[SET]
Rain Sweeper (Basculegion) @ Choice Band / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Grass
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpDef / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Last Respects
- Aqua Jet
- Flip Turn / Protect
[SET COMMENTS]
- Basculegion-M uses its high Base Power STAB attacks like Wave Crash and Last Respects to hit opponents for high damage, as well as its Swift Swim ability to outspeed nearly the whole metagame. It boasts positive matchups into metagame staples such as Incineroar, Dragapult, and Gholdengo.
- Last Respects can reach an incredible Base Power of 200, threatening nearly every Pokemon that does not resist Ghost-type attacks with an OHKO. Aqua Jet allows Basculegion-M to pick off a foe on low health. Flip Turn allows it to deal damage and retreat to safety before being attacked.
- Choice Band maximizes Basculegion-M’s damage, whereas the Life Orb set enjoys the flexibility that a Choice set lacks at the cost of doing slightly less damage. Notably, Choice Band greatly improves the chance for Last Respects with two fainted teammates to OHKO a Rillaboom.
- Tera Water maximizes the damage output of Basculegion-M's Water-type attacks and removes the weakness to Dark-type attacks such as Kingambit’s Sucker Punch. Tera Grass allows Basculegion-M to survive any Grass-type attack from Rillaboom, and ignore Spore and Rage Powder from Amoonguss.
- The defensive investment allows Basculegion-M to survive a Grassy Glide from Rillaboom. At -1 Attack it will always OHKO an Incineroar in the rain with Wave Crash.
- Choice locked sets are inherently more risky to use, and being locked into the wrong move can lose an endgame. The Choice Band set is riskier in terms of speed control as it relies on its team to set up rain. This set has the potential to be faster than the Choice Scarf set, but without rain its speed and damage output can be underwhelming. Both of these sets, as well as the Choice Scarf set, are a risk to use over the Focus Sash set as they can be knocked out with one hit.
Choice Scarf Sweeper (Basculegion) @ Choice Scarf / Focus Sash
Ability: Adaptability
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Fighting / Ghost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wave Crash / Liquidation
- Last Respects
- Flip Turn / Protect
- Aqua Jet / Tera Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
- Choice Scarf can be used on a team that does not have a way to set up rain to outspeed foes in any situation, and Adaptability can make up for the decreased damage output.
- The Choice Scarf set will always be fast, so Flip Turn is likely to outspeed to allow Basculegion-M to switch into a bulkier pivot. Tera Blast is only intended for the Tera Fighting set, in order to hit Kingambit and Archaludon. Liquidation is intended for the Focus Sash set, in order to avoid taking recoil.
- Tera Water can be used to further make up for this set’s missing damage output. Tera Fighting is used with Tera Blast to pressure Kingambit with an OHKO while resisting its Sucker Punch. Tera Ghost is used with the Focus Sash set as Last Respects is likely to become stronger than its weaker Water-type attacks, so it will benefit more from the damage multiplier.
- Jolly nature with maximum Speed is necessary for the Choice Scarf set to outspeed Dragapult.
- Adaptability is always useful, whereas Swift Swim is contingent on rain being active for Basculegion-M to benefit. However, these sets will not do as much damage as the Choice Band or Life Orb set with an Adamant nature. The Choice Scarf set may not perform well against opposing speed control such as Tailwind and Trick Room, whereas the Focus Sash set can live a fast attack under Tailwind, and use Protect to stall out Trick Room.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Swift Swim sets often appear on teams in which nearly all Pokemon benefit from rain being set up, although they can also work with a rain core of 3 or 4 Pokemon. The Choice Scarf Adaptability set typically appears on balance teams that benefit heavily from getting a quick OHKO onto Incineroar. The Focus Sash set can fit on balance teams that cannot always guarantee speed control.
- Pelipper’s Drizzle ability allows Swift Swim Basculegion-M to outspeed nearly the entire metagame, as well as boost the damage of its Water-type attacks. Archaludon can cover Basculegion-M’s weakness to Dark-type Pokemon such as Kingambit using Body Press, round out the offensive core of a rain team, and serve as a bulky pivot to be sent out after using Flip Turn. Incineroar can be used to ensure Rillaboom’s Grassy Glide will never OHKO, and stop opposing Basculegion-M from getting an OHKO with Last Respects. Amoonguss can use Rage Powder to redirect attacks that threaten to OHKO Basculegion-M such as Kingambit’s Sucker Punch and Kowtow Cleave, while also improving the team’s matchup into Trick Room.
- Grass-type Pokemon like Rillaboom and Amoonguss stop Basculegion-M from sweeping through teams with Wave Crash. Pelipper can use Hurricane to hit these Pokemon for massive damage. A Commander-boosted Dondozo can survive multiple Last Respects and resist any Water-type attacks. Archaludon can threaten Dondozo with Electro Shot, and Pelipper can punish Tera Grass Dondozo with Hurricane. Opposing Archaludon are unlikely to be knocked out even by a maximum power Last Resepcts, so Fighting-type coverage from Annihilape and Sneasler is appreciated.
Strategy Comments
============
- Basculegion-M functions as a sweeper with high speed and damage. It typically needs its team to set up rain to activate Swift Swim, or else it can be taken out by a quicker foe. It can secure endgames with high Base Power Last Respects if its teammates have done enough damage to the opposing team. It can bail out of positions with Flip Turn while its teammates take out the foes that are preventing it from sweeping.
- Basculegion-M can be used early or late into a battle, but it must be saved for the late game if maximizing the damage of Last Respects is necessary. It can be used effectively in the early game by knocking out a Pokemon such as Incineroar which can allow a teammate like Gholdengo to sweep the opposing team. The Life Orb set can clinch an endgame using combinations of Wave Crash and Last Respects, but the Choiced sets must be more careful to leave foes that can be swept by one move for last.
- Sun teams can mitigate Basculegion-M’s speed and offense. Pokemon that set up Sun upon switching in like Torkoal can be countered by keeping Pelliper in the back and switching it in when Sun is up to overwrite it. Manual Sun setters like Whimsicott must be taken out by a teammate like Incineroar with Flare Blitz or Archaludon with Flash Cannon, as switching in Pelipper will set up rain first, which will be canceled by Whimsicott’s Sunny Day.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/prossettivgc.528197/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Rain Sweeper (Basculegion) @ Choice Band / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Grass
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpDef / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Last Respects
- Aqua Jet
- Flip Turn / Protect
[SET COMMENTS]
- Basculegion-M uses its high Base Power STAB attacks like Wave Crash and Last Respects to hit opponents for high damage, as well as its Swift Swim ability to outspeed nearly the whole metagame. It boasts positive matchups into metagame staples such as Incineroar, Dragapult, and Gholdengo.
- Last Respects can reach an incredible Base Power of 200, threatening nearly every Pokemon that does not resist Ghost-type attacks with an OHKO. Aqua Jet allows Basculegion-M to pick off a foe on low health. Flip Turn allows it to deal damage and retreat to safety before being attacked.
- Choice Band maximizes Basculegion-M’s damage, whereas the Life Orb set enjoys the flexibility that a Choice set lacks at the cost of doing slightly less damage. Notably, Choice Band greatly improves the chance for Last Respects with two fainted teammates to OHKO a Rillaboom.
- Tera Water maximizes the damage output of Basculegion-M's Water-type attacks and removes the weakness to Dark-type attacks such as Kingambit’s Sucker Punch. Tera Grass allows Basculegion-M to survive any Grass-type attack from Rillaboom, and ignore Spore and Rage Powder from Amoonguss.
- The defensive investment allows Basculegion-M to survive a Grassy Glide from Rillaboom. At -1 Attack it will always OHKO an Incineroar in the rain with Wave Crash.
- Choice locked sets are inherently more risky to use, and being locked into the wrong move can lose an endgame. The Choice Band set is riskier in terms of speed control as it relies on its team to set up rain. This set has the potential to be faster than the Choice Scarf set, but without rain its speed and damage output can be underwhelming. Both of these sets, as well as the Choice Scarf set, are a risk to use over the Focus Sash set as they can be knocked out with one hit.
Choice Scarf Sweeper (Basculegion) @ Choice Scarf / Focus Sash
Ability: Adaptability
Level: 50
Tera Type: Water / Fighting / Ghost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wave Crash / Liquidation
- Last Respects
- Flip Turn / Protect
- Aqua Jet / Tera Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
- Choice Scarf can be used on a team that does not have a way to set up rain to outspeed foes in any situation, and Adaptability can make up for the decreased damage output.
- The Choice Scarf set will always be fast, so Flip Turn is likely to outspeed to allow Basculegion-M to switch into a bulkier pivot. Tera Blast is only intended for the Tera Fighting set, in order to hit Kingambit and Archaludon. Liquidation is intended for the Focus Sash set, in order to avoid taking recoil.
- Tera Water can be used to further make up for this set’s missing damage output. Tera Fighting is used with Tera Blast to pressure Kingambit with an OHKO while resisting its Sucker Punch. Tera Ghost is used with the Focus Sash set as Last Respects is likely to become stronger than its weaker Water-type attacks, so it will benefit more from the damage multiplier.
- Jolly nature with maximum Speed is necessary for the Choice Scarf set to outspeed Dragapult.
- Adaptability is always useful, whereas Swift Swim is contingent on rain being active for Basculegion-M to benefit. However, these sets will not do as much damage as the Choice Band or Life Orb set with an Adamant nature. The Choice Scarf set may not perform well against opposing speed control such as Tailwind and Trick Room, whereas the Focus Sash set can live a fast attack under Tailwind, and use Protect to stall out Trick Room.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Swift Swim sets often appear on teams in which nearly all Pokemon benefit from rain being set up, although they can also work with a rain core of 3 or 4 Pokemon. The Choice Scarf Adaptability set typically appears on balance teams that benefit heavily from getting a quick OHKO onto Incineroar. The Focus Sash set can fit on balance teams that cannot always guarantee speed control.
- Pelipper’s Drizzle ability allows Swift Swim Basculegion-M to outspeed nearly the entire metagame, as well as boost the damage of its Water-type attacks. Archaludon can cover Basculegion-M’s weakness to Dark-type Pokemon such as Kingambit using Body Press, round out the offensive core of a rain team, and serve as a bulky pivot to be sent out after using Flip Turn. Incineroar can be used to ensure Rillaboom’s Grassy Glide will never OHKO, and stop opposing Basculegion-M from getting an OHKO with Last Respects. Amoonguss can use Rage Powder to redirect attacks that threaten to OHKO Basculegion-M such as Kingambit’s Sucker Punch and Kowtow Cleave, while also improving the team’s matchup into Trick Room.
- Grass-type Pokemon like Rillaboom and Amoonguss stop Basculegion-M from sweeping through teams with Wave Crash. Pelipper can use Hurricane to hit these Pokemon for massive damage. A Commander-boosted Dondozo can survive multiple Last Respects and resist any Water-type attacks. Archaludon can threaten Dondozo with Electro Shot, and Pelipper can punish Tera Grass Dondozo with Hurricane. Opposing Archaludon are unlikely to be knocked out even by a maximum power Last Resepcts, so Fighting-type coverage from Annihilape and Sneasler is appreciated.
Strategy Comments
============
- Basculegion-M functions as a sweeper with high speed and damage. It typically needs its team to set up rain to activate Swift Swim, or else it can be taken out by a quicker foe. It can secure endgames with high Base Power Last Respects if its teammates have done enough damage to the opposing team. It can bail out of positions with Flip Turn while its teammates take out the foes that are preventing it from sweeping.
- Basculegion-M can be used early or late into a battle, but it must be saved for the late game if maximizing the damage of Last Respects is necessary. It can be used effectively in the early game by knocking out a Pokemon such as Incineroar which can allow a teammate like Gholdengo to sweep the opposing team. The Life Orb set can clinch an endgame using combinations of Wave Crash and Last Respects, but the Choiced sets must be more careful to leave foes that can be swept by one move for last.
- Sun teams can mitigate Basculegion-M’s speed and offense. Pokemon that set up Sun upon switching in like Torkoal can be countered by keeping Pelliper in the back and switching it in when Sun is up to overwrite it. Manual Sun setters like Whimsicott must be taken out by a teammate like Incineroar with Flare Blitz or Archaludon with Flash Cannon, as switching in Pelipper will set up rain first, which will be canceled by Whimsicott’s Sunny Day.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/prossettivgc.528197/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Last edited:
