Bellossom (NU Revamp) [GP 2/2]

Oglemi

Borf
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http://www.smogon.com/rs/pokemon/bellossom

[Overview]

Bellossom is awesome. Despite facing direct competition from Tangela as a Sunny Day sweeper, Bellossom has risen above its competition due to its high special bulk, good speed and power, and access to Sleep Powder. Tangela's perks are that it is faster and a little stronger, but Bellossom's higher bulk allows it to set up on and countersweep one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier: Huntail. This trait alone gives Bellossom a major niche in a tier sorely lacking in solid answers to the rain menace. While Bellossom is typically seen as a Sunny Day sweeper, it also has a very effective specially defensive set that can counter some very dangerous Pokemon in the tier, including Chimecho, Plusle, and Haunter. Overall, Bellossom is a solid pick in NU and is worth building a team around.

[SET]
name: Sunny Day Sweeper
move 1: Sunny Day
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This set is best used as a late-game sweeper, hopefully once the opponent's Fire-, Poison-, and Fire-types have been sufficiently weakened. The idea is simply to get Bellossom in, set up Sunny Day, and pummel the foe with Solar Beam and Hidden Power Fire. Sleep Powder is Bellossom's ace in the hole, allowing it to safely switch out of a dangerous situation or potentially break through a foe that it wouldn't normally have a chance against, such as Golbat or Flareon. With Sunny Day up, Bellossom safely outspeeds the entire tier unless the opponent is packing Tangela, and Hidden Power Fire gains a pseudo-STAB boost to give Bellossom great two-move coverage. The major downside to using Bellossom as a weather sweeper compared to its main competition in Huntail is that Bellossom is fairly vulnerable without Sunny Day up; Solar Beam needs to charge without sun and Hidden Power Fire is pretty weak.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

With the given EV spread, Bellossom is as strong as possible while outspeeding the entire tier with Sunny Day up. A Timid nature is certainly doable, as it allows Bellossom to at worst Speed tie other Bellossom in the sun and outspeed as much as possible before setting up Sunny Day, giving it the chance to potentially put something like Modest Huntail or maximum Speed Octillery to sleep with Sleep Powder beforehand. A bulkier EV spread of 252 HP / 100 SpA / 52 SpD / 104 Spe with a Modest nature allows Bellossom to completely avoid the 2HKO from Timid Huntail's Ice Beam while still outspeeding the tier in the sun. The only move on this set that's replaceable is Sleep Powder, which should only be done if sleep moves make an appearance elsewhere on your team. If this is the case, Sleep Powder can be replaced with Moonlight to give Bellossom a ton of longevity in and out of the sun. It can also be replaced with a secondary Grass-type STAB move such as Giga Drain so that Bellossom isn't quite so vulnerable out of the sun.

Bellossom 2HKOes a decent portion of the tier but OHKOes very little, highlighting the importance of making sure that Bellossom is saved for the late-game once the opponent's team is sufficiently weakened. Flareon and other Fire-types present the largest roadblock to successfully sweeping with Bellossom, as they take a pittance from Bellossom's attacks and gain a super boost to their STAB moves in the sun. Hitmonchan thus makes a good teammate, as it can switch into and weaken or KO the Fire-types in the tier with Earthquake, as well as take on other special walls like Kecleon and Lickitung with its Fighting-type STAB moves. A special mention needs to go to Diglett here, as it can trap and KO the Fire-types in the tier thanks to Arena Trap, as well as take out Swalot and Arbok, guaranteeing they are out of the way for Bellossom later in the match. Flying-types also present a tough obstacle for Bellossom, making a lure like Stun Spore Venomoth a good teammate to cripple them.

[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Giga Drain / Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Stun Spore / Toxic
move 4: Moonlight
item: Leftovers
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

By sheer stats, Bellossom is one of the specially bulkiest Pokemon available in the NU tier, and this set attempts to make the most of that fact. This set should be used on teams that need a solid counter to Huntail, Haunter, and Plusle in one slot, which other similar specially bulky Pokemon like Dewgong and Flareon cannot provide. Otherwise, Roselia will probably fit better on teams in this Bellossom's place due to the Spikes it provides. Sleep Powder is one of the major draws to using Bellossom, and it is almost non-negotiable on this set in order to cripple dangerous offensive Pokemon looking to use Bellossom as setup bait. Giga Drain is recommended as the primary STAB move due to the secondary healing it provides, although Hidden Power Grass is a viable alternative, as it is stronger and has way more PP. Stun Spore pairs very well with Sleep Powder and can cripple common switch-ins to Bellossom like Murkrow to allow for a teammate to sweep later in the match. Toxic is a good alternative in the third slot, as it will allow Bellossom to beat other defensive Pokemon like Sableye and Chimecho one-on-one. The last slot goes to Moonlight to provide Bellossom with a reliable source of healing and allow it to effectively counter Huntail throughout the match.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Special Defense investment is recommended so that Bellossom is bulky enough to take on Huntail and other special attackers throughout the match. Some Defense investment can be run so that Bellossom is better equipped to check the Rock-types in the tier, although Bellossom requires significant investment to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Relicanth and Graveler, and at that point you're probably better off using Tangela. Protect is the most prominent alternative that should be put over Moonlight, as it can help Bellossom stall for Toxic damage and scout Choice Band attackers' moves. Hidden Power Fire is usable in the last moveslot to ward off opposing Grass- and Bug-types that will otherwise have an easy switch into Bellossom, particularly Roselia, since it also doesn't mind status thanks to Natural Cure.

Defensive Bellossom fits best on balance teams as part of a defensive backbone to support frailer attackers that need a safety net against a variety of special threats in a single teamslot. With Bellossom covering these, a physically defensive teammate is needed to complete the core. Relicanth is highly recommended for this reason, as they have fantastic synergy together; Sableye and Wailord are also good teammates to consider. Bellossom tends to force a lot of switches because of the status that it throws out, meaning it fits particularly well on Spikes-centered teams. To avoid stacking type weaknesses, Glalie therefore makes the best Spiker to pair with Bellossom. Swalot completely mangles this set thanks to Liquid Ooze and its fantastic special bulk, making a teammate that can eliminate it like Chimecho or Piloswine much appreciated. Chimecho also helps significantly with Roselia, and in return Bellossom covers Huntail and Dark-type attacks aimed Chimecho.

[Other Options]

A SubSeed set can be brutal if used correctly, as there are very few phazers in NU and only a couple of viable Grass-types. Roselia is a huge roadblock that would need to be overcome before attempting to bring this set, but with it gone Bellossom could wreak havoc on slower teams. Hidden Power Psychic is Bellossom's best move for a few of its common switch-ins such as Swalot, Arbok, Golbat, Haunter, Roselia, and Hitmonchan, but this comes at the cost of being completely walled by Steel-types and gives Murkrow a much safer switch in. RestTalk can be used to make Bellossom very durable and more carefree about status, but Bellossom's biggest highlights are access to Sleep Powder and Moonlight, both of which don't work too well on a RestTalk set. Swords Dance can be used, and Bellossom actually has a decent Attack stat to make use of it, but Bellossom has a pretty barren physical movepool that includes only Return, Sludge Bomb, and Hidden Power. Finally, Petal Dance or Magical Leaf can be used anywhere Giga Drain and Hidden Power Grass are mentioned, but the secondary healing and higher power of the latter two are more desirable compared to the locked-in nature of Petal Dance and the lower power of Magical Leaf.

[Checks and Counters]

Swalot, particularly RestTalk variants, utterly walls Bellossom to kingdom come. It fears no move that Bellossom can throw at it—even Hidden Power Psychic will fail to 3HKO specially defensive Swalot—and Giga Drain and Leech Seed will backfire on Bellossom because of Liquid Ooze. Flareon and Torkoal only dislike the status that Bellossom can throw their way, and in return they can completely roast Bellossom with their Fire-type STAB moves. Murkrow will take a decent chunk of damage from Bellossom's attacking moves, but it's immune to Sleep Powder and will annihilate Bellossom with Drill Peck. Pidgeot and Golbat have an easier time switching into Bellossom save for not being immune to Sleep Powder and can threaten back with Aerial Ace. Arbok and Seviper can tank anything Bellossom can throw at them (Seviper even has a chance to active Shed Skin to get rid of Sleep Powder), and in return they'll KO Bellossom with Sludge Bomb. Kecleon can be taken advantage of because of Color Change, but it will be able to easily tank any of Bellossom's moves and retaliate with Return or Thunder Wave. Venomoth, Glalie, and Roselia will take a decent chunk of damage from Hidden Power Fire, especially in the sun, but outside it they can threaten Bellossom back with their STAB moves.
 
Last edited:
name: "SwagPlay"
move 1: Stun Spore
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Swagger
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 Spe / 252 HP / 4 SpA
 
name: i am leaf
move 1: Stun Spore
move 2: leaf storm
move 3: spore
move 4: giga drain
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 Spe / 252 HP / 4 SpA
 

Disaster Area

formerly Piexplode
This is the best set by a mile.

Bellossom @ Leftovers
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 68 SAtk / 108 SDef / 80 Spd
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SAtk / 30 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Synthesis
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Huntail Ice Beam vs. Bellossom: 149-176 (42 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Huntail Ice Beam vs. Bellossom on a critical hit: 299-352 (84.4 - 99.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Plusle Hidden Power Ice vs. Bellossom: 95-112 (26.8 - 31.6%) -- 25.5% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery

Basically, the best Huntail counter that's not suuuper niche like dewgong etc, and has some offensive presence too. EVs let it outspeed Max base 91s and below in sun, SpD achieves those calcs, more SpD can be added from the SpA as you see fit (with 252/180+, Huntail Ice Beam vs. Bellossom: 141-166 (39.8 - 46.8%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO after 1 layer of Spikes and Leftovers recovery), and similarly speed EVs can be adjusted to outspeed certain threats under (or not under) sun.
 
Last edited:

Disjunction

Everything I waste gets recycled
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ok ogles I'm starting to check through some of these as I said I would

I really really really think the sunnybeamer set should be modest max speed. considering the relevance of other sunnybeamers and the competitive chloro speed tiers, bellossom should just be going as fast as it can so it can avoid getting hp fire'd/sleep powdered by an opposing bellossom or tropius or something while sun is up.
 

Lumari

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TFP Leader


remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 1/2
[Overview]

Bellossom is awesome. Despite facing direct competition from Tangela as a Sunny Day sweeper, Bellossom has made a name for itself as a dangerous late-game sweeper due to its high special bulk, good Speed (isn't this the kind of speed that typically is lowercased?) and power, and access to Sleep Powder. Tangela's perks are that it is faster and a little stronger, but Bellossom's higher bulk allows it to set up on and counter-sweep countersweep one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier: Huntail. This fact alone gives Bellossom a major niche in a tier sorely lacking in solid answers to the rain menace. While Bellossom is typically seen as a Sunny Day sweeper, it also has a very effective specially defensive set that can counter some very dangerous Pokemon in the tier, including Chimecho, Plusle, and Haunter. Overall, Bellossom is a solid pick in NU and is worth building a team around.

[SET]
name: Sunny Day Sweeper
move 1: Sunny Day
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This set is best used as a late-game sweeper, hopefully once the opponent's Fire-, Poison-, and Fire-types have been sufficiently weakened. The idea is simply to get Bellossom in, set up Sunny Day, and pummel the foe with Solar Beam and Hidden Power Fire. Sleep Powder is Bellossom's ace in the hole, allowing it to safely switch out of a dangerous situation or potentially break through a foe that it wouldn't normally have a chance against, such as Golbat and or Flareon. With Sunny Day up, Bellossom safely outspeeds the entire tier unless the opponent is packing Tangela, and Hidden Power Fire gains a pseudo-STAB boost to give Bellossom great two-move coverage. The major downside to using Bellossom as a weather sweeper compared to its main competition in Huntail is that Bellossom is fairly vulnerable without Sunny Day up; Solar Beam needs to charge without sun and Hidden Power Fire is pretty weak.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

With the given EV spread, Bellossom is as strong as possible while outspeeding the entire tier with Sunny Day up. A Timid nature is certainly doable, (AC) as it allows Bellossom to at worst Speed tie other Bellossom in the sun and outspeed as much as possible before setting up Sunny Day, giving it the chance to potentially put something like Modest Huntail or maximum Speed Octillery to sleep with Sleep Powder beforehand. A bulkier EV spread of 252 HP / 100 SpA / 52 SpD / 104 Spe with a Modest nature allows Bellossom to completely avoid the 2HKO from Timid Huntail's Ice Beam while still outspeeding the tier in the sun. The only move on this set that's replaceable is Sleep Powder, which should only be done if sleep moves make an appearance elsewhere on your team. If this is the case, Sleep Powder can be replaced with Moonlight to give Bellossom a ton of longevity in and out of the sun. It can also be replaced with a secondary Grass-type STAB move such as Giga Drain so that Bellossom isn't quite so vulnerable out of the sun.

Bellossom 2HKOes a decent portion of the tier but OHKOes very little, highlighting the importance of making sure that Bellossom is saved for the late-game once the opponent's team is sufficiently weakened. Flareon and other Fire-types present the largest roadblock to successfully sweeping with Bellossom, as they take a pittance from Bellossom's attacks and gain a super boost to their STAB moves in the sun. Hitmonchan thus makes a good teammate, (AC) as it can switch into and weaken or KO the Fire-types in the tier with Earthquake, as well as take on (or some verb) other special walls like Kecleon and Lickitung with its Fighting-type STAB moves. A special mention needs to go to Diglett here, (AC) as it can trap and KO the Fire-types in the tier thanks to Arena Trap, as well as take out Swalot and Arbok, guaranteeing they are out of the way for Bellossom later in the match. Flying-types also present a tough obstacle for Bellossom, making a lure like Stun Spore Venomoth a good teammate to lure them out and cripple them.

[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Giga Drain / Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Stun Spore / Toxic
move 4: Moonlight
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

By sheer stats, Bellossom is one of the specially bulkiest Pokemon available in the NU tier, (AC) and this set attempts to make the most of that fact. This set should be used on teams that need a solid counter to Huntail, Haunter, and Plusle in one slot, which other similar specially bulky Pokemon like Dewgong and Flareon cannot do provide. Otherwise, Roselia will probably fit better on teams in this Bellossom's place due to the Spikes it provides. Sleep Powder is one of the major draws to using Bellossom, and it is almost non-negotiable on this set in order to cripple dangerous offensive Pokemon looking to use Bellossom as setup bait. Giga Drain is recommended as the primary STAB move due to the secondary healing it provides, although Hidden Power Grass is a viable alternative, (AC) as it is stronger and has way more PP. Stun Spore pairs very well with Sleep Powder and can cripple common switch-ins to Bellossom like Murkrow to allow for a teammate to sweep later in the match. Toxic is a good alternative in the third slot as it will allow Bellossom to beat other defensive Pokemon like Sableye and Chimecho one-on-one. The last slot goes to Moonlight to provide Bellossom with a reliable source of healing and allow it to effectively counter Huntail throughout the match.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Special Defense investment is recommended so that Bellossom is bulky enough to take on Huntail and other special attackers throughout the match. Some Defense investment can be run so that Bellossom is better equipped to check the Rock-types in the tier, although Bellossom requires significant investment to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Relicanth and Graveler, and at that point you're probably better off using Tangela. Protect is the most prominent alternative that should be put over Moonlight, (AC) as it can help Bellossom stall for Toxic damage and scout Choice Band attackers' moves. Hidden Power Fire is usable in the last moveslot to ward off opposing Grass- and Bug-types that will otherwise have an easy switch into Bellossom, particularly Roselia, (AC) since it also doesn't mind status thanks to Natural Cure.

Defensive Bellossom fits best on balance teams as part of a defensive backbone to support frailer attackers that need a safety net against a variety of special threats in a single teamslot. With Bellossom covering the special side these, a physically defensive teammate is needed to complete the core. Relicanth is highly recommended for this reason, (AC) as they have fantastic synergy together; Sableye and Wailord are also good teammates to consider. Bellossom tends to force a lot of switches because of the status that it throws out, meaning it pairs fits particularly well on Spikes-centered teams. To avoid stacking type weaknesses, Glalie therefore makes the best Spiker to pair with Bellossom. Swalot completely mangles this set thanks to Liquid Ooze and its fantastic special bulk, making a teammate that can eliminate it like Chimecho and or Piloswine much appreciated. Chimecho also helps significantly with Roselia, (AC) and in return Bellossom covers Huntail and Dark-type attacks aimed Chimecho.

[Other Options]

A SubSeed set can be brutal if used correctly, (AC) as there are very few phazers in NU and only a couple of viable Grass-types. Roselia is a huge roadblock that would need to be overcome before attempting to bring this set, but with it gone Bellossom could wreak havoc on slower teams. Hidden Power Psychic is Bellossom's best move for a few of its common switch-ins such as Swalot, Arbok, Golbat, Haunter, Roselia, and Hitmonchan, but this comes at the cost of being completely walled by Steel-types and gives Murkrow a much safer switch in. (RH) RestTalk can be used to make Bellossom very durable and more carefree about status, but Bellossom's biggest highlights are access to Sleep Powder and Moonlight both of which don't work too well on a RestTalk set. Swords Dance can be used, (AC) and Bellossom actually has a decent Attack stat to make use of it, but Bellossom has a pretty barren physical movepool that includes only Return, Sludge Bomb, and Hidden Power. Finally, Petal Dance or Magical Leaf can be used anywhere Giga Drain and Hidden Power Grass are mentioned, but the secondary healing and higher power of the latter two are more desirable compared to the locked-in nature of Petal Dance and the lower power of Magical Leaf.

[Checks and Counters]

Swalot, particularly RestTalk variants, utterly walls Bellossom to kingdom come. It fears no move that Bellossom can throw at it—even Hidden Power Psychic will fail to 3HKO specially defensive Swalot—and Giga Drain and Leech Seed will backfire on Bellossom because of Liquid Ooze. Flareon and Torkoal only dislike the status that Bellossom can throw their way, (AC) and in return they can completely roast Bellossom with their Fire STAB moves. Murkrow will take a decent chunk of damage from Bellossom's attacking moves, but it's immune to Sleep Powder and will annihilate Bellossom with Drill Peck. Pidgeot and Golbat have an easier time switching into Bellossom save for not being immune to Sleep Powder and can threaten back with Aerial Ace. Arbok and Seviper can tank anything Bellossom can throw at them (Seviper even has a chance to active Shed Skin to get rid of Sleep Powder), and in return they'll KO Bellossom with Sludge Bomb. Kecleon can be taken advantage of because of Color Change, but it will be able to easily tank any of Bellossom's moves and retaliate with Return or Thunder Wave. Venomoth, Glalie, and Roselia will take a decent chunk of damage from Hidden Power Fire, especially in the sun, but outside it they can threaten Bellossom back with their STAB moves.
 
Last edited:

P Squared

a great unrecorded history
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GP 2/2
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[Overview]

Bellossom is awesome. Despite facing direct competition from Tangela as a Sunny Day sweeper, Bellossom has risen above its competition due to its high special bulk, good speed and power, and access to Sleep Powder. Tangela's perks are that it is faster and a little stronger, but Bellossom's higher bulk allows it to set up on and countersweep one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier: Huntail. This trait alone gives Bellossom a major niche in a tier sorely lacking in solid answers to the rain menace. While Bellossom is typically seen as a Sunny Day sweeper, it also has a very effective specially defensive set that can counter some very dangerous Pokemon in the tier, including Chimecho, Plusle, and Haunter. Overall, Bellossom is a solid pick in NU and is worth building a team around.

[SET]
name: Sunny Day Sweeper
move 1: Sunny Day
move 2: Sleep Powder
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Leftovers
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

This set is best used as a late-game sweeper, hopefully once the opponent's Fire-, Poison-, and Fire-types have been sufficiently weakened. The idea is simply to get Bellossom in, set up Sunny Day, and pummel the foe with Solar Beam and Hidden Power Fire. Sleep Powder is Bellossom's ace in the hole, allowing it to safely switch out of a dangerous situation or potentially break through a foe that it wouldn't normally have a chance against, such as Golbat or Flareon. With Sunny Day up, Bellossom safely outspeeds the entire tier unless the opponent is packing Tangela, and Hidden Power Fire gains a pseudo-STAB boost to give Bellossom great two-move coverage. The major downside to using Bellossom as a weather sweeper compared to its main competition in Huntail is that Bellossom is fairly vulnerable without Sunny Day up; Solar Beam needs to charge without sun and Hidden Power Fire is pretty weak.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

With the given EV spread, Bellossom is as strong as possible while outspeeding the entire tier with Sunny Day up. A Timid nature is certainly doable, as it allows Bellossom to at worst Speed tie other Bellossom in the sun and outspeed as much as possible before setting up Sunny Day, giving it the chance to potentially put something like Modest Huntail or maximum Speed Octillery to sleep with Sleep Powder beforehand. A bulkier EV spread of 252 HP / 100 SpA / 52 SpD / 104 Spe with a Modest nature allows Bellossom to completely avoid the 2HKO from Timid Huntail's Ice Beam while still outspeeding the tier in the sun. The only move on this set that's replaceable is Sleep Powder, which should only be done if sleep moves make an appearance elsewhere on your team. If this is the case, Sleep Powder can be replaced with Moonlight to give Bellossom a ton of longevity in and out of the sun. It can also be replaced with a secondary Grass-type STAB move such as Giga Drain so that Bellossom isn't quite so vulnerable out of the sun.

Bellossom 2HKOes a decent portion of the tier but OHKOes very little, highlighting the importance of making sure that Bellossom is saved for the late-game once the opponent's team is sufficiently weakened. Flareon and other Fire-types present the largest roadblock to successfully sweeping with Bellossom, as they take a pittance from Bellossom's attacks and gain a super boost to their STAB moves in the sun. Hitmonchan thus makes a good teammate, as it can switch into and weaken or KO the Fire-types in the tier with Earthquake, as well as take on other special walls like Kecleon and Lickitung with its Fighting-type STAB moves. A special mention needs to go to Diglett here, as it can trap and KO the Fire-types in the tier thanks to Arena Trap, as well as take out Swalot and Arbok, guaranteeing they are out of the way for Bellossom later in the match. Flying-types also present a tough obstacle for Bellossom, making a lure like Stun Spore Venomoth a good teammate to cripple them.

[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Sleep Powder
move 2: Giga Drain / Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Stun Spore / Toxic
move 4: Moonlight
item: Leftovers
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

By sheer stats, Bellossom is one of the specially bulkiest Pokemon available in the NU tier, and this set attempts to make the most of that fact. This set should be used on teams that need a solid counter to Huntail, Haunter, and Plusle in one slot, which other similar specially bulky Pokemon like Dewgong and Flareon cannot provide. Otherwise, Roselia will probably fit better on teams in this Bellossom's place due to the Spikes it provides. Sleep Powder is one of the major draws to using Bellossom, and it is almost non-negotiable on this set in order to cripple dangerous offensive Pokemon looking to use Bellossom as setup bait. Giga Drain is recommended as the primary STAB move due to the secondary healing it provides, although Hidden Power Grass is a viable alternative, as it is stronger and has way more PP. Stun Spore pairs very well with Sleep Powder and can cripple common switch-ins to Bellossom like Murkrow to allow for a teammate to sweep later in the match. Toxic is a good alternative in the third slot, (add comma) as it will allow Bellossom to beat other defensive Pokemon like Sableye and Chimecho one-on-one. The last slot goes to Moonlight to provide Bellossom with a reliable source of healing and allow it to effectively counter Huntail throughout the match.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Special Defense investment is recommended so that Bellossom is bulky enough to take on Huntail and other special attackers throughout the match. Some Defense investment can be run so that Bellossom is better equipped to check the Rock-types in the tier, although Bellossom requires significant investment to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Relicanth and Graveler, and at that point you're probably better off using Tangela. Protect is the most prominent alternative that should be put over Moonlight, as it can help Bellossom stall for Toxic damage and scout Choice Band attackers' moves. Hidden Power Fire is usable in the last moveslot to ward off opposing Grass- and Bug-types that will otherwise have an easy switch into Bellossom, particularly Roselia, since it also doesn't mind status thanks to Natural Cure.

Defensive Bellossom fits best on balance teams as part of a defensive backbone to support frailer attackers that need a safety net against a variety of special threats in a single teamslot. With Bellossom covering these, a physically defensive teammate is needed to complete the core. Relicanth is highly recommended for this reason, as they have fantastic synergy together; Sableye and Wailord are also good teammates to consider. Bellossom tends to force a lot of switches because of the status that it throws out, meaning it fits particularly well on Spikes-centered teams. To avoid stacking type weaknesses, Glalie therefore makes the best Spiker to pair with Bellossom. Swalot completely mangles this set thanks to Liquid Ooze and its fantastic special bulk, making a teammate that can eliminate it like Chimecho or Piloswine much appreciated. Chimecho also helps significantly with Roselia, and in return Bellossom covers Huntail and Dark-type attacks aimed Chimecho.

[Other Options]

A SubSeed set can be brutal if used correctly, as there are very few phazers in NU and only a couple of viable Grass-types. Roselia is a huge roadblock that would need to be overcome before attempting to bring this set, but with it gone Bellossom could wreak havoc on slower teams. Hidden Power Psychic is Bellossom's best move for a few of its common switch-ins such as Swalot, Arbok, Golbat, Haunter, Roselia, and Hitmonchan, but this comes at the cost of being completely walled by Steel-types and gives Murkrow a much safer switch in. RestTalk can be used to make Bellossom very durable and more carefree about status, but Bellossom's biggest highlights are access to Sleep Powder and Moonlight, (add comma) both of which don't work too well on a RestTalk set. Swords Dance can be used, and Bellossom actually has a decent Attack stat to make use of it, but Bellossom has a pretty barren physical movepool that includes only Return, Sludge Bomb, and Hidden Power. Finally, Petal Dance or Magical Leaf can be used anywhere Giga Drain and Hidden Power Grass are mentioned, but the secondary healing and higher power of the latter two are more desirable compared to the locked-in nature of Petal Dance and the lower power of Magical Leaf.

[Checks and Counters]

Swalot, particularly RestTalk variants, utterly walls Bellossom to kingdom come. It fears no move that Bellossom can throw at it—even Hidden Power Psychic will fail to 3HKO specially defensive Swalot—and Giga Drain and Leech Seed will backfire on Bellossom because of Liquid Ooze. Flareon and Torkoal only dislike the status that Bellossom can throw their way, and in return they can completely roast Bellossom with their Fire-type STAB moves. Murkrow will take a decent chunk of damage from Bellossom's attacking moves, but it's immune to Sleep Powder and will annihilate Bellossom with Drill Peck. Pidgeot and Golbat have an easier time switching into Bellossom save for not being immune to Sleep Powder and can threaten back with Aerial Ace. Arbok and Seviper can tank anything Bellossom can throw at them (Seviper even has a chance to active Shed Skin to get rid of Sleep Powder), and in return they'll KO Bellossom with Sludge Bomb. Kecleon can be taken advantage of because of Color Change, but it will be able to easily tank any of Bellossom's moves and retaliate with Return or Thunder Wave. Venomoth, Glalie, and Roselia will take a decent chunk of damage from Hidden Power Fire, especially in the sun, but outside it they can threaten Bellossom back with their STAB moves.
 
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