[overview]
**Draft order**: Late round 1 onwards
**Price range**: 16-18 points
**Overview**: Chi-Yu is the strongest special wallbreaker in the format. Boasting an effective Special Attack stat of over 190 thanks to Beads of Ruin, it's able to cleave its way through even foes that resist its powerful attacks. It's the definition of a glass cannon on the physical side, but it can take a couple of special hits in a pinch. Due to this, it does require a lot of support to allow it to wallbreak effectively, but the trade off is incredibly worth it.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Coupled with Choice Specs, this set aims to OHKO or 2HKO every single Pokemon slower than it in a matchup. It tends to only come in a handful of times per game due to its crippling weakness to entry hazards, but it makes the most of these few turns to devastate the opposing team.
**Cleaner**: This set aims to utilize its respectable Speed tier to try and win games after its teammates have chipped down the opposing team for either of its STAB moves to win.
**Setup sweeper**: On the rare occasion that it's not strong enough, Chi-Yu can use the switches it forces to set up a Nasty Plot and try sweep thanks to its powerful STAB moves and access to Flame Charge to boost its Speed.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Overheat, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Dark Pulse
**Setup moves**: Nasty Plot, Flame Charge
**Utility moves**: Substitute, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Reflect, Light Screen
**Coverage**: Hex, Psychic
Niche Moves
========
**Ruination**: On the off chance that Chi-Yu is unable to 2HKO something outright, it can use Ruination and subsequently Overheat to try and pick it off.
**Memento**: This functions similarly to Eject Pack + Overheat, utilizing the immediate pivot and debuff to both of your foes' offensive stats, giving Chi-Yu's teammates an easier chance to set up.
Common Items
========
**Choice Specs**: This is the primary item of choice on a Chi-Yu designed to wallbreak, as it turns most 2HKOs into OHKOs and 3HKOs into 2HKOs. Chi-Yu is incredibly susceptible to entry hazards and thus needs to be paired with strong momentum and hazard removal.
**Choice Scarf**: You should consider this when trying to use Chi-Yu as a cleaner or a revenge killer, as it allows Chi-Yu to outspeed a lot of typical setup threats that are at +1 Speed. Choice Scarf suffers similar issues to Choice Specs in that it is weak to hazards.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Only seen on setup sets, Heavy-Duty Boots negates Chi-Yu's hazard weakness and allows it to come in safely more frequently. It offsets its trade in power for longevity and the ability to use Nasty Plot.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: While seemingly redundant on a wallbreaker, it allows Chi-Yu to check itself in mirror matchups, as well as blanket check many special threats due to its respectable specially defensive bulk.
**Eject Pack**: This enables Chi-Yu to use Overheat and safely bring in a teammate to take the hit or have a free chance at setting up. It does lack the power of Choice Specs, the speed of Choice Scarf, and the longevity of Heavy-Duty Boots, but it can be a great enabler for its teammates.
Tera
========
Chi-Yu is normally banned from using Tera. If you do have the option to Terastallize it, you'll end up picking between a damage boost to either of its STAB types or picking a defensive Tera type, such as Tera Ghost, Steel or Ground, to resist common priority moves or reduce its Stealth Rock weakness. It can occasionally be used to give Chi-Yu coverage such as Tera Blast Fighting against Tyranitar.
Draft Strategy
========
Chi-Yu is incredibly centralizing to your draft plan. It offers little to no defensive utility in most games while also needing a lot of support to both get it onto the field, and to keep it alive, you'd be best off looking for the roles below.
**Entry hazard removal**: With its best two sets being Choice items, Chi-Yu is desperate for good hazard removal, with partners such as Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Quaquaval being great at doing this. It's not unwise to grab a secondary cheap spinner, such as Donphan or Brambleghast, as keeping hazards off your side is imperative. Magic Bounce Hatterene is an equally viable option in place of the secondary hazard remover, but it should not be solely relied upon.
**Slow momentum**: Since Chi-Yu doesn't want to switch in directly to a hit, slow momentum is greatly appreciated and ideally, these momentum picks should also be to take hits reliably. This leads to Pokemon such as Chilly Reception Galarian Slowking, U-turn Corviknight, and Flip Turn Alomomola all being worthwhile options.
**Entry hazard setters**: Choice Scarf Chi-Yu can struggle to net certain OHKOs without prior chip damage, and it appreciates hazards to help reach these OHKOs. Hazard setters such as Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Glimmora are all worthwhile pairings.
**Speed control**: Due to it only being base 100 Speed, Chi-Yu appreciates being paired with faster threats that can outpace opposing teams. Good examples of this are Meowscarada, Tornadus-T, and even the likes of Jolteon or Kilowattrel for cheaper picks.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Pokemon**: Since it only has base 100 Speed, Chi-Yu is often forced out easily by faster threats that are able to reliably outspeed it and threaten to KO it. This is why strong entry hazard setters are needed, as they can punish these typically faster Pokemon, or even Choice Scarf users, for switching in on it repeatedly. Strong priority can also help with this, as a lot of faster Pokemon tend to be frail.
**Priority**: Due to most priority either being physical or super effective against Chi-Yu, it requires partners that are able to safely switch in on these hits and pressure the users. Examples of this priority include Hisuian Samurott and Azumarill with Aqua Jet and Infernape with Mach Punch, all of which threaten to OHKO Chi-Yu, and it's best to grab strong Water and Fighting resistances to switch into these super effective priority moves.
**Bulky Assault Vest users**: While a lot of specially defensive walls are naturally 2HKOed by Choice Specs Chi-Yu, they are able to take extra hits by using Assault Vest and hit it back incredibly hard. Examples of this include Roaring Moon, Quaquaval, and Diancie. It's best to scout for these Pokemon and ideally even catch them off guard with a stray Knock Off from one of your other Pokemon.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dartrix-joker.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**Draft order**: Late round 1 onwards
**Price range**: 16-18 points
**Overview**: Chi-Yu is the strongest special wallbreaker in the format. Boasting an effective Special Attack stat of over 190 thanks to Beads of Ruin, it's able to cleave its way through even foes that resist its powerful attacks. It's the definition of a glass cannon on the physical side, but it can take a couple of special hits in a pinch. Due to this, it does require a lot of support to allow it to wallbreak effectively, but the trade off is incredibly worth it.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Coupled with Choice Specs, this set aims to OHKO or 2HKO every single Pokemon slower than it in a matchup. It tends to only come in a handful of times per game due to its crippling weakness to entry hazards, but it makes the most of these few turns to devastate the opposing team.
**Cleaner**: This set aims to utilize its respectable Speed tier to try and win games after its teammates have chipped down the opposing team for either of its STAB moves to win.
**Setup sweeper**: On the rare occasion that it's not strong enough, Chi-Yu can use the switches it forces to set up a Nasty Plot and try sweep thanks to its powerful STAB moves and access to Flame Charge to boost its Speed.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Overheat, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Dark Pulse
**Setup moves**: Nasty Plot, Flame Charge
**Utility moves**: Substitute, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Reflect, Light Screen
**Coverage**: Hex, Psychic
Niche Moves
========
**Ruination**: On the off chance that Chi-Yu is unable to 2HKO something outright, it can use Ruination and subsequently Overheat to try and pick it off.
**Memento**: This functions similarly to Eject Pack + Overheat, utilizing the immediate pivot and debuff to both of your foes' offensive stats, giving Chi-Yu's teammates an easier chance to set up.
Common Items
========
**Choice Specs**: This is the primary item of choice on a Chi-Yu designed to wallbreak, as it turns most 2HKOs into OHKOs and 3HKOs into 2HKOs. Chi-Yu is incredibly susceptible to entry hazards and thus needs to be paired with strong momentum and hazard removal.
**Choice Scarf**: You should consider this when trying to use Chi-Yu as a cleaner or a revenge killer, as it allows Chi-Yu to outspeed a lot of typical setup threats that are at +1 Speed. Choice Scarf suffers similar issues to Choice Specs in that it is weak to hazards.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Only seen on setup sets, Heavy-Duty Boots negates Chi-Yu's hazard weakness and allows it to come in safely more frequently. It offsets its trade in power for longevity and the ability to use Nasty Plot.
Niche Items
========
**Assault Vest**: While seemingly redundant on a wallbreaker, it allows Chi-Yu to check itself in mirror matchups, as well as blanket check many special threats due to its respectable specially defensive bulk.
**Eject Pack**: This enables Chi-Yu to use Overheat and safely bring in a teammate to take the hit or have a free chance at setting up. It does lack the power of Choice Specs, the speed of Choice Scarf, and the longevity of Heavy-Duty Boots, but it can be a great enabler for its teammates.
Tera
========
Chi-Yu is normally banned from using Tera. If you do have the option to Terastallize it, you'll end up picking between a damage boost to either of its STAB types or picking a defensive Tera type, such as Tera Ghost, Steel or Ground, to resist common priority moves or reduce its Stealth Rock weakness. It can occasionally be used to give Chi-Yu coverage such as Tera Blast Fighting against Tyranitar.
Draft Strategy
========
Chi-Yu is incredibly centralizing to your draft plan. It offers little to no defensive utility in most games while also needing a lot of support to both get it onto the field, and to keep it alive, you'd be best off looking for the roles below.
**Entry hazard removal**: With its best two sets being Choice items, Chi-Yu is desperate for good hazard removal, with partners such as Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Quaquaval being great at doing this. It's not unwise to grab a secondary cheap spinner, such as Donphan or Brambleghast, as keeping hazards off your side is imperative. Magic Bounce Hatterene is an equally viable option in place of the secondary hazard remover, but it should not be solely relied upon.
**Slow momentum**: Since Chi-Yu doesn't want to switch in directly to a hit, slow momentum is greatly appreciated and ideally, these momentum picks should also be to take hits reliably. This leads to Pokemon such as Chilly Reception Galarian Slowking, U-turn Corviknight, and Flip Turn Alomomola all being worthwhile options.
**Entry hazard setters**: Choice Scarf Chi-Yu can struggle to net certain OHKOs without prior chip damage, and it appreciates hazards to help reach these OHKOs. Hazard setters such as Hisuian Samurott, Ting-Lu, and Glimmora are all worthwhile pairings.
**Speed control**: Due to it only being base 100 Speed, Chi-Yu appreciates being paired with faster threats that can outpace opposing teams. Good examples of this are Meowscarada, Tornadus-T, and even the likes of Jolteon or Kilowattrel for cheaper picks.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Pokemon**: Since it only has base 100 Speed, Chi-Yu is often forced out easily by faster threats that are able to reliably outspeed it and threaten to KO it. This is why strong entry hazard setters are needed, as they can punish these typically faster Pokemon, or even Choice Scarf users, for switching in on it repeatedly. Strong priority can also help with this, as a lot of faster Pokemon tend to be frail.
**Priority**: Due to most priority either being physical or super effective against Chi-Yu, it requires partners that are able to safely switch in on these hits and pressure the users. Examples of this priority include Hisuian Samurott and Azumarill with Aqua Jet and Infernape with Mach Punch, all of which threaten to OHKO Chi-Yu, and it's best to grab strong Water and Fighting resistances to switch into these super effective priority moves.
**Bulky Assault Vest users**: While a lot of specially defensive walls are naturally 2HKOed by Choice Specs Chi-Yu, they are able to take extra hits by using Assault Vest and hit it back incredibly hard. Examples of this include Roaring Moon, Quaquaval, and Diancie. It's best to scout for these Pokemon and ideally even catch them off guard with a stray Knock Off from one of your other Pokemon.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dartrix-joker.356084/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited:
