MurderousMantyke
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[OVERVIEW]
Fairy
========
Mimikyu is a unique setup sweeper on Fairy because of its ability Disguise and access to Swords Dance and Shadow Sneak, which allow it to pose an offensive threat and pressure revenge killers such as Dragapult. Offensively, Mimikyu improves the matchup against offensive types like Electric, Psychic, and Ghost; however, it struggles with common defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex, Celesteela, and Hippwdon, and thus it functions best as a late-game cleaner once its teammates have broken down the opposing defensive core. Mimikyu is also very susceptible to passive damage from entry hazards, status, and Life Orb recoil, and it heavily relies on Disguise being unbroken to pose an offensive threat.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Fairy)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Sneak
move 3: Shadow Claw
move 4: Play Rough / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Disguise
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Shadow Sneak gives Mimikyu useful priority, threatening faster threats such as Gengar, Alolan Raichu, and Victini. Shadow Claw hits defensive answers like Celesteela, Galarian Corsola, Toxapex, and Slowbro much harder than any other attack. Play Rough is Mimikyu's strongest STAB move, hitting Dark- and Dragon-types like Zarude and Garchomp. Drain Punch provides perfect coverage when used alongside Shadow Claw, most notably hitting Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Bisharp hard. Life Orb provides Mimikyu extra power to make up for its otherwise middling offensive presence.
Klefki is a mandatory partner on offensive Fairy teams, setting up dual screens to help Mimikyu set up with ease and Spikes to bring opposing teams in range of its boosted attacks. Clefable can reliably remove items with Knock Off and set Stealth Rock to help Mimikyu sweep late-game. Tapu Koko can offensively pressure many of the defensive Pokemon that wall Mimikyu, such as Toxapex and Corviknight, while potentially bringing it in with U-turn or Volt Switch. Tapu Lele pressures the Poison-types that Mimikyu struggles to break through, such as Toxapex and Amoonguss, but the Psychic Terrain it sets can block Mimikyu's own Shadow Sneak. Mimikyu appreciates wallbreaking from Tapu Bulu, which can run a similar Swords Dance set to sweep alongside it, to quickly break down defensive Pokemon like Galarian Corsola, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn. Azumarill capitalizes on dual screens much like Mimikyu and breaks down bulkier Steel- and Poison- types that give Mimikyu trouble. Tapu Fini can use sets like Taunt + Calm Mind to set up on and pressure defensive cores like Toxapex + Amoonguss + Galarian Weezing or Slowking + Pelipper + Toxapex, helping Mimikyu sweep late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Fairy
========
Red Card is a option to phaze setup sweepers like Swords Dance Aegislash, Quiver Dance Volcarona, and Nasty Plot Thundurus-T at the cost of Life Orb's noticeable power boost. Another option is Will-O-Wisp, which lets Mimikyu burn bulky switch-ins like Celesteela, Melmetal, and Landorus-T, making it easier for offensive teammates like Tapu Bulu and Azumarill to break through opposing teams.
Checks and Counters
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Fairy
========
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Even after a Swords Dance boost, Mimikyu struggles to damage walls such as Toxapex, Skarmory, and Amoonguss, many of which can remove its boosts via Haze or Whirlwind or finish it off with an attack like Foul Play.
**Revenge Killers**: Mimikyu's poor Defense and HP mean that faster physical attackers can pick it off once Disguise is broken, especially those that can circumvent Disguise such as Urshifu-R and Choice Scarf Mold Breaker Excadrill.
**Passive Damage**: Mimikyu is very susceptible to passive damage in the form of Rocky Helmet on users like Garchomp, Iron Barbs from Ferrothorn, status, entry hazards, and its own Life Orb.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[MurderousMantyke, 563737]]
- Fairy analysis by: [[MurderousMantyke, 563737]]
- Quality checked by: [[Felines, 290520], [[roxiee, 481576]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]], [[DC, 449990]]
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