Altariel von Sweep
They Who Laugh Last
[OVERVIEW]
Wynaut is the only Pokemon with Shadow Tag in the current LC metagame, which allows it to trap any non-Ghost-type Pokemon. What separates it from the other trappers in LC is that it boasts an amazing base 95 HP stat, one of the highest in the tier, compensating for its otherwise mediocre defensive stats. However, due to its poor movepool with very few useful options in Counter, Mirror Coat, Encore, Safeguard, and Tickle, its offensive value is null. Thanks to Wynaut's great HP stat, Counter and Mirror Coat will almost always result in OHKOs, and Encore alongside to Shadow Tag can give defensive threats in problems. Unfortunately, Wynaut lacks the Speed required to reliably pull off its status moves, and it also lacks recovery, besides Berry Juice. While Psychic is a good defensive typing that allows Wynaut to take Fighting-type attacks, it makes it vulnerable to Knock Off, which is very common, and U-turn, which significantly damages Wynaut and makes its ability to trap Pokemon useless.
[SET]
name: Trapper
move 1: Counter
move 2: Mirror Coat
move 3: Encore
move 4: Tickle / Safeguard
item: Berry Juice
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 156 HP / 132 Def / 132 SpD / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Counter and Mirror Coat reflect any damage from physical and special moves for double of the taken damage, OHKOing most Pokemon thanks to Wynaut's high HP. Encore forces the foe to use its most recent move, which becomes handy if the foe used a move that Wynaut can resist, or a non-damaging move like Stealth Rock. It also ensures that Wynaut will know that opposing Pokemon are going to attack it next turn; coupled with its Berry Juice, this could mean a successful KO with Counter or Mirror Coat, or it could let Wynaut switch to a pivot that can handle the foe better, preserving Wynaut for later. Tickle lowers the foe's Attack and Defense by one stage, making physical attackers weaker. Wynaut can also run Safeguard, which protects it and its team from any status effects. Both moves benefit from Shadow Tag and can give setup opportunities to a teammate.
Set Details
========
156 EVs in HP give Wynaut more survivability, reaching 28 HP. 132 EVs are invested in both Defense and Special Defense for raise them by 2 points each, making it easy for Wynaut to take physical and special hits. 12 EVs in Speed allow it to outspeed passive threats like Foongus and Ferroseed and protect itself from their respective status attacks with Safeguard. A Bold nature is used to raise Wynaut's Defense and tank physical hits quite easily. Berry Juice provides Wynaut the ability to recover when it is dropped below half health, allowing it to keep tanking hits.
Usage Tips
========
If Wynaut is facing a Foongus or Mareanie, use Safeguard to protect it from status, and if either foe has used a status attack, use Encore on it. This makes them useless, and Wynaut can either PP stall them if they are slower or use free turns to switch to a sweeper and set up in order to KO them. It is recommended to KO Ghost-types like Gastly and Pumpkaboo, as well as Pursuit trappers like Pawniard, Alolan Grimer, and Stunky, as they hinder Wynaut. Wynaut should enter versus slow, passive, and bulky Pokemon, due to its passivity and low Speed. Wynaut mustn't be sent in even against attacks that it resists. Instead, it should be sent in to revenge kill and hinder its foe, having full health if possible. If it faces a setup sweeper that is faster than it, Wynaut should use Encore as soon as possible and switch to a Pokemon that can beat it easily. If it's slower, switch to a Pokemon that can take its attacks after the boost. Use Encore to trap a foe into a move like Stealth Rock, and then bring in a setup sweeper or use Tickle to reduce the foe's offensive stats in order to obtain setup opportunities.
Team Options
========
Wynaut appreciates Ghost-types such as Gastly and Pumpkaboo being removed. Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard, as well as more uncommon options such as Stunky and Munchlax, appreciate the support from Encore + Shadow Tag to be brought in safely, and they can face and Pursuit trap Ghost-types easily with their bulk or Speed. Momentum is nice to bring Wynaut to the field to resist hits; Pokemon such as Mienfoo, Vullaby, Magnemite, and Chinchou act as pivots and help Wynaut to get in. Wynaut really appreciates Pokemon that can beat Dark-types. Thus, Timburr, Mienfoo, and Scraggy are good partners for it, as they can take on threats such as Pawniard and Carvanha. Setup sweepers appreciate support from Wynaut's Tickle and Encore; Shell Smash users like Shellder and Tirtouga and other setup sweepers such as Corphish and Carvanha can take advantage of Wynaut's support to either safely set up or sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Charm can be used over Tickle to more quickly weaken physical attackers, but it's almost completely outclassed by Tickle due to the latter's ability to lower the foe's Defense. Destiny Bond can be used over Safeguard for KOing any Pokemon that has weakened it, but sometimes, it's pretty important to save Wynaut for threats that its team can't otherwise beat. A faster EV spread of 132 Def / 52 SpD / 252 Spe with a Timid nature allows Wynaut to outpace Timburr and Shell Smash users before a boost, but this significantly reduces its bulk. A bulkier EV spread of 236 HP / 132 Def / 132 SpD with a Calm or Bold nature can be used to stomach more hits, but it misses out on outspeeding Foongus. Psychium Z can be used over Berry Juice to get a 100-BP Shattered Psyche from Mirror Coat, but it's not worth the itemslot, as Mirror Coat typically deals more damage due to Wynaut's HP, and this causes Wynaut to lose its only way to recover its health. Eviolite further boosts Wynaut's defenses to tank more hits, but it makes Wynaut lose out on its only method of recovery.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types like Pawniard, Alolan Grimer, and Scraggy can hinder Wynaut a lot, as they can KO it easily with their STAB attacks, and the former two are able to Pursuit trap it.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Gastly and Pumpkaboo aren't affected by Shadow Tag, and the former can also KO Wynaut or switch out from it respectively.
**Knock Off**: Wynaut struggles a lot against Knock Off users like Mienfoo, Pawniard, and Alolan Grimer, as losing its Berry Juice makes it unable to recover.
**Taunt Users**: Pokemon that use Taunt like Mienfoo and Onix can guve Wynaut trouble, as it only can use Counter and Mirror Coat and becomes useless against them, if they play carefully around it.
**VoltTurn users**: U-turn and Volt Switch users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can switch out safely and avoid getting trapped by Wynaut while denting it.
Wynaut is the only Pokemon with Shadow Tag in the current LC metagame, which allows it to trap any non-Ghost-type Pokemon. What separates it from the other trappers in LC is that it boasts an amazing base 95 HP stat, one of the highest in the tier, compensating for its otherwise mediocre defensive stats. However, due to its poor movepool with very few useful options in Counter, Mirror Coat, Encore, Safeguard, and Tickle, its offensive value is null. Thanks to Wynaut's great HP stat, Counter and Mirror Coat will almost always result in OHKOs, and Encore alongside to Shadow Tag can give defensive threats in problems. Unfortunately, Wynaut lacks the Speed required to reliably pull off its status moves, and it also lacks recovery, besides Berry Juice. While Psychic is a good defensive typing that allows Wynaut to take Fighting-type attacks, it makes it vulnerable to Knock Off, which is very common, and U-turn, which significantly damages Wynaut and makes its ability to trap Pokemon useless.
[SET]
name: Trapper
move 1: Counter
move 2: Mirror Coat
move 3: Encore
move 4: Tickle / Safeguard
item: Berry Juice
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Bold
evs: 156 HP / 132 Def / 132 SpD / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Counter and Mirror Coat reflect any damage from physical and special moves for double of the taken damage, OHKOing most Pokemon thanks to Wynaut's high HP. Encore forces the foe to use its most recent move, which becomes handy if the foe used a move that Wynaut can resist, or a non-damaging move like Stealth Rock. It also ensures that Wynaut will know that opposing Pokemon are going to attack it next turn; coupled with its Berry Juice, this could mean a successful KO with Counter or Mirror Coat, or it could let Wynaut switch to a pivot that can handle the foe better, preserving Wynaut for later. Tickle lowers the foe's Attack and Defense by one stage, making physical attackers weaker. Wynaut can also run Safeguard, which protects it and its team from any status effects. Both moves benefit from Shadow Tag and can give setup opportunities to a teammate.
Set Details
========
156 EVs in HP give Wynaut more survivability, reaching 28 HP. 132 EVs are invested in both Defense and Special Defense for raise them by 2 points each, making it easy for Wynaut to take physical and special hits. 12 EVs in Speed allow it to outspeed passive threats like Foongus and Ferroseed and protect itself from their respective status attacks with Safeguard. A Bold nature is used to raise Wynaut's Defense and tank physical hits quite easily. Berry Juice provides Wynaut the ability to recover when it is dropped below half health, allowing it to keep tanking hits.
Usage Tips
========
If Wynaut is facing a Foongus or Mareanie, use Safeguard to protect it from status, and if either foe has used a status attack, use Encore on it. This makes them useless, and Wynaut can either PP stall them if they are slower or use free turns to switch to a sweeper and set up in order to KO them. It is recommended to KO Ghost-types like Gastly and Pumpkaboo, as well as Pursuit trappers like Pawniard, Alolan Grimer, and Stunky, as they hinder Wynaut. Wynaut should enter versus slow, passive, and bulky Pokemon, due to its passivity and low Speed. Wynaut mustn't be sent in even against attacks that it resists. Instead, it should be sent in to revenge kill and hinder its foe, having full health if possible. If it faces a setup sweeper that is faster than it, Wynaut should use Encore as soon as possible and switch to a Pokemon that can beat it easily. If it's slower, switch to a Pokemon that can take its attacks after the boost. Use Encore to trap a foe into a move like Stealth Rock, and then bring in a setup sweeper or use Tickle to reduce the foe's offensive stats in order to obtain setup opportunities.
Team Options
========
Wynaut appreciates Ghost-types such as Gastly and Pumpkaboo being removed. Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard, as well as more uncommon options such as Stunky and Munchlax, appreciate the support from Encore + Shadow Tag to be brought in safely, and they can face and Pursuit trap Ghost-types easily with their bulk or Speed. Momentum is nice to bring Wynaut to the field to resist hits; Pokemon such as Mienfoo, Vullaby, Magnemite, and Chinchou act as pivots and help Wynaut to get in. Wynaut really appreciates Pokemon that can beat Dark-types. Thus, Timburr, Mienfoo, and Scraggy are good partners for it, as they can take on threats such as Pawniard and Carvanha. Setup sweepers appreciate support from Wynaut's Tickle and Encore; Shell Smash users like Shellder and Tirtouga and other setup sweepers such as Corphish and Carvanha can take advantage of Wynaut's support to either safely set up or sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Charm can be used over Tickle to more quickly weaken physical attackers, but it's almost completely outclassed by Tickle due to the latter's ability to lower the foe's Defense. Destiny Bond can be used over Safeguard for KOing any Pokemon that has weakened it, but sometimes, it's pretty important to save Wynaut for threats that its team can't otherwise beat. A faster EV spread of 132 Def / 52 SpD / 252 Spe with a Timid nature allows Wynaut to outpace Timburr and Shell Smash users before a boost, but this significantly reduces its bulk. A bulkier EV spread of 236 HP / 132 Def / 132 SpD with a Calm or Bold nature can be used to stomach more hits, but it misses out on outspeeding Foongus. Psychium Z can be used over Berry Juice to get a 100-BP Shattered Psyche from Mirror Coat, but it's not worth the itemslot, as Mirror Coat typically deals more damage due to Wynaut's HP, and this causes Wynaut to lose its only way to recover its health. Eviolite further boosts Wynaut's defenses to tank more hits, but it makes Wynaut lose out on its only method of recovery.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types like Pawniard, Alolan Grimer, and Scraggy can hinder Wynaut a lot, as they can KO it easily with their STAB attacks, and the former two are able to Pursuit trap it.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types like Gastly and Pumpkaboo aren't affected by Shadow Tag, and the former can also KO Wynaut or switch out from it respectively.
**Knock Off**: Wynaut struggles a lot against Knock Off users like Mienfoo, Pawniard, and Alolan Grimer, as losing its Berry Juice makes it unable to recover.
**Taunt Users**: Pokemon that use Taunt like Mienfoo and Onix can guve Wynaut trouble, as it only can use Counter and Mirror Coat and becomes useless against them, if they play carefully around it.
**VoltTurn users**: U-turn and Volt Switch users like Mienfoo and Chinchou can switch out safely and avoid getting trapped by Wynaut while denting it.
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