Overview
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When holding its signature item Thick Club, Cubone reaches 28 Attack without a positive nature. This, paired up with its wide array of coverage, and its signature move Bonemerang, which allows Cubone to break through the opponent's Focus Sash, Substitute, and Sturdy, makes Cubone one of the strongest attackers in Little Cup. Cubone also has very good physical bulk without Eviolite. However, all these positive traits are balanced out because Cubone is very slow, doesn't have a very good ability, and it has low special bulk. Cubone also requires support from Sticky Web, Trick Room, or Baton Pass to work properly. Lastly, the presence of Knock Off heavily hinders Cubone's sweeping capabilities because it needs its item to truly shine. Regardless of all this, with a bit a bit of support, Cubone could become an excellent sweeper for your team.
Physical Attacker
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Name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Bonemerang
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Rock Slide / Thunder Punch
move 4: Fire Punch
Ability: Battle Armor
Item: Thick Club
EVs: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe
Nature: Jolly
Moves
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Bonemerang is Cubone's STAB move of choice, breaking Focus Sash, Substitute, and besting Sturdy + Berry Juice users. Also, because of the damage rolls in Little Cup, it hits harder than Earthquake. For example, a Cubone using Earthquake might deal 16 damage 50% of the time and 18 damage the other 50% of the time, whereas Bonemerang will deal consistent damage of 9, meaning you'll be getting 18 damage most of the time, unlike with Earthquake. Knock Off rids Cubone's checks and counters of their Eviolites, so they will have a harder time switching in a second time. Rock Slide keeps Flying-types such as Fletchling, Archen, and Vullaby in check, although Thunder Punch also does this. Both of these moves have their own benefits; for instance, Rock Slide can OHKO Larvesta, while Thunder Punch can OHKO Mantyke. Fire Punch is used to hit Grass-types such as Cottonee, Chespin, and Ferroseed.
Set Details
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The EV spread listed gives Cubone as high Attack as it can possibly have, hitting 28 Attack while holding Thick Club. The Defense EVs allow Cubone to take less damage from Fletchling's Acrobatics, so that Cubone can land a Thunder Punch or Rock Slide more consistently. The Speed EVs leave Cubone with 14 Speed, which means that while Sticky Web is active, Cubone will be able to outspeed the whole unboosted metagame. Cubone can also be used on Trick Room teams with a spread of 116 HP / 196 Atk / 76 Def / 116 SpD, a Brave Nature, and 0 Speed IVs. With this spread, Cubone can switch into attacks more often.
Usage Tips
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Cubone should avoid being hit by Knock Off, as it will instantly lose half of its sheer power. After Sticky Web is active, Cubone can be switched in on resisted hits or attacks it's immune to and begin to sweep. The big difference for teams using Cubone in Trick Room is that Cubone has limited turns to sweep; however, because it's bulkier, it's able to take strong attacks such as Abra's Psychic, Chinchou's Scald, Bunnelby's Return, and Corphish's Life Orb-boosted Aqua Jet. Due to this, Cubone is able to switch into most non-resisted hits and begin its sweep. Even without support from Sticky Web, Baton Pass, or Trick Room, it can often only switch into slow walls, but Cubone's power can force the opponent to switch out, allowing you to weaken their team.
Team Options
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Either Surskit or Spinarak would be the first partners to look at, as they're the best Sticky Web users in the metagame. Croagunk is able to beat Corphish and Carvanha, which threaten Cubone with Aqua Jet, making it a solid partner. Drilbur and Psychic-types such as Abra and Gothita can KO Koffing, which also poses a threat for Cubone. Baton Passers such as Torchic may be used as partners to pass Speed boosts to Cubone. Pokemon that spread paralysis around the opposing team, such as Cottonee and Porygon, allow Cubone to outspeed the opposing team later on. For Trick Room, bulky Trick Room users such as Porygon and Spritzee make for good partners, as they don't share a weakness with Cubone.
Other Options
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Substitute or Swords Dance can replace Fire Punch. The former allows Cubone to take an incoming Will-O-Wisp, or Sucker Punch from Pawniard, while the latter gives Cubone even more power, ensuring its switch-ins don't survive a hit. If you're using either of these two options, it's recommended that you use Rock Slide for the third move slot for better coverage, and that you don't use these with Trick Room Cubone, as they will waste one of your sweeping turns. Bone Rush can be used over Bonemerang if you wish to beat Sturdy + Berry Juice users completely, although 2-3 hits from Bone Rush are always going to be weaker than 2 hits from Bonemerang, leaving this option outclassed. Earthquake can replace Bonemerang if you wish to have more accuracy, although you will forgo your ability to break through Substitute, Focus Sash, and Sturdy. Double-Edge can be used in conjunction with the ability Rock Head, replacing Fire Punch for a solid 120 Base Power move; unfortunately, this option lacks coverage. Cubone can use Stealth Rock, but you're better off using Cubone's great power and coverage.
Checks & Counters
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**Koffing**: Koffing is immune to Cubone's STAB thanks to Levitate and can cripple Cubone with Will-O-Wisp.
**Knock Off**: If Cubone gets hit by Knock Off, it will lose its item, and thus its boosted Attack stat.
**Aqua Jet Users**: Aqua Jet from Life Orb Corphish can OHKO Cubone. Carvanha doesn't OHKO with Aqua Jet, but instead it can use Protect to nullify the Speed drop from Sticky Web and KO Cubone. Offensive Tirtouga can 2HKO with Aqua Jet but Cubone's use of Bonemerang means Tirtouga's going to be left at 1 HP after that, especially because +2 Aqua Jet only has a 6.3% chance to OHKO.
**Strong Flying-types**: Even though they can't switch in relatively safely because of Cubone's coverage, Flying-types can switch in without Sticky Web lowering their Speed. Doduo can do a number on Cubone with a Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird. Choice Specs Taillow can also take down Cubone with Boomburst.
**Choice Scarf Users**: One of the biggest unexpected threats to Cubone is Choice Scarf Chinchou, which outspeeds and OHKOes Cubone with its Water-type STAB moves, even if Sticky Web is active. Choice Scarf Darumaka, Bunnelby, and Amaura can simply annihilate Cubone with their STAB moves.
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