[OVERVIEW]
In a tier that is lacking in Ice-types, Glaceon finds a niche with its monstrous power with Choice Specs and its ability to set up with Z-Celebrate. Thanks to Choice Specs, Glaceon is able to OHKO or 2HKO most of the metagame with STAB Blizzard or Ice Beam, including foes that resist it like Combusken and Mawile. Running a Z-Celebrate set instead can make Glaceon a powerful setup sweeper by remedying its subpar Speed and improving its bulk. Unfortunately, Glaceon's defensive typing leaves little to no utility to any team, and the fact that it's susceptible to all forms of entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, is not helping its case. This is compounded by Glaceon's low Speed, which allows common attackers like Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Simisear to outspeed and dispose of it swiftly. Furthermore, Glaceon's limited coverage options harm its effectiveness as a Choice Specs and Z-Celebrate user, since roles like those ideally want to have access to a better coverage movepool. Glaceon also faces competition from other special wallbreakers like Exeggutor and Camerupt for their better typings and coverage moves.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Ground / Hidden Power Electric
move 4: Blizzard
item: Choice Specs
ability: Snow Cloak
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball allows Glaceon 2HKO Bronzor after Stealth Rock damage and provides decent neutral coverage against Fire- and Water-types like Monferno and Pyukumuku. Hidden Power Ground nets big hits on Fire-types like Combusken, Rapidash, and Probopass. Hidden Power Electric is an alternative move that lets Glaceon hit Water-types like Silvally-Water and Poliwrath. Blizzard serves as a high-risk, high-reward move so that Glaceon can lock into its Ice-type coverage while still threatening to 2HKO bulkier Pokemon like Mareanie and Muk.
Set Details
========
A Modest nature is favored here to maximize attacking power, while Snow Cloak is the better ability despite hail being rare.
Usage Tips
========
Glaceon lacks much defensive utility, so bring it in after a KO or via a pivot move like U-turn, Volt Switch, or Parting Shot. In addition, bringing it in on foes that do not immediately endanger it like defensive Golem, Mareanie, and entry hazard setters like Torterra and Sandslash is a great way to utilize its wallbreaking potential. Bulky Water-types like Pyukumuku and specially defensive Mareanie give Glaceon a hard time, since they can easily switch into Ice Beam. Therefore, having them weakened beforehand is ideal for Glaceon to more easily spam Ice Beam. The same applies to Fire-types like Combusken, Rapidash, and Simisear, since all of them naturally outspeed Glaceon and take it down via their STAB moves. Make sure entry hazards like Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes are off the field because they limit Glaceon's ability to switch in and spam Ice Beam. Special walls like Lickilicky can eat up Glaceon's moves, recover with Wish + Protect, and stall out Glaceon's moves, so having these walls weakened enough to 2HKO puts less stress on Glaceon. Predict switches carefully so Glaceon can weaken or remove Ice Beam switch-ins with its coverage moves. It should also be careful of giving a Pokemon like Z-Mirror Move Swanna or Swords Dance Bouffalant setup opportunities if using Hidden Power Ground or Shadow Ball, respectively.
Team Options
========
Glaceon with Choice Specs is a powerhouse that fits onto offensive teams needing a strong special attacking presence. Since it will need to come in without the risk of damage being done to it, having a pivot like Silvally-Water or Choice Scarf Electivire is useful. Additionally, those two can bring Glaceon in on Grass-types like Torterra and Gourgeist-XL so it can remove them. Water-types like Pyukumuku, Silvally-Water, and Poliwrath can handle Glaceon's moves and then fight back to wear it down. Therefore, a Grass- or Electric-type partner like Simisage or Raichu helps to wear them down or remove them from the equation and make Glaceon's job easier. Entry hazard removal is essential for Glaceon to function properly by limiting residual damage. Partners like Swanna, Rotom-S, and Sandslash can clear them with Defog or Rapid Spin and pave the way for Glaceon to do its job. Another notable partner is Mareanie, which has a double purpose in absorbing Toxic Spikes and functioning as a Fighting- and Fire-type check to the likes of Combusken, Silvally-Fighting, and Rapidash. Since special walls are going to be a problem for Glaceon, having a physical wallbreaking partner like Choice Band Komala, Swords Dance Bouffalant, or Choice Band Golem is good, since they all have little to no issue taking down the special walls in the tier like Lickilicky, Dusclops, and Muk.
[SET]
name: Z-Celebrate
move 1: Celebrate
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Hidden Power Electric
item: Normalium Z
ability: Snow Cloak
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Celebrate is a one-time setup move thanks to Normalium Z. Shadow Ball allows Glaceon to reliably hit walls like Bronzor and Dusclops. Hidden Power Ground deals decent damage to Mareanie, Mawile, and Monferno and, after the Celebrate boost, can potentially OHKO them. Alternatively, Hidden Power Electric allows Glaceon to nail Water-type switch-ins like Mareanie, Silvally-Water, and Poliwrath.
Set Details
========
A Timid nature is preferred over Modest for the extra Speed boost to sweep mid- to late-game. The Speed increase also allows +1 Glaceon to outspeed Raichu, Floatzel, and Choice Scarf Toucannon.
Usage Tips
========
Keeping Glaceon healthy and away from entry hazards like Stealth Rock is a must so it can sweep. Although Choice Scarf users like Electivire outspeed Glaceon after it uses Z-Celebrate, preserving its bulk means that it can tank attacks. It should still be mindful of faster threats on the opposing team before using Z-Celebrate, however. Fire-types like Combusken, Rapidash, and Simisear threaten Glaceon and prevent it from setting up, so be sure to remove them before attempting to sweep if Glaceon lacks Hidden Power Ground. In addition, Fighting-types like Combusken, offensive Silvally-Fighting, and specially defensive Machoke all threaten Glaceon and can prevent it from setting up. Severely weakening these threats before attempting to sweep is critical. Special walls and bulky Water-types like Lickilicky, Assault Vest Kecleon, Mareanie, and Pyukumuku will prevent Glaceon its sweeping and must be removed or severely weakened before Glaceon uses its Z-Move. Glaceon can afford to set up on stronger but slower attackers like Torterra and Marowak thanks to the added bulk from Z-Celebrate; this does, however, make it more vulnerable to Choice Scarf and priority users in the process. Because Glaceon only has one opportunity to set up, the best time to sweep is late-game when all the aforementioned threats are gone. It is also wise to use Z-Celebrate on a Pokemon that Glaceon sends running like Gourgeist-XL, Torterra, or Altaria.
Team Options
========
Since Glaceon is going to want to come in safely, U-turn or Volt Switch users like Silvally-Water, Electivire, and Rotom-S can bring it in safely. Glaceon can take out Grass-types for Silvally-Water and deals with Ground-types that annoy Electivire and Rotom-S. Entry hazards will wear down Glaceon and jeopardize its opportunities to rely on its bulk when setting up. Therefore, having a Defogger or spinner like Silvally-Water, Altaria, Sandslash, or Komala can remove said hazards and allow Glaceon a safe switch in. Entry hazard setters like Metang, Crustle, and Mareanie are crucial because after Glaceon sets up, entry hazards provide the chip damage to guarantee OHKOs against Rapidash, Granbull, and Furfrou. While Glaceon does hit a nice amount of Speed after using Z-Celebrate, it still is slower than a few threats like Choice Scarf Electivire and Rapidash. Because of this, having a teammate to deal with the likes of these threats like physically defensive Golem or Sandslash will put less pressure on Glaceon and give it more chances to set up and sweep. Since Fire- and Fighting-types will be putting offensive pressure on Glaceon, having a teammate like Poliwrath, Beheeyem, Mareanie, Kadabra, or Mr. Mime to put the pressure right back on them helps it out greatly. Having an answer to the special walls of the tier is definitely a must. Teammates like Swords Dance Combusken, Choice Band Muk, and Swords Dance Silvally-Fighting can severely damage them or remove them from the equation completely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Glaceon may find itself on hail teams with the support of setters like Amaura to boost the accuracy of Blizzard, but this playstyle is both rare and flawed with the inherent lack of defensive type synergy and utility. Sleep Talk and Frost Breath can work as options on the Choice Specs set, since Sleep Talk allows Glaceon to absorb sleep moves from Jumpluff and Bellossom, while Frost Breath can bypass boosts from Duosion and physically defensive Calm Mind Beheeyem. However, Sleep Talk can be prediction dependent and, if chosen wrong, leaves Glaceon open to being set up on. Frost Breath, while always being a critical hit, is weaker than Ice Beam.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Pokemon like Silvally-Water, Mareanie, Poliwrath, and Pyukumuku will be huge obstacles for Glaceon regardless of which set it's running, since they all take Ice Beam. They need to be wary of the immediate damage from a Hidden Power Electric on the Choice Specs set, however.
**Fire-types**: Combusken, Rapidash, and Simisear threaten Glaceon with their respective STAB Fire-type moves. They need to be cautious about switching into a Glaceon carrying Hidden Power Ground, however.
**Fighting-types**: Threats like Silvally-Fighting, Poliwrath, Monferno, and specially defensive Machoke offensively pressure Glaceon with their STAB moves.
**Residual Damage**: Entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, and Toxic poison can wear down Glaceon and limit how often it can come in and spam Ice Beam or hinder its ability to sweep with Z-Celebrate.
**Faster Pokemon**: Glaceon's middling Speed and multiple vulnerabilities from its Ice typing mean that many faster attackers like Silvally-Dragon, Raichu, and Electivire have super effective coverage able to revenge kill it.
**Special Walls**: Dusclops, Lickilicky, and even Kecleon can make Glaceon's job tougher by taking any of its moves and restoring HP with Rest, Wish, or Drain Punch. Dusclops can't reliably take multiple Shadow Balls, though.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Oathkeepre, 83980]]
- Quality checked by: [[5gen, 296755], [Ho3nConfirm3d, 231074], [Aaronboyer, 239454]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
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