QC: AM | TheEnder | Jukain
GP: Psywaves | P Squared
Overview
########
Blessed with the coveted ability Shadow Tag, Gothitelle is one of the most reliable trappers since only Ghost-types and opposing Shadow Tag users are immune to it, making it a valuable asset to any teammates that have trouble with some Pokemon and would like them removed. Gothitelle also demolishes stall with its ability to stop switches and cripple bulky Pokemon such as Chansey and Clefable with Trick, and in this sense it is like an opposite Wobbufet, as Gothitelle eliminates stall cores whilst Wobbufet beats offensive ones. In addition, it's quite flexible and can be changed to suit the team's needs. On the other hand, Psychic is not a great defensive typing, being weak to Knock Off, especially when Gothitelle is extremely reliant on its item for Speed, power, or crippling. It is also easily dealt with or taken advantage of after being Choice-locked into a move. Pursuit users such as Tyranitar, Bisharp, and Scizor can come in on a Gothitelle locked into Psychic and pick it off with Pursuit, and Landorus-T can come in on a Gothitelle locked into Thunderbolt and gain momentum using U-turn. An abysmal Speed stat, even in conjunction with a Choice Scarf, means that Gothitelle fails to outspeed key threats such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Gyarados at +1, and a lackluster base 95 Special Attack means Gothitelle is quite often dead weight against offense. Finally, an increase in popularity of VoltTurn cores, Pursuit, and Knock Off makes Gothitelle a liability on many teams.
Literally Satan
########
name: Literally Satan
move 1: Calm Mind / Hidden Power Fire
move 2: Trick
move 3: Rest
move 4: Psychic / Psyshock
ability: Shadow Tag
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 80 HP / 176 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
This set utilizes Gothitelle's ability to trap foes to act as a revenge killer and a crippler to stall teams. Calm Mind lets Gothitelle boost up its Special Attack and Special Defense stats, particularly in the face of weaker defensive foes such as Ferrothorn and Chansey, and allows it to break the Pokemon it can trap, such as Clefable, as well as having a chance to sweep. Trick is used to cripple the aforementioned stall Pokemon as well as Pokemon that may pose a threat to your team and force ridiculously easy setup opportunities. Rest keeps Gothitelle healthy whilst setting up with Calm Mind and also PP stalls Pokemon such as Chansey. Psychic is an option to hit physically defensive Pokemon, notably Ferrothorn, which is 2HKOed by +6 Psychic after Stealth Rock, whilst Psyshock can be used to deal with specially defensive foes such as Chansey and Tentacruel. Hidden Power Fire is an option over Calm Mind to beat bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory faster.
Set Details
========
Shadow Tag lets Gothitelle trap and eliminate a wide array of Pokemon. 80 HP EVs let Gothitelle avoid the 3HKO from Seismic Toss and Night Shade, most notably from Chansey. Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature are used in tandem with a Choice Scarf to outspeed Pokemon and with base 121 Speed or lower, such as Tornadus-T and Raikou, thus enabling Gothitelle to revenge kill weakened Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny and Keldeo. The rest of the EVs are put into Special Attack to buff up Gothitelle's firepower. Note that if not running Rest, maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is also an option to have more overall power.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Gothitelle in on a foe that can't do too much back to it, which usually means walls and support Pokemon. Once you have a favorable matchup, immediately use Trick to cripple the foe so that they can only use one move, allowing Gothitelle to set up more easily. Use Rest when Gothitelle is at low health to shield it from status and also PP stall the foe. If possible, Trick the Choice Scarf back from the foe after setting up with Calm Mind, when they are weakened, or when they are in KO range so that Gothitelle can have its Speed back and can repeat the same PP stalling process for another Pokemon. Don't carelessly remove the Pokemon that Gothitelle has Tricked its Choice Scarf onto as Gothitelle may need it for revenge killing later on. This set can also be used as a revenge killer prior to using Trick, capable of taking out Fighting- and Poison-types such as Hawlucha, Breloom, Toxicroak, and Gengar.
Team Options
========
Gothitelle really dislikes Dark- and Steel-types unfazed by Hidden Power Fire such as Heatran and Empoleon, so Pokemon that can take these foes out are good teammates for Gothitelle. Fairies such as Gardevoir and Clefable can destroy Dark-types with their STAB moves and weaken Steel-types for Gothitelle. It is to be noted that both benefit from Gothitelle's ability to remove bulky steel types. Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Chesnaught also check Tyranitar and Bisharp and can get rid of Steel-types for Gothitelle.
Because Gothitelle doesn't find many chances to come into battle and directly switching Gothitelle in is quite risky, VoltTurn is a nice strategy to bring Gothitelle in. U-turn or Volt Switch users such as Scizor, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W all make for good teammates, as they can lure in their counters, such as Ferrothorn, and pivot out with U-turn or Volt Switch respectively so that Gothitelle can take them out.
Unlike Wobbufet, which beats offensive Pokemon, Gothitelle eliminates walls, so any Pokemon that struggle with them will appreciate Gothitelle as their partner.
Choice Specs
########
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Trick
move 3: Thunderbolt / Energy Ball
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
ability: Shadow Tag
item: Choice Specs
evs: 164 HP / 252 SpA / 88 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Psychic is Gothitelle's best STAB option, as it hits notably harder than Psyshock, especially against physically defensive tanks such as Mega Venusaur. Psyshock breaks Chansey and Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo but otherwise doesn't do much else. Trick forces Gothitelle's Choice Scarf onto the foe, crippling stallers and walls that rely on status or setting up. Thunderbolt deals with Flying- and Water-types, most notably Skarmory, Gyarados, and Slowbro. Hidden Power Fire takes out bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Jirachi, and (Mega) Scizor as well as dealing reasonable damage to Mega Metagross. Energy Ball is an option to hit Quagsire, Omastar, and Swampert.
Set Details
========
Equipped with Choice Specs, Gothitelle hits decently hard and can take down a variety of Pokemon. 88 Speed EVs allow it to Speed creep uninvested Mega Scizor whilst making room for the 30 Speed IVs required for Hidden Power Fire, and maximum Special Attack investment raises Gothitelle's damage output significantly, allowing it to eliminate threats more effectively and efficiently. The rest of the EVs are dumped into HP for more bulk, letting Gothitelle avoid the 3HKO from Seismic Toss and Night Shade. An alternate spread of 212 HP / 252 SpA / 44 Spe can be used to Speed creep uninvested Skarmory, but outspeeding Mega Scizor before it U-turns out is quite important.
Usage Tips
========
Gothitelle should be saved for eliminating troublesome members of the opponent's team, which is what it does best. Don't directly switch Gothitelle in, as the switch is quite predictable at times and you may lose quite a lot of momentum if the opponent predicts this or instead KOes Gothitelle. Use Trick to cripple defensive behemoths when possible, and when they are weakened or in range of an attack, use Trick to get Choice Specs back so that Gothitelle may be able to eliminate more threats later on. Don't Trick away Gothitelle's Choice Specs too hastily, as Gothitelle may need them for mid- or late-game eliminations of some Pokemon. Finally, being locked into a move makes Gothitelle lose quite a lot of momentum, which allows sweepers to set up and attackers to pivot, so packing an answer to these Pokemon is recommended.
Team Options
========
Gothitelle capitalizes on the free switches that VoltTurn users such as Scizor, Landorus-Therian, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric provide. Scizor and Landorus-T are particularly notable as they lure in Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which Gothitelle can easily take out. Fighting- and Fairy-types, which can get rid of Dark-types as well as Pursuit users, greatly aid Gothitelle too. Keldeo is a good teammate for Gothitelle as it checks Tyranitar, Bisharp, and Mega Sableye as well as bulky Steel-types such as Heatran, which may stop Gothitelle dead in its tracks. Fairies such as Sylveon and Clefable can also weaken the aforementioned Dark- and Steel-types, though Bisharp is harder to take down. Pokemon that benefit from the elimination of certain foes are worthy partners, as Gothitelle can successfully trap and eliminate them, thus paving the way for a possible sweep. Examples are Mega Lopunny, which dislikes Slowbro, Hippowdon, and Skarmory and Mega Gyarados, which dislikes Chesnaught and Keldeo.
Other Options
########
Trick + Torment is an evil option to watch the foe faint by struggling, but it is incredibly gimmicky. Hidden Power Ground can be used to trap and KO Heatran, but Dugtrio is more adept at that job anyway. Foul Play is an option for the Choice Scarf set and OHKOes +2 Mega Gallade as well as dealing with Latios, Latias, and Mega Metagross. Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse can also be used to allow Gothitelle to get past Mega Metagross, Latios, and Latias, which are not fazed by any of Gothitelle's other moves. Gothitelle has some useful support moves in its arsenal, such as Thunder Wave, Toxic, Taunt, and Magic Coat, which can be used to cripple or wear down trapped defensive Pokemon. Gothitelle can also capitalize on the foe's momentum loss from being crippled in order to use support moves such as Heal Bell, Reflect, Gravity and Light Screen.
Checks & Counters
########
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye completely stops Gothitelle, as it is immune to Shadow Tag and can cripple Gothitelle with Knock Off or use it as setup fodder.
**Pivots**: Pivots such as Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric can use U-turn or Volt Switch to just switch out of Gothitelle to a Pokemon that can check it.
**Latios and Latias**: Latios and Latias resist all of Gothitelle's moves bar the occasional Shadow Ball or Foul Play and do not care too much about being Tricked a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs, as they can make use of the item.
**Dark-types**: Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Bisharp can successfully Pursuit trap Gothitelle or cripple it with Knock Off, and they are also immune to its STAB moves.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit users such as Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Scizor can come in on a Choice-locked Gothitelle and Pursuit trap it, thus rendering it weakened or useless for the rest of the match as well as preventing it from trapping anything else.
**Ghost-types**: Though Ghost types aren't hard counters to Gothitelle, they are immune to Shadow Tag, and Ghost-types such as Gengar can deal a lot of damage to Gothitelle if not outright OHKO it.
**Fast or Powerful Attackers**: Gothitelle's mediocre Speed, bulk, and typing leave it prone to being KOed by many attackers such as Mega Beedrill, Mega Pinsir, and Garchomp.
**Shed Shell Users**: Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and the occasional Blissey sometimes carry Shed Shell to avoid getting trapped.
Last edited:
