[Overview]
Diancie's great Defenses and good defensive typing allow it to be a reliable Stealth Rock setter while it checks common threats, such as Exploud, Salazzle, and Talonflame. Its STAB combination in conjunction with Body Press also makes it difficult for many teams to comfortably switch into and exploit its weaknesses as it is capable of hitting key metagame staples, such as Coppherajah, Machamp, and Flygon for super effective damage. Diancie's low HP and lack of a reliable recovery move means that one must be careful to ensure it doesn't get overwhelemed too quickly. These traits also inhibit its ability to switch into Knock Off users to capitalize on its Dark-type resistance. While its Rock-typing allows it to uniquely check Fire- and Flying-types as a defensive Fairy-type, that also makes it more vulnerable to Fighting-types like Sirfetch'd and Mienshao, which isn't necessarily ideal with how powerful these Pokemon are. Diancie's vulnerability to other top threats, like Copperajah, Vileplume, and Blastoise also must be accounted for to succeed with it.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Body Press
item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Relaxed
evs: 262 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
This set capitalizes on Diancie's good defensive profile to check the likes of Zoroark and Salazzle and provide Stealth Rock support for its team. Body Press provides crucial Steel-type coverage against the likes of Copperajah and Bronzong, and a +2 Body Press can even OHKO Copperajah, a common switch-in for Diancie many teams employ.
Diancie is quite vulnerable to common bulky Grass- and Water-types, so strong teammates that can handle them, such as Vileplume and Roserade, are good options. More offensive Grass-types, such as Decidueye, Celebi, and Rotom-Mow can handle the Water-types switching into Diancie and appreciate Diancie's ability to reliably handle Fire- and Flying-types for them. Steel-type switch-ins, such as Talonflame, Arcanine, and Guzzlord, are appreciated as relying on +2 Body Press to deter them is not always ideal. Arcanine and Talonflame also check certain Grass-types, while Guzzlord is more reliably able to handle Rotom-Mow and Celebi. Sirfetch'd is a great offensive teammate that can check Steel- and Ground-types for Diancie while appreciating Diancie's ability to switch into Fire- and Flying-types, as well as generally faster special attackers, like Goodra and Indeedee-F, which could revenge kill it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Heal Bell can allow Diancie to provide cleric support for its team, but it struggles to fit it in over the suggested moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Diancie has issues against multiple Water-types in the tier. Starmie and Gastrodon are the biggest problems as each is capable of reliably switching into any move Diancie uses and can proceed to either Recover to stay healthy or threaten Diancie with powerful Water-type moves.
**Grass-types**: Vileplume is the hardest Grass-type for Diancie to face due to its high physical bulk and resistance to both Body Press and Moonblast. It can then harrass Diancie's team with Strength Sap or Corrosive Gas, or threaten Diancie itself with Giga Drain. Celebi can use Diancie as setup fodder for its Nasty Plot set. Other Grass-types, such as Decidueye and Dhelmise are much more prone to being worn down by repeated switch-ins, but both can take a couple of hits and threaten with their powerful Grass-type STABs.
**Ground-types**: Golurk, Mudsdale, and Flygon all are able to dispatch Diancie with their powerful Ground-type STABs. Golurk is immune to Body Press, thus easily allowing it to overcome Diancie's potential Defense boosts while Mudsdale's Stamina ability will mitigate any boosts Diancie gets itself. Flygon has to be careful of switching in as Moonblast will do a lot, but it can also U-turn on a forced switch to maintain momentum.
**Steel-types**: Escavalier, Copperajah, and Bronzong are good Steel-types that can exploit Diancie's brutal 4x Steel weakness, although Copperajah and Bronzong must be careful of Diancie getting a Diamond Storm boost as they switch in as +2 Body Press is able to overcome both of them.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[EonX, 91480]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
Diancie's great Defenses and good defensive typing allow it to be a reliable Stealth Rock setter while it checks common threats, such as Exploud, Salazzle, and Talonflame. Its STAB combination in conjunction with Body Press also makes it difficult for many teams to comfortably switch into and exploit its weaknesses as it is capable of hitting key metagame staples, such as Coppherajah, Machamp, and Flygon for super effective damage. Diancie's low HP and lack of a reliable recovery move means that one must be careful to ensure it doesn't get overwhelemed too quickly. These traits also inhibit its ability to switch into Knock Off users to capitalize on its Dark-type resistance. While its Rock-typing allows it to uniquely check Fire- and Flying-types as a defensive Fairy-type, that also makes it more vulnerable to Fighting-types like Sirfetch'd and Mienshao, which isn't necessarily ideal with how powerful these Pokemon are. Diancie's vulnerability to other top threats, like Copperajah, Vileplume, and Blastoise also must be accounted for to succeed with it.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Body Press
item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Relaxed
evs: 262 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
This set capitalizes on Diancie's good defensive profile to check the likes of Zoroark and Salazzle and provide Stealth Rock support for its team. Body Press provides crucial Steel-type coverage against the likes of Copperajah and Bronzong, and a +2 Body Press can even OHKO Copperajah, a common switch-in for Diancie many teams employ.
Diancie is quite vulnerable to common bulky Grass- and Water-types, so strong teammates that can handle them, such as Vileplume and Roserade, are good options. More offensive Grass-types, such as Decidueye, Celebi, and Rotom-Mow can handle the Water-types switching into Diancie and appreciate Diancie's ability to reliably handle Fire- and Flying-types for them. Steel-type switch-ins, such as Talonflame, Arcanine, and Guzzlord, are appreciated as relying on +2 Body Press to deter them is not always ideal. Arcanine and Talonflame also check certain Grass-types, while Guzzlord is more reliably able to handle Rotom-Mow and Celebi. Sirfetch'd is a great offensive teammate that can check Steel- and Ground-types for Diancie while appreciating Diancie's ability to switch into Fire- and Flying-types, as well as generally faster special attackers, like Goodra and Indeedee-F, which could revenge kill it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Heal Bell can allow Diancie to provide cleric support for its team, but it struggles to fit it in over the suggested moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-types**: Diancie has issues against multiple Water-types in the tier. Starmie and Gastrodon are the biggest problems as each is capable of reliably switching into any move Diancie uses and can proceed to either Recover to stay healthy or threaten Diancie with powerful Water-type moves.
**Grass-types**: Vileplume is the hardest Grass-type for Diancie to face due to its high physical bulk and resistance to both Body Press and Moonblast. It can then harrass Diancie's team with Strength Sap or Corrosive Gas, or threaten Diancie itself with Giga Drain. Celebi can use Diancie as setup fodder for its Nasty Plot set. Other Grass-types, such as Decidueye and Dhelmise are much more prone to being worn down by repeated switch-ins, but both can take a couple of hits and threaten with their powerful Grass-type STABs.
**Ground-types**: Golurk, Mudsdale, and Flygon all are able to dispatch Diancie with their powerful Ground-type STABs. Golurk is immune to Body Press, thus easily allowing it to overcome Diancie's potential Defense boosts while Mudsdale's Stamina ability will mitigate any boosts Diancie gets itself. Flygon has to be careful of switching in as Moonblast will do a lot, but it can also U-turn on a forced switch to maintain momentum.
**Steel-types**: Escavalier, Copperajah, and Bronzong are good Steel-types that can exploit Diancie's brutal 4x Steel weakness, although Copperajah and Bronzong must be careful of Diancie getting a Diamond Storm boost as they switch in as +2 Body Press is able to overcome both of them.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[EonX, 91480]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
Last edited:
