Sputnik
Bono My Tires are Deceased
[SET]
name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Icicle Spear
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Hydro Pump / Liquidation
item: King's Rock
ability: Skill Link
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Cloyster's good coverage and power, access to Shell Smash, access to Skill Link, and ability to potentially break past its checks through flinches make it a threatening setup sweeper. It also takes advantage of teams relying on Seismitoad and Gastrodon as their bulky Water-type, as neither is a suitable Cloyster check. Rock Blast hits Water-types such as Milotic and Suicune neutrally, which is useful if Cloyster is attempting to cause them to flinch. It also hits Volcanion and can be used against other Fire-types like Incineroar and Chandelure without risking Hydro Pump's inaccuracy. Hydro Pump is the preferred last move due to its greater damage onto Steel-types such as Metagross, Cobalion, and Steelix. Liquidation can be used instead to OHKO Diancie and potentially 2HKO Registeel after a layer of Spikes while also giving Cloyster a more reliable Water-type STAB move. However, it makes Cloyster more reliant on breaking past the aforementioned Steel-types with flinches with its other moves. King's Rock, in combination with multi-hit moves like Icicle Spear and Rock Blast, gives Cloyster's moves an effective 41% flinch chance. A Naive or Jolly nature should be used, as both allow Cloyster to outrun Choice Scarf Mienshao and Choice Scarf Zarude after a Shell Smash. Explosion can be used to take down Water-types such as Milotic and Suicune for a teammate, but this comes with the downside of KOing Cloyster in the process. Focus Sash can be used to almost guarantee setup if Cloyster is at full health, but this requires solid entry hazard removal, and Cloyster loses out on the ability to break past its checks with flinches. Life Orb is another item option that allows Cloyster to pick up notable KOs onto threats such as Cobalion, Galarian Weezing, Metagross, and Doublade at +2 without prior residual damage, but it removes Cloyster's ability to make its targets flinch, and causes it to be actively worn down due to Life Orb recoil. Spikes allows Cloyster to give value to its team in a matchup where it doesn't do much else, and it also beats most of the tiers Defoggers due to its STAB Ice-type attacks. However, Spikes also forces Cloyster to ditch its Water-type STAB moves, which worsens its matchups against Steel-types significantly.
Cloyster's natural physical bulk is impressive even without investment and gives it some notable setup opportunities against Pokemon such as Zygarde-10%, Crobat lacking Taunt, and Mimikyu. Cloyster is potentially capable of breaking past its defensive answers with flinches, but this requires a fair bit of luck. Bulky Water- and Steel-types can halt Cloyster barring an ill-timed flinch, so efforts should be put into wearing these Pokemon down. Most of the tier's bulky Steel-types will get worn down into the range of its attacks by Spikes; offensive Metagross, Cobalion, and Doublade will be in range of +2 Hydro Pump after switching in with three layers of Spikes, while Liquidation variants will be able to reliably 2HKO Registeel after two layers. Therefore, Spikes setters like Klefki and Roserade are therefore good teammates. Cloyster is a good choice for hyper offense teams that are looking to keep the pressure on. Its ability to take advantage of Spikes and cause its targets to flinch make Cloyster a great choice for these teams, as it is capable of being a devastating wincon or a supportive wallbreaker for another sweeping teammate such as Necrozma, Mimikyu, or Polteageist. Cloyster is also capable of sweeping for standard offensive and bulky offensive teams. Teams utilizing Cloyster in this regard should attempt to wear down bulky Water- and Steel-types by any means necessary. Knock Off from the likes of Incineroar, Thundurus, and Obstagoon can remove Leftovers from Pokemon like Registeel and Suicune, making it easier for Cloyster to break through them. Pivoting teammates, such as Zarude, Mienshao, Incineroar, and Crobat, can get Cloyster into battle safely. Toxic from Diancie and Salazzle can also help wear down the Water-types to let Cloyster go wild late-game.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sputnik, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[zizalith, 410251], [phantom, 180300]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270]]
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