[OVERVIEW]
With its blisteringly fast Speed and a deadly STAB combination, Sneasel carves a place for itself in ZU as a powerful wallbreaker and cleaner. STAB Knock Off makes Sneasel excellent at forcing progress, especially since the primary Knock Off absorber, Dipplin, fears its Ice-type attacks, and it outruns many already fast threats like Charizard, Mismagius, and Grafaiai. However, Sneasel's paper-thin defenses mean it crumples to most strong neutral attacks and, combined with its many weaknesses, give it near to no defensive utility outside of switching into Psychic-type attacks. Sneasel also can be left wanting in power and struggles to break past walls like Regirock and Orthworm. Choice Band sets don't have this problem but are vulnerable to entry hazards and very prediction reliant. Lastly, Sneasel is incredibly vulnerable to getting revenge killed by most Choice Scarf users in the tier, like Passimian, Grafaiai, and Typhlosion, as well as priority attacks such as Accelerock from Lycanroc.
[SET]
Fast Attacker (Sneasel) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Tera Type: Ice / Ghost
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Triple Axel
- Ice Shard
- Swords Dance / Low Kick
[SET COMMENTS]
Ice Shard lets Sneasel pick off weakened foes and faster attackers like Whimsicott and Jolteon as well as dance around priority like Accelerock from Lycanroc and Mach Punch from Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Swords Dance lets Sneasel pick up OHKOs on Charizard and Cramorant and gives it an easier time cleaning up weakened teams, while Low Kick lets it threaten Orthworm, Regirock, and Glastrier more immediately. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Sneasel come in without taking damage from entry hazards, allowing it to come in many times over the course of a game. Tera Ice boosts Triple Axel and Ice Shard's power immensely, netting a 2HKO on Regirock and Weezing at +2, but does nothing to help Sneasel's terrible defensive typing. Tera Ghost flips Sneasel's Fighting weakness into an immunity, letting it blank Close Combat from revenge killers like Choice Scarf Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel, but it also makes Sneasel weak to Sucker Punch from Brute Bonnet and Hisuian Decidueye.
Sneasel's powerful Knock Off makes it an excellent pick on entry hazard stacking teams where teammates such as Qwilfish, Hisuian Qwilfish, and Orthworm help Sneasel push past bulkier foes like Magneton and Snorlax. Sneasel struggles to break past physically bulky foes like Regirock, Orthworm, and Weezing, so teammates that share these checks like Charizard, Mesprit, and Hisuian Decidueye respectively can team up to wear down said walls. Poliwrath notably takes little damage from Sneasel's STAB attacks, so teammates that handle it like Whimsicott and Shaymin are quite helpful. Physical wallbreakers like Choice Band Floatzel, Brute Bonnet, and Lycanroc also help wear walls down and sweep. Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel threaten Sneasel immensely, so defensive fallbacks like Weezing and Palossand make for great teammates. Other defensive teammates such as Cramorant and Hisuian Decidueye help make up for Sneasel's lack of defenses, dealing with threats like Whimsicott, Typhlosion, and Floatzel for it. As Sneasel struggles to switch in directly, pivots like Jolteon, Passimian, Whimsicott, and Lanturn are all helpful in assisting Sneasel to hit the field safely. On more offensive teams, it can pair up with other setup sweepers like Oricorio-G, Lycanroc, and Qwilfish to overwhelm the opposing team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Sneasel has no other options.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Sneasel greatly fears Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel. Most of them don't enjoy switching in on Sneasel's attacks, however, though Poliwrath resists Sneasel's STAB moves and doesn't take much damage from Low Kick.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Sneasel's lack of bulk means that Choice Scarf users have an easy time outspeeding it and taking it out. All of Floatzel, Grafaiai, Passimian, and Mesprit can revenge kill Sneasel with ease.
**Physical Walls**: Physically bulky Pokemon like Regirock, Orthworm, and Weezing don't fear much from Sneasel and can force it out with status conditions or super effective attacks. However, since all three of them lack reliable recovery, and the former two hate losing Leftovers, Sneasel can slowly wear them down over a longer game. Avalugg and Glastrier also can take Sneasel on but hate losing their Heavy-Duty Boots. Snorlax can take a Knock Off well enough but doesn't appreciate losing its Leftovers either. All of them except Weezing also must be wary of Low Kick
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sinnabyss.626095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
With its blisteringly fast Speed and a deadly STAB combination, Sneasel carves a place for itself in ZU as a powerful wallbreaker and cleaner. STAB Knock Off makes Sneasel excellent at forcing progress, especially since the primary Knock Off absorber, Dipplin, fears its Ice-type attacks, and it outruns many already fast threats like Charizard, Mismagius, and Grafaiai. However, Sneasel's paper-thin defenses mean it crumples to most strong neutral attacks and, combined with its many weaknesses, give it near to no defensive utility outside of switching into Psychic-type attacks. Sneasel also can be left wanting in power and struggles to break past walls like Regirock and Orthworm. Choice Band sets don't have this problem but are vulnerable to entry hazards and very prediction reliant. Lastly, Sneasel is incredibly vulnerable to getting revenge killed by most Choice Scarf users in the tier, like Passimian, Grafaiai, and Typhlosion, as well as priority attacks such as Accelerock from Lycanroc.
[SET]
Fast Attacker (Sneasel) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Tera Type: Ice / Ghost
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Triple Axel
- Ice Shard
- Swords Dance / Low Kick
[SET COMMENTS]
Ice Shard lets Sneasel pick off weakened foes and faster attackers like Whimsicott and Jolteon as well as dance around priority like Accelerock from Lycanroc and Mach Punch from Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Swords Dance lets Sneasel pick up OHKOs on Charizard and Cramorant and gives it an easier time cleaning up weakened teams, while Low Kick lets it threaten Orthworm, Regirock, and Glastrier more immediately. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Sneasel come in without taking damage from entry hazards, allowing it to come in many times over the course of a game. Tera Ice boosts Triple Axel and Ice Shard's power immensely, netting a 2HKO on Regirock and Weezing at +2, but does nothing to help Sneasel's terrible defensive typing. Tera Ghost flips Sneasel's Fighting weakness into an immunity, letting it blank Close Combat from revenge killers like Choice Scarf Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel, but it also makes Sneasel weak to Sucker Punch from Brute Bonnet and Hisuian Decidueye.
Sneasel's powerful Knock Off makes it an excellent pick on entry hazard stacking teams where teammates such as Qwilfish, Hisuian Qwilfish, and Orthworm help Sneasel push past bulkier foes like Magneton and Snorlax. Sneasel struggles to break past physically bulky foes like Regirock, Orthworm, and Weezing, so teammates that share these checks like Charizard, Mesprit, and Hisuian Decidueye respectively can team up to wear down said walls. Poliwrath notably takes little damage from Sneasel's STAB attacks, so teammates that handle it like Whimsicott and Shaymin are quite helpful. Physical wallbreakers like Choice Band Floatzel, Brute Bonnet, and Lycanroc also help wear walls down and sweep. Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel threaten Sneasel immensely, so defensive fallbacks like Weezing and Palossand make for great teammates. Other defensive teammates such as Cramorant and Hisuian Decidueye help make up for Sneasel's lack of defenses, dealing with threats like Whimsicott, Typhlosion, and Floatzel for it. As Sneasel struggles to switch in directly, pivots like Jolteon, Passimian, Whimsicott, and Lanturn are all helpful in assisting Sneasel to hit the field safely. On more offensive teams, it can pair up with other setup sweepers like Oricorio-G, Lycanroc, and Qwilfish to overwhelm the opposing team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Sneasel has no other options.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Sneasel greatly fears Fighting-types like Passimian and Hisuian Sneasel. Most of them don't enjoy switching in on Sneasel's attacks, however, though Poliwrath resists Sneasel's STAB moves and doesn't take much damage from Low Kick.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Sneasel's lack of bulk means that Choice Scarf users have an easy time outspeeding it and taking it out. All of Floatzel, Grafaiai, Passimian, and Mesprit can revenge kill Sneasel with ease.
**Physical Walls**: Physically bulky Pokemon like Regirock, Orthworm, and Weezing don't fear much from Sneasel and can force it out with status conditions or super effective attacks. However, since all three of them lack reliable recovery, and the former two hate losing Leftovers, Sneasel can slowly wear them down over a longer game. Avalugg and Glastrier also can take Sneasel on but hate losing their Heavy-Duty Boots. Snorlax can take a Knock Off well enough but doesn't appreciate losing its Leftovers either. All of them except Weezing also must be wary of Low Kick
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sinnabyss.626095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
