BSS Calyrex Ice Rider [1/1 QC][1/1 GP]

[Photon]

[SET]
Leech Seed Stall (Calyrex-Ice) @ Leftovers
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
Impish Nature
Tera Type: Water / Fire
- Glacial Lance
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Substitute

* Armed with Terastallization and incredible bulk, Calyrex-I is an imposing defensive force once it's entrenched!

* **Glacial Lance**: Despite having low PP, Glacial Lance is the preferred attack. It deals significant damage even when uninvested and slams Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed.

* **Protect and Substitute**: This combination helps get the most out of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery while burning as many turns as possible.

* **Toxic Spikes Support**: This set benefits immensely from Toxic Spikes, which allows Calyrex-I to stall for damage when Leech Seed isn't active. Clodsire is the most common partner utilized for this, as its high special bulk is a great compliment to Calyrex-I's physical bulk.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: In order to take full advantage of its bulk against threats like Koraidon, Calyrex-I will need Terastallization.

* **Water**: Tera Water's Fire-type resistance makes shouldering Koraidon's Flare Blitz a breeze, and the Water-type resistance to Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes makes Substitute a lot more effective.

* **Fire** Tera Fire is another good way to weaken Koraidon's Flare Blitz while simultaneously making it much harder for Ogerpon-H to check Calyrex-I.

EV Spreads
========

* **15 or lower Speed IV or 20 Speed EVs**: While optional, a low enough Speed IV makes it so that slow Alomomola's Flip Turn will always go first, letting Calyrex-I hit the incoming target with Leech Seed instead. Do note that this will also make Calyrex-I slower than Ting-Lu. On the other hand, Calyrex-I can outrun uninvested Ursaluna-B with only 20 Speed EVs, though more may be necessary because Ursaluna-B commonly bumps up its Speed.

* **252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD with Impish**: With just a small amount of Special Defense investment, Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S only has around a 50% chance to 2HKO if Calyrex-I is Terastallized. This spread also avoids an OHKO from Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift on all but the highest damage roll.

* **252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with Impish**: While it sacrifices some physical bulk, a higher Special Defense investment combined with Terastallization makes it so that Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S almost never 2HKOes.

[SET]
Offensive Trick Room (Calyrex-Ice) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD
Brave / Adamant Nature
Tera Type: Electric
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Glacial Lance
- Tera Blast / High Horsepower
- Swords Dance / High Horsepower

* Calyrex-I can facilitate its own sweeps with Trick Room, leaning into its incredible bulk and power to bully opposing teams.

* **Tera Blast Electric versus High Horsepower**: Tera Blast Electric combined with Glacial Lance makes Calyrex-I extremely hard to wall. High Horsepower also has decent type synergy with Glacial Lance and doesn't immediately require Terastallization, but Unaware Dondozo becomes almost impossible to break.

* **Swords Dance**: Swords Dance can be used to supercharge a Trick Room sweep, making Calyrex-I much harder to stall out.

Other Options
========

* **Encore**: While Encore is difficult to fit, the unique pairing of Encore with Trick Room allows Calyrex-I punish a wide range of status users that it couldn't before.

* **Icicle Spear and Bullet Seed with Loaded Dice**: Calyrex-I does have the option to run a Loaded Dice offensive set that is less reliant on Terastallization. While good against Focus Sash and Substitute users, it tends to constrict Calyrex-I's overall power.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: Since Trick Room restricts the range of coverage Calyrex-I can run, Terastallization is key in extending Calyrex-I's offense while also removing its common weaknesses.

* **Electric**: Tera Electric is the go-to option for good defensive typing and Tera Blast coverage, giving Calyrex-I the coveted BoltBeam attack type combination.

* **Ground**: Tera Ground can be used with High Horsepower to give it a sizable boost in strength as well as buying extra turns against Miraidon's Electric-type attacks.

EV Spreads
========

* **0 Speed IV with a Brave nature**: Calyrex-I usually wants the lowest Speed possible for sweeping in Trick Room. This will make it slower than Ting-Lu and Dondozo though, so adjustments can be made if outrunning these targets out of Trick Room is deemed necessary.

* **252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: The Special Defense investment allows Calyrex-I to almost always survive Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift. If Terastallized, it also has roughly a 50% chance to avoid the 2HKO from Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage.

* **252 HP / 124 Atk / 132 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: By leaning into Special Defense and using Terastallization, Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage won't 2HKO Calyrex-I except on the highest damage rolls.

[CREDITS]
Written by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/photon.516307/
Quality checked by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
Grammar checked by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/

 

[Slovami]

What about iron defense (with optionally body press) on the defensive set?

I've seen glacial lance and icicle spear on the same set. Focus sash really can mess up a sweep.

Tera ice as a niche option?

I'd suggest weakness policy and lum berry as alternatives to sitrus berry. The former can really work with its many weaknesses and screens support while the latter beats yawn and will-o-wisp which are common ways to try to neuter it.

What do you think?

 

[Photon]

What about iron defense (with optionally body press) on the defensive set?

I've seen glacial lance and icicle spear on the same set. Focus sash really can mess up a sweep.

Tera ice as a niche option?

I'd suggest weakness policy and lum berry as alternatives to sitrus berry. The former can really work with its many weaknesses and screens support while the latter beats yawn and will-o-wisp which are common ways to try to neuter it.

What do you think?

Keep in mind that when we write sets, we usually aren't dealing in "could be good" type of sets. We're looking at the data and trying to provide commentary on well-established strategies.

Iron Defense has no traction to my knowledge to suggest that it has a niche on the Leech Seed set. Once you get into a Substitute chain, the opponents attack stats tend to not matter. The one exception is multi-hits, but the major ones are usually game-planned around and it isn't enough to justify running something like Iron Defense.

Running Glacial Lance and Icicle Spear together is just not good (edit: not good for these sets, but see my other response below.)

Tera Ice has usage but per my observations, it is relegated to the niche Choice Band Calyrex-Ice, which isn't being given attention at the moment because it isn't a particularly proven set.

Weakness Policy and Lum Berry both actually have seen usage and I could see it going either way on their inclusion. Thing is, the vast majority of high level Season 26 sets are all running Sitrus. I thought about including just Lum Berry, but the reality is most of the things throwing status at it are things Caly-I is still going to lose to anyway (or just get status-bopped by again.) It also has a meager 3.3% usage rate among items.

As always, things change and new trends emerge, but for the reasons stated above I'm leaving things put for now. Hope my explanations help shed some light on things.

 

[Thick Fat Azumarill]

Looks good to me, QC approved!

 

[Omastar68]

Iirc the order of slashes and sets is cared about. Could you swap tr to set 1? This is because ATM usage is exactly x2 of leech seed.

Edit: same idea in season 26. If high rank teams use leech more then ignore me by all means ofc.

 

[Photon]

Looks good to me, QC approved!

Thank you, tagging GP Team

Iirc the order of slashes and sets is cared about. Could you swap tr to set 1? This is because ATM usage is exactly x2 of leech seed.

Edit: same idea in season 26. If high rank teams use leech more then ignore me by all means ofc.

I feel like this could go either way. Recent S26 high level trends somewhat favor Seed Stall, but general usage is definitely still towards Trick Room. If anyone else has any input on this, feel free to chip in.

Also Slovami, I figured out where you might have seen Glacial Lance + Icicle Spear: it is actually used on less common Choice Band sets for I assume things like Multiscale Dragonite. Still not relevant for these sets—Choice Band has more room to run unique attacks and it does favor Tera Ice—but thought it was worth bringing up that it isn’t nearly as out there as I originally thought!

 

[Slovami]

Thank you, tagging GP Team

I feel like this could go either way. Recent S26 high level trends somewhat favor Seed Stall, but general usage is definitely still towards Trick Room. If anyone else has any input on this, feel free to chip in.

Also Slovami, I figured out where you might have seen Glacial Lance + Icicle Spear: it is actually used on less common Choice Band sets for I assume things like Multiscale Dragonite. Still not relevant for these sets—Choice Band has more room to run unique attacks and it does favor Tera Ice—but thought it was worth bringing up that it isn’t nearly as out there as I originally thought!

Okay, I just wanted to share my observations using it and facing it (on high cartridge ladder).

As to ID/BP, there was a rental going around that featured that. I grant it is rare (though so is encore on the other set) and probably doesn't see much measurable usage.

As to the dual usage of glacial lance and icicle spear, I say I saw it because I played it. Identical match-up. The first time my sash Breloom managed to end a calyrex sweep with spore. The second time they surprised me by pulling out icicle spear after having used glacial lance. So it was good for them in that particular case. Now Breloom is rather uncommon in this regulation of course but that's the kind of thing that really can make trying to win with this thing a pain when you only have so many turns of trick room to operate in as Calyrex is always going to register as the main threat when people see it. But I guess a stealth rock lead can generally eliminate that problem.

 

[a blue banana]

GP Team done

add remove highlight comment

Copyedit

[SET]
Leech Seed Stall (Calyrex-Ice) @ Leftovers
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
Impish Nature
Tera Type: Water / Fire
- Glacial Lance
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Substitute

* (asterisk) Armed with Terastallization and incredible bulk, Calyrex-I is an imposing defensive force once it's entrenched!

* **Glacial Lance**: Despite having low PP, Glacial Lance is the preferred attack of choice. (over what other attacking options?) It deals significant damage even when uninvested and slams Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed.

* **Protect and Substitute**: This combo combination helps get the most out of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery while burning as many turns as possible.

* **Toxic Spikes Support**: This set benefits immensely from Toxic Spikes, which allows Calyrex-I to stall for damage for when Leech Seed isn't active. Clodsire is the most common partner utilized for this, as its high special bulk is a great compliment to Calyrex-I's physical bulk.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: In order to take full advantage of its bulk against threats like Koraidon, Calyrex-I will need Terastallization.

* **Water**: Tera Water's Fire-type resistance makes shouldering Koraidon's Flare Blitz a breeze, and the Water-type resistance to Urshifu's Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes makes Substitute a lot more effective. (AP)

* **Fire** Tera Fire is another good way to weaken Koraidon's Flare Blitz while simultaneously making it much harder for Ogerpon-H to check Calyrex-I.

EV Spreads
========

* **15 or lower Speed IV or 20 Speed EVs**: While optional, a low enough Speed IV makes it so that slow Alomomola's Flip Turn will always go first, letting Calyrex-I hit the incoming target with Leech Seed instead. Do note that this will also make you Calyrex-I slower than Ting-Lu. On the other hand, Calyrex-I can outrun uninvested Ursaluna-B with only 20 Speed EVs, though more may be necessary since because Ursaluna-B commonly bumps up its Speed EVs.

* **252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD with Impish**: With just a small amount of Special Defense investment, Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S only has around a 50% chance to 2HKO if Calyrex-I is Terastallized. This spread also avoids an OHKO from Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift on all but the highest damage roll.

* **252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with Impish**: While it sacrifices some physical bulk, a higher Special Defense investment combined with Terastallization makes it so that Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S almost never 2HKOs 2HKOes.

[SET]
Offensive Trick Room (Calyrex-Ice) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD
Brave / Adamant Nature
Tera Type: Electric
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Glacial Lance
- Tera Blast / High Horsepower
- Swords Dance / High Horsepower

* Calyrex-I can facilitate its own sweeps with Trick Room, leaning into its incredible bulk and power to bully opposing teams.

* **Tera Blast with Tera Electric (brevity, think "Hidden Power Electric") versus High Horsepower**: Tera Blast Electric Tera Blast combined with Glacial Lance makes Calyrex-I extremely hard to wall. High Horsepower also has decent type synergy with Glacial Lance and doesn't immediately require Terastallization, but Unaware Dondozo becomes almost impossible to break.

* **Swords Dance**: Swords Dance can be used to supercharge a Trick Room sweep, making Calyrex-I much harder to stall out.

Other Options
========

* **Encore**: While Encore is difficult to fit, the unique pairing of Encore with Trick Room allows Calyrex-I punish a wide range of status users that it couldn't before.

* **Icicle Spear and Bullet Seed with Loaded Dice**: Calyrex-I does have the option to run a Loaded Dice offense offensive set that is less reliant on Terastallization. While good against Focus Sash and Substitute users, it tends to constrict Calyrex-I's overall power.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: Since Trick Room restricts the range of coverage Calyrex-I can run, Terastallization is key in extending Calyrex-I's offense while also removing it's its common weaknesses.

* **Electric**: Tera Electric is the go-to option for good defensive typing and Tera Blast coverage, giving Calyrex-I the coveted “bolt-beam” BoltBeam attack typing type combination.

* **Ground**: Tera Ground can be used with High Horsepower to give it a sizable boost in strength (RC) as well as buying extra turns against Miraidon's Electric-type attacks.

EV Spreads
========

* **0 Speed IV with a negative Speed Brave nature**: (Brave is the only recommended Speed-reducing nature on this set anyway) Calyrex-I usually wants the lowest Speed possible for sweeping in Trick Room. This will make it slower than Ting-Lu and Dondozo though, so adjustments can be made if outrunning these targets out of Trick Room is deemed necessary.

* **252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: (I think the natures for this and the next spread can be omitted if they're both viable.) The Special Defense investment allows Calyrex-I to almost always survive Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift. If Terastallized, it also has roughly a 50% chance to avoid the 2HKO from Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage.

* **252 HP / 124 Atk / 132 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: By leaning into Special Defense and using Terastallization, Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage won't 2HKO Calyrex-I except for on the highest damage rolls.

GP Check 1/1

 

[Photon]

GP Team done

add remove highlight comment

Copyedit

[SET]
Leech Seed Stall (Calyrex-Ice) @ Leftovers
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
Impish Nature
Tera Type: Water / Fire
- Glacial Lance
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Substitute

* (asterisk) Armed with Terastallization and incredible bulk, Calyrex-I is an imposing defensive force once it's entrenched!

* **Glacial Lance**: Despite having low PP, Glacial Lance is the preferred attack of choice. (over what other attacking options?) It deals significant damage even when uninvested and slams Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed.

* **Protect and Substitute**: This combo combination helps get the most out of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery while burning as many turns as possible.

* **Toxic Spikes Support**: This set benefits immensely from Toxic Spikes, which allows Calyrex-I to stall for damage for when Leech Seed isn't active. Clodsire is the most common partner utilized for this, as its high special bulk is a great compliment to Calyrex-I's physical bulk.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: In order to take full advantage of its bulk against threats like Koraidon, Calyrex-I will need Terastallization.

* **Water**: Tera Water's Fire-type resistance makes shouldering Koraidon's Flare Blitz a breeze, and the Water-type resistance to Urshifu's Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes makes Substitute a lot more effective. (AP)

* **Fire** Tera Fire is another good way to weaken Koraidon's Flare Blitz while simultaneously making it much harder for Ogerpon-H to check Calyrex-I.

EV Spreads
========

* **15 or lower Speed IV or 20 Speed EVs**: While optional, a low enough Speed IV makes it so that slow Alomomola's Flip Turn will always go first, letting Calyrex-I hit the incoming target with Leech Seed instead. Do note that this will also make you Calyrex-I slower than Ting-Lu. On the other hand, Calyrex-I can outrun uninvested Ursaluna-B with only 20 Speed EVs, though more may be necessary since because Ursaluna-B commonly bumps up its Speed EVs.

* **252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD with Impish**: With just a small amount of Special Defense investment, Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S only has around a 50% chance to 2HKO if Calyrex-I is Terastallized. This spread also avoids an OHKO from Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift on all but the highest damage roll.

* **252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SpD with Impish**: While it sacrifices some physical bulk, a higher Special Defense investment combined with Terastallization makes it so that Astral Barrage from Timid Calyrex-S almost never 2HKOs 2HKOes.

[SET]
Offensive Trick Room (Calyrex-Ice) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: As One (Glastrier)
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD
Brave / Adamant Nature
Tera Type: Electric
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Glacial Lance
- Tera Blast / High Horsepower
- Swords Dance / High Horsepower

* Calyrex-I can facilitate its own sweeps with Trick Room, leaning into its incredible bulk and power to bully opposing teams.

* **Tera Blast with Tera Electric (brevity, think "Hidden Power Electric") versus High Horsepower**: Tera Blast Electric Tera Blast combined with Glacial Lance makes Calyrex-I extremely hard to wall. High Horsepower also has decent type synergy with Glacial Lance and doesn't immediately require Terastallization, but Unaware Dondozo becomes almost impossible to break.

* **Swords Dance**: Swords Dance can be used to supercharge a Trick Room sweep, making Calyrex-I much harder to stall out.

Other Options
========

* **Encore**: While Encore is difficult to fit, the unique pairing of Encore with Trick Room allows Calyrex-I punish a wide range of status users that it couldn't before.

* **Icicle Spear and Bullet Seed with Loaded Dice**: Calyrex-I does have the option to run a Loaded Dice offense offensive set that is less reliant on Terastallization. While good against Focus Sash and Substitute users, it tends to constrict Calyrex-I's overall power.

Tera Types
========

* **Tera Dependency - High**: Since Trick Room restricts the range of coverage Calyrex-I can run, Terastallization is key in extending Calyrex-I's offense while also removing it's its common weaknesses.

* **Electric**: Tera Electric is the go-to option for good defensive typing and Tera Blast coverage, giving Calyrex-I the coveted “bolt-beam” BoltBeam attack typing type combination.

* **Ground**: Tera Ground can be used with High Horsepower to give it a sizable boost in strength (RC) as well as buying extra turns against Miraidon's Electric-type attacks.

EV Spreads
========

* **0 Speed IV with a negative Speed Brave nature**: (Brave is the only recommended Speed-reducing nature on this set anyway) Calyrex-I usually wants the lowest Speed possible for sweeping in Trick Room. This will make it slower than Ting-Lu and Dondozo though, so adjustments can be made if outrunning these targets out of Trick Room is deemed necessary.

* **252 HP / 212 Atk / 44 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: (I think the natures for this and the next spread can be omitted if they're both viable.) The Special Defense investment allows Calyrex-I to almost always survive Timid Choice Specs Miraidon's Electro Drift. If Terastallized, it also has roughly a 50% chance to avoid the 2HKO from Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage.

* **252 HP / 124 Atk / 132 SpD with Brave or Adamant**: By leaning into Special Defense and using Terastallization, Timid Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage won't 2HKO Calyrex-I except for on the highest damage rolls.

GP Check 1/1

Thanks again! This is ready for Dex.