[OVERVIEW]
Corviknight is an amazing Defogger and defensive pivot thanks to its stellar defensive typing, solid movepool, and great bulk. With these traits, Corviknight finds itself being ran to check a myriad of offensive threats in the metagame like Garchomp, Weavile, Rillaboom, and Tapu Lele. Unlike other Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Zapdos, its typing gives it a neutrality to Stealth Rock, allowing it to function without Heavy-Duty Boots and instead run items like Leftovers or Rocky Helmet. Its ability Pressure is what sets it apart from other Defoggers, stalling out opposing entry hazard setters so hazards are more likely to stay off the field the longer a game goes on. Corviknight can also function as a defensive sweeper, with its combination of Iron Defense and Body Press letting it boost against physical sweepers like Garchomp and Weavile and then beat them afterward. One major downside of Corviknight is that it can't slot in all the coverage it wants on one set, which means it often falls short in checking everything it wants to. Without Brave Bird, Rillaboom and Volcarona are free to set up on it, and without Body Press, Steel-types like Heatran and Melmetal are given endless switch-in opportunities. Corviknight also suffers from general passivity into numerous metagame threats like Zapdos, Garchomp, and Volcanion, letting it get taken advantage of and making it a worse pick compared to other Defoggers.
[SET]
name: Defog
move 1: Body Press / Brave Bird
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Pressure
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 124 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Defog Corviknight functions as a bulky entry hazard remover that can Defog in front of common hazard setters such as Landorus-T and Clefable thanks to its mixed bulk and amazing typing. Body Press is Corviknight's main way of hitting opposing Steel-types that would otherwise wall it like Ferrothorn, Melmetal, and Heatran. Brave Bird is a viable alternative to hit Ghost-types like Dragapult and Blacephalon so they can't come in for free, prevents Volcarona from coming in and threatening Corviknight with its Fire-type STAB moves, and lets it more easily beat Rillaboom and Buzzwole. U-turn lets Corviknight pivot out of bad matchups and generate momentum. Leftovers gives Corviknight passive recovery, increasing its longevity and making it easier for it to check multiple threats easier throughout the course of a game. Rocky Helmet is an option that allows Corviknight to punish contact attackers like Kartana and Melmetal as well as U-turn spam from the likes of opposing Corviknight, Rillaboom, and Landorus-T. The shown EV spread gives Corviknight enough special bulk to live 2 Shadow Balls from Modest Choice Specs Dragapult after Leftovers recovery, with the remainder of the EVs being put into physical bulk to live two Crunches from Choice Band Tyranitar. If running Rocky Helmet, a spread running maximum Defense is recommended to better live and punish physical attacks.
Team Options
========
Corviknight is best used as a defensive pivot and Defogger on a wide variety of teams ranging from bulky offense to stall. Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora greatly appreciate Corviknight's typing that allows it to check Ground-types like Landorus-T and Garchomp. Hippowdon and Gastrodon form a great core with Corviknight on fat and stall teams, since they are able to switch into Electric-type attacks from the aforementioned Pokemon, with Corviknight checking Grass-types like Rillaboom and Kartana for them. They're also able to take on Heatran, a Stealth Rock setter that is reliably able to beat Corviknight. Specially bulky Water-types like Gastrodon, Shed Shell Toxapex, and Slowking are able to switch into and check Fire-types Corviknight struggles with like Heatran and Volcarona, and Corviknight is able to check strong physical attackers they struggle with like Garchomp, Weavile, and Melmetal for them. Hazard-weak wallbreakers like Blacephalon and Arctozolt love pairing with Corviknight, since it has great matchups into a majority of hazard setters, so it can reliably keep hazards off the field and give them more room to come in. These wallbreakers, among others like Urshifu-R and Rillaboom, also love Corviknight's slow U-turn to bring them in safely. Pokemon that are highly dependent on their item like Volcarona and Dragapult appreciate Corviknight's ability to absorb Knock Off from Pokemon like Weavile and Ferrothorn, since it isn't as dependent on its item to function. Dragon-types like Dragonite and Dragapult appreciate Corviknight's ability to check Weavile, as it is one of the few feasible checks to it even after a Swords Dance boost. Weavile itself is a great partner for Corviknight, being able to check and revenge kill Dragapult while Corviknight can pivot and keep hazards off the field, ensuring Weavile gets on the field safely even after its Heavy-Duty Boots have been removed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shed Shell can be ran on the Defog set to avoid being trapped by Magnezone, but this is a fringe pick, since Leftovers and Rocky Helmet are consistently better options against teams lacking a Magnezone, and Corviknight can U-turn out on a predicted switch-in. A Bulk Up set with Special Defense investment running Bulk Up, Substitute, Roost, and Brave Bird is a niche pick ran on hyper offense teams to sweep through bulkier teams that are passive against it, since some hyper offense teams struggle with much fatter teams that can deal with the hard-hitting attacks they employ. Power Trip is an option over Substitute to break through defensive teams more quickly, though without Substitute, it's more prone to chip damage, paralysis, and burn from defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Clefable, and Toxapex.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Zeraora are able to threaten Corviknight with Electric-type STAB moves and safely come in, especially if Corviknight is running Brave Bird, and even if Tapu Koko and Zapdos both sustain lots of damage, they have reliable recovery in Roost, so they can keep checking it throughout the game. Magnezone has the added bonus of trapping Corviknight with Magnet Pull so it can't switch out, threatening to KO the latter with Thunderbolt and giving teammates like Rillaboom and Garchomp room to break through the rest of the team. Tapu Lele can slot in Thunderbolt or Thunder as coverage in order to break past Corviknight, and Melmetal can fit Thunder Punch to deter Corviknight from switching in.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona is able to set up on Corviknight variants lacking Brave Bird and threaten it with Fire-type STAB moves, and Blacephalon can OHKO Corviknight with Fire Blast even when unboosted. However, both Pokemon dislike taking Brave Bird, so they cannot freely switch into Corviknight without scouting its moveset. Heatran is one of the few Stealth Rock setters that can reliably beat Corviknight with Magma Storm or Eruption but dislikes switching into Body Press. Volcanion is a Fire-type who can pick off Corviknight with Flamethrower while also boasting above-average physical bulk, so it has an easier time switching into Corviknight than the aforementioned Pokemon. Pokemon such as Tyranitar, Dragapult, and Galarian Slowking run Fire-type coverage like Fire Punch and Flamethrower to reliably 2HKO Corviknight.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers like Choice Specs Aegislash and Dragapult can both utilize their neutral Ghost-type STAB Shadow Balls to punish Corviknight from the special side, since it typically invests more in Defense.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alkazoth.518682/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tysonslayer.349443/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Corviknight is an amazing Defogger and defensive pivot thanks to its stellar defensive typing, solid movepool, and great bulk. With these traits, Corviknight finds itself being ran to check a myriad of offensive threats in the metagame like Garchomp, Weavile, Rillaboom, and Tapu Lele. Unlike other Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Zapdos, its typing gives it a neutrality to Stealth Rock, allowing it to function without Heavy-Duty Boots and instead run items like Leftovers or Rocky Helmet. Its ability Pressure is what sets it apart from other Defoggers, stalling out opposing entry hazard setters so hazards are more likely to stay off the field the longer a game goes on. Corviknight can also function as a defensive sweeper, with its combination of Iron Defense and Body Press letting it boost against physical sweepers like Garchomp and Weavile and then beat them afterward. One major downside of Corviknight is that it can't slot in all the coverage it wants on one set, which means it often falls short in checking everything it wants to. Without Brave Bird, Rillaboom and Volcarona are free to set up on it, and without Body Press, Steel-types like Heatran and Melmetal are given endless switch-in opportunities. Corviknight also suffers from general passivity into numerous metagame threats like Zapdos, Garchomp, and Volcanion, letting it get taken advantage of and making it a worse pick compared to other Defoggers.
[SET]
name: Defog
move 1: Body Press / Brave Bird
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Pressure
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 124 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Defog Corviknight functions as a bulky entry hazard remover that can Defog in front of common hazard setters such as Landorus-T and Clefable thanks to its mixed bulk and amazing typing. Body Press is Corviknight's main way of hitting opposing Steel-types that would otherwise wall it like Ferrothorn, Melmetal, and Heatran. Brave Bird is a viable alternative to hit Ghost-types like Dragapult and Blacephalon so they can't come in for free, prevents Volcarona from coming in and threatening Corviknight with its Fire-type STAB moves, and lets it more easily beat Rillaboom and Buzzwole. U-turn lets Corviknight pivot out of bad matchups and generate momentum. Leftovers gives Corviknight passive recovery, increasing its longevity and making it easier for it to check multiple threats easier throughout the course of a game. Rocky Helmet is an option that allows Corviknight to punish contact attackers like Kartana and Melmetal as well as U-turn spam from the likes of opposing Corviknight, Rillaboom, and Landorus-T. The shown EV spread gives Corviknight enough special bulk to live 2 Shadow Balls from Modest Choice Specs Dragapult after Leftovers recovery, with the remainder of the EVs being put into physical bulk to live two Crunches from Choice Band Tyranitar. If running Rocky Helmet, a spread running maximum Defense is recommended to better live and punish physical attacks.
Team Options
========
Corviknight is best used as a defensive pivot and Defogger on a wide variety of teams ranging from bulky offense to stall. Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora greatly appreciate Corviknight's typing that allows it to check Ground-types like Landorus-T and Garchomp. Hippowdon and Gastrodon form a great core with Corviknight on fat and stall teams, since they are able to switch into Electric-type attacks from the aforementioned Pokemon, with Corviknight checking Grass-types like Rillaboom and Kartana for them. They're also able to take on Heatran, a Stealth Rock setter that is reliably able to beat Corviknight. Specially bulky Water-types like Gastrodon, Shed Shell Toxapex, and Slowking are able to switch into and check Fire-types Corviknight struggles with like Heatran and Volcarona, and Corviknight is able to check strong physical attackers they struggle with like Garchomp, Weavile, and Melmetal for them. Hazard-weak wallbreakers like Blacephalon and Arctozolt love pairing with Corviknight, since it has great matchups into a majority of hazard setters, so it can reliably keep hazards off the field and give them more room to come in. These wallbreakers, among others like Urshifu-R and Rillaboom, also love Corviknight's slow U-turn to bring them in safely. Pokemon that are highly dependent on their item like Volcarona and Dragapult appreciate Corviknight's ability to absorb Knock Off from Pokemon like Weavile and Ferrothorn, since it isn't as dependent on its item to function. Dragon-types like Dragonite and Dragapult appreciate Corviknight's ability to check Weavile, as it is one of the few feasible checks to it even after a Swords Dance boost. Weavile itself is a great partner for Corviknight, being able to check and revenge kill Dragapult while Corviknight can pivot and keep hazards off the field, ensuring Weavile gets on the field safely even after its Heavy-Duty Boots have been removed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shed Shell can be ran on the Defog set to avoid being trapped by Magnezone, but this is a fringe pick, since Leftovers and Rocky Helmet are consistently better options against teams lacking a Magnezone, and Corviknight can U-turn out on a predicted switch-in. A Bulk Up set with Special Defense investment running Bulk Up, Substitute, Roost, and Brave Bird is a niche pick ran on hyper offense teams to sweep through bulkier teams that are passive against it, since some hyper offense teams struggle with much fatter teams that can deal with the hard-hitting attacks they employ. Power Trip is an option over Substitute to break through defensive teams more quickly, though without Substitute, it's more prone to chip damage, paralysis, and burn from defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Clefable, and Toxapex.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Zeraora are able to threaten Corviknight with Electric-type STAB moves and safely come in, especially if Corviknight is running Brave Bird, and even if Tapu Koko and Zapdos both sustain lots of damage, they have reliable recovery in Roost, so they can keep checking it throughout the game. Magnezone has the added bonus of trapping Corviknight with Magnet Pull so it can't switch out, threatening to KO the latter with Thunderbolt and giving teammates like Rillaboom and Garchomp room to break through the rest of the team. Tapu Lele can slot in Thunderbolt or Thunder as coverage in order to break past Corviknight, and Melmetal can fit Thunder Punch to deter Corviknight from switching in.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona is able to set up on Corviknight variants lacking Brave Bird and threaten it with Fire-type STAB moves, and Blacephalon can OHKO Corviknight with Fire Blast even when unboosted. However, both Pokemon dislike taking Brave Bird, so they cannot freely switch into Corviknight without scouting its moveset. Heatran is one of the few Stealth Rock setters that can reliably beat Corviknight with Magma Storm or Eruption but dislikes switching into Body Press. Volcanion is a Fire-type who can pick off Corviknight with Flamethrower while also boasting above-average physical bulk, so it has an easier time switching into Corviknight than the aforementioned Pokemon. Pokemon such as Tyranitar, Dragapult, and Galarian Slowking run Fire-type coverage like Fire Punch and Flamethrower to reliably 2HKO Corviknight.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers like Choice Specs Aegislash and Dragapult can both utilize their neutral Ghost-type STAB Shadow Balls to punish Corviknight from the special side, since it typically invests more in Defense.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alkazoth.518682/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tysonslayer.349443/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
