[OVERVIEW]
Floatzel is a dominant offensive threat thanks to its amazing Speed and powerful Wave Crash to wash away slower foes. Not only is Floatzel naturally fast, but it also has Aqua Jet to revenge kill otherwise faster Pokemon like Jolteon and Choice Scarf users like Mesprit and Passimian. Options like Flip Turn and Bulk Up enable Floatzel to run several sets, making it unpredictable on top of already being a dangerous revenge killer and cleaner in one. Coverage from Ice Spinner ensures that Floatzel isn't easily answered by Grass-types and Tera Dragon users. However, Floatzel's subpar bulk and tendency to wear itself down with Wave Crash recoil leave it unable to do more than take a single unresisted hit. While Floatzel is naturally very fast, it's still slower than Jolteon, Whimsicott, and Choice Scarf users, further magnifying the issue of its underwhelming bulk. Bulky Water-types like Qwilfish and Lanturn are enormous obstacles to Floatzel in any of its roles. Floatzel faces competition from other Water-types like the aforementioned Lanturn and Qwilfish as well as Cramorant thanks to the additional utility they bring.
[SET]
Choice Scarf (Floatzel) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Water Veil
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Flip Turn
- Ice Spinner
- Liquidation / Aqua Jet
[SET COMMENTS]
Nothing besides particularly fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai and Mismagius can outspeed Floatzel when equipped with a Choice Scarf. Flip Turn lets Floatzel keep up offensive momentum, luring in passive Pokemon like Defog Hisuian Decidueye and Lanturn for its teammates to exploit. Ice Spinner lets Floatzel pressure Dipplin and other Grass-types. Liquidation trades some of the great wallbreaking power of Wave Crash for not inflicting recoil damage on Floatzel, which can be useful when it can secure its KOs in spite of the lower damage. Aqua Jet is an alternative that serves as an emergency option against fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai, Mismagius, and Hisuian Sneasel. Aqua Jet also enables Floatzel to revenge kill speed-boosting sweepers like Oricorio formes if they've boosted multiple times, and it similarly helps Floatzel handle faster speed-boosting sweepers like Trailblaze Hisuian Sneasel. An Adamant nature maximizes Floatzel's power, reliably revenge killing Jolteon and OHKOing Grafaiai 93.8% of the time; it also leaves it fast enough to outspeed +1 base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Typhlosion and Shaymin. Tera Water boosts the power of Floatzel's STAB moves to cross KO thresholds it otherwise couldn't without more significant prior damage, making it especially useful against bulkier foes like Farigiraf and Passimian, potentially KOing either of them after damage from Spikes. Floatzel can also use Tera Water to more easily clean up weakened teams.
Floatzel is an excellent choice for VoltTurn teams given its capacity to form pivot cores. Grafaiai and Floatzel form a complementary offensive pivot core where the two threaten each other's checks, such as Grafaiai pressuring Grass-types like Dipplin and Floatzel breaking through Regirock and Palossand; Floatzel can more easily clean up teams Grafaiai weakens with Knock Off and Poison Touch. Jolteon is a specially offensive pivot that can threaten physically defensive Pokemon like Qwilfish and Orthworm for Floatzel, and Floatzel can return the favor to it by threatening Ground-types like Sandaconda and Sandslash; the two of them can also wear down their mutual Grass-type checks, such as Hisuian Decidueye and Dipplin, so they can overwhelm them with their coverage moves. Floatzel's offensive pivoting supports wallbreakers such as Brute Bonnet and Glastrier by bringing them in safely, and they additionally benefit from Floatzel threatening fast Fire-types like Charizard and Typhlosion. Magneton is an offensive pivot that also gains from Floatzel threatening fast Fire-types, and in return, it can fry problematic Water-types like Qwilfish and Cramorant. Floatzel tends to be worn down quickly between recoil and damage from entry hazards, so teammates with hazard removal like Hisuian Decidueye, Cramorant, and Sandslash provide helpful support. Hazard setters are important partners for Floatzel, as their entry hazards can chip down checks like Qwilfish and Dipplin. Water Absorb users like Lanturn and Poliwrath are a major problem, as they prevent Floatzel from wallbreaking and pivoting entirely, so it depends on Grass-type teammates like Virizion, Whimsicott, and Hisuian Decidueye to deal with them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Floatzel could run an offensive pivot set with Heavy-Duty Boots or Mystic Water, but giving up the power of Choice Band or the extra Speed from a Choice Scarf leaves it either too weak to break through teams or too slow in the face of Choice Scarf users and Jolteon. Choice Scarf Floatzel can run a Jolly nature to outspeed fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai and Mismagius, but the loss of power leaves it less reliable as a revenge killer to fast Pokemon like Jolteon without prior damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Qwilfish can stomach repeated hits from Wave Crash thanks to Intimidate while adding to the punishment of recoil with Rocky Helmet, though it can't stop Floatzel from escaping with Flip Turn. Water Absorb Lanturn flatly counters Floatzel and prevents it from pivoting. Even if Lanturn lacks Water Absorb, Floatzel must take a significant amount of recoil damage and potentially exhaust Terastallization to break through it, while Lanturn threatens Floatzel back with Discharge or Volt Switch. Cramorant almost always avoids being 2HKOed by Choice Scarf Floatzel's Wave Crash and can use Roost to heal off any damage, but it can be overwhelmed by the Choice Band set and pivoted on by Flip Turn. Although it's less common, Poliwrath totally counters all of Floatzel's sets, blocks Flip Turn with Water Absorb, and can use Floatzel as setup fodder for Bulk Up.
**Grass-types**: Ice Spinner threatens all Grass-types, but the prediction-reliant nature of Choice item sets can leave Floatzel vulnerable to Grass-types. Whimsicott naturally outspeeds non-Choice Scarf Floatzel, but its poor physical bulk means it's worn down by repeated hits from Flip Turn and even unable to tolerate multiple hits from Wave Crash. Bulkier Grass-types like Dipplin, Brute Bonnet, and Arboliva can tank even a Choice Band-boosted Ice Spinner and threaten to KO Floatzel with their Grass-type STAB moves. Shaymin has enough bulk to take one Choice Band-boosted Ice Spinner from Floatzel and proceed to threaten it back with Seed Flare; Choice Scarf Shaymin sets are also unbothered by Floatzel's Aqua Jet.
**Electric-types**: Jolteon can easily revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Floatzel, and Floatzel requires prior damage on Jolteon to threaten it with a boosted Aqua Jet even if it exhausts Terastallization. Choice Scarf Electric-types like Rotom and Magneton can similarly revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Floatzel. Offensive pivot Magneton and Vikavolt can tank even a boosted Wave Crash from Floatzel and KO it back.
**Recoil and Entry Hazards**: Floatzel is especially susceptible to being worn down by hazards and recoil. Qwilfish is particularly problematic given it can switch in and set up Spikes in front of Floatzel. Other Spikes setters, such as Orthworm, Sandslash, and Froslass, similarly contribute to Floatzel exhausting itself.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Floatzel is a dominant offensive threat thanks to its amazing Speed and powerful Wave Crash to wash away slower foes. Not only is Floatzel naturally fast, but it also has Aqua Jet to revenge kill otherwise faster Pokemon like Jolteon and Choice Scarf users like Mesprit and Passimian. Options like Flip Turn and Bulk Up enable Floatzel to run several sets, making it unpredictable on top of already being a dangerous revenge killer and cleaner in one. Coverage from Ice Spinner ensures that Floatzel isn't easily answered by Grass-types and Tera Dragon users. However, Floatzel's subpar bulk and tendency to wear itself down with Wave Crash recoil leave it unable to do more than take a single unresisted hit. While Floatzel is naturally very fast, it's still slower than Jolteon, Whimsicott, and Choice Scarf users, further magnifying the issue of its underwhelming bulk. Bulky Water-types like Qwilfish and Lanturn are enormous obstacles to Floatzel in any of its roles. Floatzel faces competition from other Water-types like the aforementioned Lanturn and Qwilfish as well as Cramorant thanks to the additional utility they bring.
[SET]
Choice Scarf (Floatzel) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Water Veil
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wave Crash
- Flip Turn
- Ice Spinner
- Liquidation / Aqua Jet
[SET COMMENTS]
Nothing besides particularly fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai and Mismagius can outspeed Floatzel when equipped with a Choice Scarf. Flip Turn lets Floatzel keep up offensive momentum, luring in passive Pokemon like Defog Hisuian Decidueye and Lanturn for its teammates to exploit. Ice Spinner lets Floatzel pressure Dipplin and other Grass-types. Liquidation trades some of the great wallbreaking power of Wave Crash for not inflicting recoil damage on Floatzel, which can be useful when it can secure its KOs in spite of the lower damage. Aqua Jet is an alternative that serves as an emergency option against fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai, Mismagius, and Hisuian Sneasel. Aqua Jet also enables Floatzel to revenge kill speed-boosting sweepers like Oricorio formes if they've boosted multiple times, and it similarly helps Floatzel handle faster speed-boosting sweepers like Trailblaze Hisuian Sneasel. An Adamant nature maximizes Floatzel's power, reliably revenge killing Jolteon and OHKOing Grafaiai 93.8% of the time; it also leaves it fast enough to outspeed +1 base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Typhlosion and Shaymin. Tera Water boosts the power of Floatzel's STAB moves to cross KO thresholds it otherwise couldn't without more significant prior damage, making it especially useful against bulkier foes like Farigiraf and Passimian, potentially KOing either of them after damage from Spikes. Floatzel can also use Tera Water to more easily clean up weakened teams.
Floatzel is an excellent choice for VoltTurn teams given its capacity to form pivot cores. Grafaiai and Floatzel form a complementary offensive pivot core where the two threaten each other's checks, such as Grafaiai pressuring Grass-types like Dipplin and Floatzel breaking through Regirock and Palossand; Floatzel can more easily clean up teams Grafaiai weakens with Knock Off and Poison Touch. Jolteon is a specially offensive pivot that can threaten physically defensive Pokemon like Qwilfish and Orthworm for Floatzel, and Floatzel can return the favor to it by threatening Ground-types like Sandaconda and Sandslash; the two of them can also wear down their mutual Grass-type checks, such as Hisuian Decidueye and Dipplin, so they can overwhelm them with their coverage moves. Floatzel's offensive pivoting supports wallbreakers such as Brute Bonnet and Glastrier by bringing them in safely, and they additionally benefit from Floatzel threatening fast Fire-types like Charizard and Typhlosion. Magneton is an offensive pivot that also gains from Floatzel threatening fast Fire-types, and in return, it can fry problematic Water-types like Qwilfish and Cramorant. Floatzel tends to be worn down quickly between recoil and damage from entry hazards, so teammates with hazard removal like Hisuian Decidueye, Cramorant, and Sandslash provide helpful support. Hazard setters are important partners for Floatzel, as their entry hazards can chip down checks like Qwilfish and Dipplin. Water Absorb users like Lanturn and Poliwrath are a major problem, as they prevent Floatzel from wallbreaking and pivoting entirely, so it depends on Grass-type teammates like Virizion, Whimsicott, and Hisuian Decidueye to deal with them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Floatzel could run an offensive pivot set with Heavy-Duty Boots or Mystic Water, but giving up the power of Choice Band or the extra Speed from a Choice Scarf leaves it either too weak to break through teams or too slow in the face of Choice Scarf users and Jolteon. Choice Scarf Floatzel can run a Jolly nature to outspeed fast Choice Scarf users like Grafaiai and Mismagius, but the loss of power leaves it less reliable as a revenge killer to fast Pokemon like Jolteon without prior damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Qwilfish can stomach repeated hits from Wave Crash thanks to Intimidate while adding to the punishment of recoil with Rocky Helmet, though it can't stop Floatzel from escaping with Flip Turn. Water Absorb Lanturn flatly counters Floatzel and prevents it from pivoting. Even if Lanturn lacks Water Absorb, Floatzel must take a significant amount of recoil damage and potentially exhaust Terastallization to break through it, while Lanturn threatens Floatzel back with Discharge or Volt Switch. Cramorant almost always avoids being 2HKOed by Choice Scarf Floatzel's Wave Crash and can use Roost to heal off any damage, but it can be overwhelmed by the Choice Band set and pivoted on by Flip Turn. Although it's less common, Poliwrath totally counters all of Floatzel's sets, blocks Flip Turn with Water Absorb, and can use Floatzel as setup fodder for Bulk Up.
**Grass-types**: Ice Spinner threatens all Grass-types, but the prediction-reliant nature of Choice item sets can leave Floatzel vulnerable to Grass-types. Whimsicott naturally outspeeds non-Choice Scarf Floatzel, but its poor physical bulk means it's worn down by repeated hits from Flip Turn and even unable to tolerate multiple hits from Wave Crash. Bulkier Grass-types like Dipplin, Brute Bonnet, and Arboliva can tank even a Choice Band-boosted Ice Spinner and threaten to KO Floatzel with their Grass-type STAB moves. Shaymin has enough bulk to take one Choice Band-boosted Ice Spinner from Floatzel and proceed to threaten it back with Seed Flare; Choice Scarf Shaymin sets are also unbothered by Floatzel's Aqua Jet.
**Electric-types**: Jolteon can easily revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Floatzel, and Floatzel requires prior damage on Jolteon to threaten it with a boosted Aqua Jet even if it exhausts Terastallization. Choice Scarf Electric-types like Rotom and Magneton can similarly revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Floatzel. Offensive pivot Magneton and Vikavolt can tank even a boosted Wave Crash from Floatzel and KO it back.
**Recoil and Entry Hazards**: Floatzel is especially susceptible to being worn down by hazards and recoil. Qwilfish is particularly problematic given it can switch in and set up Spikes in front of Floatzel. Other Spikes setters, such as Orthworm, Sandslash, and Froslass, similarly contribute to Floatzel exhausting itself.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
