[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-6 points
**Overview**: Cloyster boasts a gargantuan Defense stat that allows it to set up Shell Smash on a variety of physical attackers. Thanks to Skill Link, it can use STAB Icicle Spear to smash past unsuspecting walls and offensive threats alike. It also has useful utility moves like Spikes and Toxic Spikes in case a Shell Smash set does not work as well in a matchup. Unfortunately, its pitiful special bulk, its low Speed stat that allows many Choice Scarf users to outspeed it even after a Shell Smash, the existence of Mirror Herb, and its inability to hit the ever-common bulky Water-types make it difficult to fit onto drafts.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Shell Smash in combination with Skill Link, Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, and coverage moves makes Cloyster an extremely dangerous late-game setup sweeper if it is not planned accordingly for.
**Utility Tank**: Although Cloyster's defensive typing leaves much to be desired, physical attackers that struggle with hitting it super effectively can allow it to set up entry hazards.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Icicle Spear, Ice Shard, Liquidation, Waterfall
**Setup Moves**: Shell Smash
**Utility Moves**: Spikes, Toxic Spikes
**Coverage**: Drill Run, Poison Jab, Rock Blast, Smart Strike
Niche Moves
========
**Special Attacks**: Since physical walls are a common way for opponents to deal with Cloyster, it can opt for a mixed set to take advantage of the Shell Smash boost it gets to fire off powerful special moves such as Hydro Pump and Ice Beam.
**Substitute**: While Substitute takes up a useful moveslot for coverage options, sometimes it is essential in allowing Cloyster to safely set up a Shell Smash.
Common Items
========
**Focus Sash**: While Cloyster can tank most physical attacks with little problem, special attacks will often OHKO it regardless of a Special Defense drop. Lead Cloyster can use this item without having to worry about its Focus Sash being broken by entry hazards to wreak some immediate havoc.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Cloyster is extremely prone to being chipped by entry hazards and KOed the turn it attempts to set up. With Heavy-Duty Boots, it will likely always be able to survive a physical attack. This is also its most useful item on tank sets, allowing it to switch in multiple times into hazards.
**White Herb**: Letting Cloyster offset the drops Shell Smash gives it with White Herb can make it much harder to revenge kill; this also allows it to set up on slower foes without having to worry about taking increased damage from them.
Niche Items
========
**Rocky Helmet**: On tank sets, Cloyster can hold Rocky Helmet to punish some of the physical attacks it looks to tank.
Tera
========
Cloyster works much better flying under the radar and getting surprise sweeps against unsuspecting foes. Being a Tera Captain would help it greatly, giving it the option to gain coverage for bulky Water-types with Tera Electric, bolster the attacks it wants to use the most with Tera Ice or Rock, or attempt to give itself a better defensive typing such as Ghost, which can also be used to spinblock, or Steel.
Draft Strategy
========
Cloyster works best on fast-paced offensive drafts, having the option to set entry hazards to assist its team or set up to sweep on its own.
**Setup Sweepers**: Pokemon such as Zarude, Iron Valiant, and Raging Bolt that can help maintain a fast tempo while also having the option to soak up Mirror Herbs really help pave the way for Cloyster. Additionally, these Pokemon appreciate that it can get on the field early with Focus Sash sets to weaken some tanks for them.
**Sacrificial Leads**: Pokemon that can be dedicated sacrificial leads like Glimmora, Deoxys-S, and Greninja and set up entry hazards really help Cloyster sweep through teams.
**Dual Screens Setters**: While Pokemon like Klefki and Grimmsnarl, which are famously superb dual screens setters are helpful, more low-key setters like Jirachi and Tinkaton can get screens up without necessarily attracting the attention of Brick Break or Defog users.
Checks and Counters
========
**Special Attackers**: Cloyster can almost never set up against special attackers, as they will easily one shot it. Vacuum Wave users such as Iron Valiant, Keldeo, and Ursaluna-B deserve special mention because they can OHKO it with very little prior damage.
**Anti-setup Technology**: Cloyster will often demand at least one response to its setup. This caninclude a faster Pokemon that does not mind its attacks holding a Mirror Herb to set up alongside it, a bulky Red Card user that can tank one of its attacks and force it out, or priority users like Raging Bolt and Rillaboom that can use their super effective STAB attacks to take it out. However, the latter do have to fear its powerful Ice Shard.
**Bulky Water-types**: Having no option to hit Pokemon like Alomomola, Primarina, and Rotom-W super effectively makes it much harder for Cloyster to sweep. Teams with a glaring Cloyster weakness may also make Tera Water a solid choice for their Tera Captains.
**Faster Boosted Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Sneasler, and Iron Boulder that commonly boost their Speed can outspeed and revenge kill Cloyster, even when it is at +2 Speed.
**Entry Hazards**: When it is not practical for Cloyster to hold Heavy-Duty Boots, entry hazards can be a big hindrance for it, either breaking its Focus Sash or weakening it, making it easier for foes to revenge kill it.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-6 points
**Overview**: Cloyster boasts a gargantuan Defense stat that allows it to set up Shell Smash on a variety of physical attackers. Thanks to Skill Link, it can use STAB Icicle Spear to smash past unsuspecting walls and offensive threats alike. It also has useful utility moves like Spikes and Toxic Spikes in case a Shell Smash set does not work as well in a matchup. Unfortunately, its pitiful special bulk, its low Speed stat that allows many Choice Scarf users to outspeed it even after a Shell Smash, the existence of Mirror Herb, and its inability to hit the ever-common bulky Water-types make it difficult to fit onto drafts.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Shell Smash in combination with Skill Link, Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, and coverage moves makes Cloyster an extremely dangerous late-game setup sweeper if it is not planned accordingly for.
**Utility Tank**: Although Cloyster's defensive typing leaves much to be desired, physical attackers that struggle with hitting it super effectively can allow it to set up entry hazards.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Icicle Spear, Ice Shard, Liquidation, Waterfall
**Setup Moves**: Shell Smash
**Utility Moves**: Spikes, Toxic Spikes
**Coverage**: Drill Run, Poison Jab, Rock Blast, Smart Strike
Niche Moves
========
**Special Attacks**: Since physical walls are a common way for opponents to deal with Cloyster, it can opt for a mixed set to take advantage of the Shell Smash boost it gets to fire off powerful special moves such as Hydro Pump and Ice Beam.
**Substitute**: While Substitute takes up a useful moveslot for coverage options, sometimes it is essential in allowing Cloyster to safely set up a Shell Smash.
Common Items
========
**Focus Sash**: While Cloyster can tank most physical attacks with little problem, special attacks will often OHKO it regardless of a Special Defense drop. Lead Cloyster can use this item without having to worry about its Focus Sash being broken by entry hazards to wreak some immediate havoc.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Cloyster is extremely prone to being chipped by entry hazards and KOed the turn it attempts to set up. With Heavy-Duty Boots, it will likely always be able to survive a physical attack. This is also its most useful item on tank sets, allowing it to switch in multiple times into hazards.
**White Herb**: Letting Cloyster offset the drops Shell Smash gives it with White Herb can make it much harder to revenge kill; this also allows it to set up on slower foes without having to worry about taking increased damage from them.
Niche Items
========
**Rocky Helmet**: On tank sets, Cloyster can hold Rocky Helmet to punish some of the physical attacks it looks to tank.
Tera
========
Cloyster works much better flying under the radar and getting surprise sweeps against unsuspecting foes. Being a Tera Captain would help it greatly, giving it the option to gain coverage for bulky Water-types with Tera Electric, bolster the attacks it wants to use the most with Tera Ice or Rock, or attempt to give itself a better defensive typing such as Ghost, which can also be used to spinblock, or Steel.
Draft Strategy
========
Cloyster works best on fast-paced offensive drafts, having the option to set entry hazards to assist its team or set up to sweep on its own.
**Setup Sweepers**: Pokemon such as Zarude, Iron Valiant, and Raging Bolt that can help maintain a fast tempo while also having the option to soak up Mirror Herbs really help pave the way for Cloyster. Additionally, these Pokemon appreciate that it can get on the field early with Focus Sash sets to weaken some tanks for them.
**Sacrificial Leads**: Pokemon that can be dedicated sacrificial leads like Glimmora, Deoxys-S, and Greninja and set up entry hazards really help Cloyster sweep through teams.
**Dual Screens Setters**: While Pokemon like Klefki and Grimmsnarl, which are famously superb dual screens setters are helpful, more low-key setters like Jirachi and Tinkaton can get screens up without necessarily attracting the attention of Brick Break or Defog users.
Checks and Counters
========
**Special Attackers**: Cloyster can almost never set up against special attackers, as they will easily one shot it. Vacuum Wave users such as Iron Valiant, Keldeo, and Ursaluna-B deserve special mention because they can OHKO it with very little prior damage.
**Anti-setup Technology**: Cloyster will often demand at least one response to its setup. This caninclude a faster Pokemon that does not mind its attacks holding a Mirror Herb to set up alongside it, a bulky Red Card user that can tank one of its attacks and force it out, or priority users like Raging Bolt and Rillaboom that can use their super effective STAB attacks to take it out. However, the latter do have to fear its powerful Ice Shard.
**Bulky Water-types**: Having no option to hit Pokemon like Alomomola, Primarina, and Rotom-W super effectively makes it much harder for Cloyster to sweep. Teams with a glaring Cloyster weakness may also make Tera Water a solid choice for their Tera Captains.
**Faster Boosted Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Iron Valiant, Sneasler, and Iron Boulder that commonly boost their Speed can outspeed and revenge kill Cloyster, even when it is at +2 Speed.
**Entry Hazards**: When it is not practical for Cloyster to hold Heavy-Duty Boots, entry hazards can be a big hindrance for it, either breaking its Focus Sash or weakening it, making it easier for foes to revenge kill it.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
Last edited:
