[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 14-15 points
**Overview**: Manaphy is a well-rounded setup sweeper that can use Tail Glow and Calm Mind alike to break through most walls that come in its way. Its bulk and coverage options serve to make it very reliable in its setup potential, and Hydration makes it especially good on rain teams, giving it a temporary immunity to Toxic and the ability to make up for its lack of reliable healing with Rest without the self-debilitating drawback. However, its reliance on Z-Moves for any immediate power and low Speed for a setup sweeper contrast the high tempo rain teams usually want, making it slightly difficult to find a place on teams.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Setup Sweeper**: Manaphy can use Tail Glow and Z-Rain Dance with a slew of powerful coverage moves to smash through teams and outspeed faster foes while still being able to take a few punches with its natural bulk.
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Manaphy can utilize its bulk extremely well thanks to Calm Mind + Acid Armor, taking advantage of the faster offensive Pokemon that are prepared to outspeed and revenge kill a Tail Glow Manaphy set.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Surf, Scald
**Setup Moves**: Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Acid Armor
**Utility Moves**: Rain Dance, Heal Bell, Knock Off, Rest, Toxic, U-turn, Substitute
**Coverage**: Dazzling Gleam, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Signal Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Heart Swap**: Although Manaphy usually wants to be the one setting up, it can utilize Heart Swap to steal the sweep from opposing setup sweepers.
**Light Screen / Reflect**: While Manaphy loves to be on offensively oriented drafts where other Pokemon can set up dual screens for it, if setting up and winning is not reasonable, it can be the one to set screens for its teammates.
Common Items
========
**Z-Crystals**: Manaphy very often wants to hold Z-Crystals to give it a boost to one of its coverage moves, such as Icium Z to deal with Dragon-and Grass-types, Grassium Z for bulky Water-types, and Fairium Z to hit Dragon-types that Subzero Slammer doesn't hit as hard. Additionally, Waterium Z allows Manaphy to either fire off a powerful Water-type attack or activate its ability and get a boost to its Speed with Z-Rain Dance while boosting its Water-type moves afterwards.
**Pinch Berries**: Lacking reliable recovery, Manaphy appreciates the health recovery pinch Berries give it, and thanks to its natural bulk, it will very often be able to put itself in a position where it eats them.
**Leftovers**: On bulkier sets, Manaphy will often stay on the field a long time and will have time to cash in on the gradual healing Leftovers provides.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Manaphy often falls victim to the onslaught of fast Electric-types, so it can hold a Wacan Berry to better deal with them. Rindo Berry can be useful for bulky Grass-types that can live an attack from it even after it sets up with Tail Glow.
**Salac Berry**: While Z-Rain Dance is a much more reliable and useful way for Manaphy to boost its Speed, Substitute + Salac Berry can used on rain teams where it does not necessarily need to set up its own rain.
**Choice Scarf**: With access to plenty of coverage moves to revenge kill most foes, as well as U-turn to gain momentum, Manaphy can be a surprisingly effective Choice Scarf user.
**Light Clay**: An unconventional setter, Manaphy can hold Light Clay to assist the rest of its team while not attracting anti-dual screens options.
Draft Strategy
========
Manaphy almost always wants to be on balance teams, serving as a special stallbreaker that can take advantage of a team that can break down the walls that get in its way. It also appreciates pivots that can get it in safely as well as high-Speed offensive threats that can make up for its mediocre Speed, handling faster foes much better. Fully dedicated rain teams often struggle with fitting it on a team, as rain teams usually require more immediate power; however, Manaphy teams still appreciate rain-synergystic teammates that can take advantage of the manual rain it sets up.
**Wallbreakers**: Pokemon like Garchomp, Mega Diancie, and Kyurem-B can take on the special walls that check Manaphy, so they're essential in making sure it can sweep. Physical wallbreakers are especially important in ensuring that it has what it needs to get past the special walls that look to check it.
**Speed Control**: Manaphy needs Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Tornadus-T to deal with faster threats that want to force it out.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hazard setters like Mew, Landorus-T, and Uxie are incredibly helpful in chipping the opposing team down so that Manaphy has less pressure to sweep.
Checks and Counters
========
**Electric-type Pokemon**: Often faster than Manaphy, Electric-type Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Thundurus threaten it out very easily, dampening its sweeping abilities.
**Faster Threats**: Assuming it is unboosted, Manaphy is very prone to getting revenge killed by faster threats like Garchomp, Infernape, and Mega Diancie. Faster Choice Scarf Pokemon can also revenge kill even if it is at +1 Speed.
**Grass-type Pokemon**: Although they do have to fear Ice Beam, Grass-types like Serperior, Kartana, and Ferrothorn can threaten Manaphy out.
**Disruption**: Manaphy is very prone to facing disruption of all kinds. Whether it is status while it is not under rain, Taunt and Encore preventing its sweep, or getting forced out by Roar or Whirlwind, there are plenty of ways Manaphy's foes can stop the sweep that it has to look out for.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 14-15 points
**Overview**: Manaphy is a well-rounded setup sweeper that can use Tail Glow and Calm Mind alike to break through most walls that come in its way. Its bulk and coverage options serve to make it very reliable in its setup potential, and Hydration makes it especially good on rain teams, giving it a temporary immunity to Toxic and the ability to make up for its lack of reliable healing with Rest without the self-debilitating drawback. However, its reliance on Z-Moves for any immediate power and low Speed for a setup sweeper contrast the high tempo rain teams usually want, making it slightly difficult to find a place on teams.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Offensive Setup Sweeper**: Manaphy can use Tail Glow and Z-Rain Dance with a slew of powerful coverage moves to smash through teams and outspeed faster foes while still being able to take a few punches with its natural bulk.
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Manaphy can utilize its bulk extremely well thanks to Calm Mind + Acid Armor, taking advantage of the faster offensive Pokemon that are prepared to outspeed and revenge kill a Tail Glow Manaphy set.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Surf, Scald
**Setup Moves**: Tail Glow, Calm Mind, Acid Armor
**Utility Moves**: Rain Dance, Heal Bell, Knock Off, Rest, Toxic, U-turn, Substitute
**Coverage**: Dazzling Gleam, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Signal Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Heart Swap**: Although Manaphy usually wants to be the one setting up, it can utilize Heart Swap to steal the sweep from opposing setup sweepers.
**Light Screen / Reflect**: While Manaphy loves to be on offensively oriented drafts where other Pokemon can set up dual screens for it, if setting up and winning is not reasonable, it can be the one to set screens for its teammates.
Common Items
========
**Z-Crystals**: Manaphy very often wants to hold Z-Crystals to give it a boost to one of its coverage moves, such as Icium Z to deal with Dragon-and Grass-types, Grassium Z for bulky Water-types, and Fairium Z to hit Dragon-types that Subzero Slammer doesn't hit as hard. Additionally, Waterium Z allows Manaphy to either fire off a powerful Water-type attack or activate its ability and get a boost to its Speed with Z-Rain Dance while boosting its Water-type moves afterwards.
**Pinch Berries**: Lacking reliable recovery, Manaphy appreciates the health recovery pinch Berries give it, and thanks to its natural bulk, it will very often be able to put itself in a position where it eats them.
**Leftovers**: On bulkier sets, Manaphy will often stay on the field a long time and will have time to cash in on the gradual healing Leftovers provides.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Manaphy often falls victim to the onslaught of fast Electric-types, so it can hold a Wacan Berry to better deal with them. Rindo Berry can be useful for bulky Grass-types that can live an attack from it even after it sets up with Tail Glow.
**Salac Berry**: While Z-Rain Dance is a much more reliable and useful way for Manaphy to boost its Speed, Substitute + Salac Berry can used on rain teams where it does not necessarily need to set up its own rain.
**Choice Scarf**: With access to plenty of coverage moves to revenge kill most foes, as well as U-turn to gain momentum, Manaphy can be a surprisingly effective Choice Scarf user.
**Light Clay**: An unconventional setter, Manaphy can hold Light Clay to assist the rest of its team while not attracting anti-dual screens options.
Draft Strategy
========
Manaphy almost always wants to be on balance teams, serving as a special stallbreaker that can take advantage of a team that can break down the walls that get in its way. It also appreciates pivots that can get it in safely as well as high-Speed offensive threats that can make up for its mediocre Speed, handling faster foes much better. Fully dedicated rain teams often struggle with fitting it on a team, as rain teams usually require more immediate power; however, Manaphy teams still appreciate rain-synergystic teammates that can take advantage of the manual rain it sets up.
**Wallbreakers**: Pokemon like Garchomp, Mega Diancie, and Kyurem-B can take on the special walls that check Manaphy, so they're essential in making sure it can sweep. Physical wallbreakers are especially important in ensuring that it has what it needs to get past the special walls that look to check it.
**Speed Control**: Manaphy needs Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Tornadus-T to deal with faster threats that want to force it out.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Hazard setters like Mew, Landorus-T, and Uxie are incredibly helpful in chipping the opposing team down so that Manaphy has less pressure to sweep.
Checks and Counters
========
**Electric-type Pokemon**: Often faster than Manaphy, Electric-type Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Thundurus threaten it out very easily, dampening its sweeping abilities.
**Faster Threats**: Assuming it is unboosted, Manaphy is very prone to getting revenge killed by faster threats like Garchomp, Infernape, and Mega Diancie. Faster Choice Scarf Pokemon can also revenge kill even if it is at +1 Speed.
**Grass-type Pokemon**: Although they do have to fear Ice Beam, Grass-types like Serperior, Kartana, and Ferrothorn can threaten Manaphy out.
**Disruption**: Manaphy is very prone to facing disruption of all kinds. Whether it is status while it is not under rain, Taunt and Encore preventing its sweep, or getting forced out by Roar or Whirlwind, there are plenty of ways Manaphy's foes can stop the sweep that it has to look out for.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
