Cloyster [QC 2/3] Writing up

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HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
QC: [Calloflochie] [] []
Taken over from Minus.

Cloyster in a cloistered shell.

Overview
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  • Average base 95 Attack stat.
  • Skill Link and Shell Smash make Cloyster a terror to face.
  • Has an incredible base 180 Defense stat.
  • Water is a great type offensively and defensively.
  • Ice is a terrible defensive typing.
  • Weak to Stealth Rocks and vulnerable to all forms of hazards.
  • Pretty slow before Shell Smash.
  • Low HP and Special Defense stats.

Shell Smash
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name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Hydro Pump / Ice Shard / Explosion
ability: Skill Link
item: Focus Sash / King's Rock / Life Orb
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

Moves
========
  • Shell Smash boosts Cloyster's Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats to extremely high levels to prepare it for a sweep.
  • Icicle Spear is main STAB and hits very hard after a Shell Smash. It will always hit five times thanks to Skill Link.
  • Rock Blast gives good coverage with Icicle Spear and will always hit five times thanks to Skill Link.
  • Hydro Pump gets STAB and hits Steel-types as well as other physically defensive walls.
  • Ice Shard can be used to give priority, but it leaves Cloyster walled by Steel-types.
  • Cloyster is a good lure to Water-types, so Explosion can be used to OHKO or severely damage most of them after a Shell Smash.
  • Cloyster can opt for Surf instead of Hydro Pump, but Cloyster wants to get as much damage off as it can as it is a mid- to late-game sweeper.

Set Details
========
  • Max Attack EVs so Cloyster can hit as hard as possible.
  • Max Speed EVs so Cloyster outspeeds most Pokemon after a Shell Smash.
  • 4 Special Attack gives Hydro Pump a little extra power.
  • A Naive nature is to be used with Hydro Pump so Special Attack isn't hindered, but a Naughty nature can be used for more Attack. Comes at the cost of being outsped by Scarfers like Hydreigon and Mienshao.
  • A Jolly nature is to be used with Ice Shard and Explosion so Special Defense isn't hindered more than it already is, but an Adamant nature can be used for additional Attack. Comes at the cost of being outsped by common Scarfers.
  • Skill Link so moves like Icicle Spear and Rock Blast hit five times.
  • Focus Sash is used to almost guarantee that Cloyster sets up a Shell Smash and can be very useful mid- to late-game with some hazard control.
  • King's Rock can potentially give Cloyster another turn to attack thanks to the added flinch chance and can let Cloyster muscle through bulkier Pokemon, but the flinch chance is somewhat unreliable.
  • Life Orb is a great item for wallbreaking as it can get a guaranteed OHKO on Slowbro and other bulky Water-types with Explosion.

Usage Tips
========
  • Don't set up on special attackers unless Cloyster has a Focus Sash; Cloyster isn't bulky enough to do it.
  • Try to sweep with Cloyster mid- to late-game.
  • Wear down bulky Water- and Steel-types before attempting to sweep unless running Explosion.

Team Options
========
  • Grass-types like Celebi and Shaymin are great teammates as they can take down bulky Water-types that Cloyster has trouble with.
  • Powerful attackers like Choice Banded Guts Heracross can handle bulky Water-types as well as absorb status.
  • Cloyster absolutely needs hazard control because Cloyster's vulnerable to all forms of hazards as well as being weak to Stealth Rock, but hazards like Stealth Rock help it guarantee OHKO's on pokemon. Empoelon and Forretress can do this to much success.
  • Pokemon that don't appreciate bulky Water-types like Darmanitan want Cloyster with Life Orb as it can lure them in easily and OHKO most of them after a Shell Smash.
Other Options
########
  • A Lum Berry can stop Pokemon like Sableye from stopping Cloyster in its sweep and would enable Cloyster to set up on Pokemon that would try to status it like Swampert.
  • White Herb can be used to restore Cloyster's defenses back to full after a Shell Smash to make it much less vulnerable to priority.
  • Hidden Power Grass is a nice way of 2HKOing Slowbro and other bulky Water-types after Stealth Rock damage, but it only 3HKO's Suicune and it can just set up Calm Mind boosts on Cloyster.

Checks and Counters
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**Bulky Water-types**: Suicune, Slowbro, and Quagsire are great examples of Pokemon that can wall Cloyster very well, but all of them bar Quagsire must watch out for Explosion variants.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Jirachi can take a +2 Hydro Pump from Cloyster and proceed to paralyze it. Mega Aggon can as well, but it won't be taking Hydro Pumps kindly.

**Priority**: Sucker Punch, Extreme Speed and Mach Punch are all powerful forms of priority that can stop Cloyster in its sweep. Sucker Punch users have to watch out for Ice Shard. A STAB Iron Fist Mach Punch from Infernape deals tons of damage.

**Empoleon**: Empoleon is the best answer to Cloyster as it resists Ice, Rock, Water, and Normal-type moves, all of which make up Cloyster's offense.
 
Last edited:
LightningLuxray

LightningLuxray

:D
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I know this is WIP, but definitely use Hydro Pump instead of Surf, as the power is needed when Cloyster only has a base 85 SpA not investing in Special Attack.
 
HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
LightningLuxray said:
I know this is WIP, but definitely use Hydro Pump instead of Surf, as the power is needed when Cloyster only has a base 85 SpA not investing in Special Attack.
Click to expand...
I talked about it in IRC already and Hydro Pump does what Surf does with unnecessary extra power. Observe:
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Surf vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Jirachi: 169-201 (49.5 - 58.9%) -- 99.6% chance to 2HKO
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Jirachi: 207-244 (60.7 - 71.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Surf vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Metagross: 186-219 (51 - 60.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Metagross: 226-267 (62 - 73.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Surf vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Aggron: 204-240 (59.3 - 69.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 4 SpA Cloyster Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Aggron: 249-294 (72.3 - 85.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

That is why Hydro Pump only gets a mention.
 
LightningLuxray

LightningLuxray

:D
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Yeah I think I'm going to have to agree with Arikado here. The main reason why is because what those calcs don't factor in are any damage Pokemon such as Metagross or Mega Aggron may have previously taken. I mean you're sweeping late-game with this thing, remember, so you have to keep in mind any damage that may have been accumulated throughout the match. As such, I think Hydro Pump is better to ensure that you can OHKO these Pokemon after less prior damage than Surf. Definitely give Surf a good mention in the Set Details, though.
 
HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
LightningLuxray said:
Yeah I think I'm going to have to agree with Arikado here. The main reason why is because what those calcs don't factor in are any damage Pokemon such as Metagross or Mega Aggron may have previously taken. I mean you're sweeping late-game with this thing, remember, so you have to keep in mind any damage that may have been accumulated throughout the match. As such, I think Hydro Pump is better to ensure that you can OHKO these Pokemon after less prior damage than Surf. Definitely give Surf a good mention in the Set Details, though.
Click to expand...
This is hard for me, because everyone in IRC agreed to have Surf there instead of Hydro Pump. If it is late-game, then I'd say missing a Hydro Pump is worse than not KOing a Surf, but I guess I can talk about it again. Thank you for the feedback.
 
HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
Well, I slashed Life Orb and Explosion. This is definitely ready for some QC checks unless someone can think of something else to add.
 
Calloflochie

Calloflochie

Dog.
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I, myself, run Jolly/Naive w/e on Cloyster seeing as it let's it outspeed base 100s with minimal speed before a smash and every relevant scarfer after it so I think the mention of Fast Scarfers should be taken out seeing as close to none of them do stop Cloyster. Bulky Steels should be added however such as Jirachi seeing as it can take any of Cloyster's hits and paralyse it (same with Maggron although it doesn't enjoy taking +2 pumps). There was a lot of discussion on IRC about this so most of has been covered (especially since you have finally put Explosion like you should have quite a while ago) nevertheless

QC 1/3
 
Kushalos

Kushalos

ÜN ÜN ÜN
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OUPL Champion
Cloyster natures should be speed boosting cause not being able to outspeed the two most common scarfers atm(Hydreigon and Mienshao) sucks D. I also think Lum Berry should be slashed in, cause being able to escape from an unfortunate scaldburn from Swampert or a will o wisp from defensive Arcanine could mean the difference between a win or a loss sometimes.
 
HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
Kushalos Implemented. Also, I'm not so sure about the viability of King's Rock. It's useful for breaking through walls that don't resist Icicle Spear and Rock Blast, but bulky Steel-types only have a 10% chance to flinch (considering Cloyster uses Hydro Pump).
 
HypnoEmpire

HypnoEmpire

Yokatta...
I decided to keep King's Rock. If it can get a flinch on something like a weakened bulky Water-type, then Cloyster could pretty much clean up from there. Kushalos I think this is ready for a second QC check.
 
Limitless

Limitless

Success is the best revenge.
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Put Life Orb and Lum Berry in OO.

Slash Jolly first too, since Hydro Pump isn't a main slash.
 
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