Ace Emerald
Cyclic, lunar, metamorphosing
http://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/umbreon
[Overview]
<p>Umbreon has a reliable niche as the best cleric in UU. It uses its great Special Defense to wall common special attackers, and it can support its team by clearing status with Heal Bell and restoring HP with Wish. However, Umbreon's sparse movepool and terrible offensive stats prevent it from filling any other role. Fighting-type Pokemon are common in UU, and they constantly threaten Umbreon. Furthermore, Umbreon's lack of offensive pressure means that many setup sweepers, such as Nasty Plot Togekiss, can use it as setup bait. Still, Umbreon is the best at what it does, and it can ensure its teammates stay healthy throughout the match.</p>
[SET]
name: Wish Support
move 1: Wish
move 2: Foul Play
move 3: Heal Bell / Toxic / Yawn
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Synchronize
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set capitalizes on Umbreon's team-supporting potential. Umbreon can switch into many special attackers in the tier and can comfortably use one of its team-supporting moves. Wish can restore 197 HP to a teammate and keeps Umbreon's team in a good fighting condition. Foul Play is Umbreon's best attacking option, as even special attackers like Raikou and Zapdos have higher Attack stats than Umbreon. Furthermore, Foul Play can deal significant damage to physical attackers that try to exploit Umbreon's lower Defense stat. It OHKOes Darmanitan after Stealth Rock damage, 2HKOes all Flygon, and can even score a solid 3HKO on Choice Scarf Heracross. The ability to remove status with Heal Bell is very useful, as it can give a crippled sweeper a second chance to sweep. This also works very well with Synchronize, as Umbreon can heal its status condition after inflicting it on the opponent. However, Umbreon can trade the ability to clear status for the ability to inflict it with Toxic. Between Wish and Protect, Umbreon can quickly build up Toxic damage and wear down Pokemon that can't deal significant damage to it. Yawn can shuffle the opponent's team and can render a Pokemon useless for the remainder of the match. Protect allows Umbreon to scout the opponent's next move, take better advantage of Wish and Yawn by negating the charging turn, and build up Toxic damage. However, if your opponent predicts your Protect turn, they could use it to set up a sweep.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs on this set allow Umbreon to be a reasonably effective special wall, which is how it switches into battle to support its team. Pursuit can be used in the third moveslot to trap special attackers with a weakness to Dark-type attacks, such as Chandelure and Azelf, but Umbreon's poor Attack makes this ineffective. Moonlight can be used to instantly restore HP, but it detracts from Umbreon's role as a team supporter. Umbreon should be paired with Pokemon that resist the Fighting-type attacks that are often aimed at it. Crobat is one of the safest switches into the common Fighting-types of the tier, Heracross and Mienshao. Defensive Ghost-types like Sableye and Cofagrigus also counter Fighting-types effectively and can drain the offensive pressure Fighting-types put on Umbreon. Slowbro and Mew can check Fighting-types, but they also lose to Heracross, one of the biggest threats in the tier. Using Umbreon alongside a Fighting-type of your own is also effective, as Steel-types such as Cobalion and Bisharp may try to take advantage of their Dark-type resistance to start a sweep, and the former can even gain an attack boost via Justified if it switches into Foul Play. Heracross is a good partner as it can provide some much needed offensive pressure for Umbreon's team.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Umbreon can try to sweep with Curse, but it's outclassed in this role by Scrafty and Snorlax. Even with a Curse under its belt, Umbreon is threatened by strong Fighting-types. They can still deal significant damage with their STAB moves, and they resist Umbreon's Dark-type STAB. Mean Look can be used to trap an opponent and Toxic stall it, but Umbreon will often trap a switch-in and the turn will have been wasted. Umbreon has Baton Pass, but it is slow and has nothing worthwhile to pass. Inner Focus is next to useless, as the primary flinch user, Togekiss, can boost its Special Attack with Nasty Plot to overwhelm Umbreon.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Umbreon is checked by most Fighting-types and many Steel-types. Mienshao and Heracross can both switch into Umbreon and hit it with powerful STAB moves. Scrafty can switch into Umbreon and set up with Dragon Dance or Bulk Up. Cobalion receives an Attack boost when hit with Foul Play, and can set up Swords Dance or Stealth Rock. Durant and Escavalier can both stomach a hit from Foul Play and the former can start a sweep with Hone Claws, while the latter can use powerful STAB moves. Bisharp can use Umbreon as setup bait for Swords Dance, and it can also set up a Substitute to ease prediction. Any setup sweeper that doesn't fear Foul Play can set up on Umbreon if it lacks Toxic. Although it can't KO Umbreon, Roserade can switch into it and start setting up Spikes layers. Taunt users, such as Crobat and Gligar, can prevent Umbreon from healing and can slowly weaken it. Strong physical attackers can take advantage of Umbreon's lower Defense stat, but they must watch out for Foul Play, which can deal significant damage if they don't resist it.</p>