[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Switcheroo
item: Choice Band
ability: Pickup
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Extreme Speed is Linoone's main attacking tool and STAB move, providing strong and reliable priority and making it harder to revenge kill by faster Pokemon such as Zebstrika and Simipour. Shadow Claw is used for coverage purposes, as it mainly allows Linoone to hit Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, which are immune to its STAB move and therefore commonly find themselves switching in on Linoone. Seed Bomb is used to provide even more coverage and make Linoone even harder to check or counter, as it allows Linoone to hit more Pokemon that resist Extreme Speed hard; Rock-types such as Barbaracle and Carracosta are common examples. Switcheroo is useful to cripple common Linoone checks and counters, such as Probopass and Misdreavus, as they all hate getting locked into a move, which limits their effectiveness.
Set Details
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252 Attack EVs along with an Adamant nature and Choice Band are used to let Linoone hit as hard as possible and deal good damage right off the bat, therefore allowing Linoone to work decently as a revenge killer and cleaner. Full Speed investment is also useful to outspeed troublesome Pokemon for Linoone, such as Misdreavus and Kingler, though most of the time Extreme Speed will deal with most offensive Pokemon that outpace it, such as Zebstrika and Floatzel. Pickup doesn't have a relevant purpose on a Choice Band set, but Gluttony has no use at all, and Pickup can at least be useful to have a chance to pick up a consumable item from foes if Linoone loses its Choice Band.
Usage Tips
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Linoone isn't supposed to tank moves due to its mediocre bulk, so it shouldn't be brought in directly and take unnecessary hits, especially against strong attackers, so bring it on the field after a teammate has been knocked out or via a slow Volt Switch or U-turn or by double switching. Extreme Speed should be the preferred move to spam most of the time, as it is Linoone's strongest attack, unless you're trying to catch off-guard a specific check with a coverage move. Extreme Speed, along with Choice Band, can also work as a tool to clean up offensive teams late-game, if foes have been brought in its KO range. Switcheroo should be used with caution, as Linoone may still need Choice Band to succeed, unless it already has achieved its goals and there's the possibility to cripple a foe, such as a special attacker. Be wary of status moves, such as Will-O-Wisp, as they can severely cut off Linoone's effectiveness and damage output throughout a game. Due to the Belly Drum set being threatening to most teams, the opponent will try not to switch against Linoone, fearing to give it a free setup opportunity, which can be used to Linoone's advantage by surprising them and crippling them with Switcheroo or attacking directly.
Team Options
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Entry hazard support is appreciated to weaken Linoone's checks and counters, especially Toxic Spikes, which works well even against defensively oriented teams, making entry hazards setters such as Golem and Roselia good partners. On the other hand, Linoone is frail and can't afford to run a recovery move, so entry hazard control can be useful to not let it get worn down easily. Defog users such as Pelipper are fine, but they can also be detrimental, as they also remove entry hazards on the opposing side of the field; therefore, Rapid Spin users such as Armaldo are usually the best way to go. Slow VoltTurn cores formed by Pokemon such as Probopass and Pelipper can be useful to pressure the opposing team while bringing Linoone in safely. Other Normal-types such as Stoutland and Ursaring can be really threatening along with Linoone, as they share nearly the same checks and counters and have a really high damage output, allowing them to create possibilities for Linoone to clean up; they also benefit from Linoone luring in Ghost-types and other Pokemon that resist Normal-type moves and disposing of them thanks to its decent coverage and access to Switcheroo. Pokemon that can deal with Ghost-types such as Misdreavus are good in tandem with Linoone, as they allow it to spam its STAB move, Extreme Speed, with more safety. Good examples of Pokemon that can deal with Ghost-types are Pursuit trappers such as Pawniard.
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