving it added power versus both faster foes and foes that switch into its attacks. An alternate spread of 76 HP / 160 Def / 80 SpA / 160 SpD allows Elgyem to heal more HP with Recover but comes at the cost of some power. Lowering Elgyem's Speed IVs and using a Quiet nature is an option to underspeed more Pokemon to further take advantage of Analytic. However, Elgyem does enjoy being faster than certain Pokemon, such as defensive Tirtouga and Foongus, so that it can hit them with Energy Ball and Psychic, respectively.
Usage Tips
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Recover should be used well in advance due to Elgyem's low Speed, ensuring it can keep tanking hits and attacking. Otherwise, it risks being revenge killed by a faster Pokemon. While Elgyem packs a useful resistance to Fighting-type moves, keep in mind that it is weak to Knock Off, a common coverage move for most Fighting-types, as well as Mienfoo's U-turn. If your opponent has a Dark-type such as Pawniard or Houndour, Hidden Power Fighting can be used to hit them hard on a predicted switch-in. If using Thunder Wave, keep in mind that while it's useful for crippling certain setup sweepers, this will likely cause Elgyem to lose out on an Analytic boost the next turn due to the foe becoming much slower.
Team Options
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Bulky Fighting-types such as Mienfoo, Timburr, and Pancham can break through bulky Steel- and Normal-types that Elgyem can't beat, defeat the Dark-types that threaten it, and provide helpful Knock Off support. Dark-types such as Vullaby and Houndour can help deal with Ghost-types such as Gastly for Elgyem. As Elgyem is weak to Dark, a Knock Off absorber such as Trubbish or Mienfoo is useful to tank Knock Offs aimed at Elgyem.
Other Options
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Psyshock is an option over Psychic to hit Pokemon with lower physical bulk, but Psychic is usually the superior choice. Hidden Power Fire can be used to OHKO Ferroseed as it switches in. Calm Mind can be used to boost Elgyem's Special Attack and Special Defense to attempt a sweep, but this is arguably done better by Spritzee due to its higher bulk and better typing. Dark Pulse or Shadow Ball can be used for better coverage versus Pumpkaboo-XL and Honedge, but aren't too useful otherwise. Elgyem is certainly slow enough to act as a Trick Room setter or sweeper, but this is counterproductive with Analytic, and there are bulkier and more powerful Pokemon to make use of the move, such as Porygon, Spritzee, Slowpoke, and Solosis. Toxic can be used to wear down opposing walls. Elgyem can provide dual screens support, giving a teammate an easier time setting up. Elgyem has a few other boosting options up its sleeve, such as Nasty Plot, Barrier, and Cosmic Power. Magic Coat is an option to bounce back entry hazards among other effects. Trick can be utilized alongside Choice Specs to hit incredibly hard and potentially cripple a wall with a Choice item. Synchronize is an option over Analytic to punish opposing status users, but Analytic is a much better ability overall.
Checks & Counters
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**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Pawniard, Houndour, and Stunky heavily threaten Elgyem with their STAB moves and can trap it with Pursuit. Stunky is a particularly good answer to Elgyem, as it is only hit neutrally by Hidden Power Fighting, unlike Pawniard and Houndour.
**Ghost-types**: While they won't enjoy switching into an Analytic-boosted Psychic, Ghost-types such as Gastly can KO Elgyem with their STAB moves.
**Knock Off Users**: Elgyem is severely crippled by Knock Off because it is weak to Dark and loses its Eviolite if hit by the move, which it needs to best perform its role as a bulky attacker.
**U-turn Users**: U-turn users such as Larvesta, Mienfoo, and Fletchling can hit Elgyem super effectively and switch out to a partner better equipped to handle Elgyem.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as RestTalk Munchlax and Heal Bell Lickitung can sponge any of Elgyem's attacks and aren't particularly bothered by Thunder Wave. However, they will lose if Elgyem is carrying Calm Mind.
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