[OVERVIEW]
Reuniclus is a solid option as an offensive Trick Room setter, sporting both a Spore immunity and the ability to OHKO Amoonguss. Being capable of hitting most of the metagame, Reuniclus's powerful Psychic + Fighting coverage lets it shine where other passive Trick Room setters cannot, giving it the capability to take full advantage of the speed control provided by Trick Room. However, Reuniclus is also frail, leaving it vulnerable without proper support and positioning. In addition, its vulnerability to common priority attacks such as Sucker Punch and Talonflame's Brave Bird can leave it rather susceptible to losing momentum even after setting Trick Room. It also lacks the defensive capabilities and Ground immunity offered by other options such as Cresselia, and it is susceptible to being walled by Aegislash, a common Trick Room check.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room Setter
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Focus Blast / Shadow Ball
move 3: Trick Room
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Overcoat
nature: Quiet
evs: 152 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 68 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic hits most threats neutrally besides Steel- and Dark-types such as Heatran, Aegislash, Jirachi, Hydreigon, and Scrafty and has a good chance to OHKO standard Amoonguss. Focus Blast lets Reuniclus hit those Steel- and Dark-types except for Jirachi and Aegislash for super effective damage. Shadow Ball is a good option for covering Aegislash and is guaranteed to break Substitutes from Steel-types like Heatran without having a 30% chance to miss. Trick Room allows slower Pokemon to take advantage of the reversed move order and put the opponent on the defensive for four turns. Protect is an all-around staple for Doubles Pokemon, allowing Reuniclus to avoid damage while its partner switches or attacks and is a good move for dodging Sucker Punch if you don't want to switch and Trick Room is already up.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack EVs with a Quiet Nature enables Reuniclus to maximize its damage output. Minimizing Speed allows Reuniclus to get valuable Speed ties with Amoonguss, KOing it before it can put Reuniclus's partner to sleep, and also allowing Reuniclus to underspeed most things in the metagame. The distribution of the remaining EVs between HP, Special Defense, and Defense maximize Reuniclus's bulk in the most efficient way possible, letting it survive Aegislash's Shadowball and giving it an extremely high chance of surviving Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch, though only from full health, as well as giving it a nice Life Orb number.
Usage Tips
========
Avoid letting Reuniclus tank hits outside of Trick Room by positioning it such that your opponent can't double target Reuniclus down as it sets up Trick Room, such as by supporting Reuniclus with Fake Out or redirection. Take advantage of Reuniclus's strong offenses by simply attacking if the opponent will Taunt Reuniclus, such as with Keldeo or Thundurus, hitting them for a significant portion of their HP. When Trick Room is down, be conscious of whether or not you really want it to be back up; sometimes it can be better to simply attack rather than set up Trick Room, especially against slower threats such as Ferrothorn and Amoonguss or priority attackers such as Talonflame. Reuniclus is a good switch-in to status-inflicting moves such as Spore and Will-O-Wisp and Fighting-type attacks; however, almost everything else hits it neutrally and dents it too hard, making it difficult for it to set up Trick Room.
Team Options
========
Reuniclus fits well on Trick Room teams, so Trick Room setters as well as Trick Room attackers are good partners and take advantage of the speed control provided. Bulky Ghost-type Setters to fill in the "one offensive and one defensive Trick Room setter" composition, such as Jellicent and Gourgeist, are valuable options that provide a defensive backbone, allowing the team to absorb hits that Reuniclus can't. Fake Out support from Pokemon such as Scrafty and Hariyama, which complement Reuniclus's typing very well, helps set up Trick Room. Redirection from Amoonguss is valuable in helping Reuniclus set up Trick Room, drawing away hits that Reuniclus wishes to avoid. Checks to Aegislash, Hoopa-U, and Bisharp such as Mega Camerupt and Scrafty complement Reuniclus very well and enjoy the speed control offered by Trick Room. Other Trick Room attackers such as Rhyperior and Sylveon work well with Reuniclus, as they benefit from Reuniclus countering Grass-types such as Amoonguss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Reuniclus can use Focus Sash or Mental Herb if it wants to sacrifice damage output for an easier time setting up Trick Room. However, Mental Herb is not usually vital for Reuniclus because it does not become dead weight offensively even after being Taunted; it is still able to deal heavy damage thanks to its high Special Attack stat. In addition, Life Orb is vital for Reuniclus's damage output, which drops significantly if one runs Focus Sash. Helping Hand can be useful for when you forsee an incoming Fake Out, as it has higher priority. For abilities, Regenerator is an interesting option that enables Reuniclus to restore its HP after taking a hit, giving it good staying power, but Overcoat's Spore immunity is incredibly valuable for a Trick Room team. Regenerator can fit on Reuniclus when it is used on semi-Trick Room teams rather than full Trick Room. Colbur Berry is an option that lets Reuniclus tank Dark-type hits better.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Typing Advantage**: Reuniclus suffers against Aegislash, which resists Psychic and is immune to Focus Blast, whereas Jirachi redirects Reuniclus's attacks with relative ease. Outside of Trick Room, powerful STAB Dark- and Ghost-type moves such as Hoopa-U's Hyperspace Fury and Hydreigon's Dark Pulse threaten to KO Reuniclus.
**Speed Control**: Foes carrying Trick Room, especially Cresselia, are capable of forcing Reuniclus into playing mind games of whether or not they will attempt to reverse Trick Room.
**Speed**: Pokemon such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Kangaskhan are capable of being big threats even under Trick Room due to their priority attacks.
**Utility** While Reuniclus is able to maintain a strong offensive presence even while affected by the move, Taunt both prevents Reuniclus from setting Trick Room and nullifies its ability to defend itself with Protect. In addition, Fake Out is powerful utility versus Reuniclus, as it gives the opponent free turns and damage while also pressuring Reuniclus to use Protect, leaving it vulnerable the next turn.
Reuniclus is a solid option as an offensive Trick Room setter, sporting both a Spore immunity and the ability to OHKO Amoonguss. Being capable of hitting most of the metagame, Reuniclus's powerful Psychic + Fighting coverage lets it shine where other passive Trick Room setters cannot, giving it the capability to take full advantage of the speed control provided by Trick Room. However, Reuniclus is also frail, leaving it vulnerable without proper support and positioning. In addition, its vulnerability to common priority attacks such as Sucker Punch and Talonflame's Brave Bird can leave it rather susceptible to losing momentum even after setting Trick Room. It also lacks the defensive capabilities and Ground immunity offered by other options such as Cresselia, and it is susceptible to being walled by Aegislash, a common Trick Room check.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trick Room Setter
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Focus Blast / Shadow Ball
move 3: Trick Room
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Overcoat
nature: Quiet
evs: 152 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 68 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic hits most threats neutrally besides Steel- and Dark-types such as Heatran, Aegislash, Jirachi, Hydreigon, and Scrafty and has a good chance to OHKO standard Amoonguss. Focus Blast lets Reuniclus hit those Steel- and Dark-types except for Jirachi and Aegislash for super effective damage. Shadow Ball is a good option for covering Aegislash and is guaranteed to break Substitutes from Steel-types like Heatran without having a 30% chance to miss. Trick Room allows slower Pokemon to take advantage of the reversed move order and put the opponent on the defensive for four turns. Protect is an all-around staple for Doubles Pokemon, allowing Reuniclus to avoid damage while its partner switches or attacks and is a good move for dodging Sucker Punch if you don't want to switch and Trick Room is already up.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack EVs with a Quiet Nature enables Reuniclus to maximize its damage output. Minimizing Speed allows Reuniclus to get valuable Speed ties with Amoonguss, KOing it before it can put Reuniclus's partner to sleep, and also allowing Reuniclus to underspeed most things in the metagame. The distribution of the remaining EVs between HP, Special Defense, and Defense maximize Reuniclus's bulk in the most efficient way possible, letting it survive Aegislash's Shadowball and giving it an extremely high chance of surviving Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch, though only from full health, as well as giving it a nice Life Orb number.
Usage Tips
========
Avoid letting Reuniclus tank hits outside of Trick Room by positioning it such that your opponent can't double target Reuniclus down as it sets up Trick Room, such as by supporting Reuniclus with Fake Out or redirection. Take advantage of Reuniclus's strong offenses by simply attacking if the opponent will Taunt Reuniclus, such as with Keldeo or Thundurus, hitting them for a significant portion of their HP. When Trick Room is down, be conscious of whether or not you really want it to be back up; sometimes it can be better to simply attack rather than set up Trick Room, especially against slower threats such as Ferrothorn and Amoonguss or priority attackers such as Talonflame. Reuniclus is a good switch-in to status-inflicting moves such as Spore and Will-O-Wisp and Fighting-type attacks; however, almost everything else hits it neutrally and dents it too hard, making it difficult for it to set up Trick Room.
Team Options
========
Reuniclus fits well on Trick Room teams, so Trick Room setters as well as Trick Room attackers are good partners and take advantage of the speed control provided. Bulky Ghost-type Setters to fill in the "one offensive and one defensive Trick Room setter" composition, such as Jellicent and Gourgeist, are valuable options that provide a defensive backbone, allowing the team to absorb hits that Reuniclus can't. Fake Out support from Pokemon such as Scrafty and Hariyama, which complement Reuniclus's typing very well, helps set up Trick Room. Redirection from Amoonguss is valuable in helping Reuniclus set up Trick Room, drawing away hits that Reuniclus wishes to avoid. Checks to Aegislash, Hoopa-U, and Bisharp such as Mega Camerupt and Scrafty complement Reuniclus very well and enjoy the speed control offered by Trick Room. Other Trick Room attackers such as Rhyperior and Sylveon work well with Reuniclus, as they benefit from Reuniclus countering Grass-types such as Amoonguss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Reuniclus can use Focus Sash or Mental Herb if it wants to sacrifice damage output for an easier time setting up Trick Room. However, Mental Herb is not usually vital for Reuniclus because it does not become dead weight offensively even after being Taunted; it is still able to deal heavy damage thanks to its high Special Attack stat. In addition, Life Orb is vital for Reuniclus's damage output, which drops significantly if one runs Focus Sash. Helping Hand can be useful for when you forsee an incoming Fake Out, as it has higher priority. For abilities, Regenerator is an interesting option that enables Reuniclus to restore its HP after taking a hit, giving it good staying power, but Overcoat's Spore immunity is incredibly valuable for a Trick Room team. Regenerator can fit on Reuniclus when it is used on semi-Trick Room teams rather than full Trick Room. Colbur Berry is an option that lets Reuniclus tank Dark-type hits better.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Typing Advantage**: Reuniclus suffers against Aegislash, which resists Psychic and is immune to Focus Blast, whereas Jirachi redirects Reuniclus's attacks with relative ease. Outside of Trick Room, powerful STAB Dark- and Ghost-type moves such as Hoopa-U's Hyperspace Fury and Hydreigon's Dark Pulse threaten to KO Reuniclus.
**Speed Control**: Foes carrying Trick Room, especially Cresselia, are capable of forcing Reuniclus into playing mind games of whether or not they will attempt to reverse Trick Room.
**Speed**: Pokemon such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Kangaskhan are capable of being big threats even under Trick Room due to their priority attacks.
**Utility** While Reuniclus is able to maintain a strong offensive presence even while affected by the move, Taunt both prevents Reuniclus from setting Trick Room and nullifies its ability to defend itself with Protect. In addition, Fake Out is powerful utility versus Reuniclus, as it gives the opponent free turns and damage while also pressuring Reuniclus to use Protect, leaving it vulnerable the next turn.
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