Hi, Hack here. Some people requested me to do this set for Cloyster so here we go.
[SET]
name: Offensive support
move 1: Icicle Spear
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Shell Smash
move 4: Spikes/Toxic Spikes
item: Focus Sash
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
-An offensive anti-hazard Pokémon, often a good lead.
-Niches itself by being able to get past both Giratina-Formes easier than all spinners. Arceus-Ghost can spin block you, but you can Shell Smash on its switch-in, take a Judgment courtesy to the Focus Sash and 2HKO. If you opponent lacks priority after that happens, then you will spin.
-Focus Sash is the item of choice. Cloyster is VERY frail on the special side, and the item guarantees a layer of Spikes on turn 1 against most things.
-Plan your strategy, team preview very important.
-Icicle Spear- STAB, ghostbuster, sash breaker (multi-hit). Higher crit chance since five hits. Just a nice move in general.
-Rapid Spin self-explainatory.
-Shell Smash allows Cloyster to bust through all viable spinblockers in the tier. Giratina-O and specially defensive Giratina are OHKOed, Arceus-Ghost 2HKOed and Great Wall Giratina can get OHKOed as well. +2 252 Atk Skill Link Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Giratina: 420-510 (83.49 - 101.39%) -- 6.25% chance to OHKO
-Spikes generally better. Toxic Spikes are good vs Kyogre, Arceus-Formes and could potentially open up for stuff like Palkia (Toxic Spikes great vs Arceus-Grass). Debatable slash.
-Use on offensive teams that will appreciate hazard removal, spikes, and offensive presence in one support Pokémon.
-Lead against Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A, Groudon, Custap Berry Forretress (if your team has no way to OHKO it with Reshiram or Kyurem-W that is).
-Strategy vs Deoxys-S: Icicle spear first. If it taunted- spin. If it sets hazards- Shell Smash and spin/kill stuff. Vs Deoxys-A- Icicle Spear no matter what.
-Vs Groudon: Icicle spear first. If it attacks, go for some spikes or KO.
-Don't lead vs Dialga, Darkrai, they beat you easily (Dialga gets rocks on top of that).
-Adamant nature for moar POWER, but you fail to outspeed choice scarf Terrakion after a Shell Smash, which will make you unable to pull off the spin.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
-Lum Berry for Darkrai (and nickname your Cloyster "I carry Lum Berry"). No, seriously debatable. I have never used Lum Berry, so idk.
-Hidden Power Fire, can 2HKO Forretress. 0 SpA Cloyster Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Forretress: 176-208 (49.71 - 58.75%) -- 67.19% chance to 2HKO
Does crap to Ferrothorn who can "spinblock" you with Iron Barbs if you get down to Sash…
-Ice Shard to pick off weakened stuff, Deoxys-S etc. But it's also debatable. Thought I could mention it so we can discuss it.
-Rock Blast might deserve a slash, but the primary purpose of the set is to support, and missing out on Spikes is bad, trust me.
-EXPLOSION. No idk, just found it. It might not be worth it but it does some damage to Kyogre, its best counter (but it doesn't stop the primary purpose of Cloyster, spinning). Debate.
+2 252 Atk Cloyster Explosion vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Kyogre: 478-563 (139.76 - 164.61%) -- guaranteed OHKO.
- Teammates
-Ho-oh, Groudon, Arceus-Extremekiller, Kyurem-W, Palkia, Reshiram, Kyogre, Arceus-Ghost, Giratina-O are some teammates I found good. One thing that must be emphasized is that team support is very important, especially the ability to threaten hazard setters, since Cloyster is to too frail to do its job indefinitely.
Brief explanation about teammates (all this might not be in the analysis, mind you):
Ho-oh- It appreciates the removal of Stealth Rock, and its ability to threaten to threaten common hazard setters with its Life Orb boosted attacks helps Cloyster. A banded set can take the sleep from lead Darkrai- a lead Cloyster hates.
Groudon- As Cloyster is prone to being set-up on by Extreme-Killer Arceus on turn 1, Groudon provides a check to the God of Pokémon thus being a good team-mate for this reason. Stealth Rock support as well as the ability to OHKO Dialga who beats Cloyster and sets up Stealth Rock in the process+ sun support (Cloyster is best used on this team) makes Groudon an almost non-negotiable teammate.
Arceus-Extremekiller- As Cloyster can fall to Deoxys-S using special attacks in two hits- Extremekiller steps up and revenge-kills the alien before it gets the chance to get hazards up. As a sweeper, Arceus appreciates spike support, especially when using Lum Berry to combat Darkrai leads.
Kyurem-W- threatens hazard users. Can OHKO Forretress through sturdy. Appreciates Stealth Rock removal (all hazard removal actually). Water resistance, vital for sun teams, since it can semi check Kyogre.
Palkia- Awesome with spikes support, and great at threatening hazard users. Toxic Spikes can help it bust through Arceus-Grass. Apprciates hazard removal more than Latias, another common Kyogre check. Because it can threaten Ferrothorn better than Latias- Palkia can often be advantageous to use on a team with Cloyster.
Reshiram- Almost the as Kyurem-W, but Reshiram is a bit worse in this metagame :(
Kyogre- As strange as it sounds, since I have preached for this set to be used on sun- however, Choice Specs Kyogre with spike support is deadly and it also appreciates Cloyster's hazard removal to keep Water Spout at high levels. It can also threaten common hazard setters such as Groudon, Forretress, Deoxys-D, Excadrill, Ferrothorn (Choice Specs 2HKOs) etc.
Arcues-Ghost- To spinblock mainly. It's an awesome Pokémon anyway. Ofc Cloyster can support by removing Toxic Spikes, though.
Giratina-O- Also spin block. And priority. Sub shuffler with Spikes can break stall.
I probably missed some points, but I have been using the set a whole lot so yeah. Debate please.
[SET]
name: Offensive support
move 1: Icicle Spear
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Shell Smash
move 4: Spikes/Toxic Spikes
item: Focus Sash
ability: Skill Link
nature: Jolly/Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
-An offensive anti-hazard Pokémon, often a good lead.
-Niches itself by being able to get past both Giratina-Formes easier than all spinners. Arceus-Ghost can spin block you, but you can Shell Smash on its switch-in, take a Judgment courtesy to the Focus Sash and 2HKO. If you opponent lacks priority after that happens, then you will spin.
-Focus Sash is the item of choice. Cloyster is VERY frail on the special side, and the item guarantees a layer of Spikes on turn 1 against most things.
-Plan your strategy, team preview very important.
-Icicle Spear- STAB, ghostbuster, sash breaker (multi-hit). Higher crit chance since five hits. Just a nice move in general.
-Rapid Spin self-explainatory.
-Shell Smash allows Cloyster to bust through all viable spinblockers in the tier. Giratina-O and specially defensive Giratina are OHKOed, Arceus-Ghost 2HKOed and Great Wall Giratina can get OHKOed as well. +2 252 Atk Skill Link Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Giratina: 420-510 (83.49 - 101.39%) -- 6.25% chance to OHKO
-Spikes generally better. Toxic Spikes are good vs Kyogre, Arceus-Formes and could potentially open up for stuff like Palkia (Toxic Spikes great vs Arceus-Grass). Debatable slash.
-Use on offensive teams that will appreciate hazard removal, spikes, and offensive presence in one support Pokémon.
-Lead against Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A, Groudon, Custap Berry Forretress (if your team has no way to OHKO it with Reshiram or Kyurem-W that is).
-Strategy vs Deoxys-S: Icicle spear first. If it taunted- spin. If it sets hazards- Shell Smash and spin/kill stuff. Vs Deoxys-A- Icicle Spear no matter what.
-Vs Groudon: Icicle spear first. If it attacks, go for some spikes or KO.
-Don't lead vs Dialga, Darkrai, they beat you easily (Dialga gets rocks on top of that).
-Adamant nature for moar POWER, but you fail to outspeed choice scarf Terrakion after a Shell Smash, which will make you unable to pull off the spin.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
-Lum Berry for Darkrai (and nickname your Cloyster "I carry Lum Berry"). No, seriously debatable. I have never used Lum Berry, so idk.
-Hidden Power Fire, can 2HKO Forretress. 0 SpA Cloyster Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Forretress: 176-208 (49.71 - 58.75%) -- 67.19% chance to 2HKO
Does crap to Ferrothorn who can "spinblock" you with Iron Barbs if you get down to Sash…
-Ice Shard to pick off weakened stuff, Deoxys-S etc. But it's also debatable. Thought I could mention it so we can discuss it.
-Rock Blast might deserve a slash, but the primary purpose of the set is to support, and missing out on Spikes is bad, trust me.
-EXPLOSION. No idk, just found it. It might not be worth it but it does some damage to Kyogre, its best counter (but it doesn't stop the primary purpose of Cloyster, spinning). Debate.
+2 252 Atk Cloyster Explosion vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Kyogre: 478-563 (139.76 - 164.61%) -- guaranteed OHKO.
- Teammates
-Ho-oh, Groudon, Arceus-Extremekiller, Kyurem-W, Palkia, Reshiram, Kyogre, Arceus-Ghost, Giratina-O are some teammates I found good. One thing that must be emphasized is that team support is very important, especially the ability to threaten hazard setters, since Cloyster is to too frail to do its job indefinitely.
Brief explanation about teammates (all this might not be in the analysis, mind you):
Ho-oh- It appreciates the removal of Stealth Rock, and its ability to threaten to threaten common hazard setters with its Life Orb boosted attacks helps Cloyster. A banded set can take the sleep from lead Darkrai- a lead Cloyster hates.
Groudon- As Cloyster is prone to being set-up on by Extreme-Killer Arceus on turn 1, Groudon provides a check to the God of Pokémon thus being a good team-mate for this reason. Stealth Rock support as well as the ability to OHKO Dialga who beats Cloyster and sets up Stealth Rock in the process+ sun support (Cloyster is best used on this team) makes Groudon an almost non-negotiable teammate.
Arceus-Extremekiller- As Cloyster can fall to Deoxys-S using special attacks in two hits- Extremekiller steps up and revenge-kills the alien before it gets the chance to get hazards up. As a sweeper, Arceus appreciates spike support, especially when using Lum Berry to combat Darkrai leads.
Kyurem-W- threatens hazard users. Can OHKO Forretress through sturdy. Appreciates Stealth Rock removal (all hazard removal actually). Water resistance, vital for sun teams, since it can semi check Kyogre.
Palkia- Awesome with spikes support, and great at threatening hazard users. Toxic Spikes can help it bust through Arceus-Grass. Apprciates hazard removal more than Latias, another common Kyogre check. Because it can threaten Ferrothorn better than Latias- Palkia can often be advantageous to use on a team with Cloyster.
Reshiram- Almost the as Kyurem-W, but Reshiram is a bit worse in this metagame :(
Kyogre- As strange as it sounds, since I have preached for this set to be used on sun- however, Choice Specs Kyogre with spike support is deadly and it also appreciates Cloyster's hazard removal to keep Water Spout at high levels. It can also threaten common hazard setters such as Groudon, Forretress, Deoxys-D, Excadrill, Ferrothorn (Choice Specs 2HKOs) etc.
Arcues-Ghost- To spinblock mainly. It's an awesome Pokémon anyway. Ofc Cloyster can support by removing Toxic Spikes, though.
Giratina-O- Also spin block. And priority. Sub shuffler with Spikes can break stall.
I probably missed some points, but I have been using the set a whole lot so yeah. Debate please.