fly me to the moon...
[OVERVIEW]
Drifblim is an uncommon threat that can make good use of Unburden and its varied movepool to disrupt opposing teams. STAB Acrobatics, Hex, and Will-O-Wisp make it very hard to wall completely, as common Flying-resistant Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon are crippled by Will-O-Wisp and Hex while most specially defensive targets such as Skuntank, Magmortar, and Hariyama dislike taking a boosted Acrobatics. Combined with incredible Speed once Unburden has triggered and a solid range of resistances and immunities, Drifblim can cause a lot of trouble for unprepared teams once it enters battle safely. However, despite its strong moves, Drifblim lacks the power of other cleaners like Tauros and Archeops, which is further emphasized by its need to split its offensive investment and by both of its attacking moves having conditions for maximum power. It's also very difficult to hit a good middle ground between giving Acrobatics good cleaning power and Hex good wallbreaking power, meaning Drifblim often comes up short without heavy entry hazard support. Drifblim also struggles against most special attackers due to Will-O-Wisp not crippling them while still being necessary to use a strong Hex against them, especially if they have the Defense to take Acrobatics. Furthermore, its multiple type weaknesses combined with its low uninvested defensive stats make it hard to use defensively and make it difficult to preserve its Substitutes for long. Finally, while Unburden is useful and gives Drifblim a solid niche, it also allows only one chance to sweep during a match, so Drifblim can be dealt with easily if it tries to sweep early and gets forced out by a priority attack user.
[SET]
name: Mixed Offensive
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Hex
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Rash
evs: 88 Atk / 240 SpA / 180 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute lets Drifblim block Sucker Punch and status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, making it easier to disrupt foes consistently, while also letting it lower its own HP into Sitrus Berry's activation range after Stealth Rock so that it can trigger Unburden on its own. Acrobatics is a powerful physical STAB attack for Drifblim to use after Unburden is triggered, giving Drifblim good matchups against Grass-, Bug-, and Fighting-types such as Lilligant, Vivillon, and Guts Hariyama, particularly special attackers that don't mind Will-O-Wisp. It also lets Drifblim hit Normal-types directly and hits most Fire-types that can absorb Will-O-Wisp for good damage, such as Pyroar and Magmortar. Will-O-Wisp lets Drifblim cripple physical attackers that it can sometimes switch into, such as Rhydon and Primeape, as well as Choice item users in general that are locked into a resisted move or one that Drifblim is immune to, and it boosts Hex to ridiculous power levels. It also helps Drifblim set up Substitutes more easily against weak physical attackers. Hex is an extremely powerful special attack against foes inflicted with status and has excellent neutral coverage in general, especially with Acrobatics. Most physically defensive Pokemon that can take an Acrobatics, such as Aggron and Steelix, strongly dislike taking a full-powered Hex.
Set Details
========
Unburden allows Drifblim to double its Speed and become a threat. 176 Speed EVs let Drifblim outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Samurott, maximum Speed Hasty Abomasnow, and many other Pokemon that hang around that Speed tier before an Unburden boost, as well as outspeeding Modest Ludicolo in rain, Choice Scarf Jynx, and Choice Scarf Primeape after Unburden activates. Investing more Speed EVs to outspeed Skuntank lets Drifblim burn it before it can Taunt back, but underspeeding means that Pursuit can trigger Unburden and let Drifblim get an extra boosted Acrobatics off, potentially letting it break through Skuntank depending on Sucker Punch mind games. The Attack investment guarantees that Acrobatics 2HKOes standard Skuntank after Stealth Rock damage while ensuring OHKOs against super effective targets such as Lilligant and Shiftry. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack alongside a Rash nature to boost Hex's power; a Rash nature is generally preferred so that Drifblim can take the occasional priority attack better, but a Mild nature prevents its Substitutes from being broken by defensive Vileplume. Alternative EV spreads can be used to make Acrobatics a more potent cleaning tool; 216 Attack EVs ensure the 2HKO on Skuntank without Stealth Rock support, while 176 Attack EVs and a Naughty or Lonely nature let Drifblim OHKO standard Hariyama after Stealth Rock damage, but these spreads make Hex considerably weaker against targets such as specially defensive Rhydon. 30 HP IVs give Drifblim a stat of 440, which is divisible by 4 so that it's at exactly 50% when it uses Substitute after taking Stealth Rock damage, triggering Unburden automatically. Sitrus Berry is the item of choice because it lets Drifblim trigger Unburden on its own and provides Drifblim with an extra opportunity to use Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
Drifblim should be preserved until the late-game, when checks such as Mega Audino and Aurorus have been removed by teammates and Drifblim can break through the remaining defensive foes. Drifblim only gets one opportunity to sweep in a match, so don't waste it too early. Additionally, Drifblim's Acrobatics is powerful enough to OHKO targets it hits super effectively, but it will need extra residual damage on neutral targets to clean effectively. Drifblim should enter battle against an initially slower foe that it can switch into and use Will-O-Wisp or Substitute freely against, such as Vileplume, Weezing, or Garbodor, so that it can set up a sweep more easily. Will-O-Wisp and Hex should be used to break down threats until Drifblim's Substitute is broken, at which point it should keep using Substitute until Unburden triggers and it can sweep and use Acrobatics effectively. Drifblim can also switch into Choice item users such as Primeape if you predict an attack that it is immune to, guaranteeing Drifblim can set up a Substitute the following turn. In some cases it may be worth it to let the opponent set up Stealth Rock or avoid removing it with your own entry hazard controller so that Drifblim can trigger Unburden automatically upon switching into it, letting it revenge kill targets such as Speed-boosted Lilligant, Vivillon, and Ludicolo with Acrobatics. While Drifblim's Ghost typing lets it block Rapid Spin, it shouldn't be relied on for this due to its low defensive stats and multiple weaknesses to coverage moves such as Hitmonchan's Ice Punch and Kabutops's Stone Edge.
Team Options
========
Toxic Spikes support lets Drifblim hit targets with Hex for heavy damage, letting it sweep more reliably in the late-game by not having to burn weakened targets such as Rhydon and Steelix first to OHKO them with Hex. Garbodor and Weezing can set these entry hazards reliably while also setting Spikes and spreading burns with Will-O-Wisp, respectively, to complement Drifblim's sweep. Additional cleaners such as Swellow and Tauros can take advantage of the holes Drifblim can break in offensive teams due to its disruptive capabilities and excellent speed after Unburden triggers. They can also soften up Rock- and Steel-types such as Aggron and Steelix with their coverage moves, or less sturdy foes such as Aurorus and Kabutops with repeated attacks, helping Drifblim sweep later instead if required. Wallbreakers such as Life Orb Magmortar and Choice Specs Aurorus can break down bulky specially offensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino that can otherwise tank Acrobatics with ease and aren't particularly bothered by Will-O-Wisp. Slow pivots such as Mesprit and Lanturn can use U-turn and Volt Switch to bring Drifblim into foes safely, mitigating its poor defensive stats and letting it set up more consistently. They can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster threats that resist Acrobatics, such as Archeops, so that they can be easily KOed with Hex. Musharna can similarly provide paralysis support and a slow Baton Pass or, alternatively, pass Calm Mind boosts to Drifblim to ensure an easier sweep. A second Ghost-type can also be somewhat useful for spinblocking and preserving entry hazards, relieving pressure from Drifblim to fill this role and letting it sweep more consistently while potentially overwhelming the opponent's Ghost-type checks with repeated Hexes. Rotom and Mismagius are good candidates for this due to their decent bulk, offensive power, and utility in coverage moves such as Trick, Thunder Wave, and Memento.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drifblim can run a physically based Unburden set with an EV spread of 252 Atk / 76 Def / 180 Spe and an Adamant nature, using either a physical coverage move such as Knock Off or a support move such as Destiny Bond or Disable. This can provide Drifblim with additional utility and some extra defense against priority attacks such as Samurott's Aqua Jet, but this also makes it significantly easier to wall. Destiny Bond can usually net a KO after Unburden is activated and is difficult for the opponent to play around if they lack a status user or a faster Choice Scarf user such as Pyroar. Disable is a good choice on Drifblim due to its multiple immunities and resistances, which mean that many dangerous Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon can be completely walled once their super effective attack is Disabled. This lets Drifblim inflict free burns or set up Substitutes with ease. However, both of these options use up a valuable moveslot and can make sweeping more difficult overall. Different items can be used with Unburden, with Colbur Berry letting Drifblim actually switch into Knock Offs to activate Unburden, luring in usual checks such as Shiftry and Liepard and crippling them with Will-O-Wisp or Disable. A Liechi or Petaya Berry can be used to give Drifblim a surprise power boost, making Drifblim's health situation more precarious but potentially securing a sweep under the right conditions. However, Sitrus Berry is generally more reliable than these options, as it can be triggered reliably regardless of the opponent's actions. Defensive investment can be used on these sets to help Drifblim avoid being OHKOed before it can sweep. While Drifblim can also run specially based Unburden sets and defensive sets, these are usually not consistent enough to warrant using over the given options.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Offensive Pokemon**: Specially based attackers, particularly Fire-types such as Pyroar and Charizard, aren't too bothered by Will-O-Wisp and force Drifblim to either trigger Unburden and Acrobatics early to deal with them effectively or use Will-O-Wisp against a non-Fire-type and tank a hit in the process. Assault Vest Lanturn can stop a sweep outright due to its resistance to Acrobatics and ability to take a boosted Hex with ease. Floatzel is also immune to Will-O-Wisp if it runs Water Veil and thus won't take boosted Hex damage. Aurorus resists Acrobatics and can bypass Drifblim's Substitute with Refrigerate Hyper Voice.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Drifblim struggles to deal with faster attackers such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, Jynx, and Scyther, but they can only force it out if it hasn't been able to trigger Unburden or set up a Substitute to block them yet. Maintaining offensive pressure with these Pokemon can deny Drifblim opportunities from entering battle safely until it's too late for it to make a difference. Priority attackers such as Kabutops and Piloswine can also inflict heavy damage if Drifblim is left without a Substitute for some reason, although Sucker Punch users have to watch out for Substitute and Will-O-Wisp.
**Normal-type Pokemon**: Normal-type Pokemon are immune to Drifblim's strongest attack, and they can usually take an Acrobatics or Will-O-Wisp and hit back if necessary. Mega Audino is particularly threatening, as it can set up against Drifblim without much worry and can take repeated Acrobatics without issue. Pyroar is also immune to Will-O-Wisp and can take a single boosted Acrobatics if need be, while Swellow can bypass Drifblim's Substitute altogether with Scrappy Boomburst.
[OVERVIEW]
Drifblim is an uncommon threat that can make good use of Unburden and its varied movepool to disrupt opposing teams. STAB Acrobatics, Hex, and Will-O-Wisp make it very hard to wall completely, as common Flying-resistant Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon are crippled by Will-O-Wisp and Hex while most specially defensive targets such as Skuntank, Magmortar, and Hariyama dislike taking a boosted Acrobatics. Combined with incredible Speed once Unburden has triggered and a solid range of resistances and immunities, Drifblim can cause a lot of trouble for unprepared teams once it enters battle safely. However, despite its strong moves, Drifblim lacks the power of other cleaners like Tauros and Archeops, which is further emphasized by its need to split its offensive investment and by both of its attacking moves having conditions for maximum power. It's also very difficult to hit a good middle ground between giving Acrobatics good cleaning power and Hex good wallbreaking power, meaning Drifblim often comes up short without heavy entry hazard support. Drifblim also struggles against most special attackers due to Will-O-Wisp not crippling them while still being necessary to use a strong Hex against them, especially if they have the Defense to take Acrobatics. Furthermore, its multiple type weaknesses combined with its low uninvested defensive stats make it hard to use defensively and make it difficult to preserve its Substitutes for long. Finally, while Unburden is useful and gives Drifblim a solid niche, it also allows only one chance to sweep during a match, so Drifblim can be dealt with easily if it tries to sweep early and gets forced out by a priority attack user.
[SET]
name: Mixed Offensive
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Hex
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Rash
evs: 88 Atk / 240 SpA / 180 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute lets Drifblim block Sucker Punch and status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, making it easier to disrupt foes consistently, while also letting it lower its own HP into Sitrus Berry's activation range after Stealth Rock so that it can trigger Unburden on its own. Acrobatics is a powerful physical STAB attack for Drifblim to use after Unburden is triggered, giving Drifblim good matchups against Grass-, Bug-, and Fighting-types such as Lilligant, Vivillon, and Guts Hariyama, particularly special attackers that don't mind Will-O-Wisp. It also lets Drifblim hit Normal-types directly and hits most Fire-types that can absorb Will-O-Wisp for good damage, such as Pyroar and Magmortar. Will-O-Wisp lets Drifblim cripple physical attackers that it can sometimes switch into, such as Rhydon and Primeape, as well as Choice item users in general that are locked into a resisted move or one that Drifblim is immune to, and it boosts Hex to ridiculous power levels. It also helps Drifblim set up Substitutes more easily against weak physical attackers. Hex is an extremely powerful special attack against foes inflicted with status and has excellent neutral coverage in general, especially with Acrobatics. Most physically defensive Pokemon that can take an Acrobatics, such as Aggron and Steelix, strongly dislike taking a full-powered Hex.
Set Details
========
Unburden allows Drifblim to double its Speed and become a threat. 176 Speed EVs let Drifblim outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Samurott, maximum Speed Hasty Abomasnow, and many other Pokemon that hang around that Speed tier before an Unburden boost, as well as outspeeding Modest Ludicolo in rain, Choice Scarf Jynx, and Choice Scarf Primeape after Unburden activates. Investing more Speed EVs to outspeed Skuntank lets Drifblim burn it before it can Taunt back, but underspeeding means that Pursuit can trigger Unburden and let Drifblim get an extra boosted Acrobatics off, potentially letting it break through Skuntank depending on Sucker Punch mind games. The Attack investment guarantees that Acrobatics 2HKOes standard Skuntank after Stealth Rock damage while ensuring OHKOs against super effective targets such as Lilligant and Shiftry. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack alongside a Rash nature to boost Hex's power; a Rash nature is generally preferred so that Drifblim can take the occasional priority attack better, but a Mild nature prevents its Substitutes from being broken by defensive Vileplume. Alternative EV spreads can be used to make Acrobatics a more potent cleaning tool; 216 Attack EVs ensure the 2HKO on Skuntank without Stealth Rock support, while 176 Attack EVs and a Naughty or Lonely nature let Drifblim OHKO standard Hariyama after Stealth Rock damage, but these spreads make Hex considerably weaker against targets such as specially defensive Rhydon. 30 HP IVs give Drifblim a stat of 440, which is divisible by 4 so that it's at exactly 50% when it uses Substitute after taking Stealth Rock damage, triggering Unburden automatically. Sitrus Berry is the item of choice because it lets Drifblim trigger Unburden on its own and provides Drifblim with an extra opportunity to use Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
Drifblim should be preserved until the late-game, when checks such as Mega Audino and Aurorus have been removed by teammates and Drifblim can break through the remaining defensive foes. Drifblim only gets one opportunity to sweep in a match, so don't waste it too early. Additionally, Drifblim's Acrobatics is powerful enough to OHKO targets it hits super effectively, but it will need extra residual damage on neutral targets to clean effectively. Drifblim should enter battle against an initially slower foe that it can switch into and use Will-O-Wisp or Substitute freely against, such as Vileplume, Weezing, or Garbodor, so that it can set up a sweep more easily. Will-O-Wisp and Hex should be used to break down threats until Drifblim's Substitute is broken, at which point it should keep using Substitute until Unburden triggers and it can sweep and use Acrobatics effectively. Drifblim can also switch into Choice item users such as Primeape if you predict an attack that it is immune to, guaranteeing Drifblim can set up a Substitute the following turn. In some cases it may be worth it to let the opponent set up Stealth Rock or avoid removing it with your own entry hazard controller so that Drifblim can trigger Unburden automatically upon switching into it, letting it revenge kill targets such as Speed-boosted Lilligant, Vivillon, and Ludicolo with Acrobatics. While Drifblim's Ghost typing lets it block Rapid Spin, it shouldn't be relied on for this due to its low defensive stats and multiple weaknesses to coverage moves such as Hitmonchan's Ice Punch and Kabutops's Stone Edge.
Team Options
========
Toxic Spikes support lets Drifblim hit targets with Hex for heavy damage, letting it sweep more reliably in the late-game by not having to burn weakened targets such as Rhydon and Steelix first to OHKO them with Hex. Garbodor and Weezing can set these entry hazards reliably while also setting Spikes and spreading burns with Will-O-Wisp, respectively, to complement Drifblim's sweep. Additional cleaners such as Swellow and Tauros can take advantage of the holes Drifblim can break in offensive teams due to its disruptive capabilities and excellent speed after Unburden triggers. They can also soften up Rock- and Steel-types such as Aggron and Steelix with their coverage moves, or less sturdy foes such as Aurorus and Kabutops with repeated attacks, helping Drifblim sweep later instead if required. Wallbreakers such as Life Orb Magmortar and Choice Specs Aurorus can break down bulky specially offensive Pokemon such as Mega Audino that can otherwise tank Acrobatics with ease and aren't particularly bothered by Will-O-Wisp. Slow pivots such as Mesprit and Lanturn can use U-turn and Volt Switch to bring Drifblim into foes safely, mitigating its poor defensive stats and letting it set up more consistently. They can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster threats that resist Acrobatics, such as Archeops, so that they can be easily KOed with Hex. Musharna can similarly provide paralysis support and a slow Baton Pass or, alternatively, pass Calm Mind boosts to Drifblim to ensure an easier sweep. A second Ghost-type can also be somewhat useful for spinblocking and preserving entry hazards, relieving pressure from Drifblim to fill this role and letting it sweep more consistently while potentially overwhelming the opponent's Ghost-type checks with repeated Hexes. Rotom and Mismagius are good candidates for this due to their decent bulk, offensive power, and utility in coverage moves such as Trick, Thunder Wave, and Memento.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drifblim can run a physically based Unburden set with an EV spread of 252 Atk / 76 Def / 180 Spe and an Adamant nature, using either a physical coverage move such as Knock Off or a support move such as Destiny Bond or Disable. This can provide Drifblim with additional utility and some extra defense against priority attacks such as Samurott's Aqua Jet, but this also makes it significantly easier to wall. Destiny Bond can usually net a KO after Unburden is activated and is difficult for the opponent to play around if they lack a status user or a faster Choice Scarf user such as Pyroar. Disable is a good choice on Drifblim due to its multiple immunities and resistances, which mean that many dangerous Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon can be completely walled once their super effective attack is Disabled. This lets Drifblim inflict free burns or set up Substitutes with ease. However, both of these options use up a valuable moveslot and can make sweeping more difficult overall. Different items can be used with Unburden, with Colbur Berry letting Drifblim actually switch into Knock Offs to activate Unburden, luring in usual checks such as Shiftry and Liepard and crippling them with Will-O-Wisp or Disable. A Liechi or Petaya Berry can be used to give Drifblim a surprise power boost, making Drifblim's health situation more precarious but potentially securing a sweep under the right conditions. However, Sitrus Berry is generally more reliable than these options, as it can be triggered reliably regardless of the opponent's actions. Defensive investment can be used on these sets to help Drifblim avoid being OHKOed before it can sweep. While Drifblim can also run specially based Unburden sets and defensive sets, these are usually not consistent enough to warrant using over the given options.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Offensive Pokemon**: Specially based attackers, particularly Fire-types such as Pyroar and Charizard, aren't too bothered by Will-O-Wisp and force Drifblim to either trigger Unburden and Acrobatics early to deal with them effectively or use Will-O-Wisp against a non-Fire-type and tank a hit in the process. Assault Vest Lanturn can stop a sweep outright due to its resistance to Acrobatics and ability to take a boosted Hex with ease. Floatzel is also immune to Will-O-Wisp if it runs Water Veil and thus won't take boosted Hex damage. Aurorus resists Acrobatics and can bypass Drifblim's Substitute with Refrigerate Hyper Voice.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Drifblim struggles to deal with faster attackers such as Kangaskhan, Archeops, Jynx, and Scyther, but they can only force it out if it hasn't been able to trigger Unburden or set up a Substitute to block them yet. Maintaining offensive pressure with these Pokemon can deny Drifblim opportunities from entering battle safely until it's too late for it to make a difference. Priority attackers such as Kabutops and Piloswine can also inflict heavy damage if Drifblim is left without a Substitute for some reason, although Sucker Punch users have to watch out for Substitute and Will-O-Wisp.
**Normal-type Pokemon**: Normal-type Pokemon are immune to Drifblim's strongest attack, and they can usually take an Acrobatics or Will-O-Wisp and hit back if necessary. Mega Audino is particularly threatening, as it can set up against Drifblim without much worry and can take repeated Acrobatics without issue. Pyroar is also immune to Will-O-Wisp and can take a single boosted Acrobatics if need be, while Swellow can bypass Drifblim's Substitute altogether with Scrappy Boomburst.
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