[OVERVIEW]
Fighting
========
With its high defenses and Speed, Cobalion serves as an excellent lead and defensive pivot for Fighting-type teams. Cobalion's good Speed tier and access to Taunt and Stealth Rock allow it to lead effectively against opposing entry hazard setters. Additionally, its Steel typing offers many valuable resistances and key neutralities to Fairy-, Psychic-, and Flying-type moves, giving Cobalion ample opportunities to switch into attacks and check Pokemon, such as Latios and Mega Diancie, that threaten Fighting teams. Cobalion's Steel-type STAB Iron Head is also an asset to Fighting-type teams, threatening the Fairy-type Pokemon they're weak to. However, Cobalion is generally passive with its mediocre offensive stats and can only threaten a lot of Pokemon with Thunder Wave. Cobalion's lack of recovery also hurts its longevity, making it difficult for it to switch into threats multiple times over the course of a battle. On a type with poor defensive synergy, Cobalion's weakness to common Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks is difficult to cover.
[SET]
name: Utility (Fighting)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Thunder Wave / Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock chips Pokemon when they switch in and helps against Fire, Flying, and Bug teams, and Cobalion can set it easily with its high defenses. Taunt prevents foes from using status moves, crippling opposing walls, leads, and, most notably, Defoggers. For example, Taunt is crucial for keeping Stealth Rock in place in the matchup against Flying. Iron Head keeps Cobalion from being too passive while also hitting Fairy-type threats such as Mega Diancie and Clefable for heavy damage. Thunder Wave cripples fast threats and setup sweepers that Cobalion cannot threaten offensively, such as Latios. Volt Switch is an option over Thunder Wave as a way for Cobalion to generate momentum for the team and bring in teammates.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows Cobalion to outspeed most opposing entry hazard setters and walls, and full HP investment gives Cobalion the most bulk possible for tanking hits from both physical and special attackers. Leftovers gives Cobalion a bit more longevity with passive recovery. Justified is Cobalion's only ability, raising its Attack by one stage when hit with a Dark-type attack, which is unfortunately largely useless on Fighting teams.
Usage Tips
========
Cobalion should generally be used to lead and get Stealth Rock up as soon as possible to support the team. However, given its lack of recovery, it is crucial to preserve Cobalion carefully in matchups such as Dragon and Psychic where it is needed to check threats to the team, such as Latios. If Cobalion isn't needed to check a specific threat, its bulk and resistances can be used to switch into attacks liberally. Send Cobalion in against passive Defog users such as Mantine and Skarmory that it can Taunt and then set Stealth Rock against. Once Stealth Rock has been set, Thunder Wave can be spammed liberally to cripple foes. Iron Head and Thunder Wave can also be used together to paraflinch in a tight spot. Shutting down passive Pokemon such as Chansey and Ferrothorn with Taunt and pivoting out is a good way to bring teammates in safely. This is also important, since, even with Taunt, Cobalion will still typically lose to most walls one-on-one. Volt Switch is best used to pivot on predicted switches, since Cobalion's high Speed make it difficult to bring in teammates safely otherwise.
Team Options
========
Given Fighting's offensive nature, nearly every teammate of Cobalion benefits greatly from its capacity to set Stealth Rock dealing chip damage to their checks and counters. Revenge killers on Fighting teams, such as Choice Scarf Terrakion, Buzzwole, and Heracross, appreciate the chip damage dealt by Cobalion's Stealth Rock. In return, Terrakion can check the Fire-types that threaten Cobalion such as Victini and Volcarona. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Choice Band Infernape appreciate having foes chipped by Stealth Rock or slowed down by paralysis. Cobalion can also bring these Pokemon in safely against threats using Volt Switch. Setup sweepers such as Hawlucha, Mega Gallade, and Kommo-o benefit greatly from Cobalion's ablity to chip checks such as Skarmory with Stealth Rock or provide safe setup opportunities with Volt Switch. Hawlucha in particular appreciates having paralyzed enemies to set up Substitute and ideally Swords Dance on. Breloom is another wallbreaker, providing valuable offensive utility through access to strong priority and Spore, that appreciates Cobalion's ability to bring it in against threats. Breloom, in return, also helps enormously in the Water matchup where Cobalion struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
Cobalion can utilize more offensive sets that make use of Life Orb or Swords Dance to wallbreak or sweep. However, Cobalion's offensive stats are mediocre and other Fighting-types in the same Speed tier, such as Keldeo and Terrakion, perform this role better. Giving up Taunt also makes Cobalion much easier to deal with for walls, since, even with Life Orb, Cobalion lacks the strength to break defensive Pokemon. Cobalion can also utilize a damage-reducing Berry instead of Leftovers to let it check and disable threats with Thunder Wave more easily. Occa Berry, for example, can be utilized to cripple Choice Scarf or Z-Celebrate Victini. Shuca Berry and Chople Berry can also be used to better manage specific threats. However, the sustained recovery from Leftovers is more useful across a wider range of matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Faster Taunt**: While Cobalion has enough Speed to outrun defensive entry hazard setters and leads, faster leads such as Aerodactyl, Crobat, and Deoxys-S can outspeed and Taunt it, preventing it from setting up Stealth Rock.
**Ground-types**: Cobalion struggles against bulky Ground-types such as Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Landorus, as most take little damage from its STAB moves, cannot be paralyzed with Thunder Wave, and easily threaten it in return with Ground-type STAB moves.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zapdos and Rotom-W resist Cobalion's STAB move and are immune to paralysis; they can force Cobalion to switch out and then pivot out with their own Volt Switch to generate momentum.
**Fire-types**: Cobalion cannot manage powerful STAB moves from Fire-types such as Victini, Blacephalon, and Infernape, which often outspeed Cobalion using Choice Scarf.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Big threats such as Tapu Koko, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Gallade can outspeed Cobalion and KO it.
**Mega Sableye**: Cobalion is hard walled by Mega Sableye, which takes little damage from any of Cobalion's attacks and bounces back Taunt, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock.
Fighting
========
With its high defenses and Speed, Cobalion serves as an excellent lead and defensive pivot for Fighting-type teams. Cobalion's good Speed tier and access to Taunt and Stealth Rock allow it to lead effectively against opposing entry hazard setters. Additionally, its Steel typing offers many valuable resistances and key neutralities to Fairy-, Psychic-, and Flying-type moves, giving Cobalion ample opportunities to switch into attacks and check Pokemon, such as Latios and Mega Diancie, that threaten Fighting teams. Cobalion's Steel-type STAB Iron Head is also an asset to Fighting-type teams, threatening the Fairy-type Pokemon they're weak to. However, Cobalion is generally passive with its mediocre offensive stats and can only threaten a lot of Pokemon with Thunder Wave. Cobalion's lack of recovery also hurts its longevity, making it difficult for it to switch into threats multiple times over the course of a battle. On a type with poor defensive synergy, Cobalion's weakness to common Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks is difficult to cover.
[SET]
name: Utility (Fighting)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Thunder Wave / Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock chips Pokemon when they switch in and helps against Fire, Flying, and Bug teams, and Cobalion can set it easily with its high defenses. Taunt prevents foes from using status moves, crippling opposing walls, leads, and, most notably, Defoggers. For example, Taunt is crucial for keeping Stealth Rock in place in the matchup against Flying. Iron Head keeps Cobalion from being too passive while also hitting Fairy-type threats such as Mega Diancie and Clefable for heavy damage. Thunder Wave cripples fast threats and setup sweepers that Cobalion cannot threaten offensively, such as Latios. Volt Switch is an option over Thunder Wave as a way for Cobalion to generate momentum for the team and bring in teammates.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows Cobalion to outspeed most opposing entry hazard setters and walls, and full HP investment gives Cobalion the most bulk possible for tanking hits from both physical and special attackers. Leftovers gives Cobalion a bit more longevity with passive recovery. Justified is Cobalion's only ability, raising its Attack by one stage when hit with a Dark-type attack, which is unfortunately largely useless on Fighting teams.
Usage Tips
========
Cobalion should generally be used to lead and get Stealth Rock up as soon as possible to support the team. However, given its lack of recovery, it is crucial to preserve Cobalion carefully in matchups such as Dragon and Psychic where it is needed to check threats to the team, such as Latios. If Cobalion isn't needed to check a specific threat, its bulk and resistances can be used to switch into attacks liberally. Send Cobalion in against passive Defog users such as Mantine and Skarmory that it can Taunt and then set Stealth Rock against. Once Stealth Rock has been set, Thunder Wave can be spammed liberally to cripple foes. Iron Head and Thunder Wave can also be used together to paraflinch in a tight spot. Shutting down passive Pokemon such as Chansey and Ferrothorn with Taunt and pivoting out is a good way to bring teammates in safely. This is also important, since, even with Taunt, Cobalion will still typically lose to most walls one-on-one. Volt Switch is best used to pivot on predicted switches, since Cobalion's high Speed make it difficult to bring in teammates safely otherwise.
Team Options
========
Given Fighting's offensive nature, nearly every teammate of Cobalion benefits greatly from its capacity to set Stealth Rock dealing chip damage to their checks and counters. Revenge killers on Fighting teams, such as Choice Scarf Terrakion, Buzzwole, and Heracross, appreciate the chip damage dealt by Cobalion's Stealth Rock. In return, Terrakion can check the Fire-types that threaten Cobalion such as Victini and Volcarona. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Choice Band Infernape appreciate having foes chipped by Stealth Rock or slowed down by paralysis. Cobalion can also bring these Pokemon in safely against threats using Volt Switch. Setup sweepers such as Hawlucha, Mega Gallade, and Kommo-o benefit greatly from Cobalion's ablity to chip checks such as Skarmory with Stealth Rock or provide safe setup opportunities with Volt Switch. Hawlucha in particular appreciates having paralyzed enemies to set up Substitute and ideally Swords Dance on. Breloom is another wallbreaker, providing valuable offensive utility through access to strong priority and Spore, that appreciates Cobalion's ability to bring it in against threats. Breloom, in return, also helps enormously in the Water matchup where Cobalion struggles.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
Cobalion can utilize more offensive sets that make use of Life Orb or Swords Dance to wallbreak or sweep. However, Cobalion's offensive stats are mediocre and other Fighting-types in the same Speed tier, such as Keldeo and Terrakion, perform this role better. Giving up Taunt also makes Cobalion much easier to deal with for walls, since, even with Life Orb, Cobalion lacks the strength to break defensive Pokemon. Cobalion can also utilize a damage-reducing Berry instead of Leftovers to let it check and disable threats with Thunder Wave more easily. Occa Berry, for example, can be utilized to cripple Choice Scarf or Z-Celebrate Victini. Shuca Berry and Chople Berry can also be used to better manage specific threats. However, the sustained recovery from Leftovers is more useful across a wider range of matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Faster Taunt**: While Cobalion has enough Speed to outrun defensive entry hazard setters and leads, faster leads such as Aerodactyl, Crobat, and Deoxys-S can outspeed and Taunt it, preventing it from setting up Stealth Rock.
**Ground-types**: Cobalion struggles against bulky Ground-types such as Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Landorus, as most take little damage from its STAB moves, cannot be paralyzed with Thunder Wave, and easily threaten it in return with Ground-type STAB moves.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types such as Zapdos and Rotom-W resist Cobalion's STAB move and are immune to paralysis; they can force Cobalion to switch out and then pivot out with their own Volt Switch to generate momentum.
**Fire-types**: Cobalion cannot manage powerful STAB moves from Fire-types such as Victini, Blacephalon, and Infernape, which often outspeed Cobalion using Choice Scarf.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Big threats such as Tapu Koko, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Gallade can outspeed Cobalion and KO it.
**Mega Sableye**: Cobalion is hard walled by Mega Sableye, which takes little damage from any of Cobalion's attacks and bounces back Taunt, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock.
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