
[OVERVIEW]
- Tail Glow is a good move and stuff, allowing Manaphy to quickly boost its Special Attack and break down defensive cores
- Manaphy's good typing and bulk allow it to set up pretty easily
- Has access to pretty strong coverage, including Ice Beam, Energy Ball, and Psychic, but the relatively high prominence of Water immunities in the metagame, specifically Mollux and Plasmanta, make it hard for Manaphy to obtain good three-move coverage, or two-move coverage for that matter.
- Base 100 Speed is decent, but by no means amazing, making an outright sweep rather difficult for Manaphy as it's checked by numerous faster offensive threats, including Krilowatt, Mega Manectric, and Serperior.
- typing has weaknesses
- typing has resistances
[SET]
name: Tail Glow + 3 Attacks
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Scald
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psychic / Energy Ball
item: Leftovers / Wacan Berry
ability: Hydration
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Tail Glow boosts Manaphy's Special Attack by three stages, making it a powerful wallbreaker.
- Scald is Manaphy's preferred STAB move due to its burn chance, allowing it to cripple and wear down potential switch-ins, such as Ferrothorn, Kyurem-B, and Unaware Clefable, which can allow Manaphy a better shot at breaking past them.
- Ice Beam provides good overall neutral coverage with Scald and hits Grass- and Dragon-types such as Necturna, Mega Altaria, Cyclohm, Garchomp, and Latios super effectively.
- Psychic provides coverage against Keldeo, Mollux, Plasmanta, and Mega Venusaur, but leaves Manaphy much more easily checked by opposing Water-types.
- Energy Ball may be used for stronger coverage against the likes of Azumarill, Krilowatt, Naviathan, Rotom-W, Starmie, and Slowbro, but renders Manaphy helpless against the likes of Mollux, Plasmanta, and Mega Venusaur.
Set Details
========
- Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature makes the best use of Manaphy's Speed tier.
- 252 SpA maximizes Manaphy's damage output.
- Leftovers provides Manaphy with added longevity, allowing it to set up more often throughout the course of a match.
- Wacan Berry may be used instead to improve Manaphy's matchup against Electric-types. It prevents faster Electric-types such as Krilowatt and Mega Manectric from easily revenge killing it, and it allows Manaphy to set up more comfortably against slower Electric-types such as Cyclohm.
- Rindo Berry prevents Manaphy from being revenge killed by Serperior and allows it to strike back with Ice Beam. Also allows Manaphy to set up against slower Grass-types.
Usage Tips
========
- If there are no Water immunities on the opposing team, use Scald liberally early on in the match so that Manaphy may cripple and wear down its defensive answers.
- Depending on which coverage move Manaphy is running, it will find itself being walled by a certain group of Pokemon. Manaphy should wait until these threats have been adequately weakened or removed before setting up Tail Glow.
- Set up Tail Glow against Pokemon that can't do much damage to Manaphy, such as Mega Sableye and Heatran, so that it is healthy as possible after setting up and harder to revenge kill.
- If running Wacan Berry or Rindo Berry, slower Electric- or Grass-types respectively can make for excellent setup bait. However, if fast Electric- or Grass-types are present on the opposing team, try to preserve Manaphy's berry for these threats so they cannot revenge kill it.
- Manaphy may struggle finding an opportunity to set up against faster teams, so be sure to take advantage of Scald and its coverage moves as much as possible in these matchups.
Team Options
========
- Magnezone provides a direct method of eliminating Ferrothorn by trapping it and KOing it with Hidden Power Fire. However, this may also be accomplished by utilizing a lure, such as Hidden Power Fire Kyurem-B or Hidden Power Fire Mega Diancie.
- Fast cleaners such as Cawmodore, Stratagem, and Mega Lopunny all benefit from Manaphy's wallbreaking.
- Talonflame can handle faster offensive threats with priority Brave Bird or Acrobatics, and can help defeat Ferrothorn and Chansey as well.
- Illusion Tail Glow Aurumoth is an excellent teammate; it can disguise itself as Manaphy and help break past Manaphy's checks and counters, allowing Manaphy a better shot at sweeping later on. Aurumoth's strong Psychic STAB lessens the need for Manaphy to run Psychic as coverage, freeing up the moveslot for Energy Ball.
- Electric checks such as Mega Charizard X and Hippowdon make for good teammates, especially if Manaphy is not running Wacan Berry.
- Grass checks such as Tornadus-T and Mega Scizor make for good teammates, especially if Manaphy is not running Rindo Berry.
- A Sticky Web setter, such as Necturna, can slow down the opposing team, which improves Manaphy's matchup against offensive teams and allows it a much better chance at sweeping. Tailwind users such as Fidgit and Talonflame pair well with Manaphy for similar reasons, speeding up Manaphy and its teammates.
[SET]
name: Tail Glow + Rain Dance
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Rain Dance
move 3: Scald
move 4: Psychic / Energy Ball / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Hydration
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Tail Glow boosts Manaphy's Special Attack by three stages, making it a powerful wallbreaker.
- Rain Dance powers up Manaphy's Scald, giving Manaphy the potential to muscle past Unaware Clefable. It also allows Manaphy to take advantage of its ability, Hydration.
- Scald is Manaphy's preferred STAB move due to its burn chance, allowing it to cripple and wear down potential switch-ins, such as Ferrothorn, Kyurem-B, and Unaware Clefable, which can allow Manaphy a better shot at breaking past them.
- Psychic prevents Mollux, Plasmanta, and Mega Venusaur from walling the set.
- Energy Ball allows Manaphy to fare much better against various Water-types, including Azumarill, Naviathan, Rotom-W, and Slowbro, but it comes at the cost of being walled by the aforementioned targets of Psychic.
- Ice Beam hits hits Grass- and Dragon-types such as Necturna, Mega Altaria, Cyclohm, Garchomp, and Latios super effectively, but again, Manaphy risks being walled easily if it opts not to run Psychic.
Set Details
========
- Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature makes the best use of Manaphy's Speed tier.
- 252 SpA maximizes Manaphy's damage output.
- Leftovers provides Manaphy with added longevity, allowing it to set up more often throughout the course of a match.
- Hydration heals Manaphy's status ailments at the end of each turn in rain, which is helpful in tandem with Rain Dance.
Usage Tips
========
- Use Scald frequently early on in the match so that Manaphy may cripple and wear down its defensive answers, assuming there are no Pokemon with Water immunities on the opposing team.
- Two move coverage is nowhere near enough for Manaphy to cover all the threats it'd like to, and it will always be walled by a certain subset of Pokemon depending on which two attacks it opts for. As such, Manaphy should wait until these threats have been adequately worn down or handled by its teammates before attempting to set up.
- Set up Tail Glow against Pokemon that can't do much damage to Manaphy, such as Mega Sableye and Heatran, so that it is healthy as possible after setting up and harder to revenge kill.
- Despite Manaphy's reasonable bulk, its middling Speed means that it can struggle against offensive teams, as it'll have a hard time setting up or find itself being easily revenge killed. Try and take advantage of Scald and its coverage move as much as possible in these matchups, or use it as a Rain Dance setter to support its teammates on forced switches.
Team Options
========
- Depending on Manaphy's choice of two move coverage, it will find itself being walled by certain groups of Pokemon, and will need the proper teammates to handle them accordingly.
- Manaphy lacking Paychic absolutely needs a method of dealing with Mollux, Plasmanta, and Mega Venusaur. Seeing as these are all Poison-types, a Psychic-type such as Aurumoth is an excellent partner to take these threats out of the picture.
- Manaphy lacking Energy Ball will need a teammate that can check Water-types. Cyclohm, Mollux, Necturna, and Serperior can all fit this role.
- Manaphy lacking Ice Beam will struggle against opposing Dragon-types, so Fairy-types such as Clefable, Mega Diancie, and Mega Gardevoir can pair up well with Manaphy.
- Cawmodore pairs up very nicely with Manaphy (especially if Manaphy is running Ice Beam to defeat Cyclohm), as it can act as a fast late-game sweeper after Manaphy wallbreaks. Cawmodore also benefits from Rain Dance, as it neutralizes its weakness to Fire.
- Other late-game cleaners such as Stratagem and Mega Lopunny can also take advantage of walls being broken down.
- Manaphy tends to struggle breaking past defensive threats such as Ferrothorn and Chansey and requires teammates to take them on. Talonflame works well in this role, and can also handle faster offensive threats for Manaphy with priority Brave Bird or Acrobatics.
- Magnezone provides a direct method of removing Ferrothorn by trapping it with Magnet Pull. However, this may also be accomplished by utilizing a lure, such as Hidden Power Fire Kyurem-B or Hidden Power Fire Mega Diancie. Don't try setting up Rain Dance with Manaphy if its teammates have yet to weaken or remove Ferrothorn, as this will hamper their ability to do so.
- A Sticky Web setter, such as Necturna, can slow down the opposing team, which improves Manaphy's matchup against offensive teams and allows it a much better chance at sweeping. Tailwind users such as Fidgit and Talonflame pair well with Manaphy for similar reasons, speeding up Manaphy and its teammates.
- Finally, Pokemon such as Mega Swampert, Kabutops, Kingdra, and Tornadus-T can all benefit from Manaphy setting up Rain Dance.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- A bulky set with Rain Dance / Rest / Calm Mind / Scald is usable and has greater longevity than any of Manaphy's other sets. However, this set is too matchup dependent to be consistent, as Mollux and Plasmanta are fairly common and can wall this set completely.
- +3 Hidden Power Fire OHKOes Ferrothorn and maintains decent coverage against other Grass-types, so it can be used over Ice Beam, but it leaves Manaphy unable to deal with Dragon-types such as Cyclohm.
- Dazzling Gleam allows Manaphy to OHKO Kyurem-B after a single Tail Glow, but it provides subpar coverage overall compared to its usual coverage moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Electric-types, such as Krilowatt, Mega Manectric, and Thundurus all pose a heavy threat to Manaphy and can serve as solid revenge killers. Plasmanta can get a get a Special Attack boost from Storm Drain if it switches into Scald; it just needs to watch out for Psychic.
**Grass-types**: Ferrothorn is a solid answer to Manaphy lacking Hidden Power Fire, as it is only 3HKOed by +3 Ice Beam and can strike back with a super effective Power Whip. Mega Venusaur can check Manaphy lacking Psychic and can hit it hard with Giga Drain. Serperior can outspeed and OHKO Manaphy with Leaf Storm, and can even tank an unboosted Ice Beam if necessary, making it a good offensive check.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster attackers such as Mega Crucibelle, Stratagem, Tornadus-T, and Weavile can't switch into Manaphy very well, but can outspeed it and dish out massive damage, allowing them to serve as revenge killers.
**Priority Users**: Powerful priority users such as Colossoil and Talonflame can easily pick off a weakened Manaphy, but don't enjoy switching in directly.
**Unaware Clefable**: Unaware Clefable ignores Manaphy's boosts, making it a solid answer to Manaphy if it's healthy enough. Clefable can potentially be worn down by a Scald burn, however, and Rain Dance Manaphy can put a lot of pressure on Clefable.
**Mollux**: Mollux counters any variant of Manaphy lacking Psychic thanks to Dry Skin.
**Chansey**: Chansey can check Manaphy if it lacks Rain Dance thanks to its immense special bulk, but it can find itself being overwhelmed by Rain Dance variants, as it's 2HKOed by a +6 Rain-boosted Scald and will very likely end up getting burnt if it tries to stall with Soft-Boiled.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Mega Altaria, Cyclohm, and Latios resist Manaphy's STAB, allowing them to check any variant of Manaphy lacking Ice Beam. Kyurem-B is neutral to Ice Beam thanks to its secondary Ice typing and can threaten Manaphy with Fusion Bolt, but it doesn't enjoy getting burned by Scald upon switching in.
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