Overview
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With a high Special Attack stat and two good abilities in Natural Cure and Technician, Roserade can have a strong offensive presence. Moreover, it has quite high Special Defense, which allows it to take on a more passive role. Having access to Sleep Powder, Toxic Spikes, and Spikes, it can also function as a great entry hazard setter. However, poor Defense and mediocre Speed mean that Roserade is KOed fairly easily by quite a few common Pokemon.
Offensive Hazards
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name: Offensive Hazards
move 1: Spikes / Toxic Spikes
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Leaf Storm / Giga Drain
move 4: Sleep Powder / Extrasensory / Hidden Power Fire
ability: Natural Cure / Technician
item: Life Orb
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
nature: Timid
Moves
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Spikes and Toxic Spikes allow Roserade to set up entry hazards for its team. Sludge Bomb is a powerful move with a high chance of poisoning the foe and is the move Roserade uses as its main form of offense. Sleep Powder allows Roserade to cripple opposing Pokemon and can be used to allow Roserade to set up more entry hazards. Leaf Storm does an incredible amount of damage to Pokemon that aren't specially defensive or resistant to it. Giga Drain is a weaker option that can restore health and does not result in a stat drop. Extrasensory can hit Pokemon such as Crobat, Chesnaught, and Toxicroak, all of which can take Roserade's other attacks. Hidden Power Fire can also hit Pokemon such as Chesnaught, and it hits Steel-types such as Forretress, which would otherwise wall Roserade, for massive damage.
Set Details
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Natural Cure heals status from Roserade when it switches out. Technician should be used with a Hidden Power to boost the damage output. Life Orb is used to boost the power of Roserade's moves, and 29 HP IVs allow Roserade to take minimal recoil damage from it. A Timid nature with 252 Speed EVs is used to make Roserade as fast as possible, while 252 Special Attack EVs are used to boost its damage output. The remaining EVs are put in Special Defense to boost Roserade's bulk slightly and not interfere with the HP IVs.
Usage Tips
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You should switch Roserade in on slower Pokemon and try to use Sleep Powder. In addition, you can use Sleep Powder on predicted switches to cripple the foe. This will allow Roserade to get at least one layer of entry hazards down. Sludge Bomb should be Roserade's main form of offense, as it is strong, can poison, and has no negative effects. If Roserade has Leaf Storm, it should only be used once as a powerful attack; switching out soon after is recommended. If Roserade has Giga Drain, use it when it is super effective on a foe or when they resist Sludge Bomb. Try to bring Roserade in via Volt Switch, U-turn, or Baton Pass, as it does not appreciate getting hurt, largely due to its poor physical bulk.
Team Options
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Pokemon that appreciate prior damage to their foes work well with Roserade, as if it sets up three layers of Spikes, grounded foes will lose 25% of their health upon switching in. An example of a Pokemon that appreciates entry hazard support is Entei, which deals massive damage on the switch already. Chandelure can work as a spinblocker, preventing Roserade's entry hazards from being removed. Stealth Rock users help damage the opposing team severely when they switch. Swampert is a good Stealth Rock user to pair with Roserade, as Roserade resists its Grass weakness while Swampert can take physical hits well. Mega Ampharos can handle Fire- and Flying-types. In addition, Swampert, Vaporeon, Alomomola and other bulky Water-types can deal with Fire-types that Roserade struggles against. Hydreigon appreciates entry hazard support and the removal of Fairies. The same goes for Mega Ampharos, and both can get Roserade in safely via U-turn and Volt Switch, respectively. Substitute + Calm Mind Chandelure and Substitute + Calm Mind Suicune greatly appreciate Toxic Spikes support, as it aids them in setting up by wearing foes down. Fire-types such as Darmanitan and Infernape can help deal with Steel-types that wall variants of Roserade that lack Hidden Power Fire.
Specially Defensive
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name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Synthesis
move 2: Spikes / Toxic Spikes
move 3: Giga Drain / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Sleep Powder / Giga Drain
ability: Natural Cure
item: Black Sludge
evs: 240 HP / 252 SpD / 16 Spe
nature: Calm
Moves
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Synthesis is used for instant health recovery, but it is unreliable because of its low PP, which can be annoying against defensive teams. Spikes allows Roserade to wear the opposing team down when they switch in, while Toxic Spikes works well against defensive teams and stall teams, as it cripples them with poison. Giga Drain allows Roserade to restore a little bit of health while attacking, but it is quite weak. Alternatively, Sludge Bomb can be used as a moderately powerful move with a high chance of poisoning its target. Sleep Powder allows Roserade to cripple Pokemon, but it does not work well with Toxic Spikes. Rest can be used to heal Roserade to full health, and Roserade can cure its sleep by switching out but Roserade becomes setup bait when using it, as it is forced to give the opponent a free turn. However, Rest allows Roserade to PP stall some walls, such as Blissey.
Set Details
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Natural Cure lets Roserade sponge status and remove it when switching. Black Sludge is used for recovery and damages Trick and Switcheroo users if they trade items with Roserade. 240 HP EVs are used to gain maximum Black Sludge recovery and take less damage from entry hazards. 252 Special Defense EVs are used to make Roserade as specially bulky as possible. 16 Speed EVs allow Roserade to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 60 Speed Pokemon. A Calm nature is used to boost Roserade's Special Defense. You may use both entry hazards if the team definitely needs it, but that is not generally advised, as missing out on another move hinders Roserade.
Usage Tips
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Try to bring Roserade in on weak special attackers. It can easily come in on bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Milotic (even Ice Beam variants do not trouble it that much). Setting up entry hazards is a good idea at this point, as bulky Water-types cannot harm Roserade, so they have to switch or still do nothing to it. If you are running Synthesis, you should use it sparingly, as it has limited PP. Giga Drain or Sludge Bomb should be used as Roserade's attacking move and Sleep Powder should be used to cripple foes.
Team Options
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As Roserade is extremely physically frail, it appreciates Pokemon that can take these hits. Forretress can do this and aid Roserade in wearing down the team with its own entry hazards, but you must beware of the Fire weakness they share. Rotom-H can burn physical attackers, take physical hits for Roserade, and has good type synergy with it, resisting its Fire- and Flying-type weaknesses. Bulky Water-types can deal with Fire-types that trouble Roserade. Mega Ampharos can deal with its Flying weakness, but both it and Roserade need support to deal with Ice-types. Substitute + Calm Mind Chandelure and Substitute + Calm Mind Suicune greatly appreciate Toxic Spikes support from Roserade, as it helps them set up by weakening foes.
Other Options
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An option for the specially defensive set is Aromatherapy, which allows Roserade to heal teammates from status. Another option is Leech Seed, which allows Roserade to sap its foe's health and recover slowly. On the offensive set, Dazzling Gleam may be used to hit Pokemon such as Hydreigon very hard. Hidden Power Ground is an alternate option to hit Steel-types, while Hidden Power Rock can be used to lure in and KO Chandelure, which resists both of Roserade's STAB moves.
Checks and Counters
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**Flying-types**: Crobat can take every attack Roserade has apart from Extrasensory, which is quite rare, and Choice Band variants can run Sleep Talk to combat Sleep Powder. Aerodactyl resists Roserade's Poison STAB moves and can easily OHKO it with Aerial Ace.
**Fast Physical Attackers**: Roserade's Defense is weak, so any strong attacker with a powerful move should be able to OHKO it. Roserade only has a slightly above average Speed tier, so it isn't that hard to outspeed.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Darmanitan, Chandelure, and Entei can either outspeed Roserade or take its attacks and OHKO it.
**Special Walls**: Dedicated special walls such as Blissey, Umbreon, and Goodra can take all of Roserade's attacks and whittle it down.
**Steel-types**: If Roserade does not have Hidden Power Fire, Steel-types such as Forretress and Mega Aggron can take all of Roserade's attacks relatively well.
**Espeon**: Espeon can deal with the specially defensive set very well because of its ability Magic Bounce, and it can hit Roserade with a super effective STAB move.
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