Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
50
|
- |
241 |
304 |
- |
| Atk |
95
|
203 |
226 |
289 |
317 |
| Def |
180
|
356 |
396 |
459 |
504 |
| SpA |
85
|
185 |
206 |
269 |
295 |
| SpD |
45
|
113 |
126 |
189 |
207 |
| Spe |
70
|
158 |
176 |
239 |
262 |
Basically, all he does is use Spikes and get rid of enemy Spikes, pretty basic stuff. He's a good Rapid Spinner as most Spikers wouldn't want to switch into STAB Ice Beams/Surfs. Ice Beam also does a cool OHKO on Salamence and hurts Zapdos a lot on switch ins. Explosion takes a good 80-90% chunk out of Blissey and is general a good move for finishing stuff. Surf lets you beat Forretress more easily while providing a secondary STAB move.
Other Options
Not much to see here. Toxic could annoy a Dusclops coming in to prevent you from using Rapid Spin and other Pokémon as well. Substitute generally can work on anything. Use Rest only with Heal Bell, since Cloyster can't afford the sleep. Clamp could be fun; trap and kill a Forretress and Spikes are yours for the match.
EVs
You always want to max out that shameful HP stat before anything else, the rest is up to preference. EVs in Defense are not required with that 180 base, but a +Def nature helps with switching in against Salamence and such. A -Speed nature is preferred so that you're slower than Skarmory, and can Rapid Spin the Spikes away immediately or use Spikes yourself. Special Defense is required to even hope to survive Surf so you can Spike up. Special Attack can help you deal more damage and Attack gives Explosion an extra edge.
Opinion
Cloyster is the third most used Spiker after Skarmory and Forretress, and he's the only one out of the trio not to get trapped by Magneton—he also beats the other 2 Spikers, 1 on 1. Cloyster also comes in handy for Salamence. Despite his whopping 180 base Defense, he is not as good a physical wall as Skarmory/Forretress—with 2 physical weaknesses and no physical resistances (compared to Skarmory's 0 weaknesses, 5 resistance and 2 immunities). Choice Banded attacks can cause problems for this guy. He's also even worse than the other two Spikers in terms of Special Defense.
Counters
Special moves not called Ice Beam. Cloyster's Special Defense is his major let down, a good non-stabbed Thunderbolt will OHKO him with ease and any neutral Special Attack with STAB is a either a 2 or 1 hit kill. Seismic Toss is also damaging with his 50 base HP. Dusclops is also a pain when you're trying to Rapid Spin, and Ice Beam does a fairly pathetic amount to it. Starmie and Tentacruel resist Ice Beam and Surf, and can Rapid Spin off Spikes and put a fairly nice dent into Cloyster (Tentacruel after Swords Dancing).
