[SET]
name: Competitive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Substitute
item: Leftovers
ability: Competitive
nature: Modest
evs: 136 HP / 200 SpA / 172 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Competitive Milotic is able to combine the defensive utility provided by its typing and strong natural bulk, allowing it to check Pokemon like Noivern and Galarian Weezing, with the ability to punish these Pokemon for Defogging by turning it into a dangerous offensive threat thanks to its ability. Its ability also allows it to punish Intimidate users in Krookodile and Incineroar through predicted double switches, and Parting Shot from the latter, and be a threat to Sticky Web teams. Substitute can be set up by Milotic on Pokemon it forces out like Noivern, Incineroar, Slowbro, and Slowking to ease prediction with switch-ins; Noivern in particular cannot break these Substitutes due to Infiltrator. 172 Speed EVs allow Milotic to outspeed offensive Incineroar, while 200 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature guarantee that Milotic can OHKO offensive Celebi with Ice Beam after Competitive is triggered.
Competitive Milotic is a great fit on entry hazard stacking teams that value Milotic punishing Defoggers and the defensive utility it provides in checking threats like Noivern. Roserade and Heracross are great Spikes setters that appreciate Milotic checking Noivern, Roserade can also punish Rotom-W and Rotom-M that Milotic cannot safely punish for Defogging, while Heracross can break through Milotic's checks like Chansey and Jellicent, and appreciates Milotic punishing defensive Neutralizing Gas Galarian Weezing. Cobalion can set Stealth Rock for such teams and provide a check to threats like Obstagoon and Roserade. Celebi is another great option as a Stealth Rock setter that can check Keldeo, Rotom-M, and Rotom-C for Milotic. Noivern can help to check Keldeo, as well as threats like Cobalion and Scyther that Milotic struggles to without defensive investment, and pressure Grass-types like Zarude and Roserade. Late game win conditions like Calm Mind Sylveon and Swords Dance Doublade appreciate Milotic being able to either wallbreak and remove or weaken their checks like Roserade and Rotom-W respectively, or force entry hazards to stay up to benefit them during the late game. Sylveon appreciates Milotic checking Noivern throughout the game, so that it can more easily reserve health to clean late-game, while Doublade can offer a strong check to Cobalion and Terrakion that Milotic struggles to check with an offensive spread.
[SET]
name: Mixed Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Recover
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Ice Beam / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Marvel Scale
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Milotic's solid mixed defenses and fantastic typing make it a solid check to threats like Noivern, Darmanitan, Doublade, and Starmie for balance and semi-stall teams. While it faces competition from other bulky Water-types like Gastrodon, which can check Rotom-W, Slowbro, which can check physical attackers like Terrakion and Cobalion much more reliably, and Mantine, which can offer Defog support, Milotic's pure water typing allows it to check Pokemon like Mamoswine and Chandelure that Gastrodon and Slowbro can't respectively, while its greater offensive presence and lack of weakness to Stealth Rock makes it a far less passive check to special attackers than Mantine, which has no way of punishing switch-ins like Heliolisk and Celebi, and is vulnerable to having its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by Pokemon like Galarian Weezing that it might want to check. Ice Beam prevents Pokemon like Celebi and Roserade from freely switching into Milotic, and allows Milotic to OHKO Noivern, but Haze can be used on teams that appreciate an answer to set up sweepers like Calm Mind Reuniclus, Galarian Slowbro, and Sylveon. Flip Turn with Heavy-Duty Boots is also an option that can make Milotic less passive and allow it to bring teammates in on its switch-ins like Roserade and Roserade, while pivoting better due to an immunity to entry hazards, this, however, should only be used on more offensive teams that don't need Milotic running Haze and benefit more from the immediate momentum against such Pokemon than Milotic being able to pressure them with Ice Beam. The given special defense investment allows Milotic to avoid being 2HKO'd by Choice Specs Chandelure after Stealth Rock, however, a more physically defensive spread can be used to better check Mamoswine and Darmanitan.
As previously mentioned, Milotic fits best on more defensive teams that appreciate it checking dangerous wallbreakers like Darmanitan and Chandelure. Umbreon and Chansey are great teammates that can take the pressure off of Milotic in checking Starmie and Chandelure, while providing Heal Bell support to prevent Milotic being worn down by Toxic. Confide Chansey can also help to deal with Calm Mind Reuniclus and Calm Mind + Rest Sylveon, allowing Milotic to more easily run Ice Beam. Other teammates such as Doublade and Calm Mind Galarian Slowbro can also help to deal with these set up sweepers and serve as dangerous late-game win conditions themselves; if relying on Doublade for Reuniclus, it should run Shadow Claw to make sure it can beat Acid Armor variants. Doublade can also offer a reliable check to threats like Cobalion and Terrakion. Compared to other bulky Water-types like Mantine and Slowbro, Milotic is unable to check Keldeo, teammates like Noivern and Celebi are therefore great options. Noivern can also offer an offensive check to Grass-types like Celebi, Roserade, and Zarude that can take advantage of Milotic, and offer Defog support, while Celebi can check Electric-types like Heliolisk, Rotom-W, and Rotom-C, and either provide Stealth Rocks or serve as a wallbreaker that appreciates Milotic handling its checks like Escavalier and Noivern. Galarian Weezing can check powerful physical attackers like Mienshao and Terrakion for Milotic, Neutralizing Gas sets in particular can also help to absorb Toxic Spikes and provide a reliable check to Guts users in Heracross and Obstagoon. It can also provide Defog support or set Toxic Spikes to pressure Milotic's switch-ins, and remove items off its switch-ins like Darmanitan and Chandelure with Corrosive Gas, making them either more easy for Milotic to check without their Choice items, or easier to wear down without their Heavy-Duty Boots.
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