Ahhh... good to be analyzing you again, old friend =). Can't believe Wobbuffet was my first C&C work, and I did it like 6 years ago lol (and it was just team options stuff too!)
[OVERVIEW]
At first glance, Wobbuffet might seem like a rather unremarkable trapper compared to Mega Gengar, but, thanks to its disruptive movepool and good bulk, Wobbuffet is effective at dealing with certain kinds of Pokemon that Mega Gengar has more issues with, such as Choice users and fast offensive threats. However, what truly makes Wobbuffet dangerous isn't what sets it apart from Mega Gengar but, rather, what the two can do together when joining forces! Wobbuffet and Mega Gengar together can be a dastardly duo that horrifies defensive teams with Perish Song. Against offensive teams, Wobbuffet's and Mega Gengar's ability to trap different threats can put a massive amount of pressure on your opponent!
Unfortunately, Wobbuffet heavily relies on its teammates to finish the job, meaning that when it's left as the last Pokemon, Wobbuffet can potentially lose the game by becoming easy setup fodder. Its low Speed, lack of recovery, and mediocre defensive typing mean that Wobbuffet will often only have the capability to take down one Pokemon per match. These flaws make Wobbuffet a rather specialized Pokemon that won't fit on every team. However, with a specialization as deadly as trapping, Wobbuffet should never be taken as a joke when encountered in Team Preview, as few Pokemon excel at taking away choices as well as Wobbuffet does!
[SET]
name: \(>_<)7
move 1: Encore
move 2: Counter
move 3: Mirror Coat
move 4: Destiny Bond
item: Sitrus Berry / Custap Berry
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 252 Def / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Encore is Wobbuffet's big selling point, locking the foe into a move for three turns with no chance of switching out thanks to Shadow Tag! Counter allows Wobbuffet to deal massive damage when hit by a physical attack, while Mirror Coat shatters foes using special attacks. Destiny Bond rounds out the set, allowing Wobbuffet to ease prediction by putting setup sweepers in a "get KOed or set up on" situation. Safeguard is usually a poor option, but it can be considered if your team is especially weak to status moves.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Defense and Special Defense is recommended for the most bulk, because Wobbuffet's HP stat is so massive that investing in it won't do as much good. The extra 4 Speed EVs give Wobbuffet a chance to Speed tie with Slowbro, while a Bold nature lets Wobbuffet take physical hits better, suiting the physical dominance of Battle Spot Singles.
Sitrus Berry gives Wobbuffet a longer presence on the battlefield due to the 25% recovery it offers, which can be especially useful against more defensive teams. Custap Berry, on the other hand, is a more high-risk, high reward option. Custap Berry lets Wobbuffet move first when it's at 25% of its health (which, in this case, is 66 HP). When combined with Destiny Bond, this gives Wobbuffet the potential to take down two Pokemon in a match! However, this also makes Wobbuffet more vulnerable to extremely powerful attacks that don't quite get it into Custap Berry's activation range, as Sitrus Berry won't be there to cushion the blow for it.
Usage Tips
========
Wobbuffet might have good bulk, but switching it in recklessly trying to trap foes isn't usually a wise decision. Wobbuffet's lack of recovery means that it's usually only guaranteed one KO per match, so keeping Wobbuffet healthy earlier in the game is a good idea until you can decide what Pokemon you want Wobbuffet to take out. This isn't to say that Wobbuffet needs to be saved for the late-game, though; if you find a good opportunity to get Wobbuffet in safely, such as after a KO or against a defensive Pokemon, don't hesitate to bring it in. Just remember: when using Wobbuffet early in the game, setting up sweeps is riskier due to potential checks, so it's sometimes best to simply launch off powerful attacks with your setup sweeper instead.
Wobbuffet's safest option is to switch into defensive targets that can't do much to it beyond giving it a status ailment. Use Encore to make them setup fodder for another switch-in or use Counter or Mirror Coat to eventually KO them if they attack. Good targets for Wobbuffet include defensive Porygon2, Cresselia, Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, Slowbro, and Suicune. The next best targets for Wobbuffet are Choice Scarf Pokemon, with two of the most common targets being Landorus-T and Rotom-W. Wobbuffet usually shouldn't directly switch into these Pokemon until you know they are carrying a Choice Scarf, and be aware that Rotom-W and Rotom-H often carry Trick, which can cripple Wobbuffet. Once Choice Scarf Pokemon are locked into a move, they become easy targets for Wobbuffet to defeat with Counter or Mirror Coat! Choice Band and Choice Specs Pokemon are also vulnerable to Wobbuffet, but because they are occasionally able to 2HKO Wobbuffet, it's usually best for Wobbuffet to revenge kill them instead.
When Wobbuffet is forced to face powerful setup sweepers such as Blaziken and Life Orb Garchomp, using Encore is risky, as their attacks can already 2HKO Wobbuffet. Instead, using Destiny Bond is the safer choice. Because Wobbuffet is so slow, Destiny Bond will remain activated when the foe moves again. This puts the foe in a tough situation: either KO Wobbuffet and get taken down with Destiny Bond or avoid a KO and become setup fodder thanks to Encore! Using Destiny Bond against potential mixed attackers such as Mega Salamence is also wise because predicting the wrong move with Counter or Mirror Coat can be devastating for Wobbuffet.
Team Options
========
Mega Gengar should almost always be used with Wobbuffet. When paired together, Wobbuffet and Mega Gengar form a dastardly duo that severely punishes defensive Pokemon and foes locked into support moves from Encore. Perish Song Mega Gengar is usually the best variant to run. The first method of unleashing their madness is for Wobbuffet to use Encore on a support move or a Normal- or Fighting-type move for Mega Gengar to switch in on so it can start the Perish Song cycle. The second method is for Mega Gengar to use Perish Song on a defensive Pokemon and then switch to Wobbuffet to absorb their attacks, as Wobbuffet has much higher bulk than Mega Gengar. Also, note that Wobbuffet and Mega Gengar don't always have to be used in the same match: using one or the other can be useful against offensive teams, which are not as vulnerable to Perish Song. Wobbuffet tends to do better against fast, offensive threats and Choice Scarf users, while Mega Gengar tends to deal with slower threats more efficiently. If your team can't afford the loss in coverage, other Mega Gengar variants are still good teammates, though they aren't as effective against defensive Pokemon.
Almost any setup sweeper in Battle Spot Singles will benefit from Wobbuffet's support, but sweepers that are especially valuable to focus on are Pokemon that offer immunities and resistances that can take advantage of Wobbuffet's Encore. Great examples include Garchomp (for its Electric immunity), Azumarill (for its Dragon-type immunity and Dark-type resistance), Thundurus (for its Ground and paralysis immunity), Talonflame (for its Ground and burn immunity), and Blaziken (for its Dark-type resistance and burn immunity). Also, as using both Wobbuffet and Mega Gengar isn't the best choice against every opponent, having a backup Mega Pokemon that enjoys Wobbuffet's support is a reasonable option. Strong offensive Mega Pokemon that benefit from Wobbuffet's support include Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Charizard X, and Mega Salamence.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
If your team is vulnerable status ailments, Wobbuffet can use Safeguard and Lum Berry together to ruin attempts at status. If especially worried about sleep, Wobbuffet can use Safety Goggles to defeat Breloom and Vivillon. Focus Sash can let Wobbuffet nab a surprise KO on a sweeper, but it will leave Wobbuffet useless for the rest of the battle. Charm is notable for making Perish Song trapping with Mega Gengar and setting up sweeps easier, but it only works on physically offensive Pokemon, making it a rather situational move.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pokemon with Shed Shell**: Shed Shell is uncommon outside of Blissey, but it is an extremely effective response to Wobbuffet, ruining its trapping strategies with Mega Gengar.
**Pokemon with Taunt**: Taunt blocks Wobbuffet's Encore, making it easy setup fodder. Common offensive users of the move include Tyranitar and Gyarados, while Mandibuzz and Skarmory are effective defensive Taunt users.
**Pokemon with Magic Bounce**: While uncommon, Mega Sableye and Espeon are immune to Wobbuffet's Encore thanks to Magic Bounce.
**Special Dark-types and Physical Ghost-types**: Mirror Coat doesn't affect specially attacking Dark-types, making Hydregion and mixed Tyranitar effective answers as long as they avoid Destiny Bond. In a similar manner, physical Aegislash is unaffected by Counter.
**U-turn, Volt Switch, and Baton Pass Users**: U-turning to a Ghost-type is an effective way to escape Wobbuffet's Counter and Encore, while using Volt Switch to bring in a Dark-type avoids Mirror Coat and Encore. Baton Pass isn't as common, but thanks to its lack of damage, it's even more effective against Wobbuffet, letting the foe switch in without a risk of getting KOed.
**Ghost-types**: While Wobbuffet isn't actually OHKOed by unboosted Ghost-types, these Pokemon are immune to Shadow Tag, allowing them to escape and KO Wobbuffet later when it's weakened.
**Pursuit Users**: Although Pursuit is uncommon, Scizor and Tyranitar can use it to deal massive damage to any escaping Wobbuffet.
**Knock Off Users**: While Wobbuffet will usually OHKO Knock Off users with Counter, it also means Wobbuffet won't be able to use its Berry. Common Knock Off users include Blaziken, Azumarill, and Conkeldurr.
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