Taken from Shaymin :D
Overview
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Although Cacnea's Speed and bulk are mediocre, it has a great Attack stat as well as a decent attacking movepool, which includes a powerful STAB move in Bullet Seed as well as priority in Sucker Punch, which helps Cacnea account for its awful Speed. Water Absorb gives Cacnea an immunity to Water-type attacks, and its Grass typing gives it an immunity to powder-based moves. It also resists common attacking types including Ground, Electric, and Grass. However, Cacnea is also weak to five common attacking types, which is compounded by its low defenses, meaning it will not take hits very well.
Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Sucker Punch
ability: Water Absorb
item: Eviolite
evs: 36 HP / 156 Atk / 196 Def / 116 SpD
nature: Impish
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Cacnea to boost its already high Attack and enables its attacks to break through bulky opponents. Bullet Seed is Cacnea's main STAB move, which can KO Berry Juice Tirtouga and Onix in three hits and Eviolite Chinchou in five hits. It also breaks Sturdy and Focus Sashes while breaking Substitute, which opponents can set up on a Sucker Punch or a Swords Dance. Drain Punch hits the Steel-types that wall Bullet Seed, particularly Pawniard and Magnemite, and Sucker Punch lets Cacnea compensate for its low Speed to an extent by hitting with priority; it also hits fairly hard and punishes opponents such as Abra.
Set Details
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196 Defense EVs with Eviolite and an Impish Nature allow Cacnea to take physical hits more reliably, most notably Fletchling's Acrobatics, which only OHKOes Cacnea 6.3% of the time. 156 Attack EVs let Cacnea hit hard without taking from Cacnea's defenses, which reach Eviolite numbers. The remaining EVs are placed in HP and Special Defense to increase Cacnea's bulk further while reaching the aforementioned Eviolite numbers. Water Absorb is Cacnea's only usable ability, and allows it to come in on Water-type opponents easily as well as avoiding nasty Scald burns from Chinchou and other Water-types. If raw power is needed, a set with 36 HP / 236 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD can be used, although this lowers Cacnea's physical bulk.
Usage Tips
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Even though Cacnea is somewhat bulky, it should not be switched in on attacks, as it will have to normally take two hits before it gets a chance to attack. As such, a slow U-turn or Volt Switch is helpful to bring Cacnea in. Cacnea can set up a Swords Dance on bulky Water-types such as Chinchou, Tirtouga, and Slowpoke and proceed to dent the opposing team. However, Sucker Punch should be used carefully, as it might give opponents an opportunity set up easily.
Team Options
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Cacnea needs a teammate to take down the Flying-types which give it trouble. Archen, Chinchou, and Magnemite are all capable of checking them while providing decent synergy with Cacnea. They can also take on the Fire-types which trouble Cacnea. Cacnea's moves aren't as strong as it would like, so a teammate with Knock Off such as Pawniard or Mienfoo can help it by removing items from bulky opponents, including Eviolite and Berry Juice. Cacnea is susceptible to status and damage, so a cleric such as Spritzee or Lickitung can help it last longer in battle.
Other Options
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Cacnea can choose to run a mixed set with Growth, or go fully special with Nasty Plot, however its special movepool is extremely limited. Cacnea also has access to many other support or defensive options such as Spikes, Destiny Bond, Grass Whistle, and Synthesis; however, Cacnea lacks the Speed and bulk to use many of these effectively, and Grass Whistle's accuracy is very poor. Cacnea has access to Switcheroo, with which it can cripple an opponent with a Choice item. Cacnea can use Thunder Punch to surprise Flying-type opponents such as Fletchling and Archen on the switch. It also can use a Substitute + Focus Punch set, although it is illegal with Water Absorb as Focus Punch can only be obtained before Gen V.
Checks & Counters
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**Flying-types**: Vullaby can take anything Cacnea can throw at it and respond with a STAB Brave Bird. Fletchling can OHKO Cacnea after Stealth Rock damage with a priority Acrobatics.
**Fire-types**: Larvesta and Ponyta can nail Cacnea with a Flare Blitz, and both of them are bulky enough to come in on a Drain Punch; they can also burn Cacnea with Flame Body.
**Foongus**: Foongus takes pitiful damage from Bullet Seed and Drain Punch and can simply nail Cacnea with a Sludge Bomb.
**Croagunk**: Croagunk resists all three of Cacnea's main offensive options and can nail it with Gunk Shot or set up a Swords Dance comfortably.
**Cottonee**: Cottonee can Encore Cacnea into Sucker Punch or Swords Dance and resists Cacnea's other options.
Overview
########
Although Cacnea's Speed and bulk are mediocre, it has a great Attack stat as well as a decent attacking movepool, which includes a powerful STAB move in Bullet Seed as well as priority in Sucker Punch, which helps Cacnea account for its awful Speed. Water Absorb gives Cacnea an immunity to Water-type attacks, and its Grass typing gives it an immunity to powder-based moves. It also resists common attacking types including Ground, Electric, and Grass. However, Cacnea is also weak to five common attacking types, which is compounded by its low defenses, meaning it will not take hits very well.
Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Sucker Punch
ability: Water Absorb
item: Eviolite
evs: 36 HP / 156 Atk / 196 Def / 116 SpD
nature: Impish
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Cacnea to boost its already high Attack and enables its attacks to break through bulky opponents. Bullet Seed is Cacnea's main STAB move, which can KO Berry Juice Tirtouga and Onix in three hits and Eviolite Chinchou in five hits. It also breaks Sturdy and Focus Sashes while breaking Substitute, which opponents can set up on a Sucker Punch or a Swords Dance. Drain Punch hits the Steel-types that wall Bullet Seed, particularly Pawniard and Magnemite, and Sucker Punch lets Cacnea compensate for its low Speed to an extent by hitting with priority; it also hits fairly hard and punishes opponents such as Abra.
Set Details
========
196 Defense EVs with Eviolite and an Impish Nature allow Cacnea to take physical hits more reliably, most notably Fletchling's Acrobatics, which only OHKOes Cacnea 6.3% of the time. 156 Attack EVs let Cacnea hit hard without taking from Cacnea's defenses, which reach Eviolite numbers. The remaining EVs are placed in HP and Special Defense to increase Cacnea's bulk further while reaching the aforementioned Eviolite numbers. Water Absorb is Cacnea's only usable ability, and allows it to come in on Water-type opponents easily as well as avoiding nasty Scald burns from Chinchou and other Water-types. If raw power is needed, a set with 36 HP / 236 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD can be used, although this lowers Cacnea's physical bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Even though Cacnea is somewhat bulky, it should not be switched in on attacks, as it will have to normally take two hits before it gets a chance to attack. As such, a slow U-turn or Volt Switch is helpful to bring Cacnea in. Cacnea can set up a Swords Dance on bulky Water-types such as Chinchou, Tirtouga, and Slowpoke and proceed to dent the opposing team. However, Sucker Punch should be used carefully, as it might give opponents an opportunity set up easily.
Team Options
========
Cacnea needs a teammate to take down the Flying-types which give it trouble. Archen, Chinchou, and Magnemite are all capable of checking them while providing decent synergy with Cacnea. They can also take on the Fire-types which trouble Cacnea. Cacnea's moves aren't as strong as it would like, so a teammate with Knock Off such as Pawniard or Mienfoo can help it by removing items from bulky opponents, including Eviolite and Berry Juice. Cacnea is susceptible to status and damage, so a cleric such as Spritzee or Lickitung can help it last longer in battle.
Other Options
########
Cacnea can choose to run a mixed set with Growth, or go fully special with Nasty Plot, however its special movepool is extremely limited. Cacnea also has access to many other support or defensive options such as Spikes, Destiny Bond, Grass Whistle, and Synthesis; however, Cacnea lacks the Speed and bulk to use many of these effectively, and Grass Whistle's accuracy is very poor. Cacnea has access to Switcheroo, with which it can cripple an opponent with a Choice item. Cacnea can use Thunder Punch to surprise Flying-type opponents such as Fletchling and Archen on the switch. It also can use a Substitute + Focus Punch set, although it is illegal with Water Absorb as Focus Punch can only be obtained before Gen V.
Checks & Counters
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**Flying-types**: Vullaby can take anything Cacnea can throw at it and respond with a STAB Brave Bird. Fletchling can OHKO Cacnea after Stealth Rock damage with a priority Acrobatics.
**Fire-types**: Larvesta and Ponyta can nail Cacnea with a Flare Blitz, and both of them are bulky enough to come in on a Drain Punch; they can also burn Cacnea with Flame Body.
**Foongus**: Foongus takes pitiful damage from Bullet Seed and Drain Punch and can simply nail Cacnea with a Sludge Bomb.
**Croagunk**: Croagunk resists all three of Cacnea's main offensive options and can nail it with Gunk Shot or set up a Swords Dance comfortably.
**Cottonee**: Cottonee can Encore Cacnea into Sucker Punch or Swords Dance and resists Cacnea's other options.
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