[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Substitute / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Pixilate
nature: Modest
evs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 88 SpA / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyper Voice is a powerful STAB move that does heavy damage to every Pokemon in the metagame that doesn't resist it. Calm Mind turns Sylveon into a very threatening specially attacking presence. Substitute is used in order to avoid pesky status moves, in particular Amoonguss's Spore, while setting up as well as to provide Sylveon some room to set up more easily. Hidden Power Ground can be used instead of Substitute in order to deal decent damage to threatening Steel-types such as Heatran, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Protect lets Sylveon shield itself from attacks while a partner takes out a threat, stall out opposing field conditions, recover HP safely, and punish double targets.
Set Details
========
The HP and Defense EVs allow Sylveon to survive two Earthquakes from Landorus-T and also prevents Landorus-T's Rock Slide from breaking Sylveon's Substitutes, and the HP and Special Defense investment allows Sylveon to always survive a Flash Cannon from Life Orb Aegislash. Leftovers is the chosen item in order to recover HP passively behind a Substitute. Sylveon can also make use of a Pixie Plate in order to bluff a Choice Specs set and have more power behind its Hyper Voice pre-boost. However, that is not typically recommended, as Calm Mind Sylveon really appreciates the recovery, especially when using Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
This set functions best on more balanced, semi-Trick Room team compositions, whereas more immediate offensively oriented teams prefer to use a Choice Specs set. The key to making full use of Calm Mind Sylveon is to find an opportunity to come in on a non-threatening foe such as Hydreigon and proceed to set up. Sylveon should use Substitute to avoid status, most notably burn, as that hinders it as it sets up. In addition, Substitute is invaluable against foes that are unable to break it or when a foe uses Protect. Due to the high Base Power of Hyper Voice, Sylveon becomes incredibly threatening even at +1 or +2, meaning that setting up to +6 is often unnecessary, often being more of a mistake, as Sylveon should begin to provide offensive support as soon as possible.
Team Options
========
Calm Mind Sylveon is best used with some form of redirection, an Intimidate user, and a Fake Out user. Fake Out and redirection provide Sylveon with safe turns to set up, and Intimidate helps to mitigate Sylveon's Defense deficiency. Effective users of Fake Out include Scrafty, which comes with Intimidate and a good matchup against Aegislash and Jirachi, and Mega Kangaskhan, which is an imposing offensive presence that tends to detract the opponent's attention away from Sylveon. More offensively inclined teams can make use of Infernape, which can deal with various threats to Sylveon thanks to its useful Fire- and Fighting-type coverage. Other Intimidate users such as Landorus-T and Gyarados also work well as partners, both being able to deal with Fire-types easily, with Landorus-T also working well as a Steel-type check. Steel-type checks in general are very much appreciated by Sylveon, with Pokemon such as Heatran, Charizard, Keldeo, and Terrakion all being good candidates for this position. The ideal redirection options for Sylveon are Jirachi and Amoonguss, both of which can provide safety from threatening physical attacks in order to allow Sylveon to safely set up. Calm Mind Sylveon works well when used in conjunction with a Trick Room user, with Pokemon such as Cresselia, Hoopa-U, and Jellicent being good partners for the job. Hoopa-U in particular works excellently due to the ease with which it handles opposing Aegislash and Jirachi, which can easily deal with Sylveon otherwise.
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Substitute / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Pixilate
nature: Modest
evs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 88 SpA / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hyper Voice is a powerful STAB move that does heavy damage to every Pokemon in the metagame that doesn't resist it. Calm Mind turns Sylveon into a very threatening specially attacking presence. Substitute is used in order to avoid pesky status moves, in particular Amoonguss's Spore, while setting up as well as to provide Sylveon some room to set up more easily. Hidden Power Ground can be used instead of Substitute in order to deal decent damage to threatening Steel-types such as Heatran, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Protect lets Sylveon shield itself from attacks while a partner takes out a threat, stall out opposing field conditions, recover HP safely, and punish double targets.
Set Details
========
The HP and Defense EVs allow Sylveon to survive two Earthquakes from Landorus-T and also prevents Landorus-T's Rock Slide from breaking Sylveon's Substitutes, and the HP and Special Defense investment allows Sylveon to always survive a Flash Cannon from Life Orb Aegislash. Leftovers is the chosen item in order to recover HP passively behind a Substitute. Sylveon can also make use of a Pixie Plate in order to bluff a Choice Specs set and have more power behind its Hyper Voice pre-boost. However, that is not typically recommended, as Calm Mind Sylveon really appreciates the recovery, especially when using Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
This set functions best on more balanced, semi-Trick Room team compositions, whereas more immediate offensively oriented teams prefer to use a Choice Specs set. The key to making full use of Calm Mind Sylveon is to find an opportunity to come in on a non-threatening foe such as Hydreigon and proceed to set up. Sylveon should use Substitute to avoid status, most notably burn, as that hinders it as it sets up. In addition, Substitute is invaluable against foes that are unable to break it or when a foe uses Protect. Due to the high Base Power of Hyper Voice, Sylveon becomes incredibly threatening even at +1 or +2, meaning that setting up to +6 is often unnecessary, often being more of a mistake, as Sylveon should begin to provide offensive support as soon as possible.
Team Options
========
Calm Mind Sylveon is best used with some form of redirection, an Intimidate user, and a Fake Out user. Fake Out and redirection provide Sylveon with safe turns to set up, and Intimidate helps to mitigate Sylveon's Defense deficiency. Effective users of Fake Out include Scrafty, which comes with Intimidate and a good matchup against Aegislash and Jirachi, and Mega Kangaskhan, which is an imposing offensive presence that tends to detract the opponent's attention away from Sylveon. More offensively inclined teams can make use of Infernape, which can deal with various threats to Sylveon thanks to its useful Fire- and Fighting-type coverage. Other Intimidate users such as Landorus-T and Gyarados also work well as partners, both being able to deal with Fire-types easily, with Landorus-T also working well as a Steel-type check. Steel-type checks in general are very much appreciated by Sylveon, with Pokemon such as Heatran, Charizard, Keldeo, and Terrakion all being good candidates for this position. The ideal redirection options for Sylveon are Jirachi and Amoonguss, both of which can provide safety from threatening physical attacks in order to allow Sylveon to safely set up. Calm Mind Sylveon works well when used in conjunction with a Trick Room user, with Pokemon such as Cresselia, Hoopa-U, and Jellicent being good partners for the job. Hoopa-U in particular works excellently due to the ease with which it handles opposing Aegislash and Jirachi, which can easily deal with Sylveon otherwise.
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