Whimsicott (Analysis)



Whimsicott

Whimsicott is an adorable sheep thing that is really annoying to fight. I am taking this over for NatGeo. Furthermore, I am putting this back through QC because I talked with Bloo and suggested a few changes to the set that would be good. He and I agreed, and so here we are.

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[Overview]

<p>It's typical of Game Freak to create a wicked new ability in Prankster, which gives all support moves +1 priority, and then create exactly one Pokemon with all the gadgetry necessary to abuse every facet of it. Whimsicott is that Pokemon. Filled to the brim with nearly every support move you could possibly want bar entry hazards, Whimsicott is a supremely effective momentum grabber, stat-booster check, and general annoyance to anything on the receiving end of its boundless movepool.</p>

<p>Whimsicott, while amazing in its ability to support its team, is a victim of circumstance and nothing more. While it is very cool that it can check pretty much any setup sweeper, Whimsicott requires nigh-perfect prediction for it to be worth its weight on your team. Whimsicott's bulky, don't get me wrong, but you don't want to switch Whimsicott in accidentally on an attack that even 3HKOes it, because Whimsicott won't be able to set up properly and will either get beaten soundly or forced back out to another Pokemon. In this sense, Whimsicott doesn't really check Pokemon like other, more popular Pokemon can, and this is really the reason for Whimsicott's lack of usage. You can't—or rather, won't—switch Whimsicott into even Grass-weak Pokemon to threaten them out, as that's just not how Whimsicott works. You'll be relying on Encore, Taunt, Substitute, and other tricks to screw them up and force them out so Whimsicott can do its job. If you aren't planning on doing that, then stop right now and pick a different Grass-type Pokemon, such as Virizion or Ferrothorn. Don't let me turn you off to using Whimsicott totally, though; it's a seriously solid Pokemon if you can play to its incredibly specific strengths and predict like a beast capable of winning the Smogon Tour. All I've got to say is: "You've been warned."</p>

[SET]
name: Encore
move 1: Encore
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute / U-turn
move 4: Stun Spore / Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold / Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>I know what you're thinking: "This set has very few options in it, where are the rest?" Keep your pants on, because while Whimsicott has literally dozens of tricks it can play, what you see before you is the most reliable and best combination possible. If you want to adjust it to your tastes, be my guest, but this here is what the pros are packing.</p>

<p>Encore is perhaps the single greatest move available to Whimsicott. You can switch Whimsicott into any stat-boosting or otherwise non-threatening move, Encore it, and then completely go to town. Encore also doubles as insurance against anything that tries to set up on Whimsicott. Nothing will attempt a Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Substitute, or whatever against Whimsicott thanks to the threat of Encore. Whimsicott's next best bet at annoying opponents is with its priority Leech Seed, which screws up and wears down anything that isn't Grass-type. After that, Substitute and U-turn are both good options. Substitute allows Whimsicott to wither down many opposing Pokemon as they fumble to break Substitutes and force Whimsicott out. U-turn is a better option for offensive teams that want to bounce out and use Leech Seed healing and an offensive threat to force switches and sweep. Stun Spore in the last slot is spectacular at paralyzing and stunting the sweeps of everything from Excadrill to Thundurus. Meanwhile, Taunt can be useful at keeping something like Ferrothorn from coming in and throwing up layers of Spikes as Whimsicott looks on helplessly. Like I said before, these are just the most reliable choices for moves, you can mix and match pretty much anything in Whimsicott's movepool to create a cool and personalized variant of this fluff ball.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Because of Prankster, there's no reason to invest in Whimsicott's Speed stat at all. Instead, all EVs are allocated to physical bulk so that Whimsicott can take stray physical attacks from physical setup sweepers like Excadrill, Landorus, and Terrakion as it switches in to Encore their boosting move. This also makes Whimsicott's Substitute tougher to break, should you be running that. 0 Attack IVs should only be used if Substitute is used over U-turn, and only for the off chance that Whimsicott somehow gets confused and hits itself. Otherwise, stick with 31 Attack IVs. Bold being used over Impish is in a similar vein; Bold with Substitute, and Impish with U-turn. Also, you can invest Whimsicott's EVs in special bulk if your team calls for it. In that case, a Calm or Careful nature would be the way to go.</p>

<p>In some sense, Cottonee, Whimsicott's pre-evolution, is a better Pokemon than Whimsicott. Because offenses and Speed don't matter for a set like this, and considering the existence of Eviolite, it'd appear at first glance that you should always use Cottonee over Whimsicott. However, being able to use Leftovers is a huge deal for Whimsicott, because Leftovers recovery coupled with Leech Seed recovery can replenish the HP lost from Substitute at an alarming rate. Let this both be your reason to use Whimsicott and your reason to use Leftovers as the item.</p>

<p>Whimsicott is not usually a Pokemon that you specifically use other Pokemon with, rather it fills gaps in a team or provides specific team support that is needed. For instance, a lot of teams have problems with fast Speed-boosting sweepers and can't afford to pack a Choice Scarf Pokemon. These types of teams greatly benefit from Whimsicott's solid bulk and priority Encore to check those threats. Whimsicott doesn't like attackers with super effective attacks that have just switched in, because then it can't Encore to stop the attack. Even Water-types can seriously threaten Whimsicott if packing Ice Beam, since Whimsicott is almost never carrying an attack of its own. Whimsicott also appreciates being used on a rain team for the decrease in Fire-type damage taken and in order to maintain its Leftovers recovery. The Pokemon typically used in rain, such as Thundurus, also happen to partner well with Whimsicott, especially when Whimsicott is bouncing around with U-turn. Thundurus just loves free switch-ins. Speaking of Thundurus, offensive Pokemon in general can take advantage of double switches forced by Whimsicott's Encore followed by U-turn to pivot in and immediately threaten the opponent's team. Good choices for this can range from Terrakion to Tornadus and Reuniclus to Garchomp. Lastly, due to Whimsicott's unique style of checking opponents, it's good to support it with both entry hazards to abuse its ability to force switches and switch-ins to Fire- and Ice-type attacks. Depending on the type of team Whimsicott's being used on, this might mean that Heatran is a good choice, or it may mean that Jellicent is a good choice. Use your best judgment and Whimsicott will serve you well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>I had originally prepared an amazing paragraph for you to read, but rather than shoving a couple hundred words down your throat, I will instead just list the myriad of support moves that Whimsicott is able to abuse successfully: Cotton Spore, Cotton Guard, Tailwind, Charm, GrassWhistle, Memento, Switcheroo, Toxic, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Light Screen, and Trick Room. Each of these has niche value on Whimsicott for specific teams, so you should amuse yourself and experiment with them to find the best combination for what you want to achieve. As an aside, you might sometimes desperately want an attacking move on Whimsicott for whatever reason. If you must, Giga Drain is the way to go, although Hidden Power Fire isn't bad for opposing Grass-types. Just remember that Whimsicott is pitifully weak offensively, and even more so if you're not investing any EVs in its Special Attack.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Do yourself a favor and don't switch in something in an attempt to use Whimsicott as setup fodder. That only works if Whimsicott both lacks Taunt and you're setting up entry hazards or ordering your own Pokemon to use Taunt. Speaking of Taunt, it's the best way to guarantee that you can force Whimsicott out. Thundurus happens to be faster than 0 Speed Whimsicott and has Prankster itself to Taunt before Whimsicott can do anything. Since Whimsicott almost never runs an attacking move, this either makes it kill itself with Struggle or gives Thundurus a free turn to attack.</p>

<p>Outside of the obvious Taunt, the best way to get by Whimsicott is to just hit it until it dies. Even Pokemon that normally don't like Grass-types, such as bulky Water-type Pokemon, can give Whimsicott trouble just by spamming Ice Beam. Most of these Pokemon won't like suffering the withering effects of Leech Seed, but a few can get around it. For instance, Whimsicott will only hurt itself if it tries to Leech Seed against Tentacruel, while Tentacruel can either smash it with STAB Sludge Bomb or set up Toxic Spikes if Whimsicott isn't running Taunt. Rain Dish Ludicolo can be a real pain for Whimsicott in the rain, as it doesn't take rain-boosted Scalds or super effective Ice Beams well at all. Using a Grass-type of your own is also a surefire way to put a damper on Whimsicott's shenanigans. Virizion can come in and use Hidden Power Ice to force Whimsicott out, while Ferrothorn can come in and either attempt to set up Spikes or do serious damage with Gyro Ball. Other less common Grass-types, such as Celebi, Shaymin, and Breloom, work as well if they just outright attack Whimsicott, but won't appreciate a U-turn to a typical check like Tornadus. Either way, just remember that Whimsicott is not an offensive threat in any manner, and if you're carrying any of the aforementioned checks, you'll probably fare just fine against it.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>No. Don't use Chlorophyll, use Prankster. If you really want to use Chlorophyll, change Whimsicott's species to Venusaur and try again.</p>
 
Priority Switcheroo is interesting. It can be used to cripple physical sweepers by giving them, say, an Iron Ball or a Choice Item. I think it deserves to be at least mentioned.
 
If I'm not mistaken, Whimsicott and Cottonee can use a varriation of FEAR.
Lv. 1 Cottone with Focus Sash
-Endeavor
-Leech Seed
-Taunt
-Stun Spore

Endeavor the opposing Pokemon to either 1 HP or close to it if they use a status move. Then use priority Leech Seed for a KO. Taunt could prevent the mentioned status move, but it would require precise prediction. You sacrifice Cottonee, but you take down an opposing threat, and if they retreat, you hit them w/ Stun Spore.

It's a gimmick alright, but it works for some teams. If you don't want to sacrifice Whimsicott, use both a regular Encore Whimsicott and a FEAR Cottonee.

It at least deserves a FEAR mention.
 
Just saying, there's a variation of that.

If I'm not mistaken, Whimsicott and Cottonee can use a varriation of FEAR.
Lv. 1 Cott (either one) @ Micle Berry
-Grasswhistle
-Leech Seed
-Substitute
-Endeavor or something

Substitute down to micle range, fire off 100% accuracy grasswhistle, sub on the switch, Leech Seed FOREVER! Serebii says you can get Micle, and Bulbapedia doesn't have anything to say on the matter.

Espeon and Xatu are some cool 100% counters.

Reuniclus laughs at it too.

Grass pokemon are immune to Leech Seed. Grass/Poison pokemon are immune to Toxic too!

btw mention Toxic.

Also mention Protect somewhere.
 
Priority Switcheroo is interesting. It can be used to cripple physical sweepers by giving them, say, an Iron Ball or a Choice Item. I think it deserves to be at least mentioned.
Switcheroo is pretty good, but it isn't worth mentioning imo because it's illegal with encore and Whimsicott without encore is a sucky sucker.

Excellent write-up boss. It definitely emphasizes Whimsicott's strengths, as opposed to the former analysis that only suggested lolsubseeding.

Alot of people max special defense and use Cotton Guard or Charm, so perhaps that is worth mentioning. Toxic is also pretty beastly because it saves PP by killing more quickly.

Worry Seed allows it to win against would-be 100% counters Breloom, Gliscor and Reuniclus, but it's probably too conditional to mention.
 
Hidden power fire could be a decent option. It means you aren't helpless against ferrothorn, and stops CB scizor from coming in repeatedly and u-turning to break your sub.

Also, is there a reason why you run 252HP? Less HP means more recovery from leech seed, if opting for the subseed varient, you can stall a lot of opponents until substitute runs out of PP or they switch/faint.
 
Micle Berry is not released, and a FEAR set is not good enough by any standards. Priority <insert cool move Whimsicott has here> is not going to get a mention in the set because it doesn't belong there. I will be writing an enormous OO section detailing all of the cool things that Whimsicott can do but aren't listed in the main set, so don't worry yourselves there.
Ubiquitous said:
Also, is there a reason why you run 252HP? Less HP means more recovery from leech seed
Less HP also means absurdly reduced bulk. Whimsicott is actually very bulky if you put 252 EVs into HP, and this helps it in the long run far more than scoring more HP per turn if you do get in and manage to set up. The HP also serves to make Whimsicott's Substitutes much bulkier, which helps a lot against the weaker or resisted attacks you're trying to set up against.
 
Would a speed boosting nature be of any use, like when you come up against other Whimsicotts?
 
Encore it if it had used a move before. It could also outrun Thundurus and Tornadus and outspeed them with priority status. 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spd puts it at 354 speed, one point above the genies.
 
Micle Berry only works for one move though, right? If not, I could see the FEAR being devastating, but it's not like that.

Whimsicott vs. Whimsicott will be interesting though. Maybe by investing a few EVs in Speed would guarentee your Whimsicott to outspeed uninvested Whimsicotts...
 
Encore it if it had used a move before. It could also outrun Thundurus and Tornadus and outspeed them with priority status. 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spd puts it at 354 speed, one point above the genies.

Completely ireelevent because trying to stay in on either of the genies is pretty much suicide, especially Tornadus, and why would either try and use a non-attacking move on Whimsicott when they know it has Prankster? Theres literally no good reason to run Speed on Whimsicott.
 
Completely ireelevent because trying to stay in on either of the genies is pretty much suicide, especially Tornadus, and why would either try and use a non-attacking move on Whimsicott when they know it has Prankster? Theres literally no good reason to run Speed on Whimsicott.
That's true. But what would running 4 EVs to outspeed uninvested Whimsicotts? If the answer is no, then you've answered all my questions.
 
That's true. But what would running 4 EVs to outspeed uninvested Whimsicotts? If the answer is no, then you've answered all my questions.


Wait. So you run 4 Speed EVs to outspeed 0 Speed Whimsicott's, which gets put into the analysis. Now all the Whimsicott's run 4 Speed EVs due to the analysis suggesting it, and we're back with the same problem.

( I will stop arguing this if Rising_Dusk wants me to)
 
Might be a good idea to have some speed invested in a Whimsicott if you're going in Double or Triple Battles; if your Whimsicott can outspeed theirs, that might give you a quick (ha -quick-, get it?) advantage (via taunt?)
 

Oglemi

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Might be a good idea to have some speed invested in a Whimsicott if you're going in Double or Triple Battles; if your Whimsicott can outspeed theirs, that might give you a quick (ha -quick-, get it?) advantage (via taunt?)
This thread and sub-forum is for single battles only.

EDIT: @below - they would snuggle :3
 

AccidentalGreed

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4 Speed EV's, if only to outspeed other Whimsicott, would be considered Speed Creep. Whimsicott really doesn't need to outspeed other Mischevious Heart users either.

Besides...

Berserker Lord said:
What is a Whimsicott going to do to another Whimsicott?
 

PDC

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For teammates and counters, I would think a mention of how it works well in rain teams would be worth a mention. Especially because the lighting genie is commonly seen in rain as well.
 
No Speed EVs are going in the set. It is a bad idea, doesn't help Whimsicott any, and is Speed creep if only to be a back-and-forth fight with opposing Whimsicott (which doesn't matter anyway because they can't actually do anything to each other).
PDC said:
For teammates and counters, I would think a mention of how it works well in rain teams would be worth a mention. Especially because the lighting genie is commonly seen in rain as well.
I was planning on adding that to the actual writeup regardless, but if it really bothers you I'll tack it into the skeleton too. ;)
 
I actually prefer my whimsicott to be slower than theirs. This way if in a showdown against them (say, as a lead) I can encore whatever move they use 100% of the time, meaning I can deal with them easily with another team mate or at least force the switch.
 
In my experience whimsicotts just u-turn out of each other, unless one is subseeding (lame strategy, so you're probably winning anyway). Therefore, the slower whimsicott 'wins' by u-turning last because you get to see what they bring in and choose accordingly.

So, yeah. I'm reaffirming that there is absolutely no good reason to have speed on whimsicott, and how having less speed can actually be beneficial.
 
So, Relaxed nature would work for Whimsicott?

EDIT: I just hatched a Relaxed Whimsicott and wondering if I should keep it.
EDIT 2: Kept it, now to breed the egg moves and RNG the final product.
 

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