[OVERVIEW]
Access to Spikes and Toxic Spikes gives Roselia a unique niche as one of the better entry hazard stackers in the tier and separates it from other Grass-types, especially Vileplume. Roselia also boasts a nice typing with great resistances to Water-, Grass-, Electric-, and Fighting-type moves, and its special bulk is bolstered to great levels thanks to Eviolite. A good Special Attack stat gives it a great niche as an offensive Spiker and prevents it from being a sitting duck when using defensive sets. However, Roselia faces competition from Vileplume, which boasts far greater physical bulk and lacks Roselia's susceptibility to Knock Off, letting it function as an actual Fighting-type check and, in general, check a significantly larger portion of the metagame. Other Spikers in Garbodor, Ferroseed, and even Cacturne also give Roselia stiff competition for a teamslot.
[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Sludge Bomb
item: Eviolite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Spikes wears down grounded Pokemon very quickly, especially when paired with Stealth Rock. Giga Drain is a decent Grass-type STAB move that can recover HP. Synthesis provides Roselia with reliable recovery and lets it remain healthy and set up Spikes throughout the match. Sludge Bomb hits Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-types neutrally and opposing Grass-types neutrally or super effectively. Using Toxic Spikes over Spikes is an option, but it is generally inferior, as they are easily absorbed by the common Poison-types and Spikes are more universally useful.
Set Details
========
The EV spread and a Calm nature maximize Roselia's special bulk, but 56 EVs can be moved to Speed to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Rhydon. Eviolite gives Roselia great special bulk and boosts its Defense stat to functional levels. Natural Cure makes Roselia a good status absorber, especially for Scald users such as Lanturn. An alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD with a Calm nature hits a jump point in Special Defense and lets Roselia survive +2 Samurott's Megahorn after Stealth Rock most of the time.
Usage Tips
========
Switch in on the special Water-, Grass-, and Electric-types, such as Floatzel, Lilligant, and Rotom, that Roselia checks. Pokemon like Weezing, Vileplume, and Mega Audino also give Roselia free opportunities to switch in, and while it can't beat them one-on-one, Roselia can lay Spikes against them. In general, use most of Roselia's free turns to set up Spikes, occasionally attacking when wearing down switch-ins would be more useful; specifically, if the opponent has Xatu, it's best to go for Sludge Bomb as it switches in and potentially poison it, making it significantly easier to wear down.
Team Options
========
Defensive Roselia fits nicely on both balance and stall teams, with its Spikes wearing down the checks and counters of the former's fast sweepers and gnawing away at the opposing team for the latter. Rock-types such as Carracosta, Rhydon, and Regirock check the Flying- and Fire-types and, in general, the physical attackers that threaten Roselia and can also set up Stealth Rock, creating a nice entry hazard-stacking core; in return, Roselia takes on the Water- and Grass-types that maim them. Fire- and Water-types such as Magmortar and Samurott also beat Fire-types, with the former also checking Ice-types and the latter checking Archeops, and in return, (AC) Roselia's Spikes enhances their ability to sweep or wallbreak. Checks to Psychic-types, such as Scyther, Klinklang, and Dark- and Ghost-types, are decent partners to Roselia; notably, Skuntank can also Pursuit trap Xatu to allow Roselia to set up entry hazards more easily, and Ghost-types such as Mismagius can spinblock to help keep Spikes up. Quagsire is a particularly nice partner, as it compensates for not using Vileplume thanks to its ability to counter Swords Dance Samurott, Klinklang, and many other physical attackers, and the two possess good type synergy overall.
[SET]
name: Focus Sash Lead
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Toxic Spikes / Leaf Storm
move 4: Sleep Powder
item: Focus Sash
ability: Poison Point
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Roselia is one of the best Spikers for hyper offense teams, and it can set them reliably with a combination of its other moves and its surprise factor. Sludge Bomb is a strong STAB move with solid neutral coverage, notably hitting Xatu neutrally. Toxic Spikes in tandem with with Spikes chips away at teams without a grounded Poison-type with great ease. On the other hand, Leaf Storm hits extremely hard and nails opposing entry hazard setters such as Rhydon and Regirock, entry hazard removers such as Claydol and Sandslash, and Water-types such as Samurott, though Roselia can put most of them to sleep anyway. Sleep Powder immobilizes the foe for a few turns, keeping entry hazard setters and setup sweepers from setting up and entry hazard removers from doing away with Roselia's entry hazards. It also gives Roselia free turns to set up Spikes.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Roselia to outspeed as much as possible, particularly most Skuntank sets, slow variants of Xatu, Mesprit, and Klinklang, Modest Claydol, and neutral-natured Samurott, and maximum Special Attack investment lets Roselia hit fairly hard. With Focus Sash, Roselia can take any hit if it hasn't taken any prior damage, guaranteeing that Roselia will set up at least one layer of Spikes. Poison Point is lead Roselia's only useful ability and can occasionally cripple physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
Roselia should lead in most matches in order to lay down Spikes as early as possible and avoid having its Focus Sash broken by entry hazards. Roselia should typically start off by using Sleep Powder, preventing the foe from setting up or attacking it and creating a few free turns to lay entry hazards. When up against a team with Xatu, it's not recommended to set up Spikes until Xatu is out of the way; try to catch it on the switch with Sludge Bomb, 2HKOing it and potentially poisoning it. Certain setup sweepers such as Klinklang, Mawile, and Pawniard can be tricky to play around after Roselia has put a foe to sleep or if it's a fast Klinklang variant, and so they should be played around with teammates that can check them.
Team Options
========
Lead Roselia is a great option on hyper offense teams looking for a reliable entry hazard-stacking lead. Generally speaking, Roselia doesn't really need much support to perform its role, but certain teammates will make it more effective overall. Spinblockers such as Mismagius and Rotom are incredibly useful for keeping entry hazards up. A Pursuit trapper, such as Skuntank or Liepard, or a Xatu lure, such as Mesprit with Ice Beam, can make it easier for Roselia to set up Spikes against teams with Xatu, but it can 2HKO Xatu with Sludge Bomb anyway. Klinklang checks are also good partners, especially considering that fast variants can use Roselia as setup fodder. Pair Roselia up with offensive Pokemon that can take advantage of Spikes and Toxic Spikes to break through the opposing team, such as Tauros, Archeops, and Shiftry.
[SET]
name: Offensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Sludge Bomb
move 4: Sleep Powder
item: Eviolite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Modest
evs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Spikes-stacking is one of the most threatening strategies in the metagame, and Roselia makes for a potent offensive Spiker. Leaf Storm dents anything that doesn't resist it, and it takes the most advantage of the few turns Roselia will typically stay in. Sludge Bomb offers solid coverage and nails Grass-, Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-types. Sleep Powder allows Roselia to immobilize would-be counters, especially Poison- and Steel-types, and creates free turns for it to set up more Spikes. Giga Drain is a more consistent Grass-type STAB move that also gives it Roselia more longevity, but Leaf Storm typically ends up doing more damage regardless because Roselia will rarely stay in for more than a few turns, and Sludge Bomb is already a consistent STAB move anyway. Synthesis is an option, especially in for bulky variants, that allows Roselia to play as a more reliable Grass- and Water-type check.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment and a Modest nature make Roselia surprisingly powerful, notably 2HKOing Xatu with Sludge Bomb. The Speed EVs let Roselia outspeed neutral-natured base 55 Speed Pokemon such as Cacturne and Golurk, and the remaining EVs are put into HP to make Roselia bulkier. A bulkier spread is also an option, running at least 56 Speed EVs for Adamant Rhydon. Eviolite gives Roselia passable bulk. Natural Cure allows Roselia to act as a status absorber, especially for Scald users.
Usage Tips
========
Roselia should come in on resisted Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type moves, but you must be careful of super effective coverage moves, as this set doesn't have the bulk to shrug them off. Use most free turns afforded by Sleep Powder and Roselia's ability to threaten Pokemon out to set up Spikes, occasionally dishing out Leaf Storm and Sludge Bomb to dent switch-ins such as Garbodor, Magmortar, and especially Xatu, which can bounce back Roselia's entry hazards. Go for Sleep Powder against switch-ins such as Garbodor and Skuntank that otherwise counter Roselia; use the free turn to either set up Spikes or switch out to a teammate that takes advantage of the switch-in.
Team Options
========
Roselia fits best on fast offensive teams that appreciate its ability to check Water-, Rock, and Ground-types better than Garbodor and its ability to check Grass-types, not fall over to Fighting-types and Mega Audino, and actually hit harder with Leaf Storm than Cacturne. Offensive checks to Fire-types, such as Samurott, Magmortar, and Hariyama, are good partners, with the latter two also checking Ice-types. The likes of Klinklang and Rhydon handle the Flying-types Roselia struggles with; Klinklang can beat Psychic-types for Roseila as well. Dark- and Ghost-types, such as Liepard and Mismagius, can also beat Psychic-types. Generally speaking, fast Pokemon such as Tauros, Archeops, and Floatzel help to make up for Roselia's middling Speed. In return, Roselia's Spikes support allows its offensive partners to swiftly wear down their checks and counters so that they can sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A physically defensive EV spread is a viable option, but it's done better by Vileplume and still doesn't check Fighting-types effectively. Rest is an alternate form of recovery over Synthesis that immediately heals Roselia up to full health, but it requires Roselia to switch out. Hidden Power Fire or Ground is an option on the offensive set in order to hit Steel-types, with the former hitting Ferroseed super effectively and the latter targeting Garbodor and Skuntank, but Roselia typically doesn't have the room for it. Both Sleep Powder and Aromatherapy look like solid utility moves on the defensive set, but in reality, it's very hard for Roselia to give up a moveslot for them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Xatu**: Thanks to Magic Bounce, Xatu can bounce back Roselia's Spikes and threaten it with its Psychic-type STAB moves. However, Xatu can't switch into offensive sets.
**Poison- and Steel-types**: Steel- and Poison-types wall both of Roselia's STAB moves, a lot of them can 2HKO it, and the likes of Garbodor and Ferroseed can even set up entry hazards all over it. Skuntank and Klinklang are noteworthy counters, as the former can Taunt and Pursuit trap Roselia and even Defog away its entry hazards, and the latter can use it as setup fodder.
**Fire-, Flying-, Psychic-, and Ice-types**: Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, and Psychic-types threaten Roselia with their super effective STAB moves, and a lot of them are decent switch-ins because of their resistance to one of Roselia's STAB moves in the former two's cases or their usually decent special bulk in the latter two's cases. Magmortar is even immune to sleep, and Assault Vest sets can take any hit Roselia throws at them. Cryogonal also switches in with ease, and it gains back health with Recover and can Rapid Spin Roselia's entry hazards away.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off removes Roselia's Eviolite and therefore its ability to wall threats, so it is the main reason why Roselia is a poor check to Fighting-types even if it runs a physically defensive EV spread.
**Physical Attackers**: Physical attackers, such as Sawk and Tauros, hit Roselia on its lower Defense stat and can 2HKO it with neutral hits or even powerful resisted hits.
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