phantom
Banned deucer.
❋❋❋ Togekiss ❋❋❋
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With its Fairy typing, great bulk, and access to Follow Me, Togekiss is one of the premier supporters in the Doubles metagame. Its movepool also contains great utility moves such as Tailwind, Thunder Wave, and Helping Hand alongside useful coverage options to boot, giving it a fair degree of versatility. Togekiss comes up a bit short, however, when dealing with spread moves, which make its primary support option counterproductive. To add insult to injury, Togekiss must also compete with a few other supporters, most notably Cresselia, which possess greater bulk and access to the coveted Trick Room.
Follow Me Support
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name: Follow Me Support
move 1: Follow Me
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Tailwind / Thunder Wave
move 4: Roost / Protect / Helping Hand
ability: Serene Grace
item: Sitrus Berry / Safety Goggles
evs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 68 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
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If you're using Togekiss, you're using it with Follow Me. With its all-around solid bulk and typing, Togekiss is able to effortlessly redirect Dragon- and Fighting-type attacks, allowing its teammates to set up or attack with minimal disruptions. Air Slash is Togekiss's best STAB move due to its excellent neutral coverage and Serene Grace-boosted flinch rate, which allows Togekiss to get out of a troublesome situation or just generally, act as an annoyance to the opposition. In the third slot, Thunder Wave and Tailwind are two different options in speed control support. Thunder Wave acts as a permanent handicap and works superbly in tandem with Air Slash, whereas Tailwind adds more immediate pressure, as it collectively maintains speed control on all opponents at once in one turn. In the final slot, Roost allows Togekiss to heal itself in between supporting its teammates, whereas Protect capitalizes on double-targeting once the opponent wises up to Togekiss's shenanigans and discourages it after the first use. Lastly, Helping Hand takes a more aggressive approach by directing Togekiss's efforts towards its teammates and potentially turns some 3HKOs into 2HKOs and 2HKOs into OHKOs.
Set Details
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The Defense EVs allow Togekiss to survive Bisharp's Life Orb-bosted Iron Head, thus allowing it to redirect the move at least once; they're also useful in tanking stray Psyshocks from Latios. The rest of the EVs are poured into Special Defense, giving it rather even mix of bulk. Sitrus Berry is used to instantly heal a decent chunk of Togekiss's health as it uses Follow Me, which then gives it the possibility to survive multiple attacks within a single turn. However, due to the pervasiveness of sleep moves, Sleep Powder and Spore in particular, Togekiss can use the combination of Safety Goggles + Follow Me to act as an effective road block to sleep-related strategies. One other alternative item Togekiss can make use of is Lum Berry, which works well in ridding Togekiss of sleep once, as well as more crippling status such as burns and paralysis; this gives Togekiss a bit more longevity, especially in tandem with Roost.
Usage Tips
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Togekiss's main purpose is to act as a disruption to the opponent's strategy by utilizing Follow Me, its stellar support options, and Serene Grace Air Slash. Air Slash can also get Togekiss out of a predicament by continually flinching the opponent into submission; this is especially handy when it comes to stopping a Trick Room user from setting up, though be wary that relying on Air Slash to get out of such situations won't always go according to plan due to its inconsistent, albeit very annoying, nature.
Togekiss works at nearly any stage of the match and may be brought in straight from the get-go; however, if you plan to bring it in mid-game, try to keep it as unscathed as possible by switching into weak Fighting-type attacks, sending it in after a kill, or bringing it on predicted Protects and the like in order to optimize on its ability to spam Follow Me. With Follow Me, Togekiss functions as an effective barricade for the likes of Breloom, Latios, Conkeldurr, and many more.
Use Follow Me when the opponent has a Pokemon that can threaten Togekiss's partner, as this allows the partner in question to attack or set up without too much concern. Due to the fact that Togekiss tends to be rather predictable, as its primary purpose is to continually use Follow Me, it can be exploited rather easily by your opponent if they choose to double-target it before they decide to take out Togekiss's partner. In this instance, it's good to use Protect (should Togekiss wield it) in order to avoid this counter-strategy and also discourage the opponent from attempting this tactic again. Should Togekiss be up against a Pokemon that utilizes spread moves, such as Mega Charizard Y or Kingdra, then it's simply better to attack or attempt to status the two threats, as using Follow Me will likely give your opponent enough breathing room to unleash multiple onslaughts.
Team Options
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As a result of its immense supportive capabilities, Togekiss can be useful to just about any offensive partner, so it isn't limited to a specific few teammates or a particular group; however, it is useful if Togekiss and its given partner have the capability to handle each other's checks.
Garchomp and Landorus-T in particular work rather well with Togekiss, as they can obliterate Mega Gengar and opposing Steel-types with their STAB Earthquakes, while Togekiss can help redirect special attacks that both detest, such as Draco Meteor in the case of Garchomp. It's also good to note that Landorus-T's Intimidate ability makes Togekiss's job as a Follow Me user much easier, thus making them an especially nice pairing.
Setup sweepers and Substitute users can also take advantage of Togekiss's support. Mega Kangkaskhan and Substitute Heatran appreciate Togekiss's ability to redirect Fighting-type moves as well as various status afflictions. In return, Heatran demolishes almost all opposing Steel- and Ice-types that trouble Togekiss, whereas Mega Kangkaskhan possesses the capability to put immense pressure on Togekiss's more passive checks, such as Taunt Thundurus.
Other Options
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Leftovers is an option so that Togekiss gains passive recovery each turn, but generally, Sitrus Berry is much better given the role a Follow Me user performs. Dual screens are also an option, making it easier for Togekiss's teammate to set up and for Togekiss itself to redirect attacks with Follow Me, but Togekiss is more often than not better off using its standard set. Rain Dance works effectively by maintaining weather control against Mega Charizard Y and Tyranitar teams. As far as other support options are concerned, Encore is particularly good on Togekiss, as it can lock a slower Pokemon into Protect or Fake Out. Safeguard can also find use by shielding Togekiss and its teammate from status, particularly sleep. Togekiss may also use Heal Bell as another way to counteract status.
Togekiss can also sport a snazzy offensive set, but this is better left to more powerful Fairy-types such as Mega Gardevoir and Sylveon. In regard to more offensive moves, Flamethrower works particularly well by demolishing the likes of Scizor and other Steel-types, and Dazzling Gleam may be used as another STAB move with the capability to target both opponents at once.
Checks & Counters
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**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Mega Gengar is easily the biggest thorn in Togekiss's side, as it can turn it into a huge liability by keeping Togekiss locked in as long as it's around thanks to Shadow Tag and then easily 2HKO it with Sludge Bomb.
Steel-types in general do rather well against Togekiss, as their high-powered STAB moves can keep it from continually being a nuisance with Follow Me. Jirachi, Heatran, Mega Mawile, Excadrill, Aegislash, Scizor, and Genesect can easily 2HKO Togekiss with their STAB move, although, with the exception of Heatran, they all have to watch out for the rare Flamethrower.
Electric-types also do rather well thanks to their resistance to Air Slash and immunity to Thunder Wave, and most have very little else to fear from Togekiss. The Thundurus formes, Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Mega Manectric all do an excellent job at pressuring Togekiss.
Rock Slide users, particularly Tyranitar and Terrakion, are incredibly annoying for Togekiss, as they make its primary support option counterproductive while dealing heavy damage. Sniping Togekiss with a Stone Edge from the likes of Garchomp and Landorus-T is also a good way to pressure it and limit its amount of time on the battlefield.
Ice-type attackers such as Mega Abomasnow, Mamoswine, and the Kyurem formes are also good at taking out Togekiss. Mega Abomasnow and Kyurem in particular can unleash powerful STAB Blizzards to bypass Follow Me and take out both Togekiss and its teammate.
**Utility Moves**: Taunt is an incredible way to shut down Togekiss, as its minute offensive presence will reduce it to just a minor nuisance once its support options are rendered unusable. Just be aware that Follow Me's priority bypasses even Prankster Taunt users, so Togekiss can use it at least once. Encore works in a similar fashion to Taunt, though if you plan to Encore Togekiss into Follow Me, be sure to have a way to exploit that.
Simply setting up a Substitute, in the case of Heatran or boosting with Dragon Dance in the case of Mega Gyarados are a good ways to exploit Togekiss and turn it into a liability. However, be wary of a possible Thunder Wave crippling said setup sweepers.
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