QC: Catalystic / MZ / Lotiasite
GP: Also Lotiasite?!?!?! / TDPJ
[OVERVIEW]
Due to the lack of Sleep Clause and viable Sleep Talk users, Vivillon uniquely stands out as a premier sleep inducer and Quiver Dance sweeper, able to take advantage of guaranteed sleep turns to reliably set up Substitutes and Quiver Dances due to Compound Eyes Sleep Powder. However, Vivillon sits in a somewhat awkward Speed tier, leaving it outsped by Yveltal, Mega Rayquaza, Marshadow, Arceus, and Ultra Necrozma before it starts boosting with Quiver Dance. Furthermore, Vivillon is incredibly frail and doesn't have the best defensive typing, so it's 4x weak to the ubiquitous Stealth Rock, doesn't have room in its moveset for a reliable recovery option like Roost, and is picked off fairly easy by priority users such as Arceus, Mega Rayquaza, and Marshadow. This makes it hard for Vivillon to set up, since it needs team support and can only set up against slower foes. Nevertheless, Vivillon is the very definition of a Pokemon in the Anything Goes metagame that can spiral out of control easily if not immediately assessed as a threat, and although it is somewhat niche, it can be a dangerous threat if left unchecked.
[SET]
name: The Butterfly Effect (Quiver Dance)
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Hurricane
item: Leftovers
ability: Compound Eyes
nature: Timid
evs: 136 Def / 120 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sleep Powder works well in tandem with Compound Eyes and generates free turns for Vivillon to set up a Substitute and boost with Quiver Dance. Substitute shields Vivillon from status, gives it more opportunities to take advantage of sleep, and most importantly prevents it from being revenge killed after the opposing Pokemon wakes up. Quiver Dance allows Vivillon to outspeed the entire metagame after just two boosts and dish out powerful Hurricanes. Hurricane is Vivillon's strongest STAB move and works well in tandem with Compound Eyes. This is complemented by the fact that Flying is one of the best offensive types in Anything Goes, further cementing Vivillon's place as a great setup sweeper.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs alongside a Timid nature allow Vivillon to outspeed a large majority of the metagame to put them to sleep effectively. 136 Defense EVs allows Vivillon to survive several notable priority moves from full, such as Life Orb Mega Rayquaza's Extreme Speed and Life Orb Arceus's Extreme Speed. The remaining 120 Special Attack EVs help make Vivillon a fearsome setup sweeper. Leftovers gives Vivillon a passive recovery option and allows it to set up Substitute multiple times throughout the match. Compound Eyes is the focal point of using Vivillon, as it boosts the accuracy of both Sleep Powder and Hurricane to above 90%, which is crucial for it securing a sweep.
Usage Tips
========
Teammates should try to lay Stealth Rock, Sticky Web, and as many layers of Spikes as possible before you attempt to sweep with Vivillon. Vivillon is quite frail and should try to switch in after a teammate has fainted and the opposing Pokemon is guaranteed to be slower than it. Once brought in against a slower Pokemon such as Zygarde or Primal Groudon, Vivillon should use Sleep Powder to put the opposing Pokemon or its switch-in to sleep. From there, Vivillon can set up a free Substitute and start boosting with Quiver Dance. If the foe wakes up on the second sleep turn and breaks Vivillon's Substitute, use Sleep Powder again to put them back to sleep and set up another Substitute. Remember that there is no Sleep Clause in Anything Goes, so Vivillon can put all of the opposing team to sleep if need be. Once Vivillon has successfully set up six Quiver Dances and its Substitute is still intact, begin firing off super powerful Hurricanes until the opposing team is defeated. However, Vivillon should be wary of priority users such as Arceus and Mega Rayquaza. Marshadow is also a huge threat that must be played around carefully; if Vivillon puts a Pokemon to sleep and then uses Substitute as Marshadow switches in, Vivillon can be KOed by Spectral Thief. Using Quiver Dance over Substitute is optimal if the opponent has a Marshadow lurking in the back. If Vivillon is behind a Substitute, it's generally safe to use Sleep Powder as they break the Substitute. Removing or severely crippling priority users with teammates should be made a top priority if utilizing Vivillon. Stealth Rock is also crucial to remove before Vivillon is brought in and attempts to sweep.
Team Options
========
Deoxys-S and Excadrill are two of the best entry hazard stacking leads for the hyper offensive teams Vivillon fits best on. Excadrill has additional utility options such as Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock for Vivillon and Rock Tomb to let Vivillon outspeed the foe, put it to sleep, and start boosting with Quiver Dance. Primal Groudon is also notable as another Rock Tomb and Stealth Rock user that can forcibly slow down the foe and create extra opportunities for Vivillon to set up. Dedicated Sticky Web leads such as Shuckle, Smeargle, and Slurpuff can assist Vivillon by slowing down the opposing team, allowing it to put foes naturally faster than it such as Arceus-Dark and Choice Scarf Xerneas to sleep before it sets up the first Quiver Dance. These Sticky Web users are also able to provide additional utility options such as Encore, Stealth Rock, Spore, and Endeavor. Hazard removal from Pokemon such as Arceus-Fairy and Yveltal is a necessity for Vivillon to sweep, increases the likelihood that its sweep will not be interrupted, and is already a fundamental part of teambuilding. Removing Stealth Rock from play also decreases the likelihood that Vivillon will be picked off by opposing priority. Other hyper offensive teammates such as Dragon Dance Mega Rayquaza, Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, Choice Scarf Xerneas, and Double Dance Primal Groudon all appreciate the sleep support and Hurricane chipping Vivillon provides even if its sweep proves unsuccessful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bug Buzz utilizes Vivillon's primary STAB move, is perfectly accurate unlike Hurricane, and nails Psychic- and Dark-type Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Arceus-Dark.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: Having to switch into Stealth Rock is not ideal for Vivillon as it begins to set up and sweep, as it needs as much health as possible to guarantee that it can set up multiple Substitutes and take a priority move if need be.
**Priority Users**: Strong priority users such as Mega Rayquaza, Marshadow, and Arceus can proactively threaten to KO Vivillon once its Substitute has faded or act as a revenge killers. However, they are all scared of taking a boosted Hurricane.
**Faster Attackers**: Pokemon that exceed the base 90 Speed benchmark such as Arceus-Steel and Mega Gengar can outspeed an unboosted Vivillon and KO it. Mega Mewtwo Y is one of the best examples, as it can switch into a predicted Sleep Powder due to Insomnia.
**Perish Song Arceus**: Certain Arceus formes such as Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Fairy, and Arceus-Poison can utilize Perish Song to force Vivillon to either switch out or be KOed. Their base 120 all-around defensive stats also allow them to withstand a boosted Hurricane or two. However, this is a short-term solution, as Vivillon can easily set up again at another point in time.
**Status Ailments**: Bad poison or paralysis stops Vivillon from performing its role as a setup sweeper. However, inducing Vivillon with status is easier said than done, as most of the time Vivillon will set up a Substitute. Vivillon can also still generate free turns for teammates by putting foes to sleep.
**Phazers**: Specially defensive phazers such as Primal Groudon, Tyranitar, and Lugia can take a couple of boosted Hurricanes after they have been put to sleep and Roar or Whirlwind Vivillon out when they wake up. However, these Pokemon risk taking a substantial amount of damage and are ultimately last-resort options.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Aaronboyer, 239454]]
- Quality checked by: [[Catalystic, 314467], [Megazard, 202117], [lotiasite, 302985]]
- Grammar checked by: [[lotiasite, 302985], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
GP: Also Lotiasite?!?!?! / TDPJ
[OVERVIEW]
Due to the lack of Sleep Clause and viable Sleep Talk users, Vivillon uniquely stands out as a premier sleep inducer and Quiver Dance sweeper, able to take advantage of guaranteed sleep turns to reliably set up Substitutes and Quiver Dances due to Compound Eyes Sleep Powder. However, Vivillon sits in a somewhat awkward Speed tier, leaving it outsped by Yveltal, Mega Rayquaza, Marshadow, Arceus, and Ultra Necrozma before it starts boosting with Quiver Dance. Furthermore, Vivillon is incredibly frail and doesn't have the best defensive typing, so it's 4x weak to the ubiquitous Stealth Rock, doesn't have room in its moveset for a reliable recovery option like Roost, and is picked off fairly easy by priority users such as Arceus, Mega Rayquaza, and Marshadow. This makes it hard for Vivillon to set up, since it needs team support and can only set up against slower foes. Nevertheless, Vivillon is the very definition of a Pokemon in the Anything Goes metagame that can spiral out of control easily if not immediately assessed as a threat, and although it is somewhat niche, it can be a dangerous threat if left unchecked.
[SET]
name: The Butterfly Effect (Quiver Dance)
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Hurricane
item: Leftovers
ability: Compound Eyes
nature: Timid
evs: 136 Def / 120 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sleep Powder works well in tandem with Compound Eyes and generates free turns for Vivillon to set up a Substitute and boost with Quiver Dance. Substitute shields Vivillon from status, gives it more opportunities to take advantage of sleep, and most importantly prevents it from being revenge killed after the opposing Pokemon wakes up. Quiver Dance allows Vivillon to outspeed the entire metagame after just two boosts and dish out powerful Hurricanes. Hurricane is Vivillon's strongest STAB move and works well in tandem with Compound Eyes. This is complemented by the fact that Flying is one of the best offensive types in Anything Goes, further cementing Vivillon's place as a great setup sweeper.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs alongside a Timid nature allow Vivillon to outspeed a large majority of the metagame to put them to sleep effectively. 136 Defense EVs allow
Usage Tips
========
Teammates should try to lay Stealth Rock, Sticky Web, and as many layers of Spikes as possible before you attempt to sweep with Vivillon. Vivillon is quite frail and should try to switch in after a teammate has fainted and the opposing Pokemon is guaranteed to be slower than it. Once brought in against a slower Pokemon such as Zygarde or Primal Groudon, Vivillon should use Sleep Powder to put the opposing Pokemon or its switch-in to sleep. From there, Vivillon can set up a free Substitute and start boosting with Quiver Dance. If the foe wakes up on the second sleep turn and breaks Vivillon's Substitute, use Sleep Powder again to put them back to sleep and set up another Substitute. Remember that there is no Sleep Clause in Anything Goes, so Vivillon can put all of the opposing team to sleep if need be. Once Vivillon has successfully set up six Quiver Dances and its Substitute is still intact, begin firing off super powerful Hurricanes until the opposing team is defeated. However, Vivillon should be wary of priority users such as Arceus and Mega Rayquaza. Marshadow is also a huge threat that must be played around carefully; if Vivillon puts a Pokemon to sleep and then uses Substitute as Marshadow switches in, Vivillon can be KOed by Spectral Thief. Using Quiver Dance over Substitute is optimal if the opponent has a Marshadow lurking in the back. If Vivillon is behind a Substitute, it's generally safe to use Sleep Powder as they break the Substitute. Removing or severely crippling priority users with teammates should be made a top priority if utilizing Vivillon. Stealth Rock is also crucial to remove before Vivillon is brought in and attempts to sweep.
Team Options
========
Deoxys-S and Excadrill are two of the best entry hazard stacking leads for the hyper offensive teams Vivillon fits best on. Excadrill has additional utility options such as Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock for Vivillon and Rock Tomb to let Vivillon outspeed the foe, put it to sleep, and start boosting with Quiver Dance. Primal Groudon is also notable as another Rock Tomb and Stealth Rock user that can forcibly slow down the foe and create extra opportunities for Vivillon to set up. Dedicated Sticky Web leads such as Shuckle, Smeargle, and Slurpuff can assist Vivillon by slowing down the opposing team, allowing it to put foes naturally faster than it such as Arceus-Dark and Choice Scarf Xerneas to sleep before it sets up the first Quiver Dance. These Sticky Web users are also able to provide additional utility options such as Encore, Stealth Rock, Spore, and Endeavor. Hazard removal from Pokemon such as Arceus-Fairy and Yveltal is a necessity for Vivillon to sweep, increases the likelihood that its sweep will not be interrupted, and is already a fundamental part of teambuilding. Removing Stealth Rock from play also decreases the likelihood that Vivillon will be picked off by opposing priority. Other hyper offensive teammates such as Dragon Dance Mega Rayquaza, Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, Choice Scarf Xerneas, and Double Dance Primal Groudon all appreciate the sleep support and Hurricane chipping Vivillon provides even if its sweep proves unsuccessful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bug Buzz utilizes Vivillon's primary STAB move, is perfectly accurate unlike Hurricane, and nails Psychic- and Dark-type Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Arceus-Dark.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: Having to switch into Stealth Rock is not ideal for Vivillon as it begins to set up and sweep, as it needs as much health as possible to guarantee that it can set up multiple Substitutes and take a priority move if need be.
**Priority Users**: Strong priority users such as Mega Rayquaza, Marshadow, and Arceus can proactively threaten to KO Vivillon once its Substitute has faded or act as a revenge killers. However, they are all scared of taking a boosted Hurricane.
**Faster Attackers**: Pokemon that exceed the base 90 Speed benchmark such as Arceus-Steel and Mega Gengar can outspeed an unboosted Vivillon and KO it. Mega Mewtwo Y is one of the best examples, as it can switch into a predicted Sleep Powder due to Insomnia.
**Perish Song Arceus**: Certain Arceus formes such as Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Fairy, and Arceus-Poison can utilize Perish Song to force Vivillon to either switch out or be KOed. Their base 120 all-around defensive stats also allow them to withstand a boosted Hurricane or two. However, this is a short-term solution, as Vivillon can easily set up again at another point in time.
**Status Ailments**: Bad poison or paralysis stops Vivillon from performing its role as a setup sweeper. However, inducing Vivillon with status is easier said than done, as most of the time Vivillon will set up a Substitute. Vivillon can also still generate free turns for teammates by putting foes to sleep.
**Phazers**: Specially defensive phazers such as Primal Groudon, Tyranitar, and Lugia can take a couple of boosted Hurricanes after they have been put to sleep and Roar or Whirlwind Vivillon out when they wake up. However, these Pokemon risk taking a substantial amount of damage and are ultimately last-resort options.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Aaronboyer, 239454]]
- Quality checked by: [[Catalystic, 314467], [Megazard, 202117], [lotiasite, 302985]]
- Grammar checked by: [[lotiasite, 302985], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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