[OVERVIEW]
With a measly base 55 attack and a lack of access to physical STAB Water-type attacks, Corsola may seem unusable as an offensive threat, especially within the OU metagame. This is not so, however, as it has a few saving graces. To begin with, its physical movepool is actually quite large, with access to STAB Stone Edge as well as Sucker Punch, Icicle Spear, Earthquake and Explosion. Furthermore, at the cost of Sucker Punch, which can only legitimately be learnt by Corsola from a Gen IV move tutor, Corsola can learn Head Smash, through breeding from Gen V onwards. Furthermore, it is the lightest Rock-type Pokémon, meaning it takes barely any damage from Low Kick and Grass Knot despite being weak to them.
Corsola's main niche as an attacking Pokémon, however, and the only reason to ever use it, is the ability Hustle. At the cost of a bit of accuracy, Corsola's, attack stat is multiplied by 1.5, reaching 343 when at its highest, making it more powerful than max attack 105 Pokémon. This attack stat is increased even more when a Choice Band is added onto it, drawing this little pebble's attack stat close to the power of Mega Heracross.
[SET]
name: Choice Banded Coral
move 1: Head Smash / Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Icicle Spear
move 4: Explosion / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rock-type STAB is a must-have on Corsola, and fortunately, it has two very good options for this slot in the forms of Stone Edge and Head Smash. Head Smash is incredibly powerful, reaching a base power of 225 when coupled with STAB. Stone Edge is also a viable option, as it increases Corsola's longevity and stops it from wearing itself down too quickly. Sadly, both options are sort of hit-and-miss, with only a 64% chance of actually connecting when used by a Pokémon with Hustle. Earthquake is very useful coverage for it, allowing it to nail Steel-types that otherwise wall it on the switch in:
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 172 HP / 0 Def Magnezone: 556-656 (171.6 - 202.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 596-704 (154.8 - 182.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Mega Metagross: 244-288 (81 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Icicle Spear hits the two most common Pokémon in the tier for 4x super-effective damage, and patches up Corsola's biggest weakness; Grass-type Pokémon:
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Landorus-T: 252-300 (65.9 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Landorus-T: 336-408 (105.3 - 127.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp: 360-432 (85.7 - 102.8%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Gliscor: 336-408 (94.9 - 115.2%) -- approx. 87.5% chance to OHKO
Explosion provides excellent damage as a last resort, and allows Corsola to hit for neutral damage and OHKO the majority of the tier, at the cost of fainting itself. Alternatively, Sleep Talk is a viable option in the fourth slot as it allows Corsola to switch in on sleep-inducing Pokémon such as Smeargle.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in attack, an Adamant nature and a Choice Band are essential in making Corsola hit as hard as possible. Since it won't outspeed anything that isn't paralyzed or Ferrothorn either way, the remainder of its EVs are put into bulk rather than speed to give it a chance at surviving non-STAB super-effective hits.
Usage Tips
========
Stay away from Grass. Due to its lousy base 35 speed, you won't want to hard switch into it for fear of taking two hits, so you should either pivot into it or switch it in after a teammate faints.
Team Options
========
Corsola works well when used in tandem with Mega Charizard Y, as the two of them cover each other's weaknesses bar Electric-type attacks. Hippowdon also forms a nice addition to this core, soaking up Electric-type attacks for Corsola as well as setting up sand to boost Corsola's special defense and allowing you to alternate between weathers.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rock Slide is another option for Corsola's Rock-type STAB if you're really that worried about missing Stone Edge or Head Smash, but isn't nearly as powerful as the two aforementioned attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Almost Everything**
Outside of the gimmick of Hustle, Corsola's stats are complete trash and there are plenty of other Pokémon that do its job better, in and below the OU tier.
With a measly base 55 attack and a lack of access to physical STAB Water-type attacks, Corsola may seem unusable as an offensive threat, especially within the OU metagame. This is not so, however, as it has a few saving graces. To begin with, its physical movepool is actually quite large, with access to STAB Stone Edge as well as Sucker Punch, Icicle Spear, Earthquake and Explosion. Furthermore, at the cost of Sucker Punch, which can only legitimately be learnt by Corsola from a Gen IV move tutor, Corsola can learn Head Smash, through breeding from Gen V onwards. Furthermore, it is the lightest Rock-type Pokémon, meaning it takes barely any damage from Low Kick and Grass Knot despite being weak to them.
Corsola's main niche as an attacking Pokémon, however, and the only reason to ever use it, is the ability Hustle. At the cost of a bit of accuracy, Corsola's, attack stat is multiplied by 1.5, reaching 343 when at its highest, making it more powerful than max attack 105 Pokémon. This attack stat is increased even more when a Choice Band is added onto it, drawing this little pebble's attack stat close to the power of Mega Heracross.
[SET]
name: Choice Banded Coral
move 1: Head Smash / Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Icicle Spear
move 4: Explosion / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Band
ability: Hustle
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rock-type STAB is a must-have on Corsola, and fortunately, it has two very good options for this slot in the forms of Stone Edge and Head Smash. Head Smash is incredibly powerful, reaching a base power of 225 when coupled with STAB. Stone Edge is also a viable option, as it increases Corsola's longevity and stops it from wearing itself down too quickly. Sadly, both options are sort of hit-and-miss, with only a 64% chance of actually connecting when used by a Pokémon with Hustle. Earthquake is very useful coverage for it, allowing it to nail Steel-types that otherwise wall it on the switch in:
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 172 HP / 0 Def Magnezone: 556-656 (171.6 - 202.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 596-704 (154.8 - 182.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Mega Metagross: 244-288 (81 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Icicle Spear hits the two most common Pokémon in the tier for 4x super-effective damage, and patches up Corsola's biggest weakness; Grass-type Pokémon:
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Landorus-T: 252-300 (65.9 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Landorus-T: 336-408 (105.3 - 127.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp: 360-432 (85.7 - 102.8%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Hustle Corsola Icicle Spear (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Gliscor: 336-408 (94.9 - 115.2%) -- approx. 87.5% chance to OHKO
Explosion provides excellent damage as a last resort, and allows Corsola to hit for neutral damage and OHKO the majority of the tier, at the cost of fainting itself. Alternatively, Sleep Talk is a viable option in the fourth slot as it allows Corsola to switch in on sleep-inducing Pokémon such as Smeargle.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in attack, an Adamant nature and a Choice Band are essential in making Corsola hit as hard as possible. Since it won't outspeed anything that isn't paralyzed or Ferrothorn either way, the remainder of its EVs are put into bulk rather than speed to give it a chance at surviving non-STAB super-effective hits.
Usage Tips
========
Stay away from Grass. Due to its lousy base 35 speed, you won't want to hard switch into it for fear of taking two hits, so you should either pivot into it or switch it in after a teammate faints.
Team Options
========
Corsola works well when used in tandem with Mega Charizard Y, as the two of them cover each other's weaknesses bar Electric-type attacks. Hippowdon also forms a nice addition to this core, soaking up Electric-type attacks for Corsola as well as setting up sand to boost Corsola's special defense and allowing you to alternate between weathers.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rock Slide is another option for Corsola's Rock-type STAB if you're really that worried about missing Stone Edge or Head Smash, but isn't nearly as powerful as the two aforementioned attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Almost Everything**
Outside of the gimmick of Hustle, Corsola's stats are complete trash and there are plenty of other Pokémon that do its job better, in and below the OU tier.
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