[OVERVIEW]
Diancie has excellent natural bulk and a solid defensive typing that allows it to be a good defensive check to common pokemon that are otherwise hard to check such as Swellow, Honchkrow and Salazzle. In addition to this, it has access to useful utility options such as Heal Bell and Stealth Rock. It also has two excellent STABs in Diamond Storm and Moonblast, and the former is even better in generation 7 because it now raises defense by 2 stages instead of 1. However, Diancie is held back by its lack of recovery outside of Z-Heal Bell and Leftovers, so it is easily worn down. In addition, it is Weak to common types such as Water, Grass, and Steel. The Steel weakness is particularly crippling, because Steel-type coverage is often seen on Pokemon it would be able to check such as Sneasel and Kommo-o. Finally, it faces competition from Rhyperior and Gigalith as a bulky Rock-Type, because the former has more physical bulk, and more of an offensive presence, and the latter has better mixed bulk thanks to Sand Stream and provides sandstorm for Stoutland. However, Diancie definitely has a niche over those two, namely its fairy typing which allows it to handle threats like Honchkrow, and Heal Bell.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Diamond Storm
move 3: Moonblast
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Leftovers / Normalium Z
ability: Clear Body
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is near mandatory on every team, and Diancie's bulk allows it to get them up fairly consistently. Diamond Storm is the primary STAB move with an excellent 50% chance to raise Diancie's Defense by 2 stages, which allows it to tank physical hits easily. Moonblast is Diancie's secondary STAB, and it hits Pokémon such as Kommo-o super effectively. Both STABs are extremely spammable because of their high accuracy and positive secondary effects. Heal Bell Allows Diancie to act as a cleric. If used with a normalium Z, it gives Diancie a one-time full heal.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs maximise mixed bulk, and 64 Defense allows diancie to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Heracross close combat if running normalium Z, and 192 EVs and a Sassy nature are used to more reliably check the likes of Swellow. Alternatively, 152 Defense EVs can be used to survive Sharpedo's Waterfall after Stealth Rock. Leftovers provide passive recovery, whereas a normalium Z provides a one time full heal.
Usage Tips
========
Because of its excellent bulk, it should be switched-in to pokemon it checks like Swellow and Rotom-H, however, Diancie is prone to being worn down. Diancie should use Stealth Rock or Heal Bell when it comes in on a Pokemon it forces out. Z-Heal Bell allows Diancie to switch in to the Pokémon it checks multiple times more easily, although it comes at the cost of passive recovery. Generally, it is best used when Diancie has been fairly weakened.
Team Options
========
Wish support is extremely useful, because it doesn't have recovery of its own, and its HP stat it low so wishes will restore a lot of its HP. Notable users of the move include Umbreon and Vaporeon. In terms of its own use as a cleric, Pokemon vunerable to status, such as Flygon and Pykumuku, appreciate it being able to use Heal Bell. Nidoqueen is a particularly good partner, because it deals a with steel types with Earth Power, Grass-types with Ice Beam or Sludge Wave and Water-types with Thunderbolt. It also provides Toxic Spikes which allows Diancie to get more chip damage. Diancie is a good partner for Reuniclus, because it switches in on the Dark-types that threaten it. Grass-types like Roserade, Shaymin and Chesnaught deal with Water-types, Ground-types, and the latter two can stack hazards with their spikes. Water-types like Milotic and Mantine deal with ground types like Gligar and to a lesser extent Steel-types. Most also appreciate Heal Bell support due to most of them being crippled by status. However, they stack a Grass weakness.
[STRATGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Offensive Trick Room is usable thanks to its wide coverage and low speed, but base 100 in each offensive stat is extremely mediocre. Calm Mind is another setup move, but it's outclassed by Reuniclus, because it has better Special Attack, reliable recovery, and is immune to status. Diancie could use Toxic, but it isn't as useful as its other moves. A more Offensive Stealth Rock set with a Shuca Berry and the moves Stealth Rock, Earth Power (to hit Nidoqueen and Steel-types), Moonblast and Diamond Storm is an option because it has a surprise factor and it allows Diancie to beat Flygon, Donphan and Nidoqueen but it comes at the cost of defensive utility.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel types like Bronzong, Doublade and Escavalier resist both of Diancie's STAB moves, and OHKO it with their STAB moves, or in Bronzong and Registeel's case, completely wall it.
**Water-types**: Water types like Slowking and Milotic don't take much from either of its STABs, and can KO it with their STAB moves.
**Grass-Types** Diancie is weak to grass type moves, and can't really threaten them. Common grass types include Shaymin, Roserade and Venusaur.
**Nidoqueen** Nidoqueen resists Diamond Storm and Moonblast, and threatens Diancie with Earth Power.
Diancie has excellent natural bulk and a solid defensive typing that allows it to be a good defensive check to common pokemon that are otherwise hard to check such as Swellow, Honchkrow and Salazzle. In addition to this, it has access to useful utility options such as Heal Bell and Stealth Rock. It also has two excellent STABs in Diamond Storm and Moonblast, and the former is even better in generation 7 because it now raises defense by 2 stages instead of 1. However, Diancie is held back by its lack of recovery outside of Z-Heal Bell and Leftovers, so it is easily worn down. In addition, it is Weak to common types such as Water, Grass, and Steel. The Steel weakness is particularly crippling, because Steel-type coverage is often seen on Pokemon it would be able to check such as Sneasel and Kommo-o. Finally, it faces competition from Rhyperior and Gigalith as a bulky Rock-Type, because the former has more physical bulk, and more of an offensive presence, and the latter has better mixed bulk thanks to Sand Stream and provides sandstorm for Stoutland. However, Diancie definitely has a niche over those two, namely its fairy typing which allows it to handle threats like Honchkrow, and Heal Bell.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Diamond Storm
move 3: Moonblast
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Leftovers / Normalium Z
ability: Clear Body
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is near mandatory on every team, and Diancie's bulk allows it to get them up fairly consistently. Diamond Storm is the primary STAB move with an excellent 50% chance to raise Diancie's Defense by 2 stages, which allows it to tank physical hits easily. Moonblast is Diancie's secondary STAB, and it hits Pokémon such as Kommo-o super effectively. Both STABs are extremely spammable because of their high accuracy and positive secondary effects. Heal Bell Allows Diancie to act as a cleric. If used with a normalium Z, it gives Diancie a one-time full heal.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs maximise mixed bulk, and 64 Defense allows diancie to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Heracross close combat if running normalium Z, and 192 EVs and a Sassy nature are used to more reliably check the likes of Swellow. Alternatively, 152 Defense EVs can be used to survive Sharpedo's Waterfall after Stealth Rock. Leftovers provide passive recovery, whereas a normalium Z provides a one time full heal.
Usage Tips
========
Because of its excellent bulk, it should be switched-in to pokemon it checks like Swellow and Rotom-H, however, Diancie is prone to being worn down. Diancie should use Stealth Rock or Heal Bell when it comes in on a Pokemon it forces out. Z-Heal Bell allows Diancie to switch in to the Pokémon it checks multiple times more easily, although it comes at the cost of passive recovery. Generally, it is best used when Diancie has been fairly weakened.
Team Options
========
Wish support is extremely useful, because it doesn't have recovery of its own, and its HP stat it low so wishes will restore a lot of its HP. Notable users of the move include Umbreon and Vaporeon. In terms of its own use as a cleric, Pokemon vunerable to status, such as Flygon and Pykumuku, appreciate it being able to use Heal Bell. Nidoqueen is a particularly good partner, because it deals a with steel types with Earth Power, Grass-types with Ice Beam or Sludge Wave and Water-types with Thunderbolt. It also provides Toxic Spikes which allows Diancie to get more chip damage. Diancie is a good partner for Reuniclus, because it switches in on the Dark-types that threaten it. Grass-types like Roserade, Shaymin and Chesnaught deal with Water-types, Ground-types, and the latter two can stack hazards with their spikes. Water-types like Milotic and Mantine deal with ground types like Gligar and to a lesser extent Steel-types. Most also appreciate Heal Bell support due to most of them being crippled by status. However, they stack a Grass weakness.
[STRATGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Offensive Trick Room is usable thanks to its wide coverage and low speed, but base 100 in each offensive stat is extremely mediocre. Calm Mind is another setup move, but it's outclassed by Reuniclus, because it has better Special Attack, reliable recovery, and is immune to status. Diancie could use Toxic, but it isn't as useful as its other moves. A more Offensive Stealth Rock set with a Shuca Berry and the moves Stealth Rock, Earth Power (to hit Nidoqueen and Steel-types), Moonblast and Diamond Storm is an option because it has a surprise factor and it allows Diancie to beat Flygon, Donphan and Nidoqueen but it comes at the cost of defensive utility.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel types like Bronzong, Doublade and Escavalier resist both of Diancie's STAB moves, and OHKO it with their STAB moves, or in Bronzong and Registeel's case, completely wall it.
**Water-types**: Water types like Slowking and Milotic don't take much from either of its STABs, and can KO it with their STAB moves.
**Grass-Types** Diancie is weak to grass type moves, and can't really threaten them. Common grass types include Shaymin, Roserade and Venusaur.
**Nidoqueen** Nidoqueen resists Diamond Storm and Moonblast, and threatens Diancie with Earth Power.
Last edited:
