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[Overview]
<p>Breloom's ability roster is the gift that keeps on giving. In Generation 3, it was saddled with poor defenses, a near-worthless ability, and a branding as a bit of a one-trick pony. Granted, it was a neat trick, but it just didn't cut it. Generation 4 gave it Poison Heal, which is everything that it could have ever wanted—status absorption, healing for Substitutes, and a ridiculous amount of healing on Leech Seed sets. However, Generation 5 really turned it up a notch, granting it two boons: a buffed 25 Base Power Bullet Seed, and Technician, which not only gives it a priority attack rivaling Scizor's devastating Bullet Punch, but also a powerful Low Sweep and the aforementioned Bullet Seed.</p>
<p>As a result, Breloom is one of the gold standards of power in Generation 5. With Technician, Breloom basically 2HKOs the metagame with Choice Band or Life Orb. Technician Bullet Seed has the potential to be literally the strongest attack in the metagame, a 187.5 Base Power attack coming off of 394 Attack. Compounding that is Technician Low Sweep, which gives Breloom a free second attack against many faster opponents switching in. Combine this with Swords Dance, and cap it with Spore and Generation 5's sleep mechanics, and Breloom is a serious force to be reckoned with. And for those with a touch of nostalgia, it's still as threatening as ever with its vicious Poison Heal sets, which can be incredibly tough to crack.</p>
<p>It's not all roses for Breloom, though. Despite these advances, very little had happened to offset its significant weaknesses. 70 base Speed is a serious problem for it, as there are a number of significant Fighting resistances that outspeed it. Combine that with barely passable 60 / 80 / 60 defenses, and Breloom can be a bit tough to handle. When used well, it's a devastating force. If used carelessly, it can be nearly useless.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Sweep
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Bullet Seed
move 4: Spore / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When you talk about terrifying physical attackers in OU, this set is one of the first that leaps to mind. The raw power of an item-boosted Low Sweep is seriously intimidating, doubly so when you consider that Low Sweep rules out a long list of would-be counters by virtue of its Speed-reducing property. Would-be counters like Latios, Tornadus-T, Starmie, and others quickly find themselves unable to do their job when crippled by Low Sweep. Mach Punch gives it a burst of immediate power against speedy threats like Terrakion and Hydreigon, while Bullet Seed gives it the potential of unparalleled power with an attack capable of reaching 187.5 Base Power. Spore caps the set off, as any Pokemon capable of sponging these attacks still has to contend with the threat of sleep, rendering it helpless against Breloom's assaults. On the flip side, if Choice-locked Spore isn't your cup of tea, Stone Edge gives it a way to threaten Tornadus-T immediately on the switch, and also provides excellent neutral coverage alongside its STABs.</p>
<p>This set comes in two flavors: Life Orb and Choice Band. While Choice Band has the edge in raw power, Life Orb makes up for it with versatility. Life Orb can 2HKO troublesome Pokemon like Starmie with Low Sweep into Bullet Seed, but Choice Band can simply 2HKO Pokemon like Latios as they switch in without a second thought. In general, Choice Band rewards prediction more, while Life Orb is a bit easier to use, and is more equipped to handle unforeseen circumstances.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With a Pokemon like this, there's little need to get fancy with EV spreads—a simple 4/252/252 will suffice. The choice of nature, however, is a bit more complex. Jolly is most important on the Life Orb set, as it allows Breloom to not only outspeed notable threats like Tornadus-T and Starmie after a Low Sweep, but also gives it the edge against Adamant Mamoswine to beat it out with Mach Punch. However, Adamant gives Low Sweep some much-needed bite, allowing the Choice Band set to secure some much-needed 2HKOs without having to switch moves.</p>
<p>There are some alternative choices for the fourth moveslot. ThunderPunch is not only the most powerful attack against Skarmory, but it also absolutely obliterates Gyarados. Rock Tomb can operate as an analogue to Low Sweep, catching Tornadus-T and others with a Rock-type attack and then still having the options given by the guaranteed Speed drop. However, its low power makes it unappealing, and the utility of Spore often far outweighs it. Force Palm is an option over Low Sweep, giving Breloom a bit more of a supporting role. While it lacks the reliability of Low Sweep, it gains a 30% chance to paralyze any would-be Breloom counter, crippling them for the rest of the game. Finally, if sustaining Breloom is your primary concern, Drain Punch is an option. While its Base Power increase renders it unaffected by Technician, it's still a STAB 75 Base Power attack, and its healing can be invaluable when up against teams that either stack entry hazards or boast numerous weak attacks for Breloom to come in on.</p>
<p>This set is easy to fit onto many teams, though Gothitelle is probably its most effective ally. Many of Breloom's primary counters can be dealt with by Gothitelle, and with Shadow Tag providing trapping power, a successful Gothitelle play can make Breloom's life much easier. Breloom also forces a lot of switches, making entry hazards extremely potent. Stealth Rock is a must to help chip away at Tornadus-T with Regenerator, while Spikes can make dealing with Celebi a significantly easier task. Given the raw power of this set, entry hazards can be the difference between a safe 2HKO and an unsafe 3HKO. Finally, some solid Rapid Spin support can be invaluable given Breloom's inability to heal itself. Starmie is a good choice, as it resists Psychic and Fire, and can also sweep if opponents like Latios find themselves weakened or eliminated.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Bullet Seed
move 4: Spore
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant / Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the last set an all-out attacker represents turn 1 dominance, this set provides utterly unparalleled power after a single turn of setup; setup which is easily secured via Spore. After a Swords Dance, Breloom is sitting on 788 Attack. Combine that with a Technician Mach Punch, or an utterly terrifying 5-hit Bullet Seed, and there's very little that Breloom can't break through. Spore makes it easy to set up a Swords Dance, and once it's set up, it's pretty hard to stop.</p>
<p>Despite being a setup sweeper, Breloom still packs one hell of a punch without the setup. Even if it's hard to get a Swords Dance or Spore in, it still provides the power of a Life Orb Mach Punch, which can mean the difference between life and death when you're staring down the likes of a fully set-up Terrakion. Likewise, a Bullet Seed can take down nearly anything if it gets enough hits, and if the opponent is expecting a Swords Dance after a Spore, they can be in for a rude awakening with a little prediction.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This Breloom is all about raw offense, and it's got a spread to match. Maximizing Speed and Attack is crucial to the success of this set, and the Adamant nature is used to secure KOs with Mach Punch that would otherwise be out of reach. Jolly is an option as well, as it works well to hit some faster defensively oriented Pokemon with Bullet Seed, or secure the Spore needed to set up. Life Orb gives this set much-needed power, as it's very much a "kill or be killed" kind of set. However, Lum Berry can open up some options for sweeping where Life Orb wouldn't, especially when the only option for setting up is getting a Swords Dance against something spamming Scald.</p>
<p>As this set aims to sweep, it is of the utmost importance that faster Fighting resists are eliminated. Again, Gothitelle can be an extremely potent ally, as its high Special Defense can allow it to eliminate some potential threats, such as Celebi, Tornadus-T, Starmie, and Latios. Entry hazards are also once again incredibly important, as even with a Technician boost, Mach Punch is still only 60 Base Power. Deoxys-D is probably the best and most efficient Spiker in the metagame, especially for offensive teams, which are the most likely to use a Breloom set like this one. Finally, U-turn or Volt Switch users can be extremely effective, as they can help bring Breloom in at the perfect time when it is most likely to sweep effectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spore
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Force Palm / Low Sweep
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While not its most effective set, Scarf Breloom can be quite the potent threat. Boasting the fastest sleep in OU, as well as an incredibly powerful Bullet Seed, Breloom can shut down a number of threats that can otherwise be troublesome to deal with. It can also spread paralysis with Force Palm since Low Sweep's main utility is offset by Choice Scarf, or it can surprise some especially quick foes with Scarf Low Sweep such as Choice Scarf variants of fast Pokemon like Latios. Finally, Stone Edge caps off its coverage and makes it an effective Pokemon for dealing with and eliminating Tornadus-T and Dragonite.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set is very straightforward, and it has an EV spread to match. Offense is maximized, and a Jolly nature allows Breloom to outspeed every Pokemon below 130 base Speed, which has dwindled as an important Speed tier. Move-wise, it's also very straightforward. All of Breloom's other move options are rather low power, especially Mach Punch, which is extremely redundant with that Choice Scarf, and there's little else in the movepool that goes well with the set.</p>
<p>As with every Breloom set, Gothitelle can unlock its true offensive potential by busting through Pokemon that would otherwise counter Breloom. It also appreciates entry hazards, which can help this relatively weak Breloom set secure some important OHKOs and 2HKOs. Other than that, however, this Breloom needs very little coddling, playing much more of a supportive role than other sets.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Spore
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Focus Punch
item: Toxic Orb
nature: Impish
ability: Poison Heal
evs: 236 HP / 252 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is a blast from the past. While 60 / 80 / 60 defenses may not seem like the most effective, Breloom's incredible defensive typing makes it more than capable of taking hits from some top Pokemon in OU. Combine this with the buff to sleep in Generation 5, as well as Poison Heal and Substitute, and Breloom can easily prove itself to be far tougher to kill than its stat spread would suggest.</p>
<p>Spore is a must-have on pretty much every Breloom set, as it is the only 100% accuracy sleep move in the game, and with Generation 5's sleep mechanics, a Pokemon put to sleep often might as well be KOed. Leech Seed goes a long way to bolster Breloom's survivability, allowing it to wear down opponents while simultaneously refilling its own life. Substitute compounds this by allowing Breloom to scout switches and stall out Pokemon affected by Leech Seed. It also works especially well on this set due to the significant healing from Leech Seed and Poison Heal. Finally, Focus Punch rounds out the set. Even though this set has no offensive investment, it still reaches 296 Attack, and when that's combined with a STAB 150 Base Power attack like Focus Punch, it gives a defensive set like this one some vicious power.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The defensive investment on this set makes it surprisingly durable. It can take many U-turns in the metagame with ease, and its resistance to Volt Switch also pays off, making Breloom an excellent counter to VoltTurn chains. 236 HP EVs give Breloom 320 HP, which is divisible by 8, giving it maximum healing from Poison Heal. Defense is maximized, and then the rest is put into Speed.</p>
<p>This set does have a number of notable counters that need to be eliminated in order to function optimally. Gliscor is incredibly hard to deal with for this set, as Poison Heal makes it immune to Spore and counteracts Leech Seed's damage. It also resists Focus Punch, and takes barely any damage from it. As such, it's important to have a teammate that can either deal with it or lure it in and kill it. Expert Belt Landorus is especially effective as a teammate since it can lure in Gliscor and dispatch it with Hidden Power Ice. It can also deal with another major counter, Celebi, with U-turn. Additionally, Mamoswine sometimes carries Icicle Spear, which will break through the Substitute and prevent Focus Punch from going off.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Spore
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Focus Punch
move 4: Seed Bomb / Stone Edge / Facade
item: Toxic Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Poison Heal
evs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the SubSeed set is more defensively oriented, this set is all power. A max Attack Adamant Focus Punch from Breloom is one of the most vicious attacks in the game, capable of OHKOing most anything that doesn't resist it, and even 2HKOing many Pokemon that do. While this set sacrifices durability somewhat, the increased offensive power and additional coverage makes it much more threatening offensively.</p>
<p>Spore is here as always, as sleep allows Breloom to set up for free while also incapacitating whatever the opponent switches in. Substitute gives Breloom the buffer that it needs to fire off its powerful STAB Focus Punch, and works well with Poison Heal to heal off the damage. Focus Punch turns Breloom's targets into a fine red mist, and is a huge part of why this set is so threatening behind a Substitute. The last move is used to provide coverage and give Breloom a way to attack without a Substitute up. Seed Bomb is secondary STAB, and also allows Breloom to do incredible damage to threatening opponents such as Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Sableye. It also hits Jellicent, which is immune to Focus Punch. Stone Edge is most notable for eliminating Tornadus-T, but is also effective for taking down Dragonite and Salamence. Facade is the most powerful third option after the boost from poison, and does solid damage to Gliscor, Landorus-T, Celebi, and Latias, but leaves Breloom entirely helpless against Ghost-types.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread on this set is simple. Attack is maximized for optimal damage output, and 12 HP gives Breloom an HP value divisible by 8 for Poison Heal. The rest is placed into Speed in order to allow Breloom to outspeed uninvested base 100s, as well as some uninvested or low-investment mid-speed Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Dragonite, and Heatran.</p>
<p>As with all Breloom sets, Gliscor and Celebi give this set hell. Expert Belt Landorus is an amazing partner for this reason, as it can potentially lure both of them by bluffing Choice Scarf Earthquake and then dispatching them with Hidden Power Ice and U-turn, respectively. There are also a number of Pokemon that can cause problems depending on the choice of third attack. Without Stone Edge, Dragonite can be a major issue, so pairing Breloom up with something that can eliminate Dragonite is a good idea. Landorus fits this bill nicely, and Bronzong can do the same while also providing Stealth Rock for the team. With Facade, it's important to have a check to Ghost-types, as it leaves Breloom completely unable to damage them. As such, including a strong Pursuit user on your team such as Tyranitar or Scizor can be important.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>While Breloom does pack a bit of a move kiddy-pool, it's still got a couple of useful options. Even with Technician, Superpower is the strongest general use Fighting-type move that Breloom has. However, it can also be a bit of a liability, as it weakens Breloom and renders it more susceptible to revenge killing, as well as forcing it to switch more often. Wake-Up Slap is a cute gimmick, especially with Technician. It's still got 90 Base Power, but when used against a sleeping opponent it gets bumped up to 120. This makes it gimmicky but semi-effective to finish off sleeping opponents quickly, though it's almost always outclassed by both Low Sweep and Force Palm, which provide far more immediate utility. Rock Tomb is potentially usable, but its low 75 Base Power after Technician makes it a questionable choice for any serious set. Finally, there's double powder. While paralysis is incredibly crippling, and Spore does tend to force switches, it's better to leave the powdering to Amoonguss, which is far more cut out for it. Breloom doesn't need to double powder—once it Spores something, it can move on to killing off bigger and better things.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Technician and Poison Heal Breloom have largely different counters, but there are some notable common ones. Celebi is the ultimate counter—not only does it outspeed Breloom, but it also resists both of its STABs, has Natural Cure to heal off Spore, commonly carries Psychic or Hidden Power Ice to dispatch Breloom, and is essentially impossible for Breloom to break down. Along the same lines, Amoonguss is extremely bulky, resists both STABs, and can simply switch out to heal off all of the damage it takes. On top of that, its super effective Poison STAB easily eliminates Breloom. Latias is faster, can hit it hard with Dragon Pulse and Draco Meteor, and resists both STABs. However, it's a bit riskier, as Life Orb variants can use Low Sweep to slow it down for Spore, while Choice Band has a chance to simply 2HKO it with Low Sweep after Stealth Rock. Finally, Gengar is a terror to all Breloom sets, resisting Bullet Seed and being immune to Mach Punch, Low Sweep, and Focus Punch. However, it has to be careful, as not only will Spore ruin its day, but its defenses are fairly low, and enough hits from Bullet Seed can put Gengar down for good.</p>
<p>On to the Technician-specific counters. Volcarona is one of the most notable ones, as not only does it resist Mach Punch and Low Sweep, but also has a double resistance to Bullet Seed, and can passively burn Breloom with Flame Body. However, Volcarona needs to be especially careful of Spore or Stone Edge after a Low Sweep or on the switch, so it's not foolproof. Mamoswine is faster than Breloom (guaranteed with Jolly) and can outspeed its Mach Punch with a super effective STAB Ice Shard. However, Adamant varieties can be outsped by Jolly Breloom, so when relying on Mamoswine to deal with Breloom, Jolly is a necessity. Tornadus-T is another extremely potent counter, as it not only resists both STABs and can dispatch it with either Air Slash or Hurricane, but it also outspeeds Adamant Breloom even at -1. It can also use Sleep Talk with almost any of its moves to KO Breloom even through Spore. Finally, Skarmory is a semi-unreliable counter. It can deal with Swords Dance variants if need be due to its high Defense, but it can't switch into Low Sweep from the attacking set.</p>
<p>Poison Heal sets rely almost exclusively on Substitute, and as a result, multi-hit moves can be troublesome. Mamoswine tops this list, as its Icicle Shard can chew through Substitute and cancel Focus Punch for the defensive variant, while it has a chance to outright KO offensive variants. However, if it fails to OHKO, it is in danger of either Spore or Seed Bomb from the offensive version. Gliscor is extremely troublesome, as Poison Heal variants are immune to Spore and take a pittance from Focus Punch and neutral Seed Bomb. Tornadus-T makes another appearance here due to Sleep Talk, though Stone Edge from the offensive variant can cause problems. Finally, Tentacruel is trouble for the defensive set due to Liquid Ooze. While it can't exactly take Focus Punches all day, it can whittle away at Breloom with its own Leech Seed or Rapid Spin it off, and its resistance to Focus Punch does give it much more of a fighting chance.</p>
<p>Breloom's ability roster is the gift that keeps on giving. In Generation 3, it was saddled with poor defenses, a near-worthless ability, and a branding as a bit of a one-trick pony. Granted, it was a neat trick, but it just didn't cut it. Generation 4 gave it Poison Heal, which is everything that it could have ever wanted—status absorption, healing for Substitutes, and a ridiculous amount of healing on Leech Seed sets. However, Generation 5 really turned it up a notch, granting it two boons: a buffed 25 Base Power Bullet Seed, and Technician, which not only gives it a priority attack rivaling Scizor's devastating Bullet Punch, but also a powerful Low Sweep and the aforementioned Bullet Seed.</p>
<p>As a result, Breloom is one of the gold standards of power in Generation 5. With Technician, Breloom basically 2HKOs the metagame with Choice Band or Life Orb. Technician Bullet Seed has the potential to be literally the strongest attack in the metagame, a 187.5 Base Power attack coming off of 394 Attack. Compounding that is Technician Low Sweep, which gives Breloom a free second attack against many faster opponents switching in. Combine this with Swords Dance, and cap it with Spore and Generation 5's sleep mechanics, and Breloom is a serious force to be reckoned with. And for those with a touch of nostalgia, it's still as threatening as ever with its vicious Poison Heal sets, which can be incredibly tough to crack.</p>
<p>It's not all roses for Breloom, though. Despite these advances, very little had happened to offset its significant weaknesses. 70 base Speed is a serious problem for it, as there are a number of significant Fighting resistances that outspeed it. Combine that with barely passable 60 / 80 / 60 defenses, and Breloom can be a bit tough to handle. When used well, it's a devastating force. If used carelessly, it can be nearly useless.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Sweep
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Bullet Seed
move 4: Spore / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When you talk about terrifying physical attackers in OU, this set is one of the first that leaps to mind. The raw power of an item-boosted Low Sweep is seriously intimidating, doubly so when you consider that Low Sweep rules out a long list of would-be counters by virtue of its Speed-reducing property. Would-be counters like Latios, Tornadus-T, Starmie, and others quickly find themselves unable to do their job when crippled by Low Sweep. Mach Punch gives it a burst of immediate power against speedy threats like Terrakion and Hydreigon, while Bullet Seed gives it the potential of unparalleled power with an attack capable of reaching 187.5 Base Power. Spore caps the set off, as any Pokemon capable of sponging these attacks still has to contend with the threat of sleep, rendering it helpless against Breloom's assaults. On the flip side, if Choice-locked Spore isn't your cup of tea, Stone Edge gives it a way to threaten Tornadus-T immediately on the switch, and also provides excellent neutral coverage alongside its STABs.</p>
<p>This set comes in two flavors: Life Orb and Choice Band. While Choice Band has the edge in raw power, Life Orb makes up for it with versatility. Life Orb can 2HKO troublesome Pokemon like Starmie with Low Sweep into Bullet Seed, but Choice Band can simply 2HKO Pokemon like Latios as they switch in without a second thought. In general, Choice Band rewards prediction more, while Life Orb is a bit easier to use, and is more equipped to handle unforeseen circumstances.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With a Pokemon like this, there's little need to get fancy with EV spreads—a simple 4/252/252 will suffice. The choice of nature, however, is a bit more complex. Jolly is most important on the Life Orb set, as it allows Breloom to not only outspeed notable threats like Tornadus-T and Starmie after a Low Sweep, but also gives it the edge against Adamant Mamoswine to beat it out with Mach Punch. However, Adamant gives Low Sweep some much-needed bite, allowing the Choice Band set to secure some much-needed 2HKOs without having to switch moves.</p>
<p>There are some alternative choices for the fourth moveslot. ThunderPunch is not only the most powerful attack against Skarmory, but it also absolutely obliterates Gyarados. Rock Tomb can operate as an analogue to Low Sweep, catching Tornadus-T and others with a Rock-type attack and then still having the options given by the guaranteed Speed drop. However, its low power makes it unappealing, and the utility of Spore often far outweighs it. Force Palm is an option over Low Sweep, giving Breloom a bit more of a supporting role. While it lacks the reliability of Low Sweep, it gains a 30% chance to paralyze any would-be Breloom counter, crippling them for the rest of the game. Finally, if sustaining Breloom is your primary concern, Drain Punch is an option. While its Base Power increase renders it unaffected by Technician, it's still a STAB 75 Base Power attack, and its healing can be invaluable when up against teams that either stack entry hazards or boast numerous weak attacks for Breloom to come in on.</p>
<p>This set is easy to fit onto many teams, though Gothitelle is probably its most effective ally. Many of Breloom's primary counters can be dealt with by Gothitelle, and with Shadow Tag providing trapping power, a successful Gothitelle play can make Breloom's life much easier. Breloom also forces a lot of switches, making entry hazards extremely potent. Stealth Rock is a must to help chip away at Tornadus-T with Regenerator, while Spikes can make dealing with Celebi a significantly easier task. Given the raw power of this set, entry hazards can be the difference between a safe 2HKO and an unsafe 3HKO. Finally, some solid Rapid Spin support can be invaluable given Breloom's inability to heal itself. Starmie is a good choice, as it resists Psychic and Fire, and can also sweep if opponents like Latios find themselves weakened or eliminated.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Bullet Seed
move 4: Spore
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant / Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the last set an all-out attacker represents turn 1 dominance, this set provides utterly unparalleled power after a single turn of setup; setup which is easily secured via Spore. After a Swords Dance, Breloom is sitting on 788 Attack. Combine that with a Technician Mach Punch, or an utterly terrifying 5-hit Bullet Seed, and there's very little that Breloom can't break through. Spore makes it easy to set up a Swords Dance, and once it's set up, it's pretty hard to stop.</p>
<p>Despite being a setup sweeper, Breloom still packs one hell of a punch without the setup. Even if it's hard to get a Swords Dance or Spore in, it still provides the power of a Life Orb Mach Punch, which can mean the difference between life and death when you're staring down the likes of a fully set-up Terrakion. Likewise, a Bullet Seed can take down nearly anything if it gets enough hits, and if the opponent is expecting a Swords Dance after a Spore, they can be in for a rude awakening with a little prediction.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This Breloom is all about raw offense, and it's got a spread to match. Maximizing Speed and Attack is crucial to the success of this set, and the Adamant nature is used to secure KOs with Mach Punch that would otherwise be out of reach. Jolly is an option as well, as it works well to hit some faster defensively oriented Pokemon with Bullet Seed, or secure the Spore needed to set up. Life Orb gives this set much-needed power, as it's very much a "kill or be killed" kind of set. However, Lum Berry can open up some options for sweeping where Life Orb wouldn't, especially when the only option for setting up is getting a Swords Dance against something spamming Scald.</p>
<p>As this set aims to sweep, it is of the utmost importance that faster Fighting resists are eliminated. Again, Gothitelle can be an extremely potent ally, as its high Special Defense can allow it to eliminate some potential threats, such as Celebi, Tornadus-T, Starmie, and Latios. Entry hazards are also once again incredibly important, as even with a Technician boost, Mach Punch is still only 60 Base Power. Deoxys-D is probably the best and most efficient Spiker in the metagame, especially for offensive teams, which are the most likely to use a Breloom set like this one. Finally, U-turn or Volt Switch users can be extremely effective, as they can help bring Breloom in at the perfect time when it is most likely to sweep effectively.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Spore
move 2: Bullet Seed
move 3: Force Palm / Low Sweep
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While not its most effective set, Scarf Breloom can be quite the potent threat. Boasting the fastest sleep in OU, as well as an incredibly powerful Bullet Seed, Breloom can shut down a number of threats that can otherwise be troublesome to deal with. It can also spread paralysis with Force Palm since Low Sweep's main utility is offset by Choice Scarf, or it can surprise some especially quick foes with Scarf Low Sweep such as Choice Scarf variants of fast Pokemon like Latios. Finally, Stone Edge caps off its coverage and makes it an effective Pokemon for dealing with and eliminating Tornadus-T and Dragonite.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set is very straightforward, and it has an EV spread to match. Offense is maximized, and a Jolly nature allows Breloom to outspeed every Pokemon below 130 base Speed, which has dwindled as an important Speed tier. Move-wise, it's also very straightforward. All of Breloom's other move options are rather low power, especially Mach Punch, which is extremely redundant with that Choice Scarf, and there's little else in the movepool that goes well with the set.</p>
<p>As with every Breloom set, Gothitelle can unlock its true offensive potential by busting through Pokemon that would otherwise counter Breloom. It also appreciates entry hazards, which can help this relatively weak Breloom set secure some important OHKOs and 2HKOs. Other than that, however, this Breloom needs very little coddling, playing much more of a supportive role than other sets.</p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Spore
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Focus Punch
item: Toxic Orb
nature: Impish
ability: Poison Heal
evs: 236 HP / 252 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is a blast from the past. While 60 / 80 / 60 defenses may not seem like the most effective, Breloom's incredible defensive typing makes it more than capable of taking hits from some top Pokemon in OU. Combine this with the buff to sleep in Generation 5, as well as Poison Heal and Substitute, and Breloom can easily prove itself to be far tougher to kill than its stat spread would suggest.</p>
<p>Spore is a must-have on pretty much every Breloom set, as it is the only 100% accuracy sleep move in the game, and with Generation 5's sleep mechanics, a Pokemon put to sleep often might as well be KOed. Leech Seed goes a long way to bolster Breloom's survivability, allowing it to wear down opponents while simultaneously refilling its own life. Substitute compounds this by allowing Breloom to scout switches and stall out Pokemon affected by Leech Seed. It also works especially well on this set due to the significant healing from Leech Seed and Poison Heal. Finally, Focus Punch rounds out the set. Even though this set has no offensive investment, it still reaches 296 Attack, and when that's combined with a STAB 150 Base Power attack like Focus Punch, it gives a defensive set like this one some vicious power.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The defensive investment on this set makes it surprisingly durable. It can take many U-turns in the metagame with ease, and its resistance to Volt Switch also pays off, making Breloom an excellent counter to VoltTurn chains. 236 HP EVs give Breloom 320 HP, which is divisible by 8, giving it maximum healing from Poison Heal. Defense is maximized, and then the rest is put into Speed.</p>
<p>This set does have a number of notable counters that need to be eliminated in order to function optimally. Gliscor is incredibly hard to deal with for this set, as Poison Heal makes it immune to Spore and counteracts Leech Seed's damage. It also resists Focus Punch, and takes barely any damage from it. As such, it's important to have a teammate that can either deal with it or lure it in and kill it. Expert Belt Landorus is especially effective as a teammate since it can lure in Gliscor and dispatch it with Hidden Power Ice. It can also deal with another major counter, Celebi, with U-turn. Additionally, Mamoswine sometimes carries Icicle Spear, which will break through the Substitute and prevent Focus Punch from going off.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Spore
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Focus Punch
move 4: Seed Bomb / Stone Edge / Facade
item: Toxic Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Poison Heal
evs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the SubSeed set is more defensively oriented, this set is all power. A max Attack Adamant Focus Punch from Breloom is one of the most vicious attacks in the game, capable of OHKOing most anything that doesn't resist it, and even 2HKOing many Pokemon that do. While this set sacrifices durability somewhat, the increased offensive power and additional coverage makes it much more threatening offensively.</p>
<p>Spore is here as always, as sleep allows Breloom to set up for free while also incapacitating whatever the opponent switches in. Substitute gives Breloom the buffer that it needs to fire off its powerful STAB Focus Punch, and works well with Poison Heal to heal off the damage. Focus Punch turns Breloom's targets into a fine red mist, and is a huge part of why this set is so threatening behind a Substitute. The last move is used to provide coverage and give Breloom a way to attack without a Substitute up. Seed Bomb is secondary STAB, and also allows Breloom to do incredible damage to threatening opponents such as Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Sableye. It also hits Jellicent, which is immune to Focus Punch. Stone Edge is most notable for eliminating Tornadus-T, but is also effective for taking down Dragonite and Salamence. Facade is the most powerful third option after the boost from poison, and does solid damage to Gliscor, Landorus-T, Celebi, and Latias, but leaves Breloom entirely helpless against Ghost-types.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread on this set is simple. Attack is maximized for optimal damage output, and 12 HP gives Breloom an HP value divisible by 8 for Poison Heal. The rest is placed into Speed in order to allow Breloom to outspeed uninvested base 100s, as well as some uninvested or low-investment mid-speed Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Dragonite, and Heatran.</p>
<p>As with all Breloom sets, Gliscor and Celebi give this set hell. Expert Belt Landorus is an amazing partner for this reason, as it can potentially lure both of them by bluffing Choice Scarf Earthquake and then dispatching them with Hidden Power Ice and U-turn, respectively. There are also a number of Pokemon that can cause problems depending on the choice of third attack. Without Stone Edge, Dragonite can be a major issue, so pairing Breloom up with something that can eliminate Dragonite is a good idea. Landorus fits this bill nicely, and Bronzong can do the same while also providing Stealth Rock for the team. With Facade, it's important to have a check to Ghost-types, as it leaves Breloom completely unable to damage them. As such, including a strong Pursuit user on your team such as Tyranitar or Scizor can be important.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>While Breloom does pack a bit of a move kiddy-pool, it's still got a couple of useful options. Even with Technician, Superpower is the strongest general use Fighting-type move that Breloom has. However, it can also be a bit of a liability, as it weakens Breloom and renders it more susceptible to revenge killing, as well as forcing it to switch more often. Wake-Up Slap is a cute gimmick, especially with Technician. It's still got 90 Base Power, but when used against a sleeping opponent it gets bumped up to 120. This makes it gimmicky but semi-effective to finish off sleeping opponents quickly, though it's almost always outclassed by both Low Sweep and Force Palm, which provide far more immediate utility. Rock Tomb is potentially usable, but its low 75 Base Power after Technician makes it a questionable choice for any serious set. Finally, there's double powder. While paralysis is incredibly crippling, and Spore does tend to force switches, it's better to leave the powdering to Amoonguss, which is far more cut out for it. Breloom doesn't need to double powder—once it Spores something, it can move on to killing off bigger and better things.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Technician and Poison Heal Breloom have largely different counters, but there are some notable common ones. Celebi is the ultimate counter—not only does it outspeed Breloom, but it also resists both of its STABs, has Natural Cure to heal off Spore, commonly carries Psychic or Hidden Power Ice to dispatch Breloom, and is essentially impossible for Breloom to break down. Along the same lines, Amoonguss is extremely bulky, resists both STABs, and can simply switch out to heal off all of the damage it takes. On top of that, its super effective Poison STAB easily eliminates Breloom. Latias is faster, can hit it hard with Dragon Pulse and Draco Meteor, and resists both STABs. However, it's a bit riskier, as Life Orb variants can use Low Sweep to slow it down for Spore, while Choice Band has a chance to simply 2HKO it with Low Sweep after Stealth Rock. Finally, Gengar is a terror to all Breloom sets, resisting Bullet Seed and being immune to Mach Punch, Low Sweep, and Focus Punch. However, it has to be careful, as not only will Spore ruin its day, but its defenses are fairly low, and enough hits from Bullet Seed can put Gengar down for good.</p>
<p>On to the Technician-specific counters. Volcarona is one of the most notable ones, as not only does it resist Mach Punch and Low Sweep, but also has a double resistance to Bullet Seed, and can passively burn Breloom with Flame Body. However, Volcarona needs to be especially careful of Spore or Stone Edge after a Low Sweep or on the switch, so it's not foolproof. Mamoswine is faster than Breloom (guaranteed with Jolly) and can outspeed its Mach Punch with a super effective STAB Ice Shard. However, Adamant varieties can be outsped by Jolly Breloom, so when relying on Mamoswine to deal with Breloom, Jolly is a necessity. Tornadus-T is another extremely potent counter, as it not only resists both STABs and can dispatch it with either Air Slash or Hurricane, but it also outspeeds Adamant Breloom even at -1. It can also use Sleep Talk with almost any of its moves to KO Breloom even through Spore. Finally, Skarmory is a semi-unreliable counter. It can deal with Swords Dance variants if need be due to its high Defense, but it can't switch into Low Sweep from the attacking set.</p>
<p>Poison Heal sets rely almost exclusively on Substitute, and as a result, multi-hit moves can be troublesome. Mamoswine tops this list, as its Icicle Shard can chew through Substitute and cancel Focus Punch for the defensive variant, while it has a chance to outright KO offensive variants. However, if it fails to OHKO, it is in danger of either Spore or Seed Bomb from the offensive version. Gliscor is extremely troublesome, as Poison Heal variants are immune to Spore and take a pittance from Focus Punch and neutral Seed Bomb. Tornadus-T makes another appearance here due to Sleep Talk, though Stone Edge from the offensive variant can cause problems. Finally, Tentacruel is trouble for the defensive set due to Liquid Ooze. While it can't exactly take Focus Punches all day, it can whittle away at Breloom with its own Leech Seed or Rapid Spin it off, and its resistance to Focus Punch does give it much more of a fighting chance.</p>
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