[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Megahorn / Stone Edge / Thunder Wave
item: Air Balloon / Chople Berry
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Cobalion is a very flexible Pokemon; its ability to boost its Attack with Swords Dance and utilize an array of coverage options to break through a vast number of its common checks makes it a premier wallbreaker and late-game cleaner. Cobalion's great Speed tier alongside its solid typing allows it to check top-tier threats like Obstagoon, Kyurem, Mimikyu, and physical variants of Jirachi. Megahorn allows Cobalion to break past Slowking and catch Starmie on the switch, two Pokemon that otherwise wall its STAB combination. Megahorn also provides Cobalion with an easier way to deal with Celebi and Reuniclus. Stone Edge provides Cobalion with the coverage to remove foes like Noivern, Mantine, Talonflame, and Chandelure. It also provides neutral coverage to break through foes like Toxtricity more easily. Thunder Wave cripples the aforementioned checks, especially faster revenge killers like Noivern and Analytic Starmie, which Cobalion can potentially beat with a boosted Iron Head. Volt Switch is an option in the last slot that allows Cobalion to generate momentum against its various switch-ins such as Doublade, Slowking, and Starmie. Air Balloon allows Cobalion to switch into and set up against foes like Mamoswine, Krookodile, and non-Shadow Ball Palossand more easily. It also allows Cobalion to safely pivot into Kyurem. Chople Berry helps Cobalion check Obstagoon and Calm Mind Jirachi better, break through Body Press Skarmory more reliably, be an emergency check to unboosted Terrakion, and prevents it from being revenge killed easily by foes like Lycanroc-D and Choice Scarf Mienshao. Occa Berry is an option to prevent it from being revenge killed by foes like Talonflame, Flamethrower Noivern, and Choice Scarf Darmanitan as easily and proceed to cripple them with Thunder Wave or KO them with Stone Edge.
Cobalion is unable to break past Doublade, so partners like Rotom-W, Krookodile, and Incineroar are ideal to cripple or remove it. Rotom-W and Incineroar can also bring Cobalion in safely on Pokemon like Kyurem and pressure its other checks like Slowking, Talonflame, and Palossand, while Incineroar can further support it by switching into Chandelure, a Pokemon Cobalion is unable to break through unless it has Stone Edge. Tyranitar, Jirachi, and the aforementioned Krookodile are able to set Stealth Rock for Cobalion to help wear down foes like Rotom-W and Skarmory into range of a boosted Close Combat. Jirachi and specially defensive Tyranitar also help pivot into Pokemon like Choice Specs Kyurem and Porygon-Z, which Cobalion's lackluster Special Defense stat prevents it from reliably taking hits from. They can also run Thunder and Fire Blast, respectively, to help remove Skarmory, which sets lacking Chople Berry appreciate. Celebi is able to switch into and remove many of Cobalion's checks such as Palossand, Starmie, and Slowking to help it sweep late-game. In return, Cobalion can help check revenge killers to Celebi like Mamoswine and Bisharp. Wallbreakers like Obstagoon, Lycanroc-D, and Kyurem are great partners for their ability to break through bulkier foes like Slowking, Palossand, and defensive Rotom-W for Cobalion. Slowking and Hatterene are able to check many common revenge killers to Cobalion such as Starmie, Noivern, and Choice Scarf Mienshao. Slowking can also provide Cobalion with opportunities to set up on Dark-types like Obstagoon and Krookodile by virtue of Teleport bringing it in safely.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Volt Switch / Taunt / Toxic
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Rocky Helmet / Chople Berry
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Cobalion's expansive movepool with options like Volt Switch and Taunt allows it to flexibly support its team as needed. By virtue of its Steel typing, Cobalion is able to threaten Galarian Weezing and Hatterene, two common Pokemon capable of keeping entry hazards off the field against a fair amount of the tier. Volt Switch allows Cobalion to pivot out against common switch-ins like Skarmory, Doublade, and Slowking to generate momentum and bring its teammates in safely to wallbreak. Taunt is an option to help Cobalion keep its Stealth Rock up against common Defoggers such as defensive Rotom-W and Skarmory more easily, and it prevents Pokemon like Skarmory and Palossand from recovering. Toxic cripples and wear down switch-ins like Slowking, defensive Rotom-W, and Noivern. Alternatively, Thunder Wave provides Cobalion with a way to cripple common switch-ins like Noivern and Talonflame for its teammates. Rocky Helmet helps Cobalion wear down common threats like Jirachi, Bisharp, and Mimikyu that it attempts to pivot into. Chople Berry helps Cobalion check Obstagoon and Tyranitar better and prevent Lycanroc-D from revenge killing it as easily. Leftovers is a viable option to provide Cobalion with passive recovery. Shuca Berry can help ease Cobalion's matchup against Ground-types like Mamoswine, Krookodile, and Rhyperior. It also gives it at least one chance to safely pivot into Choice Specs Kyurem, which would OHKO Cobalion with Earth Power otherwise. Occa Berry is an option alongside Thunder Wave to allow Cobalion to cripple foes like Noivern more safely, but its usefulness is limited to fewer matchups compared to the alternative items.
Wallbreakers like Bisharp and Choice Band Tyranitar appreciate Cobalion bringing them in safely with Volt Switch against foes like Slowking and Doublade to fire off their powerful STAB options. In return, Tyranitar can check foes like Chandelure, Toxtricity, and Noivern for Cobalion. Rotom-W, Rotom-C, and Jirachi make great partners, as they can form a pivoting core together. The Rotom formes are also able to heavily pressure and remove Palossand, Starmie, and Tentacruel for Cobalion to more easily spam its STAB moves. Jirachi can also provide Wish support and pivot into foes like Kyurem and Celebi that can overwhelm Cobalion. SubToxic Jirachi greatly appreciates Cobalion being able to bring it in against foes like Skarmory to set up a Substitute and wear down Cobalion's checks like Slowking and Palossand. Slowking is a great partner, as it can check foes like Choice Scarf Keldeo and Mienshao that attempt to revenge kill Cobalion. In return, it appreciates Cobalion being able to check foes like Mimikyu, Bisharp, and Obstagoon. Galarian Weezing is able to check foes like Krookodile, Body Press Skarmory, and Mienshao for Cobalion. It can also provide Toxic Spikes support to help wear down foes like Palossand and Starmie. In return, Cobalion can check strong physical attackers like Obstagoon and Tyranitar that Galarian Weezing struggles with.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Estarossa, 461329]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
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