[OVERVIEW]
Excellent Special Attack and a good offensive movepool lend Omanyte its reputation as one of the best setup sweepers in LC, finding plenty of opportunities to boost with its numerous resistances and stellar physical bulk. In addition, Omanyte is not onedimensional, as it can also take advantage of said perks and its fantastic supportive movepool to completely reverse its role and lay entry hazards. Omanyte's main drawback is that its weaknesses are even more prominent than its resistances, meaning that it generally requires a great deal of support or else it will not last long. Its low Speed can also hinder it at times, although Shell Smash and Weak Armor help to remedy this.
[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Earth Power / Hidden Power Grass
item: Eviolite
ability: Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shell Smash boosts Omanyte's Speed and Special Attack to levels where it can sweep. Hydro Pump is the preferred STAB move to OHKO Timburr and bulky Mienfoo after a layer of Spikes, but Surf is a decent choice if perfect accuracy is preferred. Ice Beam hits Foongus and other Grass-types, as well as the odd Dragon-type. Earth Power deals with Chinchou, Croagunk, and Skrelp and is a more accurate option than Hydro Pump for Magnemite and Tirtouga. Alternatively, Hidden Power Grass is still strong enough to KO Berry Juice Chinchou and damages certain Water-types like Staryu more than Earth Power.
Set Details
========
The given EVs and nature maximize Omanyte's sweeping potential by making it as strong as possible and letting it hit 26 Speed after a single Shell Smash boost so that it can outspeed 17 Speed Choice Scarf users. The remaining EVs are put into HP to increase Omanyte's mixed bulk, and because Omanyte already hits Eviolite numbers, it does not need to invest in Defense or Special Defense. If Hidden Power Grass is run, the EVs should be adjusted to 36 Def / 200 SpA / 236 Spe to accommodate for the reduced IVs; this spread can also be used with Earth Power to survive certain attacks, such as Life Orb Diglett's Earthquake, from full health. Eviolite gives Omanyte the immediate bulk needed to easily set up. Shell Armor is slightly more useful than Swift Swim in a metagame where rain is almost nonexistent; Weak Armor is not recommended because it leaves Omanyte more vulnerable to physical priority moves.
Usage Tips
========
Given that Omanyte is best used as a dedicated sweeper, it is recommended to wait until its checks are KOed or adequately weakened before attempting to set up on a Pokemon that is unable to significantly hurt Omanyte. Flying- and Fire-types such as Fletchling and Ponyta are examples of Pokemon that Omanyte can set up on, but this list increases dramatically if Omanyte is used alongside Memento support. Once Omanyte has set up, sweeping is quite straightforward.
Team Options
========
Entry hazards are appreciated to break Sturdy and let Omanyte get key KOs; in particular, a single layer of Spikes weakens Fighting-types enough for Hydro Pump to OHKO them. Knock Off users such as Mienfoo and Archen can cripple extremely bulky Pokemon like Spritzee and Porygon. Hidden Power Fire Gothita is an especially notable partner because it traps troublesome Pokemon like Croagunk and Ferroseed; it can also remove Abra's Focus Sash. Memento and Parting Shot users make it easier for Omanyte to set up. Cottonee is able to provide both Knock Off and Memento support and has good defensive synergy with Omanyte by resisting Fighting-, Grass-, Electric-, and Ground-type attacks that threaten Omanyte while Omanyte sets up on Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, and Poison-type attacks aimed at Cottonee.
[SET]
name: Entry Hazard Setter
move 1: Spikes / Stealth Rock
move 2: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Toxic Spikes / Stealth Rock / Ice Beam
item: Eviolite
ability: Weak Armor
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Omanyte finds plenty of opportunities to set up entry hazards thanks to its combination of stats, typing, and movepool. Spikes is the primary choice due to its relatively low distribution, but Stealth Rock is a good choice if it cannot be fit on another teammate. Hydro Pump differentiates Omanyte from other Spikes users by granting it a great deal of offensive presence, as well as a fantastic matchup against most common leads. Scald lacks Hydro Pump's raw power needed to get the KO on fast Mienfoo in conjunction with Knock Off, but it is more reliable against targets like Dwebble and Archen and carries a handy burn chance. Knock Off lets Omanyte get through SturdyJuice users and fast Mienfoo and cripples Pokemon that don't mind Hydro Pump. Toxic Spikes is generally not as useful as other entry hazards except for specific team compositions, but Omanyte finds a niche as the only reasonably viable non-Poison-type in LC to learn it. Ice Beam damages Foongus and other Grass-types and hits Defog Vullaby harder than Hydro Pump.
Set Details
========
The given EVs and nature allow Omanyte to pose as a significant threat to foes trying to remove its entry hazards and outspeed Diglett after a Weak Armor boost. Weak Armor takes advantage of Omanyte's good bulk and decent typing to survive one physical attack and then outspeed the entire unboosted metagame to make another move. Eviolite is preferred over Focus Sash and other alternatives, as Omanyte is able to survive attacks like defensive Mienfoo's High Jump Kick and Jolly Eviolite Drilbur's Earthquake from full health, and the added bulk lets Omanyte act as a utility check later in the match.
Usage Tips
========
Although Omanyte can be used as a lead, it doesn't have to be immediately discarded after setting up entry hazards like a suicide lead, as it has utility as a Flying- and Fire-type check. When facing Mienfoo, use Knock Off first; if Mienfoo is faster than Omanyte, this means that it is the frail 12 SpD variant, which Omanyte can then KO with Hydro Pump. Make sure to use Knock Off first against SturdyJuice users such as Dwebble and Onix to simultaneously break Sturdy and remove Berry Juice, which will allow Omanyte to promptly KO them with Hydro Pump. Take advantage of smart switches to activate Weak Armor and set up entry hazards against faster teams.
Team Options
========
This Omanyte variant fits best on more offensive teams because it tends to be worn down quite early in the match. Teammates that appreciate a reliable entry hazard setter will enjoy having Omanyte as a teammate; Water-type sweepers such as Carvanha and Corphish also appreciate Omanyte being able to remove many of their checks' items. Spinblockers and methods to deter Defog are important to ensure that Omanyte's efforts do not go to waste; examples of these include Drifloon, Pawniard, and Taunt users such as Mienfoo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed Shell Smash set with Rock Blast to get around Abra is quite effective; the EV spread for this set should be 116 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpA / 156 Spe with either a Naive or Rash nature to KO Abra with two Rock Blast hits. The nature is dependent on whether raw power or the ability to outspeed 16 and 17 Speed Choice Scarf users is preferred. A bulky entry hazard setter generally is not worth using due to Omanyte's prominent weaknesses and lack of recovery outside of Rest. Hidden Power Fire lets Omanyte lure in and eliminate Ferroseed but has little use otherwise. Substitute can be used to get around Sucker Punch and status moves, but Omanyte appreciates its coverage moves more. Ancient Power is Omanyte's best special Rock-type STAB move, but it doesn't offer much super effective coverage alongside Omanyte's Water-type STAB moves, and its damage output is comparable to that of coverage moves like Ice Beam and Earth Power. A Rain Dance set with Swift Swim is outclassed by Shell Smash Omanyte as a standalone sweeper, although it has utility as a support Pokemon. Berry Juice is an option on both of the listed sets to make Omanyte more difficult to revenge kill, but the lack of Eviolite makes it harder for Omanyte to set up. Life Orb gives Omanyte more immediate power, but it will have trouble sweeping without a defensive item, and its attacks are already strong enough to KO all but the toughest walls after a boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Ferroseed, Munchlax, defensive Porygon, and Spritzee are all able to take a boosted attack from Shell Smash Omanyte and heavily damage or paralyze it in return. Ferroseed can also limit the entry hazard-stacking set to one layer by easily OHKOing it with Bullet Seed.
**Powerful Priority Attackers**: Timburr, Croagunk, Corphish, and Sucker Punch users can revenge kill a weakened Omanyte; however, if Omanyte has managed to stay healthy after setting up, these attacks do not come close to OHKOing Omanyte.
**Focus Sash and SturdyJuice Users**: Pokemon that use Sturdy or Focus Sash to survive one of Omanyte's attacks can often retaliate with a super effective move, provided they are at full health; Abra and Magnemite get a special mention because they can use Magic Guard and Endure + Berry Juice, respectively, to get around entry hazards.
**Fast Choice Scarf Users**: Extremely fast Choice Scarf users such as Timid Gastly can outspeed Omanyte even after a Shell Smash boost and revenge kill it.
**Fast, Powerful Pokemon With Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon with more than 14 Speed such as offensive High Jump Kick Mienfoo and Choice Scarf Magnemite can anti-lead Omanyte and KO it before it can set up any entry hazards.
Excellent Special Attack and a good offensive movepool lend Omanyte its reputation as one of the best setup sweepers in LC, finding plenty of opportunities to boost with its numerous resistances and stellar physical bulk. In addition, Omanyte is not onedimensional, as it can also take advantage of said perks and its fantastic supportive movepool to completely reverse its role and lay entry hazards. Omanyte's main drawback is that its weaknesses are even more prominent than its resistances, meaning that it generally requires a great deal of support or else it will not last long. Its low Speed can also hinder it at times, although Shell Smash and Weak Armor help to remedy this.
[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Earth Power / Hidden Power Grass
item: Eviolite
ability: Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shell Smash boosts Omanyte's Speed and Special Attack to levels where it can sweep. Hydro Pump is the preferred STAB move to OHKO Timburr and bulky Mienfoo after a layer of Spikes, but Surf is a decent choice if perfect accuracy is preferred. Ice Beam hits Foongus and other Grass-types, as well as the odd Dragon-type. Earth Power deals with Chinchou, Croagunk, and Skrelp and is a more accurate option than Hydro Pump for Magnemite and Tirtouga. Alternatively, Hidden Power Grass is still strong enough to KO Berry Juice Chinchou and damages certain Water-types like Staryu more than Earth Power.
Set Details
========
The given EVs and nature maximize Omanyte's sweeping potential by making it as strong as possible and letting it hit 26 Speed after a single Shell Smash boost so that it can outspeed 17 Speed Choice Scarf users. The remaining EVs are put into HP to increase Omanyte's mixed bulk, and because Omanyte already hits Eviolite numbers, it does not need to invest in Defense or Special Defense. If Hidden Power Grass is run, the EVs should be adjusted to 36 Def / 200 SpA / 236 Spe to accommodate for the reduced IVs; this spread can also be used with Earth Power to survive certain attacks, such as Life Orb Diglett's Earthquake, from full health. Eviolite gives Omanyte the immediate bulk needed to easily set up. Shell Armor is slightly more useful than Swift Swim in a metagame where rain is almost nonexistent; Weak Armor is not recommended because it leaves Omanyte more vulnerable to physical priority moves.
Usage Tips
========
Given that Omanyte is best used as a dedicated sweeper, it is recommended to wait until its checks are KOed or adequately weakened before attempting to set up on a Pokemon that is unable to significantly hurt Omanyte. Flying- and Fire-types such as Fletchling and Ponyta are examples of Pokemon that Omanyte can set up on, but this list increases dramatically if Omanyte is used alongside Memento support. Once Omanyte has set up, sweeping is quite straightforward.
Team Options
========
Entry hazards are appreciated to break Sturdy and let Omanyte get key KOs; in particular, a single layer of Spikes weakens Fighting-types enough for Hydro Pump to OHKO them. Knock Off users such as Mienfoo and Archen can cripple extremely bulky Pokemon like Spritzee and Porygon. Hidden Power Fire Gothita is an especially notable partner because it traps troublesome Pokemon like Croagunk and Ferroseed; it can also remove Abra's Focus Sash. Memento and Parting Shot users make it easier for Omanyte to set up. Cottonee is able to provide both Knock Off and Memento support and has good defensive synergy with Omanyte by resisting Fighting-, Grass-, Electric-, and Ground-type attacks that threaten Omanyte while Omanyte sets up on Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, and Poison-type attacks aimed at Cottonee.
[SET]
name: Entry Hazard Setter
move 1: Spikes / Stealth Rock
move 2: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Toxic Spikes / Stealth Rock / Ice Beam
item: Eviolite
ability: Weak Armor
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Omanyte finds plenty of opportunities to set up entry hazards thanks to its combination of stats, typing, and movepool. Spikes is the primary choice due to its relatively low distribution, but Stealth Rock is a good choice if it cannot be fit on another teammate. Hydro Pump differentiates Omanyte from other Spikes users by granting it a great deal of offensive presence, as well as a fantastic matchup against most common leads. Scald lacks Hydro Pump's raw power needed to get the KO on fast Mienfoo in conjunction with Knock Off, but it is more reliable against targets like Dwebble and Archen and carries a handy burn chance. Knock Off lets Omanyte get through SturdyJuice users and fast Mienfoo and cripples Pokemon that don't mind Hydro Pump. Toxic Spikes is generally not as useful as other entry hazards except for specific team compositions, but Omanyte finds a niche as the only reasonably viable non-Poison-type in LC to learn it. Ice Beam damages Foongus and other Grass-types and hits Defog Vullaby harder than Hydro Pump.
Set Details
========
The given EVs and nature allow Omanyte to pose as a significant threat to foes trying to remove its entry hazards and outspeed Diglett after a Weak Armor boost. Weak Armor takes advantage of Omanyte's good bulk and decent typing to survive one physical attack and then outspeed the entire unboosted metagame to make another move. Eviolite is preferred over Focus Sash and other alternatives, as Omanyte is able to survive attacks like defensive Mienfoo's High Jump Kick and Jolly Eviolite Drilbur's Earthquake from full health, and the added bulk lets Omanyte act as a utility check later in the match.
Usage Tips
========
Although Omanyte can be used as a lead, it doesn't have to be immediately discarded after setting up entry hazards like a suicide lead, as it has utility as a Flying- and Fire-type check. When facing Mienfoo, use Knock Off first; if Mienfoo is faster than Omanyte, this means that it is the frail 12 SpD variant, which Omanyte can then KO with Hydro Pump. Make sure to use Knock Off first against SturdyJuice users such as Dwebble and Onix to simultaneously break Sturdy and remove Berry Juice, which will allow Omanyte to promptly KO them with Hydro Pump. Take advantage of smart switches to activate Weak Armor and set up entry hazards against faster teams.
Team Options
========
This Omanyte variant fits best on more offensive teams because it tends to be worn down quite early in the match. Teammates that appreciate a reliable entry hazard setter will enjoy having Omanyte as a teammate; Water-type sweepers such as Carvanha and Corphish also appreciate Omanyte being able to remove many of their checks' items. Spinblockers and methods to deter Defog are important to ensure that Omanyte's efforts do not go to waste; examples of these include Drifloon, Pawniard, and Taunt users such as Mienfoo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A mixed Shell Smash set with Rock Blast to get around Abra is quite effective; the EV spread for this set should be 116 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpA / 156 Spe with either a Naive or Rash nature to KO Abra with two Rock Blast hits. The nature is dependent on whether raw power or the ability to outspeed 16 and 17 Speed Choice Scarf users is preferred. A bulky entry hazard setter generally is not worth using due to Omanyte's prominent weaknesses and lack of recovery outside of Rest. Hidden Power Fire lets Omanyte lure in and eliminate Ferroseed but has little use otherwise. Substitute can be used to get around Sucker Punch and status moves, but Omanyte appreciates its coverage moves more. Ancient Power is Omanyte's best special Rock-type STAB move, but it doesn't offer much super effective coverage alongside Omanyte's Water-type STAB moves, and its damage output is comparable to that of coverage moves like Ice Beam and Earth Power. A Rain Dance set with Swift Swim is outclassed by Shell Smash Omanyte as a standalone sweeper, although it has utility as a support Pokemon. Berry Juice is an option on both of the listed sets to make Omanyte more difficult to revenge kill, but the lack of Eviolite makes it harder for Omanyte to set up. Life Orb gives Omanyte more immediate power, but it will have trouble sweeping without a defensive item, and its attacks are already strong enough to KO all but the toughest walls after a boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Ferroseed, Munchlax, defensive Porygon, and Spritzee are all able to take a boosted attack from Shell Smash Omanyte and heavily damage or paralyze it in return. Ferroseed can also limit the entry hazard-stacking set to one layer by easily OHKOing it with Bullet Seed.
**Powerful Priority Attackers**: Timburr, Croagunk, Corphish, and Sucker Punch users can revenge kill a weakened Omanyte; however, if Omanyte has managed to stay healthy after setting up, these attacks do not come close to OHKOing Omanyte.
**Focus Sash and SturdyJuice Users**: Pokemon that use Sturdy or Focus Sash to survive one of Omanyte's attacks can often retaliate with a super effective move, provided they are at full health; Abra and Magnemite get a special mention because they can use Magic Guard and Endure + Berry Juice, respectively, to get around entry hazards.
**Fast Choice Scarf Users**: Extremely fast Choice Scarf users such as Timid Gastly can outspeed Omanyte even after a Shell Smash boost and revenge kill it.
**Fast, Powerful Pokemon With Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon with more than 14 Speed such as offensive High Jump Kick Mienfoo and Choice Scarf Magnemite can anti-lead Omanyte and KO it before it can set up any entry hazards.
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