QC: Catalystic / Megazard / cromagnet42
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / lotiasite
[OVERVIEW]
Espeon is a staple on most Baton Pass teams because it is the only non-Mega Pokemon with both Baton Pass and Magic Bounce and the most effective Baton Pass receiver. Access to STAB-boosted Stored Power allows it to sweep teams effectively and efficiently, landing an OHKO on even the bulkiest Pokemon in the metagame with enough boosts, and a decent base Speed of 110 allows it to outspeed most of the metagame with a single Speed boost. However, Espeon should not be used on teams other than those utilizing Baton Pass; Mega Sableye would be a better option if only Magic Bounce is desired.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass Sweeper
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Stored Power
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Substitute
item: Shell Bell / Leftovers
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Modest
evs: 8 HP / 208 Def / 68 SpA / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Baton Pass allows Espeon to switch in and out safely in combination with another Baton Pass user and to make use of Magic Bounce against status moves like Taunt and Roar or Whirlwind without losing stat boosts, as well as keeping stat boosts safe from Spectral Thief in case the opponent has a Focus Sash Marshadow. Stored Power is Espeon's main STAB move, which it can utilize to sweep due to its rapidly growing Base Power from all of Espeon's boosts. Dazzling Gleam is used to hit Dark-types such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and Tyranitar due to their immunity to Stored Power. Substitute is useful as a safety net against priority moves while sweeping, and getting one up safely can be statistically inevitable with enough evasion boosts.
Set Details
========
8 HP EVs are used to allow Espeon to place four Substitutes without recovery. 208 Defense EVs are required to survive an Extreme Speed from Life Orb Adamant Arceus. 68 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature are required to OHKO Mega Gengar with Stored Power after three boosts. These boosts will usually be in the form of Speed. The remaining EVs are invested into Speed in order to help Espeon outspeed the opposing Pokemon while sweeping without the need of excessive boosts, letting it outspeed the whole unboosted metagame except for Deoxys-S at +1. Magic Bounce is useful to bounce back various status moves, especially Taunt, Leech Seed, and Roar or Whirlwind before Ingrain is active. Shell Bell is useful to heal back damage taken from priority moves or Substitutes being hit through evasion, since Espeon will likely OHKO the foe. Leftovers may be preferable over Shell Bell if the team cannot provide enough regeneration from the likes of Aqua Ring to place more Substitutes with evasion boosts, as Shell Bell does not heal if Espeon does not attack.
Usage Tips
========
Espeon, as the only Magic Bounce user on most Baton Pass teams, will need to be switched in with Baton Pass to block Taunt from Yveltal or Mega Gengar. However, both of these threats can OHKO Espeon without significant Special Defense boosts, so switching it into them should be done with care. Apart from bouncing back key status moves such as Taunt and Leech Seed, however, Espeon should not be out until it is ready to sweep. Once enough boosts to sweep have been accumulated, setting up a Substitute to shield Espeon from one hit is recommended before switching it in, but it is not required. Against a Marshadow whose item has not been scouted, Espeon should Baton Pass out to Smeargle, as one Spectral Thief from a Focus Sash Marshadow can immediately turn a won game into a loss. A Substitute should be placed before attacking if Espeon has evasion boosts but inadequate Defense boosts, as evasion boosts mean that a Substitute should be able to be laid down without getting hit after a few tries. Substitute is also a good move to use when switching in Espeon to bounce back a status move with intent to switch out to another team member. Substitute allows Espeon to be hit and switch to the correct team member according to the situation.
Team Options
========
Espeon fits only on Baton Pass teams, as it lacks the ability to fulfill any other niche in the metagame. Scolipede is a powerful team member with access to Speed Boost, Baton Pass, and Iron Defense, allowing the team to farm Defense and Speed, giving Espeon the ability to outspeed opposing Pokemon while sweeping and have physical bulk to survive priority attacks from Arceus, Mega Rayquaza, and Marshadow. Smeargle is arguably the most popular Baton Passer due to having access to every move in the game along with Moody as an ability. Smeargle can put foes to sleep with Spore, use Ingrain to keep foes from phazing it, use Spectral Thief to steal back stats and hit Marshadow, and set up a Substitute to farm Moody boosts. Drifblim is the most viable evasion passer because of Minimize and Unburden along with its natural bulk. Evasion helps with setting up Substitutes when the Substitutes cannot survive any given move from the foe. Mr. Mime is invaluable against common methods of removing boosts. Soundproof allows it to switch into Perish Song and Roar, and its Fairy typing lets it switch into Dragon Tail. Taunt allows Mr. Mime to block opposing Taunts, Haze, and Heart Swap. Vaporeon can pass Aqua Ring for increased regeneration, which is useful while setting up Substitutes. It also has a defensively effective pure Water typing that allows it to get Defense boosts with Acid Armor more easily. Its natural bulk and lowsSpeed also let it act as one of the most effective pivots on Baton Pass teams. Gliscor can farm evasion boosts with Double Team against Primal Kyogre, one of the most powerful threats to Baton Pass teams, because of its immunity to Thunder.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Espeon can be used on Extreme Evoboost teams, using Calm Mind over Dazzling Gleam and maximizing HP and Defense with a Timid nature. This is due to the nature of Extreme Evoboost teams essentially ensuring a +2 boost in everything besides accuracy and evasion, thus removing the need for Speed or Special Attack investment, as Espeon will OHKO and outspeed most threats anyway.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can force out Espeon with Taunt, as it is usually the only team member with Magic Bounce. It also can trap Espeon with Shadow Tag and outspeed it, which results in Espeon being knocked out and and possibly a loss if Espeon has no Speed or Special Defense boosts.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal forces Espeon to switch in to stop Taunt while threatening to OHKO it with Dark Pulse. Its dominance over Baton Pass teams can be slightly remedied by giving a Mental Herb to a team member with Substitute, providing Espeon with a safety net. Yveltal also can use Sucker Punch against Espeon, which can easily land an OHKO on Espeon if it doesn't have the proper Defense boosts.
**Marshadow**: Focus Sash Marshadow is deadly against Espeon, as it can steal all of its boosts with Spectral Thief. Even without Focus Sash, it can attack Espeon with a priority Shadow Sneak, which OHKOes with a Life Orb if Espeon lacks Defense boosts. If Marshadow's item has not been scouted and it is sent in against Espeon, it is usually safest to Baton Pass out to a Normal-type such as Smeargle.
**Magearna**: Magearna resists Stored Power and has high base Special Defense, requiring a great number of boosts, especially Special Attack, to knock it out. This, paired with its move Heart Swap, can let it steal a Espeon's boosts and allow it to reverse sweep. The presence of a Magearna on the opposing team can force a Baton Pass team to gather more boosts before going to Espeon to sweep, leaving it more vulnerable.
**Ditto**: Without regeneration from Ingrain and Aqua Ring or a Substitute to block Imposter, Ditto can switch into Espeon and copy all of its boosts to sweep.
**Baton Pass Checks**: Espeon requires significant boosts from teammates in order to be effective. Opposing Pokemon that can deter the team from gathering them include threats such as Haze Zygarde and Toxapex, Perish Song Arceus, forced switching, and Taunt, as well as those that simply hit the team incredibly hard, such as Deoxys-A, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Kyogre.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / lotiasite
[OVERVIEW]
Espeon is a staple on most Baton Pass teams because it is the only non-Mega Pokemon with both Baton Pass and Magic Bounce and the most effective Baton Pass receiver. Access to STAB-boosted Stored Power allows it to sweep teams effectively and efficiently, landing an OHKO on even the bulkiest Pokemon in the metagame with enough boosts, and a decent base Speed of 110 allows it to outspeed most of the metagame with a single Speed boost. However, Espeon should not be used on teams other than those utilizing Baton Pass; Mega Sableye would be a better option if only Magic Bounce is desired.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass Sweeper
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Stored Power
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Substitute
item: Shell Bell / Leftovers
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Modest
evs: 8 HP / 208 Def / 68 SpA / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Baton Pass allows Espeon to switch in and out safely in combination with another Baton Pass user and to make use of Magic Bounce against status moves like Taunt and Roar or Whirlwind without losing stat boosts, as well as keeping stat boosts safe from Spectral Thief in case the opponent has a Focus Sash Marshadow. Stored Power is Espeon's main STAB move, which it can utilize to sweep due to its rapidly growing Base Power from all of Espeon's boosts. Dazzling Gleam is used to hit Dark-types such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and Tyranitar due to their immunity to Stored Power. Substitute is useful as a safety net against priority moves while sweeping, and getting one up safely can be statistically inevitable with enough evasion boosts.
Set Details
========
8 HP EVs are used to allow Espeon to place four Substitutes without recovery. 208 Defense EVs are required to survive an Extreme Speed from Life Orb Adamant Arceus. 68 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature are required to OHKO Mega Gengar with Stored Power after three boosts. These boosts will usually be in the form of Speed. The remaining EVs are invested into Speed in order to help Espeon outspeed the opposing Pokemon while sweeping without the need of excessive boosts, letting it outspeed the whole unboosted metagame except for Deoxys-S at +1. Magic Bounce is useful to bounce back various status moves, especially Taunt, Leech Seed, and Roar or Whirlwind before Ingrain is active. Shell Bell is useful to heal back damage taken from priority moves or Substitutes being hit through evasion, since Espeon will likely OHKO the foe. Leftovers may be preferable over Shell Bell if the team cannot provide enough regeneration from the likes of Aqua Ring to place more Substitutes with evasion boosts, as Shell Bell does not heal if Espeon does not attack.
Usage Tips
========
Espeon, as the only Magic Bounce user on most Baton Pass teams, will need to be switched in with Baton Pass to block Taunt from Yveltal or Mega Gengar. However, both of these threats can OHKO Espeon without significant Special Defense boosts, so switching it into them should be done with care. Apart from bouncing back key status moves such as Taunt and Leech Seed, however, Espeon should not be out until it is ready to sweep. Once enough boosts to sweep have been accumulated, setting up a Substitute to shield Espeon from one hit is recommended before switching it in, but it is not required. Against a Marshadow whose item has not been scouted, Espeon should Baton Pass out to Smeargle, as one Spectral Thief from a Focus Sash Marshadow can immediately turn a won game into a loss. A Substitute should be placed before attacking if Espeon has evasion boosts but inadequate Defense boosts, as evasion boosts mean that a Substitute should be able to be laid down without getting hit after a few tries. Substitute is also a good move to use when switching in Espeon to bounce back a status move with intent to switch out to another team member. Substitute allows Espeon to be hit and switch to the correct team member according to the situation.
Team Options
========
Espeon fits only on Baton Pass teams, as it lacks the ability to fulfill any other niche in the metagame. Scolipede is a powerful team member with access to Speed Boost, Baton Pass, and Iron Defense, allowing the team to farm Defense and Speed, giving Espeon the ability to outspeed opposing Pokemon while sweeping and have physical bulk to survive priority attacks from Arceus, Mega Rayquaza, and Marshadow. Smeargle is arguably the most popular Baton Passer due to having access to every move in the game along with Moody as an ability. Smeargle can put foes to sleep with Spore, use Ingrain to keep foes from phazing it, use Spectral Thief to steal back stats and hit Marshadow, and set up a Substitute to farm Moody boosts. Drifblim is the most viable evasion passer because of Minimize and Unburden along with its natural bulk. Evasion helps with setting up Substitutes when the Substitutes cannot survive any given move from the foe. Mr. Mime is invaluable against common methods of removing boosts. Soundproof allows it to switch into Perish Song and Roar, and its Fairy typing lets it switch into Dragon Tail. Taunt allows Mr. Mime to block opposing Taunts, Haze, and Heart Swap. Vaporeon can pass Aqua Ring for increased regeneration, which is useful while setting up Substitutes. It also has a defensively effective pure Water typing that allows it to get Defense boosts with Acid Armor more easily. Its natural bulk and low
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Espeon can be used on Extreme Evoboost teams, using Calm Mind over Dazzling Gleam and maximizing HP and Defense with a Timid nature. This is due to the nature of Extreme Evoboost teams essentially ensuring a +2 boost in everything besides accuracy and evasion, thus removing the need for Speed or Special Attack investment, as Espeon will OHKO and outspeed most threats anyway.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can force out Espeon with Taunt, as it is usually the only team member with Magic Bounce. It also can trap Espeon with Shadow Tag and outspeed it, which results in Espeon being knocked out and and possibly a loss if Espeon has no Speed or Special Defense boosts.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal forces Espeon to switch in to stop Taunt while threatening to OHKO it with Dark Pulse. Its dominance over Baton Pass teams can be slightly remedied by giving a Mental Herb to a team member with Substitute, providing Espeon with a safety net. Yveltal also can use Sucker Punch against Espeon, which can easily land an OHKO on Espeon if it doesn't have the proper Defense boosts.
**Marshadow**: Focus Sash Marshadow is deadly against Espeon, as it can steal all of its boosts with Spectral Thief. Even without Focus Sash, it can attack Espeon with a priority Shadow Sneak, which OHKOes with a Life Orb if Espeon lacks Defense boosts. If Marshadow's item has not been scouted and it is sent in against Espeon, it is usually safest to Baton Pass out to a Normal-type such as Smeargle.
**Magearna**: Magearna resists Stored Power and has high base Special Defense, requiring a great number of boosts, especially Special Attack, to knock it out. This, paired with its move Heart Swap, can let it steal a Espeon's boosts and allow it to reverse sweep. The presence of a Magearna on the opposing team can force a Baton Pass team to gather more boosts before going to Espeon to sweep, leaving it more vulnerable.
**Ditto**: Without regeneration from Ingrain and Aqua Ring or a Substitute to block Imposter, Ditto can switch into Espeon and copy all of its boosts to sweep.
**Baton Pass Checks**: Espeon requires significant boosts from teammates in order to be effective. Opposing Pokemon that can deter the team from gathering them include threats such as Haze Zygarde and Toxapex, Perish Song Arceus, forced switching, and Taunt, as well as those that simply hit the team incredibly hard, such as Deoxys-A, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Kyogre.
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